don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第66部分

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longer；　you　must　give　me　back　tail；　for　it　is　a　shame　the　way　that
thing　of　my　husband's　goes　tossing　about　on　the　floor；　I　mean　the　comb
that　I　used　to　stick　in　my　good　tail。〃
　　But　for　all　she　tugged　at　it　the　barber　would　not　give　it　up　until
the　licentiate　told　him　to　let　her　have　it；　as　there　was　now　no
further　occasion　for　that　stratagem；　because　he　might　declare
himself　and　appear　in　his　own　character；　and　tell　Don　Quixote　that
he　had　fled　to　this　inn　when　those　thieves　the　galley　slaves　robbed
him；　and　should　he　ask　for　the　princess's　squire；　they　could　tell
him　that　she　had　sent　him　on　before　her　to　give　notice　to　the　people
of　her　kingdom　that　she　was　coming；　and　bringing　with　her　the
deliverer　of　them　all。　On　this　the　barber　cheerfully　restored　the　tail
to　the　landlady；　and　at　the　same　time　they　returned　all　the
accessories　they　had　borrowed　to　effect　Don　Quixote's　deliverance。　All
the　people　of　the　inn　were　struck　with　astonishment　at　the　beauty　of
Dorothea；　and　even　at　the　comely　figure　of　the　shepherd　Cardenio。
The　curate　made　them　get　ready　such　fare　as　there　was　in　the　inn；
and　the　landlord；　in　hope　of　better　payment；　served　them　up　a
tolerably　good　dinner。　All　this　time　Don　Quixote　was　asleep；　and
they　thought　it　best　not　to　waken　him；　as　sleeping　would　now　do　him
more　good　than　eating。
　　While　at　dinner；　the　company　consisting　of　the　landlord；　his　wife；
their　daughter；　Maritornes；　and　all　the　travellers；　they　discussed　the
strange　craze　of　Don　Quixote　and　the　manner　in　which　he　had　been
found；　and　the　landlady　told　them　what　had　taken　place　between　him　and
the　carrier；　and　then；　looking　round　to　see　if　Sancho　was　there；
when　she　saw　he　was　not；　she　gave　them　the　whole　story　of　his
blanketing；　which　they　received　with　no　little　amusement。　But　on　the
curate　observing　that　it　was　the　books　of　chivalry　which　Don　Quixote
had　read　that　had　turned　his　brain；　the　landlord　said：
　　〃I　cannot　understand　how　that　can　be；　for　in　truth　to　my　mind
there　is　no　better　reading　in　the　world；　and　I　have　here　two　or
three　of　them；　with　other　writings　that　are　the　very　life；　not　only　of
myself　but　of　plenty　more；　for　when　it　is　harvest…time；　the　reapers
flock　here　on　holidays；　and　there　is　always　one　among　them　who　can
read　and　who　takes　up　one　of　these　books；　and　we　gather　round　him；
thirty　or　more　of　us；　and　stay　listening　to　him　with　a　delight　that
makes　our　grey　hairs　grow　young　again。　At　least　I　can　say　for　myself
that　when　I　hear　of　what　furious　and　terrible　blows　the　knights
deliver；　I　am　seized　with　the　longing　to　do　the　same；　and　I　would　like
to　be　hearing　about　them　night　and　day。〃
　　〃And　I　just　as　much；〃　said　the　landlady；　〃because　I　never　have　a
quiet　moment　in　my　house　except　when　you　are　listening　to　some　one
reading；　for　then　you　are　so　taken　up　that　for　the　time　being　you
forget　to　scold。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Maritornes；　〃and；　faith；　I　relish　hearing　these
things　greatly　too；　for　they　are　very　pretty；　especially　when　they
describe　some　lady　or　another　in　the　arms　of　her　knight　under　the
orange　trees；　and　the　duenna　who　is　keeping　watch　for　them　half　dead
with　envy　and　fright；　all　this　I　say　is　as　good　as　honey。〃
　　〃And　you；　what　do　you　think；　young　lady？〃　said　the　curate　turning　to
the　landlord's　daughter。
　　〃I　don't　know　indeed；　senor；〃　said　she；　〃I　listen　too；　and　to　tell
the　truth；　though　I　do　not　understand　it；　I　like　hearing　it；　but　it　is
not　the　blows　that　my　father　likes　that　I　like；　but　the　laments　the
knights　utter　when　they　are　separated　from　their　ladies；　and　indeed
they　sometimes　make　me　weep　with　the　pity　I　feel　for　them。〃
　　〃Then　you　would　console　them　if　it　was　for　you　they　wept；　young
lady？〃　said　Dorothea。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　I　should　do；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I　only　know　that
there　are　some　of　those　ladies　so　cruel　that　they　call　their　knights
tigers　and　lions　and　a　thousand　other　foul　names：　and　Jesus！　I　don't
know　what　sort　of　folk　they　can　be；　so　unfeeling　and　heartless；　that
rather　than　bestow　a　glance　upon　a　worthy　man　they　leave　him　to　die　or
go　mad。　I　don't　know　what　is　the　good　of　such　prudery；　if　it　is　for
honour's　sake；　why　not　marry　them？　That's　all　they　want。〃
　　〃Hush；　child；〃　said　the　landlady；　〃it　seems　to　me　thou　knowest　a
great　deal　about　these　things；　and　it　is　not　fit　for　girls　to　know
or　talk　so　much。〃
　　〃As　the　gentleman　asked　me；　I　could　not　help　answering　him；〃　said
the　girl。
　　〃Well　then；〃　said　the　curate；　〃bring　me　these　books；　senor　landlord；
for　I　should　like　to　see　them。〃
　　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　he；　and　going　into　his　own　room　he　brought
out　an　old　valise　secured　with　a　little　chain；　on　opening　which　the
curate　found　in　it　three　large　books　and　some　manuscripts　written　in　a
very　good　hand。　The　first　that　he　opened　he　found　to　be　〃Don
Cirongilio　of　Thrace；〃　and　the　second　〃Don　Felixmarte　of　Hircania；〃
and　the　other　the　〃History　of　the　Great　Captain　Gonzalo　Hernandez　de
Cordova；　with　the　Life　of　Diego　Garcia　de　Paredes。〃
　　When　the　curate　read　the　two　first　titles　he　looked　over　at　the
barber　and　said；　〃We　want　my　friend's　housekeeper　and　niece　here　now。〃
　　〃Nay；〃　said　the　barber；　〃I　can　do　just　as　well　to　carry　them　to
the　yard　or　to　the　hearth；　and　there　is　a　very　good　fire　there。〃
　　〃What！　your　worship　would　burn　my　books！〃　said　the　landlord。
　　〃Only　these　two；〃　said　the　curate；　〃Don　Cirongilio；　and　Felixmarte。〃
　　〃Are　my　books；　then；　heretics　or　phlegmaties　that　you　want　to　burn
them？〃　said　the　landlord。
　　〃Schismatics　you　mean；　friend；〃　said　the　barber；　〃not　phlegmatics。〃
　　〃That's　it；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃but　if　you　want　to　burn　any；　let　it
be　that　about　the　Great　Captain　and　that　Diego　Garcia；　for　I　would
rather　have　a　child　of　mine　burnt　than　either　of　the　others。〃
　　〃Brother；〃　said　the　curate；　〃those　two　books　are　made　up　of　lies；
and　are　full　of　folly　and　nonsense；　but　this　of　the　Great　Captain　is　a
true　history；　and　contains　the　deeds　of　Gonzalo　Hernandez　of
Cordova；　who　by　his　many　and　great　achievements　earned　the　title　all
over　the　world　of　the　Great　Captain；　a　famous　and　illustrious　name；
and　deserved　by　him　alone；　and　this　Diego　Garcia　de　Paredes　was　a
distinguished　knight　of　the　city　of　Trujillo　in　Estremadura；　a　most
gallant　soldier；　and　of　such　bodily　strength　that　with　one　finger　he
stopped　a　mill…wheel　in　full　motion；　and　posted　with　a　two…handed
sword　at　the　foot　of　a　bridge　he　kept　the　whole　of　an　immense　army
from　passing　over　it；　and　achieved　such　other　exploits　that　if；
instead　of　his　relating　them　himself　with　the　modesty　of　a　knight
and　of　one　writing　his　own　history；　some　free　and　unbiassed　writer　had
recorded　them；　they　would　have　thrown　into　the　shade　all　the　deeds
of　the　Hectors；　Achilleses；　and　Rolands。〃
　　〃Tell　that　to　my　father；〃　said　the　landlord。　〃There's　a　thing　to
be　astonished　at！　Stopping　a　mill…wheel！　By　God　your　worship　should
read　what　I　have　read　of　Felixmarte　of　Hircania；　how　with　one　single
backstroke　he　cleft　five　giants　asunder　through　the　middle　as　if
they　had　been　made　of　bean…pods　like　the　little　friars　the　children
make；　and　another　time　he　attacked　a　very　great　and　powerful　army；
in　which　there　were　more　than　a　million　six　hundred　thousand　soldiers；
all　armed　from　head　to　foot；　and　he　routed　them　all　as　if　they　had
been　flocks　of　sheep。　And　then；　what　do　you　say　to　the　good　Cirongilio
of　Thrace；　that　was　so　stout　and　bold；　as　may　be　seen　in　the　book；
where　it　is　related　that　as　he　was　sailing　along　a　river　there　came　up
out　of　the　midst　of　the　water　against　him　a　fiery　serpent；　and　he；
as　soon　as　he　saw　it；　flung　himself　upon　it　and　got　astride　of　its
scaly　shoulders；　and　squeezed　its　throat　with　both　hands　with　such
force　that　the　serpent；　finding　he　was　throttling　it；　had　nothing
for　it　but　to　let　itself　sink　to　the　bottom　of　the　river；　carrying
with　it　the　knight　who　would　not　let　go　his　hold；　and　when　they　got
down　there　he　found　himself　among　palaces　and　gardens　so　pretty　that
it　was　a　wonder　to　see；　and　then　the　serpent　changed　itself　into　an
old　ancient　man；　who　told　him　such　things　as　were　never　heard。　Hold
your　peace；　senor；　for　if　you　were　to　hear　this　you　would　go　mad
with　delight。　A　couple　of　figs　for　your　Great　Captain　and　your　Diego
Garcia！〃
　　Hearing　this　Dorothea　said　in　a　whisper　to　Cardenio；　〃Our　landlord
is　almost　fit　to　play　a　second　part　to　Don　Quixote。〃
　　〃I　think　so；〃　said　Cardenio；　〃for；　as　he　shows；　he　accepts　it　as　a
certainty　that　everything　those　books　relate　took　place　exactly　as
it　is　written　down；　and　the　barefooted　friars　themselves　would　not
persuade　him　to　the　contrary。〃
　　〃But　consider；　brother；　said　the　curate　once　more；　〃there　never
was　any　Felixmarte　of　Hircania　in　the　world；　nor　any　Cirongilio　of
Thrace；　or　any　of　the　other　knights　of　the　same　sort；　that　the　books
of　chivalry　talk　of；　the　whole　thing　is　the　fabrication　and
invention　of　idle　wits；　devised　by　them　for　the　purpose　you　describe
of　beguiling　the　time；　as　your　reapers　do　when　they　read；　for　I
swear　to　you　in　all　seriousness　there　never　were　any　such　knights　in
the　world；　and　no　such　exploits　or　nonsense　ever　happened　anywhere。〃
　　〃Try　that　bone　on　another　dog；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃as　if　I