don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第183章

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that　is　to　say　two　Turks；　both　drunken；　that　with　a　dozen　more　were　on
board　the　brigantine；　discharged　their　muskets；　killing　two　of　the
soldiers　that　lined　the　sides　of　our　vessel。　Seeing　this　the　general
swore　he　would　not　leave　one　of　those　he　found　on　board　the　vessel
alive；　but　as　he　bore　down　furiously　upon　her　she　slipped　away　from
him　underneath　the　oars。　The　galley　shot　a　good　way　ahead；　those　on
board　the　vessel　saw　their　case　was　desperate；　and　while　the　galley
was　coming　about　they　made　sail；　and　by　sailing　and　rowing　once　more
tried　to　sheer　off；　but　their　activity　did　not　do　them　as　much　good　as
their　rashness　did　them　harm；　for　the　galley　coming　up　with　them　in
a　little　more　than　half　a　mile　threw　her　oars　over　them　and　took　the
whole　of　them　alive。　The　other　two　galleys　now　joined　company　and
all　four　returned　with　the　prize　to　the　beach；　where　a　vast
multitude　stood　waiting　for　them；　eager　to　see　what　they　brought　back。
The　general　anchored　close　in；　and　perceived　that　the　viceroy　of　the
city　was　on　the　shore。　He　ordered　the　skiff　to　push　off　to　fetch
him；　and　the　yard　to　be　lowered　for　the　purpose　of　hanging　forthwith
the　rais　and　the　rest　of　the　men　taken　on　board　the　vessel；　about
six…and…thirty　in　number；　all　smart　fellows　and　most　of　them　Turkish
musketeers。　He　asked　which　was　the　rais　of　the　brigantine；　and　was
answered　in　Spanish　by　one　of　the　prisoners　（who　afterwards　proved
to　he　a　Spanish　renegade）；　〃This　young　man；　senor　that　you　see　here　is
our　rais；〃　and　he　pointed　to　one　of　the　handsomest　and　most
gallant…looking　youths　that　could　be　imagined。　He　did　not　seem　to　be
twenty　years　of　age。
　　〃Tell　me；　dog；〃　said　the　general；　〃what　led　thee　to　kill　my
soldiers；　when　thou　sawest　it　was　impossible　for　thee　to　escape？　Is
that　the　way　to　behave　to　chief　galleys？　Knowest　thou　not　that
rashness　is　not　valour？　Faint　prospects　of　success　should　make　men
bold；　but　not　rash。〃
　　The　rais　was　about　to　reply；　but　the　general　could　not　at　that
moment　listen　to　him；　as　he　had　to　hasten　to　receive　the　viceroy；
who　was　now　coming　on　board　the　galley；　and　with　him　certain　of　his
attendants　and　some　of　the　people。
　　〃You　have　had　a　good　chase；　senor　general；〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃Your　excellency　shall　soon　see　how　good；　by　the　game　strung　up　to
this　yard；〃　replied　the　general。
　　〃How　so？〃　returned　the　viceroy。
　　〃Because；〃　said　the　general；　〃against　all　law；　reason；　and　usages　of
war　they　have　killed　on　my　hands　two　of　the　best　soldiers　on　board
these　galleys；　and　I　have　sworn　to　hang　every　man　that　I　have　taken；
but　above　all　this　youth　who　is　the　rais　of　the　brigantine；〃　and　he
pointed　to　him　as　he　stood　with　his　hands　already　bound　and　the　rope
round　his　neck；　ready　for　death。
　　The　viceroy　looked　at　him；　and　seeing　him　so　well…favoured；　so
graceful；　and　so　submissive；　he　felt　a　desire　to　spare　his　life；　the
comeliness　of　the　youth　furnishing　him　at　once　with　a　letter　of
recommendation。　He　therefore　questioned　him；　saying；　〃Tell　me；　rais；
art　thou　Turk；　Moor；　or　renegade？〃
　　To　which　the　youth　replied；　also　in　Spanish；　〃I　am　neither　Turk；　nor
Moor；　nor　renegade。〃
　　〃What　art　thou；　then？〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃A　Christian　woman；〃　replied　the　youth。
　　〃A　woman　and　a　Christian；　in　such　a　dress　and　in　such　circumstances！
It　is　more　marvellous　than　credible；〃　said　the　viceroy。
　　〃Suspend　the　execution　of　the　sentence；〃　said　the　youth；　〃your
vengeance　will　not　lose　much　by　waiting　while　I　tell　you　the　story
of　my　life。〃
　　What　heart　could　be　so　hard　as　not　to　he　softened　by　these　words；　at
any　rate　so　far　as　to　listen　to　what　the　unhappy　youth　had　to　say？　The
general　bade　him　say　what　he　pleased；　but　not　to　expect　pardon　for　his
flagrant　offence。　With　this　permission　the　youth　began　in　these　words。
　　〃Born　of　Morisco　parents；　I　am　of　that　nation；　more　unhappy　than
wise；　upon　which　of　late　a　sea　of　woes　has　poured　down。　In　the
course　of　our　misfortune　I　was　carried　to　Barbary　by　two　uncles　of
mine；　for　it　was　in　vain　that　I　declared　I　was　a　Christian；　as　in　fact
I　am；　and　not　a　mere　pretended　one；　or　outwardly；　but　a　true
Catholic　Christian。　It　availed　me　nothing　with　those　charged　with
our　sad　expatriation　to　protest　this；　nor　would　my　uncles　believe
it；　on　the　contrary；　they　treated　it　as　an　untruth　and　a　subterfuge
set　up　to　enable　me　to　remain　behind　in　the　land　of　my　birth；　and
so；　more　by　force　than　of　my　own　will；　they　took　me　with　them。　I　had　a
Christian　mother；　and　a　father　who　was　a　man　of　sound　sense　and　a
Christian　too；　I　imbibed　the　Catholic　faith　with　my　mother's　milk；　I
was　well　brought　up；　and　neither　in　word　nor　in　deed　did　I；　I　think；
show　any　sign　of　being　a　Morisco。　To　accompany　these　virtues；　for　such
I　hold　them；　my　beauty；　if　I　possess　any；　grew　with　my　growth；　and
great　as　was　the　seclusion　in　which　I　lived　it　was　not　so　great　but
that　a　young　gentleman；　Don　Gaspar　Gregorio　by　name；　eldest　son　of　a
gentleman　who　is　lord　of　a　village　near　ours；　contrived　to　find
opportunities　of　seeing　me。　How　he　saw　me；　how　we　met；　how　his　heart
was　lost　to　me；　and　mine　not　kept　from　him；　would　take　too　long　to
tell；　especially　at　a　moment　when　I　am　in　dread　of　the　cruel　cord　that
threatens　me　interposing　between　tongue　and　throat；　I　will　only　say；
therefore；　that　Don　Gregorio　chose　to　accompany　me　in　our
banishment。　He　joined　company　with　the　Moriscoes　who　were　going
forth　from　other　villages；　for　he　knew　their　language　very　well；　and
on　the　voyage　he　struck　up　a　friendship　with　my　two　uncles　who　were
carrying　me　with　them；　for　my　father；　like　a　wise　and　far…sighted　man；
as　soon　as　he　heard　the　first　edict　for　our　expulsion；　quitted　the
village　and　departed　in　quest　of　some　refuge　for　us　abroad。　He　left
hidden　and　buried；　at　a　spot　of　which　I　alone　have　knowledge；　a
large　quantity　of　pearls　and　precious　stones　of　great　value；
together　with　a　sum　of　money　in　gold　cruzadoes　and　doubloons。　He
charged　me　on　no　account　to　touch　the　treasure；　if　by　any　chance
they　expelled　us　before　his　return。　I　obeyed　him；　and　with　my
uncles；　as　I　have　said；　and　others　of　our　kindred　and　neighbours；
passed　over　to　Barbary；　and　the　place　where　we　took　up　our　abode　was
Algiers；　much　the　same　as　if　we　had　taken　it　up　in　hell　itself。　The
king　heard　of　my　beauty；　and　report　told　him　of　my　wealth；　which　was
in　some　degree　fortunate　for　me。　He　summoned　me　before　him；　and
asked　me　what　part　of　Spain　I　came　from；　and　what　money　and　jewels　I
had。　I　mentioned　the　place；　and　told　him　the　jewels　and　money　were
buried　there；　but　that　they　might　easily　be　recovered　if　I　myself　went
back　for　them。　All　this　I　told　him；　in　dread　lest　my　beauty　and　not
his　own　covetousness　should　influence　him。　While　he　was　engaged　in
conversation　with　me；　they　brought　him　word　that　in　company　with　me
was　one　of　the　handsomest　and　most　graceful　youths　that　could　be
imagined。　I　knew　at　once　that　they　were　speaking　of　Don　Gaspar
Gregorio；　whose　comeliness　surpasses　the　most　highly　vaunted　beauty。　I
was　troubled　when　I　thought　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　for　among　those
barbarous　Turks　a　fair　youth　is　more　esteemed　than　a　woman；　be　she
ever　so　beautiful。　The　king　immediately　ordered　him　to　be　brought
before　him　that　he　might　see　him；　and　asked　me　if　what　they　said　about
the　youth　was　true。　I　then；　almost　as　if　inspired　by　heaven；　told
him　it　was；　but　that　I　would　have　him　to　know　it　was　not　a　man；　but
a　woman　like　myself；　and　I　entreated　him　to　allow　me　to　go　and　dress
her　in　the　attire　proper　to　her；　so　that　her　beauty　might　be　seen　to
perfection；　and　that　she　might　present　herself　before　him　with　less
embarrassment。　He　bade　me　go　by　all　means；　and　said　that　the　next
day　we　should　discuss　the　plan　to　be　adopted　for　my　return　to　Spain　to
carry　away　the　hidden　treasure。　I　saw　Don　Gaspar；　I　told　him　the
danger　he　was　in　if　he　let　it　be　seen　he　was　a　man；　I　dressed　him　as　a
Moorish　woman；　and　that　same　afternoon　I　brought　him　before　the
king；　who　was　charmed　when　he　saw　him；　and　resolved　to　keep　the　damsel
and　make　a　present　of　her　to　the　Grand　Signor；　and　to　avoid　the　risk
she　might　run　among　the　women　of　his　seraglio；　and　distrustful　of
himself；　he　commanded　her　to　be　placed　in　the　house　of　some　Moorish
ladies　of　rank　who　would　protect　and　attend　to　her；　and　thither　he　was
taken　at　once。　What　we　both　suffered　（for　I　cannot　deny　that　I　love
him）　may　be　left　to　the　imagination　of　those　who　are　separated　if　they
love　one　an。　other　dearly。　The　king　then　arranged　that　I　should　return
to　Spain　in　this　brigantine；　and　that　two　Turks；　those　who　killed　your
soldiers；　should　accompany　me。　There　also　came　with　me　this　Spanish
renegade〃…　and　here　she　pointed　to　him　who　had　first　spoken…　〃whom　I
know　to　be　secretly　a　Christian；　and　to　be　more　desirous　of　being　left
in　Spain　than　of　returning　to　Barbary。　The　rest　of　the　crew　of　the
brigantine　are　Moors　and　Turks；　who　merely　serve　as　rowers。　The　two
Turks；　greedy　and　insolent；　instead　of　obeying　the　orders　we　had　to
land　me　and　this　renegade　in　Christian　dress　（with　which　we　came
provided）　on　the　first　Spanish　ground　we　came　to；　chose　to　run　along
the　coast　and　make　some　prize　if　they　could；　fearing　that　if　they
put　us　ashore　first；　we　might；　in　case　of　some　accident　befalling
us；　make　it　known　that　the　brigantine　was　at　sea；　and　thus；　if　there
happened　to　be　any　galleys　on　the　coast；　they　might　be　taken。　We
sighted　this　shore　last　night；　and　knowing　nothing　of　these　galleys；
we　were　discovered；　and　the　result　was　what　you　have　seen。　To　sum
up；　there　is　Don　Gregorio　in　woman's　dress；　among　women；　in　imminent
danger　of　his　life；　and　here　am　I；　with　hands　bound；　in　expectation；
or　rather　in　dread；　of　losing　my　life；　of　which　I　am　already　weary。
Here；　sirs；　ends　my　sad　story；　as　true　as　it　is　unhappy；　all　I　ask
of　you　is　to　allow　me　to　die　like　a　Christian；　for；　as　I　have
already　said；　I　am　not　to　be　charged　with　the　offence　of　which　those
of　my　nation　are　guilty；〃　and　she　stood　silent；　her　eyes　filled　with
moving　tears；　accompanied　by　plenty　from　the　bystanders。　The
viceroy；　touched　with　compassion；　went　up　to　her　without　speaking
and　untied　the　cord　that　bound　the　hands　of　the　Moorish　girl。
　　But　all　the　while　the　Morisco　Christian　was　telling　her　strange
story；　an　elderly　pilgrim；　who　had　come　on　board　of　the　galley　at
the　same　time　as　the　viceroy；　kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　and　the
instant　she　ceased　speaking　he　threw　himself　at　her　feet；　and
embracing　them　said　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs　and　sighs；　〃O　Ana　Felix；
my　unhappy　daughter；　I　am　thy　father　Ricote；　come　back　to　look　for
thee；　unable　to　live　without　thee；　my　soul　that　thou　art！〃
　　At　these　words　of　his；　Sancho　opened　his　eyes　and　raised　his　head；
which　he　had　been　holding　down；　brooding　over　his　unlucky　excursion；
and　looking　at　the　pilgrim　he　recognised　in　him　that　same　Ricote　he
met　the　day　he　quitted　his　government；　and　felt　satisfied　that　this
was　his　daughter。　She　being　now　unbound　embraced　her　father；
mingling　her　tears　with　his；　while　he　addressing　the　general　and　the
viceroy　said；　〃This；　sirs；　is　my　daughter；　more　unhappy　in　her
adventures　than　in　her　name。　She　is　Ana　Felix；　surnamed　Ricote；
celebrated　as　much　for　her　own　bea