don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第223部分

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bench　with　such　rapidity　that　it　took　the　sight　out　of　poor　Sancho's
eyes；　and　he　made　quite　sure　that　the　devils　themselves　were　flying
away　with　him；　nor　did　they　leave　off　with　him　until　they　had　sent　him
back　along　the　left　side　and　deposited　him　on　the　poop；　and　the　poor
fellow　was　left　bruised　and　breathless　and　all　in　a　sweat；　and
unable　to　comprehend　what　it　was　that　had　happened　to　him。
　　Don　Quixote　when　he　saw　Sancho's　flight　without　wings　asked　the
general　if　this　was　a　usual　ceremony　with　those　who　came　on　board
the　galleys　for　the　first　time；　for；　if　so；　as　he　had　no　intention
of　adopting　them　as　a　profession；　he　had　no　mind　to　perform　such　feats
of　agility；　and　if　anyone　offered　to　lay　hold　of　him　to　whirl　him
about；　he　vowed　to　God　he　would　kick　his　soul　out；　and　as　he　said　this
he　stood　up　and　clapped　his　hand　upon　his　sword。　At　this　instant
they　struck　the　awning　and　lowered　the　yard　with　a　prodigious
rattle。　Sancho　thought　heaven　was　coming　off　its　hinges　and　going　to
fall　on　his　head；　and　full　of　terror　he　ducked　it　and　buried　it
between　his　knees；　nor　were　Don　Quixote's　knees　altogether　under
control；　for　he　too　shook　a　little；　squeezed　his　shoulders　together
and　lost　colour。　The　crew　then　hoisted　the　yard　with　the　same　rapidity
and　clatter　as　when　they　lowered　it；　all　the　while　keeping　silence
as　though　they　had　neither　voice　nor　breath。　The　boatswain　gave　the
signal　to　weigh　anchor；　and　leaping　upon　the　middle　of　the　gangway
began　to　lay　on　to　the　shoulders　of　the　crew　with　his　courbash　or
whip；　and　to　haul　out　gradually　to　sea。
　　When　Sancho　saw　so　many　red　feet　（for　such　he　took　the　oars　to　be）
moving　all　together；　he　said　to　himself；　〃It's　these　that　are　the　real
chanted　things；　and　not　the　ones　my　master　talks　of。　What　can　those
wretches　have　done　to　be　so　whipped；　and　how　does　that　one　man　who
goes　along　there　whistling　dare　to　whip　so　many？　I　declare　this　is
hell；　or　at　least　purgatory！〃
　　Don　Quixote；　observing　how　attentively　Sancho　regarded　what　was
going　on；　said　to　him；　〃Ah；　Sancho　my　friend；　how　quickly　and
cheaply　might　you　finish　off　the　disenchantment　of　Dulcinea；　if　you
would　strip　to　the　waist　and　take　your　place　among　those　gentlemen！
Amid　the　pain　and　sufferings　of　so　many　you　would　not　feel　your　own
much；　and　moreover　perhaps　the　sage　Merlin　would　allow　each　of　these
lashes；　being　laid　on　with　a　good　hand；　to　count　for　ten　of　those
which　you　must　give　yourself　at　last。〃
　　The　general　was　about　to　ask　what　these　lashes　were；　and　what　was
Dulcinea's　disenchantment；　when　a　sailor　exclaimed；　〃Monjui　signals
that　there　is　an　oared　vessel　off　the　coast　to　the　west。〃
　　On　hearing　this　the　general　sprang　upon　the　gangway　crying；　〃Now
then；　my　sons；　don't　let　her　give　us　the　slip！　It　must　be　some
Algerine　corsair　brigantine　that　the　watchtower　signals　to　us。〃　The
three　others　immediately　came　alongside　the　chief　galley　to　receive
their　orders。　The　general　ordered　two　to　put　out　to　sea　while　he
with　the　other　kept　in　shore；　so　that　in　this　way　the　vessel　could　not
escape　them。　The　crews　plied　the　oars　driving　the　galleys　so　furiously
that　they　seemed　to　fly。　The　two　that　had　put　out　to　sea；　after　a
couple　of　miles　sighted　a　vessel　which；　so　far　as　they　could　make　out；
they　judged　to　be　one　of　fourteen　or　fifteen　banks；　and　so　she　proved。
As　soon　as　the　vessel　discovered　the　galleys　she　went　about　with　the
object　and　in　the　hope　of　making　her　escape　by　her　speed；　but　the
attempt　failed；　for　the　chief　galley　was　one　of　the　fastest　vessels
afloat；　and　overhauled　her　so　rapidly　that　they　on　board　the
brigantine　saw　clearly　there　was　no　possibility　of　escaping；　and　the
rais　therefore　would　have　had　them　drop　their　oars　and　give　themselves
up　so　as　not　to　provoke　the　captain　in　command　of　our　galleys　to
anger。　But　chance；　directing　things　otherwise；　so　ordered　it　that　just
as　the　chief　galley　came　close　enough　for　those　on　board　the　vessel　to
hear　the　shouts　from　her　calling　on　them　to　surrender；　two　Toraquis；
that　is　to　say　two　Turks；　both　drunken；　that　with　a　dozen　more　were　on
board　the　brigantine；　discharged　their　muskets；　killing　two　of　the
soldiers　that　lined　the　sides　of　our　vessel。　Seeing　this　the　general
swore　he　would　not　leave　one　of　those　he　found　on　board　the　vessel
alive；　but　as　he　bore　down　furiously　upon　her　she　slipped　away　from
him　underneath　the　oars。　The　galley　shot　a　good　way　ahead；　those　on
board　the　vessel　saw　their　case　was　desperate；　and　while　the　galley
was　coming　about　they　made　sail；　and　by　sailing　and　rowing　once　more
tried　to　sheer　off；　but　their　activity　did　not　do　them　as　much　good　as
their　rashness　did　them　harm；　for　the　galley　coming　up　with　them　in
a　little　more　than　half　a　mile　threw　her　oars　over　them　and　took　the
whole　of　them　alive。　The　other　two　galleys　now　joined　company　and
all　four　returned　with　the　prize　to　the　beach；　where　a　vast
multitude　stood　waiting　for　them；　eager　to　see　what　they　brought　back。
The　general　anchored　close　in；　and　perceived　that　the　viceroy　of　the
city　was　on　the　shore。　He　ordered　the　skiff　to　push　off　to　fetch
him；　and　the　yard　to　be　lowered　for　the　purpose　of　hanging　forthwith
the　rais　and　the　rest　of　the　men　taken　on　board　the　vessel；　about
six…and…thirty　in　number；　all　smart　fellows　and　most　of　them　Turkish
musketeers。　He　asked　which　was　the　rais　of　the　brigantine；　and　was
answered　in　Spanish　by　one　of　the　prisoners　（who　afterwards　proved
to　he　a　Spanish　renegade）；　〃This　young　man；　senor　that　you　see　here　is
our　rais；〃　and　he　pointed　to　one　of　the　handsomest　and　most
gallant…looking　youths　that　could　be　imagined。　He　did　not　seem　to　be
twenty　years　of　age。
　　〃Tell　me；　dog；〃　said　the　general；　〃what　led　thee　to　kill　my
soldiers；　when　thou　sawest　it　was　impossible　for　thee　to　escape？　Is
that　the　way　to　behave　to　chief　galleys？　Knowest　thou　not　that
rashness　is　not　valour？　Faint　prospects　of　success　should　make　men
bold；　but　not　rash。〃
　　The　rais　was　about　to　reply；　but　the　general　could　not　at　that
moment　listen　to　him；　as　he　had　to　hasten　to　receive　the　viceroy；
who　was　now　coming　on　board　the　galley；　and　with　him　certain　of　his
attendants　and　some　of　the　people。
　　〃You　have　had　a　good　chase；　senor　general；〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃Your　excellency　shall　soon　see　how　good；　by　the　game　strung　up　to
this　yard；〃　replied　the　general。
　　〃How　so？〃　returned　the　viceroy。
　　〃Because；〃　said　the　general；　〃against　all　law；　reason；　and　usages　of
war　they　have　killed　on　my　hands　two　of　the　best　soldiers　on　board
these　galleys；　and　I　have　sworn　to　hang　every　man　that　I　have　taken；
but　above　all　this　youth　who　is　the　rais　of　the　brigantine；〃　and　he
pointed　to　him　as　he　stood　with　his　hands　already　bound　and　the　rope
round　his　neck；　ready　for　death。
　　The　viceroy　looked　at　him；　and　seeing　him　so　well…favoured；　so
graceful；　and　so　submissive；　he　felt　a　desire　to　spare　his　life；　the
comeliness　of　the　youth　furnishing　him　at　once　with　a　letter　of
recommendation。　He　therefore　questioned　him；　saying；　〃Tell　me；　rais；
art　thou　Turk；　Moor；　or　renegade？〃
　　To　which　the　youth　replied；　also　in　Spanish；　〃I　am　neither　Turk；　nor
Moor；　nor　renegade。〃
　　〃What　art　thou；　then？〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃A　Christian　woman；〃　replied　the　youth。
　　〃A　woman　and　a　Christian；　in　such　a　dress　and　in　such　circumstances！
It　is　more　marvellous　than　credible；〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃Suspend　the　execution　of　the　sentence；〃　said　the　youth；　〃your
vengeance　will　not　lose　much　by　waiting　while　I　tell　you　the　story
of　my　life。〃
　　What　heart　could　be　so　hard　as　not　to　he　softened　by　these　words；　at
any　rate　so　far　as　to　listen　to　what　the　unhappy　youth　had　to　say？　The
general　bade　him　say　what　he　pleased；　but　not　to　expect　pardon　for　his
flagrant　offence。　With　this　permission　the　youth　began　in　these　words。
　　〃Born　of　Morisco　parents；　I　am　of　that　nation；　more　unhappy　than
wise；　upon　which　of　late　a　sea　of　woes　has　poured　down。　In　the
course　of　our　misfortune　I　was　carried　to　Barbary　by　two　uncles　of
mine；　for　it　was　in　vain　that　I　declared　I　was　a　Christian；　as　in　fact
I　am；　and　not　a　mere　pretended　one；　or　outwardly；　but　a　true
Catholic　Christian。　It　availed　me　nothing　with　those　charged　with
our　sad　expatriation　to　protest　this；　nor　would　my　uncles　believe
it；　on　the　contrary；　they　treated　it　as　an　untruth　and　a　subterfuge
set　up　to　enable　me　to　remain　behind　in　the　land　of　my　birth；　and
so；　more　by　force　than　of　my　own　will；　they　took　me　with　them。　I　had　a
Christian　mother；　and　a　father　who　was　a　man　of　sound　sense　and　a
Christian　too；　I　imbibed　the　Catholic　faith　with　my　mother's　milk；　I
was　well　brought　up；　and　neither　in　word　nor　in　deed　did　I；　I　think；
show　any　sign　of　being　a　Morisco。　To　accompany　these　virtues；　for　such
I　hold　them；　my　beauty；　if　I　possess　any；　grew　with　my　growth；　and
great　as　was　the　seclusion　in　which　I　lived　it　was　not　so　great　but
that　a　young　gentleman；　Don　Gaspar　Gregorio　by　name；　eldest　son　of　a
gentleman　who　is　lord　of　a　village　near　ours；　contrived　to　find
opportunities　of　seeing　me。　How　he　saw　me；　how　we　met；　how　his　heart
was　lost　to　me；　and　mine　not　kept　from　him；　would　take　too　long　to
tell；　especially　at　a　moment　when　I　am　in　dre