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第149节

don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第149节

小说: don quixote(堂·吉珂德) 字数: 每页4000字

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theirs。〃
  Shortly after this; several bands of dancers of various sorts
began to enter the arcade at different points; and among them one of
sword…dancers composed of some four…and…twenty lads of gallant and
high…spirited mien; clad in the finest and whitest of linen; and
with handkerchiefs embroidered in various colours with fine silk;
and one of those on the mares asked an active youth who led them if
any of the dancers had been wounded。 〃As yet; thank God; no one has
been wounded;〃 said he; 〃we are all safe and sound;〃 and he at once
began to execute complicated figures with the rest of his comrades;
with so many turns and so great dexterity; that although Don Quixote
was well used to see dances of the same kind; he thought he had
never seen any so good as this。 He also admired another that came in
composed of fair young maidens; none of whom seemed to be under
fourteen or over eighteen years of age; all clad in green stuff;
with their locks partly braided; partly flowing loose; but all of such
bright gold as to vie with the sunbeams; and over them they wore
garlands of jessamine; roses; amaranth; and honeysuckle。 At their head
were a venerable old man and an ancient dame; more brisk and active;
however; than might have been expected from their years。 The notes
of a Zamora bagpipe accompanied them; and with modesty in their
countenances and in their eyes; and lightness in their feet; they
looked the best dancers in the world。
  Following these there came an artistic dance of the sort they call
〃speaking dances。〃 It was composed of eight nymphs in two files;
with the god Cupid leading one and Interest the other; the former
furnished with wings; bow; quiver and arrows; the latter in a rich
dress of gold and silk of divers colours。 The nymphs that followed
Love bore their names written on white parchment in large letters on
their backs。 〃Poetry〃 was the name of the first; 〃Wit〃 of the
second; 〃Birth〃 of the third; and 〃Valour〃 of the fourth。 Those that
followed Interest were distinguished in the same way; the badge of the
first announced 〃Liberality;〃 that of the second 〃Largess;〃 the
third 〃Treasure;〃 and the fourth 〃Peaceful Possession。〃 In front of
them all came a wooden castle drawn by four wild men; all clad in
ivy and hemp stained green; and looking so natural that they nearly
terrified Sancho。 On the front of the castle and on each of the four
sides of its frame it bore the inscription 〃Castle of Caution。〃 Four
skillful tabor and flute players accompanied them; and the dance
having been opened; Cupid; after executing two figures; raised his
eyes and bent his bow against a damsel who stood between the turrets
of the castle; and thus addressed her:

       I am the mighty God whose sway
         Is potent over land and sea。
       The heavens above us own me; nay;
         The shades below acknowledge me。
       I know not fear; I have my will;
         Whate'er my whim or fancy be;
       For me there's no impossible;
         I order; bind; forbid; set free。

Having concluded the stanza he discharged an arrow at the top of the
castle; and went back to his place。 Interest then came forward and
went through two more figures; and as soon as the tabors ceased; he
said:

       But mightier than Love am I;
         Though Love it be that leads me on;
       Than mine no lineage is more high;
         Or older; underneath the sun。
       To use me rightly few know how;
         To act without me fewer still;
       For I am Interest; and I vow
         For evermore to do thy will。

Interest retired; and Poetry came forward; and when she had gone
through her figures like the others; fixing her eyes on the damsel
of the castle; she said:

       With many a fanciful conceit;
         Fair Lady; winsome Poesy
       Her soul; an offering at thy feet;
         Presents in sonnets unto thee。
       If thou my homage wilt not scorn;
         Thy fortune; watched by envious eyes;
       On wings of poesy upborne
         Shall be exalted to the skies。

Poetry withdrew; and on the side of Interest Liberality advanced;
and after having gone through her figures; said:

       To give; while shunning each extreme;
         The sparing hand; the over…free;
       Therein consists; so wise men deem;
         The virtue Liberality。
       But thee; fair lady; to enrich;
         Myself a prodigal I'll prove;
       A vice not wholly shameful; which
         May find its fair excuse in love。

  In the same manner all the characters of the two bands advanced
and retired; and each executed its figures; and delivered its
verses; some of them graceful; some burlesque; but Don Quixote's
memory (though he had an excellent one) only carried away those that
have been just quoted。 All then mingled together; forming chains and
breaking off again with graceful; unconstrained gaiety; and whenever
Love passed in front of the castle he shot his arrows up at it;
while Interest broke gilded pellets against it。 At length; after
they had danced a good while; Interest drew out a great purse; made of
the skin of a large brindled cat and to all appearance full of
money; and flung it at the castle; and with the force of the blow
the boards fell asunder and tumbled down; leaving the damsel exposed
and unprotected。 Interest and the characters of his band advanced; and
throwing a great chain of gold over her neck pretended to take her and
lead her away captive; on seeing which; Love and his supporters made
as though they would release her; the whole action being to the
accompaniment of the tabors and in the form of a regular dance。 The
wild men made peace between them; and with great dexterity
readjusted and fixed the boards of the castle; and the damsel once
more ensconced herself within; and with this the dance wound up; to
the great enjoyment of the beholders。
  Don Quixote asked one of the nymphs who it was that had composed and
arranged it。 She replied that it was a beneficiary of the town who had
a nice taste in devising things of the sort。 〃I will lay a wager;〃
said Don Quixote; 〃that the same bachelor or beneficiary is a
greater friend of Camacho's than of Basilio's; and that he is better
at satire than at vespers; he has introduced the accomplishments of
Basilio and the riches of Camacho very neatly into the dance。〃
Sancho Panza; who was listening to all this; exclaimed; 〃The king is
my cock; I stick to Camacho。〃 〃It is easy to see thou art a clown;
Sancho;〃 said Don Quixote; 〃and one of that sort that cry 'Long life
to the conqueror。'〃
  〃I don't know of what sort I am;〃 returned Sancho; 〃but I know
very well I'll never get such elegant skimmings off Basilio's pots
as these I have got off Camacho's;〃 and he showed him the bucketful of
geese and hens; and seizing one began to eat with great gaiety and
appetite; saying; 〃A fig for the accomplishments of Basilio! As much
as thou hast so much art thou worth; and as much as thou art worth
so much hast thou。 As a grandmother of mine used to say; there are
only two families in the world; the Haves and the Haven'ts; and she
stuck to the Haves; and to this day; Senor Don Quixote; people would
sooner feel the pulse of 'Have;' than of 'Know;' an ass covered with
gold looks better than a horse with a pack…saddle。 So once more I
say I stick to Camacho; the bountiful skimmings of whose pots are
geese and hens; hares and rabbits; but of Basilio's; if any ever
come to hand; or even to foot; they'll be only rinsings。〃
  〃Hast thou finished thy harangue; Sancho?〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Of
course I have finished it;〃 replied Sancho; 〃because I see your
worship takes offence at it; but if it was not for that; there was
work enough cut out for three days。〃
  〃God grant I may see thee dumb before I die; Sancho;〃 said Don
Quixote。
  〃At the rate we are going;〃 said Sancho; 〃I'll be chewing clay
before your worship dies; and then; maybe; I'll be so dumb that I'll
not say a word until the end of the world; or; at least; till the
day of judgment。〃
  〃Even should that happen; O Sancho;〃 said Don Quixote; 〃thy
silence will never come up to all thou hast talked; art talking; and
wilt talk all thy life; moreover; it naturally stands to reason;
that my death will come before thine; so I never expect to see thee
dumb; not even when thou art drinking or sleeping; and that is the
utmost I can say。〃
  〃In good faith; senor;〃 replied Sancho; 〃there's no trusting that
fleshless one; I mean Death; who devours the lamb as soon as the
sheep; and; as I have heard our curate say; treads with equal foot
upon the lofty towers of kings and the lowly huts of the poor。 That
lady is more mighty than dainty; she is no way squeamish; she
devours all and is ready for all; and fills her alforjas with people
of all sorts; ages; and ranks。 She is no reaper that sleeps out the
noontide; at all times she is reaping and cutting down; as well the
dry grass as the green; she never seems to chew; but bolts and
swallows all that is put before her; for she has a canine appetite
that is never satisfied; and though she has no belly; she shows she
has a dropsy and is athirst to drink the lives of all that live; as
one wou

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