don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第17章

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〃Senor；　to　remove　that　doubt　I　should　tell　you　that　when　the　unhappy
man　wrote　this　lay　he　was　away　from　Marcela；　from　whom　be　had
voluntarily　separated　himself；　to　try　if　absence　would　act　with　him　as
it　is　wont；　and　as　everything　distresses　and　every　fear　haunts　the
banished　lover；　so　imaginary　jealousies　and　suspicions；　dreaded　as
if　they　were　true；　tormented　Chrysostom；　and　thus　the　truth　of　what
report　declares　of　the　virtue　of　Marcela　remains　unshaken；　and　with
her　envy　itself　should　not　and　cannot　find　any　fault　save　that　of
being　cruel；　somewhat　haughty；　and　very　scornful。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Vivaldo；　and　as　he　was　about　to　read　another
paper　of　those　he　had　preserved　from　the　fire；　he　was　stopped　by　a
marvellous　vision　（for　such　it　seemed）　that　unexpectedly　presented
itself　to　their　eyes；　for　on　the　summit　of　the　rock　where　they　were
digging　the　grave　there　appeared　the　shepherdess　Marcela；　so　beautiful
that　her　beauty　exceeded　its　reputation。　Those　who　had　never　till　then
beheld　her　gazed　upon　her　in　wonder　and　silence；　and　those　who　were
accustomed　to　see　her　were　not　less　amazed　than　those　who　had　never
seen　her　before。　But　the　instant　Ambrosio　saw　her　he　addressed　her；
with　manifest　indignation：
　　〃Art　thou　come；　by　chance；　cruel　basilisk　of　these　mountains；　to　see
if　in　thy　presence　blood　will　flow　from　the　wounds　of　this　wretched
being　thy　cruelty　has　robbed　of　life；　or　is　it　to　exult　over　the　cruel
work　of　thy　humours　that　thou　art　come；　or　like　another　pitiless
Nero　to　look　down　from　that　height　upon　the　ruin　of　his　Rome　in
embers；　or　in　thy　arrogance　to　trample　on　this　ill…fated　corpse；　as
the　ungrateful　daughter　trampled　on　her　father　Tarquin's？　Tell　us
quickly　for　what　thou　art　come；　or　what　it　is　thou　wouldst　have；
for；　as　I　know　the　thoughts　of　Chrysostom　never　failed　to　obey　thee　in
life；　I　will　make　all　these　who　call　themselves　his　friends　obey　thee；
though　he　be　dead。〃
　　〃I　come　not；　Ambrosia　for　any　of　the　purposes　thou　hast　named；〃
replied　Marcela；　〃but　to　defend　myself　and　to　prove　how　unreasonable
are　all　those　who　blame　me　for　their　sorrow　and　for　Chrysostom's
death；　and　therefore　I　ask　all　of　you　that　are　here　to　give　me　your
attention；　for　will　not　take　much　time　or　many　words　to　bring　the
truth　home　to　persons　of　sense。　Heaven　has　made　me；　so　you　say；
beautiful；　and　so　much　so　that　in　spite　of　yourselves　my　beauty
leads　you　to　love　me；　and　for　the　love　you　show　me　you　say；　and　even
urge；　that　I　am　bound　to　love　you。　By　that　natural　understanding　which
God　has　given　me　I　know　that　everything　beautiful　attracts　love；　but　I
cannot　see　how；　by　reason　of　being　loved；　that　which　is　loved　for
its　beauty　is　bound　to　love　that　which　loves　it；　besides；　it　may
happen　that　the　lover　of　that　which　is　beautiful　may　be　ugly；　and
ugliness　being　detestable；　it　is　very　absurd　to　say；　〃I　love　thee
because　thou　art　beautiful；　thou　must　love　me　though　I　be　ugly。〃　But
supposing　the　beauty　equal　on　both　sides；　it　does　not　follow　that
the　inclinations　must　be　therefore　alike；　for　it　is　not　every　beauty
that　excites　love；　some　but　pleasing　the　eye　without　winning　the
affection；　and　if　every　sort　of　beauty　excited　love　and　won　the　heart；
the　will　would　wander　vaguely　to　and　fro　unable　to　make　choice　of　any；
for　as　there　is　an　infinity　of　beautiful　objects　there　must　be　an
infinity　of　inclinations；　and　true　love；　I　have　heard　it　said；　is
indivisible；　and　must　be　voluntary　and　not　compelled。　If　this　be　so；
as　I　believe　it　to　be；　why　do　you　desire　me　to　bend　my　will　by
force；　for　no　other　reason　but　that　you　say　you　love　me？　Nay…　tell　me…
had　Heaven　made　me　ugly；　as　it　has　made　me　beautiful；　could　I　with
justice　complain　of　you　for　not　loving　me？　Moreover；　you　must　remember
that　the　beauty　I　possess　was　no　choice　of　mine；　for；　be　it　what　it
may；　Heaven　of　its　bounty　gave　it　me　without　my　asking　or　choosing　it；
and　as　the　viper；　though　it　kills　with　it；　does　not　deserve　to　be
blamed　for　the　poison　it　carries；　as　it　is　a　gift　of　nature；　neither
do　I　deserve　reproach　for　being　beautiful；　for　beauty　in　a　modest
woman　is　like　fire　at　a　distance　or　a　sharp　sword；　the　one　does　not
burn；　the　other　does　not　cut；　those　who　do　not　come　too　near。　Honour
and　virtue　are　the　ornaments　of　the　mind；　without　which　the　body；
though　it　be　so；　has　no　right　to　pass　for　beautiful；　but　if　modesty　is
one　of　the　virtues　that　specially　lend　a　grace　and　charm　to　mind　and
body；　why　should　she　who　is　loved　for　her　beauty　part　with　it　to
gratify　one　who　for　his　pleasure　alone　strives　with　all　his　might
and　energy　to　rob　her　of　it？　I　was　born　free；　and　that　I　might　live　in
freedom　I　chose　the　solitude　of　the　fields；　in　the　trees　of　the
mountains　I　find　society；　the　clear　waters　of　the　brooks　are　my
mirrors；　and　to　the　trees　and　waters　I　make　known　my　thoughts　and
charms。　I　am　a　fire　afar　off；　a　sword　laid　aside。　Those　whom　I　have
inspired　with　love　by　letting　them　see　me；　I　have　by　words　undeceived；
and　if　their　longings　live　on　hope…　and　I　have　given　none　to
Chrysostom　or　to　any　other…　it　cannot　justly　be　said　that　the　death　of
any　is　my　doing；　for　it　was　rather　his　own　obstinacy　than　my　cruelty
that　killed　him；　and　if　it　be　made　a　charge　against　me　that　his　wishes
were　honourable；　and　that　therefore　I　was　bound　to　yield　to　them；　I
answer　that　when　on　this　very　spot　where　now　his　grave　is　made　he
declared　to　me　his　purity　of　purpose；　I　told　him　that　mine　was　to　live
in　perpetual　solitude；　and　that　the　earth　alone　should　enjoy　the
fruits　of　my　retirement　and　the　spoils　of　my　beauty；　and　if；　after
this　open　avowal；　he　chose　to　persist　against　hope　and　steer　against
the　wind；　what　wonder　is　it　that　he　should　sink　in　the　depths　of　his
infatuation？　If　I　had　encouraged　him；　I　should　be　false；　if　I　had
gratified　him；　I　should　have　acted　against　my　own　better　resolution
and　purpose。　He　was　persistent　in　spite　of　warning；　he　despaired
without　being　hated。　Bethink　you　now　if　it　be　reasonable　that　his
suffering　should　be　laid　to　my　charge。　Let　him　who　has　been　deceived
complain；　let　him　give　way　to　despair　whose　encouraged　hopes　have
proved　vain；　let　him　flatter　himself　whom　I　shall　entice；　let　him
boast　whom　I　shall　receive；　but　let　not　him　call　me　cruel　or
homicide　to　whom　I　make　no　promise；　upon　whom　I　practise　no　deception；
whom　I　neither　entice　nor　receive。　It　has　not　been　so　far　the　will
of　Heaven　that　I　should　love　by　fate；　and　to　expect　me　to　love　by
choice　is　idle。　Let　this　general　declaration　serve　for　each　of　my
suitors　on　his　own　account；　and　let　it　be　understood　from　this　time
forth　that　if　anyone　dies　for　me　it　is　not　of　jealousy　or　misery　he
dies；　for　she　who　loves　no　one　can　give　no　cause　for　jealousy　to
any；　and　candour　is　not　to　be　confounded　with　scorn。　Let　him　who　calls
me　wild　beast　and　basilisk；　leave　me　alone　as　something　noxious　and
evil；　let　him　who　calls　me　ungrateful；　withhold　his　service；　who　calls
me　wayward；　seek　not　my　acquaintance；　who　calls　me　cruel；　pursue　me
not；　for　this　wild　beast；　this　basilisk；　this　ungrateful；　cruel；
wayward　being　has　no　kind　of　desire　to　seek；　serve；　know；　or　follow
them。　If　Chrysostom's　impatience　and　violent　passion　killed　him；　why
should　my　modest　behaviour　and　circumspection　be　blamed？　If　I　preserve
my　purity　in　the　society　of　the　trees；　why　should　he　who　would　have　me
preserve　it　among　men；　seek　to　rob　me　of　it？　I　have；　as　you　know；
wealth　of　my　own；　and　I　covet　not　that　of　others；　my　taste　is　for
freedom；　and　I　have　no　relish　for　constraint；　I　neither　love　nor
hate　anyone；　I　do　not　deceive　this　one　or　court　that；　or　trifle　with
one　or　play　with　another。　The　modest　converse　of　the　shepherd　girls　of
these　hamlets　and　the　care　of　my　goats　are　my　recreations；　my
desires　are　bounded　by　these　mountains；　and　if　they　ever　wander
hence　it　is　to　contemplate　the　beauty　of　the　heavens；　steps　by　which
the　soul　travels　to　its　primeval　abode。〃
　　With　these　words；　and　not　waiting　to　hear　a　reply；　she　turned　and
passed　into　the　thickest　part　of　a　wood　that　was　hard　by；　leaving
all　who　were　there　lost　in　admiration　as　much　of　her　good　sense　as
of　her　beauty。　Some…　those　wounded　by　the　irresistible　shafts　launched
by　her　bright　eyes…　made　as　though　they　would　follow　her；　heedless
of　the　frank　declaration　they　had　heard；　seeing　which；　and　deeming
this　a　fitting　occasion　for　the　exercise　of　his　chivalry　in　aid　of
distressed　damsels；　Don　Quixote；　laying　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his
sword；　exclaimed　in　a　loud　and　distinct　voice：
　　〃Let　no　one；　whatever　his　rank　or　condition；　dare　to　follow　the
beautiful　Marcela；　under　pain　of　incurring　my　fierce　indignation。
She　has　shown　by　clear　and　satisfactory　arguments　that　little　or　no
fault　is　to　be　found　with　her　for　the　death　of　Chrysostom；　and　also
how　far　she　is　from　yielding　to　the　wishes　of　any　of　her　lovers；　for
which　reason；　instead　of　being　followed　and　persecuted；　she　should
in　justice　be　honoured　and　esteemed　by　all　the　good　people　of　the
world；　for　she　shows　that　she　is　the　only　woman　in　it　that　holds　to
such　a　virtuous　resolution。〃
　　Whether　it　was　because　of　the　threats　of　Don　Quixote；　or　because
Ambrosio　told　them　to　fulfil　their　duty　to　their　good　friend；　none
of　the　shepherds　moved　or　stirred　from　the　spot　until；　having　finished
the　grave　and　burned　Chrysostom's　papers；　they　laid　his　body　in　it；
not　without　many　tears　from　those　who　stood　by。　They　closed　the
grave　with　a　heavy　stone　until　a　slab　was　ready　which　Ambrosio　said　he
meant　to　have　prepared；　with　an　epitaph　which　was　to　be　to　this
effect：

　　　　　　　　　Beneath　the　stone　before　your　eyes
　　　　　　　　　The　body　of　a　lover　lies；
　　　　　　　　　In　life　he　was　a　shepherd　swain；
　　　　　　　　　In　death　a　victim　to　disdain。
　　　　　　　　　Ungrateful；　cruel；　coy；　and　fair；
　　　　　　　　　Was　she　that　drove　him　to　despair；
　　　　　　　　　And　Love　hath　made　her　his　ally
　　　　　　　　　For　spreading　wide　his　tyranny。

They　then　strewed　upon　the　grave　a　profusion　of　flowers　and
branches；　and　all　expressing　their　condolence　with　his　friend
ambrosio；　took　their　Vivaldo　and　his　companion　did　the　same；　and　Don
Quixote　bade　farewell　to　his　hosts　and　to　the　travellers；　who
pressed　him　to　come　with　them　to　Seville；　as　being　such　a　convenient
place　for　finding　adventures；　for　they　presented　themselves　in　every
street　and　round　every　corner　oftener　than　anywhere　else。　Don
Quixote　thanked　them　for　their　advice　and　for　the　disposition　they
showed　to　do　him　a　favour；　and　said　that　for　the　present　he　would　not；
and　must　not　go　to　Seville　until　he　had　cleared　all　these　mountains　of
highwaymen　and　robbers；　of　whom　report　said　they　were　full。　Seeing　his
good　intention；　the　travellers　were　unwilling　to　press　him　further；
and　once　more　bidding　him　farewell；　they　left　him　and　pursued　their
journey；　in　the　course　of　which　they　did　not　fail　to　discuss　the　story
of　Marcela　and　Chrysostom　as　well　as　the　madness　of　Don　Quixote。　He；
on　his　part；　resolved　to　go　in　quest　of　the　shepherdess　Marcela；　and
make　offer　to　her　of　all　the　service　he　could　render　her；　but　things
did　not　fall　out　with　him　as　he　expected；　according　to　what　is　related
in　the　course　of　this　veracious　history；　of　which　the　Second　Part　ends
here。

　　CHAPTER　XV