don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第80章

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that　he　had　never　been　able　to　draw　from　her　the　slightest
indication　of　consent　to　anything　dishonourable；　nor　even　a　sign　or
shadow　of　hope；　on　the　contrary；　he　said　she　would　inform　her
husband　of　it。
　　〃So　far　well；〃　said　Anselmo；　〃Camilla　has　thus　far　resisted　words；
we　must　now　see　how　she　will　resist　deeds。　I　will　give　you　to…morrow
two　thousand　crowns　in　gold　for　you　to　offer　or　even　present；　and　as
many　more　to　buy　jewels　to　lure　her；　for　women　are　fond　of　being
becomingly　attired　and　going　gaily　dressed；　and　all　the　more　so　if
they　are　beautiful；　however　chaste　they　may　be；　and　if　she　resists
this　temptation；　I　will　rest　satisfied　and　will　give　you　no　more
trouble。〃
　　Lothario　replied　that　now　he　had　begun　he　would　carry　on　the
undertaking　to　the　end；　though　he　perceived　he　was　to　come　out　of　it
wearied　and　vanquished。　The　next　day　he　received　the　four　thousand
crowns；　and　with　them　four　thousand　perplexities；　for　he　knew　not　what
to　say　by　way　of　a　new　falsehood；　but　in　the　end　he　made　up　his　mind
to　tell　him　that　Camilla　stood　as　firm　against　gifts　and　promises　as
against　words；　and　that　there　was　no　use　in　taking　any　further
trouble；　for　the　time　was　all　spent　to　no　purpose。
　　But　chance；　directing　things　in　a　different　manner；　so　ordered　it
that　Anselmo；　having　left　Lothario　and　Camilla　alone　as　on　other
occasions；　shut　himself　into　a　chamber　and　posted　himself　to　watch　and
listen　through　the　keyhole　to　what　passed　between　them；　and
perceived　that　for　more　than　half　an　hour　Lothario　did　not　utter　a
word　to　Camilla；　nor　would　utter　a　word　though　he　were　to　be　there　for
an　age；　and　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　what　his　friend　had　told
him　about　the　replies　of　Camilla　was　all　invention　and　falsehood；
and　to　ascertain　if　it　were　so；　he　came　out；　and　calling　Lothario
aside　asked　him　what　news　he　had　and　in　what　humour　Camilla　was。
Lothario　replied　that　he　was　not　disposed　to　go　on　with　the
business；　for　she　had　answered　him　so　angrily　and　harshly　that　he
had　no　heart　to　say　anything　more　to　her。
　　〃Ah；　Lothario；　Lothario；〃　said　Anselmo；　〃how　ill　dost　thou　meet
thy　obligations　to　me；　and　the　great　confidence　I　repose　in　thee！　I
have　been　just　now　watching　through　this　keyhole；　and　I　have　seen　that
thou　has　not　said　a　word　to　Camilla；　whence　I　conclude　that　on　the
former　occasions　thou　hast　not　spoken　to　her　either；　and　if　this　be
so；　as　no　doubt　it　is；　why　dost　thou　deceive　me；　or　wherefore
seekest　thou　by　craft　to　deprive　me　of　the　means　I　might　find　of
attaining　my　desire？〃
　　Anselmo　said　no　more；　but　he　had　said　enough　to　cover　Lothario
with　shame　and　confusion；　and　he；　feeling　as　it　were　his　honour
touched　by　having　been　detected　in　a　lie；　swore　to　Anselmo　that　he
would　from　that　moment　devote　himself　to　satisfying　him　without　any
deception；　as　he　would　see　if　he　had　the　curiosity　to　watch；　though　he
need　not　take　the　trouble；　for　the　pains　he　would　take　to　satisfy
him　would　remove　all　suspicions　from　his　mind。　Anselmo　believed　him；
and　to　afford　him　an　opportunity　more　free　and　less　liable　to
surprise；　he　resolved　to　absent　himself　from　his　house　for　eight　days；
betaking　himself　to　that　of　a　friend　of　his　who　lived　in　a　village　not
far　from　the　city；　and；　the　better　to　account　for　his　departure　to
Camilla；　he　so　arranged　it　that　the　friend　should　send　him　a　very
pressing　invitation。
　　Unhappy；　shortsighted　Anselmo；　what　art　thou　doing；　what　art　thou
plotting；　what　art　thou　devising？　Bethink　thee　thou　art　working
against　thyself；　plotting　thine　own　dishonour；　devising　thine　own
ruin。　Thy　wife　Camilla　is　virtuous；　thou　dost　possess　her　in　peace　and
quietness；　no　one　assails　thy　happiness；　her　thoughts　wander　not
beyond　the　walls　of　thy　house；　thou　art　her　heaven　on　earth；　the
object　of　her　wishes；　the　fulfilment　of　her　desires；　the　measure
wherewith　she　measures　her　will；　making　it　conform　in　all　things　to
thine　and　Heaven's。　If；　then；　the　mine　of　her　honour；　beauty；
virtue；　and　modesty　yields　thee　without　labour　all　the　wealth　it
contains　and　thou　canst　wish　for；　why　wilt　thou　dig　the　earth　in
search　of　fresh　veins；　of　new　unknown　treasure；　risking　the　collapse
of　all；　since　it　but　rests　on　the　feeble　props　of　her　weak　nature？
Bethink　thee　that　from　him　who　seeks　impossibilities　that　which　is
possible　may　with　justice　be　withheld；　as　was　better　expressed　by　a
poet　who　said：

　　　　　　　'Tis　mine　to　seek　for　life　in　death；
　　　　　　　　　Health　in　disease　seek　I；
　　　　　　　I　seek　in　prison　freedom's　breath；
　　　　　　　　　In　traitors　loyalty。

　　　　　　　So　Fate　that　ever　scorns　to　grant
　　　　　　　　　Or　grace　or　boon　to　me；
　　　　　　　Since　what　can　never　be　I　want；
　　　　　　　　　Denies　me　what　might　be。

　　The　next　day　Anselmo　took　his　departure　for　the　village；　leaving
instructions　with　Camilla　that　during　his　absence　Lothario　would
come　to　look　after　his　house　and　to　dine　with　her；　and　that　she　was　to
treat　him　as　she　would　himself。　Camilla　was　distressed；　as　a
discreet　and　right…minded　woman　would　be；　at　the　orders　her　husband
left　her；　and　bade　him　remember　that　it　was　not　becoming　that　anyone
should　occupy　his　seat　at　the　table　during　his　absence；　and　if　he
acted　thus　from　not　feeling　confidence　that　she　would　be　able　to
manage　his　house；　let　him　try　her　this　time；　and　he　would　find　by
experience　that　she　was　equal　to　greater　responsibilities。　Anselmo
replied　that　it　was　his　pleasure　to　have　it　so；　and　that　she　had
only　to　submit　and　obey。　Camilla　said　she　would　do　so；　though
against　her　will。
　　Anselmo　went；　and　the　next　day　Lothario　came　to　his　house；　where
he　was　received　by　Camilla　with　a　friendly　and　modest　welcome；　but　she
never　suffered　Lothario　to　see　her　alone；　for　she　was　always
attended　by　her　men　and　women　servants；　especially　by　a　handmaid　of
hers；　Leonela　by　name；　to　whom　she　was　much　attached　（for　they　had
been　brought　up　together　from　childhood　in　her　father's　house）；　and
whom　she　had　kept　with　her　after　her　marriage　with　Anselmo。　The
first　three　days　Lothario　did　not　speak　to　her；　though　he　might　have
done　so　when　they　removed　the　cloth　and　the　servants　retired　to　dine
hastily；　for　such　were　Camilla's　orders；　nay　more；　Leonela　had
directions　to　dine　earlier　than　Camilla　and　never　to　leave　her　side。
She；　however；　having　her　thoughts　fixed　upon　other　things　more　to
her　taste；　and　wanting　that　time　and　opportunity　for　her　own
pleasures；　did　not　always　obey　her　mistress's　commands；　but　on　the
contrary　left　them　alone；　as　if　they　had　ordered　her　to　do　so；　but　the
modest　bearing　of　Camilla；　the　calmness　of　her　countenance；　the
composure　of　her　aspect　were　enough　to　bridle　the　tongue　of
Lothario。　But　the　influence　which　the　many　virtues　of　Camilla
exerted　in　imposing　silence　on　Lothario's　tongue　proved　mischievous
for　both　of　them；　for　if　his　tongue　was　silent　his　thoughts　were　busy；
and　could　dwell　at　leisure　upon　the　perfections　of　Camilla's
goodness　and　beauty　one　by　one；　charms　enough　to　warm　with　love　a
marble　statue；　not　to　say　a　heart　of　flesh。　Lothario　gazed　upon　her
when　he　might　have　been　speaking　to　her；　and　thought　how　worthy　of
being　loved　she　was；　and　thus　reflection　began　little　by　little　to
assail　his　allegiance　to　Anselmo；　and　a　thousand　times　he　thought　of
withdrawing　from　the　city　and　going　where　Anselmo　should　never　see　him
nor　he　see　Camilla。　But　already　the　delight　he　found　in　gazing　on
her　interposed　and　held　him　fast。　He　put　a　constraint　upon　himself；
and　struggled　to　repel　and　repress　the　pleasure　he　found　in
contemplating　Camilla；　when　alone　he　blamed　himself　for　his
weakness；　called　himself　a　bad　friend；　nay　a　bad　Christian；　then　he
argued　the　matter　and　compared　himself　with　Anselmo；　always　coming
to　the　conclusion　that　the　folly　and　rashness　of　Anselmo　had　been
worse　than　his　faithlessness；　and　that　if　he　could　excuse　his
intentions　as　easily　before　God　as　with　man；　he　had　no　reason　to
fear　any　punishment　for　his　offence。
　　In　short　the　beauty　and　goodness　of　Camilla；　joined　with　the
opportunity　which　the　blind　husband　had　placed　in　his　hands；　overthrew
the　loyalty　of　Lothario；　and　giving　heed　to　nothing　save　the　object
towards　which　his　inclinations　led　him；　after　Anselmo　had　been