don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第39部分

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　　〃And　is　it　finished？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃How　can　it　be　finished；〃　said　the　other；　〃when　my　life　is　not　yet
finished？　All　that　is　written　is　from　my　birth　down　to　the　point
when　they　sent　me　to　the　galleys　this　last　time。〃
　　〃Then　you　have　been　there　before？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃In　the　service　of　God　and　the　king　I　have　been　there　for　four　years
before　now；　and　I　know　by　this　time　what　the　biscuit　and　courbash
are　like；〃　replied　Gines；　〃and　it　is　no　great　grievance　to　me　to　go
back　to　them；　for　there　I　shall　have　time　to　finish　my　book；　I　have
still　many　things　left　to　say；　and　in　the　galleys　of　Spain　there　is
more　than　enough　leisure；　though　I　do　not　want　much　for　what　I　have　to
write；　for　I　have　it　by　heart。〃
　　〃You　seem　a　clever　fellow；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃And　an　unfortunate　one；〃　replied　Gines；　〃for　misfortune　always
persecutes　good　wit。〃
　　〃It　persecutes　rogues；〃　said　the　commissary。
　　〃I　told　you　already　to　go　gently；　master　commissary；〃　said
Pasamonte；　〃their　lordships　yonder　never　gave　you　that　staff　to
ill…treat　us　wretches　here；　but　to　conduct　and　take　us　where　his
majesty　orders　you；　if　not；　by　the　life　of…never　mind…；　it　may　be　that
some　day　the　stains　made　in　the　inn　will　come　out　in　the　scouring；　let
everyone　hold　his　tongue　and　behave　well　and　speak　better；　and　now　let
us　march　on；　for　we　have　had　quite　enough　of　this　entertainment。〃
　　The　commissary　lifted　his　staff　to　strike　Pasamonte　in　return　for
his　threats；　but　Don　Quixote　came　between　them；　and　begged　him　not
to　ill…use　him；　as　it　was　not　too　much　to　allow　one　who　had　his
hands　tied　to　have　his　tongue　a　trifle　free；　and　turning　to　the
whole　chain　of　them　he　said：
　　〃From　all　you　have　told　me；　dear　brethren；　make　out　clearly　that
though　they　have　punished　you　for　your　faults；　the　punishments　you　are
about　to　endure　do　not　give　you　much　pleasure；　and　that　you　go　to　them
very　much　against　the　grain　and　against　your　will；　and　that　perhaps
this　one's　want　of　courage　under　torture；　that　one's　want　of　money；
the　other's　want　of　advocacy；　and　lastly　the　perverted　judgment　of　the
judge　may　have　been　the　cause　of　your　ruin　and　of　your　failure　to
obtain　the　justice　you　had　on　your　side。　All　which　presents　itself　now
to　my　mind；　urging；　persuading；　and　even　compelling　me　to
demonstrate　in　your　case　the　purpose　for　which　Heaven　sent　me　into　the
world　and　caused　me　to　make　profession　of　the　order　of　chivalry　to
which　I　belong；　and　the　vow　I　took　therein　to　give　aid　to　those　in
need　and　under　the　oppression　of　the　strong。　But　as　I　know　that　it
is　a　mark　of　prudence　not　to　do　by　foul　means　what　may　be　done　by
fair；　I　will　ask　these　gentlemen；　the　guards　and　commissary；　to　be
so　good　as　to　release　you　and　let　you　go　in　peace；　as　there　will　be　no
lack　of　others　to　serve　the　king　under　more　favourable
circumstances；　for　it　seems　to　me　a　hard　case　to　make　slaves　of
those　whom　God　and　nature　have　made　free。　Moreover；　sirs　of　the
guard；〃　added　Don　Quixote；　〃these　poor　fellows　have　done　nothing　to
you；　let　each　answer　for　his　own　sins　yonder；　there　is　a　God　in　Heaven
who　will　not　forget　to　punish　the　wicked　or　reward　the　good；　and　it　is
not　fitting　that　honest　men　should　be　the　instruments　of　punishment　to
others；　they　being　therein　no　way　concerned。　This　request　I　make
thus　gently　and　quietly；　that；　if　you　comply　with　it；　I　may　have
reason　for　thanking　you；　and；　if　you　will　not　voluntarily；　this
lance　and　sword　together　with　the　might　of　my　arm　shall　compel　you
to　comply　with　it　by　force。〃
　　〃Nice　nonsense！〃　said　the　commissary；　〃a　fine　piece　of　pleasantry　he
has　come　out　with　at　last！　He　wants　us　to　let　the　king's　prisoners　go；
as　if　we　had　any　authority　to　release　them；　or　he　to　order　us　to　do
so！　Go　your　way；　sir；　and　good　luck　to　you；　put　that　basin　straight
that　you've　got　on　your　head；　and　don't　go　looking　for　three　feet　on　a
cat。〃
　　'Tis　you　that　are　the　cat；　rat；　and　rascal；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；
and　acting　on　the　word　he　fell　upon　him　so　suddenly　that　without
giving　him　time　to　defend　himself　he　brought　him　to　the　ground
sorely　wounded　with　a　lance…thrust；　and　lucky　it　was　for　him　that　it
was　the　one　that　had　the　musket。　The　other　guards　stood
thunderstruck　and　amazed　at　this　unexpected　event；　but　recovering
presence　of　mind；　those　on　horseback　seized　their　swords；　and　those　on
foot　their　javelins；　and　attacked　Don　Quixote；　who　was　waiting　for
them　with　great　calmness；　and　no　doubt　it　would　have　gone　badly　with
him　if　the　galley　slaves；　seeing　the　chance　before　them　of
liberating　themselves；　had　not　effected　it　by　contriving　to　break
the　chain　on　which　they　were　strung。　Such　was　the　confusion；　that
the　guards；　now　rushing　at　the　galley　slaves　who　were　breaking
loose；　now　to　attack　Don　Quixote　who　was　waiting　for　them；　did　nothing
at　all　that　was　of　any　use。　Sancho；　on　his　part；　gave　a　helping　hand
to　release　Gines　de　Pasamonte；　who　was　the　first　to　leap　forth　upon
the　plain　free　and　unfettered；　and　who；　attacking　the　prostrate
commissary；　took　from　him　his　sword　and　the　musket；　with　which；　aiming
at　one　and　levelling　at　another；　he；　without　ever　discharging　it；
drove　every　one　of　the　guards　off　the　field；　for　they　took　to
flight；　as　well　to　escape　Pasamonte's　musket；　as　the　showers　of　stones
the　now　released　galley　slaves　were　raining　upon　them。　Sancho　was
greatly　grieved　at　the　affair；　because　he　anticipated　that　those　who
had　fled　would　report　the　matter　to　the　Holy　Brotherhood；　who　at　the
summons　of　the　alarm…bell　would　at　once　sally　forth　in　quest　of　the
offenders；　and　he　said　so　to　his　master；　and　entreated　him　to　leave
the　place　at　once；　and　go　into　hiding　in　the　sierra　that　was　close　by。
　　〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　I　know　what　must
be　done　now；〃　and　calling　together　all　the　galley　slaves；　who　were　now
running　riot；　and　had　stripped　the　commissary　to　the　skin；　he
collected　them　round　him　to　hear　what　he　had　to　say；　and　addressed
them　as　follows：　〃To　be　grateful　for　benefits　received　is　the　part
of　persons　of　good　birth；　and　one　of　the　sins　most　offensive　to　God　is
ingratitude；　I　say　so　because；　sirs；　ye　have　already　seen　by
manifest　proof　the　benefit　ye　have　received　of　me；　in　return　for　which
I　desire；　and　it　is　my　good　pleasure　that；　laden　with　that　chain　which
I　have　taken　off　your　necks；　ye　at　once　set　out　and　proceed　to　the
city　of　El　Toboso；　and　there　present　yourselves　before　the　lady
Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　and　say　to　her　that　her　knight；　he　of　the
Rueful　Countenance；　sends　to　commend　himself　to　her；　and　that　ye
recount　to　her　in　full　detail　all　the　particulars　of　this　notable
adventure；　up　to　the　recovery　of　your　longed…for　liberty；　and　this
done　ye　may　go　where　ye　will；　and　good　fortune　attend　you。〃
　　Gines　de　Pasamonte　made　answer　for　all；　saying；　〃That　which　you；
sir；　our　deliverer；　demand　of　us；　is　of　all　impossibilities　the　most
impossible　to　comply　with；　because　we　cannot　go　together　along　the
roads；　but　only　singly　and　separate；　and　each　one　his　own　way；
endeavouring　to　hide　ourselves　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　to　escape
the　Holy　Brotherhood；　which；　no　doubt；　will　come　out　in　search　of
us。　What　your　worship　may　do；　and　fairly　do；　is　to　change　this　service
and　tribute　as　regards　the　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　for　a　certain
quantity　of　ave…marias　and　credos　which　we　will　say　for　your　worship's
intention；　and　this　is　a　condition　that　can　be　complied　with　by
night　as　by　day；　running　or　resting；　in　peace　or　in　war；　but　to
imagine　that　we　are　going　now　to　return　to　the　flesh…pots　of　Egypt；
I　mean　to　take　up　our　chain　and　set　out　for　El　Toboso；　is　to　imagine
that　it　is　now　night；　though　it　is　not　yet　ten　in　the　morning；　and
to　ask　this　of　us　is　like　asking　pears　of　the　elm　tree。〃
　　〃Then　by　all　that's　good；〃　said　Don　Quixote　（now　stirred　to
wrath）；　〃Don　son　of　a　bitch；　Don　Ginesillo　de　Paropillo；　or　whatever
your　name　is；　you　will　have　to　go　yourself　alone；　with　your　tail
between　your　legs　and　the　whole　chain　on　your　back。〃
　　Pasamonte；　who　was　anything　but　meek　（being　by　this　time
thoroughly　convinced　that　Don　Quixote　was　not　quite　right　in　his
head　as　he　had　committed　such　a　vagary　as　to　set　them　free）；　finding
himself　abused　in　this　fashion；　gave　the　wink　to　his　companions；　and
falling　back　they　began　to　shower　stones　on　Don　Quixote　at　such　a　rate
that　he　was　quite　unable　to　protect　himself　with　his　buckler；　and　poor
Rocinante　no　more　heeded　the　spur　than　if　he　had　been　made　of　brass。
Sancho　planted　himself　behind　his　ass；　and　with　him　sheltered
himself　from　the　hailstorm　that　poured　on　both　of　them。　Don　Quixote
was　unable　to　shield　himself　so　well　but　that　more　pebbles　than　I
could　count　struck　him　full　on　the　body　with　such　force　that　they
brought　him　to　the　ground；　and　the　instant　he　fell　the　student　pounced
upon　him；　snatched　the　basin　from　his　head；　and　with　it　struck　three
or　four　blows　on　his　shoulders；　and　as　many　more　on　the　ground；
knocking　it　almost　to　pieces。　They　then　stripped　him　of　a　jacket
that　he　wore　over　his　armour；　and　they　would　have　stripped　off　his
stockings　if　his　greaves　had　not　prevented　them。　From　Sancho　they　took
his　coat；　leaving　him　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　and　dividing　amo