don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第50部分

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if　not　to　relieve　your　distress；　at　least　to　offer　you　comfort；　for　no
distress；　so　long　as　life　lasts；　can　be　so　oppressive　or　reach　such
a　height　as　to　make　the　sufferer　refuse　to　listen　to　comfort　offered
with　good　intention。　And　so；　senora；　or　senor；　or　whatever　you
prefer　to　be；　dismiss　the　fears　that　our　appearance　has　caused　you　and
make　us　acquainted　with　your　good　or　evil　fortunes；　for　from　all　of　us
together；　or　from　each　one　of　us；　you　will　receive　sympathy　in　your
trouble。〃
　　While　the　curate　was　speaking；　the　disguised　damsel　stood　as　if
spell…bound；　looking　at　them　without　opening　her　lips　or　uttering　a
word；　just　like　a　village　rustic　to　whom　something　strange　that　he　has
never　seen　before　has　been　suddenly　shown；　but　on　the　curate
addressing　some　further　words　to　the　same　effect　to　her；　sighing
deeply　she　broke　silence　and　said：
　　〃Since　the　solitude　of　these　mountains　has　been　unable　to　conceal
me；　and　the　escape　of　my　dishevelled　tresses　will　not　allow　my
tongue　to　deal　in　falsehoods；　it　would　be　idle　for　me　now　to　make
any　further　pretence　of　what；　if　you　were　to　believe　me；　you　would
believe　more　out　of　courtesy　than　for　any　other　reason。　This　being　so；
I　say　I　thank　you；　sirs；　for　the　offer　you　have　made　me；　which
places　me　under　the　obligation　of　complying　with　the　request　you
have　made　of　me；　though　I　fear　the　account　I　shall　give　you　of　my
misfortunes　will　excite　in　you　as　much　concern　as　compassion；　for
you　will　be　unable　to　suggest　anything　to　remedy　them　or　any
consolation　to　alleviate　them。　However；　that　my　honour　may　not　be　left
a　matter　of　doubt　in　your　minds；　now　that　you　have　discovered　me　to　be
a　woman；　and　see　that　I　am　young；　alone；　and　in　this　dress；　things
that　taken　together　or　separately　would　be　enough　to　destroy　any
good　name；　I　feel　bound　to　tell　what　I　would　willingly　keep　secret
if　I　could。〃
　　All　this　she　who　was　now　seen　to　be　a　lovely　woman　delivered　without
any　hesitation；　with　so　much　ease　and　in　so　sweet　a　voice　that　they
were　not　less　charmed　by　her　intelligence　than　by　her　beauty；　and　as
they　again　repeated　their　offers　and　entreaties　to　her　to　fulfil　her
promise；　she　without　further　pressing；　first　modestly　covering　her
feet　and　gathering　up　her　hair；　seated　herself　on　a　stone　with　the
three　placed　around　her；　and；　after　an　effort　to　restrain　some　tears
that　came　to　her　eyes；　in　a　clear　and　steady　voice　began　her　story
thus：
　　〃In　this　Andalusia　there　is　a　town　from　which　a　duke　takes　a　title
which　makes　him　one　of　those　that　are　called　Grandees　of　Spain。　This
nobleman　has　two　sons；　the　elder　heir　to　his　dignity　and　apparently　to
his　good　qualities；　the　younger　heir　to　I　know　not　what；　unless　it
be　the　treachery　of　Vellido　and　the　falsehood　of　Ganelon。　My　parents
are　this　lord's　vassals；　lowly　in　origin；　but　so　wealthy　that　if　birth
had　conferred　as　much　on　them　as　fortune；　they　would　have　had
nothing　left　to　desire；　nor　should　I　have　had　reason　to　fear　trouble
like　that　in　which　I　find　myself　now；　for　it　may　be　that　my　ill
fortune　came　of　theirs　in　not　having　been　nobly　born。　It　is　true
they　are　not　so　low　that　they　have　any　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　their
condition；　but　neither　are　they　so　high　as　to　remove　from　my　mind
the　impression　that　my　mishap　comes　of　their　humble　birth。　They　are；
in　short；　peasants；　plain　homely　people；　without　any　taint　of
disreputable　blood；　and；　as　the　saying　is；　old　rusty　Christians；　but
so　rich　that　by　their　wealth　and　free…handed　way　of　life　they　are
coming　by　degrees　to　be　considered　gentlefolk　by　birth；　and　even　by
position；　though　the　wealth　and　nobility　they　thought　most　of　was
having　me　for　their　daughter；　and　as　they　have　no　other　child　to
make　their　heir；　and　are　affectionate　parents；　I　was　one　of　the　most
indulged　daughters　that　ever　parents　indulged。
　　〃I　was　the　mirror　in　which　they　beheld　themselves；　the　staff　of
their　old　age；　and　the　object　in　which；　with　submission　to　Heaven；　all
their　wishes　centred；　and　mine　were　in　accordance　with　theirs；　for　I
knew　their　worth；　and　as　I　was　mistress　of　their　hearts；　so　was　I　also
of　their　possessions。　Through　me　they　engaged　or　dismissed　their
servants；　through　my　hands　passed　the　accounts　and　returns　of　what　was
sown　and　reaped；　the　oil…mills；　the　wine…presses；　the　count　of　the
flocks　and　herds；　the　beehives；　all　in　short　that　a　rich　farmer　like
my　father　has　or　can　have；　I　had　under　my　care；　and　I　acted　as　steward
and　mistress　with　an　assiduity　on　my　part　and　satisfaction　on　theirs
that　I　cannot　well　describe　to　you。　The　leisure　hours　left　to　me　after
I　had　given　the　requisite　orders　to　the　head…shepherds；　overseers；　and
other　labourers；　I　passed　in　such　employments　as　are　not　only
allowable　but　necessary　for　young　girls；　those　that　the　needle；
embroidery　cushion；　and　spinning　wheel　usually　afford；　and　if　to
refresh　my　mind　I　quitted　them　for　a　while；　I　found　recreation　in
reading　some　devotional　book　or　playing　the　harp；　for　experience
taught　me　that　music　soothes　the　troubled　mind　and　relieves
weariness　of　spirit。　Such　was　the　life　I　led　in　my　parents'　house
and　if　I　have　depicted　it　thus　minutely；　it　is　not　out　of　ostentation；
or　to　let　you　know　that　I　am　rich；　but　that　you　may　see　how；　without
any　fault　of　mine；　I　have　fallen　from　the　happy　condition　I　have
described；　to　the　misery　I　am　in　at　present。　The　truth　is；　that
while　I　was　leading　this　busy　life；　in　a　retirement　that　might　compare
with　that　of　a　monastery；　and　unseen　as　I　thought　by　any　except　the
servants　of　the　house　（for　when　I　went　to　Mass　it　was　so　early　in
the　morning；　and　I　was　so　closely　attended　by　my　mother　and　the
women　of　the　household；　and　so　thickly　veiled　and　so　shy；　that　my　eyes
scarcely　saw　more　ground　than　I　trod　on）；　in　spite　of　all　this；　the
eyes　of　love；　or　idleness；　more　properly　speaking；　that　the　lynx's
cannot　rival；　discovered　me；　with　the　help　of　the　assiduity　of　Don
Fernando；　for　that　is　the　name　of　the　younger　son　of　the　duke　I　told
of。〃
　　The　moment　the　speaker　mentioned　the　name　of　Don　Fernando；
Cardenio　changed　colour　and　broke　into　a　sweat；　with　such　signs　of
emotion　that　the　curate　and　the　barber；　who　observed　it；　feared　that
one　of　the　mad　fits　which　they　heard　attacked　him　sometimes　was　coming
upon　him；　but　Cardenio　showed　no　further　agitation　and　remained　quiet；
regarding　the　peasant　girl　with　fixed　attention；　for　he　began　to
suspect　who　she　was。　She；　however；　without　noticing　the　excitement
of　Cardenio；　continuing　her　story；　went　on　to　say：
　　〃And　they　had　hardly　discovered　me；　when；　as　he　owned　afterwards；　he

was　smitten　with　a　violent　love　for　me；　as　the　manner　in　which　it
displayed　itself　plainly　showed。　But　to　shorten　the　long　recital　of　my
woes；　I　will　pass　over　in　silence　all　the　artifices　employed　by　Don
Fernando　for　declaring　his　passion　for　me。　He　bribed　all　the
household；　he　gave　and　offered　gifts　and　presents　to　my　parents；　every
day　was　like　a　holiday　or　a　merry…making　in　our　street；　by　night　no
one　could　sleep　for　the　music；　the　love　letters　that　used　to　come　to
my　hand；　no　one　knew　how；　were　innumerable；　full　of　tender　pleadings
and　pledges；　containing　more　promises　and　oaths　than　there　were
letters　in　them；　all　which　not　only　did　not　soften　me；　but　hardened　my
heart　against　him；　as　if　he　had　been　my　mortal　enemy；　and　as　if
everything　he　did　to　make　me　yield　were　done　with　the　opposite
intention。　Not　that　the　high…bred　bearing　of　Don　Fernando　was
disagreeable　to　me；　or　that　I　found　his　importunities　wearisome；　for
it　gave　me　a　certain　sort　of　satisfaction　to　find　myself　so　sought　and
prized　by　a　gentleman　of　such　distinction；　and　I　was　not　displeased　at
seeing　my　praises　in　his　letters　（for　however　ugly　we　women　may　be；　it
seems　to　me　it　always　pleases　us　to　hear　ourselves　called　beautiful）
but　that　my　own　sense　of　right　was　opposed　to　all　this；　as　well　as　the
repeated　advice　of　my　parents；　who　now　very　plainly　perceived　Don
Fernando's　purpose；　for　he　cared　very　little　if　all　the　world　knew　it。
They　told　me　they　trusted　and　confided　their　honour　and　good　name　to
my　virtue　and　rectitude　alone；　and　bade　me　consider　the　disparity
between　Don　Fernando　and　myself；　from　which　I　might　conclude　that
his　intentions；　whatever　he　might　say　to　the　contrary；　had　for　their
aim　his　own　pleasure　rather　than　my　advantage；　and　if　I　were　at　all
desirous　of　opposing　an　obstacle　to　his　unreasonable　suit；　they　were
ready；　they　said；　to　marry　me　at　once　to　anyone　I　preferred；　either
among　the　leading　people　of　our　own　town；　or　of　any　of　those　in　the
neighbourhood；　for　with　their　wealth　and　my　good　name；　a　match　might
be　looked　for　in　any　quarter。　This　offer；　and　their　sound　advice
strengthened　my　resolution；　and　I　never　gave　Don　Fernando　a　word　in
reply　that　could　hold　out　to　him　any　hope　of　success；　however　remote。
　　〃All　this　caution　of　mine；　which　he　must　have　taken　for　coyness；　had
apparently　the　effect　of　increasing　his　wanton　appetite…　for　that　is
the　name　I　give　to　his　passion　for　me；　had　it　been　what　he　declared　it
to　be；　you　would　not　know　of　it　now；　because　there　would　have　been
no　occasion　to　tell　you　of　it。　At　length　he　learned　that　my　parents
were　contemplating　marriage　for　me　in　order　to　put　an　end　to　his　hopes
of　obtaining　possession　of　me；　or　at　least　to　secure　additional
protectors　to　watch　over　me；　and　this　intelligence　or　suspicion　made
him　act　as　you　shall　hear。　One　night；　as　I　was　in　my　chamber　with　no
other　companion　than　a　damsel　who　waited　on　me；　with　the　doors
carefully　locked　lest　my　honour　should　be　imperilled　through　any
carelessness；　I　know　not　nor　can　conceive　how　it　happened；　but；　with
all　this　seclusion　and　these　precautions；　and　in　the　solitude　and
silence　of　my　retirement；　I　found　him　standing　before　me；　a　vision
that　so　astounded　me　that　it　deprived　my　eyes　of　sight；　and　my
tongue　of　speech。　I　had　no　power　to　utter　a　cry；　nor；　I　think；　did
he　give　me　time　to　utter　one；　as　he　immediately　approached　me；　and
taking　me　in　his　arms　（for；　overwhelmed　as　I　was；　I　was　powerless；　I
say；　to　help　myself）；　he　began　to　make　such　professions　to　me　that　I
know　not　how　falsehood　could　have　had　the　power　of　dressing　them　up　to
seem　so　like　truth