don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第168章

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there　is　no　time　to　lose；　the　enemy　is　increasing　in　numbers；　the
shouts　grow　louder；　and　the　danger　is　pressing。〃
　　Urged　by　these　exhortations　and　reproaches　the　poor　governor　made　an
attempt　to　advance；　but　fell　to　the　ground　with　such　a　crash　that　he
fancied　he　had　broken　himself　all　to　pieces。　There　he　lay　like　a
tortoise　enclosed　in　its　shell；　or　a　side　of　bacon　between　two
kneading…troughs；　or　a　boat　bottom　up　on　the　beach；　nor　did　the　gang
of　jokers　feel　any　compassion　for　him　when　they　saw　him　down；　so　far
from　that；　extinguishing　their　torches　they　began　to　shout　afresh
and　to　renew　the　calls　to　arms　with　such　energy；　trampling　on　poor
Sancho；　and　slashing　at　him　over　the　shield　with　their　swords　in
such　a　way　that；　if　he　had　not　gathered　himself　together　and　made
himself　small　and　drawn　in　his　head　between　the　shields；　it　would　have
fared　badly　with　the　poor　governor；　as；　squeezed　into　that　narrow
compass；　he　lay；　sweating　and　sweating　again；　and　commending　himself
with　all　his　heart　to　God　to　deliver　him　from　his　present　peril。
Some　stumbled　over　him；　others　fell　upon　him；　and　one　there　was　who
took　up　a　position　on　top　of　him　for　some　time；　and　from　thence　as
if　from　a　watchtower　issued　orders　to　the　troops；　shouting　out；　〃Here；
our　side！　Here　the　enemy　is　thickest！　Hold　the　breach　there！　Shut　that
gate！　Barricade　those　ladders！　Here　with　your　stink…pots　of　pitch
and　resin；　and　kettles　of　boiling　oil！　Block　the　streets　with
feather　beds！〃　In　short；　in　his　ardour　he　mentioned　every　little
thing；　and　every　implement　and　engine　of　war　by　means　of　which　an
assault　upon　a　city　is　warded　off；　while　the　bruised　and　battered
Sancho；　who　heard　and　suffered　all；　was　saying　to　himself；　〃O　if　it
would　only　please　the　Lord　to　let　the　island　be　lost　at　once；　and　I
could　see　myself　either　dead　or　out　of　this　torture！〃　Heaven　heard　his
prayer；　and　when　he　least　expected　it　he　heard　voices　exclaiming；
〃Victory；　victory！　The　enemy　retreats　beaten！　Come；　senor　governor；
get　up；　and　come　and　enjoy　the　victory；　and　divide　the　spoils　that
have　been　won　from　the　foe　by　the　might　of　that　invincible　arm。〃
　　〃Lift　me　up；〃　said　the　wretched　Sancho　in　a　woebegone　voice。　They
helped　him　to　rise；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　on　his　feet　said；　〃The　enemy
I　have　beaten　you　may　nail　to　my　forehead；　I　don't　want　to　divide
the　spoils　of　the　foe；　I　only　beg　and　entreat　some　friend；　if　I　have
one；　to　give　me　a　sup　of　wine；　for　I'm　parched　with　thirst；　and　wipe
me　dry；　for　I'm　turning　to　water。〃
　　They　rubbed　him　down；　fetched　him　wine　and　unbound　the　shields；
and　he　seated　himself　upon　his　bed；　and　with　fear；　agitation；　and
fatigue　he　fainted　away。　Those　who　had　been　concerned　in　the　joke　were
now　sorry　they　had　pushed　it　so　far；　however；　the　anxiety　his　fainting
away　had　caused　them　was　relieved　by　his　returning　to　himself。　He
asked　what　o'clock　it　was；　they　told　him　it　was　just　daybreak。　He　said
no　more；　and　in　silence　began　to　dress　himself；　while　all　watched　him；
waiting　to　see　what　the　haste　with　which　he　was　putting　on　his　clothes
meant。
　　He　got　himself　dressed　at　last；　and　then；　slowly；　for　he　was
sorely　bruised　and　could　not　go　fast；　he　proceeded　to　the　stable；
followed　by　all　who　were　present；　and　going　up　to　Dapple　embraced
him　and　gave　him　a　loving　kiss　on　the　forehead；　and　said　to　him；　not
without　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃Come　along；　comrade　and　friend　and　partner
of　my　toils　and　sorrows；　when　I　was　with　you　and　had　no　cares　to
trouble　me　except　mending　your　harness　and　feeding　your　little
carcass；　happy　were　my　hours；　my　days；　and　my　years；　but　since　I
left　you；　and　mounted　the　towers　of　ambition　and　pride；　a　thousand
miseries；　a　thousand　troubles；　and　four　thousand　anxieties　have
entered　into　my　soul；〃　and　all　the　while　he　was　speaking　in　this
strain　he　was　fixing　the　pack…saddle　on　the　ass；　without　a　word　from
anyone。　Then　having　Dapple　saddled；　he；　with　great　pain　and
difficulty；　got　up　on　him；　and　addressing　himself　to　the　majordomo；
the　secretary；　the　head…carver；　and　Pedro　Recio　the　doctor　and　several
others　who　stood　by；　he　said；　〃Make　way；　gentlemen；　and　let　me　go　back
to　my　old　freedom；　let　me　go　look　for　my　past　life；　and　raise　myself
up　from　this　present　death。　I　was　not　born　to　be　a　governor　or　protect
islands　or　cities　from　the　enemies　that　choose　to　attack　them。
Ploughing　and　digging；　vinedressing　and　pruning；　are　more　in　my　way
than　defending　provinces　or　kingdoms。　'Saint　Peter　is　very　well　at
Rome；　I　mean　each　of　us　is　best　following　the　trade　he　was　born　to。
A　reaping…hook　fits　my　hand　better　than　a　governor's　sceptre；　I'd
rather　have　my　fill　of　gazpacho'　than　be　subject　to　the　misery　of　a
meddling　doctor　who　me　with　hunger；　and　I'd　rather　lie　in　summer　under
the　shade　of　an　oak；　and　in　winter　wrap　myself　in　a　double　sheepskin
jacket　in　freedom；　than　go　to　bed　between　holland　sheets　and　dress
in　sables　under　the　restraint　of　a　government。　God　be　with　your
worships；　and　tell　my　lord　the　duke　that　'naked　I　was　born；　naked　I
find　myself；　I　neither　lose　nor　gain；'　I　mean　that　without　a
farthing　I　came　into　this　government；　and　without　a　farthing　I　go
out　of　it；　very　different　from　the　way　governors　commonly　leave
other　islands。　Stand　aside　and　let　me　go；　I　have　to　plaster　myself；
for　I　believe　every　one　of　my　ribs　is　crushed；　thanks　to　the　enemies
that　have　been　trampling　over　me　to…night。〃
　　〃That　is　unnecessary；　senor　governor；〃　said　Doctor　Recio；　〃for　I
will　give　your　worship　a　draught　against　falls　and　bruises　that　will
soon　make　you　as　sound　and　strong　as　ever；　and　as　for　your　diet　I
promise　your　worship　to　behave　better；　and　let　you　eat　plentifully
of　whatever　you　like。〃
　　〃You　spoke　late；〃　said　Sancho。　〃I'd　as　soon　turn　Turk　as　stay　any
longer。　Those　jokes　won't　pass　a　second　time。　By　God　I'd　as　soon
remain　in　this　government；　or　take　another；　even　if　it　was　offered
me　between　two　plates；　as　fly　to　heaven　without　wings。　I　am　of　the
breed　of　the　Panzas；　and　they　are　every　one　of　them　obstinate；　and
if　they　once　say　'odds；'　odds　it　must　be；　no　matter　if　it　is　evens；　in
spite　of　all　the　world。　Here　in　this　stable　I　leave　the　ant's　wings
that　lifted　me　up　into　the　air　for　the　swifts　and　other　birds　to　eat
me；　and　let's　take　to　level　ground　and　our　feet　once　more；　and　if
they're　not　shod　in　pinked　shoes　of　cordovan；　they　won't　want　for
rough　sandals　of　hemp；　'every　ewe　to　her　like；'　'and　let　no　one
stretch　his　leg　beyond　the　length　of　the　sheet；'　and　now　let　me
pass；　for　it's　growing　late　with　me。〃
　　To　this　the　majordomo　said；　〃Senor　governor；　we　would　let　your
worship　go　with　all　our　hearts；　though　it　sorely　grieves　us　to　lose
you；　for　your　wit　and　Christian　conduct　naturally　make　us　regret
you；　but　it　is　well　known　that　every　governor；　before　he　leaves　the
place　where　he　has　been　governing；　is　bound　first　of　all　to　render
an　account。　Let　your　worship　do　so　for　the　ten　days　you　have　held
the　government；　and　then　you　may　go　and　the　peace　of　God　go　with　you。〃
　　〃No　one　can　demand　it　of　me；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　he　whom　my　lord
the　duke　shall　appoint；　I　am　going　to　meet　him；　and　to　him　I　will
render　an　exact　one；　besides；　when　I　go　forth　naked　as　I　do；　there
is　no　other　proof　needed　to　show　that　I　have　governed　like　an　angel。〃
　　〃By　God　the　great　Sancho　is　right；〃　said　Doctor　Recio；　〃and　we
should　let　him　go；　for　the　duke　will　be　beyond　measure　glad　to　see
him。〃
　　They　all　agreed　to　this；　and　allowed　him　to　go；　first　offering　to
bear　him　company　and　furnish　him　with　all　he　wanted　for　his　own
comfort　or　for　the　journey。　Sancho　said　he　did　not　want　anything　more
than　a　little　barley　for　Dapple；　and　half　a　cheese　and　half　a　loaf
for　himself；　for　the　distance　being　so　short　there　was　no　occasion　for
any　better　or　bulkier　provant。　They　all　embraced　him；　and　he　with
tears　embraced　all　of　them；　and　left　them　filled　with　admiration　not
only　at　his　remarks　but　at　his　firm　and　sensible　resolution。
　　

CHAPTER　LIV
　　WHICH　DEALS　WITH　MATTERS　RELATING　TO　THIS　HISTORY　AND　NO　OTHER

　　THE　duke　and　duchess　resolved　that　the　challenge　Don　Quixote　had；
for　the　reason　already　mentioned；　given　their　vassal；　should　be
proceeded　with；　and　as　the　young　man　was　in　Flanders；　whither　he　had
fled　to　escape　having　Dona　Rodriguez　for　a　mother…in…law；　they
arranged　to　substitute　for　him　a　Gascon　lacquey；　named　Tosilos；
first　of　all　carefully　instructing　him　in　all　he　had　to　do。　Two　days
later　the　duke　told　Don　Quixote　that　in　four　days　from　that　time　his
opponent　would　present　himself　on　the　field　of　battle　armed　as　a
knight；　and　would　maintain　that　the　damsel　lied　by　half　a　beard；　nay　a
whole　beard；　if　she　affirmed　that　he　had　given　her　a　promise　of
marriage。　Don　Quixote　was　greatly　pleased　at　the　news；　and　promised
himself　to　do　wonders　in　the　lists；　and　reckoned　it　rare　good
fortune　that　an　opportunity　should　have　offered　for　letting　his
noble　hosts　see　what　the　might　of　his　strong　arm　was　capable　of；　and
so　in　high　spirits　and　satisfaction　he　awaited　the　expiration　of　the
four　days；　which　measured　by　his　impatience　seemed　spinning　themselves
out　into　four　hundred　ages。　Let　us　leave　them　to　pass　as　we　do　other
things；　and　go　and　bear　Sancho　company；　as　mounted　on　Dapple；　half
glad；　half　sad；　he　paced　along　on　his　road　to　join　his　master；　in
whose　society　he　was　happier　than　in　being　governor　of　all　the　islands
in　the　world。　Well　then；　it　so　happened　that　before　he　had　gone　a
great　way　from　the　island　of　his　government　（and　whether　it　was
island；　city；　town；　or　village　that　he　governed　he　never　troubled
himself　to　inquire）　he　saw　coming　along　the　road　he　was　travelling　six
pilgrims　with　staves；　foreigners　of　that　sort　that　beg　for　alms
singing；　who　as　they　drew　near　arranged　themselves　in　a　line　and
lifting　up　their　voices　all　together　began　to　sing　in　their　own
language　something　that　Sancho　could　not　with　the　exception　of　one
word　which　sounded　plainly　〃alms；〃　from　which　he　gathered　that　it
was　alms　they　asked　for　in　their　song；　and　being；　as　Cide　Hamete　says；
remarkably　charitable；　he　took　out　of　his　alforias　the　half　loaf　and
half　cheese　he　had　been　provided　with；　and　gave　them　to　them；
explaining　to　them　by　signs　that　he　had　nothing　else　to　give　them。
They　received　them　very　gladly；　but　exclaimed；　〃Geld！　Geld！〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　what　you　want　of　me；　good　people；〃　said　Sancho。
　　On　this　one　of　them　took　a　purse　out　of　his　bosom　and　showed　it　to
Sancho；　by　which　he　comprehended　they　were　asking　for　money；　and
putting　his　thumb　to　his　throat　and　spreading　his　hand　upwards　he　gave
them　to　understand　that　he　had　not　the　sign　of　a　coin　about　him；　and
urging　Dapple　forward　he　broke　through　them。　But　as　he　was　passing；
one　of　them　who　had　been　examining　him　very　closely　rushed　towards
him；　and　flinging　his　arms　round　him　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice　and
good　Spanish；　〃God　bless　me！　What's　this　I　see？　Is　it　possible　that
I　hold　in　my　arms　my　dear　friend；　my　good　neighbour　Sancho　Panza？
But　there's　no　doubt　about　it；　for　I'm　not　asleep；　nor　am　I　drunk　just
now。〃
　　Sancho　was　surprised　to　hear　himself　called　by　his　name　and　find
himself　embraced　by　a　foreign　pilgrim；　and　after　regarding　him
steadily　without　speaking