don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第21部分

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do　I　deserve　reproach　for　being　beautiful；　for　beauty　in　a　modest
woman　is　like　fire　at　a　distance　or　a　sharp　sword；　the　one　does　not
burn；　the　other　does　not　cut；　those　who　do　not　come　too　near。　Honour
and　virtue　are　the　ornaments　of　the　mind；　without　which　the　body；
though　it　be　so；　has　no　right　to　pass　for　beautiful；　but　if　modesty　is
one　of　the　virtues　that　specially　lend　a　grace　and　charm　to　mind　and
body；　why　should　she　who　is　loved　for　her　beauty　part　with　it　to
gratify　one　who　for　his　pleasure　alone　strives　with　all　his　might
and　energy　to　rob　her　of　it？　I　was　born　free；　and　that　I　might　live　in
freedom　I　chose　the　solitude　of　the　fields；　in　the　trees　of　the
mountains　I　find　society；　the　clear　waters　of　the　brooks　are　my
mirrors；　and　to　the　trees　and　waters　I　make　known　my　thoughts　and
charms。　I　am　a　fire　afar　off；　a　sword　laid　aside。　Those　whom　I　have
inspired　with　love　by　letting　them　see　me；　I　have　by　words　undeceived；
and　if　their　longings　live　on　hope…　and　I　have　given　none　to
Chrysostom　or　to　any　other…　it　cannot　justly　be　said　that　the　death　of
any　is　my　doing；　for　it　was　rather　his　own　obstinacy　than　my　cruelty
that　killed　him；　and　if　it　be　made　a　charge　against　me　that　his　wishes
were　honourable；　and　that　therefore　I　was　bound　to　yield　to　them；　I
answer　that　when　on　this　very　spot　where　now　his　grave　is　made　he
declared　to　me　his　purity　of　purpose；　I　told　him　that　mine　was　to　live
in　perpetual　solitude；　and　that　the　earth　alone　should　enjoy　the
fruits　of　my　retirement　and　the　spoils　of　my　beauty；　and　if；　after
this　open　avowal；　he　chose　to　persist　against　hope　and　steer　against
the　wind；　what　wonder　is　it　that　he　should　sink　in　the　depths　of　his
infatuation？　If　I　had　encouraged　him；　I　should　be　false；　if　I　had
gratified　him；　I　should　have　acted　against　my　own　better　resolution
and　purpose。　He　was　persistent　in　spite　of　warning；　he　despaired
without　being　hated。　Bethink　you　now　if　it　be　reasonable　that　his
suffering　should　be　laid　to　my　charge。　Let　him　who　has　been　deceived
complain；　let　him　give　way　to　despair　whose　encouraged　hopes　have
proved　vain；　let　him　flatter　himself　whom　I　shall　entice；　let　him
boast　whom　I　shall　receive；　but　let　not　him　call　me　cruel　or
homicide　to　whom　I　make　no　promise；　upon　whom　I　practise　no　deception；
whom　I　neither　entice　nor　receive。　It　has　not　been　so　far　the　will
of　Heaven　that　I　should　love　by　fate；　and　to　expect　me　to　love　by
choice　is　idle。　Let　this　general　declaration　serve　for　each　of　my
suitors　on　his　own　account；　and　let　it　be　understood　from　this　time
forth　that　if　anyone　dies　for　me　it　is　not　of　jealousy　or　misery　he
dies；　for　she　who　loves　no　one　can　give　no　cause　for　jealousy　to
any；　and　candour　is　not　to　be　confounded　with　scorn。　Let　him　who　calls
me　wild　beast　and　basilisk；　leave　me　alone　as　something　noxious　and
evil；　let　him　who　calls　me　ungrateful；　withhold　his　service；　who　calls
me　wayward；　seek　not　my　acquaintance；　who　calls　me　cruel；　pursue　me
not；　for　this　wild　beast；　this　basilisk；　this　ungrateful；　cruel；
wayward　being　has　no　kind　of　desire　to　seek；　serve；　know；　or　follow
them。　If　Chrysostom's　impatience　and　violent　passion　killed　him；　why
should　my　modest　behaviour　and　circumspection　be　blamed？　If　I　preserve
my　purity　in　the　society　of　the　trees；　why　should　he　who　would　have　me
preserve　it　among　men；　seek　to　rob　me　of　it？　I　have；　as　you　know；
wealth　of　my　own；　and　I　covet　not　that　of　others；　my　taste　is　for
freedom；　and　I　have　no　relish　for　constraint；　I　neither　love　nor
hate　anyone；　I　do　not　deceive　this　one　or　court　that；　or　trifle　with
one　or　play　with　another。　The　modest　converse　of　the　shepherd　girls　of
these　hamlets　and　the　care　of　my　goats　are　my　recreations；　my
desires　are　bounded　by　these　mountains；　and　if　they　ever　wander
hence　it　is　to　contemplate　the　beauty　of　the　heavens；　steps　by　which
the　soul　travels　to　its　primeval　abode。〃
　　With　these　words；　and　not　waiting　to　hear　a　reply；　she　turned　and
passed　into　the　thickest　part　of　a　wood　that　was　hard　by；　leaving
all　who　were　there　lost　in　admiration　as　much　of　her　good　sense　as
of　her　beauty。　Some…　those　wounded　by　the　irresistible　shafts　launched
by　her　bright　eyes…　made　as　though　they　would　follow　her；　heedless
of　the　frank　declaration　they　had　heard；　seeing　which；　and　deeming
this　a　fitting　occasion　for　the　exercise　of　his　chivalry　in　aid　of
distressed　damsels；　Don　Quixote；　laying　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his
sword；　exclaimed　in　a　loud　and　distinct　voice：
　　〃Let　no　one；　whatever　his　rank　or　condition；　dare　to　follow　the
beautiful　Marcela；　under　pain　of　incurring　my　fierce　indignation。
She　has　shown　by　clear　and　satisfactory　arguments　that　little　or　no
fault　is　to　be　found　with　her　for　the　death　of　Chrysostom；　and　also
how　far　she　is　from　yielding　to　the　wishes　of　any　of　her　lovers；　for
which　reason；　instead　of　being　followed　and　persecuted；　she　should
in　justice　be　honoured　and　esteemed　by　all　the　good　people　of　the
world；　for　she　shows　that　she　is　the　only　woman　in　it　that　holds　to
such　a　virtuous　resolution。〃
　　Whether　it　was　because　of　the　threats　of　Don　Quixote；　or　because
Ambrosio　told　them　to　fulfil　their　duty　to　their　good　friend；　none
of　the　shepherds　moved　or　stirred　from　the　spot　until；　having　finished
the　grave　and　burned　Chrysostom's　papers；　they　laid　his　body　in　it；
not　without　many　tears　from　those　who　stood　by。　They　closed　the
grave　with　a　heavy　stone　until　a　slab　was　ready　which　Ambrosio　said　he
meant　to　have　prepared；　with　an　epitaph　which　was　to　be　to　this
effect：

　　　　　　　　　Beneath　the　stone　before　your　eyes
　　　　　　　　　The　body　of　a　lover　lies；
　　　　　　　　　In　life　he　was　a　shepherd　swain；
　　　　　　　　　In　death　a　victim　to　disdain。
　　　　　　　　　Ungrateful；　cruel；　coy；　and　fair；
　　　　　　　　　Was　she　that　drove　him　to　despair；
　　　　　　　　　And　Love　hath　made　her　his　ally
　　　　　　　　　For　spreading　wide　his　tyranny。

They　then　strewed　upon　the　grave　a　profusion　of　flowers　and
branches；　and　all　expressing　their　condolence　with　his　friend
ambrosio；　took　their　Vivaldo　and　his　companion　did　the　same；　and　Don
Quixote　bade　farewell　to　his　hosts　and　to　the　travellers；　who
pressed　him　to　come　with　them　to　Seville；　as　being　such　a　convenient
place　for　finding　adventures；　for　they　presented　themselves　in　every
street　and　round　every　corner　oftener　than　anywhere　else。　Don
Quixote　thanked　them　for　their　advice　and　for　the　disposition　they
showed　to　do　him　a　favour；　and　said　that　for　the　present　he　would　not；
and　must　not　go　to　Seville　until　he　had　cleared　all　these　mountains　of
highwaymen　and　robbers；　of　whom　report　said　they　were　full。　Seeing　his
good　intention；　the　travellers　were　unwilling　to　press　him　further；
and　once　more　bidding　him　farewell；　they　left　him　and　pursued　their
journey；　in　the　course　of　which　they　did　not　fail　to　discuss　the　story
of　Marcela　and　Chrysostom　as　well　as　the　madness　of　Don　Quixote。　He；
on　his　part；　resolved　to　go　in　quest　of　the　shepherdess　Marcela；　and
make　offer　to　her　of　all　the　service　he　could　render　her；　but　things
did　not　fall　out　with　him　as　he　expected；　according　to　what　is　related
in　the　course　of　this　veracious　history；　of　which　the　Second　Part　ends
here。

　　CHAPTER　XV
　　IN　WHICH　IS　RELATED　THE　UNFORTUNATE　ADVENTURE　THAT　DON　QUIXOTE
FELL　IN　WITH　WHEN　HE　FELL　OUT　WITH　CERTAIN　HEARTLESS　YANGUESANS

　　THE　sage　Cide　Hamete　Benengeli　relates　that　as　soon　as　Don　Quixote
took　leave　of　his　hosts　and　all　who　had　been　present　at　the　burial
of　Chrysostom；　he　and　his　squire　passed　into　the　same　wood　which
they　had　seen　the　shepherdess　Marcela　enter；　and　after　having　wandered
for　more　than　two　hours　in　all　directions　in　search　of　her　without
finding　her；　they　came　to　a　halt　in　a　glade　covered　with　tender　grass；
beside　which　ran　a　pleasant　cool　stream　that　invited　and　compelled
them　to　pass　there　the　hours　of　the　noontide　heat；　which　by　this
time　was　beginning　to　come　on　oppressively。　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho
dismounted；　and　turning　Rocinante　and　the　ass　loose　to　feed　on　the
grass　that　was　there　in　abundance；　they　ransacked　the　alforjas；　and
without　any　ceremony　very　peacefully　and　sociably　master　and　man
made　their　repast　on　what　they　found　in　them。　Sancho　had　not　thought
it　worth　while　to　hobble　Rocinante；　feeling　sure；　from　what　he　knew　of
his　staidness　and　freedom　from　incontinence；　that　all　the　mares　in　the
Cordova　pastures　would　not　lead　him　into　an　impropriety。　Chance；
however；　and　the　devil；　who　is　not　always　asleep；　so　ordained　it
that　feeding　in　this　valley　there　was　a　drove　of　Galician　ponies
belonging　to　certain　Yanguesan　carriers；　whose　way　it　is　to　take　their
midday　rest　with　their　teams　in　places　and　spots　where　grass　and　water
abound；　and　that　where　Don　Quixote　chanced　to　be　suited　the
Yanguesans'　purpose　very　well。　It　so　happened；　then；　that　Rocinante
took　a　fancy　to　disport　himself　with　their　ladyships　the　ponies；　and
abandoning　his　usual　gait　and　demeanour　as　he　scented　them；　he；
without　asking　leave　of　his　master；　got　up　a　briskish　little　trot
and　hastened　to　make　known　his　wishes　to　them；　they；　however；　it
seemed；　preferred　their　pasture　to　him；　and　received　him　with　their
heels　and　teeth　to　such　effect　that　they　soon　broke　his　girths　a