don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第190部分

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and　which　must　he　a　somewhat　knotty　and　difficult　one；　and　by　his
answer　the　people　take　the　measure　of　their　new　governor's　wit；　and
hail　with　joy　or　deplore　his　arrival　accordingly。〃
　　While　the　majordomo　was　making　this　speech　Sancho　was　gazing　at
several　large　letters　inscribed　on　the　wall　opposite　his　seat；　and
as　he　could　not　read　he　asked　what　that　was　that　was　painted　on　the
wall。　The　answer　was；　〃Senor；　there　is　written　and　recorded　the　day　on
which　your　lordship　took　possession　of　this　island；　and　the
inscription　says；　'This　day；　the　so…and…so　of　such…and…such　a　month
and　year；　Senor　Don　Sancho　Panza　took　possession　of　this　island；
many　years　may　he　enjoy　it。'〃
　　〃And　whom　do　they　call　Don　Sancho　Panza？〃　asked　Sancho。
　　〃Your　lordship；〃　replied　the　majordomo；　〃for　no　other　Panza　but
the　one　who　is　now　seated　in　that　chair　has　ever　entered　this　island。〃
　　〃Well　then；　let　me　tell　you；　brother；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　haven't　got
the　'Don；'　nor　has　any　one　of　my　family　ever　had　it；　my　name　is
plain　Sancho　Panza；　and　Sancho　was　my　father's　name；　and　Sancho　was　my
grandfather's　and　they　were　all　Panzas；　without　any　Dons　or　Donas
tacked　on；　I　suspect　that　in　this　island　there　are　more　Dons　than
stones；　but　never　mind；　God　knows　what　I　mean；　and　maybe　if　my
government　lasts　four　days　I'll　weed　out　these　Dons　that　no　doubt
are　as　great　a　nuisance　as　the　midges；　they're　so　plenty。　Let　the
majordomo　go　on　with　his　question；　and　I'll　give　the　best　answer　I
can；　whether　the　people　deplore　or　not。〃
　　At　this　instant　there　came　into　court　two　old　men；　one　carrying　a
cane　by　way　of　a　walking…stick；　and　the　one　who　had　no　stick　said；
〃Senor；　some　time　ago　I　lent　this　good　man　ten　gold…crowns　in　gold
to　gratify　him　and　do　him　a　service；　on　the　condition　that　he　was　to
return　them　to　me　whenever　I　should　ask　for　them。　A　long　time　passed
before　I　asked　for　them；　for　I　would　not　put　him　to　any　greater
straits　to　return　them　than　he　was　in　when　I　lent　them　to　him；　but
thinking　he　was　growing　careless　about　payment　I　asked　for　them　once
and　several　times；　and　not　only　will　he　not　give　them　back；　but　he
denies　that　he　owes　them；　and　says　I　never　lent　him　any　such　crowns；
or　if　I　did；　that　he　repaid　them；　and　I　have　no　witnesses　either　of
the　loan；　or　the　payment；　for　he　never　paid　me；　I　want　your　worship　to
put　him　to　his　oath；　and　if　he　swears　he　returned　them　to　me　I　forgive
him　the　debt　here　and　before　God。〃
　　〃What　say　you　to　this；　good　old　man；　you　with　the　stick？〃　said
Sancho。
　　To　which　the　old　man　replied；　〃I　admit；　senor；　that　he　lent　them
to　me；　but　let　your　worship　lower　your　staff；　and　as　he　leaves　it　to
my　oath；　I'll　swear　that　I　gave　them　back；　and　paid　him　really　and
truly。〃
　　The　governor　lowered　the　staff；　and　as　he　did　so　the　old　man　who　had
the　stick　handed　it　to　the　other　old　man　to　hold　for　him　while　he
swore；　as　if　he　found　it　in　his　way；　and　then　laid　his　hand　on　the
cross　of　the　staff；　saying　that　it　was　true　the　ten　crowns　that　were
demanded　of　him　had　been　lent　him；　but　that　he　had　with　his　own　hand
given　them　back　into　the　hand　of　the　other；　and　that　he；　not
recollecting　it；　was　always　asking　for　them。
　　Seeing　this　the　great　governor　asked　the　creditor　what　answer　he　had
to　make　to　what　his　opponent　said。　He　said　that　no　doubt　his　debtor
had　told　the　truth；　for　he　believed　him　to　be　an　honest　man　and　a　good
Christian；　and　he　himself　must　have　forgotten　when　and　how　he　had
given　him　back　the　crowns；　and　that　from　that　time　forth　he　would　make
no　further　demand　upon　him。
　　The　debtor　took　his　stick　again；　and　bowing　his　head　left　the　court。
Observing　this；　and　how；　without　another　word；　he　made　off；　and
observing　too　the　resignation　of　the　plaintiff；　Sancho　buried　his　head
in　his　bosom　and　remained　for　a　short　space　in　deep　thought；　with
the　forefinger　of　his　right　hand　on　his　brow　and　nose；　then　he
raised　his　head　and　bade　them　call　back　the　old　man　with　the　stick；
for　he　had　already　taken　his　departure。　They　brought　him　back；　and
as　soon　as　Sancho　saw　him　he　said；　〃Honest　man；　give　me　that　stick；
for　I　want　it。〃
　　〃Willingly；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃here　it　is　senor；〃　and　he　put　it
into　his　hand。
　　Sancho　took　it　and；　handing　it　to　the　other　old　man；　said　to　him；
〃Go；　and　God　be　with　you；　for　now　you　are　paid。〃
　　〃I；　senor！〃　returned　the　old　man；　〃why；　is　this　cane　worth　ten
gold…crowns？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　governor；　〃or　if　not　I　am　the　greatest　dolt　in　the
world；　now　you　will　see　whether　I　have　got　the　headpiece　to　govern　a
whole　kingdom；〃　and　he　ordered　the　cane　to　be　broken　in　two；　there；　in
the　presence　of　all。　It　was　done；　and　in　the　middle　of　it　they　found
ten　gold…crowns。　All　were　filled　with　amazement；　and　looked　upon　their
governor　as　another　Solomon。　They　asked　him　how　he　had　come　to　the
conclusion　that　the　ten　crowns　were　in　the　cane；　he　replied；　that
observing　how　the　old　man　who　swore　gave　the　stick　to　his　opponent
while　he　was　taking　the　oath；　and　swore　that　he　had　really　and　truly
given　him　the　crowns；　and　how　as　soon　as　he　had　done　swearing　he　asked
for　the　stick　again；　it　came　into　his　head　that　the　sum　demanded
must　be　inside　it；　and　from　this　he　said　it　might　be　seen　that　God
sometimes　guides　those　who　govern　in　their　judgments；　even　though　they
may　be　fools；　besides　he　had　himself　heard　the　curate　of　his　village
mention　just　such　another　case；　and　he　had　so　good　a　memory；　that　if
it　was　not　that　he　forgot　everything　he　wished　to　remember；　there
would　not　be　such　a　memory　in　all　the　island。　To　conclude；　the　old　men
went　off；　one　crestfallen；　and　the　other　in　high　contentment；　all
who　were　present　were　astonished；　and　he　who　was　recording　the
words；　deeds；　and　movements　of　Sancho　could　not　make　up　his　mind
whether　he　was　to　look　upon　him　and　set　him　down　as　a　fool　or　as　a　man
of　sense。
　　As　soon　as　this　case　was　disposed　of；　there　came　into　court　a
woman　holding　on　with　a　tight　grip　to　a　man　dressed　like　a
well…to…do　cattle　dealer；　and　she　came　forward　making　a　great　outcry
and　exclaiming；　〃Justice；　senor　governor；　justice！　and　if　I　don't
get　it　on　earth　I'll　go　look　for　it　in　heaven。　Senor　governor　of　my
soul；　this　wicked　man　caught　me　in　the　middle　of　the　fields　here　and
used　my　body　as　if　it　was　an　ill…washed　rag；　and；　woe　is　me！　got
from　me　what　I　had　kept　these　three…and…twenty　years　and　more；
defending　it　against　Moors　and　Christians；　natives　and　strangers；
and　I　always　as　hard　as　an　oak；　and　keeping　myself　as　pure　as　a
salamander　in　the　fire；　or　wool　among　the　brambles；　for　this　good
fellow　to　come　now　with　clean　hands　to　handle　me！〃
　　〃It　remains　to　be　proved　whether　this　gallant　has　clean　hands　or
not；〃　said　Sancho；　and　turning　to　the　man　he　asked　him　what　he　had
to　say　in　answer　to　the　woman's　charge。
　　He　all　in　confusion　made　answer；　〃Sirs；　I　am　a　poor　pig　dealer；
and　this　morning　I　left　the　village　to　sell　（saving　your　presence）
four　pigs；　and　between　dues　and　cribbings　they　got　out　of　me　little
less　than　the　worth　of　them。　As　I　was　returning　to　my　village　I　fell
in　on　the　road　with　this　good　dame；　and　the　devil　who　makes　a　coil　and
a　mess　out　of　everything；　yoked　us　together。　I　paid　her　fairly；　but
she　not　contented　laid　hold　of　me　and　never　let　go　until　she　brought
me　here；　she　says　I　forced　her；　but　she　lies　by　the　oath　I　swear　or　am
ready　to　swear；　and　this　is　the　whole　truth　and　every　particle　of　it。〃
　　The　governor　on　this　asked　him　if　he　had　any　money　in　silver　about
him；　he　said　he　had　about　twenty　ducats　in　a　leather　purse　in　his
bosom。　The　governor　bade　him　take　it　out　and　hand　it　to　the
complainant；　he　obeyed　trembling；　the　woman　took　it；　and　making　a
thousand　salaams　to　all　and　praying　to　God　for　the　long　life　and
health　of　the　senor　governor　who　had　such　regard　for　distressed
orphans　and　virgins；　she　hurried　out　of　court　with　the　purse　grasped
in　both　her　hands；　first　looking；　however；　to　see　if　the　money　it
contained　was　silver。
　　As　soon　as　she　was　gone　Sancho　said　to　the　cattle　dealer；　whose
tears　were　already　starting　and　whose　eyes　and　heart　were　following
his　purse；　〃Good　fellow；　go　after　that　woman　and　take　the　purse　from
her；　by　force　even；　and　come　back　with　it　here；〃　and　he　did　not　say　it
to　one　who　was　a　fool　or　deaf；　for　the　man　was　off　like　a　flash　of
lightning；　and　ran　to　do　as　he　was　bid。
　　All　the　bystanders　waited　anxiously　to　see　the　end　of　the　case；
and　presently　both　man　and　woman　came　back　at　even　closer　grips　than
before；　she　with　her　petticoat　up　and　the　purse　in　the　lap　of　it；
and　he　struggling　hard　to　take　it　from　her；　but　all　to　no　purpose；
so　stout　was　the　woman's　defence；　she　all　the　while　crying　out；
〃Justice　from　God　and　the　world！　see　here；　senor　governor；　the
shamelessness　and　boldness　of　this　villain；　who　in　the　middle　of　the
town；　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　wanted　to　take　from　me　the　purse
your　worship　bade　him　give　me。〃
　　〃And　did　he　take　it？〃　asked　the　governor。
　　〃Take　it！〃　said　the　woman；　〃I'd　let　my　life　be　taken　from　me
sooner　than　the　purse。　A　pretty　child　I'd　be！　It's　another　sort　of　cat
they　must　throw　in　my　face；　and　not　that　poor　scurvy　knave。　Pincers
and　hammers；　mallets　and　chisels　would　not　get　it　ou