don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第192章
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lashes。〃 But the rogue no longer laid them on his shoulders； but
laid on to the trees； with such groans every now and then； that one
would have thought at each of them his soul was being plucked up by
the roots。 Don Quixote； touched to the heart； and fearing he might
make an end of himself； and that through Sancho's imprudence he
might miss his own object； said to him； 〃As thou livest； my friend；
let the matter rest where it is； for the remedy seems to me a very
rough one； and it will he well to have patience； 'Zamora was not won
in an hour。' If I have not reckoned wrong thou hast given thyself over
a thousand lashes； that is enough for the present； 'for the ass；' to
put it in homely phrase； 'bears the load； but not the overload。'〃
〃No； no； senor；〃 replied Sancho； 〃it shall never be said of me； 'The
money paid； the arms broken；' go back a little further； your
worship； and let me give myself at any rate a thousand lashes more；
for in a couple of bouts like this we shall have finished off the lot；
and there will be even cloth to spare。〃
〃As thou art in such a willing mood；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃may
heaven aid thee； lay on and I'll retire。〃
Sancho returned to his task with so much resolution that he soon had
the bark stripped off several trees； such was the severity with
which he whipped himself； and one time； raising his voice； and
giving a beech a tremendous lash； he cried out； 〃Here dies Samson； and
all with him！〃
At the sound of his piteous cry and of the stroke of the cruel lash；
Don Quixote ran to him at once； and seizing the twisted halter that
served him for a courbash； said to him； 〃Heaven forbid； Sancho my
friend； that to please me thou shouldst lose thy life； which is needed
for the support of thy wife and children； let Dulcinea wait for a
better opportunity； and I will content myself with a hope soon to be
realised； and have patience until thou hast gained fresh strength so
as to finish off this business to the satisfaction of everybody。〃
〃As your worship will have it so； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃so be it；
but throw your cloak over my shoulders； for I'm sweating and I don't
want to take cold； it's a risk that novice disciplinants run。〃
Don Quixote obeyed； and stripping himself covered Sancho； who
slept until the sun woke him； they then resumed their journey； which
for the time being they brought to an end at a village that lay
three leagues farther on。 They dismounted at a hostelry which Don
Quixote recognised as such and did not take to be a castle with
moat； turrets； portcullis； and drawbridge； for ever since he had
been vanquished he talked more rationally about everything； as will be
shown presently。 They quartered him in a room on the ground floor；
where in place of leather hangings there were pieces of painted
serge such as they commonly use in villages。 On one of them was
painted by some very poor hand the Rape of Helen； when the bold
guest carried her off from Menelaus； and on the other was the story of
Dido and AEneas； she on a high tower； as though she were making
signals with a half sheet to her fugitive guest who was out at sea
flying in a frigate or brigantine。 He noticed in the two stories
that Helen did not go very reluctantly； for she was laughing slyly and
roguishly； but the fair Dido was shown dropping tears the size of
walnuts from her eyes。 Don Quixote as he looked at them observed；
〃Those two ladies were very unfortunate not to have been born in
this age； and I unfortunate above all men not to have been born in
theirs。 Had I fallen in with those gentlemen； Troy would not have been
burned or Carthage destroyed； for it would have been only for me to
slay Paris； and all these misfortunes would have been avoided。〃
〃I'll lay a bet；〃 said Sancho； 〃that before long there won't be a
tavern； roadside inn； hostelry； or barber's shop where the story of
our doings won't be painted up； but I'd like it painted by the hand of
a better painter than painted these。〃
〃Thou art right； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for this painter is
like Orbaneja； a painter there was at Ubeda； who when they asked him
what he was painting； used to say； 'Whatever it may turn out； and if
he chanced to paint a cock he would write under it； 'This is a
cock；' for fear they might think it was a fox。 The painter or
writer； for it's all the same； who published the history of this new
Don Quixote that has come out； must have been one of this sort I
think； Sancho； for he painted or wrote 'whatever it might turn out；'
or perhaps he is like a poet called Mauleon that was about the Court
some years ago； who used to answer at haphazard whatever he was asked；
and on one asking him what Deum de Deo meant； he replied De donde
diere。 But； putting this aside； tell me； Sancho； hast thou a mind to
have another turn at thyself to…night； and wouldst thou rather have it
indoors or in the open air？〃
〃Egad； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃for what I'm going to give myself； it
comes all the same to me whether it is in a house or in the fields；
still I'd like it to be among trees； for I think they are company
for me and help me to bear my pain wonderfully。〃
〃And yet it must not be； Sancho my friend；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃but； to enable thee to recover strength； we must keep it for our
own village； for at the latest we shall get there the day after
tomorrow。〃
Sancho said he might do as he pleased； but that for his own part
he would like to finish off the business quickly before his blood
cooled and while he had an appetite； because 〃in delay there is apt to
be danger〃 very often； and 〃praying to God and plying the hammer；〃 and
〃one take was better than two I'll give thee's；〃 and 〃a sparrow in the
hand than a vulture on the wing。〃
〃For God's sake； Sancho； no more proverbs！〃 exclaimed Don Quixote；
〃it seems to me thou art becoming sicut erat again； speak in a
plain； simple； straight…forward way； as I have often told thee； and
thou wilt find the good of it。〃
〃I don't know what bad luck it is of mine；〃 argument to my mind；
however； I mean to mend said Sancho； 〃but I can't utter a word without
a proverb that is not as good as an argument to my mind； however； I
mean to mend if I can；〃 and so for the present the conversation ended。
CHAPTER LXXII
OF HOW DON QUIXOTE AND SANCHO REACHED THEIR VILLAGE
ALL that day Don Quixote and Sancho remained in the village and
inn waiting for night； the one to finish off his task of scourging
in the open country； the other to see it accomplished； for therein lay
the accomplishment of his wishes。 Meanwhile there arrived at the
hostelry a traveller on horseback with three or four servants； one
of whom said to him who appeared to be the master； 〃Here； Senor Don
Alvaro Tarfe； your worship may take your siesta to…day； the quarters
seem clean and cool。〃
When he heard this Don Quixote said to Sancho； 〃Look here； Sancho；
on turning over the leaves of that book of the Second Part of my
history I think I came casually upon this name of Don Alvaro Tarfe。〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Sancho； 〃we had better let him dismount； and
by…and…by we can ask about it。〃
The gentleman dismounted； and the landlady gave him a room on the
ground floor opposite Don Quixote's and adorned with painted serge
hangings of the same sort。 The newly arrived gentleman put on a summer
coat； and coming out to the gateway of the hostelry； which was wide
and cool； addressing Don Quixote； who was pacing up and down there； he
asked； 〃In what direction your worship bound； gentle sir？〃
〃To a village near this which is my own village；〃 replied Don
Quixote； 〃and your worship； where are you bound for？〃
〃I am going to Granada； senor；〃 said the gentleman； 〃to my own
country。〃
〃And a goodly country；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but will your worship
do me the favour of telling me your name； for it strikes me it is of
more importance to me to know it than I can tell you。〃
〃My name is Don Alvaro Tarfe；〃 replied the traveller。
To which Don Quixote returned； 〃I have no doubt whatever that your
worship is that Don Alvaro Tarfe who appears in print in the Second
Part of the history of Don Quixote of La Mancha； lately printed and
published by a new author。〃
〃I am the same；〃 replied the gentleman； 〃and that same Don
Quixote； the principal personage in the said history； was a very great
friend of mine； and it was I who took him away from home； or at
least induced him to come to some jousts that were to be held at
Saragossa； whither I was going myself； indeed； I showed him many
kindnesses； and saved him from having his shoulders touched up by
the executioner because of his extreme rashness。〃
Tell me； Senor Don Alvaro；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃am I at all like that
Don Quixote you talk of？〃
〃No indeed；〃 replied the traveller； 〃not a bit。〃
〃And that Don Quixote…〃 said our one； 〃had he with him a squire
called Sancho Panza？〃
〃He had；〃 said Don Alvaro； 〃but though he had the name of being very
droll； I never heard him say anything that had any drollery in it。〃
〃That I can well believe；〃 said Sancho at this； 〃for to come out
with drolleries is not in everybody's line； and that Sancho your
worship speaks of； gentle sir； must be some great scoundrel；
dunderhead； and thief； all in one； for I am the real Sancho Panza； and
I have more drolleries than if it rained them； let your worship only
try； come along with me for a year or so； and you will find they
fall from me at every turn； and so rich and so plentiful that though
mostly I don't know what I am saying I make everybody that hears me
laugh。 And the real Don Quixote of La Mancha； the famous； the valiant；
the wise； the lover； the righter of wrongs； the guardian of minors and
orphans； the protector of widows； the killer of damsels； he who has
for his sole mistress the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso； is this
gentleman before you； my master； all other Don Quixotes and all
other Sancho Panzas are dreams and mockeries。〃
〃By God I believe it；〃 said Don Alvaro； 〃for you have uttered more
drolleries； my friend； in the few words you have spoken than the other
Sancho Panza in all I ever heard from him； and they were not a few。 He
was more greedy than well…spoken； and more dull than droll； and I am
convinced that the enchanters who persecute Don Quixote the Good
have been trying to persecute me with Don Quixote the Bad。 But I don't
know what to say； for I am ready to swear I left him shut up in the
Casa del Nuncio at Toledo； and here another Don Quixote turns up；
though a very different one from mine。〃
〃I don't know whether I am good；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I can
safely say I am not 'the Bad；' and to prove it； let me tell you； Senor
Don Alvaro Tarfe； I have never in my life been in Saragossa； so far
from that； when it was told me that this imaginary Don Quixote had
been present at the jousts in that city； I declined to enter it； in
order to drag his falsehood before the face of the world； and so I
went on straight to Barcelona； the treasure…house of courtesy； haven
of strangers； asylum of the poor； home of the valiant； champion of the
wronged； pleasant exchange of firm friendships； and city unrivalled in
site and beauty。 And though the adventures that befell me there are
not by a
