don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第60节

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took　down　the　armour；　which　was　hung　up　on　a　tree　like　a　trophy；　and
having　seen　to　the　girths　armed　his　master　in　a　trice；　who　as　soon
as　he　found　himself　in　his　armour　exclaimed：
　　〃Let　us　be　gone　in　the　name　of　God　to　bring　aid　to　this　great　lady。〃
　　The　barber　was　all　this　time　on　his　knees　at　great　pains　to　hide　his
laughter　and　not　let　his　beard　fall；　for　had　it　fallen　maybe　their
fine　scheme　would　have　come　to　nothing；　but　now　seeing　the　boon
granted；　and　the　promptitude　with　which　Don　Quixote　prepared　to　set
out　in　compliance　with　it；　he　rose　and　took　his　lady's　hand；　and
between　them　they　placed　her　upon　the　mule。　Don　Quixote　then　mounted
Rocinante；　and　the　barber　settled　himself　on　his　beast；　Sancho　being
left　to　go　on　foot；　which　made　him　feel　anew　the　loss　of　his　Dapple；
finding　the　want　of　him　now。　But　he　bore　all　with　cheerfulness；
being　persuaded　that　his　master　had　now　fairly　started　and　was　just　on
the　point　of　becoming　an　emperor；　for　he　felt　no　doubt　at　all　that
he　would　marry　this　princess；　and　be　king　of　Micomicon　at　least。　The
only　thing　that　troubled　him　was　the　reflection　that　this　kingdom
was　in　the　land　of　the　blacks；　and　that　the　people　they　would　give　him
for　vassals　would　be　all　black；　but　for　this　he　soon　found　a　remedy　in
his　fancy；　and　said　he　to　himself；　〃What　is　it　to　me　if　my　vassals　are
blacks？　What　more　have　I　to　do　than　make　a　cargo　of　them　and　carry
them　to　Spain；　where　I　can　sell　them　and　get　ready　money　for　them；　and
with　it　buy　some　title　or　some　office　in　which　to　live　at　ease　all　the
days　of　my　life？　Not　unless　you　go　to　sleep　and　haven't　the　wit　or
skill　to　turn　things　to　account　and　sell　three；　six；　or　ten　thousand
vassals　while　you　would　he　talking　about　it！　By　God　I　will　stir　them
up；　big　and　little；　or　as　best　I　can；　and　let　them　be　ever　so　black
I'll　turn　them　into　white　or　yellow。　Come；　come；　what　a　fool　I　am！〃
And　so　he　jogged　on；　so　occupied　with　his　thoughts　and　easy　in　his
mind　that　he　forgot　all　about　the　hardship　of　travelling　on　foot。
　　Cardenio　and　the　curate　were　watching　all　this　from　among　some
bushes；　not　knowing　how　to　join　company　with　the　others；　but　the
curate；　who　was　very　fertile　in　devices；　soon　hit　upon　a　way　of
effecting　their　purpose；　and　with　a　pair　of　scissors　he　had　in　a
case　he　quickly　cut　off　Cardenio's　beard；　and　putting　on　him　a　grey
jerkin　of　his　own　he　gave　him　a　black　cloak；　leaving　himself　in　his
breeches　and　doublet；　while　Cardenio's　appearance　was　so　different
from　what　it　had　been　that　he　would　not　have　known　himself　had　he　seen
himself　in　a　mirror。　Having　effected　this；　although　the　others　had
gone　on　ahead　while　they　were　disguising　themselves；　they　easily
came　out　on　the　high　road　before　them；　for　the　brambles　and　awkward
places　they　encountered　did　not　allow　those　on　horseback　to　go　as　fast
as　those　on　foot。　They　then　posted　themselves　on　the　level　ground　at
the　outlet　of　the　Sierra；　and　as　soon　as　Don　Quixote　and　his
companions　emerged　from　it　the　curate　began　to　examine　him　very
deliberately；　as　though　he　were　striving　to　recognise　him；　and　after
having　stared　at　him　for　some　time　he　hastened　towards　him　with　open
arms　exclaiming；　〃A　happy　meeting　with　the　mirror　of　chivalry；　my
worthy　compatriot　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　the　flower　and　cream　of
high　breeding；　the　protection　and　relief　of　the　distressed；　the
quintessence　of　knights…errant！〃　And　so　saying　he　clasped　in　his
arms　the　knee　of　Don　Quixote's　left　leg。　He；　astonished　at　the
stranger's　words　and　behaviour；　looked　at　him　attentively；　and　at
length　recognised　him；　very　much　surprised　to　see　him　there；　and
made　great　efforts　to　dismount。　This；　however；　the　curate　would　not
allow；　on　which　Don　Quixote　said；　〃Permit　me；　senor　licentiate；　for　it
is　not　fitting　that　I　should　be　on　horseback　and　so　reverend　a
person　as　your　worship　on　foot。〃
　　〃On　no　account　will　I　allow　it；〃　said　the　curate；　〃your　mightiness
must　remain　on　horseback；　for　it　is　on　horseback　you　achieve　the
greatest　deeds　and　adventures　that　have　been　beheld　in　our　age；　as　for
me；　an　unworthy　priest；　it　will　serve　me　well　enough　to　mount　on　the
haunches　of　one　of　the　mules　of　these　gentlefolk　who　accompany　your
worship；　if　they　have　no　objection；　and　I　will　fancy　I　am　mounted　on
the　steed　Pegasus；　or　on　the　zebra　or　charger　that　bore　the　famous
Moor；　Muzaraque；　who　to　this　day　lies　enchanted　in　the　great　hill　of
Zulema；　a　little　distance　from　the　great　Complutum。〃
　　〃Nor　even　that　will　I　consent　to；　senor　licentiate；〃　answered　Don
Quixote；　〃and　I　know　it　will　be　the　good　pleasure　of　my　lady　the
princess；　out　of　love　for　me；　to　order　her　squire　to　give　up　the
saddle　of　his　mule　to　your　worship；　and　he　can　sit　behind　if　the　beast
will　bear　it。〃
　　〃It　will；　I　am　sure；〃　said　the　princess；　〃and　I　am　sure；　too；　that　I
need　not　order　my　squire；　for　he　is　too　courteous　and　considerate　to
allow　a　Churchman　to　go　on　foot　when　he　might　be　mounted。〃
　　〃That　he　is；〃　said　the　barber；　and　at　once　alighting；　he　offered　his
saddle　to　the　curate；　who　accepted　it　without　much　entreaty；　but
unfortunately　as　the　barber　was　mounting　behind；　the　mule；　being　as　it
happened　a　hired　one；　which　is　the　same　thing　as　saying
ill…conditioned；　lifted　its　hind　hoofs　and　let　fly　a　couple　of　kicks
in　the　air；　which　would　have　made　Master　Nicholas　wish　his
expedition　in　quest　of　Don　Quixote　at　the　devil　had　they　caught　him　on
the　breast　or　head。　As　it　was；　they　so　took　him　by　surprise　that　he
came　to　the　ground；　giving　so　little　heed　to　his　beard　that　it　fell
off；　and　all　he　could　do　when　he　found　himself　without　it　was　to　cover
his　face　hastily　with　both　his　hands　and　moan　that　his　teeth　were
knocked　out。　Don　Quixote　when　he　saw　all　that　bundle　of　beard
detached；　without　jaws　or　blood；　from　the　face　of　the　fallen　squire；
exclaimed：
　　〃By　the　living　God；　but　this　is　a　great　miracle！　it　has　knocked
off　and　plucked　away　the　beard　from　his　face　as　if　it　had　been
shaved　off　designedly。〃
　　The　curate；　seeing　the　danger　of　discovery　that　threatened　his
scheme；　at　once　pounced　upon　the　beard　and　hastened　with　it　to　where
Master　Nicholas　lay；　still　uttering　moans；　and　drawing　his　head　to　his
breast　had　it　on　in　an　instant；　muttering　over　him　some　words　which　he
said　were　a　certain　special　charm　for　sticking　on　beards；　as　they
would　see；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　it　fixed　he　left　him；　and　the
squire　appeared　well　bearded　and　whole　as　before；　whereat　Don
Quixote　was　beyond　measure　astonished；　and　begged　the　curate　to
teach　him　that　charm　when　he　had　an　opportunity；　as　he　was　persuaded
its　virtue　must　extend　beyond　the　sticking　on　of　beards；　for　it　was
clear　that　where　the　beard　had　been　stripped　off　the　flesh　must　have
remained　torn　and　lacerated；　and　when　it　could　heal　all　that　it　must
be　good　for　more　than　beards。
　　〃And　so　it　is；〃　said　the　curate；　and　he　promised　to　teach　it　to
him　on　the　first　opportunity。　They　then　agreed　that　for　the　present
the　curate　should　mount；　and　that　the　three　should　ride　by　turns　until
they　reached　the　inn；　which　might　be　about　six　leagues　from　where　they
were。
　　Three　then　being　mounted；　that　is　to　say；　Don　Quixote；　the　princess；
and　the　curate；　and　three　on　foot；　Cardenio；　the　barber；　and　Sancho
Panza；　Don　Quixote　said　to　the　damsel：
　　〃Let　your　highness；　lady；　lead　on　whithersoever　is　most　pleasing
to　you；〃　but　before　she　could　answer　the　licentiate　said：
　　〃Towards　what　kingdom　would　your　ladyship　direct　our　course？　Is　it
perchance　towards　that　of　Micomicon？　It　must　be；　or　else　I　know　little
about　kingdoms。〃
　　She；　being　ready　on　all　points；　understood　that　she　was　to　answer
〃Yes；〃　so　she　said　〃Yes；　senor；　my　way　lies　towards　that　kingdom。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　curate；　〃we　must　pass　right　through　my
village；　and　there　your　worship　will　take　the　road　to　Cartagena；　where
you　will　be　able　to　embark；　fortune　favouring；　and　if　the　wind　be　fair
and　the　sea　smooth　and　tranquil；　in　somewhat　less　than　nine　years
you　may　come　in　sight　of　the　great　lake　Meona；　I　mean　Meotides；
which　is　little　more　than　a　hundred　days'　journey　this　side　of　your
highness's　kingdom。〃
　　〃Your　worship　is　mistaken；　senor；〃　said　she；　〃for　it　is　not　two
years　since　I　set　out　from　it；　and　though　I　never　had　good　weather；
nevertheless　I　am　here　to　behold　what　I　so　longed　for；　and　that　is
my　lord　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　fame　came　to　my　ears　as　soon
as　I　set　foot　in　Spain　and　impelled　me　to　go　in　search　of　him；　to
commend　myself　to　his　courtesy；　and　entrust　the　justice　of　my　cause　to
the　might　of　his　invincible　arm。〃
　　〃Enough；　no　more　praise；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃for　I　hate
all　flattery；　and　though　this　may　not　be　so；　still　language　of　the
kind　is　offensive　to　my　chaste　ears。　I　will　only　say；　senora；　that
whether　it　has　might　or　not；　that　which　it　may　or　may　not　have　shall
be　devoted　to　your　service　even　to　death；　and　now；　leaving　this　to　its
proper　season；　I　would　ask　the　senor　licentiate　to　tell　me　what　it
is　that　has　brought　him　into　these　parts；　alone；　unattended；　and　so
lightly　clad　that　I　am　filled　with　amazement。〃
　　〃I　will　answer　that　briefly；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃you　must　know
then；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　Maste