don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第82部分

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brought　about　this　metamorphosis　in　your　person　for　the　reason　I
have　mentioned；　you　ought　not　to　attach　any　importance　to　it；　for
there　is　no　peril　on　earth　through　which　my　sword　will　not　force　a
way；　and　with　it；　before　many　days　are　over；　I　will　bring　your　enemy's
head　to　the　ground　and　place　on　yours　the　crown　of　your　kingdom。〃
　　Don　Quixote　said　no　more；　and　waited　for　the　reply　of　the
princess；　who　aware　of　Don　Fernando's　determination　to　carry　on　the
deception　until　Don　Quixote　had　been　conveyed　to　his　home；　with
great　ease　of　manner　and　gravity　made　answer；　〃Whoever　told　you；
valiant　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　that　I　had　undergone　any
change　or　transformation　did　not　tell　you　the　truth；　for　I　am　the　same
as　I　was　yesterday。　It　is　true　that　certain　strokes　of　good　fortune；
that　have　given　me　more　than　I　could　have　hoped　for；　have　made　some
alteration　in　me；　but　I　have　not　therefore　ceased　to　be　what　I　was
before；　or　to　entertain　the　same　desire　I　have　had　all　through　of
availing　myself　of　the　might　of　your　valiant　and　invincible　arm。　And
so；　senor；　let　your　goodness　reinstate　the　father　that　begot　me　in
your　good　opinion；　and　be　assured　that　he　was　a　wise　and　prudent
man；　since　by　his　craft　he　found　out　such　a　sure　and　easy　way　of
remedying　my　misfortune；　for　I　believe；　senor；　that　had　it　not　been
for　you　I　should　never　have　lit　upon　the　good　fortune　I　now　possess；
and　in　this　I　am　saying　what　is　perfectly　true；　as　most　of　these
gentlemen　who　are　present　can　fully　testify。　All　that　remains　is　to
set　out　on　our　journey　to…morrow；　for　to…day　we　could　not　make　much
way；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　happy　result　I　am　looking　forward　to；　I
trust　to　God　and　the　valour　of　your　heart。〃
　　So　said　the　sprightly　Dorothea；　and　on　hearing　her　Don　Quixote
turned　to　Sancho；　and　said　to　him；　with　an　angry　air；　〃I　declare
now；　little　Sancho；　thou　art　the　greatest　little　villain　in　Spain。
Say；　thief　and　vagabond；　hast　thou　not　just　now　told　me　that　this
princess　had　been　turned　into　a　maiden　called　Dorothea；　and　that　the
head　which　I　am　persuaded　I　cut　off　from　a　giant　was　the　bitch　that
bore　thee；　and　other　nonsense　that　put　me　in　the　greatest　perplexity　I
have　ever　been　in　all　my　life？　I　vow〃　（and　here　he　looked　to　heaven
and　ground　his　teeth）　〃I　have　a　mind　to　play　the　mischief　with　thee；
in　a　way　that　will　teach　sense　for　the　future　to　all　lying　squires
of　knights…errant　in　the　world。〃
　　〃Let　your　worship　be　calm；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃for　it　may　well
be　that　I　have　been　mistaken　as　to　the　change　of　the　lady　princess
Micomicona；　but　as　to　the　giant's　head；　or　at　least　as　to　the　piercing
of　the　wine…skins；　and　the　blood　being　red　wine；　I　make　no　mistake；　as
sure　as　there　is　a　God；　because　the　wounded　skins　are　there　at　the
head　of　your　worship's　bed；　and　the　wine　has　made　a　lake　of　the
room；　if　not　you　will　see　when　the　eggs　come　to　be　fried；　I　mean
when　his　worship　the　landlord　calls　for　all　the　damages：　for　the　rest；
I　am　heartily　glad　that　her　ladyship　the　queen　is　as　she　was；　for　it
concerns　me　as　much　as　anyone。〃
　　〃I　tell　thee　again；　Sancho；　thou　art　a　fool；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃forgive　me；　and　that　will　do。〃
　　〃That　will　do；〃　said　Don　Fernando；　〃let　us　say　no　more　about　it；　and
as　her　ladyship　the　princess　proposes　to　set　out　to…morrow　because
it　is　too　late　to…day；　so　be　it；　and　we　will　pass　the　night　in
pleasant　conversation；　and　to…morrow　we　will　all　accompany　Senor　Don
Quixote；　for　we　wish　to　witness　the　valiant　and　unparalleled
achievements　he　is　about　to　perform　in　the　course　of　this　mighty
enterprise　which　he　has　undertaken。〃
　　〃It　is　I　who　shall　wait　upon　and　accompany　you；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃and　I　am　much　gratified　by　the　favour　that　is　bestowed　upon　me；　and
the　good　opinion　entertained　of　me；　which　I　shall　strive　to　justify　or
it　shall　cost　me　my　life；　or　even　more；　if　it　can　possibly　cost　me
more。〃
　　Many　were　the　compliments　and　expressions　of　politeness　that
passed　between　Don　Quixote　and　Don　Fernando；　but　they　were　brought
to　an　end　by　a　traveller　who　at　this　moment　entered　the　inn；　and　who
seemed　from　his　attire　to　be　a　Christian　lately　come　from　the
country　of　the　Moors；　for　he　was　dressed　in　a　short…skirted　coat　of
blue　cloth　with　half…sleeves　and　without　a　collar；　his　breeches　were
also　of　blue　cloth；　and　his　cap　of　the　same　colour；　and　he　wore　yellow
buskins　and　had　a　Moorish　cutlass　slung　from　a　baldric　across　his
breast。　Behind　him；　mounted　upon　an　ass；　there　came　a　woman　dressed　in
Moorish　fashion；　with　her　face　veiled　and　a　scarf　on　her　head；　and
wearing　a　little　brocaded　cap；　and　a　mantle　that　covered　her　from
her　shoulders　to　her　feet。　The　man　was　of　a　robust　and
well…proportioned　frame；　in　age　a　little　over　forty；　rather　swarthy　in
complexion；　with　long　moustaches　and　a　full　beard；　and；　in　short；
his　appearance　was　such　that　if　he　had　been　well　dressed　he　would　have
been　taken　for　a　person　of　quality　and　good　birth。　On　entering　he
asked　for　a　room；　and　when　they　told　him　there　was　none　in　the　inn
he　seemed　distressed；　and　approaching　her　who　by　her　dress　seemed　to
be　a　Moor　he　her　down　from　saddle　in　his　arms。　Luscinda；　Dorothea；　the
landlady；　her　daughter　and　Maritornes；　attracted　by　the　strange；　and
to　them　entirely　new　costume；　gathered　round　her；　and　Dorothea；　who
was　always　kindly；　courteous；　and　quick…witted；　perceiving　that　both
she　and　the　man　who　had　brought　her　were　annoyed　at　not　finding　a
room；　said　to　her；　〃Do　not　be　put　out；　senora；　by　the　discomfort　and
want　of　luxuries　here；　for　it　is　the　way　of　road…side　inns　to　be
without　them；　still；　if　you　will　be　pleased　to　share　our　lodging
with　us　（pointing　to　Luscinda）　perhaps　you　will　have　found　worse
accommodation　in　the　course　of　your　journey。〃
　　To　this　the　veiled　lady　made　no　reply；　all　she　did　was　to　rise
from　her　seat；　crossing　her　hands　upon　her　bosom；　bowing　her　head
and　bending　her　body　as　a　sign　that　she　returned　thanks。　From　her
silence　they　concluded　that　she　must　be　a　Moor　and　unable　to　speak　a
Christian　tongue。
　　At　this　moment　the　captive　came　up；　having　been　until　now
otherwise　engaged；　and　seeing　that　they　all　stood　round　his
companion　and　that　she　made　no　reply　to　what　they　addressed　to　her；　he
said；　〃Ladies；　this　damsel　hardly　understands　my　language　and　can
speak　none　but　that　of　her　own　country；　for　which　reason　she　does
not　and　cannot　answer　what　has　been　asked　of　her。〃
　　〃Nothing　has　been　asked　of　her；〃　returned　Luscinda；　〃she　has　only
been　offered　our　company　for　this　evening　and　a　share　of　the
quarters　we　occupy；　where　she　shall　be　made　as　comfortable　as　the
circumstances　allow；　with　the　good…will　we　are　bound　to　show　all
strangers　that　stand　in　need　of　it；　especially　if　it　be　a　woman　to
whom　the　service　is　rendered。〃
　　〃On　her　part　and　my　own；　senora；〃　replied　the　captive；　〃I　kiss
your　hands；　and　I　esteem　highly；　as　I　ought；　the　favour　you　have
offered；　which；　on　such　an　occasion　and　coming　from　persons　of　your
appearance；　is；　it　is　plain　to　see；　a　very　great　one。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　senor；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃is　this　lady　a　Christian　or　a
Moor？　for　her　dress　and　her　silence　lead　us　to　imagine　that　she　is
what　we　could　wish　she　was　not。〃
　　〃In　dress　and　outwardly；〃　said　he；　〃she　is　a　Moor；　but　at　heart
she　is　a　thoroughly　good　Christian；　for　she　has　the　greatest　desire　to
become　one。〃
　　〃Then　she　has　not　been　baptised？〃　returned　Luscinda。
　　〃There　has　been　no　opportunity　for　that；〃　replied　the　captive；
〃since　she　left　Algiers；　her　native　country　and　home；　and　up　to　the
present　she　has　not　found　herself　in　any　such　imminent　danger　of　death
as　to　make　it　necessary　to　baptise　her　before　she　has　been
instructed　in　all　the　ceremonies　our　holy　mother　Church　ordains；
but；　please　God；　ere　long　she　shall　be　baptised　with　the　solemnity
befitting　her　which　is　higher　than　her　dress　or　mine　indicates。〃
　　By　these　words　he　excited　a　desire　in　all　who　heard　him；　to　know　who
the　Moorish　lady　and　the　captive　were；　but　no　one　liked　to　ask　just
then；　seeing　that　it　was　a　fitter　moment　for　helping　them　to　rest
themselves　than　for　questioning　them　about　their　lives。　Dorothea
took　the　Moorish　lady　by　the　hand　and　leading　her　to　a　seat　beside
herself；　requested　her　to　remove　her　veil。　She　looked　at　the　captive
as　if　to　ask　him　what　they　meant　and　what　she　was　to　do。　He　said　to
her　in　Arabic　that　they　asked　her　to　take　off　her　veil；　and
thereupon　she　removed　it　and　disclosed　a　countenance　so　lovely；　that
to　Dorothea　she　seemed　more　beautiful　than　Luscinda；　and　to　Luscinda
more　beautiful　than　Dorothea；　and　all　the　bystanders　felt　that　if
any　beauty　could　compare　with　theirs　it　was　the　Moorish　lady's；　and
there　were　even　those　who　were　inclined　to　give　it　somewhat　the
preference。　And　as　it　is　the　privilege　and　charm　of　beauty　to　win
the　heart　and　secure　good…will；　all　forthwith　became　eager　to　show
kindness　and　attention　to　the　lovely　Moor。
　　Don　Fernando　asked　the　captive　what　her　name　was；　and　he　replied
that　it　was　Lela　Zoraida；　but　the　instant　she　heard　him；　she　guessed
what　the　Christian　had　asked；　and　said　hastily；　with　some
displeasure　and　energy；　〃No；　not　Zoraida；　Maria；　Maria！〃　giving　them
to　understand　that