don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第59章

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hastily；　for　such　were　Camilla's　orders；　nay　more；　Leonela　had
directions　to　dine　earlier　than　Camilla　and　never　to　leave　her　side。
She；　however；　having　her　thoughts　fixed　upon　other　things　more　to
her　taste；　and　wanting　that　time　and　opportunity　for　her　own
pleasures；　did　not　always　obey　her　mistress's　commands；　but　on　the
contrary　left　them　alone；　as　if　they　had　ordered　her　to　do　so；　but　the
modest　bearing　of　Camilla；　the　calmness　of　her　countenance；　the
composure　of　her　aspect　were　enough　to　bridle　the　tongue　of
Lothario。　But　the　influence　which　the　many　virtues　of　Camilla
exerted　in　imposing　silence　on　Lothario's　tongue　proved　mischievous
for　both　of　them；　for　if　his　tongue　was　silent　his　thoughts　were　busy；
and　could　dwell　at　leisure　upon　the　perfections　of　Camilla's
goodness　and　beauty　one　by　one；　charms　enough　to　warm　with　love　a
marble　statue；　not　to　say　a　heart　of　flesh。　Lothario　gazed　upon　her
when　he　might　have　been　speaking　to　her；　and　thought　how　worthy　of
being　loved　she　was；　and　thus　reflection　began　little　by　little　to
assail　his　allegiance　to　Anselmo；　and　a　thousand　times　he　thought　of
withdrawing　from　the　city　and　going　where　Anselmo　should　never　see　him
nor　he　see　Camilla。　But　already　the　delight　he　found　in　gazing　on
her　interposed　and　held　him　fast。　He　put　a　constraint　upon　himself；
and　struggled　to　repel　and　repress　the　pleasure　he　found　in
contemplating　Camilla；　when　alone　he　blamed　himself　for　his
weakness；　called　himself　a　bad　friend；　nay　a　bad　Christian；　then　he
argued　the　matter　and　compared　himself　with　Anselmo；　always　coming
to　the　conclusion　that　the　folly　and　rashness　of　Anselmo　had　been
worse　than　his　faithlessness；　and　that　if　he　could　excuse　his
intentions　as　easily　before　God　as　with　man；　he　had　no　reason　to
fear　any　punishment　for　his　offence。
　　In　short　the　beauty　and　goodness　of　Camilla；　joined　with　the
opportunity　which　the　blind　husband　had　placed　in　his　hands；　overthrew
the　loyalty　of　Lothario；　and　giving　heed　to　nothing　save　the　object
towards　which　his　inclinations　led　him；　after　Anselmo　had　been　three
days　absent；　during　which　he　had　been　carrying　on　a　continual　struggle
with　his　passion；　he　began　to　make　love　to　Camilla　with　so　much
vehemence　and　warmth　of　language　that　she　was　overwhelmed　with
amazement；　and　could　only　rise　from　her　place　and　retire　to　her　room
without　answering　him　a　word。　But　the　hope　which　always　springs　up
with　love　was　not　weakened　in　Lothario　by　this　repelling　demeanour；　on
the　contrary　his　passion　for　Camilla　increased；　and　she　discovering　in
him　what　she　had　never　expected；　knew　not　what　to　do；　and
considering　it　neither　safe　nor　right　to　give　him　the　chance　or
opportunity　of　speaking　to　her　again；　she　resolved　to　send；　as　she　did
that　very　night；　one　of　her　servants　with　a　letter　to　Anselmo；　in
which　she　addressed　the　following　words　to　him。

　　CHAPTER　XXXIV
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONTINUED　THE　NOVEL　OF　〃THE　ILL…ADVISED　CURIOSITY〃

　　〃IT　is　commonly　said　that　an　army　looks　ill　without　its　general
and　a　castle　without　its　castellan；　and　I　say　that　a　young　married
woman　looks　still　worse　without　her　husband　unless　there　are　very　good
reasons　for　it。　I　find　myself　so　ill　at　ease　without　you；　and　so
incapable　of　enduring　this　separation；　that　unless　you　return
quickly　I　shall　have　to　go　for　relief　to　my　parents'　house；　even　if
I　leave　yours　without　a　protector；　for　the　one　you　left　me；　if
indeed　he　deserved　that　title；　has；　I　think；　more　regard　to　his　own
pleasure　than　to　what　concerns　you：　as　you　are　possessed　of
discernment　I　need　say　no　more　to　you；　nor　indeed　is　it　fitting　I
should　say　more。〃
　　Anselmo　received　this　letter；　and　from　it　he　gathered　that
Lothario　had　already　begun　his　task　and　that　Camilla　must　have　replied
to　him　as　he　would　have　wished；　and　delighted　beyond　measure　at　such
intelligence　he　sent　word　to　her　not　to　leave　his　house　on　any
account；　as　he　would　very　shortly　return。　Camilla　was　astonished　at
Anselmo's　reply；　which　placed　her　in　greater　perplexity　than　before；
for　she　neither　dared　to　remain　in　her　own　house；　nor　yet　to　go　to　her
parents'；　for　in　remaining　her　virtue　was　imperilled；　and　in　going　she
was　opposing　her　husband's　commands。　Finally　she　decided　upon　what　was
the　worse　course　for　her；　to　remain；　resolving　not　to　fly　from　the
presence　of　Lothario；　that　she　might　not　give　food　for　gossip　to　her
servants；　and　she　now　began　to　regret　having　written　as　she　had　to　her
husband；　fearing　he　might　imagine　that　Lothario　had　perceived　in　her
some　lightness　which　had　impelled　him　to　lay　aside　the　respect　he　owed
her；　but　confident　of　her　rectitude　she　put　her　trust　in　God　and　in
her　own　virtuous　intentions；　with　which　she　hoped　to　resist　in　silence
all　the　solicitations　of　Lothario；　without　saying　anything　to　her
husband　so　as　not　to　involve　him　in　any　quarrel　or　trouble；　and　she
even　began　to　consider　how　to　excuse　Lothario　to　Anselmo　when　he
should　ask　her　what　it　was　that　induced　her　to　write　that　letter。　With
these　resolutions；　more　honourable　than　judicious　or　effectual；　she
remained　the　next　day　listening　to　Lothario；　who　pressed　his　suit　so
strenuously　that　Camilla's　firmness　began　to　waver；　and　her　virtue　had
enough　to　do　to　come　to　the　rescue　of　her　eyes　and　keep　them　from
showing　signs　of　a　certain　tender　compassion　which　the　tears　and
appeals　of　Lothario　had　awakened　in　her　bosom。　Lothario　observed　all
this；　and　it　inflamed　him　all　the　more。　In　short　he　felt　that　while
Anselmo's　absence　afforded　time　and　opportunity　he　must　press　the
siege　of　the　fortress；　and　so　he　assailed　her　self…esteem　with　praises
of　her　beauty；　for　there　is　nothing　that　more　quickly　reduces　and
levels　the　castle　towers　of　fair　women's　vanity　than　vanity　itself
upon　the　tongue　of　flattery。　In　fact　with　the　utmost　assiduity　he
undermined　the　rock　of　her　purity　with　such　engines　that　had　Camilla
been　of　brass　she　must　have　fallen。　He　wept；　he　entreated；　he
promised；　he　flattered；　he　importuned；　he　pretended　with　so　much
feeling　and　apparent　sincerity；　that　he　overthrew　the　virtuous
resolves　of　Camilla　and　won　the　triumph　he　least　expected　and　most
longed　for。　Camilla　yielded；　Camilla　fell；　but　what　wonder　if　the
friendship　of　Lothario　could　not　stand　firm？　A　clear　proof　to　us
that　the　passion　of　love　is　to　be　conquered　only　by　flying　from　it；
and　that　no　one　should　engage　in　a　struggle　with　an　enemy　so　mighty；
for　divine　strength　is　needed　to　overcome　his　human　power。　Leonela
alone　knew　of　her　mistress's　weakness；　for　the　two　false　friends　and
new　lovers　were　unable　to　conceal　it。　Lothario　did　not　care　to　tell
Camilla　the　object　Anselmo　had　in　view；　nor　that　he　had　afforded　him
the　opportunity　of　attaining　such　a　result；　lest　she　should　undervalue
his　love　and　think　that　it　was　by　chance　and　without　intending　it
and　not　of　his　own　accord　that　he　had　made　love　to　her。
　　A　few　days　later　Anselmo　returned　to　his　house　and　did　not
perceive　what　it　had　lost；　that　which　he　so　lightly　treated　and　so
highly　prized。　He　went　at　once　to　see　Lothario；　and　found　him　at　home；
they　embraced　each　other；　and　Anselmo　asked　for　the　tidings　of　his
life　or　his　death。
　　〃The　tidings　I　have　to　give　thee；　Anselmo　my　friend；〃　said　Lothario；
〃are　that　thou　dost　possess　a　wife　that　is　worthy　to　be　the　pattern
and　crown　of　all　good　wives。　The　words　that　I　have　addressed　to　her
were　borne　away　on　the　wind；　my　promises　have　been　despised；　my
presents　have　been　refused；　such　feigned　tears　as　I　shed　have　been
turned　into　open　ridicule。　In　short；　as　Camilla　is　the　essence　of
all　beauty；　so　is　she　the　treasure…house　where　purity　dwells；　and
gentleness　and　modesty　abide　with　all　the　virtues　that　can　confer
praise；　honour；　and　happiness　upon　a　woman。　Take　back　thy　money；　my
friend；　here　it　is；　and　I　have　had　no　need　to　touch　it；　for　the
chastity　of　Camilla　yields　not　to　things　so　base　as　gifts　or　promises。
Be　content；　Anselmo；　and　refrain　from　making　further　proof；　and　as
thou　hast　passed　dryshod　through　the　sea　of　those　doubts　and
suspicions　that　are　and　may　be　entertained　of　women；　seek　not　to
plunge　again　into　the　deep　ocean　of　new　embarrassments；　or　with
another　pilot　make　trial　of　the　goodness　and　strength　of　the　bark　that
Heaven　has　granted　thee　for　thy　passage　across　the　sea　of　this
world；　but　reckon　thyself　now　safe　in　port；　moor　thyself　with　the
anchor　of　sound　reflection；　and　rest　in　peace　until　thou　art　called
upon　to　pay　that　debt　which　no　nobility　on　earth　can　escape　paying。〃
　　Anselmo　was　completely　satisfied　by　the　words　of　Lothario；　and
believed　them　as　fully　as　if　they　had　been　spoken　by　an　oracle；
nevertheless　he　begged　of　him　not　to　relinquish　the　undertaking；
were　it　but　for　the　sake　of　curiosity　and　amusement；　though
thenceforward　he　need　not　make　use　of　the　same　earnest　endeavours　as
before；　all　he　wished　him　to　do　was　to　write　some　verses　to　her；
praising　her　under　the　name　of　Chloris；　for　he　himself　would　give
her　to　understand　that　he　was　in　love　with　a　lady　to　whom　he　had　given
that　name　to　enable　him　to　sing　her　praises　with　the　decorum　due　to
her　modesty；　and　if　Lothario　were　unwilling　to　take　the　trouble　of
writing　the　verses　he　would　compose　them　himself。
　　〃That　will　not　be　necessary；〃　said　Lothario；　〃for　the　muses　are
not　such　enemies　of　mine　but　that　they　visit　me　now　and　then　in　the
course　of　the　year。　Do　thou　tell　Camilla　what　thou　hast　proposed　about
a　pretended　amour　of　mine；　as　for　the　verses　will　make　them；　and　if
not　as　good　as　the　subject　deserves；　they　shall　be　at　least　the　best　I
can　produce。〃　An　agreement　to　this　effect　was　made　between　the
friends；　the　ill…advised　one　and　the　treacherous；　and　Anselmo
returning　to　his　house　asked　Camilla　the　question　she　already　wondered
he　had　not　asked　before…　what　it　was　that　had　caused　her　to　write
the　letter　she　had　sent　him。　Camilla　replied　that　it　had　seemed　to　her
that　Lothario　looked　at　her　somewhat　more　freely　than　when　he　had　been
at　home；　but　that　now　she　was　undeceived　and　believed　it　to　have
been　only　her　own　imagination；　for　Lothario　now　avoided　seeing　her；　or
being　alone　with　her。　Anselmo　told　her　she　might　be　quite　easy　on
the　score　of　that　suspicion；　for　he　knew　that　Lothario　was　in　love
with　a　damsel　of　rank　in　the　city　whom　he　celebrated　under　the　name　of
Chloris；　and　that　even　if　he　were　not；　his　fidelity　and　their　great
friendship　left　no　room　for　fear。　Had　not　Camilla；　however；　been
informed　beforehand　by　Lothario　that　this　love　for　Chloris　was　a
pretence；　and　that　he　himself　had　told　Anselmo　of　it　in　order　to　be
able　sometimes　to　give　utterance　to　the　praises　of　Camilla　herself；　no
doubt　she　would　have　fallen　into　the　despairing　toils　of　jealousy；　but
being　forewarned　she　received　the　startling　news　without　uneasiness。
　　The　next　day　as　the　three　were　at　table　Anselmo　asked　Lothario　to
recite　something　of　what　he　had　composed　for　his　mistress　Chloris；　for
as　Camilla　did　not　know　her；　he　might　safely　say　what　he　liked。
　　〃Even　did　she　know　her；〃　returned　Lothario；　〃I　would　hide　nothing；
for　when　a　lover　praises　his　lady's　beauty；　and　charges　her　with
cruelty；　he　casts　no　imputation　upon　her　fair　name；　at　any　rate；　all　I
can　say　is　that　yesterday　I