The history relates that it was with the greatest attention Don Quixote listened to the ragged1 knight2 of the Sierra, who began by saying:
“Of a surety, senor, whoever you are, for I know you not, I thank you for the proofs of kindness and courtesy you have shown me, and would I were in a condition to requite3 with something more than good-will that which you have displayed towards me in the cordial reception you have given me; but my fate does not afford me any other means of returning kindnesses done me save the hearty4 desire to repay them.”
“Mine,” replied Don Quixote, “is to be of service to you, so much so that I had resolved not to quit these mountains until I had found you, and learned of you whether there is any kind of relief to be found for that sorrow under which from the strangeness of your life you seem to labour; and to search for you with all possible diligence, if search had been necessary. And if your misfortune should prove to be one of those that refuse admission to any sort of consolation5, it was my purpose to join you in lamenting6 and mourning over it, so far as I could; for it is still some comfort in misfortune to find one who can feel for it. And if my good intentions deserve to be acknowledged with any kind of courtesy, I entreat7 you, senor, by that which I perceive you possess in so high a degree, and likewise conjure8 you by whatever you love or have loved best in life, to tell me who you are and the cause that has brought you to live or die in these solitudes9 like a brute10 beast, dwelling11 among them in a manner so foreign to your condition as your garb12 and appearance show. And I swear,” added Don Quixote, “by the order of knighthood which I have received, and by my vocation13 of knight-errant, if you gratify me in this, to serve you with all the zeal14 my calling demands of me, either in relieving your misfortune if it admits of relief, or in joining you in lamenting it as I promised to do.”
The Knight of the Thicket15, hearing him of the Rueful Countenance16 talk in this strain, did nothing but stare at him, and stare at him again, and again survey him from head to foot; and when he had thoroughly17 examined him, he said to him:
“If you have anything to give me to eat, for God’s sake give it me, and after I have eaten I will do all you ask in acknowledgment of the goodwill18 you have displayed towards me.”
Sancho from his sack, and the goatherd from his pouch19, furnished the Ragged One with the means of appeasing20 his hunger, and what they gave him he ate like a half-witted being, so hastily that he took no time between mouthfuls, gorging21 rather than swallowing; and while he ate neither he nor they who observed him uttered a word. As soon as he had done he made signs to them to follow him, which they did, and he led them to a green plot which lay a little farther off round the corner of a rock. On reaching it he stretched himself upon the grass, and the others did the same, all keeping silence, until the Ragged One, settling himself in his place, said:
“If it is your wish, sirs, that I should disclose in a few words the surpassing extent of my misfortunes, you must promise not to break the thread of my sad story with any question or other interruption, for the instant you do so the tale I tell will come to an end.”
These words of the Ragged One reminded Don Quixote of the tale his squire22 had told him, when he failed to keep count of the goats that had crossed the river and the story remained unfinished; but to return to the Ragged One, he went on to say:
“I give you this warning because I wish to pass briefly23 over the story of my misfortunes, for recalling them to memory only serves to add fresh ones, and the less you question me the sooner shall I make an end of the recital24, though I shall not omit to relate anything of importance in order fully25 to satisfy your curiosity.”
Don Quixote gave the promise for himself and the others, and with this assurance he began as follows:
“My name is Cardenio, my birthplace one of the best cities of this Andalusia, my family noble, my parents rich, my misfortune so great that my parents must have wept and my family grieved over it without being able by their wealth to lighten it; for the gifts of fortune can do little to relieve reverses sent by Heaven. In that same country there was a heaven in which love had placed all the glory I could desire; such was the beauty of Luscinda, a damsel as noble and as rich as I, but of happier fortunes, and of less firmness than was due to so worthy26 a passion as mine. This Luscinda I loved, worshipped, and adored from my earliest and tenderest years, and she loved me in all the innocence27 and sincerity28 of childhood. Our parents were aware of our feelings, and were not sorry to perceive them, for they saw clearly that as they ripened29 they must lead at last to a marriage between us, a thing that seemed almost prearranged by the equality of our families and wealth. We grew up, and with our growth grew the love between us, so that the father of Luscinda felt bound for propriety’s sake to refuse me admission to his house, in this perhaps imitating the parents of that Thisbe so celebrated30 by the poets, and this refusal but added love to love and flame to flame; for though they enforced silence upon our tongues they could not impose it upon our pens, which can make known the heart’s secrets to a loved one more freely than tongues; for many a time the presence of the object of love shakes the firmest will and strikes dumb the boldest tongue. Ah heavens! how many letters did I write her, and how many dainty modest replies did I receive! how many ditties and love-songs did I compose in which my heart declared and made known its feelings, described its ardent31 longings33, revelled34 in its recollections and dallied35 with its desires! At length growing impatient and feeling my heart languishing36 with longing32 to see her, I resolved to put into execution and carry out what seemed to me the best mode of winning my desired and merited reward, to ask her of her father for my lawful37 wife, which I did. To this his answer was that he thanked me for the disposition38 I showed to do honour to him and to regard myself as honoured by the bestowal39 of his treasure; but that as my father was alive it was his by right to make this demand, for if it were not in accordance with his full will and pleasure, Luscinda was not to be taken or given by stealth. I thanked him for his kindness, reflecting that there was reason in what he said, and that my father would assent40 to it as soon as I should tell him, and with that view I went the very same instant to let him know what my desires were. When I entered the room where he was I found him with an open letter in his hand, which, before I could utter a word, he gave me, saying, ‘By this letter thou wilt41 see, Cardenio, the disposition the Duke Ricardo has to serve thee.’ This Duke Ricardo, as you, sirs, probably know already, is a grandee42 of Spain who has his seat in the best part of this Andalusia. I took and read the letter, which was couched in terms so flattering that even I myself felt it would be wrong in my father not to comply with the request the duke made in it, which was that he would send me immediately to him, as he wished me to become the companion, not servant, of his eldest43 son, and would take upon himself the charge of placing me in a position corresponding to the esteem44 in which he held me. On reading the letter my voice failed me, and still more when I heard my father say, ‘Two days hence thou wilt depart, Cardenio, in accordance with the duke’s wish, and give thanks to God who is opening a road to thee by which thou mayest attain45 what I know thou dost deserve; and to these words he added others of fatherly counsel. The time for my departure arrived; I spoke46 one night to Luscinda, I told her all that had occurred, as I did also to her father, entreating47 him to allow some delay, and to defer48 the disposal of her hand until I should see what the Duke Ricardo sought of me: he gave me the promise, and she confirmed it with vows49 and swoonings unnumbered. Finally, I presented myself to the duke, and was received and treated by him so kindly50 that very soon envy began to do its work, the old servants growing envious51 of me, and regarding the duke’s inclination52 to show me favour as an injury to themselves. But the one to whom my arrival gave the greatest pleasure was the duke’s second son, Fernando by name, a gallant53 youth, of noble, generous, and amorous54 disposition, who very soon made so intimate a friend of me that it was remarked by everybody; for though the elder was attached to me, and showed me kindness, he did not carry his affectionate treatment to the same length as Don Fernando. It so happened, then, that as between friends no secret remains55 unshared, and as the favour I enjoyed with Don Fernando had grown into friendship, he made all his thoughts known to me, and in particular a love affair which troubled his mind a little. He was deeply in love with a peasant girl, a vassal56 of his father’s , the daughter of wealthy parents, and herself so beautiful, modest, discreet57, and virtuous58, that no one who knew her was able to decide in which of these respects she was most highly gifted or most excelled. The attractions of the fair peasant raised the passion of Don Fernando to such a point that, in order to gain his object and overcome her virtuous resolutions, he determined59 to pledge his word to her to become her husband, for to attempt it in any other way was to attempt an impossibility. Bound to him as I was by friendship, I strove by the best arguments and the most forcible examples I could think of to restrain and dissuade60 him from such a course; but perceiving I produced no effect I resolved to make the Duke Ricardo, his father, acquainted with the matter; but Don Fernando, being sharp-witted and shrewd, foresaw and apprehended61 this, perceiving that by my duty as a good servant I was bound not to keep concealed62 a thing so much opposed to the honour of my lord the duke; and so, to mislead and deceive me, he told me he could find no better way of effacing64 from his mind the beauty that so enslaved him than by absenting himself for some months, and that he wished the absence to be effected by our going, both of us, to my father’s house under the pretence65, which he would make to the duke, of going to see and buy some fine horses that there were in my city, which produces the best in the world. When I heard him say so, even if his resolution had not been so good a one I should have hailed it as one of the happiest that could be imagined, prompted by my affection, seeing what a favourable66 chance and opportunity it offered me of returning to see my Luscinda. With this thought and wish I commended his idea and encouraged his design, advising him to put it into execution as quickly as possible, as, in truth, absence produced its effect in spite of the most deeply rooted feelings. But, as afterwards appeared, when he said this to me he had already enjoyed the peasant girl under the title of husband, and was waiting for an opportunity of making it known with safety to himself, being in dread67 of what his father the duke would do when he came to know of his folly68. It happened, then, that as with young men love is for the most part nothing more than appetite, which, as its final object is enjoyment69, comes to an end on obtaining it, and that which seemed to be love takes to flight, as it cannot pass the limit fixed70 by nature, which fixes no limit to true love — what I mean is that after Don Fernando had enjoyed this peasant girl his passion subsided71 and his eagerness cooled, and if at first he feigned72 a wish to absent himself in order to cure his love, he was now in reality anxious to go to avoid keeping his promise.
“The duke gave him permission, and ordered me to accompany him; we arrived at my city, and my father gave him the reception due to his rank; I saw Luscinda without delay, and, though it had not been dead or deadened, my love gathered fresh life. To my sorrow I told the story of it to Don Fernando, for I thought that in virtue73 of the great friendship he bore me I was bound to conceal63 nothing from him. I extolled74 her beauty, her gaiety, her wit, so warmly, that my praises excited in him a desire to see a damsel adorned75 by such attractions. To my misfortune I yielded to it, showing her to him one night by the light of a taper76 at a window where we used to talk to one another. As she appeared to him in her dressing-gown, she drove all the beauties he had seen until then out of his recollection; speech failed him, his head turned, he was spell-bound, and in the end love-smitten, as you will see in the course of the story of my misfortune; and to inflame77 still further his passion, which he hid from me and revealed to Heaven alone, it so happened that one day he found a note of hers entreating me to demand her of her father in marriage, so delicate, so modest, and so tender, that on reading it he told me that in Luscinda alone were combined all the charms of beauty and understanding that were distributed among all the other women in the world. It is true, and I own it now, that though I knew what good cause Don Fernando had to praise Luscinda, it gave me uneasiness to hear these praises from his mouth, and I began to fear, and with reason to feel distrust of him, for there was no moment when he was not ready to talk of Luscinda, and he would start the subject himself even though he dragged it in unseasonably, a circumstance that aroused in me a certain amount of jealousy78; not that I feared any change in the constancy or faith of Luscinda; but still my fate led me to forebode what she assured me against. Don Fernando contrived79 always to read the letters I sent to Luscinda and her answers to me, under the pretence that he enjoyed the wit and sense of both. It so happened, then, that Luscinda having begged of me a book of chivalry80 to read, one that she was very fond of, Amadis of Gaul — ”
Don Quixote no sooner heard a book of chivalry mentioned, than he said:
“Had your worship told me at the beginning of your story that the Lady Luscinda was fond of books of chivalry, no other laudation would have been requisite81 to impress upon me the superiority of her understanding, for it could not have been of the excellence82 you describe had a taste for such delightful83 reading been wanting; so, as far as I am concerned, you need waste no more words in describing her beauty, worth, and intelligence; for, on merely hearing what her taste was, I declare her to be the most beautiful and the most intelligent woman in the world; and I wish your worship had, along with Amadis of Gaul, sent her the worthy Don Rugel of Greece, for I know the Lady Luscinda would greatly relish84 Daraida and Garaya, and the shrewd sayings of the shepherd Darinel, and the admirable verses of his bucolics, sung and delivered by him with such sprightliness85, wit, and ease; but a time may come when this omission86 can be remedied, and to rectify87 it nothing more is needed than for your worship to be so good as to come with me to my village, for there I can give you more than three hundred books which are the delight of my soul and the entertainment of my life; — though it occurs to me that I have not got one of them now, thanks to the spite of wicked and envious enchanters; — but pardon me for having broken the promise we made not to interrupt your discourse88; for when I hear chivalry or knights-errant mentioned, I can no more help talking about them than the rays of the sun can help giving heat, or those of the moon moisture; pardon me, therefore, and proceed, for that is more to the purpose now.”
While Don Quixote was saying this, Cardenio allowed his head to fall upon his breast, and seemed plunged89 in deep thought; and though twice Don Quixote bade him go on with his story, he neither looked up nor uttered a word in reply; but after some time he raised his head and said, “I cannot get rid of the idea, nor will anyone in the world remove it, or make me think otherwise — and he would be a blockhead who would hold or believe anything else than that that arrant90 knave91 Master Elisabad made free with Queen Madasima.”
“That is not true, by all that’s good,” said Don Quixote in high wrath92, turning upon him angrily, as his way was; “and it is a very great slander93, or rather villainy. Queen Madasima was a very illustrious lady, and it is not to be supposed that so exalted94 a princess would have made free with a quack95; and whoever maintains the contrary lies like a great scoundrel, and I will give him to know it, on foot or on horseback, armed or unarmed, by night or by day, or as he likes best.”
Cardenio was looking at him steadily96, and his mad fit having now come upon him, he had no disposition to go on with his story, nor would Don Quixote have listened to it, so much had what he had heard about Madasima disgusted him. Strange to say, he stood up for her as if she were in earnest his veritable born lady; to such a pass had his unholy books brought him. Cardenio, then, being, as I said, now mad, when he heard himself given the lie, and called a scoundrel and other insulting names, not relishing97 the jest, snatched up a stone that he found near him, and with it delivered such a blow on Don Quixote’s breast that he laid him on his back. Sancho Panza, seeing his master treated in this fashion, attacked the madman with his closed fist; but the Ragged One received him in such a way that with a blow of his fist he stretched him at his feet, and then mounting upon him crushed his ribs98 to his own satisfaction; the goatherd, who came to the rescue, shared the same fate; and having beaten and pummelled them all he left them and quietly withdrew to his hiding-place on the mountain. Sancho rose, and with the rage he felt at finding himself so belaboured without deserving it, ran to take vengeance99 on the goatherd, accusing him of not giving them warning that this man was at times taken with a mad fit, for if they had known it they would have been on their guard to protect themselves. The goatherd replied that he had said so, and that if he had not heard him, that was no fault of his. Sancho retorted, and the goatherd rejoined, and the altercation100 ended in their seizing each other by the beard, and exchanging such fisticuffs that if Don Quixote had not made peace between them, they would have knocked one another to pieces.
“Leave me alone, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance,” said Sancho, grappling with the goatherd, “for of this fellow, who is a clown like myself, and no dubbed101 knight, I can safely take satisfaction for the affront102 he has offered me, fighting with him hand to hand like an honest man.”
“That is true,” said Don Quixote, “but I know that he is not to blame for what has happened.”
With this he pacified103 them, and again asked the goatherd if it would be possible to find Cardenio, as he felt the greatest anxiety to know the end of his story. The goatherd told him, as he had told him before, that there was no knowing of a certainty where his lair104 was; but that if he wandered about much in that neighbourhood he could not fail to fall in with him either in or out of his senses.
据记载，唐吉诃德全神贯注地听那位衣衫褴褛的“山林勇士”讲话。他说：
“大人，虽然咱们不曾相识，但不论你是谁，我都要感谢你对我以礼相待。承蒙你热情接待，礼当回报，然而时运不佳，唯有以美好心愿酬谢厚遇之恩。”
“我愿效劳，”唐吉诃德说，“此心甚诚。我甚至已下决心，如果找不到你，不了解清楚你内心深处的痛苦是否已找到了排遣的办法，我决不出山。必要的话，我还要想尽各种办法帮你排遣痛苦。如果你的不幸还没有得到任何安慰，我想过，要陪你为你的不幸而尽情哭泣。能有人为自己的遭遇难过，总算是一种安慰。如果我的好意值得得到某种礼遇，那么我请求你，我看你特别内向，那么我再恳求你，大人，看在你一生中热爱过或最热爱的东西份上，告诉我，你是什么人，究竟为什么要到这荒山野岭中像野兽一般地了此一生。你住在这种地方与你的穿戴和你本人太不相称了。”唐吉诃德接着又说，“虽然我是个不称职的有罪骑士，我以骑士的名义发誓，为了行使游侠骑士的职责，如果你能在这个问题上满足我的要求，大人，我一定以我应有的真诚为你效劳。假如你的不幸有办法补救，我就设法补救；否则就像我刚才答应你的那样，陪你哭泣。”
“山林勇士”听猥獕骑士这么说，只是对他看了又看，又把他从上到下打量了一番，看够了之后才说：
“如果你们有什么吃的东西，请看在上帝份上给我吧。吃完之后，我会悉听吩咐，以报答你们对我的一片好心。”
桑乔和牧羊人从各自的袋子里拿出了食物给褴褛汉充饥。他接过食物，像个傻子似的一口紧接一口，迅速地吃着，与其说是吃还不如说是狼吞虎咽。他吃的时候，他和看他的人都一言不发。吃完后，他示意大家跟他走。大家跟他走了。他带着大家绕过一块略微突起的岩石，来到一块绿草地上。一到那儿，他就躺到绿草地上。其他人也躺下来，一句话都不说。直到后来，褴褛汉才端坐好，说：
“各位大人，如果你们想让我简短地谈谈我的巨大不幸，就得答应我什么都别问，也不要打断我讲悲惨故事的思路。如果你们问了或打断了，故事就会悬在那儿。”
褴褛汉的这几句话让唐吉诃德想起来，桑乔给他讲故事的时候，也是因为自己没有记住过河的羊数，把故事悬在那儿了。褴褛汉又接着说：
“我有话在先，是想把我的不幸故事尽快讲完。回忆往事只能让我的旧伤口上又加新伤。你们问得越少，我就可以越快地讲完。不过，重要的事情我一件也不会漏掉，足以满足你们的要求。”
唐吉诃德以所有人的名义答应了，他才放心地讲了起来：
“我叫卡德尼奥，故乡也算是安达卢西亚一座最好的城市了。我出身高贵，父母阔绰。可是我的不幸太深重了，父母为我哭泣，亲属为我惋惜。意外的不幸常常是财富不能弥补的。就在这块土地上，生活着一位宝贝，爱情赋予她整个光环，我也爱上了她。她就是美丽的卢辛达，一位尊贵的姑娘，和我一样富有。她比我幸运，却对我的真诚追求不够坚贞。对于这个卢辛达，我从年幼时就爱她，喜欢她，崇拜她。她也以她那个年龄的天真烂漫喜欢我。我们的父母知道我们的意思。他们并不担心，知道发展下去，最后无非是让我们结婚。
这简直是门当户对的安排。
“随着年龄的增长，我们之间的爱情也加深了。卢辛达的父亲觉得该尊重社会常规，所以反对我再进他家门。在这方面，他几乎完全模仿了那位被诗人讴歌的提斯柏①的父亲的做法。可这种反对只能是火上浇油，情上加亲。虽然他不让我们见面说话，却不能让我们的笔沉默。笔比舌头更容易表达人的内心灵魂。当着情人的面，最坚定的意志往往动摇，最灵巧的舌头也常常显得笨拙。哎，天啊，我写了多少页的情书呀！我收到了她多少优美动人的回信呀！我曾写过多少情歌情诗来表达我的情感，描述我炽热的追求，回忆美好的往事，陶醉我的身心呀！
①提斯柏是希腊神话中的河神，后有奥维德的《变形记》中被述为巴比伦一少女，与皮拉摩斯相爱至深，两家又是近邻，但爱情受到了父母阻挠，只能隔着墙缝互诉衷曲，最后两人自杀。
“后来，我急不可耐，我的灵魂被想见到她的愿望折磨着。我决定马上行动，认为只有这样才能得到我最喜爱、最受之无愧的心上人。这个行动就是请求她的父亲允许她做我的正式妻子。我去求婚了。她的父亲回答说，他对我的请求深感荣幸，不胜感谢，而且他也愿意以相宜之礼让我感到荣幸。不过，既然我的父亲仍然健在，只有我父亲才有权向他提亲，如果没有我父亲诚心诚意的请求，卢辛达可不是随便就能娶走的。我感谢他的一番好意，觉得他说得也有道理，而且我一旦同父亲讲了，他也一定会来提亲。我即刻带着这种想法去见我父亲，告诉他我的要求。一走进父亲的房间，就看见他手里拿着一封打开的信。还没等我开口，他就把信递给我，对我说：‘卡德尼奥，你看看这封信吧，里卡多公爵有心要提拔你。’
“这个里卡多公爵，各位大人，你们大概知道，他是西班牙的一位大人物，他的领地在安达卢西亚是最好的。我接过信看起来。信上言真意切，我觉得父亲如果不答应他的请求就太不合适了。信上希望我马上到他那儿去，做他的长子的伙伴，不是当佣人，他负责为我安排与我身份相符的职位。我默默地看完信，听见父亲说道：‘再过两天你就出发，卡德尼奥，听从公爵的安排吧。感谢上帝为你开辟了一条路，你可以得到你应得的东西了。’接着父亲又说了些嘱咐的话。临走前的一个晚上，我把事情全部告诉了卢辛达，也告诉了她父亲，请求他再宽限几天，把婚期推迟，先看看里卡多怎样安排我。她父亲答应了，她也对我山盟海誓不知多少遍，还晕过去不知多少次。
“后来我到了里卡多公爵那儿。我受到很好的招待，自然也开始引起其他人的嫉妒。那些老佣人觉得公爵待我这么好，会损害他们的利益。不过，最欢迎我到来的是公爵的二儿子。他叫费尔南多，是个很精神的小伙子，雍容大度，风流倜傥。很快他就成了我的朋友，这也引得大家议论纷纷。公爵的长子对我也很好，很照顾我，可是不如费尔南多那样喜欢我，对待我。朋友之间，自然无所不谈，费尔南多对我的另眼看待也变成了友情。他把所有想法都告诉我，甚至他在情场上的一件心事。这件心事让他感到一些躁动。他很喜欢他父亲领地里的一位农家姑娘。她的父母很有钱。姑娘漂亮、端庄，守规矩，人又好，凡是认识她的人都说不清在这几方面中，她哪一方面最好、最突出。
“这样好的农家姑娘让费尔南多风情难捺。为了得到她这个人，夺到她的身子，费尔南多答应做她的丈夫，否则就根本没有指望。我出于关心，尽我所能说明道理，尽我所知列举生动的事例，想劝阻他，让他打消他的念头。看到这些都不起作用，我决定把这件事告诉他的父亲里卡多。可是费尔南多诡计多端，他既怀疑又害怕我这样做。他觉得我作为一个忠实的仆人，肯定不会隐瞒这件有损我的公爵主人名誉的事。为了转移我的注意力，他骗我说，为了从头脑里摆脱难以忘怀的漂亮姑娘，他必须离开几个月。这期间我们两人到我父亲家去，这样就可以托辞向他父亲说，要到我家所在的城市去看看，买几匹好马，说世界上最好的马都是那个地方产的。我听他一说就动了心。虽然他居心不良，我还是同意了，觉得这是个再好不过的难得机会，可以回去看看我的卢辛达。
“出于这种想法和愿望，我同意他的主意，鼓励他这么做，让他尽快成行，因为离开一段时间后，即使再顽固的念头也会发生动摇。当他跟我说这事的时候，据说他已经谎称要做姑娘的丈夫而占有了她。他怕他的父亲知道后因为他的胡作非为而惩罚他，想找个合适的机会再说。其实，大部分年轻人在一起并不是为了爱情，只是为了情欲。情欲只是以享乐为最终目的，一旦满足了情欲，也就完了，那个像是爱情的东西也就向后倒退了，因为它不可能超越本能的界限，那种界限并没有被当作真正的爱情。我是说，费尔南多就是这样的人。他占有了农家姑娘后，欲望锐减，热情全消。表面上他装着躲出去是为了忘掉他的念头，实际上他是企图躲出去逃避履约。
“公爵同意了他的请求，让我陪他去。我们来到了我家所在的那个城市，我父亲不失礼仪地接待了他。然后，我去看望卢辛达，我本来就没有泯灭和减弱的追求又重新燃烧起来，而且很不幸地把这些都告诉了费尔南多。我本来觉得凭我们之间的友谊，不该向他隐瞒什么。我向他夸耀卢辛达漂亮、娴静、机灵。我的夸耀勾起了他想看看这位完美姑娘的愿望。算我倒霉，我答应了他。一天晚上借着烛光，通过我正和卢辛达说话的窗口，我把卢辛达指给他看。费尔南多一见她，把以前见过的所有美女都忘了。他看得目瞪口呆，魂不守舍。你们听我接着讲我的不幸故事，就知道他坠入情网到什么程度了。
“费尔南多的欲念有增无减，而我对这些却还蒙在鼓里，只有老天知道。命运让我有一天看到了他的一封信，请求我向卢辛达的父亲去提亲。他措辞谨慎，一本正经，情真意切，在信上对我说，卢辛达把世界上其他女人的所有美貌和才智都集于一身了。现在我承认，说实话，尽管费尔南多对卢辛达的赞美合情合理，可那些赞美出自他之口，却让我很不舒服。我开始害怕，开始怀疑他，因为他无时无刻不想谈论卢辛达，总是拿她当话题，尽管常常是风马牛不相及，结果往往引起我一种说不出的嫉妒，这倒并不是害怕卢辛达的好感和忠诚会产生什么变化。尽管她再三向我保证，可是命运让我担心。费尔南多总是想看我写给卢辛达的信和卢辛达给我的回信，说是很喜欢我们两人的文笔。卢辛达很喜欢骑士小说，有一次，她向我借一本骑士小说，书名是《高卢的阿马迪斯》……”
唐吉诃德一听他提到骑士小说，急忙说：
“假如你一开始就提到尊贵的卢辛达夫人喜欢读骑士小说，不用你再夸，我就可以想象到她的高贵才智。如果她没有如此雅兴，我也不会相信她有你描述得那么好。所以，在我面前，你不必使用很多语言就可以向我表明她的美貌、品质和才智。只要知道了她的这种爱好，我就完全可以相信她是世界上最漂亮最聪明的女性。但愿你，大人，把《希腊的唐鲁赫尔》那本好书连同《高卢的阿马迪斯》一起借给了她。我知道卢辛达夫人一定很喜欢达雷达和加拉亚，喜欢机智的达里内尔牧师以及他朗诵的风雅、严谨而又轻松的田园诗。不过，这个缺憾以后可以得到弥补。如果你愿意同我一起回到我的家乡去，这一缺憾马上就可以补偿。我家里有三百多本书可以给你，那些书是我的精神享受，是我的生活消遣，尽管我得承认，由于嫉贤妒能的恶毒魔法师的破坏，现在已经一本不剩了。请原谅，我违反了刚才我答应的事情，打断了你的讲话。只要一说到骑士精神和游侠骑士的事，要想让我不开口，就像不让阳光发热，不让月光发潮一样。对不起，请继续讲下去，现在这才是最重要的。”
唐吉诃德讲话的时候，卡德尼奥已经把头垂到了胸前，好像陷入了深深的沉思。唐吉诃德又说了两遍，请他继续讲下去，可是他既不抬头，也不答话。过了好一会儿，他才抬起头说：
“我脑子里有个意念无法驱除，世界上任何人也无法为我驱除，不能让我不这样想，谁不相信这点就是个笨蛋。现在，那个下流的埃利萨瓦特医生已经同马达西马女王姘居了。”
“不，这不可能！”唐吉诃德暴跳如雷，“这是极其恶毒的中伤，或者最好说是卑鄙的行为！马达西马女王是位非常尊贵的夫人，这样高贵的夫人同一个破大夫姘居，这根本不可想象。谁这么想，就是十足的大坏蛋在撒谎，无论他是步行还是骑马，无论他有没有武器，无论白昼还是夜晚，随他的便，我都会叫他明白过来。”
卡德尼奥十分认真地看着唐吉诃德。现在他又犯病了，不能把故事讲下去了。唐吉诃德对有关马达西马的议论极为不满，也听不下去了。简直不可思议，他竟为马达西马大动肝火，仿佛她是唐吉诃德的正式合法夫人！这全是那些异教邪书造成的。且说卡德尼奥已经精神失常，听见说他撒谎、是坏蛋以及其他诸如此类的咒骂，觉得玩笑开得过分了。他捡起身边的一块石头，打到唐吉诃德的胸上，把他打得仰面摔倒。桑乔看到主人这副样子，便攥紧拳头向卡德尼奥打去。褴褛汉一拳把桑乔打倒，然后骑在他身上，朝着他的肋部狠打了一通。牧羊人想去解救桑乔，也被打倒了。等把所有人都打得筋疲力尽，浑身是伤，褴褛汉才不慌不忙地躲进山里。
桑乔站起来，看到自己平白无故地被打成这样，就去找牧羊人算帐，怨牧羊人不事先通知那人会发疯。如果知道他犯病了，就可以有所防备。牧羊人说他已经说过，假如桑乔没听见，那不是他的错。桑乔反驳，牧羊人再反驳，最后反驳成了互相揪胡子，拳脚相加。要不是唐吉诃德劝他们息怒，两人非得打得皮开肉绽不可。
桑乔抓着牧羊人对唐吉诃德说：
“您别管我，猥獕骑士大人，在这儿他和我一样，都是乡巴佬，没有被封为骑士。我完全可以堂堂正正地同他徒手对打，以解我心头之恨。”
“话虽然可以这么说，”唐吉诃德说，“但是刚才的事，他一点儿责任也没有。”
两人这才平静下来。唐吉诃德又问牧羊人是否还能找到卡德尼奥，因为他急于知道故事的结局。牧羊人仍像他原来说的那样，说不知道卡德尼奥确切的栖身处。不过，只要努力在周围找，不管他犯病没犯病，都能找到他。
收听单词发音 |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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requite
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| v.报酬，报答 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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solitudes
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| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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goodwill
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| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
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pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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appeasing
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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gorging
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的现在分词 )；作呕 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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dallied
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| v.随随便便地对待( dally的过去式和过去分词 )；不很认真地考虑；浪费时间；调情 | |
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languishing
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| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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bestowal
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| 赠与，给与； 贮存 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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entreating
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的现在分词 ) | |
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defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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vassal
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| n.附庸的；属下；adj.奴仆的 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dissuade
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| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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62
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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effacing
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| 谦逊的 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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extolled
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| v.赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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taper
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| n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小 | |
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inflame
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| v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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84
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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sprightliness
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| n.愉快，快活 | |
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86
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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rectify
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| v.订正，矫正，改正 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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arrant
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| adj.极端的；最大的 | |
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knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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quack
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| n.庸医；江湖医生；冒充内行的人；骗子 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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relishing
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| v.欣赏( relish的现在分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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100
altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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101
dubbed
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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102
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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103
pacified
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| 使（某人）安静( pacify的过去式和过去分词 )； 息怒； 抚慰； 在（有战争的地区、国家等）实现和平 | |
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104
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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