don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第147节

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and　the　special　favour　of　heaven　to　make　it　a　good　one。　He　who　has
to　make　a　long　journey；　will；　if　he　is　wise；　look　out　for　some
trusty　and　pleasant　companion　to　accompany　him　before　he　sets　out。
Why；　then；　should　not　he　do　the　same　who　has　to　make　the　whole　journey
of　life　down　to　the　final　halting…place　of　death；　more　especially　when
the　companion　has　to　be　his　companion　in　bed；　at　board；　and
everywhere；　as　the　wife　is　to　her　husband？　The　companionship　of
one's　wife　is　no　article　of　merchandise；　that；　after　it　has　been
bought；　may　be　returned；　or　bartered；　or　changed；　for　it　is　an
inseparable　accident　that　lasts　as　long　as　life　lasts；　it　is　a　noose
that；　once　you　put　it　round　your　neck；　turns　into　a　Gordian　knot；
which；　if　the　scythe　of　Death　does　not　cut　it；　there　is　no　untying。
I　could　say　a　great　deal　more　on　this　subject；　were　I　not　prevented　by
the　anxiety　I　feel　to　know　if　the　senor　licentiate　has　anything　more
to　tell　about　the　story　of　Basilio。〃
　　To　this　the　student；　bachelor；　or；　as　Don　Quixote　called　him；
licentiate；　replied；　〃I　have　nothing　whatever　to　say　further；　but　that
from　the　moment　Basilio　learned　that　the　fair　Quiteria　was　to　be
married　to　Camacho　the　rich；　he　has　never　been　seen　to　smile；　or　heard
to　utter　rational　word；　and　he　always　goes　about　moody　and　dejected；
talking　to　himself　in　a　way　that　shows　plainly　he　is　out　of　his
senses。　He　eats　little　and　sleeps　little；　and　all　he　eats　is　fruit；
and　when　he　sleeps；　if　he　sleeps　at　all；　it　is　in　the　field　on　the
hard　earth　like　a　brute　beast。　Sometimes　he　gazes　at　the　sky；　at　other
times　he　fixes　his　eyes　on　the　earth　in　such　an　abstracted　way　that　he
might　be　taken　for　a　clothed　statue；　with　its　drapery　stirred　by　the
wind。　In　short；　he　shows　such　signs　of　a　heart　crushed　by　suffering；
that　all　we　who　know　him　believe　that　when　to…morrow　the　fair　Quiteria
says　'yes；'　it　will　be　his　sentence　of　death。〃
　　〃God　will　guide　it　better；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　God　who　gives　the
wound　gives　the　salve；　nobody　knows　what　will　happen；　there　are　a　good
many　hours　between　this　and　to…morrow；　and　any　one　of　them；　or　any
moment；　the　house　may　fall；　I　have　seen　the　rain　coming　down　and　the
sun　shining　all　at　one　time；　many　a　one　goes　to　bed　in　good　health　who
can't　stir　the　next　day。　And　tell　me；　is　there　anyone　who　can　boast　of
having　driven　a　nail　into　the　wheel　of　fortune？　No；　faith；　and　between
a　woman's　'yes'　and　'no'　I　wouldn't　venture　to　put　the　point　of　a　pin；
for　there　would　not　be　room　for　it；　if　you　tell　me　Quiteria　loves
Basilio　heart　and　soul；　then　I'll　give　him　a　bag　of　good　luck；　for
love；　I　have　heard　say；　looks　through　spectacles　that　make　copper　seem
gold；　poverty　wealth；　and　blear　eyes　pearls。〃
　　〃What　art　thou　driving　at；　Sancho？　curses　on　thee！〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　when　thou　takest　to　stringing　proverbs　and　sayings
together；　no　one　can　understand　thee　but　Judas　himself；　and　I　wish
he　had　thee。　Tell　me；　thou　animal；　what　dost　thou　know　about　nails
or　wheels；　or　anything　else？〃
　　〃Oh；　if　you　don't　understand　me；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃it　is　no　wonder
my　words　are　taken　for　nonsense；　but　no　matter；　I　understand　myself；
and　I　know　I　have　not　said　anything　very　foolish　in　what　I　have
said；　only　your　worship；　senor；　is　always　gravelling　at　everything　I
say；　nay；　everything　I　do。〃
　　〃Cavilling；　not　gravelling；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　prevaricator　of
honest　language；　God　confound　thee！〃
　　〃Don't　find　fault　with　me；　your　worship；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃for
you　know　I　have　not　been　bred　up　at　court　or　trained　at　Salamanca；
to　know　whether　I　am　adding　or　dropping　a　letter　or　so　in　my　words。
Why！　God　bless　me；　it's　not　fair　to　force　a　Sayago…man　to　speak　like　a
Toledan；　maybe　there　are　Toledans　who　do　not　hit　it　off　when　it
comes　to　polished　talk。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　licentiate；　〃for　those　who　have　been　bred
up　in　the　Tanneries　and　the　Zocodover　cannot　talk　like　those　who　are
almost　all　day　pacing　the　cathedral　cloisters；　and　yet　they　are　all
Toledans。　Pure；　correct；　elegant　and　lucid　language　will　be　met　with
in　men　of　courtly　breeding　and　discrimination；　though　they　may　have
been　born　in　Majalahonda；　I　say　of　discrimination；　because　there　are
many　who　are　not　so；　and　discrimination　is　the　grammar　of　good
language；　if　it　be　accompanied　by　practice。　I；　sirs；　for　my　sins
have　studied　canon　law　at　Salamanca；　and　I　rather　pique　myself　on
expressing　my　meaning　in　clear；　plain；　and　intelligible　language。〃
　　〃If　you　did　not　pique　yourself　more　on　your　dexterity　with　those
foils　you　carry　than　on　dexterity　of　tongue；〃　said　the　other
student；　〃you　would　have　been　head　of　the　degrees；　where　you　are　now
tail。〃
　　〃Look　here；　bachelor　Corchuelo；〃　returned　the　licentiate；　〃you
have　the　most　mistaken　idea　in　the　world　about　skill　with　the　sword；
if　you　think　it　useless。〃
　　〃It　is　no　idea　on　my　part；　but　an　established　truth；〃　replied
Corchuelo；　〃and　if　you　wish　me　to　prove　it　to　you　by　experiment；　you
have　swords　there；　and　it　is　a　good　opportunity；　I　have　a　steady
hand　and　a　strong　arm；　and　these　joined　with　my　resolution；　which　is
not　small；　will　make　you　confess　that　I　am　not　mistaken。　Dismount
and　put　in　practice　your　positions　and　circles　and　angles　and　science；
for　I　hope　to　make　you　see　stars　at　noonday　with　my　rude　raw
swordsmanship；　in　which；　next　to　God；　I　place　my　trust　that　the　man　is
yet　to　be　born　who　will　make　me　turn　my　back；　and　that　there　is　not
one　in　the　world　I　will　not　compel　to　give　ground。〃
　　〃As　to　whether　you　turn　your　back　or　not；　I　do　not　concern
myself；〃　replied　the　master　of　fence；　〃though　it　might　be　that　your
grave　would　be　dug　on　the　spot　where　you　planted　your　foot　the　first
time；　I　mean　that　you　would　be　stretched　dead　there　for　despising
skill　with　the　sword。〃
　　〃We　shall　soon　see；〃　replied　Corchuelo；　and　getting　off　his　ass
briskly；　he　drew　out　furiously　one　of　the　swords　the　licentiate
carried　on　his　beast。
　　〃It　must　not　be　that　way；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this　point；　〃I　will
be　the　director　of　this　fencing　match；　and　judge　of　this　often
disputed　question；〃　and　dismounting　from　Rocinante　and　grasping　his
lance；　he　planted　himself　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　just　as　the
licentiate；　with　an　easy；　graceful　bearing　and　step；　advanced
towards　Corchuelo；　who　came　on　against　him；　darting　fire　from　his
eyes；　as　the　saying　is。　The　other　two　of　the　company；　the　peasants；
without　dismounting　from　their　asses；　served　as　spectators　of　the
mortal　tragedy。　The　cuts；　thrusts；　down　strokes；　back　strokes　and
doubles；　that　Corchuelo　delivered　were　past　counting；　and　came　thicker
than　hops　or　hail。　He　attacked　like　an　angry　lion；　but　he　was　met　by　a
tap　on　the　mouth　from　the　button　of　the　licentiate's　sword　that
checked　him　in　the　midst　of　his　furious　onset；　and　made　him　kiss　it　as
if　it　were　a　relic；　though　not　as　devoutly　as　relics　are　and　ought
to　he　kissed。　The　end　of　it　was　that　the　licentiate　reckoned　up　for
him　by　thrusts　every　one　of　the　buttons　of　the　short　cassock　he
wore；　tore　the　skirts　into　strips；　like　the　tails　of　a　cuttlefish；
knocked　off　his　hat　twice；　and　so　completely　tired　him　out；　that　in
vexation；　anger；　and　rage；　he　took　the　sword　by　the　hilt　and　flung
it　away　with　such　force；　that　one　of　the　peasants　that　were　there；　who
was　a　notary；　and　who　went　for　it；　made　an　affidavit　afterwards　that
he　sent　it　nearly　three…quarters　of　a　league；　which　testimony　will
serve；　and　has　served；　to　show　and　establish　with　all　certainty　that
strength　is　overcome　by　skill。
　　Corchuelo　sat　down　wearied；　and　Sancho　approaching　him　said；　〃By
my　faith；　senor　bachelor；　if　your　worship　takes　my　advice；　you　will
never　challenge　anyone　to　fence　again；　only　to　wrestle　and　throw　the
bar；　for　you　have　the　youth　and　strength　for　that；　but　as　for　these
fencers　as　they　call　them；　I　have　heard　say　they　can　put　the　point
of　a　sword　through　the　eye　of　a　needle。〃
　　〃I　am　satisfied　with　having　tumbled　off　my　donkey；〃　said
Corchuelo；　〃and　with　having　had　the　truth　I　was　so　ignorant　of
proved　to　me　by　experience；〃　and　getting　up　he　embraced　the
licentiate；　and　they　were　better　friends　than　ever；　and　not　caring
to　wait　for　the　notary　who　had　gone　for　the　sword；　as　they　saw　he
would　be　a　long　time　about　it；　they　resolved　to　push　on　so　as　to　reach
the　village　of　Quiteria；　to　which　they　all　belonged；　in　good　time。
　　During　the　remainder　of　the　journey　the　licentiate　held　forth　to
them　on　the　excellences　of　the　sword；　with　such　conclusive
arguments；　and　such　figures　and　mathematical　proofs；　that　all　were
convinced　of　the　value　of　the　science；　and　Corchuelo　cured　of　his
dogmatism。
　　It　grew　dark；　but　before　they　reached　the　town　it　seemed　to　them　all
as　if　there　was　a　heaven　full　of　countless　glittering　stars　in　front
of　it。　They　heard；　too；　the　pleasant　mingled　notes　of　a　variety　of
instruments；　flutes；　drums；　psalteries；　pipes；　tabors；　and　timbrels；
and　as　they　drew　near　they　perceived　that　the　trees　of　a　leafy
arcade　that　had　been　constructed　at　the　entrance　of　the　town　were
filled　with　lights　unaffected　by　the　wind；　for　the　breeze　at　the
time　was　so　gentle　that　it　had　not　power　to　stir　the　leaves　on　the
trees。　The　musicians　were　the　life　of　the　weddi