don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第86章

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pleased　to　aid　us　in　a　purpose　so　good　and　honourable。　Compose
yourself；　senora；　and　endeavour　to　calm　your　excitement　lest　my　lord
find　you　agitated；　and　leave　the　rest　to　my　care　and　God's；　who　always
supports　good　intentions。〃
　　Anselmo　had　with　the　deepest　attention　listened　to　and　seen　played
out　the　tragedy　of　the　death　of　his　honour；　which　the　performers　acted
with　such　wonderfully　effective　truth　that　it　seemed　as　if　they　had
become　the　realities　of　the　parts　they　played。　He　longed　for　night　and
an　opportunity　of　escaping　from　the　house　to　go　and　see　his　good
friend　Lothario；　and　with　him　give　vent　to　his　joy　over　the　precious
pearl　he　had　gained　in　having　established　his　wife's　purity。　Both
mistress　and　maid　took　care　to　give　him　time　and　opportunity　to　get
away；　and　taking　advantage　of　it　he　made　his　escape；　and　at　once
went　in　quest　of　Lothario；　and　it　would　be　impossible　to　describe
how　he　embraced　him　when　he　found　him；　and　the　things　he　said　to　him
in　the　joy　of　his　heart；　and　the　praises　he　bestowed　upon　Camilla；　all
which　Lothario　listened　to　without　being　able　to　show　any　pleasure；
for　he　could　not　forget　how　deceived　his　friend　was；　and　how
dishonourably　he　had　wronged　him；　and　though　Anselmo　could　see　that
Lothario　was　not　glad；　still　he　imagined　it　was　only　because　he　had
left　Camilla　wounded　and　had　been　himself　the　cause　of　it；　and　so
among　other　things　he　told　him　not　to　be　distressed　about　Camilla's
accident；　for；　as　they　had　agreed　to　hide　it　from　him；　the　wound　was
evidently　trifling；　and　that　being　so；　he　had　no　cause　for　fear；　but
should　henceforward　be　of　good　cheer　and　rejoice　with　him；　seeing　that
by　his　means　and　adroitness　he　found　himself　raised　to　the　greatest
height　of　happiness　that　he　could　have　ventured　to　hope　for；　and
desired　no　better　pastime　than　making　verses　in　praise　of　Camilla　that
would　preserve　her　name　for　all　time　to　come。　Lothario　commended　his
purpose；　and　promised　on　his　own　part　to　aid　him　in　raising　a　monument
so　glorious。
　　And　so　Anselmo　was　left　the　most　charmingly　hoodwinked　man　there
could　be　in　the　world。　He　himself；　persuaded　he　was　conducting　the
instrument　of　his　glory；　led　home　by　the　hand　him　who　had　been　the
utter　destruction　of　his　good　name；　whom　Camilla　received　with　averted
countenance；　though　with　smiles　in　her　heart。　The　deception　was
carried　on　for　some　time；　until　at　the　end　of　a　few　months　Fortune
turned　her　wheel　and　the　guilt　which　had　been　until　then　so
skilfully　concealed　was　published　abroad；　and　Anselmo　paid　with　his
life　the　penalty　of　his　ill…advised　curiosity。

　　CHAPTER　XXXV
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　HEROIC　AND　PRODIGIOUS　BATTLE　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD
WITH　CERTAIN　SKINS　OF　RED　WINE；　AND　BRINGS　THE　NOVEL　OF　〃THE
ILL…ADVISED　CURIOSITY〃　TO　A　CLOSE

　　THERE　remained　but　little　more　of　the　novel　to　be　read；　when
Sancho　Panza　burst　forth　in　wild　excitement　from　the　garret　where
Don　Quixote　was　lying；　shouting；　〃Run；　sirs！　quick；　and　help　my
master；　who　is　in　the　thick　of　the　toughest　and　stiffest　battle　I　ever
laid　eyes　on。　By　the　living　God　he　has　given　the　giant；　the　enemy　of
my　lady　the　Princess　Micomicona；　such　a　slash　that　he　has　sliced　his
head　clean　off　as　if　it　were　a　turnip。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　brother？〃　said　the　curate；　pausing　as
he　was　about　to　read　the　remainder　of　the　novel。　〃Are　you　in　your
senses；　Sancho？　How　the　devil　can　it　be　as　you　say；　when　the　giant
is　two　thousand　leagues　away？〃
　　Here　they　heard　a　loud　noise　in　the　chamber；　and　Don　Quixote
shouting　out；　〃Stand；　thief；　brigand；　villain；　now　I　have　got　thee；
and　thy　scimitar　shall　not　avail　thee！〃　And　then　it　seemed　as　though
he　were　slashing　vigorously　at　the　wall。
　　〃Don't　stop　to　listen；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　go　in　and　part　them　or
help　my　master：　though　there　is　no　need　of　that　now；　for　no　doubt
the　giant　is　dead　by　this　time　and　giving　account　to　God　of　his　past
wicked　life；　for　I　saw　the　blood　flowing　on　the　ground；　and　the　head
cut　off　and　fallen　on　one　side；　and　it　is　as　big　as　a　large
wine…skin。〃
　　〃May　I　die；〃　said　the　landlord　at　this；　〃if　Don　Quixote　or　Don　Devil
has　not　been　slashing　some　of　the　skins　of　red　wine　that　stand　full　at
his　bed's　head；　and　the　spilt　wine　must　be　what　this　good　fellow　takes
for　blood；〃　and　so　saying　he　went　into　the　room　and　the　rest　after
him；　and　there　they　found　Don　Quixote　in　the　strangest　costume　in
the　world。　He　was　in　his　shirt；　which　was　not　long　enough　in　front
to　cover　his　thighs　completely　and　was　six　fingers　shorter　behind；　his
legs　were　very　long　and　lean；　covered　with　hair；　and　anything　but
clean；　on　his　head　he　had　a　little　greasy　red　cap　that　belonged　to　the
host；　round　his　left　arm　he　had　rolled　the　blanket　of　the　bed；　to
which　Sancho；　for　reasons　best　known　to　himself；　owed　a　grudge；　and　in
his　right　hand　he　held　his　unsheathed　sword；　with　which　he　was
slashing　about　on　all　sides；　uttering　exclamations　as　if　he　were
actually　fighting　some　giant：　and　the　best　of　it　was　his　eyes　were　not
open；　for　he　was　fast　asleep；　and　dreaming　that　he　was　doing　battle
with　the　giant。　For　his　imagination　was　so　wrought　upon　by　the
adventure　he　was　going　to　accomplish；　that　it　made　him　dream　he　had
already　reached　the　kingdom　of　Micomicon；　and　was　engaged　in　combat
with　his　enemy；　and　believing　he　was　laying　on　the　giant；　he　had　given
so　many　sword　cuts　to　the　skins　that　the　whole　room　was　full　of
wine。　On　seeing　this　the　landlord　was　so　enraged　that　he　fell　on　Don
Quixote；　and　with　his　clenched　fist　began　to　pummel　him　in　such　a　way；
that　if　Cardenio　and　the　curate　had　not　dragged　him　off；　he　would　have
brought　the　war　of　the　giant　to　an　end。　But　in　spite　of　all　the　poor
gentleman　never　woke　until　the　barber　brought　a　great　pot　of　cold
water　from　the　well　and　flung　it　with　one　dash　all　over　his　body；　on
which　Don　Quixote　woke　up；　but　not　so　completely　as　to　understand　what
was　the　matter。　Dorothea；　seeing　how　short　and　slight　his　attire
was；　would　not　go　in　to　witness　the　battle　between　her　champion　and
her　opponent。　As　for　Sancho；　he　went　searching　all　over　the　floor
for　the　head　of　the　giant；　and　not　finding　it　he　said；　〃I　see　now　that
it's　all　enchantment　in　this　house；　for　the　last　time；　on　this　very
spot　where　I　am　now；　I　got　ever　so　many　thumps　without　knowing　who
gave　them　to　me；　or　being　able　to　see　anybody；　and　now　this　head　is
not　to　be　seen　anywhere　about；　though　I　saw　it　cut　off　with　my　own
eyes　and　the　blood　running　from　the　body　as　if　from　a　fountain。〃
　　〃What　blood　and　fountains　are　you　talking　about；　enemy　of　God　and
his　saints？〃　said　the　landlord。　〃Don't　you　see；　you　thief；　that　the
blood　and　the　fountain　are　only　these　skins　here　that　have　been
stabbed　and　the　red　wine　swimming　all　over　the　room？…　and　I　wish　I　saw
the　soul　of　him　that　stabbed　them　swimming　in　hell。〃
　　〃I　know　nothing　about　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃all　I　know　is　it　will
be　my　bad　luck　that　through　not　finding　this　head　my　county　will
melt　away　like　salt　in　water；〃…　for　Sancho　awake　was　worse　than　his
master　asleep；　so　much　had　his　master's　promises　addled　his　wits。
　　The　landlord　was　beside　himself　at　the　coolness　of　the　squire　and
the　mischievous　doings　of　the　master；　and　swore　it　should　not　be
like　the　last　time　when　they　went　without　paying；　and　that　their
privileges　of　chivalry　should　not　hold　good　this　time　to　let　one　or
other　of　them　off　without　paying；　even　to　the　cost　of　the　plugs　that
would　have　to　be　put　to　the　damaged　wine…skins。　The　curate　was　holding
Don　Quixote's　hands；　who；　fancying　he　had　now　ended　the　adventure
and　was　in　the　presence　of　the　Princess　Micomicona；　knelt　before　the
curate　and　said；　〃Exalted　and　beauteous　lady；　your　highness　may　live
from　this　day　forth　fearless　of　any　harm　this　base　being　could　do　you；
and　I　too　from　this　day　forth　am　released　from　the　promise　I　gave　you；
since　by　the　help　of　God　on　high　and　by　the　favour　of　her　by　whom　I
live　and　breathe；　I　have　fulfilled　it　so　successfully。〃
　　〃Did　not　I　say　so？〃　said　Sancho　on　hearing　this。　〃You　see　I　wasn't
drunk；　there　you　see　my　master　has　already　salted　the　giant；　there's
no　doubt　about　the　bulls；　my　county　is　all　right！〃
　　Who　could　have　helped　laughi