don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第86部分

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those　who　were　in　the　boat；　and　the　poverty　and　distress　in　which
his　comrade　and　the　fair　Moor　were　left；　of　whom　he　said　he　had　not
been　able　to　learn　what　became　of　them；　or　whether　they　had　reached
Spain；　or　been　carried　to　France　by　the　Frenchmen。
　　The　captain；　standing　a　little　to　one　side；　was　listening　to　all　the
curate　said；　and　watching　every　movement　of　his　brother；　who；　as
soon　as　he　perceived　the　curate　had　made　an　end　of　his　story；　gave　a
deep　sigh　and　said　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears；　〃Oh；　senor；　if　you
only　knew　what　news　you　have　given　me　and　how　it　comes　home　to　me；
making　me　show　how　I　feel　it　with　these　tears　that　spring　from　my　eyes
in　spite　of　all　my　worldly　wisdom　and　self…restraint！　That　brave
captain　that　you　speak　of　is　my　eldest　brother；　who；　being　of　a　bolder
and　loftier　mind　than　my　other　brother　or　myself；　chose　the　honourable
and　worthy　calling　of　arms；　which　was　one　of　the　three　careers　our
father　proposed　to　us；　as　your　comrade　mentioned　in　that　fable　you
thought　he　was　telling　you。　I　followed　that　of　letters；　in　which　God
and　my　own　exertions　have　raised　me　to　the　position　in　which　you　see
me。　My　second　brother　is　in　Peru；　so　wealthy　that　with　what　he　has
sent　to　my　father　and　to　me　he　has　fully　repaid　the　portion　he　took
with　him；　and　has　even　furnished　my　father's　hands　with　the　means　of
gratifying　his　natural　generosity；　while　I　too　have　been　enabled　to
pursue　my　studies　in　a　more　becoming　and　creditable　fashion；　and　so　to
attain　my　present　standing。　My　father　is　still　alive；　though　dying
with　anxiety　to　hear　of　his　eldest　son；　and　he　prays　God　unceasingly
that　death　may　not　close　his　eyes　until　he　has　looked　upon　those　of
his　son；　but　with　regard　to　him　what　surprises　me　is；　that　having　so
much　common　sense　as　he　had；　he　should　have　neglected　to　give　any
intelligence　about　himself；　either　in　his　troubles　and　sufferings；
or　in　his　prosperity；　for　if　his　father　or　any　of　us　had　known　of
his　condition　he　need　not　have　waited　for　that　miracle　of　the　reed
to　obtain　his　ransom；　but　what　now　disquiets　me　is　the　uncertainty
whether　those　Frenchmen　may　have　restored　him　to　liberty；　or
murdered　him　to　hide　the　robbery。　All　this　will　make　me　continue　my
journey；　not　with　the　satisfaction　in　which　I　began　it；　but　in　the
deepest　melancholy　and　sadness。　Oh　dear　brother！　that　I　only　knew
where　thou　art　now；　and　I　would　hasten　to　seek　thee　out　and　deliver
thee　from　thy　sufferings；　though　it　were　to　cost　me　suffering
myself！　Oh　that　I　could　bring　news　to　our　old　father　that　thou　art
alive；　even　wert　thou　the　deepest　dungeon　of　Barbary；　for　his　wealth
and　my　brother's　and　mine　would　rescue　thee　thence！　Oh　beautiful　and
generous　Zoraida；　that　I　could　repay　thy　good　goodness　to　a　brother！
That　I　could　be　present　at　the　new　birth　of　thy　soul；　and　at　thy
bridal　that　would　give　us　all　such　happiness！〃
　　All　this　and　more　the　Judge　uttered　with　such　deep　emotion　at　the
news　he　had　received　of　his　brother　that　all　who　heard　him　shared　in
it；　showing　their　sympathy　with　his　sorrow。　The　curate；　seeing；
then；　how　well　he　had　succeeded　in　carrying　out　his　purpose　and　the
captain's　wishes；　had　no　desire　to　keep　them　unhappy　any　longer；　so　he
rose　from　the　table　and　going　into　the　room　where　Zoraida　was　he
took　her　by　the　hand；　Luscinda；　Dorothea；　and　the　Judge's　daughter
following　her。　The　captain　was　waiting　to　see　what　the　curate　would
do；　when　the　latter；　taking　him　with　the　other　hand；　advanced　with
both　of　them　to　where　the　Judge　and　the　other　gentlemen　were　and　said；
〃Let　your　tears　cease　to　flow；　Senor　Judge；　and　the　wish　of　your　heart
be　gratified　as　fully　as　you　could　desire；　for　you　have　before　you
your　worthy　brother　and　your　good　sister…in…law。　He　whom　you　see　here
is　the　Captain　Viedma；　and　this　is　the　fair　Moor　who　has　been　so　good
to　him。　The　Frenchmen　I　told　you　of　have　reduced　them　to　the　state　of
poverty　you　see　that　you　may　show　the　generosity　of　your　kind　heart。〃
　　The　captain　ran　to　embrace　his　brother；　who　placed　both　hands　on　his
breast　so　as　to　have　a　good　look　at　him；　holding　him　a　little　way
off　but　as　soon　as　he　had　fully　recognised　him　he　clasped　him　in　his
arms　so　closely；　shedding　such　tears　of　heartfelt　joy；　that　most　of
those　present　could　not　but　join　in　them。　The　words　the　brothers
exchanged；　the　emotion　they　showed　can　scarcely　be　imagined；　I
fancy；　much　less　put　down　in　writing。　They　told　each　other　in　a　few
words　the　events　of　their　lives；　they　showed　the　true　affection　of
brothers　in　all　its　strength；　then　the　judge　embraced　Zoraida；　putting
all　he　possessed　at　her　disposal；　then　he　made　his　daughter　embrace
her；　and　the　fair　Christian　and　the　lovely　Moor　drew　fresh　tears
from　every　eye。　And　there　was　Don　Quixote　observing　all　these
strange　proceedings　attentively　without　uttering　a　word；　and
attributing　the　whole　to　chimeras　of　knight…errantry。　Then　they　agreed
that　the　captain　and　Zoraida　should　return　with　his　brother　to
Seville；　and　send　news　to　his　father　of　his　having　been　delivered
and　found；　so　as　to　enable　him　to　come　and　be　present　at　the
marriage　and　baptism　of　Zoraida；　for　it　was　impossible　for　the　Judge
to　put　off　his　journey；　as　he　was　informed　that　in　a　month　from　that
time　the　fleet　was　to　sail　from　Seville　for　New　Spain；　and　to　miss　the
passage　would　have　been　a　great　inconvenience　to　him。　In　short；
everybody　was　well　pleased　and　glad　at　the　captive's　good　fortune；　and
as　now　almost　two…thirds　of　the　night　were　past；　they　resolved　to
retire　to　rest　for　the　remainder　of　it。　Don　Quixote　offered　to　mount
guard　over　the　castle　lest　they　should　be　attacked　by　some　giant　or
other　malevolent　scoundrel；　covetous　of　the　great　treasure　of　beauty
the　castle　contained。　Those　who　understood　him　returned　him　thanks　for
this　service；　and　they　gave　the　Judge　an　account　of　his
extraordinary　humour；　with　which　he　was　not　a　little　amused。　Sancho
Panza　alone　was　fuming　at　the　lateness　of　the　hour　for　retiring　to
rest；　and　he　of　all　was　the　one　that　made　himself　most　comfortable；　as
he　stretched　himself　on　the　trappings　of　his　ass；　which；　as　will　be
told　farther　on；　cost　him　so　dear。
　　The　ladies；　then；　having　retired　to　their　chamber；　and　the　others
having　disposed　themselves　with　as　little　discomfort　as　they　could；
Don　Quixote　sallied　out　of　the　inn　to　act　as　sentinel　of　the　castle　as
he　had　promised。　It　happened；　however；　that　a　little　before　the
approach　of　dawn　a　voice　so　musical　and　sweet　reached　the　ears　of
the　ladies　that　it　forced　them　all　to　listen　attentively；　but
especially　Dorothea；　who　had　been　awake；　and　by　whose　side　Dona
Clara　de　Viedma；　for　so　the　Judge's　daughter　was　called；　lay　sleeping。
No　one　could　imagine　who　it　was　that　sang　so　sweetly；　and　the　voice
was　unaccompanied　by　any　instrument。　At　one　moment　it　seemed　to　them
as　if　the　singer　were　in　the　courtyard；　at　another　in　the　stable；
and　as　they　were　all　attention；　wondering；　Cardenio　came　to　the　door
and　said；　〃Listen；　whoever　is　not　asleep；　and　you　will　hear　a
muleteer's　voice　that　enchants　as　it　chants。〃
　　〃We　are　listening　to　it　already；　senor；〃　said　Dorothea；　on　which
Cardenio　went　away；　and　Dorothea；　giving　all　her　attention　to　it；　made
out　the　words　of　the　song　to　be　these：

　　CHAPTER　XLIII
　　WHEREIN　IS　RELATED　THE　PLEASANT　STORY　OF　THE　MULETEER；　TOGETHER　WITH
OTHER　STRANGE　THINGS　THAT　CAME　TO　PASS　IN　THE　INN

　　　　　　　AH　ME；　Love's　mariner　am　I
　　　　　　　　　On　Love's　deep　ocean　sailing；
　　　　　　　I　know　not　where　the　haven　lies；
　　　　　　　　　I　dare　not　hope　to　gain　it。

　　　　　　　One　solitary　distant　star
　　　　　　　　　Is　all　I　have　to　guide　me；
　　　　　　　A　brighter　orb　than　those　of　old
　　　　　　　　　That　Palinurus　lighted。

　　　　　　　And　vaguely　drifting　am　I　borne；
　　　　　　　　　I　know　not　where　it　leads　me；
　　　　　　　I　fix　my　gaze　on　it　alone；
　　　　　　　　　Of　all　beside　it　heedless。

　　　　　　　But　over…cautious　prudery；
　　　　　　　　　And　coyness　cold　and　cruel；
　　　　　　　When　most　I　need　it；　these；　like　clouds；
　　　　　　　　　Its　longed…for　light　refuse　me。

　　　　　　　Bright　star；　goal　of　my　yearning　eyes
　　　　　　　　　As　thou　above　me　beamest；
　　　　　　　When　thou　shalt　hide　thee　from　my　sight
　　　　　　　　　I'll　know　that　death　is　near　me。

　　The　singer　had　got　so　far　when　it　struck　Dorothea　that　it　was　not
fair　to　let　Clara　miss　hearing　such　a　sweet　voice；　so；　shaking　her
from　side　to　side；　she　woke　her；　saying：
　　〃Forgive　me；　child；　for　waking　thee；　but　I　do　so　that　thou　mayest
have　the　pleasure　of　hearing　the　best　voice　thou　hast　ever　heard；
perhaps；　in　all　thy　life。〃
　　Clara　awoke　quite　drowsy；　and　not　understanding　at　the　moment　what
Dorothea　said；　asked　her　what　it　was；　she　repeated　what　she　had
said；　and　Clara　became　attentive　at　once；　but　she　had　hardly　heard　two
lines；　as　the　singer　continued；　when　a　strange　trembling　seized　her；
as　if　she　were　suffering　from　a　severe　attack　of　quartan　ague；　and
throwing　her　arms　round　Dorothea　she　said：
　　〃Ah；　dear　lady　of　my　soul　and　life！　why　did　you　wake　me？　The
greatest　kindness　fortune　could　do　me　now　would　be　to　close　my　eyes
and　ears　so　as　neither　to　see　or　hear　that　unhappy　musician。〃
　　〃What　art　thou　talking　about；　child？〃　said　Dorothea。　〃Why；　they
say　this　singer　is　a　muleteer！〃
　　〃Nay；　he　is　the　lord　of　many　places；〃　replied　Clara；　〃and　that　one
in　my　heart　which　he　holds　so　firmly　shall　never　be　taken　from　him；
unless　he　be　willing　to　surrender　it。〃
　　Dorothea　was　amazed　at　the　ardent　language　of　the　girl；　for　it
seemed　to　be　far　beyond　such　experience　of　life　as　her　tender　years
gave　any　promise　of；　so　she　said　to　her：
　　〃You　speak　in　such　a　way　that　I　cannot　understand　you；　Senora　Clara；
explain　yourself　more　clearly；　and　tell　me　what　is　this　you　are　saying
about　hearts　and　places　and　this　musician　whose　voice　has　so　moved
you？　But　do　not　tell　me　anything　now；　I　do　not　want　to　lose　the
pleasure　I　get　from　listening　to　the　singer　by　giving　my　attention
to　your　transports；　for　I　perceive　he　is　beginning　to　sing　a　new
strain　and　a　new　air。〃
　　〃Let　him；　in　Heaven's　name；〃　returned　Clara；　and　not　to　hear　him　she
stopped　both　ears　with　her　hands；　at　which　Dorothea　was　again
surprised；　but　turning　her　attention　to　the　song　she　found　that　it　ran
in　this　fashion：