don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第182部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

far　as　name　goes；　he　may　compare　with　the　famous　Rocinante。〃
　　〃I　have　nothing　to　say　against　his　name；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　with
what　sort　of　bridle　or　halter　is　he　managed？〃
　　〃I　have　said　already；〃　said　the　Trifaldi；　〃that　it　is　with　a　peg；　by
turning　which　to　one　side　or　the　other　the　knight　who　rides　him
makes　him　go　as　he　pleases；　either　through　the　upper　air；　or
skimming　and　almost　sweeping　the　earth；　or　else　in　that　middle
course　that　is　sought　and　followed　in　all　well…regulated　proceedings。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　him；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　to　fancy　I'm　going　to　mount
him；　either　in　the　saddle　or　on　the　croup；　is　to　ask　pears　of　the
elm　tree。　A　good　joke　indeed！　I　can　hardly　keep　my　seat　upon　Dapple；
and　on　a　pack…saddle　softer　than　silk　itself；　and　here　they'd　have
me　hold　on　upon　haunches　of　plank　without　pad　or　cushion　of　any
sort！　Gad；　I　have　no　notion　of　bruising　myself　to　get　rid　of
anyone's　beard；　let　each　one　shave　himself　as　best　he　can；　I'm　not
going　to　accompany　my　master　on　any　such　long　journey；　besides；　I
can't　give　any　help　to　the　shaving　of　these　beards　as　I　can　to　the
disenchantment　of　my　lady　Dulcinea。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　can；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　Trifaldi；　〃and　so　much；
that　without　you；　so　I　understand；　we　shall　be　able　to　do　nothing。〃
　　〃In　the　king's　name！〃　exclaimed　Sancho；　〃what　have　squires　got　to　do
with　the　adventures　of　their　masters？　Are　they　to　have　the　fame　of
such　as　they　go　through；　and　we　the　labour？　Body　o'　me！　if　the
historians　would　only　say；　'Such　and　such　a　knight　finished　such　and
such　an　adventure；　but　with　the　help　of　so　and　so；　his　squire；　without
which　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　accomplish　it；'　but
they　write　curtly；　〃Don　Paralipomenon　of　the　Three　Stars
accomplished　the　adventure　of　the　six　monsters；'　without　mentioning
such　a　person　as　his　squire；　who　was　there　all　the　time；　just　as　if
there　was　no　such　being。　Once　more；　sirs；　I　say　my　master　may　go
alone；　and　much　good　may　it　do　him；　and　I'll　stay　here　in　the
company　of　my　lady　the　duchess；　and　maybe　when　he　comes　back；　he
will　find　the　lady　Dulcinea's　affair　ever　so　much　advanced；　for　I　mean
in　leisure　hours；　and　at　idle　moments；　to　give　myself　a　spell　of
whipping　without　so　much　as　a　hair　to　cover　me。〃
　　〃For　all　that　you　must　go　if　it　be　necessary；　my　good　Sancho；〃
said　the　duchess；　〃for　they　are　worthy　folk　who　ask　you；　and　the　faces
of　these　ladies　must　not　remain　overgrown　in　this　way　because　of
your　idle　fears；　that　would　be　a　hard　case　indeed。〃
　　〃In　the　king's　name；　once　more！〃　said　Sancho；　〃If　this　charitable
work　were　to　be　done　for　the　sake　of　damsels　in　confinement　or
charity…girls；　a　man　might　expose　himself　to　some　hardships；　but　to
bear　it　for　the　sake　of　stripping　beards　off　duennas！　Devil　take　it！
I'd　sooner　see　them　all　bearded；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest；　and
from　the　most　prudish　to　the　most　affected。〃
　　〃You　are　very　hard　on　duennas；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　the
duchess；　〃you　incline　very　much　to　the　opinion　of　the　Toledo
apothecary。　But　indeed　you　are　wrong；　there　are　duennas　in　my　house
that　may　serve　as　patterns　of　duennas；　and　here　is　my　Dona
Rodriguez；　who　will　not　allow　me　to　say　otherwise。〃
　　〃Your　excellence　may　say　it　if　you　like；〃　said　the　Rodriguez；　〃for
God　knows　the　truth　of　everything；　and　whether　we　duennas　are　good
or　bad；　bearded　or　smooth；　we　are　our　mothers'　daughters　like　other
women；　and　as　God　sent　us　into　the　world；　he　knows　why　he　did；　and
on　his　mercy　I　rely；　and　not　on　anybody's　beard。〃
　　〃Well；　Senora　Rodriguez；　Senora　Trifaldi；　and　present　company；〃　said
Don　Quixote；　〃I　trust　in　Heaven　that　it　will　look　with　kindly　eyes
upon　your　troubles；　for　Sancho　will　do　as　I　bid　him。　Only　let
Clavileno　come　and　let　me　find　myself　face　to　face　with　Malambruno；
and　I　am　certain　no　razor　will　shave　you　more　easily　than　my　sword
shall　shave　Malambruno's　head　off　his　shoulders；　for　'God　bears　with
the　wicked；　but　not　for　ever。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　Distressed　One　at　this；　〃may　all　the　stars　of
the　celestial　regions　look　down　upon　your　greatness　with　benign
eyes；　valiant　knight；　and　shed　every　prosperity　and　valour　upon　your
heart；　that　it　may　be　the　shield　and　safeguard　of　the　abused　and
downtrodden　race　of　duennas；　detested　by　apothecaries；　sneered　at　by
squires；　and　made　game　of　by　pages。　Ill　betide　the　jade　that　in　the
flower　of　her　youth　would　not　sooner　become　a　nun　than　a　duenna！
Unfortunate　beings　that　we　are；　we　duennas！　Though　we　may　be　descended
in　the　direct　male　line　from　Hector　of　Troy　himself；　our　mistresses
never　fail　to　address　us　as　'you'　if　they　think　it　makes　queens　of
them。　O　giant　Malambruno；　though　thou　art　an　enchanter；　thou　art
true　to　thy　promises。　Send　us　now　the　peerless　Clavileno；　that　our
misfortune　may　be　brought　to　an　end；　for　if　the　hot　weather　sets　in
and　these　beards　of　ours　are　still　there；　alas　for　our　lot！〃
　　The　Trifaldi　said　this　in　such　a　pathetic　way　that　she　drew　tears
from　the　eyes　of　all　and　even　Sancho's　filled　up；　and　he　resolved　in
his　heart　to　accompany　his　master　to　the　uttermost　ends　of　the
earth；　if　so　be　the　removal　of　the　wool　from　those　venerable
countenances　depended　upon　it。


　　CHAPTER　XLI
　　OF　THE　ARRIVAL　OF　CLAVILENO　AND　THE　END　OF　THIS　PROTRACTED　ADVENTURE

　　AND　now　night　came；　and　with　it　the　appointed　time　for　the　arrival
of　the　famous　horse　Clavileno；　the　non…appearance　of　which　was　already
beginning　to　make　Don　Quixote　uneasy；　for　it　struck　him　that；　as
Malambruno　was　so　long　about　sending　it；　either　he　himself　was　not　the
knight　for　whom　the　adventure　was　reserved；　or　else　Malambruno　did　not
dare　to　meet　him　in　single　combat。　But　lo！　suddenly　there　came　into
the　garden　four　wild…men　all　clad　in　green　ivy　bearing　on　their
shoulders　a　great　wooden　horse。　They　placed　it　on　its　feet　on　the
ground；　and　one　of　the　wild…men　said；　〃Let　the　knight　who　has　heart
for　it　mount　this　machine。〃
　　Here　Sancho　exclaimed；　〃I　don't　mount；　for　neither　have　I　the
heart　nor　am　I　a　knight。〃
　　〃And　let　the　squire；　if　he　has　one；〃　continued　the　wild…man；　〃take
his　seat　on　the　croup；　and　let　him　trust　the　valiant　Malambruno；　for
by　no　sword　save　his；　nor　by　the　malice　of　any　other；　shall　he　be
assailed。　It　is　but　to　turn　this　peg　the　horse　has　in　his　neck；　and　he
will　bear　them　through　the　air　to　where　Malambruno　awaits　them；　but
lest　the　vast　elevation　of　their　course　should　make　them　giddy；
their　eyes　must　be　covered　until　the　horse　neighs；　which　will　be　the
sign　of　their　having　completed　their　journey。〃
　　With　these　words；　leaving　Clavileno　behind　them；　they　retired　with
easy　dignity　the　way　they　came。　As　soon　as　the　Distressed　One　saw
the　horse；　almost　in　tears　she　exclaimed　to　Don　Quixote；　〃Valiant
knight；　the　promise　of　Malambruno　has　proved　trustworthy；　the　horse
has　come；　our　beards　are　growing；　and　by　every　hair　in　them　all　of
us　implore　thee　to　shave　and　shear　us；　as　it　is　only　mounting　him　with
thy　squire　and　making　a　happy　beginning　with　your　new　journey。〃
　　〃That　I　will；　Senora　Countess　Trifaldi；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃most
gladly　and　with　right　goodwill；　without　stopping　to　take　a　cushion
or　put　on　my　spurs；　so　as　not　to　lose　time；　such　is　my　desire　to　see
you　and　all　these　duennas　shaved　clean。〃
　　〃That　I　won't；〃　said　Sancho；　〃with　good…will　or　bad…will；　or　any　way
at　all；　and　if　this　shaving　can't　be　done　without　my　mounting　on　the
croup；　my　master　had　better　look　out　for　another　squire　to　go　with
him；　and　these　ladies　for　some　other　way　of　making　their　faces　smooth；
I'm　no　witch　to　have　a　taste　for　travelling　through　the　air。　What
would　my　islanders　say　when　they　heard　their　governor　was　going；
strolling　about　on　the　winds？　And　another　thing；　as　it　is　three
thousand　and　odd　leagues　from　this　to　Kandy；　if　the　horse　tires；　or
the　giant　takes　huff；　we'll　he　half　a　dozen　years　getting　back；　and
there　won't　be　isle　or　island　in　the　world　that　will　know　me：　and
so；　as　it　is　a　common　saying　'in　delay　there's　danger；'　and　'when　they
offer　thee　a　heifer　run　with　a　halter；'　these　ladies'　beards　must
excuse　me；　'Saint　Peter　is　very　well　in　Rome；'　I　mean　I　am　very　well
in　this　house　where　so　much　is　made　of　me；　and　I　hope　for　such　a
good　thing　from　the　master　as　to　see　myself　a　governor。〃
　　〃Friend　Sancho；〃　said　the　duke　at　this；　〃the　island　that　I　have
promised　you　is　not　a　moving　one；　or　one　that　will　run　away；　it　has
roots　so　deeply　buried　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　that　it　will　be　no
easy　matter　to　pluck　it　up　or　shift　it　from　where　it　is；　you　know　as
well　as　I　do　that　there　is　no　sort　of　office　of　any　importance　that　is
not　obtained　by　a　bribe　of　some　kind；　great　or　small；　well　then；
that　which　I　look　to　receive　for　this　government　is　that　you　go　with
your　master　Don　Quixote；　and　bring　this　memorable　adventure　to　a
conclusion；　and　whether　you　return　on　Clavileno　as　quickly　as　his
speed　seems　to　promise；　or　adverse　fortune　brings　you　back　on　foot
travelling　as　a　pilgrim　from　hostel　to　hostel　and　from　inn　to　inn；　you
will　always　find　your　island　on　your　return　where　you　left　it；　and
your　islanders　with　the　same　eagerness　they　have　always　had　to　receive
you　as　their　governor；　and　my　good…will　will　remain　the　sa