don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第108部分

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more　that　I　say　nothing　of；　would　be　removed　if　there　were　some
intelligent　and　sensible　person　at　the　capital　to　examine　all　plays
before　they　were　acted；　not　only　those　produced　in　the　capital　itself；
but　all　that　were　intended　to　be　acted　in　Spain；　without　whose
approval；　seal；　and　signature；　no　local　magistracy　should　allow　any
play　to　be　acted。　In　that　case　actors　would　take　care　to　send　their
plays　to　the　capital；　and　could　act　them　in　safety；　and　those　who
write　them　would　be　more　careful　and　take　more　pains　with　their
work；　standing　in　awe　of　having　to　submit　it　to　the　strict　examination
of　one　who　understood　the　matter；　and　so　good　plays　would　be
produced　and　the　objects　they　aim　at　happily　attained；　as　well　the
amusement　of　the　people；　as　the　credit　of　the　wits　of　Spain；　the
interest　and　safety　of　the　actors；　and　the　saving　of　trouble　in
inflicting　punishment　on　them。　And　if　the　same　or　some　other　person
were　authorised　to　examine　the　newly　written　books　of　chivalry；　no
doubt　some　would　appear　with　all　the　perfections　you　have　described；
enriching　our　language　with　the　gracious　and　precious　treasure　of
eloquence；　and　driving　the　old　books　into　obscurity　before　the　light
of　the　new　ones　that　would　come　out　for　the　harmless　entertainment；
not　merely　of　the　idle　but　of　the　very　busiest；　for　the　bow　cannot
be　always　bent；　nor　can　weak　human　nature　exist　without　some　lawful
amusement。〃
　　The　canon　and　the　curate　had　proceeded　thus　far　with　their
conversation；　when　the　barber；　coming　forward；　joined　them；　and　said
to　the　curate；　〃This　is　the　spot；　senor　licentiate；　that　I　said　was
a　good　one　for　fresh　and　plentiful　pasture　for　the　oxen；　while　we　take
our　noontide　rest。〃
　　〃And　so　it　seems；〃　returned　the　curate；　and　he　told　the　canon　what
he　proposed　to　do；　on　which　he　too　made　up　his　mind　to　halt　with　them；
attracted　by　the　aspect　of　the　fair　valley　that　lay　before　their　eyes；
and　to　enjoy　it　as　well　as　the　conversation　of　the　curate；　to　whom
he　had　begun　to　take　a　fancy；　and　also　to　learn　more　particulars　about
the　doings　of　Don　Quixote；　he　desired　some　of　his　servants　to　go　on　to
the　inn；　which　was　not　far　distant；　and　fetch　from　it　what　eatables
there　might　be　for　the　whole　party；　as　he　meant　to　rest　for　the
afternoon　where　he　was；　to　which　one　of　his　servants　replied　that
the　sumpter　mule；　which　by　this　time　ought　to　have　reached　the　inn；
carried　provisions　enough　to　make　it　unnecessary　to　get　anything
from　the　inn　except　barley。
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　canon；　〃take　all　the　beasts　there；　and
bring　the　sumpter　mule　back。〃
　　While　this　was　going　on；　Sancho；　perceiving　that　he　could　speak　to
his　master　without　having　the　curate　and　the　barber；　of　whom　he　had
his　suspicions；　present　all　the　time；　approached　the　cage　in　which　Don
Quixote　was　placed；　and　said；　〃Senor；　to　ease　my　conscience　I　want
to　tell　you　the　state　of　the　case　as　to　your　enchantment；　and　that
is　that　these　two　here；　with　their　faces　covered；　are　the　curate　of
our　village　and　the　barber；　and　I　suspect　they　have　hit　upon　this　plan
of　carrying　you　off　in　this　fashion；　out　of　pure　envy　because　your
worship　surpasses　them　in　doing　famous　deeds；　and　if　this　be　the　truth
it　follows　that　you　are　not　enchanted；　but　hoodwinked　and　made　a
fool　of。　And　to　prove　this　I　want　to　ask　you　one　thing；　and　if　you
answer　me　as　I　believe　you　will　answer；　you　will　be　able　to　lay　your
finger　on　the　trick；　and　you　will　see　that　you　are　not　enchanted　but
gone　wrong　in　your　wits。〃
　　〃Ask　what　thou　wilt；　Sancho　my　son；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I
will　satisfy　thee　and　answer　all　thou　requirest。　As　to　what　thou
sayest；　that　these　who　accompany　us　yonder　are　the　curate　and　the
barber；　our　neighbours　and　acquaintances；　it　is　very　possible　that
they　may　seem　to　he　those　same　persons；　but　that　they　are　so　in
reality　and　in　fact；　believe　it　not　on　any　account；　what　thou　art　to
believe　and　think　is　that；　if　they　look　like　them；　as　thou　sayest；
it　must　be　that　those　who　have　enchanted　me　have　taken　this　shape
and　likeness；　for　it　is　easy　for　enchanters　to　take　any　form　they
please；　and　they　may　have　taken　those　of　our　friends　in　order　to
make　thee　think　as　thou　dost；　and　lead　thee　into　a　labyrinth　of
fancies　from　which　thou　wilt　find　no　escape　though　thou　hadst　the　cord
of　Theseus；　and　they　may　also　have　done　it　to　make　me　uncertain　in
my　mind；　and　unable　to　conjecture　whence　this　evil　comes　to　me；　for　if
on　the　one　hand　thou　dost　tell　me　that　the　barber　and　curate　of　our
village　are　here　in　company　with　us；　and　on　the　other　I　find　myself
shut　up　in　a　cage；　and　know　in　my　heart　that　no　power　on　earth　that
was　not　supernatural　would　have　been　able　to　shut　me　in；　what
wouldst　thou　have　me　say　or　think；　but　that　my　enchantment　is　of　a
sort　that　transcends　all　I　have　ever　read　of　in　all　the　histories　that
deal　with　knights…errant　that　have　been　enchanted？　So　thou　mayest
set　thy　mind　at　rest　as　to　the　idea　that　they　are　what　thou　sayest；
for　they　are　as　much　so　as　I　am　a　Turk。　But　touching　thy　desire　to　ask
me　something；　say　on；　and　I　will　answer　thee；　though　thou　shouldst　ask
questions　from　this　till　to…morrow　morning。〃
　　〃May　Our　Lady　be　good　to　me！〃　said　Sancho；　lifting　up　his　voice；
〃and　is　it　possible　that　your　worship　is　so　thick　of　skull　and　so
short　of　brains　that　you　cannot　see　that　what　I　say　is　the　simple
truth；　and　that　malice　has　more　to　do　with　your　imprisonment　and
misfortune　than　enchantment？　But　as　it　is　so；　I　will　prove　plainly
to　you　that　you　are　not　enchanted。　Now　tell　me；　so　may　God　deliver　you
from　this　affliction；　and　so　may　you　find　yourself　when　you　least
expect　it　in　the　arms　of　my　lady　Dulcinea…〃
　　〃Leave　off　conjuring　me；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　ask　what　thou
wouldst　know；　I　have　already　told　thee　I　will　answer　with　all　possible
precision。〃
　　〃That　is　what　I　want；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　what　I　would　know；　and　have
you　tell　me；　without　adding　or　leaving　out　anything；　but　telling　the
whole　truth　as　one　expects　it　to　be　told；　and　as　it　is　told；　by　all
who　profess　arms；　as　your　worship　professes　them；　under　the　title　of
knights…errant…〃
　　〃I　tell　thee　I　will　not　lie　in　any　particular；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃finish　thy　question；　for　in　truth　thou　weariest　me　with　all　these
asseverations；　requirements；　and　precautions；　Sancho。〃
　　〃Well；　I　rely　on　the　goodness　and　truth　of　my　master；〃　said
Sancho；　〃and　so；　because　it　bears　upon　what　we　are　talking　about；　I
would　ask；　speaking　with　all　reverence；　whether　since　your　worship　has
been　shut　up　and；　as　you　think；　enchanted　in　this　cage；　you　have
felt　any　desire　or　inclination　to　go　anywhere；　as　the　saying　is？〃
　　〃I　do　not　understand　'going　anywhere；'〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃explain
thyself　more　clearly；　Sancho；　if　thou　wouldst　have　me　give　an　answer
to　the　point。〃
　　〃Is　it　possible；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　your　worship　does　not
understand　'going　anywhere'？　Why；　the　schoolboys　know　that　from　the
time　they　were　babes。　Well　then；　you　must　know　I　mean　have　you　had　any
desire　to　do　what　cannot　be　avoided？〃
　　〃Ah！　now　I　understand　thee；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃yes；
often；　and　even　this　minute；　get　me　out　of　this　strait；　or　all　will
not　go　right。〃

　　CHAPTER　XLIX
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　SHREWD　CONVERSATION　WHICH　SANCHO　PANZA　HELD　WITH
HIS　MASTER　DON　QUIXOTE

　　〃AHA；　I　have　caught　you；〃　said　Sancho；　〃this　is　what　in　my　heart　and
soul　I　was　longing　to　know。　Come　now；　senor；　can　you　deny　what　is
commonly　said　around　us；　when　a　person　is　out　of　humour；　'I　don't　know
what　ails　so…and…so；　that　he　neither　eats；　nor　drinks；　nor　sleeps；　nor
gives　a　proper　answer　to　any　question；　one　would　think　he　was
enchanted'？　From　which　it　is　to　be　gathered　that　those　who　do　not　eat；
or　drink；　or　sleep；　or　do　any　of　the　natural　acts　I　am　speaking　of…
that　such　persons　are　enchanted；　but　not　those　that　have　the　desire
your　worship　has；　and　drink　when　drink　is　given　them；　and　eat　when
there　is　anything　to　eat；　and　answer　every　question　that　is　asked
them。〃
　　〃What　thou　sayest　is　true；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃but　I　have
already　told　thee　there　are　many　sorts　of　enchantments；　and　it　may
be　that　in　the　course　of　time　they　have　been　changed　one　for
another；　and　that　now　it　may　be　the　way　with　enchanted　people　to　do
all　that　I　do；　though　they　did　not　do　so　before；　so　it　is　vain　to
argue　or　draw　inferences　against　the　usage　of　the　time。　I　know　and
feel　that　I　am　enchanted；　and　that　is　enough　to　ease　my　conscience；
for　it　would　weigh　heavily　on　it　if　I　thought　that　I　was　not
enchanted；　and　that　in　a　aint…hearted　and　cowardly　way　I　allowed
myself　to　lie　in　this　cage；　defrauding　multitudes　of　the　succour　I
might　afford　to　those　in　need　and　distress；　who　at　this　very　moment
may　be　in　sore　want　of　my　aid　and　protection。〃
　　〃Still　for　all　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃I　say　that；　for　your
greater　and　fuller　satisfaction；　it　would　be　well　if　your　worship　were
to　try　to　get　out　of　this　prison　（and　I　promise　to　do　all　in　my
power　to　help；　and　even　to　take　you　out　of　it）；　and　see　if　you　could
once　more　mount　your　good　Rocinante；　who　seems　to　be　enchanted　too；　he
is　so　melancholy　and　dejected；　and　then　we　might　try　our　chance　in
looking　for　adventures