don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第183部分

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daughter；　the　unhappy　damsel　here　before　you；　and　you　promised　me　to
take　her　part　and　right　the　wrong　that　has　been　done　her；　but　now　it
has　come　to　my　hearing　that　you　are　about　to　depart　from　this　castle
in　quest　of　such　fair　adventures　as　God　may　vouchsafe　to　you；
therefore；　before　you　take　the　road；　I　would　that　you　challenge　this
froward　rustic；　and　compel　him　to　marry　my　daughter　in　fulfillment
of　the　promise　he　gave　her　to　become　her　husband　before　he　seduced
her；　for　to　expect　that　my　lord　the　duke　will　do　me　justice　is　to
ask　pears　from　the　elm　tree；　for　the　reason　I　stated　privately　to　your
worship；　and　so　may　our　Lord　grant　you　good　health　and　forsake　us
not。〃
　　To　these　words　Don　Quixote　replied　very　gravely　and　solemnly；
〃Worthy　duenna；　check　your　tears；　or　rather　dry　them；　and　spare　your
sighs；　for　I　take　it　upon　myself　to　obtain　redress　for　your
daughter；　for　whom　it　would　have　been　better　not　to　have　been　so　ready
to　believe　lovers'　promises；　which　are　for　the　most　part　quickly
made　and　very　slowly　performed；　and　so；　with　my　lord　the　duke's　leave；
I　will　at　once　go　in　quest　of　this　inhuman　youth；　and　will　find　him
out　and　challenge　him　and　slay　him；　if　so　be　he　refuses　to　keep　his
promised　word；　for　the　chief　object　of　my　profession　is　to　spare　the
humble　and　chastise　the　proud；　I　mean；　to　help　the　distressed　and
destroy　the　oppressors。〃
　　〃There　is　no　necessity；〃　said　the　duke；　〃for　your　worship　to　take
the　trouble　of　seeking　out　the　rustic　of　whom　this　worthy　duenna
complains；　nor　is　there　any　necessity；　either；　for　asking　my　leave
to　challenge　him；　for　I　admit　him　duly　challenged；　and　will　take
care　that　he　is　informed　of　the　challenge；　and　accepts　it；　and　comes
to　answer　it　in　person　to　this　castle　of　mine；　where　I　shall　afford　to
both　a　fair　field；　observing　all　the　conditions　which　are　usually
and　properly　observed　in　such　trials；　and　observing　too　justice　to
both　sides；　as　all　princes　who　offer　a　free　field　to　combatants　within
the　limits　of　their　lordships　are　bound　to　do。〃
　　〃Then　with　that　assurance　and　your　highness's　good　leave；〃　said
Don　Quixote；　〃I　hereby　for　this　once　waive　my　privilege　of　gentle
blood；　and　come　down　and　put　myself　on　a　level　with　the　lowly　birth　of
the　wrong…doer；　making　myself　equal　with　him　and　enabling　him　to　enter
into　combat　with　me；　and　so；　I　challenge　and　defy　him；　though
absent；　on　the　plea　of　his　malfeasance　in　breaking　faith　with　this
poor　damsel；　who　was　a　maiden　and　now　by　his　misdeed　is　none；　and
say　that　he　shall　fulfill　the　promise　he　gave　her　to　become　her　lawful
husband；　or　else　stake　his　life　upon　the　question。〃
　　And　then　plucking　off　a　glove　he　threw　it　down　in　the　middle　of
the　hall；　and　the　duke　picked　it　up；　saying；　as　he　had　said　before；
that　he　accepted　the　challenge　in　the　name　of　his　vassal；　and　fixed
six　days　thence　as　the　time；　the　courtyard　of　the　castle　as　the　place；
and　for　arms　the　customary　ones　of　knights；　lance　and　shield　and
full　armour；　with　all　the　other　accessories；　without　trickery；
guile；　or　charms　of　any　sort；　and　examined　and　passed　by　the　judges　of
the　field。　〃But　first　of　all；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　requisite　that　this
worthy　duenna　and　unworthy　damsel　should　place　their　claim　for　justice
in　the　hands　of　Don　Quixote；　for　otherwise　nothing　can　be　done；　nor
can　the　said　challenge　be　brought　to　a　lawful　issue。〃
　　〃I　do　so　place　it；〃　replied　the　duenna。
　　〃And　I　too；〃　added　her　daughter；　all　in　tears　and　covered　with　shame
and　confusion。
　　This　declaration　having　been　made；　and　the　duke　having　settled　in
his　own　mind　what　he　would　do　in　the　matter；　the　ladies　in　black
withdrew；　and　the　duchess　gave　orders　that　for　the　future　they　were
not　to　be　treated　as　servants　of　hers；　but　as　lady　adventurers　who
came　to　her　house　to　demand　justice；　so　they　gave　them　a　room　to
themselves　and　waited　on　them　as　they　would　on　strangers；　to　the
consternation　of　the　other　women…servants；　who　did　not　know　where
the　folly　and　imprudence　of　Dona　Rodriguez　and　her　unlucky　daughter
would　stop。
　　And　now；　to　complete　the　enjoyment　of　the　feast　and　bring　the　dinner
to　a　satisfactory　end；　lo　and　behold　the　page　who　had　carried　the
letters　and　presents　to　Teresa　Panza；　the　wife　of　the　governor　Sancho；
entered　the　hall；　and　the　duke　and　duchess　were　very　well　pleased　to
see　him；　being　anxious　to　know　the　result　of　his　journey；　but　when
they　asked　him　the　page　said　in　reply　that　he　could　not　give　it　before
so　many　people　or　in　a　few　words；　and　begged　their　excellences　to　be
pleased　to　let　it　wait　for　a　private　opportunity；　and　in　the
meantime　amuse　themselves　with　these　letters；　and　taking　out　the
letters　he　placed　them　in　the　duchess's　hand。　One　bore　by　way　of
address；　Letter　for　my　lady　the　Duchess　So…and…so；　of　I　don't　know
where；　and　the　other　To　my　husband　Sancho　Panza；　governor　of　the
island　of　Barataria；　whom　God　prosper　longer　than　me。　The　duchess's
bread　would　not　bake；　as　the　saying　is；　until　she　had　read　her　letter；
and　having　looked　over　it　herself　and　seen　that　it　might　be　read　aloud
for　the　duke　and　all　present　to　hear；　she　read　out　as　follows。

　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　THE　DUCHESS。

　　The　letter　your　highness　wrote　me；　my　lady；　gave　me　great
pleasure；　for　indeed　I　found　it　very　welcome。　The　string　of　coral
beads　is　very　fine；　and　my　husband's　hunting　suit　does　not　fall
short　of　it。　All　this　village　is　very　much　pleased　that　your
ladyship　has　made　a　governor　of　my　good　man　Sancho；　though　nobody　will
believe　it；　particularly　the　curate；　and　Master　Nicholas　the　barber；
and　the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco；　but　I　don't　care　for　that；　for　so
long　as　it　is　true；　as　it　is；　they　may　all　say　what　they　like；　though；
to　tell　the　truth；　if　the　coral　beads　and　the　suit　had　not　come　I
would　not　have　believed　it　either；　for　in　this　village　everybody
thinks　my　husband　a　numskull；　and　except　for　governing　a　flock　of
goats；　they　cannot　fancy　what　sort　of　government　he　can　be　fit　for。
God　grant　it；　and　direct　him　according　as　he　sees　his　children　stand
in　need　of　it。　I　am　resolved　with　your　worship's　leave；　lady　of　my
soul；　to　make　the　most　of　this　fair　day；　and　go　to　Court　to　stretch
myself　at　ease　in　a　coach；　and　make　all　those　I　have　envying　me
already　burst　their　eyes　out；　so　I　beg　your　excellence　to　order　my
husband　to　send　me　a　small　trifle　of　money；　and　to　let　it　be　something
to　speak　of；　because　one's　expenses　are　heavy　at　the　Court；　for　a　loaf
costs　a　real；　and　meat　thirty　maravedis　a　pound；　which　is　beyond
everything；　and　if　he　does　not　want　me　to　go　let　him　tell　me　in
time；　for　my　feet　are　on　the　fidgets　to　he　off；　and　my　friends　and
neighbours　tell　me　that　if　my　daughter　and　I　make　a　figure　and　a　brave
show　at　Court；　my　husband　will　come　to　be　known　far　more　by　me　than
I　by　him；　for　of　course　plenty　of　people　will　ask；　〃Who　are　those
ladies　in　that　coach？〃　and　some　servant　of　mine　will　answer；　〃The　wife
and　daughter　of　Sancho　Panza；　governor　of　the　island　of　Barataria；〃
and　in　this　way　Sancho　will　become　known；　and　I'll　be　thought　well　of；
and　〃to　Rome　for　everything。〃　I　am　as　vexed　as　vexed　can　be　that
they　have　gathered　no　acorns　this　year　in　our　village；　for　all　that
I　send　your　highness　about　half　a　peck　that　I　went　to　the　wood　to
gather　and　pick　out　one　by　one　myself；　and　I　could　find　no　bigger
ones；　I　wish　they　were　as　big　as　ostrich　eggs。
　　Let　not　your　high　mightiness　forget　to　write　to　me；　and　I　will
take　care　to　answer；　and　let　you　know　how　I　am；　and　whatever　news
there　may　be　in　this　place；　where　I　remain；　praying　our　Lord　to　have
your　highness　in　his　keeping　and　not　to　forget　me。
　　Sancha　my　daughter；　and　my　son；　kiss　your　worship's　hands。
　　She　who　would　rather　see　your　ladyship　than　write　to　you；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　servant；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA。

　　All　were　greatly　amused　by　Teresa　Panza's　letter；　but　particularly
the　duke　and　duchess；　and　the　duchess　asked　Don　Quixote's　opinion
whether　they　might　open　the　letter　that　had　come　for　the　governor；
which　she　suspected　must　be　very　good。　Don　Quixote　said　that　to
gratify　them　he　would　open　it；　and　did　so；　and　found　that　it　ran　as
follows。

　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　HER　HUSBAND　SANCHO　PANZA。

　　I　got　thy　letter；　Sancho　of　my　soul；　and　I　promise　thee　and　swear　as
a　Catholic　Christian　that　I　was　within　two　fingers'　breadth　of　going
mad　I　was　so　happy。　I　can　tell　thee；　brother；　when　I　came　to　hear　that
thou　wert　a　governor　I　thought　I　should　have　dropped　dead　with　pure
joy；　and　thou　knowest　they　say　sudden　joy　kills　as　well　as　great
sorrow；　and　as　for　Sanchica　thy　daughter；　she　leaked　from　sheer
happiness。　I　had　before　me　the　suit　thou　didst　send　me；　and　the
coral　beads　my　lady　the　duchess　sent　me　round　my　neck；　and　the　letters
in　my　hands；　and　there　was　the　bearer　of　them　standing　by；　and　in
spite　of　all　this　I　verily　believed　and　thought　that　what　I　saw　and
handled　was　all　a　dream；　for　who　could　have　thought　that　a　goatherd
would　come　to　be　a　governor　of　islands？　Thou　knowest；　my　friend；
what　my　mother　used　to　say；　that　one　must　live　long　to　see　much；　I　say
it　because　I　expect　to　see　more　if　I　live　longer；　for　I　don't　expect
to　stop　until　I　see　thee　a　farmer　of　taxes　or　a　collector　of
revenue；　which　are　offices　where；　though　the　devil　carries　off　those
who　make　a　bad　use　of　them；　still　they　make　and　handle　money。　My
lady　the　duchess　will　tell　thee　the　desire　I　have　to　go　to　the
Court；　consider　the　matter　and　let　me　know　thy　pleasure；　I　will　try　to
do　honour　to　thee　by　going　in　a　coach。
　　Neither　the　curate；　nor　the　barber；　nor　the　bachelor；　nor　even　the
sacristan；　can　believe　that　thou　art　a　governor；　and　they　say　the
whole　thing　is　a　delusion　or　an　enchantment　affair；　like　everything
belonging　to　thy　master　Don　Quixote；　and　Samson　says　he　must　go　in
search　of　thee　and　drive　the　government　out　of　thy　head　and　the
madness　out　of　Don　Quixote's　skull；　I　only　laugh；　and　look　at　my
string　of　beads；　and　plan　out　the　dress　I　am　going　to　make　for　our
daughter　out　of　thy　suit。　I　sent　some　acorns　to　my　lady　the　duchess；　I
wish　they　had　been　gold。　Send　me　some　strings　of　pearls　if　they　are　in
fashion　in　that　isla