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！
Roque turned round at the noise and perceived this comely figure；
which drawing near thus addressed him； 〃I came in quest of thee；
valiant Roque； to find in thee if not a remedy at least relief in my
misfortune； and not to keep thee in suspense； for I see thou dost
not recognise me； I will tell thee who I am； I am Claudia Jeronima；
the daughter of Simon Forte； thy good friend； and special enemy of
Clauquel Torrellas； who is thine also as being of the faction
opposed to thee。 Thou knowest that this Torrellas has a son who is
called； or at least was not two hours since； Don Vicente Torrellas。
Well； to cut short the tale of my misfortune； I will tell thee in a
few words what this youth has brought upon me。 He saw me； he paid
court to me； I listened to him； and； unknown to my father； I loved
him； for there is no woman； however secluded she may live or close she
may be kept； who will not have opportunities and to spare for
following her headlong impulses。 In a word； he pledged himself to be
mine； and I promised to be his； without carrying matters any
further。 Yesterday I learned that； forgetful of his pledge to me； he
was about to marry another； and that he was to go this morning to
plight his troth； intelligence which overwhelmed and exasperated me；
my father not being at home I was able to adopt this costume you
see； and urging my horse to speed I overtook Don Vicente about a
league from this； and without waiting to utter reproaches or hear
excuses I fired this musket at him； and these two pistols besides； and
to the best of my belief I must have lodged more than two bullets in
his body； opening doors to let my honour go free； enveloped in his
blood。 I left him there in the hands of his servants； who did not dare
and were not able to interfere in his defence； and I come to seek from
thee a safe…conduct into France； where I have relatives with whom I
can live； and also to implore thee to protect my father； so that Don
Vicente's numerous kinsmen may not venture to wreak their lawless
vengeance upon him。〃
Roque； filled with admiration at the gallant bearing； high spirit；
comely figure； and adventure of the fair Claudia； said to her；
〃Come； senora； let us go and see if thy enemy is dead； and then we
will consider what will be best for thee。〃 Don Quixote； who had been
listening to what Claudia said and Roque Guinart said in reply to her；
exclaimed； 〃Nobody need trouble himself with the defence of this lady；
for I take it upon myself。 Give me my horse and arms； and wait for
me here； I will go in quest of this knight； and dead or alive I will
make him keep his word plighted to so great beauty。〃
〃Nobody need have any doubt about that；〃 said Sancho； 〃for my master
has a very happy knack of matchmaking； it's not many days since he
forced another man to marry； who in the same way backed out of his
promise to another maiden； and if it had not been for his
persecutors the enchanters changing the man's proper shape into a
lacquey's the said maiden would not be one this minute。〃
Roque； who was paying more attention to the fair Claudia's adventure
than to the words of master or man； did not hear them； and ordering
his squires to restore to Sancho everything they had stripped Dapple
of； he directed them to return to the place where they had been
quartered during the night； and then set off with Claudia at full
speed in search of the wounded or slain Don Vicente。 They reached
the spot where Claudia met him； but found nothing there save freshly
spilt blood； looking all round； however； they descried some people
on the slope of a hill above them； and concluded； as indeed it
proved to be； that it was Don Vicente； whom either dead or alive his
servants were removing to attend to his wounds or to bury him。 They
made haste to overtake them； which； as the party moved slowly； they
were able to do with ease。 They found Don Vicente in the arms of his
servants； whom he was entreating in a broken feeble voice to leave him
there to die； as the pain of his wounds would not suffer him to go any
farther。 Claudia and Roque threw themselves off their horses and
advanced towards him； the servants were overawed by the appearance
of Roque； and Claudia was moved by the sight of Don Vicente； and going
up to him half tenderly half sternly； she seized his hand and said
to him； 〃Hadst thou given me this according to our compact thou
hadst never come to this pass。〃
The wounded gentleman opened his all but closed eyes； and
recognising Claudia said； 〃I see clearly； fair and mistaken lady； that
it is thou that hast slain me； a punishment not merited or deserved by
my feelings towards thee； for never did I mean to； nor could I；
wrong thee in thought or deed。〃
〃It is not true； then；〃 said Claudia； 〃that thou wert going this
morning to marry Leonora the daughter of the rich Balvastro？〃
〃Assuredly not；〃 replied Don Vicente； 〃my cruel fortune must have
carried those tidings to thee to drive thee in thy jealousy to take my
life； and to assure thyself of this； press my hands and take me for
thy husband if thou wilt； I have no better satisfaction to offer
thee for the wrong thou fanciest thou hast received from me。〃
Claudia wrung his hands； and her own heart was so wrung that she lay
fainting on the bleeding breast of Don Vicente； whom a death spasm
seized the same instant。 Roque was in perplexity and knew not what
to do； the servants ran to fetch water to sprinkle their faces； and
brought some and bathed them with it。 Claudia recovered from her
fainting fit； but not so Don Vicente from the paroxysm that had
overtaken him； for his life had come to an end。 On perceiving this；
Claudia； when she had convinced herself that her beloved husband was
no more； rent the air with her sighs and made the heavens ring with
her lamentations； she tore her hair and scattered it to the winds； she
beat her face with her hands and showed all the signs of grief and
sorrow that could be conceived to come from an afflicted heart。
〃Cruel； reckless woman！〃 she cried； 〃how easily wert thou moved to
carry out a thought so wicked！ O furious force of jealousy； to what
desperate lengths dost thou lead those that give thee lodging in their
bosoms！ O husband； whose unhappy fate in being mine hath borne thee
from the marriage bed to the grave！〃
So vehement and so piteous were the lamentations of Claudia that
they drew tears from Roque's eyes； unused as they were to shed them on
any occasion。 The servants wept； Claudia swooned away again and again；
and the whole place seemed a field of sorrow and an abode of
misfortune。 In the end Roque Guinart directed Don Vicente's servants
to carry his body to his father's village； which was close by； for
burial。 Claudia told him she meant to go to a monastery of which an
aunt of hers was abbess； where she intended to pass her life with a
better and everlasting spouse。 He applauded her pious resolution；
and offered to accompany her whithersoever she wished； and to
protect her father against the kinsmen of Don Vicente and all the
world； should they seek to injure him。 Claudia would not on any
account allow him to accompany her； and thanking him for his offers as