don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第71章
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of epitaphs； one on the Goletta and the other on the fort； indeed； I
may as well repeat them； for I have them by heart； and I think they
will be liked rather than disliked。
The instant the captive mentioned the name of Don Pedro de
Aguilar； Don Fernando looked at his companions and they all three
smiled； and when he came to speak of the sonnets one of them said；
〃Before your worship proceeds any further I entreat you to tell me
what became of that Don Pedro de Aguilar you have spoken of。〃
〃All I know is；〃 replied the captive； 〃that after having been in
Constantinople two years； he escaped in the disguise of an Arnaut；
in company with a Greek spy； but whether he regained his liberty or
not I cannot tell； though I fancy he did； because a year afterwards
I saw the Greek at Constantinople； though I was unable to ask him what
the result of the journey was。〃
〃Well then； you are right；〃 returned the gentleman； 〃for that Don
Pedro is my brother； and he is now in our village in good health；
rich； married； and with three children。〃
〃Thanks be to God for all the mercies he has shown him；〃 said the
captive； 〃for to my mind there is no happiness on earth to compare
with recovering lost liberty。〃
〃And what is more；〃 said the gentleman； 〃I know the sonnets my
brother made。〃
〃Then let your worship repeat them；〃 said the captive； 〃for you will
recite them better than I can。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said the gentleman； 〃that on the Goletta runs
thus。〃
CHAPTER XL
IN WHICH THE STORY OF THE CAPTIVE IS CONTINUED。
SONNET
〃Blest souls； that； from this mortal husk set free；
In guerdon of brave deeds beatified；
Above this lowly orb of ours abide
Made heirs of heaven and immortality；
With noble rage and ardour glowing ye
Your strength； while strength was yours； in battle plied；
And with your own blood and the foeman's dyed
The sandy soil and the encircling sea。
It was the ebbing life…blood first that failed
The weary arms； the stout hearts never quailed。
Though vanquished； yet ye earned the victor's crown：
Though mourned； yet still triumphant was your fall
For there ye won； between the sword and wall；
In Heaven glory and on earth renown。〃
〃That is it exactly； according to my recollection；〃 said the
captive。
〃Well then； that on the fort；〃 said the gentleman； 〃if my memory
serves me； goes thus：
SONNET
〃Up from this wasted soil； this shattered shell；
Whose walls and towers here in ruin lie；
Three thousand soldier souls took wing on high；
In the bright mansions of the blest to dwell。
The onslaught of the foeman to repel
By might of arm all vainly did they try；
And when at length 'twas left them but to die；
Wearied and few the last defenders fell。
And this same arid soil hath ever been
A haunt of countless mournful memories；
As well in our day as in days of yore。
But never yet to Heaven it sent； I ween；
From its hard bosom purer souls than these；
Or braver bodies on its surface bore。〃
The sonnets were not disliked； and the captive was rejoiced at
the tidings they gave him of his comrade； and continuing his tale；
he went on to say：
The Goletta and the fort being thus in their hands； the Turks gave
orders to dismantle the Goletta… for the fort was reduced to such a
state that there was nothing left to level… and to do the work more
quickly and easily they mined it in three places； but nowhere were
they able to blow up the part which seemed to be the least strong；
that is to say； the old walls； while all that remained standing of the
new fortifications that the Fratin had made came to the ground with
the greatest ease。 Finally the fleet returned victorious and
triumphant to Constantinople； and a few months later died my master；
El Uchali； otherwise Uchali Fartax； which means in Turkish 〃the scabby
renegade；〃 for that he was； it is the practice with the Turks to
name people from some defect or virtue they may possess； the reason
being that there are among them only four surnames belonging to
families tracing their descent from the Ottoman house； and the others；
as I have said； take their names and surnames either from bodily
blemishes or moral qualities。 This 〃scabby one〃 rowed at the oar as
a slave of the Grand Signor's for fourteen years； and when over
thirty…four years of age； in resentment at having been struck by a
Turk while at the oar； turned renegade and renounced his faith in
order to be able to revenge himself； and such was his valour that；
without owing his advancement to the base ways and means by which most
favourites of the Grand Signor rise to power； he came to be king of
Algiers； and afterwards general…on…sea； which is the third place of
trust in the realm。 He was a Calabrian by birth； and a worthy man
morally； and he treated his slaves with great humanity。 He had three
thousand of them； and after his death they were divided； as he
directed by his will； between the Grand Signor （who is heir of all who
die and shares with the children of the deceased） and his renegades。 I
fell to the lot of a Venetian renegade who； when a cabin boy on
board a ship； had been taken by Uchali and was so much beloved by
him that he became one of his most favoured youths。 He came to be
the most cruel renegade I ever saw： his name was Hassan Aga； and he
grew very rich and became king of Algiers。 With him I went there
from Constantinople； rather glad to be so near Spain； not that I
intended to write to anyone about my unhappy lot； but to try if
fortune would be kinder to me in Algiers than in Constantinople； where
I had attempted in a thousand ways to escape without ever finding a
favourable time or chance； but in Algiers I resolved to seek for other
means of effecting the purpose I cherished so dearly； for the hope
of obtaining my liberty never deserted me； and when in my plots and
schemes and attempts the result did not answer my expectations；
without giving way to despair I immediately began to look out for or
conjure up some new hope to support me； however faint or feeble it
might be。
In this way I lived on immured in a building or prison called by the
Turks a bano in which they confine the Christian captives； as well
those that are the king's as those belonging to private individuals；
and also what they call those of the Almacen； which is as much as to
say the slaves of the municipality； who serve the city in the public
works and other employments； but captives of this kind recover their
liberty with great difficulty； for； as they are public property and
have no particular master； there is no one with whom to treat for
their ransom； even though they may have the means。 To these banos；
as I have said； some private individuals of the town are in the
habit of bringing their captives； especially when they are to be
ransomed； because there they can keep them in safety and comfort until
their ransom arrives。 The king's captives also； that are on ransom； do
not go out to work with the rest of the crew； unless when their ransom
is delayed； for then； to make them write for it more pressingly；
they compel them to work and go for wood； which is no light labour。
I； however； was one of those on ransom； for when it was discovered
that I was a captain； although I declared my scanty means and want
of fortune； nothing could dissuade them from including me among the
gentlemen and those waiting to be ransomed。 They put a chain on me；
more as a mark of this than to keep me safe； and so I passed my life
in that bano with several other gentlemen and persons of quality
marked out as held to ransom； but though at times； or rather almost
always； we suffered from hunger and scanty clothing； nothing
distressed us so much as hearing and seeing at every turn the
unexampled and unheard…of cruelties my master inflicted upon the
Christians。 Every day he hanged a man； impaled one； cut off the ears
of another； and all with so little provocation； or so entirely without
any； that the Turks acknowledged he did it merely for the sake of
doing it； and because he was by nature murderously disposed towards
the whole human race。 The only one that fared at all well with him was
a Spanish soldier； something de Saavedra by name； to whom he never
gave a blow himself； or ordered a blow to be given； or addressed a
hard word； although he had done things that will dwell in the memory
of the people there for many a year； and all to recover his liberty；
and for the least of the many things he did we all dreaded that he
would be impaled； and he himself was in fear of it more than once； and
only that time does not allow； I could tell you now something of
what that soldier did； that would interest and astonish you much
more than the narration of my own tale。
To go on with my story； the courtyard of our prison was overlooked
by the windows of the house belonging to a wealthy Moor of high
position； and these； as is usual in Moorish houses； were rather
loopholes than windows； and besides were covered with thick and
close lattice…work。 It so happened； then； that as I was one day on the
terrace of our prison with three other comrades； trying； to pass
away the time； how far we could leap with our chains； we being
alone； for all the other Christians had gone out to work； I chanced to
raise my eyes； and from one of these little closed windows I saw a
reed appear with a cloth attached to the end of it； and it kept waving
to and fro； and moving as if making signs to us to come and take it。
We watched it； and one of those who were with me went and stood
under the reed to see whether they would let it drop； or what they
would do； but as he did so the reed was raised and moved from side
to side； as if they meant to say 〃no〃 by a shake of the head。 The
Christian came back； and it was again lowered； making the same
movements as before。 Another of my comrades went； and with him the
same happened as with the first； and then the third went forward；
but with the same result as the first and second。 Seeing this I did
not like not to try my luck； and as soon as I came under the reed it
was dropped and fell inside the bano at my feet。 I hastened to untie
the cloth； in which I perceived a knot； and in this were ten cianis；
which are coins of base gold； current among the Moors； and each
worth ten reals of our money。
It is needless to say I rejoiced over this godsend； and my joy was
not less than my wonder as I strove to imagine how this good fortune
could have come to us； but to me specially； for the evident
unwillingness to drop the reed for any but me showed that it was for
me the favour was intended。 I took my welcome money； broke the reed；
and returned to the terrace； and looking up at the window； I saw a
very white hand put out that opened and shut very quickly。 From this
we gathered or fancied that it must be some woman living in that house
that had done us this kindness； and to show that we were grateful
for it； we made salaams after the fashion of the Moors； bowing the
head； bending the body； and crossing the ar
