don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第95章

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of　yore　exposed　themselves　to。〃
　　All　this　lengthy　discourse　Don　Quixote　delivered　while　the　others
supped；　forgetting　to　raise　a　morsel　to　his　lips；　though　Sancho　more
than　once　told　him　to　eat　his　supper；　as　he　would　have　time　enough
afterwards　to　say　all　he　wanted。　It　excited　fresh　pity　in　those　who
had　heard　him　to　see　a　man　of　apparently　sound　sense；　and　with
rational　views　on　every　subject　he　discussed；　so　hopelessly　wanting　in
all；　when　his　wretched　unlucky　chivalry　was　in　question。　The　curate
told　him　he　was　quite　right　in　all　he　had　said　in　favour　of　arms；
and　that　he　himself；　though　a　man　of　letters　and　a　graduate；　was　of
the　same　opinion。
　　They　finished　their　supper；　the　cloth　was　removed；　and　while　the
hostess；　her　daughter；　and　Maritornes　were　getting　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha's　garret　ready；　in　which　it　was　arranged　that　the　women　were　to
be　quartered　by　themselves　for　the　night；　Don　Fernando　begged　the
captive　to　tell　them　the　story　of　his　life；　for　it　could　not　fail　to
be　strange　and　interesting；　to　judge　by　the　hints　he　had　let　fall　on
his　arrival　in　company　with　Zoraida。　To　this　the　captive　replied
that　he　would　very　willingly　yield　to　his　request；　only　he　feared
his　tale　would　not　give　them　as　much　pleasure　as　he　wished；
nevertheless；　not　to　be　wanting　in　compliance；　he　would　tell　it。　The
curate　and　the　others　thanked　him　and　added　their　entreaties；　and　he
finding　himself　so　pressed　said　there　was　no　occasion　ask；　where　a
command　had　such　weight；　and　added；　〃If　your　worships　will　give　me
your　attention　you　will　hear　a　true　story　which；　perhaps；　fictitious
ones　constructed　with　ingenious　and　studied　art　cannot　come　up　to。〃
These　words　made　them　settle　themselves　in　their　places　and　preserve　a
deep　silence；　and　he　seeing　them　waiting　on　his　words　in　mute
expectation；　began　thus　in　a　pleasant　quiet　voice。

　　CHAPTER　XXXIX
　　WHEREIN　THE　CAPTIVE　RELATES　HIS　LIFE　AND　ADVENTURES

　　MY　family　had　its　origin　in　a　village　in　the　mountains　of　Leon；
and　nature　had　been　kinder　and　more　generous　to　it　than　fortune；
though　in　the　general　poverty　of　those　communities　my　father　passed
for　being　even　a　rich　man；　and　he　would　have　been　so　in　reality　had　he
been　as　clever　in　preserving　his　property　as　he　was　in　spending　it。
This　tendency　of　his　to　be　liberal　and　profuse　he　had　acquired　from
having　been　a　soldier　in　his　youth；　for　the　soldier's　life　is　a　school
in　which　the　niggard　becomes　free…handed　and　the　free…handed　prodigal；
and　if　any　soldiers　are　to　be　found　who　are　misers；　they　are
monsters　of　rare　occurrence。　My　father　went　beyond　liberality　and
bordered　on　prodigality；　a　disposition　by　no　means　advantageous　to　a
married　man　who　has　children　to　succeed　to　his　name　and　position。　My
father　had　three；　all　sons；　and　all　of　sufficient　age　to　make　choice
of　a　profession。　Finding；　then；　that　he　was　unable　to　resist　his
propensity；　he　resolved　to　divest　himself　of　the　instrument　and
cause　of　his　prodigality　and　lavishness；　to　divest　himself　of
wealth；　without　which　Alexander　himself　would　have　seemed
parsimonious；　and　so　calling　us　all　three　aside　one　day　into　a　room；
he　addressed　us　in　words　somewhat　to　the　following　effect：
　　〃My　sons；　to　assure　you　that　I　love　you；　no　more　need　be　known　or
said　than　that　you　are　my　sons；　and　to　encourage　a　suspicion　that　I　do
not　love　you；　no　more　is　needed　than　the　knowledge　that　I　have　no
self…control　as　far　as　preservation　of　your　patrimony　is　concerned；
therefore；　that　you　may　for　the　future　feel　sure　that　I　love　you
like　a　father；　and　have　no　wish　to　ruin　you　like　a　stepfather；　I
propose　to　do　with　you　what　I　have　for　some　time　back　meditated；　and
after　mature　deliberation　decided　upon。　You　are　now　of　an　age　to
choose　your　line　of　life　or　at　least　make　choice　of　a　calling　that
will　bring　you　honour　and　profit　when　you　are　older；　and　what　I　have
resolved　to　do　is　to　divide　my　property　into　four　parts；　three　I
will　give　to　you；　to　each　his　portion　without　making　any　difference；
and　the　other　I　will　retain　to　live　upon　and　support　myself　for
whatever　remainder　of　life　Heaven　may　be　pleased　to　grant　me。　But　I
wish　each　of　you　on　taking　possession　of　the　share　that　falls　to　him
to　follow　one　of　the　paths　I　shall　indicate。　In　this　Spain　of　ours
there　is　a　proverb；　to　my　mind　very　true…　as　they　all　are；　being　short
aphorisms　drawn　from　long　practical　experience…　and　the　one　I　refer　to
says；　'The　church；　or　the　sea；　or　the　king's　house；'　as　much　as　to
say；　in　plainer　language；　whoever　wants　to　flourish　and　become　rich；
let　him　follow　the　church；　or　go　to　sea；　adopting　commerce　as　his
calling；　or　go　into　the　king's　service　in　his　household；　for　they　say；
'Better　a　king's　crumb　than　a　lord's　favour。'　I　say　so　because　it　is
my　will　and　pleasure　that　one　of　you　should　follow　letters；　another
trade；　and　the　third　serve　the　king　in　the　wars；　for　it　is　a　difficult
matter　to　gain　admission　to　his　service　in　his　household；　and　if　war
does　not　bring　much　wealth　it　confers　great　distinction　and　fame。
Eight　days　hence　I　will　give　you　your　full　shares　in　money；　without
defrauding　you　of　a　farthing；　as　you　will　see　in　the　end。　Now　tell
me　if　you　are　willing　to　follow　out　my　idea　and　advice　as　I　have
laid　it　before　you。〃
　　Having　called　upon　me　as　the　eldest　to　answer；　I；　after　urging　him
not　to　strip　himself　of　his　property　but　to　spend　it　all　as　he
pleased；　for　we　were　young　men　able　to　gain　our　living；　consented　to
comply　with　his　wishes；　and　said　that　mine　were　to　follow　the
profession　of　arms　and　thereby　serve　God　and　my　king。　My　second
brother　having　made　the　same　proposal；　decided　upon　going　to　the
Indies；　embarking　the　portion　that　fell　to　him　in　trade。　The　youngest；
and　in　my　opinion　the　wisest；　said　he　would　rather　follow　the
church；　or　go　to　complete　his　studies　at　Salamanca。　As　soon　as　we
had　come　to　an　understanding；　and　made　choice　of　our　professions；　my
father　embraced　us　all；　and　in　the　short　time　he　mentioned　carried
into　effect　all　he　had　promised；　and　when　he　had　given　to　each　his
share；　which　as　well　as　I　remember　was　three　thousand　ducats　apiece　in
cash　（for　an　uncle　of　ours　bought　the　estate　and　paid　for　it　down；　not
to　let　it　go　out　of　the　family）；　we　all　three　on　the　same　day　took
leave　of　our　good　father；　and　at　the　same　time；　as　it　seemed　to　me
inhuman　to　leave　my　father　with　such　scanty　means　in　his　old　age；　I
induced　him　to　take　two　of　my　three　thousand　ducats；　as　the
remainder　would　be　enough　to　provide　me　with　all　a　soldier　needed。
My　two　brothers；　moved　by　my　example；　gave　him　each　a　thousand　ducats；
so　that　there　was　left　for　my　father　four　thousand　ducats　in　money；
besides　three　thousand；　the　value　of　the　portion　that　fell　to　him
which　he　preferred　to　retain　in　land　instead　of　selling　it。　Finally；
as　I　said；　we　took　leave　of　him；　and　of　our　uncle　whom　I　have
mentioned；　not　without　sorrow　and　tears　on　both　sides；　they　charging
us　to　let　them　know　whenever　an　opportunity　offered　how　we　fared；
whether　well　or　ill。　We　promised　to　do　so；　and　when　he　had　embraced　us
and　given　us　his　blessing；　one　set　out　for　Salamanca；　the　other　for
Seville；　and　I　for　Alicante；　where　I　had　heard　there　was　a　Genoese
vessel　taking　in　a　cargo　of　wool　for　Genoa。
　　It　is　now　some　twenty…two　years　since　I　left　my　father's　house；
and　all　that　time；　though　I　have　written　several　letters；　I　have　had
no　news　whatever　of　him　or　of　my　brothers；　my　own　adventures　during
that　period　I　will　now　relate　briefly。　I　embarked　at　Alicante；　reached
Genoa　after　a　prosperous　voyage；　and　proceeded　thence　to　Milan；
where　I　provided　myself　with　arms　and　a　few　soldier's　accoutrements；
thence　it　was　my　intention　to　go　and　take　service　in　Piedmont；　but
as　I　was　already　on　the　road　to　Alessandria　della　Paglia；　I　learned
that　the　great　Duke　of　Alva　was　on　his　way　to　Flanders。　I　changed　my
plans；　joined　him；　served　under　him　in　the　campaigns　he　made；　was
present　at　the　deaths　of　the　Counts　Egmont　and　Horn；　and　was
promoted　to　be　ensign　under　a　famous　captain　of　Guadalajara；　Diego
de　Urbina　by　name。　Some　time　after　my　arrival　in　Flanders　news　came　of
the　league　that　his　Holiness　Pope　Pius　V　of　happy　memory；　had　made