don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第58节

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impediment　in　the　way　of　the　second　marriage；　to　lead　him　to　recognise
his　obligations　under　the　former　one；　and　reflect　that　as　a
Christian　he　was　bound　to　consider　his　soul　above　all　human　objects。
All　this　passed　through　my　mind；　and　I　strove　to　comfort　myself
without　comfort；　indulging　in　faint　and　distant　hopes　of　cherishing
that　life　that　I　now　abhor。
　　〃But　while　I　was　in　the　city；　uncertain　what　to　do；　as　I　could　not
find　Don　Fernando；　I　heard　notice　given　by　the　public　crier　offering　a
great　reward　to　anyone　who　should　find　me；　and　giving　the
particulars　of　my　age　and　of　the　very　dress　I　wore；　and　I　heard　it
said　that　the　lad　who　came　with　me　had　taken　me　away　from　my
father's　house；　a　thing　that　cut　me　to　the　heart；　showing　how　low　my
good　name　had　fallen；　since　it　was　not　enough　that　I　should　lose　it　by
my　flight；　but　they　must　add　with　whom　I　had　fled；　and　that　one　so
much　beneath　me　and　so　unworthy　of　my　consideration。　The　instant　I
heard　the　notice　I　quitted　the　city　with　my　servant；　who　now　began
to　show　signs　of　wavering　in　his　fidelity　to　me；　and　the　same　night；
for　fear　of　discovery；　we　entered　the　most　thickly　wooded　part　of
these　mountains。　But；　as　is　commonly　said；　one　evil　calls　up　another
and　the　end　of　one　misfortune　is　apt　to　be　the　beginning　of　one
still　greater；　and　so　it　proved　in　my　case；　for　my　worthy　servant；
until　then　so　faithful　and　trusty　when　he　found　me　in　this　lonely
spot；　moved　more　by　his　own　villainy　than　by　my　beauty；　sought　to　take
advantage　of　the　opportunity　which　these　solitudes　seemed　to　present
him；　and　with　little　shame　and　less　fear　of　God　and　respect　for　me；
began　to　make　overtures　to　me；　and　finding　that　I　replied　to　the
effrontery　of　his　proposals　with　justly　severe　language；　he　laid　aside
the　entreaties　which　he　had　employed　at　first；　and　began　to　use
violence。　But　just　Heaven；　that　seldom　fails　to　watch　over　and　aid
good　intentions；　so　aided　mine　that　with　my　slight　strength　and　with
little　exertion　I　pushed　him　over　a　precipice；　where　I　left　him；
whether　dead　or　alive　I　know　not；　and　then；　with　greater　speed　than
seemed　possible　in　my　terror　and　fatigue；　I　made　my　way　into　the
mountains；　without　any　other　thought　or　purpose　save　that　of　hiding
myself　among　them；　and　escaping　my　father　and　those　despatched　in
search　of　me　by　his　orders。　It　is　now　I　know　not　how　many　months　since
with　this　object　I　came　here；　where　I　met　a　herdsman　who　engaged　me　as
his　servant　at　a　place　in　the　heart　of　this　Sierra；　and　all　this
time　I　have　been　serving　him　as　herd；　striving　to　keep　always　afield
to　hide　these　locks　which　have　now　unexpectedly　betrayed　me。　But　all
my　care　and　pains　were　unavailing；　for　my　master　made　the　discovery
that　I　was　not　a　man；　and　harboured　the　same　base　designs　as　my
servant；　and　as　fortune　does　not　always　supply　a　remedy　in　cases　of
difficulty；　and　I　had　no　precipice　or　ravine　at　hand　down　which　to
fling　the　master　and　cure　his　passion；　as　I　had　in　the　servant's　case；
I　thought　it　a　lesser　evil　to　leave　him　and　again　conceal　myself　among
these　crags；　than　make　trial　of　my　strength　and　argument　with　him。　So；
as　I　say；　once　more　I　went　into　hiding　to　seek　for　some　place　where
I　might　with　sighs　and　tears　implore　Heaven　to　have　pity　on　my　misery；
and　grant　me　help　and　strength　to　escape　from　it；　or　let　me　die
among　the　solitudes；　leaving　no　trace　of　an　unhappy　being　who；　by　no
fault　of　hers；　has　furnished　matter　for　talk　and　scandal　at　home　and
abroad。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXIX
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　DROLL　DEVICE　AND　METHOD　ADOPTED　TO　EXTRICATE　OUR
LOVE…STRICKEN　KNIGHT　FROM　THE　SEVERE　PENANCE　HE　HAD　IMPOSED　UPON
HIMSELF

　　〃SUCH；　sirs；　is　the　true　story　of　my　sad　adventures；　judge　for
yourselves　now　whether　the　sighs　and　lamentations　you　heard；　and　the
tears　that　flowed　from　my　eyes；　had　not　sufficient　cause　even　if　I　had
indulged　in　them　more　freely；　and　if　you　consider　the　nature　of　my
misfortune　you　will　see　that　consolation　is　idle；　as　there　is　no
possible　remedy　for　it。　All　I　ask　of　you　is；　what　you　may　easily　and
reasonably　do；　to　show　me　where　I　may　pass　my　life　unharassed　by　the
fear　and　dread　of　discovery　by　those　who　are　in　search　of　me；　for
though　the　great　love　my　parents　bear　me　makes　me　feel　sure　of　being
kindly　received　by　them；　so　great　is　my　feeling　of　shame　at　the　mere
thought　that　I　cannot　present　myself　before　them　as　they　expect；
that　I　had　rather　banish　myself　from　their　sight　for　ever　than　look
them　in　the　face　with　the　reflection　that　they　beheld　mine　stripped　of
that　purity　they　had　a　right　to　expect　in　me。〃
　　With　these　words　she　became　silent；　and　the　colour　that　overspread
her　face　showed　plainly　the　pain　and　shame　she　was　suffering　at　heart。
In　theirs　the　listeners　felt　as　much　pity　as　wonder　at　her
misfortunes；　but　as　the　curate　was　just　about　to　offer　her　some
consolation　and　advice　Cardenio　forestalled　him；　saying；　〃So　then；
senora；　you　are　the　fair　Dorothea；　the　only　daughter　of　the　rich
Clenardo？〃　Dorothea　was　astonished　at　hearing　her　father's　name；　and
at　the　miserable　appearance　of　him　who　mentioned　it；　for　it　has　been
already　said　how　wretchedly　clad　Cardenio　was；　so　she　said　to　him：
　　〃And　who　may　you　be；　brother；　who　seem　to　know　my　father's　name　so
well？　For　so　far；　if　I　remember　rightly；　I　have　not　mentioned　it　in
the　whole　story　of　my　misfortunes。〃
　　〃I　am　that　unhappy　being；　senora；〃　replied　Cardenio；　〃whom；　as　you
have　said；　Luscinda　declared　to　be　her　husband；　I　am　the　unfortunate
Cardenio；　whom　the　wrong…doing　of　him　who　has　brought　you　to　your
present　condition　has　reduced　to　the　state　you　see　me　in；　bare；
ragged；　bereft　of　all　human　comfort；　and　what　is　worse；　of　reason；　for
I　only　possess　it　when　Heaven　is　pleased　for　some　short　space　to
restore　it　to　me。　I；　Dorothea；　am　he　who　witnessed　the　wrong　done　by
Don　Fernando；　and　waited　to　hear　the　'Yes'　uttered　by　which　Luscinda
owned　herself　his　betrothed：　I　am　he　who　had　not　courage　enough　to　see
how　her　fainting　fit　ended；　or　what　came　of　the　paper　that　was　found
in　her　bosom；　because　my　heart　had　not　the　fortitude　to　endure　so　many
strokes　of　ill…fortune　at　once；　and　so　losing　patience　I　quitted　the
house；　and　leaving　a　letter　with　my　host；　which　I　entreated　him　to
place　in　Luscinda's　hands；　I　betook　myself　to　these　solitudes；
resolved　to　end　here　the　life　I　hated　as　if　it　were　my　mortal　enemy。
But　fate　would　not　rid　me　of　it；　contenting　itself　with　robbing　me
of　my　reason；　perhaps　to　preserve　me　for　the　good　fortune　I　have　had
in　meeting　you；　for　if　that　which　you　have　just　told　us　be　true；　as
I　believe　it　to　be；　it　may　be　that　Heaven　has　yet　in　store　for　both　of
us　a　happier　termination　to　our　misfortunes　than　we　look　for；
because　seeing　that　Luscinda　cannot　marry　Don　Fernando；　being　mine；　as
she　has　herself　so　openly　declared；　and　that　Don　Fernando　cannot　marry
her　as　he　is　yours；　we　may　reasonably　hope　that　Heaven　will　restore　to
us　what　is　ours；　as　it　is　still　in　existence　and　not　yet　alienated
or　destroyed。　And　as　we　have　this　consolation　springing　from　no　very
visionary　hope　or　wild　fancy；　I　entreat　you；　senora；　to　form　new
resolutions　in　your　better　mind；　as　I　mean　to　do　in　mine；　preparing
yourself　to　look　forward　to　happier　fortunes；　for　I　swear　to　you　by
the　faith　of　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian　not　to　desert　you　until　I　see
you　in　possession　of　Don　Fernando；　and　if　I　cannot　by　words　induce　him
to　recognise　his　obligation　to　you；　in　that　case　to　avail　myself　of
the　right　which　my　rank　as　a　gentleman　gives　me；　and　with　just　cause
challenge　him　on　account　of　the　injury　he　has　done　you；　not
regarding　my　own　wrongs；　which　I　shall　leave　to　Heaven　to　avenge；
while　I　on　earth　devote　myself　to　yours。〃
　　Cardenio's　words　completed　the　astonishment　of　Dorothea；　and　not
knowing　how　to　return　thanks　for　such　an　offer；　she　attempted　to
kiss　his　feet；　but　Cardenio　would　not　permit　it；　and　the　licentiate
replied　for　both；　commended　the　sound　reasoning　of　Cardenio；　and
lastly；　begged；　advised；　and　urged　them　to　come　with　him　to　his
village；　where　they　might　furnish　themselves　with　what　they　needed；
and　take　measures　to　discover　Don　Fernando；　or　restore　Dorothea　to　her
parents；　or　do　what　seemed　to　them　most　advisable。　Cardenio　and
Dorothea　thanked　him；　and　accepted　the　kind　offer　he　made　them；　and
the　barber；　who　had　been　listening　to　all　attentively　and　in
silence；　on　his　part　some　kindly　words　also；　and　with　no　less
good…will　than　the　curate　offered　his　services　in　any　way　that　might
be　of　use　to　them。　He　also　explained　to　them　in　a　few　words　the　object
that　had　brought　them　there；　and　the　strange　nature　of　Don　Quixote's
madness；　and　how　they　were　waiting　for　his　squire；　who　had　gone　in
search　of　him。　Like　the　recollection　of　a　dream；　the　quarrel　he　had
had　with　Don　Quixote　came　back　to　Cardenio's　memory；　and　he
described　it　to　the　others；　but　he　was　unable　to　say　what　the
dispute　was　about。
　　At　this　moment　they　heard　a　shout；　and　recognised　it　as　coming
from　Sancho　Panza；　who；　not　finding　them　where　he　had　left　them；　was
calling　aloud　to　them。　They　went　to　meet　him；　and　in　answer　to　their
inquiries　about　Don　Quixote；　be　told　them　how　he　had　found　him
s