don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第146章
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knowing who he was。 With this measured pace and in this guise he
advanced to kneel before the duke; who; with the others; awaited him
standing。 The duke; however; would not on any account allow him to
speak until he had risen。 The prodigious scarecrow obeyed; and
standing up; removed the veil from his face and disclosed the most
enormous; the longest; the whitest and the thickest beard that human
eyes had ever beheld until that moment; and then fetching up a
grave; sonorous voice from the depths of his broad; capacious chest;
and fixing his eyes on the duke; he said:
〃Most high and mighty senor; my name is Trifaldin of the White
Beard; I am squire to the Countess Trifaldi; otherwise called the
Distressed Duenna; on whose behalf I bear a message to your
highness; which is that your magnificence will be pleased to grant her
leave and permission to come and tell you her trouble; which is one of
the strangest and most wonderful that the mind most familiar with
trouble in the world could have imagined; but first she desires to
know if the valiant and never vanquished knight; Don Quixote of La
Mancha; is in this your castle; for she has come in quest of him on
foot and without breaking her fast from the kingdom of Kandy to your
realms here; a thing which may and ought to be regarded as a miracle
or set down to enchantment; she is even now at the gate of this
fortress or plaisance; and only waits for your permission to enter。
I have spoken。〃 And with that he coughed; and stroked down his beard
with both his hands; and stood very tranquilly waiting for the
response of the duke; which was to this effect: 〃Many days ago; worthy
squire Trifaldin of the White Beard; we heard of the misfortune of
my lady the Countess Trifaldi; whom the enchanters have caused to be
called the Distressed Duenna。 Bid her enter; O stupendous squire;
and tell her that the valiant knight Don Quixote of La Mancha is here;
and from his generous disposition she may safely promise herself every
protection and assistance; and you may tell her; too; that if my aid
be necessary it will not be withheld; for I am bound to give it to her
by my quality of knight; which involves the protection of women of all
sorts; especially widowed; wronged; and distressed dames; such as
her ladyship seems to be。〃
On hearing this Trifaldin bent the knee to the ground; and making
a sign to the fifer and drummers to strike up; he turned and marched
out of the garden to the same notes and at the same pace as when he
entered; leaving them all amazed at his bearing and solemnity。 Turning
to Don Quixote; the duke said; 〃After all; renowned knight; the
mists of malice and ignorance are unable to hide or obscure the
light of valour and virtue。 I say so; because your excellence has been
barely six days in this castle; and already the unhappy and the
afflicted come in quest of you from lands far distant and remote;
and not in coaches or on dromedaries; but on foot and fasting;
confident that in that mighty arm they will find a cure for their
sorrows and troubles; thanks to your great achievements; which are
circulated all over the known earth。〃
〃I wish; senor duke;〃 replied Don Quixote; 〃that blessed
ecclesiastic; who at table the other day showed such ill…will and
bitter spite against knights…errant; were here now to see with his own
eyes whether knights of the sort are needed in the world; he would
at any rate learn by experience that those suffering any extraordinary
affliction or sorrow; in extreme cases and unusual misfortunes do
not go to look for a remedy to the houses of jurists or village
sacristans; or to the knight who has never attempted to pass the
bounds of his own town; or to the indolent courtier who only seeks for
news to repeat and talk of; instead of striving to do deeds and
exploits for others to relate and record。 Relief in distress; help
in need; protection for damsels; consolation for widows; are to be
found in no sort of persons better than in knights…errant; and I
give unceasing thanks to heaven that I am one; and regard any
misfortune or suffering that may befall me in the pursuit of so
honourable a calling as endured to good purpose。 Let this duenna
come and ask what she will; for I will effect her relief by the
might of my arm and the dauntless resolution of my bold heart。〃
CHAPTER XXXVII
WHEREIN IS CONTINUED THE NOTABLE ADVENTURE OF THE DISTRESSED DUENNA
THE duke and duchess were extremely glad to see how readily Don
Quixote fell in with their scheme; but at this moment Sancho observed;
〃I hope this senora duenna won't be putting any difficulties in the
way of the promise of my government; for I have heard a Toledo
apothecary; who talked like a goldfinch; say that where duennas were
mixed up nothing good could happen。 God bless me; how he hated them;
that same apothecary! And so what I'm thinking is; if all duennas;
of whatever sort or condition they may be; are plagues and busybodies;
what must they be that are distressed; like this Countess Three…skirts
or Three…tails!… for in my country skirts or tails; tails or skirts;
it's all one。〃
〃Hush; friend Sancho;〃 said Don Quixote; 〃since this lady duenna
comes in quest of me from such a distant land she cannot be one of
those the apothecary meant; moreover this is a countess; and when
countesses serve as duennas it is in the service of queens and
empresses; for in their own houses they are mistresses paramount and
have other duennas to wait on them。〃
To this Dona Rodriguez; who was present; made answer; 〃My lady the
duchess has duennas in her service that might be countesses if it
was the will of fortune; 'but laws go as kings like;' let nobody speak
ill of duennas; above all of ancient maiden ones; for though I am
not one myself; I know and am aware of the advantage a maiden duenna
has over one that is a widow; but 'he who clipped us has kept the
scissors。'〃
〃For all that;〃 said Sancho; 〃there's so much to be clipped about
duennas; so my barber said; that 'it will be better not to stir the
rice even though it sticks。'〃
〃These squires;〃 returned Dona Rodriguez; 〃are always our enemies;
and as they are the haunting spirits of the antechambers and watch
us at every step; whenever they are not saying their prayers (and
that's often enough) they spend their time in tattling about us;
digging up our bones and burying our good name。 But I can tell these
walking blocks that we will live in spite of them; and in great houses
too; though we die of hunger and cover our flesh; be it delicate or
not; with widow's weeds; as one covers or hides a dunghill on a
procession day。 By my faith; if it were permitted me and time allowed;
I could prove; not only to those here present; but to all the world;
that there is no virtue that is not to be found in a duenna。〃
〃I have no doubt;〃 said the duchess; 〃that my good Dona Rodriguez is
right; and very much so; but she had better bide her time for fighting
her own battle and that of the rest of the duennas; so as to crush the
calumny of that vile apothecary; and root out the prejudice in the
great Sancho Panza's mind。〃
To which Sancho replied; 〃Ever since I have sniffed the governorship
I have got rid of the humours of a squire; and I don't care a wild fig
for all the duennas in the world。〃
They would have carried on this duenna dispute further had they
not heard the notes of the fife and drums once more; from which they
concluded that the Distressed Duenna was making her entrance。 The
duchess asked the duke if it would be proper to go out to receive her;
as she was a countess and a person of rank。
〃In respect of her being a countess;〃 said Sancho; before the duke
could reply; 〃I am for your highnesses going out to receive her; but
in respect of her being a duenna; it is my opinion you should not stir
a step。〃
〃Who bade thee meddle in this; Sancho?〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Who; senor?〃 said Sancho; 〃I meddle for I have a right to meddle;
as a squire who has learned the rules of courtesy in the school of
your worship; the most courteous and best…bred knight in the whole
world of courtliness; and in these things; as I have heard your
worship say; as much is lost by a card too many as by a card too
few; and to one who has his ears open; few words。〃
〃Sancho is right;〃 said the duke; 〃we'll see what the countess is
like; and by that measure the courtesy that is due to her。〃
And now the drums and fife made their entrance as before; and here
the author brought this short chapter to an end and began the next;
following up the same adventure; which is one of the most notable in
the history。
CHAPTER XXXVIII
WHEREIN IS TOLD THE DISTRESSED DUENNA'S TALE OF HER MISFORTUNES
FOLLOWING the melancholy musicians there filed into the garden as
many as twelve duennas; in two lines; all dressed in ample mourning
robes apparently of milled serge; with hoods of fine white gauze so
long that they allowed only the border of the robe to be seen。
Behind them came the Countess Trifaldi; the squire Trifaldin of the
White Beard leading her by the hand; clad in the finest unnapped black
baize; such that; had it a nap; every tuft would have shown as big
as a Martos chickpea; the tail; or skirt; or whatever it might be
called; ended in three points which were borne up by the hands of
three pages; likewise dressed in mourning; forming an elegant
geometrical figure with the three acute angles made by the three
points; from which all who saw the peaked skirt concluded that it must
be because of it the countess was called Trifaldi; as though it were
Countess of the Three Skirts; and Benengeli says it was so; and that
by her right name she was called the Countess Lobuna; because wolves
bred in great numbers in her country; and if; instead of wolves;
they had been foxes; she would have been called the Countess
Zorruna; as it was the custom in those parts for lords to take
distinctive titles from the thing or things most abundant in their
dominions; this countess; however; in honour of the new fashion of her
skirt; dropped Lobuna and took up Trifaldi。
The twelve duennas and the lady came on at procession pace; their
faces being covered with black veils; not transparent ones like
Trifaldin's; but so close that they allowed nothing to be seen through
them。 As soon as the band of duennas was fully in sight; the duke; the
duchess; and Don Quixote stood up; as well as all who were watching
the slow…moving procession。 The twelve duennas halted and formed a
lane; along which the Distressed One advanced; Trifaldin still holding
her hand。 On seeing this the duke; the duchess; and Don Quixote went
some twelve paces forward to meet her。 She then; kneeling on the
ground; said in a voice hoarse and rough; rather than fine and
delicate; 〃May it please your highnesses not to offer such
courtesies to this your servant; I should say to this your handmaid;
for I am in such distress that I shall never be able to make a
proper return; because my strange and unparalleled misfortune has
carried off my wits; and I know not whither; but it must be a long way
off; for the more I look for them the less I find them。〃
〃He would be wanting in wits; senora co