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！
not right to tempt God by trying so tremendous a feat from which there
can be no escape save by a miracle； and Heaven has performed enough of
them for your worship in delivering you from being blanketed as I was；
and bringing you out victorious and safe and sound from among all
those enemies that were with the dead man； and if all this does not
move or soften that hard heart； let this thought and reflection move
it； that you will have hardly quitted this spot when from pure fear
I shall yield my soul up to anyone that will take it。 I left home
and wife and children to come and serve your worship； trusting to do
better and not worse； but as covetousness bursts the bag； it has
rent my hopes asunder； for just as I had them highest about getting
that wretched unlucky island your worship has so often promised me；
I see that instead and in lieu of it you mean to desert me now in a
place so far from human reach： for God's sake； master mine； deal not
so unjustly by me； and if your worship will not entirely give up
attempting this feat； at least put it off till morning； for by what
the lore I learned when I was a shepherd tells me it cannot want three
hours of dawn now； because the mouth of the Horn is overhead and makes
midnight in the line of the left arm。〃
〃How canst thou see； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃where it makes that
line； or where this mouth or this occiput is that thou talkest of；
when the night is so dark that there is not a star to be seen in the
whole heaven？〃
〃That's true；〃 said Sancho； 〃but fear has sharp eyes； and sees
things underground； much more above in heavens； besides； there is good
reason to show that it now wants but little of day。〃
〃Let it want what it may；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃it shall not be
said of me now or at any time that tears or entreaties turned me aside
from doing what was in accordance with knightly usage； and so I beg of
thee； Sancho； to hold thy peace； for God； who has put it into my heart
to undertake now this so unexampled and terrible adventure； will
take care to watch over my safety and console thy sorrow； what thou
hast to do is to tighten Rocinante's girths well； and wait here； for I
shall come back shortly； alive or dead。〃
Sancho perceiving it his master's final resolve； and how little
his tears； counsels； and entreaties prevailed with him； determined
to have recourse to his own ingenuity and compel him； if he could；
to wait till daylight； and so； while tightening the girths of the
horse； he quietly and without being felt； with his ass' halter tied
both Rocinante's legs； so that when Don Quixote strove to go he was
unable as the horse could only move by jumps。 Seeing the success of
his trick； Sancho Panza said：
〃See there； senor！ Heaven； moved by my tears and prayers； has so
ordered it that Rocinante cannot stir； and if you will be obstinate；
and spur and strike him； you will only provoke fortune； and kick； as
they say； against the pricks。〃
Don Quixote at this grew desperate； but the more he drove his
heels into the horse； the less he stirred him； and not having any
suspicion of the tying； he was fain to resign himself and wait till
daybreak or until Rocinante could move； firmly persuaded that all this
came of something other than Sancho's ingenuity。 So he said to him；
〃As it is so； Sancho； and as Rocinante cannot move； I am content to
wait till dawn smiles upon us； even though I weep while it delays
its coming。〃
〃There is no need to weep；〃 answered Sancho； 〃for I will amuse
your worship by telling stories from this till daylight； unless indeed
you like to dismount and lie down to sleep a little on the green grass
after the fashion of knights…errant； so as to be fresher when day
comes and the moment arrives for attempting this extraordinary
adventure you are looking forward to。〃
〃What art thou talking about dismounting or sleeping for？〃 said
Don Quixote。 〃Am I； thinkest thou； one of those knights that take
their rest in the presence of danger？ Sleep thou who art born to
sleep； or do as thou wilt； for I will act as I think most consistent
with my character。〃
〃Be not angry； master mine；〃 replied Sancho； 〃I did not mean to
say that；〃 and coming close to him he laid one hand on the pommel of
the saddle and the other on the cantle so that he held his master's
left thigh in his embrace； not daring to separate a finger's width
from him； so much afraid was he of the strokes which still resounded
with a regular beat。 Don Quixote bade him tell some story to amuse him
as he had proposed； to which Sancho replied that he would if his dread
of what he heard would let him； 〃Still；〃 said he； 〃I will strive to
tell a story which； if I can manage to relate it； and nobody
interferes with the telling； is the best of stories； and let your
worship give me your attention； for here I begin。 What was； was； and
may the good that is to come be for all； and the evil for him who goes
to look for it …your worship must know that the beginning the old folk
used to put to their tales was not just as each one pleased； it was
a maxim of Cato Zonzorino the Roman； that says 'the evil for him
that goes to look for it；' and it comes as pat to the purpose now as
ring to finger； to show that your worship should keep quiet and not go
looking for evil in any quarter； and that we should go back by some
other road； since nobody forces us to follow this in which so many
terrors affright us。〃
〃Go on with thy story； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and leave the
choice of our road to my care。〃
〃I say then；〃 continued Sancho； 〃that in a village of Estremadura
there was a goat…shepherd …that is to say； one who tended goats… which
shepherd or goatherd； as my story goes； was called Lope Ruiz； and this
Lope Ruiz was in love with a shepherdess called Torralva； which
shepherdess called Torralva was the daughter of a rich grazier； and
this rich grazier…〃
〃If that is the way thou tellest thy tale； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃repeating twice all thou hast to say； thou wilt not have
done these two days； go straight on with it； and tell it like a
reasonable man； or else say nothing。〃
〃Tales are always told in my country in the very way I am telling
this；〃 answered Sancho； 〃and I cannot tell it in any other； nor is
it right of your worship to ask me to make new customs。〃
〃Tell it as thou wilt；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃and as fate will
have it that I cannot help listening to thee； go on。〃
〃And so； lord of my soul；〃 continued Sancho； as I have said； this
shepherd was in love with Torralva the shepherdess； who was a wild
buxom lass with something of the look of a man about her； for she
had little moustaches； I fancy I see her now。〃
〃Then you knew her？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I did not know her；〃 said Sancho； 〃but he who told me the story
said it was so true and certain that when I told it to another I might
safely declare and swear I had seen it all myself。 And so in course of
time； the devil； who never sleeps and puts everything in confusion；
contrived that the love the shepherd bore the shepherdess turned
into hatred and ill…will； and the reason； according to evil tongues；
was some little jealousy she caused him that c