don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第178章

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mine；　and　I　promised　to　be　his；　without　carrying　matters　any
further。　Yesterday　I　learned　that；　forgetful　of　his　pledge　to　me；　he
was　about　to　marry　another；　and　that　he　was　to　go　this　morning　to
plight　his　troth；　intelligence　which　overwhelmed　and　exasperated　me；
my　father　not　being　at　home　I　was　able　to　adopt　this　costume　you
see；　and　urging　my　horse　to　speed　I　overtook　Don　Vicente　about　a
league　from　this；　and　without　waiting　to　utter　reproaches　or　hear
excuses　I　fired　this　musket　at　him；　and　these　two　pistols　besides；　and
to　the　best　of　my　belief　I　must　have　lodged　more　than　two　bullets　in
his　body；　opening　doors　to　let　my　honour　go　free；　enveloped　in　his
blood。　I　left　him　there　in　the　hands　of　his　servants；　who　did　not　dare
and　were　not　able　to　interfere　in　his　defence；　and　I　come　to　seek　from
thee　a　safe…conduct　into　France；　where　I　have　relatives　with　whom　I
can　live；　and　also　to　implore　thee　to　protect　my　father；　so　that　Don
Vicente's　numerous　kinsmen　may　not　venture　to　wreak　their　lawless
vengeance　upon　him。〃
　　Roque；　filled　with　admiration　at　the　gallant　bearing；　high　spirit；
comely　figure；　and　adventure　of　the　fair　Claudia；　said　to　her；
〃Come；　senora；　let　us　go　and　see　if　thy　enemy　is　dead；　and　then　we
will　consider　what　will　be　best　for　thee。〃　Don　Quixote；　who　had　been
listening　to　what　Claudia　said　and　Roque　Guinart　said　in　reply　to　her；
exclaimed；　〃Nobody　need　trouble　himself　with　the　defence　of　this　lady；
for　I　take　it　upon　myself。　Give　me　my　horse　and　arms；　and　wait　for
me　here；　I　will　go　in　quest　of　this　knight；　and　dead　or　alive　I　will
make　him　keep　his　word　plighted　to　so　great　beauty。〃
　　〃Nobody　need　have　any　doubt　about　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　my　master
has　a　very　happy　knack　of　matchmaking；　it's　not　many　days　since　he
forced　another　man　to　marry；　who　in　the　same　way　backed　out　of　his
promise　to　another　maiden；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　his
persecutors　the　enchanters　changing　the　man's　proper　shape　into　a
lacquey's　the　said　maiden　would　not　be　one　this　minute。〃
　　Roque；　who　was　paying　more　attention　to　the　fair　Claudia's　adventure
than　to　the　words　of　master　or　man；　did　not　hear　them；　and　ordering
his　squires　to　restore　to　Sancho　everything　they　had　stripped　Dapple
of；　he　directed　them　to　return　to　the　place　where　they　had　been
quartered　during　the　night；　and　then　set　off　with　Claudia　at　full
speed　in　search　of　the　wounded　or　slain　Don　Vicente。　They　reached
the　spot　where　Claudia　met　him；　but　found　nothing　there　save　freshly
spilt　blood；　looking　all　round；　however；　they　descried　some　people
on　the　slope　of　a　hill　above　them；　and　concluded；　as　indeed　it
proved　to　be；　that　it　was　Don　Vicente；　whom　either　dead　or　alive　his
servants　were　removing　to　attend　to　his　wounds　or　to　bury　him。　They
made　haste　to　overtake　them；　which；　as　the　party　moved　slowly；　they
were　able　to　do　with　ease。　They　found　Don　Vicente　in　the　arms　of　his
servants；　whom　he　was　entreating　in　a　broken　feeble　voice　to　leave　him
there　to　die；　as　the　pain　of　his　wounds　would　not　suffer　him　to　go　any
farther。　Claudia　and　Roque　threw　themselves　off　their　horses　and
advanced　towards　him；　the　servants　were　overawed　by　the　appearance
of　Roque；　and　Claudia　was　moved　by　the　sight　of　Don　Vicente；　and　going
up　to　him　half　tenderly　half　sternly；　she　seized　his　hand　and　said
to　him；　〃Hadst　thou　given　me　this　according　to　our　compact　thou
hadst　never　come　to　this　pass。〃
　　The　wounded　gentleman　opened　his　all　but　closed　eyes；　and
recognising　Claudia　said；　〃I　see　clearly；　fair　and　mistaken　lady；　that
it　is　thou　that　hast　slain　me；　a　punishment　not　merited　or　deserved　by
my　feelings　towards　thee；　for　never　did　I　mean　to；　nor　could　I；
wrong　thee　in　thought　or　deed。〃
　　〃It　is　not　true；　then；〃　said　Claudia；　〃that　thou　wert　going　this
morning　to　marry　Leonora　the　daughter　of　the　rich　Balvastro？〃
　　〃Assuredly　not；〃　replied　Don　Vicente；　〃my　cruel　fortune　must　have
carried　those　tidings　to　thee　to　drive　thee　in　thy　jealousy　to　take　my
life；　and　to　assure　thyself　of　this；　press　my　hands　and　take　me　for
thy　husband　if　thou　wilt；　I　have　no　better　satisfaction　to　offer
thee　for　the　wrong　thou　fanciest　thou　hast　received　from　me。〃
　　Claudia　wrung　his　hands；　and　her　own　heart　was　so　wrung　that　she　lay
fainting　on　the　bleeding　breast　of　Don　Vicente；　whom　a　death　spasm
seized　the　same　instant。　Roque　was　in　perplexity　and　knew　not　what
to　do；　the　servants　ran　to　fetch　water　to　sprinkle　their　faces；　and
brought　some　and　bathed　them　with　it。　Claudia　recovered　from　her
fainting　fit；　but　not　so　Don　Vicente　from　the　paroxysm　that　had
overtaken　him；　for　his　life　had　come　to　an　end。　On　perceiving　this；
Claudia；　when　she　had　convinced　herself　that　her　beloved　husband　was
no　more；　rent　the　air　with　her　sighs　and　made　the　heavens　ring　with
her　lamentations；　she　tore　her　hair　and　scattered　it　to　the　winds；　she
beat　her　face　with　her　hands　and　showed　all　the　signs　of　grief　and
sorrow　that　could　be　conceived　to　come　from　an　afflicted　heart。
〃Cruel；　reckless　woman！〃　she　cried；　〃how　easily　wert　thou　moved　to
carry　out　a　thought　so　wicked！　O　furious　force　of　jealousy；　to　what
desperate　lengths　dost　thou　lead　those　that　give　thee　lodging　in　their
bosoms！　O　husband；　whose　unhappy　fate　in　being　mine　hath　borne　thee
from　the　marriage　bed　to　the　grave！〃
　　So　vehement　and　so　piteous　were　the　lamentations　of　Claudia　that
they　drew　tears　from　Roque's　eyes；　unused　as　they　were　to　shed　them　on
any　occasion。　The　servants　wept；　Claudia　swooned　away　again　and　again；
and　the　whole　place　seemed　a　field　of　sorrow　and　an　abode　of
misfortune。　In　the　end　Roque　Guinart　directed　Don　Vicente's　servants
to　carry　his　body　to　his　father's　village；　which　was　close　by；　for
burial。　Claudia　told　him　she　meant　to　go　to　a　monastery　of　which　an
aunt　of　hers　was　abbess；　where　she　intended　to　pass　her　life　with　a
better　and　everlasting　spouse。　He　applauded　her　pious　resolution；
and　offered　to　accompany　her　whithersoever　she　wished；　and　to
protect　her　father　against　the　kinsmen　of　Don　Vicente　and　all　the
world；　should　they　seek　to　injure　him。　Claudia　would　not　on　any
account　allow　him　to　accompany　her；　and　thanking　him　for　his　offers　as
well　as　she　could；　took　leave　of　him　in　tears。　The　servants　of　Don
Vicente　carried　away　his　body；　and　Roque　returned　to　his　comrades；　and
so　ended　the　love　of　Claudia　Jeronima；　but　what　wonder；　when　it　was
the　insuperable　and　cruel　might　of　jealousy　that　wove　the　web　of　her
sad　story？
　　Roque　Guinart　found　his　squires　at　the　place　to　which　he　had　ordered
them；　and　Don　Quixote　on　Rocinante　in　the　midst　of　them　delivering　a
harangue　to　them　in　which　he　urged　them　to　give　up　a　mode　of　life　so
full　of　peril；　as　well　to　the　soul　as　to　the　body；　but　as　most　of　them
were　Gascons；　rough　lawless　fellows；　his　speech　did　not　make　much
impression　on　them。　Roque　on　coming　up　asked　Sancho　if　his　men　had
returned　and　restored　to　him　the　treasures　and　jewels　they　had
stripped　off　Dapple。　Sancho　said　they　had；　but　that　three　kerchiefs
that　were　worth　three　cities　were　missing。
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　man？〃　said　one　of　the　bystanders；　〃I
have　got　them；　and　they　are　not　worth　three　reals。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　my　squire　values　them　at
the　rate　he　says；　as　having　been　given　me　by　the　person　who　gave
them。〃
　　Roque　Guinart　ordered　them　to　be　restored　at　once；　and　making　his
men　fall　in　in　line　he　directed　all　the　clothing；　jewellery；　and　money
that　they　had　taken　since　the　last　distribution　to　be　produced；　and
making　a　hasty　valuation；　and　reducing　what　could　not　be　divided
into　money；　he　made　shares　for　the　whole　band　so　equitably　and
carefully；　that　in　no　case　did　he　exceed　or　fall　short　of　strict
distributive　justice。
　　When　this　had　been　done；　and　all　left　satisfied；　Roque　observed　to
Don　Quixote；　〃If　this　scrupulous　exactness　were　not　observed　with
these　fellows　there　would　be　no　living　with　them。〃
　　Upon　this　Sancho　remarked；　〃From　what　I　have　seen　here；　justice　is
such　a　good　thing　that　there　is　no　doing　without　it；　even　among　the
thieves　themselves。〃
　　One　of　the　squires　heard　this；　and　raising　the　butt…end　of　his
harquebuss　would　no　doubt　have　broken　Sancho's　head　with　it　had　not
Roque　Guinart　called　out　to　him　to　hold　his　hand。　Sancho　was
frightened　out　of　his　wits；　and　vowed　not　to　open　his　lips　so　long
as　he　was　in　the　company　of　these　people。
　　At　this　instant　one　or　two　of　those　squires　who　were　posted　as
sentinels　on　the　roads；　to　watch　who　came　along　them　and　report　what
passed　to　their　chief；　came　up　and　said；　〃Senor；　there　is　a　great
troop　of　people　not　far　off　coming　along　the　road　to　Barcelona。〃
　　To　which　Roque　replied；　〃Hast　thou　made　out　whether　they　are　of
the　sort　that　are　after　us；　or　of　the　sort　we　are　after？〃
　　〃The　sort　we　are　after；〃　said　the　squire。
　　〃Well　then；　away　with　you　all；〃　said　Roque；　〃and　bring　them　here
to　me　at　once　without　letting　one　of　them　escape。〃
　　They　obeyed；　and　Don　Quixote；　Sancho；　and　Roque；　left　by　themselves；
waited　to　see　what　the　squires　brought；　and　while　they　were　waiting
Roque　said　to　Don　Quixote；　〃It　must　seem　a　strange　sort　of　life　to
Senor　Don　Quixote；　this　of　ours；　strange　adventures；　strange
incidents；　and　all　full　of　danger；　and　I　do　not　wonder　that　it
should　seem　so；　for　in　truth　I　must　own　there　is　no　mode　of　life
more　restless　or　anxious　than　ours。　What　led　me　into　it　was　a
certain　thirst　for　vengeance；　which　is　strong　enough　to　disturb　the
quietest　hearts。　I　am　by　nature　tender…hearted　and　kindly；　but；　as　I
said；　the　desire　to　revenge　myself　for　a　wrong　that　was　done　me　so
overturns　all　my　better　impulses　that　I　keep　on　in　this　way　of　life　in
spite　of　what　conscience　tells　me；　and　as　one　depth　calls　to
another；　and　one　sin　to　another　sin；　revenges　have　linked　themselves
together；　and　I　have　taken　upon　myself　not　only　my　own　but　those　of
others：　it　pleases　God；　however；　that；　though　I　see　myself　in　this
maze　of　entanglements；　I　do　not　lose　all　hope　of　escaping　from　it
and　reaching　a　safe　port。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　amazed　to　hear　Roque　utter　such　excellent　and　just
sentiments；　for　he　did　not　think　that　among　those　who　followed　such
trades　as　robbing；　murdering；　and　waylaying；　there　could　be　anyone
capable　of　a　virtuous　thought；　and　he　said　in　reply；　〃Senor　Roque；　the
beginning　of　health　lies　in　knowing　the　disease　and　in　the　sick
man's　willingness　to　take　the　medicines　which　the　physician
prescribes；　you　are　sick；　you　know　what　ails　you；　and　heaven；　or
more　properly　speaking　God；　who　is　our　physician；　will　administer
medicines　that　will　cure　you；　and　cure　gradually；　and　not　of　a
sudden　or　by　a　miracle；　besides；　sinners　of　discernment　are　nearer
amendment　than　those　who　are　fools；　and　as　your　worship　has　shown　good
sense　in　your　remarks；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　keep　up　a　good　heart
and　trust　that　the　weakness　of　your　conscience　will　be　strengthened。
And　if　you　have　any　desire　to　shorten　the　journey　and　put　yourself
easily　in　the　way　of　salvation；　come　with　me；　and　I　will　show　you
how　to　become　a　knight…errant；　a　calling　wherein　so　many　hardships　and
mishaps　are　encountered　that　if　they　be　taken　as　penances　they　will
lodge　you　in　heaven　in　a　trice。〃
　　Roque　laughed　at