don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


read；　while　others　he　could　not；　but　they　were　all　made　up　of
complaints；　laments；　misgivings；　desires　and　aversions；　favours　and
rejections；　some　rapturous；　some　doleful。　While　Don　Quixote　examined
the　book；　Sancho　examined　the　valise；　not　leaving　a　corner　in　the
whole　of　it　or　in　the　pad　that　he　did　not　search；　peer　into；　and
explore；　or　seam　that　he　did　not　rip；　or　tuft　of　wool　that　he　did
not　pick　to　pieces；　lest　anything　should　escape　for　want　of　care　and
pains；　so　keen　was　the　covetousness　excited　in　him　by　the　discovery　of
the　crowns；　which　amounted　to　near　a　hundred；　and　though　he　found　no
more　booty；　he　held　the　blanket　flights；　balsam　vomits；　stake
benedictions；　carriers'　fisticuffs；　missing　alforjas；　stolen　coat；　and
all　the　hunger；　thirst；　and　weariness　he　had　endured　in　the　service　of
his　good　master；　cheap　at　the　price；　as　he　considered　himself　more
than　fully　indemnified　for　all　by　the　payment　he　received　in　the
gift　of　the　treasure…trove。
　　The　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance　was　still　very　anxious　to
find　out　who　the　owner　of　the　valise　could　be；　conjecturing　from　the
sonnet　and　letter；　from　the　money　in　gold；　and　from　the　fineness　of
the　shirts；　that　he　must　be　some　lover　of　distinction　whom　the　scorn
and　cruelty　of　his　lady　had　driven　to　some　desperate　course；　but　as　in
that　uninhabited　and　rugged　spot　there　was　no　one　to　be　seen　of　whom
he　could　inquire；　he　saw　nothing　else　for　it　but　to　push　on；　taking
whatever　road　Rocinante　chose…　which　was　where　he　could　make　his
way…　firmly　persuaded　that　among　these　wilds　he　could　not　fail　to　meet
some　rare　adventure。　As　he　went　along；　then；　occupied　with　these
thoughts；　he　perceived　on　the　summit　of　a　height　that　rose　before
their　eyes　a　man　who　went　springing　from　rock　to　rock　and　from　tussock
to　tussock　with　marvellous　agility。　As　well　as　he　could　make　out　he
was　unclad；　with　a　thick　black　beard；　long　tangled　hair；　and　bare　legs
and　feet；　his　thighs　were　covered　by　breeches　apparently　of　tawny
velvet　but　so　ragged　that　they　showed　his　skin　in　several　places。　He
was　bareheaded；　and　notwithstanding　the　swiftness　with　which　he　passed
as　has　been　described；　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance　observed
and　noted　all　these　trifles；　and　though　he　made　the　attempt；　he　was
unable　to　follow　him；　for　it　was　not　granted　to　the　feebleness　of
Rocinante　to　make　way　over　such　rough　ground；　he　being；　moreover；
slow…paced　and　sluggish　by　nature。　Don　Quixote　at　once　came　to　the
conclusion　that　this　was　the　owner　of　the　saddle…pad　and　of　the
valise；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　go　in　search　of　him；　even　though　he
should　have　to　wander　a　year　in　those　mountains　before　he　found　him；
and　so　he　directed　Sancho　to　take　a　short　cut　over　one　side　of　the
mountain；　while　he　himself　went　by　the　other；　and　perhaps　by　this
means　they　might　light　upon　this　man　who　had　passed　so　quickly　out
of　their　sight。
　　〃I　could　not　do　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　when　I　separate　from　your
worship　fear　at　once　lays　hold　of　me；　and　assails　me　with　all　sorts　of
panics　and　fancies；　and　let　what　I　now　say　be　a　notice　that　from
this　time　forth　I　am　not　going　to　stir　a　finger's　width　from　your
presence。〃
　　〃It　shall　be　so；〃　said　he　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　〃and　I　am
very　glad　that　thou　art　willing　to　rely　on　my　courage；　which　will
never　fail　thee；　even　though　the　soul　in　thy　body　fail　thee；　so　come
on　now　behind　me　slowly　as　well　as　thou　canst；　and　make　lanterns　of
thine　eyes；　let　us　make　the　circuit　of　this　ridge；　perhaps　we　shall
light　upon　this　man　that　we　saw；　who　no　doubt　is　no　other　than　the
owner　of　what　we　found。〃
　　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　〃Far　better　would　it　be　not　to　look　for
him；　for；　if　we　find　him；　and　he　happens　to　be　the　owner　of　the　money；
it　is　plain　I　must　restore　it；　it　would　be　better；　therefore；　that
without　taking　this　needless　trouble；　I　should　keep　possession　of　it
until　in　some　other　less　meddlesome　and　officious　way　the　real　owner
may　be　discovered；　and　perhaps　that　will　be　when　I　shall　have　spent
it；　and　then　the　king　will　hold　me　harmless。〃
　　〃Thou　art　wrong　there；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　now　that　we
have　a　suspicion　who　the　owner　is；　and　have　him　almost　before　us；　we
are　bound　to　seek　him　and　make　restitution；　and　if　we　do　not　see
him；　the　strong　suspicion　we　have　as　to　his　being　the　owner　makes　us
as　guilty　as　if　he　were　so；　and　so；　friend　Sancho；　let　not　our
search　for　him　give　thee　any　uneasiness；　for　if　we　find　him　it　will
relieve　mine。〃
　　And　so　saying　he　gave　Rocinante　the　spur；　and　Sancho　followed　him　on
foot　and　loaded；　and　after　having　partly　made　the　circuit　of　the
mountain　they　found　lying　in　a　ravine；　dead　and　half　devoured　by
dogs　and　pecked　by　jackdaws；　a　mule　saddled　and　bridled；　all　which
still　further　strengthened　their　suspicion　that　he　who　had　fled　was
the　owner　of　the　mule　and　the　saddle…pad。
　　As　they　stood　looking　at　it　they　heard　a　whistle　like　that　of　a
shepherd　watching　his　flock；　and　suddenly　on　their　left　there　appeared
a　great　number　of　goats　and　behind　them　on　the　summit　of　the
mountain　the　goatherd　in　charge　of　them；　a　man　advanced　in　years。
Don　Quixote　called　aloud　to　him　and　begged　him　to　come　down　to　where
they　stood。　He　shouted　in　return；　asking　what　had　brought　them　to　that
spot；　seldom　or　never　trodden　except　by　the　feet　of　goats；　or　of　the
wolves　and　other　wild　beasts　that　roamed　around。　Sancho　in　return　bade
him　come　down；　and　they　would　explain　all　to　him。
　　The　goatherd　descended；　and　reaching　the　place　where　Don　Quixote
stood；　he　said；　〃I　will　wager　you　are　looking　at　that　hack　mule　that
lies　dead　in　the　hollow　there；　and；　faith；　it　has　been　lying　there　now
these　six　months；　tell　me；　have　you　come　upon　its　master　about　here？〃
　　〃We　have　come　upon　nobody；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃nor　on　anything
except　a　saddle…pad　and　a　little　valise　that　we　found　not　far　from
this。〃
　　〃I　found　it　too；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃but　I　would　not　lift　it　nor　go
near　it　for　fear　of　some　ill…luck　or　being　charged　with　theft；　for　the
devil　is　crafty；　and　things　rise　up　under　one's　feet　to　make　one
fall　without　knowing　why　or　wherefore。〃
　　〃That's　exactly　what　I　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　found　it　too；　and　I
would　not　go　within　a　stone's　throw　of　it；　there　I　left　it；　and
there　it　lies　just　as　it　was；　for　I　don't　want　a　dog　with　a　bell。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　good　man；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃do　you　know　who　is　the　owner
of　this　property？〃
　　〃All　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃is　that　about　six　months
ago；　more　or　less；　there　arrived　at　a　shepherd's　hut　three　leagues；
perhaps；　away　from　this；　a　youth　of　well…bred　appearance　and
manners；　mounted　on　that　same　mule　which　lies　dead　here；　and　with
the　same　saddle…pad　and　valise　which　you　say　you　found　and　did　not
touch。　He　asked　us　what　part　of　this　sierra　was　the　most　rugged　and
retired；　we　told　him　that　it　was　where　we　now　are；　and　so　in　truth
it　is；　for　if　you　push　on　half　a　league　farther；　perhaps　you　will
not　be　able　to　find　your　way　out；　and　I　am　wondering　how　you　have
managed　to　come　here；　for　there　is　no　road　or　path　that　leads　to
this　spot。　I　say；　then；　that　on　hearing　our　answer　the　youth　turned
about　and　made　for　the　place　we　pointed　out　to　him；　leaving　us　all
charmed　with　his　good　looks；　and　wondering　at　his　question　and　the
haste　with　which　we　saw　him　depart　in　the　direction　of　the　sierra；　and
after　that　we　saw　him　no　more；　until　some　days　afterwards　he　crossed
the　path　of　one　of　our　shepherds；　and　without　saying　a　word　to　him；
came　up　to　him　and　gave　him　several　cuffs　and　kicks；　and　then　turned
to　the　ass　with　our　provisions　and　took　all　the　bread　and　cheese　it
carried；　and　having　done　this　made　off　back　again　into　the　sierra　with
extraordinary　swiftness。　When　some　of　us　goatherds　learned　this　we
went　in　search　of　him　for　about　two　days　through　the　most　remote
portion　of　this　sierra；　at　the　end　of　which　we　found　him　lodged　in　the
hollow　of　a　large　thick　cork　tree。　He　came　out　to　meet　us　with　great
gentleness；　with　his　dress　now　torn　and　his　face　so　disfigured　and
burned　by　the　sun；　that　we　hardly　recognised　him　but　that　his　clothes；
though　torn；　convinced　us；　from　the　recollection　we　had　of　them；
that　he　was　the　person　we　were　looking　for。　He　saluted　us　courteously；
and　in　a　few　well…spoken　words　he　told　us　not　to　wonder　at　seeing
him　going　about　in　this　guise；　as　it　was　binding　upon　him　in　order
that　he　might　work　out　a　penance　which　for　his　many　sins　had　been
imposed　upon　him。　We　asked　him　to　tell　us　who　he　was；　but　we　were
never　able　to　find　out　from　him：　we　begged　of　him　too；　when　he　was
in　want　of　food；　which　he　could　not　do　without；　to　tell　us　where　we
should　find　him；　as　we　would　bring　it　to　him　with　all　good…will　and
readiness；　or　if　this　were　not　to　his　taste；　at　least　to　come　and
ask　it　of　us　and　not　take　it　by　force　from　the　shepherds。　He　thanked
us　for　the　offer；　begged　pardon　for　the　late　assault；　and　promised　for
the　future　to　ask　it　in　God's　name　without　offering　violence　to
anybody。　As　for　fixed　abode；　he　said　he　had　no　other　than　that　which
chance　offered　wherever　night　might　overtake　him；　and　his　words
ended　in　an　outburst　of　weeping　so　bitter　that　we　who　listened　to
him　must　have　been　very　stones　had　we　not　joined　him　in　it；
comparing　what　we　saw　of　him　the　first　time　with　what　we　saw　now；　for；
as　I　said；　he　was　a　graceful　and　gracious　youth；　and　in　his
courteous　and　polished　language　showed　himself　to　be　of　good　birth　and
courtly　breeding；　and　rustics　as　we　were　that　listened　to　him；　even　to
our　rusticity　his　gentle　bearing　sufficed　to　make　it　plain。
　　〃But　in　the　midst　of　his　conversation　he　stopped　and　became
silent；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ground　for　some　time；　during
which　we　stood　still　waiting　anxiously　to　see　what　would　come　of
this　abstraction；　and　with　no　little　pity；　for　from　his　behaviour；　now
staring　at　the　ground　with　fixed　gaze　and　eyes　wide　open　without
moving　an　eyelid；　again　closing　them；　compressing　his　lips　and　raising
his　eyebrows；　we　could　perceive　plainly　that　a　fit　of　madness　of
some　kind　had　come　upon　him；　and　before　long　he　showed　that　what　we
imagined　was　the　truth；　for　he　arose　in　a　fury　from　the　ground　where
he　had　thrown　himself；　and　attacked　the　first　he　found　near　him　with
such　rage　and　fierceness　that　if　we　had　not　dragged　him　off　him；　he
would　have　beaten　or　bitten　him　to　death；　all　the　while　exclaiming；
'Oh　faithless　Fernando；　here；　here　shalt　thou　pay　the　penalty　of　the
wrong　thou　hast　done　me；　these　hands　shall　tear　out　that　heart　of
thine；　abode　and　dwelling　of　all　iniquity；　but　of　deceit　and　fraud
above　all；　and　to　these　he　added　other　words　all　in　effect
upbraiding　this　Fernando　and　charging　him　with　treachery　and
faithlessness。
　　〃We　forced　him　to　release　his　hold　with　no　little　difficulty；　and
without　another　word　he　left　us；　and　rushing　off　plunged　in　among
these　brakes　and　brambles；　so　as　to　make　it　impossible　for　us　to
follow　him；　from　this　we　suppose　that　madness　comes　upon　him　from　time
to　time；　and　that　some　one　called　Fernando　must　have　done　him　a
wrong　of　a　grievous　nature　such　as　the　condition　to　which　it　had
brought　him　seemed　to　show。　All　this　has　been　since　then　confirmed
on　those　occasions；　a