don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第139部分
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enchanted here these many years； and although more than five hundred
have gone by； not one of us has died； Ruidera and her daughters and
nieces alone are missing； and these； because of the tears they shed；
Merlin； out of the compassion he seems to have felt for them；
changed into so many lakes； which to this day in the world of the
living； and in the province of La Mancha； are called the Lakes of
Ruidera。 The seven daughters belong to the kings of Spain and the
two nieces to the knights of a very holy order called the Order of St。
John。 Guadiana your squire； likewise bewailing your fate； was
changed into a river of his own name； but when he came to the
surface and beheld the sun of another heaven； so great was his grief
at finding he was leaving you； that he plunged into the bowels of
the earth； however； as he cannot help following his natural course； he
from time to time comes forth and shows himself to the sun and the
world。 The lakes aforesaid send him their waters； and with these；
and others that come to him； he makes a grand and imposing entrance
into Portugal； but for all that； go where he may； he shows his
melancholy and sadness； and takes no pride in breeding dainty choice
fish； only coarse and tasteless sorts； very different from those of
the golden Tagus。 All this that I tell you now； O cousin mine； I
have told you many times before； and as you make no answer； I fear
that either you believe me not； or do not hear me； whereat I feel
God knows what grief。 I have now news to give you； which； if it serves
not to alleviate your sufferings； will not in any wise increase
them。 Know that you have here before you （open your eyes and you
will see） that great knight of whom the sage Merlin has prophesied
such great things； that Don Quixote of La Mancha I mean； who has
again； and to better purpose than in past times； revived in these days
knight…errantry； long since forgotten； and by whose intervention and
aid it may be we shall be disenchanted； for great deeds are reserved
for great men。'
〃'And if that may not be；' said the wretched Durandarte in a low and
feeble voice； 'if that may not be； then； my cousin； I say 〃patience
and shuffle；〃' and turning over on his side； he relapsed into his
former silence without uttering another word。
〃And now there was heard a great outcry and lamentation； accompanied
by deep sighs and bitter sobs。 I looked round； and through the crystal
wall I saw passing through another chamber a procession of two lines
of fair damsels all clad in mourning； and with white turbans of
Turkish fashion on their heads。 Behind； in the rear of these； there
came a lady； for so from her dignity she seemed to be； also clad in
black； with a white veil so long and ample that it swept the ground。
Her turban was twice as large as the largest of any of the others； her
eyebrows met； her nose was rather flat； her mouth was large but with
ruddy lips； and her teeth； of which at times she allowed a glimpse；
were seen to be sparse and ill…set； though as white as peeled almonds。
She carried in her hands a fine cloth； and in it； as well as I could
make out； a heart that had been mummied； so parched and dried was
it。 Montesinos told me that all those forming the procession were
the attendants of Durandarte and Belerma； who were enchanted there
with their master and mistress； and that the last； she who carried the
heart in the cloth； was the lady Belerma； who； with her damsels；
four days in the week went in procession singing； or rather weeping；
dirges over the body and miserable heart of his cousin； and that if
she appeared to me somewhat ill…favoured or not so beautiful as fame
reported her； it was because of the bad nights and worse days that she
passed in that enchantment； as I could see by the great dark circles
round her eyes； and her sickly complexion； 'her sallowness； and the
rings round her eyes；' said he； 'are not caused by the periodical
ailment usual with women； for it is many months and even years since
she has had any； but by the grief her own heart suffers because of
that which she holds in her hand perpetually； and which recalls and
brings back to her memory the sad fate of her lost lover； were it
not for this； hardly would the great Dulcinea del Toboso； so
celebrated in all these parts； and even in the world； come up to her
for beauty； grace； and gaiety。'
〃'Hold hard！' said I at this； 'tell your story as you ought； Senor
Don Montesinos； for you know very well that all comparisons are
odious； and there is no occasion to compare one person with another；
the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso is what she is； and the lady Dona
Belerma is what she is and has been； and that's enough。' To which he
made answer； 'Forgive me； Senor Don Quixote； I own I was wrong and
spoke unadvisedly in saying that the lady Dulcinea could scarcely come
up to the lady Belerma； for it were enough for me to have learned；
by what means I know not； that youare her knight； to make me bite my
tongue out before I compared her to anything save heaven itself。'
After this apology which the great Montesinos made me； my heart
recovered itself from the shock I had received in hearing my lady
compared with Belerma。〃
〃Still I wonder；〃 said Sancho； 〃that your worship did not get upon
the old fellow and bruise every bone of him with kicks； and pluck
his beard until you didn't leave a hair in it。〃
〃Nay； Sancho； my friend；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃it would not have
been right in me to do that； for we are all bound to pay respect to
the aged； even though they be not knights； but especially to those who
are； and who are enchanted； I only know I gave him as good as he
brought in the many other questions and answers we exchanged。〃
〃I cannot understand； Senor Don Quixote；〃 remarked the cousin
here； 〃how it is that your worship； in such a short space of time as
you have been below there； could have seen so many things； and said
and answered so much。〃
〃How long is it since I went down？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃Little better than an hour；〃 replied Sancho。
〃That cannot be；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃because night overtook me
while I was there； and day came； and it was night again and day
again three times； so that； by my reckoning； I have been three days in
those remote regions beyond our ken。〃
〃My master must be right；〃 replied Sancho； 〃for as everything that
has happened to him is by enchantment； maybe what seems to us an
hour would seem three days and nights there。〃
〃That's it；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃And did your worship eat anything all that time； senor？〃 asked
the cousin。
〃I never touched a morsel；〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃nor did I feel
hunger； or think of it。〃
〃And do the enchanted eat？〃 said the cousin。
〃They neither eat；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃nor are they subject to the
greater excrements； though it is thought that their nails； beards； and
hair grow。〃
〃And do the enchanted sleep； now； senor？〃 asked Sancho。
〃Certainly not；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃at least； during those
three days I was with them not one of them closed an eye； nor did I
either。〃
〃The proverb； 'Tell me what company thou keepest and I'll tell
thee what thou art；' is to the point here；〃 said Sancho； 〃your worship
keeps company with enchanted people that are always fasting and
watching； what wonder is it； then； that you neither eat nor sleep
while you are with them？ But forgive me； senor； if I say that of all
this you have told us now； may God take me… I was just going to say
the devil… if I believe a single particle。〃
〃What！〃 said the cousin； 〃has Senor Don Quixote； then； been lying？
Why； even if he wished it he has not had time to imagine and put
together such a host of lies。〃
〃I don't believe my master lies；〃 said Sancho。
〃If not； what dost thou believe？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃I believe；〃 replied Sancho； 〃that this Merlin； or those
enchanters who enchanted the whole crew your worship says you saw
and discoursed with down there； stuffed your imagination or your
mind with all this rigmarole you have been treating us to； and all
that is still to come。〃
〃All that might be； Sancho；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃but it is not so；
for everything that I have told you I saw with my own eyes； and
touched with my own hands。 But what will you say when I tell you now
how； among the countless other marvellous things Montesinos showed
me （of which at leisure and at the proper time I will give thee an
account in the course of our journey； for they would not be all in
place here）； he showed me three country girls who went skipping and
capering like goats over the pleasant fields there； and the instant
I beheld them I knew one to be the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso； and
the other two those same country girls that were with her and that
we spoke to on the road from El Toboso！ I asked Montesinos if he
knew them； and he told me he did not； but he thought they must be some
enchanted ladies of distinction； for it was only a few days before
that they had made their appearance in those meadows； but I was not to
be surprised at that； because there were a great many other ladies
there of times past and present； enchanted in various strange
shapes； and among them he had recognised Queen Guinevere and her
dame Quintanona； she who poured out the wine for Lancelot when he came
from Britain。〃
When Sancho Panza heard his master say this he was ready to take
leave of his senses； or die with laughter； for； as he knew the real
truth about the pretended enchantment of Dulcinea； in which he himself
had been the enchanter and concocter of all the evidence； he made up
his mind at last that； beyond all doubt； his master was out of his
wits and stark mad； so he said to him； 〃It was an evil hour； a worse
season； and a sorrowful day； when your worship； dear master mine； went
down to the other world； and an unlucky moment when you met with Senor
Montesinos； who has sent you back to us like this。 You were well
enough here above in your full senses； such as God had given you；
delivering maxims and giving advice at every turn； and not as you
are now； talking the greatest nonsense that can be imagined。〃
〃As I know thee； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I heed not thy words。〃
〃Nor I your worsh
