don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第76章

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Anselmo's　house　as　he　had　been　wont；　striving　to　do　honour　to　him
and　to　the　occasion；　and　to　gratify　him　in　every　way　he　could；　but
when　the　wedding　days　were　over　and　the　succession　of　visits　and
congratulations　had　slackened；　he　began　purposely　to　leave　off　going
to　the　house　of　Anselmo；　for　it　seemed　to　him；　as　it　naturally　would
to　all　men　of　sense；　that　friends'　houses　ought　not　to　be　visited
after　marriage　with　the　same　frequency　as　in　their　masters'　bachelor
days：　because；　though　true　and　genuine　friendship　cannot　and　should
not　be　in　any　way　suspicious；　still　a　married　man's　honour　is　a
thing　of　such　delicacy　that　it　is　held　liable　to　injury　from　brothers；
much　more　from　friends。　Anselmo　remarked　the　cessation　of　Lothario's
visits；　and　complained　of　it　to　him；　saying　that　if　he　had　known
that　marriage　was　to　keep　him　from　enjoying　his　society　as　he　used；　he
would　have　never　married；　and　that；　if　by　the　thorough　harmony　that
subsisted　between　them　while　he　was　a　bachelor　they　had　earned　such
a　sweet　name　as　that　of　〃The　Two　Friends；〃　he　should　not　allow　a　title
so　rare　and　so　delightful　to　be　lost　through　a　needless　anxiety　to　act
circumspectly；　and　so　he　entreated　him；　if　such　a　phrase　was　allowable
between　them；　to　be　once　more　master　of　his　house　and　to　come　in　and
go　out　as　formerly；　assuring　him　that　his　wife　Camilla　had　no　other
desire　or　inclination　than　that　which　he　would　wish　her　to　have；　and
that　knowing　how　sincerely　they　loved　one　another　she　was　grieved　to
see　such　coldness　in　him。
　　To　all　this　and　much　more　that　Anselmo　said　to　Lothario　to
persuade　him　to　come　to　his　house　as　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of
doing；　Lothario　replied　with　so　much　prudence；　sense；　and　judgment；
that　Anselmo　was　satisfied　of　his　friend's　good　intentions；　and　it　was
agreed　that　on　two　days　in　the　week；　and　on　holidays；　Lothario
should　come　to　dine　with　him；　but　though　this　arrangement　was　made
between　them　Lothario　resolved　to　observe　it　no　further　than　he
considered　to　be　in　accordance　with　the　honour　of　his　friend；　whose
good　name　was　more　to　him　than　his　own。　He　said；　and　justly；　that　a
married　man　upon　whom　heaven　had　bestowed　a　beautiful　wife　should
consider　as　carefully　what　friends　he　brought　to　his　house　as　what
female　friends　his　wife　associated　with；　for　what　cannot　be　done　or
arranged　in　the　market…place；　in　church；　at　public　festivals　or　at
stations　（opportunities　that　husbands　cannot　always　deny　their　wives）；
may　be　easily　managed　in　the　house　of　the　female　friend　or　relative　in
whom　most　confidence　is　reposed。　Lothario　said；　too；　that　every
married　man　should　have　some　friend　who　would　point　out　to　him　any
negligence　he　might　be　guilty　of　in　his　conduct；　for　it　will　sometimes
happen　that　owing　to　the　deep　affection　the　husband　bears　his　wife
either　he　does　not　caution　her；　or；　not　to　vex　her；　refrains　from
telling　her　to　do　or　not　to　do　certain　things；　doing　or　avoiding　which
may　be　a　matter　of　honour　or　reproach　to　him；　and　errors　of　this
kind　he　could　easily　correct　if　warned　by　a　friend。　But　where　is
such　a　friend　to　be　found　as　Lothario　would　have；　so　judicious；　so
loyal；　and　so　true？
　　Of　a　truth　I　know　not；　Lothario　alone　was　such　a　one；　for　with　the
utmost　care　and　vigilance　he　watched　over　the　honour　of　his　friend；
and　strove　to　diminish；　cut　down；　and　reduce　the　number　of　days　for
going　to　his　house　according　to　their　agreement；　lest　the　visits　of
a　young　man；　wealthy；　high…born；　and　with　the　attractions　he　was
conscious　of　possessing；　at　the　house　of　a　woman　so　beautiful　as
Camilla；　should　be　regarded　with　suspicion　by　the　inquisitive　and
malicious　eyes　of　the　idle　public。　For　though　his　integrity　and
reputation　might　bridle　slanderous　tongues；　still　he　was　unwilling
to　hazard　either　his　own　good　name　or　that　of　his　friend；　and　for　this
reason　most　of　the　days　agreed　upon　he　devoted　to　some　other
business　which　he　pretended　was　unavoidable；　so　that　a　great　portion
of　the　day　was　taken　up　with　complaints　on　one　side　and　excuses　on　the
other。　It　happened；　however；　that　on　one　occasion　when　the　two　were
strolling　together　outside　the　city；　Anselmo　addressed　the　following
words　to　Lothario。
　　〃Thou　mayest　suppose；　Lothario　my　friend；　that　I　am　unable　to　give
sufficient　thanks　for　the　favours　God　has　rendered　me　in　making　me　the
son　of　such　parents　as　mine　were；　and　bestowing　upon　me　with　no
niggard　hand　what　are　called　the　gifts　of　nature　as　well　as　those　of
fortune；　and　above　all　for　what　he　has　done　in　giving　me　thee　for　a
friend　and　Camilla　for　a　wife…　two　treasures　that　I　value；　if　not　as
highly　as　I　ought；　at　least　as　highly　as　I　am　able。　And　yet；　with
all　these　good　things；　which　are　commonly　all　that　men　need　to
enable　them　to　live　happily；　I　am　the　most　discontented　and
dissatisfied　man　in　the　whole　world；　for；　I　know　not　how　long　since；　I
have　been　harassed　and　oppressed　by　a　desire　so　strange　and　so
unusual；　that　I　wonder　at　myself　and　blame　and　chide　myself　when　I
am　alone；　and　strive　to　stifle　it　and　hide　it　from　my　own　thoughts；
and　with　no　better　success　than　if　I　were　endeavouring　deliberately　to
publish　it　to　all　the　world；　and　as；　in　short；　it　must　come　out；　I
would　confide　it　to　thy　safe　keeping；　feeling　sure　that　by　this　means；
and　by　thy　readiness　as　a　true　friend　to　afford　me　relief；　I　shall
soon　find　myself　freed　from　the　distress　it　causes　me；　and　that　thy
care　will　give　me　happiness　in　the　same　degree　as　my　own　folly　has
caused　me　misery。〃
　　The　words　of　Anselmo　struck　Lothario　with　astonishment；　unable　as　he
was　to　conjecture　the　purport　of　such　a　lengthy　preamble；　and　though
be　strove　to　imagine　what　desire　it　could　be　that　so　troubled　his
friend；　his　conjectures　were　all　far　from　the　truth；　and　to　relieve
the　anxiety　which　this　perplexity　was　causing　him；　he　told　him　he
was　doing　a　flagrant　injustice　to　their　great　friendship　in　seeking
circuitous　methods　of　confiding　to　him　his　most　hidden　thoughts；　for
be　well　knew　he　might　reckon　upon　his　counsel　in　diverting　them；　or
his　help　in　carrying　them　into　effect。
　　〃That　is　the　truth；〃　replied　Anselmo；　〃and　relying　upon　that　I
will　tell　thee；　friend　Lothario；　that　the　desire　which　harasses　me
is　that　of　knowing　whether　my　wife　Camilla　is　as　good　and　as　perfect
as　I　think　her　to　be；　and　I　cannot　satisfy　myself　of　the　truth　on　this
point　except　by　testing　her　in　such　a　way　that　the　trial　may　prove　the
purity　of　her　virtue　as　the　fire　proves　that　of　gold；　because　I　am
persuaded；　my　friend；　that　a　woman　is　virtuous　only　in　proportion　as
she　is　or　is　not　tempted；　and　that　she　alone　is　strong　who　does　not
yield　to　the　promises；　gifts；　tears；　and　importunities　of　earnest
lovers；　for　what　thanks　does　a　woman　deserve　for　being　good　if　no
one　urges　her　to　be　bad；　and　what　wonder　is　it　that　she　is　reserved
and　circumspect　to　whom　no　opportunity　is　given　of　going　wrong　and　who
knows　she　has　a　husband　that　will　take　her　life　the　first　time　he
detects　her　in　an　impropriety？　I　do　not　therefore　hold　her　who　is
virtuous　through　fear　or　want　of　opportunity　in　the　same　estimation　as
her　who　comes　out　of　temptation　and　trial　with　a　crown　of　victory；　and
so；　for　these　reasons　and　many　others　that　I　could　give　thee　to
justify　and　support　the　opinion　I　hold；　I　am　desirous　that　my　wife
Camilla　should　pass　this　crisis；　and　be　refined　and　tested　by　the　fire
of　finding　herself　wooed　and　by　one　worthy　to　set　his　affections
upon　her；　and　if　she　comes　out；　as　I　know　she　will；　victorious　from
this　struggle；　I　shall　look　upon　my　good　fortune　as　unequalled；　I
shall　be　able　to　say　that　the　cup　of　my　desire　is　full；　and　that　the
virtuous　woman　of　whom　the　sage　says　'Who　shall　find　her？'　has
fallen　to　my　lot。　And　if　the　result　be　the　contrary　of　what　I
expect；　in　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　I　have　been　right　in　my
opinion；　I　shall　bear　without　complaint　the　pain　which　my　so　dearly
bought　experience　will　naturally　cause　me。　And；　as　nothing　of　all　thou
wilt　urge　in　opposition　to　my　wish　will　avail　to　keep　me　from　carrying
it　into　effect；　it　is　my　desire；　friend　Lothario；　that　thou　shouldst
consent　to　become　the　instrument　for　effecting　this　purpose　that　I