don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第57章

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　　　The　anguish　and　the　shame　but　greater　grew
　　　　　In　Peter's　heart　as　morning　slowly　came；
　　　No　eye　was　there　to　see　him；　well　he　knew；
　　　　　Yet　he　himself　was　to　himself　a　shame；
　　　Exposed　to　all　men's　gaze；　or　screened　from　view；
　　　　　A　noble　heart　will　feel　the　pang　the　same；
　　　A　prey　to　shame　the　sinning　soul　will　be；
　　　Though　none　but　heaven　and　earth　its　shame　can　see。

Thus　by　keeping　it　secret　thou　wilt　not　escape　thy　sorrow；　but
rather　thou　wilt　shed　tears　unceasingly；　if　not　tears　of　the　eyes；
tears　of　blood　from　the　heart；　like　those　shed　by　that　simple　doctor
our　poet　tells　us　of；　that　tried　the　test　of　the　cup；　which　the　wise
Rinaldo；　better　advised；　refused　to　do；　for　though　this　may　be　a
poetic　fiction　it　contains　a　moral　lesson　worthy　of　attention　and
study　and　imitation。　Moreover　by　what　I　am　about　to　say　to　thee　thou
wilt　be　led　to　see　the　great　error　thou　wouldst　commit。
　　〃Tell　me；　Anselmo；　if　Heaven　or　good　fortune　had　made　thee　master
and　lawful　owner　of　a　diamond　of　the　finest　quality；　with　the
excellence　and　purity　of　which　all　the　lapidaries　that　had　seen　it　had
been　satisfied；　saying　with　one　voice　and　common　consent　that　in
purity；　quality；　and　fineness；　it　was　all　that　a　stone　of　the　kind
could　possibly　be；　thou　thyself　too　being　of　the　same　belief；　as
knowing　nothing　to　the　contrary；　would　it　be　reasonable　in　thee　to
desire　to　take　that　diamond　and　place　it　between　an　anvil　and　a
hammer；　and　by　mere　force　of　blows　and　strength　of　arm　try　if　it
were　as　hard　and　as　fine　as　they　said？　And　if　thou　didst；　and　if　the
stone　should　resist　so　silly　a　test；　that　would　add　nothing　to　its
value　or　reputation；　and　if　it　were　broken；　as　it　might　be；　would
not　all　be　lost？　Undoubtedly　it　would；　leaving　its　owner　to　be　rated
as　a　fool　in　the　opinion　of　all。　Consider；　then；　Anselmo　my　friend；
that　Camilla　is　a　diamond　of　the　finest　quality　as　well　in　thy
estimation　as　in　that　of　others；　and　that　it　is　contrary　to　reason
to　expose　her　to　the　risk　of　being　broken；　for　if　she　remains　intact
she　cannot　rise　to　a　higher　value　than　she　now　possesses；　and　if　she
give　way　and　be　unable　to　resist；　bethink　thee　now　how　thou　wilt　be
deprived　of　her；　and　with　what　good　reason　thou　wilt　complain　of
thyself　for　having　been　the　cause　of　her　ruin　and　thine　own。
Remember　there　is　no　jewel　in　the　world　so　precious　as　a　chaste　and
virtuous　woman；　and　that　the　whole　honour　of　women　consists　in
reputation；　and　since　thy　wife's　is　of　that　high　excellence　that
thou　knowest；　wherefore　shouldst　thou　seek　to　call　that　truth　in
question？　Remember；　my　friend；　that　woman　is　an　imperfect　animal；
and　that　impediments　are　not　to　be　placed　in　her　way　to　make　her
trip　and　fall；　but　that　they　should　be　removed；　and　her　path　left
clear　of　all　obstacles；　so　that　without　hindrance　she　may　run　her
course　freely　to　attain　the　desired　perfection；　which　consists　in
being　virtuous。　Naturalists　tell　us　that　the　ermine　is　a　little　animal
which　has　a　fur　of　purest　white；　and　that　when　the　hunters　wish　to
take　it；　they　make　use　of　this　artifice。　Having　ascertained　the　places
which　it　frequents　and　passes；　they　stop　the　way　to　them　with　mud；　and
then　rousing　it；　drive　it　towards　the　spot；　and　as　soon　as　the
ermine　comes　to　the　mud　it　halts；　and　allows　itself　to　be　taken
captive　rather　than　pass　through　the　mire；　and　spoil　and　sully　its
whiteness；　which　it　values　more　than　life　and　liberty。　The　virtuous
and　chaste　woman　is　an　ermine；　and　whiter　and　purer　than　snow　is　the
virtue　of　modesty；　and　he　who　wishes　her　not　to　lose　it；　but　to　keep
and　preserve　it；　must　adopt　a　course　different　from　that　employed　with
the　ermine；　he　must　not　put　before　her　the　mire　of　the　gifts　and
attentions　of　persevering　lovers；　because　perhaps…　and　even　without
a　perhaps…　she　may　not　have　sufficient　virtue　and　natural　strength
in　herself　to　pass　through　and　tread　under　foot　these　impediments；
they　must　be　removed；　and　the　brightness　of　virtue　and　the　beauty　of　a
fair　fame　must　be　put　before　her。　A　virtuous　woman；　too；　is　like　a
mirror；　of　clear　shining　crystal；　liable　to　be　tarnished　and　dimmed　by
every　breath　that　touches　it。　She　must　be　treated　as　relics　are；
adored；　not　touched。　She　must　be　protected　and　prized　as　one
protects　and　prizes　a　fair　garden　full　of　roses　and　flowers；　the　owner
of　which　allows　no　one　to　trespass　or　pluck　a　blossom；　enough　for
others　that　from　afar　and　through　the　iron　grating　they　may　enjoy
its　fragrance　and　its　beauty。　Finally　let　me　repeat　to　thee　some
verses　that　come　to　my　mind；　I　heard　them　in　a　modern　comedy；　and　it
seems　to　me　they　bear　upon　the　point　we　are　discussing。　A　prudent
old　man　was　giving　advice　to　another；　the　father　of　a　young　girl；　to
lock　her　up；　watch　over　her　and　keep　her　in　seclusion；　and　among　other
arguments　he　used　these：

　　　　　　　Woman　is　a　thing　of　glass；
　　　　　　　　　But　her　brittleness　'tis　best
　　　　　　　　　Not　too　curiously　to　test：
　　　　　　　Who　knows　what　may　come　to　pass？

　　　　　　　Breaking　is　an　easy　matter；
　　　　　　　　　And　it's　folly　to　expose
　　　　　　　　　What　you　cannot　mend　to　blows；
　　　　　　　What　you　can't　make　whole　to　shatter。

　　　　　　　This；　then；　all　may　hold　as　true；
　　　　　　　　　And　the　reason's　plain　to　see；
　　　　　　　　　For　if　Danaes　there　be；
　　　　　　　There　are　golden　showers　too。

　　〃All　that　I　have　said　to　thee　so　far；　Anselmo；　has　had　reference
to　what　concerns　thee；　now　it　is　right　that　I　should　say　something
of　what　regards　myself；　and　if　I　be　prolix；　pardon　me；　for　the
labyrinth　into　which　thou　hast　entered　and　from　which　thou　wouldst
have　me　extricate　thee　makes　it　necessary。
　　〃Thou　dost　reckon　me　thy　friend；　and　thou　wouldst　rob　me　of
honour；　a　thing　wholly　inconsistent　with　friendship；　and　not　only　dost
thou　aim　at　this；　but　thou　wouldst　have　me　rob　thee　of　it　also。　That
thou　wouldst　rob　me　of　it　is　clear；　for　when　Camilla　sees　that　I　pay
court　to　her　as　thou　requirest；　she　will　certainly　regard　me　as　a
man　without　honour　or　right　feeling；　since　I　attempt　and　do　a　thing　so
much　opposed　to　what　I　owe　to　my　own　position　and　thy　friendship。　That
thou　wouldst　have　me　rob　thee　of　it　is　beyond　a　doubt；　for　Camilla；
seeing　that　I　press　my　suit　upon　her；　will　suppose　that　I　have
perceived　in　her　something　light　that　has　encouraged　me　to　make
known　to　her　my　base　desire；　and　if　she　holds　herself　dishonoured；　her
dishonour　touches　thee　as　belonging　to　her；　and　hence　arises　what　so
commonly　takes　place；　that　the　husband　of　the　adulterous　woman；　though
he　may　not　be　aware　of　or　have　given　any　cause　for　his　wife's
failure　in　her　duty；　or　（being　careless　or　negligent）　have　had　it　in
his　power　to　prevent　his　dishonour；　nevertheless　is　stigmatised　by　a
vile　and　reproachful　name；　and　in　a　manner　regarded　with　eyes　of
contempt　instead　of　pity　by　all　who　know　of　his　wife's　guilt；　though
they　see　that　he　is　unfortunate　not　by　his　own　fault；　but　by　the
lust　of　a　vicious　consort。　But　I　will　tell　thee　why　with　good　reason
dishonour　attaches　to　the　husband　of　the　unchaste　wife；　though　he　know
not　that　she　is　so；　nor　be　to　blame；　nor　have　done　anything；　or
given　any　provocation　to　make　her　so；　and　be　not　weary　with
listening　to　me；　for　it　will　be　for　thy　good。
　　〃When　God　created　our　first　parent　in　the　earthly　paradise；　the　Holy
Scripture　says　that　he　infused　sleep　into　Adam　and　while　he　slept　took
a　rib　from　his　left　side　of　which　he　formed　our　mother　Eve；　and　when
Adam　awoke　and　beheld　her　he　said；　'This　is　flesh　of　my　flesh；　and
bone　of　my　bone。'　And　God　said　'For　this　shall　a　man　leave　his
father　and　his　mother；　and　they　shall　be　two　in　one　flesh；　and　then
was　instituted　the　divine　sacrament　of　marriage；　with　such　ties　that
death　alone　can　loose　them。　And　such　is　the　force　and　virtue　of　this
miraculous　sacrament　that　it　makes　two　different　persons　one　and　the
same　flesh；　and　even　more　than　this　when　the　virtuous　are　married；　for
though　they　have　two　souls　they　have　but　one　will。　And　hence　it
follows　that　as　the　flesh　of　the　wife　is　one　and　the　same　with　that　of
her　husband　the　stains　that　may　come　upon　it；　or　the　injuries　it
incurs　fall　upon　the　husband's　flesh；　though　he；　as　has　been　said；　may
have　given　no　cause　for　them；　for　as　the　pain　of　the　foot　or　any
member　of　the　body　is　felt　by　the　whole　body；　because　all　is　one
flesh；　as　the　head　feels　the　hurt　to　the　ankle　without　having　caused
it；　so　the　husband；　being　one　with　her；　shares　the　dishonour　of　the
wife；　and　as　all　worldly　honour　or　dishonour　comes　of　flesh　and　blood；
and　the　erring　wife's　is　of　that　kind；　the　husband　must　needs　bear　his
part　of　it　and　be　held　dishonoured　without　knowing　it。　See；　then；
Anselmo；　the　peril　thou　art　encountering　in　seeking　to　disturb　the
peace　of　thy　virtuous　consort；　see　for　what　an　empty　and　ill…advised
curiosity　thou　wouldst　rouse　up　passions　that　now　repose　in　quiet　in
the　breast　of　thy　chaste　wife；　reflect　that　what　thou　art　staking
all　to　win　is　little；　and　what　thou　wilt　lose　so　much　that　I　leave
it　undescribed；　not　having　the　words　to　express　it。　But　if　all　I
have　said　be　not　enough　to　turn　thee　from　thy　vile　purpose；　thou
must　seek　some　other　instrument　for　thy　dishonour　and　misfortune；
for　such　I　will　not　consent　to　be；　though　I　lose　thy　friendship；　the
greatest　loss　that　I　can　conceive。〃
　　Having　said　this；　the　wise　and　virtuous　Lothario　was　silent；　and
Anselmo；　troubled　in　mind　and　deep　in　thought；　was　unable　for　a
while　to　utter　a　word　in　reply；　but　at　length　he　said；　〃I　have
listened；　Lothario　my　friend；　attentively；　as　thou　hast　seen；　to
what　thou　hast　chosen　to　say　to　me；　and　in　thy　arguments；　examples；
and　comparisons　I　have　seen　that　high　intelligence　thou　dost
possess；　and　the　perfection　of　true　friendship　thou　hast　reached；
and　likewise　I　see　and　confess　that　if　I　am　not　guided　by　thy　opinion；
but　follow　my　own；　I　am　flying　from　the　good　and　pursuing　the　evil。
This　being　so；　thou　must　remember　that　I　am　now　labouring　under　that
infirmity　which　women　sometimes　suffer　from；　when　the　craving　seizes

them　to　eat　clay；　plaster；　charcoal；　and　things　even　worse；　disgusting
to　look　at；　much　more　to　eat；　so　that　it　will　be　necessary　to　have
recourse　to　some　artifice　to　cure　me；　and　this　can　be　easily
effected　if　only　thou　wilt　make　a　beginning；　even　though　it　be　in　a
lukewarm　and　make…believe　fashion；　to　pay　court　to　Camilla；　who　will
not　be　so　yielding　that　her　virtue　will　give　way　at　the　first
attack：　with　this　mere　attempt　I　shall　rest　satisfied；　and　thou　wilt
have　done　what　our　friendship　binds　thee　to　do；　not　only　in　giving
me　life；　but　in　persuading　me　not　to　discard　my　honour。　And　this
thou　art　bound　to　do　for　one　reason　alone；　that；　being；　as　I　am；
resolved　to　apply　this　test；　it　is　not　for　thee　to　permit　me　to　reveal
my　weakness　to　another；　and　so　imperil　that　honour　thou　art　striving
to　keep　me　from　losing；　and　if　thine　may　not　stand　as　high　as　it　ought
in　the　estimation　of　Camilla　while　thou　art　paying　court　to　her；
that　is　of　little　or　no　importance；　because　ere　long；　on　finding　in
her　that　constancy　which　we　expect；　thou　canst　tell　her　the　plain
truth　as　regards　our　stratagem；　and　so　regain　thy　place　in　her　esteem；
and　as　thou　art　venturing　so　little；　and　by　the　venture　can