don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第225节

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THAN　ALL　THAT　HAD　HITHERTO　BEFALLEN　HIM

　　THE　wife　of　Don　Antonio　Moreno；　so　the　history　says；　was　extremely
happy　to　see　Ana　Felix　in　her　house。　She　welcomed　her　with　great
kindness；　charmed　as　well　by　her　beauty　as　by　her　intelligence；　for　in
both　respects　the　fair　Morisco　was　richly　endowed；　and　all　the
people　of　the　city　flocked　to　see　her　as　though　they　had　been　summoned
by　the　ringing　of　the　bells。
　　Don　Quixote　told　Don　Antonio　that　the　plan　adopted　for　releasing　Don
Gregorio　was　not　a　good　one；　for　its　risks　were　greater　than　its
advantages；　and　that　it　would　be　better　to　land　himself　with　his
arms　and　horse　in　Barbary；　for　he　would　carry　him　off　in　spite　of
the　whole　Moorish　host；　as　Don　Gaiferos　carried　off　his　wife
Melisendra。
　　〃Remember；　your　worship；〃　observed　Sancho　on　hearing　him　say　so；
〃Senor　Don　Gaiferos　carried　off　his　wife　from　the　mainland；　and　took
her　to　France　by　land；　but　in　this　case；　if　by　chance　we　carry　off　Don
Gregorio；　we　have　no　way　of　bringing　him　to　Spain；　for　there's　the　sea
between。〃
　　〃There's　a　remedy　for　everything　except　death；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃if　they　bring　the　vessel　close　to　the　shore　we　shall　be　able　to　get
on　board　though　all　the　world　strive　to　prevent　us。〃
　　〃Your　worship　hits　it　off　mighty　well　and　mighty　easy；〃　said　Sancho；
〃but　'it's　a　long　step　from　saying　to　doing；'　and　I　hold　to　the
renegade；　for　he　seems　to　me　an　honest　good…hearted　fellow。〃
　　Don　Antonio　then　said　that　if　the　renegade　did　not　prove　successful；
the　expedient　of　the　great　Don　Quixote's　expedition　to　Barbary
should　be　adopted。　Two　days　afterwards　the　renegade　put　to　sea　in　a
light　vessel　of　six　oars　a…side　manned　by　a　stout　crew；　and　two　days
later　the　galleys　made　sail　eastward；　the　general　having　begged　the
viceroy　to　let　him　know　all　about　the　release　of　Don　Gregorio　and
about　Ana　Felix；　and　the　viceroy　promised　to　do　as　he　requested。
　　One　morning　as　Don　Quixote　went　out　for　a　stroll　along　the　beach；
arrayed　in　full　armour　（for；　as　he　often　said；　that　was　〃his　only
gear；　his　only　rest　the　fray；〃　and　he　never　was　without　it　for　a
moment）；　he　saw　coming　towards　him　a　knight；　also　in　full　armour；　with
a　shining　moon　painted　on　his　shield；　who；　on　approaching　sufficiently
near　to　be　heard；　said　in　a　loud　voice；　addressing　himself　to　Don
Quixote；　〃Illustrious　knight；　and　never　sufficiently　extolled　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　I　am　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon；　whose
unheard…of　achievements　will　perhaps　have　recalled　him　to　thy
memory。　I　come　to　do　battle　with　thee　and　prove　the　might　of　thy
arm；　to　the　end　that　I　make　thee　acknowledge　and　confess　that　my　lady；
let　her　be　who　she　may；　is　incomparably　fairer　than　thy　Dulcinea　del
Toboso。　If　thou　dost　acknowledge　this　fairly　and　openly；　thou　shalt
escape　death　and　save　me　the　trouble　of　inflicting　it　upon　thee；　if
thou　fightest　and　I　vanquish　thee；　I　demand　no　other　satisfaction　than
that；　laying　aside　arms　and　abstaining　from　going　in　quest　of
adventures；　thou　withdraw　and　betake　thyself　to　thine　own　village
for　the　space　of　a　year；　and　live　there　without　putting　hand　to　sword；
in　peace　and　quiet　and　beneficial　repose；　the　same　being　needful　for
the　increase　of　thy　substance　and　the　salvation　of　thy　soul；　and　if
thou　dost　vanquish　me；　my　head　shall　be　at　thy　disposal；　my　arms　and
horse　thy　spoils；　and　the　renown　of　my　deeds　transferred　and　added
to　thine。　Consider　which　will　be　thy　best　course；　and　give　me　thy
answer　speedily；　for　this　day　is　all　the　time　I　have　for　the
despatch　of　this　business。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　amazed　and　astonished；　as　well　at　the　Knight　of
the　White　Moon's　arrogance；　as　at　his　reason　for　delivering　the
defiance；　and　with　calm　dignity　he　answered　him；　〃Knight　of　the
White　Moon；　of　whose　achievements　I　have　never　heard　until　now；　I　will
venture　to　swear　you　have　never　seen　the　illustrious　Dulcinea；　for　had
you　seen　her　I　know　you　would　have　taken　care　not　to　venture
yourself　upon　this　issue；　because　the　sight　would　have　removed　all
doubt　from　your　mind　that　there　ever　has　been　or　can　be　a　beauty　to　be
compared　with　hers；　and　so；　not　saying　you　lie；　but　merely　that　you
are　not　correct　in　what　you　state；　I　accept　your　challenge；　with　the
conditions　you　have　proposed；　and　at　once；　that　the　day　you　have　fixed
may　not　expire；　and　from　your　conditions　I　except　only　that　of　the
renown　of　your　achievements　being　transferred　to　me；　for　I　know　not　of
what　sort　they　are　nor　what　they　may　amount　to；　I　am　satisfied　with　my
own；　such　as　they　be。　Take；　therefore；　the　side　of　the　field　you
choose；　and　I　will　do　the　same；　and　to　whom　God　shall　give　it　may
Saint　Peter　add　his　blessing。〃
　　The　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　had　been　seen　from　the　city；　and　it　was
told　the　viceroy　how　he　was　in　conversation　with　Don　Quixote。　The
viceroy；　fancying　it　must　be　some　fresh　adventure　got　up　by　Don
Antonio　Moreno　or　some　other　gentleman　of　the　city；　hurried　out　at
once　to　the　beach　accompanied　by　Don　Antonio　and　several　other
gentlemen；　just　as　Don　Quixote　was　wheeling　Rocinante　round　in　order
to　take　up　the　necessary　distance。　The　viceroy　upon　this；　seeing
that　the　pair　of　them　were　evidently　preparing　to　come　to　the
charge；　put　himself　between　them；　asking　them　what　it　was　that　led
them　to　engage　in　combat　all　of　a　sudden　in　this　way。　The　Knight　of
the　White　Moon　replied　that　it　was　a　question　of　precedence　of　beauty；
and　briefly　told　him　what　he　had　said　to　Don　Quixote；　and　how　the
conditions　of　the　defiance　agreed　upon　on　both　sides　had　been
accepted。　The　viceroy　went　over　to　Don　Antonio；　and　asked　in　a　low
voice　did　he　know　who　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　was；　or　was　it　some
joke　they　were　playing　on　Don　Quixote。　Don　Antonio　replied　that　he
neither　knew　who　he　was　nor　whether　the　defiance　was　in　joke　or　in
earnest。　This　answer　left　the　viceroy　in　a　state　of　perplexity；　not
knowing　whether　he　ought　to　let　the　combat　go　on　or　not；　but　unable　to
persuade　himself　that　it　was　anything　but　a　joke　he　fell　back；　saying；
〃If　there　be　no　other　way　out　of　it；　gallant　knights；　except　to
confess　or　die；　and　Don　Quixote　is　inflexible；　and　your　worship　of　the
White　Moon　still　more　so；　in　God's　hand　be　it；　and　fall　on。〃
　　He　of　the　White　Moon　thanked　the　viceroy　in　courteous　and
well…chosen　words　for　the　permission　he　gave　them；　and　so　did　Don
Quixote；　who　then；　commending　himself　with　all　his　heart　to　heaven　and
to　his　Dulcinea；　as　was　his　custom　on　the　eve　of　any　combat　that
awaited　him；　proceeded　to　take　a　little　more　distance；　as　he　saw　his
antagonist　was　doing　the　same；　then；　without　blast　of　trumpet　or　other
warlike　instrument　to　give　them　the　signal　to　charge；　both　at　the　same
instant　wheeled　their　horses；　and　he　of　the　White　Moon；　being　the
swifter；　met　Don　Quixote　after　having　traversed　two…thirds　of　the
course；　and　there　encountered　him　with　such　violence　that；　without
touching　him　with　his　lance　（for　he　held　it　high；　to　all　appearance
purposely）；　he　hurled　Don　Quixote　and　Rocinante　to　the　earth；　a
perilous　fall。　He　sprang　upon　him　at　once；　and　placing　the　lance
over　his　visor　said　to　him；　〃You　are　vanquished；　sir　knight；　nay
dead　unless　you　admit　the　conditions　of　our　defiance。〃
　　Don　Quixote；　bruised　and　stupefied；　without　raising　his　visor　said
in　a　weak　feeble　voice　as　if　he　were　speaking　out　of　a　tomb；　〃Dulcinea
del　Toboso　is　the　fairest　woman　in　the　world；　and　I　the　most
unfortunate　knight　on　earth；　it　is　not　fitting　that　this　truth
should　suffer　by　my　feebleness；　drive　your　lance　home；　sir　knight；　and
take　my　life；　since　you　have　taken　away　my　honour。〃
　　〃That　will　I　not；　in　sooth；〃　said　he　of　the　White　Moon；　〃live　the
fame　of　the　lady　Dulcinea's　beauty　undimmed　as　ever；　all　I　require
is　that　the　great　Don　Quixote　retire　to　his　own　home　for　a　year；　or
for　so　long　a　time　as　shall　by　me　be　enjoined　upon　him；　as　we　agreed
before　engaging　in　this　combat。〃
　　The　viceroy；　Don　Antonio；　and　several　others　who　were　present
heard　all　this；　and　heard　too　how　Don　Quixote　replied　that　so　long
as　nothing　in　prejudice　of　Dulcinea　was　demanded　of　him；　he　would
observe　all　the　rest　like　a　true　and　loyal　knight。　The　engagement
given；　he　of　the　White　Moon　wheeled　about；　and　making　obeisance　to　the
viceroy　with　a　movement　of　the　head；　rode　away　into　the　city　at　a　half
gallop。　The　viceroy　bade　Don　Antonio　hasten　after　him；　and　by　some
means　or　other　find　out　who　he　was。　They　raised　Don　Quixote　up　and
uncovered　his　face；　and　found　him　pale　and　bathed　with　sweat。
Rocinante　from　the　mere　hard　measure　he　had　received　lay　unable　to
stir　for　the　present。　Sancho；　wholly　dejected　and　woebegone；　knew
not　what　to　say　or　do。　He　fancied　that　all　was　a　dream；　that　the　whole
business　was　a　piece　of　enchantment。　Here　was　his　master　defeated；　and
bound　not　to　take　up　arms　for　a　year。　He　saw　the　light　of　the　glory　of
his　achievements　obscured；　the　hopes　of　the　promises　lately　made　him
swept　away　like　smoke　before　the　wind；　Rocinante；　he　feared；　was
crippled　for　life；　and　his　master's　bones　out　of　joint；　for　if　he　were
only　shaken　out　of　his　madness　it　would　be　no　small　luck。　In　the　end
they　carried　him　into　the　city　in　a　hand…chair　which　the　viceroy
sent　for；　and　thither　th