don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第15部分

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which　he　returned　to　his　village　with　the　reputation　of　being　very
learned　and　deeply　read。　〃Above　all；　they　said；　he　was　learned　in
the　science　of　the　stars　and　of　what　went　on　yonder　in　the　heavens　and
the　sun　and　the　moon；　for　he　told　us　of　the　cris　of　the　sun　and　moon
to　exact　time。〃
　　〃Eclipse　it　is　called；　friend；　not　cris；　the　darkening　of　those
two　luminaries；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　but　Pedro；　not　troubling　himself
with　trifles；　went　on　with　his　story；　saying；　〃Also　he　foretold　when
the　year　was　going　to　be　one　of　abundance　or　estility。〃
　　〃Sterility；　you　mean；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Sterility　or　estility；〃　answered　Pedro；　〃it　is　all　the　same　in
the　end。　And　I　can　tell　you　that　by　this　his　father　and　friends　who
believed　him　grew　very　rich　because　they　did　as　he　advised　them；
bidding　them　'sow　barley　this　year；　not　wheat；　this　year　you　may　sow
pulse　and　not　barley；　the　next　there　will　be　a　full　oil　crop；　and
the　three　following　not　a　drop　will　be　got。'〃
　　〃That　science　is　called　astrology；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　do　not　know　what　it　is　called；〃　replied　Pedro；　〃but　I　know　that
he　knew　all　this　and　more　besides。　But；　to　make　an　end；　not　many
months　had　passed　after　he　returned　from　Salamanca；　when　one　day　he
appeared　dressed　as　a　shepherd　with　his　crook　and　sheepskin；　having
put　off　the　long　gown　he　wore　as　a　scholar；　and　at　the　same　time　his
great　friend；　Ambrosio　by　name；　who　had　been　his　companion　in　his
studies；　took　to　the　shepherd's　dress　with　him。　I　forgot　to　say　that
Chrysostom；　who　is　dead；　was　a　great　man　for　writing　verses；　so　much
so　that　he　made　carols　for　Christmas　Eve；　and　plays　for　Corpus
Christi；　which　the　young　men　of　our　village　acted；　and　all　said　they
were　excellent。　When　the　villagers　saw　the　two　scholars　so
unexpectedly　appearing　in　shepherd's　dress；　they　were　lost　in
wonder；　and　could　not　guess　what　had　led　them　to　make　so　extraordinary
a　change。　About　this　time　the　father　of　our　Chrysostom　died；　and　he
was　left　heir　to　a　large　amount　of　property　in　chattels　as　well　as
in　land；　no　small　number　of　cattle　and　sheep；　and　a　large　sum　of
money；　of　all　of　which　the　young　man　was　left　dissolute　owner；　and
indeed　he　was　deserving　of　it　all；　for　he　was　a　very　good　comrade；　and
kind…hearted；　and　a　friend　of　worthy　folk；　and　had　a　countenance
like　a　benediction。　Presently　it　came　to　be　known　that　he　had
changed　his　dress　with　no　other　object　than　to　wander　about　these
wastes　after　that　shepherdess　Marcela　our　lad　mentioned　a　while　ago；
with　whom　the　deceased　Chrysostom　had　fallen　in　love。　And　I　must
tell　you　now；　for　it　is　well　you　should　know　it；　who　this　girl　is；
perhaps；　and　even　without　any　perhaps；　you　will　not　have　heard
anything　like　it　all　the　days　of　your　life；　though　you　should　live
more　years　than　sarna。〃
　　〃Say　Sarra；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　unable　to　endure　the　goatherd's
confusion　of　words。
　　〃The　sarna　lives　long　enough；〃　answered　Pedro；　〃and　if；　senor；　you
must　go　finding　fault　with　words　at　every　step；　we　shall　not　make　an
end　of　it　this　twelvemonth。〃
　　〃Pardon　me；　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but；　as　there　is　such　a
difference　between　sarna　and　Sarra；　I　told　you　of　it；　however；　you
have　answered　very　rightly；　for　sarna　lives　longer　than　Sarra：　so
continue　your　story；　and　I　will　not　object　any　more　to　anything。〃
　　〃I　say　then；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃that　in　our　village
there　was　a　farmer　even　richer　than　the　father　of　Chrysostom；　who
was　named　Guillermo；　and　upon　whom　God　bestowed；　over　and　above
great　wealth；　a　daughter　at　whose　birth　her　mother　died；　the　most
respected　woman　there　was　in　this　neighbourhood；　I　fancy　I　can　see　her
now　with　that　countenance　which　had　the　sun　on　one　side　and　the　moon
on　the　other；　and　moreover　active；　and　kind　to　the　poor；　for　which　I
trust　that　at　the　present　moment　her　soul　is　in　bliss　with　God　in
the　other　world。　Her　husband　Guillermo　died　of　grief　at　the　death　of
so　good　a　wife；　leaving　his　daughter　Marcela；　a　child　and　rich；　to　the
care　of　an　uncle　of　hers；　a　priest　and　prebendary　in　our　village。
The　girl　grew　up　with　such　beauty　that　it　reminded　us　of　her　mother's；
which　was　very　great；　and　yet　it　was　thought　that　the　daughter's　would
exceed　it；　and　so　when　she　reached　the　age　of　fourteen　to　fifteen
years　nobody　beheld　her　but　blessed　God　that　had　made　her　so
beautiful；　and　the　greater　number　were　in　love　with　her　past
redemption。　Her　uncle　kept　her　in　great　seclusion　and　retirement；
but　for　all　that　the　fame　of　her　great　beauty　spread　so　that；　as
well　for　it　as　for　her　great　wealth；　her　uncle　was　asked；　solicited；
and　importuned；　to　give　her　in　marriage　not　only　by　those　of　our
town　but　of　those　many　leagues　round；　and　by　the　persons　of　highest
quality　in　them。　But　he；　being　a　good　Christian　man；　though　he　desired
to　give　her　in　marriage　at　once；　seeing　her　to　be　old　enough；　was
unwilling　to　do　so　without　her　consent；　not　that　he　had　any　eye　to　the
gain　and　profit　which　the　custody　of　the　girl's　property　brought　him
while　he　put　off　her　marriage；　and；　faith；　this　was　said　in　praise
of　the　good　priest　in　more　than　one　set　in　the　town。　For　I　would
have　you　know；　Sir　Errant；　that　in　these　little　villages　everything　is
talked　about　and　everything　is　carped　at；　and　rest　assured；　as　I　am；
that　the　priest　must　be　over　and　above　good　who　forces　his
parishioners　to　speak　well　of　him；　especially　in　villages。〃
　　〃That　is　the　truth；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　go　on；　for　the　story
is　very　good；　and　you；　good　Pedro；　tell　it　with　very　good　grace。〃
　　〃May　that　of　the　Lord　not　be　wanting　to　me；〃　said　Pedro；　〃that　is
the　one　to　have。　To　proceed；　you　must　know　that　though　the　uncle　put
before　his　niece　and　described　to　her　the　qualities　of　each　one　in
particular　of　the　many　who　had　asked　her　in　marriage；　begging　her　to
marry　and　make　a　choice　according　to　her　own　taste；　she　never　gave　any
other　answer　than　that　she　had　no　desire　to　marry　just　yet；　and　that
being　so　young　she　did　not　think　herself　fit　to　bear　the　burden　of
matrimony。　At　these；　to　all　appearance；　reasonable　excuses　that　she
made；　her　uncle　ceased　to　urge　her；　and　waited　till　she　was　somewhat
more　advanced　in　age　and　could　mate　herself　to　her　own　liking。　For；
said　he…　and　he　said　quite　right…　parents　are　not　to　settle　children
in　life　against　their　will。　But　when　one　least　looked　for　it；　lo　and
behold！　one　day　the　demure　Marcela　makes　her　appearance　turned
shepherdess；　and；　in　spite　of　her　uncle　and　all　those　of　the　town　that
strove　to　dissuade　her；　took　to　going　a…field　with　the　other
shepherd…lasses　of　the　village；　and　tending　her　own　flock。　And　so；
since　she　appeared　in　public；　and　her　beauty　came　to　be　seen　openly；　I
could　not　well　tell　you　how　many　rich　youths；　gentlemen　and
peasants；　have　adopted　the　costume　of　Chrysostom；　and　go　about　these
fields　making　love　to　her。　One　of　these；　as　has　been　already　said；　was
our　deceased　friend；　of　whom　they　say　that　he　did　not　love　but　adore
her。　But　you　must　not　suppose；　because　Marcela　chose　a　life　of　such
liberty　and　independence；　and　of　so　little　or　rather　no　retirement；
that　she　has　given　any　occasion；　or　even　the　semblance　of　one；　for
disparagement　of　her　purity　and　modesty；　on　the　contrary；　such　and
so　great　is　the　vigilance　with　which　she　watches　over　her　honour；　that
of　all　those　that　court　and　woo　her　not　one　has　boasted；　or　can　with
truth　boast；　that　she　has　given　him　any　hope　however　small　of
obtaining　his　desire。　For　although　she　does　not　avoid　or　shun　the
society　and　conversation　of　the　shepherds；　and　treats　them　courteously
and　kindly；　should　any　one　of　them　come　to　declare　his　intention　to
her；　though　it　be　one　as　proper　and　holy　as　that　of　matrimony；　she
flings　him　from　her　like　a　catapult。　And　with　this　kind　of　disposition
she　does　more　harm　in　this　country　than　if　the　plague　had　got　into　it；
for　her　affability　and　her　beauty　draw　on　the　hearts　of　those　that
associate　with　her　to　love　her　and　to　court　her；　but　her　scorn　and　her
frankness　bring　them　to　the　brink　of　despair；　and　so　they　know　not
what　to　say　save　to　proclaim　her　aloud　cruel　and　hard…hearted；　and
other　names　of　the　same　sort　which　well　describe　the　nature　of　her
character；　and　if　you　should　remain　here　any　time；　senor；　you　would
hear　these　hills　and　valleys　resounding　with　the　laments　of　the
rejected　ones　who　pursue　her。　Not　far　from　this　there　is　a　spot
where　there　are　a　couple　of　dozen　of　tall　beeches；　and　there　is　not
one　of　them　but　has　carved　and　written　on　its　smooth　bark　the　name
of　Marcela；　and　above　some　a　crown　carved　on　the　same　tree　as　though
her　lover　would　say　more　plainly　that　Marcela　wore　and　deserved　that
of　all　human　beauty。　Here　one　shepherd　is　sighing；　there　another　is
lamenting；　there　love　songs　are　heard；　here　despairing　elegies。　One
will　pass　all　the　hours　of　the　night　seated　at　the　foot　of　some　oak　or
rock；　and　there；　without　having　closed　his　weeping　eyes；　the　sun　finds
him　in　the　morning　bemused　and　bereft　of　sense；　and　another　without
relief　or　respite　to　his　sighs；　stretched　on　the　burning　sand　in　the
full　heat　of　the　sultry　summer　noontide；　makes　his　appeal　to　the
compassionate　heavens；　and　over　one　and　the　other；　over　these　and　all；
the　beautiful　Marcela　triumphs　free　and　careless。　And　all　of　us　that
know　her　are　waiting　to　see　what　her　pride　will　come　to；　and　who　is　to
be　the　happy　man　that　will　succeed　in　taming　a　nature　so　formidable
and　gaining　possession　of　a　beauty　so　supreme。　All　that　I　have　told
you　being　such　well…established　truth；　I　am　persuaded　that　what　they
say　of　the　cause　of　Chrysostom's　death；　as　our　lad　told　us；　is　the
same。　And　so　I　advise　you；　senor；　fail　not　to　be　present　to…morrow
at　his　burial；　which　will　be　well　worth　seeing；　for　Chrysostom　had
many　friends；　and　it　is　not　half　a　league　from　this　place　to　where
he　directed　he　should　be　buried。〃
　　〃I　will　make　a　point　of　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　I　thank　you
for　the　pleasure　you　have　given　me　by　relating　so　interesting　a　tale。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃I　do　not　know　even　the　half　of　what　has
happened　to　the　lovers　of　Marcela；　but　perhaps　to…morrow　we　may　fall
in　with　some　shepherd　on　the　road　who　can　tell　us；　and　now　it　will
be　well　for　you　to　g