don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第7章

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can　reach　the　level　of　the　originals　as　they　were　first　produced。　In
short；　I　say　that　this　book；　and　all　that　may　be　found　treating　of
those　French　affairs；　should　be　thrown　into　or　deposited　in　some　dry
well；　until　after　more　consideration　it　is　settled　what　is　to　be
done　with　them；　excepting　always　one　'Bernardo　del　Carpio'　that　is
going　about；　and　another　called　'Roncesvalles；'　for　these；　if　they
come　into　my　hands；　shall　pass　at　once　into　those　of　the
housekeeper；　and　from　hers　into　the　fire　without　any　reprieve。〃
　　To　all　this　the　barber　gave　his　assent；　and　looked　upon　it　as
right　and　proper；　being　persuaded　that　the　curate　was　so　staunch　to
the　Faith　and　loyal　to　the　Truth　that　he　would　not　for　the　world　say
anything　opposed　to　them。　Opening　another　book　he　saw　it　was　〃Palmerin
de　Oliva；〃　and　beside　it　was　another　called　〃Palmerin　of　England；〃
seeing　which　the　licentiate　said；　〃Let　the　Olive　be　made　firewood　of
at　once　and　burned　until　no　ashes　even　are　left；　and　let　that　Palm
of　England　be　kept　and　preserved　as　a　thing　that　stands　alone；　and　let
such　another　case　be　made　for　it　as　that　which　Alexander　found　among
the　spoils　of　Darius　and　set　aside　for　the　safe　keeping　of　the　works
of　the　poet　Homer。　This　book；　gossip；　is　of　authority　for　two　reasons；
first　because　it　is　very　good；　and　secondly　because　it　is　said　to　have
been　written　by　a　wise　and　witty　king　of　Portugal。　All　the
adventures　at　the　Castle　of　Miraguarda　are　excellent　and　of
admirable　contrivance；　and　the　language　is　polished　and　clear；
studying　and　observing　the　style　befitting　the　speaker　with
propriety　and　judgment。　So　then；　provided　it　seems　good　to　you；　Master
Nicholas；　I　say　let　this　and　'Amadis　of　Gaul'　be　remitted　the
penalty　of　fire；　and　as　for　all　the　rest；　let　them　perish　without
further　question　or　query。〃
　　〃Nay；　gossip；〃　said　the　barber；　〃for　this　that　I　have　here　is　the
famous　'Don　Belianis。'〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　the　curate；　〃that　and　the　second；　third；　and　fourth
parts　all　stand　in　need　of　a　little　rhubarb　to　purge　their　excess　of
bile；　and　they　must　be　cleared　of　all　that　stuff　about　the　Castle　of
Fame　and　other　greater　affectations；　to　which　end　let　them　be
allowed　the　over…seas　term；　and；　according　as　they　mend；　so　shall
mercy　or　justice　be　meted　out　to　them；　and　in　the　mean　time；　gossip；
do　you　keep　them　in　your　house　and　let　no　one　read　them。〃
　　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　barber；　and　not　caring　to　tire　himself
with　reading　more　books　of　chivalry；　he　told　the　housekeeper　to　take
all　the　big　ones　and　throw　them　into　the　yard。　It　was　not　said　to
one　dull　or　deaf；　but　to　one　who　enjoyed　burning　them　more　than
weaving　the　broadest　and　finest　web　that　could　be；　and　seizing　about
eight　at　a　time；　she　flung　them　out　of　the　window。
　　In　carrying　so　many　together　she　let　one　fall　at　the　feet　of　the
barber；　who　took　it　up；　curious　to　know　whose　it　was；　and　found　it
said；　〃History　of　the　Famous　Knight；　Tirante　el　Blanco。〃
　　〃God　bless　me！〃　said　the　curate　with　a　shout；　〃'Tirante　el　Blanco'
here！　Hand　it　over；　gossip；　for　in　it　I　reckon　I　have　found　a　treasury
of　enjoyment　and　a　mine　of　recreation。　Here　is　Don　Kyrieleison　of
Montalvan；　a　valiant　knight；　and　his　brother　Thomas　of　Montalvan；
and　the　knight　Fonseca；　with　the　battle　the　bold　Tirante　fought　with
the　mastiff；　and　the　witticisms　of　the　damsel　Placerdemivida；　and
the　loves　and　wiles　of　the　widow　Reposada；　and　the　empress　in　love
with　the　squire　Hipolito…　in　truth；　gossip；　by　right　of　its　style　it
is　the　best　book　in　the　world。　Here　knights　eat　and　sleep；　and　die
in　their　beds；　and　make　their　wills　before　dying；　and　a　great　deal
more　of　which　there　is　nothing　in　all　the　other　books。　Nevertheless；　I
say　he　who　wrote　it；　for　deliberately　composing　such　fooleries；
deserves　to　be　sent　to　the　galleys　for　life。　Take　it　home　with　you　and
read　it；　and　you　will　see　that　what　I　have　said　is　true。〃
　　〃As　you　will；〃　said　the　barber；　〃but　what　are　we　to　do　with　these
little　books　that　are　left？〃
　　〃These　must　be；　not　chivalry；　but　poetry；〃　said　the　curate；　and
opening　one　he　saw　it　was　the　〃Diana〃　of　Jorge　de　Montemayor；　and；
supposing　all　the　others　to　be　of　the　same　sort；　〃these；〃　he　said；　〃do
not　deserve　to　be　burned　like　the　others；　for　they　neither　do　nor
can　do　the　mischief　the　books　of　chivalry　have　done；　being　books　of
entertainment　that　can　hurt　no　one。〃
　　〃Ah；　senor！〃　said　the　niece；　〃your　worship　had　better　order　these　to
be　burned　as　well　as　the　others；　for　it　would　be　no　wonder　if；　after
being　cured　of　his　chivalry　disorder；　my　uncle；　by　reading　these；　took
a　fancy　to　turn　shepherd　and　range　the　woods　and　fields　singing　and
piping；　or；　what　would　be　still　worse；　to　turn　poet；　which　they　say　is
an　incurable　and　infectious　malady。〃
　　〃The　damsel　is　right；〃　said　the　curate；　〃and　it　will　be　well　to
put　this　stumbling…block　and　temptation　out　of　our　friend's　way。　To
begin；　then；　with　the　'Diana'　of　Montemayor。　I　am　of　opinion　it　should
not　be　burned；　but　that　it　should　be　cleared　of　all　that　about　the
sage　Felicia　and　the　magic　water；　and　of　almost　all　the　longer
pieces　of　verse：　let　it　keep；　and　welcome；　its　prose　and　the　honour　of
being　the　first　of　books　of　the　kind。〃
　　〃This　that　comes　next；〃　said　the　barber；　〃is　the　'Diana；'　entitled
the　'Second　Part；　by　the　Salamancan；'　and　this　other　has　the　same
title；　and　its　author　is　Gil　Polo。〃
　　〃As　for　that　of　the　Salamancan；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃let　it　go　to
swell　the　number　of　the　condemned　in　the　yard；　and　let　Gil　Polo's　be
preserved　as　if　it　came　from　Apollo　himself：　but　get　on；　gossip；　and
make　haste；　for　it　is　growing　late。〃
　　〃This　book；〃　said　the　barber；　opening　another；　〃is　the　ten　books
of　the　'Fortune　of　Love；'　written　by　Antonio　de　Lofraso；　a　Sardinian
poet。〃
　　〃By　the　orders　I　have　received；〃　said　the　curate；　〃since　Apollo
has　been　Apollo；　and　the　Muses　have　been　Muses；　and　poets　have　been
poets；　so　droll　and　absurd　a　book　as　this　has　never　been　written；
and　in　its　way　it　is　the　best　and　the　most　singular　of　all　of　this
species　that　have　as　yet　appeared；　and　he　who　has　not　read　it　may　be
sure　he　has　never　read　what　is　delightful。　Give　it　here；　gossip；　for　I
make　more　account　of　having　found　it　than　if　they　had　given　me　a
cassock　of　Florence　stuff。〃
　　He　put　it　aside　with　extreme　satisfaction；　and　the　barber　went　on；
〃These　that　come　next　are　'The　Shepherd　of　Iberia；'　'Nymphs　of
Henares；'　and　'The　Enlightenment　of　Jealousy。'〃
　　〃Then　all　we　have　to　do；〃　said　the　curate；　〃is　to　hand　them　over
to　the　secular　arm　of　the　housekeeper；　and　ask　me　not　why；　or　we　shall
never　have　done。〃
　　〃This　next　is　the　'Pastor　de　Filida。'〃
　　〃No　Pastor　that；〃　said　the　curate；　〃but　a　highly　polished
courtier；　let　it　be　preserved　as　a　precious　jewel。〃
　　〃This　large　one　here；〃　said　the　barber；　〃is　called　'The　Treasury
of　various　Poems。'〃
　　〃If　there　were　not　so　many　of　them；〃　said　the　curate；　〃they　would　be
more　relished：　this　book　must　be　weeded　and　cleansed　of　certain
vulgarities　which　it　has　with　its　excellences；　let　it　be　preserved
because　the　author　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and　out　of　respect　for　other
more　heroic　and　loftier　works　that　he　has　written。〃
　　〃This；〃　continued　the　barber；　〃is　the　'Cancionero'　of　Lopez　de
Maldonado。〃
　　〃The　author　of　that　book；　too；〃　said　the　curate；　〃is　a　great
friend　of　mine；　and　his　verses　from　his　own　mouth　are　the　admiration
of　all　who　hear　them；　for　such　is　the　sweetness　of　his　voice　that　he
enchants　when　he　chants　them：　it　gives　rather　too　much　of　its
eclogues；　but　what　is　good　was　never　yet　plentiful：　let　it　be　kept
with　those　that　have　been　set　apart。　But　what　book　is　that　next　it？〃
　　〃The　'Galatea'　of　Miguel　de　Cervantes；〃　said　the　barber。
　　〃That　Cervantes　has　been　for　many　years　a　great　friend　of　mine；
and　to　my　knowledge　he　has　had　more　experience　in　reverses　than　in
verses。　His　book　has　some　good　invention　in　it；　it　presents　us　with
something　but　brings　nothing　to　a　conclusion：　we　must　wait　for　the
Second　Part　it　promises：　perhaps　with　amendment　it　may　succeed　in
winning　the　full　measure　of　grace　that　is　now　denied　it；　and　in　the
mean　time　do　you；　senor　gossip；　keep　it　shut　up　in　your　own　quarters。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　the　barber；　〃and　here　come　three　together；　the
'Araucana'　of　Don　Alonso　de　Ercilla；　the　'Austriada'　of　Juan　Rufo；
Justice　of　Cordova；　and　the　'Montserrate'　of　Christobal　de　Virues；　the
Valencian　poet。〃
　　〃These　three　books；〃　said　the　curate；　〃are　the　best　that　have　been
written　in　Castilian　in　heroic　verse；　and　they　may　compare　with　the
most　famous　of　Italy；　let　them　be　preserved　as　the　richest　treasures
of　poetry　that　Spain　possesses。〃
　　The　curate　was　tired　and　would　not　look　into　any　more　books；　and
so　he　decided　that；　〃contents　uncertified；〃　all　the　rest　should　be
burned；　but　just　then　the　barber　held　open　one；　called　〃The　Tears　of
Angelica。〃
　　〃I　should　have　shed　tears　myself；〃　said　the　curate　when　he　heard　the
title；　〃had　I　ordered　that　book　to　be　burned；　for　its　author　was　one
of　the　famous　poets　of　the　world；　not　to　say　of　Spain；　and　was　very
happy　in　the　translation　of　some　of　Ovid's　fables。〃

　　CHAPTER　VII
　　OF　THE　SECOND　SALLY　OF　OUR　WORTHY　KNIGHT　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA

　　　AT　this　instant　Don　Quixote　began　shouting　out；　〃Here；　here；
valiant　knights！　here　is　need　for　you　to　put　forth　the　might　of　your
strong　arms；　for　they　of　the　Court　are　gaining　the　mastery　in　the
tourney！〃　Called　away　by　this　noise　and　outcry；　they　proceeded　no
farther　with　the　scrutiny　of　the　remaining　books；　and　so　it　is　thought
that　〃The　Carolea；〃　〃The　Lion　of　Spain；〃　and　〃The　Deeds　of　the
Emperor；〃　written　by　Don　Luis　de　Avila；　went　to　the　fire　unseen　and
unheard；　for　no　doubt　they　were　among　those　that　remained；　and　perhaps
if　the　curate　had　seen　them　they　would　not　have　undergone　so　severe
a　sentence。
　　When　they　reached　Don　Quixote　he　was　already　out　of　bed；　and　was
still　shouting　and　raving；　and　slashing　and　cutting　all　round；　as　wide
awake　as　if　he　had　never　slept。
　　They　closed　with　him　and　by　force　got　him　back　to　bed；　and　when　he
had　become　a　little　calm；　addressing　the　curate；　he　said　to　him；　〃Of　a
truth；　Senor　Archbishop　Turpin；　it　is　a　great　disgrace　for　us　who　call
ourselves　the　Twelve　Peers；　so　carelessly　to　allow　the　knights　of
the　Court　to　gain　the　victory　in　this　tourney；　we　the　adventurers
having　carried　off　the　honour　on　the　three　former　days。〃
　　〃Hush；　gossip；〃　said　the　curate；　〃please　God；　the　luck　may　turn；　and
what　is　lost　to…day　may　be　won　to…morrow；　for　the　present　let　your
worship　have　a　care　of　your　health；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　you　are
over…fatigued；　if　not　badly　wounded。〃
　　〃Wounded　no；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　bruised　and　battered　no
doubt；　for　that　bastard　Don　Roland　has　cudgelled　me　with　the　trunk
of　an　oak　tree；　and　all　for　envy；　because　he　sees　that　I　alone　rival
him　in　his　achievements。　But　I　should　not　call　myself　Reinaldos　of
Montalvan　did　he　not　pay　me　for　it　in　spite　of　all　his　enchantments　as
soon　as　I　rise　from　this　bed。　For　the　present　let　them　bring　me
something　to　eat；　for　that；　I　feel；　is　what　will　be　more　to　my
purpose；　and　leave　it　to　me　to　avenge　myself。〃
　　They　did　as　he　wished；　they　gave　him　something　to　eat；