don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第87章

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no　doubt　about　the　bulls；　my　county　is　all　right！〃
　　Who　could　have　helped　laughing　at　the　absurdities　of　the　pair；
master　and　man？　And　laugh　they　did；　all　except　the　landlord；　who
cursed　himself；　but　at　length　the　barber；　Cardenio；　and　the　curate
contrived　with　no　small　trouble　to　get　Don　Quixote　on　the　bed；　and
he　fell　asleep　with　every　appearance　of　excessive　weariness。　They　left
him　to　sleep；　and　came　out　to　the　gate　of　the　inn　to　console　Sancho
Panza　on　not　having　found　the　head　of　the　giant；　but　much　more　work
had　they　to　appease　the　landlord；　who　was　furious　at　the　sudden
death　of　his　wine…skins；　and　said　the　landlady　half　scolding；　half
crying；　〃At　an　evil　moment　and　in　an　unlucky　hour　he　came　into　my
house；　this　knight…errant…　would　that　I　had　never　set　eyes　on　him；　for
dear　he　has　cost　me；　the　last　time　he　went　off　with　the　overnight
score　against　him　for　supper；　bed；　straw；　and　barley；　for　himself
and　his　squire　and　a　hack　and　an　ass；　saying　he　was　a　knight
adventurer…　God　send　unlucky　adventures　to　him　and　all　the　adventurers
in　the　world…　and　therefore　not　bound　to　pay　anything；　for　it　was　so
settled　by　the　knight…errantry　tariff：　and　then；　all　because　of　him；
came　the　other　gentleman　and　carried　off　my　tail；　and　gives　it　back
more　than　two　cuartillos　the　worse；　all　stripped　of　its　hair；　so
that　it　is　no　use　for　my　husband's　purpose；　and　then；　for　a
finishing　touch　to　all；　to　burst　my　wine…skins　and　spill　my　wine！　I
wish　I　saw　his　own　blood　spilt！　But　let　him　not　deceive　himself；
for；　by　the　bones　of　my　father　and　the　shade　of　my　mother；　they
shall　pay　me　down　every　quarts；　or　my　name　is　not　what　it　is；　and　I　am
not　my　father's　daughter。〃　All　this　and　more　to　the　same　effect　the
landlady　delivered　with　great　irritation；　and　her　good　maid　Maritornes
backed　her　up；　while　the　daughter　held　her　peace　and　smiled　from
time　to　time。　The　curate　smoothed　matters　by　promising　to　make　good
all　losses　to　the　best　of　his　power；　not　only　as　regarded　the
wine…skins　but　also　the　wine；　and　above　all　the　depreciation　of　the
tail　which　they　set　such　store　by。　Dorothea　comforted　Sancho；
telling　him　that　she　pledged　herself；　as　soon　as　it　should　appear
certain　that　his　master　had　decapitated　the　giant；　and　she　found
herself　peacefully　established　in　her　kingdom；　to　bestow　upon　him
the　best　county　there　was　in　it。　With　this　Sancho　consoled　himself；
and　assured　the　princess　she　might　rely　upon　it　that　he　had　seen　the
head　of　the　giant；　and　more　by　token　it　had　a　beard　that　reached　to
the　girdle；　and　that　if　it　was　not　to　be　seen　now　it　was　because
everything　that　happened　in　that　house　went　by　enchantment；　as　he
himself　had　proved　the　last　time　he　had　lodged　there。　Dorothea　said
she　fully　believed　it；　and　that　he　need　not　be　uneasy；　for　all　would
go　well　and　turn　out　as　he　wished。　All　therefore　being　appeased；　the
curate　was　anxious　to　go　on　with　the　novel；　as　he　saw　there　was　but
little　more　left　to　read。　Dorothea　and　the　others　begged　him　to　finish
it；　and　he；　as　he　was　willing　to　please　them；　and　enjoyed　reading　it
himself；　continued　the　tale　in　these　words：

　　The　result　was；　that　from　the　confidence　Anselmo　felt　in　Camilla's
virtue；　he　lived　happy　and　free　from　anxiety；　and　Camilla　purposely
looked　coldly　on　Lothario；　that　Anselmo　might　suppose　her　feelings
towards　him　to　be　the　opposite　of　what　they　were；　and　the　better　to
support　the　position；　Lothario　begged　to　be　excused　from　coming　to　the
house；　as　the　displeasure　with　which　Camilla　regarded　his　presence　was
plain　to　be　seen。　But　the　befooled　Anselmo　said　he　would　on　no　account
allow　such　a　thing；　and　so　in　a　thousand　ways　he　became　the　author
of　his　own　dishonour；　while　he　believed　he　was　insuring　his　happiness。
Meanwhile　the　satisfaction　with　which　Leonela　saw　herself　empowered　to
carry　on　her　amour　reached　such　a　height　that；　regardless　of
everything　else；　she　followed　her　inclinations　unrestrainedly；　feeling
confident　that　her　mistress　would　screen　her；　and　even　show　her　how　to
manage　it　safely。　At　last　one　night　Anselmo　heard　footsteps　in
Leonela's　room；　and　on　trying　to　enter　to　see　who　it　was；　he　found
that　the　door　was　held　against　him；　which　made　him　all　the　more
determined　to　open　it；　and　exerting　his　strength　he　forced　it　open；
and　entered　the　room　in　time　to　see　a　man　leaping　through　the　window
into　the　street。　He　ran　quickly　to　seize　him　or　discover　who　he　was；
but　he　was　unable　to　effect　either　purpose；　for　Leonela　flung　her　arms
round　him　crying；　〃Be　calm；　senor；　do　not　give　way　to　passion　or
follow　him　who　has　escaped　from　this；　he　belongs　to　me；　and　in　fact　he
is　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　would　not　believe　it；　but　blind　with　rage　drew　a　dagger
and　threatened　to　stab　Leonela；　bidding　her　tell　the　truth　or　he　would
kill　her。　She；　in　her　fear；　not　knowing　what　she　was　saying；
exclaimed；　〃Do　not　kill　me；　senor；　for　I　can　tell　you　things　more
important　than　any　you　can　imagine。〃
　　〃Tell　me　then　at　once　or　thou　diest；〃　said　Anselmo。
　　〃It　would　be　impossible　for　me　now；〃　said　Leonela；　〃I　am　so
agitated：　leave　me　till　to…morrow；　and　then　you　shall　hear　from　me
what　will　fill　you　with　astonishment；　but　rest　assured　that　he　who
leaped　through　the　window　is　a　young　man　of　this　city；　who　has　given
me　his　promise　to　become　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　was　appeased　with　this；　and　was　content　to　wait　the　time　she
asked　of　him；　for　he　never　expected　to　hear　anything　against
Camilla；　so　satisfied　and　sure　of　her　virtue　was　he；　and　so　he　quitted
the　room；　and　left　Leonela　locked　in；　telling　her　she　should　not
come　out　until　she　had　told　him　all　she　had　to　make　known　to　him。　He
went　at　once　to　see　Camilla；　and　tell　her；　as　he　did；　all　that　had
passed　between　him　and　her　handmaid；　and　the　promise　she　had　given　him
to　inform　him　matters　of　serious　importance。
　　There　is　no　need　of　saying　whether　Camilla　was　agitated　or　not；
for　so　great　was　her　fear　and　dismay；　that；　making　sure；　as　she　had
good　reason　to　do；　that　Leonela　would　tell　Anselmo　all　she　knew　of　her
faithlessness；　she　had　not　the　courage　to　wait　and　see　if　her
suspicions　were　confirmed；　and　that　same　night；　as　soon　as　she　thought
that　Anselmo　was　asleep；　she　packed　up　the　most　valuable　jewels　she
had　and　some　money；　and　without　being　observed　by　anybody　escaped　from
the　house　and　betook　herself　to　Lothario's；　to　whom　she　related　what
had　occurred；　imploring　him　to　convey　her　to　some　place　of　safety　or
fly　with　her　where　they　might　be　safe　from　Anselmo。　The　state　of
perplexity　to　which　Camilla　reduced　Lothario　was　such　that　he　was
unable　to　utter　a　word　in　reply；　still　less　to　decide　upon　what　he
should　do。　At　length　he　resolved　to　conduct　her　to　a　convent　of
which　a　sister　of　his　was　prioress；　Camilla　agreed　to　this；　and　with
the　speed　which　the　circumstances　demanded；　Lothario　took　her　to　the
convent　and　left　her　there；　and　then　himself　quitted　the　city
without　letting　anyone　know　of　his　departure。
　　As　soon　as　daylight　came　Anselmo；　without　missing　Camilla　from　his
side；　rose　cager　to　learn　what　Leonela　had　to　tell　him；　and　hastened
to　the　room　where　he　had　locked　her　in。　He　opened　the　door；　entered；
but　found　no　Leonela；　all　he　found　was　some　sheets　knotted　to　the
window；　a　plain　proof　that　she　had　let　herself　down　from　it　and
escaped。　He　returned；　uneasy；　to　tell　Camilla；　but　not　finding　her
in　bed　or　anywhere　in　the　house　he　was　lost　in　amazement。　He　asked　the
servants　of　the　house　about　her；　but　none　of　them　could　give　him　any
explanation。　As　he　was　going　in　search　of　Camilla　it　happened　by
chance　that　he　observed　her　boxes　were　lying　open；　and　that　the
greater　part　of　her　jewels　were　gone；　and　now　he　became　fully　aware　of
his　disgrace；　and　that　Leonela　was　not　the　cause　of　his　misfortune；
and；　just　as　he　was；　without　delaying　to　dress　himself　completely；
he　repaired；　sad　at　heart　and　dejected；　to　his　friend　Lothario　to　make
known　his　sorrow　to　him；　but　when　he　failed　to　find　him　and　the
servants　reported　that　he　had　been　absent　from　his　house　all　night　and
had　taken　with　him　all　the　money　he　had；　he　felt　as　though　he　were
losing　his　senses；　and　to　make　all　complete　on　returning　to　his　own
house　he　found　it