don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第220部分

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with　him　that　day；　and　all　showed　honour　to　Don　Quixote　and　treated
him　as　a　knight…errant；　and　he　becoming　puffed　up　and　exalted　in
consequence　could　not　contain　himself　for　satisfaction。　Such　were
the　drolleries　of　Sancho　that　all　the　servants　of　the　house；　and　all
who　heard　him；　were　kept　hanging　upon　his　lips。　While　at　table　Don
Antonio　said　to　him；　〃We　hear；　worthy　Sancho；　that　you　are　so　fond
of　manjar　blanco　and　forced…meat　balls；　that　if　you　have　any　left；　you
keep　them　in　your　bosom　for　the　next　day。〃
　　〃No；　senor；　that's　not　true；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　I　am　more　cleanly
than　greedy；　and　my　master　Don　Quixote　here　knows　well　that　we　two　are
used　to　live　for　a　week　on　a　handful　of　acorns　or　nuts。　To　be　sure；　if
it　so　happens　that　they　offer　me　a　heifer；　I　run　with　a　halter；　I
mean；　I　eat　what　I'm　given；　and　make　use　of　opportunities　as　I　find
them；　but　whoever　says　that　I'm　an　out…of…the…way　eater　or　not
cleanly；　let　me　tell　him　that　he　is　wrong；　and　I'd　put　it　in　a
different　way　if　I　did　not　respect　the　honourable　beards　that　are　at
the　table。〃
　　〃Indeed；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃Sancho's　moderation　and　cleanliness
in　eating　might　be　inscribed　and　graved　on　plates　of　brass；　to　be　kept
in　eternal　remembrance　in　ages　to　come。　It　is　true　that　when　he　is
hungry　there　is　a　certain　appearance　of　voracity　about　him；　for　he
eats　at　a　great　pace　and　chews　with　both　jaws；　but　cleanliness　he　is
always　mindful　of；　and　when　he　was　governor　he　learned　how　to　eat
daintily；　so　much　so　that　he　eats　grapes；　and　even　pomegranate　pips；
with　a　fork。〃
　　〃What！〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃has　Sancho　been　a　governor？〃
　　〃Ay；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　of　an　island　called　Barataria。　I　governed　it
to　perfection　for　ten　days；　and　lost　my　rest　all　the　time；　and　learned
to　look　down　upon　all　the　governments　in　the　world；　I　got　out　of　it　by
taking　to　flight；　and　fell　into　a　pit　where　I　gave　myself　up　for　dead；
and　out　of　which　I　escaped　alive　by　a　miracle。〃
　　Don　Quixote　then　gave　them　a　minute　account　of　the　whole　affair　of
Sancho's　government；　with　which　he　greatly　amused　his　hearers。
　　On　the　cloth　being　removed　Don　Antonio；　taking　Don　Quixote　by　the
hand；　passed　with　him　into　a　distant　room　in　which　there　was　nothing
in　the　way　of　furniture　except　a　table；　apparently　of　jasper；
resting　on　a　pedestal　of　the　same；　upon　which　was　set　up；　after　the
fashion　of　the　busts　of　the　Roman　emperors；　a　head　which　seemed　to
be　of　bronze。　Don　Antonio　traversed　the　whole　apartment　with　Don
Quixote　and　walked　round　the　table　several　times；　and　then　said；　〃Now；
Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　I　am　satisfied　that　no　one　is　listening　to　us；
and　that　the　door　is　shut；　I　will　tell　you　of　one　of　the　rarest
adventures；　or　more　properly　speaking　strange　things；　that　can　be
imagined；　on　condition　that　you　will　keep　what　I　say　to　you　in　the
remotest　recesses　of　secrecy。〃
　　〃I　swear　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　for　greater　security　I　will　put
a　flag…stone　over　it；　for　I　would　have　you　know；　Senor　Don　Antonio〃
（he　had　by　this　time　learned　his　name）；　〃that　you　are　addressing　one
who；　though　he　has　ears　to　hear；　has　no　tongue　to　speak；　so　that　you
may　safely　transfer　whatever　you　have　in　your　bosom　into　mine；　and
rely　upon　it　that　you　have　consigned　it　to　the　depths　of　silence。〃
　　〃In　reliance　upon　that　promise；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃I　will
astonish　you　with　what　you　shall　see　and　hear；　and　relieve　myself　of
some　of　the　vexation　it　gives　me　to　have　no　one　to　whom　I　can
confide　my　secrets；　for　they　are　not　of　a　sort　to　be　entrusted　to
everybody。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　puzzled；　wondering　what　could　be　the　object　of
such　precautions；　whereupon　Don　Antonio　taking　his　hand　passed　it　over
the　bronze　head　and　the　whole　table　and　the　pedestal　of　jasper　on
which　it　stood；　and　then　said；　〃This　head；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　has　been
made　and　fabricated　by　one　of　the　greatest　magicians　and　wizards　the
world　ever　saw；　a　Pole；　I　believe；　by　birth；　and　a　pupil　of　the　famous
Escotillo　of　whom　such　marvellous　stories　are　told。　He　was　here　in
my　house；　and　for　a　consideration　of　a　thousand　crowns　that　I　gave　him
he　constructed　this　head；　which　has　the　property　and　virtue　of
answering　whatever　questions　are　put　to　its　ear。　He　observed　the
points　of　the　compass；　he　traced　figures；　he　studied　the　stars；　he
watched　favourable　moments；　and　at　length　brought　it　to　the　perfection
we　shall　see　to…morrow；　for　on　Fridays　it　is　mute；　and　this　being
Friday　we　must　wait　till　the　next　day。　In　the　interval　your　worship
may　consider　what　you　would　like　to　ask　it；　and　I　know　by　experience
that　in　all　its　answers　it　tells　the　truth。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　amazed　at　the　virtue　and　property　of　the　head；　and
was　inclined　to　disbelieve　Don　Antonio；　but　seeing　what　a　short　time
he　had　to　wait　to　test　the　matter；　he　did　not　choose　to　say　anything
except　that　he　thanked　him　for　having　revealed　to　him　so　mighty　a
secret。　They　then　quitted　the　room；　Don　Antonio　locked　the　door；　and
they　repaired　to　the　chamber　where　the　rest　of　the　gentlemen　were
assembled。　In　the　meantime　Sancho　had　recounted　to　them　several　of　the
adventures　and　accidents　that　had　happened　his　master。
　　That　afternoon　they　took　Don　Quixote　out　for　a　stroll；　not　in　his
armour　but　in　street　costume；　with　a　surcoat　of　tawny　cloth　upon
him；　that　at　that　season　would　have　made　ice　itself　sweat。　Orders　were
left　with　the　servants　to　entertain　Sancho　so　as　not　to　let　him
leave　the　house。　Don　Quixote　was　mounted；　not　on　Rocinante；　but　upon　a
tall　mule　of　easy　pace　and　handsomely　caparisoned。　They　put　the
surcoat　on　him；　and　on　the　back；　without　his　perceiving　it；　they
stitched　a　parchment　on　which　they　wrote　in　large　letters；　〃This　is
Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha。〃　As　they　set　out　upon　their　excursion　the
placard　attracted　the　eyes　of　all　who　chanced　to　see　him；　and　as
they　read　out；　〃This　is　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　Don　Quixote　was
amazed　to　see　how　many　people　gazed　at　him；　called　him　by　his　name；
and　recognised　him；　and　turning　to　Don　Antonio；　who　rode　at　his
side；　he　observed　to　him；　〃Great　are　the　privileges　knight…errantry
involves；　for　it　makes　him　who　professes　it　known　and　famous　in
every　region　of　the　earth；　see；　Don　Antonio；　even　the　very　boys　of
this　city　know　me　without　ever　having　seen　me。〃
　　〃True；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　returned　Don　Antonio；　〃for　as　fire　cannot
be　hidden　or　kept　secret；　virtue　cannot　escape　being　recognised；　and
that　which　is　attained　by　the　profession　of　arms　shines
distinguished　above　all　others。〃
　　It　came　to　pass；　however；　that　as　Don　Quixote　was　proceeding　amid
the　acclamations　that　have　been　described；　a　Castilian；　reading　the
inscription　on　his　back；　cried　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃The　devil　take
thee　for　a　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha！　What！　art　thou　here；　and　not　dead
of　the　countless　drubbings　that　have　fallen　on　thy　ribs？　Thou　art　mad；
and　if　thou　wert　so　by　thyself；　and　kept　thyself　within　thy　madness；
it　would　not　be　so　bad；　but　thou　hast　the　gift　of　making　fools　and
blockheads　of　all　who　have　anything　to　do　with　thee　or　say　to　thee。
Why；　look　at　these　gentlemen　bearing　thee　company！　Get　thee　home；
blockhead；　and　see　after　thy　affairs；　and　thy　wife　and　children；　and
give　over　these　fooleries　that　are　sapping　thy　brains　and　skimming
away　thy　wits。〃
　　〃Go　your　own　way；　brother；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃and　don't　offer
advice　to　those　who　don't　ask　you　for　it。　Senor　Don　Quixote　is　in
his　full　senses；　and　we　who　bear　him　company　are　not　fools；　virtue
is　to　be　honoured　wherever　it　may　be　found；　go；　and　bad　luck　to　you；
and　don't　meddle　where　you　are　not　wanted。〃
　　〃By　God；　your　worship　is　right；〃　replied　the　Castilian；　〃for　to
advise　this　good　man　is　to　kick　against　the　pricks；　still　for　all　that
it　fills　me　with　pity　that　the　sound　wit　they　say　the　blockhead　has　in
everything　should　dribble　away　by　the　channel　of　his
knight…errantry；　but　may　the　bad　luck　your　worship　talks　of　follow
me　and　all　my　descendants；　if；　from　this　day　forth；　though　I　should
live　longer　than　Methuselah；　I　ever　give　advice　to　anybody　even　if
he　asks　me　for　it。〃
　　The　advice…giver　took　himself　off；　and　they　continued　their
stroll；　but　so　great　was　the　press　of　the　boys　and　people　to　read
the　placard；　that　Don　Antonio　was　forced　to　remove　it　as　if　he　were
taking　off　something　else。
　　Night　came　and　they　went　home；　and　there　was　a　ladies'　dancing
party；　for　Don　Antonio's　wife；　a　lady　of　rank　and　gaiety；　beauty　and
wit；　had　invited　some　friends　of　hers　to　come　and　do　honour　to　her
guest　and　amuse　themselves　with　his　strange　delusions。　Several　of　them
came；　they　supped　sumptuously；　the　dance　began　at　about　ten　o'clock。
Among　the　ladies　were　two　of　a　mischievous　and　frolicsome　turn；　and；
though　perfectly　modest；　somewhat　free　in　playing　tricks　for
harmless　diversion　sake。　These　two　were　so　indefatigable　in　taking　Don
Quixote　out　to　dance　that　they　tired　him　down；　not　only　in　body　but　in
spirit。　It　was　a　sight　to　see　the　figure　Don　Quixote　made；　long；　lank；
lean；　and　yellow；　his　garments　clinging　tight　to　him；　ungainly；　and
above　all　anything　but　agile。　The　gay　ladies　made　secret　love　to
him；　and　he　on　his　part　secretly　repelled　them；　but　finding　himself
hard　pressed　by　their　blandishm