don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第59部分

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calling　aloud　to　them。　They　went　to　meet　him；　and　in　answer　to　their
inquiries　about　Don　Quixote；　be　told　them　how　he　had　found　him
stripped　to　his　shirt；　lank；　yellow；　half　dead　with　hunger；　and
sighing　for　his　lady　Dulcinea；　and　although　he　had　told　him　that　she
commanded　him　to　quit　that　place　and　come　to　El　Toboso；　where　she
was　expecting　him；　he　had　answered　that　he　was　determined　not　to
appear　in　the　presence　of　her　beauty　until　he　had　done　deeds　to　make
him　worthy　of　her　favour；　and　if　this　went　on；　Sancho　said；　he　ran　the
risk　of　not　becoming　an　emperor　as　in　duty　bound；　or　even　an
archbishop；　which　was　the　least　he　could　be；　for　which　reason　they
ought　to　consider　what　was　to　be　done　to　get　him　away　from　there。
The　licentiate　in　reply　told　him　not　to　be　uneasy；　for　they　would
fetch　him　away　in　spite　of　himself。　He　then　told　Cardenio　and　Dorothea
what　they　had　proposed　to　do　to　cure　Don　Quixote；　or　at　any　rate
take　him　home；　upon　which　Dorothea　said　that　she　could　play　the
distressed　damsel　better　than　the　barber；　especially　as　she　had
there　the　dress　in　which　to　do　it　to　the　life；　and　that　they　might
trust　to　her　acting　the　part　in　every　particular　requisite　for
carrying　out　their　scheme；　for　she　had　read　a　great　many　books　of
chivalry；　and　knew　exactly　the　style　in　which　afflicted　damsels　begged
boons　of　knights…errant。
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　curate；　〃there　is　nothing　more　required
than　to　set　about　it　at　once；　for　beyond　a　doubt　fortune　is
declaring　itself　in　our　favour；　since　it　has　so　unexpectedly　begun
to　open　a　door　for　your　relief；　and　smoothed　the　way　for　us　to　our
object。〃
　　Dorothea　then　took　out　of　her　pillow…case　a　complete　petticoat　of
some　rich　stuff；　and　a　green　mantle　of　some　other　fine　material；　and　a
necklace　and　other　ornaments　out　of　a　little　box；　and　with　these　in　an
instant　she　so　arrayed　herself　that　she　looked　like　a　great　and　rich
lady。　All　this；　and　more；　she　said；　she　had　taken　from　home　in　case　of
need；　but　that　until　then　she　had　had　no　occasion　to　make　use　of　it。
They　were　all　highly　delighted　with　her　grace；　air；　and　beauty；　and
declared　Don　Fernando　to　be　a　man　of　very　little　taste　when　he
rejected　such　charms。　But　the　one　who　admired　her　most　was　Sancho
Panza；　for　it　seemed　to　him　（what　indeed　was　true）　that　in　all　the
days　of　his　life　he　had　never　seen　such　a　lovely　creature；　and　he
asked　the　curate　with　great　eagerness　who　this　beautiful　lady　was；　and
what　she　wanted　in　these　out…of…the…way　quarters。
　　〃This　fair　lady；　brother　Sancho；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃is　no　less
a　personage　than　the　heiress　in　the　direct　male　line　of　the　great
kingdom　of　Micomicon；　who　has　come　in　search　of　your　master　to　beg　a
boon　of　him；　which　is　that　he　redress　a　wrong　or　injury　that　a
wicked　giant　has　done　her；　and　from　the　fame　as　a　good　knight　which
your　master　has　acquired　far　and　wide；　this　princess　has　come　from
Guinea　to　seek　him。〃
　　〃A　lucky　seeking　and　a　lucky　finding！〃　said　Sancho　Panza　at　this；
〃especially　if　my　master　has　the　good　fortune　to　redress　that
injury；　and　right　that　wrong；　and　kill　that　son　of　a　bitch　of　a
giant　your　worship　speaks　of；　as　kill　him　he　will　if　he　meets　him；
unless；　indeed；　he　happens　to　be　a　phantom；　for　my　master　has　no　power
at　all　against　phantoms。　But　one　thing　among　others　I　would　beg　of
you；　senor　licentiate；　which　is；　that；　to　prevent　my　master　taking　a
fancy　to　be　an　archbishop；　for　that　is　what　I'm　afraid　of；　your
worship　would　recommend　him　to　marry　this　princess　at　once；　for　in
this　way　he　will　be　disabled　from　taking　archbishop's　orders；　and　will
easily　come　into　his　empire；　and　I　to　the　end　of　my　desires；　I　have
been　thinking　over　the　matter　carefully；　and　by　what　I　can　make　out
I　find　it　will　not　do　for　me　that　my　master　should　become　an
archbishop；　because　I　am　no　good　for　the　Church；　as　I　am　married；
and　for　me　now；　having　as　I　have　a　wife　and　children；　to　set　about
obtaining　dispensations　to　enable　me　to　hold　a　place　of　profit　under
the　Church；　would　be　endless　work；　so　that；　senor；　it　all　turns　on
my　master　marrying　this　lady　at　once…　for　as　yet　I　do　not　know　her
grace；　and　so　I　cannot　call　her　by　her　name。〃
　　〃She　is　called　the　Princess　Micomicona；〃　said　the　curate；　〃for　as
her　kingdom　is　Micomicon；　it　is　clear　that　must　be　her　name。〃
　　〃There's　no　doubt　of　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃for　I　have　known　many
to　take　their　name　and　title　from　the　place　where　they　were　born　and
call　themselves　Pedro　of　Alcala；　Juan　of　Ubeda；　and　Diego　of
Valladolid；　and　it　may　be　that　over　there　in　Guinea　queens　have　the
same　way　of　taking　the　names　of　their　kingdoms。〃
　　〃So　it　may；〃　said　the　curate；　〃and　as　for　your　master's　marrying；
I　will　do　all　in　my　power　towards　it：〃　with　which　Sancho　was　as　much
pleased　as　the　curate　was　amazed　at　his　simplicity　and　at　seeing
what　a　hold　the　absurdities　of　his　master　had　taken　of　his　fancy；
for　he　had　evidently　persuaded　himself　that　he　was　going　to　be　an
emperor。
　　By　this　time　Dorothea　had　seated　herself　upon　the　curate's　mule；　and
the　barber　had　fitted　the　ox…tail　beard　to　his　face；　and　they　now　told
Sancho　to　conduct　them　to　where　Don　Quixote　was；　warning　him　not　to
say　that　he　knew　either　the　licentiate　or　the　barber；　as　his
master's　becoming　an　emperor　entirely　depended　on　his　not
recognising　them；　neither　the　curate　nor　Cardenio；　however；　thought
fit　to　go　with　them；　Cardenio　lest　he　should　remind　Don　Quixote　of　the
quarrel　he　had　with　him；　and　the　curate　as　there　was　no　necessity
for　his　presence　just　yet；　so　they　allowed　the　others　to　go　on
before　them；　while　they　themselves　followed　slowly　on　foot。　The　curate
did　not　forget　to　instruct　Dorothea　how　to　act；　but　she　said　they
might　make　their　minds　easy；　as　everything　would　be　done　exactly　as
the　books　of　chivalry　required　and　described。
　　They　had　gone　about　three…quarters　of　a　league　when　they
discovered　Don　Quixote　in　a　wilderness　of　rocks；　by　this　time　clothed；
but　without　his　armour；　and　as　soon　as　Dorothea　saw　him　and　was　told
by　Sancho　that　that　was　Don　Quixote；　she　whipped　her　palfrey；　the
well…bearded　barber　following　her；　and　on　coming　up　to　him　her
squire　sprang　from　his　mule　and　came　forward　to　receive　her　in　his
arms；　and　she　dismounting　with　great　ease　of　manner　advanced　to
kneel　before　the　feet　of　Don　Quixote；　and　though　he　strove　to　raise
her　up；　she　without　rising　addressed　him　in　this　fashion：
　　〃From　this　spot　I　will　not　rise；　valiant　and　doughty　knight；　until
your　goodness　and　courtesy　grant　me　a　boon；　which　will　redound　to
the　honour　and　renown　of　your　person　and　render　a　service　to　the
most　disconsolate　and　afflicted　damsel　the　sun　has　seen；　and　if　the
might　of　your　strong　arm　corresponds　to　the　repute　of　your　immortal
fame；　you　are　bound　to　aid　the　helpless　being　who；　led　by　the　savour
of　your　renowned　name；　hath　come　from　far　distant　lands　to　seek　your
aid　in　her　misfortunes。〃
　　〃I　will　not　answer　a　word；　beauteous　lady；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；
〃nor　will　I　listen　to　anything　further　concerning　you；　until　you
rise　from　the　earth。〃
　　〃I　will　not　rise；　senor；〃　answered　the　afflicted　damsel；　〃unless
of　your　courtesy　the　boon　I　ask　is　first　granted　me。〃
　　〃I　grant　and　accord　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃provided　without
detriment　or　prejudice　to　my　king；　my　country；　or　her　who　holds　the
key　of　my　heart　and　freedom；　it　may　be　complied　with。〃
　　〃It　will　not　be　to　the　detriment　or　prejudice　of　any　of　them；　my
worthy　lord；〃　said　the　afflicted　damsel；　and　here　Sancho　Panza　drew
close　to　his　master's　ear　and　said　to　him　very　softly；　〃Your　worship
may　very　safely　grant　the　boon　she　asks；　it's　nothing　at　all；　only
to　kill　a　big　giant；　and　she　who　asks　it　is　the　exalted　Princess
Micomicona；　queen　of　the　great　kingdom　of　Micomicon　of　Ethiopia。〃
　　〃Let　her　be　who　she　may；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃I　will　do　what　is　my
bounden　duty；　and　what　my　conscience　bids　me；　in　conformity　with
what　I　have　professed；〃　and　turning　to　the　damsel　he　said；　〃Let　your
great　beauty　rise；　for　I　grant　the　boon　which　you　would　ask　of　me。〃
　　〃Then　what　I　ask；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃is　that　your　magnanimous　person
accompany　me　at　once　whither　I　will　conduct　you；　and　that　you
promise　not　to　engage　in　any　other　adventure　or　quest　until　you　have
avenged　me　of　a　traitor　who　against　all　human　and　divine　law；　has
usurped　my　kingdom。〃
　　〃I　repeat　that　I　grant　it；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　so；　lady；
you　may　from　this　day　forth　lay　aside　the　melancholy　that　distresses
you；　and　let　your　failing　hopes　gather　new　life　and　strength；　for　with
the　help　of　God　and　of　my　arm　you　will　soon　see　yourself　restored　to
your　kingdom；　and　seated　upon　the　throne　of　your　ancient　and　mighty
realm；　notwithstanding　and　despite　of　the　felons　who　would　gainsay　it；
and　now　hands　to　the　work；　for　in　delay　there　is　apt　to　be　danger。〃
　　The　distressed　damsel　strove　with　much　pertinacity　to　kiss　his
hands；　but　Don　Quixote；　who　was　in　all　things　a　polished　and　courteous
knight；　would　by　no　means　allow　it；　but　made　her　rise　and　embraced　her
with　great　courtesy　and　politeness；　and　ordered　Sancho　to　look　to
Rocinante's　girths；　and　to　arm　him　without　a　moment's　delay。　Sancho
took　down　the　armour；　which　was　hung　up　o