don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第70部分

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wine…skins　but　also　the　wine；　and　above　all　the　depreciation　of　the
tail　which　they　set　such　store　by。　Dorothea　comforted　Sancho；
telling　him　that　she　pledged　herself；　as　soon　as　it　should　appear
certain　that　his　master　had　decapitated　the　giant；　and　she　found
herself　peacefully　established　in　her　kingdom；　to　bestow　upon　him
the　best　county　there　was　in　it。　With　this　Sancho　consoled　himself；
and　assured　the　princess　she　might　rely　upon　it　that　he　had　seen　the
head　of　the　giant；　and　more　by　token　it　had　a　beard　that　reached　to
the　girdle；　and　that　if　it　was　not　to　be　seen　now　it　was　because
everything　that　happened　in　that　house　went　by　enchantment；　as　he
himself　had　proved　the　last　time　he　had　lodged　there。　Dorothea　said
she　fully　believed　it；　and　that　he　need　not　be　uneasy；　for　all　would
go　well　and　turn　out　as　he　wished。　All　therefore　being　appeased；　the
curate　was　anxious　to　go　on　with　the　novel；　as　he　saw　there　was　but
little　more　left　to　read。　Dorothea　and　the　others　begged　him　to　finish
it；　and　he；　as　he　was　willing　to　please　them；　and　enjoyed　reading　it
himself；　continued　the　tale　in　these　words：

　　The　result　was；　that　from　the　confidence　Anselmo　felt　in　Camilla's
virtue；　he　lived　happy　and　free　from　anxiety；　and　Camilla　purposely
looked　coldly　on　Lothario；　that　Anselmo　might　suppose　her　feelings
towards　him　to　be　the　opposite　of　what　they　were；　and　the　better　to
support　the　position；　Lothario　begged　to　be　excused　from　coming　to　the
house；　as　the　displeasure　with　which　Camilla　regarded　his　presence　was
plain　to　be　seen。　But　the　befooled　Anselmo　said　he　would　on　no　account
allow　such　a　thing；　and　so　in　a　thousand　ways　he　became　the　author
of　his　own　dishonour；　while　he　believed　he　was　insuring　his　happiness。
Meanwhile　the　satisfaction　with　which　Leonela　saw　herself　empowered　to
carry　on　her　amour　reached　such　a　height　that；　regardless　of
everything　else；　she　followed　her　inclinations　unrestrainedly；　feeling
confident　that　her　mistress　would　screen　her；　and　even　show　her　how　to
manage　it　safely。　At　last　one　night　Anselmo　heard　footsteps　in
Leonela's　room；　and　on　trying　to　enter　to　see　who　it　was；　he　found
that　the　door　was　held　against　him；　which　made　him　all　the　more
determined　to　open　it；　and　exerting　his　strength　he　forced　it　open；
and　entered　the　room　in　time　to　see　a　man　leaping　through　the　window
into　the　street。　He　ran　quickly　to　seize　him　or　discover　who　he　was；
but　he　was　unable　to　effect　either　purpose；　for　Leonela　flung　her　arms
round　him　crying；　〃Be　calm；　senor；　do　not　give　way　to　passion　or
follow　him　who　has　escaped　from　this；　he　belongs　to　me；　and　in　fact　he
is　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　would　not　believe　it；　but　blind　with　rage　drew　a　dagger
and　threatened　to　stab　Leonela；　bidding　her　tell　the　truth　or　he　would
kill　her。　She；　in　her　fear；　not　knowing　what　she　was　saying；
exclaimed；　〃Do　not　kill　me；　senor；　for　I　can　tell　you　things　more
important　than　any　you　can　imagine。〃
　　〃Tell　me　then　at　once　or　thou　diest；〃　said　Anselmo。
　　〃It　would　be　impossible　for　me　now；〃　said　Leonela；　〃I　am　so
agitated：　leave　me　till　to…morrow；　and　then　you　shall　hear　from　me
what　will　fill　you　with　astonishment；　but　rest　assured　that　he　who
leaped　through　the　window　is　a　young　man　of　this　city；　who　has　given
me　his　promise　to　become　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　was　appeased　with　this；　and　was　content　to　wait　the　time　she
asked　of　him；　for　he　never　expected　to　hear　anything　against
Camilla；　so　satisfied　and　sure　of　her　virtue　was　he；　and　so　he　quitted
the　room；　and　left　Leonela　locked　in；　telling　her　she　should　not
come　out　until　she　had　told　him　all　she　had　to　make　known　to　him。　He
went　at　once　to　see　Camilla；　and　tell　her；　as　he　did；　all　that　had
passed　between　him　and　her　handmaid；　and　the　promise　she　had　given　him
to　inform　him　matters　of　serious　importance。
　　There　is　no　need　of　saying　whether　Camilla　was　agitated　or　not；
for　so　great　was　her　fear　and　dismay；　that；　making　sure；　as　she　had
good　reason　to　do；　that　Leonela　would　tell　Anselmo　all　she　knew　of　her
faithlessness；　she　had　not　the　courage　to　wait　and　see　if　her
suspicions　were　confirmed；　and　that　same　night；　as　soon　as　she　thought
that　Anselmo　was　asleep；　she　packed　up　the　most　valuable　jewels　she
had　and　some　money；　and　without　being　observed　by　anybody　escaped　from
the　house　and　betook　herself　to　Lothario's；　to　whom　she　related　what
had　occurred；　imploring　him　to　convey　her　to　some　place　of　safety　or
fly　with　her　where　they　might　be　safe　from　Anselmo。　The　state　of
perplexity　to　which　Camilla　reduced　Lothario　was　such　that　he　was
unable　to　utter　a　word　in　reply；　still　less　to　decide　upon　what　he
should　do。　At　length　he　resolved　to　conduct　her　to　a　convent　of
which　a　sister　of　his　was　prioress；　Camilla　agreed　to　this；　and　with
the　speed　which　the　circumstances　demanded；　Lothario　took　her　to　the
convent　and　left　her　there；　and　then　himself　quitted　the　city
without　letting　anyone　know　of　his　departure。
　　As　soon　as　daylight　came　Anselmo；　without　missing　Camilla　from　his
side；　rose　cager　to　learn　what　Leonela　had　to　tell　him；　and　hastened
to　the　room　where　he　had　locked　her　in。　He　opened　the　door；　entered；
but　found　no　Leonela；　all　he　found　was　some　sheets　knotted　to　the
window；　a　plain　proof　that　she　had　let　herself　down　from　it　and
escaped。　He　returned；　uneasy；　to　tell　Camilla；　but　not　finding　her
in　bed　or　anywhere　in　the　house　he　was　lost　in　amazement。　He　asked　the
servants　of　the　house　about　her；　but　none　of　them　could　give　him　any
explanation。　As　he　was　going　in　search　of　Camilla　it　happened　by
chance　that　he　observed　her　boxes　were　lying　open；　and　that　the
greater　part　of　her　jewels　were　gone；　and　now　he　became　fully　aware　of
his　disgrace；　and　that　Leonela　was　not　the　cause　of　his　misfortune；
and；　just　as　he　was；　without　delaying　to　dress　himself　completely；
he　repaired；　sad　at　heart　and　dejected；　to　his　friend　Lothario　to　make
known　his　sorrow　to　him；　but　when　he　failed　to　find　him　and　the
servants　reported　that　he　had　been　absent　from　his　house　all　night　and
had　taken　with　him　all　the　money　he　had；　he　felt　as　though　he　were
losing　his　senses；　and　to　make　all　complete　on　returning　to　his　own
house　he　found　it　deserted　and　empty；　not　one　of　all　his　servants；
male　or　female；　remaining　in　it。　He　knew　not　what　to　think；　or　say；　or
do；　and　his　reason　seemed　to　be　deserting　him　little　by　little。　He
reviewed　his　position；　and　saw　himself　in　a　moment　left　without
wife；　friend；　or　servants；　abandoned；　he　felt；　by　the　heaven　above
him；　and　more　than　all　robbed　of　his　honour；　for　in　Camilla's
disappearance　he　saw　his　own　ruin。　After　long　reflection　he　resolved
at　last　to　go　to　his　friend's　village；　where　he　had　been　staying
when　he　afforded　opportunities　for　the　contrivance　of　this
complication　of　misfortune。　He　locked　the　doors　of　his　house；
mounted　his　horse；　and　with　a　broken　spirit　set　out　on　his　journey；
but　he　had　hardly　gone　half…way　when；　harassed　by　his　reflections；
he　had　to　dismount　and　tie　his　horse　to　a　tree；　at　the　foot　of　which
he　threw　himself；　giving　vent　to　piteous　heartrending　sighs；　and　there
he　remained　till　nearly　nightfall；　when　he　observed　a　man
approaching　on　horseback　from　the　city；　of　whom；　after　saluting　him；
he　asked　what　was　the　news　in　Florence。
　　The　citizen　replied；　〃The　strangest　that　have　been　heard　for　many
a　day；　for　it　is　reported　abroad　that　Lothario；　the　great　friend　of
the　wealthy　Anselmo；　who　lived　at　San　Giovanni；　carried　off　last　night
Camilla；　the　wife　of　Anselmo；　who　also　has　disappeared。　All　this　has
been　told　by　a　maid…servant　of　Camilla's；　whom　the　governor　found　last
night　lowering　herself　by　a　sheet　from　the　windows　of　Anselmo's　house。
I　know　not　indeed；　precisely；　how　the　affair　came　to　pass；　all　I
know　is　that　the　whole　city　is　wondering　at　the　occurrence；　for　no　one
could　have　expected　a　thing　of　the　kind；　seeing　the　great　and　intimate
friendship　that　existed　between　them；　so　great；　they　say；　that　they
were　called　'The　Two　Friends。'〃
　　〃Is　it　known　at　all；〃　said　Anselmo；　〃what　road　Lothario　and
Camilla　took？〃
　　〃Not　in　the　least；〃　said　the　citizen；　〃though　the　governor　has
been　very　active　in　searching　for　them。〃
　　〃God　speed　you；　senor；〃　said　Anselmo。
　　〃God　be　with　you；〃　said　the　citizen　and　went　his　way。
　　This　disastrous　intelligence　almost　robbed　Anselmo　not　only　of　his
senses　but　of　his　life。　He　got　up　as　well　as　he　was　able　and　reached
the　house　of　his　friend；　who　as　yet　knew　nothing　of　his　misfortune；
but　seeing　him　come　pale；　worn；　and　haggard；　perceived　that　he　was
suffering　some　heavy　affliction。　Anselmo　at　once　begged　to　be
allowed　to　retire　to　rest；　and　to　be　given　writing　materials。　His　wish
was　complied　with　and　he　was　left　lying　down　and　alone；　for　he　desired
this；　and　even　that　the　door　should　be　locked。　Finding　himself　alone
he　so　took　to　heart　the　thought　of　his　misfortune　that　by　the　signs　of
death　he　felt　within　him　he　knew　well　his　life　was　drawing　to　a　close；
and　therefore　he　resolved　to　leave　behind　him　a　declaration　of　the
cause　of　his　strange　end。　He　began　to　write；　but　before　he　had　put
down　all　he　meant　to　say；　his　breath　failed　him　and　he　yielded　up
his　life；　a　victim　to　the　suffering　which　his　ill…advised　curiosity
had　entailed　upon　him。　The　master　of　the　house　observing　that　it　was
now　late　and　that　Anselmo　did　not　call；　determined　to　go　in　and
ascertain　if　his　indisposition　was　increasing；　and　found　him　lying
on　his　face；　his　body　partly　in　the　bed；　partly　on　the
writing…table；　on　which　he　lay　with　the　written　paper　open　and　the　pen
still　in　his　hand。　Having　first　called　to　him　without　receiving　any
answer；　his　host　approached　him；　and　taking　him　by　the　hand；　found
that　it　was　cold；　and　saw　that　he　was　dead。　Greatly　surprised　and
distressed　he　summoned　the　household　to　witness　the　sad　fate　which　had
befallen　Anselmo；　and　then　he　read　the　paper；　the　handwriting　of　which
he　recognised　as　his；　and　which　contained　these　words：
　　〃A　foolish　and　ill…advised　desire　has　robbed　me　of　life。　If　the　news
of　my　death　should　reach　the　ears　of　Camilla；　let　her　know　that　I
forgive　her；　for　she　was　not　bound　to　perform　miracles；　nor　ought　I　to
have　required　her　to　perform　them