don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第47章

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more　tears；　redoubled　his　sighs　and　pressed　me　closer　in　his　arms；
from　which　he　had　never　allowed　me　to　escape；　and　so　I　was　left　by
my　maid；　and　ceased　to　be　one；　and　he　became　a　traitor　and　a
perjured　man。
　　〃The　day　which　followed　the　night　of　my　misfortune　did　not　come　so
quickly；　I　imagine；　as　Don　Fernando　wished；　for　when　desire　has
attained　its　object；　the　greatest　pleasure　is　to　fly　from　the　scene　of
pleasure。　I　say　so　because　Don　Fernando　made　all　haste　to　leave　me；
and　by　the　adroitness　of　my　maid；　who　was　indeed　the　one　who　had
admitted　him；　gained　the　street　before　daybreak；　but　on　taking　leave
of　me　he　told　me；　though　not　with　as　much　earnestness　and　fervour　as
when　he　came；　that　I　might　rest　assured　of　his　faith　and　of　the
sanctity　and　sincerity　of　his　oaths；　and　to　confirm　his　words　he
drew　a　rich　ring　off　his　finger　and　placed　it　upon　mine。　He　then
took　his　departure　and　I　was　left；　I　know　not　whether　sorrowful　or
happy；　all　I　can　say　is；　I　was　left　agitated　and　troubled　in　mind
and　almost　bewildered　by　what　had　taken　place；　and　I　had　not　the
spirit；　or　else　it　did　not　occur　to　me；　to　chide　my　maid　for　the
treachery　she　had　been　guilty　of　in　concealing　Don　Fernando　in　my
chamber；　for　as　yet　I　was　unable　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　what　had
befallen　me　was　for　good　or　evil。　I　told　Don　Fernando　at　parting；　that
as　I　was　now　his；　he　might　see　me　on　other　nights　in　the　same　way；
until　it　should　be　his　pleasure　to　let　the　matter　become　known；　but；
except　the　following　night；　he　came　no　more；　nor　for　more　than　a　month
could　I　catch　a　glimpse　of　him　in　the　street　or　in　church；　while　I
wearied　myself　with　watching　for　one；　although　I　knew　he　was　in　the
town；　and　almost　every　day　went　out　hunting；　a　pastime　he　was　very
fond　of。　I　remember　well　how　sad　and　dreary　those　days　and　hours
were　to　me；　I　remember　well　how　I　began　to　doubt　as　they　went　by；
and　even　to　lose　confidence　in　the　faith　of　Don　Fernando；　and　I
remember；　too；　how　my　maid　heard　those　words　in　reproof　of　her
audacity　that　she　had　not　heard　before；　and　how　I　was　forced　to　put
a　constraint　on　my　tears　and　on　the　expression　of　my　countenance；
not　to　give　my　parents　cause　to　ask　me　why　I　was　so　melancholy；　and
drive　me　to　invent　falsehoods　in　reply。　But　all　this　was　suddenly
brought　to　an　end；　for　the　time　came　when　all　such　considerations　were
disregarded；　and　there　was　no　further　question　of　honour；　when　my
patience　gave　way　and　the　secret　of　my　heart　became　known　abroad。
The　reason　was；　that　a　few　days　later　it　was　reported　in　the　town　that
Don　Fernando　had　been　married　in　a　neighbouring　city　to　a　maiden　of
rare　beauty；　the　daughter　of　parents　of　distinguished　position；　though
not　so　rich　that　her　portion　would　entitle　her　to　look　for　so
brilliant　a　match；　it　was　said；　too；　that　her　name　was　Luscinda；　and
that　at　the　betrothal　some　strange　things　had　happened。〃
　　Cardenio　heard　the　name　of　Luscinda；　but　he　only　shrugged　his
shoulders；　bit　his　lips；　bent　his　brows；　and　before　long　two　streams
of　tears　escaped　from　his　eyes。　Dorothea；　however；　did　not　interrupt
her　story；　but　went　on　in　these　words：
　　〃This　sad　intelligence　reached　my　ears；　and；　instead　of　being　struck
with　a　chill；　with　such　wrath　and　fury　did　my　heart　burn　that　I
scarcely　restrained　myself　from　rushing　out　into　the　streets；　crying
aloud　and　proclaiming　openly　the　perfidy　and　treachery　of　which　I
was　the　victim；　but　this　transport　of　rage　was　for　the　time　checked　by
a　resolution　I　formed；　to　be　carried　out　the　same　night；　and　that
was　to　assume　this　dress；　which　I　got　from　a　servant　of　my　father's；
one　of　the　zagals；　as　they　are　called　in　farmhouses；　to　whom　I
confided　the　whole　of　my　misfortune；　and　whom　I　entreated　to　accompany
me　to　the　city　where　I　heard　my　enemy　was。　He；　though　he
remonstrated　with　me　for　my　boldness；　and　condemned　my　resolution；
when　he　saw　me　bent　upon　my　purpose；　offered　to　bear　me　company；　as　he
said；　to　the　end　of　the　world。　I　at　once　packed　up　in　a　linen
pillow…case　a　woman's　dress；　and　some　jewels　and　money　to　provide
for　emergencies；　and　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　without　letting　my
treacherous　maid　know；　I　sallied　forth　from　the　house；　accompanied
by　my　servant　and　abundant　anxieties；　and　on　foot　set　out　for　the
city；　but　borne　as　it　were　on　wings　by　my　eagerness　to　reach　it；　if
not　to　prevent　what　I　presumed　to　be　already　done；　at　least　to　call
upon　Don　Fernando　to　tell　me　with　what　conscience　he　had　done　it。　I
reached　my　destination　in　two　days　and　a　half；　and　on　entering　the
city　inquired　for　the　house　of　Luscinda's　parents。　The　first　person
I　asked　gave　me　more　in　reply　than　I　sought　to　know；　he　showed　me
the　house；　and　told　me　all　that　had　occurred　at　the　betrothal　of　the
daughter　of　the　family；　an　affair　of　such　notoriety　in　the　city　that
it　was　the　talk　of　every　knot　of　idlers　in　the　street。　He　said　that　on
the　night　of　Don　Fernando's　betrothal　with　Luscinda；　as　soon　as　she
had　consented　to　be　his　bride　by　saying　'Yes；'　she　was　taken　with　a
sudden　fainting　fit；　and　that　on　the　bridegroom　approaching　to
unlace　the　bosom　of　her　dress　to　give　her　air；　he　found　a　paper　in　her
own　handwriting；　in　which　she　said　and　declared　that　she　could　not
be　Don　Fernando's　bride；　because　she　was　already　Cardenio's；　who；
according　to　the　man's　account；　was　a　gentleman　of　distinction　of
the　same　city；　and　that　if　she　had　accepted　Don　Fernando；　it　was
only　in　obedience　to　her　parents。　In　short；　he　said；　the　words　of
the　paper　made　it　clear　she　meant　to　kill　herself　on　the　completion　of
the　betrothal；　and　gave　her　reasons　for　putting　an　end　to　herself
all　which　was　confirmed；　it　was　said；　by　a　dagger　they　found　somewhere
in　her　clothes。　On　seeing　this；　Don　Fernando；　persuaded　that
Luscinda　had　befooled；　slighted；　and　trifled　with　him；　assailed　her
before　she　had　recovered　from　her　swoon；　and　tried　to　stab　her　with
the　dagger　that　had　been　found；　and　would　have　succeeded　had　not　her
parents　and　those　who　were　present　prevented　him。　It　was　said；
moreover；　that　Don　Fernando　went　away　at　once；　and　that　Luscinda　did
not　recover　from　her　prostration　until　the　next　day；　when　she　told　her
parents　how　she　was　really　the　bride　of　that　Cardenio　I　have
mentioned。　I　learned　besides　that　Cardenio；　according　to　report；　had
been　present　at　the　betrothal；　and　that　upon　seeing　her　betrothed
contrary　to　his　expectation；　he　had　quitted　the　city　in　despair；
leaving　behind　him　a　letter　declaring　the　wrong　Luscinda　had　done　him；
and　his　intention　of　going　where　no　one　should　ever　see　him　again。　All
this　was　a　matter　of　notoriety　in　the　city；　and　everyone　spoke　of
it；　especially　when　it　became　known　that　Luscinda　was　missing　from　her
father's　house　and　from　the　city；　for　she　was　not　to　be　found
anywhere；　to　the　distraction　of　her　parents；　who　knew　not　what　steps
to　take　to　recover　her。　What　I　learned　revived　my　hopes；　and　I　was
better　pleased　not　to　have　found　Don　Fernando　than　to　find　him
married；　for　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　door　was　not　yet　entirely　shut
upon　relief　in　my　case；　and　I　thought　that　perhaps　Heaven　had　put　this
impediment　in　the　way　of　the　second　marriage；　to　lead　him　to　recognise
his　obligations　under　the　former　one；　and　reflect　that　as　a
Christian　he　was　bound　to　consider　his　soul　above　all　human　objects。
All　this　passed　through　my　mind；　and　I　strove　to　comfort　myself
without　comfort；　indulging　in　faint　and　distant　hopes　of　cherishing
that　life　that　I　now　abhor。
　　〃But　while　I　was　in　the　city；　uncertain　what　to　do；　as　I　could　not
find　Don　Fernando；　I　heard　notice　given　by　the　public　crier　offering　a
great　reward　to　anyone　who　should　find　me；　and　giving　the
particulars　of　my　age　and　of　the　very　dress　I　wore；　and　I　heard　it
said　that　the　lad　who　came　with　me　had　taken　me　away　from　my
father's　house；　a　thing　that　cut　me　to　the　heart；　showing　how　low　my
good　name　had　fallen；　since　it　was　not　enough　that　I　should　lose　it　by
my　flight；　but　they　must　add　with　whom　I　had　fled；　and　that　one　so
much　beneath　me　and　so　unworthy　of　my　consideration。　The　instant　I
heard　the　notice　I　quitted　the　city　with　my　servant；　who　now　began
to　show　signs　of　wavering　in　his　fidelity　to　me；　and　the　same　night；
for　fear　of　discovery；　we　entered　the　most　thickly　wooded　part　of
these　mountains。　But；　as　is　commonly　said；　one　evil　calls　up　another
and　the　end　of　one　misfortune　is　apt　to　be　the　beginning　of　one
still　greater；　and　so　it　proved　in　my　case；　for　my　worthy　servant；
until　then　so　faithful　and　trusty　when　he　found　me　in　this　lonely
spot；　moved　more　by　his　own　villainy　than　by　my　beauty；　sought　to　take
advantage　of　the　opportunity　which　these　solitudes　seemed　to　present
him；　and　with　little　shame　and　less　fear　of　God　and　respect　for　me；
began　to　make　overtures　to　me；　and　finding　that　I　replied　to　the
effrontery　of　his　proposals　with　justly　severe　language；　he　laid　aside
the　entreaties　which　he　had　employed　at　first；　and　began　to　use
violence。　But　just　Heaven；　that　seldom　fails　to　watch　over　and　aid
good　intentions；　so　aided　mine　that　with　my　slight　strength　and　with
little　exertion　I　pushed　him　over　a　precipice；　where　I　left　him；
whether　dead　or　alive　I　know　not；　and　then；　with　greater　speed　than
seemed　possible　in　my　terror　and　fatigue；　I　made　my　way　into　the
mountains；　without　any　other　thought　or　purpose　save　that　of　hiding
myself　among　them；　and　escaping　my　father　and　those　despatched　in
search　of　me　by　his　orders。　It　is　now　I　know　not　how　many　months　since
with　this　object　I　came　here；　where　I　met　a　herdsman　who　engaged　me　as
his　servant　at　a　place　in　the　heart　of　this　Sierra；　and　all　this
time　I　have　been　serving　him　as　herd；　striving　to　keep　always　afield
to　hide　these　locks　which　have　now　unexpectedly　betrayed　me。　But　all
my　care　and　pains　were　unavailing；　for　my　master　made　the　discovery
that　I　was　not　a　man；　and　harboured　the　same　base　designs　as　my
servant；　and　as　fortune　does　not　always　supply　a　remedy　in　cases　of
difficulty；　and　I　had　no　precipice　or　ravine　at　hand　down　which　to
fling　the　master　and　cure　his　passion；　as　I　had　in　the　servant's　case；
I　thought　it　a　lesser　evil　to　leave　him　and　again　conceal　myself　among
these　crags；　than　make　trial　of　my　strength　and　argument　with　him。　So；
as　I　say；　once　more　I　went　into　hiding　to　seek　for　some　place　where
I　might　with　sighs　and　tears　implore　Heaven　to　have　pity　on　my　misery；
and　grant　me　help　and　strength　to　escape　from　it；　or　let　me　die
among　the　solitudes；　leaving　no　trace　of　an　unhappy　being　who；　by　no
fault　of　hers；　has　furnished　matter　for　talk　and　scandal　at　home　and
abroad。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXIX
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　DROLL　DEVICE　AND　METHOD　ADOPTED　TO　EXTRICATE　OUR
LOVE…STRICKEN　KNIGHT　FROM　THE　SEVERE　PENANCE　HE　HAD　IMPOSED　UPON
HIMSELF

　　〃SUCH；　sirs；　is　the　true　story　of　my　sad　adventures；　judge　for
yourselves　now　whether　the　sighs　and　lamentations　you　heard；　and　the
tears　that　flowed　from　my　eyes；　had　not　sufficient　cause　even　if　I　had
indulged　in　them　more　freely；　and　if　you　consider　the　nature　of　my
misfortune　you　will　see　that　consolation　is　idle；　as　there　is　no
possible　remedy　for　it。　All　I　ask　of　you　is；　what　you　may　easily　and
reasonably　do；　to　show　me　where　I　may　pass　my　life　unha