don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第92章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


king　your　father；　through　fear　that　I　should　not　afford　you　the　aid
you　need　and　are　entitled　to；　I　may　tell　you　he　did　not　know　and
does　not　know　half　the　mass；　and　was　little　versed　in　the　annals　of
chivalry；　for；　if　he　had　read　and　gone　through　them　as　attentively　and
deliberately　as　I　have；　he　would　have　found　at　every　turn　that　knights
of　less　renown　than　mine　have　accomplished　things　more　difficult：　it
is　no　great　matter　to　kill　a　whelp　of　a　giant；　however　arrogant　he　may
be；　for　it　is　not　many　hours　since　I　myself　was　engaged　with　one；　and…
I　will　not　speak　of　it；　that　they　may　not　say　I　am　lying；　time；
however；　that　reveals　all；　will　tell　the　tale　when　we　least　expect
it。〃
　　〃You　were　engaged　with　a　couple　of　wine…skins；　and　not　a　giant；〃
said　the　landlord　at　this；　but　Don　Fernando　told　him　to　hold　his
tongue　and　on　no　account　interrupt　Don　Quixote；　who　continued；　〃I
say　in　conclusion；　high　and　disinherited　lady；　that　if　your　father　has
brought　about　this　metamorphosis　in　your　person　for　the　reason　I
have　mentioned；　you　ought　not　to　attach　any　importance　to　it；　for
there　is　no　peril　on　earth　through　which　my　sword　will　not　force　a
way；　and　with　it；　before　many　days　are　over；　I　will　bring　your　enemy's
head　to　the　ground　and　place　on　yours　the　crown　of　your　kingdom。〃
　　Don　Quixote　said　no　more；　and　waited　for　the　reply　of　the
princess；　who　aware　of　Don　Fernando's　determination　to　carry　on　the
deception　until　Don　Quixote　had　been　conveyed　to　his　home；　with
great　ease　of　manner　and　gravity　made　answer；　〃Whoever　told　you；
valiant　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　that　I　had　undergone　any
change　or　transformation　did　not　tell　you　the　truth；　for　I　am　the　same
as　I　was　yesterday。　It　is　true　that　certain　strokes　of　good　fortune；
that　have　given　me　more　than　I　could　have　hoped　for；　have　made　some
alteration　in　me；　but　I　have　not　therefore　ceased　to　be　what　I　was
before；　or　to　entertain　the　same　desire　I　have　had　all　through　of
availing　myself　of　the　might　of　your　valiant　and　invincible　arm。　And
so；　senor；　let　your　goodness　reinstate　the　father　that　begot　me　in
your　good　opinion；　and　be　assured　that　he　was　a　wise　and　prudent
man；　since　by　his　craft　he　found　out　such　a　sure　and　easy　way　of
remedying　my　misfortune；　for　I　believe；　senor；　that　had　it　not　been
for　you　I　should　never　have　lit　upon　the　good　fortune　I　now　possess；
and　in　this　I　am　saying　what　is　perfectly　true；　as　most　of　these
gentlemen　who　are　present　can　fully　testify。　All　that　remains　is　to
set　out　on　our　journey　to…morrow；　for　to…day　we　could　not　make　much
way；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　happy　result　I　am　looking　forward　to；　I
trust　to　God　and　the　valour　of　your　heart。〃
　　So　said　the　sprightly　Dorothea；　and　on　hearing　her　Don　Quixote
turned　to　Sancho；　and　said　to　him；　with　an　angry　air；　〃I　declare
now；　little　Sancho；　thou　art　the　greatest　little　villain　in　Spain。
Say；　thief　and　vagabond；　hast　thou　not　just　now　told　me　that　this
princess　had　been　turned　into　a　maiden　called　Dorothea；　and　that　the
head　which　I　am　persuaded　I　cut　off　from　a　giant　was　the　bitch　that
bore　thee；　and　other　nonsense　that　put　me　in　the　greatest　perplexity　I
have　ever　been　in　all　my　life？　I　vow〃　（and　here　he　looked　to　heaven
and　ground　his　teeth）　〃I　have　a　mind　to　play　the　mischief　with　thee；
in　a　way　that　will　teach　sense　for　the　future　to　all　lying　squires
of　knights…errant　in　the　world。〃
　　〃Let　your　worship　be　calm；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃for　it　may　well
be　that　I　have　been　mistaken　as　to　the　change　of　the　lady　princess
Micomicona；　but　as　to　the　giant's　head；　or　at　least　as　to　the　piercing
of　the　wine…skins；　and　the　blood　being　red　wine；　I　make　no　mistake；　as
sure　as　there　is　a　God；　because　the　wounded　skins　are　there　at　the
head　of　your　worship's　bed；　and　the　wine　has　made　a　lake　of　the
room；　if　not　you　will　see　when　the　eggs　come　to　be　fried；　I　mean
when　his　worship　the　landlord　calls　for　all　the　damages：　for　the　rest；
I　am　heartily　glad　that　her　ladyship　the　queen　is　as　she　was；　for　it
concerns　me　as　much　as　anyone。〃
　　〃I　tell　thee　again；　Sancho；　thou　art　a　fool；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃forgive　me；　and　that　will　do。〃
　　〃That　will　do；〃　said　Don　Fernando；　〃let　us　say　no　more　about　it；　and
as　her　ladyship　the　princess　proposes　to　set　out　to…morrow　because
it　is　too　late　to…day；　so　be　it；　and　we　will　pass　the　night　in
pleasant　conversation；　and　to…morrow　we　will　all　accompany　Senor　Don
Quixote；　for　we　wish　to　witness　the　valiant　and　unparalleled
achievements　he　is　about　to　perform　in　the　course　of　this　mighty
enterprise　which　he　has　undertaken。〃
　　〃It　is　I　who　shall　wait　upon　and　accompany　you；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃and　I　am　much　gratified　by　the　favour　that　is　bestowed　upon　me；　and
the　good　opinion　entertained　of　me；　which　I　shall　strive　to　justify　or
it　shall　cost　me　my　life；　or　even　more；　if　it　can　possibly　cost　me
more。〃
　　Many　were　the　compliments　and　expressions　of　politeness　that
passed　between　Don　Quixote　and　Don　Fernando；　but　they　were　brought
to　an　end　by　a　traveller　who　at　this　moment　entered　the　inn；　and　who
seemed　from　his　attire　to　be　a　Christian　lately　come　from　the
country　of　the　Moors；　for　he　was　dressed　in　a　short…skirted　coat　of
blue　cloth　with　half…sleeves　and　without　a　collar；　his　breeches　were
also　of　blue　cloth；　and　his　cap　of　the　same　colour；　and　he　wore　yellow
buskins　and　had　a　Moorish　cutlass　slung　from　a　baldric　across　his
breast。　Behind　him；　mounted　upon　an　ass；　there　came　a　woman　dressed　in
Moorish　fashion；　with　her　face　veiled　and　a　scarf　on　her　head；　and
wearing　a　little　brocaded　cap；　and　a　mantle　that　covered　her　from
her　shoulders　to　her　feet。　The　man　was　of　a　robust　and
well…proportioned　frame；　in　age　a　little　over　forty；　rather　swarthy　in
complexion；　with　long　moustaches　and　a　full　beard；　and；　in　short；
his　appearance　was　such　that　if　he　had　been　well　dressed　he　would　have
been　taken　for　a　person　of　quality　and　good　birth。　On　entering　he
asked　for　a　room；　and　when　they　told　him　there　was　none　in　the　inn
he　seemed　distressed；　and　approaching　her　who　by　her　dress　seemed　to
be　a　Moor　he　her　down　from　saddle　in　his　arms。　Luscinda；　Dorothea；　the
landlady；　her　daughter　and　Maritornes；　attracted　by　the　strange；　and
to　them　entirely　new　costume；　gathered　round　her；　and　Dorothea；　who
was　always　kindly；　courteous；　and　quick…witted；　perceiving　that　both
she　and　the　man　who　had　brought　her　were　annoyed　at　not　finding　a
room；　said　to　her；　〃Do　not　be　put　out；　senora；　by　the　discomfort　and
want　of　luxuries　here；　for　it　is　the　way　of　road…side　inns　to　be
without　them；　still；　if　you　will　be　pleased　to　share　our　lodging
with　us　（pointing　to　Luscinda）　perhaps　you　will　have　found　worse
accommodation　in　the　course　of　your　journey。〃
　　To　this　the　veiled　lady　made　no　reply；　all　she　did　was　to　rise
from　her　seat；　crossing　her　hands　upon　her　bosom；　bowing　her　head
and　bending　her　body　as　a　sign　that　she　returned　thanks。　From　her
silence　they　concluded　that　she　must　be　a　Moor　and　unable　to　speak　a
Christian　tongue。
　　At　this　moment　the　captive　came　up；　having　been　until　now
otherwise　engaged；　and　seeing　that　they　all　stood　round　his
companion　and　that　she　made　no　reply　to　what　they　addressed　to　her；　he
said；　〃Ladies；　this　damsel　hardly　understands　my　language　and　can
speak　none　but　that　of　her　own　country；　for　which　reason　she　does
not　and　cannot　answer　what　has　been　asked　of　her。〃
　　〃Nothing　has　been　asked　of　her；〃　returned　Luscinda；　〃she　has　only
been　offered　our　company　for　this　evening　and　a　share　of　the
quarters　we　occupy；　where　she　shall　be　made　as　comfortable　as　the
circumstances　allow；　with　the　good…will　we　are　bound　to　show　all
strangers　that　stand　in　need　of　it；　especially　if　it　be　a　woman　to
whom　the　service　is　rendered。〃
　　〃On　her　part　and　my　own；　senora；〃　replied　the　captive；　〃I　kiss
your　hands；　and　I　esteem　highly；　as　I　ought；　the　favour　you　have
offered；　which；　on　such　an　occasion　and　coming　from　persons　of　your
appearance；　is；　it　is　plain　to　see；　a　very　great　one。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　senor；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃is　this　lady　a　Christian　or　a
Moor？　for　her　dress　and　her　silence　lead　us　to　imagine　that　she　is
what　we　could　wish　she　was　not。〃
　　〃In　dress　and　outwardly；