don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第204部分

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and　〃to　Rome　for　everything。〃　I　am　as　vexed　as　vexed　can　be　that
they　have　gathered　no　acorns　this　year　in　our　village；　for　all　that
I　send　your　highness　about　half　a　peck　that　I　went　to　the　wood　to
gather　and　pick　out　one　by　one　myself；　and　I　could　find　no　bigger
ones；　I　wish　they　were　as　big　as　ostrich　eggs。
　　Let　not　your　high　mightiness　forget　to　write　to　me；　and　I　will
take　care　to　answer；　and　let　you　know　how　I　am；　and　whatever　news
there　may　be　in　this　place；　where　I　remain；　praying　our　Lord　to　have
your　highness　in　his　keeping　and　not　to　forget　me。
　　Sancha　my　daughter；　and　my　son；　kiss　your　worship's　hands。
　　She　who　would　rather　see　your　ladyship　than　write　to　you；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　servant；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA。

　　All　were　greatly　amused　by　Teresa　Panza's　letter；　but　particularly
the　duke　and　duchess；　and　the　duchess　asked　Don　Quixote's　opinion
whether　they　might　open　the　letter　that　had　come　for　the　governor；
which　she　suspected　must　be　very　good。　Don　Quixote　said　that　to
gratify　them　he　would　open　it；　and　did　so；　and　found　that　it　ran　as
follows。

　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　HER　HUSBAND　SANCHO　PANZA。

　　I　got　thy　letter；　Sancho　of　my　soul；　and　I　promise　thee　and　swear　as
a　Catholic　Christian　that　I　was　within　two　fingers'　breadth　of　going
mad　I　was　so　happy。　I　can　tell　thee；　brother；　when　I　came　to　hear　that
thou　wert　a　governor　I　thought　I　should　have　dropped　dead　with　pure
joy；　and　thou　knowest　they　say　sudden　joy　kills　as　well　as　great
sorrow；　and　as　for　Sanchica　thy　daughter；　she　leaked　from　sheer
happiness。　I　had　before　me　the　suit　thou　didst　send　me；　and　the
coral　beads　my　lady　the　duchess　sent　me　round　my　neck；　and　the　letters
in　my　hands；　and　there　was　the　bearer　of　them　standing　by；　and　in
spite　of　all　this　I　verily　believed　and　thought　that　what　I　saw　and
handled　was　all　a　dream；　for　who　could　have　thought　that　a　goatherd
would　come　to　be　a　governor　of　islands？　Thou　knowest；　my　friend；
what　my　mother　used　to　say；　that　one　must　live　long　to　see　much；　I　say
it　because　I　expect　to　see　more　if　I　live　longer；　for　I　don't　expect
to　stop　until　I　see　thee　a　farmer　of　taxes　or　a　collector　of
revenue；　which　are　offices　where；　though　the　devil　carries　off　those
who　make　a　bad　use　of　them；　still　they　make　and　handle　money。　My
lady　the　duchess　will　tell　thee　the　desire　I　have　to　go　to　the
Court；　consider　the　matter　and　let　me　know　thy　pleasure；　I　will　try　to
do　honour　to　thee　by　going　in　a　coach。
　　Neither　the　curate；　nor　the　barber；　nor　the　bachelor；　nor　even　the
sacristan；　can　believe　that　thou　art　a　governor；　and　they　say　the
whole　thing　is　a　delusion　or　an　enchantment　affair；　like　everything
belonging　to　thy　master　Don　Quixote；　and　Samson　says　he　must　go　in
search　of　thee　and　drive　the　government　out　of　thy　head　and　the
madness　out　of　Don　Quixote's　skull；　I　only　laugh；　and　look　at　my
string　of　beads；　and　plan　out　the　dress　I　am　going　to　make　for　our
daughter　out　of　thy　suit。　I　sent　some　acorns　to　my　lady　the　duchess；　I
wish　they　had　been　gold。　Send　me　some　strings　of　pearls　if　they　are　in
fashion　in　that　island。　Here　is　the　news　of　the　village；　La　Berrueca
has　married　her　daughter　to　a　good…for…nothing　painter；　who　came
here　to　paint　anything　that　might　turn　up。　The　council　gave　him　an
order　to　paint　his　Majesty's　arms　over　the　door　of　the　town…hall；　he
asked　two　ducats；　which　they　paid　him　in　advance；　he　worked　for
eight　days；　and　at　the　end　of　them　had　nothing　painted；　and　then
said　he　had　no　turn　for　painting　such　trifling　things；　he　returned　the
money；　and　for　all　that　has　married　on　the　pretence　of　being　a　good
workman；　to　be　sure　he　has　now　laid　aside　his　paint…brush　and　taken
a　spade　in　hand；　and　goes　to　the　field　like　a　gentleman。　Pedro
Lobo's　son　has　received　the　first　orders　and　tonsure；　with　the
intention　of　becoming　a　priest。　Minguilla；　Mingo　Silvato's
granddaughter；　found　it　out；　and　has　gone　to　law　with　him　on　the　score
of　having　given　her　promise　of　marriage。　Evil　tongues　say　she　is
with　child　by　him；　but　he　denies　it　stoutly。　There　are　no　olives
this　year；　and　there　is　not　a　drop　of　vinegar　to　be　had　in　the　whole
village。　A　company　of　soldiers　passed　through　here；　when　they　left
they　took　away　with　them　three　of　the　girls　of　the　village；　I　will　not
tell　thee　who　they　are；　perhaps　they　will　come　back；　and　they　will
be　sure　to　find　those　who　will　take　them　for　wives　with　all　their
blemishes；　good　or　bad。　Sanchica　is　making　bonelace；　she　earns　eight
maravedis　a　day　clear；　which　she　puts　into　a　moneybox　as　a　help
towards　house　furnishing；　but　now　that　she　is　a　governor's　daughter
thou　wilt　give　her　a　portion　without　her　working　for　it。　The
fountain　in　the　plaza　has　run　dry。　A　flash　of　lightning　struck　the
gibbet；　and　I　wish　they　all　lit　there。　I　look　for　an　answer　to　this；
and　to　know　thy　mind　about　my　going　to　the　Court；　and　so；　God　keep
thee　longer　than　me；　or　as　long；　for　I　would　not　leave　thee　in　this
world　without　me。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thy　wife；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA。

　　The　letters　were　applauded；　laughed　over；　relished；　and　admired；　and
then；　as　if　to　put　the　seal　to　the　business；　the　courier　arrived；
bringing　the　one　Sancho　sent　to　Don　Quixote；　and　this；　too；　was　read
out；　and　it　raised　some　doubts　as　to　the　governor's　simplicity。　The
duchess　withdrew　to　hear　from　the　page　about　his　adventures　in
Sancho's　village；　which　he　narrated　at　full　length　without　leaving　a
single　circumstance　unmentioned。　He　gave　her　the　acorns；　and　also　a
cheese　which　Teresa　had　given　him　as　being　particularly　good　and
superior　to　those　of　Tronchon。　The　duchess　received　it　with　greatest
delight；　in　which　we　will　leave　her；　to　describe　the　end　of　the
government　of　the　great　Sancho　Panza；　flower　and　mirror　of　all
governors　of　islands。


　　CHAPTER　LIII
　　OF　THE　TROUBLOUS　END　AND　TERMINATION　SANCHO　PANZA'S　GOVERNMENT
CAME　TO

　　TO　FANCY　that　in　this　life　anything　belonging　to　it　will　remain
for　ever　in　the　same　state　is　an　idle　fancy；　on　the　contrary；　in　it
everything　seems　to　go　in　a　circle；　I　mean　round　and　round。　The　spring
succeeds　the　summer；　the　summer　the　fall；　the　fall　the　autumn；　the
autumn　the　winter；　and　the　winter　the　spring；　and　so　time　rolls　with
never…ceasing　wheel。　Man's　life　alone；　swifter　than　time；　speeds
onward　to　its　end　without　any　hope　of　renewal；　save　it　be　in　that
other　life　which　is　endless　and　boundless。　Thus　saith　Cide　Hamete
the　Mahometan　philosopher；　for　there　are　many　that　by　the　light　of
nature　alone；　without　the　light　of　faith；　have　a　comprehension　of
the　fleeting　nature　and　instability　of　this　present　life　and　the
endless　duration　of　that　eternal　life　we　hope　for；　but　our　author　is
here　speaking　of　the　rapidity　with　which　Sancho's　government　came　to
an　end；　melted　away；　disappeared；　vanished　as　it　were　in　smoke　and
shadow。　For　as　he　lay　in　bed　on　the　night　of　the　seventh　day　of　his
government；　sated；　not　with　bread　and　wine；　but　with　delivering
judgments　and　giving　opinions　and　making　laws　and　proclamations；
just　as　sleep；　in　spite　of　hunger；　was　beginning　to　close　his　eyelids；
he　heard　such　a　noise　of　bell…ringing　and　shouting　that　one　would　have
fancied　the　whole　island　was　going　to　the　bottom。　He　sat　up　in　bed　and
remained　listening　intently　to　try　if　he　could　make　out　what　could
be　the　cause　of　so　great　an　uproar；　not　only；　however；　was　he　unable
to　discover　what　it　was；　but　as　countless　drums　and　trumpets　now
helped　to　swell　the　din　of　the　bells　and　shouts；　he　was　more　puzzled
than　ever；　and　filled　with　fear　and　terror；　and　getting　up　he　put　on　a
pair　of　slippers　because　of　the　dampness　of　the　floor；　and　without
throwing　a　dressing　gown　or　anything　of　the　kind　over　him　he　rushed
out　of　the　door　of　his　room；　just　in　time　to　see　approaching　along　a
corridor　a　band　of　more　than　twenty　persons　with　lighted　torches　and
naked　swords　in　their　hands；　all　shouting　out；　〃To　arms；　to　arms；
senor　governor；　to　arms！　The　enemy　is　in　the　island　in　countless
numbers；　and　we　are　lost　unless　your　skill　and　valour　come　to　our
support。〃
　　Keeping　up　this　noise；　tumult；　and　uproar；　they　came　to　where　Sancho
stood　dazed　and　bewildered　by　what　he　saw　and　heard；　and　as　they
approached　one　of　them　called　out　to　him；　〃Arm　at　once；　your　lordship；
if　you　would　not　have　yourself　destroyed　and　the　whole　island　lost。〃
　　〃What　have　I　to　do　with　arming？〃　said　Sancho。　〃What　do　I　know
about　arms　or　supports？　Better　leave　all　that　to　my　master　Don
Quixote；　who　will　settle　it　and　make　all　safe　in　a　trice；　for　I；
sinner　that　I　am；　God　help　me；　don't　understand　these　scuffles。〃
　　〃Ah；　senor　governor；〃　said　another；　〃what　slackness　of　mettle　this
is！　Arm　yourself；　here　are　arms　for　you；　offensive　and　defensive；　come
out　to　the　plaza　and　be　our　leader　and　captain；　it　falls　upon　you　by
right；　for　you　are　our　governor。〃
　　〃Arm　me　then；　in　God's　name；〃　said　Sancho；　and　they　at　once　produced
two　large　shields　they　had　come　provided　with；　and　placed　them　upon
him　over　his　shirt；　without　letting　him　put　on　anything　else；　one
shield　in　front　and　the　other　behind；　and　passing　his　arms　through
openings　th