don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第70章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　given　us　his　blessing；　one　set　out　for　Salamanca；　the　other　for
Seville；　and　I　for　Alicante；　where　I　had　heard　there　was　a　Genoese
vessel　taking　in　a　cargo　of　wool　for　Genoa。
　　It　is　now　some　twenty…two　years　since　I　left　my　father's　house；
and　all　that　time；　though　I　have　written　several　letters；　I　have　had
no　news　whatever　of　him　or　of　my　brothers；　my　own　adventures　during
that　period　I　will　now　relate　briefly。　I　embarked　at　Alicante；　reached
Genoa　after　a　prosperous　voyage；　and　proceeded　thence　to　Milan；
where　I　provided　myself　with　arms　and　a　few　soldier's　accoutrements；
thence　it　was　my　intention　to　go　and　take　service　in　Piedmont；　but
as　I　was　already　on　the　road　to　Alessandria　della　Paglia；　I　learned
that　the　great　Duke　of　Alva　was　on　his　way　to　Flanders。　I　changed　my
plans；　joined　him；　served　under　him　in　the　campaigns　he　made；　was
present　at　the　deaths　of　the　Counts　Egmont　and　Horn；　and　was
promoted　to　be　ensign　under　a　famous　captain　of　Guadalajara；　Diego
de　Urbina　by　name。　Some　time　after　my　arrival　in　Flanders　news　came　of
the　league　that　his　Holiness　Pope　Pius　V　of　happy　memory；　had　made
with　Venice　and　Spain　against　the　common　enemy；　the　Turk；　who　had　just
then　with　his　fleet　taken　the　famous　island　of　Cyprus；　which
belonged　to　the　Venetians；　a　loss　deplorable　and　disastrous。　It　was
known　as　a　fact　that　the　Most　Serene　Don　John　of　Austria；　natural
brother　of　our　good　king　Don　Philip；　was　coming　as
commander…in…chief　of　the　allied　forces；　and　rumours　were　abroad　of
the　vast　warlike　preparations　which　were　being　made；　all　which　stirred
my　heart　and　filled　me　with　a　longing　to　take　part　in　the　campaign
which　was　expected；　and　though　I　had　reason　to　believe；　and　almost
certain　promises；　that　on　the　first　opportunity　that　presented
itself　I　should　be　promoted　to　be　captain；　I　preferred　to　leave　all
and　betake　myself；　as　I　did；　to　Italy；　and　it　was　my　good　fortune　that
Don　John　had　just　arrived　at　Genoa；　and　was　going　on　to　Naples　to　join
the　Venetian　fleet；　as　he　afterwards　did　at　Messina。　I　may　say；　in
short；　that　I　took　part　in　that　glorious　expedition；　promoted　by
this　time　to　be　a　captain　of　infantry；　to　which　honourable　charge　my
good　luck　rather　than　my　merits　raised　me；　and　that　day…　so
fortunate　for　Christendom；　because　then　all　the　nations　of　the　earth
were　disabused　of　the　error　under　which　they　lay　in　imagining　the
Turks　to　be　invincible　on　sea…on　that　day；　I　say；　on　which　the　Ottoman
pride　and　arrogance　were　broken；　among　all　that　were　there　made
happy　（for　the　Christians　who　died　that　day　were　happier　than　those
who　remained　alive　and　victorious）　I　alone　was　miserable；　for；　instead
of　some　naval　crown　that　I　might　have　expected　had　it　been　in　Roman
times；　on　the　night　that　followed　that　famous　day　I　found　myself
with　fetters　on　my　feet　and　manacles　on　my　hands。
　　It　happened　in　this　way：　El　Uchali；　the　king　of　Algiers；　a　daring
and　successful　corsair；　having　attacked　and　taken　the　leading
Maltese　galley　（only　three　knights　being　left　alive　in　it；　and　they
badly　wounded）；　the　chief　galley　of　John　Andrea；　on　board　of　which　I
and　my　company　were　placed；　came　to　its　relief；　and　doing　as　was　bound
to　do　in　such　a　case；　I　leaped　on　board　the　enemy's　galley；　which；
sheering　off　from　that　which　had　attacked　it；　prevented　my　men　from
following　me；　and　so　I　found　myself　alone　in　the　midst　of　my
enemies；　who　were　in　such　numbers　that　I　was　unable　to　resist；　in
short　I　was　taken；　covered　with　wounds；　El　Uchali；　as　you　know；
sirs；　made　his　escape　with　his　entire　squadron；　and　I　was　left　a
prisoner　in　his　power；　the　only　sad　being　among　so　many　filled　with
joy；　and　the　only　captive　among　so　many　free；　for　there　were　fifteen
thousand　Christians；　all　at　the　oar　in　the　Turkish　fleet；　that
regained　their　longed…for　liberty　that　day。
　　They　carried　me　to　Constantinople；　where　the　Grand　Turk；　Selim；　made
my　master　general　at　sea　for　having　done　his　duty　in　the　battle　and
carried　off　as　evidence　of　his　bravery　the　standard　of　the　Order　of
Malta。　The　following　year；　which　was　the　year　seventy…two；　I　found
myself　at　Navarino　rowing　in　the　leading　galley　with　the　three
lanterns。　There　I　saw　and　observed　how　the　opportunity　of　capturing
the　whole　Turkish　fleet　in　harbour　was　lost；　for　all　the　marines　and
janizzaries　that　belonged　to　it　made　sure　that　they　were　about　to　be
attacked　inside　the　very　harbour；　and　had　their　kits　and　pasamaques；
or　shoes；　ready　to　flee　at　once　on　shore　without　waiting　to　be
assailed；　in　so　great　fear　did　they　stand　of　our　fleet。　But　Heaven
ordered　it　otherwise；　not　for　any　fault　or　neglect　of　the　general
who　commanded　on　our　side；　but　for　the　sins　of　Christendom；　and
because　it　was　God's　will　and　pleasure　that　we　should　always　have
instruments　of　punishment　to　chastise　us。　As　it　was；　El　Uchali　took
refuge　at　Modon；　which　is　an　island　near　Navarino；　and　landing
forces　fortified　the　mouth　of　the　harbour　and　waited　quietly　until　Don
John　retired。　On　this　expedition　was　taken　the　galley　called　the
Prize；　whose　captain　was　a　son　of　the　famous　corsair　Barbarossa。　It
was　taken　by　the　chief　Neapolitan　galley　called　the　She…wolf；
commanded　by　that　thunderbolt　of　war；　that　father　of　his　men；　that
successful　and　unconquered　captain　Don　Alvaro　de　Bazan；　Marquis　of
Santa　Cruz；　and　I　cannot　help　telling　you　what　took　place　at　the
capture　of　the　Prize。
　　The　son　of　Barbarossa　was　so　cruel；　and　treated　his　slaves　so　badly；
that；　when　those　who　were　at　the　oars　saw　that　the　She…wolf　galley　was
bearing　down　upon　them　and　gaining　upon　them；　they　all　at　once　dropped
their　oars　and　seized　their　captain　who　stood　on　the　stage　at　the
end　of　the　gangway　shouting　to　them　to　row　lustily；　and　passing　him　on
from　bench　to　bench；　from　the　poop　to　the　prow；　they　so　bit　him　that
before　he　had　got　much　past　the　mast　his　soul　had　already　got　to　hell；
so　great；　as　I　said；　was　the　cruelty　with　which　he　treated　them；　and
the　hatred　with　which　they　hated　him。
　　We　returned　to　Constantinople；　and　the　following　year；
seventy…three；　it　became　known　that　Don　John　had　seized　Tunis　and
taken　the　kingdom　from　the　Turks；　and　placed　Muley　Hamet　in
possession；　putting　an　end　to　the　hopes　which　Muley　Hamida；　the
cruelest　and　bravest　Moor　in　the　world；　entertained　of　returning　to
reign　there。　The　Grand　Turk　took　the　loss　greatly　to　heart；　and　with
the　cunning　which　all　his　race　possess；　he　made　peace　with　the
Venetians　（who　were　much　more　eager　for　it　than　he　was）；　and　the
following　year；　seventy…four；　he　attacked　the　Goletta　and　the　fort
which　Don　John　had　left　half　built　near　Tunis。　While　all　these
events　were　occurring；　I　was　labouring　at　the　oar　without　any　hope
of　freedom；　at　least　I　had　no　hope　of　obtaining　it　by　ransom；　for　I
was　firmly　resolved　not　to　write　to　my　father　telling　him　of　my
misfortunes。　At　length　the　Goletta　fell；　and　the　fort　fell；　before
which　places　there　were　seventy…five　thousand　regular　Turkish
soldiers；　and　more　than　four　hundred　thousand　Moors　and　Arabs　from　all
parts　of　Africa；　and　in　the　train　of　all　this　great　host　such
munitions　and　engines　of　war；　and　so　many　pioneers　that　with　their
hands　they　might　have　covered　the　Goletta　and　the　fort　with　handfuls
of　earth。　The　first　to　fall　was　the　Goletta；　until　then　reckoned
impregnable；　and　it　fell；　not　by　any　fault　of　its　defenders；　who　did
all　that　they　could　and　should　have　done；　but　because　experiment
proved　how　easily　entrenchments　could　be　made　in　the　desert　sand
there；　for　water　used　to　be　found　at　two　palms　depth；　while　the
Turks　found　none　at　two　yards；　and　so　by　means　of　a　quantity　of
sandbags　they　raised　their　works　so　high　that　they　commanded　the　walls
of　the　fort；　sweeping　them　as　if　from　a　cavalier；　so　that　no　one　was
able　to　make　a　stand　or　maintain　the　defence。
　　It　was　a　common　opinion　that　our　men　should　not　have　shut　themselves
up　in　the　Goletta；　but　should　have　waited　in　the　open　at　the
landing…place；　but　those　who　say　so　talk　at　random　and　with　little
knowledge　of　such　matters；　for　if　in　the　Goletta　and　in　the　fort　there
were　barely　seven　thousand　soldiers；　how　could　such　a　small　number；
however　resolute；　sally　out　and　hold　their　own　against　numbers　like
those　of　the　enemy？　And　how　is　it　possible　to　help　losing　a　stronghold
that　is　not　relieved；　above　all　when　surrounded　by　a　host　of
determined　enemies　in　their　own　country？　But　many　thought；　and　I
thought　so　too；　that　it　was　special　favour　and　mercy　which　Heaven
showed　to　Spain　in　permitting　the　destruction　of　that　source　and
hiding　place　of　mischief；　that　devourer；　sponge；　and　moth　of　countless
money；　fruitlessly　wasted　there　to　no　other　purpose　save　preserving
the　memory　of　its　capture　by　the　invincible　Charles　V；　as　if　to　make
that　eternal；　as　it　is　and　will　be；　these　stones　were　needed　to
support　it。　The　fort　also　fell；　but　the　Turks　had　to　win　it　inch　by
inch；　for　the　soldiers　who　defended　it　fought　so　gallantly　and　stoutly
that　the　number　of　the　enemy　killed　in　twenty…two　general　assaults
exceeded　twenty…five　thousand。　Of　three　hundred　that　remained　alive
not　one　was　taken　unwounded；　a　clear　and　manifest　proof　of　their
gallantry　and　resolution；　and　how　sturdily　they　had　defended
themselves　and　held　their　post。　A　small　fort　or　tower　which　was　in　the
middle　of　the　lagoon　under　the　command　of　Don　Juan　Zanoguera；　a
Valencian　gentleman　and　a　famous　soldier；　capitulated　upon　terms。　They
took　prisoner　Don　Pedro　Puertocarrero；　commandant　of　the　Goletta；
who　had　done　all　in　his　power　to　defend　his　fortress；　and　took　the
loss　of　it　so　much　to　heart　that　he　died　of　grief　on　the　way　to
Constantinople；　where　they　were　carrying　him　a　prisoner。　They　also
took　the　commandant　of　the　fort；　Gabrio　Cerbellon　by　name；　a
Milanese　gentleman；　a　great　engineer　and　a　very　brave　soldier。　In
these　two　fortresses　perished　many　persons　of　note；　among　whom　was
Pagano　Doria；　knight　of　the　Order　of　St。　John；　a　man　of　generous
disposition；　as　was　shown　by　his　extreme　liberality　to　his　brother；
the　famous　John　Andrea　Doria；　and　what　made　his　death　the　more　sad　was
that　he　was　slain　by　some　Arabs　to　whom；　seeing　that　the　fort　was
now　lost；　he　entrusted　himself；　and　who　offered　to　conduct　him　in
the　disguise　of　a　Moor　to　Tabarca；　a　small　fort　or　station　on　the
coast　held　by　the　Genoese　employed　in　the　coral　fishery。　These　Arabs
cut　off　his　head　and　carried　it　to　the　commander　of　the　Turkish　fleet；
who　proved　on　them　the　truth　of　our　Castilian　proverb；　that　〃though
the　treason　may　please；　the　traitor　is　hated；〃　for　they　say　he　ordered
those　who　brought　him　the　present　to　be　hanged　for　not　having
brought　him　alive。
　　Among　the　Christians　who　were　taken　in　the　fort　was　one　named　Don
Pedro　de　Aguilar；　a　native　of　some　place；　I　know　not　what；　in
Andalusia；　who　had　been　ensign　in　the　fort；　a　soldier　of　great
repute　and　rare　intelligence；　who　had　in　particular　a　special　gift　for
what　they　call　poetry。　I　say　so　because　his　fate　brought　him　to　my
galley　and　to　my　bench；　and　made　him　a　slave　to　the　same　master；　and
before　we　left　the　port　this　gentleman　composed　two　sonnets　by　way
of　epitaphs；　one　on　the　Goletta　and　the　other　on　the　fort；　indeed；　I
may　as　well　repeat　them；　for　I　have　them　by　h