The Exemplary Novels of CervantesCervantes Saavedra, Miguel de
General
The Exemplary Novels of Cervantes
Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de
Spanish fiction -- Translations into English
It was a clear moonlight night, so that they could see that the person
they carried was a youth of handsome face and figure. He was dressed all
in white linen, with a sort of frock of the same material belted round
his waist. They arrived at Andrew's hut or shed, quickly kindled a fire,
and fetched Preciosa's grandmother to attend to the young man's hurts.
She took some of the dogs' hairs, fried them in oil, and after washing
with wine the two bites she found on the patient's left leg, she put the
hairs and the oil upon them, and over this dressing a little chewed
green rosemary. She then bound the leg up carefully with clean bandages,
made the sign of the cross over it, and said, "Now go to sleep, friend
and with the help of God your hurts will not signify."
Whilst they were attending to the wounded man, Preciosa stood by, eyeing
him with great curiosity, whilst he did the same by her, insomuch that
Andrew took notice of the eagerness with which he gazed; but he
attributed this to the extraordinary beauty of Preciosa, which naturally
attracted all eyes. Finally, having done all that was needful for the
youth, they left him alone on a bed of dry hay, not caring to question
him then as to his road, or any other matter.
As soon as all the others were gone, Preciosa called Andrew aside, and
said to him, "Do you remember, Andrew, a paper I let fall in your house,
when I was dancing with my companions, and which caused you, I think,
some uneasiness?"
"I remember it well," said Andrew; "it was a madrigal in your praise,
and no bad one either."
"Well, you must know, Andrew, that the person who wrote those verses is
no other than the wounded youth we have left in the hut. I cannot be
mistaken, for he spoke to me two or three times in Madrid, and gave me
too a very good romance. He was then dressed, I think, as a page,--not
an ordinary one, but like a favourite of some prince. I assure you,
Andrew, he is a youth of excellent understanding, and remarkably well
behaved; and I cannot imagine what can have brought him hither, and in
such a garb."
"What should you imagine, Preciosa, but that the same power which has
made me a gitano, has made him put on the dress of a miller, and come in
search of you? Ah, Preciosa! Preciosa! how plain it begins to be that
you pride yourself on having more than one adorer. If this be so, finish
me first, and then kill off this other, but do not sacrifice both at the
same time to your perfidy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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