don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第60章

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cruelty；　he　casts　no　imputation　upon　her　fair　name；　at　any　rate；　all　I
can　say　is　that　yesterday　I　made　a　sonnet　on　the　ingratitude　of　this
Chloris；　which　goes　thus：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SONNET

　　　　　At　midnight；　in　the　silence；　when　the　eyes
　　　　　　　Of　happier　mortals　balmy　slumbers　close；
　　　　　　　The　weary　tale　of　my　unnumbered　woes
　　　　　To　Chloris　and　to　Heaven　is　wont　to　rise。
　　　　　And　when　the　light　of　day　returning　dyes
　　　　　　　The　portals　of　the　east　with　tints　of　rose；
　　　　　　　With　undiminished　force　my　sorrow　flows
　　　　　In　broken　accents　and　in　burning　sighs。
　　　　　And　when　the　sun　ascends　his　star…girt　throne；
　　　　　　　And　on　the　earth　pours　down　his　midday　beams；
　　　　　　　　　Noon　but　renews　my　wailing　and　my　tears；
　　　　　And　with　the　night　again　goes　up　my　moan。
　　　　　　　Yet　ever　in　my　agony　it　seems
　　　　　　　　　To　me　that　neither　Heaven　nor　Chloris　hears。〃

　　The　sonnet　pleased　Camilla；　and　still　more　Anselmo；　for　he　praised
it　and　said　the　lady　was　excessively　cruel　who　made　no　return　for
sincerity　so　manifest。　On　which　Camilla　said；　〃Then　all　that
love…smitten　poets　say　is　true？〃
　　〃As　poets　they　do　not　tell　the　truth；〃　replied　Lothario；　〃but　as
lovers　they　are　not　more　defective　in　expression　than　they　are
truthful。〃
　　〃There　is　no　doubt　of　that；〃　observed　Anselmo；　anxious　to　support
and　uphold　Lothario's　ideas　with　Camilla；　who　was　as　regardless　of　his
design　as　she　was　deep　in　love　with　Lothario；　and　so　taking　delight　in
anything　that　was　his；　and　knowing　that　his　thoughts　and　writings
had　her　for　their　object；　and　that　she　herself　was　the　real　Chloris；
she　asked　him　to　repeat　some　other　sonnet　or　verses　if　he
recollected　any。
　　〃I　do；〃　replied　Lothario；　〃but　I　do　not　think　it　as　good　as　the
first　one；　or；　more　correctly　speaking；　less　bad；　but　you　can　easily
judge；　for　it　is　this。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SONNET

　　　　　I　know　that　I　am　doomed；　death　is　to　me
　　　　　　　As　certain　as　that　thou；　ungrateful　fair；
　　　　　　　Dead　at　thy　feet　shouldst　see　me　lying；　ere
　　　　　My　heart　repented　of　its　love　for　thee。
　　　　　If　buried　in　oblivion　I　should　be；
　　　　　　　Bereft　of　life；　fame；　favour；　even　there
　　　　　　　It　would　be　found　that　I　thy　image　bear
　　　　　Deep　graven　in　my　breast　for　all　to　see。
　　　　　This　like　some　holy　relic　do　I　prize
　　　　　　　To　save　me　from　the　fate　my　truth　entails；
　　　　　　　　　Truth　that　to　thy　hard　heart　its　vigour　owes。
　　　　　Alas　for　him　that　under　lowering　skies；
　　　　　　　In　peril　o'er　a　trackless　ocean　sails；
　　　　　　　　　Where　neither　friendly　port　nor　pole…star　shows。〃

　　Anselmo　praised　this　second　sonnet　too；　as　he　had　praised　the　first；
and　so　he　went　on　adding　link　after　link　to　the　chain　with　which　he
was　binding　himself　and　making　his　dishonour　secure；　for　when　Lothario
was　doing　most　to　dishonour　him　he　told　him　he　was　most　honoured；
and　thus　each　step　that　Camilla　descended　towards　the　depths　of　her
abasement；　she　mounted；　in　his　opinion；　towards　the　summit　of　virtue
and　fair　fame。
　　It　so　happened　that　finding　herself　on　one　occasion　alone　with　her
maid；　Camilla　said　to　her；　〃I　am　ashamed　to　think；　my　dear　Leonela；
how　lightly　I　have　valued　myself　that　I　did　not　compel　Lothario　to
purchase　by　at　least　some　expenditure　of　time　that　full　possession
of　me　that　I　so　quickly　yielded　him　of　my　own　free　will。　I　fear　that
he　will　think　ill　of　my　pliancy　or　lightness；　not　considering　the
irresistible　influence　he　brought　to　bear　upon　me。〃
　　〃Let　not　that　trouble　you；　my　lady；〃　said　Leonela；　〃for　it　does
not　take　away　the　value　of　the　thing　given　or　make　it　the　less
precious　to　give　it　quickly　if　it　be　really　valuable　and　worthy　of
being　prized；　nay；　they　are　wont　to　say　that　he　who　gives　quickly
gives　twice。〃
　　〃They　say　also；〃　said　Camilla；　〃that　what　costs　little　is　valued
less。〃
　　〃That　saying　does　not　hold　good　in　your　case；〃　replied　Leonela；　〃for
love；　as　I　have　heard　say；　sometimes　flies　and　sometimes　walks；　with
this　one　it　runs；　with　that　it　moves　slowly；　some　it　cools；　others
it　burns；　some　it　wounds；　others　it　slays；　it　begins　the　course　of　its
desires；　and　at　the　same　moment　completes　and　ends　it；　in　the
morning　it　will　lay　siege　to　a　fortress　and　by　night　will　have　taken
it；　for　there　is　no　power　that　can　resist　it；　so　what　are　you　in　dread
of；　what　do　you　fear；　when　the　same　must　have　befallen　Lothario；
love　having　chosen　the　absence　of　my　lord　as　the　instrument　for
subduing　you？　and　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　complete　then　what
love　had　resolved　upon；　without　affording　the　time　to　let　Anselmo
return　and　by　his　presence　compel　the　work　to　be　left　unfinished；
for　love　has　no　better　agent　for　carrying　out　his　designs　than
opportunity；　and　of　opportunity　he　avails　himself　in　all　his　feats；
especially　at　the　outset。　All　this　I　know　well　myself；　more　by
experience　than　by　hearsay；　and　some　day；　senora；　I　will　enlighten　you
on　the　subject；　for　I　am　of　your　flesh　and　blood　too。　Moreover；　lady
Camilla；　you　did　not　surrender　yourself　or　yield　so　quickly　but　that
first　you　saw　Lothario's　whole　soul　in　his　eyes；　in　his　sighs；　in
his　words；　his　promises　and　his　gifts；　and　by　it　and　his　good
qualities　perceived　how　worthy　he　was　of　your　love。　This；　then；
being　the　case；　let　not　these　scrupulous　and　prudish　ideas　trouble
your　imagination；　but　be　assured　that　Lothario　prizes　you　as　you　do
him；　and　rest　content　and　satisfied　that　as　you　are　caught　in　the
noose　of　love　it　is　one　of　worth　and　merit　that　has　taken　you；　and　one
that　has　not　only　the　four　S's　that　they　say　true　lovers　ought　to
have；　but　a　complete　alphabet；　only　listen　to　me　and　you　will　see
how　I　can　repeat　it　by　rote。　He　is　to　my　eyes　and　thinking；　Amiable；
Brave；　Courteous；　Distinguished；　Elegant；　Fond；　Gay；　Honourable；
Illustrious；　Loyal；　Manly；　Noble；　Open；　Polite；　Quickwitted；　Rich；　and
the　S's　according　to　the　saying；　and　then　Tender；　Veracious：　X　does
not　suit　him；　for　it　is　a　rough　letter；　Y　has　been　given　already；
and　Z　Zealous　for　your　honour。〃
　　Camilla　laughed　at　her　maid's　alphabet；　and　perceived　her　to　be　more
experienced　in　love　affairs　than　she　said；　which　she　admitted；
confessing　to　Camilla　that　she　had　love　passages　with　a　young　man　of
good　birth　of　the　same　city。　Camilla　was　uneasy　at　this；　dreading　lest
it　might　prove　the　means　of　endangering　her　honour；　and　asked
whether　her　intrigue　had　gone　beyond　words；　and　she　with　little
shame　and　much　effrontery　said　it　had；　for　certain　it　is　that
ladies'　imprudences　make　servants　shameless；　who；　when　they　see
their　mistresses　make　a　false　step；　think　nothing　of　going　astray
themselves；　or　of　its　being　known。　All　that　Camilla　could　do　was　to
entreat　Leonela　to　say　nothing　about　her　doings　to　him　whom　she　called
her　lover；　and　to　conduct　her　own　affairs　secretly　lest　they　should
come　to　the　knowledge　of　Anselmo　or　of　Lothario。　Leonela　said　she
would；　but　kept　her　word　in　such　a　way　that　she　confirmed　Camilla's
apprehension　of　losing　her　reputation　through　her　means；　for　this
abandoned　and　bold　Leonela；　as　soon　as　she　perceived　that　her
mistress's　demeanour　was　not　what　it　was　wont　to　be；　had　the
audacity　to　introduce　her　lover　into　the　house；　confident　that　even　if
her　mistress　saw　him　she　would　not　dare　to　expose　him；　for　the　sins　of
mistresses　entail　this　mischief　among　others；　they　make　themselves　the
slaves　of　their　own　servants；　and　are　obliged　to　hide　their　laxities
and　depravities；　as　was　the　case　with　Camilla；　who　though　she
perceived；　not　once　but　many　times；　that　Leonela　was　with　her　lover　in
some　room　of　the　house；　not　only　did　not　dare　to　chide　her；　but
afforded　her　opportunities　for　concealing　him　and　removed　all
difficulties；　lest　he　should　be　seen　by　her　husband。　She　was　unable；
however；　to　prevent　him　from　being　seen　on　one　occasion；　as　he　sallied
forth　at　daybreak；　by　Lothario；　who；　not　knowing　who　he　was；　at
first　took　him　for　a　spectre；　but；　as　soon　as　he　saw　him　hasten
away；　muffling　his　face　with　his　cloak　and　concealing　himself
carefully　and　cautiously；　he　rejected　this　foolish　idea；　and　adopted
another；　which　would　have　been　the　ruin　of　all　had　not　Camilla　found　a
remedy。　It　did　not　occur　to　Lothario　that　this　man　he　had　seen　issuing
at　such　an　untimely　hour　from　Anselmo's　house　could　have　entered　it　on
Leonela's　account；　nor　did　he　even　remember　there　was　such　a　person　as
Leonela；　all　he　thought　was　that　as　Camilla　had　been　light　and
yielding　with　him；　so　she　had　been　with　another；　for　this　further
penalty　the　erring　woman's　sin　brings　with　it；　that　her　honour　is
distrusted　even　by　him　to　whose　overtures　and　persuasions　she　has
yielded；　and　he　believes　her　to　have　surrendered　more　easily　to
others；　and　gives　implicit　credence　to　every　suspicion　that　comes　into
his　mind。　All　Lothario's　good　sense　seems　to　have　failed　him　at　this
juncture；　all　his　prudent　maxims　escaped　his　memory；　for　without
once　reflecting　rationally；　and　without　more　ado；　in　his　impatience
and　in　the　blindness　of　the　jealous　rage　that　gnawed　his　heart；　and
dying　to　revenge　himself　upon　Camilla；　who　had　done　him　no　wrong；
before　Anselmo　had　risen　he　hastened　to　him　and　said　to　him；　〃Know；
Anselmo；　that　for　several　days　past　I　have　been　struggling　with
myself；　striving　to　withhold　from　thee　what　it　is　no　longer　possible
or　right　that　I　should　conceal　from　thee。　Know　that　Camilla's　fortress
has　surrendered　and　is　ready　to　submit　to　my　will；　and　if　I　have
been　slow　to　reveal　this　fact　to　thee；　it　was　in　order　to　see　if　it
were　some　light　caprice　of　hers；　or　if　she　sought　to　try　me　and
ascertain　if　the　love　I　began　to　make　to　her　with　thy　permission　was
made　with　a　serious　intention。　I　thought；　too；　that　she；　if　she　were
what　she　ought　to　be；　and　what　we　both　believed　her；　would　have　ere
this　given　thee　information　of　my　addresses；　but　seeing　that　she
delays；　I　believe　the　truth　of　the　promise　she　has　given　me　that　the
next　time　thou　art　absent　from　the　house　she　will　grant　me　an
interview　in　the　closet　where　thy　jewels　are　kept　（and　it　was　true
that　Camilla　used　to　meet　him　there）；　but　I　do　not　wish　thee　to　rush
precipitately　to　take　vengeance；　for　the　sin　is　as　yet　only
committed　in　intention；　and　Camilla's　may　change　perhaps　between
this　and　the　appointed　time；　and　repentance　spring　up　in　its　place。　As
hitherto　thou　hast　always　followed　my　advice　wholly　or　in　part；　follow
and　observe　this　that　I　will　give　thee　now；　so　that；　without
mistake；　and　with　mature　deliberation；　thou　mayest　satisfy　thyself
as　to　what　may　seem　the　best　course；　pretend　to　absent　thyself　for　two
or　three　days　as　thou　hast　been　wont　to　do　on　other　occasions；　and
contrive　to　hide　thyself　in　the　closet；　for　the　tapestries　and　other
things　there　afford　great　facilities　for　thy　concealment；　and　then
thou　wilt　see　with　thine　own　eyes　and　I　with　mine　what　Camilla's
purpose　may　be。　And　if　it　be　a　guilty　one；　which　may　be　feared
rather　than　expected；　with　silence；　prudence；　and　discretion　thou
canst　thyself　become　the　instrument　of　punishment　for　the　wrong　done
thee。〃
　　Anselmo　was　amazed；　overwhelmed；　and　astounded　at　the　words　of
Lothario；　which　came　upon　him　at　a　time　when　he　least　expected　to　hear
them；　for　he　now　looked　upon　Camilla　as　having　triumphed　over　the
pretended　atta