don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第166部分

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far　end　of　it　observed　some　people；　and　as　he　drew　nearer　saw　that
it　was　a　hawking　party。　Coming　closer；　he　distinguished　among　them　a
lady　of　graceful　mien；　on　a　pure　white　palfrey　or　hackney
caparisoned　with　green　trappings　and　a　silver…mounted　side…saddle。　The
lady　was　also　in　green；　and　so　richly　and　splendidly　dressed　that
splendour　itself　seemed　personified　in　her。　On　her　left　hand　she
bore　a　hawk；　a　proof　to　Don　Quixote's　mind　that　she　must　be　some　great
lady　and　the　mistress　of　the　whole　hunting　party；　which　was　the
fact；　so　he　said　to　Sancho；　〃Run　Sancho；　my　son；　and　say　to　that
lady　on　the　palfrey　with　the　hawk　that　I；　the　Knight　of　the　Lions；
kiss　the　hands　of　her　exalted　beauty；　and　if　her　excellence　will　grant
me　leave　I　will　go　and　kiss　them　in　person　and　place　myself　at　her
service　for　aught　that　may　be　in　my　power　and　her　highness　may
command；　and　mind；　Sancho；　how　thou　speakest；　and　take　care　not　to
thrust　in　any　of　thy　proverbs　into　thy　message。〃
　　〃You've　got　a　likely　one　here　to　thrust　any　in！〃　said　Sancho；　〃leave
me　alone　for　that！　Why；　this　is　not　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have
carried　messages　to　high　and　exalted　ladies。〃
　　〃Except　that　thou　didst　carry　to　the　lady　Dulcinea；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃I　know　not　that　thou　hast　carried　any　other；　at　least　in
my　service。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　pledges　don't　distress　a　good
payer；　and　in　a　house　where　there's　plenty　supper　is　soon　cooked；　I
mean　there's　no　need　of　telling　or　warning　me　about　anything；　for
I'm　ready　for　everything　and　know　a　little　of　everything。〃
　　〃That　I　believe；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃go　and　good　luck　to
thee；　and　God　speed　thee。〃
　　Sancho　went　off　at　top　speed；　forcing　Dapple　out　of　his　regular
pace；　and　came　to　where　the　fair　huntress　was　standing；　and
dismounting　knelt　before　her　and　said；　〃Fair　lady；　that　knight　that
you　see　there；　the　Knight　of　the　Lions　by　name；　is　my　master；　and　I　am
a　squire　of　his；　and　at　home　they　call　me　Sancho　Panza。　This　same
Knight　of　the　Lions；　who　was　called　not　long　since　the　Knight　of　the
Rueful　Countenance；　sends　by　me　to　say　may　it　please　your　highness
to　give　him　leave　that；　with　your　permission；　approbation；　and
consent；　he　may　come　and　carry　out　his　wishes；　which　are；　as　he　says
and　I　believe；　to　serve　your　exalted　loftiness　and　beauty；　and　if
you　give　it；　your　ladyship　will　do　a　thing　which　will　redound　to
your　honour；　and　he　will　receive　a　most　distinguished　favour　and
happiness。〃
　　〃You　have　indeed；　squire；〃　said　the　lady；　〃delivered　your　message
with　all　the　formalities　such　messages　require；　rise　up；　for　it　is　not
right　that　the　squire　of　a　knight　so　great　as　he　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　of　whom　we　have　heard　a　great　deal　here；　should　remain　on
his　knees；　rise；　my　friend；　and　bid　your　master　welcome　to　the
services　of　myself　and　the　duke　my　husband；　in　a　country　house　we　have
here。〃
　　Sancho　got　up；　charmed　as　much　by　the　beauty　of　the　good　lady　as
by　her　high…bred　air　and　her　courtesy；　but；　above　all；　by　what　she　had
said　about　having　heard　of　his　master；　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　for　if　she　did　not　call　him　Knight　of　the　Lions　it　was　no
doubt　because　he　had　so　lately　taken　the　name。　〃Tell　me；　brother
squire；〃　asked　the　duchess　（whose　title；　however；　is　not　known）；　〃this
master　of　yours；　is　he　not　one　of　whom　there　is　a　history　extant　in
print；　called　'The　Ingenious　Gentleman；　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；'　who
has　for　the　lady　of　his　heart　a　certain　Dulcinea　del　Toboso？〃
　　〃He　is　the　same；　senora；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃and　that　squire　of　his
who　figures；　or　ought　to　figure；　in　the　said　history　under　the　name　of
Sancho　Panza；　is　myself；　unless　they　have　changed　me　in　the　cradle；
I　mean　in　the　press。〃
　　〃I　am　rejoiced　at　all　this；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃go；　brother　Panza；
and　tell　your　master　that　he　is　welcome　to　my　estate；　and　that　nothing
could　happen　me　that　could　give　me　greater　pleasure。〃
　　Sancho　returned　to　his　master　mightily　pleased　with　this
gratifying　answer；　and　told　him　all　the　great　lady　had　said　to　him；
lauding　to　the　skies；　in　his　rustic　phrase；　her　rare　beauty；　her
graceful　gaiety；　and　her　courtesy。　Don　Quixote　drew　himself　up　briskly
in　his　saddle；　fixed　himself　in　his　stirrups；　settled　his　visor；
gave　Rocinante　the　spur；　and　with　an　easy　bearing　advanced　to　kiss　the
hands　of　the　duchess；　who；　having　sent　to　summon　the　duke　her　husband；
told　him　while　Don　Quixote　was　approaching　all　about　the　message；
and　as　both　of　them　had　read　the　First　Part　of　this　history；　and
from　it　were　aware　of　Don　Quixote's　crazy　turn；　they　awaited　him
with　the　greatest　delight　and　anxiety　to　make　his　acquaintance；
meaning　to　fall　in　with　his　humour　and　agree　with　everything　he
said；　and；　so　long　as　he　stayed　with　them；　to　treat　him　as　a
knight…errant；　with　all　the　ceremonies　usual　in　the　books　of
chivalry　they　had　read；　for　they　themselves　were　very　fond　of　them。
　　Don　Quixote　now　came　up　with　his　visor　raised；　and　as　he　seemed
about　to　dismount　Sancho　made　haste　to　go　and　hold　his　stirrup　for
him；　but　in　getting　down　off　Dapple　he　was　so　unlucky　as　to　hitch
his　foot　in　one　of　the　ropes　of　the　pack…saddle　in　such　a　way　that
he　was　unable　to　free　it；　and　was　left　hanging　by　it　with　his　face　and
breast　on　the　ground。　Don　Quixote；　who　was　not　used　to　dismount
without　having　the　stirrup　held；　fancying　that　Sancho　had　by　this　time
come　to　hold　it　for　him；　threw　himself　off　with　a　lurch　and　brought
Rocinante's　saddle　after　him；　which　was　no　doubt　badly　girthed；　and
saddle　and　he　both　came　to　the　ground；　not　without　discomfiture　to　him
and　abundant　curses　muttered　between　his　teeth　against　the　unlucky
Sancho；　who　had　his　foot　still　in　the　shackles。　The　duke　ordered　his
huntsmen　to　go　to　the　help　of　knight　and　squire；　and　they　raised　Don
Quixote；　sorely　shaken　by　his　fall；　and　he；　limping；　advanced　as
best　he　could　to　kneel　before　the　noble　pair。　This；　however；　the
duke　would　by　no　means　permit；　on　the　contrary；　dismounting　from　his
horse；　he　went　and　embraced　Don　Quixote；　saying；　〃I　am　grieved；　Sir
Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　that　your　first　experience　on　my
ground　should　have　been　such　an　unfortunate　one　as　we　have　seen；　but
the　carelessness　of　squires　is　often　the　cause　of　worse　accidents。〃
　　〃That　which　has　happened　me　in　meeting　you；　mighty　prince；〃
replied　Don　Quixote；　〃cannot　be　unfortunate；　even　if　my　fall　had　not
stopped　short　of　the　depths　of　the　bottomless　pit；　for　the　glory　of
having　seen　you　would　have　lifted　me　up　and　delivered　me　from　it。　My
squire；　God's　curse　upon　him；　is　better　at　unloosing　his　tongue　in
talking　impertinence　than　in　tightening　the　girths　of　a　saddle　to　keep
it　steady；　but　however　I　may　be；　allen　or　raised　up；　on　foot　or　on
horseback；　I　shall　always　be　at　your　service　and　that　of　my　lady　the
duchess；　your　worthy　consort；　worthy　queen　of　beauty　and　paramount
princess　of　courtesy。〃
　　〃Gently；　Senor　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　said　the　duke；　〃where　my
lady　Dona　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　is；　it　is　not　right　that　other
beauties　should　he　praised。〃
　　Sancho；　by　this　time　released　from　his　entanglement；　was　standing
by；　and　before　his　master　could　answer　he　said；　〃There　is　no
denying；　and　it　must　be　maintained；　that　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso
is　very　beautiful；　but　the　hare　jumps　up　where　one　least　expects　it；
and　I　have　heard　say　that　what　we　call　nature　is　like　a　potter　that
makes　vessels　of　clay；　and　he　who　makes　one　fair　vessel　can　as　well
make　two；　or　three；　or　a　hundred；　I　say　so　because；　by　my　faith；　my
lady　the　duchess　is　in　no　way　behind　my　mistress　the　lady　Dulcinea　del
Toboso。〃
　　Don　Quixote　turned　to　the　duchess　and　said；　〃Your　highness　may
conceive　that　never　had　knight…errant　in　this　world　a　more　talkative
or　a　droller　squire　than　I　have；　and　he　will　prove　the　truth　of　what　I
say；　if　your　highness　is　pleased　to　accept　of　my　services　for　a　few
days。〃
　　To　which　the　duchess　made　answer；　〃that　worthy　Sancho　is　droll　I
consider　a　very　good　thing；　because　it　is　a　sign　that　he　is　shrewd；
for　drollery　and　sprightliness；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　as　you　very　well
know；　do　not　take　up　their　abode　with　dull　wits；　and　as　good　Sancho　is
droll　and　sprightly　I　here　set　him　down　as　shrewd。〃
　　〃And　talkative；〃　added　Don　Quixote。
　　〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　the　duke；　〃for　many　droll　things　cannot
be　said　in　few　words；　but　not　to　lose　time　in　talking；　come；　great
Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance…〃
　　〃Of　the　Lions；　your　highness　must　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　there　is
no　Rueful　Countenance　nor　any　such　character　now。〃
　　〃He　of　the　Lions　be　it；〃　continued　the　duke；　〃I　say；　let　Sir
Knight　of　the　Lions　come　to　a　castle　of　mine　close　by；　where　he
shall　be　given　that　reception　which　is　due　to　so　exalted　a
personage；　and　which　the　duchess　and　I　are　wont　to　give　to　all
knights…errant　who　come　there。〃
　　By　this　time　Sancho　had　fixed　and　girthed　Rocinante's　saddle；　and
Don　Quixote　having　got　on　his　back　and　the　duke　mounted　a　fine
horse；　they　placed　the　duchess　in　the　middle　and　set　out　for　the
castle。　The　duchess　desired　Sancho　to　come　to　her　side；　for　she
found　infinite　enjoyment　in　listening　to　his　shrewd　remarks。　Sancho
required　no　pressing；　but