don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第114部分

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estimation；〃　and　so　saying　he　brought　his　legs　to　bear　on　Rocinante…
for　he　had　no　spurs…　and　at　a　full　canter　（for　in　all　this　veracious
history　we　never　read　of　Rocinante　fairly　galloping）　set　off　to
encounter　the　penitents；　though　the　curate；　the　canon；　and　the
barber　ran　to　prevent　him。　But　it　was　out　of　their　power；　nor　did　he
even　stop　for　the　shouts　of　Sancho　calling　after　him；　〃Where　are　you
going；　Senor　Don　Quixote？　What　devils　have　possessed　you　to　set　you　on
against　our　Catholic　faith？　Plague　take　me！　mind；　that　is　a　procession
of　penitents；　and　the　lady　they　are　carrying　on　that　stand　there　is
the　blessed　image　of　the　immaculate　Virgin。　Take　care　what　you　are
doing；　senor；　for　this　time　it　may　be　safely　said　you　don't　know
what　you　are　about。〃　Sancho　laboured　in　vain；　for　his　master　was　so
bent　on　coming　to　quarters　with　these　sheeted　figures　and　releasing
the　lady　in　black　that　he　did　not　hear　a　word；　and　even　had　he
heard；　he　would　not　have　turned　back　if　the　king　had　ordered　him。　He
came　up　with　the　procession　and　reined　in　Rocinante；　who　was　already
anxious　enough　to　slacken　speed　a　little；　and　in　a　hoarse；　excited
voice　he　exclaimed；　〃You　who　hide　your　faces；　perhaps　because　you
are　not　good　subjects；　pay　attention　and　listen　to　what　I　am　about
to　say　to　you。〃　The　first　to　halt　were　those　who　were　carrying　the
image；　and　one　of　the　four　ecclesiastics　who　were　chanting　the　Litany；
struck　by　the　strange　figure　of　Don　Quixote；　the　leanness　of
Rocinante；　and　the　other　ludicrous　peculiarities　he　observed；　said
in　reply　to　him；　〃Brother；　if　you　have　anything　to　say　to　us　say　it
quickly；　for　these　brethren　are　whipping　themselves；　and　we　cannot
stop；　nor　is　it　reasonable　we　should　stop　to　hear　anything；　unless
indeed　it　is　short　enough　to　be　said　in　two　words。〃
　　〃I　will　say　it　in　one；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　it　is　this；　that
at　once；　this　very　instant；　ye　release　that　fair　lady　whose　tears
and　sad　aspect　show　plainly　that　ye　are　carrying　her　off　against　her
will；　and　that　ye　have　committed　some　scandalous　outrage　against
her；　and　I；　who　was　born　into　the　world　to　redress　all　such　like
wrongs；　will　not　permit　you　to　advance　another　step　until　you　have
restored　to　her　the　liberty　she　pines　for　and　deserves。〃
　　From　these　words　all　the　hearers　concluded　that　he　must　be　a　madman；
and　began　to　laugh　heartily；　and　their　laughter　acted　like　gunpowder
on　Don　Quixote's　fury；　for　drawing　his　sword　without　another　word　he
made　a　rush　at　the　stand。　One　of　those　who　supported　it；　leaving　the
burden　to　his　comrades；　advanced　to　meet　him；　flourishing　a　forked
stick　that　he　had　for　propping　up　the　stand　when　resting；　and　with
this　he　caught　a　mighty　cut　Don　Quixote　made　at　him　that　severed　it　in
two；　but　with　the　portion　that　remained　in　his　hand　he　dealt　such　a
thwack　on　the　shoulder　of　Don　Quixote's　sword　arm　（which　the　buckler
could　not　protect　against　the　clownish　assault）　that　poor　Don
Quixote　came　to　the　ground　in　a　sad　plight。
　　Sancho　Panza；　who　was　coming　on　close　behind　puffing　and　blowing；
seeing　him　fall；　cried　out　to　his　assailant　not　to　strike　him　again；
for　he　was　poor　enchanted　knight；　who　had　never　harmed　anyone　all
the　days　of　his　life；　but　what　checked　the　clown　was；　not　Sancho's
shouting；　but　seeing　that　Don　Quixote　did　not　stir　hand　or　foot；　and
so；　fancying　he　had　killed　him；　he　hastily　hitched　up　his　tunic
under　his　girdle　and　took　to　his　heels　across　the　country　like　a　deer。
　　By　this　time　all　Don　Quixote's　companions　had　come　up　to　where　he
lay；　but　the　processionists　seeing　them　come　running；　and　with　them
the　officers　of　the　Brotherhood　with　their　crossbows；　apprehended
mischief；　and　clustering　round　the　image；　raised　their　hoods；　and
grasped　their　scourges；　as　the　priests　did　their　tapers；　and　awaited
the　attack；　resolved　to　defend　themselves　and　even　to　take　the
offensive　against　their　assailants　if　they　could。　Fortune；　however；
arranged　the　matter　better　than　they　expected；　for　all　Sancho　did
was　to　fling　himself　on　his　master's　body；　raising　over　him　the　most
doleful　and　laughable　lamentation　that　ever　was　heard；　for　he　believed
he　was　dead。　The　curate　was　known　to　another　curate　who　walked　in
the　procession；　and　their　recognition　of　one　another　set　at　rest　the
apprehensions　of　both　parties；　the　first　then　told　the　other　in　two
words　who　Don　Quixote　was；　and　he　and　the　whole　troop　of　penitents
went　to　see　if　the　poor　gentleman　was　dead；　and　heard　Sancho　Panza
saying；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃Oh　flower　of　chivalry；　that　with
one　blow　of　a　stick　hast　ended　the　course　of　thy　well…spent　life！　Oh
pride　of　thy　race；　honour　and　glory　of　all　La　Mancha；　nay；　of　all
the　world；　that　for　want　of　thee　will　be　full　of　evil…doers；　no　longer
in　fear　of　punishment　for　their　misdeeds！　Oh　thou；　generous　above
all　the　Alexanders；　since　for　only　eight　months　of　service　thou　hast
given　me　the　best　island　the　sea　girds　or　surrounds！　Humble　with　the
proud；　haughty　with　the　humble；　encounterer　of　dangers；　endurer　of
outrages；　enamoured　without　reason；　imitator　of　the　good；　scourge　of
the　wicked；　enemy　of　the　mean；　in　short；　knight…errant；　which　is　all
that　can　be　said！〃
　　At　the　cries　and　moans　of　Sancho；　Don　Quixote　came　to　himself；　and
the　first　word　he　said　was；　〃He　who　lives　separated　from　you；　sweetest
Dulcinea；　has　greater　miseries　to　endure　than　these。　Aid　me；　friend
Sancho；　to　mount　the　enchanted　cart；　for　I　am　not　in　a　condition　to
press　the　saddle　of　Rocinante；　as　this　shoulder　is　all　knocked　to
pieces。〃
　　〃That　I　will　do　with　all　my　heart；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　let
us　return　to　our　village　with　these　gentlemen；　who　seek　your　good；　and
there　we　will　prepare　for　making　another　sally；　which　may　turn　out
more　profitable　and　creditable　to　us。〃
　　〃Thou　art　right；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃It　will　be　wise
to　let　the　malign　influence　of　the　stars　which　now　prevails　pass　off。〃
　　The　canon；　the　curate；　and　the　barber　told　him　he　would　act　very
wisely　in　doing　as　he　said；　and　so；　highly　amused　at　Sancho　Panza's
simplicities；　they　placed　Don　Quixote　in　the　cart　as　before。　The
procession　once　more　formed　itself　in　order　and　proceeded　on　its　road；
the　goatherd　took　his　leave　of　the　party；　the　officers　of　the
Brotherhood　declined　to　go　any　farther；　and　the　curate　paid　them
what　was　due　to　them；　the　canon　begged　the　curate　to　let　him　know
how　Don　Quixote　did；　whether　he　was　cured　of　his　madness　or　still
suffered　from　it；　and　then　begged　leave　to　continue　his　journey；　in
short；　they　all　separated　and　went　their　ways；　leaving　to　themselves
the　curate　and　the　barber；　Don　Quixote；　Sancho　Panza；　and　the　good
Rocinante；　who　regarded　everything　with　as　great　resignation　as　his
master。　The　carter　yoked　his　oxen　and　made　Don　Quixote　comfortable
on　a　truss　of　hay；　and　at　his　usual　deliberate　pace　took　the　road
the　curate　directed；　and　at　the　end　of　six　days　they　reached　Don
Quixote's　village；　and　entered　it　about　the　middle　of　the　day；　which
it　so　happened　was　a　Sunday；　and　the　people　were　all　in　the　plaza；
through　which　Don　Quixote's　cart　passed。　They　all　flocked　to　see
what　was　in　the　cart；　and　when　they　recognised　their　townsman　they
were　filled　with　amazement；　and　a　boy　ran　off　to　bring　the　news　to　his
housekeeper　and　his　niece　that　their　master　and　uncle　had　come　back
all　lean　and　yellow　and　stretched　on　a　truss　of　hay　on　an　ox…cart。
It　was　piteous　to　hear　the　cries　the　two　good　ladies　raised；　how
they　beat　their　breasts　and　poured　out　fresh　maledictions　on　those
accursed　books　of　chivalry；　all　which　was　renewed　when　they　saw　Don
Quixote　coming　in　at　the　gate。
　　At　the　news　of　Don　Quixote's　arrival　Sancho　Panza's　wife　came
running；　for　she　by　this　time　knew　that　her　husband　had　gone　away　with
him　as　his　squire；　and　on　seeing　Sancho；　the　first　thing　she　asked　him
was　if　the　ass　was　well。　Sancho　replied　that　he　was；　better　than　his
master　was。
　　〃Thanks　be　to　God；〃　said　she；　〃for　being　so　good　to　me；　but　now　tell
me；　my　friend；　what　have　you　made　by　your　squirings？　What　gown　have
you　brought　me　back？　What　shoes　for　your　children？〃
　　〃I　bring　nothing　of　that　sort；　wife；〃　said　Sancho；　〃though　I　bring
other　things　of　more　consequence　and　value。〃
　　〃I　am　very　glad　of　that；〃　returned　his　wife；　〃show　me　these　things
of　more　value　and　consequence；　my　friend；　for　I　want　to　see　them　to
cheer　my　heart　that　has　been　so　sad　and　heavy　all　these　ages　that
you　have　been　away。〃
　　〃I　will　show　them　to　you　at　home；　wife；〃　said　Sancho；　〃be　content
for　the　present；　for　if　it　please　God　that　we　should　again　go　on　our
travels　in　search　of　adventures；　you　will　soon　see　me　a　count；　or
governor　of　an　island；　and　that　not　one　of　those　everyday　ones；　but
the　best　that　is　to　be　had。〃
　　〃Heaven　grant　it；　husband；〃　said　she；　〃for　indeed　we　have　need　of
it。　But　tell　me；　what's　this　about　islands；　for　I　don't　understand
it？〃
　　〃Honey　is　not　for　the　mouth　of　the　ass；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃all　in
good　time　thou　shalt　see；　wife…　nay；　thou　wilt　be　surprised　to　hear
thyself　called　'your　ladyship'　by　all　thy　vassals。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Sancho；　with　your　ladyships；　islands；
and　vassals？〃　returned　Teresa　Panza…　for　so　Sancho's