don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第10章

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already　chastised　thy　folly　and　rashness；　miserable　creature。〃　To
which　the　Biscayan　returned；　〃I　no　gentleman！　…I　swear　to　God　thou
liest　as　I　am　Christian：　if　thou　droppest　lance　and　drawest　sword；
soon　shalt　thou　see　thou　art　carrying　water　to　the　cat：　Biscayan　on
land；　hidalgo　at　sea；　hidalgo　at　the　devil；　and　look；　if　thou　sayest
otherwise　thou　liest。〃
　　〃'〃You　will　see　presently；〃　said　Agrajes；'〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　and
throwing　his　lance　on　the　ground　he　drew　his　sword；　braced　his　buckler
on　his　arm；　and　attacked　the　Biscayan；　bent　upon　taking　his　life。
　　The　Biscayan；　when　he　saw　him　coming　on；　though　he　wished　to
dismount　from　his　mule；　in　which；　being　one　of　those　sorry　ones　let
out　for　hire；　he　had　no　confidence；　had　no　choice　but　to　draw　his
sword；　it　was　lucky　for　him；　however；　that　he　was　near　the　coach；　from
which　he　was　able　to　snatch　a　cushion　that　served　him　for　a　shield；
and　they　went　at　one　another　as　if　they　had　been　two　mortal　enemies。
The　others　strove　to　make　peace　between　them；　but　could　not；　for　the
Biscayan　declared　in　his　disjointed　phrase　that　if　they　did　not　let
him　finish　his　battle　he　would　kill　his　mistress　and　everyone　that
strove　to　prevent　him。　The　lady　in　the　coach；　amazed　and　terrified
at　what　she　saw；　ordered　the　coachman　to　draw　aside　a　little；　and
set　herself　to　watch　this　severe　struggle；　in　the　course　of　which
the　Biscayan　smote　Don　Quixote　a　mighty　stroke　on　the　shoulder　over
the　top　of　his　buckler；　which；　given　to　one　without　armour；　would　have
cleft　him　to　the　waist。　Don　Quixote；　feeling　the　weight　of　this
prodigious　blow；　cried　aloud；　saying；　〃O　lady　of　my　soul；　Dulcinea；
flower　of　beauty；　come　to　the　aid　of　this　your　knight；　who；　in
fulfilling　his　obligations　to　your　beauty；　finds　himself　in　this
extreme　peril。〃　To　say　this；　to　lift　his　sword；　to　shelter　himself
well　behind　his　buckler；　and　to　assail　the　Biscayan　was　the　work　of　an
instant；　determined　as　he　was　to　venture　all　upon　a　single　blow。　The
Biscayan；　seeing　him　come　on　in　this　way；　was　convinced　of　his　courage
by　his　spirited　bearing；　and　resolved　to　follow　his　example；　so　he
waited　for　him　keeping　well　under　cover　of　his　cushion；　being　unable
to　execute　any　sort　of　manoeuvre　with　his　mule；　which；　dead　tired
and　never　meant　for　this　kind　of　game；　could　not　stir　a　step。
　　On；　then；　as　aforesaid；　came　Don　Quixote　against　the　wary
Biscayan；　with　uplifted　sword　and　a　firm　intention　of　splitting　him　in
half；　while　on　his　side　the　Biscayan　waited　for　him　sword　in　hand；　and
under　the　protection　of　his　cushion；　and　all　present　stood
trembling；　waiting　in　suspense　the　result　of　blows　such　as
threatened　to　fall；　and　the　lady　in　the　coach　and　the　rest　of　her
following　were　making　a　thousand　vows　and　offerings　to　all　the
images　and　shrines　of　Spain；　that　God　might　deliver　her　squire　and　all
of　them　from　this　great　peril　in　which　they　found　themselves。　But　it
spoils　all；　that　at　this　point　and　crisis　the　author　of　the　history
leaves　this　battle　impending；　giving　as　excuse　that　he　could　find
nothing　more　written　about　these　achievements　of　Don　Quixote　than　what
has　been　already　set　forth。　It　is　true　the　second　author　of　this
work　was　unwilling　to　believe　that　a　history　so　curious　could　have
been　allowed　to　fall　under　the　sentence　of　oblivion；　or　that　the
wits　of　La　Mancha　could　have　been　so　undiscerning　as　not　to　preserve
in　their　archives　or　registries　some　documents　referring　to　this
famous　knight；　and　this　being　his　persuasion；　he　did　not　despair　of
finding　the　conclusion　of　this　pleasant　history；　which；　heaven
favouring　him；　he　did　find　in　a　way　that　shall　be　related　in　the
Second　Part。

　　CHAPTER　IX
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONCLUDED　AND　FINISHED　THE　TERRIFIC　BATTLE　BETWEEN　THE
GALLANT　BISCAYAN　AND　THE　VALIANT　MANCHEGAN

　　IN　THE　First　Part　of　this　history　we　left　the　valiant　Biscayan　and
the　renowned　Don　Quixote　with　drawn　swords　uplifted；　ready　to
deliver　two　such　furious　slashing　blows　that　if　they　had　fallen　full
and　fair　they　would　at　least　have　split　and　cleft　them　asunder　from
top　to　toe　and　laid　them　open　like　a　pomegranate；　and　at　this　so
critical　point　the　delightful　history　came　to　a　stop　and　stood　cut
short　without　any　intimation　from　the　author　where　what　was　missing
was　to　be　found。
　　This　distressed　me　greatly；　because　the　pleasure　derived　from　having
read　such　a　small　portion　turned　to　vexation　at　the　thought　of　the
poor　chance　that　presented　itself　of　finding　the　large　part　that；　so
it　seemed　to　me；　was　missing　of　such　an　interesting　tale。　It
appeared　to　me　to　be　a　thing　impossible　and　contrary　to　all
precedent　that　so　good　a　knight　should　have　been　without　some　sage
to　undertake　the　task　of　writing　his　marvellous　achievements；　a
thing　that　was　never　wanting　to　any　of　those　knights…errant　who；
they　say；　went　after　adventures；　for　every　one　of　them　had　one　or
two　sages　as　if　made　on　purpose；　who　not　only　recorded　their　deeds　but
described　their　most　trifling　thoughts　and　follies；　however　secret
they　might　be；　and　such　a　good　knight　could　not　have　been　so
unfortunate　as　not　to　have　what　Platir　and　others　like　him　had　in
abundance。　And　so　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　believe　that　such　a
gallant　tale　had　been　left　maimed　and　mutilated；　and　I　laid　the
blame　on　Time；　the　devourer　and　destroyer　of　all　things；　that　had
either　concealed　or　consumed　it。
　　On　the　other　hand；　it　struck　me　that；　inasmuch　as　among　his　books
there　had　been　found　such　modern　ones　as　〃The　Enlightenment　of
Jealousy〃　and　the　〃Nymphs　and　Shepherds　of　Henares；〃　his　story　must
likewise　be　modern；　and　that　though　it　might　not　be　written；　it
might　exist　in　the　memory　of　the　people　of　his　village　and　of　those　in
the　neighbourhood。　This　reflection　kept　me　perplexed　and　longing　to
know　really　and　truly　the　whole　life　and　wondrous　deeds　of　our
famous　Spaniard；　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　light　and　mirror　of
Manchegan　chivalry；　and　the　first　that　in　our　age　and　in　these　so　evil
days　devoted　himself　to　the　labour　and　exercise　of　the　arms　of
knight…errantry；　righting　wrongs；　succouring　widows；　and　protecting
damsels　of　that　sort　that　used　to　ride　about；　whip　in　hand；　on　their
palfreys；　with　all　their　virginity　about　them；　from　mountain　to
mountain　and　valley　to　valley…　for；　if　it　were　not　for　some　ruffian；
or　boor　with　a　hood　and　hatchet；　or　monstrous　giant；　that　forced　them；
there　were　in　days　of　yore　damsels　that　at　the　end　of　eighty　years；　in
all　which　time　they　had　never　slept　a　day　under　a　roof；　went　to
their　graves　as　much　maids　as　the　mothers　that　bore　them。　I　say；　then；
that　in　these　and　other　respects　our　gallant　Don　Quixote　is　worthy
of　everlasting　and　notable　praise；　nor　should　it　be　withheld　even　from
me　for　the　labour　and　pains　spent　in　searching　for　the　conclusion　of
this　delightful　history；　though　I　know　well　that　if　Heaven；　chance　and
good　fortune　had　not　helped　me；　the　world　would　have　remained　deprived
of　an　entertainment　and　pleasure　that　for　a　couple　of　hours　or　so
may　well　occupy　him　who　shall　read　it　attentively。　The　discovery　of　it
occurred　in　this　way。
　　One　day；　as　I　was　in　the　Alcana　of　Toledo；　a　boy　came　up　to　sell
some　pamphlets　and　old　papers　to　a　silk　mercer；　and；　as　I　am　fond　of
reading　even　the　very　scraps　of　paper　in　the　streets；　led　by　this
natural　bent　of　mine　I　took　up　one　of　the　pamphlets　the　boy　had　for
sale；　and　saw　that　it　was　in　characters　which　I　recognised　as
Arabic；　and　as　I　was　unable　to　read　them　though　I　could　recognise
them；　I　looked　about　to　see　if　there　were　any　Spanish…speaking　Morisco
at　hand　to　read　them　for　me；　nor　was　there　any　great　difficulty　in
finding　such　an　interpreter；　for　even　had　I　sought　one　for　an　older
and　better　language　I　should　have　found　him。　In　short；　chance　provided
me　with　one；　who　when　I　told　him　what　I　wanted　and　put　the　book　into
his　hands；　opened　it　in　the　middle　and　after　reading　a　little　in　it
began　to　laugh。　I　asked　him　what　he　was　laughing　at；　and　he　replied
that　it　was　at　something　the　book　had　written　in　the　margin　by　way
of　a　note。　I　bade　him　tell　it　to　me；　and　he　still　laughing　said；　〃In
the　margin；　as　I　told　you；　this　is　written：　'This　Dulcinea　del
Toboso　so　often　mentioned　in　this　history；　had；　they　say；　the　best
hand　of　any　woman　in　all　La　Mancha　for　salting　pigs。'〃
　　When　I　heard　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　named；　I　was　struck　with　surprise
and　amazement；　for　it　occurred　to　me　at　once　that　these　pamphlets
contained　the　history　of　Don　Quixote。　With　this　idea　I　pressed　him
to　read　the　beginning；　and　doing　so；　turning　the　Arabic　offhand　into
Castilian；　he　told　me　it　meant；　〃History　of　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha；　written　by　Cide　Hamete　Benengeli；　an　Arab　historian。〃　It
required　great　caution　to　hide　the　joy　I　felt　when　the　title　of　the
book　reached　my　ears；　and　snatching　it　from　the　silk　mercer；　I
bought　all　the　papers　and　pamphlets　from　the　boy　for　half　a　real；
and　if　he　had　had　his　wits　about　him　and　had　known　how　eager　I　was　for
them；　he　might　have　safely　calculated　on　making　more　than　six　reals　by
the　bargain。　I　withdrew　at　once　with　the　Morisco　into　the　cloister
of　the　cathedral；　and　begged　him　to　turn　all　these　pamphlets　that
related　to　Don　Quixote　into　the　Castilian　tongue；　without　omitting
or　adding　anything　to　them；　offering　him　whatever　payment　he
pleased。　He　was　satisfied　with　two　arrobas　of　raisins　and　two
bushels　of　wheat；　and　promised　to　translate　them　faithfully　and　with
all　despatch；　but　to　make　the　matter　easier；　and　not　to　let　such　a
precious　find　out　of　my　hands；　I　took　him　to　my　house；　where　in　little
more　than　a　month　and　a　half　he　translated　the　whole　just　as　it　is　set
down　here。
　　In　the　first　pamphlet　the　battle　between　Don　Quixote　and　the
Biscayan　was　drawn　to　the　very　life；　they　planted　in　the　same　attitude
as　the　history　describes；　their　swords　raised；　and　the　one　protected
by　his　buckler；　the　other　by　his　cushion；　and　the　Biscayan's　mule　so
true　to　nature　that　it　could　be　seen　to　be　a　hired　one　a　bowshot
off。　The　Biscayan　had　an　inscription　under　his　feet　which　said；　〃Don
Sancho　de　Azpeitia；〃　which　no　doubt　must　have　been　his　name；　and　at
the　feet　of　Rocinante　was　another　that　said；　〃Don　Quixote。〃
Rocinante　was　marvellously　portrayed；　so　long　and　thin；　so　lank　and
lean；　with　so　much　backbone　and　so　far　gone　in　consumption；　that　he
showed　plainly　with　what　judgment　and　propriety　the　name　of
Rocinante　had　been　bestowed　upon　him。　Near　him　was　Sancho　Panza
holding　the　halter　of　his　ass；　at　whose　feet　was　another　label　that
said；　〃Sancho　Zancas；〃　and　according　to　the　picture；　he　must　have
had　a　big　belly；　a　short　body；　and　long　shanks；　for　which　reason；　no
doubt；　the　names　of　Panza　and　Zancas　were　given　him；　for　by　these
two　surnames　the　history　several　times　calls　him。　Some　other
trifling　particulars　might　be　mentioned；　but　they　are　all　of　slight
importance　and　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　true　relation　of　the
history；　and　no　history　can　be　bad　so　long　as　it　is　true。
　　If　against　the　present　one　any　objection　be　raised　on　the　score　of
its　truth；　it　can　only　be　that　its　author　was　an　Arab；　as　lying　is　a
very　common　propensity　with　those　of　that　nation；　though；　as　they
are　such　enemies　of　ours；　it　is　conceivable　that　there　wer