don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第214部分

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Has　anything　strange　occurred？　What　mercies　or　what　sins　of　men　are

you　talking　of？〃

　　〃The　mercies；　niece；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃are　those　that　God　has　this

moment　shown　me；　and　with　him；　as　I　said；　my　sins　are　no　impediment　to

them。　My　reason　is　now　free　and　clear；　rid　of　the　dark　shadows　of

ignorance　that　my　unhappy　constant　study　of　those　detestable　books

of　chivalry　cast　over　it。　Now　I　see　through　their　absurdities　and

deceptions；　and　it　only　grieves　me　that　this　destruction　of　my

illusions　has　come　so　late　that　it　leaves　me　no　time　to　make　some

amends　by　reading　other　books　that　might　be　a　light　to　my　soul。　Niece；

I　feel　myself　at　the　point　of　death；　and　I　would　fain　meet　it　in

such　a　way　as　to　show　that　my　life　has　not　been　so　ill　that　I　should

leave　behind　me　the　name　of　a　madman；　for　though　I　have　been　one；　I

would　not　that　the　fact　should　be　made　plainer　at　my　death。　Call　in　to

me；　my　dear；　my　good　friends　the　curate；　the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco；

and　Master　Nicholas　the　barber；　for　I　wish　to　confess　and　make　my

will。〃　But　his　niece　was　saved　the　trouble　by　the　entrance　of　the

three。　The　instant　Don　Quixote　saw　them　he　exclaimed；　〃Good　news　for

you；　good　sirs；　that　I　am　no　longer　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　but

Alonso　Quixano；　whose　way　of　life　won　for　him　the　name　of　Good。　Now　am

I　the　enemy　of　Amadis　of　Gaul　and　of　the　whole　countless　troop　of

his　descendants；　odious　to　me　now　are　all　the　profane　stories　of

knight…errantry；　now　I　perceive　my　folly；　and　the　peril　into　which

reading　them　brought　me；　now；　by　God's　mercy　schooled　into　my　right

senses；　I　loathe　them。〃

　　When　the　three　heard　him　speak　in　this　way；　they　had　no　doubt

whatever　that　some　new　craze　had　taken　possession　of　him；　and　said

Samson；　〃What？　Senor　Don　Quixote！　Now　that　we　have　intelligence　of　the

lady　Dulcinea　being　disenchanted；　are　you　taking　this　line；　now；

just　as　we　are　on　the　point　of　becoming　shepherds；　to　pass　our　lives

singing；　like　princes；　are　you　thinking　of　turning　hermit？　Hush；　for

heaven's　sake；　be　rational　and　let's　have　no　more　nonsense。〃

　　〃All　that　nonsense；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　until　now　has　been　a

reality　to　my　hurt；　my　death　will；　with　heaven's　help；　turn　to　my

good。　I　feel；　sirs；　that　I　am　rapidly　drawing　near　death；　a　truce　to

jesting；　let　me　have　a　confessor　to　confess　me；　and　a　notary　to　make

my　will；　for　in　extremities　like　this；　man　must　not　trifle　with　his

soul；　and　while　the　curate　is　confessing　me　let　some　one；　I　beg；　go

for　the　notary。〃

　　They　looked　at　one　another；　wondering　at　Don　Quixote's　words；　but；

though　uncertain；　they　were　inclined　to　believe　him；　and　one　of　the

signs　by　which　they　came　to　the　conclusion　he　was　dying　was　this　so

sudden　and　complete　return　to　his　senses　after　having　been　mad；　for　to

the　words　already　quoted　he　added　much　more；　so　well　expressed；　so

devout；　and　so　rational；　as　to　banish　all　doubt　and　convince　them　that

he　was　sound　of　mind。　The　curate　turned　them　all　out；　and　left　alone

with　him　confessed　him。　The　bachelor　went　for　the　notary　and

returned　shortly　afterwards　with　him　and　with　Sancho；　who；　having

already　learned　from　the　bachelor　the　condition　his　master　was　in；　and

finding　the　housekeeper　and　niece　weeping；　began　to　blubber　and　shed

tears。

　　The　confession　over；　the　curate　came　out　saying；　〃Alonso　Quixano　the

Good　is　indeed　dying；　and　is　indeed　in　his　right　mind；　we　may　now　go

in　to　him　while　he　makes　his　will。〃

　　This　news　gave　a　tremendous　impulse　to　the　brimming　eyes　of　the

housekeeper；　niece；　and　Sancho　Panza　his　good　squire；　making　the　tears

burst　from　their　eyes　and　a　host　of　sighs　from　their　hearts；　for　of

a　truth；　as　has　been　said　more　than　once；　whether　as　plain　Alonso

Quixano　the　Good；　or　as　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　Don　Quixote　was

always　of　a　gentle　disposition　and　kindly　in　all　his　ways；　and　hence

he　was　beloved；　not　only　by　those　of　his　own　house；　but　by　all　who

knew　him。

　　The　notary　came　in　with　the　rest；　and　as　soon　as　the　preamble　of　the

had　been　set　out　and　Don　Quixote　had　commended　his　soul　to　God　with

all　the　devout　formalities　that　are　usual；　coming　to　the　bequests；

he　said；　〃Item；　it　is　my　will　that；　touching　certain　moneys　in　the

hands　of　Sancho　Panza　（whom　in　my　madness　I　made　my　squire）；

inasmuch　as　between　him　and　me　there　have　been　certain　accounts　and

debits　and　credits；　no　claim　be　made　against　him；　nor　any　account

demanded　of　him　in　respect　of　them；　but　that　if　anything　remain　over

and　above；　after　he　has　paid　himself　what　I　owe　him；　the　balance；

which　will　be　but　little；　shall　be　his；　and　much　good　may　it　do　him；

and　if；　as　when　I　was　mad　I　had　a　share　in　giving　him　the　government

of　an　island；　so；　now　that　I　am　in　my　senses；　I　could　give　him　that　of

a　kingdom；　it　should　be　his；　for　the　simplicity　of　his　character　and

the　fidelity　of　his　conduct　deserve　it。〃　And　then；　turning　to

Sancho；　he　said；　〃Forgive　me；　my　friend；　that　I　led　thee　to　seem　as

mad　as　myself；　making　thee　fall　into　the　same　error　I　myself　fell

into；　that　there　were　and　still　are　knights…errant　in　the　world。〃

　　〃Ah！〃　said　Sancho　weeping；　〃don't　die；　master；　but　take　my　advice

and　live　many　years；　for　the　foolishest　thing　a　man　can　do　in　this

life　is　to　let　himself　die　without　rhyme　or　reason；　without　anybody

killing　him；　or　any　hands　but　melancholy's　making　an　end　of　him。　Come；

don't　be　lazy；　but　get　up　from　your　bed　and　let　us　take　to　the

fields　in　shepherd's　trim　as　we　agreed。　Perhaps　behind　some　bush　we

shall　find　the　lady　Dulcinea　disenchanted；　as　fine　as　fine　can　be。

If　it　be　that　you　are　dying　of　vexation　at　having　been　vanquished；　lay

the　blame　on　me；　and　say　you　were　overthrown　because　I　had　girthed

Rocinante　badly；　besides　you　must　have　seen　in　your　books　of

chivalry　that　it　is　a　common　thing　for　knights　to　upset　one　another；

and　for　him　who　is　conquered　to…day　to　be　conqueror　tomorrow。〃

　　〃Very　true；〃　said　Samson；　〃and　good　Sancho　Panza's　view　of　these

cases　is　quite　right。〃

　　〃Sirs；　not　so　fast；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃'in　last　year's　nests

there　are　no　birds　this　year。'　I　was　mad；　now　I　am　in　my　senses；　I　was

Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　I　am　now；　as　I　said；　Alonso　Quixano　the

Good；　and　may　my　repentance　and　sincerity　restore　me　to　the　esteem　you

used　to　have　for　me；　and　now　let　Master　Notary　proceed。

　　〃Item；　I　leave　all　my　property　absolutely　to　Antonia　Quixana　my

niece；　here　present；　after　all　has　been　deducted　from　the　most

available　portion　of　it　that　may　be　required　to　satisfy　the　bequests　I

have　made。　And　the　first　disbursement　I　desire　to　be　made　is　the

payment　of　the　wages　I　owe　for　the　time　my　housekeeper　has　served

me；　with　twenty　ducats；　over　and　above；　for　a　gown。　The　curate　and　the

bachelor　Samson　Carrasco；　now　present；　I　appoint　my　executors。

　　〃Item；　it　is　my　wish　that　if　Antonia　Quixana；　my　niece；　desires　to

marry；　she　shall　marry　a　man　of　whom　it　shall　be　first　of　all

ascertained　by　information　taken　that　he　does　not　know　what　books　of

chivalry　are；　and　if　it　should　be　proved　that　he　does；　and　if；　in

spite　of　this；　my　niece　insists　upon　marrying　him；　and　does　marry　him；

then　that　she　shall　forfeit　the　whole　of　what　I　have　left　her；　which

my　executors　shall　devote　to　works　of　charity　as　they　please。

　　〃Item；　I　entreat　the　aforesaid　gentlemen　my　executors；　that；　if

any　happy　chance　should　lead　them　to　discover　the　author　who　is　said

to　have　written　a　history　now　going　about　under　the　title　of　'Second

Part　of　the　Achievements　of　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；'　they　beg　of　him

on　my　behalf　as　earnestly　as　they　can　to　forgive　me　for　having　been；

without　intending　it；　the　cause　of　his　writing　so　many　and　such

monstrous　absurdities　as　he　has　written　in　it；　for　I　am　leaving　the

world　with　a　feeling　of　compunction　at　having　provoked　him　to　write

them。〃

　　With　this　he　closed　his　will；　and　a　faintness　coming　over　him　he

stretched　himself　out　at　full　length　on　the　bed。　All　were　in　a　flutter

and　made　haste　to　relieve　him；　and　during　the　three　days　he　lived

after　that　on　which　he　made　his　will　he　fainted　away　very　often。　The

house　was　all　in　confusion；　but　still　the　niece　ate　and　the

housekeeper　drank　and　Sancho　Panza　enjoyed　himself；　for　inheriting

property　wipes　out　or　softens　down　in　the　heir　the　feeling　of　grief

the　dead　man　might　be　expected　to　leave　behind　him。

　　At　last　Don　Quixote's　end　came；　after　he　had　received　all　the

sacraments；　and　had　in　full　and　forcible　terms　expressed　his

detestation　of　books　of　chivalry。　The　notary　was　there　at　the　time；

and　he　said　that　in　no　book　of　chivalry　had　he　ever　read　of　any

knight…errant　dying　in　his　bed　so　calmly　and　so　like　a　Christian　as

Don　Quixote；　who　amid　the　tears　and　lamentations　of　all　present

yielded　up　his　spirit；　that　is　to　say　died。　On　perceiving　it　the

curate　begged　the　notary　to　bear　witness　that　Alonso　Quixano　the　Good；

commonly　called　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　had　passed　away　from　this

present　life；　and　died　naturally；　and　said　he　desired　this　testimony

in　order　to　remove　the　possibility　of　any　other　author　save　Cide

Hamete　Benengeli　bringing　him　to　life　again　falsely　and　making

interminable　stories　out　of　his　achievements。

　　Such　was　the　end　of　the　Ingenious　Gentleman　of　La　Mancha；　whose

village　Cide　Hamete　would　not　indicate　precisely；　in　order　to　leave

all　the　towns　and　villages　of　La　Mancha　to　contend　among　themselves

for　the　right　to　adopt　him　and　claim　him　as　a　son；　as　the　seven　cities

of　Greece　contended　for　Homer。　The　lamentations　of　Sancho　and　the

niece　and　housekeeper　are　omitted　here；　as　well　as　the　new　epitaphs

upon　his　tomb；　Samson　Carrasco；　however；　put　the　following　lines：



　　　　　　　A　doughty　gentleman　lies　here；

　　　　　　　A　stranger　all　his　life　to　fear；

　　　　　　　Nor　in　his　death　could　Death　prevail；

　　　　　　　In　that　last　hour；　to　make　him　quail。

　　　　　　　He　for　the　world　but　little　cared；

　　　　　　　And　at　his　feats　the　world　was　scared；

　　　　　　　A　crazy　man　his　life　he　passed；

　　　　　　　But　in　his　senses　died　at　last。



　　And　said　most　sage　Cide　Hamete　to　his　pen；　〃Rest　here；　hung　up　by

this　brass　wire；　upon　this　shelf；