don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第42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！

fall　without　knowing　why　or　wherefore。〃
　　〃That's　exactly　what　I　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　found　it　too；　and　I
would　not　go　within　a　stone's　throw　of　it；　there　I　left　it；　and
there　it　lies　just　as　it　was；　for　I　don't　want　a　dog　with　a　bell。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　good　man；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃do　you　know　who　is　the　owner
of　this　property？〃
　　〃All　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃is　that　about　six　months
ago；　more　or　less；　there　arrived　at　a　shepherd's　hut　three　leagues；
perhaps；　away　from　this；　a　youth　of　well…bred　appearance　and
manners；　mounted　on　that　same　mule　which　lies　dead　here；　and　with
the　same　saddle…pad　and　valise　which　you　say　you　found　and　did　not
touch。　He　asked　us　what　part　of　this　sierra　was　the　most　rugged　and
retired；　we　told　him　that　it　was　where　we　now　are；　and　so　in　truth
it　is；　for　if　you　push　on　half　a　league　farther；　perhaps　you　will
not　be　able　to　find　your　way　out；　and　I　am　wondering　how　you　have
managed　to　come　here；　for　there　is　no　road　or　path　that　leads　to
this　spot。　I　say；　then；　that　on　hearing　our　answer　the　youth　turned
about　and　made　for　the　place　we　pointed　out　to　him；　leaving　us　all
charmed　with　his　good　looks；　and　wondering　at　his　question　and　the
haste　with　which　we　saw　him　depart　in　the　direction　of　the　sierra；　and
after　that　we　saw　him　no　more；　until　some　days　afterwards　he　crossed
the　path　of　one　of　our　shepherds；　and　without　saying　a　word　to　him；
came　up　to　him　and　gave　him　several　cuffs　and　kicks；　and　then　turned
to　the　ass　with　our　provisions　and　took　all　the　bread　and　cheese　it
carried；　and　having　done　this　made　off　back　again　into　the　sierra　with
extraordinary　swiftness。　When　some　of　us　goatherds　learned　this　we
went　in　search　of　him　for　about　two　days　through　the　most　remote
portion　of　this　sierra；　at　the　end　of　which　we　found　him　lodged　in　the
hollow　of　a　large　thick　cork　tree。　He　came　out　to　meet　us　with　great
gentleness；　with　his　dress　now　torn　and　his　face　so　disfigured　and
burned　by　the　sun；　that　we　hardly　recognised　him　but　that　his　clothes；
though　torn；　convinced　us；　from　the　recollection　we　had　of　them；
that　he　was　the　person　we　were　looking　for。　He　saluted　us　courteously；
and　in　a　few　well…spoken　words　he　told　us　not　to　wonder　at　seeing
him　going　about　in　this　guise；　as　it　was　binding　upon　him　in　order
that　he　might　work　out　a　penance　which　for　his　many　sins　had　been
imposed　upon　him。　We　asked　him　to　tell　us　who　he　was；　but　we　were
never　able　to　find　out　from　him：　we　begged　of　him　too；　when　he　was
in　want　of　food；　which　he　could　not　do　without；　to　tell　us　where　we
should　find　him；　as　we　would　bring　it　to　him　with　all　good…will　and
readiness；　or　if　this　were　not　to　his　taste；　at　least　to　come　and
ask　it　of　us　and　not　take　it　by　force　from　the　shepherds。　He　thanked
us　for　the　offer；　begged　pardon　for　the　late　assault；　and　promised　for
the　future　to　ask　it　in　God's　name　without　offering　violence　to
anybody。　As　for　fixed　abode；　he　said　he　had　no　other　than　that　which
chance　offered　wherever　night　might　overtake　him；　and　his　words
ended　in　an　outburst　of　weeping　so　bitter　that　we　who　listened　to
him　must　have　been　very　stones　had　we　not　joined　him　in　it；
comparing　what　we　saw　of　him　the　first　time　with　what　we　saw　now；　for；
as　I　said；　he　was　a　graceful　and　gracious　youth；　and　in　his
courteous　and　polished　language　showed　himself　to　be　of　good　birth　and
courtly　breeding；　and　rustics　as　we　were　that　listened　to　him；　even　to
our　rusticity　his　gentle　bearing　sufficed　to　make　it　plain。
　　〃But　in　the　midst　of　his　conversation　he　stopped　and　became
silent；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ground　for　some　time；　during
which　we　stood　still　waiting　anxiously　to　see　what　would　come　of
this　abstraction；　and　with　no　little　pity；　for　from　his　behaviour；　now
staring　at　the　ground　with　fixed　gaze　and　eyes　wide　open　without
moving　an　eyelid；　again　closing　them；　compressing　his　lips　and　raising
his　eyebrows；　we　could　perceive　plainly　that　a　fit　of　madness　of
some　kind　had　come　upon　him；　and　before　long　he　showed　that　what　we
imagined　was　the　truth；　for　he　arose　in　a　fury　from　the　ground　where
he　had　thrown　himself；　and　attacked　the　first　he　found　near　him　with
such　rage　and　fierceness　that　if　we　had　not　dragged　him　off　him；　he
would　have　beaten　or　bitten　him　to　death；　all　the　while　exclaiming；
'Oh　faithless　Fernando；　here；　here　shalt　thou　pay　the　penalty　of　the
wrong　thou　hast　done　me；　these　hands　shall　tear　out　that　heart　of
thine；　abode　and　dwelling　of　all　iniquity；　but　of　deceit　and　fraud
above　all；　and　to　these　he　added　other　words　all　in　effect
upbraiding　this　Fernando　and　charging　him　with　treachery　and
faithlessness。
　　〃We　forced　him　to　release　his　hold　with　no　little　difficulty；　and
without　another　word　he　left　us；　and　rushing　off　plunged　in　among
these　brakes　and　brambles；　so　as　to　make　it　impossible　for　us　to
follow　him；　from　this　we　suppose　that　madness　comes　upon　him　from　time
to　time；　and　that　some　one　called　Fernando　must　have　done　him　a
wrong　of　a　grievous　nature　such　as　the　condition　to　which　it　had
brought　him　seemed　to　show。　All　this　has　been　since　then　confirmed
on　those　occasions；　and　they　have　been　many；　on　which　he　has　crossed
our　path；　at　one　time　to　beg　the　shepherds　to　give　him　some　of　the
food　they　carry；　at　another　to　take　it　from　them　by　force；　for　when
there　is　a　fit　of　madness　upon　him；　even　though　the　shepherds　offer　it
freely；　he　will　not　accept　it　but　snatches　it　from　them　by　dint　of
blows；　but　when　he　is　in　his　senses　he　begs　it　for　the　love　of　God；
courteously　and　civilly；　and　receives　it　with　many　thanks　and　not　a
few　tears。　And　to　tell　you　the　truth；　sirs；〃　continued　the　goatherd；
〃it　was　yesterday　that　we　resolved；　I　and　four　of　the　lads；　two　of
them　our　servants；　and　the　other　two　friends　of　mine；　to　go　in
search　of　him　until　we　find　him；　and　when　we　do　to　take　him；　whether
by　force　or　of　his　own　consent；　to　the　town　of　Almodovar；　which　is
eight　leagues　from　this；　and　there　strive　to　cure　him　（if　indeed　his
malady　admits　of　a　cure）；　or　learn　when　he　is　in　his　senses　who　he　is；
and　if　he　has　relatives　to　whom　we　may　give　notice　of　his
misfortune。　This；　sirs；　is　all　I　can　say　in　answer　to　what　you　have
asked　me；　and　be　sure　that　the　owner　of　the　articles　you　found　is　he
whom　you　saw　pass　by　with　such　nimbleness　and　so　naked。〃
　　For　Don　Quixote　had　already　described　how　he　had　seen　the　man　go
bounding　along　the　mountain　side；　and　he　was　now　filled　with　amazement
at　what　he　heard　from　the　goatherd；　and　more　eager　than　ever　to
discover　who　the　unhappy　madman　was；　and　in　his　heart　he　resolved；
as　he　had　done　before；　to　search　for　him　all　over　the　mountain；　not
leaving　a　corner　or　cave　unexamined　until　he　had　found　him。　But　chance
arranged　matters　better　than　he　expected　or　hoped；　for　at　that　very
moment；　in　a　gorge　on　the　mountain　that　opened　where　they　stood；　the
youth　he　wished　to　find　made　his　appearance；　coming　along　talking　to
himself　in　a　way　that　would　have　been　unintelligible　near　at　hand；
much　more　at　a　distance。　His　garb　was　what　has　been　described；　save
that　as　he　drew　near；　Don　Quixote　perceived　that　a　tattered　doublet
which　he　wore　was　amber…tanned；　from　which　he　concluded　that　one　who
wore　such　garments　could　not　be　of　very　low　rank。
　　Approaching　them；　the　youth　greeted　them　in　a　harsh　and　hoarse　voice
but　with　great　courtesy。　Don　Quixote　returned　his　salutation　with
equal　politeness；　and　dismounting　from　Rocinante　advanced　with
well…bred　bearing　and　grace　to　embrace　him；　and　held　him　for　some　time
close　in　his　arms　as　if　he　had　known　him　for　a　long　time。　The　other；
whom　we　may　call　the　Ragged　One　of　the　Sorry　Countenance；　as　Don
Quixote　was　of　the　Rueful；　after　submitting　to　the　embrace　pushed
him　back　a　little　and；　placing　his　hands　on　Don　Quixote's　shoulders；
stood　gazing　at　him　as　if　seeking　to　see　whether　he　knew　him；　not　less
amazed；　perhaps；　at　the　sight　of　the　face；　figure；　and　armour　of　Don
Quixote　than　Don　Quixote　was　at　the　sight　of　him。　To　be　brief；　the
first　to　speak　after　embracing　was　the　Ragged　One；　and　he　said　what
will　be　told　farther　on。

　　CHAPTER　XXIV
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONTINUED　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　SIERRA　MORENA

　　THE　history　relates　that　it　was　with　the　greatest　attention　Don
Quixote　listened　to　the　ragged　knight　of　the　Sierra；　who　began　by
saying：
　　〃Of　a　surety；　senor；　whoever　you　are；　for　I　know　you　not；　I　thank
you　for　the　proofs　of　kindness　and　courtesy　you　have　shown　me；　and
would　I　were　in　a　condition　to　requite　with　something　more　than
good…will　that　which　you　have　displayed　towards　me　in　the　cordial
reception　you　have　given　me；　but　my　fate　does　not　afford　me　any
other　means　of　returning　kindnesses　done　me　save　the　hearty　desire
to　repay　them。〃
　　〃Mine；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃is　to　be　of　service　to　you；　so　much　so
that　I　had　resolved　not　to　quit　these　mountains　until　I　had　found　you；
and　learned　of　you　whether　there　is　any　kind　of　relief　to　be　found　for
that　sorrow　under　which　from　the　strangeness　of　your　life　you　seem
to　labour；　and　to　search　for　you　with　all　possible　diligence；　if
search　had　been　necessary。　And　if　your　misfortune　should　prove　to　be
one　of　those　that　refuse　admission　to　any　sort　of　co