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！
ass like my own； who has something that shines on his head。〃
〃Well； that is the helmet of Mambrino；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃stand
to one side and leave me alone with him； thou shalt see how； without
saying a word； to save time； I shall bring this adventure to an
issue and possess myself of the helmet I have so longed for。〃
〃I will take care to stand aside；〃 said Sancho； 〃but God grant； I
say once more； that it may be marjoram and not fulling mills。〃
〃I have told thee； brother； on no account to mention those fulling
mills to me again；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃or I vow… and I say no more…
I'll full the soul out of you。〃
Sancho held his peace in dread lest his master should carry out
the vow he had hurled like a bowl at him。
The fact of the matter as regards the helmet； steed； and knight that
Don Quixote saw； was this。 In that neighbourhood there were two
villages； one of them so small that it had neither apothecary's shop
nor barber； which the other that was close to it had； so the barber of
the larger served the smaller； and in it there was a sick man who
required to be bled and another man who wanted to be shaved； and on
this errand the barber was going； carrying with him a brass basin； but
as luck would have it； as he was on the way it began to rain； and
not to spoil his hat； which probably was a new one； he put the basin
on his head； and being clean it glittered at half a league's distance。
He rode upon a grey ass； as Sancho said； and this was what made it
seem to Don Quixote to be a dapple…grey steed and a knight and a
golden helmet； for everything he saw he made to fall in with his crazy
chivalry and ill…errant notions； and when he saw the poor knight
draw near； without entering into any parley with him； at Rocinante's
top speed he bore down upon him with the pike pointed low； fully
determined to run him through and through； and as he reached him；
without checking the fury of his charge； he cried to him：
〃Defend thyself； miserable being； or yield me of thine own accord
that which is so reasonably my due。〃
The barber； who without any expectation or apprehension of it saw
this apparition coming down upon him； had no other way of saving
himself from the stroke of the lance but to let himself fall off his
ass； and no sooner had he touched the ground than he sprang up more
nimbly than a deer and sped away across the plain faster than the
wind。
He left the basin on the ground； with which Don Quixote contented
himself； saying that the pagan had shown his discretion and imitated
the beaver； which finding itself pressed by the hunters bites and cuts
off with its teeth that for which； by its natural instinct； it knows
it is pursued。
He told Sancho to pick up the helmet； and he taking it in his
hands said：
〃By God the basin is a good one； and worth a real of eight if it
is worth a maravedis；〃 and handed it to his master； who immediately
put it on his head； turning it round； now this way； now that； in
search of fitment； and not finding it he said； 〃Clearly the pagan to
whose measure this famous head…piece was first forged must have had
a very large head； but the worst of it is half of it is wanting。〃
When Sancho heard him call the basin a headpiece he was unable to
restrain his laughter； but remembering his master's wrath he checked
himself in the midst of it。
〃What art thou laughing at； Sancho？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I am laughing；〃 said he； 〃to think of the great head the pagan must
have had who owned this helmet； for it looks exactly like a regular
barber's basin。〃
〃Dost thou know what I suspect； Sancho？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that
this wonderful piece of this enchanted helmet must by some strange
accident have come into the hands of some one who was unable to
recognise or realise its value； and who； not knowing what he did；
and seeing it to be of the purest gold； must have melted down one half
for the sake of what it might be worth； and of the other made this
which is like a barber's basin as thou sayest； but be it as it may； to
me who recognise it； its transformation makes no difference； for I
will set it to rights at the first village where there is a
blacksmith； and in such style that that helmet the god of smithies
forged for the god of battles shall not surpass it or even come up
to it； and in the meantime I will wear it as well as I can； for
something is better than nothing； all the more as it will be quite
enough to protect me from any chance blow of a stone。〃
〃That is；〃 said Sancho； 〃if it is not shot with a sling as they were
in the battle of the two armies； when they signed the cross on your
worship's grinders and smashed the flask with that blessed draught
that made me vomit my bowels up。〃
〃It does not grieve me much to have lost it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for
thou knowest； Sancho； that I have the receipt in my memory。〃
〃So have I；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but if ever I make it； or try it
again as long as I live； may this be my last hour； moreover； I have no
intention of putting myself in the way of wanting it； for I mean； with
all my five senses； to keep myself from being wounded or from wounding
anyone： as to being blanketed again I say nothing； for it is hard to
prevent mishaps of that sort； and if they come there is nothing for it
but to squeeze our shoulders together； hold our breath； shut our eyes；
and let ourselves go where luck and the blanket may send us。〃
〃Thou art a bad Christian； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote on hearing
this； 〃for once an injury has been done thee thou never forgettest it：
but know that it is the part of noble and generous hearts not to
attach importance to trifles。 What lame leg hast thou got by it；
what broken rib； what cracked head； that thou canst not forget that
jest？ For jest and sport it was； properly regarded； and had I not seen
it in that light I would have returned and done more mischief in
revenging thee than the Greeks did for the rape of Helen； who； if
she were alive now； or if my Dulcinea had lived then； might depend
upon it she would not be so famous for her beauty as she is；〃 and here
he heaved a sigh and sent it aloft； and said Sancho； 〃Let it pass
for a jest as it cannot be revenged in earnest； but I know what sort
of jest and earnest it was； and I know it will never be rubbed out
of my memory any more than off my shoulders。 But putting that aside；
will your worship tell me what are we to do with this dapple…grey
steed that looks like a grey ass； which that Martino that your worship
overthrew has left deserted here？ for； from the way he took to his
heels and bolted； he is not likely ever to come back for it； and by my
beard but the grey is a good one。〃
〃I have never been in the habit；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃of taking spoil
of those whom I vanquish； nor is it the practice of chivalry to take
away their horses and leave them to go on foot； unless indeed it be
that the victor have lost his own in the combat； in which case it is
lawful to take that of the vanquished as a thing won in lawful war；
therefore； Sancho； leave this horse； or ass； or whatever thou wilt
have it to be； for when its owner sees us gone hence he will come back
for it。〃
〃God knows I should like to take it；〃 returned Sancho； 〃or at
least to change it for my own； which does not seem to me as good a
one： verily the laws of chivalry are strict； since they cannot be
stretched to let one ass be changed for another； I should like to know
if I might at least change trappings。〃
〃On that head I am not quite certain；〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃and
the matter being doubtful； pending better information； I say thou
mayest change them； if so be thou hast urgent need of them。〃
〃So urgent is it；〃 answered Sancho； 〃that if they were for my own
person I could not want them more；〃 and forthwith； fortified by this
licence； he effected the mutatio capparum； rigging out his beast to
the ninety…nines and making quite another thing of it。 This done； they
broke their fast on the remains of the spoils of war plundered from
the sumpter mule； and drank of the brook that flowed from the
fulling mills； without casting a look in that direction； in such
loathing did they hold them for the alarm they had caused them； and；
all anger and gloom removed； they mounted and； without taking any
fixed road （not to fix upon any being the proper thing for true
knights…errant）； they set out； guided by Rocinante's will； which
carried along with it that of his master； not to say that of the
ass； which always followed him wherever he led； lovingly and sociably；
nevertheless they returned to the high road； and pursued it at a
venture without any other aim。
As they went along； then； in this way Sancho said to his master；
〃Senor； would your worship give me leave to speak a little to you？ For
since you laid that hard injunction of silence on me several things
have gone to rot in my stomach； and I have now just one on the tip
of my tongue that I don't want to be spoiled。〃
〃Say； on； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and be brief in thy discourse；
for there is no pleasure in one that is long。〃
〃Well then； senor；〃 returned Sancho； 〃I say that for some days
past I have been considering how little is got or gained by going in