“A good joke, that!” returned Don Quixote. —
“好笑的笑话！”唐吉柯回答。 —

“Books that have been printed with the king’s licence, and with the approbation of those to whom they have been submitted, and read with universal delight, and extolled by great and small, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, gentle and simple, in a word by people of every sort, of whatever rank or condition they may be — that these should be lies! —
“那些书经过国王许可，得到审查过的人的认可，在广泛的欣赏中被印刷出来，受到大大小小、富有和贫穷、博学和无知、文雅和简单的人们的赞扬，总而言之，被各种阶层或条件的人们所称赞——这些都是谎言！ —

And above all when they carry such an appearance of truth with them; —
并且最重要的是，它们看起来似乎是真实的； —

for they tell us the father, mother, country, kindred, age, place, and the achievements, step by step, and day by day, performed by such a knight or knights! —
因为它们告诉我们这样的骑士或骑士们的父亲、母亲、国家、亲属、年龄、地点以及一步一步、日复一日所完成的壮举！ —

Hush, sir; utter not such blasphemy; trust me I am advising you now to act as a sensible man should; only read them, and you will see the pleasure you will derive from them. —
“嘘，先生；不要说出这样的亵渎话语；相信我，我现在建议您行事像一个明智的人一样；只需阅读它们，您就会体会到从中获得的愉悦。 —

For, come, tell me, can there be anything more delightful than to see, as it were, here now displayed before us a vast lake of bubbling pitch with a host of snakes and serpents and lizards, and ferocious and terrible creatures of all sorts swimming about in it, while from the middle of the lake there comes a plaintive voice saying: —
“因为，告诉我，是否有比如此更加令人愉快的事，看着像是泛滥着泡沫的焦沥湖，湖中游着一群蛇、蛇蝎、蜥蜴，各种凶猛可怕的生物，当有一种悲哀的声音从湖中传来： —

‘Knight, whosoever thou art who beholdest this dread lake, if thou wouldst win the prize that lies hidden beneath these dusky waves, prove the valour of thy stout heart and cast thyself into the midst of its dark burning waters, else thou shalt not be worthy to see the mighty wonders contained in the seven castles of the seven Fays that lie beneath this black expanse; —
‘骑士，无论你是谁，若你看到这片可怕的湖泊，如果你想获得隐藏在这些幽暗波浪下的奖赏，证明你顽强心灵的勇气，投身这黑暗灼热的水域中，否则你将不配看到七座黑色湖水下的七位费丽精灵的巨大奇迹；’ —

’ and then the knight, almost ere the awful voice has ceased, without stopping to consider, without pausing to reflect upon the danger to which he is exposing himself, without even relieving himself of the weight of his massive armour, commending himself to God and to his lady, plunges into the midst of the boiling lake, and when he little looks for it, or knows what his fate is to be, he finds himself among flowery meadows, with which the Elysian fields are not to be compared.
“然后骑士几乎在令人敬畏的声音还没停下之前，立刻投入其中，没有停下来深思，没有暂停来考虑他自己所面临的危险，甚至没有摆脱头顶沉重盔甲的重量，将自己托付给上帝和他的贵妇，跳入沸腾湖中，当他几乎不期待，或不知道自己的命运将是什么时，他发现自己置身于鲜花盛开的草地中，那里的乐园连幽灵之乡都无法比拟。

The sky seems more transparent there, and the sun shines with a strange brilliancy, and a delightful grove of green leafy trees presents itself to the eyes and charms the sight with its verdure, while the ear is soothed by the sweet untutored melody of the countless birds of gay plumage that flit to and fro among the interlacing branches. —
“那里的天空似乎更加透明，阳光照耀着异样的光辉，一片绿叶茂密的树林呈现在眼前，用其翠绿迷人的景象吸引视线，而耳朵则受到数不清的绚烂羽毛鸟飞来飞去的甜美天籁之音的抚慰。 —

Here he sees a brook whose limpid waters, like liquid crystal, ripple over fine sands and white pebbles that look like sifted gold and purest pearls. —
“这里他看见一条涓涓细流，其如液态水晶般清澈的水面上泛起细细的沙子和白色鹅卵石，看起来就像过筛的黄金和纯净的珍珠。 —

There he perceives a cunningly wrought fountain of many-coloured jasper and polished marble; —
“那里他发现一口细心制作的多彩碧玉和抛光大理石的喷泉； —

here another of rustic fashion where the little mussel-shells and the spiral white and yellow mansions of the snail disposed in studious disorder, mingled with fragments of glittering crystal and mock emeralds, make up a work of varied aspect, where art, imitating nature, seems to have outdone it.
“这里又是另一个乡村风格的喷泉，小贝壳和蜗牛的蜿蜒白黄色居所与闪闪发光的水晶碎片和模拟翡翠混合在一起，形成多样的景象，艺术仿效自然，似乎胜过了它。”

Suddenly there is presented to his sight a strong castle or gorgeous palace with walls of massy gold, turrets of diamond and gates of jacinth; —
忽然，他眼前出现了一个坚固的城堡或华丽的宫殿，墙壁由厚重的黄金构成，塔尖由钻石组成，大门由青金石打造； —

in short, so marvellous is its structure that though the materials of which it is built are nothing less than diamonds, carbuncles, rubies, pearls, gold, and emeralds, the workmanship is still more rare. —
简言之，它的结构是如此奇妙，尽管建造它的材料不下于钻石、赤练石、红宝石、珍珠、黄金和翡翠，但工艺却更为精细。 —

And after having seen all this, what can be more charming than to see how a bevy of damsels comes forth from the gate of the castle in gay and gorgeous attire, such that, were I to set myself now to depict it as the histories describe it to us, I should never have done; —
接着，从城堡大门中走出一群少女，身着华丽的服饰，如此迷人，即使我现在试图按照历史上的描述来描绘，也永远无法完成； —

and then how she who seems to be the first among them all takes the bold knight who plunged into the boiling lake by the hand, and without addressing a word to him leads him into the rich palace or castle, and strips him as naked as when his mother bore him, and bathes him in lukewarm water, and anoints him all over with sweet-smelling unguents, and clothes him in a shirt of the softest sendal, all scented and perfumed, while another damsel comes and throws over his shoulders a mantle which is said to be worth at the very least a city, and even more? —
然后，她们中最为出色的女郎牵着那位勇敢的骑士，他刚刚冲入沸腾的湖中，不与他说一句话，就带他进入富丽的宫殿或城堡，将他剥得赤条条，浸泡在温热的水中，涂抹着甘香的香油，穿上一件最柔软、带有香味的绸缎衬衣，而另一位少女则走过来，将价值至少相当于一座城市，甚至更多的斗篷披在他肩上？ —

How charming it is, then, when they tell us how, after all this, they lead him to another chamber where he finds the tables set out in such style that he is filled with amazement and wonder; —
当他们告诉我们，经过这一切之后，他们领他去另一间客房，客房里摆满了极其精致的餐具，令骑士感到惊奇和惊叹； —

to see how they pour out water for his hands distilled from amber and sweet-scented flowers; —
看他们为他倒出用琥珀和香花蒸馏的洗手水； —

how they seat him on an ivory chair; to see how the damsels wait on him all in profound silence; —
看他们让他坐在象牙椅上；看他们一声不响地侍奉他； —

how they bring him such a variety of dainties so temptingly prepared that the appetite is at a loss which to select; —
看他们端上琳琅满目的各种美食，精心准备得让人无从选择； —

to hear the music that resounds while he is at table, by whom or whence produced he knows not. —
听着饭桌上响起的音乐，他不知是由谁演奏或从何而来。 —

And then when the repast is over and the tables removed, for the knight to recline in the chair, picking his teeth perhaps as usual, and a damsel, much lovelier than any of the others, to enter unexpectedly by the chamber door, and herself by his side, and begin to tell him what the castle is, and how she is held enchanted there, and other things that amaze the knight and astonish the readers who are perusing his history.
然后，在餐饮结束后，桌子被撤走，骑士靠在椅子上，也许像平常一样挑着牙，一个比其他女郎都美丽得多的少女突然走进客房的门，走到他身边，开始告诉他城堡是什么，她如何被困在那里，以及其他让骑士感到惊讶、让读者们惊叹的事情。

But I will not expatiate any further upon this, as it may be gathered from it that whatever part of whatever history of a knight-errant one reads, it will fill the reader, whoever he be, with delight and wonder; —
但我不会再继续详述这一切，因为通过这些可以看出，无论读一个骑士-冒险者的任何部分历史，它都会让读者，无论他是谁，都感到愉悦和惊讶； —

and take my advice, sir, and, as I said before, read these books and you will see how they will banish any melancholy you may feel and raise your spirits should they be depressed. —
请相信我之前所说的，阅读这些书籍，您会发现它们会驱散您任何可能感到的忧郁，以及提振您可能有的心情消沉。 —

For myself I can say that since I have been a knight-errant I have become valiant, polite, generous, well-bred, magnanimous, courteous, dauntless, gentle, patient, and have learned to bear hardships, imprisonments, and enchantments; —
就我个人而言，我可以说自从成为骑士-冒险者以来，我变得勇敢、有礼貌、慷慨、风度翩翩、宽宏大量、有礼貌、无畏、温文尔雅、耐心，并学会忍受困难、监禁和被魔法困住的时候； —

and though it be such a short time since I have seen myself shut up in a cage like a madman, I hope by the might of my arm, if heaven aid me and fortune thwart me not, to see myself king of some kingdom where I may be able to show the gratitude and generosity that dwell in my heart; —
尽管我最近被看待如疯子一样关在笼子里，但我希望凭借我的臂力，倘若天意助我，命运不阻拦我，希望能成为某个王国的国王，在那里我能展现心中的感恩和慷慨； —

for by my faith, senor, the poor man is incapacitated from showing the virtue of generosity to anyone, though he may possess it in the highest degree; —
因为我发誓，先生，穷人不能向任何人展现慷慨的美德，尽管他可能拥有最高程度的慷慨； —

and gratitude that consists of disposition only is a dead thing, just as faith without works is dead. —
仅凭性格构成的感恩是一种死物，就像没有作为的信仰一样是死的。 —

For this reason I should be glad were fortune soon to offer me some opportunity of making myself an emperor, so as to show my heart in doing good to my friends, particularly to this poor Sancho Panza, my squire, who is the best fellow in the world; —
正因如此，我会很高兴如果命运很快给我提供一些机会成为一位皇帝，这样我就能在对朋友们，尤其是这个可怜的桑丘·潘萨，我的侍从身上施行善行，他是世界上最好的人； —

and I would gladly give him a county I have promised him this ever so long, only that I am afraid he has not the capacity to govern his realm.”
我很乐意给他一个伯爵领，我向他承诺了很久，只是我担心他没有管理自己领地的能力。”

Sancho partly heard these last words of his master, and said to him, “Strive hard you, Senor Don Quixote, to give me that county so often promised by you and so long looked for by me, for I promise you there will be no want of capacity in me to govern it; —
“桑丘听到他主人说的最后那几句话，并对他说：“努力吧，德昆西奥先生，给我那个你一再承诺给我的伯爵领，我迫不及待想要，因为我向你保证我有能力去治理它； —

and even if there is, I have heard say there are men in the world who farm seigniories, paying so much a year, and they themselves taking charge of the government, while the lord, with his legs stretched out, enjoys the revenue they pay him, without troubling himself about anything else. —
即使我没有，我听说世界上有些人租下封地，每年支付一定金额，而他们自己负责治理，而封主只需供享受他们交纳的租金，毫不费心管理其他事情。 —

That’s what I’ll do, and not stand haggling over trifles, but wash my hands at once of the whole business, and enjoy my rents like a duke, and let things go their own way.”
那就是我要做的，而不是为琐事争吵不休，立即洗手不再理会整个生意，像公爵一样享受我的租金，顺其自然。”

“That, brother Sancho,” said the canon, “only holds good as far as the enjoyment of the revenue goes; —
“这位桑丘兄弟，”教士说，“那只在享受收入方面有效； —

but the lord of the seigniory must attend to the administration of justice, and here capacity and sound judgment come in, and above all a firm determination to find out the truth; —
但封地的主人必须管理司法事务，这时需要能力和明智的判断力，最重要的是要坚定决心查明真相； —

for if this be wanting in the beginning, the middle and the end will always go wrong; —
因为如果一开始就缺乏这一点，中间和结束总是会出错； —

and God as commonly aids the honest intentions of the simple as he frustrates the evil designs of the crafty.”
上帝往往帮助正直纯朴者的善意，就像他挫败狡诈者的邪恶计划一样。”

“I don’t understand those philosophies,” returned Sancho Panza; —
“我不明白这些哲学，”桑丘·潘萨回答说； —

“all I know is I would I had the county as soon as I shall know how to govern it; —
“我只知道我希望尽快拥有这个县，一旦我知道如何去治理它； —

for I have as much soul as another, and as much body as anyone, and I shall be as much king of my realm as any other of his; —
因为我和其他人一样有灵魂，有身体，我将和其他任何人一样成为领地的国王； —

and being so I should do as I liked, and doing as I liked I should please myself, and pleasing myself I should be content, and when one is content he has nothing more to desire, and when one has nothing more to desire there is an end of it; —
在那种情况下，我应该照自己的意愿去做，而且照自己的意愿去做，我应该取悦自己，取悦自己，我就会知足，当一个人知足时，他就没有更多的欲望了，当一个人没有更多的欲望时，就结束了； —

so let the county come, and God he with you, and let us see one another, as one blind man said to the other.”
所以让县来吧，愿上帝与你同在，并且让我们见面，正如一个瞎子对另一个瞎子说的。”

“That is not bad philosophy thou art talking, Sancho,” said the canon; —
“桑丘，你说的这不算坏哲学，”卡农说， —

“but for all that there is a good deal to be said on this matter of counties.”
“但在这县一事上还有很多值得讨论的。”

To which Don Quixote returned, “I know not what more there is to be said; —
唐吉诃德回答说：“我不知道还有什么可以说的； —

I only guide myself by the example set me by the great Amadis of Gaul, when he made his squire count of the Insula Firme; —
我只是按照《高卢的阿马迪斯》这个伟大的人物给我的榜样来行事，当他把他的侍从封为‘激流洲伯爵’的时候； —

and so, without any scruples of conscience, I can make a count of Sancho Panza, for he is one of the best squires that ever knight-errant had.”
所以，我毫不犹豫地可以封桑丘·潘萨为伯爵,因为他是骑士们所拥有过的最好的侍从之一。”

The canon was astonished at the methodical nonsense (if nonsense be capable of method) that Don Quixote uttered, at the way in which he had described the adventure of the knight of the lake, at the impression that the deliberate lies of the books he read had made upon him, and lastly he marvelled at the simplicity of Sancho, who desired so eagerly to obtain the county his master had promised him.
卡农对唐吉诃德所说出的言之有物(如果说胡言乱语也能有所逻辑的话)感到惊讶，对他描述得如此详细的骑士的湖之冒险感到惊讶，对他所读书籍中虚构谎言的影响感到惊讶，最后他对桑丘的单纯感到惊讶，他如此渴望得到主人许诺给他的伯爵爵位。

By this time the canon’s servants, who had gone to the inn to fetch the sumpter mule, had returned, and making a carpet and the green grass of the meadow serve as a table, they seated themselves in the shade of some trees and made their repast there, that the carter might not be deprived of the advantage of the spot, as has been already said. —
这时，卡农的仆人们已经去旅馆取回了包驮的骡子，他们把一块地毯和草地放在一起，作为餐桌，坐在树荫下吃饭，这样车夫就不会失去那片地方给他的优势，正如已经说过的那样。 —

As they were eating they suddenly heard a loud noise and the sound of a bell that seemed to come from among some brambles and thick bushes that were close by, and the same instant they observed a beautiful goat, spotted all over black, white, and brown, spring out of the thicket with a goatherd after it, calling to it and uttering the usual cries to make it stop or turn back to the fold. —
正在吃饭的时候，他们突然听到一阵巨大的噪音和一只钟声，似乎来自附近的荆棘丛和浓密的灌木丛中，与此同时，他们注意到一只美丽的山羊，满身黑色、白色和棕色斑点，从灌木丛中蹦出，后面跟着一个牧羊人，唤着它，发出通常的叫声，让它停下或转回圈地。 —

The fugitive goat, scared and frightened, ran towards the company as if seeking their protection and then stood still, and the goatherd coming up seized it by the horns and began to talk to it as if it were possessed of reason and understanding: —
这只逃跑的山羊，受到惊吓和恐惧，像是在寻求他们的保护一样跑向了这伙人，然后停了下来，跟上来的牧羊人抓住它的角，开始像它拥有理性和理解力一样与它交谈： —

“Ah wanderer, wanderer, Spotty, Spotty; how have you gone limping all this time? —
“啊，流浪者，流浪者，斑点，斑点；你为什么这么一直跛行呢？ —

What wolves have frightened you, my daughter? Won’t you tell me what is the matter, my beauty? —
什么野狼吓着了你，我的女儿？你不告诉我到底怎么了，我的漂亮？ —

But what else can it be except that you are a she, and cannot keep quiet? —
可除了你是一个母羊，不能安静下来之外，还能是什么呢？ —

A plague on your humours and the humours of those you take after! Come back, come back, my darling; —
该死的，该死的你的脾气和你所继承的人的脾气！回来，回来，我的宝贝； —

and if you will not be so happy, at any rate you will be safe in the fold or with your companions; —
如果你不那么高兴的话，至少你会在群羊中或与伙伴们一起安全; —

for if you who ought to keep and lead them, go wandering astray, what will become of them?”
因为如果应该照料和引导它们的你误入歧途，它们会怎样呢？

The goatherd’s talk amused all who heard it, but especially the canon, who said to him, “As you live, brother, take it easy, and be not in such a hurry to drive this goat back to the fold; —
牧羊人的谈话引起了所有听到的人的兴趣，尤其是那位神甫对他说：“朋友，淡定一点，不要急着把这只山羊赶回羊栏; —

for, being a female, as you say, she will follow her natural instinct in spite of all you can do to prevent it. —
因为正如你所说的，作为一只母山羊，它会不顾你的阻止而跟随自己的本能。 —

Take this morsel and drink a sup, and that will soothe your irritation, and in the meantime the goat will rest herself,” and so saying, he handed him the loins of a cold rabbit on a fork.
吃一点这个小吃，喝一口吧，这会缓解你的刺激情绪，与此同时，山羊会休息的。”说着，他递给他叉子上的一块冷兔肉。

The goatherd took it with thanks, and drank and calmed himself, and then said, “I should be sorry if your worships were to take me for a simpleton for having spoken so seriously as I did to this animal; —
牧羊人感激地接过来，吃了，喝了，平复了自己，然后说：“如果你们觉得我对这只动物说话那么严肃而觉得我是个简单ton的话，我会很遗憾; —

but the truth is there is a certain mystery in the words I used. —
但事实是，我说的话中有一定的奥秘。 —

I am a clown, but not so much of one but that I know how to behave to men and to beasts.”
我是个小丑，但不是一个不懂得如何对待人和动物的小丑。”

“That I can well believe,” said the curate, “for I know already by experience that the woods breed men of learning, and shepherds’ harbour philosophers.”
“我完全相信这一点，先生，”神甫回答说，“因为我已经通过经验知道森林里孕育着学者，和牧羊人是哲学家的居所。”

“At all events, senor,” returned the goatherd, “they shelter men of experience; —
“无论如何，先生，”牧羊人回答说，“他们住的是有经验的人; —

and that you may see the truth of this and grasp it, though I may seem to put myself forward without being asked, I will, if it will not tire you, gentlemen, and you will give me your attention for a little, tell you a true story which will confirm this gentleman’s word (and he pointed to the curate) as well as my own.”
你可以看到这个事实，也能领悟到，尽管我可能显得有些主动却没有人请求，如果不会让诸位疲倦的话，绅士们，给我留点注意力，我会讲一个真实的故事，它将证实这位先生（他指了指神甫）的话，也证实我的。”

To this Don Quixote replied, “Seeing that this affair has a certain colour of chivalry about it, I for my part, brother, will hear you most gladly, and so will all these gentlemen, from the high intelligence they possess and their love of curious novelties that interest, charm, and entertain the mind, as I feel quite sure your story will do. —
唐吉柯德回答道：“因为这件事有一定的骑士色彩，我个人会非常高兴听你讲，朋友，而且这些绅士们，由于他们所拥有的高智商和对引人入胜、迷人和娱乐思想的好奇爱好，我敢肯定你的故事会做到。 —

So begin, friend, for we are all prepared to listen.”
所以开始吧，朋友，我们都准备好倾听。”

“I draw my stakes,” said Sancho, “and will retreat with this pasty to the brook there, where I mean to victual myself for three days; —
“我要撤回我的赌注，”桑丘说，“带着这个烤馅饼退到那边的小溪边，我打算给自己提供三天的口粮; —

for I have heard my lord, Don Quixote, say that a knight-errant’s squire should eat until he can hold no more, whenever he has the chance, because it often happens them to get by accident into a wood so thick that they cannot find a way out of it for six days; —
因为听我主人唐吉柯德说过，一名骑士的侍从应该在有机会的时候吃到撑，因为常常会碰巧进入一片森林，森林又那么密集，以至于他们可能在里面找不到出去的路达六天之久； —

and if the man is not well filled or his alforjas well stored, there he may stay, as very often he does, turned into a dried mummy.”
如果一个人没吃饱或者背包没装满，他就会留在那里，往往会变成一具干瘪的木乃伊。”

“Thou art in the right of it, Sancho,” said Don Quixote; —
“桑乔，你说得对，”唐·吉诃德说； —

“go where thou wilt and eat all thou canst, for I have had enough, and only want to give my mind its refreshment, as I shall by listening to this good fellow’s story.”
“你想去哪里就去吧，吃饭尽管吃，我已经吃饱了，现在只想让我的思维恢复一下，听听这位好人的故事。”

“It is what we shall all do,” said the canon; —
“我们都愿意听，”神甫说； —

and then begged the goatherd to begin the promised tale.
然后请求牧羊人开始他答应的故事。

The goatherd gave the goat which he held by the horns a couple of slaps on the back, saying, “Lie down here beside me, Spotty, for we have time enough to return to our fold. —
牧羊人拍了拍抓住羊角的山羊的背部，说：“Spotty，躺在我旁边吧，我们有足够的时间返回羊圈。” —

” The goat seemed to understand him, for as her master seated himself, she stretched herself quietly beside him and looked up in his face to show him she was all attention to what he was going to say, and then in these words he began his story.
这只山羊似乎明白了他的意思，因为当主人坐下来时，她悄悄地侧身躺在他旁边，并抬头看着他，表明自己在认真听他讲话，然后他开始了他的故事。