tracks of a rolling stone-第41部分

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We　both　sketched；　and　passed　ourselves　off　as　'retratistas'　　（portrait　painters）；　and　did　a　small　business　in　this　way　…　　rather　in　the　shape　of　caricatures；　I　fear；　but　which　gave　　much　satisfaction。　　We　charged　one　peseta　（seven…pence）；　or　　two；　a　head；　according　to　the　means　of　the　sitter。　　The　　fiction　that　we　were　earning　our　bread　wholesomely　tended　to　　moderate　the　charge　for　it。

Passing　through　the　land　of　Don　Quixote's　exploits；　we　　reverentially　visited　any　known　spot　which　these　had　rendered　　famous。　　Amongst　such　was　the　VENTA　of　Quesada；　from　which；　　or　from　Quixada；　as　some　conjecture；　the　knight　derived　his　　surname。　　It　was　here；　attracted　by　its　castellated　style；　　and　by　two　'ladies　of　pleasure'　at　its　door　…　whose　virginity　　he　at　once　offered　to　defend；　that　he　spent　the　night　of　his　　first　sally。　　It　was　here　that；　in　his　shirt；　he　kept　guard　　till　morning　over　the　armour　he　had　laid　by　the　well。　　It　was　　here　that；　with　his　spear；　he　broke　the　head　of　the　carrier　　whom　he　took　for　another　knight　bent　on　the　rape　of　the　　virgin　princesses　committed　to　his　charge。　　Here；　too；　it　was　　that　the　host　of　the　VENTA　dubbed　him　with　the　coveted　　knighthood　which　qualified　him　for　his　noble　deeds。

To　Quesada　we　wended　our　way。　　We　asked　the　Senor　Huesped　　whether　he　knew　anything　of　the　history　of　his　VENTA。　　Was　it　　not　very　ancient？

'Oh　no；　it　was　quite　modern。　　But　on　the　site　of　it　had　stood　　a　fine　VENTA　which　was　burnt　down　at　the　time　of　the　war。'

'An　old　building？'

'Yes；　indeed！　A　COSA　DE　SIEMPRE　…　thing　of　always。　　Nothing；　　was　left　of　it　now　but　that　well；　and　the　stone　trough。'

These　bore　marks　of　antiquity；　and　were　doubtless　as　the　　gallant　knight　had　left　them。　　Curiously；　too；　there　were　　remains　of　an　outhouse　with　a　crenellated　parapet；　suggestive　　enough　of　a　castle。

From　Quesada　we　rode　to　Argamasilla　del　Alba；　where　Cervantes　　was　imprisoned；　and　where　the　First　Part　of　Don　Quixote　was　　written。

In　his　Life　of　Cervantes；　Don　Gregorio　Mayano　throws　some　　doubt　upon　this。　　Speaking　of　the　attacks　of　his　　contemporary；　the　'Aragonian；'　Don　Gregorio　writes　（I　give　　Ozell's　translation）：　　'As　for　this　scandalous　fellow's　　saying　that　Cervantes　wrote　his　First　Part　of　〃Don　Quixote〃　　in　a　prison；　and　that　that　might　make　it　so　dull　and　　incorrect；　Cervantes　did　not　think　fit　to　give　any　answer　　concerning　his　being　imprisoned；　perhaps　to　avoid　giving　　offence　to　the　ministers　of　justice；　for　certainly　his　　imprisonment　must　not　have　been　ignominious；　since　Cervantes　　himself　voluntarily　mentions　it　in　his　Preface　to　the　First　　Part　of　〃Don　Quixote。〃'

This　reasoning；　however；　does　not　seem　conclusive；　for　the　　only　reference　to　the　subject　in　the　preface　is　as　follows：　　　'What　could　my　sterile　and　uncultivated　genius　produce　but　　the　history　of　a　child；　meagre；　adust；　and　whimsical；　full　of　　various　wild　imaginations　never　thought　of　before；　like　one　　you　may　suppose　born　in　a　prison；　where　every　inconvenience　　keeps　its　residence；　and　every　dismal　sound　its　habitation？'

We　took　up　our　quarters　in　the　little　town　at　the　'Posada　de　　la　Mina。'　　While　our　OLLA　was　being　prepared；　we　asked　the　　hostess　whether　she　had　ever　heard　of　the　celebrated　Don　　Miguel　de　Cervantes；　who　had　been　imprisoned　there？　　（I　will　　quote　Cayley）。

'No；　Senores；　I　think　I　have　heard　of　one　Cervantes；　but　he　　does　not　live　here　at　present。'

'Do　you　know　anything　of　Don　Quixote？'

'Oh；　yes。　　He　was　a　great　CABALLERO；　who　lived　here　some　　years　ago。　　His　house　is　over　the　way；　on　the　other　side　of　　the　PLAZA；　with　the　arms　over　the　door。　　The　father　of　the　　Alcalde　is　the　oldest　man　in　the　PUEBLO；　perhaps　he　may　　remember　him。'

We　were　amused　at　his　hero's　fame　outliving　that　of　the　　author。　　But　is　it　not　so　with　others　…　the　writers　of　the　　Book　of　Job；　of　the　Pentateuch；　and　perhaps；　too；　of　the　　'Iliad；'　if　not　of　the　'Odyssey'？

But；　to　let　Cayley　speak：

'While　we　were　undressing　to　go　to　bed；　three　gentlemen　were　　announced　and　shown　in。　　We　begged　them　to　be　seated。　。　。　。　　We　sat　opposite　on　the　ends　of　our　respective　beds　to　hear　　what　they　might　have　to　communicate。　　A　venerable　old　man　　opened　the　conference。

'〃We　have　understood；　gentlemen；　that　you　have　come　hither　　seeking　for　information　respecting　the　famous　Don　Quixote；　　and　we　have　come　to　give　you　such　information　as　we　may；　but；　　perhaps　you　will　understand　me　better　if　I　speak　in　Latin。〃

'〃We　have　learnt　the　Latin　at　our　schools；　but　are　more　　accustomed　to　converse　in　Castilian；　pray　proceed。〃

'〃I　am　the　Medico　of　the　place；　an　old　man；　as　you　see；　and　　what　little　I　know　has　reached　me　by　tradition。　　It　is　　reported　that　Cervantes　was　paying　his　addresses　to　a　young　　lady；　whose　name　was　Quijana　or　Quijada。　　The　Alcalde；　　disapproving　of　the　suit；　put　him　into　a　dungeon　under　his　　house；　and　kept　him　there　a　year。　　Once　he　escaped　and　fled；　　but　he　was　taken　in　Toboso；　and　brought　back。　　Cervantes　　wrote　'Don　Quixote'　as　a　satire　on　the　Alcalde；　who　was　a　　very　proud　man；　full　of　chivalresque　ideas。　　You　can　see　the　　dungeon　to…morrow；　but　you　should　see　the　BATANES　（water…　mills）　of　the　Guadiana；　whose　'golpear'　so　terrified　Sancho　　Panza。　　They　are　at　about　three　leagues　distance。〃'

The　old　gentleman　added　that　he　was　proud　to　receive　　strangers　who　came　to　do　honour　to　the　memory　of　his　　illustrious　townsman；　and　hoped　we　would　visit　him　next　day；　　on　our　return　from　the　fulling…mills；　when　he　would　have　the　　pleasure　of　conducting　us　to　the　house　of　the　Quijanas；　in　　the　cellars　of　which　Cervantes　was　confined。

To　the　BATANES　we　went　next　morning。　　Their　historical　　importance　entitles　them　to　an　accurate　description。　　None　　could　be　more　lucid　than　that　of　my　companion。　　'These　　clumsy；　ancient　machines　are　composed　of　a　couple　of　huge　　wooden　mallets；　slung　in　a　timber　framework；　which；　being　　pushed　out　of　the　perpendicular　by　knobs　on　a　water…wheel；　　clash　back　again　alternately　in　two　troughs；　pounding　　severely　whatever　may　be　put　in　between　the　face　of　the　　mallet　and　the　end　of　the　trough　into　which　the　water　runs。'

It　will　be　remembered　that；　after　a　copious　meal；　Sancho　　having　neglected　to　replenish　the　gourd；　both　he　and　his　　master　suffered　greatly　from　thirst。　　It　was　now　'so　dark；'　　says　the　history；　'that　they　could　see　nothing；　but　they　had　　not　gone　two　hundred　paces　when　a　great　noise　of　water　　reached　their　ears。　。　。　。　The　sound　rejoiced　them　　exceedingly；　and；　stopping　to　listen　from　whence　it　came；　　they　heard　on　a　sudden　another　dreadful　noise；　which　abated　　their　pleasure　occasioned　by　that　of　the　water；　especially　　Sancho's。　。　。　。　They　heard　a　dreadful　din　of　irons　and　chains　　rattling　across　one　another；　and　giving　mighty　strokes　in　　time　and　measure　which；　together　with　the　furious　noise　of　　the　water；　would　have　struck　terror　into　any　other　heart　than　　that　of　Don　Quixote。'　　For　him　it　was　but　an　opportunity　for　　some　valorous　achievement。　　So；　having　braced　on　his　buckler　　and　mounted　Rosinante；　he　brandished　his　spear；　and　explained　　to　his　trembling　squire　that　by　the　will　of　Heaven　he　was　　reserved　for　deeds　which　would　obliterate　the　memory　of　the　　Platirs；　Tablantes；　the　Olivantes；　and　Belianesas；　with　the　　whole　tribe　of　the　famous　knights…errant　of　times　past。

'Wherefore；　straighten　Rosinante's　girths　a　little；'　said　he；　　'and　God　be　with　you。　　Stay　for　me　here　three　days；　and　no　　more；　if　I　do　not　return　in　that　time　you　may　go　to　Toboso；　　where　you　shall　say　to　my　incomparable　Lady　Dulcinea　that　her　　enthralled　knight　died　in　attempting　things　that　might　have　　made　him　worthy　to　be　styled　〃hers。〃'

Sancho；　more　terrified　than　ever　at　the　thoughts　of　being　　left　alone；　reminded　his　master　that　it　was　unwise　to　tempt　　God　by　undertaking　exploits　from　which　there　was　no　escaping　　but　by　a　miracle；　and；　in　order　to　emphasize　this　very　　sensible　remark；　secretly　tied　Rosinante's　hind　legs　together　　with　his　halter。　　Seeing　the　success　of　his　contrivance；　he　　said：　　'Ah；　sir！　behold　how　Heaven；　moved　by　my　tears　and　　prayers；　has　ordained　that　Rosinante　cannot　go；'　and　then　　warned　him　not　to　set　Providence　at　defiance。　　Still　Sancho　　was　much　too　frightened　by　the　infernal　clatter　to　relax　his　　hold　of　the　knight's　saddle。　　For　some　time　he　strove　to　　beguile　his　own　fears　with　a　very　long　story　about　the　　goatherd　Lope　Ruiz；　who　was　in　love　with　the　shepherdess　　Torralva　…　'a　jolly；　strapping　wench；　a　little　scornful；　and　　somewhat　masculine。'　　Now；　whether　owing　to　the　cold　of　the　　morning；　which　was　at　hand；　or　whether　to　some　lenitive　diet　　on　which　he　had　supped；　it　so　befell　that　Sancho　。　。　。　what　　nobody　could　do　for　him。　　The　truth　is；　the　honest　fellow　was　　overcome　by　panic；　and　under　no　circumstances　would；　or　did；　　he　for　one　instant　leave　his　master's　side。　　Nay；　when　the　　knight　spurred　his　steed　and　found　it　could　not　move；　Sancho　　reminded　him　that　the　attempt　was　useless；　since　Rosinante　　was　restrained　by　enchantment。　　This　the　knight　readily　　admitted；　but　stoutly　protested　that　he　himself　was　anything　　but　enchanted　by　the　close　proximity　of　his　squire。

We　all　remember　the　grave　admonitions　of　Don　Quixote；　and　the　　ingenious　endeavours　of　Sancho　to　lay　the　blame　upon　the　　knight。　　But　the　final　words　of　the　Don　contain　a　moral　　apposite　to　so　many　other　important　situations；　that　they　　must　not　be　omitted　here。　　'Apostare；　replico　Sancho；　que　　pensa　vuestra　merced　que　yo　he　hecho　de　mi　persona　alguna　　cosa　que　no　deba。'　　'I　will　lay　a　wager；'　replied　Sancho；　　'that　your　worship　thinks　that　I　have　&c。'　　The　brief；　but　　memorable；　answer　was：　　'Peor　es　meneallo；　amigo　Sancho；'　　which；　as　no　translation　could　do　justice　to　it；　must　be　left　　as　it　stands。　　QUIETA　NON　MOVERE。

We　were　nearly　meeting　with　an　adventure　here。　　While　I　was　　busy　making　a　careful　drawing　of　the　BATANES；　Cayley's　pony　　was　as　much　alarmed　by　the　rushing　waters　as　had　been　Sancho　　Panza。　　In　his　endeavours　to　picket　the　animal；　my　friend　　dropped　a　pistol　which　I　had　lent　him　to　practise　with；　　although　he　carried　a　revolver　of　his　own。　　Not　till　he　had　　tied　up　the　pony　at　some　little　distance　did　he　discover　the　　loss。　　In　vain　he　searched　the　spot　where　he　knew　the　pist