don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第201部分

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all　his　words　and　deeds。　The　senor　governor　got　up；　and　by　Doctor
Pedro　Recio's　directions　they　made　him　break　his　fast　on　a　little
conserve　and　four　sups　of　cold　water；　which　Sancho　would　have
readily　exchanged　for　a　piece　of　bread　and　a　bunch　of　grapes；　but
seeing　there　was　no　help　for　it；　he　submitted　with　no　little　sorrow　of
heart　and　discomfort　of　stomach；　Pedro　Recio　having　persuaded　him　that
light　and　delicate　diet　enlivened　the　wits；　and　that　was　what　was　most
essential　for　persons　placed　in　command　and　in　responsible　situations；
where　they　have　to　employ　not　only　the　bodily　powers　but　those　of
the　mind　also。
　　By　means　of　this　sophistry　Sancho　was　made　to　endure　hunger；　and
hunger　so　keen　that　in　his　heart　he　cursed　the　government；　and　even
him　who　had　given　it　to　him；　however；　with　his　hunger　and　his　conserve
he　undertook　to　deliver　judgments　that　day；　and　the　first　thing　that
came　before　him　was　a　question　that　was　submitted　to　him　by　a
stranger；　in　the　presence　of　the　majordomo　and　the　other　attendants；
and　it　was　in　these　words：　〃Senor；　a　large　river　separated　two
districts　of　one　and　the　same　lordship…　will　your　worship　please　to
pay　attention；　for　the　case　is　an　important　and　a　rather　knotty　one？
Well　then；　on　this　river　there　was　a　bridge；　and　at　one　end　of　it　a
gallows；　and　a　sort　of　tribunal；　where　four　judges　commonly　sat　to
administer　the　law　which　the　lord　of　river；　bridge　and　the　lordship
had　enacted；　and　which　was　to　this　effect；　'If　anyone　crosses　by
this　bridge　from　one　side　to　the　other　he　shall　declare　on　oath
where　he　is　going　to　and　with　what　object；　and　if　he　swears　truly；
he　shall　be　allowed　to　pass；　but　if　falsely；　he　shall　be　put　to
death　for　it　by　hanging　on　the　gallows　erected　there；　without　any
remission。'　Though　the　law　and　its　severe　penalty　were　known；　many
persons　crossed；　but　in　their　declarations　it　was　easy　to　see　at
once　they　were　telling　the　truth；　and　the　judges　let　them　pass　free。
It　happened；　however；　that　one　man；　when　they　came　to　take　his
declaration；　swore　and　said　that　by　the　oath　he　took　he　was　going　to
die　upon　that　gallows　that　stood　there；　and　nothing　else。　The　judges
held　a　consultation　over　the　oath；　and　they　said；　'If　we　let　this
man　pass　free　he　has　sworn　falsely；　and　by　the　law　he　ought　to　die；
but　if　we　hang　him；　as　he　swore　he　was　going　to　die　on　that　gallows；
and　therefore　swore　the　truth；　by　the　same　law　he　ought　to　go　free。'
It　is　asked　of　your　worship；　senor　governor；　what　are　the　judges　to　do
with　this　man？　For　they　are　still　in　doubt　and　perplexity；　and
having　heard　of　your　worship's　acute　and　exalted　intellect；　they
have　sent　me　to　entreat　your　worship　on　their　behalf　to　give　your
opinion　on　this　very　intricate　and　puzzling　case。〃
　　To　this　Sancho　made　answer；　〃Indeed　those　gentlemen　the　judges
that　send　you　to　me　might　have　spared　themselves　the　trouble；　for　I
have　more　of　the　obtuse　than　the　acute　in　me；　but　repeat　the　case　over
again；　so　that　I　may　understand　it；　and　then　perhaps　I　may　be　able
to　hit　the　point。〃
　　The　querist　repeated　again　and　again　what　he　had　said　before；　and
then　Sancho　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　I　can　set　the　matter　right　in　a
moment；　and　in　this　way；　the　man　swears　that　he　is　going　to　die　upon
the　gallows；　but　if　he　dies　upon　it；　he　has　sworn　the　truth；　and　by
the　law　enacted　deserves　to　go　free　and　pass　over　the　bridge；　but　if
they　don't　hang　him；　then　he　has　sworn　falsely；　and　by　the　same　law
deserves　to　be　hanged。〃
　　〃It　is　as　the　senor　governor　says；〃　said　the　messenger；　〃and　as
regards　a　complete　comprehension　of　the　case；　there　is　nothing　left　to
desire　or　hesitate　about。〃
　　〃Well　then　I　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　of　this　man　they　should　let
pass　the　part　that　has　sworn　truly；　and　hang　the　part　that　has　lied；
and　in　this　way　the　conditions　of　the　passage　will　be　fully　complied
with。〃
　　〃But　then；　senor　governor；〃　replied　the　querist；　〃the　man　will
have　to　be　divided　into　two　parts；　and　if　he　is　divided　of　course　he
will　die；　and　so　none　of　the　requirements　of　the　law　will　be　carried
out；　and　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　comply　with　it。〃
　　〃Look　here；　my　good　sir；〃　said　Sancho；　〃either　I'm　a　numskull　or
else　there　is　the　same　reason　for　this　passenger　dying　as　for　his
living　and　passing　over　the　bridge；　for　if　the　truth　saves　him　the
falsehood　equally　condemns　him；　and　that　being　the　case　it　is　my
opinion　you　should　say　to　the　gentlemen　who　sent　you　to　me　that　as　the
arguments　for　condemning　him　and　for　absolving　him　are　exactly
balanced；　they　should　let　him　pass　freely；　as　it　is　always　more
praiseworthy　to　do　good　than　to　do　evil；　this　I　would　give　signed　with
my　name　if　I　knew　how　to　sign；　and　what　I　have　said　in　this　case　is
not　out　of　my　own　head；　but　one　of　the　many　precepts　my　master　Don
Quixote　gave　me　the　night　before　I　left　to　become　governor　of　this
island；　that　came　into　my　mind；　and　it　was　this；　that　when　there　was
any　doubt　about　the　justice　of　a　case　I　should　lean　to　mercy；　and　it
is　God's　will　that　I　should　recollect　it　now；　for　it　fits　this　case　as
if　it　was　made　for　it。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃and　I　maintain　that　Lycurgus
himself；　who　gave　laws　to　the　Lacedemonians；　could　not　have　pronounced
a　better　decision　than　the　great　Panza　has　given；　let　the　morning's
audience　close　with　this；　and　I　will　see　that　the　senor　governor　has
dinner　entirely　to　his　liking。〃
　　〃That's　all　I　ask　for…　fair　play；〃　said　Sancho；　〃give　me　my
dinner；　and　then　let　it　rain　cases　and　questions　on　me；　and　I'll
despatch　them　in　a　twinkling。〃
　　The　majordomo　kept　his　word；　for　he　felt　it　against　his　conscience
to　kill　so　wise　a　governor　by　hunger；　particularly　as　he　intended　to
have　done　with　him　that　same　night；　playing　off　the　last　joke　he　was
commissioned　to　practise　upon　him。
　　It　came　to　pass；　then；　that　after　he　had　dined　that　day；　in
opposition　to　the　rules　and　aphorisms　of　Doctor　Tirteafuera；　as　they
were　taking　away　the　cloth　there　came　a　courier　with　a　letter　from　Don
Quixote　for　the　governor。　Sancho　ordered　the　secretary　to　read　it　to
himself；　and　if　there　was　nothing　in　it　that　demanded　secrecy　to
read　it　aloud。　The　secretary　did　so；　and　after　he　had　skimmed　the
contents　he　said；　〃It　may　well　be　read　aloud；　for　what　Senor　Don
Quixote　writes　to　your　worship　deserves　to　be　printed　or　written　in
letters　of　gold；　and　it　is　as　follows。〃

　　　　　　　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA'S　LETTER　TO　SANCHO　PANZA；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　GOVERNOR　OF　THE　ISLAND　OF　BARATARIA。

　　When　I　was　expecting　to　hear　of　thy　stupidities　and　blunders；　friend
Sancho；　I　have　received　intelligence　of　thy　displays　of　good　sense；
for　which　I　give　special　thanks　to　heaven　that　can　raise　the　poor　from
the　dunghill　and　of　fools　to　make　wise　men。　They　tell　me　thou　dost
govern　as　if　thou　wert　a　man；　and　art　a　man　as　if　thou　wert　a　beast；
so　great　is　the　humility　wherewith　thou　dost　comport　thyself。　But　I
would　have　thee　bear　in　mind；　Sancho；　that　very　often　it　is　fitting
and　necessary　for　the　authority　of　office　to　resist　the　humility　of
the　heart；　for　the　seemly　array　of　one　who　is　invested　with　grave
duties　should　be　such　as　they　require　and　not　measured　by　what　his　own
humble　tastes　may　lead　him　to　prefer。　Dress　well；　a　stick　dressed　up
does　not　look　like　a　stick；　I　do　not　say　thou　shouldst　wear　trinkets
or　fine　raiment；　or　that　being　a　judge　thou　shouldst　dress　like　a
soldier；　but　that　thou　shouldst　array　thyself　in　the　apparel　thy
office　requires；　and　that　at　the　same　time　it　be　neat　and　handsome。　To
win　the　good…will　of　the　people　thou　governest　there　are　two　things；
among　others；　that　thou　must　do；　one　is　to　be　civil　to　all　（this；
however；　I　told　thee　before）；　and　the　other　to　take　care　that　food
be　abundant；　for　there　is　nothing　that　vexes　the　heart　of　the　poor
more　than　hunger　and　high　prices。　Make　not　many　proclamations；　but
those　thou　makest　take　care　that　they　be　good　ones；　and　above　all　that
they　be　observed　and　carried　out；　for　proclamations　that　are　not
observed　are　the　same　as　if　they　did　not　exist；　nay；　they　encourage
the　idea　that　the　prince　who　had　the　wisdom　and　authority　to　make　them
had　not　the　power　to　enforce　them；　and　laws　that　threaten　and　are
not　enforced　come　to　he　like　the　log；　the　king　of　the　frogs；　that
frightened　them　at　first；　but　that　in　time　they　despised　and　mounted
upon。　Be　a　father　to　virtue　and　a　stepfather　to　vice。　Be　not　always
strict；　nor　yet　always　lenient；　but　observe　a　mean　between　these　two
extremes；　for　in　that　is　the　aim　of　wisdom。　Visit　the　gaols；　the
slaughter…houses；　and　the　market…places；　for　the　presence　of　the
governor　is　of　great　importance　in　such　places；　it　comforts　the
prisoners　who　are　in　hopes　of　a　speedy　release；　it　is　the　bugbear　of
the　butchers　who　have　then　to　give　just　weight；　and　it　is　the　terror
of　the　market…women　for　the　same　reason。　Let　it　not　be　seen　that
thou　art　（even　if　perchance　thou　art；　which　I　do　not　believe）
covetous；　a　follower　of　women；　or　a　glutton；　for　when　the　people　and
those　that　have　dealings　with　thee　become　aware　of　thy　special
weakness　they　will　bring　their　batteries　to　bear　upon　thee　in　that
quarter；　till　they　have　brought　thee　down　to　the　depths　of
perditio