don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第93章

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chivalry　which　lay　down　that　no　violence　of　any　kind　is　to　be
offered　to　any　damsel。　But　I　trust　in　God　our　Lord　that　the　might　of
one　malignant　enchanter　may　not　prove　so　great　but　that　the　power　of
another　better　disposed　may　prove　superior　to　it；　and　then　I　promise
you　my　support　and　assistance；　as　I　am　bound　to　do　by　my　profession；
which　is　none　other　than　to　give　aid　to　the　weak　and　needy。〃
　　The　goatherd　eyed　him；　and　noticing　Don　Quixote's　sorry　appearance
and　looks；　he　was　filled　with　wonder；　and　asked　the　barber；　who　was
next　him；　〃Senor；　who　is　this　man　who　makes　such　a　figure　and　talks　in
such　a　strain？〃
　　〃Who　should　it　be；〃　said　the　barber；　〃but　the　famous　Don　Quixote
of　La　Mancha；　the　undoer　of　injustice；　the　righter　of　wrongs；　the
protector　of　damsels；　the　terror　of　giants；　and　the　winner　of
battles？〃
　　〃That；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃sounds　like　what　one　reads　in　the
books　of　the　knights…errant；　who　did　all　that　you　say　this　man　does；
though　it　is　my　belief　that　either　you　are　joking；　or　else　this
gentleman　has　empty　lodgings　in　his　head。〃
　　〃You　are　a　great　scoundrel；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　it　is　you　who
are　empty　and　a　fool。　I　am　fuller　than　ever　was　the　whoreson　bitch
that　bore　you；〃　and　passing　from　words　to　deeds；　he　caught　up　a　loaf
that　was　near　him　and　sent　it　full　in　the　goatherd's　face；　with　such
force　that　he　flattened　his　nose；　but　the　goatherd；　who　did　not
understand　jokes；　and　found　himself　roughly　handled　in　such　good
earnest；　paying　no　respect　to　carpet；　tablecloth；　or　diners；　sprang
upon　Don　Quixote；　and　seizing　him　by　the　throat　with　both　hands
would　no　doubt　have　throttled　him；　had　not　Sancho　Panza　that　instant
come　to　the　rescue；　and　grasping　him　by　the　shoulders　flung　him　down
on　the　table；　smashing　plates；　breaking　glasses；　and　upsetting　and
scattering　everything　on　it。　Don　Quixote；　finding　himself　free；　strove
to　get　on　top　of　the　goatherd；　who；　with　his　face　covered　with
blood；　and　soundly　kicked　by　Sancho；　was　on　all　fours　feeling　about
for　one　of　the　table…knives　to　take　a　bloody　revenge　with。　The　canon
and　the　curate；　however；　prevented　him；　but　the　barber　so　contrived　it
that　he　got　Don　Quixote　under　him；　and　rained　down　upon　him　such　a
shower　of　fisticuffs　that　the　poor　knight's　face　streamed　with　blood
as　freely　as　his　own。　The　canon　and　the　curate　were　bursting　with
laughter；　the　officers　were　capering　with　delight；　and　both　the　one
and　the　other　hissed　them　on　as　they　do　dogs　that　are　worrying　one
another　in　a　fight。　Sancho　alone　was　frantic；　for　he　could　not　free
himself　from　the　grasp　of　one　of　the　canon's　servants；　who　kept　him
from　going　to　his　master's　assistance。
　　At　last；　while　they　were　all；　with　the　exception　of　the　two　bruisers
who　were　mauling　each　other；　in　high　glee　and　enjoyment；　they　heard
a　trumpet　sound　a　note　so　doleful　that　it　made　them　all　look　in　the
direction　whence　the　sound　seemed　to　come。　But　the　one　that　was　most
excited　by　hearing　it　was　Don　Quixote；　who　though　sorely　against　his
will　he　was　under　the　goatherd；　and　something　more　than　pretty　well
pummelled；　said　to　him；　〃Brother　devil　（for　it　is　impossible　but
that　thou　must　be　one　since　thou　hast　had　might　and　strength　enough　to
overcome　mine）；　I　ask　thee　to　agree　to　a　truce　for　but　one　hour　for
the　solemn　note　of　yonder　trumpet　that　falls　on　our　ears　seems　to　me
to　summon　me　to　some　new　adventure。〃　The　goatherd；　who　was　by　this
time　tired　of　pummelling　and　being　pummelled；　released　him　at　once；
and　Don　Quixote　rising　to　his　feet　and　turning　his　eyes　to　the　quarter
where　the　sound　had　been　heard；　suddenly　saw　coming　down　the　slope
of　a　hill　several　men　clad　in　white　like　penitents。
　　The　fact　was　that　the　clouds　had　that　year　withheld　their　moisture
from　the　earth；　and　in　all　the　villages　of　the　district　they　were
organising　processions；　rogations；　and　penances；　imploring　God　to　open
the　hands　of　his　mercy　and　send　the　rain；　and　to　this　end　the　people
of　a　village　that　was　hard　by　were　going　in　procession　to　a　holy
hermitage　there　was　on　one　side　of　that　valley。　Don　Quixote　when　he
saw　the　strange　garb　of　the　penitents；　without　reflecting　how　often　he
had　seen　it　before；　took　it　into　his　head　that　this　was　a　case　of
adventure；　and　that　it　fell　to　him　alone　as　a　knight…errant　to
engage　in　it；　and　he　was　all　the　more　confirmed　in　this　notion；　by　the
idea　that　an　image　draped　in　black　they　had　with　them　was　some
illustrious　lady　that　these　villains　and　discourteous　thieves　were
carrying　off　by　force。　As　soon　as　this　occurred　to　him　he　ran　with　all
speed　to　Rocinante　who　was　grazing　at　large；　and　taking　the　bridle　and
the　buckler　from　the　saddle…bow；　he　had　him　bridled　in　an　instant；　and
calling　to　Sancho　for　his　sword　he　mounted　Rocinante；　braced　his
buckler　on　his　arm；　and　in　a　loud　voice　exclaimed　to　those　who　stood
by；　〃Now；　noble　company；　ye　shall　see　how　important　it　is　that　there
should　be　knights　in　the　world　professing　the　of　knight…errantry；　now；
I　say；　ye　shall　see；　by　the　deliverance　of　that　worthy　lady　who　is
borne　captive　there；　whether　knights…errant　deserve　to　be　held　in
estimation；〃　and　so　saying　he　brought　his　legs　to　bear　on　Rocinante…
for　he　had　no　spurs…　and　at　a　full　canter　（for　in　all　this　veracious
history　we　never　read　of　Rocinante　fairly　galloping）　set　off　to
encounter　the　penitents；　though　the　curate；　the　canon；　and　the
barber　ran　to　prevent　him。　But　it　was　out　of　their　power；　nor　did　he
even　stop　for　the　shouts　of　Sancho　calling　after　him；　〃Where　are　you
going；　Senor　Don　Quixote？　What　devils　have　possessed　you　to　set　you　on
against　our　Catholic　faith？　Plague　take　me！　mind；　that　is　a　procession
of　penitents；　and　the　lady　they　are　carrying　on　that　stand　there　is
the　blessed　image　of　the　immaculate　Virgin。　Take　care　what　you　are
doing；　senor；　for　this　time　it　may　be　safely　said　you　don't　know
what　you　are　about。〃　Sancho　laboured　in　vain；　for　his　master　was　so
bent　on　coming　to　quarters　with　these　sheeted　figures　and　releasing
the　lady　in　black　that　he　did　not　hear　a　word；　and　even　had　he
heard；　he　would　not　have　turned　back　if　the　king　had　ordered　him。　He
came　up　with　the　procession　and　reined　in　Rocinante；　who　was　already
anxious　enough　to　slacken　speed　a　little；　and　in　a　hoarse；　excited
voice　he　exclaimed；　〃You　who　hide　your　faces；　perhaps　because　you
are　not　good　subjects；　pay　attention　and　listen　to　what　I　am　about
to　say　to　you。〃　The　first　to　halt　were　those　who　were　carrying　the
image；　and　one　of　the　four　ecclesiastics　who　were　chanting　the　Litany；
struck　by　the　strange　figure　of　Don　Quixote；　the　leanness　of
Rocinante；　and　the　other　ludicrous　peculiarities　he　observed；　said
in　reply　to　him；　〃Brother；　if　you　have　anything　to　say　to　us　say　it
quickly；　for　these　brethren　are　whipping　themselves；　and　we　cannot
stop；　nor　is　it　reasonable　we　should　stop　to　hear　anything；　unless
indeed　it　is　short　enough　to　be　said　in　two　words。〃
　　〃I　will　say　it　in　one；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　it　is　this；　that
at　once；　this　very　instant；　ye　release　that　fair　lady　whose　tears
and　sad　aspect　show　plainly　that　ye　are　carrying　her　off　against　her
will；　and　that　ye　have　committed　some　scandalous　outrage　against
her；　and　I；　who　was　born　into　the　world　to　redress　all　such　like
wrongs；　will　not　permit　you　to　advance　another　step　until　you　have
restored　to　her　the　liberty　she　pines　for　and　deserves。〃
　　From　these　words　all　the　hearers　concluded　that　he　must　be　a　madman；
and　began　to　laugh　heartily；　and　their　laughter　acted　like　gunpowder
on　Don　Quixote's　fury；　for　drawing　his　sword　without　another　word　he
made　a　rush　at　the　stand。　One　of　those　who　supported　it；　leaving　the
burden　to　his　comrades；　advanced　to　meet　him；　flourishing　a　forked
stick　that　he　had　for　propping　up　the　stand　when　resting；　and　with
this　he　caught　a　mighty　cut　Don　Quixote　made　at　him　that　severed　it　in
two；　but　with　the　portion　that　remained　in　his　hand　he　dealt　such　a
thwack　on　the　shoulder　of　Don　Quixote's　sword　arm　（which　the　buckler
could　not　protect　against　the　clownish　assault）　that　poor　Don
Quixote　came　to　the　ground　in　a　sad　plight。
　　Sancho　Panza；　who　was　coming　on　close　behind　puffing　and　blowing；
seeing　him　fall；　cried　out　to　his　assailant　not　to　strike　him　again；
for　he　was　poor　enchanted　knight；　who　had　never　harmed　anyone　all
the　days　of　his　life；　but　what　checked　the　clown　was；　not　Sancho's
shouting；　but　seeing　that　Don　Quixote　did　not　stir　hand　or　foot；　and
so；　fancying　he　had　killed　him；　he　hastily　hitched　up　his　tunic
under　his　girdle　and　took　to　his　heels　across　the　country　like　a　deer。
　　By　this　time　all　Don　Quixote's　companions　had　come　up　to　where　he
lay；　but　the　processionists　seeing　them　come　running；　and　with　them
the　officers　of　the　Brotherhood　with　their　crossbows；　apprehended
mischief；　and　clustering　round　the　image；　raised　their　hoods；　and
grasped　their　scourges；　as　the　priests　did　their　tapers；　and　awaited
the　attack；　resolved　to　defend　themselves　and　even　to　take　the
offensive　against　their　assailants　if　they　could。　Fortune；　however；
arranged　the　matter　better　than　they　expected；　for　all　Sancho　did
was　to　fling　himself　on　his　master's　body；　raising　over　him　the　most
doleful　and　laughable　lamentation　that　ever　was　heard；　for　he　believed
he　was　dead。　The　curate　was　known　to　another　curate　who　walked　in
the　procession；　and　their　recognition　of　one　another　set　at　rest　the
apprehensions　of　both　parties；　the　first　then　told　the　other　in　two
words　who　Don　Quixote　was；　and　he　and　the　whole　troop　of　penitents
went　to　see　if　the　poor　gentleman　was　dead；　and　heard　Sancho　Panza
saying；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃Oh　flower　of　chivalry；　that　with
one　blow　of　a　stick　hast　ended　the　course　of　thy　well…spent　life！　Oh
pride　of　thy　race；　honour　and　glory　of　all　La　Mancha；　nay；　of　all
the　world；　that　for　want　of　thee　will　be　full　of　evil…doers；　no　longer
in　fear　of　punishment　for　their　misdeeds！　Oh　thou；　generous　above
all　the　Alexanders；　since　for　only　eight　months　of　service　thou　hast
given　me　the　best　island　the　sea　girds　or　surrounds！　Humble　with　the
proud；　haughty　with　the　humble；　encounterer　of　dangers；　endurer　of
outrages；　enamoured　without　reason；　imitator　of　the　good；　scourge　of
the　wicked；　enemy　of　the　mean；　in　short；　knight…errant；　which　is　all
that　can　be　said！〃
　　At　the　cries　and　moans　of　Sancho；　Don　Quixote　came　to　himself；　and
the　first　word　he　said　was；　〃He　who　lives　separated　from　you；　sweetest
Dulcinea；　has　greater　miseries　to　endure　than　these。　Aid　me；　friend
Sancho；　to　mount　the　enchanted　cart；　for　I　am　not　in　a　condition　to
press　the　saddle　of　Rocinante；　as　this　shoulder　is　all　knocked　to
pieces。〃
　　〃That　I　will　do　with　all　my　heart；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　let
us　return　to　our　village　with　these　gentlemen；　who　seek　your　good；　and
there　we　will　prepare　for　making　another　sally；　which　may　turn　out
more　profitable　and　creditable　to　us。〃
　　〃Thou　art　right；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃It　will　be　wise
to　let　the　malign　influence　of　the　stars　which　now　prevails　pass　off。〃
　　The　canon；　the　curate；　and　the　barber　told　him　he　would　act　very
wisely　in　doing　as　he　said；　and　so；　highly　amused　at　Sancho　Panza's
simplicities；　they　placed　Don　Quixote　in　the　cart　as　b