don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第165章

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will　die；　and　so　none　of　the　requirements　of　the　law　will　be　carried
out；　and　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　comply　with　it。〃
　　〃Look　here；　my　good　sir；〃　said　Sancho；　〃either　I'm　a　numskull　or
else　there　is　the　same　reason　for　this　passenger　dying　as　for　his
living　and　passing　over　the　bridge；　for　if　the　truth　saves　him　the
falsehood　equally　condemns　him；　and　that　being　the　case　it　is　my
opinion　you　should　say　to　the　gentlemen　who　sent　you　to　me　that　as　the
arguments　for　condemning　him　and　for　absolving　him　are　exactly
balanced；　they　should　let　him　pass　freely；　as　it　is　always　more
praiseworthy　to　do　good　than　to　do　evil；　this　I　would　give　signed　with
my　name　if　I　knew　how　to　sign；　and　what　I　have　said　in　this　case　is
not　out　of　my　own　head；　but　one　of　the　many　precepts　my　master　Don
Quixote　gave　me　the　night　before　I　left　to　become　governor　of　this
island；　that　came　into　my　mind；　and　it　was　this；　that　when　there　was
any　doubt　about　the　justice　of　a　case　I　should　lean　to　mercy；　and　it
is　God's　will　that　I　should　recollect　it　now；　for　it　fits　this　case　as
if　it　was　made　for　it。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃and　I　maintain　that　Lycurgus
himself；　who　gave　laws　to　the　Lacedemonians；　could　not　have　pronounced
a　better　decision　than　the　great　Panza　has　given；　let　the　morning's
audience　close　with　this；　and　I　will　see　that　the　senor　governor　has
dinner　entirely　to　his　liking。〃
　　〃That's　all　I　ask　for…　fair　play；〃　said　Sancho；　〃give　me　my
dinner；　and　then　let　it　rain　cases　and　questions　on　me；　and　I'll
despatch　them　in　a　twinkling。〃
　　The　majordomo　kept　his　word；　for　he　felt　it　against　his　conscience
to　kill　so　wise　a　governor　by　hunger；　particularly　as　he　intended　to
have　done　with　him　that　same　night；　playing　off　the　last　joke　he　was
commissioned　to　practise　upon　him。
　　It　came　to　pass；　then；　that　after　he　had　dined　that　day；　in
opposition　to　the　rules　and　aphorisms　of　Doctor　Tirteafuera；　as　they
were　taking　away　the　cloth　there　came　a　courier　with　a　letter　from　Don
Quixote　for　the　governor。　Sancho　ordered　the　secretary　to　read　it　to
himself；　and　if　there　was　nothing　in　it　that　demanded　secrecy　to
read　it　aloud。　The　secretary　did　so；　and　after　he　had　skimmed　the
contents　he　said；　〃It　may　well　be　read　aloud；　for　what　Senor　Don
Quixote　writes　to　your　worship　deserves　to　be　printed　or　written　in
letters　of　gold；　and　it　is　as　follows。〃

　　　　　　　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA'S　LETTER　TO　SANCHO　PANZA；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　GOVERNOR　OF　THE　ISLAND　OF　BARATARIA。

　　When　I　was　expecting　to　hear　of　thy　stupidities　and　blunders；　friend
Sancho；　I　have　received　intelligence　of　thy　displays　of　good　sense；
for　which　I　give　special　thanks　to　heaven　that　can　raise　the　poor　from
the　dunghill　and　of　fools　to　make　wise　men。　They　tell　me　thou　dost
govern　as　if　thou　wert　a　man；　and　art　a　man　as　if　thou　wert　a　beast；
so　great　is　the　humility　wherewith　thou　dost　comport　thyself。　But　I
would　have　thee　bear　in　mind；　Sancho；　that　very　often　it　is　fitting
and　necessary　for　the　authority　of　office　to　resist　the　humility　of
the　heart；　for　the　seemly　array　of　one　who　is　invested　with　grave
duties　should　be　such　as　they　require　and　not　measured　by　what　his　own
humble　tastes　may　lead　him　to　prefer。　Dress　well；　a　stick　dressed　up
does　not　look　like　a　stick；　I　do　not　say　thou　shouldst　wear　trinkets
or　fine　raiment；　or　that　being　a　judge　thou　shouldst　dress　like　a
soldier；　but　that　thou　shouldst　array　thyself　in　the　apparel　thy
office　requires；　and　that　at　the　same　time　it　be　neat　and　handsome。　To
win　the　good…will　of　the　people　thou　governest　there　are　two　things；
among　others；　that　thou　must　do；　one　is　to　be　civil　to　all　（this；
however；　I　told　thee　before）；　and　the　other　to　take　care　that　food
be　abundant；　for　there　is　nothing　that　vexes　the　heart　of　the　poor
more　than　hunger　and　high　prices。　Make　not　many　proclamations；　but
those　thou　makest　take　care　that　they　be　good　ones；　and　above　all　that
they　be　observed　and　carried　out；　for　proclamations　that　are　not
observed　are　the　same　as　if　they　did　not　exist；　nay；　they　encourage
the　idea　that　the　prince　who　had　the　wisdom　and　authority　to　make　them
had　not　the　power　to　enforce　them；　and　laws　that　threaten　and　are
not　enforced　come　to　he　like　the　log；　the　king　of　the　frogs；　that
frightened　them　at　first；　but　that　in　time　they　despised　and　mounted
upon。　Be　a　father　to　virtue　and　a　stepfather　to　vice。　Be　not　always
strict；　nor　yet　always　lenient；　but　observe　a　mean　between　these　two
extremes；　for　in　that　is　the　aim　of　wisdom。　Visit　the　gaols；　the
slaughter…houses；　and　the　market…places；　for　the　presence　of　the
governor　is　of　great　importance　in　such　places；　it　comforts　the
prisoners　who　are　in　hopes　of　a　speedy　release；　it　is　the　bugbear　of
the　butchers　who　have　then　to　give　just　weight；　and　it　is　the　terror
of　the　market…women　for　the　same　reason。　Let　it　not　be　seen　that
thou　art　（even　if　perchance　thou　art；　which　I　do　not　believe）
covetous；　a　follower　of　women；　or　a　glutton；　for　when　the　people　and
those　that　have　dealings　with　thee　become　aware　of　thy　special
weakness　they　will　bring　their　batteries　to　bear　upon　thee　in　that
quarter；　till　they　have　brought　thee　down　to　the　depths　of
perdition。　Consider　and　reconsider；　con　and　con　over　again　the　advices
and　the　instructions　I　gave　thee　before　thy　departure　hence　to　thy
government；　and　thou　wilt　see　that　in　them；　if　thou　dost　follow
them；　thou　hast　a　help　at　hand　that　will　lighten　for　thee　the　troubles
and　difficulties　that　beset　governors　at　every　step。　Write　to　thy　lord
and　lady　and　show　thyself　grateful　to　them；　for　ingratitude　is　the
daughter　of　pride；　and　one　of　the　greatest　sins　we　know　of；　and　he　who
is　grateful　to　those　who　have　been　good　to　him　shows　that　he　will　be
so　to　God　also　who　has　bestowed　and　still　bestows　so　many　blessings
upon　him。
　　My　lady　the　duchess　sent　off　a　messenger　with　thy　suit　and　another
present　to　thy　wife　Teresa　Panza；　we　expect　the　answer　every　moment。　I
have　been　a　little　indisposed　through　a　certain　scratching　I　came　in
for；　not　very　much　to　the　benefit　of　my　nose；　but　it　was　nothing；
for　if　there　are　enchanters　who　maltreat　me；　there　are　also　some　who
defend　me。　Let　me　know　if　the　majordomo　who　is　with　thee　had　any　share
in　the　Trifaldi　performance；　as　thou　didst　suspect；　and　keep　me
informed　of　everything　that　happens　thee；　as　the　distance　is　so　short；
all　the　more　as　I　am　thinking　of　giving　over　very　shortly　this　idle
life　I　am　now　leading；　for　I　was　not　born　for　it。　A　thing　has　occurred
to　me　which　I　am　inclined　to　think　will　put　me　out　of　favour　with
the　duke　and　duchess；　but　though　I　am　sorry　for　it　I　do　not　care；
for　after　all　I　must　obey　my　calling　rather　than　their　pleasure；　in
accordance　with　the　common　saying；　amicus　Plato；　sed　magis　amica
veritas。　I　quote　this　Latin　to　thee　because　I　conclude　that　since　thou
hast　been　a　governor　thou　wilt　have　learned　it。　Adieu；　God　keep　thee
from　being　an　object　of　pity　to　anyone。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thy　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA。

　　Sancho　listened　to　the　letter　with　great　attention；　and　it　was
praised　and　considered　wise　by　all　who　heard　it；　he　then　rose　up
from　table；　and　calling　his　secretary　shut　himself　in　with　him　in
his　own　room；　and　without　putting　it　off　any　longer　set　about
answering　his　master　Don　Quixote　at　once；　and　he　bade　the　secretary
write　down　what　he　told　him　without　adding　or　suppressing　anything；
which　he　did；　and　the　answer　was　to　the　following　effect。

　　　　　　SANCHO　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA。

　　The　pressure　of　business　is　so　great　upon　me　that　I　have　no　time
to　scratch　my　head　or　even　to　cut　my　nails；　and　I　have　them　so　long…
God　send　a　remedy　for　it。　I　say　this；　master　of　my　soul；　that　you
may　not　be　surprised　if　I　have　not　until　now　sent　you　word　of　how　I
fare；　well　or　ill；　in　this　government；　in　which　I　am　suffering　more
hunger　than　when　we　two　were　wandering　through　the　woods　and　wastes。
　　My　lord　the　duke　wrote　to　me　the　other　day　to　warn　me　that　certain
spies　had　got　into　this　island　to　kill　me；　but　up　to　the　present　I
have　not　found　out　any　except　a　certain　doctor　who　receives　a　salary
in　this　town　for　killing　all　the　governors　that　come　here；　he　is
called　Doctor　Pedro　Recio；　and　is　from　Tirteafuera；　so　you　see　what
a　name　he　has　to　make　me　dread　dying　under　his　hands。　This　doctor　says
of　himself　that　he　does　not　cure　diseases　when　there　are　any；　but
prevents　them　coming；　and　the　medicines　he　uses　are　diet　and　more　diet
until　he　brings　one　down　to　bare　bones；　as　if　leanness　was　not　worse
than　fever。
　　In　short　he　is　killing　me　with　hunger；　and　I　am　dying　myself　of
vexation；　for　when　I　thought　I　was　coming　to　this　government　to　get　my
meat　hot　and　my　drink　cool；　and　take　my　ease　between　holland　sheets　on
feather　beds；　I　find　I　have　come　to　do　penance　as　if　I　was　a　hermit；
and　as　I　don't　do　it　willingly　I　suspect　that　in　the　end　the　devil
will　carry　me　off。
　　So　far　I　have　not　handled　any　dues　or　taken　any　bribes；　and　I
don't　know　what　to　think　of　it；　for　here　they　tell　me　that　the
governors　that　come　to　this　island；　before　entering　it　have　plenty
of　money　either　given　to　them　or　lent　to　them　by　the　people　of　the
town；　and　that　this　is　the　usual　custom　not　only　here　but　with　all　who
enter　upon　governments。
　　Last　night　going　the　rounds　I　came　upon　a　fair　damsel　in　man's
clothes；　and　a　brother　of　hers　dressed　as　a　woman；　my　head…carver
has　fallen　in　love　with　the　girl；　and　has　in　his　own　mind　chosen　her
for　a　wife；　so　he　says；　and　I　have　chosen　youth　for　a　son…in…law；
to…day　we　are　going　to　explain　our　intentions　to　the　father　of　the
pair；　who　is　one　Diego　de　la　Llana；　a　gentleman　and　an　old　Christian
as　much　as　you　please。
　　I　have　visited　the　market…places；　as　your　worship　advises　me；　and
yesterday　I　found　a　stall…keeper　selling　new　hazel　nuts　and　proved　her
to　have　mixed　a　bushel　of　old　empty　rotten　nuts　with　a　bushel　of
new；　I　confiscated　the　whole　for　the　children　of　the　charity…school；
who　will　know　how　to　distinguish　them　well　enough；　and　I　sentenced　her
not　to　come　into　the　market…place　for　a　fortnight；　they　told　me　I
did　bravely。　I　can　tell　your　worship　it　is　commonly　said　in　this
town　that　there　are　no　people　worse　than　the　market…women；　for　they
are　all　barefaced；　unconscionable；　and　impudent；　and　I　can　well
believe　it　from　what　I　have　seen　of　them　in　other　towns。
　　I　am　very　glad　my　lady　the　duchess　has　written　to　my　wife　Teresa
Panza　and　sent　her　the　present　your　worship　speaks　of；　and　I　will
strive　to　show　myself　grateful　when　the　time　comes；　kiss　her　hands　for
me；　and　tell　her　I　say　she　has　not　thrown　it　into　a　sack　with　a　hole
in　it；　as　she　will　see　in　the　end。　I　should　not　like　your　worship　to
have　any　difference　with　my　lord　and　lady；　for　if　you　fall　out　with
them　it　is　plain　it　must　do　me　harm；　and　as　you　give　me　advice　to　be
grateful　it　will　not　do　for　your　worship　not　to　be　so　yourself　to
those　who　have　shown　you　such　kindness；　and　by　whom　you　have　been
treated　so　hospitably　in　their　castle。
　　That　about　the　scratching　I　don't　understand；　but　I　suppose　it
must　be　one　of　the　ill…turns　the　wicked　enchanters　are　always　doing
you