don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第31部分

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that　may　befall　you　as　safe　and　sound　as　he　has　brought　you　out　of
this　one）；　was　it　not　a　thing　to　laugh　at；　and　is　it　not　a　good　story；
the　great　fear　we　were　in？…　at　least　that　I　was　in；　for　as　to　your
worship　I　see　now　that　you　neither　know　nor　understand　what　either
fear　or　dismay　is。〃
　　〃I　do　not　deny；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　what　happened　to　us　may
be　worth　laughing　at；　but　it　is　not　worth　making　a　story　about；　for　it
is　not　everyone　that　is　shrewd　enough　to　hit　the　right　point　of　a
thing。〃
　　〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Sancho；　〃your　worship　knew　how　to　hit　the
right　point　with　your　pike；　aiming　at　my　head　and　hitting　me　on　the
shoulders；　thanks　be　to　God　and　my　own　smartness　in　dodging　it。　But
let　that　pass；　all　will　come　out　in　the　scouring；　for　I　have　heard　say
'he　loves　thee　well　that　makes　thee　weep；'　and　moreover　that　it　is　the
way　with　great　lords　after　any　hard　words　they　give　a　servant　to
give　him　a　pair　of　breeches；　though　I　do　not　know　what　they　give　after
blows；　unless　it　be　that　knights…errant　after　blows　give　islands；　or
kingdoms　on　the　mainland。〃
　　〃It　may　be　on　the　dice；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　all　thou　sayest
will　come　true；　overlook　the　past；　for　thou　art　shrewd　enough　to
know　that　our　first　movements　are　not　in　our　own　control；　and　one
thing　for　the　future　bear　in　mind；　that　thou　curb　and　restrain　thy
loquacity　in　my　company；　for　in　all　the　books　of　chivalry　that　I
have　read；　and　they　are　innumerable；　I　never　met　with　a　squire　who
talked　so　much　to　his　lord　as　thou　dost　to　thine；　and　in　fact　I　feel
it　to　be　a　great　fault　of　thine　and　of　mine：　of　thine；　that　thou
hast　so　little　respect　for　me；　of　mine；　that　I　do　not　make　myself　more
respected。　There　was　Gandalin；　the　squire　of　Amadis　of　Gaul；　that
was　Count　of　the　Insula　Firme；　and　we　read　of　him　that　he　always
addressed　his　lord　with　his　cap　in　his　hand；　his　head　bowed　down　and
his　body　bent　double；　more　turquesco。　And　then；　what　shall　we　say　of
Gasabal；　the　squire　of　Galaor；　who　was　so　silent　that　in　order　to
indicate　to　us　the　greatness　of　his　marvellous　taciturnity　his　name　is
only　once　mentioned　in　the　whole　of　that　history；　as　long　as　it　is
truthful？　From　all　I　have　said　thou　wilt　gather；　Sancho；　that　there
must　be　a　difference　between　master　and　man；　between　lord　and
lackey；　between　knight　and　squire：　so　that　from　this　day　forward　in
our　intercourse　we　must　observe　more　respect　and　take　less
liberties；　for　in　whatever　way　I　may　be　provoked　with　you　it　will　be
bad　for　the　pitcher。　The　favours　and　benefits　that　I　have　promised　you
will　come　in　due　time；　and　if　they　do　not　your　wages　at　least　will　not
be　lost；　as　I　have　already　told　you。〃
　　〃All　that　your　worship　says　is　very　well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I
should　like　to　know　（in　case　the　time　of　favours　should　not　come；
and　it　might　be　necessary　to　fall　back　upon　wages）　how　much　did　the
squire　of　a　knight…errant　get　in　those　days；　and　did　they　agree　by　the
month；　or　by　the　day　like　bricklayers？〃
　　〃I　do　not　believe；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　such　squires　were
ever　on　wages；　but　were　dependent　on　favour；　and　if　I　have　now
mentioned　thine　in　the　sealed　will　I　have　left　at　home；　it　was　with
a　view　to　what　may　happen；　for　as　yet　I　know　not　how　chivalry　will
turn　out　in　these　wretched　times　of　ours；　and　I　do　not　wish　my　soul　to
suffer　for　trifles　in　the　other　world；　for　I　would　have　thee　know；
Sancho；　that　in　this　there　is　no　condition　more　hazardous　than　that　of
adventurers。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Sancho；　〃since　the　mere　noise　of　the　hammers　of
a　fulling　mill　can　disturb　and　disquiet　the　heart　of　such　a　valiant
errant　adventurer　as　your　worship；　but　you　may　be　sure　I　will　not　open
my　lips　henceforward　to　make　light　of　anything　of　your　worship's；
but　only　to　honour　you　as　my　master　and　natural　lord。〃
　　〃By　so　doing；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃shalt　thou　live　long　on　the
face　of　the　earth；　for　next　to　parents；　masters　are　to　be　respected　as
though　they　were　parents。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　EXALTED　ADVENTURE　AND　RICH　PRIZE　OF　MAMBRINO'S
HELMET；　TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　THINGS　THAT　HAPPENED　TO　OUR　INVINCIBLE
KNIGHT

　　IT　NOW　began　to　rain　a　little；　and　Sancho　was　for　going　into　the
fulling　mills；　but　Don　Quixote　had　taken　such　an　abhorrence　to　them　on
account　of　the　late　joke　that　he　would　not　enter　them　on　any
account；　so　turning　aside　to　right　they　came　upon　another　road；
different　from　that　which　they　had　taken　the　night　before。　Shortly
afterwards　Don　Quixote　perceived　a　man　on　horseback　who　wore　on　his
head　something　that　shone　like　gold；　and　the　moment　he　saw　him　he
turned　to　Sancho　and　said：
　　〃I　think；　Sancho；　there　is　no　proverb　that　is　not　true；　all　being
maxims　drawn　from　experience　itself；　the　mother　of　all　the　sciences；
especially　that　one　that　says；　'Where　one　door　shuts；　another
opens。'　I　say　so　because　if　last　night　fortune　shut　the　door　of　the
adventure　we　were　looking　for　against　us；　cheating　us　with　the　fulling
mills；　it　now　opens　wide　another　one　for　another　better　and　more
certain　adventure；　and　if　I　do　not　contrive　to　enter　it；　it　will　be　my
own　fault；　and　I　cannot　lay　it　to　my　ignorance　of　fulling　mills；　or
the　darkness　of　the　night。　I　say　this　because；　if　I　mistake　not；　there
comes　towards　us　one　who　wears　on　his　head　the　helmet　of　Mambrino；
concerning　which　I　took　the　oath　thou　rememberest。〃
　　〃Mind　what　you　say；　your　worship；　and　still　more　what　you　do；〃
said　Sancho；　〃for　I　don't　want　any　more　fulling　mills　to　finish　off
fulling　and　knocking　our　senses　out。〃
　　〃The　devil　take　thee；　man；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃what　has　a　helmet
to　do　with　fulling　mills？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but；　faith；　if　I　might　speak　as　I
used；　perhaps　I　could　give　such　reasons　that　your　worship　would　see
you　were　mistaken　in　what　you　say。〃
　　〃How　can　I　be　mistaken　in　what　I　say；　unbelieving　traitor？〃　returned
Don　Quixote；　〃tell　me；　seest　thou　not　yonder　knight　coming　towards
us　on　a　dappled　grey　steed；　who　has　upon　his　head　a　helmet　of　gold？〃
　　〃What　I　see　and　make　out；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃is　only　a　man　on　a　grey
ass　like　my　own；　who　has　something　that　shines　on　his　head。〃
　　〃Well；　that　is　the　helmet　of　Mambrino；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃stand
to　one　side　and　leave　me　alone　with　him；　thou　shalt　see　how；　without
saying　a　word；　to　save　time；　I　shall　bring　this　adventure　to　an
issue　and　possess　myself　of　the　helmet　I　have　so　longed　for。〃
　　〃I　will　take　care　to　stand　aside；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　God　grant；　I
say　once　more；　that　it　may　be　marjoram　and　not　fulling　mills。〃
　　〃I　have　told　thee；　brother；　on　no　account　to　mention　those　fulling
mills　to　me　again；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃or　I　vow…　and　I　say　no　more…
I'll　full　the　soul　out　of　you。〃
　　Sancho　held　his　peace　in　dread　lest　his　master　should　carry　out
the　vow　he　had　hurled　like　a　bowl　at　him。
　　The　fact　of　the　matter　as　regards　the　helmet；　steed；　and　knight　that
Don　Quixote　saw；　was　this。　In　that　neighbourhood　there　were　two
villages；　one　of　them　so　small　that　it　had　neither　apothecary's　shop
nor　barber；　which　the　other　that　was　close　to　it　had；　so　the　barber　of
the　larger　served　the　smaller；　and　in　it　there　was　a　sick　man　who
required　to　be　bled　and　another　man　who　wanted　to　be　shaved；　and　on
this　errand　the　barber　was　going；　carrying　with　him　a　brass　basin；　but
as　luck　would　have　it；　as　he　was　on　the　way　it　began　to　rain；　and
not　to　spoil　his　hat；　which　probably　was　a　new　one；　he　put　the　basin
on　his　head；　and　being　clean　it　glittered　at　half　a　league's　distance。
He　rode　upon　a　grey　ass；　as　Sancho　said；　and　this　was　what　made　it
seem　to　Don　Quixote　to　be　a　dapple…grey　steed　and　a　knight　and　a
golden　helmet；　for　everything　he　saw　he　made　to　fall　in　with　his　crazy
chivalry　and　ill…errant　notions；　and　when　he　saw　the　poor　knight
draw　near；　without　entering　into　any　parley　with　him；　at　Rocinante's
top　speed　he　bore　down　upon　him　with　the　pike　pointed　low；　fully
determined　to　run　him　through　and　through；　and　as　he　reached　him；
without　checking　the　fury　of　his　charge；　he　cried　to　him：
　　〃Defend　thyself；　miserable　being；　or　yield　me　of　thine　own　accord
that　which　is　so　reasonably　my　due。〃
　　The　barber；　who　without　any　expectation　or　apprehension　of　it　saw
this　apparition　coming　down　upon　him；　had　no　other　way　of　saving
himself　from　the　stroke　of　the　lance　but　to　let　himself　fall　off　his
ass；　and　no　sooner　had　he　touched　the　ground　than　he　sprang　up　more
nimbly　than　a　deer　and　sped　away　across　the　plain　faster　than　the
wind。
　　He　left　the　basin　on　the　ground；　with　which　Don　Quixote　contented
himself；　saying　that　the　pagan　had　shown　his　discretion　and　imitated
the　beaver；　which　finding　itself　pressed　by　the　hunters　bites　and　cuts
off　with　its　teeth　that　for　which；　by　its　natural　instinct；　it　knows
it　is　pursued。
　　He　told　Sancho　to　pick　up　the　helmet；　and　he　taking　it　in　his
hands　said：
　　〃By　God　the　basin　is　a　good　one；　and　worth　a　real　of　eight　if　it
is　worth　a　maravedis；〃　and　handed　it　to　his　master；　who　immediately
put　it　on　his　head；　turning　it　round；　now　this　way；　now　that；　in
search　of　fitment；　and　not　finding　it　he　said；　〃Clearly　the　pagan　to
whose　measure　this　famous　head…piece　was　first　forged　must　have　had
a　very　large　head；　but　the　worst　of　it　is　half　of　it　is　wanting。〃
　　When　Sancho　heard　him　call　the　basin　a　headpiece　he　was　unable　to
restrain　his　laughter；　but　remembering　his　master's　wrath　he　checked
himself　in　the　midst　of　it。
　　〃What　art　thou　laughing　at；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　am　laughing；〃　said　he；　〃to　think　of　the　great　head　the　pagan　must
have　had　who　owned　this　helmet；　for　it　looks　exactly　like　a　regular
barber's　basin。〃
　　〃Dost　thou　know　what　I　suspect；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that
this　wonderful　piece　of　this　enchanted　helmet　must　by　some　strange
accident　have　come　into　the　hands　of　some　one　who　was　unable　to
recognise　or　realise　its　value；　and　who；　not　knowing　what　he　did；
and　seeing　it　to　be　of　the　purest　gold；　must　have　melted　down　one　half
for　the　sake　of　what　it　might　be　worth；　and　of　the　other　made　this
which　is　like　a　barber's　basin　as　thou　sayest；　but　be　it　as　it　may；　to
me　who　recognise　it；　its　transformation　makes　no　difference；　for　I
will　set　it　to　rights　at　the　first　village　w