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！
〃Well then；〃 returned the bachelor； 〃don't be uneasy； but go home in
peace； get me ready something hot for breakfast； and while you are
on the way say the prayer of Santa Apollonia； that is if you know
it； for I will come presently and you will see miracles。〃
〃Woe is me；〃 cried the housekeeper； 〃is it the prayer of Santa
Apollonia you would have me say？ That would do if it was the toothache
my master had； but it is in the brains； what he has got。〃
〃I know what I am saying； mistress housekeeper； go； and don't set
yourself to argue with me； for you know I am a bachelor of
Salamanca； and one can't be more of a bachelor than that；〃 replied
Carrasco； and with this the housekeeper retired； and the bachelor went
to look for the curate； and arrange with him what will be told in
its proper place。
While Don Quixote and Sancho were shut up together； they had a
discussion which the history records with great precision and
scrupulous exactness。 Sancho said to his master； 〃Senor； I have educed
my wife to let me go with your worship wherever you choose to take
me。〃
〃Induced； you should say； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃not educed。〃
〃Once or twice； as well as I remember；〃 replied Sancho； 〃I have
begged of your worship not to mend my words； if so be as you
understand what I mean by them； and if you don't understand them to
say 'Sancho；' or 'devil；' 'I don't understand thee； and if I don't
make my meaning plain； then you may correct me； for I am so focile…〃
〃I don't understand thee； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote at once； 〃for
I know not what 'I am so focile' means。〃
〃'So focile' means I am so much that way；〃 replied Sancho。
〃I understand thee still less now；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Well； if you can't understand me；〃 said Sancho； 〃I don't know how
to put it； I know no more； God help me。〃
〃Oh； now I have hit it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃thou wouldst say thou
art so docile； tractable； and gentle that thou wilt take what I say to
thee； and submit to what I teach thee。〃
〃I would bet；〃 said Sancho； 〃that from the very first you understood
me； and knew what I meant； but you wanted to put me out that you might
hear me make another couple of dozen blunders。〃
〃May be so；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃but to come to the point； what
does Teresa say？〃
〃Teresa says；〃 replied Sancho； 〃that I should make sure with your
worship； and 'let papers speak and beards be still；' for 'he who binds
does not wrangle；' since one 'take' is better than two 'I'll give
thee's；' and I say a woman's advice is no great thing； and he who
won't take it is a fool。〃
〃And so say I；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃continue； Sancho my friend； go
on； you talk pearls to…day。〃
〃The fact is；〃 continued Sancho； 〃that； as your worship knows better
than I do； we are all of us liable to death； and to…day we are； and
to…morrow we are not； and the lamb goes as soon as the sheep； and
nobody can promise himself more hours of life in this world than God
may be pleased to give him； for death is deaf； and when it comes to
knock at our life's door； it is always urgent； and neither prayers；
nor struggles； nor sceptres； nor mitres； can keep it back； as common
talk and report say； and as they tell us from the pulpits every day。〃
〃All that is very true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I cannot make out
what thou art driving at。〃
〃What I am driving at；〃 said Sancho； 〃is that your worship settle
some fixed wages for me； to be paid monthly while I am in your
service； and that the same he paid me out of your estate； for I
don't care to stand on rewards which either come late； or ill； or
never at all； God help me with my own。 In short； I would like to
know what I am to get； be it much or little； for the hen will lay on
one egg； and many littles make a much； and so long as one gains
something there is nothing lost。 To he sure； if it should happen （what
I neither believe nor expect） that your worship were to give me that
island you have promised me； I am not so ungrateful nor so grasping
but that I would be willing to have the revenue of such island
valued and stopped out of my wages in due promotion。〃
〃Sancho； my friend；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃sometimes proportion
may be as good as promotion。〃
〃I see；〃 said Sancho； 〃I'll bet I ought to have said proportion； and
not promotion； but it is no matter； as your worship has understood
me。〃
〃And so well understood；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃that I have seen
into the depths of thy thoughts； and know the mark thou art shooting
at with the countless shafts of thy proverbs。 Look here； Sancho； I
would readily fix thy wages if I had ever found any instance in the
histories of the knights…errant to show or indicate； by the
slightest hint； what their squires used to get monthly or yearly；
but I have read all or the best part of their histories； and I
cannot remember reading of any knight…errant having assigned fixed
wages to his squire； I only know that they all served on reward； and
that when they least expected it； if good luck attended their masters；
they found themselves recompensed with an island or something
equivalent to it； or at the least they were left with a title and
lordship。 If with these hopes and additional inducements you；
Sancho； please to return to my service； well and good； but to
suppose that I am going to disturb or unhinge the ancient usage of
knight…errantry； is all nonsense。 And so； my Sancho； get you back to
your house and explain my intentions to your Teresa； and if she
likes and you like to be on reward with me； bene quidem； if not； we
remain friends； for if the pigeon…house does not lack food； it will
not lack pigeons； and bear in mind； my son； that a good hope is better
than a bad holding； and a good grievance better than a bad
compensation。 I speak in this way； Sancho； to show you that I can
shower down proverbs just as well as yourself； and in short； I mean to
say； and I do say； that if you don't like to come on reward with me；
and run the same chance that I run； God be with you and make a saint
of you； for I shall find plenty of squires more obedient and
painstaking； and not so thickheaded or talkative as you are。〃
When Sancho heard his master's firm； resolute language； a cloud came
over the sky with him and the wings of his heart drooped； for he had
made sure that his master would not go without him for all the
wealth of the world； and as he stood there dumbfoundered and moody；
Samson Carrasco came in with the housekeeper and niece； who were
anxious to hear by what arguments he was about to dissuade their
master from going to seek adventures。 The arch wag Samson came
forward； and embracing him as he had done before； said with a loud
voice； 〃O flower of knight…errantry！ O shining light of arms！ O honour
and mirror of the Spanish nation！ may God Almighty in his infinite
power grant that any person or persons； who would impede or hinder thy
third sally； may find no way out of the labyrinth of their schemes；
nor ever accomplish what they most desire！〃 And then； turning to the
housekeeper； he said； 〃Mistress housekeeper may just as well give over
saying the prayer of Santa Apollonia； for I know it is the positive
determination of the spheres that Senor Don Quixote shall proceed to
put into execution his new and lofty designs； and I should lay a heavy
burden on my conscience did I not urge and persuade this knight not to
keep the might of his strong arm and the virtue of his valiant
spirit any longer curbed and checked； for by his inactivity he is
defrauding the world of the redress of wrongs； of the protection of
orphans； of the honour of virgins； of the aid of widows； and of the
support of wives； and other matters of this kind appertaining；
belonging； proper and peculiar to the order of knight…errantry。 On；
then； my lord Don Quixote； beautiful and brave； let your worship and
highness set out to…day rather than to…morrow； and if anything be
needed for the execution of your purpose； here am I ready in person
and purse to supply the want； and were it requisite to attend your
magnificence as squire； I should esteem it the happiest good fortune。〃
At this； Don Quixote； turning to Sancho； said； 〃Did I not tell thee；
Sancho； there would be squires enough and to spare for me？ See now who
offers to become one； no less than the illustrious bachelor Samson
Carrasco； the perpetual joy and delight of the courts of the
Salamancan schools； sound in body； discreet； patient under heat or
cold； hunger or thirst； with all the qualifications requisite to
make a knight…errant's squire！ But heaven forbid that； to gratify my
own inclination； I should shake or shatter this pillar of letters
and vessel of the sciences； and cut down this towering palm of the
fair and liberal arts。 Let this new Samson remain in his own
country； and； bringing honour to it； bring honour at the same time
on the grey heads of his venerable parents； for I will be content with
any squire that comes to hand； as Sancho does not deign to accompany
me。〃
〃I do deign；〃 said Sancho； deeply moved and with tears in his
eyes； 〃it shall not be said of me； master mine；〃 he continued； 〃'the
bread eaten and the company dispersed。' Nay； I come of no ungrateful
stock； for all th