don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第171章

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cannot　help　themselves。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　answered　the　voice；　〃your　worship　who　speaks　to　me
must　be　my　master　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　nay；　from　the　tone　of
the　voice　it　is　plain　it　can　be　nobody　else。〃
　　〃Don　Quixote　I　am；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃he　whose　profession　it
is　to　aid　and　succour　the　living　and　the　dead　in　their　necessities；
wherefore　tell　me　who　thou　art；　for　thou　art　keeping　me　in　suspense；
because；　if　thou　art　my　squire　Sancho　Panza；　and　art　dead；　since　the
devils　have　not　carried　thee　off；　and　thou　art　by　God's　mercy　in
purgatory；　our　holy　mother　the　Roman　Catholic　Church　has
intercessory　means　sufficient　to　release　thee　from　the　pains　thou
art　in；　and　I　for　my　part　will　plead　with　her　to　that　end；　so　far　as
my　substance　will　go；　without　further　delay；　therefore；　declare
thyself；　and　tell　me　who　thou　art。〃
　　〃By　all　that's　good；〃　was　the　answer；　〃and　by　the　birth　of
whomsoever　your　worship　chooses；　I　swear；　Senor　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha；　that　I　am　your　squire　Sancho　Panza；　and　that　I　have　never　died
all　my　life；　but　that；　having　given　up　my　government　for　reasons
that　would　require　more　time　to　explain；　I　fell　last　night　into　this
pit　where　I　am　now；　and　Dapple　is　witness　and　won't　let　me　lie；　for
more　by　token　he　is　here　with　me。〃
　　Nor　was　this　all；　one　would　have　fancied　the　ass　understood　what
Sancho　said；　because　that　moment　he　began　to　bray　so　loudly　that　the
whole　cave　rang　again。
　　〃Famous　testimony！〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote；　〃I　know　that　bray　as　well
as　if　I　was　its　mother；　and　thy　voice　too；　my　Sancho。　Wait　while　I
go　to　the　duke's　castle；　which　is　close　by；　and　I　will　bring　some
one　to　take　thee　out　of　this　pit　into　which　thy　sins　no　doubt　have
brought　thee。〃
　　〃Go；　your　worship；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　come　back　quick　for　God's
sake；　for　I　cannot　bear　being　buried　alive　any　longer；　and　I'm　dying
of　fear。〃
　　Don　Quixote　left　him；　and　hastened　to　the　castle　to　tell　the　duke
and　duchess　what　had　happened　Sancho；　and　they　were　not　a　little
astonished　at　it；　they　could　easily　understand　his　having　fallen；　from
the　confirmatory　circumstance　of　the　cave　which　had　been　in
existence　there　from　time　immemorial；　but　they　could　not　imagine　how
he　had　quitted　the　government　without　their　receiving　any　intimation
of　his　coming。　To　be　brief；　they　fetched　ropes　and　tackle；　as　the
saying　is；　and　by　dint　of　many　hands　and　much　labour　they　drew　up
Dapple　and　Sancho　Panza　out　of　the　darkness　into　the　light　of　day。　A
student　who　saw　him　remarked；　〃That's　the　way　all　bad　governors　should
come　out　of　their　governments；　as　this　sinner　comes　out　of　the
depths　of　the　pit；　dead　with　hunger；　pale；　and　I　suppose　without　a
farthing。〃
　　Sancho　overheard　him　and　said；　〃It　is　eight　or　ten　days；　brother
growler；　since　I　entered　upon　the　government　of　the　island　they　gave
me；　and　all　that　time　I　never　had　a　bellyful　of　victuals；　no　not　for
an　hour；　doctors　persecuted　me　and　enemies　crushed　my　bones；　nor　had　I
any　opportunity　of　taking　bribes　or　levying　taxes；　and　if　that　be
the　case；　as　it　is；　I　don't　deserve；　I　think；　to　come　out　in　this
fashion；　but　'man　proposes　and　God　disposes；'　and　God　knows　what　is
best；　and　what　suits　each　one　best；　and　'as　the　occasion；　so　the
behaviour；'　and　'let　nobody　say　〃I　won't　drink　of　this　water；〃'　and
'where　one　thinks　there　are　flitches；　there　are　no　pegs；'　God　knows　my
meaning　and　that's　enough；　I　say　no　more；　though　I　could。〃
　　〃Be　not　angry　or　annoyed　at　what　thou　hearest；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃or　there　will　never　be　an　end　of　it；　keep　a　safe
conscience　and　let　them　say　what　they　like；　for　trying　to　stop
slanderers'　tongues　is　like　trying　to　put　gates　to　the　open　plain。
If　a　governor　comes　out　of　his　government　rich；　they　say　he　has　been　a
thief；　and　if　he　comes　out　poor；　that　he　has　been　a　noodle　and　a
blockhead。〃
　　〃They'll　be　pretty　sure　this　time；〃　said　Sancho；　〃to　set　me　down　for
a　fool　rather　than　a　thief。〃
　　Thus　talking；　and　surrounded　by　boys　and　a　crowd　of　people；　they
reached　the　castle；　where　in　one　of　the　corridors　the　duke　and　duchess
stood　waiting　for　them；　but　Sancho　would　not　go　up　to　see　the　duke
until　he　had　first　put　up　Dapple　in　the　stable；　for　he　said　he　had
passed　a　very　bad　night　in　his　last　quarters；　then　he　went　upstairs　to
see　his　lord　and　lady；　and　kneeling　before　them　he　said；　〃Because　it
was　your　highnesses'　pleasure；　not　because　of　any　desert　of　my　own；
I　went　to　govern　your　island　of　Barataria；　which　'I　entered　naked；　and
naked　I　find　myself；　I　neither　lose　nor　gain。'　Whether　I　have　governed
well　or　ill；　I　have　had　witnesses　who　will　say　what　they　think　fit。
I　have　answered　questions；　I　have　decided　causes；　and　always　dying
of　hunger；　for　Doctor　Pedro　Recio　of　Tirteafuera；　the　island　and
governor　doctor；　would　have　it　so。　Enemies　attacked　us　by　night　and
put　us　in　a　great　quandary；　but　the　people　of　the　island　say　they　came
off　safe　and　victorious　by　the　might　of　my　arm；　and　may　God　give
them　as　much　health　as　there's　truth　in　what　they　say。　In　short；
during　that　time　I　have　weighed　the　cares　and　responsibilities
governing　brings　with　it；　and　by　my　reckoning　I　find　my　shoulders
can't　bear　them；　nor　are　they　a　load　for　my　loins　or　arrows　for　my
quiver；　and　so；　before　the　government　threw　me　over　I　preferred　to
throw　the　government　over；　and　yesterday　morning　I　left　the　island
as　I　found　it；　with　the　same　streets；　houses；　and　roofs　it　had　when
I　entered　it。　I　asked　no　loan　of　anybody；　nor　did　I　try　to　fill　my
pocket；　and　though　I　meant　to　make　some　useful　laws；　I　made　hardly
any；　as　I　was　afraid　they　would　not　be　kept；　for　in　that　case　it　comes
to　the　same　thing　to　make　them　or　not　to　make　them。　I　quitted　the
island；　as　I　said；　without　any　escort　except　my　ass；　I　fell　into　a
pit；　I　pushed　on　through　it；　until　this　morning　by　the　light　of　the
sun　I　saw　an　outlet；　but　not　so　easy　a　one　but　that；　had　not　heaven
sent　me　my　master　Don　Quixote；　I'd　have　stayed　there　till　the　end　of
the　world。　So　now　my　lord　and　lady　duke　and　duchess；　here　is　your
governor　Sancho　Panza；　who　in　the　bare　ten　days　he　has　held　the
government　has　come　by　the　knowledge　that　he　would　not　give　anything
to　be　governor；　not　to　say　of　an　island；　but　of　the　whole　world；　and
that　point　being　settled；　kissing　your　worships'　feet；　and　imitating
the　game　of　the　boys　when　they　say；　'leap　thou；　and　give　me　one；'　I
take　a　leap　out　of　the　government　and　pass　into　the　service　of　my
master　Don　Quixote；　for　after　all；　though　in　it　I　eat　my　bread　in　fear
and　trembling；　at　any　rate　I　take　my　fill；　and　for　my　part；　so　long　as
I'm　full；　it's　all　alike　to　me　whether　it's　with　carrots　or　with
partridges。〃
　　Here　Sancho　brought　his　long　speech　to　an　end；　Don　Quixote　having
been　the　whole　time　in　dread　of　his　uttering　a　host　of　absurdities；
and　when　he　found　him　leave　off　with　so　few；　he　thanked　heaven　in
his　heart。　The　duke　embraced　Sancho　and　told　him　he　was　heartily　sorry
he　had　given　up　the　government　so　soon；　but　that　he　would　see　that
he　was　provided　with　some　other　post　on　his　estate　less　onerous　and
more　profitable。　The　duchess　also　embraced　him；　and　gave　orders　that
he　should　be　taken　good　care　of；　as　it　was　plain　to　see　he　had　been
badly　treated　and　worse　bruised。
　　

CHAPTER　LVI
　　OF　THE　PRODIGIOUS　AND　UNPARALLELED　BATTLE　THAT　TOOK　PLACE　BETWEEN
DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA　AND　THE　LACQUEY　TOSILOS　IN　DEFENCE　OF　THE
DAUGHTER　OF　DONA　RODRIGUEZ

　　THE　duke　and　duchess　had　no　reason　to　regret　the　joke　that　had
been　played　upon　Sancho　Panza　in　giving　him　the　government；　especially
as　their　majordomo　returned　the　same　day；　and　gave　them　a　minute
account　of　almost　every　word　and　deed　that　Sancho　uttered　or　did
during　the　time；　and　to　wind　up　with；　eloquently　described　to　them　the
attack　upon　the　island　and　Sancho's　fright　and　departure；　with　which
they　were　not　a　little　amused。　After　this　the　history　goes　on　to　say
that　the　day　fixed　for　the　battle　arrived；　and　that　the　duke；　after
having　repeatedly　instructed　his　lacquey　Tosilos　how　to　deal　with
Don　Quixote　so　as　to　vanquish　him　without　killing　or　wounding　him；
gave　orders　to　have　the　heads　removed　from　the　lances；　telling　Don
Quixote　that　Christian　charity；　on　which　he　plumed　himself；　could
not　suffer　the　battle　to　be　fought　with　so　much　risk　and　danger　to
life；　and　that　he　must　be　content　with　the　offer　of　a　battlefield　on
his　territory　（though　that　was　against　the　decree　of　the　holy　Council；
which　prohibits　all　challenges　of　the　sort）　and　not　push　such　an
arduous　venture　to　its　extreme　limits。　Don　Quixote　bade　his　excellence
arrange　all　matters　connected　with　the　affair　as　he　pleased；　as　on　his
part　he　would　obey　him　in　everything。　The　dread　day；　then；　having
arrived；　and　the　duke　having　ordered　a　spacious　stand　to　be　erected
facing　the　court　of　the　castle　for　the　judges　of　the　field　and　the
appellant　duennas；　mother　and　daughter；　vast　crowds　flocked　from　all
the　villages　and　hamlets　of　the　neighbourhood　to　see　the　novel
spectacle　of　the　battle；　nobody；　dead　or　alive；　in　those　parts
having　ever　seen　or　heard　of　such　a　one。
　　The　first　person　to　enter　the…field　and　the　lists　was　the　master
of　the　ceremonies；　who　surveyed　and　paced　the　whole　ground　to　see　that
there　was　nothing　unfair　and　nothing　concealed　to　make　the
combatants　stumble　or　fall；　then　the　duennas　entered　and　seated
themselves；　enveloped　in　mantles　covering　their　eyes；　nay　even　their
bosoms；　and　displaying　no　slight　emotion　as　Don　Quixote　appeared　in
the　lists。　Shortly　afterwards；　accompanied　by　several　trumpets　and
mounted　on　a　powerful　steed　that　threatened　to　crush　the　whole
place；　the　great　lacquey　Tosilos　made　his　appearance　on　one　side　of
the　courtyard　with　his　visor　down　and　stiffly　cased　in　a　suit　of　stout
shining　armour。　The　horse　was　a　manifest　Frieslander；　broad…backed　and
flea…bitten；　and　with　half　a　hundred　of　wool　hanging　to　each　of　his
fetlocks。　The　gallant　combatant　came　well　primed　by　his　master　the
duke　as　to　how　he　was　to　bear　himself　against　the　valiant　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　being　warned　that　he　must　on　no　account　slay
him；　but　strive　to　shirk　the　first　encounter　so　as　to　avoid　the　risk
of　killing　him；　as　he　was　sure　to　do　if　he　met　him　full　tilt。　He
crossed　the　courtyard　at　a　walk；　and　coming　to　where　the　duennas
were　placed　stopped　to　look　at　her　who　demanded　him　for　a　husband；　the
marshal　of　the　field　summoned　Don　Quixote；　who　had　already　presented
himself　in　the　courtyard；　and　standing　by　the　side　of　Tosilos　he
addressed　the　duennas；　and　asked　them　if　they　consented　that　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha　should　do　battle　for　their　right。　They　said
they　did；　and　that　whatever　he　should　do　in　that　behalf　they
declared　rightly　done；　final　and　valid。　By　this　time　the　duke　and
duchess　had　taken　their　places　in　a　gallery　commanding　the
enclosure；　which　was　filled　to　overflowing　with　a　multitude　of
people　eager　to　see　this　perilous　and　unparalleled　encounter。　The
conditions　of　the　combat　were　that　if　Don　Quixote　proved　the　victor
his　antagonist　was　to　marry　the　daughter　of　Dona　Rodriguez；　but　if
he　should　be　vanquished　his　opponent　was　released　from　the　promise
that　was　claimed　against　him　and　from　all　obligations　to　give
satisfacti