don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第90章

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were　Amadises　of　Gaul　or　of　Greece；　or　any　other　of　the　knights　of
whom　the　books　are　full。〃
　　〃It　is　all　exactly　as　you　state　it；〃　said　the　canon；　to　which　Don
Quixote　returned；　〃You　also　went　on　to　say　that　books　of　this　kind　had
done　me　much　harm；　inasmuch　as　they　had　upset　my　senses；　and　shut　me
up　in　a　cage；　and　that　it　would　be　better　for　me　to　reform　and
change　my　studies；　and　read　other　truer　books　which　would　afford
more　pleasure　and　instruction。〃
　　〃Just　so；〃　said　the　canon。
　　〃Well　then；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃to　my　mind　it　is　you　who　are　the
one　that　is　out　of　his　wits　and　enchanted；　as　you　have　ventured　to
utter　such　blasphemies　against　a　thing　so　universally　acknowledged　and
accepted　as　true　that　whoever　denies　it；　as　you　do；　deserves　the
same　punishment　which　you　say　you　inflict　on　the　books　that　irritate
you　when　you　read　them。　For　to　try　to　persuade　anybody　that　Amadis；
and　all　the　other　knights…adventurers　with　whom　the　books　are
filled；　never　existed；　would　be　like　trying　to　persuade　him　that　the
sun　does　not　yield　light；　or　ice　cold；　or　earth　nourishment。　What
wit　in　the　world　can　persuade　another　that　the　story　of　the　Princess
Floripes　and　Guy　of　Burgundy　is　not　true；　or　that　of　Fierabras　and　the
bridge　of　Mantible；　which　happened　in　the　time　of　Charlemagne？　For
by　all　that　is　good　it　is　as　true　as　that　it　is　daylight　now；　and　if
it　be　a　lie；　it　must　be　a　lie　too　that　there　was　a　Hector；　or
Achilles；　or　Trojan　war；　or　Twelve　Peers　of　France；　or　Arthur　of
England；　who　still　lives　changed　into　a　raven；　and　is　unceasingly
looked　for　in　his　kingdom。　One　might　just　as　well　try　to　make　out　that
the　history　of　Guarino　Mezquino；　or　of　the　quest　of　the　Holy　Grail；　is
false；　or　that　the　loves　of　Tristram　and　the　Queen　Yseult　are
apocryphal；　as　well　as　those　of　Guinevere　and　Lancelot；　when　there　are
persons　who　can　almost　remember　having　seen　the　Dame　Quintanona；　who
was　the　best　cupbearer　in　Great　Britain。　And　so　true　is　this；　that　I
recollect　a　grandmother　of　mine　on　the　father's　side；　whenever　she　saw
any　dame　in　a　venerable　hood；　used　to　say　to　me；　'Grandson；　that　one
is　like　Dame　Quintanona；'　from　which　I　conclude　that　she　must　have
known　her；　or　at　least　had　managed　to　see　some　portrait　of　her。　Then
who　can　deny　that　the　story　of　Pierres　and　the　fair　Magalona　is
true；　when　even　to　this　day　may　be　seen　in　the　king's　armoury　the
pin　with　which　the　valiant　Pierres　guided　the　wooden　horse　he　rode
through　the　air；　and　it　is　a　trifle　bigger　than　the　pole　of　a　cart？
And　alongside　of　the　pin　is　Babieca's　saddle；　and　at　Roncesvalles
there　is　Roland's　horn；　as　large　as　a　large　beam；　whence　we　may
infer　that　there　were　Twelve　Peers；　and　a　Pierres；　and　a　Cid；　and
other　knights　like　them；　of　the　sort　people　commonly　call　adventurers。
Or　perhaps　I　shall　be　told；　too；　that　there　was　no　such
knight…errant　as　the　valiant　Lusitanian　Juan　de　Merlo；　who　went　to
Burgundy　and　in　the　city　of　Arras　fought　with　the　famous　lord　of
Charny；　Mosen　Pierres　by　name；　and　afterwards　in　the　city　of　Basle
with　Mosen　Enrique　de　Remesten；　coming　out　of　both　encounters
covered　with　fame　and　honour；　or　adventures　and　challenges　achieved
and　delivered；　also　in　Burgundy；　by　the　valiant　Spaniards　Pedro
Barba　and　Gutierre　Quixada　（of　whose　family　I　come　in　the　direct
male　line）；　when　they　vanquished　the　sons　of　the　Count　of　San　Polo。
I　shall　be　told；　too；　that　Don　Fernando　de　Guevara　did　not　go　in　quest
of　adventures　to　Germany；　where　he　engaged　in　combat　with　Micer
George；　a　knight　of　the　house　of　the　Duke　of　Austria。　I　shall　be
told　that　the　jousts　of　Suero　de　Quinones；　him　of　the　'Paso；'　and
the　emprise　of　Mosen　Luis　de　Falces　against　the　Castilian　knight；
Don　Gonzalo　de　Guzman；　were　mere　mockeries；　as　well　as　many　other
achievements　of　Christian　knights　of　these　and　foreign　realms；　which
are　so　authentic　and　true；　that；　I　repeat；　he　who　denies　them　must
be　totally　wanting　in　reason　and　good　sense。〃
　　The　canon　was　amazed　to　hear　the　medley　of　truth　and　fiction　Don
Quixote　uttered；　and　to　see　how　well　acquainted　he　was　with　everything
relating　or　belonging　to　the　achievements　of　his　knight…errantry；　so
he　said　in　reply：
　　〃I　cannot　deny；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　there　is　some　truth　in
what　you　say；　especially　as　regards　the　Spanish　knights…errant；　and
I　am　willing　to　grant　too　that　the　Twelve　Peers　of　France　existed；　but
I　am　not　disposed　to　believe　that　they　did　all　the　things　that　the
Archbishop　Turpin　relates　of　them。　For　the　truth　of　the　matter　is　they
were　knights　chosen　by　the　kings　of　France；　and　called　'Peers'　because
they　were　all　equal　in　worth；　rank　and　prowess　（at　least　if　they
were　not　they　ought　to　have　been）；　and　it　was　a　kind　of　religious
order　like　those　of　Santiago　and　Calatrava　in　the　present　day；　in
which　it　is　assumed　that　those　who　take　it　are　valiant　knights　of
distinction　and　good　birth；　and　just　as　we　say　now　a　Knight　of　St。
John；　or　of　Alcantara；　they　used　to　say　then　a　Knight　of　the　Twelve
Peers；　because　twelve　equals　were　chosen　for　that　military　order。　That
there　was　a　Cid；　as　well　as　a　Bernardo　del　Carpio；　there　can　be　no
doubt；　but　that　they　did　the　deeds　people　say　they　did；　I　hold　to　be
very　doubtful。　In　that　other　matter　of　the　pin　of　Count　Pierres　that
you　speak　of；　and　say　is　near　Babieca's　saddle　in　the　Armoury；　I
confess　my　sin；　for　I　am　either　so　stupid　or　so　short…sighted；　that；
though　I　have　seen　the　saddle；　I　have　never　been　able　to　see　the
pin；　in　spite　of　it　being　as　big　as　your　worship　says　it　is。〃
　　〃For　all　that　it　is　there；　without　any　manner　of　doubt；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃and　more　by　token　they　say　it　is　inclosed　in　a　sheath　of
cowhide　to　keep　it　from　rusting。〃
　　〃All　that　may　be；〃　replied　the　canon；　〃but；　by　the　orders　I　have
received；　I　do　not　remember　seeing　it。　However；　granting　it　is
there；　that　is　no　reason　why　I　am　bound　to　believe　the　stories　of
all　those　Amadises　and　of　all　that　multitude　of　knights　they　tell　us
about；　nor　is　it　reasonable　that　a　man　like　your　worship；　so　worthy；
and　with　so　many　good　qualities；　and　endowed　with　such　a　good
understanding；　should　allow　himself　to　be　persuaded　that　such　wild
crazy　things　as　are　written　in　those　absurd　books　of　chivalry　are
really　true。〃

　　CHAPTER　L
　　OF　THE　SHREWD　CONTROVERSY　WHICH　DON　QUIXOTE　AND　THE　CANON　HELD；
TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　INCIDENTS

　　〃A　GOOD　joke；　that！〃　returned　Don　Quixote。　〃Books　that　have　been
printed　with　the　king's　licence；　and　with　the　approbation　of　those
to　whom　they　have　been　submitted；　and　read　with　universal　delight；　and
extolled　by　great　and　small；　rich　and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；
gentle　and　simple；　in　a　word　by　people　of　every　sort；　of　whatever　rank
or　condition　they　may　be…　that　these　should　be　lies！　And　above　all
when　they　carry　such　an　appearance　of　truth　with　them；　for　they　tell
us　the　father；　mother；　country；　kindred；　age；　place；　and　the
achievements；　step　by　step；　and　day　by　day；　performed　by　such　a　knight
or　knights！　Hush；　sir；　utter　not　such　blasphemy；　trust　me　I　am
advising　you　now　to　act　as　a　sensible　man　should；　only　read　them；
and　you　will　see　the　pleasure　you　will　derive　from　them。　For；　come；
tell　me；　can　there　be　anything　more　delightful　than　to　see；　as　it
were；　here　now　displayed　before　us　a　vast　lake　of　bubbling　pitch
with　a　host　of　snakes　and　serpents　and　lizards；　and　ferocious　and
terrible　creatures　of　all　sorts　swimming　about　in　it；　while　from　the
middle　of　the　lake　there　comes　a　plaintive　voice　saying：　'Knight；
whosoever　thou　art　who　beholdest　this　dread　lake；　if　thou　wouldst
win　the　prize　that　lies　hidden　beneath　these　dusky　waves；　prove　the
valour　of　thy　stout　heart　and　cast　thyself　into　the　midst　of　its
dark　burning　waters；　else　thou　shalt　not　be　worthy　to　see　the　mighty
wonders　contained　in　the　seven　castles　of　the　seven　Fays　that　lie
beneath　this　black　expanse；'　and　then　the　knight；　almost　ere　the　awful
voice　has　ceased；　without　stopping　to　consider；　without　pausing　to
reflect　upon　the　danger　to　which　he　is　exposing　himself；　without
even　relieving　himself　of　the　weight　of　his　massive　armour；　commending
himself　to　God　and　to　his　lady；　plunges　into　the　midst　of　the
boiling　lake；　and　when　he　little　looks　for　it；　or　knows　what　his
fate　is　to　be；　he　finds　himself　among　flowery　meadows；　with　which
the　Elysian　fields　are　not　to　be　compared。　The　sky　seems　more
transparent　there；　and　the　sun　shines　with　a　strange　brilliancy；　and　a
delightful　grove　of　green　leafy　trees　presents　itself　to　the　eyes
and　charms　the　sight　with　its　verdure；　while　the　ear　is　soothed　by　the
sweet　untutored　melody　of　the　countless　birds　of　gay　plumage　that　flit
to　and　fro　among　the　interlacing　branches。　Here　he　sees　a　brook
whose　limpid　waters；　like　liquid　crystal；　ripple　over　fine　sands　and
white　pebbles　that　look　like　sifted　gold　and　purest　pearls。　There　he
perceives　a　cunningly　wrought　fountain　of　many…coloured　jasper　and
polished　marble；　here　another　of　rustic　fashion　where　the　little
mussel…shells　and　the　spiral　white　and　yellow　mansions　of　the　snail
disposed　in　studious　disorder；　mingled　with　fragments　of　glittering
crystal　and　mock　emeralds；　make　up　a　work　of　varied　aspect；　where　art；
imitating　nature；　seems　to　have　outdone　it。　Suddenly　there　is
presented　to　his　sight　a　strong　castle　or　gorgeous　palace　with　walls
of　massy　gold；　turrets　of　diamond　and　gates　of　jacinth；　in　short；　so
marvellous　is　its　structure　that　though　the　materials　of　which　it　is
built　are　nothing　less　than　diamonds；　carbuncles；　rubies；　pearls；
gold；　and　emeralds；　the　workmanship　is　still　more　rare。　And　after
having　seen　all　this；　what　can　be　more　charming　than　to　see　how　a　bevy
of　damsels　comes　forth　from　the　gate　of　the　castle　in　gay　and　gorgeous
attire；　such　that；　were　I　to　set　myself　now　to　depict　it　as　the
histories　describe　it　to　us；　I　should　never　have　done；　and　then　how
she　who　seems　to　be　the　first　among　them　all　takes　the　bold　knight　who
plunged　into　the　boiling　lake　by　the　hand；　and　without　addressing　a
word　to　him　leads　him　into　the　rich　palace　or　castle；　and　strips　him
as　naked　as　when　his　mother　bore　him；　and　bathes　him　in　lukewarm
water；　and　anoints　him　all　over　with　sweet…smelling　unguents；　and
clothes　him　in　a　shirt　of　the　softest　sendal；　all　scented　and
perfumed；　while　another　damsel　comes　and　throws　over　his　shoulders　a
mantle　which　is　said　to　be　worth　at　the　very　least　a　city；　and　even
more？　How　charming　it　is；　then；　when　they　tell　us　how；　after　all　this；
they　lead　him　to　another　chamber　where　he　finds　the　tables　set　out
in　such　style　that　he　is　filled　with　amazement　and　wonder；　to　see
how　they　pour　out　water　for　his　hands　distilled　from　amber　and
sweet…scented　flowers；　how　they　seat　him　on　an　ivory　chair；　to　see　how
the　damsels　wait　on　him　all　in　profound　silence；　how　they　bring　him
such　a　variety　of　dainties　so　temptingly　prepared　that　the　appetite　is
at　a　loss　which　to　select；　to　hear　the　music　that　resounds　while　he　is
at　table；　by　whom　or　whence　produced　he　knows　not。　And　then　when　the
repast　is　over　and　the　tables　removed；　for　the　knight　to　recline　in
the　chair；　picking　his　teeth　perhaps　as　usual；　and　a　damsel；　much
lovelier　than　any　of　the　others；　to　enter　unexpectedly　by　th