don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第210部分

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that　was　claimed　against　him　and　from　all　obligations　to　give
satisfaction。　The　master　of　the　ceremonies　apportioned　the　sun　to
them；　and　stationed　them；　each　on　the　spot　where　he　was　to　stand。
The　drums　beat；　the　sound　of　the　trumpets　filled　the　air；　the　earth
trembled　under　foot；　the　hearts　of　the　gazing　crowd　were　full　of
anxiety；　some　hoping　for　a　happy　issue；　some　apprehensive　of　an
untoward　ending　to　the　affair；　and　lastly；　Don　Quixote；　commending
himself　with　all　his　heart　to　God　our　Lord　and　to　the　lady　Dulcinea
del　Toboso；　stood　waiting　for　them　to　give　the　necessary　signal　for
the　onset。　Our　lacquey；　however；　was　thinking　of　something　very
different；　he　only　thought　of　what　I　am　now　going　to　mention。
　　It　seems　that　as　he　stood　contemplating　his　enemy　she　struck　him
as　the　most　beautiful　woman　he　had　ever　seen　all　his　life；　and　the
little　blind　boy　whom　in　our　streets　they　commonly　call　Love　had　no
mind　to　let　slip　the　chance　of　triumphing　over　a　lacquey　heart；　and
adding　it　to　the　list　of　his　trophies；　and　so；　stealing　gently　upon
him　unseen；　he　drove　a　dart　two　yards　long　into　the　poor　lacquey's
left　side　and　pierced　his　heart　through　and　through；　which　he　was　able
to　do　quite　at　his　ease；　for　Love　is　invisible；　and　comes　in　and
goes　out　as　he　likes；　without　anyone　calling　him　to　account　for　what
he　does。　Well　then；　when　they　gave　the　signal　for　the　onset　our
lacquey　was　in　an　ecstasy；　musing　upon　the　beauty　of　her　whom　he　had
already　made　mistress　of　his　liberty；　and　so　he　paid　no　attention　to
the　sound　of　the　trumpet；　unlike　Don　Quixote；　who　was　off　the
instant　he　heard　it；　and；　at　the　highest　speed　Rocinante　was　capable
of；　set　out　to　meet　his　enemy；　his　good　squire　Sancho　shouting　lustily
as　he　saw　him　start；　〃God　guide　thee；　cream　and　flower　of
knights…errant！　God　give　thee　the　victory；　for　thou　hast　the　right
on　thy　side！〃　But　though　Tosilos　saw　Don　Quixote　coming　at　him　he
never　stirred　a　step　from　the　spot　where　he　was　posted；　and　instead　of
doing　so　called　loudly　to　the　marshal　of　the　field；　to　whom　when　he
came　up　to　see　what　he　wanted　he　said；　〃Senor；　is　not　this　battle　to
decide　whether　I　marry　or　do　not　marry　that　lady？〃　〃Just　so；〃　was
the　answer。　〃Well　then；〃　said　the　lacquey；　〃I　feel　qualms　of
conscience；　and　I　should　lay　a…heavy　burden　upon　it　if　I　were　to
proceed　any　further　with　the　combat；　I　therefore　declare　that　I
yield　myself　vanquished；　and　that　I　am　willing　to　marry　the　lady　at
once。〃
　　The　marshal　of　the　field　was　lost　in　astonishment　at　the　words　of
Tosilos；　and　as　he　was　one　of　those　who　were　privy　to　the
arrangement　of　the　affair　he　knew　not　what　to　say　in　reply。　Don
Quixote　pulled　up　in　mid　career　when　he　saw　that　his　enemy　was　not
coming　on　to　the　attack。　The　duke　could　not　make　out　the　reason　why
the　battle　did　not　go　on；　but　the　marshal　of　the　field　hastened　to　him
to　let　him　know　what　Tosilos　said；　and　he　was　amazed　and　extremely
angry　at　it。　In　the　meantime　Tosilos　advanced　to　where　Dona
Rodriguez　sat　and　said　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Senora；　I　am　willing　to　marry
your　daughter；　and　I　have　no　wish　to　obtain　by　strife　and　fighting
what　I　can　obtain　in　peace　and　without　any　risk　to　my　life。〃
　　The　valiant　Don　Quixote　heard　him；　and　said；　〃As　that　is　the　case
I　am　released　and　absolved　from　my　promise；　let　them　marry　by　all
means；　and　as　'God　our　Lord　has　given　her；　may　Saint　Peter　add　his
blessing。'〃
　　The　duke　had　now　descended　to　the　courtyard　of　the　castle；　and　going
up　to　Tosilos　he　said　to　him；　〃Is　it　true；　sir　knight；　that　you
yield　yourself　vanquished；　and　that　moved　by　scruples　of　conscience
you　wish　to　marry　this　damsel？〃
　　〃It　is；　senor；〃　replied　Tosilos。
　　〃And　he　does　well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　what　thou　hast　to　give　to
the　mouse；　give　to　the　cat；　and　it　will　save　thee　all　trouble。〃
　　Tosilos　meanwhile　was　trying　to　unlace　his　helmet；　and　he　begged
them　to　come　to　his　help　at　once；　as　his　power　of　breathing　was
failing　him；　and　he　could　not　remain　so　long　shut　up　in　that
confined　space。　They　removed　it　in　all　haste；　and　his　lacquey　features
were　revealed　to　public　gaze。　At　this　sight　Dona　Rodriguez　and　her
daughter　raised　a　mighty　outcry；　exclaiming；　〃This　is　a　trick！　This　is
a　trick！　They　have　put　Tosilos；　my　lord　the　duke's　lacquey；　upon　us　in
place　of　the　real　husband。　The　justice　of　God　and　the　king　against
such　trickery；　not　to　say　roguery！〃
　　〃Do　not　distress　yourselves；　ladies；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　this　is
no　trickery　or　roguery；　or　if　it　is；　it　is　not　the　duke　who　is　at
the　bottom　of　it；　but　those　wicked　enchanters　who　persecute　me；　and
who；　jealous　of　my　reaping　the　glory　of　this　victory；　have　turned　your
husband's　features　into　those　of　this　person；　who　you　say　is　a　lacquey
of　the　duke's；　take　my　advice；　and　notwithstanding　the　malice　of　my
enemies　marry　him；　for　beyond　a　doubt　he　is　the　one　you　wish　for　a
husband。〃
　　When　the　duke　heard　this　all　his　anger　was　near　vanishing　in　a　fit
of　laughter；　and　he　said；　〃The　things　that　happen　to　Senor　Don　Quixote
are　so　extraordinary　that　I　am　ready　to　believe　this　lacquey　of　mine
is　not　one；　but　let　us　adopt　this　plan　and　device；　let　us　put　off
the　marriage　for；　say；　a　fortnight；　and　let　us　keep　this　person
about　whom　we　are　uncertain　in　close　confinement；　and　perhaps　in　the
course　of　that　time　he　may　return　to　his　original　shape；　for　the　spite
which　the　enchanters　entertain　against　Senor　Don　Quixote　cannot　last
so　long；　especially　as　it　is　of　so　little　advantage　to　them　to
practise　these　deceptions　and　transformations。〃
　　〃Oh；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃those　scoundrels　are　well　used　to
changing　whatever　concerns　my　master　from　one　thing　into　another。　A
knight　that　he　overcame　some　time　back；　called　the　Knight　of　the
Mirrors；　they　turned　into　the　shape　of　the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco　of
our　town　and　a　great　friend　of　ours；　and　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso
they　have　turned　into　a　common　country　wench；　so　I　suspect　this
lacquey　will　have　to　live　and　die　a　lacquey　all　the　days　of　his　life。〃
　　Here　the　Rodriguez's　daughter　exclaimed；　〃Let　him　be　who　he　may；
this　man　that　claims　me　for　a　wife；　I　am　thankful　to　him　for　the　same；
for　I　had　rather　he　the　lawful　wife　of　a　lacquey　than　the　cheated
mistress　of　a　gentleman；　though　he　who　played　me　false　is　nothing　of
the　kind。〃
　　To　be　brief；　all　the　talk　and　all　that　had　happened　ended　in　Tosilos
being　shut　up　until　it　was　seen　how　his　transformation　turned　out。　All
hailed　Don　Quixote　as　victor；　but　the　greater　number　were　vexed　and
disappointed　at　finding　that　the　combatants　they　had　been　so　anxiously
waiting　for　had　not　battered　one　another　to　pieces；　just　as　the　boys
are　disappointed　when　the　man　they　are　waiting　to　see　hanged　does
not　come　out；　because　the　prosecution　or　the　court　has　pardoned　him。
The　people　dispersed；　the　duke　and　Don　Quixote　returned　to　the　castle；
they　locked　up　Tosilos；　Dona　Rodriguez　and　her　daughter　remained
perfectly　contented　when　they　saw　that　any　way　the　affair　must　end
in　marriage；　and　Tosilos　wanted　nothing　else。


　　 CHAPTER　LVII
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　HOW　DON　QUIXOTE　TOOK　LEAVE　OF　THE　DUKE；　AND　OF
WHAT　FOLLOWED　WITH　THE　WITTY　AND　IMPUDENT　ALTISIDORA；　ONE　OF　THE
DUCHESS'S　DAMSELS

　　DON　QUIXOTE　now　felt　it　right　to　quit　a　life　of　such　idleness　as
he　was　leading　in　the　castle；　for　he　fancied　that　he　was　making
himself　sorely　missed　by　suffering　himself　to　remain　shut　up　and
inactive　amid　the　countless　luxuries　and　enjoyments　his　hosts　lavished
upon　him　as　a　knight。　and　he　felt　too　that　he　would　have　to　render　a
strict　account　to　heaven　of　that　indolence　and　seclusion；　and　so　one
day　he　asked　the　duke　and　duchess　to　grant　him　permission　to　take
his　departure。　They　gave　it；　showing　at　the　same　time　that　they　were
very　sorry　he　was　leaving　them。　The　duchess　gave　his　wife's　letters　to
Sancho　Panza；　who　shed　tears　over　them；　saying；　〃Who　would　have
thought　that　such　grand　hopes　as　the　news　of　my　government　bred　in
my　wife　Teresa　Panza's　breast　would　end　in　my　going　back　now　to　the
vagabond　adventures　of　my　master　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha？　Still　I'm
glad　to　see　my　Teresa　behaved　as　she　ought　in　sending　the　acorns；
for　if　she　had　not　sent　them　I'd　have　been　sorry；　and　she'd　have　shown
herself　ungrateful。　It　is　a　comfort　to　me　that　they　can't　call　that
present　a　bribe；　for　I　had　got　the　government　already　when　she　sent
them；　and　it's　but　reasonable　that　those　who　have　had　a　good　turn　done
them　should　show　their　gratitude；　if　it's　only　with　a　trifle。　After
all　I　went　into　the　government　naked；　and　I　come　out　of　it　naked；　so　I
can　say　with　a　safe　conscience　…and　that's　no　small　matter…　'naked　I
was　born；　naked　I　find　myself；　I　neither　lose　nor　gain。'〃
　　Thus　did　Sancho　soliloquise　on　the　day　of　their　departure；　as　Don
Quixote；　who　had　the　night　before　taken　leave　of　the　duke　and　duchess；
coming　out　made　his　appearance　at　an　early　hour　in　full　armour　in
the　courtyard　of　the　castle。　The　whole　household　of　the　castle　were
watching　him　from　the　corridors；　and　the　duke　and　duchess；　too；　came
out　to　see　him。　Sancho　was　mounted　on　his　Dapple；　with　his　alforjas；
valise；　and　proven。　supremely　happy　because　the　duke's　majordomo；
the　same　that　had　acted