don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第41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！


stopping；　he　told　them　how　he　had　left　him；　what　adventures　had
befallen　him；　and　how　he　was　carrying　a　letter　to　the　lady　Dulcinea
del　Toboso；　the　daughter　of　Lorenzo　Corchuelo；　with　whom　he　was　over
head　and　ears　in　love。　They　were　both　amazed　at　what　Sancho　Panza　told
them；　for　though　they　were　aware　of　Don　Quixote's　madness　and　the
nature　of　it；　each　time　they　heard　of　it　they　were　filled　with　fresh
wonder。　They　then　asked　Sancho　Panza　to　show　them　the　letter　he　was
carrying　to　the　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso。　He　said　it　was　written　in
a　note…book；　and　that　his　master's　directions　were　that　he　should　have
it　copied　on　paper　at　the　first　village　he　came　to。　On　this　the　curate
said　if　he　showed　it　to　him；　he　himself　would　make　a　fair　copy　of
it。　Sancho　put　his　hand　into　his　bosom　in　search　of　the　note…book
but　could　not　find　it；　nor；　if　he　had　been　searching　until　now；
could　he　have　found　it；　for　Don　Quixote　had　kept　it；　and　had　never
given　it　to　him；　nor　had　he　himself　thought　of　asking　for　it。　When
Sancho　discovered　he　could　not　find　the　book　his　face　grew　deadly
pale；　and　in　great　haste　he　again　felt　his　body　all　over；　and　seeing
plainly　it　was　not　to　be　found；　without　more　ado　he　seized　his　beard
with　both　hands　and　plucked　away　half　of　it；　and　then；　as　quick　as
he　could　and　without　stopping；　gave　himself　half　a　dozen　cuffs　on
the　face　and　nose　till　they　were　bathed　in　blood。
　　Seeing　this；　the　curate　and　the　barber　asked　him　what　had　happened
him　that　he　gave　himself　such　rough　treatment。
　　〃What　should　happen　me？〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　to　have　lost　from
one　hand　to　the　other；　in　a　moment；　three　ass…colts；　each　of　them　like
a　castle？〃
　　〃How　is　that？〃　said　the　barber。
　　〃I　have　lost　the　note…book；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　contained　the　letter
to　Dulcinea；　and　an　order　signed　by　my　master　in　which　he　directed　his
niece　to　give　me　three　ass…colts　out　of　four　or　five　he　had　at
home；〃　and　he　then　told　them　about　the　loss　of　Dapple。
　　The　curate　consoled　him；　telling　him　that　when　his　master　was
found　he　would　get　him　to　renew　the　order；　and　make　a　fresh　draft　on
paper；　as　was　usual　and　customary；　for　those　made　in　notebooks　were
never　accepted　or　honoured。
　　Sancho　comforted　himself　with　this；　and　said　if　that　were　so　the
loss　of　Dulcinea's　letter　did　not　trouble　him　much；　for　he　had　it
almost　by　heart；　and　it　could　be　taken　down　from　him　wherever　and
whenever　they　liked。
　　〃Repeat　it　then；　Sancho；〃　said　the　barber；　〃and　we　will　write　it
down　afterwards。〃
　　Sancho　Panza　stopped　to　scratch　his　head　to　bring　back　the　letter　to
his　memory；　and　balanced　himself　now　on　one　foot；　now　the　other；　one
moment　staring　at　the　ground；　the　next　at　the　sky；　and　after　having
half　gnawed　off　the　end　of　a　finger　and　kept　them　in　suspense
waiting　for　him　to　begin；　he　said；　after　a　long　pause；　〃By　God；
senor　licentiate；　devil　a　thing　can　I　recollect　of　the　letter；　but
it　said　at　the　beginning；　'Exalted　and　scrubbing　Lady。'〃
　　〃It　cannot　have　said　'scrubbing；'〃　said　the　barber；　〃but
'superhuman'　or　'sovereign。'〃
　　〃That　is　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃then；　as　well　as　I　remember；　it　went　on；
'The　wounded；　and　wanting　of　sleep；　and　the　pierced；　kisses　your
worship's　hands；　ungrateful　and　very　unrecognised　fair　one；　and　it
said　something　or　other　about　health　and　sickness　that　he　was
sending　her；　and　from　that　it　went　tailing　off　until　it　ended　with
'Yours　till　death；　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance。〃
　　It　gave　them　no　little　amusement；　both　of　them；　to　see　what　a　good
memory　Sancho　had；　and　they　complimented　him　greatly　upon　it；　and
begged　him　to　repeat　the　letter　a　couple　of　times　more；　so　that　they
too　might　get　it　by　heart　to　write　it　out　by…and…by。　Sancho　repeated
it　three　times；　and　as　he　did；　uttered　three　thousand　more
absurdities；　then　he　told　them　more　about　his　master　but　he　never　said
a　word　about　the　blanketing　that　had　befallen　himself　in　that　inn；
into　which　he　refused　to　enter。　He　told　them；　moreover；　how　his
lord；　if　he　brought　him　a　favourable　answer　from　the　lady　Dulcinea　del
Toboso；　was　to　put　himself　in　the　way　of　endeavouring　to　become　an
emperor；　or　at　least　a　monarch；　for　it　had　been　so　settled　between
them；　and　with　his　personal　worth　and　the　might　of　his　arm　it　was　an
easy　matter　to　come　to　be　one：　and　how　on　becoming　one　his　lord　was　to
make　a　marriage　for　him　（for　he　would　be　a　widower　by　that　time；　as
a　matter　of　course）　and　was　to　give　him　as　a　wife　one　of　the　damsels
of　the　empress；　the　heiress　of　some　rich　and　grand　state　on　the
mainland；　having　nothing　to　do　with　islands　of　any　sort；　for　he　did
not　care　for　them　now。　All　this　Sancho　delivered　with　so　much
composure…　wiping　his　nose　from　time　to　time…　and　with　so　little
common…sense　that　his　two　hearers　were　again　filled　with　wonder　at　the
force　of　Don　Quixote's　madness　that　could　run　away　with　this　poor
man's　reason。　They　did　not　care　to　take　the　trouble　of　disabusing
him　of　his　error；　as　they　considered　that　since　it　did　not　in　any
way　hurt　his　conscience　it　would　be　better　to　leave　him　in　it；　and
they　would　have　all　the　more　amusement　in　listening　to　his
simplicities；　and　so　they　bade　him　pray　to　God　for　his　lord's
health；　as　it　was　a　very　likely　and　a　very　feasible　thing　for　him　in
course　of　time　to　come　to　be　an　emperor；　as　he　said；　or　at　least　an
archbishop　or　some　other　dignitary　of　equal　rank。
　　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　〃If　fortune；　sirs；　should　bring
things　about　in　such　a　way　that　my　master　should　have　a　mind；
instead　of　being　an　emperor；　to　be　an　archbishop；　I　should　like　to
know　what　archbishops…errant　commonly　give　their　squires？〃
　　〃They　commonly　give　them；〃　said　the　curate；　some　simple　benefice
or　cure；　or　some　place　as　sacristan　which　brings　them　a　good　fixed
income；　not　counting　the　altar　fees；　which　may　be　reckoned　at　as
much　more。〃
　　〃But　for　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃the　squire　must　be　unmarried；　and　must
know；　at　any　rate；　how　to　help　at　mass；　and　if　that　be　so；　woe　is
me；　for　I　am　married　already　and　I　don't　know　the　first　letter　of
the　A　B　C。　What　will　become　of　me　if　my　master　takes　a　fancy　to　be
an　archbishop　and　not　an　emperor；　as　is　usual　and　customary　with
knights…errant？〃
　　〃Be　not　uneasy；　friend　Sancho；〃　said　the　barber；　〃for　we　will
entreat　your　master；　and　advise　him；　even　urging　it　upon　him　as　a　case
of　conscience；　to　become　an　emperor　and　not　an　archbishop；　because
it　will　be　easier　for　him　as　he　is　more　valiant　than　lettered。〃
　　〃So　I　have　thought；〃　said　Sancho；　〃though　I　can　tell　you　he　is　fit
for　anything：　what　I　mean　to　do　for　my　part　is　to　pray　to　our　Lord
to　place　him　where　it　may　be　best　for　him；　and　where　he　may　be　able　to
bestow　most　favours　upon　me。〃
　　〃You　speak　like　a　man　of　sense；〃　said　the　curate；　〃and　you　will　be
acting　like　a　good　Christian；　but　what　must　now　be　done　is　to　take
steps　to　coax　your　master　out　of　that　useless　penance　you　say　he　is
performing；　and　we　had　best　turn　into　this　inn　to　consider　what　plan
to　adopt；　and　also　to　dine；　for　it　is　now　time。〃
　　Sancho　said　they　might　go　in；　but　that　he　would　wait　there
outside；　and　that　he　would　tell　them　afterwards　the　reason　why　he
was　unwilling；　and　why　it　did　not　suit　him　to　enter　it；　but　be
begged　them　to　bring　him　out　something　to　eat；　and　to　let　it　be　hot；
and　also　to　bring　barley　for　Rocinante。　They　left　him　and　went　in；　and
presently　the　barber　brought　him　out　something　to　eat。　By…and…by；
after　they　had　between　them　carefully　thought　over　what　they　should　do
to　carry　out　their　object；　the　curate　hit　upon　an　idea　very　well
adapted　to　humour　Don　Quixote；　and　effect　their　purpose；　and　his
notion；　which　he　explained　to　the　barber；　was　that　he　himself　should
assume　the　disguise　of　a　wandering　damsel；　while　the　other　should
try　as　best　he　could　to　pass　for　a　squire；　and　that　they　should　thus
proceed　to　where　Don　Quixote　was；　and　he；　pretending　to　be　an
aggrieved　and　distressed　damsel；　should　ask　a　favour　of　him；　which
as　a　valiant　knight…errant　he　could　not　refuse　to　grant；　and　the
favour　he　meant　to　ask　him　was　that　he　should　accompany　her　whither
she　would　conduct　him；　in　order　to　redress　a　wrong　which　a　wicked
knight　had　done　her；　while　at　the　same　time　she　should　entreat　him　not
to　require　her　to　remove　her　mask；　nor　ask　her　any　question　touching
her　circumstances　until　he　had　righted　her　with　the　wicked　knight。　And
he　had　no　doubt　that　Don　Quixote　would　comply　with　any　request　made　in
these　terms；　and　that　in　this　way　they　might　remove　him　and　take　him
to　his　own　village；　where　they　would　endeavour　to　find　out　if　his
extraordinary　madness　admitted　of　any　kind　of　remedy。

　　CHAPTER　XXVII
　　OF　HOW　THE　CURATE　AND　THE　BARBER　PROCEEDED　WITH　THEIR　SCHEME；
TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　MATTERS　WORTHY　OF　RECORD　IN　THIS　GREAT　HISTORY

　　THE　curate's　plan　did　not　seem　a　bad　one　to　the　barber；　but　on　the
contrary　so　good　that　they　immediately　set　about　putting　it　in
execution。　They　begged　a　petticoat　and　hood　of　the　landlady；　leaving
her　in　pledge　a　new　cassock　of　the　curate's；　and　the　barber　made　a
beard　out　of　a　grey…brown　or　red　ox…tail　in　which　the　landlord　used　to
stick　his　comb。　The　landlady　asked　them　what　they　wanted　these
things　for；　and　the　curate　told　her　in　a　few　words　about　the　madness
of　Don　Quixote；　and　how　this　disguise　was　intended　to　get　him　away
from　the　mountain　where　he　then　was。　The　landlord　and　landlady
immediately　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　madman　was　their　guest；
the　balsam　man　and　master　of　the　blanketed　squire；　and　they　told　the
curate　all　that　had　passed　between　him　and　them；　not　omitting　what
Sancho　had　been　so　silent　about。　Finally　the　landlady　dressed　up　the
curate　in　a　style　that　left　nothing　to　be　desired；　she　put　on　him　a
cloth　petticoat　with　black　velvet　stripes　a　palm　broad；　all　slashed；
and　a　bodice　of　green　velvet　set　off　by　a　binding　of　white　satin；
which　as　well　as　the　petticoat　must　have　been　made　in　the　time　of　king
Wamba。　The　curate　would　not　let　them　hood　him；　but　put　on　his　head　a
little　quilted　linen　cap　which　he　used　for　a　night…cap；　and　bound
his　forehead　with　a　strip　of　black　silk；　while　with　another　he　made
a　mask　with　which　he　concealed　his　beard　and　face　very　well。　He　then
put　on　his　hat；　which　was　broad　enough　to　serve　him　for　an　umbrella；
and　enveloping　himself　in　his　cloak　seated　himself　woman…fashion　on
his　mule；　while　the　barber　mounted　his　with　a　beard　down　to　the
waist　of　mingled　red　and　white；　for　it　was；　as　has　been　said；　the　tail
of　a　clay…red　ox。
　　They　took　leave　of　all；　and　of　the　good　Maritornes；　who；　sinner　as
she　was；　promised　to　pray　a　rosary　of　prayers　that　God　might　grant
them　success　in　such　an　arduous　and　Christian　undertaking　as　that　they
had　in　hand。　But　hardly　had　he　sallied　forth　from　the　inn　when　it
struck　the　curate　that　he　was　doing　wrong　in　rigging　himself　out　in
that　fashion；　as　it　was　an　indecorous　thing　for　a　priest　to　dress
himself　that　way　even　though　much　might　depend　upon　it；　and　saying
so　to　the　barber　he　begged　him　to　change　dresses；　as　it　was　fitter
he　should　be　the　distressed　damsel；　while　he　himself　would　play　the
squire's　part；　which　would　be　less　derogatory　to　his　dignity；
otherwise　he　was　resolved　to　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　the
matte