don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第93章

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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；〃　said　he；　〃she　is　a　Moor；　but　at　heart
she　is　a　thoroughly　good　Christian；　for　she　has　the　greatest　desire　to
become　one。〃
　　〃Then　she　has　not　been　baptised？〃　returned　Luscinda。
　　〃There　has　been　no　opportunity　for　that；〃　replied　the　captive；
〃since　she　left　Algiers；　her　native　country　and　home；　and　up　to　the
present　she　has　not　found　herself　in　any　such　imminent　danger　of　death
as　to　make　it　necessary　to　baptise　her　before　she　has　been
instructed　in　all　the　ceremonies　our　holy　mother　Church　ordains；
but；　please　God；　ere　long　she　shall　be　baptised　with　the　solemnity
befitting　her　which　is　higher　than　her　dress　or　mine　indicates。〃
　　By　these　words　he　excited　a　desire　in　all　who　heard　him；　to　know　who
the　Moorish　lady　and　the　captive　were；　but　no　one　liked　to　ask　just
then；　seeing　that　it　was　a　fitter　moment　for　helping　them　to　rest
themselves　than　for　questioning　them　about　their　lives。　Dorothea
took　the　Moorish　lady　by　the　hand　and　leading　her　to　a　seat　beside
herself；　requested　her　to　remove　her　veil。　She　looked　at　the　captive
as　if　to　ask　him　what　they　meant　and　what　she　was　to　do。　He　said　to
her　in　Arabic　that　they　asked　her　to　take　off　her　veil；　and
thereupon　she　removed　it　and　disclosed　a　countenance　so　lovely；　that
to　Dorothea　she　seemed　more　beautiful　than　Luscinda；　and　to　Luscinda
more　beautiful　than　Dorothea；　and　all　the　bystanders　felt　that　if
any　beauty　could　compare　with　theirs　it　was　the　Moorish　lady's；　and
there　were　even　those　who　were　inclined　to　give　it　somewhat　the
preference。　And　as　it　is　the　privilege　and　charm　of　beauty　to　win
the　heart　and　secure　good…will；　all　forthwith　became　eager　to　show
kindness　and　attention　to　the　lovely　Moor。
　　Don　Fernando　asked　the　captive　what　her　name　was；　and　he　replied
that　it　was　Lela　Zoraida；　but　the　instant　she　heard　him；　she　guessed
what　the　Christian　had　asked；　and　said　hastily；　with　some
displeasure　and　energy；　〃No；　not　Zoraida；　Maria；　Maria！〃　giving　them
to　understand　that　she　was　called　〃Maria〃　and　not　〃Zoraida。〃　These
words；　and　the　touching　earnestness　with　which　she　uttered　them；
drew　more　than　one　tear　from　some　of　the　listeners；　particularly　the
women；　who　are　by　nature　tender…hearted　and　compassionate。　Luscinda
embraced　her　affectionately；　saying；　〃Yes；　yes；　Maria；　Maria；〃　to
which　the　Moor　replied；　〃Yes；　yes；　Maria；　Zoraida　macange；〃　which
means　〃not　Zoraida。〃
　　Night　was　now　approaching；　and　by　the　orders　of　those　who
accompanied　Don　Fernando　the　landlord　had　taken　care　and　pains　to
prepare　for　them　the　best　supper　that　was　in　his　power。　The　hour
therefore　having　arrived　they　all　took　their　seats　at　a　long　table
like　a　refectory　one；　for　round　or　square　table　there　was　none　in
the　inn；　and　the　seat　of　honour　at　the　head　of　it；　though　he　was　for
refusing　it；　they　assigned　to　Don　Quixote；　who　desired　the　lady
Micomicona　to　place　herself　by　his　side；　as　he　was　her　protector。
Luscinda　and　Zoraida　took　their　places　next　her；　opposite　to　them　were
Don　Fernando　and　Cardenio；　and　next　the　captive　and　the　other
gentlemen；　and　by　the　side　of　the　ladies；　the　curate　and　the　barber。
And　so　they　supped　in　high　enjoyment；　which　was　increased　when　they
observed　Don　Quixote　leave　off　eating；　and；　moved　by　an　impulse　like
that　which　made　him　deliver　himself　at　such　length　when　he　supped　with
the　goatherds；　begin　to　address　them：
　　〃Verily；　gentlemen；　if　we　reflect　upon　it；　great　and　marvellous
are　the　things　they　see；　who　make　profession　of　the　order　of
knight…errantry。　Say；　what　being　is　there　in　this　world；　who
entering　the　gate　of　this　castle　at　this　moment；　and　seeing　us　as　we
are　here；　would　suppose　or　imagine　us　to　be　what　we　are？　Who　would　say
that　this　lady　who　is　beside　me　was　the　great　queen　that　we　all　know
her　to　be；　or　that　I　am　that　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；
trumpeted　far　and　wide　by　the　mouth　of　Fame？　Now；　there　can　be　no
doubt　that　this　art　and　calling　surpasses　all　those　that　mankind　has
invented；　and　is　the　more　deserving　of　being　held　in　honour　in
proportion　as　it　is　the　more　exposed　to　peril。　Away　with　those　who
assert　that　letters　have　the　preeminence　over　arms；　I　will　tell
them；　whosoever　they　may　be；　that　they　know　not　what　they　say。　For　the
reason　which　such　persons　commonly　assign；　and　upon　which　they　chiefly
rest；　is；　that　the　labours　of　the　mind　are　greater　than　those　of　the
body；　and　that　arms　give　employment　to　the　body　alone；　as　if　the
calling　were　a　porter's　trade；　for　which　nothing　more　is　required　than
sturdy　strength；　or　as　if；　in　what　we　who　profess　them　call　arms；
there　were　not　included　acts　of　vigour　for　the　execution　of　which　high
intelligence　is　requisite；　or　as　if　the　soul　of　the　warrior；　when　he
has　an　army；　or　the　defence　of　a　city　under　his　care；　did　not　exert
itself　as　much　by　mind　as　by　body。　Nay；　see　whether　by　bodily　strength
it　be　possible　to　learn　or　divine　the　intentions　of　the　enemy；　his
plans；　stratagems；　or　obstacles；　or　to　ward　off　impending　mischief；
for　all　these　are　the　work　of　the　mind；　and　in　them　the　body　has　no
share　whatever。　Since；　therefore；　arms　have　need　of　the　mind；　as
much　as　letters；　let　us　see　now　which　of　the　two　minds；　that　of　the
man　of　letters　or　that　of　the　warrior；　has　most　to　do；　and　this　will
be　seen　by　the　end　and　goal　that　each　seeks　to　attain；　for　that
purpose　is　the　more　estimable　which　has　for　its　aim　the　nobler　object。
The　end　and　goal　of　letters…　I　am　not　speaking　now　of　divine
letters；　the　aim　of　which　is　to　raise　and　direct　the　soul　to　Heaven；
for　with　an　end　so　infinite　no　other　can　be　compared…　I　speak　of　human
letters；　the　end　of　which　is　to　establish　distributive　justice；　give
to　every　man　that　which　is　his；　and　see　and　take　care　that　good　laws
are　observed：　an　end　undoubtedly　noble；　lofty；　and　deserving　of　high
praise；　but　not　such　as　should　be　given　to　that　sought　by　arms；
which　have　for　their　end　and　object　peace；　the　greatest　boon　that
men　can　desire　in　this　life。　The　first　good　news　the　world　and　mankind
received　was　that　which　the　angels　announced　on　the　night　that　was　our
day；　when　they　sang　in　the　air；　'Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and
peace　on　earth　to　men　of　good…will；'　and　the　salutation　which　the
great　Master　of　heaven　and　earth　taught　his　disciples　and　chosen
followers　when　they　entered　any　house；　was　to　say；　'Peace　be　on　this
house；'　and　many　other　times　he　said　to　them；　'My　peace　I　give　unto
you；　my　peace　I　leave　you；　peace　be　with　you；'　a　jewel　and　a
precious　gift　given　and　left　by　such　a　hand：　a　jewel　without　which
there　can　be　no　happiness　either　on　earth　or　in　heaven。　This　peace
is　the　true　end　of　war；　and　war　is　only　another　name　for　arms。　This；
then；　being　admitted；　that　the　end　of　war　is　peace；　and　that　so　far　it
has　the　advantage　of　the　end　of　letters；　let　us　turn　to　the　bodily
labours　of　the　man　of　letters；　and　those　of　him　who　follows　the
profession　of　arms；　and　see　which　are　the　greater。〃
　　Don　Quixote　delivered　his　discourse　in　such　a　manner　and　in　such
correct　language；　that　for　the　time　being　he　made　it　impossible　for
any　of　his　hearers　to　consider　him　a　madman；　on　the　contrary；　as
they　were　mostly　gentlemen；　to　whom　arms　are　an　appurtenance　by　birth；
they　listened　to　him　with　great　pleasure　as　he　continued：　〃Here；　then；
I　say　is　what　the　student　has　to　undergo；　first　of　all　poverty：　not
that　all　are　poor；　but　to　put　the　case　as　strongly　as　possible：　and
when　I　have　said　that　he　endures　poverty；　I　think　nothing　more　need　be
said　about　his　hard　fortune；　for　he　who　is　poor　has　no　share　of　the
good　things　of　life。　This　poverty　he　suffers　from　in　various　ways；
hunger；　or　cold；　or　nakedness；　or　all　together；　but　for　all　that　it　is
not　so　extreme　but　that　he　gets　something　to　eat；　though　it　may　be
at　somewhat　unseasonable　hours　and　from　the　leavings　of　the　rich；
for　the　greatest　misery　of　the　student　is　what　they　themselves　call
'going　out　for　soup；'　and　there　is　always　some　neighbour's　brazier
or　hearth　for　them；　which；　if　it　does　not　warm；　at　least　tempers　the
cold　to　them；　and　lastly；　they　sleep　comfortably　at　nigh