don quixote(堂·吉珂德)- 第147部分

　　WHEN　the　brave　man　flees；　treachery　is　manifest　and　it　is　for　wise
men　to　reserve　themselves　for　better　occasions。　This　proved　to　be
the　case　with　Don　Quixote；　who；　giving　way　before　the　fury　of　the
townsfolk　and　the　hostile　intentions　of　the　angry　troop；　took　to
flight　and；　without　a　thought　of　Sancho　or　the　danger　in　which　he
was　leaving　him；　retreated　to　such　a　distance　as　he　thought　made　him
safe。　Sancho；　lying　across　his　ass；　followed　him；　as　has　been　said；
and　at　length　came　up；　having　by　this　time　recovered　his　senses；　and
on　joining　him　let　himself　drop　off　Dapple　at　Rocinante's　feet；
sore；　bruised；　and　belaboured。　Don　Quixote　dismounted　to　examine　his
wounds；　but　finding　him　whole　from　head　to　foot；　he　said　to　him；
angrily　enough；　〃In　an　evil　hour　didst　thou　take　to　braying；　Sancho！
Where　hast　thou　learned　that　it　is　well　done　to　mention　the　rope　in
the　house　of　the　man　that　has　been　hanged？　To　the　music　of　brays
what　harmonies　couldst　thou　expect　to　get　but　cudgels？　Give　thanks
to　God；　Sancho；　that　they　signed　the　cross　on　thee　just　now　with　a
stick；　and　did　not　mark　thee　per　signum　crucis　with　a　cutlass。〃
　　〃I'm　not　equal　to　answering；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　I　feel　as　if　I　was
speaking　through　my　shoulders；　let　us　mount　and　get　away　from　this；
I'll　keep　from　braying；　but　not　from　saying　that　knights…errant　fly
and　leave　their　good　squires　to　be　pounded　like　privet；　or　made　meal
of　at　the　hands　of　their　enemies。〃
　　〃He　does　not　fly　who　retires；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　would
have　thee　know；　Sancho；　that　the　valour　which　is　not　based　upon　a
foundation　of　prudence　is　called　rashness；　and　the　exploits　of　the
rash　man　are　to　be　attributed　rather　to　good　fortune　than　to
courage；　and　so　I　own　that　I　retired；　but　not　that　I　fled；　and　therein
I　have　followed　the　example　of　many　valiant　men　who　have　reserved
themselves　for　better　times；　the　histories　are　full　of　instances　of
this；　but　as　it　would　not　be　any　good　to　thee　or　pleasure　to　me；　I
will　not　recount　them　to　thee　now。〃
　　Sancho　was　by　this　time　mounted　with　the　help　of　Don　Quixote；　who
then　himself　mounted　Rocinante；　and　at　a　leisurely　pace　they　proceeded
to　take　shelter　in　a　grove　which　was　in　sight　about　a　quarter　of　a
league　off。　Every　now　and　then　Sancho　gave　vent　to　deep　sighs　and
dismal　groans；　and　on　Don　Quixote　asking　him　what　caused　such　acute
suffering；　he　replied　that；　from　the　end　of　his　back…bone　up　to　the
nape　of　his　neck；　he　was　so　sore　that　it　nearly　drove　him　out　of　his
senses。
　　〃The　cause　of　that　soreness；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃will　be；　no
doubt；　that　the　staff　wherewith　they　smote　thee　being　a　very　long　one；
it　caught　thee　all　down　the　back；　where　all　the　parts　that　are　sore
are　situated；　and　had　it　reached　any　further　thou　wouldst　be　sorer
still。〃
　　〃By　God；〃　said　Sancho；　〃your　worship　has　relieved　me　of　a　great
doubt；　and　cleared　up　the　point　for　me　in　elegant　style！　Body　o'　me！
is　the　cause　of　my　soreness　such　a　mystery　that　there's　any　need　to
tell　me　I　am　sore　everywhere　the　staff　hit　me？　If　it　was　my　ankles
that　pained　me　there　might　be　something　in　going　divining　why　they
did；　but　it　is　not　much　to　divine　that　I'm　sore　where　they　thrashed
me。　By　my　faith；　master　mine；　the　ills　of　others　hang　by　a　hair；　every
day　I　am　discovering　more　and　more　how　little　I　have　to　hope　for
from　keeping　company　with　your　worship；　for　if　this　time　you　have
allowed　me　to　be　drubbed；　the　next　time；　or　a　hundred　times　more；
we'll　have　the　blanketings　of　the　other　day　over　again；　and　all　the
other　pranks　which；　if　they　have　fallen　on　my　shoulders　now；　will　be
thrown　in　my　teeth　by…and…by。　I　would　do　a　great　deal　better　（if　I　was
not　an　ignorant　brute　that　will　never　do　any　good　all　my　life）；　I
would　do　a　great　deal　better；　I　say；　to　go　home　to　my　wife　and
children　and　support　them　and　bring　them　up　on　what　God　may　please
to　give　me；　instead　of　following　your　worship　along　roads　that　lead
nowhere　and　paths　that　are　none　at　all；　with　little　to　drink　and
less　to　eat。　And　then　when　it　comes　to　sleeping！　Measure　out　seven
feet　on　the　earth；　brother　squire；　and　if　that's　not　enough　for　you；
take　as　many　more；　for　you　may　have　it　all　your　own　way　and　stretch
yourself　to　your　heart's　content。　Oh　that　I　could　see　burnt　and　turned
to　ashes　the　first　man　that　meddled　with　knight…errantry　or　at　any
rate　the　first　who　chose　to　be　squire　to　such　fools　as　all　the
knights…errant　of　past　times　must　have　been！　Of　those　of　the　present
day　I　say　nothing；　because；　as　your　worship　is　one　of　them；　I
respect　them；　and　because　I　know　your　worship　knows　a　point　more
than　the　devil　in　all　you　say　and　think。〃
　　〃I　would　lay　a　good　wager　with　you；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that
now　that　you　are　talking　on　without　anyone　to　stop　you；　you　don't　feel
a　pain　in　your　whole　body。　Talk　away；　my　son；　say　whatever　comes
into　your　head　or　mouth；　for　so　long　as　you　feel　no　pain；　the
irritation　your　impertinences　give　me　will　he　a　pleasure　to　me；　and　if
you　are　so　anxious　to　go　home　to　your　wife　and　children；　God　forbid
that　I　should　prevent　you；　you　have　money　of　mine；　see　how　long　it
is　since　we　left　our　village　this　third　time；　and　how　much　you　can　and
ought　to　earn　every　month；　and　pay　yourself　out　of　your　own　hand。〃
　　〃When　I　worked　for　Tom　Carrasco；　the　father　of　the　bachelor　Samson
Carrasco　that　your　worship　knows；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃I　used　to　earn　two
ducats　a　month　besides　my　food；　I　can't　tell　what　I　can　earn　with　your
worship；　though　I　know　a　knight…errant's　squire　has　harder　times　of　it
than　he　who　works　for　a　farmer；　for　after　all；　we　who　work　for
farmers；　however　much　we　toil　all　day；　at　the　worst；　at　night；　we　have
our　olla　supper　and　sleep　in　a　bed；　which　I　have　not　slept　in　since
I　have　been　in　your　worship's　service；　if　it　wasn't　the　short　time
we　were　in　Don　Diego　de　Miranda's　house；　and　the　feast　I　had　with
the　skimmings　I　took　off　Camacho's　pots；　and　what　I　ate；　drank；　and
slept　in　Basilio's　house；　all　the　rest　of　the　time　I　have　been
sleeping　on　the　hard　ground　under　the　open　sky；　exposed　to　what　they
call　the　inclemencies　of　heaven；　keeping　life　in　me　with　scraps　of
cheese　and　crusts　of　bread；　and　drinking　water　either　from　the
brooks　or　from　the　springs　we　come　to　on　these　by…paths　we　travel。〃
　　〃I　own；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　all　thou　sayest　is　true；
how　much；　thinkest　thou；　ought　I　to　give　thee　over　and　above　what
Tom　Carrasco　gave　thee？〃
　　〃I　think；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　if　your　worship　was　to　add　on　two
reals　a　month　I'd　consider　myself　well　paid；　that　is；　as　far　as　the
wages　of　my　labour　go；　but　to　make　up　to　me　for　your　worship's
pledge　and　promise　to　me　to　give　me　the　government　of　an　island；　it
would　be　fair　to　add　six　reals　more；　making　thirty　in　all。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃it　is　twenty…five　days　since　we　left
our　village；　so　reckon　up；　Sancho；　according　to　the　wages　you　have
made　out　for　yourself；　and　see　how　much　I　owe　you　in　proportion；　and
pay　yourself；　as　I　said　before；　out　of　your　own　hand。〃
　　〃O　body　o'　me！〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　your　worship　is　very　much　out　in
that　reckoning；　for　when　it　comes　to　the　promise　of　the　island　we　must
count　from　the　day　your　worship　promised　it　to　me　to　this　present　hour
we　are　at　now。〃
　　〃Well；　how　long　is　it；　Sancho；　since　I　promised　it　to　you？〃　said　Don
Quixote。
　　〃If　I　remember　rightly；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　must　be　over　twenty　years；
three　days　more　or　less。〃
　　Don　Quixote　gave　himself　a　great　slap　on　the　forehead　and　began　to
laugh　heartily；　and　said　he；　〃Why；　I　have　not　been　wandering；　either
in　the　Sierra　Morena　or　in　the　whole　course　of　our　sallies；　but　barely
two　months；　and　thou　sayest；　Sancho；　that　it　is　twenty　years　since　I
promised　thee　the　island。　I　believe　now　thou　wouldst　have　all　the
money　thou　hast　of　mine　go　in　thy　wages。　If　so；　and　if　that　be　thy
pleasure；　I　give　it　to　thee　now；　once　and　for　all；　and　much　good　may
it　do　thee；　for　so　long　as　I　see　myself　rid　of　such　a　good…for…nothing
squire　I'll　be　glad　to　be　left　a　pauper　without　a　rap。　But　tell　me；
thou　perverter　of　the　squirely　rules　of　knight…errantry；　where　hast
thou　ever　seen　or　read　that　any　knight…errant's　squire　made　terms　with
his　lord；　'you　must　give　me　so　much　a　month　for　serving　you'？
Plunge；　scoundrel；　rogue；　monster…　for　such　I　take　thee　to　be…　plunge；
I　say；　into　the　mare　magnum　of　their　histories；　and　if　thou　shalt　find
that　any　squire　ever　said　or　thought　what　thou　hast　said　now；　I　will
let　thee　nail　it　on　my　forehead；　and　give　me；　over　and　above；　four
sound　slaps　in　the　face。　Turn　the　rein；　or　the　halter；　of　thy
Dapple；　and　begone　home；　for　one　single　step　further　thou　shalt　not
make　in　my　company。　O　bread　thanklessly　received！　O　promises
ill…bestowed！　O　man　more　beast　than　human　being！　Now；　when　I　was　about
to　raise　thee　to　such　a　position；　that；　in　spite　of　thy　wife；　they
would　call　thee　'my　lord；'　thou　art　leaving　me？　Thou　art　going　now
when　I　had　a　firm　and　fixed　intention　of　making　thee　lord　of　the
best　island　in　the　world？　Well；　as　thou　thyself　hast　said　before
now；　honey　is　not　for　the　mouth　of　the　ass。　Ass　thou　art；　ass　thou
wilt　be；　and　ass　thou　wilt　end　when　the　course　of　thy　life　is　run；　for
I　know　it　will　come　to　its　close　before　thou　dost　perceive　or
discern　that　thou　art　a　beast。〃
　　Sancho　regarded　Don　Quixote　earnestly　while　he　was　giving　him　this
rating；　and　was　so　touched　by　remorse　that　the　tears　came　to　his　eyes；
and　in　a　piteous　and　broken　voice　he　said　to　him；　〃Master　mine；　I
confess　that；　to　be　a　complete　ass；　all　I　want　is　a　tail；　if　your
worship　will　only　fix　one　on　to　me；　I'll　look　on　it　as　rightly　placed；
and　I'll　serve　you　as　an　ass　all　the　remaining　days　of　my　life。
Forgive　me　and　have　pity　on　my　folly；　and　remember　I　know　but
little；　and；　if　I　talk　much；　it's　more　from　infirmity　than　malice；　but
he　who　sins　and　mends　commends　himself　to　God。〃
　　〃I　should　have　been　surprised；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃if　thou
hadst　not　introduced　some　bit　of　a　proverb　into　thy　speech。　Well；
well；　I　forgive　thee；　provided　thou　dost　mend　and　not　show　thyself
in　future　so　fond　of　thine　own　interest；　but　try　to　be　of　good　cheer
and　take　heart；　and　encourage　thyself　to　look　forward　to　t