don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第230部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　　〃Never　have　I　heard　thee　speak　so　elegantly　as　now；　Sancho；〃　said
Don　Quixote；　〃and　here　I　begin　to　see　the　truth　of　the　proverb　thou
dost　sometimes　quote；　'Not　with　whom　thou　art　bred；　but　with　whom　thou
art　fed。'〃
　　〃Ha；　by　my　life；　master　mine；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it's　not　I　that　am
stringing　proverbs　now；　for　they　drop　in　pairs　from　your　worship's
mouth　faster　than　from　mine；　only　there　is　this　difference　between
mine　and　yours；　that　yours　are　well…timed　and　mine　are　untimely；　but
anyhow；　they　are　all　proverbs。〃
　　At　this　point　they　became　aware　of　a　harsh　indistinct　noise　that
seemed　to　spread　through　all　the　valleys　around。　Don　Quixote　stood
up　and　laid　his　hand　upon　his　sword；　and　Sancho　ensconced　himself
under　Dapple　and　put　the　bundle　of　armour　on　one　side　of　him　and　the
ass's　pack…saddle　on　the　other；　in　fear　and　trembling　as　great　as
Don　Quixote's　perturbation。　Each　instant　the　noise　increased　and
came　nearer　to　the　two　terrified　men；　or　at　least　to　one；　for　as　to
the　other；　his　courage　is　known　to　all。　The　fact　of　the　matter　was
that　some　men　were　taking　above　six　hundred　pigs　to　sell　at　a　fair；
and　were　on　their　way　with　them　at　that　hour；　and　so　great　was　the
noise　they　made　and　their　grunting　and　blowing；　that　they　deafened　the
ears　of　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　Panza；　and　they　could　not　make　out　what
it　was。　The　wide…spread　grunting　drove　came　on　in　a　surging　mass；
and　without　showing　any　respect　for　Don　Quixote's　dignity　or　Sancho's；
passed　right　over　the　pair　of　them；　demolishing　Sancho's
entrenchments；　and　not　only　upsetting　Don　Quixote　but　sweeping
Rocinante　off　his　feet　into　the　bargain；　and　what　with　the　trampling
and　the　grunting；　and　the　pace　at　which　the　unclean　beasts　went；
pack…saddle；　armour；　Dapple　and　Rocinante　were　left　scattered　on　the
ground　and　Sancho　and　Don　Quixote　at　their　wits'　end。
　　Sancho　got　up　as　well　as　he　could　and　begged　his　master　to　give
him　his　sword；　saying　he　wanted　to　kill　half　a　dozen　of　those　dirty
unmannerly　pigs；　for　he　had　by　this　time　found　out　that　that　was
what　they　were。
　　〃Let　them　be；　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃this　insult　is　the
penalty　of　my　sin；　and　it　is　the　righteous　chastisement　of　heaven　that
jackals　should　devour　a　vanquished　knight；　and　wasps　sting　him　and
pigs　trample　him　under　foot。〃
　　〃I　suppose　it　is　the　chastisement　of　heaven；　too；〃　said　Sancho；
〃that　flies　should　prick　the　squires　of　vanquished　knights；　and　lice
eat　them；　and　hunger　assail　them。　If　we　squires　were　the　sons　of　the
knights　we　serve；　or　their　very　near　relations；　it　would　be　no
wonder　if　the　penalty　of　their　misdeeds　overtook　us；　even　to　the
fourth　generation。　But　what　have　the　Panzas　to　do　with　the　Quixotes？
Well；　well；　let's　lie　down　again　and　sleep　out　what　little　of　the
night　there's　left；　and　God　will　send　us　dawn　and　we　shall　be　all
right。〃
　　〃Sleep　thou；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　thou　wast　born　to
sleep　as　I　was　born　to　watch；　and　during　the　time　it　now　wants　of　dawn
I　will　give　a　loose　rein　to　my　thoughts；　and　seek　a　vent　for　them　in　a
little　madrigal　which；　unknown　to　thee；　I　composed　in　my　head　last
night。〃
　　〃I　should　think；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　the　thoughts　that　allow　one
to　make　verses　cannot　be　of　great　consequence；　let　your　worship　string
verses　as　much　as　you　like　and　I'll　sleep　as　much　as　I　can；〃　and
forthwith；　taking　the　space　of　ground　he　required；　he　muffled
himself　up　and　fell　into　a　sound　sleep；　undisturbed　by　bond；　debt；
or　trouble　of　any　sort。　Don　Quixote；　propped　up　against　the　trunk　of　a
beech　or　a　cork　tree…　for　Cide　Hamete　does　not　specify　what　kind　of
tree　it　was…　sang　in　this　strain　to　the　accompaniment　of　his　own
sighs：

　　　　　　　　　When　in　my　mind
　　　　　　　I　muse；　O　Love；　upon　thy　cruelty；
　　　　　　　　　To　death　I　flee；
　　　　　　　In　hope　therein　the　end　of　all　to　find。

　　　　　　　　　But　drawing　near
　　　　　　　That　welcome　haven　in　my　sea　of　woe；
　　　　　　　　　Such　joy　I　know；
　　　　　　　That　life　revives；　and　still　I　linger　here。

　　　　　　　　　Thus　life　doth　slay；
　　　　　　　And　death　again　to　life　restoreth　me；
　　　　　　　　　Strange　destiny；
　　　　　　　That　deals　with　life　and　death　as　with　a　play！

　　He　accompanied　each　verse　with　many　sighs　and　not　a　few　tears；
just　like　one　whose　heart　was　pierced　with　grief　at　his　defeat　and　his
separation　from　Dulcinea。
　　And　now　daylight　came；　and　the　sun　smote　Sancho　on　the　eyes　with　his
beams。　He　awoke；　roused　himself　up；　shook　himself　and　stretched　his
lazy　limbs；　and　seeing　the　havoc　the　pigs　had　made　with　his　stores
he　cursed　the　drove；　and　more　besides。　Then　the　pair　resumed　their
journey；　and　as　evening　closed　in　they　saw　coming　towards　them　some
ten　men　on　horseback　and　four　or　five　on　foot。　Don　Quixote's　heart
beat　quick　and　Sancho's　quailed　with　fear；　for　the　persons　approaching
them　carried　lances　and　bucklers；　and　were　in　very　warlike　guise。
Don　Quixote　turned　to　Sancho　and　said；　〃If　I　could　make　use　of　my
weapons；　and　my　promise　had　not　tied　my　hands；　I　would　count　this　host
that　comes　against　us　but　cakes　and　fancy　bread；　but　perhaps　it　may
prove　something　different　from　what　we　apprehend。〃　The　men　on
horseback　now　came　up；　and　raising　their　lances　surrounded　Don　Quixote
in　silence；　and　pointed　them　at　his　back　and　breast；　menacing　him　with
death。　One　of　those　on　foot；　putting　his　finger　to　his　lips　as　a
sign　to　him　to　be　silent；　seized　Rocinante's　bridle　and　drew　him　out
of　the　road；　and　the　others　driving　Sancho　and　Dapple　before　them；　and
all　maintaining　a　strange　silence；　followed　in　the　steps　of　the　one
who　led　Don　Quixote。　The　latter　two　or　three　times　attempted　to　ask
where　they　were　taking　him　to　and　what　they　wanted；　but　the　instant　he
began　to　open　his　lips　they　threatened　to　close　them　with　the　points
of　their　lances；　and　Sancho　fared　the　same　way；　for　the　moment　he
seemed　about　to　speak　one　of　those　on　foot　punched　him　with　a　goad；
and　Dapple　likewise；　as　if　he　too　wanted　to　talk。　Night　set　in；　they
quickened　their　pace；　and　the　fears　of　the　two　prisoners　grew　greater；
especially　as　they　heard　themselves　assailed　with…　〃Get　on；　ye
Troglodytes；〃　〃Silence；　ye　barbarians；〃　〃March；　ye　cannibals；〃　〃No
murmuring；　ye　Scythians；〃　〃Don't　open　your　eyes；　ye　murderous
Polyphemes；　ye　blood…thirsty　lions；〃　and　suchlike　names　with　which
their　captors　harassed　the　ears　of　the　wretched　master　and　man。　Sancho
went　along　saying　to　himself；　〃We；　tortolites；　barbers；　animals！　I
don't　like　those　names　at　all；　'it's　in　a　bad　wind　our　corn　is　being
winnowed；'　'misfortune　comes　upon　us　all　at　once　like　sticks　on　a
dog；'　and　God　grant　it　may　be　no　worse　than　them　that　this　unlucky
adventure　has　in　store　for　us。〃
　　Don　Quixote　rode　completely　dazed；　unable　with　the　aid　of　all　his
wits　to　make　out　what　could　be　the　meaning　of　these　abusive　names　they
called　them；　and　the　only　conclusion　he　could　arrive　at　was　that　there
was　no　good　to　be　hoped　for　and　much　evil　to　be　feared。　And　now；　about
an　hour　after　midnight；　they　reached　a　castle　which　Don　Quixote　saw　at
once　was　the　duke's；　where　they　had　been　but　a　short　time　before。　〃God
bless　me！〃　said　he；　as　he　recognised　the　mansion；　〃what　does　this
mean？　It　is　all　courtesy　and　politeness　in　this　house；　but　with　the
vanquished　good　turns　into　evil；　and　evil　into　worse。〃
　　They　entered　the　chief　court　of　the　castle　and　found　it　prepared　and
fitted　up　in　a　style　that　added　to　their　amazement　and　doubled　their
fears；　as　will　be　seen　in　the　following　chapter。


　　CHAPTER　LXIX
　　OF　THE　STRANGEST　AND　MOST　EXTRAORDINARY　ADVENTURE　THAT　BEFELL　DON
QUIXOTE　IN　THE　WHOLE　COURSE　OF　THIS　GREAT　HISTORY

　　THE　horsemen　dismounted；　and；　together　with　the　men　on　foot；　without
a　moment's　delay　taking　up　Sancho　and　Don　Quixote　bodily；　they　carried
them　into　the　court；　all　round　which　near　a　hundred　torches　fixed　in
sockets　were　burning；　besides　above　five　hundred　lamps　in　the
corridors；　so　that　in　spite　of　the　night；　which　was　somewhat　dark；　the
want　of　daylight　could　not　be　perceived。　In　the　middle　of　the　court
was　a　catafalque；　raised　about　two　yards　above　the　ground　and
covered　completely　by　an　immense　canopy　of　black　velvet；　and　on　the
steps　all　round　it　white　wax　tapers　burned　in　more　than　a　hundred
silver　candlesticks。　Upon　the　catafalque　was　seen　the　dead　body　of　a
damsel　so　lovely　that　by　her　beauty　she　made　death　itself　look
beautiful。　She　lay　with　her　head　resting　upon　a　cushion　of　brocade　and
crowned　with　a　garland　of　sweet…smelling　flowers　of　divers　sorts；
her　hands　crossed　upon　her　bosom；　and　between　them　a　branch　of
yellow　palm　of　victory。　On　one　side　of　the　court　was　erected　a
stage；　where　upon　two　chairs　were　seated　two　persons　who　from　having
crowns　on　their　heads　and　sceptres　in　their　hands　appeared　to　be　kings
of　some　sort；　whether　real　or　mock　ones。　By　the　side　of　this　stage；
which　was　reached　by　steps；　were　two　other　chairs　on　which　the　men
carrying　the　prisoners　seated　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho；　all　in
silence；　and　by　signs　giving　them　to　understand　that　they　too　were
to　he　silent；　which；　however；　they　would　have　been　without　any
signs；　for　their　amazement　at　all　they　saw　held　them　tongue…tied。
And　now　two　persons　of　distinction；　who　were　at　once　recognised　by　Don
Quixo