don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第66章

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holding　him　so　as　to　prevent　his　moving；　she　said；　while　her　tears
continued　to　flow；　〃What　is　it　thou　wouldst　do；　my　only　refuge；　in
this　unforeseen　event？　Thou　hast　thy　wife　at　thy　feet；　and　she　whom
thou　wouldst　have　for　thy　wife　is　in　the　arms　of　her　husband：
reflect　whether　it　will　be　right　for　thee；　whether　it　will　be　possible
for　thee　to　undo　what　Heaven　has　done；　or　whether　it　will　be
becoming　in　thee　to　seek　to　raise　her　to　be　thy　mate　who　in　spite　of
every　obstacle；　and　strong　in　her　truth　and　constancy；　is　before　thine
eyes；　bathing　with　the　tears　of　love　the　face　and　bosom　of　her
lawful　husband。　For　God's　sake　I　entreat　of　thee；　for　thine　own　I
implore　thee；　let　not　this　open　manifestation　rouse　thy　anger；　but
rather　so　calm　it　as　to　allow　these　two　lovers　to　live　in　peace　and
quiet　without　any　interference　from　thee　so　long　as　Heaven　permits
them；　and　in　so　doing　thou　wilt　prove　the　generosity　of　thy　lofty
noble　spirit；　and　the　world　shall　see　that　with　thee　reason　has　more
influence　than　passion。〃
　　All　the　time　Dorothea　was　speaking；　Cardenio；　though　he　held
Luscinda　in　his　arms；　never　took　his　eyes　off　Don　Fernando；
determined；　if　he　saw　him　make　any　hostile　movement；　to　try　and　defend
himself　and　resist　as　best　he　could　all　who　might　assail　him；　though
it　should　cost　him　his　life。　But　now　Don　Fernando's　friends；　as　well
as　the　curate　and　the　barber；　who　had　been　present　all　the　while；
not　forgetting　the　worthy　Sancho　Panza；　ran　forward　and　gathered　round
Don　Fernando；　entreating　him　to　have　regard　for　the　tears　of　Dorothea；
and　not　suffer　her　reasonable　hopes　to　be　disappointed；　since；　as　they
firmly　believed；　what　she　said　was　but　the　truth；　and　bidding　him
observe　that　it　was　not；　as　it　might　seem；　by　accident；　but　by　a
special　disposition　of　Providence　that　they　had　all　met　in　a　place
where　no　one　could　have　expected　a　meeting。　And　the　curate　bade　him
remember　that　only　death　could　part　Luscinda　from　Cardenio；　that
even　if　some　sword　were　to　separate　them　they　would　think　their
death　most　happy；　and　that　in　a　case　that　admitted　of　no　remedy　his
wisest　course　was；　by　conquering　and　putting　a　constraint　upon
himself；　to　show　a　generous　mind；　and　of　his　own　accord　suffer　these
two　to　enjoy　the　happiness　Heaven　had　granted　them。　He　bade　him；
too；　turn　his　eyes　upon　the　beauty　of　Dorothea　and　he　would　see　that
few　if　any　could　equal　much　less　excel　her；　while　to　that　beauty
should　be　added　her　modesty　and　the　surpassing　love　she　bore　him。
But　besides　all　this；　he　reminded　him　that　if　he　prided　himself　on
being　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　he　could　not　do　otherwise　than　keep
his　plighted　word；　and　that　in　doing　so　he　would　obey　God　and　meet　the
approval　of　all　sensible　people；　who　know　and　recognised　it　to　be
the　privilege　of　beauty；　even　in　one　of　humble　birth；　provided
virtue　accompany　it；　to　be　able　to　raise　itself　to　the　level　of　any
rank；　without　any　slur　upon　him　who　places　it　upon　an　equality　with
himself；　and　furthermore　that　when　the　potent　sway　of　passion
asserts　itself；　so　long　as　there　be　no　mixture　of　sin　in　it；　he　is　not
to　be　blamed　who　gives　way　to　it。
　　To　be　brief；　they　added　to　these　such　other　forcible　arguments
that　Don　Fernando's　manly　heart；　being　after　all　nourished　by　noble
blood；　was　touched；　and　yielded　to　the　truth　which；　even　had　he　wished
it；　he　could　not　gainsay；　and　he　showed　his　submission；　and　acceptance
of　the　good　advice　that　had　been　offered　to　him；　by　stooping　down
and　embracing　Dorothea；　saying　to　her；　〃Rise；　dear　lady；　it　is　not
right　that　what　I　hold　in　my　heart　should　be　kneeling　at　my　feet；
and　if　until　now　I　have　shown　no　sign　of　what　I　own；　it　may　have
been　by　Heaven's　decree　in　order　that；　seeing　the　constancy　with　which
you　love　me；　I　may　learn　to　value　you　as　you　deserve。　What　I　entreat
of　you　is　that　you　reproach　me　not　with　my　transgression　and
grievous　wrong…doing；　for　the　same　cause　and　force　that　drove　me　to
make　you　mine　impelled　me　to　struggle　against　being　yours；　and　to
prove　this；　turn　and　look　at　the　eyes　of　the　now　happy　Luscinda；　and
you　will　see　in　them　an　excuse　for　all　my　errors：　and　as　she　has　found
and　gained　the　object　of　her　desires；　and　I　have　found　in　you　what
satisfies　all　my　wishes；　may　she　live　in　peace　and　contentment　as　many
happy　years　with　her　Cardenio；　as　on　my　knees　I　pray　Heaven　to　allow
me　to　live　with　my　Dorothea；〃　and　with　these　words　he　once　more
embraced　her　and　pressed　his　face　to　hers　with　so　much　tenderness　that
he　had　to　take　great　heed　to　keep　his　tears　from　completing　the
proof　of　his　love　and　repentance　in　the　sight　of　all。　Not　so　Luscinda；
and　Cardenio；　and　almost　all　the　others；　for　they　shed　so　many
tears；　some　in　their　own　happiness；　some　at　that　of　the　others；　that
one　would　have　supposed　a　heavy　calamity　had　fallen　upon　them　all。
Even　Sancho　Panza　was　weeping；　though　afterwards　he　said　he　only
wept　because　he　saw　that　Dorothea　was　not　as　he　fancied　the　queen
Micomicona；　of　whom　he　expected　such　great　favours。　Their　wonder　as
well　as　their　weeping　lasted　some　time；　and　then　Cardenio　and　Luscinda
went　and　fell　on　their　knees　before　Don　Fernando；　returning　him　thanks
for　the　favour　he　had　rendered　them　in　language　so　grateful　that　he
knew　not　how　to　answer　them；　and　raising　them　up　embraced　them　with
every　mark　of　affection　and　courtesy。
　　He　then　asked　Dorothea　how　she　had　managed　to　reach　a　place　so　far
removed　from　her　own　home；　and　she　in　a　few　fitting　words　told　all
that　she　had　previously　related　to　Cardenio；　with　which　Don　Fernando
and　his　companions　were　so　delighted　that　they　wished　the　story　had
been　longer；　so　charmingly　did　Dorothea　describe　her　misadventures。
When　she　had　finished　Don　Fernando　recounted　what　had　befallen　him
in　the　city　after　he　had　found　in　Luscinda's　bosom　the　paper　in
which　she　declared　that　she　was　Cardenio's　wife；　and　never　could　be
his。　He　said　he　meant　to　kill　her；　and　would　have　done　so　had　he　not
been　prevented　by　her　parents；　and　that　he　quitted　the　house　full　of
rage　and　shame；　and　resolved　to　avenge　himself　when　a　more
convenient　opportunity　should　offer。　The　next　day　he　learned　that
Luscinda　had　disappeared　from　her　father's　house；　and　that　no　one
could　tell　whither　she　had　gone。　Finally；　at　the　end　of　some　months　he
ascertained　that　she　was　in　a　convent　and　meant　to　remain　there　all
the　rest　of　her　life；　if　she　were　not　to　share　it　with　Cardenio；　and
as　soon　as　he　had　learned　this；　taking　these　three　gentlemen　as　his
companions；　he　arrived　at　the　place　where　she　was；　but　avoided
speaking　to　her；　fearing　that　if　it　were　known　he　was　there　stricter
precautions　would　be　taken　in　the　convent；　and　watching　a　time　when
the　porter's　lodge　was　open　he　left　two　to　guard　the　gate；　and　he
and　the　other　entered　the　convent　in　quest　of　Luscinda；　whom　they
found　in　the　cloisters　in　conversation　with　one　of　the　nuns；　and
carrying　her　off　without　giving　her　time　to　resist；　they　reached　a
place　with　her　where　they　provided　themselves　with　what　they
required　for　taking　her　away；　all　which　they　were　able　to　do　in
complete　safety；　as　the　convent　was　in　the　country　at　a　considerable
distance　from　the　city。　He　added　that　when　Luscinda　found　herself　in
his　power　she　lost　all　consciousness；　and　after　returning　to　herself
did　nothing　but　weep　and　sigh　without　speaking　a　word；　and　thus　in
silence　and　tears　they　reached　that　inn；　which　for　him　was　reaching
heaven　where　all　the　mischances　of　earth　are　over　and　at　an　end。

　　CHAPTER　XXXVII
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONTINUED　THE　STORY　OF　THE　FAMOUS　PRINCESS　MICOMICONA；
WITH　OTHER　DROLL　ADVENTURES

　　TO　ALL　this　Sancho　listened　with　no　little　sorrow　at　heart　to　see
how　his　hopes　of　dignity　were　fading　away　and　vanishing　in　smoke；
and　how　the　fair　Princess　Micomicona　had　turned　into　Dorothea；　and　the
giant　into　Don　Fernando；　while　his　master　was　sleeping　tranquilly；
totally　unconscious　of　all　that　had　come　to　pass。　Dorothea　was
unable　to　persuade　herself　that　her　present　happiness　was　not　all　a
dream；　Cardenio　was　in　a　similar　state　of　mind；　and　Luscinda's
thoughts　ran　in　the　same　direction。　Don　Fernando　gave　thanks　to　Heaven
for　the　favour　shown　to　him　and　for　having　been　rescued　from　the
intricate　labyrinth　in　which　he　had　been　brought　so　near　the
destruction　of　his　good　name　and　of　his　soul；　and　in　short　everybody
in　the　inn　was　full　of　contentment　and　satisfaction　at　the　happy　issue
of　such　a　complicated　and　hopeless　business。　The　curate　as　a
sensible　man　made　sound　reflections　upon　the　whole　affair；　and
congratulated　each　upon　his　good　fortune；　but　the　one　that　was　in
the　highest　spirits　and　good　humour　was　the　landlady；　because　of　the
promise　Cardenio　and　the　curate　had　given　her　to　pay　for　all　the
losses　and　damage　she　had　sustained　through　Don　Quixote's　means。
Sancho；　as　has　been　already　said；　was　the　only　one　who　was　distressed；
unhappy；　and　dejected；　and　so　with　a　long　face　he　went　in　to　his
master；　who　had　just　awoke；　and　said　to　him：
　　〃Sir　Rueful　Countenance；　your　worship　may　as　well　sleep　on　as　much
as　you　like；　without　troubling　yourself　about　killing　any　giant　or
restoring　her　kingdom　to　the　princess；　for　that　is　all　over　and
settled　now。〃
　　〃I　should　think　it　was；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　have　had　the
most　prodigious　and　stupendous　battle　with　the　giant　that　I　ever
remember　having　had　all　the　days　of　my　life；　and　with　one　back…stroke…
swish！…　I　brought　his　head　tumbling　to　the　ground；　and　so　much　blood
gushed　forth　from　him　that　it　ran　in　rivulets　over　the　earth　like
water。〃
　　　〃Like　red　wine；　your　worship　had　better　say；〃　replied　Sancho；
〃for　I　would　have　you　know；　if　you　don't　know　it；　that　the　dead
giant　is　a　hacked　wine…skin；　and　the　blood　four…and…twenty　gallons
of　red　wine　that　it　had　in　its　belly；　and　the　cut…off　head　is　the
bitch　that　bore　me；　and　the　devil　take　it　all。〃
　　〃What　art　thou　talking　about；　fool？〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃art　thou
in　thy　senses？〃
　　〃Let　your　worship　get　up；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　you　will　see　the　nice
business　you　have　made　of　it；　and　what　we　have　to　pay；　and　you　will
see　the　queen　turned　into　a　private　lady　called　Dorothea；　and　other
things　that　will　astonish　you；　if　you　understand　them。〃
　　〃I　shall　not　be　surprised　at　anything　of　the　kind；〃　returned　Don
Quixote；　〃for　if　thou　dost　remember　the　last　time　we　were　here　I
told　thee　that　everything　that　happened　here　was　a　matter　of
enchantment；　and　it　would　be　no　wonder　if　it　were　the　same　now。〃
　　〃I　could　believe　all　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃if　my　blanketing　was
the　same　sort　of　thing　also；　only　it　wasn't；　but　real　and　genuine；　for
I　saw　the　landlord；　Who　is　here　to…day；　holding　one　end　of　the　blanket
and　jerking　me　up　to　the　skies　very　neatly　and　smartly；　and　with　as
much　laughter　as　strength；　and　when　it　comes　to　be　a　case　of　knowing
people；　I　hold　for　my　part；　simple　and　sinner　as　I　am；　that　there　is
no　enchantment　about　it　at　all；　but　a　great　deal　of　bruising　and　bad
luck。〃
　　〃Well；　well；　God　will　give　a　remedy；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃hand　me
my　clothes　and　let　me　go　out；　for　I　want　to　see　these
transformations　and　things　thou　speakest　of。〃
　　Sancho　fetched　him　his　clothes；　and　while　he　was　dressing；　the
curate　gave　Don　F