don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第136部分

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　　Sancho　kept　spitting　from　time　to　time；　and　his　spittle　seemed
somewhat　ropy　and　dry；　observing　which　the　compassionate　squire　of　the
Grove　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　with　all　this　talk　of　ours　our
tongues　are　sticking　to　the　roofs　of　our　mouths；　but　I　have　a　pretty
good　loosener　hanging　from　the　saddle…bow　of　my　horse；〃　and　getting　up
he　came　back　the　next　minute　with　a　large　bota　of　wine　and　a　pasty
half　a　yard　across；　and　this　is　no　exaggeration；　for　it　was　made　of
a　house　rabbit　so　big　that　Sancho；　as　he　handled　it；　took　it　to　be
made　of　a　goat；　not　to　say　a　kid；　and　looking　at　it　he　said；　〃And　do
you　carry　this　with　you；　senor？〃
　　〃Why；　what　are　you　thinking　about？〃　said　the　other；　〃do　you　take
me　for　some　paltry　squire？　I　carry　a　better　larder　on　my　horse's　croup
than　a　general　takes　with　him　when　he　goes　on　a　march。〃
　　Sancho　ate　without　requiring　to　be　pressed；　and　in　the　dark　bolted
mouthfuls　like　the　knots　on　a　tether；　and　said　he；　〃You　are　a　proper
trusty　squire；　one　of　the　right　sort；　sumptuous　and　grand；　as　this
banquet　shows；　which；　if　it　has　not　come　here　by　magic　art；　at　any
rate　has　the　look　of　it；　not　like　me；　unlucky　beggar；　that　have
nothing　more　in　my　alforjas　than　a　scrap　of　cheese；　so　hard　that　one
might　brain　a　giant　with　it；　and；　to　keep　it　company；　a　few　dozen
carobs　and　as　many　more　filberts　and　walnuts；　thanks　to　the
austerity　of　my　master；　and　the　idea　he　has　and　the　rule　he　follows；
that　knights…errant　must　not　live　or　sustain　themselves　on　anything
except　dried　fruits　and　the　herbs　of　the　field。〃
　　〃By　my　faith；　brother；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃my　stomach　is　not
made　for　thistles；　or　wild　pears；　or　roots　of　the　woods；　let　our
masters　do　as　they　like；　with　their　chivalry　notions　and　laws；　and　eat
what　those　enjoin；　I　carry　my　prog…basket　and　this　bota　hanging　to　the
saddle…bow；　whatever　they　may　say；　and　it　is　such　an　object　of　worship
with　me；　and　I　love　it　so；　that　there　is　hardly　a　moment　but　I　am
kissing　and　embracing　it　over　and　over　again；〃　and　so　saying　he　thrust
it　into　Sancho's　hands；　who　raising　it　aloft　pointed　to　his　mouth；
gazed　at　the　stars　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　when　he　had　done
drinking　let　his　head　fall　on　one　side；　and　giving　a　deep　sigh；
exclaimed；　〃Ah；　whoreson　rogue；　how　catholic　it　is！〃
　　〃There；　you　see；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　hearing　Sancho's
exclamation；　〃how　you　have　called　this　wine　whoreson　by　way　of
praise。〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　own　it；　and　I　grant　it　is　no　dishonour　to
call　anyone　whoreson　when　it　is　to　be　understood　as　praise。　But　tell
me；　senor；　by　what　you　love　best；　is　this　Ciudad　Real　wine？〃
　　〃O　rare　wine…taster！〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃nowhere　else　indeed
does　it　come　from；　and　it　has　some　years'　age　too。〃
　　〃Leave　me　alone　for　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃never　fear　but　I'll　hit
upon　the　place　it　came　from　somehow。　What　would　you　say；　sir　squire；
to　my　having　such　a　great　natural　instinct　in　judging　wines　that　you
have　only　to　let　me　smell　one　and　I　can　tell　positively　its　country；
its　kind；　its　flavour　and　soundness；　the　changes　it　will　undergo；
and　everything　that　appertains　to　a　wine？　But　it　is　no　wonder；　for　I
have　had　in　my　family；　on　my　father's　side；　the　two　best
wine…tasters　that　have　been　known　in　La　Mancha　for　many　a　long　year；
and　to　prove　it　I'll　tell　you　now　a　thing　that　happened　them。　They
gave　the　two　of　them　some　wine　out　of　a　cask；　to　try；　asking　their
opinion　as　to　the　condition；　quality；　goodness　or　badness　of　the　wine。
One　of　them　tried　it　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　the　other　did　no　more
than　bring　it　to　his　nose。　The　first　said　the　wine　had　a　flavour　of
iron；　the　second　said　it　had　a　stronger　flavour　of　cordovan。　The　owner
said　the　cask　was　clean；　and　that　nothing　had　been　added　to　the　wine
from　which　it　could　have　got　a　flavour　of　either　iron　or　leather。
Nevertheless；　these　two　great　wine…tasters　held　to　what　they　had　said。
Time　went　by；　the　wine　was　sold；　and　when　they　came　to　clean　out　the
cask；　they　found　in　it　a　small　key　hanging　to　a　thong　of　cordovan；　see
now　if　one　who　comes　of　the　same　stock　has　not　a　right　to　give　his
opinion　in　such　like　cases。〃
　　〃Therefore；　I　say；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃let　us　give　up　going　in
quest　of　adventures；　and　as　we　have　loaves　let　us　not　go　looking　for
cakes；　but　return　to　our　cribs；　for　God　will　find　us　there　if　it　be
his　will。〃
　　〃Until　my　master　reaches　Saragossa；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I'll　remain　in
his　service；　after　that　we'll　see。〃
　　The　end　of　it　was　that　the　two　squires　talked　so　much　and　drank　so
much　that　sleep　had　to　tie　their　tongues　and　moderate　their　thirst；
for　to　quench　it　was　impossible；　and　so　the　pair　of　them　fell　asleep
clinging　to　the　now　nearly　empty　bota　and　with　half…chewed　morsels
in　their　mouths；　and　there　we　will　leave　them　for　the　present；　to
relate　what　passed　between　the　Knight　of　the　Grove　and　him　of　the
Rueful　Countenance。
　　

CHAPTER　XIV
　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTINUED　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　KNIGHT　OF　THE　GROVE

　　AMONG　the　things　that　passed　between　Don　Quixote　and　the　Knight　of
the　Wood；　the　history　tells　us　he　of　the　Grove　said　to　Don　Quixote；
〃In　fine；　sir　knight；　I　would　have　you　know　that　my　destiny；　or；
more　properly　speaking；　my　choice　led　me　to　fall　in　love　with　the
peerless　Casildea　de　Vandalia。　I　call　her　peerless　because　she　has
no　peer；　whether　it　be　in　bodily　stature　or　in　the　supremacy　of　rank
and　beauty。　This　same　Casildea；　then；　that　I　speak　of；　requited　my
honourable　passion　and　gentle　aspirations　by　compelling　me；　as　his
stepmother　did　Hercules；　to　engage　in　many　perils　of　various　sorts；　at
the　end　of　each　promising　me　that；　with　the　end　of　the　next；　the
object　of　my　hopes　should　be　attained；　but　my　labours　have　gone　on
increasing　link　by　link　until　they　are　past　counting；　nor　do　I　know
what　will　be　the　last　one　that　is　to　be　the　beginning　of　the
accomplishment　of　my　chaste　desires。　On　one　occasion　she　bade　me　go
and　challenge　the　famous　giantess　of　Seville；　La　Giralda　by　name；
who　is　as　mighty　and　strong　as　if　made　of　brass；　and　though　never
stirring　from　one　spot；　is　the　most　restless　and　changeable　woman　in
the　world。　I　came；　I　saw；　I　conquered；　and　I　made　her　stay　quiet　and
behave　herself；　for　nothing　but　north　winds　blew　for　more　than　a　week。
Another　time　I　was　ordered　to　lift　those　ancient　stones；　the　mighty
bulls　of　Guisando；　an　enterprise　that　might　more　fitly　be　entrusted　to
porters　than　to　knights。　Again；　she　bade　me　fling　myself　into　the
cavern　of　Cabra…　an　unparalleled　and　awful　peril…　and　bring　her　a
minute　account　of　all　that　is　concealed　in　those　gloomy　depths。　I
stopped　the　motion　of　the　Giralda；　I　lifted　the　bulls　of　Guisando；　I
flung　myself　into　the　cavern　and　brought　to　light　the　secrets　of　its
abyss；　and　my　hopes　are　as　dead　as　dead　can　be；　and　her　scorn　and
her　commands　as　lively　as　ever。　To　be　brief；　last　of　all　she　has
commanded　me　to　go　through　all　the　provinces　of　Spain　and　compel　all
the　knights…errant　wandering　therein　to　confess　that　she　surpasses　all
women　alive　to…day　in　beauty；　and　that　I　am　the　most　valiant　and　the
most　deeply　enamoured　knight　on　earth；　in　support　of　which　claim　I
have　already　travelled　over　the　greater　part　of　Spain；　and　have
there　vanquished　several　knights　who　have　dared　to　contradict　me；
but　what　I　most　plume　and　pride　myself　upon　is　having　vanquished　in
single　combat　that　so　famous　knight　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　and　made
him　confess　that　my　Casildea　is　more　beautiful　than　his　Dulcinea；
and　in　this　one　victory　I　hold　myself　to　have　conquered　all　the
knights　in　the　world；　for　this　Don　Quixote　that　I　speak　of　has
vanquished　them　all；　and　I　having　vanquished　him；　his　glory；　his　fame；
and　his　honour　have　passed　and　are　transferred　to　my　person；　for

　　　　　The　more　the　vanquished　hath　of　fair　renown；
　　　　　The　greater　glory　gilds　the　victor's　crown。

Thus　the　innumerable　achievements　of　the　said　Don　Quixote　are　now
set　down　to　my　account　and　have　become　mine。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　amazed　when　he　heard　the　Knight　of　the　Grove；　and
was　a　thousand　times　on　the　point　of　telling　him　he　lied；　and　had
the　lie　direct　already　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　but　he　restrained
himself　as　well　as　he　could；　in　order　to　force　him　to　confess　the
lie　with　his　own　lips；　so　he　said　to　him　quietly；　〃As　to　what　you　say；
sir　knight；　about　having　vanquished　most　of　the　knights　of　Spain；　or
even　of　the　whole　world；　I　say　nothing；　but　that　you　have　vanquished
Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　I　consider　doubtful；　it　may　have　been　some
other　that　resembled　him；　although　there　are　few　like　him。〃
　　〃How！　not　vanquished？〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃by　the　heaven　that
is　above　us　I　fought　Don　Quixote　and　overcame　him　and　made　him
yield；　and　he　is　a　man　of　tall　stature；　gaunt　features；　long；　lank
limbs；　with　hair　turning　grey；　an　aquiline　nose　rather　hooked；　and
large　black　drooping　moustaches；　he　does　battle　under　the　name　of　'The
Countenance；'　and　he　has　for　squire　a　peasant　called　Sancho　Panza；
he　presses　the　loins　and　rules　the　reins　of　a　famous　steed　called
Rocinante；　and　lastly；　he　has　for　the　mistress　of　his　will　a　certain
Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　once　upon　a　time　called　Aldonza　Lorenzo；　just
as　I　call　mine　Casildea　de　Vandali