don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第98章

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famous　men　that　have　lived　escaped　being　calumniated　by　malice。　Julius
Caesar；　the　boldest；　wisest；　and　bravest　of　captains；　was　charged　with
being　ambitious；　and　not　particularly　cleanly　in　his　dress；　or　pure　in
his　morals。　Of　Alexander；　whose　deeds　won　him　the　name　of　Great；
they　say　that　he　was　somewhat　of　a　drunkard。　Of　Hercules；　him　of　the
many　labours；　it　is　said　that　he　was　lewd　and　luxurious。　Of　Don
Galaor；　the　brother　of　Amadis　of　Gaul；　it　was　whispered　that　he　was
over　quarrelsome；　and　of　his　brother　that　he　was　lachrymose。　So
that；　O　Sancho；　amongst　all　these　calumnies　against　good　men；　mine　may
be　let　pass；　since　they　are　no　more　than　thou　hast　said。〃
　　〃That's　just　where　it　is；　body　of　my　father！〃
　　〃Is　there　more；　then？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃There's　the　tail　to　be　skinned　yet；〃　said　Sancho；　〃all　so　far　is
cakes　and　fancy　bread；　but　if　your　worship　wants　to　know　all　about　the
calumnies　they　bring　against　you；　I　will　fetch　you　one　this　instant
who　can　tell　you　the　whole　of　them　without　missing　an　atom；　for　last
night　the　son　of　Bartholomew　Carrasco；　who　has　been　studying　at
Salamanca；　came　home　after　having　been　made　a　bachelor；　and　when　I
went　to　welcome　him；　he　told　me　that　your　worship's　history　is　already
abroad　in　books；　with　the　title　of　THE　INGENIOUS　GENTLEMAN　DON　QUIXOTE
OF　LA　MANCHA；　and　he　says　they　mention　me　in　it　by　my　own　name　of
Sancho　Panza；　and　the　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　too；　and　divers
things　that　happened　to　us　when　we　were　alone；　so　that　I　crossed
myself　in　my　wonder　how　the　historian　who　wrote　them　down　could　have
known　them。〃
　　〃I　promise　thee；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃the　author　of　our
history　will　be　some　sage　enchanter；　for　to　such　nothing　that　they
choose　to　write　about　is　hidden。〃
　　〃What！〃　said　Sancho；　〃a　sage　and　an　enchanter！　Why；　the　bachelor
Samson　Carrasco　（that　is　the　name　of　him　I　spoke　of）　says　the　author
of　the　history　is　called　Cide　Hamete　Berengena。〃
　　〃That　is　a　Moorish　name；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃May　be　so；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃for　I　have　heard　say　that　the　Moors
are　mostly　great　lovers　of　berengenas。〃
　　〃Thou　must　have　mistaken　the　surname　of　this　'Cide'…　which　means
in　Arabic　'Lord'…　Sancho；〃　observed　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Very　likely；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　if　your　worship　wishes　me　to
fetch　the　bachelor　I　will　go　for　him　in　a　twinkling。〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　do　me　a　great　pleasure；　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃for　what　thou　hast　told　me　has　amazed　me；　and　I　shall　not　eat　a
morsel　that　will　agree　with　me　until　I　have　heard　all　about　it。〃
　　〃Then　I　am　off　for　him；〃　said　Sancho；　and　leaving　his　master　he　went
in　quest　of　the　bachelor；　with　whom　he　returned　in　a　short　time；
and；　all　three　together；　they　had　a　very　droll　colloquy。

　　CHAPTER　III
　　OF　THE　LAUGHABLE　CONVERSATION　THAT　PASSED　BETWEEN　DON　QUIXOTE；
SANCHO　PANZA；　AND　THE　BACHELOR　SAMSON　CARRASCO

　　DON　QUIXOTE　remained　very　deep　in　thought；　waiting　for　the
bachelor　Carrasco；　from　whom　he　was　to　hear　how　he　himself　had　been
put　into　a　book　as　Sancho　said；　and　he　could　not　persuade　himself　that
any　such　history　could　be　in　existence；　for　the　blood　of　the　enemies
he　had　slain　was　not　yet　dry　on　the　blade　of　his　sword；　and　now　they
wanted　to　make　out　that　his　mighty　achievements　were　going　about　in
print。　For　all　that；　he　fancied　some　sage；　either　a　friend　or　an
enemy；　might；　by　the　aid　of　magic；　have　given　them　to　the　press；　if
a　friend；　in　order　to　magnify　and　exalt　them　above　the　most　famous
ever　achieved　by　any　knight…errant；　if　an　enemy；　to　bring　them　to
naught　and　degrade　them　below　the　meanest　ever　recorded　of　any　low
squire；　though　as　he　said　to　himself；　the　achievements　of　squires
never　were　recorded。　If；　however；　it　were　the　fact　that　such　a　history
were　in　existence；　it　must　necessarily；　being　the　story　of　a
knight…errant；　be　grandiloquent；　lofty；　imposing；　grand　and　true。　With
this　he　comforted　himself　somewhat；　though　it　made　him　uncomfortable
to　think　that　the　author　was　a　Moor；　judging　by　the　title　of　〃Cide；〃
and　that　no　truth　was　to　be　looked　for　from　Moors；　as　they　are　all
impostors；　cheats；　and　schemers。　He　was　afraid　he　might　have　dealt
with　his　love　affairs　in　some　indecorous　fashion；　that　might　tend　to
the　discredit　and　prejudice　of　the　purity　of　his　lady　Dulcinea　del
Toboso；　he　would　have　had　him　set　forth　the　fidelity　and　respect　he
had　always　observed　towards　her；　spurning　queens；　empresses；　and
damsels　of　all　sorts；　and　keeping　in　check　the　impetuosity　of　his
natural　impulses。　Absorbed　and　wrapped　up　in　these　and　divers　other
cogitations；　he　was　found　by　Sancho　and　Carrasco；　whom　Don　Quixote
received　with　great　courtesy。
　　The　bachelor；　though　he　was　called　Samson；　was　of　no　great　bodily
size；　but　he　was　a　very　great　wag；　he　was　of　a　sallow　complexion；
but　very　sharp…witted；　somewhere　about　four…and…twenty　years　of　age；
with　a　round　face；　a　flat　nose；　and　a　large　mouth；　all　indications
of　a　mischievous　disposition　and　a　love　of　fun　and　jokes；　and　of
this　he　gave　a　sample　as　soon　as　he　saw　Don　Quixote；　by　falling　on　his
knees　before　him　and　saying；　〃Let　me　kiss　your　mightiness's　hand；
Senor　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　for；　by　the　habit　of　St。　Peter　that
I　wear；　though　I　have　no　more　than　the　first　four　orders；　your　worship
is　one　of　the　most　famous　knights…errant　that　have　ever　been；　or
will　be；　all　the　world　over。　A　blessing　on　Cide　Hamete　Benengeli；
who　has　written　the　history　of　your　great　deeds；　and　a　double　blessing
on　that　connoisseur　who　took　the　trouble　of　having　it　translated　out
of　the　Arabic　into　our　Castilian　vulgar　tongue　for　the　universal
entertainment　of　the　people！〃
　　Don　Quixote　made　him　rise；　and　said；　〃So；　then；　it　is　true　that
there　is　a　history　of　me；　and　that　it　was　a　Moor　and　a　sage　who
wrote　it？〃
　　〃So　true　is　it；　senor；〃　said　Samson；　〃that　my　belief　is　there　are
more　than　twelve　thousand　volumes　of　the　said　history　in　print　this
very　day。　Only　ask　Portugal；　Barcelona；　and　Valencia；　where　they
have　been　printed；　and　moreover　there　is　a　report　that　it　is　being
printed　at　Antwerp；　and　I　am　persuaded　there　will　not　be　a　country
or　language　in　which　there　will　not　be　a　translation　of　it。〃
　　〃One　of　the　things；〃　here　observed　Don　Quixote；　〃that　ought　to
give　most　pleasure　to　a　virtuous　and　eminent　man　is　to　find　himself　in
his　lifetime　in　print　and　in　type；　familiar　in　people's　mouths　with
a　good　name；　I　say　with　a　good　name；　for　if　it　be　the　opposite；　then
there　is　no　death　to　be　compared　to　it。〃
　　〃If　it　goes　by　good　name　and　fame；〃　said　the　bachelor；　〃your　worship
alone　bears　away　the　palm　from　all　the　knights…errant；　for　the　Moor　in
his　own　language；　and　the　Christian　in　his；　have　taken　care　to　set
before　us　your　gallantry；　your　high　courage　in　encountering　dangers；
your　fortitude　in　adversity；　your　patience　under　misfortunes　as　well
as　wounds；　the　purity　and　continence　of　the　platonic　loves　of　your
worship　and　my　lady　Dona　Dulcinea　del　Toboso…〃
　　〃I　never　heard　my　lady　Dulcinea　called　Dona；〃　observed　Sancho
here；　〃nothing　more　than　the　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　so　here　already
the　history　is　wrong。〃
　　〃That　is　not　an　objection　of　any　importance；〃　replied　Carrasco。
　　〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　tell　me；　senor　bachelor；
what　deeds　of　mine　are　they　that　are　made　most　of　in　this　history？〃
　　〃On　that　point；〃　replied　the　bachelor；　〃opinions　differ；　as　tastes
do；　some　swear　by　the　adventure　of　the　windmills　that　your　worship
took　to　be　Briareuses　and　giants；　others　by　that　of　the　fulling　mills；
one　cries　up　the　description　of　the　two　armies　that　afterwards　took
the　appearance　of　two　droves　of　sheep；　another　that　of　the　dead　body
on　its　way　to　be　buried　at　Segovia；　a　third　says　the　liberation　of　the
galley　slaves　is　the　best　of　all；　and　a　fourth　that　nothing　comes　up
to　the　affair　with　the　Benedictine　giants；　and　the　battle　with　the
valiant　Biscayan。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　senor　bachelor；〃　said　Sancho　at　this　point；　〃does　the
adventure　with　the　Yanguesans　come　in；　when　our　good　Rocinante　went
hankering　after　dainties？〃
　　〃The　sage　has　left　nothing　in　the　ink…bottle；〃　replied　Samson；　〃he
tells　all　and　sets　down　everything；　even　to　the　capers　that　worthy
Sancho　cut　in　the　blanket。〃
　　〃I　cut　no　capers　in　the　blanket；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃in　the　air　I
did；　and　more　of　them　than　I　liked。〃
　　〃There　is　no　human　history　in　the　world；　I　suppose；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃that　has　not　its　ups　and　downs；　but　more　than　others　such　as
deal　with　chivalry；　for　they　can　never　be　entirely　made　up　of
prosperous　adventures。〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　replied　the　bachelor；　〃there　are　those　who　have　read
the　history　who　say　they　would　have　been　glad　if　the　author　had　left
out　some　of　the　countless　cudgellings　that　were　inflicted　on　Senor　Don
Quixote　in　various　encounters。〃
　　〃That's　where　the　truth　of　the　history　comes　in；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃At　the　same　time　they　might　fairly　have　passed　them　over　in
silence；〃　observed　Don　Quixote；　〃for　there　is　no　need　of　recording
events　which　do　not　change　or　affect　the　truth　of　a　history；　if　they
tend　to　bring　the　hero　of　it　into　contempt。　AEneas　was　not　in　truth
and　earnest　so　pious　as　Virgil　represents　him；　nor　Ulysses　so　wise
as　Homer　describes　him。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Samson；　〃but　it　is　one　thing　to　write　as　a
poet；　another　to　write　as　a　historian；　the　poet　may　describe　or　sing
things；　not　as　they　were；　but　as　they　ought　to　have　been；　but　the
historian　has　to　write　them　down；　not　as　they　ought　to　have　been；
but　as　they　were；　without　adding　anything　to　the　truth　or　taking
anything　from　it。〃
　　〃Well　then；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　this　senor　Moor　goes　in　for　telling
the　truth；　no　doubt　among　my　master's　drubbings　mine　are　to　be
found；　for　they　never　took　the　measure　of　his　worship's　shoulders
without　doing　the　same　for　my　whole　body；　but　I　have　no　right　to
wonder　at　that；　for；　as　my　master　himself　says；　the　members　must　share
the　pain　of　the　head。〃
　　〃You　are　a　sly　dog；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃i'　faith；　you　have
no　want　of　memory　when　you　choose　to　remember。〃
　　〃If　I　were　to　try　to　forget　the　thwacks　they　gave　me；〃　said
Sancho；　〃my　weals　would　not　let　me；　for　they　are　still　fresh　on　my
ribs。〃
　　〃Hush；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　don't　interrupt　the　bachelor；
whom　I　entreat　to　go　on　and　tell　all　that　is　said　about　me　in　this
history。〃
　　〃And　about　me；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　they　say；　too；　that　I　am　one　of
the　principal　presonages　in　it。〃
　　〃Personages；　not　presonages；　friend　Sancho；〃　said　Samson。
　　〃What！　Another　word…catcher！〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　that's　to　be　the
way　we　shall　not　make　an　end　in　a　lifetime。〃
　　〃May　God　shorten　mine；　Sancho；〃　returned　the　bachelor；　〃if　you　are
not　the　second　person　in　the　history；　and　there　are　even　some　who
would　rather　hear　you　talk　than　the　cleverest　in　the　whole　book；
though　there　are　some；　too；　who　say　you　showed　yourself　over…credulous
in　believing　there　was　any　possibility　in　the　government　of　that
island　offered　you　by　Senor　Don　Quixote。〃
　　〃There　is　still　sunshine　on　the　wall；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　when
Sancho　is　somewhat　more　advanced　in　life；　with　the　experience　that
years　bring；　he　will　be　fitter　and　better　qualified　for　being　a
governor　than　he　is　at　present。〃
　　〃By　God；　master；〃　said