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第198节

don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第198节

小说: don quixote(堂·吉珂德) 字数: 每页4000字

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  〃I had already noticed that;〃 said Sancho。
  〃I am confused just now; sirs;〃 said the damsel; 〃and I don't know
what I am saying; but the truth is that I am the daughter of Diego
de la Llana; whom you must all know。〃
  〃Ay; that will do;〃 said the majordomo; 〃for I know Diego de la
Llana; and know that he is a gentleman of position and a rich man; and
that he has a son and a daughter; and that since he was left a widower
nobody in all this town can speak of having seen his daughter's
face; for he keeps her so closely shut up that he does not give even
the sun a chance of seeing her; and for all that report says she is
extremely beautiful。〃
  〃It is true;〃 said the damsel; 〃and I am that daughter; whether
report lies or not as to my beauty; you; sirs; will have decided by
this time; as you have seen me;〃 and with this she began to weep
bitterly。
  On seeing this the secretary leant over to the head…carver's ear;
and said to him in a low voice; 〃Something serious has no doubt
happened this poor maiden; that she goes wandering from home in such a
dress and at such an hour; and one of her rank too。〃 〃There can be
no doubt about it;〃 returned the carver; 〃and moreover her tears
confirm your suspicion。〃 Sancho gave her the best comfort he could;
and entreated her to tell them without any fear what had happened her;
as they would all earnestly and by every means in their power
endeavour to relieve her。
  〃The fact is; sirs;〃 said she; 〃that my father has kept me shut up
these ten years; for so long is it since the earth received my mother。
Mass is said at home in a sumptuous chapel; and all this time I have
seen but the sun in the heaven by day; and the moon and the stars by
night; nor do I know what streets are like; or plazas; or churches; or
even men; except my father and a brother I have; and Pedro Perez the
wool…farmer; whom; because he came frequently to our house; I took
it into my head to call my father; to avoid naming my own。 This
seclusion and the restrictions laid upon my going out; were it only to
church; have been keeping me unhappy for many a day and month past;
I longed to see the world; or at least the town where I was born;
and it did not seem to me that this wish was inconsistent with the
respect maidens of good quality should have for themselves。 When I
heard them talking of bull…fights taking place; and of javelin
games; and of acting plays; I asked my brother; who is a year
younger than myself; to tell me what sort of things these were; and
many more that I had never seen; he explained them to me as well as he
could; but the only effect was to kindle in me a still stronger desire
to see them。 At last; to cut short the story of my ruin; I begged
and entreated my brother… O that I had never made such an entreaty…〃
And once more she gave way to a burst of weeping。
  〃Proceed; senora;〃 said the majordomo; 〃and finish your story of
what has happened to you; for your words and tears are keeping us
all in suspense。〃
  〃I have but little more to say; though many a tear to shed;〃 said
the damsel; 〃for ill…placed desires can only be paid for in some
such way。〃
  The maiden's beauty had made a deep impression on the
head…carver's heart; and he again raised his lantern for another
look at her; and thought they were not tears she was shedding; but
seed…pearl or dew of the meadow; nay; he exalted them still higher;
and made Oriental pearls of them; and fervently hoped her misfortune
might not be so great a one as her tears and sobs seemed to
indicate。 The governor was losing patience at the length of time the
girl was taking to tell her story; and told her not to keep them
waiting any longer; for it was late; and there still remained a good
deal of the town to be gone over。
  She; with broken sobs and half…suppressed sighs; went on to say; 〃My
misfortune; my misadventure; is simply this; that I entreated my
brother to dress me up as a man in a suit of his clothes; and take
me some night; when our father was asleep; to see the whole town;
he; overcome by my entreaties; consented; and dressing me in this suit
and himself in clothes of mine that fitted him as if made for him (for
he has not a hair on his chin; and might pass for a very beautiful
young girl); to…night; about an hour ago; more or less; we left the
house; and guided by our youthful and foolish impulse we made the
circuit of the whole town; and then; as we were about to return
home; we saw a great troop of people coming; and my brother said to
me; 'Sister; this must be the round; stir your feet and put wings to
them; and follow me as fast as you can; lest they recognise us; for
that would be a bad business for us;' and so saying he turned about
and began; I cannot say to run but to fly; in less than six paces I
fell from fright; and then the officer of justice came up and
carried me before your worships; where I find myself put to shame
before all these people as whimsical and vicious。〃
  〃So then; senora;〃 said Sancho; 〃no other mishap has befallen you;
nor was it jealousy that made you leave home; as you said at the
beginning of your story?〃
  〃Nothing has happened me;〃 said she; 〃nor was it jealousy that
brought me out; but merely a longing to see the world; which did not
go beyond seeing the streets of this town。〃
  The appearance of the tipstaffs with her brother in custody; whom
one of them had overtaken as he ran away from his sister; now fully
confirmed the truth of what the damsel said。 He had nothing on but a
rich petticoat and a short blue damask cloak with fine gold lace;
and his head was uncovered and adorned only with its own hair; which
looked like rings of gold; so bright and curly was it。 The governor;
the majordomo; and the carver went aside with him; and; unheard by his
sister; asked him how he came to be in that dress; and he with no less
shame and embarrassment told exactly the same story as his sister;
to the great delight of the enamoured carver; the governor; however;
said to them; 〃In truth; young lady and gentleman; this has been a
very childish affair; and to explain your folly and rashness there was
no necessity for all this delay and all these tears and sighs; for
if you had said we are so…and…so; and we escaped from our father's
house in this way in order to ramble about; out of mere curiosity
and with no other object; there would have been an end of the
matter; and none of these little sobs and tears and all the rest of
it。〃
  〃That is true;〃 said the damsel; 〃but you see the confusion I was in
was so great it did not let me behave as I ought。〃
  〃No harm has been done;〃 said Sancho; 〃come; we will leave you at
your father's house; perhaps they will not have missed you; and
another time don't be so childish or eager to see the world; for a
respectable damsel should have a broken leg and keep at home; and
the woman and the hen by gadding about are soon lost; and she who is
eager to see is also eager to be seen; I say no more。〃
  The youth thanked the governor for his kind offer to take them home;
and they directed their steps towards the house; which was not far
off。 On reaching it the youth threw a pebble up at a grating; and
immediately a woman…servant who was waiting for them came down and
opened the door to them; and they went in; leaving the party
marvelling as much at their grace and beauty as at the fancy they
had for seeing the world by night and without quitting the village;
which; however; they set down to their youth。
  The head…carver was left with a heart pierced through and through;
and he made up his mind on the spot to demand the damsel in marriage
of her father on the morrow; making sure she would not be refused
him as he was a servant of the duke's; and even to Sancho ideas and
schemes of marrying the youth to his daughter Sanchica suggested
themselves; and he resolved to open the negotiation at the proper
season; persuading himself that no husband could be refused to a
governor's daughter。 And so the night's round came to an end; and a
couple of days later the government; whereby all his plans were
overthrown and swept away; as will be seen farther on。
  

CHAPTER L
  WHEREIN IS SET FORTH WHO THE ENCHANTERS AND EXECUTIONERS WERE WHO
FLOGGED THE DUENNA AND PINCHED DON QUIXOTE; AND ALSO WHAT BEFELL THE
PAGE WHO CARRIED THE LETTER TO TERESA PANZA; SANCHO PANZA'S WIFE

  CIDE HAMETE; the painstaking investigator of the minute points of
this veracious history; says that when Dona Rodriguez left her own
room to go to Don Quixote's; another duenna who slept with her
observed her; and as all duennas are fond of prying; listening; and
sniffing; she followed her so silently that the good Rodriguez never
perceived it; and as soon as the duenna saw her enter Don Quixote's
room; not to fail in a duenna's invariable practice of tattling; she
hurried off that instant to report to the duchess how Dona Rodriguez
was closeted with Don Quixote。 The duchess told the duke; and asked
him to let her and Altisidora go and see what the said duenna wanted
with Don Quixote。 The duke gave them leave; and the pair cautiously
and quietly crept to the door of the room and posted themselves so
close to it that th

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