Following the melancholy musicians there filed into the garden as many as twelve duennas, in two lines, all dressed in ample mourning robes apparently of milled serge, with hoods of fine white gauze so long that they allowed only the border of the robe to be seen. —
在忧郁的音乐家之后，进入花园的有多达十二位女监护人，排成两行，穿着宽松的黑色哀悼长袍，看起来像是精梳羊毛织成的，头戴精致的大白色薄纱兜帽，长至只露出长袍的边缘。 —

Behind them came the Countess Trifaldi, the squire Trifaldin of the White Beard leading her by the hand, clad in the finest unnapped black baize, such that, had it a nap, every tuft would have shown as big as a Martos chickpea; —
他们后面跟着特里法尔迪伯爵夫人，由维尔贝尔德的执事特里法尔丁牵着手，穿着最上等的无毛黑色法国精纺羊毛呢，如果有毛的话，每根毛都会像马托斯的鹰嘴豌豆一样大； —

the tail, or skirt, or whatever it might be called, ended in three points which were borne up by the hands of three pages, likewise dressed in mourning, forming an elegant geometrical figure with the three acute angles made by the three points, from which all who saw the peaked skirt concluded that it must be because of it the countess was called Trifaldi, as though it were Countess of the Three Skirts; —
长裙的尾部，或者该怎么称呼，以三个尖角结束，由同样穿着丧服的三名侍童扶着，在三个尖角所形成的三个锐角之间形成一个优雅的几何图形，看见这三个锥形的裙摆，所有见到的人都认为女伯爵之所以被称为特里法尔迪，是因为她被称为三裙女伯爵； —

and Benengeli says it was so, and that by her right name she was called the Countess Lobuna, because wolves bred in great numbers in her country; —
贝能赫利这样写道，所以有人认为她就是这样，而且这位女伯爵被称为洛波纳伯爵夫人，因为狼在她的国土内繁衍得相当多； —

and if, instead of wolves, they had been foxes, she would have been called the Countess Zorruna, as it was the custom in those parts for lords to take distinctive titles from the thing or things most abundant in their dominions; —
如果不是狼，而是狐狸，她可能会被称为佐尔纳伯爵夫人，因为在这地方的风俗中，领主们会根据自家领土中最盛产的东西来取一个独特的头衔； —

this countess, however, in honour of the new fashion of her skirt, dropped Lobuna and took up Trifaldi.
可是，在新式长裙的时尚下，这位女伯爵放弃了洛波纳，改叫特里法尔迪。

The twelve duennas and the lady came on at procession pace, their faces being covered with black veils, not transparent ones like Trifaldin’s , but so close that they allowed nothing to be seen through them. —
十二位女监护人和这位女伯爵缓缓前进，她们脸上戴着黑纱面纱，不像特里法尔丁那样透明，而是如此紧密，根本看不见里面的东西。 —

As soon as the band of duennas was fully in sight, the duke, the duchess, and Don Quixote stood up, as well as all who were watching the slow-moving procession. —
当女监护人群完全出现在视线中时，公爵、公爵夫人和堂吉诃德都站了起来，所有看着这缓慢行进队伍的人也一样。 —

The twelve duennas halted and formed a lane, along which the Distressed One advanced, Trifaldin still holding her hand. —
十二位女监护人停下来，排成一道通道，那位悲伤的人走进，特里法尔丁仍然牵着她的手。 —

On seeing this the duke, the duchess, and Don Quixote went some twelve paces forward to meet her. —
在看到这一幕后，公爵，公爵夫人和堂吉诃德走了大约十步迎接她。 —

She then, kneeling on the ground, said in a voice hoarse and rough, rather than fine and delicate, “May it please your highnesses not to offer such courtesies to this your servant, I should say to this your handmaid, for I am in such distress that I shall never be able to make a proper return, because my strange and unparalleled misfortune has carried off my wits, and I know not whither; —
她跪在地上，以一种声音沙哑而粗糙，而非细腻和娇媚地说道：“请殿下们不要向这位仆人，或者说这位女仆，提供如此殷勤，因为我遭遇的如此奇异和罕见的不幸使我失去了理智，不知道往何处去； —

but it must be a long way off, for the more I look for them the less I find them.”
但肯定很远，因为我越找，就越找不到。”

“He would be wanting in wits, senora countess,” said the duke, “who did not perceive your worth by your person, for at a glance it may be seen it deserves all the cream of courtesy and flower of polite usage; —
“不明白您的价值的人，女伯爵夫人，” 公爵说，“显然缺乏理智，因为一眼就可以看出您值得所有殷勤与礼貌的呵护； —

” and raising her up by the hand he led her to a seat beside the duchess, who likewise received her with great urbanity. —
” 说着他拉着她的手，把她领到了公爵夫人身边，公爵夫人也以极大的亲切接待了她。 —

Don Quixote remained silent, while Sancho was dying to see the features of Trifaldi and one or two of her many duennas; —
堂吉诃德保持沉默，而桑丘则迫不及待地想看看特里法尔迪和她众多女监护人的面容。 —

but there was no possibility of it until they themselves displayed them of their own accord and free will.
但直到他们自己自愿展示出这些迹象时，才会有可能。

All kept still, waiting to see who would break silence, which the Distressed Duenna did in these words: —
大家都静静地等着看谁会打破沉默，而处境艰难的少女用这样的话打破了沉默： —

“I am confident, most mighty lord, most fair lady, and most discreet company, that my most miserable misery will be accorded a reception no less dispassionate than generous and condolent in your most valiant bosoms, for it is one that is enough to melt marble, soften diamonds, and mollify the steel of the most hardened hearts in the world; —
“我相信，最伟大的阁下，最美丽的夫人，最明智的伙伴，我的这些悲惨的困境将会在你们最勇敢的心中受到同情和慷慨的接纳，因为这个困境足以融化大理石，软化钻石，并且能使世上最坚硬的心变得心软； —

but ere it is proclaimed to your hearing, not to say your ears, I would fain be enlightened whether there be present in this society, circle, or company, that knight immaculatissimus, Don Quixote de la Manchissima, and his squirissimus Panza.”
但在向你们述说前，而不是只是说给你们听，我宁愿知道在这个社团、团体或公司中是否有那位无瑕之骑士唐吉诃德·马扎最玛和他的侍从潘萨。”

“The Panza is here,” said Sancho, before anyone could reply, “and Don Quixotissimus too; —
“潘萨在这儿。”还没等任何人回复，桑丘就说，“唐吉诃德也在这儿； —

and so, most distressedest Duenissima, you may say what you willissimus, for we are all readissimus to do you any servissimus.”
因此，最为困扰的迪娜女士，你可以尽管说出你的意愿，因为我们都准备好为你效劳。”

On this Don Quixote rose, and addressing the Distressed Duenna, said, “If your sorrows, afflicted lady, can indulge in any hope of relief from the valour or might of any knight-errant, here are mine, which, feeble and limited though they be, shall be entirely devoted to your service. —
唐吉诃德站起来，对那位悲伤的迪娜说：“如果你的悲伤，受难的女士，寄望于任何骑士的勇气或力量，那么这里就有我这位–虽然力量微薄有限–愿为了你的服务奉献出一切。 —

I am Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose calling it is to give aid to the needy of all sorts; —
我是拉曼查的唐吉诃德，我的使命是帮助各种需要帮助的人； —

and that being so, it is not necessary for you, senora, to make any appeal to benevolence, or deal in preambles, only to tell your woes plainly and straightforwardly: —
因此，你无需向仁慈求助，或者说冗长的开篇，只需直接坦率地诉说你的困境： —

for you have hearers that will know how, if not to remedy them, to sympathise with them.”
因为你的听众都将懂得如何–若不能解决–至少表示同情。”

On hearing this, the Distressed Duenna made as though she would throw herself at Don Quixote’s feet, and actually did fall before them and said, as she strove to embrace them, “Before these feet and legs I cast myself, O unconquered knight, as before, what they are, the foundations and pillars of knight-errantry; —
听到这些，悲伤的迪娜女士试图投身唐吉诃德的脚下，最终也确实跪在他脚前，她说，“我要跪在你这位无敌骑士的脚前，因为这位骑士的脚，是骑士精神的基石和支柱； —

these feet I desire to kiss, for upon their steps hangs and depends the sole remedy for my misfortune, O valorous errant, whose veritable achievements leave behind and eclipse the fabulous ones of the Amadises, Esplandians, and Belianises! —
我要亲吻这双脚，因为我的困境的唯一解救方法依赖于这些脚步，O勇猛的骑士，您真实的壮举甚至胜过了阿玛迪斯、埃斯普兰迪斯和贝利亚尼斯的神话故事！ —

” Then turning from Don Quixote to Sancho Panza, and grasping his hands, she said, “O thou, most loyal squire that ever served knight-errant in this present age or ages past, whose goodness is more extensive than the beard of Trifaldin my companion here of present, well mayest thou boast thyself that, in serving the great Don Quixote, thou art serving, summed up in one, the whole host of knights that have ever borne arms in the world. —
” 然后她向桑丘伸出双手，握住他的手，说：“哦，你，这个现今或之前任何年代中，为了伟大的唐吉诃德服务的最忠诚的侍从，你的善良比我这里的特里法尔丁的胡须还要广阔，你可以自豪地说，为了伟大的唐吉诃德仆候，你就是在为永远携带武器的所有骑士总和服务。 —

I conjure thee, by what thou owest to thy most loyal goodness, that thou wilt become my kind intercessor with thy master, that he speedily give aid to this most humble and most unfortunate countess.”
我恳求你，凭借你对最忠诚善良的义务，你会成为我与你的主人之间的慈悲斡旋者，希望他迅速帮助这位最卑微和最不幸的女伯爵。”

To this Sancho made answer, “As to my goodness, senora, being as long and as great as your squire’s beard, it matters very little to me; —
至于我的善良，女士，我的善良长得跟你家侍从的胡子一样长一样美，对我来说并不重要； —

may I have my soul well bearded and moustached when it comes to quit this life, that’s the point; —
我只想等到我离开这个世界的时候，我灵魂上能长满胡须和大胡子，这才是关键； —

about beards here below I care little or nothing; —
对于下界的胡须，我不太在意； —

but without all these blandishments and prayers, I will beg my master (for I know he loves me, and, besides, he has need of me just now for a certain business) to help and aid your worship as far as he can; —
不过，不需要这些奉承和祈祷，我会请求我的主人（因为我知道他爱我，而且此刻他正需要我办一桩事情）尽力帮助和支持你的尊贵； —

unpack your woes and lay them before us, and leave us to deal with them, for we’ll be all of one mind.”
把你的忧虑说出来，摆在我们面前，让我们来处理，因为我们会心意相投。

The duke and duchess, as it was they who had made the experiment of this adventure, were ready to burst with laughter at all this, and between themselves they commended the clever acting of the Trifaldi, who, returning to her seat, said, “Queen Dona Maguncia reigned over the famous kingdom of Kandy, which lies between the great Trapobana and the Southern Sea, two leagues beyond Cape Comorin. —
公爵和公爵夫人听了这一切，因为是他们发起了这个冒险，笑得快要背过气去，他们私下里称赞了特里法尔迪的精彩表演，回到她的座位上，特里法尔迪说：“麾下的玛贡西亚女王统治着著名的坎迪王国，它坐落在大特拉波邦和南海之间，距离科莫林角两里之遥。 —

She was the widow of King Archipiela, her lord and husband, and of their marriage they had issue the Princess Antonomasia, heiress of the kingdom; —
她是国王阿奇匹拉的遗孀，她的丈夫和皇后之间有个女儿，王国的继承人安托诺玛西亚公主； —

which Princess Antonomasia was reared and brought up under my care and direction, I being the oldest and highest in rank of her mother’s duennas. —
这位公主在我的照料和指导下长大成人，我是她母亲所有侍女中年龄最长，地位最高的。 —

Time passed, and the young Antonomasia reached the age of fourteen, and such a perfection of beauty, that nature could not raise it higher. —
时间过去了，年幼的安托诺玛西亚女王为十四岁，她美得超凡脱俗，让自然无法再提升。 —

Then, it must not be supposed her intelligence was childish; —
不要以为她的智慧如同婴儿； —

she was as intelligent as she was fair, and she was fairer than all the world; —
她不仅美丽，而且聪明，比世上任何人都更美丽； —

and is so still, unless the envious fates and hard-hearted sisters three have cut for her the thread of life. —
直到现在，她依然如此，除非嫉妒的命运和冷酷的三姐妹早已剪断了她的生命之线。 —

But that they have not, for Heaven will not suffer so great a wrong to Earth, as it would be to pluck unripe the grapes of the fairest vineyard on its surface. —
但他们没有，因为天堂不会容忍给地球如此大的不公，把最美丽葡萄园的未熟葡萄摘下来将是多么大的冤屈。 —

Of this beauty, to which my poor feeble tongue has failed to do justice, countless princes, not only of that country, but of others, were enamoured, and among them a private gentleman, who was at the court, dared to raise his thoughts to the heaven of so great beauty, trusting to his youth, his gallant bearing, his numerous accomplishments and graces, and his quickness and readiness of wit; —
对这美丽，我要再三强调，我的语言无法称赞，无数王子，不仅是那个国家的，还有其他的，都为她倾心，其中一位是朝廷的一位普通绅士，敢于抬眼看向如此绝丽的天堂般美丽，倚靠他年轻，英俊，多才多艺和优雅的外表，以及他机智迅捷的头脑； —

for I may tell your highnesses, if I am not wearying you, that he played the guitar so as to make it speak, and he was, besides, a poet and a great dancer, and he could make birdcages so well, that by making them alone he might have gained a livelihood, had he found himself reduced to utter poverty; —
因为我告诉你们，如果我没有使你们厌烦的话，他演奏的吉他能说话，他还是位诗人，很会跳舞，还会做鸟笼，凭这点光靠自己就能谋生，如果他陷入赤贫； —

and gifts and graces of this kind are enough to bring down a mountain, not to say a tender young girl. —
这种赠礼和恩典足以击垮一座山，更不用说一个娇嫩的少女了。 —

But all his gallantry, wit, and gaiety, all his graces and accomplishments, would have been of little or no avail towards gaining the fortress of my pupil, had not the impudent thief taken the precaution of gaining me over first. —
但是，他所有的殷勤、机智和快乐，所有的风度和才华，如果不是无耻的窃贼先收买了我，想要博得我的信任，那么这些都无济于事。 —

First, the villain and heartless vagabond sought to win my good-will and purchase my compliance, so as to get me, like a treacherous warder, to deliver up to him the keys of the fortress I had in charge. —
首先，这个恶棍和无情的流氓试图赢得我的好意，购买我的顺从，以便像一个不忠诚的看守一样，将我手中守护的堡垒的钥匙交给他。 —

In a word, he gained an influence over my mind, and overcame my resolutions with I know not what trinkets and jewels he gave me; —
总之，他在我的心灵上赢得了影响力，用我不知道他给我的什么小玩意和珠宝打败了我的决心； —

but it was some verses I heard him singing one night from a grating that opened on the street where he lived, that, more than anything else, made me give way and led to my fall; —
但我记得有一晚我听见他从一个通往他住的街道上的铁栅门唱的诗歌，比任何其他事情都更让我屈服，导致我倒台； —

and if I remember rightly they ran thus:
如果我没记错的话，那首诗是这样写的：

From that sweet enemy of mine
从那甜蜜的敌人那里。

My bleeding heart hath had its wound;
我的流血之心已受伤；

And to increase the pain I’m bound
为了增加痛苦我必须忍受

To suffer and to make no sign.
默默承受着。

The lines seemed pearls to me and his voice sweet as syrup; —
这些句子对我来说像珍珠，他的声音甜如糖浆； —

and afterwards, I may say ever since then, looking at the misfortune into which I have fallen, I have thought that poets, as Plato advised, ought to he banished from all well-ordered States; —
之后，我可以说自那时起，看着我所陷入的不幸，我想起了柏拉图的建议，认为诗人们应该被流放出一切井然有序的国家； —

at least the amatory ones, for they write verses, not like those of ‘The Marquis of Mantua,’ that delight and draw tears from the women and children, but sharp-pointed conceits that pierce the heart like soft thorns, and like the lightning strike it, leaving the raiment uninjured. —
至少是那些恋爱的诗人，因为他们写的诗句不像《曼图亚侯爵》那样让妇女和儿童感动流泪，而是尖锐的概念，像柔软的刺那样刺痛心脏，像闪电那样打击它，但不损伤衣着。 —

Another time he sang:
他又唱道：

Come Death, so subtly veiled that I
死亡啊，如此巧妙地遮掩

Thy coming know not, how or when,
你的到来我毫不知晓，何时何地，

Lest it should give me life again
以免再次将生命赐予我

To find how sweet it is to die.
发现死亡是多么甘甜。

— and other verses and burdens of the same sort, such as enchant when sung and fascinate when written. —
——以及其他引人入胜的诗句和负担，在歌唱时迷人，在写就时迷人。 —

And then, when they condescend to compose a sort of verse that was at that time in vogue in Kandy, which they call seguidillas! —
当他们屈尊创作当时在康提流行的一种诗句时，他们称之为赛吉迪利亚！ —

Then it is that hearts leap and laughter breaks forth, and the body grows restless and all the senses turn quicksilver. —
这时心脏跳动，笑声爆发，身体变得不安，所有感官都变得活泼。 —

And so I say, sirs, that these troubadours richly deserve to be banished to the isles of the lizards. —
因此，先生们，我说这些吟游诗人完全应该被流放到蜥蜴岛去。 —

Though it is not they that are in fault, but the simpletons that extol them, and the fools that believe in them; —
虽然他们并非有错，而是那些讴歌他们的笨蛋，以及那些相信他们的傻瓜； —

and had I been the faithful duenna I should have been, his stale conceits would have never moved me, nor should I have been taken in by such phrases as ‘in death I live,’ ‘in ice I burn,’ ‘in flames I shiver,’ ‘hopeless I hope,’ ‘I go and stay,’ and paradoxes of that sort which their writings are full of. —
如果我当时是那个忠实的女家丁，他那些陈腐的概念就不可能让我动心，我也不会被那些“在死亡中我生存”，“在冰中我燃烧”，“在火焰中我颤抖”，“绝望中我充满希望”，“去却停留”等类似的矛盾之辞所迷惑，这些都是他们的作品中充斥着的。 —

And then when they promise the Phoenix of Arabia, the crown of Ariadne, the horses of the Sun, the pearls of the South, the gold of Tibar, and the balsam of Panchaia! —
当他们承诺亚拉伯的凤凰，阿里阿德涅的皇冠，太阳之马，南方的珍珠，提伯尔之金，和潘查亚之乳香时！ —

Then it is they give a loose to their pens, for it costs them little to make promises they have no intention or power of fulfilling. —
那时他们放纵了自己的笔，因为他们承诺不履行也不想履行。 —

But where am I wandering to? Woe is me, unfortunate being! —
但我到底在胡言乱语些什么呢？哀哉我，不幸的人啊！ —

What madness or folly leads me to speak of the faults of others, when there is so much to be said about my own? —
是什么疯狂或愚蠢引导我去谈论他人的过错，而不是批评自己的缺点？ —

Again, woe is me, hapless that I am! it was not verses that conquered me, but my own simplicity; —
哀哉我，我是多么不幸！征服我的不是诗行，而是我的简单； —

it was not music made me yield, but my own imprudence; —
我屈服的不是音乐，而是我的鲁莽； —

my own great ignorance and little caution opened the way and cleared the path for Don Clavijo’s advances, for that was the name of the gentleman I have referred to; —
我的自大无知和轻率开辟了道路，为唐·克拉维霍的进攻打开了道路，因为这就是我提到的绅士的名字。 —

and so, with my help as go-between, he found his way many a time into the chamber of the deceived Antonomasia (deceived not by him but by me) under the title of a lawful husband; —
这并不是由我的罪恶俘获我的内心，而是由于我的愚蠢； —

for, sinner though I was, would not have allowed him to approach the edge of her shoe-sole without being her husband. —
我的愚蠢，让唐·克拉维霍多次得以以合法丈夫的身份进入被欺骗的安托诺玛西亚的卧室（她被欺骗并非因他而是因我）； —

No, no, not that; marriage must come first in any business of this sort that I take in hand. —
不，不，不是那样；这种事务首先必须要有婚姻。 —

But there was one hitch in this case, which was that of inequality of rank, Don Clavijo being a private gentleman, and the Princess Antonomasia, as I said, heiress to the kingdom. —
但在这种情况下出现了一些问题，即地位的不平等，唐·克拉维霍是一个私人绅士，而安托诺玛西亚公主，正如我所说，是王国的继承人。 —

The entanglement remained for some time a secret, kept hidden by my cunning precautions, until I perceived that a certain expansion of waist in Antonomasia must before long disclose it, the dread of which made us all there take counsel together, and it was agreed that before the mischief came to light, Don Clavijo should demand Antonomasia as his wife before the Vicar, in virtue of an agreement to marry him made by the princess, and drafted by my wit in such binding terms that the might of Samson could not have broken it. —
这种纠结一直保持了一段时间，被我的狡猾预防所隐藏，直到我察觉到安托诺玛西亚肚腩的扩张意味着很快会被揭露，我们所有人都在那里商量对策，决定在灾祸曝光之前，唐·克拉维霍应该在牧师面前以王女的名义要求安托诺玛西亚为妻，此前由公主与他订立的婚约，由我的智慧起草的条款是如此约束性，以至于撒姆森的力量也破坏不了。 —

The necessary steps were taken; the Vicar saw the agreement, and took the lady’s confession; —
接下来采取了必要的步骤；牧师看到了协议，也听取了女士的供词； —

she confessed everything in full, and he ordered her into the custody of a very worthy alguacil of the court.”
她全盘承认了一切，他命令把她交给法庭的一名非常有价值的alguacil监护。

“Are there alguacils of the court in Kandy, too,” said Sancho at this, “and poets, and seguidillas? —
“康迪也有法庭的alguacils吗？”圣乔在这时说，“还有诗人和seguidillas吗？ —

I swear I think the world is the same all over! But make haste, Senora Trifaldi; —
我发誓我觉得这个世界到处都一样！但赶快，Trifaldi夫人； —

for it is late, and I am dying to know the end of this long story.”
因为现在已经很晚了，我迫不及待想知道这个漫长故事的结局。”

“I will,” replied the countess.
“我会的，”伯爵夫人回答道。