don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第2章

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　　THESE　preliminaries　settled；　he　did　not　care　to　put　off　any　longer
the　execution　of　his　design；　urged　on　to　it　by　the　thought　of　all
the　world　was　losing　by　his　delay；　seeing　what　wrongs　he　intended　to
right；　grievances　to　redress；　injustices　to　repair；　abuses　to
remove；　and　duties　to　discharge。　So；　without　giving　notice　of　his
intention　to　anyone；　and　without　anybody　seeing　him；　one　morning
before　the　dawning　of　the　day　（which　was　one　of　the　hottest　of　the
month　of　July）　he　donned　his　suit　of　armour；　mounted　Rocinante　with
his　patched…up　helmet　on；　braced　his　buckler；　took　his　lance；　and　by
the　back　door　of　the　yard　sallied　forth　upon　the　plain　in　the
highest　contentment　and　satisfaction　at　seeing　with　what　ease　he　had
made　a　beginning　with　his　grand　purpose。　But　scarcely　did　he　find
himself　upon　the　open　plain；　when　a　terrible　thought　struck　him；　one
all　but　enough　to　make　him　abandon　the　enterprise　at　the　very
outset。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　not　been　dubbed　a　knight；　and
that　according　to　the　law　of　chivalry　he　neither　could　nor　ought　to
bear　arms　against　any　knight；　and　that　even　if　he　had　been；　still　he
ought；　as　a　novice　knight；　to　wear　white　armour；　without　a　device　upon
the　shield　until　by　his　prowess　he　had　earned　one。　These　reflections
made　him　waver　in　his　purpose；　but　his　craze　being　stronger　than　any
reasoning；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　have　himself　dubbed　a　knight　by
the　first　one　he　came　across；　following　the　example　of　others　in　the
same　case；　as　he　had　read　in　the　books　that　brought　him　to　this
pass。　As　for　white　armour；　he　resolved；　on　the　first　opportunity；　to
scour　his　until　it　was　whiter　than　an　ermine；　and　so　comforting
himself　he　pursued　his　way；　taking　that　which　his　horse　chose；　for
in　this　he　believed　lay　the　essence　of　adventures。
　　Thus　setting　out；　our　new…fledged　adventurer　paced　along；　talking　to
himself　and　saying；　〃Who　knows　but　that　in　time　to　come；　when　the
veracious　history　of　my　famous　deeds　is　made　known；　the　sage　who
writes　it；　when　he　has　to　set　forth　my　first　sally　in　the　early
morning；　will　do　it　after　this　fashion？　'Scarce　had　the　rubicund
Apollo　spread　o'er　the　face　of　the　broad　spacious　earth　the　golden
threads　of　his　bright　hair；　scarce　had　the　little　birds　of　painted
plumage　attuned　their　notes　to　hail　with　dulcet　and　mellifluous
harmony　the　coming　of　the　rosy　Dawn；　that；　deserting　the　soft　couch　of
her　jealous　spouse；　was　appearing　to　mortals　at　the　gates　and
balconies　of　the　Manchegan　horizon；　when　the　renowned　knight　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　quitting　the　lazy　down；　mounted　his　celebrated
steed　Rocinante　and　began　to　traverse　the　ancient　and　famous　Campo
de　Montiel；'〃　which　in　fact　he　was　actually　traversing。　〃Happy　the
age；　happy　the　time；〃　he　continued；　〃in　which　shall　be　made　known　my
deeds　of　fame；　worthy　to　be　moulded　in　brass；　carved　in　marble；　limned
in　pictures；　for　a　memorial　for　ever。　And　thou；　O　sage　magician；
whoever　thou　art；　to　whom　it　shall　fall　to　be　the　chronicler　of　this
wondrous　history；　forget　not；　I　entreat　thee；　my　good　Rocinante；　the
constant　companion　of　my　ways　and　wanderings。〃　Presently　he　broke
out　again；　as　if　he　were　love…stricken　in　earnest；　〃O　Princess
Dulcinea；　lady　of　this　captive　heart；　a　grievous　wrong　hast　thou
done　me　to　drive　me　forth　with　scorn；　and　with　inexorable　obduracy
banish　me　from　the　presence　of　thy　beauty。　O　lady；　deign　to　hold　in
remembrance　this　heart；　thy　vassal；　that　thus　in　anguish　pines　for
love　of　thee。〃
　　So　he　went　on　stringing　together　these　and　other　absurdities；　all　in
the　style　of　those　his　books　had　taught　him；　imitating　their
language　as　well　as　he　could；　and　all　the　while　he　rode　so　slowly
and　the　sun　mounted　so　rapidly　and　with　such　fervour　that　it　was
enough　to　melt　his　brains　if　he　had　any。　Nearly　all　day　he　travelled
without　anything　remarkable　happening　to　him；　at　which　he　was　in
despair；　for　he　was　anxious　to　encounter　some　one　at　once　upon　whom　to
try　the　might　of　his　strong　arm。
　　Writers　there　are　who　say　the　first　adventure　he　met　with　was　that
of　Puerto　Lapice；　others　say　it　was　that　of　the　windmills；　but　what
I　have　ascertained　on　this　point；　and　what　I　have　found　written　in　the
annals　of　La　Mancha；　is　that　he　was　on　the　road　all　day；　and　towards
nightfall　his　hack　and　he　found　themselves　dead　tired　and　hungry；
when；　looking　all　around　to　see　if　he　could　discover　any　castle　or
shepherd's　shanty　where　he　might　refresh　himself　and　relieve　his
sore　wants；　he　perceived　not　far　out　of　his　road　an　inn；　which　was
as　welcome　as　a　star　guiding　him　to　the　portals；　if　not　the　palaces；
of　his　redemption；　and　quickening　his　pace　he　reached　it　just　as　night
was　setting　in。　At　the　door　were　standing　two　young　women；　girls　of
the　district　as　they　call　them；　on　their　way　to　Seville　with　some
carriers　who　had　chanced　to　halt　that　night　at　the　inn；　and　as；　happen
what　might　to　our　adventurer；　everything　he　saw　or　imaged　seemed　to
him　to　be　and　to　happen　after　the　fashion　of　what　he　read　of；　the
moment　he　saw　the　inn　he　pictured　it　to　himself　as　a　castle　with　its
four　turrets　and　pinnacles　of　shining　silver；　not　forgetting　the
drawbridge　and　moat　and　all　the　belongings　usually　ascribed　to　castles
of　the　sort。　To　this　inn；　which　to　him　seemed　a　castle；　he　advanced；
and　at　a　short　distance　from　it　he　checked　Rocinante；　hoping　that　some
dwarf　would　show　himself　upon　the　battlements；　and　by　sound　of　trumpet
give　notice　that　a　knight　was　approaching　the　castle。　But　seeing
that　they　were　slow　about　it；　and　that　Rocinante　was　in　a　hurry　to
reach　the　stable；　he　made　for　the　inn　door；　and　perceived　the　two
gay　damsels　who　were　standing　there；　and　who　seemed　to　him　to　be　two
fair　maidens　or　lovely　ladies　taking　their　ease　at　the　castle　gate。
　　At　this　moment　it　so　happened　that　a　swineherd　who　was　going　through
the　stubbles　collecting　a　drove　of　pigs　（for；　without　any　apology；
that　is　what　they　are　called）　gave　a　blast　of　his　horn　to　bring　them
together；　and　forthwith　it　seemed　to　Don　Quixote　to　be　what　he　was
expecting；　the　signal　of　some　dwarf　announcing　his　arrival；　and　so
with　prodigious　satisfaction　he　rode　up　to　the　inn　and　to　the
ladies；　who；　seeing　a　man　of　this　sort　approaching　in　full　armour
and　with　lance　and　buckler；　were　turning　in　dismay　into　the　inn；
when　Don　Quixote；　guessing　their　fear　by　their　flight；　raising　his
pasteboard　visor；　disclosed　his　dry　dusty　visage；　and　with　courteous
bearing　and　gentle　voice　addressed　them；　〃Your　ladyships　need　not
fly　or　fear　any　rudeness；　for　that　it　belongs　not　to　the　order　of
knighthood　which　I　profess　to　offer　to　anyone；　much　less　to　highborn
maidens　as　your　appearance　proclaims　you　to　be。〃　The　girls　were
looking　at　him　and　straining　their　eyes　to　make　out　the　features　which
the　clumsy　visor　obscured；　but　when　they　heard　themselves　called
maidens；　a　thing　so　much　out　of　their　line；　they　could　not　restrain
their　laughter；　which　made　Don　Quixote　wax　indignant；　and　say；
〃Modesty　becomes　the　fair；　and　moreover　laughter　that　has　little　cause
is　great　silliness；　this；　however；　I　say　not　to　pain　or　anger　you；　for
my　desire　is　none　other　than　to　serve　you。〃
　　The　incomprehensible　language　and　the　unpromising　looks　of　our
cavalier　only　increased　the　ladies'　laughter；　and　that　increased　his
irritation；　and　matters　might　have　gone　farther　if　at　that　moment
the　landlord　had　not　come　out；　who；　being　a　very　fat　man；　was　a　very
peaceful　one。　He；　seeing　this　grotesque　figure　clad　in　armour　that　did
not　match　any　more　than　his　saddle；　bridle；　lance；　buckler；　or
corselet；　was　not　at　all　indisposed　to　join　the　damsels　in　their
manifestations　of　amusement；　but；　in　truth；　standing　in　awe　of　such
a　complicated　armament；　he　thought　it　best　to　speak　him　fairly；　so
he　said；　〃Senor　Caballero；　if　your　worship　wants　lodging；　bating　the
bed　（for　there　is　not　one　in　the　inn）　there　is　plenty　of　everything
else　here。〃　Don　Quixote；　observing　the　respectful　bearing　of　the
Alcaide　of　the　fortress　（for　so　innkeeper　and　inn　seemed　in　his　eyes）；
made　answer；　〃Sir　Castellan；　for　me　anything　will　suffice；　for

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'My　armour　is　my　only　wear；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　My　only　rest　the　fray。'〃

The　host　fancied　he　called　him　Castellan　because　he　took　him　for　a
〃worthy　of　Castile；〃　though　he　was　in　fact　an　Andalusian；　and　one　from
the　strand　of　San　Lucar；　as　crafty　a　thief　as　Cacus　and　as　full　of
tricks　as　a　student　or　a　page。　〃In　that　case；〃　said　he；

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Your　bed　is　on　the　flinty　rock；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　sleep　to　watch　alway；'

and　if　so；　you　may　dismount　and　safely　reckon　upon　any　quantity　of
sleeplessness　under　this　roof　for　a　twelvemonth；　not　to　say　for　a
single　night。〃　So　saying；　he　advanced　to　hold　the　stirrup　for　Don
Quixote；　who　got　down　with　great　difficulty　and　exertion　（for　he　had
not　broken　his　fast　all　day）；　and　then　charged　the　host　to　take
great　care　of　his　horse；　as　he　was　the　best　bit　of　flesh　that　ever　ate
bread　in　this　world。　The　landlord　eyed　him　over　but　did　not　find　him
as　good　as　Don　Quixote　said；　nor　even　half　as　good；　and　putting　him　up
in　the　stable；　he　returned　to　see　what　might　be　wanted　by　his　guest；
whom　the　damsels；　who　had　by　this　time　made　their　peace　with　him；　were
now　relieving　of　his　armour。　They　had　taken　off　his　breastplate　and
backpiece；　but　they　neither　knew　nor　saw　how　to　open　his　gorget　or
remove　his　make…shift　helmet；　for　he　had　fastened　it　with　green
ribbons；　which；　as　there　was　no　untying　the　knots；　required　to　be　cut。
This；　however；　he　would　not　by　any　means　consent　to；　so　he　remained
all　the　evening　with　his　helmet　on；　the　drollest　and　oddest　figure
that　can　be　imagined；　and　while　they　were　removing　his　armour；
taking　the　baggages　who　were　about　it　for　ladies　of　high　degree
belonging　to　the　castle；　he　said　to　them　with　great　sprightliness：

　　　　　　　　　〃Oh；　never；　surely；　was　there　knight
　　　　　　　　　　　So　served　by　hand　of　dame；
　　　　　　　　　As　served　was　he；　Don　Quixote　hight；
　　　　　　　　　　　When　from　his　town　he　came；
　　　　　　　　　With　maidens　waiting　on　himself；
　　　　　　　　　　　Princesses　on　his　hack…

…or　Rocinante；　for　that；　ladies　mine；　is　my　horse's　name；　and　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha　is　my　own；　for　though　I　had　no　intention　of
declaring　myself　until　my　achievements　in　your　service　and　honour
had　made　me　known；　the　necessity　of　adapting　that　old　ballad　of
Lancelot　to　the　present　occasion　has　given　you　the　knowledge　of　my
name　altogether　prematurely。　A　time；　however；　will　come　for　your
ladyships　to　command　and　me　to　obey；　and　then　the　might　of　my　arm　will
show　my　desire　to　serve　you。〃
　　The　girls；　who　were　not　used　to　hearing　rhetoric　of　this　sort；　had
nothing　to　say　in　reply；　they　only　asked　him　if　he　wanted　anything
to　eat。　〃I　would　gladly　eat　a　bit　of　something；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃for　I　feel　it　would　come　very　seasonably。〃　The　day　happened　to　be　a
Friday；　and　in　the　whole　inn　there　was　nothing　but　some　pieces　of
the　fish　they　call　in　Castile　〃abadejo；〃　in　Andalusia　〃bacallao；〃
and　in　some　places　〃curadillo；〃　and　in　others　〃troutlet；〃　so　they
asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　eat　troutlet；　for　there　was　no
other　fish　to　give　him。　〃If　there　be　troutlets　enough；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃they　will　be　the　same　thing　as　a　trout；