don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第46部分

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and　plucked　up　trees；　troubled　the　waters　of　the　clear　springs；　slew
destroyed　flocks；　burned　down　huts；　levelled　houses；　dragged　mares
after　him；　and　perpetrated　a　hundred　thousand　other　outrages　worthy　of
everlasting　renown　and　record？　And　though　I　have　no　intention　of
imitating　Roland；　or　Orlando；　or　Rotolando　（for　he　went　by　all　these
names）；　step　by　step　in　all　the　mad　things　he　did；　said；　and
thought；　I　will　make　a　rough　copy　to　the　best　of　my　power　of　all
that　seems　to　me　most　essential；　but　perhaps　I　shall　content　myself
with　the　simple　imitation　of　Amadis；　who　without　giving　way　to　any
mischievous　madness　but　merely　to　tears　and　sorrow；　gained　as　much
fame　as　the　most　famous。〃
　　〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　the　knights　who　behaved　in　this
way　had　provocation　and　cause　for　those　follies　and　penances；　but　what
cause　has　your　worship　for　going　mad？　What　lady　has　rejected　you；　or
what　evidence　have　you　found　to　prove　that　the　lady　Dulcinea　del
Toboso　has　been　trifling　with　Moor　or　Christian？〃
　　〃There　is　the　point；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　that　is　the　beauty
of　this　business　of　mine；　no　thanks　to　a　knight…errant　for　going　mad
when　he　has　cause；　the　thing　is　to　turn　crazy　without　any　provocation；
and　let　my　lady　know；　if　I　do　this　in　the　dry；　what　I　would　do　in
the　moist；　moreover　I　have　abundant　cause　in　the　long　separation　I
have　endured　from　my　lady　till　death；　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　for　as　thou
didst　hear　that　shepherd　Ambrosio　say　the　other　day；　in　absence　all
ills　are　felt　and　feared；　and　so；　friend　Sancho；　waste　no　time　in
advising　me　against　so　rare；　so　happy；　and　so　unheard…of　an　imitation；
mad　I　am；　and　mad　I　must　be　until　thou　returnest　with　the　answer　to
a　letter　that　I　mean　to　send　by　thee　to　my　lady　Dulcinea；　and　if　it　be
such　as　my　constancy　deserves；　my　insanity　and　penance　will　come　to　an
end；　and　if　it　be　to　the　opposite　effect；　I　shall　become　mad　in
earnest；　and；　being　so；　I　shall　suffer　no　more；　thus　in　whatever　way
she　may　answer　I　shall　escape　from　the　struggle　and　affliction　in
which　thou　wilt　leave　me；　enjoying　in　my　senses　the　boon　thou
bearest　me；　or　as　a　madman　not　feeling　the　evil　thou　bringest　me。
But　tell　me；　Sancho；　hast　thou　got　Mambrino's　helmet　safe？　for　I　saw
thee　take　it　up　from　the　ground　when　that　ungrateful　wretch　tried　to
break　it　in　pieces　but　could　not；　by　which　the　fineness　of　its
temper　may　be　seen。〃
　　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　〃By　the　living　God；　Sir　Knight　of　the
Rueful　Countenance；　I　cannot　endure　or　bear　with　patience　some　of
the　things　that　your　worship　says；　and　from　them　I　begin　to　suspect
that　all　you　tell　me　about　chivalry；　and　winning　kingdoms　and　empires；
and　giving　islands；　and　bestowing　other　rewards　and　dignities　after
the　custom　of　knights…errant；　must　be　all　made　up　of　wind　and　lies；
and　all　pigments　or　figments；　or　whatever　we　may　call　them；　for　what
would　anyone　think　that　heard　your　worship　calling　a　barber's　basin
Mambrino's　helmet　without　ever　seeing　the　mistake　all　this　time；　but
that　one　who　says　and　maintains　such　things　must　have　his　brains
addled？　I　have　the　basin　in　my　sack　all　dinted；　and　I　am　taking　it
home　to　have　it　mended；　to　trim　my　beard　in　it；　if；　by　God's　grace；
I　am　allowed　to　see　my　wife　and　children　some　day　or　other。〃
　　〃Look　here；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃by　him　thou　didst　swear　by
just　now　I　swear　thou　hast　the　most　limited　understanding　that　any
squire　in　the　world　has　or　ever　had。　Is　it　possible　that　all　this　time
thou　hast　been　going　about　with　me　thou　hast　never　found　out　that
all　things　belonging　to　knights…errant　seem　to　be　illusions　and
nonsense　and　ravings；　and　to　go　always　by　contraries？　And　not
because　it　really　is　so；　but　because　there　is　always　a　swarm　of
enchanters　in　attendance　upon　us　that　change　and　alter　everything　with
us；　and　turn　things　as　they　please；　and　according　as　they　are　disposed
to　aid　or　destroy　us；　thus　what　seems　to　thee　a　barber's　basin　seems
to　me　Mambrino's　helmet；　and　to　another　it　will　seem　something　else；
and　rare　foresight　it　was　in　the　sage　who　is　on　my　side　to　make　what
is　really　and　truly　Mambrine's　helmet　seem　a　basin　to　everybody；
for；　being　held　in　such　estimation　as　it　is；　all　the　world　would
pursue　me　to　rob　me　of　it；　but　when　they　see　it　is　only　a　barber's
basin　they　do　not　take　the　trouble　to　obtain　it；　as　was　plainly
shown　by　him　who　tried　to　break　it；　and　left　it　on　the　ground
without　taking　it；　for；　by　my　faith；　had　he　known　it　he　would　never
have　left　it　behind。　Keep　it　safe；　my　friend；　for　just　now　I　have　no
need　of　it；　indeed；　I　shall　have　to　take　off　all　this　armour　and
remain　as　naked　as　I　was　born；　if　I　have　a　mind　to　follow　Roland
rather　than　Amadis　in　my　penance。〃
　　Thus　talking　they　reached　the　foot　of　a　high　mountain　which　stood
like　an　isolated　peak　among　the　others　that　surrounded　it。　Past　its
base　there　flowed　a　gentle　brook；　all　around　it　spread　a　meadow　so
green　and　luxuriant　that　it　was　a　delight　to　the　eyes　to　look　upon　it；
and　forest　trees　in　abundance；　and　shrubs　and　flowers；　added　to　the
charms　of　the　spot。　Upon　this　place　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance　fixed　his　choice　for　the　performance　of　his　penance；　and
as　he　beheld　it　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice　as　though　he　were　out　of　his
senses：
　　〃This　is　the　place；　oh；　ye　heavens；　that　I　select　and　choose　for
bewailing　the　misfortune　in　which　ye　yourselves　have　plunged　me：
this　is　the　spot　where　the　overflowings　of　mine　eyes　shall　swell　the
waters　of　yon　little　brook；　and　my　deep　and　endless　sighs　shall　stir
unceasingly　the　leaves　of　these　mountain　trees；　in　testimony　and　token
of　the　pain　my　persecuted　heart　is　suffering。　Oh；　ye　rural　deities；
whoever　ye　be　that　haunt　this　lone　spot；　give　ear　to　the　complaint
of　a　wretched　lover　whom　long　absence　and　brooding　jealousy　have
driven　to　bewail　his　fate　among　these　wilds　and　complain　of　the　hard
heart　of　that　fair　and　ungrateful　one；　the　end　and　limit　of　all
human　beauty！　Oh；　ye　wood　nymphs　and　dryads；　that　dwell　in　the
thickets　of　the　forest；　so　may　the　nimble　wanton　satyrs　by　whom　ye　are
vainly　wooed　never　disturb　your　sweet　repose；　help　me　to　lament　my
hard　fate　or　at　least　weary　not　at　listening　to　it！　Oh；　Dulcinea　del
Toboso；　day　of　my　night；　glory　of　my　pain；　guide　of　my　path；　star　of
my　fortune；　so　may　Heaven　grant　thee　in　full　all　thou　seekest　of　it；
bethink　thee　of　the　place　and　condition　to　which　absence　from　thee　has
brought　me；　and　make　that　return　in　kindness　that　is　due　to　my
fidelity！　Oh；　lonely　trees；　that　from　this　day　forward　shall　bear　me
company　in　my　solitude；　give　me　some　sign　by　the　gentle　movement　of
your　boughs　that　my　presence　is　not　distasteful　to　you！　Oh；　thou；　my
squire；　pleasant　companion　in　my　prosperous　and　adverse　fortunes；
fix　well　in　thy　memory　what　thou　shalt　see　me　do　here；　so　that　thou
mayest　relate　and　report　it　to　the　sole　cause　of　all；〃　and　so　saying
he　dismounted　from　Rocinante；　and　in　an　instant　relieved　him　of　saddle
and　bridle；　and　giving　him　a　slap　on　the　croup；　said；　〃He　gives　thee
freedom　who　is　bereft　of　it　himself；　oh　steed　as　excellent　in　deed
as　thou　art　unfortunate　in　thy　lot；　begone　where　thou　wilt；　for　thou
bearest　written　on　thy　forehead　that　neither　Astolfo's　hippogriff；　nor
the　famed　Frontino　that　cost　Bradamante　so　dear；　could　equal　thee　in
speed。〃
　　Seeing　this　Sancho　said；　〃Good　luck　to　him　who　has　saved　us　the
trouble　of　stripping　the　pack…saddle　off　Dapple！　By　my　faith　he
would　not　have　gone　without　a　slap　on　the　croup　and　something　said
in　his　praise；　though　if　he　were　here　I　would　not　let　anyone　strip
him；　for　there　would　be　no　occasion；　as　he　had　nothing　of　the　lover　or
victim　of　despair　about　him；　inasmuch　as　his　master；　which　I　was　while
it　was　God's　pleasure；　was　nothing　of　the　sort；　and　indeed；　Sir　Knight
of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　if　my　departure　and　your　worship's
madness　are　to　come　off　in　earnest；　it　will　be　as　well　to　saddle
Rocinante　again　in　order　that　he　may　supply　the　want　of　Dapple；
because　it　will　save　me　time　in　going　and　returning：　for　if　I　go　on
foot　I　don't　know　when　I　shall　get　there　or　when　I　shall　get　back；
as　I　am；　in　truth；　a　bad　walker。〃
　　〃I　declare；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃it　shall　be　as　thou
wilt；　for　thy　plan　does　not　seem　to　me　a　bad　one；　and　three　days　hence
thou　wilt　depart；　for　I　wish　thee　to　observe　in　the　meantime　what　I　do
and　say　for　her　sake；　that　thou　mayest　be　able　to　tell　it。〃
　　〃But　what　more　have　I　to　see　besides　what　I　have　seen？〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Much　thou　knowest　about　it！〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃I　have　now　got　to
tear　up　my　garments；　to　scatter　about　my　armour；　knock　my　head　against
these　rocks；　and　more　of　the　same　sort　of　thing；　which　thou　must
witness。〃
　　〃For　the　love　of　God；〃　said　Sancho；　〃be　careful；　your　worship；　how
you　give　yourself　those　knocks　on　the　head；　for　you　may　come　across
such　a　rock；　and　in　such　a　way；　that　the　very　first　may　put　an　end
to　the　whole　contrivance　of　this　penance；　and　I　should　think；　if
indeed　knocks　on　the　head　seem　necessary　to　you；　and　this　business
cannot　be　done　without　them；　you　might　be　content　…as　the　whole
thing　is　feigned；　and　counterfeit；　and　in　joke…　you　might　be
content；　I