登陆注册
15427300000019

第19章 How Lazaro Took up with a Squire(5)

I took my silver coin and my jug,and hurrying along,I went up the street,heading for the square,very content and happy.But what's the use if my bad luck has it planned for me that I can't enjoy anything without trouble coming along with it?And that's the way this thing went.I was going up the street,thinking about how I would spend the money in the best way possible and get the most out of it.And I was thanking God with all my heart for letting my master have some money,when suddenly I came upon a corpse that a bunch of clergy and other people were carrying down the street on a litter.

I squeezed up next to the wall to let them by,and after the body had gone past there came right behind the litter a woman who must have been the dead man's wife,all dressed up in mourning (and a lot of other women with her).And she came along,crying loudly and saying,"My husband and lord,where are they taking you?It's to that poor,unhappy house,that dark and gloomy house,that house where they never eat or drink!"

And when I heard that,I felt like I had fallen through the ground,and I said,"Oh--no!They're taking this dead man to my house."

I turned around and squeezed through the crowd and ran back down the street as fast as I could toward my house.And when I got inside I closed the door right behind me and called out for my master to come and help me.And I grabbed hold of him and begged him to help me block the door.He was a little stunned,thinking it might be something else,and he asked me,"What is it,boy?Why are you shouting?What's the matter?Why did you slam the door so hard?"

"Oh,sir,"I said,"help me!They're bringing a dead man here.""What do you mean?"he asked.

"I stumbled into him just up the way from here,and his wife was

coming along saying,'My husband and lord,where are they taking you?To the dark and gloomy house,the poor,unhappy house,the house where they never eat or drink!'Oh,sir,they're bringing him here."

And I tell you that when my master heard that,even though he didn't have any reason for being very cheerful,he laughed so hard that for a long time he couldn't even talk.In the meantime I had the bolt snapped shut on the door and my shoulder against it to hold them all back.The people passed by with their corpse,and I was still afraid that they were going to stick him in our house.And when he'd had his bellyful of laughter (more than of food)my good master said to me:"It's true,Lazaro,that taking the words of the widow at face value,you had every reason to think what you did.But since it was God's will to do something else and they've gone by,go on and open the door and go get us something to eat."

"Sir,wait until they've gone down the street,"I said.

Finally my master came up to the door that led to the street and opened it,reassuring me--and I really needed that because I was so upset and afraid.So I started up the street again.

But even though we ate well that day,I didn't enjoy it a damn bit.In fact,I didn't get my color back for three days.And my master would grin every time he thought about what I'd done.

So that's what happened to me during those days with my third poor master,this squire,and all the time I was wishing I knew how he'd come to this place and why he was staying here.Because from the very first day that I started serving him,I realized he was a stranger here:he hardly knew anyone,and he didn't associate with very many of the people around here.

Finally my wish came true,and I found out what I wanted to know.One day after we'd eaten fairly well and he was pretty content,he told me about himself.He said he was from Old Castile.And he said the only reason he'd left there was because he didn't want to take his hat off to a neighbor of his who was a high-class gentleman.

"Sir,"I said,"if he was the kind of man you say he was and his status was higher than yours,it was only right for you to take your hat off first--after all,you say that he took off his hat,too."

"That is the kind of man he was:his status was higher and he did take his hat off to me.But considering all the time I took mine off first,it wouldn't have been asking too much for him to be civil and make the first move once in a while."

"It seems to me,sir,"I told him,"that I wouldn't even think about that--especially with people who are my superiors and are better off than I am.""You're just a boy,"he answered,"and you don't understand honor.That is the most important thing to any self-respecting gentleman these days.Well,I want you to know that I'm a squire--as you can see.But I swear to God that if I meet a count on the street and he doesn't take his hat all the way off his head for me,the next time I see him coming,I'll duck right into a house and pretend that I have some business or other to do there.Or I'll go up another street,if there is one,before he gets up to me--just so I won't have to take off my hat to him.Because a gentleman doesn't owe anything to anyone except God or the King.And it isn't right,if he's a man of honor,for him to let his self-respect fall even for a minute.

"I remember one day when I put a craftsman from my town in his place,and I felt like strangling him,too,because every time I ran into him he would say,'God keep you,friend.''You little peasant,'I said to him,'How dare you address me with "God keep you"as if I were just anybody?Where were you brought up?'And from that day on,whenever he saw me,he took off his hat and spoke to me the way he was supposed to."

"But isn't that a good way for one man to greet another:to say 'God keep you'?"

"Damn it!"he said."That's what they say to the lower classes.But to people who are higher up,like me,they're only supposed to say,'I hope you are well today,sir.'Or,at least,'I hope you feel well today'if the person talking to me is a gentleman.So I didn't want to put up with that man from my town who was filling me up to here with his 'God keep you.'And I wouldn't put up with him either.In fact,I won't stand for anyone--including the King himself--to say to me 'God keep you,friend.'"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 兄弟战争之玛奇

    兄弟战争之玛奇

    危险的猎人世界中幻影旅团里面的团花,也是冰山美人玛奇,当她来到一个其他不知名的世界时,她可以回去猎人世界和旅团的其他同伴再会吗?在另外一个世界的她,会因为什么人而改变吗?无啸是第一次写小说,写得不好请见谅,还有,请多多指教
  • 唤神榜

    唤神榜

    他本是这奇异世界中的一个普通山村小屌丝,却因仇恨登上修行之路。他欲压天,却没有什么特别的本事,也没有什么厉害的法宝,但他却一路坑修士,坑强者,坑仙人,坑神兽。他一路寻找凶手,也一路坑到底,在无意间坑了整个天地!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 穴道秘书

    穴道秘书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 醉离

    醉离

    柔情似水,往期如梦忍顾鹊桥归路两情若是长久时,又岂在朝朝暮暮。
  • 似曾相识燕归来

    似曾相识燕归来

    被放逐寺庙,却又被人接回府上,这一切看似合情合理,可背后却又处处隐藏阴谋,宁安走的每一步都小心翼翼,旁人看她皆是温柔可人,谁能知道,这外表的皮囊下面,其实是来自现代的灵魂。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 墨轮

    墨轮

    始,初始。自宇宙初生以来,从黑化白,从无到有,无数次的爆炸与融合。没有事物能存在于再次新生后,连宇宙中的神灵也无法抵抗。但是,宇宙是不消亡的。他孕育了每个爆炸间的事物,同样也怜悯着万物。所以在每一个爆炸间,都有一个事物因爆炸而分散,又一丝不变地重新组合起来。它就获得了重生,随着宇宙一起新生。这种现象在我们这个爆炸间有了定论,叫做墨轮。以黑对白,轮回重生。上一个爆炸间留下了一本书,使得我们通晓古今,并终使我们脱离宇宙......
  • 残酷王爷的弃妃(全本)

    残酷王爷的弃妃(全本)

    【古代情殇文】她本是他明媒正娶的王妃,大婚那夜他却当着众人的面要验她的身,她悲凉一笑,没想到自己的贞操不是由自己的夫君来验却是以这样屈辱的方式。也就在那一夜,她由王妃被贬为侍妾,他的美妾三千,却个个要致她于死地。可怜她腹中的骨肉却无辜被他认为是和别人珠胎暗结。他心爱的女子稍有偏差他便算在她头上,她何其无辜不过是一缕幽魂。他亲手将有毒的茶让她饮下只为了替他心爱的女子试药,不顾他在她体内种下的寒毒。而背后那绽开的一朵圣洁睡莲却是一道生死符,只为那残忍邪佞的男子致惑的恨意纠葛……
  • 懒懒小萌妻一点不好惹

    懒懒小萌妻一点不好惹

    —————————————————————简介暂无————————————————
  • 通天玄徒

    通天玄徒

    不一样的修仙之路,不一样的仙侠故事!主角一介布衣,却一往无前地在仙途中艰难跋涉!历经万险,打破替他人做嫁衣的宿命,谱一曲弑仙灭神的壮歌!终窥得天道,写下一段不朽传奇!【初次写书,不足在所难免.期待您的意见或建议。欢迎加群:29454106】