Don Quixote pursued his journey in the high spirits, satisfaction, and self-complacency already described, fancying himself the most valorous knight1-errant of the age in the world because of his late victory. All the adventures that could befall him from that time forth2 he regarded as already done and brought to a happy issue; he made light of enchantments4 and enchanters; he thought no more of the countless5 drubbings that had been administered to him in the course of his knight-errantry, nor of the volley of stones that had levelled half his teeth, nor of the ingratitude6 of the galley7 slaves, nor of the audacity8 of the Yanguesans and the shower of stakes that fell upon him; in short, he said to himself that could he discover any means, mode, or way of disenchanting his lady Dulcinea, he would not envy the highest fortune that the most fortunate knight-errant of yore ever reached or could reach.
He was going along entirely9 absorbed in these fancies, when Sancho said to him, “Isn’t it odd, senor, that I have still before my eyes that monstrous10 enormous nose of my gossip, Tom Cecial?”
“And dost thou, then, believe, Sancho,” said Don Quixote, “that the Knight of the Mirrors was the bachelor Carrasco, and his squire11 Tom Cecial thy gossip?”
“I don’t know what to say to that,” replied Sancho; “all I know is that the tokens he gave me about my own house, wife and children, nobody else but himself could have given me; and the face, once the nose was off, was the very face of Tom Cecial, as I have seen it many a time in my town and next door to my own house; and the sound of the voice was just the same.”
“Let us reason the matter, Sancho,” said Don Quixote. “Come now, by what process of thinking can it be supposed that the bachelor Samson Carrasco would come as a knight-errant, in arms offensive and defensive12, to fight with me? Have I ever been by any chance his enemy? Have I ever given him any occasion to owe me a grudge13? Am I his rival, or does he profess14 arms, that he should envy the fame I have acquired in them?”
“Well, but what are we to say, senor,” returned Sancho, “about that knight, whoever he is, being so like the bachelor Carrasco, and his squire so like my gossip, Tom Cecial? And if that be enchantment3, as your worship says, was there no other pair in the world for them to take the likeness15 of?”
“It is all,” said Don Quixote, “a scheme and plot of the malignant16 magicians that persecute17 me, who, foreseeing that I was to be victorious18 in the conflict, arranged that the vanquished19 knight should display the countenance20 of my friend the bachelor, in order that the friendship I bear him should interpose to stay the edge of my sword and might of my arm, and temper the just wrath21 of my heart; so that he who sought to take my life by fraud and falsehood should save his own. And to prove it, thou knowest already, Sancho, by experience which cannot lie or deceive, how easy it is for enchanters to change one countenance into another, turning fair into foul22, and foul into fair; for it is not two days since thou sawest with thine own eyes the beauty and elegance23 of the peerless Dulcinea in all its perfection and natural harmony, while I saw her in the repulsive24 and mean form of a coarse country wench, with cataracts25 in her eyes and a foul smell in her mouth; and when the perverse26 enchanter ventured to effect so wicked a transformation27, it is no wonder if he effected that of Samson Carrasco and thy gossip in order to snatch the glory of victory out of my grasp. For all that, however, I console myself, because, after all, in whatever shape he may have been, I have victorious over my enemy.”
“God knows what’s the truth of it all,” said Sancho; and knowing as he did that the transformation of Dulcinea had been a device and imposition of his own, his master’s illusions were not satisfactory to him; but he did not like to reply lest he should say something that might disclose his trickery.
As they were engaged in this conversation they were overtaken by a man who was following the same road behind them, mounted on a very handsome flea-bitten mare29, and dressed in a gaban of fine green cloth, with tawny30 velvet31 facings, and a montera of the same velvet. The trappings of the mare were of the field and jineta fashion, and of mulberry colour and green. He carried a Moorish32 cutlass hanging from a broad green and gold baldric; the buskins were of the same make as the baldric; the spurs were not gilt33, but lacquered green, and so brightly polished that, matching as they did the rest of his apparel, they looked better than if they had been of pure gold.
When the traveller came up with them he saluted34 them courteously36, and spurring his mare was passing them without stopping, but Don Quixote called out to him, “Gallant sir, if so be your worship is going our road, and has no occasion for speed, it would be a pleasure to me if we were to join company.”
“In truth,” replied he on the mare, “I would not pass you so hastily but for fear that horse might turn restive37 in the company of my mare.”
“You may safely hold in your mare, senor,” said Sancho in reply to this, “for our horse is the most virtuous38 and well-behaved horse in the world; he never does anything wrong on such occasions, and the only time he misbehaved, my master and I suffered for it sevenfold; I say again your worship may pull up if you like; for if she was offered to him between two plates the horse would not hanker after her.”
The traveller drew rein39, amazed at the trim and features of Don Quixote, who rode without his helmet, which Sancho carried like a valise in front of Dapple’s pack-saddle; and if the man in green examined Don Quixote closely, still more closely did Don Quixote examine the man in green, who struck him as being a man of intelligence. In appearance he was about fifty years of age, with but few grey hairs, an aquiline40 cast of features, and an expression between grave and gay; and his dress and accoutrements showed him to be a man of good condition. What he in green thought of Don Quixote of La Mancha was that a man of that sort and shape he had never yet seen; he marvelled41 at the length of his hair, his lofty stature42, the lankness43 and sallowness of his countenance, his armour44, his bearing and his gravity — a figure and picture such as had not been seen in those regions for many a long day.
Don Quixote saw very plainly the attention with which the traveller was regarding him, and read his curiosity in his astonishment45; and courteous35 as he was and ready to please everybody, before the other could ask him any question he anticipated him by saying, “The appearance I present to your worship being so strange and so out of the common, I should not be surprised if it filled you with wonder; but you will cease to wonder when I tell you, as I do, that I am one of those knights46 who, as people say, go seeking adventures. I have left my home, I have mortgaged my estate, I have given up my comforts, and committed myself to the arms of Fortune, to bear me whithersoever she may please. My desire was to bring to life again knight-errantry, now dead, and for some time past, stumbling here, falling there, now coming down headlong, now raising myself up again, I have carried out a great portion of my design, succouring widows, protecting maidens47, and giving aid to wives, orphans49, and minors50, the proper and natural duty of knights-errant; and, therefore, because of my many valiant51 and Christian52 achievements, I have been already found worthy53 to make my way in print to well-nigh all, or most, of the nations of the earth. Thirty thousand volumes of my history have been printed, and it is on the high-road to be printed thirty thousand thousands of times, if heaven does not put a stop to it. In short, to sum up all in a few words, or in a single one, I may tell you I am Don Quixote of La Mancha, otherwise called ‘The Knight of the Rueful Countenance;’ for though self-praise is degrading, I must perforce sound my own sometimes, that is to say, when there is no one at hand to do it for me. So that, gentle sir, neither this horse, nor this lance, nor this shield, nor this squire, nor all these arms put together, nor the sallowness of my countenance, nor my gaunt leanness, will henceforth astonish you, now that you know who I am and what profession I follow.”
With these words Don Quixote held his peace, and, from the time he took to answer, the man in green seemed to be at a loss for a reply; after a long pause, however, he said to him, “You were right when you saw curiosity in my amazement54, sir knight; but you have not succeeded in removing the astonishment I feel at seeing you; for although you say, senor, that knowing who you are ought to remove it, it has not done so; on the contrary, now that I know, I am left more amazed and astonished than before. What! is it possible that there are knights-errant in the world in these days, and histories of real chivalry55 printed? I cannot realise the fact that there can be anyone on earth now-a-days who aids widows, or protects maidens, or defends wives, or succours orphans; nor should I believe it had I not seen it in your worship with my own eyes. Blessed be heaven! for by means of this history of your noble and genuine chivalrous56 deeds, which you say has been printed, the countless stories of fictitious57 knights-errant with which the world is filled, so much to the injury of morality and the prejudice and discredit58 of good histories, will have been driven into oblivion.”
“There is a good deal to be said on that point,” said Don Quixote, “as to whether the histories of the knights-errant are fiction or not.”
“Why, is there anyone who doubts that those histories are false?” said the man in green.
“I doubt it,” said Don Quixote, “but never mind that just now; if our journey lasts long enough, I trust in God I shall show your worship that you do wrong in going with the stream of those who regard it as a matter of certainty that they are not true.”
From this last observation of Don Quixote’s , the traveller began to have a suspicion that he was some crazy being, and was waiting him to confirm it by something further; but before they could turn to any new subject Don Quixote begged him to tell him who he was, since he himself had rendered account of his station and life. To this, he in the green gaban replied “I, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, am a gentleman by birth, native of the village where, please God, we are going to dine today; I am more than fairly well off, and my name is Don Diego de Miranda. I pass my life with my wife, children, and friends; my pursuits are hunting and fishing, but I keep neither hawks59 nor greyhounds, nothing but a tame partridge or a bold ferret or two; I have six dozen or so of books, some in our mother tongue, some Latin, some of them history, others devotional; those of chivalry have not as yet crossed the threshold of my door; I am more given to turning over the profane60 than the devotional, so long as they are books of honest entertainment that charm by their style and attract and interest by the invention they display, though of these there are very few in Spain. Sometimes I dine with my neighbours and friends, and often invite them; my entertainments are neat and well served without stint61 of anything. I have no taste for tattle, nor do I allow tattling in my presence; I pry62 not into my neighbours’ lives, nor have I lynx-eyes for what others do. I hear mass every day; I share my substance with the poor, making no display of good works, lest I let hypocrisy63 and vainglory, those enemies that subtly take possession of the most watchful64 heart, find an entrance into mine. I strive to make peace between those whom I know to be at variance65; I am the devoted66 servant of Our Lady, and my trust is ever in the infinite mercy of God our Lord.”
Sancho listened with the greatest attention to the account of the gentleman’s life and occupation; and thinking it a good and a holy life, and that he who led it ought to work miracles, he threw himself off Dapple, and running in haste seized his right stirrup and kissed his foot again and again with a devout67 heart and almost with tears.
Seeing this the gentleman asked him, “What are you about, brother? What are these kisses for?”
“Let me kiss,” said Sancho, “for I think your worship is the first saint in the saddle I ever saw all the days of my life.”
“I am no saint,” replied the gentleman, “but a great sinner; but you are, brother, for you must be a good fellow, as your simplicity68 shows.”
Sancho went back and regained69 his pack-saddle, having extracted a laugh from his master’s profound melancholy70, and excited fresh amazement in Don Diego. Don Quixote then asked him how many children he had, and observed that one of the things wherein the ancient philosophers, who were without the true knowledge of God, placed the summum bonum was in the gifts of nature, in those of fortune, in having many friends, and many and good children.
“I, Senor Don Quixote,” answered the gentleman, “have one son, without whom, perhaps, I should count myself happier than I am, not because he is a bad son, but because he is not so good as I could wish. He is eighteen years of age; he has been for six at Salamanca studying Latin and Greek, and when I wished him to turn to the study of other sciences I found him so wrapped up in that of poetry (if that can be called a science) that there is no getting him to take kindly71 to the law, which I wished him to study, or to theology, the queen of them all. I would like him to be an honour to his family, as we live in days when our kings liberally reward learning that is virtuous and worthy; for learning without virtue72 is a pearl on a dunghill. He spends the whole day in settling whether Homer expressed himself correctly or not in such and such a line of the Iliad, whether Martial73 was indecent or not in such and such an epigram, whether such and such lines of Virgil are to be understood in this way or in that; in short, all his talk is of the works of these poets, and those of Horace, Perseus, Juvenal, and Tibullus; for of the moderns in our own language he makes no great account; but with all his seeming indifference74 to Spanish poetry, just now his thoughts are absorbed in making a gloss75 on four lines that have been sent him from Salamanca, which I suspect are for some poetical76 tournament.”
To all this Don Quixote said in reply, “Children, senor, are portions of their parents’ bowels77, and therefore, be they good or bad, are to be loved as we love the souls that give us life; it is for the parents to guide them from infancy78 in the ways of virtue, propriety79, and worthy Christian conduct, so that when grown up they may be the staff of their parents’ old age, and the glory of their posterity80; and to force them to study this or that science I do not think wise, though it may be no harm to persuade them; and when there is no need to study for the sake of pane81 lucrando, and it is the student’s good fortune that heaven has given him parents who provide him with it, it would be my advice to them to let him pursue whatever science they may see him most inclined to; and though that of poetry is less useful than pleasurable, it is not one of those that bring discredit upon the possessor. Poetry, gentle sir, is, as I take it, like a tender young maiden48 of supreme82 beauty, to array, bedeck, and adorn83 whom is the task of several other maidens, who are all the rest of the sciences; and she must avail herself of the help of all, and all derive84 their lustre85 from her. But this maiden will not bear to be handled, nor dragged through the streets, nor exposed either at the corners of the market-places, or in the closets of palaces. She is the product of an Alchemy of such virtue that he who is able to practise it, will turn her into pure gold of inestimable worth. He that possesses her must keep her within bounds, not permitting her to break out in ribald satires86 or soulless sonnets87. She must on no account be offered for sale, unless, indeed, it be in heroic poems, moving tragedies, or sprightly88 and ingenious comedies. She must not be touched by the buffoons89, nor by the ignorant vulgar, incapable90 of comprehending or appreciating her hidden treasures. And do not suppose, senor, that I apply the term vulgar here merely to plebeians92 and the lower orders; for everyone who is ignorant, be he lord or prince, may and should be included among the vulgar. He, then, who shall embrace and cultivate poetry under the conditions I have named, shall become famous, and his name honoured throughout all the civilised nations of the earth. And with regard to what you say, senor, of your son having no great opinion of Spanish poetry, I am inclined to think that he is not quite right there, and for this reason: the great poet Homer did not write in Latin, because he was a Greek, nor did Virgil write in Greek, because he was a Latin; in short, all the ancient poets wrote in the language they imbibed93 with their mother’s milk, and never went in quest of foreign ones to express their sublime94 conceptions; and that being so, the usage should in justice extend to all nations, and the German poet should not be undervalued because he writes in his own language, nor the Castilian, nor even the Biscayan, for writing in his. But your son, senor, I suspect, is not prejudiced against Spanish poetry, but against those poets who are mere91 Spanish verse writers, without any knowledge of other languages or sciences to adorn and give life and vigour95 to their natural inspiration; and yet even in this he may be wrong; for, according to a true belief, a poet is born one; that is to say, the poet by nature comes forth a poet from his mother’s womb; and following the bent96 that heaven has bestowed97 upon him, without the aid of study or art, he produces things that show how truly he spoke98 who said, ‘Est Deus in nobis,’ etc. At the same time, I say that the poet by nature who calls in art to his aid will be a far better poet, and will surpass him who tries to be one relying upon his knowledge of art alone. The reason is, that art does not surpass nature, but only brings it to perfection; and thus, nature combined with art, and art with nature, will produce a perfect poet. To bring my argument to a close, I would say then, gentle sir, let your son go on as his star leads him, for being so studious as he seems to be, and having already successfully surmounted99 the first step of the sciences, which is that of the languages, with their help he will by his own exertions100 reach the summit of polite literature, which so well becomes an independent gentleman, and adorns101, honours, and distinguishes him, as much as the mitre does the bishop102, or the gown the learned counsellor. If your son write satires reflecting on the honour of others, chide103 and correct him, and tear them up; but if he compose discourses105 in which he rebukes106 vice28 in general, in the style of Horace, and with elegance like his, commend him; for it is legitimate107 for a poet to write against envy and lash108 the envious109 in his verse, and the other vices110 too, provided he does not single out individuals; there are, however, poets who, for the sake of saying something spiteful, would run the risk of being banished111 to the coast of Pontus. If the poet be pure in his morals, he will be pure in his verses too; the pen is the tongue of the mind, and as the thought engendered112 there, so will be the things that it writes down. And when kings and princes observe this marvellous science of poetry in wise, virtuous, and thoughtful subjects, they honour, value, exalt113 them, and even crown them with the leaves of that tree which the thunderbolt strikes not, as if to show that they whose brows are honoured and adorned114 with such a crown are not to be assailed115 by anyone.”
He of the green gaban was filled with astonishment at Don Quixote’s argument, so much so that he began to abandon the notion he had taken up about his being crazy. But in the middle of the discourse104, it being not very much to his taste, Sancho had turned aside out of the road to beg a little milk from some shepherds, who were milking their ewes hard by; and just as the gentleman, highly pleased, was about to renew the conversation, Don Quixote, raising his head, perceived a cart covered with royal flags coming along the road they were travelling; and persuaded that this must be some new adventure, he called aloud to Sancho to come and bring him his helmet. Sancho, hearing himself called, quitted the shepherds, and, prodding116 Dapple vigorously, came up to his master, to whom there fell a terrific and desperate adventure.
唐吉诃德得意洋洋、高傲自负地继续赶路。他打了胜仗，就把自己看成是世界上最英勇的骑士了。他觉得以后无论再遇到什么危险，他都可以征服，那些魔法和魔法师都不在话下了。他忘记了自己在骑士生涯中遭受的无数棍棒，也忘记了石头曾打掉了他半口牙齿，划船苦役犯曾对他忘恩负义，杨瓜斯人曾对他棒如雨下。现在他暗自想，只要能找到解除附在他的杜尔西内亚夫人身上的魔法，他对过去几个世纪中最幸运的游侠骑士已经取得或者能够取得的最大成就都不再羡慕了。他正想着，只听桑乔对他说道：
“大人，我眼前现在还晃动着我那位托梅·塞西亚尔老弟的大鼻子，您说这是不是怪事？”
“桑乔，难道你真的以为镜子骑士就是卡拉斯科学士，他的侍从就是你那位托梅·塞西亚尔老弟？”
“我也说不清。”桑乔回答，“我只知道他说的那些有关我家、我老婆和我孩子的事，除了托梅·塞西亚尔，别人都不会知道；去掉那个鼻子之后，他那张脸就是托梅·塞西亚尔的脸，我在家里经常看到那张脸；而且，他说话的声调也一样。”
“咱们想想，桑乔。”唐吉诃德说，“你听我说，参孙·卡拉斯科学士是怎么想的，他为什么要扮成游侠骑士的模样，全副武装地同我决斗呢？我难道是他的仇敌吗？难道我做过什么对不起他的事，值得他这么恨我？难道我是他的竞争对手，或者他同我一样从武，我武艺高强，他就嫉妒我的名声？”
“不管他究竟是不是卡拉斯科学士，大人，”桑乔说，“那骑士毕竟很像他，他那位侍从也很像我那位托梅·塞西亚尔老弟，对此我们该怎么说呢？如果像您说的那样，这是一种魔法，为什么偏偏像他们俩，难道世界上就没有其他人可变了吗？”
“这全是迫害我的那些恶毒的魔法师设的诡计，”唐吉诃德说，“他们预知我会在战斗中取胜，就先让那个战败的骑士扮成我的学士朋友的模样，这样，我同学士的友谊就会阻止我锋利的剑和严厉的臂膀，减弱我心中的正义怒火，就会给那个企图谋害我的家伙留一条生路。这样的例子你也知道，桑乔，对于魔法师来说，把一些人的脸变成另外一些人的脸是多么轻而易举的事情。他们可以把漂亮的脸庞变成丑恶的脸庞，把丑恶的脸庞变成漂亮的脸庞。两天前，你不是亲眼看到，美丽娴雅的杜尔西内亚在我眼里面目全非，变成了丑恶粗野的农妇，两眼呆滞，满嘴臭味嘛！而且，既然魔法师胆敢恶毒地把人变成那个样子，他们把我的对手变成参孙·卡拉斯科和你的老弟的样子也就不足为怪了，他们想以此从我手里夺走我取胜的荣誉。尽管如此，让我感到宽慰的是，无论他们把我的对手变成什么样子，最终我都取胜了。”
“事实到底怎么样，只有上帝清楚。”桑乔说。
桑乔知道所谓杜尔西内亚变了模样的事完全是他捣的鬼，所以他对主人的诡辩很不以为然。不过，他也不愿意争论，以免哪句话说漏了嘴。
唐吉诃德和桑乔正说着话，后面一个与他们同走一条路的人已经赶上了他们。那人骑着一匹非常漂亮的黑白花母马，穿着一件绿色细呢大衣，上面镶着棕黄色的丝绒条饰，头戴一顶棕黄色的丝绒帽子。母马的马具是棕黄色和绿色的短镫装备。金绿色的宽背带上挂着一把摩尔刀，高统皮靴的颜色也同宽背带一样。唯有马刺并非金色，只涂了一层绿漆，光泽耀眼，与整身衣服的颜色映在一起，倒显得如纯金色一般。那人赶上唐吉诃德和桑乔时客客气气地向他们问好，然后一夹马肚子，超过了他们。唐吉诃德对那人说道：
“尊敬的大人，既然咱们同路，就不必匆忙，您大概也愿意与我们同行吧。”
“说实话，”骑母马的那个人说道，“若不是怕有我的母马同行，您的马会不老实，我也就不会急忙超过去了。”
“您完全可以勒住您的母马，”桑乔说，“我们的马是世界上最老实、最有规矩的马，它从不做那种坏事。只有一次它不太听话，我和我的主人加倍惩罚了它。我再说一遍，您完全可以勒住您的母马，而且如果它愿意讲排场走在中间的话，我们的马连看都不会看它一眼。”
那人勒住母马，看到了唐吉诃德的装束和脸庞深感惊诧。唐吉诃德当时并没有戴头盔，头盔让桑乔像挂手提箱似的挂在驴驮鞍的前鞍架上。绿衣人打量着唐吉诃德，唐吉诃德更是仔细地打量着绿衣人，觉得他不是个普通人。那人年龄看上去有五十岁，头上缕缕白发，瘦长脸，目光既欢欣又严肃。总之，从装束和举止看，这是个非凡的人。绿衣人觉得像唐吉诃德这样举止和打扮的人似乎从没见过。令绿衣人惊奇的是，脖子那么长，身体那么高，脸庞又瘦又黄，还全副武装，再加上他的举止神态，像这种样子的人已经多年不见了。唐吉诃德非常清楚地察觉到过路人正在打量自己，而且也从他那怔怔的神态中猜到了他在想什么。不过，唐吉诃德对所有人都是彬彬有礼、与人为善的，因而不等人家问，他就对那人说道：
“您看我这身装束既新鲜又与众不同，所以感到惊奇，这并不奇怪。不过，如果我现在告诉您，我是什么人，您就不会感到惊奇了，我是——
众人议论
探险寻奇
的骑士。我离开了我的故乡，抵押了我的家产，放弃了享乐，投身于命运的怀抱，听凭命运的摆布。我想重振已经消亡的骑士道。虽然许多天以来，我东磕西碰，在这儿摔倒，又在那儿爬起来，我仍然帮助和保护寡妇和少女，照顾已婚女子和孤儿，尽到了游侠骑士的职责，实现了我的大部分心愿。我的诸多既勇敢又机智的行为被印刷成书，在世界上的几乎所有国家发行。有关我的事迹的那本书已经印刷了三万册，如果老天不制止的话，很可能要印三千万册。总之，如果简单地说，或者干脆一句话，我就是曼查的唐吉诃德，别号‘猥獕骑士’，虽然自卖自夸显得有些大言不惭，但如果别人不说，我就只好自己说了，我的情况确实如此。所以，英俊的大人，只要您知道了我是谁，知道了我所从事的职业，无论是这匹马、这支长矛，还是这个盾牌、这个侍从，无论是这副盔甲还是这蜡黄的脸庞、细长的身材，从此以后都不会让您感到惊奇了。”
唐吉诃德说完便不再吱声了，而绿衣人也迟迟没有说话，看样子他还没有想好自己到底该不该说。过了好一会儿，他才对唐吉诃德说道：
“骑士大人，您刚才肯定是从我发愣的样子猜到了我在想什么，不过，您并没有解除我看见您时产生的惊奇。照您说，只要知道了您是谁，我这种惊奇就可以消除，可情况并非如此。相反，我现在更胡涂、更惊奇了，当今的世界上怎么还会有游侠骑士，而且还会出版货真价实的骑士小说呢？我简直不能让自己相信，现在还会有人去照顾寡妇，保护少女；您说什么保护已婚女子的名誉，帮助孤儿，如果不是亲眼看见您做这些事，我是不会相信的。老天保佑！您说有关您的高贵的、真正的骑士生涯的书已经出版了，但愿这本书能使人们忘却那些数不胜数的有关游侠骑士的伪作。这种书已经充斥于世，败坏了社会风气，影响了优秀小说的名声。”
“那些有关游侠骑士的小说是否都是伪作，”唐吉诃德说，“还值得商榷。”
“难道还有人怀疑那些小说不是伪作吗？”绿衣人说道。
“我就怀疑。”唐吉诃德说，“不过这事先说到这儿吧。如果咱们还能同路，我希望上帝能够让您明白，您盲目追随那些认为这些书是伪作的人是不对的。”
唐吉诃德这最后一句话让那位旅客意识到唐吉诃德的头脑大概有问题，想再找机会证实一下。不过，在他找到机会之前，唐吉诃德就已经要求旅客讲讲自己是干什么的，介绍一下自己的秉性和生活了。绿衣人说道：
“猥獕骑士大人，我是前面一个地方的绅士。如果上帝保佑咱们，咱们今天就得在那个地方吃饭。我是中等偏上的富人，我的名字叫迭戈·德米兰达。我同我的夫人和孩子以及我的朋友们一起生活。我做的事情就是打猎钓鱼。不过我既没养鹰，也没养猎兔狗，只养了一只温顺的石鸡和一只凶猛的白鼬。我家里有七十多本书，有的是西班牙文的，有的是拉丁文的，有些是小说，有些是宗教方面的书，而骑士小说根本没进过我家的门。我看一般的书籍要比看宗教的书籍多，只是作为正常的消遣。这些书笔意超逸，情节曲折，不过这种书在西班牙并不多。有时候我到我的邻居和朋友家吃饭，但更多的时候是我请他们。我请他们时饭菜既干净又卫生，而且量从来都不少。我不喜欢嘀嘀咕咕，不允许别人在我面前议论其他人，也不打听别人的事情，对别人的事情从不关心。我每天都去望弥撒，用我的财产周济穷人，却从不夸耀我做的善事，以免产生虚伪和自负之心。这种东西很容易不知不觉地占据某颗本来是最谦逊的心。遇有不和，我总是从中调解。我虔诚地相信我们的圣母，相信我们无限仁慈的上帝。”
桑乔一直仔细地听着这位绅士讲述自己的生活和日常习惯，觉得他一定是个善良的圣人，能够创造出奇迹。于是，他赶紧从驴背上跳下来，迅速跑过去，抓住绅士的右脚镫，十分虔诚又几乎眼含热泪地一再吻他的右脚。绅士见状问道：
“你在干什么，兄弟？你这是什么意思？”
“让我吻吧，”桑乔说，“我觉得您是我平生遇到的第一位骑在马上的圣人。”
“我不是圣人，”绅士说道，“是个大罪人。兄弟，看你这纯朴的样子，一定是个好人。”
桑乔又骑到了他的驴背上。桑乔的举动引得本来忧心忡忡的唐吉诃德发出了笑声，这笑声又让迭戈感到惊奇。唐吉诃德问迭戈有几个孩子，又说古代哲学家由于并不真正了解上帝，认为人的最高利益就是有善良的天性，有亨通的福运，有很多的朋友，有很多很好的孩子。
“唐吉诃德大人，”绅士说，“我有一个孩子。假如我没有这个孩子，我倒觉得我更幸运些。并不是他坏，而是他不像我希望得那么好。他大概有十八岁了，其中六年是在萨拉曼卡学习拉丁语和希腊语。我本来想让他改学其他学科，却发现他已经被诗弄昏了脑袋。难道诗也可以称作学问吗？想让他学习法律已经是不可能的事了，其实我更愿意让他学习神学，那才是万般学问之上品呢。我希望他能为我们家族争光。在这个世纪里，我们的国王一直大力勉励德才兼备的人，因为有才而无德就好比珍珠放在了垃圾堆上。他每天都在探讨荷马的诗《伊利亚特》写得好不好，马西亚尔的箴言警句是否写得不正派，维吉尔的哪首诗应该这样理解还是那样理解，反正他的所有话题都是以上几个诗人以及贺拉斯、佩修斯、尤维那尔和蒂武洛的诗集。至于西班牙现代作家的作品，他倒不在意。尽管他对西班牙诗歌很反感，却不自量力地想根据萨拉曼卡赛诗会给他寄来的四行诗写一首敷衍诗①。”
①一种将一首短诗中的每一句发展成为一节，并将该句用于节末的诗体。
唐吉诃德回答说：
“大人，孩子是父母身上的肉，不管孩子是好是坏，做父母的都应该像爱护灵魂一样爱护他们。做父母的有责任引导孩子从小就走正路，有礼貌，养成良好的生活习惯，等长大以后，他们才能成为父母的拐杖，后辈的榜样。强迫他们学这门或那门学问，我觉得并不合适，虽然劝劝他们学什么也没什么坏处。如果这个孩子很幸运，老天赐给他好父母，他不是为了求生，而仅仅是上学，我倒觉得可以随他选择他最喜欢的学科。虽然诗用处并不大，主要是娱乐性的，但也不是什么有伤大雅的事。绅士大人，我觉得诗就像一位温柔而年轻的少女，美丽非凡，其他侍女都要服侍她，装点修饰她。这些侍女就是其他所有学科。这位少女应该受到所有侍女的侍奉，而其他侍女都应该服从她。不过，这位少女不愿意被拉到大街上去让大家随意抚摸，也不愿意在广场的一角或者宫殿的一隅被展示于众。她的品德如此纯正，如果使用得当，她就会变成一块无价的纯金。拥有她的人，对她也必须有所限制，绝不能让蹩脚的讽刺诗或颓废的十四行诗流行。除了英雄史诗、可歌可泣的悲剧和刻意编写的喜剧之外，绝不能编写待价而沽的作品。不能让无赖和凡夫俗子做什么诗，这种人不可能理解诗的宝贵价值。
“大人，您不要以为我这里说的凡夫俗子只是指那些平庸之辈。凡是不懂得诗的人，不管他是什么达官显贵，都可以纳入凡夫俗子之列。反之，凡是能够按照我刚才说的那些条件对待诗的人，他的名字就将在世界所有的文明国家里得到传颂和赞扬。大人，您说您的儿子不太喜欢西班牙文的诗，我认为他或许在这个问题上错了，理由就是，伟大的荷马不用拉丁文写作，那是因为他是希腊人；维吉尔不用拉丁文写作，那是因为他是罗马人。总之，所有古代诗人都是用他们自幼学会的语言写诗，并没有用其他国家的语言来表达自己高贵的思想。既然情况是这样，所有国家也都理应如此。德国诗人不应该由于使用自己的语言写作而受到轻视；西班牙人，甚至比斯开人，也不应该由于使用自己的语言写作而受到鄙夷。我猜想，大人，您的儿子大概不是对西班牙文诗歌不感兴趣，而是厌恶那些只是单纯使用西班牙文的诗人。那些人不懂得其他语言以及其他有助于补充和启发其灵感的学科。不过，在这点上他也许又错了。实际上，诗人是天生的，也就是说，诗人从娘胎里出来的时候就是诗人，有了这个天赋，他不用学习或培育，就可以写出诗来，表明‘上帝在我心中’，成为真正的诗人。我还认为，天赋的诗人借助艺术修养会表现得更为出色，会大大超过那些为艺术而艺术的诗人。其原因就在于艺术修养不可能超越天赋，而只能补充天赋，只有将天赋和艺术修养、艺术修养和天赋结合在一起的时候，才能培育出极其完美的诗人来。
“我这番话的最终意思，绅士大人，就是让您的儿子听从命运的安排，走自己的路。既然您的儿子是一位如此优秀的学生，想必他已经顺利地登上了做学问的第一个台阶，那就是语言，通过它就可以登上文学的高峰，这就好比一位威风凛凛的骑士一样令人羡慕，人们对他将会像对待主教的冠冕、法官的长袍一样赞美、崇敬和颂扬。如果您的儿子写了损害别人荣誉的讽刺诗，您就得同他斗争，惩罚他，把他的诗撕掉；不过，如果他能像贺拉斯一样进行说教，抨击时弊，您就应该赞扬他，他这样做才称得上高尚。诗人写抨击嫉妒的作品，在他的作品中揭露嫉妒的害处，只要他不确指某人，完全是理所当然的事情。当然，有的诗人宁愿冒着被放逐到庞托岛①的危险，也要批评某种不良现象。诗人的品行如果纯洁，他的诗也会是纯洁的。笔言心声，内心是什么思想，笔端就会流露出来。当国王或王子从这些严谨、有道德、严肃的诗人身上看到了诗的神妙之处时，就会非常尊重他们，给他们荣誉，使他们富有，甚至还会给他们加上桂冠，使他们免遭雷击②。头顶这种月桂树叶，太阳穴上贴着这种树叶，这样的人不该受到任何人的侵犯。”
①古罗马诗人奥维德晚年曾被放逐到庞托岛。
②当时传说，头顶冠以月桂树叶的人不会遭到雷击。
绿衣人听了唐吉诃德的慷慨陈词不胜惊诧，不再认为他头脑有毛病了。刚才两人的谈话进行到一半的时候，桑乔就已经不愿意听下去了。他离开大路，向附近几个正在挤羊奶的牧人要了点羊奶。绿衣人对唐吉诃德头脑机敏、能言善辩深感满意，于是想继续谈下去。可是唐吉诃德此时一抬头，发现路上来了一辆车，车上插满了旌旗，以为又碰到了新的险情，就喊桑乔赶紧给他拿头盔来。桑乔听见主人喊他，急忙撇下牧人，牵上驴，来到主人身边。这次，唐吉诃德又遇到了一番可怕离奇的险情。
收听单词发音 |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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enchantments
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| n.魅力( enchantment的名词复数 )；迷人之处；施魔法；着魔 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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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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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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cataracts
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| n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障 | |
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perverse
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| adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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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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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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lankness
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| n.空白，单调，空虚 | |
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44
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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45
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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46
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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47
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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48
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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49
orphans
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| 孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
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50
minors
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| n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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52
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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53
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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54
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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55
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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56
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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57
fictitious
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| adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的 | |
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58
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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59
hawks
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| 鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物 | |
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60
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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61
stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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62
pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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63
hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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64
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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65
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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66
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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67
devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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68
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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69
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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70
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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71
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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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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73
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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74
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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75
gloss
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| n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰 | |
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poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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77
bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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78
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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79
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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80
posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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81
pane
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| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
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82
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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83
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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84
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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85
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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86
satires
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| 讽刺，讥讽( satire的名词复数 )； 讽刺作品 | |
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87
sonnets
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| n.十四行诗( sonnet的名词复数 ) | |
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88
sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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89
buffoons
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| n.愚蠢的人( buffoon的名词复数 )；傻瓜；逗乐小丑；滑稽的人 | |
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90
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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91
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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plebeians
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| n.平民( plebeian的名词复数 )；庶民；平民百姓；平庸粗俗的人 | |
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imbibed
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| v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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95
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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96
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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97
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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98
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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99
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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100
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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101
adorns
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| 装饰，佩带( adorn的第三人称单数 ) | |
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102
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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103
chide
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| v.叱责；谴责 | |
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104
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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105
discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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106
rebukes
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的第三人称单数 ) | |
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107
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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108
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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109
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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110
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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111
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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112
engendered
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| v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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113
exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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114
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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115
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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116
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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