don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第197节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


knows　how。　I　was　there；　and　gave　more　than　one　doubtful　point　in　his
favour；　very　much　against　what　my　conscience　told　me。　He　made　off　with
his　winnings；　and　when　I　made　sure　he　was　going　to　give　me　a　crown
or　so　at　least　by　way　of　a　present；　as　it　is　usual　and　customary　to
give　men　of　quality　of　my　sort　who　stand　by　to　see　fair　or　foul
play；　and　back　up　swindles；　and　prevent　quarrels；　he　pocketed　his
money　and　left　the　house。　Indignant　at　this　I　followed　him；　and
speaking　him　fairly　and　civilly　asked　him　to　give　me　if　it　were　only
eight　reals；　for　he　knows　I　am　an　honest　man　and　that　I　have　neither
profession　nor　property；　for　my　parents　never　brought　me　up　to　any
or　left　me　any；　but　the　rogue；　who　is　a　greater　thief　than　Cacus　and　a
greater　sharper　than　Andradilla；　would　not　give　me　more　than　four
reals；　so　your　worship　may　see　how　little　shame　and　conscience　he　has。
But　by　my　faith　if　you　had　not　come　up　I'd　have　made　him　disgorge
his　winnings；　and　he'd　have　learned　what　the　range　of　the　steel…yard
was。〃
　　〃What　say　you　to　this？〃　asked　Sancho。　The　other　replied　that　all　his
antagonist　said　was　true；　and　that　he　did　not　choose　to　give　him
more　than　four　reals　because　he　very　often　gave　him　money；　and　that
those　who　expected　presents　ought　to　be　civil　and　take　what　is　given
them　with　a　cheerful　countenance；　and　not　make　any　claim　against
winners　unless　they　know　them　for　certain　to　be　sharpers　and　their
winnings　to　be　unfairly　won；　and　that　there　could　be　no　better　proof
that　he　himself　was　an　honest　man　than　his　having　refused　to　give
anything；　for　sharpers　always　pay　tribute　to　lookers…on　who　know　them。
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃let　your　worship　consider
what　is　to　be　done　with　these　men。〃
　　〃What　is　to　be　done；〃　said　Sancho；　〃is　this；　you；　the　winner；　be　you
good；　bad；　or　indifferent；　give　this　assailant　of　yours　a　hundred
reals　at　once；　and　you　must　disburse　thirty　more　for　the　poor
prisoners；　and　you　who　have　neither　profession　nor　property；　and
hang　about　the　island　in　idleness；　take　these　hundred　reals　now；　and
some　time　of　the　day　to…morrow　quit　the　island　under　sentence　of
banishment　for　ten　years；　and　under　pain　of　completing　it　in　another
life　if　you　violate　the　sentence；　for　I'll　hang　you　on　a　gibbet；　or　at
least　the　hangman　will　by　my　orders；　not　a　word　from　either　of　you；　or
I'll　make　him　feel　my　hand。〃
　　The　one　paid　down　the　money　and　the　other　took　it；　and　the　latter
quitted　the　island；　while　the　other　went　home；　and　then　the　governor
said；　〃Either　I　am　not　good　for　much；　or　I'll　get　rid　of　these
gambling　houses；　for　it　strikes　me　they　are　very　mischievous。〃
　　〃This　one　at　least；〃　said　one　of　the　notaries；　〃your　worship　will
not　be　able　to　get　rid　of；　for　a　great　man　owns　it；　and　what　he
loses　every　year　is　beyond　all　comparison　more　than　what　he　makes　by
the　cards。　On　the　minor　gambling　houses　your　worship　may　exercise　your
power；　and　it　is　they　that　do　most　harm　and　shelter　the　most　barefaced
practices；　for　in　the　houses　of　lords　and　gentlemen　of　quality　the
notorious　sharpers　dare　not　attempt　to　play　their　tricks；　and　as　the
vice　of　gambling　has　become　common；　it　is　better　that　men　should
play　in　houses　of　repute　than　in　some　tradesman's；　where　they　catch　an
unlucky　fellow　in　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　and　skin　him　alive。〃
　　〃I　know　already；　notary；　that　there　is　a　good　deal　to　he　said　on
that　point；〃　said　Sancho。
　　And　now　a　tipstaff　came　up　with　a　young　man　in　his　grasp；　and
said；　〃Senor　governor；　this　youth　was　coming　towards　us；　and　as　soon
as　he　saw　the　officers　of　justice　he　turned　about　and　ran　like　a　deer；
a　sure　proof　that　he　must　be　some　evil…doer；　I　ran　after　him；　and
had　it　not　been　that　he　stumbled　and　fell；　I　should　never　have
caught　him。〃
　　〃What　did　you　run　for；　fellow？〃　said　Sancho。
　　To　which　the　young　man　replied；　〃Senor；　it　was　to　avoid　answering
all　the　questions　officers　of　justice　put。〃
　　〃What　are　you　by　trade？〃
　　〃A　weaver。〃
　　〃And　what　do　you　weave？〃
　　〃Lance　heads；　with　your　worship's　good　leave。〃
　　〃You're　facetious　with　me！　You　plume　yourself　on　being　a　wag？　Very
good；　and　where　were　you　going　just　now？〃
　　〃To　take　the　air；　senor。〃
　　〃And　where　does　one　take　the　air　in　this　island？〃
　　〃Where　it　blows。〃
　　〃Good！　your　answers　are　very　much　to　the　point；　you　are　a　smart
youth；　but　take　notice　that　I　am　the　air；　and　that　I　blow　upon　you
a…stern；　and　send　you　to　gaol。　Ho　there！　lay　hold　of　him　and　take
him　off；　I'll　make　him　sleep　there　to…night　without　air。〃
　　〃By　God；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃your　worship　will　make　me　sleep　in
gaol　just　as　soon　as　make　me　king。〃
　　〃Why　shan't　I　make　thee　sleep　in　gaol？〃　said　Sancho。　〃Have　I　not　the
power　to　arrest　thee　and　release　thee　whenever　I　like？〃
　　〃All　the　power　your　worship　has；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃won't　be　able
to　make　me　sleep　in　gaol。〃
　　〃How？　not　able！〃　said　Sancho；　〃take　him　away　at　once　where　he'll　see
his　mistake　with　his　own　eyes；　even　if　the　gaoler　is　willing　to
exert　his　interested　generosity　on　his　behalf；　for　I'll　lay　a
penalty　of　two　thousand　ducats　on　him　if　he　allows　him　to　stir　a
step　from　the　prison。〃
　　〃That's　ridiculous；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃the　fact　is；　all　the　men
on　earth　will　not　make　me　sleep　in　prison。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　you　devil；〃　said　Sancho；　〃have　you　got　any　angel　that　will
deliver　you；　and　take　off　the　irons　I　am　going　to　order　them　to　put
upon　you？〃
　　〃Now；　senor　governor；〃　said　the　young　man　in　a　sprightly　manner；
〃let　us　be　reasonable　and　come　to　the　point。　Granted　your　worship
may　order　me　to　be　taken　to　prison；　and　to　have　irons　and　chains　put
on　me；　and　to　be　shut　up　in　a　cell；　and　may　lay　heavy　penalties　on　the
gaoler　if　he　lets　me　out；　and　that　he　obeys　your　orders；　still；　if　I
don't　choose　to　sleep；　and　choose　to　remain　awake　all　night　without
closing　an　eye；　will　your　worship　with　all　your　power　be　able　to
make　me　sleep　if　I　don't　choose？〃
　　〃No；　truly；〃　said　the　secretary；　〃and　the　fellow　has　made　his
point。〃
　　〃So　then；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　would　be　entirely　of　your　own　choice　you
would　keep　from　sleeping；　not　in　opposition　to　my　will？〃
　　〃No；　senor；〃　said　the　youth；　〃certainly　not。〃
　　〃Well　then；　go；　and　God　be　with　you；〃　said　Sancho；　〃be　off　home　to
sleep；　and　God　give　you　sound　sleep；　for　I　don't　want　to　rob　you　of
it；　but　for　the　future；　let　me　advise　you　don't　joke　with　the
authorities；　because　you　may　come　across　some　one　who　will　bring
down　the　joke　on　your　own　skull。〃
　　The　young　man　went　his　way；　and　the　governor　continued　his　round；
and　shortly　afterwards　two　tipstaffs　came　up　with　a　man　in　custody；
and　said；　〃Senor　governor；　this　person；　who　seems　to　be　a　man；　is
not　so；　but　a　woman；　and　not　an　ill…favoured　one；　in　man's　clothes。〃
They　raised　two　or　three　lanterns　to　her　face；　and　by　their　light　they
distinguished　the　features　of　a　woman　to　all　appearance　of　the　age
of　sixteen　or　a　little　more；　with　her　hair　gathered　into　a　gold　and
green　silk　net；　and　fair　as　a　thousand　pearls。　They　scanned　her　from
head　to　foot；　and　observed　that　she　had　on　red　silk　stockings　with
garters　of　white　taffety　bordered　with　gold　and　pearl；　her　breeches
were　of　green　and　gold　stuff；　and　under　an　open　jacket　or　jerkin　of
the　same　she　wore　a　doublet　of　the　finest　white　and　gold　cloth；　her
shoes　were　white　and　such　as　men　wear；　she　carried　no　sword　at　her
belt；　but　only　a　richly　ornamented　dagger；　and　on　her　fingers　she
had　several　handsome　rings。　In　short；　the　girl　seemed　fair　to　look
at　in　the　eyes　of　all；　and　none　of　those　who　beheld　her　knew　her；
the　people　of　the　town　said　they　could　not　imagine　who　she　was；　and
those　who　were　in　the　secret　of　the　jokes　that　were　to　be　practised
upon　Sancho　were　the　ones　who　were　most　surprised；　for　this　incident
or　discovery　had　not　been　arranged　by　them；　and　they　watched　anxiously
to　see　how　the　affair　would　end。
　　Sancho　was　fascinated　by　the　girl's　beauty；　and　he　asked　her　who　she
was；　where　she　was　going；　and　what　had　induced　her　to　dress　herself　in
that　garb。　She　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground　answered　in　modest
confusion；　〃I　cannot　tell　you；　senor；　before　so　many　people　what　it　is
of　such　consequence　to　me　to　have　kept　secret；　one　thing　I　wish　to
be　known；　that　I　am　no　thief　or　evildoer；　but　only　an　unhappy　maiden
whom　the　power　of　jealousy　has　led　to　break　through　the　respect　that
is　due　to　modesty。〃
　　Hearing　this　the　majordomo　said　to　Sancho；　〃Make　the　people　stand
back；　senor　governor；　that　this　lady　may　say　what　she　wishes　with　less
embarrassment。〃
　　Sancho　gave　the　order；　and　all　except　the　majordomo；　the
head…carver；　and　the　secretary　fell　back。　Finding　herself　then　in
the　presence　of　no　more；　the　damsel　went　on　to　say；　〃I　am　the
daughter；　sirs；　of　Pedro　Perez　Mazorca；　the　wool…farmer　of　this
town；　who　is　in　the　habit　of　coming　very　often　to　my　father's　house。〃
　　〃That　won't　do；　senora；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃for　I　know　Pedro　Perez
very　well；　and　I　know　he　has　no　child　at　all；　either　son　or
daughter；　and　besides；　though　you　say　he　is　your　father；　you　add
then　that　he　comes　very　often　to　your　father's　house。〃
　　〃I　had　already　noticed　that；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃I　am　confused　just　now；　sirs；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃and　I　d