don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第117节

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truth；　would　make　him　out　to　be　mad　until　his　dying　day。　The
Archbishop；　moved　by　repeated　sensible；　well…written　letters；　directed
one　of　his　chaplains　to　make　inquiry　of　the　madhouse　as　to　the　truth
of　the　licentiate's　statements；　and　to　have　an　interview　with　the
madman　himself；　and；　if　it　should　appear　that　he　was　in　his　senses；　to
take　him　out　and　restore　him　to　liberty。　The　chaplain　did　so；　and
the　governor　assured　him　that　the　man　was　still　mad；　and　that　though
he　often　spoke　like　a　highly　intelligent　person；　he　would　in　the　end
break　out　into　nonsense　that　in　quantity　and　quality　counterbalanced
all　the　sensible　things　he　had　said　before；　as　might　be　easily
tested　by　talking　to　him。　The　chaplain　resolved　to　try　the　experiment；
and　obtaining　access　to　the　madman　conversed　with　him　for　an　hour　or
more；　during　the　whole　of　which　time　he　never　uttered　a　word　that
was　incoherent　or　absurd；　but；　on　the　contrary；　spoke　so　rationally
that　the　chaplain　was　compelled　to　believe　him　to　be　sane。　Among　other
things；　he　said　the　governor　was　against　him；　not　to　lose　the　presents
his　relations　made　him　for　reporting　him　still　mad　but　with　lucid
intervals；　and　that　the　worst　foe　he　had　in　his　misfortune　was　his
large　property；　for　in　order　to　enjoy　it　his　enemies　disparaged　and
threw　doubts　upon　the　mercy　our　Lord　had　shown　him　in　turning　him　from
a　brute　beast　into　a　man。　In　short；　he　spoke　in　such　a　way　that　he
cast　suspicion　on　the　governor；　and　made　his　relations　appear　covetous
and　heartless；　and　himself　so　rational　that　the　chaplain　determined　to
take　him　away　with　him　that　the　Archbishop　might　see　him；　and
ascertain　for　himself　the　truth　of　the　matter。　Yielding　to　this
conviction；　the　worthy　chaplain　begged　the　governor　to　have　the
clothes　in　which　the　licentiate　had　entered　the　house　given　to　him。
The　governor　again　bade　him　beware　of　what　he　was　doing；　as　the
licentiate　was　beyond　a　doubt　still　mad；　but　all　his　cautions　and
warnings　were　unavailing　to　dissuade　the　chaplain　from　taking　him
away。　The　governor；　seeing　that　it　was　the　order　of　the　Archbishop；
obeyed；　and　they　dressed　the　licentiate　in　his　own　clothes；　which　were
new　and　decent。　He；　as　soon　as　he　saw　himself　clothed　like　one　in
his　senses；　and　divested　of　the　appearance　of　a　madman；　entreated
the　chaplain　to　permit　him　in　charity　to　go　and　take　leave　of　his
comrades　the　madmen。　The　chaplain　said　he　would　go　with　him　to　see
what　madmen　there　were　in　the　house；　so　they　went　upstairs；　and　with
them　some　of　those　who　were　present。　Approaching　a　cage　in　which　there
was　a　furious　madman；　though　just　at　that　moment　calm　and　quiet；　the
licentiate　said　to　him；　'Brother；　think　if　you　have　any　commands　for
me；　for　I　am　going　home；　as　God　has　been　pleased；　in　his　infinite
goodness　and　mercy；　without　any　merit　of　mine；　to　restore　me　my
reason。　I　am　now　cured　and　in　my　senses；　for　with　God's　power
nothing　is　impossible。　Have　strong　hope　and　trust　in　him；　for　as　he
has　restored　me　to　my　original　condition；　so　likewise　he　will
restore　you　if　you　trust　in　him。　I　will　take　care　to　send　you　some
good　things　to　eat；　and　be　sure　you　eat　them；　for　I　would　have　you
know　I　am　convinced；　as　one　who　has　gone　through　it；　that　all　this
madness　of　ours　comes　of　having　the　stomach　empty　and　the　brains
full　of　wind。　Take　courage！　take　courage！　for　despondency　in
misfortune　breaks　down　health　and　brings　on　death。'
　　〃To　all　these　words　of　the　licentiate　another　madman　in　a　cage
opposite　that　of　the　furious　one　was　listening；　and　raising　himself　up
from　an　old　mat　on　which　he　lay　stark　naked；　he　asked　in　a　loud
voice　who　it　was　that　was　going　away　cured　and　in　his　senses。　The
licentiate　answered；　'It　is　I；　brother；　who　am　going；　I　have　now　no
need　to　remain　here　any　longer；　for　which　I　return　infinite　thanks
to　Heaven　that　has　had　so　great　mercy　upon　me。'
　　〃'Mind　what　you　are　saying；　licentiate；　don't　let　the　devil
deceive　you；'　replied　the　madman。　'Keep　quiet；　stay　where　you　are；　and
you　will　save　yourself　the　trouble　of　coming　back。'
　　〃'I　know　I　am　cured；'　returned　the　licentiate；　'and　that　I　shall　not
have　to　go　stations　again。'
　　〃'You　cured！'　said　the　madman；　'well；　we　shall　see；　God　be　with　you；
but　I　swear　to　you　by　Jupiter；　whose　majesty　I　represent　on　earth；
that　for　this　crime　alone；　which　Seville　is　committing　to…day　in
releasing　you　from　this　house；　and　treating　you　as　if　you　were　in　your
senses；　I　shall　have　to　inflict　such　a　punishment　on　it　as　will　be
remembered　for　ages　and　ages；　amen。　Dost　thou　not　know；　thou　miserable
little　licentiate；　that　I　can　do　it；　being；　as　I　say；　Jupiter　the
Thunderer；　who　hold　in　my　hands　the　fiery　bolts　with　which　I　am　able
and　am　wont　to　threaten　and　lay　waste　the　world？　But　in　one　way　only
will　I　punish　this　ignorant　town；　and　that　is　by　not　raining　upon
it；　nor　on　any　part　of　its　district　or　territory；　for　three　whole
years；　to　be　reckoned　from　the　day　and　moment　when　this　threat　is
pronounced。　Thou　free；　thou　cured；　thou　in　thy　senses！　and　I　mad；　I
disordered；　I　bound！　I　will　as　soon　think　of　sending　rain　as　of
hanging　myself。
　　〃Those　present　stood　listening　to　the　words　and　exclamations　of
the　madman；　but　our　licentiate；　turning　to　the　chaplain　and　seizing
him　by　the　hands；　said　to　him；　'Be　not　uneasy；　senor；　attach　no
importance　to　what　this　madman　has　said；　for　if　he　is　Jupiter　and　will
not　send　rain；　I；　who　am　Neptune；　the　father　and　god　of　the　waters；
will　rain　as　often　as　it　pleases　me　and　may　be　needful。'
　　〃The　governor　and　the　bystanders　laughed；　and　at　their　laughter
the　chaplain　was　half　ashamed；　and　he　replied；　'For　all　that；　Senor
Neptune；　it　will　not　do　to　vex　Senor　Jupiter；　remain　where　you　are；
and　some　other　day；　when　there　is　a　better　opportunity　and　more
time；　we　will　come　back　for　you。'　So　they　stripped　the　licentiate；　and
he　was　left　where　he　was；　and　that's　the　end　of　the　story。〃
　　〃So　that's　the　story；　master　barber；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃which
came　in　so　pat　to　the　purpose　that　you　could　not　help　telling　it？
Master　shaver；　master　shaver！　how　blind　is　he　who　cannot　see　through　a
sieve。　Is　it　possible　that　you　do　not　know　that　comparisons　of　wit
with　wit；　valour　with　valour；　beauty　with　beauty；　birth　with　birth；
are　always　odious　and　unwelcome？　I；　master　barber；　am　not　Neptune；　the
god　of　the　waters；　nor　do　I　try　to　make　anyone　take　me　for　an　astute
man；　for　I　am　not　one。　My　only　endeavour　is　to　convince　the　world　of
the　mistake　it　makes　in　not　reviving　in　itself　the　happy　time　when　the
order　of　knight…errantry　was　in　the　field。　But　our　depraved　age　does
not　deserve　to　enjoy　such　a　blessing　as　those　ages　enjoyed　when
knights…errant　took　upon　their　shoulders　the　defence　of　kingdoms；
the　protection　of　damsels；　the　succour　of　orphans　and　minors；　the
chastisement　of　the　proud；　and　the　recompense　of　the　humble。　With
the　knights　of　these　days；　for　the　most　part；　it　is　the　damask；
brocade；　and　rich　stuffs　they　wear；　that　rustle　as　they　go；　not　the
chain　mail　of　their　armour；　no　knight　now…a…days　sleeps　in　the　open
field　exposed　to　the　inclemency　of　heaven；　and　in　full　panoply　from
head　to　foot；　no　one　now　takes　a　nap；　as　they　call　it；　without　drawing
his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups；　and　leaning　upon　his　lance；　as　the
knights…errant　used　to　do；　no　one　now；　issuing　from　the　wood；
penetrates　yonder　mountains；　and　then　treads　the　barren；　lonely
shore　of　the　sea…　mostly　a　tempestuous　and　stormy　one…　and　finding
on　the　beach　a　little　bark　without　oars；　sail；　mast；　or　tackling　of
any　kind；　in　the　intrepidity　of　his　heart　flings　himself　into　it　and
commits　himself　to　the　wrathful　billows　of　the　deep　sea；　that　one
moment　lift　him　up　to　heaven　and　the　next　plunge　him　into　the
depths；　and　opposing　his　breast　to　the　irresistible　gale；　finds
himself；　when　he　least　expects　it；　three　thousand　leagues　and　more
away　from　the　place　where　he　embarked；　and　leaping　ashore　in　a
remote　and　unknown　land　has　adventures　that　deserve　to　be　written；　not
on　parchment；　but　on　brass。　But　now　sloth　triumphs　over　energy；
indolence　over　exertion；　vice　over　virtue；　arrogance　over　courage；　and
theory　over　practice　in　arms；　which　flourished　and　shone　only　in　the
golden　ages　and　in　knights…errant。　For　tell　me；　who　was　more
virtuous　and　more　valiant　than　the　famous　Amadis　of　Gaul？　Who　more
discreet　than　Palmerin　of　England？　Who　more　gracious　and　easy　than
Tirante　el　Blanco？　Who　more　courtly　than　Lisuarte　of　Greece？　Who
more　slashed　or　slashing　than　Don　Belianis？　Who　more　intrepid　than
Perion　of　Gaul？　Who　more　ready　to　face　danger　than　Felixmarte　of
Hircania？　Who　more　sincere　than　Esplandian？　Who　more　impetuous　than
Don　Cirongilio　of　Thrace？　Who　more　bold　than　Rodamonte？　Who　more
prudent　than　King　Sobrino？　Who　more　daring　than　Reinaldos？　Who　more
invincible　than　Roland？　and　who　more　gallant　and　courteous　than
Ruggiero；　from　whom　the　dukes　of　Ferrara　of　the　present　day　are
descended；　according　to　Turpin　in　his　'Cosmography。'　All　these
knights；　and　many　more　that　I　could　name；　senor　curate；　were
knights…errant；　the　light　and　glory　of　chivalry。　These；　or　such　as
these；　I　would　have　to　carry　out　my　plan；　and　in　that　case　his　Majesty
would　find　himself　we