don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第140部分

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cannot　lie　or　deceive；　how　easy　it　is　for　enchanters　to　change　one
countenance　into　another；　turning　fair　into　foul；　and　foul　into
fair；　for　it　is　not　two　days　since　thou　sawest　with　thine　own　eyes　the
beauty　and　elegance　of　the　peerless　Dulcinea　in　all　its　perfection　and
natural　harmony；　while　I　saw　her　in　the　repulsive　and　mean　form　of　a
coarse　country　wench；　with　cataracts　in　her　eyes　and　a　foul　smell　in
her　mouth；　and　when　the　perverse　enchanter　ventured　to　effect　so
wicked　a　transformation；　it　is　no　wonder　if　he　effected　that　of　Samson
Carrasco　and　thy　gossip　in　order　to　snatch　the　glory　of　victory　out　of
my　grasp。　For　all　that；　however；　I　console　myself；　because；　after　all；
in　whatever　shape　he　may　have　been；　I　have　victorious　over　my　enemy。〃
　　〃God　knows　what's　the　truth　of　it　all；〃　said　Sancho；　and　knowing
as　he　did　that　the　transformation　of　Dulcinea　had　been　a　device　and
imposition　of　his　own；　his　master's　illusions　were　not　satisfactory　to
him；　but　he　did　not　like　to　reply　lest　he　should　say　something　that
might　disclose　his　trickery。
　　As　they　were　engaged　in　this　conversation　they　were　overtaken　by　a
man　who　was　following　the　same　road　behind　them；　mounted　on　a　very
handsome　flea…bitten　mare；　and　dressed　in　a　gaban　of　fine　green　cloth；
with　tawny　velvet　facings；　and　a　montera　of　the　same　velvet。　The
trappings　of　the　mare　were　of　the　field　and　jineta　fashion；　and　of
mulberry　colour　and　green。　He　carried　a　Moorish　cutlass　hanging　from　a
broad　green　and　gold　baldric；　the　buskins　were　of　the　same　make　as　the
baldric；　the　spurs　were　not　gilt；　but　lacquered　green；　and　so　brightly
polished　that；　matching　as　they　did　the　rest　of　his　apparel；　they
looked　better　than　if　they　had　been　of　pure　gold。
　　When　the　traveller　came　up　with　them　he　saluted　them　courteously；
and　spurring　his　mare　was　passing　them　without　stopping；　but　Don
Quixote　called　out　to　him；　〃Gallant　sir；　if　so　be　your　worship　is
going　our　road；　and　has　no　occasion　for　speed；　it　would　be　a
pleasure　to　me　if　we　were　to　join　company。〃
　　〃In　truth；〃　replied　he　on　the　mare；　〃I　would　not　pass　you　so　hastily
but　for　fear　that　horse　might　turn　restive　in　the　company　of　my　mare。〃
　　〃You　may　safely　hold　in　your　mare；　senor；〃　said　Sancho　in　reply　to
this；　〃for　our　horse　is　the　most　virtuous　and　well…behaved　horse　in
the　world；　he　never　does　anything　wrong　on　such　occasions；　and　the
only　time　he　misbehaved；　my　master　and　I　suffered　for　it　sevenfold；
I　say　again　your　worship　may　pull　up　if　you　like；　for　if　she　was
offered　to　him　between　two　plates　the　horse　would　not　hanker　after
her。〃
　　The　traveller　drew　rein；　amazed　at　the　trim　and　features　of　Don
Quixote；　who　rode　without　his　helmet；　which　Sancho　carried　like　a
valise　in　front　of　Dapple's　pack…saddle；　and　if　the　man　in　green
examined　Don　Quixote　closely；　still　more　closely　did　Don　Quixote
examine　the　man　in　green；　who　struck　him　as　being　a　man　of
intelligence。　In　appearance　he　was　about　fifty　years　of　age；　with
but　few　grey　hairs；　an　aquiline　cast　of　features；　and　an　expression
between　grave　and　gay；　and　his　dress　and　accoutrements　showed　him　to
be　a　man　of　good　condition。　What　he　in　green　thought　of　Don　Quixote　of
La　Mancha　was　that　a　man　of　that　sort　and　shape　he　had　never　yet　seen；
he　marvelled　at　the　length　of　his　hair；　his　lofty　stature；　the
lankness　and　sallowness　of　his　countenance；　his　armour；　his　bearing
and　his　gravity…　a　figure　and　picture　such　as　had　not　been　seen　in
those　regions　for　many　a　long　day。
　　Don　Quixote　saw　very　plainly　the　attention　with　which　the
traveller　was　regarding　him；　and　read　his　curiosity　in　his
astonishment；　and　courteous　as　he　was　and　ready　to　please　everybody；
before　the　other　could　ask　him　any　question　he　anticipated　him　by
saying；　〃The　appearance　I　present　to　your　worship　being　so　strange　and
so　out　of　the　common；　I　should　not　be　surprised　if　it　filled　you
with　wonder；　but　you　will　cease　to　wonder　when　I　tell　you；　as　I　do；
that　I　am　one　of　those　knights　who；　as　people　say；　go　seeking
adventures。　I　have　left　my　home；　I　have　mortgaged　my　estate；　I　have
given　up　my　comforts；　and　committed　myself　to　the　arms　of　Fortune；
to　bear　me　whithersoever　she　may　please。　My　desire　was　to　bring　to
life　again　knight…errantry；　now　dead；　and　for　some　time　past；
stumbling　here；　falling　there；　now　coming　down　headlong；　now　raising
myself　up　again；　I　have　carried　out　a　great　portion　of　my　design；
succouring　widows；　protecting　maidens；　and　giving　aid　to　wives；
orphans；　and　minors；　the　proper　and　natural　duty　of　knights…errant；
and；　therefore；　because　of　my　many　valiant　and　Christian　achievements；
I　have　been　already　found　worthy　to　make　my　way　in　print　to
well…nigh　all；　or　most；　of　the　nations　of　the　earth。　Thirty　thousand
volumes　of　my　history　have　been　printed；　and　it　is　on　the　high…road　to
be　printed　thirty　thousand　thousands　of　times；　if　heaven　does　not
put　a　stop　to　it。　In　short；　to　sum　up　all　in　a　few　words；　or　in　a
single　one；　I　may　tell　you　I　am　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　otherwise
called　'The　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；'　for　though
self…praise　is　degrading；　I　must　perforce　sound　my　own　sometimes；　that
is　to　say；　when　there　is　no　one　at　hand　to　do　it　for　me。　So　that；
gentle　sir；　neither　this　horse；　nor　this　lance；　nor　this　shield；　nor
this　squire；　nor　all　these　arms　put　together；　nor　the　sallowness　of　my
countenance；　nor　my　gaunt　leanness；　will　henceforth　astonish　you；
now　that　you　know　who　I　am　and　what　profession　I　follow。〃
　　With　these　words　Don　Quixote　held　his　peace；　and；　from　the　time　he
took　to　answer；　the　man　in　green　seemed　to　be　at　a　loss　for　a　reply；
after　a　long　pause；　however；　he　said　to　him；　〃You　were　right　when
you　saw　curiosity　in　my　amazement；　sir　knight；　but　you　have　not
succeeded　in　removing　the　astonishment　I　feel　at　seeing　you；　for
although　you　say；　senor；　that　knowing　who　you　are　ought　to　remove
it；　it　has　not　done　so；　on　the　contrary；　now　that　I　know；　I　am　left
more　amazed　and　astonished　than　before。　What！　is　it　possible　that
there　are　knights…errant　in　the　world　in　these　days；　and　histories
of　real　chivalry　printed？　I　cannot　realise　the　fact　that　there　can
be　anyone　on　earth　now…a…days　who　aids　widows；　or　protects　maidens；　or
defends　wives；　or　succours　orphans；　nor　should　I　believe　it　had　I
not　seen　it　in　your　worship　with　my　own　eyes。　Blessed　be　heaven！　for
by　means　of　this　history　of　your　noble　and　genuine　chivalrous　deeds；
which　you　say　has　been　printed；　the　countless　stories　of　fictitious
knights…errant　with　which　the　world　is　filled；　so　much　to　the　injury
of　morality　and　the　prejudice　and　discredit　of　good　histories；　will
have　been　driven　into　oblivion。〃
　　〃There　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　on　that　point；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃as　to　whether　the　histories　of　the　knights…errant　are　fiction　or
not。〃
　　〃Why；　is　there　anyone　who　doubts　that　those　histories　are　false？〃
said　the　man　in　green。
　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　never　mind　that　just　now；　if
our　journey　lasts　long　enough；　I　trust　in　God　I　shall　show　your
worship　that　you　do　wrong　in　going　with　the　stream　of　those　who　regard
it　as　a　matter　of　certainty　that　they　are　not　true。〃
　　From　this　last　observation　of　Don　Quixote's；　the　traveller　began
to　have　a　suspicion　that　he　was　some　crazy　being；　and　was　waiting
him　to　confirm　it　by　something　further；　but　before　they　could　turn
to　any　new　subject　Don　Quixote　begged　him　to　tell　him　who　he　was；
since　he　himself　had　rendered　account　of　his　station　and　life。　To
this；　he　in　the　green　gaban　replied　〃I；　Sir　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　am　a　gentleman　by　birth；　native　of　the　village　where；
please　God；　we　are　going　to　dine　today；　I　am　more　than　fairly　well
off；　and　my　name　is　Don　Diego　de　Miranda。　I　pass　my　life　with　my　wife；
children；　and　friends；　my　pursuits　are　hunting　and　fishing；　but　I　keep
neither　hawks　nor　greyhounds；　nothing　but　a　tame　partridge　or　a　bold
ferret　or　two；　I　have　six　dozen　or　so　of　books；　some　in　our　mother
tongue；　some　Latin；　some　of　them　history；　others　devotional；　those
of　chivalry　have　not　as　yet　crossed　the　threshold　of　my　door；　I　am
more　given　to　turning　over　the　profane　than　the　devotional；　so　long　as
they　are　books　of　honest　entertainment　that　charm　by　their　style　and
attract　and　interest　by　the　invention　they　display；　though　of　these
there　are　very　few　in　Spain。　Sometimes　I　dine　with　my　neighbours　and
friends；　and　often　invite　them；　my　entertainments　are　neat　and　well
served　without　stint　of　anything。　I　have　no　taste　for　tattle；　nor　do　I
allow　tattling　in　my　presence；　I　pry　not　into　my　neighbours'　lives；
nor　have　I　lynx…eyes　for　what　others　do。　I　hear　mass　every　day；　I
share　my　substance　with　the　poor；　making　no　display　of　good　works；
lest　I　let　hypocrisy　and　vainglory；　those　enemies　that　subtly　take
possession　of　the　most　watchful　heart；　find　an　entrance　into　mine。　I
strive　to　make　peace　between　those　whom　I　know　to　be　at　variance；　I　am
the　devoted　servant　of　Our　Lady；　and　my　trust　is　ever　in　the
infinite　mercy　of　God　our　Lord。〃
　　Sancho　listened　with　the　greatest　attention　to　the　account　of　the
gentleman's　life　and　occupation；　and　thinking　it　a　good　and　a　holy
life；　and　that　he　who　led　it　ought　to　work　mi