don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第193部分

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doctor…　a　general　executioner。　And　now　give　me　something　to　eat；　or
else　take　your　government；　for　a　trade　that　does　not　feed　its　master
is　not　worth　two　beans。〃
　　The　doctor　was　dismayed　when　he　saw　the　governor　in　such　a
passion；　and　he　would　have　made　a　Tirteafuera　out　of　the　room　but　that
the　same　instant　a　post…horn　sounded　in　the　street；　and　the　carver
putting　his　head　out　of　the　window　turned　round　and　said；　〃It's　a
courier　from　my　lord　the　duke；　no　doubt　with　some　despatch　of
importance。〃
　　The　courier　came　in　all　sweating　and　flurried；　and　taking　a　paper
from　his　bosom；　placed　it　in　the　governor's　hands。　Sancho　handed　it　to
the　majordomo　and　bade　him　read　the　superscription；　which　ran　thus：　To
Don　Sancho　Panza；　Governor　of　the　Island　of　Barataria；　into　his　own
hands　or　those　of　his　secretary。　Sancho　when　he　heard　this　said；
〃Which　of　you　is　my　secretary？〃　〃I　am；　senor；〃　said　one　of　those
present；　〃for　I　can　read　and　write；　and　am　a　Biscayan。〃　〃With　that
addition；〃　said　Sancho；　〃you　might　be　secretary　to　the　emperor
himself；　open　this　paper　and　see　what　it　says。〃　The　new…born　secretary
obeyed；　and　having　read　the　contents　said　the　matter　was　one　to　be
discussed　in　private。　Sancho　ordered　the　chamber　to　be　cleared；　the
majordomo　and　the　carver　only　remaining；　so　the　doctor　and　the
others　withdrew；　and　then　the　secretary　read　the　letter；　which　was
as　follows：

　　It　has　come　to　my　knowledge；　Senor　Don　Sancho　Panza；　that　certain
enemies　of　mine　and　of　the　island　are　about　to　make　a　furious　attack
upon　it　some　night；　I　know　not　when。　It　behoves　you　to　be　on　the　alert
and　keep　watch；　that　they　surprise　you　not。　I　also　know　by　trustworthy
spies　that　four　persons　have　entered　the　town　in　disguise　in　order
to　take　your　life；　because　they　stand　in　dread　of　your　great　capacity；
keep　your　eyes　open　and　take　heed　who　approaches　you　to　address　you；
and　eat　nothing　that　is　presented　to　you。　I　will　take　care　to　send　you
aid　if　you　find　yourself　in　difficulty；　but　in　all　things　you　will　act
as　may　be　expected　of　your　judgment。　From　this　place；　the　Sixteenth　of
August；　at　four　in　the　morning。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DUKE

　　Sancho　was　astonished；　and　those　who　stood　by　made　believe　to　be
so　too；　and　turning　to　the　majordomo　he　said　to　him；　〃What　we　have　got
to　do　first；　and　it　must　be　done　at　once；　is　to　put　Doctor　Recio　in
the　lock…up；　for　if　anyone　wants　to　kill　me　it　is　he；　and　by　a　slow
death　and　the　worst　of　all；　which　is　hunger。〃
　　〃Likewise；〃　said　the　carver；　〃it　is　my　opinion　your　worship　should
not　eat　anything　that　is　on　this　table；　for　the　whole　was　a　present
from　some　nuns；　and　as　they　say；　'behind　the　cross　there's　the
devil。'〃
　　〃I　don't　deny　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃so　for　the　present　give　me　a
piece　of　bread　and　four　pounds　or　so　of　grapes；　no　poison　can　come
in　them；　for　the　fact　is　I　can't　go　on　without　eating；　and　if　we　are
to　be　prepared　for　these　battles　that　are　threatening　us　we　must　be
well　provisioned；　for　it　is　the　tripes　that　carry　the　heart　and　not
the　heart　the　tripes。　And　you；　secretary；　answer　my　lord　the　duke
and　tell　him　that　all　his　commands　shall　be　obeyed　to　the　letter；　as
he　directs；　and　say　from　me　to　my　lady　the　duchess　that　I　kiss　her
hands；　and　that　I　beg　of　her　not　to　forget　to　send　my　letter　and
bundle　to　my　wife　Teresa　Panza　by　a　messenger；　and　I　will　take　it　as　a
great　favour　and　will　not　fail　to　serve　her　in　all　that　may　lie　within
my　power；　and　as　you　are　about　it　you　may　enclose　a　kiss　of　the　hand
to　my　master　Don　Quixote　that　he　may　see　I　am　grateful　bread；　and　as　a
good　secretary　and　a　good　Biscayan　you　may　add　whatever　you　like　and
whatever　will　come　in　best；　and　now　take　away　this　cloth　and　give　me
something　to　eat；　and　I'll　be　ready　to　meet　all　the　spies　and
assassins　and　enchanters　that　may　come　against　me　or　my　island。〃
　　At　this　instant　a　page　entered　saying；　〃Here　is　a　farmer　on
business；　who　wants　to　speak　to　your　lordship　on　a　matter　of　great
importance；　he　says。〃
　　〃It's　very　odd；〃　said　Sancho；　〃the　ways　of　these　men　on　business；　is
it　possible　they　can　be　such　fools　as　not　to　see　that　an　hour　like
this　is　no　hour　for　coming　on　business？　We　who　govern　and　we　who　are
judges…　are　we　not　men　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　are　we　not　to　be
allowed　the　time　required　for　taking　rest；　unless　they'd　have　us
made　of　marble？　By　God　and　on　my　conscience；　if　the　government　remains
in　my　hands　（which　I　have　a　notion　it　won't）；　I'll　bring　more　than　one
man　on　business　to　order。　However；　tell　this　good　man　to　come　in；
but　take　care　first　of　all　that　he　is　not　some　spy　or　one　of　my
assassins。〃
　　〃No；　my　lord；〃　said　the　page；　〃for　he　looks　like　a　simple　fellow；
and　either　I　know　very　little　or　he　is　as　good　as　good　bread。〃
　　〃There　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃for　we
are　all　here。〃
　　〃Would　it　be　possible；　carver；〃　said　Sancho；　〃now　that　Doctor
Pedro　Recio　is　not　here；　to　let　me　eat　something　solid　and
substantial；　if　it　were　even　a　piece　of　bread　and　an　onion？〃
　　〃To…night　at　supper；〃　said　the　carver；　〃the　shortcomings　of　the
dinner　shall　be　made　good；　and　your　lordship　shall　be　fully
contented。〃
　　〃God　grant　it；〃　said　Sancho。
　　The　farmer　now　came　in；　a　well…favoured　man　that　one　might　see　a
thousand　leagues　off　was　an　honest　fellow　and　a　good　soul。　The　first
thing　he　said　was；　〃Which　is　the　lord　governor　here？〃
　　〃Which　should　it　be；〃　said　the　secretary；　〃but　he　who　is　seated　in
the　chair？〃
　　〃Then　I　humble　myself　before　him；〃　said　the　farmer；　and　going　on　his
knees　he　asked　for　his　hand；　to　kiss　it。　Sancho　refused　it；　and　bade
him　stand　up　and　say　what　he　wanted。　The　farmer　obeyed；　and　then　said；
〃I　am　a　farmer；　senor；　a　native　of　Miguelturra；　a　village　two
leagues　from　Ciudad　Real。〃
　　〃Another　Tirteafuera！〃　said　Sancho；　〃say　on；　brother；　I　know
Miguelturra　very　well　I　can　tell　you；　for　it's　not　very　far　from　my
own　town。〃
　　〃The　case　is　this；　senor；〃　continued　the　farmer；　〃that　by　God's
mercy　I　am　married　with　the　leave　and　licence　of　the　holy　Roman
Catholic　Church；　I　have　two　sons；　students；　and　the　younger　is
studying　to　become　bachelor；　and　the　elder　to　be　licentiate；　I　am　a
widower；　for　my　wife　died；　or　more　properly　speaking；　a　bad　doctor
killed　her　on　my　hands；　giving　her　a　purge　when　she　was　with　child；
and　if　it　had　pleased　God　that　the　child　had　been　born；　and　was　a　boy；
I　would　have　put　him　to　study　for　doctor；　that　he　might　not　envy　his
brothers　the　bachelor　and　the　licentiate。〃
　　〃So　that　if　your　wife　had　not　died；　or　had　not　been　killed；　you
would　not　now　be　a　widower；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃No；　senor；　certainly　not；〃　said　the　farmer。
　　〃We've　got　that　much　settled；〃　said　Sancho；　〃get　on；　brother；　for
it's　more　bed…time　than　business…time。〃
　　〃Well　then；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃this　son　of　mine　who　is　going　to　be　a
bachelor；　fell　in　love　in　the　said　town　with　a　damsel　called　Clara
Perlerina；　daughter　of　Andres　Perlerino；　a　very　rich　farmer；　and
this　name　of　Perlerines　does　not　come　to　them　by　ancestry　or
descent；　but　because　all　the　family　are　paralytics；　and　for　a　better
name　they　call　them　Perlerines；　though　to　tell　the　truth　the　damsel　is
as　fair　as　an　Oriental　pearl；　and　like　a　flower　of　the　field；　if　you
look　at　her　on　the　right　side；　on　the　left　not　so　much；　for　on　that
side　she　wants　an　eye　that　she　lost　by　small…pox；　and　though　her
face　is　thickly　and　deeply　pitted；　those　who　love　her　say　they　are　not
pits　that　are　there；　but　the　graves　where　the　hearts　of　her　lovers　are
buried。　She　is　so　cleanly　that　not　to　soil　her　face　she　carries　her
nose　turned　up；　as　they　say；　so　that　one　would　fancy　it　was　running
away　from　her　mouth；　and　with　all　this　she　looks　extremely　well；　for
she　has　a　wide　mouth；　and　but　for　wanting　ten　or　a　dozen　teeth　and
grinders　she　might　compare　and　compete　with　the　comeliest。　Of　her　lips
I　say　nothing；　for　they　are　so　fine　and　thin　that；　if　lips　might　be
reeled；　one　might　make　a　skein　of　them；　but　being　of　a　different
colour　from　ordinary　lips　they　are　wonderful；　for　they　are　mottled；
blue；　green；　and　purple…　let　my　lord　the　governor　pardon　me　for
painting　so　minutely　the　charms　of　her　who　some　time　or　other　will
be　my　daughter；　for　I　love　her；　and　I　don't　find　her　amiss。〃
　　〃Paint　what　you　will；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　enjoy　your　painting；　and　if　I
had　dined　there　could　be　no　dessert　more　to　my　taste　than　your
portrait。〃
　　〃That　I　have　still　to　furnish；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃but　a　time　will
come　when　we　may　be　able　if　we　are　not　now；　and　I　can　tell　you；　senor；
if　I　could　paint　her　gracefulness　and　her　tall　figure；　it　would
astonish　you；　but　that　is　impossible　because　she　is　bent　double　with
her　knees　up　to　her　mouth；　but　for　all　that　it　is　easy　to　see　that
if　she　could　stand　up　she'd　knock　her　head　against　the　ceiling；　and
she　would　have　given　her　hand　to　my　bachelor　ere　this；　only　that　she
can't　stretch　it　out；　for　it's　contracted；　but　still　one　can　see　its
elegance　and　fine　make　by　its　long　furrowed　nails。〃
　　〃That　will　do；　brother；〃　said　Sancho；　〃consider　you　have　painted　her
from　head　to　foot；　what　is　it　you　want　now？　Come　to　the　point
without　all　this　beating