don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第203部分

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compared　with　hers；　and　so；　not　saying　you　lie；　but　merely　that　you
are　not　correct　in　what　you　state；　I　accept　your　challenge；　with　the
conditions　you　have　proposed；　and　at　once；　that　the　day　you　have　fixed
may　not　expire；　and　from　your　conditions　I　except　only　that　of　the
renown　of　your　achievements　being　transferred　to　me；　for　I　know　not　of
what　sort　they　are　nor　what　they　may　amount　to；　I　am　satisfied　with　my
own；　such　as　they　be。　Take；　therefore；　the　side　of　the　field　you
choose；　and　I　will　do　the　same；　and　to　whom　God　shall　give　it　may
Saint　Peter　add　his　blessing。〃
　　The　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　had　been　seen　from　the　city；　and　it　was
told　the　viceroy　how　he　was　in　conversation　with　Don　Quixote。　The
viceroy；　fancying　it　must　be　some　fresh　adventure　got　up　by　Don
Antonio　Moreno　or　some　other　gentleman　of　the　city；　hurried　out　at
once　to　the　beach　accompanied　by　Don　Antonio　and　several　other
gentlemen；　just　as　Don　Quixote　was　wheeling　Rocinante　round　in　order
to　take　up　the　necessary　distance。　The　viceroy　upon　this；　seeing
that　the　pair　of　them　were　evidently　preparing　to　come　to　the
charge；　put　himself　between　them；　asking　them　what　it　was　that　led
them　to　engage　in　combat　all　of　a　sudden　in　this　way。　The　Knight　of
the　White　Moon　replied　that　it　was　a　question　of　precedence　of　beauty；
and　briefly　told　him　what　he　had　said　to　Don　Quixote；　and　how　the
conditions　of　the　defiance　agreed　upon　on　both　sides　had　been
accepted。　The　viceroy　went　over　to　Don　Antonio；　and　asked　in　a　low
voice　did　he　know　who　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　was；　or　was　it　some
joke　they　were　playing　on　Don　Quixote。　Don　Antonio　replied　that　he
neither　knew　who　he　was　nor　whether　the　defiance　was　in　joke　or　in
earnest。　This　answer　left　the　viceroy　in　a　state　of　perplexity；　not
knowing　whether　he　ought　to　let　the　combat　go　on　or　not；　but　unable　to
persuade　himself　that　it　was　anything　but　a　joke　he　fell　back；　saying；
〃If　there　be　no　other　way　out　of　it；　gallant　knights；　except　to
confess　or　die；　and　Don　Quixote　is　inflexible；　and　your　worship　of　the
White　Moon　still　more　so；　in　God's　hand　be　it；　and　fall　on。〃
　　He　of　the　White　Moon　thanked　the　viceroy　in　courteous　and
well…chosen　words　for　the　permission　he　gave　them；　and　so　did　Don
Quixote；　who　then；　commending　himself　with　all　his　heart　to　heaven　and
to　his　Dulcinea；　as　was　his　custom　on　the　eve　of　any　combat　that
awaited　him；　proceeded　to　take　a　little　more　distance；　as　he　saw　his
antagonist　was　doing　the　same；　then；　without　blast　of　trumpet　or　other
warlike　instrument　to　give　them　the　signal　to　charge；　both　at　the　same
instant　wheeled　their　horses；　and　he　of　the　White　Moon；　being　the
swifter；　met　Don　Quixote　after　having　traversed　two…thirds　of　the
course；　and　there　encountered　him　with　such　violence　that；　without
touching　him　with　his　lance　（for　he　held　it　high；　to　all　appearance
purposely）；　he　hurled　Don　Quixote　and　Rocinante　to　the　earth；　a
perilous　fall。　He　sprang　upon　him　at　once；　and　placing　the　lance
over　his　visor　said　to　him；　〃You　are　vanquished；　sir　knight；　nay
dead　unless　you　admit　the　conditions　of　our　defiance。〃
　　Don　Quixote；　bruised　and　stupefied；　without　raising　his　visor　said
in　a　weak　feeble　voice　as　if　he　were　speaking　out　of　a　tomb；　〃Dulcinea
del　Toboso　is　the　fairest　woman　in　the　world；　and　I　the　most
unfortunate　knight　on　earth；　it　is　not　fitting　that　this　truth
should　suffer　by　my　feebleness；　drive　your　lance　home；　sir　knight；　and
take　my　life；　since　you　have　taken　away　my　honour。〃
　　〃That　will　I　not；　in　sooth；〃　said　he　of　the　White　Moon；　〃live　the
fame　of　the　lady　Dulcinea's　beauty　undimmed　as　ever；　all　I　require
is　that　the　great　Don　Quixote　retire　to　his　own　home　for　a　year；　or
for　so　long　a　time　as　shall　by　me　be　enjoined　upon　him；　as　we　agreed
before　engaging　in　this　combat。〃
　　The　viceroy；　Don　Antonio；　and　several　others　who　were　present
heard　all　this；　and　heard　too　how　Don　Quixote　replied　that　so　long
as　nothing　in　prejudice　of　Dulcinea　was　demanded　of　him；　he　would
observe　all　the　rest　like　a　true　and　loyal　knight。　The　engagement
given；　he　of　the　White　Moon　wheeled　about；　and　making　obeisance　to　the
viceroy　with　a　movement　of　the　head；　rode　away　into　the　city　at　a　half
gallop。　The　viceroy　bade　Don　Antonio　hasten　after　him；　and　by　some
means　or　other　find　out　who　he　was。　They　raised　Don　Quixote　up　and
uncovered　his　face；　and　found　him　pale　and　bathed　with　sweat。
Rocinante　from　the　mere　hard　measure　he　had　received　lay　unable　to
stir　for　the　present。　Sancho；　wholly　dejected　and　woebegone；　knew
not　what　to　say　or　do。　He　fancied　that　all　was　a　dream；　that　the　whole
business　was　a　piece　of　enchantment。　Here　was　his　master　defeated；　and
bound　not　to　take　up　arms　for　a　year。　He　saw　the　light　of　the　glory　of
his　achievements　obscured；　the　hopes　of　the　promises　lately　made　him
swept　away　like　smoke　before　the　wind；　Rocinante；　he　feared；　was
crippled　for　life；　and　his　master's　bones　out　of　joint；　for　if　he　were
only　shaken　out　of　his　madness　it　would　be　no　small　luck。　In　the　end
they　carried　him　into　the　city　in　a　hand…chair　which　the　viceroy
sent　for；　and　thither　the　viceroy　himself　returned；　cager　to　ascertain
who　this　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　was　who　had　left　Don　Quixote　in　such
a　sad　plight。


　　CHAPTER　LXV
　　WHEREIN　IS　MADE　KNOWN　WHO　THE　KNIGHT　OF　THE　WHITE　MOON　WAS；　LIKEWISE
DON　GREGORIO'S　RELEASE；　AND　OTHER　EVENTS

　　DON　ANTONIO　MORENO　followed　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon；　and　a
number　of　boys　followed　him　too；　nay　pursued　him；　until　they　had　him
fairly　housed　in　a　hostel　in　the　heart　of　the　city。　Don　Antonio；　eager
to　make　his　acquaintance；　entered　also；　a　squire　came　out　to　meet
him　and　remove　his　armour；　and　he　shut　himself　into　a　lower　room；
still　attended　by　Don　Antonio；　whose　bread　would　not　bake　until　he　had
found　out　who　he　was。　He　of　the　White　Moon；　seeing　then　that　the
gentleman　would　not　leave　him；　said；　〃I　know　very　well；　senor；　what
you　have　come　for；　it　is　to　find　out　who　I　am；　and　as　there　is　no
reason　why　I　should　conceal　it　from　you；　while　my　servant　here　is
taking　off　my　armour　I　will　tell　you　the　true　state　of　the　case；
without　leaving　out　anything。　You　must　know；　senor；　that　I　am　called
the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco。　I　am　of　the　same　village　as　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　craze　and　folly　make　all　of　us　who　know
him　feel　pity　for　him；　and　I　am　one　of　those　who　have　felt　it　most；
and　persuaded　that　his　chance　of　recovery　lay　in　quiet　and　keeping
at　home　and　in　his　own　house；　I　hit　upon　a　device　for　keeping　him
there。　Three　months　ago；　therefore；　I　went　out　to　meet　him　as　a
knight…errant；　under　the　assumed　name　of　the　Knight　of　the　Mirrors；
intending　to　engage　him　in　combat　and　overcome　him　without　hurting
him；　making　it　the　condition　of　our　combat　that　the　vanquished
should　be　at　the　disposal　of　the　victor。　What　I　meant　to　demand　of　him
（for　I　regarded　him　as　vanquished　already）　was　that　he　should　return
to　his　own　village；　and　not　leave　it　for　a　whole　year；　by　which　time
he　might　he　cured。　But　fate　ordered　it　otherwise；　for　he　vanquished　me
and　unhorsed　me；　and　so　my　plan　failed。　He　went　his　way；　and　I　came
back　conquered；　covered　with　shame；　and　sorely　bruised　by　my　fall；
which　was　a　particularly　dangerous　one。　But　this　did　not　quench　my
desire　to　meet　him　again　and　overcome　him；　as　you　have　seen　to…day。
And　as　he　is　so　scrupulous　in　his　observance　of　the　laws　of
knight…errantry；　he　will；　no　doubt；　in　order　to　keep　his　word；　obey
the　injunction　I　have　laid　upon　him。　This；　senor；　is　how　the　matter
stands；　and　I　have　nothing　more　to　tell　you。　I　implore　of　you　not　to
betray　me；　or　tell　Don　Quixote　who　I　am；　so　that　my　honest
endeavours　may　be　successful；　and　that　a　man　of　excellent　wits…　were
he　only　rid　of　the　fooleries　of　chivalry…　may　get　them　back　again。〃
　　〃O　senor；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃may　God　forgive　you　the　wrong　you　have
done　the　whole　world　in　trying　to　bring　the　most　amusing　madman　in
it　back　to　his　senses。　Do　you　not　see；　senor；　that　the　gain　by　Don
Quixote's　sanity　can　never　equal　the　enjoyment　his　crazes　give？　But　my
belief　is　that　all　the　senor　bachelor's　pains　will　be　of　no　avail　to
bring　a　man　so　hopelessly　cracked　to　his　senses　again；　and　if　it
were　not　uncharitable；　I　would　say　may　Don　Quixote　never　be　cured；　for
by　his　recovery　we　lose　not　only　his　own　drolleries；　but　his　squire
Sancho　Panza's　too；　any　one　of　which　is　enough　to　turn　melancholy
itself　into　merriment。　However；　I'll　hold　my　peace　and　say　nothing
to　him；　and　we'll　see　whether　I　am　right　in　my　suspicion　that　Senor
Carrasco's　efforts　will　be　fruitless。〃
　　The　bachelor　replied　that　at　all　events　the　affair　promised　well；
and　he　hoped　for　a　happy　result　from　it；　and　putting　his　services　at
Don　Antonio's　commands　he　took　his　leave　of　him；　and　having　had　his
armour　packed　at　once　upon　a　mule；　he　rode　away　from　the　city　the　same
day　on　the　horse　he　rode　to　battle；　and　returned　to　his　own　country
without　meeting　any　adventure　calling　for　record　in　this　veracious
history。
　　Don　Antonio　reported　to　the　viceroy　what　Carrasco　told　him；　and
the　viceroy　was　not　very　well　pleased　to　hear　it；　for　with　Don
Quixote's　retirement　there　was　an　end　to　the　amusement　of　all　who　knew
anything　of　his　mad　doings。
　　Six　days　did　Don　Quixote　keep　his　bed；　dejected；　melancholy；　moody
and　out　of　sorts；　brooding　over　the　unhappy　event　of　his　defeat。
Sancho　strove　to　comfort　him；　and　among　other　things　he　said　to　him；
〃Hold　up　your　head；　senor；　and　be　of　good　cheer　if　you　can；　and　give
thanks　to　heaven　that　if　you　have　had　a　tumble　to　the　ground　you
have　not　come　off　with　a　broken　rib；　and；　as　you　know　that　'where　they
give　they　take；'　and　that　'there　are　not　always　fletches　where　there
are　pegs；'　a　fig　for　the　doctor；　for　there's　no　need　of　him　to　cure
this　ailment。　Let　us　go　home；　and　give　over　going　about　in　search　of
adventures　in　strange　lands　and　places；　rightly　looked　at；　it　is　I
that　am　the　greater　loser；　though　it　is　your　worship　that　has　had
the　worse　usage。　With　the　government　I　gave　up　all　wish　to　be　a
governor　again；　but　I　did　not　give　up　all　longing　to　be　a　count；　and
that　will　never　come　to　pass　if　your　worship　gives　up　becoming　a
king　by　renouncin