They reached their beasts in low spirits and bad humour enough, knight1 and squire2, Sancho particularly, for with him what touched the stock of money touched his heart, and when any was taken from him he felt as if he was robbed of the apples of his eyes. In fine, without exchanging a word, they mounted and quitted the famous river, Don Quixote absorbed in thoughts of his love, Sancho in thinking of his advancement3, which just then, it seemed to him, he was very far from securing; for, fool as he was, he saw clearly enough that his master’s acts were all or most of them utterly4 senseless; and he began to cast about for an opportunity of retiring from his service and going home some day, without entering into any explanations or taking any farewell of him. Fortune, however, ordered matters after a fashion very much the opposite of what he contemplated5.
It so happened that the next day towards sunset, on coming out of a wood, Don Quixote cast his eyes over a green meadow, and at the far end of it observed some people, and as he drew nearer saw that it was a hawking7 party. Coming closer, he distinguished8 among them a lady of graceful9 mien10, on a pure white palfrey or hackney caparisoned with green trappings and a silver-mounted side-saddle. The lady was also in green, and so richly and splendidly dressed that splendour itself seemed personified in her. On her left hand she bore a hawk6, a proof to Don Quixote’s mind that she must be some great lady and the mistress of the whole hunting party, which was the fact; so he said to Sancho, “Run Sancho, my son, and say to that lady on the palfrey with the hawk that I, the Knight of the Lions, kiss the hands of her exalted11 beauty, and if her excellence12 will grant me leave I will go and kiss them in person and place myself at her service for aught that may be in my power and her highness may command; and mind, Sancho, how thou speakest, and take care not to thrust in any of thy proverbs into thy message.”
“You’ve got a likely one here to thrust any in!” said Sancho; “leave me alone for that! Why, this is not the first time in my life I have carried messages to high and exalted ladies.”
“Except that thou didst carry to the lady Dulcinea,” said Don Quixote, “I know not that thou hast carried any other, at least in my service.”
“That is true,” replied Sancho; “but pledges don’t distress13 a good payer, and in a house where there’s plenty supper is soon cooked; I mean there’s no need of telling or warning me about anything; for I’m ready for everything and know a little of everything.”
“That I believe, Sancho,” said Don Quixote; “go and good luck to thee, and God speed thee.”
Sancho went off at top speed, forcing Dapple out of his regular pace, and came to where the fair huntress was standing14, and dismounting knelt before her and said, “Fair lady, that knight that you see there, the Knight of the Lions by name, is my master, and I am a squire of his, and at home they call me Sancho Panza. This same Knight of the Lions, who was called not long since the Knight of the Rueful Countenance15, sends by me to say may it please your highness to give him leave that, with your permission, approbation16, and consent, he may come and carry out his wishes, which are, as he says and I believe, to serve your exalted loftiness and beauty; and if you give it, your ladyship will do a thing which will redound17 to your honour, and he will receive a most distinguished favour and happiness.”
“You have indeed, squire,” said the lady, “delivered your message with all the formalities such messages require; rise up, for it is not right that the squire of a knight so great as he of the Rueful Countenance, of whom we have heard a great deal here, should remain on his knees; rise, my friend, and bid your master welcome to the services of myself and the duke my husband, in a country house we have here.”
Sancho got up, charmed as much by the beauty of the good lady as by her high-bred air and her courtesy, but, above all, by what she had said about having heard of his master, the Knight of the Rueful Countenance; for if she did not call him Knight of the Lions it was no doubt because he had so lately taken the name. “Tell me, brother squire,” asked the duchess (whose title, however, is not known), “this master of yours, is he not one of whom there is a history extant in print, called ‘The Ingenious Gentleman, Don Quixote of La Mancha,’ who has for the lady of his heart a certain Dulcinea del Toboso?”
“He is the same, senora,” replied Sancho; “and that squire of his who figures, or ought to figure, in the said history under the name of Sancho Panza, is myself, unless they have changed me in the cradle, I mean in the press.”
“I am rejoiced at all this,” said the duchess; “go, brother Panza, and tell your master that he is welcome to my estate, and that nothing could happen me that could give me greater pleasure.”
Sancho returned to his master mightily18 pleased with this gratifying answer, and told him all the great lady had said to him, lauding19 to the skies, in his rustic20 phrase, her rare beauty, her graceful gaiety, and her courtesy. Don Quixote drew himself up briskly in his saddle, fixed21 himself in his stirrups, settled his visor, gave Rocinante the spur, and with an easy bearing advanced to kiss the hands of the duchess, who, having sent to summon the duke her husband, told him while Don Quixote was approaching all about the message; and as both of them had read the First Part of this history, and from it were aware of Don Quixote’s crazy turn, they awaited him with the greatest delight and anxiety to make his acquaintance, meaning to fall in with his humour and agree with everything he said, and, so long as he stayed with them, to treat him as a knight-errant, with all the ceremonies usual in the books of chivalry22 they had read, for they themselves were very fond of them.
Don Quixote now came up with his visor raised, and as he seemed about to dismount Sancho made haste to go and hold his stirrup for him; but in getting down off Dapple he was so unlucky as to hitch23 his foot in one of the ropes of the pack-saddle in such a way that he was unable to free it, and was left hanging by it with his face and breast on the ground. Don Quixote, who was not used to dismount without having the stirrup held, fancying that Sancho had by this time come to hold it for him, threw himself off with a lurch24 and brought Rocinante’s saddle after him, which was no doubt badly girthed, and saddle and he both came to the ground; not without discomfiture25 to him and abundant curses muttered between his teeth against the unlucky Sancho, who had his foot still in the shackles26. The duke ordered his huntsmen to go to the help of knight and squire, and they raised Don Quixote, sorely shaken by his fall; and he, limping, advanced as best he could to kneel before the noble pair. This, however, the duke would by no means permit; on the contrary, dismounting from his horse, he went and embraced Don Quixote, saying, “I am grieved, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, that your first experience on my ground should have been such an unfortunate one as we have seen; but the carelessness of squires27 is often the cause of worse accidents.”
“That which has happened me in meeting you, mighty28 prince,” replied Don Quixote, “cannot be unfortunate, even if my fall had not stopped short of the depths of the bottomless pit, for the glory of having seen you would have lifted me up and delivered me from it. My squire, God’s curse upon him, is better at unloosing his tongue in talking impertinence than in tightening29 the girths of a saddle to keep it steady; but however I may be, allen or raised up, on foot or on horseback, I shall always be at your service and that of my lady the duchess, your worthy30 consort31, worthy queen of beauty and paramount32 princess of courtesy.”
“Gently, Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha,” said the duke; “where my lady Dona Dulcinea del Toboso is, it is not right that other beauties should he praised.”
Sancho, by this time released from his entanglement33, was standing by, and before his master could answer he said, “There is no denying, and it must be maintained, that my lady Dulcinea del Toboso is very beautiful; but the hare jumps up where one least expects it; and I have heard say that what we call nature is like a potter that makes vessels34 of clay, and he who makes one fair vessel35 can as well make two, or three, or a hundred; I say so because, by my faith, my lady the duchess is in no way behind my mistress the lady Dulcinea del Toboso.”
Don Quixote turned to the duchess and said, “Your highness may conceive that never had knight-errant in this world a more talkative or a droller squire than I have, and he will prove the truth of what I say, if your highness is pleased to accept of my services for a few days.”
To which the duchess made answer, “that worthy Sancho is droll36 I consider a very good thing, because it is a sign that he is shrewd; for drollery37 and sprightliness38, Senor Don Quixote, as you very well know, do not take up their abode39 with dull wits; and as good Sancho is droll and sprightly40 I here set him down as shrewd.”
“And talkative,” added Don Quixote.
“So much the better,” said the duke, “for many droll things cannot be said in few words; but not to lose time in talking, come, great Knight of the Rueful Countenance — ”
“Of the Lions, your highness must say,” said Sancho, “for there is no Rueful Countenance nor any such character now.”
“He of the Lions be it,” continued the duke; “I say, let Sir Knight of the Lions come to a castle of mine close by, where he shall be given that reception which is due to so exalted a personage, and which the duchess and I are wont41 to give to all knights-errant who come there.”
By this time Sancho had fixed and girthed Rocinante’s saddle, and Don Quixote having got on his back and the duke mounted a fine horse, they placed the duchess in the middle and set out for the castle. The duchess desired Sancho to come to her side, for she found infinite enjoyment42 in listening to his shrewd remarks. Sancho required no pressing, but pushed himself in between them and the duke, who thought it rare good fortune to receive such a knight-errant and such a homely43 squire in their castle.
骑士和侍从垂头丧气地回到了自己的牲口旁边。特别是桑乔，用掉那些钱简直让他心疼死了，从他那儿拿钱就像挖了他眼珠似的。两人最后默默无言地骑上了牲口，离开了那条有名的大河。唐吉诃德仍沉浸在他的情思里，桑乔却在盘算，要想发财，看来前途已经很渺茫了。他虽然不聪明，却完全可以看清楚，主人的所有行动或大部分行动都是疯疯癫癫的。他想寻找机会，某一天神不知鬼不觉地回自己老家去。
可是，命运偏偏让他越不愿意怎样就越得怎样。
第二天，太阳刚下山，他们就走出了树林。唐吉诃德向绿草地极目望去，只见草地尽头正有一群人向他们走来。唐吉诃德看清了，那是一群放鹰打猎的猎人。待他们走得更近时，又发现其中有一位体态优美的夫人，骑着一匹浑身雪白的小马，绿色的宝石镶嵌座儿，还有个白银的靠背马鞍。那位夫人也穿了一身绿衣服，显得雍容华贵而又英姿飒爽。她的左手托着一只苍鹰，唐吉诃德一见那苍鹰，就猜到她一定是位贵夫人，而且是那群猎人的主子。唐吉诃德果然没猜错。
唐吉诃德对桑乔说道：
“你赶紧过去，桑乔小子，告诉那位骑小马、擎苍鹰的夫人，就说我狮子骑士希望吻这位尊贵夫人的手。如果她允许，我就过去吻，并且愿意全力为她效劳，听凭她的吩咐。不过，你说话注意点儿，桑乔，别总是带上你那些乱七八糟的俗语。”
“您这回可算是说错人了！”桑乔说，“您这话竟是对我说的！我这辈子又不是第一次向高贵的夫人传话！”
“除了向杜尔西内亚夫人传过话外，”唐吉诃德说，“我不知道你是否还对别人传过话，至少在我这儿没有。”
“这倒是真的，”桑乔说，“不过，‘兜里有钱，不怕欠帐；家里有粮，做饭不慌’。我是说，您什么也不用提醒我，我什么都会，什么都知道一点儿。”
“我也相信，桑乔，”唐吉诃德说，“上帝会帮助你，祝你走运。”
桑乔催着他的驴跑起来。跑到那位美丽的狩猎夫人面前时，他下了马，跪倒在夫人面前，说道：
“美丽的夫人，那边的那位骑士名叫狮子骑士，是我的主人。我是他的侍从，家里人都叫我桑乔。这位狮子骑士不久前也叫猥獕骑士，他派我来对您说，请您赏光允许他心甘情愿地实现他的愿望。根据他说的和我想的，这个愿望不是别的，就是为您这位高贵美丽的夫人效劳。如果您能同意这件事，不但对您有利，也可以为他脸上增光。”
“说得对，优秀的侍从，”那位夫人说，“你已经十分得体地完成了你的使命。站起来吧，像猥獕骑士这样伟大的骑士我们早有耳闻，他的侍从跪在地上就不合适了。站起来吧，朋友，告诉你的主人，我和我的公爵丈夫欢迎他到我们这儿的别墅来做客。”
桑乔站了起来。他对这位夫人的美貌和气质修养深感惊讶。不过更让他惊奇的是，这位夫人竟然听说过他的主人猥獕骑士。她没称他狮子骑士，大概因为狮子骑士这个称号是最近才提出来的。公爵夫人又问道：
“告诉我，侍从兄弟，你的主人是否就是现已出版的小说《唐吉诃德》里的那个人？而且，他还把托博索一个叫杜尔西内亚的女人当作自己的意中人？”
“就是他，夫人。”桑乔说，“他还有个侍从，这本小说里也应该有，除非是从一开始就漏掉了，我是说，在印刷的时候漏掉了。侍从的名字叫桑乔，就是我。”
“我为此非常高兴，”公爵夫人说，“去吧，桑乔兄弟，去告诉你的主人，说我们欢迎他到我们这儿来，再没有任何事能比这件事更让我高兴了。”
桑乔带着这个令人愉快的答复，非常高兴地跑回到主人那儿，把那位贵夫人对他讲的话又重复了一遍，并且用自己那套粗言俗语把贵夫人的美貌和风雅的举止捧上了天。唐吉诃德在马鞍上气宇轩昂地坐好，把脚在马蹬里放正，戴好护眼罩，催动罗西南多，风度翩翩地去吻公爵夫人的手。公爵夫人此时也把公爵丈夫叫来，把自己刚才对桑乔说的那番话告诉了丈夫。两人都是骑士小说的爱好者，原来都读过这部小说的上卷，了解唐吉诃德缺乏理智的可笑行为，所以非常愿意也非常高兴认识唐吉诃德。他们打算按照小说里记述的各种习惯和礼节来接待唐吉诃德，在唐吉诃德同他们在一起的几天里继续看他的热闹，他说什么都依着他。
这时唐吉诃德到了。他掀起护眼罩，看样子是想下马。桑乔赶紧过去为唐吉诃德扶住马蹬，可是很不幸，他下驴时，一只脚被驮鞍的绳子绊住，挣脱不出，结果脚吊在绳子上，嘴和胸着地摔了下来。唐吉诃德已经习惯了有人为他扶住马蹬下马，这回也以为桑乔已为他扶好了马蹬，便猛然翻身下马。那鞍子大概没捆好，结果他连人带鞍摔到了地上。唐吉诃德很不好意思，心里暗暗诅咒桑乔，其实桑乔的一只脚那时仍被绊着呢。
公爵连忙吩咐那些猎手把唐吉诃德和桑乔扶起来。唐吉诃德摔得浑身疼痛，一瘸一拐地想向公爵夫妇跪拜。可是公爵无论如何也不同意。相反，公爵却跳下马来，抱住了唐吉诃德，对他说道：
“我很抱歉，猥獕骑士大人，您第一次到我这儿来就发生了这样不幸的事情。侍从不小心往往会招致很严重的麻烦。”
“我见到了您，勇敢的公爵大人，”唐吉诃德说，“就不可能存在任何不幸了。即使我摔进深渊，见到您的荣耀也会让我重新腾飞，从深渊里脱身。我这个侍从，让上帝诅咒他吧，他只会张嘴胡说八道，连个鞍子都捆不结实。可是无论我怎么样，无论我摔倒了还是站立着，无论我步行还是骑马，我都时刻准备为您和您尊贵的夫人——美女之王、风雅公主之典范即我们的公爵夫人效劳。”
“且慢，我的唐吉诃德大人！”公爵说，“只要有托博索杜尔西内亚夫人在，您就不该称赞其他美人。”
桑乔此时已从绳子的纠缠中解脱出来，正站在旁边。他不等主人答话，就抢先说道：
“无可否认，我们的杜尔西内亚夫人确实很美丽。不料，能人又遇到高手，我听说这叫自然规律。这就好比一个陶器工匠做出一只精美的陶杯，也就可以做出两只、三只、上百只精美的陶杯那样。我这样说是因为我们的公爵夫人肯定不次于我的女主人杜尔西内亚夫人。”
唐吉诃德转身向公爵夫人说道：
“您完全可以想象到，世界上所有游侠骑士的侍从都不如我这个侍从多嘴而又滑稽。如果您能允许我为您效劳几天，他就会证明我说的是真的。”
公爵夫人答道：
“要是这位好桑乔滑稽，那我就更喜欢他了，滑稽证明他很机灵。滑稽与风趣，唐吉诃德大人，您知道，并不是愚蠢的人能够做到的。所以，如果说桑乔滑稽而又风趣，那么，我可以肯定他很机灵。”
“还爱多嘴。”唐吉诃德又补充了一句。
“那就更好了，”公爵说，“很多滑稽的事情不是三言两语可以说完的。咱们先不要在这个问题上耽误时间了，伟大的猥獕骑士，请您……”
“您该称狮子骑士，”桑乔说，“猥獕骑士已经不存在了，现在是狮子骑士的形象了。”
公爵接着说道：
“我说狮子骑士大人，请您到附近我的城堡里去吧，您将在那里享受贵人的待遇。我和我的夫人常常在那里接待路过的游侠骑士。”
桑乔此时已把罗西南多的鞍具收拾妥当，并且捆好，唐吉诃德骑了上去。公爵也骑上一匹漂亮的马，让公爵夫人走在两人中间，一起向城堡走去。公爵夫人吩咐桑乔跟在她旁边，说她喜欢听桑乔说话。桑乔也不客气，夹在三人中间，一起说着话。公爵和公爵夫人很高兴，觉得在他们的城堡里接待这样一位游侠骑士和一位侍从游子，真是一件很有趣的事情。
收听单词发音 |
1
knight
|
|
| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
squire
|
|
| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
advancement
|
|
| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
contemplated
|
|
| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
hawk
|
|
| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
hawking
|
|
| 利用鹰行猎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
mien
|
|
| n.风采；态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
exalted
|
|
| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
approbation
|
|
| n.称赞；认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
redound
|
|
| v.有助于；提；报应 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
mightily
|
|
| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
lauding
|
|
| v.称赞，赞美( laud的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
chivalry
|
|
| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
hitch
|
|
| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
lurch
|
|
| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
discomfiture
|
|
| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
shackles
|
|
| 手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
squires
|
|
| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
tightening
|
|
| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
consort
|
|
| v.相伴；结交 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
paramount
|
|
| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
entanglement
|
|
| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
vessels
|
|
| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
droll
|
|
| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
drollery
|
|
| n.开玩笑，说笑话；滑稽可笑的图画（或故事、小戏等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
sprightliness
|
|
| n.愉快，快活 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
abode
|
|
| n.住处，住所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
sprightly
|
|
| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
homely
|
|
| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |