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！
this most grave； high…sounding； minute； delightful； and original
history that after the discussion between the famous Don Quixote of La
Mancha and his squire Sancho Panza which is set down at the end of
chapter twenty…one； Don Quixote raised his eyes and saw coming along
the road he was following some dozen men on foot strung together by
the neck； like beads； on a great iron chain； and all with manacles
on their hands。 With them there came also two men on horseback and two
on foot； those on horseback with wheel…lock muskets； those on foot
with javelins and swords； and as soon as Sancho saw them he said：
〃That is a chain of galley slaves； on the way to the galleys by
force of the king's orders。〃
〃How by force？〃 asked Don Quixote； 〃is it possible that the king
uses force against anyone？〃
〃I do not say that；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but that these are people
condemned for their crimes to serve by force in the king's galleys。〃
〃In fact；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃however it may be； these people are
going where they are taking them by force； and not of their own will。〃
〃Just so；〃 said Sancho。
〃Then if so；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃here is a case for the exercise
of my office； to put down force and to succour and help the wretched。〃
〃Recollect； your worship；〃 said Sancho； 〃Justice； which is the
king himself； is not using force or doing wrong to such persons； but
punishing them for their crimes。〃
The chain of galley slaves had by this time come up； and Don Quixote
in very courteous language asked those who were in custody of it to be
good enough to tell him the reason or reasons for which they were
conducting these people in this manner。 One of the guards on horseback
answered that they were galley slaves belonging to his majesty； that
they were going to the galleys； and that was all that was to be said
and all he had any business to know。
〃Nevertheless；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃I should like to know from
each of them separately the reason of his misfortune；〃 to this he
added more to the same effect to induce them to tell him what he
wanted so civilly that the other mounted guard said to him：
〃Though we have here the register and certificate of the sentence of
every one of these wretches； this is no time to take them out or
read them； come and ask themselves； they can tell if they choose；
and they will； for these fellows take a pleasure in doing and
talking about rascalities。〃
With this permission； which Don Quixote would have taken even had
they not granted it； he approached the chain and asked the first for
what offences he was now in such a sorry case。
He made answer that it was for being a lover。
〃For that only？〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃why； if for being lovers they
send people to the galleys I might have been rowing in them long ago。〃
〃The love is not the sort your worship is thinking of；〃 said the
galley slave； 〃mine was that I loved a washerwoman's basket of clean
linen so well； and held it so close in my embrace； that if the arm
of the law had not forced it from me； I should never have let it go of
my own will to this moment； I was caught in the act； there was no
occasion for torture； the case was settled； they treated me to a
hundred lashes on the back； and three years of gurapas besides； and
that was the end of it。〃
〃What are gurapas？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃Gurapas are galleys；〃 answered the galley slave； who was a young
man of about four…and…twenty； and said he was a native of Piedrahita。
Don Quixote asked the same question of the second； who made no
reply； so downcast and melancholy was he； but the first answered for
him； and said； 〃He； sir； goes as a canary； I mean as a musician and
a singer。〃
〃What！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for being musicians and singers are
people sent to the galleys too？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered the galley slave； 〃for there is nothing worse
than singing under suffering。〃
〃On the contrary； I have heard say；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that he
who sings scares away his woes。〃
〃Here it is the reverse；〃 said the galley slave； 〃for he who sings
once weeps all his life。〃
〃I do not understand it；〃 said Don Quixote； but one of the guards
said to him； 〃Sir； to sing under suffering means with the non sancta
fraternity to confess under torture； they put this sinner to the
torture and he confessed his crime； which was being a cuatrero； that
is a cattle…stealer； and on his confession they sentenced him to six
years in the galleys； besides two bundred lashes that he has already
had on the back； and he is always dejected and downcast because the
other thieves that were left behind and that march here ill…treat； and
snub； and jeer； and despise him for confessing and not having spirit
enough to say nay； for； say they； 'nay' has no more letters in it than
'yea；' and a culprit is well off when life or death with him depends
on his own tongue and not on that of witnesses or evidence； and to
my thinking they are not very far out。〃
〃And I think so too；〃 answered Don Quixote； then passing on to the
third he asked him what he had asked the others； and the man
answered very readily and unconcernedly； 〃I am going for five years to
their ladyships the gurapas for the want of ten ducats。〃
〃I will give twenty with pleasure to get you out of that trouble；〃
said Don Quixote。
〃That；〃 said the galley slave； 〃is like a man having money at sea
when he is dying of hunger and has no way of buying what he wants； I
say so because if at the right time I had had those twenty ducats that
your worship now offers me； I would have greased the notary's pen
and freshened up the attorney's wit with them； so that to…day I should
be in the middle of the plaza of the Zocodover at Toledo； and not on
this road coupled like a greyhound。 But God is great； patience… there；
that's enough of it。〃
Don Quixote passed on to the fourth； a man of venerable aspect
with a white beard falling below his breast； who on hearing himself
asked the reason of his being there began to weep without answering
a word； but the fifth acted as his tongue and said； 〃This worthy man
is going to the galleys for four years； after having gone the rounds
in ceremony and on horseback。〃
〃That means；〃 said Sancho Panza； 〃as I take it； to have been
exposed to shame in public。〃
〃Just so；〃 replied the galley slave； 〃and the offence for which they
gave him that punishment was having been an ear…broker； nay
body…broker； I mean； in short； that this gentleman goes as a pimp； and
for having besides a certain touch of the sorcerer about him。〃
〃If that touch had not been thrown in；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃be
would not deserve； for mere pimping； to row in the galleys； but rather
to command and be admiral of them； for the office of pimp is no
ordinary one； being the office of persons of discretion； one very
necessary in a well…ordered state； and only to be exercised by persons
of good birth； nay； there ought to be an inspector and overseer of
them； as in other offices； and recognised number； as with the
brokers on change； in this way many of the evils would be avoided
which are caused by this office and calling being in the hands of
stupid and ignorant people； such as wome