don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第38部分

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once　weeps　all　his　life。〃
　　〃I　do　not　understand　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　but　one　of　the　guards
said　to　him；　〃Sir；　to　sing　under　suffering　means　with　the　non　sancta
fraternity　to　confess　under　torture；　they　put　this　sinner　to　the
torture　and　he　confessed　his　crime；　which　was　being　a　cuatrero；　that
is　a　cattle…stealer；　and　on　his　confession　they　sentenced　him　to　six
years　in　the　galleys；　besides　two　bundred　lashes　that　he　has　already
had　on　the　back；　and　he　is　always　dejected　and　downcast　because　the
other　thieves　that　were　left　behind　and　that　march　here　ill…treat；　and
snub；　and　jeer；　and　despise　him　for　confessing　and　not　having　spirit
enough　to　say　nay；　for；　say　they；　'nay'　has　no　more　letters　in　it　than
'yea；'　and　a　culprit　is　well　off　when　life　or　death　with　him　depends
on　his　own　tongue　and　not　on　that　of　witnesses　or　evidence；　and　to
my　thinking　they　are　not　very　far　out。〃
　　〃And　I　think　so　too；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　then　passing　on　to　the
third　he　asked　him　what　he　had　asked　the　others；　and　the　man
answered　very　readily　and　unconcernedly；　〃I　am　going　for　five　years　to
their　ladyships　the　gurapas　for　the　want　of　ten　ducats。〃
　　〃I　will　give　twenty　with　pleasure　to　get　you　out　of　that　trouble；〃
said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃That；〃　said　the　galley　slave；　〃is　like　a　man　having　money　at　sea
when　he　is　dying　of　hunger　and　has　no　way　of　buying　what　he　wants；　I
say　so　because　if　at　the　right　time　I　had　had　those　twenty　ducats　that
your　worship　now　offers　me；　I　would　have　greased　the　notary's　pen
and　freshened　up　the　attorney's　wit　with　them；　so　that　to…day　I　should
be　in　the　middle　of　the　plaza　of　the　Zocodover　at　Toledo；　and　not　on
this　road　coupled　like　a　greyhound。　But　God　is　great；　patience…　there；
that's　enough　of　it。〃
　　Don　Quixote　passed　on　to　the　fourth；　a　man　of　venerable　aspect
with　a　white　beard　falling　below　his　breast；　who　on　hearing　himself
asked　the　reason　of　his　being　there　began　to　weep　without　answering
a　word；　but　the　fifth　acted　as　his　tongue　and　said；　〃This　worthy　man
is　going　to　the　galleys　for　four　years；　after　having　gone　the　rounds
in　ceremony　and　on　horseback。〃
　　　〃That　means；〃　said　Sancho　Panza；　〃as　I　take　it；　to　have　been
exposed　to　shame　in　public。〃
　　〃Just　so；〃　replied　the　galley　slave；　〃and　the　offence　for　which　they
gave　him　that　punishment　was　having　been　an　ear…broker；　nay
body…broker；　I　mean；　in　short；　that　this　gentleman　goes　as　a　pimp；　and
for　having　besides　a　certain　touch　of　the　sorcerer　about　him。〃
　　〃If　that　touch　had　not　been　thrown　in；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃be
would　not　deserve；　for　mere　pimping；　to　row　in　the　galleys；　but　rather
to　command　and　be　admiral　of　them；　for　the　office　of　pimp　is　no
ordinary　one；　being　the　office　of　persons　of　discretion；　one　very
necessary　in　a　well…ordered　state；　and　only　to　be　exercised　by　persons
of　good　birth；　nay；　there　ought　to　be　an　inspector　and　overseer　of
them；　as　in　other　offices；　and　recognised　number；　as　with　the
brokers　on　change；　in　this　way　many　of　the　evils　would　be　avoided
which　are　caused　by　this　office　and　calling　being　in　the　hands　of
stupid　and　ignorant　people；　such　as　women　more　or　less　silly；　and
pages　and　jesters　of　little　standing　and　experience；　who　on　the　most
urgent　occasions；　and　when　ingenuity　of　contrivance　is　needed；　let　the
crumbs　freeze　on　the　way　to　their　mouths；　and　know　not　which　is
their　right　hand。　I　should　like　to　go　farther；　and　give　reasons　to
show　that　it　is　advisable　to　choose　those　who　are　to　hold　so　necessary
an　office　in　the　state；　but　this　is　not　the　fit　place　for　it；　some　day
I　will　expound　the　matter　to　some　one　able　to　see　to　and　rectify　it；
all　I　say　now　is；　that　the　additional　fact　of　his　being　a　sorcerer　has
removed　the　sorrow　it　gave　me　to　see　these　white　hairs　and　this
venerable　countenance　in　so　painful　a　position　on　account　of　his　being
a　pimp；　though　I　know　well　there　are　no　sorceries　in　the　world　that
can　move　or　compel　the　will　as　some　simple　folk　fancy；　for　our　will　is
free；　nor　is　there　herb　or　charm　that　can　force　it。　All　that　certain
silly　women　and　quacks　do　is　to　turn　men　mad　with　potions　and　poisons；
pretending　that　they　have　power　to　cause　love；　for；　as　I　say；　it　is　an
impossibility　to　compel　the　will。〃
　　〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　good　old　man；　〃and　indeed；　sir；　as　far　as　the
charge　of　sorcery　goes　I　was　not　guilty；　as　to　that　of　being　a　pimp
I　cannot　deny　it；　but　I　never　thought　I　was　doing　any　harm　by　it；
for　my　only　object　was　that　all　the　world　should　enjoy　itself　and　live
in　peace　and　quiet；　without　quarrels　or　troubles；　but　my　good
intentions　were　unavailing　to　save　me　from　going　where　I　never
expect　to　come　back　from；　with　this　weight　of　years　upon　me　and　a
urinary　ailment　that　never　gives　me　a　moment's　ease；〃　and　again　he
fell　to　weeping　as　before；　and　such　compassion　did　Sancho　feel　for　him
that　he　took　out　a　real　of　four　from　his　bosom　and　gave　it　to　him　in
alms。
　　Don　Quixote　went　on　and　asked　another　what　his　crime　was；　and　the
man　answered　with　no　less　but　rather　much　more　sprightliness　than
the　last　one。
　　〃I　am　here　because　I　carried　the　joke　too　far　with　a　couple　of
cousins　of　mine；　and　with　a　couple　of　other　cousins　who　were　none　of
mine；　in　short；　I　carried　the　joke　so　far　with　them　all　that　it
ended　in　such　a　complicated　increase　of　kindred　that　no　accountant
could　make　it　clear：　it　was　all　proved　against　me；　I　got　no　favour；
I　had　no　money；　I　was　near　having　my　neck　stretched；　they　sentenced　me
to　the　galleys　for　six　years；　I　accepted　my　fate；　it　is　the　punishment
of　my　fault；　I　am　a　young　man；　let　life　only　last；　and　with　that　all
will　come　right。　If　you；　sir；　have　anything　wherewith　to　help　the
poor；　God　will　repay　it　to　you　in　heaven；　and　we　on　earth　will　take
care　in　our　petitions　to　him　to　pray　for　the　life　and　health　of　your
worship；　that　they　may　be　as　long　and　as　good　as　your　amiable
appearance　deserves。〃
　　This　one　was　in　the　dress　of　a　student；　and　one　of　the　guards　said
he　was　a　great　talker　and　a　very　elegant　Latin　scholar。
　　Behind　all　these　there　came　a　man　of　thirty；　a　very　personable
fellow；　except　that　when　he　looked；　his　eyes　turned　in　a　little　one
towards　the　other。　He　was　bound　differently　from　the　rest；　for　he
had　to　his　leg　a　chain　so　long　that　it　was　wound　all　round　his　body；
and　two　rings　on　his　neck；　one　attached　to　the　chain；　the　other　to
what　they　call　a　〃keep…friend〃　or　〃friend's　foot；〃　from　which　hung　two
irons　reaching　to　his　waist　with　two　manacles　fixed　to　them　in　which
his　hands　were　secured　by　a　big　padlock；　so　that　he　could　neither
raise　his　hands　to　his　mouth　nor　lower　his　head　to　his　hands。　Don
Quixote　asked　why　this　man　carried　so　many　more　chains　than　the
others。　The　guard　replied　that　it　was　because　he　alone　had　committed
more　crimes　than　all　the　rest　put　together；　and　was　so　daring　and　such
a　villain；　that　though　they　marched　him　in　that　fashion　they　did　not
feel　sure　of　him；　but　were　in　dread　of　his　making　his　escape。
　　〃What　crimes　can　he　have　committed；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃if　they　have
not　deserved　a　heavier　punishment　than　being　sent　to　the　galleys？〃
　　〃He　goes　for　ten　years；〃　replied　the　guard；　〃which　is　the　same　thing
as　civil　death；　and　all　that　need　be　said　is　that　this　good　fellow
is　the　famous　Gines　de　Pasamonte；　otherwise　called　Ginesillo　de
Parapilla。〃
　　〃Gently；　senor　commissary；〃　said　the　galley　slave　at　this；　〃let　us
have　no　fixing　of　names　or　surnames；　my　name　is　Gines；　not
Ginesillo；　and　my　family　name　is　Pasamonte；　not　Parapilla　as　you
say；　let　each　one　mind　his　own　business；　and　he　will　be　doing　enough。〃
　　〃Speak　with　less　impertinence；　master　thief　of　extra　measure；〃
replied　the　commissary；　〃if　you　don't　want　me　to　make　you　hold　your
tongue　in　spite　of　your　teeth。〃
　　〃It　is　easy　to　see；〃　returned　the　galley　slave；　〃that　man　goes　as
God　pleases；　but　some　one　shall　know　some　day　whether　I　am　called
Ginesillo　de　Parapilla　or　not。〃
　　〃Don't　they　call　you　so；　you　liar？〃　said　the　guard。
　　〃They　do；〃　returned　Gines；　〃but　I　will　make　them　give　over　calling
me　so；　or　I　will　be　shaved；　where；　I　only　say　behind　my　teeth。　If　you；
sir；　have　anything　to　give　us；　give　it　to　us　at　once；　and　God　speed
you；　for　you　are　becoming　tiresome　with　all　this　inquisitiveness　about
the　lives　of　others；　if　you　want　to　know　about　mine；　let　me　tell　you　I
am　Gines　de　Pasamonte；　whose　life　is　written　by　these　fingers。〃
　　〃He　says　true；〃　said　the　commissary；　〃for　he　has　himself　written　his
story　as　grand　as　you　please；　and　has　left　the　book　in　the　prison　in
pawn　for　two　hundred　reals。〃
　　〃And　I　mean　to　take　it　out　of　pawn；〃　said　Gines；　〃though　it　were
in　for　two　hundred　ducats。〃
　　〃Is　it　so　good？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃So　good　is　it；〃　replied　Gines；　〃that　a　fig　for　'Lazarillo　de
Tormes；'　and　all　of　that　kind　that　have　been　written；　or　shall　be
written　compared　with　it：　all　I　will　say　about　it　is　that　it　deals
with　facts；　and　facts　so　neat　and　diverting　that　no　lies　could　match
them。〃
　　〃And　how　is　the　book　entitled？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃The　'Life　of　Gines　de　Pasamonte；'〃　replied　the　subject　of　it。
　　〃And　is　it　finished？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃How　can　it　be　finished；〃　said　the　other；　〃when　my　life　is　not　yet
finished？　All　that