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！
men can desire in this life。 The first good news the world and mankind
received was that which the angels announced on the night that was our
day； when they sang in the air； 'Glory to God in the highest； and
peace on earth to men of good…will；' and the salutation which the
great Master of heaven and earth taught his disciples and chosen
followers when they entered any house； was to say； 'Peace be on this
house；' and many other times he said to them； 'My peace I give unto
you； my peace I leave you； peace be with you；' a jewel and a
precious gift given and left by such a hand： a jewel without which
there can be no happiness either on earth or in heaven。 This peace
is the true end of war； and war is only another name for arms。 This；
then； being admitted； that the end of war is peace； and that so far it
has the advantage of the end of letters； let us turn to the bodily
labours of the man of letters； and those of him who follows the
profession of arms； and see which are the greater。〃
Don Quixote delivered his discourse in such a manner and in such
correct language； that for the time being he made it impossible for
any of his hearers to consider him a madman； on the contrary； as
they were mostly gentlemen； to whom arms are an appurtenance by birth；
they listened to him with great pleasure as he continued： 〃Here； then；
I say is what the student has to undergo； first of all poverty： not
that all are poor； but to put the case as strongly as possible： and
when I have said that he endures poverty； I think nothing more need be
said about his hard fortune； for he who is poor has no share of the
good things of life。 This poverty he suffers from in various ways；
hunger； or cold； or nakedness； or all together； but for all that it is
not so extreme but that he gets something to eat； though it may be
at somewhat unseasonable hours and from the leavings of the rich；
for the greatest misery of the student is what they themselves call
'going out for soup；' and there is always some neighbour's brazier
or hearth for them； which； if it does not warm； at least tempers the
cold to them； and lastly； they sleep comfortably at night under a
roof。 I will not go into other particulars； as for example want of
shirts； and no superabundance of shoes； thin and threadbare
garments； and gorging themselves to surfeit in their voracity when
good luck has treated them to a banquet of some sort。 By this road
that I have described； rough and hard； stumbling here； falling
there； getting up again to fall again； they reach the rank they
desire； and that once attained； we have seen many who have passed
these Syrtes and Scyllas and Charybdises； as if borne flying on the
wings of favouring fortune； we have seen them； I say； ruling and
governing the world from a chair； their hunger turned into satiety；
their cold into comfort； their nakedness into fine raiment； their
sleep on a mat into repose in holland and damask； the justly earned
reward of their virtue； but； contrasted and compared with what the
warrior undergoes； all they have undergone falls far short of it； as I
am now about to show。〃
CHAPTER XXXVIII
WHICH TREATS OF THE CURIOUS DISCOURSE DON QUIXOTE DELIVERED ON
ARMS AND LETTERS
CONTINUING his discourse Don Quixote said： 〃As we began in the
student's case with poverty and its accompaniments； let us see now
if the soldier is richer； and we shall find that in poverty itself
there is no one poorer； for he is dependent on his miserable pay；
which comes late or never； or else on what he can plunder； seriously
imperilling his life and conscience； and sometimes his nakedness
will be so great that a slashed doublet serves him for uniform and
shirt； and in the depth of winter he has to defend himself against the
inclemency of the weather in the open field with nothing better than
the breath of his mouth； which I need not say； coming from an empty
place； must come out cold； contrary to the laws of nature。 To be
sure he looks forward to the approach of night to make up for all
these discomforts on the bed that awaits him； which； unless by some
fault of his； never sins by being over narrow； for he can easily
measure out on the ground as he likes； and roll himself about in it to
his heart's content without any fear of the sheets slipping away
from him。 Then； after all this； suppose the day and hour for taking
his degree in his calling to have come； suppose the day of battle to
have arrived； when they invest him with the doctor's cap made of lint；
to mend some bullet…hole； perhaps； that has gone through his
temples； or left him with a crippled arm or leg。 Or if this does not
happen； and merciful Heaven watches over him and keeps him safe and
sound； it may be he will be in the same poverty he was in before；
and he must go through more engagements and more battles； and come
victorious out of all before he betters himself； but miracles of
that sort are seldom seen。 For tell me； sirs； if you have ever
reflected upon it； by how much do those who have gained by war fall
short of the number of those who have perished in it？ No doubt you
will reply that there can be no comparison； that the dead cannot be
numbered； while the living who have been rewarded may be summed up
with three figures。 All which is the reverse in the case of men of
letters； for by skirts； to say nothing of sleeves； they all find means
of support； so that though the soldier has more to endure； his
reward is much less。 But against all this it may be urged that it is
easier to reward two thousand soldiers； for the former may be
remunerated by giving them places； which must perforce be conferred
upon men of their calling； while the latter can only be recompensed
out of the very property of the master they serve； but this
impossibility only strengthens my argument。
〃Putting this； however； aside； for it is a puzzling question for
which it is difficult to find a solution； let us return to the
superiority of arms over letters； a matter still undecided； so many
are the arguments put forward on each side； for besides those I have
mentioned； letters say that without them arms cannot maintain
themselves； for war； too； has its laws and is governed by them； and
laws belong to the domain of letters and men of letters。 To this
arms make answer that without them laws cannot be maintained； for by
arms states are defended； kingdoms preserved； cities protected；
roads made safe； seas cleared of pirates； and； in short； if it were
not for them； states； kingdoms； monarchies； cities； ways by sea and
land would be exposed to the violence and confusion which war brings
with it； so long as it lasts and is free to make use of its privileges
and powers。 And then it is plain that whatever costs most is valued
and deserves to be valued most。 To attain to eminence in letters costs
a man time； watching； hunger； nakedness； headaches； indigestions；
and other things of the sort； some of which I have already referred
to。 But for a man to come in the ordinary course of things to be a
good soldier costs him all the student suffers； and in an incomparably
higher degree； for at every step he runs the risk of losing his
life。 For what dread of