don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第67部分

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Lothario；　which　came　upon　him　at　a　time　when　he　least　expected　to　hear
them；　for　he　now　looked　upon　Camilla　as　having　triumphed　over　the
pretended　attacks　of　Lothario；　and　was　beginning　to　enjoy　the　glory　of
her　victory。　He　remained　silent　for　a　considerable　time；　looking　on
the　ground　with　fixed　gaze；　and　at　length　said；　〃Thou　hast　behaved；
Lothario；　as　I　expected　of　thy　friendship：　I　will　follow　thy　advice　in
everything；　do　as　thou　wilt；　and　keep　this　secret　as　thou　seest　it
should　be　kept　in　circumstances　so　unlooked　for。〃
　　Lothario　gave　him　his　word；　but　after　leaving　him　he　repented
altogether　of　what　he　had　said　to　him；　perceiving　how　foolishly　he　had
acted；　as　he　might　have　revenged　himself　upon　Camilla　in　some　less
cruel　and　degrading　way。　He　cursed　his　want　of　sense；　condemned　his
hasty　resolution；　and　knew　not　what　course　to　take　to　undo　the
mischief　or　find　some　ready　escape　from　it。　At　last　he　decided　upon
revealing　all　to　Camilla；　and；　as　there　was　no　want　of　opportunity　for
doing　so；　he　found　her　alone　the　same　day；　but　she；　as　soon　as　she　had
the　chance　of　speaking　to　him；　said；　〃Lothario　my　friend；　I　must
tell　thee　I　have　a　sorrow　in　my　heart　which　fills　it　so　that　it
seems　ready　to　burst；　and　it　will　be　a　wonder　if　it　does　not；　for
the　audacity　of　Leonela　has　now　reached　such　a　pitch　that　every
night　she　conceals　a　gallant　of　hers　in　this　house　and　remains　with
him　till　morning；　at　the　expense　of　my　reputation；　inasmuch　as　it　is
open　to　anyone　to　question　it　who　may　see　him　quitting　my　house　at
such　unseasonable　hours；　but　what　distresses　me　is　that　I　cannot
punish　or　chide　her；　for　her　privity　to　our　intrigue　bridles　my
mouth　and　keeps　me　silent　about　hers；　while　I　am　dreading　that　some
catastrophe　will　come　of　it。〃
　　As　Camilla　said　this　Lothario　at　first　imagined　it　was　some　device
to　delude　him　into　the　idea　that　the　man　he　had　seen　going　out　was
Leonela's　lover　and　not　hers；　but　when　he　saw　how　she　wept　and
suffered；　and　begged　him　to　help　her；　he　became　convinced　of　the
truth；　and　the　conviction　completed　his　confusion　and　remorse；
however；　he　told　Camilla　not　to　distress　herself；　as　he　would　take
measures　to　put　a　stop　to　the　insolence　of　Leonela。　At　the　same　time
he　told　her　what；　driven　by　the　fierce　rage　of　jealousy；　he　had　said
to　Anselmo；　and　how　he　had　arranged　to　hide　himself　in　the　closet　that
he　might　there　see　plainly　how　little　she　preserved　her　fidelity　to
him；　and　he　entreated　her　pardon　for　this　madness；　and　her　advice　as
to　how　to　repair　it；　and　escape　safely　from　the　intricate　labyrinth　in
which　his　imprudence　had　involved　him。　Camilla　was　struck　with　alarm
at　hearing　what　Lothario　said；　and　with　much　anger；　and　great　good
sense；　she　reproved　him　and　rebuked　his　base　design　and　the　foolish
and　mischievous　resolution　he　had　made；　but　as　woman　has　by　nature　a
nimbler　wit　than　man　for　good　and　for　evil；　though　it　is　apt　to　fail
when　she　sets　herself　deliberately　to　reason；　Camilla　on　the　spur　of
the　moment　thought　of　a　way　to　remedy　what　was　to　all　appearance
irremediable；　and　told　Lothario　to　contrive　that　the　next　day
Anselmo　should　conceal　himself　in　the　place　he　mentioned；　for　she
hoped　from　his　concealment　to　obtain　the　means　of　their　enjoying
themselves　for　the　future　without　any　apprehension；　and　without
revealing　her　purpose　to　him　entirely　she　charged　him　to　be　careful；
as　soon　as　Anselmo　was　concealed；　to　come　to　her　when　Leonela　should
call　him；　and　to　all　she　said　to　him　to　answer　as　he　would　have
answered　had　he　not　known　that　Anselmo　was　listening。　Lothario　pressed
her　to　explain　her　intention　fully；　so　that　he　might　with　more
certainty　and　precaution　take　care　to　do　what　he　saw　to　be　needful。
　　〃I　tell　you；〃　said　Camilla；　〃there　is　nothing　to　take　care　of　except
to　answer　me　what　I　shall　ask　you；〃　for　she　did　not　wish　to　explain　to
him　beforehand　what　she　meant　to　do；　fearing　lest　he　should　be
unwilling　to　follow　out　an　idea　which　seemed　to　her　such　a　good　one；
and　should　try　or　devise　some　other　less　practicable　plan。
　　Lothario　then　retired；　and　the　next　day　Anselmo；　under　pretence　of
going　to　his　friend's　country　house；　took　his　departure；　and　then
returned　to　conceal　himself；　which　he　was　able　to　do　easily；　as
Camilla　and　Leonela　took　care　to　give　him　the　opportunity；　and　so　he
placed　himself　in　hiding　in　the　state　of　agitation　that　it　may　be
imagined　he　would　feel　who　expected　to　see　the　vitals　of　his　honour
laid　bare　before　his　eyes；　and　found　himself　on　the　point　of　losing
the　supreme　blessing　he　thought　he　possessed　in　his　beloved　Camilla。
Having　made　sure　of　Anselmo's　being　in　his　hiding…place；　Camilla　and
Leonela　entered　the　closet；　and　the　instant　she　set　foot　within　it
Camilla　said；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃Ah！　dear　Leonela；　would　it　not　be
better；　before　I　do　what　I　am　unwilling　you　should　know　lest　you
should　seek　to　prevent　it；　that　you　should　take　Anselmo's　dagger
that　I　have　asked　of　you　and　with　it　pierce　this　vile　heart　of　mine？
But　no；　there　is　no　reason　why　I　should　suffer　the　punishment　of
another's　fault。　I　will　first　know　what　it　is　that　the　bold　licentious
eyes　of　Lothario　have　seen　in　me　that　could　have　encouraged　him　to
reveal　to　me　a　design　so　base　as　that　which　he　has　disclosed
regardless　of　his　friend　and　of　my　honour。　Go　to　the　window；
Leonela；　and　call　him；　for　no　doubt　he　is　in　the　street　waiting　to
carry　out　his　vile　project；　but　mine；　cruel　it　may　be；　but　honourable；
shall　be　carried　out　first。〃
　　〃Ah；　senora；〃　said　the　crafty　Leonela；　who　knew　her　part；　〃what　is
it　you　want　to　do　with　this　dagger？　Can　it　be　that　you　mean　to　take
your　own　life；　or　Lothario's？　for　whichever　you　mean　to　do；　it　will
lead　to　the　loss　of　your　reputation　and　good　name。　It　is　better　to
dissemble　your　wrong　and　not　give　this　wicked　man　the　chance　of
entering　the　house　now　and　finding　us　alone；　consider；　senora；　we
are　weak　women　and　he　is　a　man；　and　determined；　and　as　he　comes　with
such　a　base　purpose；　blind　and　urged　by　passion；　perhaps　before　you
can　put　yours　into　execution　he　may　do　what　will　be　worse　for　you　than
taking　your　life。　Ill　betide　my　master；　Anselmo；　for　giving　such
authority　in　his　house　to　this　shameless　fellow！　And　supposing　you
kill　him；　senora；　as　I　suspect　you　mean　to　do；　what　shall　we　do　with
him　when　he　is　dead？〃
　　〃What；　my　friend？〃　replied　Camilla；　〃we　shall　leave　him　for
Anselmo　to　bury　him；　for　in　reason　it　will　be　to　him　a　light　labour　to
hide　his　own　infamy　under　ground。　Summon　him；　make　haste；　for　all
the　time　I　delay　in　taking　vengeance　for　my　wrong　seems　to　me　an
offence　against　the　loyalty　I　owe　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　was　listening　to　all　this；　and　every　word　that　Camilla
uttered　made　him　change　his　mind；　but　when　he　heard　that　it　was
resolved　to　kill　Lothario　his　first　impulse　was　to　come　out　and　show
himself　to　avert　such　a　disaster；　but　in　his　anxiety　to　see　the
issue　of　a　resolution　so　bold　and　virtuous　he　restrained　himself；
intending　to　come　forth　in　time　to　prevent　the　deed。　At　this　moment
Camilla；　throwing　herself　upon　a　bed　that　was　close　by；　swooned
away；　and　Leonela　began　to　weep　bitterly；　exclaiming；　〃Woe　is　me！　that
I　should　be　fated　to　have　dying　here　in　my　arms　the　flower　of　virtue
upon　earth；　the　crown　of　true　wives；　the　pattern　of　chastity！〃　with
more　to　the　same　effect；　so　that　anyone　who　heard　her　would　have　taken
her　for　the　most　tender…hearted　and　faithful　handmaid　in　the　world；
and　her　mistress　for　another　persecuted　Penelope。
　　Camilla　was　not　long　in　recovering　from　her　fainting　fit　and　on
coming　to　herself　she　said；　〃Why　do　you　not　go；　Leonela；　to　call
hither　that　friend；　the　falsest　to　his　friend　the　sun　ever　shone
upon　or　night　concealed？　Away；　run；　haste；　speed！　lest　the　fire　of
my　wrath　burn　itself　out　with　delay；　and　the　righteous　vengeance
that　I　hope　for　melt　away　in　menaces　and　maledictions。〃
　　〃I　am　just　going　to　call　him；　senora；〃　said　Leonela；　〃but　you　must
first　give　me　that　dagger；　lest　while　I　am　gone　you　should　by　means　of
it　give　cause　to　all　who　love　you　to　weep　all　their　lives。〃
　　〃Go　in　peace；　dear　Leonela；　I　will　not　do　so；〃　said　Camilla；　〃for
rash　and　foolish　as　I　may　be；　to　your　mind；　in　defending　my　honour；
I　am　not　going　to　be　so　much　so　as　that　Lucretia　who　they　say　killed
herself　without　having　done　anything　wrong；　and　without　having　first
killed　him　on　whom　the　guilt　of　her　misfortune　lay。　I　shall　die；　if
I　am　to　die；　but　it　must　be　after　full　vengeance　upon　him　who　has
brought　me　here　to　weep　over　audacity　that　no　fault　of　mine　gave　birth
to。〃
　　Leonela　required　much　pressing　before　she　would　go　to　summon
Lothario；　but　at　last　she　went；　and　while　awaiting　her　return
Camilla　continued；　as　if　speaking　to　herself；　〃Good　God！　would　it
not　have　been　more　prudent　to　have　repulsed　Lothario；　as　I　have　done
many　a　time　before；　than　to　allow　him；　as　I　am　now　doing；　to　think
me　unchaste　and　vile；　even　for　the　short　time　I　must　wait　until　I
undeceive　him？　No　doubt　it　would　have　been　better；　but　I　should　not　be
avenged；　nor　the　honour　of　my　husband　vindicated；　should　he　find　so
clear　and　easy　an　escape　from　the　strait　into　which　his　depravity
has　led　him。　Let　the　traitor　pay　with　his　life　for　the　temerity　of　his
wanton　wishes；　and　let　the　world　know　（if　haply　it　shall　ever　come
to　know）　that　Camilla　not　only　preserved　her　allegiance　to　her
husband；　but　avenged　him　of　the　man　who　dared　to　wrong　him。　Still；　I
think　it　might　be　better　to　disclose　this　to　Anselmo。　But　then　I
have　called　his　attention　to　it　in　the　letter　I　wrote　to　him　in　the
country；　and；　if　he　did　nothing　to　prevent　the　mischief　I　there
pointed　out　to　him；　I　suppose　it　was　that　from　pure　goodness　of
heart　and　trustfulness　he　would　not　and　could　not　believe　that　any
thought　against　his　honour　could　harbour　in　the　breast　of　so　stanch
a　friend；　nor　indeed　did　I　myself　believe　it　for　many　days；　nor　should
I　have　ever　believed　it　if　his　insolence　had　not　gone　so　far　as　to
make　it　manifest　by　open　presents；　lavish　promises；　and　ceaseless
tears。　But　why　do　I　argue　thus？　Does　a　bold　determination　stand　in
need　of　arguments？　Surely　not。　Then　traitors　avaunt！　Vengeance　to　my
aid！　Let　the　false　one　come；　appr