don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第195部分

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have　no　fancy　to　whip　myself；　it　is　enough　if　I　give　you　my　word　to
flog　and　flap　myself　when　I　have　a　mind。〃
　　〃It　will　not　do　to　leave　it　to　thy　courtesy；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　thou　art　hard　of　heart　and；　though　a　clown；　tender　of
flesh；〃　and　at　the　same　time　he　strove　and　struggled　to　untie　him。
　　Seeing　this　Sancho　got　up；　and　grappling　with　his　master　he
gripped　him　with　all　his　might　in　his　arms；　giving　him　a　trip　with　the
heel　stretched　him　on　the　ground　on　his　back；　and　pressing　his　right
knee　on　his　chest　held　his　hands　in　his　own　so　that　he　could　neither
move　nor　breathe。
　　〃How　now；　traitor！〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote。　〃Dost　thou　revolt　against
thy　master　and　natural　lord？　Dost　thou　rise　against　him　who　gives　thee
his　bread？〃
　　〃I　neither　put　down　king；　nor　set　up　king；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　only
stand　up　for　myself　who　am　my　own　lord；　if　your　worship　promises　me　to
be　quiet；　and　not　to　offer　to　whip　me　now；　I'll　let　you　go　free　and
unhindered；　if　not…

　　　　　　　Traitor　and　Dona　Sancha's　foe；
　　　　　　　Thou　diest　on　the　spot。〃

　　Don　Quixote　gave　his　promise；　and　swore　by　the　life　of　his
thoughts　not　to　touch　so　much　as　a　hair　of　his　garments；　and　to
leave　him　entirely　free　and　to　his　own　discretion　to　whip　himself
whenever　he　pleased。
　　Sancho　rose　and　removed　some　distance　from　the　spot；　but　as　he　was
about　to　place　himself　leaning　against　another　tree　he　felt
something　touch　his　head；　and　putting　up　his　hands　encountered
somebody's　two　feet　with　shoes　and　stockings　on　them。　He　trembled　with
fear　and　made　for　another　tree；　where　the　very　same　thing　happened
to　him；　and　he　fell　a…shouting；　calling　upon　Don　Quixote　to　come　and
protect　him。　Don　Quixote　did　so；　and　asked　him　what　had　happened　to
him；　and　what　he　was　afraid　of。　Sancho　replied　that　all　the　trees　were
full　of　men's　feet　and　legs。　Don　Quixote　felt　them；　and　guessed　at
once　what　it　was；　and　said　to　Sancho；　〃Thou　hast　nothing　to　be
afraid　of；　for　these　feet　and　legs　that　thou　feelest　but　canst　not　see
belong　no　doubt　to　some　outlaws　and　freebooters　that　have　been
hanged　on　these　trees；　for　the　authorities　in　these　parts　are　wont
to　hang　them　up　by　twenties　and　thirties　when　they　catch　them；　whereby
I　conjecture　that　I　must　be　near　Barcelona；〃　and　it　was；　in　fact；　as
he　supposed；　with　the　first　light　they　looked　up　and　saw　that　the
fruit　hanging　on　those　trees　were　freebooters'　bodies。
　　And　now　day　dawned；　and　if　the　dead　freebooters　had　scared　them；
their　hearts　were　no　less　troubled　by　upwards　of　forty　living　ones；
who　all　of　a　sudden　surrounded　them；　and　in　the　Catalan　tongue　bade
them　stand　and　wait　until　their　captain　came　up。　Don　Quixote　was　on
foot　with　his　horse　unbridled　and　his　lance　leaning　against　a　tree；
and　in　short　completely　defenceless；　he　thought　it　best　therefore　to
fold　his　arms　and　bow　his　head　and　reserve　himself　for　a　more
favourable　occasion　and　opportunity。　The　robbers　made　haste　to
search　Dapple；　and　did　not　leave　him　a　single　thing　of　all　he
carried　in　the　alforjas　and　in　the　valise；　and　lucky　it　was　for　Sancho
that　the　duke's　crowns　and　those　he　brought　from　home　were　in　a　girdle
that　he　wore　round　him；　but　for　all　that　these　good　folk　would　have
stripped　him；　and　even　looked　to　see　what　he　had　hidden　between　the
skin　and　flesh；　but　for　the　arrival　at　that　moment　of　their　captain；
who　was　about　thirty…four　years　of　age　apparently；　strongly　built；
above　the　middle　height；　of　stern　aspect　and　swarthy　complexion。　He
was　mounted　upon　a　powerful　horse；　and　had　on　a　coat　of　mail；　with
four　of　the　pistols　they　call　petronels　in　that　country　at　his
waist。　He　saw　that　his　squires　（for　so　they　call　those　who　follow　that
trade）　were　about　to　rifle　Sancho　Panza；　but　he　ordered　them　to　desist
and　was　at　once　obeyed；　so　the　girdle　escaped。　He　wondered　to　see
the　lance　leaning　against　the　tree；　the　shield　on　the　ground；　and
Don　Quixote　in　armour　and　dejected；　with　the　saddest　and　most
melancholy　face　that　sadness　itself　could　produce；　and　going　up　to　him
he　said；　〃Be　not　so　cast　down；　good　man；　for　you　have　not　fallen
into　the　hands　of　any　inhuman　Busiris；　but　into　Roque　Guinart's；　which
are　more　merciful　than　cruel。〃
　　〃The　cause　of　my　dejection；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃is　not　that　I
have　fallen　into　thy　hands；　O　valiant　Roque；　whose　fame　is　bounded
by　no　limits　on　earth；　but　that　my　carelessness　should　have　been　so
great　that　thy　soldiers　should　have　caught　me　unbridled；　when　it　is　my
duty；　according　to　the　rule　of　knight…errantry　which　I　profess；　to
be　always　on　the　alert　and　at　all　times　my　own　sentinel；　for　let　me
tell　thee；　great　Roque；　had　they　found　me　on　my　horse；　with　my　lance
and　shield；　it　would　not　have　been　very　easy　for　them　to　reduce　me
to　submission；　for　I　am　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　he　who　hath　filled
the　whole　world　with　his　achievements。〃
　　Roque　Guinart　at　once　perceived　that　Don　Quixote's　weakness　was　more
akin　to　madness　than　to　swagger；　and　though　he　had　sometimes　heard　him
spoken　of；　he　never　regarded　the　things　attributed　to　him　as　true；　nor
could　he　persuade　himself　that　such　a　humour　could　become　dominant
in　the　heart　of　man；　he　was　extremely　glad；　therefore；　to　meet　him　and
test　at　close　quarters　what　he　had　heard　of　him　at　a　distance；　so　he
said　to　him；　〃Despair　not；　valiant　knight；　nor　regard　as　an　untoward
fate　the　position　in　which　thou　findest　thyself；　it　may　be　that　by
these　slips　thy　crooked　fortune　will　make　itself　straight；　for
heaven　by　strange　circuitous　ways；　mysterious　and　incomprehensible
to　man；　raises　up　the　fallen　and　makes　rich　the　poor。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　about　to　thank　him；　when　they　heard　behind　them　a
noise　as　of　a　troop　of　horses；　there　was；　however；　but　one；　riding
on　which　at　a　furious　pace　came　a　youth；　apparently　about　twenty　years
of　age；　clad　in　green　damask　edged　with　gold　and　breeches　and　a
loose　frock；　with　a　hat　looped　up　in　the　Walloon　fashion；
tight…fitting　polished　boots；　gilt　spurs；　dagger　and　sword；　and　in　his
hand　a　musketoon；　and　a　pair　of　pistols　at　his　waist。
　　Roque　turned　round　at　the　noise　and　perceived　this　comely　figure；
which　drawing　near　thus　addressed　him；　〃I　came　in　quest　of　thee；
valiant　Roque；　to　find　in　thee　if　not　a　remedy　at　least　relief　in　my
misfortune；　and　not　to　keep　thee　in　suspense；　for　I　see　thou　dost
not　recognise　me；　I　will　tell　thee　who　I　am；　I　am　Claudia　Jeronima；
the　daughter　of　Simon　Forte；　thy　good　friend；　and　special　enemy　of
Clauquel　Torrellas；　who　is　thine　also　as　being　of　the　faction
opposed　to　thee。　Thou　knowest　that　this　Torrellas　has　a　son　who　is
called；　or　at　least　was　not　two　hours　since；　Don　Vicente　Torrellas。
Well；　to　cut　short　the　tale　of　my　misfortune；　I　will　tell　thee　in　a
few　words　what　this　youth　has　brought　upon　me。　He　saw　me；　he　paid
court　to　me；　I　listened　to　him；　and；　unknown　to　my　father；　I　loved
him；　for　there　is　no　woman；　however　secluded　she　may　live　or　close　she
may　be　kept；　who　will　not　have　opportunities　and　to　spare　for
following　her　headlong　impulses。　In　a　word；　he　pledged　himself　to　be
mine；　and　I　promised　to　be　his；　without　carrying　matters　any
further。　Yesterday　I　learned　that；　forgetful　of　his　pledge　to　me；　he
was　about　to　marry　another；　and　that　he　was　to　go　this　morning　to
plight　his　troth；　intelligence　which　overwhelmed　and　exasperated　me；
my　father　not　being　at　home　I　was　able　to　adopt　this　costume　you
see；　and　urging　my　horse　to　speed　I　overtook　Don　Vicente　about　a
league　from　this；　and　without　waiting　to　utter　reproaches　or　hear
excuses　I　fired　this　musket　at　him；　and　these　two　pistols　besides；　and
to　the　best　of　my　belief　I　must　have　lodged　more　than　two　bullets　in
his　body；　opening　doors　to　let　my　honour　go　free；　enveloped　in　his
blood。　I　left　him　there　in　the　hands　of　his　servants；　who　did　not　dare
and　were　not　able　to　interfere　in　his　defence；　and　I　come　to　seek　from
thee　a　safe…conduct　into　France；　where　I　have　relatives　with　whom　I
can　live；　and　also　to　implore　thee　to　protect　my　father；　so　that　Don
Vicente's　numerous　kinsmen　may　not　venture　to　wreak　their　lawless
vengeance　upon　him。〃
　　Roque；　filled　with　admiration　at　the　gallant　bearing；　high　spirit；
comely　figure；　and　adventure　of　the　fair　Claudia；　said　to　her；
〃Come；　senora；　let　us　go　and　see　if　thy　enemy　is　dead；　and　then　we
will　consider　what　will　be　best　for　thee。〃　Don　Quixote；　who　had　been
listening　to　what　Claudia　said　and　Roque　Guinart　said　in　reply　to　her；
exclaimed；　〃Nobody　need　trouble　himself　with　the　defence　of　this　lady；
for　I　take　it　upon　myself。　Give　me　my　horse　and　arms；　and　wait　for
me　here；　I　will　go　in　quest　of　this　knight；　and　dead　or　alive　I　will
make　him　keep　his　word　plighted　to　so　great　beauty。〃
　　〃Nobody　need　have　any　doubt　about　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　my　master
has　a　very　happy　knack　of　matchmaking；　it's　not　many　days　since　he
forced　another　man　to　marry；　who　in　the　same　way　backed　out　of　his
promise　to　another　maiden；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　his
persecutors　the　enchanters　changing　the　man's　proper　shape　into　a
lacquey's　the　said　maiden　would　not　be　one　this　minute。〃
　　Roque；　who　was　paying　more　attention　to　the　fair　Claudia's　adventure
than　to　the　words　of　master　or　man；　did　not　hear　them；　and　ordering
his　squires　to　restore　to　Sancho　everything　they　had　stripped　Dapple
of；　he　directed　them　to　return　to　the　place　where　they　had　been
quartered　during　the　night；　and　then　set　off　with　Claudia　at　full
speed　in　search　of　the　wounded　or　slain　Don　Vicente。　They　reached
the　spot　where　Claudia　met　him；　but　found　nothing　there　save　freshly
spilt　blood；　looking　all　round；　however；　they　descried　some　people
on　the　slope　of　a　hill　above　them；　and　concluded；　as　indeed　it
proved　to　be；　that　it　was　Don　Vicente；　whom　either　dead　or　alive　his
servants　were　removing　to　attend　to　his　wounds　or　to　bury　him。　They
made　haste　to　overtake　them；　which；　as　the　party　moved　slowly；　they
were　able　to　do　with　ease。　They　found　Don　Vicente　in　the　arms　of　his
servants；　whom　he　was　entreating　in　a　broken　feeble　voice　to　leave　him
there　to　die；　as　the　pain　of　his　wounds　would　not　suffer　him　to　go　any
farther。　Claudia　and　Roque　threw　themselves　off　their　horses　and
advanced　towards　him；　the　servants　were　overawed　by　t