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！
near； but Don Quixote asserted so positively that they were armies
that Sancho was led to believe it and say； 〃Well； and what are we to
do； senor？〃
〃What？〃 said Don Quixote： 〃give aid and assistance to the weak and
those who need it； and thou must know； Sancho； that this which comes
opposite to us is conducted and led by the mighty emperor Alifanfaron；
lord of the great isle of Trapobana； this other that marches behind me
is that of his enemy the king of the Garamantas； Pentapolin of the
Bare Arm； for he always goes into battle with his right arm bare。〃
〃But why are these two lords such enemies？〃
〃They are at enmity；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃because this Alifanfaron
is a furious pagan and is in love with the daughter of Pentapolin； who
is a very beautiful and moreover gracious lady； and a Christian； and
her father is unwilling to bestow her upon the pagan king unless he
first abandons the religion of his false prophet Mahomet； and adopts
his own。〃
〃By my beard；〃 said Sancho； 〃but Pentapolin does quite right； and
I will help him as much as I can。〃
〃In that thou wilt do what is thy duty； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃for to engage in battles of this sort it is not requisite to be a
dubbed knight。〃
〃That I can well understand；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but where shall we
put this ass where we may be sure to find him after the fray is
over？ for I believe it has not been the custom so far to go into
battle on a beast of this kind。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and what you had best do with him
is to leave him to take his chance whether he be lost or not； for
the horses we shall have when we come out victors will be so many that
even Rocinante will run a risk of being changed for another。 But
attend to me and observe； for I wish to give thee some account of
the chief knights who accompany these two armies； and that thou mayest
the better see and mark； let us withdraw to that hillock which rises
yonder； whence both armies may be seen。〃
They did so； and placed themselves on a rising ground from which the
two droves that Don Quixote made armies of might have been plainly
seen if the clouds of dust they raised had not obscured them and
blinded the sight； nevertheless； seeing in his imagination what he did
not see and what did not exist； he began thus in a loud voice：
〃That knight whom thou seest yonder in yellow armour； who bears upon
his shield a lion crowned crouching at the feet of a damsel； is the
valiant Laurcalco； lord of the Silver Bridge； that one in armour
with flowers of gold； who bears on his shield three crowns argent on
an azure field； is the dreaded Micocolembo； grand duke of Quirocia；
that other of gigantic frame； on his right hand； is the ever dauntless
Brandabarbaran de Boliche； lord of the three Arabias； who for armour
wears that serpent skin； and has for shield a gate which； according to
tradition； is one of those of the temple that Samson brought to the
ground when by his death he revenged himself upon his enemies。 But
turn thine eyes to the other side； and thou shalt see in front and
in the van of this other army the ever victorious and never vanquished
Timonel of Carcajona； prince of New Biscay； who comes in armour with
arms quartered azure； vert； white； and yellow； and bears on his shield
a cat or on a field tawny with a motto which says Miau； which is the
beginning of the name of his lady； who according to report is the
peerless Miaulina； daughter of the duke Alfeniquen of the Algarve； the
other； who burdens and presses the loins of that powerful charger
and bears arms white as snow and a shield blank and without any
device； is a novice knight； a Frenchman by birth； Pierres Papin by
name； lord of the baronies of Utrique； that other； who with
iron…shod heels strikes the flanks of that nimble parti…coloured
zebra； and for arms bears azure vair； is the mighty duke of Nerbia；
Espartafilardo del Bosque； who bears for device on his shield an
asparagus plant with a motto in Castilian that says； Rastrea mi
suerte。〃 And so he went on naming a number of knights of one
squadron or the other out of his imagination； and to all he assigned
off…hand their arms； colours； devices； and mottoes； carried away by
the illusions of his unheard…of craze； and without a pause； he
continued； 〃People of divers nations compose this squadron in front；
here are those that drink of the sweet waters of the famous Xanthus；
those that scour the woody Massilian plains； those that sift the
pure fine gold of Arabia Felix； those that enjoy the famed cool
banks of the crystal Thermodon； those that in many and various ways
divert the streams of the golden Pactolus； the Numidians； faithless in
their promises； the Persians renowned in archery； the Parthians and
the Medes that fight as they fly； the Arabs that ever shift their
dwellings； the Scythians as cruel as they are fair； the Ethiopians
with pierced lips； and an infinity of other nations whose features I
recognise and descry； though I cannot recall their names。 In this
other squadron there come those that drink of the crystal streams of
the olive…bearing Betis； those that make smooth their countenances
with the water of the ever rich and golden Tagus； those that rejoice
in the fertilising flow of the divine Genil； those that roam the
Tartesian plains abounding in pasture； those that take their
pleasure in the Elysian meadows of Jerez； the rich Manchegans
crowned with ruddy ears of corn； the wearers of iron； old relics of
the Gothic race； those that bathe in the Pisuerga renowned for its
gentle current； those that feed their herds along the spreading
pastures of the winding Guadiana famed for its hidden course； those
that tremble with the cold of the pineclad Pyrenees or the dazzling
snows of the lofty Apennine； in a word； as many as all Europe includes
and contains。〃
Good God！ what a number of countries and nations he named！ giving to
each its proper attributes with marvellous readiness； brimful and
saturated with what he had read in his lying books！ Sancho Panza
hung upon his words without speaking； and from time to time turned
to try if he could see the knights and giants his master was
describing； and as he could not make out one of them he said to him：
〃Senor； devil take it if there's a sign of any man you talk of；
knight or giant； in the whole thing； maybe it's all enchantment；
like the phantoms last night。〃
〃How canst thou say that！〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃dost thou not hear
the neighing of the steeds； the braying of the trumpets； the roll of
the drums？〃
〃I hear nothing but a great bleating of ewes and sheep；〃 said
Sancho； which was true； for by this time the two flocks had come
close。
〃The fear thou art in； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃prevents thee
from seeing or hearing correctly； for one of the effects of fear is to
derange the senses and make things appear different from what they
are； if thou art in such fear； withdraw to one side and leave me to
myself； for alone I suffice to bring victory to that side to which I
shall give my aid；〃 and so saying he gave Rocinante the spur； and
putting the lance in rest； shot down the slope like a thunderbolt。
Sancho shouted after him； crying； 〃Come back； Senor Don Quixote； I vow
to God they are sheep and ewes you are charging！ Come back！ Unlucky
the father that begot me！ what madness is this！ Look； there is no
giant； nor knight； nor cats； nor arms； nor shields quartered or whole；
nor vair azure or bedevilled。 What are you about？ Sinner that I am
before God！〃 But not for all these entreaties did Don Quixote turn
back； on the contrary he went on shouting out； 〃Ho； knights； ye who
follow and fight under the banners of the valiant emperor Pentapolin
of the Bare Arm； follow me all； ye shall see how easily I shall give
him his revenge over his enemy Alifanfaron of the Trapobana。〃
So saying； he dashed into the midst of the squadron of ewes； and
began spearing them with as much spirit and intrepidity as if he
were transfixing mortal enemies in earnest。 The shepherds and
drovers accompanying the flock shouted to him to desist； seeing it was
no use； they ungirt their slings and began to salute his ears with
stones as big as one's fist。 Don Quixote gave no heed to the stones；
but； letting drive right and left kept saying：
〃Where art thou； proud Alifanfaron？ Come before me； I am a single
knight who would fain prove thy prowess hand to hand； and make thee
yield thy life a penalty for the wrong thou dost to the valiant
Pentapolin Garamanta。〃 Here came a sugar…plum from the brook that
struck him on the side and buried a couple of ribs in his body。
Feeling himself so smitten； he imagined himself slain or badly wounded
for certain； and recollecting his liquor he drew out his flask； and
putting it to his mouth began to pour the contents into his stomach；
but ere he had succeeded in swallowing what seemed to him enough；
there came another almond which struck him on the hand and on the
flask so fairly that it smashed it to pieces； knocking three or four
teeth and grinders out of his mouth in its course； and sorely crushing
two fingers of his hand。 Such was the force of the first blow and of
the second； that the poor kn