按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of his； and last night I was kept hanging by this arm for nearly two
hours； without knowing how or why I came by such a mishap。 So that
now； for me to come forward to give an opinion in such a puzzling
matter； would be to risk a rash decision。 As regards the assertion
that this is a basin and not a helmet I have already given an
answer； but as to the question whether this is a pack…saddle or a
caparison I will not venture to give a positive opinion； but will
leave it to your worships' better judgment。 Perhaps as you are not
dubbed knights like myself； the enchantments of this place have
nothing to do with you； and your faculties are unfettered； and you can
see things in this castle as they really and truly are； and not as
they appear to me。〃
〃There can be no question；〃 said Don Fernando on this； 〃but that
Senor Don Quixote has spoken very wisely； and that with us rests the
decision of this matter； and that we may have surer ground to go on； I
will take the votes of the gentlemen in secret； and declare the result
clearly and fully。〃
To those who were in the secret of Don Quixote's humour all this
afforded great amusement； but to those who knew nothing about it； it
seemed the greatest nonsense in the world； in particular to the four
servants of Don Luis； as well as to Don Luis himself； and to three
other travellers who had by chance come to the inn； and had the
appearance of officers of the Holy Brotherhood； as indeed they were；
but the one who above all was at his wits' end； was the barber
basin； there before his very eyes； had been turned into Mambrino's
helmet； and whose pack…saddle he had no doubt whatever was about to
become a rich caparison for a horse。 All laughed to see Don Fernando
going from one to another collecting the votes； and whispering to them
to give him their private opinion whether the treasure over which
there had been so much fighting was a pack…saddle or a caparison；
but after he had taken the votes of those who knew Don Quixote； he
said aloud； 〃The fact is； my good fellow； that I am tired collecting
such a number of opinions； for I find that there is not one of whom
I ask what I desire to know； who does not tell me that it is absurd to
say that this is the pack…saddle of an ass； and not the caparison of a
horse； nay； of a thoroughbred horse； so you must submit； for； in spite
of you and your ass； this is a caparison and no pack…saddle； and you
have stated and proved your case very badly。〃
〃May I never share heaven；〃 said the poor barber； 〃if your
worships are not all mistaken； and may my soul appear before God as
that appears to me a pack…saddle and not a caparison； but； 'laws go；'…
I say no more； and indeed I am not drunk； for I am fasting； except
it be from sin。〃
The simple talk of the barber did not afford less amusement than the
absurdities of Don Quixote； who now observed：
〃There is no more to be done now than for each to take what
belongs to him； and to whom God has given it； may St。 Peter add his
blessing。〃
But said one of the four servants； 〃Unless； indeed； this is a
deliberate joke； I cannot bring myself to believe that men so
intelligent as those present are； or seem to be； can venture to
declare and assert that this is not a basin； and that not a
pack…saddle； but as I perceive that they do assert and declare it； I
can only come to the conclusion that there is some mystery in this
persistence in what is so opposed to the evidence of experience and
truth itself； for I swear by〃… and here he rapped out a round oath…
〃all the people in the world will not make me believe that this is not
a barber's basin and that a jackass's pack…saddle。〃
〃It might easily be a she…ass's；〃 observed the curate。
〃It is all the same；〃 said the servant； 〃that is not the point；
but whether it is or is not a pack…saddle； as your worships say。〃
On hearing this one of the newly arrived officers of the
Brotherhood； who had been listening to the dispute and controversy；
unable to restrain his anger and impatience； exclaimed； 〃It is a
pack…saddle as sure as my father is my father； and whoever has said or
will say anything else must be drunk。〃
〃You lie like a rascally clown；〃 returned Don Quixote； and lifting
his pike； which he had never let out of his hand； he delivered such
a blow at his head that； had not the officer dodged it； it would
have stretched him at full length。 The pike was shivered in pieces
against the ground； and the rest of the officers； seeing their comrade
assaulted； raised a shout； calling for help for the Holy
Brotherhood。 The landlord； who was of the fraternity； ran at once to
fetch his staff of office and his sword； and ranged himself on the
side of his comrades； the servants of Don Luis clustered round him；
lest he should escape from them in the confusion； the barber； seeing
the house turned upside down； once more laid hold of his pack…saddle
and Sancho did the same； Don Quixote drew his sword and charged the
officers； Don Luis cried out to his servants to leave him alone and go
and help Don Quixote； and Cardenio and Don Fernando； who were
supporting him； the curate was shouting at the top of his voice； the
landlady was screaming； her daughter was wailing； Maritornes was
weeping； Dorothea was aghast； Luscinda terror…stricken； and Dona Clara
in a faint。 The barber cudgelled Sancho； and Sancho pommelled the
barber； Don Luis gave one of his servants； who ventured to catch him
by the arm to keep him from escaping； a cuff that bathed his teeth
in blood； the Judge took his part； Don Fernando had got one of the
officers down and was belabouring him heartily； the landlord raised
his voice again calling for help for the Holy Brotherhood； so that the
whole inn was nothing but cries； shouts； shrieks； confusion； terror；
dismay； mishaps； sword…cuts； fisticuffs； cudgellings； kicks； and
bloodshed； and in the midst of all this chaos； complication； and
general entanglement； Don Quixote took it into his head that he had
been plunged into the thick of the discord of Agramante's camp； and；
in a voice that shook the inn like thunder； he cried out：
〃Hold all； let all sheathe their swords； let all be calm and
attend to me as they value their lives！〃
All paused at his mighty voice； and he went on to say； 〃Did I not
tell you； sirs； that this castle was enchanted； and that a legion or
so of devils dwelt in it？ In proof whereof I call upon you to behold
with your own eyes how the discord of Agramante's camp has come
hither； and been transferred into the midst of us。 See how they fight；
there for the sword； here for the horse； on that side for the eagle；
on this for the helmet； we are all fighting； and all at cross
purposes。 Come then； you； Senor Judge； and you； senor curate； let
the one represent King Agramante and the other King Sobrino； and
make peace among us； for by God Almighty it is a sorry business that
so many persons of quality as we are should slay one another for
such trifling cause。〃
The officers； who did not understand Don Quixote's mode of
speaking； and found themselves roughly handled by Don Fernando；
Cardenio； and their companions； were not to be appeased； the barber
was； however； for both his beard and his pack…saddle were the worse
for the struggle； Sancho like a good servant obeyed the slightest word
of his master； while the four servants of Don Luis kept quiet when
they saw how little they gained by not being so。 The landlord alone
insisted upon it that they must punish the insolence of this madman；
who at every turn raised a disturbance in the inn； but at length the
uproar was stilled for the present； the pack…saddle remained a
caparison till the day of judgment； and the basin a helmet and the inn
a castle in Don Quixote's imagination。
All having been now pacified and made friends by the persuasion of
the Judge and the curate； the servants of Don Luis began again to urge
him to return with them at once； and while he was discussing the
matter with them； the Judge took counsel with Don Fernando；
Cardenio； and the curate as to what he ought to do in the case；
telling them how it stood； and what Don Luis had said to him。 It was
agreed at length that Don Fernando should tell the servants of Don
Luis who he was； and that it was his desire that Don Luis should
accompany him to Andalusia； where he would receive from the marquis
his brother the welcome his quality entitled him to； for； otherwise；
it was easy to see from the determination of Don Luis that he would
not return to his father at present； though they tore him to pieces。
On learning the rank of Don Fernando and the resolution of Don Luis
the four then settled it between themselves that three of them
should return to tell his father how matters stood； and that the other
should remain to wait upon Don Luis； and not leave him until they came
back for him； or his father's orders were known。 Thus by the authority
of Agramante and the wisdom of King Sobrino all this complication of
disputes was arranged； but the enemy of concord and hater of peace；
feeling himself slighted and made a fool of； and seeing how little
he had gained after having involved them all in such an elaborate
entanglement； resolved to try his