don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第10部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

him　to　reason。
　　Meanwhile　Don　Quixote　worked　upon　a　farm　labourer；　a　neighbour　of
his；　an　honest　man　（if　indeed　that　title　can　be　given　to　him　who　is
poor）；　but　with　very　little　wit　in　his　pate。　In　a　word；　he　so　talked
him　over；　and　with　such　persuasions　and　promises；　that　the　poor
clown　made　up　his　mind　to　sally　forth　with　him　and　serve　him　as
esquire。　Don　Quixote；　among　other　things；　told　him　he　ought　to　be
ready　to　go　with　him　gladly；　because　any　moment　an　adventure　might
occur　that　might　win　an　island　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　and　leave
him　governor　of　it。　On　these　and　the　like　promises　Sancho　Panza　（for
so　the　labourer　was　called）　left　wife　and　children；　and　engaged
himself　as　esquire　to　his　neighbour。　Don　Quixote　next　set　about
getting　some　money；　and　selling　one　thing　and　pawning　another；　and
making　a　bad　bargain　in　every　case；　he　got　together　a　fair　sum。　He
provided　himself　with　a　buckler；　which　he　begged　as　a　loan　from　a
friend；　and；　restoring　his　battered　helmet　as　best　he　could；　he　warned
his　squire　Sancho　of　the　day　and　hour　he　meant　to　set　out；　that　he
might　provide　himself　with　what　he　thought　most　needful。　Above　all；　he
charged　him　to　take　alforjas　with　him。　The　other　said　he　would；　and
that　he　meant　to　take　also　a　very　good　ass　he　had；　as　he　was　not
much　given　to　going　on　foot。　About　the　ass；　Don　Quixote　hesitated　a
little；　trying　whether　he　could　call　to　mind　any　knight…errant
taking　with　him　an　esquire　mounted　on　ass…back；　but　no　instance
occurred　to　his　memory。　For　all　that；　however；　he　determined　to　take
him；　intending　to　furnish　him　with　a　more　honourable　mount　when　a
chance　of　it　presented　itself；　by　appropriating　the　horse　of　the　first
discourteous　knight　he　encountered。　Himself　he　provided　with　shirts
and　such　other　things　as　he　could；　according　to　the　advice　the　host
had　given　him；　all　which　being　done；　without　taking　leave；　Sancho
Panza　of　his　wife　and　children；　or　Don　Quixote　of　his　housekeeper
and　niece；　they　sallied　forth　unseen　by　anybody　from　the　village　one
night；　and　made　such　good　way　in　the　course　of　it　that　by　daylight
they　held　themselves　safe　from　discovery；　even　should　search　be　made
for　them。
　　Sancho　rode　on　his　ass　like　a　patriarch；　with　his　alforjas　and　bota；
and　longing　to　see　himself　soon　governor　of　the　island　his　master
had　promised　him。　Don　Quixote　decided　upon　taking　the　same　route　and
road　he　had　taken　on　his　first　journey；　that　over　the　Campo　de
Montiel；　which　he　travelled　with　less　discomfort　than　on　the　last
occasion；　for；　as　it　was　early　morning　and　the　rays　of　the　sun　fell　on
them　obliquely；　the　heat　did　not　distress　them。
　　And　now　said　Sancho　Panza　to　his　master；　〃Your　worship　will　take
care；　Senor　Knight…errant；　not　to　forget　about　the　island　you　have
promised　me；　for　be　it　ever　so　big　I'll　be　equal　to　governing　it。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Thou　must　know；　friend　Sancho
Panza；　that　it　was　a　practice　very　much　in　vogue　with　the
knights…errant　of　old　to　make　their　squires　governors　of　the　islands
or　kingdoms　they　won；　and　I　am　determined　that　there　shall　be　no
failure　on　my　part　in　so　liberal　a　custom；　on　the　contrary；　I　mean
to　improve　upon　it；　for　they　sometimes；　and　perhaps　most　frequently；
waited　until　their　squires　were　old；　and　then　when　they　had　had　enough
of　service　and　hard　days　and　worse　nights；　they　gave　them　some　title
or　other；　of　count；　or　at　the　most　marquis；　of　some　valley　or　province
more　or　less；　but　if　thou　livest　and　I　live；　it　may　well　be　that
before　six　days　are　over；　I　may　have　won　some　kingdom　that　has
others　dependent　upon　it；　which　will　be　just　the　thing　to　enable
thee　to　be　crowned　king　of　one　of　them。　Nor　needst　thou　count　this
wonderful；　for　things　and　chances　fall　to　the　lot　of　such　knights　in
ways　so　unexampled　and　unexpected　that　I　might　easily　give　thee　even
more　than　I　promise　thee。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Sancho　Panza；　〃if　I　should　become　a　king　by　one
of　those　miracles　your　worship　speaks　of；　even　Juana　Gutierrez；　my　old
woman；　would　come　to　be　queen　and　my　children　infantes。〃
　　〃Well；　who　doubts　it？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　replied　Sancho　Panza；　〃because　for　my　part　I　am
persuaded　that　though　God　should　shower　down　kingdoms　upon　earth；
not　one　of　them　would　fit　the　head　of　Mari　Gutierrez。　Let　me　tell　you；
senor；　she　is　not　worth　two　maravedis　for　a　queen；　countess　will　fit
her　better；　and　that　only　with　God's　help。〃
　　〃Leave　it　to　God；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　he　will　give
her　what　suits　her　best；　but　do　not　undervalue　thyself　so　much　as　to
come　to　be　content　with　anything　less　than　being　governor　of　a
province。〃
　　〃I　will　not；　senor；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃specially　as　I　have　a　man
of　such　quality　for　a　master　in　your　worship；　who　will　know　how　to
give　me　all　that　will　be　suitable　for　me　and　that　I　can　bear。〃

　　CHAPTER　VIII
　　OF　THE　GOOD　FORTUNE　WHICH　THE　VALIANT　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD　IN　THE
TERRIBLE　AND　UNDREAMT…OF　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　WINDMILLS；　WITH　OTHER
OCCURRENCES　WORTHY　TO　BE　FITLY　RECORDED

　　AT　THIS　point　they　came　in　sight　of　thirty　forty　windmills　that
there　are　on　plain；　and　as　soon　as　Don　Quixote　saw　them　he　said　to　his
squire；　〃Fortune　is　arranging　matters　for　us　better　than　we　could　have
shaped　our　desires　ourselves；　for　look　there；　friend　Sancho　Panza；
where　thirty　or　more　monstrous　giants　present　themselves；　all　of
whom　I　mean　to　engage　in　battle　and　slay；　and　with　whose　spoils　we
shall　begin　to　make　our　fortunes；　for　this　is　righteous　warfare；　and
it　is　God's　good　service　to　sweep　so　evil　a　breed　from　off　the　face　of
the　earth。〃
　　〃What　giants？〃　said　Sancho　Panza。
　　〃Those　thou　seest　there；〃　answered　his　master；　〃with　the　long
arms；　and　some　have　them　nearly　two　leagues　long。〃
　　〃Look；　your　worship；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　we　see　there　are　not　giants
but　windmills；　and　what　seem　to　be　their　arms　are　the　sails　that
turned　by　the　wind　make　the　millstone　go。〃
　　〃It　is　easy　to　see；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　thou　art　not　used　to
this　business　of　adventures；　those　are　giants；　and　if　thou　art　afraid；
away　with　thee　out　of　this　and　betake　thyself　to　prayer　while　I　engage
them　in　fierce　and　unequal　combat。〃
　　So　saying；　he　gave　the　spur　to　his　steed　Rocinante；　heedless　of
the　cries　his　squire　Sancho　sent　after　him；　warning　him　that　most
certainly　they　were　windmills　and　not　giants　he　was　going　to　attack。
He；　however；　was　so　positive　they　were　giants　that　he　neither　heard
the　cries　of　Sancho；　nor　perceived；　near　as　he　was；　what　they　were；
but　made　at　them　shouting；　〃Fly　not；　cowards　and　vile　beings；　for　a
single　knight　attacks　you。〃
　　A　slight　breeze　at　this　moment　sprang　up；　and　the　great　sails
began　to　move；　seeing　which　Don　Quixote　exclaimed；　〃Though　ye　flourish
more　arms　than　the　giant　Briareus；　ye　have　to　reckon　with　me。〃
　　So　saying；　and　commending　himself　with　all　his　heart　to　his　lady
Dulcinea；　imploring　her　to　support　him　in　such　a　peril；　with　lance
in　rest　and　covered　by　his　buckler；　he　charged　at　Rocinante's
fullest　gallop　and　fell　upon　the　first　mill　that　stood　in　front　of
him；　but　as　he　drove　his　lance…point　into　the　sail　the　wind　whirled　it
round　with　such　force　that　it　shivered　the　lance　to　pieces；　sweeping
with　it　horse　and　rider；　who　went　rolling　over　on　the　plain；　in　a
sorry　condition。　Sancho　hastened　to　his　assistance　as　fast　as　his
ass　could　go；　and　when　he　came　up　found　him　unable　to　move；　with
such　a　shock　had　Rocinante　fallen　with　him。
　　〃God　bless　me！〃　said　Sancho；　〃did　I　not　tell　your　worship　to　mind
what　you　were　about；　for　they　were　only　windmills？　and　no　one　could
have　made　any　mistake　about　it　but　one　who　had　something　of　the　same
kind　in　his　head。〃
　　〃Hush；　friend　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃the　fortunes　of　war
more　than　any　other　are　liable　to　frequent　fluctuations；　and
moreover　I　think；　and　it　is　the　truth；　that　that　same　sage　Friston　who
carried　off　my　study　and　books；　has　turned　these　giants　into　mills
in　order　to　rob　me　of　the　glory　of　vanquishing　them；　such　is　the
enmity　he　bears　me；　but　in　the　end　his　wicked　arts　will　avail　but
little　against　my　good　sword。〃
　　〃God　order　it　as　he　may；〃　said　Sancho　Panza；　and　helping　him　to　rise
got　him　up　again　on　Rocinante；　whose　shoulder　was　half　out；　and
then；　discussing　the　late　adventure；　they　followed　the　road　to
Puerto　Lapice；　for　there；　said　Don　Quixote；　they　could　not　fail　to
find　adventures　in　abundance　and　variety；　as　it　was　a　great
thoroughfare。　For　all　that；　he　was　much　grieved　at　the　loss　of　his
lance；　and　saying　so　to　his　squire；　he　added；　〃I　remember　having
read　how　a　Spanish　knight；　Diego　Perez　de　Vargas　by　name；　having
broken　his　sword　in　battle；　tore　from　an　oak　a　ponderous　bough　or
branch；　and　with　it　did　such　things　that　day；　and　pounded　so　many
Moors；　that　he　got　the　surname　of　Machuca；　and　he　and　his
descendants　from　that　day　forth　were　called　Vargas　y　Machuca。　I
mention　this　because　from　the　first　oak　I　see　I　mean　to　rend　such
another　branch；　large　and　stout　like　that；　with　which　I　am
determined　and　resolved　to　do　such　deeds　that　thou　mayest　deem　thyself
very　fortunate　in　being　found　worthy　to　come　and　see　them；　and　be　an
eyewitness　of　things　that　will　with　difficulty　be　believed。