don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第28部分

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near；　but　Don　Quixote　asserted　so　positively　that　they　were　armies
that　Sancho　was　led　to　believe　it　and　say；　〃Well；　and　what　are　we　to
do；　senor？〃
　　〃What？〃　said　Don　Quixote：　〃give　aid　and　assistance　to　the　weak　and
those　who　need　it；　and　thou　must　know；　Sancho；　that　this　which　comes
opposite　to　us　is　conducted　and　led　by　the　mighty　emperor　Alifanfaron；
lord　of　the　great　isle　of　Trapobana；　this　other　that　marches　behind　me
is　that　of　his　enemy　the　king　of　the　Garamantas；　Pentapolin　of　the
Bare　Arm；　for　he　always　goes　into　battle　with　his　right　arm　bare。〃
　　〃But　why　are　these　two　lords　such　enemies？〃
　　〃They　are　at　enmity；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃because　this　Alifanfaron
is　a　furious　pagan　and　is　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　Pentapolin；　who
is　a　very　beautiful　and　moreover　gracious　lady；　and　a　Christian；　and
her　father　is　unwilling　to　bestow　her　upon　the　pagan　king　unless　he
first　abandons　the　religion　of　his　false　prophet　Mahomet；　and　adopts
his　own。〃
　　〃By　my　beard；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　Pentapolin　does　quite　right；　and
I　will　help　him　as　much　as　I　can。〃
　　〃In　that　thou　wilt　do　what　is　thy　duty；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃for　to　engage　in　battles　of　this　sort　it　is　not　requisite　to　be　a
dubbed　knight。〃
　　〃That　I　can　well　understand；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃but　where　shall　we
put　this　ass　where　we　may　be　sure　to　find　him　after　the　fray　is
over？　for　I　believe　it　has　not　been　the　custom　so　far　to　go　into
battle　on　a　beast　of　this　kind。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　what　you　had　best　do　with　him
is　to　leave　him　to　take　his　chance　whether　he　be　lost　or　not；　for
the　horses　we　shall　have　when　we　come　out　victors　will　be　so　many　that
even　Rocinante　will　run　a　risk　of　being　changed　for　another。　But
attend　to　me　and　observe；　for　I　wish　to　give　thee　some　account　of
the　chief　knights　who　accompany　these　two　armies；　and　that　thou　mayest
the　better　see　and　mark；　let　us　withdraw　to　that　hillock　which　rises
yonder；　whence　both　armies　may　be　seen。〃
　　They　did　so；　and　placed　themselves　on　a　rising　ground　from　which　the
two　droves　that　Don　Quixote　made　armies　of　might　have　been　plainly
seen　if　the　clouds　of　dust　they　raised　had　not　obscured　them　and
blinded　the　sight；　nevertheless；　seeing　in　his　imagination　what　he　did
not　see　and　what　did　not　exist；　he　began　thus　in　a　loud　voice：
　　〃That　knight　whom　thou　seest　yonder　in　yellow　armour；　who　bears　upon
his　shield　a　lion　crowned　crouching　at　the　feet　of　a　damsel；　is　the
valiant　Laurcalco；　lord　of　the　Silver　Bridge；　that　one　in　armour
with　flowers　of　gold；　who　bears　on　his　shield　three　crowns　argent　on
an　azure　field；　is　the　dreaded　Micocolembo；　grand　duke　of　Quirocia；
that　other　of　gigantic　frame；　on　his　right　hand；　is　the　ever　dauntless
Brandabarbaran　de　Boliche；　lord　of　the　three　Arabias；　who　for　armour
wears　that　serpent　skin；　and　has　for　shield　a　gate　which；　according　to
tradition；　is　one　of　those　of　the　temple　that　Samson　brought　to　the
ground　when　by　his　death　he　revenged　himself　upon　his　enemies。　But
turn　thine　eyes　to　the　other　side；　and　thou　shalt　see　in　front　and
in　the　van　of　this　other　army　the　ever　victorious　and　never　vanquished
Timonel　of　Carcajona；　prince　of　New　Biscay；　who　comes　in　armour　with
arms　quartered　azure；　vert；　white；　and　yellow；　and　bears　on　his　shield
a　cat　or　on　a　field　tawny　with　a　motto　which　says　Miau；　which　is　the
beginning　of　the　name　of　his　lady；　who　according　to　report　is　the
peerless　Miaulina；　daughter　of　the　duke　Alfeniquen　of　the　Algarve；　the
other；　who　burdens　and　presses　the　loins　of　that　powerful　charger
and　bears　arms　white　as　snow　and　a　shield　blank　and　without　any
device；　is　a　novice　knight；　a　Frenchman　by　birth；　Pierres　Papin　by
name；　lord　of　the　baronies　of　Utrique；　that　other；　who　with
iron…shod　heels　strikes　the　flanks　of　that　nimble　parti…coloured
zebra；　and　for　arms　bears　azure　vair；　is　the　mighty　duke　of　Nerbia；
Espartafilardo　del　Bosque；　who　bears　for　device　on　his　shield　an
asparagus　plant　with　a　motto　in　Castilian　that　says；　Rastrea　mi
suerte。〃　And　so　he　went　on　naming　a　number　of　knights　of　one
squadron　or　the　other　out　of　his　imagination；　and　to　all　he　assigned
off…hand　their　arms；　colours；　devices；　and　mottoes；　carried　away　by
the　illusions　of　his　unheard…of　craze；　and　without　a　pause；　he
continued；　〃People　of　divers　nations　compose　this　squadron　in　front；
here　are　those　that　drink　of　the　sweet　waters　of　the　famous　Xanthus；
those　that　scour　the　woody　Massilian　plains；　those　that　sift　the
pure　fine　gold　of　Arabia　Felix；　those　that　enjoy　the　famed　cool
banks　of　the　crystal　Thermodon；　those　that　in　many　and　various　ways
divert　the　streams　of　the　golden　Pactolus；　the　Numidians；　faithless　in
their　promises；　the　Persians　renowned　in　archery；　the　Parthians　and
the　Medes　that　fight　as　they　fly；　the　Arabs　that　ever　shift　their
dwellings；　the　Scythians　as　cruel　as　they　are　fair；　the　Ethiopians
with　pierced　lips；　and　an　infinity　of　other　nations　whose　features　I
recognise　and　descry；　though　I　cannot　recall　their　names。　In　this
other　squadron　there　come　those　that　drink　of　the　crystal　streams　of
the　olive…bearing　Betis；　those　that　make　smooth　their　countenances
with　the　water　of　the　ever　rich　and　golden　Tagus；　those　that　rejoice
in　the　fertilising　flow　of　the　divine　Genil；　those　that　roam　the
Tartesian　plains　abounding　in　pasture；　those　that　take　their
pleasure　in　the　Elysian　meadows　of　Jerez；　the　rich　Manchegans
crowned　with　ruddy　ears　of　corn；　the　wearers　of　iron；　old　relics　of
the　Gothic　race；　those　that　bathe　in　the　Pisuerga　renowned　for　its
gentle　current；　those　that　feed　their　herds　along　the　spreading
pastures　of　the　winding　Guadiana　famed　for　its　hidden　course；　those
that　tremble　with　the　cold　of　the　pineclad　Pyrenees　or　the　dazzling
snows　of　the　lofty　Apennine；　in　a　word；　as　many　as　all　Europe　includes
and　contains。〃
　　Good　God！　what　a　number　of　countries　and　nations　he　named！　giving　to
each　its　proper　attributes　with　marvellous　readiness；　brimful　and
saturated　with　what　he　had　read　in　his　lying　books！　Sancho　Panza
hung　upon　his　words　without　speaking；　and　from　time　to　time　turned
to　try　if　he　could　see　the　knights　and　giants　his　master　was
describing；　and　as　he　could　not　make　out　one　of　them　he　said　to　him：
　　〃Senor；　devil　take　it　if　there's　a　sign　of　any　man　you　talk　of；
knight　or　giant；　in　the　whole　thing；　maybe　it's　all　enchantment；
like　the　phantoms　last　night。〃
　　〃How　canst　thou　say　that！〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃dost　thou　not　hear
the　neighing　of　the　steeds；　the　braying　of　the　trumpets；　the　roll　of
the　drums？〃
　　〃I　hear　nothing　but　a　great　bleating　of　ewes　and　sheep；〃　said
Sancho；　which　was　true；　for　by　this　time　the　two　flocks　had　come
close。
　　〃The　fear　thou　art　in；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃prevents　thee
from　seeing　or　hearing　correctly；　for　one　of　the　effects　of　fear　is　to
derange　the　senses　and　make　things　appear　different　from　what　they
are；　if　thou　art　in　such　fear；　withdraw　to　one　side　and　leave　me　to
myself；　for　alone　I　suffice　to　bring　victory　to　that　side　to　which　I
shall　give　my　aid；〃　and　so　saying　he　gave　Rocinante　the　spur；　and
putting　the　lance　in　rest；　shot　down　the　slope　like　a　thunderbolt。
Sancho　shouted　after　him；　crying；　〃Come　back；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　I　vow
to　God　they　are　sheep　and　ewes　you　are　charging！　Come　back！　Unlucky
the　father　that　begot　me！　what　madness　is　this！　Look；　there　is　no
giant；　nor　knight；　nor　cats；　nor　arms；　nor　shields　quartered　or　whole；
nor　vair　azure　or　bedevilled。　What　are　you　about？　Sinner　that　I　am
before　God！〃　But　not　for　all　these　entreaties　did　Don　Quixote　turn
back；　on　the　contrary　he　went　on　shouting　out；　〃Ho；　knights；　ye　who
follow　and　fight　under　the　banners　of　the　valiant　emperor　Pentapolin
of　the　Bare　Arm；　follow　me　all；　ye　shall　see　how　easily　I　shall　give
him　his　revenge　over　his　enemy　Alifanfaron　of　the　Trapobana。〃
　　So　saying；　he　dashed　into　the　midst　of　the　squadron　of　ewes；　and
began　spearing　them　with　as　much　spirit　and　intrepidity　as　if　he
were　transfixing　mortal　enemies　in　earnest。　The　shepherds　and
drovers　accompanying　the　flock　shouted　to　him　to　desist；　seeing　it　was
no　use；　they　ungirt　their　slings　and　began　to　salute　his　ears　with
stones　as　big　as　one's　fist。　Don　Quixote　gave　no　heed　to　the　stones；
but；　letting　drive　right　and　left　kept　saying：
　　〃Where　art　thou；　proud　Alifanfaron？　Come　before　me；　I　am　a　single
knight　who　would　fain　prove　thy　prowess　hand　to　hand；　and　make　thee
yield　thy　life　a　penalty　for　the　wrong　thou　dost　to　the　valiant
Pentapolin　Garamanta。〃　Here　came　a　sugar…plum　from　the　brook　that
struck　him　on　the　side　and　buried　a　couple　of　ribs　in　his　body。
Feeling　himself　so　smitten；　he　imagined　himself　slain　or　badly　wounded
for　certain；　and　recollecting　his　liquor　he　drew　out　his　flask；　and
putting　it　to　his　mouth　began　to　pour　the　contents　into　his　stomach；
but　ere　he　had　succeeded　in　swallowing　what　seemed　to　him　enough；
there　came　another　almond　which　struck　him　on　the　hand　and　on　the
flask　so　fairly　that　it　smashed　it　to　pieces；　knocking　three　or　four
teeth　and　grinders　out　of　his　mouth　in　its　course；　and　sorely　crushing
two　fingers　of　his　hand。　Such　was　the　force　of　the　first　blow　and　of
the　second；　that　the　poor　kn