don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第35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！


brought　him　seemed　to　show。　All　this　has　been　since　then　confirmed
on　those　occasions；　and　they　have　been　many；　on　which　he　has　crossed
our　path；　at　one　time　to　beg　the　shepherds　to　give　him　some　of　the
food　they　carry；　at　another　to　take　it　from　them　by　force；　for　when
there　is　a　fit　of　madness　upon　him；　even　though　the　shepherds　offer　it
freely；　he　will　not　accept　it　but　snatches　it　from　them　by　dint　of
blows；　but　when　he　is　in　his　senses　he　begs　it　for　the　love　of　God；
courteously　and　civilly；　and　receives　it　with　many　thanks　and　not　a
few　tears。　And　to　tell　you　the　truth；　sirs；〃　continued　the　goatherd；
〃it　was　yesterday　that　we　resolved；　I　and　four　of　the　lads；　two　of
them　our　servants；　and　the　other　two　friends　of　mine；　to　go　in
search　of　him　until　we　find　him；　and　when　we　do　to　take　him；　whether
by　force　or　of　his　own　consent；　to　the　town　of　Almodovar；　which　is
eight　leagues　from　this；　and　there　strive　to　cure　him　（if　indeed　his
malady　admits　of　a　cure）；　or　learn　when　he　is　in　his　senses　who　he　is；
and　if　he　has　relatives　to　whom　we　may　give　notice　of　his
misfortune。　This；　sirs；　is　all　I　can　say　in　answer　to　what　you　have
asked　me；　and　be　sure　that　the　owner　of　the　articles　you　found　is　he
whom　you　saw　pass　by　with　such　nimbleness　and　so　naked。〃
　　For　Don　Quixote　had　already　described　how　he　had　seen　the　man　go
bounding　along　the　mountain　side；　and　he　was　now　filled　with　amazement
at　what　he　heard　from　the　goatherd；　and　more　eager　than　ever　to
discover　who　the　unhappy　madman　was；　and　in　his　heart　he　resolved；
as　he　had　done　before；　to　search　for　him　all　over　the　mountain；　not
leaving　a　corner　or　cave　unexamined　until　he　had　found　him。　But　chance
arranged　matters　better　than　he　expected　or　hoped；　for　at　that　very
moment；　in　a　gorge　on　the　mountain　that　opened　where　they　stood；　the
youth　he　wished　to　find　made　his　appearance；　coming　along　talking　to
himself　in　a　way　that　would　have　been　unintelligible　near　at　hand；
much　more　at　a　distance。　His　garb　was　what　has　been　described；　save
that　as　he　drew　near；　Don　Quixote　perceived　that　a　tattered　doublet
which　he　wore　was　amber…tanned；　from　which　he　concluded　that　one　who
wore　such　garments　could　not　be　of　very　low　rank。
　　Approaching　them；　the　youth　greeted　them　in　a　harsh　and　hoarse　voice
but　with　great　courtesy。　Don　Quixote　returned　his　salutation　with
equal　politeness；　and　dismounting　from　Rocinante　advanced　with
well…bred　bearing　and　grace　to　embrace　him；　and　held　him　for　some　time
close　in　his　arms　as　if　he　had　known　him　for　a　long　time。　The　other；
whom　we　may　call　the　Ragged　One　of　the　Sorry　Countenance；　as　Don
Quixote　was　of　the　Rueful；　after　submitting　to　the　embrace　pushed
him　back　a　little　and；　placing　his　hands　on　Don　Quixote's　shoulders；
stood　gazing　at　him　as　if　seeking　to　see　whether　he　knew　him；　not　less
amazed；　perhaps；　at　the　sight　of　the　face；　figure；　and　armour　of　Don
Quixote　than　Don　Quixote　was　at　the　sight　of　him。　To　be　brief；　the
first　to　speak　after　embracing　was　the　Ragged　One；　and　he　said　what
will　be　told　farther　on。

　　CHAPTER　XXIV
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONTINUED　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　SIERRA　MORENA

　　THE　history　relates　that　it　was　with　the　greatest　attention　Don
Quixote　listened　to　the　ragged　knight　of　the　Sierra；　who　began　by
saying：
　　〃Of　a　surety；　senor；　whoever　you　are；　for　I　know　you　not；　I　thank
you　for　the　proofs　of　kindness　and　courtesy　you　have　shown　me；　and
would　I　were　in　a　condition　to　requite　with　something　more　than
good…will　that　which　you　have　displayed　towards　me　in　the　cordial
reception　you　have　given　me；　but　my　fate　does　not　afford　me　any
other　means　of　returning　kindnesses　done　me　save　the　hearty　desire
to　repay　them。〃
　　〃Mine；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃is　to　be　of　service　to　you；　so　much　so
that　I　had　resolved　not　to　quit　these　mountains　until　I　had　found　you；
and　learned　of　you　whether　there　is　any　kind　of　relief　to　be　found　for
that　sorrow　under　which　from　the　strangeness　of　your　life　you　seem
to　labour；　and　to　search　for　you　with　all　possible　diligence；　if
search　had　been　necessary。　And　if　your　misfortune　should　prove　to　be
one　of　those　that　refuse　admission　to　any　sort　of　consolation；　it
was　my　purpose　to　join　you　in　lamenting　and　mourning　over　it；　so　far
as　I　could；　for　it　is　still　some　comfort　in　misfortune　to　find　one　who
can　feel　for　it。　And　if　my　good　intentions　deserve　to　be
acknowledged　with　any　kind　of　courtesy；　I　entreat　you；　senor；　by
that　which　I　perceive　you　possess　in　so　high　a　degree；　and　likewise
conjure　you　by　whatever　you　love　or　have　loved　best　in　life；　to　tell
me　who　you　are　and　the　cause　that　has　brought　you　to　live　or　die　in
these　solitudes　like　a　brute　beast；　dwelling　among　them　in　a　manner　so
foreign　to　your　condition　as　your　garb　and　appearance　show。　And　I
swear；〃　added　Don　Quixote；　〃by　the　order　of　knighthood　which　I　have
received；　and　by　my　vocation　of　knight…errant；　if　you　gratify　me　in
this；　to　serve　you　with　all　the　zeal　my　calling　demands　of　me；
either　in　relieving　your　misfortune　if　it　admits　of　relief；　or　in
joining　you　in　lamenting　it　as　I　promised　to　do。〃
　　The　Knight　of　the　Thicket；　hearing　him　of　the　Rueful　Countenance
talk　in　this　strain；　did　nothing　but　stare　at　him；　and　stare　at　him
again；　and　again　survey　him　from　head　to　foot；　and　when　he　had
thoroughly　examined　him；　he　said　to　him：
　　〃If　you　have　anything　to　give　me　to　eat；　for　God's　sake　give　it
me；　and　after　I　have　eaten　I　will　do　all　you　ask　in　acknowledgment
of　the　goodwill　you　have　displayed　towards　me。〃
　　Sancho　from　his　sack；　and　the　goatherd　from　his　pouch；　furnished　the
Ragged　One　with　the　means　of　appeasing　his　hunger；　and　what　they
gave　him　he　ate　like　a　half…witted　being；　so　hastily　that　he　took　no
time　between　mouthfuls；　gorging　rather　than　swallowing；　and　while　he
ate　neither　he　nor　they　who　observed　him　uttered　a　word。　As　soon　as　he
had　done　he　made　signs　to　them　to　follow　him；　which　they　did；　and　he
led　them　to　a　green　plot　which　lay　a　little　farther　off　round　the
corner　of　a　rock。　On　reaching　it　he　stretched　himself　upon　the
grass；　and　the　others　did　the　same；　all　keeping　silence；　until　the
Ragged　One；　settling　himself　in　his　place；　said：
　　〃If　it　is　your　wish；　sirs；　that　I　should　disclose　in　a　few　words　the
surpassing　extent　of　my　misfortunes；　you　must　promise　not　to　break　the
thread　of　my　sad　story　with　any　question　or　other　interruption；　for
the　instant　you　do　so　the　tale　I　tell　will　come　to　an　end。〃
　　These　words　of　the　Ragged　One　reminded　Don　Quixote　of　the　tale　his
squire　had　told　him；　when　he　failed　to　keep　count　of　the　goats　that
had　crossed　the　river　and　the　story　remained　unfinished；　but　to　return
to　the　Ragged　One；　he　went　on　to　say：
　　〃I　give　you　this　warning　because　I　wish　to　pass　briefly　over　the
story　of　my　misfortunes；　for　recalling　them　to　memory　only　serves　to
add　fresh　ones；　and　the　less　you　question　me　the　sooner　shall　I　make
an　end　of　the　recital；　though　I　shall　not　omit　to　relate　anything　of
importance　in　order　fully　to　satisfy　your　curiosity。〃
　　Don　Quixote　gave　the　promise　for　himself　and　the　others；　and　with
this　assurance　he　began　as　follows：
　　〃My　name　is　Cardenio；　my　birthplace　one　of　the　best　cities　of　this
Andalusia；　my　family　noble；　my　parents　rich；　my　misfortune　so　great
that　my　parents　must　have　wept　and　my　family　grieved　over　it　without
being　able　by　their　wealth　to　lighten　it；　for　the　gifts　of　fortune　can
do　little　to　relieve　reverses　sent　by　Heaven。　In　that　same　country
there　was　a　heaven　in　which　love　had　placed　all　the　glory　I　could
desire；　such　was　the　beauty　of　Luscinda；　a　damsel　as　noble　and　as　rich
as　I；　but　of　happier　fortunes；　and　of　less　firmness　than　was　due　to　so
worthy　a　passion　as　mine。　This　Luscinda　I　loved；　worshipped；　and
adored　from　my　earliest　and　tenderest　years；　and　she　loved　me　in　all
the　innocence　and　sincerity　of　childhood。　Our　parents　were　aware　of
our　feelings；　and　were　not　sorry　to　perceive　them；　for　they　saw
clearly　that　as　they　ripened　they　must　lead　at　last　to　a　marriage
between　us；　a　thing　that　seemed　almost　prearranged　by　the　equality
of　our　families　and　wealth。　We　grew　up；　and　with　our　growth　grew　the
love　between　us；　so　that　the　father　of　Luscinda　felt　bound　for
propriety's　sake　to　refuse　me　admission　to　his　house；　in　this
perhaps　imitating　the　parents　of　that　Thisbe　so　celebrated　by　the
poets；　and　this　refusal　but　added　love　to　love　and　flame　to　flame；　for
though　they　enforced　silence　upon　our　tongues　they　could　not　impose　it
upon　our　pens；　which　can　make　known　the　heart's　secrets　to　a　loved　one
more　freely　than　tongues；　for　many　a　time　the　presence　of　the　object
of　love　shakes　the　firmest　will　and　strikes　dumb　the　boldest　tongue。
Ah　heavens！　how　many　letters　did　I　write　her；　and　how　many　dainty
modest　replies　did　I　receive！　how　many　ditties　and　love…songs　did　I
compose　in　which　my　heart　declared　and　made　known　its　feelings；
described　its　ardent　longings；　revelled　in　its　recollections　and
dallied　with　its　desires！　At　length　growing　impatient　and　feeling　my
heart　languishing　with　longing　to　see　her；　I　resolved　to　put　into
execution　and　carry　out　what　seemed　to　me　the　best　mode　of　winning
my　desired　and　merited　reward；　to　ask　her　of　her　father　for　my
lawful　wife；　which　I　did。　To　this　his　answer　was　that　he　thanked　me
for　the　disposition　I　showed　to　do　honour　to　him　and　to　regard
myself　as　honoured　by　the　bestowal　of　his　treasure；　but　that　as　my
father　was　alive　it　was　his　by　right　to　make　this　demand；　for　if　it
were　not　in　accordance　with　his　full　will　and　pleasure；　Luscinda　was
not　to　be　taken　or　given　by　stealth。　I　thanked　him　for　his　kindness；
reflecting　that　there　was　reason　in　what　he　said；　and　that　my　father
would　assent　to　it　as　soon　as　I　should　tell　him；　and　with　that　view
I　went　the　very　same　instant　to　let　him　know　what　my　desires　were。
When　I　entered　the　room　where　he　was　I　found　him　with　an　open　letter
in　his　hand；　which；　before　I　could　utter　a　word；　he　gave　me；　saying；
'By　this　letter　thou　wilt　see；　Cardenio；　the　disposition　the　Duke
Ricardo　has　to　serve　thee。'　This　Duke　Ricardo；　as　you；　sirs；
probably　know　already；　is　a　grandee　of　Spain　who　has　his　seat　in　the
best　part　of　this　Andalusia。　I　took　and　read　the　letter；　which　was
couched　in　terms　so　flattering　that　even　I　myself　felt　it　would　be
wrong　in　my　father　not　to　comply　with　the　request　the　duke　made　in　it；
which　was　that　he　would　send　me　immediately　to　him；　as　he　wished　me　to
become　the　companion；　not　servant；　of　his　eldest　son；　and　would　take
upon　himself　the　charge　of　placing　me　in　a　position　corresponding　to
the　esteem　in　which　he　held　me。　On　reading　the　letter　my　voice
failed　me；　and　still　more　when　I　heard　my　father　say；　'Two　days
hence　thou　wilt　depart；　Cardenio；　in　accordance　with　the　duke's
wish；　and　give　thanks　to　God　who　is　opening　a　road　to　thee　by　which
thou　mayest　attain　what　I　know　thou　dost　deserve；　and　to　these　words
he　added　others　of　fatherly　counsel。　The　time　for　my　departure
arrived；　I　spoke　one　night　to　Luscinda；　I　told　her　all　that　had
occurred；　as　I　did　also　to　her　father；　entreating　him　to　allow　some
delay；　and　to　defer　the　disposal　of　her　hand　until　I　should　see　what
the　Duke　Ricardo　sought　of　me：　he　gave　me　the　promi