don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第137部分

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Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　once　upon　a　time　called　Aldonza　Lorenzo；　just
as　I　call　mine　Casildea　de　Vandalia　because　her　name　is　Casilda　and
she　is　of　Andalusia。　If　all　these　tokens　are　not　enough　to　vindicate
the　truth　of　what　I　say；　here　is　my　sword；　that　will　compel
incredulity　itself　to　give　credence　to　it。〃
　　〃Calm　yourself；　sir　knight；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　give　ear　to　what
I　am　about　to　say　to　you。　you。I　would　have　you　know　that　this　Don
Quixote　you　speak　of　is　the　greatest　friend　I　have　in　the　world；　so
much　so　that　I　may　say　I　regard　him　in　the　same　light　as　my　own
person；　and　from　the　precise　and　clear　indications　you　have　given　I
cannot　but　think　that　he　must　be　the　very　one　you　have　vanquished。
On　the　other　hand；　I　see　with　my　eyes　and　feel　with　my　hands　that　it
is　impossible　it　can　have　been　the　same；　unless　indeed　it　be　that；
as　he　has　many　enemies　who　are　enchanters；　and　one　in　particular　who
is　always　persecuting　him；　some　one　of　these　may　have　taken　his
shape　in　order　to　allow　himself　to　be　vanquished；　so　as　to　defraud　him
of　the　fame　that　his　exalted　achievements　as　a　knight　have　earned
and　acquired　for　him　throughout　the　known　world。　And　in　confirmation
of　this；　I　must　tell　you；　too；　that　it　is　but　ten　hours　since　these
said　enchanters　his　enemies　transformed　the　shape　and　person　of　the
fair　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　into　a　foul　and　mean　village　lass；　and　in　the
same　way　they　must　have　transformed　Don　Quixote；　and　if　all　this
does　not　suffice　to　convince　you　of　the　truth　of　what　I　say；　here　is
Don　Quixote　himself；　who　will　maintain　it　by　arms；　on　foot　or　on
horseback　or　in　any　way　you　please。〃
　　And　so　saying　he　stood　up　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　sword；　waiting　to
see　what　the　Knight　of　the　Grove　would　do；　who　in　an　equally　calm
voice　said　in　reply；　〃Pledges　don't　distress　a　good　payer；　he　who
has　succeeded　in　vanquishing　you　once　when　transformed；　Sir　Don
Quixote；　may　fairly　hope　to　subdue　you　in　your　own　proper　shape；　but
as　it　is　not　becoming　for　knights　to　perform　their　feats　of　arms　in
the　dark；　like　highwaymen　and　bullies；　let　us　wait　till　daylight；　that
the　sun　may　behold　our　deeds；　and　the　conditions　of　our　combat　shall
be　that　the　vanquished　shall　be　at　the　victor's　disposal；　to　do　all
that　he　may　enjoin；　provided　the　injunction　be　such　as　shall　be
becoming　a　knight。〃
　　〃I　am　more　than　satisfied　with　these　conditions　and　terms；〃
replied　Don　Quixote；　and　so　saying；　they　betook　themselves　to　where
their　squires　lay；　and　found　them　snoring；　and　in　the　same　posture
they　were　in　when　sleep　fell　upon　them。　They　roused　them　up；　and
bade　them　get　the　horses　ready；　as　at　sunrise　they　were　to　engage　in　a
bloody　and　arduous　single　combat；　at　which　intelligence　Sancho　was
aghast　and　thunderstruck；　trembling　for　the　safety　of　his　master
because　of　the　mighty　deeds　he　had　heard　the　squire　of　the　Grove
ascribe　to　his；　but　without　a　word　the　two　squires　went　in　quest　of
their　cattle；　for　by　this　time　the　three　horses　and　the　ass　had
smelt　one　another　out；　and　were　all　together。
　　On　the　way；　he　of　the　Grove　said　to　Sancho；　〃You　must　know；　brother；
that　it　is　the　custom　with　the　fighting　men　of　Andalusia；　when　they
are　godfathers　in　any　quarrel；　not　to　stand　idle　with　folded　arms
while　their　godsons　fight；　I　say　so　to　remind　you　that　while　our
masters　are　fighting；　we；　too；　have　to　fight；　and　knock　one　another　to
shivers。〃
　　〃That　custom；　sir　squire；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃may　hold　good　among
those　bullies　and　fighting　men　you　talk　of；　but　certainly　not　among
the　squires　of　knights…errant；　at　least；　I　have　never　heard　my
master　speak　of　any　custom　of　the　sort；　and　he　knows　all　the　laws　of
knight…errantry　by　heart；　but　granting　it　true　that　there　is　an
express　law　that　squires　are　to　fight　while　their　masters　are
fighting；　I　don't　mean　to　obey　it；　but　to　pay　the　penalty　that　may
be　laid　on　peacefully　minded　squires　like　myself；　for　I　am　sure　it
cannot　be　more　than　two　pounds　of　wax；　and　I　would　rather　pay　that；
for　I　know　it　will　cost　me　less　than　the　lint　I　shall　be　at　the
expense　of　to　mend　my　head；　which　I　look　upon　as　broken　and　split
already；　there's　another　thing　that　makes　it　impossible　for　me　to
fight；　that　I　have　no　sword；　for　I　never　carried　one　in　my　life。〃
　　〃I　know　a　good　remedy　for　that；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃I　have
here　two　linen　bags　of　the　same　size；　you　shall　take　one；　and　I　the
other；　and　we　will　fight　at　bag　blows　with　equal　arms。〃
　　〃If　that's　the　way；　so　be　it　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for
that　sort　of　battle　will　serve　to　knock　the　dust　out　of　us　instead
of　hurting　us。〃
　　〃That　will　not　do；〃　said　the　other；　〃for　we　must　put　into　the
bags；　to　keep　the　wind　from　blowing　them　away；　half　a　dozen　nice
smooth　pebbles；　all　of　the　same　weight；　and　in　this　way　we　shall　be
able　to　baste　one　another　without　doing　ourselves　any　harm　or
mischief。〃
　　〃Body　of　my　father！〃　said　Sancho；　〃see　what　marten　and　sable；　and
pads　of　carded　cotton　he　is　putting　into　the　bags；　that　our　heads
may　not　be　broken　and　our　bones　beaten　to　jelly！　But　even　if　they
are　filled　with　toss　silk；　I　can　tell　you；　senor；　I　am　not　going　to
fight；　let　our　masters　fight；　that's　their　lookout；　and　let　us　drink
and　live；　for　time　will　take　care　to　ease　us　of　our　lives；　without　our
going　to　look　for　fillips　so　that　they　may　be　finished　off　before
their　proper　time　comes　and　they　drop　from　ripeness。〃
　　〃Still；〃　returned　he　of　the　Grove；　〃we　must　fight；　if　it　be　only　for
half　an　hour。〃
　　〃By　no　means；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　am　not　going　to　be　so　discourteous　or
so　ungrateful　as　to　have　any　quarrel；　be　it　ever　so　small；　with　one
I　have　eaten　and　drunk　with；　besides；　who　the　devil　could　bring
himself　to　fight　in　cold　blood；　without　anger　or　provocation？〃
　　〃I　can　remedy　that　entirely；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃and　in　this
way：　before　we　begin　the　battle；　I　will　come　up　to　your　worship　fair
and　softly；　and　give　you　three　or　four　buffets；　with　which　I　shall
stretch　you　at　my　feet　and　rouse　your　anger；　though　it　were　sleeping
sounder　than　a　dormouse。〃
　　〃To　match　that　plan；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　have　another　that　is　not　a
whit　behind　it；　I　will　take　a　cudgel；　and　before　your　worship　comes
near　enough　to　waken　my　anger　I　will　send　yours　so　sound　to　sleep　with
whacks；　that　it　won't　waken　unless　it　be　in　the　other　world；　where
it　is　known　that　I　am　not　a　man　to　let　my　face　be　handled　by　anyone；
let　each　look　out　for　the　arrow…　though　the　surer　way　would　be　to
let　everyone's　anger　sleep；　for　nobody　knows　the　heart　of　anyone；
and　a　man　may　come　for　wool　and　go　back　shorn；　God　gave　his　blessing
to　peace　and　his　curse　to　quarrels；　if　a　hunted　cat；　surrounded　and
hard　pressed；　turns　into　a　lion；　God　knows　what　I；　who　am　a　man；　may
turn　into；　and　so　from　this　time　forth　I　warn　you；　sir　squire；　that
all　the　harm　and　mischief　that　may　come　of　our　quarrel　will　be　put
down　to　your　account。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃God　will　send　the　dawn　and　we
shall　be　all　right。〃
　　And　now　gay…plumaged　birds　of　all　sorts　began　to　warble　in　the
trees；　and　with　their　varied　and　gladsome　notes　seemed　to　welcome
and　salute　the　fresh　morn　that　was　beginning　to　show　the　beauty　of　her
countenance　at　the　gates　and　balconies　of　the　east；　shaking　from　her
locks　a　profusion　of　liquid　pearls；　in　which　dulcet　moisture　bathed；
the　plants；　too；　seemed　to　shed　and　shower　down　a　pearly　spray；　the
willows　distilled　sweet　manna；　the　fountains　laughed；　the　brooks
babbled；　the　woods　rejoiced；　and　the　meadows　arrayed　themselves　in　all
their　glory　at　her　coming。　But　hardly　had　the　light　of　day　made　it
possible　to　see　and　distinguish　things；　when　the　first　object　that
presented　itself　to　the　eyes　of　Sancho　Panza　was　the　squire　of　the
Grove's　nose；　which　was　so　big　that　it　almost　overshadowed　his　whole
body。　It　is；　in　fact；　stated；　that　it　was　of　enormous　size；　hooked
in　the　middle；　covered　with　warts；　and　of　a　mulberry　colour　like　an
egg…plant；　it　hung　down　two　fingers'　length　below　his　mouth；　and　the
size；　the　colour；　the　warts；　and　the　bend　of　it；　made　his　face　so
hideous；　that　Sancho；　as　he　looked　at　him；　began　to　tremble　hand　and
foot　like　a　child　in　convulsions；　and　he　vowed　in　his　heart　to　let
himself　be　given　two　hundred　buffets；　sooner　than　be　provoked　to　fight
that　monster。　Don　Quixote　examined　his　adversary；　and　found　that　he
already　had　his　helmet　on　and　visor　lowered；　so　that　he　could　not
see　his　face；　he　observed；　however；　that　he　was　a　sturdily　built
man；　but　not　very　tall　in　stature。　Over　his　armour　he　wore　a　surcoat
or　cassock　of　what　seemed　to　be　the　finest　cloth　of　gold；　all
bespangled　with　glittering　mirrors　like　little　moons；　which　gave　him
an　extremely　gallant　and　splendid　appearance；　above　his　helmet
fluttered　a　great　quantity　of　plumes；　green；　yellow；　and　white；　and
his　lance；　which　was　leaning　against　a　tree；　was　very　long　and
stout；　and　had　a　steel　point　more　than　a　palm　in　length。
　　Don　Quixote　observed　all；　and　took　note　of　all；　and　from　what　he　saw
and　observed　he　concluded　that　the　said　knight　must　be　a　man　of
great　strength；　but　he　did　not　for　all　that　give　way　to　fear；　like
Sancho　Panza；　on　the　contrary；　with　a　composed　and　dauntless　air；　he
sai