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diff --git a/old/orig5946-h/p38.htm b/old/orig5946-h/p38.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5aa7f52 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/orig5946-h/p38.htm @@ -0,0 +1,651 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE, By Cervantes, Vol. II., Part 38.</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {background:#faebd7; margin:10%; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; text-align: center; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; } + .figleft {float: left;} + .figright {float: right;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + PRE { font-family: Times; font-size: 97%; margin-left: 15%;} + // --> +</style> + + +</head> +<body> + + +<center> +<table summary="" cellPadding=4 border=3> +<tr><td> + <a href="p37.htm">Previous Part</a> +</td><td> + <a href="5946-h.htm">Main Index</a> +</td><td> + <a href="p39.htm">Next Part</a> + </td></tr> +</table> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<center> +<h1>DON QUIXOTE</h1> +<br> +<h2>by Miguel de Cervantes</h2> +<br> +<h3>Translated by John Ormsby</h3> +</center> + +<br><br> +<center><h3> +Volume II., Part 38 +<br><br> +Chapter 62 +</h3></center> + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="bookcover.jpg (230K)" src="images/bookcover.jpg" height="842" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/bookcover.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="spine.jpg (152K)" src="images/spine.jpg" height="842" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/spine.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<center> +<h3>Ebook Editor's Note</h3> +</center> +<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote> +<p> +The book cover and spine above and the images which follow were not part of the original Ormsby +translation—they are taken from the 1880 edition of J. W. Clark, illustrated by +Gustave Dore. Clark in his edition states that, "The English text of 'Don Quixote' +adopted in this edition is that of Jarvis, with occasional corrections from Motteaux." +See in the introduction below John Ormsby's critique of +both the Jarvis and Motteaux translations. It has been elected in the present Project Gutenberg edition +to attach the famous engravings of Gustave Dore to the Ormsby translation instead +of the Jarvis/Motteaux. The detail of many of the Dore engravings can be fully appreciated only +by utilizing the "Enlarge" button to expand them to their original dimensions. Ormsby +in his Preface has criticized the fanciful nature of Dore's illustrations; others feel +these woodcuts and steel engravings well match Quixote's dreams. + D.W.</p> +</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="p003.jpg (307K)" src="images/p003.jpg" height="813" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p003.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<center><h2>CONTENTS</h2></center> + +<pre> + +<a href="#ch62b">CHAPTER LII</a> +WHEREIN IS RELATED THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND +DISTRESSED OR AFFLICTED DUENNA, OTHERWISE CALLED +DONA RODRIGUEZ + +</pre> + +<br><br><br><br> + + +<center><h1>DON QUIXOTE</h1></center> +<br><br> +<center><h2>Volume II.</h2></center> +<br> +<br> +<br> + + +<br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch62b"></a>CHAPTER LXII.</h2></center> +<br> +<center><h3>WHICH DEALS WITH THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENCHANTED HEAD, TOGETHER +WITH OTHER TRIVIAL MATTERS WHICH CANNOT BE LEFT UNTOLD +</h3></center> +<br> +<br> + +<center><a name="p62a"></a><img alt="p62a.jpg (156K)" src="images/p62a.jpg" height="432" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p62a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Don Quixote's host was one Don Antonio Moreno by name, a gentleman +of wealth and intelligence, and very fond of diverting himself in +any fair and good-natured way; and having Don Quixote in his house +he set about devising modes of making him exhibit his mad points in +some harmless fashion; for jests that give pain are no jests, and no +sport is worth anything if it hurts another. The first thing he did +was to make Don Quixote take off his armour, and lead him, in that +tight chamois suit we have already described and depicted more than +once, out on a balcony overhanging one of the chief streets of the +city, in full view of the crowd and of the boys, who gazed at him as +they would at a monkey. The cavaliers in livery careered before him +again as though it were for him alone, and not to enliven the festival +of the day, that they wore it, and Sancho was in high delight, for +it seemed to him that, how he knew not, he had fallen upon another +Camacho's wedding, another house like Don Diego de Miranda's, +another castle like the duke's. Some of Don Antonio's friends dined +with him that day, and all showed honour to Don Quixote and treated +him as a knight-errant, and he becoming puffed up and exalted in +consequence could not contain himself for satisfaction. Such were +the drolleries of Sancho that all the servants of the house, and all +who heard him, were kept hanging upon his lips. While at table Don +Antonio said to him, "We hear, worthy Sancho, that you are so fond +of manjar blanco and forced-meat balls, that if you have any left, you +keep them in your bosom for the next day."</p> + +<p>"No, senor, that's not true," said Sancho, "for I am more cleanly +than greedy, and my master Don Quixote here knows well that we two are +used to live for a week on a handful of acorns or nuts. To be sure, if +it so happens that they offer me a heifer, I run with a halter; I +mean, I eat what I'm given, and make use of opportunities as I find +them; but whoever says that I'm an out-of-the-way eater or not +cleanly, let me tell him that he is wrong; and I'd put it in a +different way if I did not respect the honourable beards that are at +the table."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said Don Quixote, "Sancho's moderation and cleanliness +in eating might be inscribed and graved on plates of brass, to be kept +in eternal remembrance in ages to come. It is true that when he is +hungry there is a certain appearance of voracity about him, for he +eats at a great pace and chews with both jaws; but cleanliness he is +always mindful of; and when he was governor he learned how to eat +daintily, so much so that he eats grapes, and even pomegranate pips, +with a fork."</p> + +<p>"What!" said Don Antonio, "has Sancho been a governor?"</p> + +<p>"Ay," said Sancho, "and of an island called Barataria. I governed it +to perfection for ten days; and lost my rest all the time; and learned +to look down upon all the governments in the world; I got out of it by +taking to flight, and fell into a pit where I gave myself up for dead, +and out of which I escaped alive by a miracle."</p> + +<p>Don Quixote then gave them a minute account of the whole affair of +Sancho's government, with which he greatly amused his hearers.</p> + +<p>On the cloth being removed Don Antonio, taking Don Quixote by the +hand, passed with him into a distant room in which there was nothing +in the way of furniture except a table, apparently of jasper, +resting on a pedestal of the same, upon which was set up, after the +fashion of the busts of the Roman emperors, a head which seemed to +be of bronze. Don Antonio traversed the whole apartment with Don +Quixote and walked round the table several times, and then said, "Now, +Senor Don Quixote, that I am satisfied that no one is listening to us, +and that the door is shut, I will tell you of one of the rarest +adventures, or more properly speaking strange things, that can be +imagined, on condition that you will keep what I say to you in the +remotest recesses of secrecy."</p> + +<p>"I swear it," said Don Quixote, "and for greater security I will put +a flag-stone over it; for I would have you know, Senor Don Antonio" +(he had by this time learned his name), "that you are addressing one +who, though he has ears to hear, has no tongue to speak; so that you +may safely transfer whatever you have in your bosom into mine, and +rely upon it that you have consigned it to the depths of silence."</p> + +<p>"In reliance upon that promise," said Don Antonio, "I will +astonish you with what you shall see and hear, and relieve myself of +some of the vexation it gives me to have no one to whom I can +confide my secrets, for they are not of a sort to be entrusted to +everybody."</p> + +<p>Don Quixote was puzzled, wondering what could be the object of +such precautions; whereupon Don Antonio taking his hand passed it over +the bronze head and the whole table and the pedestal of jasper on +which it stood, and then said, "This head, Senor Don Quixote, has been +made and fabricated by one of the greatest magicians and wizards the +world ever saw, a Pole, I believe, by birth, and a pupil of the famous +Escotillo of whom such marvellous stories are told. He was here in +my house, and for a consideration of a thousand crowns that I gave him +he constructed this head, which has the property and virtue of +answering whatever questions are put to its ear. He observed the +points of the compass, he traced figures, he studied the stars, he +watched favourable moments, and at length brought it to the perfection +we shall see to-morrow, for on Fridays it is mute, and this being +Friday we must wait till the next day. In the interval your worship +may consider what you would like to ask it; and I know by experience +that in all its answers it tells the truth."</p> + +<p>Don Quixote was amazed at the virtue and property of the head, and +was inclined to disbelieve Don Antonio; but seeing what a short time +he had to wait to test the matter, he did not choose to say anything +except that he thanked him for having revealed to him so mighty a +secret. They then quitted the room, Don Antonio locked the door, and +they repaired to the chamber where the rest of the gentlemen were +assembled. In the meantime Sancho had recounted to them several of the +adventures and accidents that had happened his master.</p> + +<p>That afternoon they took Don Quixote out for a stroll, not in his +armour but in street costume, with a surcoat of tawny cloth upon +him, that at that season would have made ice itself sweat. Orders were +left with the servants to entertain Sancho so as not to let him +leave the house. Don Quixote was mounted, not on Rocinante, but upon a +tall mule of easy pace and handsomely caparisoned. They put the +surcoat on him, and on the back, without his perceiving it, they +stitched a parchment on which they wrote in large letters, "This is +Don Quixote of La Mancha." As they set out upon their excursion the +placard attracted the eyes of all who chanced to see him, and as +they read out, "This is Don Quixote of La Mancha," Don Quixote was +amazed to see how many people gazed at him, called him by his name, +and recognised him, and turning to Don Antonio, who rode at his +side, he observed to him, "Great are the privileges knight-errantry +involves, for it makes him who professes it known and famous in +every region of the earth; see, Don Antonio, even the very boys of +this city know me without ever having seen me."</p> + +<p>"True, Senor Don Quixote," returned Don Antonio; "for as fire cannot +be hidden or kept secret, virtue cannot escape being recognised; and +that which is attained by the profession of arms shines +distinguished above all others."</p> + +<p>It came to pass, however, that as Don Quixote was proceeding amid +the acclamations that have been described, a Castilian, reading the +inscription on his back, cried out in a loud voice, "The devil take +thee for a Don Quixote of La Mancha! What! art thou here, and not dead +of the countless drubbings that have fallen on thy ribs? Thou art mad; +and if thou wert so by thyself, and kept thyself within thy madness, +it would not be so bad; but thou hast the gift of making fools and +blockheads of all who have anything to do with thee or say to thee. +Why, look at these gentlemen bearing thee company! Get thee home, +blockhead, and see after thy affairs, and thy wife and children, and +give over these fooleries that are sapping thy brains and skimming +away thy wits."</p> + +<p>"Go your own way, brother," said Don Antonio, "and don't offer +advice to those who don't ask you for it. Senor Don Quixote is in +his full senses, and we who bear him company are not fools; virtue +is to be honoured wherever it may be found; go, and bad luck to you, +and don't meddle where you are not wanted."</p> + +<p>"By God, your worship is right," replied the Castilian; "for to +advise this good man is to kick against the pricks; still for all that +it fills me with pity that the sound wit they say the blockhead has in +everything should dribble away by the channel of his +knight-errantry; but may the bad luck your worship talks of follow +me and all my descendants, if, from this day forth, though I should +live longer than Methuselah, I ever give advice to anybody even if +he asks me for it."</p> + +<p>The advice-giver took himself off, and they continued their +stroll; but so great was the press of the boys and people to read +the placard, that Don Antonio was forced to remove it as if he were +taking off something else.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p62b"></a><img alt="p62b.jpg (373K)" src="images/p62b.jpg" height="816" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p62b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Night came and they went home, and there was a ladies' dancing +party, for Don Antonio's wife, a lady of rank and gaiety, beauty and +wit, had invited some friends of hers to come and do honour to her +guest and amuse themselves with his strange delusions. Several of them +came, they supped sumptuously, the dance began at about ten o'clock. +Among the ladies were two of a mischievous and frolicsome turn, and, +though perfectly modest, somewhat free in playing tricks for +harmless diversion sake. These two were so indefatigable in taking Don +Quixote out to dance that they tired him down, not only in body but in +spirit. It was a sight to see the figure Don Quixote made, long, lank, +lean, and yellow, his garments clinging tight to him, ungainly, and +above all anything but agile.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p62c"></a><img alt="p62c.jpg (342K)" src="images/p62c.jpg" height="830" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p62c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>The gay ladies made secret love to +him, and he on his part secretly repelled them, but finding himself +hard pressed by their blandishments he lifted up his voice and +exclaimed, "Fugite, partes adversae! Leave me in peace, unwelcome +overtures; avaunt, with your desires, ladies, for she who is queen +of mine, the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, suffers none but hers to +lead me captive and subdue me;" and so saying he sat down on the floor +in the middle of the room, tired out and broken down by all this +exertion in the dance.</p> + +<p>Don Antonio directed him to be taken up bodily and carried to bed, +and the first that laid hold of him was Sancho, saying as he did so, +"In an evil hour you took to dancing, master mine; do you fancy all +mighty men of valour are dancers, and all knights-errant given to +capering? If you do, I can tell you you are mistaken; there's many a +man would rather undertake to kill a giant than cut a caper. If it had +been the shoe-fling you were at I could take your place, for I can +do the shoe-fling like a gerfalcon; but I'm no good at dancing."</p> + +<p>With these and other observations Sancho set the whole ball-room +laughing, and then put his master to bed, covering him up well so that +he might sweat out any chill caught after his dancing.</p> + +<p>The next day Don Antonio thought he might as well make trial of +the enchanted head, and with Don Quixote, Sancho, and two others, +friends of his, besides the two ladies that had tired out Don +Quixote at the ball, who had remained for the night with Don Antonio's +wife, he locked himself up in the chamber where the head was. He +explained to them the property it possessed and entrusted the secret +to them, telling them that now for the first time he was going to +try the virtue of the enchanted head; but except Don Antonio's two +friends no one else was privy to the mystery of the enchantment, and +if Don Antonio had not first revealed it to them they would have +been inevitably reduced to the same state of amazement as the rest, so +artfully and skilfully was it contrived.</p> + +<p>The first to approach the ear of the head was Don Antonio himself, +and in a low voice but not so low as not to be audible to all, he said +to it, "Head, tell me by the virtue that lies in thee what am I at +this moment thinking of?"</p> + +<p>The head, without any movement of the lips, answered in a clear +and distinct voice, so as to be heard by all, "I cannot judge of +thoughts."</p> + +<p>All were thunderstruck at this, and all the more so as they saw that +there was nobody anywhere near the table or in the whole room that +could have answered. "How many of us are here?" asked Don Antonio once +more; and it was answered him in the same way softly, "Thou and thy +wife, with two friends of thine and two of hers, and a famous knight +called Don Quixote of La Mancha, and a squire of his, Sancho Panza +by name."</p> + +<p>Now there was fresh astonishment; now everyone's hair was standing +on end with awe; and Don Antonio retiring from the head exclaimed, +"This suffices to show me that I have not been deceived by him who +sold thee to me, O sage head, talking head, answering head, +wonderful head! Let some one else go and put what question he likes to +it."</p> + +<p>And as women are commonly impulsive and inquisitive, the first to +come forward was one of the two friends of Don Antonio's wife, and her +question was, "Tell me, Head, what shall I do to be very beautiful?" +and the answer she got was, "Be very modest."</p> + +<p>"I question thee no further," said the fair querist.</p> + +<p>Her companion then came up and said, "I should like to know, Head, +whether my husband loves me or not;" the answer given to her was, +"Think how he uses thee, and thou mayest guess;" and the married +lady went off saying, "That answer did not need a question; for of +course the treatment one receives shows the disposition of him from +whom it is received."</p> + +<p>Then one of Don Antonio's two friends advanced and asked it, "Who am +I?" "Thou knowest," was the answer. "That is not what I ask thee," +said the gentleman, "but to tell me if thou knowest me." "Yes, I +know thee, thou art Don Pedro Noriz," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"I do not seek to know more," said the gentleman, "for this is +enough to convince me, O Head, that thou knowest everything;" and as +he retired the other friend came forward and asked it, "Tell me, Head, +what are the wishes of my eldest son?"</p> + +<p>"I have said already," was the answer, "that I cannot judge of +wishes; however, I can tell thee the wish of thy son is to bury thee."</p> + +<p>"That's 'what I see with my eyes I point out with my finger,'" +said the gentleman, "so I ask no more."</p> + +<p>Don Antonio's wife came up and said, "I know not what to ask thee, +Head; I would only seek to know of thee if I shall have many years +of enjoyment of my good husband;" and the answer she received was, +"Thou shalt, for his vigour and his temperate habits promise many +years of life, which by their intemperance others so often cut short."</p> + +<p>Then Don Quixote came forward and said, "Tell me, thou that +answerest, was that which I describe as having happened to me in the +cave of Montesinos the truth or a dream? Will Sancho's whipping be +accomplished without fail? Will the disenchantment of Dulcinea be +brought about?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p62d"></a><img alt="p62d.jpg (391K)" src="images/p62d.jpg" height="831" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p62d.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<p>"As to the question of the cave," was the reply, "there is much to +be said; there is something of both in it. Sancho's whipping will +proceed leisurely. The disenchantment of Dulcinea will attain its +due consummation."</p> + +<p>"I seek to know no more," said Don Quixote; "let me but see Dulcinea +disenchanted, and I will consider that all the good fortune I could +wish for has come upon me all at once."</p> + +<p>The last questioner was Sancho, and his questions were, "Head, shall +I by any chance have another government? Shall I ever escape from +the hard life of a squire? Shall I get back to see my wife and +children?" To which the answer came, "Thou shalt govern in thy +house; and if thou returnest to it thou shalt see thy wife and +children; and on ceasing to serve thou shalt cease to be a squire."</p> + +<p>"Good, by God!" said Sancho Panza; "I could have told myself that; +the prophet Perogrullo could have said no more."</p> + +<p>"What answer wouldst thou have, beast?" said Don Quixote; "is it not +enough that the replies this head has given suit the questions put +to it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is enough," said Sancho; "but I should have liked it to +have made itself plainer and told me more."</p> + +<p>The questions and answers came to an end here, but not the wonder +with which all were filled, except Don Antonio's two friends who +were in the secret. This Cide Hamete Benengeli thought fit to reveal +at once, not to keep the world in suspense, fancying that the head had +some strange magical mystery in it. He says, therefore, that on the +model of another head, the work of an image maker, which he had seen +at Madrid, Don Antonio made this one at home for his own amusement and +to astonish ignorant people; and its mechanism was as follows. The +table was of wood painted and varnished to imitate jasper, and the +pedestal on which it stood was of the same material, with four eagles' +claws projecting from it to support the weight more steadily. The +head, which resembled a bust or figure of a Roman emperor, and was +coloured like bronze, was hollow throughout, as was the table, into +which it was fitted so exactly that no trace of the joining was +visible. The pedestal of the table was also hollow and communicated +with the throat and neck of the head, and the whole was in +communication with another room underneath the chamber in which the +head stood. Through the entire cavity in the pedestal, table, throat +and neck of the bust or figure, there passed a tube of tin carefully +adjusted and concealed from sight. In the room below corresponding +to the one above was placed the person who was to answer, with his +mouth to the tube, and the voice, as in an ear-trumpet, passed from +above downwards, and from below upwards, the words coming clearly +and distinctly; it was impossible, thus, to detect the trick. A nephew +of Don Antonio's, a smart sharp-witted student, was the answerer, +and as he had been told beforehand by his uncle who the persons were +that would come with him that day into the chamber where the head was, +it was an easy matter for him to answer the first question at once and +correctly; the others he answered by guess-work, and, being clever, +cleverly. Cide Hamete adds that this marvellous contrivance stood +for some ten or twelve days; but that, as it became noised abroad +through the city that he had in his house an enchanted head that +answered all who asked questions of it, Don Antonio, fearing it +might come to the ears of the watchful sentinels of our faith, +explained the matter to the inquisitors, who commanded him to break it +up and have done with it, lest the ignorant vulgar should be +scandalised. By Don Quixote, however, and by Sancho the head was still +held to be an enchanted one, and capable of answering questions, +though more to Don Quixote's satisfaction than Sancho's.</p> + +<p>The gentlemen of the city, to gratify Don Antonio and also to do the +honours to Don Quixote, and give him an opportunity of displaying +his folly, made arrangements for a tilting at the ring in six days +from that time, which, however, for reason that will be mentioned +hereafter, did not take place.</p> + +<p>Don Quixote took a fancy to stroll about the city quietly and on +foot, for he feared that if he went on horseback the boys would follow +him; so he and Sancho and two servants that Don Antonio gave him set +out for a walk. Thus it came to pass that going along one of the +streets Don Quixote lifted up his eyes and saw written in very large +letters over a door, "Books printed here," at which he was vastly +pleased, for until then he had never seen a printing office, and he +was curious to know what it was like. He entered with all his +following, and saw them drawing sheets in one place, correcting in +another, setting up type here, revising there; in short all the work +that is to be seen in great printing offices. He went up to one case +and asked what they were about there; the workmen told him, he watched +them with wonder, and passed on. He approached one man, among +others, and asked him what he was doing. The workman replied, +"Senor, this gentleman here" (pointing to a man of prepossessing +appearance and a certain gravity of look) "has translated an Italian +book into our Spanish tongue, and I am setting it up in type for the +press."</p> + +<p>"What is the title of the book?" asked Don Quixote; to which the +author replied, "Senor, in Italian the book is called Le Bagatelle."</p> + +<p>"And what does Le Bagatelle import in our Spanish?" asked Don +Quixote.</p> + +<p>"Le Bagatelle," said the author, "is as though we should say in +Spanish Los Juguetes; but though the book is humble in name it has +good solid matter in it."</p> + +<p>"I," said Don Quixote, "have some little smattering of Italian, +and I plume myself on singing some of Ariosto's stanzas; but tell +me, senor—I do not say this to test your ability, but merely out of +curiosity—have you ever met with the word pignatta in your book?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, often," said the author.</p> + +<p>"And how do you render that in Spanish?"</p> + +<p>"How should I render it," returned the author, "but by olla?"</p> + +<p>"Body o' me," exclaimed Don Quixote, "what a proficient you are in +the Italian language! I would lay a good wager that where they say +in Italian piace you say in Spanish place, and where they say piu +you say mas, and you translate su by arriba and giu by abajo."</p> + +<p>"I translate them so of course," said the author, "for those are +their proper equivalents."</p> + +<p>"I would venture to swear," said Don Quixote, "that your worship +is not known in the world, which always begrudges their reward to rare +wits and praiseworthy labours. What talents lie wasted there! What +genius thrust away into corners! What worth left neglected! Still it +seems to me that translation from one language into another, if it +be not from the queens of languages, the Greek and the Latin, is +like looking at Flemish tapestries on the wrong side; for though the +figures are visible, they are full of threads that make them +indistinct, and they do not show with the smoothness and brightness of +the right side; and translation from easy languages argues neither +ingenuity nor command of words, any more than transcribing or +copying out one document from another. But I do not mean by this to +draw the inference that no credit is to be allowed for the work of +translating, for a man may employ himself in ways worse and less +profitable to himself. This estimate does not include two famous +translators, Doctor Cristobal de Figueroa, in his Pastor Fido, and Don +Juan de Jauregui, in his Aminta, wherein by their felicity they +leave it in doubt which is the translation and which the original. But +tell me, are you printing this book at your own risk, or have you sold +the copyright to some bookseller?"</p> + +<p>"I print at my own risk," said the author, "and I expect to make a +thousand ducats at least by this first edition, which is to be of +two thousand copies that will go off in a twinkling at six reals +apiece."</p> + +<p>"A fine calculation you are making!" said Don Quixote; "it is +plain you don't know the ins and outs of the printers, and how they +play into one another's hands. I promise you when you find yourself +saddled with two thousand copies you will feel so sore that it will +astonish you, particularly if the book is a little out of the common +and not in any way highly spiced."</p> + +<p>"What!" said the author, "would your worship, then, have me give +it to a bookseller who will give three maravedis for the copyright and +think he is doing me a favour? I do not print my books to win fame +in the world, for I am known in it already by my works; I want to make +money, without which reputation is not worth a rap."</p> + +<p>"God send your worship good luck," said Don Quixote; and he moved on +to another case, where he saw them correcting a sheet of a book with +the title of "Light of the Soul;" noticing it he observed, "Books like +this, though there are many of the kind, are the ones that deserve +to be printed, for many are the sinners in these days, and lights +unnumbered are needed for all that are in darkness."</p> + +<p>He passed on, and saw they were also correcting another book, and +when he asked its title they told him it was called, "The Second +Part of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha," by one of +Tordesillas.</p> + +<p>"I have heard of this book already," said Don Quixote, "and verily +and on my conscience I thought it had been by this time burned to +ashes as a meddlesome intruder; but its Martinmas will come to it as +it does to every pig; for fictions have the more merit and charm about +them the more nearly they approach the truth or what looks like it; +and true stories, the truer they are the better they are;" and so +saying he walked out of the printing office with a certain amount of +displeasure in his looks. That same day Don Antonio arranged to take +him to see the galleys that lay at the beach, whereat Sancho was in +high delight, as he had never seen any all his life. Don Antonio +sent word to the commandant of the galleys that he intended to bring +his guest, the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha, of whom the commandant +and all the citizens had already heard, that afternoon to see them; +and what happened on board of them will be told in the next chapter.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p62e"></a><img alt="p62e.jpg (18K)" src="images/p62e.jpg" height="291" width="423"> +</center> + + + + +<br> +<br> + + +<center> +<table summary="" cellPadding=4 border=3> +<tr><td> + <a href="p37.htm">Previous Part</a> +</td><td> + <a href="5946-h.htm">Main Index</a> +</td><td> + <a href="p39.htm">Next Part</a> + </td></tr> +</table> +</center> +<br><br> + +</body> +</html> + |