don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第69章

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mentioned；　letters　say　that　without　them　arms　cannot　maintain
themselves；　for　war；　too；　has　its　laws　and　is　governed　by　them；　and
laws　belong　to　the　domain　of　letters　and　men　of　letters。　To　this
arms　make　answer　that　without　them　laws　cannot　be　maintained；　for　by
arms　states　are　defended；　kingdoms　preserved；　cities　protected；
roads　made　safe；　seas　cleared　of　pirates；　and；　in　short；　if　it　were
not　for　them；　states；　kingdoms；　monarchies；　cities；　ways　by　sea　and
land　would　be　exposed　to　the　violence　and　confusion　which　war　brings
with　it；　so　long　as　it　lasts　and　is　free　to　make　use　of　its　privileges
and　powers。　And　then　it　is　plain　that　whatever　costs　most　is　valued
and　deserves　to　be　valued　most。　To　attain　to　eminence　in　letters　costs
a　man　time；　watching；　hunger；　nakedness；　headaches；　indigestions；
and　other　things　of　the　sort；　some　of　which　I　have　already　referred
to。　But　for　a　man　to　come　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things　to　be　a
good　soldier　costs　him　all　the　student　suffers；　and　in　an　incomparably
higher　degree；　for　at　every　step　he　runs　the　risk　of　losing　his
life。　For　what　dread　of　want　or　poverty　that　can　reach　or　harass　the
student　can　compare　with　what　the　soldier　feels；　who　finds　himself
beleaguered　in　some　stronghold　mounting　guard　in　some　ravelin　or
cavalier；　knows　that　the　enemy　is　pushing　a　mine　towards　the　post
where　he　is　stationed；　and　cannot　under　any　circumstances　retire　or
fly　from　the　imminent　danger　that　threatens　him？　All　he　can　do　is　to
inform　his　captain　of　what　is　going　on　so　that　he　may　try　to　remedy　it
by　a　counter…mine；　and　then　stand　his　ground　in　fear　and　expectation
of　the　moment　when　he　will　fly　up　to　the　clouds　without　wings　and
descend　into　the　deep　against　his　will。　And　if　this　seems　a　trifling
risk；　let　us　see　whether　it　is　equalled　or　surpassed　by　the
encounter　of　two　galleys　stem　to　stem；　in　the　midst　of　the　open　sea；
locked　and　entangled　one　with　the　other；　when　the　soldier　has　no
more　standing　room　than　two　feet　of　the　plank　of　the　spur；　and　yet；
though　he　sees　before　him　threatening　him　as　many　ministers　of　death
as　there　are　cannon　of　the　foe　pointed　at　him；　not　a　lance　length　from
his　body；　and　sees　too　that　with　the　first　heedless　step　he　will　go
down　to　visit　the　profundities　of　Neptune's　bosom；　still　with
dauntless　heart；　urged　on　by　honour　that　nerves　him；　he　makes
himself　a　target　for　all　that　musketry；　and　struggles　to　cross　that
narrow　path　to　the　enemy's　ship。　And　what　is　still　more　marvellous；　no
sooner　has　one　gone　down　into　the　depths　he　will　never　rise　from
till　the　end　of　the　world；　than　another　takes　his　place；　and　if　he　too
falls　into　the　sea　that　waits　for　him　like　an　enemy；　another　and
another　will　succeed　him　without　a　moment's　pause　between　their
deaths：　courage　and　daring　the　greatest　that　all　the　chances　of　war
can　show。　Happy　the　blest　ages　that　knew　not　the　dread　fury　of　those
devilish　engines　of　artillery；　whose　inventor　I　am　persuaded　is　in
hell　receiving　the　reward　of　his　diabolical　invention；　by　which　he
made　it　easy　for　a　base　and　cowardly　arm　to　take　the　life　of　a　gallant
gentleman；　and　that；　when　he　knows　not　how　or　whence；　in　the　height　of
the　ardour　and　enthusiasm　that　fire　and　animate　brave　hearts；　there
should　come　some　random　bullet；　discharged　perhaps　by　one　who　fled
in　terror　at　the　flash　when　he　fired　off　his　accursed　machine；　which
in　an　instant　puts　an　end　to　the　projects　and　cuts　off　the　life　of　one
who　deserved　to　live　for　ages　to　come。　And　thus　when　I　reflect　on
this；　I　am　almost　tempted　to　say　that　in　my　heart　I　repent　of　having
adopted　this　profession　of　knight…errant　in　so　detestable　an　age　as　we
live　in　now；　for　though　no　peril　can　make　me　fear；　still　it　gives　me
some　uneasiness　to　think　that　powder　and　lead　may　rob　me　of　the
opportunity　of　making　myself　famous　and　renowned　throughout　the
known　earth　by　the　might　of　my　arm　and　the　edge　of　my　sword。　But
Heaven's　will　be　done；　if　I　succeed　in　my　attempt　I　shall　be　all　the
more　honoured；　as　I　have　faced　greater　dangers　than　the　knights…errant
of　yore　exposed　themselves　to。〃
　　All　this　lengthy　discourse　Don　Quixote　delivered　while　the　others
supped；　forgetting　to　raise　a　morsel　to　his　lips；　though　Sancho　more
than　once　told　him　to　eat　his　supper；　as　he　would　have　time　enough
afterwards　to　say　all　he　wanted。　It　excited　fresh　pity　in　those　who
had　heard　him　to　see　a　man　of　apparently　sound　sense；　and　with
rational　views　on　every　subject　he　discussed；　so　hopelessly　wanting　in
all；　when　his　wretched　unlucky　chivalry　was　in　question。　The　curate
told　him　he　was　quite　right　in　all　he　had　said　in　favour　of　arms；
and　that　he　himself；　though　a　man　of　letters　and　a　graduate；　was　of
the　same　opinion。
　　They　finished　their　supper；　the　cloth　was　removed；　and　while　the
hostess；　her　daughter；　and　Maritornes　were　getting　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha's　garret　ready；　in　which　it　was　arranged　that　the　women　were　to
be　quartered　by　themselves　for　the　night；　Don　Fernando　begged　the
captive　to　tell　them　the　story　of　his　life；　for　it　could　not　fail　to
be　strange　and　interesting；　to　judge　by　the　hints　he　had　let　fall　on
his　arrival　in　company　with　Zoraida。　To　this　the　captive　replied
that　he　would　very　willingly　yield　to　his　request；　only　he　feared
his　tale　would　not　give　them　as　much　pleasure　as　he　wished；
nevertheless；　not　to　be　wanting　in　compliance；　he　would　tell　it。　The
curate　and　the　others　thanked　him　and　added　their　entreaties；　and　he
finding　himself　so　pressed　said　there　was　no　occasion　ask；　where　a
command　had　such　weight；　and　added；　〃If　your　worships　will　give　me
your　attention　you　will　hear　a　true　story　which；　perhaps；　fictitious
ones　constructed　with　ingenious　and　studied　art　cannot　come　up　to。〃
These　words　made　them　settle　themselves　in　their　places　and　preserve　a
deep　silence；　and　he　seeing　them　waiting　on　his　words　in　mute
expectation；　began　thus　in　a　pleasant　quiet　voice。

　　CHAPTER　XXXIX
　　WHEREIN　THE　CAPTIVE　RELATES　HIS　LIFE　AND　ADVENTURES

　　MY　family　had　its　origin　in　a　village　in　the　mountains　of　Leon；
and　nature　had　been　kinder　and　more　generous　to　it　than　fortune；
though　in　the　general　poverty　of　those　communities　my　father　passed
for　being　even　a　rich　man；　and　he　would　have　been　so　in　reality　had　he
been　as　clever　in　preserving　his　property　as　he　was　in　spending　it。
This　tendency　of　his　to　be　liberal　and　profuse　he　had　acquired　from
having　been　a　soldier　in　his　youth；　for　the　soldier's　life　is　a　school
in　which　the　niggard　becomes　free…handed　and　the　free…handed　prodigal；
and　if　any　soldiers　are　to　be　found　who　are　misers；　they　are
monsters　of　rare　occurrence。　My　father　went　beyond　liberality　and
bordered　on　prodigality；　a　disposition　by　no　means　advantageous　to　a
married　man　who　has　children　to　succeed　to　his　name　and　position。　My
father　had　three；　all　sons；　and　all　of　sufficient　age　to　make　choice
of　a　profession。　Finding；　then；　that　he　was　unable　to　resist　his
propensity；　he　resolved　to　divest　himself　of　the　instrument　and
cause　of　his　prodigality　and　lavishness；　to　divest　himself　of
wealth；　without　which　Alexander　himself　would　have　seemed
parsimonious；　and　so　calling　us　all　three　aside　one　day　into　a　room；
he　addressed　us　in　words　somewhat　to　the　following　effect：
　　〃My　sons；　to　assure　you　that　I　love　you；　no　more　need　be　known　or
said　than　that　you　are　my　sons；　and　to　encourage　a　suspicion　that　I　do
not　love　you；　no　more　is　needed　than　the　knowledge　that　I　have　no
self…control　as　far　as　preservation　of　your　patrimony　is　concerned；
therefore；　that　you　may　for　the　future　feel　sure　that　I　love　you
like　a　father；　and　have　no　wish　to　ruin　you　like　a　stepfather；　I
propose　to　do　with　you　what　I　have　for　some　time　back　meditated；　and
after　mature　deliberation　decided　upon。　You　are　now　of　an　age　to
choose　your　line　of　life　or　at　least　make　choice　of　a　calling　that
will　bring　you　honour　and　profit　when　you　are　older；　and　what　I　have
resolved　to　do　is　to　divide　my　property　into　four　parts；　three　I
will　give　to　you；　to　each　his　portion　without　making　any　difference；
and　the　other　I　will　retain　to　live　upon　and　support　myself　for
whatever　remainder　of　life　Heaven　may　be　pleased　to　grant　me。　But　I
wish　each　of　you　on　taking　possession　of　the　share　that　falls　to　him
to　follow　one　of　the　paths　I　shall　indicate。　In　this　Spain　of　ours
there　is　a　proverb；　to　my　mind　very　true…　as　they　all　are；　being　short
aphorisms　drawn　from　long　practical　experience…　and　the　one　I　refer　to
says；　'The　church；　or　the　sea；　or　the　king's　house；'　as　much　as　to
say；　in　plainer　language；　whoever　wants　to　flourish　and　become　rich；
let　him　follow　the　church；　or　go　to　sea；　adopting　commerce　as　his
calling；　or　go　into　the　king's　service　in　his　household；　for　they　say；
'Better　a　king's　crumb　than　a　lord's　favour。'　I　say　so　because　it　is
my　will　and　pleasure　that　one　of　you　should　follow　letters；　another
trade；　and　the　third　serve　the　king　in　the　wars；　for　it　is　a　difficult
matter　to　gain　admission　to　his　service　in　his　household；　and　if　war
does　not　bring　much　wealth　it　confers　great　distinction　and　fame。
Eight　days　hence　I　will　give　you　your　full　shares　in　money；　without
defrauding　you　of　a　farthing；　as　you　will　see　in　the　end。　Now　tell
me　if　you　are　willing　to　follow　out　my　idea　and　advice　as　I　have
laid　it　before　you。〃
　　Having　called　upon　me　as　the　eldest　to　answer；　I；　after　urging　him
not　to　strip　himself　of　his　property　but　to　spend　it　all　as　he
pleased；　for　we　were　young　men　able　to　gain　our　living；　consented　to
comply　with　his　wishes；　and　said　that　mine　were　to　follow　the
profession　of　arms　and　thereby　serve　God　and　my　king。　My　second
brother　having　made　the　same　proposal；　decided　upon　going　to　the
Indies；　embarking　the　portion　that　fell　to　him　in　trade。　The　youngest；
and　in　my　opinion　the　wisest；　said　he　would　rather　follow　the
church；　or　go　to　complete　his　studies　at　Salamanca。　As　soon　as　we
had　come　to　an　understanding；　and　made　choice　of　our　professions；　my
father　embraced　us　all；　and　in　the　short　time　he　mentioned　carried
into　effect　all　he　had　promised；　and　when　he　had　given　to　each　his
share；　which　as　well　as　I　remember　was　three　thousand　ducats　apiece　in
cash　（for　an　uncle　of　ours　bought　the　estate　and　paid　for　it　down；　not
to　let　it　go　out　of　the　family）；　we　all　three　on　the　same　day　took
leave　of　our　good　father；　and　at　the　same　time；　as　it　seemed　to　me
inhuman　to　leave　my　father　with　such　scanty　means　in　his　old　age；　I
induced　him　to　take　two　of　my　three　thousand　ducats；　as　the
remainder　would　be　enough　to　provide　me　with　all　a　soldier　needed。
My　two　brothers；　moved　by　my　example；　gave　him　each　a　thousand　ducats；
so　that　there　was　left　for　my　father　four　thousand　ducats　in　money；
besides　three　thousand；　the　value　of　the　portion　that　fell　to　him
which　he　preferred　to　retain　in　land　instead　of　selling　it。　Finally；
as　I　said；　we　took　leave　of　him；　and　of　our　uncle　whom　I　have
mentioned；　not　without　sorrow　and　tears　on　both　sides；　they　charging
us　to　let　them　know　whenever　an　opportunity　offered　how　we　fared；
whether　well　or　ill。　We　promised　to　do　so；　and　when　he　had　embraced　us
and　given　us　his　blessing；　one　set　out　for　Salamanca；　the　other　for
Seville；　and　I　for　Alicante；