don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第91章

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the　chair；　picking　his　teeth　perhaps　as　usual；　and　a　damsel；　much
lovelier　than　any　of　the　others；　to　enter　unexpectedly　by　the
chamber　door；　and　herself　by　his　side；　and　begin　to　tell　him　what
the　castle　is；　and　how　she　is　held　enchanted　there；　and　other　things
that　amaze　the　knight　and　astonish　the　readers　who　are　perusing　his
history。　But　I　will　not　expatiate　any　further　upon　this；　as　it　may
be　gathered　from　it　that　whatever　part　of　whatever　history　of　a
knight…errant　one　reads；　it　will　fill　the　reader；　whoever　he　be；
with　delight　and　wonder；　and　take　my　advice；　sir；　and；　as　I　said
before；　read　these　books　and　you　will　see　how　they　will　banish　any
melancholy　you　may　feel　and　raise　your　spirits　should　they　be
depressed。　For　myself　I　can　say　that　since　I　have　been　a　knight…errant
I　have　become　valiant；　polite；　generous；　well…bred；　magnanimous；
courteous；　dauntless；　gentle；　patient；　and　have　learned　to　bear
hardships；　imprisonments；　and　enchantments；　and　though　it　be　such　a
short　time　since　I　have　seen　myself　shut　up　in　a　cage　like　a　madman；　I
hope　by　the　might　of　my　arm；　if　heaven　aid　me　and　fortune　thwart　me
not；　to　see　myself　king　of　some　kingdom　where　I　may　be　able　to　show
the　gratitude　and　generosity　that　dwell　in　my　heart；　for　by　my
faith；　senor；　the　poor　man　is　incapacitated　from　showing　the　virtue　of
generosity　to　anyone；　though　he　may　possess　it　in　the　highest
degree；　and　gratitude　that　consists　of　disposition　only　is　a　dead
thing；　just　as　faith　without　works　is　dead。　For　this　reason　I　should
be　glad　were　fortune　soon　to　offer　me　some　opportunity　of　making
myself　an　emperor；　so　as　to　show　my　heart　in　doing　good　to　my　friends；
particularly　to　this　poor　Sancho　Panza；　my　squire；　who　is　the　best
fellow　in　the　world；　and　I　would　gladly　give　him　a　county　I　have
promised　him　this　ever　so　long；　only　that　I　am　afraid　he　has　not　the
capacity　to　govern　his　realm。〃
　　Sancho　partly　heard　these　last　words　of　his　master；　and　said　to　him；
〃Strive　hard　you；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　to　give　me　that　county　so　often
promised　by　you　and　so　long　looked　for　by　me；　for　I　promise　you
there　will　be　no　want　of　capacity　in　me　to　govern　it；　and　even　if
there　is；　I　have　heard　say　there　are　men　in　the　world　who　farm
seigniories；　paying　so　much　a　year；　and　they　themselves　taking
charge　of　the　government；　while　the　lord；　with　his　legs　stretched　out；
enjoys　the　revenue　they　pay　him；　without　troubling　himself　about
anything　else。　That's　what　I'll　do；　and　not　stand　haggling　over
trifles；　but　wash　my　hands　at　once　of　the　whole　business；　and　enjoy　my
rents　like　a　duke；　and　let　things　go　their　own　way。〃
　　〃That；　brother　Sancho；〃　said　the　canon；　〃only　holds　good　as　far　as
the　enjoyment　of　the　revenue　goes；　but　the　lord　of　the　seigniory
must　attend　to　the　administration　of　justice；　and　here　capacity　and
sound　judgment　come　in；　and　above　all　a　firm　determination　to　find　out
the　truth；　for　if　this　be　wanting　in　the　beginning；　the　middle　and　the
end　will　always　go　wrong；　and　God　as　commonly　aids　the　honest
intentions　of　the　simple　as　he　frustrates　the　evil　designs　of　the
crafty。〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　those　philosophies；〃　returned　Sancho　Panza；　〃all
I　know　is　I　would　I　had　the　county　as　soon　as　I　shall　know　how　to
govern　it；　for　I　have　as　much　soul　as　another；　and　as　much　body　as
anyone；　and　I　shall　be　as　much　king　of　my　realm　as　any　other　of　his；
and　being　so　I　should　do　as　I　liked；　and　doing　as　I　liked　I　should
please　myself；　and　pleasing　myself　I　should　be　content；　and　when　one
is　content　he　has　nothing　more　to　desire；　and　when　one　has　nothing
more　to　desire　there　is　an　end　of　it；　so　let　the　county　come；　and
God　he　with　you；　and　let　us　see　one　another；　as　one　blind　man　said
to　the　other。〃
　　〃That　is　not　bad　philosophy　thou　art　talking；　Sancho；〃　said　the
canon；　〃but　for　all　that　there　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　on　this
matter　of　counties。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　returned；　〃I　know　not　what　more　there　is　to
be　said；　I　only　guide　myself　by　the　example　set　me　by　the　great　Amadis
of　Gaul；　when　he　made　his　squire　count　of　the　Insula　Firme；　and　so；
without　any　scruples　of　conscience；　I　can　make　a　count　of　Sancho
Panza；　for　he　is　one　of　the　best　squires　that　ever　knight…errant　had。〃
　　The　canon　was　astonished　at　the　methodical　nonsense　（if　nonsense
be　capable　of　method）　that　Don　Quixote　uttered；　at　the　way　in　which　he
had　described　the　adventure　of　the　knight　of　the　lake；　at　the
impression　that　the　deliberate　lies　of　the　books　he　read　had　made　upon
him；　and　lastly　he　marvelled　at　the　simplicity　of　Sancho；　who
desired　so　eagerly　to　obtain　the　county　his　master　had　promised　him。
　　By　this　time　the　canon's　servants；　who　had　gone　to　the　inn　to
fetch　the　sumpter　mule；　had　returned；　and　making　a　carpet　and　the
green　grass　of　the　meadow　serve　as　a　table；　they　seated　themselves
in　the　shade　of　some　trees　and　made　their　repast　there；　that　the
carter　might　not　be　deprived　of　the　advantage　of　the　spot；　as　has　been
already　said。　As　they　were　eating　they　suddenly　heard　a　loud　noise　and
the　sound　of　a　bell　that　seemed　to　come　from　among　some　brambles　and
thick　bushes　that　were　close　by；　and　the　same　instant　they　observed
a　beautiful　goat；　spotted　all　over　black；　white；　and　brown；　spring　out
of　the　thicket　with　a　goatherd　after　it；　calling　to　it　and　uttering
the　usual　cries　to　make　it　stop　or　turn　back　to　the　fold。　The　fugitive
goat；　scared　and　frightened；　ran　towards　the　company　as　if　seeking
their　protection　and　then　stood　still；　and　the　goatherd　coming　up
seized　it　by　the　horns　and　began　to　talk　to　it　as　if　it　were　possessed
of　reason　and　understanding：　〃Ah　wanderer；　wanderer；　Spotty；　Spotty；
how　have　you　gone　limping　all　this　time？　What　wolves　have　frightened
you；　my　daughter？　Won't　you　tell　me　what　is　the　matter；　my　beauty？　But
what　else　can　it　be　except　that　you　are　a　she；　and　cannot　keep
quiet？　A　plague　on　your　humours　and　the　humours　of　those　you　take
after！　Come　back；　come　back；　my　darling；　and　if　you　will　not　be　so
happy；　at　any　rate　you　will　be　safe　in　the　fold　or　with　your
companions；　for　if　you　who　ought　to　keep　and　lead　them；　go　wandering
astray；　what　will　become　of　them？〃
　　The　goatherd's　talk　amused　all　who　heard　it；　but　especially　the
canon；　who　said　to　him；　〃As　you　live；　brother；　take　it　easy；　and　be
not　in　such　a　hurry　to　drive　this　goat　back　to　the　fold；　for；　being
a　female；　as　you　say；　she　will　follow　her　natural　instinct　in　spite　of
all　you　can　do　to　prevent　it。　Take　this　morsel　and　drink　a　sup；　and
that　will　soothe　your　irritation；　and　in　the　meantime　the　goat　will
rest　herself；〃　and　so　saying；　he　handed　him　the　loins　of　a　cold　rabbit
on　a　fork。
　　The　goatherd　took　it　with　thanks；　and　drank　and　calmed　himself；
and　then　said；　〃I　should　be　sorry　if　your　worships　were　to　take　me　for
a　simpleton　for　having　spoken　so　seriously　as　I　did　to　this　animal；
but　the　truth　is　there　is　a　certain　mystery　in　the　words　I　used。　I
am　a　clown；　but　not　so　much　of　one　but　that　I　know　how　to　behave　to
men　and　to　beasts。〃
　　〃That　I　can　well　believe；〃　said　the　curate；　〃for　I　know　already　by
experience　that　the　woods　breed　men　of　learning；　and　shepherds'
harbour　philosophers。〃
　　〃At　all　events；　senor；〃　returned　the　goatherd；　〃they　shelter　men
of　experience；　and　that　you　may　see　the　truth　of　this　and　grasp　it；
though　I　may　seem　to　put　myself　forward　without　being　asked；　I　will；
if　it　will　not　tire　you；　gentlemen；　and　you　will　give　me　your
attention　for　a　little；　tell　you　a　true　story　which　will　confirm
this　gentleman's　word　（and　he　pointed　to　the　curate）　as　well　as　my
own。〃
　　To　this　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Seeing　that　this　affair　has　a
certain　colour　of　chivalry　about　it；　I　for　my　part；　brother；　will　hear
you　most　gladly；　and　so　will　all　these　gentlemen；　from　the　high
intelligence　they　possess　and　their　love　of　curious　novelties　that
interest；　charm；　and　entertain　the　mind；　as　I　feel　quite　sure　your
story　will　do。　So　begin；　friend；　for　we　are　all　prepared　to　listen。〃
　　〃I　draw　my　stakes；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　will　retreat　with　this　pasty
to　the　brook　there；　where　I　mean　to　victual　myself　for　three　days；　for
I　have　heard　my　lord；　Don　Quixote；　say　that　a　knight…errant's　squire
should　eat　until　he　can　hold　no　more；　whenever　he　has　the　chance；
because　it　often　happens　them　to　get　by　accident　into　a　wood　so
thick　that　they　cannot　find　a　way　out　of　it　for　six　days；　and　if　the
man　is　not　well　filled　or　his　alforjas　well　stored；　there　he　may　stay；
as　very　often　he　does；　turned　into　a　dried　mummy。〃
　　〃Thou　art　in　the　right　of　it；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃go　where
thou　wilt　and　eat　all　thou　canst；　for　I　have　had　enough；　and　only　want
to　give　my　mind　its　refreshment；　as　I　shall　by　listening　to　this
good　fellow's　story。〃
　　〃It　is　what　we　shall　all　do；〃　said　the　canon；　and　then　begged　the
goatherd　to　begin　the　promised　tale。
　　The　goatherd　gave　the　goat　which　he　held　by　the　horns　a　couple　of
slaps　on　the　back；　saying；　〃Lie　down　here　beside　me；　Spotty；　for　we
have　time　enough　to　return　to　our　fold。〃　The　goat　seemed　to　understand
him；　for　as　her　master　seated　himself；　she　stretched　herself　quietly
beside　him　and　looked　up　in　his　face　to　show　him　she　was　all　attention
to　what　he　was　going　to　say；　and　then　in　these　words　he　began　his
story。

　　CHAPTER　LI
　　WHICH　DEALS　WITH　WHAT　THE　GOATHERD　TOLD　THOSE　WHO　WERE　CARRYING
OFF　DON　QUIXOTE

　　THREE　leagues　from　this　valley　there　is　a　village　which；　though
small；　is　one　of　the　richest　in　all　this　neighbourhood；　and　in　it
there　lived　a　farmer；　a　very　worthy　man；　and　so　much　respected　that；
although　to　be　so　is　the　natural　consequence　of　being　rich；　he　was
even　more　respected　for　his　virtue　than　for　the　wealth　he　had
acquired。　But　what　made　him　still　more　fortunate；　as　he　said
himself；　was　having　a　daughter　of　such　exceeding　beauty；　rare
intelligence；　gracefulness；　and　virtue；　that　everyone　who　knew　her　and
beheld　her　marvelled　at　the　extraordinary　gifts　with　which　heaven
and　nature　had　endowed　her。　As　a　child　she　was　beautiful；　she
continued　to　grow　in　beauty；　and　at　the　age　of　sixteen　she　was　most
lovely。　The　fame　of　her　beauty　began　to　spread　abroad　through　all
the　villages　around…　but　why　do　I　say　the　villages　around；　merely；
when　it　spread　to　distant　cities；　and　even　made　its　way　into　the　halls
of　royalty　and　reached　the　ears　of　people　of　every　class；　who　came
from　all　sides　to　see　her　as　if　to　see　something　rare　and　curious；
or　some　wonder…working　image？
　　Her　father　watched　over　her　and　she　watched　over　herself；　for
there　are　no　locks；　or　guards；　or　bolts　that　can　protect　a　young
girl　better　than　her　own　modesty。　The　wealth　of　the　father　and　the
beauty　of　the　daughter　led　many　neighbours　as　well　as　strangers　to
seek　her　for　a　wife；　but　he；　as　one　might　well　be　who　had　the　disposal
of　so　rich　a　jewel；　was　perplexed　and　unable　to　make　up　his　mind　to
which　of　her　countless　suitors　he　should　entrust　her。　I　was　one
among　the　many　who　felt　a　desire　so　natural；　and；　as　her　father　knew
who　I　was；　and　I　was　of　the　same　town；　of　pure　blood；　in　the　bloom
of　life；　and　very　rich　in　possessions；　I　had　great　hopes　of　success。
There　was　another　of　the　same　place　and　qualifications　who　also　sought
her；　and　this　made　her　f