don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第80章

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birth；　for　which　you　must　not　blame　this　unhappy　knight…errant　whom
love　renders　incapable　of　submission　to　any　other　than　her　whom；　the
first　moment　his　eyes　beheld　her；　he　made　absolute　mistress　of　his
soul。　Forgive　me；　noble　lady；　and　retire　to　your　apartment；　and　do
not；　by　any　further　declaration　of　your　passion；　compel　me　to　show
myself　more　ungrateful；　and　if；　of　the　love　you　bear　me；　you　should
find　that　there　is　anything　else　in　my　power　wherein　I　can　gratify
you；　provided　it　be　not　love　itself；　demand　it　of　me；　for　I　swear　to
you　by　that　sweet　absent　enemy　of　mine　to　grant　it　this　instant；
though　it　be　that　you　require　of　me　a　lock　of　Medusa's　hair；　which　was
all　snakes；　or　even　the　very　beams　of　the　sun　shut　up　in　a　vial。〃
　　〃My　mistress　wants　nothing　of　that　sort；　sir　knight；〃　said
Maritornes　at　this。
　　〃What　then；　discreet　dame；　is　it　that　your　mistress　wants？〃
replied　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Only　one　of　your　fair　hands；〃　said　Maritornes；　〃to　enable　her　to
vent　over　it　the　great　passion　passion　which　has　brought　her　to　this
loophole；　so　much　to　the　risk　of　her　honour；　for　if　the　lord　her
father　had　heard　her；　the　least　slice　he　would　cut　off　her　would　be
her　ear。〃
　　〃I　should　like　to　see　that　tried；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　he　had
better　beware　of　that；　if　he　does　not　want　to　meet　the　most　disastrous
end　that　ever　father　in　the　world　met　for　having　laid　hands　on　the
tender　limbs　of　a　love…stricken　daughter。〃
　　Maritornes　felt　sure　that　Don　Quixote　would　present　the　hand　she　had
asked；　and　making　up　her　mind　what　to　do；　she　got　down　from　the　hole
and　went　into　the　stable；　where　she　took　the　halter　of　Sancho
Panza's　ass；　and　in　all　haste　returned　to　the　hole；　just　as　Don
Quixote　had　planted　himself　standing　on　Rocinante's　saddle　in　order　to
reach　the　grated　window　where　he　supposed　the　lovelorn　damsel　to　be；
and　giving　her　his　hand；　he　said；　〃Lady；　take　this　hand；　or　rather
this　scourge　of　the　evil…doers　of　the　earth；　take；　I　say；　this　hand
which　no　other　hand　of　woman　has　ever　touched；　not　even　hers　who　has
complete　possession　of　my　entire　body。　I　present　it　to　you；　not　that
you　may　kiss　it；　but　that　you　may　observe　the　contexture　of　the
sinews；　the　close　network　of　the　muscles；　the　breadth　and　capacity
of　the　veins；　whence　you　may　infer　what　must　be　the　strength　of　the
arm　that　has　such　a　hand。〃
　　〃That　we　shall　see　presently；〃　said　Maritornes；　and　making　a　running
knot　on　the　halter；　she　passed　it　over　his　wrist　and　coming　down
from　the　hole　tied　the　other　end　very　firmly　to　the　bolt　of　the　door
of　the　straw…loft。
　　Don　Quixote；　feeling　the　roughness　of　the　rope　on　his　wrist；
exclaimed；　〃Your　grace　seems　to　be　grating　rather　than　caressing　my
hand；　treat　it　not　so　harshly；　for　it　is　not　to　blame　for　the
offence　my　resolution　has　given　you；　nor　is　it　just　to　wreak　all
your　vengeance　on　so　small　a　part；　remember　that　one　who　loves　so　well
should　not　revenge　herself　so　cruelly。〃
　　But　there　was　nobody　now　to　listen　to　these　words　of　Don
Quixote's；　for　as　soon　as　Maritornes　had　tied　him　she　and　the　other
made　off；　ready　to　die　with　laughing；　leaving　him　fastened　in　such　a
way　that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　release　himself。
　　He　was；　as　has　been　said；　standing　on　Rocinante；　with　his　arm　passed
through　the　hole　and　his　wrist　tied　to　the　bolt　of　the　door；　and　in
mighty　fear　and　dread　of　being　left　hanging　by　the　arm　if　Rocinante
were　to　stir　one　side　or　the　other；　so　he　did　not　dare　to　make　the
least　movement；　although　from　the　patience　and　imperturbable
disposition　of　Rocinante；　he　had　good　reason　to　expect　that　he　would
stand　without　budging　for　a　whole　century。　Finding　himself　fast；　then；
and　that　the　ladies　had　retired；　he　began　to　fancy　that　all　this　was
done　by　enchantment；　as　on　the　former　occasion　when　in　that　same
castle　that　enchanted　Moor　of　a　carrier　had　belaboured　him；　and　he
cursed　in　his　heart　his　own　want　of　sense　and　judgment　in　venturing　to
enter　the　castle　again；　after　having　come　off　so　badly　the　first　time；
it　being　a　settled　point　with　knights…errant　that　when　they　have　tried
an　adventure；　and　have　not　succeeded　in　it；　it　is　a　sign　that　it　is
not　reserved　for　them　but　for　others；　and　that　therefore　they　need　not
try　it　again。　Nevertheless　he　pulled　his　arm　to　see　if　he　could
release　himself；　but　it　had　been　made　so　fast　that　all　his　efforts
were　in　vain。　It　is　true　he　pulled　it　gently　lest　Rocinante　should
move；　but　try　as　he　might　to　seat　himself　in　the　saddle；　he　had
nothing　for　it　but　to　stand　upright　or　pull　his　hand　off。　Then　it
was　he　wished　for　the　sword　of　Amadis；　against　which　no　enchantment
whatever　had　any　power；　then　he　cursed　his　ill　fortune；　then　he
magnified　the　loss　the　world　would　sustain　by　his　absence　while　he
remained　there　enchanted；　for　that　he　believed　he　was　beyond　all
doubt；　then　he　once　more　took　to　thinking　of　his　beloved　Dulcinea
del　Toboso；　then　he　called　to　his　worthy　squire　Sancho　Panza；　who；
buried　in　sleep　and　stretched　upon　the　pack…saddle　of　his　ass；　was
oblivious；　at　that　moment；　of　the　mother　that　bore　him；　then　he　called
upon　the　sages　Lirgandeo　and　Alquife　to　come　to　his　aid；　then　he
invoked　his　good　friend　Urganda　to　succour　him；　and　then；　at　last；
morning　found　him　in　such　a　state　of　desperation　and　perplexity　that
he　was　bellowing　like　a　bull；　for　he　had　no　hope　that　day　would
bring　any　relief　to　his　suffering；　which　he　believed　would　last　for
ever；　inasmuch　as　he　was　enchanted；　and　of　this　he　was　convinced　by
seeing　that　Rocinante　never　stirred；　much　or　little；　and　he　felt
persuaded　that　he　and　his　horse　were　to　remain　in　this　state；
without　eating　or　drinking　or　sleeping；　until　the　malign　influence
of　the　stars　was　overpast；　or　until　some　other　more　sage　enchanter
should　disenchant　him。
　　But　he　was　very　much　deceived　in　this　conclusion；　for　daylight　had
hardly　begun　to　appear　when　there　came　up　to　the　inn　four　men　on
horseback；　well　equipped　and　accoutred；　with　firelocks　across　their
saddle…bows。　They　called　out　and　knocked　loudly　at　the　gate　of　the
inn；　which　was　still　shut；　on　seeing　which；　Don　Quixote；　even　there
where　he　was；　did　not　forget　to　act　as　sentinel；　and　said　in　a　loud
and　imperious　tone；　〃Knights；　or　squires；　or　whatever　ye　be；　ye　have
no　right　to　knock　at　the　gates　of　this　castle；　for　it　is　plain
enough　that　they　who　are　within　are　either　asleep；　or　else　are　not
in　the　habit　of　throwing　open　the　fortress　until　the　sun's　rays　are
spread　over　the　whole　surface　of　the　earth。　Withdraw　to　a　distance；
and　wait　till　it　is　broad　daylight；　and　then　we　shall　see　whether　it
will　be　proper　or　not　to　open　to　you。〃
　　〃What　the　devil　fortress　or　castle　is　this；〃　said　one；　〃to　make　us
stand　on　such　ceremony？　If　you　are　the　innkeeper　bid　them　open　to
us；　we　are　travellers　who　only　want　to　feed　our　horses　and　go　on；
for　we　are　in　haste。〃
　　〃Do　you　think；　gentlemen；　that　I　look　like　an　innkeeper？〃　said　Don
Quixote。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　you　look　like；〃　replied　the　other；　〃but　I　know
that　you　are　talking　nonsense　when　you　call　this　inn　a　castle。〃
　　〃A　castle　it　is；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃nay；　more；　one　of　the
best　in　this　whole　province；　and　it　has　within　it　people　who　have
had　the　sceptre　in　the　hand　and　the　crown　on　the　head。〃
　　〃It　would　be　better　if　it　were　the　other　way；〃　said　the　traveller；
〃the　sceptre　on　the　head　and　the　crown　in　the　hand；　but　if　so；　may
be　there　is　within　some　company　of　players；　with　whom　it　is　a　common
thing　to　have　those　crowns　and　sceptres　you　speak　of；　for　in　such　a
small　inn　as　this；　and　where　such　silence　is　kept；　I　do　not　believe
any　people　entitled　to　crowns　and　sceptres　can　have　taken　up　their
quarters。〃
　　〃You　know　but　little　of　the　world；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃since　you
are　ignorant　of　what　commonly　occurs　in　knight…errantry。〃
　　But　the　comrades　of　the　spokesman；　growing　weary　of　the　dialogue
with　Don　Quixote；　renewed　their　knocks　with　great　vehemence；　so　much
so　that　the　host；　and　not　only　he　but　everybody　in　the　inn；　awoke；　and
he　got　up　to　ask　who　knocked。　It　happened　at　this　moment　that　one　of
the　horses　of　the　four　who　were　seeking　admittance　went　to　smell
Rocinante；　who　melancholy；　dejected；　and　with　drooping　ears　stood
motionless；　supporting　his　sorely　stretched　master；　and　as　he　was；
after　all；　flesh；　though　he　looked　as　if　he　were　made　of　wood；　he
could　not　help　giving　way　and　in　return　smelling　the　one　who　had　come
to　offer　him　attentions。　But　he　had　hardly　moved　at　all　when　Don
Quixote　lost　his　footing；　and　slipping　off　the　saddle；　he　would　have
come　to　the　ground；　but　for　being　suspended　by　the　arm；　which　caused
him　such　agony　that　he　believed　either　his　wrist　would　be　cut　through
or　his　arm　torn　off；　and　he　hung　so　near　the　ground　that　he　could　just
touch　it　with　his　feet；　which　was　all　the　worse　for　him；　for；　finding
how　little　was　wanted　to　enable　him　to　plant　his　feet　firmly；　he
struggled　and　stretched　himself　as　much　as　he　could　to　gain　a　footing；
just　like　those　undergoing　the　torture　of　the　strappado；　when　they　are
fixed　at　〃touch　and　no　touch；〃　who　aggravate　their　own　sufferings　by
their　violent　efforts　to　stretch　themselves；　deceived　by　the　hope
which　makes　them　fancy　that　with　a　very　little　more　they　will　reach
the　ground。

　　CHAPTER　XLIV
　　IN　WHICH　ARE　CONTINUED　THE　UNHEARD…OF　ADVENTURES　OF　THE　INN

　　SO　LOUD；　in　fact；　were　the　shouts　of　Don　Quixote；　that　the
landlord　opening　the　gate　of　the　inn　in　all　haste；　came　out　in　dismay；
and　ran　to　see　who　was　uttering　such　cries；　and　those　who　were　outside
joined　him。　Maritornes；　who　had　been　by　this　time　roused　up　by　the
same　outcry；　suspecting　what　it　was；　ran　to　the　loft　and；　without
anyone　seeing　her；　untied　the　halter　by　which　Don　Quixote　was
suspended；　and　down　he　came　to　the　ground　in　the　sight　of　the　landlord
and　the　travellers；　who　approaching　asked　him　what　was　the　matter　with
him　that　he　shouted　so。　He　without　replying　a　word　took　the　rope　off
his　wrist；　and　rising　to　his　feet　leaped　upon　Rocinante；　braced　his
buckler　on　his　arm；　put　his　lance　in　rest；　and　making　a　considerable
circuit　of　the　plain　came　back　at　a　half…gallop　exclaiming：
　　〃Whoever　shall　say　that　I　have　been　enchanted　with　just　cause；
provided　my　lady　the　Princess　Micomicona　grants　me　permission　to　do
so；　I　give　him　the　lie；　challenge　him　and　defy　him　to　single　combat。〃
　　The　newly　arrived　travellers　were　amazed　at　the　words　of　Don
Quixote；　but　the　landlord　removed　their　surprise　by　telling　them　who
he　was；　and　not　to　mind　him　as　he　was　out　of　his　senses。　They　then
asked　the　landlord　if　by　any　chance　a　youth　of　about　fifteen　years
of　age　had　come　to　that　inn；　one　dressed　like　a　muleteer；　and　of
such　and　such　an　appearance；　describing　that　of　Dona　Clara's　lover。
The　landlord　replied　that　there　were　so　many　people　in　the　inn　he
had　not　noticed　the　person　they　were　inquiring　for；　but　one　of　them
observing　the　coach　in　which　the　Judge　had　come；　said；　〃He　is　here
no　doubt；　for　this　is　the　coach　he　is　following：　let　one　of　us　stay　at
the　gate；　and　the　rest　go　in　to　look　for　him；　or　indeed　it　would　be　as
well　if　one　of　us　went　round　the　inn；　lest　he　should　escape　over　the
wall　of　the　yard。〃　〃So　be　it；〃　said　another；　and　while　two　of　the