don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第4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！

money　with　him；　to　which　Don　Quixote　replied　that　he　had　not　a
farthing；　as　in　the　histories　of　knights…errant　he　had　never　read　of
any　of　them　carrying　any。　On　this　point　the　landlord　told　him　he　was
mistaken；　for；　though　not　recorded　in　the　histories；　because　in　the
author's　opinion　there　was　no　need　to　mention　anything　so　obvious
and　necessary　as　money　and　clean　shirts；　it　was　not　to　be　supposed
therefore　that　they　did　not　carry　them；　and　he　might　regard　it　as
certain　and　established　that　all　knights…errant　（about　whom　there　were
so　many　full　and　unimpeachable　books）　carried　well…furnished　purses　in
case　of　emergency；　and　likewise　carried　shirts　and　a　little　box　of
ointment　to　cure　the　wounds　they　received。　For　in　those　plains　and
deserts　where　they　engaged　in　combat　and　came　out　wounded；　it　was
not　always　that　there　was　some　one　to　cure　them；　unless　indeed　they
had　for　a　friend　some　sage　magician　to　succour　them　at　once　by
fetching　through　the　air　upon　a　cloud　some　damsel　or　dwarf　with　a　vial
of　water　of　such　virtue　that　by　tasting　one　drop　of　it　they　were　cured
of　their　hurts　and　wounds　in　an　instant　and　left　as　sound　as　if　they
had　not　received　any　damage　whatever。　But　in　case　this　should　not
occur；　the　knights　of　old　took　care　to　see　that　their　squires　were
provided　with　money　and　other　requisites；　such　as　lint　and　ointments
for　healing　purposes；　and　when　it　happened　that　knights　had　no　squires
（which　was　rarely　and　seldom　the　case）　they　themselves　carried
everything　in　cunning　saddle…bags　that　were　hardly　seen　on　the　horse's
croup；　as　if　it　were　something　else　of　more　importance；　because；
unless　for　some　such　reason；　carrying　saddle…bags　was　not　very
favourably　regarded　among　knights…errant。　He　therefore　advised　him
（and；　as　his　godson　so　soon　to　be；　he　might　even　command　him）　never
from　that　time　forth　to　travel　without　money　and　the　usual
requirements；　and　he　would　find　the　advantage　of　them　when　he　least
expected　it。
　　Don　Quixote　promised　to　follow　his　advice　scrupulously；　and　it　was
arranged　forthwith　that　he　should　watch　his　armour　in　a　large　yard
at　one　side　of　the　inn；　so；　collecting　it　all　together；　Don　Quixote
placed　it　on　a　trough　that　stood　by　the　side　of　a　well；　and　bracing
his　buckler　on　his　arm　he　grasped　his　lance　and　began　with　a　stately
air　to　march　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　trough；　and　as　he　began　his
march　night　began　to　fall。
　　The　landlord　told　all　the　people　who　were　in　the　inn　about　the　craze
of　his　guest；　the　watching　of　the　armour；　and　the　dubbing　ceremony
he　contemplated。　Full　of　wonder　at　so　strange　a　form　of　madness；
they　flocked　to　see　it　from　a　distance；　and　observed　with　what
composure　he　sometimes　paced　up　and　down；　or　sometimes；　leaning　on　his
lance；　gazed　on　his　armour　without　taking　his　eyes　off　it　for　ever
so　long；　and　as　the　night　closed　in　with　a　light　from　the　moon　so
brilliant　that　it　might　vie　with　his　that　lent　it；　everything　the
novice　knight　did　was　plainly　seen　by　all。
　　Meanwhile　one　of　the　carriers　who　were　in　the　inn　thought　fit　to
water　his　team；　and　it　was　necessary　to　remove　Don　Quixote's　armour　as
it　lay　on　the　trough；　but　he　seeing　the　other　approach　hailed　him　in　a
loud　voice；　〃O　thou；　whoever　thou　art；　rash　knight　that　comest　to
lay　hands　on　the　armour　of　the　most　valorous　errant　that　ever　girt
on　sword；　have　a　care　what　thou　dost；　touch　it　not　unless　thou　wouldst
lay　down　thy　life　as　the　penalty　of　thy　rashness。〃　The　carrier　gave　no
heed　to　these　words　（and　he　would　have　done　better　to　heed　them　if
he　had　been　heedful　of　his　health）；　but　seizing　it　by　the　straps　flung
the　armour　some　distance　from　him。　Seeing　this；　Don　Quixote　raised　his
eyes　to　heaven；　and　fixing　his　thoughts；　apparently；　upon　his　lady
Dulcinea；　exclaimed；　〃Aid　me；　lady　mine；　in　this　the　first　encounter
that　presents　itself　to　this　breast　which　thou　holdest　in　subjection；
let　not　thy　favour　and　protection　fail　me　in　this　first　jeopardy；〃
and；　with　these　words　and　others　to　the　same　purpose；　dropping　his
buckler　he　lifted　his　lance　with　both　hands　and　with　it　smote　such　a
blow　on　the　carrier's　head　that　he　stretched　him　on　the　ground；　so
stunned　that　had　he　followed　it　up　with　a　second　there　would　have　been
no　need　of　a　surgeon　to　cure　him。　This　done；　he　picked　up　his　armour
and　returned　to　his　beat　with　the　same　serenity　as　before。
　　Shortly　after　this；　another；　not　knowing　what　had　happened　（for
the　carrier　still　lay　senseless）；　came　with　the　same　object　of
giving　water　to　his　mules；　and　was　proceeding　to　remove　the　armour
in　order　to　clear　the　trough；　when　Don　Quixote；　without　uttering　a
word　or　imploring　aid　from　anyone；　once　more　dropped　his　buckler　and
once　more　lifted　his　lance；　and　without　actually　breaking　the　second
carrier's　head　into　pieces；　made　more　than　three　of　it；　for　he　laid　it
open　in　four。　At　the　noise　all　the　people　of　the　inn　ran　to　the
spot；　and　among　them　the　landlord。　Seeing　this；　Don　Quixote　braced　his
buckler　on　his　arm；　and　with　his　hand　on　his　sword　exclaimed；　〃O
Lady　of　Beauty；　strength　and　support　of　my　faint　heart；　it　is　time　for
thee　to　turn　the　eyes　of　thy　greatness　on　this　thy　captive　knight　on
the　brink　of　so　mighty　an　adventure。〃　By　this　he　felt　himself　so
inspired　that　he　would　not　have　flinched　if　all　the　carriers　in　the
world　had　assailed　him。　The　comrades　of　the　wounded　perceiving　the
plight　they　were　in　began　from　a　distance　to　shower　stones　on　Don
Quixote；　who　screened　himself　as　best　he　could　with　his　buckler；　not
daring　to　quit　the　trough　and　leave　his　armour　unprotected。　The
landlord　shouted　to　them　to　leave　him　alone；　for　he　had　already　told
them　that　he　was　mad；　and　as　a　madman　he　would　not　be　accountable　even
if　he　killed　them　all。　Still　louder　shouted　Don　Quixote；　calling
them　knaves　and　traitors；　and　the　lord　of　the　castle；　who　allowed
knights…errant　to　be　treated　in　this　fashion；　a　villain　and　a　low…born
knight　whom；　had　he　received　the　order　of　knighthood；　he　would　call　to
account　for　his　treachery。　〃But　of　you；〃　he　cried；　〃base　and　vile
rabble；　I　make　no　account；　fling；　strike；　come　on；　do　all　ye　can
against　me；　ye　shall　see　what　the　reward　of　your　folly　and　insolence
will　be。〃　This　he　uttered　with　so　much　spirit　and　boldness　that　he
filled　his　assailants　with　a　terrible　fear；　and　as　much　for　this
reason　as　at　the　persuasion　of　the　landlord　they　left　off　stoning　him；
and　he　allowed　them　to　carry　off　the　wounded；　and　with　the　same
calmness　and　composure　as　before　resumed　the　watch　over　his　armour。
　　But　these　freaks　of　his　guest　were　not　much　to　the　liking　of　the
landlord；　so　he　determined　to　cut　matters　short　and　confer　upon　him　at
once　the　unlucky　order　of　knighthood　before　any　further　misadventure
could　occur；　so；　going　up　to　him；　he　apologised　for　the　rudeness
which；　without　his　knowledge；　had　been　offered　to　him　by　these　low
people；　who；　however；　had　been　well　punished　for　their　audacity。　As　he
had　already　told　him；　he　said；　there　was　no　chapel　in　the　castle；
nor　was　it　needed　for　what　remained　to　be　done；　for；　as　he
understood　the　ceremonial　of　the　order；　the　whole　point　of　being
dubbed　a　knight　lay　in　the　accolade　and　in　the　slap　on　the　shoulder；
and　that　could　be　administered　in　the　middle　of　a　field；　and　that　he
had　now　done　all　that　was　needful　as　to　watching　the　armour；　for　all
requirements　were　satisfied　by　a　watch　of　two　hours　only；　while　he　had
been　more　than　four　about　it。　Don　Quixote　believed　it　all；　and　told
him　he　stood　there　ready　to　obey　him；　and　to　make　an　end　of　it　with　as
much　despatch　as　possible；　for；　if　he　were　again　attacked；　and　felt
himself　to　be　dubbed　knight；　he　would　not；　he　thought；　leave　a　soul
alive　in　the　castle；　except　such　as　out　of　respect　he　might　spare　at
his　bidding。
　　Thus　warned　and　menaced；　the　castellan　forthwith　brought　out　a
book　in　which　he　used　to　enter　the　straw　and　barley　he　served　out　to
the　carriers；　and；　with　a　lad　carrying　a　candle…end；　and　the　two
damsels　already　mentioned；　he　returned　to　where　Don　Quixote　stood；　and
bade　him　kneel　down。　Then；　reading　from　his　account…book　as　if　he　were
repeating　some　devout　prayer；　in　the　middle　of　his　delivery　he
raised　his　hand　and　gave　him　a　sturdy　blow　on　the　neck；　and　then；　with
his　own　sword；　a　smart　slap　on　the　shoulder；　all　the　while　muttering
between　his　teeth　as　if　he　was　saying　his　prayers。　Having　done　this；
he　directed　one　of　the　ladies　to　gird　on　his　sword；　which　she　did　with
great　self…possession　and　gravity；　and　not　a　little　was　required　to
prevent　a　burst　of　laughter　at　each　stage　of　the　ceremony；　but　what
they　had　already　seen　of　the　novice　knight's　prowess　kept　their
laughter　within　bounds。　On　girding　him　with　the　sword　the　worthy
lady　said　to　him；　〃May　God　make　your　worship　a　very　fortunate
knight；　and　grant　you　success　in　battle。〃　Don　Quixote　asked　her　name
in　order　that　he　might　from　that　time　forward　know　to　whom　he　was
beholden　for　the　favour　he　had　received；　as　he　meant　to　confer　upon
her　some　portion　of　the　honour　he　acquired　by　the　might　of　his　arm。
She　answered　with　great　humility　that　she　was　called　La　Tolosa；　and
that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a　cobbler　of　Toledo　who　lived　in　the
stalls　of　Sanchobienay