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 favour and bribes。
〃Nay；〃 said Ricote； who was present during the conversation； 〃it
will not do to rely upon favour or bribes； because with the great
Don Bernardino de Velasco； Conde de Salazar； to whom his Majesty has
entrusted our expulsion； neither entreaties nor promises； bribes nor
appeals to compassion； are of any use； for though it is true he
mingles mercy with justice； still； seeing that the whole body of our
nation is tainted and corrupt； he applies to it the cautery that burns
rather than the salve that soothes； and thus； by prudence； sagacity；
care and the fear he inspires； he has borne on his mighty shoulders
the weight of this great policy and carried it into effect； all our
schemes and plots； importunities and wiles； being ineffectual to blind
his Argus eyes； ever on the watch lest one of us should remain
behind in concealment； and like a hidden root come in course of time
to sprout and bear poisonous fruit in Spain； now cleansed； and
relieved of the fear in which our vast numbers kept it。 Heroic resolve
of the great Philip the Third； and unparalleled wisdom to have
entrusted it to the said Don Bernardino de Velasco！〃
〃At any rate；〃 said Don Antonio； 〃when I am there I will make all
possible efforts； and let heaven do as pleases it best； Don Gregorio
will come with me to relieve the anxiety which his parents must be
suffering on account of his absence； Ana Felix will remain in my house
with my wife； or in a monastery； and I know the viceroy will be glad
that the worthy Ricote should stay with him until we see what terms
I can make。〃
The viceroy agreed to all that was proposed； but Don Gregorio on
learning what had passed declared he could not and would not on any
account leave Ana Felix； however； as it was his purpose to go and
see his parents and devise some way of returning for her； he fell in
with the proposed arrangement。 Ana Felix remained with Don Antonio's
wife； and Ricote in the viceroy's house。
The day for Don Antonio's departure came； and two days later that
for Don Quixote's and Sancho's； for Don Quixote's fall did not
suffer him to take the road sooner。 There were tears and sighs；
swoonings and sobs； at the parting between Don Gregorio and Ana Felix。
Ricote offered Don Gregorio a thousand crowns if he would have them；
but he would not take any save five which Don Antonio lent him and
he promised to repay at the capital。 So the two of them took their
departure； and Don Quixote and Sancho afterwards； as has been
already said； Don Quixote without his armour and in travelling gear；
and Sancho on foot； Dapple being loaded with the armour。
CHAPTER LXVI
WHICH TREATS OF WHAT HE WHO READS WILL SEE； OR WHAT HE WHO HAS IT
READ TO HIM WILL HEAR
AS HE left Barcelona； Don Quixote turned gaze upon the spot where he
had fallen。 〃Here Troy was；〃 said he； 〃here my ill…luck； not my
cowardice； robbed me of all the glory I had won； here Fortune made
me the victim of her caprices； here the lustre of my achievements
was dimmed； here； in a word； fell my happiness never to rise again。〃
〃Senor；〃 said Sancho on hearing this； 〃it is the part of brave
hearts to be patient in adversity just as much as to be glad in
prosperity； I judge by myself； for； if when I was a governor I was
glad； now that I am a squire and on foot I am not sad； and I have
heard say that she whom commonly they call Fortune is a drunken
whimsical jade； and； what is more； blind； and therefore neither sees
what she does； nor knows whom she casts down or whom she sets up。〃
〃Thou art a great philosopher； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃thou
speakest very sensibly； I know not who taught thee。 But I can tell
thee there is no such thing as Fortune in the world； nor does anything
which takes place there； be it good or bad； come about by chance；
but by the special preordination of heaven； and hence the common
saying that 'each of us is the maker of his own Fortune。' I have
been that of mine； but not with the proper amount of prudence； and
my self…confidence has therefore made me pay dearly； for I ought to
have reflected that Rocinante's feeble strength could not resist the
mighty bulk of the Knight of the White Moon's horse。 In a word； I
ventured it； I did my best； I was overthrown； but though I lost my
honour I did not lose nor can I lose the virtue of keeping my word。
When I was a knight…errant； daring and valiant； I supported my
achievements by hand and deed； and now that I am a humble squire I
will support my words by keeping the promise I have given。 Forward
then； Sancho my friend； let us go to keep the year of the novitiate in
our own country； and in that seclusion we shall pick up fresh strength
to return to the by me never…forgotten calling of arms。〃
〃Senor；〃 returned Sancho； 〃travelling on foot is not such a pleasant
thing that it makes me feel disposed or tempted to make long
marches。 Let us leave this armour hung up on some tree； instead of
some one that has been hanged； and then with me on Dapple's back and
my feet off the ground we will arrange the stages as your worship
pleases to measure them out； but to suppose that I am going to
travel on foot； and make long ones； is to suppose nonsense。〃
〃Thou sayest well； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃let my armour be hung
up for a trophy； and under it or round it we will carve on the trees
what was inscribed on the trophy of Roland's armour…
These let none move
Who dareth not his might with Roland prove。〃
〃That's the very thing；〃 said Sancho； 〃and if it was not that we
should feel the want of Rocinante on the road； it would be as well
to leave him hung up too。〃
〃And yet； I had rather not have either him or the armour hung up；〃
said Don Quixote； 〃that it may not be said； 'for good service a bad
return。'〃
〃Your worship is right；〃 said Sancho； 〃for； as sensible people hold；
'the fault of the ass must not be laid on the pack…saddle；' and； as in
this affair the fault is your worship's； punish yourself and don't let
your anger break out against the already battered and bloody armour；
or the meekness of Rocinante； or the tenderness of my feet； trying
to make them travel more than is reasonable。〃
In converse of this sort the whole of that day went by； as did the
four succeeding ones； without anything occurring to interrupt their
journey； but on the fifth as they entered a village they found a great
number of people at the door of an inn enjoying themselves； as it
was a holiday。 Upon Don Quixote's approach a peasant called out；
〃One of these two gentlemen who come here； and who don't know the
parties； will tell us what we ought to do about our wager。〃
〃That I will； certainly；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and according to the
rights of the case； if I can manage to understand it。〃
〃Well； here it is； worthy sir；〃 said the peasant； 〃a man of this
village who is so fat that he weighs twenty stone challenged
another； a neighbour of his； who does not weigh more than nine； to run
a race。 The agreement was that they were to run a distance of a
hundred paces with equal weights； and when the challenger was asked
how the weights were to be equalised he said that the other； as he
weighed nine stone； should put eleven in iron on his back； and that in
this way the twenty stone of the thin man would equal the twenty stone
of the fat one。〃
〃Not at all；〃 exclaimed Sancho at once； before Don Quixote could
answer； 〃it's for me； that only a few days ago left off being a
governor and a judge； as all the world knows； to settle these doubtful
questions and give an opinion in disputes of all sorts。〃
〃Answer in God's name； Sancho my friend；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for I
am not fit to give crumbs to a cat； my wits are so confused and
upset。〃
With this permission Sancho said to the peasants who stood clustered
round him； waiting with open mouths for the decision to come from his；
〃Brothers； what the fat man requires is not in reason； nor has it a
shadow of justice in it； because； if it be true； as they say； that the
challenged may choose the weapons； the other has no right to choose
such as will prevent and keep him from winning。 My decision；
therefore； is that the fat challenger prune； peel； thin； trim and
correct himself； and take eleven stone of his flesh off his body； here
or there； as he pleases； and as suits him best； and being in this
way reduced to nine stone weight； he will make himself equal and
even with nine stone of his opponent； and they will be able to run
on equal terms。〃
〃By all that's good；〃 said one of the peasants as he heard
Sancho's decision； 〃but the gentleman has spoken like a saint； and
given judgment like a canon！ But I'll be bound the fat man won't
part with an ounce of his flesh； not to say eleven stone。〃
〃The best plan will be for them not to run；〃 said another； 〃so
that neither the thin man break down under the weight； nor the fat one
strip himself of his flesh； let half the wager be spent in wine； and
let's take these gentlemen to the tavern where there's the best； and
'over me be the cloak when it rains。〃
〃I thank you； sirs；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I cannot stop for an
instant； for sad thoughts and unhappy circumstances force m