don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第181部分

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sheath　a　huge　broad　scimitar；　and　seizing　me　by　the　hair　he　made　as
though　he　meant　to　cut　my　throat　and　shear　my　head　clean　off。　I　was
terror…stricken；　my　voice　stuck　in　my　throat；　and　I　was　in　the　deepest
distress；　nevertheless　I　summoned　up　my　strength　as　well　as　I　could；
and　in　a　trembling　and　piteous　voice　I　addressed　such　words　to　him
as　induced　him　to　stay　the　infliction　of　a　punishment　so　severe。　He
then　caused　all　the　duennas　of　the　palace；　those　that　are　here
present；　to　be　brought　before　him；　and　after　having　dwelt　upon　the
enormity　of　our　offence；　and　denounced　duennas；　their　characters；
their　evil　ways　and　worse　intrigues；　laying　to　the　charge　of　all
what　I　alone　was　guilty　of；　he　said　he　would　not　visit　us　with　capital
punishment；　but　with　others　of　a　slow　nature　which　would　be　in
effect　civil　death　for　ever；　and　the　very　instant　he　ceased　speaking
we　all　felt　the　pores　of　our　faces　opening；　and　pricking　us；　as　if
with　the　points　of　needles。　We　at　once　put　our　hands　up　to　our　faces
and　found　ourselves　in　the　state　you　now　see。〃
　　Here　the　Distressed　One　and　the　other　duennas　raised　the　veils
with　which　they　were　covered；　and　disclosed　countenances　all　bristling
with　beards；　some　red；　some　black；　some　white；　and　some　grizzled；　at
which　spectacle　the　duke　and　duchess　made　a　show　of　being　filled
with　wonder。　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　were　overwhelmed　with　amazement；
and　the　bystanders　lost　in　astonishment；　while　the　Trifaldi　went　on　to
say：　〃Thus　did　that　malevolent　villain　Malambruno　punish　us；
covering　the　tenderness　and　softness　of　our　faces　with　these　rough
bristles！　Would　to　heaven　that　he　had　swept　off　our　heads　with　his
enormous　scimitar　instead　of　obscuring　the　light　of　our　countenances
with　these　wool…combings　that　cover　us！　For　if　we　look　into　the
matter；　sirs　（and　what　I　am　now　going　to　say　I　would　say　with　eyes
flowing　like　fountains；　only　that　the　thought　of　our　misfortune　and
the　oceans　they　have　already　wept；　keep　them　as　dry　as　barley
spears；　and　so　I　say　it　without　tears）；　where；　I　ask；　can　a　duenna
with　a　beard　to　to？　What　father　or　mother　will　feel　pity　for　her？
Who　will　help　her？　For；　if　even　when　she　has　a　smooth　skin；　and　a　face
tortured　by　a　thousand　kinds　of　washes　and　cosmetics；　she　can　hardly
get　anybody　to　love　her；　what　will　she　do　when　she　shows　a
countenace　turned　into　a　thicket？　Oh　duennas；　companions　mine！　it
was　an　unlucky　moment　when　we　were　born　and　an　ill…starred　hour　when
our　fathers　begot　us！〃　And　as　she　said　this　she　showed　signs　of
being　about　to　faint。
　　

CHAPTER　XL
　　OF　MATTERS　RELATING　AND　BELONGING　TO　THIS　ADVENTURE　AND　TO　THIS
MEMORABLE　HISTORY

　　VERILY　and　truly　all　those　who　find　pleasure　in　histories　like
this　ought　show　their　gratitude　to　Cide　Hamete；　its　original　author；
for　the　scrupulous　care　he　has　taken　to　set　before　us　all　its　minute
particulars；　not　leaving　anything；　however　trifling　it　may　be；　that　he
does　not　make　clear　and　plain。　He　portrays　the　thoughts；　he　reveals
the　fancies；　he　answers　implied　questions；　clears　up　doubts；　sets
objections　at　rest；　and；　in　a　word；　makes　plain　the　smallest　points
the　most　inquisitive　can　desire　to　know。　O　renowned　author！　O　happy
Don　Quixote！　O　famous　famous　droll　Sancho！　All　and　each；　may　ye　live
countless　ages　for　the　delight　and　amusement　of　the　dwellers　on　earth！
　　The　history　goes　on　to　say　that　when　Sancho　saw　the　Distressed　One
faint　he　exclaimed：　〃I　swear　by　the　faith　of　an　honest　man　and　the
shades　of　all　my　ancestors　the　Panzas；　that　never　I　did　see　or　hear
of；　nor　has　my　master　related　or　conceived　in　his　mind；　such　an
adventure　as　this。　A　thousand　devils…　not　to　curse　thee…　take　thee；
Malambruno；　for　an　enchanter　and　a　giant！　Couldst　thou　find　no　other
sort　of　punishment　for　these　sinners　but　bearding　them？　Would　it　not
have　been　better…　it　would　have　been　better　for　them…　to　have　taken
off　half　their　noses　from　the　middle　upwards；　even　though　they'd
have　snuffled　when　they　spoke；　than　to　have　put　beards　on　them？　I'll
bet　they　have　not　the　means　of　paying　anybody　to　shave　them。〃
　　〃That　is　the　truth；　senor；〃　said　one　of　the　twelve；　〃we　have　not　the
money　to　get　ourselves　shaved；　and　so　we　have；　some　of　us；　taken　to
using　sticking…plasters　by　way　of　an　economical　remedy；　for　by
applying　them　to　our　faces　and　plucking　them　off　with　a　jerk　we　are
left　as　bare　and　smooth　as　the　bottom　of　a　stone　mortar。　There　are；　to
be　sure；　women　in　Kandy　that　go　about　from　house　to　house　to　remove
down；　and　trim　eyebrows；　and　make　cosmetics　for　the　use　of　the
women；　but　we；　the　duennas　of　my　lady；　would　never　let　them　in；　for
most　of　them　have　a　flavour　of　agents　that　have　ceased　to　be
principals；　and　if　we　are　not　relieved　by　Senor　Don　Quixote　we　shall
be　carried　to　our　graves　with　beards。〃
　　〃I　will　pluck　out　my　own　in　the　land　of　the　Moors；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃if　I　don't　cure　yours。〃
　　At　this　instant　the　Trifaldi　recovered　from　her　swoon　and　said；　〃The
chink　of　that　promise；　valiant　knight；　reached　my　ears　in　the　midst　of
my　swoon；　and　has　been　the　means　of　reviving　me　and　bringing　back　my
senses；　and　so　once　more　I　implore　you；　illustrious　errant；
indomitable　sir；　to　let　your　gracious　promises　be　turned　into　deeds。〃
　　〃There　shall　be　no　delay　on　my　part；〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Bethink
you；　senora；　of　what　I　must　do；　for　my　heart　is　most　eager　to　serve
you。〃
　　〃The　fact　is；〃　replied　the　Distressed　One；　〃it　is　five　thousand
leagues；　a　couple　more　or　less；　from　this　to　the　kingdom　of　Kandy；
if　you　go　by　land；　but　if　you　go　through　the　air　and　in　a　straight
line；　it　is　three　thousand　two　hundred　and　twenty…seven。　You　must
know；　too；　that　Malambruno　told　me　that；　whenever　fate　provided　the
knight　our　deliverer；　he　himself　would　send　him　a　steed　far　better　and
with　less　tricks　than　a　post…horse；　for　he　will　be　that　same　wooden
horse　on　which　the　valiant　Pierres　carried　off　the　fair　Magalona；
which　said　horse　is　guided　by　a　peg　he　has　in　his　forehead　that　serves
for　a　bridle；　and　flies　through　the　air　with　such　rapidity　that　you
would　fancy　the　very　devils　were　carrying　him。　This　horse；　according
to　ancient　tradition；　was　made　by　Merlin。　He　lent　him　to　Pierres；
who　was　a　friend　of　his；　and　who　made　long　journeys　with　him；　and；
as　has　been　said；　carried　off　the　fair　Magalona；　bearing　her　through
the　air　on　its　haunches　and　making　all　who　beheld　them　from　the
earth　gape　with　astonishment；　and　he　never　lent　him　save　to　those　whom
he　loved　or　those　who　paid　him　well；　and　since　the　great　Pierres　we
know　of　no　one　having　mounted　him　until　now。　From　him　Malambruno　stole
him　by　his　magic　art；　and　he　has　him　now　in　his　possession；　and
makes　use　of　him　in　his　journeys　which　he　constantly　makes　through
different　parts　of　the　world；　he　is　here　to…day；　to…morrow　in
France；　and　the　next　day　in　Potosi；　and　the　best　of　it　is　the　said
horse　neither　eats　nor　sleeps　nor　wears　out　shoes；　and　goes　at　an
ambling　pace　through　the　air　without　wings；　so　that　he　whom　he　has
mounted　upon　him　can　carry　a　cup　full　of　water　in　his　hand　without
spilling　a　drop；　so　smoothly　and　easily　does　he　go；　for　which　reason
the　fair　Magalona　enjoyed　riding　him　greatly。〃
　　〃For　going　smoothly　and　easily；〃　said　Sancho　at　this；　〃give　me　my
Dapple；　though　he　can't　go　through　the　air；　but　on　the　ground　I'll
back　him　against　all　the　amblers　in　the　world。〃
　　They　all　laughed；　and　the　Distressed　One　continued：　〃And　this　same
horse；　if　so　be　that　Malambruno　is　disposed　to　put　an　end　to　our
sufferings；　will　be　here　before　us　ere　the　night　shall　have　advanced
half　an　hour；　for　he　announced　to　me　that　the　sign　he　would　give　me
whereby　I　might　know　that　I　had　found　the　knight　I　was　in　quest　of；
would　be　to　send　me　the　horse　wherever　he　might　be；　speedily　and
promptly。〃
　　〃And　how　many　is　there　room　for　on　this　horse？〃　asked　Sancho。
　　〃Two；〃　said　the　Distressed　One；　〃one　in　the　saddle；　and　the　other　on
the　croup；　and　generally　these　two　are　knight　and　squire；　when　there
is　no　damsel　that's　being　carried　off。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　know；　Senora　Distressed　One；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　is　the
name　of　this　horse？〃
　　〃His　name；〃　said　the　Distressed　One；　〃is　not　the　same　as
Bellerophon's　horse　that　was　called　Pegasus；　or　Alexander　the　Great's；
called　Bucephalus；　or　Orlando　Furioso's；　the　name　of　which　was
Brigliador；　nor　yet　Bayard；　the　horse　of　Reinaldos　of　Montalvan；　nor
Frontino　like　Ruggiero's；　nor　Bootes　or　Peritoa；　as　they　say　the
horses　of　the　sun　were　called；　nor　is　he　called　Orelia；　like　the　horse
on　which　the　unfortunate　Rodrigo；　the　last　king　of　the　Goths；　rode
to　the　battle　where　he　lost　his　life　and　his　kingdom。〃
　　〃I'll　bet；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　as　they　have　given　him　none　of
these　famous　names　of　well…known　horses；　no　more　have　they　given　him
the　name　of　my　master's　Rocinante；　which　for　being　apt　surpasses　all
that　have　been　mentioned。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　bearded　countess；　〃still　it　fits　him　very
well；　for　he　is　called　Clavileno　the　Swift；　which　name　is　in
accordance　with　his　being　made　of　wood；　with　the　peg　he　has　in　his
forehead；　and　with　the　swift　pace　at　which　he　travels；　and　so；　as
far　as　name　goes；　he　may　compare　with　the　famous　Rocinante。〃
　　〃I　h