don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第64章

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　　〃It　would　be　impossible　for　me　now；〃　said　Leonela；　〃I　am　so
agitated：　leave　me　till　to…morrow；　and　then　you　shall　hear　from　me
what　will　fill　you　with　astonishment；　but　rest　assured　that　he　who
leaped　through　the　window　is　a　young　man　of　this　city；　who　has　given
me　his　promise　to　become　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　was　appeased　with　this；　and　was　content　to　wait　the　time　she
asked　of　him；　for　he　never　expected　to　hear　anything　against
Camilla；　so　satisfied　and　sure　of　her　virtue　was　he；　and　so　he　quitted
the　room；　and　left　Leonela　locked　in；　telling　her　she　should　not
come　out　until　she　had　told　him　all　she　had　to　make　known　to　him。　He
went　at　once　to　see　Camilla；　and　tell　her；　as　he　did；　all　that　had
passed　between　him　and　her　handmaid；　and　the　promise　she　had　given　him
to　inform　him　matters　of　serious　importance。
　　There　is　no　need　of　saying　whether　Camilla　was　agitated　or　not；
for　so　great　was　her　fear　and　dismay；　that；　making　sure；　as　she　had
good　reason　to　do；　that　Leonela　would　tell　Anselmo　all　she　knew　of　her
faithlessness；　she　had　not　the　courage　to　wait　and　see　if　her
suspicions　were　confirmed；　and　that　same　night；　as　soon　as　she　thought
that　Anselmo　was　asleep；　she　packed　up　the　most　valuable　jewels　she
had　and　some　money；　and　without　being　observed　by　anybody　escaped　from
the　house　and　betook　herself　to　Lothario's；　to　whom　she　related　what
had　occurred；　imploring　him　to　convey　her　to　some　place　of　safety　or
fly　with　her　where　they　might　be　safe　from　Anselmo。　The　state　of
perplexity　to　which　Camilla　reduced　Lothario　was　such　that　he　was
unable　to　utter　a　word　in　reply；　still　less　to　decide　upon　what　he
should　do。　At　length　he　resolved　to　conduct　her　to　a　convent　of
which　a　sister　of　his　was　prioress；　Camilla　agreed　to　this；　and　with
the　speed　which　the　circumstances　demanded；　Lothario　took　her　to　the
convent　and　left　her　there；　and　then　himself　quitted　the　city
without　letting　anyone　know　of　his　departure。
　　As　soon　as　daylight　came　Anselmo；　without　missing　Camilla　from　his
side；　rose　cager　to　learn　what　Leonela　had　to　tell　him；　and　hastened
to　the　room　where　he　had　locked　her　in。　He　opened　the　door；　entered；
but　found　no　Leonela；　all　he　found　was　some　sheets　knotted　to　the
window；　a　plain　proof　that　she　had　let　herself　down　from　it　and
escaped。　He　returned；　uneasy；　to　tell　Camilla；　but　not　finding　her
in　bed　or　anywhere　in　the　house　he　was　lost　in　amazement。　He　asked　the
servants　of　the　house　about　her；　but　none　of　them　could　give　him　any
explanation。　As　he　was　going　in　search　of　Camilla　it　happened　by
chance　that　he　observed　her　boxes　were　lying　open；　and　that　the
greater　part　of　her　jewels　were　gone；　and　now　he　became　fully　aware　of
his　disgrace；　and　that　Leonela　was　not　the　cause　of　his　misfortune；
and；　just　as　he　was；　without　delaying　to　dress　himself　completely；
he　repaired；　sad　at　heart　and　dejected；　to　his　friend　Lothario　to　make
known　his　sorrow　to　him；　but　when　he　failed　to　find　him　and　the
servants　reported　that　he　had　been　absent　from　his　house　all　night　and
had　taken　with　him　all　the　money　he　had；　he　felt　as　though　he　were
losing　his　senses；　and　to　make　all　complete　on　returning　to　his　own
house　he　found　it　deserted　and　empty；　not　one　of　all　his　servants；
male　or　female；　remaining　in　it。　He　knew　not　what　to　think；　or　say；　or
do；　and　his　reason　seemed　to　be　deserting　him　little　by　little。　He
reviewed　his　position；　and　saw　himself　in　a　moment　left　without
wife；　friend；　or　servants；　abandoned；　he　felt；　by　the　heaven　above
him；　and　more　than　all　robbed　of　his　honour；　for　in　Camilla's
disappearance　he　saw　his　own　ruin。　After　long　reflection　he　resolved
at　last　to　go　to　his　friend's　village；　where　he　had　been　staying
when　he　afforded　opportunities　for　the　contrivance　of　this
complication　of　misfortune。　He　locked　the　doors　of　his　house；
mounted　his　horse；　and　with　a　broken　spirit　set　out　on　his　journey；
but　he　had　hardly　gone　half…way　when；　harassed　by　his　reflections；
he　had　to　dismount　and　tie　his　horse　to　a　tree；　at　the　foot　of　which
he　threw　himself；　giving　vent　to　piteous　heartrending　sighs；　and　there
he　remained　till　nearly　nightfall；　when　he　observed　a　man
approaching　on　horseback　from　the　city；　of　whom；　after　saluting　him；
he　asked　what　was　the　news　in　Florence。
　　The　citizen　replied；　〃The　strangest　that　have　been　heard　for　many
a　day；　for　it　is　reported　abroad　that　Lothario；　the　great　friend　of
the　wealthy　Anselmo；　who　lived　at　San　Giovanni；　carried　off　last　night
Camilla；　the　wife　of　Anselmo；　who　also　has　disappeared。　All　this　has
been　told　by　a　maid…servant　of　Camilla's；　whom　the　governor　found　last
night　lowering　herself　by　a　sheet　from　the　windows　of　Anselmo's　house。
I　know　not　indeed；　precisely；　how　the　affair　came　to　pass；　all　I
know　is　that　the　whole　city　is　wondering　at　the　occurrence；　for　no　one
could　have　expected　a　thing　of　the　kind；　seeing　the　great　and　intimate
friendship　that　existed　between　them；　so　great；　they　say；　that　they
were　called　'The　Two　Friends。'〃
　　〃Is　it　known　at　all；〃　said　Anselmo；　〃what　road　Lothario　and
Camilla　took？〃
　　〃Not　in　the　least；〃　said　the　citizen；　〃though　the　governor　has
been　very　active　in　searching　for　them。〃
　　〃God　speed　you；　senor；〃　said　Anselmo。
　　〃God　be　with　you；〃　said　the　citizen　and　went　his　way。
　　This　disastrous　intelligence　almost　robbed　Anselmo　not　only　of　his
senses　but　of　his　life。　He　got　up　as　well　as　he　was　able　and　reached
the　house　of　his　friend；　who　as　yet　knew　nothing　of　his　misfortune；
but　seeing　him　come　pale；　worn；　and　haggard；　perceived　that　he　was
suffering　some　heavy　affliction。　Anselmo　at　once　begged　to　be
allowed　to　retire　to　rest；　and　to　be　given　writing　materials。　His　wish
was　complied　with　and　he　was　left　lying　down　and　alone；　for　he　desired
this；　and　even　that　the　door　should　be　locked。　Finding　himself　alone
he　so　took　to　heart　the　thought　of　his　misfortune　that　by　the　signs　of
death　he　felt　within　him　he　knew　well　his　life　was　drawing　to　a　close；
and　therefore　he　resolved　to　leave　behind　him　a　declaration　of　the
cause　of　his　strange　end。　He　began　to　write；　but　before　he　had　put
down　all　he　meant　to　say；　his　breath　failed　him　and　he　yielded　up
his　life；　a　victim　to　the　suffering　which　his　ill…advised　curiosity
had　entailed　upon　him。　The　master　of　the　house　observing　that　it　was
now　late　and　that　Anselmo　did　not　call；　determined　to　go　in　and
ascertain　if　his　indisposition　was　increasing；　and　found　him　lying
on　his　face；　his　body　partly　in　the　bed；　partly　on　the
writing…table；　on　which　he　lay　with　the　written　paper　open　and　the　pen
still　in　his　hand。　Having　first　called　to　him　without　receiving　any
answer；　his　host　approached　him；　and　taking　him　by　the　hand；　found
that　it　was　cold；　and　saw　that　he　was　dead。　Greatly　surprised　and
distressed　he　summoned　the　household　to　witness　the　sad　fate　which　had
befallen　Anselmo；　and　then　he　read　the　paper；　the　handwriting　of　which
he　recognised　as　his；　and　which　contained　these　words：
　　〃A　foolish　and　ill…advised　desire　has　robbed　me　of　life。　If　the　news
of　my　death　should　reach　the　ears　of　Camilla；　let　her　know　that　I
forgive　her；　for　she　was　not　bound　to　perform　miracles；　nor　ought　I　to
have　required　her　to　perform　them；　and　since　I　have　been　the　author　of
my　own　dishonour；　there　is　no　reason　why…〃
　　So　far　Anselmo　had　written；　and　thus　it　was　plain　that　at　this
point；　before　he　could　finish　what　he　had　to　say；　his　life　came　to
an　end。　The　next　day　his　friend　sent　intelligence　of　his　death　to
his　relatives；　who　had　already　ascertained　his　misfortune；　as　well
as　the　convent　where　Camilla　lay　almost　on　the　point　of　accompanying
her　husband　on　that　inevitable　journey；　not　on　account　of　the
tidings　of　his　death；　but　because　of　those　she　received　of　her　lover's
departure。　Although　she　saw　herself　a　widow；　it　is　said　she　refused
either　to　quit　the　convent　or　take　the　veil；　until；　not　long
afterwards；　intelligence　reached　her　that　Lothario　had　been　killed
in　a　battle　in　which　M。　de　Lautrec　had　been　recently　engaged　with
the　Great　Captain　Gonzalo　Fernandez　de　Cordova　in　the　kingdom　of
Naples；　whither　her　too　late　repentant　lover　had　repaired。　On　learning
this　Camilla　took　the　veil；　and　shortly　afterwards　died；　worn　out　by
grief　and　melancholy。　This　was　the　end　of　all　three；　an　end　that
came　of　a　thoughtless　beginning。

　　〃I　like　this　novel；〃　said　the　curate；　〃but　I　cannot　persuade
myself　of　its　truth；　and　if　it　has　been　invented；　the　author's
invention　is　faulty；　for　it　is　impossible　to　imagine　any　husband　so
foolish　as　to　try　such　a　costly　experiment　as　Anselmo's。　If　it　had
been　represented　as　occurring　between　a　gallant　and　his　mistress　it
might　pass；　but　between　husband　and　wife　there　is　something　of　an
impossibility　about　it。　As　to　the　way　in　which　the　story　is　told；
however；　I　have　no　fault　to　find。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXXVI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　MORE　CURIOUS　INCIDENTS　THAT　OCCURRED　AT　THE　INN

　　JUST　at　that　instant　the　landlord；　who　was　standing　at　the　gate　of
the　inn；　exclaimed；　〃Here　comes　a　fine　troop　of　guests；　if　they　stop
here　we　may　say　gaudeamus。〃
　　〃What　are　they？〃　said　Cardenio。
　　〃Four　men；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃riding　a　la　jineta；　with　lances
and　bucklers；　and　all　with　black　veils；　and　with　them　there　is　a　woman
in　white　on　a　side…saddle；　whose　face　is　also　veiled；　and　two
attendants　on　foot。〃
　　〃Are　they　very　near？〃　said　the　curate。
　　〃So　near；〃　answered　the　landlord；　〃that　here　they　come。〃
　　Hearing　this　Dorothea　covered　her　face；　and　Cardenio　retreated
into　Don　Quixote's　room；　and　they　hardly　had　time　to　do　so　before
the　whole　party　the　host　had　described　entered　the　inn；　and　the　four
that　were　on　horseback；　who　were　of　highbred　appearance　and　bearing；
dismounted；　and　came　forward　to　take　down　the　woman　who　rode　on　the
side…saddle；　and　one　of　them　taking　her　in　his　arms　placed　her　in　a
chair　that　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the　room　where　Cardenio　had　hidden
himself。　All　this　time　neither　she　nor　they　had　removed　their　veils　or
spoken　a　word；　only　on　sitting　down　on　the　chair　the　woman　gave　a　deep
sigh　and　let　her　arms　fall　like　one　that　was　ill　and　weak。　The
attendants　on　foot　then　led　the　horses　away　to　the　stable。　Observing
this　the　curate；　curious　to　know　who　these　people　in　such　a　dress
and　preserving　such　silence　were；　went　to　where　the　servants　were
standing　and　put　the　question　to　one　of　them；　who　answered　him。
　　〃Faith；　sir；　I　cannot　tell　you　who　they　are；　I　only　know　they　seem
to　be　people　of　distinction；　particularly　he　who　advanced　to　take
the　lady　you　saw　in　his　arms；　and　I　say　so　because　all　the　rest　show
him　respect；　and　nothing　is　done　except　what　he　directs　and　orders。〃
　　〃And　the　lady；　who　is　she？〃　asked　the　curate。
　　〃That　I　cannot　tell　you　either；〃　said　the　servant；　〃for　I　have　not
seen　her　face　all　the　way：　I　have　indeed　heard　her　sigh　many　times　and
utter　such　groans　that　she　seems　to　be　giving　up　the　ghost　every　time；
but　it　is　no　wonder　if　we　do　not　know　more　than　we　have　told　you；　as
my　comrade　and　I　have　only　been　in　their　company　two　days；　for
having　met　us　on　the　road　they　begged　and　persuaded　us　to　accompany
them　to　Andalusia；　promising　to　pay　us　well。〃
　　〃And　have　you　heard　any　of　them　called　by　his　name？〃　asked　th