don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第79章

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incurs　fall　upon　the　husband's　flesh；　though　he；　as　has　been　said；　may
have　given　no　cause　for　them；　for　as　the　pain　of　the　foot　or　any
member　of　the　body　is　felt　by　the　whole　body；　because　all　is　one
flesh；　as　the　head　feels　the　hurt　to　the　ankle　without　having　caused
it；　so　the　husband；　being　one　with　her；　shares　the　dishonour　of　the
wife；　and　as　all　worldly　honour　or　dishonour　comes　of　flesh　and　blood；
and　the　erring　wife's　is　of　that　kind；　the　husband　must　needs　bear　his
part　of　it　and　be　held　dishonoured　without　knowing　it。　See；　then；
Anselmo；　the　peril　thou　art　encountering　in　seeking　to　disturb　the
peace　of　thy　virtuous　consort；　see　for　what　an　empty　and　ill…advised
curiosity　thou　wouldst　rouse　up　passions　that　now　repose　in　quiet　in
the　breast　of　thy　chaste　wife；　reflect　that　what　thou　art　staking
all　to　win　is　little；　and　what　thou　wilt　lose　so　much　that　I　leave
it　undescribed；　not　having　the　words　to　express　it。　But　if　all　I
have　said　be　not　enough　to　turn　thee　from　thy　vile　purpose；　thou
must　seek　some　other　instrument　for　thy　dishonour　and　misfortune；
for　such　I　will　not　consent　to　be；　though　I　lose　thy　friendship；　the
greatest　loss　that　I　can　conceive。〃
　　Having　said　this；　the　wise　and　virtuous　Lothario　was　silent；　and
Anselmo；　troubled　in　mind　and　deep　in　thought；　was　unable　for　a
while　to　utter　a　word　in　reply；　but　at　length　he　said；　〃I　have
listened；　Lothario　my　friend；　attentively；　as　thou　hast　seen；　to
what　thou　hast　chosen　to　say　to　me；　and　in　thy　arguments；　examples；
and　comparisons　I　have　seen　that　high　intelligence　thou　dost
possess；　and　the　perfection　of　true　friendship　thou　hast　reached；
and　likewise　I　see　and　confess　that　if　I　am　not　guided　by　thy　opinion；
but　follow　my　own；　I　am　flying　from　the　good　and　pursuing　the　evil。
This　being　so；　thou　must　remember　that　I　am　now　labouring　under　that
infirmity　which　women　sometimes　suffer　from；　when　the　craving　seizes

them　to　eat　clay；　plaster；　charcoal；　and　things　even　worse；　disgusting
to　look　at；　much　more　to　eat；　so　that　it　will　be　necessary　to　have
recourse　to　some　artifice　to　cure　me；　and　this　can　be　easily
effected　if　only　thou　wilt　make　a　beginning；　even　though　it　be　in　a
lukewarm　and　make…believe　fashion；　to　pay　court　to　Camilla；　who　will
not　be　so　yielding　that　her　virtue　will　give　way　at　the　first
attack：　with　this　mere　attempt　I　shall　rest　satisfied；　and　thou　wilt
have　done　what　our　friendship　binds　thee　to　do；　not　only　in　giving
me　life；　but　in　persuading　me　not　to　discard　my　honour。　And　this
thou　art　bound　to　do　for　one　reason　alone；　that；　being；　as　I　am；
resolved　to　apply　this　test；　it　is　not　for　thee　to　permit　me　to　reveal
my　weakness　to　another；　and　so　imperil　that　honour　thou　art　striving
to　keep　me　from　losing；　and　if　thine　may　not　stand　as　high　as　it　ought
in　the　estimation　of　Camilla　while　thou　art　paying　court　to　her；
that　is　of　little　or　no　importance；　because　ere　long；　on　finding　in
her　that　constancy　which　we　expect；　thou　canst　tell　her　the　plain
truth　as　regards　our　stratagem；　and　so　regain　thy　place　in　her　esteem；
and　as　thou　art　venturing　so　little；　and　by　the　venture　canst　afford
me　so　much　satisfaction；　refuse　not　to　undertake　it；　even　if　further
difficulties　present　themselves　to　thee；　for；　as　I　have　said；　if
thou　wilt　only　make　a　beginning　I　will　acknowledge　the　issue　decided。〃
　　Lothario　seeing　the　fixed　determination　of　Anselmo；　and　not
knowing　what　further　examples　to　offer　or　arguments　to　urge　in　order
to　dissuade　him　from　it；　and　perceiving　that　he　threatened　to
confide　his　pernicious　scheme　to　some　one　else；　to　avoid　a　greater
evil　resolved　to　gratify　him　and　do　what　he　asked；　intending　to　manage
the　business　so　as　to　satisfy　Anselmo　without　corrupting　the　mind　of
Camilla；　so　in　reply　he　told　him　not　to　communicate　his　purpose　to　any
other；　for　he　would　undertake　the　task　himself；　and　would　begin　it
as　soon　as　he　pleased。　Anselmo　embraced　him　warmly　and　affectionately；
and　thanked　him　for　his　offer　as　if　he　had　bestowed　some　great
favour　upon　him；　and　it　was　agreed　between　them　to　set　about　it　the
next　day；　Anselmo　affording　opportunity　and　time　to　Lothario　to
converse　alone　with　Camilla；　and　furnishing　him　with　money　and
jewels　to　offer　and　present　to　her。　He　suggested；　too；　that　he
should　treat　her　to　music；　and　write　verses　in　her　praise；　and　if　he
was　unwilling　to　take　the　trouble　of　composing　them；　he　offered　to
do　it　himself。　Lothario　agreed　to　all　with　an　intention　very　different
from　what　Anselmo　supposed；　and　with　this　understanding　they
returned　to　Anselmo's　house；　where　they　found　Camilla　awaiting　her
husband　anxiously　and　uneasily；　for　he　was　later　than　usual　in
returning　that　day。　Lothario　repaired　to　his　own　house；　and　Anselmo
remained　in　his；　as　well　satisfied　as　Lothario　was　troubled　in　mind；
for　he　could　see　no　satisfactory　way　out　of　this　ill…advised　business。
That　night；　however；　he　thought　of　a　plan　by　which　he　might　deceive
Anselmo　without　any　injury　to　Camilla。　The　next　day　he　went　to　dine
with　his　friend；　and　was　welcomed　by　Camilla；　who　received　and　treated
him　with　great　cordiality；　knowing　the　affection　her　husband　felt
for　him。　When　dinner　was　over　and　the　cloth　removed；　Anselmo　told
Lothario　to　stay　there　with　Camilla　while　he　attended　to　some　pressing
business；　as　he　would　return　in　an　hour　and　a　half。　Camilla　begged　him
not　to　go；　and　Lothario　offered　to　accompany　him；　but　nothing　could
persuade　Anselmo；　who　on　the　contrary　pressed　Lothario　to　remain
waiting　for　him　as　he　had　a　matter　of　great　importance　to　discuss　with
him。　At　the　same　time　he　bade　Camilla　not　to　leave　Lothario　alone
until　he　came　back。　In　short　he　contrived　to　put　so　good　a　face　on　the
reason；　or　the　folly；　of　his　absence　that　no　one　could　have
suspected　it　was　a　pretence。
　　Anselmo　took　his　departure；　and　Camilla　and　Lothario　were　left　alone
at　the　table；　for　the　rest　of　the　household　had　gone　to　dinner。
Lothario　saw　himself　in　the　lists　according　to　his　friend's　wish；
and　facing　an　enemy　that　could　by　her　beauty　alone　vanquish　a　squadron
of　armed　knights；　judge　whether　he　had　good　reason　to　fear；　but　what
he　did　was　to　lean　his　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　and　his　cheek
upon　his　hand；　and；　asking　Camilla's　pardon　for　his　ill　manners；　he
said　he　wished　to　take　a　little　sleep　until　Anselmo　returned。
Camilla　in　reply　said　he　could　repose　more　at　his　ease　in　the
reception…room　than　in　his　chair；　and　begged　of　him　to　go　in　and　sleep
there；　but　Lothario　declined；　and　there　he　remained　asleep　until　the
return　of　Anselmo；　who　finding　Camilla　in　her　own　room；　and　Lothario
asleep；　imagined　that　he　had　stayed　away　so　long　as　to　have　afforded
them　time　enough　for　conversation　and　even　for　sleep；　and　was　all
impatience　until　Lothario　should　wake　up；　that　he　might　go　out　with
him　and　question　him　as　to　his　success。　Everything　fell　out　as　he
wished；　Lothario　awoke；　and　the　two　at　once　left　the　house；　and
Anselmo　asked　what　he　was　anxious　to　know；　and　Lothario　in　answer　told
him　that　he　had　not　thought　it　advisable　to　declare　himself　entirely
the　first　time；　and　therefore　had　only　extolled　the　charms　of　Camilla；
telling　her　that　all　the　city　spoke　of　nothing　else　but　her　beauty　and
wit；　for　this　seemed　to　him　an　excellent　way　of　beginning　to　gain
her　good…will　and　render　her　disposed　to　listen　to　him　with　pleasure
the　next　time；　thus　availing　himself　of　the　device　the　devil　has
recourse　to　when　he　would　deceive　one　who　is　on　the　watch；　for　he
being　the　angel　of　darkness　transforms　himself　into　an　angel　of　light；
and；　under　cover　of　a　fair　seeming；　discloses　himself　at　length；　and
effects　his　purpose　if　at　the　beginning　his　wiles　are　not
discovered。　All　this　gave　great　satisfaction　to　Anselmo；　and　he　said
he　would　afford　the　same　opportunity　every　day；　but　without　leaving
the　house；　for　he　would　find　things　to　do　at　home　so　that　Camilla
should　not　detect　the　plot。
　　Thus；　then；　several　days　went　by；　and　Lothario；　without　uttering　a
word　to　Camilla；　reported　to　Anselmo　that　he　had　talked　with　her　and
that　he　had　never　been　able　to　draw　from　her　the　slightest
indication　of　consent　to　anything　dishonourable；　nor　even　a　sign　or