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+% SiSU 4.0
+
+@title: Don Quixote
+
+@creator:
+ :author: de Cervantes [Saavedra], Miguel
+ :translator: John Ormsby
+
+@language:
+ :document: English
+ :original: Spanish
+
+@classify:
+ :type: Book
+ :topic_register: SiSU:markup sample:book;book:novel:classical|farce|parody|satire|psychological novel;Spanish:original text;original text language:Spanish;study:literature:classical|english language
+
+% @rights:
+
+@date:
+ :published: 1615
+ :created: 1605
+ :issued: 1605
+ :available: 1605
+ :modified: 1615
+ :added_to_site: 2004-04-12
+
+@links:
+ { Don Quixote @ SiSU }http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu/don_quixote.miguel_de_cervantes
+ { @ Wikipedia }http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_quixote
+ { Syntax }http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu/sample/syntax/don_quixote.miguel_de_cervantes.sst.html
+
+@make:
+ :headings: none; PART; VOLUME; Chapter;
+ :breaks: new=:C; break=1
+
+% SiSU: http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu
+% SiSU markup for 0.16 and later, header 0~links 0.20.4. may drop image dimensions (rmagick) 0.22.0, utf-8 (save as utf-8, with Unix line endings) 0.23.0 ß
+% SiSU markup: http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu/sample
+% Output: http://www.jus.uio.no/sisu/don_quixote.miguel_de_cervantes
+
+:A~ @title @creator
+
+PART I. -
+DON QUIXOTE Volume I. Complete by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by John Ormsby
+
+1~ Translator's Preface
+
+2~ I: About this Translation
+
+It was with considerable reluctance that I abandoned in favour of the
+present undertaking what had long been a favourite project: that of a new
+edition of Shelton's "Don Quixote," which has now become a somewhat
+scarce book. There are some--and I confess myself to be one--for whom
+Shelton's racy old version, with all its defects, has a charm that no
+modern translation, however skilful or correct, could possess. Shelton
+had the inestimable advantage of belonging to the same generation as
+Cervantes; "Don Quixote" had to him a vitality that only a contemporary
+could feel; it cost him no dramatic effort to see things as Cervantes saw
+them; there is no anachronism in his language; he put the Spanish of
+Cervantes into the English of Shakespeare. Shakespeare himself most
+likely knew the book; he may have carried it home with him in his
+saddle-bags to Stratford on one of his last journeys, and under the
+mulberry tree at New Place joined hands with a kindred genius in its
+pages.
+
+But it was soon made plain to me that to hope for even a moderate
+popularity for Shelton was vain. His fine old crusted English would, no
+doubt, be relished by a minority, but it would be only by a minority. His
+warmest admirers must admit that he is not a satisfactory representative
+of Cervantes. His translation of the First Part was very hastily made and
+was never revised by him. It has all the freshness and vigour, but also a
+full measure of the faults, of a hasty production. It is often very
+literal--barbarously literal frequently--but just as often very loose. He
+had evidently a good colloquial knowledge of Spanish, but apparently not
+much more. It never seems to occur to him that the same translation of a
+word will not suit in every case.
+
+It is often said that we have no satisfactory translation of "Don
+Quixote." To those who are familiar with the original, it savours of
+truism or platitude to say so, for in truth there can be no thoroughly
+satisfactory translation of "Don Quixote" into English or any other
+language. It is not that the Spanish idioms are so utterly unmanageable,
+or that the untranslatable words, numerous enough no doubt, are so
+superabundant, but rather that the sententious terseness to which the
+humour of the book owes its flavour is peculiar to Spanish, and can at
+best be only distantly imitated in any other tongue.
+
+The history of our English translations of "Don Quixote" is instructive.
+Shelton's, the first in any language, was made, apparently, about 1608,
+but not published till 1612. This of course was only the First Part. It
+has been asserted that the Second, published in 1620, is not the work of
+Shelton, but there is nothing to support the assertion save the fact that
+it has less spirit, less of what we generally understand by "go," about
+it than the first, which would be only natural if the first were the work
+of a young man writing currente calamo, and the second that of a
+middle-aged man writing for a bookseller. On the other hand, it is closer
+and more literal, the style is the same, the very same translations, or
+mistranslations, occur in it, and it is extremely unlikely that a new
+translator would, by suppressing his name, have allowed Shelton to carry
+off the credit.
+
+In 1687 John Phillips, Milton's nephew, produced a "Don Quixote" "made
+English," he says, "according to the humour of our modern language." His
+"Quixote" is not so much a translation as a travesty, and a travesty that
+for coarseness, vulgarity, and buffoonery is almost unexampled even in
+the literature of that day.
+
+Ned Ward's "Life and Notable Adventures of Don Quixote, merrily
+translated into Hudibrastic Verse" (1700), can scarcely be reckoned a
+translation, but it serves to show the light in which "Don Quixote" was
+regarded at the time.
+
+A further illustration may be found in the version published in 1712 by
+Peter Motteux, who had then recently combined tea-dealing with
+literature. It is described as "translated from the original by several
+hands," but if so all Spanish flavour has entirely evaporated under the
+manipulation of the several hands. The flavour that it has, on the other
+hand, is distinctly Franco-cockney. Anyone who compares it carefully with
+the original will have little doubt that it is a concoction from Shelton
+and the French of Filleau de Saint Martin, eked out by borrowings from
+Phillips, whose mode of treatment it adopts. It is, to be sure, more
+decent and decorous, but it treats "Don Quixote" in the same fashion as a
+comic book that cannot be made too comic.
+
+To attempt to improve the humour of "Don Quixote" by an infusion of
+cockney flippancy and facetiousness, as Motteux's operators did, is not
+merely an impertinence like larding a sirloin of prize beef, but an
+absolute falsification of the spirit of the book, and it is a proof of
+the uncritical way in which "Don Quixote" is generally read that this
+worse than worthless translation--worthless as failing to represent,
+worse than worthless as misrepresenting--should have been favoured as it
+has been.
+
+It had the effect, however, of bringing out a translation undertaken and
+executed in a very different spirit, that of Charles Jervas, the portrait
+painter, and friend of Pope, Swift, Arbuthnot, and Gay. Jervas has been
+allowed little credit for his work, indeed it may be said none, for it is
+known to the world in general as Jarvis's. It was not published until
+after his death, and the printers gave the name according to the current
+pronunciation of the day. It has been the most freely used and the most
+freely abused of all the translations. It has seen far more editions than
+any other, it is admitted on all hands to be by far the most faithful,
+and yet nobody seems to have a good word to say for it or for its author.
+Jervas no doubt prejudiced readers against himself in his preface, where
+among many true words about Shelton, Stevens, and Motteux, he rashly and
+unjustly charges Shelton with having translated not from the Spanish, but
+from the Italian version of Franciosini, which did not appear until ten
+years after Shelton's first volume. A suspicion of incompetence, too,
+seems to have attached to him because he was by profession a painter and
+a mediocre one (though he has given us the best portrait we have of
+Swift), and this may have been strengthened by Pope's remark that he
+"translated 'Don Quixote' without understanding Spanish." He has been
+also charged with borrowing from Shelton, whom he disparaged. It is true
+that in a few difficult or obscure passages he has followed Shelton, and
+gone astray with him; but for one case of this sort, there are fifty
+where he is right and Shelton wrong. As for Pope's dictum, anyone who
+examines Jervas's version carefully, side by side with the original, will
+see that he was a sound Spanish scholar, incomparably a better one than
+Shelton, except perhaps in mere colloquial Spanish. He was, in fact, an
+honest, faithful, and painstaking translator, and he has left a version
+which, whatever its shortcomings may be, is singularly free from errors
+and mistranslations.
+
+The charge against it is that it is stiff, dry--"wooden" in a word,-and
+no one can deny that there is a foundation for it. But it may be pleaded
+for Jervas that a good deal of this rigidity is due to his abhorrence of
+the light, flippant, jocose style of his predecessors. He was one of the
+few, very few, translators that have shown any apprehension of the
+unsmiling gravity which is the essence of Quixotic humour; it seemed to
+him a crime to bring Cervantes forward smirking and grinning at his own
+good things, and to this may be attributed in a great measure the ascetic
+abstinence from everything savouring of liveliness which is the
+characteristic of his translation. In most modern editions, it should be
+observed, his style has been smoothed and smartened, but without any
+reference to the original Spanish, so that if he has been made to read
+more agreeably he has also been robbed of his chief merit of fidelity.
+
+Smollett's version, published in 1755, may be almost counted as one of
+these. At any rate it is plain that in its construction Jervas's
+translation was very freely drawn upon, and very little or probably no
+heed given to the original Spanish.
+
+The later translations may be dismissed in a few words. George Kelly's,
+which appeared in 1769, "printed for the Translator," was an impudent
+imposture, being nothing more than Motteux's version with a few of the
+words, here and there, artfully transposed; Charles Wilmot's (1774) was
+only an abridgment like Florian's, but not so skilfully executed; and the
+version published by Miss Smirke in 1818, to accompany her brother's
+plates, was merely a patchwork production made out of former
+translations. On the latest, Mr. A. J. Duffield's, it would be in every
+sense of the word impertinent in me to offer an opinion here. I had not
+even seen it when the present undertaking was proposed to me, and since
+then I may say vidi tantum, having for obvious reasons resisted the
+temptation which Mr. Duffield's reputation and comely volumes hold out to
+every lover of Cervantes.
+
+From the foregoing history of our translations of "Don Quixote," it will
+be seen that there are a good many people who, provided they get the mere
+narrative with its full complement of facts, incidents, and adventures
+served up to them in a form that amuses them, care very little whether
+that form is the one in which Cervantes originally shaped his ideas. On
+the other hand, it is clear that there are many who desire to have not
+merely the story he tells, but the story as he tells it, so far at least
+as differences of idiom and circumstances permit, and who will give a
+preference to the conscientious translator, even though he may have
+acquitted himself somewhat awkwardly.
+
+But after all there is no real antagonism between the two classes; there
+is no reason why what pleases the one should not please the other, or why
+a translator who makes it his aim to treat "Don Quixote" with the respect
+due to a great classic, should not be as acceptable even to the careless
+reader as the one who treats it as a famous old jest-book. It is not a
+question of caviare to the general, or, if it is, the fault rests with
+him who makes so. The method by which Cervantes won the ear of the
+Spanish people ought, mutatis mutandis, to be equally effective with the
+great majority of English readers. At any rate, even if there are readers
+to whom it is a matter of indifference, fidelity to the method is as much
+a part of the translator's duty as fidelity to the matter. If he can
+please all parties, so much the better; but his first duty is to those
+who look to him for as faithful a representation of his author as it is
+in his power to give them, faithful to the letter so long as fidelity is
+practicable, faithful to the spirit so far as he can make it.
+
+My purpose here is not to dogmatise on the rules of translation, but to
+indicate those I have followed, or at least tried to the best of my
+ability to follow, in the present instance. One which, it seems to me,
+cannot be too rigidly followed in translating "Don Quixote," is to avoid
+everything that savours of affectation. The book itself is, indeed, in
+one sense a protest against it, and no man abhorred it more than
+Cervantes. For this reason, I think, any temptation to use antiquated or
+obsolete language should be resisted. It is after all an affectation, and
+one for which there is no warrant or excuse. Spanish has probably
+undergone less change since the seventeenth century than any language in
+Europe, and by far the greater and certainly the best part of "Don
+Quixote" differs but little in language from the colloquial Spanish of
+the present day. Except in the tales and Don Quixote's speeches, the
+translator who uses the simplest and plainest everyday language will
+almost always be the one who approaches nearest to the original.
+
+Seeing that the story of "Don Quixote" and all its characters and
+incidents have now been for more than two centuries and a half familiar
+as household words in English mouths, it seems to me that the old
+familiar names and phrases should not be changed without good reason. Of
+course a translator who holds that "Don Quixote" should receive the
+treatment a great classic deserves, will feel himself bound by the
+injunction laid upon the Morisco in Chap. IX not to omit or add anything.
+
+2~ II: About Cervantes and Don Quixote
+
+Four generations had laughed over "Don Quixote" before it occurred to
+anyone to ask, who and what manner of man was this Miguel de Cervantes
+Saavedra whose name is on the title-page; and it was too late for a
+satisfactory answer to the question when it was proposed to add a life of
+the author to the London edition published at Lord Carteret's instance in
+1738. All traces of the personality of Cervantes had by that time
+disappeared. Any floating traditions that may once have existed,
+transmitted from men who had known him, had long since died out, and of
+other record there was none; for the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
+were incurious as to "the men of the time," a reproach against which the
+nineteenth has, at any rate, secured itself, if it has produced no
+Shakespeare or Cervantes. All that Mayans y Siscar, to whom the task was
+entrusted, or any of those who followed him, Rios, Pellicer, or
+Navarrete, could do was to eke out the few allusions Cervantes makes to
+himself in his various prefaces with such pieces of documentary evidence
+bearing upon his life as they could find.
+
+This, however, has been done by the last-named biographer to such good
+purpose that he has superseded all predecessors. Thoroughness is the
+chief characteristic of Navarrete's work. Besides sifting, testing, and
+methodising with rare patience and judgment what had been previously
+brought to light, he left, as the saying is, no stone unturned under
+which anything to illustrate his subject might possibly be found.
+Navarrete has done all that industry and acumen could do, and it is no
+fault of his if he has not given us what we want. What Hallam says of
+Shakespeare may be applied to the almost parallel case of Cervantes: "It
+is not the register of his baptism, or the draft of his will, or the
+orthography of his name that we seek; no letter of his writing, no record
+of his conversation, no character of him drawn ... by a contemporary has
+been produced."
+
+It is only natural, therefore, that the biographers of Cervantes, forced
+to make brick without straw, should have recourse largely to conjecture,
+and that conjecture should in some instances come by degrees to take the
+place of established fact. All that I propose to do here is to separate
+what is matter of fact from what is matter of conjecture, and leave it to
+the reader's judgment to decide whether the data justify the inference or
+not.
+
+The men whose names by common consent stand in the front rank of Spanish
+literature, Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Calderon, Garcilaso de la
+Vega, the Mendozas, Gongora, were all men of ancient families, and,
+curiously, all, except the last, of families that traced their origin to
+the same mountain district in the North of Spain. The family of Cervantes
+is commonly said to have been of Galician origin, and unquestionably it
+was in possession of lands in Galicia at a very early date; but I think
+the balance of the evidence tends to show that the "solar," the original
+site of the family, was at Cervatos in the north-west corner of Old
+Castile, close to the junction of Castile, Leon, and the Asturias. As it
+happens, there is a complete history of the Cervantes family from the
+tenth century down to the seventeenth extant under the title of
+"Illustrious Ancestry, Glorious Deeds, and Noble Posterity of the Famous
+Nuno Alfonso, Alcaide of Toledo," written in 1648 by the industrious
+genealogist Rodrigo Mendez Silva, who availed himself of a manuscript
+genealogy by Juan de Mena, the poet laureate and historiographer of John
+II.
+
+The origin of the name Cervantes is curious. Nuno Alfonso was almost as
+distinguished in the struggle against the Moors in the reign of Alfonso
+VII as the Cid had been half a century before in that of Alfonso VI, and
+was rewarded by divers grants of land in the neighbourhood of Toledo. On
+one of his acquisitions, about two leagues from the city, he built
+himself a castle which he called Cervatos, because "he was lord of the
+solar of Cervatos in the Montana," as the mountain region extending from
+the Basque Provinces to Leon was always called. At his death in battle in
+1143, the castle passed by his will to his son Alfonso Munio, who, as
+territorial or local surnames were then coming into vogue in place of the
+simple patronymic, took the additional name of Cervatos. His eldest son
+Pedro succeeded him in the possession of the castle, and followed his
+example in adopting the name, an assumption at which the younger son,
+Gonzalo, seems to have taken umbrage.
+
+Everyone who has paid even a flying visit to Toledo will remember the
+ruined castle that crowns the hill above the spot where the bridge of
+Alcantara spans the gorge of the Tagus, and with its broken outline and
+crumbling walls makes such an admirable pendant to the square solid
+Alcazar towering over the city roofs on the opposite side. It was built,
+or as some say restored, by Alfonso VI shortly after his occupation of
+Toledo in 1085, and called by him San Servando after a Spanish martyr, a
+name subsequently modified into San Servan (in which form it appears in
+the "Poem of the Cid"), San Servantes, and San Cervantes: with regard to
+which last the "Handbook for Spain" warns its readers against the
+supposition that it has anything to do with the author of "Don Quixote."
+Ford, as all know who have taken him for a companion and counsellor on
+the roads of Spain, is seldom wrong in matters of literature or history.
+In this instance, however, he is in error. It has everything to do with
+the author of "Don Quixote," for it is in fact these old walls that have
+given to Spain the name she is proudest of to-day. Gonzalo, above
+mentioned, it may be readily conceived, did not relish the appropriation
+by his brother of a name to which he himself had an equal right, for
+though nominally taken from the castle, it was in reality derived from
+the ancient territorial possession of the family, and as a set-off, and
+to distinguish himself (diferenciarse) from his brother, he took as a
+surname the name of the castle on the bank of the Tagus, in the building
+of which, according to a family tradition, his great-grandfather had a
+share.
+
+Both brothers founded families. The Cervantes branch had more tenacity;
+it sent offshoots in various directions, Andalusia, Estremadura, Galicia,
+and Portugal, and produced a goodly line of men distinguished in the
+service of Church and State. Gonzalo himself, and apparently a son of
+his, followed Ferdinand III in the great campaign of 1236-48 that gave
+Cordova and Seville to Christian Spain and penned up the Moors in the
+kingdom of Granada, and his descendants intermarried with some of the
+noblest families of the Peninsula and numbered among them soldiers,
+magistrates, and Church dignitaries, including at least two
+cardinal-archbishops.
+
+Of the line that settled in Andalusia, Deigo de Cervantes, Commander of
+the Order of Santiago, married Juana Avellaneda, daughter of Juan Arias
+de Saavedra, and had several sons, of whom one was Gonzalo Gomez,
+Corregidor of Jerez and ancestor of the Mexican and Columbian branches of
+the family; and another, Juan, whose son Rodrigo married Dona Leonor de
+Cortinas, and by her had four children, Rodrigo, Andrea, Luisa, and
+Miguel, our author.
+
+The pedigree of Cervantes is not without its bearing on "Don Quixote." A
+man who could look back upon an ancestry of genuine knights-errant
+extending from well-nigh the time of Pelayo to the siege of Granada was
+likely to have a strong feeling on the subject of the sham chivalry of
+the romances. It gives a point, too, to what he says in more than one
+place about families that have once been great and have tapered away
+until they have come to nothing, like a pyramid. It was the case of his
+own.
+
+He was born at Alcala de Henares and baptised in the church of Santa
+Maria Mayor on the 9th of October, 1547. Of his boyhood and youth we know
+nothing, unless it be from the glimpse he gives us in the preface to his
+"Comedies" of himself as a boy looking on with delight while Lope de
+Rueda and his company set up their rude plank stage in the plaza and
+acted the rustic farces which he himself afterwards took as the model of
+his interludes. This first glimpse, however, is a significant one, for it
+shows the early development of that love of the drama which exercised
+such an influence on his life and seems to have grown stronger as he grew
+older, and of which this very preface, written only a few months before
+his death, is such a striking proof. He gives us to understand, too, that
+he was a great reader in his youth; but of this no assurance was needed,
+for the First Part of "Don Quixote" alone proves a vast amount of
+miscellaneous reading, romances of chivalry, ballads, popular poetry,
+chronicles, for which he had no time or opportunity except in the first
+twenty years of his life; and his misquotations and mistakes in matters
+of detail are always, it may be noticed, those of a man recalling the
+reading of his boyhood.
+
+Other things besides the drama were in their infancy when Cervantes was a
+boy. The period of his boyhood was in every way a transition period for
+Spain. The old chivalrous Spain had passed away. The new Spain was the
+mightiest power the world had seen since the Roman Empire and it had not
+yet been called upon to pay the price of its greatness. By the policy of
+Ferdinand and Ximenez the sovereign had been made absolute, and the
+Church and Inquisition adroitly adjusted to keep him so. The nobles, who
+had always resisted absolutism as strenuously as they had fought the
+Moors, had been divested of all political power, a like fate had befallen
+the cities, the free constitutions of Castile and Aragon had been swept
+away, and the only function that remained to the Cortes was that of
+granting money at the King's dictation.
+
+The transition extended to literature. Men who, like Garcilaso de la Vega
+and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, followed the Italian wars, had brought back
+from Italy the products of the post-Renaissance literature, which took
+root and flourished and even threatened to extinguish the native growths.
+Damon and Thyrsis, Phyllis and Chloe had been fairly naturalised in
+Spain, together with all the devices of pastoral poetry for investing
+with an air of novelty the idea of a dispairing shepherd and inflexible
+shepherdess. As a set-off against this, the old historical and
+traditional ballads, and the true pastorals, the songs and ballads of
+peasant life, were being collected assiduously and printed in the
+cancioneros that succeeded one another with increasing rapidity. But the
+most notable consequence, perhaps, of the spread of printing was the
+flood of romances of chivalry that had continued to pour from the press
+ever since Garci Ordonez de Montalvo had resuscitated "Amadis of Gaul" at
+the beginning of the century.
+
+For a youth fond of reading, solid or light, there could have been no
+better spot in Spain than Alcala de Henares in the middle of the
+sixteenth century. It was then a busy, populous university town,
+something more than the enterprising rival of Salamanca, and altogether a
+very different place from the melancholy, silent, deserted Alcala the
+traveller sees now as he goes from Madrid to Saragossa. Theology and
+medicine may have been the strong points of the university, but the town
+itself seems to have inclined rather to the humanities and light
+literature, and as a producer of books Alcala was already beginning to
+compete with the older presses of Toledo, Burgos, Salamanca and Seville.
+
+A pendant to the picture Cervantes has given us of his first playgoings
+might, no doubt, have been often seen in the streets of Alcala at that
+time; a bright, eager, tawny-haired boy peering into a book-shop where
+the latest volumes lay open to tempt the public, wondering, it may be,
+what that little book with the woodcut of the blind beggar and his boy,
+that called itself "Vida de Lazarillo de Tormes, segunda impresion,"
+could be about; or with eyes brimming over with merriment gazing at one
+of those preposterous portraits of a knight-errant in outrageous panoply
+and plumes with which the publishers of chivalry romances loved to
+embellish the title-pages of their folios. If the boy was the father of
+the man, the sense of the incongruous that was strong at fifty was lively
+at ten, and some such reflections as these may have been the true genesis
+of "Don Quixote."
+
+For his more solid education, we are told, he went to Salamanca. But why
+Rodrigo de Cervantes, who was very poor, should have sent his son to a
+university a hundred and fifty miles away when he had one at his own
+door, would be a puzzle, if we had any reason for supposing that he did
+so. The only evidence is a vague statement by Professor Tomas Gonzalez,
+that he once saw an old entry of the matriculation of a Miguel de
+Cervantes. This does not appear to have been ever seen again; but even if
+it had, and if the date corresponded, it would prove nothing, as there
+were at least two other Miguels born about the middle of the century; one
+of them, moreover, a Cervantes Saavedra, a cousin, no doubt, who was a
+source of great embarrassment to the biographers.
+
+That he was a student neither at Salamanca nor at Alcala is best proved
+by his own works. No man drew more largely upon experience than he did,
+and he has nowhere left a single reminiscence of student life-for the
+"Tia Fingida," if it be his, is not one--nothing, not even "a college
+joke," to show that he remembered days that most men remember best. All
+that we know positively about his education is that Juan Lopez de Hoyos,
+a professor of humanities and belles-lettres of some eminence, calls him
+his "dear and beloved pupil." This was in a little collection of verses
+by different hands on the death of Isabel de Valois, second queen of
+Philip II, published by the professor in 1569, to which Cervantes
+contributed four pieces, including an elegy, and an epitaph in the form
+of a sonnet. It is only by a rare chance that a "Lycidas" finds its way
+into a volume of this sort, and Cervantes was no Milton. His verses are
+no worse than such things usually are; so much, at least, may be said for
+them.
+
+By the time the book appeared he had left Spain, and, as fate ordered it,
+for twelve years, the most eventful ones of his life. Giulio, afterwards
+Cardinal, Acquaviva had been sent at the end of 1568 to Philip II by the
+Pope on a mission, partly of condolence, partly political, and on his
+return to Rome, which was somewhat brusquely expedited by the King, he
+took Cervantes with him as his camarero (chamberlain), the office he
+himself held in the Pope's household. The post would no doubt have led to
+advancement at the Papal Court had Cervantes retained it, but in the
+summer of 1570 he resigned it and enlisted as a private soldier in
+Captain Diego Urbina's company, belonging to Don Miguel de Moncada's
+regiment, but at that time forming a part of the command of Marc Antony
+Colonna. What impelled him to this step we know not, whether it was
+distaste for the career before him, or purely military enthusiasm. It may
+well have been the latter, for it was a stirring time; the events,
+however, which led to the alliance between Spain, Venice, and the Pope,
+against the common enemy, the Porte, and to the victory of the combined
+fleets at Lepanto, belong rather to the history of Europe than to the
+life of Cervantes. He was one of those that sailed from Messina, in
+September 1571, under the command of Don John of Austria; but on the
+morning of the 7th of October, when the Turkish fleet was sighted, he was
+lying below ill with fever. At the news that the enemy was in sight he
+rose, and, in spite of the remonstrances of his comrades and superiors,
+insisted on taking his post, saying he preferred death in the service of
+God and the King to health. His galley, the Marquesa, was in the thick of
+the fight, and before it was over he had received three gunshot wounds,
+two in the breast and one in the left hand or arm. On the morning after
+the battle, according to Navarrete, he had an interview with the
+commander-in-chief, Don John, who was making a personal inspection of the
+wounded, one result of which was an addition of three crowns to his pay,
+and another, apparently, the friendship of his general.
+
+How severely Cervantes was wounded may be inferred from the fact, that
+with youth, a vigorous frame, and as cheerful and buoyant a temperament
+as ever invalid had, he was seven months in hospital at Messina before he
+was discharged. He came out with his left hand permanently disabled; he
+had lost the use of it, as Mercury told him in the "Viaje del Parnaso"
+for the greater glory of the right. This, however, did not absolutely
+unfit him for service, and in April 1572 he joined Manuel Ponce de Leon's
+company of Lope de Figueroa's regiment, in which, it seems probable, his
+brother Rodrigo was serving, and shared in the operations of the next
+three years, including the capture of the Goletta and Tunis. Taking
+advantage of the lull which followed the recapture of these places by the
+Turks, he obtained leave to return to Spain, and sailed from Naples in
+September 1575 on board the Sun galley, in company with his brother
+Rodrigo, Pedro Carrillo de Quesada, late Governor of the Goletta, and
+some others, and furnished with letters from Don John of Austria and the
+Duke of Sesa, the Viceroy of Sicily, recommending him to the King for the
+command of a company, on account of his services; a dono infelice as
+events proved. On the 26th they fell in with a squadron of Algerine
+galleys, and after a stout resistance were overpowered and carried into
+Algiers.
+
+By means of a ransomed fellow-captive the brothers contrived to inform
+their family of their condition, and the poor people at Alcala at once
+strove to raise the ransom money, the father disposing of all he
+possessed, and the two sisters giving up their marriage portions. But
+Dali Mami had found on Cervantes the letters addressed to the King by Don
+John and the Duke of Sesa, and, concluding that his prize must be a
+person of great consequence, when the money came he refused it scornfully
+as being altogether insufficient. The owner of Rodrigo, however, was more
+easily satisfied; ransom was accepted in his case, and it was arranged
+between the brothers that he should return to Spain and procure a vessel
+in which he was to come back to Algiers and take off Miguel and as many
+of their comrades as possible. This was not the first attempt to escape
+that Cervantes had made. Soon after the commencement of his captivity he
+induced several of his companions to join him in trying to reach Oran,
+then a Spanish post, on foot; but after the first day's journey, the Moor
+who had agreed to act as their guide deserted them, and they had no
+choice but to return. The second attempt was more disastrous. In a garden
+outside the city on the sea-shore, he constructed, with the help of the
+gardener, a Spaniard, a hiding-place, to which he brought, one by one,
+fourteen of his fellow-captives, keeping them there in secrecy for
+several months, and supplying them with food through a renegade known as
+El Dorador, "the Gilder." How he, a captive himself, contrived to do all
+this, is one of the mysteries of the story. Wild as the project may
+appear, it was very nearly successful. The vessel procured by Rodrigo
+made its appearance off the coast, and under cover of night was
+proceeding to take off the refugees, when the crew were alarmed by a
+passing fishing boat, and beat a hasty retreat. On renewing the attempt
+shortly afterwards, they, or a portion of them at least, were taken
+prisoners, and just as the poor fellows in the garden were exulting in
+the thought that in a few moments more freedom would be within their
+grasp, they found themselves surrounded by Turkish troops, horse and
+foot. The Dorador had revealed the whole scheme to the Dey Hassan.
+
+When Cervantes saw what had befallen them, he charged his companions to
+lay all the blame upon him, and as they were being bound he declared
+aloud that the whole plot was of his contriving, and that nobody else had
+any share in it. Brought before the Dey, he said the same. He was
+threatened with impalement and with torture; and as cutting off ears and
+noses were playful freaks with the Algerines, it may be conceived what
+their tortures were like; but nothing could make him swerve from his
+original statement that he and he alone was responsible. The upshot was
+that the unhappy gardener was hanged by his master, and the prisoners
+taken possession of by the Dey, who, however, afterwards restored most of
+them to their masters, but kept Cervantes, paying Dali Mami 500 crowns
+for him. He felt, no doubt, that a man of such resource, energy, and
+daring, was too dangerous a piece of property to be left in private
+hands; and he had him heavily ironed and lodged in his own prison. If he
+thought that by these means he could break the spirit or shake the
+resolution of his prisoner, he was soon undeceived, for Cervantes
+contrived before long to despatch a letter to the Governor of Oran,
+entreating him to send him some one that could be trusted, to enable him
+and three other gentlemen, fellow-captives of his, to make their escape;
+intending evidently to renew his first attempt with a more trustworthy
+guide. Unfortunately the Moor who carried the letter was stopped just
+outside Oran, and the letter being found upon him, he was sent back to
+Algiers, where by the order of the Dey he was promptly impaled as a
+warning to others, while Cervantes was condemned to receive two thousand
+blows of the stick, a number which most likely would have deprived the
+world of "Don Quixote," had not some persons, who they were we know not,
+interceded on his behalf.
+
+After this he seems to have been kept in still closer confinement than
+before, for nearly two years passed before he made another attempt. This
+time his plan was to purchase, by the aid of a Spanish renegade and two
+Valencian merchants resident in Algiers, an armed vessel in which he and
+about sixty of the leading captives were to make their escape; but just
+as they were about to put it into execution one Doctor Juan Blanco de
+Paz, an ecclesiastic and a compatriot, informed the Dey of the plot.
+Cervantes by force of character, by his self-devotion, by his untiring
+energy and his exertions to lighten the lot of his companions in misery,
+had endeared himself to all, and become the leading spirit in the captive
+colony, and, incredible as it may seem, jealousy of his influence and the
+esteem in which he was held, moved this man to compass his destruction by
+a cruel death. The merchants finding that the Dey knew all, and fearing
+that Cervantes under torture might make disclosures that would imperil
+their own lives, tried to persuade him to slip away on board a vessel
+that was on the point of sailing for Spain; but he told them they had
+nothing to fear, for no tortures would make him compromise anybody, and
+he went at once and gave himself up to the Dey.
+
+As before, the Dey tried to force him to name his accomplices. Everything
+was made ready for his immediate execution; the halter was put round his
+neck and his hands tied behind him, but all that could be got from him
+was that he himself, with the help of four gentlemen who had since left
+Algiers, had arranged the whole, and that the sixty who were to accompany
+him were not to know anything of it until the last moment. Finding he
+could make nothing of him, the Dey sent him back to prison more heavily
+ironed than before.
+
+The poverty-stricken Cervantes family had been all this time trying once
+more to raise the ransom money, and at last a sum of three hundred ducats
+was got together and entrusted to the Redemptorist Father Juan Gil, who
+was about to sail for Algiers. The Dey, however, demanded more than
+double the sum offered, and as his term of office had expired and he was
+about to sail for Constantinople, taking all his slaves with him, the
+case of Cervantes was critical. He was already on board heavily ironed,
+when the Dey at length agreed to reduce his demand by one-half, and
+Father Gil by borrowing was able to make up the amount, and on September
+19, 1580, after a captivity of five years all but a week, Cervantes was
+at last set free. Before long he discovered that Blanco de Paz, who
+claimed to be an officer of the Inquisition, was now concocting on false
+evidence a charge of misconduct to be brought against him on his return
+to Spain. To checkmate him Cervantes drew up a series of twenty-five
+questions, covering the whole period of his captivity, upon which he
+requested Father Gil to take the depositions of credible witnesses before
+a notary. Eleven witnesses taken from among the principal captives in
+Algiers deposed to all the facts above stated and to a great deal more
+besides. There is something touching in the admiration, love, and
+gratitude we see struggling to find expression in the formal language of
+the notary, as they testify one after another to the good deeds of
+Cervantes, how he comforted and helped the weak-hearted, how he kept up
+their drooping courage, how he shared his poor purse with this deponent,
+and how "in him this deponent found father and mother."
+
+On his return to Spain he found his old regiment about to march for
+Portugal to support Philip's claim to the crown, and utterly penniless
+now, had no choice but to rejoin it. He was in the expeditions to the
+Azores in 1582 and the following year, and on the conclusion of the war
+returned to Spain in the autumn of 1583, bringing with him the manuscript
+of his pastoral romance, the "Galatea," and probably also, to judge by
+internal evidence, that of the first portion of "Persiles and
+Sigismunda." He also brought back with him, his biographers assert, an
+infant daughter, the offspring of an amour, as some of them with great
+circumstantiality inform us, with a Lisbon lady of noble birth, whose
+name, however, as well as that of the street she lived in, they omit to
+mention. The sole foundation for all this is that in 1605 there certainly
+was living in the family of Cervantes a Dona Isabel de Saavedra, who is
+described in an official document as his natural daughter, and then
+twenty years of age.
+
+With his crippled left hand promotion in the army was hopeless, now that
+Don John was dead and he had no one to press his claims and services, and
+for a man drawing on to forty life in the ranks was a dismal prospect; he
+had already a certain reputation as a poet; he made up his mind,
+therefore, to cast his lot with literature, and for a first venture
+committed his "Galatea" to the press. It was published, as Salva y Mallen
+shows conclusively, at Alcala, his own birth-place, in 1585 and no doubt
+helped to make his name more widely known, but certainly did not do him
+much good in any other way.
+
+While it was going through the press, he married Dona Catalina de
+Palacios Salazar y Vozmediano, a lady of Esquivias near Madrid, and
+apparently a friend of the family, who brought him a fortune which may
+possibly have served to keep the wolf from the door, but if so, that was
+all. The drama had by this time outgrown market-place stages and
+strolling companies, and with his old love for it he naturally turned to
+it for a congenial employment. In about three years he wrote twenty or
+thirty plays, which he tells us were performed without any throwing of
+cucumbers or other missiles, and ran their course without any hisses,
+outcries, or disturbance. In other words, his plays were not bad enough
+to be hissed off the stage, but not good enough to hold their own upon
+it. Only two of them have been preserved, but as they happen to be two of
+the seven or eight he mentions with complacency, we may assume they are
+favourable specimens, and no one who reads the "Numancia" and the "Trato
+de Argel" will feel any surprise that they failed as acting dramas.
+Whatever merits they may have, whatever occasional they may show, they
+are, as regards construction, incurably clumsy. How completely they
+failed is manifest from the fact that with all his sanguine temperament
+and indomitable perseverance he was unable to maintain the struggle to
+gain a livelihood as a dramatist for more than three years; nor was the
+rising popularity of Lope the cause, as is often said, notwithstanding
+his own words to the contrary. When Lope began to write for the stage is
+uncertain, but it was certainly after Cervantes went to Seville.
+
+Among the "Nuevos Documentos" printed by Senor Asensio y Toledo is one
+dated 1592, and curiously characteristic of Cervantes. It is an agreement
+with one Rodrigo Osorio, a manager, who was to accept six comedies at
+fifty ducats (about 6l.) apiece, not to be paid in any case unless it
+appeared on representation that the said comedy was one of the best that
+had ever been represented in Spain. The test does not seem to have been
+ever applied; perhaps it was sufficiently apparent to Rodrigo Osorio that
+the comedies were not among the best that had ever been represented.
+Among the correspondence of Cervantes there might have been found, no
+doubt, more than one letter like that we see in the "Rake's Progress,"
+"Sir, I have read your play, and it will not doo."
+
+He was more successful in a literary contest at Saragossa in 1595 in
+honour of the canonisation of St. Jacinto, when his composition won the
+first prize, three silver spoons. The year before this he had been
+appointed a collector of revenues for the kingdom of Granada. In order to
+remit the money he had collected more conveniently to the treasury, he
+entrusted it to a merchant, who failed and absconded; and as the
+bankrupt's assets were insufficient to cover the whole, he was sent to
+prison at Seville in September 1597. The balance against him, however,
+was a small one, about 26l., and on giving security for it he was
+released at the end of the year.
+
+It was as he journeyed from town to town collecting the king's taxes,
+that he noted down those bits of inn and wayside life and character that
+abound in the pages of "Don Quixote:" the Benedictine monks with
+spectacles and sunshades, mounted on their tall mules; the strollers in
+costume bound for the next village; the barber with his basin on his
+head, on his way to bleed a patient; the recruit with his breeches in his
+bundle, tramping along the road singing; the reapers gathered in the
+venta gateway listening to "Felixmarte of Hircania" read out to them; and
+those little Hogarthian touches that he so well knew how to bring in, the
+ox-tail hanging up with the landlord's comb stuck in it, the wine-skins
+at the bed-head, and those notable examples of hostelry art, Helen going
+off in high spirits on Paris's arm, and Dido on the tower dropping tears
+as big as walnuts. Nay, it may well be that on those journeys into remote
+regions he came across now and then a specimen of the pauper gentleman,
+with his lean hack and his greyhound and his books of chivalry, dreaming
+away his life in happy ignorance that the world had changed since his
+great-grandfather's old helmet was new. But it was in Seville that he
+found out his true vocation, though he himself would not by any means
+have admitted it to be so. It was there, in Triana, that he was first
+tempted to try his hand at drawing from life, and first brought his
+humour into play in the exquisite little sketch of "Rinconete y
+Cortadillo," the germ, in more ways than one, of "Don Quixote."
+
+Where and when that was written, we cannot tell. After his imprisonment
+all trace of Cervantes in his official capacity disappears, from which it
+may be inferred that he was not reinstated. That he was still in Seville
+in November 1598 appears from a satirical sonnet of his on the elaborate
+catafalque erected to testify the grief of the city at the death of
+Philip II, but from this up to 1603 we have no clue to his movements. The
+words in the preface to the First Part of "Don Quixote" are generally
+held to be conclusive that he conceived the idea of the book, and wrote
+the beginning of it at least, in a prison, and that he may have done so
+is extremely likely.
+
+There is a tradition that Cervantes read some portions of his work to a
+select audience at the Duke of Bejar's, which may have helped to make the
+book known; but the obvious conclusion is that the First Part of "Don
+Quixote" lay on his hands some time before he could find a publisher bold
+enough to undertake a venture of so novel a character; and so little
+faith in it had Francisco Robles of Madrid, to whom at last he sold it,
+that he did not care to incur the expense of securing the copyright for
+Aragon or Portugal, contenting himself with that for Castile. The
+printing was finished in December, and the book came out with the new
+year, 1605. It is often said that "Don Quixote" was at first received
+coldly. The facts show just the contrary. No sooner was it in the hands
+of the public than preparations were made to issue pirated editions at
+Lisbon and Valencia, and to bring out a second edition with the
+additional copyrights for Aragon and Portugal, which he secured in
+February.
+
+No doubt it was received with something more than coldness by certain
+sections of the community. Men of wit, taste, and discrimination among
+the aristocracy gave it a hearty welcome, but the aristocracy in general
+were not likely to relish a book that turned their favourite reading into
+ridicule and laughed at so many of their favourite ideas. The dramatists
+who gathered round Lope as their leader regarded Cervantes as their
+common enemy, and it is plain that he was equally obnoxious to the other
+clique, the culto poets who had Gongora for their chief. Navarrete, who
+knew nothing of the letter above mentioned, tries hard to show that the
+relations between Cervantes and Lope were of a very friendly sort, as
+indeed they were until "Don Quixote" was written. Cervantes, indeed, to
+the last generously and manfully declared his admiration of Lope's
+powers, his unfailing invention, and his marvellous fertility; but in the
+preface of the First Part of "Don Quixote" and in the verses of "Urganda
+the Unknown," and one or two other places, there are, if we read between
+the lines, sly hits at Lope's vanities and affectations that argue no
+personal good-will; and Lope openly sneers at "Don Quixote" and
+Cervantes, and fourteen years after his death gives him only a few lines
+of cold commonplace in the "Laurel de Apolo," that seem all the colder
+for the eulogies of a host of nonentities whose names are found nowhere
+else.
+
+In 1601 Valladolid was made the seat of the Court, and at the beginning
+of 1603 Cervantes had been summoned thither in connection with the
+balance due by him to the Treasury, which was still outstanding. He
+remained at Valladolid, apparently supporting himself by agencies and
+scrivener's work of some sort; probably drafting petitions and drawing up
+statements of claims to be presented to the Council, and the like. So, at
+least, we gather from the depositions taken on the occasion of the death
+of a gentleman, the victim of a street brawl, who had been carried into
+the house in which he lived. In these he himself is described as a man
+who wrote and transacted business, and it appears that his household then
+consisted of his wife, the natural daughter Isabel de Saavedra already
+mentioned, his sister Andrea, now a widow, her daughter Constanza, a
+mysterious Magdalena de Sotomayor calling herself his sister, for whom
+his biographers cannot account, and a servant-maid.
+
+Meanwhile "Don Quixote" had been growing in favour, and its author's name
+was now known beyond the Pyrenees. In 1607 an edition was printed at
+Brussels. Robles, the Madrid publisher, found it necessary to meet the
+demand by a third edition, the seventh in all, in 1608. The popularity of
+the book in Italy was such that a Milan bookseller was led to bring out
+an edition in 1610; and another was called for in Brussels in 1611. It
+might naturally have been expected that, with such proofs before him that
+he had hit the taste of the public, Cervantes would have at once set
+about redeeming his rather vague promise of a second volume.
+
+But, to all appearance, nothing was farther from his thoughts. He had
+still by him one or two short tales of the same vintage as those he had
+inserted in "Don Quixote" and instead of continuing the adventures of Don
+Quixote, he set to work to write more of these "Novelas Exemplares" as he
+afterwards called them, with a view to making a book of them.
+
+The novels were published in the summer of 1613, with a dedication to the
+Conde de Lemos, the Maecenas of the day, and with one of those chatty
+confidential prefaces Cervantes was so fond of. In this, eight years and
+a half after the First Part of "Don Quixote" had appeared, we get the
+first hint of a forthcoming Second Part. "You shall see shortly," he
+says, "the further exploits of Don Quixote and humours of Sancho Panza."
+His idea of "shortly" was a somewhat elastic one, for, as we know by the
+date to Sancho's letter, he had barely one-half of the book completed
+that time twelvemonth.
+
+But more than poems, or pastorals, or novels, it was his dramatic
+ambition that engrossed his thoughts. The same indomitable spirit that
+kept him from despair in the bagnios of Algiers, and prompted him to
+attempt the escape of himself and his comrades again and again, made him
+persevere in spite of failure and discouragement in his efforts to win
+the ear of the public as a dramatist. The temperament of Cervantes was
+essentially sanguine. The portrait he draws in the preface to the novels,
+with the aquiline features, chestnut hair, smooth untroubled forehead,
+and bright cheerful eyes, is the very portrait of a sanguine man. Nothing
+that the managers might say could persuade him that the merits of his
+plays would not be recognised at last if they were only given a fair
+chance. The old soldier of the Spanish Salamis was bent on being the
+Aeschylus of Spain. He was to found a great national drama, based on the
+true principles of art, that was to be the envy of all nations; he was to
+drive from the stage the silly, childish plays, the "mirrors of nonsense
+and models of folly" that were in vogue through the cupidity of the
+managers and shortsightedness of the authors; he was to correct and
+educate the public taste until it was ripe for tragedies on the model of
+the Greek drama--like the "Numancia" for instance--and comedies that
+would not only amuse but improve and instruct. All this he was to do,
+could he once get a hearing: there was the initial difficulty.
+
+He shows plainly enough, too, that "Don Quixote" and the demolition of
+the chivalry romances was not the work that lay next his heart. He was,
+indeed, as he says himself in his preface, more a stepfather than a
+father to "Don Quixote." Never was great work so neglected by its author.
+That it was written carelessly, hastily, and by fits and starts, was not
+always his fault, but it seems clear he never read what he sent to the
+press. He knew how the printers had blundered, but he never took the
+trouble to correct them when the third edition was in progress, as a man
+who really cared for the child of his brain would have done. He appears
+to have regarded the book as little more than a mere libro de
+entretenimiento, an amusing book, a thing, as he says in the "Viaje," "to
+divert the melancholy moody heart at any time or season." No doubt he had
+an affection for his hero, and was very proud of Sancho Panza. It would
+have been strange indeed if he had not been proud of the most humorous
+creation in all fiction. He was proud, too, of the popularity and success
+of the book, and beyond measure delightful is the naivete with which he
+shows his pride in a dozen passages in the Second Part. But it was not
+the success he coveted. In all probability he would have given all the
+success of "Don Quixote," nay, would have seen every copy of "Don
+Quixote" burned in the Plaza Mayor, for one such success as Lope de Vega
+was enjoying on an average once a week.
+
+And so he went on, dawdling over "Don Quixote," adding a chapter now and
+again, and putting it aside to turn to "Persiles and Sigismunda"--which,
+as we know, was to be the most entertaining book in the language, and the
+rival of "Theagenes and Chariclea"--or finishing off one of his darling
+comedies; and if Robles asked when "Don Quixote" would be ready, the
+answer no doubt was: En breve-shortly, there was time enough for that. At
+sixty-eight he was as full of life and hope and plans for the future as a
+boy of eighteen.
+
+Nemesis was coming, however. He had got as far as Chapter LIX, which at
+his leisurely pace he could hardly have reached before October or
+November 1614, when there was put into his hand a small octave lately
+printed at Tarragona, and calling itself "Second Volume of the Ingenious
+Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha: by the Licentiate Alonso Fernandez de
+Avellaneda of Tordesillas." The last half of Chapter LIX and most of the
+following chapters of the Second Part give us some idea of the effect
+produced upon him, and his irritation was not likely to be lessened by
+the reflection that he had no one to blame but himself. Had Avellaneda,
+in fact, been content with merely bringing out a continuation to "Don
+Quixote," Cervantes would have had no reasonable grievance. His own
+intentions were expressed in the very vaguest language at the end of the
+book; nay, in his last words, "forse altro cantera con miglior plettro,"
+he seems actually to invite some one else to continue the work, and he
+made no sign until eight years and a half had gone by; by which time
+Avellaneda's volume was no doubt written.
+
+In fact Cervantes had no case, or a very bad one, as far as the mere
+continuation was concerned. But Avellaneda chose to write a preface to
+it, full of such coarse personal abuse as only an ill-conditioned man
+could pour out. He taunts Cervantes with being old, with having lost his
+hand, with having been in prison, with being poor, with being friendless,
+accuses him of envy of Lope's success, of petulance and querulousness,
+and so on; and it was in this that the sting lay. Avellaneda's reason for
+this personal attack is obvious enough. Whoever he may have been, it is
+clear that he was one of the dramatists of Lope's school, for he has the
+impudence to charge Cervantes with attacking him as well as Lope in his
+criticism on the drama. His identification has exercised the best critics
+and baffled all the ingenuity and research that has been brought to bear
+on it. Navarrete and Ticknor both incline to the belief that Cervantes
+knew who he was; but I must say I think the anger he shows suggests an
+invisible assailant; it is like the irritation of a man stung by a
+mosquito in the dark. Cervantes from certain solecisms of language
+pronounces him to be an Aragonese, and Pellicer, an Aragonese himself,
+supports this view and believes him, moreover, to have been an
+ecclesiastic, a Dominican probably.
+
+Any merit Avellaneda has is reflected from Cervantes, and he is too dull
+to reflect much. "Dull and dirty" will always be, I imagine, the verdict
+of the vast majority of unprejudiced readers. He is, at best, a poor
+plagiarist; all he can do is to follow slavishly the lead given him by
+Cervantes; his only humour lies in making Don Quixote take inns for
+castles and fancy himself some legendary or historical personage, and
+Sancho mistake words, invert proverbs, and display his gluttony; all
+through he shows a proclivity to coarseness and dirt, and he has
+contrived to introduce two tales filthier than anything by the sixteenth
+century novellieri and without their sprightliness.
+
+But whatever Avellaneda and his book may be, we must not forget the debt
+we owe them. But for them, there can be no doubt, "Don Quixote" would
+have come to us a mere torso instead of a complete work. Even if
+Cervantes had finished the volume he had in hand, most assuredly he would
+have left off with a promise of a Third Part, giving the further
+adventures of Don Quixote and humours of Sancho Panza as shepherds. It is
+plain that he had at one time an intention of dealing with the pastoral
+romances as he had dealt with the books of chivalry, and but for
+Avellaneda he would have tried to carry it out. But it is more likely
+that, with his plans, and projects, and hopefulness, the volume would
+have remained unfinished till his death, and that we should have never
+made the acquaintance of the Duke and Duchess, or gone with Sancho to
+Barataria.
+
+From the moment the book came into his hands he seems to have been
+haunted by the fear that there might be more Avellanedas in the field,
+and putting everything else aside, he set himself to finish off his task
+and protect Don Quixote in the only way he could, by killing him. The
+conclusion is no doubt a hasty and in some places clumsy piece of work
+and the frequent repetition of the scolding administered to Avellaneda
+becomes in the end rather wearisome; but it is, at any rate, a conclusion
+and for that we must thank Avellaneda.
+
+The new volume was ready for the press in February, but was not printed
+till the very end of 1615, and during the interval Cervantes put together
+the comedies and interludes he had written within the last few years,
+and, as he adds plaintively, found no demand for among the managers, and
+published them with a preface, worth the book it introduces tenfold, in
+which he gives an account of the early Spanish stage, and of his own
+attempts as a dramatist. It is needless to say they were put forward by
+Cervantes in all good faith and full confidence in their merits. The
+reader, however, was not to suppose they were his last word or final
+effort in the drama, for he had in hand a comedy called "Engano a los
+ojos," about which, if he mistook not, there would be no question.
+
+Of this dramatic masterpiece the world has no opportunity of judging; his
+health had been failing for some time, and he died, apparently of dropsy,
+on the 23rd of April, 1616, the day on which England lost Shakespeare,
+nominally at least, for the English calendar had not yet been reformed.
+He died as he had lived, accepting his lot bravely and cheerfully.
+
+Was it an unhappy life, that of Cervantes? His biographers all tell us
+that it was; but I must say I doubt it. It was a hard life, a life of
+poverty, of incessant struggle, of toil ill paid, of disappointment, but
+Cervantes carried within himself the antidote to all these evils. His was
+not one of those light natures that rise above adversity merely by virtue
+of their own buoyancy; it was in the fortitude of a high spirit that he
+was proof against it. It is impossible to conceive Cervantes giving way
+to despondency or prostrated by dejection. As for poverty, it was with
+him a thing to be laughed over, and the only sigh he ever allows to
+escape him is when he says, "Happy he to whom Heaven has given a piece of
+bread for which he is not bound to give thanks to any but Heaven itself."
+Add to all this his vital energy and mental activity, his restless
+invention and his sanguine temperament, and there will be reason enough
+to doubt whether his could have been a very unhappy life. He who could
+take Cervantes' distresses together with his apparatus for enduring them
+would not make so bad a bargain, perhaps, as far as happiness in life is
+concerned.
+
+Of his burial-place nothing is known except that he was buried, in
+accordance with his will, in the neighbouring convent of Trinitarian
+nuns, of which it is supposed his daughter, Isabel de Saavedra, was an
+inmate, and that a few years afterwards the nuns removed to another
+convent, carrying their dead with them. But whether the remains of
+Cervantes were included in the removal or not no one knows, and the clue
+to their resting-place is now lost beyond all hope. This furnishes
+perhaps the least defensible of the items in the charge of neglect
+brought against his contemporaries. In some of the others there is a good
+deal of exaggeration. To listen to most of his biographers one would
+suppose that all Spain was in league not only against the man but against
+his memory, or at least that it was insensible to his merits, and left
+him to live in misery and die of want. To talk of his hard life and
+unworthy employments in Andalusia is absurd. What had he done to
+distinguish him from thousands of other struggling men earning a
+precarious livelihood? True, he was a gallant soldier, who had been
+wounded and had undergone captivity and suffering in his country's cause,
+but there were hundreds of others in the same case. He had written a
+mediocre specimen of an insipid class of romance, and some plays which
+manifestly did not comply with the primary condition of pleasing: were
+the playgoers to patronise plays that did not amuse them, because the
+author was to produce "Don Quixote" twenty years afterwards?
+
+The scramble for copies which, as we have seen, followed immediately on
+the appearance of the book, does not look like general insensibility to
+its merits. No doubt it was received coldly by some, but if a man writes
+a book in ridicule of periwigs he must make his account with being coldly
+received by the periwig wearers and hated by the whole tribe of
+wigmakers. If Cervantes had the chivalry-romance readers, the
+sentimentalists, the dramatists, and the poets of the period all against
+him, it was because "Don Quixote" was what it was; and if the general
+public did not come forward to make him comfortable for the rest of his
+days, it is no more to be charged with neglect and ingratitude than the
+English-speaking public that did not pay off Scott's liabilities. It did
+the best it could; it read his book and liked it and bought it, and
+encouraged the bookseller to pay him well for others.
+
+It has been also made a reproach to Spain that she has erected no
+monument to the man she is proudest of; no monument, that is to say, of
+him; for the bronze statue in the little garden of the Plaza de las
+Cortes, a fair work of art no doubt, and unexceptionable had it been set
+up to the local poet in the market-place of some provincial town, is not
+worthy of Cervantes or of Madrid. But what need has Cervantes of "such
+weak witness of his name;" or what could a monument do in his case except
+testify to the self-glorification of those who had put it up? Si
+monumentum quoeris, circumspice. The nearest bookseller's shop will show
+what bathos there would be in a monument to the author of "Don Quixote."
+
+Nine editions of the First Part of "Don Quixote" had already appeared
+before Cervantes died, thirty thousand copies in all, according to his
+own estimate, and a tenth was printed at Barcelona the year after his
+death. So large a number naturally supplied the demand for some time, but
+by 1634 it appears to have been exhausted; and from that time down to the
+present day the stream of editions has continued to flow rapidly and
+regularly. The translations show still more clearly in what request the
+book has been from the very outset. In seven years from the completion of
+the work it had been translated into the four leading languages of
+Europe. Except the Bible, in fact, no book has been so widely diffused as
+"Don Quixote." The "Imitatio Christi" may have been translated into as
+many different languages, and perhaps "Robinson Crusoe" and the "Vicar of
+Wakefield" into nearly as many, but in multiplicity of translations and
+editions "Don Quixote" leaves them all far behind.
+
+Still more remarkable is the character of this wide diffusion. "Don
+Quixote" has been thoroughly naturalised among people whose ideas about
+knight-errantry, if they had any at all, were of the vaguest, who had
+never seen or heard of a book of chivalry, who could not possibly feel
+the humour of the burlesque or sympathise with the author's purpose.
+Another curious fact is that this, the most cosmopolitan book in the
+world, is one of the most intensely national. "Manon Lescaut" is not more
+thoroughly French, "Tom Jones" not more English, "Rob Roy" not more
+Scotch, than "Don Quixote" is Spanish, in character, in ideas, in
+sentiment, in local colour, in everything. What, then, is the secret of
+this unparalleled popularity, increasing year by year for well-nigh three
+centuries? One explanation, no doubt, is that of all the books in the
+world, "Don Quixote" is the most catholic. There is something in it for
+every sort of reader, young or old, sage or simple, high or low. As
+Cervantes himself says with a touch of pride, "It is thumbed and read and
+got by heart by people of all sorts; the children turn its leaves, the
+young people read it, the grown men understand it, the old folk praise
+it."
+
+But it would be idle to deny that the ingredient which, more than its
+humour, or its wisdom, or the fertility of invention or knowledge of
+human nature it displays, has insured its success with the multitude, is
+the vein of farce that runs through it. It was the attack upon the sheep,
+the battle with the wine-skins, Mambrino's helmet, the balsam of
+Fierabras, Don Quixote knocked over by the sails of the windmill, Sancho
+tossed in the blanket, the mishaps and misadventures of master and man,
+that were originally the great attraction, and perhaps are so still to
+some extent with the majority of readers. It is plain that "Don Quixote"
+was generally regarded at first, and indeed in Spain for a long time, as
+little more than a queer droll book, full of laughable incidents and
+absurd situations, very amusing, but not entitled to much consideration
+or care. All the editions printed in Spain from 1637 to 1771, when the
+famous printer Ibarra took it up, were mere trade editions, badly and
+carelessly printed on vile paper and got up in the style of chap-books
+intended only for popular use, with, in most instances, uncouth
+illustrations and clap-trap additions by the publisher.
+
+To England belongs the credit of having been the first country to
+recognise the right of "Don Quixote" to better treatment than this. The
+London edition of 1738, commonly called Lord Carteret's from having been
+suggested by him, was not a mere edition de luxe. It produced "Don
+Quixote" in becoming form as regards paper and type, and embellished with
+plates which, if not particularly happy as illustrations, were at least
+well intentioned and well executed, but it also aimed at correctness of
+text, a matter to which nobody except the editors of the Valencia and
+Brussels editions had given even a passing thought; and for a first
+attempt it was fairly successful, for though some of its emendations are
+inadmissible, a good many of them have been adopted by all subsequent
+editors.
+
+The zeal of publishers, editors, and annotators brought about a
+remarkable change of sentiment with regard to "Don Quixote." A vast
+number of its admirers began to grow ashamed of laughing over it. It
+became almost a crime to treat it as a humorous book. The humour was not
+entirely denied, but, according to the new view, it was rated as an
+altogether secondary quality, a mere accessory, nothing more than the
+stalking-horse under the presentation of which Cervantes shot his
+philosophy or his satire, or whatever it was he meant to shoot; for on
+this point opinions varied. All were agreed, however, that the object he
+aimed at was not the books of chivalry. He said emphatically in the
+preface to the First Part and in the last sentence of the Second, that he
+had no other object in view than to discredit these books, and this, to
+advanced criticism, made it clear that his object must have been
+something else.
+
+One theory was that the book was a kind of allegory, setting forth the
+eternal struggle between the ideal and the real, between the spirit of
+poetry and the spirit of prose; and perhaps German philosophy never
+evolved a more ungainly or unlikely camel out of the depths of its inner
+consciousness. Something of the antagonism, no doubt, is to be found in
+"Don Quixote," because it is to be found everywhere in life, and
+Cervantes drew from life. It is difficult to imagine a community in which
+the never-ceasing game of cross-purposes between Sancho Panza and Don
+Quixote would not be recognized as true to nature. In the stone age,
+among the lake dwellers, among the cave men, there were Don Quixotes and
+Sancho Panzas; there must have been the troglodyte who never could see
+the facts before his eyes, and the troglodyte who could see nothing else.
+But to suppose Cervantes deliberately setting himself to expound any such
+idea in two stout quarto volumes is to suppose something not only very
+unlike the age in which he lived, but altogether unlike Cervantes
+himself, who would have been the first to laugh at an attempt of the sort
+made by anyone else.
+
+The extraordinary influence of the romances of chivalry in his day is
+quite enough to account for the genesis of the book. Some idea of the
+prodigious development of this branch of literature in the sixteenth
+century may be obtained from the scrutiny of Chapter VII, if the reader
+bears in mind that only a portion of the romances belonging to by far the
+largest group are enumerated. As to its effect upon the nation, there is
+abundant evidence. From the time when the Amadises and Palmerins began to
+grow popular down to the very end of the century, there is a steady
+stream of invective, from men whose character and position lend weight to
+their words, against the romances of chivalry and the infatuation of
+their readers. Ridicule was the only besom to sweep away that dust.
+
+That this was the task Cervantes set himself, and that he had ample
+provocation to urge him to it, will be sufficiently clear to those who
+look into the evidence; as it will be also that it was not chivalry
+itself that he attacked and swept away. Of all the absurdities that,
+thanks to poetry, will be repeated to the end of time, there is no
+greater one than saying that "Cervantes smiled Spain's chivalry away." In
+the first place there was no chivalry for him to smile away. Spain's
+chivalry had been dead for more than a century. Its work was done when
+Granada fell, and as chivalry was essentially republican in its nature,
+it could not live under the rule that Ferdinand substituted for the free
+institutions of mediaeval Spain. What he did smile away was not chivalry
+but a degrading mockery of it.
+
+The true nature of the "right arm" and the "bright array," before which,
+according to the poet, "the world gave ground," and which Cervantes'
+single laugh demolished, may be gathered from the words of one of his own
+countrymen, Don Felix Pacheco, as reported by Captain George Carleton, in
+his "Military Memoirs from 1672 to 1713." "Before the appearance in the
+world of that labour of Cervantes," he said, "it was next to an
+impossibility for a man to walk the streets with any delight or without
+danger. There were seen so many cavaliers prancing and curvetting before
+the windows of their mistresses, that a stranger would have imagined the
+whole nation to have been nothing less than a race of knight-errants. But
+after the world became a little acquainted with that notable history, the
+man that was seen in that once celebrated drapery was pointed at as a Don
+Quixote, and found himself the jest of high and low. And I verily believe
+that to this, and this only, we owe that dampness and poverty of spirit
+which has run through all our councils for a century past, so little
+agreeable to those nobler actions of our famous ancestors."
+
+To call "Don Quixote" a sad book, preaching a pessimist view of life,
+argues a total misconception of its drift. It would be so if its moral
+were that, in this world, true enthusiasm naturally leads to ridicule and
+discomfiture. But it preaches nothing of the sort; its moral, so far as
+it can be said to have one, is that the spurious enthusiasm that is born
+of vanity and self-conceit, that is made an end in itself, not a means to
+an end, that acts on mere impulse, regardless of circumstances and
+consequences, is mischievous to its owner, and a very considerable
+nuisance to the community at large. To those who cannot distinguish
+between the one kind and the other, no doubt "Don Quixote" is a sad book;
+no doubt to some minds it is very sad that a man who had just uttered so
+beautiful a sentiment as that "it is a hard case to make slaves of those
+whom God and Nature made free," should be ungratefully pelted by the
+scoundrels his crazy philanthropy had let loose on society; but to others
+of a more judicial cast it will be a matter of regret that reckless
+self-sufficient enthusiasm is not oftener requited in some such way for
+all the mischief it does in the world.
+
+A very slight examination of the structure of "Don Quixote" will suffice
+to show that Cervantes had no deep design or elaborate plan in his mind
+when he began the book. When he wrote those lines in which "with a few
+strokes of a great master he sets before us the pauper gentleman," he had
+no idea of the goal to which his imagination was leading him. There can
+be little doubt that all he contemplated was a short tale to range with
+those he had already written, a tale setting forth the ludicrous results
+that might be expected to follow the attempt of a crazy gentleman to act
+the part of a knight-errant in modern life.
+
+It is plain, for one thing, that Sancho Panza did not enter into the
+original scheme, for had Cervantes thought of him he certainly would not
+have omitted him in his hero's outfit, which he obviously meant to be
+complete. Him we owe to the landlord's chance remark in Chapter III that
+knights seldom travelled without squires. To try to think of a Don
+Quixote without Sancho Panza is like trying to think of a one-bladed pair
+of scissors.
+
+The story was written at first, like the others, without any division and
+without the intervention of Cide Hamete Benengeli; and it seems not
+unlikely that Cervantes had some intention of bringing Dulcinea, or
+Aldonza Lorenzo, on the scene in person. It was probably the ransacking
+of the Don's library and the discussion on the books of chivalry that
+first suggested it to him that his idea was capable of development. What,
+if instead of a mere string of farcical misadventures, he were to make
+his tale a burlesque of one of these books, caricaturing their style,
+incidents, and spirit?
+
+In pursuance of this change of plan, he hastily and somewhat clumsily
+divided what he had written into chapters on the model of "Amadis,"
+invented the fable of a mysterious Arabic manuscript, and set up Cide
+Hamete Benengeli in imitation of the almost invariable practice of the
+chivalry-romance authors, who were fond of tracing their books to some
+recondite source. In working out the new ideas, he soon found the value
+of Sancho Panza. Indeed, the keynote, not only to Sancho's part, but to
+the whole book, is struck in the first words Sancho utters when he
+announces his intention of taking his ass with him. "About the ass," we
+are told, "Don Quixote hesitated a little, trying whether he could call
+to mind any knight-errant taking with him an esquire mounted on ass-back;
+but no instance occurred to his memory." We can see the whole scene at a
+glance, the stolid unconsciousness of Sancho and the perplexity of his
+master, upon whose perception the incongruity has just forced itself.
+This is Sancho's mission throughout the book; he is an unconscious
+Mephistopheles, always unwittingly making mockery of his master's
+aspirations, always exposing the fallacy of his ideas by some
+unintentional ad absurdum, always bringing him back to the world of fact
+and commonplace by force of sheer stolidity.
+
+By the time Cervantes had got his volume of novels off his hands, and
+summoned up resolution enough to set about the Second Part in earnest,
+the case was very much altered. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza had not
+merely found favour, but had already become, what they have never since
+ceased to be, veritable entities to the popular imagination. There was no
+occasion for him now to interpolate extraneous matter; nay, his readers
+told him plainly that what they wanted of him was more Don Quixote and
+more Sancho Panza, and not novels, tales, or digressions. To himself,
+too, his creations had become realities, and he had become proud of them,
+especially of Sancho. He began the Second Part, therefore, under very
+different conditions, and the difference makes itself manifest at once.
+Even in translation the style will be seen to be far easier, more
+flowing, more natural, and more like that of a man sure of himself and of
+his audience. Don Quixote and Sancho undergo a change also. In the First
+Part, Don Quixote has no character or individuality whatever. He is
+nothing more than a crazy representative of the sentiments of the
+chivalry romances. In all that he says and does he is simply repeating
+the lesson he has learned from his books; and therefore, it is absurd to
+speak of him in the gushing strain of the sentimental critics when they
+dilate upon his nobleness, disinterestedness, dauntless courage, and so
+forth. It was the business of a knight-errant to right wrongs, redress
+injuries, and succour the distressed, and this, as a matter of course, he
+makes his business when he takes up the part; a knight-errant was bound
+to be intrepid, and so he feels bound to cast fear aside. Of all Byron's
+melodious nonsense about Don Quixote, the most nonsensical statement is
+that "'t is his virtue makes him mad!" The exact opposite is the truth;
+it is his madness makes him virtuous.
+
+In the Second Part, Cervantes repeatedly reminds the reader, as if it was
+a point upon which he was anxious there should be no mistake, that his
+hero's madness is strictly confined to delusions on the subject of
+chivalry, and that on every other subject he is discreto, one, in fact,
+whose faculty of discernment is in perfect order. The advantage of this
+is that he is enabled to make use of Don Quixote as a mouthpiece for his
+own reflections, and so, without seeming to digress, allow himself the
+relief of digression when he requires it, as freely as in a commonplace
+book.
+
+It is true the amount of individuality bestowed upon Don Quixote is not
+very great. There are some natural touches of character about him, such
+as his mixture of irascibility and placability, and his curious affection
+for Sancho together with his impatience of the squire's loquacity and
+impertinence; but in the main, apart from his craze, he is little more
+than a thoughtful, cultured gentleman, with instinctive good taste and a
+great deal of shrewdness and originality of mind.
+
+As to Sancho, it is plain, from the concluding words of the preface to
+the First Part, that he was a favourite with his creator even before he
+had been taken into favour by the public. An inferior genius, taking him
+in hand a second time, would very likely have tried to improve him by
+making him more comical, clever, amiable, or virtuous. But Cervantes was
+too true an artist to spoil his work in this way. Sancho, when he
+reappears, is the old Sancho with the old familiar features; but with a
+difference; they have been brought out more distinctly, but at the same
+time with a careful avoidance of anything like caricature; the outline
+has been filled in where filling in was necessary, and, vivified by a few
+touches of a master's hand, Sancho stands before us as he might in a
+character portrait by Velazquez. He is a much more important and
+prominent figure in the Second Part than in the First; indeed, it is his
+matchless mendacity about Dulcinea that to a great extent supplies the
+action of the story.
+
+His development in this respect is as remarkable as in any other. In the
+First Part he displays a great natural gift of lying. His lies are not of
+the highly imaginative sort that liars in fiction commonly indulge in;
+like Falstaff's, they resemble the father that begets them; they are
+simple, homely, plump lies; plain working lies, in short. But in the
+service of such a master as Don Quixote he develops rapidly, as we see
+when he comes to palm off the three country wenches as Dulcinea and her
+ladies in waiting. It is worth noticing how, flushed by his success in
+this instance, he is tempted afterwards to try a flight beyond his powers
+in his account of the journey on Clavileno.
+
+In the Second Part it is the spirit rather than the incidents of the
+chivalry romances that is the subject of the burlesque. Enchantments of
+the sort travestied in those of Dulcinea and the Trifaldi and the cave of
+Montesinos play a leading part in the later and inferior romances, and
+another distinguishing feature is caricatured in Don Quixote's blind
+adoration of Dulcinea. In the romances of chivalry love is either a mere
+animalism or a fantastic idolatry. Only a coarse-minded man would care to
+make merry with the former, but to one of Cervantes' humour the latter
+was naturally an attractive subject for ridicule. Like everything else in
+these romances, it is a gross exaggeration of the real sentiment of
+chivalry, but its peculiar extravagance is probably due to the influence
+of those masters of hyperbole, the Provencal poets. When a troubadour
+professed his readiness to obey his lady in all things, he made it
+incumbent upon the next comer, if he wished to avoid the imputation of
+tameness and commonplace, to declare himself the slave of her will, which
+the next was compelled to cap by some still stronger declaration; and so
+expressions of devotion went on rising one above the other like biddings
+at an auction, and a conventional language of gallantry and theory of
+love came into being that in time permeated the literature of Southern
+Europe, and bore fruit, in one direction in the transcendental worship of
+Beatrice and Laura, and in another in the grotesque idolatry which found
+exponents in writers like Feliciano de Silva. This is what Cervantes
+deals with in Don Quixote's passion for Dulcinea, and in no instance has
+he carried out the burlesque more happily. By keeping Dulcinea in the
+background, and making her a vague shadowy being of whose very existence
+we are left in doubt, he invests Don Quixote's worship of her virtues and
+charms with an additional extravagance, and gives still more point to the
+caricature of the sentiment and language of the romances.
+
+One of the great merits of "Don Quixote," and one of the qualities that
+have secured its acceptance by all classes of readers and made it the
+most cosmopolitan of books, is its simplicity. There are, of course,
+points obvious enough to a Spanish seventeenth century audience which do
+not immediately strike a reader now-a-days, and Cervantes often takes it
+for granted that an allusion will be generally understood which is only
+intelligible to a few. For example, on many of his readers in Spain, and
+most of his readers out of it, the significance of his choice of a
+country for his hero is completely lost. It would be going too far to say
+that no one can thoroughly comprehend "Don Quixote" without having seen
+La Mancha, but undoubtedly even a glimpse of La Mancha will give an
+insight into the meaning of Cervantes such as no commentator can give. Of
+all the regions of Spain it is the last that would suggest the idea of
+romance. Of all the dull central plateau of the Peninsula it is the
+dullest tract. There is something impressive about the grim solitudes of
+Estremadura; and if the plains of Leon and Old Castile are bald and
+dreary, they are studded with old cities renowned in history and rich in
+relics of the past. But there is no redeeming feature in the Manchegan
+landscape; it has all the sameness of the desert without its dignity; the
+few towns and villages that break its monotony are mean and commonplace,
+there is nothing venerable about them, they have not even the
+picturesqueness of poverty; indeed, Don Quixote's own village,
+Argamasilla, has a sort of oppressive respectability in the prim
+regularity of its streets and houses; everything is ignoble; the very
+windmills are the ugliest and shabbiest of the windmill kind.
+
+To anyone who knew the country well, the mere style and title of "Don
+Quixote of La Mancha" gave the key to the author's meaning at once. La
+Mancha as the knight's country and scene of his chivalries is of a piece
+with the pasteboard helmet, the farm-labourer on ass-back for a squire,
+knighthood conferred by a rascally ventero, convicts taken for victims of
+oppression, and the rest of the incongruities between Don Quixote's world
+and the world he lived in, between things as he saw them and things as
+they were.
+
+It is strange that this element of incongruity, underlying the whole
+humour and purpose of the book, should have been so little heeded by the
+majority of those who have undertaken to interpret "Don Quixote." It has
+been completely overlooked, for example, by the illustrators. To be sure,
+the great majority of the artists who illustrated "Don Quixote" knew
+nothing whatever of Spain. To them a venta conveyed no idea but the
+abstract one of a roadside inn, and they could not therefore do full
+justice to the humour of Don Quixote's misconception in taking it for a
+castle, or perceive the remoteness of all its realities from his ideal.
+But even when better informed they seem to have no apprehension of the
+full force of the discrepancy. Take, for instance, Gustave Dore's drawing
+of Don Quixote watching his armour in the inn-yard. Whether or not the
+Venta de Quesada on the Seville road is, as tradition maintains, the inn
+described in "Don Quixote," beyond all question it was just such an
+inn-yard as the one behind it that Cervantes had in his mind's eye, and
+it was on just such a rude stone trough as that beside the primitive
+draw-well in the corner that he meant Don Quixote to deposit his armour.
+Gustave Dore makes it an elaborate fountain such as no arriero ever
+watered his mules at in the corral of any venta in Spain, and thereby
+entirely misses the point aimed at by Cervantes. It is the mean, prosaic,
+commonplace character of all the surroundings and circumstances that
+gives a significance to Don Quixote's vigil and the ceremony that
+follows.
+
+Cervantes' humour is for the most part of that broader and simpler sort,
+the strength of which lies in the perception of the incongruous. It is
+the incongruity of Sancho in all his ways, words, and works, with the
+ideas and aims of his master, quite as much as the wonderful vitality and
+truth to nature of the character, that makes him the most humorous
+creation in the whole range of fiction. That unsmiling gravity of which
+Cervantes was the first great master, "Cervantes' serious air," which
+sits naturally on Swift alone, perhaps, of later humourists, is essential
+to this kind of humour, and here again Cervantes has suffered at the
+hands of his interpreters. Nothing, unless indeed the coarse buffoonery
+of Phillips, could be more out of place in an attempt to represent
+Cervantes, than a flippant, would-be facetious style, like that of
+Motteux's version for example, or the sprightly, jaunty air, French
+translators sometimes adopt. It is the grave matter-of-factness of the
+narrative, and the apparent unconsciousness of the author that he is
+saying anything ludicrous, anything but the merest commonplace, that give
+its peculiar flavour to the humour of Cervantes. His, in fact, is the
+exact opposite of the humour of Sterne and the self-conscious humourists.
+Even when Uncle Toby is at his best, you are always aware of "the man
+Sterne" behind him, watching you over his shoulder to see what effect he
+is producing. Cervantes always leaves you alone with Don Quixote and
+Sancho. He and Swift and the great humourists always keep themselves out
+of sight, or, more properly speaking, never think about themselves at
+all, unlike our latter-day school of humourists, who seem to have revived
+the old horse-collar method, and try to raise a laugh by some grotesque
+assumption of ignorance, imbecility, or bad taste.
+
+It is true that to do full justice to Spanish humour in any other
+language is well-nigh an impossibility. There is a natural gravity and a
+sonorous stateliness about Spanish, be it ever so colloquial, that make
+an absurdity doubly absurd, and give plausibility to the most
+preposterous statement. This is what makes Sancho Panza's drollery the
+despair of the conscientious translator. Sancho's curt comments can never
+fall flat, but they lose half their flavour when transferred from their
+native Castilian into any other medium. But if foreigners have failed to
+do justice to the humour of Cervantes, they are no worse than his own
+countrymen. Indeed, were it not for the Spanish peasant's relish of "Don
+Quixote," one might be tempted to think that the great humourist was not
+looked upon as a humourist at all in his own country.
+
+The craze of Don Quixote seems, in some instances, to have communicated
+itself to his critics, making them see things that are not in the book
+and run full tilt at phantoms that have no existence save in their own
+imaginations. Like a good many critics now-a-days, they forget that
+screams are not criticism, and that it is only vulgar tastes that are
+influenced by strings of superlatives, three-piled hyperboles, and
+pompous epithets. But what strikes one as particularly strange is that
+while they deal in extravagant eulogies, and ascribe all manner of
+imaginary ideas and qualities to Cervantes, they show no perception of
+the quality that ninety-nine out of a hundred of his readers would rate
+highest in him, and hold to be the one that raises him above all rivalry.
+
+To speak of "Don Quixote" as if it were merely a humorous book would be a
+manifest misdescription. Cervantes at times makes it a kind of
+commonplace book for occasional essays and criticisms, or for the
+observations and reflections and gathered wisdom of a long and stirring
+life. It is a mine of shrewd observation on mankind and human nature.
+Among modern novels there may be, here and there, more elaborate studies
+of character, but there is no book richer in individualised character.
+What Coleridge said of Shakespeare in minimis is true of Cervantes; he
+never, even for the most temporary purpose, puts forward a lay figure.
+There is life and individuality in all his characters, however little
+they may have to do, or however short a time they may be before the
+reader. Samson Carrasco, the curate, Teresa Panza, Altisidora, even the
+two students met on the road to the cave of Montesinos, all live and move
+and have their being; and it is characteristic of the broad humanity of
+Cervantes that there is not a hateful one among them all. Even poor
+Maritornes, with her deplorable morals, has a kind heart of her own and
+"some faint and distant resemblance to a Christian about her;" and as for
+Sancho, though on dissection we fail to find a lovable trait in him,
+unless it be a sort of dog-like affection for his master, who is there
+that in his heart does not love him?
+
+But it is, after all, the humour of "Don Quixote" that distinguishes it
+from all other books of the romance kind. It is this that makes it, as
+one of the most judicial-minded of modern critics calls it, "the best
+novel in the world beyond all comparison." It is its varied humour,
+ranging from broad farce to comedy as subtle as Shakespeare's or
+Moliere's that has naturalised it in every country where there are
+readers, and made it a classic in every language that has a literature.
+
+!_ Some Commendatory Verses
+
+!_ Urganda the Unknown
+
+poem{
+
+To the book of Don Quixote of la Mancha
+
+ If to be welcomed by the good,
+   O Book! thou make thy steady aim,
+ No empty chatterer will dare
+   To question or dispute thy claim.
+ But if perchance thou hast a mind
+   To win of idiots approbation,
+ Lost labour will be thy reward,
+   Though they'll pretend appreciation.
+
+ They say a goodly shade he finds
+   Who shelters 'neath a goodly tree;
+ And such a one thy kindly star
+   In Bejar bath provided thee:
+ A royal tree whose spreading boughs
+   A show of princely fruit display;
+ A tree that bears a noble Duke,
+   The Alexander of his day.
+
+ Of a Manchegan gentleman
+   Thy purpose is to tell the story,
+ Relating how he lost his wits
+   O'er idle tales of love and glory,
+ Of "ladies, arms, and cavaliers:"
+   A new Orlando Furioso-
+ Innamorato, rather--who
+   Won Dulcinea del Toboso.
+
+ Put no vain emblems on thy shield;
+   All figures--that is bragging play.
+ A modest dedication make,
+   And give no scoffer room to say,
+ "What! Alvaro de Luna here?
+   Or is it Hannibal again?
+ Or does King Francis at Madrid
+   Once more of destiny complain?"
+
+ Since Heaven it hath not pleased on thee
+   Deep erudition to bestow,
+ Or black Latino's gift of tongues,
+   No Latin let thy pages show.
+ Ape not philosophy or wit,
+   Lest one who cannot comprehend,
+ Make a wry face at thee and ask,
+   "Why offer flowers to me, my friend?"
+
+ Be not a meddler; no affair
+   Of thine the life thy neighbours lead:
+ Be prudent; oft the random jest
+   Recoils upon the jester's head.
+ Thy constant labour let it be
+   To earn thyself an honest name,
+ For fooleries preserved in print
+   Are perpetuity of shame.
+
+ A further counsel bear in mind:
+   If that thy roof be made of glass,
+ It shows small wit to pick up stones
+   To pelt the people as they pass.
+ Win the attention of the wise,
+   And give the thinker food for thought;
+ Whoso indites frivolities,
+   Will but by simpletons be sought.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ Amadis of Gaul
+
+poem{
+
+To Don Quixote of la Mancha
+
+SONNET
+
+ Thou that didst imitate that life of mine
+   When I in lonely sadness on the great
+   Rock Pena Pobre sat disconsolate,
+ In self-imposed penance there to pine;
+ Thou, whose sole beverage was the bitter brine
+   Of thine own tears, and who withouten plate
+   Of silver, copper, tin, in lowly state
+ Off the bare earth and on earth's fruits didst dine;
+ Live thou, of thine eternal glory sure.
+   So long as on the round of the fourth sphere
+   The bright Apollo shall his coursers steer,
+ In thy renown thou shalt remain secure,
+ Thy country's name in story shall endure,
+   And thy sage author stand without a peer.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ Don Belianis of Greece
+
+poem{
+
+To Don Quixote of la Mancha
+
+SONNET
+
+ In slashing, hewing, cleaving, word and deed,
+   I was the foremost knight of chivalry,
+   Stout, bold, expert, as e'er the world did see;
+ Thousands from the oppressor's wrong I freed;
+ Great were my feats, eternal fame their meed;
+   In love I proved my truth and loyalty;
+   The hugest giant was a dwarf for me;
+ Ever to knighthood's laws gave I good heed.
+ My mastery the Fickle Goddess owned,
+   And even Chance, submitting to control,
+     Grasped by the forelock, yielded to my will.
+ Yet--though above yon horned moon enthroned
+     My fortune seems to sit--great Quixote, still
+   Envy of thy achievements fills my soul.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ The Lady of Oriana
+
+poem{
+
+To Dulcinea del Toboso
+
+SONNET
+
+ Oh, fairest Dulcinea, could it be!
+   It were a pleasant fancy to suppose so--
+   Could Miraflores change to El Toboso,
+ And London's town to that which shelters thee!
+ Oh, could mine but acquire that livery
+   Of countless charms thy mind and body show so!
+   Or him, now famous grown--thou mad'st him grow so--
+ Thy knight, in some dread combat could I see!
+ Oh, could I be released from Amadis
+   By exercise of such coy chastity
+ As led thee gentle Quixote to dismiss!
+     Then would my heavy sorrow turn to joy;
+   None would I envy, all would envy me,
+     And happiness be mine without alloy.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ Gandalin, Squire of Amadis of Gaul,
+
+poem{
+
+To Sancho Panza, squire of Don Quixote
+
+SONNET
+
+ All hail, illustrious man! Fortune, when she
+   Bound thee apprentice to the esquire trade,
+   Her care and tenderness of thee displayed,
+ Shaping thy course from misadventure free.
+ No longer now doth proud knight-errantry
+   Regard with scorn the sickle and the spade;
+   Of towering arrogance less count is made
+ Than of plain esquire-like simplicity.
+ I envy thee thy Dapple, and thy name,
+   And those alforjas thou wast wont to stuff
+ With comforts that thy providence proclaim.
+     Excellent Sancho! hail to thee again!
+     To thee alone the Ovid of our Spain
+   Does homage with the rustic kiss and cuff.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ From el Donoso, the Motley Poet,
+
+poem{
+
+On Sancho Panza and Rocinante
+
+ON SANCHO
+
+I am the esquire Sancho Pan--
+Who served Don Quixote of La Man--;
+But from his service I retreat-,
+Resolved to pass my life discreet-;
+For Villadiego, called the Si--,
+Maintained that only in reti--
+Was found the secret of well-be--,
+According to the "Celesti--:"
+A book divine, except for sin--
+By speech too plain, in my opin--
+
+ON ROCINANTE
+
+I am that Rocinante fa--,
+Great-grandson of great Babie--,
+Who, all for being lean and bon--,
+Had one Don Quixote for an own--;
+But if I matched him well in weak--,
+I never took short commons meek--,
+But kept myself in corn by steal--,
+A trick I learned from Lazaril--,
+When with a piece of straw so neat--
+The blind man of his wine he cheat--.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ Orlando Furioso
+
+poem{
+
+To Don Quixote of La Mancha
+
+SONNET
+
+ If thou art not a Peer, peer thou hast none;
+   Among a thousand Peers thou art a peer;
+   Nor is there room for one when thou art near,
+ Unvanquished victor, great unconquered one!
+ Orlando, by Angelica undone,
+   Am I; o'er distant seas condemned to steer,
+   And to Fame's altars as an offering bear
+ Valour respected by Oblivion.
+ I cannot be thy rival, for thy fame
+   And prowess rise above all rivalry,
+     Albeit both bereft of wits we go.
+ But, though the Scythian or the Moor to tame
+   Was not thy lot, still thou dost rival me:
+    Love binds us in a fellowship of woe.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ The Knight of Phoebus
+
+poem{
+
+To Don Quixote of La Mancha
+
+ My sword was not to be compared with thine
+   Phoebus of Spain, marvel of courtesy,
+ Nor with thy famous arm this hand of mine
+   That smote from east to west as lightnings fly.
+   I scorned all empire, and that monarchy
+ The rosy east held out did I resign
+   For one glance of Claridiana's eye,
+ The bright Aurora for whose love I pine.
+ A miracle of constancy my love;
+   And banished by her ruthless cruelty,
+     This arm had might the rage of Hell to tame.
+ But, Gothic Quixote, happier thou dost prove,
+     For thou dost live in Dulcinea's name,
+   And famous, honoured, wise, she lives in thee.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ From Solisdan
+
+poem{
+
+To Don Quixote of La Mancha
+
+SONNET
+
+ Your fantasies, Sir Quixote, it is true,
+   That crazy brain of yours have quite upset,
+   But aught of base or mean hath never yet
+ Been charged by any in reproach to you.
+ Your deeds are open proof in all men's view;
+   For you went forth injustice to abate,
+   And for your pains sore drubbings did you get
+ From many a rascally and ruffian crew.
+ If the fair Dulcinea, your heart's queen,
+   Be unrelenting in her cruelty,
+     If still your woe be powerless to move her,
+   In such hard case your comfort let it be
+ That Sancho was a sorry go-between:
+     A booby he, hard-hearted she, and you no lover.
+
+}poem
+
+!_ Dialogue
+
+poem{
+
+Between Babieca and Rocinante
+
+SONNET
+
+B.  "How comes it, Rocinante, you're so lean?"
+R.  "I'm underfed, with overwork I'm worn."
+B.  "But what becomes of all the hay and corn?"
+R.  "My master gives me none; he's much too mean."
+B.  "Come, come, you show ill-breeding, sir, I ween;
+  'T is like an ass your master thus to scorn."
+R.  He is an ass, will die an ass, an ass was born;
+  Why, he's in love; what's what's plainer to be seen?"
+B.  "To be in love is folly?"--R. "No great sense."
+B.  "You're metaphysical."--R. "From want of food."
+B.  "Rail at the squire, then."--R. "Why, what's the good?
+    I might indeed complain of him, I grant ye,
+  But, squire or master, where's the difference?
+    They're both as sorry hacks as Rocinante."
+
+}poem
+
+1~ The Author's Preface
+
+Idle reader: thou mayest believe me without any oath that I would this
+book, as it is the child of my brain, were the fairest, gayest, and
+cleverest that could be imagined. But I could not counteract Nature's law
+that everything shall beget its like; and what, then, could this sterile,
+illtilled wit of mine beget but the story of a dry, shrivelled, whimsical
+offspring, full of thoughts of all sorts and such as never came into any
+other imagination--just what might be begotten in a prison, where every
+misery is lodged and every doleful sound makes its dwelling?
+Tranquillity, a cheerful retreat, pleasant fields, bright skies,
+murmuring brooks, peace of mind, these are the things that go far to make
+even the most barren muses fertile, and bring into the world births that
+fill it with wonder and delight. Sometimes when a father has an ugly,
+loutish son, the love he bears him so blindfolds his eyes that he does
+not see his defects, or, rather, takes them for gifts and charms of mind
+and body, and talks of them to his friends as wit and grace. I,
+however--for though I pass for the father, I am but the stepfather to
+"Don Quixote"--have no desire to go with the current of custom, or to
+implore thee, dearest reader, almost with tears in my eyes, as others do,
+to pardon or excuse the defects thou wilt perceive in this child of mine.
+Thou art neither its kinsman nor its friend, thy soul is thine own and
+thy will as free as any man's, whate'er he be, thou art in thine own
+house and master of it as much as the king of his taxes and thou knowest
+the common saying, "Under my cloak I kill the king;" all which exempts
+and frees thee from every consideration and obligation, and thou canst
+say what thou wilt of the story without fear of being abused for any ill
+or rewarded for any good thou mayest say of it.
+
+My wish would be simply to present it to thee plain and unadorned,
+without any embellishment of preface or uncountable muster of customary
+sonnets, epigrams, and eulogies, such as are commonly put at the
+beginning of books. For I can tell thee, though composing it cost me some
+labour, I found none greater than the making of this Preface thou art now
+reading. Many times did I take up my pen to write it, and many did I lay
+it down again, not knowing what to write. One of these times, as I was
+pondering with the paper before me, a pen in my ear, my elbow on the
+desk, and my cheek in my hand, thinking of what I should say, there came
+in unexpectedly a certain lively, clever friend of mine, who, seeing me
+so deep in thought, asked the reason; to which I, making no mystery of
+it, answered that I was thinking of the Preface I had to make for the
+story of "Don Quixote," which so troubled me that I had a mind not to
+make any at all, nor even publish the achievements of so noble a knight.
+
+"For, how could you expect me not to feel uneasy about what that ancient
+lawgiver they call the Public will say when it sees me, after slumbering
+so many years in the silence of oblivion, coming out now with all my
+years upon my back, and with a book as dry as a rush, devoid of
+invention, meagre in style, poor in thoughts, wholly wanting in learning
+and wisdom, without quotations in the margin or annotations at the end,
+after the fashion of other books I see, which, though all fables and
+profanity, are so full of maxims from Aristotle, and Plato, and the whole
+herd of philosophers, that they fill the readers with amazement and
+convince them that the authors are men of learning, erudition, and
+eloquence. And then, when they quote the Holy Scriptures!--anyone would
+say they are St. Thomases or other doctors of the Church, observing as
+they do a decorum so ingenious that in one sentence they describe a
+distracted lover and in the next deliver a devout little sermon that it
+is a pleasure and a treat to hear and read. Of all this there will be
+nothing in my book, for I have nothing to quote in the margin or to note
+at the end, and still less do I know what authors I follow in it, to
+place them at the beginning, as all do, under the letters A, B, C,
+beginning with Aristotle and ending with Xenophon, or Zoilus, or Zeuxis,
+though one was a slanderer and the other a painter. Also my book must do
+without sonnets at the beginning, at least sonnets whose authors are
+dukes, marquises, counts, bishops, ladies, or famous poets. Though if I
+were to ask two or three obliging friends, I know they would give me
+them, and such as the productions of those that have the highest
+reputation in our Spain could not equal.
+
+"In short, my friend," I continued, "I am determined that Senor Don
+Quixote shall remain buried in the archives of his own La Mancha until
+Heaven provide some one to garnish him with all those things he stands in
+need of; because I find myself, through my shallowness and want of
+learning, unequal to supplying them, and because I am by nature shy and
+careless about hunting for authors to say what I myself can say without
+them. Hence the cogitation and abstraction you found me in, and reason
+enough, what you have heard from me."
+
+Hearing this, my friend, giving himself a slap on the forehead and
+breaking into a hearty laugh, exclaimed, "Before God, Brother, now am I
+disabused of an error in which I have been living all this long time I
+have known you, all through which I have taken you to be shrewd and
+sensible in all you do; but now I see you are as far from that as the
+heaven is from the earth. It is possible that things of so little moment
+and so easy to set right can occupy and perplex a ripe wit like yours,
+fit to break through and crush far greater obstacles? By my faith, this
+comes, not of any want of ability, but of too much indolence and too
+little knowledge of life. Do you want to know if I am telling the truth?
+Well, then, attend to me, and you will see how, in the opening and
+shutting of an eye, I sweep away all your difficulties, and supply all
+those deficiencies which you say check and discourage you from bringing
+before the world the story of your famous Don Quixote, the light and
+mirror of all knight-errantry."
+
+"Say on," said I, listening to his talk; "how do you propose to make up
+for my diffidence, and reduce to order this chaos of perplexity I am in?"
+
+To which he made answer, "Your first difficulty about the sonnets,
+epigrams, or complimentary verses which you want for the beginning, and
+which ought to be by persons of importance and rank, can be removed if
+you yourself take a little trouble to make them; you can afterwards
+baptise them, and put any name you like to them, fathering them on
+Prester John of the Indies or the Emperor of Trebizond, who, to my
+knowledge, were said to have been famous poets: and even if they were
+not, and any pedants or bachelors should attack you and question the
+fact, never care two maravedis for that, for even if they prove a lie
+against you they cannot cut off the hand you wrote it with.
+
+"As to references in the margin to the books and authors from whom you
+take the aphorisms and sayings you put into your story, it is only
+contriving to fit in nicely any sentences or scraps of Latin you may
+happen to have by heart, or at any rate that will not give you much
+trouble to look up; so as, when you speak of freedom and captivity, to
+insert
+
+_Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro;_
+
+and then refer in the margin to Horace, or whoever said it; or, if you
+allude to the power of death, to come in with--
+
+_Pallida mors Aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas,
+Regumque turres._
+
+"If it be friendship and the love God bids us bear to our enemy, go at
+once to the Holy Scriptures, which you can do with a very small amount of
+research, and quote no less than the words of God himself: Ego autem dico
+vobis: diligite inimicos vestros. If you speak of evil thoughts, turn to
+the Gospel: De corde exeunt cogitationes malae. If of the fickleness of
+friends, there is Cato, who will give you his distich:
+
+_Donec eris felix multos numerabis amicos,
+Tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris._
+
+"With these and such like bits of Latin they will take you for a
+grammarian at all events, and that now-a-days is no small honour and
+profit.
+
+"With regard to adding annotations at the end of the book, you may safely
+do it in this way. If you mention any giant in your book contrive that it
+shall be the giant Goliath, and with this alone, which will cost you
+almost nothing, you have a grand note, for you can put--The giant Golias
+or Goliath was a Philistine whom the shepherd David slew by a mighty
+stone-cast in the Terebinth valley, as is related in the Book of
+Kings--in the chapter where you find it written.
+
+"Next, to prove yourself a man of erudition in polite literature and
+cosmography, manage that the river Tagus shall be named in your story,
+and there you are at once with another famous annotation, setting
+forth--The river Tagus was so called after a King of Spain: it has its
+source in such and such a place and falls into the ocean, kissing the
+walls of the famous city of Lisbon, and it is a common belief that it has
+golden sands, etc. If you should have anything to do with robbers, I will
+give you the story of Cacus, for I have it by heart; if with loose women,
+there is the Bishop of Mondonedo, who will give you the loan of Lamia,
+Laida, and Flora, any reference to whom will bring you great credit; if
+with hard-hearted ones, Ovid will furnish you with Medea; if with witches
+or enchantresses, Homer has Calypso, and Virgil Circe; if with valiant
+captains, Julius Caesar himself will lend you himself in his own
+'Commentaries,' and Plutarch will give you a thousand Alexanders. If you
+should deal with love, with two ounces you may know of Tuscan you can go
+to Leon the Hebrew, who will supply you to your heart's content; or if
+you should not care to go to foreign countries you have at home Fonseca's
+'Of the Love of God,' in which is condensed all that you or the most
+imaginative mind can want on the subject. In short, all you have to do is
+to manage to quote these names, or refer to these stories I have
+mentioned, and leave it to me to insert the annotations and quotations,
+and I swear by all that's good to fill your margins and use up four
+sheets at the end of the book.
+
+"Now let us come to those references to authors which other books have,
+and you want for yours. The remedy for this is very simple: You have only
+to look out for some book that quotes them all, from A to Z as you say
+yourself, and then insert the very same alphabet in your book, and though
+the imposition may be plain to see, because you have so little need to
+borrow from them, that is no matter; there will probably be some simple
+enough to believe that you have made use of them all in this plain,
+artless story of yours. At any rate, if it answers no other purpose, this
+long catalogue of authors will serve to give a surprising look of
+authority to your book. Besides, no one will trouble himself to verify
+whether you have followed them or whether you have not, being no way
+concerned in it; especially as, if I mistake not, this book of yours has
+no need of any one of those things you say it wants, for it is, from
+beginning to end, an attack upon the books of chivalry, of which
+Aristotle never dreamt, nor St. Basil said a word, nor Cicero had any
+knowledge; nor do the niceties of truth nor the observations of astrology
+come within the range of its fanciful vagaries; nor have geometrical
+measurements or refutations of the arguments used in rhetoric anything to
+do with it; nor does it mean to preach to anybody, mixing up things human
+and divine, a sort of motley in which no Christian understanding should
+dress itself. It has only to avail itself of truth to nature in its
+composition, and the more perfect the imitation the better the work will
+be. And as this piece of yours aims at nothing more than to destroy the
+authority and influence which books of chivalry have in the world and
+with the public, there is no need for you to go a-begging for aphorisms
+from philosophers, precepts from Holy Scripture, fables from poets,
+speeches from orators, or miracles from saints; but merely to take care
+that your style and diction run musically, pleasantly, and plainly, with
+clear, proper, and well-placed words, setting forth your purpose to the
+best of your power, and putting your ideas intelligibly, without
+confusion or obscurity. Strive, too, that in reading your story the
+melancholy may be moved to laughter, and the merry made merrier still;
+that the simple shall not be wearied, that the judicious shall admire the
+invention, that the grave shall not despise it, nor the wise fail to
+praise it. Finally, keep your aim fixed on the destruction of that
+ill-founded edifice of the books of chivalry, hated by some and praised
+by many more; for if you succeed in this you will have achieved no small
+success."
+
+In profound silence I listened to what my friend said, and his
+observations made such an impression on me that, without attempting to
+question them, I admitted their soundness, and out of them I determined
+to make this Preface; wherein, gentle reader, thou wilt perceive my
+friend's good sense, my good fortune in finding such an adviser in such a
+time of need, and what thou hast gained in receiving, without addition or
+alteration, the story of the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha, who is held
+by all the inhabitants of the district of the Campo de Montiel to have
+been the chastest lover and the bravest knight that has for many years
+been seen in that neighbourhood. I have no desire to magnify the service
+I render thee in making thee acquainted with so renowned and honoured a
+knight, but I do desire thy thanks for the acquaintance thou wilt make
+with the famous Sancho Panza, his squire, in whom, to my thinking, I have
+given thee condensed all the squirely drolleries that are scattered
+through the swarm of the vain books of chivalry. And so--may God give
+thee health, and not forget me. Vale.
+
+1~ Dedication of Volume I
+
+TO THE DUKE OF BEJAR, MARQUIS OF GIBRALEON, COUNT OF BENALCAZAR AND
+BANARES, VICECOUNT OF THE PUEBLA DE ALCOCER, MASTER OF THE TOWNS OF
+CAPILLA, CURIEL AND BURGUILLOS
+
+In belief of the good reception and honours that Your Excellency bestows
+on all sort of books, as prince so inclined to favor good arts, chiefly
+those who by their nobleness do not submit to the service and bribery of
+the vulgar, I have determined bringing to light The Ingenious Gentleman
+Don Quixote of la Mancha, in shelter of Your Excellency's glamorous name,
+to whom, with the obeisance I owe to such grandeur, I pray to receive it
+agreeably under his protection, so that in this shadow, though deprived
+of that precious ornament of elegance and erudition that clothe the works
+composed in the houses of those who know, it dares appear with assurance
+in the judgment of some who, trespassing the bounds of their own
+ignorance, use to condemn with more rigour and less justice the writings
+of others. It is my earnest hope that Your Excellency's good counsel in
+regard to my honourable purpose, will not disdain the littleness of so
+humble a service.
+
+Miguel de Cervantes
+
+VOLUME I.
+
+Chapter I. -
+Which treats of the character and pursuits of the famous gentleman Don
+Quixote of La Mancha
+
+In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to
+mind, there lived not long since one of those gentlemen that keep a lance
+in the lance-rack, an old buckler, a lean hack, and a greyhound for
+coursing. An olla of rather more beef than mutton, a salad on most
+nights, scraps on Saturdays, lentils on Fridays, and a pigeon or so extra
+on Sundays, made away with three-quarters of his income. The rest of it
+went in a doublet of fine cloth and velvet breeches and shoes to match
+for holidays, while on week-days he made a brave figure in his best
+homespun. He had in his house a housekeeper past forty, a niece under
+twenty, and a lad for the field and market-place, who used to saddle the
+hack as well as handle the bill-hook. The age of this gentleman of ours
+was bordering on fifty; he was of a hardy habit, spare, gaunt-featured, a
+very early riser and a great sportsman. They will have it his surname was
+Quixada or Quesada (for here there is some difference of opinion among
+the authors who write on the subject), although from reasonable
+conjectures it seems plain that he was called Quexana. This, however, is
+of but little importance to our tale; it will be enough not to stray a
+hair's breadth from the truth in the telling of it.
+
+You must know, then, that the above-named gentleman whenever he was at
+leisure (which was mostly all the year round) gave himself up to reading
+books of chivalry with such ardour and avidity that he almost entirely
+neglected the pursuit of his field-sports, and even the management of his
+property; and to such a pitch did his eagerness and infatuation go that
+he sold many an acre of tillageland to buy books of chivalry to read, and
+brought home as many of them as he could get. But of all there were none
+he liked so well as those of the famous Feliciano de Silva's composition,
+for their lucidity of style and complicated conceits were as pearls in
+his sight, particularly when in his reading he came upon courtships and
+cartels, where he often found passages like "the reason of the unreason
+with which my reason is afflicted so weakens my reason that with reason I
+murmur at your beauty;" or again, "the high heavens, that of your
+divinity divinely fortify you with the stars, render you deserving of the
+desert your greatness deserves." Over conceits of this sort the poor
+gentleman lost his wits, and used to lie awake striving to understand
+them and worm the meaning out of them; what Aristotle himself could not
+have made out or extracted had he come to life again for that special
+purpose. He was not at all easy about the wounds which Don Belianis gave
+and took, because it seemed to him that, great as were the surgeons who
+had cured him, he must have had his face and body covered all over with
+seams and scars. He commended, however, the author's way of ending his
+book with the promise of that interminable adventure, and many a time was
+he tempted to take up his pen and finish it properly as is there
+proposed, which no doubt he would have done, and made a successful piece
+of work of it too, had not greater and more absorbing thoughts prevented
+him.
+
+Many an argument did he have with the curate of his village (a learned
+man, and a graduate of Siguenza) as to which had been the better knight,
+Palmerin of England or Amadis of Gaul. Master Nicholas, the village
+barber, however, used to say that neither of them came up to the Knight
+of Phoebus, and that if there was any that could compare with him it was
+Don Galaor, the brother of Amadis of Gaul, because he had a spirit that
+was equal to every occasion, and was no finikin knight, nor lachrymose
+like his brother, while in the matter of valour he was not a whit behind
+him. In short, he became so absorbed in his books that he spent his
+nights from sunset to sunrise, and his days from dawn to dark, poring
+over them; and what with little sleep and much reading his brains got so
+dry that he lost his wits. His fancy grew full of what he used to read
+about in his books, enchantments, quarrels, battles, challenges, wounds,
+wooings, loves, agonies, and all sorts of impossible nonsense; and it so
+possessed his mind that the whole fabric of invention and fancy he read
+of was true, that to him no history in the world had more reality in it.
+He used to say the Cid Ruy Diaz was a very good knight, but that he was
+not to be compared with the Knight of the Burning Sword who with one
+back-stroke cut in half two fierce and monstrous giants. He thought more
+of Bernardo del Carpio because at Roncesvalles he slew Roland in spite of
+enchantments, availing himself of the artifice of Hercules when he
+strangled Antaeus the son of Terra in his arms. He approved highly of the
+giant Morgante, because, although of the giant breed which is always
+arrogant and ill-conditioned, he alone was affable and well-bred. But
+above all he admired Reinaldos of Montalban, especially when he saw him
+sallying forth from his castle and robbing everyone he met, and when
+beyond the seas he stole that image of Mahomet which, as his history
+says, was entirely of gold. To have a bout of kicking at that traitor of
+a Ganelon he would have given his housekeeper, and his niece into the
+bargain.
+
+In short, his wits being quite gone, he hit upon the strangest notion
+that ever madman in this world hit upon, and that was that he fancied it
+was right and requisite, as well for the support of his own honour as for
+the service of his country, that he should make a knight-errant of
+himself, roaming the world over in full armour and on horseback in quest
+of adventures, and putting in practice himself all that he had read of as
+being the usual practices of knights-errant; righting every kind of
+wrong, and exposing himself to peril and danger from which, in the issue,
+he was to reap eternal renown and fame. Already the poor man saw himself
+crowned by the might of his arm Emperor of Trebizond at least; and so,
+led away by the intense enjoyment he found in these pleasant fancies, he
+set himself forthwith to put his scheme into execution.
+
+The first thing he did was to clean up some armour that had belonged to
+his great-grandfather, and had been for ages lying forgotten in a corner
+eaten with rust and covered with mildew. He scoured and polished it as
+best he could, but he perceived one great defect in it, that it had no
+closed helmet, nothing but a simple morion. This deficiency, however, his
+ingenuity supplied, for he contrived a kind of half-helmet of pasteboard
+which, fitted on to the morion, looked like a whole one. It is true that,
+in order to see if it was strong and fit to stand a cut, he drew his
+sword and gave it a couple of slashes, the first of which undid in an
+instant what had taken him a week to do. The ease with which he had
+knocked it to pieces disconcerted him somewhat, and to guard against that
+danger he set to work again, fixing bars of iron on the inside until he
+was satisfied with its strength; and then, not caring to try any more
+experiments with it, he passed it and adopted it as a helmet of the most
+perfect construction.
+
+He next proceeded to inspect his hack, which, with more quartos than a
+real and more blemishes than the steed of Gonela, that "tantum pellis et
+ossa fuit," surpassed in his eyes the Bucephalus of Alexander or the
+Babieca of the Cid. Four days were spent in thinking what name to give
+him, because (as he said to himself) it was not right that a horse
+belonging to a knight so famous, and one with such merits of his own,
+should be without some distinctive name, and he strove to adapt it so as
+to indicate what he had been before belonging to a knight-errant, and
+what he then was; for it was only reasonable that, his master taking a
+new character, he should take a new name, and that it should be a
+distinguished and full-sounding one, befitting the new order and calling
+he was about to follow. And so, after having composed, struck out,
+rejected, added to, unmade, and remade a multitude of names out of his
+memory and fancy, he decided upon calling him Rocinante, a name, to his
+thinking, lofty, sonorous, and significant of his condition as a hack
+before he became what he now was, the first and foremost of all the hacks
+in the world.
+
+Having got a name for his horse so much to his taste, he was anxious to
+get one for himself, and he was eight days more pondering over this
+point, till at last he made up his mind to call himself "Don Quixote,"
+whence, as has been already said, the authors of this veracious history
+have inferred that his name must have been beyond a doubt Quixada, and
+not Quesada as others would have it. Recollecting, however, that the
+valiant Amadis was not content to call himself curtly Amadis and nothing
+more, but added the name of his kingdom and country to make it famous,
+and called himself Amadis of Gaul, he, like a good knight, resolved to
+add on the name of his, and to style himself Don Quixote of La Mancha,
+whereby, he considered, he described accurately his origin and country,
+and did honour to it in taking his surname from it.
+
+So then, his armour being furbished, his morion turned into a helmet, his
+hack christened, and he himself confirmed, he came to the conclusion that
+nothing more was needed now but to look out for a lady to be in love
+with; for a knight-errant without love was like a tree without leaves or
+fruit, or a body without a soul. As he said to himself, "If, for my sins,
+or by my good fortune, I come across some giant hereabouts, a common
+occurrence with knights-errant, and overthrow him in one onslaught, or
+cleave him asunder to the waist, or, in short, vanquish and subdue him,
+will it not be well to have some one I may send him to as a present, that
+he may come in and fall on his knees before my sweet lady, and in a
+humble, submissive voice say, 'I am the giant Caraculiambro, lord of the
+island of Malindrania, vanquished in single combat by the never
+sufficiently extolled knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, who has commanded
+me to present myself before your Grace, that your Highness dispose of me
+at your pleasure'?" Oh, how our good gentleman enjoyed the delivery of
+this speech, especially when he had thought of some one to call his Lady!
+There was, so the story goes, in a village near his own a very
+good-looking farm-girl with whom he had been at one time in love, though,
+so far as is known, she never knew it nor gave a thought to the matter.
+Her name was Aldonza Lorenzo, and upon her he thought fit to confer the
+title of Lady of his Thoughts; and after some search for a name which
+should not be out of harmony with her own, and should suggest and
+indicate that of a princess and great lady, he decided upon calling her
+Dulcinea del Toboso--she being of El Toboso--a name, to his mind,
+musical, uncommon, and significant, like all those he had already
+bestowed upon himself and the things belonging to him.
+
+Chapter II. -
+Which Treats of the first sally the ingenious Don Quixote made from home
+
+These preliminaries settled, he did not care to put off any longer the
+execution of his design, urged on to it by the thought of all the world
+was losing by his delay, seeing what wrongs he intended to right,
+grievances to redress, injustices to repair, abuses to remove, and duties
+to discharge. So, without giving notice of his intention to anyone, and
+without anybody seeing him, one morning before the dawning of the day
+(which was one of the hottest of the month of July) he donned his suit of
+armour, mounted Rocinante with his patched-up helmet on, braced his
+buckler, took his lance, and by the back door of the yard sallied forth
+upon the plain in the highest contentment and satisfaction at seeing with
+what ease he had made a beginning with his grand purpose. But scarcely
+did he find himself upon the open plain, when a terrible thought struck
+him, one all but enough to make him abandon the enterprise at the very
+outset. It occurred to him that he had not been dubbed a knight, and that
+according to the law of chivalry he neither could nor ought to bear arms
+against any knight; and that even if he had been, still he ought, as a
+novice knight, to wear white armour, without a device upon the shield
+until by his prowess he had earned one. These reflections made him waver
+in his purpose, but his craze being stronger than any reasoning, he made
+up his mind to have himself dubbed a knight by the first one he came
+across, following the example of others in the same case, as he had read
+in the books that brought him to this pass. As for white armour, he
+resolved, on the first opportunity, to scour his until it was whiter than
+an ermine; and so comforting himself he pursued his way, taking that
+which his horse chose, for in this he believed lay the essence of
+adventures.
+
+Thus setting out, our new-fledged adventurer paced along, talking to
+himself and saying, "Who knows but that in time to come, when the
+veracious history of my famous deeds is made known, the sage who writes
+it, when he has to set forth my first sally in the early morning, will do
+it after this fashion? 'Scarce had the rubicund Apollo spread o'er the
+face of the broad spacious earth the golden threads of his bright hair,
+scarce had the little birds of painted plumage attuned their notes to
+hail with dulcet and mellifluous harmony the coming of the rosy Dawn,
+that, deserting the soft couch of her jealous spouse, was appearing to
+mortals at the gates and balconies of the Manchegan horizon, when the
+renowned knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, quitting the lazy down, mounted
+his celebrated steed Rocinante and began to traverse the ancient and
+famous Campo de Montiel;'" which in fact he was actually traversing.
+"Happy the age, happy the time," he continued, "in which shall be made
+known my deeds of fame, worthy to be moulded in brass, carved in marble,
+limned in pictures, for a memorial for ever. And thou, O sage magician,
+whoever thou art, to whom it shall fall to be the chronicler of this
+wondrous history, forget not, I entreat thee, my good Rocinante, the
+constant companion of my ways and wanderings." Presently he broke out
+again, as if he were love-stricken in earnest, "O Princess Dulcinea, lady
+of this captive heart, a grievous wrong hast thou done me to drive me
+forth with scorn, and with inexorable obduracy banish me from the
+presence of thy beauty. O lady, deign to hold in remembrance this heart,
+thy vassal, that thus in anguish pines for love of thee."
+
+So he went on stringing together these and other absurdities, all in the
+style of those his books had taught him, imitating their language as well
+as he could; and all the while he rode so slowly and the sun mounted so
+rapidly and with such fervour that it was enough to melt his brains if he
+had any. Nearly all day he travelled without anything remarkable
+happening to him, at which he was in despair, for he was anxious to
+encounter some one at once upon whom to try the might of his strong arm.
+
+Writers there are who say the first adventure he met with was that of
+Puerto Lapice; others say it was that of the windmills; but what I have
+ascertained on this point, and what I have found written in the annals of
+La Mancha, is that he was on the road all day, and towards nightfall his
+hack and he found themselves dead tired and hungry, when, looking all
+around to see if he could discover any castle or shepherd's shanty where
+he might refresh himself and relieve his sore wants, he perceived not far
+out of his road an inn, which was as welcome as a star guiding him to the
+portals, if not the palaces, of his redemption; and quickening his pace
+he reached it just as night was setting in. At the door were standing two
+young women, girls of the district as they call them, on their way to
+Seville with some carriers who had chanced to halt that night at the inn;
+and as, happen what might to our adventurer, everything he saw or imaged
+seemed to him to be and to happen after the fashion of what he read of,
+the moment he saw the inn he pictured it to himself as a castle with its
+four turrets and pinnacles of shining silver, not forgetting the
+drawbridge and moat and all the belongings usually ascribed to castles of
+the sort. To this inn, which to him seemed a castle, he advanced, and at
+a short distance from it he checked Rocinante, hoping that some dwarf
+would show himself upon the battlements, and by sound of trumpet give
+notice that a knight was approaching the castle. But seeing that they
+were slow about it, and that Rocinante was in a hurry to reach the
+stable, he made for the inn door, and perceived the two gay damsels who
+were standing there, and who seemed to him to be two fair maidens or
+lovely ladies taking their ease at the castle gate.
+
+At this moment it so happened that a swineherd who was going through the
+stubbles collecting a drove of pigs (for, without any apology, that is
+what they are called) gave a blast of his horn to bring them together,
+and forthwith it seemed to Don Quixote to be what he was expecting, the
+signal of some dwarf announcing his arrival; and so with prodigious
+satisfaction he rode up to the inn and to the ladies, who, seeing a man
+of this sort approaching in full armour and with lance and buckler, were
+turning in dismay into the inn, when Don Quixote, guessing their fear by
+their flight, raising his pasteboard visor, disclosed his dry dusty
+visage, and with courteous bearing and gentle voice addressed them, "Your
+ladyships need not fly or fear any rudeness, for that it belongs not to
+the order of knighthood which I profess to offer to anyone, much less to
+highborn maidens as your appearance proclaims you to be." The girls were
+looking at him and straining their eyes to make out the features which
+the clumsy visor obscured, but when they heard themselves called maidens,
+a thing so much out of their line, they could not restrain their
+laughter, which made Don Quixote wax indignant, and say, "Modesty becomes
+the fair, and moreover laughter that has little cause is great silliness;
+this, however, I say not to pain or anger you, for my desire is none
+other than to serve you."
+
+The incomprehensible language and the unpromising looks of our cavalier
+only increased the ladies' laughter, and that increased his irritation,
+and matters might have gone farther if at that moment the landlord had
+not come out, who, being a very fat man, was a very peaceful one. He,
+seeing this grotesque figure clad in armour that did not match any more
+than his saddle, bridle, lance, buckler, or corselet, was not at all
+indisposed to join the damsels in their manifestations of amusement; but,
+in truth, standing in awe of such a complicated armament, he thought it
+best to speak him fairly, so he said, "Senor Caballero, if your worship
+wants lodging, bating the bed (for there is not one in the inn) there is
+plenty of everything else here." Don Quixote, observing the respectful
+bearing of the Alcaide of the fortress (for so innkeeper and inn seemed
+in his eyes), made answer, "Sir Castellan, for me anything will suffice,
+for
+
+poem{
+
+'My armour is my only wear,
+My only rest the fray.'"
+
+}poem
+
+The host fancied he called him Castellan because he took him for a
+"worthy of Castile," though he was in fact an Andalusian, and one from
+the strand of San Lucar, as crafty a thief as Cacus and as full of tricks
+as a student or a page. "In that case," said he,
+
+poem{
+
+"'Your bed is on the flinty rock,
+Your sleep to watch alway;'
+
+}poem
+
+and if so, you may dismount and safely reckon upon any quantity of
+sleeplessness under this roof for a twelvemonth, not to say for a single
+night." So saying, he advanced to hold the stirrup for Don Quixote, who
+got down with great difficulty and exertion (for he had not broken his
+fast all day), and then charged the host to take great care of his horse,
+as he was the best bit of flesh that ever ate bread in this world. The
+landlord eyed him over but did not find him as good as Don Quixote said,
+nor even half as good; and putting him up in the stable, he returned to
+see what might be wanted by his guest, whom the damsels, who had by this
+time made their peace with him, were now relieving of his armour. They
+had taken off his breastplate and backpiece, but they neither knew nor
+saw how to open his gorget or remove his make-shift helmet, for he had
+fastened it with green ribbons, which, as there was no untying the knots,
+required to be cut. This, however, he would not by any means consent to,
+so he remained all the evening with his helmet on, the drollest and
+oddest figure that can be imagined; and while they were removing his
+armour, taking the baggages who were about it for ladies of high degree
+belonging to the castle, he said to them with great sprightliness:
+
+poem{
+
+"Oh, never, surely, was there knight
+  So served by hand of dame,
+As served was he, Don Quixote hight,
+  When from his town he came;
+With maidens waiting on himself,
+  Princesses on his hack--
+
+}poem
+
+or Rocinante, for that, ladies mine, is my horse's name, and Don Quixote
+of La Mancha is my own; for though I had no intention of declaring myself
+until my achievements in your service and honour had made me known, the
+necessity of adapting that old ballad of Lancelot to the present occasion
+has given you the knowledge of my name altogether prematurely. A time,
+however, will come for your ladyships to command and me to obey, and then
+the might of my arm will show my desire to serve you."
+
+The girls, who were not used to hearing rhetoric of this sort, had
+nothing to say in reply; they only asked him if he wanted anything to
+eat. "I would gladly eat a bit of something," said Don Quixote, "for I
+feel it would come very seasonably." The day happened to be a Friday, and
+in the whole inn there was nothing but some pieces of the fish they call
+in Castile "abadejo," in Andalusia "bacallao," and in some places
+"curadillo," and in others "troutlet;" so they asked him if he thought he
+could eat troutlet, for there was no other fish to give him. "If there be
+troutlets enough," said Don Quixote, "they will be the same thing as a
+trout; for it is all one to me whether I am given eight reals in small
+change or a piece of eight; moreover, it may be that these troutlets are
+like veal, which is better than beef, or kid, which is better than goat.
+But whatever it be let it come quickly, for the burden and pressure of
+arms cannot be borne without support to the inside." They laid a table
+for him at the door of the inn for the sake of the air, and the host
+brought him a portion of ill-soaked and worse cooked stockfish, and a
+piece of bread as black and mouldy as his own armour; but a laughable
+sight it was to see him eating, for having his helmet on and the beaver
+up, he could not with his own hands put anything into his mouth unless
+some one else placed it there, and this service one of the ladies
+rendered him. But to give him anything to drink was impossible, or would
+have been so had not the landlord bored a reed, and putting one end in
+his mouth poured the wine into him through the other; all which he bore
+with patience rather than sever the ribbons of his helmet.
+
+While this was going on there came up to the inn a sowgelder, who, as he
+approached, sounded his reed pipe four or five times, and thereby
+completely convinced Don Quixote that he was in some famous castle, and
+that they were regaling him with music, and that the stockfish was trout,
+the bread the whitest, the wenches ladies, and the landlord the castellan
+of the castle; and consequently he held that his enterprise and sally had
+been to some purpose. But still it distressed him to think he had not
+been dubbed a knight, for it was plain to him he could not lawfully
+engage in any adventure without receiving the order of knighthood.
+
+Chapter III. -
+Wherein is related the droll way in which Don Quixote had himself dubbed
+a Knight
+
+Harassed by this reflection, he made haste with his scanty pothouse
+supper, and having finished it called the landlord, and shutting himself
+into the stable with him, fell on his knees before him, saying, "From
+this spot I rise not, valiant knight, until your courtesy grants me the
+boon I seek, one that will redound to your praise and the benefit of the
+human race." The landlord, seeing his guest at his feet and hearing a
+speech of this kind, stood staring at him in bewilderment, not knowing
+what to do or say, and entreating him to rise, but all to no purpose
+until he had agreed to grant the boon demanded of him. "I looked for no
+less, my lord, from your High Magnificence," replied Don Quixote, "and I
+have to tell you that the boon I have asked and your liberality has
+granted is that you shall dub me knight to-morrow morning, and that
+to-night I shall watch my arms in the chapel of this your castle; thus
+tomorrow, as I have said, will be accomplished what I so much desire,
+enabling me lawfully to roam through all the four quarters of the world
+seeking adventures on behalf of those in distress, as is the duty of
+chivalry and of knights-errant like myself, whose ambition is directed to
+such deeds."
+
+The landlord, who, as has been mentioned, was something of a wag, and had
+already some suspicion of his guest's want of wits, was quite convinced
+of it on hearing talk of this kind from him, and to make sport for the
+night he determined to fall in with his humour. So he told him he was
+quite right in pursuing the object he had in view, and that such a motive
+was natural and becoming in cavaliers as distinguished as he seemed and
+his gallant bearing showed him to be; and that he himself in his younger
+days had followed the same honourable calling, roaming in quest of
+adventures in various parts of the world, among others the Curing-grounds
+of Malaga, the Isles of Riaran, the Precinct of Seville, the Little
+Market of Segovia, the Olivera of Valencia, the Rondilla of Granada, the
+Strand of San Lucar, the Colt of Cordova, the Taverns of Toledo, and
+divers other quarters, where he had proved the nimbleness of his feet and
+the lightness of his fingers, doing many wrongs, cheating many widows,
+ruining maids and swindling minors, and, in short, bringing himself under
+the notice of almost every tribunal and court of justice in Spain; until
+at last he had retired to this castle of his, where he was living upon
+his property and upon that of others; and where he received all
+knights-errant of whatever rank or condition they might be, all for the
+great love he bore them and that they might share their substance with
+him in return for his benevolence. He told him, moreover, that in this
+castle of his there was no chapel in which he could watch his armour, as
+it had been pulled down in order to be rebuilt, but that in a case of
+necessity it might, he knew, be watched anywhere, and he might watch it
+that night in a courtyard of the castle, and in the morning, God willing,
+the requisite ceremonies might be performed so as to have him dubbed a
+knight, and so thoroughly dubbed that nobody could be more so. He asked
+if he had any money with him, to which Don Quixote replied that he had
+not a farthing, as in the histories of knights-errant he had never read
+of any of them carrying any. On this point the landlord told him he was
+mistaken; for, though not recorded in the histories, because in the
+author's opinion there was no need to mention anything so obvious and
+necessary as money and clean shirts, it was not to be supposed therefore
+that they did not carry them, and he might regard it as certain and
+established that all knights-errant (about whom there were so many full
+and unimpeachable books) carried well-furnished purses in case of
+emergency, and likewise carried shirts and a little box of ointment to
+cure the wounds they received. For in those plains and deserts where they
+engaged in combat and came out wounded, it was not always that there was
+some one to cure them, unless indeed they had for a friend some sage
+magician to succour them at once by fetching through the air upon a cloud
+some damsel or dwarf with a vial of water of such virtue that by tasting
+one drop of it they were cured of their hurts and wounds in an instant
+and left as sound as if they had not received any damage whatever. But in
+case this should not occur, the knights of old took care to see that
+their squires were provided with money and other requisites, such as lint
+and ointments for healing purposes; and when it happened that knights had
+no squires (which was rarely and seldom the case) they themselves carried
+everything in cunning saddle-bags that were hardly seen on the horse's
+croup, as if it were something else of more importance, because, unless
+for some such reason, carrying saddle-bags was not very favourably
+regarded among knights-errant. He therefore advised him (and, as his
+godson so soon to be, he might even command him) never from that time
+forth to travel without money and the usual requirements, and he would
+find the advantage of them when he least expected it.
+
+Don Quixote promised to follow his advice scrupulously, and it was
+arranged forthwith that he should watch his armour in a large yard at one
+side of the inn; so, collecting it all together, Don Quixote placed it on
+a trough that stood by the side of a well, and bracing his buckler on his
+arm he grasped his lance and began with a stately air to march up and
+down in front of the trough, and as he began his march night began to
+fall.
+
+The landlord told all the people who were in the inn about the craze of
+his guest, the watching of the armour, and the dubbing ceremony he
+contemplated. Full of wonder at so strange a form of madness, they
+flocked to see it from a distance, and observed with what composure he
+sometimes paced up and down, or sometimes, leaning on his lance, gazed on
+his armour without taking his eyes off it for ever so long; and as the
+night closed in with a light from the moon so brilliant that it might vie
+with his that lent it, everything the novice knight did was plainly seen
+by all.
+
+Meanwhile one of the carriers who were in the inn thought fit to water
+his team, and it was necessary to remove Don Quixote's armour as it lay
+on the trough; but he seeing the other approach hailed him in a loud
+voice, "O thou, whoever thou art, rash knight that comest to lay hands on
+the armour of the most valorous errant that ever girt on sword, have a
+care what thou dost; touch it not unless thou wouldst lay down thy life
+as the penalty of thy rashness." The carrier gave no heed to these words
+(and he would have done better to heed them if he had been heedful of his
+health), but seizing it by the straps flung the armour some distance from
+him. Seeing this, Don Quixote raised his eyes to heaven, and fixing his
+thoughts, apparently, upon his lady Dulcinea, exclaimed, "Aid me, lady
+mine, in this the first encounter that presents itself to this breast
+which thou holdest in subjection; let not thy favour and protection fail
+me in this first jeopardy;" and, with these words and others to the same
+purpose, dropping his buckler he lifted his lance with both hands and
+with it smote such a blow on the carrier's head that he stretched him on
+the ground, so stunned that had he followed it up with a second there
+would have been no need of a surgeon to cure him. This done, he picked up
+his armour and returned to his beat with the same serenity as before.
+
+Shortly after this, another, not knowing what had happened (for the
+carrier still lay senseless), came with the same object of giving water
+to his mules, and was proceeding to remove the armour in order to clear
+the trough, when Don Quixote, without uttering a word or imploring aid
+from anyone, once more dropped his buckler and once more lifted his
+lance, and without actually breaking the second carrier's head into
+pieces, made more than three of it, for he laid it open in four. At the
+noise all the people of the inn ran to the spot, and among them the
+landlord. Seeing this, Don Quixote braced his buckler on his arm, and
+with his hand on his sword exclaimed, "O Lady of Beauty, strength and
+support of my faint heart, it is time for thee to turn the eyes of thy
+greatness on this thy captive knight on the brink of so mighty an
+adventure." By this he felt himself so inspired that he would not have
+flinched if all the carriers in the world had assailed him. The comrades
+of the wounded perceiving the plight they were in began from a distance
+to shower stones on Don Quixote, who screened himself as best he could
+with his buckler, not daring to quit the trough and leave his armour
+unprotected. The landlord shouted to them to leave him alone, for he had
+already told them that he was mad, and as a madman he would not be
+accountable even if he killed them all. Still louder shouted Don Quixote,
+calling them knaves and traitors, and the lord of the castle, who allowed
+knights-errant to be treated in this fashion, a villain and a low-born
+knight whom, had he received the order of knighthood, he would call to
+account for his treachery. "But of you," he cried, "base and vile rabble,
+I make no account; fling, strike, come on, do all ye can against me, ye
+shall see what the reward of your folly and insolence will be." This he
+uttered with so much spirit and boldness that he filled his assailants
+with a terrible fear, and as much for this reason as at the persuasion of
+the landlord they left off stoning him, and he allowed them to carry off
+the wounded, and with the same calmness and composure as before resumed
+the watch over his armour.
+
+But these freaks of his guest were not much to the liking of the
+landlord, so he determined to cut matters short and confer upon him at
+once the unlucky order of knighthood before any further misadventure
+could occur; so, going up to him, he apologised for the rudeness which,
+without his knowledge, had been offered to him by these low people, who,
+however, had been well punished for their audacity. As he had already
+told him, he said, there was no chapel in the castle, nor was it needed
+for what remained to be done, for, as he understood the ceremonial of the
+order, the whole point of being dubbed a knight lay in the accolade and
+in the slap on the shoulder, and that could be administered in the middle
+of a field; and that he had now done all that was needful as to watching
+the armour, for all requirements were satisfied by a watch of two hours
+only, while he had been more than four about it. Don Quixote believed it
+all, and told him he stood there ready to obey him, and to make an end of
+it with as much despatch as possible; for, if he were again attacked, and
+felt himself to be dubbed knight, he would not, he thought, leave a soul
+alive in the castle, except such as out of respect he might spare at his
+bidding.
+
+Thus warned and menaced, the castellan forthwith brought out a book in
+which he used to enter the straw and barley he served out to the
+carriers, and, with a lad carrying a candle-end, and the two damsels
+already mentioned, he returned to where Don Quixote stood, and bade him
+kneel down. Then, reading from his account-book as if he were repeating
+some devout prayer, in the middle of his delivery he raised his hand and
+gave him a sturdy blow on the neck, and then, with his own sword, a smart
+slap on the shoulder, all the while muttering between his teeth as if he
+was saying his prayers. Having done this, he directed one of the ladies
+to gird on his sword, which she did with great self-possession and
+gravity, and not a little was required to prevent a burst of laughter at
+each stage of the ceremony; but what they had already seen of the novice
+knight's prowess kept their laughter within bounds. On girding him with
+the sword the worthy lady said to him, "May God make your worship a very
+fortunate knight, and grant you success in battle." Don Quixote asked her
+name in order that he might from that time forward know to whom he was
+beholden for the favour he had received, as he meant to confer upon her
+some portion of the honour he acquired by the might of his arm. She
+answered with great humility that she was called La Tolosa, and that she
+was the daughter of a cobbler of Toledo who lived in the stalls of
+Sanchobienaya, and that wherever she might be she would serve and esteem
+him as her lord. Don Quixote said in reply that she would do him a favour
+if thenceforward she assumed the "Don" and called herself Dona Tolosa.
+She promised she would, and then the other buckled on his spur, and with
+her followed almost the same conversation as with the lady of the sword.
+He asked her name, and she said it was La Molinera, and that she was the
+daughter of a respectable miller of Antequera; and of her likewise Don
+Quixote requested that she would adopt the "Don" and call herself Dona
+Molinera, making offers to her further services and favours.
+
+Having thus, with hot haste and speed, brought to a conclusion these
+never-till-now-seen ceremonies, Don Quixote was on thorns until he saw
+himself on horseback sallying forth in quest of adventures; and saddling
+Rocinante at once he mounted, and embracing his host, as he returned
+thanks for his kindness in knighting him, he addressed him in language so
+extraordinary that it is impossible to convey an idea of it or report it.
+The landlord, to get him out of the inn, replied with no less rhetoric
+though with shorter words, and without calling upon him to pay the
+reckoning let him go with a Godspeed.
+
+Chapter IV. -
+Of what happened to our Knight when he left the inn
+
+Day was dawning when Don Quixote quitted the inn, so happy, so gay, so
+exhilarated at finding himself now dubbed a knight, that his joy was like
+to burst his horse-girths. However, recalling the advice of his host as
+to the requisites he ought to carry with him, especially that referring
+to money and shirts, he determined to go home and provide himself with
+all, and also with a squire, for he reckoned upon securing a
+farm-labourer, a neighbour of his, a poor man with a family, but very
+well qualified for the office of squire to a knight. With this object he
+turned his horse's head towards his village, and Rocinante, thus reminded
+of his old quarters, stepped out so briskly that he hardly seemed to
+tread the earth.
+
+He had not gone far, when out of a thicket on his right there seemed to
+come feeble cries as of some one in distress, and the instant he heard
+them he exclaimed, "Thanks be to heaven for the favour it accords me,
+that it so soon offers me an opportunity of fulfilling the obligation I
+have undertaken, and gathering the fruit of my ambition. These cries, no
+doubt, come from some man or woman in want of help, and needing my aid
+and protection;" and wheeling, he turned Rocinante in the direction
+whence the cries seemed to proceed. He had gone but a few paces into the
+wood, when he saw a mare tied to an oak, and tied to another, and
+stripped from the waist upwards, a youth of about fifteen years of age,
+from whom the cries came. Nor were they without cause, for a lusty farmer
+was flogging him with a belt and following up every blow with scoldings
+and commands, repeating, "Your mouth shut and your eyes open!" while the
+youth made answer, "I won't do it again, master mine; by God's passion I
+won't do it again, and I'll take more care of the flock another time."
+
+Seeing what was going on, Don Quixote said in an angry voice,
+"Discourteous knight, it ill becomes you to assail one who cannot defend
+himself; mount your steed and take your lance" (for there was a lance
+leaning against the oak to which the mare was tied), "and I will make you
+know that you are behaving as a coward." The farmer, seeing before him
+this figure in full armour brandishing a lance over his head, gave
+himself up for dead, and made answer meekly, "Sir Knight, this youth that
+I am chastising is my servant, employed by me to watch a flock of sheep
+that I have hard by, and he is so careless that I lose one every day, and
+when I punish him for his carelessness and knavery he says I do it out of
+niggardliness, to escape paying him the wages I owe him, and before God,
+and on my soul, he lies."
+
+"Lies before me, base clown!" said Don Quixote. "By the sun that shines
+on us I have a mind to run you through with this lance. Pay him at once
+without another word; if not, by the God that rules us I will make an end
+of you, and annihilate you on the spot; release him instantly."
+
+The farmer hung his head, and without a word untied his servant, of whom
+Don Quixote asked how much his master owed him.
+
+He replied, nine months at seven reals a month. Don Quixote added it up,
+found that it came to sixty-three reals, and told the farmer to pay it
+down immediately, if he did not want to die for it.
+
+The trembling clown replied that as he lived and by the oath he had sworn
+(though he had not sworn any) it was not so much; for there were to be
+taken into account and deducted three pairs of shoes he had given him,
+and a real for two blood-lettings when he was sick.
+
+"All that is very well," said Don Quixote; "but let the shoes and the
+blood-lettings stand as a setoff against the blows you have given him
+without any cause; for if he spoiled the leather of the shoes you paid
+for, you have damaged that of his body, and if the barber took blood from
+him when he was sick, you have drawn it when he was sound; so on that
+score he owes you nothing."
+
+"The difficulty is, Sir Knight, that I have no money here; let Andres
+come home with me, and I will pay him all, real by real."
+
+"I go with him!" said the youth. "Nay, God forbid! No, senor, not for the
+world; for once alone with me, he would ray me like a Saint Bartholomew."
+
+"He will do nothing of the kind," said Don Quixote; "I have only to
+command, and he will obey me; and as he has sworn to me by the order of
+knighthood which he has received, I leave him free, and I guarantee the
+payment."
+
+"Consider what you are saying, senor," said the youth; "this master of
+mine is not a knight, nor has he received any order of knighthood; for he
+is Juan Haldudo the Rich, of Quintanar."
+
+"That matters little," replied Don Quixote; "there may be Haldudos
+knights; moreover, everyone is the son of his works."
+
+"That is true," said Andres; "but this master of mine--of what works is
+he the son, when he refuses me the wages of my sweat and labour?"
+
+"I do not refuse, brother Andres," said the farmer, "be good enough to
+come along with me, and I swear by all the orders of knighthood there are
+in the world to pay you as I have agreed, real by real, and perfumed."
+
+"For the perfumery I excuse you," said Don Quixote; "give it to him in
+reals, and I shall be satisfied; and see that you do as you have sworn;
+if not, by the same oath I swear to come back and hunt you out and punish
+you; and I shall find you though you should lie closer than a lizard. And
+if you desire to know who it is lays this command upon you, that you be
+more firmly bound to obey it, know that I am the valorous Don Quixote of
+La Mancha, the undoer of wrongs and injustices; and so, God be with you,
+and keep in mind what you have promised and sworn under those penalties
+that have been already declared to you."
+
+So saying, he gave Rocinante the spur and was soon out of reach. The
+farmer followed him with his eyes, and when he saw that he had cleared
+the wood and was no longer in sight, he turned to his boy Andres, and
+said, "Come here, my son, I want to pay you what I owe you, as that
+undoer of wrongs has commanded me."
+
+"My oath on it," said Andres, "your worship will be well advised to obey
+the command of that good knight--may he live a thousand years--for, as he
+is a valiant and just judge, by Roque, if you do not pay me, he will come
+back and do as he said."
+
+"My oath on it, too," said the farmer; "but as I have a strong affection
+for you, I want to add to the debt in order to add to the payment;" and
+seizing him by the arm, he tied him up again, and gave him such a
+flogging that he left him for dead.
+
+"Now, Master Andres," said the farmer, "call on the undoer of wrongs; you
+will find he won't undo that, though I am not sure that I have quite done
+with you, for I have a good mind to flay you alive." But at last he
+untied him, and gave him leave to go look for his judge in order to put
+the sentence pronounced into execution.
+
+Andres went off rather down in the mouth, swearing he would go to look
+for the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha and tell him exactly what had
+happened, and that all would have to be repaid him sevenfold; but for all
+that, he went off weeping, while his master stood laughing.
+
+Thus did the valiant Don Quixote right that wrong, and, thoroughly
+satisfied with what had taken place, as he considered he had made a very
+happy and noble beginning with his knighthood, he took the road towards
+his village in perfect self-content, saying in a low voice, "Well mayest
+thou this day call thyself fortunate above all on earth, O Dulcinea del
+Toboso, fairest of the fair! since it has fallen to thy lot to hold
+subject and submissive to thy full will and pleasure a knight so renowned
+as is and will be Don Quixote of La Mancha, who, as all the world knows,
+yesterday received the order of knighthood, and hath to-day righted the
+greatest wrong and grievance that ever injustice conceived and cruelty
+perpetrated: who hath to-day plucked the rod from the hand of yonder
+ruthless oppressor so wantonly lashing that tender child."
+
+He now came to a road branching in four directions, and immediately he
+was reminded of those cross-roads where knights-errant used to stop to
+consider which road they should take. In imitation of them he halted for
+a while, and after having deeply considered it, he gave Rocinante his
+head, submitting his own will to that of his hack, who followed out his
+first intention, which was to make straight for his own stable. After he
+had gone about two miles Don Quixote perceived a large party of people,
+who, as afterwards appeared, were some Toledo traders, on their way to
+buy silk at Murcia. There were six of them coming along under their
+sunshades, with four servants mounted, and three muleteers on foot.
+Scarcely had Don Quixote descried them when the fancy possessed him that
+this must be some new adventure; and to help him to imitate as far as he
+could those passages he had read of in his books, here seemed to come one
+made on purpose, which he resolved to attempt. So with a lofty bearing
+and determination he fixed himself firmly in his stirrups, got his lance
+ready, brought his buckler before his breast, and planting himself in the
+middle of the road, stood waiting the approach of these knights-errant,
+for such he now considered and held them to be; and when they had come
+near enough to see and hear, he exclaimed with a haughty gesture, "All
+the world stand, unless all the world confess that in all the world there
+is no maiden fairer than the Empress of La Mancha, the peerless Dulcinea
+del Toboso."
+
+The traders halted at the sound of this language and the sight of the
+strange figure that uttered it, and from both figure and language at once
+guessed the craze of their owner; they wished, however, to learn quietly
+what was the object of this confession that was demanded of them, and one
+of them, who was rather fond of a joke and was very sharp-witted, said to
+him, "Sir Knight, we do not know who this good lady is that you speak of;
+show her to us, for, if she be of such beauty as you suggest, with all
+our hearts and without any pressure we will confess the truth that is on
+your part required of us."
+
+"If I were to show her to you," replied Don Quixote, "what merit would
+you have in confessing a truth so manifest? The essential point is that
+without seeing her you must believe, confess, affirm, swear, and defend
+it; else ye have to do with me in battle, ill-conditioned, arrogant
+rabble that ye are; and come ye on, one by one as the order of knighthood
+requires, or all together as is the custom and vile usage of your breed,
+here do I bide and await you relying on the justice of the cause I
+maintain."
+
+"Sir Knight," replied the trader, "I entreat your worship in the name of
+this present company of princes, that, to save us from charging our
+consciences with the confession of a thing we have never seen or heard
+of, and one moreover so much to the prejudice of the Empresses and Queens
+of the Alcarria and Estremadura, your worship will be pleased to show us
+some portrait of this lady, though it be no bigger than a grain of wheat;
+for by the thread one gets at the ball, and in this way we shall be
+satisfied and easy, and you will be content and pleased; nay, I believe
+we are already so far agreed with you that even though her portrait
+should show her blind of one eye, and distilling vermilion and sulphur
+from the other, we would nevertheless, to gratify your worship, say all
+in her favour that you desire."
+
+"She distils nothing of the kind, vile rabble," said Don Quixote, burning
+with rage, "nothing of the kind, I say, only ambergris and civet in
+cotton; nor is she one-eyed or humpbacked, but straighter than a
+Guadarrama spindle: but ye must pay for the blasphemy ye have uttered
+against beauty like that of my lady."
+
+And so saying, he charged with levelled lance against the one who had
+spoken, with such fury and fierceness that, if luck had not contrived
+that Rocinante should stumble midway and come down, it would have gone
+hard with the rash trader. Down went Rocinante, and over went his master,
+rolling along the ground for some distance; and when he tried to rise he
+was unable, so encumbered was he with lance, buckler, spurs, helmet, and
+the weight of his old armour; and all the while he was struggling to get
+up he kept saying, "Fly not, cowards and caitiffs! stay, for not by my
+fault, but my horse's, am I stretched here."
+
+One of the muleteers in attendance, who could not have had much good
+nature in him, hearing the poor prostrate man blustering in this style,
+was unable to refrain from giving him an answer on his ribs; and coming
+up to him he seized his lance, and having broken it in pieces, with one
+of them he began so to belabour our Don Quixote that, notwithstanding and
+in spite of his armour, he milled him like a measure of wheat. His
+masters called out not to lay on so hard and to leave him alone, but the
+muleteers blood was up, and he did not care to drop the game until he had
+vented the rest of his wrath, and gathering up the remaining fragments of
+the lance he finished with a discharge upon the unhappy victim, who all
+through the storm of sticks that rained on him never ceased threatening
+heaven, and earth, and the brigands, for such they seemed to him. At last
+the muleteer was tired, and the traders continued their journey, taking
+with them matter for talk about the poor fellow who had been cudgelled.
+He when he found himself alone made another effort to rise; but if he was
+unable when whole and sound, how was he to rise after having been
+thrashed and well-nigh knocked to pieces? And yet he esteemed himself
+fortunate, as it seemed to him that this was a regular knight-errant's
+mishap, and entirely, he considered, the fault of his horse. However,
+battered in body as he was, to rise was beyond his power.
+
+Chapter V. -
+In which the narrative of our Knight's mishap is continued
+
+Finding, then, that, in fact he could not move, he thought himself of
+having recourse to his usual remedy, which was to think of some passage
+in his books, and his craze brought to his mind that about Baldwin and
+the Marquis of Mantua, when Carloto left him wounded on the mountain
+side, a story known by heart by the children, not forgotten by the young
+men, and lauded and even believed by the old folk; and for all that not a
+whit truer than the miracles of Mahomet. This seemed to him to fit
+exactly the case in which he found himself, so, making a show of severe
+suffering, he began to roll on the ground and with feeble breath repeat
+the very words which the wounded knight of the wood is said to have
+uttered:
+
+poem{
+
+Where art thou, lady mine, that thou
+  My sorrow dost not rue?
+Thou canst not know it, lady mine,
+  Or else thou art untrue.
+
+}poem
+
+And so he went on with the ballad as far as the lines:
+
+poem{
+
+O noble Marquis of Mantua,
+  My Uncle and liege lord!
+
+}poem
+
+As chance would have it, when he had got to this line there happened to
+come by a peasant from his own village, a neighbour of his, who had been
+with a load of wheat to the mill, and he, seeing the man stretched there,
+came up to him and asked him who he was and what was the matter with him
+that he complained so dolefully.
+
+Don Quixote was firmly persuaded that this was the Marquis of Mantua, his
+uncle, so the only answer he made was to go on with his ballad, in which
+he told the tale of his misfortune, and of the loves of the Emperor's son
+and his wife all exactly as the ballad sings it.
+
+The peasant stood amazed at hearing such nonsense, and relieving him of
+the visor, already battered to pieces by blows, he wiped his face, which
+was covered with dust, and as soon as he had done so he recognised him
+and said, "Senor Quixada" (for so he appears to have been called when he
+was in his senses and had not yet changed from a quiet country gentleman
+into a knight-errant), "who has brought your worship to this pass?" But
+to all questions the other only went on with his ballad.
+
+Seeing this, the good man removed as well as he could his breastplate and
+backpiece to see if he had any wound, but he could perceive no blood nor
+any mark whatever. He then contrived to raise him from the ground, and
+with no little difficulty hoisted him upon his ass, which seemed to him
+to be the easiest mount for him; and collecting the arms, even to the
+splinters of the lance, he tied them on Rocinante, and leading him by the
+bridle and the ass by the halter he took the road for the village, very
+sad to hear what absurd stuff Don Quixote was talking.
+
+Nor was Don Quixote less so, for what with blows and bruises he could not
+sit upright on the ass, and from time to time he sent up sighs to heaven,
+so that once more he drove the peasant to ask what ailed him. And it
+could have been only the devil himself that put into his head tales to
+match his own adventures, for now, forgetting Baldwin, he bethought
+himself of the Moor Abindarraez, when the Alcaide of Antequera, Rodrigo
+de Narvaez, took him prisoner and carried him away to his castle; so that
+when the peasant again asked him how he was and what ailed him, he gave
+him for reply the same words and phrases that the captive Abindarraez
+gave to Rodrigo de Narvaez, just as he had read the story in the "Diana"
+of Jorge de Montemayor where it is written, applying it to his own case
+so aptly that the peasant went along cursing his fate that he had to
+listen to such a lot of nonsense; from which, however, he came to the
+conclusion that his neighbour was mad, and so made all haste to reach the
+village to escape the wearisomeness of this harangue of Don Quixote's;
+who, at the end of it, said, "Senor Don Rodrigo de Narvaez, your worship
+must know that this fair Xarifa I have mentioned is now the lovely
+Dulcinea del Toboso, for whom I have done, am doing, and will do the most
+famous deeds of chivalry that in this world have been seen, are to be
+seen, or ever shall be seen."
+
+To this the peasant answered, "Senor--sinner that I am!--cannot your
+worship see that I am not Don Rodrigo de Narvaez nor the Marquis of
+Mantua, but Pedro Alonso your neighbour, and that your worship is neither
+Baldwin nor Abindarraez, but the worthy gentleman Senor Quixada?"
+
+"I know who I am," replied Don Quixote, "and I know that I may be not
+only those I have named, but all the Twelve Peers of France and even all
+the Nine Worthies, since my achievements surpass all that they have done
+all together and each of them on his own account."
+
+With this talk and more of the same kind they reached the village just as
+night was beginning to fall, but the peasant waited until it was a little
+later that the belaboured gentleman might not be seen riding in such a
+miserable trim. When it was what seemed to him the proper time he entered
+the village and went to Don Quixote's house, which he found all in
+confusion, and there were the curate and the village barber, who were
+great friends of Don Quixote, and his housekeeper was saying to them in a
+loud voice, "What does your worship think can have befallen my master,
+Senor Licentiate Pero Perez?" for so the curate was called; "it is three
+days now since anything has been seen of him, or the hack, or the
+buckler, lance, or armour. Miserable me! I am certain of it, and it is as
+true as that I was born to die, that these accursed books of chivalry he
+has, and has got into the way of reading so constantly, have upset his
+reason; for now I remember having often heard him saying to himself that
+he would turn knight-errant and go all over the world in quest of
+adventures. To the devil and Barabbas with such books, that have brought
+to ruin in this way the finest understanding there was in all La Mancha!"
+
+The niece said the same, and, more: "You must know, Master Nicholas"--for
+that was the name of the barber--"it was often my uncle's way to stay two
+days and nights together poring over these unholy books of misventures,
+after which he would fling the book away and snatch up his sword and fall
+to slashing the walls; and when he was tired out he would say he had
+killed four giants like four towers; and the sweat that flowed from him
+when he was weary he said was the blood of the wounds he had received in
+battle; and then he would drink a great jug of cold water and become calm
+and quiet, saying that this water was a most precious potion which the
+sage Esquife, a great magician and friend of his, had brought him. But I
+take all the blame upon myself for never having told your worships of my
+uncle's vagaries, that you might put a stop to them before things had
+come to this pass, and burn all these accursed books--for he has a great
+number--that richly deserve to be burned like heretics."
+
+"So say I too," said the curate, "and by my faith to-morrow shall not
+pass without public judgment upon them, and may they be condemned to the
+flames lest they lead those that read to behave as my good friend seems
+to have behaved."
+
+All this the peasant heard, and from it he understood at last what was
+the matter with his neighbour, so he began calling aloud, "Open, your
+worships, to Senor Baldwin and to Senor the Marquis of Mantua, who comes
+badly wounded, and to Senor Abindarraez, the Moor, whom the valiant
+Rodrigo de Narvaez, the Alcaide of Antequera, brings captive."
+
+At these words they all hurried out, and when they recognised their
+friend, master, and uncle, who had not yet dismounted from the ass
+because he could not, they ran to embrace him.
+
+"Hold!" said he, "for I am badly wounded through my horse's fault; carry
+me to bed, and if possible send for the wise Urganda to cure and see to
+my wounds."
+
+"See there! plague on it!" cried the housekeeper at this: "did not my
+heart tell the truth as to which foot my master went lame of? To bed with
+your worship at once, and we will contrive to cure you here without
+fetching that Hurgada. A curse I say once more, and a hundred times more,
+on those books of chivalry that have brought your worship to such a
+pass."
+
+They carried him to bed at once, and after searching for his wounds could
+find none, but he said they were all bruises from having had a severe
+fall with his horse Rocinante when in combat with ten giants, the biggest
+and the boldest to be found on earth.
+
+"So, so!" said the curate, "are there giants in the dance? By the sign of
+the Cross I will burn them to-morrow before the day over."
+
+They put a host of questions to Don Quixote, but his only answer to all
+was--give him something to eat, and leave him to sleep, for that was what
+he needed most. They did so, and the curate questioned the peasant at
+great length as to how he had found Don Quixote. He told him, and the
+nonsense he had talked when found and on the way home, all which made the
+licentiate the more eager to do what he did the next day, which was to
+summon his friend the barber, Master Nicholas, and go with him to Don
+Quixote's house.
+
+Chapter VI. -
+Of the diverting and important scrutiny which the curate and the barber
+made in the library of our ingenious gentleman
+
+He was still sleeping; so the curate asked the niece for the keys of the
+room where the books, the authors of all the mischief, were, and right
+willingly she gave them. They all went in, the housekeeper with them, and
+found more than a hundred volumes of big books very well bound, and some
+other small ones. The moment the housekeeper saw them she turned about
+and ran out of the room, and came back immediately with a saucer of holy
+water and a sprinkler, saying, "Here, your worship, senor licentiate,
+sprinkle this room; don't leave any magician of the many there are in
+these books to bewitch us in revenge for our design of banishing them
+from the world."
+
+The simplicity of the housekeeper made the licentiate laugh, and he
+directed the barber to give him the books one by one to see what they
+were about, as there might be some to be found among them that did not
+deserve the penalty of fire.
+
+"No," said the niece, "there is no reason for showing mercy to any of
+them; they have every one of them done mischief; better fling them out of
+the window into the court and make a pile of them and set fire to them;
+or else carry them into the yard, and there a bonfire can be made without
+the smoke giving any annoyance." The housekeeper said the same, so eager
+were they both for the slaughter of those innocents, but the curate would
+not agree to it without first reading at any rate the titles.
+
+The first that Master Nicholas put into his hand was "The four books of
+Amadis of Gaul." "This seems a mysterious thing," said the curate, "for,
+as I have heard say, this was the first book of chivalry printed in
+Spain, and from this all the others derive their birth and origin; so it
+seems to me that we ought inexorably to condemn it to the flames as the
+founder of so vile a sect."
+
+"Nay, sir," said the barber, "I too, have heard say that this is the best
+of all the books of this kind that have been written, and so, as
+something singular in its line, it ought to be pardoned."
+
+"True," said the curate; "and for that reason let its life be spared for
+the present. Let us see that other which is next to it."
+
+"It is," said the barber, "the 'Sergas de Esplandian,' the lawful son of
+Amadis of Gaul."
+
+"Then verily," said the curate, "the merit of the father must not be put
+down to the account of the son. Take it, mistress housekeeper; open the
+window and fling it into the yard and lay the foundation of the pile for
+the bonfire we are to make."
+
+The housekeeper obeyed with great satisfaction, and the worthy
+"Esplandian" went flying into the yard to await with all patience the
+fire that was in store for him.
+
+"Proceed," said the curate.
+
+"This that comes next," said the barber, "is 'Amadis of Greece,' and,
+indeed, I believe all those on this side are of the same Amadis lineage."
+
+"Then to the yard with the whole of them," said the curate; "for to have
+the burning of Queen Pintiquiniestra, and the shepherd Darinel and his
+eclogues, and the bedevilled and involved discourses of his author, I
+would burn with them the father who begot me if he were going about in
+the guise of a knight-errant."
+
+"I am of the same mind," said the barber.
+
+"And so am I," added the niece.
+
+"In that case," said the housekeeper, "here, into the yard with them!"
+
+They were handed to her, and as there were many of them, she spared
+herself the staircase, and flung them down out of the window.
+
+"Who is that tub there?" said the curate.
+
+"This," said the barber, "is 'Don Olivante de Laura.'"
+
+"The author of that book," said the curate, "was the same that wrote 'The
+Garden of Flowers,' and truly there is no deciding which of the two books
+is the more truthful, or, to put it better, the less lying; all I can say
+is, send this one into the yard for a swaggering fool."
+
+"This that follows is 'Florismarte of Hircania,'" said the barber.
+
+"Senor Florismarte here?" said the curate; "then by my faith he must take
+up his quarters in the yard, in spite of his marvellous birth and
+visionary adventures, for the stiffness and dryness of his style deserve
+nothing else; into the yard with him and the other, mistress
+housekeeper."
+
+"With all my heart, senor," said she, and executed the order with great
+delight.
+
+"This," said the barber, "is The Knight Platir.'"
+
+"An old book that," said the curate, "but I find no reason for clemency
+in it; send it after the others without appeal;" which was done.
+
+Another book was opened, and they saw it was entitled, "The Knight of the
+Cross."
+
+"For the sake of the holy name this book has," said the curate, "its
+ignorance might be excused; but then, they say, 'behind the cross there's
+the devil; to the fire with it."
+
+Taking down another book, the barber said, "This is 'The Mirror of
+Chivalry.'"
+
+"I know his worship," said the curate; "that is where Senor Reinaldos of
+Montalvan figures with his friends and comrades, greater thieves than
+Cacus, and the Twelve Peers of France with the veracious historian
+Turpin; however, I am not for condemning them to more than perpetual
+banishment, because, at any rate, they have some share in the invention
+of the famous Matteo Boiardo, whence too the Christian poet Ludovico
+Ariosto wove his web, to whom, if I find him here, and speaking any
+language but his own, I shall show no respect whatever; but if he speaks
+his own tongue I will put him upon my head."
+
+"Well, I have him in Italian," said the barber, "but I do not understand
+him."
+
+"Nor would it be well that you should understand him," said the curate,
+"and on that score we might have excused the Captain if he had not
+brought him into Spain and turned him into Castilian. He robbed him of a
+great deal of his natural force, and so do all those who try to turn
+books written in verse into another language, for, with all the pains
+they take and all the cleverness they show, they never can reach the
+level of the originals as they were first produced. In short, I say that
+this book, and all that may be found treating of those French affairs,
+should be thrown into or deposited in some dry well, until after more
+consideration it is settled what is to be done with them; excepting
+always one 'Bernardo del Carpio' that is going about, and another called
+'Roncesvalles;' for these, if they come into my hands, shall pass at once
+into those of the housekeeper, and from hers into the fire without any
+reprieve."
+
+To all this the barber gave his assent, and looked upon it as right and
+proper, being persuaded that the curate was so staunch to the Faith and
+loyal to the Truth that he would not for the world say anything opposed
+to them. Opening another book he saw it was "Palmerin de Oliva," and
+beside it was another called "Palmerin of England," seeing which the
+licentiate said, "Let the Olive be made firewood of at once and burned
+until no ashes even are left; and let that Palm of England be kept and
+preserved as a thing that stands alone, and let such another case be made
+for it as that which Alexander found among the spoils of Darius and set
+aside for the safe keeping of the works of the poet Homer. This book,
+gossip, is of authority for two reasons, first because it is very good,
+and secondly because it is said to have been written by a wise and witty
+king of Portugal. All the adventures at the Castle of Miraguarda are
+excellent and of admirable contrivance, and the language is polished and
+clear, studying and observing the style befitting the speaker with
+propriety and judgment. So then, provided it seems good to you, Master
+Nicholas, I say let this and 'Amadis of Gaul' be remitted the penalty of
+fire, and as for all the rest, let them perish without further question
+or query."
+
+"Nay, gossip," said the barber, "for this that I have here is the famous
+'Don Belianis.'"
+
+"Well," said the curate, "that and the second, third, and fourth parts
+all stand in need of a little rhubarb to purge their excess of bile, and
+they must be cleared of all that stuff about the Castle of Fame and other
+greater affectations, to which end let them be allowed the over-seas
+term, and, according as they mend, so shall mercy or justice be meted out
+to them; and in the mean time, gossip, do you keep them in your house and
+let no one read them."
+
+"With all my heart," said the barber; and not caring to tire himself with
+reading more books of chivalry, he told the housekeeper to take all the
+big ones and throw them into the yard. It was not said to one dull or
+deaf, but to one who enjoyed burning them more than weaving the broadest
+and finest web that could be; and seizing about eight at a time, she
+flung them out of the window.
+
+In carrying so many together she let one fall at the feet of the barber,
+who took it up, curious to know whose it was, and found it said, "History
+of the Famous Knight, Tirante el Blanco."
+
+"God bless me!" said the curate with a shout, "'Tirante el Blanco' here!
+Hand it over, gossip, for in it I reckon I have found a treasury of
+enjoyment and a mine of recreation. Here is Don Kyrieleison of Montalvan,
+a valiant knight, and his brother Thomas of Montalvan, and the knight
+Fonseca, with the battle the bold Tirante fought with the mastiff, and
+the witticisms of the damsel Placerdemivida, and the loves and wiles of
+the widow Reposada, and the empress in love with the squire Hipolito--in
+truth, gossip, by right of its style it is the best book in the world.
+Here knights eat and sleep, and die in their beds, and make their wills
+before dying, and a great deal more of which there is nothing in all the
+other books. Nevertheless, I say he who wrote it, for deliberately
+composing such fooleries, deserves to be sent to the galleys for life.
+Take it home with you and read it, and you will see that what I have said
+is true."
+
+"As you will," said the barber; "but what are we to do with these little
+books that are left?"
+
+"These must be, not chivalry, but poetry," said the curate; and opening
+one he saw it was the "Diana" of Jorge de Montemayor, and, supposing all
+the others to be of the same sort, "these," he said, "do not deserve to
+be burned like the others, for they neither do nor can do the mischief
+the books of chivalry have done, being books of entertainment that can
+hurt no one."
+
+"Ah, senor!" said the niece, "your worship had better order these to be
+burned as well as the others; for it would be no wonder if, after being
+cured of his chivalry disorder, my uncle, by reading these, took a fancy
+to turn shepherd and range the woods and fields singing and piping; or,
+what would be still worse, to turn poet, which they say is an incurable
+and infectious malady."
+
+"The damsel is right," said the curate, "and it will be well to put this
+stumbling-block and temptation out of our friend's way. To begin, then,
+with the 'Diana' of Montemayor. I am of opinion it should not be burned,
+but that it should be cleared of all that about the sage Felicia and the
+magic water, and of almost all the longer pieces of verse: let it keep,
+and welcome, its prose and the honour of being the first of books of the
+kind."
+
+"This that comes next," said the barber, "is the 'Diana,' entitled the
+'Second Part, by the Salamancan,' and this other has the same title, and
+its author is Gil Polo."
+
+"As for that of the Salamancan," replied the curate, "let it go to swell
+the number of the condemned in the yard, and let Gil Polo's be preserved
+as if it came from Apollo himself: but get on, gossip, and make haste,
+for it is growing late."
+
+"This book," said the barber, opening another, "is the ten books of the
+'Fortune of Love,' written by Antonio de Lofraso, a Sardinian poet."
+
+"By the orders I have received," said the curate, "since Apollo has been
+Apollo, and the Muses have been Muses, and poets have been poets, so
+droll and absurd a book as this has never been written, and in its way it
+is the best and the most singular of all of this species that have as yet
+appeared, and he who has not read it may be sure he has never read what
+is delightful. Give it here, gossip, for I make more account of having
+found it than if they had given me a cassock of Florence stuff."
+
+He put it aside with extreme satisfaction, and the barber went on, "These
+that come next are 'The Shepherd of Iberia,' 'Nymphs of Henares,' and
+'The Enlightenment of Jealousy.'"
+
+"Then all we have to do," said the curate, "is to hand them over to the
+secular arm of the housekeeper, and ask me not why, or we shall never
+have done."
+
+"This next is the 'Pastor de Filida.'"
+
+"No Pastor that," said the curate, "but a highly polished courtier; let
+it be preserved as a precious jewel."
+
+"This large one here," said the barber, "is called 'The Treasury of
+various Poems.'"
+
+"If there were not so many of them," said the curate, "they would be more
+relished: this book must be weeded and cleansed of certain vulgarities
+which it has with its excellences; let it be preserved because the author
+is a friend of mine, and out of respect for other more heroic and loftier
+works that he has written."
+
+"This," continued the barber, "is the 'Cancionero' of Lopez de
+Maldonado."
+
+"The author of that book, too," said the curate, "is a great friend of
+mine, and his verses from his own mouth are the admiration of all who
+hear them, for such is the sweetness of his voice that he enchants when
+he chants them: it gives rather too much of its eclogues, but what is
+good was never yet plentiful: let it be kept with those that have been
+set apart. But what book is that next it?"
+
+"The 'Galatea' of Miguel de Cervantes," said the barber.
+
+"That Cervantes has been for many years a great friend of mine, and to my
+knowledge he has had more experience in reverses than in verses. His book
+has some good invention in it, it presents us with something but brings
+nothing to a conclusion: we must wait for the Second Part it promises:
+perhaps with amendment it may succeed in winning the full measure of
+grace that is now denied it; and in the mean time do you, senor gossip,
+keep it shut up in your own quarters."
+
+"Very good," said the barber; "and here come three together, the
+'Araucana' of Don Alonso de Ercilla, the 'Austriada' of Juan Rufo,
+Justice of Cordova, and the 'Montserrate' of Christobal de Virues, the
+Valencian poet."
+
+"These three books," said the curate, "are the best that have been
+written in Castilian in heroic verse, and they may compare with the most
+famous of Italy; let them be preserved as the richest treasures of poetry
+that Spain possesses."
+
+The curate was tired and would not look into any more books, and so he
+decided that, "contents uncertified," all the rest should be burned; but
+just then the barber held open one, called "The Tears of Angelica."
+
+"I should have shed tears myself," said the curate when he heard the
+title, "had I ordered that book to be burned, for its author was one of
+the famous poets of the world, not to say of Spain, and was very happy in
+the translation of some of Ovid's fables."
+
+Chapter VII. -
+Of the second sally of our worthy knight Don Quixote of La Mancha
+
+At this instant Don Quixote began shouting out, "Here, here, valiant
+knights! here is need for you to put forth the might of your strong arms,
+for they of the Court are gaining the mastery in the tourney!" Called
+away by this noise and outcry, they proceeded no farther with the
+scrutiny of the remaining books, and so it is thought that "The Carolea,"
+"The Lion of Spain," and "The Deeds of the Emperor," written by Don Luis
+de Avila, went to the fire unseen and unheard; for no doubt they were
+among those that remained, and perhaps if the curate had seen them they
+would not have undergone so severe a sentence.
+
+When they reached Don Quixote he was already out of bed, and was still
+shouting and raving, and slashing and cutting all round, as wide awake as
+if he had never slept.
+
+They closed with him and by force got him back to bed, and when he had
+become a little calm, addressing the curate, he said to him, "Of a truth,
+Senor Archbishop Turpin, it is a great disgrace for us who call ourselves
+the Twelve Peers, so carelessly to allow the knights of the Court to gain
+the victory in this tourney, we the adventurers having carried off the
+honour on the three former days."
+
+"Hush, gossip," said the curate; "please God, the luck may turn, and what
+is lost to-day may be won to-morrow; for the present let your worship
+have a care of your health, for it seems to me that you are
+over-fatigued, if not badly wounded."
+
+"Wounded no," said Don Quixote, "but bruised and battered no doubt, for
+that bastard Don Roland has cudgelled me with the trunk of an oak tree,
+and all for envy, because he sees that I alone rival him in his
+achievements. But I should not call myself Reinaldos of Montalvan did he
+not pay me for it in spite of all his enchantments as soon as I rise from
+this bed. For the present let them bring me something to eat, for that, I
+feel, is what will be more to my purpose, and leave it to me to avenge
+myself."
+
+They did as he wished; they gave him something to eat, and once more he
+fell asleep, leaving them marvelling at his madness.
+
+That night the housekeeper burned to ashes all the books that were in the
+yard and in the whole house; and some must have been consumed that
+deserved preservation in everlasting archives, but their fate and the
+laziness of the examiner did not permit it, and so in them was verified
+the proverb that the innocent suffer for the guilty.
+
+One of the remedies which the curate and the barber immediately applied
+to their friend's disorder was to wall up and plaster the room where the
+books were, so that when he got up he should not find them (possibly the
+cause being removed the effect might cease), and they might say that a
+magician had carried them off, room and all; and this was done with all
+despatch. Two days later Don Quixote got up, and the first thing he did
+was to go and look at his books, and not finding the room where he had
+left it, he wandered from side to side looking for it. He came to the
+place where the door used to be, and tried it with his hands, and turned
+and twisted his eyes in every direction without saying a word; but after
+a good while he asked his housekeeper whereabouts was the room that held
+his books.
+
+The housekeeper, who had been already well instructed in what she was to
+answer, said, "What room or what nothing is it that your worship is
+looking for? There are neither room nor books in this house now, for the
+devil himself has carried all away."
+
+"It was not the devil," said the niece, "but a magician who came on a
+cloud one night after the day your worship left this, and dismounting
+from a serpent that he rode he entered the room, and what he did there I
+know not, but after a little while he made off, flying through the roof,
+and left the house full of smoke; and when we went to see what he had
+done we saw neither book nor room: but we remember very well, the
+housekeeper and I, that on leaving, the old villain said in a loud voice
+that, for a private grudge he owed the owner of the books and the room,
+he had done mischief in that house that would be discovered by-and-by: he
+said too that his name was the Sage Munaton."
+
+"He must have said Friston," said Don Quixote.
+
+"I don't know whether he called himself Friston or Friton," said the
+housekeeper, "I only know that his name ended with 'ton.'"
+
+"So it does," said Don Quixote, "and he is a sage magician, a great enemy
+of mine, who has a spite against me because he knows by his arts and lore
+that in process of time I am to engage in single combat with a knight
+whom he befriends and that I am to conquer, and he will be unable to
+prevent it; and for this reason he endeavours to do me all the ill turns
+that he can; but I promise him it will be hard for him to oppose or avoid
+what is decreed by Heaven."
+
+"Who doubts that?" said the niece; "but, uncle, who mixes you up in these
+quarrels? Would it not be better to remain at peace in your own house
+instead of roaming the world looking for better bread than ever came of
+wheat, never reflecting that many go for wool and come back shorn?"
+
+"Oh, niece of mine," replied Don Quixote, "how much astray art thou in
+thy reckoning: ere they shear me I shall have plucked away and stripped
+off the beards of all who dare to touch only the tip of a hair of mine."
+
+The two were unwilling to make any further answer, as they saw that his
+anger was kindling.
+
+In short, then, he remained at home fifteen days very quietly without
+showing any signs of a desire to take up with his former delusions, and
+during this time he held lively discussions with his two gossips, the
+curate and the barber, on the point he maintained, that knights-errant
+were what the world stood most in need of, and that in him was to be
+accomplished the revival of knight-errantry. The curate sometimes
+contradicted him, sometimes agreed with him, for if he had not observed
+this precaution he would have been unable to bring him to reason.
+
+Meanwhile Don Quixote worked upon a farm labourer, a neighbour of his, an
+honest man (if indeed that title can be given to him who is poor), but
+with very little wit in his pate. In a word, he so talked him over, and
+with such persuasions and promises, that the poor clown made up his mind
+to sally forth with him and serve him as esquire. Don Quixote, among
+other things, told him he ought to be ready to go with him gladly,
+because any moment an adventure might occur that might win an island in
+the twinkling of an eye and leave him governor of it. On these and the
+like promises Sancho Panza (for so the labourer was called) left wife and
+children, and engaged himself as esquire to his neighbour.
+
+Don Quixote next set about getting some money; and selling one thing and
+pawning another, and making a bad bargain in every case, he got together
+a fair sum. He provided himself with a buckler, which he begged as a loan
+from a friend, and, restoring his battered helmet as best he could, he
+warned his squire Sancho of the day and hour he meant to set out, that he
+might provide himself with what he thought most needful. Above all, he
+charged him to take alforjas with him. The other said he would, and that
+he meant to take also a very good ass he had, as he was not much given to
+going on foot. About the ass, Don Quixote hesitated a little, trying
+whether he could call to mind any knight-errant taking with him an
+esquire mounted on ass-back, but no instance occurred to his memory. For
+all that, however, he determined to take him, intending to furnish him
+with a more honourable mount when a chance of it presented itself, by
+appropriating the horse of the first discourteous knight he encountered.
+Himself he provided with shirts and such other things as he could,
+according to the advice the host had given him; all which being done,
+without taking leave, Sancho Panza of his wife and children, or Don
+Quixote of his housekeeper and niece, they sallied forth unseen by
+anybody from the village one night, and made such good way in the course
+of it that by daylight they held themselves safe from discovery, even
+should search be made for them.
+
+Sancho rode on his ass like a patriarch, with his alforjas and bota, and
+longing to see himself soon governor of the island his master had
+promised him. Don Quixote decided upon taking the same route and road he
+had taken on his first journey, that over the Campo de Montiel, which he
+travelled with less discomfort than on the last occasion, for, as it was
+early morning and the rays of the sun fell on them obliquely, the heat
+did not distress them.
+
+And now said Sancho Panza to his master, "Your worship will take care,
+Senor Knight-errant, not to forget about the island you have promised me,
+for be it ever so big I'll be equal to governing it."
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "Thou must know, friend Sancho Panza, that
+it was a practice very much in vogue with the knights-errant of old to
+make their squires governors of the islands or kingdoms they won, and I
+am determined that there shall be no failure on my part in so liberal a
+custom; on the contrary, I mean to improve upon it, for they sometimes,
+and perhaps most frequently, waited until their squires were old, and
+then when they had had enough of service and hard days and worse nights,
+they gave them some title or other, of count, or at the most marquis, of
+some valley or province more or less; but if thou livest and I live, it
+may well be that before six days are over, I may have won some kingdom
+that has others dependent upon it, which will be just the thing to enable
+thee to be crowned king of one of them. Nor needst thou count this
+wonderful, for things and chances fall to the lot of such knights in ways
+so unexampled and unexpected that I might easily give thee even more than
+I promise thee."
+
+"In that case," said Sancho Panza, "if I should become a king by one of
+those miracles your worship speaks of, even Juana Gutierrez, my old
+woman, would come to be queen and my children infantes."
+
+"Well, who doubts it?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"I doubt it," replied Sancho Panza, "because for my part I am persuaded
+that though God should shower down kingdoms upon earth, not one of them
+would fit the head of Mari Gutierrez. Let me tell you, senor, she is not
+worth two maravedis for a queen; countess will fit her better, and that
+only with God's help."
+
+"Leave it to God, Sancho," returned Don Quixote, "for he will give her
+what suits her best; but do not undervalue thyself so much as to come to
+be content with anything less than being governor of a province."
+
+"I will not, senor," answered Sancho, "specially as I have a man of such
+quality for a master in your worship, who will know how to give me all
+that will be suitable for me and that I can bear."
+
+Chapter VIII. -
+Of the good fortune which the valiant Don Quixote had in the terrible and
+undreamt-of adventure of the windmills, with other occurrences worthy to
+be fitly recorded
+
+At this point they came in sight of thirty forty windmills that there are
+on plain, and as soon as Don Quixote saw them he said to his squire,
+"Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our
+desires ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or
+more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in
+battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our
+fortunes; for this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to
+sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."
+
+"What giants?" said Sancho Panza.
+
+"Those thou seest there," answered his master, "with the long arms, and
+some have them nearly two leagues long."
+
+"Look, your worship," said Sancho; "what we see there are not giants but
+windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the sails that turned by
+the wind make the millstone go."
+
+"It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that thou art not used to this
+business of adventures; those are giants; and if thou art afraid, away
+with thee out of this and betake thyself to prayer while I engage them in
+fierce and unequal combat."
+
+So saying, he gave the spur to his steed Rocinante, heedless of the cries
+his squire Sancho sent after him, warning him that most certainly they
+were windmills and not giants he was going to attack. He, however, was so
+positive they were giants that he neither heard the cries of Sancho, nor
+perceived, near as he was, what they were, but made at them shouting,
+"Fly not, cowards and vile beings, for a single knight attacks you."
+
+A slight breeze at this moment sprang up, and the great sails began to
+move, seeing which Don Quixote exclaimed, "Though ye flourish more arms
+than the giant Briareus, ye have to reckon with me."
+
+So saying, and commending himself with all his heart to his lady
+Dulcinea, imploring her to support him in such a peril, with lance in
+rest and covered by his buckler, he charged at Rocinante's fullest gallop
+and fell upon the first mill that stood in front of him; but as he drove
+his lance-point into the sail the wind whirled it round with such force
+that it shivered the lance to pieces, sweeping with it horse and rider,
+who went rolling over on the plain, in a sorry condition. Sancho hastened
+to his assistance as fast as his ass could go, and when he came up found
+him unable to move, with such a shock had Rocinante fallen with him.
+
+"God bless me!" said Sancho, "did I not tell your worship to mind what
+you were about, for they were only windmills? and no one could have made
+any mistake about it but one who had something of the same kind in his
+head."
+
+"Hush, friend Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "the fortunes of war more
+than any other are liable to frequent fluctuations; and moreover I think,
+and it is the truth, that that same sage Friston who carried off my study
+and books, has turned these giants into mills in order to rob me of the
+glory of vanquishing them, such is the enmity he bears me; but in the end
+his wicked arts will avail but little against my good sword."
+
+"God order it as he may," said Sancho Panza, and helping him to rise got
+him up again on Rocinante, whose shoulder was half out; and then,
+discussing the late adventure, they followed the road to Puerto Lapice,
+for there, said Don Quixote, they could not fail to find adventures in
+abundance and variety, as it was a great thoroughfare. For all that, he
+was much grieved at the loss of his lance, and saying so to his squire,
+he added, "I remember having read how a Spanish knight, Diego Perez de
+Vargas by name, having broken his sword in battle, tore from an oak a
+ponderous bough or branch, and with it did such things that day, and
+pounded so many Moors, that he got the surname of Machuca, and he and his
+descendants from that day forth were called Vargas y Machuca. I mention
+this because from the first oak I see I mean to rend such another branch,
+large and stout like that, with which I am determined and resolved to do
+such deeds that thou mayest deem thyself very fortunate in being found
+worthy to come and see them, and be an eyewitness of things that will
+with difficulty be believed."
+
+"Be that as God will," said Sancho, "I believe it all as your worship
+says it; but straighten yourself a little, for you seem all on one side,
+may be from the shaking of the fall."
+
+"That is the truth," said Don Quixote, "and if I make no complaint of the
+pain it is because knights-errant are not permitted to complain of any
+wound, even though their bowels be coming out through it."
+
+"If so," said Sancho, "I have nothing to say; but God knows I would
+rather your worship complained when anything ailed you. For my part, I
+confess I must complain however small the ache may be; unless this rule
+about not complaining extends to the squires of knights-errant also."
+
+Don Quixote could not help laughing at his squire's simplicity, and he
+assured him he might complain whenever and however he chose, just as he
+liked, for, so far, he had never read of anything to the contrary in the
+order of knighthood.
+
+Sancho bade him remember it was dinner-time, to which his master answered
+that he wanted nothing himself just then, but that he might eat when he
+had a mind. With this permission Sancho settled himself as comfortably as
+he could on his beast, and taking out of the alforjas what he had stowed
+away in them, he jogged along behind his master munching deliberately,
+and from time to time taking a pull at the bota with a relish that the
+thirstiest tapster in Malaga might have envied; and while he went on in
+this way, gulping down draught after draught, he never gave a thought to
+any of the promises his master had made him, nor did he rate it as
+hardship but rather as recreation going in quest of adventures, however
+dangerous they might be. Finally they passed the night among some trees,
+from one of which Don Quixote plucked a dry branch to serve him after a
+fashion as a lance, and fixed on it the head he had removed from the
+broken one. All that night Don Quixote lay awake thinking of his lady
+Dulcinea, in order to conform to what he had read in his books, how many
+a night in the forests and deserts knights used to lie sleepless
+supported by the memory of their mistresses. Not so did Sancho Panza
+spend it, for having his stomach full of something stronger than chicory
+water he made but one sleep of it, and, if his master had not called him,
+neither the rays of the sun beating on his face nor all the cheery notes
+of the birds welcoming the approach of day would have had power to waken
+him. On getting up he tried the bota and found it somewhat less full than
+the night before, which grieved his heart because they did not seem to be
+on the way to remedy the deficiency readily. Don Quixote did not care to
+break his fast, for, as has been already said, he confined himself to
+savoury recollections for nourishment.
+
+They returned to the road they had set out with, leading to Puerto
+Lapice, and at three in the afternoon they came in sight of it. "Here,
+brother Sancho Panza," said Don Quixote when he saw it, "we may plunge
+our hands up to the elbows in what they call adventures; but observe,
+even shouldst thou see me in the greatest danger in the world, thou must
+not put a hand to thy sword in my defence, unless indeed thou perceivest
+that those who assail me are rabble or base folk; for in that case thou
+mayest very properly aid me; but if they be knights it is on no account
+permitted or allowed thee by the laws of knighthood to help me until thou
+hast been dubbed a knight."
+
+"Most certainly, senor," replied Sancho, "your worship shall be fully
+obeyed in this matter; all the more as of myself I am peaceful and no
+friend to mixing in strife and quarrels: it is true that as regards the
+defence of my own person I shall not give much heed to those laws, for
+laws human and divine allow each one to defend himself against any
+assailant whatever."
+
+"That I grant," said Don Quixote, "but in this matter of aiding me
+against knights thou must put a restraint upon thy natural impetuosity."
+
+"I will do so, I promise you," answered Sancho, "and will keep this
+precept as carefully as Sunday."
+
+While they were thus talking there appeared on the road two friars of the
+order of St. Benedict, mounted on two dromedaries, for not less tall were
+the two mules they rode on. They wore travelling spectacles and carried
+sunshades; and behind them came a coach attended by four or five persons
+on horseback and two muleteers on foot. In the coach there was, as
+afterwards appeared, a Biscay lady on her way to Seville, where her
+husband was about to take passage for the Indies with an appointment of
+high honour. The friars, though going the same road, were not in her
+company; but the moment Don Quixote perceived them he said to his squire,
+"Either I am mistaken, or this is going to be the most famous adventure
+that has ever been seen, for those black bodies we see there must be, and
+doubtless are, magicians who are carrying off some stolen princess in
+that coach, and with all my might I must undo this wrong."
+
+"This will be worse than the windmills," said Sancho. "Look, senor; those
+are friars of St. Benedict, and the coach plainly belongs to some
+travellers: I tell you to mind well what you are about and don't let the
+devil mislead you."
+
+"I have told thee already, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "that on the
+subject of adventures thou knowest little. What I say is the truth, as
+thou shalt see presently."
+
+So saying, he advanced and posted himself in the middle of the road along
+which the friars were coming, and as soon as he thought they had come
+near enough to hear what he said, he cried aloud, "Devilish and unnatural
+beings, release instantly the highborn princesses whom you are carrying
+off by force in this coach, else prepare to meet a speedy death as the
+just punishment of your evil deeds."
+
+The friars drew rein and stood wondering at the appearance of Don Quixote
+as well as at his words, to which they replied, "Senor Caballero, we are
+not devilish or unnatural, but two brothers of St. Benedict following our
+road, nor do we know whether or not there are any captive princesses
+coming in this coach."
+
+"No soft words with me, for I know you, lying rabble," said Don Quixote,
+and without waiting for a reply he spurred Rocinante and with levelled
+lance charged the first friar with such fury and determination, that, if
+the friar had not flung himself off the mule, he would have brought him
+to the ground against his will, and sore wounded, if not killed outright.
+The second brother, seeing how his comrade was treated, drove his heels
+into his castle of a mule and made off across the country faster than the
+wind.
+
+Sancho Panza, when he saw the friar on the ground, dismounting briskly
+from his ass, rushed towards him and began to strip off his gown. At that
+instant the friars muleteers came up and asked what he was stripping him
+for. Sancho answered them that this fell to him lawfully as spoil of the
+battle which his lord Don Quixote had won. The muleteers, who had no idea
+of a joke and did not understand all this about battles and spoils,
+seeing that Don Quixote was some distance off talking to the travellers
+in the coach, fell upon Sancho, knocked him down, and leaving hardly a
+hair in his beard, belaboured him with kicks and left him stretched
+breathless and senseless on the ground; and without any more delay helped
+the friar to mount, who, trembling, terrified, and pale, as soon as he
+found himself in the saddle, spurred after his companion, who was
+standing at a distance looking on, watching the result of the onslaught;
+then, not caring to wait for the end of the affair just begun, they
+pursued their journey making more crosses than if they had the devil
+after them.
+
+Don Quixote was, as has been said, speaking to the lady in the coach:
+"Your beauty, lady mine," said he, "may now dispose of your person as may
+be most in accordance with your pleasure, for the pride of your ravishers
+lies prostrate on the ground through this strong arm of mine; and lest
+you should be pining to know the name of your deliverer, know that I am
+called Don Quixote of La Mancha, knight-errant and adventurer, and
+captive to the peerless and beautiful lady Dulcinea del Toboso: and in
+return for the service you have received of me I ask no more than that
+you should return to El Toboso, and on my behalf present yourself before
+that lady and tell her what I have done to set you free."
+
+One of the squires in attendance upon the coach, a Biscayan, was
+listening to all Don Quixote was saying, and, perceiving that he would
+not allow the coach to go on, but was saying it must return at once to El
+Toboso, he made at him, and seizing his lance addressed him in bad
+Castilian and worse Biscayan after his fashion, "Begone, caballero, and
+ill go with thee; by the God that made me, unless thou quittest coach,
+slayest thee as art here a Biscayan."
+
+Don Quixote understood him quite well, and answered him very quietly, "If
+thou wert a knight, as thou art none, I should have already chastised thy
+folly and rashness, miserable creature." To which the Biscayan returned,
+"I no gentleman!--I swear to God thou liest as I am Christian: if thou
+droppest lance and drawest sword, soon shalt thou see thou art carrying
+water to the cat: Biscayan on land, hidalgo at sea, hidalgo at the devil,
+and look, if thou sayest otherwise thou liest."
+
+"'"You will see presently," said Agrajes,'" replied Don Quixote; and
+throwing his lance on the ground he drew his sword, braced his buckler on
+his arm, and attacked the Biscayan, bent upon taking his life.
+
+The Biscayan, when he saw him coming on, though he wished to dismount
+from his mule, in which, being one of those sorry ones let out for hire,
+he had no confidence, had no choice but to draw his sword; it was lucky
+for him, however, that he was near the coach, from which he was able to
+snatch a cushion that served him for a shield; and they went at one
+another as if they had been two mortal enemies. The others strove to make
+peace between them, but could not, for the Biscayan declared in his
+disjointed phrase that if they did not let him finish his battle he would
+kill his mistress and everyone that strove to prevent him. The lady in
+the coach, amazed and terrified at what she saw, ordered the coachman to
+draw aside a little, and set herself to watch this severe struggle, in
+the course of which the Biscayan smote Don Quixote a mighty stroke on the
+shoulder over the top of his buckler, which, given to one without armour,
+would have cleft him to the waist. Don Quixote, feeling the weight of
+this prodigious blow, cried aloud, saying, "O lady of my soul, Dulcinea,
+flower of beauty, come to the aid of this your knight, who, in fulfilling
+his obligations to your beauty, finds himself in this extreme peril." To
+say this, to lift his sword, to shelter himself well behind his buckler,
+and to assail the Biscayan was the work of an instant, determined as he
+was to venture all upon a single blow. The Biscayan, seeing him come on
+in this way, was convinced of his courage by his spirited bearing, and
+resolved to follow his example, so he waited for him keeping well under
+cover of his cushion, being unable to execute any sort of manoeuvre with
+his mule, which, dead tired and never meant for this kind of game, could
+not stir a step.
+
+On, then, as aforesaid, came Don Quixote against the wary Biscayan, with
+uplifted sword and a firm intention of splitting him in half, while on
+his side the Biscayan waited for him sword in hand, and under the
+protection of his cushion; and all present stood trembling, waiting in
+suspense the result of blows such as threatened to fall, and the lady in
+the coach and the rest of her following were making a thousand vows and
+offerings to all the images and shrines of Spain, that God might deliver
+her squire and all of them from this great peril in which they found
+themselves. But it spoils all, that at this point and crisis the author
+of the history leaves this battle impending, giving as excuse that he
+could find nothing more written about these achievements of Don Quixote
+than what has been already set forth. It is true the second author of
+this work was unwilling to believe that a history so curious could have
+been allowed to fall under the sentence of oblivion, or that the wits of
+La Mancha could have been so undiscerning as not to preserve in their
+archives or registries some documents referring to this famous knight;
+and this being his persuasion, he did not despair of finding the
+conclusion of this pleasant history, which, heaven favouring him, he did
+find in a way that shall be related in the Second Part.
+
+Chapter IX. -
+In which is concluded and finished the terrific battle between the
+gallant Biscayan and the valiant Manchegan
+
+In the First Part of this history we left the valiant Biscayan and the
+renowned Don Quixote with drawn swords uplifted, ready to deliver two
+such furious slashing blows that if they had fallen full and fair they
+would at least have split and cleft them asunder from top to toe and laid
+them open like a pomegranate; and at this so critical point the
+delightful history came to a stop and stood cut short without any
+intimation from the author where what was missing was to be found.
+
+This distressed me greatly, because the pleasure derived from having read
+such a small portion turned to vexation at the thought of the poor chance
+that presented itself of finding the large part that, so it seemed to me,
+was missing of such an interesting tale. It appeared to me to be a thing
+impossible and contrary to all precedent that so good a knight should
+have been without some sage to undertake the task of writing his
+marvellous achievements; a thing that was never wanting to any of those
+knights-errant who, they say, went after adventures; for every one of
+them had one or two sages as if made on purpose, who not only recorded
+their deeds but described their most trifling thoughts and follies,
+however secret they might be; and such a good knight could not have been
+so unfortunate as not to have what Platir and others like him had in
+abundance. And so I could not bring myself to believe that such a gallant
+tale had been left maimed and mutilated, and I laid the blame on Time,
+the devourer and destroyer of all things, that had either concealed or
+consumed it.
+
+On the other hand, it struck me that, inasmuch as among his books there
+had been found such modern ones as "The Enlightenment of Jealousy" and
+the "Nymphs and Shepherds of Henares," his story must likewise be modern,
+and that though it might not be written, it might exist in the memory of
+the people of his village and of those in the neighbourhood. This
+reflection kept me perplexed and longing to know really and truly the
+whole life and wondrous deeds of our famous Spaniard, Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, light and mirror of Manchegan chivalry, and the first that in our
+age and in these so evil days devoted himself to the labour and exercise
+of the arms of knight-errantry, righting wrongs, succouring widows, and
+protecting damsels of that sort that used to ride about, whip in hand, on
+their palfreys, with all their virginity about them, from mountain to
+mountain and valley to valley--for, if it were not for some ruffian, or
+boor with a hood and hatchet, or monstrous giant, that forced them, there
+were in days of yore damsels that at the end of eighty years, in all
+which time they had never slept a day under a roof, went to their graves
+as much maids as the mothers that bore them. I say, then, that in these
+and other respects our gallant Don Quixote is worthy of everlasting and
+notable praise, nor should it be withheld even from me for the labour and
+pains spent in searching for the conclusion of this delightful history;
+though I know well that if Heaven, chance and good fortune had not helped
+me, the world would have remained deprived of an entertainment and
+pleasure that for a couple of hours or so may well occupy him who shall
+read it attentively. The discovery of it occurred in this way.
+
+One day, as I was in the Alcana of Toledo, a boy came up to sell some
+pamphlets and old papers to a silk mercer, and, as I am fond of reading
+even the very scraps of paper in the streets, led by this natural bent of
+mine I took up one of the pamphlets the boy had for sale, and saw that it
+was in characters which I recognised as Arabic, and as I was unable to
+read them though I could recognise them, I looked about to see if there
+were any Spanish-speaking Morisco at hand to read them for me; nor was
+there any great difficulty in finding such an interpreter, for even had I
+sought one for an older and better language I should have found him. In
+short, chance provided me with one, who when I told him what I wanted and
+put the book into his hands, opened it in the middle and after reading a
+little in it began to laugh. I asked him what he was laughing at, and he
+replied that it was at something the book had written in the margin by
+way of a note. I bade him tell it to me; and he still laughing said, "In
+the margin, as I told you, this is written: 'This Dulcinea del Toboso so
+often mentioned in this history, had, they say, the best hand of any
+woman in all La Mancha for salting pigs.'"
+
+When I heard Dulcinea del Toboso named, I was struck with surprise and
+amazement, for it occurred to me at once that these pamphlets contained
+the history of Don Quixote. With this idea I pressed him to read the
+beginning, and doing so, turning the Arabic offhand into Castilian, he
+told me it meant, "History of Don Quixote of La Mancha, written by Cide
+Hamete Benengeli, an Arab historian." It required great caution to hide
+the joy I felt when the title of the book reached my ears, and snatching
+it from the silk mercer, I bought all the papers and pamphlets from the
+boy for half a real; and if he had had his wits about him and had known
+how eager I was for them, he might have safely calculated on making more
+than six reals by the bargain. I withdrew at once with the Morisco into
+the cloister of the cathedral, and begged him to turn all these pamphlets
+that related to Don Quixote into the Castilian tongue, without omitting
+or adding anything to them, offering him whatever payment he pleased. He
+was satisfied with two arrobas of raisins and two bushels of wheat, and
+promised to translate them faithfully and with all despatch; but to make
+the matter easier, and not to let such a precious find out of my hands, I
+took him to my house, where in little more than a month and a half he
+translated the whole just as it is set down here.
+
+In the first pamphlet the battle between Don Quixote and the Biscayan was
+drawn to the very life, they planted in the same attitude as the history
+describes, their swords raised, and the one protected by his buckler, the
+other by his cushion, and the Biscayan's mule so true to nature that it
+could be seen to be a hired one a bowshot off. The Biscayan had an
+inscription under his feet which said, "Don Sancho de Azpeitia," which no
+doubt must have been his name; and at the feet of Rocinante was another
+that said, "Don Quixote." Rocinante was marvellously portrayed, so long
+and thin, so lank and lean, with so much backbone and so far gone in
+consumption, that he showed plainly with what judgment and propriety the
+name of Rocinante had been bestowed upon him. Near him was Sancho Panza
+holding the halter of his ass, at whose feet was another label that said,
+"Sancho Zancas," and according to the picture, he must have had a big
+belly, a short body, and long shanks, for which reason, no doubt, the
+names of Panza and Zancas were given him, for by these two surnames the
+history several times calls him. Some other trifling particulars might be
+mentioned, but they are all of slight importance and have nothing to do
+with the true relation of the history; and no history can be bad so long
+as it is true.
+
+If against the present one any objection be raised on the score of its
+truth, it can only be that its author was an Arab, as lying is a very
+common propensity with those of that nation; though, as they are such
+enemies of ours, it is conceivable that there were omissions rather than
+additions made in the course of it. And this is my own opinion; for,
+where he could and should give freedom to his pen in praise of so worthy
+a knight, he seems to me deliberately to pass it over in silence; which
+is ill done and worse contrived, for it is the business and duty of
+historians to be exact, truthful, and wholly free from passion, and
+neither interest nor fear, hatred nor love, should make them swerve from
+the path of truth, whose mother is history, rival of time, storehouse of
+deeds, witness for the past, example and counsel for the present, and
+warning for the future. In this I know will be found all that can be
+desired in the pleasantest, and if it be wanting in any good quality, I
+maintain it is the fault of its hound of an author and not the fault of
+the subject. To be brief, its Second Part, according to the translation,
+began in this way:
+
+With trenchant swords upraised and poised on high, it seemed as though
+the two valiant and wrathful combatants stood threatening heaven, and
+earth, and hell, with such resolution and determination did they bear
+themselves. The fiery Biscayan was the first to strike a blow, which was
+delivered with such force and fury that had not the sword turned in its
+course, that single stroke would have sufficed to put an end to the
+bitter struggle and to all the adventures of our knight; but that good
+fortune which reserved him for greater things, turned aside the sword of
+his adversary, so that although it smote him upon the left shoulder, it
+did him no more harm than to strip all that side of its armour, carrying
+away a great part of his helmet with half of his ear, all which with
+fearful ruin fell to the ground, leaving him in a sorry plight.
+
+Good God! Who is there that could properly describe the rage that filled
+the heart of our Manchegan when he saw himself dealt with in this
+fashion? All that can be said is, it was such that he again raised
+himself in his stirrups, and, grasping his sword more firmly with both
+hands, he came down on the Biscayan with such fury, smiting him full over
+the cushion and over the head, that--even so good a shield proving
+useless--as if a mountain had fallen on him, he began to bleed from nose,
+mouth, and ears, reeling as if about to fall backwards from his mule, as
+no doubt he would have done had he not flung his arms about its neck; at
+the same time, however, he slipped his feet out of the stirrups and then
+unclasped his arms, and the mule, taking fright at the terrible blow,
+made off across the plain, and with a few plunges flung its master to the
+ground. Don Quixote stood looking on very calmly, and, when he saw him
+fall, leaped from his horse and with great briskness ran to him, and,
+presenting the point of his sword to his eyes, bade him surrender, or he
+would cut his head off. The Biscayan was so bewildered that he was unable
+to answer a word, and it would have gone hard with him, so blind was Don
+Quixote, had not the ladies in the coach, who had hitherto been watching
+the combat in great terror, hastened to where he stood and implored him
+with earnest entreaties to grant them the great grace and favour of
+sparing their squire's life; to which Don Quixote replied with much
+gravity and dignity, "In truth, fair ladies, I am well content to do what
+ye ask of me; but it must be on one condition and understanding, which is
+that this knight promise me to go to the village of El Toboso, and on my
+behalf present himself before the peerless lady Dulcinea, that she deal
+with him as shall be most pleasing to her."
+
+The terrified and disconsolate ladies, without discussing Don Quixote's
+demand or asking who Dulcinea might be, promised that their squire should
+do all that had been commanded.
+
+"Then, on the faith of that promise," said Don Quixote, "I shall do him
+no further harm, though he well deserves it of me."
+
+Chapter X. -
+Of the pleasant discourse that passed between Don Quixote and his Squire
+Sancho Panza
+
+Now by this time Sancho had risen, rather the worse for the handling of
+the friars' muleteers, and stood watching the battle of his master, Don
+Quixote, and praying to God in his heart that it might be his will to
+grant him the victory, and that he might thereby win some island to make
+him governor of, as he had promised. Seeing, therefore, that the struggle
+was now over, and that his master was returning to mount Rocinante, he
+approached to hold the stirrup for him, and, before he could mount, he
+went on his knees before him, and taking his hand, kissed it saying, "May
+it please your worship, Senor Don Quixote, to give me the government of
+that island which has been won in this hard fight, for be it ever so big
+I feel myself in sufficient force to be able to govern it as much and as
+well as anyone in the world who has ever governed islands."
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "Thou must take notice, brother Sancho,
+that this adventure and those like it are not adventures of islands, but
+of cross-roads, in which nothing is got except a broken head or an ear
+the less: have patience, for adventures will present themselves from
+which I may make you, not only a governor, but something more."
+
+Sancho gave him many thanks, and again kissing his hand and the skirt of
+his hauberk, helped him to mount Rocinante, and mounting his ass himself,
+proceeded to follow his master, who at a brisk pace, without taking
+leave, or saying anything further to the ladies belonging to the coach,
+turned into a wood that was hard by. Sancho followed him at his ass's
+best trot, but Rocinante stepped out so that, seeing himself left behind,
+he was forced to call to his master to wait for him. Don Quixote did so,
+reining in Rocinante until his weary squire came up, who on reaching him
+said, "It seems to me, senor, it would be prudent in us to go and take
+refuge in some church, for, seeing how mauled he with whom you fought has
+been left, it will be no wonder if they give information of the affair to
+the Holy Brotherhood and arrest us, and, faith, if they do, before we
+come out of gaol we shall have to sweat for it."
+
+"Peace," said Don Quixote; "where hast thou ever seen or heard that a
+knight-errant has been arraigned before a court of justice, however many
+homicides he may have committed?"
+
+"I know nothing about omecils," answered Sancho, "nor in my life have had
+anything to do with one; I only know that the Holy Brotherhood looks
+after those who fight in the fields, and in that other matter I do not
+meddle."
+
+"Then thou needst have no uneasiness, my friend," said Don Quixote, "for
+I will deliver thee out of the hands of the Chaldeans, much more out of
+those of the Brotherhood. But tell me, as thou livest, hast thou seen a
+more valiant knight than I in all the known world; hast thou read in
+history of any who has or had higher mettle in attack, more spirit in
+maintaining it, more dexterity in wounding or skill in overthrowing?"
+
+"The truth is," answered Sancho, "that I have never read any history, for
+I can neither read nor write, but what I will venture to bet is that a
+more daring master than your worship I have never served in all the days
+of my life, and God grant that this daring be not paid for where I have
+said; what I beg of your worship is to dress your wound, for a great deal
+of blood flows from that ear, and I have here some lint and a little
+white ointment in the alforjas."
+
+"All that might be well dispensed with," said Don Quixote, "if I had
+remembered to make a vial of the balsam of Fierabras, for time and
+medicine are saved by one single drop."
+
+"What vial and what balsam is that?" said Sancho Panza.
+
+"It is a balsam," answered Don Quixote, "the receipt of which I have in
+my memory, with which one need have no fear of death, or dread dying of
+any wound; and so when I make it and give it to thee thou hast nothing to
+do when in some battle thou seest they have cut me in half through the
+middle of the body--as is wont to happen frequently,--but neatly and with
+great nicety, ere the blood congeal, to place that portion of the body
+which shall have fallen to the ground upon the other half which remains
+in the saddle, taking care to fit it on evenly and exactly. Then thou
+shalt give me to drink but two drops of the balsam I have mentioned, and
+thou shalt see me become sounder than an apple."
+
+"If that be so," said Panza, "I renounce henceforth the government of the
+promised island, and desire nothing more in payment of my many and
+faithful services than that your worship give me the receipt of this
+supreme liquor, for I am persuaded it will be worth more than two reals
+an ounce anywhere, and I want no more to pass the rest of my life in ease
+and honour; but it remains to be told if it costs much to make it."
+
+"With less than three reals, six quarts of it may be made," said Don
+Quixote.
+
+"Sinner that I am!" said Sancho, "then why does your worship put off
+making it and teaching it to me?"
+
+"Peace, friend," answered Don Quixote; "greater secrets I mean to teach
+thee and greater favours to bestow upon thee; and for the present let us
+see to the dressing, for my ear pains me more than I could wish."
+
+Sancho took out some lint and ointment from the alforjas; but when Don
+Quixote came to see his helmet shattered, he was like to lose his senses,
+and clapping his hand upon his sword and raising his eyes to heaven, be
+said, "I swear by the Creator of all things and the four Gospels in their
+fullest extent, to do as the great Marquis of Mantua did when he swore to
+avenge the death of his nephew Baldwin (and that was not to eat bread
+from a table-cloth, nor embrace his wife, and other points which, though
+I cannot now call them to mind, I here grant as expressed) until I take
+complete vengeance upon him who has committed such an offence against
+me."
+
+Hearing this, Sancho said to him, "Your worship should bear in mind,
+Senor Don Quixote, that if the knight has done what was commanded him in
+going to present himself before my lady Dulcinea del Toboso, he will have
+done all that he was bound to do, and does not deserve further punishment
+unless he commits some new offence."
+
+"Thou hast said well and hit the point," answered Don Quixote; and so I
+recall the oath in so far as relates to taking fresh vengeance on him,
+but I make and confirm it anew to lead the life I have said until such
+time as I take by force from some knight another helmet such as this and
+as good; and think not, Sancho, that I am raising smoke with straw in
+doing so, for I have one to imitate in the matter, since the very same
+thing to a hair happened in the case of Mambrino's helmet, which cost
+Sacripante so dear."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "let your worship send all such oaths to the
+devil, for they are very pernicious to salvation and prejudicial to the
+conscience; just tell me now, if for several days to come we fall in with
+no man armed with a helmet, what are we to do? Is the oath to be observed
+in spite of all the inconvenience and discomfort it will be to sleep in
+your clothes, and not to sleep in a house, and a thousand other
+mortifications contained in the oath of that old fool the Marquis of
+Mantua, which your worship is now wanting to revive? Let your worship
+observe that there are no men in armour travelling on any of these roads,
+nothing but carriers and carters, who not only do not wear helmets, but
+perhaps never heard tell of them all their lives."
+
+"Thou art wrong there," said Don Quixote, "for we shall not have been
+above two hours among these cross-roads before we see more men in armour
+than came to Albraca to win the fair Angelica."
+
+"Enough," said Sancho; "so be it then, and God grant us success, and that
+the time for winning that island which is costing me so dear may soon
+come, and then let me die."
+
+"I have already told thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "not to give
+thyself any uneasiness on that score; for if an island should fail, there
+is the kingdom of Denmark, or of Sobradisa, which will fit thee as a ring
+fits the finger, and all the more that, being on terra firma, thou wilt
+all the better enjoy thyself. But let us leave that to its own time; see
+if thou hast anything for us to eat in those alforjas, because we must
+presently go in quest of some castle where we may lodge to-night and make
+the balsam I told thee of, for I swear to thee by God, this ear is giving
+me great pain."
+
+"I have here an onion and a little cheese and a few scraps of bread,"
+said Sancho, "but they are not victuals fit for a valiant knight like
+your worship."
+
+"How little thou knowest about it," answered Don Quixote; "I would have
+thee to know, Sancho, that it is the glory of knights-errant to go
+without eating for a month, and even when they do eat, that it should be
+of what comes first to hand; and this would have been clear to thee hadst
+thou read as many histories as I have, for, though they are very many,
+among them all I have found no mention made of knights-errant eating,
+unless by accident or at some sumptuous banquets prepared for them, and
+the rest of the time they passed in dalliance. And though it is plain
+they could not do without eating and performing all the other natural
+functions, because, in fact, they were men like ourselves, it is plain
+too that, wandering as they did the most part of their lives through
+woods and wilds and without a cook, their most usual fare would be rustic
+viands such as those thou now offer me; so that, friend Sancho, let not
+that distress thee which pleases me, and do not seek to make a new world
+or pervert knight-errantry."
+
+"Pardon me, your worship," said Sancho, "for, as I cannot read or write,
+as I said just now, I neither know nor comprehend the rules of the
+profession of chivalry: henceforward I will stock the alforjas with every
+kind of dry fruit for your worship, as you are a knight; and for myself,
+as I am not one, I will furnish them with poultry and other things more
+substantial."
+
+"I do not say, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "that it is imperative on
+knights-errant not to eat anything else but the fruits thou speakest of;
+only that their more usual diet must be those, and certain herbs they
+found in the fields which they knew and I know too."
+
+"A good thing it is," answered Sancho, "to know those herbs, for to my
+thinking it will be needful some day to put that knowledge into
+practice."
+
+And here taking out what he said he had brought, the pair made their
+repast peaceably and sociably. But anxious to find quarters for the
+night, they with all despatch made an end of their poor dry fare, mounted
+at once, and made haste to reach some habitation before night set in; but
+daylight and the hope of succeeding in their object failed them close by
+the huts of some goatherds, so they determined to pass the night there,
+and it was as much to Sancho's discontent not to have reached a house, as
+it was to his master's satisfaction to sleep under the open heaven, for
+he fancied that each time this happened to him he performed an act of
+ownership that helped to prove his chivalry.
+
+Chapter XI. -
+What befell Don quixote with certain goatherds
+
+He was cordially welcomed by the goatherds, and Sancho, having as best he
+could put up Rocinante and the ass, drew towards the fragrance that came
+from some pieces of salted goat simmering in a pot on the fire; and
+though he would have liked at once to try if they were ready to be
+transferred from the pot to the stomach, he refrained from doing so as
+the goatherds removed them from the fire, and laying sheepskins on the
+ground, quickly spread their rude table, and with signs of hearty
+good-will invited them both to share what they had. Round the skins six
+of the men belonging to the fold seated themselves, having first with
+rough politeness pressed Don Quixote to take a seat upon a trough which
+they placed for him upside down. Don Quixote seated himself, and Sancho
+remained standing to serve the cup, which was made of horn. Seeing him
+standing, his master said to him:
+
+"That thou mayest see, Sancho, the good that knight-errantry contains in
+itself, and how those who fill any office in it are on the high road to
+be speedily honoured and esteemed by the world, I desire that thou seat
+thyself here at my side and in the company of these worthy people, and
+that thou be one with me who am thy master and natural lord, and that
+thou eat from my plate and drink from whatever I drink from; for the same
+may be said of knight-errantry as of love, that it levels all."
+
+"Great thanks," said Sancho, "but I may tell your worship that provided I
+have enough to eat, I can eat it as well, or better, standing, and by
+myself, than seated alongside of an emperor. And indeed, if the truth is
+to be told, what I eat in my corner without form or fuss has much more
+relish for me, even though it be bread and onions, than the turkeys of
+those other tables where I am forced to chew slowly, drink little, wipe
+my mouth every minute, and cannot sneeze or cough if I want or do other
+things that are the privileges of liberty and solitude. So, senor, as for
+these honours which your worship would put upon me as a servant and
+follower of knight-errantry, exchange them for other things which may be
+of more use and advantage to me; for these, though I fully acknowledge
+them as received, I renounce from this moment to the end of the world."
+
+"For all that," said Don Quixote, "thou must seat thyself, because him
+who humbleth himself God exalteth;" and seizing him by the arm he forced
+him to sit down beside himself.
+
+The goatherds did not understand this jargon about squires and
+knights-errant, and all they did was to eat in silence and stare at their
+guests, who with great elegance and appetite were stowing away pieces as
+big as one's fist. The course of meat finished, they spread upon the
+sheepskins a great heap of parched acorns, and with them they put down a
+half cheese harder than if it had been made of mortar. All this while the
+horn was not idle, for it went round so constantly, now full, now empty,
+like the bucket of a water-wheel, that it soon drained one of the two
+wine-skins that were in sight. When Don Quixote had quite appeased his
+appetite he took up a handful of the acorns, and contemplating them
+attentively delivered himself somewhat in this fashion:
+
+"Happy the age, happy the time, to which the ancients gave the name of
+golden, not because in that fortunate age the gold so coveted in this our
+iron one was gained without toil, but because they that lived in it knew
+not the two words "mine" and "thine"! In that blessed age all things were
+in common; to win the daily food no labour was required of any save to
+stretch forth his hand and gather it from the sturdy oaks that stood
+generously inviting him with their sweet ripe fruit. The clear streams
+and running brooks yielded their savoury limpid waters in noble
+abundance. The busy and sagacious bees fixed their republic in the clefts
+of the rocks and hollows of the trees, offering without usance the
+plenteous produce of their fragrant toil to every hand. The mighty cork
+trees, unenforced save of their own courtesy, shed the broad light bark
+that served at first to roof the houses supported by rude stakes, a
+protection against the inclemency of heaven alone. Then all was peace,
+all friendship, all concord; as yet the dull share of the crooked plough
+had not dared to rend and pierce the tender bowels of our first mother
+that without compulsion yielded from every portion of her broad fertile
+bosom all that could satisfy, sustain, and delight the children that then
+possessed her. Then was it that the innocent and fair young shepherdess
+roamed from vale to vale and hill to hill, with flowing locks, and no
+more garments than were needful modestly to cover what modesty seeks and
+ever sought to hide. Nor were their ornaments like those in use to-day,
+set off by Tyrian purple, and silk tortured in endless fashions, but the
+wreathed leaves of the green dock and ivy, wherewith they went as bravely
+and becomingly decked as our Court dames with all the rare and
+far-fetched artifices that idle curiosity has taught them. Then the
+love-thoughts of the heart clothed themselves simply and naturally as the
+heart conceived them, nor sought to commend themselves by forced and
+rambling verbiage. Fraud, deceit, or malice had then not yet mingled with
+truth and sincerity. Justice held her ground, undisturbed and unassailed
+by the efforts of favour and of interest, that now so much impair,
+pervert, and beset her. Arbitrary law had not yet established itself in
+the mind of the judge, for then there was no cause to judge and no one to
+be judged. Maidens and modesty, as I have said, wandered at will alone
+and unattended, without fear of insult from lawlessness or libertine
+assault, and if they were undone it was of their own will and pleasure.
+But now in this hateful age of ours not one is safe, not though some new
+labyrinth like that of Crete conceal and surround her; even there the
+pestilence of gallantry will make its way to them through chinks or on
+the air by the zeal of its accursed importunity, and, despite of all
+seclusion, lead them to ruin. In defence of these, as time advanced and
+wickedness increased, the order of knights-errant was instituted, to
+defend maidens, to protect widows and to succour the orphans and the
+needy. To this order I belong, brother goatherds, to whom I return thanks
+for the hospitality and kindly welcome ye offer me and my squire; for
+though by natural law all living are bound to show favour to
+knights-errant, yet, seeing that without knowing this obligation ye have
+welcomed and feasted me, it is right that with all the good-will in my
+power I should thank you for yours."
+
+All this long harangue (which might very well have been spared) our
+knight delivered because the acorns they gave him reminded him of the
+golden age; and the whim seized him to address all this unnecessary
+argument to the goatherds, who listened to him gaping in amazement
+without saying a word in reply. Sancho likewise held his peace and ate
+acorns, and paid repeated visits to the second wine-skin, which they had
+hung up on a cork tree to keep the wine cool.
+
+Don Quixote was longer in talking than the supper in finishing, at the
+end of which one of the goatherds said, "That your worship, senor
+knight-errant, may say with more truth that we show you hospitality with
+ready good-will, we will give you amusement and pleasure by making one of
+our comrades sing: he will be here before long, and he is a very
+intelligent youth and deep in love, and what is more he can read and
+write and play on the rebeck to perfection."
+
+The goatherd had hardly done speaking, when the notes of the rebeck
+reached their ears; and shortly after, the player came up, a very
+good-looking young man of about two-and-twenty. His comrades asked him if
+he had supped, and on his replying that he had, he who had already made
+the offer said to him:
+
+"In that case, Antonio, thou mayest as well do us the pleasure of singing
+a little, that the gentleman, our guest, may see that even in the
+mountains and woods there are musicians: we have told him of thy
+accomplishments, and we want thee to show them and prove that we say
+true; so, as thou livest, pray sit down and sing that ballad about thy
+love that thy uncle the prebendary made thee, and that was so much liked
+in the town."
+
+"With all my heart," said the young man, and without waiting for more
+pressing he seated himself on the trunk of a felled oak, and tuning his
+rebeck, presently began to sing to these words.
+
+poem{
+
+ANTONIO'S BALLAD
+
+Thou dost love me well, Olalla;
+  Well I know it, even though
+Love's mute tongues, thine eyes, have never
+  By their glances told me so.
+
+For I know my love thou knowest,
+  Therefore thine to claim I dare:
+Once it ceases to be secret,
+  Love need never feel despair.
+
+True it is, Olalla, sometimes
+  Thou hast all too plainly shown
+That thy heart is brass in hardness,
+  And thy snowy bosom stone.
+
+Yet for all that, in thy coyness,
+  And thy fickle fits between,
+Hope is there--at least the border
+  Of her garment may be seen.
+
+Lures to faith are they, those glimpses,
+  And to faith in thee I hold;
+Kindness cannot make it stronger,
+  Coldness cannot make it cold.
+
+If it be that love is gentle,
+  In thy gentleness I see
+Something holding out assurance
+  To the hope of winning thee.
+
+If it be that in devotion
+  Lies a power hearts to move,
+That which every day I show thee,
+  Helpful to my suit should prove.
+
+Many a time thou must have noticed--
+  If to notice thou dost care--
+How I go about on Monday
+  Dressed in all my Sunday wear.
+
+Love's eyes love to look on brightness;
+  Love loves what is gaily drest;
+Sunday, Monday, all I care is
+  Thou shouldst see me in my best.
+
+No account I make of dances,
+  Or of strains that pleased thee so,
+Keeping thee awake from midnight
+  Till the cocks began to crow;
+
+Or of how I roundly swore it
+  That there's none so fair as thou;
+True it is, but as I said it,
+  By the girls I'm hated now.
+
+For Teresa of the hillside
+  At my praise of thee was sore;
+Said, "You think you love an angel;
+  It's a monkey you adore;
+
+"Caught by all her glittering trinkets,
+  And her borrowed braids of hair,
+And a host of made-up beauties
+  That would Love himself ensnare."
+
+'T was a lie, and so I told her,
+  And her cousin at the word
+Gave me his defiance for it;
+  And what followed thou hast heard.
+
+Mine is no high-flown affection,
+  Mine no passion par amours--
+As they call it--what I offer
+  Is an honest love, and pure.
+
+Cunning cords the holy Church has,
+  Cords of softest silk they be;
+Put thy neck beneath the yoke, dear;
+  Mine will follow, thou wilt see.
+
+Else--and once for all I swear it
+  By the saint of most renown--
+If I ever quit the mountains,
+  'T will be in a friar's gown.
+
+}poem
+
+Here the goatherd brought his song to an end, and though Don Quixote
+entreated him to sing more, Sancho had no mind that way, being more
+inclined for sleep than for listening to songs; so said he to his master,
+"Your worship will do well to settle at once where you mean to pass the
+night, for the labour these good men are at all day does not allow them
+to spend the night in singing."
+
+"I understand thee, Sancho," replied Don Quixote; "I perceive clearly
+that those visits to the wine-skin demand compensation in sleep rather
+than in music."
+
+"It's sweet to us all, blessed be God," said Sancho.
+
+"I do not deny it," replied Don Quixote; "but settle thyself where thou
+wilt; those of my calling are more becomingly employed in watching than
+in sleeping; still it would be as well if thou wert to dress this ear for
+me again, for it is giving me more pain than it need."
+
+Sancho did as he bade him, but one of the goatherds, seeing the wound,
+told him not to be uneasy, as he would apply a remedy with which it would
+be soon healed; and gathering some leaves of rosemary, of which there was
+a great quantity there, he chewed them and mixed them with a little salt,
+and applying them to the ear he secured them firmly with a bandage,
+assuring him that no other treatment would be required, and so it proved.
+
+Chapter XII. -
+Of what a goatherd related to those with Don Quixote
+
+Just then another young man, one of those who fetched their provisions
+from the village, came up and said, "Do you know what is going on in the
+village, comrades?"
+
+"How could we know it?" replied one of them.
+
+"Well, then, you must know," continued the young man, "this morning that
+famous student-shepherd called Chrysostom died, and it is rumoured that
+he died of love for that devil of a village girl the daughter of
+Guillermo the Rich, she that wanders about the wolds here in the dress of
+a shepherdess."
+
+"You mean Marcela?" said one.
+
+"Her I mean," answered the goatherd; "and the best of it is, he has
+directed in his will that he is to be buried in the fields like a Moor,
+and at the foot of the rock where the Cork-tree spring is, because, as
+the story goes (and they say he himself said so), that was the place
+where he first saw her. And he has also left other directions which the
+clergy of the village say should not and must not be obeyed because they
+savour of paganism. To all which his great friend Ambrosio the student,
+he who, like him, also went dressed as a shepherd, replies that
+everything must be done without any omission according to the directions
+left by Chrysostom, and about this the village is all in commotion;
+however, report says that, after all, what Ambrosio and all the shepherds
+his friends desire will be done, and to-morrow they are coming to bury
+him with great ceremony where I said. I am sure it will be something
+worth seeing; at least I will not fail to go and see it even if I knew I
+should not return to the village tomorrow."
+
+"We will do the same," answered the goatherds, "and cast lots to see who
+must stay to mind the goats of all."
+
+"Thou sayest well, Pedro," said one, "though there will be no need of
+taking that trouble, for I will stay behind for all; and don't suppose it
+is virtue or want of curiosity in me; it is that the splinter that ran
+into my foot the other day will not let me walk."
+
+"For all that, we thank thee," answered Pedro.
+
+Don Quixote asked Pedro to tell him who the dead man was and who the
+shepherdess, to which Pedro replied that all he knew was that the dead
+man was a wealthy gentleman belonging to a village in those mountains,
+who had been a student at Salamanca for many years, at the end of which
+he returned to his village with the reputation of being very learned and
+deeply read. "Above all, they said, he was learned in the science of the
+stars and of what went on yonder in the heavens and the sun and the moon,
+for he told us of the cris of the sun and moon to exact time."
+
+"Eclipse it is called, friend, not cris, the darkening of those two
+luminaries," said Don Quixote; but Pedro, not troubling himself with
+trifles, went on with his story, saying, "Also he foretold when the year
+was going to be one of abundance or estility."
+
+"Sterility, you mean," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Sterility or estility," answered Pedro, "it is all the same in the end.
+And I can tell you that by this his father and friends who believed him
+grew very rich because they did as he advised them, bidding them 'sow
+barley this year, not wheat; this year you may sow pulse and not barley;
+the next there will be a full oil crop, and the three following not a
+drop will be got.'"
+
+"That science is called astrology," said Don Quixote.
+
+"I do not know what it is called," replied Pedro, "but I know that he
+knew all this and more besides. But, to make an end, not many months had
+passed after he returned from Salamanca, when one day he appeared dressed
+as a shepherd with his crook and sheepskin, having put off the long gown
+he wore as a scholar; and at the same time his great friend, Ambrosio by
+name, who had been his companion in his studies, took to the shepherd's
+dress with him. I forgot to say that Chrysostom, who is dead, was a great
+man for writing verses, so much so that he made carols for Christmas Eve,
+and plays for Corpus Christi, which the young men of our village acted,
+and all said they were excellent. When the villagers saw the two scholars
+so unexpectedly appearing in shepherd's dress, they were lost in wonder,
+and could not guess what had led them to make so extraordinary a change.
+About this time the father of our Chrysostom died, and he was left heir
+to a large amount of property in chattels as well as in land, no small
+number of cattle and sheep, and a large sum of money, of all of which the
+young man was left dissolute owner, and indeed he was deserving of it
+all, for he was a very good comrade, and kind-hearted, and a friend of
+worthy folk, and had a countenance like a benediction. Presently it came
+to be known that he had changed his dress with no other object than to
+wander about these wastes after that shepherdess Marcela our lad
+mentioned a while ago, with whom the deceased Chrysostom had fallen in
+love. And I must tell you now, for it is well you should know it, who
+this girl is; perhaps, and even without any perhaps, you will not have
+heard anything like it all the days of your life, though you should live
+more years than sarna."
+
+"Say Sarra," said Don Quixote, unable to endure the goatherd's confusion
+of words.
+
+"The sarna lives long enough," answered Pedro; "and if, senor, you must
+go finding fault with words at every step, we shall not make an end of it
+this twelvemonth."
+
+"Pardon me, friend," said Don Quixote; "but, as there is such a
+difference between sarna and Sarra, I told you of it; however, you have
+answered very rightly, for sarna lives longer than Sarra: so continue
+your story, and I will not object any more to anything."
+
+"I say then, my dear sir," said the goatherd, "that in our village there
+was a farmer even richer than the father of Chrysostom, who was named
+Guillermo, and upon whom God bestowed, over and above great wealth, a
+daughter at whose birth her mother died, the most respected woman there
+was in this neighbourhood; I fancy I can see her now with that
+countenance which had the sun on one side and the moon on the other; and
+moreover active, and kind to the poor, for which I trust that at the
+present moment her soul is in bliss with God in the other world. Her
+husband Guillermo died of grief at the death of so good a wife, leaving
+his daughter Marcela, a child and rich, to the care of an uncle of hers,
+a priest and prebendary in our village. The girl grew up with such beauty
+that it reminded us of her mother's, which was very great, and yet it was
+thought that the daughter's would exceed it; and so when she reached the
+age of fourteen to fifteen years nobody beheld her but blessed God that
+had made her so beautiful, and the greater number were in love with her
+past redemption. Her uncle kept her in great seclusion and retirement,
+but for all that the fame of her great beauty spread so that, as well for
+it as for her great wealth, her uncle was asked, solicited, and
+importuned, to give her in marriage not only by those of our town but of
+those many leagues round, and by the persons of highest quality in them.
+But he, being a good Christian man, though he desired to give her in
+marriage at once, seeing her to be old enough, was unwilling to do so
+without her consent, not that he had any eye to the gain and profit which
+the custody of the girl's property brought him while he put off her
+marriage; and, faith, this was said in praise of the good priest in more
+than one set in the town. For I would have you know, Sir Errant, that in
+these little villages everything is talked about and everything is carped
+at, and rest assured, as I am, that the priest must be over and above
+good who forces his parishioners to speak well of him, especially in
+villages."
+
+"That is the truth," said Don Quixote; "but go on, for the story is very
+good, and you, good Pedro, tell it with very good grace."
+
+"May that of the Lord not be wanting to me," said Pedro; "that is the one
+to have. To proceed; you must know that though the uncle put before his
+niece and described to her the qualities of each one in particular of the
+many who had asked her in marriage, begging her to marry and make a
+choice according to her own taste, she never gave any other answer than
+that she had no desire to marry just yet, and that being so young she did
+not think herself fit to bear the burden of matrimony. At these, to all
+appearance, reasonable excuses that she made, her uncle ceased to urge
+her, and waited till she was somewhat more advanced in age and could mate
+herself to her own liking. For, said he--and he said quite right--parents
+are not to settle children in life against their will. But when one least
+looked for it, lo and behold! one day the demure Marcela makes her
+appearance turned shepherdess; and, in spite of her uncle and all those
+of the town that strove to dissuade her, took to going a-field with the
+other shepherd-lasses of the village, and tending her own flock. And so,
+since she appeared in public, and her beauty came to be seen openly, I
+could not well tell you how many rich youths, gentlemen and peasants,
+have adopted the costume of Chrysostom, and go about these fields making
+love to her. One of these, as has been already said, was our deceased
+friend, of whom they say that he did not love but adore her. But you must
+not suppose, because Marcela chose a life of such liberty and
+independence, and of so little or rather no retirement, that she has
+given any occasion, or even the semblance of one, for disparagement of
+her purity and modesty; on the contrary, such and so great is the
+vigilance with which she watches over her honour, that of all those that
+court and woo her not one has boasted, or can with truth boast, that she
+has given him any hope however small of obtaining his desire. For
+although she does not avoid or shun the society and conversation of the
+shepherds, and treats them courteously and kindly, should any one of them
+come to declare his intention to her, though it be one as proper and holy
+as that of matrimony, she flings him from her like a catapult. And with
+this kind of disposition she does more harm in this country than if the
+plague had got into it, for her affability and her beauty draw on the
+hearts of those that associate with her to love her and to court her, but
+her scorn and her frankness bring them to the brink of despair; and so
+they know not what to say save to proclaim her aloud cruel and
+hard-hearted, and other names of the same sort which well describe the
+nature of her character; and if you should remain here any time, senor,
+you would hear these hills and valleys resounding with the laments of the
+rejected ones who pursue her. Not far from this there is a spot where
+there are a couple of dozen of tall beeches, and there is not one of them
+but has carved and written on its smooth bark the name of Marcela, and
+above some a crown carved on the same tree as though her lover would say
+more plainly that Marcela wore and deserved that of all human beauty.
+Here one shepherd is sighing, there another is lamenting; there love
+songs are heard, here despairing elegies. One will pass all the hours of
+the night seated at the foot of some oak or rock, and there, without
+having closed his weeping eyes, the sun finds him in the morning bemused
+and bereft of sense; and another without relief or respite to his sighs,
+stretched on the burning sand in the full heat of the sultry summer
+noontide, makes his appeal to the compassionate heavens, and over one and
+the other, over these and all, the beautiful Marcela triumphs free and
+careless. And all of us that know her are waiting to see what her pride
+will come to, and who is to be the happy man that will succeed in taming
+a nature so formidable and gaining possession of a beauty so supreme. All
+that I have told you being such well-established truth, I am persuaded
+that what they say of the cause of Chrysostom's death, as our lad told
+us, is the same. And so I advise you, senor, fail not to be present
+to-morrow at his burial, which will be well worth seeing, for Chrysostom
+had many friends, and it is not half a league from this place to where he
+directed he should be buried."
+
+"I will make a point of it," said Don Quixote, "and I thank you for the
+pleasure you have given me by relating so interesting a tale."
+
+"Oh," said the goatherd, "I do not know even the half of what has
+happened to the lovers of Marcela, but perhaps to-morrow we may fall in
+with some shepherd on the road who can tell us; and now it will be well
+for you to go and sleep under cover, for the night air may hurt your
+wound, though with the remedy I have applied to you there is no fear of
+an untoward result."
+
+Sancho Panza, who was wishing the goatherd's loquacity at the devil, on
+his part begged his master to go into Pedro's hut to sleep. He did so,
+and passed all the rest of the night in thinking of his lady Dulcinea, in
+imitation of the lovers of Marcela. Sancho Panza settled himself between
+Rocinante and his ass, and slept, not like a lover who had been
+discarded, but like a man who had been soundly kicked.
+
+Chapter XIII. -
+In which is ended the story of the shepherdess Marcela, with other
+incidents
+
+Bit hardly had day begun to show itself through the balconies of the
+east, when five of the six goatherds came to rouse Don Quixote and tell
+him that if he was still of a mind to go and see the famous burial of
+Chrysostom they would bear him company. Don Quixote, who desired nothing
+better, rose and ordered Sancho to saddle and pannel at once, which he
+did with all despatch, and with the same they all set out forthwith. They
+had not gone a quarter of a league when at the meeting of two paths they
+saw coming towards them some six shepherds dressed in black sheepskins
+and with their heads crowned with garlands of cypress and bitter
+oleander. Each of them carried a stout holly staff in his hand, and along
+with them there came two men of quality on horseback in handsome
+travelling dress, with three servants on foot accompanying them.
+Courteous salutations were exchanged on meeting, and inquiring one of the
+other which way each party was going, they learned that all were bound
+for the scene of the burial, so they went on all together.
+
+One of those on horseback addressing his companion said to him, "It seems
+to me, Senor Vivaldo, that we may reckon as well spent the delay we shall
+incur in seeing this remarkable funeral, for remarkable it cannot but be
+judging by the strange things these shepherds have told us, of both the
+dead shepherd and homicide shepherdess."
+
+"So I think too," replied Vivaldo, "and I would delay not to say a day,
+but four, for the sake of seeing it."
+
+Don Quixote asked them what it was they had heard of Marcela and
+Chrysostom. The traveller answered that the same morning they had met
+these shepherds, and seeing them dressed in this mournful fashion they
+had asked them the reason of their appearing in such a guise; which one
+of them gave, describing the strange behaviour and beauty of a
+shepherdess called Marcela, and the loves of many who courted her,
+together with the death of that Chrysostom to whose burial they were
+going. In short, he repeated all that Pedro had related to Don Quixote.
+
+This conversation dropped, and another was commenced by him who was
+called Vivaldo asking Don Quixote what was the reason that led him to go
+armed in that fashion in a country so peaceful. To which Don Quixote
+replied, "The pursuit of my calling does not allow or permit me to go in
+any other fashion; easy life, enjoyment, and repose were invented for
+soft courtiers, but toil, unrest, and arms were invented and made for
+those alone whom the world calls knights-errant, of whom I, though
+unworthy, am the least of all."
+
+The instant they heard this all set him down as mad, and the better to
+settle the point and discover what kind of madness his was, Vivaldo
+proceeded to ask him what knights-errant meant.
+
+"Have not your worships," replied Don Quixote, "read the annals and
+histories of England, in which are recorded the famous deeds of King
+Arthur, whom we in our popular Castilian invariably call King Artus, with
+regard to whom it is an ancient tradition, and commonly received all over
+that kingdom of Great Britain, that this king did not die, but was
+changed by magic art into a raven, and that in process of time he is to
+return to reign and recover his kingdom and sceptre; for which reason it
+cannot be proved that from that time to this any Englishman ever killed a
+raven? Well, then, in the time of this good king that famous order of
+chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table was instituted, and the amour
+of Don Lancelot of the Lake with the Queen Guinevere occurred, precisely
+as is there related, the go-between and confidante therein being the
+highly honourable dame Quintanona, whence came that ballad so well known
+and widely spread in our Spain--
+
+poem{
+
+O never surely was there knight
+  So served by hand of dame,
+As served was he Sir Lancelot hight
+  When he from Britain came--
+
+}poem
+
+with all the sweet and delectable course of his achievements in love and
+war. Handed down from that time, then, this order of chivalry went on
+extending and spreading itself over many and various parts of the world;
+and in it, famous and renowned for their deeds, were the mighty Amadis of
+Gaul with all his sons and descendants to the fifth generation, and the
+valiant Felixmarte of Hircania, and the never sufficiently praised
+Tirante el Blanco, and in our own days almost we have seen and heard and
+talked with the invincible knight Don Belianis of Greece. This, then,
+sirs, is to be a knight-errant, and what I have spoken of is the order of
+his chivalry, of which, as I have already said, I, though a sinner, have
+made profession, and what the aforesaid knights professed that same do I
+profess, and so I go through these solitudes and wilds seeking
+adventures, resolved in soul to oppose my arm and person to the most
+perilous that fortune may offer me in aid of the weak and needy."
+
+By these words of his the travellers were able to satisfy themselves of
+Don Quixote's being out of his senses and of the form of madness that
+overmastered him, at which they felt the same astonishment that all felt
+on first becoming acquainted with it; and Vivaldo, who was a person of
+great shrewdness and of a lively temperament, in order to beguile the
+short journey which they said was required to reach the mountain, the
+scene of the burial, sought to give him an opportunity of going on with
+his absurdities. So he said to him, "It seems to me, Senor Knight-errant,
+that your worship has made choice of one of the most austere professions
+in the world, and I imagine even that of the Carthusian monks is not so
+austere."
+
+"As austere it may perhaps be," replied our Don Quixote, "but so
+necessary for the world I am very much inclined to doubt. For, if the
+truth is to be told, the soldier who executes what his captain orders
+does no less than the captain himself who gives the order. My meaning,
+is, that churchmen in peace and quiet pray to Heaven for the welfare of
+the world, but we soldiers and knights carry into effect what they pray
+for, defending it with the might of our arms and the edge of our swords,
+not under shelter but in the open air, a target for the intolerable rays
+of the sun in summer and the piercing frosts of winter. Thus are we God's
+ministers on earth and the arms by which his justice is done therein. And
+as the business of war and all that relates and belongs to it cannot be
+conducted without exceeding great sweat, toil, and exertion, it follows
+that those who make it their profession have undoubtedly more labour than
+those who in tranquil peace and quiet are engaged in praying to God to
+help the weak. I do not mean to say, nor does it enter into my thoughts,
+that the knight-errant's calling is as good as that of the monk in his
+cell; I would merely infer from what I endure myself that it is beyond a
+doubt a more laborious and a more belaboured one, a hungrier and
+thirstier, a wretcheder, raggeder, and lousier; for there is no reason to
+doubt that the knights-errant of yore endured much hardship in the course
+of their lives. And if some of them by the might of their arms did rise
+to be emperors, in faith it cost them dear in the matter of blood and
+sweat; and if those who attained to that rank had not had magicians and
+sages to help them they would have been completely baulked in their
+ambition and disappointed in their hopes."
+
+"That is my own opinion," replied the traveller; "but one thing among
+many others seems to me very wrong in knights-errant, and that is that
+when they find themselves about to engage in some mighty and perilous
+adventure in which there is manifest danger of losing their lives, they
+never at the moment of engaging in it think of commending themselves to
+God, as is the duty of every good Christian in like peril; instead of
+which they commend themselves to their ladies with as much devotion as if
+these were their gods, a thing which seems to me to savour somewhat of
+heathenism."
+
+"Sir," answered Don Quixote, "that cannot be on any account omitted, and
+the knight-errant would be disgraced who acted otherwise: for it is usual
+and customary in knight-errantry that the knight-errant, who on engaging
+in any great feat of arms has his lady before him, should turn his eyes
+towards her softly and lovingly, as though with them entreating her to
+favour and protect him in the hazardous venture he is about to undertake,
+and even though no one hear him, he is bound to say certain words between
+his teeth, commending himself to her with all his heart, and of this we
+have innumerable instances in the histories. Nor is it to be supposed
+from this that they are to omit commending themselves to God, for there
+will be time and opportunity for doing so while they are engaged in their
+task."
+
+"For all that," answered the traveller, "I feel some doubt still, because
+often I have read how words will arise between two knights-errant, and
+from one thing to another it comes about that their anger kindles and
+they wheel their horses round and take a good stretch of field, and then
+without any more ado at the top of their speed they come to the charge,
+and in mid-career they are wont to commend themselves to their ladies;
+and what commonly comes of the encounter is that one falls over the
+haunches of his horse pierced through and through by his antagonist's
+lance, and as for the other, it is only by holding on to the mane of his
+horse that he can help falling to the ground; but I know not how the dead
+man had time to commend himself to God in the course of such rapid work
+as this; it would have been better if those words which he spent in
+commending himself to his lady in the midst of his career had been
+devoted to his duty and obligation as a Christian. Moreover, it is my
+belief that all knights-errant have not ladies to commend themselves to,
+for they are not all in love."
+
+"That is impossible," said Don Quixote: "I say it is impossible that
+there could be a knight-errant without a lady, because to such it is as
+natural and proper to be in love as to the heavens to have stars: most
+certainly no history has been seen in which there is to be found a
+knight-errant without an amour, and for the simple reason that without
+one he would be held no legitimate knight but a bastard, and one who had
+gained entrance into the stronghold of the said knighthood, not by the
+door, but over the wall like a thief and a robber."
+
+"Nevertheless," said the traveller, "if I remember rightly, I think I
+have read that Don Galaor, the brother of the valiant Amadis of Gaul,
+never had any special lady to whom he might commend himself, and yet he
+was not the less esteemed, and was a very stout and famous knight."
+
+To which our Don Quixote made answer, "Sir, one solitary swallow does not
+make summer; moreover, I know that knight was in secret very deeply in
+love; besides which, that way of falling in love with all that took his
+fancy was a natural propensity which he could not control. But, in short,
+it is very manifest that he had one alone whom he made mistress of his
+will, to whom he commended himself very frequently and very secretly, for
+he prided himself on being a reticent knight."
+
+"Then if it be essential that every knight-errant should be in love,"
+said the traveller, "it may be fairly supposed that your worship is so,
+as you are of the order; and if you do not pride yourself on being as
+reticent as Don Galaor, I entreat you as earnestly as I can, in the name
+of all this company and in my own, to inform us of the name, country,
+rank, and beauty of your lady, for she will esteem herself fortunate if
+all the world knows that she is loved and served by such a knight as your
+worship seems to be."
+
+At this Don Quixote heaved a deep sigh and said, "I cannot say positively
+whether my sweet enemy is pleased or not that the world should know I
+serve her; I can only say in answer to what has been so courteously asked
+of me, that her name is Dulcinea, her country El Toboso, a village of La
+Mancha, her rank must be at least that of a princess, since she is my
+queen and lady, and her beauty superhuman, since all the impossible and
+fanciful attributes of beauty which the poets apply to their ladies are
+verified in her; for her hairs are gold, her forehead Elysian fields, her
+eyebrows rainbows, her eyes suns, her cheeks roses, her lips coral, her
+teeth pearls, her neck alabaster, her bosom marble, her hands ivory, her
+fairness snow, and what modesty conceals from sight such, I think and
+imagine, as rational reflection can only extol, not compare."
+
+"We should like to know her lineage, race, and ancestry," said Vivaldo.
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "She is not of the ancient Roman Curtii,
+Caii, or Scipios, nor of the modern Colonnas or Orsini, nor of the
+Moncadas or Requesenes of Catalonia, nor yet of the Rebellas or
+Villanovas of Valencia; Palafoxes, Nuzas, Rocabertis, Corellas, Lunas,
+Alagones, Urreas, Foces, or Gurreas of Aragon; Cerdas, Manriques,
+Mendozas, or Guzmans of Castile; Alencastros, Pallas, or Meneses of
+Portugal; but she is of those of El Toboso of La Mancha, a lineage that
+though modern, may furnish a source of gentle blood for the most
+illustrious families of the ages that are to come, and this let none
+dispute with me save on the condition that Zerbino placed at the foot of
+the trophy of Orlando's arms, saying,
+
+'These let none move Who dareth not his might with Roland prove.'"
+
+"Although mine is of the Cachopins of Laredo," said the traveller, "I
+will not venture to compare it with that of El Toboso of La Mancha,
+though, to tell the truth, no such surname has until now ever reached my
+ears."
+
+"What!" said Don Quixote, "has that never reached them?"
+
+The rest of the party went along listening with great attention to the
+conversation of the pair, and even the very goatherds and shepherds
+perceived how exceedingly out of his wits our Don Quixote was. Sancho
+Panza alone thought that what his master said was the truth, knowing who
+he was and having known him from his birth; and all that he felt any
+difficulty in believing was that about the fair Dulcinea del Toboso,
+because neither any such name nor any such princess had ever come to his
+knowledge though he lived so close to El Toboso. They were going along
+conversing in this way, when they saw descending a gap between two high
+mountains some twenty shepherds, all clad in sheepskins of black wool,
+and crowned with garlands which, as afterwards appeared, were, some of
+them of yew, some of cypress. Six of the number were carrying a bier
+covered with a great variety of flowers and branches, on seeing which one
+of the goatherds said, "Those who come there are the bearers of
+Chrysostom's body, and the foot of that mountain is the place where he
+ordered them to bury him." They therefore made haste to reach the spot,
+and did so by the time those who came had laid the bier upon the ground,
+and four of them with sharp pickaxes were digging a grave by the side of
+a hard rock. They greeted each other courteously, and then Don Quixote
+and those who accompanied him turned to examine the bier, and on it,
+covered with flowers, they saw a dead body in the dress of a shepherd, to
+all appearance of one thirty years of age, and showing even in death that
+in life he had been of comely features and gallant bearing. Around him on
+the bier itself were laid some books, and several papers open and folded;
+and those who were looking on as well as those who were opening the grave
+and all the others who were there preserved a strange silence, until one
+of those who had borne the body said to another, "Observe carefully,
+Ambrosia if this is the place Chrysostom spoke of, since you are anxious
+that what he directed in his will should be so strictly complied with."
+
+"This is the place," answered Ambrosia "for in it many a time did my poor
+friend tell me the story of his hard fortune. Here it was, he told me,
+that he saw for the first time that mortal enemy of the human race, and
+here, too, for the first time he declared to her his passion, as
+honourable as it was devoted, and here it was that at last Marcela ended
+by scorning and rejecting him so as to bring the tragedy of his wretched
+life to a close; here, in memory of misfortunes so great, he desired to
+be laid in the bowels of eternal oblivion." Then turning to Don Quixote
+and the travellers he went on to say, "That body, sirs, on which you are
+looking with compassionate eyes, was the abode of a soul on which Heaven
+bestowed a vast share of its riches. That is the body of Chrysostom, who
+was unrivalled in wit, unequalled in courtesy, unapproached in gentle
+bearing, a phoenix in friendship, generous without limit, grave without
+arrogance, gay without vulgarity, and, in short, first in all that
+constitutes goodness and second to none in all that makes up misfortune.
+He loved deeply, he was hated; he adored, he was scorned; he wooed a wild
+beast, he pleaded with marble, he pursued the wind, he cried to the
+wilderness, he served ingratitude, and for reward was made the prey of
+death in the mid-course of life, cut short by a shepherdess whom he
+sought to immortalise in the memory of man, as these papers which you see
+could fully prove, had he not commanded me to consign them to the fire
+after having consigned his body to the earth."
+
+"You would deal with them more harshly and cruelly than their owner
+himself," said Vivaldo, "for it is neither right nor proper to do the
+will of one who enjoins what is wholly unreasonable; it would not have
+been reasonable in Augustus Caesar had he permitted the directions left
+by the divine Mantuan in his will to be carried into effect. So that,
+Senor Ambrosia while you consign your friend's body to the earth, you
+should not consign his writings to oblivion, for if he gave the order in
+bitterness of heart, it is not right that you should irrationally obey
+it. On the contrary, by granting life to those papers, let the cruelty of
+Marcela live for ever, to serve as a warning in ages to come to all men
+to shun and avoid falling into like danger; or I and all of us who have
+come here know already the story of this your love-stricken and
+heart-broken friend, and we know, too, your friendship, and the cause of
+his death, and the directions he gave at the close of his life; from
+which sad story may be gathered how great was the cruelty of Marcela, the
+love of Chrysostom, and the loyalty of your friendship, together with the
+end awaiting those who pursue rashly the path that insane passion opens
+to their eyes. Last night we learned the death of Chrysostom and that he
+was to be buried here, and out of curiosity and pity we left our direct
+road and resolved to come and see with our eyes that which when heard of
+had so moved our compassion, and in consideration of that compassion and
+our desire to prove it if we might by condolence, we beg of you,
+excellent Ambrosia, or at least I on my own account entreat you, that
+instead of burning those papers you allow me to carry away some of them."
+
+And without waiting for the shepherd's answer, he stretched out his hand
+and took up some of those that were nearest to him; seeing which Ambrosio
+said, "Out of courtesy, senor, I will grant your request as to those you
+have taken, but it is idle to expect me to abstain from burning the
+remainder."
+
+Vivaldo, who was eager to see what the papers contained, opened one of
+them at once, and saw that its title was "Lay of Despair."
+
+Ambrosio hearing it said, "That is the last paper the unhappy man wrote;
+and that you may see, senor, to what an end his misfortunes brought him,
+read it so that you may be heard, for you will have time enough for that
+while we are waiting for the grave to be dug."
+
+"I will do so very willingly," said Vivaldo; and as all the bystanders
+were equally eager they gathered round him, and he, reading in a loud
+voice, found that it ran as follows.
+
+Chapter XIV. -
+Wherein are inserted the despairing verses of the dead shepherd, together
+with other incidents not looked for
+
+poem{
+
+THE LAY OF CHRYSOSTOM
+
+  Since thou dost in thy cruelty desire
+The ruthless rigour of thy tyranny
+From tongue to tongue, from land to land proclaimed,
+The very Hell will I constrain to lend
+This stricken breast of mine deep notes of woe
+To serve my need of fitting utterance.
+And as I strive to body forth the tale
+Of all I suffer, all that thou hast done,
+Forth shall the dread voice roll, and bear along
+Shreds from my vitals torn for greater pain.
+Then listen, not to dulcet harmony,
+But to a discord wrung by mad despair
+Out of this bosom's depths of bitterness,
+To ease my heart and plant a sting in thine.
+
+  The lion's roar, the fierce wolf's savage howl,
+The horrid hissing of the scaly snake,
+The awesome cries of monsters yet unnamed,
+The crow's ill-boding croak, the hollow moan
+Of wild winds wrestling with the restless sea,
+The wrathful bellow of the vanquished bull,
+The plaintive sobbing of the widowed dove,
+The envied owl's sad note, the wail of woe
+That rises from the dreary choir of Hell,
+Commingled in one sound, confusing sense,
+Let all these come to aid my soul's complaint,
+For pain like mine demands new modes of song.
+
+  No echoes of that discord shall be heard
+Where Father Tagus rolls, or on the banks
+Of olive-bordered Betis; to the rocks
+Or in deep caverns shall my plaint be told,
+And by a lifeless tongue in living words;
+Or in dark valleys or on lonely shores,
+Where neither foot of man nor sunbeam falls;
+Or in among the poison-breathing swarms
+Of monsters nourished by the sluggish Nile.
+For, though it be to solitudes remote
+The hoarse vague echoes of my sorrows sound
+Thy matchless cruelty, my dismal fate
+Shall carry them to all the spacious world.
+
+  Disdain hath power to kill, and patience dies
+Slain by suspicion, be it false or true;
+And deadly is the force of jealousy;
+Long absence makes of life a dreary void;
+No hope of happiness can give repose
+To him that ever fears to be forgot;
+And death, inevitable, waits in hall.
+But I, by some strange miracle, live on
+A prey to absence, jealousy, disdain;
+Racked by suspicion as by certainty;
+Forgotten, left to feed my flame alone.
+And while I suffer thus, there comes no ray
+Of hope to gladden me athwart the gloom;
+Nor do I look for it in my despair;
+But rather clinging to a cureless woe,
+All hope do I abjure for evermore.
+
+  Can there be hope where fear is? Were it well,
+When far more certain are the grounds of fear?
+Ought I to shut mine eyes to jealousy,
+If through a thousand heart-wounds it appears?
+Who would not give free access to distrust,
+Seeing disdain unveiled, and--bitter change!--
+All his suspicions turned to certainties,
+And the fair truth transformed into a lie?
+Oh, thou fierce tyrant of the realms of love,
+Oh, Jealousy! put chains upon these hands,
+And bind me with thy strongest cord, Disdain.
+But, woe is me! triumphant over all,
+My sufferings drown the memory of you.
+
+  And now I die, and since there is no hope
+Of happiness for me in life or death,
+Still to my fantasy I'll fondly cling.
+I'll say that he is wise who loveth well,
+And that the soul most free is that most bound
+In thraldom to the ancient tyrant Love.
+I'll say that she who is mine enemy
+In that fair body hath as fair a mind,
+And that her coldness is but my desert,
+And that by virtue of the pain he sends
+Love rules his kingdom with a gentle sway.
+Thus, self-deluding, and in bondage sore,
+And wearing out the wretched shred of life
+To which I am reduced by her disdain,
+I'll give this soul and body to the winds,
+All hopeless of a crown of bliss in store.
+
+  Thou whose injustice hath supplied the cause
+That makes me quit the weary life I loathe,
+As by this wounded bosom thou canst see
+How willingly thy victim I become,
+Let not my death, if haply worth a tear,
+Cloud the clear heaven that dwells in thy bright eyes;
+I would not have thee expiate in aught
+The crime of having made my heart thy prey;
+But rather let thy laughter gaily ring
+And prove my death to be thy festival.
+Fool that I am to bid thee! well I know
+Thy glory gains by my untimely end.
+
+  And now it is the time; from Hell's abyss
+Come thirsting Tantalus, come Sisyphus
+Heaving the cruel stone, come Tityus
+With vulture, and with wheel Ixion come,
+And come the sisters of the ceaseless toil;
+And all into this breast transfer their pains,
+And (if such tribute to despair be due)
+Chant in their deepest tones a doleful dirge
+Over a corse unworthy of a shroud.
+Let the three-headed guardian of the gate,
+And all the monstrous progeny of hell,
+The doleful concert join: a lover dead
+Methinks can have no fitter obsequies.
+
+  Lay of despair, grieve not when thou art gone
+Forth from this sorrowing heart: my misery
+Brings fortune to the cause that gave thee birth;
+Then banish sadness even in the tomb.
+
+}poem
+
+The "Lay of Chrysostom" met with the approbation of the listeners, though
+the reader said it did not seem to him to agree with what he had heard of
+Marcela's reserve and propriety, for Chrysostom complained in it of
+jealousy, suspicion, and absence, all to the prejudice of the good name
+and fame of Marcela; to which Ambrosio replied as one who knew well his
+friend's most secret thoughts, "Senor, to remove that doubt I should tell
+you that when the unhappy man wrote this lay he was away from Marcela,
+from whom he had voluntarily separated himself, to try if absence would
+act with him as it is wont; and as everything distresses and every fear
+haunts the banished lover, so imaginary jealousies and suspicions,
+dreaded as if they were true, tormented Chrysostom; and thus the truth of
+what report declares of the virtue of Marcela remains unshaken, and with
+her envy itself should not and cannot find any fault save that of being
+cruel, somewhat haughty, and very scornful."
+
+"That is true," said Vivaldo; and as he was about to read another paper
+of those he had preserved from the fire, he was stopped by a marvellous
+vision (for such it seemed) that unexpectedly presented itself to their
+eyes; for on the summit of the rock where they were digging the grave
+there appeared the shepherdess Marcela, so beautiful that her beauty
+exceeded its reputation. Those who had never till then beheld her gazed
+upon her in wonder and silence, and those who were accustomed to see her
+were not less amazed than those who had never seen her before. But the
+instant Ambrosio saw her he addressed her, with manifest indignation:
+
+"Art thou come, by chance, cruel basilisk of these mountains, to see if
+in thy presence blood will flow from the wounds of this wretched being
+thy cruelty has robbed of life; or is it to exult over the cruel work of
+thy humours that thou art come; or like another pitiless Nero to look
+down from that height upon the ruin of his Rome in embers; or in thy
+arrogance to trample on this ill-fated corpse, as the ungrateful daughter
+trampled on her father Tarquin's? Tell us quickly for what thou art come,
+or what it is thou wouldst have, for, as I know the thoughts of
+Chrysostom never failed to obey thee in life, I will make all these who
+call themselves his friends obey thee, though he be dead."
+
+"I come not, Ambrosia for any of the purposes thou hast named," replied
+Marcela, "but to defend myself and to prove how unreasonable are all
+those who blame me for their sorrow and for Chrysostom's death; and
+therefore I ask all of you that are here to give me your attention, for
+will not take much time or many words to bring the truth home to persons
+of sense. Heaven has made me, so you say, beautiful, and so much so that
+in spite of yourselves my beauty leads you to love me; and for the love
+you show me you say, and even urge, that I am bound to love you. By that
+natural understanding which God has given me I know that everything
+beautiful attracts love, but I cannot see how, by reason of being loved,
+that which is loved for its beauty is bound to love that which loves it;
+besides, it may happen that the lover of that which is beautiful may be
+ugly, and ugliness being detestable, it is very absurd to say, "I love
+thee because thou art beautiful, thou must love me though I be ugly." But
+supposing the beauty equal on both sides, it does not follow that the
+inclinations must be therefore alike, for it is not every beauty that
+excites love, some but pleasing the eye without winning the affection;
+and if every sort of beauty excited love and won the heart, the will
+would wander vaguely to and fro unable to make choice of any; for as
+there is an infinity of beautiful objects there must be an infinity of
+inclinations, and true love, I have heard it said, is indivisible, and
+must be voluntary and not compelled. If this be so, as I believe it to
+be, why do you desire me to bend my will by force, for no other reason
+but that you say you love me? Nay--tell me--had Heaven made me ugly, as it
+has made me beautiful, could I with justice complain of you for not
+loving me? Moreover, you must remember that the beauty I possess was no
+choice of mine, for, be it what it may, Heaven of its bounty gave it me
+without my asking or choosing it; and as the viper, though it kills with
+it, does not deserve to be blamed for the poison it carries, as it is a
+gift of nature, neither do I deserve reproach for being beautiful; for
+beauty in a modest woman is like fire at a distance or a sharp sword; the
+one does not burn, the other does not cut, those who do not come too
+near. Honour and virtue are the ornaments of the mind, without which the
+body, though it be so, has no right to pass for beautiful; but if modesty
+is one of the virtues that specially lend a grace and charm to mind and
+body, why should she who is loved for her beauty part with it to gratify
+one who for his pleasure alone strives with all his might and energy to
+rob her of it? I was born free, and that I might live in freedom I chose
+the solitude of the fields; in the trees of the mountains I find society,
+the clear waters of the brooks are my mirrors, and to the trees and
+waters I make known my thoughts and charms. I am a fire afar off, a sword
+laid aside. Those whom I have inspired with love by letting them see me,
+I have by words undeceived, and if their longings live on hope--and I
+have given none to Chrysostom or to any other--it cannot justly be said
+that the death of any is my doing, for it was rather his own obstinacy
+than my cruelty that killed him; and if it be made a charge against me
+that his wishes were honourable, and that therefore I was bound to yield
+to them, I answer that when on this very spot where now his grave is made
+he declared to me his purity of purpose, I told him that mine was to live
+in perpetual solitude, and that the earth alone should enjoy the fruits
+of my retirement and the spoils of my beauty; and if, after this open
+avowal, he chose to persist against hope and steer against the wind, what
+wonder is it that he should sink in the depths of his infatuation? If I
+had encouraged him, I should be false; if I had gratified him, I should
+have acted against my own better resolution and purpose. He was
+persistent in spite of warning, he despaired without being hated. Bethink
+you now if it be reasonable that his suffering should be laid to my
+charge. Let him who has been deceived complain, let him give way to
+despair whose encouraged hopes have proved vain, let him flatter himself
+whom I shall entice, let him boast whom I shall receive; but let not him
+call me cruel or homicide to whom I make no promise, upon whom I practise
+no deception, whom I neither entice nor receive. It has not been so far
+the will of Heaven that I should love by fate, and to expect me to love
+by choice is idle. Let this general declaration serve for each of my
+suitors on his own account, and let it be understood from this time forth
+that if anyone dies for me it is not of jealousy or misery he dies, for
+she who loves no one can give no cause for jealousy to any, and candour
+is not to be confounded with scorn. Let him who calls me wild beast and
+basilisk, leave me alone as something noxious and evil; let him who calls
+me ungrateful, withhold his service; who calls me wayward, seek not my
+acquaintance; who calls me cruel, pursue me not; for this wild beast,
+this basilisk, this ungrateful, cruel, wayward being has no kind of
+desire to seek, serve, know, or follow them. If Chrysostom's impatience
+and violent passion killed him, why should my modest behaviour and
+circumspection be blamed? If I preserve my purity in the society of the
+trees, why should he who would have me preserve it among men, seek to rob
+me of it? I have, as you know, wealth of my own, and I covet not that of
+others; my taste is for freedom, and I have no relish for constraint; I
+neither love nor hate anyone; I do not deceive this one or court that, or
+trifle with one or play with another. The modest converse of the shepherd
+girls of these hamlets and the care of my goats are my recreations; my
+desires are bounded by these mountains, and if they ever wander hence it
+is to contemplate the beauty of the heavens, steps by which the soul
+travels to its primeval abode."
+
+With these words, and not waiting to hear a reply, she turned and passed
+into the thickest part of a wood that was hard by, leaving all who were
+there lost in admiration as much of her good sense as of her beauty.
+Some--those wounded by the irresistible shafts launched by her bright
+eyes--made as though they would follow her, heedless of the frank
+declaration they had heard; seeing which, and deeming this a fitting
+occasion for the exercise of his chivalry in aid of distressed damsels,
+Don Quixote, laying his hand on the hilt of his sword, exclaimed in a
+loud and distinct voice:
+
+"Let no one, whatever his rank or condition, dare to follow the beautiful
+Marcela, under pain of incurring my fierce indignation. She has shown by
+clear and satisfactory arguments that little or no fault is to be found
+with her for the death of Chrysostom, and also how far she is from
+yielding to the wishes of any of her lovers, for which reason, instead of
+being followed and persecuted, she should in justice be honoured and
+esteemed by all the good people of the world, for she shows that she is
+the only woman in it that holds to such a virtuous resolution."
+
+Whether it was because of the threats of Don Quixote, or because Ambrosio
+told them to fulfil their duty to their good friend, none of the
+shepherds moved or stirred from the spot until, having finished the grave
+and burned Chrysostom's papers, they laid his body in it, not without
+many tears from those who stood by. They closed the grave with a heavy
+stone until a slab was ready which Ambrosio said he meant to have
+prepared, with an epitaph which was to be to this effect:
+
+poem{
+
+Beneath the stone before your eyes
+The body of a lover lies;
+In life he was a shepherd swain,
+In death a victim to disdain.
+Ungrateful, cruel, coy, and fair,
+Was she that drove him to despair,
+And Love hath made her his ally
+For spreading wide his tyranny.
+
+}poem
+
+They then strewed upon the grave a profusion of flowers and branches, and
+all expressing their condolence with his friend ambrosio, took their
+Vivaldo and his companion did the same; and Don Quixote bade farewell to
+his hosts and to the travellers, who pressed him to come with them to
+Seville, as being such a convenient place for finding adventures, for
+they presented themselves in every street and round every corner oftener
+than anywhere else. Don Quixote thanked them for their advice and for the
+disposition they showed to do him a favour, and said that for the present
+he would not, and must not go to Seville until he had cleared all these
+mountains of highwaymen and robbers, of whom report said they were full.
+Seeing his good intention, the travellers were unwilling to press him
+further, and once more bidding him farewell, they left him and pursued
+their journey, in the course of which they did not fail to discuss the
+story of Marcela and Chrysostom as well as the madness of Don Quixote.
+He, on his part, resolved to go in quest of the shepherdess Marcela, and
+make offer to her of all the service he could render her; but things did
+not fall out with him as he expected, according to what is related in the
+course of this veracious history, of which the Second Part ends here.
+
+Chapter XV. -
+In which is related the unfortunate adventure that Don Quixote fell in
+with when he fell out with certain heartless Yanguesans
+
+The sage Cide Hamete Benengeli relates that as soon as Don Quixote took
+leave of his hosts and all who had been present at the burial of
+Chrysostom, he and his squire passed into the same wood which they had
+seen the shepherdess Marcela enter, and after having wandered for more
+than two hours in all directions in search of her without finding her,
+they came to a halt in a glade covered with tender grass, beside which
+ran a pleasant cool stream that invited and compelled them to pass there
+the hours of the noontide heat, which by this time was beginning to come
+on oppressively. Don Quixote and Sancho dismounted, and turning Rocinante
+and the ass loose to feed on the grass that was there in abundance, they
+ransacked the alforjas, and without any ceremony very peacefully and
+sociably master and man made their repast on what they found in them.
+
+Sancho had not thought it worth while to hobble Rocinante, feeling sure,
+from what he knew of his staidness and freedom from incontinence, that
+all the mares in the Cordova pastures would not lead him into an
+impropriety. Chance, however, and the devil, who is not always asleep, so
+ordained it that feeding in this valley there was a drove of Galician
+ponies belonging to certain Yanguesan carriers, whose way it is to take
+their midday rest with their teams in places and spots where grass and
+water abound; and that where Don Quixote chanced to be suited the
+Yanguesans' purpose very well. It so happened, then, that Rocinante took
+a fancy to disport himself with their ladyships the ponies, and
+abandoning his usual gait and demeanour as he scented them, he, without
+asking leave of his master, got up a briskish little trot and hastened to
+make known his wishes to them; they, however, it seemed, preferred their
+pasture to him, and received him with their heels and teeth to such
+effect that they soon broke his girths and left him naked without a
+saddle to cover him; but what must have been worse to him was that the
+carriers, seeing the violence he was offering to their mares, came
+running up armed with stakes, and so belaboured him that they brought him
+sorely battered to the ground.
+
+By this time Don Quixote and Sancho, who had witnessed the drubbing of
+Rocinante, came up panting, and said Don Quixote to Sancho:
+
+"So far as I can see, friend Sancho, these are not knights but base folk
+of low birth: I mention it because thou canst lawfully aid me in taking
+due vengeance for the insult offered to Rocinante before our eyes."
+
+"What the devil vengeance can we take," answered Sancho, "if they are
+more than twenty, and we no more than two, or, indeed, perhaps not more
+than one and a half?"
+
+"I count for a hundred," replied Don Quixote, and without more words he
+drew his sword and attacked the Yanguesans and excited and impelled by
+the example of his master, Sancho did the same; and to begin with, Don
+Quixote delivered a slash at one of them that laid open the leather
+jerkin he wore, together with a great portion of his shoulder. The
+Yanguesans, seeing themselves assaulted by only two men while they were
+so many, betook themselves to their stakes, and driving the two into the
+middle they began to lay on with great zeal and energy; in fact, at the
+second blow they brought Sancho to the ground, and Don Quixote fared the
+same way, all his skill and high mettle availing him nothing, and fate
+willed it that he should fall at the feet of Rocinante, who had not yet
+risen; whereby it may be seen how furiously stakes can pound in angry
+boorish hands.
+
+Then, seeing the mischief they had done, the Yanguesans with all the
+haste they could loaded their team and pursued their journey, leaving the
+two adventurers a sorry sight and in sorrier mood.
+
+Sancho was the first to come to, and finding himself close to his master
+he called to him in a weak and doleful voice, "Senor Don Quixote, ah,
+Senor Don Quixote!"
+
+"What wouldst thou, brother Sancho?" answered Don Quixote in the same
+feeble suffering tone as Sancho.
+
+"I would like, if it were possible," answered Sancho Panza, "your worship
+to give me a couple of sups of that potion of the fiery Blas, if it be
+that you have any to hand there; perhaps it will serve for broken bones
+as well as for wounds."
+
+"If I only had it here, wretch that I am, what more should we want?" said
+Don Quixote; "but I swear to thee, Sancho Panza, on the faith of a
+knight-errant, ere two days are over, unless fortune orders otherwise, I
+mean to have it in my possession, or my hand will have lost its cunning."
+
+"But in how many does your worship think we shall have the use of our
+feet?" answered Sancho Panza.
+
+"For myself I must say I cannot guess how many," said the battered knight
+Don Quixote; "but I take all the blame upon myself, for I had no business
+to put hand to sword against men who where not dubbed knights like
+myself, and so I believe that in punishment for having transgressed the
+laws of chivalry the God of battles has permitted this chastisement to be
+administered to me; for which reason, brother Sancho, it is well thou
+shouldst receive a hint on the matter which I am now about to mention to
+thee, for it is of much importance to the welfare of both of us. It is at
+when thou shalt see rabble of this sort offering us insult thou art not
+to wait till I draw sword against them, for I shall not do so at all; but
+do thou draw sword and chastise them to thy heart's content, and if any
+knights come to their aid and defence I will take care to defend thee and
+assail them with all my might; and thou hast already seen by a thousand
+signs and proofs what the might of this strong arm of mine is equal
+to"--so uplifted had the poor gentleman become through the victory over
+the stout Biscayan.
+
+But Sancho did not so fully approve of his master's admonition as to let
+it pass without saying in reply, "Senor, I am a man of peace, meek and
+quiet, and I can put up with any affront because I have a wife and
+children to support and bring up; so let it be likewise a hint to your
+worship, as it cannot be a mandate, that on no account will I draw sword
+either against clown or against knight, and that here before God I
+forgive the insults that have been offered me, whether they have been,
+are, or shall be offered me by high or low, rich or poor, noble or
+commoner, not excepting any rank or condition whatsoever."
+
+To all which his master said in reply, "I wish I had breath enough to
+speak somewhat easily, and that the pain I feel on this side would abate
+so as to let me explain to thee, Panza, the mistake thou makest. Come
+now, sinner, suppose the wind of fortune, hitherto so adverse, should
+turn in our favour, filling the sails of our desires so that safely and
+without impediment we put into port in some one of those islands I have
+promised thee, how would it be with thee if on winning it I made thee
+lord of it? Why, thou wilt make it well-nigh impossible through not being
+a knight nor having any desire to be one, nor possessing the courage nor
+the will to avenge insults or defend thy lordship; for thou must know
+that in newly conquered kingdoms and provinces the minds of the
+inhabitants are never so quiet nor so well disposed to the new lord that
+there is no fear of their making some move to change matters once more,
+and try, as they say, what chance may do for them; so it is essential
+that the new possessor should have good sense to enable him to govern,
+and valour to attack and defend himself, whatever may befall him."
+
+"In what has now befallen us," answered Sancho, "I'd have been well
+pleased to have that good sense and that valour your worship speaks of,
+but I swear on the faith of a poor man I am more fit for plasters than
+for arguments. See if your worship can get up, and let us help Rocinante,
+though he does not deserve it, for he was the main cause of all this
+thrashing. I never thought it of Rocinante, for I took him to be a
+virtuous person and as quiet as myself. After all, they say right that it
+takes a long time to come to know people, and that there is nothing sure
+in this life. Who would have said that, after such mighty slashes as your
+worship gave that unlucky knight-errant, there was coming, travelling
+post and at the very heels of them, such a great storm of sticks as has
+fallen upon our shoulders?"
+
+"And yet thine, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "ought to be used to such
+squalls; but mine, reared in soft cloth and fine linen, it is plain they
+must feel more keenly the pain of this mishap, and if it were not that I
+imagine--why do I say imagine?--know of a certainty that all these
+annoyances are very necessary accompaniments of the calling of arms, I
+would lay me down here to die of pure vexation."
+
+To this the squire replied, "Senor, as these mishaps are what one reaps
+of chivalry, tell me if they happen very often, or if they have their own
+fixed times for coming to pass; because it seems to me that after two
+harvests we shall be no good for the third, unless God in his infinite
+mercy helps us."
+
+"Know, friend Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "that the life of
+knights-errant is subject to a thousand dangers and reverses, and neither
+more nor less is it within immediate possibility for knights-errant to
+become kings and emperors, as experience has shown in the case of many
+different knights with whose histories I am thoroughly acquainted; and I
+could tell thee now, if the pain would let me, of some who simply by
+might of arm have risen to the high stations I have mentioned; and those
+same, both before and after, experienced divers misfortunes and miseries;
+for the valiant Amadis of Gaul found himself in the power of his mortal
+enemy Arcalaus the magician, who, it is positively asserted, holding him
+captive, gave him more than two hundred lashes with the reins of his
+horse while tied to one of the pillars of a court; and moreover there is
+a certain recondite author of no small authority who says that the Knight
+of Phoebus, being caught in a certain pitfall, which opened under his
+feet in a certain castle, on falling found himself bound hand and foot in
+a deep pit underground, where they administered to him one of those
+things they call clysters, of sand and snow-water, that well-nigh
+finished him; and if he had not been succoured in that sore extremity by
+a sage, a great friend of his, it would have gone very hard with the poor
+knight; so I may well suffer in company with such worthy folk, for
+greater were the indignities which they had to suffer than those which we
+suffer. For I would have thee know, Sancho, that wounds caused by any
+instruments which happen by chance to be in hand inflict no indignity,
+and this is laid down in the law of the duel in express words: if, for
+instance, the cobbler strikes another with the last which he has in his
+hand, though it be in fact a piece of wood, it cannot be said for that
+reason that he whom he struck with it has been cudgelled. I say this lest
+thou shouldst imagine that because we have been drubbed in this affray we
+have therefore suffered any indignity; for the arms those men carried,
+with which they pounded us, were nothing more than their stakes, and not
+one of them, so far as I remember, carried rapier, sword, or dagger."
+
+"They gave me no time to see that much," answered Sancho, "for hardly had
+I laid hand on my tizona when they signed the cross on my shoulders with
+their sticks in such style that they took the sight out of my eyes and
+the strength out of my feet, stretching me where I now lie, and where
+thinking of whether all those stake-strokes were an indignity or not
+gives me no uneasiness, which the pain of the blows does, for they will
+remain as deeply impressed on my memory as on my shoulders."
+
+"For all that let me tell thee, brother Panza," said Don Quixote, "that
+there is no recollection which time does not put an end to, and no pain
+which death does not remove."
+
+"And what greater misfortune can there be," replied Panza, "than the one
+that waits for time to put an end to it and death to remove it? If our
+mishap were one of those that are cured with a couple of plasters, it
+would not be so bad; but I am beginning to think that all the plasters in
+a hospital almost won't be enough to put us right."
+
+"No more of that: pluck strength out of weakness, Sancho, as I mean to
+do," returned Don Quixote, "and let us see how Rocinante is, for it seems
+to me that not the least share of this mishap has fallen to the lot of
+the poor beast."
+
+"There is nothing wonderful in that," replied Sancho, "since he is a
+knight-errant too; what I wonder at is that my beast should have come off
+scot-free where we come out scotched."
+
+"Fortune always leaves a door open in adversity in order to bring relief
+to it," said Don Quixote; "I say so because this little beast may now
+supply the want of Rocinante, carrying me hence to some castle where I
+may be cured of my wounds. And moreover I shall not hold it any dishonour
+to be so mounted, for I remember having read how the good old Silenus,
+the tutor and instructor of the gay god of laughter, when he entered the
+city of the hundred gates, went very contentedly mounted on a handsome
+ass."
+
+"It may be true that he went mounted as your worship says," answered
+Sancho, "but there is a great difference between going mounted and going
+slung like a sack of manure."
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "Wounds received in battle confer honour
+instead of taking it away; and so, friend Panza, say no more, but, as I
+told thee before, get up as well as thou canst and put me on top of thy
+beast in whatever fashion pleases thee best, and let us go hence ere
+night come on and surprise us in these wilds."
+
+"And yet I have heard your worship say," observed Panza, "that it is very
+meet for knights-errant to sleep in wastes and deserts, and that they
+esteem it very good fortune."
+
+"That is," said Don Quixote, "when they cannot help it, or when they are
+in love; and so true is this that there have been knights who have
+remained two years on rocks, in sunshine and shade and all the
+inclemencies of heaven, without their ladies knowing anything of it; and
+one of these was Amadis, when, under the name of Beltenebros, he took up
+his abode on the Pena Pobre for--I know not if it was eight years or
+eight months, for I am not very sure of the reckoning; at any rate he
+stayed there doing penance for I know not what pique the Princess Oriana
+had against him; but no more of this now, Sancho, and make haste before a
+mishap like Rocinante's befalls the ass."
+
+"The very devil would be in it in that case," said Sancho; and letting
+off thirty "ohs," and sixty sighs, and a hundred and twenty maledictions
+and execrations on whomsoever it was that had brought him there, he
+raised himself, stopping half-way bent like a Turkish bow without power
+to bring himself upright, but with all his pains he saddled his ass, who
+too had gone astray somewhat, yielding to the excessive licence of the
+day; he next raised up Rocinante, and as for him, had he possessed a
+tongue to complain with, most assuredly neither Sancho nor his master
+would have been behind him.
+
+To be brief, Sancho fixed Don Quixote on the ass and secured Rocinante
+with a leading rein, and taking the ass by the halter, he proceeded more
+or less in the direction in which it seemed to him the high road might
+be; and, as chance was conducting their affairs for them from good to
+better, he had not gone a short league when the road came in sight, and
+on it he perceived an inn, which to his annoyance and to the delight of
+Don Quixote must needs be a castle. Sancho insisted that it was an inn,
+and his master that it was not one, but a castle, and the dispute lasted
+so long that before the point was settled they had time to reach it, and
+into it Sancho entered with all his team without any further controversy.
+
+Chapter XVI. -
+Of what happened to the ingenious gentleman in the inn which he took to
+be a castle
+
+The innkeeper, seeing Don Quixote slung across the ass, asked Sancho what
+was amiss with him. Sancho answered that it was nothing, only that he had
+fallen down from a rock and had his ribs a little bruised. The innkeeper
+had a wife whose disposition was not such as those of her calling
+commonly have, for she was by nature kind-hearted and felt for the
+sufferings of her neighbours, so she at once set about tending Don
+Quixote, and made her young daughter, a very comely girl, help her in
+taking care of her guest. There was besides in the inn, as servant, an
+Asturian lass with a broad face, flat poll, and snub nose, blind of one
+eye and not very sound in the other. The elegance of her shape, to be
+sure, made up for all her defects; she did not measure seven palms from
+head to foot, and her shoulders, which overweighted her somewhat, made
+her contemplate the ground more than she liked. This graceful lass, then,
+helped the young girl, and the two made up a very bad bed for Don Quixote
+in a garret that showed evident signs of having formerly served for many
+years as a straw-loft, in which there was also quartered a carrier whose
+bed was placed a little beyond our Don Quixote's, and, though only made
+of the pack-saddles and cloths of his mules, had much the advantage of
+it, as Don Quixote's consisted simply of four rough boards on two not
+very even trestles, a mattress, that for thinness might have passed for a
+quilt, full of pellets which, were they not seen through the rents to be
+wool, would to the touch have seemed pebbles in hardness, two sheets made
+of buckler leather, and a coverlet the threads of which anyone that chose
+might have counted without missing one in the reckoning.
+
+On this accursed bed Don Quixote stretched himself, and the hostess and
+her daughter soon covered him with plasters from top to toe, while
+Maritornes--for that was the name of the Asturian--held the light for
+them, and while plastering him, the hostess, observing how full of wheals
+Don Quixote was in some places, remarked that this had more the look of
+blows than of a fall.
+
+It was not blows, Sancho said, but that the rock had many points and
+projections, and that each of them had left its mark. "Pray, senora," he
+added, "manage to save some tow, as there will be no want of some one to
+use it, for my loins too are rather sore."
+
+"Then you must have fallen too," said the hostess.
+
+"I did not fall," said Sancho Panza, "but from the shock I got at seeing
+my master fall, my body aches so that I feel as if I had had a thousand
+thwacks."
+
+"That may well be," said the young girl, "for it has many a time happened
+to me to dream that I was falling down from a tower and never coming to
+the ground, and when I awoke from the dream to find myself as weak and
+shaken as if I had really fallen."
+
+"There is the point, senora," replied Sancho Panza, "that I without
+dreaming at all, but being more awake than I am now, find myself with
+scarcely less wheals than my master, Don Quixote."
+
+"How is the gentleman called?" asked Maritornes the Asturian.
+
+"Don Quixote of La Mancha," answered Sancho Panza, "and he is a
+knight-adventurer, and one of the best and stoutest that have been seen
+in the world this long time past."
+
+"What is a knight-adventurer?" said the lass.
+
+"Are you so new in the world as not to know?" answered Sancho Panza.
+"Well, then, you must know, sister, that a knight-adventurer is a thing
+that in two words is seen drubbed and emperor, that is to-day the most
+miserable and needy being in the world, and to-morrow will have two or
+three crowns of kingdoms to give his squire."
+
+"Then how is it," said the hostess, "that belonging to so good a master
+as this, you have not, to judge by appearances, even so much as a
+county?"
+
+"It is too soon yet," answered Sancho, "for we have only been a month
+going in quest of adventures, and so far we have met with nothing that
+can be called one, for it will happen that when one thing is looked for
+another thing is found; however, if my master Don Quixote gets well of
+this wound, or fall, and I am left none the worse of it, I would not
+change my hopes for the best title in Spain."
+
+To all this conversation Don Quixote was listening very attentively, and
+sitting up in bed as well as he could, and taking the hostess by the hand
+he said to her, "Believe me, fair lady, you may call yourself fortunate
+in having in this castle of yours sheltered my person, which is such that
+if I do not myself praise it, it is because of what is commonly said,
+that self-praise debaseth; but my squire will inform you who I am. I only
+tell you that I shall preserve for ever inscribed on my memory the
+service you have rendered me in order to tender you my gratitude while
+life shall last me; and would to Heaven love held me not so enthralled
+and subject to its laws and to the eyes of that fair ingrate whom I name
+between my teeth, but that those of this lovely damsel might be the
+masters of my liberty."
+
+The hostess, her daughter, and the worthy Maritornes listened in
+bewilderment to the words of the knight-errant; for they understood about
+as much of them as if he had been talking Greek, though they could
+perceive they were all meant for expressions of good-will and
+blandishments; and not being accustomed to this kind of language, they
+stared at him and wondered to themselves, for he seemed to them a man of
+a different sort from those they were used to, and thanking him in
+pothouse phrase for his civility they left him, while the Asturian gave
+her attention to Sancho, who needed it no less than his master.
+
+The carrier had made an arrangement with her for recreation that night,
+and she had given him her word that when the guests were quiet and the
+family asleep she would come in search of him and meet his wishes
+unreservedly. And it is said of this good lass that she never made
+promises of the kind without fulfilling them, even though she made them
+in a forest and without any witness present, for she plumed herself
+greatly on being a lady and held it no disgrace to be in such an
+employment as servant in an inn, because, she said, misfortunes and
+ill-luck had brought her to that position. The hard, narrow, wretched,
+rickety bed of Don Quixote stood first in the middle of this star-lit
+stable, and close beside it Sancho made his, which merely consisted of a
+rush mat and a blanket that looked as if it was of threadbare canvas
+rather than of wool. Next to these two beds was that of the carrier, made
+up, as has been said, of the pack-saddles and all the trappings of the
+two best mules he had, though there were twelve of them, sleek, plump,
+and in prime condition, for he was one of the rich carriers of Arevalo,
+according to the author of this history, who particularly mentions this
+carrier because he knew him very well, and they even say was in some
+degree a relation of his; besides which Cide Hamete Benengeli was a
+historian of great research and accuracy in all things, as is very
+evident since he would not pass over in silence those that have been
+already mentioned, however trifling and insignificant they might be, an
+example that might be followed by those grave historians who relate
+transactions so curtly and briefly that we hardly get a taste of them,
+all the substance of the work being left in the inkstand from
+carelessness, perverseness, or ignorance. A thousand blessings on the
+author of "Tablante de Ricamonte" and that of the other book in which the
+deeds of the Conde Tomillas are recounted; with what minuteness they
+describe everything!
+
+To proceed, then: after having paid a visit to his team and given them
+their second feed, the carrier stretched himself on his pack-saddles and
+lay waiting for his conscientious Maritornes. Sancho was by this time
+plastered and had lain down, and though he strove to sleep the pain of
+his ribs would not let him, while Don Quixote with the pain of his had
+his eyes as wide open as a hare's.
+
+The inn was all in silence, and in the whole of it there was no light
+except that given by a lantern that hung burning in the middle of the
+gateway. This strange stillness, and the thoughts, always present to our
+knight's mind, of the incidents described at every turn in the books that
+were the cause of his misfortune, conjured up to his imagination as
+extraordinary a delusion as can well be conceived, which was that he
+fancied himself to have reached a famous castle (for, as has been said,
+all the inns he lodged in were castles to his eyes), and that the
+daughter of the innkeeper was daughter of the lord of the castle, and
+that she, won by his high-bred bearing, had fallen in love with him, and
+had promised to come to his bed for a while that night without the
+knowledge of her parents; and holding all this fantasy that he had
+constructed as solid fact, he began to feel uneasy and to consider the
+perilous risk which his virtue was about to encounter, and he resolved in
+his heart to commit no treason to his lady Dulcinea del Toboso, even
+though the queen Guinevere herself and the dame Quintanona should present
+themselves before him.
+
+While he was taken up with these vagaries, then, the time and the
+hour--an unlucky one for him--arrived for the Asturian to come, who in
+her smock, with bare feet and her hair gathered into a fustian coif, with
+noiseless and cautious steps entered the chamber where the three were
+quartered, in quest of the carrier; but scarcely had she gained the door
+when Don Quixote perceived her, and sitting up in his bed in spite of his
+plasters and the pain of his ribs, he stretched out his arms to receive
+his beauteous damsel. The Asturian, who went all doubled up and in
+silence with her hands before her feeling for her lover, encountered the
+arms of Don Quixote, who grasped her tightly by the wrist, and drawing
+her towards him, while she dared not utter a word, made her sit down on
+the bed. He then felt her smock, and although it was of sackcloth it
+appeared to him to be of the finest and softest silk: on her wrists she
+wore some glass beads, but to him they had the sheen of precious Orient
+pearls: her hair, which in some measure resembled a horse's mane, he
+rated as threads of the brightest gold of Araby, whose refulgence dimmed
+the sun himself: her breath, which no doubt smelt of yesterday's stale
+salad, seemed to him to diffuse a sweet aromatic fragrance from her
+mouth; and, in short, he drew her portrait in his imagination with the
+same features and in the same style as that which he had seen in his
+books of the other princesses who, smitten by love, came with all the
+adornments that are here set down, to see the sorely wounded knight; and
+so great was the poor gentleman's blindness that neither touch, nor
+smell, nor anything else about the good lass that would have made any but
+a carrier vomit, were enough to undeceive him; on the contrary, he was
+persuaded he had the goddess of beauty in his arms, and holding her
+firmly in his grasp he went on to say in low, tender voice:
+
+"Would that found myself, lovely and exalted lady, in a position to repay
+such a favour as that which you, by the sight of your great beauty, have
+granted me; but fortune, which is never weary of persecuting the good,
+has chosen to place me upon this bed, where I lie so bruised and broken
+that though my inclination would gladly comply with yours it is
+impossible; besides, to this impossibility another yet greater is to be
+added, which is the faith that I have pledged to the peerless Dulcinea
+del Toboso, sole lady of my most secret thoughts; and were it not that
+this stood in the way I should not be so insensible a knight as to miss
+the happy opportunity which your great goodness has offered me."
+
+Maritornes was fretting and sweating at finding herself held so fast by
+Don Quixote, and not understanding or heeding the words he addressed to
+her, she strove without speaking to free herself. The worthy carrier,
+whose unholy thoughts kept him awake, was aware of his doxy the moment
+she entered the door, and was listening attentively to all Don Quixote
+said; and jealous that the Asturian should have broken her word with him
+for another, drew nearer to Don Quixote's bed and stood still to see what
+would come of this talk which he could not understand; but when he
+perceived the wench struggling to get free and Don Quixote striving to
+hold her, not relishing the joke he raised his arm and delivered such a
+terrible cuff on the lank jaws of the amorous knight that he bathed all
+his mouth in blood, and not content with this he mounted on his ribs and
+with his feet tramped all over them at a pace rather smarter than a trot.
+The bed which was somewhat crazy and not very firm on its feet, unable to
+support the additional weight of the carrier, came to the ground, and at
+the mighty crash of this the innkeeper awoke and at once concluded that
+it must be some brawl of Maritornes', because after calling loudly to her
+he got no answer. With this suspicion he got up, and lighting a lamp
+hastened to the quarter where he had heard the disturbance. The wench,
+seeing that her master was coming and knowing that his temper was
+terrible, frightened and panic-stricken made for the bed of Sancho Panza,
+who still slept, and crouching upon it made a ball of herself.
+
+The innkeeper came in exclaiming, "Where art thou, strumpet? Of course
+this is some of thy work." At this Sancho awoke, and feeling this mass
+almost on top of him fancied he had the nightmare and began to distribute
+fisticuffs all round, of which a certain share fell upon Maritornes, who,
+irritated by the pain and flinging modesty aside, paid back so many in
+return to Sancho that she woke him up in spite of himself. He then,
+finding himself so handled, by whom he knew not, raising himself up as
+well as he could, grappled with Maritornes, and he and she between them
+began the bitterest and drollest scrimmage in the world. The carrier,
+however, perceiving by the light of the innkeeper candle how it fared
+with his ladylove, quitting Don Quixote, ran to bring her the help she
+needed; and the innkeeper did the same but with a different intention,
+for his was to chastise the lass, as he believed that beyond a doubt she
+alone was the cause of all the harmony. And so, as the saying is, cat to
+rat, rat to rope, rope to stick, the carrier pounded Sancho, Sancho the
+lass, she him, and the innkeeper her, and all worked away so briskly that
+they did not give themselves a moment's rest; and the best of it was that
+the innkeeper's lamp went out, and as they were left in the dark they all
+laid on one upon the other in a mass so unmercifully that there was not a
+sound spot left where a hand could light.
+
+It so happened that there was lodging that night in the inn a caudrillero
+of what they call the Old Holy Brotherhood of Toledo, who, also hearing
+the extraordinary noise of the conflict, seized his staff and the tin
+case with his warrants, and made his way in the dark into the room
+crying: "Hold! in the name of the Jurisdiction! Hold! in the name of the
+Holy Brotherhood!"
+
+The first that he came upon was the pummelled Don Quixote, who lay
+stretched senseless on his back upon his broken-down bed, and, his hand
+falling on the beard as he felt about, he continued to cry, "Help for the
+Jurisdiction!" but perceiving that he whom he had laid hold of did not
+move or stir, he concluded that he was dead and that those in the room
+were his murderers, and with this suspicion he raised his voice still
+higher, calling out, "Shut the inn gate; see that no one goes out; they
+have killed a man here!" This cry startled them all, and each dropped the
+contest at the point at which the voice reached him. The innkeeper
+retreated to his room, the carrier to his pack-saddles, the lass to her
+crib; the unlucky Don Quixote and Sancho alone were unable to move from
+where they were. The cuadrillero on this let go Don Quixote's beard, and
+went out to look for a light to search for and apprehend the culprits;
+but not finding one, as the innkeeper had purposely extinguished the
+lantern on retreating to his room, he was compelled to have recourse to
+the hearth, where after much time and trouble he lit another lamp.
+
+Chapter XVII. -
+In which are contained the innumerable troubles which the brave Don
+Quixote and his good Squire Sancho Panza endured in the inn, which to his
+misfortune he took to be a castle
+
+By this time Don Quixote had recovered from his swoon; and in the same
+tone of voice in which he had called to his squire the day before when he
+lay stretched "in the vale of the stakes," he began calling to him now,
+"Sancho, my friend, art thou asleep? sleepest thou, friend Sancho?"
+
+"How can I sleep, curses on it!" returned Sancho discontentedly and
+bitterly, "when it is plain that all the devils have been at me this
+night?"
+
+"Thou mayest well believe that," answered Don Quixote, "because, either I
+know little, or this castle is enchanted, for thou must know-but this
+that I am now about to tell thee thou must swear to keep secret until
+after my death."
+
+"I swear it," answered Sancho.
+
+"I say so," continued Don Quixote, "because I hate taking away anyone's
+good name."
+
+"I say," replied Sancho, "that I swear to hold my tongue about it till
+the end of your worship's days, and God grant I may be able to let it out
+tomorrow."
+
+"Do I do thee such injuries, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that thou
+wouldst see me dead so soon?"
+
+"It is not for that," replied Sancho, "but because I hate keeping things
+long, and I don't want them to grow rotten with me from over-keeping."
+
+"At any rate," said Don Quixote, "I have more confidence in thy affection
+and good nature; and so I would have thee know that this night there
+befell me one of the strangest adventures that I could describe, and to
+relate it to thee briefly thou must know that a little while ago the
+daughter of the lord of this castle came to me, and that she is the most
+elegant and beautiful damsel that could be found in the wide world. What
+I could tell thee of the charms of her person! of her lively wit! of
+other secret matters which, to preserve the fealty I owe to my lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso, I shall pass over unnoticed and in silence! I will
+only tell thee that, either fate being envious of so great a boon placed
+in my hands by good fortune, or perhaps (and this is more probable) this
+castle being, as I have already said, enchanted, at the time when I was
+engaged in the sweetest and most amorous discourse with her, there came,
+without my seeing or knowing whence it came, a hand attached to some arm
+of some huge giant, that planted such a cuff on my jaws that I have them
+all bathed in blood, and then pummelled me in such a way that I am in a
+worse plight than yesterday when the carriers, on account of Rocinante's
+misbehaviour, inflicted on us the injury thou knowest of; whence
+conjecture that there must be some enchanted Moor guarding the treasure
+of this damsel's beauty, and that it is not for me."
+
+"Not for me either," said Sancho, "for more than four hundred Moors have
+so thrashed me that the drubbing of the stakes was cakes and fancy-bread
+to it. But tell me, senor, what do you call this excellent and rare
+adventure that has left us as we are left now? Though your worship was
+not so badly off, having in your arms that incomparable beauty you spoke
+of; but I, what did I have, except the heaviest whacks I think I had in
+all my life? Unlucky me and the mother that bore me! for I am not a
+knight-errant and never expect to be one, and of all the mishaps, the
+greater part falls to my share."
+
+"Then thou hast been thrashed too?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"Didn't I say so? worse luck to my line!" said Sancho.
+
+"Be not distressed, friend," said Don Quixote, "for I will now make the
+precious balsam with which we shall cure ourselves in the twinkling of an
+eye."
+
+By this time the cuadrillero had succeeded in lighting the lamp, and came
+in to see the man that he thought had been killed; and as Sancho caught
+sight of him at the door, seeing him coming in his shirt, with a cloth on
+his head, and a lamp in his hand, and a very forbidding countenance, he
+said to his master, "Senor, can it be that this is the enchanted Moor
+coming back to give us more castigation if there be anything still left
+in the ink-bottle?"
+
+"It cannot be the Moor," answered Don Quixote, "for those under
+enchantment do not let themselves be seen by anyone."
+
+"If they don't let themselves be seen, they let themselves be felt," said
+Sancho; "if not, let my shoulders speak to the point."
+
+"Mine could speak too," said Don Quixote, "but that is not a sufficient
+reason for believing that what we see is the enchanted Moor."
+
+The officer came up, and finding them engaged in such a peaceful
+conversation, stood amazed; though Don Quixote, to be sure, still lay on
+his back unable to move from pure pummelling and plasters. The officer
+turned to him and said, "Well, how goes it, good man?"
+
+"I would speak more politely if I were you," replied Don Quixote; "is it
+the way of this country to address knights-errant in that style, you
+booby?"
+
+The cuadrillero finding himself so disrespectfully treated by such a
+sorry-looking individual, lost his temper, and raising the lamp full of
+oil, smote Don Quixote such a blow with it on the head that he gave him a
+badly broken pate; then, all being in darkness, he went out, and Sancho
+Panza said, "That is certainly the enchanted Moor, Senor, and he keeps
+the treasure for others, and for us only the cuffs and lamp-whacks."
+
+"That is the truth," answered Don Quixote, "and there is no use in
+troubling oneself about these matters of enchantment or being angry or
+vexed at them, for as they are invisible and visionary we shall find no
+one on whom to avenge ourselves, do what we may; rise, Sancho, if thou
+canst, and call the alcaide of this fortress, and get him to give me a
+little oil, wine, salt, and rosemary to make the salutiferous balsam, for
+indeed I believe I have great need of it now, because I am losing much
+blood from the wound that phantom gave me."
+
+Sancho got up with pain enough in his bones, and went after the innkeeper
+in the dark, and meeting the officer, who was looking to see what had
+become of his enemy, he said to him, "Senor, whoever you are, do us the
+favour and kindness to give us a little rosemary, oil, salt, and wine,
+for it is wanted to cure one of the best knights-errant on earth, who
+lies on yonder bed wounded by the hands of the enchanted Moor that is in
+this inn."
+
+When the officer heard him talk in this way, he took him for a man out of
+his senses, and as day was now beginning to break, he opened the inn
+gate, and calling the host, he told him what this good man wanted. The
+host furnished him with what he required, and Sancho brought it to Don
+Quixote, who, with his hand to his head, was bewailing the pain of the
+blow of the lamp, which had done him no more harm than raising a couple
+of rather large lumps, and what he fancied blood was only the sweat that
+flowed from him in his sufferings during the late storm. To be brief, he
+took the materials, of which he made a compound, mixing them all and
+boiling them a good while until it seemed to him they had come to
+perfection. He then asked for some vial to pour it into, and as there was
+not one in the inn, he decided on putting it into a tin oil-bottle or
+flask of which the host made him a free gift; and over the flask he
+repeated more than eighty paternosters and as many more ave-marias,
+salves, and credos, accompanying each word with a cross by way of
+benediction, at all which there were present Sancho, the innkeeper, and
+the cuadrillero; for the carrier was now peacefully engaged in attending
+to the comfort of his mules.
+
+This being accomplished, he felt anxious to make trial himself, on the
+spot, of the virtue of this precious balsam, as he considered it, and so
+he drank near a quart of what could not be put into the flask and
+remained in the pigskin in which it had been boiled; but scarcely had he
+done drinking when he began to vomit in such a way that nothing was left
+in his stomach, and with the pangs and spasms of vomiting he broke into a
+profuse sweat, on account of which he bade them cover him up and leave
+him alone. They did so, and he lay sleeping more than three hours, at the
+end of which he awoke and felt very great bodily relief and so much ease
+from his bruises that he thought himself quite cured, and verily believed
+he had hit upon the balsam of Fierabras; and that with this remedy he
+might thenceforward, without any fear, face any kind of destruction,
+battle, or combat, however perilous it might be.
+
+Sancho Panza, who also regarded the amendment of his master as
+miraculous, begged him to give him what was left in the pigskin, which
+was no small quantity. Don Quixote consented, and he, taking it with both
+hands, in good faith and with a better will, gulped down and drained off
+very little less than his master. But the fact is, that the stomach of
+poor Sancho was of necessity not so delicate as that of his master, and
+so, before vomiting, he was seized with such gripings and retchings, and
+such sweats and faintness, that verily and truly be believed his last
+hour had come, and finding himself so racked and tormented he cursed the
+balsam and the thief that had given it to him.
+
+Don Quixote seeing him in this state said, "It is my belief, Sancho, that
+this mischief comes of thy not being dubbed a knight, for I am persuaded
+this liquor cannot be good for those who are not so."
+
+"If your worship knew that," returned Sancho--"woe betide me and all my
+kindred!--why did you let me taste it?"
+
+At this moment the draught took effect, and the poor squire began to
+discharge both ways at such a rate that the rush mat on which he had
+thrown himself and the canvas blanket he had covering him were fit for
+nothing afterwards. He sweated and perspired with such paroxysms and
+convulsions that not only he himself but all present thought his end had
+come. This tempest and tribulation lasted about two hours, at the end of
+which he was left, not like his master, but so weak and exhausted that he
+could not stand. Don Quixote, however, who, as has been said, felt
+himself relieved and well, was eager to take his departure at once in
+quest of adventures, as it seemed to him that all the time he loitered
+there was a fraud upon the world and those in it who stood in need of his
+help and protection, all the more when he had the security and confidence
+his balsam afforded him; and so, urged by this impulse, he saddled
+Rocinante himself and put the pack-saddle on his squire's beast, whom
+likewise he helped to dress and mount the ass; after which he mounted his
+horse and turning to a corner of the inn he laid hold of a pike that
+stood there, to serve him by way of a lance. All that were in the inn,
+who were more than twenty persons, stood watching him; the innkeeper's
+daughter was likewise observing him, and he too never took his eyes off
+her, and from time to time fetched a sigh that he seemed to pluck up from
+the depths of his bowels; but they all thought it must be from the pain
+he felt in his ribs; at any rate they who had seen him plastered the
+night before thought so.
+
+As soon as they were both mounted, at the gate of the inn, he called to
+the host and said in a very grave and measured voice, "Many and great are
+the favours, Senor Alcaide, that I have received in this castle of yours,
+and I remain under the deepest obligation to be grateful to you for them
+all the days of my life; if I can repay them in avenging you of any
+arrogant foe who may have wronged you, know that my calling is no other
+than to aid the weak, to avenge those who suffer wrong, and to chastise
+perfidy. Search your memory, and if you find anything of this kind you
+need only tell me of it, and I promise you by the order of knighthood
+which I have received to procure you satisfaction and reparation to the
+utmost of your desire."
+
+The innkeeper replied to him with equal calmness, "Sir Knight, I do not
+want your worship to avenge me of any wrong, because when any is done me
+I can take what vengeance seems good to me; the only thing I want is that
+you pay me the score that you have run up in the inn last night, as well
+for the straw and barley for your two beasts, as for supper and beds."
+
+"Then this is an inn?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"And a very respectable one," said the innkeeper.
+
+"I have been under a mistake all this time," answered Don Quixote, "for
+in truth I thought it was a castle, and not a bad one; but since it
+appears that it is not a castle but an inn, all that can be done now is
+that you should excuse the payment, for I cannot contravene the rule of
+knights-errant, of whom I know as a fact (and up to the present I have
+read nothing to the contrary) that they never paid for lodging or
+anything else in the inn where they might be; for any hospitality that
+might be offered them is their due by law and right in return for the
+insufferable toil they endure in seeking adventures by night and by day,
+in summer and in winter, on foot and on horseback, in hunger and thirst,
+cold and heat, exposed to all the inclemencies of heaven and all the
+hardships of earth."
+
+"I have little to do with that," replied the innkeeper; "pay me what you
+owe me, and let us have no more talk of chivalry, for all I care about is
+to get my money."
+
+"You are a stupid, scurvy innkeeper," said Don Quixote, and putting spurs
+to Rocinante and bringing his pike to the slope he rode out of the inn
+before anyone could stop him, and pushed on some distance without looking
+to see if his squire was following him.
+
+The innkeeper when he saw him go without paying him ran to get payment of
+Sancho, who said that as his master would not pay neither would he,
+because, being as he was squire to a knight-errant, the same rule and
+reason held good for him as for his master with regard to not paying
+anything in inns and hostelries. At this the innkeeper waxed very wroth,
+and threatened if he did not pay to compel him in a way that he would not
+like. To which Sancho made answer that by the law of chivalry his master
+had received he would not pay a rap, though it cost him his life; for the
+excellent and ancient usage of knights-errant was not going to be
+violated by him, nor should the squires of such as were yet to come into
+the world ever complain of him or reproach him with breaking so just a
+privilege.
+
+The ill-luck of the unfortunate Sancho so ordered it that among the
+company in the inn there were four woolcarders from Segovia, three
+needle-makers from the Colt of Cordova, and two lodgers from the Fair of
+Seville, lively fellows, tender-hearted, fond of a joke, and playful,
+who, almost as if instigated and moved by a common impulse, made up to
+Sancho and dismounted him from his ass, while one of them went in for the
+blanket of the host's bed; but on flinging him into it they looked up,
+and seeing that the ceiling was somewhat lower what they required for
+their work, they decided upon going out into the yard, which was bounded
+by the sky, and there, putting Sancho in the middle of the blanket, they
+began to raise him high, making sport with him as they would with a dog
+at Shrovetide.
+
+The cries of the poor blanketed wretch were so loud that they reached the
+ears of his master, who, halting to listen attentively, was persuaded
+that some new adventure was coming, until he clearly perceived that it
+was his squire who uttered them. Wheeling about he came up to the inn
+with a laborious gallop, and finding it shut went round it to see if he
+could find some way of getting in; but as soon as he came to the wall of
+the yard, which was not very high, he discovered the game that was being
+played with his squire. He saw him rising and falling in the air with
+such grace and nimbleness that, had his rage allowed him, it is my belief
+he would have laughed. He tried to climb from his horse on to the top of
+the wall, but he was so bruised and battered that he could not even
+dismount; and so from the back of his horse he began to utter such
+maledictions and objurgations against those who were blanketing Sancho as
+it would be impossible to write down accurately: they, however, did not
+stay their laughter or their work for this, nor did the flying Sancho
+cease his lamentations, mingled now with threats, now with entreaties but
+all to little purpose, or none at all, until from pure weariness they
+left off. They then brought him his ass, and mounting him on top of it
+they put his jacket round him; and the compassionate Maritornes, seeing
+him so exhausted, thought fit to refresh him with a jug of water, and
+that it might be all the cooler she fetched it from the well. Sancho took
+it, and as he was raising it to his mouth he was stopped by the cries of
+his master exclaiming, "Sancho, my son, drink not water; drink it not, my
+son, for it will kill thee; see, here I have the blessed balsam (and he
+held up the flask of liquor), and with drinking two drops of it thou wilt
+certainly be restored."
+
+At these words Sancho turned his eyes asquint, and in a still louder
+voice said, "Can it be your worship has forgotten that I am not a knight,
+or do you want me to end by vomiting up what bowels I have left after
+last night? Keep your liquor in the name of all the devils, and leave me
+to myself!" and at one and the same instant he left off talking and began
+drinking; but as at the first sup he perceived it was water he did not
+care to go on with it, and begged Maritornes to fetch him some wine,
+which she did with right good will, and paid for it with her own money;
+for indeed they say of her that, though she was in that line of life,
+there was some faint and distant resemblance to a Christian about her.
+When Sancho had done drinking he dug his heels into his ass, and the gate
+of the inn being thrown open he passed out very well pleased at having
+paid nothing and carried his point, though it had been at the expense of
+his usual sureties, his shoulders. It is true that the innkeeper detained
+his alforjas in payment of what was owing to him, but Sancho took his
+departure in such a flurry that he never missed them. The innkeeper, as
+soon as he saw him off, wanted to bar the gate close, but the blanketers
+would not agree to it, for they were fellows who would not have cared two
+farthings for Don Quixote, even had he been really one of the
+knights-errant of the Round Table.
+
+Chapter XVIII. -
+In which is related the discourse Sancho Panza held with his master, Don
+Quixote, and other adventures worth relating
+
+Sancho reached his master so limp and faint that he could not urge on his
+beast. When Don Quixote saw the state he was in he said, "I have now come
+to the conclusion, good Sancho, that this castle or inn is beyond a doubt
+enchanted, because those who have so atrociously diverted themselves with
+thee, what can they be but phantoms or beings of another world? and I
+hold this confirmed by having noticed that when I was by the wall of the
+yard witnessing the acts of thy sad tragedy, it was out of my power to
+mount upon it, nor could I even dismount from Rocinante, because they no
+doubt had me enchanted; for I swear to thee by the faith of what I am
+that if I had been able to climb up or dismount, I would have avenged
+thee in such a way that those braggart thieves would have remembered
+their freak for ever, even though in so doing I knew that I contravened
+the laws of chivalry, which, as I have often told thee, do not permit a
+knight to lay hands on him who is not one, save in case of urgent and
+great necessity in defence of his own life and person."
+
+"I would have avenged myself too if I could," said Sancho, "whether I had
+been dubbed knight or not, but I could not; though for my part I am
+persuaded those who amused themselves with me were not phantoms or
+enchanted men, as your worship says, but men of flesh and bone like
+ourselves; and they all had their names, for I heard them name them when
+they were tossing me, and one was called Pedro Martinez, and another
+Tenorio Hernandez, and the innkeeper, I heard, was called Juan Palomeque
+the Left-handed; so that, senor, your not being able to leap over the
+wall of the yard or dismount from your horse came of something else
+besides enchantments; and what I make out clearly from all this is, that
+these adventures we go seeking will in the end lead us into such
+misadventures that we shall not know which is our right foot; and that
+the best and wisest thing, according to my small wits, would be for us to
+return home, now that it is harvest-time, and attend to our business, and
+give over wandering from Zeca to Mecca and from pail to bucket, as the
+saying is."
+
+"How little thou knowest about chivalry, Sancho," replied Don Quixote;
+"hold thy peace and have patience; the day will come when thou shalt see
+with thine own eyes what an honourable thing it is to wander in the
+pursuit of this calling; nay, tell me, what greater pleasure can there be
+in the world, or what delight can equal that of winning a battle, and
+triumphing over one's enemy? None, beyond all doubt."
+
+"Very likely," answered Sancho, "though I do not know it; all I know is
+that since we have been knights-errant, or since your worship has been
+one (for I have no right to reckon myself one of so honourable a number)
+we have never won any battle except the one with the Biscayan, and even
+out of that your worship came with half an ear and half a helmet the
+less; and from that till now it has been all cudgellings and more
+cudgellings, cuffs and more cuffs, I getting the blanketing over and
+above, and falling in with enchanted persons on whom I cannot avenge
+myself so as to know what the delight, as your worship calls it, of
+conquering an enemy is like."
+
+"That is what vexes me, and what ought to vex thee, Sancho," replied Don
+Quixote; "but henceforward I will endeavour to have at hand some sword
+made by such craft that no kind of enchantments can take effect upon him
+who carries it, and it is even possible that fortune may procure for me
+that which belonged to Amadis when he was called 'The Knight of the
+Burning Sword,' which was one of the best swords that ever knight in the
+world possessed, for, besides having the said virtue, it cut like a
+razor, and there was no armour, however strong and enchanted it might be,
+that could resist it."
+
+"Such is my luck," said Sancho, "that even if that happened and your
+worship found some such sword, it would, like the balsam, turn out
+serviceable and good for dubbed knights only, and as for the squires,
+they might sup sorrow."
+
+"Fear not that, Sancho," said Don Quixote: "Heaven will deal better by
+thee."
+
+Thus talking, Don Quixote and his squire were going along, when, on the
+road they were following, Don Quixote perceived approaching them a large
+and thick cloud of dust, on seeing which he turned to Sancho and said:
+
+"This is the day, Sancho, on which will be seen the boon my fortune is
+reserving for me; this, I say, is the day on which as much as on any
+other shall be displayed the might of my arm, and on which I shall do
+deeds that shall remain written in the book of fame for all ages to come.
+Seest thou that cloud of dust which rises yonder? Well, then, all that is
+churned up by a vast army composed of various and countless nations that
+comes marching there."
+
+"According to that there must be two," said Sancho, "for on this opposite
+side also there rises just such another cloud of dust."
+
+Don Quixote turned to look and found that it was true, and rejoicing
+exceedingly, he concluded that they were two armies about to engage and
+encounter in the midst of that broad plain; for at all times and seasons
+his fancy was full of the battles, enchantments, adventures, crazy feats,
+loves, and defiances that are recorded in the books of chivalry, and
+everything he said, thought, or did had reference to such things. Now the
+cloud of dust he had seen was raised by two great droves of sheep coming
+along the same road in opposite directions, which, because of the dust,
+did not become visible until they drew near, but Don Quixote asserted so
+positively that they were armies that Sancho was led to believe it and
+say, "Well, and what are we to do, senor?"
+
+"What?" said Don Quixote: "give aid and assistance to the weak and those
+who need it; and thou must know, Sancho, that this which comes opposite
+to us is conducted and led by the mighty emperor Alifanfaron, lord of the
+great isle of Trapobana; this other that marches behind me is that of his
+enemy the king of the Garamantas, Pentapolin of the Bare Arm, for he
+always goes into battle with his right arm bare."
+
+"But why are these two lords such enemies?"
+
+"They are at enmity," replied Don Quixote, "because this Alifanfaron is a
+furious pagan and is in love with the daughter of Pentapolin, who is a
+very beautiful and moreover gracious lady, and a Christian, and her
+father is unwilling to bestow her upon the pagan king unless he first
+abandons the religion of his false prophet Mahomet, and adopts his own."
+
+"By my beard," said Sancho, "but Pentapolin does quite right, and I will
+help him as much as I can."
+
+"In that thou wilt do what is thy duty, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "for
+to engage in battles of this sort it is not requisite to be a dubbed
+knight."
+
+"That I can well understand," answered Sancho; "but where shall we put
+this ass where we may be sure to find him after the fray is over? for I
+believe it has not been the custom so far to go into battle on a beast of
+this kind."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, "and what you had best do with him is
+to leave him to take his chance whether he be lost or not, for the horses
+we shall have when we come out victors will be so many that even
+Rocinante will run a risk of being changed for another. But attend to me
+and observe, for I wish to give thee some account of the chief knights
+who accompany these two armies; and that thou mayest the better see and
+mark, let us withdraw to that hillock which rises yonder, whence both
+armies may be seen."
+
+They did so, and placed themselves on a rising ground from which the two
+droves that Don Quixote made armies of might have been plainly seen if
+the clouds of dust they raised had not obscured them and blinded the
+sight; nevertheless, seeing in his imagination what he did not see and
+what did not exist, he began thus in a loud voice:
+
+"That knight whom thou seest yonder in yellow armour, who bears upon his
+shield a lion crowned crouching at the feet of a damsel, is the valiant
+Laurcalco, lord of the Silver Bridge; that one in armour with flowers of
+gold, who bears on his shield three crowns argent on an azure field, is
+the dreaded Micocolembo, grand duke of Quirocia; that other of gigantic
+frame, on his right hand, is the ever dauntless Brandabarbaran de
+Boliche, lord of the three Arabias, who for armour wears that serpent
+skin, and has for shield a gate which, according to tradition, is one of
+those of the temple that Samson brought to the ground when by his death
+he revenged himself upon his enemies. But turn thine eyes to the other
+side, and thou shalt see in front and in the van of this other army the
+ever victorious and never vanquished Timonel of Carcajona, prince of New
+Biscay, who comes in armour with arms quartered azure, vert, white, and
+yellow, and bears on his shield a cat or on a field tawny with a motto
+which says Miau, which is the beginning of the name of his lady, who
+according to report is the peerless Miaulina, daughter of the duke
+Alfeniquen of the Algarve; the other, who burdens and presses the loins
+of that powerful charger and bears arms white as snow and a shield blank
+and without any device, is a novice knight, a Frenchman by birth, Pierres
+Papin by name, lord of the baronies of Utrique; that other, who with
+iron-shod heels strikes the flanks of that nimble parti-coloured zebra,
+and for arms bears azure vair, is the mighty duke of Nerbia,
+Espartafilardo del Bosque, who bears for device on his shield an
+asparagus plant with a motto in Castilian that says, Rastrea mi suerte."
+And so he went on naming a number of knights of one squadron or the other
+out of his imagination, and to all he assigned off-hand their arms,
+colours, devices, and mottoes, carried away by the illusions of his
+unheard-of craze; and without a pause, he continued, "People of divers
+nations compose this squadron in front; here are those that drink of the
+sweet waters of the famous Xanthus, those that scour the woody Massilian
+plains, those that sift the pure fine gold of Arabia Felix, those that
+enjoy the famed cool banks of the crystal Thermodon, those that in many
+and various ways divert the streams of the golden Pactolus, the
+Numidians, faithless in their promises, the Persians renowned in archery,
+the Parthians and the Medes that fight as they fly, the Arabs that ever
+shift their dwellings, the Scythians as cruel as they are fair, the
+Ethiopians with pierced lips, and an infinity of other nations whose
+features I recognise and descry, though I cannot recall their names. In
+this other squadron there come those that drink of the crystal streams of
+the olive-bearing Betis, those that make smooth their countenances with
+the water of the ever rich and golden Tagus, those that rejoice in the
+fertilising flow of the divine Genil, those that roam the Tartesian
+plains abounding in pasture, those that take their pleasure in the
+Elysian meadows of Jerez, the rich Manchegans crowned with ruddy ears of
+corn, the wearers of iron, old relics of the Gothic race, those that
+bathe in the Pisuerga renowned for its gentle current, those that feed
+their herds along the spreading pastures of the winding Guadiana famed
+for its hidden course, those that tremble with the cold of the pineclad
+Pyrenees or the dazzling snows of the lofty Apennine; in a word, as many
+as all Europe includes and contains."
+
+Good God! what a number of countries and nations he named! giving to each
+its proper attributes with marvellous readiness; brimful and saturated
+with what he had read in his lying books! Sancho Panza hung upon his
+words without speaking, and from time to time turned to try if he could
+see the knights and giants his master was describing, and as he could not
+make out one of them he said to him:
+
+"Senor, devil take it if there's a sign of any man you talk of, knight or
+giant, in the whole thing; maybe it's all enchantment, like the phantoms
+last night."
+
+"How canst thou say that!" answered Don Quixote; "dost thou not hear the
+neighing of the steeds, the braying of the trumpets, the roll of the
+drums?"
+
+"I hear nothing but a great bleating of ewes and sheep," said Sancho;
+which was true, for by this time the two flocks had come close.
+
+"The fear thou art in, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "prevents thee from
+seeing or hearing correctly, for one of the effects of fear is to derange
+the senses and make things appear different from what they are; if thou
+art in such fear, withdraw to one side and leave me to myself, for alone
+I suffice to bring victory to that side to which I shall give my aid;"
+and so saying he gave Rocinante the spur, and putting the lance in rest,
+shot down the slope like a thunderbolt. Sancho shouted after him, crying,
+"Come back, Senor Don Quixote; I vow to God they are sheep and ewes you
+are charging! Come back! Unlucky the father that begot me! what madness
+is this! Look, there is no giant, nor knight, nor cats, nor arms, nor
+shields quartered or whole, nor vair azure or bedevilled. What are you
+about? Sinner that I am before God!" But not for all these entreaties did
+Don Quixote turn back; on the contrary he went on shouting out, "Ho,
+knights, ye who follow and fight under the banners of the valiant emperor
+Pentapolin of the Bare Arm, follow me all; ye shall see how easily I
+shall give him his revenge over his enemy Alifanfaron of the Trapobana."
+
+So saying, he dashed into the midst of the squadron of ewes, and began
+spearing them with as much spirit and intrepidity as if he were
+transfixing mortal enemies in earnest. The shepherds and drovers
+accompanying the flock shouted to him to desist; seeing it was no use,
+they ungirt their slings and began to salute his ears with stones as big
+as one's fist. Don Quixote gave no heed to the stones, but, letting drive
+right and left kept saying:
+
+"Where art thou, proud Alifanfaron? Come before me; I am a single knight
+who would fain prove thy prowess hand to hand, and make thee yield thy
+life a penalty for the wrong thou dost to the valiant Pentapolin
+Garamanta." Here came a sugar-plum from the brook that struck him on the
+side and buried a couple of ribs in his body. Feeling himself so smitten,
+he imagined himself slain or badly wounded for certain, and recollecting
+his liquor he drew out his flask, and putting it to his mouth began to
+pour the contents into his stomach; but ere he had succeeded in
+swallowing what seemed to him enough, there came another almond which
+struck him on the hand and on the flask so fairly that it smashed it to
+pieces, knocking three or four teeth and grinders out of his mouth in its
+course, and sorely crushing two fingers of his hand. Such was the force
+of the first blow and of the second, that the poor knight in spite of
+himself came down backwards off his horse. The shepherds came up, and
+felt sure they had killed him; so in all haste they collected their flock
+together, took up the dead beasts, of which there were more than seven,
+and made off without waiting to ascertain anything further.
+
+All this time Sancho stood on the hill watching the crazy feats his
+master was performing, and tearing his beard and cursing the hour and the
+occasion when fortune had made him acquainted with him. Seeing him, then,
+brought to the ground, and that the shepherds had taken themselves off,
+he ran to him and found him in very bad case, though not unconscious; and
+said he:
+
+"Did I not tell you to come back, Senor Don Quixote; and that what you
+were going to attack were not armies but droves of sheep?"
+
+"That's how that thief of a sage, my enemy, can alter and falsify
+things," answered Don Quixote; "thou must know, Sancho, that it is a very
+easy matter for those of his sort to make us believe what they choose;
+and this malignant being who persecutes me, envious of the glory he knew
+I was to win in this battle, has turned the squadrons of the enemy into
+droves of sheep. At any rate, do this much, I beg of thee, Sancho, to
+undeceive thyself, and see that what I say is true; mount thy ass and
+follow them quietly, and thou shalt see that when they have gone some
+little distance from this they will return to their original shape and,
+ceasing to be sheep, become men in all respects as I described them to
+thee at first. But go not just yet, for I want thy help and assistance;
+come hither, and see how many of my teeth and grinders are missing, for I
+feel as if there was not one left in my mouth."
+
+Sancho came so close that he almost put his eyes into his mouth; now just
+at that moment the balsam had acted on the stomach of Don Quixote, so, at
+the very instant when Sancho came to examine his mouth, he discharged all
+its contents with more force than a musket, and full into the beard of
+the compassionate squire.
+
+"Holy Mary!" cried Sancho, "what is this that has happened me? Clearly
+this sinner is mortally wounded, as he vomits blood from the mouth;" but
+considering the matter a little more closely he perceived by the colour,
+taste, and smell, that it was not blood but the balsam from the flask
+which he had seen him drink; and he was taken with such a loathing that
+his stomach turned, and he vomited up his inside over his very master,
+and both were left in a precious state. Sancho ran to his ass to get
+something wherewith to clean himself, and relieve his master, out of his
+alforjas; but not finding them, he well-nigh took leave of his senses,
+and cursed himself anew, and in his heart resolved to quit his master and
+return home, even though he forfeited the wages of his service and all
+hopes of the promised island.
+
+Don Quixote now rose, and putting his left hand to his mouth to keep his
+teeth from falling out altogether, with the other he laid hold of the
+bridle of Rocinante, who had never stirred from his master's side--so
+loyal and well-behaved was he--and betook himself to where the squire
+stood leaning over his ass with his hand to his cheek, like one in deep
+dejection. Seeing him in this mood, looking so sad, Don Quixote said to
+him:
+
+"Bear in mind, Sancho, that one man is no more than another, unless he
+does more than another; all these tempests that fall upon us are signs
+that fair weather is coming shortly, and that things will go well with
+us, for it is impossible for good or evil to last for ever; and hence it
+follows that the evil having lasted long, the good must be now nigh at
+hand; so thou must not distress thyself at the misfortunes which happen
+to me, since thou hast no share in them."
+
+"How have I not?" replied Sancho; "was he whom they blanketed yesterday
+perchance any other than my father's son? and the alforjas that are
+missing to-day with all my treasures, did they belong to any other but
+myself?"
+
+"What! are the alforjas missing, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"Yes, they are missing," answered Sancho.
+
+"In that case we have nothing to eat to-day," replied Don Quixote.
+
+"It would be so," answered Sancho, "if there were none of the herbs your
+worship says you know in these meadows, those with which knights-errant
+as unlucky as your worship are wont to supply such-like shortcomings."
+
+"For all that," answered Don Quixote, "I would rather have just now a
+quarter of bread, or a loaf and a couple of pilchards' heads, than all
+the herbs described by Dioscorides, even with Doctor Laguna's notes.
+Nevertheless, Sancho the Good, mount thy beast and come along with me,
+for God, who provides for all things, will not fail us (more especially
+when we are so active in his service as we are), since he fails not the
+midges of the air, nor the grubs of the earth, nor the tadpoles of the
+water, and is so merciful that he maketh his sun to rise on the good and
+on the evil, and sendeth rain on the unjust and on the just."
+
+"Your worship would make a better preacher than knight-errant," said
+Sancho.
+
+"Knights-errant knew and ought to know everything, Sancho," said Don
+Quixote; "for there were knights-errant in former times as well qualified
+to deliver a sermon or discourse in the middle of an encampment, as if
+they had graduated in the University of Paris; whereby we may see that
+the lance has never blunted the pen, nor the pen the lance."
+
+"Well, be it as your worship says," replied Sancho; "let us be off now
+and find some place of shelter for the night, and God grant it may be
+somewhere where there are no blankets, nor blanketeers, nor phantoms, nor
+enchanted Moors; for if there are, may the devil take the whole concern."
+
+"Ask that of God, my son," said Don Quixote; "and do thou lead on where
+thou wilt, for this time I leave our lodging to thy choice; but reach me
+here thy hand, and feel with thy finger, and find out how many of my
+teeth and grinders are missing from this right side of the upper jaw, for
+it is there I feel the pain."
+
+Sancho put in his fingers, and feeling about asked him, "How many
+grinders used your worship have on this side?"
+
+"Four," replied Don Quixote, "besides the back-tooth, all whole and quite
+sound."
+
+"Mind what you are saying, senor."
+
+"I say four, if not five," answered Don Quixote, "for never in my life
+have I had tooth or grinder drawn, nor has any fallen out or been
+destroyed by any decay or rheum."
+
+"Well, then," said Sancho, "in this lower side your worship has no more
+than two grinders and a half, and in the upper neither a half nor any at
+all, for it is all as smooth as the palm of my hand."
+
+"Luckless that I am!" said Don Quixote, hearing the sad news his squire
+gave him; "I had rather they despoiled me of an arm, so it were not the
+sword-arm; for I tell thee, Sancho, a mouth without teeth is like a mill
+without a millstone, and a tooth is much more to be prized than a
+diamond; but we who profess the austere order of chivalry are liable to
+all this. Mount, friend, and lead the way, and I will follow thee at
+whatever pace thou wilt."
+
+Sancho did as he bade him, and proceeded in the direction in which he
+thought he might find refuge without quitting the high road, which was
+there very much frequented. As they went along, then, at a slow pace--for
+the pain in Don Quixote's jaws kept him uneasy and ill-disposed for
+speed--Sancho thought it well to amuse and divert him by talk of some
+kind, and among the things he said to him was that which will be told in
+the following chapter.
+
+Chapter XIX. -
+Of the shrewd discourse which Sancho held with his master, and of the
+adventure that befell him with a dead body, together with other notable
+occurrences
+
+"It seems to me, senor, that all these mishaps that have befallen us of
+late have been without any doubt a punishment for the offence committed
+by your worship against the order of chivalry in not keeping the oath you
+made not to eat bread off a tablecloth or embrace the queen, and all the
+rest of it that your worship swore to observe until you had taken that
+helmet of Malandrino's, or whatever the Moor is called, for I do not very
+well remember."
+
+"Thou art very right, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "but to tell the truth,
+it had escaped my memory; and likewise thou mayest rely upon it that the
+affair of the blanket happened to thee because of thy fault in not
+reminding me of it in time; but I will make amends, for there are ways of
+compounding for everything in the order of chivalry."
+
+"Why! have I taken an oath of some sort, then?" said Sancho.
+
+"It makes no matter that thou hast not taken an oath," said Don Quixote;
+"suffice it that I see thou art not quite clear of complicity; and
+whether or no, it will not be ill done to provide ourselves with a
+remedy."
+
+"In that case," said Sancho, "mind that your worship does not forget this
+as you did the oath; perhaps the phantoms may take it into their heads to
+amuse themselves once more with me; or even with your worship if they see
+you so obstinate."
+
+While engaged in this and other talk, night overtook them on the road
+before they had reached or discovered any place of shelter; and what made
+it still worse was that they were dying of hunger, for with the loss of
+the alforjas they had lost their entire larder and commissariat; and to
+complete the misfortune they met with an adventure which without any
+invention had really the appearance of one. It so happened that the night
+closed in somewhat darkly, but for all that they pushed on, Sancho
+feeling sure that as the road was the king's highway they might
+reasonably expect to find some inn within a league or two. Going along,
+then, in this way, the night dark, the squire hungry, the master
+sharp-set, they saw coming towards them on the road they were travelling
+a great number of lights which looked exactly like stars in motion.
+Sancho was taken aback at the sight of them, nor did Don Quixote
+altogether relish them: the one pulled up his ass by the halter, the
+other his hack by the bridle, and they stood still, watching anxiously to
+see what all this would turn out to be, and found that the lights were
+approaching them, and the nearer they came the greater they seemed, at
+which spectacle Sancho began to shake like a man dosed with mercury, and
+Don Quixote's hair stood on end; he, however, plucking up spirit a
+little, said:
+
+"This, no doubt, Sancho, will be a most mighty and perilous adventure, in
+which it will be needful for me to put forth all my valour and
+resolution."
+
+"Unlucky me!" answered Sancho; "if this adventure happens to be one of
+phantoms, as I am beginning to think it is, where shall I find the ribs
+to bear it?"
+
+"Be they phantoms ever so much," said Don Quixote, "I will not permit
+them to touch a thread of thy garments; for if they played tricks with
+thee the time before, it was because I was unable to leap the walls of
+the yard; but now we are on a wide plain, where I shall be able to wield
+my sword as I please."
+
+"And if they enchant and cripple you as they did the last time," said
+Sancho, "what difference will it make being on the open plain or not?"
+
+"For all that," replied Don Quixote, "I entreat thee, Sancho, to keep a
+good heart, for experience will tell thee what mine is."
+
+"I will, please God," answered Sancho, and the two retiring to one side
+of the road set themselves to observe closely what all these moving
+lights might be; and very soon afterwards they made out some twenty
+encamisados, all on horseback, with lighted torches in their hands, the
+awe-inspiring aspect of whom completely extinguished the courage of
+Sancho, who began to chatter with his teeth like one in the cold fit of
+an ague; and his heart sank and his teeth chattered still more when they
+perceived distinctly that behind them there came a litter covered over
+with black and followed by six more mounted figures in mourning down to
+the very feet of their mules--for they could perceive plainly they were
+not horses by the easy pace at which they went. And as the encamisados
+came along they muttered to themselves in a low plaintive tone. This
+strange spectacle at such an hour and in such a solitary place was quite
+enough to strike terror into Sancho's heart, and even into his master's;
+and (save in Don Quixote's case) did so, for all Sancho's resolution had
+now broken down. It was just the opposite with his master, whose
+imagination immediately conjured up all this to him vividly as one of the
+adventures of his books.
+
+He took it into his head that the litter was a bier on which was borne
+some sorely wounded or slain knight, to avenge whom was a task reserved
+for him alone; and without any further reasoning he laid his lance in
+rest, fixed himself firmly in his saddle, and with gallant spirit and
+bearing took up his position in the middle of the road where the
+encamisados must of necessity pass; and as soon as he saw them near at
+hand he raised his voice and said:
+
+"Halt, knights, or whosoever ye may be, and render me account of who ye
+are, whence ye come, where ye go, what it is ye carry upon that bier,
+for, to judge by appearances, either ye have done some wrong or some
+wrong has been done to you, and it is fitting and necessary that I should
+know, either that I may chastise you for the evil ye have done, or else
+that I may avenge you for the injury that has been inflicted upon you."
+
+"We are in haste," answered one of the encamisados, "and the inn is far
+off, and we cannot stop to render you such an account as you demand;" and
+spurring his mule he moved on.
+
+Don Quixote was mightily provoked by this answer, and seizing the mule by
+the bridle he said, "Halt, and be more mannerly, and render an account of
+what I have asked of you; else, take my defiance to combat, all of you."
+
+The mule was shy, and was so frightened at her bridle being seized that
+rearing up she flung her rider to the ground over her haunches. An
+attendant who was on foot, seeing the encamisado fall, began to abuse Don
+Quixote, who now moved to anger, without any more ado, laying his lance
+in rest charged one of the men in mourning and brought him badly wounded
+to the ground, and as he wheeled round upon the others the agility with
+which he attacked and routed them was a sight to see, for it seemed just
+as if wings had that instant grown upon Rocinante, so lightly and proudly
+did he bear himself. The encamisados were all timid folk and unarmed, so
+they speedily made their escape from the fray and set off at a run across
+the plain with their lighted torches, looking exactly like maskers
+running on some gala or festival night. The mourners, too, enveloped and
+swathed in their skirts and gowns, were unable to bestir themselves, and
+so with entire safety to himself Don Quixote belaboured them all and
+drove them off against their will, for they all thought it was no man but
+a devil from hell come to carry away the dead body they had in the
+litter.
+
+Sancho beheld all this in astonishment at the intrepidity of his lord,
+and said to himself, "Clearly this master of mine is as bold and valiant
+as he says he is."
+
+A burning torch lay on the ground near the first man whom the mule had
+thrown, by the light of which Don Quixote perceived him, and coming up to
+him he presented the point of the lance to his face, calling on him to
+yield himself prisoner, or else he would kill him; to which the prostrate
+man replied, "I am prisoner enough as it is; I cannot stir, for one of my
+legs is broken: I entreat you, if you be a Christian gentleman, not to
+kill me, which will be committing grave sacrilege, for I am a licentiate
+and I hold first orders."
+
+"Then what the devil brought you here, being a churchman?" said Don
+Quixote.
+
+"What, senor?" said the other. "My bad luck."
+
+"Then still worse awaits you," said Don Quixote, "if you do not satisfy
+me as to all I asked you at first."
+
+"You shall be soon satisfied," said the licentiate; "you must know, then,
+that though just now I said I was a licentiate, I am only a bachelor, and
+my name is Alonzo Lopez; I am a native of Alcobendas, I come from the
+city of Baeza with eleven others, priests, the same who fled with the
+torches, and we are going to the city of Segovia accompanying a dead body
+which is in that litter, and is that of a gentleman who died in Baeza,
+where he was interred; and now, as I said, we are taking his bones to
+their burial-place, which is in Segovia, where he was born."
+
+"And who killed him?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"God, by means of a malignant fever that took him," answered the
+bachelor.
+
+"In that case," said Don Quixote, "the Lord has relieved me of the task
+of avenging his death had any other slain him; but, he who slew him
+having slain him, there is nothing for it but to be silent, and shrug
+one's shoulders; I should do the same were he to slay myself; and I would
+have your reverence know that I am a knight of La Mancha, Don Quixote by
+name, and it is my business and calling to roam the world righting wrongs
+and redressing injuries."
+
+"I do not know how that about righting wrongs can be," said the bachelor,
+"for from straight you have made me crooked, leaving me with a broken leg
+that will never see itself straight again all the days of its life; and
+the injury you have redressed in my case has been to leave me injured in
+such a way that I shall remain injured for ever; and the height of
+misadventure it was to fall in with you who go in search of adventures."
+
+"Things do not all happen in the same way," answered Don Quixote; "it all
+came, Sir Bachelor Alonzo Lopez, of your going, as you did, by night,
+dressed in those surplices, with lighted torches, praying, covered with
+mourning, so that naturally you looked like something evil and of the
+other world; and so I could not avoid doing my duty in attacking you, and
+I should have attacked you even had I known positively that you were the
+very devils of hell, for such I certainly believed and took you to be."
+
+"As my fate has so willed it," said the bachelor, "I entreat you, sir
+knight-errant, whose errand has been such an evil one for me, to help me
+to get from under this mule that holds one of my legs caught between the
+stirrup and the saddle."
+
+"I would have talked on till to-morrow," said Don Quixote; "how long were
+you going to wait before telling me of your distress?"
+
+He at once called to Sancho, who, however, had no mind to come, as he was
+just then engaged in unloading a sumpter mule, well laden with provender,
+which these worthy gentlemen had brought with them. Sancho made a bag of
+his coat, and, getting together as much as he could, and as the bag would
+hold, he loaded his beast, and then hastened to obey his master's call,
+and helped him to remove the bachelor from under the mule; then putting
+him on her back he gave him the torch, and Don Quixote bade him follow
+the track of his companions, and beg pardon of them on his part for the
+wrong which he could not help doing them.
+
+And said Sancho, "If by chance these gentlemen should want to know who
+was the hero that served them so, your worship may tell them that he is
+the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha, otherwise called the Knight of the
+Rueful Countenance."
+
+The bachelor then took his departure.
+
+I forgot to mention that before he did so he said to Don Quixote,
+"Remember that you stand excommunicated for having laid violent hands on
+a holy thing, juxta illud, si quis, suadente diabolo."
+
+"I do not understand that Latin," answered Don Quixote, "but I know well
+I did not lay hands, only this pike; besides, I did not think I was
+committing an assault upon priests or things of the Church, which, like a
+Catholic and faithful Christian as I am, I respect and revere, but upon
+phantoms and spectres of the other world; but even so, I remember how it
+fared with Cid Ruy Diaz when he broke the chair of the ambassador of that
+king before his Holiness the Pope, who excommunicated him for the same;
+and yet the good Roderick of Vivar bore himself that day like a very
+noble and valiant knight."
+
+On hearing this the bachelor took his departure, as has been said,
+without making any reply; and Don Quixote asked Sancho what had induced
+him to call him the "Knight of the Rueful Countenance" more then than at
+any other time.
+
+"I will tell you," answered Sancho; "it was because I have been looking
+at you for some time by the light of the torch held by that unfortunate,
+and verily your worship has got of late the most ill-favoured countenance
+I ever saw: it must be either owing to the fatigue of this combat, or
+else to the want of teeth and grinders."
+
+"It is not that," replied Don Quixote, "but because the sage whose duty
+it will be to write the history of my achievements must have thought it
+proper that I should take some distinctive name as all knights of yore
+did; one being 'He of the Burning Sword,' another 'He of the Unicorn,'
+this one 'He of the Damsels,' that 'He of the Phoenix,' another 'The
+Knight of the Griffin,' and another 'He of the Death,' and by these names
+and designations they were known all the world round; and so I say that
+the sage aforesaid must have put it into your mouth and mind just now to
+call me 'The Knight of the Rueful Countenance,' as I intend to call
+myself from this day forward; and that the said name may fit me better, I
+mean, when the opportunity offers, to have a very rueful countenance
+painted on my shield."
+
+"There is no occasion, senor, for wasting time or money on making that
+countenance," said Sancho; "for all that need be done is for your worship
+to show your own, face to face, to those who look at you, and without
+anything more, either image or shield, they will call you 'Him of the
+Rueful Countenance' and believe me I am telling you the truth, for I
+assure you, senor (and in good part be it said), hunger and the loss of
+your grinders have given you such an ill-favoured face that, as I say,
+the rueful picture may be very well spared."
+
+Don Quixote laughed at Sancho's pleasantry; nevertheless he resolved to
+call himself by that name, and have his shield or buckler painted as he
+had devised.
+
+Don Quixote would have looked to see whether the body in the litter were
+bones or not, but Sancho would not have it, saying:
+
+"Senor, you have ended this perilous adventure more safely for yourself
+than any of those I have seen: perhaps these people, though beaten and
+routed, may bethink themselves that it is a single man that has beaten
+them, and feeling sore and ashamed of it may take heart and come in
+search of us and give us trouble enough. The ass is in proper trim, the
+mountains are near at hand, hunger presses, we have nothing more to do
+but make good our retreat, and, as the saying is, the dead to the grave
+and the living to the loaf."
+
+And driving his ass before him he begged his master to follow, who,
+feeling that Sancho was right, did so without replying; and after
+proceeding some little distance between two hills they found themselves
+in a wide and retired valley, where they alighted, and Sancho unloaded
+his beast, and stretched upon the green grass, with hunger for sauce,
+they breakfasted, dined, lunched, and supped all at once, satisfying
+their appetites with more than one store of cold meat which the dead
+man's clerical gentlemen (who seldom put themselves on short allowance)
+had brought with them on their sumpter mule. But another piece of
+ill-luck befell them, which Sancho held the worst of all, and that was
+that they had no wine to drink, nor even water to moisten their lips; and
+as thirst tormented them, Sancho, observing that the meadow where they
+were was full of green and tender grass, said what will be told in the
+following chapter.
+
+Chapter XX. -
+Of the unexampled and unheard-of adventure which was achieved by the
+valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha with less peril than any ever achieved
+by any famous Knight in the world
+
+"It cannot be, senor, but that this grass is a proof that there must be
+hard by some spring or brook to give it moisture, so it would be well to
+move a little farther on, that we may find some place where we may quench
+this terrible thirst that plagues us, which beyond a doubt is more
+distressing than hunger."
+
+The advice seemed good to Don Quixote, and, he leading Rocinante by the
+bridle and Sancho the ass by the halter, after he had packed away upon
+him the remains of the supper, they advanced the meadow feeling their
+way, for the darkness of the night made it impossible to see anything;
+but they had not gone two hundred paces when a loud noise of water, as if
+falling from great rocks, struck their ears. The sound cheered them
+greatly; but halting to make out by listening from what quarter it came
+they heard unseasonably another noise which spoiled the satisfaction the
+sound of the water gave them, especially for Sancho, who was by nature
+timid and faint-hearted. They heard, I say, strokes falling with a
+measured beat, and a certain rattling of iron and chains that, together
+with the furious din of the water, would have struck terror into any
+heart but Don Quixote's. The night was, as has been said, dark, and they
+had happened to reach a spot in among some tall trees, whose leaves
+stirred by a gentle breeze made a low ominous sound; so that, what with
+the solitude, the place, the darkness, the noise of the water, and the
+rustling of the leaves, everything inspired awe and dread; more
+especially as they perceived that the strokes did not cease, nor the wind
+lull, nor morning approach; to all which might be added their ignorance
+as to where they were.
+
+But Don Quixote, supported by his intrepid heart, leaped on Rocinante,
+and bracing his buckler on his arm, brought his pike to the slope, and
+said, "Friend Sancho, know that I by Heaven's will have been born in this
+our iron age to revive revive in it the age of gold, or the golden as it
+is called; I am he for whom perils, mighty achievements, and valiant
+deeds are reserved; I am, I say again, he who is to revive the Knights of
+the Round Table, the Twelve of France and the Nine Worthies; and he who
+is to consign to oblivion the Platirs, the Tablantes, the Olivantes and
+Tirantes, the Phoebuses and Belianises, with the whole herd of famous
+knights-errant of days gone by, performing in these in which I live such
+exploits, marvels, and feats of arms as shall obscure their brightest
+deeds. Thou dost mark well, faithful and trusty squire, the gloom of this
+night, its strange silence, the dull confused murmur of those trees, the
+awful sound of that water in quest of which we came, that seems as though
+it were precipitating and dashing itself down from the lofty mountains of
+the Moon, and that incessant hammering that wounds and pains our ears;
+which things all together and each of itself are enough to instil fear,
+dread, and dismay into the breast of Mars himself, much more into one not
+used to hazards and adventures of the kind. Well, then, all this that I
+put before thee is but an incentive and stimulant to my spirit, making my
+heart burst in my bosom through eagerness to engage in this adventure,
+arduous as it promises to be; therefore tighten Rocinante's girths a
+little, and God be with thee; wait for me here three days and no more,
+and if in that time I come not back, thou canst return to our village,
+and thence, to do me a favour and a service, thou wilt go to El Toboso,
+where thou shalt say to my incomparable lady Dulcinea that her captive
+knight hath died in attempting things that might make him worthy of being
+called hers."
+
+When Sancho heard his master's words he began to weep in the most
+pathetic way, saying:
+
+"Senor, I know not why your worship wants to attempt this so dreadful
+adventure; it is night now, no one sees us here, we can easily turn about
+and take ourselves out of danger, even if we don't drink for three days
+to come; and as there is no one to see us, all the less will there be
+anyone to set us down as cowards; besides, I have many a time heard the
+curate of our village, whom your worship knows well, preach that he who
+seeks danger perishes in it; so it is not right to tempt God by trying so
+tremendous a feat from which there can be no escape save by a miracle,
+and Heaven has performed enough of them for your worship in delivering
+you from being blanketed as I was, and bringing you out victorious and
+safe and sound from among all those enemies that were with the dead man;
+and if all this does not move or soften that hard heart, let this thought
+and reflection move it, that you will have hardly quitted this spot when
+from pure fear I shall yield my soul up to anyone that will take it. I
+left home and wife and children to come and serve your worship, trusting
+to do better and not worse; but as covetousness bursts the bag, it has
+rent my hopes asunder, for just as I had them highest about getting that
+wretched unlucky island your worship has so often promised me, I see that
+instead and in lieu of it you mean to desert me now in a place so far
+from human reach: for God's sake, master mine, deal not so unjustly by
+me, and if your worship will not entirely give up attempting this feat,
+at least put it off till morning, for by what the lore I learned when I
+was a shepherd tells me it cannot want three hours of dawn now, because
+the mouth of the Horn is overhead and makes midnight in the line of the
+left arm."
+
+"How canst thou see, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "where it makes that
+line, or where this mouth or this occiput is that thou talkest of, when
+the night is so dark that there is not a star to be seen in the whole
+heaven?"
+
+"That's true," said Sancho, "but fear has sharp eyes, and sees things
+underground, much more above in heavens; besides, there is good reason to
+show that it now wants but little of day."
+
+"Let it want what it may," replied Don Quixote, "it shall not be said of
+me now or at any time that tears or entreaties turned me aside from doing
+what was in accordance with knightly usage; and so I beg of thee, Sancho,
+to hold thy peace, for God, who has put it into my heart to undertake now
+this so unexampled and terrible adventure, will take care to watch over
+my safety and console thy sorrow; what thou hast to do is to tighten
+Rocinante's girths well, and wait here, for I shall come back shortly,
+alive or dead."
+
+Sancho perceiving it his master's final resolve, and how little his
+tears, counsels, and entreaties prevailed with him, determined to have
+recourse to his own ingenuity and compel him, if he could, to wait till
+daylight; and so, while tightening the girths of the horse, he quietly
+and without being felt, with his ass' halter tied both Rocinante's legs,
+so that when Don Quixote strove to go he was unable as the horse could
+only move by jumps. Seeing the success of his trick, Sancho Panza said:
+
+"See there, senor! Heaven, moved by my tears and prayers, has so ordered
+it that Rocinante cannot stir; and if you will be obstinate, and spur and
+strike him, you will only provoke fortune, and kick, as they say, against
+the pricks."
+
+Don Quixote at this grew desperate, but the more he drove his heels into
+the horse, the less he stirred him; and not having any suspicion of the
+tying, he was fain to resign himself and wait till daybreak or until
+Rocinante could move, firmly persuaded that all this came of something
+other than Sancho's ingenuity. So he said to him, "As it is so, Sancho,
+and as Rocinante cannot move, I am content to wait till dawn smiles upon
+us, even though I weep while it delays its coming."
+
+"There is no need to weep," answered Sancho, "for I will amuse your
+worship by telling stories from this till daylight, unless indeed you
+like to dismount and lie down to sleep a little on the green grass after
+the fashion of knights-errant, so as to be fresher when day comes and the
+moment arrives for attempting this extraordinary adventure you are
+looking forward to."
+
+"What art thou talking about dismounting or sleeping for?" said Don
+Quixote. "Am I, thinkest thou, one of those knights that take their rest
+in the presence of danger? Sleep thou who art born to sleep, or do as
+thou wilt, for I will act as I think most consistent with my character."
+
+"Be not angry, master mine," replied Sancho, "I did not mean to say
+that;" and coming close to him he laid one hand on the pommel of the
+saddle and the other on the cantle so that he held his master's left
+thigh in his embrace, not daring to separate a finger's width from him;
+so much afraid was he of the strokes which still resounded with a regular
+beat. Don Quixote bade him tell some story to amuse him as he had
+proposed, to which Sancho replied that he would if his dread of what he
+heard would let him; "Still," said he, "I will strive to tell a story
+which, if I can manage to relate it, and nobody interferes with the
+telling, is the best of stories, and let your worship give me your
+attention, for here I begin. What was, was; and may the good that is to
+come be for all, and the evil for him who goes to look for it--your
+worship must know that the beginning the old folk used to put to their
+tales was not just as each one pleased; it was a maxim of Cato Zonzorino
+the Roman, that says 'the evil for him that goes to look for it,' and it
+comes as pat to the purpose now as ring to finger, to show that your
+worship should keep quiet and not go looking for evil in any quarter, and
+that we should go back by some other road, since nobody forces us to
+follow this in which so many terrors affright us."
+
+"Go on with thy story, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and leave the choice
+of our road to my care."
+
+"I say then," continued Sancho, "that in a village of Estremadura there
+was a goat-shepherd--that is to say, one who tended goats--which shepherd
+or goatherd, as my story goes, was called Lope Ruiz, and this Lope Ruiz
+was in love with a shepherdess called Torralva, which shepherdess called
+Torralva was the daughter of a rich grazier, and this rich grazier-"
+
+"If that is the way thou tellest thy tale, Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"repeating twice all thou hast to say, thou wilt not have done these two
+days; go straight on with it, and tell it like a reasonable man, or else
+say nothing."
+
+"Tales are always told in my country in the very way I am telling this,"
+answered Sancho, "and I cannot tell it in any other, nor is it right of
+your worship to ask me to make new customs."
+
+"Tell it as thou wilt," replied Don Quixote; "and as fate will have it
+that I cannot help listening to thee, go on."
+
+"And so, lord of my soul," continued Sancho, as I have said, this
+shepherd was in love with Torralva the shepherdess, who was a wild buxom
+lass with something of the look of a man about her, for she had little
+moustaches; I fancy I see her now."
+
+"Then you knew her?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"I did not know her," said Sancho, "but he who told me the story said it
+was so true and certain that when I told it to another I might safely
+declare and swear I had seen it all myself. And so in course of time, the
+devil, who never sleeps and puts everything in confusion, contrived that
+the love the shepherd bore the shepherdess turned into hatred and
+ill-will, and the reason, according to evil tongues, was some little
+jealousy she caused him that crossed the line and trespassed on forbidden
+ground; and so much did the shepherd hate her from that time forward
+that, in order to escape from her, he determined to quit the country and
+go where he should never set eyes on her again. Torralva, when she found
+herself spurned by Lope, was immediately smitten with love for him,
+though she had never loved him before."
+
+"That is the natural way of women," said Don Quixote, "to scorn the one
+that loves them, and love the one that hates them: go on, Sancho."
+
+"It came to pass," said Sancho, "that the shepherd carried out his
+intention, and driving his goats before him took his way across the
+plains of Estremadura to pass over into the Kingdom of Portugal.
+Torralva, who knew of it, went after him, and on foot and barefoot
+followed him at a distance, with a pilgrim's staff in her hand and a
+scrip round her neck, in which she carried, it is said, a bit of
+looking-glass and a piece of a comb and some little pot or other of paint
+for her face; but let her carry what she did, I am not going to trouble
+myself to prove it; all I say is, that the shepherd, they say, came with
+his flock to cross over the river Guadiana, which was at that time
+swollen and almost overflowing its banks, and at the spot he came to
+there was neither ferry nor boat nor anyone to carry him or his flock to
+the other side, at which he was much vexed, for he perceived that
+Torralva was approaching and would give him great annoyance with her
+tears and entreaties; however, he went looking about so closely that he
+discovered a fisherman who had alongside of him a boat so small that it
+could only hold one person and one goat; but for all that he spoke to him
+and agreed with him to carry himself and his three hundred goats across.
+The fisherman got into the boat and carried one goat over; he came back
+and carried another over; he came back again, and again brought over
+another--let your worship keep count of the goats the fisherman is taking
+across, for if one escapes the memory there will be an end of the story,
+and it will be impossible to tell another word of it. To proceed, I must
+tell you the landing place on the other side was miry and slippery, and
+the fisherman lost a great deal of time in going and coming; still he
+returned for another goat, and another, and another."
+
+"Take it for granted he brought them all across," said Don Quixote, "and
+don't keep going and coming in this way, or thou wilt not make an end of
+bringing them over this twelvemonth."
+
+"How many have gone across so far?" said Sancho.
+
+"How the devil do I know?" replied Don Quixote.
+
+"There it is," said Sancho, "what I told you, that you must keep a good
+count; well then, by God, there is an end of the story, for there is no
+going any farther."
+
+"How can that be?" said Don Quixote; "is it so essential to the story to
+know to a nicety the goats that have crossed over, that if there be a
+mistake of one in the reckoning, thou canst not go on with it?"
+
+"No, senor, not a bit," replied Sancho; "for when I asked your worship to
+tell me how many goats had crossed, and you answered you did not know, at
+that very instant all I had to say passed away out of my memory, and,
+faith, there was much virtue in it, and entertainment."
+
+"So, then," said Don Quixote, "the story has come to an end?"
+
+"As much as my mother has," said Sancho.
+
+"In truth," said Don Quixote, "thou hast told one of the rarest stories,
+tales, or histories, that anyone in the world could have imagined, and
+such a way of telling it and ending it was never seen nor will be in a
+lifetime; though I expected nothing else from thy excellent
+understanding. But I do not wonder, for perhaps those ceaseless strokes
+may have confused thy wits."
+
+"All that may be," replied Sancho, "but I know that as to my story, all
+that can be said is that it ends there where the mistake in the count of
+the passage of the goats begins."
+
+"Let it end where it will, well and good," said Don Quixote, "and let us
+see if Rocinante can go;" and again he spurred him, and again Rocinante
+made jumps and remained where he was, so well tied was he.
+
+Just then, whether it was the cold of the morning that was now
+approaching, or that he had eaten something laxative at supper, or that
+it was only natural (as is most likely), Sancho felt a desire to do what
+no one could do for him; but so great was the fear that had penetrated
+his heart, he dared not separate himself from his master by as much as
+the black of his nail; to escape doing what he wanted was, however, also
+impossible; so what he did for peace's sake was to remove his right hand,
+which held the back of the saddle, and with it to untie gently and
+silently the running string which alone held up his breeches, so that on
+loosening it they at once fell down round his feet like fetters; he then
+raised his shirt as well as he could and bared his hind quarters, no slim
+ones. But, this accomplished, which he fancied was all he had to do to
+get out of this terrible strait and embarrassment, another still greater
+difficulty presented itself, for it seemed to him impossible to relieve
+himself without making some noise, and he ground his teeth and squeezed
+his shoulders together, holding his breath as much as he could; but in
+spite of his precautions he was unlucky enough after all to make a little
+noise, very different from that which was causing him so much fear.
+
+Don Quixote, hearing it, said, "What noise is that, Sancho?"
+
+"I don't know, senor," said he; "it must be something new, for adventures
+and misadventures never begin with a trifle." Once more he tried his
+luck, and succeeded so well, that without any further noise or
+disturbance he found himself relieved of the burden that had given him so
+much discomfort. But as Don Quixote's sense of smell was as acute as his
+hearing, and as Sancho was so closely linked with him that the fumes rose
+almost in a straight line, it could not be but that some should reach his
+nose, and as soon as they did he came to its relief by compressing it
+between his fingers, saying in a rather snuffing tone, "Sancho, it
+strikes me thou art in great fear."
+
+"I am," answered Sancho; "but how does your worship perceive it now more
+than ever?"
+
+"Because just now thou smellest stronger than ever, and not of
+ambergris," answered Don Quixote.
+
+"Very likely," said Sancho, "but that's not my fault, but your worship's,
+for leading me about at unseasonable hours and at such unwonted paces."
+
+"Then go back three or four, my friend," said Don Quixote, all the time
+with his fingers to his nose; "and for the future pay more attention to
+thy person and to what thou owest to mine; for it is my great familiarity
+with thee that has bred this contempt."
+
+"I'll bet," replied Sancho, "that your worship thinks I have done
+something I ought not with my person."
+
+"It makes it worse to stir it, friend Sancho," returned Don Quixote.
+
+With this and other talk of the same sort master and man passed the
+night, till Sancho, perceiving that daybreak was coming on apace, very
+cautiously untied Rocinante and tied up his breeches. As soon as
+Rocinante found himself free, though by nature he was not at all
+mettlesome, he seemed to feel lively and began pawing--for as to
+capering, begging his pardon, he knew not what it meant. Don Quixote,
+then, observing that Rocinante could move, took it as a good sign and a
+signal that he should attempt the dread adventure. By this time day had
+fully broken and everything showed distinctly, and Don Quixote saw that
+he was among some tall trees, chestnuts, which cast a very deep shade; he
+perceived likewise that the sound of the strokes did not cease, but could
+not discover what caused it, and so without any further delay he let
+Rocinante feel the spur, and once more taking leave of Sancho, he told
+him to wait for him there three days at most, as he had said before, and
+if he should not have returned by that time, he might feel sure it had
+been God's will that he should end his days in that perilous adventure.
+He again repeated the message and commission with which he was to go on
+his behalf to his lady Dulcinea, and said he was not to be uneasy as to
+the payment of his services, for before leaving home he had made his
+will, in which he would find himself fully recompensed in the matter of
+wages in due proportion to the time he had served; but if God delivered
+him safe, sound, and unhurt out of that danger, he might look upon the
+promised island as much more than certain. Sancho began to weep afresh on
+again hearing the affecting words of his good master, and resolved to
+stay with him until the final issue and end of the business. From these
+tears and this honourable resolve of Sancho Panza's the author of this
+history infers that he must have been of good birth and at least an old
+Christian; and the feeling he displayed touched his but not so much as to
+make him show any weakness; on the contrary, hiding what he felt as well
+as he could, he began to move towards that quarter whence the sound of
+the water and of the strokes seemed to come.
+
+Sancho followed him on foot, leading by the halter, as his custom was,
+his ass, his constant comrade in prosperity or adversity; and advancing
+some distance through the shady chestnut trees they came upon a little
+meadow at the foot of some high rocks, down which a mighty rush of water
+flung itself. At the foot of the rocks were some rudely constructed
+houses looking more like ruins than houses, from among which came, they
+perceived, the din and clatter of blows, which still continued without
+intermission. Rocinante took fright at the noise of the water and of the
+blows, but quieting him Don Quixote advanced step by step towards the
+houses, commending himself with all his heart to his lady, imploring her
+support in that dread pass and enterprise, and on the way commending
+himself to God, too, not to forget him. Sancho who never quitted his
+side, stretched his neck as far as he could and peered between the legs
+of Rocinante to see if he could now discover what it was that caused him
+such fear and apprehension. They went it might be a hundred paces
+farther, when on turning a corner the true cause, beyond the possibility
+of any mistake, of that dread-sounding and to them awe-inspiring noise
+that had kept them all the night in such fear and perplexity, appeared
+plain and obvious; and it was (if, reader, thou art not disgusted and
+disappointed) six fulling hammers which by their alternate strokes made
+all the din.
+
+When Don Quixote perceived what it was, he was struck dumb and rigid from
+head to foot. Sancho glanced at him and saw him with his head bent down
+upon his breast in manifest mortification; and Don Quixote glanced at
+Sancho and saw him with his cheeks puffed out and his mouth full of
+laughter, and evidently ready to explode with it, and in spite of his
+vexation he could not help laughing at the sight of him; and when Sancho
+saw his master begin he let go so heartily that he had to hold his sides
+with both hands to keep himself from bursting with laughter. Four times
+he stopped, and as many times did his laughter break out afresh with the
+same violence as at first, whereat Don Quixote grew furious, above all
+when he heard him say mockingly, "Thou must know, friend Sancho, that of
+Heaven's will I was born in this our iron age to revive in it the golden
+or age of gold; I am he for whom are reserved perils, mighty
+achievements, valiant deeds;" and here he went on repeating the words
+that Don Quixote uttered the first time they heard the awful strokes.
+
+Don Quixote, then, seeing that Sancho was turning him into ridicule, was
+so mortified and vexed that he lifted up his pike and smote him two such
+blows that if, instead of catching them on his shoulders, he had caught
+them on his head there would have been no wages to pay, unless indeed to
+his heirs. Sancho seeing that he was getting an awkward return in earnest
+for his jest, and fearing his master might carry it still further, said
+to him very humbly, "Calm yourself, sir, for by God I am only joking."
+
+"Well, then, if you are joking I am not," replied Don Quixote. "Look
+here, my lively gentleman, if these, instead of being fulling hammers,
+had been some perilous adventure, have I not, think you, shown the
+courage required for the attempt and achievement? Am I, perchance, being,
+as I am, a gentleman, bound to know and distinguish sounds and tell
+whether they come from fulling mills or not; and that, when perhaps, as
+is the case, I have never in my life seen any as you have, low boor as
+you are, that have been born and bred among them? But turn me these six
+hammers into six giants, and bring them to beard me, one by one or all
+together, and if I do not knock them head over heels, then make what
+mockery you like of me."
+
+"No more of that, senor," returned Sancho; "I own I went a little too far
+with the joke. But tell me, your worship, now that peace is made between
+us (and may God bring you out of all the adventures that may befall you
+as safe and sound as he has brought you out of this one), was it not a
+thing to laugh at, and is it not a good story, the great fear we were
+in?--at least that I was in; for as to your worship I see now that you
+neither know nor understand what either fear or dismay is."
+
+"I do not deny," said Don Quixote, "that what happened to us may be worth
+laughing at, but it is not worth making a story about, for it is not
+everyone that is shrewd enough to hit the right point of a thing."
+
+"At any rate," said Sancho, "your worship knew how to hit the right point
+with your pike, aiming at my head and hitting me on the shoulders, thanks
+be to God and my own smartness in dodging it. But let that pass; all will
+come out in the scouring; for I have heard say 'he loves thee well that
+makes thee weep;' and moreover that it is the way with great lords after
+any hard words they give a servant to give him a pair of breeches; though
+I do not know what they give after blows, unless it be that
+knights-errant after blows give islands, or kingdoms on the mainland."
+
+"It may be on the dice," said Don Quixote, "that all thou sayest will
+come true; overlook the past, for thou art shrewd enough to know that our
+first movements are not in our own control; and one thing for the future
+bear in mind, that thou curb and restrain thy loquacity in my company;
+for in all the books of chivalry that I have read, and they are
+innumerable, I never met with a squire who talked so much to his lord as
+thou dost to thine; and in fact I feel it to be a great fault of thine
+and of mine: of thine, that thou hast so little respect for me; of mine,
+that I do not make myself more respected. There was Gandalin, the squire
+of Amadis of Gaul, that was Count of the Insula Firme, and we read of him
+that he always addressed his lord with his cap in his hand, his head
+bowed down and his body bent double, more turquesco. And then, what shall
+we say of Gasabal, the squire of Galaor, who was so silent that in order
+to indicate to us the greatness of his marvellous taciturnity his name is
+only once mentioned in the whole of that history, as long as it is
+truthful? From all I have said thou wilt gather, Sancho, that there must
+be a difference between master and man, between lord and lackey, between
+knight and squire: so that from this day forward in our intercourse we
+must observe more respect and take less liberties, for in whatever way I
+may be provoked with you it will be bad for the pitcher. The favours and
+benefits that I have promised you will come in due time, and if they do
+not your wages at least will not be lost, as I have already told you."
+
+"All that your worship says is very well," said Sancho, "but I should
+like to know (in case the time of favours should not come, and it might
+be necessary to fall back upon wages) how much did the squire of a
+knight-errant get in those days, and did they agree by the month, or by
+the day like bricklayers?"
+
+"I do not believe," replied Don Quixote, "that such squires were ever on
+wages, but were dependent on favour; and if I have now mentioned thine in
+the sealed will I have left at home, it was with a view to what may
+happen; for as yet I know not how chivalry will turn out in these
+wretched times of ours, and I do not wish my soul to suffer for trifles
+in the other world; for I would have thee know, Sancho, that in this
+there is no condition more hazardous than that of adventurers."
+
+"That is true," said Sancho, "since the mere noise of the hammers of a
+fulling mill can disturb and disquiet the heart of such a valiant errant
+adventurer as your worship; but you may be sure I will not open my lips
+henceforward to make light of anything of your worship's, but only to
+honour you as my master and natural lord."
+
+"By so doing," replied Don Quixote, "shalt thou live long on the face of
+the earth; for next to parents, masters are to be respected as though
+they were parents."
+
+Chapter XXI. -
+Which treats of the exalted adventure and rich prize of Mambrino's
+helmet, together with other things that happened to our invincible Knight
+
+It now began to rain a little, and Sancho was for going into the fulling
+mills, but Don Quixote had taken such an abhorrence to them on account of
+the late joke that he would not enter them on any account; so turning
+aside to right they came upon another road, different from that which
+they had taken the night before. Shortly afterwards Don Quixote perceived
+a man on horseback who wore on his head something that shone like gold,
+and the moment he saw him he turned to Sancho and said:
+
+"I think, Sancho, there is no proverb that is not true, all being maxims
+drawn from experience itself, the mother of all the sciences, especially
+that one that says, 'Where one door shuts, another opens.' I say so
+because if last night fortune shut the door of the adventure we were
+looking for against us, cheating us with the fulling mills, it now opens
+wide another one for another better and more certain adventure, and if I
+do not contrive to enter it, it will be my own fault, and I cannot lay it
+to my ignorance of fulling mills, or the darkness of the night. I say
+this because, if I mistake not, there comes towards us one who wears on
+his head the helmet of Mambrino, concerning which I took the oath thou
+rememberest."
+
+"Mind what you say, your worship, and still more what you do," said
+Sancho, "for I don't want any more fulling mills to finish off fulling
+and knocking our senses out."
+
+"The devil take thee, man," said Don Quixote; "what has a helmet to do
+with fulling mills?"
+
+"I don't know," replied Sancho, "but, faith, if I might speak as I used,
+perhaps I could give such reasons that your worship would see you were
+mistaken in what you say."
+
+"How can I be mistaken in what I say, unbelieving traitor?" returned Don
+Quixote; "tell me, seest thou not yonder knight coming towards us on a
+dappled grey steed, who has upon his head a helmet of gold?"
+
+"What I see and make out," answered Sancho, "is only a man on a grey ass
+like my own, who has something that shines on his head."
+
+"Well, that is the helmet of Mambrino," said Don Quixote; "stand to one
+side and leave me alone with him; thou shalt see how, without saying a
+word, to save time, I shall bring this adventure to an issue and possess
+myself of the helmet I have so longed for."
+
+"I will take care to stand aside," said Sancho; "but God grant, I say
+once more, that it may be marjoram and not fulling mills."
+
+"I have told thee, brother, on no account to mention those fulling mills
+to me again," said Don Quixote, "or I vow--and I say no more-I'll full
+the soul out of you."
+
+Sancho held his peace in dread lest his master should carry out the vow
+he had hurled like a bowl at him.
+
+The fact of the matter as regards the helmet, steed, and knight that Don
+Quixote saw, was this. In that neighbourhood there were two villages, one
+of them so small that it had neither apothecary's shop nor barber, which
+the other that was close to it had, so the barber of the larger served
+the smaller, and in it there was a sick man who required to be bled and
+another man who wanted to be shaved, and on this errand the barber was
+going, carrying with him a brass basin; but as luck would have it, as he
+was on the way it began to rain, and not to spoil his hat, which probably
+was a new one, he put the basin on his head, and being clean it glittered
+at half a league's distance. He rode upon a grey ass, as Sancho said, and
+this was what made it seem to Don Quixote to be a dapple-grey steed and a
+knight and a golden helmet; for everything he saw he made to fall in with
+his crazy chivalry and ill-errant notions; and when he saw the poor
+knight draw near, without entering into any parley with him, at
+Rocinante's top speed he bore down upon him with the pike pointed low,
+fully determined to run him through and through, and as he reached him,
+without checking the fury of his charge, he cried to him:
+
+"Defend thyself, miserable being, or yield me of thine own accord that
+which is so reasonably my due."
+
+The barber, who without any expectation or apprehension of it saw this
+apparition coming down upon him, had no other way of saving himself from
+the stroke of the lance but to let himself fall off his ass; and no
+sooner had he touched the ground than he sprang up more nimbly than a
+deer and sped away across the plain faster than the wind.
+
+He left the basin on the ground, with which Don Quixote contented
+himself, saying that the pagan had shown his discretion and imitated the
+beaver, which finding itself pressed by the hunters bites and cuts off
+with its teeth that for which, by its natural instinct, it knows it is
+pursued.
+
+He told Sancho to pick up the helmet, and he taking it in his hands said:
+
+"By God the basin is a good one, and worth a real of eight if it is worth
+a maravedis," and handed it to his master, who immediately put it on his
+head, turning it round, now this way, now that, in search of fitment, and
+not finding it he said, "Clearly the pagan to whose measure this famous
+head-piece was first forged must have had a very large head; but the
+worst of it is half of it is wanting."
+
+When Sancho heard him call the basin a headpiece he was unable to
+restrain his laughter, but remembering his master's wrath he checked
+himself in the midst of it.
+
+"What art thou laughing at, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"I am laughing," said he, "to think of the great head the pagan must have
+had who owned this helmet, for it looks exactly like a regular barber's
+basin."
+
+"Dost thou know what I suspect, Sancho?" said Don Quixote; "that this
+wonderful piece of this enchanted helmet must by some strange accident
+have come into the hands of some one who was unable to recognise or
+realise its value, and who, not knowing what he did, and seeing it to be
+of the purest gold, must have melted down one half for the sake of what
+it might be worth, and of the other made this which is like a barber's
+basin as thou sayest; but be it as it may, to me who recognise it, its
+transformation makes no difference, for I will set it to rights at the
+first village where there is a blacksmith, and in such style that that
+helmet the god of smithies forged for the god of battles shall not
+surpass it or even come up to it; and in the meantime I will wear it as
+well as I can, for something is better than nothing; all the more as it
+will be quite enough to protect me from any chance blow of a stone."
+
+"That is," said Sancho, "if it is not shot with a sling as they were in
+the battle of the two armies, when they signed the cross on your
+worship's grinders and smashed the flask with that blessed draught that
+made me vomit my bowels up."
+
+"It does not grieve me much to have lost it," said Don Quixote, "for thou
+knowest, Sancho, that I have the receipt in my memory."
+
+"So have I," answered Sancho, "but if ever I make it, or try it again as
+long as I live, may this be my last hour; moreover, I have no intention
+of putting myself in the way of wanting it, for I mean, with all my five
+senses, to keep myself from being wounded or from wounding anyone: as to
+being blanketed again I say nothing, for it is hard to prevent mishaps of
+that sort, and if they come there is nothing for it but to squeeze our
+shoulders together, hold our breath, shut our eyes, and let ourselves go
+where luck and the blanket may send us."
+
+"Thou art a bad Christian, Sancho," said Don Quixote on hearing this,
+"for once an injury has been done thee thou never forgettest it: but know
+that it is the part of noble and generous hearts not to attach importance
+to trifles. What lame leg hast thou got by it, what broken rib, what
+cracked head, that thou canst not forget that jest? For jest and sport it
+was, properly regarded, and had I not seen it in that light I would have
+returned and done more mischief in revenging thee than the Greeks did for
+the rape of Helen, who, if she were alive now, or if my Dulcinea had
+lived then, might depend upon it she would not be so famous for her
+beauty as she is;" and here he heaved a sigh and sent it aloft; and said
+Sancho, "Let it pass for a jest as it cannot be revenged in earnest, but
+I know what sort of jest and earnest it was, and I know it will never be
+rubbed out of my memory any more than off my shoulders. But putting that
+aside, will your worship tell me what are we to do with this dapple-grey
+steed that looks like a grey ass, which that Martino that your worship
+overthrew has left deserted here? for, from the way he took to his heels
+and bolted, he is not likely ever to come back for it; and by my beard
+but the grey is a good one."
+
+"I have never been in the habit," said Don Quixote, "of taking spoil of
+those whom I vanquish, nor is it the practice of chivalry to take away
+their horses and leave them to go on foot, unless indeed it be that the
+victor have lost his own in the combat, in which case it is lawful to
+take that of the vanquished as a thing won in lawful war; therefore,
+Sancho, leave this horse, or ass, or whatever thou wilt have it to be;
+for when its owner sees us gone hence he will come back for it."
+
+"God knows I should like to take it," returned Sancho, "or at least to
+change it for my own, which does not seem to me as good a one: verily the
+laws of chivalry are strict, since they cannot be stretched to let one
+ass be changed for another; I should like to know if I might at least
+change trappings."
+
+"On that head I am not quite certain," answered Don Quixote, "and the
+matter being doubtful, pending better information, I say thou mayest
+change them, if so be thou hast urgent need of them."
+
+"So urgent is it," answered Sancho, "that if they were for my own person
+I could not want them more;" and forthwith, fortified by this licence, he
+effected the mutatio capparum, rigging out his beast to the ninety-nines
+and making quite another thing of it. This done, they broke their fast on
+the remains of the spoils of war plundered from the sumpter mule, and
+drank of the brook that flowed from the fulling mills, without casting a
+look in that direction, in such loathing did they hold them for the alarm
+they had caused them; and, all anger and gloom removed, they mounted and,
+without taking any fixed road (not to fix upon any being the proper thing
+for true knights-errant), they set out, guided by Rocinante's will, which
+carried along with it that of his master, not to say that of the ass,
+which always followed him wherever he led, lovingly and sociably;
+nevertheless they returned to the high road, and pursued it at a venture
+without any other aim.
+
+As they went along, then, in this way Sancho said to his master, "Senor,
+would your worship give me leave to speak a little to you? For since you
+laid that hard injunction of silence on me several things have gone to
+rot in my stomach, and I have now just one on the tip of my tongue that I
+don't want to be spoiled."
+
+"Say, on, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and be brief in thy discourse, for
+there is no pleasure in one that is long."
+
+"Well then, senor," returned Sancho, "I say that for some days past I
+have been considering how little is got or gained by going in search of
+these adventures that your worship seeks in these wilds and cross-roads,
+where, even if the most perilous are victoriously achieved, there is no
+one to see or know of them, and so they must be left untold for ever, to
+the loss of your worship's object and the credit they deserve; therefore
+it seems to me it would be better (saving your worship's better judgment)
+if we were to go and serve some emperor or other great prince who may
+have some war on hand, in whose service your worship may prove the worth
+of your person, your great might, and greater understanding, on
+perceiving which the lord in whose service we may be will perforce have
+to reward us, each according to his merits; and there you will not be at
+a loss for some one to set down your achievements in writing so as to
+preserve their memory for ever. Of my own I say nothing, as they will not
+go beyond squirely limits, though I make bold to say that, if it be the
+practice in chivalry to write the achievements of squires, I think mine
+must not be left out."
+
+"Thou speakest not amiss, Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "but before that
+point is reached it is requisite to roam the world, as it were on
+probation, seeking adventures, in order that, by achieving some, name and
+fame may be acquired, such that when he betakes himself to the court of
+some great monarch the knight may be already known by his deeds, and that
+the boys, the instant they see him enter the gate of the city, may all
+follow him and surround him, crying, 'This is the Knight of the Sun'-or
+the Serpent, or any other title under which he may have achieved great
+deeds. 'This,' they will say, 'is he who vanquished in single combat the
+gigantic Brocabruno of mighty strength; he who delivered the great
+Mameluke of Persia out of the long enchantment under which he had been
+for almost nine hundred years.' So from one to another they will go
+proclaiming his achievements; and presently at the tumult of the boys and
+the others the king of that kingdom will appear at the windows of his
+royal palace, and as soon as he beholds the knight, recognising him by
+his arms and the device on his shield, he will as a matter of course say,
+'What ho! Forth all ye, the knights of my court, to receive the flower of
+chivalry who cometh hither!' At which command all will issue forth, and
+he himself, advancing half-way down the stairs, will embrace him closely,
+and salute him, kissing him on the cheek, and will then lead him to the
+queen's chamber, where the knight will find her with the princess her
+daughter, who will be one of the most beautiful and accomplished damsels
+that could with the utmost pains be discovered anywhere in the known
+world. Straightway it will come to pass that she will fix her eyes upon
+the knight and he his upon her, and each will seem to the other something
+more divine than human, and, without knowing how or why they will be
+taken and entangled in the inextricable toils of love, and sorely
+distressed in their hearts not to see any way of making their pains and
+sufferings known by speech. Thence they will lead him, no doubt, to some
+richly adorned chamber of the palace, where, having removed his armour,
+they will bring him a rich mantle of scarlet wherewith to robe himself,
+and if he looked noble in his armour he will look still more so in a
+doublet. When night comes he will sup with the king, queen, and princess;
+and all the time he will never take his eyes off her, stealing stealthy
+glances, unnoticed by those present, and she will do the same, and with
+equal cautiousness, being, as I have said, a damsel of great discretion.
+The tables being removed, suddenly through the door of the hall there
+will enter a hideous and diminutive dwarf followed by a fair dame,
+between two giants, who comes with a certain adventure, the work of an
+ancient sage; and he who shall achieve it shall be deemed the best knight
+in the world.
+
+"The king will then command all those present to essay it, and none will
+bring it to an end and conclusion save the stranger knight, to the great
+enhancement of his fame, whereat the princess will be overjoyed and will
+esteem herself happy and fortunate in having fixed and placed her
+thoughts so high. And the best of it is that this king, or prince, or
+whatever he is, is engaged in a very bitter war with another as powerful
+as himself, and the stranger knight, after having been some days at his
+court, requests leave from him to go and serve him in the said war. The
+king will grant it very readily, and the knight will courteously kiss his
+hands for the favour done to him; and that night he will take leave of
+his lady the princess at the grating of the chamber where she sleeps,
+which looks upon a garden, and at which he has already many times
+conversed with her, the go-between and confidante in the matter being a
+damsel much trusted by the princess. He will sigh, she will swoon, the
+damsel will fetch water, much distressed because morning approaches, and
+for the honour of her lady he would not that they were discovered; at
+last the princess will come to herself and will present her white hands
+through the grating to the knight, who will kiss them a thousand and a
+thousand times, bathing them with his tears. It will be arranged between
+them how they are to inform each other of their good or evil fortunes,
+and the princess will entreat him to make his absence as short as
+possible, which he will promise to do with many oaths; once more he
+kisses her hands, and takes his leave in such grief that he is well-nigh
+ready to die. He betakes him thence to his chamber, flings himself on his
+bed, cannot sleep for sorrow at parting, rises early in the morning, goes
+to take leave of the king, queen, and princess, and, as he takes his
+leave of the pair, it is told him that the princess is indisposed and
+cannot receive a visit; the knight thinks it is from grief at his
+departure, his heart is pierced, and he is hardly able to keep from
+showing his pain. The confidante is present, observes all, goes to tell
+her mistress, who listens with tears and says that one of her greatest
+distresses is not knowing who this knight is, and whether he is of kingly
+lineage or not; the damsel assures her that so much courtesy, gentleness,
+and gallantry of bearing as her knight possesses could not exist in any
+save one who was royal and illustrious; her anxiety is thus relieved, and
+she strives to be of good cheer lest she should excite suspicion in her
+parents, and at the end of two days she appears in public. Meanwhile the
+knight has taken his departure; he fights in the war, conquers the king's
+enemy, wins many cities, triumphs in many battles, returns to the court,
+sees his lady where he was wont to see her, and it is agreed that he
+shall demand her in marriage of her parents as the reward of his
+services; the king is unwilling to give her, as he knows not who he is,
+but nevertheless, whether carried off or in whatever other way it may be,
+the princess comes to be his bride, and her father comes to regard it as
+very good fortune; for it so happens that this knight is proved to be the
+son of a valiant king of some kingdom, I know not what, for I fancy it is
+not likely to be on the map. The father dies, the princess inherits, and
+in two words the knight becomes king. And here comes in at once the
+bestowal of rewards upon his squire and all who have aided him in rising
+to so exalted a rank. He marries his squire to a damsel of the
+princess's, who will be, no doubt, the one who was confidante in their
+amour, and is daughter of a very great duke."
+
+"That's what I want, and no mistake about it!" said Sancho. "That's what
+I'm waiting for; for all this, word for word, is in store for your
+worship under the title of the Knight of the Rueful Countenance."
+
+"Thou needst not doubt it, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "for in the same
+manner, and by the same steps as I have described here, knights-errant
+rise and have risen to be kings and emperors; all we want now is to find
+out what king, Christian or pagan, is at war and has a beautiful
+daughter; but there will be time enough to think of that, for, as I have
+told thee, fame must be won in other quarters before repairing to the
+court. There is another thing, too, that is wanting; for supposing we
+find a king who is at war and has a beautiful daughter, and that I have
+won incredible fame throughout the universe, I know not how it can be
+made out that I am of royal lineage, or even second cousin to an emperor;
+for the king will not be willing to give me his daughter in marriage
+unless he is first thoroughly satisfied on this point, however much my
+famous deeds may deserve it; so that by this deficiency I fear I shall
+lose what my arm has fairly earned. True it is I am a gentleman of known
+house, of estate and property, and entitled to the five hundred sueldos
+mulct; and it may be that the sage who shall write my history will so
+clear up my ancestry and pedigree that I may find myself fifth or sixth
+in descent from a king; for I would have thee know, Sancho, that there
+are two kinds of lineages in the world; some there be tracing and
+deriving their descent from kings and princes, whom time has reduced
+little by little until they end in a point like a pyramid upside down;
+and others who spring from the common herd and go on rising step by step
+until they come to be great lords; so that the difference is that the one
+were what they no longer are, and the others are what they formerly were
+not. And I may be of such that after investigation my origin may prove
+great and famous, with which the king, my father-in-law that is to be,
+ought to be satisfied; and should he not be, the princess will so love me
+that even though she well knew me to be the son of a water-carrier, she
+will take me for her lord and husband in spite of her father; if not,
+then it comes to seizing her and carrying her off where I please; for
+time or death will put an end to the wrath of her parents."
+
+"It comes to this, too," said Sancho, "what some naughty people say,
+'Never ask as a favour what thou canst take by force;' though it would
+fit better to say, 'A clear escape is better than good men's prayers.' I
+say so because if my lord the king, your worship's father-in-law, will
+not condescend to give you my lady the princess, there is nothing for it
+but, as your worship says, to seize her and transport her. But the
+mischief is that until peace is made and you come into the peaceful
+enjoyment of your kingdom, the poor squire is famishing as far as rewards
+go, unless it be that the confidante damsel that is to be his wife comes
+with the princess, and that with her he tides over his bad luck until
+Heaven otherwise orders things; for his master, I suppose, may as well
+give her to him at once for a lawful wife."
+
+"Nobody can object to that," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Then since that may be," said Sancho, "there is nothing for it but to
+commend ourselves to God, and let fortune take what course it will."
+
+"God guide it according to my wishes and thy wants," said Don Quixote,
+"and mean be he who thinks himself mean."
+
+"In God's name let him be so," said Sancho: "I am an old Christian, and
+to fit me for a count that's enough."
+
+"And more than enough for thee," said Don Quixote; "and even wert thou
+not, it would make no difference, because I being the king can easily
+give thee nobility without purchase or service rendered by thee, for when
+I make thee a count, then thou art at once a gentleman; and they may say
+what they will, but by my faith they will have to call thee 'your
+lordship,' whether they like it or not."
+
+"Not a doubt of it; and I'll know how to support the tittle," said
+Sancho.
+
+"Title thou shouldst say, not tittle," said his master.
+
+"So be it," answered Sancho. "I say I will know how to behave, for once
+in my life I was beadle of a brotherhood, and the beadle's gown sat so
+well on me that all said I looked as if I was to be steward of the same
+brotherhood. What will it be, then, when I put a duke's robe on my back,
+or dress myself in gold and pearls like a count? I believe they'll come a
+hundred leagues to see me."
+
+"Thou wilt look well," said Don Quixote, "but thou must shave thy beard
+often, for thou hast it so thick and rough and unkempt, that if thou dost
+not shave it every second day at least, they will see what thou art at
+the distance of a musket shot."
+
+"What more will it be," said Sancho, "than having a barber, and keeping
+him at wages in the house? and even if it be necessary, I will make him
+go behind me like a nobleman's equerry."
+
+"Why, how dost thou know that noblemen have equerries behind them?" asked
+Don Quixote.
+
+"I will tell you," answered Sancho. "Years ago I was for a month at the
+capital and there I saw taking the air a very small gentleman who they
+said was a very great man, and a man following him on horseback in every
+turn he took, just as if he was his tail. I asked why this man did not
+join the other man, instead of always going behind him; they answered me
+that he was his equerry, and that it was the custom with nobles to have
+such persons behind them, and ever since then I know it, for I have never
+forgotten it."
+
+"Thou art right," said Don Quixote, "and in the same way thou mayest
+carry thy barber with thee, for customs did not come into use all
+together, nor were they all invented at once, and thou mayest be the
+first count to have a barber to follow him; and, indeed, shaving one's
+beard is a greater trust than saddling one's horse."
+
+"Let the barber business be my look-out," said Sancho; "and your
+worship's be it to strive to become a king, and make me a count."
+
+"So it shall be," answered Don Quixote, and raising his eyes he saw what
+will be told in the following chapter.
+
+Chapter XXII. -
+Of the freedom Don Quixote conferred on several unfortunates who against
+their will were being carried where they had no wish to go
+
+Cide Hamete Benengeli, the Arab and Manchegan author, relates in this
+most grave, high-sounding, minute, delightful, and original history that
+after the discussion between the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha and his
+squire Sancho Panza which is set down at the end of chapter twenty-one,
+Don Quixote raised his eyes and saw coming along the road he was
+following some dozen men on foot strung together by the neck, like beads,
+on a great iron chain, and all with manacles on their hands. With them
+there came also two men on horseback and two on foot; those on horseback
+with wheel-lock muskets, those on foot with javelins and swords, and as
+soon as Sancho saw them he said:
+
+"That is a chain of galley slaves, on the way to the galleys by force of
+the king's orders."
+
+"How by force?" asked Don Quixote; "is it possible that the king uses
+force against anyone?"
+
+"I do not say that," answered Sancho, "but that these are people
+condemned for their crimes to serve by force in the king's galleys."
+
+"In fact," replied Don Quixote, "however it may be, these people are
+going where they are taking them by force, and not of their own will."
+
+"Just so," said Sancho.
+
+"Then if so," said Don Quixote, "here is a case for the exercise of my
+office, to put down force and to succour and help the wretched."
+
+"Recollect, your worship," said Sancho, "Justice, which is the king
+himself, is not using force or doing wrong to such persons, but punishing
+them for their crimes."
+
+The chain of galley slaves had by this time come up, and Don Quixote in
+very courteous language asked those who were in custody of it to be good
+enough to tell him the reason or reasons for which they were conducting
+these people in this manner. One of the guards on horseback answered that
+they were galley slaves belonging to his majesty, that they were going to
+the galleys, and that was all that was to be said and all he had any
+business to know.
+
+"Nevertheless," replied Don Quixote, "I should like to know from each of
+them separately the reason of his misfortune;" to this he added more to
+the same effect to induce them to tell him what he wanted so civilly that
+the other mounted guard said to him:
+
+"Though we have here the register and certificate of the sentence of
+every one of these wretches, this is no time to take them out or read
+them; come and ask themselves; they can tell if they choose, and they
+will, for these fellows take a pleasure in doing and talking about
+rascalities."
+
+With this permission, which Don Quixote would have taken even had they
+not granted it, he approached the chain and asked the first for what
+offences he was now in such a sorry case.
+
+He made answer that it was for being a lover.
+
+"For that only?" replied Don Quixote; "why, if for being lovers they send
+people to the galleys I might have been rowing in them long ago."
+
+"The love is not the sort your worship is thinking of," said the galley
+slave; "mine was that I loved a washerwoman's basket of clean linen so
+well, and held it so close in my embrace, that if the arm of the law had
+not forced it from me, I should never have let it go of my own will to
+this moment; I was caught in the act, there was no occasion for torture,
+the case was settled, they treated me to a hundred lashes on the back,
+and three years of gurapas besides, and that was the end of it."
+
+"What are gurapas?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"Gurapas are galleys," answered the galley slave, who was a young man of
+about four-and-twenty, and said he was a native of Piedrahita.
+
+Don Quixote asked the same question of the second, who made no reply, so
+downcast and melancholy was he; but the first answered for him, and said,
+"He, sir, goes as a canary, I mean as a musician and a singer."
+
+"What!" said Don Quixote, "for being musicians and singers are people
+sent to the galleys too?"
+
+"Yes, sir," answered the galley slave, "for there is nothing worse than
+singing under suffering."
+
+"On the contrary, I have heard say," said Don Quixote, "that he who sings
+scares away his woes."
+
+"Here it is the reverse," said the galley slave; "for he who sings once
+weeps all his life."
+
+"I do not understand it," said Don Quixote; but one of the guards said to
+him, "Sir, to sing under suffering means with the non sancta fraternity
+to confess under torture; they put this sinner to the torture and he
+confessed his crime, which was being a cuatrero, that is a
+cattle-stealer, and on his confession they sentenced him to six years in
+the galleys, besides two bundred lashes that he has already had on the
+back; and he is always dejected and downcast because the other thieves
+that were left behind and that march here ill-treat, and snub, and jeer,
+and despise him for confessing and not having spirit enough to say nay;
+for, say they, 'nay' has no more letters in it than 'yea,' and a culprit
+is well off when life or death with him depends on his own tongue and not
+on that of witnesses or evidence; and to my thinking they are not very
+far out."
+
+"And I think so too," answered Don Quixote; then passing on to the third
+he asked him what he had asked the others, and the man answered very
+readily and unconcernedly, "I am going for five years to their ladyships
+the gurapas for the want of ten ducats."
+
+"I will give twenty with pleasure to get you out of that trouble," said
+Don Quixote.
+
+"That," said the galley slave, "is like a man having money at sea when he
+is dying of hunger and has no way of buying what he wants; I say so
+because if at the right time I had had those twenty ducats that your
+worship now offers me, I would have greased the notary's pen and
+freshened up the attorney's wit with them, so that to-day I should be in
+the middle of the plaza of the Zocodover at Toledo, and not on this road
+coupled like a greyhound. But God is great; patience--there, that's
+enough of it."
+
+Don Quixote passed on to the fourth, a man of venerable aspect with a
+white beard falling below his breast, who on hearing himself asked the
+reason of his being there began to weep without answering a word, but the
+fifth acted as his tongue and said, "This worthy man is going to the
+galleys for four years, after having gone the rounds in ceremony and on
+horseback."
+
+"That means," said Sancho Panza, "as I take it, to have been exposed to
+shame in public."
+
+"Just so," replied the galley slave, "and the offence for which they gave
+him that punishment was having been an ear-broker, nay body-broker; I
+mean, in short, that this gentleman goes as a pimp, and for having
+besides a certain touch of the sorcerer about him."
+
+"If that touch had not been thrown in," said Don Quixote, "he would not
+deserve, for mere pimping, to row in the galleys, but rather to command
+and be admiral of them; for the office of pimp is no ordinary one, being
+the office of persons of discretion, one very necessary in a well-ordered
+state, and only to be exercised by persons of good birth; nay, there
+ought to be an inspector and overseer of them, as in other offices, and
+recognised number, as with the brokers on change; in this way many of the
+evils would be avoided which are caused by this office and calling being
+in the hands of stupid and ignorant people, such as women more or less
+silly, and pages and jesters of little standing and experience, who on
+the most urgent occasions, and when ingenuity of contrivance is needed,
+let the crumbs freeze on the way to their mouths, and know not which is
+their right hand. I should like to go farther, and give reasons to show
+that it is advisable to choose those who are to hold so necessary an
+office in the state, but this is not the fit place for it; some day I
+will expound the matter to some one able to see to and rectify it; all I
+say now is, that the additional fact of his being a sorcerer has removed
+the sorrow it gave me to see these white hairs and this venerable
+countenance in so painful a position on account of his being a pimp;
+though I know well there are no sorceries in the world that can move or
+compel the will as some simple folk fancy, for our will is free, nor is
+there herb or charm that can force it. All that certain silly women and
+quacks do is to turn men mad with potions and poisons, pretending that
+they have power to cause love, for, as I say, it is an impossibility to
+compel the will."
+
+"It is true," said the good old man, "and indeed, sir, as far as the
+charge of sorcery goes I was not guilty; as to that of being a pimp I
+cannot deny it; but I never thought I was doing any harm by it, for my
+only object was that all the world should enjoy itself and live in peace
+and quiet, without quarrels or troubles; but my good intentions were
+unavailing to save me from going where I never expect to come back from,
+with this weight of years upon me and a urinary ailment that never gives
+me a moment's ease;" and again he fell to weeping as before, and such
+compassion did Sancho feel for him that he took out a real of four from
+his bosom and gave it to him in alms.
+
+Don Quixote went on and asked another what his crime was, and the man
+answered with no less but rather much more sprightliness than the last
+one.
+
+"I am here because I carried the joke too far with a couple of cousins of
+mine, and with a couple of other cousins who were none of mine; in short,
+I carried the joke so far with them all that it ended in such a
+complicated increase of kindred that no accountant could make it clear:
+it was all proved against me, I got no favour, I had no money, I was near
+having my neck stretched, they sentenced me to the galleys for six years,
+I accepted my fate, it is the punishment of my fault; I am a young man;
+let life only last, and with that all will come right. If you, sir, have
+anything wherewith to help the poor, God will repay it to you in heaven,
+and we on earth will take care in our petitions to him to pray for the
+life and health of your worship, that they may be as long and as good as
+your amiable appearance deserves."
+
+This one was in the dress of a student, and one of the guards said he was
+a great talker and a very elegant Latin scholar.
+
+Behind all these there came a man of thirty, a very personable fellow,
+except that when he looked, his eyes turned in a little one towards the
+other. He was bound differently from the rest, for he had to his leg a
+chain so long that it was wound all round his body, and two rings on his
+neck, one attached to the chain, the other to what they call a
+"keep-friend" or "friend's foot," from which hung two irons reaching to
+his waist with two manacles fixed to them in which his hands were secured
+by a big padlock, so that he could neither raise his hands to his mouth
+nor lower his head to his hands. Don Quixote asked why this man carried
+so many more chains than the others. The guard replied that it was
+because he alone had committed more crimes than all the rest put
+together, and was so daring and such a villain, that though they marched
+him in that fashion they did not feel sure of him, but were in dread of
+his making his escape.
+
+"What crimes can he have committed," said Don Quixote, "if they have not
+deserved a heavier punishment than being sent to the galleys?"
+
+"He goes for ten years," replied the guard, "which is the same thing as
+civil death, and all that need be said is that this good fellow is the
+famous Gines de Pasamonte, otherwise called Ginesillo de Parapilla."
+
+"Gently, senor commissary," said the galley slave at this, "let us have
+no fixing of names or surnames; my name is Gines, not Ginesillo, and my
+family name is Pasamonte, not Parapilla as you say; let each one mind his
+own business, and he will be doing enough."
+
+"Speak with less impertinence, master thief of extra measure," replied
+the commissary, "if you don't want me to make you hold your tongue in
+spite of your teeth."
+
+"It is easy to see," returned the galley slave, "that man goes as God
+pleases, but some one shall know some day whether I am called Ginesillo
+de Parapilla or not."
+
+"Don't they call you so, you liar?" said the guard.
+
+"They do," returned Gines, "but I will make them give over calling me so,
+or I will be shaved, where, I only say behind my teeth. If you, sir, have
+anything to give us, give it to us at once, and God speed you, for you
+are becoming tiresome with all this inquisitiveness about the lives of
+others; if you want to know about mine, let me tell you I am Gines de
+Pasamonte, whose life is written by these fingers."
+
+"He says true," said the commissary, "for he has himself written his
+story as grand as you please, and has left the book in the prison in pawn
+for two hundred reals."
+
+"And I mean to take it out of pawn," said Gines, "though it were in for
+two hundred ducats."
+
+"Is it so good?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"So good is it," replied Gines, "that a fig for 'Lazarillo de Tormes,'
+and all of that kind that have been written, or shall be written compared
+with it: all I will say about it is that it deals with facts, and facts
+so neat and diverting that no lies could match them."
+
+"And how is the book entitled?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"The 'Life of Gines de Pasamonte,'" replied the subject of it.
+
+"And is it finished?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"How can it be finished," said the other, "when my life is not yet
+finished? All that is written is from my birth down to the point when
+they sent me to the galleys this last time."
+
+"Then you have been there before?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"In the service of God and the king I have been there for four years
+before now, and I know by this time what the biscuit and courbash are
+like," replied Gines; "and it is no great grievance to me to go back to
+them, for there I shall have time to finish my book; I have still many
+things left to say, and in the galleys of Spain there is more than enough
+leisure; though I do not want much for what I have to write, for I have
+it by heart."
+
+"You seem a clever fellow," said Don Quixote.
+
+"And an unfortunate one," replied Gines, "for misfortune always
+persecutes good wit."
+
+"It persecutes rogues," said the commissary.
+
+"I told you already to go gently, master commissary," said Pasamonte;
+"their lordships yonder never gave you that staff to ill-treat us
+wretches here, but to conduct and take us where his majesty orders you;
+if not, by the life of-never mind-; it may be that some day the stains
+made in the inn will come out in the scouring; let everyone hold his
+tongue and behave well and speak better; and now let us march on, for we
+have had quite enough of this entertainment."
+
+The commissary lifted his staff to strike Pasamonte in return for his
+threats, but Don Quixote came between them, and begged him not to ill-use
+him, as it was not too much to allow one who had his hands tied to have
+his tongue a trifle free; and turning to the whole chain of them he said:
+
+"From all you have told me, dear brethren, make out clearly that though
+they have punished you for your faults, the punishments you are about to
+endure do not give you much pleasure, and that you go to them very much
+against the grain and against your will, and that perhaps this one's want
+of courage under torture, that one's want of money, the other's want of
+advocacy, and lastly the perverted judgment of the judge may have been
+the cause of your ruin and of your failure to obtain the justice you had
+on your side. All which presents itself now to my mind, urging,
+persuading, and even compelling me to demonstrate in your case the
+purpose for which Heaven sent me into the world and caused me to make
+profession of the order of chivalry to which I belong, and the vow I took
+therein to give aid to those in need and under the oppression of the
+strong. But as I know that it is a mark of prudence not to do by foul
+means what may be done by fair, I will ask these gentlemen, the guards
+and commissary, to be so good as to release you and let you go in peace,
+as there will be no lack of others to serve the king under more
+favourable circumstances; for it seems to me a hard case to make slaves
+of those whom God and nature have made free. Moreover, sirs of the
+guard," added Don Quixote, "these poor fellows have done nothing to you;
+let each answer for his own sins yonder; there is a God in Heaven who
+will not forget to punish the wicked or reward the good; and it is not
+fitting that honest men should be the instruments of punishment to
+others, they being therein no way concerned. This request I make thus
+gently and quietly, that, if you comply with it, I may have reason for
+thanking you; and, if you will not voluntarily, this lance and sword
+together with the might of my arm shall compel you to comply with it by
+force."
+
+"Nice nonsense!" said the commissary; "a fine piece of pleasantry he has
+come out with at last! He wants us to let the king's prisoners go, as if
+we had any authority to release them, or he to order us to do so! Go your
+way, sir, and good luck to you; put that basin straight that you've got
+on your head, and don't go looking for three feet on a cat."
+
+"'Tis you that are the cat, rat, and rascal," replied Don Quixote, and
+acting on the word he fell upon him so suddenly that without giving him
+time to defend himself he brought him to the ground sorely wounded with a
+lance-thrust; and lucky it was for him that it was the one that had the
+musket. The other guards stood thunderstruck and amazed at this
+unexpected event, but recovering presence of mind, those on horseback
+seized their swords, and those on foot their javelins, and attacked Don
+Quixote, who was waiting for them with great calmness; and no doubt it
+would have gone badly with him if the galley slaves, seeing the chance
+before them of liberating themselves, had not effected it by contriving
+to break the chain on which they were strung. Such was the confusion,
+that the guards, now rushing at the galley slaves who were breaking
+loose, now to attack Don Quixote who was waiting for them, did nothing at
+all that was of any use. Sancho, on his part, gave a helping hand to
+release Gines de Pasamonte, who was the first to leap forth upon the
+plain free and unfettered, and who, attacking the prostrate commissary,
+took from him his sword and the musket, with which, aiming at one and
+levelling at another, he, without ever discharging it, drove every one of
+the guards off the field, for they took to flight, as well to escape
+Pasamonte's musket, as the showers of stones the now released galley
+slaves were raining upon them. Sancho was greatly grieved at the affair,
+because he anticipated that those who had fled would report the matter to
+the Holy Brotherhood, who at the summons of the alarm-bell would at once
+sally forth in quest of the offenders; and he said so to his master, and
+entreated him to leave the place at once, and go into hiding in the
+sierra that was close by.
+
+"That is all very well," said Don Quixote, "but I know what must be done
+now;" and calling together all the galley slaves, who were now running
+riot, and had stripped the commissary to the skin, he collected them
+round him to hear what he had to say, and addressed them as follows: "To
+be grateful for benefits received is the part of persons of good birth,
+and one of the sins most offensive to God is ingratitude; I say so
+because, sirs, ye have already seen by manifest proof the benefit ye have
+received of me; in return for which I desire, and it is my good pleasure
+that, laden with that chain which I have taken off your necks, ye at once
+set out and proceed to the city of El Toboso, and there present
+yourselves before the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, and say to her that her
+knight, he of the Rueful Countenance, sends to commend himself to her;
+and that ye recount to her in full detail all the particulars of this
+notable adventure, up to the recovery of your longed-for liberty; and
+this done ye may go where ye will, and good fortune attend you."
+
+Gines de Pasamonte made answer for all, saying, "That which you, sir, our
+deliverer, demand of us, is of all impossibilities the most impossible to
+comply with, because we cannot go together along the roads, but only
+singly and separate, and each one his own way, endeavouring to hide
+ourselves in the bowels of the earth to escape the Holy Brotherhood,
+which, no doubt, will come out in search of us. What your worship may do,
+and fairly do, is to change this service and tribute as regards the lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso for a certain quantity of ave-marias and credos which
+we will say for your worship's intention, and this is a condition that
+can be complied with by night as by day, running or resting, in peace or
+in war; but to imagine that we are going now to return to the flesh-pots
+of Egypt, I mean to take up our chain and set out for El Toboso, is to
+imagine that it is now night, though it is not yet ten in the morning,
+and to ask this of us is like asking pears of the elm tree."
+
+"Then by all that's good," said Don Quixote (now stirred to wrath), "Don
+son of a bitch, Don Ginesillo de Paropillo, or whatever your name is, you
+will have to go yourself alone, with your tail between your legs and the
+whole chain on your back."
+
+Pasamonte, who was anything but meek (being by this time thoroughly
+convinced that Don Quixote was not quite right in his head as he had
+committed such a vagary as to set them free), finding himself abused in
+this fashion, gave the wink to his companions, and falling back they
+began to shower stones on Don Quixote at such a rate that he was quite
+unable to protect himself with his buckler, and poor Rocinante no more
+heeded the spur than if he had been made of brass. Sancho planted himself
+behind his ass, and with him sheltered himself from the hailstorm that
+poured on both of them. Don Quixote was unable to shield himself so well
+but that more pebbles than I could count struck him full on the body with
+such force that they brought him to the ground; and the instant he fell
+the student pounced upon him, snatched the basin from his head, and with
+it struck three or four blows on his shoulders, and as many more on the
+ground, knocking it almost to pieces. They then stripped him of a jacket
+that he wore over his armour, and they would have stripped off his
+stockings if his greaves had not prevented them. From Sancho they took
+his coat, leaving him in his shirt-sleeves; and dividing among themselves
+the remaining spoils of the battle, they went each one his own way, more
+solicitous about keeping clear of the Holy Brotherhood they dreaded, than
+about burdening themselves with the chain, or going to present themselves
+before the lady Dulcinea del Toboso. The ass and Rocinante, Sancho and
+Don Quixote, were all that were left upon the spot; the ass with drooping
+head, serious, shaking his ears from time to time as if he thought the
+storm of stones that assailed them was not yet over; Rocinante stretched
+beside his master, for he too had been brought to the ground by a stone;
+Sancho stripped, and trembling with fear of the Holy Brotherhood; and Don
+Quixote fuming to find himself so served by the very persons for whom he
+had done so much.
+
+Chapter XXIII. -
+Of what befell Don Quixote in the Sierra Morena, which was one of the
+rarest adventures related in this veracious history
+
+Seeing himself served in this way, Don Quixote said to his squire, "I
+have always heard it said, Sancho, that to do good to boors is to throw
+water into the sea. If I had believed thy words, I should have avoided
+this trouble; but it is done now, it is only to have patience and take
+warning for the future."
+
+"Your worship will take warning as much as I am a Turk," returned Sancho;
+"but, as you say this mischief might have been avoided if you had
+believed me, believe me now, and a still greater one will be avoided; for
+I tell you chivalry is of no account with the Holy Brotherhood, and they
+don't care two maravedis for all the knights-errant in the world; and I
+can tell you I fancy I hear their arrows whistling past my ears this
+minute."
+
+"Thou art a coward by nature, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "but lest thou
+shouldst say I am obstinate, and that I never do as thou dost advise,
+this once I will take thy advice, and withdraw out of reach of that fury
+thou so dreadest; but it must be on one condition, that never, in life or
+in death, thou art to say to anyone that I retired or withdrew from this
+danger out of fear, but only in compliance with thy entreaties; for if
+thou sayest otherwise thou wilt lie therein, and from this time to that,
+and from that to this, I give thee lie, and say thou liest and wilt lie
+every time thou thinkest or sayest it; and answer me not again; for at
+the mere thought that I am withdrawing or retiring from any danger, above
+all from this, which does seem to carry some little shadow of fear with
+it, I am ready to take my stand here and await alone, not only that Holy
+Brotherhood you talk of and dread, but the brothers of the twelve tribes
+of Israel, and the Seven Maccabees, and Castor and Pollux, and all the
+brothers and brotherhoods in the world."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "to retire is not to flee, and there is no
+wisdom in waiting when danger outweighs hope, and it is the part of wise
+men to preserve themselves to-day for to-morrow, and not risk all in one
+day; and let me tell you, though I am a clown and a boor, I have got some
+notion of what they call safe conduct; so repent not of having taken my
+advice, but mount Rocinante if you can, and if not I will help you; and
+follow me, for my mother-wit tells me we have more need of legs than
+hands just now."
+
+Don Quixote mounted without replying, and, Sancho leading the way on his
+ass, they entered the side of the Sierra Morena, which was close by, as
+it was Sancho's design to cross it entirely and come out again at El Viso
+or Almodovar del Campo, and hide for some days among its crags so as to
+escape the search of the Brotherhood should they come to look for them.
+He was encouraged in this by perceiving that the stock of provisions
+carried by the ass had come safe out of the fray with the galley slaves,
+a circumstance that he regarded as a miracle, seeing how they pillaged
+and ransacked.
+
+That night they reached the very heart of the Sierra Morena, where it
+seemed prudent to Sancho to pass the night and even some days, at least
+as many as the stores he carried might last, and so they encamped between
+two rocks and among some cork trees; but fatal destiny, which, according
+to the opinion of those who have not the light of the true faith,
+directs, arranges, and settles everything in its own way, so ordered it
+that Gines de Pasamonte, the famous knave and thief who by the virtue and
+madness of Don Quixote had been released from the chain, driven by fear
+of the Holy Brotherhood, which he had good reason to dread, resolved to
+take hiding in the mountains; and his fate and fear led him to the same
+spot to which Don Quixote and Sancho Panza had been led by theirs, just
+in time to recognise them and leave them to fall asleep: and as the
+wicked are always ungrateful, and necessity leads to evildoing, and
+immediate advantage overcomes all considerations of the future, Gines,
+who was neither grateful nor well-principled, made up his mind to steal
+Sancho Panza's ass, not troubling himself about Rocinante, as being a
+prize that was no good either to pledge or sell. While Sancho slept he
+stole his ass, and before day dawned he was far out of reach.
+
+Aurora made her appearance bringing gladness to the earth but sadness to
+Sancho Panza, for he found that his Dapple was missing, and seeing
+himself bereft of him he began the saddest and most doleful lament in the
+world, so loud that Don Quixote awoke at his exclamations and heard him
+saying, "O son of my bowels, born in my very house, my children's
+plaything, my wife's joy, the envy of my neighbours, relief of my
+burdens, and lastly, half supporter of myself, for with the
+six-and-twenty maravedis thou didst earn me daily I met half my charges."
+
+Don Quixote, when he heard the lament and learned the cause, consoled
+Sancho with the best arguments he could, entreating him to be patient,
+and promising to give him a letter of exchange ordering three out of five
+ass-colts that he had at home to be given to him. Sancho took comfort at
+this, dried his tears, suppressed his sobs, and returned thanks for the
+kindness shown him by Don Quixote. He on his part was rejoiced to the
+heart on entering the mountains, as they seemed to him to be just the
+place for the adventures he was in quest of. They brought back to his
+memory the marvellous adventures that had befallen knights-errant in like
+solitudes and wilds, and he went along reflecting on these things, so
+absorbed and carried away by them that he had no thought for anything
+else.
+
+Nor had Sancho any other care (now that he fancied he was travelling in a
+safe quarter) than to satisfy his appetite with such remains as were left
+of the clerical spoils, and so he marched behind his master laden with
+what Dapple used to carry, emptying the sack and packing his paunch, and
+so long as he could go that way, he would not have given a farthing to
+meet with another adventure.
+
+While so engaged he raised his eyes and saw that his master had halted,
+and was trying with the point of his pike to lift some bulky object that
+lay upon the ground, on which he hastened to join him and help him if it
+were needful, and reached him just as with the point of the pike he was
+raising a saddle-pad with a valise attached to it, half or rather wholly
+rotten and torn; but so heavy were they that Sancho had to help to take
+them up, and his master directed him to see what the valise contained.
+Sancho did so with great alacrity, and though the valise was secured by a
+chain and padlock, from its torn and rotten condition he was able to see
+its contents, which were four shirts of fine holland, and other articles
+of linen no less curious than clean; and in a handkerchief he found a
+good lot of gold crowns, and as soon as he saw them he exclaimed:
+
+"Blessed be all Heaven for sending us an adventure that is good for
+something!"
+
+Searching further he found a little memorandum book richly bound; this
+Don Quixote asked of him, telling him to take the money and keep it for
+himself. Sancho kissed his hands for the favour, and cleared the valise
+of its linen, which he stowed away in the provision sack. Considering the
+whole matter, Don Quixote observed:
+
+"It seems to me, Sancho--and it is impossible it can be otherwise-that
+some strayed traveller must have crossed this sierra and been attacked
+and slain by footpads, who brought him to this remote spot to bury him."
+
+"That cannot be," answered Sancho, "because if they had been robbers they
+would not have left this money."
+
+"Thou art right," said Don Quixote, "and I cannot guess or explain what
+this may mean; but stay; let us see if in this memorandum book there is
+anything written by which we may be able to trace out or discover what we
+want to know."
+
+He opened it, and the first thing he found in it, written roughly but in
+a very good hand, was a sonnet, and reading it aloud that Sancho might
+hear it, he found that it ran as follows:
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+Or Love is lacking in intelligence,
+  Or to the height of cruelty attains,
+  Or else it is my doom to suffer pains
+Beyond the measure due to my offence.
+But if Love be a God, it follows thence
+  That he knows all, and certain it remains
+  No God loves cruelty; then who ordains
+This penance that enthrals while it torments?
+It were a falsehood, Chloe, thee to name;
+  Such evil with such goodness cannot live;
+And against Heaven I dare not charge the blame,
+  I only know it is my fate to die.
+  To him who knows not whence his malady
+  A miracle alone a cure can give.
+
+}poem
+
+"There is nothing to be learned from that rhyme," said Sancho, "unless by
+that clue there's in it, one may draw out the ball of the whole matter."
+
+"What clue is there?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"I thought your worship spoke of a clue in it," said Sancho.
+
+"I only said Chloe," replied Don Quixote; "and that no doubt, is the name
+of the lady of whom the author of the sonnet complains; and, faith, he
+must be a tolerable poet, or I know little of the craft."
+
+"Then your worship understands rhyming too?"
+
+"And better than thou thinkest," replied Don Quixote, "as thou shalt see
+when thou carriest a letter written in verse from beginning to end to my
+lady Dulcinea del Toboso, for I would have thee know, Sancho, that all or
+most of the knights-errant in days of yore were great troubadours and
+great musicians, for both of these accomplishments, or more properly
+speaking gifts, are the peculiar property of lovers-errant: true it is
+that the verses of the knights of old have more spirit than neatness in
+them."
+
+"Read more, your worship," said Sancho, "and you will find something that
+will enlighten us."
+
+Don Quixote turned the page and said, "This is prose and seems to be a
+letter."
+
+"A correspondence letter, senor?"
+
+"From the beginning it seems to be a love letter," replied Don Quixote.
+
+"Then let your worship read it aloud," said Sancho, "for I am very fond
+of love matters."
+
+"With all my heart," said Don Quixote, and reading it aloud as Sancho had
+requested him, he found it ran thus:
+
+Thy false promise and my sure misfortune carry me to a place whence the
+news of my death will reach thy ears before the words of my complaint.
+Ungrateful one, thou hast rejected me for one more wealthy, but not more
+worthy; but if virtue were esteemed wealth I should neither envy the
+fortunes of others nor weep for misfortunes of my own. What thy beauty
+raised up thy deeds have laid low; by it I believed thee to be an angel,
+by them I know thou art a woman. Peace be with thee who hast sent war to
+me, and Heaven grant that the deceit of thy husband be ever hidden from
+thee, so that thou repent not of what thou hast done, and I reap not a
+revenge I would not have.
+
+When he had finished the letter, Don Quixote said, "There is less to be
+gathered from this than from the verses, except that he who wrote it is
+some rejected lover;" and turning over nearly all the pages of the book
+he found more verses and letters, some of which he could read, while
+others he could not; but they were all made up of complaints, laments,
+misgivings, desires and aversions, favours and rejections, some
+rapturous, some doleful. While Don Quixote examined the book, Sancho
+examined the valise, not leaving a corner in the whole of it or in the
+pad that he did not search, peer into, and explore, or seam that he did
+not rip, or tuft of wool that he did not pick to pieces, lest anything
+should escape for want of care and pains; so keen was the covetousness
+excited in him by the discovery of the crowns, which amounted to near a
+hundred; and though he found no more booty, he held the blanket flights,
+balsam vomits, stake benedictions, carriers' fisticuffs, missing
+alforjas, stolen coat, and all the hunger, thirst, and weariness he had
+endured in the service of his good master, cheap at the price; as he
+considered himself more than fully indemnified for all by the payment he
+received in the gift of the treasure-trove.
+
+The Knight of the Rueful Countenance was still very anxious to find out
+who the owner of the valise could be, conjecturing from the sonnet and
+letter, from the money in gold, and from the fineness of the shirts, that
+he must be some lover of distinction whom the scorn and cruelty of his
+lady had driven to some desperate course; but as in that uninhabited and
+rugged spot there was no one to be seen of whom he could inquire, he saw
+nothing else for it but to push on, taking whatever road Rocinante
+chose--which was where he could make his way--firmly persuaded that among
+these wilds he could not fail to meet some rare adventure. As he went
+along, then, occupied with these thoughts, he perceived on the summit of
+a height that rose before their eyes a man who went springing from rock
+to rock and from tussock to tussock with marvellous agility. As well as
+he could make out he was unclad, with a thick black beard, long tangled
+hair, and bare legs and feet, his thighs were covered by breeches
+apparently of tawny velvet but so ragged that they showed his skin in
+several places.
+
+He was bareheaded, and notwithstanding the swiftness with which he passed
+as has been described, the Knight of the Rueful Countenance observed and
+noted all these trifles, and though he made the attempt, he was unable to
+follow him, for it was not granted to the feebleness of Rocinante to make
+way over such rough ground, he being, moreover, slow-paced and sluggish
+by nature. Don Quixote at once came to the conclusion that this was the
+owner of the saddle-pad and of the valise, and made up his mind to go in
+search of him, even though he should have to wander a year in those
+mountains before he found him, and so he directed Sancho to take a short
+cut over one side of the mountain, while he himself went by the other,
+and perhaps by this means they might light upon this man who had passed
+so quickly out of their sight.
+
+"I could not do that," said Sancho, "for when I separate from your
+worship fear at once lays hold of me, and assails me with all sorts of
+panics and fancies; and let what I now say be a notice that from this
+time forth I am not going to stir a finger's width from your presence."
+
+"It shall be so," said he of the Rueful Countenance, "and I am very glad
+that thou art willing to rely on my courage, which will never fail thee,
+even though the soul in thy body fail thee; so come on now behind me
+slowly as well as thou canst, and make lanterns of thine eyes; let us
+make the circuit of this ridge; perhaps we shall light upon this man that
+we saw, who no doubt is no other than the owner of what we found."
+
+To which Sancho made answer, "Far better would it be not to look for him,
+for, if we find him, and he happens to be the owner of the money, it is
+plain I must restore it; it would be better, therefore, that without
+taking this needless trouble, I should keep possession of it until in
+some other less meddlesome and officious way the real owner may be
+discovered; and perhaps that will be when I shall have spent it, and then
+the king will hold me harmless."
+
+"Thou art wrong there, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for now that we have a
+suspicion who the owner is, and have him almost before us, we are bound
+to seek him and make restitution; and if we do not see him, the strong
+suspicion we have as to his being the owner makes us as guilty as if he
+were so; and so, friend Sancho, let not our search for him give thee any
+uneasiness, for if we find him it will relieve mine."
+
+And so saying he gave Rocinante the spur, and Sancho followed him on foot
+and loaded, and after having partly made the circuit of the mountain they
+found lying in a ravine, dead and half devoured by dogs and pecked by
+jackdaws, a mule saddled and bridled, all which still further
+strengthened their suspicion that he who had fled was the owner of the
+mule and the saddle-pad.
+
+As they stood looking at it they heard a whistle like that of a shepherd
+watching his flock, and suddenly on their left there appeared a great
+number of goats and behind them on the summit of the mountain the
+goatherd in charge of them, a man advanced in years. Don Quixote called
+aloud to him and begged him to come down to where they stood. He shouted
+in return, asking what had brought them to that spot, seldom or never
+trodden except by the feet of goats, or of the wolves and other wild
+beasts that roamed around. Sancho in return bade him come down, and they
+would explain all to him.
+
+The goatherd descended, and reaching the place where Don Quixote stood,
+he said, "I will wager you are looking at that hack mule that lies dead
+in the hollow there, and, faith, it has been lying there now these six
+months; tell me, have you come upon its master about here?"
+
+"We have come upon nobody," answered Don Quixote, "nor on anything except
+a saddle-pad and a little valise that we found not far from this."
+
+"I found it too," said the goatherd, "but I would not lift it nor go near
+it for fear of some ill-luck or being charged with theft, for the devil
+is crafty, and things rise up under one's feet to make one fall without
+knowing why or wherefore."
+
+"That's exactly what I say," said Sancho; "I found it too, and I would
+not go within a stone's throw of it; there I left it, and there it lies
+just as it was, for I don't want a dog with a bell."
+
+"Tell me, good man," said Don Quixote, "do you know who is the owner of
+this property?"
+
+"All I can tell you," said the goatherd, "is that about six months ago,
+more or less, there arrived at a shepherd's hut three leagues, perhaps,
+away from this, a youth of well-bred appearance and manners, mounted on
+that same mule which lies dead here, and with the same saddle-pad and
+valise which you say you found and did not touch. He asked us what part
+of this sierra was the most rugged and retired; we told him that it was
+where we now are; and so in truth it is, for if you push on half a league
+farther, perhaps you will not be able to find your way out; and I am
+wondering how you have managed to come here, for there is no road or path
+that leads to this spot. I say, then, that on hearing our answer the
+youth turned about and made for the place we pointed out to him, leaving
+us all charmed with his good looks, and wondering at his question and the
+haste with which we saw him depart in the direction of the sierra; and
+after that we saw him no more, until some days afterwards he crossed the
+path of one of our shepherds, and without saying a word to him, came up
+to him and gave him several cuffs and kicks, and then turned to the ass
+with our provisions and took all the bread and cheese it carried, and
+having done this made off back again into the sierra with extraordinary
+swiftness. When some of us goatherds learned this we went in search of
+him for about two days through the most remote portion of this sierra, at
+the end of which we found him lodged in the hollow of a large thick cork
+tree. He came out to meet us with great gentleness, with his dress now
+torn and his face so disfigured and burned by the sun, that we hardly
+recognised him but that his clothes, though torn, convinced us, from the
+recollection we had of them, that he was the person we were looking for.
+He saluted us courteously, and in a few well-spoken words he told us not
+to wonder at seeing him going about in this guise, as it was binding upon
+him in order that he might work out a penance which for his many sins had
+been imposed upon him. We asked him to tell us who he was, but we were
+never able to find out from him: we begged of him too, when he was in
+want of food, which he could not do without, to tell us where we should
+find him, as we would bring it to him with all good-will and readiness;
+or if this were not to his taste, at least to come and ask it of us and
+not take it by force from the shepherds. He thanked us for the offer,
+begged pardon for the late assault, and promised for the future to ask it
+in God's name without offering violence to anybody. As for fixed abode,
+he said he had no other than that which chance offered wherever night
+might overtake him; and his words ended in an outburst of weeping so
+bitter that we who listened to him must have been very stones had we not
+joined him in it, comparing what we saw of him the first time with what
+we saw now; for, as I said, he was a graceful and gracious youth, and in
+his courteous and polished language showed himself to be of good birth
+and courtly breeding, and rustics as we were that listened to him, even
+to our rusticity his gentle bearing sufficed to make it plain.
+
+"But in the midst of his conversation he stopped and became silent,
+keeping his eyes fixed upon the ground for some time, during which we
+stood still waiting anxiously to see what would come of this abstraction;
+and with no little pity, for from his behaviour, now staring at the
+ground with fixed gaze and eyes wide open without moving an eyelid, again
+closing them, compressing his lips and raising his eyebrows, we could
+perceive plainly that a fit of madness of some kind had come upon him;
+and before long he showed that what we imagined was the truth, for he
+arose in a fury from the ground where he had thrown himself, and attacked
+the first he found near him with such rage and fierceness that if we had
+not dragged him off him, he would have beaten or bitten him to death, all
+the while exclaiming, 'Oh faithless Fernando, here, here shalt thou pay
+the penalty of the wrong thou hast done me; these hands shall tear out
+that heart of thine, abode and dwelling of all iniquity, but of deceit
+and fraud above all; and to these he added other words all in effect
+upbraiding this Fernando and charging him with treachery and
+faithlessness.
+
+"We forced him to release his hold with no little difficulty, and without
+another word he left us, and rushing off plunged in among these brakes
+and brambles, so as to make it impossible for us to follow him; from this
+we suppose that madness comes upon him from time to time, and that some
+one called Fernando must have done him a wrong of a grievous nature such
+as the condition to which it had brought him seemed to show. All this has
+been since then confirmed on those occasions, and they have been many, on
+which he has crossed our path, at one time to beg the shepherds to give
+him some of the food they carry, at another to take it from them by
+force; for when there is a fit of madness upon him, even though the
+shepherds offer it freely, he will not accept it but snatches it from
+them by dint of blows; but when he is in his senses he begs it for the
+love of God, courteously and civilly, and receives it with many thanks
+and not a few tears. And to tell you the truth, sirs," continued the
+goatherd, "it was yesterday that we resolved, I and four of the lads, two
+of them our servants, and the other two friends of mine, to go in search
+of him until we find him, and when we do to take him, whether by force or
+of his own consent, to the town of Almodovar, which is eight leagues from
+this, and there strive to cure him (if indeed his malady admits of a
+cure), or learn when he is in his senses who he is, and if he has
+relatives to whom we may give notice of his misfortune. This, sirs, is
+all I can say in answer to what you have asked me; and be sure that the
+owner of the articles you found is he whom you saw pass by with such
+nimbleness and so naked."
+
+For Don Quixote had already described how he had seen the man go bounding
+along the mountain side, and he was now filled with amazement at what he
+heard from the goatherd, and more eager than ever to discover who the
+unhappy madman was; and in his heart he resolved, as he had done before,
+to search for him all over the mountain, not leaving a corner or cave
+unexamined until he had found him. But chance arranged matters better
+than he expected or hoped, for at that very moment, in a gorge on the
+mountain that opened where they stood, the youth he wished to find made
+his appearance, coming along talking to himself in a way that would have
+been unintelligible near at hand, much more at a distance. His garb was
+what has been described, save that as he drew near, Don Quixote perceived
+that a tattered doublet which he wore was amber-tanned, from which he
+concluded that one who wore such garments could not be of very low rank.
+
+Approaching them, the youth greeted them in a harsh and hoarse voice but
+with great courtesy. Don Quixote returned his salutation with equal
+politeness, and dismounting from Rocinante advanced with well-bred
+bearing and grace to embrace him, and held him for some time close in his
+arms as if he had known him for a long time. The other, whom we may call
+the Ragged One of the Sorry Countenance, as Don Quixote was of the
+Rueful, after submitting to the embrace pushed him back a little and,
+placing his hands on Don Quixote's shoulders, stood gazing at him as if
+seeking to see whether he knew him, not less amazed, perhaps, at the
+sight of the face, figure, and armour of Don Quixote than Don Quixote was
+at the sight of him. To be brief, the first to speak after embracing was
+the Ragged One, and he said what will be told farther on.
+
+Chapter XXIV. -
+In which is continued the adventure of the Sierra Morena
+
+The history relates that it was with the greatest attention Don Quixote
+listened to the ragged knight of the Sierra, who began by saying:
+
+"Of a surety, senor, whoever you are, for I know you not, I thank you for
+the proofs of kindness and courtesy you have shown me, and would I were
+in a condition to requite with something more than good-will that which
+you have displayed towards me in the cordial reception you have given me;
+but my fate does not afford me any other means of returning kindnesses
+done me save the hearty desire to repay them."
+
+"Mine," replied Don Quixote, "is to be of service to you, so much so that
+I had resolved not to quit these mountains until I had found you, and
+learned of you whether there is any kind of relief to be found for that
+sorrow under which from the strangeness of your life you seem to labour;
+and to search for you with all possible diligence, if search had been
+necessary. And if your misfortune should prove to be one of those that
+refuse admission to any sort of consolation, it was my purpose to join
+you in lamenting and mourning over it, so far as I could; for it is still
+some comfort in misfortune to find one who can feel for it. And if my
+good intentions deserve to be acknowledged with any kind of courtesy, I
+entreat you, senor, by that which I perceive you possess in so high a
+degree, and likewise conjure you by whatever you love or have loved best
+in life, to tell me who you are and the cause that has brought you to
+live or die in these solitudes like a brute beast, dwelling among them in
+a manner so foreign to your condition as your garb and appearance show.
+And I swear," added Don Quixote, "by the order of knighthood which I have
+received, and by my vocation of knight-errant, if you gratify me in this,
+to serve you with all the zeal my calling demands of me, either in
+relieving your misfortune if it admits of relief, or in joining you in
+lamenting it as I promised to do."
+
+The Knight of the Thicket, hearing him of the Rueful Countenance talk in
+this strain, did nothing but stare at him, and stare at him again, and
+again survey him from head to foot; and when he had thoroughly examined
+him, he said to him:
+
+"If you have anything to give me to eat, for God's sake give it me, and
+after I have eaten I will do all you ask in acknowledgment of the
+goodwill you have displayed towards me."
+
+Sancho from his sack, and the goatherd from his pouch, furnished the
+Ragged One with the means of appeasing his hunger, and what they gave him
+he ate like a half-witted being, so hastily that he took no time between
+mouthfuls, gorging rather than swallowing; and while he ate neither he
+nor they who observed him uttered a word. As soon as he had done he made
+signs to them to follow him, which they did, and he led them to a green
+plot which lay a little farther off round the corner of a rock. On
+reaching it he stretched himself upon the grass, and the others did the
+same, all keeping silence, until the Ragged One, settling himself in his
+place, said:
+
+"If it is your wish, sirs, that I should disclose in a few words the
+surpassing extent of my misfortunes, you must promise not to break the
+thread of my sad story with any question or other interruption, for the
+instant you do so the tale I tell will come to an end."
+
+These words of the Ragged One reminded Don Quixote of the tale his squire
+had told him, when he failed to keep count of the goats that had crossed
+the river and the story remained unfinished; but to return to the Ragged
+One, he went on to say:
+
+"I give you this warning because I wish to pass briefly over the story of
+my misfortunes, for recalling them to memory only serves to add fresh
+ones, and the less you question me the sooner shall I make an end of the
+recital, though I shall not omit to relate anything of importance in
+order fully to satisfy your curiosity."
+
+Don Quixote gave the promise for himself and the others, and with this
+assurance he began as follows:
+
+"My name is Cardenio, my birthplace one of the best cities of this
+Andalusia, my family noble, my parents rich, my misfortune so great that
+my parents must have wept and my family grieved over it without being
+able by their wealth to lighten it; for the gifts of fortune can do
+little to relieve reverses sent by Heaven. In that same country there was
+a heaven in which love had placed all the glory I could desire; such was
+the beauty of Luscinda, a damsel as noble and as rich as I, but of
+happier fortunes, and of less firmness than was due to so worthy a
+passion as mine. This Luscinda I loved, worshipped, and adored from my
+earliest and tenderest years, and she loved me in all the innocence and
+sincerity of childhood. Our parents were aware of our feelings, and were
+not sorry to perceive them, for they saw clearly that as they ripened
+they must lead at last to a marriage between us, a thing that seemed
+almost prearranged by the equality of our families and wealth. We grew
+up, and with our growth grew the love between us, so that the father of
+Luscinda felt bound for propriety's sake to refuse me admission to his
+house, in this perhaps imitating the parents of that Thisbe so celebrated
+by the poets, and this refusal but added love to love and flame to flame;
+for though they enforced silence upon our tongues they could not impose
+it upon our pens, which can make known the heart's secrets to a loved one
+more freely than tongues; for many a time the presence of the object of
+love shakes the firmest will and strikes dumb the boldest tongue. Ah
+heavens! how many letters did I write her, and how many dainty modest
+replies did I receive! how many ditties and love-songs did I compose in
+which my heart declared and made known its feelings, described its ardent
+longings, revelled in its recollections and dallied with its desires! At
+length growing impatient and feeling my heart languishing with longing to
+see her, I resolved to put into execution and carry out what seemed to me
+the best mode of winning my desired and merited reward, to ask her of her
+father for my lawful wife, which I did. To this his answer was that he
+thanked me for the disposition I showed to do honour to him and to regard
+myself as honoured by the bestowal of his treasure; but that as my father
+was alive it was his by right to make this demand, for if it were not in
+accordance with his full will and pleasure, Luscinda was not to be taken
+or given by stealth. I thanked him for his kindness, reflecting that
+there was reason in what he said, and that my father would assent to it
+as soon as I should tell him, and with that view I went the very same
+instant to let him know what my desires were. When I entered the room
+where he was I found him with an open letter in his hand, which, before I
+could utter a word, he gave me, saying, 'By this letter thou wilt see,
+Cardenio, the disposition the Duke Ricardo has to serve thee.' This Duke
+Ricardo, as you, sirs, probably know already, is a grandee of Spain who
+has his seat in the best part of this Andalusia. I took and read the
+letter, which was couched in terms so flattering that even I myself felt
+it would be wrong in my father not to comply with the request the duke
+made in it, which was that he would send me immediately to him, as he
+wished me to become the companion, not servant, of his eldest son, and
+would take upon himself the charge of placing me in a position
+corresponding to the esteem in which he held me. On reading the letter my
+voice failed me, and still more when I heard my father say, 'Two days
+hence thou wilt depart, Cardenio, in accordance with the duke's wish, and
+give thanks to God who is opening a road to thee by which thou mayest
+attain what I know thou dost deserve; and to these words he added others
+of fatherly counsel. The time for my departure arrived; I spoke one night
+to Luscinda, I told her all that had occurred, as I did also to her
+father, entreating him to allow some delay, and to defer the disposal of
+her hand until I should see what the Duke Ricardo sought of me: he gave
+me the promise, and she confirmed it with vows and swoonings unnumbered.
+Finally, I presented myself to the duke, and was received and treated by
+him so kindly that very soon envy began to do its work, the old servants
+growing envious of me, and regarding the duke's inclination to show me
+favour as an injury to themselves. But the one to whom my arrival gave
+the greatest pleasure was the duke's second son, Fernando by name, a
+gallant youth, of noble, generous, and amorous disposition, who very soon
+made so intimate a friend of me that it was remarked by everybody; for
+though the elder was attached to me, and showed me kindness, he did not
+carry his affectionate treatment to the same length as Don Fernando. It
+so happened, then, that as between friends no secret remains unshared,
+and as the favour I enjoyed with Don Fernando had grown into friendship,
+he made all his thoughts known to me, and in particular a love affair
+which troubled his mind a little. He was deeply in love with a peasant
+girl, a vassal of his father's, the daughter of wealthy parents, and
+herself so beautiful, modest, discreet, and virtuous, that no one who
+knew her was able to decide in which of these respects she was most
+highly gifted or most excelled. The attractions of the fair peasant
+raised the passion of Don Fernando to such a point that, in order to gain
+his object and overcome her virtuous resolutions, he determined to pledge
+his word to her to become her husband, for to attempt it in any other way
+was to attempt an impossibility. Bound to him as I was by friendship, I
+strove by the best arguments and the most forcible examples I could think
+of to restrain and dissuade him from such a course; but perceiving I
+produced no effect I resolved to make the Duke Ricardo, his father,
+acquainted with the matter; but Don Fernando, being sharp-witted and
+shrewd, foresaw and apprehended this, perceiving that by my duty as a
+good servant I was bound not to keep concealed a thing so much opposed to
+the honour of my lord the duke; and so, to mislead and deceive me, he
+told me he could find no better way of effacing from his mind the beauty
+that so enslaved him than by absenting himself for some months, and that
+he wished the absence to be effected by our going, both of us, to my
+father's house under the pretence, which he would make to the duke, of
+going to see and buy some fine horses that there were in my city, which
+produces the best in the world. When I heard him say so, even if his
+resolution had not been so good a one I should have hailed it as one of
+the happiest that could be imagined, prompted by my affection, seeing
+what a favourable chance and opportunity it offered me of returning to
+see my Luscinda. With this thought and wish I commended his idea and
+encouraged his design, advising him to put it into execution as quickly
+as possible, as, in truth, absence produced its effect in spite of the
+most deeply rooted feelings. But, as afterwards appeared, when he said
+this to me he had already enjoyed the peasant girl under the title of
+husband, and was waiting for an opportunity of making it known with
+safety to himself, being in dread of what his father the duke would do
+when he came to know of his folly. It happened, then, that as with young
+men love is for the most part nothing more than appetite, which, as its
+final object is enjoyment, comes to an end on obtaining it, and that
+which seemed to be love takes to flight, as it cannot pass the limit
+fixed by nature, which fixes no limit to true love--what I mean is that
+after Don Fernando had enjoyed this peasant girl his passion subsided and
+his eagerness cooled, and if at first he feigned a wish to absent himself
+in order to cure his love, he was now in reality anxious to go to avoid
+keeping his promise.
+
+"The duke gave him permission, and ordered me to accompany him; we
+arrived at my city, and my father gave him the reception due to his rank;
+I saw Luscinda without delay, and, though it had not been dead or
+deadened, my love gathered fresh life. To my sorrow I told the story of
+it to Don Fernando, for I thought that in virtue of the great friendship
+he bore me I was bound to conceal nothing from him. I extolled her
+beauty, her gaiety, her wit, so warmly, that my praises excited in him a
+desire to see a damsel adorned by such attractions. To my misfortune I
+yielded to it, showing her to him one night by the light of a taper at a
+window where we used to talk to one another. As she appeared to him in
+her dressing-gown, she drove all the beauties he had seen until then out
+of his recollection; speech failed him, his head turned, he was
+spell-bound, and in the end love-smitten, as you will see in the course
+of the story of my misfortune; and to inflame still further his passion,
+which he hid from me and revealed to Heaven alone, it so happened that
+one day he found a note of hers entreating me to demand her of her father
+in marriage, so delicate, so modest, and so tender, that on reading it he
+told me that in Luscinda alone were combined all the charms of beauty and
+understanding that were distributed among all the other women in the
+world. It is true, and I own it now, that though I knew what good cause
+Don Fernando had to praise Luscinda, it gave me uneasiness to hear these
+praises from his mouth, and I began to fear, and with reason to feel
+distrust of him, for there was no moment when he was not ready to talk of
+Luscinda, and he would start the subject himself even though he dragged
+it in unseasonably, a circumstance that aroused in me a certain amount of
+jealousy; not that I feared any change in the constancy or faith of
+Luscinda; but still my fate led me to forebode what she assured me
+against. Don Fernando contrived always to read the letters I sent to
+Luscinda and her answers to me, under the pretence that he enjoyed the
+wit and sense of both. It so happened, then, that Luscinda having begged
+of me a book of chivalry to read, one that she was very fond of, Amadis
+of Gaul-"
+
+Don Quixote no sooner heard a book of chivalry mentioned, than he said:
+
+"Had your worship told me at the beginning of your story that the Lady
+Luscinda was fond of books of chivalry, no other laudation would have
+been requisite to impress upon me the superiority of her understanding,
+for it could not have been of the excellence you describe had a taste for
+such delightful reading been wanting; so, as far as I am concerned, you
+need waste no more words in describing her beauty, worth, and
+intelligence; for, on merely hearing what her taste was, I declare her to
+be the most beautiful and the most intelligent woman in the world; and I
+wish your worship had, along with Amadis of Gaul, sent her the worthy Don
+Rugel of Greece, for I know the Lady Luscinda would greatly relish
+Daraida and Garaya, and the shrewd sayings of the shepherd Darinel, and
+the admirable verses of his bucolics, sung and delivered by him with such
+sprightliness, wit, and ease; but a time may come when this omission can
+be remedied, and to rectify it nothing more is needed than for your
+worship to be so good as to come with me to my village, for there I can
+give you more than three hundred books which are the delight of my soul
+and the entertainment of my life;--though it occurs to me that I have not
+got one of them now, thanks to the spite of wicked and envious
+enchanters;--but pardon me for having broken the promise we made not to
+interrupt your discourse; for when I hear chivalry or knights-errant
+mentioned, I can no more help talking about them than the rays of the sun
+can help giving heat, or those of the moon moisture; pardon me,
+therefore, and proceed, for that is more to the purpose now."
+
+While Don Quixote was saying this, Cardenio allowed his head to fall upon
+his breast, and seemed plunged in deep thought; and though twice Don
+Quixote bade him go on with his story, he neither looked up nor uttered a
+word in reply; but after some time he raised his head and said, "I cannot
+get rid of the idea, nor will anyone in the world remove it, or make me
+think otherwise--and he would be a blockhead who would hold or believe
+anything else than that that arrant knave Master Elisabad made free with
+Queen Madasima."
+
+"That is not true, by all that's good," said Don Quixote in high wrath,
+turning upon him angrily, as his way was; "and it is a very great
+slander, or rather villainy. Queen Madasima was a very illustrious lady,
+and it is not to be supposed that so exalted a princess would have made
+free with a quack; and whoever maintains the contrary lies like a great
+scoundrel, and I will give him to know it, on foot or on horseback, armed
+or unarmed, by night or by day, or as he likes best."
+
+Cardenio was looking at him steadily, and his mad fit having now come
+upon him, he had no disposition to go on with his story, nor would Don
+Quixote have listened to it, so much had what he had heard about Madasima
+disgusted him. Strange to say, he stood up for her as if she were in
+earnest his veritable born lady; to such a pass had his unholy books
+brought him. Cardenio, then, being, as I said, now mad, when he heard
+himself given the lie, and called a scoundrel and other insulting names,
+not relishing the jest, snatched up a stone that he found near him, and
+with it delivered such a blow on Don Quixote's breast that he laid him on
+his back. Sancho Panza, seeing his master treated in this fashion,
+attacked the madman with his closed fist; but the Ragged One received him
+in such a way that with a blow of his fist he stretched him at his feet,
+and then mounting upon him crushed his ribs to his own satisfaction; the
+goatherd, who came to the rescue, shared the same fate; and having beaten
+and pummelled them all he left them and quietly withdrew to his
+hiding-place on the mountain. Sancho rose, and with the rage he felt at
+finding himself so belaboured without deserving it, ran to take vengeance
+on the goatherd, accusing him of not giving them warning that this man
+was at times taken with a mad fit, for if they had known it they would
+have been on their guard to protect themselves. The goatherd replied that
+he had said so, and that if he had not heard him, that was no fault of
+his. Sancho retorted, and the goatherd rejoined, and the altercation
+ended in their seizing each other by the beard, and exchanging such
+fisticuffs that if Don Quixote had not made peace between them, they
+would have knocked one another to pieces.
+
+"Leave me alone, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance," said Sancho,
+grappling with the goatherd, "for of this fellow, who is a clown like
+myself, and no dubbed knight, I can safely take satisfaction for the
+affront he has offered me, fighting with him hand to hand like an honest
+man."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, "but I know that he is not to blame for
+what has happened."
+
+With this he pacified them, and again asked the goatherd if it would be
+possible to find Cardenio, as he felt the greatest anxiety to know the
+end of his story. The goatherd told him, as he had told him before, that
+there was no knowing of a certainty where his lair was; but that if he
+wandered about much in that neighbourhood he could not fail to fall in
+with him either in or out of his senses.
+
+Chapter XXV. -
+Which treats of the strange things that happened to the stout Knight of
+La Mancha in the Sierra Morena, and of his imitation of the penance of
+Beltenebros
+
+Don Quixote took leave of the goatherd, and once more mounting Rocinante
+bade Sancho follow him, which he having no ass, did very discontentedly.
+They proceeded slowly, making their way into the most rugged part of the
+mountain, Sancho all the while dying to have a talk with his master, and
+longing for him to begin, so that there should be no breach of the
+injunction laid upon him; but unable to keep silence so long he said to
+him:
+
+"Senor Don Quixote, give me your worship's blessing and dismissal, for
+I'd like to go home at once to my wife and children with whom I can at
+any rate talk and converse as much as I like; for to want me to go
+through these solitudes day and night and not speak to you when I have a
+mind is burying me alive. If luck would have it that animals spoke as
+they did in the days of Guisopete, it would not be so bad, because I
+could talk to Rocinante about whatever came into my head, and so put up
+with my ill-fortune; but it is a hard case, and not to be borne with
+patience, to go seeking adventures all one's life and get nothing but
+kicks and blanketings, brickbats and punches, and with all this to have
+to sew up one's mouth without daring to say what is in one's heart, just
+as if one were dumb."
+
+"I understand thee, Sancho," replied Don Quixote; "thou art dying to have
+the interdict I placed upon thy tongue removed; consider it removed, and
+say what thou wilt while we are wandering in these mountains."
+
+"So be it," said Sancho; "let me speak now, for God knows what will
+happen by-and-by; and to take advantage of the permit at once, I ask,
+what made your worship stand up so for that Queen Majimasa, or whatever
+her name is, or what did it matter whether that abbot was a friend of
+hers or not? for if your worship had let that pass--and you were not a
+judge in the matter--it is my belief the madman would have gone on with
+his story, and the blow of the stone, and the kicks, and more than half a
+dozen cuffs would have been escaped."
+
+"In faith, Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "if thou knewest as I do what
+an honourable and illustrious lady Queen Madasima was, I know thou
+wouldst say I had great patience that I did not break in pieces the mouth
+that uttered such blasphemies, for a very great blasphemy it is to say or
+imagine that a queen has made free with a surgeon. The truth of the story
+is that that Master Elisabad whom the madman mentioned was a man of great
+prudence and sound judgment, and served as governor and physician to the
+queen, but to suppose that she was his mistress is nonsense deserving
+very severe punishment; and as a proof that Cardenio did not know what he
+was saying, remember when he said it he was out of his wits."
+
+"That is what I say," said Sancho; "there was no occasion for minding the
+words of a madman; for if good luck had not helped your worship, and he
+had sent that stone at your head instead of at your breast, a fine way we
+should have been in for standing up for my lady yonder, God confound her!
+And then, would not Cardenio have gone free as a madman?"
+
+"Against men in their senses or against madmen," said Don Quixote, "every
+knight-errant is bound to stand up for the honour of women, whoever they
+may be, much more for queens of such high degree and dignity as Queen
+Madasima, for whom I have a particular regard on account of her amiable
+qualities; for, besides being extremely beautiful, she was very wise, and
+very patient under her misfortunes, of which she had many; and the
+counsel and society of the Master Elisabad were a great help and support
+to her in enduring her afflictions with wisdom and resignation; hence the
+ignorant and ill-disposed vulgar took occasion to say and think that she
+was his mistress; and they lie, I say it once more, and will lie two
+hundred times more, all who think and say so."
+
+"I neither say nor think so," said Sancho; "let them look to it; with
+their bread let them eat it; they have rendered account to God whether
+they misbehaved or not; I come from my vineyard, I know nothing; I am not
+fond of prying into other men's lives; he who buys and lies feels it in
+his purse; moreover, naked was I born, naked I find myself, I neither
+lose nor gain; but if they did, what is that to me? many think there are
+flitches where there are no hooks; but who can put gates to the open
+plain? moreover they said of God-"
+
+"God bless me," said Don Quixote, "what a set of absurdities thou art
+stringing together! What has what we are talking about got to do with the
+proverbs thou art threading one after the other? for God's sake hold thy
+tongue, Sancho, and henceforward keep to prodding thy ass and don't
+meddle in what does not concern thee; and understand with all thy five
+senses that everything I have done, am doing, or shall do, is well
+founded on reason and in conformity with the rules of chivalry, for I
+understand them better than all the world that profess them."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "is it a good rule of chivalry that we should go
+astray through these mountains without path or road, looking for a madman
+who when he is found will perhaps take a fancy to finish what he began,
+not his story, but your worship's head and my ribs, and end by breaking
+them altogether for us?"
+
+"Peace, I say again, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for let me tell thee it
+is not so much the desire of finding that madman that leads me into these
+regions as that which I have of performing among them an achievement
+wherewith I shall win eternal name and fame throughout the known world;
+and it shall be such that I shall thereby set the seal on all that can
+make a knight-errant perfect and famous."
+
+"And is it very perilous, this achievement?"
+
+"No," replied he of the Rueful Countenance; "though it may be in the dice
+that we may throw deuce-ace instead of sixes; but all will depend on thy
+diligence."
+
+"On my diligence!" said Sancho.
+
+"Yes," said Don Quixote, "for if thou dost return soon from the place
+where I mean to send thee, my penance will be soon over, and my glory
+will soon begin. But as it is not right to keep thee any longer in
+suspense, waiting to see what comes of my words, I would have thee know,
+Sancho, that the famous Amadis of Gaul was one of the most perfect
+knights-errant--I am wrong to say he was one; he stood alone, the first,
+the only one, the lord of all that were in the world in his time. A fig
+for Don Belianis, and for all who say he equalled him in any respect,
+for, my oath upon it, they are deceiving themselves! I say, too, that
+when a painter desires to become famous in his art he endeavours to copy
+the originals of the rarest painters that he knows; and the same rule
+holds good for all the most important crafts and callings that serve to
+adorn a state; thus must he who would be esteemed prudent and patient
+imitate Ulysses, in whose person and labours Homer presents to us a
+lively picture of prudence and patience; as Virgil, too, shows us in the
+person of AEneas the virtue of a pious son and the sagacity of a brave
+and skilful captain; not representing or describing them as they were,
+but as they ought to be, so as to leave the example of their virtues to
+posterity. In the same way Amadis was the polestar, day-star, sun of
+valiant and devoted knights, whom all we who fight under the banner of
+love and chivalry are bound to imitate. This, then, being so, I consider,
+friend Sancho, that the knight-errant who shall imitate him most closely
+will come nearest to reaching the perfection of chivalry. Now one of the
+instances in which this knight most conspicuously showed his prudence,
+worth, valour, endurance, fortitude, and love, was when he withdrew,
+rejected by the Lady Oriana, to do penance upon the Pena Pobre, changing
+his name into that of Beltenebros, a name assuredly significant and
+appropriate to the life which he had voluntarily adopted. So, as it is
+easier for me to imitate him in this than in cleaving giants asunder,
+cutting off serpents' heads, slaying dragons, routing armies, destroying
+fleets, and breaking enchantments, and as this place is so well suited
+for a similar purpose, I must not allow the opportunity to escape which
+now so conveniently offers me its forelock."
+
+"What is it in reality," said Sancho, "that your worship means to do in
+such an out-of-the-way place as this?"
+
+"Have I not told thee," answered Don Quixote, "that I mean to imitate
+Amadis here, playing the victim of despair, the madman, the maniac, so as
+at the same time to imitate the valiant Don Roland, when at the fountain
+he had evidence of the fair Angelica having disgraced herself with Medoro
+and through grief thereat went mad, and plucked up trees, troubled the
+waters of the clear springs, slew destroyed flocks, burned down huts,
+levelled houses, dragged mares after him, and perpetrated a hundred
+thousand other outrages worthy of everlasting renown and record? And
+though I have no intention of imitating Roland, or Orlando, or Rotolando
+(for he went by all these names), step by step in all the mad things he
+did, said, and thought, I will make a rough copy to the best of my power
+of all that seems to me most essential; but perhaps I shall content
+myself with the simple imitation of Amadis, who without giving way to any
+mischievous madness but merely to tears and sorrow, gained as much fame
+as the most famous."
+
+"It seems to me," said Sancho, "that the knights who behaved in this way
+had provocation and cause for those follies and penances; but what cause
+has your worship for going mad? What lady has rejected you, or what
+evidence have you found to prove that the lady Dulcinea del Toboso has
+been trifling with Moor or Christian?"
+
+"There is the point," replied Don Quixote, "and that is the beauty of
+this business of mine; no thanks to a knight-errant for going mad when he
+has cause; the thing is to turn crazy without any provocation, and let my
+lady know, if I do this in the dry, what I would do in the moist;
+moreover I have abundant cause in the long separation I have endured from
+my lady till death, Dulcinea del Toboso; for as thou didst hear that
+shepherd Ambrosio say the other day, in absence all ills are felt and
+feared; and so, friend Sancho, waste no time in advising me against so
+rare, so happy, and so unheard-of an imitation; mad I am, and mad I must
+be until thou returnest with the answer to a letter that I mean to send
+by thee to my lady Dulcinea; and if it be such as my constancy deserves,
+my insanity and penance will come to an end; and if it be to the opposite
+effect, I shall become mad in earnest, and, being so, I shall suffer no
+more; thus in whatever way she may answer I shall escape from the
+struggle and affliction in which thou wilt leave me, enjoying in my
+senses the boon thou bearest me, or as a madman not feeling the evil thou
+bringest me. But tell me, Sancho, hast thou got Mambrino's helmet safe?
+for I saw thee take it up from the ground when that ungrateful wretch
+tried to break it in pieces but could not, by which the fineness of its
+temper may be seen."
+
+To which Sancho made answer, "By the living God, Sir Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance, I cannot endure or bear with patience some of the things
+that your worship says; and from them I begin to suspect that all you
+tell me about chivalry, and winning kingdoms and empires, and giving
+islands, and bestowing other rewards and dignities after the custom of
+knights-errant, must be all made up of wind and lies, and all pigments or
+figments, or whatever we may call them; for what would anyone think that
+heard your worship calling a barber's basin Mambrino's helmet without
+ever seeing the mistake all this time, but that one who says and
+maintains such things must have his brains addled? I have the basin in my
+sack all dinted, and I am taking it home to have it mended, to trim my
+beard in it, if, by God's grace, I am allowed to see my wife and children
+some day or other."
+
+"Look here, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "by him thou didst swear by just
+now I swear thou hast the most limited understanding that any squire in
+the world has or ever had. Is it possible that all this time thou hast
+been going about with me thou hast never found out that all things
+belonging to knights-errant seem to be illusions and nonsense and
+ravings, and to go always by contraries? And not because it really is so,
+but because there is always a swarm of enchanters in attendance upon us
+that change and alter everything with us, and turn things as they please,
+and according as they are disposed to aid or destroy us; thus what seems
+to thee a barber's basin seems to me Mambrino's helmet, and to another it
+will seem something else; and rare foresight it was in the sage who is on
+my side to make what is really and truly Mambrine's helmet seem a basin
+to everybody, for, being held in such estimation as it is, all the world
+would pursue me to rob me of it; but when they see it is only a barber's
+basin they do not take the trouble to obtain it; as was plainly shown by
+him who tried to break it, and left it on the ground without taking it,
+for, by my faith, had he known it he would never have left it behind.
+Keep it safe, my friend, for just now I have no need of it; indeed, I
+shall have to take off all this armour and remain as naked as I was born,
+if I have a mind to follow Roland rather than Amadis in my penance."
+
+Thus talking they reached the foot of a high mountain which stood like an
+isolated peak among the others that surrounded it. Past its base there
+flowed a gentle brook, all around it spread a meadow so green and
+luxuriant that it was a delight to the eyes to look upon it, and forest
+trees in abundance, and shrubs and flowers, added to the charms of the
+spot. Upon this place the Knight of the Rueful Countenance fixed his
+choice for the performance of his penance, and as he beheld it exclaimed
+in a loud voice as though he were out of his senses:
+
+"This is the place, oh, ye heavens, that I select and choose for
+bewailing the misfortune in which ye yourselves have plunged me: this is
+the spot where the overflowings of mine eyes shall swell the waters of
+yon little brook, and my deep and endless sighs shall stir unceasingly
+the leaves of these mountain trees, in testimony and token of the pain my
+persecuted heart is suffering. Oh, ye rural deities, whoever ye be that
+haunt this lone spot, give ear to the complaint of a wretched lover whom
+long absence and brooding jealousy have driven to bewail his fate among
+these wilds and complain of the hard heart of that fair and ungrateful
+one, the end and limit of all human beauty! Oh, ye wood nymphs and
+dryads, that dwell in the thickets of the forest, so may the nimble
+wanton satyrs by whom ye are vainly wooed never disturb your sweet
+repose, help me to lament my hard fate or at least weary not at listening
+to it! Oh, Dulcinea del Toboso, day of my night, glory of my pain, guide
+of my path, star of my fortune, so may Heaven grant thee in full all thou
+seekest of it, bethink thee of the place and condition to which absence
+from thee has brought me, and make that return in kindness that is due to
+my fidelity! Oh, lonely trees, that from this day forward shall bear me
+company in my solitude, give me some sign by the gentle movement of your
+boughs that my presence is not distasteful to you! Oh, thou, my squire,
+pleasant companion in my prosperous and adverse fortunes, fix well in thy
+memory what thou shalt see me do here, so that thou mayest relate and
+report it to the sole cause of all," and so saying he dismounted from
+Rocinante, and in an instant relieved him of saddle and bridle, and
+giving him a slap on the croup, said, "He gives thee freedom who is
+bereft of it himself, oh steed as excellent in deed as thou art
+unfortunate in thy lot; begone where thou wilt, for thou bearest written
+on thy forehead that neither Astolfo's hippogriff, nor the famed Frontino
+that cost Bradamante so dear, could equal thee in speed."
+
+Seeing this Sancho said, "Good luck to him who has saved us the trouble
+of stripping the pack-saddle off Dapple! By my faith he would not have
+gone without a slap on the croup and something said in his praise; though
+if he were here I would not let anyone strip him, for there would be no
+occasion, as he had nothing of the lover or victim of despair about him,
+inasmuch as his master, which I was while it was God's pleasure, was
+nothing of the sort; and indeed, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, if
+my departure and your worship's madness are to come off in earnest, it
+will be as well to saddle Rocinante again in order that he may supply the
+want of Dapple, because it will save me time in going and returning: for
+if I go on foot I don't know when I shall get there or when I shall get
+back, as I am, in truth, a bad walker."
+
+"I declare, Sancho," returned Don Quixote, "it shall be as thou wilt, for
+thy plan does not seem to me a bad one, and three days hence thou wilt
+depart, for I wish thee to observe in the meantime what I do and say for
+her sake, that thou mayest be able to tell it."
+
+"But what more have I to see besides what I have seen?" said Sancho.
+
+"Much thou knowest about it!" said Don Quixote. "I have now got to tear
+up my garments, to scatter about my armour, knock my head against these
+rocks, and more of the same sort of thing, which thou must witness."
+
+"For the love of God," said Sancho, "be careful, your worship, how you
+give yourself those knocks on the head, for you may come across such a
+rock, and in such a way, that the very first may put an end to the whole
+contrivance of this penance; and I should think, if indeed knocks on the
+head seem necessary to you, and this business cannot be done without
+them, you might be content--as the whole thing is feigned, and
+counterfeit, and in joke--you might be content, I say, with giving them
+to yourself in the water, or against something soft, like cotton; and
+leave it all to me; for I'll tell my lady that your worship knocked your
+head against a point of rock harder than a diamond."
+
+"I thank thee for thy good intentions, friend Sancho," answered Don
+Quixote, "but I would have thee know that all these things I am doing are
+not in joke, but very much in earnest, for anything else would be a
+transgression of the ordinances of chivalry, which forbid us to tell any
+lie whatever under the penalties due to apostasy; and to do one thing
+instead of another is just the same as lying; so my knocks on the head
+must be real, solid, and valid, without anything sophisticated or
+fanciful about them, and it will be needful to leave me some lint to
+dress my wounds, since fortune has compelled us to do without the balsam
+we lost."
+
+"It was worse losing the ass," replied Sancho, "for with him lint and all
+were lost; but I beg of your worship not to remind me again of that
+accursed liquor, for my soul, not to say my stomach, turns at hearing the
+very name of it; and I beg of you, too, to reckon as past the three days
+you allowed me for seeing the mad things you do, for I take them as seen
+already and pronounced upon, and I will tell wonderful stories to my
+lady; so write the letter and send me off at once, for I long to return
+and take your worship out of this purgatory where I am leaving you."
+
+"Purgatory dost thou call it, Sancho?" said Don Quixote, "rather call it
+hell, or even worse if there be anything worse."
+
+"For one who is in hell," said Sancho, "nulla est retentio, as I have
+heard say."
+
+"I do not understand what retentio means," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Retentio," answered Sancho, "means that whoever is in hell never comes
+nor can come out of it, which will be the opposite case with your worship
+or my legs will be idle, that is if I have spurs to enliven Rocinante:
+let me once get to El Toboso and into the presence of my lady Dulcinea,
+and I will tell her such things of the follies and madnesses (for it is
+all one) that your worship has done and is still doing, that I will
+manage to make her softer than a glove though I find her harder than a
+cork tree; and with her sweet and honeyed answer I will come back through
+the air like a witch, and take your worship out of this purgatory that
+seems to be hell but is not, as there is hope of getting out of it;
+which, as I have said, those in hell have not, and I believe your worship
+will not say anything to the contrary."
+
+"That is true," said he of the Rueful Countenance, "but how shall we
+manage to write the letter?"
+
+"And the ass-colt order too," added Sancho.
+
+"All shall be included," said Don Quixote; "and as there is no paper, it
+would be well done to write it on the leaves of trees, as the ancients
+did, or on tablets of wax; though that would be as hard to find just now
+as paper. But it has just occurred to me how it may be conveniently and
+even more than conveniently written, and that is in the note-book that
+belonged to Cardenio, and thou wilt take care to have it copied on paper,
+in a good hand, at the first village thou comest to where there is a
+schoolmaster, or if not, any sacristan will copy it; but see thou give it
+not to any notary to copy, for they write a law hand that Satan could not
+make out."
+
+"But what is to be done about the signature?" said Sancho.
+
+"The letters of Amadis were never signed," said Don Quixote.
+
+"That is all very well," said Sancho, "but the order must needs be
+signed, and if it is copied they will say the signature is false, and I
+shall be left without ass-colts."
+
+"The order shall go signed in the same book," said Don Quixote, "and on
+seeing it my niece will make no difficulty about obeying it; as to the
+loveletter thou canst put by way of signature, 'Yours till death, the
+Knight of the Rueful Countenance.' And it will be no great matter if it
+is in some other person's hand, for as well as I recollect Dulcinea can
+neither read nor write, nor in the whole course of her life has she seen
+handwriting or letter of mine, for my love and hers have been always
+platonic, not going beyond a modest look, and even that so seldom that I
+can safely swear I have not seen her four times in all these twelve years
+I have been loving her more than the light of these eyes that the earth
+will one day devour; and perhaps even of those four times she has not
+once perceived that I was looking at her: such is the retirement and
+seclusion in which her father Lorenzo Corchuelo and her mother Aldonza
+Nogales have brought her up."
+
+"So, so!" said Sancho; "Lorenzo Corchuelo's daughter is the lady Dulcinea
+del Toboso, otherwise called Aldonza Lorenzo?"
+
+"She it is," said Don Quixote, "and she it is that is worthy to be lady
+of the whole universe."
+
+"I know her well," said Sancho, "and let me tell you she can fling a
+crowbar as well as the lustiest lad in all the town. Giver of all good!
+but she is a brave lass, and a right and stout one, and fit to be
+helpmate to any knight-errant that is or is to be, who may make her his
+lady: the whoreson wench, what sting she has and what a voice! I can tell
+you one day she posted herself on the top of the belfry of the village to
+call some labourers of theirs that were in a ploughed field of her
+father's, and though they were better than half a league off they heard
+her as well as if they were at the foot of the tower; and the best of her
+is that she is not a bit prudish, for she has plenty of affability, and
+jokes with everybody, and has a grin and a jest for everything. So, Sir
+Knight of the Rueful Countenance, I say you not only may and ought to do
+mad freaks for her sake, but you have a good right to give way to despair
+and hang yourself; and no one who knows of it but will say you did well,
+though the devil should take you; and I wish I were on my road already,
+simply to see her, for it is many a day since I saw her, and she must be
+altered by this time, for going about the fields always, and the sun and
+the air spoil women's looks greatly. But I must own the truth to your
+worship, Senor Don Quixote; until now I have been under a great mistake,
+for I believed truly and honestly that the lady Dulcinea must be some
+princess your worship was in love with, or some person great enough to
+deserve the rich presents you have sent her, such as the Biscayan and the
+galley slaves, and many more no doubt, for your worship must have won
+many victories in the time when I was not yet your squire. But all things
+considered, what good can it do the lady Aldonza Lorenzo, I mean the lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso, to have the vanquished your worship sends or will
+send coming to her and going down on their knees before her? Because may
+be when they came she'd be hackling flax or threshing on the threshing
+floor, and they'd be ashamed to see her, and she'd laugh, or resent the
+present."
+
+"I have before now told thee many times, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that
+thou art a mighty great chatterer, and that with a blunt wit thou art
+always striving at sharpness; but to show thee what a fool thou art and
+how rational I am, I would have thee listen to a short story. Thou must
+know that a certain widow, fair, young, independent, and rich, and above
+all free and easy, fell in love with a sturdy strapping young
+lay-brother; his superior came to know of it, and one day said to the
+worthy widow by way of brotherly remonstrance, 'I am surprised, senora,
+and not without good reason, that a woman of such high standing, so fair,
+and so rich as you are, should have fallen in love with such a mean, low,
+stupid fellow as So-and-so, when in this house there are so many masters,
+graduates, and divinity students from among whom you might choose as if
+they were a lot of pears, saying this one I'll take, that I won't take;'
+but she replied to him with great sprightliness and candour, 'My dear
+sir, you are very much mistaken, and your ideas are very old-fashioned,
+if you think that I have made a bad choice in So-and-so, fool as he
+seems; because for all I want with him he knows as much and more
+philosophy than Aristotle.' In the same way, Sancho, for all I want with
+Dulcinea del Toboso she is just as good as the most exalted princess on
+earth. It is not to be supposed that all those poets who sang the praises
+of ladies under the fancy names they give them, had any such mistresses.
+Thinkest thou that the Amarillises, the Phillises, the Sylvias, the
+Dianas, the Galateas, the Filidas, and all the rest of them, that the
+books, the ballads, the barber's shops, the theatres are full of, were
+really and truly ladies of flesh and blood, and mistresses of those that
+glorify and have glorified them? Nothing of the kind; they only invent
+them for the most part to furnish a subject for their verses, and that
+they may pass for lovers, or for men valiant enough to be so; and so it
+suffices me to think and believe that the good Aldonza Lorenzo is fair
+and virtuous; and as to her pedigree it is very little matter, for no one
+will examine into it for the purpose of conferring any order upon her,
+and I, for my part, reckon her the most exalted princess in the world.
+For thou shouldst know, Sancho, if thou dost not know, that two things
+alone beyond all others are incentives to love, and these are great
+beauty and a good name, and these two things are to be found in Dulcinea
+in the highest degree, for in beauty no one equals her and in good name
+few approach her; and to put the whole thing in a nutshell, I persuade
+myself that all I say is as I say, neither more nor less, and I picture
+her in my imagination as I would have her to be, as well in beauty as in
+condition; Helen approaches her not nor does Lucretia come up to her, nor
+any other of the famous women of times past, Greek, Barbarian, or Latin;
+and let each say what he will, for if in this I am taken to task by the
+ignorant, I shall not be censured by the critical."
+
+"I say that your worship is entirely right," said Sancho, "and that I am
+an ass. But I know not how the name of ass came into my mouth, for a rope
+is not to be mentioned in the house of him who has been hanged; but now
+for the letter, and then, God be with you, I am off."
+
+Don Quixote took out the note-book, and, retiring to one side, very
+deliberately began to write the letter, and when he had finished it he
+called to Sancho, saying he wished to read it to him, so that he might
+commit it to memory, in case of losing it on the road; for with evil
+fortune like his anything might be apprehended. To which Sancho replied,
+"Write it two or three times there in the book and give it to me, and I
+will carry it very carefully, because to expect me to keep it in my
+memory is all nonsense, for I have such a bad one that I often forget my
+own name; but for all that repeat it to me, as I shall like to hear it,
+for surely it will run as if it was in print."
+
+"Listen," said Don Quixote, "this is what it says:
+
+"DON QUIXOTE'S LETTER TO DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO
+
+"Sovereign and exalted Lady,--The pierced by the point of absence, the
+wounded to the heart's core, sends thee, sweetest Dulcinea del Toboso,
+the health that he himself enjoys not. If thy beauty despises me, if thy
+worth is not for me, if thy scorn is my affliction, though I be
+sufficiently long-suffering, hardly shall I endure this anxiety, which,
+besides being oppressive, is protracted. My good squire Sancho will
+relate to thee in full, fair ingrate, dear enemy, the condition to which
+I am reduced on thy account: if it be thy pleasure to give me relief, I
+am thine; if not, do as may be pleasing to thee; for by ending my life I
+shall satisfy thy cruelty and my desire.
+
+"Thine till death,
+
+"The Knight of the Rueful Countenance."
+
+"By the life of my father," said Sancho, when he heard the letter, "it is
+the loftiest thing I ever heard. Body of me! how your worship says
+everything as you like in it! And how well you fit in 'The Knight of the
+Rueful Countenance' into the signature. I declare your worship is indeed
+the very devil, and there is nothing you don't know."
+
+"Everything is needed for the calling I follow," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Now then," said Sancho, "let your worship put the order for the three
+ass-colts on the other side, and sign it very plainly, that they may
+recognise it at first sight."
+
+"With all my heart," said Don Quixote, and as he had written it he read
+it to this effect:
+
+"Mistress Niece,--By this first of ass-colts please pay to Sancho Panza,
+my squire, three of the five I left at home in your charge: said three
+ass-colts to be paid and delivered for the same number received here in
+hand, which upon this and upon his receipt shall be duly paid. Done in
+the heart of the Sierra Morena, the twenty-seventh of August of this
+present year."
+
+"That will do," said Sancho; "now let your worship sign it."
+
+"There is no need to sign it," said Don Quixote, "but merely to put my
+flourish, which is the same as a signature, and enough for three asses,
+or even three hundred."
+
+"I can trust your worship," returned Sancho; "let me go and saddle
+Rocinante, and be ready to give me your blessing, for I mean to go at
+once without seeing the fooleries your worship is going to do; I'll say I
+saw you do so many that she will not want any more."
+
+"At any rate, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "I should like--and there is
+reason for it--I should like thee, I say, to see me stripped to the skin
+and performing a dozen or two of insanities, which I can get done in less
+than half an hour; for having seen them with thine own eyes, thou canst
+then safely swear to the rest that thou wouldst add; and I promise thee
+thou wilt not tell of as many as I mean to perform."
+
+"For the love of God, master mine," said Sancho, "let me not see your
+worship stripped, for it will sorely grieve me, and I shall not be able
+to keep from tears, and my head aches so with all I shed last night for
+Dapple, that I am not fit to begin any fresh weeping; but if it is your
+worship's pleasure that I should see some insanities, do them in your
+clothes, short ones, and such as come readiest to hand; for I myself want
+nothing of the sort, and, as I have said, it will be a saving of time for
+my return, which will be with the news your worship desires and deserves.
+If not, let the lady Dulcinea look to it; if she does not answer
+reasonably, I swear as solemnly as I can that I will fetch a fair answer
+out of her stomach with kicks and cuffs; for why should it be borne that
+a knight-errant as famous as your worship should go mad without rhyme or
+reason for a--? Her ladyship had best not drive me to say it, for by God
+I will speak out and let off everything cheap, even if it doesn't sell: I
+am pretty good at that! she little knows me; faith, if she knew me she'd
+be in awe of me."
+
+"In faith, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "to all appearance thou art no
+sounder in thy wits than I."
+
+"I am not so mad," answered Sancho, "but I am more peppery; but apart
+from all this, what has your worship to eat until I come back? Will you
+sally out on the road like Cardenio to force it from the shepherds?"
+
+"Let not that anxiety trouble thee," replied Don Quixote, "for even if I
+had it I should not eat anything but the herbs and the fruits which this
+meadow and these trees may yield me; the beauty of this business of mine
+lies in not eating, and in performing other mortifications."
+
+"Do you know what I am afraid of?" said Sancho upon this; "that I shall
+not be able to find my way back to this spot where I am leaving you, it
+is such an out-of-the-way place."
+
+"Observe the landmarks well," said Don Quixote, "for I will try not to go
+far from this neighbourhood, and I will even take care to mount the
+highest of these rocks to see if I can discover thee returning; however,
+not to miss me and lose thyself, the best plan will be to cut some
+branches of the broom that is so abundant about here, and as thou goest
+to lay them at intervals until thou hast come out upon the plain; these
+will serve thee, after the fashion of the clue in the labyrinth of
+Theseus, as marks and signs for finding me on thy return."
+
+"So I will," said Sancho Panza, and having cut some, he asked his
+master's blessing, and not without many tears on both sides, took his
+leave of him, and mounting Rocinante, of whom Don Quixote charged him
+earnestly to have as much care as of his own person, he set out for the
+plain, strewing at intervals the branches of broom as his master had
+recommended him; and so he went his way, though Don Quixote still
+entreated him to see him do were it only a couple of mad acts. He had not
+gone a hundred paces, however, when he returned and said:
+
+"I must say, senor, your worship said quite right, that in order to be
+able to swear without a weight on my conscience that I had seen you do
+mad things, it would be well for me to see if it were only one; though in
+your worship's remaining here I have seen a very great one."
+
+"Did I not tell thee so?" said Don Quixote. "Wait, Sancho, and I will do
+them in the saying of a credo," and pulling off his breeches in all haste
+he stripped himself to his skin and his shirt, and then, without more
+ado, he cut a couple of gambados in the air, and a couple of somersaults,
+heels over head, making such a display that, not to see it a second time,
+Sancho wheeled Rocinante round, and felt easy, and satisfied in his mind
+that he could swear he had left his master mad; and so we will leave him
+to follow his road until his return, which was a quick one.
+
+Chapter XXVI. -
+In which are continued the refinements wherewith Don Quixote played the
+part of a lover in the Sierra Morena
+
+Returning to the proceedings of him of the Rueful Countenance when he
+found himself alone, the history says that when Don Quixote had completed
+the performance of the somersaults or capers, naked from the waist down
+and clothed from the waist up, and saw that Sancho had gone off without
+waiting to see any more crazy feats, he climbed up to the top of a high
+rock, and there set himself to consider what he had several times before
+considered without ever coming to any conclusion on the point, namely
+whether it would be better and more to his purpose to imitate the
+outrageous madness of Roland, or the melancholy madness of Amadis; and
+communing with himself he said:
+
+"What wonder is it if Roland was so good a knight and so valiant as
+everyone says he was, when, after all, he was enchanted, and nobody could
+kill him save by thrusting a corking pin into the sole of his foot, and
+he always wore shoes with seven iron soles? Though cunning devices did
+not avail him against Bernardo del Carpio, who knew all about them, and
+strangled him in his arms at Roncesvalles. But putting the question of
+his valour aside, let us come to his losing his wits, for certain it is
+that he did lose them in consequence of the proofs he discovered at the
+fountain, and the intelligence the shepherd gave him of Angelica having
+slept more than two siestas with Medoro, a little curly-headed Moor, and
+page to Agramante. If he was persuaded that this was true, and that his
+lady had wronged him, it is no wonder that he should have gone mad; but
+I, how am I to imitate him in his madness, unless I can imitate him in
+the cause of it? For my Dulcinea, I will venture to swear, never saw a
+Moor in her life, as he is, in his proper costume, and she is this day as
+the mother that bore her, and I should plainly be doing her a wrong if,
+fancying anything else, I were to go mad with the same kind of madness as
+Roland the Furious. On the other hand, I see that Amadis of Gaul, without
+losing his senses and without doing anything mad, acquired as a lover as
+much fame as the most famous; for, according to his history, on finding
+himself rejected by his lady Oriana, who had ordered him not to appear in
+her presence until it should be her pleasure, all he did was to retire to
+the Pena Pobre in company with a hermit, and there he took his fill of
+weeping until Heaven sent him relief in the midst of his great grief and
+need. And if this be true, as it is, why should I now take the trouble to
+strip stark naked, or do mischief to these trees which have done me no
+harm, or why am I to disturb the clear waters of these brooks which will
+give me to drink whenever I have a mind? Long live the memory of Amadis
+and let him be imitated so far as is possible by Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, of whom it will be said, as was said of the other, that if he did
+not achieve great things, he died in attempting them; and if I am not
+repulsed or rejected by my Dulcinea, it is enough for me, as I have said,
+to be absent from her. And so, now to business; come to my memory ye
+deeds of Amadis, and show me how I am to begin to imitate you. I know
+already that what he chiefly did was to pray and commend himself to God;
+but what am I to do for a rosary, for I have not got one?"
+
+And then it occurred to him how he might make one, and that was by
+tearing a great strip off the tail of his shirt which hung down, and
+making eleven knots on it, one bigger than the rest, and this served him
+for a rosary all the time he was there, during which he repeated
+countless ave-marias. But what distressed him greatly was not having
+another hermit there to confess him and receive consolation from; and so
+he solaced himself with pacing up and down the little meadow, and writing
+and carving on the bark of the trees and on the fine sand a multitude of
+verses all in harmony with his sadness, and some in praise of Dulcinea;
+but, when he was found there afterwards, the only ones completely legible
+that could be discovered were those that follow here:
+
+poem{
+
+Ye on the mountain side that grow,
+  Ye green things all, trees, shrubs, and bushes,
+Are ye aweary of the woe
+  That this poor aching bosom crushes?
+If it disturb you, and I owe
+    Some reparation, it may be a
+Defence for me to let you know
+Don Quixote's tears are on the flow,
+    And all for distant Dulcinea
+                         Del Toboso.
+
+The lealest lover time can show,
+  Doomed for a lady-love to languish,
+Among these solitudes doth go,
+  A prey to every kind of anguish.
+Why Love should like a spiteful foe
+  Thus use him, he hath no idea,
+But hogsheads full--this doth he know--
+Don Quixote's tears are on the flow,
+    And all for distant Dulcinea
+                       Del Toboso.
+
+Adventure-seeking doth he go
+  Up rugged heights, down rocky valleys,
+But hill or dale, or high or low,
+  Mishap attendeth all his sallies:
+Love still pursues him to and fro,
+  And plies his cruel scourge--ah me! a
+Relentless fate, an endless woe;
+Don Quixote's tears are on the flow,
+    And all for distant Dulcinea
+                       Del Toboso.
+
+}poem
+
+The addition of "Del Toboso" to Dulcinea's name gave rise to no little
+laughter among those who found the above lines, for they suspected Don
+Quixote must have fancied that unless he added "del Toboso" when he
+introduced the name of Dulcinea the verse would be unintelligible; which
+was indeed the fact, as he himself afterwards admitted. He wrote many
+more, but, as has been said, these three verses were all that could be
+plainly and perfectly deciphered. In this way, and in sighing and calling
+on the fauns and satyrs of the woods and the nymphs of the streams, and
+Echo, moist and mournful, to answer, console, and hear him, as well as in
+looking for herbs to sustain him, he passed his time until Sancho's
+return; and had that been delayed three weeks, as it was three days, the
+Knight of the Rueful Countenance would have worn such an altered
+countenance that the mother that bore him would not have known him: and
+here it will be well to leave him, wrapped up in sighs and verses, to
+relate how Sancho Panza fared on his mission.
+
+As for him, coming out upon the high road, he made for El Toboso, and the
+next day reached the inn where the mishap of the blanket had befallen
+him. As soon as he recognised it he felt as if he were once more living
+through the air, and he could not bring himself to enter it though it was
+an hour when he might well have done so, for it was dinner-time, and he
+longed to taste something hot as it had been all cold fare with him for
+many days past. This craving drove him to draw near to the inn, still
+undecided whether to go in or not, and as he was hesitating there came
+out two persons who at once recognised him, and said one to the other:
+
+"Senor licentiate, is not he on the horse there Sancho Panza who, our
+adventurer's housekeeper told us, went off with her master as esquire?"
+
+"So it is," said the licentiate, "and that is our friend Don Quixote's
+horse;" and if they knew him so well it was because they were the curate
+and the barber of his own village, the same who had carried out the
+scrutiny and sentence upon the books; and as soon as they recognised
+Sancho Panza and Rocinante, being anxious to hear of Don Quixote, they
+approached, and calling him by his name the curate said, "Friend Sancho
+Panza, where is your master?"
+
+Sancho recognised them at once, and determined to keep secret the place
+and circumstances where and under which he had left his master, so he
+replied that his master was engaged in a certain quarter on a certain
+matter of great importance to him which he could not disclose for the
+eyes in his head.
+
+"Nay, nay," said the barber, "if you don't tell us where he is, Sancho
+Panza, we will suspect as we suspect already, that you have murdered and
+robbed him, for here you are mounted on his horse; in fact, you must
+produce the master of the hack, or else take the consequences."
+
+"There is no need of threats with me," said Sancho, "for I am not a man
+to rob or murder anybody; let his own fate, or God who made him, kill
+each one; my master is engaged very much to his taste doing penance in
+the midst of these mountains;" and then, offhand and without stopping, he
+told them how he had left him, what adventures had befallen him, and how
+he was carrying a letter to the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, the daughter of
+Lorenzo Corchuelo, with whom he was over head and ears in love. They were
+both amazed at what Sancho Panza told them; for though they were aware of
+Don Quixote's madness and the nature of it, each time they heard of it
+they were filled with fresh wonder. They then asked Sancho Panza to show
+them the letter he was carrying to the lady Dulcinea del Toboso. He said
+it was written in a note-book, and that his master's directions were that
+he should have it copied on paper at the first village he came to. On
+this the curate said if he showed it to him, he himself would make a fair
+copy of it. Sancho put his hand into his bosom in search of the note-book
+but could not find it, nor, if he had been searching until now, could he
+have found it, for Don Quixote had kept it, and had never given it to
+him, nor had he himself thought of asking for it. When Sancho discovered
+he could not find the book his face grew deadly pale, and in great haste
+he again felt his body all over, and seeing plainly it was not to be
+found, without more ado he seized his beard with both hands and plucked
+away half of it, and then, as quick as he could and without stopping,
+gave himself half a dozen cuffs on the face and nose till they were
+bathed in blood.
+
+Seeing this, the curate and the barber asked him what had happened him
+that he gave himself such rough treatment.
+
+"What should happen me?" replied Sancho, "but to have lost from one hand
+to the other, in a moment, three ass-colts, each of them like a castle?"
+
+"How is that?" said the barber.
+
+"I have lost the note-book," said Sancho, "that contained the letter to
+Dulcinea, and an order signed by my master in which he directed his niece
+to give me three ass-colts out of four or five he had at home;" and he
+then told them about the loss of Dapple.
+
+The curate consoled him, telling him that when his master was found he
+would get him to renew the order, and make a fresh draft on paper, as was
+usual and customary; for those made in notebooks were never accepted or
+honoured.
+
+Sancho comforted himself with this, and said if that were so the loss of
+Dulcinea's letter did not trouble him much, for he had it almost by
+heart, and it could be taken down from him wherever and whenever they
+liked.
+
+"Repeat it then, Sancho," said the barber, "and we will write it down
+afterwards."
+
+Sancho Panza stopped to scratch his head to bring back the letter to his
+memory, and balanced himself now on one foot, now the other, one moment
+staring at the ground, the next at the sky, and after having half gnawed
+off the end of a finger and kept them in suspense waiting for him to
+begin, he said, after a long pause, "By God, senor licentiate, devil a
+thing can I recollect of the letter; but it said at the beginning,
+'Exalted and scrubbing Lady.'"
+
+"It cannot have said 'scrubbing,'" said the barber, "but 'superhuman' or
+'sovereign.'"
+
+"That is it," said Sancho; "then, as well as I remember, it went on, 'The
+wounded, and wanting of sleep, and the pierced, kisses your worship's
+hands, ungrateful and very unrecognised fair one; and it said something
+or other about health and sickness that he was sending her; and from that
+it went tailing off until it ended with 'Yours till death, the Knight of
+the Rueful Countenance."
+
+It gave them no little amusement, both of them, to see what a good memory
+Sancho had, and they complimented him greatly upon it, and begged him to
+repeat the letter a couple of times more, so that they too might get it
+by heart to write it out by-and-by. Sancho repeated it three times, and
+as he did, uttered three thousand more absurdities; then he told them
+more about his master but he never said a word about the blanketing that
+had befallen himself in that inn, into which he refused to enter. He told
+them, moreover, how his lord, if he brought him a favourable answer from
+the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, was to put himself in the way of
+endeavouring to become an emperor, or at least a monarch; for it had been
+so settled between them, and with his personal worth and the might of his
+arm it was an easy matter to come to be one: and how on becoming one his
+lord was to make a marriage for him (for he would be a widower by that
+time, as a matter of course) and was to give him as a wife one of the
+damsels of the empress, the heiress of some rich and grand state on the
+mainland, having nothing to do with islands of any sort, for he did not
+care for them now. All this Sancho delivered with so much
+composure--wiping his nose from time to time--and with so little
+common-sense that his two hearers were again filled with wonder at the
+force of Don Quixote's madness that could run away with this poor man's
+reason. They did not care to take the trouble of disabusing him of his
+error, as they considered that since it did not in any way hurt his
+conscience it would be better to leave him in it, and they would have all
+the more amusement in listening to his simplicities; and so they bade him
+pray to God for his lord's health, as it was a very likely and a very
+feasible thing for him in course of time to come to be an emperor, as he
+said, or at least an archbishop or some other dignitary of equal rank.
+
+To which Sancho made answer, "If fortune, sirs, should bring things about
+in such a way that my master should have a mind, instead of being an
+emperor, to be an archbishop, I should like to know what
+archbishops-errant commonly give their squires?"
+
+"They commonly give them," said the curate, some simple benefice or cure,
+or some place as sacristan which brings them a good fixed income, not
+counting the altar fees, which may be reckoned at as much more."
+
+"But for that," said Sancho, "the squire must be unmarried, and must
+know, at any rate, how to help at mass, and if that be so, woe is me, for
+I am married already and I don't know the first letter of the A B C. What
+will become of me if my master takes a fancy to be an archbishop and not
+an emperor, as is usual and customary with knights-errant?"
+
+"Be not uneasy, friend Sancho," said the barber, "for we will entreat
+your master, and advise him, even urging it upon him as a case of
+conscience, to become an emperor and not an archbishop, because it will
+be easier for him as he is more valiant than lettered."
+
+"So I have thought," said Sancho; "though I can tell you he is fit for
+anything: what I mean to do for my part is to pray to our Lord to place
+him where it may be best for him, and where he may be able to bestow most
+favours upon me."
+
+"You speak like a man of sense," said the curate, "and you will be acting
+like a good Christian; but what must now be done is to take steps to coax
+your master out of that useless penance you say he is performing; and we
+had best turn into this inn to consider what plan to adopt, and also to
+dine, for it is now time."
+
+Sancho said they might go in, but that he would wait there outside, and
+that he would tell them afterwards the reason why he was unwilling, and
+why it did not suit him to enter it; but he begged them to bring him out
+something to eat, and to let it be hot, and also to bring barley for
+Rocinante. They left him and went in, and presently the barber brought
+him out something to eat. By-and-by, after they had between them
+carefully thought over what they should do to carry out their object, the
+curate hit upon an idea very well adapted to humour Don Quixote, and
+effect their purpose; and his notion, which he explained to the barber,
+was that he himself should assume the disguise of a wandering damsel,
+while the other should try as best he could to pass for a squire, and
+that they should thus proceed to where Don Quixote was, and he,
+pretending to be an aggrieved and distressed damsel, should ask a favour
+of him, which as a valiant knight-errant he could not refuse to grant;
+and the favour he meant to ask him was that he should accompany her
+whither she would conduct him, in order to redress a wrong which a wicked
+knight had done her, while at the same time she should entreat him not to
+require her to remove her mask, nor ask her any question touching her
+circumstances until he had righted her with the wicked knight. And he had
+no doubt that Don Quixote would comply with any request made in these
+terms, and that in this way they might remove him and take him to his own
+village, where they would endeavour to find out if his extraordinary
+madness admitted of any kind of remedy.
+
+Chapter XXVII. -
+Of how the curate and the barber proceeded with their scheme; together
+with other matters worthy of record in this great history
+
+The curate's plan did not seem a bad one to the barber, but on the
+contrary so good that they immediately set about putting it in execution.
+They begged a petticoat and hood of the landlady, leaving her in pledge a
+new cassock of the curate's; and the barber made a beard out of a
+grey-brown or red ox-tail in which the landlord used to stick his comb.
+The landlady asked them what they wanted these things for, and the curate
+told her in a few words about the madness of Don Quixote, and how this
+disguise was intended to get him away from the mountain where he then
+was. The landlord and landlady immediately came to the conclusion that
+the madman was their guest, the balsam man and master of the blanketed
+squire, and they told the curate all that had passed between him and
+them, not omitting what Sancho had been so silent about. Finally the
+landlady dressed up the curate in a style that left nothing to be
+desired; she put on him a cloth petticoat with black velvet stripes a
+palm broad, all slashed, and a bodice of green velvet set off by a
+binding of white satin, which as well as the petticoat must have been
+made in the time of king Wamba. The curate would not let them hood him,
+but put on his head a little quilted linen cap which he used for a
+night-cap, and bound his forehead with a strip of black silk, while with
+another he made a mask with which he concealed his beard and face very
+well. He then put on his hat, which was broad enough to serve him for an
+umbrella, and enveloping himself in his cloak seated himself
+woman-fashion on his mule, while the barber mounted his with a beard down
+to the waist of mingled red and white, for it was, as has been said, the
+tail of a clay-red ox.
+
+They took leave of all, and of the good Maritornes, who, sinner as she
+was, promised to pray a rosary of prayers that God might grant them
+success in such an arduous and Christian undertaking as that they had in
+hand. But hardly had he sallied forth from the inn when it struck the
+curate that he was doing wrong in rigging himself out in that fashion, as
+it was an indecorous thing for a priest to dress himself that way even
+though much might depend upon it; and saying so to the barber he begged
+him to change dresses, as it was fitter he should be the distressed
+damsel, while he himself would play the squire's part, which would be
+less derogatory to his dignity; otherwise he was resolved to have nothing
+more to do with the matter, and let the devil take Don Quixote. Just at
+this moment Sancho came up, and on seeing the pair in such a costume he
+was unable to restrain his laughter; the barber, however, agreed to do as
+the curate wished, and, altering their plan, the curate went on to
+instruct him how to play his part and what to say to Don Quixote to
+induce and compel him to come with them and give up his fancy for the
+place he had chosen for his idle penance. The barber told him he could
+manage it properly without any instruction, and as he did not care to
+dress himself up until they were near where Don Quixote was, he folded up
+the garments, and the curate adjusted his beard, and they set out under
+the guidance of Sancho Panza, who went along telling them of the
+encounter with the madman they met in the Sierra, saying nothing,
+however, about the finding of the valise and its contents; for with all
+his simplicity the lad was a trifle covetous.
+
+The next day they reached the place where Sancho had laid the
+broom-branches as marks to direct him to where he had left his master,
+and recognising it he told them that here was the entrance, and that they
+would do well to dress themselves, if that was required to deliver his
+master; for they had already told him that going in this guise and
+dressing in this way were of the highest importance in order to rescue
+his master from the pernicious life he had adopted; and they charged him
+strictly not to tell his master who they were, or that he knew them, and
+should he ask, as ask he would, if he had given the letter to Dulcinea,
+to say that he had, and that, as she did not know how to read, she had
+given an answer by word of mouth, saying that she commanded him, on pain
+of her displeasure, to come and see her at once; and it was a very
+important matter for himself, because in this way and with what they
+meant to say to him they felt sure of bringing him back to a better mode
+of life and inducing him to take immediate steps to become an emperor or
+monarch, for there was no fear of his becoming an archbishop. All this
+Sancho listened to and fixed it well in his memory, and thanked them
+heartily for intending to recommend his master to be an emperor instead
+of an archbishop, for he felt sure that in the way of bestowing rewards
+on their squires emperors could do more than archbishops-errant. He said,
+too, that it would be as well for him to go on before them to find him,
+and give him his lady's answer; for that perhaps might be enough to bring
+him away from the place without putting them to all this trouble. They
+approved of what Sancho proposed, and resolved to wait for him until he
+brought back word of having found his master.
+
+Sancho pushed on into the glens of the Sierra, leaving them in one
+through which there flowed a little gentle rivulet, and where the rocks
+and trees afforded a cool and grateful shade. It was an August day with
+all the heat of one, and the heat in those parts is intense, and the hour
+was three in the afternoon, all which made the spot the more inviting and
+tempted them to wait there for Sancho's return, which they did. They were
+reposing, then, in the shade, when a voice unaccompanied by the notes of
+any instrument, but sweet and pleasing in its tone, reached their ears,
+at which they were not a little astonished, as the place did not seem to
+them likely quarters for one who sang so well; for though it is often
+said that shepherds of rare voice are to be found in the woods and
+fields, this is rather a flight of the poet's fancy than the truth. And
+still more surprised were they when they perceived that what they heard
+sung were the verses not of rustic shepherds, but of the polished wits of
+the city; and so it proved, for the verses they heard were these:
+
+poem{
+
+What makes my quest of happiness seem vain?
+    Disdain.
+What bids me to abandon hope of ease?
+    Jealousies.
+What holds my heart in anguish of suspense?
+    Absence.
+  If that be so, then for my grief
+  Where shall I turn to seek relief,
+  When hope on every side lies slain
+  By Absence, Jealousies, Disdain?
+
+What the prime cause of all my woe doth prove?
+    Love.
+What at my glory ever looks askance?
+    Chance.
+Whence is permission to afflict me given?
+    Heaven.
+  If that be so, I but await
+  The stroke of a resistless fate,
+  Since, working for my woe, these three,
+  Love, Chance and Heaven, in league I see.
+
+What must I do to find a remedy?
+    Die.
+What is the lure for love when coy and strange?
+    Change.
+What, if all fail, will cure the heart of sadness?
+    Madness.
+  If that be so, it is but folly
+  To seek a cure for melancholy:
+  Ask where it lies; the answer saith
+  In Change, in Madness, or in Death.
+
+}poem
+
+The hour, the summer season, the solitary place, the voice and skill of
+the singer, all contributed to the wonder and delight of the two
+listeners, who remained still waiting to hear something more; finding,
+however, that the silence continued some little time, they resolved to go
+in search of the musician who sang with so fine a voice; but just as they
+were about to do so they were checked by the same voice, which once more
+fell upon their ears, singing this
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+When heavenward, holy Friendship, thou didst go
+  Soaring to seek thy home beyond the sky,
+  And take thy seat among the saints on high,
+It was thy will to leave on earth below
+Thy semblance, and upon it to bestow
+  Thy veil, wherewith at times hypocrisy,
+  Parading in thy shape, deceives the eye,
+And makes its vileness bright as virtue show.
+Friendship, return to us, or force the cheat
+  That wears it now, thy livery to restore,
+    By aid whereof sincerity is slain.
+If thou wilt not unmask thy counterfeit,
+  This earth will be the prey of strife once more,
+    As when primaeval discord held its reign.
+
+}poem
+
+The song ended with a deep sigh, and again the listeners remained waiting
+attentively for the singer to resume; but perceiving that the music had
+now turned to sobs and heart-rending moans they determined to find out
+who the unhappy being could be whose voice was as rare as his sighs were
+piteous, and they had not proceeded far when on turning the corner of a
+rock they discovered a man of the same aspect and appearance as Sancho
+had described to them when he told them the story of Cardenio. He,
+showing no astonishment when he saw them, stood still with his head bent
+down upon his breast like one in deep thought, without raising his eyes
+to look at them after the first glance when they suddenly came upon him.
+The curate, who was aware of his misfortune and recognised him by the
+description, being a man of good address, approached him and in a few
+sensible words entreated and urged him to quit a life of such misery,
+lest he should end it there, which would be the greatest of all
+misfortunes. Cardenio was then in his right mind, free from any attack of
+that madness which so frequently carried him away, and seeing them
+dressed in a fashion so unusual among the frequenters of those wilds,
+could not help showing some surprise, especially when he heard them speak
+of his case as if it were a well-known matter (for the curate's words
+gave him to understand as much) so he replied to them thus:
+
+"I see plainly, sirs, whoever you may be, that Heaven, whose care it is
+to succour the good, and even the wicked very often, here, in this remote
+spot, cut off from human intercourse, sends me, though I deserve it not,
+those who seek to draw me away from this to some better retreat, showing
+me by many and forcible arguments how unreasonably I act in leading the
+life I do; but as they know, that if I escape from this evil I shall fall
+into another still greater, perhaps they will set me down as a
+weak-minded man, or, what is worse, one devoid of reason; nor would it be
+any wonder, for I myself can perceive that the effect of the recollection
+of my misfortunes is so great and works so powerfully to my ruin, that in
+spite of myself I become at times like a stone, without feeling or
+consciousness; and I come to feel the truth of it when they tell me and
+show me proofs of the things I have done when the terrible fit
+overmasters me; and all I can do is bewail my lot in vain, and idly curse
+my destiny, and plead for my madness by telling how it was caused, to any
+that care to hear it; for no reasonable beings on learning the cause will
+wonder at the effects; and if they cannot help me at least they will not
+blame me, and the repugnance they feel at my wild ways will turn into
+pity for my woes. If it be, sirs, that you are here with the same design
+as others have come wah, before you proceed with your wise arguments, I
+entreat you to hear the story of my countless misfortunes, for perhaps
+when you have heard it you will spare yourselves the trouble you would
+take in offering consolation to grief that is beyond the reach of it."
+
+As they, both of them, desired nothing more than to hear from his own
+lips the cause of his suffering, they entreated him to tell it, promising
+not to do anything for his relief or comfort that he did not wish; and
+thereupon the unhappy gentleman began his sad story in nearly the same
+words and manner in which he had related it to Don Quixote and the
+goatherd a few days before, when, through Master Elisabad, and Don
+Quixote's scrupulous observance of what was due to chivalry, the tale was
+left unfinished, as this history has already recorded; but now
+fortunately the mad fit kept off, allowed him to tell it to the end; and
+so, coming to the incident of the note which Don Fernando had found in
+the volume of "Amadis of Gaul," Cardenio said that he remembered it
+perfectly and that it was in these words:
+
+"Luscinda to Cardenio.
+
+"Every day I discover merits in you that oblige and compel me to hold you
+in higher estimation; so if you desire to relieve me of this obligation
+without cost to my honour, you may easily do so. I have a father who
+knows you and loves me dearly, who without putting any constraint on my
+inclination will grant what will be reasonable for you to have, if it be
+that you value me as you say and as I believe you do."
+
+"By this letter I was induced, as I told you, to demand Luscinda for my
+wife, and it was through it that Luscinda came to be regarded by Don
+Fernando as one of the most discreet and prudent women of the day, and
+this letter it was that suggested his design of ruining me before mine
+could be carried into effect. I told Don Fernando that all Luscinda's
+father was waiting for was that mine should ask her of him, which I did
+not dare to suggest to him, fearing that he would not consent to do so;
+not because he did not know perfectly well the rank, goodness, virtue,
+and beauty of Luscinda, and that she had qualities that would do honour
+to any family in Spain, but because I was aware that he did not wish me
+to marry so soon, before seeing what the Duke Ricardo would do for me. In
+short, I told him I did not venture to mention it to my father, as well
+on account of that difficulty, as of many others that discouraged me
+though I knew not well what they were, only that it seemed to me that
+what I desired was never to come to pass. To all this Don Fernando
+answered that he would take it upon himself to speak to my father, and
+persuade him to speak to Luscinda's father. O, ambitious Marius! O, cruel
+Catiline! O, wicked Sylla! O, perfidious Ganelon! O, treacherous Vellido!
+O, vindictive Julian! O, covetous Judas! Traitor, cruel, vindictive, and
+perfidious, wherein had this poor wretch failed in his fidelity, who with
+such frankness showed thee the secrets and the joys of his heart? What
+offence did I commit? What words did I utter, or what counsels did I give
+that had not the furtherance of thy honour and welfare for their aim?
+But, woe is me, wherefore do I complain? for sure it is that when
+misfortunes spring from the stars, descending from on high they fall upon
+us with such fury and violence that no power on earth can check their
+course nor human device stay their coming. Who could have thought that
+Don Fernando, a highborn gentleman, intelligent, bound to me by gratitude
+for my services, one that could win the object of his love wherever he
+might set his affections, could have become so obdurate, as they say, as
+to rob me of my one ewe lamb that was not even yet in my possession? But
+laying aside these useless and unavailing reflections, let us take up the
+broken thread of my unhappy story.
+
+"To proceed, then: Don Fernando finding my presence an obstacle to the
+execution of his treacherous and wicked design, resolved to send me to
+his elder brother under the pretext of asking money from him to pay for
+six horses which, purposely, and with the sole object of sending me away
+that he might the better carry out his infernal scheme, he had purchased
+the very day he offered to speak to my father, and the price of which he
+now desired me to fetch. Could I have anticipated this treachery? Could I
+by any chance have suspected it? Nay; so far from that, I offered with
+the greatest pleasure to go at once, in my satisfaction at the good
+bargain that had been made. That night I spoke with Luscinda, and told
+her what had been agreed upon with Don Fernando, and how I had strong
+hopes of our fair and reasonable wishes being realised. She, as
+unsuspicious as I was of the treachery of Don Fernando, bade me try to
+return speedily, as she believed the fulfilment of our desires would be
+delayed only so long as my father put off speaking to hers. I know not
+why it was that on saying this to me her eyes filled with tears, and
+there came a lump in her throat that prevented her from uttering a word
+of many more that it seemed to me she was striving to say to me. I was
+astonished at this unusual turn, which I never before observed in her.
+for we always conversed, whenever good fortune and my ingenuity gave us
+the chance, with the greatest gaiety and cheerfulness, mingling tears,
+sighs, jealousies, doubts, or fears with our words; it was all on my part
+a eulogy of my good fortune that Heaven should have given her to me for
+my mistress; I glorified her beauty, I extolled her worth and her
+understanding; and she paid me back by praising in me what in her love
+for me she thought worthy of praise; and besides we had a hundred
+thousand trifles and doings of our neighbours and acquaintances to talk
+about, and the utmost extent of my boldness was to take, almost by force,
+one of her fair white hands and carry it to my lips, as well as the
+closeness of the low grating that separated us allowed me. But the night
+before the unhappy day of my departure she wept, she moaned, she sighed,
+and she withdrew leaving me filled with perplexity and amazement,
+overwhelmed at the sight of such strange and affecting signs of grief and
+sorrow in Luscinda; but not to dash my hopes I ascribed it all to the
+depth of her love for me and the pain that separation gives those who
+love tenderly. At last I took my departure, sad and dejected, my heart
+filled with fancies and suspicions, but not knowing well what it was I
+suspected or fancied; plain omens pointing to the sad event and
+misfortune that was awaiting me.
+
+"I reached the place whither I had been sent, gave the letter to Don
+Fernando's brother, and was kindly received but not promptly dismissed,
+for he desired me to wait, very much against my will, eight days in some
+place where the duke his father was not likely to see me, as his brother
+wrote that the money was to be sent without his knowledge; all of which
+was a scheme of the treacherous Don Fernando, for his brother had no want
+of money to enable him to despatch me at once.
+
+"The command was one that exposed me to the temptation of disobeying it,
+as it seemed to me impossible to endure life for so many days separated
+from Luscinda, especially after leaving her in the sorrowful mood I have
+described to you; nevertheless as a dutiful servant I obeyed, though I
+felt it would be at the cost of my well-being. But four days later there
+came a man in quest of me with a letter which he gave me, and which by
+the address I perceived to be from Luscinda, as the writing was hers. I
+opened it with fear and trepidation, persuaded that it must be something
+serious that had impelled her to write to me when at a distance, as she
+seldom did so when I was near. Before reading it I asked the man who it
+was that had given it to him, and how long he had been upon the road; he
+told me that as he happened to be passing through one of the streets of
+the city at the hour of noon, a very beautiful lady called to him from a
+window, and with tears in her eyes said to him hurriedly, 'Brother, if
+you are, as you seem to be, a Christian, for the love of God I entreat
+you to have this letter despatched without a moment's delay to the place
+and person named in the address, all which is well known, and by this you
+will render a great service to our Lord; and that you may be at no
+inconvenience in doing so take what is in this handkerchief;' and said
+he, 'with this she threw me a handkerchief out of the window in which
+were tied up a hundred reals and this gold ring which I bring here
+together with the letter I have given you. And then without waiting for
+any answer she left the window, though not before she saw me take the
+letter and the handkerchief, and I had by signs let her know that I would
+do as she bade me; and so, seeing myself so well paid for the trouble I
+would have in bringing it to you, and knowing by the address that it was
+to you it was sent (for, senor, I know you very well), and also unable to
+resist that beautiful lady's tears, I resolved to trust no one else, but
+to come myself and give it to you, and in sixteen hours from the time
+when it was given me I have made the journey, which, as you know, is
+eighteen leagues.'
+
+"All the while the good-natured improvised courier was telling me this, I
+hung upon his words, my legs trembling under me so that I could scarcely
+stand. However, I opened the letter and read these words:
+
+"'The promise Don Fernando gave you to urge your father to speak to mine,
+he has fulfilled much more to his own satisfaction than to your
+advantage. I have to tell you, senor, that he has demanded me for a wife,
+and my father, led away by what he considers Don Fernando's superiority
+over you, has favoured his suit so cordially, that in two days hence the
+betrothal is to take place with such secrecy and so privately that the
+only witnesses are to be the Heavens above and a few of the household.
+Picture to yourself the state I am in; judge if it be urgent for you to
+come; the issue of the affair will show you whether I love you or not.
+God grant this may come to your hand before mine shall be forced to link
+itself with his who keeps so ill the faith that he has pledged.'
+
+"Such, in brief, were the words of the letter, words that made me set out
+at once without waiting any longer for reply or money; for I now saw
+clearly that it was not the purchase of horses but of his own pleasure
+that had made Don Fernando send me to his brother. The exasperation I
+felt against Don Fernando, joined with the fear of losing the prize I had
+won by so many years of love and devotion, lent me wings; so that almost
+flying I reached home the same day, by the hour which served for speaking
+with Luscinda. I arrived unobserved, and left the mule on which I had
+come at the house of the worthy man who had brought me the letter, and
+fortune was pleased to be for once so kind that I found Luscinda at the
+grating that was the witness of our loves. She recognised me at once, and
+I her, but not as she ought to have recognised me, or I her. But who is
+there in the world that can boast of having fathomed or understood the
+wavering mind and unstable nature of a woman? Of a truth no one. To
+proceed: as soon as Luscinda saw me she said, 'Cardenio, I am in my
+bridal dress, and the treacherous Don Fernando and my covetous father are
+waiting for me in the hall with the other witnesses, who shall be the
+witnesses of my death before they witness my betrothal. Be not
+distressed, my friend, but contrive to be present at this sacrifice, and
+if that cannot be prevented by my words, I have a dagger concealed which
+will prevent more deliberate violence, putting an end to my life and
+giving thee a first proof of the love I have borne and bear thee.' I
+replied to her distractedly and hastily, in fear lest I should not have
+time to reply, 'May thy words be verified by thy deeds, lady; and if thou
+hast a dagger to save thy honour, I have a sword to defend thee or kill
+myself if fortune be against us.'
+
+"I think she could not have heard all these words, for I perceived that
+they called her away in haste, as the bridegroom was waiting. Now the
+night of my sorrow set in, the sun of my happiness went down, I felt my
+eyes bereft of sight, my mind of reason. I could not enter the house, nor
+was I capable of any movement; but reflecting how important it was that I
+should be present at what might take place on the occasion, I nerved
+myself as best I could and went in, for I well knew all the entrances and
+outlets; and besides, with the confusion that in secret pervaded the
+house no one took notice of me, so, without being seen, I found an
+opportunity of placing myself in the recess formed by a window of the
+hall itself, and concealed by the ends and borders of two tapestries,
+from between which I could, without being seen, see all that took place
+in the room. Who could describe the agitation of heart I suffered as I
+stood there--the thoughts that came to me--the reflections that passed
+through my mind? They were such as cannot be, nor were it well they
+should be, told. Suffice it to say that the bridegroom entered the hall
+in his usual dress, without ornament of any kind; as groomsman he had
+with him a cousin of Luscinda's and except the servants of the house
+there was no one else in the chamber. Soon afterwards Luscinda came out
+from an antechamber, attended by her mother and two of her damsels,
+arrayed and adorned as became her rank and beauty, and in full festival
+and ceremonial attire. My anxiety and distraction did not allow me to
+observe or notice particularly what she wore; I could only perceive the
+colours, which were crimson and white, and the glitter of the gems and
+jewels on her head dress and apparel, surpassed by the rare beauty of her
+lovely auburn hair that vying with the precious stones and the light of
+the four torches that stood in the hall shone with a brighter gleam than
+all. Oh memory, mortal foe of my peace! why bring before me now the
+incomparable beauty of that adored enemy of mine? Were it not better,
+cruel memory, to remind me and recall what she then did, that stirred by
+a wrong so glaring I may seek, if not vengeance now, at least to rid
+myself of life? Be not weary, sirs, of listening to these digressions; my
+sorrow is not one of those that can or should be told tersely and
+briefly, for to me each incident seems to call for many words."
+
+To this the curate replied that not only were they not weary of listening
+to him, but that the details he mentioned interested them greatly, being
+of a kind by no means to be omitted and deserving of the same attention
+as the main story.
+
+"To proceed, then," continued Cardenio: "all being assembled in the hall,
+the priest of the parish came in and as he took the pair by the hand to
+perform the requisite ceremony, at the words, 'Will you, Senora Luscinda,
+take Senor Don Fernando, here present, for your lawful husband, as the
+holy Mother Church ordains?' I thrust my head and neck out from between
+the tapestries, and with eager ears and throbbing heart set myself to
+listen to Luscinda's answer, awaiting in her reply the sentence of death
+or the grant of life. Oh, that I had but dared at that moment to rush
+forward crying aloud, 'Luscinda, Luscinda! have a care what thou dost;
+remember what thou owest me; bethink thee thou art mine and canst not be
+another's; reflect that thy utterance of "Yes" and the end of my life
+will come at the same instant. O, treacherous Don Fernando! robber of my
+glory, death of my life! What seekest thou? Remember that thou canst not
+as a Christian attain the object of thy wishes, for Luscinda is my bride,
+and I am her husband!' Fool that I am! now that I am far away, and out of
+danger, I say I should have done what I did not do: now that I have
+allowed my precious treasure to be robbed from me, I curse the robber, on
+whom I might have taken vengeance had I as much heart for it as I have
+for bewailing my fate; in short, as I was then a coward and a fool,
+little wonder is it if I am now dying shame-stricken, remorseful, and
+mad.
+
+"The priest stood waiting for the answer of Luscinda, who for a long time
+withheld it; and just as I thought she was taking out the dagger to save
+her honour, or struggling for words to make some declaration of the truth
+on my behalf, I heard her say in a faint and feeble voice, 'I will:' Don
+Fernando said the same, and giving her the ring they stood linked by a
+knot that could never be loosed. The bridegroom then approached to
+embrace his bride; and she, pressing her hand upon her heart, fell
+fainting in her mother's arms. It only remains now for me to tell you the
+state I was in when in that consent that I heard I saw all my hopes
+mocked, the words and promises of Luscinda proved falsehoods, and the
+recovery of the prize I had that instant lost rendered impossible for
+ever. I stood stupefied, wholly abandoned, it seemed, by Heaven, declared
+the enemy of the earth that bore me, the air refusing me breath for my
+sighs, the water moisture for my tears; it was only the fire that
+gathered strength so that my whole frame glowed with rage and jealousy.
+They were all thrown into confusion by Luscinda's fainting, and as her
+mother was unlacing her to give her air a sealed paper was discovered in
+her bosom which Don Fernando seized at once and began to read by the
+light of one of the torches. As soon as he had read it he seated himself
+in a chair, leaning his cheek on his hand in the attitude of one deep in
+thought, without taking any part in the efforts that were being made to
+recover his bride from her fainting fit.
+
+"Seeing all the household in confusion, I ventured to come out regardless
+whether I were seen or not, and determined, if I were, to do some
+frenzied deed that would prove to all the world the righteous indignation
+of my breast in the punishment of the treacherous Don Fernando, and even
+in that of the fickle fainting traitress. But my fate, doubtless
+reserving me for greater sorrows, if such there be, so ordered it that
+just then I had enough and to spare of that reason which has since been
+wanting to me; and so, without seeking to take vengeance on my greatest
+enemies (which might have been easily taken, as all thought of me was so
+far from their minds), I resolved to take it upon myself, and on myself
+to inflict the pain they deserved, perhaps with even greater severity
+than I should have dealt out to them had I then slain them; for sudden
+pain is soon over, but that which is protracted by tortures is ever
+slaying without ending life. In a word, I quitted the house and reached
+that of the man with whom I had left my mule; I made him saddle it for
+me, mounted without bidding him farewell, and rode out of the city, like
+another Lot, not daring to turn my head to look back upon it; and when I
+found myself alone in the open country, screened by the darkness of the
+night, and tempted by the stillness to give vent to my grief without
+apprehension or fear of being heard or seen, then I broke silence and
+lifted up my voice in maledictions upon Luscinda and Don Fernando, as if
+I could thus avenge the wrong they had done me. I called her cruel,
+ungrateful, false, thankless, but above all covetous, since the wealth of
+my enemy had blinded the eyes of her affection, and turned it from me to
+transfer it to one to whom fortune had been more generous and liberal.
+And yet, in the midst of this outburst of execration and upbraiding, I
+found excuses for her, saying it was no wonder that a young girl in the
+seclusion of her parents' house, trained and schooled to obey them
+always, should have been ready to yield to their wishes when they offered
+her for a husband a gentleman of such distinction, wealth, and noble
+birth, that if she had refused to accept him she would have been thought
+out of her senses, or to have set her affection elsewhere, a suspicion
+injurious to her fair name and fame. But then again, I said, had she
+declared I was her husband, they would have seen that in choosing me she
+had not chosen so ill but that they might excuse her, for before Don
+Fernando had made his offer, they themselves could not have desired, if
+their desires had been ruled by reason, a more eligible husband for their
+daughter than I was; and she, before taking the last fatal step of giving
+her hand, might easily have said that I had already given her mine, for I
+should have come forward to support any assertion of hers to that effect.
+In short, I came to the conclusion that feeble love, little reflection,
+great ambition, and a craving for rank, had made her forget the words
+with which she had deceived me, encouraged and supported by my firm hopes
+and honourable passion.
+
+"Thus soliloquising and agitated, I journeyed onward for the remainder of
+the night, and by daybreak I reached one of the passes of these
+mountains, among which I wandered for three days more without taking any
+path or road, until I came to some meadows lying on I know not which side
+of the mountains, and there I inquired of some herdsmen in what direction
+the most rugged part of the range lay. They told me that it was in this
+quarter, and I at once directed my course hither, intending to end my
+life here; but as I was making my way among these crags, my mule dropped
+dead through fatigue and hunger, or, as I think more likely, in order to
+have done with such a worthless burden as it bore in me. I was left on
+foot, worn out, famishing, without anyone to help me or any thought of
+seeking help: and so thus I lay stretched on the ground, how long I know
+not, after which I rose up free from hunger, and found beside me some
+goatherds, who no doubt were the persons who had relieved me in my need,
+for they told me how they had found me, and how I had been uttering
+ravings that showed plainly I had lost my reason; and since then I am
+conscious that I am not always in full possession of it, but at times so
+deranged and crazed that I do a thousand mad things, tearing my clothes,
+crying aloud in these solitudes, cursing my fate, and idly calling on the
+dear name of her who is my enemy, and only seeking to end my life in
+lamentation; and when I recover my senses I find myself so exhausted and
+weary that I can scarcely move. Most commonly my dwelling is the hollow
+of a cork tree large enough to shelter this miserable body; the herdsmen
+and goatherds who frequent these mountains, moved by compassion, furnish
+me with food, leaving it by the wayside or on the rocks, where they think
+I may perhaps pass and find it; and so, even though I may be then out of
+my senses, the wants of nature teach me what is required to sustain me,
+and make me crave it and eager to take it. At other times, so they tell
+me when they find me in a rational mood, I sally out upon the road, and
+though they would gladly give it me, I snatch food by force from the
+shepherds bringing it from the village to their huts. Thus do pass the
+wretched life that remains to me, until it be Heaven's will to bring it
+to a close, or so to order my memory that I no longer recollect the
+beauty and treachery of Luscinda, or the wrong done me by Don Fernando;
+for if it will do this without depriving me of life, I will turn my
+thoughts into some better channel; if not, I can only implore it to have
+full mercy on my soul, for in myself I feel no power or strength to
+release my body from this strait in which I have of my own accord chosen
+to place it.
+
+"Such, sirs, is the dismal story of my misfortune: say if it be one that
+can be told with less emotion than you have seen in me; and do not
+trouble yourselves with urging or pressing upon me what reason suggests
+as likely to serve for my relief, for it will avail me as much as the
+medicine prescribed by a wise physician avails the sick man who will not
+take it. I have no wish for health without Luscinda; and since it is her
+pleasure to be another's, when she is or should be mine, let it be mine
+to be a prey to misery when I might have enjoyed happiness. She by her
+fickleness strove to make my ruin irretrievable; I will strive to gratify
+her wishes by seeking destruction; and it will show generations to come
+that I alone was deprived of that of which all others in misfortune have
+a superabundance, for to them the impossibility of being consoled is
+itself a consolation, while to me it is the cause of greater sorrows and
+sufferings, for I think that even in death there will not be an end of
+them."
+
+Here Cardenio brought to a close his long discourse and story, as full of
+misfortune as it was of love; but just as the curate was going to address
+some words of comfort to him, he was stopped by a voice that reached his
+ear, saying in melancholy tones what will be told in the Fourth Part of
+this narrative; for at this point the sage and sagacious historian, Cide
+Hamete Benengeli, brought the Third to a conclusion.
+
+Chapter XXVIII. -
+Which treats of the strange and delightful adventure that befell the
+curate and the barber in the same Sierra
+
+Happy and fortunate were the times when that most daring knight Don
+Quixote of La Mancha was sent into the world; for by reason of his having
+formed a resolution so honourable as that of seeking to revive and
+restore to the world the long-lost and almost defunct order of
+knight-errantry, we now enjoy in this age of ours, so poor in light
+entertainment, not only the charm of his veracious history, but also of
+the tales and episodes contained in it which are, in a measure, no less
+pleasing, ingenious, and truthful, than the history itself; which,
+resuming its thread, carded, spun, and wound, relates that just as the
+curate was going to offer consolation to Cardenio, he was interrupted by
+a voice that fell upon his ear saying in plaintive tones:
+
+"O God! is it possible I have found a place that may serve as a secret
+grave for the weary load of this body that I support so unwillingly? If
+the solitude these mountains promise deceives me not, it is so; ah! woe
+is me! how much more grateful to my mind will be the society of these
+rocks and brakes that permit me to complain of my misfortune to Heaven,
+than that of any human being, for there is none on earth to look to for
+counsel in doubt, comfort in sorrow, or relief in distress!"
+
+All this was heard distinctly by the curate and those with him, and as it
+seemed to them to be uttered close by, as indeed it was, they got up to
+look for the speaker, and before they had gone twenty paces they
+discovered behind a rock, seated at the foot of an ash tree, a youth in
+the dress of a peasant, whose face they were unable at the moment to see
+as he was leaning forward, bathing his feet in the brook that flowed
+past. They approached so silently that he did not perceive them, being
+fully occupied in bathing his feet, which were so fair that they looked
+like two pieces of shining crystal brought forth among the other stones
+of the brook. The whiteness and beauty of these feet struck them with
+surprise, for they did not seem to have been made to crush clods or to
+follow the plough and the oxen as their owner's dress suggested; and so,
+finding they had not been noticed, the curate, who was in front, made a
+sign to the other two to conceal themselves behind some fragments of rock
+that lay there; which they did, observing closely what the youth was
+about. He had on a loose double-skirted dark brown jacket bound tight to
+his body with a white cloth; he wore besides breeches and gaiters of
+brown cloth, and on his head a brown montera; and he had the gaiters
+turned up as far as the middle of the leg, which verily seemed to be of
+pure alabaster.
+
+As soon as he had done bathing his beautiful feet, he wiped them with a
+towel he took from under the montera, on taking off which he raised his
+face, and those who were watching him had an opportunity of seeing a
+beauty so exquisite that Cardenio said to the curate in a whisper:
+
+"As this is not Luscinda, it is no human creature but a divine being."
+
+The youth then took off the montera, and shaking his head from side to
+side there broke loose and spread out a mass of hair that the beams of
+the sun might have envied; by this they knew that what had seemed a
+peasant was a lovely woman, nay the most beautiful the eyes of two of
+them had ever beheld, or even Cardenio's if they had not seen and known
+Luscinda, for he afterwards declared that only the beauty of Luscinda
+could compare with this. The long auburn tresses not only covered her
+shoulders, but such was their length and abundance, concealed her all
+round beneath their masses, so that except the feet nothing of her form
+was visible. She now used her hands as a comb, and if her feet had seemed
+like bits of crystal in the water, her hands looked like pieces of driven
+snow among her locks; all which increased not only the admiration of the
+three beholders, but their anxiety to learn who she was. With this object
+they resolved to show themselves, and at the stir they made in getting
+upon their feet the fair damsel raised her head, and parting her hair
+from before her eyes with both hands, she looked to see who had made the
+noise, and the instant she perceived them she started to her feet, and
+without waiting to put on her shoes or gather up her hair, hastily
+snatched up a bundle as though of clothes that she had beside her, and,
+scared and alarmed, endeavoured to take flight; but before she had gone
+six paces she fell to the ground, her delicate feet being unable to bear
+the roughness of the stones; seeing which, the three hastened towards
+her, and the curate addressing her first said:
+
+"Stay, senora, whoever you may be, for those whom you see here only
+desire to be of service to you; you have no need to attempt a flight so
+heedless, for neither can your feet bear it, nor we allow it."
+
+Taken by surprise and bewildered, she made no reply to these words. They,
+however, came towards her, and the curate taking her hand went on to say:
+
+"What your dress would hide, senora, is made known to us by your hair; a
+clear proof that it can be no trifling cause that has disguised your
+beauty in a garb so unworthy of it, and sent it into solitudes like these
+where we have had the good fortune to find you, if not to relieve your
+distress, at least to offer you comfort; for no distress, so long as life
+lasts, can be so oppressive or reach such a height as to make the
+sufferer refuse to listen to comfort offered with good intention. And so,
+senora, or senor, or whatever you prefer to be, dismiss the fears that
+our appearance has caused you and make us acquainted with your good or
+evil fortunes, for from all of us together, or from each one of us, you
+will receive sympathy in your trouble."
+
+While the curate was speaking, the disguised damsel stood as if
+spell-bound, looking at them without opening her lips or uttering a word,
+just like a village rustic to whom something strange that he has never
+seen before has been suddenly shown; but on the curate addressing some
+further words to the same effect to her, sighing deeply she broke silence
+and said:
+
+"Since the solitude of these mountains has been unable to conceal me, and
+the escape of my dishevelled tresses will not allow my tongue to deal in
+falsehoods, it would be idle for me now to make any further pretence of
+what, if you were to believe me, you would believe more out of courtesy
+than for any other reason. This being so, I say I thank you, sirs, for
+the offer you have made me, which places me under the obligation of
+complying with the request you have made of me; though I fear the account
+I shall give you of my misfortunes will excite in you as much concern as
+compassion, for you will be unable to suggest anything to remedy them or
+any consolation to alleviate them. However, that my honour may not be
+left a matter of doubt in your minds, now that you have discovered me to
+be a woman, and see that I am young, alone, and in this dress, things
+that taken together or separately would be enough to destroy any good
+name, I feel bound to tell what I would willingly keep secret if I
+could."
+
+All this she who was now seen to be a lovely woman delivered without any
+hesitation, with so much ease and in so sweet a voice that they were not
+less charmed by her intelligence than by her beauty, and as they again
+repeated their offers and entreaties to her to fulfil her promise, she
+without further pressing, first modestly covering her feet and gathering
+up her hair, seated herself on a stone with the three placed around her,
+and, after an effort to restrain some tears that came to her eyes, in a
+clear and steady voice began her story thus:
+
+"In this Andalusia there is a town from which a duke takes a title which
+makes him one of those that are called Grandees of Spain. This nobleman
+has two sons, the elder heir to his dignity and apparently to his good
+qualities; the younger heir to I know not what, unless it be the
+treachery of Vellido and the falsehood of Ganelon. My parents are this
+lord's vassals, lowly in origin, but so wealthy that if birth had
+conferred as much on them as fortune, they would have had nothing left to
+desire, nor should I have had reason to fear trouble like that in which I
+find myself now; for it may be that my ill fortune came of theirs in not
+having been nobly born. It is true they are not so low that they have any
+reason to be ashamed of their condition, but neither are they so high as
+to remove from my mind the impression that my mishap comes of their
+humble birth. They are, in short, peasants, plain homely people, without
+any taint of disreputable blood, and, as the saying is, old rusty
+Christians, but so rich that by their wealth and free-handed way of life
+they are coming by degrees to be considered gentlefolk by birth, and even
+by position; though the wealth and nobility they thought most of was
+having me for their daughter; and as they have no other child to make
+their heir, and are affectionate parents, I was one of the most indulged
+daughters that ever parents indulged.
+
+"I was the mirror in which they beheld themselves, the staff of their old
+age, and the object in which, with submission to Heaven, all their wishes
+centred, and mine were in accordance with theirs, for I knew their worth;
+and as I was mistress of their hearts, so was I also of their
+possessions. Through me they engaged or dismissed their servants; through
+my hands passed the accounts and returns of what was sown and reaped; the
+oil-mills, the wine-presses, the count of the flocks and herds, the
+beehives, all in short that a rich farmer like my father has or can have,
+I had under my care, and I acted as steward and mistress with an
+assiduity on my part and satisfaction on theirs that I cannot well
+describe to you. The leisure hours left to me after I had given the
+requisite orders to the head-shepherds, overseers, and other labourers, I
+passed in such employments as are not only allowable but necessary for
+young girls, those that the needle, embroidery cushion, and spinning
+wheel usually afford, and if to refresh my mind I quitted them for a
+while, I found recreation in reading some devotional book or playing the
+harp, for experience taught me that music soothes the troubled mind and
+relieves weariness of spirit. Such was the life I led in my parents'
+house and if I have depicted it thus minutely, it is not out of
+ostentation, or to let you know that I am rich, but that you may see how,
+without any fault of mine, I have fallen from the happy condition I have
+described, to the misery I am in at present. The truth is, that while I
+was leading this busy life, in a retirement that might compare with that
+of a monastery, and unseen as I thought by any except the servants of the
+house (for when I went to Mass it was so early in the morning, and I was
+so closely attended by my mother and the women of the household, and so
+thickly veiled and so shy, that my eyes scarcely saw more ground than I
+trod on), in spite of all this, the eyes of love, or idleness, more
+properly speaking, that the lynx's cannot rival, discovered me, with the
+help of the assiduity of Don Fernando; for that is the name of the
+younger son of the duke I told of."
+
+The moment the speaker mentioned the name of Don Fernando, Cardenio
+changed colour and broke into a sweat, with such signs of emotion that
+the curate and the barber, who observed it, feared that one of the mad
+fits which they heard attacked him sometimes was coming upon him; but
+Cardenio showed no further agitation and remained quiet, regarding the
+peasant girl with fixed attention, for he began to suspect who she was.
+She, however, without noticing the excitement of Cardenio, continuing her
+story, went on to say:
+
+"And they had hardly discovered me, when, as he owned afterwards, he was
+smitten with a violent love for me, as the manner in which it displayed
+itself plainly showed. But to shorten the long recital of my woes, I will
+pass over in silence all the artifices employed by Don Fernando for
+declaring his passion for me. He bribed all the household, he gave and
+offered gifts and presents to my parents; every day was like a holiday or
+a merry-making in our street; by night no one could sleep for the music;
+the love letters that used to come to my hand, no one knew how, were
+innumerable, full of tender pleadings and pledges, containing more
+promises and oaths than there were letters in them; all which not only
+did not soften me, but hardened my heart against him, as if he had been
+my mortal enemy, and as if everything he did to make me yield were done
+with the opposite intention. Not that the high-bred bearing of Don
+Fernando was disagreeable to me, or that I found his importunities
+wearisome; for it gave me a certain sort of satisfaction to find myself
+so sought and prized by a gentleman of such distinction, and I was not
+displeased at seeing my praises in his letters (for however ugly we women
+may be, it seems to me it always pleases us to hear ourselves called
+beautiful) but that my own sense of right was opposed to all this, as
+well as the repeated advice of my parents, who now very plainly perceived
+Don Fernando's purpose, for he cared very little if all the world knew
+it. They told me they trusted and confided their honour and good name to
+my virtue and rectitude alone, and bade me consider the disparity between
+Don Fernando and myself, from which I might conclude that his intentions,
+whatever he might say to the contrary, had for their aim his own pleasure
+rather than my advantage; and if I were at all desirous of opposing an
+obstacle to his unreasonable suit, they were ready, they said, to marry
+me at once to anyone I preferred, either among the leading people of our
+own town, or of any of those in the neighbourhood; for with their wealth
+and my good name, a match might be looked for in any quarter. This offer,
+and their sound advice strengthened my resolution, and I never gave Don
+Fernando a word in reply that could hold out to him any hope of success,
+however remote.
+
+"All this caution of mine, which he must have taken for coyness, had
+apparently the effect of increasing his wanton appetite--for that is the
+name I give to his passion for me; had it been what he declared it to be,
+you would not know of it now, because there would have been no occasion
+to tell you of it. At length he learned that my parents were
+contemplating marriage for me in order to put an end to his hopes of
+obtaining possession of me, or at least to secure additional protectors
+to watch over me, and this intelligence or suspicion made him act as you
+shall hear. One night, as I was in my chamber with no other companion
+than a damsel who waited on me, with the doors carefully locked lest my
+honour should be imperilled through any carelessness, I know not nor can
+conceive how it happened, but, with all this seclusion and these
+precautions, and in the solitude and silence of my retirement, I found
+him standing before me, a vision that so astounded me that it deprived my
+eyes of sight, and my tongue of speech. I had no power to utter a cry,
+nor, I think, did he give me time to utter one, as he immediately
+approached me, and taking me in his arms (for, overwhelmed as I was, I
+was powerless, I say, to help myself), he began to make such professions
+to me that I know not how falsehood could have had the power of dressing
+them up to seem so like truth; and the traitor contrived that his tears
+should vouch for his words, and his sighs for his sincerity.
+
+"I, a poor young creature alone, ill versed among my people in cases such
+as this, began, I know not how, to think all these lying protestations
+true, though without being moved by his sighs and tears to anything more
+than pure compassion; and so, as the first feeling of bewilderment passed
+away, and I began in some degree to recover myself, I said to him with
+more courage than I thought I could have possessed, 'If, as I am now in
+your arms, senor, I were in the claws of a fierce lion, and my
+deliverance could be procured by doing or saying anything to the
+prejudice of my honour, it would no more be in my power to do it or say
+it, than it would be possible that what was should not have been; so
+then, if you hold my body clasped in your arms, I hold my soul secured by
+virtuous intentions, very different from yours, as you will see if you
+attempt to carry them into effect by force. I am your vassal, but I am
+not your slave; your nobility neither has nor should have any right to
+dishonour or degrade my humble birth; and low-born peasant as I am, I
+have my self-respect as much as you, a lord and gentleman: with me your
+violence will be to no purpose, your wealth will have no weight, your
+words will have no power to deceive me, nor your sighs or tears to soften
+me: were I to see any of the things I speak of in him whom my parents
+gave me as a husband, his will should be mine, and mine should be bounded
+by his; and my honour being preserved even though my inclinations were
+not would willingly yield him what you, senor, would now obtain by force;
+and this I say lest you should suppose that any but my lawful husband
+shall ever win anything of me.' 'If that,' said this disloyal gentleman,
+'be the only scruple you feel, fairest Dorothea' (for that is the name of
+this unhappy being), 'see here I give you my hand to be yours, and let
+Heaven, from which nothing is hid, and this image of Our Lady you have
+here, be witnesses of this pledge.'"
+
+When Cardenio heard her say she was called Dorothea, he showed fresh
+agitation and felt convinced of the truth of his former suspicion, but he
+was unwilling to interrupt the story, and wished to hear the end of what
+he already all but knew, so he merely said:
+
+"What! is Dorothea your name, senora? I have heard of another of the same
+name who can perhaps match your misfortunes. But proceed; by-and-by I may
+tell you something that will astonish you as much as it will excite your
+compassion."
+
+Dorothea was struck by Cardenio's words as well as by his strange and
+miserable attire, and begged him if he knew anything concerning her to
+tell it to her at once, for if fortune had left her any blessing it was
+courage to bear whatever calamity might fall upon her, as she felt sure
+that none could reach her capable of increasing in any degree what she
+endured already.
+
+"I would not let the occasion pass, senora," replied Cardenio, "of
+telling you what I think, if what I suspect were the truth, but so far
+there has been no opportunity, nor is it of any importance to you to know
+it."
+
+"Be it as it may," replied Dorothea, "what happened in my story was that
+Don Fernando, taking an image that stood in the chamber, placed it as a
+witness of our betrothal, and with the most binding words and extravagant
+oaths gave me his promise to become my husband; though before he had made
+an end of pledging himself I bade him consider well what he was doing,
+and think of the anger his father would feel at seeing him married to a
+peasant girl and one of his vassals; I told him not to let my beauty,
+such as it was, blind him, for that was not enough to furnish an excuse
+for his transgression; and if in the love he bore me he wished to do me
+any kindness, it would be to leave my lot to follow its course at the
+level my condition required; for marriages so unequal never brought
+happiness, nor did they continue long to afford the enjoyment they began
+with.
+
+"All this that I have now repeated I said to him, and much more which I
+cannot recollect; but it had no effect in inducing him to forego his
+purpose; he who has no intention of paying does not trouble himself about
+difficulties when he is striking the bargain. At the same time I argued
+the matter briefly in my own mind, saying to myself, 'I shall not be the
+first who has risen through marriage from a lowly to a lofty station, nor
+will Don Fernando be the first whom beauty or, as is more likely, a blind
+attachment, has led to mate himself below his rank. Then, since I am
+introducing no new usage or practice, I may as well avail myself of the
+honour that chance offers me, for even though his inclination for me
+should not outlast the attainment of his wishes, I shall be, after all,
+his wife before God. And if I strive to repel him by scorn, I can see
+that, fair means failing, he is in a mood to use force, and I shall be
+left dishonoured and without any means of proving my innocence to those
+who cannot know how innocently I have come to be in this position; for
+what arguments would persuade my parents that this gentleman entered my
+chamber without my consent?'
+
+"All these questions and answers passed through my mind in a moment; but
+the oaths of Don Fernando, the witnesses he appealed to, the tears he
+shed, and lastly the charms of his person and his high-bred grace, which,
+accompanied by such signs of genuine love, might well have conquered a
+heart even more free and coy than mine--these were the things that more
+than all began to influence me and lead me unawares to my ruin. I called
+my waiting-maid to me, that there might be a witness on earth besides
+those in Heaven, and again Don Fernando renewed and repeated his oaths,
+invoked as witnesses fresh saints in addition to the former ones, called
+down upon himself a thousand curses hereafter should he fail to keep his
+promise, shed more tears, redoubled his sighs and pressed me closer in
+his arms, from which he had never allowed me to escape; and so I was left
+by my maid, and ceased to be one, and he became a traitor and a perjured
+man.
+
+"The day which followed the night of my misfortune did not come so
+quickly, I imagine, as Don Fernando wished, for when desire has attained
+its object, the greatest pleasure is to fly from the scene of pleasure. I
+say so because Don Fernando made all haste to leave me, and by the
+adroitness of my maid, who was indeed the one who had admitted him,
+gained the street before daybreak; but on taking leave of me he told me,
+though not with as much earnestness and fervour as when he came, that I
+might rest assured of his faith and of the sanctity and sincerity of his
+oaths; and to confirm his words he drew a rich ring off his finger and
+placed it upon mine. He then took his departure and I was left, I know
+not whether sorrowful or happy; all I can say is, I was left agitated and
+troubled in mind and almost bewildered by what had taken place, and I had
+not the spirit, or else it did not occur to me, to chide my maid for the
+treachery she had been guilty of in concealing Don Fernando in my
+chamber; for as yet I was unable to make up my mind whether what had
+befallen me was for good or evil. I told Don Fernando at parting, that as
+I was now his, he might see me on other nights in the same way, until it
+should be his pleasure to let the matter become known; but, except the
+following night, he came no more, nor for more than a month could I catch
+a glimpse of him in the street or in church, while I wearied myself with
+watching for one; although I knew he was in the town, and almost every
+day went out hunting, a pastime he was very fond of. I remember well how
+sad and dreary those days and hours were to me; I remember well how I
+began to doubt as they went by, and even to lose confidence in the faith
+of Don Fernando; and I remember, too, how my maid heard those words in
+reproof of her audacity that she had not heard before, and how I was
+forced to put a constraint on my tears and on the expression of my
+countenance, not to give my parents cause to ask me why I was so
+melancholy, and drive me to invent falsehoods in reply. But all this was
+suddenly brought to an end, for the time came when all such
+considerations were disregarded, and there was no further question of
+honour, when my patience gave way and the secret of my heart became known
+abroad. The reason was, that a few days later it was reported in the town
+that Don Fernando had been married in a neighbouring city to a maiden of
+rare beauty, the daughter of parents of distinguished position, though
+not so rich that her portion would entitle her to look for so brilliant a
+match; it was said, too, that her name was Luscinda, and that at the
+betrothal some strange things had happened."
+
+Cardenio heard the name of Luscinda, but he only shrugged his shoulders,
+bit his lips, bent his brows, and before long two streams of tears
+escaped from his eyes. Dorothea, however, did not interrupt her story,
+but went on in these words:
+
+"This sad intelligence reached my ears, and, instead of being struck with
+a chill, with such wrath and fury did my heart burn that I scarcely
+restrained myself from rushing out into the streets, crying aloud and
+proclaiming openly the perfidy and treachery of which I was the victim;
+but this transport of rage was for the time checked by a resolution I
+formed, to be carried out the same night, and that was to assume this
+dress, which I got from a servant of my father's, one of the zagals, as
+they are called in farmhouses, to whom I confided the whole of my
+misfortune, and whom I entreated to accompany me to the city where I
+heard my enemy was. He, though he remonstrated with me for my boldness,
+and condemned my resolution, when he saw me bent upon my purpose, offered
+to bear me company, as he said, to the end of the world. I at once packed
+up in a linen pillow-case a woman's dress, and some jewels and money to
+provide for emergencies, and in the silence of the night, without letting
+my treacherous maid know, I sallied forth from the house, accompanied by
+my servant and abundant anxieties, and on foot set out for the city, but
+borne as it were on wings by my eagerness to reach it, if not to prevent
+what I presumed to be already done, at least to call upon Don Fernando to
+tell me with what conscience he had done it. I reached my destination in
+two days and a half, and on entering the city inquired for the house of
+Luscinda's parents. The first person I asked gave me more in reply than I
+sought to know; he showed me the house, and told me all that had occurred
+at the betrothal of the daughter of the family, an affair of such
+notoriety in the city that it was the talk of every knot of idlers in the
+street. He said that on the night of Don Fernando's betrothal with
+Luscinda, as soon as she had consented to be his bride by saying 'Yes,'
+she was taken with a sudden fainting fit, and that on the bridegroom
+approaching to unlace the bosom of her dress to give her air, he found a
+paper in her own handwriting, in which she said and declared that she
+could not be Don Fernando's bride, because she was already Cardenio's,
+who, according to the man's account, was a gentleman of distinction of
+the same city; and that if she had accepted Don Fernando, it was only in
+obedience to her parents. In short, he said, the words of the paper made
+it clear she meant to kill herself on the completion of the betrothal,
+and gave her reasons for putting an end to herself all which was
+confirmed, it was said, by a dagger they found somewhere in her clothes.
+On seeing this, Don Fernando, persuaded that Luscinda had befooled,
+slighted, and trifled with him, assailed her before she had recovered
+from her swoon, and tried to stab her with the dagger that had been
+found, and would have succeeded had not her parents and those who were
+present prevented him. It was said, moreover, that Don Fernando went away
+at once, and that Luscinda did not recover from her prostration until the
+next day, when she told her parents how she was really the bride of that
+Cardenio I have mentioned. I learned besides that Cardenio, according to
+report, had been present at the betrothal; and that upon seeing her
+betrothed contrary to his expectation, he had quitted the city in
+despair, leaving behind him a letter declaring the wrong Luscinda had
+done him, and his intention of going where no one should ever see him
+again. All this was a matter of notoriety in the city, and everyone spoke
+of it; especially when it became known that Luscinda was missing from her
+father's house and from the city, for she was not to be found anywhere,
+to the distraction of her parents, who knew not what steps to take to
+recover her. What I learned revived my hopes, and I was better pleased
+not to have found Don Fernando than to find him married, for it seemed to
+me that the door was not yet entirely shut upon relief in my case, and I
+thought that perhaps Heaven had put this impediment in the way of the
+second marriage, to lead him to recognise his obligations under the
+former one, and reflect that as a Christian he was bound to consider his
+soul above all human objects. All this passed through my mind, and I
+strove to comfort myself without comfort, indulging in faint and distant
+hopes of cherishing that life that I now abhor.
+
+"But while I was in the city, uncertain what to do, as I could not find
+Don Fernando, I heard notice given by the public crier offering a great
+reward to anyone who should find me, and giving the particulars of my age
+and of the very dress I wore; and I heard it said that the lad who came
+with me had taken me away from my father's house; a thing that cut me to
+the heart, showing how low my good name had fallen, since it was not
+enough that I should lose it by my flight, but they must add with whom I
+had fled, and that one so much beneath me and so unworthy of my
+consideration. The instant I heard the notice I quitted the city with my
+servant, who now began to show signs of wavering in his fidelity to me,
+and the same night, for fear of discovery, we entered the most thickly
+wooded part of these mountains. But, as is commonly said, one evil calls
+up another and the end of one misfortune is apt to be the beginning of
+one still greater, and so it proved in my case; for my worthy servant,
+until then so faithful and trusty when he found me in this lonely spot,
+moved more by his own villainy than by my beauty, sought to take
+advantage of the opportunity which these solitudes seemed to present him,
+and with little shame and less fear of God and respect for me, began to
+make overtures to me; and finding that I replied to the effrontery of his
+proposals with justly severe language, he laid aside the entreaties which
+he had employed at first, and began to use violence.
+
+"But just Heaven, that seldom fails to watch over and aid good intentions,
+so aided mine that with my slight strength and with little exertion I
+pushed him over a precipice, where I left him, whether dead or alive I
+know not; and then, with greater speed than seemed possible in my terror
+and fatigue, I made my way into the mountains, without any other thought
+or purpose save that of hiding myself among them, and escaping my father
+and those despatched in search of me by his orders. It is now I know not
+how many months since with this object I came here, where I met a
+herdsman who engaged me as his servant at a place in the heart of this
+Sierra, and all this time I have been serving him as herd, striving to
+keep always afield to hide these locks which have now unexpectedly
+betrayed me. But all my care and pains were unavailing, for my master
+made the discovery that I was not a man, and harboured the same base
+designs as my servant; and as fortune does not always supply a remedy in
+cases of difficulty, and I had no precipice or ravine at hand down which
+to fling the master and cure his passion, as I had in the servant's case,
+I thought it a lesser evil to leave him and again conceal myself among
+these crags, than make trial of my strength and argument with him. So, as
+I say, once more I went into hiding to seek for some place where I might
+with sighs and tears implore Heaven to have pity on my misery, and grant
+me help and strength to escape from it, or let me die among the
+solitudes, leaving no trace of an unhappy being who, by no fault of hers,
+has furnished matter for talk and scandal at home and abroad."
+
+Chapter XXIX. -
+Which treats of the droll device and method adopted to extricate our
+love-stricken Knight from the severe penance he had imposed upon himself
+
+"Such, sirs, is the true story of my sad adventures; judge for yourselves
+now whether the sighs and lamentations you heard, and the tears that
+flowed from my eyes, had not sufficient cause even if I had indulged in
+them more freely; and if you consider the nature of my misfortune you
+will see that consolation is idle, as there is no possible remedy for it.
+All I ask of you is, what you may easily and reasonably do, to show me
+where I may pass my life unharassed by the fear and dread of discovery by
+those who are in search of me; for though the great love my parents bear
+me makes me feel sure of being kindly received by them, so great is my
+feeling of shame at the mere thought that I cannot present myself before
+them as they expect, that I had rather banish myself from their sight for
+ever than look them in the face with the reflection that they beheld mine
+stripped of that purity they had a right to expect in me."
+
+With these words she became silent, and the colour that overspread her
+face showed plainly the pain and shame she was suffering at heart. In
+theirs the listeners felt as much pity as wonder at her misfortunes; but
+as the curate was just about to offer her some consolation and advice
+Cardenio forestalled him, saying, "So then, senora, you are the fair
+Dorothea, the only daughter of the rich Clenardo?" Dorothea was
+astonished at hearing her father's name, and at the miserable appearance
+of him who mentioned it, for it has been already said how wretchedly clad
+Cardenio was; so she said to him:
+
+"And who may you be, brother, who seem to know my father's name so well?
+For so far, if I remember rightly, I have not mentioned it in the whole
+story of my misfortunes."
+
+"I am that unhappy being, senora," replied Cardenio, "whom, as you have
+said, Luscinda declared to be her husband; I am the unfortunate Cardenio,
+whom the wrong-doing of him who has brought you to your present condition
+has reduced to the state you see me in, bare, ragged, bereft of all human
+comfort, and what is worse, of reason, for I only possess it when Heaven
+is pleased for some short space to restore it to me. I, Dorothea, am he
+who witnessed the wrong done by Don Fernando, and waited to hear the
+'Yes' uttered by which Luscinda owned herself his betrothed: I am he who
+had not courage enough to see how her fainting fit ended, or what came of
+the paper that was found in her bosom, because my heart had not the
+fortitude to endure so many strokes of ill-fortune at once; and so losing
+patience I quitted the house, and leaving a letter with my host, which I
+entreated him to place in Luscinda's hands, I betook myself to these
+solitudes, resolved to end here the life I hated as if it were my mortal
+enemy. But fate would not rid me of it, contenting itself with robbing me
+of my reason, perhaps to preserve me for the good fortune I have had in
+meeting you; for if that which you have just told us be true, as I
+believe it to be, it may be that Heaven has yet in store for both of us a
+happier termination to our misfortunes than we look for; because seeing
+that Luscinda cannot marry Don Fernando, being mine, as she has herself
+so openly declared, and that Don Fernando cannot marry her as he is
+yours, we may reasonably hope that Heaven will restore to us what is
+ours, as it is still in existence and not yet alienated or destroyed. And
+as we have this consolation springing from no very visionary hope or wild
+fancy, I entreat you, senora, to form new resolutions in your better
+mind, as I mean to do in mine, preparing yourself to look forward to
+happier fortunes; for I swear to you by the faith of a gentleman and a
+Christian not to desert you until I see you in possession of Don
+Fernando, and if I cannot by words induce him to recognise his obligation
+to you, in that case to avail myself of the right which my rank as a
+gentleman gives me, and with just cause challenge him on account of the
+injury he has done you, not regarding my own wrongs, which I shall leave
+to Heaven to avenge, while I on earth devote myself to yours."
+
+Cardenio's words completed the astonishment of Dorothea, and not knowing
+how to return thanks for such an offer, she attempted to kiss his feet;
+but Cardenio would not permit it, and the licentiate replied for both,
+commended the sound reasoning of Cardenio, and lastly, begged, advised,
+and urged them to come with him to his village, where they might furnish
+themselves with what they needed, and take measures to discover Don
+Fernando, or restore Dorothea to her parents, or do what seemed to them
+most advisable. Cardenio and Dorothea thanked him, and accepted the kind
+offer he made them; and the barber, who had been listening to all
+attentively and in silence, on his part some kindly words also, and with
+no less good-will than the curate offered his services in any way that
+might be of use to them. He also explained to them in a few words the
+object that had brought them there, and the strange nature of Don
+Quixote's madness, and how they were waiting for his squire, who had gone
+in search of him. Like the recollection of a dream, the quarrel he had
+had with Don Quixote came back to Cardenio's memory, and he described it
+to the others; but he was unable to say what the dispute was about.
+
+At this moment they heard a shout, and recognised it as coming from
+Sancho Panza, who, not finding them where he had left them, was calling
+aloud to them. They went to meet him, and in answer to their inquiries
+about Don Quixote, he told them how he had found him stripped to his
+shirt, lank, yellow, half dead with hunger, and sighing for his lady
+Dulcinea; and although he had told him that she commanded him to quit
+that place and come to El Toboso, where she was expecting him, he had
+answered that he was determined not to appear in the presence of her
+beauty until he had done deeds to make him worthy of her favour; and if
+this went on, Sancho said, he ran the risk of not becoming an emperor as
+in duty bound, or even an archbishop, which was the least he could be;
+for which reason they ought to consider what was to be done to get him
+away from there. The licentiate in reply told him not to be uneasy, for
+they would fetch him away in spite of himself. He then told Cardenio and
+Dorothea what they had proposed to do to cure Don Quixote, or at any rate
+take him home; upon which Dorothea said that she could play the
+distressed damsel better than the barber; especially as she had there the
+dress in which to do it to the life, and that they might trust to her
+acting the part in every particular requisite for carrying out their
+scheme, for she had read a great many books of chivalry, and knew exactly
+the style in which afflicted damsels begged boons of knights-errant.
+
+"In that case," said the curate, "there is nothing more required than to
+set about it at once, for beyond a doubt fortune is declaring itself in
+our favour, since it has so unexpectedly begun to open a door for your
+relief, and smoothed the way for us to our object."
+
+Dorothea then took out of her pillow-case a complete petticoat of some
+rich stuff, and a green mantle of some other fine material, and a
+necklace and other ornaments out of a little box, and with these in an
+instant she so arrayed herself that she looked like a great and rich
+lady. All this, and more, she said, she had taken from home in case of
+need, but that until then she had had no occasion to make use of it. They
+were all highly delighted with her grace, air, and beauty, and declared
+Don Fernando to be a man of very little taste when he rejected such
+charms. But the one who admired her most was Sancho Panza, for it seemed
+to him (what indeed was true) that in all the days of his life he had
+never seen such a lovely creature; and he asked the curate with great
+eagerness who this beautiful lady was, and what she wanted in these
+out-of-the-way quarters.
+
+"This fair lady, brother Sancho," replied the curate, "is no less a
+personage than the heiress in the direct male line of the great kingdom
+of Micomicon, who has come in search of your master to beg a boon of him,
+which is that he redress a wrong or injury that a wicked giant has done
+her; and from the fame as a good knight which your master has acquired
+far and wide, this princess has come from Guinea to seek him."
+
+"A lucky seeking and a lucky finding!" said Sancho Panza at this;
+"especially if my master has the good fortune to redress that injury, and
+right that wrong, and kill that son of a bitch of a giant your worship
+speaks of; as kill him he will if he meets him, unless, indeed, he
+happens to be a phantom; for my master has no power at all against
+phantoms. But one thing among others I would beg of you, senor
+licentiate, which is, that, to prevent my master taking a fancy to be an
+archbishop, for that is what I'm afraid of, your worship would recommend
+him to marry this princess at once; for in this way he will be disabled
+from taking archbishop's orders, and will easily come into his empire,
+and I to the end of my desires; I have been thinking over the matter
+carefully, and by what I can make out I find it will not do for me that
+my master should become an archbishop, because I am no good for the
+Church, as I am married; and for me now, having as I have a wife and
+children, to set about obtaining dispensations to enable me to hold a
+place of profit under the Church, would be endless work; so that, senor,
+it all turns on my master marrying this lady at once--for as yet I do not
+know her grace, and so I cannot call her by her name."
+
+"She is called the Princess Micomicona," said the curate; "for as her
+kingdom is Micomicon, it is clear that must be her name."
+
+"There's no doubt of that," replied Sancho, "for I have known many to
+take their name and title from the place where they were born and call
+themselves Pedro of Alcala, Juan of Ubeda, and Diego of Valladolid; and
+it may be that over there in Guinea queens have the same way of taking
+the names of their kingdoms."
+
+"So it may," said the curate; "and as for your master's marrying, I will
+do all in my power towards it:" with which Sancho was as much pleased as
+the curate was amazed at his simplicity and at seeing what a hold the
+absurdities of his master had taken of his fancy, for he had evidently
+persuaded himself that he was going to be an emperor.
+
+By this time Dorothea had seated herself upon the curate's mule, and the
+barber had fitted the ox-tail beard to his face, and they now told Sancho
+to conduct them to where Don Quixote was, warning him not to say that he
+knew either the licentiate or the barber, as his master's becoming an
+emperor entirely depended on his not recognising them; neither the curate
+nor Cardenio, however, thought fit to go with them; Cardenio lest he
+should remind Don Quixote of the quarrel he had with him, and the curate
+as there was no necessity for his presence just yet, so they allowed the
+others to go on before them, while they themselves followed slowly on
+foot. The curate did not forget to instruct Dorothea how to act, but she
+said they might make their minds easy, as everything would be done
+exactly as the books of chivalry required and described.
+
+They had gone about three-quarters of a league when they discovered Don
+Quixote in a wilderness of rocks, by this time clothed, but without his
+armour; and as soon as Dorothea saw him and was told by Sancho that that
+was Don Quixote, she whipped her palfrey, the well-bearded barber
+following her, and on coming up to him her squire sprang from his mule
+and came forward to receive her in his arms, and she dismounting with
+great ease of manner advanced to kneel before the feet of Don Quixote;
+and though he strove to raise her up, she without rising addressed him in
+this fashion:
+
+"From this spot I will not rise, valiant and doughty knight, until your
+goodness and courtesy grant me a boon, which will redound to the honour
+and renown of your person and render a service to the most disconsolate
+and afflicted damsel the sun has seen; and if the might of your strong
+arm corresponds to the repute of your immortal fame, you are bound to aid
+the helpless being who, led by the savour of your renowned name, hath
+come from far distant lands to seek your aid in her misfortunes."
+
+"I will not answer a word, beauteous lady," replied Don Quixote, "nor
+will I listen to anything further concerning you, until you rise from the
+earth."
+
+"I will not rise, senor," answered the afflicted damsel, "unless of your
+courtesy the boon I ask is first granted me."
+
+"I grant and accord it," said Don Quixote, "provided without detriment or
+prejudice to my king, my country, or her who holds the key of my heart
+and freedom, it may be complied with."
+
+"It will not be to the detriment or prejudice of any of them, my worthy
+lord," said the afflicted damsel; and here Sancho Panza drew close to his
+master's ear and said to him very softly, "Your worship may very safely
+grant the boon she asks; it's nothing at all; only to kill a big giant;
+and she who asks it is the exalted Princess Micomicona, queen of the
+great kingdom of Micomicon of Ethiopia."
+
+"Let her be who she may," replied Don Quixote, "I will do what is my
+bounden duty, and what my conscience bids me, in conformity with what I
+have professed;" and turning to the damsel he said, "Let your great
+beauty rise, for I grant the boon which you would ask of me."
+
+"Then what I ask," said the damsel, "is that your magnanimous person
+accompany me at once whither I will conduct you, and that you promise not
+to engage in any other adventure or quest until you have avenged me of a
+traitor who against all human and divine law, has usurped my kingdom."
+
+"I repeat that I grant it," replied Don Quixote; "and so, lady, you may
+from this day forth lay aside the melancholy that distresses you, and let
+your failing hopes gather new life and strength, for with the help of God
+and of my arm you will soon see yourself restored to your kingdom, and
+seated upon the throne of your ancient and mighty realm, notwithstanding
+and despite of the felons who would gainsay it; and now hands to the
+work, for in delay there is apt to be danger."
+
+The distressed damsel strove with much pertinacity to kiss his hands; but
+Don Quixote, who was in all things a polished and courteous knight, would
+by no means allow it, but made her rise and embraced her with great
+courtesy and politeness, and ordered Sancho to look to Rocinante's
+girths, and to arm him without a moment's delay. Sancho took down the
+armour, which was hung up on a tree like a trophy, and having seen to the
+girths armed his master in a trice, who as soon as he found himself in
+his armour exclaimed:
+
+"Let us be gone in the name of God to bring aid to this great lady."
+
+The barber was all this time on his knees at great pains to hide his
+laughter and not let his beard fall, for had it fallen maybe their fine
+scheme would have come to nothing; but now seeing the boon granted, and
+the promptitude with which Don Quixote prepared to set out in compliance
+with it, he rose and took his lady's hand, and between them they placed
+her upon the mule. Don Quixote then mounted Rocinante, and the barber
+settled himself on his beast, Sancho being left to go on foot, which made
+him feel anew the loss of his Dapple, finding the want of him now. But he
+bore all with cheerfulness, being persuaded that his master had now
+fairly started and was just on the point of becoming an emperor; for he
+felt no doubt at all that he would marry this princess, and be king of
+Micomicon at least. The only thing that troubled him was the reflection
+that this kingdom was in the land of the blacks, and that the people they
+would give him for vassals would be all black; but for this he soon found
+a remedy in his fancy, and said he to himself, "What is it to me if my
+vassals are blacks? What more have I to do than make a cargo of them and
+carry them to Spain, where I can sell them and get ready money for them,
+and with it buy some title or some office in which to live at ease all
+the days of my life? Not unless you go to sleep and haven't the wit or
+skill to turn things to account and sell three, six, or ten thousand
+vassals while you would be talking about it! By God I will stir them up,
+big and little, or as best I can, and let them be ever so black I'll turn
+them into white or yellow. Come, come, what a fool I am!" And so he
+jogged on, so occupied with his thoughts and easy in his mind that he
+forgot all about the hardship of travelling on foot.
+
+Cardenio and the curate were watching all this from among some bushes,
+not knowing how to join company with the others; but the curate, who was
+very fertile in devices, soon hit upon a way of effecting their purpose,
+and with a pair of scissors he had in a case he quickly cut off
+Cardenio's beard, and putting on him a grey jerkin of his own he gave him
+a black cloak, leaving himself in his breeches and doublet, while
+Cardenio's appearance was so different from what it had been that he
+would not have known himself had he seen himself in a mirror. Having
+effected this, although the others had gone on ahead while they were
+disguising themselves, they easily came out on the high road before them,
+for the brambles and awkward places they encountered did not allow those
+on horseback to go as fast as those on foot. They then posted themselves
+on the level ground at the outlet of the Sierra, and as soon as Don
+Quixote and his companions emerged from it the curate began to examine
+him very deliberately, as though he were striving to recognise him, and
+after having stared at him for some time he hastened towards him with
+open arms exclaiming, "A happy meeting with the mirror of chivalry, my
+worthy compatriot Don Quixote of La Mancha, the flower and cream of high
+breeding, the protection and relief of the distressed, the quintessence
+of knights-errant!" And so saying he clasped in his arms the knee of Don
+Quixote's left leg. He, astonished at the stranger's words and behaviour,
+looked at him attentively, and at length recognised him, very much
+surprised to see him there, and made great efforts to dismount. This,
+however, the curate would not allow, on which Don Quixote said, "Permit
+me, senor licentiate, for it is not fitting that I should be on horseback
+and so reverend a person as your worship on foot."
+
+"On no account will I allow it," said the curate; "your mightiness must
+remain on horseback, for it is on horseback you achieve the greatest
+deeds and adventures that have been beheld in our age; as for me, an
+unworthy priest, it will serve me well enough to mount on the haunches of
+one of the mules of these gentlefolk who accompany your worship, if they
+have no objection, and I will fancy I am mounted on the steed Pegasus, or
+on the zebra or charger that bore the famous Moor, Muzaraque, who to this
+day lies enchanted in the great hill of Zulema, a little distance from
+the great Complutum."
+
+"Nor even that will I consent to, senor licentiate," answered Don
+Quixote, "and I know it will be the good pleasure of my lady the
+princess, out of love for me, to order her squire to give up the saddle
+of his mule to your worship, and he can sit behind if the beast will bear
+it."
+
+"It will, I am sure," said the princess, "and I am sure, too, that I need
+not order my squire, for he is too courteous and considerate to allow a
+Churchman to go on foot when he might be mounted."
+
+"That he is," said the barber, and at once alighting, he offered his
+saddle to the curate, who accepted it without much entreaty; but
+unfortunately as the barber was mounting behind, the mule, being as it
+happened a hired one, which is the same thing as saying ill-conditioned,
+lifted its hind hoofs and let fly a couple of kicks in the air, which
+would have made Master Nicholas wish his expedition in quest of Don
+Quixote at the devil had they caught him on the breast or head. As it
+was, they so took him by surprise that he came to the ground, giving so
+little heed to his beard that it fell off, and all he could do when he
+found himself without it was to cover his face hastily with both his
+hands and moan that his teeth were knocked out. Don Quixote when he saw
+all that bundle of beard detached, without jaws or blood, from the face
+of the fallen squire, exclaimed:
+
+"By the living God, but this is a great miracle! it has knocked off and
+plucked away the beard from his face as if it had been shaved off
+designedly."
+
+The curate, seeing the danger of discovery that threatened his scheme, at
+once pounced upon the beard and hastened with it to where Master Nicholas
+lay, still uttering moans, and drawing his head to his breast had it on
+in an instant, muttering over him some words which he said were a certain
+special charm for sticking on beards, as they would see; and as soon as
+he had it fixed he left him, and the squire appeared well bearded and
+whole as before, whereat Don Quixote was beyond measure astonished, and
+begged the curate to teach him that charm when he had an opportunity, as
+he was persuaded its virtue must extend beyond the sticking on of beards,
+for it was clear that where the beard had been stripped off the flesh
+must have remained torn and lacerated, and when it could heal all that it
+must be good for more than beards.
+
+"And so it is," said the curate, and he promised to teach it to him on
+the first opportunity. They then agreed that for the present the curate
+should mount, and that the three should ride by turns until they reached
+the inn, which might be about six leagues from where they were.
+
+Three then being mounted, that is to say, Don Quixote, the princess, and
+the curate, and three on foot, Cardenio, the barber, and Sancho Panza,
+Don Quixote said to the damsel:
+
+"Let your highness, lady, lead on whithersoever is most pleasing to you;"
+but before she could answer the licentiate said:
+
+"Towards what kingdom would your ladyship direct our course? Is it
+perchance towards that of Micomicon? It must be, or else I know little
+about kingdoms."
+
+She, being ready on all points, understood that she was to answer "Yes,"
+so she said "Yes, senor, my way lies towards that kingdom."
+
+"In that case," said the curate, "we must pass right through my village,
+and there your worship will take the road to Cartagena, where you will be
+able to embark, fortune favouring; and if the wind be fair and the sea
+smooth and tranquil, in somewhat less than nine years you may come in
+sight of the great lake Meona, I mean Meotides, which is little more than
+a hundred days' journey this side of your highness's kingdom."
+
+"Your worship is mistaken, senor," said she; "for it is not two years
+since I set out from it, and though I never had good weather,
+nevertheless I am here to behold what I so longed for, and that is my
+lord Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose fame came to my ears as soon as I
+set foot in Spain and impelled me to go in search of him, to commend
+myself to his courtesy, and entrust the justice of my cause to the might
+of his invincible arm."
+
+"Enough; no more praise," said Don Quixote at this, "for I hate all
+flattery; and though this may not be so, still language of the kind is
+offensive to my chaste ears. I will only say, senora, that whether it has
+might or not, that which it may or may not have shall be devoted to your
+service even to death; and now, leaving this to its proper season, I
+would ask the senor licentiate to tell me what it is that has brought him
+into these parts, alone, unattended, and so lightly clad that I am filled
+with amazement."
+
+"I will answer that briefly," replied the curate; "you must know then,
+Senor Don Quixote, that Master Nicholas, our friend and barber, and I
+were going to Seville to receive some money that a relative of mine who
+went to the Indies many years ago had sent me, and not such a small sum
+but that it was over sixty thousand pieces of eight, full weight, which
+is something; and passing by this place yesterday we were attacked by
+four footpads, who stripped us even to our beards, and them they stripped
+off so that the barber found it necessary to put on a false one, and even
+this young man here"-pointing to Cardenio--"they completely transformed.
+But the best of it is, the story goes in the neighbourhood that those who
+attacked us belong to a number of galley slaves who, they say, were set
+free almost on the very same spot by a man of such valour that, in spite
+of the commissary and of the guards, he released the whole of them; and
+beyond all doubt he must have been out of his senses, or he must be as
+great a scoundrel as they, or some man without heart or conscience to let
+the wolf loose among the sheep, the fox among the hens, the fly among the
+honey. He has defrauded justice, and opposed his king and lawful master,
+for he opposed his just commands; he has, I say, robbed the galleys of
+their feet, stirred up the Holy Brotherhood which for many years past has
+been quiet, and, lastly, has done a deed by which his soul may be lost
+without any gain to his body." Sancho had told the curate and the barber
+of the adventure of the galley slaves, which, so much to his glory, his
+master had achieved, and hence the curate in alluding to it made the most
+of it to see what would be said or done by Don Quixote; who changed
+colour at every word, not daring to say that it was he who had been the
+liberator of those worthy people. "These, then," said the curate, "were
+they who robbed us; and God in his mercy pardon him who would not let
+them go to the punishment they deserved."
+
+Chapter XXX. -
+Which treats of address displayed by the fair Dorothea, with other
+matters pleasant and amusing
+
+The curate had hardly ceased speaking, when Sancho said, "In faith, then,
+senor licentiate, he who did that deed was my master; and it was not for
+want of my telling him beforehand and warning him to mind what he was
+about, and that it was a sin to set them at liberty, as they were all on
+the march there because they were special scoundrels."
+
+"Blockhead!" said Don Quixote at this, "it is no business or concern of
+knights-errant to inquire whether any persons in affliction, in chains,
+or oppressed that they may meet on the high roads go that way and suffer
+as they do because of their faults or because of their misfortunes. It
+only concerns them to aid them as persons in need of help, having regard
+to their sufferings and not to their rascalities. I encountered a chaplet
+or string of miserable and unfortunate people, and did for them what my
+sense of duty demands of me, and as for the rest be that as it may; and
+whoever takes objection to it, saving the sacred dignity of the senor
+licentiate and his honoured person, I say he knows little about chivalry
+and lies like a whoreson villain, and this I will give him to know to the
+fullest extent with my sword;" and so saying he settled himself in his
+stirrups and pressed down his morion; for the barber's basin, which
+according to him was Mambrino's helmet, he carried hanging at the
+saddle-bow until he could repair the damage done to it by the galley
+slaves.
+
+Dorothea, who was shrewd and sprightly, and by this time thoroughly
+understood Don Quixote's crazy turn, and that all except Sancho Panza
+were making game of him, not to be behind the rest said to him, on
+observing his irritation, "Sir Knight, remember the boon you have
+promised me, and that in accordance with it you must not engage in any
+other adventure, be it ever so pressing; calm yourself, for if the
+licentiate had known that the galley slaves had been set free by that
+unconquered arm he would have stopped his mouth thrice over, or even
+bitten his tongue three times before he would have said a word that
+tended towards disrespect of your worship."
+
+"That I swear heartily," said the curate, "and I would have even plucked
+off a moustache."
+
+"I will hold my peace, senora," said Don Quixote, "and I will curb the
+natural anger that had arisen in my breast, and will proceed in peace and
+quietness until I have fulfilled my promise; but in return for this
+consideration I entreat you to tell me, if you have no objection to do
+so, what is the nature of your trouble, and how many, who, and what are
+the persons of whom I am to require due satisfaction, and on whom I am to
+take vengeance on your behalf?"
+
+"That I will do with all my heart," replied Dorothea, "if it will not be
+wearisome to you to hear of miseries and misfortunes."
+
+"It will not be wearisome, senora," said Don Quixote; to which Dorothea
+replied, "Well, if that be so, give me your attention." As soon as she
+said this, Cardenio and the barber drew close to her side, eager to hear
+what sort of story the quick-witted Dorothea would invent for herself;
+and Sancho did the same, for he was as much taken in by her as his
+master; and she having settled herself comfortably in the saddle, and
+with the help of coughing and other preliminaries taken time to think,
+began with great sprightliness of manner in this fashion.
+
+"First of all, I would have you know, sirs, that my name is-" and here
+she stopped for a moment, for she forgot the name the curate had given
+her; but he came to her relief, seeing what her difficulty was, and said,
+"It is no wonder, senora, that your highness should be confused and
+embarrassed in telling the tale of your misfortunes; for such afflictions
+often have the effect of depriving the sufferers of memory, so that they
+do not even remember their own names, as is the case now with your
+ladyship, who has forgotten that she is called the Princess Micomicona,
+lawful heiress of the great kingdom of Micomicon; and with this cue your
+highness may now recall to your sorrowful recollection all you may wish
+to tell us."
+
+"That is the truth," said the damsel; "but I think from this on I shall
+have no need of any prompting, and I shall bring my true story safe into
+port, and here it is. The king my father, who was called Tinacrio the
+Sapient, was very learned in what they call magic arts, and became aware
+by his craft that my mother, who was called Queen Jaramilla, was to die
+before he did, and that soon after he too was to depart this life, and I
+was to be left an orphan without father or mother. But all this, he
+declared, did not so much grieve or distress him as his certain knowledge
+that a prodigious giant, the lord of a great island close to our kingdom,
+Pandafilando of the Scowl by name--for it is averred that, though his
+eyes are properly placed and straight, he always looks askew as if he
+squinted, and this he does out of malignity, to strike fear and terror
+into those he looks at--that he knew, I say, that this giant on becoming
+aware of my orphan condition would overrun my kingdom with a mighty force
+and strip me of all, not leaving me even a small village to shelter me;
+but that I could avoid all this ruin and misfortune if I were willing to
+marry him; however, as far as he could see, he never expected that I
+would consent to a marriage so unequal; and he said no more than the
+truth in this, for it has never entered my mind to marry that giant, or
+any other, let him be ever so great or enormous. My father said, too,
+that when he was dead, and I saw Pandafilando about to invade my kingdom,
+I was not to wait and attempt to defend myself, for that would be
+destructive to me, but that I should leave the kingdom entirely open to
+him if I wished to avoid the death and total destruction of my good and
+loyal vassals, for there would be no possibility of defending myself
+against the giant's devilish power; and that I should at once with some
+of my followers set out for Spain, where I should obtain relief in my
+distress on finding a certain knight-errant whose fame by that time would
+extend over the whole kingdom, and who would be called, if I remember
+rightly, Don Azote or Don Gigote."
+
+"'Don Quixote,' he must have said, senora," observed Sancho at this,
+"otherwise called the Knight of the Rueful Countenance."
+
+"That is it," said Dorothea; "he said, moreover, that he would be tall of
+stature and lank featured; and that on his right side under the left
+shoulder, or thereabouts, he would have a grey mole with hairs like
+bristles."
+
+On hearing this, Don Quixote said to his squire, "Here, Sancho my son,
+bear a hand and help me to strip, for I want to see if I am the knight
+that sage king foretold."
+
+"What does your worship want to strip for?" said Dorothea.
+
+"To see if I have that mole your father spoke of," answered Don Quixote.
+
+"There is no occasion to strip," said Sancho; "for I know your worship
+has just such a mole on the middle of your backbone, which is the mark of
+a strong man."
+
+"That is enough," said Dorothea, "for with friends we must not look too
+closely into trifles; and whether it be on the shoulder or on the
+backbone matters little; it is enough if there is a mole, be it where it
+may, for it is all the same flesh; no doubt my good father hit the truth
+in every particular, and I have made a lucky hit in commending myself to
+Don Quixote; for he is the one my father spoke of, as the features of his
+countenance correspond with those assigned to this knight by that wide
+fame he has acquired not only in Spain but in all La Mancha; for I had
+scarcely landed at Osuna when I heard such accounts of his achievements,
+that at once my heart told me he was the very one I had come in search
+of."
+
+"But how did you land at Osuna, senora," asked Don Quixote, "when it is
+not a seaport?"
+
+But before Dorothea could reply the curate anticipated her, saying, "The
+princess meant to say that after she had landed at Malaga the first place
+where she heard of your worship was Osuna."
+
+"That is what I meant to say," said Dorothea.
+
+"And that would be only natural," said the curate. "Will your majesty
+please proceed?"
+
+"There is no more to add," said Dorothea, "save that in finding Don
+Quixote I have had such good fortune, that I already reckon and regard
+myself queen and mistress of my entire dominions, since of his courtesy
+and magnanimity he has granted me the boon of accompanying me
+whithersoever I may conduct him, which will be only to bring him face to
+face with Pandafilando of the Scowl, that he may slay him and restore to
+me what has been unjustly usurped by him: for all this must come to pass
+satisfactorily since my good father Tinacrio the Sapient foretold it, who
+likewise left it declared in writing in Chaldee or Greek characters (for
+I cannot read them), that if this predicted knight, after having cut the
+giant's throat, should be disposed to marry me I was to offer myself at
+once without demur as his lawful wife, and yield him possession of my
+kingdom together with my person."
+
+"What thinkest thou now, friend Sancho?" said Don Quixote at this.
+"Hearest thou that? Did I not tell thee so? See how we have already got a
+kingdom to govern and a queen to marry!"
+
+"On my oath it is so," said Sancho; "and foul fortune to him who won't
+marry after slitting Senor Pandahilado's windpipe! And then, how
+ill-favoured the queen is! I wish the fleas in my bed were that sort!"
+
+And so saying he cut a couple of capers in the air with every sign of
+extreme satisfaction, and then ran to seize the bridle of Dorothea's
+mule, and checking it fell on his knees before her, begging her to give
+him her hand to kiss in token of his acknowledgment of her as his queen
+and mistress. Which of the bystanders could have helped laughing to see
+the madness of the master and the simplicity of the servant? Dorothea
+therefore gave her hand, and promised to make him a great lord in her
+kingdom, when Heaven should be so good as to permit her to recover and
+enjoy it, for which Sancho returned thanks in words that set them all
+laughing again.
+
+"This, sirs," continued Dorothea, "is my story; it only remains to tell
+you that of all the attendants I took with me from my kingdom I have none
+left except this well-bearded squire, for all were drowned in a great
+tempest we encountered when in sight of port; and he and I came to land
+on a couple of planks as if by a miracle; and indeed the whole course of
+my life is a miracle and a mystery as you may have observed; and if I
+have been over minute in any respect or not as precise as I ought, let it
+be accounted for by what the licentiate said at the beginning of my tale,
+that constant and excessive troubles deprive the sufferers of their
+memory."
+
+"They shall not deprive me of mine, exalted and worthy princess," said
+Don Quixote, "however great and unexampled those which I shall endure in
+your service may be; and here I confirm anew the boon I have promised
+you, and I swear to go with you to the end of the world until I find
+myself in the presence of your fierce enemy, whose haughty head I trust
+by the aid of my arm to cut off with the edge of this--I will not say
+good sword, thanks to Gines de Pasamonte who carried away mine"--(this he
+said between his teeth, and then continued), "and when it has been cut
+off and you have been put in peaceful possession of your realm it shall
+be left to your own decision to dispose of your person as may be most
+pleasing to you; for so long as my memory is occupied, my will enslaved,
+and my understanding enthralled by her-I say no more--it is impossible
+for me for a moment to contemplate marriage, even with a Phoenix."
+
+The last words of his master about not wanting to marry were so
+disagreeable to Sancho that raising his voice he exclaimed with great
+irritation:
+
+"By my oath, Senor Don Quixote, you are not in your right senses; for how
+can your worship possibly object to marrying such an exalted princess as
+this? Do you think Fortune will offer you behind every stone such a piece
+of luck as is offered you now? Is my lady Dulcinea fairer, perchance? Not
+she; nor half as fair; and I will even go so far as to say she does not
+come up to the shoe of this one here. A poor chance I have of getting
+that county I am waiting for if your worship goes looking for dainties in
+the bottom of the sea. In the devil's name, marry, marry, and take this
+kingdom that comes to hand without any trouble, and when you are king
+make me a marquis or governor of a province, and for the rest let the
+devil take it all."
+
+Don Quixote, when he heard such blasphemies uttered against his lady
+Dulcinea, could not endure it, and lifting his pike, without saying
+anything to Sancho or uttering a word, he gave him two such thwacks that
+he brought him to the ground; and had it not been that Dorothea cried out
+to him to spare him he would have no doubt taken his life on the spot.
+
+"Do you think," he said to him after a pause, "you scurvy clown, that you
+are to be always interfering with me, and that you are to be always
+offending and I always pardoning? Don't fancy it, impious scoundrel, for
+that beyond a doubt thou art, since thou hast set thy tongue going
+against the peerless Dulcinea. Know you not, lout, vagabond, beggar, that
+were it not for the might that she infuses into my arm I should not have
+strength enough to kill a flea? Say, scoffer with a viper's tongue, what
+think you has won this kingdom and cut off this giant's head and made you
+a marquis (for all this I count as already accomplished and decided), but
+the might of Dulcinea, employing my arm as the instrument of her
+achievements? She fights in me and conquers in me, and I live and breathe
+in her, and owe my life and being to her. O whoreson scoundrel, how
+ungrateful you are, you see yourself raised from the dust of the earth to
+be a titled lord, and the return you make for so great a benefit is to
+speak evil of her who has conferred it upon you!"
+
+Sancho was not so stunned but that he heard all his master said, and
+rising with some degree of nimbleness he ran to place himself behind
+Dorothea's palfrey, and from that position he said to his master:
+
+"Tell me, senor; if your worship is resolved not to marry this great
+princess, it is plain the kingdom will not be yours; and not being so,
+how can you bestow favours upon me? That is what I complain of. Let your
+worship at any rate marry this queen, now that we have got her here as if
+showered down from heaven, and afterwards you may go back to my lady
+Dulcinea; for there must have been kings in the world who kept
+mistresses. As to beauty, I have nothing to do with it; and if the truth
+is to be told, I like them both; though I have never seen the lady
+Dulcinea."
+
+"How! never seen her, blasphemous traitor!" exclaimed Don Quixote; "hast
+thou not just now brought me a message from her?"
+
+"I mean," said Sancho, "that I did not see her so much at my leisure that
+I could take particular notice of her beauty, or of her charms piecemeal;
+but taken in the lump I like her."
+
+"Now I forgive thee," said Don Quixote; "and do thou forgive me the
+injury I have done thee; for our first impulses are not in our control."
+
+"That I see," replied Sancho, "and with me the wish to speak is always
+the first impulse, and I cannot help saying, once at any rate, what I
+have on the tip of my tongue."
+
+"For all that, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "take heed of what thou sayest,
+for the pitcher goes so often to the well--I need say no more to thee."
+
+"Well, well," said Sancho, "God is in heaven, and sees all tricks, and
+will judge who does most harm, I in not speaking right, or your worship
+in not doing it."
+
+"That is enough," said Dorothea; "run, Sancho, and kiss your lord's hand
+and beg his pardon, and henceforward be more circumspect with your praise
+and abuse; and say nothing in disparagement of that lady Toboso, of whom
+I know nothing save that I am her servant; and put your trust in God, for
+you will not fail to obtain some dignity so as to live like a prince."
+
+Sancho advanced hanging his head and begged his master's hand, which Don
+Quixote with dignity presented to him, giving him his blessing as soon as
+he had kissed it; he then bade him go on ahead a little, as he had
+questions to ask him and matters of great importance to discuss with him.
+Sancho obeyed, and when the two had gone some distance in advance Don
+Quixote said to him, "Since thy return I have had no opportunity or time
+to ask thee many particulars touching thy mission and the answer thou
+hast brought back, and now that chance has granted us the time and
+opportunity, deny me not the happiness thou canst give me by such good
+news."
+
+"Let your worship ask what you will," answered Sancho, "for I shall find
+a way out of all as as I found a way in; but I implore you, senor, not
+not to be so revengeful in future."
+
+"Why dost thou say that, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"I say it," he returned, "because those blows just now were more because
+of the quarrel the devil stirred up between us both the other night, than
+for what I said against my lady Dulcinea, whom I love and reverence as I
+would a relic--though there is nothing of that about her--merely as
+something belonging to your worship."
+
+"Say no more on that subject for thy life, Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"for it is displeasing to me; I have already pardoned thee for that, and
+thou knowest the common saying, 'for a fresh sin a fresh penance.'"
+
+While this was going on they saw coming along the road they were
+following a man mounted on an ass, who when he came close seemed to be a
+gipsy; but Sancho Panza, whose eyes and heart were there wherever he saw
+asses, no sooner beheld the man than he knew him to be Gines de
+Pasamonte; and by the thread of the gipsy he got at the ball, his ass,
+for it was, in fact, Dapple that carried Pasamonte, who to escape
+recognition and to sell the ass had disguised himself as a gipsy, being
+able to speak the gipsy language, and many more, as well as if they were
+his own. Sancho saw him and recognised him, and the instant he did so he
+shouted to him, "Ginesillo, you thief, give up my treasure, release my
+life, embarrass thyself not with my repose, quit my ass, leave my
+delight, be off, rip, get thee gone, thief, and give up what is not
+thine."
+
+There was no necessity for so many words or objurgations, for at the
+first one Gines jumped down, and at a like racing speed made off and got
+clear of them all. Sancho hastened to his Dapple, and embracing him he
+said, "How hast thou fared, my blessing, Dapple of my eyes, my comrade?"
+all the while kissing him and caressing him as if he were a human being.
+The ass held his peace, and let himself be kissed and caressed by Sancho
+without answering a single word. They all came up and congratulated him
+on having found Dapple, Don Quixote especially, who told him that
+notwithstanding this he would not cancel the order for the three
+ass-colts, for which Sancho thanked him.
+
+While the two had been going along conversing in this fashion, the curate
+observed to Dorothea that she had shown great cleverness, as well in the
+story itself as in its conciseness, and the resemblance it bore to those
+of the books of chivalry. She said that she had many times amused herself
+reading them; but that she did not know the situation of the provinces or
+seaports, and so she had said at haphazard that she had landed at Osuna.
+
+"So I saw," said the curate, "and for that reason I made haste to say
+what I did, by which it was all set right. But is it not a strange thing
+to see how readily this unhappy gentleman believes all these figments and
+lies, simply because they are in the style and manner of the absurdities
+of his books?"
+
+"So it is," said Cardenio; "and so uncommon and unexampled, that were one
+to attempt to invent and concoct it in fiction, I doubt if there be any
+wit keen enough to imagine it."
+
+"But another strange thing about it," said the curate, "is that, apart
+from the silly things which this worthy gentleman says in connection with
+his craze, when other subjects are dealt with, he can discuss them in a
+perfectly rational manner, showing that his mind is quite clear and
+composed; so that, provided his chivalry is not touched upon, no one
+would take him to be anything but a man of thoroughly sound
+understanding."
+
+While they were holding this conversation Don Quixote continued his with
+Sancho, saying:
+
+"Friend Panza, let us forgive and forget as to our quarrels, and tell me
+now, dismissing anger and irritation, where, how, and when didst thou
+find Dulcinea? What was she doing? What didst thou say to her? What did
+she answer? How did she look when she was reading my letter? Who copied
+it out for thee? and everything in the matter that seems to thee worth
+knowing, asking, and learning; neither adding nor falsifying to give me
+pleasure, nor yet curtailing lest you should deprive me of it."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "if the truth is to be told, nobody copied out
+the letter for me, for I carried no letter at all."
+
+"It is as thou sayest," said Don Quixote, "for the note-book in which I
+wrote it I found in my own possession two days after thy departure, which
+gave me very great vexation, as I knew not what thou wouldst do on
+finding thyself without any letter; and I made sure thou wouldst return
+from the place where thou didst first miss it."
+
+"So I should have done," said Sancho, "if I had not got it by heart when
+your worship read it to me, so that I repeated it to a sacristan, who
+copied it out for me from hearing it, so exactly that he said in all the
+days of his life, though he had read many a letter of excommunication, he
+had never seen or read so pretty a letter as that."
+
+"And hast thou got it still in thy memory, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"No, senor," replied Sancho, "for as soon as I had repeated it, seeing
+there was no further use for it, I set about forgetting it; and if I
+recollect any of it, it is that about 'Scrubbing,'I mean to say
+'Sovereign Lady,' and the end 'Yours till death, the Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance;' and between these two I put into it more than three hundred
+'my souls' and 'my life's' and 'my eyes."
+
+Chapter XXXI. -
+Of the delectable discussion between Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, his
+squire, together with other incidents
+
+"All that is not unsatisfactory to me," said Don Quixote. "Go on; thou
+didst reach her; and what was that queen of beauty doing? Surely thou
+didst find her stringing pearls, or embroidering some device in gold
+thread for this her enslaved knight."
+
+"I did not," said Sancho, "but I found her winnowing two bushels of wheat
+in the yard of her house."
+
+"Then depend upon it," said Don Quixote, "the grains of that wheat were
+pearls when touched by her hands; and didst thou look, friend? was it
+white wheat or brown?"
+
+"It was neither, but red," said Sancho.
+
+"Then I promise thee," said Don Quixote, "that, winnowed by her hands,
+beyond a doubt the bread it made was of the whitest; but go on; when thou
+gavest her my letter, did she kiss it? Did she place it on her head? Did
+she perform any ceremony befitting it, or what did she do?"
+
+"When I went to give it to her," replied Sancho, "she was hard at it
+swaying from side to side with a lot of wheat she had in the sieve, and
+she said to me, 'Lay the letter, friend, on the top of that sack, for I
+cannot read it until I have done sifting all this."
+
+"Discreet lady!" said Don Quixote; "that was in order to read it at her
+leisure and enjoy it; proceed, Sancho; while she was engaged in her
+occupation what converse did she hold with thee? What did she ask about
+me, and what answer didst thou give? Make haste; tell me all, and let not
+an atom be left behind in the ink-bottle."
+
+"She asked me nothing," said Sancho; "but I told her how your worship was
+left doing penance in her service, naked from the waist up, in among
+these mountains like a savage, sleeping on the ground, not eating bread
+off a tablecloth nor combing your beard, weeping and cursing your
+fortune."
+
+"In saying I cursed my fortune thou saidst wrong," said Don Quixote; "for
+rather do I bless it and shall bless it all the days of my life for
+having made me worthy of aspiring to love so lofty a lady as Dulcinea del
+Toboso."
+
+"And so lofty she is," said Sancho, "that she overtops me by more than a
+hand's-breadth."
+
+"What! Sancho," said Don Quixote, "didst thou measure with her?"
+
+"I measured in this way," said Sancho; "going to help her to put a sack
+of wheat on the back of an ass, we came so close together that I could
+see she stood more than a good palm over me."
+
+"Well!" said Don Quixote, "and doth she not of a truth accompany and
+adorn this greatness with a thousand million charms of mind! But one
+thing thou wilt not deny, Sancho; when thou camest close to her didst
+thou not perceive a Sabaean odour, an aromatic fragrance, a, I know not
+what, delicious, that I cannot find a name for; I mean a redolence, an
+exhalation, as if thou wert in the shop of some dainty glover?"
+
+"All I can say is," said Sancho, "that I did perceive a little odour,
+something goaty; it must have been that she was all in a sweat with hard
+work."
+
+"It could not be that," said Don Quixote, "but thou must have been
+suffering from cold in the head, or must have smelt thyself; for I know
+well what would be the scent of that rose among thorns, that lily of the
+field, that dissolved amber."
+
+"Maybe so," replied Sancho; "there often comes from myself that same
+odour which then seemed to me to come from her grace the lady Dulcinea;
+but that's no wonder, for one devil is like another."
+
+"Well then," continued Don Quixote, "now she has done sifting the corn
+and sent it to the mill; what did she do when she read the letter?"
+
+"As for the letter," said Sancho, "she did not read it, for she said she
+could neither read nor write; instead of that she tore it up into small
+pieces, saying that she did not want to let anyone read it lest her
+secrets should become known in the village, and that what I had told her
+by word of mouth about the love your worship bore her, and the
+extraordinary penance you were doing for her sake, was enough; and, to
+make an end of it, she told me to tell your worship that she kissed your
+hands, and that she had a greater desire to see you than to write to you;
+and that therefore she entreated and commanded you, on sight of this
+present, to come out of these thickets, and to have done with carrying on
+absurdities, and to set out at once for El Toboso, unless something else
+of greater importance should happen, for she had a great desire to see
+your worship. She laughed greatly when I told her how your worship was
+called The Knight of the Rueful Countenance; I asked her if that Biscayan
+the other day had been there; and she told me he had, and that he was an
+honest fellow; I asked her too about the galley slaves, but she said she
+had not seen any as yet."
+
+"So far all goes well," said Don Quixote; "but tell me what jewel was it
+that she gave thee on taking thy leave, in return for thy tidings of me?
+For it is a usual and ancient custom with knights and ladies errant to
+give the squires, damsels, or dwarfs who bring tidings of their ladies to
+the knights, or of their knights to the ladies, some rich jewel as a
+guerdon for good news,' and acknowledgment of the message."
+
+"That is very likely," said Sancho, "and a good custom it was, to my
+mind; but that must have been in days gone by, for now it would seem to
+be the custom only to give a piece of bread and cheese; because that was
+what my lady Dulcinea gave me over the top of the yard-wall when I took
+leave of her; and more by token it was sheep's-milk cheese."
+
+"She is generous in the extreme," said Don Quixote, "and if she did not
+give thee a jewel of gold, no doubt it must have been because she had not
+one to hand there to give thee; but sleeves are good after Easter; I
+shall see her and all shall be made right. But knowest thou what amazes
+me, Sancho? It seems to me thou must have gone and come through the air,
+for thou hast taken but little more than three days to go to El Toboso
+and return, though it is more than thirty leagues from here to there.
+From which I am inclined to think that the sage magician who is my
+friend, and watches over my interests (for of necessity there is and must
+be one, or else I should not be a right knight-errant), that this same, I
+say, must have helped thee to travel without thy knowledge; for some of
+these sages will catch up a knight-errant sleeping in his bed, and
+without his knowing how or in what way it happened, he wakes up the next
+day more than a thousand leagues away from the place where he went to
+sleep. And if it were not for this, knights-errant would not be able to
+give aid to one another in peril, as they do at every turn. For a knight,
+maybe, is fighting in the mountains of Armenia with some dragon, or
+fierce serpent, or another knight, and gets the worst of the battle, and
+is at the point of death; but when he least looks for it, there appears
+over against him on a cloud, or chariot of fire, another knight, a friend
+of his, who just before had been in England, and who takes his part, and
+delivers him from death; and at night he finds himself in his own
+quarters supping very much to his satisfaction; and yet from one place to
+the other will have been two or three thousand leagues. And all this is
+done by the craft and skill of the sage enchanters who take care of those
+valiant knights; so that, friend Sancho, I find no difficulty in
+believing that thou mayest have gone from this place to El Toboso and
+returned in such a short time, since, as I have said, some friendly sage
+must have carried thee through the air without thee perceiving it."
+
+"That must have been it," said Sancho, "for indeed Rocinante went like a
+gipsy's ass with quicksilver in his ears."
+
+"Quicksilver!" said Don Quixote, "aye and what is more, a legion of
+devils, folk that can travel and make others travel without being weary,
+exactly as the whim seizes them. But putting this aside, what thinkest
+thou I ought to do about my lady's command to go and see her? For though
+I feel that I am bound to obey her mandate, I feel too that I am debarred
+by the boon I have accorded to the princess that accompanies us, and the
+law of chivalry compels me to have regard for my word in preference to my
+inclination; on the one hand the desire to see my lady pursues and
+harasses me, on the other my solemn promise and the glory I shall win in
+this enterprise urge and call me; but what I think I shall do is to
+travel with all speed and reach quickly the place where this giant is,
+and on my arrival I shall cut off his head, and establish the princess
+peacefully in her realm, and forthwith I shall return to behold the light
+that lightens my senses, to whom I shall make such excuses that she will
+be led to approve of my delay, for she will see that it entirely tends to
+increase her glory and fame; for all that I have won, am winning, or
+shall win by arms in this life, comes to me of the favour she extends to
+me, and because I am hers."
+
+"Ah! what a sad state your worship's brains are in!" said Sancho. "Tell
+me, senor, do you mean to travel all that way for nothing, and to let
+slip and lose so rich and great a match as this where they give as a
+portion a kingdom that in sober truth I have heard say is more than
+twenty thousand leagues round about, and abounds with all things
+necessary to support human life, and is bigger than Portugal and Castile
+put together? Peace, for the love of God! Blush for what you have said,
+and take my advice, and forgive me, and marry at once in the first
+village where there is a curate; if not, here is our licentiate who will
+do the business beautifully; remember, I am old enough to give advice,
+and this I am giving comes pat to the purpose; for a sparrow in the hand
+is better than a vulture on the wing, and he who has the good to his hand
+and chooses the bad, that the good he complains of may not come to him."
+
+"Look here, Sancho," said Don Quixote. "If thou art advising me to marry,
+in order that immediately on slaying the giant I may become king, and be
+able to confer favours on thee, and give thee what I have promised, let
+me tell thee I shall be able very easily to satisfy thy desires without
+marrying; for before going into battle I will make it a stipulation that,
+if I come out of it victorious, even I do not marry, they shall give me a
+portion portion of the kingdom, that I may bestow it upon whomsoever I
+choose, and when they give it to me upon whom wouldst thou have me bestow
+it but upon thee?"
+
+"That is plain speaking," said Sancho; "but let your worship take care to
+choose it on the seacoast, so that if I don't like the life, I may be
+able to ship off my black vassals and deal with them as I have said;
+don't mind going to see my lady Dulcinea now, but go and kill this giant
+and let us finish off this business; for by God it strikes me it will be
+one of great honour and great profit."
+
+"I hold thou art in the right of it, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and I
+will take thy advice as to accompanying the princess before going to see
+Dulcinea; but I counsel thee not to say anything to any one, or to those
+who are with us, about what we have considered and discussed, for as
+Dulcinea is so decorous that she does not wish her thoughts to be known
+it is not right that I or anyone for me should disclose them."
+
+"Well then, if that be so," said Sancho, "how is it that your worship
+makes all those you overcome by your arm go to present themselves before
+my lady Dulcinea, this being the same thing as signing your name to it
+that you love her and are her lover? And as those who go must perforce
+kneel before her and say they come from your worship to submit themselves
+to her, how can the thoughts of both of you be hid?"
+
+"O, how silly and simple thou art!" said Don Quixote; "seest thou not,
+Sancho, that this tends to her greater exaltation? For thou must know
+that according to our way of thinking in chivalry, it is a high honour to
+a lady to have many knights-errant in her service, whose thoughts never
+go beyond serving her for her own sake, and who look for no other reward
+for their great and true devotion than that she should be willing to
+accept them as her knights."
+
+"It is with that kind of love," said Sancho, "I have heard preachers say
+we ought to love our Lord, for himself alone, without being moved by the
+hope of glory or the fear of punishment; though for my part, I would
+rather love and serve him for what he could do."
+
+"The devil take thee for a clown!" said Don Quixote, "and what shrewd
+things thou sayest at times! One would think thou hadst studied."
+
+"In faith, then, I cannot even read."
+
+Master Nicholas here called out to them to wait a while, as they wanted
+to halt and drink at a little spring there was there. Don Quixote drew
+up, not a little to the satisfaction of Sancho, for he was by this time
+weary of telling so many lies, and in dread of his master catching him
+tripping, for though he knew that Dulcinea was a peasant girl of El
+Toboso, he had never seen her in all his life. Cardenio had now put on
+the clothes which Dorothea was wearing when they found her, and though
+they were not very good, they were far better than those he put off. They
+dismounted together by the side of the spring, and with what the curate
+had provided himself with at the inn they appeased, though not very well,
+the keen appetite they all of them brought with them.
+
+While they were so employed there happened to come by a youth passing on
+his way, who stopping to examine the party at the spring, the next moment
+ran to Don Quixote and clasping him round the legs, began to weep freely,
+saying, "O, senor, do you not know me? Look at me well; I am that lad
+Andres that your worship released from the oak-tree where I was tied."
+
+Don Quixote recognised him, and taking his hand he turned to those
+present and said: "That your worships may see how important it is to have
+knights-errant to redress the wrongs and injuries done by tyrannical and
+wicked men in this world, I may tell you that some days ago passing
+through a wood, I heard cries and piteous complaints as of a person in
+pain and distress; I immediately hastened, impelled by my bounden duty,
+to the quarter whence the plaintive accents seemed to me to proceed, and
+I found tied to an oak this lad who now stands before you, which in my
+heart I rejoice at, for his testimony will not permit me to depart from
+the truth in any particular. He was, I say, tied to an oak, naked from
+the waist up, and a clown, whom I afterwards found to be his master, was
+scarifying him by lashes with the reins of his mare. As soon as I saw him
+I asked the reason of so cruel a flagellation. The boor replied that he
+was flogging him because he was his servant and because of carelessness
+that proceeded rather from dishonesty than stupidity; on which this boy
+said, 'Senor, he flogs me only because I ask for my wages.' The master
+made I know not what speeches and explanations, which, though I listened
+to them, I did not accept. In short, I compelled the clown to unbind him,
+and to swear he would take him with him, and pay him real by real, and
+perfumed into the bargain. Is not all this true, Andres my son? Didst
+thou not mark with what authority I commanded him, and with what humility
+he promised to do all I enjoined, specified, and required of him? Answer
+without hesitation; tell these gentlemen what took place, that they may
+see that it is as great an advantage as I say to have knights-errant
+abroad."
+
+"All that your worship has said is quite true," answered the lad; "but
+the end of the business turned out just the opposite of what your worship
+supposes."
+
+"How! the opposite?" said Don Quixote; "did not the clown pay thee then?"
+
+"Not only did he not pay me," replied the lad, "but as soon as your
+worship had passed out of the wood and we were alone, he tied me up again
+to the same oak and gave me a fresh flogging, that left me like a flayed
+Saint Bartholomew; and every stroke he gave me he followed up with some
+jest or gibe about having made a fool of your worship, and but for the
+pain I was suffering I should have laughed at the things he said. In
+short he left me in such a condition that I have been until now in a
+hospital getting cured of the injuries which that rascally clown
+inflicted on me then; for all which your worship is to blame; for if you
+had gone your own way and not come where there was no call for you, nor
+meddled in other people's affairs, my master would have been content with
+giving me one or two dozen lashes, and would have then loosed me and paid
+me what he owed me; but when your worship abused him so out of measure,
+and gave him so many hard words, his anger was kindled; and as he could
+not revenge himself on you, as soon as he saw you had left him the storm
+burst upon me in such a way, that I feel as if I should never be a man
+again."
+
+"The mischief," said Don Quixote, "lay in my going away; for I should not
+have gone until I had seen thee paid; because I ought to have known well
+by long experience that there is no clown who will keep his word if he
+finds it will not suit him to keep it; but thou rememberest, Andres, that
+I swore if he did not pay thee I would go and seek him, and find him
+though he were to hide himself in the whale's belly."
+
+"That is true," said Andres; "but it was of no use."
+
+"Thou shalt see now whether it is of use or not," said Don Quixote; and
+so saying, he got up hastily and bade Sancho bridle Rocinante, who was
+browsing while they were eating. Dorothea asked him what he meant to do.
+He replied that he meant to go in search of this clown and chastise him
+for such iniquitous conduct, and see Andres paid to the last maravedi,
+despite and in the teeth of all the clowns in the world. To which she
+replied that he must remember that in accordance with his promise he
+could not engage in any enterprise until he had concluded hers; and that
+as he knew this better than anyone, he should restrain his ardour until
+his return from her kingdom.
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, "and Andres must have patience until my
+return as you say, senora; but I once more swear and promise not to stop
+until I have seen him avenged and paid."
+
+"I have no faith in those oaths," said Andres; "I would rather have now
+something to help me to get to Seville than all the revenges in the
+world; if you have here anything to eat that I can take with me, give it
+me, and God be with your worship and all knights-errant; and may their
+errands turn out as well for themselves as they have for me."
+
+Sancho took out from his store a piece of bread and another of cheese,
+and giving them to the lad he said, "Here, take this, brother Andres, for
+we have all of us a share in your misfortune."
+
+"Why, what share have you got?"
+
+"This share of bread and cheese I am giving you," answered Sancho; "and
+God knows whether I shall feel the want of it myself or not; for I would
+have you know, friend, that we squires to knights-errant have to bear a
+great deal of hunger and hard fortune, and even other things more easily
+felt than told."
+
+Andres seized his bread and cheese, and seeing that nobody gave him
+anything more, bent his head, and took hold of the road, as the saying
+is. However, before leaving he said, "For the love of God, sir
+knight-errant, if you ever meet me again, though you may see them cutting
+me to pieces, give me no aid or succour, but leave me to my misfortune,
+which will not be so great but that a greater will come to me by being
+helped by your worship, on whom and all the knights-errant that have ever
+been born God send his curse."
+
+Don Quixote was getting up to chastise him, but he took to his heels at
+such a pace that no one attempted to follow him; and mightily chapfallen
+was Don Quixote at Andres' story, and the others had to take great care
+to restrain their laughter so as not to put him entirely out of
+countenance.
+
+Chapter XXXII. -
+Which treats of what befell Don Quixote's party at the inn
+
+Their dainty repast being finished, they saddled at once, and without any
+adventure worth mentioning they reached next day the inn, the object of
+Sancho Panza's fear and dread; but though he would have rather not
+entered it, there was no help for it. The landlady, the landlord, their
+daughter, and Maritornes, when they saw Don Quixote and Sancho coming,
+went out to welcome them with signs of hearty satisfaction, which Don
+Quixote received with dignity and gravity, and bade them make up a better
+bed for him than the last time: to which the landlady replied that if he
+paid better than he did the last time she would give him one fit for a
+prince. Don Quixote said he would, so they made up a tolerable one for
+him in the same garret as before; and he lay down at once, being sorely
+shaken and in want of sleep.
+
+No sooner was the door shut upon him than the landlady made at the
+barber, and seizing him by the beard, said:
+
+"By my faith you are not going to make a beard of my tail any longer; you
+must give me back tail, for it is a shame the way that thing of my
+husband's goes tossing about on the floor; I mean the comb that I used to
+stick in my good tail."
+
+But for all she tugged at it the barber would not give it up until the
+licentiate told him to let her have it, as there was now no further
+occasion for that stratagem, because he might declare himself and appear
+in his own character, and tell Don Quixote that he had fled to this inn
+when those thieves the galley slaves robbed him; and should he ask for
+the princess's squire, they could tell him that she had sent him on
+before her to give notice to the people of her kingdom that she was
+coming, and bringing with her the deliverer of them all. On this the
+barber cheerfully restored the tail to the landlady, and at the same time
+they returned all the accessories they had borrowed to effect Don
+Quixote's deliverance. All the people of the inn were struck with
+astonishment at the beauty of Dorothea, and even at the comely figure of
+the shepherd Cardenio. The curate made them get ready such fare as there
+was in the inn, and the landlord, in hope of better payment, served them
+up a tolerably good dinner. All this time Don Quixote was asleep, and
+they thought it best not to waken him, as sleeping would now do him more
+good than eating.
+
+While at dinner, the company consisting of the landlord, his wife, their
+daughter, Maritornes, and all the travellers, they discussed the strange
+craze of Don Quixote and the manner in which he had been found; and the
+landlady told them what had taken place between him and the carrier; and
+then, looking round to see if Sancho was there, when she saw he was not,
+she gave them the whole story of his blanketing, which they received with
+no little amusement. But on the curate observing that it was the books of
+chivalry which Don Quixote had read that had turned his brain, the
+landlord said:
+
+"I cannot understand how that can be, for in truth to my mind there is no
+better reading in the world, and I have here two or three of them, with
+other writings that are the very life, not only of myself but of plenty
+more; for when it is harvest-time, the reapers flock here on holidays,
+and there is always one among them who can read and who takes up one of
+these books, and we gather round him, thirty or more of us, and stay
+listening to him with a delight that makes our grey hairs grow young
+again. At least I can say for myself that when I hear of what furious and
+terrible blows the knights deliver, I am seized with the longing to do
+the same, and I would like to be hearing about them night and day."
+
+"And I just as much," said the landlady, "because I never have a quiet
+moment in my house except when you are listening to some one reading; for
+then you are so taken up that for the time being you forget to scold."
+
+"That is true," said Maritornes; "and, faith, I relish hearing these
+things greatly too, for they are very pretty; especially when they
+describe some lady or another in the arms of her knight under the orange
+trees, and the duenna who is keeping watch for them half dead with envy
+and fright; all this I say is as good as honey."
+
+"And you, what do you think, young lady?" said the curate turning to the
+landlord's daughter.
+
+"I don't know indeed, senor," said she; "I listen too, and to tell the
+truth, though I do not understand it, I like hearing it; but it is not
+the blows that my father likes that I like, but the laments the knights
+utter when they are separated from their ladies; and indeed they
+sometimes make me weep with the pity I feel for them."
+
+"Then you would console them if it was for you they wept, young lady?"
+said Dorothea.
+
+"I don't know what I should do," said the girl; "I only know that there
+are some of those ladies so cruel that they call their knights tigers and
+lions and a thousand other foul names: and Jesus! I don't know what sort
+of folk they can be, so unfeeling and heartless, that rather than bestow
+a glance upon a worthy man they leave him to die or go mad. I don't know
+what is the good of such prudery; if it is for honour's sake, why not
+marry them? That's all they want."
+
+"Hush, child," said the landlady; "it seems to me thou knowest a great
+deal about these things, and it is not fit for girls to know or talk so
+much."
+
+"As the gentleman asked me, I could not help answering him," said the
+girl.
+
+"Well then," said the curate, "bring me these books, senor landlord, for
+I should like to see them."
+
+"With all my heart," said he, and going into his own room he brought out
+an old valise secured with a little chain, on opening which the curate
+found in it three large books and some manuscripts written in a very good
+hand. The first that he opened he found to be "Don Cirongilio of Thrace,"
+and the second "Don Felixmarte of Hircania," and the other the "History
+of the Great Captain Gonzalo Hernandez de Cordova, with the Life of Diego
+Garcia de Paredes."
+
+When the curate read the two first titles he looked over at the barber
+and said, "We want my friend's housekeeper and niece here now."
+
+"Nay," said the barber, "I can do just as well to carry them to the yard
+or to the hearth, and there is a very good fire there."
+
+"What! your worship would burn my books!" said the landlord.
+
+"Only these two," said the curate, "Don Cirongilio, and Felixmarte."
+
+"Are my books, then, heretics or phlegmaties that you want to burn them?"
+said the landlord.
+
+"Schismatics you mean, friend," said the barber, "not phlegmatics."
+
+"That's it," said the landlord; "but if you want to burn any, let it be
+that about the Great Captain and that Diego Garcia; for I would rather
+have a child of mine burnt than either of the others."
+
+"Brother," said the curate, "those two books are made up of lies, and are
+full of folly and nonsense; but this of the Great Captain is a true
+history, and contains the deeds of Gonzalo Hernandez of Cordova, who by
+his many and great achievements earned the title all over the world of
+the Great Captain, a famous and illustrious name, and deserved by him
+alone; and this Diego Garcia de Paredes was a distinguished knight of the
+city of Trujillo in Estremadura, a most gallant soldier, and of such
+bodily strength that with one finger he stopped a mill-wheel in full
+motion; and posted with a two-handed sword at the foot of a bridge he
+kept the whole of an immense army from passing over it, and achieved such
+other exploits that if, instead of his relating them himself with the
+modesty of a knight and of one writing his own history, some free and
+unbiassed writer had recorded them, they would have thrown into the shade
+all the deeds of the Hectors, Achilleses, and Rolands."
+
+"Tell that to my father," said the landlord. "There's a thing to be
+astonished at! Stopping a mill-wheel! By God your worship should read
+what I have read of Felixmarte of Hircania, how with one single
+backstroke he cleft five giants asunder through the middle as if they had
+been made of bean-pods like the little friars the children make; and
+another time he attacked a very great and powerful army, in which there
+were more than a million six hundred thousand soldiers, all armed from
+head to foot, and he routed them all as if they had been flocks of sheep.
+
+"And then, what do you say to the good Cirongilio of Thrace, that was so
+stout and bold; as may be seen in the book, where it is related that as
+he was sailing along a river there came up out of the midst of the water
+against him a fiery serpent, and he, as soon as he saw it, flung himself
+upon it and got astride of its scaly shoulders, and squeezed its throat
+with both hands with such force that the serpent, finding he was
+throttling it, had nothing for it but to let itself sink to the bottom of
+the river, carrying with it the knight who would not let go his hold; and
+when they got down there he found himself among palaces and gardens so
+pretty that it was a wonder to see; and then the serpent changed itself
+into an old ancient man, who told him such things as were never heard.
+Hold your peace, senor; for if you were to hear this you would go mad
+with delight. A couple of figs for your Great Captain and your Diego
+Garcia!"
+
+Hearing this Dorothea said in a whisper to Cardenio, "Our landlord is
+almost fit to play a second part to Don Quixote."
+
+"I think so," said Cardenio, "for, as he shows, he accepts it as a
+certainty that everything those books relate took place exactly as it is
+written down; and the barefooted friars themselves would not persuade him
+to the contrary."
+
+"But consider, brother," said the curate once more, "there never was any
+Felixmarte of Hircania in the world, nor any Cirongilio of Thrace, or any
+of the other knights of the same sort, that the books of chivalry talk
+of; the whole thing is the fabrication and invention of idle wits,
+devised by them for the purpose you describe of beguiling the time, as
+your reapers do when they read; for I swear to you in all seriousness
+there never were any such knights in the world, and no such exploits or
+nonsense ever happened anywhere."
+
+"Try that bone on another dog," said the landlord; "as if I did not know
+how many make five, and where my shoe pinches me; don't think to feed me
+with pap, for by God I am no fool. It is a good joke for your worship to
+try and persuade me that everything these good books say is nonsense and
+lies, and they printed by the license of the Lords of the Royal Council,
+as if they were people who would allow such a lot of lies to be printed
+all together, and so many battles and enchantments that they take away
+one's senses."
+
+"I have told you, friend," said the curate, "that this is done to divert
+our idle thoughts; and as in well-ordered states games of chess, fives,
+and billiards are allowed for the diversion of those who do not care, or
+are not obliged, or are unable to work, so books of this kind are allowed
+to be printed, on the supposition that, what indeed is the truth, there
+can be nobody so ignorant as to take any of them for true stories; and if
+it were permitted me now, and the present company desired it, I could say
+something about the qualities books of chivalry should possess to be good
+ones, that would be to the advantage and even to the taste of some; but I
+hope the time will come when I can communicate my ideas to some one who
+may be able to mend matters; and in the meantime, senor landlord, believe
+what I have said, and take your books, and make up your mind about their
+truth or falsehood, and much good may they do you; and God grant you may
+not fall lame of the same foot your guest Don Quixote halts on."
+
+"No fear of that," returned the landlord; "I shall not be so mad as to
+make a knight-errant of myself; for I see well enough that things are not
+now as they used to be in those days, when they say those famous knights
+roamed about the world."
+
+Sancho had made his appearance in the middle of this conversation, and he
+was very much troubled and cast down by what he heard said about
+knights-errant being now no longer in vogue, and all books of chivalry
+being folly and lies; and he resolved in his heart to wait and see what
+came of this journey of his master's, and if it did not turn out as
+happily as his master expected, he determined to leave him and go back to
+his wife and children and his ordinary labour.
+
+The landlord was carrying away the valise and the books, but the curate
+said to him, "Wait; I want to see what those papers are that are written
+in such a good hand." The landlord taking them out handed them to him to
+read, and he perceived they were a work of about eight sheets of
+manuscript, with, in large letters at the beginning, the title of "Novel
+of the Ill-advised Curiosity." The curate read three or four lines to
+himself, and said, "I must say the title of this novel does not seem to
+me a bad one, and I feel an inclination to read it all." To which the
+landlord replied, "Then your reverence will do well to read it, for I can
+tell you that some guests who have read it here have been much pleased
+with it, and have begged it of me very earnestly; but I would not give
+it, meaning to return it to the person who forgot the valise, books, and
+papers here, for maybe he will return here some time or other; and though
+I know I shall miss the books, faith I mean to return them; for though I
+am an innkeeper, still I am a Christian."
+
+"You are very right, friend," said the curate; "but for all that, if the
+novel pleases me you must let me copy it."
+
+"With all my heart," replied the host.
+
+While they were talking Cardenio had taken up the novel and begun to read
+it, and forming the same opinion of it as the curate, he begged him to
+read it so that they might all hear it.
+
+"I would read it," said the curate, "if the time would not be better
+spent in sleeping."
+
+"It will be rest enough for me," said Dorothea, "to while away the time
+by listening to some tale, for my spirits are not yet tranquil enough to
+let me sleep when it would be seasonable."
+
+"Well then, in that case," said the curate, "I will read it, if it were
+only out of curiosity; perhaps it may contain something pleasant."
+
+Master Nicholas added his entreaties to the same effect, and Sancho too;
+seeing which, and considering that he would give pleasure to all, and
+receive it himself, the curate said, "Well then, attend to me everyone,
+for the novel begins thus."
+
+Chapter XXXIII. -
+In which is related the novel of "the ill-advised curiosity"
+
+In Florence, a rich and famous city of Italy in the province called
+Tuscany, there lived two gentlemen of wealth and quality, Anselmo and
+Lothario, such great friends that by way of distinction they were called
+by all that knew them "The Two Friends." They were unmarried, young, of
+the same age and of the same tastes, which was enough to account for the
+reciprocal friendship between them. Anselmo, it is true, was somewhat
+more inclined to seek pleasure in love than Lothario, for whom the
+pleasures of the chase had more attraction; but on occasion Anselmo would
+forego his own tastes to yield to those of Lothario, and Lothario would
+surrender his to fall in with those of Anselmo, and in this way their
+inclinations kept pace one with the other with a concord so perfect that
+the best regulated clock could not surpass it.
+
+Anselmo was deep in love with a high-born and beautiful maiden of the
+same city, the daughter of parents so estimable, and so estimable
+herself, that he resolved, with the approval of his friend Lothario,
+without whom he did nothing, to ask her of them in marriage, and did so,
+Lothario being the bearer of the demand, and conducting the negotiation
+so much to the satisfaction of his friend that in a short time he was in
+possession of the object of his desires, and Camilla so happy in having
+won Anselmo for her husband, that she gave thanks unceasingly to heaven
+and to Lothario, by whose means such good fortune had fallen to her. The
+first few days, those of a wedding being usually days of merry-making,
+Lothario frequented his friend Anselmo's house as he had been wont,
+striving to do honour to him and to the occasion, and to gratify him in
+every way he could; but when the wedding days were over and the
+succession of visits and congratulations had slackened, he began
+purposely to leave off going to the house of Anselmo, for it seemed to
+him, as it naturally would to all men of sense, that friends' houses
+ought not to be visited after marriage with the same frequency as in
+their masters' bachelor days: because, though true and genuine friendship
+cannot and should not be in any way suspicious, still a married man's
+honour is a thing of such delicacy that it is held liable to injury from
+brothers, much more from friends. Anselmo remarked the cessation of
+Lothario's visits, and complained of it to him, saying that if he had
+known that marriage was to keep him from enjoying his society as he used,
+he would have never married; and that, if by the thorough harmony that
+subsisted between them while he was a bachelor they had earned such a
+sweet name as that of "The Two Friends," he should not allow a title so
+rare and so delightful to be lost through a needless anxiety to act
+circumspectly; and so he entreated him, if such a phrase was allowable
+between them, to be once more master of his house and to come in and go
+out as formerly, assuring him that his wife Camilla had no other desire
+or inclination than that which he would wish her to have, and that
+knowing how sincerely they loved one another she was grieved to see such
+coldness in him.
+
+To all this and much more that Anselmo said to Lothario to persuade him
+to come to his house as he had been in the habit of doing, Lothario
+replied with so much prudence, sense, and judgment, that Anselmo was
+satisfied of his friend's good intentions, and it was agreed that on two
+days in the week, and on holidays, Lothario should come to dine with him;
+but though this arrangement was made between them Lothario resolved to
+observe it no further than he considered to be in accordance with the
+honour of his friend, whose good name was more to him than his own. He
+said, and justly, that a married man upon whom heaven had bestowed a
+beautiful wife should consider as carefully what friends he brought to
+his house as what female friends his wife associated with, for what
+cannot be done or arranged in the market-place, in church, at public
+festivals or at stations (opportunities that husbands cannot always deny
+their wives), may be easily managed in the house of the female friend or
+relative in whom most confidence is reposed. Lothario said, too, that
+every married man should have some friend who would point out to him any
+negligence he might be guilty of in his conduct, for it will sometimes
+happen that owing to the deep affection the husband bears his wife either
+he does not caution her, or, not to vex her, refrains from telling her to
+do or not to do certain things, doing or avoiding which may be a matter
+of honour or reproach to him; and errors of this kind he could easily
+correct if warned by a friend. But where is such a friend to be found as
+Lothario would have, so judicious, so loyal, and so true?
+
+Of a truth I know not; Lothario alone was such a one, for with the utmost
+care and vigilance he watched over the honour of his friend, and strove
+to diminish, cut down, and reduce the number of days for going to his
+house according to their agreement, lest the visits of a young man,
+wealthy, high-born, and with the attractions he was conscious of
+possessing, at the house of a woman so beautiful as Camilla, should be
+regarded with suspicion by the inquisitive and malicious eyes of the idle
+public. For though his integrity and reputation might bridle slanderous
+tongues, still he was unwilling to hazard either his own good name or
+that of his friend; and for this reason most of the days agreed upon he
+devoted to some other business which he pretended was unavoidable; so
+that a great portion of the day was taken up with complaints on one side
+and excuses on the other. It happened, however, that on one occasion when
+the two were strolling together outside the city, Anselmo addressed the
+following words to Lothario.
+
+"Thou mayest suppose, Lothario my friend, that I am unable to give
+sufficient thanks for the favours God has rendered me in making me the
+son of such parents as mine were, and bestowing upon me with no niggard
+hand what are called the gifts of nature as well as those of fortune, and
+above all for what he has done in giving me thee for a friend and Camilla
+for a wife--two treasures that I value, if not as highly as I ought, at
+least as highly as I am able. And yet, with all these good things, which
+are commonly all that men need to enable them to live happily, I am the
+most discontented and dissatisfied man in the whole world; for, I know
+not how long since, I have been harassed and oppressed by a desire so
+strange and so unusual, that I wonder at myself and blame and chide
+myself when I am alone, and strive to stifle it and hide it from my own
+thoughts, and with no better success than if I were endeavouring
+deliberately to publish it to all the world; and as, in short, it must
+come out, I would confide it to thy safe keeping, feeling sure that by
+this means, and by thy readiness as a true friend to afford me relief, I
+shall soon find myself freed from the distress it causes me, and that thy
+care will give me happiness in the same degree as my own folly has caused
+me misery."
+
+The words of Anselmo struck Lothario with astonishment, unable as he was
+to conjecture the purport of such a lengthy preamble; and though be
+strove to imagine what desire it could be that so troubled his friend,
+his conjectures were all far from the truth, and to relieve the anxiety
+which this perplexity was causing him, he told him he was doing a
+flagrant injustice to their great friendship in seeking circuitous
+methods of confiding to him his most hidden thoughts, for he well knew he
+might reckon upon his counsel in diverting them, or his help in carrying
+them into effect.
+
+"That is the truth," replied Anselmo, "and relying upon that I will tell
+thee, friend Lothario, that the desire which harasses me is that of
+knowing whether my wife Camilla is as good and as perfect as I think her
+to be; and I cannot satisfy myself of the truth on this point except by
+testing her in such a way that the trial may prove the purity of her
+virtue as the fire proves that of gold; because I am persuaded, my
+friend, that a woman is virtuous only in proportion as she is or is not
+tempted; and that she alone is strong who does not yield to the promises,
+gifts, tears, and importunities of earnest lovers; for what thanks does a
+woman deserve for being good if no one urges her to be bad, and what
+wonder is it that she is reserved and circumspect to whom no opportunity
+is given of going wrong and who knows she has a husband that will take
+her life the first time he detects her in an impropriety? I do not
+therefore hold her who is virtuous through fear or want of opportunity in
+the same estimation as her who comes out of temptation and trial with a
+crown of victory; and so, for these reasons and many others that I could
+give thee to justify and support the opinion I hold, I am desirous that
+my wife Camilla should pass this crisis, and be refined and tested by the
+fire of finding herself wooed and by one worthy to set his affections
+upon her; and if she comes out, as I know she will, victorious from this
+struggle, I shall look upon my good fortune as unequalled, I shall be
+able to say that the cup of my desire is full, and that the virtuous
+woman of whom the sage says 'Who shall find her?' has fallen to my lot.
+And if the result be the contrary of what I expect, in the satisfaction
+of knowing that I have been right in my opinion, I shall bear without
+complaint the pain which my so dearly bought experience will naturally
+cause me. And, as nothing of all thou wilt urge in opposition to my wish
+will avail to keep me from carrying it into effect, it is my desire,
+friend Lothario, that thou shouldst consent to become the instrument for
+effecting this purpose that I am bent upon, for I will afford thee
+opportunities to that end, and nothing shall be wanting that I may think
+necessary for the pursuit of a virtuous, honourable, modest and
+high-minded woman. And among other reasons, I am induced to entrust this
+arduous task to thee by the consideration that if Camilla be conquered by
+thee the conquest will not be pushed to extremes, but only far enough to
+account that accomplished which from a sense of honour will be left
+undone; thus I shall not be wronged in anything more than intention, and
+my wrong will remain buried in the integrity of thy silence, which I know
+well will be as lasting as that of death in what concerns me. If,
+therefore, thou wouldst have me enjoy what can be called life, thou wilt
+at once engage in this love struggle, not lukewarmly nor slothfully, but
+with the energy and zeal that my desire demands, and with the loyalty our
+friendship assures me of."
+
+Such were the words Anselmo addressed to Lothario, who listened to them
+with such attention that, except to say what has been already mentioned,
+he did not open his lips until the other had finished. Then perceiving
+that he had no more to say, after regarding him for awhile, as one would
+regard something never before seen that excited wonder and amazement, he
+said to him, "I cannot persuade myself, Anselmo my friend, that what thou
+hast said to me is not in jest; if I thought that thou wert speaking
+seriously I would not have allowed thee to go so far; so as to put a stop
+to thy long harangue by not listening to thee I verily suspect that
+either thou dost not know me, or I do not know thee; but no, I know well
+thou art Anselmo, and thou knowest that I am Lothario; the misfortune is,
+it seems to me, that thou art not the Anselmo thou wert, and must have
+thought that I am not the Lothario I should be; for the things that thou
+hast said to me are not those of that Anselmo who was my friend, nor are
+those that thou demandest of me what should be asked of the Lothario thou
+knowest. True friends will prove their friends and make use of them, as a
+poet has said, usque ad aras; whereby he meant that they will not make
+use of their friendship in things that are contrary to God's will. If
+this, then, was a heathen's feeling about friendship, how much more
+should it be a Christian's, who knows that the divine must not be
+forfeited for the sake of any human friendship? And if a friend should go
+so far as to put aside his duty to Heaven to fulfil his duty to his
+friend, it should not be in matters that are trifling or of little
+moment, but in such as affect the friend's life and honour. Now tell me,
+Anselmo, in which of these two art thou imperilled, that I should hazard
+myself to gratify thee, and do a thing so detestable as that thou seekest
+of me? Neither forsooth; on the contrary, thou dost ask of me, so far as
+I understand, to strive and labour to rob thee of honour and life, and to
+rob myself of them at the same time; for if I take away thy honour it is
+plain I take away thy life, as a man without honour is worse than dead;
+and being the instrument, as thou wilt have it so, of so much wrong to
+thee, shall not I, too, be left without honour, and consequently without
+life? Listen to me, Anselmo my friend, and be not impatient to answer me
+until I have said what occurs to me touching the object of thy desire,
+for there will be time enough left for thee to reply and for me to hear."
+
+"Be it so," said Anselmo, "say what thou wilt."
+
+Lothario then went on to say, "It seems to me, Anselmo, that thine is
+just now the temper of mind which is always that of the Moors, who can
+never be brought to see the error of their creed by quotations from the
+Holy Scriptures, or by reasons which depend upon the examination of the
+understanding or are founded upon the articles of faith, but must have
+examples that are palpable, easy, intelligible, capable of proof, not
+admitting of doubt, with mathematical demonstrations that cannot be
+denied, like, 'If equals be taken from equals, the remainders are equal:'
+and if they do not understand this in words, and indeed they do not, it
+has to be shown to them with the hands, and put before their eyes, and
+even with all this no one succeeds in convincing them of the truth of our
+holy religion. This same mode of proceeding I shall have to adopt with
+thee, for the desire which has sprung up in thee is so absurd and remote
+from everything that has a semblance of reason, that I feel it would be a
+waste of time to employ it in reasoning with thy simplicity, for at
+present I will call it by no other name; and I am even tempted to leave
+thee in thy folly as a punishment for thy pernicious desire; but the
+friendship I bear thee, which will not allow me to desert thee in such
+manifest danger of destruction, keeps me from dealing so harshly by thee.
+And that thou mayest clearly see this, say, Anselmo, hast thou not told
+me that I must force my suit upon a modest woman, decoy one that is
+virtuous, make overtures to one that is pure-minded, pay court to one
+that is prudent? Yes, thou hast told me so. Then, if thou knowest that
+thou hast a wife, modest, virtuous, pure-minded and prudent, what is it
+that thou seekest? And if thou believest that she will come forth
+victorious from all my attacks--as doubtless she would--what higher
+titles than those she possesses now dost thou think thou canst upon her
+then, or in what will she be better then than she is now? Either thou
+dost not hold her to be what thou sayest, or thou knowest not what thou
+dost demand. If thou dost not hold her to be what thou why dost thou seek
+to prove her instead of treating her as guilty in the way that may seem
+best to thee? but if she be as virtuous as thou believest, it is an
+uncalled-for proceeding to make trial of truth itself, for, after trial,
+it will but be in the same estimation as before. Thus, then, it is
+conclusive that to attempt things from which harm rather than advantage
+may come to us is the part of unreasoning and reckless minds, more
+especially when they are things which we are not forced or compelled to
+attempt, and which show from afar that it is plainly madness to attempt
+them.
+
+"Difficulties are attempted either for the sake of God or for the sake of
+the world, or for both; those undertaken for God's sake are those which
+the saints undertake when they attempt to live the lives of angels in
+human bodies; those undertaken for the sake of the world are those of the
+men who traverse such a vast expanse of water, such a variety of
+climates, so many strange countries, to acquire what are called the
+blessings of fortune; and those undertaken for the sake of God and the
+world together are those of brave soldiers, who no sooner do they see in
+the enemy's wall a breach as wide as a cannon ball could make, than,
+casting aside all fear, without hesitating, or heeding the manifest peril
+that threatens them, borne onward by the desire of defending their faith,
+their country, and their king, they fling themselves dauntlessly into the
+midst of the thousand opposing deaths that await them. Such are the
+things that men are wont to attempt, and there is honour, glory, gain, in
+attempting them, however full of difficulty and peril they may be; but
+that which thou sayest it is thy wish to attempt and carry out will not
+win thee the glory of God nor the blessings of fortune nor fame among
+men; for even if the issue he as thou wouldst have it, thou wilt be no
+happier, richer, or more honoured than thou art this moment; and if it be
+otherwise thou wilt be reduced to misery greater than can be imagined,
+for then it will avail thee nothing to reflect that no one is aware of
+the misfortune that has befallen thee; it will suffice to torture and
+crush thee that thou knowest it thyself. And in confirmation of the truth
+of what I say, let me repeat to thee a stanza made by the famous poet
+Luigi Tansillo at the end of the first part of his 'Tears of Saint
+Peter,' which says thus:
+
+The anguish and the shame but greater grew In Peter's heart as morning
+slowly came; No eye was there to see him, well he knew, Yet he himself
+was to himself a shame; Exposed to all men's gaze, or screened from view,
+A noble heart will feel the pang the same; A prey to shame the sinning
+soul will be, Though none but heaven and earth its shame can see.
+
+Thus by keeping it secret thou wilt not escape thy sorrow, but rather
+thou wilt shed tears unceasingly, if not tears of the eyes, tears of
+blood from the heart, like those shed by that simple doctor our poet
+tells us of, that tried the test of the cup, which the wise Rinaldo,
+better advised, refused to do; for though this may be a poetic fiction it
+contains a moral lesson worthy of attention and study and imitation.
+Moreover by what I am about to say to thee thou wilt be led to see the
+great error thou wouldst commit.
+
+"Tell me, Anselmo, if Heaven or good fortune had made thee master and
+lawful owner of a diamond of the finest quality, with the excellence and
+purity of which all the lapidaries that had seen it had been satisfied,
+saying with one voice and common consent that in purity, quality, and
+fineness, it was all that a stone of the kind could possibly be, thou
+thyself too being of the same belief, as knowing nothing to the contrary,
+would it be reasonable in thee to desire to take that diamond and place
+it between an anvil and a hammer, and by mere force of blows and strength
+of arm try if it were as hard and as fine as they said? And if thou
+didst, and if the stone should resist so silly a test, that would add
+nothing to its value or reputation; and if it were broken, as it might
+be, would not all be lost? Undoubtedly it would, leaving its owner to be
+rated as a fool in the opinion of all. Consider, then, Anselmo my friend,
+that Camilla is a diamond of the finest quality as well in thy estimation
+as in that of others, and that it is contrary to reason to expose her to
+the risk of being broken; for if she remains intact she cannot rise to a
+higher value than she now possesses; and if she give way and be unable to
+resist, bethink thee now how thou wilt be deprived of her, and with what
+good reason thou wilt complain of thyself for having been the cause of
+her ruin and thine own. Remember there is no jewel in the world so
+precious as a chaste and virtuous woman, and that the whole honour of
+women consists in reputation; and since thy wife's is of that high
+excellence that thou knowest, wherefore shouldst thou seek to call that
+truth in question? Remember, my friend, that woman is an imperfect
+animal, and that impediments are not to be placed in her way to make her
+trip and fall, but that they should be removed, and her path left clear
+of all obstacles, so that without hindrance she may run her course freely
+to attain the desired perfection, which consists in being virtuous.
+Naturalists tell us that the ermine is a little animal which has a fur of
+purest white, and that when the hunters wish to take it, they make use of
+this artifice. Having ascertained the places which it frequents and
+passes, they stop the way to them with mud, and then rousing it, drive it
+towards the spot, and as soon as the ermine comes to the mud it halts,
+and allows itself to be taken captive rather than pass through the mire,
+and spoil and sully its whiteness, which it values more than life and
+liberty. The virtuous and chaste woman is an ermine, and whiter and purer
+than snow is the virtue of modesty; and he who wishes her not to lose it,
+but to keep and preserve it, must adopt a course different from that
+employed with the ermine; he must not put before her the mire of the
+gifts and attentions of persevering lovers, because perhaps--and even
+without a perhaps--she may not have sufficient virtue and natural
+strength in herself to pass through and tread under foot these
+impediments; they must be removed, and the brightness of virtue and the
+beauty of a fair fame must be put before her. A virtuous woman, too, is
+like a mirror, of clear shining crystal, liable to be tarnished and
+dimmed by every breath that touches it. She must be treated as relics
+are; adored, not touched. She must be protected and prized as one
+protects and prizes a fair garden full of roses and flowers, the owner of
+which allows no one to trespass or pluck a blossom; enough for others
+that from afar and through the iron grating they may enjoy its fragrance
+and its beauty. Finally let me repeat to thee some verses that come to my
+mind; I heard them in a modern comedy, and it seems to me they bear upon
+the point we are discussing. A prudent old man was giving advice to
+another, the father of a young girl, to lock her up, watch over her and
+keep her in seclusion, and among other arguments he used these:
+
+poem{
+
+Woman is a thing of glass;
+But her brittleness 'tis best
+Not too curiously to test:
+Who knows what may come to pass?
+
+Breaking is an easy matter,
+And it's folly to expose
+What you cannot mend to blows;
+What you can't make whole to shatter.
+
+This, then, all may hold as true,
+And the reason's plain to see;
+For if Danaes there be,
+There are golden showers too.
+
+}poem
+
+"All that I have said to thee so far, Anselmo, has had reference to what
+concerns thee; now it is right that I should say something of what
+regards myself; and if I be prolix, pardon me, for the labyrinth into
+which thou hast entered and from which thou wouldst have me extricate
+thee makes it necessary.
+
+"Thou dost reckon me thy friend, and thou wouldst rob me of honour, a
+thing wholly inconsistent with friendship; and not only dost thou aim at
+this, but thou wouldst have me rob thee of it also. That thou wouldst rob
+me of it is clear, for when Camilla sees that I pay court to her as thou
+requirest, she will certainly regard me as a man without honour or right
+feeling, since I attempt and do a thing so much opposed to what I owe to
+my own position and thy friendship. That thou wouldst have me rob thee of
+it is beyond a doubt, for Camilla, seeing that I press my suit upon her,
+will suppose that I have perceived in her something light that has
+encouraged me to make known to her my base desire; and if she holds
+herself dishonoured, her dishonour touches thee as belonging to her; and
+hence arises what so commonly takes place, that the husband of the
+adulterous woman, though he may not be aware of or have given any cause
+for his wife's failure in her duty, or (being careless or negligent) have
+had it in his power to prevent his dishonour, nevertheless is stigmatised
+by a vile and reproachful name, and in a manner regarded with eyes of
+contempt instead of pity by all who know of his wife's guilt, though they
+see that he is unfortunate not by his own fault, but by the lust of a
+vicious consort. But I will tell thee why with good reason dishonour
+attaches to the husband of the unchaste wife, though he know not that she
+is so, nor be to blame, nor have done anything, or given any provocation
+to make her so; and be not weary with listening to me, for it will be for
+thy good.
+
+"When God created our first parent in the earthly paradise, the Holy
+Scripture says that he infused sleep into Adam and while he slept took a
+rib from his left side of which he formed our mother Eve, and when Adam
+awoke and beheld her he said, 'This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my
+bone.' And God said 'For this shall a man leave his father and his
+mother, and they shall be two in one flesh; and then was instituted the
+divine sacrament of marriage, with such ties that death alone can loose
+them. And such is the force and virtue of this miraculous sacrament that
+it makes two different persons one and the same flesh; and even more than
+this when the virtuous are married; for though they have two souls they
+have but one will. And hence it follows that as the flesh of the wife is
+one and the same with that of her husband the stains that may come upon
+it, or the injuries it incurs fall upon the husband's flesh, though he,
+as has been said, may have given no cause for them; for as the pain of
+the foot or any member of the body is felt by the whole body, because all
+is one flesh, as the head feels the hurt to the ankle without having
+caused it, so the husband, being one with her, shares the dishonour of
+the wife; and as all worldly honour or dishonour comes of flesh and
+blood, and the erring wife's is of that kind, the husband must needs bear
+his part of it and be held dishonoured without knowing it. See, then,
+Anselmo, the peril thou art encountering in seeking to disturb the peace
+of thy virtuous consort; see for what an empty and ill-advised curiosity
+thou wouldst rouse up passions that now repose in quiet in the breast of
+thy chaste wife; reflect that what thou art staking all to win is little,
+and what thou wilt lose so much that I leave it undescribed, not having
+the words to express it. But if all I have said be not enough to turn
+thee from thy vile purpose, thou must seek some other instrument for thy
+dishonour and misfortune; for such I will not consent to be, though I
+lose thy friendship, the greatest loss that I can conceive."
+
+Having said this, the wise and virtuous Lothario was silent, and Anselmo,
+troubled in mind and deep in thought, was unable for a while to utter a
+word in reply; but at length he said, "I have listened, Lothario my
+friend, attentively, as thou hast seen, to what thou hast chosen to say
+to me, and in thy arguments, examples, and comparisons I have seen that
+high intelligence thou dost possess, and the perfection of true
+friendship thou hast reached; and likewise I see and confess that if I am
+not guided by thy opinion, but follow my own, I am flying from the good
+and pursuing the evil. This being so, thou must remember that I am now
+labouring under that infirmity which women sometimes suffer from, when
+the craving seizes them to eat clay, plaster, charcoal, and things even
+worse, disgusting to look at, much more to eat; so that it will be
+necessary to have recourse to some artifice to cure me; and this can be
+easily effected if only thou wilt make a beginning, even though it be in
+a lukewarm and make-believe fashion, to pay court to Camilla, who will
+not be so yielding that her virtue will give way at the first attack:
+with this mere attempt I shall rest satisfied, and thou wilt have done
+what our friendship binds thee to do, not only in giving me life, but in
+persuading me not to discard my honour. And this thou art bound to do for
+one reason alone, that, being, as I am, resolved to apply this test, it
+is not for thee to permit me to reveal my weakness to another, and so
+imperil that honour thou art striving to keep me from losing; and if
+thine may not stand as high as it ought in the estimation of Camilla
+while thou art paying court to her, that is of little or no importance,
+because ere long, on finding in her that constancy which we expect, thou
+canst tell her the plain truth as regards our stratagem, and so regain
+thy place in her esteem; and as thou art venturing so little, and by the
+venture canst afford me so much satisfaction, refuse not to undertake it,
+even if further difficulties present themselves to thee; for, as I have
+said, if thou wilt only make a beginning I will acknowledge the issue
+decided."
+
+Lothario seeing the fixed determination of Anselmo, and not knowing what
+further examples to offer or arguments to urge in order to dissuade him
+from it, and perceiving that he threatened to confide his pernicious
+scheme to some one else, to avoid a greater evil resolved to gratify him
+and do what he asked, intending to manage the business so as to satisfy
+Anselmo without corrupting the mind of Camilla; so in reply he told him
+not to communicate his purpose to any other, for he would undertake the
+task himself, and would begin it as soon as he pleased. Anselmo embraced
+him warmly and affectionately, and thanked him for his offer as if he had
+bestowed some great favour upon him; and it was agreed between them to
+set about it the next day, Anselmo affording opportunity and time to
+Lothario to converse alone with Camilla, and furnishing him with money
+and jewels to offer and present to her. He suggested, too, that he should
+treat her to music, and write verses in her praise, and if he was
+unwilling to take the trouble of composing them, he offered to do it
+himself. Lothario agreed to all with an intention very different from
+what Anselmo supposed, and with this understanding they returned to
+Anselmo's house, where they found Camilla awaiting her husband anxiously
+and uneasily, for he was later than usual in returning that day. Lothario
+repaired to his own house, and Anselmo remained in his, as well satisfied
+as Lothario was troubled in mind; for he could see no satisfactory way
+out of this ill-advised business. That night, however, he thought of a
+plan by which he might deceive Anselmo without any injury to Camilla. The
+next day he went to dine with his friend, and was welcomed by Camilla,
+who received and treated him with great cordiality, knowing the affection
+her husband felt for him. When dinner was over and the cloth removed,
+Anselmo told Lothario to stay there with Camilla while he attended to
+some pressing business, as he would return in an hour and a half. Camilla
+begged him not to go, and Lothario offered to accompany him, but nothing
+could persuade Anselmo, who on the contrary pressed Lothario to remain
+waiting for him as he had a matter of great importance to discuss with
+him. At the same time he bade Camilla not to leave Lothario alone until
+he came back. In short he contrived to put so good a face on the reason,
+or the folly, of his absence that no one could have suspected it was a
+pretence.
+
+Anselmo took his departure, and Camilla and Lothario were left alone at
+the table, for the rest of the household had gone to dinner. Lothario saw
+himself in the lists according to his friend's wish, and facing an enemy
+that could by her beauty alone vanquish a squadron of armed knights;
+judge whether he had good reason to fear; but what he did was to lean his
+elbow on the arm of the chair, and his cheek upon his hand, and, asking
+Camilla's pardon for his ill manners, he said he wished to take a little
+sleep until Anselmo returned. Camilla in reply said he could repose more
+at his ease in the reception-room than in his chair, and begged of him to
+go in and sleep there; but Lothario declined, and there he remained
+asleep until the return of Anselmo, who finding Camilla in her own room,
+and Lothario asleep, imagined that he had stayed away so long as to have
+afforded them time enough for conversation and even for sleep, and was
+all impatience until Lothario should wake up, that he might go out with
+him and question him as to his success. Everything fell out as he wished;
+Lothario awoke, and the two at once left the house, and Anselmo asked
+what he was anxious to know, and Lothario in answer told him that he had
+not thought it advisable to declare himself entirely the first time, and
+therefore had only extolled the charms of Camilla, telling her that all
+the city spoke of nothing else but her beauty and wit, for this seemed to
+him an excellent way of beginning to gain her good-will and render her
+disposed to listen to him with pleasure the next time, thus availing
+himself of the device the devil has recourse to when he would deceive one
+who is on the watch; for he being the angel of darkness transforms
+himself into an angel of light, and, under cover of a fair seeming,
+discloses himself at length, and effects his purpose if at the beginning
+his wiles are not discovered. All this gave great satisfaction to
+Anselmo, and he said he would afford the same opportunity every day, but
+without leaving the house, for he would find things to do at home so that
+Camilla should not detect the plot.
+
+Thus, then, several days went by, and Lothario, without uttering a word
+to Camilla, reported to Anselmo that he had talked with her and that he
+had never been able to draw from her the slightest indication of consent
+to anything dishonourable, nor even a sign or shadow of hope; on the
+contrary, he said she would inform her husband of it.
+
+"So far well," said Anselmo; "Camilla has thus far resisted words; we
+must now see how she will resist deeds. I will give you to-morrow two
+thousand crowns in gold for you to offer or even present, and as many
+more to buy jewels to lure her, for women are fond of being becomingly
+attired and going gaily dressed, and all the more so if they are
+beautiful, however chaste they may be; and if she resists this
+temptation, I will rest satisfied and will give you no more trouble."
+
+Lothario replied that now he had begun he would carry on the undertaking
+to the end, though he perceived he was to come out of it wearied and
+vanquished. The next day he received the four thousand crowns, and with
+them four thousand perplexities, for he knew not what to say by way of a
+new falsehood; but in the end he made up his mind to tell him that
+Camilla stood as firm against gifts and promises as against words, and
+that there was no use in taking any further trouble, for the time was all
+spent to no purpose.
+
+But chance, directing things in a different manner, so ordered it that
+Anselmo, having left Lothario and Camilla alone as on other occasions,
+shut himself into a chamber and posted himself to watch and listen
+through the keyhole to what passed between them, and perceived that for
+more than half an hour Lothario did not utter a word to Camilla, nor
+would utter a word though he were to be there for an age; and he came to
+the conclusion that what his friend had told him about the replies of
+Camilla was all invention and falsehood, and to ascertain if it were so,
+he came out, and calling Lothario aside asked him what news he had and in
+what humour Camilla was. Lothario replied that he was not disposed to go
+on with the business, for she had answered him so angrily and harshly
+that he had no heart to say anything more to her.
+
+"Ah, Lothario, Lothario," said Anselmo, "how ill dost thou meet thy
+obligations to me, and the great confidence I repose in thee! I have been
+just now watching through this keyhole, and I have seen that thou has not
+said a word to Camilla, whence I conclude that on the former occasions
+thou hast not spoken to her either, and if this be so, as no doubt it is,
+why dost thou deceive me, or wherefore seekest thou by craft to deprive
+me of the means I might find of attaining my desire?"
+
+Anselmo said no more, but he had said enough to cover Lothario with shame
+and confusion, and he, feeling as it were his honour touched by having
+been detected in a lie, swore to Anselmo that he would from that moment
+devote himself to satisfying him without any deception, as he would see
+if he had the curiosity to watch; though he need not take the trouble,
+for the pains he would take to satisfy him would remove all suspicions
+from his mind. Anselmo believed him, and to afford him an opportunity
+more free and less liable to surprise, he resolved to absent himself from
+his house for eight days, betaking himself to that of a friend of his who
+lived in a village not far from the city; and, the better to account for
+his departure to Camilla, he so arranged it that the friend should send
+him a very pressing invitation.
+
+Unhappy, shortsighted Anselmo, what art thou doing, what art thou
+plotting, what art thou devising? Bethink thee thou art working against
+thyself, plotting thine own dishonour, devising thine own ruin. Thy wife
+Camilla is virtuous, thou dost possess her in peace and quietness, no one
+assails thy happiness, her thoughts wander not beyond the walls of thy
+house, thou art her heaven on earth, the object of her wishes, the
+fulfilment of her desires, the measure wherewith she measures her will,
+making it conform in all things to thine and Heaven's. If, then, the mine
+of her honour, beauty, virtue, and modesty yields thee without labour all
+the wealth it contains and thou canst wish for, why wilt thou dig the
+earth in search of fresh veins, of new unknown treasure, risking the
+collapse of all, since it but rests on the feeble props of her weak
+nature? Bethink thee that from him who seeks impossibilities that which
+is possible may with justice be withheld, as was better expressed by a
+poet who said:
+
+poem{
+
+'Tis mine to seek for life in death,
+Health in disease seek I,
+I seek in prison freedom's breath,
+In traitors loyalty.
+So Fate that ever scorns to grant
+Or grace or boon to me,
+Since what can never be I want,
+Denies me what might be.
+
+}poem
+
+The next day Anselmo took his departure for the village, leaving
+instructions with Camilla that during his absence Lothario would come to
+look after his house and to dine with her, and that she was to treat him
+as she would himself. Camilla was distressed, as a discreet and
+right-minded woman would be, at the orders her husband left her, and bade
+him remember that it was not becoming that anyone should occupy his seat
+at the table during his absence, and if he acted thus from not feeling
+confidence that she would be able to manage his house, let him try her
+this time, and he would find by experience that she was equal to greater
+responsibilities. Anselmo replied that it was his pleasure to have it so,
+and that she had only to submit and obey. Camilla said she would do so,
+though against her will.
+
+Anselmo went, and the next day Lothario came to his house, where he was
+received by Camilla with a friendly and modest welcome; but she never
+suffered Lothario to see her alone, for she was always attended by her
+men and women servants, especially by a handmaid of hers, Leonela by
+name, to whom she was much attached (for they had been brought up
+together from childhood in her father's house), and whom she had kept
+with her after her marriage with Anselmo. The first three days Lothario
+did not speak to her, though he might have done so when they removed the
+cloth and the servants retired to dine hastily; for such were Camilla's
+orders; nay more, Leonela had directions to dine earlier than Camilla and
+never to leave her side. She, however, having her thoughts fixed upon
+other things more to her taste, and wanting that time and opportunity for
+her own pleasures, did not always obey her mistress's commands, but on
+the contrary left them alone, as if they had ordered her to do so; but
+the modest bearing of Camilla, the calmness of her countenance, the
+composure of her aspect were enough to bridle the tongue of Lothario. But
+the influence which the many virtues of Camilla exerted in imposing
+silence on Lothario's tongue proved mischievous for both of them, for if
+his tongue was silent his thoughts were busy, and could dwell at leisure
+upon the perfections of Camilla's goodness and beauty one by one, charms
+enough to warm with love a marble statue, not to say a heart of flesh.
+Lothario gazed upon her when he might have been speaking to her, and
+thought how worthy of being loved she was; and thus reflection began
+little by little to assail his allegiance to Anselmo, and a thousand
+times he thought of withdrawing from the city and going where Anselmo
+should never see him nor he see Camilla. But already the delight he found
+in gazing on her interposed and held him fast. He put a constraint upon
+himself, and struggled to repel and repress the pleasure he found in
+contemplating Camilla; when alone he blamed himself for his weakness,
+called himself a bad friend, nay a bad Christian; then he argued the
+matter and compared himself with Anselmo; always coming to the conclusion
+that the folly and rashness of Anselmo had been worse than his
+faithlessness, and that if he could excuse his intentions as easily
+before God as with man, he had no reason to fear any punishment for his
+offence.
+
+In short the beauty and goodness of Camilla, joined with the opportunity
+which the blind husband had placed in his hands, overthrew the loyalty of
+Lothario; and giving heed to nothing save the object towards which his
+inclinations led him, after Anselmo had been three days absent, during
+which he had been carrying on a continual struggle with his passion, he
+began to make love to Camilla with so much vehemence and warmth of
+language that she was overwhelmed with amazement, and could only rise
+from her place and retire to her room without answering him a word. But
+the hope which always springs up with love was not weakened in Lothario
+by this repelling demeanour; on the contrary his passion for Camilla
+increased, and she discovering in him what she had never expected, knew
+not what to do; and considering it neither safe nor right to give him the
+chance or opportunity of speaking to her again, she resolved to send, as
+she did that very night, one of her servants with a letter to Anselmo, in
+which she addressed the following words to him.
+
+Chapter XXXIV. -
+In which is continued the novel of "the ill-advised curiosity"
+
+"It is commonly said that an army looks ill without its general and a
+castle without its castellan, and I say that a young married woman looks
+still worse without her husband unless there are very good reasons for
+it. I find myself so ill at ease without you, and so incapable of
+enduring this separation, that unless you return quickly I shall have to
+go for relief to my parents' house, even if I leave yours without a
+protector; for the one you left me, if indeed he deserved that title,
+has, I think, more regard to his own pleasure than to what concerns you:
+as you are possessed of discernment I need say no more to you, nor indeed
+is it fitting I should say more."
+
+Anselmo received this letter, and from it he gathered that Lothario had
+already begun his task and that Camilla must have replied to him as he
+would have wished; and delighted beyond measure at such intelligence he
+sent word to her not to leave his house on any account, as he would very
+shortly return. Camilla was astonished at Anselmo's reply, which placed
+her in greater perplexity than before, for she neither dared to remain in
+her own house, nor yet to go to her parents'; for in remaining her virtue
+was imperilled, and in going she was opposing her husband's commands.
+Finally she decided upon what was the worse course for her, to remain,
+resolving not to fly from the presence of Lothario, that she might not
+give food for gossip to her servants; and she now began to regret having
+written as she had to her husband, fearing he might imagine that Lothario
+had perceived in her some lightness which had impelled him to lay aside
+the respect he owed her; but confident of her rectitude she put her trust
+in God and in her own virtuous intentions, with which she hoped to resist
+in silence all the solicitations of Lothario, without saying anything to
+her husband so as not to involve him in any quarrel or trouble; and she
+even began to consider how to excuse Lothario to Anselmo when he should
+ask her what it was that induced her to write that letter. With these
+resolutions, more honourable than judicious or effectual, she remained
+the next day listening to Lothario, who pressed his suit so strenuously
+that Camilla's firmness began to waver, and her virtue had enough to do
+to come to the rescue of her eyes and keep them from showing signs of a
+certain tender compassion which the tears and appeals of Lothario had
+awakened in her bosom. Lothario observed all this, and it inflamed him
+all the more. In short he felt that while Anselmo's absence afforded time
+and opportunity he must press the siege of the fortress, and so he
+assailed her self-esteem with praises of her beauty, for there is nothing
+that more quickly reduces and levels the castle towers of fair women's
+vanity than vanity itself upon the tongue of flattery. In fact with the
+utmost assiduity he undermined the rock of her purity with such engines
+that had Camilla been of brass she must have fallen. He wept, he
+entreated, he promised, he flattered, he importuned, he pretended with so
+much feeling and apparent sincerity, that he overthrew the virtuous
+resolves of Camilla and won the triumph he least expected and most longed
+for. Camilla yielded, Camilla fell; but what wonder if the friendship of
+Lothario could not stand firm? A clear proof to us that the passion of
+love is to be conquered only by flying from it, and that no one should
+engage in a struggle with an enemy so mighty; for divine strength is
+needed to overcome his human power. Leonela alone knew of her mistress's
+weakness, for the two false friends and new lovers were unable to conceal
+it. Lothario did not care to tell Camilla the object Anselmo had in view,
+nor that he had afforded him the opportunity of attaining such a result,
+lest she should undervalue his love and think that it was by chance and
+without intending it and not of his own accord that he had made love to
+her.
+
+A few days later Anselmo returned to his house and did not perceive what
+it had lost, that which he so lightly treated and so highly prized. He
+went at once to see Lothario, and found him at home; they embraced each
+other, and Anselmo asked for the tidings of his life or his death.
+
+"The tidings I have to give thee, Anselmo my friend," said Lothario, "are
+that thou dost possess a wife that is worthy to be the pattern and crown
+of all good wives. The words that I have addressed to her were borne away
+on the wind, my promises have been despised, my presents have been
+refused, such feigned tears as I shed have been turned into open
+ridicule. In short, as Camilla is the essence of all beauty, so is she
+the treasure-house where purity dwells, and gentleness and modesty abide
+with all the virtues that can confer praise, honour, and happiness upon a
+woman. Take back thy money, my friend; here it is, and I have had no need
+to touch it, for the chastity of Camilla yields not to things so base as
+gifts or promises. Be content, Anselmo, and refrain from making further
+proof; and as thou hast passed dryshod through the sea of those doubts
+and suspicions that are and may be entertained of women, seek not to
+plunge again into the deep ocean of new embarrassments, or with another
+pilot make trial of the goodness and strength of the bark that Heaven has
+granted thee for thy passage across the sea of this world; but reckon
+thyself now safe in port, moor thyself with the anchor of sound
+reflection, and rest in peace until thou art called upon to pay that debt
+which no nobility on earth can escape paying."
+
+Anselmo was completely satisfied by the words of Lothario, and believed
+them as fully as if they had been spoken by an oracle; nevertheless he
+begged of him not to relinquish the undertaking, were it but for the sake
+of curiosity and amusement; though thenceforward he need not make use of
+the same earnest endeavours as before; all he wished him to do was to
+write some verses to her, praising her under the name of Chloris, for he
+himself would give her to understand that he was in love with a lady to
+whom he had given that name to enable him to sing her praises with the
+decorum due to her modesty; and if Lothario were unwilling to take the
+trouble of writing the verses he would compose them himself.
+
+"That will not be necessary," said Lothario, "for the muses are not such
+enemies of mine but that they visit me now and then in the course of the
+year. Do thou tell Camilla what thou hast proposed about a pretended
+amour of mine; as for the verses will make them, and if not as good as
+the subject deserves, they shall be at least the best I can produce." An
+agreement to this effect was made between the friends, the ill-advised
+one and the treacherous, and Anselmo returning to his house asked Camilla
+the question she already wondered he had not asked before--what it was
+that had caused her to write the letter she had sent him. Camilla replied
+that it had seemed to her that Lothario looked at her somewhat more
+freely than when he had been at home; but that now she was undeceived and
+believed it to have been only her own imagination, for Lothario now
+avoided seeing her, or being alone with her. Anselmo told her she might
+be quite easy on the score of that suspicion, for he knew that Lothario
+was in love with a damsel of rank in the city whom he celebrated under
+the name of Chloris, and that even if he were not, his fidelity and their
+great friendship left no room for fear. Had not Camilla, however, been
+informed beforehand by Lothario that this love for Chloris was a
+pretence, and that he himself had told Anselmo of it in order to be able
+sometimes to give utterance to the praises of Camilla herself, no doubt
+she would have fallen into the despairing toils of jealousy; but being
+forewarned she received the startling news without uneasiness.
+
+The next day as the three were at table Anselmo asked Lothario to recite
+something of what he had composed for his mistress Chloris; for as
+Camilla did not know her, he might safely say what he liked.
+
+"Even did she know her," returned Lothario, "I would hide nothing, for
+when a lover praises his lady's beauty, and charges her with cruelty, he
+casts no imputation upon her fair name; at any rate, all I can say is
+that yesterday I made a sonnet on the ingratitude of this Chloris, which
+goes thus:
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+At midnight, in the silence, when the eyes
+  Of happier mortals balmy slumbers close,
+  The weary tale of my unnumbered woes
+To Chloris and to Heaven is wont to rise.
+And when the light of day returning dyes
+  The portals of the east with tints of rose,
+  With undiminished force my sorrow flows
+In broken accents and in burning sighs.
+And when the sun ascends his star-girt throne,
+  And on the earth pours down his midday beams,
+    Noon but renews my wailing and my tears;
+And with the night again goes up my moan.
+  Yet ever in my agony it seems
+    To me that neither Heaven nor Chloris hears."
+
+}poem
+
+The sonnet pleased Camilla, and still more Anselmo, for he praised it and
+said the lady was excessively cruel who made no return for sincerity so
+manifest. On which Camilla said, "Then all that love-smitten poets say is
+true?"
+
+"As poets they do not tell the truth," replied Lothario; "but as lovers
+they are not more defective in expression than they are truthful."
+
+"There is no doubt of that," observed Anselmo, anxious to support and
+uphold Lothario's ideas with Camilla, who was as regardless of his design
+as she was deep in love with Lothario; and so taking delight in anything
+that was his, and knowing that his thoughts and writings had her for
+their object, and that she herself was the real Chloris, she asked him to
+repeat some other sonnet or verses if he recollected any.
+
+"I do," replied Lothario, "but I do not think it as good as the first
+one, or, more correctly speaking, less bad; but you can easily judge, for
+it is this.
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+I know that I am doomed; death is to me
+  As certain as that thou, ungrateful fair,
+  Dead at thy feet shouldst see me lying, ere
+My heart repented of its love for thee.
+If buried in oblivion I should be,
+  Bereft of life, fame, favour, even there
+  It would be found that I thy image bear
+Deep graven in my breast for all to see.
+This like some holy relic do I prize
+  To save me from the fate my truth entails,
+    Truth that to thy hard heart its vigour owes.
+Alas for him that under lowering skies,
+  In peril o'er a trackless ocean sails,
+    Where neither friendly port nor pole-star shows."
+
+}poem
+
+Anselmo praised this second sonnet too, as he had praised the first; and
+so he went on adding link after link to the chain with which he was
+binding himself and making his dishonour secure; for when Lothario was
+doing most to dishonour him he told him he was most honoured; and thus
+each step that Camilla descended towards the depths of her abasement, she
+mounted, in his opinion, towards the summit of virtue and fair fame.
+
+It so happened that finding herself on one occasion alone with her maid,
+Camilla said to her, "I am ashamed to think, my dear Leonela, how lightly
+I have valued myself that I did not compel Lothario to purchase by at
+least some expenditure of time that full possession of me that I so
+quickly yielded him of my own free will. I fear that he will think ill of
+my pliancy or lightness, not considering the irresistible influence he
+brought to bear upon me."
+
+"Let not that trouble you, my lady," said Leonela, "for it does not take
+away the value of the thing given or make it the less precious to give it
+quickly if it be really valuable and worthy of being prized; nay, they
+are wont to say that he who gives quickly gives twice."
+
+"They say also," said Camilla, "that what costs little is valued less."
+
+"That saying does not hold good in your case," replied Leonela, "for
+love, as I have heard say, sometimes flies and sometimes walks; with this
+one it runs, with that it moves slowly; some it cools, others it burns;
+some it wounds, others it slays; it begins the course of its desires, and
+at the same moment completes and ends it; in the morning it will lay
+siege to a fortress and by night will have taken it, for there is no
+power that can resist it; so what are you in dread of, what do you fear,
+when the same must have befallen Lothario, love having chosen the absence
+of my lord as the instrument for subduing you? and it was absolutely
+necessary to complete then what love had resolved upon, without affording
+the time to let Anselmo return and by his presence compel the work to be
+left unfinished; for love has no better agent for carrying out his
+designs than opportunity; and of opportunity he avails himself in all his
+feats, especially at the outset. All this I know well myself, more by
+experience than by hearsay, and some day, senora, I will enlighten you on
+the subject, for I am of your flesh and blood too. Moreover, lady
+Camilla, you did not surrender yourself or yield so quickly but that
+first you saw Lothario's whole soul in his eyes, in his sighs, in his
+words, his promises and his gifts, and by it and his good qualities
+perceived how worthy he was of your love. This, then, being the case, let
+not these scrupulous and prudish ideas trouble your imagination, but be
+assured that Lothario prizes you as you do him, and rest content and
+satisfied that as you are caught in the noose of love it is one of worth
+and merit that has taken you, and one that has not only the four S's that
+they say true lovers ought to have, but a complete alphabet; only listen
+to me and you will see how I can repeat it by rote. He is to my eyes and
+thinking, Amiable, Brave, Courteous, Distinguished, Elegant, Fond, Gay,
+Honourable, Illustrious, Loyal, Manly, Noble, Open, Polite, Quickwitted,
+Rich, and the S's according to the saying, and then Tender, Veracious: X
+does not suit him, for it is a rough letter; Y has been given already;
+and Z Zealous for your honour."
+
+Camilla laughed at her maid's alphabet, and perceived her to be more
+experienced in love affairs than she said, which she admitted, confessing
+to Camilla that she had love passages with a young man of good birth of
+the same city. Camilla was uneasy at this, dreading lest it might prove
+the means of endangering her honour, and asked whether her intrigue had
+gone beyond words, and she with little shame and much effrontery said it
+had; for certain it is that ladies' imprudences make servants shameless,
+who, when they see their mistresses make a false step, think nothing of
+going astray themselves, or of its being known. All that Camilla could do
+was to entreat Leonela to say nothing about her doings to him whom she
+called her lover, and to conduct her own affairs secretly lest they
+should come to the knowledge of Anselmo or of Lothario. Leonela said she
+would, but kept her word in such a way that she confirmed Camilla's
+apprehension of losing her reputation through her means; for this
+abandoned and bold Leonela, as soon as she perceived that her mistress's
+demeanour was not what it was wont to be, had the audacity to introduce
+her lover into the house, confident that even if her mistress saw him she
+would not dare to expose him; for the sins of mistresses entail this
+mischief among others; they make themselves the slaves of their own
+servants, and are obliged to hide their laxities and depravities; as was
+the case with Camilla, who though she perceived, not once but many times,
+that Leonela was with her lover in some room of the house, not only did
+not dare to chide her, but afforded her opportunities for concealing him
+and removed all difficulties, lest he should be seen by her husband. She
+was unable, however, to prevent him from being seen on one occasion, as
+he sallied forth at daybreak, by Lothario, who, not knowing who he was,
+at first took him for a spectre; but, as soon as he saw him hasten away,
+muffling his face with his cloak and concealing himself carefully and
+cautiously, he rejected this foolish idea, and adopted another, which
+would have been the ruin of all had not Camilla found a remedy. It did
+not occur to Lothario that this man he had seen issuing at such an
+untimely hour from Anselmo's house could have entered it on Leonela's
+account, nor did he even remember there was such a person as Leonela; all
+he thought was that as Camilla had been light and yielding with him, so
+she had been with another; for this further penalty the erring woman's
+sin brings with it, that her honour is distrusted even by him to whose
+overtures and persuasions she has yielded; and he believes her to have
+surrendered more easily to others, and gives implicit credence to every
+suspicion that comes into his mind. All Lothario's good sense seems to
+have failed him at this juncture; all his prudent maxims escaped his
+memory; for without once reflecting rationally, and without more ado, in
+his impatience and in the blindness of the jealous rage that gnawed his
+heart, and dying to revenge himself upon Camilla, who had done him no
+wrong, before Anselmo had risen he hastened to him and said to him,
+"Know, Anselmo, that for several days past I have been struggling with
+myself, striving to withhold from thee what it is no longer possible or
+right that I should conceal from thee. Know that Camilla's fortress has
+surrendered and is ready to submit to my will; and if I have been slow to
+reveal this fact to thee, it was in order to see if it were some light
+caprice of hers, or if she sought to try me and ascertain if the love I
+began to make to her with thy permission was made with a serious
+intention. I thought, too, that she, if she were what she ought to be,
+and what we both believed her, would have ere this given thee information
+of my addresses; but seeing that she delays, I believe the truth of the
+promise she has given me that the next time thou art absent from the
+house she will grant me an interview in the closet where thy jewels are
+kept (and it was true that Camilla used to meet him there); but I do not
+wish thee to rush precipitately to take vengeance, for the sin is as yet
+only committed in intention, and Camilla's may change perhaps between
+this and the appointed time, and repentance spring up in its place. As
+hitherto thou hast always followed my advice wholly or in part, follow
+and observe this that I will give thee now, so that, without mistake, and
+with mature deliberation, thou mayest satisfy thyself as to what may seem
+the best course; pretend to absent thyself for two or three days as thou
+hast been wont to do on other occasions, and contrive to hide thyself in
+the closet; for the tapestries and other things there afford great
+facilities for thy concealment, and then thou wilt see with thine own
+eyes and I with mine what Camilla's purpose may be. And if it be a guilty
+one, which may be feared rather than expected, with silence, prudence,
+and discretion thou canst thyself become the instrument of punishment for
+the wrong done thee."
+
+Anselmo was amazed, overwhelmed, and astounded at the words of Lothario,
+which came upon him at a time when he least expected to hear them, for he
+now looked upon Camilla as having triumphed over the pretended attacks of
+Lothario, and was beginning to enjoy the glory of her victory. He
+remained silent for a considerable time, looking on the ground with fixed
+gaze, and at length said, "Thou hast behaved, Lothario, as I expected of
+thy friendship: I will follow thy advice in everything; do as thou wilt,
+and keep this secret as thou seest it should be kept in circumstances so
+unlooked for."
+
+Lothario gave him his word, but after leaving him he repented altogether
+of what he had said to him, perceiving how foolishly he had acted, as he
+might have revenged himself upon Camilla in some less cruel and degrading
+way. He cursed his want of sense, condemned his hasty resolution, and
+knew not what course to take to undo the mischief or find some ready
+escape from it. At last he decided upon revealing all to Camilla, and, as
+there was no want of opportunity for doing so, he found her alone the
+same day; but she, as soon as she had the chance of speaking to him,
+said, "Lothario my friend, I must tell thee I have a sorrow in my heart
+which fills it so that it seems ready to burst; and it will be a wonder
+if it does not; for the audacity of Leonela has now reached such a pitch
+that every night she conceals a gallant of hers in this house and remains
+with him till morning, at the expense of my reputation; inasmuch as it is
+open to anyone to question it who may see him quitting my house at such
+unseasonable hours; but what distresses me is that I cannot punish or
+chide her, for her privity to our intrigue bridles my mouth and keeps me
+silent about hers, while I am dreading that some catastrophe will come of
+it."
+
+As Camilla said this Lothario at first imagined it was some device to
+delude him into the idea that the man he had seen going out was Leonela's
+lover and not hers; but when he saw how she wept and suffered, and begged
+him to help her, he became convinced of the truth, and the conviction
+completed his confusion and remorse; however, he told Camilla not to
+distress herself, as he would take measures to put a stop to the
+insolence of Leonela. At the same time he told her what, driven by the
+fierce rage of jealousy, he had said to Anselmo, and how he had arranged
+to hide himself in the closet that he might there see plainly how little
+she preserved her fidelity to him; and he entreated her pardon for this
+madness, and her advice as to how to repair it, and escape safely from
+the intricate labyrinth in which his imprudence had involved him. Camilla
+was struck with alarm at hearing what Lothario said, and with much anger,
+and great good sense, she reproved him and rebuked his base design and
+the foolish and mischievous resolution he had made; but as woman has by
+nature a nimbler wit than man for good and for evil, though it is apt to
+fail when she sets herself deliberately to reason, Camilla on the spur of
+the moment thought of a way to remedy what was to all appearance
+irremediable, and told Lothario to contrive that the next day Anselmo
+should conceal himself in the place he mentioned, for she hoped from his
+concealment to obtain the means of their enjoying themselves for the
+future without any apprehension; and without revealing her purpose to him
+entirely she charged him to be careful, as soon as Anselmo was concealed,
+to come to her when Leonela should call him, and to all she said to him
+to answer as he would have answered had he not known that Anselmo was
+listening. Lothario pressed her to explain her intention fully, so that
+he might with more certainty and precaution take care to do what he saw
+to be needful.
+
+"I tell you," said Camilla, "there is nothing to take care of except to
+answer me what I shall ask you;" for she did not wish to explain to him
+beforehand what she meant to do, fearing lest he should be unwilling to
+follow out an idea which seemed to her such a good one, and should try or
+devise some other less practicable plan.
+
+Lothario then retired, and the next day Anselmo, under pretence of going
+to his friend's country house, took his departure, and then returned to
+conceal himself, which he was able to do easily, as Camilla and Leonela
+took care to give him the opportunity; and so he placed himself in hiding
+in the state of agitation that it may be imagined he would feel who
+expected to see the vitals of his honour laid bare before his eyes, and
+found himself on the point of losing the supreme blessing he thought he
+possessed in his beloved Camilla. Having made sure of Anselmo's being in
+his hiding-place, Camilla and Leonela entered the closet, and the instant
+she set foot within it Camilla said, with a deep sigh, "Ah! dear Leonela,
+would it not be better, before I do what I am unwilling you should know
+lest you should seek to prevent it, that you should take Anselmo's dagger
+that I have asked of you and with it pierce this vile heart of mine? But
+no; there is no reason why I should suffer the punishment of another's
+fault. I will first know what it is that the bold licentious eyes of
+Lothario have seen in me that could have encouraged him to reveal to me a
+design so base as that which he has disclosed regardless of his friend
+and of my honour. Go to the window, Leonela, and call him, for no doubt
+he is in the street waiting to carry out his vile project; but mine,
+cruel it may be, but honourable, shall be carried out first."
+
+"Ah, senora," said the crafty Leonela, who knew her part, "what is it you
+want to do with this dagger? Can it be that you mean to take your own
+life, or Lothario's? for whichever you mean to do, it will lead to the
+loss of your reputation and good name. It is better to dissemble your
+wrong and not give this wicked man the chance of entering the house now
+and finding us alone; consider, senora, we are weak women and he is a
+man, and determined, and as he comes with such a base purpose, blind and
+urged by passion, perhaps before you can put yours into execution he may
+do what will be worse for you than taking your life. Ill betide my
+master, Anselmo, for giving such authority in his house to this shameless
+fellow! And supposing you kill him, senora, as I suspect you mean to do,
+what shall we do with him when he is dead?"
+
+"What, my friend?" replied Camilla, "we shall leave him for Anselmo to
+bury him; for in reason it will be to him a light labour to hide his own
+infamy under ground. Summon him, make haste, for all the time I delay in
+taking vengeance for my wrong seems to me an offence against the loyalty
+I owe my husband."
+
+Anselmo was listening to all this, and every word that Camilla uttered
+made him change his mind; but when he heard that it was resolved to kill
+Lothario his first impulse was to come out and show himself to avert such
+a disaster; but in his anxiety to see the issue of a resolution so bold
+and virtuous he restrained himself, intending to come forth in time to
+prevent the deed. At this moment Camilla, throwing herself upon a bed
+that was close by, swooned away, and Leonela began to weep bitterly,
+exclaiming, "Woe is me! that I should be fated to have dying here in my
+arms the flower of virtue upon earth, the crown of true wives, the
+pattern of chastity!" with more to the same effect, so that anyone who
+heard her would have taken her for the most tender-hearted and faithful
+handmaid in the world, and her mistress for another persecuted Penelope.
+
+Camilla was not long in recovering from her fainting fit and on coming to
+herself she said, "Why do you not go, Leonela, to call hither that
+friend, the falsest to his friend the sun ever shone upon or night
+concealed? Away, run, haste, speed! lest the fire of my wrath burn itself
+out with delay, and the righteous vengeance that I hope for melt away in
+menaces and maledictions."
+
+"I am just going to call him, senora," said Leonela; "but you must first
+give me that dagger, lest while I am gone you should by means of it give
+cause to all who love you to weep all their lives."
+
+"Go in peace, dear Leonela, I will not do so," said Camilla, "for rash
+and foolish as I may be, to your mind, in defending my honour, I am not
+going to be so much so as that Lucretia who they say killed herself
+without having done anything wrong, and without having first killed him
+on whom the guilt of her misfortune lay. I shall die, if I am to die; but
+it must be after full vengeance upon him who has brought me here to weep
+over audacity that no fault of mine gave birth to."
+
+Leonela required much pressing before she would go to summon Lothario,
+but at last she went, and while awaiting her return Camilla continued, as
+if speaking to herself, "Good God! would it not have been more prudent to
+have repulsed Lothario, as I have done many a time before, than to allow
+him, as I am now doing, to think me unchaste and vile, even for the short
+time I must wait until I undeceive him? No doubt it would have been
+better; but I should not be avenged, nor the honour of my husband
+vindicated, should he find so clear and easy an escape from the strait
+into which his depravity has led him. Let the traitor pay with his life
+for the temerity of his wanton wishes, and let the world know (if haply
+it shall ever come to know) that Camilla not only preserved her
+allegiance to her husband, but avenged him of the man who dared to wrong
+him. Still, I think it might be better to disclose this to Anselmo. But
+then I have called his attention to it in the letter I wrote to him in
+the country, and, if he did nothing to prevent the mischief I there
+pointed out to him, I suppose it was that from pure goodness of heart and
+trustfulness he would not and could not believe that any thought against
+his honour could harbour in the breast of so stanch a friend; nor indeed
+did I myself believe it for many days, nor should I have ever believed it
+if his insolence had not gone so far as to make it manifest by open
+presents, lavish promises, and ceaseless tears. But why do I argue thus?
+Does a bold determination stand in need of arguments? Surely not. Then
+traitors avaunt! Vengeance to my aid! Let the false one come, approach,
+advance, die, yield up his life, and then befall what may. Pure I came to
+him whom Heaven bestowed upon me, pure I shall leave him; and at the
+worst bathed in my own chaste blood and in the foul blood of the falsest
+friend that friendship ever saw in the world;" and as she uttered these
+words she paced the room holding the unsheathed dagger, with such
+irregular and disordered steps, and such gestures that one would have
+supposed her to have lost her senses, and taken her for some violent
+desperado instead of a delicate woman.
+
+Anselmo, hidden behind some tapestries where he had concealed himself,
+beheld and was amazed at all, and already felt that what he had seen and
+heard was a sufficient answer to even greater suspicions; and he would
+have been now well pleased if the proof afforded by Lothario's coming
+were dispensed with, as he feared some sudden mishap; but as he was on
+the point of showing himself and coming forth to embrace and undeceive
+his wife he paused as he saw Leonela returning, leading Lothario. Camilla
+when she saw him, drawing a long line in front of her on the floor with
+the dagger, said to him, "Lothario, pay attention to what I say to thee:
+if by any chance thou darest to cross this line thou seest, or even
+approach it, the instant I see thee attempt it that same instant will I
+pierce my bosom with this dagger that I hold in my hand; and before thou
+answerest me a word desire thee to listen to a few from me, and
+afterwards thou shalt reply as may please thee. First, I desire thee to
+tell me, Lothario, if thou knowest my husband Anselmo, and in what light
+thou regardest him; and secondly I desire to know if thou knowest me too.
+Answer me this, without embarrassment or reflecting deeply what thou wilt
+answer, for they are no riddles I put to thee."
+
+Lothario was not so dull but that from the first moment when Camilla
+directed him to make Anselmo hide himself he understood what she intended
+to do, and therefore he fell in with her idea so readily and promptly
+that between them they made the imposture look more true than truth; so
+he answered her thus: "I did not think, fair Camilla, that thou wert
+calling me to ask questions so remote from the object with which I come;
+but if it is to defer the promised reward thou art doing so, thou mightst
+have put it off still longer, for the longing for happiness gives the
+more distress the nearer comes the hope of gaining it; but lest thou
+shouldst say that I do not answer thy questions, I say that I know thy
+husband Anselmo, and that we have known each other from our earliest
+years; I will not speak of what thou too knowest, of our friendship, that
+I may not compel myself to testify against the wrong that love, the
+mighty excuse for greater errors, makes me inflict upon him. Thee I know
+and hold in the same estimation as he does, for were it not so I had not
+for a lesser prize acted in opposition to what I owe to my station and
+the holy laws of true friendship, now broken and violated by me through
+that powerful enemy, love."
+
+"If thou dost confess that," returned Camilla, "mortal enemy of all that
+rightly deserves to be loved, with what face dost thou dare to come
+before one whom thou knowest to be the mirror wherein he is reflected on
+whom thou shouldst look to see how unworthily thou him? But, woe is me, I
+now comprehend what has made thee give so little heed to what thou owest
+to thyself; it must have been some freedom of mine, for I will not call
+it immodesty, as it did not proceed from any deliberate intention, but
+from some heedlessness such as women are guilty of through inadvertence
+when they think they have no occasion for reserve. But tell me, traitor,
+when did I by word or sign give a reply to thy prayers that could awaken
+in thee a shadow of hope of attaining thy base wishes? When were not thy
+professions of love sternly and scornfully rejected and rebuked? When
+were thy frequent pledges and still more frequent gifts believed or
+accepted? But as I am persuaded that no one can long persevere in the
+attempt to win love unsustained by some hope, I am willing to attribute
+to myself the blame of thy assurance, for no doubt some thoughtlessness
+of mine has all this time fostered thy hopes; and therefore will I punish
+myself and inflict upon myself the penalty thy guilt deserves. And that
+thou mayest see that being so relentless to myself I cannot possibly be
+otherwise to thee, I have summoned thee to be a witness of the sacrifice
+I mean to offer to the injured honour of my honoured husband, wronged by
+thee with all the assiduity thou wert capable of, and by me too through
+want of caution in avoiding every occasion, if I have given any, of
+encouraging and sanctioning thy base designs. Once more I say the
+suspicion in my mind that some imprudence of mine has engendered these
+lawless thoughts in thee, is what causes me most distress and what I
+desire most to punish with my own hands, for were any other instrument of
+punishment employed my error might become perhaps more widely known; but
+before I do so, in my death I mean to inflict death, and take with me one
+that will fully satisfy my longing for the revenge I hope for and have;
+for I shall see, wheresoever it may be that I go, the penalty awarded by
+inflexible, unswerving justice on him who has placed me in a position so
+desperate."
+
+As she uttered these words, with incredible energy and swiftness she flew
+upon Lothario with the naked dagger, so manifestly bent on burying it in
+his breast that he was almost uncertain whether these demonstrations were
+real or feigned, for he was obliged to have recourse to all his skill and
+strength to prevent her from striking him; and with such reality did she
+act this strange farce and mystification that, to give it a colour of
+truth, she determined to stain it with her own blood; for perceiving, or
+pretending, that she could not wound Lothario, she said, "Fate, it seems,
+will not grant my just desire complete satisfaction, but it will not be
+able to keep me from satisfying it partially at least;" and making an
+effort to free the hand with the dagger which Lothario held in his grasp,
+she released it, and directing the point to a place where it could not
+inflict a deep wound, she plunged it into her left side high up close to
+the shoulder, and then allowed herself to fall to the ground as if in a
+faint.
+
+Leonela and Lothario stood amazed and astounded at the catastrophe, and
+seeing Camilla stretched on the ground and bathed in her blood they were
+still uncertain as to the true nature of the act. Lothario, terrified and
+breathless, ran in haste to pluck out the dagger; but when he saw how
+slight the wound was he was relieved of his fears and once more admired
+the subtlety, coolness, and ready wit of the fair Camilla; and the better
+to support the part he had to play he began to utter profuse and doleful
+lamentations over her body as if she were dead, invoking maledictions not
+only on himself but also on him who had been the means of placing him in
+such a position: and knowing that his friend Anselmo heard him he spoke
+in such a way as to make a listener feel much more pity for him than for
+Camilla, even though he supposed her dead. Leonela took her up in her
+arms and laid her on the bed, entreating Lothario to go in quest of some
+one to attend to her wound in secret, and at the same time asking his
+advice and opinion as to what they should say to Anselmo about his lady's
+wound if he should chance to return before it was healed. He replied they
+might say what they liked, for he was not in a state to give advice that
+would be of any use; all he could tell her was to try and stanch the
+blood, as he was going where he should never more be seen; and with every
+appearance of deep grief and sorrow he left the house; but when he found
+himself alone, and where there was nobody to see him, he crossed himself
+unceasingly, lost in wonder at the adroitness of Camilla and the
+consistent acting of Leonela. He reflected how convinced Anselmo would be
+that he had a second Portia for a wife, and he looked forward anxiously
+to meeting him in order to rejoice together over falsehood and truth the
+most craftily veiled that could be imagined.
+
+Leonela, as he told her, stanched her lady's blood, which was no more
+than sufficed to support her deception; and washing the wound with a
+little wine she bound it up to the best of her skill, talking all the
+time she was tending her in a strain that, even if nothing else had been
+said before, would have been enough to assure Anselmo that he had in
+Camilla a model of purity. To Leonela's words Camilla added her own,
+calling herself cowardly and wanting in spirit, since she had not enough
+at the time she had most need of it to rid herself of the life she so
+much loathed. She asked her attendant's advice as to whether or not she
+ought to inform her beloved husband of all that had happened, but the
+other bade her say nothing about it, as she would lay upon him the
+obligation of taking vengeance on Lothario, which he could not do but at
+great risk to himself; and it was the duty of a true wife not to give her
+husband provocation to quarrel, but, on the contrary, to remove it as far
+as possible from him.
+
+Camilla replied that she believed she was right and that she would follow
+her advice, but at any rate it would be well to consider how she was to
+explain the wound to Anselmo, for he could not help seeing it; to which
+Leonela answered that she did not know how to tell a lie even in jest.
+
+"How then can I know, my dear?" said Camilla, "for I should not dare to
+forge or keep up a falsehood if my life depended on it. If we can think
+of no escape from this difficulty, it will be better to tell him the
+plain truth than that he should find us out in an untrue story."
+
+"Be not uneasy, senora," said Leonela; "between this and to-morrow I will
+think of what we must say to him, and perhaps the wound being where it is
+it can be hidden from his sight, and Heaven will be pleased to aid us in
+a purpose so good and honourable. Compose yourself, senora, and endeavour
+to calm your excitement lest my lord find you agitated; and leave the
+rest to my care and God's, who always supports good intentions."
+
+Anselmo had with the deepest attention listened to and seen played out
+the tragedy of the death of his honour, which the performers acted with
+such wonderfully effective truth that it seemed as if they had become the
+realities of the parts they played. He longed for night and an
+opportunity of escaping from the house to go and see his good friend
+Lothario, and with him give vent to his joy over the precious pearl he
+had gained in having established his wife's purity. Both mistress and
+maid took care to give him time and opportunity to get away, and taking
+advantage of it he made his escape, and at once went in quest of
+Lothario, and it would be impossible to describe how he embraced him when
+he found him, and the things he said to him in the joy of his heart, and
+the praises he bestowed upon Camilla; all which Lothario listened to
+without being able to show any pleasure, for he could not forget how
+deceived his friend was, and how dishonourably he had wronged him; and
+though Anselmo could see that Lothario was not glad, still he imagined it
+was only because he had left Camilla wounded and had been himself the
+cause of it; and so among other things he told him not to be distressed
+about Camilla's accident, for, as they had agreed to hide it from him,
+the wound was evidently trifling; and that being so, he had no cause for
+fear, but should henceforward be of good cheer and rejoice with him,
+seeing that by his means and adroitness he found himself raised to the
+greatest height of happiness that he could have ventured to hope for, and
+desired no better pastime than making verses in praise of Camilla that
+would preserve her name for all time to come. Lothario commended his
+purpose, and promised on his own part to aid him in raising a monument so
+glorious.
+
+And so Anselmo was left the most charmingly hoodwinked man there could be
+in the world. He himself, persuaded he was conducting the instrument of
+his glory, led home by the hand him who had been the utter destruction of
+his good name; whom Camilla received with averted countenance, though
+with smiles in her heart. The deception was carried on for some time,
+until at the end of a few months Fortune turned her wheel and the guilt
+which had been until then so skilfully concealed was published abroad,
+and Anselmo paid with his life the penalty of his ill-advised curiosity.
+
+Chapter XXXV. -
+Which treats of the heroic and prodigious battle Don Quixote had with
+certain skins of red wine, and brings the novel of "the ill-advised
+curiosity" to a close
+
+There remained but little more of the novel to be read, when Sancho Panza
+burst forth in wild excitement from the garret where Don Quixote was
+lying, shouting, "Run, sirs! quick; and help my master, who is in the
+thick of the toughest and stiffest battle I ever laid eyes on. By the
+living God he has given the giant, the enemy of my lady the Princess
+Micomicona, such a slash that he has sliced his head clean off as if it
+were a turnip."
+
+"What are you talking about, brother?" said the curate, pausing as he was
+about to read the remainder of the novel. "Are you in your senses,
+Sancho? How the devil can it be as you say, when the giant is two
+thousand leagues away?"
+
+Here they heard a loud noise in the chamber, and Don Quixote shouting
+out, "Stand, thief, brigand, villain; now I have got thee, and thy
+scimitar shall not avail thee!" And then it seemed as though he were
+slashing vigorously at the wall.
+
+"Don't stop to listen," said Sancho, "but go in and part them or help my
+master: though there is no need of that now, for no doubt the giant is
+dead by this time and giving account to God of his past wicked life; for
+I saw the blood flowing on the ground, and the head cut off and fallen on
+one side, and it is as big as a large wine-skin."
+
+"May I die," said the landlord at this, "if Don Quixote or Don Devil has
+not been slashing some of the skins of red wine that stand full at his
+bed's head, and the spilt wine must be what this good fellow takes for
+blood;" and so saying he went into the room and the rest after him, and
+there they found Don Quixote in the strangest costume in the world. He
+was in his shirt, which was not long enough in front to cover his thighs
+completely and was six fingers shorter behind; his legs were very long
+and lean, covered with hair, and anything but clean; on his head he had a
+little greasy red cap that belonged to the host, round his left arm he
+had rolled the blanket of the bed, to which Sancho, for reasons best
+known to himself, owed a grudge, and in his right hand he held his
+unsheathed sword, with which he was slashing about on all sides, uttering
+exclamations as if he were actually fighting some giant: and the best of
+it was his eyes were not open, for he was fast asleep, and dreaming that
+he was doing battle with the giant. For his imagination was so wrought
+upon by the adventure he was going to accomplish, that it made him dream
+he had already reached the kingdom of Micomicon, and was engaged in
+combat with his enemy; and believing he was laying on the giant, he had
+given so many sword cuts to the skins that the whole room was full of
+wine. On seeing this the landlord was so enraged that he fell on Don
+Quixote, and with his clenched fist began to pummel him in such a way,
+that if Cardenio and the curate had not dragged him off, he would have
+brought the war of the giant to an end. But in spite of all the poor
+gentleman never woke until the barber brought a great pot of cold water
+from the well and flung it with one dash all over his body, on which Don
+Quixote woke up, but not so completely as to understand what was the
+matter. Dorothea, seeing how short and slight his attire was, would not
+go in to witness the battle between her champion and her opponent. As for
+Sancho, he went searching all over the floor for the head of the giant,
+and not finding it he said, "I see now that it's all enchantment in this
+house; for the last time, on this very spot where I am now, I got ever so
+many thumps without knowing who gave them to me, or being able to see
+anybody; and now this head is not to be seen anywhere about, though I saw
+it cut off with my own eyes and the blood running from the body as if
+from a fountain."
+
+"What blood and fountains are you talking about, enemy of God and his
+saints?" said the landlord. "Don't you see, you thief, that the blood and
+the fountain are only these skins here that have been stabbed and the red
+wine swimming all over the room?--and I wish I saw the soul of him that
+stabbed them swimming in hell."
+
+"I know nothing about that," said Sancho; "all I know is it will be my
+bad luck that through not finding this head my county will melt away like
+salt in water;"--for Sancho awake was worse than his master asleep, so
+much had his master's promises addled his wits.
+
+The landlord was beside himself at the coolness of the squire and the
+mischievous doings of the master, and swore it should not be like the
+last time when they went without paying; and that their privileges of
+chivalry should not hold good this time to let one or other of them off
+without paying, even to the cost of the plugs that would have to be put
+to the damaged wine-skins. The curate was holding Don Quixote's hands,
+who, fancying he had now ended the adventure and was in the presence of
+the Princess Micomicona, knelt before the curate and said, "Exalted and
+beauteous lady, your highness may live from this day forth fearless of
+any harm this base being could do you; and I too from this day forth am
+released from the promise I gave you, since by the help of God on high
+and by the favour of her by whom I live and breathe, I have fulfilled it
+so successfully."
+
+"Did not I say so?" said Sancho on hearing this. "You see I wasn't drunk;
+there you see my master has already salted the giant; there's no doubt
+about the bulls; my county is all right!"
+
+Who could have helped laughing at the absurdities of the pair, master and
+man? And laugh they did, all except the landlord, who cursed himself; but
+at length the barber, Cardenio, and the curate contrived with no small
+trouble to get Don Quixote on the bed, and he fell asleep with every
+appearance of excessive weariness. They left him to sleep, and came out
+to the gate of the inn to console Sancho Panza on not having found the
+head of the giant; but much more work had they to appease the landlord,
+who was furious at the sudden death of his wine-skins; and said the
+landlady half scolding, half crying, "At an evil moment and in an unlucky
+hour he came into my house, this knight-errant--would that I had never
+set eyes on him, for dear he has cost me; the last time he went off with
+the overnight score against him for supper, bed, straw, and barley, for
+himself and his squire and a hack and an ass, saying he was a knight
+adventurer--God send unlucky adventures to him and all the adventurers in
+the world--and therefore not bound to pay anything, for it was so settled
+by the knight-errantry tariff: and then, all because of him, came the
+other gentleman and carried off my tail, and gives it back more than two
+cuartillos the worse, all stripped of its hair, so that it is no use for
+my husband's purpose; and then, for a finishing touch to all, to burst my
+wine-skins and spill my wine! I wish I saw his own blood spilt! But let
+him not deceive himself, for, by the bones of my father and the shade of
+my mother, they shall pay me down every quarts; or my name is not what it
+is, and I am not my father's daughter." All this and more to the same
+effect the landlady delivered with great irritation, and her good maid
+Maritornes backed her up, while the daughter held her peace and smiled
+from time to time. The curate smoothed matters by promising to make good
+all losses to the best of his power, not only as regarded the wine-skins
+but also the wine, and above all the depreciation of the tail which they
+set such store by. Dorothea comforted Sancho, telling him that she
+pledged herself, as soon as it should appear certain that his master had
+decapitated the giant, and she found herself peacefully established in
+her kingdom, to bestow upon him the best county there was in it. With
+this Sancho consoled himself, and assured the princess she might rely
+upon it that he had seen the head of the giant, and more by token it had
+a beard that reached to the girdle, and that if it was not to be seen now
+it was because everything that happened in that house went by
+enchantment, as he himself had proved the last time he had lodged there.
+Dorothea said she fully believed it, and that he need not be uneasy, for
+all would go well and turn out as he wished. All therefore being
+appeased, the curate was anxious to go on with the novel, as he saw there
+was but little more left to read. Dorothea and the others begged him to
+finish it, and he, as he was willing to please them, and enjoyed reading
+it himself, continued the tale in these words:
+
+The result was, that from the confidence Anselmo felt in Camilla's
+virtue, he lived happy and free from anxiety, and Camilla purposely
+looked coldly on Lothario, that Anselmo might suppose her feelings
+towards him to be the opposite of what they were; and the better to
+support the position, Lothario begged to be excused from coming to the
+house, as the displeasure with which Camilla regarded his presence was
+plain to be seen. But the befooled Anselmo said he would on no account
+allow such a thing, and so in a thousand ways he became the author of his
+own dishonour, while he believed he was insuring his happiness. Meanwhile
+the satisfaction with which Leonela saw herself empowered to carry on her
+amour reached such a height that, regardless of everything else, she
+followed her inclinations unrestrainedly, feeling confident that her
+mistress would screen her, and even show her how to manage it safely. At
+last one night Anselmo heard footsteps in Leonela's room, and on trying
+to enter to see who it was, he found that the door was held against him,
+which made him all the more determined to open it; and exerting his
+strength he forced it open, and entered the room in time to see a man
+leaping through the window into the street. He ran quickly to seize him
+or discover who he was, but he was unable to effect either purpose, for
+Leonela flung her arms round him crying, "Be calm, senor; do not give way
+to passion or follow him who has escaped from this; he belongs to me, and
+in fact he is my husband."
+
+Anselmo would not believe it, but blind with rage drew a dagger and
+threatened to stab Leonela, bidding her tell the truth or he would kill
+her. She, in her fear, not knowing what she was saying, exclaimed, "Do
+not kill me, senor, for I can tell you things more important than any you
+can imagine."
+
+"Tell me then at once or thou diest," said Anselmo.
+
+"It would be impossible for me now," said Leonela, "I am so agitated:
+leave me till to-morrow, and then you shall hear from me what will fill
+you with astonishment; but rest assured that he who leaped through the
+window is a young man of this city, who has given me his promise to
+become my husband."
+
+Anselmo was appeased with this, and was content to wait the time she
+asked of him, for he never expected to hear anything against Camilla, so
+satisfied and sure of her virtue was he; and so he quitted the room, and
+left Leonela locked in, telling her she should not come out until she had
+told him all she had to make known to him. He went at once to see
+Camilla, and tell her, as he did, all that had passed between him and her
+handmaid, and the promise she had given him to inform him matters of
+serious importance.
+
+There is no need of saying whether Camilla was agitated or not, for so
+great was her fear and dismay, that, making sure, as she had good reason
+to do, that Leonela would tell Anselmo all she knew of her faithlessness,
+she had not the courage to wait and see if her suspicions were confirmed;
+and that same night, as soon as she thought that Anselmo was asleep, she
+packed up the most valuable jewels she had and some money, and without
+being observed by anybody escaped from the house and betook herself to
+Lothario's, to whom she related what had occurred, imploring him to
+convey her to some place of safety or fly with her where they might be
+safe from Anselmo. The state of perplexity to which Camilla reduced
+Lothario was such that he was unable to utter a word in reply, still less
+to decide upon what he should do. At length he resolved to conduct her to
+a convent of which a sister of his was prioress; Camilla agreed to this,
+and with the speed which the circumstances demanded, Lothario took her to
+the convent and left her there, and then himself quitted the city without
+letting anyone know of his departure.
+
+As soon as daylight came Anselmo, without missing Camilla from his side,
+rose cager to learn what Leonela had to tell him, and hastened to the
+room where he had locked her in. He opened the door, entered, but found
+no Leonela; all he found was some sheets knotted to the window, a plain
+proof that she had let herself down from it and escaped. He returned,
+uneasy, to tell Camilla, but not finding her in bed or anywhere in the
+house he was lost in amazement. He asked the servants of the house about
+her, but none of them could give him any explanation. As he was going in
+search of Camilla it happened by chance that he observed her boxes were
+lying open, and that the greater part of her jewels were gone; and now he
+became fully aware of his disgrace, and that Leonela was not the cause of
+his misfortune; and, just as he was, without delaying to dress himself
+completely, he repaired, sad at heart and dejected, to his friend
+Lothario to make known his sorrow to him; but when he failed to find him
+and the servants reported that he had been absent from his house all
+night and had taken with him all the money he had, he felt as though he
+were losing his senses; and to make all complete on returning to his own
+house he found it deserted and empty, not one of all his servants, male
+or female, remaining in it. He knew not what to think, or say, or do, and
+his reason seemed to be deserting him little by little. He reviewed his
+position, and saw himself in a moment left without wife, friend, or
+servants, abandoned, he felt, by the heaven above him, and more than all
+robbed of his honour, for in Camilla's disappearance he saw his own ruin.
+After long reflection he resolved at last to go to his friend's village,
+where he had been staying when he afforded opportunities for the
+contrivance of this complication of misfortune. He locked the doors of
+his house, mounted his horse, and with a broken spirit set out on his
+journey; but he had hardly gone half-way when, harassed by his
+reflections, he had to dismount and tie his horse to a tree, at the foot
+of which he threw himself, giving vent to piteous heartrending sighs; and
+there he remained till nearly nightfall, when he observed a man
+approaching on horseback from the city, of whom, after saluting him, he
+asked what was the news in Florence.
+
+The citizen replied, "The strangest that have been heard for many a day;
+for it is reported abroad that Lothario, the great friend of the wealthy
+Anselmo, who lived at San Giovanni, carried off last night Camilla, the
+wife of Anselmo, who also has disappeared. All this has been told by a
+maid-servant of Camilla's, whom the governor found last night lowering
+herself by a sheet from the windows of Anselmo's house. I know not
+indeed, precisely, how the affair came to pass; all I know is that the
+whole city is wondering at the occurrence, for no one could have expected
+a thing of the kind, seeing the great and intimate friendship that
+existed between them, so great, they say, that they were called 'The Two
+Friends.'"
+
+"Is it known at all," said Anselmo, "what road Lothario and Camilla
+took?"
+
+"Not in the least," said the citizen, "though the governor has been very
+active in searching for them."
+
+"God speed you, senor," said Anselmo.
+
+"God be with you," said the citizen and went his way.
+
+This disastrous intelligence almost robbed Anselmo not only of his senses
+but of his life. He got up as well as he was able and reached the house
+of his friend, who as yet knew nothing of his misfortune, but seeing him
+come pale, worn, and haggard, perceived that he was suffering some heavy
+affliction. Anselmo at once begged to be allowed to retire to rest, and
+to be given writing materials. His wish was complied with and he was left
+lying down and alone, for he desired this, and even that the door should
+be locked. Finding himself alone he so took to heart the thought of his
+misfortune that by the signs of death he felt within him he knew well his
+life was drawing to a close, and therefore he resolved to leave behind
+him a declaration of the cause of his strange end. He began to write, but
+before he had put down all he meant to say, his breath failed him and he
+yielded up his life, a victim to the suffering which his ill-advised
+curiosity had entailed upon him. The master of the house observing that
+it was now late and that Anselmo did not call, determined to go in and
+ascertain if his indisposition was increasing, and found him lying on his
+face, his body partly in the bed, partly on the writing-table, on which
+he lay with the written paper open and the pen still in his hand. Having
+first called to him without receiving any answer, his host approached
+him, and taking him by the hand, found that it was cold, and saw that he
+was dead. Greatly surprised and distressed he summoned the household to
+witness the sad fate which had befallen Anselmo; and then he read the
+paper, the handwriting of which he recognised as his, and which contained
+these words:
+
+"A foolish and ill-advised desire has robbed me of life. If the news of
+my death should reach the ears of Camilla, let her know that I forgive
+her, for she was not bound to perform miracles, nor ought I to have
+required her to perform them; and since I have been the author of my own
+dishonour, there is no reason why-"
+
+So far Anselmo had written, and thus it was plain that at this point,
+before he could finish what he had to say, his life came to an end. The
+next day his friend sent intelligence of his death to his relatives, who
+had already ascertained his misfortune, as well as the convent where
+Camilla lay almost on the point of accompanying her husband on that
+inevitable journey, not on account of the tidings of his death, but
+because of those she received of her lover's departure. Although she saw
+herself a widow, it is said she refused either to quit the convent or
+take the veil, until, not long afterwards, intelligence reached her that
+Lothario had been killed in a battle in which M. de Lautrec had been
+recently engaged with the Great Captain Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova in
+the kingdom of Naples, whither her too late repentant lover had repaired.
+On learning this Camilla took the veil, and shortly afterwards died, worn
+out by grief and melancholy. This was the end of all three, an end that
+came of a thoughtless beginning.
+
+"I like this novel," said the curate; "but I cannot persuade myself of
+its truth; and if it has been invented, the author's invention is faulty,
+for it is impossible to imagine any husband so foolish as to try such a
+costly experiment as Anselmo's. If it had been represented as occurring
+between a gallant and his mistress it might pass; but between husband and
+wife there is something of an impossibility about it. As to the way in
+which the story is told, however, I have no fault to find."
+
+Chapter XXXVI. -
+Which treats of more curious incidents that occurred at the inn
+
+Just at that instant the landlord, who was standing at the gate of the
+inn, exclaimed, "Here comes a fine troop of guests; if they stop here we
+may say gaudeamus."
+
+"What are they?" said Cardenio.
+
+"Four men," said the landlord, "riding a la jineta, with lances and
+bucklers, and all with black veils, and with them there is a woman in
+white on a side-saddle, whose face is also veiled, and two attendants on
+foot."
+
+"Are they very near?" said the curate.
+
+"So near," answered the landlord, "that here they come."
+
+Hearing this Dorothea covered her face, and Cardenio retreated into Don
+Quixote's room, and they hardly had time to do so before the whole party
+the host had described entered the inn, and the four that were on
+horseback, who were of highbred appearance and bearing, dismounted, and
+came forward to take down the woman who rode on the side-saddle, and one
+of them taking her in his arms placed her in a chair that stood at the
+entrance of the room where Cardenio had hidden himself. All this time
+neither she nor they had removed their veils or spoken a word, only on
+sitting down on the chair the woman gave a deep sigh and let her arms
+fall like one that was ill and weak. The attendants on foot then led the
+horses away to the stable. Observing this the curate, curious to know who
+these people in such a dress and preserving such silence were, went to
+where the servants were standing and put the question to one of them, who
+answered him.
+
+"Faith, sir, I cannot tell you who they are, I only know they seem to be
+people of distinction, particularly he who advanced to take the lady you
+saw in his arms; and I say so because all the rest show him respect, and
+nothing is done except what he directs and orders."
+
+"And the lady, who is she?" asked the curate.
+
+"That I cannot tell you either," said the servant, "for I have not seen
+her face all the way: I have indeed heard her sigh many times and utter
+such groans that she seems to be giving up the ghost every time; but it
+is no wonder if we do not know more than we have told you, as my comrade
+and I have only been in their company two days, for having met us on the
+road they begged and persuaded us to accompany them to Andalusia,
+promising to pay us well."
+
+"And have you heard any of them called by his name?" asked the curate.
+
+"No, indeed," replied the servant; "they all preserve a marvellous
+silence on the road, for not a sound is to be heard among them except the
+poor lady's sighs and sobs, which make us pity her; and we feel sure that
+wherever it is she is going, it is against her will, and as far as one
+can judge from her dress she is a nun or, what is more likely, about to
+become one; and perhaps it is because taking the vows is not of her own
+free will, that she is so unhappy as she seems to be."
+
+"That may well be," said the curate, and leaving them he returned to
+where Dorothea was, who, hearing the veiled lady sigh, moved by natural
+compassion drew near to her and said, "What are you suffering from,
+senora? If it be anything that women are accustomed and know how to
+relieve, I offer you my services with all my heart."
+
+To this the unhappy lady made no reply; and though Dorothea repeated her
+offers more earnestly she still kept silence, until the gentleman with
+the veil, who, the servant said, was obeyed by the rest, approached and
+said to Dorothea, "Do not give yourself the trouble, senora, of making
+any offers to that woman, for it is her way to give no thanks for
+anything that is done for her; and do not try to make her answer unless
+you want to hear some lie from her lips."
+
+"I have never told a lie," was the immediate reply of her who had been
+silent until now; "on the contrary, it is because I am so truthful and so
+ignorant of lying devices that I am now in this miserable condition; and
+this I call you yourself to witness, for it is my unstained truth that
+has made you false and a liar."
+
+Cardenio heard these words clearly and distinctly, being quite close to
+the speaker, for there was only the door of Don Quixote's room between
+them, and the instant he did so, uttering a loud exclamation he cried,
+"Good God! what is this I hear? What voice is this that has reached my
+ears?" Startled at the voice the lady turned her head; and not seeing the
+speaker she stood up and attempted to enter the room; observing which the
+gentleman held her back, preventing her from moving a step. In her
+agitation and sudden movement the silk with which she had covered her
+face fell off and disclosed a countenance of incomparable and marvellous
+beauty, but pale and terrified; for she kept turning her eyes, everywhere
+she could direct her gaze, with an eagerness that made her look as if she
+had lost her senses, and so marked that it excited the pity of Dorothea
+and all who beheld her, though they knew not what caused it. The
+gentleman grasped her firmly by the shoulders, and being so fully
+occupied with holding her back, he was unable to put a hand to his veil
+which was falling off, as it did at length entirely, and Dorothea, who
+was holding the lady in her arms, raising her eyes saw that he who
+likewise held her was her husband, Don Fernando. The instant she
+recognised him, with a prolonged plaintive cry drawn from the depths of
+her heart, she fell backwards fainting, and but for the barber being
+close by to catch her in his arms, she would have fallen completely to
+the ground. The curate at once hastened to uncover her face and throw
+water on it, and as he did so Don Fernando, for he it was who held the
+other in his arms, recognised her and stood as if death-stricken by the
+sight; not, however, relaxing his grasp of Luscinda, for it was she that
+was struggling to release herself from his hold, having recognised
+Cardenio by his voice, as he had recognised her. Cardenio also heard
+Dorothea's cry as she fell fainting, and imagining that it came from his
+Luscinda burst forth in terror from the room, and the first thing he saw
+was Don Fernando with Luscinda in his arms. Don Fernando, too, knew
+Cardenio at once; and all three, Luscinda, Cardenio, and Dorothea, stood
+in silent amazement scarcely knowing what had happened to them.
+
+They gazed at one another without speaking, Dorothea at Don Fernando, Don
+Fernando at Cardenio, Cardenio at Luscinda, and Luscinda at Cardenio. The
+first to break silence was Luscinda, who thus addressed Don Fernando:
+"Leave me, Senor Don Fernando, for the sake of what you owe to yourself;
+if no other reason will induce you, leave me to cling to the wall of
+which I am the ivy, to the support from which neither your importunities,
+nor your threats, nor your promises, nor your gifts have been able to
+detach me. See how Heaven, by ways strange and hidden from our sight, has
+brought me face to face with my true husband; and well you know by
+dear-bought experience that death alone will be able to efface him from
+my memory. May this plain declaration, then, lead you, as you can do
+nothing else, to turn your love into rage, your affection into
+resentment, and so to take my life; for if I yield it up in the presence
+of my beloved husband I count it well bestowed; it may be by my death he
+will be convinced that I kept my faith to him to the last moment of
+life."
+
+Meanwhile Dorothea had come to herself, and had heard Luscinda's words,
+by means of which she divined who she was; but seeing that Don Fernando
+did not yet release her or reply to her, summoning up her resolution as
+well as she could she rose and knelt at his feet, and with a flood of
+bright and touching tears addressed him thus:
+
+"If, my lord, the beams of that sun that thou holdest eclipsed in thine
+arms did not dazzle and rob thine eyes of sight thou wouldst have seen by
+this time that she who kneels at thy feet is, so long as thou wilt have
+it so, the unhappy and unfortunate Dorothea. I am that lowly peasant girl
+whom thou in thy goodness or for thy pleasure wouldst raise high enough
+to call herself thine; I am she who in the seclusion of innocence led a
+contented life until at the voice of thy importunity, and thy true and
+tender passion, as it seemed, she opened the gates of her modesty and
+surrendered to thee the keys of her liberty; a gift received by thee but
+thanklessly, as is clearly shown by my forced retreat to the place where
+thou dost find me, and by thy appearance under the circumstances in which
+I see thee. Nevertheless, I would not have thee suppose that I have come
+here driven by my shame; it is only grief and sorrow at seeing myself
+forgotten by thee that have led me. It was thy will to make me thine, and
+thou didst so follow thy will, that now, even though thou repentest, thou
+canst not help being mine. Bethink thee, my lord, the unsurpassable
+affection I bear thee may compensate for the beauty and noble birth for
+which thou wouldst desert me. Thou canst not be the fair Luscinda's
+because thou art mine, nor can she be thine because she is Cardenio's;
+and it will be easier, remember, to bend thy will to love one who adores
+thee, than to lead one to love thee who abhors thee now. Thou didst
+address thyself to my simplicity, thou didst lay siege to my virtue, thou
+wert not ignorant of my station, well dost thou know how I yielded wholly
+to thy will; there is no ground or reason for thee to plead deception,
+and if it be so, as it is, and if thou art a Christian as thou art a
+gentleman, why dost thou by such subterfuges put off making me as happy
+at last as thou didst at first? And if thou wilt not have me for what I
+am, thy true and lawful wife, at least take and accept me as thy slave,
+for so long as I am thine I will count myself happy and fortunate. Do not
+by deserting me let my shame become the talk of the gossips in the
+streets; make not the old age of my parents miserable; for the loyal
+services they as faithful vassals have ever rendered thine are not
+deserving of such a return; and if thou thinkest it will debase thy blood
+to mingle it with mine, reflect that there is little or no nobility in
+the world that has not travelled the same road, and that in illustrious
+lineages it is not the woman's blood that is of account; and, moreover,
+that true nobility consists in virtue, and if thou art wanting in that,
+refusing me what in justice thou owest me, then even I have higher claims
+to nobility than thine. To make an end, senor, these are my last words to
+thee: whether thou wilt, or wilt not, I am thy wife; witness thy words,
+which must not and ought not to be false, if thou dost pride thyself on
+that for want of which thou scornest me; witness the pledge which thou
+didst give me, and witness Heaven, which thou thyself didst call to
+witness the promise thou hadst made me; and if all this fail, thy own
+conscience will not fail to lift up its silent voice in the midst of all
+thy gaiety, and vindicate the truth of what I say and mar thy highest
+pleasure and enjoyment."
+
+All this and more the injured Dorothea delivered with such earnest
+feeling and such tears that all present, even those who came with Don
+Fernando, were constrained to join her in them. Don Fernando listened to
+her without replying, until, ceasing to speak, she gave way to such sobs
+and sighs that it must have been a heart of brass that was not softened
+by the sight of so great sorrow. Luscinda stood regarding her with no
+less compassion for her sufferings than admiration for her intelligence
+and beauty, and would have gone to her to say some words of comfort to
+her, but was prevented by Don Fernando's grasp which held her fast. He,
+overwhelmed with confusion and astonishment, after regarding Dorothea for
+some moments with a fixed gaze, opened his arms, and, releasing Luscinda,
+exclaimed:
+
+"Thou hast conquered, fair Dorothea, thou hast conquered, for it is
+impossible to have the heart to deny the united force of so many truths."
+
+Luscinda in her feebleness was on the point of falling to the ground when
+Don Fernando released her, but Cardenio, who stood near, having retreated
+behind Don Fernando to escape recognition, casting fear aside and
+regardless of what might happen, ran forward to support her, and said as
+he clasped her in his arms, "If Heaven in its compassion is willing to
+let thee rest at last, mistress of my heart, true, constant, and fair,
+nowhere canst thou rest more safely than in these arms that now receive
+thee, and received thee before when fortune permitted me to call thee
+mine."
+
+At these words Luscinda looked up at Cardenio, at first beginning to
+recognise him by his voice and then satisfying herself by her eyes that
+it was he, and hardly knowing what she did, and heedless of all
+considerations of decorum, she flung her arms around his neck and
+pressing her face close to his, said, "Yes, my dear lord, you are the
+true master of this your slave, even though adverse fate interpose again,
+and fresh dangers threaten this life that hangs on yours."
+
+A strange sight was this for Don Fernando and those that stood around,
+filled with surprise at an incident so unlooked for. Dorothea fancied
+that Don Fernando changed colour and looked as though he meant to take
+vengeance on Cardenio, for she observed him put his hand to his sword;
+and the instant the idea struck her, with wonderful quickness she clasped
+him round the knees, and kissing them and holding him so as to prevent
+his moving, she said, while her tears continued to flow, "What is it thou
+wouldst do, my only refuge, in this unforeseen event? Thou hast thy wife
+at thy feet, and she whom thou wouldst have for thy wife is in the arms
+of her husband: reflect whether it will be right for thee, whether it
+will be possible for thee to undo what Heaven has done, or whether it
+will be becoming in thee to seek to raise her to be thy mate who in spite
+of every obstacle, and strong in her truth and constancy, is before thine
+eyes, bathing with the tears of love the face and bosom of her lawful
+husband. For God's sake I entreat of thee, for thine own I implore thee,
+let not this open manifestation rouse thy anger; but rather so calm it as
+to allow these two lovers to live in peace and quiet without any
+interference from thee so long as Heaven permits them; and in so doing
+thou wilt prove the generosity of thy lofty noble spirit, and the world
+shall see that with thee reason has more influence than passion."
+
+All the time Dorothea was speaking, Cardenio, though he held Luscinda in
+his arms, never took his eyes off Don Fernando, determined, if he saw him
+make any hostile movement, to try and defend himself and resist as best
+he could all who might assail him, though it should cost him his life.
+But now Don Fernando's friends, as well as the curate and the barber, who
+had been present all the while, not forgetting the worthy Sancho Panza,
+ran forward and gathered round Don Fernando, entreating him to have
+regard for the tears of Dorothea, and not suffer her reasonable hopes to
+be disappointed, since, as they firmly believed, what she said was but
+the truth; and bidding him observe that it was not, as it might seem, by
+accident, but by a special disposition of Providence that they had all
+met in a place where no one could have expected a meeting. And the curate
+bade him remember that only death could part Luscinda from Cardenio; that
+even if some sword were to separate them they would think their death
+most happy; and that in a case that admitted of no remedy his wisest
+course was, by conquering and putting a constraint upon himself, to show
+a generous mind, and of his own accord suffer these two to enjoy the
+happiness Heaven had granted them. He bade him, too, turn his eyes upon
+the beauty of Dorothea and he would see that few if any could equal much
+less excel her; while to that beauty should be added her modesty and the
+surpassing love she bore him. But besides all this, he reminded him that
+if he prided himself on being a gentleman and a Christian, he could not
+do otherwise than keep his plighted word; and that in doing so he would
+obey God and meet the approval of all sensible people, who know and
+recognised it to be the privilege of beauty, even in one of humble birth,
+provided virtue accompany it, to be able to raise itself to the level of
+any rank, without any slur upon him who places it upon an equality with
+himself; and furthermore that when the potent sway of passion asserts
+itself, so long as there be no mixture of sin in it, he is not to be
+blamed who gives way to it.
+
+To be brief, they added to these such other forcible arguments that Don
+Fernando's manly heart, being after all nourished by noble blood, was
+touched, and yielded to the truth which, even had he wished it, he could
+not gainsay; and he showed his submission, and acceptance of the good
+advice that had been offered to him, by stooping down and embracing
+Dorothea, saying to her, "Rise, dear lady, it is not right that what I
+hold in my heart should be kneeling at my feet; and if until now I have
+shown no sign of what I own, it may have been by Heaven's decree in order
+that, seeing the constancy with which you love me, I may learn to value
+you as you deserve. What I entreat of you is that you reproach me not
+with my transgression and grievous wrong-doing; for the same cause and
+force that drove me to make you mine impelled me to struggle against
+being yours; and to prove this, turn and look at the eyes of the now
+happy Luscinda, and you will see in them an excuse for all my errors: and
+as she has found and gained the object of her desires, and I have found
+in you what satisfies all my wishes, may she live in peace and
+contentment as many happy years with her Cardenio, as on my knees I pray
+Heaven to allow me to live with my Dorothea;" and with these words he
+once more embraced her and pressed his face to hers with so much
+tenderness that he had to take great heed to keep his tears from
+completing the proof of his love and repentance in the sight of all. Not
+so Luscinda, and Cardenio, and almost all the others, for they shed so
+many tears, some in their own happiness, some at that of the others, that
+one would have supposed a heavy calamity had fallen upon them all. Even
+Sancho Panza was weeping; though afterwards he said he only wept because
+he saw that Dorothea was not as he fancied the queen Micomicona, of whom
+he expected such great favours. Their wonder as well as their weeping
+lasted some time, and then Cardenio and Luscinda went and fell on their
+knees before Don Fernando, returning him thanks for the favour he had
+rendered them in language so grateful that he knew not how to answer
+them, and raising them up embraced them with every mark of affection and
+courtesy.
+
+He then asked Dorothea how she had managed to reach a place so far
+removed from her own home, and she in a few fitting words told all that
+she had previously related to Cardenio, with which Don Fernando and his
+companions were so delighted that they wished the story had been longer;
+so charmingly did Dorothea describe her misadventures. When she had
+finished Don Fernando recounted what had befallen him in the city after
+he had found in Luscinda's bosom the paper in which she declared that she
+was Cardenio's wife, and never could be his. He said he meant to kill
+her, and would have done so had he not been prevented by her parents, and
+that he quitted the house full of rage and shame, and resolved to avenge
+himself when a more convenient opportunity should offer. The next day he
+learned that Luscinda had disappeared from her father's house, and that
+no one could tell whither she had gone. Finally, at the end of some
+months he ascertained that she was in a convent and meant to remain there
+all the rest of her life, if she were not to share it with Cardenio; and
+as soon as he had learned this, taking these three gentlemen as his
+companions, he arrived at the place where she was, but avoided speaking
+to her, fearing that if it were known he was there stricter precautions
+would be taken in the convent; and watching a time when the porter's
+lodge was open he left two to guard the gate, and he and the other
+entered the convent in quest of Luscinda, whom they found in the
+cloisters in conversation with one of the nuns, and carrying her off
+without giving her time to resist, they reached a place with her where
+they provided themselves with what they required for taking her away; all
+which they were able to do in complete safety, as the convent was in the
+country at a considerable distance from the city. He added that when
+Luscinda found herself in his power she lost all consciousness, and after
+returning to herself did nothing but weep and sigh without speaking a
+word; and thus in silence and tears they reached that inn, which for him
+was reaching heaven where all the mischances of earth are over and at an
+end.
+
+Chapter XXXVII. -
+In which is continued the story of the famous Princess Micomicona, with
+other droll adventures
+
+To all this Sancho listened with no little sorrow at heart to see how his
+hopes of dignity were fading away and vanishing in smoke, and how the
+fair Princess Micomicona had turned into Dorothea, and the giant into Don
+Fernando, while his master was sleeping tranquilly, totally unconscious
+of all that had come to pass. Dorothea was unable to persuade herself
+that her present happiness was not all a dream; Cardenio was in a similar
+state of mind, and Luscinda's thoughts ran in the same direction. Don
+Fernando gave thanks to Heaven for the favour shown to him and for having
+been rescued from the intricate labyrinth in which he had been brought so
+near the destruction of his good name and of his soul; and in short
+everybody in the inn was full of contentment and satisfaction at the
+happy issue of such a complicated and hopeless business. The curate as a
+sensible man made sound reflections upon the whole affair, and
+congratulated each upon his good fortune; but the one that was in the
+highest spirits and good humour was the landlady, because of the promise
+Cardenio and the curate had given her to pay for all the losses and
+damage she had sustained through Don Quixote's means. Sancho, as has been
+already said, was the only one who was distressed, unhappy, and dejected;
+and so with a long face he went in to his master, who had just awoke, and
+said to him:
+
+"Sir Rueful Countenance, your worship may as well sleep on as much as you
+like, without troubling yourself about killing any giant or restoring her
+kingdom to the princess; for that is all over and settled now."
+
+"I should think it was," replied Don Quixote, "for I have had the most
+prodigious and stupendous battle with the giant that I ever remember
+having had all the days of my life; and with one back-stroke-swish!--I
+brought his head tumbling to the ground, and so much blood gushed forth
+from him that it ran in rivulets over the earth like water."
+
+"Like red wine, your worship had better say," replied Sancho; "for I
+would have you know, if you don't know it, that the dead giant is a
+hacked wine-skin, and the blood four-and-twenty gallons of red wine that
+it had in its belly, and the cut-off head is the bitch that bore me; and
+the devil take it all."
+
+"What art thou talking about, fool?" said Don Quixote; "art thou in thy
+senses?"
+
+"Let your worship get up," said Sancho, "and you will see the nice
+business you have made of it, and what we have to pay; and you will see
+the queen turned into a private lady called Dorothea, and other things
+that will astonish you, if you understand them."
+
+"I shall not be surprised at anything of the kind," returned Don Quixote;
+"for if thou dost remember the last time we were here I told thee that
+everything that happened here was a matter of enchantment, and it would
+be no wonder if it were the same now."
+
+"I could believe all that," replied Sancho, "if my blanketing was the
+same sort of thing also; only it wasn't, but real and genuine; for I saw
+the landlord, Who is here to-day, holding one end of the blanket and
+jerking me up to the skies very neatly and smartly, and with as much
+laughter as strength; and when it comes to be a case of knowing people, I
+hold for my part, simple and sinner as I am, that there is no enchantment
+about it at all, but a great deal of bruising and bad luck."
+
+"Well, well, God will give a remedy," said Don Quixote; "hand me my
+clothes and let me go out, for I want to see these transformations and
+things thou speakest of."
+
+Sancho fetched him his clothes; and while he was dressing, the curate
+gave Don Fernando and the others present an account of Don Quixote's
+madness and of the stratagem they had made use of to withdraw him from
+that Pena Pobre where he fancied himself stationed because of his lady's
+scorn. He described to them also nearly all the adventures that Sancho
+had mentioned, at which they marvelled and laughed not a little, thinking
+it, as all did, the strangest form of madness a crazy intellect could be
+capable of. But now, the curate said, that the lady Dorothea's good
+fortune prevented her from proceeding with their purpose, it would be
+necessary to devise or discover some other way of getting him home.
+
+Cardenio proposed to carry out the scheme they had begun, and suggested
+that Luscinda would act and support Dorothea's part sufficiently well.
+
+"No," said Don Fernando, "that must not be, for I want Dorothea to follow
+out this idea of hers; and if the worthy gentleman's village is not very
+far off, I shall be happy if I can do anything for his relief."
+
+"It is not more than two days' journey from this," said the curate.
+
+"Even if it were more," said Don Fernando, "I would gladly travel so far
+for the sake of doing so good a work.
+
+"At this moment Don Quixote came out in full panoply, with Mambrino's
+helmet, all dinted as it was, on his head, his buckler on his arm, and
+leaning on his staff or pike. The strange figure he presented filled Don
+Fernando and the rest with amazement as they contemplated his lean yellow
+face half a league long, his armour of all sorts, and the solemnity of
+his deportment. They stood silent waiting to see what he would say, and
+he, fixing his eyes on the air Dorothea, addressed her with great gravity
+and composure:
+
+"I am informed, fair lady, by my squire here that your greatness has been
+annihilated and your being abolished, since, from a queen and lady of
+high degree as you used to be, you have been turned into a private
+maiden. If this has been done by the command of the magician king your
+father, through fear that I should not afford you the aid you need and
+are entitled to, I may tell you he did not know and does not know half
+the mass, and was little versed in the annals of chivalry; for, if he had
+read and gone through them as attentively and deliberately as I have, he
+would have found at every turn that knights of less renown than mine have
+accomplished things more difficult: it is no great matter to kill a whelp
+of a giant, however arrogant he may be; for it is not many hours since I
+myself was engaged with one, and-I will not speak of it, that they may
+not say I am lying; time, however, that reveals all, will tell the tale
+when we least expect it."
+
+"You were engaged with a couple of wine-skins, and not a giant," said the
+landlord at this; but Don Fernando told him to hold his tongue and on no
+account interrupt Don Quixote, who continued, "I say in conclusion, high
+and disinherited lady, that if your father has brought about this
+metamorphosis in your person for the reason I have mentioned, you ought
+not to attach any importance to it; for there is no peril on earth
+through which my sword will not force a way, and with it, before many
+days are over, I will bring your enemy's head to the ground and place on
+yours the crown of your kingdom."
+
+Don Quixote said no more, and waited for the reply of the princess, who
+aware of Don Fernando's determination to carry on the deception until Don
+Quixote had been conveyed to his home, with great ease of manner and
+gravity made answer, "Whoever told you, valiant Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance, that I had undergone any change or transformation did not
+tell you the truth, for I am the same as I was yesterday. It is true that
+certain strokes of good fortune, that have given me more than I could
+have hoped for, have made some alteration in me; but I have not therefore
+ceased to be what I was before, or to entertain the same desire I have
+had all through of availing myself of the might of your valiant and
+invincible arm. And so, senor, let your goodness reinstate the father
+that begot me in your good opinion, and be assured that he was a wise and
+prudent man, since by his craft he found out such a sure and easy way of
+remedying my misfortune; for I believe, senor, that had it not been for
+you I should never have lit upon the good fortune I now possess; and in
+this I am saying what is perfectly true; as most of these gentlemen who
+are present can fully testify. All that remains is to set out on our
+journey to-morrow, for to-day we could not make much way; and for the
+rest of the happy result I am looking forward to, I trust to God and the
+valour of your heart."
+
+So said the sprightly Dorothea, and on hearing her Don Quixote turned to
+Sancho, and said to him, with an angry air, "I declare now, little
+Sancho, thou art the greatest little villain in Spain. Say, thief and
+vagabond, hast thou not just now told me that this princess had been
+turned into a maiden called Dorothea, and that the head which I am
+persuaded I cut off from a giant was the bitch that bore thee, and other
+nonsense that put me in the greatest perplexity I have ever been in all
+my life? I vow" (and here he looked to heaven and ground his teeth) "I
+have a mind to play the mischief with thee, in a way that will teach
+sense for the future to all lying squires of knights-errant in the
+world."
+
+"Let your worship be calm, senor," returned Sancho, "for it may well be
+that I have been mistaken as to the change of the lady princess
+Micomicona; but as to the giant's head, or at least as to the piercing of
+the wine-skins, and the blood being red wine, I make no mistake, as sure
+as there is a God; because the wounded skins are there at the head of
+your worship's bed, and the wine has made a lake of the room; if not you
+will see when the eggs come to be fried; I mean when his worship the
+landlord calls for all the damages: for the rest, I am heartily glad that
+her ladyship the queen is as she was, for it concerns me as much as
+anyone."
+
+"I tell thee again, Sancho, thou art a fool," said Don Quixote; "forgive
+me, and that will do."
+
+"That will do," said Don Fernando; "let us say no more about it; and as
+her ladyship the princess proposes to set out to-morrow because it is too
+late to-day, so be it, and we will pass the night in pleasant
+conversation, and to-morrow we will all accompany Senor Don Quixote; for
+we wish to witness the valiant and unparalleled achievements he is about
+to perform in the course of this mighty enterprise which he has
+undertaken."
+
+"It is I who shall wait upon and accompany you," said Don Quixote; "and I
+am much gratified by the favour that is bestowed upon me, and the good
+opinion entertained of me, which I shall strive to justify or it shall
+cost me my life, or even more, if it can possibly cost me more."
+
+Many were the compliments and expressions of politeness that passed
+between Don Quixote and Don Fernando; but they were brought to an end by
+a traveller who at this moment entered the inn, and who seemed from his
+attire to be a Christian lately come from the country of the Moors, for
+he was dressed in a short-skirted coat of blue cloth with half-sleeves
+and without a collar; his breeches were also of blue cloth, and his cap
+of the same colour, and he wore yellow buskins and had a Moorish cutlass
+slung from a baldric across his breast. Behind him, mounted upon an ass,
+there came a woman dressed in Moorish fashion, with her face veiled and a
+scarf on her head, and wearing a little brocaded cap, and a mantle that
+covered her from her shoulders to her feet. The man was of a robust and
+well-proportioned frame, in age a little over forty, rather swarthy in
+complexion, with long moustaches and a full beard, and, in short, his
+appearance was such that if he had been well dressed he would have been
+taken for a person of quality and good birth. On entering he asked for a
+room, and when they told him there was none in the inn he seemed
+distressed, and approaching her who by her dress seemed to be a Moor he
+her down from saddle in his arms. Luscinda, Dorothea, the landlady, her
+daughter and Maritornes, attracted by the strange, and to them entirely
+new costume, gathered round her; and Dorothea, who was always kindly,
+courteous, and quick-witted, perceiving that both she and the man who had
+brought her were annoyed at not finding a room, said to her, "Do not be
+put out, senora, by the discomfort and want of luxuries here, for it is
+the way of road-side inns to be without them; still, if you will be
+pleased to share our lodging with us (pointing to Luscinda) perhaps you
+will have found worse accommodation in the course of your journey."
+
+To this the veiled lady made no reply; all she did was to rise from her
+seat, crossing her hands upon her bosom, bowing her head and bending her
+body as a sign that she returned thanks. From her silence they concluded
+that she must be a Moor and unable to speak a Christian tongue.
+
+At this moment the captive came up, having been until now otherwise
+engaged, and seeing that they all stood round his companion and that she
+made no reply to what they addressed to her, he said, "Ladies, this
+damsel hardly understands my language and can speak none but that of her
+own country, for which reason she does not and cannot answer what has
+been asked of her."
+
+"Nothing has been asked of her," returned Luscinda; "she has only been
+offered our company for this evening and a share of the quarters we
+occupy, where she shall be made as comfortable as the circumstances
+allow, with the good-will we are bound to show all strangers that stand
+in need of it, especially if it be a woman to whom the service is
+rendered."
+
+"On her part and my own, senora," replied the captive, "I kiss your
+hands, and I esteem highly, as I ought, the favour you have offered,
+which, on such an occasion and coming from persons of your appearance,
+is, it is plain to see, a very great one."
+
+"Tell me, senor," said Dorothea, "is this lady a Christian or a Moor? for
+her dress and her silence lead us to imagine that she is what we could
+wish she was not."
+
+"In dress and outwardly," said he, "she is a Moor, but at heart she is a
+thoroughly good Christian, for she has the greatest desire to become
+one."
+
+"Then she has not been baptised?" returned Luscinda.
+
+"There has been no opportunity for that," replied the captive, "since she
+left Algiers, her native country and home; and up to the present she has
+not found herself in any such imminent danger of death as to make it
+necessary to baptise her before she has been instructed in all the
+ceremonies our holy mother Church ordains; but, please God, ere long she
+shall be baptised with the solemnity befitting her which is higher than
+her dress or mine indicates."
+
+By these words he excited a desire in all who heard him, to know who the
+Moorish lady and the captive were, but no one liked to ask just then,
+seeing that it was a fitter moment for helping them to rest themselves
+than for questioning them about their lives. Dorothea took the Moorish
+lady by the hand and leading her to a seat beside herself, requested her
+to remove her veil. She looked at the captive as if to ask him what they
+meant and what she was to do. He said to her in Arabic that they asked
+her to take off her veil, and thereupon she removed it and disclosed a
+countenance so lovely, that to Dorothea she seemed more beautiful than
+Luscinda, and to Luscinda more beautiful than Dorothea, and all the
+bystanders felt that if any beauty could compare with theirs it was the
+Moorish lady's, and there were even those who were inclined to give it
+somewhat the preference. And as it is the privilege and charm of beauty
+to win the heart and secure good-will, all forthwith became eager to show
+kindness and attention to the lovely Moor.
+
+Don Fernando asked the captive what her name was, and he replied that it
+was Lela Zoraida; but the instant she heard him, she guessed what the
+Christian had asked, and said hastily, with some displeasure and energy,
+"No, not Zoraida; Maria, Maria!" giving them to understand that she was
+called "Maria" and not "Zoraida." These words, and the touching
+earnestness with which she uttered them, drew more than one tear from
+some of the listeners, particularly the women, who are by nature
+tender-hearted and compassionate. Luscinda embraced her affectionately,
+saying, "Yes, yes, Maria, Maria," to which the Moor replied, "Yes, yes,
+Maria; Zoraida macange," which means "not Zoraida."
+
+Night was now approaching, and by the orders of those who accompanied Don
+Fernando the landlord had taken care and pains to prepare for them the
+best supper that was in his power. The hour therefore having arrived they
+all took their seats at a long table like a refectory one, for round or
+square table there was none in the inn, and the seat of honour at the
+head of it, though he was for refusing it, they assigned to Don Quixote,
+who desired the lady Micomicona to place herself by his side, as he was
+her protector. Luscinda and Zoraida took their places next her, opposite
+to them were Don Fernando and Cardenio, and next the captive and the
+other gentlemen, and by the side of the ladies, the curate and the
+barber. And so they supped in high enjoyment, which was increased when
+they observed Don Quixote leave off eating, and, moved by an impulse like
+that which made him deliver himself at such length when he supped with
+the goatherds, begin to address them:
+
+"Verily, gentlemen, if we reflect upon it, great and marvellous are the
+things they see, who make profession of the order of knight-errantry.
+Say, what being is there in this world, who entering the gate of this
+castle at this moment, and seeing us as we are here, would suppose or
+imagine us to be what we are? Who would say that this lady who is beside
+me was the great queen that we all know her to be, or that I am that
+Knight of the Rueful Countenance, trumpeted far and wide by the mouth of
+Fame? Now, there can be no doubt that this art and calling surpasses all
+those that mankind has invented, and is the more deserving of being held
+in honour in proportion as it is the more exposed to peril. Away with
+those who assert that letters have the preeminence over arms; I will tell
+them, whosoever they may be, that they know not what they say. For the
+reason which such persons commonly assign, and upon which they chiefly
+rest, is, that the labours of the mind are greater than those of the
+body, and that arms give employment to the body alone; as if the calling
+were a porter's trade, for which nothing more is required than sturdy
+strength; or as if, in what we who profess them call arms, there were not
+included acts of vigour for the execution of which high intelligence is
+requisite; or as if the soul of the warrior, when he has an army, or the
+defence of a city under his care, did not exert itself as much by mind as
+by body. Nay; see whether by bodily strength it be possible to learn or
+divine the intentions of the enemy, his plans, stratagems, or obstacles,
+or to ward off impending mischief; for all these are the work of the
+mind, and in them the body has no share whatever. Since, therefore, arms
+have need of the mind, as much as letters, let us see now which of the
+two minds, that of the man of letters or that of the warrior, has most to
+do; and this will be seen by the end and goal that each seeks to attain;
+for that purpose is the more estimable which has for its aim the nobler
+object. The end and goal of letters--I am not speaking now of divine
+letters, the aim of which is to raise and direct the soul to Heaven; for
+with an end so infinite no other can be compared--I speak of human
+letters, the end of which is to establish distributive justice, give to
+every man that which is his, and see and take care that good laws are
+observed: an end undoubtedly noble, lofty, and deserving of high praise,
+but not such as should be given to that sought by arms, which have for
+their end and object peace, the greatest boon that men can desire in this
+life. The first good news the world and mankind received was that which
+the angels announced on the night that was our day, when they sang in the
+air, 'Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of
+good-will;' and the salutation which the great Master of heaven and earth
+taught his disciples and chosen followers when they entered any house,
+was to say, 'Peace be on this house;' and many other times he said to
+them, 'My peace I give unto you, my peace I leave you, peace be with
+you;' a jewel and a precious gift given and left by such a hand: a jewel
+without which there can be no happiness either on earth or in heaven.
+This peace is the true end of war; and war is only another name for arms.
+This, then, being admitted, that the end of war is peace, and that so far
+it has the advantage of the end of letters, let us turn to the bodily
+labours of the man of letters, and those of him who follows the
+profession of arms, and see which are the greater."
+
+Don Quixote delivered his discourse in such a manner and in such correct
+language, that for the time being he made it impossible for any of his
+hearers to consider him a madman; on the contrary, as they were mostly
+gentlemen, to whom arms are an appurtenance by birth, they listened to
+him with great pleasure as he continued: "Here, then, I say is what the
+student has to undergo; first of all poverty: not that all are poor, but
+to put the case as strongly as possible: and when I have said that he
+endures poverty, I think nothing more need be said about his hard
+fortune, for he who is poor has no share of the good things of life. This
+poverty he suffers from in various ways, hunger, or cold, or nakedness,
+or all together; but for all that it is not so extreme but that he gets
+something to eat, though it may be at somewhat unseasonable hours and
+from the leavings of the rich; for the greatest misery of the student is
+what they themselves call 'going out for soup,' and there is always some
+neighbour's brazier or hearth for them, which, if it does not warm, at
+least tempers the cold to them, and lastly, they sleep comfortably at
+night under a roof. I will not go into other particulars, as for example
+want of shirts, and no superabundance of shoes, thin and threadbare
+garments, and gorging themselves to surfeit in their voracity when good
+luck has treated them to a banquet of some sort. By this road that I have
+described, rough and hard, stumbling here, falling there, getting up
+again to fall again, they reach the rank they desire, and that once
+attained, we have seen many who have passed these Syrtes and Scyllas and
+Charybdises, as if borne flying on the wings of favouring fortune; we
+have seen them, I say, ruling and governing the world from a chair, their
+hunger turned into satiety, their cold into comfort, their nakedness into
+fine raiment, their sleep on a mat into repose in holland and damask, the
+justly earned reward of their virtue; but, contrasted and compared with
+what the warrior undergoes, all they have undergone falls far short of
+it, as I am now about to show."
+
+Chapter XXXVIII. -
+Which treats of the curious discourse Don Quixote delivered on arms and
+letters
+
+Continuing his discourse Don Quixote said: "As we began in the student's
+case with poverty and its accompaniments, let us see now if the soldier
+is richer, and we shall find that in poverty itself there is no one
+poorer; for he is dependent on his miserable pay, which comes late or
+never, or else on what he can plunder, seriously imperilling his life and
+conscience; and sometimes his nakedness will be so great that a slashed
+doublet serves him for uniform and shirt, and in the depth of winter he
+has to defend himself against the inclemency of the weather in the open
+field with nothing better than the breath of his mouth, which I need not
+say, coming from an empty place, must come out cold, contrary to the laws
+of nature. To be sure he looks forward to the approach of night to make
+up for all these discomforts on the bed that awaits him, which, unless by
+some fault of his, never sins by being over narrow, for he can easily
+measure out on the ground as he likes, and roll himself about in it to
+his heart's content without any fear of the sheets slipping away from
+him. Then, after all this, suppose the day and hour for taking his degree
+in his calling to have come; suppose the day of battle to have arrived,
+when they invest him with the doctor's cap made of lint, to mend some
+bullet-hole, perhaps, that has gone through his temples, or left him with
+a crippled arm or leg. Or if this does not happen, and merciful Heaven
+watches over him and keeps him safe and sound, it may be he will be in
+the same poverty he was in before, and he must go through more
+engagements and more battles, and come victorious out of all before he
+betters himself; but miracles of that sort are seldom seen. For tell me,
+sirs, if you have ever reflected upon it, by how much do those who have
+gained by war fall short of the number of those who have perished in it?
+No doubt you will reply that there can be no comparison, that the dead
+cannot be numbered, while the living who have been rewarded may be summed
+up with three figures. All which is the reverse in the case of men of
+letters; for by skirts, to say nothing of sleeves, they all find means of
+support; so that though the soldier has more to endure, his reward is
+much less. But against all this it may be urged that it is easier to
+reward two thousand soldiers, for the former may be remunerated by giving
+them places, which must perforce be conferred upon men of their calling,
+while the latter can only be recompensed out of the very property of the
+master they serve; but this impossibility only strengthens my argument.
+
+"Putting this, however, aside, for it is a puzzling question for which it
+is difficult to find a solution, let us return to the superiority of arms
+over letters, a matter still undecided, so many are the arguments put
+forward on each side; for besides those I have mentioned, letters say
+that without them arms cannot maintain themselves, for war, too, has its
+laws and is governed by them, and laws belong to the domain of letters
+and men of letters. To this arms make answer that without them laws
+cannot be maintained, for by arms states are defended, kingdoms
+preserved, cities protected, roads made safe, seas cleared of pirates;
+and, in short, if it were not for them, states, kingdoms, monarchies,
+cities, ways by sea and land would be exposed to the violence and
+confusion which war brings with it, so long as it lasts and is free to
+make use of its privileges and powers. And then it is plain that whatever
+costs most is valued and deserves to be valued most. To attain to
+eminence in letters costs a man time, watching, hunger, nakedness,
+headaches, indigestions, and other things of the sort, some of which I
+have already referred to. But for a man to come in the ordinary course of
+things to be a good soldier costs him all the student suffers, and in an
+incomparably higher degree, for at every step he runs the risk of losing
+his life. For what dread of want or poverty that can reach or harass the
+student can compare with what the soldier feels, who finds himself
+beleaguered in some stronghold mounting guard in some ravelin or
+cavalier, knows that the enemy is pushing a mine towards the post where
+he is stationed, and cannot under any circumstances retire or fly from
+the imminent danger that threatens him? All he can do is to inform his
+captain of what is going on so that he may try to remedy it by a
+counter-mine, and then stand his ground in fear and expectation of the
+moment when he will fly up to the clouds without wings and descend into
+the deep against his will. And if this seems a trifling risk, let us see
+whether it is equalled or surpassed by the encounter of two galleys stem
+to stem, in the midst of the open sea, locked and entangled one with the
+other, when the soldier has no more standing room than two feet of the
+plank of the spur; and yet, though he sees before him threatening him as
+many ministers of death as there are cannon of the foe pointed at him,
+not a lance length from his body, and sees too that with the first
+heedless step he will go down to visit the profundities of Neptune's
+bosom, still with dauntless heart, urged on by honour that nerves him, he
+makes himself a target for all that musketry, and struggles to cross that
+narrow path to the enemy's ship. And what is still more marvellous, no
+sooner has one gone down into the depths he will never rise from till the
+end of the world, than another takes his place; and if he too falls into
+the sea that waits for him like an enemy, another and another will
+succeed him without a moment's pause between their deaths: courage and
+daring the greatest that all the chances of war can show. Happy the blest
+ages that knew not the dread fury of those devilish engines of artillery,
+whose inventor I am persuaded is in hell receiving the reward of his
+diabolical invention, by which he made it easy for a base and cowardly
+arm to take the life of a gallant gentleman; and that, when he knows not
+how or whence, in the height of the ardour and enthusiasm that fire and
+animate brave hearts, there should come some random bullet, discharged
+perhaps by one who fled in terror at the flash when he fired off his
+accursed machine, which in an instant puts an end to the projects and
+cuts off the life of one who deserved to live for ages to come. And thus
+when I reflect on this, I am almost tempted to say that in my heart I
+repent of having adopted this profession of knight-errant in so
+detestable an age as we live in now; for though no peril can make me
+fear, still it gives me some uneasiness to think that powder and lead may
+rob me of the opportunity of making myself famous and renowned throughout
+the known earth by the might of my arm and the edge of my sword. But
+Heaven's will be done; if I succeed in my attempt I shall be all the more
+honoured, as I have faced greater dangers than the knights-errant of yore
+exposed themselves to."
+
+All this lengthy discourse Don Quixote delivered while the others supped,
+forgetting to raise a morsel to his lips, though Sancho more than once
+told him to eat his supper, as he would have time enough afterwards to
+say all he wanted. It excited fresh pity in those who had heard him to
+see a man of apparently sound sense, and with rational views on every
+subject he discussed, so hopelessly wanting in all, when his wretched
+unlucky chivalry was in question. The curate told him he was quite right
+in all he had said in favour of arms, and that he himself, though a man
+of letters and a graduate, was of the same opinion.
+
+They finished their supper, the cloth was removed, and while the hostess,
+her daughter, and Maritornes were getting Don Quixote of La Mancha's
+garret ready, in which it was arranged that the women were to be
+quartered by themselves for the night, Don Fernando begged the captive to
+tell them the story of his life, for it could not fail to be strange and
+interesting, to judge by the hints he had let fall on his arrival in
+company with Zoraida. To this the captive replied that he would very
+willingly yield to his request, only he feared his tale would not give
+them as much pleasure as he wished; nevertheless, not to be wanting in
+compliance, he would tell it. The curate and the others thanked him and
+added their entreaties, and he finding himself so pressed said there was
+no occasion ask, where a command had such weight, and added, "If your
+worships will give me your attention you will hear a true story which,
+perhaps, fictitious ones constructed with ingenious and studied art
+cannot come up to." These words made them settle themselves in their
+places and preserve a deep silence, and he seeing them waiting on his
+words in mute expectation, began thus in a pleasant quiet voice.
+
+Chapter XXXIX. -
+Wherein the captive relates his life and adventures
+
+My family had its origin in a village in the mountains of Leon, and
+nature had been kinder and more generous to it than fortune; though in
+the general poverty of those communities my father passed for being even
+a rich man; and he would have been so in reality had he been as clever in
+preserving his property as he was in spending it. This tendency of his to
+be liberal and profuse he had acquired from having been a soldier in his
+youth, for the soldier's life is a school in which the niggard becomes
+free-handed and the free-handed prodigal; and if any soldiers are to be
+found who are misers, they are monsters of rare occurrence. My father
+went beyond liberality and bordered on prodigality, a disposition by no
+means advantageous to a married man who has children to succeed to his
+name and position. My father had three, all sons, and all of sufficient
+age to make choice of a profession. Finding, then, that he was unable to
+resist his propensity, he resolved to divest himself of the instrument
+and cause of his prodigality and lavishness, to divest himself of wealth,
+without which Alexander himself would have seemed parsimonious; and so
+calling us all three aside one day into a room, he addressed us in words
+somewhat to the following effect:
+
+"My sons, to assure you that I love you, no more need be known or said
+than that you are my sons; and to encourage a suspicion that I do not
+love you, no more is needed than the knowledge that I have no
+self-control as far as preservation of your patrimony is concerned;
+therefore, that you may for the future feel sure that I love you like a
+father, and have no wish to ruin you like a stepfather, I propose to do
+with you what I have for some time back meditated, and after mature
+deliberation decided upon. You are now of an age to choose your line of
+life or at least make choice of a calling that will bring you honour and
+profit when you are older; and what I have resolved to do is to divide my
+property into four parts; three I will give to you, to each his portion
+without making any difference, and the other I will retain to live upon
+and support myself for whatever remainder of life Heaven may be pleased
+to grant me. But I wish each of you on taking possession of the share
+that falls to him to follow one of the paths I shall indicate. In this
+Spain of ours there is a proverb, to my mind very true--as they all are,
+being short aphorisms drawn from long practical experience--and the one I
+refer to says, 'The church, or the sea, or the king's house;' as much as
+to say, in plainer language, whoever wants to flourish and become rich,
+let him follow the church, or go to sea, adopting commerce as his
+calling, or go into the king's service in his household, for they say,
+'Better a king's crumb than a lord's favour.' I say so because it is my
+will and pleasure that one of you should follow letters, another trade,
+and the third serve the king in the wars, for it is a difficult matter to
+gain admission to his service in his household, and if war does not bring
+much wealth it confers great distinction and fame. Eight days hence I
+will give you your full shares in money, without defrauding you of a
+farthing, as you will see in the end. Now tell me if you are willing to
+follow out my idea and advice as I have laid it before you."
+
+Having called upon me as the eldest to answer, I, after urging him not to
+strip himself of his property but to spend it all as he pleased, for we
+were young men able to gain our living, consented to comply with his
+wishes, and said that mine were to follow the profession of arms and
+thereby serve God and my king. My second brother having made the same
+proposal, decided upon going to the Indies, embarking the portion that
+fell to him in trade. The youngest, and in my opinion the wisest, said he
+would rather follow the church, or go to complete his studies at
+Salamanca. As soon as we had come to an understanding, and made choice of
+our professions, my father embraced us all, and in the short time he
+mentioned carried into effect all he had promised; and when he had given
+to each his share, which as well as I remember was three thousand ducats
+apiece in cash (for an uncle of ours bought the estate and paid for it
+down, not to let it go out of the family), we all three on the same day
+took leave of our good father; and at the same time, as it seemed to me
+inhuman to leave my father with such scanty means in his old age, I
+induced him to take two of my three thousand ducats, as the remainder
+would be enough to provide me with all a soldier needed. My two brothers,
+moved by my example, gave him each a thousand ducats, so that there was
+left for my father four thousand ducats in money, besides three thousand,
+the value of the portion that fell to him which he preferred to retain in
+land instead of selling it. Finally, as I said, we took leave of him, and
+of our uncle whom I have mentioned, not without sorrow and tears on both
+sides, they charging us to let them know whenever an opportunity offered
+how we fared, whether well or ill. We promised to do so, and when he had
+embraced us and given us his blessing, one set out for Salamanca, the
+other for Seville, and I for Alicante, where I had heard there was a
+Genoese vessel taking in a cargo of wool for Genoa.
+
+It is now some twenty-two years since I left my father's house, and all
+that time, though I have written several letters, I have had no news
+whatever of him or of my brothers; my own adventures during that period I
+will now relate briefly. I embarked at Alicante, reached Genoa after a
+prosperous voyage, and proceeded thence to Milan, where I provided myself
+with arms and a few soldier's accoutrements; thence it was my intention
+to go and take service in Piedmont, but as I was already on the road to
+Alessandria della Paglia, I learned that the great Duke of Alva was on
+his way to Flanders. I changed my plans, joined him, served under him in
+the campaigns he made, was present at the deaths of the Counts Egmont and
+Horn, and was promoted to be ensign under a famous captain of
+Guadalajara, Diego de Urbina by name. Some time after my arrival in
+Flanders news came of the league that his Holiness Pope Pius V of happy
+memory, had made with Venice and Spain against the common enemy, the
+Turk, who had just then with his fleet taken the famous island of Cyprus,
+which belonged to the Venetians, a loss deplorable and disastrous. It was
+known as a fact that the Most Serene Don John of Austria, natural brother
+of our good king Don Philip, was coming as commander-in-chief of the
+allied forces, and rumours were abroad of the vast warlike preparations
+which were being made, all which stirred my heart and filled me with a
+longing to take part in the campaign which was expected; and though I had
+reason to believe, and almost certain promises, that on the first
+opportunity that presented itself I should be promoted to be captain, I
+preferred to leave all and betake myself, as I did, to Italy; and it was
+my good fortune that Don John had just arrived at Genoa, and was going on
+to Naples to join the Venetian fleet, as he afterwards did at Messina. I
+may say, in short, that I took part in that glorious expedition, promoted
+by this time to be a captain of infantry, to which honourable charge my
+good luck rather than my merits raised me; and that day--so fortunate for
+Christendom, because then all the nations of the earth were disabused of
+the error under which they lay in imagining the Turks to be invincible on
+sea-on that day, I say, on which the Ottoman pride and arrogance were
+broken, among all that were there made happy (for the Christians who died
+that day were happier than those who remained alive and victorious) I
+alone was miserable; for, instead of some naval crown that I might have
+expected had it been in Roman times, on the night that followed that
+famous day I found myself with fetters on my feet and manacles on my
+hands.
+
+It happened in this way: El Uchali, the king of Algiers, a daring and
+successful corsair, having attacked and taken the leading Maltese galley
+(only three knights being left alive in it, and they badly wounded), the
+chief galley of John Andrea, on board of which I and my company were
+placed, came to its relief, and doing as was bound to do in such a case,
+I leaped on board the enemy's galley, which, sheering off from that which
+had attacked it, prevented my men from following me, and so I found
+myself alone in the midst of my enemies, who were in such numbers that I
+was unable to resist; in short I was taken, covered with wounds; El
+Uchali, as you know, sirs, made his escape with his entire squadron, and
+I was left a prisoner in his power, the only sad being among so many
+filled with joy, and the only captive among so many free; for there were
+fifteen thousand Christians, all at the oar in the Turkish fleet, that
+regained their longed-for liberty that day.
+
+They carried me to Constantinople, where the Grand Turk, Selim, made my
+master general at sea for having done his duty in the battle and carried
+off as evidence of his bravery the standard of the Order of Malta. The
+following year, which was the year seventy-two, I found myself at
+Navarino rowing in the leading galley with the three lanterns. There I
+saw and observed how the opportunity of capturing the whole Turkish fleet
+in harbour was lost; for all the marines and janizzaries that belonged to
+it made sure that they were about to be attacked inside the very harbour,
+and had their kits and pasamaques, or shoes, ready to flee at once on
+shore without waiting to be assailed, in so great fear did they stand of
+our fleet. But Heaven ordered it otherwise, not for any fault or neglect
+of the general who commanded on our side, but for the sins of
+Christendom, and because it was God's will and pleasure that we should
+always have instruments of punishment to chastise us. As it was, El
+Uchali took refuge at Modon, which is an island near Navarino, and
+landing forces fortified the mouth of the harbour and waited quietly
+until Don John retired. On this expedition was taken the galley called
+the Prize, whose captain was a son of the famous corsair Barbarossa. It
+was taken by the chief Neapolitan galley called the She-wolf, commanded
+by that thunderbolt of war, that father of his men, that successful and
+unconquered captain Don Alvaro de Bazan, Marquis of Santa Cruz; and I
+cannot help telling you what took place at the capture of the Prize.
+
+The son of Barbarossa was so cruel, and treated his slaves so badly,
+that, when those who were at the oars saw that the She-wolf galley was
+bearing down upon them and gaining upon them, they all at once dropped
+their oars and seized their captain who stood on the stage at the end of
+the gangway shouting to them to row lustily; and passing him on from
+bench to bench, from the poop to the prow, they so bit him that before he
+had got much past the mast his soul had already got to hell; so great, as
+I said, was the cruelty with which he treated them, and the hatred with
+which they hated him.
+
+We returned to Constantinople, and the following year, seventy-three, it
+became known that Don John had seized Tunis and taken the kingdom from
+the Turks, and placed Muley Hamet in possession, putting an end to the
+hopes which Muley Hamida, the cruelest and bravest Moor in the world,
+entertained of returning to reign there. The Grand Turk took the loss
+greatly to heart, and with the cunning which all his race possess, he
+made peace with the Venetians (who were much more eager for it than he
+was), and the following year, seventy-four, he attacked the Goletta and
+the fort which Don John had left half built near Tunis. While all these
+events were occurring, I was labouring at the oar without any hope of
+freedom; at least I had no hope of obtaining it by ransom, for I was
+firmly resolved not to write to my father telling him of my misfortunes.
+At length the Goletta fell, and the fort fell, before which places there
+were seventy-five thousand regular Turkish soldiers, and more than four
+hundred thousand Moors and Arabs from all parts of Africa, and in the
+train of all this great host such munitions and engines of war, and so
+many pioneers that with their hands they might have covered the Goletta
+and the fort with handfuls of earth. The first to fall was the Goletta,
+until then reckoned impregnable, and it fell, not by any fault of its
+defenders, who did all that they could and should have done, but because
+experiment proved how easily entrenchments could be made in the desert
+sand there; for water used to be found at two palms depth, while the
+Turks found none at two yards; and so by means of a quantity of sandbags
+they raised their works so high that they commanded the walls of the
+fort, sweeping them as if from a cavalier, so that no one was able to
+make a stand or maintain the defence.
+
+It was a common opinion that our men should not have shut themselves up
+in the Goletta, but should have waited in the open at the landing-place;
+but those who say so talk at random and with little knowledge of such
+matters; for if in the Goletta and in the fort there were barely seven
+thousand soldiers, how could such a small number, however resolute, sally
+out and hold their own against numbers like those of the enemy? And how
+is it possible to help losing a stronghold that is not relieved, above
+all when surrounded by a host of determined enemies in their own country?
+But many thought, and I thought so too, that it was special favour and
+mercy which Heaven showed to Spain in permitting the destruction of that
+source and hiding place of mischief, that devourer, sponge, and moth of
+countless money, fruitlessly wasted there to no other purpose save
+preserving the memory of its capture by the invincible Charles V; as if
+to make that eternal, as it is and will be, these stones were needed to
+support it. The fort also fell; but the Turks had to win it inch by inch,
+for the soldiers who defended it fought so gallantly and stoutly that the
+number of the enemy killed in twenty-two general assaults exceeded
+twenty-five thousand. Of three hundred that remained alive not one was
+taken unwounded, a clear and manifest proof of their gallantry and
+resolution, and how sturdily they had defended themselves and held their
+post. A small fort or tower which was in the middle of the lagoon under
+the command of Don Juan Zanoguera, a Valencian gentleman and a famous
+soldier, capitulated upon terms. They took prisoner Don Pedro
+Puertocarrero, commandant of the Goletta, who had done all in his power
+to defend his fortress, and took the loss of it so much to heart that he
+died of grief on the way to Constantinople, where they were carrying him
+a prisoner. They also took the commandant of the fort, Gabrio Cerbellon
+by name, a Milanese gentleman, a great engineer and a very brave soldier.
+In these two fortresses perished many persons of note, among whom was
+Pagano Doria, knight of the Order of St. John, a man of generous
+disposition, as was shown by his extreme liberality to his brother, the
+famous John Andrea Doria; and what made his death the more sad was that
+he was slain by some Arabs to whom, seeing that the fort was now lost, he
+entrusted himself, and who offered to conduct him in the disguise of a
+Moor to Tabarca, a small fort or station on the coast held by the Genoese
+employed in the coral fishery. These Arabs cut off his head and carried
+it to the commander of the Turkish fleet, who proved on them the truth of
+our Castilian proverb, that "though the treason may please, the traitor
+is hated;" for they say he ordered those who brought him the present to
+be hanged for not having brought him alive.
+
+Among the Christians who were taken in the fort was one named Don Pedro
+de Aguilar, a native of some place, I know not what, in Andalusia, who
+had been ensign in the fort, a soldier of great repute and rare
+intelligence, who had in particular a special gift for what they call
+poetry. I say so because his fate brought him to my galley and to my
+bench, and made him a slave to the same master; and before we left the
+port this gentleman composed two sonnets by way of epitaphs, one on the
+Goletta and the other on the fort; indeed, I may as well repeat them, for
+I have them by heart, and I think they will be liked rather than
+disliked.
+
+The instant the captive mentioned the name of Don Pedro de Aguilar, Don
+Fernando looked at his companions and they all three smiled; and when he
+came to speak of the sonnets one of them said, "Before your worship
+proceeds any further I entreat you to tell me what became of that Don
+Pedro de Aguilar you have spoken of."
+
+"All I know is," replied the captive, "that after having been in
+Constantinople two years, he escaped in the disguise of an Arnaut, in
+company with a Greek spy; but whether he regained his liberty or not I
+cannot tell, though I fancy he did, because a year afterwards I saw the
+Greek at Constantinople, though I was unable to ask him what the result
+of the journey was."
+
+"Well then, you are right," returned the gentleman, "for that Don Pedro
+is my brother, and he is now in our village in good health, rich,
+married, and with three children."
+
+"Thanks be to God for all the mercies he has shown him," said the
+captive; "for to my mind there is no happiness on earth to compare with
+recovering lost liberty."
+
+"And what is more," said the gentleman, "I know the sonnets my brother
+made."
+
+"Then let your worship repeat them," said the captive, "for you will
+recite them better than I can."
+
+"With all my heart," said the gentleman; "that on the Goletta runs thus."
+
+Chapter XL. -
+In which the story of the captive is continued.
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+"Blest souls, that, from this mortal husk set free,
+  In guerdon of brave deeds beatified,
+  Above this lowly orb of ours abide
+Made heirs of heaven and immortality,
+With noble rage and ardour glowing ye
+  Your strength, while strength was yours, in battle plied,
+  And with your own blood and the foeman's dyed
+The sandy soil and the encircling sea.
+It was the ebbing life-blood first that failed
+The weary arms; the stout hearts never quailed.
+  Though vanquished, yet ye earned the victor's crown:
+Though mourned, yet still triumphant was your fall
+For there ye won, between the sword and wall,
+  In Heaven glory and on earth renown."
+
+}poem
+
+"That is it exactly, according to my recollection," said the captive.
+
+"Well then, that on the fort," said the gentleman, "if my memory serves
+me, goes thus:
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+"Up from this wasted soil, this shattered shell,
+  Whose walls and towers here in ruin lie,
+  Three thousand soldier souls took wing on high,
+In the bright mansions of the blest to dwell.
+The onslaught of the foeman to repel
+  By might of arm all vainly did they try,
+  And when at length 'twas left them but to die,
+Wearied and few the last defenders fell.
+And this same arid soil hath ever been
+A haunt of countless mournful memories,
+  As well in our day as in days of yore.
+But never yet to Heaven it sent, I ween,
+From its hard bosom purer souls than these,
+  Or braver bodies on its surface bore."
+
+}poem
+
+The sonnets were not disliked, and the captive was rejoiced at the
+tidings they gave him of his comrade, and continuing his tale, he went on
+to say:
+
+The Goletta and the fort being thus in their hands, the Turks gave orders
+to dismantle the Goletta--for the fort was reduced to such a state that
+there was nothing left to level--and to do the work more quickly and
+easily they mined it in three places; but nowhere were they able to blow
+up the part which seemed to be the least strong, that is to say, the old
+walls, while all that remained standing of the new fortifications that
+the Fratin had made came to the ground with the greatest ease. Finally
+the fleet returned victorious and triumphant to Constantinople, and a few
+months later died my master, El Uchali, otherwise Uchali Fartax, which
+means in Turkish "the scabby renegade;" for that he was; it is the
+practice with the Turks to name people from some defect or virtue they
+may possess; the reason being that there are among them only four
+surnames belonging to families tracing their descent from the Ottoman
+house, and the others, as I have said, take their names and surnames
+either from bodily blemishes or moral qualities. This "scabby one" rowed
+at the oar as a slave of the Grand Signor's for fourteen years, and when
+over thirty-four years of age, in resentment at having been struck by a
+Turk while at the oar, turned renegade and renounced his faith in order
+to be able to revenge himself; and such was his valour that, without
+owing his advancement to the base ways and means by which most favourites
+of the Grand Signor rise to power, he came to be king of Algiers, and
+afterwards general-on-sea, which is the third place of trust in the
+realm. He was a Calabrian by birth, and a worthy man morally, and he
+treated his slaves with great humanity. He had three thousand of them,
+and after his death they were divided, as he directed by his will,
+between the Grand Signor (who is heir of all who die and shares with the
+children of the deceased) and his renegades. I fell to the lot of a
+Venetian renegade who, when a cabin boy on board a ship, had been taken
+by Uchali and was so much beloved by him that he became one of his most
+favoured youths. He came to be the most cruel renegade I ever saw: his
+name was Hassan Aga, and he grew very rich and became king of Algiers.
+With him I went there from Constantinople, rather glad to be so near
+Spain, not that I intended to write to anyone about my unhappy lot, but
+to try if fortune would be kinder to me in Algiers than in
+Constantinople, where I had attempted in a thousand ways to escape
+without ever finding a favourable time or chance; but in Algiers I
+resolved to seek for other means of effecting the purpose I cherished so
+dearly; for the hope of obtaining my liberty never deserted me; and when
+in my plots and schemes and attempts the result did not answer my
+expectations, without giving way to despair I immediately began to look
+out for or conjure up some new hope to support me, however faint or
+feeble it might be.
+
+In this way I lived on immured in a building or prison called by the
+Turks a bano in which they confine the Christian captives, as well those
+that are the king's as those belonging to private individuals, and also
+what they call those of the Almacen, which is as much as to say the
+slaves of the municipality, who serve the city in the public works and
+other employments; but captives of this kind recover their liberty with
+great difficulty, for, as they are public property and have no particular
+master, there is no one with whom to treat for their ransom, even though
+they may have the means. To these banos, as I have said, some private
+individuals of the town are in the habit of bringing their captives,
+especially when they are to be ransomed; because there they can keep them
+in safety and comfort until their ransom arrives. The king's captives
+also, that are on ransom, do not go out to work with the rest of the
+crew, unless when their ransom is delayed; for then, to make them write
+for it more pressingly, they compel them to work and go for wood, which
+is no light labour.
+
+I, however, was one of those on ransom, for when it was discovered that I
+was a captain, although I declared my scanty means and want of fortune,
+nothing could dissuade them from including me among the gentlemen and
+those waiting to be ransomed. They put a chain on me, more as a mark of
+this than to keep me safe, and so I passed my life in that bano with
+several other gentlemen and persons of quality marked out as held to
+ransom; but though at times, or rather almost always, we suffered from
+hunger and scanty clothing, nothing distressed us so much as hearing and
+seeing at every turn the unexampled and unheard-of cruelties my master
+inflicted upon the Christians. Every day he hanged a man, impaled one,
+cut off the ears of another; and all with so little provocation, or so
+entirely without any, that the Turks acknowledged he did it merely for
+the sake of doing it, and because he was by nature murderously disposed
+towards the whole human race. The only one that fared at all well with
+him was a Spanish soldier, something de Saavedra by name, to whom he
+never gave a blow himself, or ordered a blow to be given, or addressed a
+hard word, although he had done things that will dwell in the memory of
+the people there for many a year, and all to recover his liberty; and for
+the least of the many things he did we all dreaded that he would be
+impaled, and he himself was in fear of it more than once; and only that
+time does not allow, I could tell you now something of what that soldier
+did, that would interest and astonish you much more than the narration of
+my own tale.
+
+To go on with my story; the courtyard of our prison was overlooked by the
+windows of the house belonging to a wealthy Moor of high position; and
+these, as is usual in Moorish houses, were rather loopholes than windows,
+and besides were covered with thick and close lattice-work. It so
+happened, then, that as I was one day on the terrace of our prison with
+three other comrades, trying, to pass away the time, how far we could
+leap with our chains, we being alone, for all the other Christians had
+gone out to work, I chanced to raise my eyes, and from one of these
+little closed windows I saw a reed appear with a cloth attached to the
+end of it, and it kept waving to and fro, and moving as if making signs
+to us to come and take it. We watched it, and one of those who were with
+me went and stood under the reed to see whether they would let it drop,
+or what they would do, but as he did so the reed was raised and moved
+from side to side, as if they meant to say "no" by a shake of the head.
+The Christian came back, and it was again lowered, making the same
+movements as before. Another of my comrades went, and with him the same
+happened as with the first, and then the third went forward, but with the
+same result as the first and second. Seeing this I did not like not to
+try my luck, and as soon as I came under the reed it was dropped and fell
+inside the bano at my feet. I hastened to untie the cloth, in which I
+perceived a knot, and in this were ten cianis, which are coins of base
+gold, current among the Moors, and each worth ten reals of our money.
+
+It is needless to say I rejoiced over this godsend, and my joy was not
+less than my wonder as I strove to imagine how this good fortune could
+have come to us, but to me specially; for the evident unwillingness to
+drop the reed for any but me showed that it was for me the favour was
+intended. I took my welcome money, broke the reed, and returned to the
+terrace, and looking up at the window, I saw a very white hand put out
+that opened and shut very quickly. From this we gathered or fancied that
+it must be some woman living in that house that had done us this
+kindness, and to show that we were grateful for it, we made salaams after
+the fashion of the Moors, bowing the head, bending the body, and crossing
+the arms on the breast. Shortly afterwards at the same window a small
+cross made of reeds was put out and immediately withdrawn. This sign led
+us to believe that some Christian woman was a captive in the house, and
+that it was she who had been so good to us; but the whiteness of the hand
+and the bracelets we had perceived made us dismiss that idea, though we
+thought it might be one of the Christian renegades whom their masters
+very often take as lawful wives, and gladly, for they prefer them to the
+women of their own nation. In all our conjectures we were wide of the
+truth; so from that time forward our sole occupation was watching and
+gazing at the window where the cross had appeared to us, as if it were
+our pole-star; but at least fifteen days passed without our seeing either
+it or the hand, or any other sign and though meanwhile we endeavoured
+with the utmost pains to ascertain who it was that lived in the house,
+and whether there were any Christian renegade in it, nobody could ever
+tell us anything more than that he who lived there was a rich Moor of
+high position, Hadji Morato by name, formerly alcaide of La Pata, an
+office of high dignity among them. But when we least thought it was going
+to rain any more cianis from that quarter, we saw the reed suddenly
+appear with another cloth tied in a larger knot attached to it, and this
+at a time when, as on the former occasion, the bano was deserted and
+unoccupied.
+
+We made trial as before, each of the same three going forward before I
+did; but the reed was delivered to none but me, and on my approach it was
+let drop. I untied the knot and I found forty Spanish gold crowns with a
+paper written in Arabic, and at the end of the writing there was a large
+cross drawn. I kissed the cross, took the crowns and returned to the
+terrace, and we all made our salaams; again the hand appeared, I made
+signs that I would read the paper, and then the window was closed. We
+were all puzzled, though filled with joy at what had taken place; and as
+none of us understood Arabic, great was our curiosity to know what the
+paper contained, and still greater the difficulty of finding some one to
+read it. At last I resolved to confide in a renegade, a native of Murcia,
+who professed a very great friendship for me, and had given pledges that
+bound him to keep any secret I might entrust to him; for it is the custom
+with some renegades, when they intend to return to Christian territory,
+to carry about them certificates from captives of mark testifying, in
+whatever form they can, that such and such a renegade is a worthy man who
+has always shown kindness to Christians, and is anxious to escape on the
+first opportunity that may present itself. Some obtain these testimonials
+with good intentions, others put them to a cunning use; for when they go
+to pillage on Christian territory, if they chance to be cast away, or
+taken prisoners, they produce their certificates and say that from these
+papers may be seen the object they came for, which was to remain on
+Christian ground, and that it was to this end they joined the Turks in
+their foray. In this way they escape the consequences of the first
+outburst and make their peace with the Church before it does them any
+harm, and then when they have the chance they return to Barbary to become
+what they were before. Others, however, there are who procure these
+papers and make use of them honestly, and remain on Christian soil. This
+friend of mine, then, was one of these renegades that I have described;
+he had certificates from all our comrades, in which we testified in his
+favour as strongly as we could; and if the Moors had found the papers
+they would have burned him alive.
+
+I knew that he understood Arabic very well, and could not only speak but
+also write it; but before I disclosed the whole matter to him, I asked
+him to read for me this paper which I had found by accident in a hole in
+my cell. He opened it and remained some time examining it and muttering
+to himself as he translated it. I asked him if he understood it, and he
+told me he did perfectly well, and that if I wished him to tell me its
+meaning word for word, I must give him pen and ink that he might do it
+more satisfactorily. We at once gave him what he required, and he set
+about translating it bit by bit, and when he had done he said:
+
+"All that is here in Spanish is what the Moorish paper contains, and you
+must bear in mind that when it says 'Lela Marien' it means 'Our Lady the
+Virgin Mary.'"
+
+We read the paper and it ran thus:
+
+"When I was a child my father had a slave who taught me to pray the
+Christian prayer in my own language, and told me many things about Lela
+Marien. The Christian died, and I know that she did not go to the fire,
+but to Allah, because since then I have seen her twice, and she told me
+to go to the land of the Christians to see Lela Marien, who had great
+love for me. I know not how to go. I have seen many Christians, but
+except thyself none has seemed to me to be a gentleman. I am young and
+beautiful, and have plenty of money to take with me. See if thou canst
+contrive how we may go, and if thou wilt thou shalt be my husband there,
+and if thou wilt not it will not distress me, for Lela Marien will find
+me some one to marry me. I myself have written this: have a care to whom
+thou givest it to read: trust no Moor, for they are all perfidious. I am
+greatly troubled on this account, for I would not have thee confide in
+anyone, because if my father knew it he would at once fling me down a
+well and cover me with stones. I will put a thread to the reed; tie the
+answer to it, and if thou hast no one to write for thee in Arabic, tell
+it to me by signs, for Lela Marien will make me understand thee. She and
+Allah and this cross, which I often kiss as the captive bade me, protect
+thee."
+
+Judge, sirs, whether we had reason for surprise and joy at the words of
+this paper; and both one and the other were so great, that the renegade
+perceived that the paper had not been found by chance, but had been in
+reality addressed to some one of us, and he begged us, if what he
+suspected were the truth, to trust him and tell him all, for he would
+risk his life for our freedom; and so saying he took out from his breast
+a metal crucifix, and with many tears swore by the God the image
+represented, in whom, sinful and wicked as he was, he truly and
+faithfully believed, to be loyal to us and keep secret whatever we chose
+to reveal to him; for he thought and almost foresaw that by means of her
+who had written that paper, he and all of us would obtain our liberty,
+and he himself obtain the object he so much desired, his restoration to
+the bosom of the Holy Mother Church, from which by his own sin and
+ignorance he was now severed like a corrupt limb. The renegade said this
+with so many tears and such signs of repentance, that with one consent we
+all agreed to tell him the whole truth of the matter, and so we gave him
+a full account of all, without hiding anything from him. We pointed out
+to him the window at which the reed appeared, and he by that means took
+note of the house, and resolved to ascertain with particular care who
+lived in it. We agreed also that it would be advisable to answer the
+Moorish lady's letter, and the renegade without a moment's delay took
+down the words I dictated to him, which were exactly what I shall tell
+you, for nothing of importance that took place in this affair has escaped
+my memory, or ever will while life lasts. This, then, was the answer
+returned to the Moorish lady:
+
+"The true Allah protect thee, Lady, and that blessed Marien who is the
+true mother of God, and who has put it into thy heart to go to the land
+of the Christians, because she loves thee. Entreat her that she be
+pleased to show thee how thou canst execute the command she gives thee,
+for she will, such is her goodness. On my own part, and on that of all
+these Christians who are with me, I promise to do all that we can for
+thee, even to death. Fail not to write to me and inform me what thou dost
+mean to do, and I will always answer thee; for the great Allah has given
+us a Christian captive who can speak and write thy language well, as thou
+mayest see by this paper; without fear, therefore, thou canst inform us
+of all thou wouldst. As to what thou sayest, that if thou dost reach the
+land of the Christians thou wilt be my wife, I give thee my promise upon
+it as a good Christian; and know that the Christians keep their promises
+better than the Moors. Allah and Marien his mother watch over thee, my
+Lady."
+
+The paper being written and folded I waited two days until the bano was
+empty as before, and immediately repaired to the usual walk on the
+terrace to see if there were any sign of the reed, which was not long in
+making its appearance. As soon as I saw it, although I could not
+distinguish who put it out, I showed the paper as a sign to attach the
+thread, but it was already fixed to the reed, and to it I tied the paper;
+and shortly afterwards our star once more made its appearance with the
+white flag of peace, the little bundle. It was dropped, and I picked it
+up, and found in the cloth, in gold and silver coins of all sorts, more
+than fifty crowns, which fifty times more strengthened our joy and
+doubled our hope of gaining our liberty. That very night our renegade
+returned and said he had learned that the Moor we had been told of lived
+in that house, that his name was Hadji Morato, that he was enormously
+rich, that he had one only daughter the heiress of all his wealth, and
+that it was the general opinion throughout the city that she was the most
+beautiful woman in Barbary, and that several of the viceroys who came
+there had sought her for a wife, but that she had been always unwilling
+to marry; and he had learned, moreover, that she had a Christian slave
+who was now dead; all which agreed with the contents of the paper. We
+immediately took counsel with the renegade as to what means would have to
+be adopted in order to carry off the Moorish lady and bring us all to
+Christian territory; and in the end it was agreed that for the present we
+should wait for a second communication from Zoraida (for that was the
+name of her who now desires to be called Maria), because we saw clearly
+that she and no one else could find a way out of all these difficulties.
+When we had decided upon this the renegade told us not to be uneasy, for
+he would lose his life or restore us to liberty. For four days the bano
+was filled with people, for which reason the reed delayed its appearance
+for four days, but at the end of that time, when the bano was, as it
+generally was, empty, it appeared with the cloth so bulky that it
+promised a happy birth. Reed and cloth came down to me, and I found
+another paper and a hundred crowns in gold, without any other coin. The
+renegade was present, and in our cell we gave him the paper to read,
+which was to this effect:
+
+"I cannot think of a plan, senor, for our going to Spain, nor has Lela
+Marien shown me one, though I have asked her. All that can be done is for
+me to give you plenty of money in gold from this window. With it ransom
+yourself and your friends, and let one of you go to the land of the
+Christians, and there buy a vessel and come back for the others; and he
+will find me in my father's garden, which is at the Babazon gate near the
+seashore, where I shall be all this summer with my father and my
+servants. You can carry me away from there by night without any danger,
+and bring me to the vessel. And remember thou art to be my husband, else
+I will pray to Marien to punish thee. If thou canst not trust anyone to
+go for the vessel, ransom thyself and do thou go, for I know thou wilt
+return more surely than any other, as thou art a gentleman and a
+Christian. Endeavour to make thyself acquainted with the garden; and when
+I see thee walking yonder I shall know that the bano is empty and I will
+give thee abundance of money. Allah protect thee, senor."
+
+These were the words and contents of the second paper, and on hearing
+them, each declared himself willing to be the ransomed one, and promised
+to go and return with scrupulous good faith; and I too made the same
+offer; but to all this the renegade objected, saying that he would not on
+any account consent to one being set free before all went together, as
+experience had taught him how ill those who have been set free keep
+promises which they made in captivity; for captives of distinction
+frequently had recourse to this plan, paying the ransom of one who was to
+go to Valencia or Majorca with money to enable him to arm a bark and
+return for the others who had ransomed him, but who never came back; for
+recovered liberty and the dread of losing it again efface from the memory
+all the obligations in the world. And to prove the truth of what he said,
+he told us briefly what had happened to a certain Christian gentleman
+almost at that very time, the strangest case that had ever occurred even
+there, where astonishing and marvellous things are happening every
+instant. In short, he ended by saying that what could and ought to be
+done was to give the money intended for the ransom of one of us
+Christians to him, so that he might with it buy a vessel there in Algiers
+under the pretence of becoming a merchant and trader at Tetuan and along
+the coast; and when master of the vessel, it would be easy for him to hit
+on some way of getting us all out of the bano and putting us on board;
+especially if the Moorish lady gave, as she said, money enough to ransom
+all, because once free it would be the easiest thing in the world for us
+to embark even in open day; but the greatest difficulty was that the
+Moors do not allow any renegade to buy or own any craft, unless it be a
+large vessel for going on roving expeditions, because they are afraid
+that anyone who buys a small vessel, especially if he be a Spaniard, only
+wants it for the purpose of escaping to Christian territory. This however
+he could get over by arranging with a Tagarin Moor to go shares with him
+in the purchase of the vessel, and in the profit on the cargo; and under
+cover of this he could become master of the vessel, in which case he
+looked upon all the rest as accomplished. But though to me and my
+comrades it had seemed a better plan to send to Majorca for the vessel,
+as the Moorish lady suggested, we did not dare to oppose him, fearing
+that if we did not do as he said he would denounce us, and place us in
+danger of losing all our lives if he were to disclose our dealings with
+Zoraida, for whose life we would have all given our own. We therefore
+resolved to put ourselves in the hands of God and in the renegade's; and
+at the same time an answer was given to Zoraida, telling her that we
+would do all she recommended, for she had given as good advice as if Lela
+Marien had delivered it, and that it depended on her alone whether we
+were to defer the business or put it in execution at once. I renewed my
+promise to be her husband; and thus the next day that the bano chanced to
+be empty she at different times gave us by means of the reed and cloth
+two thousand gold crowns and a paper in which she said that the next
+Juma, that is to say Friday, she was going to her father's garden, but
+that before she went she would give us more money; and if it were not
+enough we were to let her know, as she would give us as much as we asked,
+for her father had so much he would not miss it, and besides she kept all
+the keys.
+
+We at once gave the renegade five hundred crowns to buy the vessel, and
+with eight hundred I ransomed myself, giving the money to a Valencian
+merchant who happened to be in Algiers at the time, and who had me
+released on his word, pledging it that on the arrival of the first ship
+from Valencia he would pay my ransom; for if he had given the money at
+once it would have made the king suspect that my ransom money had been
+for a long time in Algiers, and that the merchant had for his own
+advantage kept it secret. In fact my master was so difficult to deal with
+that I dared not on any account pay down the money at once. The Thursday
+before the Friday on which the fair Zoraida was to go to the garden she
+gave us a thousand crowns more, and warned us of her departure, begging
+me, if I were ransomed, to find out her father's garden at once, and by
+all means to seek an opportunity of going there to see her. I answered in
+a few words that I would do so, and that she must remember to commend us
+to Lela Marien with all the prayers the captive had taught her. This
+having been done, steps were taken to ransom our three comrades, so as to
+enable them to quit the bano, and lest, seeing me ransomed and themselves
+not, though the money was forthcoming, they should make a disturbance
+about it and the devil should prompt them to do something that might
+injure Zoraida; for though their position might be sufficient to relieve
+me from this apprehension, nevertheless I was unwilling to run any risk
+in the matter; and so I had them ransomed in the same way as I was,
+handing over all the money to the merchant so that he might with safety
+and confidence give security; without, however, confiding our arrangement
+and secret to him, which might have been dangerous.
+
+Chapter XLI. -
+In which the captive still continues his adventures
+
+Before fifteen days were over our renegade had already purchased an
+excellent vessel with room for more than thirty persons; and to make the
+transaction safe and lend a colour to it, he thought it well to make, as
+he did, a voyage to a place called Shershel, twenty leagues from Algiers
+on the Oran side, where there is an extensive trade in dried figs. Two or
+three times he made this voyage in company with the Tagarin already
+mentioned. The Moors of Aragon are called Tagarins in Barbary, and those
+of Granada Mudejars; but in the Kingdom of Fez they call the Mudejars
+Elches, and they are the people the king chiefly employs in war. To
+proceed: every time he passed with his vessel he anchored in a cove that
+was not two crossbow shots from the garden where Zoraida was waiting; and
+there the renegade, together with the two Moorish lads that rowed, used
+purposely to station himself, either going through his prayers, or else
+practising as a part what he meant to perform in earnest. And thus he
+would go to Zoraida's garden and ask for fruit, which her father gave
+him, not knowing him; but though, as he afterwards told me, he sought to
+speak to Zoraida, and tell her who he was, and that by my orders he was
+to take her to the land of the Christians, so that she might feel
+satisfied and easy, he had never been able to do so; for the Moorish
+women do not allow themselves to be seen by any Moor or Turk, unless
+their husband or father bid them: with Christian captives they permit
+freedom of intercourse and communication, even more than might be
+considered proper. But for my part I should have been sorry if he had
+spoken to her, for perhaps it might have alarmed her to find her affairs
+talked of by renegades. But God, who ordered it otherwise, afforded no
+opportunity for our renegade's well-meant purpose; and he, seeing how
+safely he could go to Shershel and return, and anchor when and how and
+where he liked, and that the Tagarin his partner had no will but his, and
+that, now I was ransomed, all we wanted was to find some Christians to
+row, told me to look out for any I should be willing to take with me,
+over and above those who had been ransomed, and to engage them for the
+next Friday, which he fixed upon for our departure. On this I spoke to
+twelve Spaniards, all stout rowers, and such as could most easily leave
+the city; but it was no easy matter to find so many just then, because
+there were twenty ships out on a cruise and they had taken all the rowers
+with them; and these would not have been found were it not that their
+master remained at home that summer without going to sea in order to
+finish a galliot that he had upon the stocks. To these men I said nothing
+more than that the next Friday in the evening they were to come out
+stealthily one by one and hang about Hadji Morato's garden, waiting for
+me there until I came. These directions I gave each one separately, with
+orders that if they saw any other Christians there they were not to say
+anything to them except that I had directed them to wait at that spot.
+
+This preliminary having been settled, another still more necessary step
+had to be taken, which was to let Zoraida know how matters stood that she
+might be prepared and forewarned, so as not to be taken by surprise if we
+were suddenly to seize upon her before she thought the Christians' vessel
+could have returned. I determined, therefore, to go to the garden and try
+if I could speak to her; and the day before my departure I went there
+under the pretence of gathering herbs. The first person I met was her
+father, who addressed me in the language that all over Barbary and even
+in Constantinople is the medium between captives and Moors, and is
+neither Morisco nor Castilian, nor of any other nation, but a mixture of
+all languages, by means of which we can all understand one another. In
+this sort of language, I say, he asked me what I wanted in his garden,
+and to whom I belonged. I replied that I was a slave of the Arnaut Mami
+(for I knew as a certainty that he was a very great friend of his), and
+that I wanted some herbs to make a salad. He asked me then whether I were
+on ransom or not, and what my master demanded for me. While these
+questions and answers were proceeding, the fair Zoraida, who had already
+perceived me some time before, came out of the house in the garden, and
+as Moorish women are by no means particular about letting themselves be
+seen by Christians, or, as I have said before, at all coy, she had no
+hesitation in coming to where her father stood with me; moreover her
+father, seeing her approaching slowly, called to her to come. It would be
+beyond my power now to describe to you the great beauty, the high-bred
+air, the brilliant attire of my beloved Zoraida as she presented herself
+before my eyes. I will content myself with saying that more pearls hung
+from her fair neck, her ears, and her hair than she had hairs on her
+head. On her ankles, which as is customary were bare, she had carcajes
+(for so bracelets or anklets are called in Morisco) of the purest gold,
+set with so many diamonds that she told me afterwards her father valued
+them at ten thousand doubloons, and those she had on her wrists were
+worth as much more. The pearls were in profusion and very fine, for the
+highest display and adornment of the Moorish women is decking themselves
+with rich pearls and seed-pearls; and of these there are therefore more
+among the Moors than among any other people. Zoraida's father had to the
+reputation of possessing a great number, and the purest in all Algiers,
+and of possessing also more than two hundred thousand Spanish crowns; and
+she, who is now mistress of me only, was mistress of all this. Whether
+thus adorned she would have been beautiful or not, and what she must have
+been in her prosperity, may be imagined from the beauty remaining to her
+after so many hardships; for, as everyone knows, the beauty of some women
+has its times and its seasons, and is increased or diminished by chance
+causes; and naturally the emotions of the mind will heighten or impair
+it, though indeed more frequently they totally destroy it. In a word she
+presented herself before me that day attired with the utmost splendour,
+and supremely beautiful; at any rate, she seemed to me the most beautiful
+object I had ever seen; and when, besides, I thought of all I owed to her
+I felt as though I had before me some heavenly being come to earth to
+bring me relief and happiness.
+
+As she approached her father told her in his own language that I was a
+captive belonging to his friend the Arnaut Mami, and that I had come for
+salad.
+
+She took up the conversation, and in that mixture of tongues I have
+spoken of she asked me if I was a gentleman, and why I was not ransomed.
+
+I answered that I was already ransomed, and that by the price it might be
+seen what value my master set on me, as I had given one thousand five
+hundred zoltanis for me; to which she replied, "Hadst thou been my
+father's, I can tell thee, I would not have let him part with thee for
+twice as much, for you Christians always tell lies about yourselves and
+make yourselves out poor to cheat the Moors."
+
+"That may be, lady," said I; "but indeed I dealt truthfully with my
+master, as I do and mean to do with everybody in the world."
+
+"And when dost thou go?" said Zoraida.
+
+"To-morrow, I think," said I, "for there is a vessel here from France
+which sails to-morrow, and I think I shall go in her."
+
+"Would it not be better," said Zoraida, "to wait for the arrival of ships
+from Spain and go with them and not with the French who are not your
+friends?"
+
+"No," said I; "though if there were intelligence that a vessel were now
+coming from Spain it is true I might, perhaps, wait for it; however, it
+is more likely I shall depart to-morrow, for the longing I feel to return
+to my country and to those I love is so great that it will not allow me
+to wait for another opportunity, however more convenient, if it be
+delayed."
+
+"No doubt thou art married in thine own country," said Zoraida, "and for
+that reason thou art anxious to go and see thy wife."
+
+"I am not married," I replied, "but I have given my promise to marry on
+my arrival there."
+
+"And is the lady beautiful to whom thou hast given it?" said Zoraida.
+
+"So beautiful," said I, "that, to describe her worthily and tell thee the
+truth, she is very like thee."
+
+At this her father laughed very heartily and said, "By Allah, Christian,
+she must be very beautiful if she is like my daughter, who is the most
+beautiful woman in all this kingdom: only look at her well and thou wilt
+see I am telling the truth."
+
+Zoraida's father as the better linguist helped to interpret most of these
+words and phrases, for though she spoke the bastard language, that, as I
+have said, is employed there, she expressed her meaning more by signs
+than by words.
+
+While we were still engaged in this conversation, a Moor came running up,
+exclaiming that four Turks had leaped over the fence or wall of the
+garden, and were gathering the fruit though it was not yet ripe. The old
+man was alarmed and Zoraida too, for the Moors commonly, and, so to
+speak, instinctively have a dread of the Turks, but particularly of the
+soldiers, who are so insolent and domineering to the Moors who are under
+their power that they treat them worse than if they were their slaves.
+Her father said to Zoraida, "Daughter, retire into the house and shut
+thyself in while I go and speak to these dogs; and thou, Christian, pick
+thy herbs, and go in peace, and Allah bring thee safe to thy own
+country."
+
+I bowed, and he went away to look for the Turks, leaving me alone with
+Zoraida, who made as if she were about to retire as her father bade her;
+but the moment he was concealed by the trees of the garden, turning to me
+with her eyes full of tears she said, "Tameji, cristiano, tameji?" that is
+to say, "Art thou going, Christian, art thou going?"
+
+I made answer, "Yes, lady, but not without thee, come what may: be on the
+watch for me on the next Juma, and be not alarmed when thou seest us; for
+most surely we shall go to the land of the Christians."
+
+This I said in such a way that she understood perfectly all that passed
+between us, and throwing her arm round my neck she began with feeble
+steps to move towards the house; but as fate would have it (and it might
+have been very unfortunate if Heaven had not otherwise ordered it), just
+as we were moving on in the manner and position I have described, with
+her arm round my neck, her father, as he returned after having sent away
+the Turks, saw how we were walking and we perceived that he saw us; but
+Zoraida, ready and quickwitted, took care not to remove her arm from my
+neck, but on the contrary drew closer to me and laid her head on my
+breast, bending her knees a little and showing all the signs and tokens
+of fainting, while I at the same time made it seem as though I were
+supporting her against my will. Her father came running up to where we
+were, and seeing his daughter in this state asked what was the matter
+with her; she, however, giving no answer, he said, "No doubt she has
+fainted in alarm at the entrance of those dogs," and taking her from mine
+he drew her to his own breast, while she sighing, her eyes still wet with
+tears, said again, "Ameji, cristiano, ameji"--"Go, Christian, go." To
+this her father replied, "There is no need, daughter, for the Christian
+to go, for he has done thee no harm, and the Turks have now gone; feel no
+alarm, there is nothing to hurt thee, for as I say, the Turks at my
+request have gone back the way they came."
+
+"It was they who terrified her, as thou hast said, senor," said I to her
+father; "but since she tells me to go, I have no wish to displease her:
+peace be with thee, and with thy leave I will come back to this garden
+for herbs if need be, for my master says there are nowhere better herbs
+for salad then here."
+
+"Come back for any thou hast need of," replied Hadji Morato; "for my
+daughter does not speak thus because she is displeased with thee or any
+Christian: she only meant that the Turks should go, not thou; or that it
+was time for thee to look for thy herbs."
+
+With this I at once took my leave of both; and she, looking as though her
+heart were breaking, retired with her father. While pretending to look
+for herbs I made the round of the garden at my ease, and studied
+carefully all the approaches and outlets, and the fastenings of the house
+and everything that could be taken advantage of to make our task easy.
+
+Having done so I went and gave an account of all that had taken place to
+the renegade and my comrades, and looked forward with impatience to the
+hour when, all fear at an end, I should find myself in possession of the
+prize which fortune held out to me in the fair and lovely Zoraida. The
+time passed at length, and the appointed day we so longed for arrived;
+and, all following out the arrangement and plan which, after careful
+consideration and many a long discussion, we had decided upon, we
+succeeded as fully as we could have wished; for on the Friday following
+the day upon which I spoke to Zoraida in the garden, the renegade
+anchored his vessel at nightfall almost opposite the spot where she was.
+The Christians who were to row were ready and in hiding in different
+places round about, all waiting for me, anxious and elated, and eager to
+attack the vessel they had before their eyes; for they did not know the
+renegade's plan, but expected that they were to gain their liberty by
+force of arms and by killing the Moors who were on board the vessel. As
+soon, then, as I and my comrades made our appearance, all those that were
+in hiding seeing us came and joined us. It was now the time when the city
+gates are shut, and there was no one to be seen in all the space outside.
+When we were collected together we debated whether it would be better
+first to go for Zoraida, or to make prisoners of the Moorish rowers who
+rowed in the vessel; but while we were still uncertain our renegade came
+up asking us what kept us, as it was now the time, and all the Moors were
+off their guard and most of them asleep. We told him why we hesitated,
+but he said it was of more importance first to secure the vessel, which
+could be done with the greatest ease and without any danger, and then we
+could go for Zoraida. We all approved of what he said, and so without
+further delay, guided by him we made for the vessel, and he leaping on
+board first, drew his cutlass and said in Morisco, "Let no one stir from
+this if he does not want it to cost him his life." By this almost all the
+Christians were on board, and the Moors, who were fainthearted, hearing
+their captain speak in this way, were cowed, and without any one of them
+taking to his arms (and indeed they had few or hardly any) they submitted
+without saying a word to be bound by the Christians, who quickly secured
+them, threatening them that if they raised any kind of outcry they would
+be all put to the sword. This having been accomplished, and half of our
+party being left to keep guard over them, the rest of us, again taking
+the renegade as our guide, hastened towards Hadji Morato's garden, and as
+good luck would have it, on trying the gate it opened as easily as if it
+had not been locked; and so, quite quietly and in silence, we reached the
+house without being perceived by anybody. The lovely Zoraida was watching
+for us at a window, and as soon as she perceived that there were people
+there, she asked in a low voice if we were "Nizarani," as much as to say
+or ask if we were Christians. I answered that we were, and begged her to
+come down. As soon as she recognised me she did not delay an instant, but
+without answering a word came down immediately, opened the door and
+presented herself before us all, so beautiful and so richly attired that
+I cannot attempt to describe her. The moment I saw her I took her hand
+and kissed it, and the renegade and my two comrades did the same; and the
+rest, who knew nothing of the circumstances, did as they saw us do, for
+it only seemed as if we were returning thanks to her, and recognising her
+as the giver of our liberty. The renegade asked her in the Morisco
+language if her father was in the house. She replied that he was and that
+he was asleep.
+
+"Then it will be necessary to waken him and take him with us," said the
+renegade, "and everything of value in this fair mansion."
+
+"Nay," said she, "my father must not on any account be touched, and there
+is nothing in the house except what I shall take, and that will be quite
+enough to enrich and satisfy all of you; wait a little and you shall
+see," and so saying she went in, telling us she would return immediately
+and bidding us keep quiet making any noise.
+
+I asked the renegade what had passed between them, and when he told me, I
+declared that nothing should be done except in accordance with the wishes
+of Zoraida, who now came back with a little trunk so full of gold crowns
+that she could scarcely carry it. Unfortunately her father awoke while
+this was going on, and hearing a noise in the garden, came to the window,
+and at once perceiving that all those who were there were Christians,
+raising a prodigiously loud outcry, he began to call out in Arabic,
+"Christians, Christians! thieves, thieves!" by which cries we were all
+thrown into the greatest fear and embarrassment; but the renegade seeing
+the danger we were in and how important it was for him to effect his
+purpose before we were heard, mounted with the utmost quickness to where
+Hadji Morato was, and with him went some of our party; I, however, did
+not dare to leave Zoraida, who had fallen almost fainting in my arms. To
+be brief, those who had gone upstairs acted so promptly that in an
+instant they came down, carrying Hadji Morato with his hands bound and a
+napkin tied over his mouth, which prevented him from uttering a word,
+warning him at the same time that to attempt to speak would cost him his
+life. When his daughter caught sight of him she covered her eyes so as
+not to see him, and her father was horror-stricken, not knowing how
+willingly she had placed herself in our hands. But it was now most
+essential for us to be on the move, and carefully and quickly we regained
+the vessel, where those who had remained on board were waiting for us in
+apprehension of some mishap having befallen us. It was barely two hours
+after night set in when we were all on board the vessel, where the cords
+were removed from the hands of Zoraida's father, and the napkin from his
+mouth; but the renegade once more told him not to utter a word, or they
+would take his life. He, when he saw his daughter there, began to sigh
+piteously, and still more when he perceived that I held her closely
+embraced and that she lay quiet without resisting or complaining, or
+showing any reluctance; nevertheless he remained silent lest they should
+carry into effect the repeated threats the renegade had addressed to him.
+
+Finding herself now on board, and that we were about to give way with the
+oars, Zoraida, seeing her father there, and the other Moors bound, bade
+the renegade ask me to do her the favour of releasing the Moors and
+setting her father at liberty, for she would rather drown herself in the
+sea than suffer a father that had loved her so dearly to be carried away
+captive before her eyes and on her account. The renegade repeated this to
+me, and I replied that I was very willing to do so; but he replied that
+it was not advisable, because if they were left there they would at once
+raise the country and stir up the city, and lead to the despatch of swift
+cruisers in pursuit, and our being taken, by sea or land, without any
+possibility of escape; and that all that could be done was to set them
+free on the first Christian ground we reached. On this point we all
+agreed; and Zoraida, to whom it was explained, together with the reasons
+that prevented us from doing at once what she desired, was satisfied
+likewise; and then in glad silence and with cheerful alacrity each of our
+stout rowers took his oar, and commending ourselves to God with all our
+hearts, we began to shape our course for the island of Majorca, the
+nearest Christian land. Owing, however, to the Tramontana rising a
+little, and the sea growing somewhat rough, it was impossible for us to
+keep a straight course for Majorca, and we were compelled to coast in the
+direction of Oran, not without great uneasiness on our part lest we
+should be observed from the town of Shershel, which lies on that coast,
+not more than sixty miles from Algiers. Moreover we were afraid of
+meeting on that course one of the galliots that usually come with goods
+from Tetuan; although each of us for himself and all of us together felt
+confident that, if we were to meet a merchant galliot, so that it were
+not a cruiser, not only should we not be lost, but that we should take a
+vessel in which we could more safely accomplish our voyage. As we pursued
+our course Zoraida kept her head between my hands so as not to see her
+father, and I felt that she was praying to Lela Marien to help us.
+
+We might have made about thirty miles when daybreak found us some three
+musket-shots off the land, which seemed to us deserted, and without
+anyone to see us. For all that, however, by hard rowing we put out a
+little to sea, for it was now somewhat calmer, and having gained about
+two leagues the word was given to row by batches, while we ate something,
+for the vessel was well provided; but the rowers said it was not a time
+to take any rest; let food be served out to those who were not rowing,
+but they would not leave their oars on any account. This was done, but
+now a stiff breeze began to blow, which obliged us to leave off rowing
+and make sail at once and steer for Oran, as it was impossible to make
+any other course. All this was done very promptly, and under sail we ran
+more than eight miles an hour without any fear, except that of coming
+across some vessel out on a roving expedition. We gave the Moorish rowers
+some food, and the renegade comforted them by telling them that they were
+not held as captives, as we should set them free on the first
+opportunity.
+
+The same was said to Zoraida's father, who replied, "Anything else,
+Christian, I might hope for or think likely from your generosity and good
+behaviour, but do not think me so simple as to imagine you will give me
+my liberty; for you would have never exposed yourselves to the danger of
+depriving me of it only to restore it to me so generously, especially as
+you know who I am and the sum you may expect to receive on restoring it;
+and if you will only name that, I here offer you all you require for
+myself and for my unhappy daughter there; or else for her alone, for she
+is the greatest and most precious part of my soul."
+
+As he said this he began to weep so bitterly that he filled us all with
+compassion and forced Zoraida to look at him, and when she saw him
+weeping she was so moved that she rose from my feet and ran to throw her
+arms round him, and pressing her face to his, they both gave way to such
+an outburst of tears that several of us were constrained to keep them
+company.
+
+But when her father saw her in full dress and with all her jewels about
+her, he said to her in his own language, "What means this, my daughter?
+Last night, before this terrible misfortune in which we are plunged
+befell us, I saw thee in thy everyday and indoor garments; and now,
+without having had time to attire thyself, and without my bringing thee
+any joyful tidings to furnish an occasion for adorning and bedecking
+thyself, I see thee arrayed in the finest attire it would be in my power
+to give thee when fortune was most kind to us. Answer me this; for it
+causes me greater anxiety and surprise than even this misfortune itself."
+
+The renegade interpreted to us what the Moor said to his daughter; she,
+however, returned him no answer. But when he observed in one corner of
+the vessel the little trunk in which she used to keep her jewels, which
+he well knew he had left in Algiers and had not brought to the garden, he
+was still more amazed, and asked her how that trunk had come into our
+hands, and what there was in it. To which the renegade, without waiting
+for Zoraida to reply, made answer, "Do not trouble thyself by asking thy
+daughter Zoraida so many questions, senor, for the one answer I will give
+thee will serve for all; I would have thee know that she is a Christian,
+and that it is she who has been the file for our chains and our deliverer
+from captivity. She is here of her own free will, as glad, I imagine, to
+find herself in this position as he who escapes from darkness into the
+light, from death to life, and from suffering to glory."
+
+"Daughter, is this true, what he says?" cried the Moor.
+
+"It is," replied Zoraida.
+
+"That thou art in truth a Christian," said the old man, "and that thou
+hast given thy father into the power of his enemies?"
+
+To which Zoraida made answer, "A Christian I am, but it is not I who have
+placed thee in this position, for it never was my wish to leave thee or
+do thee harm, but only to do good to myself."
+
+"And what good hast thou done thyself, daughter?" said he.
+
+"Ask thou that," said she, "of Lela Marien, for she can tell thee better
+than I."
+
+The Moor had hardly heard these words when with marvellous quickness he
+flung himself headforemost into the sea, where no doubt he would have
+been drowned had not the long and full dress he wore held him up for a
+little on the surface of the water. Zoraida cried aloud to us to save
+him, and we all hastened to help, and seizing him by his robe we drew him
+in half drowned and insensible, at which Zoraida was in such distress
+that she wept over him as piteously and bitterly as though he were
+already dead. We turned him upon his face and he voided a great quantity
+of water, and at the end of two hours came to himself. Meanwhile, the
+wind having changed we were compelled to head for the land, and ply our
+oars to avoid being driven on shore; but it was our good fortune to reach
+a creek that lies on one side of a small promontory or cape, called by
+the Moors that of the "Cava rumia," which in our language means "the
+wicked Christian woman;" for it is a tradition among them that La Cava,
+through whom Spain was lost, lies buried at that spot; "cava" in their
+language meaning "wicked woman," and "rumia" "Christian;" moreover, they
+count it unlucky to anchor there when necessity compels them, and they
+never do so otherwise. For us, however, it was not the resting-place of
+the wicked woman but a haven of safety for our relief, so much had the
+sea now got up. We posted a look-out on shore, and never let the oars out
+of our hands, and ate of the stores the renegade had laid in, imploring
+God and Our Lady with all our hearts to help and protect us, that we
+might give a happy ending to a beginning so prosperous. At the entreaty
+of Zoraida orders were given to set on shore her father and the other
+Moors who were still bound, for she could not endure, nor could her
+tender heart bear to see her father in bonds and her fellow-countrymen
+prisoners before her eyes. We promised her to do this at the moment of
+departure, for as it was uninhabited we ran no risk in releasing them at
+that place.
+
+Our prayers were not so far in vain as to be unheard by Heaven, for after
+a while the wind changed in our favour, and made the sea calm, inviting
+us once more to resume our voyage with a good heart. Seeing this we
+unbound the Moors, and one by one put them on shore, at which they were
+filled with amazement; but when we came to land Zoraida's father, who had
+now completely recovered his senses, he said:
+
+"Why is it, think ye, Christians, that this wicked woman is rejoiced at
+your giving me my liberty? Think ye it is because of the affection she
+bears me? Nay verily, it is only because of the hindrance my presence
+offers to the execution of her base designs. And think not that it is her
+belief that yours is better than ours that has led her to change her
+religion; it is only because she knows that immodesty is more freely
+practised in your country than in ours." Then turning to Zoraida, while I
+and another of the Christians held him fast by both arms, lest he should
+do some mad act, he said to her, "Infamous girl, misguided maiden,
+whither in thy blindness and madness art thou going in the hands of these
+dogs, our natural enemies? Cursed be the hour when I begot thee! Cursed
+the luxury and indulgence in which I reared thee!"
+
+But seeing that he was not likely soon to cease I made haste to put him
+on shore, and thence he continued his maledictions and lamentations
+aloud; calling on Mohammed to pray to Allah to destroy us, to confound
+us, to make an end of us; and when, in consequence of having made sail,
+we could no longer hear what he said we could see what he did; how he
+plucked out his beard and tore his hair and lay writhing on the ground.
+But once he raised his voice to such a pitch that we were able to hear
+what he said. "Come back, dear daughter, come back to shore; I forgive
+thee all; let those men have the money, for it is theirs now, and come
+back to comfort thy sorrowing father, who will yield up his life on this
+barren strand if thou dost leave him."
+
+All this Zoraida heard, and heard with sorrow and tears, and all she
+could say in answer was, "Allah grant that Lela Marien, who has made me
+become a Christian, give thee comfort in thy sorrow, my father. Allah
+knows that I could not do otherwise than I have done, and that these
+Christians owe nothing to my will; for even had I wished not to accompany
+them, but remain at home, it would have been impossible for me, so
+eagerly did my soul urge me on to the accomplishment of this purpose,
+which I feel to be as righteous as to thee, dear father, it seems
+wicked."
+
+But neither could her father hear her nor we see him when she said this;
+and so, while I consoled Zoraida, we turned our attention to our voyage,
+in which a breeze from the right point so favoured us that we made sure
+of finding ourselves off the coast of Spain on the morrow by daybreak.
+But, as good seldom or never comes pure and unmixed, without being
+attended or followed by some disturbing evil that gives a shock to it,
+our fortune, or perhaps the curses which the Moor had hurled at his
+daughter (for whatever kind of father they may come from these are always
+to be dreaded), brought it about that when we were now in mid-sea, and
+the night about three hours spent, as we were running with all sail set
+and oars lashed, for the favouring breeze saved us the trouble of using
+them, we saw by the light of the moon, which shone brilliantly, a
+square-rigged vessel in full sail close to us, luffing up and standing
+across our course, and so close that we had to strike sail to avoid
+running foul of her, while they too put the helm hard up to let us pass.
+They came to the side of the ship to ask who we were, whither we were
+bound, and whence we came, but as they asked this in French our renegade
+said, "Let no one answer, for no doubt these are French corsairs who
+plunder all comers."
+
+Acting on this warning no one answered a word, but after we had gone a
+little ahead, and the vessel was now lying to leeward, suddenly they
+fired two guns, and apparently both loaded with chain-shot, for with one
+they cut our mast in half and brought down both it and the sail into the
+sea, and the other, discharged at the same moment, sent a ball into our
+vessel amidships, staving her in completely, but without doing any
+further damage. We, however, finding ourselves sinking began to shout for
+help and call upon those in the ship to pick us up as we were beginning
+to fill. They then lay to, and lowering a skiff or boat, as many as a
+dozen Frenchmen, well armed with match-locks, and their matches burning,
+got into it and came alongside; and seeing how few we were, and that our
+vessel was going down, they took us in, telling us that this had come to
+us through our incivility in not giving them an answer. Our renegade took
+the trunk containing Zoraida's wealth and dropped it into the sea without
+anyone perceiving what he did. In short we went on board with the
+Frenchmen, who, after having ascertained all they wanted to know about
+us, rifled us of everything we had, as if they had been our bitterest
+enemies, and from Zoraida they took even the anklets she wore on her
+feet; but the distress they caused her did not distress me so much as the
+fear I was in that from robbing her of her rich and precious jewels they
+would proceed to rob her of the most precious jewel that she valued more
+than all. The desires, however, of those people do not go beyond money,
+but of that their covetousness is insatiable, and on this occasion it was
+carried to such a pitch that they would have taken even the clothes we
+wore as captives if they had been worth anything to them. It was the
+advice of some of them to throw us all into the sea wrapped up in a sail;
+for their purpose was to trade at some of the ports of Spain, giving
+themselves out as Bretons, and if they brought us alive they would be
+punished as soon as the robbery was discovered; but the captain (who was
+the one who had plundered my beloved Zoraida) said he was satisfied with
+the prize he had got, and that he would not touch at any Spanish port,
+but pass the Straits of Gibraltar by night, or as best he could, and make
+for La Rochelle, from which he had sailed. So they agreed by common
+consent to give us the skiff belonging to their ship and all we required
+for the short voyage that remained to us, and this they did the next day
+on coming in sight of the Spanish coast, with which, and the joy we felt,
+all our sufferings and miseries were as completely forgotten as if they
+had never been endured by us, such is the delight of recovering lost
+liberty.
+
+It may have been about mid-day when they placed us in the boat, giving us
+two kegs of water and some biscuit; and the captain, moved by I know not
+what compassion, as the lovely Zoraida was about to embark, gave her some
+forty gold crowns, and would not permit his men to take from her those
+same garments which she has on now. We got into the boat, returning them
+thanks for their kindness to us, and showing ourselves grateful rather
+than indignant. They stood out to sea, steering for the straits; we,
+without looking to any compass save the land we had before us, set
+ourselves to row with such energy that by sunset we were so near that we
+might easily, we thought, land before the night was far advanced. But as
+the moon did not show that night, and the sky was clouded, and as we knew
+not whereabouts we were, it did not seem to us a prudent thing to make
+for the shore, as several of us advised, saying we ought to run ourselves
+ashore even if it were on rocks and far from any habitation, for in this
+way we should be relieved from the apprehensions we naturally felt of the
+prowling vessels of the Tetuan corsairs, who leave Barbary at nightfall
+and are on the Spanish coast by daybreak, where they commonly take some
+prize, and then go home to sleep in their own houses. But of the
+conflicting counsels the one which was adopted was that we should
+approach gradually, and land where we could if the sea were calm enough
+to permit us. This was done, and a little before midnight we drew near to
+the foot of a huge and lofty mountain, not so close to the sea but that
+it left a narrow space on which to land conveniently. We ran our boat up
+on the sand, and all sprang out and kissed the ground, and with tears of
+joyful satisfaction returned thanks to God our Lord for all his
+incomparable goodness to us on our voyage. We took out of the boat the
+provisions it contained, and drew it up on the shore, and then climbed a
+long way up the mountain, for even there we could not feel easy in our
+hearts, or persuade ourselves that it was Christian soil that was now
+under our feet.
+
+The dawn came, more slowly, I think, than we could have wished; we
+completed the ascent in order to see if from the summit any habitation or
+any shepherds' huts could be discovered, but strain our eyes as we might,
+neither dwelling, nor human being, nor path nor road could we perceive.
+However, we determined to push on farther, as it could not but be that
+ere long we must see some one who could tell us where we were. But what
+distressed me most was to see Zoraida going on foot over that rough
+ground; for though I once carried her on my shoulders, she was more
+wearied by my weariness than rested by the rest; and so she would never
+again allow me to undergo the exertion, and went on very patiently and
+cheerfully, while I led her by the hand. We had gone rather less than a
+quarter of a league when the sound of a little bell fell on our ears, a
+clear proof that there were flocks hard by, and looking about carefully
+to see if any were within view, we observed a young shepherd tranquilly
+and unsuspiciously trimming a stick with his knife at the foot of a cork
+tree. We called to him, and he, raising his head, sprang nimbly to his
+feet, for, as we afterwards learned, the first who presented themselves
+to his sight were the renegade and Zoraida, and seeing them in Moorish
+dress he imagined that all the Moors of Barbary were upon him; and
+plunging with marvellous swiftness into the thicket in front of him, he
+began to raise a prodigious outcry, exclaiming, "The Moors--the Moors
+have landed! To arms, to arms!" We were all thrown into perplexity by
+these cries, not knowing what to do; but reflecting that the shouts of
+the shepherd would raise the country and that the mounted coast-guard
+would come at once to see what was the matter, we agreed that the
+renegade must strip off his Turkish garments and put on a captive's
+jacket or coat which one of our party gave him at once, though he himself
+was reduced to his shirt; and so commending ourselves to God, we followed
+the same road which we saw the shepherd take, expecting every moment that
+the coast-guard would be down upon us. Nor did our expectation deceive
+us, for two hours had not passed when, coming out of the brushwood into
+the open ground, we perceived some fifty mounted men swiftly approaching
+us at a hand-gallop. As soon as we saw them we stood still, waiting for
+them; but as they came close and, instead of the Moors they were in quest
+of, saw a set of poor Christians, they were taken aback, and one of them
+asked if it could be we who were the cause of the shepherd having raised
+the call to arms. I said "Yes," and as I was about to explain to him what
+had occurred, and whence we came and who we were, one of the Christians
+of our party recognised the horseman who had put the question to us, and
+before I could say anything more he exclaimed:
+
+"Thanks be to God, sirs, for bringing us to such good quarters; for, if I
+do not deceive myself, the ground we stand on is that of Velez Malaga
+unless, indeed, all my years of captivity have made me unable to
+recollect that you, senor, who ask who we are, are Pedro de Bustamante,
+my uncle."
+
+The Christian captive had hardly uttered these words, when the horseman
+threw himself off his horse, and ran to embrace the young man, crying:
+
+"Nephew of my soul and life! I recognise thee now; and long have I
+mourned thee as dead, I, and my sister, thy mother, and all thy kin that
+are still alive, and whom God has been pleased to preserve that they may
+enjoy the happiness of seeing thee. We knew long since that thou wert in
+Algiers, and from the appearance of thy garments and those of all this
+company, I conclude that ye have had a miraculous restoration to
+liberty."
+
+"It is true," replied the young man, "and by-and-by we will tell you
+all."
+
+As soon as the horsemen understood that we were Christian captives, they
+dismounted from their horses, and each offered his to carry us to the
+city of Velez Malaga, which was a league and a half distant. Some of them
+went to bring the boat to the city, we having told them where we had left
+it; others took us up behind them, and Zoraida was placed on the horse of
+the young man's uncle. The whole town came out to meet us, for they had
+by this time heard of our arrival from one who had gone on in advance.
+They were not astonished to see liberated captives or captive Moors, for
+people on that coast are well used to see both one and the other; but
+they were astonished at the beauty of Zoraida, which was just then
+heightened, as well by the exertion of travelling as by joy at finding
+herself on Christian soil, and relieved of all fear of being lost; for
+this had brought such a glow upon her face, that unless my affection for
+her were deceiving me, I would venture to say that there was not a more
+beautiful creature in the world--at least, that I had ever seen. We went
+straight to the church to return thanks to God for the mercies we had
+received, and when Zoraida entered it she said there were faces there
+like Lela Marien's. We told her they were her images; and as well as he
+could the renegade explained to her what they meant, that she might adore
+them as if each of them were the very same Lela Marien that had spoken to
+her; and she, having great intelligence and a quick and clear instinct,
+understood at once all he said to her about them. Thence they took us
+away and distributed us all in different houses in the town; but as for
+the renegade, Zoraida, and myself, the Christian who came with us brought
+us to the house of his parents, who had a fair share of the gifts of
+fortune, and treated us with as much kindness as they did their own son.
+
+We remained six days in Velez, at the end of which the renegade, having
+informed himself of all that was requisite for him to do, set out for the
+city of Granada to restore himself to the sacred bosom of the Church
+through the medium of the Holy Inquisition. The other released captives
+took their departures, each the way that seemed best to him, and Zoraida
+and I were left alone, with nothing more than the crowns which the
+courtesy of the Frenchman had bestowed upon Zoraida, out of which I
+bought the beast on which she rides; and, I for the present attending her
+as her father and squire and not as her husband, we are now going to
+ascertain if my father is living, or if any of my brothers has had better
+fortune than mine has been; though, as Heaven has made me the companion
+of Zoraida, I think no other lot could be assigned to me, however happy,
+that I would rather have. The patience with which she endures the
+hardships that poverty brings with it, and the eagerness she shows to
+become a Christian, are such that they fill me with admiration, and bind
+me to serve her all my life; though the happiness I feel in seeing myself
+hers, and her mine, is disturbed and marred by not knowing whether I
+shall find any corner to shelter her in my own country, or whether time
+and death may not have made such changes in the fortunes and lives of my
+father and brothers, that I shall hardly find anyone who knows me, if
+they are not alive.
+
+I have no more of my story to tell you, gentlemen; whether it be an
+interesting or a curious one let your better judgments decide; all I can
+say is I would gladly have told it to you more briefly; although my fear
+of wearying you has made me leave out more than one circumstance.
+
+Chapter XLII. -
+Which treats of what further took place in the inn, and of several other
+things worth knowing
+
+With these words the captive held his peace, and Don Fernando said to
+him, "In truth, captain, the manner in which you have related this
+remarkable adventure has been such as befitted the novelty and
+strangeness of the matter. The whole story is curious and uncommon, and
+abounds with incidents that fill the hearers with wonder and
+astonishment; and so great is the pleasure we have found in listening to
+it that we should be glad if it were to begin again, even though
+to-morrow were to find us still occupied with the same tale." And while
+he said this Cardenio and the rest of them offered to be of service to
+him in any way that lay in their power, and in words and language so
+kindly and sincere that the captain was much gratified by their
+good-will. In particular Don Fernando offered, if he would go back with
+him, to get his brother the marquis to become godfather at the baptism of
+Zoraida, and on his own part to provide him with the means of making his
+appearance in his own country with the credit and comfort he was entitled
+to. For all this the captive returned thanks very courteously, although
+he would not accept any of their generous offers.
+
+By this time night closed in, and as it did, there came up to the inn a
+coach attended by some men on horseback, who demanded accommodation; to
+which the landlady replied that there was not a hand's breadth of the
+whole inn unoccupied.
+
+"Still, for all that," said one of those who had entered on horseback,
+"room must be found for his lordship the Judge here."
+
+At this name the landlady was taken aback, and said, "Senor, the fact is
+I have no beds; but if his lordship the Judge carries one with him, as no
+doubt he does, let him come in and welcome; for my husband and I will
+give up our room to accommodate his worship."
+
+"Very good, so be it," said the squire; but in the meantime a man had got
+out of the coach whose dress indicated at a glance the office and post he
+held, for the long robe with ruffled sleeves that he wore showed that he
+was, as his servant said, a Judge of appeal. He led by the hand a young
+girl in a travelling dress, apparently about sixteen years of age, and of
+such a high-bred air, so beautiful and so graceful, that all were filled
+with admiration when she made her appearance, and but for having seen
+Dorothea, Luscinda, and Zoraida, who were there in the inn, they would
+have fancied that a beauty like that of this maiden's would have been
+hard to find. Don Quixote was present at the entrance of the Judge with
+the young lady, and as soon as he saw him he said, "Your worship may with
+confidence enter and take your ease in this castle; for though the
+accommodation be scanty and poor, there are no quarters so cramped or
+inconvenient that they cannot make room for arms and letters; above all
+if arms and letters have beauty for a guide and leader, as letters
+represented by your worship have in this fair maiden, to whom not only
+ought castles to throw themselves open and yield themselves up, but rocks
+should rend themselves asunder and mountains divide and bow themselves
+down to give her a reception. Enter, your worship, I say, into this
+paradise, for here you will find stars and suns to accompany the heaven
+your worship brings with you, here you will find arms in their supreme
+excellence, and beauty in its highest perfection."
+
+The Judge was struck with amazement at the language of Don Quixote, whom
+he scrutinized very carefully, no less astonished by his figure than by
+his talk; and before he could find words to answer him he had a fresh
+surprise, when he saw opposite to him Luscinda, Dorothea, and Zoraida,
+who, having heard of the new guests and of the beauty of the young lady,
+had come to see her and welcome her; Don Fernando, Cardenio, and the
+curate, however, greeted him in a more intelligible and polished style.
+In short, the Judge made his entrance in a state of bewilderment, as well
+with what he saw as what he heard, and the fair ladies of the inn gave
+the fair damsel a cordial welcome. On the whole he could perceive that
+all who were there were people of quality; but with the figure,
+countenance, and bearing of Don Quixote he was at his wits' end; and all
+civilities having been exchanged, and the accommodation of the inn
+inquired into, it was settled, as it had been before settled, that all
+the women should retire to the garret that has been already mentioned,
+and that the men should remain outside as if to guard them; the Judge,
+therefore, was very well pleased to allow his daughter, for such the
+damsel was, to go with the ladies, which she did very willingly; and with
+part of the host's narrow bed and half of what the Judge had brought with
+him, they made a more comfortable arrangement for the night than they had
+expected.
+
+The captive, whose heart had leaped within him the instant he saw the
+Judge, telling him somehow that this was his brother, asked one of the
+servants who accompanied him what his name was, and whether he knew from
+what part of the country he came. The servant replied that he was called
+the Licentiate Juan Perez de Viedma, and that he had heard it said he
+came from a village in the mountains of Leon. From this statement, and
+what he himself had seen, he felt convinced that this was his brother who
+had adopted letters by his father's advice; and excited and rejoiced, he
+called Don Fernando and Cardenio and the curate aside, and told them how
+the matter stood, assuring them that the judge was his brother. The
+servant had further informed him that he was now going to the Indies with
+the appointment of Judge of the Supreme Court of Mexico; and he had
+learned, likewise, that the young lady was his daughter, whose mother had
+died in giving birth to her, and that he was very rich in consequence of
+the dowry left to him with the daughter. He asked their advice as to what
+means he should adopt to make himself known, or to ascertain beforehand
+whether, when he had made himself known, his brother, seeing him so poor,
+would be ashamed of him, or would receive him with a warm heart.
+
+"Leave it to me to find out that," said the curate; "though there is no
+reason for supposing, senor captain, that you will not be kindly
+received, because the worth and wisdom that your brother's bearing shows
+him to possess do not make it likely that he will prove haughty or
+insensible, or that he will not know how to estimate the accidents of
+fortune at their proper value."
+
+"Still," said the captain, "I would not make myself known abruptly, but
+in some indirect way."
+
+"I have told you already," said the curate, "that I will manage it in a
+way to satisfy us all."
+
+By this time supper was ready, and they all took their seats at the
+table, except the captive, and the ladies, who supped by themselves in
+their own room. In the middle of supper the curate said:
+
+"I had a comrade of your worship's name, Senor Judge, in Constantinople,
+where I was a captive for several years, and that same comrade was one of
+the stoutest soldiers and captains in the whole Spanish infantry; but he
+had as large a share of misfortune as he had of gallantry and courage."
+
+"And how was the captain called, senor?" asked the Judge.
+
+"He was called Ruy Perez de Viedma," replied the curate, "and he was born
+in a village in the mountains of Leon; and he mentioned a circumstance
+connected with his father and his brothers which, had it not been told me
+by so truthful a man as he was, I should have set down as one of those
+fables the old women tell over the fire in winter; for he said his father
+had divided his property among his three sons and had addressed words of
+advice to them sounder than any of Cato's. But I can say this much, that
+the choice he made of going to the wars was attended with such success,
+that by his gallant conduct and courage, and without any help save his
+own merit, he rose in a few years to be captain of infantry, and to see
+himself on the high-road and in position to be given the command of a
+corps before long; but Fortune was against him, for where he might have
+expected her favour he lost it, and with it his liberty, on that glorious
+day when so many recovered theirs, at the battle of Lepanto. I lost mine
+at the Goletta, and after a variety of adventures we found ourselves
+comrades at Constantinople. Thence he went to Algiers, where he met with
+one of the most extraordinary adventures that ever befell anyone in the
+world."
+
+Here the curate went on to relate briefly his brother's adventure with
+Zoraida; to all which the Judge gave such an attentive hearing that he
+never before had been so much of a hearer. The curate, however, only went
+so far as to describe how the Frenchmen plundered those who were in the
+boat, and the poverty and distress in which his comrade and the fair Moor
+were left, of whom he said he had not been able to learn what became of
+them, or whether they had reached Spain, or been carried to France by the
+Frenchmen.
+
+The captain, standing a little to one side, was listening to all the
+curate said, and watching every movement of his brother, who, as soon as
+he perceived the curate had made an end of his story, gave a deep sigh
+and said with his eyes full of tears, "Oh, senor, if you only knew what
+news you have given me and how it comes home to me, making me show how I
+feel it with these tears that spring from my eyes in spite of all my
+worldly wisdom and self-restraint! That brave captain that you speak of
+is my eldest brother, who, being of a bolder and loftier mind than my
+other brother or myself, chose the honourable and worthy calling of arms,
+which was one of the three careers our father proposed to us, as your
+comrade mentioned in that fable you thought he was telling you. I
+followed that of letters, in which God and my own exertions have raised
+me to the position in which you see me. My second brother is in Peru, so
+wealthy that with what he has sent to my father and to me he has fully
+repaid the portion he took with him, and has even furnished my father's
+hands with the means of gratifying his natural generosity, while I too
+have been enabled to pursue my studies in a more becoming and creditable
+fashion, and so to attain my present standing. My father is still alive,
+though dying with anxiety to hear of his eldest son, and he prays God
+unceasingly that death may not close his eyes until he has looked upon
+those of his son; but with regard to him what surprises me is, that
+having so much common sense as he had, he should have neglected to give
+any intelligence about himself, either in his troubles and sufferings, or
+in his prosperity, for if his father or any of us had known of his
+condition he need not have waited for that miracle of the reed to obtain
+his ransom; but what now disquiets me is the uncertainty whether those
+Frenchmen may have restored him to liberty, or murdered him to hide the
+robbery. All this will make me continue my journey, not with the
+satisfaction in which I began it, but in the deepest melancholy and
+sadness. Oh dear brother! that I only knew where thou art now, and I
+would hasten to seek thee out and deliver thee from thy sufferings,
+though it were to cost me suffering myself! Oh that I could bring news to
+our old father that thou art alive, even wert thou the deepest dungeon of
+Barbary; for his wealth and my brother's and mine would rescue thee
+thence! Oh beautiful and generous Zoraida, that I could repay thy good
+goodness to a brother! That I could be present at the new birth of thy
+soul, and at thy bridal that would give us all such happiness!"
+
+All this and more the Judge uttered with such deep emotion at the news he
+had received of his brother that all who heard him shared in it, showing
+their sympathy with his sorrow. The curate, seeing, then, how well he had
+succeeded in carrying out his purpose and the captain's wishes, had no
+desire to keep them unhappy any longer, so he rose from the table and
+going into the room where Zoraida was he took her by the hand, Luscinda,
+Dorothea, and the Judge's daughter following her. The captain was waiting
+to see what the curate would do, when the latter, taking him with the
+other hand, advanced with both of them to where the Judge and the other
+gentlemen were and said, "Let your tears cease to flow, Senor Judge, and
+the wish of your heart be gratified as fully as you could desire, for you
+have before you your worthy brother and your good sister-in-law. He whom
+you see here is the Captain Viedma, and this is the fair Moor who has
+been so good to him. The Frenchmen I told you of have reduced them to the
+state of poverty you see that you may show the generosity of your kind
+heart."
+
+The captain ran to embrace his brother, who placed both hands on his
+breast so as to have a good look at him, holding him a little way off but
+as soon as he had fully recognised him he clasped him in his arms so
+closely, shedding such tears of heartfelt joy, that most of those present
+could not but join in them. The words the brothers exchanged, the emotion
+they showed can scarcely be imagined, I fancy, much less put down in
+writing. They told each other in a few words the events of their lives;
+they showed the true affection of brothers in all its strength; then the
+judge embraced Zoraida, putting all he possessed at her disposal; then he
+made his daughter embrace her, and the fair Christian and the lovely Moor
+drew fresh tears from every eye. And there was Don Quixote observing all
+these strange proceedings attentively without uttering a word, and
+attributing the whole to chimeras of knight-errantry. Then they agreed
+that the captain and Zoraida should return with his brother to Seville,
+and send news to his father of his having been delivered and found, so as
+to enable him to come and be present at the marriage and baptism of
+Zoraida, for it was impossible for the Judge to put off his journey, as
+he was informed that in a month from that time the fleet was to sail from
+Seville for New Spain, and to miss the passage would have been a great
+inconvenience to him. In short, everybody was well pleased and glad at
+the captive's good fortune; and as now almost two-thirds of the night
+were past, they resolved to retire to rest for the remainder of it. Don
+Quixote offered to mount guard over the castle lest they should be
+attacked by some giant or other malevolent scoundrel, covetous of the
+great treasure of beauty the castle contained. Those who understood him
+returned him thanks for this service, and they gave the Judge an account
+of his extraordinary humour, with which he was not a little amused.
+Sancho Panza alone was fuming at the lateness of the hour for retiring to
+rest; and he of all was the one that made himself most comfortable, as he
+stretched himself on the trappings of his ass, which, as will be told
+farther on, cost him so dear.
+
+The ladies, then, having retired to their chamber, and the others having
+disposed themselves with as little discomfort as they could, Don Quixote
+sallied out of the inn to act as sentinel of the castle as he had
+promised. It happened, however, that a little before the approach of dawn
+a voice so musical and sweet reached the ears of the ladies that it
+forced them all to listen attentively, but especially Dorothea, who had
+been awake, and by whose side Dona Clara de Viedma, for so the Judge's
+daughter was called, lay sleeping. No one could imagine who it was that
+sang so sweetly, and the voice was unaccompanied by any instrument. At
+one moment it seemed to them as if the singer were in the courtyard, at
+another in the stable; and as they were all attention, wondering,
+Cardenio came to the door and said, "Listen, whoever is not asleep, and
+you will hear a muleteer's voice that enchants as it chants."
+
+"We are listening to it already, senor," said Dorothea; on which Cardenio
+went away; and Dorothea, giving all her attention to it, made out the
+words of the song to be these:
+
+Chapter XLIII. -
+Wherein is related the pleasant story of the muleteer, together with
+other strange things that came to pass in the inn
+
+poem{
+
+Ah me, Love's mariner am I
+  On Love's deep ocean sailing;
+I know not where the haven lies,
+  I dare not hope to gain it.
+
+One solitary distant star
+  Is all I have to guide me,
+A brighter orb than those of old
+  That Palinurus lighted.
+
+And vaguely drifting am I borne,
+  I know not where it leads me;
+I fix my gaze on it alone,
+  Of all beside it heedless.
+
+But over-cautious prudery,
+  And coyness cold and cruel,
+When most I need it, these, like clouds,
+  Its longed-for light refuse me.
+
+Bright star, goal of my yearning eyes
+  As thou above me beamest,
+When thou shalt hide thee from my sight
+  I'll know that death is near me.
+
+}poem
+
+The singer had got so far when it struck Dorothea that it was not fair to
+let Clara miss hearing such a sweet voice, so, shaking her from side to
+side, she woke her, saying:
+
+"Forgive me, child, for waking thee, but I do so that thou mayest have
+the pleasure of hearing the best voice thou hast ever heard, perhaps, in
+all thy life."
+
+Clara awoke quite drowsy, and not understanding at the moment what
+Dorothea said, asked her what it was; she repeated what she had said, and
+Clara became attentive at once; but she had hardly heard two lines, as
+the singer continued, when a strange trembling seized her, as if she were
+suffering from a severe attack of quartan ague, and throwing her arms
+round Dorothea she said:
+
+"Ah, dear lady of my soul and life! why did you wake me? The greatest
+kindness fortune could do me now would be to close my eyes and ears so as
+neither to see or hear that unhappy musician."
+
+"What art thou talking about, child?" said Dorothea. "Why, they say this
+singer is a muleteer!"
+
+"Nay, he is the lord of many places," replied Clara, "and that one in my
+heart which he holds so firmly shall never be taken from him, unless he
+be willing to surrender it."
+
+Dorothea was amazed at the ardent language of the girl, for it seemed to
+be far beyond such experience of life as her tender years gave any
+promise of, so she said to her:
+
+"You speak in such a way that I cannot understand you, Senora Clara;
+explain yourself more clearly, and tell me what is this you are saying
+about hearts and places and this musician whose voice has so moved you?
+But do not tell me anything now; I do not want to lose the pleasure I get
+from listening to the singer by giving my attention to your transports,
+for I perceive he is beginning to sing a new strain and a new air."
+
+"Let him, in Heaven's name," returned Clara; and not to hear him she
+stopped both ears with her hands, at which Dorothea was again surprised;
+but turning her attention to the song she found that it ran in this
+fashion:
+
+poem{
+
+  Sweet Hope, my stay,
+That onward to the goal of thy intent
+  Dost make thy way,
+Heedless of hindrance or impediment,
+  Have thou no fear
+If at each step thou findest death is near.
+
+  No victory,
+No joy of triumph doth the faint heart know;
+  Unblest is he
+That a bold front to Fortune dares not show,
+  But soul and sense
+In bondage yieldeth up to indolence.
+
+  If Love his wares
+Do dearly sell, his right must be contest;
+  What gold compares
+With that whereon his stamp he hath imprest?
+  And all men know
+What costeth little that we rate but low.
+
+  Love resolute
+Knows not the word "impossibility;"
+  And though my suit
+Beset by endless obstacles I see,
+  Yet no despair
+Shall hold me bound to earth while heaven is there.
+
+}poem
+
+Here the voice ceased and Clara's sobs began afresh, all which excited
+Dorothea's curiosity to know what could be the cause of singing so sweet
+and weeping so bitter, so she again asked her what it was she was going
+to say before. On this Clara, afraid that Luscinda might overhear her,
+winding her arms tightly round Dorothea put her mouth so close to her ear
+that she could speak without fear of being heard by anyone else, and
+said:
+
+"This singer, dear senora, is the son of a gentleman of Aragon, lord of
+two villages, who lives opposite my father's house at Madrid; and though
+my father had curtains to the windows of his house in winter, and
+lattice-work in summer, in some way--I know not how--this gentleman, who
+was pursuing his studies, saw me, whether in church or elsewhere, I
+cannot tell, and, in fact, fell in love with me, and gave me to know it
+from the windows of his house, with so many signs and tears that I was
+forced to believe him, and even to love him, without knowing what it was
+he wanted of me. One of the signs he used to make me was to link one hand
+in the other, to show me he wished to marry me; and though I should have
+been glad if that could be, being alone and motherless I knew not whom to
+open my mind to, and so I left it as it was, showing him no favour,
+except when my father, and his too, were from home, to raise the curtain
+or the lattice a little and let him see me plainly, at which he would
+show such delight that he seemed as if he were going mad. Meanwhile the
+time for my father's departure arrived, which he became aware of, but not
+from me, for I had never been able to tell him of it. He fell sick, of
+grief I believe, and so the day we were going away I could not see him to
+take farewell of him, were it only with the eyes. But after we had been
+two days on the road, on entering the posada of a village a day's journey
+from this, I saw him at the inn door in the dress of a muleteer, and so
+well disguised, that if I did not carry his image graven on my heart it
+would have been impossible for me to recognise him. But I knew him, and I
+was surprised, and glad; he watched me, unsuspected by my father, from
+whom he always hides himself when he crosses my path on the road, or in
+the posadas where we halt; and, as I know what he is, and reflect that
+for love of me he makes this journey on foot in all this hardship, I am
+ready to die of sorrow; and where he sets foot there I set my eyes. I
+know not with what object he has come; or how he could have got away from
+his father, who loves him beyond measure, having no other heir, and
+because he deserves it, as you will perceive when you see him. And
+moreover, I can tell you, all that he sings is out of his own head; for I
+have heard them say he is a great scholar and poet; and what is more,
+every time I see him or hear him sing I tremble all over, and am
+terrified lest my father should recognise him and come to know of our
+loves. I have never spoken a word to him in my life; and for all that I
+love him so that I could not live without him. This, dear senora, is all
+I have to tell you about the musician whose voice has delighted you so
+much; and from it alone you might easily perceive he is no muleteer, but
+a lord of hearts and towns, as I told you already."
+
+"Say no more, Dona Clara," said Dorothea at this, at the same time
+kissing her a thousand times over, "say no more, I tell you, but wait
+till day comes; when I trust in God to arrange this affair of yours so
+that it may have the happy ending such an innocent beginning deserves."
+
+"Ah, senora," said Dona Clara, "what end can be hoped for when his father
+is of such lofty position, and so wealthy, that he would think I was not
+fit to be even a servant to his son, much less wife? And as to marrying
+without the knowledge of my father, I would not do it for all the world.
+I would not ask anything more than that this youth should go back and
+leave me; perhaps with not seeing him, and the long distance we shall
+have to travel, the pain I suffer now may become easier; though I daresay
+the remedy I propose will do me very little good. I don't know how the
+devil this has come about, or how this love I have for him got in; I such
+a young girl, and he such a mere boy; for I verily believe we are both of
+an age, and I am not sixteen yet; for I will be sixteen Michaelmas Day,
+next, my father says."
+
+Dorothea could not help laughing to hear how like a child Dona Clara
+spoke. "Let us go to sleep now, senora," said she, "for the little of the
+night that I fancy is left to us: God will soon send us daylight, and we
+will set all to rights, or it will go hard with me."
+
+With this they fell asleep, and deep silence reigned all through the inn.
+The only persons not asleep were the landlady's daughter and her servant
+Maritornes, who, knowing the weak point of Don Quixote's humour, and that
+he was outside the inn mounting guard in armour and on horseback,
+resolved, the pair of them, to play some trick upon him, or at any rate
+to amuse themselves for a while by listening to his nonsense. As it so
+happened there was not a window in the whole inn that looked outwards
+except a hole in the wall of a straw-loft through which they used to
+throw out the straw. At this hole the two demi-damsels posted themselves,
+and observed Don Quixote on his horse, leaning on his pike and from time
+to time sending forth such deep and doleful sighs, that he seemed to
+pluck up his soul by the roots with each of them; and they could hear
+him, too, saying in a soft, tender, loving tone, "Oh my lady Dulcinea del
+Toboso, perfection of all beauty, summit and crown of discretion,
+treasure house of grace, depositary of virtue, and finally, ideal of all
+that is good, honourable, and delectable in this world! What is thy grace
+doing now? Art thou, perchance, mindful of thy enslaved knight who of his
+own free will hath exposed himself to so great perils, and all to serve
+thee? Give me tidings of her, oh luminary of the three faces! Perhaps at
+this moment, envious of hers, thou art regarding her, either as she paces
+to and fro some gallery of her sumptuous palaces, or leans over some
+balcony, meditating how, whilst preserving her purity and greatness, she
+may mitigate the tortures this wretched heart of mine endures for her
+sake, what glory should recompense my sufferings, what repose my toil,
+and lastly what death my life, and what reward my services? And thou, oh
+sun, that art now doubtless harnessing thy steeds in haste to rise
+betimes and come forth to see my lady; when thou seest her I entreat of
+thee to salute her on my behalf: but have a care, when thou shalt see her
+and salute her, that thou kiss not her face; for I shall be more jealous
+of thee than thou wert of that light-footed ingrate that made thee sweat
+and run so on the plains of Thessaly, or on the banks of the Peneus (for
+I do not exactly recollect where it was thou didst run on that occasion)
+in thy jealousy and love."
+
+Don Quixote had got so far in his pathetic speech when the landlady's
+daughter began to signal to him, saying, "Senor, come over here, please."
+
+At these signals and voice Don Quixote turned his head and saw by the
+light of the moon, which then was in its full splendour, that some one
+was calling to him from the hole in the wall, which seemed to him to be a
+window, and what is more, with a gilt grating, as rich castles, such as
+he believed the inn to be, ought to have; and it immediately suggested
+itself to his imagination that, as on the former occasion, the fair
+damsel, the daughter of the lady of the castle, overcome by love for him,
+was once more endeavouring to win his affections; and with this idea, not
+to show himself discourteous, or ungrateful, he turned Rocinante's head
+and approached the hole, and as he perceived the two wenches he said:
+
+"I pity you, beauteous lady, that you should have directed your thoughts
+of love to a quarter from whence it is impossible that such a return can
+be made to you as is due to your great merit and gentle birth, for which
+you must not blame this unhappy knight-errant whom love renders incapable
+of submission to any other than her whom, the first moment his eyes
+beheld her, he made absolute mistress of his soul. Forgive me, noble
+lady, and retire to your apartment, and do not, by any further
+declaration of your passion, compel me to show myself more ungrateful;
+and if, of the love you bear me, you should find that there is anything
+else in my power wherein I can gratify you, provided it be not love
+itself, demand it of me; for I swear to you by that sweet absent enemy of
+mine to grant it this instant, though it be that you require of me a lock
+of Medusa's hair, which was all snakes, or even the very beams of the sun
+shut up in a vial."
+
+"My mistress wants nothing of that sort, sir knight," said Maritornes at
+this.
+
+"What then, discreet dame, is it that your mistress wants?" replied Don
+Quixote.
+
+"Only one of your fair hands," said Maritornes, "to enable her to vent
+over it the great passion passion which has brought her to this loophole,
+so much to the risk of her honour; for if the lord her father had heard
+her, the least slice he would cut off her would be her ear."
+
+"I should like to see that tried," said Don Quixote; "but he had better
+beware of that, if he does not want to meet the most disastrous end that
+ever father in the world met for having laid hands on the tender limbs of
+a love-stricken daughter."
+
+Maritornes felt sure that Don Quixote would present the hand she had
+asked, and making up her mind what to do, she got down from the hole and
+went into the stable, where she took the halter of Sancho Panza's ass,
+and in all haste returned to the hole, just as Don Quixote had planted
+himself standing on Rocinante's saddle in order to reach the grated
+window where he supposed the lovelorn damsel to be; and giving her his
+hand, he said, "Lady, take this hand, or rather this scourge of the
+evil-doers of the earth; take, I say, this hand which no other hand of
+woman has ever touched, not even hers who has complete possession of my
+entire body. I present it to you, not that you may kiss it, but that you
+may observe the contexture of the sinews, the close network of the
+muscles, the breadth and capacity of the veins, whence you may infer what
+must be the strength of the arm that has such a hand."
+
+"That we shall see presently," said Maritornes, and making a running knot
+on the halter, she passed it over his wrist and coming down from the hole
+tied the other end very firmly to the bolt of the door of the straw-loft.
+
+Don Quixote, feeling the roughness of the rope on his wrist, exclaimed,
+"Your grace seems to be grating rather than caressing my hand; treat it
+not so harshly, for it is not to blame for the offence my resolution has
+given you, nor is it just to wreak all your vengeance on so small a part;
+remember that one who loves so well should not revenge herself so
+cruelly."
+
+But there was nobody now to listen to these words of Don Quixote's, for
+as soon as Maritornes had tied him she and the other made off, ready to
+die with laughing, leaving him fastened in such a way that it was
+impossible for him to release himself.
+
+He was, as has been said, standing on Rocinante, with his arm passed
+through the hole and his wrist tied to the bolt of the door, and in
+mighty fear and dread of being left hanging by the arm if Rocinante were
+to stir one side or the other; so he did not dare to make the least
+movement, although from the patience and imperturbable disposition of
+Rocinante, he had good reason to expect that he would stand without
+budging for a whole century. Finding himself fast, then, and that the
+ladies had retired, he began to fancy that all this was done by
+enchantment, as on the former occasion when in that same castle that
+enchanted Moor of a carrier had belaboured him; and he cursed in his
+heart his own want of sense and judgment in venturing to enter the castle
+again, after having come off so badly the first time; it being a settled
+point with knights-errant that when they have tried an adventure, and
+have not succeeded in it, it is a sign that it is not reserved for them
+but for others, and that therefore they need not try it again.
+Nevertheless he pulled his arm to see if he could release himself, but it
+had been made so fast that all his efforts were in vain. It is true he
+pulled it gently lest Rocinante should move, but try as he might to seat
+himself in the saddle, he had nothing for it but to stand upright or pull
+his hand off. Then it was he wished for the sword of Amadis, against
+which no enchantment whatever had any power; then he cursed his ill
+fortune; then he magnified the loss the world would sustain by his
+absence while he remained there enchanted, for that he believed he was
+beyond all doubt; then he once more took to thinking of his beloved
+Dulcinea del Toboso; then he called to his worthy squire Sancho Panza,
+who, buried in sleep and stretched upon the pack-saddle of his ass, was
+oblivious, at that moment, of the mother that bore him; then he called
+upon the sages Lirgandeo and Alquife to come to his aid; then he invoked
+his good friend Urganda to succour him; and then, at last, morning found
+him in such a state of desperation and perplexity that he was bellowing
+like a bull, for he had no hope that day would bring any relief to his
+suffering, which he believed would last for ever, inasmuch as he was
+enchanted; and of this he was convinced by seeing that Rocinante never
+stirred, much or little, and he felt persuaded that he and his horse were
+to remain in this state, without eating or drinking or sleeping, until
+the malign influence of the stars was overpast, or until some other more
+sage enchanter should disenchant him.
+
+But he was very much deceived in this conclusion, for daylight had hardly
+begun to appear when there came up to the inn four men on horseback, well
+equipped and accoutred, with firelocks across their saddle-bows. They
+called out and knocked loudly at the gate of the inn, which was still
+shut; on seeing which, Don Quixote, even there where he was, did not
+forget to act as sentinel, and said in a loud and imperious tone,
+"Knights, or squires, or whatever ye be, ye have no right to knock at the
+gates of this castle; for it is plain enough that they who are within are
+either asleep, or else are not in the habit of throwing open the fortress
+until the sun's rays are spread over the whole surface of the earth.
+Withdraw to a distance, and wait till it is broad daylight, and then we
+shall see whether it will be proper or not to open to you."
+
+"What the devil fortress or castle is this," said one, "to make us stand
+on such ceremony? If you are the innkeeper bid them open to us; we are
+travellers who only want to feed our horses and go on, for we are in
+haste."
+
+"Do you think, gentlemen, that I look like an innkeeper?" said Don
+Quixote.
+
+"I don't know what you look like," replied the other; "but I know that
+you are talking nonsense when you call this inn a castle."
+
+"A castle it is," returned Don Quixote, "nay, more, one of the best in
+this whole province, and it has within it people who have had the sceptre
+in the hand and the crown on the head."
+
+"It would be better if it were the other way," said the traveller, "the
+sceptre on the head and the crown in the hand; but if so, may be there is
+within some company of players, with whom it is a common thing to have
+those crowns and sceptres you speak of; for in such a small inn as this,
+and where such silence is kept, I do not believe any people entitled to
+crowns and sceptres can have taken up their quarters."
+
+"You know but little of the world," returned Don Quixote, "since you are
+ignorant of what commonly occurs in knight-errantry."
+
+But the comrades of the spokesman, growing weary of the dialogue with Don
+Quixote, renewed their knocks with great vehemence, so much so that the
+host, and not only he but everybody in the inn, awoke, and he got up to
+ask who knocked. It happened at this moment that one of the horses of the
+four who were seeking admittance went to smell Rocinante, who melancholy,
+dejected, and with drooping ears stood motionless, supporting his sorely
+stretched master; and as he was, after all, flesh, though he looked as if
+he were made of wood, he could not help giving way and in return smelling
+the one who had come to offer him attentions. But he had hardly moved at
+all when Don Quixote lost his footing; and slipping off the saddle, he
+would have come to the ground, but for being suspended by the arm, which
+caused him such agony that he believed either his wrist would be cut
+through or his arm torn off; and he hung so near the ground that he could
+just touch it with his feet, which was all the worse for him; for,
+finding how little was wanted to enable him to plant his feet firmly, he
+struggled and stretched himself as much as he could to gain a footing;
+just like those undergoing the torture of the strappado, when they are
+fixed at "touch and no touch," who aggravate their own sufferings by
+their violent efforts to stretch themselves, deceived by the hope which
+makes them fancy that with a very little more they will reach the ground.
+
+Chapter XLIV. -
+In which are continued the unheard-of adventures of the inn
+
+So loud, in fact, were the shouts of Don Quixote, that the landlord
+opening the gate of the inn in all haste, came out in dismay, and ran to
+see who was uttering such cries, and those who were outside joined him.
+Maritornes, who had been by this time roused up by the same outcry,
+suspecting what it was, ran to the loft and, without anyone seeing her,
+untied the halter by which Don Quixote was suspended, and down he came to
+the ground in the sight of the landlord and the travellers, who
+approaching asked him what was the matter with him that he shouted so. He
+without replying a word took the rope off his wrist, and rising to his
+feet leaped upon Rocinante, braced his buckler on his arm, put his lance
+in rest, and making a considerable circuit of the plain came back at a
+half-gallop exclaiming:
+
+"Whoever shall say that I have been enchanted with just cause, provided
+my lady the Princess Micomicona grants me permission to do so, I give him
+the lie, challenge him and defy him to single combat."
+
+The newly arrived travellers were amazed at the words of Don Quixote; but
+the landlord removed their surprise by telling them who he was, and not
+to mind him as he was out of his senses. They then asked the landlord if
+by any chance a youth of about fifteen years of age had come to that inn,
+one dressed like a muleteer, and of such and such an appearance,
+describing that of Dona Clara's lover. The landlord replied that there
+were so many people in the inn he had not noticed the person they were
+inquiring for; but one of them observing the coach in which the Judge had
+come, said, "He is here no doubt, for this is the coach he is following:
+let one of us stay at the gate, and the rest go in to look for him; or
+indeed it would be as well if one of us went round the inn, lest he
+should escape over the wall of the yard." "So be it," said another; and
+while two of them went in, one remained at the gate and the other made
+the circuit of the inn; observing all which, the landlord was unable to
+conjecture for what reason they were taking all these precautions, though
+he understood they were looking for the youth whose description they had
+given him.
+
+It was by this time broad daylight; and for that reason, as well as in
+consequence of the noise Don Quixote had made, everybody was awake and
+up, but particularly Dona Clara and Dorothea; for they had been able to
+sleep but badly that night, the one from agitation at having her lover so
+near her, the other from curiosity to see him. Don Quixote, when he saw
+that not one of the four travellers took any notice of him or replied to
+his challenge, was furious and ready to die with indignation and wrath;
+and if he could have found in the ordinances of chivalry that it was
+lawful for a knight-errant to undertake or engage in another enterprise,
+when he had plighted his word and faith not to involve himself in any
+until he had made an end of the one to which he was pledged, he would
+have attacked the whole of them, and would have made them return an
+answer in spite of themselves. But considering that it would not become
+him, nor be right, to begin any new emprise until he had established
+Micomicona in her kingdom, he was constrained to hold his peace and wait
+quietly to see what would be the upshot of the proceedings of those same
+travellers; one of whom found the youth they were seeking lying asleep by
+the side of a muleteer, without a thought of anyone coming in search of
+him, much less finding him.
+
+The man laid hold of him by the arm, saying, "It becomes you well indeed,
+Senor Don Luis, to be in the dress you wear, and well the bed in which I
+find you agrees with the luxury in which your mother reared you."
+
+The youth rubbed his sleepy eyes and stared for a while at him who held
+him, but presently recognised him as one of his father's servants, at
+which he was so taken aback that for some time he could not find or utter
+a word; while the servant went on to say, "There is nothing for it now,
+Senor Don Luis, but to submit quietly and return home, unless it is your
+wish that my lord, your father, should take his departure for the other
+world, for nothing else can be the consequence of the grief he is in at
+your absence."
+
+"But how did my father know that I had gone this road and in this dress?"
+said Don Luis.
+
+"It was a student to whom you confided your intentions," answered the
+servant, "that disclosed them, touched with pity at the distress he saw
+your father suffer on missing you; he therefore despatched four of his
+servants in quest of you, and here we all are at your service, better
+pleased than you can imagine that we shall return so soon and be able to
+restore you to those eyes that so yearn for you."
+
+"That shall be as I please, or as heaven orders," returned Don Luis.
+
+"What can you please or heaven order," said the other, "except to agree
+to go back? Anything else is impossible."
+
+All this conversation between the two was overheard by the muleteer at
+whose side Don Luis lay, and rising, he went to report what had taken
+place to Don Fernando, Cardenio, and the others, who had by this time
+dressed themselves; and told them how the man had addressed the youth as
+"Don," and what words had passed, and how he wanted him to return to his
+father, which the youth was unwilling to do. With this, and what they
+already knew of the rare voice that heaven had bestowed upon him, they
+all felt very anxious to know more particularly who he was, and even to
+help him if it was attempted to employ force against him; so they
+hastened to where he was still talking and arguing with his servant.
+Dorothea at this instant came out of her room, followed by Dona Clara all
+in a tremor; and calling Cardenio aside, she told him in a few words the
+story of the musician and Dona Clara, and he at the same time told her
+what had happened, how his father's servants had come in search of him;
+but in telling her so, he did not speak low enough but that Dona Clara
+heard what he said, at which she was so much agitated that had not
+Dorothea hastened to support her she would have fallen to the ground.
+Cardenio then bade Dorothea return to her room, as he would endeavour to
+make the whole matter right, and they did as he desired. All the four who
+had come in quest of Don Luis had now come into the inn and surrounded
+him, urging him to return and console his father at once and without a
+moment's delay. He replied that he could not do so on any account until
+he had concluded some business in which his life, honour, and heart were
+at stake. The servants pressed him, saying that most certainly they would
+not return without him, and that they would take him away whether he
+liked it or not.
+
+"You shall not do that," replied Don Luis, "unless you take me dead;
+though however you take me, it will be without life."
+
+By this time most of those in the inn had been attracted by the dispute,
+but particularly Cardenio, Don Fernando, his companions, the Judge, the
+curate, the barber, and Don Quixote; for he now considered there was no
+necessity for mounting guard over the castle any longer. Cardenio being
+already acquainted with the young man's story, asked the men who wanted
+to take him away, what object they had in seeking to carry off this youth
+against his will.
+
+"Our object," said one of the four, "is to save the life of his father,
+who is in danger of losing it through this gentleman's disappearance."
+
+Upon this Don Luis exclaimed, "There is no need to make my affairs public
+here; I am free, and I will return if I please; and if not, none of you
+shall compel me."
+
+"Reason will compel your worship," said the man, "and if it has no power
+over you, it has power over us, to make us do what we came for, and what
+it is our duty to do."
+
+"Let us hear what the whole affair is about," said the Judge at this; but
+the man, who knew him as a neighbour of theirs, replied, "Do you not know
+this gentleman, Senor Judge? He is the son of your neighbour, who has run
+away from his father's house in a dress so unbecoming his rank, as your
+worship may perceive."
+
+The judge on this looked at him more carefully and recognised him, and
+embracing him said, "What folly is this, Senor Don Luis, or what can have
+been the cause that could have induced you to come here in this way, and
+in this dress, which so ill becomes your condition?"
+
+Tears came into the eyes of the young man, and he was unable to utter a
+word in reply to the Judge, who told the four servants not to be uneasy,
+for all would be satisfactorily settled; and then taking Don Luis by the
+hand, he drew him aside and asked the reason of his having come there.
+
+But while he was questioning him they heard a loud outcry at the gate of
+the inn, the cause of which was that two of the guests who had passed the
+night there, seeing everybody busy about finding out what it was the four
+men wanted, had conceived the idea of going off without paying what they
+owed; but the landlord, who minded his own affairs more than other
+people's, caught them going out of the gate and demanded his reckoning,
+abusing them for their dishonesty with such language that he drove them
+to reply with their fists, and so they began to lay on him in such a
+style that the poor man was forced to cry out, and call for help. The
+landlady and her daughter could see no one more free to give aid than Don
+Quixote, and to him the daughter said, "Sir knight, by the virtue God has
+given you, help my poor father, for two wicked men are beating him to a
+mummy."
+
+To which Don Quixote very deliberately and phlegmatically replied, "Fair
+damsel, at the present moment your request is inopportune, for I am
+debarred from involving myself in any adventure until I have brought to a
+happy conclusion one to which my word has pledged me; but that which I
+can do for you is what I will now mention: run and tell your father to
+stand his ground as well as he can in this battle, and on no account to
+allow himself to be vanquished, while I go and request permission of the
+Princess Micomicona to enable me to succour him in his distress; and if
+she grants it, rest assured I will relieve him from it."
+
+"Sinner that I am," exclaimed Maritornes, who stood by; "before you have
+got your permission my master will be in the other world."
+
+"Give me leave, senora, to obtain the permission I speak of," returned
+Don Quixote; "and if I get it, it will matter very little if he is in the
+other world; for I will rescue him thence in spite of all the same world
+can do; or at any rate I will give you such a revenge over those who
+shall have sent him there that you will be more than moderately
+satisfied;" and without saying anything more he went and knelt before
+Dorothea, requesting her Highness in knightly and errant phrase to be
+pleased to grant him permission to aid and succour the castellan of that
+castle, who now stood in grievous jeopardy. The princess granted it
+graciously, and he at once, bracing his buckler on his arm and drawing
+his sword, hastened to the inn-gate, where the two guests were still
+handling the landlord roughly; but as soon as he reached the spot he
+stopped short and stood still, though Maritornes and the landlady asked
+him why he hesitated to help their master and husband.
+
+"I hesitate," said Don Quixote, "because it is not lawful for me to draw
+sword against persons of squirely condition; but call my squire Sancho to
+me; for this defence and vengeance are his affair and business."
+
+Thus matters stood at the inn-gate, where there was a very lively
+exchange of fisticuffs and punches, to the sore damage of the landlord
+and to the wrath of Maritornes, the landlady, and her daughter, who were
+furious when they saw the pusillanimity of Don Quixote, and the hard
+treatment their master, husband and father was undergoing. But let us
+leave him there; for he will surely find some one to help him, and if
+not, let him suffer and hold his tongue who attempts more than his
+strength allows him to do; and let us go back fifty paces to see what Don
+Luis said in reply to the Judge whom we left questioning him privately as
+to his reasons for coming on foot and so meanly dressed.
+
+To which the youth, pressing his hand in a way that showed his heart was
+troubled by some great sorrow, and shedding a flood of tears, made
+answer:
+
+"Senor, I have no more to tell you than that from the moment when,
+through heaven's will and our being near neighbours, I first saw Dona
+Clara, your daughter and my lady, from that instant I made her the
+mistress of my will, and if yours, my true lord and father, offers no
+impediment, this very day she shall become my wife. For her I left my
+father's house, and for her I assumed this disguise, to follow her
+whithersoever she may go, as the arrow seeks its mark or the sailor the
+pole-star. She knows nothing more of my passion than what she may have
+learned from having sometimes seen from a distance that my eyes were
+filled with tears. You know already, senor, the wealth and noble birth of
+my parents, and that I am their sole heir; if this be a sufficient
+inducement for you to venture to make me completely happy, accept me at
+once as your son; for if my father, influenced by other objects of his
+own, should disapprove of this happiness I have sought for myself, time
+has more power to alter and change things, than human will."
+
+With this the love-smitten youth was silent, while the Judge, after
+hearing him, was astonished, perplexed, and surprised, as well at the
+manner and intelligence with which Don Luis had confessed the secret of
+his heart, as at the position in which he found himself, not knowing what
+course to take in a matter so sudden and unexpected. All the answer,
+therefore, he gave him was to bid him to make his mind easy for the
+present, and arrange with his servants not to take him back that day, so
+that there might be time to consider what was best for all parties. Don
+Luis kissed his hands by force, nay, bathed them with his tears, in a way
+that would have touched a heart of marble, not to say that of the Judge,
+who, as a shrewd man, had already perceived how advantageous the marriage
+would be to his daughter; though, were it possible, he would have
+preferred that it should be brought about with the consent of the father
+of Don Luis, who he knew looked for a title for his son.
+
+The guests had by this time made peace with the landlord, for, by
+persuasion and Don Quixote's fair words more than by threats, they had
+paid him what he demanded, and the servants of Don Luis were waiting for
+the end of the conversation with the Judge and their master's decision,
+when the devil, who never sleeps, contrived that the barber, from whom
+Don Quixote had taken Mambrino's helmet, and Sancho Panza the trappings
+of his ass in exchange for those of his own, should at this instant enter
+the inn; which said barber, as he led his ass to the stable, observed
+Sancho Panza engaged in repairing something or other belonging to the
+pack-saddle; and the moment he saw it he knew it, and made bold to attack
+Sancho, exclaiming, "Ho, sir thief, I have caught you! hand over my basin
+and my pack-saddle, and all my trappings that you robbed me of."
+
+Sancho, finding himself so unexpectedly assailed, and hearing the abuse
+poured upon him, seized the pack-saddle with one hand, and with the other
+gave the barber a cuff that bathed his teeth in blood. The barber,
+however, was not so ready to relinquish the prize he had made in the
+pack-saddle; on the contrary, he raised such an outcry that everyone in
+the inn came running to know what the noise and quarrel meant. "Here, in
+the name of the king and justice!" he cried, "this thief and highwayman
+wants to kill me for trying to recover my property."
+
+"You lie," said Sancho, "I am no highwayman; it was in fair war my master
+Don Quixote won these spoils."
+
+Don Quixote was standing by at the time, highly pleased to see his
+squire's stoutness, both offensive and defensive, and from that time
+forth he reckoned him a man of mettle, and in his heart resolved to dub
+him a knight on the first opportunity that presented itself, feeling sure
+that the order of chivalry would be fittingly bestowed upon him.
+
+In the course of the altercation, among other things the barber said,
+"Gentlemen, this pack-saddle is mine as surely as I owe God a death, and
+I know it as well as if I had given birth to it, and here is my ass in
+the stable who will not let me lie; only try it, and if it does not fit
+him like a glove, call me a rascal; and what is more, the same day I was
+robbed of this, they robbed me likewise of a new brass basin, never yet
+handselled, that would fetch a crown any day."
+
+At this Don Quixote could not keep himself from answering; and
+interposing between the two, and separating them, he placed the
+pack-saddle on the ground, to lie there in sight until the truth was
+established, and said, "Your worships may perceive clearly and plainly
+the error under which this worthy squire lies when he calls a basin which
+was, is, and shall be the helmet of Mambrino which I won from him in air
+war, and made myself master of by legitimate and lawful possession. With
+the pack-saddle I do not concern myself; but I may tell you on that head
+that my squire Sancho asked my permission to strip off the caparison of
+this vanquished poltroon's steed, and with it adorn his own; I allowed
+him, and he took it; and as to its having been changed from a caparison
+into a pack-saddle, I can give no explanation except the usual one, that
+such transformations will take place in adventures of chivalry. To
+confirm all which, run, Sancho my son, and fetch hither the helmet which
+this good fellow calls a basin."
+
+"Egad, master," said Sancho, "if we have no other proof of our case than
+what your worship puts forward, Mambrino's helmet is just as much a basin
+as this good fellow's caparison is a pack-saddle."
+
+"Do as I bid thee," said Don Quixote; "it cannot be that everything in
+this castle goes by enchantment."
+
+Sancho hastened to where the basin was, and brought it back with him, and
+when Don Quixote saw it, he took hold of it and said:
+
+"Your worships may see with what a face this squire can assert that this
+is a basin and not the helmet I told you of; and I swear by the order of
+chivalry I profess, that this helmet is the identical one I took from
+him, without anything added to or taken from it."
+
+"There is no doubt of that," said Sancho, "for from the time my master
+won it until now he has only fought one battle in it, when he let loose
+those unlucky men in chains; and if had not been for this basin-helmet he
+would not have come off over well that time, for there was plenty of
+stone-throwing in that affair."
+
+Chapter XLV. -
+In which the doubtful question of Mambrino's helmet and the pack-saddle
+is finally settled, with other adventures that occurred in truth and
+earnest
+
+"What do you think now, gentlemen," said the barber, "of what these
+gentles say, when they want to make out that this is a helmet?"
+
+"And whoever says the contrary," said Don Quixote, "I will let him know
+he lies if he is a knight, and if he is a squire that he lies again a
+thousand times."
+
+Our own barber, who was present at all this, and understood Don Quixote's
+humour so thoroughly, took it into his head to back up his delusion and
+carry on the joke for the general amusement; so addressing the other
+barber he said:
+
+"Senor barber, or whatever you are, you must know that I belong to your
+profession too, and have had a licence to practise for more than twenty
+years, and I know the implements of the barber craft, every one of them,
+perfectly well; and I was likewise a soldier for some time in the days of
+my youth, and I know also what a helmet is, and a morion, and a headpiece
+with a visor, and other things pertaining to soldiering, I meant to say
+to soldiers' arms; and I say-saving better opinions and always with
+submission to sounder judgments--that this piece we have now before us,
+which this worthy gentleman has in his hands, not only is no barber's
+basin, but is as far from being one as white is from black, and truth
+from falsehood; I say, moreover, that this, although it is a helmet, is
+not a complete helmet."
+
+"Certainly not," said Don Quixote, "for half of it is wanting, that is to
+say the beaver."
+
+"It is quite true," said the curate, who saw the object of his friend the
+barber; and Cardenio, Don Fernando and his companions agreed with him,
+and even the Judge, if his thoughts had not been so full of Don Luis's
+affair, would have helped to carry on the joke; but he was so taken up
+with the serious matters he had on his mind that he paid little or no
+attention to these facetious proceedings.
+
+"God bless me!" exclaimed their butt the barber at this; "is it possible
+that such an honourable company can say that this is not a basin but a
+helmet? Why, this is a thing that would astonish a whole university,
+however wise it might be! That will do; if this basin is a helmet, why,
+then the pack-saddle must be a horse's caparison, as this gentleman has
+said."
+
+"To me it looks like a pack-saddle," said Don Quixote; "but I have
+already said that with that question I do not concern myself."
+
+"As to whether it be pack-saddle or caparison," said the curate, "it is
+only for Senor Don Quixote to say; for in these matters of chivalry all
+these gentlemen and I bow to his authority."
+
+"By God, gentlemen," said Don Quixote, "so many strange things have
+happened to me in this castle on the two occasions on which I have
+sojourned in it, that I will not venture to assert anything positively in
+reply to any question touching anything it contains; for it is my belief
+that everything that goes on within it goes by enchantment. The first
+time, an enchanted Moor that there is in it gave me sore trouble, nor did
+Sancho fare well among certain followers of his; and last night I was
+kept hanging by this arm for nearly two hours, without knowing how or why
+I came by such a mishap. So that now, for me to come forward to give an
+opinion in such a puzzling matter, would be to risk a rash decision. As
+regards the assertion that this is a basin and not a helmet I have
+already given an answer; but as to the question whether this is a
+pack-saddle or a caparison I will not venture to give a positive opinion,
+but will leave it to your worships' better judgment. Perhaps as you are
+not dubbed knights like myself, the enchantments of this place have
+nothing to do with you, and your faculties are unfettered, and you can
+see things in this castle as they really and truly are, and not as they
+appear to me."
+
+"There can be no question," said Don Fernando on this, "but that Senor
+Don Quixote has spoken very wisely, and that with us rests the decision
+of this matter; and that we may have surer ground to go on, I will take
+the votes of the gentlemen in secret, and declare the result clearly and
+fully."
+
+To those who were in the secret of Don Quixote's humour all this afforded
+great amusement; but to those who knew nothing about it, it seemed the
+greatest nonsense in the world, in particular to the four servants of Don
+Luis, as well as to Don Luis himself, and to three other travellers who
+had by chance come to the inn, and had the appearance of officers of the
+Holy Brotherhood, as indeed they were; but the one who above all was at
+his wits' end, was the barber basin, there before his very eyes, had been
+turned into Mambrino's helmet, and whose pack-saddle he had no doubt
+whatever was about to become a rich caparison for a horse. All laughed to
+see Don Fernando going from one to another collecting the votes, and
+whispering to them to give him their private opinion whether the treasure
+over which there had been so much fighting was a pack-saddle or a
+caparison; but after he had taken the votes of those who knew Don
+Quixote, he said aloud, "The fact is, my good fellow, that I am tired
+collecting such a number of opinions, for I find that there is not one of
+whom I ask what I desire to know, who does not tell me that it is absurd
+to say that this is the pack-saddle of an ass, and not the caparison of a
+horse, nay, of a thoroughbred horse; so you must submit, for, in spite of
+you and your ass, this is a caparison and no pack-saddle, and you have
+stated and proved your case very badly."
+
+"May I never share heaven," said the poor barber, "if your worships are
+not all mistaken; and may my soul appear before God as that appears to me
+a pack-saddle and not a caparison; but, 'laws go,'-I say no more; and
+indeed I am not drunk, for I am fasting, except it be from sin."
+
+The simple talk of the barber did not afford less amusement than the
+absurdities of Don Quixote, who now observed:
+
+"There is no more to be done now than for each to take what belongs to
+him, and to whom God has given it, may St. Peter add his blessing."
+
+But said one of the four servants, "Unless, indeed, this is a deliberate
+joke, I cannot bring myself to believe that men so intelligent as those
+present are, or seem to be, can venture to declare and assert that this
+is not a basin, and that not a pack-saddle; but as I perceive that they
+do assert and declare it, I can only come to the conclusion that there is
+some mystery in this persistence in what is so opposed to the evidence of
+experience and truth itself; for I swear by"--and here he rapped out a
+round oath-"all the people in the world will not make me believe that
+this is not a barber's basin and that a jackass's pack-saddle."
+
+"It might easily be a she-ass's," observed the curate.
+
+"It is all the same," said the servant; "that is not the point; but
+whether it is or is not a pack-saddle, as your worships say."
+
+On hearing this one of the newly arrived officers of the Brotherhood, who
+had been listening to the dispute and controversy, unable to restrain his
+anger and impatience, exclaimed, "It is a pack-saddle as sure as my
+father is my father, and whoever has said or will say anything else must
+be drunk."
+
+"You lie like a rascally clown," returned Don Quixote; and lifting his
+pike, which he had never let out of his hand, he delivered such a blow at
+his head that, had not the officer dodged it, it would have stretched him
+at full length. The pike was shivered in pieces against the ground, and
+the rest of the officers, seeing their comrade assaulted, raised a shout,
+calling for help for the Holy Brotherhood. The landlord, who was of the
+fraternity, ran at once to fetch his staff of office and his sword, and
+ranged himself on the side of his comrades; the servants of Don Luis
+clustered round him, lest he should escape from them in the confusion;
+the barber, seeing the house turned upside down, once more laid hold of
+his pack-saddle and Sancho did the same; Don Quixote drew his sword and
+charged the officers; Don Luis cried out to his servants to leave him
+alone and go and help Don Quixote, and Cardenio and Don Fernando, who
+were supporting him; the curate was shouting at the top of his voice, the
+landlady was screaming, her daughter was wailing, Maritornes was weeping,
+Dorothea was aghast, Luscinda terror-stricken, and Dona Clara in a faint.
+The barber cudgelled Sancho, and Sancho pommelled the barber; Don Luis
+gave one of his servants, who ventured to catch him by the arm to keep
+him from escaping, a cuff that bathed his teeth in blood; the Judge took
+his part; Don Fernando had got one of the officers down and was
+belabouring him heartily; the landlord raised his voice again calling for
+help for the Holy Brotherhood; so that the whole inn was nothing but
+cries, shouts, shrieks, confusion, terror, dismay, mishaps, sword-cuts,
+fisticuffs, cudgellings, kicks, and bloodshed; and in the midst of all
+this chaos, complication, and general entanglement, Don Quixote took it
+into his head that he had been plunged into the thick of the discord of
+Agramante's camp; and, in a voice that shook the inn like thunder, he
+cried out:
+
+"Hold all, let all sheathe their swords, let all be calm and attend to me
+as they value their lives!"
+
+All paused at his mighty voice, and he went on to say, "Did I not tell
+you, sirs, that this castle was enchanted, and that a legion or so of
+devils dwelt in it? In proof whereof I call upon you to behold with your
+own eyes how the discord of Agramante's camp has come hither, and been
+transferred into the midst of us. See how they fight, there for the
+sword, here for the horse, on that side for the eagle, on this for the
+helmet; we are all fighting, and all at cross purposes. Come then, you,
+Senor Judge, and you, senor curate; let the one represent King Agramante
+and the other King Sobrino, and make peace among us; for by God Almighty
+it is a sorry business that so many persons of quality as we are should
+slay one another for such trifling cause." The officers, who did not
+understand Don Quixote's mode of speaking, and found themselves roughly
+handled by Don Fernando, Cardenio, and their companions, were not to be
+appeased; the barber was, however, for both his beard and his pack-saddle
+were the worse for the struggle; Sancho like a good servant obeyed the
+slightest word of his master; while the four servants of Don Luis kept
+quiet when they saw how little they gained by not being so. The landlord
+alone insisted upon it that they must punish the insolence of this
+madman, who at every turn raised a disturbance in the inn; but at length
+the uproar was stilled for the present; the pack-saddle remained a
+caparison till the day of judgment, and the basin a helmet and the inn a
+castle in Don Quixote's imagination.
+
+All having been now pacified and made friends by the persuasion of the
+Judge and the curate, the servants of Don Luis began again to urge him to
+return with them at once; and while he was discussing the matter with
+them, the Judge took counsel with Don Fernando, Cardenio, and the curate
+as to what he ought to do in the case, telling them how it stood, and
+what Don Luis had said to him. It was agreed at length that Don Fernando
+should tell the servants of Don Luis who he was, and that it was his
+desire that Don Luis should accompany him to Andalusia, where he would
+receive from the marquis his brother the welcome his quality entitled him
+to; for, otherwise, it was easy to see from the determination of Don Luis
+that he would not return to his father at present, though they tore him
+to pieces. On learning the rank of Don Fernando and the resolution of Don
+Luis the four then settled it between themselves that three of them
+should return to tell his father how matters stood, and that the other
+should remain to wait upon Don Luis, and not leave him until they came
+back for him, or his father's orders were known. Thus by the authority of
+Agramante and the wisdom of King Sobrino all this complication of
+disputes was arranged; but the enemy of concord and hater of peace,
+feeling himself slighted and made a fool of, and seeing how little he had
+gained after having involved them all in such an elaborate entanglement,
+resolved to try his hand once more by stirring up fresh quarrels and
+disturbances.
+
+It came about in this wise: the officers were pacified on learning the
+rank of those with whom they had been engaged, and withdrew from the
+contest, considering that whatever the result might be they were likely
+to get the worst of the battle; but one of them, the one who had been
+thrashed and kicked by Don Fernando, recollected that among some warrants
+he carried for the arrest of certain delinquents, he had one against Don
+Quixote, whom the Holy Brotherhood had ordered to be arrested for setting
+the galley slaves free, as Sancho had, with very good reason,
+apprehended. Suspecting how it was, then, he wished to satisfy himself as
+to whether Don Quixote's features corresponded; and taking a parchment
+out of his bosom he lit upon what he was in search of, and setting
+himself to read it deliberately, for he was not a quick reader, as he
+made out each word he fixed his eyes on Don Quixote, and went on
+comparing the description in the warrant with his face, and discovered
+that beyond all doubt he was the person described in it. As soon as he
+had satisfied himself, folding up the parchment, he took the warrant in
+his left hand and with his right seized Don Quixote by the collar so
+tightly that he did not allow him to breathe, and shouted aloud, "Help
+for the Holy Brotherhood! and that you may see I demand it in earnest,
+read this warrant which says this highwayman is to be arrested."
+
+The curate took the warrant and saw that what the officer said was true,
+and that it agreed with Don Quixote's appearance, who, on his part, when
+he found himself roughly handled by this rascally clown, worked up to the
+highest pitch of wrath, and all his joints cracking with rage, with both
+hands seized the officer by the throat with all his might, so that had he
+not been helped by his comrades he would have yielded up his life ere Don
+Quixote released his hold. The landlord, who had perforce to support his
+brother officers, ran at once to aid them. The landlady, when she saw her
+husband engaged in a fresh quarrel, lifted up her voice afresh, and its
+note was immediately caught up by Maritornes and her daughter, calling
+upon heaven and all present for help; and Sancho, seeing what was going
+on, exclaimed, "By the Lord, it is quite true what my master says about
+the enchantments of this castle, for it is impossible to live an hour in
+peace in it!"
+
+Don Fernando parted the officer and Don Quixote, and to their mutual
+contentment made them relax the grip by which they held, the one the coat
+collar, the other the throat of his adversary; for all this, however, the
+officers did not cease to demand their prisoner and call on them to help,
+and deliver him over bound into their power, as was required for the
+service of the King and of the Holy Brotherhood, on whose behalf they
+again demanded aid and assistance to effect the capture of this robber
+and footpad of the highways.
+
+Don Quixote smiled when he heard these words, and said very calmly, "Come
+now, base, ill-born brood; call ye it highway robbery to give freedom to
+those in bondage, to release the captives, to succour the miserable, to
+raise up the fallen, to relieve the needy? Infamous beings, who by your
+vile grovelling intellects deserve that heaven should not make known to
+you the virtue that lies in knight-errantry, or show you the sin and
+ignorance in which ye lie when ye refuse to respect the shadow, not to
+say the presence, of any knight-errant! Come now; band, not of officers,
+but of thieves; footpads with the licence of the Holy Brotherhood; tell
+me who was the ignoramus who signed a warrant of arrest against such a
+knight as I am? Who was he that did not know that knights-errant are
+independent of all jurisdictions, that their law is their sword, their
+charter their prowess, and their edicts their will? Who, I say again, was
+the fool that knows not that there are no letters patent of nobility that
+confer such privileges or exemptions as a knight-errant acquires the day
+he is dubbed a knight, and devotes himself to the arduous calling of
+chivalry? What knight-errant ever paid poll-tax, duty, queen's pin-money,
+king's dues, toll or ferry? What tailor ever took payment of him for
+making his clothes? What castellan that received him in his castle ever
+made him pay his shot? What king did not seat him at his table? What
+damsel was not enamoured of him and did not yield herself up wholly to
+his will and pleasure? And, lastly, what knight-errant has there been, is
+there, or will there ever be in the world, not bold enough to give,
+single-handed, four hundred cudgellings to four hundred officers of the
+Holy Brotherhood if they come in his way?"
+
+Chapter XLVI. -
+Of the end of the notable adventure of the officers of the holy
+brotherhood; and of the great ferocity of our worthy Knight, Don Quixote
+
+While Don Quixote was talking in this strain, the curate was endeavouring
+to persuade the officers that he was out of his senses, as they might
+perceive by his deeds and his words, and that they need not press the
+matter any further, for even if they arrested him and carried him off,
+they would have to release him by-and-by as a madman; to which the holder
+of the warrant replied that he had nothing to do with inquiring into Don
+Quixote's madness, but only to execute his superior's orders, and that
+once taken they might let him go three hundred times if they liked.
+
+"For all that," said the curate, "you must not take him away this time,
+nor will he, it is my opinion, let himself be taken away."
+
+In short, the curate used such arguments, and Don Quixote did such mad
+things, that the officers would have been more mad than he was if they
+had not perceived his want of wits, and so they thought it best to allow
+themselves to be pacified, and even to act as peacemakers between the
+barber and Sancho Panza, who still continued their altercation with much
+bitterness. In the end they, as officers of justice, settled the question
+by arbitration in such a manner that both sides were, if not perfectly
+contented, at least to some extent satisfied; for they changed the
+pack-saddles, but not the girths or head-stalls; and as to Mambrino's
+helmet, the curate, under the rose and without Don Quixote's knowing it,
+paid eight reals for the basin, and the barber executed a full receipt
+and engagement to make no further demand then or thenceforth for
+evermore, amen. These two disputes, which were the most important and
+gravest, being settled, it only remained for the servants of Don Luis to
+consent that three of them should return while one was left to accompany
+him whither Don Fernando desired to take him; and good luck and better
+fortune, having already begun to solve difficulties and remove
+obstructions in favour of the lovers and warriors of the inn, were
+pleased to persevere and bring everything to a happy issue; for the
+servants agreed to do as Don Luis wished; which gave Dona Clara such
+happiness that no one could have looked into her face just then without
+seeing the joy of her heart. Zoraida, though she did not fully comprehend
+all she saw, was grave or gay without knowing why, as she watched and
+studied the various countenances, but particularly her Spaniard's, whom
+she followed with her eyes and clung to with her soul. The gift and
+compensation which the curate gave the barber had not escaped the
+landlord's notice, and he demanded Don Quixote's reckoning, together with
+the amount of the damage to his wine-skins, and the loss of his wine,
+swearing that neither Rocinante nor Sancho's ass should leave the inn
+until he had been paid to the very last farthing. The curate settled all
+amicably, and Don Fernando paid; though the Judge had also very readily
+offered to pay the score; and all became so peaceful and quiet that the
+inn no longer reminded one of the discord of Agramante's camp, as Don
+Quixote said, but of the peace and tranquillity of the days of
+Octavianus: for all which it was the universal opinion that their thanks
+were due to the great zeal and eloquence of the curate, and to the
+unexampled generosity of Don Fernando.
+
+Finding himself now clear and quit of all quarrels, his squire's as well
+as his own, Don Quixote considered that it would be advisable to continue
+the journey he had begun, and bring to a close that great adventure for
+which he had been called and chosen; and with this high resolve he went
+and knelt before Dorothea, who, however, would not allow him to utter a
+word until he had risen; so to obey her he rose, and said, "It is a
+common proverb, fair lady, that 'diligence is the mother of good
+fortune,' and experience has often shown in important affairs that the
+earnestness of the negotiator brings the doubtful case to a successful
+termination; but in nothing does this truth show itself more plainly than
+in war, where quickness and activity forestall the devices of the enemy,
+and win the victory before the foe has time to defend himself. All this I
+say, exalted and esteemed lady, because it seems to me that for us to
+remain any longer in this castle now is useless, and may be injurious to
+us in a way that we shall find out some day; for who knows but that your
+enemy the giant may have learned by means of secret and diligent spies
+that I am going to destroy him, and if the opportunity be given him he
+may seize it to fortify himself in some impregnable castle or stronghold,
+against which all my efforts and the might of my indefatigable arm may
+avail but little? Therefore, lady, let us, as I say, forestall his
+schemes by our activity, and let us depart at once in quest of fair
+fortune; for your highness is only kept from enjoying it as fully as you
+could desire by my delay in encountering your adversary."
+
+Don Quixote held his peace and said no more, calmly awaiting the reply of
+the beauteous princess, who, with commanding dignity and in a style
+adapted to Don Quixote's own, replied to him in these words, "I give you
+thanks, sir knight, for the eagerness you, like a good knight to whom it
+is a natural obligation to succour the orphan and the needy, display to
+afford me aid in my sore trouble; and heaven grant that your wishes and
+mine may be realised, so that you may see that there are women in this
+world capable of gratitude; as to my departure, let it be forthwith, for
+I have no will but yours; dispose of me entirely in accordance with your
+good pleasure; for she who has once entrusted to you the defence of her
+person, and placed in your hands the recovery of her dominions, must not
+think of offering opposition to that which your wisdom may ordain."
+
+"On, then, in God's name," said Don Quixote; "for, when a lady humbles
+herself to me, I will not lose the opportunity of raising her up and
+placing her on the throne of her ancestors. Let us depart at once, for
+the common saying that in delay there is danger, lends spurs to my
+eagerness to take the road; and as neither heaven has created nor hell
+seen any that can daunt or intimidate me, saddle Rocinante, Sancho, and
+get ready thy ass and the queen's palfrey, and let us take leave of the
+castellan and these gentlemen, and go hence this very instant."
+
+Sancho, who was standing by all the time, said, shaking his head, "Ah!
+master, master, there is more mischief in the village than one hears of,
+begging all good bodies' pardon."
+
+"What mischief can there be in any village, or in all the cities of the
+world, you booby, that can hurt my reputation?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"If your worship is angry," replied Sancho, "I will hold my tongue and
+leave unsaid what as a good squire I am bound to say, and what a good
+servant should tell his master."
+
+"Say what thou wilt," returned Don Quixote, "provided thy words be not
+meant to work upon my fears; for thou, if thou fearest, art behaving like
+thyself; but I like myself, in not fearing."
+
+"It is nothing of the sort, as I am a sinner before God," said Sancho,
+"but that I take it to be sure and certain that this lady, who calls
+herself queen of the great kingdom of Micomicon, is no more so than my
+mother; for, if she was what she says, she would not go rubbing noses
+with one that is here every instant and behind every door."
+
+Dorothea turned red at Sancho's words, for the truth was that her husband
+Don Fernando had now and then, when the others were not looking, gathered
+from her lips some of the reward his love had earned, and Sancho seeing
+this had considered that such freedom was more like a courtesan than a
+queen of a great kingdom; she, however, being unable or not caring to
+answer him, allowed him to proceed, and he continued, "This I say, senor,
+because, if after we have travelled roads and highways, and passed bad
+nights and worse days, one who is now enjoying himself in this inn is to
+reap the fruit of our labours, there is no need for me to be in a hurry
+to saddle Rocinante, put the pad on the ass, or get ready the palfrey;
+for it will be better for us to stay quiet, and let every jade mind her
+spinning, and let us go to dinner."
+
+Good God, what was the indignation of Don Quixote when he heard the
+audacious words of his squire! So great was it, that in a voice
+inarticulate with rage, with a stammering tongue, and eyes that flashed
+living fire, he exclaimed, "Rascally clown, boorish, insolent, and
+ignorant, ill-spoken, foul-mouthed, impudent backbiter and slanderer!
+Hast thou dared to utter such words in my presence and in that of these
+illustrious ladies? Hast thou dared to harbour such gross and shameless
+thoughts in thy muddled imagination? Begone from my presence, thou born
+monster, storehouse of lies, hoard of untruths, garner of knaveries,
+inventor of scandals, publisher of absurdities, enemy of the respect due
+to royal personages! Begone, show thyself no more before me under pain of
+my wrath;" and so saying he knitted his brows, puffed out his cheeks,
+gazed around him, and stamped on the ground violently with his right
+foot, showing in every way the rage that was pent up in his heart; and at
+his words and furious gestures Sancho was so scared and terrified that he
+would have been glad if the earth had opened that instant and swallowed
+him, and his only thought was to turn round and make his escape from the
+angry presence of his master.
+
+But the ready-witted Dorothea, who by this time so well understood Don
+Quixote's humour, said, to mollify his wrath, "Be not irritated at the
+absurdities your good squire has uttered, Sir Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance, for perhaps he did not utter them without cause, and from
+his good sense and Christian conscience it is not likely that he would
+bear false witness against anyone. We may therefore believe, without any
+hesitation, that since, as you say, sir knight, everything in this castle
+goes and is brought about by means of enchantment, Sancho, I say, may
+possibly have seen, through this diabolical medium, what he says he saw
+so much to the detriment of my modesty."
+
+"I swear by God Omnipotent," exclaimed Don Quixote at this, "your
+highness has hit the point; and that some vile illusion must have come
+before this sinner of a Sancho, that made him see what it would have been
+impossible to see by any other means than enchantments; for I know well
+enough, from the poor fellow's goodness and harmlessness, that he is
+incapable of bearing false witness against anybody."
+
+"True, no doubt," said Don Fernando, "for which reason, Senor Don
+Quixote, you ought to forgive him and restore him to the bosom of your
+favour, sicut erat in principio, before illusions of this sort had taken
+away his senses."
+
+Don Quixote said he was ready to pardon him, and the curate went for
+Sancho, who came in very humbly, and falling on his knees begged for the
+hand of his master, who having presented it to him and allowed him to
+kiss it, gave him his blessing and said, "Now, Sancho my son, thou wilt
+be convinced of the truth of what I have many a time told thee, that
+everything in this castle is done by means of enchantment."
+
+"So it is, I believe," said Sancho, "except the affair of the blanket,
+which came to pass in reality by ordinary means."
+
+"Believe it not," said Don Quixote, "for had it been so, I would have
+avenged thee that instant, or even now; but neither then nor now could I,
+nor have I seen anyone upon whom to avenge thy wrong."
+
+They were all eager to know what the affair of the blanket was, and the
+landlord gave them a minute account of Sancho's flights, at which they
+laughed not a little, and at which Sancho would have been no less out of
+countenance had not his master once more assured him it was all
+enchantment. For all that his simplicity never reached so high a pitch
+that he could persuade himself it was not the plain and simple truth,
+without any deception whatever about it, that he had been blanketed by
+beings of flesh and blood, and not by visionary and imaginary phantoms,
+as his master believed and protested.
+
+The illustrious company had now been two days in the inn; and as it
+seemed to them time to depart, they devised a plan so that, without
+giving Dorothea and Don Fernando the trouble of going back with Don
+Quixote to his village under pretence of restoring Queen Micomicona, the
+curate and the barber might carry him away with them as they proposed,
+and the curate be able to take his madness in hand at home; and in
+pursuance of their plan they arranged with the owner of an oxcart who
+happened to be passing that way to carry him after this fashion. They
+constructed a kind of cage with wooden bars, large enough to hold Don
+Quixote comfortably; and then Don Fernando and his companions, the
+servants of Don Luis, and the officers of the Brotherhood, together with
+the landlord, by the directions and advice of the curate, covered their
+faces and disguised themselves, some in one way, some in another, so as
+to appear to Don Quixote quite different from the persons he had seen in
+the castle. This done, in profound silence they entered the room where he
+was asleep, taking his his rest after the past frays, and advancing to
+where he was sleeping tranquilly, not dreaming of anything of the kind
+happening, they seized him firmly and bound him fast hand and foot, so
+that, when he awoke startled, he was unable to move, and could only
+marvel and wonder at the strange figures he saw before him; upon which he
+at once gave way to the idea which his crazed fancy invariably conjured
+up before him, and took it into his head that all these shapes were
+phantoms of the enchanted castle, and that he himself was unquestionably
+enchanted as he could neither move nor help himself; precisely what the
+curate, the concoctor of the scheme, expected would happen. Of all that
+were there Sancho was the only one who was at once in his senses and in
+his own proper character, and he, though he was within very little of
+sharing his master's infirmity, did not fail to perceive who all these
+disguised figures were; but he did not dare to open his lips until he saw
+what came of this assault and capture of his master; nor did the latter
+utter a word, waiting to the upshot of his mishap; which was that
+bringing in the cage, they shut him up in it and nailed the bars so
+firmly that they could not be easily burst open.
+
+They then took him on their shoulders, and as they passed out of the room
+an awful voice--as much so as the barber, not he of the pack-saddle but
+the other, was able to make it--was heard to say, "O Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance, let not this captivity in which thou art placed afflict
+thee, for this must needs be, for the more speedy accomplishment of the
+adventure in which thy great heart has engaged thee; the which shall be
+accomplished when the raging Manchegan lion and the white Tobosan dove
+shall be linked together, having first humbled their haughty necks to the
+gentle yoke of matrimony. And from this marvellous union shall come forth
+to the light of the world brave whelps that shall rival the ravening
+claws of their valiant father; and this shall come to pass ere the
+pursuer of the flying nymph shall in his swift natural course have twice
+visited the starry signs. And thou, O most noble and obedient squire that
+ever bore sword at side, beard on face, or nose to smell with, be not
+dismayed or grieved to see the flower of knight-errantry carried away
+thus before thy very eyes; for soon, if it so please the Framer of the
+universe, thou shalt see thyself exalted to such a height that thou shalt
+not know thyself, and the promises which thy good master has made thee
+shall not prove false; and I assure thee, on the authority of the sage
+Mentironiana, that thy wages shall be paid thee, as thou shalt see in due
+season. Follow then the footsteps of the valiant enchanted knight, for it
+is expedient that thou shouldst go to the destination assigned to both of
+you; and as it is not permitted to me to say more, God be with thee; for
+I return to that place I wot of;" and as he brought the prophecy to a
+close he raised his voice to a high pitch, and then lowered it to such a
+soft tone, that even those who knew it was all a joke were almost
+inclined to take what they heard seriously.
+
+Don Quixote was comforted by the prophecy he heard, for he at once
+comprehended its meaning perfectly, and perceived it was promised to him
+that he should see himself united in holy and lawful matrimony with his
+beloved Dulcinea del Toboso, from whose blessed womb should proceed the
+whelps, his sons, to the eternal glory of La Mancha; and being thoroughly
+and firmly persuaded of this, he lifted up his voice, and with a deep
+sigh exclaimed, "Oh thou, whoever thou art, who hast foretold me so much
+good, I implore of thee that on my part thou entreat that sage enchanter
+who takes charge of my interests, that he leave me not to perish in this
+captivity in which they are now carrying me away, ere I see fulfilled
+promises so joyful and incomparable as those which have been now made me;
+for, let this but come to pass, and I shall glory in the pains of my
+prison, find comfort in these chains wherewith they bind me, and regard
+this bed whereon they stretch me, not as a hard battle-field, but as a
+soft and happy nuptial couch; and touching the consolation of Sancho
+Panza, my squire, I rely upon his goodness and rectitude that he will not
+desert me in good or evil fortune; for if, by his ill luck or mine, it
+may not happen to be in my power to give him the island I have promised,
+or any equivalent for it, at least his wages shall not be lost; for in my
+will, which is already made, I have declared the sum that shall be paid
+to him, measured, not by his many faithful services, but by the means at
+my disposal."
+
+Sancho bowed his head very respectfully and kissed both his hands, for,
+being tied together, he could not kiss one; and then the apparitions
+lifted the cage upon their shoulders and fixed it upon the ox-cart.
+
+Chapter XLVII. -
+Of the strange manner in which Don Quixote of La Mancha was carried away
+enchanted, together with other remarkable incidents
+
+When Don Quixote saw himself caged and hoisted on the cart in this way,
+he said, "Many grave histories of knights-errant have I read; but never
+yet have I read, seen, or heard of their carrying off enchanted
+knights-errant in this fashion, or at the slow pace that these lazy,
+sluggish animals promise; for they always take them away through the air
+with marvellous swiftness, enveloped in a dark thick cloud, or on a
+chariot of fire, or it may be on some hippogriff or other beast of the
+kind; but to carry me off like this on an ox-cart! By God, it puzzles me!
+But perhaps the chivalry and enchantments of our day take a different
+course from that of those in days gone by; and it may be, too, that as I
+am a new knight in the world, and the first to revive the already
+forgotten calling of knight-adventurers, they may have newly invented
+other kinds of enchantments and other modes of carrying off the
+enchanted. What thinkest thou of the matter, Sancho my son?"
+
+"I don't know what to think," answered Sancho, "not being as well read as
+your worship in errant writings; but for all that I venture to say and
+swear that these apparitions that are about us are not quite catholic."
+
+"Catholic!" said Don Quixote. "Father of me! how can they be Catholic
+when they are all devils that have taken fantastic shapes to come and do
+this, and bring me to this condition? And if thou wouldst prove it, touch
+them, and feel them, and thou wilt find they have only bodies of air, and
+no consistency except in appearance."
+
+"By God, master," returned Sancho, "I have touched them already; and that
+devil, that goes about there so busily, has firm flesh, and another
+property very different from what I have heard say devils have, for by
+all accounts they all smell of brimstone and other bad smells; but this
+one smells of amber half a league off." Sancho was here speaking of Don
+Fernando, who, like a gentleman of his rank, was very likely perfumed as
+Sancho said.
+
+"Marvel not at that, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote; "for let me
+tell thee devils are crafty; and even if they do carry odours about with
+them, they themselves have no smell, because they are spirits; or, if
+they have any smell, they cannot smell of anything sweet, but of
+something foul and fetid; and the reason is that as they carry hell with
+them wherever they go, and can get no ease whatever from their torments,
+and as a sweet smell is a thing that gives pleasure and enjoyment, it is
+impossible that they can smell sweet; if, then, this devil thou speakest
+of seems to thee to smell of amber, either thou art deceiving thyself, or
+he wants to deceive thee by making thee fancy he is not a devil."
+
+Such was the conversation that passed between master and man; and Don
+Fernando and Cardenio, apprehensive of Sancho's making a complete
+discovery of their scheme, towards which he had already gone some way,
+resolved to hasten their departure, and calling the landlord aside, they
+directed him to saddle Rocinante and put the pack-saddle on Sancho's ass,
+which he did with great alacrity. In the meantime the curate had made an
+arrangement with the officers that they should bear them company as far
+as his village, he paying them so much a day. Cardenio hung the buckler
+on one side of the bow of Rocinante's saddle and the basin on the other,
+and by signs commanded Sancho to mount his ass and take Rocinante's
+bridle, and at each side of the cart he placed two officers with their
+muskets; but before the cart was put in motion, out came the landlady and
+her daughter and Maritornes to bid Don Quixote farewell, pretending to
+weep with grief at his misfortune; and to them Don Quixote said:
+
+"Weep not, good ladies, for all these mishaps are the lot of those who
+follow the profession I profess; and if these reverses did not befall me
+I should not esteem myself a famous knight-errant; for such things never
+happen to knights of little renown and fame, because nobody in the world
+thinks about them; to valiant knights they do, for these are envied for
+their virtue and valour by many princes and other knights who compass the
+destruction of the worthy by base means. Nevertheless, virtue is of
+herself so mighty, that, in spite of all the magic that Zoroaster its
+first inventor knew, she will come victorious out of every trial, and
+shed her light upon the earth as the sun does upon the heavens. Forgive
+me, fair ladies, if, through inadvertence, I have in aught offended you;
+for intentionally and wittingly I have never done so to any; and pray to
+God that he deliver me from this captivity to which some malevolent
+enchanter has consigned me; and should I find myself released therefrom,
+the favours that ye have bestowed upon me in this castle shall be held in
+memory by me, that I may acknowledge, recognise, and requite them as they
+deserve."
+
+While this was passing between the ladies of the castle and Don Quixote,
+the curate and the barber bade farewell to Don Fernando and his
+companions, to the captain, his brother, and the ladies, now all made
+happy, and in particular to Dorothea and Luscinda. They all embraced one
+another, and promised to let each other know how things went with them,
+and Don Fernando directed the curate where to write to him, to tell him
+what became of Don Quixote, assuring him that there was nothing that
+could give him more pleasure than to hear of it, and that he too, on his
+part, would send him word of everything he thought he would like to know,
+about his marriage, Zoraida's baptism, Don Luis's affair, and Luscinda's
+return to her home. The curate promised to comply with his request
+carefully, and they embraced once more, and renewed their promises.
+
+The landlord approached the curate and handed him some papers, saying he
+had discovered them in the lining of the valise in which the novel of
+"The Ill-advised Curiosity" had been found, and that he might take them
+all away with him as their owner had not since returned; for, as he could
+not read, he did not want them himself. The curate thanked him, and
+opening them he saw at the beginning of the manuscript the words, "Novel
+of Rinconete and Cortadillo," by which he perceived that it was a novel,
+and as that of "The Ill-advised Curiosity" had been good he concluded
+this would be so too, as they were both probably by the same author; so
+he kept it, intending to read it when he had an opportunity. He then
+mounted and his friend the barber did the same, both masked, so as not to
+be recognised by Don Quixote, and set out following in the rear of the
+cart. The order of march was this: first went the cart with the owner
+leading it; at each side of it marched the officers of the Brotherhood,
+as has been said, with their muskets; then followed Sancho Panza on his
+ass, leading Rocinante by the bridle; and behind all came the curate and
+the barber on their mighty mules, with faces covered, as aforesaid, and a
+grave and serious air, measuring their pace to suit the slow steps of the
+oxen. Don Quixote was seated in the cage, with his hands tied and his
+feet stretched out, leaning against the bars as silent and as patient as
+if he were a stone statue and not a man of flesh. Thus slowly and
+silently they made, it might be, two leagues, until they reached a valley
+which the carter thought a convenient place for resting and feeding his
+oxen, and he said so to the curate, but the barber was of opinion that
+they ought to push on a little farther, as at the other side of a hill
+which appeared close by he knew there was a valley that had more grass
+and much better than the one where they proposed to halt; and his advice
+was taken and they continued their journey.
+
+Just at that moment the curate, looking back, saw coming on behind them
+six or seven mounted men, well found and equipped, who soon overtook
+them, for they were travelling, not at the sluggish, deliberate pace of
+oxen, but like men who rode canons' mules, and in haste to take their
+noontide rest as soon as possible at the inn which was in sight not a
+league off. The quick travellers came up with the slow, and courteous
+salutations were exchanged; and one of the new comers, who was, in fact,
+a canon of Toledo and master of the others who accompanied him, observing
+the regular order of the procession, the cart, the officers, Sancho,
+Rocinante, the curate and the barber, and above all Don Quixote caged and
+confined, could not help asking what was the meaning of carrying the man
+in that fashion; though, from the badges of the officers, he already
+concluded that he must be some desperate highwayman or other malefactor
+whose punishment fell within the jurisdiction of the Holy Brotherhood.
+One of the officers to whom he had put the question, replied, "Let the
+gentleman himself tell you the meaning of his going this way, senor, for
+we do not know."
+
+Don Quixote overheard the conversation and said, "Haply, gentlemen, you
+are versed and learned in matters of errant chivalry? Because if you are
+I will tell you my misfortunes; if not, there is no good in my giving
+myself the trouble of relating them;" but here the curate and the barber,
+seeing that the travellers were engaged in conversation with Don Quixote,
+came forward, in order to answer in such a way as to save their stratagem
+from being discovered.
+
+The canon, replying to Don Quixote, said, "In truth, brother, I know more
+about books of chivalry than I do about Villalpando's elements of logic;
+so if that be all, you may safely tell me what you please."
+
+"In God's name, then, senor," replied Don Quixote; "if that be so, I
+would have you know that I am held enchanted in this cage by the envy and
+fraud of wicked enchanters; for virtue is more persecuted by the wicked
+than loved by the good. I am a knight-errant, and not one of those whose
+names Fame has never thought of immortalising in her record, but of those
+who, in defiance and in spite of envy itself, and all the magicians that
+Persia, or Brahmans that India, or Gymnosophists that Ethiopia ever
+produced, will place their names in the temple of immortality, to serve
+as examples and patterns for ages to come, whereby knights-errant may see
+the footsteps in which they must tread if they would attain the summit
+and crowning point of honour in arms."
+
+"What Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha says," observed the curate, "is the
+truth; for he goes enchanted in this cart, not from any fault or sins of
+his, but because of the malevolence of those to whom virtue is odious and
+valour hateful. This, senor, is the Knight of the Rueful Countenance, if
+you have ever heard him named, whose valiant achievements and mighty
+deeds shall be written on lasting brass and imperishable marble,
+notwithstanding all the efforts of envy to obscure them and malice to
+hide them."
+
+When the canon heard both the prisoner and the man who was at liberty
+talk in such a strain he was ready to cross himself in his astonishment,
+and could not make out what had befallen him; and all his attendants were
+in the same state of amazement.
+
+At this point Sancho Panza, who had drawn near to hear the conversation,
+said, in order to make everything plain, "Well, sirs, you may like or
+dislike what I am going to say, but the fact of the matter is, my master,
+Don Quixote, is just as much enchanted as my mother. He is in his full
+senses, he eats and he drinks, and he has his calls like other men and as
+he had yesterday, before they caged him. And if that's the case, what do
+they mean by wanting me to believe that he is enchanted? For I have heard
+many a one say that enchanted people neither eat, nor sleep, nor talk;
+and my master, if you don't stop him, will talk more than thirty
+lawyers." Then turning to the curate he exclaimed, "Ah, senor curate,
+senor curate! do you think I don't know you? Do you think I don't guess
+and see the drift of these new enchantments? Well then, I can tell you I
+know you, for all your face is covered, and I can tell you I am up to
+you, however you may hide your tricks. After all, where envy reigns
+virtue cannot live, and where there is niggardliness there can be no
+liberality. Ill betide the devil! if it had not been for your worship my
+master would be married to the Princess Micomicona this minute, and I
+should be a count at least; for no less was to be expected, as well from
+the goodness of my master, him of the Rueful Countenance, as from the
+greatness of my services. But I see now how true it is what they say in
+these parts, that the wheel of fortune turns faster than a mill-wheel,
+and that those who were up yesterday are down to-day. I am sorry for my
+wife and children, for when they might fairly and reasonably expect to
+see their father return to them a governor or viceroy of some island or
+kingdom, they will see him come back a horse-boy. I have said all this,
+senor curate, only to urge your paternity to lay to your conscience your
+ill-treatment of my master; and have a care that God does not call you to
+account in another life for making a prisoner of him in this way, and
+charge against you all the succours and good deeds that my lord Don
+Quixote leaves undone while he is shut up.
+
+"Trim those lamps there!" exclaimed the barber at this; "so you are of
+the same fraternity as your master, too, Sancho? By God, I begin to see
+that you will have to keep him company in the cage, and be enchanted like
+him for having caught some of his humour and chivalry. It was an evil
+hour when you let yourself be got with child by his promises, and that
+island you long so much for found its way into your head."
+
+"I am not with child by anyone," returned Sancho, "nor am I a man to let
+myself be got with child, if it was by the King himself. Though I am poor
+I am an old Christian, and I owe nothing to nobody, and if I long for an
+island, other people long for worse. Each of us is the son of his own
+works; and being a man I may come to be pope, not to say governor of an
+island, especially as my master may win so many that he will not know
+whom to give them to. Mind how you talk, master barber; for shaving is
+not everything, and there is some difference between Peter and Peter. I
+say this because we all know one another, and it will not do to throw
+false dice with me; and as to the enchantment of my master, God knows the
+truth; leave it as it is; it only makes it worse to stir it."
+
+The barber did not care to answer Sancho lest by his plain speaking he
+should disclose what the curate and he himself were trying so hard to
+conceal; and under the same apprehension the curate had asked the canon
+to ride on a little in advance, so that he might tell him the mystery of
+this man in the cage, and other things that would amuse him. The canon
+agreed, and going on ahead with his servants, listened with attention to
+the account of the character, life, madness, and ways of Don Quixote,
+given him by the curate, who described to him briefly the beginning and
+origin of his craze, and told him the whole story of his adventures up to
+his being confined in the cage, together with the plan they had of taking
+him home to try if by any means they could discover a cure for his
+madness. The canon and his servants were surprised anew when they heard
+Don Quixote's strange story, and when it was finished he said, "To tell
+the truth, senor curate, I for my part consider what they call books of
+chivalry to be mischievous to the State; and though, led by idle and
+false taste, I have read the beginnings of almost all that have been
+printed, I never could manage to read any one of them from beginning to
+end; for it seems to me they are all more or less the same thing; and one
+has nothing more in it than another; this no more than that. And in my
+opinion this sort of writing and composition is of the same species as
+the fables they call the Milesian, nonsensical tales that aim solely at
+giving amusement and not instruction, exactly the opposite of the
+apologue fables which amuse and instruct at the same time. And though it
+may be the chief object of such books to amuse, I do not know how they
+can succeed, when they are so full of such monstrous nonsense. For the
+enjoyment the mind feels must come from the beauty and harmony which it
+perceives or contemplates in the things that the eye or the imagination
+brings before it; and nothing that has any ugliness or disproportion
+about it can give any pleasure. What beauty, then, or what proportion of
+the parts to the whole, or of the whole to the parts, can there be in a
+book or fable where a lad of sixteen cuts down a giant as tall as a tower
+and makes two halves of him as if he was an almond cake? And when they
+want to give us a picture of a battle, after having told us that there
+are a million of combatants on the side of the enemy, let the hero of the
+book be opposed to them, and we have perforce to believe, whether we like
+it or not, that the said knight wins the victory by the single might of
+his strong arm. And then, what shall we say of the facility with which a
+born queen or empress will give herself over into the arms of some
+unknown wandering knight? What mind, that is not wholly barbarous and
+uncultured, can find pleasure in reading of how a great tower full of
+knights sails away across the sea like a ship with a fair wind, and will
+be to-night in Lombardy and to-morrow morning in the land of Prester John
+of the Indies, or some other that Ptolemy never described nor Marco Polo
+saw? And if, in answer to this, I am told that the authors of books of
+the kind write them as fiction, and therefore are not bound to regard
+niceties of truth, I would reply that fiction is all the better the more
+it looks like truth, and gives the more pleasure the more probability and
+possibility there is about it. Plots in fiction should be wedded to the
+understanding of the reader, and be constructed in such a way that,
+reconciling impossibilities, smoothing over difficulties, keeping the
+mind on the alert, they may surprise, interest, divert, and entertain, so
+that wonder and delight joined may keep pace one with the other; all
+which he will fail to effect who shuns verisimilitude and truth to
+nature, wherein lies the perfection of writing. I have never yet seen any
+book of chivalry that puts together a connected plot complete in all its
+numbers, so that the middle agrees with the beginning, and the end with
+the beginning and middle; on the contrary, they construct them with such
+a multitude of members that it seems as though they meant to produce a
+chimera or monster rather than a well-proportioned figure. And besides
+all this they are harsh in their style, incredible in their achievements,
+licentious in their amours, uncouth in their courtly speeches, prolix in
+their battles, silly in their arguments, absurd in their travels, and, in
+short, wanting in everything like intelligent art; for which reason they
+deserve to be banished from the Christian commonwealth as a worthless
+breed."
+
+The curate listened to him attentively and felt that he was a man of
+sound understanding, and that there was good reason in what he said; so
+he told him that, being of the same opinion himself, and bearing a grudge
+to books of chivalry, he had burned all Don Quixote's, which were many;
+and gave him an account of the scrutiny he had made of them, and of those
+he had condemned to the flames and those he had spared, with which the
+canon was not a little amused, adding that though he had said so much in
+condemnation of these books, still he found one good thing in them, and
+that was the opportunity they afforded to a gifted intellect for
+displaying itself; for they presented a wide and spacious field over
+which the pen might range freely, describing shipwrecks, tempests,
+combats, battles, portraying a valiant captain with all the
+qualifications requisite to make one, showing him sagacious in foreseeing
+the wiles of the enemy, eloquent in speech to encourage or restrain his
+soldiers, ripe in counsel, rapid in resolve, as bold in biding his time
+as in pressing the attack; now picturing some sad tragic incident, now
+some joyful and unexpected event; here a beauteous lady, virtuous, wise,
+and modest; there a Christian knight, brave and gentle; here a lawless,
+barbarous braggart; there a courteous prince, gallant and gracious;
+setting forth the devotion and loyalty of vassals, the greatness and
+generosity of nobles. "Or again," said he, "the author may show himself
+to be an astronomer, or a skilled cosmographer, or musician, or one
+versed in affairs of state, and sometimes he will have a chance of coming
+forward as a magician if he likes. He can set forth the craftiness of
+Ulysses, the piety of AEneas, the valour of Achilles, the misfortunes of
+Hector, the treachery of Sinon, the friendship of Euryalus, the
+generosity of Alexander, the boldness of Caesar, the clemency and truth
+of Trajan, the fidelity of Zopyrus, the wisdom of Cato, and in short all
+the faculties that serve to make an illustrious man perfect, now uniting
+them in one individual, again distributing them among many; and if this
+be done with charm of style and ingenious invention, aiming at the truth
+as much as possible, he will assuredly weave a web of bright and varied
+threads that, when finished, will display such perfection and beauty that
+it will attain the worthiest object any writing can seek, which, as I
+said before, is to give instruction and pleasure combined; for the
+unrestricted range of these books enables the author to show his powers,
+epic, lyric, tragic, or comic, and all the moods the sweet and winning
+arts of poesy and oratory are capable of; for the epic may be written in
+prose just as well as in verse."
+
+Chapter XLVIII. -
+In which the Canon pursues the subject of the books of chivalry, with
+other matters worthy of his wit
+
+"It is as you say, senor canon," said the curate; "and for that reason
+those who have hitherto written books of the sort deserve all the more
+censure for writing without paying any attention to good taste or the
+rules of art, by which they might guide themselves and become as famous
+in prose as the two princes of Greek and Latin poetry are in verse."
+
+"I myself, at any rate," said the canon, "was once tempted to write a
+book of chivalry in which all the points I have mentioned were to be
+observed; and if I must own the truth I have more than a hundred sheets
+written; and to try if it came up to my own opinion of it, I showed them
+to persons who were fond of this kind of reading, to learned and
+intelligent men as well as to ignorant people who cared for nothing but
+the pleasure of listening to nonsense, and from all I obtained flattering
+approval; nevertheless I proceeded no farther with it, as well because it
+seemed to me an occupation inconsistent with my profession, as because I
+perceived that the fools are more numerous than the wise; and, though it
+is better to be praised by the wise few than applauded by the foolish
+many, I have no mind to submit myself to the stupid judgment of the silly
+public, to whom the reading of such books falls for the most part.
+
+"But what most of all made me hold my hand and even abandon all idea of
+finishing it was an argument I put to myself taken from the plays that
+are acted now-a-days, which was in this wise: if those that are now in
+vogue, as well those that are pure invention as those founded on history,
+are, all or most of them, downright nonsense and things that have neither
+head nor tail, and yet the public listens to them with delight, and
+regards and cries them up as perfection when they are so far from it; and
+if the authors who write them, and the players who act them, say that
+this is what they must be, for the public wants this and will have
+nothing else; and that those that go by rule and work out a plot
+according to the laws of art will only find some half-dozen intelligent
+people to understand them, while all the rest remain blind to the merit
+of their composition; and that for themselves it is better to get bread
+from the many than praise from the few; then my book will fare the same
+way, after I have burnt off my eyebrows in trying to observe the
+principles I have spoken of, and I shall be 'the tailor of the corner.'
+And though I have sometimes endeavoured to convince actors that they are
+mistaken in this notion they have adopted, and that they would attract
+more people, and get more credit, by producing plays in accordance with
+the rules of art, than by absurd ones, they are so thoroughly wedded to
+their own opinion that no argument or evidence can wean them from it.
+
+"I remember saying one day to one of these obstinate fellows, 'Tell me,
+do you not recollect that a few years ago, there were three tragedies
+acted in Spain, written by a famous poet of these kingdoms, which were
+such that they filled all who heard them with admiration, delight, and
+interest, the ignorant as well as the wise, the masses as well as the
+higher orders, and brought in more money to the performers, these three
+alone, than thirty of the best that have been since produced?'
+
+"'No doubt,' replied the actor in question, 'you mean the "Isabella," the
+"Phyllis," and the "Alexandra."'
+
+"'Those are the ones I mean,' said I; 'and see if they did not observe
+the principles of art, and if, by observing them, they failed to show
+their superiority and please all the world; so that the fault does not
+lie with the public that insists upon nonsense, but with those who don't
+know how to produce something else. "The Ingratitude Revenged" was not
+nonsense, nor was there any in "The Numantia," nor any to be found in
+"The Merchant Lover," nor yet in "The Friendly Fair Foe," nor in some
+others that have been written by certain gifted poets, to their own fame
+and renown, and to the profit of those that brought them out;' some
+further remarks I added to these, with which, I think, I left him rather
+dumbfoundered, but not so satisfied or convinced that I could disabuse
+him of his error."
+
+"You have touched upon a subject, senor canon," observed the curate here,
+"that has awakened an old enmity I have against the plays in vogue at the
+present day, quite as strong as that which I bear to the books of
+chivalry; for while the drama, according to Tully, should be the mirror
+of human life, the model of manners, and the image of the truth, those
+which are presented now-a-days are mirrors of nonsense, models of folly,
+and images of lewdness. For what greater nonsense can there be in
+connection with what we are now discussing than for an infant to appear
+in swaddling clothes in the first scene of the first act, and in the
+second a grown-up bearded man? Or what greater absurdity can there be
+than putting before us an old man as a swashbuckler, a young man as a
+poltroon, a lackey using fine language, a page giving sage advice, a king
+plying as a porter, a princess who is a kitchen-maid? And then what shall
+I say of their attention to the time in which the action they represent
+may or can take place, save that I have seen a play where the first act
+began in Europe, the second in Asia, the third finished in Africa, and no
+doubt, had it been in four acts, the fourth would have ended in America,
+and so it would have been laid in all four quarters of the globe? And if
+truth to life is the main thing the drama should keep in view, how is it
+possible for any average understanding to be satisfied when the action is
+supposed to pass in the time of King Pepin or Charlemagne, and the
+principal personage in it they represent to be the Emperor Heraclius who
+entered Jerusalem with the cross and won the Holy Sepulchre, like Godfrey
+of Bouillon, there being years innumerable between the one and the other?
+or, if the play is based on fiction and historical facts are introduced,
+or bits of what occurred to different people and at different times mixed
+up with it, all, not only without any semblance of probability, but with
+obvious errors that from every point of view are inexcusable? And the
+worst of it is, there are ignorant people who say that this is
+perfection, and that anything beyond this is affected refinement. And
+then if we turn to sacred dramas--what miracles they invent in them! What
+apocryphal, ill-devised incidents, attributing to one saint the miracles
+of another! And even in secular plays they venture to introduce miracles
+without any reason or object except that they think some such miracle, or
+transformation as they call it, will come in well to astonish stupid
+people and draw them to the play. All this tends to the prejudice of the
+truth and the corruption of history, nay more, to the reproach of the
+wits of Spain; for foreigners who scrupulously observe the laws of the
+drama look upon us as barbarous and ignorant, when they see the absurdity
+and nonsense of the plays we produce. Nor will it be a sufficient excuse
+to say that the chief object well-ordered governments have in view when
+they permit plays to be performed in public is to entertain the people
+with some harmless amusement occasionally, and keep it from those evil
+humours which idleness is apt to engender; and that, as this may be
+attained by any sort of play, good or bad, there is no need to lay down
+laws, or bind those who write or act them to make them as they ought to
+be made, since, as I say, the object sought for may be secured by any
+sort. To this I would reply that the same end would be, beyond all
+comparison, better attained by means of good plays than by those that are
+not so; for after listening to an artistic and properly constructed play,
+the hearer will come away enlivened by the jests, instructed by the
+serious parts, full of admiration at the incidents, his wits sharpened by
+the arguments, warned by the tricks, all the wiser for the examples,
+inflamed against vice, and in love with virtue; for in all these ways a
+good play will stimulate the mind of the hearer be he ever so boorish or
+dull; and of all impossibilities the greatest is that a play endowed with
+all these qualities will not entertain, satisfy, and please much more
+than one wanting in them, like the greater number of those which are
+commonly acted now-a-days. Nor are the poets who write them to be blamed
+for this; for some there are among them who are perfectly well aware of
+their faults, and know what they ought to do; but as plays have become a
+salable commodity, they say, and with truth, that the actors will not buy
+them unless they are after this fashion; and so the poet tries to adapt
+himself to the requirements of the actor who is to pay him for his work.
+And that this is the truth may be seen by the countless plays that a most
+fertile wit of these kingdoms has written, with so much brilliancy, so
+much grace and gaiety, such polished versification, such choice language,
+such profound reflections, and in a word, so rich in eloquence and
+elevation of style, that he has filled the world with his fame; and yet,
+in consequence of his desire to suit the taste of the actors, they have
+not all, as some of them have, come as near perfection as they ought.
+Others write plays with such heedlessness that, after they have been
+acted, the actors have to fly and abscond, afraid of being punished, as
+they often have been, for having acted something offensive to some king
+or other, or insulting to some noble family. All which evils, and many
+more that I say nothing of, would be removed if there were some
+intelligent and sensible person at the capital to examine all plays
+before they were acted, not only those produced in the capital itself,
+but all that were intended to be acted in Spain; without whose approval,
+seal, and signature, no local magistracy should allow any play to be
+acted. In that case actors would take care to send their plays to the
+capital, and could act them in safety, and those who write them would be
+more careful and take more pains with their work, standing in awe of
+having to submit it to the strict examination of one who understood the
+matter; and so good plays would be produced and the objects they aim at
+happily attained; as well the amusement of the people, as the credit of
+the wits of Spain, the interest and safety of the actors, and the saving
+of trouble in inflicting punishment on them. And if the same or some
+other person were authorised to examine the newly written books of
+chivalry, no doubt some would appear with all the perfections you have
+described, enriching our language with the gracious and precious treasure
+of eloquence, and driving the old books into obscurity before the light
+of the new ones that would come out for the harmless entertainment, not
+merely of the idle but of the very busiest; for the bow cannot be always
+bent, nor can weak human nature exist without some lawful amusement."
+
+The canon and the curate had proceeded thus far with their conversation,
+when the barber, coming forward, joined them, and said to the curate,
+"This is the spot, senor licentiate, that I said was a good one for fresh
+and plentiful pasture for the oxen, while we take our noontide rest."
+
+"And so it seems," returned the curate, and he told the canon what he
+proposed to do, on which he too made up his mind to halt with them,
+attracted by the aspect of the fair valley that lay before their eyes;
+and to enjoy it as well as the conversation of the curate, to whom he had
+begun to take a fancy, and also to learn more particulars about the
+doings of Don Quixote, he desired some of his servants to go on to the
+inn, which was not far distant, and fetch from it what eatables there
+might be for the whole party, as he meant to rest for the afternoon where
+he was; to which one of his servants replied that the sumpter mule, which
+by this time ought to have reached the inn, carried provisions enough to
+make it unnecessary to get anything from the inn except barley.
+
+"In that case," said the canon, "take all the beasts there, and bring the
+sumpter mule back."
+
+While this was going on, Sancho, perceiving that he could speak to his
+master without having the curate and the barber, of whom he had his
+suspicions, present all the time, approached the cage in which Don
+Quixote was placed, and said, "Senor, to ease my conscience I want to
+tell you the state of the case as to your enchantment, and that is that
+these two here, with their faces covered, are the curate of our village
+and the barber; and I suspect they have hit upon this plan of carrying
+you off in this fashion, out of pure envy because your worship surpasses
+them in doing famous deeds; and if this be the truth it follows that you
+are not enchanted, but hoodwinked and made a fool of. And to prove this I
+want to ask you one thing; and if you answer me as I believe you will
+answer, you will be able to lay your finger on the trick, and you will
+see that you are not enchanted but gone wrong in your wits."
+
+"Ask what thou wilt, Sancho my son," returned Don Quixote, "for I will
+satisfy thee and answer all thou requirest. As to what thou sayest, that
+these who accompany us yonder are the curate and the barber, our
+neighbours and acquaintances, it is very possible that they may seem to
+be those same persons; but that they are so in reality and in fact,
+believe it not on any account; what thou art to believe and think is
+that, if they look like them, as thou sayest, it must be that those who
+have enchanted me have taken this shape and likeness; for it is easy for
+enchanters to take any form they please, and they may have taken those of
+our friends in order to make thee think as thou dost, and lead thee into
+a labyrinth of fancies from which thou wilt find no escape though thou
+hadst the cord of Theseus; and they may also have done it to make me
+uncertain in my mind, and unable to conjecture whence this evil comes to
+me; for if on the one hand thou dost tell me that the barber and curate
+of our village are here in company with us, and on the other I find
+myself shut up in a cage, and know in my heart that no power on earth
+that was not supernatural would have been able to shut me in, what
+wouldst thou have me say or think, but that my enchantment is of a sort
+that transcends all I have ever read of in all the histories that deal
+with knights-errant that have been enchanted? So thou mayest set thy mind
+at rest as to the idea that they are what thou sayest, for they are as
+much so as I am a Turk. But touching thy desire to ask me something, say
+on, and I will answer thee, though thou shouldst ask questions from this
+till to-morrow morning."
+
+"May Our Lady be good to me!" said Sancho, lifting up his voice; "and is
+it possible that your worship is so thick of skull and so short of brains
+that you cannot see that what I say is the simple truth, and that malice
+has more to do with your imprisonment and misfortune than enchantment?
+But as it is so, I will prove plainly to you that you are not enchanted.
+Now tell me, so may God deliver you from this affliction, and so may you
+find yourself when you least expect it in the arms of my lady Dulcinea-"
+
+"Leave off conjuring me," said Don Quixote, "and ask what thou wouldst
+know; I have already told thee I will answer with all possible
+precision."
+
+"That is what I want," said Sancho; "and what I would know, and have you
+tell me, without adding or leaving out anything, but telling the whole
+truth as one expects it to be told, and as it is told, by all who profess
+arms, as your worship professes them, under the title of knights-errant-"
+
+"I tell thee I will not lie in any particular," said Don Quixote; "finish
+thy question; for in truth thou weariest me with all these asseverations,
+requirements, and precautions, Sancho."
+
+"Well, I rely on the goodness and truth of my master," said Sancho; "and
+so, because it bears upon what we are talking about, I would ask,
+speaking with all reverence, whether since your worship has been shut up
+and, as you think, enchanted in this cage, you have felt any desire or
+inclination to go anywhere, as the saying is?"
+
+"I do not understand 'going anywhere,'" said Don Quixote; "explain
+thyself more clearly, Sancho, if thou wouldst have me give an answer to
+the point."
+
+"Is it possible," said Sancho, "that your worship does not understand
+'going anywhere'? Why, the schoolboys know that from the time they were
+babes. Well then, you must know I mean have you had any desire to do what
+cannot be avoided?"
+
+"Ah! now I understand thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "yes, often, and
+even this minute; get me out of this strait, or all will not go right."
+
+Chapter XLIX. -
+Which treats of the shrewd conversation which Sancho Panza held with his
+master Don Quixote
+
+"Aha, I have caught you," said Sancho; "this is what in my heart and soul
+I was longing to know. Come now, senor, can you deny what is commonly
+said around us, when a person is out of humour, 'I don't know what ails
+so-and-so, that he neither eats, nor drinks, nor sleeps, nor gives a
+proper answer to any question; one would think he was enchanted'? From
+which it is to be gathered that those who do not eat, or drink, or sleep,
+or do any of the natural acts I am speaking of-that such persons are
+enchanted; but not those that have the desire your worship has, and drink
+when drink is given them, and eat when there is anything to eat, and
+answer every question that is asked them."
+
+"What thou sayest is true, Sancho," replied Don Quixote; "but I have
+already told thee there are many sorts of enchantments, and it may be
+that in the course of time they have been changed one for another, and
+that now it may be the way with enchanted people to do all that I do,
+though they did not do so before; so it is vain to argue or draw
+inferences against the usage of the time. I know and feel that I am
+enchanted, and that is enough to ease my conscience; for it would weigh
+heavily on it if I thought that I was not enchanted, and that in a
+faint-hearted and cowardly way I allowed myself to lie in this cage,
+defrauding multitudes of the succour I might afford to those in need and
+distress, who at this very moment may be in sore want of my aid and
+protection."
+
+"Still for all that," replied Sancho, "I say that, for your greater and
+fuller satisfaction, it would be well if your worship were to try to get
+out of this prison (and I promise to do all in my power to help, and even
+to take you out of it), and see if you could once more mount your good
+Rocinante, who seems to be enchanted too, he is so melancholy and
+dejected; and then we might try our chance in looking for adventures
+again; and if we have no luck there will be time enough to go back to the
+cage; in which, on the faith of a good and loyal squire, I promise to
+shut myself up along with your worship, if so be you are so unfortunate,
+or I so stupid, as not to be able to carry out my plan."
+
+"I am content to do as thou sayest, brother Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"and when thou seest an opportunity for effecting my release I will obey
+thee absolutely; but thou wilt see, Sancho, how mistaken thou art in thy
+conception of my misfortune."
+
+The knight-errant and the ill-errant squire kept up their conversation
+till they reached the place where the curate, the canon, and the barber,
+who had already dismounted, were waiting for them. The carter at once
+unyoked the oxen and left them to roam at large about the pleasant green
+spot, the freshness of which seemed to invite, not enchanted people like
+Don Quixote, but wide-awake, sensible folk like his squire, who begged
+the curate to allow his master to leave the cage for a little; for if
+they did not let him out, the prison might not be as clean as the
+propriety of such a gentleman as his master required. The curate
+understood him, and said he would very gladly comply with his request,
+only that he feared his master, finding himself at liberty, would take to
+his old courses and make off where nobody could ever find him again.
+
+"I will answer for his not running away," said Sancho.
+
+"And I also," said the canon, "especially if he gives me his word as a
+knight not to leave us without our consent."
+
+Don Quixote, who was listening to all this, said, "I give it;-moreover
+one who is enchanted as I am cannot do as he likes with himself; for he
+who had enchanted him could prevent his moving from one place for three
+ages, and if he attempted to escape would bring him back flying."--And
+that being so, they might as well release him, particularly as it would
+be to the advantage of all; for, if they did not let him out, he
+protested he would be unable to avoid offending their nostrils unless
+they kept their distance.
+
+The canon took his hand, tied together as they both were, and on his word
+and promise they unbound him, and rejoiced beyond measure he was to find
+himself out of the cage. The first thing he did was to stretch himself
+all over, and then he went to where Rocinante was standing and giving him
+a couple of slaps on the haunches said, "I still trust in God and in his
+blessed mother, O flower and mirror of steeds, that we shall soon see
+ourselves, both of us, as we wish to be, thou with thy master on thy
+back, and I mounted upon thee, following the calling for which God sent
+me into the world." And so saying, accompanied by Sancho, he withdrew to
+a retired spot, from which he came back much relieved and more eager than
+ever to put his squire's scheme into execution.
+
+The canon gazed at him, wondering at the extraordinary nature of his
+madness, and that in all his remarks and replies he should show such
+excellent sense, and only lose his stirrups, as has been already said,
+when the subject of chivalry was broached. And so, moved by compassion,
+he said to him, as they all sat on the green grass awaiting the arrival
+of the provisions:
+
+"Is it possible, gentle sir, that the nauseous and idle reading of books
+of chivalry can have had such an effect on your worship as to upset your
+reason so that you fancy yourself enchanted, and the like, all as far
+from the truth as falsehood itself is? How can there be any human
+understanding that can persuade itself there ever was all that infinity
+of Amadises in the world, or all that multitude of famous knights, all
+those emperors of Trebizond, all those Felixmartes of Hircania, all those
+palfreys, and damsels-errant, and serpents, and monsters, and giants, and
+marvellous adventures, and enchantments of every kind, and battles, and
+prodigious encounters, splendid costumes, love-sick princesses, squires
+made counts, droll dwarfs, love letters, billings and cooings,
+swashbuckler women, and, in a word, all that nonsense the books of
+chivalry contain? For myself, I can only say that when I read them, so
+long as I do not stop to think that they are all lies and frivolity, they
+give me a certain amount of pleasure; but when I come to consider what
+they are, I fling the very best of them at the wall, and would fling it
+into the fire if there were one at hand, as richly deserving such
+punishment as cheats and impostors out of the range of ordinary
+toleration, and as founders of new sects and modes of life, and teachers
+that lead the ignorant public to believe and accept as truth all the
+folly they contain. And such is their audacity, they even dare to
+unsettle the wits of gentlemen of birth and intelligence, as is shown
+plainly by the way they have served your worship, when they have brought
+you to such a pass that you have to be shut up in a cage and carried on
+an ox-cart as one would carry a lion or a tiger from place to place to
+make money by showing it. Come, Senor Don Quixote, have some compassion
+for yourself, return to the bosom of common sense, and make use of the
+liberal share of it that heaven has been pleased to bestow upon you,
+employing your abundant gifts of mind in some other reading that may
+serve to benefit your conscience and add to your honour. And if, still
+led away by your natural bent, you desire to read books of achievements
+and of chivalry, read the Book of Judges in the Holy Scriptures, for
+there you will find grand reality, and deeds as true as they are heroic.
+Lusitania had a Viriatus, Rome a Caesar, Carthage a Hannibal, Greece an
+Alexander, Castile a Count Fernan Gonzalez, Valencia a Cid, Andalusia a
+Gonzalo Fernandez, Estremadura a Diego Garcia de Paredes, Jerez a Garci
+Perez de Vargas, Toledo a Garcilaso, Seville a Don Manuel de Leon, to
+read of whose valiant deeds will entertain and instruct the loftiest
+minds and fill them with delight and wonder. Here, Senor Don Quixote,
+will be reading worthy of your sound understanding; from which you will
+rise learned in history, in love with virtue, strengthened in goodness,
+improved in manners, brave without rashness, prudent without cowardice;
+and all to the honour of God, your own advantage and the glory of La
+Mancha, whence, I am informed, your worship derives your birth."
+
+Don Quixote listened with the greatest attention to the canon's words,
+and when he found he had finished, after regarding him for some time, he
+replied to him:
+
+"It appears to me, gentle sir, that your worship's discourse is intended
+to persuade me that there never were any knights-errant in the world, and
+that all the books of chivalry are false, lying, mischievous and useless
+to the State, and that I have done wrong in reading them, and worse in
+believing them, and still worse in imitating them, when I undertook to
+follow the arduous calling of knight-errantry which they set forth; for
+you deny that there ever were Amadises of Gaul or of Greece, or any other
+of the knights of whom the books are full."
+
+"It is all exactly as you state it," said the canon; to which Don Quixote
+returned, "You also went on to say that books of this kind had done me
+much harm, inasmuch as they had upset my senses, and shut me up in a
+cage, and that it would be better for me to reform and change my studies,
+and read other truer books which would afford more pleasure and
+instruction."
+
+"Just so," said the canon.
+
+"Well then," returned Don Quixote, "to my mind it is you who are the one
+that is out of his wits and enchanted, as you have ventured to utter such
+blasphemies against a thing so universally acknowledged and accepted as
+true that whoever denies it, as you do, deserves the same punishment
+which you say you inflict on the books that irritate you when you read
+them. For to try to persuade anybody that Amadis, and all the other
+knights-adventurers with whom the books are filled, never existed, would
+be like trying to persuade him that the sun does not yield light, or ice
+cold, or earth nourishment. What wit in the world can persuade another
+that the story of the Princess Floripes and Guy of Burgundy is not true,
+or that of Fierabras and the bridge of Mantible, which happened in the
+time of Charlemagne? For by all that is good it is as true as that it is
+daylight now; and if it be a lie, it must be a lie too that there was a
+Hector, or Achilles, or Trojan war, or Twelve Peers of France, or Arthur
+of England, who still lives changed into a raven, and is unceasingly
+looked for in his kingdom. One might just as well try to make out that
+the history of Guarino Mezquino, or of the quest of the Holy Grail, is
+false, or that the loves of Tristram and the Queen Yseult are apocryphal,
+as well as those of Guinevere and Lancelot, when there are persons who
+can almost remember having seen the Dame Quintanona, who was the best
+cupbearer in Great Britain. And so true is this, that I recollect a
+grandmother of mine on the father's side, whenever she saw any dame in a
+venerable hood, used to say to me, 'Grandson, that one is like Dame
+Quintanona,' from which I conclude that she must have known her, or at
+least had managed to see some portrait of her. Then who can deny that the
+story of Pierres and the fair Magalona is true, when even to this day may
+be seen in the king's armoury the pin with which the valiant Pierres
+guided the wooden horse he rode through the air, and it is a trifle
+bigger than the pole of a cart? And alongside of the pin is Babieca's
+saddle, and at Roncesvalles there is Roland's horn, as large as a large
+beam; whence we may infer that there were Twelve Peers, and a Pierres,
+and a Cid, and other knights like them, of the sort people commonly call
+adventurers. Or perhaps I shall be told, too, that there was no such
+knight-errant as the valiant Lusitanian Juan de Merlo, who went to
+Burgundy and in the city of Arras fought with the famous lord of Charny,
+Mosen Pierres by name, and afterwards in the city of Basle with Mosen
+Enrique de Remesten, coming out of both encounters covered with fame and
+honour; or adventures and challenges achieved and delivered, also in
+Burgundy, by the valiant Spaniards Pedro Barba and Gutierre Quixada (of
+whose family I come in the direct male line), when they vanquished the
+sons of the Count of San Polo. I shall be told, too, that Don Fernando de
+Guevara did not go in quest of adventures to Germany, where he engaged in
+combat with Micer George, a knight of the house of the Duke of Austria. I
+shall be told that the jousts of Suero de Quinones, him of the 'Paso,'
+and the emprise of Mosen Luis de Falces against the Castilian knight, Don
+Gonzalo de Guzman, were mere mockeries; as well as many other
+achievements of Christian knights of these and foreign realms, which are
+so authentic and true, that, I repeat, he who denies them must be totally
+wanting in reason and good sense."
+
+The canon was amazed to hear the medley of truth and fiction Don Quixote
+uttered, and to see how well acquainted he was with everything relating
+or belonging to the achievements of his knight-errantry; so he said in
+reply:
+
+"I cannot deny, Senor Don Quixote, that there is some truth in what you
+say, especially as regards the Spanish knights-errant; and I am willing
+to grant too that the Twelve Peers of France existed, but I am not
+disposed to believe that they did all the things that the Archbishop
+Turpin relates of them. For the truth of the matter is they were knights
+chosen by the kings of France, and called 'Peers' because they were all
+equal in worth, rank and prowess (at least if they were not they ought to
+have been), and it was a kind of religious order like those of Santiago
+and Calatrava in the present day, in which it is assumed that those who
+take it are valiant knights of distinction and good birth; and just as we
+say now a Knight of St. John, or of Alcantara, they used to say then a
+Knight of the Twelve Peers, because twelve equals were chosen for that
+military order. That there was a Cid, as well as a Bernardo del Carpio,
+there can be no doubt; but that they did the deeds people say they did, I
+hold to be very doubtful. In that other matter of the pin of Count
+Pierres that you speak of, and say is near Babieca's saddle in the
+Armoury, I confess my sin; for I am either so stupid or so short-sighted,
+that, though I have seen the saddle, I have never been able to see the
+pin, in spite of it being as big as your worship says it is."
+
+"For all that it is there, without any manner of doubt," said Don
+Quixote; "and more by token they say it is inclosed in a sheath of
+cowhide to keep it from rusting."
+
+"All that may be," replied the canon; "but, by the orders I have
+received, I do not remember seeing it. However, granting it is there,
+that is no reason why I am bound to believe the stories of all those
+Amadises and of all that multitude of knights they tell us about, nor is
+it reasonable that a man like your worship, so worthy, and with so many
+good qualities, and endowed with such a good understanding, should allow
+himself to be persuaded that such wild crazy things as are written in
+those absurd books of chivalry are really true."
+
+Chapter L. -
+Of the shrewd controversy which Don Quixote and the Canon held, together
+with other incidents
+
+"A good joke, that!" returned Don Quixote. "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! And above all when they carry such an
+appearance of truth with them; 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! 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. 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: '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;' 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.
+
+"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. 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. There he
+perceives a cunningly wrought fountain of many-coloured jasper and
+polished marble; 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.
+
+"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;
+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. 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; 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? 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;
+to see how they pour out water for his hands distilled from amber and
+sweet-scented flowers; how they seat him on an ivory chair; to see how
+the damsels wait on him all in profound silence; how they bring him such
+a variety of dainties so temptingly prepared that the appetite is at a
+loss which to select; to hear the music that resounds while he is at
+table, by whom or whence produced he knows not. 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.
+
+"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;
+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. 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; 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; 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; and gratitude
+that consists of disposition only is a dead thing, just as faith without
+works is dead. 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; 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."
+
+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; 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. 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."
+
+"That, brother Sancho," said the canon, "only holds good as far as the
+enjoyment of the revenue goes; 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; for if
+this be wanting in the beginning, the middle and the end will always go
+wrong; and God as commonly aids the honest intentions of the simple as he
+frustrates the evil designs of the crafty."
+
+"I don't understand those philosophies," returned Sancho Panza; "all I
+know is I would I had the county as soon as I shall know how to govern
+it; 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; 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; so let the county come, and God he with you, and let us see
+one another, as one blind man said to the other."
+
+"That is not bad philosophy thou art talking, Sancho," said the canon;
+"but for all that there is a good deal to be said on this matter of
+counties."
+
+To which Don Quixote returned, "I know not what more there is to be said;
+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; 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."
+
+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.
+
+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. 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. 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: "Ah wanderer, wanderer,
+Spotty, Spotty; how have you gone limping all this time? What wolves have
+frightened you, my daughter? Won't you tell me what is the matter, my
+beauty? But what else can it be except that you are a she, and cannot
+keep quiet? A plague on your humours and the humours of those you take
+after! Come back, come back, my darling; and if you will not be so happy,
+at any rate you will be safe in the fold or with your companions; for if
+you who ought to keep and lead them, go wandering astray, what will
+become of them?"
+
+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; for, being a female, as you
+say, she will follow her natural instinct in spite of all you can do to
+prevent it. 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.
+
+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; but the truth is
+there is a certain mystery in the words I used. I am a clown, but not so
+much of one but that I know how to behave to men and to beasts."
+
+"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."
+
+"At all events, senor," returned the goatherd, "they shelter men of
+experience; 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."
+
+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. So begin,
+friend, for we are all prepared to listen."
+
+"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; 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; 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."
+
+"Thou art in the right of it, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "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."
+
+"It is what we shall all do," said the canon; and then begged the
+goatherd to begin the promised tale.
+
+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." 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.
+
+Chapter LI. -
+Which deals with what the goatherd told those who were carrying off Don
+Quixote
+
+Three leagues from this valley there is a village which, though small, is
+one of the richest in all this neighbourhood, and in it there lived a
+farmer, a very worthy man, and so much respected that, although to be so
+is the natural consequence of being rich, he was even more respected for
+his virtue than for the wealth he had acquired. But what made him still
+more fortunate, as he said himself, was having a daughter of such
+exceeding beauty, rare intelligence, gracefulness, and virtue, that
+everyone who knew her and beheld her marvelled at the extraordinary gifts
+with which heaven and nature had endowed her. As a child she was
+beautiful, she continued to grow in beauty, and at the age of sixteen she
+was most lovely. The fame of her beauty began to spread abroad through
+all the villages around--but why do I say the villages around, merely,
+when it spread to distant cities, and even made its way into the halls of
+royalty and reached the ears of people of every class, who came from all
+sides to see her as if to see something rare and curious, or some
+wonder-working image?
+
+Her father watched over her and she watched over herself; for there are
+no locks, or guards, or bolts that can protect a young girl better than
+her own modesty. The wealth of the father and the beauty of the daughter
+led many neighbours as well as strangers to seek her for a wife; but he,
+as one might well be who had the disposal of so rich a jewel, was
+perplexed and unable to make up his mind to which of her countless
+suitors he should entrust her. I was one among the many who felt a desire
+so natural, and, as her father knew who I was, and I was of the same
+town, of pure blood, in the bloom of life, and very rich in possessions,
+I had great hopes of success. There was another of the same place and
+qualifications who also sought her, and this made her father's choice
+hang in the balance, for he felt that on either of us his daughter would
+be well bestowed; so to escape from this state of perplexity he resolved
+to refer the matter to Leandra (for that is the name of the rich damsel
+who has reduced me to misery), reflecting that as we were both equal it
+would be best to leave it to his dear daughter to choose according to her
+inclination--a course that is worthy of imitation by all fathers who wish
+to settle their children in life. I do not mean that they ought to leave
+them to make a choice of what is contemptible and bad, but that they
+should place before them what is good and then allow them to make a good
+choice as they please. I do not know which Leandra chose; I only know her
+father put us both off with the tender age of his daughter and vague
+words that neither bound him nor dismissed us. My rival is called Anselmo
+and I myself Eugenio--that you may know the names of the personages that
+figure in this tragedy, the end of which is still in suspense, though it
+is plain to see it must be disastrous.
+
+About this time there arrived in our town one Vicente de la Roca, the son
+of a poor peasant of the same town, the said Vicente having returned from
+service as a soldier in Italy and divers other parts. A captain who
+chanced to pass that way with his company had carried him off from our
+village when he was a boy of about twelve years, and now twelve years
+later the young man came back in a soldier's uniform, arrayed in a
+thousand colours, and all over glass trinkets and fine steel chains.
+To-day he would appear in one gay dress, to-morrow in another; but all
+flimsy and gaudy, of little substance and less worth. The peasant folk,
+who are naturally malicious, and when they have nothing to do can be
+malice itself, remarked all this, and took note of his finery and
+jewellery, piece by piece, and discovered that he had three suits of
+different colours, with garters and stockings to match; but he made so
+many arrangements and combinations out of them, that if they had not
+counted them, anyone would have sworn that he had made a display of more
+than ten suits of clothes and twenty plumes. Do not look upon all this
+that I am telling you about the clothes as uncalled for or spun out, for
+they have a great deal to do with the story. He used to seat himself on a
+bench under the great poplar in our plaza, and there he would keep us all
+hanging open-mouthed on the stories he told us of his exploits. There was
+no country on the face of the globe he had not seen, nor battle he had
+not been engaged in; he had killed more Moors than there are in Morocco
+and Tunis, and fought more single combats, according to his own account,
+than Garcilaso, Diego Garcia de Paredes and a thousand others he named,
+and out of all he had come victorious without losing a drop of blood. On
+the other hand he showed marks of wounds, which, though they could not be
+made out, he said were gunshot wounds received in divers encounters and
+actions. Lastly, with monstrous impudence he used to say "you" to his
+equals and even those who knew what he was, and declare that his arm was
+his father and his deeds his pedigree, and that being a soldier he was as
+good as the king himself. And to add to these swaggering ways he was a
+trifle of a musician, and played the guitar with such a flourish that
+some said he made it speak; nor did his accomplishments end here, for he
+was something of a poet too, and on every trifle that happened in the
+town he made a ballad a league long.
+
+This soldier, then, that I have described, this Vicente de la Roca, this
+bravo, gallant, musician, poet, was often seen and watched by Leandra
+from a window of her house which looked out on the plaza. The glitter of
+his showy attire took her fancy, his ballads bewitched her (for he gave
+away twenty copies of every one he made), the tales of his exploits which
+he told about himself came to her ears; and in short, as the devil no
+doubt had arranged it, she fell in love with him before the presumption
+of making love to her had suggested itself to him; and as in love-affairs
+none are more easily brought to an issue than those which have the
+inclination of the lady for an ally, Leandra and Vicente came to an
+understanding without any difficulty; and before any of her numerous
+suitors had any suspicion of her design, she had already carried it into
+effect, having left the house of her dearly beloved father (for mother
+she had none), and disappeared from the village with the soldier, who
+came more triumphantly out of this enterprise than out of any of the
+large number he laid claim to. All the village and all who heard of it
+were amazed at the affair; I was aghast, Anselmo thunderstruck, her
+father full of grief, her relations indignant, the authorities all in a
+ferment, the officers of the Brotherhood in arms. They scoured the roads,
+they searched the woods and all quarters, and at the end of three days
+they found the flighty Leandra in a mountain cave, stript to her shift,
+and robbed of all the money and precious jewels she had carried away from
+home with her.
+
+They brought her back to her unhappy father, and questioned her as to her
+misfortune, and she confessed without pressure that Vicente de la Roca
+had deceived her, and under promise of marrying her had induced her to
+leave her father's house, as he meant to take her to the richest and most
+delightful city in the whole world, which was Naples; and that she,
+ill-advised and deluded, had believed him, and robbed her father, and
+handed over all to him the night she disappeared; and that he had carried
+her away to a rugged mountain and shut her up in the eave where they had
+found her. She said, moreover, that the soldier, without robbing her of
+her honour, had taken from her everything she had, and made off, leaving
+her in the cave, a thing that still further surprised everybody. It was
+not easy for us to credit the young man's continence, but she asserted it
+with such earnestness that it helped to console her distressed father,
+who thought nothing of what had been taken since the jewel that once lost
+can never be recovered had been left to his daughter. The same day that
+Leandra made her appearance her father removed her from our sight and
+took her away to shut her up in a convent in a town near this, in the
+hope that time may wear away some of the disgrace she has incurred.
+Leandra's youth furnished an excuse for her fault, at least with those to
+whom it was of no consequence whether she was good or bad; but those who
+knew her shrewdness and intelligence did not attribute her misdemeanour
+to ignorance but to wantonness and the natural disposition of women,
+which is for the most part flighty and ill-regulated.
+
+Leandra withdrawn from sight, Anselmo's eyes grew blind, or at any rate
+found nothing to look at that gave them any pleasure, and mine were in
+darkness without a ray of light to direct them to anything enjoyable
+while Leandra was away. Our melancholy grew greater, our patience grew
+less; we cursed the soldier's finery and railed at the carelessness of
+Leandra's father. At last Anselmo and I agreed to leave the village and
+come to this valley; and, he feeding a great flock of sheep of his own,
+and I a large herd of goats of mine, we pass our life among the trees,
+giving vent to our sorrows, together singing the fair Leandra's praises,
+or upbraiding her, or else sighing alone, and to heaven pouring forth our
+complaints in solitude. Following our example, many more of Leandra's
+lovers have come to these rude mountains and adopted our mode of life,
+and they are so numerous that one would fancy the place had been turned
+into the pastoral Arcadia, so full is it of shepherds and sheep-folds;
+nor is there a spot in it where the name of the fair Leandra is not
+heard. Here one curses her and calls her capricious, fickle, and
+immodest, there another condemns her as frail and frivolous; this pardons
+and absolves her, that spurns and reviles her; one extols her beauty,
+another assails her character, and in short all abuse her, and all adore
+her, and to such a pitch has this general infatuation gone that there are
+some who complain of her scorn without ever having exchanged a word with
+her, and even some that bewail and mourn the raging fever of jealousy,
+for which she never gave anyone cause, for, as I have already said, her
+misconduct was known before her passion. There is no nook among the
+rocks, no brookside, no shade beneath the trees that is not haunted by
+some shepherd telling his woes to the breezes; wherever there is an echo
+it repeats the name of Leandra; the mountains ring with "Leandra,"
+"Leandra" murmur the brooks, and Leandra keeps us all bewildered and
+bewitched, hoping without hope and fearing without knowing what we fear.
+Of all this silly set the one that shows the least and also the most
+sense is my rival Anselmo, for having so many other things to complain
+of, he only complains of separation, and to the accompaniment of a
+rebeck, which he plays admirably, he sings his complaints in verses that
+show his ingenuity. I follow another, easier, and to my mind wiser
+course, and that is to rail at the frivolity of women, at their
+inconstancy, their double dealing, their broken promises, their unkept
+pledges, and in short the want of reflection they show in fixing their
+affections and inclinations. This, sirs, was the reason of words and
+expressions I made use of to this goat when I came up just now; for as
+she is a female I have a contempt for her, though she is the best in all
+my fold. This is the story I promised to tell you, and if I have been
+tedious in telling it, I will not be slow to serve you; my hut is close
+by, and I have fresh milk and dainty cheese there, as well as a variety
+of toothsome fruit, no less pleasing to the eye than to the palate.
+
+Chapter LII. -
+Of the quarrel that don quixote had with the goatherd, together with the
+rare adventure of the penitents, which with an expenditure of sweat he
+brought to a happy conclusion
+
+The goatherd's tale gave great satisfaction to all the hearers, and the
+canon especially enjoyed it, for he had remarked with particular
+attention the manner in which it had been told, which was as unlike the
+manner of a clownish goatherd as it was like that of a polished city wit;
+and he observed that the curate had been quite right in saying that the
+woods bred men of learning. They all offered their services to Eugenio
+but he who showed himself most liberal in this way was Don Quixote, who
+said to him, "Most assuredly, brother goatherd, if I found myself in a
+position to attempt any adventure, I would, this very instant, set out on
+your behalf, and would rescue Leandra from that convent (where no doubt
+she is kept against her will), in spite of the abbess and all who might
+try to prevent me, and would place her in your hands to deal with her
+according to your will and pleasure, observing, however, the laws of
+chivalry which lay down that no violence of any kind is to be offered to
+any damsel. But I trust in God our Lord that the might of one malignant
+enchanter may not prove so great but that the power of another better
+disposed may prove superior to it, and then I promise you my support and
+assistance, as I am bound to do by my profession, which is none other
+than to give aid to the weak and needy."
+
+The goatherd eyed him, and noticing Don Quixote's sorry appearance and
+looks, he was filled with wonder, and asked the barber, who was next him,
+"Senor, who is this man who makes such a figure and talks in such a
+strain?"
+
+"Who should it be," said the barber, "but the famous Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, the undoer of injustice, the righter of wrongs, the protector of
+damsels, the terror of giants, and the winner of battles?"
+
+"That," said the goatherd, "sounds like what one reads in the books of
+the knights-errant, who did all that you say this man does; though it is
+my belief that either you are joking, or else this gentleman has empty
+lodgings in his head."
+
+"You are a great scoundrel," said Don Quixote, "and it is you who are
+empty and a fool. I am fuller than ever was the whoreson bitch that bore
+you;" and passing from words to deeds, he caught up a loaf that was near
+him and sent it full in the goatherd's face, with such force that he
+flattened his nose; but the goatherd, who did not understand jokes, and
+found himself roughly handled in such good earnest, paying no respect to
+carpet, tablecloth, or diners, sprang upon Don Quixote, and seizing him
+by the throat with both hands would no doubt have throttled him, had not
+Sancho Panza that instant come to the rescue, and grasping him by the
+shoulders flung him down on the table, smashing plates, breaking glasses,
+and upsetting and scattering everything on it. Don Quixote, finding
+himself free, strove to get on top of the goatherd, who, with his face
+covered with blood, and soundly kicked by Sancho, was on all fours
+feeling about for one of the table-knives to take a bloody revenge with.
+The canon and the curate, however, prevented him, but the barber so
+contrived it that he got Don Quixote under him, and rained down upon him
+such a shower of fisticuffs that the poor knight's face streamed with
+blood as freely as his own. The canon and the curate were bursting with
+laughter, the officers were capering with delight, and both the one and
+the other hissed them on as they do dogs that are worrying one another in
+a fight. Sancho alone was frantic, for he could not free himself from the
+grasp of one of the canon's servants, who kept him from going to his
+master's assistance.
+
+At last, while they were all, with the exception of the two bruisers who
+were mauling each other, in high glee and enjoyment, they heard a trumpet
+sound a note so doleful that it made them all look in the direction
+whence the sound seemed to come. But the one that was most excited by
+hearing it was Don Quixote, who though sorely against his will he was
+under the goatherd, and something more than pretty well pummelled, said
+to him, "Brother devil (for it is impossible but that thou must be one
+since thou hast had might and strength enough to overcome mine), I ask
+thee to agree to a truce for but one hour for the solemn note of yonder
+trumpet that falls on our ears seems to me to summon me to some new
+adventure." The goatherd, who was by this time tired of pummelling and
+being pummelled, released him at once, and Don Quixote rising to his feet
+and turning his eyes to the quarter where the sound had been heard,
+suddenly saw coming down the slope of a hill several men clad in white
+like penitents.
+
+The fact was that the clouds had that year withheld their moisture from
+the earth, and in all the villages of the district they were organising
+processions, rogations, and penances, imploring God to open the hands of
+his mercy and send the rain; and to this end the people of a village that
+was hard by were going in procession to a holy hermitage there was on one
+side of that valley. Don Quixote when he saw the strange garb of the
+penitents, without reflecting how often he had seen it before, took it
+into his head that this was a case of adventure, and that it fell to him
+alone as a knight-errant to engage in it; and he was all the more
+confirmed in this notion, by the idea that an image draped in black they
+had with them was some illustrious lady that these villains and
+discourteous thieves were carrying off by force. As soon as this occurred
+to him he ran with all speed to Rocinante who was grazing at large, and
+taking the bridle and the buckler from the saddle-bow, he had him bridled
+in an instant, and calling to Sancho for his sword he mounted Rocinante,
+braced his buckler on his arm, and in a loud voice exclaimed to those who
+stood by, "Now, noble company, ye shall see how important it is that
+there should be knights in the world professing the of knight-errantry;
+now, I say, ye shall see, by the deliverance of that worthy lady who is
+borne captive there, whether knights-errant deserve to be held in
+estimation," and so saying he brought his legs to bear on Rocinante--for
+he had no spurs--and at a full canter (for in all this veracious history
+we never read of Rocinante fairly galloping) set off to encounter the
+penitents, though the curate, the canon, and the barber ran to prevent
+him. But it was out of their power, nor did he even stop for the shouts
+of Sancho calling after him, "Where are you going, Senor Don Quixote?
+What devils have possessed you to set you on against our Catholic faith?
+Plague take me! mind, that is a procession of penitents, and the lady
+they are carrying on that stand there is the blessed image of the
+immaculate Virgin. Take care what you are doing, senor, for this time it
+may be safely said you don't know what you are about." Sancho laboured in
+vain, for his master was so bent on coming to quarters with these sheeted
+figures and releasing the lady in black that he did not hear a word; and
+even had he heard, he would not have turned back if the king had ordered
+him. He came up with the procession and reined in Rocinante, who was
+already anxious enough to slacken speed a little, and in a hoarse,
+excited voice he exclaimed, "You who hide your faces, perhaps because you
+are not good subjects, pay attention and listen to what I am about to say
+to you." The first to halt were those who were carrying the image, and
+one of the four ecclesiastics who were chanting the Litany, struck by the
+strange figure of Don Quixote, the leanness of Rocinante, and the other
+ludicrous peculiarities he observed, said in reply to him, "Brother, if
+you have anything to say to us say it quickly, for these brethren are
+whipping themselves, and we cannot stop, nor is it reasonable we should
+stop to hear anything, unless indeed it is short enough to be said in two
+words."
+
+"I will say it in one," replied Don Quixote, "and it is this; that at
+once, this very instant, ye release that fair lady whose tears and sad
+aspect show plainly that ye are carrying her off against her will, and
+that ye have committed some scandalous outrage against her; and I, who
+was born into the world to redress all such like wrongs, will not permit
+you to advance another step until you have restored to her the liberty
+she pines for and deserves."
+
+From these words all the hearers concluded that he must be a madman, and
+began to laugh heartily, and their laughter acted like gunpowder on Don
+Quixote's fury, for drawing his sword without another word he made a rush
+at the stand. One of those who supported it, leaving the burden to his
+comrades, advanced to meet him, flourishing a forked stick that he had
+for propping up the stand when resting, and with this he caught a mighty
+cut Don Quixote made at him that severed it in two; but with the portion
+that remained in his hand he dealt such a thwack on the shoulder of Don
+Quixote's sword arm (which the buckler could not protect against the
+clownish assault) that poor Don Quixote came to the ground in a sad
+plight.
+
+Sancho Panza, who was coming on close behind puffing and blowing, seeing
+him fall, cried out to his assailant not to strike him again, for he was
+poor enchanted knight, who had never harmed anyone all the days of his
+life; but what checked the clown was, not Sancho's shouting, but seeing
+that Don Quixote did not stir hand or foot; and so, fancying he had
+killed him, he hastily hitched up his tunic under his girdle and took to
+his heels across the country like a deer.
+
+By this time all Don Quixote's companions had come up to where he lay;
+but the processionists seeing them come running, and with them the
+officers of the Brotherhood with their crossbows, apprehended mischief,
+and clustering round the image, raised their hoods, and grasped their
+scourges, as the priests did their tapers, and awaited the attack,
+resolved to defend themselves and even to take the offensive against
+their assailants if they could. Fortune, however, arranged the matter
+better than they expected, for all Sancho did was to fling himself on his
+master's body, raising over him the most doleful and laughable
+lamentation that ever was heard, for he believed he was dead. The curate
+was known to another curate who walked in the procession, and their
+recognition of one another set at rest the apprehensions of both parties;
+the first then told the other in two words who Don Quixote was, and he
+and the whole troop of penitents went to see if the poor gentleman was
+dead, and heard Sancho Panza saying, with tears in his eyes, "Oh flower
+of chivalry, that with one blow of a stick hast ended the course of thy
+well-spent life! Oh pride of thy race, honour and glory of all La Mancha,
+nay, of all the world, that for want of thee will be full of evil-doers,
+no longer in fear of punishment for their misdeeds! Oh thou, generous
+above all the Alexanders, since for only eight months of service thou
+hast given me the best island the sea girds or surrounds! Humble with the
+proud, haughty with the humble, encounterer of dangers, endurer of
+outrages, enamoured without reason, imitator of the good, scourge of the
+wicked, enemy of the mean, in short, knight-errant, which is all that can
+be said!"
+
+At the cries and moans of Sancho, Don Quixote came to himself, and the
+first word he said was, "He who lives separated from you, sweetest
+Dulcinea, has greater miseries to endure than these. Aid me, friend
+Sancho, to mount the enchanted cart, for I am not in a condition to press
+the saddle of Rocinante, as this shoulder is all knocked to pieces."
+
+"That I will do with all my heart, senor," said Sancho; "and let us
+return to our village with these gentlemen, who seek your good, and there
+we will prepare for making another sally, which may turn out more
+profitable and creditable to us."
+
+"Thou art right, Sancho," returned Don Quixote; "It will be wise to let
+the malign influence of the stars which now prevails pass off."
+
+The canon, the curate, and the barber told him he would act very wisely
+in doing as he said; and so, highly amused at Sancho Panza's
+simplicities, they placed Don Quixote in the cart as before. The
+procession once more formed itself in order and proceeded on its road;
+the goatherd took his leave of the party; the officers of the Brotherhood
+declined to go any farther, and the curate paid them what was due to
+them; the canon begged the curate to let him know how Don Quixote did,
+whether he was cured of his madness or still suffered from it, and then
+begged leave to continue his journey; in short, they all separated and
+went their ways, leaving to themselves the curate and the barber, Don
+Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the good Rocinante, who regarded everything
+with as great resignation as his master. The carter yoked his oxen and
+made Don Quixote comfortable on a truss of hay, and at his usual
+deliberate pace took the road the curate directed, and at the end of six
+days they reached Don Quixote's village, and entered it about the middle
+of the day, which it so happened was a Sunday, and the people were all in
+the plaza, through which Don Quixote's cart passed. They all flocked to
+see what was in the cart, and when they recognised their townsman they
+were filled with amazement, and a boy ran off to bring the news to his
+housekeeper and his niece that their master and uncle had come back all
+lean and yellow and stretched on a truss of hay on an ox-cart. It was
+piteous to hear the cries the two good ladies raised, how they beat their
+breasts and poured out fresh maledictions on those accursed books of
+chivalry; all which was renewed when they saw Don Quixote coming in at
+the gate.
+
+At the news of Don Quixote's arrival Sancho Panza's wife came running,
+for she by this time knew that her husband had gone away with him as his
+squire, and on seeing Sancho, the first thing she asked him was if the
+ass was well. Sancho replied that he was, better than his master was.
+
+"Thanks be to God," said she, "for being so good to me; but now tell me,
+my friend, what have you made by your squirings? What gown have you
+brought me back? What shoes for your children?"
+
+"I bring nothing of that sort, wife," said Sancho; "though I bring other
+things of more consequence and value."
+
+"I am very glad of that," returned his wife; "show me these things of
+more value and consequence, my friend; for I want to see them to cheer my
+heart that has been so sad and heavy all these ages that you have been
+away."
+
+"I will show them to you at home, wife," said Sancho; "be content for the
+present; for if it please God that we should again go on our travels in
+search of adventures, you will soon see me a count, or governor of an
+island, and that not one of those everyday ones, but the best that is to
+be had."
+
+"Heaven grant it, husband," said she, "for indeed we have need of it. But
+tell me, what's this about islands, for I don't understand it?"
+
+"Honey is not for the mouth of the ass," returned Sancho; "all in good
+time thou shalt see, wife--nay, thou wilt be surprised to hear thyself
+called 'your ladyship' by all thy vassals."
+
+"What are you talking about, Sancho, with your ladyships, islands, and
+vassals?" returned Teresa Panza--for so Sancho's wife was called, though
+they were not relations, for in La Mancha it is customary for wives to
+take their husbands' surnames.
+
+"Don't be in such a hurry to know all this, Teresa," said Sancho; "it is
+enough that I am telling you the truth, so shut your mouth. But I may
+tell you this much by the way, that there is nothing in the world more
+delightful than to be a person of consideration, squire to a
+knight-errant, and a seeker of adventures. To be sure most of those one
+finds do not end as pleasantly as one could wish, for out of a hundred,
+ninety-nine will turn out cross and contrary. I know it by experience,
+for out of some I came blanketed, and out of others belaboured. Still,
+for all that, it is a fine thing to be on the look-out for what may
+happen, crossing mountains, searching woods, climbing rocks, visiting
+castles, putting up at inns, all at free quarters, and devil take the
+maravedi to pay."
+
+While this conversation passed between Sancho Panza and his wife, Don
+Quixote's housekeeper and niece took him in and undressed him and laid
+him in his old bed. He eyed them askance, and could not make out where he
+was. The curate charged his niece to be very careful to make her uncle
+comfortable and to keep a watch over him lest he should make his escape
+from them again, telling her what they had been obliged to do to bring
+him home. On this the pair once more lifted up their voices and renewed
+their maledictions upon the books of chivalry, and implored heaven to
+plunge the authors of such lies and nonsense into the midst of the
+bottomless pit. They were, in short, kept in anxiety and dread lest their
+uncle and master should give them the slip the moment he found himself
+somewhat better, and as they feared so it fell out.
+
+But the author of this history, though he has devoted research and
+industry to the discovery of the deeds achieved by Don Quixote in his
+third sally, has been unable to obtain any information respecting them,
+at any rate derived from authentic documents; tradition has merely
+preserved in the memory of La Mancha the fact that Don Quixote, the third
+time he sallied forth from his home, betook himself to Saragossa, where
+he was present at some famous jousts which came off in that city, and
+that he had adventures there worthy of his valour and high intelligence.
+Of his end and death he could learn no particulars, nor would he have
+ascertained it or known of it, if good fortune had not produced an old
+physician for him who had in his possession a leaden box, which,
+according to his account, had been discovered among the crumbling
+foundations of an ancient hermitage that was being rebuilt; in which box
+were found certain parchment manuscripts in Gothic character, but in
+Castilian verse, containing many of his achievements, and setting forth
+the beauty of Dulcinea, the form of Rocinante, the fidelity of Sancho
+Panza, and the burial of Don Quixote himself, together with sundry
+epitaphs and eulogies on his life and character; but all that could be
+read and deciphered were those which the trustworthy author of this new
+and unparalleled history here presents. And the said author asks of those
+that shall read it nothing in return for the vast toil which it has cost
+him in examining and searching the Manchegan archives in order to bring
+it to light, save that they give him the same credit that people of sense
+give to the books of chivalry that pervade the world and are so popular;
+for with this he will consider himself amply paid and fully satisfied,
+and will be encouraged to seek out and produce other histories, if not as
+truthful, at least equal in invention and not less entertaining. The
+first words written on the parchment found in the leaden box were these:
+
+poem{
+
+      THE ACADEMICIANS OF
+   ARGAMASILLA, A VILLAGE OF
+           LA MANCHA,
+     ON THE LIFE AND DEATH
+   OF DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA,
+        HOC SCRIPSERUNT
+MONICONGO, ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA,
+
+ON THE TOMB OF DON QUIXOTE
+EPITAPH
+
+}poem
+
+poem{
+
+The scatterbrain that gave La Mancha more
+  Rich spoils than Jason's; who a point so keen
+  Had to his wit, and happier far had been
+If his wit's weathercock a blunter bore;
+The arm renowned far as Gaeta's shore,
+  Cathay, and all the lands that lie between;
+  The muse discreet and terrible in mien
+As ever wrote on brass in days of yore;
+He who surpassed the Amadises all,
+  And who as naught the Galaors accounted,
+    Supported by his love and gallantry:
+Who made the Belianises sing small,
+  And sought renown on Rocinante mounted;
+    Here, underneath this cold stone, doth he lie.
+
+}poem
+
+PANIAGUADO,
+ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA,
+IN LAUDEM DULCINEAE DEL TOBOSO
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+She, whose full features may be here descried,
+  High-bosomed, with a bearing of disdain,
+  Is Dulcinea, she for whom in vain
+The great Don Quixote of La Mancha sighed.
+For her, Toboso's queen, from side to side
+  He traversed the grim sierra, the champaign
+  Of Aranjuez, and Montiel's famous plain:
+On Rocinante oft a weary ride.
+Malignant planets, cruel destiny,
+  Pursued them both, the fair Manchegan dame,
+And the unconquered star of chivalry.
+  Nor youth nor beauty saved her from the claim
+Of death; he paid love's bitter penalty,
+  And left the marble to preserve his name.
+
+}poem
+
+CAPRICHOSO, A MOST ACUTE ACADEMICIAN
+OF ARGAMASILLA, IN PRAISE OF ROCINANTE,
+STEED OF DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+On that proud throne of diamantine sheen,
+  Which the blood-reeking feet of Mars degrade,
+The mad Manchegan's banner now hath been
+  By him in all its bravery displayed.
+  There hath he hung his arms and trenchant blade
+Wherewith, achieving deeds till now unseen,
+  He slays, lays low, cleaves, hews; but art hath made
+A novel style for our new paladin.
+If Amadis be the proud boast of Gaul,
+  If by his progeny the fame of Greece
+    Through all the regions of the earth be spread,
+Great Quixote crowned in grim Bellona's hall
+  To-day exalts La Mancha over these,
+    And above Greece or Gaul she holds her head.
+Nor ends his glory here, for his good steed
+Doth Brillador and Bayard far exceed;
+As mettled steeds compared with Rocinante,
+The reputation they have won is scanty.
+
+}poem
+
+BURLADOR, ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA,
+ON SANCHO PANZA
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+  The worthy Sancho Panza here you see;
+    A great soul once was in that body small,
+    Nor was there squire upon this earthly ball
+So plain and simple, or of guile so free.
+Within an ace of being Count was he,
+    And would have been but for the spite and gall
+    Of this vile age, mean and illiberal,
+That cannot even let a donkey be.
+For mounted on an ass (excuse the word),
+    By Rocinante's side this gentle squire
+      Was wont his wandering master to attend.
+Delusive hopes that lure the common herd
+    With promises of ease, the heart's desire,
+      In shadows, dreams, and smoke ye always end.
+
+}poem
+
+CACHIDIABLO,
+ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA,
+ON THE TOMB OF DON QUIXOTE
+EPITAPH
+
+poem{
+
+The knight lies here below,
+  Ill-errant and bruised sore,
+  Whom Rocinante bore
+In his wanderings to and fro.
+By the side of the knight is laid
+  Stolid man Sancho too,
+  Than whom a squire more true
+Was not in the esquire trade.
+
+}poem
+
+            TIQUITOC,
+   ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA,
+ON THE TOMB OF DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO
+
+poem{
+
+           EPITAPH
+Here Dulcinea lies.
+  Plump was she and robust:
+  Now she is ashes and dust:
+The end of all flesh that dies.
+A lady of high degree,
+  With the port of a lofty dame,
+  And the great Don Quixote's flame,
+And the pride of her village was she.
+
+}poem
+
+These were all the verses that could be deciphered; the rest, the writing
+being worm-eaten, were handed over to one of the Academicians to make out
+their meaning conjecturally. We have been informed that at the cost of
+many sleepless nights and much toil he has succeeded, and that he means
+to publish them in hopes of Don Quixote's third sally.
+
+"Forse altro cantera con miglior plectro."
+
+END OF PART I.
+
+DON QUIXOTE
+
+PART II. -
+DON QUIXOTE Volume II.  Complete by Miguel de Cervantes Translated by John Ormsby
+
+1~ DEDICATION OF PART II.
+
+TO THE COUNT OF LEMOS:
+
+These days past, when sending Your Excellency my plays, that had appeared
+in print before being shown on the stage, I said, if I remember well,
+that Don Quixote was putting on his spurs to go and render homage to Your
+Excellency. Now I say that "with his spurs, he is on his way." Should he
+reach destination methinks I shall have rendered some service to Your
+Excellency, as from many parts I am urged to send him off, so as to
+dispel the loathing and disgust caused by another Don Quixote who, under
+the name of Second Part, has run masquerading through the whole world.
+And he who has shown the greatest longing for him has been the great
+Emperor of China, who wrote me a letter in Chinese a month ago and sent
+it by a special courier. He asked me, or to be truthful, he begged me to
+send him Don Quixote, for he intended to found a college where the
+Spanish tongue would be taught, and it was his wish that the book to be
+read should be the History of Don Quixote. He also added that I should go
+and be the rector of this college. I asked the bearer if His Majesty had
+afforded a sum in aid of my travel expenses. He answered, "No, not even
+in thought."
+
+"Then, brother," I replied, "you can return to your China, post haste or
+at whatever haste you are bound to go, as I am not fit for so long a
+travel and, besides being ill, I am very much without money, while
+Emperor for Emperor and Monarch for Monarch, I have at Naples the great
+Count of Lemos, who, without so many petty titles of colleges and
+rectorships, sustains me, protects me and does me more favour than I can
+wish for."
+
+Thus I gave him his leave and I beg mine from you, offering Your
+Excellency the "Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda," a book I shall finish
+within four months, Deo volente, and which will be either the worst or
+the best that has been composed in our language, I mean of those intended
+for entertainment; at which I repent of having called it the worst, for,
+in the opinion of friends, it is bound to attain the summit of possible
+quality. May Your Excellency return in such health that is wished you;
+Persiles will be ready to kiss your hand and I your feet, being as I am,
+Your Excellency's most humble servant.
+
+From Madrid, this last day of October of the year one thousand six
+hundred and fifteen.
+
+At the service of Your Excellency:
+
+MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA
+
+VOLUME II.
+THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE
+
+God bless me, gentle (or it may be plebeian) reader, how eagerly must
+thou be looking forward to this preface, expecting to find there
+retaliation, scolding, and abuse against the author of the second Don
+Quixote--I mean him who was, they say, begotten at Tordesillas and born
+at Tarragona! Well then, the truth is, I am not going to give thee that
+satisfaction; for, though injuries stir up anger in humbler breasts, in
+mine the rule must admit of an exception. Thou wouldst have me call him
+ass, fool, and malapert, but I have no such intention; let his offence be
+his punishment, with his bread let him eat it, and there's an end of it.
+What I cannot help taking amiss is that he charges me with being old and
+one-handed, as if it had been in my power to keep time from passing over
+me, or as if the loss of my hand had been brought about in some tavern,
+and not on the grandest occasion the past or present has seen, or the
+future can hope to see. If my wounds have no beauty to the beholder's
+eye, they are, at least, honourable in the estimation of those who know
+where they were received; for the soldier shows to greater advantage dead
+in battle than alive in flight; and so strongly is this my feeling, that
+if now it were proposed to perform an impossibility for me, I would
+rather have had my share in that mighty action, than be free from my
+wounds this minute without having been present at it. Those the soldier
+shows on his face and breast are stars that direct others to the heaven
+of honour and ambition of merited praise; and moreover it is to be
+observed that it is not with grey hairs that one writes, but with the
+understanding, and that commonly improves with years. I take it amiss,
+too, that he calls me envious, and explains to me, as if I were ignorant,
+what envy is; for really and truly, of the two kinds there are, I only
+know that which is holy, noble, and high-minded; and if that be so, as it
+is, I am not likely to attack a priest, above all if, in addition, he
+holds the rank of familiar of the Holy Office. And if he said what he did
+on account of him on whose behalf it seems he spoke, he is entirely
+mistaken; for I worship the genius of that person, and admire his works
+and his unceasing and strenuous industry. After all, I am grateful to
+this gentleman, the author, for saying that my novels are more satirical
+than exemplary, but that they are good; for they could not be that unless
+there was a little of everything in them.
+
+I suspect thou wilt say that I am taking a very humble line, and keeping
+myself too much within the bounds of my moderation, from a feeling that
+additional suffering should not be inflicted upon a sufferer, and that
+what this gentleman has to endure must doubtless be very great, as he
+does not dare to come out into the open field and broad daylight, but
+hides his name and disguises his country as if he had been guilty of some
+lese majesty. If perchance thou shouldst come to know him, tell him from
+me that I do not hold myself aggrieved; for I know well what the
+temptations of the devil are, and that one of the greatest is putting it
+into a man's head that he can write and print a book by which he will get
+as much fame as money, and as much money as fame; and to prove it I will
+beg of you, in your own sprightly, pleasant way, to tell him this story.
+
+There was a madman in Seville who took to one of the drollest absurdities
+and vagaries that ever madman in the world gave way to. It was this: he
+made a tube of reed sharp at one end, and catching a dog in the street,
+or wherever it might be, he with his foot held one of its legs fast, and
+with his hand lifted up the other, and as best he could fixed the tube
+where, by blowing, he made the dog as round as a ball; then holding it in
+this position, he gave it a couple of slaps on the belly, and let it go,
+saying to the bystanders (and there were always plenty of them): "Do your
+worships think, now, that it is an easy thing to blow up a dog?"--Does
+your worship think now, that it is an easy thing to write a book?
+
+And if this story does not suit him, you may, dear reader, tell him this
+one, which is likewise of a madman and a dog.
+
+In Cordova there was another madman, whose way it was to carry a piece of
+marble slab or a stone, not of the lightest, on his head, and when he
+came upon any unwary dog he used to draw close to him and let the weight
+fall right on top of him; on which the dog in a rage, barking and
+howling, would run three streets without stopping. It so happened,
+however, that one of the dogs he discharged his load upon was a
+cap-maker's dog, of which his master was very fond. The stone came down
+hitting it on the head, the dog raised a yell at the blow, the master saw
+the affair and was wroth, and snatching up a measuring-yard rushed out at
+the madman and did not leave a sound bone in his body, and at every
+stroke he gave him he said, "You dog, you thief! my lurcher! Don't you
+see, you brute, that my dog is a lurcher?" and so, repeating the word
+"lurcher" again and again, he sent the madman away beaten to a jelly. The
+madman took the lesson to heart, and vanished, and for more than a month
+never once showed himself in public; but after that he came out again
+with his old trick and a heavier load than ever. He came up to where
+there was a dog, and examining it very carefully without venturing to let
+the stone fall, he said: "This is a lurcher; ware!" In short, all the
+dogs he came across, be they mastiffs or terriers, he said were lurchers;
+and he discharged no more stones. Maybe it will be the same with this
+historian; that he will not venture another time to discharge the weight
+of his wit in books, which, being bad, are harder than stones. Tell him,
+too, that I do not care a farthing for the threat he holds out to me of
+depriving me of my profit by means of his book; for, to borrow from the
+famous interlude of "The Perendenga," I say in answer to him, "Long life
+to my lord the Veintiquatro, and Christ be with us all." Long life to the
+great Conde de Lemos, whose Christian charity and well-known generosity
+support me against all the strokes of my curst fortune; and long life to
+the supreme benevolence of His Eminence of Toledo, Don Bernardo de
+Sandoval y Rojas; and what matter if there be no printing-presses in the
+world, or if they print more books against me than there are letters in
+the verses of Mingo Revulgo! These two princes, unsought by any adulation
+or flattery of mine, of their own goodness alone, have taken it upon them
+to show me kindness and protect me, and in this I consider myself happier
+and richer than if Fortune had raised me to her greatest height in the
+ordinary way. The poor man may retain honour, but not the vicious;
+poverty may cast a cloud over nobility, but cannot hide it altogether;
+and as virtue of itself sheds a certain light, even though it be through
+the straits and chinks of penury, it wins the esteem of lofty and noble
+spirits, and in consequence their protection. Thou needst say no more to
+him, nor will I say anything more to thee, save to tell thee to bear in
+mind that this Second Part of "Don Quixote" which I offer thee is cut by
+the same craftsman and from the same cloth as the First, and that in it I
+present thee Don Quixote continued, and at length dead and buried, so
+that no one may dare to bring forward any further evidence against him,
+for that already produced is sufficient; and suffice it, too, that some
+reputable person should have given an account of all these shrewd
+lunacies of his without going into the matter again; for abundance, even
+of good things, prevents them from being valued; and scarcity, even in
+the case of what is bad, confers a certain value. I was forgetting to
+tell thee that thou mayest expect the "Persiles," which I am now
+finishing, and also the Second Part of "Galatea."
+
+Chapter I. -
+Of the interview the curate and the barber had with Don Quixote about his
+malady
+
+Cide Hamete Benengeli, in the Second Part of this history, and third
+sally of Don Quixote, says that the curate and the barber remained nearly
+a month without seeing him, lest they should recall or bring back to his
+recollection what had taken place. They did not, however, omit to visit
+his niece and housekeeper, and charge them to be careful to treat him
+with attention, and give him comforting things to eat, and such as were
+good for the heart and the brain, whence, it was plain to see, all his
+misfortune proceeded. The niece and housekeeper replied that they did so,
+and meant to do so with all possible care and assiduity, for they could
+perceive that their master was now and then beginning to show signs of
+being in his right mind. This gave great satisfaction to the curate and
+the barber, for they concluded they had taken the right course in
+carrying him off enchanted on the ox-cart, as has been described in the
+First Part of this great as well as accurate history, in the last chapter
+thereof. So they resolved to pay him a visit and test the improvement in
+his condition, although they thought it almost impossible that there
+could be any; and they agreed not to touch upon any point connected with
+knight-errantry so as not to run the risk of reopening wounds which were
+still so tender.
+
+They came to see him consequently, and found him sitting up in bed in a
+green baize waistcoat and a red Toledo cap, and so withered and dried up
+that he looked as if he had been turned into a mummy. They were very
+cordially received by him; they asked him after his health, and he talked
+to them about himself very naturally and in very well-chosen language. In
+the course of their conversation they fell to discussing what they call
+State-craft and systems of government, correcting this abuse and
+condemning that, reforming one practice and abolishing another, each of
+the three setting up for a new legislator, a modern Lycurgus, or a
+brand-new Solon; and so completely did they remodel the State, that they
+seemed to have thrust it into a furnace and taken out something quite
+different from what they had put in; and on all the subjects they dealt
+with, Don Quixote spoke with such good sense that the pair of examiners
+were fully convinced that he was quite recovered and in his full senses.
+
+The niece and housekeeper were present at the conversation and could not
+find words enough to express their thanks to God at seeing their master
+so clear in his mind; the curate, however, changing his original plan,
+which was to avoid touching upon matters of chivalry, resolved to test
+Don Quixote's recovery thoroughly, and see whether it were genuine or
+not; and so, from one subject to another, he came at last to talk of the
+news that had come from the capital, and, among other things, he said it
+was considered certain that the Turk was coming down with a powerful
+fleet, and that no one knew what his purpose was, or when the great storm
+would burst; and that all Christendom was in apprehension of this, which
+almost every year calls us to arms, and that his Majesty had made
+provision for the security of the coasts of Naples and Sicily and the
+island of Malta.
+
+To this Don Quixote replied, "His Majesty has acted like a prudent
+warrior in providing for the safety of his realms in time, so that the
+enemy may not find him unprepared; but if my advice were taken I would
+recommend him to adopt a measure which at present, no doubt, his Majesty
+is very far from thinking of."
+
+The moment the curate heard this he said to himself, "God keep thee in
+his hand, poor Don Quixote, for it seems to me thou art precipitating
+thyself from the height of thy madness into the profound abyss of thy
+simplicity."
+
+But the barber, who had the same suspicion as the curate, asked Don
+Quixote what would be his advice as to the measures that he said ought to
+be adopted; for perhaps it might prove to be one that would have to be
+added to the list of the many impertinent suggestions that people were in
+the habit of offering to princes.
+
+"Mine, master shaver," said Don Quixote, "will not be impertinent, but,
+on the contrary, pertinent."
+
+"I don't mean that," said the barber, "but that experience has shown that
+all or most of the expedients which are proposed to his Majesty are
+either impossible, or absurd, or injurious to the King and to the
+kingdom."
+
+"Mine, however," replied Don Quixote, "is neither impossible nor absurd,
+but the easiest, the most reasonable, the readiest and most expeditious
+that could suggest itself to any projector's mind."
+
+"You take a long time to tell it, Senor Don Quixote," said the curate.
+
+"I don't choose to tell it here, now," said Don Quixote, "and have it
+reach the ears of the lords of the council to-morrow morning, and some
+other carry off the thanks and rewards of my trouble."
+
+"For my part," said the barber, "I give my word here and before God that
+I will not repeat what your worship says, to King, Rook or earthly
+man--an oath I learned from the ballad of the curate, who, in the
+prelude, told the king of the thief who had robbed him of the hundred
+gold crowns and his pacing mule."
+
+"I am not versed in stories," said Don Quixote; "but I know the oath is a
+good one, because I know the barber to be an honest fellow."
+
+"Even if he were not," said the curate, "I will go bail and answer for
+him that in this matter he will be as silent as a dummy, under pain of
+paying any penalty that may be pronounced."
+
+"And who will be security for you, senor curate?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"My profession," replied the curate, "which is to keep secrets."
+
+"Ods body!" said Don Quixote at this, "what more has his Majesty to do
+but to command, by public proclamation, all the knights-errant that are
+scattered over Spain to assemble on a fixed day in the capital, for even
+if no more than half a dozen come, there may be one among them who alone
+will suffice to destroy the entire might of the Turk. Give me your
+attention and follow me. Is it, pray, any new thing for a single
+knight-errant to demolish an army of two hundred thousand men, as if they
+all had but one throat or were made of sugar paste? Nay, tell me, how
+many histories are there filled with these marvels? If only (in an evil
+hour for me: I don't speak for anyone else) the famous Don Belianis were
+alive now, or any one of the innumerable progeny of Amadis of Gaul! If
+any these were alive today, and were to come face to face with the Turk,
+by my faith, I would not give much for the Turk's chance. But God will
+have regard for his people, and will provide some one, who, if not so
+valiant as the knights-errant of yore, at least will not be inferior to
+them in spirit; but God knows what I mean, and I say no more."
+
+"Alas!" exclaimed the niece at this, "may I die if my master does not
+want to turn knight-errant again;" to which Don Quixote replied, "A
+knight-errant I shall die, and let the Turk come down or go up when he
+likes, and in as strong force as he can, once more I say, God knows what
+I mean." But here the barber said, "I ask your worships to give me leave
+to tell a short story of something that happened in Seville, which comes
+so pat to the purpose just now that I should like greatly to tell it."
+Don Quixote gave him leave, and the rest prepared to listen, and he began
+thus:
+
+"In the madhouse at Seville there was a man whom his relations had placed
+there as being out of his mind. He was a graduate of Osuna in canon law;
+but even if he had been of Salamanca, it was the opinion of most people
+that he would have been mad all the same. This graduate, after some years
+of confinement, took it into his head that he was sane and in his full
+senses, and under this impression wrote to the Archbishop, entreating him
+earnestly, and in very correct language, to have him released from the
+misery in which he was living; for by God's mercy he had now recovered
+his lost reason, though his relations, in order to enjoy his property,
+kept him there, and, in spite of the truth, would make him out to be mad
+until his dying day. The Archbishop, moved by repeated sensible,
+well-written letters, directed one of his chaplains to make inquiry of
+the madhouse as to the truth of the licentiate's statements, and to have
+an interview with the madman himself, and, if it should appear that he
+was in his senses, to take him out and restore him to liberty. The
+chaplain did so, and the governor assured him that the man was still mad,
+and that though he often spoke like a highly intelligent person, he would
+in the end break out into nonsense that in quantity and quality
+counterbalanced all the sensible things he had said before, as might be
+easily tested by talking to him. The chaplain resolved to try the
+experiment, and obtaining access to the madman conversed with him for an
+hour or more, during the whole of which time he never uttered a word that
+was incoherent or absurd, but, on the contrary, spoke so rationally that
+the chaplain was compelled to believe him to be sane. Among other things,
+he said the governor was against him, not to lose the presents his
+relations made him for reporting him still mad but with lucid intervals;
+and that the worst foe he had in his misfortune was his large property;
+for in order to enjoy it his enemies disparaged and threw doubts upon the
+mercy our Lord had shown him in turning him from a brute beast into a
+man. In short, he spoke in such a way that he cast suspicion on the
+governor, and made his relations appear covetous and heartless, and
+himself so rational that the chaplain determined to take him away with
+him that the Archbishop might see him, and ascertain for himself the
+truth of the matter. Yielding to this conviction, the worthy chaplain
+begged the governor to have the clothes in which the licentiate had
+entered the house given to him. The governor again bade him beware of
+what he was doing, as the licentiate was beyond a doubt still mad; but
+all his cautions and warnings were unavailing to dissuade the chaplain
+from taking him away. The governor, seeing that it was the order of the
+Archbishop, obeyed, and they dressed the licentiate in his own clothes,
+which were new and decent. He, as soon as he saw himself clothed like one
+in his senses, and divested of the appearance of a madman, entreated the
+chaplain to permit him in charity to go and take leave of his comrades
+the madmen. The chaplain said he would go with him to see what madmen
+there were in the house; so they went upstairs, and with them some of
+those who were present. Approaching a cage in which there was a furious
+madman, though just at that moment calm and quiet, the licentiate said to
+him, 'Brother, think if you have any commands for me, for I am going
+home, as God has been pleased, in his infinite goodness and mercy,
+without any merit of mine, to restore me my reason. I am now cured and in
+my senses, for with God's power nothing is impossible. Have strong hope
+and trust in him, for as he has restored me to my original condition, so
+likewise he will restore you if you trust in him. I will take care to
+send you some good things to eat; and be sure you eat them; for I would
+have you know I am convinced, as one who has gone through it, that all
+this madness of ours comes of having the stomach empty and the brains
+full of wind. Take courage! take courage! for despondency in misfortune
+breaks down health and brings on death.'
+
+"To all these words of the licentiate another madman in a cage opposite
+that of the furious one was listening; and raising himself up from an old
+mat on which he lay stark naked, he asked in a loud voice who it was that
+was going away cured and in his senses. The licentiate answered, 'It is
+I, brother, who am going; I have now no need to remain here any longer,
+for which I return infinite thanks to Heaven that has had so great mercy
+upon me.'
+
+"'Mind what you are saying, licentiate; don't let the devil deceive you,'
+replied the madman. 'Keep quiet, stay where you are, and you will save
+yourself the trouble of coming back.'
+
+"'I know I am cured,' returned the licentiate, 'and that I shall not have
+to go stations again.'
+
+"'You cured!' said the madman; 'well, we shall see; God be with you; but
+I swear to you by Jupiter, whose majesty I represent on earth, that for
+this crime alone, which Seville is committing to-day in releasing you
+from this house, and treating you as if you were in your senses, I shall
+have to inflict such a punishment on it as will be remembered for ages
+and ages, amen. Dost thou not know, thou miserable little licentiate,
+that I can do it, being, as I say, Jupiter the Thunderer, who hold in my
+hands the fiery bolts with which I am able and am wont to threaten and
+lay waste the world? But in one way only will I punish this ignorant
+town, and that is by not raining upon it, nor on any part of its district
+or territory, for three whole years, to be reckoned from the day and
+moment when this threat is pronounced. Thou free, thou cured, thou in thy
+senses! and I mad, I disordered, I bound! I will as soon think of sending
+rain as of hanging myself.
+
+"Those present stood listening to the words and exclamations of the
+madman; but our licentiate, turning to the chaplain and seizing him by
+the hands, said to him, 'Be not uneasy, senor; attach no importance to
+what this madman has said; for if he is Jupiter and will not send rain,
+I, who am Neptune, the father and god of the waters, will rain as often
+as it pleases me and may be needful.'
+
+"The governor and the bystanders laughed, and at their laughter the
+chaplain was half ashamed, and he replied, 'For all that, Senor Neptune,
+it will not do to vex Senor Jupiter; remain where you are, and some other
+day, when there is a better opportunity and more time, we will come back
+for you.' So they stripped the licentiate, and he was left where he was;
+and that's the end of the story."
+
+"So that's the story, master barber," said Don Quixote, "which came in so
+pat to the purpose that you could not help telling it? Master shaver,
+master shaver! how blind is he who cannot see through a sieve. Is it
+possible that you do not know that comparisons of wit with wit, valour
+with valour, beauty with beauty, birth with birth, are always odious and
+unwelcome? I, master barber, am not Neptune, the god of the waters, nor
+do I try to make anyone take me for an astute man, for I am not one. My
+only endeavour is to convince the world of the mistake it makes in not
+reviving in itself the happy time when the order of knight-errantry was
+in the field. But our depraved age does not deserve to enjoy such a
+blessing as those ages enjoyed when knights-errant took upon their
+shoulders the defence of kingdoms, the protection of damsels, the succour
+of orphans and minors, the chastisement of the proud, and the recompense
+of the humble. With the knights of these days, for the most part, it is
+the damask, brocade, and rich stuffs they wear, that rustle as they go,
+not the chain mail of their armour; no knight now-a-days sleeps in the
+open field exposed to the inclemency of heaven, and in full panoply from
+head to foot; no one now takes a nap, as they call it, without drawing
+his feet out of the stirrups, and leaning upon his lance, as the
+knights-errant used to do; no one now, issuing from the wood, penetrates
+yonder mountains, and then treads the barren, lonely shore of the
+sea--mostly a tempestuous and stormy one--and finding on the beach a
+little bark without oars, sail, mast, or tackling of any kind, in the
+intrepidity of his heart flings himself into it and commits himself to
+the wrathful billows of the deep sea, that one moment lift him up to
+heaven and the next plunge him into the depths; and opposing his breast
+to the irresistible gale, finds himself, when he least expects it, three
+thousand leagues and more away from the place where he embarked; and
+leaping ashore in a remote and unknown land has adventures that deserve
+to be written, not on parchment, but on brass. But now sloth triumphs
+over energy, indolence over exertion, vice over virtue, arrogance over
+courage, and theory over practice in arms, which flourished and shone
+only in the golden ages and in knights-errant. For tell me, who was more
+virtuous and more valiant than the famous Amadis of Gaul? Who more
+discreet than Palmerin of England? Who more gracious and easy than
+Tirante el Blanco? Who more courtly than Lisuarte of Greece? Who more
+slashed or slashing than Don Belianis? Who more intrepid than Perion of
+Gaul? Who more ready to face danger than Felixmarte of Hircania? Who more
+sincere than Esplandian? Who more impetuous than Don Cirongilio of
+Thrace? Who more bold than Rodamonte? Who more prudent than King Sobrino?
+Who more daring than Reinaldos? Who more invincible than Roland? and who
+more gallant and courteous than Ruggiero, from whom the dukes of Ferrara
+of the present day are descended, according to Turpin in his
+'Cosmography.' All these knights, and many more that I could name, senor
+curate, were knights-errant, the light and glory of chivalry. These, or
+such as these, I would have to carry out my plan, and in that case his
+Majesty would find himself well served and would save great expense, and
+the Turk would be left tearing his beard. And so I will stay where I am,
+as the chaplain does not take me away; and if Jupiter, as the barber has
+told us, will not send rain, here am I, and I will rain when I please. I
+say this that Master Basin may know that I understand him."
+
+"Indeed, Senor Don Quixote," said the barber, "I did not mean it in that
+way, and, so help me God, my intention was good, and your worship ought
+not to be vexed."
+
+"As to whether I ought to be vexed or not," returned Don Quixote, "I
+myself am the best judge."
+
+Hereupon the curate observed, "I have hardly said a word as yet; and I
+would gladly be relieved of a doubt, arising from what Don Quixote has
+said, that worries and works my conscience."
+
+"The senor curate has leave for more than that," returned Don Quixote,
+"so he may declare his doubt, for it is not pleasant to have a doubt on
+one's conscience."
+
+"Well then, with that permission," said the curate, "I say my doubt is
+that, all I can do, I cannot persuade myself that the whole pack of
+knights-errant you, Senor Don Quixote, have mentioned, were really and
+truly persons of flesh and blood, that ever lived in the world; on the
+contrary, I suspect it to be all fiction, fable, and falsehood, and
+dreams told by men awakened from sleep, or rather still half asleep."
+
+"That is another mistake," replied Don Quixote, "into which many have
+fallen who do not believe that there ever were such knights in the world,
+and I have often, with divers people and on divers occasions, tried to
+expose this almost universal error to the light of truth. Sometimes I
+have not been successful in my purpose, sometimes I have, supporting it
+upon the shoulders of the truth; which truth is so clear that I can
+almost say I have with my own eyes seen Amadis of Gaul, who was a man of
+lofty stature, fair complexion, with a handsome though black beard, of a
+countenance between gentle and stern in expression, sparing of words,
+slow to anger, and quick to put it away from him; and as I have depicted
+Amadis, so I could, I think, portray and describe all the knights-errant
+that are in all the histories in the world; for by the perception I have
+that they were what their histories describe, and by the deeds they did
+and the dispositions they displayed, it is possible, with the aid of
+sound philosophy, to deduce their features, complexion, and stature."
+
+"How big, in your worship's opinion, may the giant Morgante have been,
+Senor Don Quixote?" asked the barber.
+
+"With regard to giants," replied Don Quixote, "opinions differ as to
+whether there ever were any or not in the world; but the Holy Scripture,
+which cannot err by a jot from the truth, shows us that there were, when
+it gives us the history of that big Philistine, Goliath, who was seven
+cubits and a half in height, which is a huge size. Likewise, in the
+island of Sicily, there have been found leg-bones and arm-bones so large
+that their size makes it plain that their owners were giants, and as tall
+as great towers; geometry puts this fact beyond a doubt. But, for all
+that, I cannot speak with certainty as to the size of Morgante, though I
+suspect he cannot have been very tall; and I am inclined to be of this
+opinion because I find in the history in which his deeds are particularly
+mentioned, that he frequently slept under a roof and as he found houses
+to contain him, it is clear that his bulk could not have been anything
+excessive."
+
+"That is true," said the curate, and yielding to the enjoyment of hearing
+such nonsense, he asked him what was his notion of the features of
+Reinaldos of Montalban, and Don Roland and the rest of the Twelve Peers
+of France, for they were all knights-errant.
+
+"As for Reinaldos," replied Don Quixote, "I venture to say that he was
+broad-faced, of ruddy complexion, with roguish and somewhat prominent
+eyes, excessively punctilious and touchy, and given to the society of
+thieves and scapegraces. With regard to Roland, or Rotolando, or Orlando
+(for the histories call him by all these names), I am of opinion, and
+hold, that he was of middle height, broad-shouldered, rather bow-legged,
+swarthy-complexioned, red-bearded, with a hairy body and a severe
+expression of countenance, a man of few words, but very polite and
+well-bred."
+
+"If Roland was not a more graceful person than your worship has
+described," said the curate, "it is no wonder that the fair Lady Angelica
+rejected him and left him for the gaiety, liveliness, and grace of that
+budding-bearded little Moor to whom she surrendered herself; and she
+showed her sense in falling in love with the gentle softness of Medoro
+rather than the roughness of Roland."
+
+"That Angelica, senor curate," returned Don Quixote, "was a giddy damsel,
+flighty and somewhat wanton, and she left the world as full of her
+vagaries as of the fame of her beauty. She treated with scorn a thousand
+gentlemen, men of valour and wisdom, and took up with a smooth-faced
+sprig of a page, without fortune or fame, except such reputation for
+gratitude as the affection he bore his friend got for him. The great poet
+who sang her beauty, the famous Ariosto, not caring to sing her
+adventures after her contemptible surrender (which probably were not over
+and above creditable), dropped her where he says:
+
+How she received the sceptre of Cathay,
+Some bard of defter quill may sing some day;
+
+and this was no doubt a kind of prophecy, for poets are also called
+vates, that is to say diviners; and its truth was made plain; for since
+then a famous Andalusian poet has lamented and sung her tears, and
+another famous and rare poet, a Castilian, has sung her beauty."
+
+"Tell me, Senor Don Quixote," said the barber here, "among all those who
+praised her, has there been no poet to write a satire on this Lady
+Angelica?"
+
+"I can well believe," replied Don Quixote, "that if Sacripante or Roland
+had been poets they would have given the damsel a trimming; for it is
+naturally the way with poets who have been scorned and rejected by their
+ladies, whether fictitious or not, in short by those whom they select as
+the ladies of their thoughts, to avenge themselves in satires and
+libels--a vengeance, to be sure, unworthy of generous hearts; but up to
+the present I have not heard of any defamatory verse against the Lady
+Angelica, who turned the world upside down."
+
+"Strange," said the curate; but at this moment they heard the housekeeper
+and the niece, who had previously withdrawn from the conversation,
+exclaiming aloud in the courtyard, and at the noise they all ran out.
+
+Chapter II. -
+Which treats of the notable altercation which Sancho Panza had with Don
+Quixote's niece, and housekeeper, together with other droll matters
+
+The history relates that the outcry Don Quixote, the curate, and the
+barber heard came from the niece and the housekeeper exclaiming to
+Sancho, who was striving to force his way in to see Don Quixote while
+they held the door against him, "What does the vagabond want in this
+house? Be off to your own, brother, for it is you, and no one else, that
+delude my master, and lead him astray, and take him tramping about the
+country."
+
+To which Sancho replied, "Devil's own housekeeper! it is I who am
+deluded, and led astray, and taken tramping about the country, and not
+thy master! He has carried me all over the world, and you are mightily
+mistaken. He enticed me away from home by a trick, promising me an
+island, which I am still waiting for."
+
+"May evil islands choke thee, thou detestable Sancho," said the niece;
+"What are islands? Is it something to eat, glutton and gormandiser that
+thou art?"
+
+"It is not something to eat," replied Sancho, "but something to govern
+and rule, and better than four cities or four judgeships at court."
+
+"For all that," said the housekeeper, "you don't enter here, you bag of
+mischief and sack of knavery; go govern your house and dig your
+seed-patch, and give over looking for islands or shylands."
+
+The curate and the barber listened with great amusement to the words of
+the three; but Don Quixote, uneasy lest Sancho should blab and blurt out
+a whole heap of mischievous stupidities, and touch upon points that might
+not be altogether to his credit, called to him and made the other two
+hold their tongues and let him come in. Sancho entered, and the curate
+and the barber took their leave of Don Quixote, of whose recovery they
+despaired when they saw how wedded he was to his crazy ideas, and how
+saturated with the nonsense of his unlucky chivalry; and said the curate
+to the barber, "You will see, gossip, that when we are least thinking of
+it, our gentleman will be off once more for another flight."
+
+"I have no doubt of it," returned the barber; "but I do not wonder so
+much at the madness of the knight as at the simplicity of the squire, who
+has such a firm belief in all that about the island, that I suppose all
+the exposures that could be imagined would not get it out of his head."
+
+"God help them," said the curate; "and let us be on the look-out to see
+what comes of all these absurdities of the knight and squire, for it
+seems as if they had both been cast in the same mould, and the madness of
+the master without the simplicity of the man would not be worth a
+farthing."
+
+"That is true," said the barber, "and I should like very much to know
+what the pair are talking about at this moment."
+
+"I promise you," said the curate, "the niece or the housekeeper will tell
+us by-and-by, for they are not the ones to forget to listen."
+
+Meanwhile Don Quixote shut himself up in his room with Sancho, and when
+they were alone he said to him, "It grieves me greatly, Sancho, that thou
+shouldst have said, and sayest, that I took thee out of thy cottage, when
+thou knowest I did not remain in my house. We sallied forth together, we
+took the road together, we wandered abroad together; we have had the same
+fortune and the same luck; if they blanketed thee once, they belaboured
+me a hundred times, and that is the only advantage I have of thee."
+
+"That was only reasonable," replied Sancho, "for, by what your worship
+says, misfortunes belong more properly to knights-errant than to their
+squires."
+
+"Thou art mistaken, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "according to the maxim
+quando caput dolet, etc."
+
+"I don't understand any language but my own," said Sancho.
+
+"I mean to say," said Don Quixote, "that when the head suffers all the
+members suffer; and so, being thy lord and master, I am thy head, and
+thou a part of me as thou art my servant; and therefore any evil that
+affects or shall affect me should give thee pain, and what affects thee
+give pain to me."
+
+"It should be so," said Sancho; "but when I was blanketed as a member, my
+head was on the other side of the wall, looking on while I was flying
+through the air, and did not feel any pain whatever; and if the members
+are obliged to feel the suffering of the head, it should be obliged to
+feel their sufferings."
+
+"Dost thou mean to say now, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that I did not
+feel when they were blanketing thee? If thou dost, thou must not say so
+or think so, for I felt more pain then in spirit than thou didst in body.
+But let us put that aside for the present, for we shall have
+opportunities enough for considering and settling the point; tell me,
+Sancho my friend, what do they say about me in the village here? What do
+the common people think of me? What do the hidalgos? What do the
+caballeros? What do they say of my valour; of my achievements; of my
+courtesy? How do they treat the task I have undertaken in reviving and
+restoring to the world the now forgotten order of chivalry? In short,
+Sancho, I would have thee tell me all that has come to thine ears on this
+subject; and thou art to tell me, without adding anything to the good or
+taking away anything from the bad; for it is the duty of loyal vassals to
+tell the truth to their lords just as it is and in its proper shape, not
+allowing flattery to add to it or any idle deference to lessen it. And I
+would have thee know, Sancho, that if the naked truth, undisguised by
+flattery, came to the ears of princes, times would be different, and
+other ages would be reckoned iron ages more than ours, which I hold to be
+the golden of these latter days. Profit by this advice, Sancho, and
+report to me clearly and faithfully the truth of what thou knowest
+touching what I have demanded of thee."
+
+"That I will do with all my heart, master," replied Sancho, "provided
+your worship will not be vexed at what I say, as you wish me to say it
+out in all its nakedness, without putting any more clothes on it than it
+came to my knowledge in."
+
+"I will not be vexed at all," returned Don Quixote; "thou mayest speak
+freely, Sancho, and without any beating about the bush."
+
+"Well then," said he, "first of all, I have to tell you that the common
+people consider your worship a mighty great madman, and me no less a
+fool. The hidalgos say that, not keeping within the bounds of your
+quality of gentleman, you have assumed the 'Don,' and made a knight of
+yourself at a jump, with four vine-stocks and a couple of acres of land,
+and never a shirt to your back. The caballeros say they do not want to
+have hidalgos setting up in opposition to them, particularly squire
+hidalgos who polish their own shoes and darn their black stockings with
+green silk."
+
+"That," said Don Quixote, "does not apply to me, for I always go well
+dressed and never patched; ragged I may be, but ragged more from the wear
+and tear of arms than of time."
+
+"As to your worship's valour, courtesy, accomplishments, and task, there
+is a variety of opinions. Some say, 'mad but droll;' others, 'valiant but
+unlucky;' others, 'courteous but meddling,' and then they go into such a
+number of things that they don't leave a whole bone either in your
+worship or in myself."
+
+"Recollect, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that wherever virtue exists in an
+eminent degree it is persecuted. Few or none of the famous men that have
+lived escaped being calumniated by malice. Julius Caesar, the boldest,
+wisest, and bravest of captains, was charged with being ambitious, and
+not particularly cleanly in his dress, or pure in his morals. Of
+Alexander, whose deeds won him the name of Great, they say that he was
+somewhat of a drunkard. Of Hercules, him of the many labours, it is said
+that he was lewd and luxurious. Of Don Galaor, the brother of Amadis of
+Gaul, it was whispered that he was over quarrelsome, and of his brother
+that he was lachrymose. So that, O Sancho, amongst all these calumnies
+against good men, mine may be let pass, since they are no more than thou
+hast said."
+
+"That's just where it is, body of my father!"
+
+"Is there more, then?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"There's the tail to be skinned yet," said Sancho; "all so far is cakes
+and fancy bread; but if your worship wants to know all about the
+calumnies they bring against you, I will fetch you one this instant who
+can tell you the whole of them without missing an atom; for last night
+the son of Bartholomew Carrasco, who has been studying at Salamanca, came
+home after having been made a bachelor, and when I went to welcome him,
+he told me that your worship's history is already abroad in books, with
+the title of THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA; and he
+says they mention me in it by my own name of Sancho Panza, and the lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso too, and divers things that happened to us when we
+were alone; so that I crossed myself in my wonder how the historian who
+wrote them down could have known them."
+
+"I promise thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "the author of our history
+will be some sage enchanter; for to such nothing that they choose to
+write about is hidden."
+
+"What!" said Sancho, "a sage and an enchanter! Why, the bachelor Samson
+Carrasco (that is the name of him I spoke of) says the author of the
+history is called Cide Hamete Berengena."
+
+"That is a Moorish name," said Don Quixote.
+
+"May be so," replied Sancho; "for I have heard say that the Moors are
+mostly great lovers of berengenas."
+
+"Thou must have mistaken the surname of this 'Cide'--which means in
+Arabic 'Lord'--Sancho," observed Don Quixote.
+
+"Very likely," replied Sancho, "but if your worship wishes me to fetch
+the bachelor I will go for him in a twinkling."
+
+"Thou wilt do me a great pleasure, my friend," said Don Quixote, "for
+what thou hast told me has amazed me, and I shall not eat a morsel that
+will agree with me until I have heard all about it."
+
+"Then I am off for him," said Sancho; and leaving his master he went in
+quest of the bachelor, with whom he returned in a short time, and, all
+three together, they had a very droll colloquy.
+
+Chapter III. -
+Of the laughable conversation that passed between Don Quixote, Sancho
+Panza, and the bachelor Samson Carrasco
+
+Don Quixote remained very deep in thought, waiting for the bachelor
+Carrasco, from whom he was to hear how he himself had been put into a
+book as Sancho said; and he could not persuade himself that any such
+history could be in existence, for the blood of the enemies he had slain
+was not yet dry on the blade of his sword, and now they wanted to make
+out that his mighty achievements were going about in print. For all that,
+he fancied some sage, either a friend or an enemy, might, by the aid of
+magic, have given them to the press; if a friend, in order to magnify and
+exalt them above the most famous ever achieved by any knight-errant; if
+an enemy, to bring them to naught and degrade them below the meanest ever
+recorded of any low squire, though as he said to himself, the
+achievements of squires never were recorded. If, however, it were the
+fact that such a history were in existence, it must necessarily, being
+the story of a knight-errant, be grandiloquent, lofty, imposing, grand
+and true. With this he comforted himself somewhat, though it made him
+uncomfortable to think that the author was a Moor, judging by the title
+of "Cide;" and that no truth was to be looked for from Moors, as they are
+all impostors, cheats, and schemers. He was afraid he might have dealt
+with his love affairs in some indecorous fashion, that might tend to the
+discredit and prejudice of the purity of his lady Dulcinea del Toboso; he
+would have had him set forth the fidelity and respect he had always
+observed towards her, spurning queens, empresses, and damsels of all
+sorts, and keeping in check the impetuosity of his natural impulses.
+Absorbed and wrapped up in these and divers other cogitations, he was
+found by Sancho and Carrasco, whom Don Quixote received with great
+courtesy.
+
+The bachelor, though he was called Samson, was of no great bodily size,
+but he was a very great wag; he was of a sallow complexion, but very
+sharp-witted, somewhere about four-and-twenty years of age, with a round
+face, a flat nose, and a large mouth, all indications of a mischievous
+disposition and a love of fun and jokes; and of this he gave a sample as
+soon as he saw Don Quixote, by falling on his knees before him and
+saying, "Let me kiss your mightiness's hand, Senor Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, for, by the habit of St. Peter that I wear, though I have no more
+than the first four orders, your worship is one of the most famous
+knights-errant that have ever been, or will be, all the world over. A
+blessing on Cide Hamete Benengeli, who has written the history of your
+great deeds, and a double blessing on that connoisseur who took the
+trouble of having it translated out of the Arabic into our Castilian
+vulgar tongue for the universal entertainment of the people!"
+
+Don Quixote made him rise, and said, "So, then, it is true that there is
+a history of me, and that it was a Moor and a sage who wrote it?"
+
+"So true is it, senor," said Samson, "that my belief is there are more
+than twelve thousand volumes of the said history in print this very day.
+Only ask Portugal, Barcelona, and Valencia, where they have been printed,
+and moreover there is a report that it is being printed at Antwerp, and I
+am persuaded there will not be a country or language in which there will
+not be a translation of it."
+
+"One of the things," here observed Don Quixote, "that ought to give most
+pleasure to a virtuous and eminent man is to find himself in his lifetime
+in print and in type, familiar in people's mouths with a good name; I say
+with a good name, for if it be the opposite, then there is no death to be
+compared to it."
+
+"If it goes by good name and fame," said the bachelor, "your worship
+alone bears away the palm from all the knights-errant; for the Moor in
+his own language, and the Christian in his, have taken care to set before
+us your gallantry, your high courage in encountering dangers, your
+fortitude in adversity, your patience under misfortunes as well as
+wounds, the purity and continence of the platonic loves of your worship
+and my lady Dona Dulcinea del Toboso-"
+
+"I never heard my lady Dulcinea called Dona," observed Sancho here;
+"nothing more than the lady Dulcinea del Toboso; so here already the
+history is wrong."
+
+"That is not an objection of any importance," replied Carrasco.
+
+"Certainly not," said Don Quixote; "but tell me, senor bachelor, what
+deeds of mine are they that are made most of in this history?"
+
+"On that point," replied the bachelor, "opinions differ, as tastes do;
+some swear by the adventure of the windmills that your worship took to be
+Briareuses and giants; others by that of the fulling mills; one cries up
+the description of the two armies that afterwards took the appearance of
+two droves of sheep; another that of the dead body on its way to be
+buried at Segovia; a third says the liberation of the galley slaves is
+the best of all, and a fourth that nothing comes up to the affair with
+the Benedictine giants, and the battle with the valiant Biscayan."
+
+"Tell me, senor bachelor," said Sancho at this point, "does the adventure
+with the Yanguesans come in, when our good Rocinante went hankering after
+dainties?"
+
+"The sage has left nothing in the ink-bottle," replied Samson; "he tells
+all and sets down everything, even to the capers that worthy Sancho cut
+in the blanket."
+
+"I cut no capers in the blanket," returned Sancho; "in the air I did, and
+more of them than I liked."
+
+"There is no human history in the world, I suppose," said Don Quixote,
+"that has not its ups and downs, but more than others such as deal with
+chivalry, for they can never be entirely made up of prosperous
+adventures."
+
+"For all that," replied the bachelor, "there are those who have read the
+history who say they would have been glad if the author had left out some
+of the countless cudgellings that were inflicted on Senor Don Quixote in
+various encounters."
+
+"That's where the truth of the history comes in," said Sancho.
+
+"At the same time they might fairly have passed them over in silence,"
+observed Don Quixote; "for there is no need of recording events which do
+not change or affect the truth of a history, if they tend to bring the
+hero of it into contempt. AEneas was not in truth and earnest so pious as
+Virgil represents him, nor Ulysses so wise as Homer describes him."
+
+"That is true," said Samson; "but it is one thing to write as a poet,
+another to write as a historian; the poet may describe or sing things,
+not as they were, but as they ought to have been; but the historian has
+to write them down, not as they ought to have been, but as they were,
+without adding anything to the truth or taking anything from it."
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "if this senor Moor goes in for telling the
+truth, no doubt among my master's drubbings mine are to be found; for
+they never took the measure of his worship's shoulders without doing the
+same for my whole body; but I have no right to wonder at that, for, as my
+master himself says, the members must share the pain of the head."
+
+"You are a sly dog, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "i' faith, you have no
+want of memory when you choose to remember."
+
+"If I were to try to forget the thwacks they gave me," said Sancho, "my
+weals would not let me, for they are still fresh on my ribs."
+
+"Hush, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and don't interrupt the bachelor, whom
+I entreat to go on and tell all that is said about me in this history."
+
+"And about me," said Sancho, "for they say, too, that I am one of the
+principal presonages in it."
+
+"Personages, not presonages, friend Sancho," said Samson.
+
+"What! Another word-catcher!" said Sancho; "if that's to be the way we
+shall not make an end in a lifetime."
+
+"May God shorten mine, Sancho," returned the bachelor, "if you are not
+the second person in the history, and there are even some who would
+rather hear you talk than the cleverest in the whole book; though there
+are some, too, who say you showed yourself over-credulous in believing
+there was any possibility in the government of that island offered you by
+Senor Don Quixote."
+
+"There is still sunshine on the wall," said Don Quixote; "and when Sancho
+is somewhat more advanced in life, with the experience that years bring,
+he will be fitter and better qualified for being a governor than he is at
+present."
+
+"By God, master," said Sancho, "the island that I cannot govern with the
+years I have, I'll not be able to govern with the years of Methuselah;
+the difficulty is that the said island keeps its distance somewhere, I
+know not where; and not that there is any want of head in me to govern
+it."
+
+"Leave it to God, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for all will be and perhaps
+better than you think; no leaf on the tree stirs but by God's will."
+
+"That is true," said Samson; "and if it be God's will, there will not be
+any want of a thousand islands, much less one, for Sancho to govern."
+
+"I have seen governors in these parts," said Sancho, "that are not to be
+compared to my shoe-sole; and for all that they are called 'your
+lordship' and served on silver."
+
+"Those are not governors of islands," observed Samson, "but of other
+governments of an easier kind: those that govern islands must at least
+know grammar."
+
+"I could manage the gram well enough," said Sancho; "but for the mar I
+have neither leaning nor liking, for I don't know what it is; but leaving
+this matter of the government in God's hands, to send me wherever it may
+be most to his service, I may tell you, senor bachelor Samson Carrasco,
+it has pleased me beyond measure that the author of this history should
+have spoken of me in such a way that what is said of me gives no offence;
+for, on the faith of a true squire, if he had said anything about me that
+was at all unbecoming an old Christian, such as I am, the deaf would have
+heard of it."
+
+"That would be working miracles," said Samson.
+
+"Miracles or no miracles," said Sancho, "let everyone mind how he speaks
+or writes about people, and not set down at random the first thing that
+comes into his head."
+
+"One of the faults they find with this history," said the bachelor, "is
+that its author inserted in it a novel called 'The Ill-advised
+Curiosity;' not that it is bad or ill-told, but that it is out of place
+and has nothing to do with the history of his worship Senor Don Quixote."
+
+"I will bet the son of a dog has mixed the cabbages and the baskets,"
+said Sancho.
+
+"Then, I say," said Don Quixote, "the author of my history was no sage,
+but some ignorant chatterer, who, in a haphazard and heedless way, set
+about writing it, let it turn out as it might, just as Orbaneja, the
+painter of Ubeda, used to do, who, when they asked him what he was
+painting, answered, 'What it may turn out.' Sometimes he would paint a
+cock in such a fashion, and so unlike, that he had to write alongside of
+it in Gothic letters, 'This is a cock; and so it will be with my history,
+which will require a commentary to make it intelligible."
+
+"No fear of that," returned Samson, "for it is so plain that there is
+nothing in it to puzzle over; the children turn its leaves, the young
+people read it, the grown men understand it, the old folk praise it; in a
+word, it is so thumbed, and read, and got by heart by people of all
+sorts, that the instant they see any lean hack, they say, 'There goes
+Rocinante.' And those that are most given to reading it are the pages,
+for there is not a lord's ante-chamber where there is not a 'Don Quixote'
+to be found; one takes it up if another lays it down; this one pounces
+upon it, and that begs for it. In short, the said history is the most
+delightful and least injurious entertainment that has been hitherto seen,
+for there is not to be found in the whole of it even the semblance of an
+immodest word, or a thought that is other than Catholic."
+
+"To write in any other way," said Don Quixote, "would not be to write
+truth, but falsehood, and historians who have recourse to falsehood ought
+to be burned, like those who coin false money; and I know not what could
+have led the author to have recourse to novels and irrelevant stories,
+when he had so much to write about in mine; no doubt he must have gone by
+the proverb 'with straw or with hay, etc,' for by merely setting forth my
+thoughts, my sighs, my tears, my lofty purposes, my enterprises, he might
+have made a volume as large, or larger than all the works of El Tostado
+would make up. In fact, the conclusion I arrive at, senor bachelor, is,
+that to write histories, or books of any kind, there is need of great
+judgment and a ripe understanding. To give expression to humour, and
+write in a strain of graceful pleasantry, is the gift of great geniuses.
+The cleverest character in comedy is the clown, for he who would make
+people take him for a fool, must not be one. History is in a measure a
+sacred thing, for it should be true, and where the truth is, there God
+is; but notwithstanding this, there are some who write and fling books
+broadcast on the world as if they were fritters."
+
+"There is no book so bad but it has something good in it," said the
+bachelor.
+
+"No doubt of that," replied Don Quixote; "but it often happens that those
+who have acquired and attained a well-deserved reputation by their
+writings, lose it entirely, or damage it in some degree, when they give
+them to the press."
+
+"The reason of that," said Samson, "is, that as printed works are
+examined leisurely, their faults are easily seen; and the greater the
+fame of the writer, the more closely are they scrutinised. Men famous for
+their genius, great poets, illustrious historians, are always, or most
+commonly, envied by those who take a particular delight and pleasure in
+criticising the writings of others, without having produced any of their
+own."
+
+"That is no wonder," said Don Quixote; "for there are many divines who
+are no good for the pulpit, but excellent in detecting the defects or
+excesses of those who preach."
+
+"All that is true, Senor Don Quixote," said Carrasco; "but I wish such
+fault-finders were more lenient and less exacting, and did not pay so
+much attention to the spots on the bright sun of the work they grumble
+at; for if aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus, they should remember how
+long he remained awake to shed the light of his work with as little shade
+as possible; and perhaps it may be that what they find fault with may be
+moles, that sometimes heighten the beauty of the face that bears them;
+and so I say very great is the risk to which he who prints a book exposes
+himself, for of all impossibilities the greatest is to write one that
+will satisfy and please all readers."
+
+"That which treats of me must have pleased few," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Quite the contrary," said the bachelor; "for, as stultorum infinitum est
+numerus, innumerable are those who have relished the said history; but
+some have brought a charge against the author's memory, inasmuch as he
+forgot to say who the thief was who stole Sancho's Dapple; for it is not
+stated there, but only to be inferred from what is set down, that he was
+stolen, and a little farther on we see Sancho mounted on the same ass,
+without any reappearance of it. They say, too, that he forgot to state
+what Sancho did with those hundred crowns that he found in the valise in
+the Sierra Morena, as he never alludes to them again, and there are many
+who would be glad to know what he did with them, or what he spent them
+on, for it is one of the serious omissions of the work."
+
+"Senor Samson, I am not in a humour now for going into accounts or
+explanations," said Sancho; "for there's a sinking of the stomach come
+over me, and unless I doctor it with a couple of sups of the old stuff it
+will put me on the thorn of Santa Lucia. I have it at home, and my old
+woman is waiting for me; after dinner I'll come back, and will answer you
+and all the world every question you may choose to ask, as well about the
+loss of the ass as about the spending of the hundred crowns;" and without
+another word or waiting for a reply he made off home.
+
+Don Quixote begged and entreated the bachelor to stay and do penance with
+him. The bachelor accepted the invitation and remained, a couple of young
+pigeons were added to the ordinary fare, at dinner they talked chivalry,
+Carrasco fell in with his host's humour, the banquet came to an end, they
+took their afternoon sleep, Sancho returned, and their conversation was
+resumed.
+
+Chapter IV. -
+In which Sancho Panza gives a satisfactory reply to the doubts and
+questions of the bachelor Samson Carrasco, together with other matters
+worth knowing and telling
+
+Sancho came back to Don Quixote's house, and returning to the late
+subject of conversation, he said, "As to what Senor Samson said, that he
+would like to know by whom, or how, or when my ass was stolen, I say in
+reply that the same night we went into the Sierra Morena, flying from the
+Holy Brotherhood after that unlucky adventure of the galley slaves, and
+the other of the corpse that was going to Segovia, my master and I
+ensconced ourselves in a thicket, and there, my master leaning on his
+lance, and I seated on my Dapple, battered and weary with the late frays
+we fell asleep as if it had been on four feather mattresses; and I in
+particular slept so sound, that, whoever he was, he was able to come and
+prop me up on four stakes, which he put under the four corners of the
+pack-saddle in such a way that he left me mounted on it, and took away
+Dapple from under me without my feeling it."
+
+"That is an easy matter," said Don Quixote, "and it is no new occurrence,
+for the same thing happened to Sacripante at the siege of Albracca; the
+famous thief, Brunello, by the same contrivance, took his horse from
+between his legs."
+
+"Day came," continued Sancho, "and the moment I stirred the stakes gave
+way and I fell to the ground with a mighty come down; I looked about for
+the ass, but could not see him; the tears rushed to my eyes and I raised
+such a lamentation that, if the author of our history has not put it in,
+he may depend upon it he has left out a good thing. Some days after, I
+know not how many, travelling with her ladyship the Princess Micomicona,
+I saw my ass, and mounted upon him, in the dress of a gipsy, was that
+Gines de Pasamonte, the great rogue and rascal that my master and I freed
+from the chain."
+
+"That is not where the mistake is," replied Samson; "it is, that before
+the ass has turned up, the author speaks of Sancho as being mounted on
+it."
+
+"I don't know what to say to that," said Sancho, "unless that the
+historian made a mistake, or perhaps it might be a blunder of the
+printer's."
+
+"No doubt that's it," said Samson; "but what became of the hundred
+crowns? Did they vanish?"
+
+To which Sancho answered, "I spent them for my own good, and my wife's,
+and my children's, and it is they that have made my wife bear so
+patiently all my wanderings on highways and byways, in the service of my
+master, Don Quixote; for if after all this time I had come back to the
+house without a rap and without the ass, it would have been a poor
+look-out for me; and if anyone wants to know anything more about me, here
+I am, ready to answer the king himself in person; and it is no affair of
+anyone's whether I took or did not take, whether I spent or did not
+spend; for the whacks that were given me in these journeys were to be
+paid for in money, even if they were valued at no more than four
+maravedis apiece, another hundred crowns would not pay me for half of
+them. Let each look to himself and not try to make out white black, and
+black white; for each of us is as God made him, aye, and often worse."
+
+"I will take care," said Carrasco, "to impress upon the author of the
+history that, if he prints it again, he must not forget what worthy
+Sancho has said, for it will raise it a good span higher."
+
+"Is there anything else to correct in the history, senor bachelor?" asked
+Don Quixote.
+
+"No doubt there is," replied he; "but not anything that will be of the
+same importance as those I have mentioned."
+
+"Does the author promise a second part at all?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"He does promise one," replied Samson; "but he says he has not found it,
+nor does he know who has got it; and we cannot say whether it will appear
+or not; and so, on that head, as some say that no second part has ever
+been good, and others that enough has been already written about Don
+Quixote, it is thought there will be no second part; though some, who are
+jovial rather than saturnine, say, 'Let us have more Quixotades, let Don
+Quixote charge and Sancho chatter, and no matter what it may turn out, we
+shall be satisfied with that.'"
+
+"And what does the author mean to do?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"What?" replied Samson; "why, as soon as he has found the history which
+he is now searching for with extraordinary diligence, he will at once
+give it to the press, moved more by the profit that may accrue to him
+from doing so than by any thought of praise."
+
+Whereat Sancho observed, "The author looks for money and profit, does he?
+It will be a wonder if he succeeds, for it will be only hurry, hurry,
+with him, like the tailor on Easter Eve; and works done in a hurry are
+never finished as perfectly as they ought to be. Let master Moor, or
+whatever he is, pay attention to what he is doing, and I and my master
+will give him as much grouting ready to his hand, in the way of
+adventures and accidents of all sorts, as would make up not only one
+second part, but a hundred. The good man fancies, no doubt, that we are
+fast asleep in the straw here, but let him hold up our feet to be shod
+and he will see which foot it is we go lame on. All I say is, that if my
+master would take my advice, we would be now afield, redressing outrages
+and righting wrongs, as is the use and custom of good knights-errant."
+
+Sancho had hardly uttered these words when the neighing of Rocinante fell
+upon their ears, which neighing Don Quixote accepted as a happy omen, and
+he resolved to make another sally in three or four days from that time.
+Announcing his intention to the bachelor, he asked his advice as to the
+quarter in which he ought to commence his expedition, and the bachelor
+replied that in his opinion he ought to go to the kingdom of Aragon, and
+the city of Saragossa, where there were to be certain solemn joustings at
+the festival of St. George, at which he might win renown above all the
+knights of Aragon, which would be winning it above all the knights of the
+world. He commended his very praiseworthy and gallant resolution, but
+admonished him to proceed with greater caution in encountering dangers,
+because his life did not belong to him, but to all those who had need of
+him to protect and aid them in their misfortunes.
+
+"There's where it is, what I abominate, Senor Samson," said Sancho here;
+"my master will attack a hundred armed men as a greedy boy would half a
+dozen melons. Body of the world, senor bachelor! there is a time to
+attack and a time to retreat, and it is not to be always 'Santiago, and
+close Spain!' Moreover, I have heard it said (and I think by my master
+himself, if I remember rightly) that the mean of valour lies between the
+extremes of cowardice and rashness; and if that be so, I don't want him
+to fly without having good reason, or to attack when the odds make it
+better not. But, above all things, I warn my master that if he is to take
+me with him it must be on the condition that he is to do all the
+fighting, and that I am not to be called upon to do anything except what
+concerns keeping him clean and comfortable; in this I will dance
+attendance on him readily; but to expect me to draw sword, even against
+rascally churls of the hatchet and hood, is idle. I don't set up to be a
+fighting man, Senor Samson, but only the best and most loyal squire that
+ever served knight-errant; and if my master Don Quixote, in consideration
+of my many faithful services, is pleased to give me some island of the
+many his worship says one may stumble on in these parts, I will take it
+as a great favour; and if he does not give it to me, I was born like
+everyone else, and a man must not live in dependence on anyone except
+God; and what is more, my bread will taste as well, and perhaps even
+better, without a government than if I were a governor; and how do I know
+but that in these governments the devil may have prepared some trip for
+me, to make me lose my footing and fall and knock my grinders out? Sancho
+I was born and Sancho I mean to die. But for all that, if heaven were to
+make me a fair offer of an island or something else of the kind, without
+much trouble and without much risk, I am not such a fool as to refuse it;
+for they say, too, 'when they offer thee a heifer, run with a halter; and
+'when good luck comes to thee, take it in.'"
+
+"Brother Sancho," said Carrasco, "you have spoken like a professor; but,
+for all that, put your trust in God and in Senor Don Quixote, for he will
+give you a kingdom, not to say an island."
+
+"It is all the same, be it more or be it less," replied Sancho; "though I
+can tell Senor Carrasco that my master would not throw the kingdom he
+might give me into a sack all in holes; for I have felt my own pulse and
+I find myself sound enough to rule kingdoms and govern islands; and I
+have before now told my master as much."
+
+"Take care, Sancho," said Samson; "honours change manners, and perhaps
+when you find yourself a governor you won't know the mother that bore
+you."
+
+"That may hold good of those that are born in the ditches," said Sancho,
+"not of those who have the fat of an old Christian four fingers deep on
+their souls, as I have. Nay, only look at my disposition, is that likely
+to show ingratitude to anyone?"
+
+"God grant it," said Don Quixote; "we shall see when the government
+comes; and I seem to see it already."
+
+He then begged the bachelor, if he were a poet, to do him the favour of
+composing some verses for him conveying the farewell he meant to take of
+his lady Dulcinea del Toboso, and to see that a letter of her name was
+placed at the beginning of each line, so that, at the end of the verses,
+"Dulcinea del Toboso" might be read by putting together the first
+letters. The bachelor replied that although he was not one of the famous
+poets of Spain, who were, they said, only three and a half, he would not
+fail to compose the required verses; though he saw a great difficulty in
+the task, as the letters which made up the name were seventeen; so, if he
+made four ballad stanzas of four lines each, there would be a letter
+over, and if he made them of five, what they called decimas or
+redondillas, there were three letters short; nevertheless he would try to
+drop a letter as well as he could, so that the name "Dulcinea del Toboso"
+might be got into four ballad stanzas.
+
+"It must be, by some means or other," said Don Quixote, "for unless the
+name stands there plain and manifest, no woman would believe the verses
+were made for her."
+
+They agreed upon this, and that the departure should take place in three
+days from that time. Don Quixote charged the bachelor to keep it a
+secret, especially from the curate and Master Nicholas, and from his
+niece and the housekeeper, lest they should prevent the execution of his
+praiseworthy and valiant purpose. Carrasco promised all, and then took
+his leave, charging Don Quixote to inform him of his good or evil
+fortunes whenever he had an opportunity; and thus they bade each other
+farewell, and Sancho went away to make the necessary preparations for
+their expedition.
+
+Chapter V. -
+Of the shrewd and droll conversation that passed between Sancho Panza and
+his wife Teresa Panza, and other matters worthy of being duly recorded
+
+The translator of this history, when he comes to write this fifth
+chapter, says that he considers it apocryphal, because in it Sancho Panza
+speaks in a style unlike that which might have been expected from his
+limited intelligence, and says things so subtle that he does not think it
+possible he could have conceived them; however, desirous of doing what
+his task imposed upon him, he was unwilling to leave it untranslated, and
+therefore he went on to say:
+
+Sancho came home in such glee and spirits that his wife noticed his
+happiness a bowshot off, so much so that it made her ask him, "What have
+you got, Sancho friend, that you are so glad?"
+
+To which he replied, "Wife, if it were God's will, I should be very glad
+not to be so well pleased as I show myself."
+
+"I don't understand you, husband," said she, "and I don't know what you
+mean by saying you would be glad, if it were God's will, not to be well
+pleased; for, fool as I am, I don't know how one can find pleasure in not
+having it."
+
+"Hark ye, Teresa," replied Sancho, "I am glad because I have made up my
+mind to go back to the service of my master Don Quixote, who means to go
+out a third time to seek for adventures; and I am going with him again,
+for my necessities will have it so, and also the hope that cheers me with
+the thought that I may find another hundred crowns like those we have
+spent; though it makes me sad to have to leave thee and the children; and
+if God would be pleased to let me have my daily bread, dry-shod and at
+home, without taking me out into the byways and cross-roads--and he could
+do it at small cost by merely willing it--it is clear my happiness would
+be more solid and lasting, for the happiness I have is mingled with
+sorrow at leaving thee; so that I was right in saying I would be glad, if
+it were God's will, not to be well pleased."
+
+"Look here, Sancho," said Teresa; "ever since you joined on to a
+knight-errant you talk in such a roundabout way that there is no
+understanding you."
+
+"It is enough that God understands me, wife," replied Sancho; "for he is
+the understander of all things; that will do; but mind, sister, you must
+look to Dapple carefully for the next three days, so that he may be fit
+to take arms; double his feed, and see to the pack-saddle and other
+harness, for it is not to a wedding we are bound, but to go round the
+world, and play at give and take with giants and dragons and monsters,
+and hear hissings and roarings and bellowings and howlings; and even all
+this would be lavender, if we had not to reckon with Yanguesans and
+enchanted Moors."
+
+"I know well enough, husband," said Teresa, "that squires-errant don't
+eat their bread for nothing, and so I will be always praying to our Lord
+to deliver you speedily from all that hard fortune."
+
+"I can tell you, wife," said Sancho, "if I did not expect to see myself
+governor of an island before long, I would drop down dead on the spot."
+
+"Nay, then, husband," said Teresa; "let the hen live, though it be with
+her pip, live, and let the devil take all the governments in the world;
+you came out of your mother's womb without a government, you have lived
+until now without a government, and when it is God's will you will go, or
+be carried, to your grave without a government. How many there are in the
+world who live without a government, and continue to live all the same,
+and are reckoned in the number of the people. The best sauce in the world
+is hunger, and as the poor are never without that, they always eat with a
+relish. But mind, Sancho, if by good luck you should find yourself with
+some government, don't forget me and your children. Remember that
+Sanchico is now full fifteen, and it is right he should go to school, if
+his uncle the abbot has a mind to have him trained for the Church.
+Consider, too, that your daughter Mari-Sancha will not die of grief if we
+marry her; for I have my suspicions that she is as eager to get a husband
+as you to get a government; and, after all, a daughter looks better ill
+married than well whored."
+
+"By my faith," replied Sancho, "if God brings me to get any sort of a
+government, I intend, wife, to make such a high match for Mari-Sancha
+that there will be no approaching her without calling her 'my lady."
+
+"Nay, Sancho," returned Teresa; "marry her to her equal, that is the
+safest plan; for if you put her out of wooden clogs into high-heeled
+shoes, out of her grey flannel petticoat into hoops and silk gowns, out
+of the plain 'Marica' and 'thou,' into 'Dona So-and-so' and 'my lady,'
+the girl won't know where she is, and at every turn she will fall into a
+thousand blunders that will show the thread of her coarse homespun
+stuff."
+
+"Tut, you fool," said Sancho; "it will be only to practise it for two or
+three years; and then dignity and decorum will fit her as easily as a
+glove; and if not, what matter? Let her he 'my lady,' and never mind what
+happens."
+
+"Keep to your own station, Sancho," replied Teresa; "don't try to raise
+yourself higher, and bear in mind the proverb that says, 'wipe the nose
+of your neigbbour's son, and take him into your house.' A fine thing it
+would be, indeed, to marry our Maria to some great count or grand
+gentleman, who, when the humour took him, would abuse her and call her
+clown-bred and clodhopper's daughter and spinning wench. I have not been
+bringing up my daughter for that all this time, I can tell you, husband.
+Do you bring home money, Sancho, and leave marrying her to my care; there
+is Lope Tocho, Juan Tocho's son, a stout, sturdy young fellow that we
+know, and I can see he does not look sour at the girl; and with him, one
+of our own sort, she will be well married, and we shall have her always
+under our eyes, and be all one family, parents and children,
+grandchildren and sons-in-law, and the peace and blessing of God will
+dwell among us; so don't you go marrying her in those courts and grand
+palaces where they won't know what to make of her, or she what to make of
+herself."
+
+"Why, you idiot and wife for Barabbas," said Sancho, "what do you mean by
+trying, without why or wherefore, to keep me from marrying my daughter to
+one who will give me grandchildren that will be called 'your lordship'?
+Look ye, Teresa, I have always heard my elders say that he who does not
+know how to take advantage of luck when it comes to him, has no right to
+complain if it gives him the go-by; and now that it is knocking at our
+door, it will not do to shut it out; let us go with the favouring breeze
+that blows upon us."
+
+It is this sort of talk, and what Sancho says lower down, that made the
+translator of the history say he considered this chapter apocryphal.
+
+"Don't you see, you animal," continued Sancho, "that it will be well for
+me to drop into some profitable government that will lift us out of the
+mire, and marry Mari-Sancha to whom I like; and you yourself will find
+yourself called 'Dona Teresa Panza,' and sitting in church on a fine
+carpet and cushions and draperies, in spite and in defiance of all the
+born ladies of the town? No, stay as you are, growing neither greater nor
+less, like a tapestry figure--Let us say no more about it, for Sanchica
+shall be a countess, say what you will."
+
+"Are you sure of all you say, husband?" replied Teresa. "Well, for all
+that, I am afraid this rank of countess for my daughter will be her ruin.
+You do as you like, make a duchess or a princess of her, but I can tell
+you it will not be with my will and consent. I was always a lover of
+equality, brother, and I can't bear to see people give themselves airs
+without any right. They called me Teresa at my baptism, a plain, simple
+name, without any additions or tags or fringes of Dons or Donas; Cascajo
+was my father's name, and as I am your wife, I am called Teresa Panza,
+though by right I ought to be called Teresa Cascajo; but 'kings go where
+laws like,' and I am content with this name without having the 'Don' put
+on top of it to make it so heavy that I cannot carry it; and I don't want
+to make people talk about me when they see me go dressed like a countess
+or governor's wife; for they will say at once, 'See what airs the slut
+gives herself! Only yesterday she was always spinning flax, and used to
+go to mass with the tail of her petticoat over her head instead of a
+mantle, and there she goes to-day in a hooped gown with her broaches and
+airs, as if we didn't know her!' If God keeps me in my seven senses, or
+five, or whatever number I have, I am not going to bring myself to such a
+pass; go you, brother, and be a government or an island man, and swagger
+as much as you like; for by the soul of my mother, neither my daughter
+nor I are going to stir a step from our village; a respectable woman
+should have a broken leg and keep at home; and to be busy at something is
+a virtuous damsel's holiday; be off to your adventures along with your
+Don Quixote, and leave us to our misadventures, for God will mend them
+for us according as we deserve it. I don't know, I'm sure, who fixed the
+'Don' to him, what neither his father nor grandfather ever had."
+
+"I declare thou hast a devil of some sort in thy body!" said Sancho. "God
+help thee, what a lot of things thou hast strung together, one after the
+other, without head or tail! What have Cascajo, and the broaches and the
+proverbs and the airs, to do with what I say? Look here, fool and dolt
+(for so I may call you, when you don't understand my words, and run away
+from good fortune), if I had said that my daughter was to throw herself
+down from a tower, or go roaming the world, as the Infanta Dona Urraca
+wanted to do, you would be right in not giving way to my will; but if in
+an instant, in less than the twinkling of an eye, I put the 'Don' and 'my
+lady' on her back, and take her out of the stubble, and place her under a
+canopy, on a dais, and on a couch, with more velvet cushions than all the
+Almohades of Morocco ever had in their family, why won't you consent and
+fall in with my wishes?"
+
+"Do you know why, husband?" replied Teresa; "because of the proverb that
+says 'who covers thee, discovers thee.' At the poor man people only throw
+a hasty glance; on the rich man they fix their eyes; and if the said rich
+man was once on a time poor, it is then there is the sneering and the
+tattle and spite of backbiters; and in the streets here they swarm as
+thick as bees."
+
+"Look here, Teresa," said Sancho, "and listen to what I am now going to
+say to you; maybe you never heard it in all your life; and I do not give
+my own notions, for what I am about to say are the opinions of his
+reverence the preacher, who preached in this town last Lent, and who
+said, if I remember rightly, that all things present that our eyes
+behold, bring themselves before us, and remain and fix themselves on our
+memory much better and more forcibly than things past."
+
+These observations which Sancho makes here are the other ones on account
+of which the translator says he regards this chapter as apocryphal,
+inasmuch as they are beyond Sancho's capacity.
+
+"Whence it arises," he continued, "that when we see any person well
+dressed and making a figure with rich garments and retinue of servants,
+it seems to lead and impel us perforce to respect him, though memory may
+at the same moment recall to us some lowly condition in which we have
+seen him, but which, whether it may have been poverty or low birth, being
+now a thing of the past, has no existence; while the only thing that has
+any existence is what we see before us; and if this person whom fortune
+has raised from his original lowly state (these were the very words the
+padre used) to his present height of prosperity, be well bred, generous,
+courteous to all, without seeking to vie with those whose nobility is of
+ancient date, depend upon it, Teresa, no one will remember what he was,
+and everyone will respect what he is, except indeed the envious, from
+whom no fair fortune is safe."
+
+"I do not understand you, husband," replied Teresa; "do as you like, and
+don't break my head with any more speechifying and rethoric; and if you
+have revolved to do what you say-"
+
+"Resolved, you should say, woman," said Sancho, "not revolved."
+
+"Don't set yourself to wrangle with me, husband," said Teresa; "I speak
+as God pleases, and don't deal in out-of-the-way phrases; and I say if
+you are bent upon having a government, take your son Sancho with you, and
+teach him from this time on how to hold a government; for sons ought to
+inherit and learn the trades of their fathers."
+
+"As soon as I have the government," said Sancho, "I will send for him by
+post, and I will send thee money, of which I shall have no lack, for
+there is never any want of people to lend it to governors when they have
+not got it; and do thou dress him so as to hide what he is and make him
+look what he is to be."
+
+"You send the money," said Teresa, "and I'll dress him up for you as fine
+as you please."
+
+"Then we are agreed that our daughter is to be a countess," said Sancho.
+
+"The day that I see her a countess," replied Teresa, "it will be the same
+to me as if I was burying her; but once more I say do as you please, for
+we women are born to this burden of being obedient to our husbands,
+though they be dogs;" and with this she began to weep in earnest, as if
+she already saw Sanchica dead and buried.
+
+Sancho consoled her by saying that though he must make her a countess, he
+would put it off as long as possible. Here their conversation came to an
+end, and Sancho went back to see Don Quixote, and make arrangements for
+their departure.
+
+Chapter VI. -
+Of what took place between Don Quixote and his niece and housekeeper; one
+of the most important chapters in the whole history
+
+While Sancho Panza and his wife, Teresa Cascajo, held the above
+irrelevant conversation, Don Quixote's niece and housekeeper were not
+idle, for by a thousand signs they began to perceive that their uncle and
+master meant to give them the slip the third time, and once more betake
+himself to his, for them, ill-errant chivalry. They strove by all the
+means in their power to divert him from such an unlucky scheme; but it
+was all preaching in the desert and hammering cold iron. Nevertheless,
+among many other representations made to him, the housekeeper said to
+him, "In truth, master, if you do not keep still and stay quiet at home,
+and give over roaming mountains and valleys like a troubled spirit,
+looking for what they say are called adventures, but what I call
+misfortunes, I shall have to make complaint to God and the king with loud
+supplication to send some remedy."
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "What answer God will give to your
+complaints, housekeeper, I know not, nor what his Majesty will answer
+either; I only know that if I were king I should decline to answer the
+numberless silly petitions they present every day; for one of the
+greatest among the many troubles kings have is being obliged to listen to
+all and answer all, and therefore I should be sorry that any affairs of
+mine should worry him."
+
+Whereupon the housekeeper said, "Tell us, senor, at his Majesty's court
+are there no knights?"
+
+"There are," replied Don Quixote, "and plenty of them; and it is right
+there should be, to set off the dignity of the prince, and for the
+greater glory of the king's majesty."
+
+"Then might not your worship," said she, "be one of those that, without
+stirring a step, serve their king and lord in his court?"
+
+"Recollect, my friend," said Don Quixote, "all knights cannot be
+courtiers, nor can all courtiers be knights-errant, nor need they be.
+There must be all sorts in the world; and though we may be all knights,
+there is a great difference between one and another; for the courtiers,
+without quitting their chambers, or the threshold of the court, range the
+world over by looking at a map, without its costing them a farthing, and
+without suffering heat or cold, hunger or thirst; but we, the true
+knights-errant, measure the whole earth with our own feet, exposed to the
+sun, to the cold, to the air, to the inclemencies of heaven, by day and
+night, on foot and on horseback; nor do we only know enemies in pictures,
+but in their own real shapes; and at all risks and on all occasions we
+attack them, without any regard to childish points or rules of single
+combat, whether one has or has not a shorter lance or sword, whether one
+carries relics or any secret contrivance about him, whether or not the
+sun is to be divided and portioned out, and other niceties of the sort
+that are observed in set combats of man to man, that you know nothing
+about, but I do. And you must know besides, that the true knight-errant,
+though he may see ten giants, that not only touch the clouds with their
+heads but pierce them, and that go, each of them, on two tall towers by
+way of legs, and whose arms are like the masts of mighty ships, and each
+eye like a great mill-wheel, and glowing brighter than a glass furnace,
+must not on any account be dismayed by them. On the contrary, he must
+attack and fall upon them with a gallant bearing and a fearless heart,
+and, if possible, vanquish and destroy them, even though they have for
+armour the shells of a certain fish, that they say are harder than
+diamonds, and in place of swords wield trenchant blades of Damascus
+steel, or clubs studded with spikes also of steel, such as I have more
+than once seen. All this I say, housekeeper, that you may see the
+difference there is between the one sort of knight and the other; and it
+would be well if there were no prince who did not set a higher value on
+this second, or more properly speaking first, kind of knights-errant;
+for, as we read in their histories, there have been some among them who
+have been the salvation, not merely of one kingdom, but of many."
+
+"Ah, senor," here exclaimed the niece, "remember that all this you are
+saying about knights-errant is fable and fiction; and their histories, if
+indeed they were not burned, would deserve, each of them, to have a
+sambenito put on it, or some mark by which it might be known as infamous
+and a corrupter of good manners."
+
+"By the God that gives me life," said Don Quixote, "if thou wert not my
+full niece, being daughter of my own sister, I would inflict a
+chastisement upon thee for the blasphemy thou hast uttered that all the
+world should ring with. What! can it be that a young hussy that hardly
+knows how to handle a dozen lace-bobbins dares to wag her tongue and
+criticise the histories of knights-errant? What would Senor Amadis say if
+he heard of such a thing? He, however, no doubt would forgive thee, for
+he was the most humble-minded and courteous knight of his time, and
+moreover a great protector of damsels; but some there are that might have
+heard thee, and it would not have been well for thee in that case; for
+they are not all courteous or mannerly; some are ill-conditioned
+scoundrels; nor is it everyone that calls himself a gentleman, that is so
+in all respects; some are gold, others pinchbeck, and all look like
+gentlemen, but not all can stand the touchstone of truth. There are men
+of low rank who strain themselves to bursting to pass for gentlemen, and
+high gentlemen who, one would fancy, were dying to pass for men of low
+rank; the former raise themselves by their ambition or by their virtues,
+the latter debase themselves by their lack of spirit or by their vices;
+and one has need of experience and discernment to distinguish these two
+kinds of gentlemen, so much alike in name and so different in conduct."
+
+"God bless me!" said the niece, "that you should know so much,
+uncle--enough, if need be, to get up into a pulpit and go preach in the
+streets--and yet that you should fall into a delusion so great and a
+folly so manifest as to try to make yourself out vigorous when you are
+old, strong when you are sickly, able to put straight what is crooked
+when you yourself are bent by age, and, above all, a caballero when you
+are not one; for though gentlefolk may be so, poor men are nothing of the
+kind!"
+
+"There is a great deal of truth in what you say, niece," returned Don
+Quixote, "and I could tell you somewhat about birth that would astonish
+you; but, not to mix up things human and divine, I refrain. Look you, my
+dears, all the lineages in the world (attend to what I am saying) can be
+reduced to four sorts, which are these: those that had humble beginnings,
+and went on spreading and extending themselves until they attained
+surpassing greatness; those that had great beginnings and maintained
+them, and still maintain and uphold the greatness of their origin; those,
+again, that from a great beginning have ended in a point like a pyramid,
+having reduced and lessened their original greatness till it has come to
+nought, like the point of a pyramid, which, relatively to its base or
+foundation, is nothing; and then there are those--and it is they that are
+the most numerous--that have had neither an illustrious beginning nor a
+remarkable mid-course, and so will have an end without a name, like an
+ordinary plebeian line. Of the first, those that had an humble origin and
+rose to the greatness they still preserve, the Ottoman house may serve as
+an example, which from an humble and lowly shepherd, its founder, has
+reached the height at which we now see it. For examples of the second
+sort of lineage, that began with greatness and maintains it still without
+adding to it, there are the many princes who have inherited the dignity,
+and maintain themselves in their inheritance, without increasing or
+diminishing it, keeping peacefully within the limits of their states. Of
+those that began great and ended in a point, there are thousands of
+examples, for all the Pharaohs and Ptolemies of Egypt, the Caesars of
+Rome, and the whole herd (if I may such a word to them) of countless
+princes, monarchs, lords, Medes, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and
+barbarians, all these lineages and lordships have ended in a point and
+come to nothing, they themselves as well as their founders, for it would
+be impossible now to find one of their descendants, and, even should we
+find one, it would be in some lowly and humble condition. Of plebeian
+lineages I have nothing to say, save that they merely serve to swell the
+number of those that live, without any eminence to entitle them to any
+fame or praise beyond this. From all I have said I would have you gather,
+my poor innocents, that great is the confusion among lineages, and that
+only those are seen to be great and illustrious that show themselves so
+by the virtue, wealth, and generosity of their possessors. I have said
+virtue, wealth, and generosity, because a great man who is vicious will
+be a great example of vice, and a rich man who is not generous will be
+merely a miserly beggar; for the possessor of wealth is not made happy by
+possessing it, but by spending it, and not by spending as he pleases, but
+by knowing how to spend it well. The poor gentleman has no way of showing
+that he is a gentleman but by virtue, by being affable, well-bred,
+courteous, gentle-mannered, and kindly, not haughty, arrogant, or
+censorious, but above all by being charitable; for by two maravedis given
+with a cheerful heart to the poor, he will show himself as generous as he
+who distributes alms with bell-ringing, and no one that perceives him to
+be endowed with the virtues I have named, even though he know him not,
+will fail to recognise and set him down as one of good blood; and it
+would be strange were it not so; praise has ever been the reward of
+virtue, and those who are virtuous cannot fail to receive commendation.
+There are two roads, my daughters, by which men may reach wealth and
+honours; one is that of letters, the other that of arms. I have more of
+arms than of letters in my composition, and, judging by my inclination to
+arms, was born under the influence of the planet Mars. I am, therefore,
+in a measure constrained to follow that road, and by it I must travel in
+spite of all the world, and it will be labour in vain for you to urge me
+to resist what heaven wills, fate ordains, reason requires, and, above
+all, my own inclination favours; for knowing as I do the countless toils
+that are the accompaniments of knight-errantry, I know, too, the infinite
+blessings that are attained by it; I know that the path of virtue is very
+narrow, and the road of vice broad and spacious; I know their ends and
+goals are different, for the broad and easy road of vice ends in death,
+and the narrow and toilsome one of virtue in life, and not transitory
+life, but in that which has no end; I know, as our great Castilian poet
+says, that--
+
+It is by rugged paths like these they go
+That scale the heights of immortality,
+Unreached by those that falter here below."
+
+"Woe is me!" exclaimed the niece, "my lord is a poet, too! He knows
+everything, and he can do everything; I will bet, if he chose to turn
+mason, he could make a house as easily as a cage."
+
+"I can tell you, niece," replied Don Quixote, "if these chivalrous
+thoughts did not engage all my faculties, there would be nothing that I
+could not do, nor any sort of knickknack that would not come from my
+hands, particularly cages and tooth-picks."
+
+At this moment there came a knocking at the door, and when they asked who
+was there, Sancho Panza made answer that it was he. The instant the
+housekeeper knew who it was, she ran to hide herself so as not to see
+him; in such abhorrence did she hold him. The niece let him in, and his
+master Don Quixote came forward to receive him with open arms, and the
+pair shut themselves up in his room, where they had another conversation
+not inferior to the previous one.
+
+Chapter VII. -
+Of what passed between Don Quixote and his Squire, together with other
+very notable incidents
+
+The instant the housekeeper saw Sancho Panza shut himself in with her
+master, she guessed what they were about; and suspecting that the result
+of the consultation would be a resolve to undertake a third sally, she
+seized her mantle, and in deep anxiety and distress, ran to find the
+bachelor Samson Carrasco, as she thought that, being a well-spoken man,
+and a new friend of her master's, he might be able to persuade him to
+give up any such crazy notion. She found him pacing the patio of his
+house, and, perspiring and flurried, she fell at his feet the moment she
+saw him.
+
+Carrasco, seeing how distressed and overcome she was, said to her, "What
+is this, mistress housekeeper? What has happened to you? One would think
+you heart-broken."
+
+"Nothing, Senor Samson," said she, "only that my master is breaking out,
+plainly breaking out."
+
+"Whereabouts is he breaking out, senora?" asked Samson; "has any part of
+his body burst?"
+
+"He is only breaking out at the door of his madness," she replied; "I
+mean, dear senor bachelor, that he is going to break out again (and this
+will be the third time) to hunt all over the world for what he calls
+ventures, though I can't make out why he gives them that name. The first
+time he was brought back to us slung across the back of an ass, and
+belaboured all over; and the second time he came in an ox-cart, shut up
+in a cage, in which he persuaded himself he was enchanted, and the poor
+creature was in such a state that the mother that bore him would not have
+known him; lean, yellow, with his eyes sunk deep in the cells of his
+skull; so that to bring him round again, ever so little, cost me more
+than six hundred eggs, as God knows, and all the world, and my hens too,
+that won't let me tell a lie."
+
+"That I can well believe," replied the bachelor, "for they are so good
+and so fat, and so well-bred, that they would not say one thing for
+another, though they were to burst for it. In short then, mistress
+housekeeper, that is all, and there is nothing the matter, except what it
+is feared Don Quixote may do?"
+
+"No, senor," said she.
+
+"Well then," returned the bachelor, "don't be uneasy, but go home in
+peace; get me ready something hot for breakfast, and while you are on the
+way say the prayer of Santa Apollonia, that is if you know it; for I will
+come presently and you will see miracles."
+
+"Woe is me," cried the housekeeper, "is it the prayer of Santa Apollonia
+you would have me say? That would do if it was the toothache my master
+had; but it is in the brains, what he has got."
+
+"I know what I am saying, mistress housekeeper; go, and don't set
+yourself to argue with me, for you know I am a bachelor of Salamanca, and
+one can't be more of a bachelor than that," replied Carrasco; and with
+this the housekeeper retired, and the bachelor went to look for the
+curate, and arrange with him what will be told in its proper place.
+
+While Don Quixote and Sancho were shut up together, they had a discussion
+which the history records with great precision and scrupulous exactness.
+Sancho said to his master, "Senor, I have educed my wife to let me go
+with your worship wherever you choose to take me."
+
+"Induced, you should say, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "not educed."
+
+"Once or twice, as well as I remember," replied Sancho, "I have begged of
+your worship not to mend my words, if so be as you understand what I mean
+by them; and if you don't understand them to say 'Sancho,' or 'devil,' 'I
+don't understand thee; and if I don't make my meaning plain, then you may
+correct me, for I am so focile-"
+
+"I don't understand thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote at once; "for I know
+not what 'I am so focile' means."
+
+"'So focile' means I am so much that way," replied Sancho.
+
+"I understand thee still less now," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Well, if you can't understand me," said Sancho, "I don't know how to put
+it; I know no more, God help me."
+
+"Oh, now I have hit it," said Don Quixote; "thou wouldst say thou art so
+docile, tractable, and gentle that thou wilt take what I say to thee, and
+submit to what I teach thee."
+
+"I would bet," said Sancho, "that from the very first you understood me,
+and knew what I meant, but you wanted to put me out that you might hear
+me make another couple of dozen blunders."
+
+"May be so," replied Don Quixote; "but to come to the point, what does
+Teresa say?"
+
+"Teresa says," replied Sancho, "that I should make sure with your
+worship, and 'let papers speak and beards be still,' for 'he who binds
+does not wrangle,' since one 'take' is better than two 'I'll give
+thee's;' and I say a woman's advice is no great thing, and he who won't
+take it is a fool."
+
+"And so say I," said Don Quixote; "continue, Sancho my friend; go on; you
+talk pearls to-day."
+
+"The fact is," continued Sancho, "that, as your worship knows better than
+I do, we are all of us liable to death, and to-day we are, and to-morrow
+we are not, and the lamb goes as soon as the sheep, and nobody can
+promise himself more hours of life in this world than God may be pleased
+to give him; for death is deaf, and when it comes to knock at our life's
+door, it is always urgent, and neither prayers, nor struggles, nor
+sceptres, nor mitres, can keep it back, as common talk and report say,
+and as they tell us from the pulpits every day."
+
+"All that is very true," said Don Quixote; "but I cannot make out what
+thou art driving at."
+
+"What I am driving at," said Sancho, "is that your worship settle some
+fixed wages for me, to be paid monthly while I am in your service, and
+that the same he paid me out of your estate; for I don't care to stand on
+rewards which either come late, or ill, or never at all; God help me with
+my own. In short, I would like to know what I am to get, be it much or
+little; for the hen will lay on one egg, and many littles make a much,
+and so long as one gains something there is nothing lost. To be sure, if
+it should happen (what I neither believe nor expect) that your worship
+were to give me that island you have promised me, I am not so ungrateful
+nor so grasping but that I would be willing to have the revenue of such
+island valued and stopped out of my wages in due promotion."
+
+"Sancho, my friend," replied Don Quixote, "sometimes proportion may be as
+good as promotion."
+
+"I see," said Sancho; "I'll bet I ought to have said proportion, and not
+promotion; but it is no matter, as your worship has understood me."
+
+"And so well understood," returned Don Quixote, "that I have seen into
+the depths of thy thoughts, and know the mark thou art shooting at with
+the countless shafts of thy proverbs. Look here, Sancho, I would readily
+fix thy wages if I had ever found any instance in the histories of the
+knights-errant to show or indicate, by the slightest hint, what their
+squires used to get monthly or yearly; but I have read all or the best
+part of their histories, and I cannot remember reading of any
+knight-errant having assigned fixed wages to his squire; I only know that
+they all served on reward, and that when they least expected it, if good
+luck attended their masters, they found themselves recompensed with an
+island or something equivalent to it, or at the least they were left with
+a title and lordship. If with these hopes and additional inducements you,
+Sancho, please to return to my service, well and good; but to suppose
+that I am going to disturb or unhinge the ancient usage of
+knight-errantry, is all nonsense. And so, my Sancho, get you back to your
+house and explain my intentions to your Teresa, and if she likes and you
+like to be on reward with me, bene quidem; if not, we remain friends; for
+if the pigeon-house does not lack food, it will not lack pigeons; and
+bear in mind, my son, that a good hope is better than a bad holding, and
+a good grievance better than a bad compensation. I speak in this way,
+Sancho, to show you that I can shower down proverbs just as well as
+yourself; and in short, I mean to say, and I do say, that if you don't
+like to come on reward with me, and run the same chance that I run, God
+be with you and make a saint of you; for I shall find plenty of squires
+more obedient and painstaking, and not so thickheaded or talkative as you
+are."
+
+When Sancho heard his master's firm, resolute language, a cloud came over
+the sky with him and the wings of his heart drooped, for he had made sure
+that his master would not go without him for all the wealth of the world;
+and as he stood there dumbfoundered and moody, Samson Carrasco came in
+with the housekeeper and niece, who were anxious to hear by what
+arguments he was about to dissuade their master from going to seek
+adventures. The arch wag Samson came forward, and embracing him as he had
+done before, said with a loud voice, "O flower of knight-errantry! O
+shining light of arms! O honour and mirror of the Spanish nation! may God
+Almighty in his infinite power grant that any person or persons, who
+would impede or hinder thy third sally, may find no way out of the
+labyrinth of their schemes, nor ever accomplish what they most desire!"
+And then, turning to the housekeeper, he said, "Mistress housekeeper may
+just as well give over saying the prayer of Santa Apollonia, for I know
+it is the positive determination of the spheres that Senor Don Quixote
+shall proceed to put into execution his new and lofty designs; and I
+should lay a heavy burden on my conscience did I not urge and persuade
+this knight not to keep the might of his strong arm and the virtue of his
+valiant spirit any longer curbed and checked, for by his inactivity he is
+defrauding the world of the redress of wrongs, of the protection of
+orphans, of the honour of virgins, of the aid of widows, and of the
+support of wives, and other matters of this kind appertaining, belonging,
+proper and peculiar to the order of knight-errantry. On, then, my lord
+Don Quixote, beautiful and brave, let your worship and highness set out
+to-day rather than to-morrow; and if anything be needed for the execution
+of your purpose, here am I ready in person and purse to supply the want;
+and were it requisite to attend your magnificence as squire, I should
+esteem it the happiest good fortune."
+
+At this, Don Quixote, turning to Sancho, said, "Did I not tell thee,
+Sancho, there would be squires enough and to spare for me? See now who
+offers to become one; no less than the illustrious bachelor Samson
+Carrasco, the perpetual joy and delight of the courts of the Salamancan
+schools, sound in body, discreet, patient under heat or cold, hunger or
+thirst, with all the qualifications requisite to make a knight-errant's
+squire! But heaven forbid that, to gratify my own inclination, I should
+shake or shatter this pillar of letters and vessel of the sciences, and
+cut down this towering palm of the fair and liberal arts. Let this new
+Samson remain in his own country, and, bringing honour to it, bring
+honour at the same time on the grey heads of his venerable parents; for I
+will be content with any squire that comes to hand, as Sancho does not
+deign to accompany me."
+
+"I do deign," said Sancho, deeply moved and with tears in his eyes; "it
+shall not be said of me, master mine," he continued, "'the bread eaten
+and the company dispersed.' Nay, I come of no ungrateful stock, for all
+the world knows, but particularly my own town, who the Panzas from whom I
+am descended were; and, what is more, I know and have learned, by many
+good words and deeds, your worship's desire to show me favour; and if I
+have been bargaining more or less about my wages, it was only to please
+my wife, who, when she sets herself to press a point, no hammer drives
+the hoops of a cask as she drives one to do what she wants; but, after
+all, a man must be a man, and a woman a woman; and as I am a man anyhow,
+which I can't deny, I will be one in my own house too, let who will take
+it amiss; and so there's nothing more to do but for your worship to make
+your will with its codicil in such a way that it can't be provoked, and
+let us set out at once, to save Senor Samson's soul from suffering, as he
+says his conscience obliges him to persuade your worship to sally out
+upon the world a third time; so I offer again to serve your worship
+faithfully and loyally, as well and better than all the squires that
+served knights-errant in times past or present."
+
+The bachelor was filled with amazement when he heard Sancho's phraseology
+and style of talk, for though he had read the first part of his master's
+history he never thought that he could be so droll as he was there
+described; but now, hearing him talk of a "will and codicil that could
+not be provoked," instead of "will and codicil that could not be
+revoked," he believed all he had read of him, and set him down as one of
+the greatest simpletons of modern times; and he said to himself that two
+such lunatics as master and man the world had never seen. In fine, Don
+Quixote and Sancho embraced one another and made friends, and by the
+advice and with the approval of the great Carrasco, who was now their
+oracle, it was arranged that their departure should take place three days
+thence, by which time they could have all that was requisite for the
+journey ready, and procure a closed helmet, which Don Quixote said he
+must by all means take. Samson offered him one, as he knew a friend of
+his who had it would not refuse it to him, though it was more dingy with
+rust and mildew than bright and clean like burnished steel.
+
+The curses which both housekeeper and niece poured out on the bachelor
+were past counting; they tore their hair, they clawed their faces, and in
+the style of the hired mourners that were once in fashion, they raised a
+lamentation over the departure of their master and uncle, as if it had
+been his death. Samson's intention in persuading him to sally forth once
+more was to do what the history relates farther on; all by the advice of
+the curate and barber, with whom he had previously discussed the subject.
+Finally, then, during those three days, Don Quixote and Sancho provided
+themselves with what they considered necessary, and Sancho having
+pacified his wife, and Don Quixote his niece and housekeeper, at
+nightfall, unseen by anyone except the bachelor, who thought fit to
+accompany them half a league out of the village, they set out for El
+Toboso, Don Quixote on his good Rocinante and Sancho on his old Dapple,
+his alforjas furnished with certain matters in the way of victuals, and
+his purse with money that Don Quixote gave him to meet emergencies.
+Samson embraced him, and entreated him to let him hear of his good or
+evil fortunes, so that he might rejoice over the former or condole with
+him over the latter, as the laws of friendship required. Don Quixote
+promised him he would do so, and Samson returned to the village, and the
+other two took the road for the great city of El Toboso.
+
+Chapter VIII. -
+Wherein is related what befell don quixote on his way to see his lady
+Dulcinea Del Toboso
+
+"Blessed be Allah the all-powerful!" says Hamete Benengeli on beginning
+this eighth chapter; "blessed be Allah!" he repeats three times; and he
+says he utters these thanksgivings at seeing that he has now got Don
+Quixote and Sancho fairly afield, and that the readers of his delightful
+history may reckon that the achievements and humours of Don Quixote and
+his squire are now about to begin; and he urges them to forget the former
+chivalries of the ingenious gentleman and to fix their eyes on those that
+are to come, which now begin on the road to El Toboso, as the others
+began on the plains of Montiel; nor is it much that he asks in
+consideration of all he promises, and so he goes on to say:
+
+Don Quixote and Sancho were left alone, and the moment Samson took his
+departure, Rocinante began to neigh, and Dapple to sigh, which, by both
+knight and squire, was accepted as a good sign and a very happy omen;
+though, if the truth is to be told, the sighs and brays of Dapple were
+louder than the neighings of the hack, from which Sancho inferred that
+his good fortune was to exceed and overtop that of his master, building,
+perhaps, upon some judicial astrology that he may have known, though the
+history says nothing about it; all that can be said is, that when he
+stumbled or fell, he was heard to say he wished he had not come out, for
+by stumbling or falling there was nothing to be got but a damaged shoe or
+a broken rib; and, fool as he was, he was not much astray in this.
+
+Said Don Quixote, "Sancho, my friend, night is drawing on upon us as we
+go, and more darkly than will allow us to reach El Toboso by daylight;
+for there I am resolved to go before I engage in another adventure, and
+there I shall obtain the blessing and generous permission of the peerless
+Dulcinea, with which permission I expect and feel assured that I shall
+conclude and bring to a happy termination every perilous adventure; for
+nothing in life makes knights-errant more valorous than finding
+themselves favoured by their ladies."
+
+"So I believe," replied Sancho; "but I think it will be difficult for
+your worship to speak with her or see her, at any rate where you will be
+able to receive her blessing; unless, indeed, she throws it over the wall
+of the yard where I saw her the time before, when I took her the letter
+that told of the follies and mad things your worship was doing in the
+heart of Sierra Morena."
+
+"Didst thou take that for a yard wall, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "where
+or at which thou sawest that never sufficiently extolled grace and
+beauty? It must have been the gallery, corridor, or portico of some rich
+and royal palace."
+
+"It might have been all that," returned Sancho, "but to me it looked like
+a wall, unless I am short of memory."
+
+"At all events, let us go there, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "for, so that
+I see her, it is the same to me whether it be over a wall, or at a
+window, or through the chink of a door, or the grate of a garden; for any
+beam of the sun of her beauty that reaches my eyes will give light to my
+reason and strength to my heart, so that I shall be unmatched and
+unequalled in wisdom and valour."
+
+"Well, to tell the truth, senor," said Sancho, "when I saw that sun of
+the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, it was not bright enough to throw out beams
+at all; it must have been, that as her grace was sifting that wheat I
+told you of, the thick dust she raised came before her face like a cloud
+and dimmed it."
+
+"What! dost thou still persist, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "in saying,
+thinking, believing, and maintaining that my lady Dulcinea was sifting
+wheat, that being an occupation and task entirely at variance with what
+is and should be the employment of persons of distinction, who are
+constituted and reserved for other avocations and pursuits that show
+their rank a bowshot off? Thou hast forgotten, O Sancho, those lines of
+our poet wherein he paints for us how, in their crystal abodes, those
+four nymphs employed themselves who rose from their loved Tagus and
+seated themselves in a verdant meadow to embroider those tissues which
+the ingenious poet there describes to us, how they were worked and woven
+with gold and silk and pearls; and something of this sort must have been
+the employment of my lady when thou sawest her, only that the spite which
+some wicked enchanter seems to have against everything of mine changes
+all those things that give me pleasure, and turns them into shapes unlike
+their own; and so I fear that in that history of my achievements which
+they say is now in print, if haply its author was some sage who is an
+enemy of mine, he will have put one thing for another, mingling a
+thousand lies with one truth, and amusing himself by relating
+transactions which have nothing to do with the sequence of a true
+history. O envy, root of all countless evils, and cankerworm of the
+virtues! All the vices, Sancho, bring some kind of pleasure with them;
+but envy brings nothing but irritation, bitterness, and rage."
+
+"So I say too," replied Sancho; "and I suspect in that legend or history
+of us that the bachelor Samson Carrasco told us he saw, my honour goes
+dragged in the dirt, knocked about, up and down, sweeping the streets, as
+they say. And yet, on the faith of an honest man, I never spoke ill of
+any enchanter, and I am not so well off that I am to be envied; to be
+sure, I am rather sly, and I have a certain spice of the rogue in me; but
+all is covered by the great cloak of my simplicity, always natural and
+never acted; and if I had no other merit save that I believe, as I always
+do, firmly and truly in God, and all the holy Roman Catholic Church holds
+and believes, and that I am a mortal enemy of the Jews, the historians
+ought to have mercy on me and treat me well in their writings. But let
+them say what they like; naked was I born, naked I find myself, I neither
+lose nor gain; nay, while I see myself put into a book and passed on from
+hand to hand over the world, I don't care a fig, let them say what they
+like of me."
+
+"That, Sancho," returned Don Quixote, "reminds me of what happened to a
+famous poet of our own day, who, having written a bitter satire against
+all the courtesan ladies, did not insert or name in it a certain lady of
+whom it was questionable whether she was one or not. She, seeing she was
+not in the list of the poet, asked him what he had seen in her that he
+did not include her in the number of the others, telling him he must add
+to his satire and put her in the new part, or else look out for the
+consequences. The poet did as she bade him, and left her without a shred
+of reputation, and she was satisfied by getting fame though it was
+infamy. In keeping with this is what they relate of that shepherd who set
+fire to the famous temple of Diana, by repute one of the seven wonders of
+the world, and burned it with the sole object of making his name live in
+after ages; and, though it was forbidden to name him, or mention his name
+by word of mouth or in writing, lest the object of his ambition should be
+attained, nevertheless it became known that he was called Erostratus. And
+something of the same sort is what happened in the case of the great
+emperor Charles V and a gentleman in Rome. The emperor was anxious to see
+that famous temple of the Rotunda, called in ancient times the temple 'of
+all the gods,' but now-a-days, by a better nomenclature, 'of all the
+saints,' which is the best preserved building of all those of pagan
+construction in Rome, and the one which best sustains the reputation of
+mighty works and magnificence of its founders. It is in the form of a
+half orange, of enormous dimensions, and well lighted, though no light
+penetrates it save that which is admitted by a window, or rather round
+skylight, at the top; and it was from this that the emperor examined the
+building. A Roman gentleman stood by his side and explained to him the
+skilful construction and ingenuity of the vast fabric and its wonderful
+architecture, and when they had left the skylight he said to the emperor,
+'A thousand times, your Sacred Majesty, the impulse came upon me to seize
+your Majesty in my arms and fling myself down from yonder skylight, so as
+to leave behind me in the world a name that would last for ever.' 'I am
+thankful to you for not carrying such an evil thought into effect,' said
+the emperor, 'and I shall give you no opportunity in future of again
+putting your loyalty to the test; and I therefore forbid you ever to
+speak to me or to be where I am; and he followed up these words by
+bestowing a liberal bounty upon him. My meaning is, Sancho, that the
+desire of acquiring fame is a very powerful motive. What, thinkest thou,
+was it that flung Horatius in full armour down from the bridge into the
+depths of the Tiber? What burned the hand and arm of Mutius? What
+impelled Curtius to plunge into the deep burning gulf that opened in the
+midst of Rome? What, in opposition to all the omens that declared against
+him, made Julius Caesar cross the Rubicon? And to come to more modern
+examples, what scuttled the ships, and left stranded and cut off the
+gallant Spaniards under the command of the most courteous Cortes in the
+New World? All these and a variety of other great exploits are, were and
+will be, the work of fame that mortals desire as a reward and a portion
+of the immortality their famous deeds deserve; though we Catholic
+Christians and knights-errant look more to that future glory that is
+everlasting in the ethereal regions of heaven than to the vanity of the
+fame that is to be acquired in this present transitory life; a fame that,
+however long it may last, must after all end with the world itself, which
+has its own appointed end. So that, O Sancho, in what we do we must not
+overpass the bounds which the Christian religion we profess has assigned
+to us. We have to slay pride in giants, envy by generosity and nobleness
+of heart, anger by calmness of demeanour and equanimity, gluttony and
+sloth by the spareness of our diet and the length of our vigils, lust and
+lewdness by the loyalty we preserve to those whom we have made the
+mistresses of our thoughts, indolence by traversing the world in all
+directions seeking opportunities of making ourselves, besides Christians,
+famous knights. Such, Sancho, are the means by which we reach those
+extremes of praise that fair fame carries with it."
+
+"All that your worship has said so far," said Sancho, "I have understood
+quite well; but still I would be glad if your worship would dissolve a
+doubt for me, which has just this minute come into my mind."
+
+"Solve, thou meanest, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "say on, in God's name,
+and I will answer as well as I can."
+
+"Tell me, senor," Sancho went on to say, "those Julys or Augusts, and all
+those venturous knights that you say are now dead--where are they now?"
+
+"The heathens," replied Don Quixote, "are, no doubt, in hell; the
+Christians, if they were good Christians, are either in purgatory or in
+heaven."
+
+"Very good," said Sancho; "but now I want to know--the tombs where the
+bodies of those great lords are, have they silver lamps before them, or
+are the walls of their chapels ornamented with crutches, winding-sheets,
+tresses of hair, legs and eyes in wax? Or what are they ornamented with?"
+
+To which Don Quixote made answer: "The tombs of the heathens were
+generally sumptuous temples; the ashes of Julius Caesar's body were
+placed on the top of a stone pyramid of vast size, which they now call in
+Rome Saint Peter's needle. The emperor Hadrian had for a tomb a castle as
+large as a good-sized village, which they called the Moles Adriani, and
+is now the castle of St. Angelo in Rome. The queen Artemisia buried her
+husband Mausolus in a tomb which was reckoned one of the seven wonders of
+the world; but none of these tombs, or of the many others of the
+heathens, were ornamented with winding-sheets or any of those other
+offerings and tokens that show that they who are buried there are
+saints."
+
+"That's the point I'm coming to," said Sancho; "and now tell me, which is
+the greater work, to bring a dead man to life or to kill a giant?"
+
+"The answer is easy," replied Don Quixote; "it is a greater work to bring
+to life a dead man."
+
+"Now I have got you," said Sancho; "in that case the fame of them who
+bring the dead to life, who give sight to the blind, cure cripples,
+restore health to the sick, and before whose tombs there are lamps
+burning, and whose chapels are filled with devout folk on their knees
+adoring their relics be a better fame in this life and in the other than
+that which all the heathen emperors and knights-errant that have ever
+been in the world have left or may leave behind them?"
+
+"That I grant, too," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Then this fame, these favours, these privileges, or whatever you call
+it," said Sancho, "belong to the bodies and relics of the saints who,
+with the approbation and permission of our holy mother Church, have
+lamps, tapers, winding-sheets, crutches, pictures, eyes and legs, by
+means of which they increase devotion and add to their own Christian
+reputation. Kings carry the bodies or relics of saints on their
+shoulders, and kiss bits of their bones, and enrich and adorn their
+oratories and favourite altars with them."
+
+"What wouldst thou have me infer from all thou hast said, Sancho?" asked
+Don Quixote.
+
+"My meaning is," said Sancho, "let us set about becoming saints, and we
+shall obtain more quickly the fair fame we are striving after; for you
+know, senor, yesterday or the day before yesterday (for it is so lately
+one may say so) they canonised and beatified two little barefoot friars,
+and it is now reckoned the greatest good luck to kiss or touch the iron
+chains with which they girt and tortured their bodies, and they are held
+in greater veneration, so it is said, than the sword of Roland in the
+armoury of our lord the King, whom God preserve. So that, senor, it is
+better to be an humble little friar of no matter what order, than a
+valiant knight-errant; with God a couple of dozen of penance lashings are
+of more avail than two thousand lance-thrusts, be they given to giants,
+or monsters, or dragons."
+
+"All that is true," returned Don Quixote, "but we cannot all be friars,
+and many are the ways by which God takes his own to heaven; chivalry is a
+religion, there are sainted knights in glory."
+
+"Yes," said Sancho, "but I have heard say that there are more friars in
+heaven than knights-errant."
+
+"That," said Don Quixote, "is because those in religious orders are more
+numerous than knights."
+
+"The errants are many," said Sancho.
+
+"Many," replied Don Quixote, "but few they who deserve the name of
+knights."
+
+With these, and other discussions of the same sort, they passed that
+night and the following day, without anything worth mention happening to
+them, whereat Don Quixote was not a little dejected; but at length the
+next day, at daybreak, they descried the great city of El Toboso, at the
+sight of which Don Quixote's spirits rose and Sancho's fell, for he did
+not know Dulcinea's house, nor in all his life had he ever seen her, any
+more than his master; so that they were both uneasy, the one to see her,
+the other at not having seen her, and Sancho was at a loss to know what
+he was to do when his master sent him to El Toboso. In the end, Don
+Quixote made up his mind to enter the city at nightfall, and they waited
+until the time came among some oak trees that were near El Toboso; and
+when the moment they had agreed upon arrived, they made their entrance
+into the city, where something happened them that may fairly be called
+something.
+
+Chapter IX. -
+Wherein is related what will be seen there
+
+'Twas at the very midnight hour--more or less--when Don Quixote and
+Sancho quitted the wood and entered El Toboso. The town was in deep
+silence, for all the inhabitants were asleep, and stretched on the broad
+of their backs, as the saying is. The night was darkish, though Sancho
+would have been glad had it been quite dark, so as to find in the
+darkness an excuse for his blundering. All over the place nothing was to
+be heard except the barking of dogs, which deafened the ears of Don
+Quixote and troubled the heart of Sancho. Now and then an ass brayed,
+pigs grunted, cats mewed, and the various noises they made seemed louder
+in the silence of the night; all which the enamoured knight took to be of
+evil omen; nevertheless he said to Sancho, "Sancho, my son, lead on to
+the palace of Dulcinea, it may be that we shall find her awake."
+
+"Body of the sun! what palace am I to lead to," said Sancho, "when what I
+saw her highness in was only a very little house?"
+
+"Most likely she had then withdrawn into some small apartment of her
+palace," said Don Quixote, "to amuse herself with damsels, as great
+ladies and princesses are accustomed to do."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho, "if your worship will have it in spite of me that
+the house of my lady Dulcinea is a palace, is this an hour, think you, to
+find the door open; and will it be right for us to go knocking till they
+hear us and open the door; making a disturbance and confusion all through
+the household? Are we going, do you fancy, to the house of our wenches,
+like gallants who come and knock and go in at any hour, however late it
+may be?"
+
+"Let us first of all find out the palace for certain," replied Don
+Quixote, "and then I will tell thee, Sancho, what we had best do; but
+look, Sancho, for either I see badly, or that dark mass that one sees
+from here should be Dulcinea's palace."
+
+"Then let your worship lead the way," said Sancho, "perhaps it may be so;
+though I see it with my eyes and touch it with my hands, I'll believe it
+as much as I believe it is daylight now."
+
+Don Quixote took the lead, and having gone a matter of two hundred paces
+he came upon the mass that produced the shade, and found it was a great
+tower, and then he perceived that the building in question was no palace,
+but the chief church of the town, and said he, "It's the church we have
+lit upon, Sancho."
+
+"So I see," said Sancho, "and God grant we may not light upon our graves;
+it is no good sign to find oneself wandering in a graveyard at this time
+of night; and that, after my telling your worship, if I don't mistake,
+that the house of this lady will be in an alley without an outlet."
+
+"The curse of God on thee for a blockhead!" said Don Quixote; "where hast
+thou ever heard of castles and royal palaces being built in alleys
+without an outlet?"
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "every country has a way of its own; perhaps
+here in El Toboso it is the way to build palaces and grand buildings in
+alleys; so I entreat your worship to let me search about among these
+streets or alleys before me, and perhaps, in some corner or other, I may
+stumble on this palace--and I wish I saw the dogs eating it for leading
+us such a dance."
+
+"Speak respectfully of what belongs to my lady, Sancho," said Don
+Quixote; "let us keep the feast in peace, and not throw the rope after
+the bucket."
+
+"I'll hold my tongue," said Sancho, "but how am I to take it patiently
+when your worship wants me, with only once seeing the house of our
+mistress, to know always, and find it in the middle of the night, when
+your worship can't find it, who must have seen it thousands of times?"
+
+"Thou wilt drive me to desperation, Sancho," said Don Quixote. "Look
+here, heretic, have I not told thee a thousand times that I have never
+once in my life seen the peerless Dulcinea or crossed the threshold of
+her palace, and that I am enamoured solely by hearsay and by the great
+reputation she bears for beauty and discretion?"
+
+"I hear it now," returned Sancho; "and I may tell you that if you have
+not seen her, no more have I."
+
+"That cannot be," said Don Quixote, "for, at any rate, thou saidst, on
+bringing back the answer to the letter I sent by thee, that thou sawest
+her sifting wheat."
+
+"Don't mind that, senor," said Sancho; "I must tell you that my seeing
+her and the answer I brought you back were by hearsay too, for I can no
+more tell who the lady Dulcinea is than I can hit the sky."
+
+"Sancho, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "there are times for jests and times
+when jests are out of place; if I tell thee that I have neither seen nor
+spoken to the lady of my heart, it is no reason why thou shouldst say
+thou hast not spoken to her or seen her, when the contrary is the case,
+as thou well knowest."
+
+While the two were engaged in this conversation, they perceived some one
+with a pair of mules approaching the spot where they stood, and from the
+noise the plough made, as it dragged along the ground, they guessed him
+to be some labourer who had got up before daybreak to go to his work, and
+so it proved to be. He came along singing the ballad that says--
+
+Ill did ye fare, ye men of France, In Roncesvalles chase--
+
+"May I die, Sancho," said Don Quixote, when he heard him, "if any good
+will come to us tonight! Dost thou not hear what that clown is singing?"
+
+"I do," said Sancho, "but what has Roncesvalles chase to do with what we
+have in hand? He might just as well be singing the ballad of Calainos,
+for any good or ill that can come to us in our business."
+
+By this time the labourer had come up, and Don Quixote asked him, "Can
+you tell me, worthy friend, and God speed you, whereabouts here is the
+palace of the peerless princess Dona Dulcinea del Toboso?"
+
+"Senor," replied the lad, "I am a stranger, and I have been only a few
+days in the town, doing farm work for a rich farmer. In that house
+opposite there live the curate of the village and the sacristan, and both
+or either of them will be able to give your worship some account of this
+lady princess, for they have a list of all the people of El Toboso;
+though it is my belief there is not a princess living in the whole of it;
+many ladies there are, of quality, and in her own house each of them may
+be a princess."
+
+"Well, then, she I am inquiring for will be one of these, my friend,"
+said Don Quixote.
+
+"May be so," replied the lad; "God be with you, for here comes the
+daylight;" and without waiting for any more of his questions, he whipped
+on his mules.
+
+Sancho, seeing his master downcast and somewhat dissatisfied, said to
+him, "Senor, daylight will be here before long, and it will not do for us
+to let the sun find us in the street; it will be better for us to quit
+the city, and for your worship to hide in some forest in the
+neighbourhood, and I will come back in the daytime, and I won't leave a
+nook or corner of the whole village that I won't search for the house,
+castle, or palace, of my lady, and it will be hard luck for me if I don't
+find it; and as soon as I have found it I will speak to her grace, and
+tell her where and how your worship is waiting for her to arrange some
+plan for you to see her without any damage to her honour and reputation."
+
+"Sancho," said Don Quixote, "thou hast delivered a thousand sentences
+condensed in the compass of a few words; I thank thee for the advice thou
+hast given me, and take it most gladly. Come, my son, let us go look for
+some place where I may hide, while thou dost return, as thou sayest, to
+seek, and speak with my lady, from whose discretion and courtesy I look
+for favours more than miraculous."
+
+Sancho was in a fever to get his master out of the town, lest he should
+discover the falsehood of the reply he had brought to him in the Sierra
+Morena on behalf of Dulcinea; so he hastened their departure, which they
+took at once, and two miles out of the village they found a forest or
+thicket wherein Don Quixote ensconced himself, while Sancho returned to
+the city to speak to Dulcinea, in which embassy things befell him which
+demand fresh attention and a new chapter.
+
+Chapter X. -
+Wherein is related the crafty device Sancho adopted to enchant the lady
+Dulcinea, and other incidents as ludicrous as they are true
+
+When the author of this great history comes to relate what is set down in
+this chapter he says he would have preferred to pass it over in silence,
+fearing it would not be believed, because here Don Quixote's madness
+reaches the confines of the greatest that can be conceived, and even goes
+a couple of bowshots beyond the greatest. But after all, though still
+under the same fear and apprehension, he has recorded it without adding
+to the story or leaving out a particle of the truth, and entirely
+disregarding the charges of falsehood that might be brought against him;
+and he was right, for the truth may run fine but will not break, and
+always rises above falsehood as oil above water; and so, going on with
+his story, he says that as soon as Don Quixote had ensconced himself in
+the forest, oak grove, or wood near El Toboso, he bade Sancho return to
+the city, and not come into his presence again without having first
+spoken on his behalf to his lady, and begged of her that it might be her
+good pleasure to permit herself to be seen by her enslaved knight, and
+deign to bestow her blessing upon him, so that he might thereby hope for
+a happy issue in all his encounters and difficult enterprises. Sancho
+undertook to execute the task according to the instructions, and to bring
+back an answer as good as the one he brought back before.
+
+"Go, my son," said Don Quixote, "and be not dazed when thou findest
+thyself exposed to the light of that sun of beauty thou art going to
+seek. Happy thou, above all the squires in the world! Bear in mind, and
+let it not escape thy memory, how she receives thee; if she changes
+colour while thou art giving her my message; if she is agitated and
+disturbed at hearing my name; if she cannot rest upon her cushion,
+shouldst thou haply find her seated in the sumptuous state chamber proper
+to her rank; and should she be standing, observe if she poises herself
+now on one foot, now on the other; if she repeats two or three times the
+reply she gives thee; if she passes from gentleness to austerity, from
+asperity to tenderness; if she raises her hand to smooth her hair though
+it be not disarranged. In short, my son, observe all her actions and
+motions, for if thou wilt report them to me as they were, I will gather
+what she hides in the recesses of her heart as regards my love; for I
+would have thee know, Sancho, if thou knowest it not, that with lovers
+the outward actions and motions they give way to when their loves are in
+question are the faithful messengers that carry the news of what is going
+on in the depths of their hearts. Go, my friend, may better fortune than
+mine attend thee, and bring thee a happier issue than that which I await
+in dread in this dreary solitude."
+
+"I will go and return quickly," said Sancho; "cheer up that little heart
+of yours, master mine, for at the present moment you seem to have got one
+no bigger than a hazel nut; remember what they say, that a stout heart
+breaks bad luck, and that where there are no fletches there are no pegs;
+and moreover they say, the hare jumps up where it's not looked for. I say
+this because, if we could not find my lady's palaces or castles to-night,
+now that it is daylight I count upon finding them when I least expect it,
+and once found, leave it to me to manage her."
+
+"Verily, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "thou dost always bring in thy
+proverbs happily, whatever we deal with; may God give me better luck in
+what I am anxious about."
+
+With this, Sancho wheeled about and gave Dapple the stick, and Don
+Quixote remained behind, seated on his horse, resting in his stirrups and
+leaning on the end of his lance, filled with sad and troubled
+forebodings; and there we will leave him, and accompany Sancho, who went
+off no less serious and troubled than he left his master; so much so,
+that as soon as he had got out of the thicket, and looking round saw that
+Don Quixote was not within sight, he dismounted from his ass, and seating
+himself at the foot of a tree began to commune with himself, saying,
+"Now, brother Sancho, let us know where your worship is going. Are you
+going to look for some ass that has been lost? Not at all. Then what are
+you going to look for? I am going to look for a princess, that's all; and
+in her for the sun of beauty and the whole heaven at once. And where do
+you expect to find all this, Sancho? Where? Why, in the great city of El
+Toboso. Well, and for whom are you going to look for her? For the famous
+knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, who rights wrongs, gives food to those
+who thirst and drink to the hungry. That's all very well, but do you know
+her house, Sancho? My master says it will be some royal palace or grand
+castle. And have you ever seen her by any chance? Neither I nor my master
+ever saw her. And does it strike you that it would be just and right if
+the El Toboso people, finding out that you were here with the intention
+of going to tamper with their princesses and trouble their ladies, were
+to come and cudgel your ribs, and not leave a whole bone in you? They
+would, indeed, have very good reason, if they did not see that I am under
+orders, and that 'you are a messenger, my friend, no blame belongs to
+you.' Don't you trust to that, Sancho, for the Manchegan folk are as
+hot-tempered as they are honest, and won't put up with liberties from
+anybody. By the Lord, if they get scent of you, it will be worse for you,
+I promise you. Be off, you scoundrel! Let the bolt fall. Why should I go
+looking for three feet on a cat, to please another man; and what is more,
+when looking for Dulcinea will be looking for Marica in Ravena, or the
+bachelor in Salamanca? The devil, the devil and nobody else, has mixed me
+up in this business!"
+
+Such was the soliloquy Sancho held with himself, and all the conclusion
+he could come to was to say to himself again, "Well, there's remedy for
+everything except death, under whose yoke we have all to pass, whether we
+like it or not, when life's finished. I have seen by a thousand signs
+that this master of mine is a madman fit to be tied, and for that matter,
+I too, am not behind him; for I'm a greater fool than he is when I follow
+him and serve him, if there's any truth in the proverb that says, 'Tell
+me what company thou keepest, and I'll tell thee what thou art,' or in
+that other, 'Not with whom thou art bred, but with whom thou art fed.'
+Well then, if he be mad, as he is, and with a madness that mostly takes
+one thing for another, and white for black, and black for white, as was
+seen when he said the windmills were giants, and the monks' mules
+dromedaries, flocks of sheep armies of enemies, and much more to the same
+tune, it will not be very hard to make him believe that some country
+girl, the first I come across here, is the lady Dulcinea; and if he does
+not believe it, I'll swear it; and if he should swear, I'll swear again;
+and if he persists I'll persist still more, so as, come what may, to have
+my quoit always over the peg. Maybe, by holding out in this way, I may
+put a stop to his sending me on messages of this kind another time; or
+maybe he will think, as I suspect he will, that one of those wicked
+enchanters, who he says have a spite against him, has changed her form
+for the sake of doing him an ill turn and injuring him."
+
+With this reflection Sancho made his mind easy, counting the business as
+good as settled, and stayed there till the afternoon so as to make Don
+Quixote think he had time enough to go to El Toboso and return; and
+things turned out so luckily for him that as he got up to mount Dapple,
+he spied, coming from El Toboso towards the spot where he stood, three
+peasant girls on three colts, or fillies--for the author does not make
+the point clear, though it is more likely they were she-asses, the usual
+mount with village girls; but as it is of no great consequence, we need
+not stop to prove it.
+
+To be brief, the instant Sancho saw the peasant girls, he returned full
+speed to seek his master, and found him sighing and uttering a thousand
+passionate lamentations. When Don Quixote saw him he exclaimed, "What
+news, Sancho, my friend? Am I to mark this day with a white stone or a
+black?"
+
+"Your worship," replied Sancho, "had better mark it with ruddle, like the
+inscriptions on the walls of class rooms, that those who see it may see
+it plain."
+
+"Then thou bringest good news," said Don Quixote.
+
+"So good," replied Sancho, "that your worship has only to spur Rocinante
+and get out into the open field to see the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, who,
+with two others, damsels of hers, is coming to see your worship."
+
+"Holy God! what art thou saying, Sancho, my friend?" exclaimed Don
+Quixote. "Take care thou art not deceiving me, or seeking by false joy to
+cheer my real sadness."
+
+"What could I get by deceiving your worship," returned Sancho,
+"especially when it will so soon be shown whether I tell the truth or
+not? Come, senor, push on, and you will see the princess our mistress
+coming, robed and adorned--in fact, like what she is. Her damsels and she
+are all one glow of gold, all bunches of pearls, all diamonds, all
+rubies, all cloth of brocade of more than ten borders; with their hair
+loose on their shoulders like so many sunbeams playing with the wind; and
+moreover, they come mounted on three piebald cackneys, the finest sight
+ever you saw."
+
+"Hackneys, you mean, Sancho," said Don Quixote.
+
+"There is not much difference between cackneys and hackneys," said
+Sancho; "but no matter what they come on, there they are, the finest
+ladies one could wish for, especially my lady the princess Dulcinea, who
+staggers one's senses."
+
+"Let us go, Sancho, my son," said Don Quixote, "and in guerdon of this
+news, as unexpected as it is good, I bestow upon thee the best spoil I
+shall win in the first adventure I may have; or if that does not satisfy
+thee, I promise thee the foals I shall have this year from my three mares
+that thou knowest are in foal on our village common."
+
+"I'll take the foals," said Sancho; "for it is not quite certain that the
+spoils of the first adventure will be good ones."
+
+By this time they had cleared the wood, and saw the three village lasses
+close at hand. Don Quixote looked all along the road to El Toboso, and as
+he could see nobody except the three peasant girls, he was completely
+puzzled, and asked Sancho if it was outside the city he had left them.
+
+"How outside the city?" returned Sancho. "Are your worship's eyes in the
+back of your head, that you can't see that they are these who are coming
+here, shining like the very sun at noonday?"
+
+"I see nothing, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "but three country girls on
+three jackasses."
+
+"Now, may God deliver me from the devil!" said Sancho, "and can it be
+that your worship takes three hackneys--or whatever they're called-as
+white as the driven snow, for jackasses? By the Lord, I could tear my
+beard if that was the case!"
+
+"Well, I can only say, Sancho, my friend," said Don Quixote, "that it is
+as plain they are jackasses--or jennyasses--as that I am Don Quixote, and
+thou Sancho Panza: at any rate, they seem to me to be so."
+
+"Hush, senor," said Sancho, "don't talk that way, but open your eyes, and
+come and pay your respects to the lady of your thoughts, who is close
+upon us now;" and with these words he advanced to receive the three
+village lasses, and dismounting from Dapple, caught hold of one of the
+asses of the three country girls by the halter, and dropping on both
+knees on the ground, he said, "Queen and princess and duchess of beauty,
+may it please your haughtiness and greatness to receive into your favour
+and good-will your captive knight who stands there turned into marble
+stone, and quite stupefied and benumbed at finding himself in your
+magnificent presence. I am Sancho Panza, his squire, and he the vagabond
+knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, otherwise called 'The Knight of the
+Rueful Countenance.'"
+
+Don Quixote had by this time placed himself on his knees beside Sancho,
+and, with eyes starting out of his head and a puzzled gaze, was regarding
+her whom Sancho called queen and lady; and as he could see nothing in her
+except a village lass, and not a very well-favoured one, for she was
+platter-faced and snub-nosed, he was perplexed and bewildered, and did
+not venture to open his lips. The country girls, at the same time, were
+astonished to see these two men, so different in appearance, on their
+knees, preventing their companion from going on. She, however, who had
+been stopped, breaking silence, said angrily and testily, "Get out of the
+way, bad luck to you, and let us pass, for we are in a hurry."
+
+To which Sancho returned, "Oh, princess and universal lady of El Toboso,
+is not your magnanimous heart softened by seeing the pillar and prop of
+knight-errantry on his knees before your sublimated presence?"
+
+On hearing this, one of the others exclaimed, "Woa then! why, I'm rubbing
+thee down, she-ass of my father-in-law! See how the lordlings come to
+make game of the village girls now, as if we here could not chaff as well
+as themselves. Go your own way, and let us go ours, and it will be better
+for you."
+
+"Get up, Sancho," said Don Quixote at this; "I see that fortune, 'with
+evil done to me unsated still,' has taken possession of all the roads by
+which any comfort may reach 'this wretched soul' that I carry in my
+flesh. And thou, highest perfection of excellence that can be desired,
+utmost limit of grace in human shape, sole relief of this afflicted heart
+that adores thee, though the malign enchanter that persecutes me has
+brought clouds and cataracts on my eyes, and to them, and them only,
+transformed thy unparagoned beauty and changed thy features into those of
+a poor peasant girl, if so be he has not at the same time changed mine
+into those of some monster to render them loathsome in thy sight, refuse
+not to look upon me with tenderness and love; seeing in this submission
+that I make on my knees to thy transformed beauty the humility with which
+my soul adores thee."
+
+"Hey-day! My grandfather!" cried the girl, "much I care for your
+love-making! Get out of the way and let us pass, and we'll thank you."
+
+Sancho stood aside and let her go, very well pleased to have got so well
+out of the hobble he was in. The instant the village lass who had done
+duty for Dulcinea found herself free, prodding her "cackney" with a spike
+she had at the end of a stick, she set off at full speed across the
+field. The she-ass, however, feeling the point more acutely than usual,
+began cutting such capers, that it flung the lady Dulcinea to the ground;
+seeing which, Don Quixote ran to raise her up, and Sancho to fix and
+girth the pack-saddle, which also had slipped under the ass's belly. The
+pack-saddle being secured, as Don Quixote was about to lift up his
+enchanted mistress in his arms and put her upon her beast, the lady,
+getting up from the ground, saved him the trouble, for, going back a
+little, she took a short run, and putting both hands on the croup of the
+ass she dropped into the saddle more lightly than a falcon, and sat
+astride like a man, whereat Sancho said, "Rogue! but our lady is lighter
+than a lanner, and might teach the cleverest Cordovan or Mexican how to
+mount; she cleared the back of the saddle in one jump, and without spurs
+she is making the hackney go like a zebra; and her damsels are no way
+behind her, for they all fly like the wind;" which was the truth, for as
+soon as they saw Dulcinea mounted, they pushed on after her, and sped
+away without looking back, for more than half a league.
+
+Don Quixote followed them with his eyes, and when they were no longer in
+sight, he turned to Sancho and said, "How now, Sancho? thou seest how I
+am hated by enchanters! And see to what a length the malice and spite
+they bear me go, when they seek to deprive me of the happiness it would
+give me to see my lady in her own proper form. The fact is I was born to
+be an example of misfortune, and the target and mark at which the arrows
+of adversity are aimed and directed. Observe too, Sancho, that these
+traitors were not content with changing and transforming my Dulcinea, but
+they transformed and changed her into a shape as mean and ill-favoured as
+that of the village girl yonder; and at the same time they robbed her of
+that which is such a peculiar property of ladies of distinction, that is
+to say, the sweet fragrance that comes of being always among perfumes and
+flowers. For I must tell thee, Sancho, that when I approached to put
+Dulcinea upon her hackney (as thou sayest it was, though to me it
+appeared a she-ass), she gave me a whiff of raw garlic that made my head
+reel, and poisoned my very heart."
+
+"O scum of the earth!" cried Sancho at this, "O miserable, spiteful
+enchanters! O that I could see you all strung by the gills, like sardines
+on a twig! Ye know a great deal, ye can do a great deal, and ye do a
+great deal more. It ought to have been enough for you, ye scoundrels, to
+have changed the pearls of my lady's eyes into oak galls, and her hair of
+purest gold into the bristles of a red ox's tail, and in short, all her
+features from fair to foul, without meddling with her smell; for by that
+we might somehow have found out what was hidden underneath that ugly
+rind; though, to tell the truth, I never perceived her ugliness, but only
+her beauty, which was raised to the highest pitch of perfection by a mole
+she had on her right lip, like a moustache, with seven or eight red hairs
+like threads of gold, and more than a palm long."
+
+"From the correspondence which exists between those of the face and those
+of the body," said Don Quixote, "Dulcinea must have another mole
+resembling that on the thick of the thigh on that side on which she has
+the one on her ace; but hairs of the length thou hast mentioned are very
+long for moles."
+
+"Well, all I can say is there they were as plain as could be," replied
+Sancho.
+
+"I believe it, my friend," returned Don Quixote; "for nature bestowed
+nothing on Dulcinea that was not perfect and well-finished; and so, if
+she had a hundred moles like the one thou hast described, in her they
+would not be moles, but moons and shining stars. But tell me, Sancho,
+that which seemed to me to be a pack-saddle as thou wert fixing it, was
+it a flat-saddle or a side-saddle?"
+
+"It was neither," replied Sancho, "but a jineta saddle, with a field
+covering worth half a kingdom, so rich is it."
+
+"And that I could not see all this, Sancho!" said Don Quixote; "once more
+I say, and will say a thousand times, I am the most unfortunate of men."
+
+Sancho, the rogue, had enough to do to hide his laughter, at hearing the
+simplicity of the master he had so nicely befooled. At length, after a
+good deal more conversation had passed between them, they remounted their
+beasts, and followed the road to Saragossa, which they expected to reach
+in time to take part in a certain grand festival which is held every year
+in that illustrious city; but before they got there things happened to
+them, so many, so important, and so strange, that they deserve to be
+recorded and read, as will be seen farther on.
+
+Chapter XI. -
+Of the strange adventure which the valiant Don Quixote had with the car
+or cart of "the cortes of death"
+
+Dejected beyond measure did Don Quixote pursue his journey, turning over
+in his mind the cruel trick the enchanters had played him in changing his
+lady Dulcinea into the vile shape of the village lass, nor could he think
+of any way of restoring her to her original form; and these reflections
+so absorbed him, that without being aware of it he let go Rocinante's
+bridle, and he, perceiving the liberty that was granted him, stopped at
+every step to crop the fresh grass with which the plain abounded.
+
+Sancho recalled him from his reverie. "Melancholy, senor," said he, "was
+made, not for beasts, but for men; but if men give way to it overmuch
+they turn to beasts; control yourself, your worship; be yourself again;
+gather up Rocinante's reins; cheer up, rouse yourself and show that
+gallant spirit that knights-errant ought to have. What the devil is this?
+What weakness is this? Are we here or in France? The devil fly away with
+all the Dulcineas in the world; for the well-being of a single
+knight-errant is of more consequence than all the enchantments and
+transformations on earth."
+
+"Hush, Sancho," said Don Quixote in a weak and faint voice, "hush and
+utter no blasphemies against that enchanted lady; for I alone am to blame
+for her misfortune and hard fate; her calamity has come of the hatred the
+wicked bear me."
+
+"So say I," returned Sancho; "his heart rend in twain, I trow, who saw
+her once, to see her now."
+
+"Thou mayest well say that, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "as thou sawest
+her in the full perfection of her beauty; for the enchantment does not go
+so far as to pervert thy vision or hide her loveliness from thee; against
+me alone and against my eyes is the strength of its venom directed.
+Nevertheless, there is one thing which has occurred to me, and that is
+that thou didst ill describe her beauty to me, for, as well as I
+recollect, thou saidst that her eyes were pearls; but eyes that are like
+pearls are rather the eyes of a sea-bream than of a lady, and I am
+persuaded that Dulcinea's must be green emeralds, full and soft, with two
+rainbows for eyebrows; take away those pearls from her eyes and transfer
+them to her teeth; for beyond a doubt, Sancho, thou hast taken the one
+for the other, the eyes for the teeth."
+
+"Very likely," said Sancho; "for her beauty bewildered me as much as her
+ugliness did your worship; but let us leave it all to God, who alone
+knows what is to happen in this vale of tears, in this evil world of
+ours, where there is hardly a thing to be found without some mixture of
+wickedness, roguery, and rascality. But one thing, senor, troubles me
+more than all the rest, and that is thinking what is to be done when your
+worship conquers some giant, or some other knight, and orders him to go
+and present himself before the beauty of the lady Dulcinea. Where is this
+poor giant, or this poor wretch of a vanquished knight, to find her? I
+think I can see them wandering all over El Toboso, looking like noddies,
+and asking for my lady Dulcinea; and even if they meet her in the middle
+of the street they won't know her any more than they would my father."
+
+"Perhaps, Sancho," returned Don Quixote, "the enchantment does not go so
+far as to deprive conquered and presented giants and knights of the power
+of recognising Dulcinea; we will try by experiment with one or two of the
+first I vanquish and send to her, whether they see her or not, by
+commanding them to return and give me an account of what happened to them
+in this respect."
+
+"I declare, I think what your worship has proposed is excellent," said
+Sancho; "and that by this plan we shall find out what we want to know;
+and if it be that it is only from your worship she is hidden, the
+misfortune will be more yours than hers; but so long as the lady Dulcinea
+is well and happy, we on our part will make the best of it, and get on as
+well as we can, seeking our adventures, and leaving Time to take his own
+course; for he is the best physician for these and greater ailments."
+
+Don Quixote was about to reply to Sancho Panza, but he was prevented by a
+cart crossing the road full of the most diverse and strange personages
+and figures that could be imagined. He who led the mules and acted as
+carter was a hideous demon; the cart was open to the sky, without a tilt
+or cane roof, and the first figure that presented itself to Don Quixote's
+eyes was that of Death itself with a human face; next to it was an angel
+with large painted wings, and at one side an emperor, with a crown, to
+all appearance of gold, on his head. At the feet of Death was the god
+called Cupid, without his bandage, but with his bow, quiver, and arrows;
+there was also a knight in full armour, except that he had no morion or
+helmet, but only a hat decked with plumes of divers colours; and along
+with these there were others with a variety of costumes and faces. All
+this, unexpectedly encountered, took Don Quixote somewhat aback, and
+struck terror into the heart of Sancho; but the next instant Don Quixote
+was glad of it, believing that some new perilous adventure was presenting
+itself to him, and under this impression, and with a spirit prepared to
+face any danger, he planted himself in front of the cart, and in a loud
+and menacing tone, exclaimed, "Carter, or coachman, or devil, or whatever
+thou art, tell me at once who thou art, whither thou art going, and who
+these folk are thou carriest in thy wagon, which looks more like Charon's
+boat than an ordinary cart."
+
+To which the devil, stopping the cart, answered quietly, "Senor, we are
+players of Angulo el Malo's company; we have been acting the play of 'The
+Cortes of Death' this morning, which is the octave of Corpus Christi, in
+a village behind that hill, and we have to act it this afternoon in that
+village which you can see from this; and as it is so near, and to save
+the trouble of undressing and dressing again, we go in the costumes in
+which we perform. That lad there appears as Death, that other as an
+angel, that woman, the manager's wife, plays the queen, this one the
+soldier, that the emperor, and I the devil; and I am one of the principal
+characters of the play, for in this company I take the leading parts. If
+you want to know anything more about us, ask me and I will answer with
+the utmost exactitude, for as I am a devil I am up to everything."
+
+"By the faith of a knight-errant," replied Don Quixote, "when I saw this
+cart I fancied some great adventure was presenting itself to me; but I
+declare one must touch with the hand what appears to the eye, if
+illusions are to be avoided. God speed you, good people; keep your
+festival, and remember, if you demand of me ought wherein I can render
+you a service, I will do it gladly and willingly, for from a child I was
+fond of the play, and in my youth a keen lover of the actor's art."
+
+While they were talking, fate so willed it that one of the company in a
+mummers' dress with a great number of bells, and armed with three blown
+ox-bladders at the end of a stick, joined them, and this merry-andrew
+approaching Don Quixote, began flourishing his stick and banging the
+ground with the bladders and cutting capers with great jingling of the
+bells, which untoward apparition so startled Rocinante that, in spite of
+Don Quixote's efforts to hold him in, taking the bit between his teeth he
+set off across the plain with greater speed than the bones of his anatomy
+ever gave any promise of.
+
+Sancho, who thought his master was in danger of being thrown, jumped off
+Dapple, and ran in all haste to help him; but by the time he reached him
+he was already on the ground, and beside him was Rocinante, who had come
+down with his master, the usual end and upshot of Rocinante's vivacity
+and high spirits. But the moment Sancho quitted his beast to go and help
+Don Quixote, the dancing devil with the bladders jumped up on Dapple, and
+beating him with them, more by the fright and the noise than by the pain
+of the blows, made him fly across the fields towards the village where
+they were going to hold their festival. Sancho witnessed Dapple's career
+and his master's fall, and did not know which of the two cases of need he
+should attend to first; but in the end, like a good squire and good
+servant, he let his love for his master prevail over his affection for
+his ass; though every time he saw the bladders rise in the air and come
+down on the hind quarters of his Dapple he felt the pains and terrors of
+death, and he would have rather had the blows fall on the apples of his
+own eyes than on the least hair of his ass's tail. In this trouble and
+perplexity he came to where Don Quixote lay in a far sorrier plight than
+he liked, and having helped him to mount Rocinante, he said to him,
+"Senor, the devil has carried off my Dapple."
+
+"What devil?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"The one with the bladders," said Sancho.
+
+"Then I will recover him," said Don Quixote, "even if he be shut up with
+him in the deepest and darkest dungeons of hell. Follow me, Sancho, for
+the cart goes slowly, and with the mules of it I will make good the loss
+of Dapple."
+
+"You need not take the trouble, senor," said Sancho; "keep cool, for as I
+now see, the devil has let Dapple go and he is coming back to his old
+quarters;" and so it turned out, for, having come down with Dapple, in
+imitation of Don Quixote and Rocinante, the devil made off on foot to the
+town, and the ass came back to his master.
+
+"For all that," said Don Quixote, "it will be well to visit the
+discourtesy of that devil upon some of those in the cart, even if it were
+the emperor himself."
+
+"Don't think of it, your worship," returned Sancho; "take my advice and
+never meddle with actors, for they are a favoured class; I myself have
+known an actor taken up for two murders, and yet come off scot-free;
+remember that, as they are merry folk who give pleasure, everyone favours
+and protects them, and helps and makes much of them, above all when they
+are those of the royal companies and under patent, all or most of whom in
+dress and appearance look like princes."
+
+"Still, for all that," said Don Quixote, "the player devil must not go
+off boasting, even if the whole human race favours him."
+
+So saying, he made for the cart, which was now very near the town,
+shouting out as he went, "Stay! halt! ye merry, jovial crew! I want to
+teach you how to treat asses and animals that serve the squires of
+knights-errant for steeds."
+
+So loud were the shouts of Don Quixote, that those in the cart heard and
+understood them, and, guessing by the words what the speaker's intention
+was, Death in an instant jumped out of the cart, and the emperor, the
+devil carter and the angel after him, nor did the queen or the god Cupid
+stay behind; and all armed themselves with stones and formed in line,
+prepared to receive Don Quixote on the points of their pebbles. Don
+Quixote, when he saw them drawn up in such a gallant array with uplifted
+arms ready for a mighty discharge of stones, checked Rocinante and began
+to consider in what way he could attack them with the least danger to
+himself. As he halted Sancho came up, and seeing him disposed to attack
+this well-ordered squadron, said to him, "It would be the height of
+madness to attempt such an enterprise; remember, senor, that against sops
+from the brook, and plenty of them, there is no defensive armour in the
+world, except to stow oneself away under a brass bell; and besides, one
+should remember that it is rashness, and not valour, for a single man to
+attack an army that has Death in it, and where emperors fight in person,
+with angels, good and bad, to help them; and if this reflection will not
+make you keep quiet, perhaps it will to know for certain that among all
+these, though they look like kings, princes, and emperors, there is not a
+single knight-errant."
+
+"Now indeed thou hast hit the point, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "which
+may and should turn me from the resolution I had already formed. I cannot
+and must not draw sword, as I have many a time before told thee, against
+anyone who is not a dubbed knight; it is for thee, Sancho, if thou wilt,
+to take vengeance for the wrong done to thy Dapple; and I will help thee
+from here by shouts and salutary counsels."
+
+"There is no occasion to take vengeance on anyone, senor," replied
+Sancho; "for it is not the part of good Christians to revenge wrongs; and
+besides, I will arrange it with my ass to leave his grievance to my
+good-will and pleasure, and that is to live in peace as long as heaven
+grants me life."
+
+"Well," said Don Quixote, "if that be thy determination, good Sancho,
+sensible Sancho, Christian Sancho, honest Sancho, let us leave these
+phantoms alone and turn to the pursuit of better and worthier adventures;
+for, from what I see of this country, we cannot fail to find plenty of
+marvellous ones in it."
+
+He at once wheeled about, Sancho ran to take possession of his Dapple,
+Death and his flying squadron returned to their cart and pursued their
+journey, and thus the dread adventure of the cart of Death ended happily,
+thanks to the advice Sancho gave his master; who had, the following day,
+a fresh adventure, of no less thrilling interest than the last, with an
+enamoured knight-errant.
+
+Chapter XII. -
+Of the strange adventure which befell the valiant Don Quixote with the
+bold Knight of the mirrors
+
+The night succeeding the day of the encounter with Death, Don Quixote and
+his squire passed under some tall shady trees, and Don Quixote at
+Sancho's persuasion ate a little from the store carried by Dapple, and
+over their supper Sancho said to his master, "Senor, what a fool I should
+have looked if I had chosen for my reward the spoils of the first
+adventure your worship achieved, instead of the foals of the three mares.
+After all, 'a sparrow in the hand is better than a vulture on the wing.'"
+
+"At the same time, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "if thou hadst let me
+attack them as I wanted, at the very least the emperor's gold crown and
+Cupid's painted wings would have fallen to thee as spoils, for I should
+have taken them by force and given them into thy hands."
+
+"The sceptres and crowns of those play-actor emperors," said Sancho,
+"were never yet pure gold, but only brass foil or tin."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, "for it would not be right that the
+accessories of the drama should be real, instead of being mere fictions
+and semblances, like the drama itself; towards which, Sancho-and, as a
+necessary consequence, towards those who represent and produce it--I
+would that thou wert favourably disposed, for they are all instruments of
+great good to the State, placing before us at every step a mirror in
+which we may see vividly displayed what goes on in human life; nor is
+there any similitude that shows us more faithfully what we are and ought
+to be than the play and the players. Come, tell me, hast thou not seen a
+play acted in which kings, emperors, pontiffs, knights, ladies, and
+divers other personages were introduced? One plays the villain, another
+the knave, this one the merchant, that the soldier, one the sharp-witted
+fool, another the foolish lover; and when the play is over, and they have
+put off the dresses they wore in it, all the actors become equal."
+
+"Yes, I have seen that," said Sancho.
+
+"Well then," said Don Quixote, "the same thing happens in the comedy and
+life of this world, where some play emperors, others popes, and, in
+short, all the characters that can be brought into a play; but when it is
+over, that is to say when life ends, death strips them all of the
+garments that distinguish one from the other, and all are equal in the
+grave."
+
+"A fine comparison!" said Sancho; "though not so new but that I have
+heard it many and many a time, as well as that other one of the game of
+chess; how, so long as the game lasts, each piece has its own particular
+office, and when the game is finished they are all mixed, jumbled up and
+shaken together, and stowed away in the bag, which is much like ending
+life in the grave."
+
+"Thou art growing less doltish and more shrewd every day, Sancho," said
+Don Quixote.
+
+"Ay," said Sancho; "it must be that some of your worship's shrewdness
+sticks to me; land that, of itself, is barren and dry, will come to yield
+good fruit if you dung it and till it; what I mean is that your worship's
+conversation has been the dung that has fallen on the barren soil of my
+dry wit, and the time I have been in your service and society has been
+the tillage; and with the help of this I hope to yield fruit in abundance
+that will not fall away or slide from those paths of good breeding that
+your worship has made in my parched understanding."
+
+Don Quixote laughed at Sancho's affected phraseology, and perceived that
+what he said about his improvement was true, for now and then he spoke in
+a way that surprised him; though always, or mostly, when Sancho tried to
+talk fine and attempted polite language, he wound up by toppling over
+from the summit of his simplicity into the abyss of his ignorance; and
+where he showed his culture and his memory to the greatest advantage was
+in dragging in proverbs, no matter whether they had any bearing or not
+upon the subject in hand, as may have been seen already and will be
+noticed in the course of this history.
+
+In conversation of this kind they passed a good part of the night, but
+Sancho felt a desire to let down the curtains of his eyes, as he used to
+say when he wanted to go to sleep; and stripping Dapple he left him at
+liberty to graze his fill. He did not remove Rocinante's saddle, as his
+master's express orders were, that so long as they were in the field or
+not sleeping under a roof Rocinante was not to be stripped--the ancient
+usage established and observed by knights-errant being to take off the
+bridle and hang it on the saddle-bow, but to remove the saddle from the
+horse--never! Sancho acted accordingly, and gave him the same liberty he
+had given Dapple, between whom and Rocinante there was a friendship so
+unequalled and so strong, that it is handed down by tradition from father
+to son, that the author of this veracious history devoted some special
+chapters to it, which, in order to preserve the propriety and decorum due
+to a history so heroic, he did not insert therein; although at times he
+forgets this resolution of his and describes how eagerly the two beasts
+would scratch one another when they were together and how, when they were
+tired or full, Rocinante would lay his neck across Dapple's, stretching
+half a yard or more on the other side, and the pair would stand thus,
+gazing thoughtfully on the ground, for three days, or at least so long as
+they were left alone, or hunger did not drive them to go and look for
+food. I may add that they say the author left it on record that he
+likened their friendship to that of Nisus and Euryalus, and Pylades and
+Orestes; and if that be so, it may be perceived, to the admiration of
+mankind, how firm the friendship must have been between these two
+peaceful animals, shaming men, who preserve friendships with one another
+so badly. This was why it was said--
+
+For friend no longer is there friend;
+The reeds turn lances now.
+
+And some one else has sung--
+
+Friend to friend the bug, etc.
+
+And let no one fancy that the author was at all astray when he compared
+the friendship of these animals to that of men; for men have received
+many lessons from beasts, and learned many important things, as, for
+example, the clyster from the stork, vomit and gratitude from the dog,
+watchfulness from the crane, foresight from the ant, modesty from the
+elephant, and loyalty from the horse.
+
+Sancho at last fell asleep at the foot of a cork tree, while Don Quixote
+dozed at that of a sturdy oak; but a short time only had elapsed when a
+noise he heard behind him awoke him, and rising up startled, he listened
+and looked in the direction the noise came from, and perceived two men on
+horseback, one of whom, letting himself drop from the saddle, said to the
+other, "Dismount, my friend, and take the bridles off the horses, for, so
+far as I can see, this place will furnish grass for them, and the
+solitude and silence my love-sick thoughts need of." As he said this he
+stretched himself upon the ground, and as he flung himself down, the
+armour in which he was clad rattled, whereby Don Quixote perceived that
+he must be a knight-errant; and going over to Sancho, who was asleep, he
+shook him by the arm and with no small difficulty brought him back to his
+senses, and said in a low voice to him, "Brother Sancho, we have got an
+adventure."
+
+"God send us a good one," said Sancho; "and where may her ladyship the
+adventure be?"
+
+"Where, Sancho?" replied Don Quixote; "turn thine eyes and look, and thou
+wilt see stretched there a knight-errant, who, it strikes me, is not over
+and above happy, for I saw him fling himself off his horse and throw
+himself on the ground with a certain air of dejection, and his armour
+rattled as he fell."
+
+"Well," said Sancho, "how does your worship make out that to be an
+adventure?"
+
+"I do not mean to say," returned Don Quixote, "that it is a complete
+adventure, but that it is the beginning of one, for it is in this way
+adventures begin. But listen, for it seems he is tuning a lute or guitar,
+and from the way he is spitting and clearing his chest he must be getting
+ready to sing something."
+
+"Faith, you are right," said Sancho, "and no doubt he is some enamoured
+knight."
+
+"There is no knight-errant that is not," said Don Quixote; "but let us
+listen to him, for, if he sings, by that thread we shall extract the ball
+of his thoughts; because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
+speaketh."
+
+Sancho was about to reply to his master, but the Knight of the Grove's
+voice, which was neither very bad nor very good, stopped him, and
+listening attentively the pair heard him sing this
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+Your pleasure, prithee, lady mine, unfold;
+  Declare the terms that I am to obey;
+My will to yours submissively I mould,
+  And from your law my feet shall never stray.
+  Would you I die, to silent grief a prey?
+Then count me even now as dead and cold;
+  Would you I tell my woes in some new way?
+Then shall my tale by Love itself be told.
+The unison of opposites to prove,
+  Of the soft wax and diamond hard am I;
+But still, obedient to the laws of love,
+  Here, hard or soft, I offer you my breast,
+  Whate'er you grave or stamp thereon shall rest
+    Indelible for all eternity.
+
+}poem
+
+With an "Ah me!" that seemed to be drawn from the inmost recesses of his
+heart, the Knight of the Grove brought his lay to an end, and shortly
+afterwards exclaimed in a melancholy and piteous voice, "O fairest and
+most ungrateful woman on earth! What! can it be, most serene Casildea de
+Vandalia, that thou wilt suffer this thy captive knight to waste away and
+perish in ceaseless wanderings and rude and arduous toils? It is not
+enough that I have compelled all the knights of Navarre, all the Leonese,
+all the Tartesians, all the Castilians, and finally all the knights of La
+Mancha, to confess thee the most beautiful in the world?"
+
+"Not so," said Don Quixote at this, "for I am of La Mancha, and I have
+never confessed anything of the sort, nor could I nor should I confess a
+thing so much to the prejudice of my lady's beauty; thou seest how this
+knight is raving, Sancho. But let us listen, perhaps he will tell us more
+about himself."
+
+"That he will," returned Sancho, "for he seems in a mood to bewail
+himself for a month at a stretch."
+
+But this was not the case, for the Knight of the Grove, hearing voices
+near him, instead of continuing his lamentation, stood up and exclaimed
+in a distinct but courteous tone, "Who goes there? What are you? Do you
+belong to the number of the happy or of the miserable?"
+
+"Of the miserable," answered Don Quixote.
+
+"Then come to me," said he of the Grove, "and rest assured that it is to
+woe itself and affliction itself you come."
+
+Don Quixote, finding himself answered in such a soft and courteous
+manner, went over to him, and so did Sancho.
+
+The doleful knight took Don Quixote by the arm, saying, "Sit down here,
+sir knight; for, that you are one, and of those that profess
+knight-errantry, it is to me a sufficient proof to have found you in this
+place, where solitude and night, the natural couch and proper retreat of
+knights-errant, keep you company." To which Don made answer, "A knight I
+am of the profession you mention, and though sorrows, misfortunes, and
+calamities have made my heart their abode, the compassion I feel for the
+misfortunes of others has not been thereby banished from it. From what
+you have just now sung I gather that yours spring from love, I mean from
+the love you bear that fair ingrate you named in your lament."
+
+In the meantime, they had seated themselves together on the hard ground
+peaceably and sociably, just as if, as soon as day broke, they were not
+going to break one another's heads.
+
+"Are you, sir knight, in love perchance?" asked he of the Grove of Don
+Quixote.
+
+"By mischance I am," replied Don Quixote; "though the ills arising from
+well-bestowed affections should be esteemed favours rather than
+misfortunes."
+
+"That is true," returned he of the Grove, "if scorn did not unsettle our
+reason and understanding, for if it be excessive it looks like revenge."
+
+"I was never scorned by my lady," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Certainly not," said Sancho, who stood close by, "for my lady is as a
+lamb, and softer than a roll of butter."
+
+"Is this your squire?" asked he of the Grove.
+
+"He is," said Don Quixote.
+
+"I never yet saw a squire," said he of the Grove, "who ventured to speak
+when his master was speaking; at least, there is mine, who is as big as
+his father, and it cannot be proved that he has ever opened his lips when
+I am speaking."
+
+"By my faith then," said Sancho, "I have spoken, and am fit to speak, in
+the presence of one as much, or even--but never mind--it only makes it
+worse to stir it."
+
+The squire of the Grove took Sancho by the arm, saying to him, "Let us
+two go where we can talk in squire style as much as we please, and leave
+these gentlemen our masters to fight it out over the story of their
+loves; and, depend upon it, daybreak will find them at it without having
+made an end of it."
+
+"So be it by all means," said Sancho; "and I will tell your worship who I
+am, that you may see whether I am to be reckoned among the number of the
+most talkative squires."
+
+With this the two squires withdrew to one side, and between them there
+passed a conversation as droll as that which passed between their masters
+was serious.
+
+Chapter XIII. -
+In which is continued the adventure of the Knight of the Grove, together
+with the sensible, original, and tranquil colloquy that passed between
+the two Squires
+
+The knights and the squires made two parties, these telling the story of
+their lives, the others the story of their loves; but the history relates
+first of all the conversation of the servants, and afterwards takes up
+that of the masters; and it says that, withdrawing a little from the
+others, he of the Grove said to Sancho, "A hard life it is we lead and
+live, senor, we that are squires to knights-errant; verily, we eat our
+bread in the sweat of our faces, which is one of the curses God laid on
+our first parents."
+
+"It may be said, too," added Sancho, "that we eat it in the chill of our
+bodies; for who gets more heat and cold than the miserable squires of
+knight-errantry? Even so it would not be so bad if we had something to
+eat, for woes are lighter if there's bread; but sometimes we go a day or
+two without breaking our fast, except with the wind that blows."
+
+"All that," said he of the Grove, "may be endured and put up with when we
+have hopes of reward; for, unless the knight-errant he serves is
+excessively unlucky, after a few turns the squire will at least find
+himself rewarded with a fine government of some island or some fair
+county."
+
+"I," said Sancho, "have already told my master that I shall be content
+with the government of some island, and he is so noble and generous that
+he has promised it to me ever so many times."
+
+"I," said he of the Grove, "shall be satisfied with a canonry for my
+services, and my master has already assigned me one."
+
+"Your master," said Sancho, "no doubt is a knight in the Church line, and
+can bestow rewards of that sort on his good squire; but mine is only a
+layman; though I remember some clever, but, to my mind, designing people,
+strove to persuade him to try and become an archbishop. He, however,
+would not be anything but an emperor; but I was trembling all the time
+lest he should take a fancy to go into the Church, not finding myself fit
+to hold office in it; for I may tell you, though I seem a man, I am no
+better than a beast for the Church."
+
+"Well, then, you are wrong there," said he of the Grove; "for those
+island governments are not all satisfactory; some are awkward, some are
+poor, some are dull, and, in short, the highest and choicest brings with
+it a heavy burden of cares and troubles which the unhappy wight to whose
+lot it has fallen bears upon his shoulders. Far better would it be for us
+who have adopted this accursed service to go back to our own houses, and
+there employ ourselves in pleasanter occupations--in hunting or fishing,
+for instance; for what squire in the world is there so poor as not to
+have a hack and a couple of greyhounds and a fishingrod to amuse himself
+with in his own village?"
+
+"I am not in want of any of those things," said Sancho; "to be sure I
+have no hack, but I have an ass that is worth my master's horse twice
+over; God send me a bad Easter, and that the next one I am to see, if I
+would swap, even if I got four bushels of barley to boot. You will laugh
+at the value I put on my Dapple--for dapple is the colour of my beast. As
+to greyhounds, I can't want for them, for there are enough and to spare
+in my town; and, moreover, there is more pleasure in sport when it is at
+other people's expense."
+
+"In truth and earnest, sir squire," said he of the Grove, "I have made up
+my mind and determined to have done with these drunken vagaries of these
+knights, and go back to my village, and bring up my children; for I have
+three, like three Oriental pearls."
+
+"I have two," said Sancho, "that might be presented before the Pope
+himself, especially a girl whom I am breeding up for a countess, please
+God, though in spite of her mother."
+
+"And how old is this lady that is being bred up for a countess?" asked he
+of the Grove.
+
+"Fifteen, a couple of years more or less," answered Sancho; "but she is
+as tall as a lance, and as fresh as an April morning, and as strong as a
+porter."
+
+"Those are gifts to fit her to be not only a countess but a nymph of the
+greenwood," said he of the Grove; "whoreson strumpet! what pith the rogue
+must have!"
+
+To which Sancho made answer, somewhat sulkily, "She's no strumpet, nor
+was her mother, nor will either of them be, please God, while I live;
+speak more civilly; for one bred up among knights-errant, who are
+courtesy itself, your words don't seem to me to be very becoming."
+
+"O how little you know about compliments, sir squire," returned he of the
+Grove. "What! don't you know that when a horseman delivers a good lance
+thrust at the bull in the plaza, or when anyone does anything very well,
+the people are wont to say, 'Ha, whoreson rip! how well he has done it!'
+and that what seems to be abuse in the expression is high praise? Disown
+sons and daughters, senor, who don't do what deserves that compliments of
+this sort should be paid to their parents."
+
+"I do disown them," replied Sancho, "and in this way, and by the same
+reasoning, you might call me and my children and my wife all the
+strumpets in the world, for all they do and say is of a kind that in the
+highest degree deserves the same praise; and to see them again I pray God
+to deliver me from mortal sin, or, what comes to the same thing, to
+deliver me from this perilous calling of squire into which I have fallen
+a second time, decayed and beguiled by a purse with a hundred ducats that
+I found one day in the heart of the Sierra Morena; and the devil is
+always putting a bag full of doubloons before my eyes, here, there,
+everywhere, until I fancy at every stop I am putting my hand on it, and
+hugging it, and carrying it home with me, and making investments, and
+getting interest, and living like a prince; and so long as I think of
+this I make light of all the hardships I endure with this simpleton of a
+master of mine, who, I well know, is more of a madman than a knight."
+
+"There's why they say that 'covetousness bursts the bag,'" said he of the
+Grove; "but if you come to talk of that sort, there is not a greater one
+in the world than my master, for he is one of those of whom they say,
+'the cares of others kill the ass;' for, in order that another knight may
+recover the senses he has lost, he makes a madman of himself and goes
+looking for what, when found, may, for all I know, fly in his own face."
+"And is he in love perchance?" asked Sancho.
+
+"He is," said of the Grove, "with one Casildea de Vandalia, the rawest
+and best roasted lady the whole world could produce; but that rawness is
+not the only foot he limps on, for he has greater schemes rumbling in his
+bowels, as will be seen before many hours are over."
+
+"There's no road so smooth but it has some hole or hindrance in it," said
+Sancho; "in other houses they cook beans, but in mine it's by the potful;
+madness will have more followers and hangers-on than sound sense; but if
+there be any truth in the common saying, that to have companions in
+trouble gives some relief, I may take consolation from you, inasmuch as
+you serve a master as crazy as my own."
+
+"Crazy but valiant," replied he of the Grove, "and more roguish than
+crazy or valiant."
+
+"Mine is not that," said Sancho; "I mean he has nothing of the rogue in
+him; on the contrary, he has the soul of a pitcher; he has no thought of
+doing harm to anyone, only good to all, nor has he any malice whatever in
+him; a child might persuade him that it is night at noonday; and for this
+simplicity I love him as the core of my heart, and I can't bring myself
+to leave him, let him do ever such foolish things."
+
+"For all that, brother and senor," said he of the Grove, "if the blind
+lead the blind, both are in danger of falling into the pit. It is better
+for us to beat a quiet retreat and get back to our own quarters; for
+those who seek adventures don't always find good ones."
+
+Sancho kept spitting from time to time, and his spittle seemed somewhat
+ropy and dry, observing which the compassionate squire of the Grove said,
+"It seems to me that with all this talk of ours our tongues are sticking
+to the roofs of our mouths; but I have a pretty good loosener hanging
+from the saddle-bow of my horse," and getting up he came back the next
+minute with a large bota of wine and a pasty half a yard across; and this
+is no exaggeration, for it was made of a house rabbit so big that Sancho,
+as he handled it, took it to be made of a goat, not to say a kid, and
+looking at it he said, "And do you carry this with you, senor?"
+
+"Why, what are you thinking about?" said the other; "do you take me for
+some paltry squire? I carry a better larder on my horse's croup than a
+general takes with him when he goes on a march."
+
+Sancho ate without requiring to be pressed, and in the dark bolted
+mouthfuls like the knots on a tether, and said he, "You are a proper
+trusty squire, one of the right sort, sumptuous and grand, as this
+banquet shows, which, if it has not come here by magic art, at any rate
+has the look of it; not like me, unlucky beggar, that have nothing more
+in my alforjas than a scrap of cheese, so hard that one might brain a
+giant with it, and, to keep it company, a few dozen carobs and as many
+more filberts and walnuts; thanks to the austerity of my master, and the
+idea he has and the rule he follows, that knights-errant must not live or
+sustain themselves on anything except dried fruits and the herbs of the
+field."
+
+"By my faith, brother," said he of the Grove, "my stomach is not made for
+thistles, or wild pears, or roots of the woods; let our masters do as
+they like, with their chivalry notions and laws, and eat what those
+enjoin; I carry my prog-basket and this bota hanging to the saddle-bow,
+whatever they may say; and it is such an object of worship with me, and I
+love it so, that there is hardly a moment but I am kissing and embracing
+it over and over again;" and so saying he thrust it into Sancho's hands,
+who raising it aloft pointed to his mouth, gazed at the stars for a
+quarter of an hour; and when he had done drinking let his head fall on
+one side, and giving a deep sigh, exclaimed, "Ah, whoreson rogue, how
+catholic it is!"
+
+"There, you see," said he of the Grove, hearing Sancho's exclamation,
+"how you have called this wine whoreson by way of praise."
+
+"Well," said Sancho, "I own it, and I grant it is no dishonour to call
+anyone whoreson when it is to be understood as praise. But tell me,
+senor, by what you love best, is this Ciudad Real wine?"
+
+"O rare wine-taster!" said he of the Grove; "nowhere else indeed does it
+come from, and it has some years' age too."
+
+"Leave me alone for that," said Sancho; "never fear but I'll hit upon the
+place it came from somehow. What would you say, sir squire, to my having
+such a great natural instinct in judging wines that you have only to let
+me smell one and I can tell positively its country, its kind, its flavour
+and soundness, the changes it will undergo, and everything that
+appertains to a wine? But it is no wonder, for I have had in my family,
+on my father's side, the two best wine-tasters that have been known in La
+Mancha for many a long year, and to prove it I'll tell you now a thing
+that happened them. They gave the two of them some wine out of a cask, to
+try, asking their opinion as to the condition, quality, goodness or
+badness of the wine. One of them tried it with the tip of his tongue, the
+other did no more than bring it to his nose. The first said the wine had
+a flavour of iron, the second said it had a stronger flavour of cordovan.
+The owner said the cask was clean, and that nothing had been added to the
+wine from which it could have got a flavour of either iron or leather.
+Nevertheless, these two great wine-tasters held to what they had said.
+Time went by, the wine was sold, and when they came to clean out the
+cask, they found in it a small key hanging to a thong of cordovan; see
+now if one who comes of the same stock has not a right to give his
+opinion in such like cases."
+
+"Therefore, I say," said he of the Grove, "let us give up going in quest
+of adventures, and as we have loaves let us not go looking for cakes, but
+return to our cribs, for God will find us there if it be his will."
+
+"Until my master reaches Saragossa," said Sancho, "I'll remain in his
+service; after that we'll see."
+
+The end of it was that the two squires talked so much and drank so much
+that sleep had to tie their tongues and moderate their thirst, for to
+quench it was impossible; and so the pair of them fell asleep clinging to
+the now nearly empty bota and with half-chewed morsels in their mouths;
+and there we will leave them for the present, to relate what passed
+between the Knight of the Grove and him of the Rueful Countenance.
+
+Chapter XIV. -
+Wherein is continued the adventure of the Knight of the Grove
+
+Among the things that passed between Don Quixote and the Knight of the
+Wood, the history tells us he of the Grove said to Don Quixote, "In fine,
+sir knight, I would have you know that my destiny, or, more properly
+speaking, my choice led me to fall in love with the peerless Casildea de
+Vandalia. I call her peerless because she has no peer, whether it be in
+bodily stature or in the supremacy of rank and beauty. This same
+Casildea, then, that I speak of, requited my honourable passion and
+gentle aspirations by compelling me, as his stepmother did Hercules, to
+engage in many perils of various sorts, at the end of each promising me
+that, with the end of the next, the object of my hopes should be
+attained; but my labours have gone on increasing link by link until they
+are past counting, nor do I know what will be the last one that is to be
+the beginning of the accomplishment of my chaste desires. On one occasion
+she bade me go and challenge the famous giantess of Seville, La Giralda
+by name, who is as mighty and strong as if made of brass, and though
+never stirring from one spot, is the most restless and changeable woman
+in the world. I came, I saw, I conquered, and I made her stay quiet and
+behave herself, for nothing but north winds blew for more than a week.
+Another time I was ordered to lift those ancient stones, the mighty bulls
+of Guisando, an enterprise that might more fitly be entrusted to porters
+than to knights. Again, she bade me fling myself into the cavern of
+Cabra--an unparalleled and awful peril--and bring her a minute account of
+all that is concealed in those gloomy depths. I stopped the motion of the
+Giralda, I lifted the bulls of Guisando, I flung myself into the cavern
+and brought to light the secrets of its abyss; and my hopes are as dead
+as dead can be, and her scorn and her commands as lively as ever. To be
+brief, last of all she has commanded me to go through all the provinces
+of Spain and compel all the knights-errant wandering therein to confess
+that she surpasses all women alive to-day in beauty, and that I am the
+most valiant and the most deeply enamoured knight on earth; in support of
+which claim I have already travelled over the greater part of Spain, and
+have there vanquished several knights who have dared to contradict me;
+but what I most plume and pride myself upon is having vanquished in
+single combat that so famous knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, and made
+him confess that my Casildea is more beautiful than his Dulcinea; and in
+this one victory I hold myself to have conquered all the knights in the
+world; for this Don Quixote that I speak of has vanquished them all, and
+I having vanquished him, his glory, his fame, and his honour have passed
+and are transferred to my person; for
+
+poem{
+
+  The more the vanquished hath of fair renown,
+  The greater glory gilds the victor's crown.
+
+}poem
+
+Thus the innumerable achievements of the said Don Quixote are now set
+down to my account and have become mine."
+
+Don Quixote was amazed when he heard the Knight of the Grove, and was a
+thousand times on the point of telling him he lied, and had the lie
+direct already on the tip of his tongue; but he restrained himself as
+well as he could, in order to force him to confess the lie with his own
+lips; so he said to him quietly, "As to what you say, sir knight, about
+having vanquished most of the knights of Spain, or even of the whole
+world, I say nothing; but that you have vanquished Don Quixote of La
+Mancha I consider doubtful; it may have been some other that resembled
+him, although there are few like him."
+
+"How! not vanquished?" said he of the Grove; "by the heaven that is above
+us I fought Don Quixote and overcame him and made him yield; and he is a
+man of tall stature, gaunt features, long, lank limbs, with hair turning
+grey, an aquiline nose rather hooked, and large black drooping
+moustaches; he does battle under the name of 'The Countenance,' and he
+has for squire a peasant called Sancho Panza; he presses the loins and
+rules the reins of a famous steed called Rocinante; and lastly, he has
+for the mistress of his will a certain Dulcinea del Toboso, once upon a
+time called Aldonza Lorenzo, just as I call mine Casildea de Vandalia
+because her name is Casilda and she is of Andalusia. If all these tokens
+are not enough to vindicate the truth of what I say, here is my sword,
+that will compel incredulity itself to give credence to it."
+
+"Calm yourself, sir knight," said Don Quixote, "and give ear to what I am
+about to say to you. I would have you know that this Don Quixote you
+speak of is the greatest friend I have in the world; so much so that I
+may say I regard him in the same light as my own person; and from the
+precise and clear indications you have given I cannot but think that he
+must be the very one you have vanquished. On the other hand, I see with
+my eyes and feel with my hands that it is impossible it can have been the
+same; unless indeed it be that, as he has many enemies who are
+enchanters, and one in particular who is always persecuting him, some one
+of these may have taken his shape in order to allow himself to be
+vanquished, so as to defraud him of the fame that his exalted
+achievements as a knight have earned and acquired for him throughout the
+known world. And in confirmation of this, I must tell you, too, that it
+is but ten hours since these said enchanters his enemies transformed the
+shape and person of the fair Dulcinea del Toboso into a foul and mean
+village lass, and in the same way they must have transformed Don Quixote;
+and if all this does not suffice to convince you of the truth of what I
+say, here is Don Quixote himself, who will maintain it by arms, on foot
+or on horseback or in any way you please."
+
+And so saying he stood up and laid his hand on his sword, waiting to see
+what the Knight of the Grove would do, who in an equally calm voice said
+in reply, "Pledges don't distress a good payer; he who has succeeded in
+vanquishing you once when transformed, Sir Don Quixote, may fairly hope
+to subdue you in your own proper shape; but as it is not becoming for
+knights to perform their feats of arms in the dark, like highwaymen and
+bullies, let us wait till daylight, that the sun may behold our deeds;
+and the conditions of our combat shall be that the vanquished shall be at
+the victor's disposal, to do all that he may enjoin, provided the
+injunction be such as shall be becoming a knight."
+
+"I am more than satisfied with these conditions and terms," replied Don
+Quixote; and so saying, they betook themselves to where their squires
+lay, and found them snoring, and in the same posture they were in when
+sleep fell upon them. They roused them up, and bade them get the horses
+ready, as at sunrise they were to engage in a bloody and arduous single
+combat; at which intelligence Sancho was aghast and thunderstruck,
+trembling for the safety of his master because of the mighty deeds he had
+heard the squire of the Grove ascribe to his; but without a word the two
+squires went in quest of their cattle; for by this time the three horses
+and the ass had smelt one another out, and were all together.
+
+On the way, he of the Grove said to Sancho, "You must know, brother, that
+it is the custom with the fighting men of Andalusia, when they are
+godfathers in any quarrel, not to stand idle with folded arms while their
+godsons fight; I say so to remind you that while our masters are
+fighting, we, too, have to fight, and knock one another to shivers."
+
+"That custom, sir squire," replied Sancho, "may hold good among those
+bullies and fighting men you talk of, but certainly not among the squires
+of knights-errant; at least, I have never heard my master speak of any
+custom of the sort, and he knows all the laws of knight-errantry by
+heart; but granting it true that there is an express law that squires are
+to fight while their masters are fighting, I don't mean to obey it, but
+to pay the penalty that may be laid on peacefully minded squires like
+myself; for I am sure it cannot be more than two pounds of wax, and I
+would rather pay that, for I know it will cost me less than the lint I
+shall be at the expense of to mend my head, which I look upon as broken
+and split already; there's another thing that makes it impossible for me
+to fight, that I have no sword, for I never carried one in my life."
+
+"I know a good remedy for that," said he of the Grove; "I have here two
+linen bags of the same size; you shall take one, and I the other, and we
+will fight at bag blows with equal arms."
+
+"If that's the way, so be it with all my heart," said Sancho, "for that
+sort of battle will serve to knock the dust out of us instead of hurting
+us."
+
+"That will not do," said the other, "for we must put into the bags, to
+keep the wind from blowing them away, half a dozen nice smooth pebbles,
+all of the same weight; and in this way we shall be able to baste one
+another without doing ourselves any harm or mischief."
+
+"Body of my father!" said Sancho, "see what marten and sable, and pads of
+carded cotton he is putting into the bags, that our heads may not be
+broken and our bones beaten to jelly! But even if they are filled with
+toss silk, I can tell you, senor, I am not going to fight; let our
+masters fight, that's their lookout, and let us drink and live; for time
+will take care to ease us of our lives, without our going to look for
+fillips so that they may be finished off before their proper time comes
+and they drop from ripeness."
+
+"Still," returned he of the Grove, "we must fight, if it be only for half
+an hour."
+
+"By no means," said Sancho; "I am not going to be so discourteous or so
+ungrateful as to have any quarrel, be it ever so small, with one I have
+eaten and drunk with; besides, who the devil could bring himself to fight
+in cold blood, without anger or provocation?"
+
+"I can remedy that entirely," said he of the Grove, "and in this way:
+before we begin the battle, I will come up to your worship fair and
+softly, and give you three or four buffets, with which I shall stretch
+you at my feet and rouse your anger, though it were sleeping sounder than
+a dormouse."
+
+"To match that plan," said Sancho, "I have another that is not a whit
+behind it; I will take a cudgel, and before your worship comes near
+enough to waken my anger I will send yours so sound to sleep with whacks,
+that it won't waken unless it be in the other world, where it is known
+that I am not a man to let my face be handled by anyone; let each look
+out for the arrow--though the surer way would be to let everyone's anger
+sleep, for nobody knows the heart of anyone, and a man may come for wool
+and go back shorn; God gave his blessing to peace and his curse to
+quarrels; if a hunted cat, surrounded and hard pressed, turns into a
+lion, God knows what I, who am a man, may turn into; and so from this
+time forth I warn you, sir squire, that all the harm and mischief that
+may come of our quarrel will be put down to your account."
+
+"Very good," said he of the Grove; "God will send the dawn and we shall
+be all right."
+
+And now gay-plumaged birds of all sorts began to warble in the trees, and
+with their varied and gladsome notes seemed to welcome and salute the
+fresh morn that was beginning to show the beauty of her countenance at
+the gates and balconies of the east, shaking from her locks a profusion
+of liquid pearls; in which dulcet moisture bathed, the plants, too,
+seemed to shed and shower down a pearly spray, the willows distilled
+sweet manna, the fountains laughed, the brooks babbled, the woods
+rejoiced, and the meadows arrayed themselves in all their glory at her
+coming. But hardly had the light of day made it possible to see and
+distinguish things, when the first object that presented itself to the
+eyes of Sancho Panza was the squire of the Grove's nose, which was so big
+that it almost overshadowed his whole body. It is, in fact, stated, that
+it was of enormous size, hooked in the middle, covered with warts, and of
+a mulberry colour like an egg-plant; it hung down two fingers' length
+below his mouth, and the size, the colour, the warts, and the bend of it,
+made his face so hideous, that Sancho, as he looked at him, began to
+tremble hand and foot like a child in convulsions, and he vowed in his
+heart to let himself be given two hundred buffets, sooner than be
+provoked to fight that monster. Don Quixote examined his adversary, and
+found that he already had his helmet on and visor lowered, so that he
+could not see his face; he observed, however, that he was a sturdily
+built man, but not very tall in stature. Over his armour he wore a
+surcoat or cassock of what seemed to be the finest cloth of gold, all
+bespangled with glittering mirrors like little moons, which gave him an
+extremely gallant and splendid appearance; above his helmet fluttered a
+great quantity of plumes, green, yellow, and white, and his lance, which
+was leaning against a tree, was very long and stout, and had a steel
+point more than a palm in length.
+
+Don Quixote observed all, and took note of all, and from what he saw and
+observed he concluded that the said knight must be a man of great
+strength, but he did not for all that give way to fear, like Sancho
+Panza; on the contrary, with a composed and dauntless air, he said to the
+Knight of the Mirrors, "If, sir knight, your great eagerness to fight has
+not banished your courtesy, by it I would entreat you to raise your visor
+a little, in order that I may see if the comeliness of your countenance
+corresponds with that of your equipment."
+
+"Whether you come victorious or vanquished out of this emprise, sir
+knight," replied he of the Mirrors, "you will have more than enough time
+and leisure to see me; and if now I do not comply with your request, it
+is because it seems to me I should do a serious wrong to the fair
+Casildea de Vandalia in wasting time while I stopped to raise my visor
+before compelling you to confess what you are already aware I maintain."
+
+"Well then," said Don Quixote, "while we are mounting you can at least
+tell me if I am that Don Quixote whom you said you vanquished."
+
+"To that we answer you," said he of the Mirrors, "that you are as like
+the very knight I vanquished as one egg is like another, but as you say
+enchanters persecute you, I will not venture to say positively whether
+you are the said person or not."
+
+"That," said Don Quixote, "is enough to convince me that you are under a
+deception; however, entirely to relieve you of it, let our horses be
+brought, and in less time than it would take you to raise your visor, if
+God, my lady, and my arm stand me in good stead, I shall see your face,
+and you shall see that I am not the vanquished Don Quixote you take me to
+be."
+
+With this, cutting short the colloquy, they mounted, and Don Quixote
+wheeled Rocinante round in order to take a proper distance to charge back
+upon his adversary, and he of the Mirrors did the same; but Don Quixote
+had not moved away twenty paces when he heard himself called by the
+other, and, each returning half-way, he of the Mirrors said to him,
+"Remember, sir knight, that the terms of our combat are, that the
+vanquished, as I said before, shall be at the victor's disposal."
+
+"I am aware of it already," said Don Quixote; "provided what is commanded
+and imposed upon the vanquished be things that do not transgress the
+limits of chivalry."
+
+"That is understood," replied he of the Mirrors.
+
+At this moment the extraordinary nose of the squire presented itself to
+Don Quixote's view, and he was no less amazed than Sancho at the sight;
+insomuch that he set him down as a monster of some kind, or a human being
+of some new species or unearthly breed. Sancho, seeing his master
+retiring to run his course, did not like to be left alone with the nosy
+man, fearing that with one flap of that nose on his own the battle would
+be all over for him and he would be left stretched on the ground, either
+by the blow or with fright; so he ran after his master, holding on to
+Rocinante's stirrup-leather, and when it seemed to him time to turn
+about, he said, "I implore of your worship, senor, before you turn to
+charge, to help me up into this cork tree, from which I will be able to
+witness the gallant encounter your worship is going to have with this
+knight, more to my taste and better than from the ground."
+
+"It seems to me rather, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that thou wouldst
+mount a scaffold in order to see the bulls without danger."
+
+"To tell the truth," returned Sancho, "the monstrous nose of that squire
+has filled me with fear and terror, and I dare not stay near him."
+
+"It is," said Don Quixote, "such a one that were I not what I am it would
+terrify me too; so, come, I will help thee up where thou wilt."
+
+While Don Quixote waited for Sancho to mount into the cork tree he of the
+Mirrors took as much ground as he considered requisite, and, supposing
+Don Quixote to have done the same, without waiting for any sound of
+trumpet or other signal to direct them, he wheeled his horse, which was
+not more agile or better-looking than Rocinante, and at his top speed,
+which was an easy trot, he proceeded to charge his enemy; seeing him,
+however, engaged in putting Sancho up, he drew rein, and halted in mid
+career, for which his horse was very grateful, as he was already unable
+to go. Don Quixote, fancying that his foe was coming down upon him
+flying, drove his spurs vigorously into Rocinante's lean flanks and made
+him scud along in such style that the history tells us that on this
+occasion only was he known to make something like running, for on all
+others it was a simple trot with him; and with this unparalleled fury he
+bore down where he of the Mirrors stood digging his spurs into his horse
+up to buttons, without being able to make him stir a finger's length from
+the spot where he had come to a standstill in his course. At this lucky
+moment and crisis, Don Quixote came upon his adversary, in trouble with
+his horse, and embarrassed with his lance, which he either could not
+manage, or had no time to lay in rest. Don Quixote, however, paid no
+attention to these difficulties, and in perfect safety to himself and
+without any risk encountered him of the Mirrors with such force that he
+brought him to the ground in spite of himself over the haunches of his
+horse, and with so heavy a fall that he lay to all appearance dead, not
+stirring hand or foot. The instant Sancho saw him fall he slid down from
+the cork tree, and made all haste to where his master was, who,
+dismounting from Rocinante, went and stood over him of the Mirrors, and
+unlacing his helmet to see if he was dead, and to give him air if he
+should happen to be alive, he saw--who can say what he saw, without
+filling all who hear it with astonishment, wonder, and awe? He saw, the
+history says, the very countenance, the very face, the very look, the
+very physiognomy, the very effigy, the very image of the bachelor Samson
+Carrasco! As soon as he saw it he called out in a loud voice, "Make haste
+here, Sancho, and behold what thou art to see but not to believe; quick,
+my son, and learn what magic can do, and wizards and enchanters are
+capable of."
+
+Sancho came up, and when he saw the countenance of the bachelor Carrasco,
+he fell to crossing himself a thousand times, and blessing himself as
+many more. All this time the prostrate knight showed no signs of life,
+and Sancho said to Don Quixote, "It is my opinion, senor, that in any
+case your worship should take and thrust your sword into the mouth of
+this one here that looks like the bachelor Samson Carrasco; perhaps in
+him you will kill one of your enemies, the enchanters."
+
+"Thy advice is not bad," said Don Quixote, "for of enemies the fewer the
+better;" and he was drawing his sword to carry into effect Sancho's
+counsel and suggestion, when the squire of the Mirrors came up, now
+without the nose which had made him so hideous, and cried out in a loud
+voice, "Mind what you are about, Senor Don Quixote; that is your friend,
+the bachelor Samson Carrasco, you have at your feet, and I am his
+squire."
+
+"And the nose?" said Sancho, seeing him without the hideous feature he
+had before; to which he replied, "I have it here in my pocket," and
+putting his hand into his right pocket, he pulled out a masquerade nose
+of varnished pasteboard of the make already described; and Sancho,
+examining him more and more closely, exclaimed aloud in a voice of
+amazement, "Holy Mary be good to me! Isn't it Tom Cecial, my neighbour
+and gossip?"
+
+"Why, to be sure I am!" returned the now unnosed squire; "Tom Cecial I
+am, gossip and friend Sancho Panza; and I'll tell you presently the means
+and tricks and falsehoods by which I have been brought here; but in the
+meantime, beg and entreat of your master not to touch, maltreat, wound,
+or slay the Knight of the Mirrors whom he has at his feet; because,
+beyond all dispute, it is the rash and ill-advised bachelor Samson
+Carrasco, our fellow townsman."
+
+At this moment he of the Mirrors came to himself, and Don Quixote
+perceiving it, held the naked point of his sword over his face, and said
+to him, "You are a dead man, knight, unless you confess that the peerless
+Dulcinea del Toboso excels your Casildea de Vandalia in beauty; and in
+addition to this you must promise, if you should survive this encounter
+and fall, to go to the city of El Toboso and present yourself before her
+on my behalf, that she deal with you according to her good pleasure; and
+if she leaves you free to do yours, you are in like manner to return and
+seek me out (for the trail of my mighty deeds will serve you as a guide
+to lead you to where I may be), and tell me what may have passed between
+you and her-conditions which, in accordance with what we stipulated
+before our combat, do not transgress the just limits of knight-errantry."
+
+"I confess," said the fallen knight, "that the dirty tattered shoe of the
+lady Dulcinea del Toboso is better than the ill-combed though clean beard
+of Casildea; and I promise to go and to return from her presence to
+yours, and to give you a full and particular account of all you demand of
+me."
+
+"You must also confess and believe," added Don Quixote, "that the knight
+you vanquished was not and could not be Don Quixote of La Mancha, but
+some one else in his likeness, just as I confess and believe that you,
+though you seem to be the bachelor Samson Carrasco, are not so, but some
+other resembling him, whom my enemies have here put before me in his
+shape, in order that I may restrain and moderate the vehemence of my
+wrath, and make a gentle use of the glory of my victory."
+
+"I confess, hold, and think everything to be as you believe, hold, and
+think it," the crippled knight; "let me rise, I entreat you; if, indeed,
+the shock of my fall will allow me, for it has left me in a sorry plight
+enough."
+
+Don Quixote helped him to rise, with the assistance of his squire Tom
+Cecial; from whom Sancho never took his eyes, and to whom he put
+questions, the replies to which furnished clear proof that he was really
+and truly the Tom Cecial he said; but the impression made on Sancho's
+mind by what his master said about the enchanters having changed the face
+of the Knight of the Mirrors into that of the bachelor Samson Carrasco,
+would not permit him to believe what he saw with his eyes. In fine, both
+master and man remained under the delusion; and, down in the mouth, and
+out of luck, he of the Mirrors and his squire parted from Don Quixote and
+Sancho, he meaning to go look for some village where he could plaster and
+strap his ribs. Don Quixote and Sancho resumed their journey to
+Saragossa, and on it the history leaves them in order that it may tell
+who the Knight of the Mirrors and his long-nosed squire were.
+
+Chapter XV. -
+Wherein it is told and known who the Knight of the Mirrors and his Squire
+were
+
+Don Quixote went off satisfied, elated, and vain-glorious in the highest
+degree at having won a victory over such a valiant knight as he fancied
+him of the Mirrors to be, and one from whose knightly word he expected to
+learn whether the enchantment of his lady still continued; inasmuch as
+the said vanquished knight was bound, under the penalty of ceasing to be
+one, to return and render him an account of what took place between him
+and her. But Don Quixote was of one mind, he of the Mirrors of another,
+for he just then had no thought of anything but finding some village
+where he could plaster himself, as has been said already. The history
+goes on to say, then, that when the bachelor Samson Carrasco recommended
+Don Quixote to resume his knight-errantry which he had laid aside, it was
+in consequence of having been previously in conclave with the curate and
+the barber on the means to be adopted to induce Don Quixote to stay at
+home in peace and quiet without worrying himself with his ill-starred
+adventures; at which consultation it was decided by the unanimous vote of
+all, and on the special advice of Carrasco, that Don Quixote should be
+allowed to go, as it seemed impossible to restrain him, and that Samson
+should sally forth to meet him as a knight-errant, and do battle with
+him, for there would be no difficulty about a cause, and vanquish him,
+that being looked upon as an easy matter; and that it should be agreed
+and settled that the vanquished was to be at the mercy of the victor.
+Then, Don Quixote being vanquished, the bachelor knight was to command
+him to return to his village and his house, and not quit it for two
+years, or until he received further orders from him; all which it was
+clear Don Quixote would unhesitatingly obey, rather than contravene or
+fail to observe the laws of chivalry; and during the period of his
+seclusion he might perhaps forget his folly, or there might be an
+opportunity of discovering some ready remedy for his madness. Carrasco
+undertook the task, and Tom Cecial, a gossip and neighbour of Sancho
+Panza's, a lively, feather-headed fellow, offered himself as his squire.
+Carrasco armed himself in the fashion described, and Tom Cecial, that he
+might not be known by his gossip when they met, fitted on over his own
+natural nose the false masquerade one that has been mentioned; and so
+they followed the same route Don Quixote took, and almost came up with
+him in time to be present at the adventure of the cart of Death and
+finally encountered them in the grove, where all that the sagacious
+reader has been reading about took place; and had it not been for the
+extraordinary fancies of Don Quixote, and his conviction that the
+bachelor was not the bachelor, senor bachelor would have been
+incapacitated for ever from taking his degree of licentiate, all through
+not finding nests where he thought to find birds.
+
+Tom Cecial, seeing how ill they had succeeded, and what a sorry end their
+expedition had come to, said to the bachelor, "Sure enough, Senor Samson
+Carrasco, we are served right; it is easy enough to plan and set about an
+enterprise, but it is often a difficult matter to come well out of it.
+Don Quixote a madman, and we sane; he goes off laughing, safe, and sound,
+and you are left sore and sorry! I'd like to know now which is the
+madder, he who is so because he cannot help it, or he who is so of his
+own choice?"
+
+To which Samson replied, "The difference between the two sorts of madmen
+is, that he who is so will he nil he, will be one always, while he who is
+so of his own accord can leave off being one whenever he likes."
+
+"In that case," said Tom Cecial, "I was a madman of my own accord when I
+volunteered to become your squire, and, of my own accord, I'll leave off
+being one and go home."
+
+"That's your affair," returned Samson, "but to suppose that I am going
+home until I have given Don Quixote a thrashing is absurd; and it is not
+any wish that he may recover his senses that will make me hunt him out
+now, but a wish for the sore pain I am in with my ribs won't let me
+entertain more charitable thoughts."
+
+Thus discoursing, the pair proceeded until they reached a town where it
+was their good luck to find a bone-setter, with whose help the
+unfortunate Samson was cured. Tom Cecial left him and went home, while he
+stayed behind meditating vengeance; and the history will return to him
+again at the proper time, so as not to omit making merry with Don Quixote
+now.
+
+Chapter XVI. -
+Of what befell Don Quixote with a discreet gentleman of La Mancha
+
+Don Quixote pursued his journey in the high spirits, satisfaction, and
+self-complacency already described, fancying himself the most valorous
+knight-errant of the age in the world because of his late victory. All
+the adventures that could befall him from that time forth he regarded as
+already done and brought to a happy issue; he made light of enchantments
+and enchanters; he thought no more of the countless drubbings that had
+been administered to him in the course of his knight-errantry, nor of the
+volley of stones that had levelled half his teeth, nor of the ingratitude
+of the galley slaves, nor of the audacity of the Yanguesans and the
+shower of stakes that fell upon him; in short, he said to himself that
+could he discover any means, mode, or way of disenchanting his lady
+Dulcinea, he would not envy the highest fortune that the most fortunate
+knight-errant of yore ever reached or could reach.
+
+He was going along entirely absorbed in these fancies, when Sancho said
+to him, "Isn't it odd, senor, that I have still before my eyes that
+monstrous enormous nose of my gossip, Tom Cecial?"
+
+"And dost thou, then, believe, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that the
+Knight of the Mirrors was the bachelor Carrasco, and his squire Tom
+Cecial thy gossip?"
+
+"I don't know what to say to that," replied Sancho; "all I know is that
+the tokens he gave me about my own house, wife and children, nobody else
+but himself could have given me; and the face, once the nose was off, was
+the very face of Tom Cecial, as I have seen it many a time in my town and
+next door to my own house; and the sound of the voice was just the same."
+
+"Let us reason the matter, Sancho," said Don Quixote. "Come now, by what
+process of thinking can it be supposed that the bachelor Samson Carrasco
+would come as a knight-errant, in arms offensive and defensive, to fight
+with me? Have I ever been by any chance his enemy? Have I ever given him
+any occasion to owe me a grudge? Am I his rival, or does he profess arms,
+that he should envy the fame I have acquired in them?"
+
+"Well, but what are we to say, senor," returned Sancho, "about that
+knight, whoever he is, being so like the bachelor Carrasco, and his
+squire so like my gossip, Tom Cecial? And if that be enchantment, as your
+worship says, was there no other pair in the world for them to take the
+likeness of?"
+
+"It is all," said Don Quixote, "a scheme and plot of the malignant
+magicians that persecute me, who, foreseeing that I was to be victorious
+in the conflict, arranged that the vanquished knight should display the
+countenance of my friend the bachelor, in order that the friendship I
+bear him should interpose to stay the edge of my sword and might of my
+arm, and temper the just wrath of my heart; so that he who sought to take
+my life by fraud and falsehood should save his own. And to prove it, thou
+knowest already, Sancho, by experience which cannot lie or deceive, how
+easy it is for enchanters to change one countenance into another, turning
+fair into foul, and foul into fair; for it is not two days since thou
+sawest with thine own eyes the beauty and elegance of the peerless
+Dulcinea in all its perfection and natural harmony, while I saw her in
+the repulsive and mean form of a coarse country wench, with cataracts in
+her eyes and a foul smell in her mouth; and when the perverse enchanter
+ventured to effect so wicked a transformation, it is no wonder if he
+effected that of Samson Carrasco and thy gossip in order to snatch the
+glory of victory out of my grasp. For all that, however, I console
+myself, because, after all, in whatever shape he may have been, I have
+victorious over my enemy."
+
+"God knows what's the truth of it all," said Sancho; and knowing as he
+did that the transformation of Dulcinea had been a device and imposition
+of his own, his master's illusions were not satisfactory to him; but he
+did not like to reply lest he should say something that might disclose
+his trickery.
+
+As they were engaged in this conversation they were overtaken by a man
+who was following the same road behind them, mounted on a very handsome
+flea-bitten mare, and dressed in a gaban of fine green cloth, with tawny
+velvet facings, and a montera of the same velvet. The trappings of the
+mare were of the field and jineta fashion, and of mulberry colour and
+green. He carried a Moorish cutlass hanging from a broad green and gold
+baldric; the buskins were of the same make as the baldric; the spurs were
+not gilt, but lacquered green, and so brightly polished that, matching as
+they did the rest of his apparel, they looked better than if they had
+been of pure gold.
+
+When the traveller came up with them he saluted them courteously, and
+spurring his mare was passing them without stopping, but Don Quixote
+called out to him, "Gallant sir, if so be your worship is going our road,
+and has no occasion for speed, it would be a pleasure to me if we were to
+join company."
+
+"In truth," replied he on the mare, "I would not pass you so hastily but
+for fear that horse might turn restive in the company of my mare."
+
+"You may safely hold in your mare, senor," said Sancho in reply to this,
+"for our horse is the most virtuous and well-behaved horse in the world;
+he never does anything wrong on such occasions, and the only time he
+misbehaved, my master and I suffered for it sevenfold; I say again your
+worship may pull up if you like; for if she was offered to him between
+two plates the horse would not hanker after her."
+
+The traveller drew rein, amazed at the trim and features of Don Quixote,
+who rode without his helmet, which Sancho carried like a valise in front
+of Dapple's pack-saddle; and if the man in green examined Don Quixote
+closely, still more closely did Don Quixote examine the man in green, who
+struck him as being a man of intelligence. In appearance he was about
+fifty years of age, with but few grey hairs, an aquiline cast of
+features, and an expression between grave and gay; and his dress and
+accoutrements showed him to be a man of good condition. What he in green
+thought of Don Quixote of La Mancha was that a man of that sort and shape
+he had never yet seen; he marvelled at the length of his hair, his lofty
+stature, the lankness and sallowness of his countenance, his armour, his
+bearing and his gravity--a figure and picture such as had not been seen
+in those regions for many a long day.
+
+Don Quixote saw very plainly the attention with which the traveller was
+regarding him, and read his curiosity in his astonishment; and courteous
+as he was and ready to please everybody, before the other could ask him
+any question he anticipated him by saying, "The appearance I present to
+your worship being so strange and so out of the common, I should not be
+surprised if it filled you with wonder; but you will cease to wonder when
+I tell you, as I do, that I am one of those knights who, as people say,
+go seeking adventures. I have left my home, I have mortgaged my estate, I
+have given up my comforts, and committed myself to the arms of Fortune,
+to bear me whithersoever she may please. My desire was to bring to life
+again knight-errantry, now dead, and for some time past, stumbling here,
+falling there, now coming down headlong, now raising myself up again, I
+have carried out a great portion of my design, succouring widows,
+protecting maidens, and giving aid to wives, orphans, and minors, the
+proper and natural duty of knights-errant; and, therefore, because of my
+many valiant and Christian achievements, I have been already found worthy
+to make my way in print to well-nigh all, or most, of the nations of the
+earth. Thirty thousand volumes of my history have been printed, and it is
+on the high-road to be printed thirty thousand thousands of times, if
+heaven does not put a stop to it. In short, to sum up all in a few words,
+or in a single one, I may tell you I am Don Quixote of La Mancha,
+otherwise called 'The Knight of the Rueful Countenance;' for though
+self-praise is degrading, I must perforce sound my own sometimes, that is
+to say, when there is no one at hand to do it for me. So that, gentle
+sir, neither this horse, nor this lance, nor this shield, nor this
+squire, nor all these arms put together, nor the sallowness of my
+countenance, nor my gaunt leanness, will henceforth astonish you, now
+that you know who I am and what profession I follow."
+
+With these words Don Quixote held his peace, and, from the time he took
+to answer, the man in green seemed to be at a loss for a reply; after a
+long pause, however, he said to him, "You were right when you saw
+curiosity in my amazement, sir knight; but you have not succeeded in
+removing the astonishment I feel at seeing you; for although you say,
+senor, that knowing who you are ought to remove it, it has not done so;
+on the contrary, now that I know, I am left more amazed and astonished
+than before. What! is it possible that there are knights-errant in the
+world in these days, and histories of real chivalry printed? I cannot
+realise the fact that there can be anyone on earth now-a-days who aids
+widows, or protects maidens, or defends wives, or succours orphans; nor
+should I believe it had I not seen it in your worship with my own eyes.
+Blessed be heaven! for by means of this history of your noble and genuine
+chivalrous deeds, which you say has been printed, the countless stories
+of fictitious knights-errant with which the world is filled, so much to
+the injury of morality and the prejudice and discredit of good histories,
+will have been driven into oblivion."
+
+"There is a good deal to be said on that point," said Don Quixote, "as to
+whether the histories of the knights-errant are fiction or not."
+
+"Why, is there anyone who doubts that those histories are false?" said
+the man in green.
+
+"I doubt it," said Don Quixote, "but never mind that just now; if our
+journey lasts long enough, I trust in God I shall show your worship that
+you do wrong in going with the stream of those who regard it as a matter
+of certainty that they are not true."
+
+From this last observation of Don Quixote's, the traveller began to have
+a suspicion that he was some crazy being, and was waiting him to confirm
+it by something further; but before they could turn to any new subject
+Don Quixote begged him to tell him who he was, since he himself had
+rendered account of his station and life. To this, he in the green gaban
+replied "I, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, am a gentleman by
+birth, native of the village where, please God, we are going to dine
+today; I am more than fairly well off, and my name is Don Diego de
+Miranda. I pass my life with my wife, children, and friends; my pursuits
+are hunting and fishing, but I keep neither hawks nor greyhounds, nothing
+but a tame partridge or a bold ferret or two; I have six dozen or so of
+books, some in our mother tongue, some Latin, some of them history,
+others devotional; those of chivalry have not as yet crossed the
+threshold of my door; I am more given to turning over the profane than
+the devotional, so long as they are books of honest entertainment that
+charm by their style and attract and interest by the invention they
+display, though of these there are very few in Spain. Sometimes I dine
+with my neighbours and friends, and often invite them; my entertainments
+are neat and well served without stint of anything. I have no taste for
+tattle, nor do I allow tattling in my presence; I pry not into my
+neighbours' lives, nor have I lynx-eyes for what others do. I hear mass
+every day; I share my substance with the poor, making no display of good
+works, lest I let hypocrisy and vainglory, those enemies that subtly take
+possession of the most watchful heart, find an entrance into mine. I
+strive to make peace between those whom I know to be at variance; I am
+the devoted servant of Our Lady, and my trust is ever in the infinite
+mercy of God our Lord."
+
+Sancho listened with the greatest attention to the account of the
+gentleman's life and occupation; and thinking it a good and a holy life,
+and that he who led it ought to work miracles, he threw himself off
+Dapple, and running in haste seized his right stirrup and kissed his foot
+again and again with a devout heart and almost with tears.
+
+Seeing this the gentleman asked him, "What are you about, brother? What
+are these kisses for?"
+
+"Let me kiss," said Sancho, "for I think your worship is the first saint
+in the saddle I ever saw all the days of my life."
+
+"I am no saint," replied the gentleman, "but a great sinner; but you are,
+brother, for you must be a good fellow, as your simplicity shows."
+
+Sancho went back and regained his pack-saddle, having extracted a laugh
+from his master's profound melancholy, and excited fresh amazement in Don
+Diego. Don Quixote then asked him how many children he had, and observed
+that one of the things wherein the ancient philosophers, who were without
+the true knowledge of God, placed the summum bonum was in the gifts of
+nature, in those of fortune, in having many friends, and many and good
+children.
+
+"I, Senor Don Quixote," answered the gentleman, "have one son, without
+whom, perhaps, I should count myself happier than I am, not because he is
+a bad son, but because he is not so good as I could wish. He is eighteen
+years of age; he has been for six at Salamanca studying Latin and Greek,
+and when I wished him to turn to the study of other sciences I found him
+so wrapped up in that of poetry (if that can be called a science) that
+there is no getting him to take kindly to the law, which I wished him to
+study, or to theology, the queen of them all. I would like him to be an
+honour to his family, as we live in days when our kings liberally reward
+learning that is virtuous and worthy; for learning without virtue is a
+pearl on a dunghill. He spends the whole day in settling whether Homer
+expressed himself correctly or not in such and such a line of the Iliad,
+whether Martial was indecent or not in such and such an epigram, whether
+such and such lines of Virgil are to be understood in this way or in
+that; in short, all his talk is of the works of these poets, and those of
+Horace, Perseus, Juvenal, and Tibullus; for of the moderns in our own
+language he makes no great account; but with all his seeming indifference
+to Spanish poetry, just now his thoughts are absorbed in making a gloss
+on four lines that have been sent him from Salamanca, which I suspect are
+for some poetical tournament."
+
+To all this Don Quixote said in reply, "Children, senor, are portions of
+their parents' bowels, and therefore, be they good or bad, are to be
+loved as we love the souls that give us life; it is for the parents to
+guide them from infancy in the ways of virtue, propriety, and worthy
+Christian conduct, so that when grown up they may be the staff of their
+parents' old age, and the glory of their posterity; and to force them to
+study this or that science I do not think wise, though it may be no harm
+to persuade them; and when there is no need to study for the sake of pane
+lucrando, and it is the student's good fortune that heaven has given him
+parents who provide him with it, it would be my advice to them to let him
+pursue whatever science they may see him most inclined to; and though
+that of poetry is less useful than pleasurable, it is not one of those
+that bring discredit upon the possessor. Poetry, gentle sir, is, as I
+take it, like a tender young maiden of supreme beauty, to array, bedeck,
+and adorn whom is the task of several other maidens, who are all the rest
+of the sciences; and she must avail herself of the help of all, and all
+derive their lustre from her. But this maiden will not bear to be
+handled, nor dragged through the streets, nor exposed either at the
+corners of the market-places, or in the closets of palaces. She is the
+product of an Alchemy of such virtue that he who is able to practise it,
+will turn her into pure gold of inestimable worth. He that possesses her
+must keep her within bounds, not permitting her to break out in ribald
+satires or soulless sonnets. She must on no account be offered for sale,
+unless, indeed, it be in heroic poems, moving tragedies, or sprightly and
+ingenious comedies. She must not be touched by the buffoons, nor by the
+ignorant vulgar, incapable of comprehending or appreciating her hidden
+treasures. And do not suppose, senor, that I apply the term vulgar here
+merely to plebeians and the lower orders; for everyone who is ignorant,
+be he lord or prince, may and should be included among the vulgar. He,
+then, who shall embrace and cultivate poetry under the conditions I have
+named, shall become famous, and his name honoured throughout all the
+civilised nations of the earth. And with regard to what you say, senor,
+of your son having no great opinion of Spanish poetry, I am inclined to
+think that he is not quite right there, and for this reason: the great
+poet Homer did not write in Latin, because he was a Greek, nor did Virgil
+write in Greek, because he was a Latin; in short, all the ancient poets
+wrote in the language they imbibed with their mother's milk, and never
+went in quest of foreign ones to express their sublime conceptions; and
+that being so, the usage should in justice extend to all nations, and the
+German poet should not be undervalued because he writes in his own
+language, nor the Castilian, nor even the Biscayan, for writing in his.
+But your son, senor, I suspect, is not prejudiced against Spanish poetry,
+but against those poets who are mere Spanish verse writers, without any
+knowledge of other languages or sciences to adorn and give life and
+vigour to their natural inspiration; and yet even in this he may be
+wrong; for, according to a true belief, a poet is born one; that is to
+say, the poet by nature comes forth a poet from his mother's womb; and
+following the bent that heaven has bestowed upon him, without the aid of
+study or art, he produces things that show how truly he spoke who said,
+'Est Deus in nobis,' etc. At the same time, I say that the poet by nature
+who calls in art to his aid will be a far better poet, and will surpass
+him who tries to be one relying upon his knowledge of art alone. The
+reason is, that art does not surpass nature, but only brings it to
+perfection; and thus, nature combined with art, and art with nature, will
+produce a perfect poet. To bring my argument to a close, I would say
+then, gentle sir, let your son go on as his star leads him, for being so
+studious as he seems to be, and having already successfully surmounted
+the first step of the sciences, which is that of the languages, with
+their help he will by his own exertions reach the summit of polite
+literature, which so well becomes an independent gentleman, and adorns,
+honours, and distinguishes him, as much as the mitre does the bishop, or
+the gown the learned counsellor. If your son write satires reflecting on
+the honour of others, chide and correct him, and tear them up; but if he
+compose discourses in which he rebukes vice in general, in the style of
+Horace, and with elegance like his, commend him; for it is legitimate for
+a poet to write against envy and lash the envious in his verse, and the
+other vices too, provided he does not single out individuals; there are,
+however, poets who, for the sake of saying something spiteful, would run
+the risk of being banished to the coast of Pontus. If the poet be pure in
+his morals, he will be pure in his verses too; the pen is the tongue of
+the mind, and as the thought engendered there, so will be the things that
+it writes down. And when kings and princes observe this marvellous
+science of poetry in wise, virtuous, and thoughtful subjects, they
+honour, value, exalt them, and even crown them with the leaves of that
+tree which the thunderbolt strikes not, as if to show that they whose
+brows are honoured and adorned with such a crown are not to be assailed
+by anyone."
+
+He of the green gaban was filled with astonishment at Don Quixote's
+argument, so much so that he began to abandon the notion he had taken up
+about his being crazy. But in the middle of the discourse, it being not
+very much to his taste, Sancho had turned aside out of the road to beg a
+little milk from some shepherds, who were milking their ewes hard by; and
+just as the gentleman, highly pleased, was about to renew the
+conversation, Don Quixote, raising his head, perceived a cart covered
+with royal flags coming along the road they were travelling; and
+persuaded that this must be some new adventure, he called aloud to Sancho
+to come and bring him his helmet. Sancho, hearing himself called, quitted
+the shepherds, and, prodding Dapple vigorously, came up to his master, to
+whom there fell a terrific and desperate adventure.
+
+Chapter XVII. -
+Wherein is shown the furthest and highest point which the unexampled
+courage of Don Quixote reached or could reach; together with the happily
+achieved adventure of the lions
+
+The history tells that when Don Quixote called out to Sancho to bring him
+his helmet, Sancho was buying some curds the shepherds agreed to sell
+him, and flurried by the great haste his master was in did not know what
+to do with them or what to carry them in; so, not to lose them, for he
+had already paid for them, he thought it best to throw them into his
+master's helmet, and acting on this bright idea he went to see what his
+master wanted with him. He, as he approached, exclaimed to him:
+
+"Give me that helmet, my friend, for either I know little of adventures,
+or what I observe yonder is one that will, and does, call upon me to arm
+myself."
+
+He of the green gaban, on hearing this, looked in all directions, but
+could perceive nothing, except a cart coming towards them with two or
+three small flags, which led him to conclude it must be carrying treasure
+of the King's, and he said so to Don Quixote. He, however, would not
+believe him, being always persuaded and convinced that all that happened
+to him must be adventures and still more adventures; so he replied to the
+gentleman, "He who is prepared has his battle half fought; nothing is
+lost by my preparing myself, for I know by experience that I have
+enemies, visible and invisible, and I know not when, or where, or at what
+moment, or in what shapes they will attack me;" and turning to Sancho he
+called for his helmet; and Sancho, as he had no time to take out the
+curds, had to give it just as it was. Don Quixote took it, and without
+perceiving what was in it thrust it down in hot haste upon his head; but
+as the curds were pressed and squeezed the whey began to run all over his
+face and beard, whereat he was so startled that he cried out to Sancho:
+
+"Sancho, what's this? I think my head is softening, or my brains are
+melting, or I am sweating from head to foot! If I am sweating it is not
+indeed from fear. I am convinced beyond a doubt that the adventure which
+is about to befall me is a terrible one. Give me something to wipe myself
+with, if thou hast it, for this profuse sweat is blinding me."
+
+Sancho held his tongue, and gave him a cloth, and gave thanks to God at
+the same time that his master had not found out what was the matter. Don
+Quixote then wiped himself, and took off his helmet to see what it was
+that made his head feel so cool, and seeing all that white mash inside
+his helmet he put it to his nose, and as soon as he had smelt it he
+exclaimed:
+
+"By the life of my lady Dulcinea del Toboso, but it is curds thou hast
+put here, thou treacherous, impudent, ill-mannered squire!"
+
+To which, with great composure and pretended innocence, Sancho replied,
+"If they are curds let me have them, your worship, and I'll eat them; but
+let the devil eat them, for it must have been he who put them there. I
+dare to dirty your helmet! You have guessed the offender finely! Faith,
+sir, by the light God gives me, it seems I must have enchanters too, that
+persecute me as a creature and limb of your worship, and they must have
+put that nastiness there in order to provoke your patience to anger, and
+make you baste my ribs as you are wont to do. Well, this time, indeed,
+they have missed their aim, for I trust to my master's good sense to see
+that I have got no curds or milk, or anything of the sort; and that if I
+had it is in my stomach I would put it and not in the helmet."
+
+"May be so," said Don Quixote. All this the gentleman was observing, and
+with astonishment, more especially when, after having wiped himself
+clean, his head, face, beard, and helmet, Don Quixote put it on, and
+settling himself firmly in his stirrups, easing his sword in the
+scabbard, and grasping his lance, he cried, "Now, come who will, here am
+I, ready to try conclusions with Satan himself in person!"
+
+By this time the cart with the flags had come up, unattended by anyone
+except the carter on a mule, and a man sitting in front. Don Quixote
+planted himself before it and said, "Whither are you going, brothers?
+What cart is this? What have you got in it? What flags are those?"
+
+To this the carter replied, "The cart is mine; what is in it is a pair of
+wild caged lions, which the governor of Oran is sending to court as a
+present to his Majesty; and the flags are our lord the King's, to show
+that what is here is his property."
+
+"And are the lions large?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"So large," replied the man who sat at the door of the cart, "that
+larger, or as large, have never crossed from Africa to Spain; I am the
+keeper, and I have brought over others, but never any like these. They
+are male and female; the male is in that first cage and the female in the
+one behind, and they are hungry now, for they have eaten nothing to-day,
+so let your worship stand aside, for we must make haste to the place
+where we are to feed them."
+
+Hereupon, smiling slightly, Don Quixote exclaimed, "Lion-whelps to me! to
+me whelps of lions, and at such a time! Then, by God! those gentlemen who
+send them here shall see if I am a man to be frightened by lions. Get
+down, my good fellow, and as you are the keeper open the cages, and turn
+me out those beasts, and in the midst of this plain I will let them know
+who Don Quixote of La Mancha is, in spite and in the teeth of the
+enchanters who send them to me."
+
+"So, so," said the gentleman to himself at this; "our worthy knight has
+shown of what sort he is; the curds, no doubt, have softened his skull
+and brought his brains to a head."
+
+At this instant Sancho came up to him, saying, "Senor, for God's sake do
+something to keep my master, Don Quixote, from tackling these lions; for
+if he does they'll tear us all to pieces here."
+
+"Is your master then so mad," asked the gentleman, "that you believe and
+are afraid he will engage such fierce animals?"
+
+"He is not mad," said Sancho, "but he is venturesome."
+
+"I will prevent it," said the gentleman; and going over to Don Quixote,
+who was insisting upon the keeper's opening the cages, he said to him,
+"Sir knight, knights-errant should attempt adventures which encourage the
+hope of a successful issue, not those which entirely withhold it; for
+valour that trenches upon temerity savours rather of madness than of
+courage; moreover, these lions do not come to oppose you, nor do they
+dream of such a thing; they are going as presents to his Majesty, and it
+will not be right to stop them or delay their journey."
+
+"Gentle sir," replied Don Quixote, "you go and mind your tame partridge
+and your bold ferret, and leave everyone to manage his own business; this
+is mine, and I know whether these gentlemen the lions come to me or not;"
+and then turning to the keeper he exclaimed, "By all that's good, sir
+scoundrel, if you don't open the cages this very instant, I'll pin you to
+the cart with this lance."
+
+The carter, seeing the determination of this apparition in armour, said
+to him, "Please your worship, for charity's sake, senor, let me unyoke
+the mules and place myself in safety along with them before the lions are
+turned out; for if they kill them on me I am ruined for life, for all I
+possess is this cart and mules."
+
+"O man of little faith," replied Don Quixote, "get down and unyoke; you
+will soon see that you are exerting yourself for nothing, and that you
+might have spared yourself the trouble."
+
+The carter got down and with all speed unyoked the mules, and the keeper
+called out at the top of his voice, "I call all here to witness that
+against my will and under compulsion I open the cages and let the lions
+loose, and that I warn this gentleman that he will be accountable for all
+the harm and mischief which these beasts may do, and for my salary and
+dues as well. You, gentlemen, place yourselves in safety before I open,
+for I know they will do me no harm."
+
+Once more the gentleman strove to persuade Don Quixote not to do such a
+mad thing, as it was tempting God to engage in such a piece of folly. To
+this, Don Quixote replied that he knew what he was about. The gentleman
+in return entreated him to reflect, for he knew he was under a delusion.
+
+"Well, senor," answered Don Quixote, "if you do not like to be a
+spectator of this tragedy, as in your opinion it will be, spur your
+flea-bitten mare, and place yourself in safety."
+
+Hearing this, Sancho with tears in his eyes entreated him to give up an
+enterprise compared with which the one of the windmills, and the awful
+one of the fulling mills, and, in fact, all the feats he had attempted in
+the whole course of his life, were cakes and fancy bread. "Look ye,
+senor," said Sancho, "there's no enchantment here, nor anything of the
+sort, for between the bars and chinks of the cage I have seen the paw of
+a real lion, and judging by that I reckon the lion such a paw could
+belong to must be bigger than a mountain."
+
+"Fear at any rate," replied Don Quixote, "will make him look bigger to
+thee than half the world. Retire, Sancho, and leave me; and if I die here
+thou knowest our old compact; thou wilt repair to Dulcinea--I say no
+more." To these he added some further words that banished all hope of his
+giving up his insane project. He of the green gaban would have offered
+resistance, but he found himself ill-matched as to arms, and did not
+think it prudent to come to blows with a madman, for such Don Quixote now
+showed himself to be in every respect; and the latter, renewing his
+commands to the keeper and repeating his threats, gave warning to the
+gentleman to spur his mare, Sancho his Dapple, and the carter his mules,
+all striving to get away from the cart as far as they could before the
+lions broke loose. Sancho was weeping over his master's death, for this
+time he firmly believed it was in store for him from the claws of the
+lions; and he cursed his fate and called it an unlucky hour when he
+thought of taking service with him again; but with all his tears and
+lamentations he did not forget to thrash Dapple so as to put a good space
+between himself and the cart. The keeper, seeing that the fugitives were
+now some distance off, once more entreated and warned him as before; but
+he replied that he heard him, and that he need not trouble himself with
+any further warnings or entreaties, as they would be fruitless, and bade
+him make haste.
+
+During the delay that occurred while the keeper was opening the first
+cage, Don Quixote was considering whether it would not be well to do
+battle on foot, instead of on horseback, and finally resolved to fight on
+foot, fearing that Rocinante might take fright at the sight of the lions;
+he therefore sprang off his horse, flung his lance aside, braced his
+buckler on his arm, and drawing his sword, advanced slowly with
+marvellous intrepidity and resolute courage, to plant himself in front of
+the cart, commending himself with all his heart to God and to his lady
+Dulcinea.
+
+It is to be observed, that on coming to this passage, the author of this
+veracious history breaks out into exclamations. "O doughty Don Quixote!
+high-mettled past extolling! Mirror, wherein all the heroes of the world
+may see themselves! Second modern Don Manuel de Leon, once the glory and
+honour of Spanish knighthood! In what words shall I describe this dread
+exploit, by what language shall I make it credible to ages to come, what
+eulogies are there unmeet for thee, though they be hyperboles piled on
+hyperboles! On foot, alone, undaunted, high-souled, with but a simple
+sword, and that no trenchant blade of the Perrillo brand, a shield, but
+no bright polished steel one, there stoodst thou, biding and awaiting the
+two fiercest lions that Africa's forests ever bred! Thy own deeds be thy
+praise, valiant Manchegan, and here I leave them as they stand, wanting
+the words wherewith to glorify them!"
+
+Here the author's outburst came to an end, and he proceeded to take up
+the thread of his story, saying that the keeper, seeing that Don Quixote
+had taken up his position, and that it was impossible for him to avoid
+letting out the male without incurring the enmity of the fiery and daring
+knight, flung open the doors of the first cage, containing, as has been
+said, the lion, which was now seen to be of enormous size, and grim and
+hideous mien. The first thing he did was to turn round in the cage in
+which he lay, and protrude his claws, and stretch himself thoroughly; he
+next opened his mouth, and yawned very leisurely, and with near two
+palms' length of tongue that he had thrust forth, he licked the dust out
+of his eyes and washed his face; having done this, he put his head out of
+the cage and looked all round with eyes like glowing coals, a spectacle
+and demeanour to strike terror into temerity itself. Don Quixote merely
+observed him steadily, longing for him to leap from the cart and come to
+close quarters with him, when he hoped to hew him in pieces.
+
+So far did his unparalleled madness go; but the noble lion, more
+courteous than arrogant, not troubling himself about silly bravado, after
+having looked all round, as has been said, turned about and presented his
+hind-quarters to Don Quixote, and very coolly and tranquilly lay down
+again in the cage. Seeing this, Don Quixote ordered the keeper to take a
+stick to him and provoke him to make him come out.
+
+"That I won't," said the keeper; "for if I anger him, the first he'll
+tear in pieces will be myself. Be satisfied, sir knight, with what you
+have done, which leaves nothing more to be said on the score of courage,
+and do not seek to tempt fortune a second time. The lion has the door
+open; he is free to come out or not to come out; but as he has not come
+out so far, he will not come out to-day. Your worship's great courage has
+been fully manifested already; no brave champion, so it strikes me, is
+bound to do more than challenge his enemy and wait for him on the field;
+if his adversary does not come, on him lies the disgrace, and he who
+waits for him carries off the crown of victory."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote; "close the door, my friend, and let me
+have, in the best form thou canst, what thou hast seen me do, by way of
+certificate; to wit, that thou didst open for the lion, that I waited for
+him, that he did not come out, that I still waited for him, and that
+still he did not come out, and lay down again. I am not bound to do more;
+enchantments avaunt, and God uphold the right, the truth, and true
+chivalry! Close the door as I bade thee, while I make signals to the
+fugitives that have left us, that they may learn this exploit from thy
+lips."
+
+The keeper obeyed, and Don Quixote, fixing on the point of his lance the
+cloth he had wiped his face with after the deluge of curds, proceeded to
+recall the others, who still continued to fly, looking back at every
+step, all in a body, the gentleman bringing up the rear. Sancho, however,
+happening to observe the signal of the white cloth, exclaimed, "May I
+die, if my master has not overcome the wild beasts, for he is calling to
+us."
+
+They all stopped, and perceived that it was Don Quixote who was making
+signals, and shaking off their fears to some extent, they approached
+slowly until they were near enough to hear distinctly Don Quixote's voice
+calling to them. They returned at length to the cart, and as they came
+up, Don Quixote said to the carter, "Put your mules to once more,
+brother, and continue your journey; and do thou, Sancho, give him two
+gold crowns for himself and the keeper, to compensate for the delay they
+have incurred through me."
+
+"That will I give with all my heart," said Sancho; "but what has become
+of the lions? Are they dead or alive?"
+
+The keeper, then, in full detail, and bit by bit, described the end of
+the contest, exalting to the best of his power and ability the valour of
+Don Quixote, at the sight of whom the lion quailed, and would not and
+dared not come out of the cage, although he had held the door open ever
+so long; and showing how, in consequence of his having represented to the
+knight that it was tempting God to provoke the lion in order to force him
+out, which he wished to have done, he very reluctantly, and altogether
+against his will, had allowed the door to be closed.
+
+"What dost thou think of this, Sancho?" said Don Quixote. "Are there any
+enchantments that can prevail against true valour? The enchanters may be
+able to rob me of good fortune, but of fortitude and courage they
+cannot."
+
+Sancho paid the crowns, the carter put to, the keeper kissed Don
+Quixote's hands for the bounty bestowed upon him, and promised to give an
+account of the valiant exploit to the King himself, as soon as he saw him
+at court.
+
+"Then," said Don Quixote, "if his Majesty should happen to ask who
+performed it, you must say THE KNIGHT OF THE LIONS; for it is my desire
+that into this the name I have hitherto borne of Knight of the Rueful
+Countenance be from this time forward changed, altered, transformed, and
+turned; and in this I follow the ancient usage of knights-errant, who
+changed their names when they pleased, or when it suited their purpose."
+
+The cart went its way, and Don Quixote, Sancho, and he of the green gaban
+went theirs. All this time, Don Diego de Miranda had not spoken a word,
+being entirely taken up with observing and noting all that Don Quixote
+did and said, and the opinion he formed was that he was a man of brains
+gone mad, and a madman on the verge of rationality. The first part of his
+history had not yet reached him, for, had he read it, the amazement with
+which his words and deeds filled him would have vanished, as he would
+then have understood the nature of his madness; but knowing nothing of
+it, he took him to be rational one moment, and crazy the next, for what
+he said was sensible, elegant, and well expressed, and what he did,
+absurd, rash, and foolish; and said he to himself, "What could be madder
+than putting on a helmet full of curds, and then persuading oneself that
+enchanters are softening one's skull; or what could be greater rashness
+and folly than wanting to fight lions tooth and nail?"
+
+Don Quixote roused him from these reflections and this soliloquy by
+saying, "No doubt, Senor Don Diego de Miranda, you set me down in your
+mind as a fool and a madman, and it would be no wonder if you did, for my
+deeds do not argue anything else. But for all that, I would have you take
+notice that I am neither so mad nor so foolish as I must have seemed to
+you. A gallant knight shows to advantage bringing his lance to bear
+adroitly upon a fierce bull under the eyes of his sovereign, in the midst
+of a spacious plaza; a knight shows to advantage arrayed in glittering
+armour, pacing the lists before the ladies in some joyous tournament, and
+all those knights show to advantage that entertain, divert, and, if we
+may say so, honour the courts of their princes by warlike exercises, or
+what resemble them; but to greater advantage than all these does a
+knight-errant show when he traverses deserts, solitudes, cross-roads,
+forests, and mountains, in quest of perilous adventures, bent on bringing
+them to a happy and successful issue, all to win a glorious and lasting
+renown. To greater advantage, I maintain, does the knight-errant show
+bringing aid to some widow in some lonely waste, than the court knight
+dallying with some city damsel. All knights have their own special parts
+to play; let the courtier devote himself to the ladies, let him add
+lustre to his sovereign's court by his liveries, let him entertain poor
+gentlemen with the sumptuous fare of his table, let him arrange
+joustings, marshal tournaments, and prove himself noble, generous, and
+magnificent, and above all a good Christian, and so doing he will fulfil
+the duties that are especially his; but let the knight-errant explore the
+corners of the earth and penetrate the most intricate labyrinths, at each
+step let him attempt impossibilities, on desolate heaths let him endure
+the burning rays of the midsummer sun, and the bitter inclemency of the
+winter winds and frosts; let no lions daunt him, no monsters terrify him,
+no dragons make him quail; for to seek these, to attack those, and to
+vanquish all, are in truth his main duties. I, then, as it has fallen to
+my lot to be a member of knight-errantry, cannot avoid attempting all
+that to me seems to come within the sphere of my duties; thus it was my
+bounden duty to attack those lions that I just now attacked, although I
+knew it to be the height of rashness; for I know well what valour is,
+that it is a virtue that occupies a place between two vicious extremes,
+cowardice and temerity; but it will be a lesser evil for him who is
+valiant to rise till he reaches the point of rashness, than to sink until
+he reaches the point of cowardice; for, as it is easier for the prodigal
+than for the miser to become generous, so it is easier for a rash man to
+prove truly valiant than for a coward to rise to true valour; and believe
+me, Senor Don Diego, in attempting adventures it is better to lose by a
+card too many than by a card too few; for to hear it said, 'such a knight
+is rash and daring,' sounds better than 'such a knight is timid and
+cowardly.'"
+
+"I protest, Senor Don Quixote," said Don Diego, "everything you have said
+and done is proved correct by the test of reason itself; and I believe,
+if the laws and ordinances of knight-errantry should be lost, they might
+be found in your worship's breast as in their own proper depository and
+muniment-house; but let us make haste, and reach my village, where you
+shall take rest after your late exertions; for if they have not been of
+the body they have been of the spirit, and these sometimes tend to
+produce bodily fatigue."
+
+"I take the invitation as a great favour and honour, Senor Don Diego,"
+replied Don Quixote; and pressing forward at a better pace than before,
+at about two in the afternoon they reached the village and house of Don
+Diego, or, as Don Quixote called him, "The Knight of the Green Gaban."
+
+Chapter XVIII. -
+Of what happened Don Quixote in the castle or house of the Knight of the
+Green Gaban, together with other matters out of the common
+
+Don Quixote found Don Diego de Miranda's house built in village style,
+with his arms in rough stone over the street door; in the patio was the
+store-room, and at the entrance the cellar, with plenty of wine-jars
+standing round, which, coming from El Toboso, brought back to his memory
+his enchanted and transformed Dulcinea; and with a sigh, and not thinking
+of what he was saying, or in whose presence he was, he exclaimed--
+
+poem{
+
+  "O ye sweet treasures, to my sorrow found!
+  Once sweet and welcome when 'twas heaven's good-will.
+
+  "O ye Tobosan jars, how ye bring back to my memory the
+  sweet object of my bitter regrets!"
+
+}poem
+
+The student poet, Don Diego's son, who had come out with his mother to
+receive him, heard this exclamation, and both mother and son were filled
+with amazement at the extraordinary figure he presented; he, however,
+dismounting from Rocinante, advanced with great politeness to ask
+permission to kiss the lady's hand, while Don Diego said, "Senora, pray
+receive with your wonted kindness Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, whom
+you see before you, a knight-errant, and the bravest and wisest in the
+world."
+
+The lady, whose name was Dona Christina, received him with every sign of
+good-will and great courtesy, and Don Quixote placed himself at her
+service with an abundance of well-chosen and polished phrases. Almost the
+same civilities were exchanged between him and the student, who listening
+to Don Quixote, took him to be a sensible, clear-headed person.
+
+Here the author describes minutely everything belonging to Don Diego's
+mansion, putting before us in his picture the whole contents of a rich
+gentleman-farmer's house; but the translator of the history thought it
+best to pass over these and other details of the same sort in silence, as
+they are not in harmony with the main purpose of the story, the strong
+point of which is truth rather than dull digressions.
+
+They led Don Quixote into a room, and Sancho removed his armour, leaving
+him in loose Walloon breeches and chamois-leather doublet, all stained
+with the rust of his armour; his collar was a falling one of scholastic
+cut, without starch or lace, his buskins buff-coloured, and his shoes
+polished. He wore his good sword, which hung in a baldric of sea-wolf's
+skin, for he had suffered for many years, they say, from an ailment of
+the kidneys; and over all he threw a long cloak of good grey cloth. But
+first of all, with five or six buckets of water (for as regard the number
+of buckets there is some dispute), he washed his head and face, and still
+the water remained whey-coloured, thanks to Sancho's greediness and
+purchase of those unlucky curds that turned his master so white. Thus
+arrayed, and with an easy, sprightly, and gallant air, Don Quixote passed
+out into another room, where the student was waiting to entertain him
+while the table was being laid; for on the arrival of so distinguished a
+guest, Dona Christina was anxious to show that she knew how and was able
+to give a becoming reception to those who came to her house.
+
+While Don Quixote was taking off his armour, Don Lorenzo (for so Don
+Diego's son was called) took the opportunity to say to his father, "What
+are we to make of this gentleman you have brought home to us, sir? For
+his name, his appearance, and your describing him as a knight-errant have
+completely puzzled my mother and me."
+
+"I don't know what to say, my son," replied. Don Diego; "all I can tell
+thee is that I have seen him act the acts of the greatest madman in the
+world, and heard him make observations so sensible that they efface and
+undo all he does; do thou talk to him and feel the pulse of his wits, and
+as thou art shrewd, form the most reasonable conclusion thou canst as to
+his wisdom or folly; though, to tell the truth, I am more inclined to
+take him to be mad than sane."
+
+With this Don Lorenzo went away to entertain Don Quixote as has been
+said, and in the course of the conversation that passed between them Don
+Quixote said to Don Lorenzo, "Your father, Senor Don Diego de Miranda,
+has told me of the rare abilities and subtle intellect you possess, and,
+above all, that you are a great poet."
+
+"A poet, it may be," replied Don Lorenzo, "but a great one, by no means.
+It is true that I am somewhat given to poetry and to reading good poets,
+but not so much so as to justify the title of 'great' which my father
+gives me."
+
+"I do not dislike that modesty," said Don Quixote; "for there is no poet
+who is not conceited and does not think he is the best poet in the
+world."
+
+"There is no rule without an exception," said Don Lorenzo; "there may be
+some who are poets and yet do not think they are."
+
+"Very few," said Don Quixote; "but tell me, what verses are those which
+you have now in hand, and which your father tells me keep you somewhat
+restless and absorbed? If it be some gloss, I know something about
+glosses, and I should like to hear them; and if they are for a poetical
+tournament, contrive to carry off the second prize; for the first always
+goes by favour or personal standing, the second by simple justice; and so
+the third comes to be the second, and the first, reckoning in this way,
+will be third, in the same way as licentiate degrees are conferred at the
+universities; but, for all that, the title of first is a great
+distinction."
+
+"So far," said Don Lorenzo to himself, "I should not take you to be a
+madman; but let us go on." So he said to him, "Your worship has
+apparently attended the schools; what sciences have you studied?"
+
+"That of knight-errantry," said Don Quixote, "which is as good as that of
+poetry, and even a finger or two above it."
+
+"I do not know what science that is," said Don Lorenzo, "and until now I
+have never heard of it."
+
+"It is a science," said Don Quixote, "that comprehends in itself all or
+most of the sciences in the world, for he who professes it must be a
+jurist, and must know the rules of justice, distributive and equitable,
+so as to give to each one what belongs to him and is due to him. He must
+be a theologian, so as to be able to give a clear and distinctive reason
+for the Christian faith he professes, wherever it may be asked of him. He
+must be a physician, and above all a herbalist, so as in wastes and
+solitudes to know the herbs that have the property of healing wounds, for
+a knight-errant must not go looking for some one to cure him at every
+step. He must be an astronomer, so as to know by the stars how many hours
+of the night have passed, and what clime and quarter of the world he is
+in. He must know mathematics, for at every turn some occasion for them
+will present itself to him; and, putting it aside that he must be adorned
+with all the virtues, cardinal and theological, to come down to minor
+particulars, he must, I say, be able to swim as well as Nicholas or
+Nicolao the Fish could, as the story goes; he must know how to shoe a
+horse, and repair his saddle and bridle; and, to return to higher
+matters, he must be faithful to God and to his lady; he must be pure in
+thought, decorous in words, generous in works, valiant in deeds, patient
+in suffering, compassionate towards the needy, and, lastly, an upholder
+of the truth though its defence should cost him his life. Of all these
+qualities, great and small, is a true knight-errant made up; judge then,
+Senor Don Lorenzo, whether it be a contemptible science which the knight
+who studies and professes it has to learn, and whether it may not compare
+with the very loftiest that are taught in the schools."
+
+"If that be so," replied Don Lorenzo, "this science, I protest, surpasses
+all."
+
+"How, if that be so?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"What I mean to say," said Don Lorenzo, "is, that I doubt whether there
+are now, or ever were, any knights-errant, and adorned with such
+virtues."
+
+"Many a time," replied Don Quixote, "have I said what I now say once
+more, that the majority of the world are of opinion that there never were
+any knights-errant in it; and as it is my opinion that, unless heaven by
+some miracle brings home to them the truth that there were and are, all
+the pains one takes will be in vain (as experience has often proved to
+me), I will not now stop to disabuse you of the error you share with the
+multitude. All I shall do is to pray to heaven to deliver you from it,
+and show you how beneficial and necessary knights-errant were in days of
+yore, and how useful they would be in these days were they but in vogue;
+but now, for the sins of the people, sloth and indolence, gluttony and
+luxury are triumphant."
+
+"Our guest has broken out on our hands," said Don Lorenzo to himself at
+this point; "but, for all that, he is a glorious madman, and I should be
+a dull blockhead to doubt it."
+
+Here, being summoned to dinner, they brought their colloquy to a close.
+Don Diego asked his son what he had been able to make out as to the wits
+of their guest. To which he replied, "All the doctors and clever scribes
+in the world will not make sense of the scrawl of his madness; he is a
+madman full of streaks, full of lucid intervals."
+
+They went in to dinner, and the repast was such as Don Diego said on the
+road he was in the habit of giving to his guests, neat, plentiful, and
+tasty; but what pleased Don Quixote most was the marvellous silence that
+reigned throughout the house, for it was like a Carthusian monastery.
+
+When the cloth had been removed, grace said and their hands washed, Don
+Quixote earnestly pressed Don Lorenzo to repeat to him his verses for the
+poetical tournament, to which he replied, "Not to be like those poets
+who, when they are asked to recite their verses, refuse, and when they
+are not asked for them vomit them up, I will repeat my gloss, for which I
+do not expect any prize, having composed it merely as an exercise of
+ingenuity."
+
+"A discerning friend of mine," said Don Quixote, "was of opinion that no
+one ought to waste labour in glossing verses; and the reason he gave was
+that the gloss can never come up to the text, and that often or most
+frequently it wanders away from the meaning and purpose aimed at in the
+glossed lines; and besides, that the laws of the gloss were too strict,
+as they did not allow interrogations, nor 'said he,' nor 'I say,' nor
+turning verbs into nouns, or altering the construction, not to speak of
+other restrictions and limitations that fetter gloss-writers, as you no
+doubt know."
+
+"Verily, Senor Don Quixote," said Don Lorenzo, "I wish I could catch your
+worship tripping at a stretch, but I cannot, for you slip through my
+fingers like an eel."
+
+"I don't understand what you say, or mean by slipping," said Don Quixote.
+
+"I will explain myself another time," said Don Lorenzo; "for the present
+pray attend to the glossed verses and the gloss, which run thus:
+
+poem{
+
+Could 'was' become an 'is' for me,
+Then would I ask no more than this;
+Or could, for me, the time that is
+Become the time that is to be!--
+
+GLOSS
+
+Dame Fortune once upon a day
+  To me was bountiful and kind;
+  But all things change; she changed her mind,
+And what she gave she took away.
+O Fortune, long I've sued to thee;
+  The gifts thou gavest me restore,
+  For, trust me, I would ask no more,
+Could 'was' become an 'is' for me.
+
+No other prize I seek to gain,
+  No triumph, glory, or success,
+  Only the long-lost happiness,
+The memory whereof is pain.
+One taste, methinks, of bygone bliss
+  The heart-consuming fire might stay;
+  And, so it come without delay,
+Then would I ask no more than this.
+
+I ask what cannot be, alas!
+  That time should ever be, and then
+  Come back to us, and be again,
+No power on earth can bring to pass;
+For fleet of foot is he, I wis,
+  And idly, therefore, do we pray
+  That what for aye hath left us may
+Become for us the time that is.
+
+Perplexed, uncertain, to remain
+  'Twixt hope and fear, is death, not life;
+  'Twere better, sure, to end the strife,
+And dying, seek release from pain.
+And yet, thought were the best for me.
+  Anon the thought aside I fling,
+  And to the present fondly cling,
+And dread the time that is to be."
+
+}poem
+
+When Don Lorenzo had finished reciting his gloss, Don Quixote stood up,
+and in a loud voice, almost a shout, exclaimed as he grasped Don
+Lorenzo's right hand in his, "By the highest heavens, noble youth, but
+you are the best poet on earth, and deserve to be crowned with laurel,
+not by Cyprus or by Gaeta--as a certain poet, God forgive him, said--but
+by the Academies of Athens, if they still flourished, and by those that
+flourish now, Paris, Bologna, Salamanca. Heaven grant that the judges who
+rob you of the first prize--that Phoebus may pierce them with his arrows,
+and the Muses never cross the thresholds of their doors. Repeat me some
+of your long-measure verses, senor, if you will be so good, for I want
+thoroughly to feel the pulse of your rare genius."
+
+Is there any need to say that Don Lorenzo enjoyed hearing himself praised
+by Don Quixote, albeit he looked upon him as a madman? power of flattery,
+how far-reaching art thou, and how wide are the bounds of thy pleasant
+jurisdiction! Don Lorenzo gave a proof of it, for he complied with Don
+Quixote's request and entreaty, and repeated to him this sonnet on the
+fable or story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
+
+poem{
+
+SONNET
+
+The lovely maid, she pierces now the wall;
+  Heart-pierced by her young Pyramus doth lie;
+  And Love spreads wing from Cyprus isle to fly,
+A chink to view so wondrous great and small.
+There silence speaketh, for no voice at all
+  Can pass so strait a strait; but love will ply
+  Where to all other power 'twere vain to try;
+For love will find a way whate'er befall.
+Impatient of delay, with reckless pace
+  The rash maid wins the fatal spot where she
+Sinks not in lover's arms but death's embrace.
+  So runs the strange tale, how the lovers twain
+One sword, one sepulchre, one memory,
+  Slays, and entombs, and brings to life again.
+
+}poem
+
+"Blessed be God," said Don Quixote when he had heard Don Lorenzo's
+sonnet, "that among the hosts there are of irritable poets I have found
+one consummate one, which, senor, the art of this sonnet proves to me
+that you are!"
+
+For four days was Don Quixote most sumptuously entertained in Don Diego's
+house, at the end of which time he asked his permission to depart,
+telling him he thanked him for the kindness and hospitality he had
+received in his house, but that, as it did not become knights-errant to
+give themselves up for long to idleness and luxury, he was anxious to
+fulfill the duties of his calling in seeking adventures, of which he was
+informed there was an abundance in that neighbourhood, where he hoped to
+employ his time until the day came round for the jousts at Saragossa, for
+that was his proper destination; and that, first of all, he meant to
+enter the cave of Montesinos, of which so many marvellous things were
+reported all through the country, and at the same time to investigate and
+explore the origin and true source of the seven lakes commonly called the
+lakes of Ruidera.
+
+Don Diego and his son commended his laudable resolution, and bade him
+furnish himself with all he wanted from their house and belongings, as
+they would most gladly be of service to him; which, indeed, his personal
+worth and his honourable profession made incumbent upon them.
+
+The day of his departure came at length, as welcome to Don Quixote as it
+was sad and sorrowful to Sancho Panza, who was very well satisfied with
+the abundance of Don Diego's house, and objected to return to the
+starvation of the woods and wilds and the short-commons of his
+ill-stocked alforjas; these, however, he filled and packed with what he
+considered needful. On taking leave, Don Quixote said to Don Lorenzo, "I
+know not whether I have told you already, but if I have I tell you once
+more, that if you wish to spare yourself fatigue and toil in reaching the
+inaccessible summit of the temple of fame, you have nothing to do but to
+turn aside out of the somewhat narrow path of poetry and take the still
+narrower one of knight-errantry, wide enough, however, to make you an
+emperor in the twinkling of an eye."
+
+In this speech Don Quixote wound up the evidence of his madness, but
+still better in what he added when he said, "God knows, I would gladly
+take Don Lorenzo with me to teach him how to spare the humble, and
+trample the proud under foot, virtues that are part and parcel of the
+profession I belong to; but since his tender age does not allow of it,
+nor his praiseworthy pursuits permit it, I will simply content myself
+with impressing it upon your worship that you will become famous as a
+poet if you are guided by the opinion of others rather than by your own;
+because no fathers or mothers ever think their own children ill-favoured,
+and this sort of deception prevails still more strongly in the case of
+the children of the brain."
+
+Both father and son were amazed afresh at the strange medley Don Quixote
+talked, at one moment sense, at another nonsense, and at the pertinacity
+and persistence he displayed in going through thick and thin in quest of
+his unlucky adventures, which he made the end and aim of his desires.
+There was a renewal of offers of service and civilities, and then, with
+the gracious permission of the lady of the castle, they took their
+departure, Don Quixote on Rocinante, and Sancho on Dapple.
+
+Chapter XIX. -
+In which is related the adventure of the enamoured shepherd, together
+with other truly droll incidents
+
+Don Quixote had gone but a short distance beyond Don Diego's village,
+when he fell in with a couple of either priests or students, and a couple
+of peasants, mounted on four beasts of the ass kind. One of the students
+carried, wrapped up in a piece of green buckram by way of a portmanteau,
+what seemed to be a little linen and a couple of pairs of-ribbed
+stockings; the other carried nothing but a pair of new fencing-foils with
+buttons. The peasants carried divers articles that showed they were on
+their way from some large town where they had bought them, and were
+taking them home to their village; and both students and peasants were
+struck with the same amazement that everybody felt who saw Don Quixote
+for the first time, and were dying to know who this man, so different
+from ordinary men, could be. Don Quixote saluted them, and after
+ascertaining that their road was the same as his, made them an offer of
+his company, and begged them to slacken their pace, as their young asses
+travelled faster than his horse; and then, to gratify them, he told them
+in a few words who he was and the calling and profession he followed,
+which was that of a knight-errant seeking adventures in all parts of the
+world. He informed them that his own name was Don Quixote of La Mancha,
+and that he was called, by way of surname, the Knight of the Lions.
+
+All this was Greek or gibberish to the peasants, but not so to the
+students, who very soon perceived the crack in Don Quixote's pate; for
+all that, however, they regarded him with admiration and respect, and one
+of them said to him, "If you, sir knight, have no fixed road, as it is
+the way with those who seek adventures not to have any, let your worship
+come with us; you will see one of the finest and richest weddings that up
+to this day have ever been celebrated in La Mancha, or for many a league
+round."
+
+Don Quixote asked him if it was some prince's, that he spoke of it in
+this way. "Not at all," said the student; "it is the wedding of a farmer
+and a farmer's daughter, he the richest in all this country, and she the
+fairest mortal ever set eyes on. The display with which it is to be
+attended will be something rare and out of the common, for it will be
+celebrated in a meadow adjoining the town of the bride, who is called,
+par excellence, Quiteria the fair, as the bridegroom is called Camacho
+the rich. She is eighteen, and he twenty-two, and they are fairly
+matched, though some knowing ones, who have all the pedigrees in the
+world by heart, will have it that the family of the fair Quiteria is
+better than Camacho's; but no one minds that now-a-days, for wealth can
+solder a great many flaws. At any rate, Camacho is free-handed, and it is
+his fancy to screen the whole meadow with boughs and cover it in
+overhead, so that the sun will have hard work if he tries to get in to
+reach the grass that covers the soil. He has provided dancers too, not
+only sword but also bell-dancers, for in his own town there are those who
+ring the changes and jingle the bells to perfection; of shoe-dancers I
+say nothing, for of them he has engaged a host. But none of these things,
+nor of the many others I have omitted to mention, will do more to make
+this a memorable wedding than the part which I suspect the despairing
+Basilio will play in it. This Basilio is a youth of the same village as
+Quiteria, and he lived in the house next door to that of her parents, of
+which circumstance Love took advantage to reproduce to the word the
+long-forgotten loves of Pyramus and Thisbe; for Basilio loved Quiteria
+from his earliest years, and she responded to his passion with countless
+modest proofs of affection, so that the loves of the two children,
+Basilio and Quiteria, were the talk and the amusement of the town. As
+they grew up, the father of Quiteria made up his mind to refuse Basilio
+his wonted freedom of access to the house, and to relieve himself of
+constant doubts and suspicions, he arranged a match for his daughter with
+the rich Camacho, as he did not approve of marrying her to Basilio, who
+had not so large a share of the gifts of fortune as of nature; for if the
+truth be told ungrudgingly, he is the most agile youth we know, a mighty
+thrower of the bar, a first-rate wrestler, and a great ball-player; he
+runs like a deer, and leaps better than a goat, bowls over the nine-pins
+as if by magic, sings like a lark, plays the guitar so as to make it
+speak, and, above all, handles a sword as well as the best."
+
+"For that excellence alone," said Don Quixote at this, "the youth
+deserves to marry, not merely the fair Quiteria, but Queen Guinevere
+herself, were she alive now, in spite of Launcelot and all who would try
+to prevent it."
+
+"Say that to my wife," said Sancho, who had until now listened in
+silence, "for she won't hear of anything but each one marrying his equal,
+holding with the proverb 'each ewe to her like.' What I would like is
+that this good Basilio (for I am beginning to take a fancy to him
+already) should marry this lady Quiteria; and a blessing and good luck--I
+meant to say the opposite--on people who would prevent those who love one
+another from marrying."
+
+"If all those who love one another were to marry," said Don Quixote, "it
+would deprive parents of the right to choose, and marry their children to
+the proper person and at the proper time; and if it was left to daughters
+to choose husbands as they pleased, one would be for choosing her
+father's servant, and another, some one she has seen passing in the
+street and fancies gallant and dashing, though he may be a drunken bully;
+for love and fancy easily blind the eyes of the judgment, so much wanted
+in choosing one's way of life; and the matrimonial choice is very liable
+to error, and it needs great caution and the special favour of heaven to
+make it a good one. He who has to make a long journey, will, if he is
+wise, look out for some trusty and pleasant companion to accompany him
+before he sets out. Why, then, should not he do the same who has to make
+the whole journey of life down to the final halting-place of death, more
+especially when the companion has to be his companion in bed, at board,
+and everywhere, as the wife is to her husband? The companionship of one's
+wife is no article of merchandise, that, after it has been bought, may be
+returned, or bartered, or changed; for it is an inseparable accident that
+lasts as long as life lasts; it is a noose that, once you put it round
+your neck, turns into a Gordian knot, which, if the scythe of Death does
+not cut it, there is no untying. I could say a great deal more on this
+subject, were I not prevented by the anxiety I feel to know if the senor
+licentiate has anything more to tell about the story of Basilio."
+
+To this the student, bachelor, or, as Don Quixote called him, licentiate,
+replied, "I have nothing whatever to say further, but that from the
+moment Basilio learned that the fair Quiteria was to be married to
+Camacho the rich, he has never been seen to smile, or heard to utter
+rational word, and he always goes about moody and dejected, talking to
+himself in a way that shows plainly he is out of his senses. He eats
+little and sleeps little, and all he eats is fruit, and when he sleeps,
+if he sleeps at all, it is in the field on the hard earth like a brute
+beast. Sometimes he gazes at the sky, at other times he fixes his eyes on
+the earth in such an abstracted way that he might be taken for a clothed
+statue, with its drapery stirred by the wind. In short, he shows such
+signs of a heart crushed by suffering, that all we who know him believe
+that when to-morrow the fair Quiteria says 'yes,' it will be his sentence
+of death."
+
+"God will guide it better," said Sancho, "for God who gives the wound
+gives the salve; nobody knows what will happen; there are a good many
+hours between this and to-morrow, and any one of them, or any moment, the
+house may fall; I have seen the rain coming down and the sun shining all
+at one time; many a one goes to bed in good health who can't stir the
+next day. And tell me, is there anyone who can boast of having driven a
+nail into the wheel of fortune? No, faith; and between a woman's 'yes'
+and 'no' I wouldn't venture to put the point of a pin, for there would
+not be room for it; if you tell me Quiteria loves Basilio heart and soul,
+then I'll give him a bag of good luck; for love, I have heard say, looks
+through spectacles that make copper seem gold, poverty wealth, and blear
+eyes pearls."
+
+"What art thou driving at, Sancho? curses on thee!" said Don Quixote;
+"for when thou takest to stringing proverbs and sayings together, no one
+can understand thee but Judas himself, and I wish he had thee. Tell me,
+thou animal, what dost thou know about nails or wheels, or anything
+else?"
+
+"Oh, if you don't understand me," replied Sancho, "it is no wonder my
+words are taken for nonsense; but no matter; I understand myself, and I
+know I have not said anything very foolish in what I have said; only your
+worship, senor, is always gravelling at everything I say, nay, everything
+I do."
+
+"Cavilling, not gravelling," said Don Quixote, "thou prevaricator of
+honest language, God confound thee!"
+
+"Don't find fault with me, your worship," returned Sancho, "for you know
+I have not been bred up at court or trained at Salamanca, to know whether
+I am adding or dropping a letter or so in my words. Why! God bless me,
+it's not fair to force a Sayago-man to speak like a Toledan; maybe there
+are Toledans who do not hit it off when it comes to polished talk."
+
+"That is true," said the licentiate, "for those who have been bred up in
+the Tanneries and the Zocodover cannot talk like those who are almost all
+day pacing the cathedral cloisters, and yet they are all Toledans. Pure,
+correct, elegant and lucid language will be met with in men of courtly
+breeding and discrimination, though they may have been born in
+Majalahonda; I say of discrimination, because there are many who are not
+so, and discrimination is the grammar of good language, if it be
+accompanied by practice. I, sirs, for my sins have studied canon law at
+Salamanca, and I rather pique myself on expressing my meaning in clear,
+plain, and intelligible language."
+
+"If you did not pique yourself more on your dexterity with those foils
+you carry than on dexterity of tongue," said the other student, "you
+would have been head of the degrees, where you are now tail."
+
+"Look here, bachelor Corchuelo," returned the licentiate, "you have the
+most mistaken idea in the world about skill with the sword, if you think
+it useless."
+
+"It is no idea on my part, but an established truth," replied Corchuelo;
+"and if you wish me to prove it to you by experiment, you have swords
+there, and it is a good opportunity; I have a steady hand and a strong
+arm, and these joined with my resolution, which is not small, will make
+you confess that I am not mistaken. Dismount and put in practice your
+positions and circles and angles and science, for I hope to make you see
+stars at noonday with my rude raw swordsmanship, in which, next to God, I
+place my trust that the man is yet to be born who will make me turn my
+back, and that there is not one in the world I will not compel to give
+ground."
+
+"As to whether you turn your back or not, I do not concern myself,"
+replied the master of fence; "though it might be that your grave would be
+dug on the spot where you planted your foot the first time; I mean that
+you would be stretched dead there for despising skill with the sword."
+
+"We shall soon see," replied Corchuelo, and getting off his ass briskly,
+he drew out furiously one of the swords the licentiate carried on his
+beast.
+
+"It must not be that way," said Don Quixote at this point; "I will be the
+director of this fencing match, and judge of this often disputed
+question;" and dismounting from Rocinante and grasping his lance, he
+planted himself in the middle of the road, just as the licentiate, with
+an easy, graceful bearing and step, advanced towards Corchuelo, who came
+on against him, darting fire from his eyes, as the saying is. The other
+two of the company, the peasants, without dismounting from their asses,
+served as spectators of the mortal tragedy. The cuts, thrusts, down
+strokes, back strokes and doubles, that Corchuelo delivered were past
+counting, and came thicker than hops or hail. He attacked like an angry
+lion, but he was met by a tap on the mouth from the button of the
+licentiate's sword that checked him in the midst of his furious onset,
+and made him kiss it as if it were a relic, though not as devoutly as
+relics are and ought to be kissed. The end of it was that the licentiate
+reckoned up for him by thrusts every one of the buttons of the short
+cassock he wore, tore the skirts into strips, like the tails of a
+cuttlefish, knocked off his hat twice, and so completely tired him out,
+that in vexation, anger, and rage, he took the sword by the hilt and
+flung it away with such force, that one of the peasants that were there,
+who was a notary, and who went for it, made an affidavit afterwards that
+he sent it nearly three-quarters of a league, which testimony will serve,
+and has served, to show and establish with all certainty that strength is
+overcome by skill.
+
+Corchuelo sat down wearied, and Sancho approaching him said, "By my
+faith, senor bachelor, if your worship takes my advice, you will never
+challenge anyone to fence again, only to wrestle and throw the bar, for
+you have the youth and strength for that; but as for these fencers as
+they call them, I have heard say they can put the point of a sword
+through the eye of a needle."
+
+"I am satisfied with having tumbled off my donkey," said Corchuelo, "and
+with having had the truth I was so ignorant of proved to me by
+experience;" and getting up he embraced the licentiate, and they were
+better friends than ever; and not caring to wait for the notary who had
+gone for the sword, as they saw he would be a long time about it, they
+resolved to push on so as to reach the village of Quiteria, to which they
+all belonged, in good time.
+
+During the remainder of the journey the licentiate held forth to them on
+the excellences of the sword, with such conclusive arguments, and such
+figures and mathematical proofs, that all were convinced of the value of
+the science, and Corchuelo cured of his dogmatism.
+
+It grew dark; but before they reached the town it seemed to them all as
+if there was a heaven full of countless glittering stars in front of it.
+They heard, too, the pleasant mingled notes of a variety of instruments,
+flutes, drums, psalteries, pipes, tabors, and timbrels, and as they drew
+near they perceived that the trees of a leafy arcade that had been
+constructed at the entrance of the town were filled with lights
+unaffected by the wind, for the breeze at the time was so gentle that it
+had not power to stir the leaves on the trees. The musicians were the
+life of the wedding, wandering through the pleasant grounds in separate
+bands, some dancing, others singing, others playing the various
+instruments already mentioned. In short, it seemed as though mirth and
+gaiety were frisking and gambolling all over the meadow. Several other
+persons were engaged in erecting raised benches from which people might
+conveniently see the plays and dances that were to be performed the next
+day on the spot dedicated to the celebration of the marriage of Camacho
+the rich and the obsequies of Basilio. Don Quixote would not enter the
+village, although the peasant as well as the bachelor pressed him; he
+excused himself, however, on the grounds, amply sufficient in his
+opinion, that it was the custom of knights-errant to sleep in the fields
+and woods in preference to towns, even were it under gilded ceilings; and
+so turned aside a little out of the road, very much against Sancho's
+will, as the good quarters he had enjoyed in the castle or house of Don
+Diego came back to his mind.
+
+Chapter XX. -
+Wherein an account is given of the wedding of Camacho the rich, together
+with the incident of Basilio the poor
+
+Scarce had the fair Aurora given bright Phoebus time to dry the liquid
+pearls upon her golden locks with the heat of his fervent rays, when Don
+Quixote, shaking off sloth from his limbs, sprang to his feet and called
+to his squire Sancho, who was still snoring; seeing which Don Quixote ere
+he roused him thus addressed him: "Happy thou, above all the dwellers on
+the face of the earth, that, without envying or being envied, sleepest
+with tranquil mind, and that neither enchanters persecute nor
+enchantments affright. Sleep, I say, and will say a hundred times,
+without any jealous thoughts of thy mistress to make thee keep ceaseless
+vigils, or any cares as to how thou art to pay the debts thou owest, or
+find to-morrow's food for thyself and thy needy little family, to
+interfere with thy repose. Ambition breaks not thy rest, nor doth this
+world's empty pomp disturb thee, for the utmost reach of thy anxiety is
+to provide for thy ass, since upon my shoulders thou hast laid the
+support of thyself, the counterpoise and burden that nature and custom
+have imposed upon masters. The servant sleeps and the master lies awake
+thinking how he is to feed him, advance him, and reward him. The distress
+of seeing the sky turn brazen, and withhold its needful moisture from the
+earth, is not felt by the servant but by the master, who in time of
+scarcity and famine must support him who has served him in times of
+plenty and abundance."
+
+To all this Sancho made no reply because he was asleep, nor would he have
+wakened up so soon as he did had not Don Quixote brought him to his
+senses with the butt of his lance. He awoke at last, drowsy and lazy, and
+casting his eyes about in every direction, observed, "There comes, if I
+don't mistake, from the quarter of that arcade a steam and a smell a
+great deal more like fried rashers than galingale or thyme; a wedding
+that begins with smells like that, by my faith, ought to be plentiful and
+unstinting."
+
+"Have done, thou glutton," said Don Quixote; "come, let us go and witness
+this bridal, and see what the rejected Basilio does."
+
+"Let him do what he likes," returned Sancho; "be he not poor, he would
+marry Quiteria. To make a grand match for himself, and he without a
+farthing; is there nothing else? Faith, senor, it's my opinion the poor
+man should be content with what he can get, and not go looking for
+dainties in the bottom of the sea. I will bet my arm that Camacho could
+bury Basilio in reals; and if that be so, as no doubt it is, what a fool
+Quiteria would be to refuse the fine dresses and jewels Camacho must have
+given her and will give her, and take Basilio's bar-throwing and
+sword-play. They won't give a pint of wine at the tavern for a good cast
+of the bar or a neat thrust of the sword. Talents and accomplishments
+that can't be turned into money, let Count Dirlos have them; but when
+such gifts fall to one that has hard cash, I wish my condition of life
+was as becoming as they are. On a good foundation you can raise a good
+building, and the best foundation in the world is money."
+
+"For God's sake, Sancho," said Don Quixote here, "stop that harangue; it
+is my belief, if thou wert allowed to continue all thou beginnest every
+instant, thou wouldst have no time left for eating or sleeping; for thou
+wouldst spend it all in talking."
+
+"If your worship had a good memory," replied Sancho, "you would remember
+the articles of our agreement before we started from home this last time;
+one of them was that I was to be let say all I liked, so long as it was
+not against my neighbour or your worship's authority; and so far, it
+seems to me, I have not broken the said article."
+
+"I remember no such article, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "and even if it
+were so, I desire you to hold your tongue and come along; for the
+instruments we heard last night are already beginning to enliven the
+valleys again, and no doubt the marriage will take place in the cool of
+the morning, and not in the heat of the afternoon."
+
+Sancho did as his master bade him, and putting the saddle on Rocinante
+and the pack-saddle on Dapple, they both mounted and at a leisurely pace
+entered the arcade. The first thing that presented itself to Sancho's
+eyes was a whole ox spitted on a whole elm tree, and in the fire at which
+it was to be roasted there was burning a middling-sized mountain of
+faggots, and six stewpots that stood round the blaze had not been made in
+the ordinary mould of common pots, for they were six half wine-jars, each
+fit to hold the contents of a slaughter-house; they swallowed up whole
+sheep and hid them away in their insides without showing any more sign of
+them than if they were pigeons. Countless were the hares ready skinned
+and the plucked fowls that hung on the trees for burial in the pots,
+numberless the wildfowl and game of various sorts suspended from the
+branches that the air might keep them cool. Sancho counted more than
+sixty wine skins of over six gallons each, and all filled, as it proved
+afterwards, with generous wines. There were, besides, piles of the
+whitest bread, like the heaps of corn one sees on the threshing-floors.
+There was a wall made of cheeses arranged like open brick-work, and two
+cauldrons full of oil, bigger than those of a dyer's shop, served for
+cooking fritters, which when fried were taken out with two mighty
+shovels, and plunged into another cauldron of prepared honey that stood
+close by. Of cooks and cook-maids there were over fifty, all clean,
+brisk, and blithe. In the capacious belly of the ox were a dozen soft
+little sucking-pigs, which, sewn up there, served to give it tenderness
+and flavour. The spices of different kinds did not seem to have been
+bought by the pound but by the quarter, and all lay open to view in a
+great chest. In short, all the preparations made for the wedding were in
+rustic style, but abundant enough to feed an army.
+
+Sancho observed all, contemplated all, and everything won his heart. The
+first to captivate and take his fancy were the pots, out of which he
+would have very gladly helped himself to a moderate pipkinful; then the
+wine skins secured his affections; and lastly, the produce of the
+frying-pans, if, indeed, such imposing cauldrons may be called
+frying-pans; and unable to control himself or bear it any longer, he
+approached one of the busy cooks and civilly but hungrily begged
+permission to soak a scrap of bread in one of the pots; to which the cook
+made answer, "Brother, this is not a day on which hunger is to have any
+sway, thanks to the rich Camacho; get down and look about for a ladle and
+skim off a hen or two, and much good may they do you."
+
+"I don't see one," said Sancho.
+
+"Wait a bit," said the cook; "sinner that I am! how particular and
+bashful you are!" and so saying, he seized a bucket and plunging it into
+one of the half jars took up three hens and a couple of geese, and said
+to Sancho, "Fall to, friend, and take the edge off your appetite with
+these skimmings until dinner-time comes."
+
+"I have nothing to put them in," said Sancho.
+
+"Well then," said the cook, "take spoon and all; for Camacho's wealth and
+happiness furnish everything."
+
+While Sancho fared thus, Don Quixote was watching the entrance, at one
+end of the arcade, of some twelve peasants, all in holiday and gala
+dress, mounted on twelve beautiful mares with rich handsome field
+trappings and a number of little bells attached to their petrals, who,
+marshalled in regular order, ran not one but several courses over the
+meadow, with jubilant shouts and cries of "Long live Camacho and
+Quiteria! he as rich as she is fair; and she the fairest on earth!"
+
+Hearing this, Don Quixote said to himself, "It is easy to see these folk
+have never seen my Dulcinea del Toboso; for if they had they would be
+more moderate in their praises of this Quiteria of theirs."
+
+Shortly after this, several bands of dancers of various sorts began to
+enter the arcade at different points, and among them one of sword-dancers
+composed of some four-and-twenty lads of gallant and high-spirited mien,
+clad in the finest and whitest of linen, and with handkerchiefs
+embroidered in various colours with fine silk; and one of those on the
+mares asked an active youth who led them if any of the dancers had been
+wounded. "As yet, thank God, no one has been wounded," said he, "we are
+all safe and sound;" and he at once began to execute complicated figures
+with the rest of his comrades, with so many turns and so great dexterity,
+that although Don Quixote was well used to see dances of the same kind,
+he thought he had never seen any so good as this. He also admired another
+that came in composed of fair young maidens, none of whom seemed to be
+under fourteen or over eighteen years of age, all clad in green stuff,
+with their locks partly braided, partly flowing loose, but all of such
+bright gold as to vie with the sunbeams, and over them they wore garlands
+of jessamine, roses, amaranth, and honeysuckle. At their head were a
+venerable old man and an ancient dame, more brisk and active, however,
+than might have been expected from their years. The notes of a Zamora
+bagpipe accompanied them, and with modesty in their countenances and in
+their eyes, and lightness in their feet, they looked the best dancers in
+the world.
+
+Following these there came an artistic dance of the sort they call
+"speaking dances." It was composed of eight nymphs in two files, with the
+god Cupid leading one and Interest the other, the former furnished with
+wings, bow, quiver and arrows, the latter in a rich dress of gold and
+silk of divers colours. The nymphs that followed Love bore their names
+written on white parchment in large letters on their backs. "Poetry" was
+the name of the first, "Wit" of the second, "Birth" of the third, and
+"Valour" of the fourth. Those that followed Interest were distinguished
+in the same way; the badge of the first announced "Liberality," that of
+the second "Largess," the third "Treasure," and the fourth "Peaceful
+Possession." In front of them all came a wooden castle drawn by four wild
+men, all clad in ivy and hemp stained green, and looking so natural that
+they nearly terrified Sancho. On the front of the castle and on each of
+the four sides of its frame it bore the inscription "Castle of Caution."
+Four skillful tabor and flute players accompanied them, and the dance
+having been opened, Cupid, after executing two figures, raised his eyes
+and bent his bow against a damsel who stood between the turrets of the
+castle, and thus addressed her:
+
+poem{
+
+I am the mighty God whose sway
+  Is potent over land and sea.
+The heavens above us own me; nay,
+  The shades below acknowledge me.
+I know not fear, I have my will,
+  Whate'er my whim or fancy be;
+For me there's no impossible,
+  I order, bind, forbid, set free.
+
+}poem
+
+Having concluded the stanza he discharged an arrow at the top of the
+castle, and went back to his place. Interest then came forward and went
+through two more figures, and as soon as the tabors ceased, he said:
+
+poem{
+
+But mightier than Love am I,
+  Though Love it be that leads me on,
+Than mine no lineage is more high,
+  Or older, underneath the sun.
+To use me rightly few know how,
+  To act without me fewer still,
+For I am Interest, and I vow
+  For evermore to do thy will.
+
+}poem
+
+Interest retired, and Poetry came forward, and when she had gone through
+her figures like the others, fixing her eyes on the damsel of the castle,
+she said:
+
+poem{
+
+With many a fanciful conceit,
+  Fair Lady, winsome Poesy
+Her soul, an offering at thy feet,
+  Presents in sonnets unto thee.
+If thou my homage wilt not scorn,
+  Thy fortune, watched by envious eyes,
+On wings of poesy upborne
+  Shall be exalted to the skies.
+
+}poem
+
+Poetry withdrew, and on the side of Interest Liberality advanced, and
+after having gone through her figures, said:
+
+poem{
+
+To give, while shunning each extreme,
+  The sparing hand, the over-free,
+Therein consists, so wise men deem,
+  The virtue Liberality.
+But thee, fair lady, to enrich,
+  Myself a prodigal I'll prove,
+A vice not wholly shameful, which
+  May find its fair excuse in love.
+
+}poem
+
+In the same manner all the characters of the two bands advanced and
+retired, and each executed its figures, and delivered its verses, some of
+them graceful, some burlesque, but Don Quixote's memory (though he had an
+excellent one) only carried away those that have been just quoted. All
+then mingled together, forming chains and breaking off again with
+graceful, unconstrained gaiety; and whenever Love passed in front of the
+castle he shot his arrows up at it, while Interest broke gilded pellets
+against it. At length, after they had danced a good while, Interest drew
+out a great purse, made of the skin of a large brindled cat and to all
+appearance full of money, and flung it at the castle, and with the force
+of the blow the boards fell asunder and tumbled down, leaving the damsel
+exposed and unprotected. Interest and the characters of his band
+advanced, and throwing a great chain of gold over her neck pretended to
+take her and lead her away captive, on seeing which, Love and his
+supporters made as though they would release her, the whole action being
+to the accompaniment of the tabors and in the form of a regular dance.
+The wild men made peace between them, and with great dexterity readjusted
+and fixed the boards of the castle, and the damsel once more ensconced
+herself within; and with this the dance wound up, to the great enjoyment
+of the beholders.
+
+Don Quixote asked one of the nymphs who it was that had composed and
+arranged it. She replied that it was a beneficiary of the town who had a
+nice taste in devising things of the sort. "I will lay a wager," said Don
+Quixote, "that the same bachelor or beneficiary is a greater friend of
+Camacho's than of Basilio's, and that he is better at satire than at
+vespers; he has introduced the accomplishments of Basilio and the riches
+of Camacho very neatly into the dance." Sancho Panza, who was listening
+to all this, exclaimed, "The king is my cock; I stick to Camacho." "It is
+easy to see thou art a clown, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and one of that
+sort that cry 'Long life to the conqueror.'"
+
+"I don't know of what sort I am," returned Sancho, "but I know very well
+I'll never get such elegant skimmings off Basilio's pots as these I have
+got off Camacho's;" and he showed him the bucketful of geese and hens,
+and seizing one began to eat with great gaiety and appetite, saying, "A
+fig for the accomplishments of Basilio! As much as thou hast so much art
+thou worth, and as much as thou art worth so much hast thou. As a
+grandmother of mine used to say, there are only two families in the
+world, the Haves and the Haven'ts; and she stuck to the Haves; and to
+this day, Senor Don Quixote, people would sooner feel the pulse of
+'Have,' than of 'Know;' an ass covered with gold looks better than a
+horse with a pack-saddle. So once more I say I stick to Camacho, the
+bountiful skimmings of whose pots are geese and hens, hares and rabbits;
+but of Basilio's, if any ever come to hand, or even to foot, they'll be
+only rinsings."
+
+"Hast thou finished thy harangue, Sancho?" said Don Quixote. "Of course I
+have finished it," replied Sancho, "because I see your worship takes
+offence at it; but if it was not for that, there was work enough cut out
+for three days."
+
+"God grant I may see thee dumb before I die, Sancho," said Don Quixote.
+
+"At the rate we are going," said Sancho, "I'll be chewing clay before
+your worship dies; and then, maybe, I'll be so dumb that I'll not say a
+word until the end of the world, or, at least, till the day of judgment."
+
+"Even should that happen, O Sancho," said Don Quixote, "thy silence will
+never come up to all thou hast talked, art talking, and wilt talk all thy
+life; moreover, it naturally stands to reason, that my death will come
+before thine; so I never expect to see thee dumb, not even when thou art
+drinking or sleeping, and that is the utmost I can say."
+
+"In good faith, senor," replied Sancho, "there's no trusting that
+fleshless one, I mean Death, who devours the lamb as soon as the sheep,
+and, as I have heard our curate say, treads with equal foot upon the
+lofty towers of kings and the lowly huts of the poor. That lady is more
+mighty than dainty, she is no way squeamish, she devours all and is ready
+for all, and fills her alforjas with people of all sorts, ages, and
+ranks. She is no reaper that sleeps out the noontide; at all times she is
+reaping and cutting down, as well the dry grass as the green; she never
+seems to chew, but bolts and swallows all that is put before her, for she
+has a canine appetite that is never satisfied; and though she has no
+belly, she shows she has a dropsy and is athirst to drink the lives of
+all that live, as one would drink a jug of cold water."
+
+"Say no more, Sancho," said Don Quixote at this; "don't try to better it,
+and risk a fall; for in truth what thou hast said about death in thy
+rustic phrase is what a good preacher might have said. I tell thee,
+Sancho, if thou hadst discretion equal to thy mother wit, thou mightst
+take a pulpit in hand, and go about the world preaching fine sermons."
+"He preaches well who lives well," said Sancho, "and I know no more
+theology than that."
+
+"Nor needst thou," said Don Quixote, "but I cannot conceive or make out
+how it is that, the fear of God being the beginning of wisdom, thou, who
+art more afraid of a lizard than of him, knowest so much."
+
+"Pass judgment on your chivalries, senor," returned Sancho, "and don't
+set yourself up to judge of other men's fears or braveries, for I am as
+good a fearer of God as my neighbours; but leave me to despatch these
+skimmings, for all the rest is only idle talk that we shall be called to
+account for in the other world;" and so saying, he began a fresh attack
+on the bucket, with such a hearty appetite that he aroused Don Quixote's,
+who no doubt would have helped him had he not been prevented by what must
+be told farther on.
+
+Chapter XXI. -
+In which Camacho's wedding is continued, with other delightful incidents
+
+While Don Quixote and Sancho were engaged in the discussion set forth the
+last chapter, they heard loud shouts and a great noise, which were
+uttered and made by the men on the mares as they went at full gallop,
+shouting, to receive the bride and bridegroom, who were approaching with
+musical instruments and pageantry of all sorts around them, and
+accompanied by the priest and the relatives of both, and all the most
+distinguished people of the surrounding villages. When Sancho saw the
+bride, he exclaimed, "By my faith, she is not dressed like a country
+girl, but like some fine court lady; egad, as well as I can make out, the
+patena she wears rich coral, and her green Cuenca stuff is thirty-pile
+velvet; and then the white linen trimming--by my oath, but it's satin!
+Look at her hands--jet rings on them! May I never have luck if they're
+not gold rings, and real gold, and set with pearls as white as a curdled
+milk, and every one of them worth an eye of one's head! Whoreson baggage,
+what hair she has! if it's not a wig, I never saw longer or fairer all
+the days of my life. See how bravely she bears herself--and her shape!
+Wouldn't you say she was like a walking palm tree loaded with clusters of
+dates? for the trinkets she has hanging from her hair and neck look just
+like them. I swear in my heart she is a brave lass, and fit 'to pass over
+the banks of Flanders.'"
+
+Don Quixote laughed at Sancho's boorish eulogies and thought that, saving
+his lady Dulcinea del Toboso, he had never seen a more beautiful woman.
+The fair Quiteria appeared somewhat pale, which was, no doubt, because of
+the bad night brides always pass dressing themselves out for their
+wedding on the morrow. They advanced towards a theatre that stood on one
+side of the meadow decked with carpets and boughs, where they were to
+plight their troth, and from which they were to behold the dances and
+plays; but at the moment of their arrival at the spot they heard a loud
+outcry behind them, and a voice exclaiming, "Wait a little, ye, as
+inconsiderate as ye are hasty!" At these words all turned round, and
+perceived that the speaker was a man clad in what seemed to be a loose
+black coat garnished with crimson patches like flames. He was crowned (as
+was presently seen) with a crown of gloomy cypress, and in his hand he
+held a long staff. As he approached he was recognised by everyone as the
+gay Basilio, and all waited anxiously to see what would come of his
+words, in dread of some catastrophe in consequence of his appearance at
+such a moment. He came up at last weary and breathless, and planting
+himself in front of the bridal pair, drove his staff, which had a steel
+spike at the end, into the ground, and, with a pale face and eyes fixed
+on Quiteria, he thus addressed her in a hoarse, trembling voice:
+
+"Well dost thou know, ungrateful Quiteria, that according to the holy law
+we acknowledge, so long as live thou canst take no husband; nor art thou
+ignorant either that, in my hopes that time and my own exertions would
+improve my fortunes, I have never failed to observe the respect due to
+thy honour; but thou, casting behind thee all thou owest to my true love,
+wouldst surrender what is mine to another whose wealth serves to bring
+him not only good fortune but supreme happiness; and now to complete it
+(not that I think he deserves it, but inasmuch as heaven is pleased to
+bestow it upon him), I will, with my own hands, do away with the obstacle
+that may interfere with it, and remove myself from between you. Long live
+the rich Camacho! many a happy year may he live with the ungrateful
+Quiteria! and let the poor Basilio die, Basilio whose poverty clipped the
+wings of his happiness, and brought him to the grave!"
+
+And so saying, he seized the staff he had driven into the ground, and
+leaving one half of it fixed there, showed it to be a sheath that
+concealed a tolerably long rapier; and, what may be called its hilt being
+planted in the ground, he swiftly, coolly, and deliberately threw himself
+upon it, and in an instant the bloody point and half the steel blade
+appeared at his back, the unhappy man falling to the earth bathed in his
+blood, and transfixed by his own weapon.
+
+His friends at once ran to his aid, filled with grief at his misery and
+sad fate, and Don Quixote, dismounting from Rocinante, hastened to
+support him, and took him in his arms, and found he had not yet ceased to
+breathe. They were about to draw out the rapier, but the priest who was
+standing by objected to its being withdrawn before he had confessed him,
+as the instant of its withdrawal would be that of this death. Basilio,
+however, reviving slightly, said in a weak voice, as though in pain, "If
+thou wouldst consent, cruel Quiteria, to give me thy hand as my bride in
+this last fatal moment, I might still hope that my rashness would find
+pardon, as by its means I attained the bliss of being thine."
+
+Hearing this the priest bade him think of the welfare of his soul rather
+than of the cravings of the body, and in all earnestness implore God's
+pardon for his sins and for his rash resolve; to which Basilio replied
+that he was determined not to confess unless Quiteria first gave him her
+hand in marriage, for that happiness would compose his mind and give him
+courage to make his confession.
+
+Don Quixote hearing the wounded man's entreaty, exclaimed aloud that what
+Basilio asked was just and reasonable, and moreover a request that might
+be easily complied with; and that it would be as much to Senor Camacho's
+honour to receive the lady Quiteria as the widow of the brave Basilio as
+if he received her direct from her father.
+
+"In this case," said he, "it will be only to say 'yes,' and no
+consequences can follow the utterance of the word, for the nuptial couch
+of this marriage must be the grave."
+
+Camacho was listening to all this, perplexed and bewildered and not
+knowing what to say or do; but so urgent were the entreaties of Basilio's
+friends, imploring him to allow Quiteria to give him her hand, so that
+his soul, quitting this life in despair, should not be lost, that they
+moved, nay, forced him, to say that if Quiteria were willing to give it
+he was satisfied, as it was only putting off the fulfillment of his
+wishes for a moment. At once all assailed Quiteria and pressed her, some
+with prayers, and others with tears, and others with persuasive
+arguments, to give her hand to poor Basilio; but she, harder than marble
+and more unmoved than any statue, seemed unable or unwilling to utter a
+word, nor would she have given any reply had not the priest bade her
+decide quickly what she meant to do, as Basilio now had his soul at his
+teeth, and there was no time for hesitation.
+
+On this the fair Quiteria, to all appearance distressed, grieved, and
+repentant, advanced without a word to where Basilio lay, his eyes already
+turned in his head, his breathing short and painful, murmuring the name
+of Quiteria between his teeth, and apparently about to die like a heathen
+and not like a Christian. Quiteria approached him, and kneeling, demanded
+his hand by signs without speaking. Basilio opened his eyes and gazing
+fixedly at her, said, "O Quiteria, why hast thou turned compassionate at
+a moment when thy compassion will serve as a dagger to rob me of life,
+for I have not now the strength left either to bear the happiness thou
+givest me in accepting me as thine, or to suppress the pain that is
+rapidly drawing the dread shadow of death over my eyes? What I entreat of
+thee, O thou fatal star to me, is that the hand thou demandest of me and
+wouldst give me, be not given out of complaisance or to deceive me
+afresh, but that thou confess and declare that without any constraint
+upon thy will thou givest it to me as to thy lawful husband; for it is
+not meet that thou shouldst trifle with me at such a moment as this, or
+have recourse to falsehoods with one who has dealt so truly by thee."
+
+While uttering these words he showed such weakness that the bystanders
+expected each return of faintness would take his life with it. Then
+Quiteria, overcome with modesty and shame, holding in her right hand the
+hand of Basilio, said, "No force would bend my will; as freely,
+therefore, as it is possible for me to do so, I give thee the hand of a
+lawful wife, and take thine if thou givest it to me of thine own free
+will, untroubled and unaffected by the calamity thy hasty act has brought
+upon thee."
+
+"Yes, I give it," said Basilio, "not agitated or distracted, but with
+unclouded reason that heaven is pleased to grant me, thus do I give
+myself to be thy husband."
+
+"And I give myself to be thy wife," said Quiteria, "whether thou livest
+many years, or they carry thee from my arms to the grave."
+
+"For one so badly wounded," observed Sancho at this point, "this young
+man has a great deal to say; they should make him leave off billing and
+cooing, and attend to his soul; for to my thinking he has it more on his
+tongue than at his teeth."
+
+Basilio and Quiteria having thus joined hands, the priest, deeply moved
+and with tears in his eyes, pronounced the blessing upon them, and
+implored heaven to grant an easy passage to the soul of the newly wedded
+man, who, the instant he received the blessing, started nimbly to his
+feet and with unparalleled effrontery pulled out the rapier that had been
+sheathed in his body. All the bystanders were astounded, and some, more
+simple than inquiring, began shouting, "A miracle, a miracle!" But
+Basilio replied, "No miracle, no miracle; only a trick, a trick!" The
+priest, perplexed and amazed, made haste to examine the wound with both
+hands, and found that the blade had passed, not through Basilio's flesh
+and ribs, but through a hollow iron tube full of blood, which he had
+adroitly fixed at the place, the blood, as was afterwards ascertained,
+having been so prepared as not to congeal. In short, the priest and
+Camacho and most of those present saw they were tricked and made fools
+of. The bride showed no signs of displeasure at the deception; on the
+contrary, hearing them say that the marriage, being fraudulent, would not
+be valid, she said that she confirmed it afresh, whence they all
+concluded that the affair had been planned by agreement and understanding
+between the pair, whereat Camacho and his supporters were so mortified
+that they proceeded to revenge themselves by violence, and a great number
+of them drawing their swords attacked Basilio, in whose protection as
+many more swords were in an instant unsheathed, while Don Quixote taking
+the lead on horseback, with his lance over his arm and well covered with
+his shield, made all give way before him. Sancho, who never found any
+pleasure or enjoyment in such doings, retreated to the wine-jars from
+which he had taken his delectable skimmings, considering that, as a holy
+place, that spot would be respected.
+
+"Hold, sirs, hold!" cried Don Quixote in a loud voice; "we have no right
+to take vengeance for wrongs that love may do to us: remember love and
+war are the same thing, and as in war it is allowable and common to make
+use of wiles and stratagems to overcome the enemy, so in the contests and
+rivalries of love the tricks and devices employed to attain the desired
+end are justifiable, provided they be not to the discredit or dishonour
+of the loved object. Quiteria belonged to Basilio and Basilio to Quiteria
+by the just and beneficent disposal of heaven. Camacho is rich, and can
+purchase his pleasure when, where, and as it pleases him. Basilio has but
+this ewe-lamb, and no one, however powerful he may be, shall take her
+from him; these two whom God hath joined man cannot separate; and he who
+attempts it must first pass the point of this lance;" and so saying he
+brandished it so stoutly and dexterously that he overawed all who did not
+know him.
+
+But so deep an impression had the rejection of Quiteria made on Camacho's
+mind that it banished her at once from his thoughts; and so the counsels
+of the priest, who was a wise and kindly disposed man, prevailed with
+him, and by their means he and his partisans were pacified and
+tranquillised, and to prove it put up their swords again, inveighing
+against the pliancy of Quiteria rather than the craftiness of Basilio;
+Camacho maintaining that, if Quiteria as a maiden had such a love for
+Basilio, she would have loved him too as a married woman, and that he
+ought to thank heaven more for having taken her than for having given
+her.
+
+Camacho and those of his following, therefore, being consoled and
+pacified, those on Basilio's side were appeased; and the rich Camacho, to
+show that he felt no resentment for the trick, and did not care about it,
+desired the festival to go on just as if he were married in reality.
+Neither Basilio, however, nor his bride, nor their followers would take
+any part in it, and they withdrew to Basilio's village; for the poor, if
+they are persons of virtue and good sense, have those who follow, honour,
+and uphold them, just as the rich have those who flatter and dance
+attendance on them. With them they carried Don Quixote, regarding him as
+a man of worth and a stout one. Sancho alone had a cloud on his soul, for
+he found himself debarred from waiting for Camacho's splendid feast and
+festival, which lasted until night; and thus dragged away, he moodily
+followed his master, who accompanied Basilio's party, and left behind him
+the flesh-pots of Egypt; though in his heart he took them with him, and
+their now nearly finished skimmings that he carried in the bucket
+conjured up visions before his eyes of the glory and abundance of the
+good cheer he was losing. And so, vexed and dejected though not hungry,
+without dismounting from Dapple he followed in the footsteps of
+Rocinante.
+
+Chapter XXII. -
+Wherin is related the grand adventure of the cave of montesinos in the
+heart of La Mancha, which the valiant Don Quixote brought to a happy
+termination
+
+Many and great were the attentions shown to Don Quixote by the newly
+married couple, who felt themselves under an obligation to him for coming
+forward in defence of their cause; and they exalted his wisdom to the
+same level with his courage, rating him as a Cid in arms, and a Cicero in
+eloquence. Worthy Sancho enjoyed himself for three days at the expense of
+the pair, from whom they learned that the sham wound was not a scheme
+arranged with the fair Quiteria, but a device of Basilio's, who counted
+on exactly the result they had seen; he confessed, it is true, that he
+had confided his idea to some of his friends, so that at the proper time
+they might aid him in his purpose and insure the success of the
+deception.
+
+"That," said Don Quixote, "is not and ought not to be called deception
+which aims at virtuous ends;" and the marriage of lovers he maintained to
+be a most excellent end, reminding them, however, that love has no
+greater enemy than hunger and constant want; for love is all gaiety,
+enjoyment, and happiness, especially when the lover is in the possession
+of the object of his love, and poverty and want are the declared enemies
+of all these; which he said to urge Senor Basilio to abandon the practice
+of those accomplishments he was skilled in, for though they brought him
+fame, they brought him no money, and apply himself to the acquisition of
+wealth by legitimate industry, which will never fail those who are
+prudent and persevering. The poor man who is a man of honour (if indeed a
+poor man can be a man of honour) has a jewel when he has a fair wife, and
+if she is taken from him, his honour is taken from him and slain. The
+fair woman who is a woman of honour, and whose husband is poor, deserves
+to be crowned with the laurels and crowns of victory and triumph. Beauty
+by itself attracts the desires of all who behold it, and the royal eagles
+and birds of towering flight stoop on it as on a dainty lure; but if
+beauty be accompanied by want and penury, then the ravens and the kites
+and other birds of prey assail it, and she who stands firm against such
+attacks well deserves to be called the crown of her husband. "Remember, O
+prudent Basilio," added Don Quixote, "it was the opinion of a certain
+sage, I know not whom, that there was not more than one good woman in the
+whole world; and his advice was that each one should think and believe
+that this one good woman was his own wife, and in this way he would live
+happy. I myself am not married, nor, so far, has it ever entered my
+thoughts to be so; nevertheless I would venture to give advice to anyone
+who might ask it, as to the mode in which he should seek a wife such as
+he would be content to marry. The first thing I would recommend him,
+would be to look to good name rather than to wealth, for a good woman
+does not win a good name merely by being good, but by letting it be seen
+that she is so, and open looseness and freedom do much more damage to a
+woman's honour than secret depravity. If you take a good woman into your
+house it will be an easy matter to keep her good, and even to make her
+still better; but if you take a bad one you will find it hard work to
+mend her, for it is no very easy matter to pass from one extreme to
+another. I do not say it is impossible, but I look upon it as difficult."
+
+Sancho, listening to all this, said to himself, "This master of mine,
+when I say anything that has weight and substance, says I might take a
+pulpit in hand, and go about the world preaching fine sermons; but I say
+of him that, when he begins stringing maxims together and giving advice
+not only might he take a pulpit in hand, but two on each finger, and go
+into the market-places to his heart's content. Devil take you for a
+knight-errant, what a lot of things you know! I used to think in my heart
+that the only thing he knew was what belonged to his chivalry; but there
+is nothing he won't have a finger in."
+
+Sancho muttered this somewhat aloud, and his master overheard him, and
+asked, "What art thou muttering there, Sancho?"
+
+"I'm not saying anything or muttering anything," said Sancho; "I was only
+saying to myself that I wish I had heard what your worship has said just
+now before I married; perhaps I'd say now, 'The ox that's loose licks
+himself well.'"
+
+"Is thy Teresa so bad then, Sancho?"
+
+"She is not very bad," replied Sancho; "but she is not very good; at
+least she is not as good as I could wish."
+
+"Thou dost wrong, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "to speak ill of thy wife;
+for after all she is the mother of thy children." "We are quits,"
+returned Sancho; "for she speaks ill of me whenever she takes it into her
+head, especially when she is jealous; and Satan himself could not put up
+with her then."
+
+In fine, they remained three days with the newly married couple, by whom
+they were entertained and treated like kings. Don Quixote begged the
+fencing licentiate to find him a guide to show him the way to the cave of
+Montesinos, as he had a great desire to enter it and see with his own
+eyes if the wonderful tales that were told of it all over the country
+were true. The licentiate said he would get him a cousin of his own, a
+famous scholar, and one very much given to reading books of chivalry, who
+would have great pleasure in conducting him to the mouth of the very
+cave, and would show him the lakes of Ruidera, which were likewise famous
+all over La Mancha, and even all over Spain; and he assured him he would
+find him entertaining, for he was a youth who could write books good
+enough to be printed and dedicated to princes. The cousin arrived at
+last, leading an ass in foal, with a pack-saddle covered with a
+parti-coloured carpet or sackcloth; Sancho saddled Rocinante, got Dapple
+ready, and stocked his alforjas, along with which went those of the
+cousin, likewise well filled; and so, commending themselves to God and
+bidding farewell to all, they set out, taking the road for the famous
+cave of Montesinos.
+
+On the way Don Quixote asked the cousin of what sort and character his
+pursuits, avocations, and studies were, to which he replied that he was
+by profession a humanist, and that his pursuits and studies were making
+books for the press, all of great utility and no less entertainment to
+the nation. One was called "The Book of Liveries," in which he described
+seven hundred and three liveries, with their colours, mottoes, and
+ciphers, from which gentlemen of the court might pick and choose any they
+fancied for festivals and revels, without having to go a-begging for them
+from anyone, or puzzling their brains, as the saying is, to have them
+appropriate to their objects and purposes; "for," said he, "I give the
+jealous, the rejected, the forgotten, the absent, what will suit them,
+and fit them without fail. I have another book, too, which I shall call
+'Metamorphoses, or the Spanish Ovid,' one of rare and original invention,
+for imitating Ovid in burlesque style, I show in it who the Giralda of
+Seville and the Angel of the Magdalena were, what the sewer of
+Vecinguerra at Cordova was, what the bulls of Guisando, the Sierra
+Morena, the Leganitos and Lavapies fountains at Madrid, not forgetting
+those of the Piojo, of the Cano Dorado, and of the Priora; and all with
+their allegories, metaphors, and changes, so that they are amusing,
+interesting, and instructive, all at once. Another book I have which I
+call 'The Supplement to Polydore Vergil,' which treats of the invention
+of things, and is a work of great erudition and research, for I establish
+and elucidate elegantly some things of great importance which Polydore
+omitted to mention. He forgot to tell us who was the first man in the
+world that had a cold in his head, and who was the first to try
+salivation for the French disease, but I give it accurately set forth,
+and quote more than five-and-twenty authors in proof of it, so you may
+perceive I have laboured to good purpose and that the book will be of
+service to the whole world."
+
+Sancho, who had been very attentive to the cousin's words, said to him,
+"Tell me, senor--and God give you luck in printing your books-can you
+tell me (for of course you know, as you know everything) who was the
+first man that scratched his head? For to my thinking it must have been
+our father Adam."
+
+"So it must," replied the cousin; "for there is no doubt but Adam had a
+head and hair; and being the first man in the world he would have
+scratched himself sometimes."
+
+"So I think," said Sancho; "but now tell me, who was the first tumbler in
+the world?"
+
+"Really, brother," answered the cousin, "I could not at this moment say
+positively without having investigated it; I will look it up when I go
+back to where I have my books, and will satisfy you the next time we
+meet, for this will not be the last time."
+
+"Look here, senor," said Sancho, "don't give yourself any trouble about
+it, for I have just this minute hit upon what I asked you. The first
+tumbler in the world, you must know, was Lucifer, when they cast or
+pitched him out of heaven; for he came tumbling into the bottomless pit."
+
+"You are right, friend," said the cousin; and said Don Quixote, "Sancho,
+that question and answer are not thine own; thou hast heard them from
+some one else."
+
+"Hold your peace, senor," said Sancho; "faith, if I take to asking
+questions and answering, I'll go on from this till to-morrow morning.
+Nay! to ask foolish things and answer nonsense I needn't go looking for
+help from my neighbours."
+
+"Thou hast said more than thou art aware of, Sancho," said Don Quixote;
+"for there are some who weary themselves out in learning and proving
+things that, after they are known and proved, are not worth a farthing to
+the understanding or memory."
+
+In this and other pleasant conversation the day went by, and that night
+they put up at a small hamlet whence it was not more than two leagues to
+the cave of Montesinos, so the cousin told Don Quixote, adding, that if
+he was bent upon entering it, it would be requisite for him to provide
+himself with ropes, so that he might be tied and lowered into its depths.
+Don Quixote said that even if it reached to the bottomless pit he meant
+to see where it went to; so they bought about a hundred fathoms of rope,
+and next day at two in the afternoon they arrived at the cave, the mouth
+of which is spacious and wide, but full of thorn and wild-fig bushes and
+brambles and briars, so thick and matted that they completely close it up
+and cover it over.
+
+On coming within sight of it the cousin, Sancho, and Don Quixote
+dismounted, and the first two immediately tied the latter very firmly
+with the ropes, and as they were girding and swathing him Sancho said to
+him, "Mind what you are about, master mine; don't go burying yourself
+alive, or putting yourself where you'll be like a bottle put to cool in a
+well; it's no affair or business of your worship's to become the explorer
+of this, which must be worse than a Moorish dungeon."
+
+"Tie me and hold thy peace," said Don Quixote, "for an emprise like this,
+friend Sancho, was reserved for me;" and said the guide, "I beg of you,
+Senor Don Quixote, to observe carefully and examine with a hundred eyes
+everything that is within there; perhaps there may be some things for me
+to put into my book of 'Transformations.'"
+
+"The drum is in hands that will know how to beat it well enough," said
+Sancho Panza.
+
+When he had said this and finished the tying (which was not over the
+armour but only over the doublet) Don Quixote observed, "It was careless
+of us not to have provided ourselves with a small cattle-bell to be tied
+on the rope close to me, the sound of which would show that I was still
+descending and alive; but as that is out of the question now, in God's
+hand be it to guide me;" and forthwith he fell on his knees and in a low
+voice offered up a prayer to heaven, imploring God to aid him and grant
+him success in this to all appearance perilous and untried adventure, and
+then exclaimed aloud, "O mistress of my actions and movements,
+illustrious and peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, if so be the prayers and
+supplications of this fortunate lover can reach thy ears, by thy
+incomparable beauty I entreat thee to listen to them, for they but ask
+thee not to refuse me thy favour and protection now that I stand in such
+need of them. I am about to precipitate, to sink, to plunge myself into
+the abyss that is here before me, only to let the world know that while
+thou dost favour me there is no impossibility I will not attempt and
+accomplish." With these words he approached the cavern, and perceived
+that it was impossible to let himself down or effect an entrance except
+by sheer force or cleaving a passage; so drawing his sword he began to
+demolish and cut away the brambles at the mouth of the cave, at the noise
+of which a vast multitude of crows and choughs flew out of it so thick
+and so fast that they knocked Don Quixote down; and if he had been as
+much of a believer in augury as he was a Catholic Christian he would have
+taken it as a bad omen and declined to bury himself in such a place. He
+got up, however, and as there came no more crows, or night-birds like the
+bats that flew out at the same time with the crows, the cousin and Sancho
+giving him rope, he lowered himself into the depths of the dread cavern;
+and as he entered it Sancho sent his blessing after him, making a
+thousand crosses over him and saying, "God, and the Pena de Francia, and
+the Trinity of Gaeta guide thee, flower and cream of knights-errant.
+There thou goest, thou dare-devil of the earth, heart of steel, arm of
+brass; once more, God guide thee and send thee back safe, sound, and
+unhurt to the light of this world thou art leaving to bury thyself in the
+darkness thou art seeking there;" and the cousin offered up almost the
+same prayers and supplications.
+
+Don Quixote kept calling to them to give him rope and more rope, and they
+gave it out little by little, and by the time the calls, which came out
+of the cave as out of a pipe, ceased to be heard they had let down the
+hundred fathoms of rope. They were inclined to pull Don Quixote up again,
+as they could give him no more rope; however, they waited about half an
+hour, at the end of which time they began to gather in the rope again
+with great ease and without feeling any weight, which made them fancy Don
+Quixote was remaining below; and persuaded that it was so, Sancho wept
+bitterly, and hauled away in great haste in order to settle the question.
+When, however, they had come to, as it seemed, rather more than eighty
+fathoms they felt a weight, at which they were greatly delighted; and at
+last, at ten fathoms more, they saw Don Quixote distinctly, and Sancho
+called out to him, saying, "Welcome back, senor, for we had begun to
+think you were going to stop there to found a family." But Don Quixote
+answered not a word, and drawing him out entirely they perceived he had
+his eyes shut and every appearance of being fast asleep.
+
+They stretched him on the ground and untied him, but still he did not
+awake; however, they rolled him back and forwards and shook and pulled
+him about, so that after some time he came to himself, stretching himself
+just as if he were waking up from a deep and sound sleep, and looking
+about him he said, "God forgive you, friends; ye have taken me away from
+the sweetest and most delightful existence and spectacle that ever human
+being enjoyed or beheld. Now indeed do I know that all the pleasures of
+this life pass away like a shadow and a dream, or fade like the flower of
+the field. O ill-fated Montesinos! O sore-wounded Durandarte! O unhappy
+Belerma! O tearful Guadiana, and ye O hapless daughters of Ruidera who
+show in your waves the tears that flowed from your beauteous eyes!"
+
+The cousin and Sancho Panza listened with deep attention to the words of
+Don Quixote, who uttered them as though with immense pain he drew them up
+from his very bowels. They begged of him to explain himself, and tell
+them what he had seen in that hell down there.
+
+"Hell do you call it?" said Don Quixote; "call it by no such name, for it
+does not deserve it, as ye shall soon see."
+
+He then begged them to give him something to eat, as he was very hungry.
+They spread the cousin's sackcloth on the grass, and put the stores of
+the alforjas into requisition, and all three sitting down lovingly and
+sociably, they made a luncheon and a supper of it all in one; and when
+the sackcloth was removed, Don Quixote of La Mancha said, "Let no one
+rise, and attend to me, my sons, both of you."
+
+Chapter XXIII. -
+Of the wonderful things the incomparable Don Quixote said he saw in the
+profound cave of Montesinos, the impossibility and magnitude of which
+cause this adventure to be deemed apocryphal
+
+It was about four in the afternoon when the sun, veiled in clouds, with
+subdued light and tempered beams, enabled Don Quixote to relate, without
+heat or inconvenience, what he had seen in the cave of Montesinos to his
+two illustrious hearers, and he began as follows:
+
+"A matter of some twelve or fourteen times a man's height down in this
+pit, on the right-hand side, there is a recess or space, roomy enough to
+contain a large cart with its mules. A little light reaches it through
+some chinks or crevices, communicating with it and open to the surface of
+the earth. This recess or space I perceived when I was already growing
+weary and disgusted at finding myself hanging suspended by the rope,
+travelling downwards into that dark region without any certainty or
+knowledge of where I was going, so I resolved to enter it and rest myself
+for a while. I called out, telling you not to let out more rope until I
+bade you, but you cannot have heard me. I then gathered in the rope you
+were sending me, and making a coil or pile of it I seated myself upon it,
+ruminating and considering what I was to do to lower myself to the
+bottom, having no one to hold me up; and as I was thus deep in thought
+and perplexity, suddenly and without provocation a profound sleep fell
+upon me, and when I least expected it, I know not how, I awoke and found
+myself in the midst of the most beautiful, delightful meadow that nature
+could produce or the most lively human imagination conceive. I opened my
+eyes, I rubbed them, and found I was not asleep but thoroughly awake.
+Nevertheless, I felt my head and breast to satisfy myself whether it was
+I myself who was there or some empty delusive phantom; but touch,
+feeling, the collected thoughts that passed through my mind, all
+convinced me that I was the same then and there that I am this moment.
+Next there presented itself to my sight a stately royal palace or castle,
+with walls that seemed built of clear transparent crystal; and through
+two great doors that opened wide therein, I saw coming forth and
+advancing towards me a venerable old man, clad in a long gown of
+mulberry-coloured serge that trailed upon the ground. On his shoulders
+and breast he had a green satin collegiate hood, and covering his head a
+black Milanese bonnet, and his snow-white beard fell below his girdle. He
+carried no arms whatever, nothing but a rosary of beads bigger than
+fair-sized filberts, each tenth bead being like a moderate ostrich egg;
+his bearing, his gait, his dignity and imposing presence held me
+spellbound and wondering. He approached me, and the first thing he did
+was to embrace me closely, and then he said to me, 'For a long time now,
+O valiant knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, we who are here enchanted in
+these solitudes have been hoping to see thee, that thou mayest make known
+to the world what is shut up and concealed in this deep cave, called the
+cave of Montesinos, which thou hast entered, an achievement reserved for
+thy invincible heart and stupendous courage alone to attempt. Come with
+me, illustrious sir, and I will show thee the marvels hidden within this
+transparent castle, whereof I am the alcaide and perpetual warden; for I
+am Montesinos himself, from whom the cave takes its name.'
+
+"The instant he told me he was Montesinos, I asked him if the story they
+told in the world above here was true, that he had taken out the heart of
+his great friend Durandarte from his breast with a little dagger, and
+carried it to the lady Belerma, as his friend when at the point of death
+had commanded him. He said in reply that they spoke the truth in every
+respect except as to the dagger, for it was not a dagger, nor little, but
+a burnished poniard sharper than an awl."
+
+"That poniard must have been made by Ramon de Hoces the Sevillian," said
+Sancho.
+
+"I do not know," said Don Quixote; "it could not have been by that
+poniard maker, however, because Ramon de Hoces was a man of yesterday,
+and the affair of Roncesvalles, where this mishap occurred, was long ago;
+but the question is of no great importance, nor does it affect or make
+any alteration in the truth or substance of the story."
+
+"That is true," said the cousin; "continue, Senor Don Quixote, for I am
+listening to you with the greatest pleasure in the world."
+
+"And with no less do I tell the tale," said Don Quixote; "and so, to
+proceed--the venerable Montesinos led me into the palace of crystal,
+where, in a lower chamber, strangely cool and entirely of alabaster, was
+an elaborately wrought marble tomb, upon which I beheld, stretched at
+full length, a knight, not of bronze, or marble, or jasper, as are seen
+on other tombs, but of actual flesh and bone. His right hand (which
+seemed to me somewhat hairy and sinewy, a sign of great strength in its
+owner) lay on the side of his heart; but before I could put any question
+to Montesinos, he, seeing me gazing at the tomb in amazement, said to me,
+'This is my friend Durandarte, flower and mirror of the true lovers and
+valiant knights of his time. He is held enchanted here, as I myself and
+many others are, by that French enchanter Merlin, who, they say, was the
+devil's son; but my belief is, not that he was the devil's son, but that
+he knew, as the saying is, a point more than the devil. How or why he
+enchanted us, no one knows, but time will tell, and I suspect that time
+is not far off. What I marvel at is, that I know it to be as sure as that
+it is now day, that Durandarte ended his life in my arms, and that, after
+his death, I took out his heart with my own hands; and indeed it must
+have weighed more than two pounds, for, according to naturalists, he who
+has a large heart is more largely endowed with valour than he who has a
+small one. Then, as this is the case, and as the knight did really die,
+how comes it that he now moans and sighs from time to time, as if he were
+still alive?'
+
+"As he said this, the wretched Durandarte cried out in a loud voice:
+
+poem{
+
+O cousin Montesinos!
+  'T was my last request of thee,
+When my soul hath left the body,
+  And that lying dead I be,
+With thy poniard or thy dagger
+  Cut the heart from out my breast,
+And bear it to Belerma.
+  This was my last request."
+
+}poem
+
+On hearing which, the venerable Montesinos fell on his knees before the
+unhappy knight, and with tearful eyes exclaimed, 'Long since, Senor
+Durandarte, my beloved cousin, long since have I done what you bade me on
+that sad day when I lost you; I took out your heart as well as I could,
+not leaving an atom of it in your breast, I wiped it with a lace
+handkerchief, and I took the road to France with it, having first laid
+you in the bosom of the earth with tears enough to wash and cleanse my
+hands of the blood that covered them after wandering among your bowels;
+and more by token, O cousin of my soul, at the first village I came to
+after leaving Roncesvalles, I sprinkled a little salt upon your heart to
+keep it sweet, and bring it, if not fresh, at least pickled, into the
+presence of the lady Belerma, whom, together with you, myself, Guadiana
+your squire, the duenna Ruidera and her seven daughters and two nieces,
+and many more of your friends and acquaintances, the sage Merlin has been
+keeping enchanted here these many years; and although more than five
+hundred have gone by, not one of us has died; Ruidera and her daughters
+and nieces alone are missing, and these, because of the tears they shed,
+Merlin, out of the compassion he seems to have felt for them, changed
+into so many lakes, which to this day in the world of the living, and in
+the province of La Mancha, are called the Lakes of Ruidera. The seven
+daughters belong to the kings of Spain and the two nieces to the knights
+of a very holy order called the Order of St. John. Guadiana your squire,
+likewise bewailing your fate, was changed into a river of his own name,
+but when he came to the surface and beheld the sun of another heaven, so
+great was his grief at finding he was leaving you, that he plunged into
+the bowels of the earth; however, as he cannot help following his natural
+course, he from time to time comes forth and shows himself to the sun and
+the world. The lakes aforesaid send him their waters, and with these, and
+others that come to him, he makes a grand and imposing entrance into
+Portugal; but for all that, go where he may, he shows his melancholy and
+sadness, and takes no pride in breeding dainty choice fish, only coarse
+and tasteless sorts, very different from those of the golden Tagus. All
+this that I tell you now, O cousin mine, I have told you many times
+before, and as you make no answer, I fear that either you believe me not,
+or do not hear me, whereat I feel God knows what grief. I have now news
+to give you, which, if it serves not to alleviate your sufferings, will
+not in any wise increase them. Know that you have here before you (open
+your eyes and you will see) that great knight of whom the sage Merlin has
+prophesied such great things; that Don Quixote of La Mancha I mean, who
+has again, and to better purpose than in past times, revived in these
+days knight-errantry, long since forgotten, and by whose intervention and
+aid it may be we shall be disenchanted; for great deeds are reserved for
+great men.'
+
+"'And if that may not be,' said the wretched Durandarte in a low and
+feeble voice, 'if that may not be, then, my cousin, I say "patience and
+shuffle;"' and turning over on his side, he relapsed into his former
+silence without uttering another word.
+
+"And now there was heard a great outcry and lamentation, accompanied by
+deep sighs and bitter sobs. I looked round, and through the crystal wall
+I saw passing through another chamber a procession of two lines of fair
+damsels all clad in mourning, and with white turbans of Turkish fashion
+on their heads. Behind, in the rear of these, there came a lady, for so
+from her dignity she seemed to be, also clad in black, with a white veil
+so long and ample that it swept the ground. Her turban was twice as large
+as the largest of any of the others; her eyebrows met, her nose was
+rather flat, her mouth was large but with ruddy lips, and her teeth, of
+which at times she allowed a glimpse, were seen to be sparse and ill-set,
+though as white as peeled almonds. She carried in her hands a fine cloth,
+and in it, as well as I could make out, a heart that had been mummied, so
+parched and dried was it. Montesinos told me that all those forming the
+procession were the attendants of Durandarte and Belerma, who were
+enchanted there with their master and mistress, and that the last, she
+who carried the heart in the cloth, was the lady Belerma, who, with her
+damsels, four days in the week went in procession singing, or rather
+weeping, dirges over the body and miserable heart of his cousin; and that
+if she appeared to me somewhat ill-favoured or not so beautiful as fame
+reported her, it was because of the bad nights and worse days that she
+passed in that enchantment, as I could see by the great dark circles
+round her eyes, and her sickly complexion; 'her sallowness, and the rings
+round her eyes,' said he, 'are not caused by the periodical ailment usual
+with women, for it is many months and even years since she has had any,
+but by the grief her own heart suffers because of that which she holds in
+her hand perpetually, and which recalls and brings back to her memory the
+sad fate of her lost lover; were it not for this, hardly would the great
+Dulcinea del Toboso, so celebrated in all these parts, and even in the
+world, come up to her for beauty, grace, and gaiety.'
+
+"'Hold hard!' said I at this, 'tell your story as you ought, Senor Don
+Montesinos, for you know very well that all comparisons are odious, and
+there is no occasion to compare one person with another; the peerless
+Dulcinea del Toboso is what she is, and the lady Dona Belerma is what she
+is and has been, and that's enough.' To which he made answer, 'Forgive
+me, Senor Don Quixote; I own I was wrong and spoke unadvisedly in saying
+that the lady Dulcinea could scarcely come up to the lady Belerma; for it
+were enough for me to have learned, by what means I know not, that you
+are her knight, to make me bite my tongue out before I compared her to
+anything save heaven itself.' After this apology which the great
+Montesinos made me, my heart recovered itself from the shock I had
+received in hearing my lady compared with Belerma."
+
+"Still I wonder," said Sancho, "that your worship did not get upon the
+old fellow and bruise every bone of him with kicks, and pluck his beard
+until you didn't leave a hair in it."
+
+"Nay, Sancho, my friend," said Don Quixote, "it would not have been right
+in me to do that, for we are all bound to pay respect to the aged, even
+though they be not knights, but especially to those who are, and who are
+enchanted; I only know I gave him as good as he brought in the many other
+questions and answers we exchanged."
+
+"I cannot understand, Senor Don Quixote," remarked the cousin here, "how
+it is that your worship, in such a short space of time as you have been
+below there, could have seen so many things, and said and answered so
+much."
+
+"How long is it since I went down?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"Little better than an hour," replied Sancho.
+
+"That cannot be," returned Don Quixote, "because night overtook me while
+I was there, and day came, and it was night again and day again three
+times; so that, by my reckoning, I have been three days in those remote
+regions beyond our ken."
+
+"My master must be right," replied Sancho; "for as everything that has
+happened to him is by enchantment, maybe what seems to us an hour would
+seem three days and nights there."
+
+"That's it," said Don Quixote.
+
+"And did your worship eat anything all that time, senor?" asked the
+cousin.
+
+"I never touched a morsel," answered Don Quixote, "nor did I feel hunger,
+or think of it."
+
+"And do the enchanted eat?" said the cousin.
+
+"They neither eat," said Don Quixote; "nor are they subject to the
+greater excrements, though it is thought that their nails, beards, and
+hair grow."
+
+"And do the enchanted sleep, now, senor?" asked Sancho.
+
+"Certainly not," replied Don Quixote; "at least, during those three days
+I was with them not one of them closed an eye, nor did I either."
+
+"The proverb, 'Tell me what company thou keepest and I'll tell thee what
+thou art,' is to the point here," said Sancho; "your worship keeps
+company with enchanted people that are always fasting and watching; what
+wonder is it, then, that you neither eat nor sleep while you are with
+them? But forgive me, senor, if I say that of all this you have told us
+now, may God take me--I was just going to say the devil--if I believe a
+single particle."
+
+"What!" said the cousin, "has Senor Don Quixote, then, been lying? Why,
+even if he wished it he has not had time to imagine and put together such
+a host of lies."
+
+"I don't believe my master lies," said Sancho.
+
+"If not, what dost thou believe?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"I believe," replied Sancho, "that this Merlin, or those enchanters who
+enchanted the whole crew your worship says you saw and discoursed with
+down there, stuffed your imagination or your mind with all this rigmarole
+you have been treating us to, and all that is still to come."
+
+"All that might be, Sancho," replied Don Quixote; "but it is not so, for
+everything that I have told you I saw with my own eyes, and touched with
+my own hands. But what will you say when I tell you now how, among the
+countless other marvellous things Montesinos showed me (of which at
+leisure and at the proper time I will give thee an account in the course
+of our journey, for they would not be all in place here), he showed me
+three country girls who went skipping and capering like goats over the
+pleasant fields there, and the instant I beheld them I knew one to be the
+peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, and the other two those same country girls
+that were with her and that we spoke to on the road from El Toboso! I
+asked Montesinos if he knew them, and he told me he did not, but he
+thought they must be some enchanted ladies of distinction, for it was
+only a few days before that they had made their appearance in those
+meadows; but I was not to be surprised at that, because there were a
+great many other ladies there of times past and present, enchanted in
+various strange shapes, and among them he had recognised Queen Guinevere
+and her dame Quintanona, she who poured out the wine for Lancelot when he
+came from Britain."
+
+When Sancho Panza heard his master say this he was ready to take leave of
+his senses, or die with laughter; for, as he knew the real truth about
+the pretended enchantment of Dulcinea, in which he himself had been the
+enchanter and concocter of all the evidence, he made up his mind at last
+that, beyond all doubt, his master was out of his wits and stark mad, so
+he said to him, "It was an evil hour, a worse season, and a sorrowful
+day, when your worship, dear master mine, went down to the other world,
+and an unlucky moment when you met with Senor Montesinos, who has sent
+you back to us like this. You were well enough here above in your full
+senses, such as God had given you, delivering maxims and giving advice at
+every turn, and not as you are now, talking the greatest nonsense that
+can be imagined."
+
+"As I know thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "I heed not thy words."
+
+"Nor I your worship's," said Sancho, "whether you beat me or kill me for
+those I have spoken, and will speak if you don't correct and mend your
+own. But tell me, while we are still at peace, how or by what did you
+recognise the lady our mistress; and if you spoke to her, what did you
+say, and what did she answer?"
+
+"I recognised her," said Don Quixote, "by her wearing the same garments
+she wore when thou didst point her out to me. I spoke to her, but she did
+not utter a word in reply; on the contrary, she turned her back on me and
+took to flight, at such a pace that crossbow bolt could not have
+overtaken her. I wished to follow her, and would have done so had not
+Montesinos recommended me not to take the trouble as it would be useless,
+particularly as the time was drawing near when it would be necessary for
+me to quit the cavern. He told me, moreover, that in course of time he
+would let me know how he and Belerma, and Durandarte, and all who were
+there, were to be disenchanted. But of all I saw and observed down there,
+what gave me most pain was, that while Montesinos was speaking to me, one
+of the two companions of the hapless Dulcinea approached me on one
+without my having seen her coming, and with tears in her eyes said to me,
+in a low, agitated voice, 'My lady Dulcinea del Toboso kisses your
+worship's hands, and entreats you to do her the favour of letting her
+know how you are; and, being in great need, she also entreats your
+worship as earnestly as she can to be so good as to lend her half a dozen
+reals, or as much as you may have about you, on this new dimity petticoat
+that I have here; and she promises to repay them very speedily.' I was
+amazed and taken aback by such a message, and turning to Senor Montesinos
+I asked him, 'Is it possible, Senor Montesinos, that persons of
+distinction under enchantment can be in need?' To which he replied,
+'Believe me, Senor Don Quixote, that which is called need is to be met
+with everywhere, and penetrates all quarters and reaches everyone, and
+does not spare even the enchanted; and as the lady Dulcinea del Toboso
+sends to beg those six reals, and the pledge is to all appearance a good
+one, there is nothing for it but to give them to her, for no doubt she
+must be in some great strait.' 'I will take no pledge of her,' I replied,
+'nor yet can I give her what she asks, for all I have is four reals;
+which I gave (they were those which thou, Sancho, gavest me the other day
+to bestow in alms upon the poor I met along the road), and I said, 'Tell
+your mistress, my dear, that I am grieved to the heart because of her
+distresses, and wish I was a Fucar to remedy them, and that I would have
+her know that I cannot be, and ought not be, in health while deprived of
+the happiness of seeing her and enjoying her discreet conversation, and
+that I implore her as earnestly as I can, to allow herself to be seen and
+addressed by this her captive servant and forlorn knight. Tell her, too,
+that when she least expects it she will hear it announced that I have
+made an oath and vow after the fashion of that which the Marquis of
+Mantua made to avenge his nephew Baldwin, when he found him at the point
+of death in the heart of the mountains, which was, not to eat bread off a
+tablecloth, and other trifling matters which he added, until he had
+avenged him; and I will make the same to take no rest, and to roam the
+seven regions of the earth more thoroughly than the Infante Don Pedro of
+Portugal ever roamed them, until I have disenchanted her.' 'All that and
+more, you owe my lady,' the damsel's answer to me, and taking the four
+reals, instead of making me a curtsey she cut a caper, springing two full
+yards into the air."
+
+"O blessed God!" exclaimed Sancho aloud at this, "is it possible that
+such things can be in the world, and that enchanters and enchantments can
+have such power in it as to have changed my master's right senses into a
+craze so full of absurdity! O senor, senor, for God's sake, consider
+yourself, have a care for your honour, and give no credit to this silly
+stuff that has left you scant and short of wits."
+
+"Thou talkest in this way because thou lovest me, Sancho," said Don
+Quixote; "and not being experienced in the things of the world,
+everything that has some difficulty about it seems to thee impossible;
+but time will pass, as I said before, and I will tell thee some of the
+things I saw down there which will make thee believe what I have related
+now, the truth of which admits of neither reply nor question."
+
+Chapter XXIV. -
+Wherein are related a thousand trifling matters, as trivial as they are
+necessary to the right understanding of this great history
+
+He who translated this great history from the original written by its
+first author, Cide Hamete Benengeli, says that on coming to the chapter
+giving the adventures of the cave of Montesinos he found written on the
+margin of it, in Hamete's own hand, these exact words:
+
+"I cannot convince or persuade myself that everything that is written in
+the preceding chapter could have precisely happened to the valiant Don
+Quixote; and for this reason, that all the adventures that have occurred
+up to the present have been possible and probable; but as for this one of
+the cave, I see no way of accepting it as true, as it passes all
+reasonable bounds. For me to believe that Don Quixote could lie, he being
+the most truthful gentleman and the noblest knight of his time, is
+impossible; he would not have told a lie though he were shot to death
+with arrows. On the other hand, I reflect that he related and told the
+story with all the circumstances detailed, and that he could not in so
+short a space have fabricated such a vast complication of absurdities;
+if, then, this adventure seems apocryphal, it is no fault of mine; and
+so, without affirming its falsehood or its truth, I write it down. Decide
+for thyself in thy wisdom, reader; for I am not bound, nor is it in my
+power, to do more; though certain it is they say that at the time of his
+death he retracted, and said he had invented it, thinking it matched and
+tallied with the adventures he had read of in his histories." And then he
+goes on to say:
+
+The cousin was amazed as well at Sancho's boldness as at the patience of
+his master, and concluded that the good temper the latter displayed arose
+from the happiness he felt at having seen his lady Dulcinea, even
+enchanted as she was; because otherwise the words and language Sancho had
+addressed to him deserved a thrashing; for indeed he seemed to him to
+have been rather impudent to his master, to whom he now observed, "I,
+Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, look upon the time I have spent in
+travelling with your worship as very well employed, for I have gained
+four things in the course of it; the first is that I have made your
+acquaintance, which I consider great good fortune; the second, that I
+have learned what the cave of Montesinos contains, together with the
+transformations of Guadiana and of the lakes of Ruidera; which will be of
+use to me for the Spanish Ovid that I have in hand; the third, to have
+discovered the antiquity of cards, that they were in use at least in the
+time of Charlemagne, as may be inferred from the words you say Durandarte
+uttered when, at the end of that long spell while Montesinos was talking
+to him, he woke up and said, 'Patience and shuffle.' This phrase and
+expression he could not have learned while he was enchanted, but only
+before he had become so, in France, and in the time of the aforesaid
+emperor Charlemagne. And this demonstration is just the thing for me for
+that other book I am writing, the 'Supplement to Polydore Vergil on the
+Invention of Antiquities;' for I believe he never thought of inserting
+that of cards in his book, as I mean to do in mine, and it will be a
+matter of great importance, particularly when I can cite so grave and
+veracious an authority as Senor Durandarte. And the fourth thing is, that
+I have ascertained the source of the river Guadiana, heretofore unknown
+to mankind."
+
+"You are right," said Don Quixote; "but I should like to know, if by
+God's favour they grant you a licence to print those books of yours-which
+I doubt--to whom do you mean dedicate them?"
+
+"There are lords and grandees in Spain to whom they can be dedicated,"
+said the cousin.
+
+"Not many," said Don Quixote; "not that they are unworthy of it, but
+because they do not care to accept books and incur the obligation of
+making the return that seems due to the author's labour and courtesy. One
+prince I know who makes up for all the rest, and more-how much more, if I
+ventured to say, perhaps I should stir up envy in many a noble breast;
+but let this stand over for some more convenient time, and let us go and
+look for some place to shelter ourselves in to-night."
+
+"Not far from this," said the cousin, "there is a hermitage, where there
+lives a hermit, who they say was a soldier, and who has the reputation of
+being a good Christian and a very intelligent and charitable man. Close
+to the hermitage he has a small house which he built at his own cost, but
+though small it is large enough for the reception of guests."
+
+"Has this hermit any hens, do you think?" asked Sancho.
+
+"Few hermits are without them," said Don Quixote; "for those we see
+now-a-days are not like the hermits of the Egyptian deserts who were clad
+in palm-leaves, and lived on the roots of the earth. But do not think
+that by praising these I am disparaging the others; all I mean to say is
+that the penances of those of the present day do not come up to the
+asceticism and austerity of former times; but it does not follow from
+this that they are not all worthy; at least I think them so; and at the
+worst the hypocrite who pretends to be good does less harm than the open
+sinner."
+
+At this point they saw approaching the spot where they stood a man on
+foot, proceeding at a rapid pace, and beating a mule loaded with lances
+and halberds. When he came up to them, he saluted them and passed on
+without stopping. Don Quixote called to him, "Stay, good fellow; you seem
+to be making more haste than suits that mule."
+
+"I cannot stop, senor," answered the man; "for the arms you see I carry
+here are to be used tomorrow, so I must not delay; God be with you. But
+if you want to know what I am carrying them for, I mean to lodge to-night
+at the inn that is beyond the hermitage, and if you be going the same
+road you will find me there, and I will tell you some curious things;
+once more God be with you;" and he urged on his mule at such a pace that
+Don Quixote had no time to ask him what these curious things were that he
+meant to tell them; and as he was somewhat inquisitive, and always
+tortured by his anxiety to learn something new, he decided to set out at
+once, and go and pass the night at the inn instead of stopping at the
+hermitage, where the cousin would have had them halt. Accordingly they
+mounted and all three took the direct road for the inn, which they
+reached a little before nightfall. On the road the cousin proposed they
+should go up to the hermitage to drink a sup. The instant Sancho heard
+this he steered his Dapple towards it, and Don Quixote and the cousin did
+the same; but it seems Sancho's bad luck so ordered it that the hermit
+was not at home, for so a sub-hermit they found in the hermitage told
+them. They called for some of the best. She replied that her master had
+none, but that if they liked cheap water she would give it with great
+pleasure.
+
+"If I found any in water," said Sancho, "there are wells along the road
+where I could have had enough of it. Ah, Camacho's wedding, and plentiful
+house of Don Diego, how often do I miss you!"
+
+Leaving the hermitage, they pushed on towards the inn, and a little
+farther they came upon a youth who was pacing along in front of them at
+no great speed, so that they overtook him. He carried a sword over his
+shoulder, and slung on it a budget or bundle of his clothes apparently,
+probably his breeches or pantaloons, and his cloak and a shirt or two;
+for he had on a short jacket of velvet with a gloss like satin on it in
+places, and had his shirt out; his stockings were of silk, and his shoes
+square-toed as they wear them at court. His age might have been eighteen
+or nineteen; he was of a merry countenance, and to all appearance of an
+active habit, and he went along singing seguidillas to beguile the
+wearisomeness of the road. As they came up with him he was just finishing
+one, which the cousin got by heart and they say ran thus--
+
+poem{
+
+I'm off to the wars
+  For the want of pence,
+Oh, had I but money
+  I'd show more sense.
+
+}poem
+
+The first to address him was Don Quixote, who said, "You travel very
+airily, sir gallant; whither bound, may we ask, if it is your pleasure to
+tell us?"
+
+To which the youth replied, "The heat and my poverty are the reason of my
+travelling so airily, and it is to the wars that I am bound."
+
+"How poverty?" asked Don Quixote; "the heat one can understand."
+
+"Senor," replied the youth, "in this bundle I carry velvet pantaloons to
+match this jacket; if I wear them out on the road, I shall not be able to
+make a decent appearance in them in the city, and I have not the
+wherewithal to buy others; and so for this reason, as well as to keep
+myself cool, I am making my way in this fashion to overtake some
+companies of infantry that are not twelve leagues off, in which I shall
+enlist, and there will be no want of baggage trains to travel with after
+that to the place of embarkation, which they say will be Carthagena; I
+would rather have the King for a master, and serve him in the wars, than
+serve a court pauper."
+
+"And did you get any bounty, now?" asked the cousin.
+
+"If I had been in the service of some grandee of Spain or personage of
+distinction," replied the youth, "I should have been safe to get it; for
+that is the advantage of serving good masters, that out of the servants'
+hall men come to be ancients or captains, or get a good pension. But I,
+to my misfortune, always served place-hunters and adventurers, whose keep
+and wages were so miserable and scanty that half went in paying for the
+starching of one's collars; it would be a miracle indeed if a page
+volunteer ever got anything like a reasonable bounty."
+
+"And tell me, for heaven's sake," asked Don Quixote, "is it possible, my
+friend, that all the time you served you never got any livery?"
+
+"They gave me two," replied the page; "but just as when one quits a
+religious community before making profession, they strip him of the dress
+of the order and give him back his own clothes, so did my masters return
+me mine; for as soon as the business on which they came to court was
+finished, they went home and took back the liveries they had given merely
+for show."
+
+"What spilorceria!--as an Italian would say," said Don Quixote; "but for
+all that, consider yourself happy in having left court with as worthy an
+object as you have, for there is nothing on earth more honourable or
+profitable than serving, first of all God, and then one's king and
+natural lord, particularly in the profession of arms, by which, if not
+more wealth, at least more honour is to be won than by letters, as I have
+said many a time; for though letters may have founded more great houses
+than arms, still those founded by arms have I know not what superiority
+over those founded by letters, and a certain splendour belonging to them
+that distinguishes them above all. And bear in mind what I am now about
+to say to you, for it will be of great use and comfort to you in time of
+trouble; it is, not to let your mind dwell on the adverse chances that
+may befall you; for the worst of all is death, and if it be a good death,
+the best of all is to die. They asked Julius Caesar, the valiant Roman
+emperor, what was the best death. He answered, that which is unexpected,
+which comes suddenly and unforeseen; and though he answered like a pagan,
+and one without the knowledge of the true God, yet, as far as sparing our
+feelings is concerned, he was right; for suppose you are killed in the
+first engagement or skirmish, whether by a cannon ball or blown up by
+mine, what matters it? It is only dying, and all is over; and according
+to Terence, a soldier shows better dead in battle, than alive and safe in
+flight; and the good soldier wins fame in proportion as he is obedient to
+his captains and those in command over him. And remember, my son, that it
+is better for the soldier to smell of gunpowder than of civet, and that
+if old age should come upon you in this honourable calling, though you
+may be covered with wounds and crippled and lame, it will not come upon
+you without honour, and that such as poverty cannot lessen; especially
+now that provisions are being made for supporting and relieving old and
+disabled soldiers; for it is not right to deal with them after the
+fashion of those who set free and get rid of their black slaves when they
+are old and useless, and, turning them out of their houses under the
+pretence of making them free, make them slaves to hunger, from which they
+cannot expect to be released except by death. But for the present I won't
+say more than get ye up behind me on my horse as far as the inn, and sup
+with me there, and to-morrow you shall pursue your journey, and God give
+you as good speed as your intentions deserve."
+
+The page did not accept the invitation to mount, though he did that to
+supper at the inn; and here they say Sancho said to himself, "God be with
+you for a master; is it possible that a man who can say things so many
+and so good as he has said just now, can say that he saw the impossible
+absurdities he reports about the cave of Montesinos? Well, well, we shall
+see."
+
+And now, just as night was falling, they reached the inn, and it was not
+without satisfaction that Sancho perceived his master took it for a real
+inn, and not for a castle as usual. The instant they entered Don Quixote
+asked the landlord after the man with the lances and halberds, and was
+told that he was in the stable seeing to his mule; which was what Sancho
+and the cousin proceeded to do for their beasts, giving the best manger
+and the best place in the stable to Rocinante.
+
+Chapter XXV. -
+Wherein is set down the braying adventure, and the droll one of the
+puppet-showman, together with the memorable divinations of the divining
+ape
+
+Don Quixote's bread would not bake, as the common saying is, until he had
+heard and learned the curious things promised by the man who carried the
+arms. He went to seek him where the innkeeper said he was and having
+found him, bade him say now at any rate what he had to say in answer to
+the question he had asked him on the road. "The tale of my wonders must
+be taken more leisurely and not standing," said the man; "let me finish
+foddering my beast, good sir; and then I'll tell you things that will
+astonish you."
+
+"Don't wait for that," said Don Quixote; "I'll help you in everything,"
+and so he did, sifting the barley for him and cleaning out the manger; a
+degree of humility which made the other feel bound to tell him with a
+good grace what he had asked; so seating himself on a bench, with Don
+Quixote beside him, and the cousin, the page, Sancho Panza, and the
+landlord, for a senate and an audience, he began his story in this way:
+
+"You must know that in a village four leagues and a half from this inn,
+it so happened that one of the regidors, by the tricks and roguery of a
+servant girl of his (it's too long a tale to tell), lost an ass; and
+though he did all he possibly could to find it, it was all to no purpose.
+A fortnight might have gone by, so the story goes, since the ass had been
+missing, when, as the regidor who had lost it was standing in the plaza,
+another regidor of the same town said to him, 'Pay me for good news,
+gossip; your ass has turned up.' 'That I will, and well, gossip,' said
+the other; 'but tell us, where has he turned up?' 'In the forest,' said
+the finder; 'I saw him this morning without pack-saddle or harness of any
+sort, and so lean that it went to one's heart to see him. I tried to
+drive him before me and bring him to you, but he is already so wild and
+shy that when I went near him he made off into the thickest part of the
+forest. If you have a mind that we two should go back and look for him,
+let me put up this she-ass at my house and I'll be back at once.' 'You
+will be doing me a great kindness,' said the owner of the ass, 'and I'll
+try to pay it back in the same coin.' It is with all these circumstances,
+and in the very same way I am telling it now, that those who know all
+about the matter tell the story. Well then, the two regidors set off on
+foot, arm in arm, for the forest, and coming to the place where they
+hoped to find the ass they could not find him, nor was he to be seen
+anywhere about, search as they might. Seeing, then, that there was no
+sign of him, the regidor who had seen him said to the other, 'Look here,
+gossip; a plan has occurred to me, by which, beyond a doubt, we shall
+manage to discover the animal, even if he is stowed away in the bowels of
+the earth, not to say the forest. Here it is. I can bray to perfection,
+and if you can ever so little, the thing's as good as done.' 'Ever so
+little did you say, gossip?' said the other; 'by God, I'll not give in to
+anybody, not even to the asses themselves.' 'We'll soon see,' said the
+second regidor, 'for my plan is that you should go one side of the
+forest, and I the other, so as to go all round about it; and every now
+and then you will bray and I will bray; and it cannot be but that the ass
+will hear us, and answer us if he is in the forest.' To which the owner
+of the ass replied, 'It's an excellent plan, I declare, gossip, and
+worthy of your great genius;' and the two separating as agreed, it so
+fell out that they brayed almost at the same moment, and each, deceived
+by the braying of the other, ran to look, fancying the ass had turned up
+at last. When they came in sight of one another, said the loser, 'Is it
+possible, gossip, that it was not my ass that brayed?' 'No, it was I,'
+said the other. 'Well then, I can tell you, gossip,' said the ass's
+owner, 'that between you and an ass there is not an atom of difference as
+far as braying goes, for I never in all my life saw or heard anything
+more natural.' 'Those praises and compliments belong to you more justly
+than to me, gossip,' said the inventor of the plan; 'for, by the God that
+made me, you might give a couple of brays odds to the best and most
+finished brayer in the world; the tone you have got is deep, your voice
+is well kept up as to time and pitch, and your finishing notes come thick
+and fast; in fact, I own myself beaten, and yield the palm to you, and
+give in to you in this rare accomplishment.' 'Well then,' said the owner,
+'I'll set a higher value on myself for the future, and consider that I
+know something, as I have an excellence of some sort; for though I always
+thought I brayed well, I never supposed I came up to the pitch of
+perfection you say.' 'And I say too,' said the second, 'that there are
+rare gifts going to loss in the world, and that they are ill bestowed
+upon those who don't know how to make use of them.' 'Ours,' said the
+owner of the ass, 'unless it is in cases like this we have now in hand,
+cannot be of any service to us, and even in this God grant they may be of
+some use.' So saying they separated, and took to their braying once more,
+but every instant they were deceiving one another, and coming to meet one
+another again, until they arranged by way of countersign, so as to know
+that it was they and not the ass, to give two brays, one after the other.
+In this way, doubling the brays at every step, they made the complete
+circuit of the forest, but the lost ass never gave them an answer or even
+the sign of one. How could the poor ill-starred brute have answered,
+when, in the thickest part of the forest, they found him devoured by
+wolves? As soon as he saw him his owner said, 'I was wondering he did not
+answer, for if he wasn't dead he'd have brayed when he heard us, or he'd
+have been no ass; but for the sake of having heard you bray to such
+perfection, gossip, I count the trouble I have taken to look for him well
+bestowed, even though I have found him dead.' 'It's in a good hand,
+gossip,' said the other; 'if the abbot sings well, the acolyte is not
+much behind him.' So they returned disconsolate and hoarse to their
+village, where they told their friends, neighbours, and acquaintances
+what had befallen them in their search for the ass, each crying up the
+other's perfection in braying. The whole story came to be known and
+spread abroad through the villages of the neighbourhood; and the devil,
+who never sleeps, with his love for sowing dissensions and scattering
+discord everywhere, blowing mischief about and making quarrels out of
+nothing, contrived to make the people of the other towns fall to braying
+whenever they saw anyone from our village, as if to throw the braying of
+our regidors in our teeth. Then the boys took to it, which was the same
+thing for it as getting into the hands and mouths of all the devils of
+hell; and braying spread from one town to another in such a way that the
+men of the braying town are as easy to be known as blacks are to be known
+from whites, and the unlucky joke has gone so far that several times the
+scoffed have come out in arms and in a body to do battle with the
+scoffers, and neither king nor rook, fear nor shame, can mend matters.
+To-morrow or the day after, I believe, the men of my town, that is, of
+the braying town, are going to take the field against another village two
+leagues away from ours, one of those that persecute us most; and that we
+may turn out well prepared I have bought these lances and halberds you
+have seen. These are the curious things I told you I had to tell, and if
+you don't think them so, I have got no others;" and with this the worthy
+fellow brought his story to a close.
+
+Just at this moment there came in at the gate of the inn a man entirely
+clad in chamois leather, hose, breeches, and doublet, who said in a loud
+voice, "Senor host, have you room? Here's the divining ape and the show
+of the Release of Melisendra just coming."
+
+"Ods body!" said the landlord, "why, it's Master Pedro! We're in for a
+grand night!" I forgot to mention that the said Master Pedro had his left
+eye and nearly half his cheek covered with a patch of green taffety,
+showing that something ailed all that side. "Your worship is welcome,
+Master Pedro," continued the landlord; "but where are the ape and the
+show, for I don't see them?" "They are close at hand," said he in the
+chamois leather, "but I came on first to know if there was any room."
+"I'd make the Duke of Alva himself clear out to make room for Master
+Pedro," said the landlord; "bring in the ape and the show; there's
+company in the inn to-night that will pay to see that and the cleverness
+of the ape." "So be it by all means," said the man with the patch; "I'll
+lower the price, and be well satisfied if I only pay my expenses; and now
+I'll go back and hurry on the cart with the ape and the show;" and with
+this he went out of the inn.
+
+Don Quixote at once asked the landlord what this Master Pedro was, and
+what was the show and what was the ape he had with him; which the
+landlord replied, "This is a famous puppet-showman, who for some time
+past has been going about this Mancha de Aragon, exhibiting a show of the
+release of Melisendra by the famous Don Gaiferos, one of the best and
+best-represented stories that have been seen in this part of the kingdom
+for many a year; he has also with him an ape with the most extraordinary
+gift ever seen in an ape or imagined in a human being; for if you ask him
+anything, he listens attentively to the question, and then jumps on his
+master's shoulder, and pressing close to his ear tells him the answer
+which Master Pedro then delivers. He says a great deal more about things
+past than about things to come; and though he does not always hit the
+truth in every case, most times he is not far wrong, so that he makes us
+fancy he has got the devil in him. He gets two reals for every question
+if the ape answers; I mean if his master answers for him after he has
+whispered into his ear; and so it is believed that this same Master Pedro
+is very rich. He is a 'gallant man' as they say in Italy, and good
+company, and leads the finest life in the world; talks more than six,
+drinks more than a dozen, and all by his tongue, and his ape, and his
+show."
+
+Master Pedro now came back, and in a cart followed the show and the
+ape--a big one, without a tail and with buttocks as bare as felt, but not
+vicious-looking. As soon as Don Quixote saw him, he asked him, "Can you
+tell me, sir fortune-teller, what fish do we catch, and how will it be
+with us? See, here are my two reals," and he bade Sancho give them to
+Master Pedro; but he answered for the ape and said, "Senor, this animal
+does not give any answer or information touching things that are to come;
+of things past he knows something, and more or less of things present."
+
+"Gad," said Sancho, "I would not give a farthing to be told what's past
+with me, for who knows that better than I do myself? And to pay for being
+told what I know would be mighty foolish. But as you know things present,
+here are my two reals, and tell me, most excellent sir ape, what is my
+wife Teresa Panza doing now, and what is she diverting herself with?"
+
+Master Pedro refused to take the money, saying, "I will not receive
+payment in advance or until the service has been first rendered;" and
+then with his right hand he gave a couple of slaps on his left shoulder,
+and with one spring the ape perched himself upon it, and putting his
+mouth to his master's ear began chattering his teeth rapidly; and having
+kept this up as long as one would be saying a credo, with another spring
+he brought himself to the ground, and the same instant Master Pedro ran
+in great haste and fell upon his knees before Don Quixote, and embracing
+his legs exclaimed, "These legs do I embrace as I would embrace the two
+pillars of Hercules, O illustrious reviver of knight-errantry, so long
+consigned to oblivion! O never yet duly extolled knight, Don Quixote of
+La Mancha, courage of the faint-hearted, prop of the tottering, arm of
+the fallen, staff and counsel of all who are unfortunate!"
+
+Don Quixote was thunderstruck, Sancho astounded, the cousin staggered,
+the page astonished, the man from the braying town agape, the landlord in
+perplexity, and, in short, everyone amazed at the words of the
+puppet-showman, who went on to say, "And thou, worthy Sancho Panza, the
+best squire and squire to the best knight in the world! Be of good cheer,
+for thy good wife Teresa is well, and she is at this moment hackling a
+pound of flax; and more by token she has at her left hand a jug with a
+broken spout that holds a good drop of wine, with which she solaces
+herself at her work."
+
+"That I can well believe," said Sancho. "She is a lucky one, and if it
+was not for her jealousy I would not change her for the giantess
+Andandona, who by my master's account was a very clever and worthy woman;
+my Teresa is one of those that won't let themselves want for anything,
+though their heirs may have to pay for it."
+
+"Now I declare," said Don Quixote, "he who reads much and travels much
+sees and knows a great deal. I say so because what amount of persuasion
+could have persuaded me that there are apes in the world that can divine
+as I have seen now with my own eyes? For I am that very Don Quixote of La
+Mancha this worthy animal refers to, though he has gone rather too far in
+my praise; but whatever I may be, I thank heaven that it has endowed me
+with a tender and compassionate heart, always disposed to do good to all
+and harm to none."
+
+"If I had money," said the page, "I would ask senor ape what will happen
+me in the peregrination I am making."
+
+To this Master Pedro, who had by this time risen from Don Quixote's feet,
+replied, "I have already said that this little beast gives no answer as
+to the future; but if he did, not having money would be of no
+consequence, for to oblige Senor Don Quixote, here present, I would give
+up all the profits in the world. And now, because I have promised it, and
+to afford him pleasure, I will set up my show and offer entertainment to
+all who are in the inn, without any charge whatever." As soon as he heard
+this, the landlord, delighted beyond measure, pointed out a place where
+the show might be fixed, which was done at once.
+
+Don Quixote was not very well satisfied with the divinations of the ape,
+as he did not think it proper that an ape should divine anything, either
+past or future; so while Master Pedro was arranging the show, he retired
+with Sancho into a corner of the stable, where, without being overheard
+by anyone, he said to him, "Look here, Sancho, I have been seriously
+thinking over this ape's extraordinary gift, and have come to the
+conclusion that beyond doubt this Master Pedro, his master, has a pact,
+tacit or express, with the devil."
+
+"If the packet is express from the devil," said Sancho, "it must be a
+very dirty packet no doubt; but what good can it do Master Pedro to have
+such packets?"
+
+"Thou dost not understand me, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "I only mean he
+must have made some compact with the devil to infuse this power into the
+ape, that he may get his living, and after he has grown rich he will give
+him his soul, which is what the enemy of mankind wants; this I am led to
+believe by observing that the ape only answers about things past or
+present, and the devil's knowledge extends no further; for the future he
+knows only by guesswork, and that not always; for it is reserved for God
+alone to know the times and the seasons, and for him there is neither
+past nor future; all is present. This being as it is, it is clear that
+this ape speaks by the spirit of the devil; and I am astonished they have
+not denounced him to the Holy Office, and put him to the question, and
+forced it out of him by whose virtue it is that he divines; because it is
+certain this ape is not an astrologer; neither his master nor he sets up,
+or knows how to set up, those figures they call judiciary, which are now
+so common in Spain that there is not a jade, or page, or old cobbler,
+that will not undertake to set up a figure as readily as pick up a knave
+of cards from the ground, bringing to nought the marvellous truth of the
+science by their lies and ignorance. I know of a lady who asked one of
+these figure schemers whether her little lap-dog would be in pup and
+would breed, and how many and of what colour the little pups would be. To
+which senor astrologer, after having set up his figure, made answer that
+the bitch would be in pup, and would drop three pups, one green, another
+bright red, and the third parti-coloured, provided she conceived between
+eleven and twelve either of the day or night, and on a Monday or
+Saturday; but as things turned out, two days after this the bitch died of
+a surfeit, and senor planet-ruler had the credit all over the place of
+being a most profound astrologer, as most of these planet-rulers have."
+
+"Still," said Sancho, "I would be glad if your worship would make Master
+Pedro ask his ape whether what happened your worship in the cave of
+Montesinos is true; for, begging your worship's pardon, I, for my part,
+take it to have been all flam and lies, or at any rate something you
+dreamt."
+
+"That may be," replied Don Quixote; "however, I will do what you suggest;
+though I have my own scruples about it."
+
+At this point Master Pedro came up in quest of Don Quixote, to tell him
+the show was now ready and to come and see it, for it was worth seeing.
+Don Quixote explained his wish, and begged him to ask his ape at once to
+tell him whether certain things which had happened to him in the cave of
+Montesinos were dreams or realities, for to him they appeared to partake
+of both. Upon this Master Pedro, without answering, went back to fetch
+the ape, and, having placed it in front of Don Quixote and Sancho, said:
+"See here, senor ape, this gentleman wishes to know whether certain
+things which happened to him in the cave called the cave of Montesinos
+were false or true." On his making the usual sign the ape mounted on his
+left shoulder and seemed to whisper in his ear, and Master Pedro said at
+once, "The ape says that the things you saw or that happened to you in
+that cave are, part of them false, part true; and that he only knows this
+and no more as regards this question; but if your worship wishes to know
+more, on Friday next he will answer all that may be asked him, for his
+virtue is at present exhausted, and will not return to him till Friday,
+as he has said."
+
+"Did I not say, senor," said Sancho, "that I could not bring myself to
+believe that all your worship said about the adventures in the cave was
+true, or even the half of it?"
+
+"The course of events will tell, Sancho," replied Don Quixote; "time,
+that discloses all things, leaves nothing that it does not drag into the
+light of day, though it be buried in the bosom of the earth. But enough
+of that for the present; let us go and see Master Pedro's show, for I am
+sure there must be something novel in it."
+
+"Something!" said Master Pedro; "this show of mine has sixty thousand
+novel things in it; let me tell you, Senor Don Quixote, it is one of the
+best-worth-seeing things in the world this day; but operibus credite et
+non verbis, and now let's get to work, for it is growing late, and we
+have a great deal to do and to say and show."
+
+Don Quixote and Sancho obeyed him and went to where the show was already
+put up and uncovered, set all around with lighted wax tapers which made
+it look splendid and bright. When they came to it Master Pedro ensconced
+himself inside it, for it was he who had to work the puppets, and a boy,
+a servant of his, posted himself outside to act as showman and explain
+the mysteries of the exhibition, having a wand in his hand to point to
+the figures as they came out. And so, all who were in the inn being
+arranged in front of the show, some of them standing, and Don Quixote,
+Sancho, the page, and cousin, accommodated with the best places, the
+interpreter began to say what he will hear or see who reads or hears the
+next chapter.
+
+Chapter XXVI. -
+Wherein is continued the droll adventure of the puppet-showman, together
+with other things in truth right good
+
+All were silent, Tyrians and Trojans; I mean all who were watching the
+show were hanging on the lips of the interpreter of its wonders, when
+drums and trumpets were heard to sound inside it and cannon to go off.
+The noise was soon over, and then the boy lifted up his voice and said,
+"This true story which is here represented to your worships is taken word
+for word from the French chronicles and from the Spanish ballads that are
+in everybody's mouth, and in the mouth of the boys about the streets. Its
+subject is the release by Senor Don Gaiferos of his wife Melisendra, when
+a captive in Spain at the hands of the Moors in the city of Sansuena, for
+so they called then what is now called Saragossa; and there you may see
+how Don Gaiferos is playing at the tables, just as they sing it--
+
+At tables playing Don Gaiferos sits,
+For Melisendra is forgotten now.
+
+And that personage who appears there with a crown on his head and a
+sceptre in his hand is the Emperor Charlemagne, the supposed father of
+Melisendra, who, angered to see his son-in-law's inaction and unconcern,
+comes in to chide him; and observe with what vehemence and energy he
+chides him, so that you would fancy he was going to give him half a dozen
+raps with his sceptre; and indeed there are authors who say he did give
+them, and sound ones too; and after having said a great deal to him about
+imperilling his honour by not effecting the release of his wife, he said,
+so the tale runs,
+
+Enough I've said, see to it now.
+
+Observe, too, how the emperor turns away, and leaves Don Gaiferos fuming;
+and you see now how in a burst of anger, he flings the table and the
+board far from him and calls in haste for his armour, and asks his cousin
+Don Roland for the loan of his sword, Durindana, and how Don Roland
+refuses to lend it, offering him his company in the difficult enterprise
+he is undertaking; but he, in his valour and anger, will not accept it,
+and says that he alone will suffice to rescue his wife, even though she
+were imprisoned deep in the centre of the earth, and with this he retires
+to arm himself and set out on his journey at once. Now let your worships
+turn your eyes to that tower that appears there, which is supposed to be
+one of the towers of the alcazar of Saragossa, now called the Aljaferia;
+that lady who appears on that balcony dressed in Moorish fashion is the
+peerless Melisendra, for many a time she used to gaze from thence upon
+the road to France, and seek consolation in her captivity by thinking of
+Paris and her husband. Observe, too, a new incident which now occurs,
+such as, perhaps, never was seen. Do you not see that Moor, who silently
+and stealthily, with his finger on his lip, approaches Melisendra from
+behind? Observe now how he prints a kiss upon her lips, and what a hurry
+she is in to spit, and wipe them with the white sleeve of her smock, and
+how she bewails herself, and tears her fair hair as though it were to
+blame for the wrong. Observe, too, that the stately Moor who is in that
+corridor is King Marsilio of Sansuena, who, having seen the Moor's
+insolence, at once orders him (though his kinsman and a great favourite
+of his) to be seized and given two hundred lashes, while carried through
+the streets of the city according to custom, with criers going before him
+and officers of justice behind; and here you see them come out to execute
+the sentence, although the offence has been scarcely committed; for among
+the Moors there are no indictments nor remands as with us."
+
+Here Don Quixote called out, "Child, child, go straight on with your
+story, and don't run into curves and slants, for to establish a fact
+clearly there is need of a great deal of proof and confirmation;" and
+said Master Pedro from within, "Boy, stick to your text and do as the
+gentleman bids you; it's the best plan; keep to your plain song, and
+don't attempt harmonies, for they are apt to break down from being over
+fine."
+
+"I will," said the boy, and he went on to say, "This figure that you see
+here on horseback, covered with a Gascon cloak, is Don Gaiferos himself,
+whom his wife, now avenged of the insult of the amorous Moor, and taking
+her stand on the balcony of the tower with a calmer and more tranquil
+countenance, has perceived without recognising him; and she addresses her
+husband, supposing him to be some traveller, and holds with him all that
+conversation and colloquy in the ballad that runs--
+
+If you, sir knight, to France are bound,
+Oh! for Gaiferos ask--
+
+which I do not repeat here because prolixity begets disgust; suffice it
+to observe how Don Gaiferos discovers himself, and that by her joyful
+gestures Melisendra shows us she has recognised him; and what is more, we
+now see she lowers herself from the balcony to place herself on the
+haunches of her good husband's horse. But ah! unhappy lady, the edge of
+her petticoat has caught on one of the bars of the balcony and she is
+left hanging in the air, unable to reach the ground. But you see how
+compassionate heaven sends aid in our sorest need; Don Gaiferos advances,
+and without minding whether the rich petticoat is torn or not, he seizes
+her and by force brings her to the ground, and then with one jerk places
+her on the haunches of his horse, astraddle like a man, and bids her hold
+on tight and clasp her arms round his neck, crossing them on his breast
+so as not to fall, for the lady Melisendra was not used to that style of
+riding. You see, too, how the neighing of the horse shows his
+satisfaction with the gallant and beautiful burden he bears in his lord
+and lady. You see how they wheel round and quit the city, and in joy and
+gladness take the road to Paris. Go in peace, O peerless pair of true
+lovers! May you reach your longed-for fatherland in safety, and may
+fortune interpose no impediment to your prosperous journey; may the eyes
+of your friends and kinsmen behold you enjoying in peace and tranquillity
+the remaining days of your life--and that they may be as many as those of
+Nestor!"
+
+Here Master Pedro called out again and said, "Simplicity, boy! None of
+your high flights; all affectation is bad."
+
+The interpreter made no answer, but went on to say, "There was no want of
+idle eyes, that see everything, to see Melisendra come down and mount,
+and word was brought to King Marsilio, who at once gave orders to sound
+the alarm; and see what a stir there is, and how the city is drowned with
+the sound of the bells pealing in the towers of all the mosques."
+
+"Nay, nay," said Don Quixote at this; "on that point of the bells Master
+Pedro is very inaccurate, for bells are not in use among the Moors; only
+kettledrums, and a kind of small trumpet somewhat like our clarion; to
+ring bells this way in Sansuena is unquestionably a great absurdity."
+
+On hearing this, Master Pedro stopped ringing, and said, "Don't look into
+trifles, Senor Don Quixote, or want to have things up to a pitch of
+perfection that is out of reach. Are there not almost every day a
+thousand comedies represented all round us full of thousands of
+inaccuracies and absurdities, and, for all that, they have a successful
+run, and are listened to not only with applause, but with admiration and
+all the rest of it? Go on, boy, and don't mind; for so long as I fill my
+pouch, no matter if I show as many inaccuracies as there are motes in a
+sunbeam."
+
+"True enough," said Don Quixote; and the boy went on: "See what a
+numerous and glittering crowd of horsemen issues from the city in pursuit
+of the two faithful lovers, what a blowing of trumpets there is, what
+sounding of horns, what beating of drums and tabors; I fear me they will
+overtake them and bring them back tied to the tail of their own horse,
+which would be a dreadful sight."
+
+Don Quixote, however, seeing such a swarm of Moors and hearing such a
+din, thought it would be right to aid the fugitives, and standing up he
+exclaimed in a loud voice, "Never, while I live, will I permit foul play
+to be practised in my presence on such a famous knight and fearless lover
+as Don Gaiferos. Halt! ill-born rabble, follow him not nor pursue him, or
+ye will have to reckon with me in battle!" and suiting the action to the
+word, he drew his sword, and with one bound placed himself close to the
+show, and with unexampled rapidity and fury began to shower down blows on
+the puppet troop of Moors, knocking over some, decapitating others,
+maiming this one and demolishing that; and among many more he delivered
+one down stroke which, if Master Pedro had not ducked, made himself
+small, and got out of the way, would have sliced off his head as easily
+as if it had been made of almond-paste. Master Pedro kept shouting, "Hold
+hard! Senor Don Quixote! can't you see they're not real Moors you're
+knocking down and killing and destroying, but only little pasteboard
+figures! Look--sinner that I am!--how you're wrecking and ruining all
+that I'm worth!" But in spite of this, Don Quixote did not leave off
+discharging a continuous rain of cuts, slashes, downstrokes, and
+backstrokes, and at length, in less than the space of two credos, he
+brought the whole show to the ground, with all its fittings and figures
+shivered and knocked to pieces, King Marsilio badly wounded, and the
+Emperor Charlemagne with his crown and head split in two. The whole
+audience was thrown into confusion, the ape fled to the roof of the inn,
+the cousin was frightened, and even Sancho Panza himself was in mighty
+fear, for, as he swore after the storm was over, he had never seen his
+master in such a furious passion.
+
+The complete destruction of the show being thus accomplished, Don Quixote
+became a little calmer, said, "I wish I had here before me now all those
+who do not or will not believe how useful knights-errant are in the
+world; just think, if I had not been here present, what would have become
+of the brave Don Gaiferos and the fair Melisendra! Depend upon it, by
+this time those dogs would have overtaken them and inflicted some outrage
+upon them. So, then, long live knight-errantry beyond everything living
+on earth this day!"
+
+"Let it live, and welcome," said Master Pedro at this in a feeble voice,
+"and let me die, for I am so unfortunate that I can say with King Don
+Rodrigo--
+
+poem{
+
+Yesterday was I lord of Spain
+To-day I've not a turret left
+That I may call mine own.
+
+}poem
+
+Not half an hour, nay, barely a minute ago, I saw myself lord of kings
+and emperors, with my stables filled with countless horses, and my trunks
+and bags with gay dresses unnumbered; and now I find myself ruined and
+laid low, destitute and a beggar, and above all without my ape, for, by
+my faith, my teeth will have to sweat for it before I have him caught;
+and all through the reckless fury of sir knight here, who, they say,
+protects the fatherless, and rights wrongs, and does other charitable
+deeds; but whose generous intentions have been found wanting in my case
+only, blessed and praised be the highest heavens! Verily, knight of the
+rueful figure he must be to have disfigured mine."
+
+Sancho Panza was touched by Master Pedro's words, and said to him, "Don't
+weep and lament, Master Pedro; you break my heart; let me tell you my
+master, Don Quixote, is so catholic and scrupulous a Christian that, if
+he can make out that he has done you any wrong, he will own it, and be
+willing to pay for it and make it good, and something over and above."
+
+"Only let Senor Don Quixote pay me for some part of the work he has
+destroyed," said Master Pedro, "and I would be content, and his worship
+would ease his conscience, for he cannot be saved who keeps what is
+another's against the owner's will, and makes no restitution."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote; "but at present I am not aware that I
+have got anything of yours, Master Pedro."
+
+"What!" returned Master Pedro; "and these relics lying here on the bare
+hard ground--what scattered and shattered them but the invincible
+strength of that mighty arm? And whose were the bodies they belonged to
+but mine? And what did I get my living by but by them?"
+
+"Now am I fully convinced," said Don Quixote, "of what I had many a time
+before believed; that the enchanters who persecute me do nothing more
+than put figures like these before my eyes, and then change and turn them
+into what they please. In truth and earnest, I assure you gentlemen who
+now hear me, that to me everything that has taken place here seemed to
+take place literally, that Melisendra was Melisendra, Don Gaiferos Don
+Gaiferos, Marsilio Marsilio, and Charlemagne Charlemagne. That was why my
+anger was roused; and to be faithful to my calling as a knight-errant I
+sought to give aid and protection to those who fled, and with this good
+intention I did what you have seen. If the result has been the opposite
+of what I intended, it is no fault of mine, but of those wicked beings
+that persecute me; but, for all that, I am willing to condemn myself in
+costs for this error of mine, though it did not proceed from malice; let
+Master Pedro see what he wants for the spoiled figures, for I agree to
+pay it at once in good and current money of Castile."
+
+Master Pedro made him a bow, saying, "I expected no less of the rare
+Christianity of the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha, true helper and
+protector of all destitute and needy vagabonds; master landlord here and
+the great Sancho Panza shall be the arbitrators and appraisers between
+your worship and me of what these dilapidated figures are worth or may be
+worth."
+
+The landlord and Sancho consented, and then Master Pedro picked up from
+the ground King Marsilio of Saragossa with his head off, and said, "Here
+you see how impossible it is to restore this king to his former state, so
+I think, saving your better judgments, that for his death, decease, and
+demise, four reals and a half may be given me."
+
+"Proceed," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Well then, for this cleavage from top to bottom," continued Master
+Pedro, taking up the split Emperor Charlemagne, "it would not be much if
+I were to ask five reals and a quarter."
+
+"It's not little," said Sancho.
+
+"Nor is it much," said the landlord; "make it even, and say five reals."
+
+"Let him have the whole five and a quarter," said Don Quixote; "for the
+sum total of this notable disaster does not stand on a quarter more or
+less; and make an end of it quickly, Master Pedro, for it's getting on to
+supper-time, and I have some hints of hunger."
+
+"For this figure," said Master Pedro, "that is without a nose, and wants
+an eye, and is the fair Melisendra, I ask, and I am reasonable in my
+charge, two reals and twelve maravedis."
+
+"The very devil must be in it," said Don Quixote, "if Melisendra and her
+husband are not by this time at least on the French border, for the horse
+they rode on seemed to me to fly rather than gallop; so you needn't try
+to sell me the cat for the hare, showing me here a noseless Melisendra
+when she is now, may be, enjoying herself at her ease with her husband in
+France. God help every one to his own, Master Pedro, and let us all
+proceed fairly and honestly; and now go on."
+
+Master Pedro, perceiving that Don Quixote was beginning to wander, and
+return to his original fancy, was not disposed to let him escape, so he
+said to him, "This cannot be Melisendra, but must be one of the damsels
+that waited on her; so if I'm given sixty maravedis for her, I'll be
+content and sufficiently paid."
+
+And so he went on, putting values on ever so many more smashed figures,
+which, after the two arbitrators had adjusted them to the satisfaction of
+both parties, came to forty reals and three-quarters; and over and above
+this sum, which Sancho at once disbursed, Master Pedro asked for two
+reals for his trouble in catching the ape.
+
+"Let him have them, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "not to catch the ape, but
+to get drunk; and two hundred would I give this minute for the good news,
+to anyone who could tell me positively, that the lady Dona Melisandra and
+Senor Don Gaiferos were now in France and with their own people."
+
+"No one could tell us that better than my ape," said Master Pedro; "but
+there's no devil that could catch him now; I suspect, however, that
+affection and hunger will drive him to come looking for me to-night; but
+to-morrow will soon be here and we shall see."
+
+In short, the puppet-show storm passed off, and all supped in peace and
+good fellowship at Don Quixote's expense, for he was the height of
+generosity. Before it was daylight the man with the lances and halberds
+took his departure, and soon after daybreak the cousin and the page came
+to bid Don Quixote farewell, the former returning home, the latter
+resuming his journey, towards which, to help him, Don Quixote gave him
+twelve reals. Master Pedro did not care to engage in any more palaver
+with Don Quixote, whom he knew right well; so he rose before the sun, and
+having got together the remains of his show and caught his ape, he too
+went off to seek his adventures. The landlord, who did not know Don
+Quixote, was as much astonished at his mad freaks as at his generosity.
+To conclude, Sancho, by his master's orders, paid him very liberally, and
+taking leave of him they quitted the inn at about eight in the morning
+and took to the road, where we will leave them to pursue their journey,
+for this is necessary in order to allow certain other matters to be set
+forth, which are required to clear up this famous history.
+
+Chapter XXVII. -
+Wherein it is shown who master pedro and his ape were, together with the
+mishap Don Quixote had in the braying adventure, which he did not
+conclude as he would have liked or as he had expected
+
+Cide Hamete, the chronicler of this great history, begins this chapter
+with these words, "I swear as a Catholic Christian;" with regard to which
+his translator says that Cide Hamete's swearing as a Catholic Christian,
+he being--as no doubt he was--a Moor, only meant that, just as a Catholic
+Christian taking an oath swears, or ought to swear, what is true, and
+tell the truth in what he avers, so he was telling the truth, as much as
+if he swore as a Catholic Christian, in all he chose to write about
+Quixote, especially in declaring who Master Pedro was and what was the
+divining ape that astonished all the villages with his divinations. He
+says, then, that he who has read the First Part of this history will
+remember well enough the Gines de Pasamonte whom, with other galley
+slaves, Don Quixote set free in the Sierra Morena: a kindness for which
+he afterwards got poor thanks and worse payment from that evil-minded,
+ill-conditioned set. This Gines de Pasamonte--Don Ginesillo de Parapilla,
+Don Quixote called him--it was that stole Dapple from Sancho Panza;
+which, because by the fault of the printers neither the how nor the when
+was stated in the First Part, has been a puzzle to a good many people,
+who attribute to the bad memory of the author what was the error of the
+press. In fact, however, Gines stole him while Sancho Panza was asleep on
+his back, adopting the plan and device that Brunello had recourse to when
+he stole Sacripante's horse from between his legs at the siege of
+Albracca; and, as has been told, Sancho afterwards recovered him. This
+Gines, then, afraid of being caught by the officers of justice, who were
+looking for him to punish him for his numberless rascalities and offences
+(which were so many and so great that he himself wrote a big book giving
+an account of them), resolved to shift his quarters into the kingdom of
+Aragon, and cover up his left eye, and take up the trade of a
+puppet-showman; for this, as well as juggling, he knew how to practise to
+perfection. From some released Christians returning from Barbary, it so
+happened, he bought the ape, which he taught to mount upon his shoulder
+on his making a certain sign, and to whisper, or seem to do so, in his
+ear. Thus prepared, before entering any village whither he was bound with
+his show and his ape, he used to inform himself at the nearest village,
+or from the most likely person he could find, as to what particular
+things had happened there, and to whom; and bearing them well in mind,
+the first thing he did was to exhibit his show, sometimes one story,
+sometimes another, but all lively, amusing, and familiar. As soon as the
+exhibition was over he brought forward the accomplishments of his ape,
+assuring the public that he divined all the past and the present, but as
+to the future he had no skill. For each question answered he asked two
+reals, and for some he made a reduction, just as he happened to feel the
+pulse of the questioners; and when now and then he came to houses where
+things that he knew of had happened to the people living there, even if
+they did not ask him a question, not caring to pay for it, he would make
+the sign to the ape and then declare that it had said so and so, which
+fitted the case exactly. In this way he acquired a prodigious name and
+all ran after him; on other occasions, being very crafty, he would answer
+in such a way that the answers suited the questions; and as no one
+cross-questioned him or pressed him to tell how his ape divined, he made
+fools of them all and filled his pouch. The instant he entered the inn he
+knew Don Quixote and Sancho, and with that knowledge it was easy for him
+to astonish them and all who were there; but it would have cost him dear
+had Don Quixote brought down his hand a little lower when he cut off King
+Marsilio's head and destroyed all his horsemen, as related in the
+preceeding chapter.
+
+So much for Master Pedro and his ape; and now to return to Don Quixote of
+La Mancha. After he had left the inn he determined to visit, first of
+all, the banks of the Ebro and that neighbourhood, before entering the
+city of Saragossa, for the ample time there was still to spare before the
+jousts left him enough for all. With this object in view he followed the
+road and travelled along it for two days, without meeting any adventure
+worth committing to writing until on the third day, as he was ascending a
+hill, he heard a great noise of drums, trumpets, and musket-shots. At
+first he imagined some regiment of soldiers was passing that way, and to
+see them he spurred Rocinante and mounted the hill. On reaching the top
+he saw at the foot of it over two hundred men, as it seemed to him, armed
+with weapons of various sorts, lances, crossbows, partisans, halberds,
+and pikes, and a few muskets and a great many bucklers. He descended the
+slope and approached the band near enough to see distinctly the flags,
+make out the colours and distinguish the devices they bore, especially
+one on a standard or ensign of white satin, on which there was painted in
+a very life-like style an ass like a little sard, with its head up, its
+mouth open and its tongue out, as if it were in the act and attitude of
+braying; and round it were inscribed in large characters these two lines--
+
+They did not bray in vain,
+Our alcaldes twain.
+
+From this device Don Quixote concluded that these people must be from the
+braying town, and he said so to Sancho, explaining to him what was
+written on the standard. At the same time he observed that the man who
+had told them about the matter was wrong in saying that the two who
+brayed were regidors, for according to the lines of the standard they
+were alcaldes. To which Sancho replied, "Senor, there's nothing to stick
+at in that, for maybe the regidors who brayed then came to be alcaldes of
+their town afterwards, and so they may go by both titles; moreover, it
+has nothing to do with the truth of the story whether the brayers were
+alcaldes or regidors, provided at any rate they did bray; for an alcalde
+is just as likely to bray as a regidor." They perceived, in short,
+clearly that the town which had been twitted had turned out to do battle
+with some other that had jeered it more than was fair or neighbourly.
+
+Don Quixote proceeded to join them, not a little to Sancho's uneasiness,
+for he never relished mixing himself up in expeditions of that sort. The
+members of the troop received him into the midst of them, taking him to
+be some one who was on their side. Don Quixote, putting up his visor,
+advanced with an easy bearing and demeanour to the standard with the ass,
+and all the chief men of the army gathered round him to look at him,
+staring at him with the usual amazement that everybody felt on seeing him
+for the first time. Don Quixote, seeing them examining him so
+attentively, and that none of them spoke to him or put any question to
+him, determined to take advantage of their silence; so, breaking his own,
+he lifted up his voice and said, "Worthy sirs, I entreat you as earnestly
+as I can not to interrupt an argument I wish to address to you, until you
+find it displeases or wearies you; and if that come to pass, on the
+slightest hint you give me I will put a seal upon my lips and a gag upon
+my tongue."
+
+They all bade him say what he liked, for they would listen to him
+willingly.
+
+With this permission Don Quixote went on to say, "I, sirs, am a
+knight-errant whose calling is that of arms, and whose profession is to
+protect those who require protection, and give help to such as stand in
+need of it. Some days ago I became acquainted with your misfortune and
+the cause which impels you to take up arms again and again to revenge
+yourselves upon your enemies; and having many times thought over your
+business in my mind, I find that, according to the laws of combat, you
+are mistaken in holding yourselves insulted; for a private individual
+cannot insult an entire community; unless it be by defying it
+collectively as a traitor, because he cannot tell who in particular is
+guilty of the treason for which he defies it. Of this we have an example
+in Don Diego Ordonez de Lara, who defied the whole town of Zamora,
+because he did not know that Vellido Dolfos alone had committed the
+treachery of slaying his king; and therefore he defied them all, and the
+vengeance and the reply concerned all; though, to be sure, Senor Don
+Diego went rather too far, indeed very much beyond the limits of a
+defiance; for he had no occasion to defy the dead, or the waters, or the
+fishes, or those yet unborn, and all the rest of it as set forth; but let
+that pass, for when anger breaks out there's no father, governor, or
+bridle to check the tongue. The case being, then, that no one person can
+insult a kingdom, province, city, state, or entire community, it is clear
+there is no reason for going out to avenge the defiance of such an
+insult, inasmuch as it is not one. A fine thing it would be if the people
+of the clock town were to be at loggerheads every moment with everyone
+who called them by that name,--or the Cazoleros, Berengeneros,
+Ballenatos, Jaboneros, or the bearers of all the other names and titles
+that are always in the mouth of the boys and common people! It would be a
+nice business indeed if all these illustrious cities were to take huff
+and revenge themselves and go about perpetually making trombones of their
+swords in every petty quarrel! No, no; God forbid! There are four things
+for which sensible men and well-ordered States ought to take up arms,
+draw their swords, and risk their persons, lives, and properties. The
+first is to defend the Catholic faith; the second, to defend one's life,
+which is in accordance with natural and divine law; the third, in defence
+of one's honour, family, and property; the fourth, in the service of
+one's king in a just war; and if to these we choose to add a fifth (which
+may be included in the second), in defence of one's country. To these
+five, as it were capital causes, there may be added some others that may
+be just and reasonable, and make it a duty to take up arms; but to take
+them up for trifles and things to laugh at and he amused by rather than
+offended, looks as though he who did so was altogether wanting in common
+sense. Moreover, to take an unjust revenge (and there cannot be any just
+one) is directly opposed to the sacred law that we acknowledge, wherein
+we are commanded to do good to our enemies and to love them that hate us;
+a command which, though it seems somewhat difficult to obey, is only so
+to those who have in them less of God than of the world, and more of the
+flesh than of the spirit; for Jesus Christ, God and true man, who never
+lied, and could not and cannot lie, said, as our law-giver, that his yoke
+was easy and his burden light; he would not, therefore, have laid any
+command upon us that it was impossible to obey. Thus, sirs, you are bound
+to keep quiet by human and divine law."
+
+"The devil take me," said Sancho to himself at this, "but this master of
+mine is a tologian; or, if not, faith, he's as like one as one egg is
+like another."
+
+Don Quixote stopped to take breath, and, observing that silence was still
+preserved, had a mind to continue his discourse, and would have done so
+had not Sancho interposed with his smartness; for he, seeing his master
+pause, took the lead, saying, "My lord Don Quixote of La Mancha, who once
+was called the Knight of the Rueful Countenance, but now is called the
+Knight of the Lions, is a gentleman of great discretion who knows Latin
+and his mother tongue like a bachelor, and in everything that he deals
+with or advises proceeds like a good soldier, and has all the laws and
+ordinances of what they call combat at his fingers' ends; so you have
+nothing to do but to let yourselves be guided by what he says, and on my
+head be it if it is wrong. Besides which, you have been told that it is
+folly to take offence at merely hearing a bray. I remember when I was a
+boy I brayed as often as I had a fancy, without anyone hindering me, and
+so elegantly and naturally that when I brayed all the asses in the town
+would bray; but I was none the less for that the son of my parents who
+were greatly respected; and though I was envied because of the gift by
+more than one of the high and mighty ones of the town, I did not care two
+farthings for it; and that you may see I am telling the truth, wait a bit
+and listen, for this art, like swimming, once learnt is never forgotten;"
+and then, taking hold of his nose, he began to bray so vigorously that
+all the valleys around rang again.
+
+One of those, however, that stood near him, fancying he was mocking them,
+lifted up a long staff he had in his hand and smote him such a blow with
+it that Sancho dropped helpless to the ground. Don Quixote, seeing him so
+roughly handled, attacked the man who had struck him lance in hand, but
+so many thrust themselves between them that he could not avenge him. Far
+from it, finding a shower of stones rained upon him, and crossbows and
+muskets unnumbered levelled at him, he wheeled Rocinante round and, as
+fast as his best gallop could take him, fled from the midst of them,
+commending himself to God with all his heart to deliver him out of this
+peril, in dread every step of some ball coming in at his back and coming
+out at his breast, and every minute drawing his breath to see whether it
+had gone from him. The members of the band, however, were satisfied with
+seeing him take to flight, and did not fire on him. They put up Sancho,
+scarcely restored to his senses, on his ass, and let him go after his
+master; not that he was sufficiently in his wits to guide the beast, but
+Dapple followed the footsteps of Rocinante, from whom he could not remain
+a moment separated. Don Quixote having got some way off looked back, and
+seeing Sancho coming, waited for him, as he perceived that no one
+followed him. The men of the troop stood their ground till night, and as
+the enemy did not come out to battle, they returned to their town
+exulting; and had they been aware of the ancient custom of the Greeks,
+they would have erected a trophy on the spot.
+
+Chapter XXVIII. -
+Of matters that Benengeli says he who reads them will know, if he reads
+them with attention
+
+When the brave man flees, treachery is manifest and it is for wise men to
+reserve themselves for better occasions. This proved to be the case with
+Don Quixote, who, giving way before the fury of the townsfolk and the
+hostile intentions of the angry troop, took to flight and, without a
+thought of Sancho or the danger in which he was leaving him, retreated to
+such a distance as he thought made him safe. Sancho, lying across his
+ass, followed him, as has been said, and at length came up, having by
+this time recovered his senses, and on joining him let himself drop off
+Dapple at Rocinante's feet, sore, bruised, and belaboured. Don Quixote
+dismounted to examine his wounds, but finding him whole from head to
+foot, he said to him, angrily enough, "In an evil hour didst thou take to
+braying, Sancho! Where hast thou learned that it is well done to mention
+the rope in the house of the man that has been hanged? To the music of
+brays what harmonies couldst thou expect to get but cudgels? Give thanks
+to God, Sancho, that they signed the cross on thee just now with a stick,
+and did not mark thee per signum crucis with a cutlass."
+
+"I'm not equal to answering," said Sancho, "for I feel as if I was
+speaking through my shoulders; let us mount and get away from this; I'll
+keep from braying, but not from saying that knights-errant fly and leave
+their good squires to be pounded like privet, or made meal of at the
+hands of their enemies."
+
+"He does not fly who retires," returned Don Quixote; "for I would have
+thee know, Sancho, that the valour which is not based upon a foundation
+of prudence is called rashness, and the exploits of the rash man are to
+be attributed rather to good fortune than to courage; and so I own that I
+retired, but not that I fled; and therein I have followed the example of
+many valiant men who have reserved themselves for better times; the
+histories are full of instances of this, but as it would not be any good
+to thee or pleasure to me, I will not recount them to thee now."
+
+Sancho was by this time mounted with the help of Don Quixote, who then
+himself mounted Rocinante, and at a leisurely pace they proceeded to take
+shelter in a grove which was in sight about a quarter of a league off.
+Every now and then Sancho gave vent to deep sighs and dismal groans, and
+on Don Quixote asking him what caused such acute suffering, he replied
+that, from the end of his back-bone up to the nape of his neck, he was so
+sore that it nearly drove him out of his senses.
+
+"The cause of that soreness," said Don Quixote, "will be, no doubt, that
+the staff wherewith they smote thee being a very long one, it caught thee
+all down the back, where all the parts that are sore are situated, and
+had it reached any further thou wouldst be sorer still."
+
+"By God," said Sancho, "your worship has relieved me of a great doubt,
+and cleared up the point for me in elegant style! Body o' me! is the
+cause of my soreness such a mystery that there's any need to tell me I am
+sore everywhere the staff hit me? If it was my ankles that pained me
+there might be something in going divining why they did, but it is not
+much to divine that I'm sore where they thrashed me. By my faith, master
+mine, the ills of others hang by a hair; every day I am discovering more
+and more how little I have to hope for from keeping company with your
+worship; for if this time you have allowed me to be drubbed, the next
+time, or a hundred times more, we'll have the blanketings of the other
+day over again, and all the other pranks which, if they have fallen on my
+shoulders now, will be thrown in my teeth by-and-by. I would do a great
+deal better (if I was not an ignorant brute that will never do any good
+all my life), I would do a great deal better, I say, to go home to my
+wife and children and support them and bring them up on what God may
+please to give me, instead of following your worship along roads that
+lead nowhere and paths that are none at all, with little to drink and
+less to eat. And then when it comes to sleeping! Measure out seven feet
+on the earth, brother squire, and if that's not enough for you, take as
+many more, for you may have it all your own way and stretch yourself to
+your heart's content. Oh that I could see burnt and turned to ashes the
+first man that meddled with knight-errantry or at any rate the first who
+chose to be squire to such fools as all the knights-errant of past times
+must have been! Of those of the present day I say nothing, because, as
+your worship is one of them, I respect them, and because I know your
+worship knows a point more than the devil in all you say and think."
+
+"I would lay a good wager with you, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that now
+that you are talking on without anyone to stop you, you don't feel a pain
+in your whole body. Talk away, my son, say whatever comes into your head
+or mouth, for so long as you feel no pain, the irritation your
+impertinences give me will be a pleasure to me; and if you are so anxious
+to go home to your wife and children, God forbid that I should prevent
+you; you have money of mine; see how long it is since we left our village
+this third time, and how much you can and ought to earn every month, and
+pay yourself out of your own hand."
+
+"When I worked for Tom Carrasco, the father of the bachelor Samson
+Carrasco that your worship knows," replied Sancho, "I used to earn two
+ducats a month besides my food; I can't tell what I can earn with your
+worship, though I know a knight-errant's squire has harder times of it
+than he who works for a farmer; for after all, we who work for farmers,
+however much we toil all day, at the worst, at night, we have our olla
+supper and sleep in a bed, which I have not slept in since I have been in
+your worship's service, if it wasn't the short time we were in Don Diego
+de Miranda's house, and the feast I had with the skimmings I took off
+Camacho's pots, and what I ate, drank, and slept in Basilio's house; all
+the rest of the time I have been sleeping on the hard ground under the
+open sky, exposed to what they call the inclemencies of heaven, keeping
+life in me with scraps of cheese and crusts of bread, and drinking water
+either from the brooks or from the springs we come to on these by-paths
+we travel."
+
+"I own, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that all thou sayest is true; how
+much, thinkest thou, ought I to give thee over and above what Tom
+Carrasco gave thee?"
+
+"I think," said Sancho, "that if your worship was to add on two reals a
+month I'd consider myself well paid; that is, as far as the wages of my
+labour go; but to make up to me for your worship's pledge and promise to
+me to give me the government of an island, it would be fair to add six
+reals more, making thirty in all."
+
+"Very good," said Don Quixote; "it is twenty-five days since we left our
+village, so reckon up, Sancho, according to the wages you have made out
+for yourself, and see how much I owe you in proportion, and pay yourself,
+as I said before, out of your own hand."
+
+"O body o' me!" said Sancho, "but your worship is very much out in that
+reckoning; for when it comes to the promise of the island we must count
+from the day your worship promised it to me to this present hour we are
+at now."
+
+"Well, how long is it, Sancho, since I promised it to you?" said Don
+Quixote.
+
+"If I remember rightly," said Sancho, "it must be over twenty years,
+three days more or less."
+
+Don Quixote gave himself a great slap on the forehead and began to laugh
+heartily, and said he, "Why, I have not been wandering, either in the
+Sierra Morena or in the whole course of our sallies, but barely two
+months, and thou sayest, Sancho, that it is twenty years since I promised
+thee the island. I believe now thou wouldst have all the money thou hast
+of mine go in thy wages. If so, and if that be thy pleasure, I give it to
+thee now, once and for all, and much good may it do thee, for so long as
+I see myself rid of such a good-for-nothing squire I'll be glad to be
+left a pauper without a rap. But tell me, thou perverter of the squirely
+rules of knight-errantry, where hast thou ever seen or read that any
+knight-errant's squire made terms with his lord, 'you must give me so
+much a month for serving you'? Plunge, scoundrel, rogue, monster--for
+such I take thee to be--plunge, I say, into the mare magnum of their
+histories; and if thou shalt find that any squire ever said or thought
+what thou hast said now, I will let thee nail it on my forehead, and give
+me, over and above, four sound slaps in the face. Turn the rein, or the
+halter, of thy Dapple, and begone home; for one single step further thou
+shalt not make in my company. O bread thanklessly received! O promises
+ill-bestowed! O man more beast than human being! Now, when I was about to
+raise thee to such a position, that, in spite of thy wife, they would
+call thee 'my lord,' thou art leaving me? Thou art going now when I had a
+firm and fixed intention of making thee lord of the best island in the
+world? Well, as thou thyself hast said before now, honey is not for the
+mouth of the ass. Ass thou art, ass thou wilt be, and ass thou wilt end
+when the course of thy life is run; for I know it will come to its close
+before thou dost perceive or discern that thou art a beast."
+
+Sancho regarded Don Quixote earnestly while he was giving him this
+rating, and was so touched by remorse that the tears came to his eyes,
+and in a piteous and broken voice he said to him, "Master mine, I confess
+that, to be a complete ass, all I want is a tail; if your worship will
+only fix one on to me, I'll look on it as rightly placed, and I'll serve
+you as an ass all the remaining days of my life. Forgive me and have pity
+on my folly, and remember I know but little, and, if I talk much, it's
+more from infirmity than malice; but he who sins and mends commends
+himself to God."
+
+"I should have been surprised, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "if thou hadst
+not introduced some bit of a proverb into thy speech. Well, well, I
+forgive thee, provided thou dost mend and not show thyself in future so
+fond of thine own interest, but try to be of good cheer and take heart,
+and encourage thyself to look forward to the fulfillment of my promises,
+which, by being delayed, does not become impossible."
+
+Sancho said he would do so, and keep up his heart as best he could. They
+then entered the grove, and Don Quixote settled himself at the foot of an
+elm, and Sancho at that of a beech, for trees of this kind and others
+like them always have feet but no hands. Sancho passed the night in pain,
+for with the evening dews the blow of the staff made itself felt all the
+more. Don Quixote passed it in his never-failing meditations; but, for
+all that, they had some winks of sleep, and with the appearance of
+daylight they pursued their journey in quest of the banks of the famous
+Ebro, where that befell them which will be told in the following chapter.
+
+Chapter XXIX. -
+Of the famous adventure of the enchanted bark
+
+By stages as already described or left undescribed, two days after
+quitting the grove Don Quixote and Sancho reached the river Ebro, and the
+sight of it was a great delight to Don Quixote as he contemplated and
+gazed upon the charms of its banks, the clearness of its stream, the
+gentleness of its current and the abundance of its crystal waters; and
+the pleasant view revived a thousand tender thoughts in his mind. Above
+all, he dwelt upon what he had seen in the cave of Montesinos; for though
+Master Pedro's ape had told him that of those things part was true, part
+false, he clung more to their truth than to their falsehood, the very
+reverse of Sancho, who held them all to be downright lies.
+
+As they were thus proceeding, then, they discovered a small boat, without
+oars or any other gear, that lay at the water's edge tied to the stem of
+a tree growing on the bank. Don Quixote looked all round, and seeing
+nobody, at once, without more ado, dismounted from Rocinante and bade
+Sancho get down from Dapple and tie both beasts securely to the trunk of
+a poplar or willow that stood there. Sancho asked him the reason of this
+sudden dismounting and tying. Don Quixote made answer, "Thou must know,
+Sancho, that this bark is plainly, and without the possibility of any
+alternative, calling and inviting me to enter it, and in it go to give
+aid to some knight or other person of distinction in need of it, who is
+no doubt in some sore strait; for this is the way of the books of
+chivalry and of the enchanters who figure and speak in them. When a
+knight is involved in some difficulty from which he cannot be delivered
+save by the hand of another knight, though they may be at a distance of
+two or three thousand leagues or more one from the other, they either
+take him up on a cloud, or they provide a bark for him to get into, and
+in less than the twinkling of an eye they carry him where they will and
+where his help is required; and so, Sancho, this bark is placed here for
+the same purpose; this is as true as that it is now day, and ere this one
+passes tie Dapple and Rocinante together, and then in God's hand be it to
+guide us; for I would not hold back from embarking, though barefooted
+friars were to beg me."
+
+"As that's the case," said Sancho, "and your worship chooses to give in
+to these--I don't know if I may call them absurdities--at every turn,
+there's nothing for it but to obey and bow the head, bearing in mind the
+proverb, 'Do as thy master bids thee, and sit down to table with him;'
+but for all that, for the sake of easing my conscience, I warn your
+worship that it is my opinion this bark is no enchanted one, but belongs
+to some of the fishermen of the river, for they catch the best shad in
+the world here."
+
+As Sancho said this, he tied the beasts, leaving them to the care and
+protection of the enchanters with sorrow enough in his heart. Don Quixote
+bade him not be uneasy about deserting the animals, "for he who would
+carry themselves over such longinquous roads and regions would take care
+to feed them."
+
+"I don't understand that logiquous," said Sancho, "nor have I ever heard
+the word all the days of my life."
+
+"Longinquous," replied Don Quixote, "means far off; but it is no wonder
+thou dost not understand it, for thou art not bound to know Latin, like
+some who pretend to know it and don't."
+
+"Now they are tied," said Sancho; "what are we to do next?"
+
+"What?" said Don Quixote, "cross ourselves and weigh anchor; I mean,
+embark and cut the moorings by which the bark is held;" and the bark
+began to drift away slowly from the bank. But when Sancho saw himself
+somewhere about two yards out in the river, he began to tremble and give
+himself up for lost; but nothing distressed him more than hearing Dapple
+bray and seeing Rocinante struggling to get loose, and said he to his
+master, "Dapple is braying in grief at our leaving him, and Rocinante is
+trying to escape and plunge in after us. O dear friends, peace be with
+you, and may this madness that is taking us away from you, turned into
+sober sense, bring us back to you." And with this he fell weeping so
+bitterly, that Don Quixote said to him, sharply and angrily, "What art
+thou afraid of, cowardly creature? What art thou weeping at, heart of
+butter-paste? Who pursues or molests thee, thou soul of a tame mouse?
+What dost thou want, unsatisfied in the very heart of abundance? Art
+thou, perchance, tramping barefoot over the Riphaean mountains, instead
+of being seated on a bench like an archduke on the tranquil stream of
+this pleasant river, from which in a short space we shall come out upon
+the broad sea? But we must have already emerged and gone seven hundred or
+eight hundred leagues; and if I had here an astrolabe to take the
+altitude of the pole, I could tell thee how many we have travelled,
+though either I know little, or we have already crossed or shall shortly
+cross the equinoctial line which parts the two opposite poles midway."
+
+"And when we come to that line your worship speaks of," said Sancho, "how
+far shall we have gone?"
+
+"Very far," said Don Quixote, "for of the three hundred and sixty degrees
+that this terraqueous globe contains, as computed by Ptolemy, the
+greatest cosmographer known, we shall have travelled one-half when we
+come to the line I spoke of."
+
+"By God," said Sancho, "your worship gives me a nice authority for what
+you say, putrid Dolly something transmogrified, or whatever it is."
+
+Don Quixote laughed at the interpretation Sancho put upon "computed," and
+the name of the cosmographer Ptolemy, and said he, "Thou must know,
+Sancho, that with the Spaniards and those who embark at Cadiz for the
+East Indies, one of the signs they have to show them when they have
+passed the equinoctial line I told thee of, is, that the lice die upon
+everybody on board the ship, and not a single one is left, or to be found
+in the whole vessel if they gave its weight in gold for it; so, Sancho,
+thou mayest as well pass thy hand down thy thigh, and if thou comest upon
+anything alive we shall be no longer in doubt; if not, then we have
+crossed."
+
+"I don't believe a bit of it," said Sancho; "still, I'll do as your
+worship bids me; though I don't know what need there is for trying these
+experiments, for I can see with my own eyes that we have not moved five
+yards away from the bank, or shifted two yards from where the animals
+stand, for there are Rocinante and Dapple in the very same place where we
+left them; and watching a point, as I do now, I swear by all that's good,
+we are not stirring or moving at the pace of an ant."
+
+"Try the test I told thee of, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and don't mind
+any other, for thou knowest nothing about colures, lines, parallels,
+zodiacs, ecliptics, poles, solstices, equinoxes, planets, signs,
+bearings, the measures of which the celestial and terrestrial spheres are
+composed; if thou wert acquainted with all these things, or any portion
+of them, thou wouldst see clearly how many parallels we have cut, what
+signs we have seen, and what constellations we have left behind and are
+now leaving behind. But again I tell thee, feel and hunt, for I am
+certain thou art cleaner than a sheet of smooth white paper."
+
+Sancho felt, and passing his hand gently and carefully down to the hollow
+of his left knee, he looked up at his master and said, "Either the test
+is a false one, or we have not come to where your worship says, nor
+within many leagues of it."
+
+"Why, how so?" asked Don Quixote; "hast thou come upon aught?"
+
+"Ay, and aughts," replied Sancho; and shaking his fingers he washed his
+whole hand in the river along which the boat was quietly gliding in
+midstream, not moved by any occult intelligence or invisible enchanter,
+but simply by the current, just there smooth and gentle.
+
+They now came in sight of some large water mills that stood in the middle
+of the river, and the instant Don Quixote saw them he cried out, "Seest
+thou there, my friend? there stands the castle or fortress, where there
+is, no doubt, some knight in durance, or ill-used queen, or infanta, or
+princess, in whose aid I am brought hither."
+
+"What the devil city, fortress, or castle is your worship talking about,
+senor?" said Sancho; "don't you see that those are mills that stand in
+the river to grind corn?"
+
+"Hold thy peace, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "though they look like mills
+they are not so; I have already told thee that enchantments transform
+things and change their proper shapes; I do not mean to say they really
+change them from one form into another, but that it seems as though they
+did, as experience proved in the transformation of Dulcinea, sole refuge
+of my hopes."
+
+By this time, the boat, having reached the middle of the stream, began to
+move less slowly than hitherto. The millers belonging to the mills, when
+they saw the boat coming down the river, and on the point of being sucked
+in by the draught of the wheels, ran out in haste, several of them, with
+long poles to stop it, and being all mealy, with faces and garments
+covered with flour, they presented a sinister appearance. They raised
+loud shouts, crying, "Devils of men, where are you going to? Are you mad?
+Do you want to drown yourselves, or dash yourselves to pieces among these
+wheels?"
+
+"Did I not tell thee, Sancho," said Don Quixote at this, "that we had
+reached the place where I am to show what the might of my arm can do? See
+what ruffians and villains come out against me; see what monsters oppose
+me; see what hideous countenances come to frighten us! You shall soon
+see, scoundrels!" And then standing up in the boat he began in a loud
+voice to hurl threats at the millers, exclaiming, "Ill-conditioned and
+worse-counselled rabble, restore to liberty and freedom the person ye
+hold in durance in this your fortress or prison, high or low or of
+whatever rank or quality he be, for I am Don Quixote of La Mancha,
+otherwise called the Knight of the Lions, for whom, by the disposition of
+heaven above, it is reserved to give a happy issue to this adventure;"
+and so saying he drew his sword and began making passes in the air at the
+millers, who, hearing but not understanding all this nonsense, strove to
+stop the boat, which was now getting into the rushing channel of the
+wheels. Sancho fell upon his knees devoutly appealing to heaven to
+deliver him from such imminent peril; which it did by the activity and
+quickness of the millers, who, pushing against the boat with their poles,
+stopped it, not, however, without upsetting and throwing Don Quixote and
+Sancho into the water; and lucky it was for Don Quixote that he could
+swim like a goose, though the weight of his armour carried him twice to
+the bottom; and had it not been for the millers, who plunged in and
+hoisted them both out, it would have been Troy town with the pair of
+them. As soon as, more drenched than thirsty, they were landed, Sancho
+went down on his knees and with clasped hands and eyes raised to heaven,
+prayed a long and fervent prayer to God to deliver him evermore from the
+rash projects and attempts of his master. The fishermen, the owners of
+the boat, which the mill-wheels had knocked to pieces, now came up, and
+seeing it smashed they proceeded to strip Sancho and to demand payment
+for it from Don Quixote; but he with great calmness, just as if nothing
+had happened him, told the millers and fishermen that he would pay for
+the bark most cheerfully, on condition that they delivered up to him,
+free and unhurt, the person or persons that were in durance in that
+castle of theirs.
+
+"What persons or what castle art thou talking of, madman? Art thou for
+carrying off the people who come to grind corn in these mills?"
+
+"That's enough," said Don Quixote to himself, "it would be preaching in
+the desert to attempt by entreaties to induce this rabble to do any
+virtuous action. In this adventure two mighty enchanters must have
+encountered one another, and one frustrates what the other attempts; one
+provided the bark for me, and the other upset me; God help us, this world
+is all machinations and schemes at cross purposes one with the other. I
+can do no more." And then turning towards the mills he said aloud,
+"Friends, whoe'er ye be that are immured in that prison, forgive me that,
+to my misfortune and yours, I cannot deliver you from your misery; this
+adventure is doubtless reserved and destined for some other knight."
+
+So saying he settled with the fishermen, and paid fifty reals for the
+boat, which Sancho handed to them very much against the grain, saying,
+"With a couple more bark businesses like this we shall have sunk our
+whole capital."
+
+The fishermen and the millers stood staring in amazement at the two
+figures, so very different to all appearance from ordinary men, and were
+wholly unable to make out the drift of the observations and questions Don
+Quixote addressed to them; and coming to the conclusion that they were
+madmen, they left them and betook themselves, the millers to their mills,
+and the fishermen to their huts. Don Quixote and Sancho returned to their
+beasts, and to their life of beasts, and so ended the adventure of the
+enchanted bark.
+
+Chapter XXX. -
+Of Don Quixote's adventure with a fair huntress
+
+They reached their beasts in low spirits and bad humour enough, knight
+and squire, Sancho particularly, for with him what touched the stock of
+money touched his heart, and when any was taken from him he felt as if he
+was robbed of the apples of his eyes. In fine, without exchanging a word,
+they mounted and quitted the famous river, Don Quixote absorbed in
+thoughts of his love, Sancho in thinking of his advancement, which just
+then, it seemed to him, he was very far from securing; for, fool as he
+was, he saw clearly enough that his master's acts were all or most of
+them utterly senseless; and he began to cast about for an opportunity of
+retiring from his service and going home some day, without entering into
+any explanations or taking any farewell of him. Fortune, however, ordered
+matters after a fashion very much the opposite of what he contemplated.
+
+It so happened that the next day towards sunset, on coming out of a wood,
+Don Quixote cast his eyes over a green meadow, and at the far end of it
+observed some people, and as he drew nearer saw that it was a hawking
+party. Coming closer, he distinguished among them a lady of graceful
+mien, on a pure white palfrey or hackney caparisoned with green trappings
+and a silver-mounted side-saddle. The lady was also in green, and so
+richly and splendidly dressed that splendour itself seemed personified in
+her. On her left hand she bore a hawk, a proof to Don Quixote's mind that
+she must be some great lady and the mistress of the whole hunting party,
+which was the fact; so he said to Sancho, "Run Sancho, my son, and say to
+that lady on the palfrey with the hawk that I, the Knight of the Lions,
+kiss the hands of her exalted beauty, and if her excellence will grant me
+leave I will go and kiss them in person and place myself at her service
+for aught that may be in my power and her highness may command; and mind,
+Sancho, how thou speakest, and take care not to thrust in any of thy
+proverbs into thy message."
+
+"You've got a likely one here to thrust any in!" said Sancho; "leave me
+alone for that! Why, this is not the first time in my life I have carried
+messages to high and exalted ladies."
+
+"Except that thou didst carry to the lady Dulcinea," said Don Quixote, "I
+know not that thou hast carried any other, at least in my service."
+
+"That is true," replied Sancho; "but pledges don't distress a good payer,
+and in a house where there's plenty supper is soon cooked; I mean there's
+no need of telling or warning me about anything; for I'm ready for
+everything and know a little of everything."
+
+"That I believe, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "go and good luck to thee,
+and God speed thee."
+
+Sancho went off at top speed, forcing Dapple out of his regular pace, and
+came to where the fair huntress was standing, and dismounting knelt
+before her and said, "Fair lady, that knight that you see there, the
+Knight of the Lions by name, is my master, and I am a squire of his, and
+at home they call me Sancho Panza. This same Knight of the Lions, who was
+called not long since the Knight of the Rueful Countenance, sends by me
+to say may it please your highness to give him leave that, with your
+permission, approbation, and consent, he may come and carry out his
+wishes, which are, as he says and I believe, to serve your exalted
+loftiness and beauty; and if you give it, your ladyship will do a thing
+which will redound to your honour, and he will receive a most
+distinguished favour and happiness."
+
+"You have indeed, squire," said the lady, "delivered your message with
+all the formalities such messages require; rise up, for it is not right
+that the squire of a knight so great as he of the Rueful Countenance, of
+whom we have heard a great deal here, should remain on his knees; rise,
+my friend, and bid your master welcome to the services of myself and the
+duke my husband, in a country house we have here."
+
+Sancho got up, charmed as much by the beauty of the good lady as by her
+high-bred air and her courtesy, but, above all, by what she had said
+about having heard of his master, the Knight of the Rueful Countenance;
+for if she did not call him Knight of the Lions it was no doubt because
+he had so lately taken the name. "Tell me, brother squire," asked the
+duchess (whose title, however, is not known), "this master of yours, is
+he not one of whom there is a history extant in print, called 'The
+Ingenious Gentleman, Don Quixote of La Mancha,' who has for the lady of
+his heart a certain Dulcinea del Toboso?"
+
+"He is the same, senora," replied Sancho; "and that squire of his who
+figures, or ought to figure, in the said history under the name of Sancho
+Panza, is myself, unless they have changed me in the cradle, I mean in
+the press."
+
+"I am rejoiced at all this," said the duchess; "go, brother Panza, and
+tell your master that he is welcome to my estate, and that nothing could
+happen me that could give me greater pleasure."
+
+Sancho returned to his master mightily pleased with this gratifying
+answer, and told him all the great lady had said to him, lauding to the
+skies, in his rustic phrase, her rare beauty, her graceful gaiety, and
+her courtesy. Don Quixote drew himself up briskly in his saddle, fixed
+himself in his stirrups, settled his visor, gave Rocinante the spur, and
+with an easy bearing advanced to kiss the hands of the duchess, who,
+having sent to summon the duke her husband, told him while Don Quixote
+was approaching all about the message; and as both of them had read the
+First Part of this history, and from it were aware of Don Quixote's crazy
+turn, they awaited him with the greatest delight and anxiety to make his
+acquaintance, meaning to fall in with his humour and agree with
+everything he said, and, so long as he stayed with them, to treat him as
+a knight-errant, with all the ceremonies usual in the books of chivalry
+they had read, for they themselves were very fond of them.
+
+Don Quixote now came up with his visor raised, and as he seemed about to
+dismount Sancho made haste to go and hold his stirrup for him; but in
+getting down off Dapple he was so unlucky as to hitch his foot in one of
+the ropes of the pack-saddle in such a way that he was unable to free it,
+and was left hanging by it with his face and breast on the ground. Don
+Quixote, who was not used to dismount without having the stirrup held,
+fancying that Sancho had by this time come to hold it for him, threw
+himself off with a lurch and brought Rocinante's saddle after him, which
+was no doubt badly girthed, and saddle and he both came to the ground;
+not without discomfiture to him and abundant curses muttered between his
+teeth against the unlucky Sancho, who had his foot still in the shackles.
+The duke ordered his huntsmen to go to the help of knight and squire, and
+they raised Don Quixote, sorely shaken by his fall; and he, limping,
+advanced as best he could to kneel before the noble pair. This, however,
+the duke would by no means permit; on the contrary, dismounting from his
+horse, he went and embraced Don Quixote, saying, "I am grieved, Sir
+Knight of the Rueful Countenance, that your first experience on my ground
+should have been such an unfortunate one as we have seen; but the
+carelessness of squires is often the cause of worse accidents."
+
+"That which has happened me in meeting you, mighty prince," replied Don
+Quixote, "cannot be unfortunate, even if my fall had not stopped short of
+the depths of the bottomless pit, for the glory of having seen you would
+have lifted me up and delivered me from it. My squire, God's curse upon
+him, is better at unloosing his tongue in talking impertinence than in
+tightening the girths of a saddle to keep it steady; but however I may
+be, allen or raised up, on foot or on horseback, I shall always be at
+your service and that of my lady the duchess, your worthy consort, worthy
+queen of beauty and paramount princess of courtesy."
+
+"Gently, Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha," said the duke; "where my lady
+Dona Dulcinea del Toboso is, it is not right that other beauties should
+be praised."
+
+Sancho, by this time released from his entanglement, was standing by, and
+before his master could answer he said, "There is no denying, and it must
+be maintained, that my lady Dulcinea del Toboso is very beautiful; but
+the hare jumps up where one least expects it; and I have heard say that
+what we call nature is like a potter that makes vessels of clay, and he
+who makes one fair vessel can as well make two, or three, or a hundred; I
+say so because, by my faith, my lady the duchess is in no way behind my
+mistress the lady Dulcinea del Toboso."
+
+Don Quixote turned to the duchess and said, "Your highness may conceive
+that never had knight-errant in this world a more talkative or a droller
+squire than I have, and he will prove the truth of what I say, if your
+highness is pleased to accept of my services for a few days."
+
+To which the duchess made answer, "that worthy Sancho is droll I consider
+a very good thing, because it is a sign that he is shrewd; for drollery
+and sprightliness, Senor Don Quixote, as you very well know, do not take
+up their abode with dull wits; and as good Sancho is droll and sprightly
+I here set him down as shrewd."
+
+"And talkative," added Don Quixote.
+
+"So much the better," said the duke, "for many droll things cannot be
+said in few words; but not to lose time in talking, come, great Knight of
+the Rueful Countenance-"
+
+"Of the Lions, your highness must say," said Sancho, "for there is no
+Rueful Countenance nor any such character now."
+
+"He of the Lions be it," continued the duke; "I say, let Sir Knight of
+the Lions come to a castle of mine close by, where he shall be given that
+reception which is due to so exalted a personage, and which the duchess
+and I are wont to give to all knights-errant who come there."
+
+By this time Sancho had fixed and girthed Rocinante's saddle, and Don
+Quixote having got on his back and the duke mounted a fine horse, they
+placed the duchess in the middle and set out for the castle. The duchess
+desired Sancho to come to her side, for she found infinite enjoyment in
+listening to his shrewd remarks. Sancho required no pressing, but pushed
+himself in between them and the duke, who thought it rare good fortune to
+receive such a knight-errant and such a homely squire in their castle.
+
+Chapter XXXI. -
+Which treats of many and great matters
+
+Supreme was the satisfaction that Sancho felt at seeing himself, as it
+seemed, an established favourite with the duchess, for he looked forward
+to finding in her castle what he had found in Don Diego's house and in
+Basilio's; he was always fond of good living, and always seized by the
+forelock any opportunity of feasting himself whenever it presented
+itself. The history informs us, then, that before they reached the
+country house or castle, the duke went on in advance and instructed all
+his servants how they were to treat Don Quixote; and so the instant he
+came up to the castle gates with the duchess, two lackeys or equerries,
+clad in what they call morning gowns of fine crimson satin reaching to
+their feet, hastened out, and catching Don Quixote in their arms before
+he saw or heard them, said to him, "Your highness should go and take my
+lady the duchess off her horse."
+
+Don Quixote obeyed, and great bandying of compliments followed between
+the two over the matter; but in the end the duchess's determination
+carried the day, and she refused to get down or dismount from her palfrey
+except in the arms of the duke, saying she did not consider herself
+worthy to impose so unnecessary a burden on so great a knight. At length
+the duke came out to take her down, and as they entered a spacious court
+two fair damsels came forward and threw over Don Quixote's shoulders a
+large mantle of the finest scarlet cloth, and at the same instant all the
+galleries of the court were lined with the men-servants and
+women-servants of the household, crying, "Welcome, flower and cream of
+knight-errantry!" while all or most of them flung pellets filled with
+scented water over Don Quixote and the duke and duchess; at all which Don
+Quixote was greatly astonished, and this was the first time that he
+thoroughly felt and believed himself to be a knight-errant in reality and
+not merely in fancy, now that he saw himself treated in the same way as
+he had read of such knights being treated in days of yore.
+
+Sancho, deserting Dapple, hung on to the duchess and entered the castle,
+but feeling some twinges of conscience at having left the ass alone, he
+approached a respectable duenna who had come out with the rest to receive
+the duchess, and in a low voice he said to her, "Senora Gonzalez, or
+however your grace may be called-"
+
+"I am called Dona Rodriguez de Grijalba," replied the duenna; "what is
+your will, brother?" To which Sancho made answer, "I should be glad if
+your worship would do me the favour to go out to the castle gate, where
+you will find a grey ass of mine; make them, if you please, put him in
+the stable, or put him there yourself, for the poor little beast is
+rather easily frightened, and cannot bear being alone at all."
+
+"If the master is as wise as the man," said the duenna, "we have got a
+fine bargain. Be off with you, brother, and bad luck to you and him who
+brought you here; go, look after your ass, for we, the duennas of this
+house, are not used to work of that sort."
+
+"Well then, in troth," returned Sancho, "I have heard my master, who is
+the very treasure-finder of stories, telling the story of Lancelot when
+he came from Britain, say that ladies waited upon him and duennas upon
+his hack; and, if it comes to my ass, I wouldn't change him for Senor
+Lancelot's hack."
+
+"If you are a jester, brother," said the duenna, "keep your drolleries
+for some place where they'll pass muster and be paid for; for you'll get
+nothing from me but a fig."
+
+"At any rate, it will be a very ripe one," said Sancho, "for you won't
+lose the trick in years by a point too little."
+
+"Son of a bitch," said the duenna, all aglow with anger, "whether I'm old
+or not, it's with God I have to reckon, not with you, you garlic-stuffed
+scoundrel!" and she said it so loud, that the duchess heard it, and
+turning round and seeing the duenna in such a state of excitement, and
+her eyes flaming so, asked whom she was wrangling with.
+
+"With this good fellow here," said the duenna, "who has particularly
+requested me to go and put an ass of his that is at the castle gate into
+the stable, holding it up to me as an example that they did the same I
+don't know where--that some ladies waited on one Lancelot, and duennas on
+his hack; and what is more, to wind up with, he called me old."
+
+"That," said the duchess, "I should have considered the greatest affront
+that could be offered me;" and addressing Sancho, she said to him, "You
+must know, friend Sancho, that Dona Rodriguez is very youthful, and that
+she wears that hood more for authority and custom sake than because of
+her years."
+
+"May all the rest of mine be unlucky," said Sancho, "if I meant it that
+way; I only spoke because the affection I have for my ass is so great,
+and I thought I could not commend him to a more kind-hearted person than
+the lady Dona Rodriguez."
+
+Don Quixote, who was listening, said to him, "Is this proper conversation
+for the place, Sancho?"
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "every one must mention what he wants wherever
+he may be; I thought of Dapple here, and I spoke of him here; if I had
+thought of him in the stable I would have spoken there."
+
+On which the duke observed, "Sancho is quite right, and there is no
+reason at all to find fault with him; Dapple shall be fed to his heart's
+content, and Sancho may rest easy, for he shall be treated like himself."
+
+While this conversation, amusing to all except Don Quixote, was
+proceeding, they ascended the staircase and ushered Don Quixote into a
+chamber hung with rich cloth of gold and brocade; six damsels relieved
+him of his armour and waited on him like pages, all of them prepared and
+instructed by the duke and duchess as to what they were to do, and how
+they were to treat Don Quixote, so that he might see and believe they
+were treating him like a knight-errant. When his armour was removed,
+there stood Don Quixote in his tight-fitting breeches and chamois
+doublet, lean, lanky, and long, with cheeks that seemed to be kissing
+each other inside; such a figure, that if the damsels waiting on him had
+not taken care to check their merriment (which was one of the particular
+directions their master and mistress had given them), they would have
+burst with laughter. They asked him to let himself be stripped that they
+might put a shirt on him, but he would not on any account, saying that
+modesty became knights-errant just as much as valour. However, he said
+they might give the shirt to Sancho; and shutting himself in with him in
+a room where there was a sumptuous bed, he undressed and put on the
+shirt; and then, finding himself alone with Sancho, he said to him, "Tell
+me, thou new-fledged buffoon and old booby, dost thou think it right to
+offend and insult a duenna so deserving of reverence and respect as that
+one just now? Was that a time to bethink thee of thy Dapple, or are these
+noble personages likely to let the beasts fare badly when they treat
+their owners in such elegant style? For God's sake, Sancho, restrain
+thyself, and don't show the thread so as to let them see what a coarse,
+boorish texture thou art of. Remember, sinner that thou art, the master
+is the more esteemed the more respectable and well-bred his servants are;
+and that one of the greatest advantages that princes have over other men
+is that they have servants as good as themselves to wait on them. Dost
+thou not see--shortsighted being that thou art, and unlucky mortal that I
+am!--that if they perceive thee to be a coarse clown or a dull blockhead,
+they will suspect me to be some impostor or swindler? Nay, nay, Sancho
+friend, keep clear, oh, keep clear of these stumbling-blocks; for he who
+falls into the way of being a chatterbox and droll, drops into a wretched
+buffoon the first time he trips; bridle thy tongue, consider and weigh
+thy words before they escape thy mouth, and bear in mind we are now in
+quarters whence, by God's help, and the strength of my arm, we shall come
+forth mightily advanced in fame and fortune."
+
+Sancho promised him with much earnestness to keep his mouth shut, and to
+bite off his tongue before he uttered a word that was not altogether to
+the purpose and well considered, and told him he might make his mind easy
+on that point, for it should never be discovered through him what they
+were.
+
+Don Quixote dressed himself, put on his baldric with his sword, threw the
+scarlet mantle over his shoulders, placed on his head a montera of green
+satin that the damsels had given him, and thus arrayed passed out into
+the large room, where he found the damsels drawn up in double file, the
+same number on each side, all with the appliances for washing the hands,
+which they presented to him with profuse obeisances and ceremonies. Then
+came twelve pages, together with the seneschal, to lead him to dinner, as
+his hosts were already waiting for him. They placed him in the midst of
+them, and with much pomp and stateliness they conducted him into another
+room, where there was a sumptuous table laid with but four covers. The
+duchess and the duke came out to the door of the room to receive him, and
+with them a grave ecclesiastic, one of those who rule noblemen's houses;
+one of those who, not being born magnates themselves, never know how to
+teach those who are how to behave as such; one of those who would have
+the greatness of great folk measured by their own narrowness of mind; one
+of those who, when they try to introduce economy into the household they
+rule, lead it into meanness. One of this sort, I say, must have been the
+grave churchman who came out with the duke and duchess to receive Don
+Quixote.
+
+A vast number of polite speeches were exchanged, and at length, taking
+Don Quixote between them, they proceeded to sit down to table. The duke
+pressed Don Quixote to take the head of the table, and, though he
+refused, the entreaties of the duke were so urgent that he had to accept
+it.
+
+The ecclesiastic took his seat opposite to him, and the duke and duchess
+those at the sides. All this time Sancho stood by, gaping with amazement
+at the honour he saw shown to his master by these illustrious persons;
+and observing all the ceremonious pressing that had passed between the
+duke and Don Quixote to induce him to take his seat at the head of the
+table, he said, "If your worship will give me leave I will tell you a
+story of what happened in my village about this matter of seats."
+
+The moment Sancho said this Don Quixote trembled, making sure that he was
+about to say something foolish. Sancho glanced at him, and guessing his
+thoughts, said, "Don't be afraid of my going astray, senor, or saying
+anything that won't be pat to the purpose; I haven't forgotten the advice
+your worship gave me just now about talking much or little, well or ill."
+
+"I have no recollection of anything, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "say what
+thou wilt, only say it quickly."
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "what I am going to say is so true that my
+master Don Quixote, who is here present, will keep me from lying."
+
+"Lie as much as thou wilt for all I care, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for
+I am not going to stop thee, but consider what thou art going to say."
+
+"I have so considered and reconsidered," said Sancho, "that the
+bell-ringer's in a safe berth; as will be seen by what follows."
+
+"It would be well," said Don Quixote, "if your highnesses would order
+them to turn out this idiot, for he will talk a heap of nonsense."
+
+"By the life of the duke, Sancho shall not be taken away from me for a
+moment," said the duchess; "I am very fond of him, for I know he is very
+discreet."
+
+"Discreet be the days of your holiness," said Sancho, "for the good
+opinion you have of my wit, though there's none in me; but the story I
+want to tell is this. There was an invitation given by a gentleman of my
+town, a very rich one, and one of quality, for he was one of the Alamos
+of Medina del Campo, and married to Dona Mencia de Quinones, the daughter
+of Don Alonso de Maranon, Knight of the Order of Santiago, that was
+drowned at the Herradura--him there was that quarrel about years ago in
+our village, that my master Don Quixote was mixed up in, to the best of
+my belief, that Tomasillo the scapegrace, the son of Balbastro the smith,
+was wounded in.--Isn't all this true, master mine? As you live, say so,
+that these gentlefolk may not take me for some lying chatterer."
+
+"So far," said the ecclesiastic, "I take you to be more a chatterer than
+a liar; but I don't know what I shall take you for by-and-by."
+
+"Thou citest so many witnesses and proofs, Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"that I have no choice but to say thou must be telling the truth; go on,
+and cut the story short, for thou art taking the way not to make an end
+for two days to come."
+
+"He is not to cut it short," said the duchess; "on the contrary, for my
+gratification, he is to tell it as he knows it, though he should not
+finish it these six days; and if he took so many they would be to me the
+pleasantest I ever spent."
+
+"Well then, sirs, I say," continued Sancho, "that this same gentleman,
+whom I know as well as I do my own hands, for it's not a bowshot from my
+house to his, invited a poor but respectable labourer-"
+
+"Get on, brother," said the churchman; "at the rate you are going you
+will not stop with your story short of the next world."
+
+"I'll stop less than half-way, please God," said Sancho; "and so I say
+this labourer, coming to the house of the gentleman I spoke of that
+invited him--rest his soul, he is now dead; and more by token he died the
+death of an angel, so they say; for I was not there, for just at that
+time I had gone to reap at Tembleque-"
+
+"As you live, my son," said the churchman, "make haste back from
+Tembleque, and finish your story without burying the gentleman, unless
+you want to make more funerals."
+
+"Well then, it so happened," said Sancho, "that as the pair of them were
+going to sit down to table--and I think I can see them now plainer than
+ever-"
+
+Great was the enjoyment the duke and duchess derived from the irritation
+the worthy churchman showed at the long-winded, halting way Sancho had of
+telling his story, while Don Quixote was chafing with rage and vexation.
+
+"So, as I was saying," continued Sancho, "as the pair of them were going
+to sit down to table, as I said, the labourer insisted upon the
+gentleman's taking the head of the table, and the gentleman insisted upon
+the labourer's taking it, as his orders should be obeyed in his house;
+but the labourer, who plumed himself on his politeness and good breeding,
+would not on any account, until the gentleman, out of patience, putting
+his hands on his shoulders, compelled him by force to sit down, saying,
+'Sit down, you stupid lout, for wherever I sit will be the head to you;
+and that's the story, and, troth, I think it hasn't been brought in amiss
+here."
+
+Don Quixote turned all colours, which, on his sunburnt face, mottled it
+till it looked like jasper. The duke and duchess suppressed their
+laughter so as not altogether to mortify Don Quixote, for they saw
+through Sancho's impertinence; and to change the conversation, and keep
+Sancho from uttering more absurdities, the duchess asked Don Quixote what
+news he had of the lady Dulcinea, and if he had sent her any presents of
+giants or miscreants lately, for he could not but have vanquished a good
+many.
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "Senora, my misfortunes, though they had a
+beginning, will never have an end. I have vanquished giants and I have
+sent her caitiffs and miscreants; but where are they to find her if she
+is enchanted and turned into the most ill-favoured peasant wench that can
+be imagined?"
+
+"I don't know," said Sancho Panza; "to me she seems the fairest creature
+in the world; at any rate, in nimbleness and jumping she won't give in to
+a tumbler; by my faith, senora duchess, she leaps from the ground on to
+the back of an ass like a cat."
+
+"Have you seen her enchanted, Sancho?" asked the duke.
+
+"What, seen her!" said Sancho; "why, who the devil was it but myself that
+first thought of the enchantment business? She is as much enchanted as my
+father."
+
+The ecclesiastic, when he heard them talking of giants and caitiffs and
+enchantments, began to suspect that this must be Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, whose story the duke was always reading; and he had himself often
+reproved him for it, telling him it was foolish to read such fooleries;
+and becoming convinced that his suspicion was correct, addressing the
+duke, he said very angrily to him, "Senor, your excellence will have to
+give account to God for what this good man does. This Don Quixote, or Don
+Simpleton, or whatever his name is, cannot, I imagine, be such a
+blockhead as your excellence would have him, holding out encouragement to
+him to go on with his vagaries and follies." Then turning to address Don
+Quixote he said, "And you, num-skull, who put it into your head that you
+are a knight-errant, and vanquish giants and capture miscreants? Go your
+ways in a good hour, and in a good hour be it said to you. Go home and
+bring up your children if you have any, and attend to your business, and
+give over going wandering about the world, gaping and making a
+laughing-stock of yourself to all who know you and all who don't. Where,
+in heaven's name, have you discovered that there are or ever were
+knights-errant? Where are there giants in Spain or miscreants in La
+Mancha, or enchanted Dulcineas, or all the rest of the silly things they
+tell about you?"
+
+Don Quixote listened attentively to the reverend gentleman's words, and
+as soon as he perceived he had done speaking, regardless of the presence
+of the duke and duchess, he sprang to his feet with angry looks and an
+agitated countenance, and said--But the reply deserves a chapter to
+itself.
+
+Chapter XXXII. -
+Of the reply Don Quixote gave his censurer, with other incidents, grave
+and droll
+
+Don Quixote, then, having risen to his feet, trembling from head to foot
+like a man dosed with mercury, said in a hurried, agitated voice, "The
+place I am in, the presence in which I stand, and the respect I have and
+always have had for the profession to which your worship belongs, hold
+and bind the hands of my just indignation; and as well for these reasons
+as because I know, as everyone knows, that a gownsman's weapon is the
+same as a woman's, the tongue, I will with mine engage in equal combat
+with your worship, from whom one might have expected good advice instead
+of foul abuse. Pious, well-meant reproof requires a different demeanour
+and arguments of another sort; at any rate, to have reproved me in
+public, and so roughly, exceeds the bounds of proper reproof, for that
+comes better with gentleness than with rudeness; and it is not seemly to
+call the sinner roundly blockhead and booby, without knowing anything of
+the sin that is reproved. Come, tell me, for which of the stupidities you
+have observed in me do you condemn and abuse me, and bid me go home and
+look after my house and wife and children, without knowing whether I have
+any? Is nothing more needed than to get a footing, by hook or by crook,
+in other people's houses to rule over the masters (and that, perhaps,
+after having been brought up in all the straitness of some seminary, and
+without having ever seen more of the world than may lie within twenty or
+thirty leagues round), to fit one to lay down the law rashly for
+chivalry, and pass judgment on knights-errant? Is it, haply, an idle
+occupation, or is the time ill-spent that is spent in roaming the world
+in quest, not of its enjoyments, but of those arduous toils whereby the
+good mount upwards to the abodes of everlasting life? If gentlemen, great
+lords, nobles, men of high birth, were to rate me as a fool I should take
+it as an irreparable insult; but I care not a farthing if clerks who have
+never entered upon or trod the paths of chivalry should think me foolish.
+Knight I am, and knight I will die, if such be the pleasure of the Most
+High. Some take the broad road of overweening ambition; others that of
+mean and servile flattery; others that of deceitful hypocrisy, and some
+that of true religion; but I, led by my star, follow the narrow path of
+knight-errantry, and in pursuit of that calling I despise wealth, but not
+honour. I have redressed injuries, righted wrongs, punished insolences,
+vanquished giants, and crushed monsters; I am in love, for no other
+reason than that it is incumbent on knights-errant to be so; but though I
+am, I am no carnal-minded lover, but one of the chaste, platonic sort. My
+intentions are always directed to worthy ends, to do good to all and evil
+to none; and if he who means this, does this, and makes this his practice
+deserves to be called a fool, it is for your highnesses to say, O most
+excellent duke and duchess."
+
+"Good, by God!" cried Sancho; "say no more in your own defence, master
+mine, for there's nothing more in the world to be said, thought, or
+insisted on; and besides, when this gentleman denies, as he has, that
+there are or ever have been any knights-errant in the world, is it any
+wonder if he knows nothing of what he has been talking about?"
+
+"Perhaps, brother," said the ecclesiastic, "you are that Sancho Panza
+that is mentioned, to whom your master has promised an island?"
+
+"Yes, I am," said Sancho, "and what's more, I am one who deserves it as
+much as anyone; I am one of the sort--'Attach thyself to the good, and
+thou wilt be one of them,' and of those, 'Not with whom thou art bred,
+but with whom thou art fed,' and of those, 'Who leans against a good
+tree, a good shade covers him;' I have leant upon a good master, and I
+have been for months going about with him, and please God I shall be just
+such another; long life to him and long life to me, for neither will he
+be in any want of empires to rule, or I of islands to govern."
+
+"No, Sancho my friend, certainly not," said the duke, "for in the name of
+Senor Don Quixote I confer upon you the government of one of no small
+importance that I have at my disposal."
+
+"Go down on thy knees, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and kiss the feet of
+his excellence for the favour he has bestowed upon thee."
+
+Sancho obeyed, and on seeing this the ecclesiastic stood up from table
+completely out of temper, exclaiming, "By the gown I wear, I am almost
+inclined to say that your excellence is as great a fool as these sinners.
+No wonder they are mad, when people who are in their senses sanction
+their madness! I leave your excellence with them, for so long as they are
+in the house, I will remain in my own, and spare myself the trouble of
+reproving what I cannot remedy;" and without uttering another word, or
+eating another morsel, he went off, the entreaties of the duke and
+duchess being entirely unavailing to stop him; not that the duke said
+much to him, for he could not, because of the laughter his uncalled-for
+anger provoked.
+
+When he had done laughing, he said to Don Quixote, "You have replied on
+your own behalf so stoutly, Sir Knight of the Lions, that there is no
+occasion to seek further satisfaction for this, which, though it may look
+like an offence, is not so at all, for, as women can give no offence, no
+more can ecclesiastics, as you very well know."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, "and the reason is, that he who is not
+liable to offence cannot give offence to anyone. Women, children, and
+ecclesiastics, as they cannot defend themselves, though they may receive
+offence cannot be insulted, because between the offence and the insult
+there is, as your excellence very well knows, this difference: the insult
+comes from one who is capable of offering it, and does so, and maintains
+it; the offence may come from any quarter without carrying insult. To
+take an example: a man is standing unsuspectingly in the street and ten
+others come up armed and beat him; he draws his sword and quits himself
+like a man, but the number of his antagonists makes it impossible for him
+to effect his purpose and avenge himself; this man suffers an offence but
+not an insult. Another example will make the same thing plain: a man is
+standing with his back turned, another comes up and strikes him, and
+after striking him takes to flight, without waiting an instant, and the
+other pursues him but does not overtake him; he who received the blow
+received an offence, but not an insult, because an insult must be
+maintained. If he who struck him, though he did so sneakingly and
+treacherously, had drawn his sword and stood and faced him, then he who
+had been struck would have received offence and insult at the same time;
+offence because he was struck treacherously, insult because he who struck
+him maintained what he had done, standing his ground without taking to
+flight. And so, according to the laws of the accursed duel, I may have
+received offence, but not insult, for neither women nor children can
+maintain it, nor can they wound, nor have they any way of standing their
+ground, and it is just the same with those connected with religion; for
+these three sorts of persons are without arms offensive or defensive, and
+so, though naturally they are bound to defend themselves, they have no
+right to offend anybody; and though I said just now I might have received
+offence, I say now certainly not, for he who cannot receive an insult can
+still less give one; for which reasons I ought not to feel, nor do I
+feel, aggrieved at what that good man said to me; I only wish he had
+stayed a little longer, that I might have shown him the mistake he makes
+in supposing and maintaining that there are not and never have been any
+knights-errant in the world; had Amadis or any of his countless
+descendants heard him say as much, I am sure it would not have gone well
+with his worship."
+
+"I will take my oath of that," said Sancho; "they would have given him a
+slash that would have slit him down from top to toe like a pomegranate or
+a ripe melon; they were likely fellows to put up with jokes of that sort!
+By my faith, I'm certain if Reinaldos of Montalvan had heard the little
+man's words he would have given him such a spank on the mouth that he
+wouldn't have spoken for the next three years; ay, let him tackle them,
+and he'll see how he'll get out of their hands!"
+
+The duchess, as she listened to Sancho, was ready to die with laughter,
+and in her own mind she set him down as droller and madder than his
+master; and there were a good many just then who were of the same
+opinion.
+
+Don Quixote finally grew calm, and dinner came to an end, and as the
+cloth was removed four damsels came in, one of them with a silver basin,
+another with a jug also of silver, a third with two fine white towels on
+her shoulder, and the fourth with her arms bared to the elbows, and in
+her white hands (for white they certainly were) a round ball of Naples
+soap. The one with the basin approached, and with arch composure and
+impudence, thrust it under Don Quixote's chin, who, wondering at such a
+ceremony, said never a word, supposing it to be the custom of that
+country to wash beards instead of hands; he therefore stretched his out
+as far as he could, and at the same instant the jug began to pour and the
+damsel with the soap rubbed his beard briskly, raising snow-flakes, for
+the soap lather was no less white, not only over the beard, but all over
+the face, and over the eyes of the submissive knight, so that they were
+perforce obliged to keep shut. The duke and duchess, who had not known
+anything about this, waited to see what came of this strange washing. The
+barber damsel, when she had him a hand's breadth deep in lather,
+pretended that there was no more water, and bade the one with the jug go
+and fetch some, while Senor Don Quixote waited. She did so, and Don
+Quixote was left the strangest and most ludicrous figure that could be
+imagined. All those present, and there were a good many, were watching
+him, and as they saw him there with half a yard of neck, and that
+uncommonly brown, his eyes shut, and his beard full of soap, it was a
+great wonder, and only by great discretion, that they were able to
+restrain their laughter. The damsels, the concocters of the joke, kept
+their eyes down, not daring to look at their master and mistress; and as
+for them, laughter and anger struggled within them, and they knew not
+what to do, whether to punish the audacity of the girls, or to reward
+them for the amusement they had received from seeing Don Quixote in such
+a plight.
+
+At length the damsel with the jug returned and they made an end of
+washing Don Quixote, and the one who carried the towels very deliberately
+wiped him and dried him; and all four together making him a profound
+obeisance and curtsey, they were about to go, when the duke, lest Don
+Quixote should see through the joke, called out to the one with the basin
+saying, "Come and wash me, and take care that there is water enough." The
+girl, sharp-witted and prompt, came and placed the basin for the duke as
+she had done for Don Quixote, and they soon had him well soaped and
+washed, and having wiped him dry they made their obeisance and retired.
+It appeared afterwards that the duke had sworn that if they had not
+washed him as they had Don Quixote he would have punished them for their
+impudence, which they adroitly atoned for by soaping him as well.
+
+Sancho observed the ceremony of the washing very attentively, and said to
+himself, "God bless me, if it were only the custom in this country to
+wash squires' beards too as well as knights'. For by God and upon my soul
+I want it badly; and if they gave me a scrape of the razor besides I'd
+take it as a still greater kindness."
+
+"What are you saying to yourself, Sancho?" asked the duchess.
+
+"I was saying, senora," he replied, "that in the courts of other princes,
+when the cloth is taken away, I have always heard say they give water for
+the hands, but not lye for the beard; and that shows it is good to live
+long that you may see much; to be sure, they say too that he who lives a
+long life must undergo much evil, though to undergo a washing of that
+sort is pleasure rather than pain."
+
+"Don't be uneasy, friend Sancho," said the duchess; "I will take care
+that my damsels wash you, and even put you in the tub if necessary."
+
+"I'll be content with the beard," said Sancho, "at any rate for the
+present; and as for the future, God has decreed what is to be."
+
+"Attend to worthy Sancho's request, seneschal," said the duchess, "and do
+exactly what he wishes."
+
+The seneschal replied that Senor Sancho should be obeyed in everything;
+and with that he went away to dinner and took Sancho along with him,
+while the duke and duchess and Don Quixote remained at table discussing a
+great variety of things, but all bearing on the calling of arms and
+knight-errantry.
+
+The duchess begged Don Quixote, as he seemed to have a retentive memory,
+to describe and portray to her the beauty and features of the lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso, for, judging by what fame trumpeted abroad of her
+beauty, she felt sure she must be the fairest creature in the world, nay,
+in all La Mancha.
+
+Don Quixote sighed on hearing the duchess's request, and said, "If I
+could pluck out my heart, and lay it on a plate on this table here before
+your highness's eyes, it would spare my tongue the pain of telling what
+can hardly be thought of, for in it your excellence would see her
+portrayed in full. But why should I attempt to depict and describe in
+detail, and feature by feature, the beauty of the peerless Dulcinea, the
+burden being one worthy of other shoulders than mine, an enterprise
+wherein the pencils of Parrhasius, Timantes, and Apelles, and the graver
+of Lysippus ought to be employed, to paint it in pictures and carve it in
+marble and bronze, and Ciceronian and Demosthenian eloquence to sound its
+praises?"
+
+"What does Demosthenian mean, Senor Don Quixote?" said the duchess; "it
+is a word I never heard in all my life."
+
+"Demosthenian eloquence," said Don Quixote, "means the eloquence of
+Demosthenes, as Ciceronian means that of Cicero, who were the two most
+eloquent orators in the world."
+
+"True," said the duke; "you must have lost your wits to ask such a
+question. Nevertheless, Senor Don Quixote would greatly gratify us if he
+would depict her to us; for never fear, even in an outline or sketch she
+will be something to make the fairest envious."
+
+"I would do so certainly," said Don Quixote, "had she not been blurred to
+my mind's eye by the misfortune that fell upon her a short time since,
+one of such a nature that I am more ready to weep over it than to
+describe it. For your highnesses must know that, going a few days back to
+kiss her hands and receive her benediction, approbation, and permission
+for this third sally, I found her altogether a different being from the
+one I sought; I found her enchanted and changed from a princess into a
+peasant, from fair to foul, from an angel into a devil, from fragrant to
+pestiferous, from refined to clownish, from a dignified lady into a
+jumping tomboy, and, in a word, from Dulcinea del Toboso into a coarse
+Sayago wench."
+
+"God bless me!" said the duke aloud at this, "who can have done the world
+such an injury? Who can have robbed it of the beauty that gladdened it,
+of the grace and gaiety that charmed it, of the modesty that shed a
+lustre upon it?"
+
+"Who?" replied Don Quixote; "who could it be but some malignant enchanter
+of the many that persecute me out of envy--that accursed race born into
+the world to obscure and bring to naught the achievements of the good,
+and glorify and exalt the deeds of the wicked? Enchanters have persecuted
+me, enchanters persecute me still, and enchanters will continue to
+persecute me until they have sunk me and my lofty chivalry in the deep
+abyss of oblivion; and they injure and wound me where they know I feel it
+most. For to deprive a knight-errant of his lady is to deprive him of the
+eyes he sees with, of the sun that gives him light, of the food whereby
+he lives. Many a time before have I said it, and I say it now once more,
+a knight-errant without a lady is like a tree without leaves, a building
+without a foundation, or a shadow without the body that causes it."
+
+"There is no denying it," said the duchess; "but still, if we are to
+believe the history of Don Quixote that has come out here lately with
+general applause, it is to be inferred from it, if I mistake not, that
+you never saw the lady Dulcinea, and that the said lady is nothing in the
+world but an imaginary lady, one that you yourself begot and gave birth
+to in your brain, and adorned with whatever charms and perfections you
+chose."
+
+"There is a good deal to be said on that point," said Don Quixote; "God
+knows whether there be any Dulcinea or not in the world, or whether she
+is imaginary or not imaginary; these are things the proof of which must
+not be pushed to extreme lengths. I have not begotten nor given birth to
+my lady, though I behold her as she needs must be, a lady who contains in
+herself all the qualities to make her famous throughout the world,
+beautiful without blemish, dignified without haughtiness, tender and yet
+modest, gracious from courtesy and courteous from good breeding, and
+lastly, of exalted lineage, because beauty shines forth and excels with a
+higher degree of perfection upon good blood than in the fair of lowly
+birth."
+
+"That is true," said the duke; "but Senor Don Quixote will give me leave
+to say what I am constrained to say by the story of his exploits that I
+have read, from which it is to be inferred that, granting there is a
+Dulcinea in El Toboso, or out of it, and that she is in the highest
+degree beautiful as you have described her to us, as regards the
+loftiness of her lineage she is not on a par with the Orianas,
+Alastrajareas, Madasimas, or others of that sort, with whom, as you well
+know, the histories abound."
+
+"To that I may reply," said Don Quixote, "that Dulcinea is the daughter
+of her own works, and that virtues rectify blood, and that lowly virtue
+is more to be regarded and esteemed than exalted vice. Dulcinea, besides,
+has that within her that may raise her to be a crowned and sceptred
+queen; for the merit of a fair and virtuous woman is capable of
+performing greater miracles; and virtually, though not formally, she has
+in herself higher fortunes."
+
+"I protest, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, "that in all you say,
+you go most cautiously and lead in hand, as the saying is; henceforth I
+will believe myself, and I will take care that everyone in my house
+believes, even my lord the duke if needs be, that there is a Dulcinea in
+El Toboso, and that she is living to-day, and that she is beautiful and
+nobly born and deserves to have such a knight as Senor Don Quixote in her
+service, and that is the highest praise that it is in my power to give
+her or that I can think of. But I cannot help entertaining a doubt, and
+having a certain grudge against Sancho Panza; the doubt is this, that the
+aforesaid history declares that the said Sancho Panza, when he carried a
+letter on your worship's behalf to the said lady Dulcinea, found her
+sifting a sack of wheat; and more by token it says it was red wheat; a
+thing which makes me doubt the loftiness of her lineage."
+
+To this Don Quixote made answer, "Senora, your highness must know that
+everything or almost everything that happens me transcends the ordinary
+limits of what happens to other knights-errant; whether it be that it is
+directed by the inscrutable will of destiny, or by the malice of some
+jealous enchanter. Now it is an established fact that all or most famous
+knights-errant have some special gift, one that of being proof against
+enchantment, another that of being made of such invulnerable flesh that
+he cannot be wounded, as was the famous Roland, one of the twelve peers
+of France, of whom it is related that he could not be wounded except in
+the sole of his left foot, and that it must be with the point of a stout
+pin and not with any other sort of weapon whatever; and so, when Bernardo
+del Carpio slew him at Roncesvalles, finding that he could not wound him
+with steel, he lifted him up from the ground in his arms and strangled
+him, calling to mind seasonably the death which Hercules inflicted on
+Antaeus, the fierce giant that they say was the son of Terra. I would
+infer from what I have mentioned that perhaps I may have some gift of
+this kind, not that of being invulnerable, because experience has many
+times proved to me that I am of tender flesh and not at all impenetrable;
+nor that of being proof against enchantment, for I have already seen
+myself thrust into a cage, in which all the world would not have been
+able to confine me except by force of enchantments. But as I delivered
+myself from that one, I am inclined to believe that there is no other
+that can hurt me; and so, these enchanters, seeing that they cannot exert
+their vile craft against my person, revenge themselves on what I love
+most, and seek to rob me of life by maltreating that of Dulcinea in whom
+I live; and therefore I am convinced that when my squire carried my
+message to her, they changed her into a common peasant girl, engaged in
+such a mean occupation as sifting wheat; I have already said, however,
+that that wheat was not red wheat, nor wheat at all, but grains of orient
+pearl. And as a proof of all this, I must tell your highnesses that,
+coming to El Toboso a short time back, I was altogether unable to
+discover the palace of Dulcinea; and that the next day, though Sancho, my
+squire, saw her in her own proper shape, which is the fairest in the
+world, to me she appeared to be a coarse, ill-favoured farm-wench, and by
+no means a well-spoken one, she who is propriety itself. And so, as I am
+not and, so far as one can judge, cannot be enchanted, she it is that is
+enchanted, that is smitten, that is altered, changed, and transformed; in
+her have my enemies revenged themselves upon me, and for her shall I live
+in ceaseless tears, until I see her in her pristine state. I have
+mentioned this lest anybody should mind what Sancho said about Dulcinea's
+winnowing or sifting; for, as they changed her to me, it is no wonder if
+they changed her to him. Dulcinea is illustrious and well-born, and of
+one of the gentle families of El Toboso, which are many, ancient, and
+good. Therein, most assuredly, not small is the share of the peerless
+Dulcinea, through whom her town will be famous and celebrated in ages to
+come, as Troy was through Helen, and Spain through La Cava, though with a
+better title and tradition. For another thing; I would have your graces
+understand that Sancho Panza is one of the drollest squires that ever
+served knight-errant; sometimes there is a simplicity about him so acute
+that it is an amusement to try and make out whether he is simple or
+sharp; he has mischievous tricks that stamp him rogue, and blundering
+ways that prove him a booby; he doubts everything and believes
+everything; when I fancy he is on the point of coming down headlong from
+sheer stupidity, he comes out with something shrewd that sends him up to
+the skies. After all, I would not exchange him for another squire, though
+I were given a city to boot, and therefore I am in doubt whether it will
+be well to send him to the government your highness has bestowed upon
+him; though I perceive in him a certain aptitude for the work of
+governing, so that, with a little trimming of his understanding, he would
+manage any government as easily as the king does his taxes; and moreover,
+we know already ample experience that it does not require much cleverness
+or much learning to be a governor, for there are a hundred round about us
+that scarcely know how to read, and govern like gerfalcons. The main
+point is that they should have good intentions and be desirous of doing
+right in all things, for they will never be at a loss for persons to
+advise and direct them in what they have to do, like those
+knight-governors who, being no lawyers, pronounce sentences with the aid
+of an assessor. My advice to him will be to take no bribe and surrender
+no right, and I have some other little matters in reserve, that shall be
+produced in due season for Sancho's benefit and the advantage of the
+island he is to govern."
+
+The duke, duchess, and Don Quixote had reached this point in their
+conversation, when they heard voices and a great hubbub in the palace,
+and Sancho burst abruptly into the room all glowing with anger, with a
+straining-cloth by way of a bib, and followed by several servants, or,
+more properly speaking, kitchen-boys and other underlings, one of whom
+carried a small trough full of water, that from its colour and impurity
+was plainly dishwater. The one with the trough pursued him and followed
+him everywhere he went, endeavouring with the utmost persistence to
+thrust it under his chin, while another kitchen-boy seemed anxious to
+wash his beard.
+
+"What is all this, brothers?" asked the duchess. "What is it? What do you
+want to do to this good man? Do you forget he is a governor-elect?"
+
+To which the barber kitchen-boy replied, "The gentleman will not let
+himself be washed as is customary, and as my lord and the senor his
+master have been."
+
+"Yes, I will," said Sancho, in a great rage; "but I'd like it to be with
+cleaner towels, clearer lye, and not such dirty hands; for there's not so
+much difference between me and my master that he should be washed with
+angels' water and I with devil's lye. The customs of countries and
+princes' palaces are only good so long as they give no annoyance; but the
+way of washing they have here is worse than doing penance. I have a clean
+beard, and I don't require to be refreshed in that fashion, and whoever
+comes to wash me or touch a hair of my head, I mean to say my beard, with
+all due respect be it said, I'll give him a punch that will leave my fist
+sunk in his skull; for cirimonies and soapings of this sort are more like
+jokes than the polite attentions of one's host."
+
+The duchess was ready to die with laughter when she saw Sancho's rage and
+heard his words; but it was no pleasure to Don Quixote to see him in such
+a sorry trim, with the dingy towel about him, and the hangers-on of the
+kitchen all round him; so making a low bow to the duke and duchess, as if
+to ask their permission to speak, he addressed the rout in a dignified
+tone: "Holloa, gentlemen! you let that youth alone, and go back to where
+you came from, or anywhere else if you like; my squire is as clean as any
+other person, and those troughs are as bad as narrow thin-necked jars to
+him; take my advice and leave him alone, for neither he nor I understand
+joking."
+
+Sancho took the word out of his mouth and went on, "Nay, let them come
+and try their jokes on the country bumpkin, for it's about as likely I'll
+stand them as that it's now midnight! Let them bring me a comb here, or
+what they please, and curry this beard of mine, and if they get anything
+out of it that offends against cleanliness, let them clip me to the
+skin."
+
+Upon this, the duchess, laughing all the while, said, "Sancho Panza is
+right, and always will be in all he says; he is clean, and, as he says
+himself, he does not require to be washed; and if our ways do not please
+him, he is free to choose. Besides, you promoters of cleanliness have
+been excessively careless and thoughtless, I don't know if I ought not to
+say audacious, to bring troughs and wooden utensils and kitchen
+dishclouts, instead of basins and jugs of pure gold and towels of
+holland, to such a person and such a beard; but, after all, you are
+ill-conditioned and ill-bred, and spiteful as you are, you cannot help
+showing the grudge you have against the squires of knights-errant."
+
+The impudent servitors, and even the seneschal who came with them, took
+the duchess to be speaking in earnest, so they removed the
+straining-cloth from Sancho's neck, and with something like shame and
+confusion of face went off all of them and left him; whereupon he, seeing
+himself safe out of that extreme danger, as it seemed to him, ran and
+fell on his knees before the duchess, saying, "From great ladies great
+favours may be looked for; this which your grace has done me today cannot
+be requited with less than wishing I was dubbed a knight-errant, to
+devote myself all the days of my life to the service of so exalted a
+lady. I am a labouring man, my name is Sancho Panza, I am married, I have
+children, and I am serving as a squire; if in any one of these ways I can
+serve your highness, I will not be longer in obeying than your grace in
+commanding."
+
+"It is easy to see, Sancho," replied the duchess, "that you have learned
+to be polite in the school of politeness itself; I mean to say it is easy
+to see that you have been nursed in the bosom of Senor Don Quixote, who
+is, of course, the cream of good breeding and flower of ceremony--or
+cirimony, as you would say yourself. Fair be the fortunes of such a
+master and such a servant, the one the cynosure of knight-errantry, the
+other the star of squirely fidelity! Rise, Sancho, my friend; I will
+repay your courtesy by taking care that my lord the duke makes good to
+you the promised gift of the government as soon as possible."
+
+With this, the conversation came to an end, and Don Quixote retired to
+take his midday sleep; but the duchess begged Sancho, unless he had a
+very great desire to go to sleep, to come and spend the afternoon with
+her and her damsels in a very cool chamber. Sancho replied that, though
+he certainly had the habit of sleeping four or five hours in the heat of
+the day in summer, to serve her excellence he would try with all his
+might not to sleep even one that day, and that he would come in obedience
+to her command, and with that he went off. The duke gave fresh orders
+with respect to treating Don Quixote as a knight-errant, without
+departing even in smallest particular from the style in which, as the
+stories tell us, they used to treat the knights of old.
+
+Chapter XXXIII. -
+Of the delectable discourse which the duchess and her damsels held with
+Sancho Panza, well worth reading and noting
+
+The history records that Sancho did not sleep that afternoon, but in
+order to keep his word came, before he had well done dinner, to visit the
+duchess, who, finding enjoyment in listening to him, made him sit down
+beside her on a low seat, though Sancho, out of pure good breeding,
+wanted not to sit down; the duchess, however, told him he was to sit down
+as governor and talk as squire, as in both respects he was worthy of even
+the chair of the Cid Ruy Diaz the Campeador. Sancho shrugged his
+shoulders, obeyed, and sat down, and all the duchess's damsels and
+duennas gathered round him, waiting in profound silence to hear what he
+would say. It was the duchess, however, who spoke first, saying:
+
+"Now that we are alone, and that there is nobody here to overhear us, I
+should be glad if the senor governor would relieve me of certain doubts I
+have, rising out of the history of the great Don Quixote that is now in
+print. One is: inasmuch as worthy Sancho never saw Dulcinea, I mean the
+lady Dulcinea del Toboso, nor took Don Quixote's letter to her, for it
+was left in the memorandum book in the Sierra Morena, how did he dare to
+invent the answer and all that about finding her sifting wheat, the whole
+story being a deception and falsehood, and so much to the prejudice of
+the peerless Dulcinea's good name, a thing that is not at all becoming
+the character and fidelity of a good squire?"
+
+At these words, Sancho, without uttering one in reply, got up from his
+chair, and with noiseless steps, with his body bent and his finger on his
+lips, went all round the room lifting up the hangings; and this done, he
+came back to his seat and said, "Now, senora, that I have seen that there
+is no one except the bystanders listening to us on the sly, I will answer
+what you have asked me, and all you may ask me, without fear or dread.
+And the first thing I have got to say is, that for my own part I hold my
+master Don Quixote to be stark mad, though sometimes he says things that,
+to my mind, and indeed everybody's that listens to him, are so wise, and
+run in such a straight furrow, that Satan himself could not have said
+them better; but for all that, really, and beyond all question, it's my
+firm belief he is cracked. Well, then, as this is clear to my mind, I can
+venture to make him believe things that have neither head nor tail, like
+that affair of the answer to the letter, and that other of six or eight
+days ago, which is not yet in history, that is to say, the affair of the
+enchantment of my lady Dulcinea; for I made him believe she is enchanted,
+though there's no more truth in it than over the hills of Ubeda."
+
+The duchess begged him to tell her about the enchantment or deception, so
+Sancho told the whole story exactly as it had happened, and his hearers
+were not a little amused by it; and then resuming, the duchess said, "In
+consequence of what worthy Sancho has told me, a doubt starts up in my
+mind, and there comes a kind of whisper to my ear that says, 'If Don
+Quixote be mad, crazy, and cracked, and Sancho Panza his squire knows it,
+and, notwithstanding, serves and follows him, and goes trusting to his
+empty promises, there can be no doubt he must be still madder and sillier
+than his master; and that being so, it will be cast in your teeth, senora
+duchess, if you give the said Sancho an island to govern; for how will he
+who does not know how to govern himself know how to govern others?'"
+
+"By God, senora," said Sancho, "but that doubt comes timely; but your
+grace may say it out, and speak plainly, or as you like; for I know what
+you say is true, and if I were wise I should have left my master long
+ago; but this was my fate, this was my bad luck; I can't help it, I must
+follow him; we're from the same village, I've eaten his bread, I'm fond
+of him, I'm grateful, he gave me his ass-colts, and above all I'm
+faithful; so it's quite impossible for anything to separate us, except
+the pickaxe and shovel. And if your highness does not like to give me the
+government you promised, God made me without it, and maybe your not
+giving it to me will be all the better for my conscience, for fool as I
+am I know the proverb 'to her hurt the ant got wings,' and it may be that
+Sancho the squire will get to heaven sooner than Sancho the governor.
+'They make as good bread here as in France,' and 'by night all cats are
+grey,' and 'a hard case enough his, who hasn't broken his fast at two in
+the afternoon,' and 'there's no stomach a hand's breadth bigger than
+another,' and the same can be filled 'with straw or hay,' as the saying
+is, and 'the little birds of the field have God for their purveyor and
+caterer,' and 'four yards of Cuenca frieze keep one warmer than four of
+Segovia broad-cloth,' and 'when we quit this world and are put
+underground the prince travels by as narrow a path as the journeyman,'
+and 'the Pope's body does not take up more feet of earth than the
+sacristan's,' for all that the one is higher than the other; for when we
+go to our graves we all pack ourselves up and make ourselves small, or
+rather they pack us up and make us small in spite of us, and then--good
+night to us. And I say once more, if your ladyship does not like to give
+me the island because I'm a fool, like a wise man I will take care to
+give myself no trouble about it; I have heard say that 'behind the cross
+there's the devil,' and that 'all that glitters is not gold,' and that
+from among the oxen, and the ploughs, and the yokes, Wamba the husbandman
+was taken to be made King of Spain, and from among brocades, and
+pleasures, and riches, Roderick was taken to be devoured by adders, if
+the verses of the old ballads don't lie."
+
+"To be sure they don't lie!" exclaimed Dona Rodriguez, the duenna, who
+was one of the listeners. "Why, there's a ballad that says they put King
+Rodrigo alive into a tomb full of toads, and adders, and lizards, and
+that two days afterwards the king, in a plaintive, feeble voice, cried
+out from within the tomb--
+
+poem{
+
+They gnaw me now, they gnaw me now,
+There where I most did sin.
+
+}poem
+
+And according to that the gentleman has good reason to say he would
+rather be a labouring man than a king, if vermin are to eat him."
+
+The duchess could not help laughing at the simplicity of her duenna, or
+wondering at the language and proverbs of Sancho, to whom she said,
+"Worthy Sancho knows very well that when once a knight has made a promise
+he strives to keep it, though it should cost him his life. My lord and
+husband the duke, though not one of the errant sort, is none the less a
+knight for that reason, and will keep his word about the promised island,
+in spite of the envy and malice of the world. Let Sancho he of good
+cheer; for when he least expects it he will find himself seated on the
+throne of his island and seat of dignity, and will take possession of his
+government that he may discard it for another of three-bordered brocade.
+The charge I give him is to be careful how he governs his vassals,
+bearing in mind that they are all loyal and well-born."
+
+"As to governing them well," said Sancho, "there's no need of charging me
+to do that, for I'm kind-hearted by nature, and full of compassion for
+the poor; there's no stealing the loaf from him who kneads and bakes;'
+and by my faith it won't do to throw false dice with me; I am an old dog,
+and I know all about 'tus, tus;' I can be wide-awake if need be, and I
+don't let clouds come before my eyes, for I know where the shoe pinches
+me; I say so, because with me the good will have support and protection,
+and the bad neither footing nor access. And it seems to me that, in
+governments, to make a beginning is everything; and maybe, after having
+been governor a fortnight, I'll take kindly to the work and know more
+about it than the field labour I have been brought up to."
+
+"You are right, Sancho," said the duchess, "for no one is born ready
+taught, and the bishops are made out of men and not out of stones. But to
+return to the subject we were discussing just now, the enchantment of the
+lady Dulcinea, I look upon it as certain, and something more than
+evident, that Sancho's idea of practising a deception upon his master,
+making him believe that the peasant girl was Dulcinea and that if he did
+not recognise her it must be because she was enchanted, was all a device
+of one of the enchanters that persecute Don Quixote. For in truth and
+earnest, I know from good authority that the coarse country wench who
+jumped up on the ass was and is Dulcinea del Toboso, and that worthy
+Sancho, though he fancies himself the deceiver, is the one that is
+deceived; and that there is no more reason to doubt the truth of this,
+than of anything else we never saw. Senor Sancho Panza must know that we
+too have enchanters here that are well disposed to us, and tell us what
+goes on in the world, plainly and distinctly, without subterfuge or
+deception; and believe me, Sancho, that agile country lass was and is
+Dulcinea del Toboso, who is as much enchanted as the mother that bore
+her; and when we least expect it, we shall see her in her own proper
+form, and then Sancho will be disabused of the error he is under at
+present."
+
+"All that's very possible," said Sancho Panza; "and now I'm willing to
+believe what my master says about what he saw in the cave of Montesinos,
+where he says he saw the lady Dulcinea del Toboso in the very same dress
+and apparel that I said I had seen her in when I enchanted her all to
+please myself. It must be all exactly the other way, as your ladyship
+says; because it is impossible to suppose that out of my poor wit such a
+cunning trick could be concocted in a moment, nor do I think my master is
+so mad that by my weak and feeble persuasion he could be made to believe
+a thing so out of all reason. But, senora, your excellence must not
+therefore think me ill-disposed, for a dolt like me is not bound to see
+into the thoughts and plots of those vile enchanters. I invented all that
+to escape my master's scolding, and not with any intention of hurting
+him; and if it has turned out differently, there is a God in heaven who
+judges our hearts."
+
+"That is true," said the duchess; "but tell me, Sancho, what is this you
+say about the cave of Montesinos, for I should like to know."
+
+Sancho upon this related to her, word for word, what has been said
+already touching that adventure, and having heard it the duchess said,
+"From this occurrence it may be inferred that, as the great Don Quixote
+says he saw there the same country wench Sancho saw on the way from El
+Toboso, it is, no doubt, Dulcinea, and that there are some very active
+and exceedingly busy enchanters about."
+
+"So I say," said Sancho, "and if my lady Dulcinea is enchanted, so much
+the worse for her, and I'm not going to pick a quarrel with my master's
+enemies, who seem to be many and spiteful. The truth is that the one I
+saw was a country wench, and I set her down to be a country wench; and if
+that was Dulcinea it must not be laid at my door, nor should I be called
+to answer for it or take the consequences. But they must go nagging at me
+at every step--'Sancho said it, Sancho did it, Sancho here, Sancho
+there,' as if Sancho was nobody at all, and not that same Sancho Panza
+that's now going all over the world in books, so Samson Carrasco told me,
+and he's at any rate one that's a bachelor of Salamanca; and people of
+that sort can't lie, except when the whim seizes them or they have some
+very good reason for it. So there's no occasion for anybody to quarrel
+with me; and then I have a good character, and, as I have heard my master
+say, 'a good name is better than great riches;' let them only stick me
+into this government and they'll see wonders, for one who has been a good
+squire will be a good governor."
+
+"All worthy Sancho's observations," said the duchess, "are Catonian
+sentences, or at any rate out of the very heart of Michael Verino
+himself, who florentibus occidit annis. In fact, to speak in his own
+style, 'under a bad cloak there's often a good drinker.'"
+
+"Indeed, senora," said Sancho, "I never yet drank out of wickedness; from
+thirst I have very likely, for I have nothing of the hypocrite in me; I
+drink when I'm inclined, or, if I'm not inclined, when they offer it to
+me, so as not to look either strait-laced or ill-bred; for when a friend
+drinks one's health what heart can be so hard as not to return it? But if
+I put on my shoes I don't dirty them; besides, squires to knights-errant
+mostly drink water, for they are always wandering among woods, forests
+and meadows, mountains and crags, without a drop of wine to be had if
+they gave their eyes for it."
+
+"So I believe," said the duchess; "and now let Sancho go and take his
+sleep, and we will talk by-and-by at greater length, and settle how he
+may soon go and stick himself into the government, as he says."
+
+Sancho once more kissed the duchess's hand, and entreated her to let good
+care be taken of his Dapple, for he was the light of his eyes.
+
+"What is Dapple?" said the duchess.
+
+"My ass," said Sancho, "which, not to mention him by that name, I'm
+accustomed to call Dapple; I begged this lady duenna here to take care of
+him when I came into the castle, and she got as angry as if I had said
+she was ugly or old, though it ought to be more natural and proper for
+duennas to feed asses than to ornament chambers. God bless me! what a
+spite a gentleman of my village had against these ladies!"
+
+"He must have been some clown," said Dona Rodriguez the duenna; "for if
+he had been a gentleman and well-born he would have exalted them higher
+than the horns of the moon."
+
+"That will do," said the duchess; "no more of this; hush, Dona Rodriguez,
+and let Senor Panza rest easy and leave the treatment of Dapple in my
+charge, for as he is a treasure of Sancho's, I'll put him on the apple of
+my eye."
+
+"It will be enough for him to be in the stable," said Sancho, "for
+neither he nor I are worthy to rest a moment in the apple of your
+highness's eye, and I'd as soon stab myself as consent to it; for though
+my master says that in civilities it is better to lose by a card too many
+than a card too few, when it comes to civilities to asses we must mind
+what we are about and keep within due bounds."
+
+"Take him to your government, Sancho," said the duchess, "and there you
+will be able to make as much of him as you like, and even release him
+from work and pension him off."
+
+"Don't think, senora duchess, that you have said anything absurd," said
+Sancho; "I have seen more than two asses go to governments, and for me to
+take mine with me would be nothing new."
+
+Sancho's words made the duchess laugh again and gave her fresh amusement,
+and dismissing him to sleep she went away to tell the duke the
+conversation she had had with him, and between them they plotted and
+arranged to play a joke upon Don Quixote that was to be a rare one and
+entirely in knight-errantry style, and in that same style they practised
+several upon him, so much in keeping and so clever that they form the
+best adventures this great history contains.
+
+Chapter XXXIV. -
+Which relates how they learned the way in which they were to disenchant
+the peerless Dulcinea Del Toboso, which is one of the rarest adventures
+in this book
+
+Great was the pleasure the duke and duchess took in the conversation of
+Don Quixote and Sancho Panza; and, more bent than ever upon the plan they
+had of practising some jokes upon them that should have the look and
+appearance of adventures, they took as their basis of action what Don
+Quixote had already told them about the cave of Montesinos, in order to
+play him a famous one. But what the duchess marvelled at above all was
+that Sancho's simplicity could be so great as to make him believe as
+absolute truth that Dulcinea had been enchanted, when it was he himself
+who had been the enchanter and trickster in the business. Having,
+therefore, instructed their servants in everything they were to do, six
+days afterwards they took him out to hunt, with as great a retinue of
+huntsmen and beaters as a crowned king.
+
+They presented Don Quixote with a hunting suit, and Sancho with another
+of the finest green cloth; but Don Quixote declined to put his on, saying
+that he must soon return to the hard pursuit of arms, and could not carry
+wardrobes or stores with him. Sancho, however, took what they gave him,
+meaning to sell it the first opportunity.
+
+The appointed day having arrived, Don Quixote armed himself, and Sancho
+arrayed himself, and mounted on his Dapple (for he would not give him up
+though they offered him a horse), he placed himself in the midst of the
+troop of huntsmen. The duchess came out splendidly attired, and Don
+Quixote, in pure courtesy and politeness, held the rein of her palfrey,
+though the duke wanted not to allow him; and at last they reached a wood
+that lay between two high mountains, where, after occupying various
+posts, ambushes, and paths, and distributing the party in different
+positions, the hunt began with great noise, shouting, and hallooing, so
+that, between the baying of the hounds and the blowing of the horns, they
+could not hear one another. The duchess dismounted, and with a sharp
+boar-spear in her hand posted herself where she knew the wild boars were
+in the habit of passing. The duke and Don Quixote likewise dismounted and
+placed themselves one at each side of her. Sancho took up a position in
+the rear of all without dismounting from Dapple, whom he dared not desert
+lest some mischief should befall him. Scarcely had they taken their stand
+in a line with several of their servants, when they saw a huge boar,
+closely pressed by the hounds and followed by the huntsmen, making
+towards them, grinding his teeth and tusks, and scattering foam from his
+mouth. As soon as he saw him Don Quixote, bracing his shield on his arm,
+and drawing his sword, advanced to meet him; the duke with boar-spear did
+the same; but the duchess would have gone in front of them all had not
+the duke prevented her. Sancho alone, deserting Dapple at the sight of
+the mighty beast, took to his heels as hard as he could and strove in
+vain to mount a tall oak. As he was clinging to a branch, however,
+half-way up in his struggle to reach the top, the bough, such was his
+ill-luck and hard fate, gave way, and caught in his fall by a broken limb
+of the oak, he hung suspended in the air unable to reach the ground.
+Finding himself in this position, and that the green coat was beginning
+to tear, and reflecting that if the fierce animal came that way he might
+be able to get at him, he began to utter such cries, and call for help so
+earnestly, that all who heard him and did not see him felt sure he must
+be in the teeth of some wild beast. In the end the tusked boar fell
+pierced by the blades of the many spears they held in front of him; and
+Don Quixote, turning round at the cries of Sancho, for he knew by them
+that it was he, saw him hanging from the oak head downwards, with Dapple,
+who did not forsake him in his distress, close beside him; and Cide
+Hamete observes that he seldom saw Sancho Panza without seeing Dapple, or
+Dapple without seeing Sancho Panza; such was their attachment and loyalty
+one to the other. Don Quixote went over and unhooked Sancho, who, as soon
+as he found himself on the ground, looked at the rent in his huntingcoat
+and was grieved to the heart, for he thought he had got a patrimonial
+estate in that suit.
+
+Meanwhile they had slung the mighty boar across the back of a mule, and
+having covered it with sprigs of rosemary and branches of myrtle, they
+bore it away as the spoils of victory to some large field-tents which had
+been pitched in the middle of the wood, where they found the tables laid
+and dinner served, in such grand and sumptuous style that it was easy to
+see the rank and magnificence of those who had provided it. Sancho, as he
+showed the rents in his torn suit to the duchess, observed, "If we had
+been hunting hares, or after small birds, my coat would have been safe
+from being in the plight it's in; I don't know what pleasure one can find
+in lying in wait for an animal that may take your life with his tusk if
+he gets at you. I recollect having heard an old ballad sung that says,
+
+poem{
+
+  By bears be thou devoured, as erst
+  Was famous Favila."
+
+}poem
+
+"That," said Don Quixote, "was a Gothic king, who, going a-hunting, was
+devoured by a bear."
+
+"Just so," said Sancho; "and I would not have kings and princes expose
+themselves to such dangers for the sake of a pleasure which, to my mind,
+ought not to be one, as it consists in killing an animal that has done no
+harm whatever."
+
+"Quite the contrary, Sancho; you are wrong there," said the duke; "for
+hunting is more suitable and requisite for kings and princes than for
+anybody else. The chase is the emblem of war; it has stratagems, wiles,
+and crafty devices for overcoming the enemy in safety; in it extreme cold
+and intolerable heat have to be borne, indolence and sleep are despised,
+the bodily powers are invigorated, the limbs of him who engages in it are
+made supple, and, in a word, it is a pursuit which may be followed
+without injury to anyone and with enjoyment to many; and the best of it
+is, it is not for everybody, as field-sports of other sorts are, except
+hawking, which also is only for kings and great lords. Reconsider your
+opinion therefore, Sancho, and when you are governor take to hunting, and
+you will find the good of it."
+
+"Nay," said Sancho, "the good governor should have a broken leg and keep
+at home;" it would be a nice thing if, after people had been at the
+trouble of coming to look for him on business, the governor were to be
+away in the forest enjoying himself; the government would go on badly in
+that fashion. By my faith, senor, hunting and amusements are more fit for
+idlers than for governors; what I intend to amuse myself with is playing
+all fours at Eastertime, and bowls on Sundays and holidays; for these
+huntings don't suit my condition or agree with my conscience."
+
+"God grant it may turn out so," said the duke; "because it's a long step
+from saying to doing."
+
+"Be that as it may," said Sancho, "'pledges don't distress a good payer,'
+and 'he whom God helps does better than he who gets up early,' and 'it's
+the tripes that carry the feet and not the feet the tripes;' I mean to
+say that if God gives me help and I do my duty honestly, no doubt I'll
+govern better than a gerfalcon. Nay, let them only put a finger in my
+mouth, and they'll see whether I can bite or not."
+
+"The curse of God and all his saints upon thee, thou accursed Sancho!"
+exclaimed Don Quixote; "when will the day come--as I have often said to
+thee--when I shall hear thee make one single coherent, rational remark
+without proverbs? Pray, your highnesses, leave this fool alone, for he
+will grind your souls between, not to say two, but two thousand proverbs,
+dragged in as much in season, and as much to the purpose as--may God
+grant as much health to him, or to me if I want to listen to them!"
+
+"Sancho Panza's proverbs," said the duchess, "though more in number than
+the Greek Commander's, are not therefore less to be esteemed for the
+conciseness of the maxims. For my own part, I can say they give me more
+pleasure than others that may be better brought in and more seasonably
+introduced."
+
+In pleasant conversation of this sort they passed out of the tent into
+the wood, and the day was spent in visiting some of the posts and
+hiding-places, and then night closed in, not, however, as brilliantly or
+tranquilly as might have been expected at the season, for it was then
+midsummer; but bringing with it a kind of haze that greatly aided the
+project of the duke and duchess; and thus, as night began to fall, and a
+little after twilight set in, suddenly the whole wood on all four sides
+seemed to be on fire, and shortly after, here, there, on all sides, a
+vast number of trumpets and other military instruments were heard, as if
+several troops of cavalry were passing through the wood. The blaze of the
+fire and the noise of the warlike instruments almost blinded the eyes and
+deafened the ears of those that stood by, and indeed of all who were in
+the wood. Then there were heard repeated lelilies after the fashion of
+the Moors when they rush to battle; trumpets and clarions brayed, drums
+beat, fifes played, so unceasingly and so fast that he could not have had
+any senses who did not lose them with the confused din of so many
+instruments. The duke was astounded, the duchess amazed, Don Quixote
+wondering, Sancho Panza trembling, and indeed, even they who were aware
+of the cause were frightened. In their fear, silence fell upon them, and
+a postillion, in the guise of a demon, passed in front of them, blowing,
+in lieu of a bugle, a huge hollow horn that gave out a horrible hoarse
+note.
+
+"Ho there! brother courier," cried the duke, "who are you? Where are you
+going? What troops are these that seem to be passing through the wood?"
+
+To which the courier replied in a harsh, discordant voice, "I am the
+devil; I am in search of Don Quixote of La Mancha; those who are coming
+this way are six troops of enchanters, who are bringing on a triumphal
+car the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso; she comes under enchantment,
+together with the gallant Frenchman Montesinos, to give instructions to
+Don Quixote as to how, she the said lady, may be disenchanted."
+
+"If you were the devil, as you say and as your appearance indicates,"
+said the duke, "you would have known the said knight Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, for you have him here before you."
+
+"By God and upon my conscience," said the devil, "I never observed it,
+for my mind is occupied with so many different things that I was
+forgetting the main thing I came about."
+
+"This demon must be an honest fellow and a good Christian," said Sancho;
+"for if he wasn't he wouldn't swear by God and his conscience; I feel
+sure now there must be good souls even in hell itself."
+
+Without dismounting, the demon then turned to Don Quixote and said, "The
+unfortunate but valiant knight Montesinos sends me to thee, the Knight of
+the Lions (would that I saw thee in their claws), bidding me tell thee to
+wait for him wherever I may find thee, as he brings with him her whom
+they call Dulcinea del Toboso, that he may show thee what is needful in
+order to disenchant her; and as I came for no more I need stay no longer;
+demons of my sort be with thee, and good angels with these gentles;" and
+so saying he blew his huge horn, turned about and went off without
+waiting for a reply from anyone.
+
+They all felt fresh wonder, but particularly Sancho and Don Quixote;
+Sancho to see how, in defiance of the truth, they would have it that
+Dulcinea was enchanted; Don Quixote because he could not feel sure
+whether what had happened to him in the cave of Montesinos was true or
+not; and as he was deep in these cogitations the duke said to him, "Do
+you mean to wait, Senor Don Quixote?"
+
+"Why not?" replied he; "here will I wait, fearless and firm, though all
+hell should come to attack me."
+
+"Well then, if I see another devil or hear another horn like the last,
+I'll wait here as much as in Flanders," said Sancho.
+
+Night now closed in more completely, and many lights began to flit
+through the wood, just as those fiery exhalations from the earth, that
+look like shooting-stars to our eyes, flit through the heavens; a
+frightful noise, too, was heard, like that made by the solid wheels the
+ox-carts usually have, by the harsh, ceaseless creaking of which, they
+say, the bears and wolves are put to flight, if there happen to be any
+where they are passing. In addition to all this commotion, there came a
+further disturbance to increase the tumult, for now it seemed as if in
+truth, on all four sides of the wood, four encounters or battles were
+going on at the same time; in one quarter resounded the dull noise of a
+terrible cannonade, in another numberless muskets were being discharged,
+the shouts of the combatants sounded almost close at hand, and farther
+away the Moorish lelilies were raised again and again. In a word, the
+bugles, the horns, the clarions, the trumpets, the drums, the cannon, the
+musketry, and above all the tremendous noise of the carts, all made up
+together a din so confused and terrific that Don Quixote had need to
+summon up all his courage to brave it; but Sancho's gave way, and he fell
+fainting on the skirt of the duchess's robe, who let him lie there and
+promptly bade them throw water in his face. This was done, and he came to
+himself by the time that one of the carts with the creaking wheels
+reached the spot. It was drawn by four plodding oxen all covered with
+black housings; on each horn they had fixed a large lighted wax taper,
+and on the top of the cart was constructed a raised seat, on which sat a
+venerable old man with a beard whiter than the very snow, and so long
+that it fell below his waist; he was dressed in a long robe of black
+buckram; for as the cart was thickly set with a multitude of candles it
+was easy to make out everything that was on it. Leading it were two
+hideous demons, also clad in buckram, with countenances so frightful that
+Sancho, having once seen them, shut his eyes so as not to see them again.
+As soon as the cart came opposite the spot the old man rose from his
+lofty seat, and standing up said in a loud voice, "I am the sage
+Lirgandeo," and without another word the cart then passed on. Behind it
+came another of the same form, with another aged man enthroned, who,
+stopping the cart, said in a voice no less solemn than that of the first,
+"I am the sage Alquife, the great friend of Urganda the Unknown," and
+passed on. Then another cart came by at the same pace, but the occupant
+of the throne was not old like the others, but a man stalwart and robust,
+and of a forbidding countenance, who as he came up said in a voice far
+hoarser and more devilish, "I am the enchanter Archelaus, the mortal
+enemy of Amadis of Gaul and all his kindred," and then passed on. Having
+gone a short distance the three carts halted and the monotonous noise of
+their wheels ceased, and soon after they heard another, not noise, but
+sound of sweet, harmonious music, of which Sancho was very glad, taking
+it to be a good sign; and said he to the duchess, from whom he did not
+stir a step, or for a single instant, "Senora, where there's music there
+can't be mischief."
+
+"Nor where there are lights and it is bright," said the duchess; to which
+Sancho replied, "Fire gives light, and it's bright where there are
+bonfires, as we see by those that are all round us and perhaps may burn
+us; but music is a sign of mirth and merrymaking."
+
+"That remains to be seen," said Don Quixote, who was listening to all
+that passed; and he was right, as is shown in the following chapter.
+
+Chapter XXXV. -
+Wherein is continued the instruction given to Don Quixote touching the
+disenchantment of Dulcinea, together with other marvellous incidents
+
+They saw advancing towards them, to the sound of this pleasing music,
+what they call a triumphal car, drawn by six grey mules with white linen
+housings, on each of which was mounted a penitent, robed also in white,
+with a large lighted wax taper in his hand. The car was twice or,
+perhaps, three times as large as the former ones, and in front and on the
+sides stood twelve more penitents, all as white as snow and all with
+lighted tapers, a spectacle to excite fear as well as wonder; and on a
+raised throne was seated a nymph draped in a multitude of silver-tissue
+veils with an embroidery of countless gold spangles glittering all over
+them, that made her appear, if not richly, at least brilliantly,
+apparelled. She had her face covered with thin transparent sendal, the
+texture of which did not prevent the fair features of a maiden from being
+distinguished, while the numerous lights made it possible to judge of her
+beauty and of her years, which seemed to be not less than seventeen but
+not to have yet reached twenty. Beside her was a figure in a robe of
+state, as they call it, reaching to the feet, while the head was covered
+with a black veil. But the instant the car was opposite the duke and
+duchess and Don Quixote the music of the clarions ceased, and then that
+of the lutes and harps on the car, and the figure in the robe rose up,
+and flinging it apart and removing the veil from its face, disclosed to
+their eyes the shape of Death itself, fleshless and hideous, at which
+sight Don Quixote felt uneasy, Sancho frightened, and the duke and
+duchess displayed a certain trepidation. Having risen to its feet, this
+living death, in a sleepy voice and with a tongue hardly awake, held
+forth as follows:
+
+poem{
+
+I am that Merlin who the legends say
+The devil had for father, and the lie
+Hath gathered credence with the lapse of time.
+Of magic prince, of Zoroastric lore
+Monarch and treasurer, with jealous eye
+I view the efforts of the age to hide
+The gallant deeds of doughty errant knights,
+Who are, and ever have been, dear to me.
+  Enchanters and magicians and their kind
+
+Are mostly hard of heart; not so am I;
+For mine is tender, soft, compassionate,
+And its delight is doing good to all.
+In the dim caverns of the gloomy Dis,
+Where, tracing mystic lines and characters,
+My soul abideth now, there came to me
+The sorrow-laden plaint of her, the fair,
+The peerless Dulcinea del Toboso.
+I knew of her enchantment and her fate,
+From high-born dame to peasant wench transformed
+And touched with pity, first I turned the leaves
+Of countless volumes of my devilish craft,
+And then, in this grim grisly skeleton
+Myself encasing, hither have I come
+To show where lies the fitting remedy
+To give relief in such a piteous case.
+  O thou, the pride and pink of all that wear
+
+The adamantine steel! O shining light,
+O beacon, polestar, path and guide of all
+Who, scorning slumber and the lazy down,
+Adopt the toilsome life of bloodstained arms!
+To thee, great hero who all praise transcends,
+La Mancha's lustre and Iberia's star,
+Don Quixote, wise as brave, to thee I say--
+For peerless Dulcinea del Toboso
+Her pristine form and beauty to regain,
+'T is needful that thy esquire Sancho shall,
+On his own sturdy buttocks bared to heaven,
+Three thousand and three hundred lashes lay,
+And that they smart and sting and hurt him well.
+Thus have the authors of her woe resolved.
+And this is, gentles, wherefore I have come.
+
+}poem
+
+"By all that's good," exclaimed Sancho at this, "I'll just as soon give
+myself three stabs with a dagger as three, not to say three thousand,
+lashes. The devil take such a way of disenchanting! I don't see what my
+backside has got to do with enchantments. By God, if Senor Merlin has not
+found out some other way of disenchanting the lady Dulcinea del Toboso,
+she may go to her grave enchanted."
+
+"But I'll take you, Don Clown stuffed with garlic," said Don Quixote,
+"and tie you to a tree as naked as when your mother brought you forth,
+and give you, not to say three thousand three hundred, but six thousand
+six hundred lashes, and so well laid on that they won't be got rid of if
+you try three thousand three hundred times; don't answer me a word or
+I'll tear your soul out."
+
+On hearing this Merlin said, "That will not do, for the lashes worthy
+Sancho has to receive must be given of his own free will and not by
+force, and at whatever time he pleases, for there is no fixed limit
+assigned to him; but it is permitted him, if he likes to commute by half
+the pain of this whipping, to let them be given by the hand of another,
+though it may be somewhat weighty."
+
+"Not a hand, my own or anybody else's, weighty or weighable, shall touch
+me," said Sancho. "Was it I that gave birth to the lady Dulcinea del
+Toboso, that my backside is to pay for the sins of her eyes? My master,
+indeed, that's a part of her--for, he's always calling her 'my life' and
+'my soul,' and his stay and prop--may and ought to whip himself for her
+and take all the trouble required for her disenchantment. But for me to
+whip myself! Abernuncio!"
+
+As soon as Sancho had done speaking the nymph in silver that was at the
+side of Merlin's ghost stood up, and removing the thin veil from her face
+disclosed one that seemed to all something more than exceedingly
+beautiful; and with a masculine freedom from embarrassment and in a voice
+not very like a lady's, addressing Sancho directly, said, "Thou wretched
+squire, soul of a pitcher, heart of a cork tree, with bowels of flint and
+pebbles; if, thou impudent thief, they bade thee throw thyself down from
+some lofty tower; if, enemy of mankind, they asked thee to swallow a
+dozen of toads, two of lizards, and three of adders; if they wanted thee
+to slay thy wife and children with a sharp murderous scimitar, it would
+be no wonder for thee to show thyself stubborn and squeamish. But to make
+a piece of work about three thousand three hundred lashes, what every
+poor little charity-boy gets every month--it is enough to amaze,
+astonish, astound the compassionate bowels of all who hear it, nay, all
+who come to hear it in the course of time. Turn, O miserable,
+hard-hearted animal, turn, I say, those timorous owl's eyes upon these of
+mine that are compared to radiant stars, and thou wilt see them weeping
+trickling streams and rills, and tracing furrows, tracks, and paths over
+the fair fields of my cheeks. Let it move thee, crafty, ill-conditioned
+monster, to see my blooming youth--still in its teens, for I am not yet
+twenty--wasting and withering away beneath the husk of a rude peasant
+wench; and if I do not appear in that shape now, it is a special favour
+Senor Merlin here has granted me, to the sole end that my beauty may
+soften thee; for the tears of beauty in distress turn rocks into cotton
+and tigers into ewes. Lay on to that hide of thine, thou great untamed
+brute, rouse up thy lusty vigour that only urges thee to eat and eat, and
+set free the softness of my flesh, the gentleness of my nature, and the
+fairness of my face. And if thou wilt not relent or come to reason for
+me, do so for the sake of that poor knight thou hast beside thee; thy
+master I mean, whose soul I can this moment see, how he has it stuck in
+his throat not ten fingers from his lips, and only waiting for thy
+inflexible or yielding reply to make its escape by his mouth or go back
+again into his stomach."
+
+Don Quixote on hearing this felt his throat, and turning to the duke he
+said, "By God, senor, Dulcinea says true, I have my soul stuck here in my
+throat like the nut of a crossbow."
+
+"What say you to this, Sancho?" said the duchess.
+
+"I say, senora," returned Sancho, "what I said before; as for the lashes,
+abernuncio!"
+
+"Abrenuncio, you should say, Sancho, and not as you do," said the duke.
+
+"Let me alone, your highness," said Sancho. "I'm not in a humour now to
+look into niceties or a letter more or less, for these lashes that are to
+be given me, or I'm to give myself, have so upset me, that I don't know
+what I'm saying or doing. But I'd like to know of this lady, my lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso, where she learned this way she has of asking
+favours. She comes to ask me to score my flesh with lashes, and she calls
+me soul of a pitcher, and great untamed brute, and a string of foul names
+that the devil is welcome to. Is my flesh brass? or is it anything to me
+whether she is enchanted or not? Does she bring with her a basket of fair
+linen, shirts, kerchiefs, socks-not that wear any--to coax me? No,
+nothing but one piece of abuse after another, though she knows the
+proverb they have here that 'an ass loaded with gold goes lightly up a
+mountain,' and that 'gifts break rocks,' and 'praying to God and plying
+the hammer,' and that 'one "take" is better than two "I'll give thee's."'
+Then there's my master, who ought to stroke me down and pet me to make me
+turn wool and carded cotton; he says if he gets hold of me he'll tie me
+naked to a tree and double the tale of lashes on me. These tender-hearted
+gentry should consider that it's not merely a squire, but a governor they
+are asking to whip himself; just as if it was 'drink with cherries.' Let
+them learn, plague take them, the right way to ask, and beg, and behave
+themselves; for all times are not alike, nor are people always in good
+humour. I'm now ready to burst with grief at seeing my green coat torn,
+and they come to ask me to whip myself of my own free will, I having as
+little fancy for it as for turning cacique."
+
+"Well then, the fact is, friend Sancho," said the duke, "that unless you
+become softer than a ripe fig, you shall not get hold of the government.
+It would be a nice thing for me to send my islanders a cruel governor
+with flinty bowels, who won't yield to the tears of afflicted damsels or
+to the prayers of wise, magisterial, ancient enchanters and sages. In
+short, Sancho, either you must be whipped by yourself, or they must whip
+you, or you shan't be governor."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho, "won't two days' grace be given me in which to
+consider what is best for me?"
+
+"No, certainly not," said Merlin; "here, this minute, and on the spot,
+the matter must be settled; either Dulcinea will return to the cave of
+Montesinos and to her former condition of peasant wench, or else in her
+present form shall be carried to the Elysian fields, where she will
+remain waiting until the number of stripes is completed."
+
+"Now then, Sancho!" said the duchess, "show courage, and gratitude for
+your master Don Quixote's bread that you have eaten; we are all bound to
+oblige and please him for his benevolent disposition and lofty chivalry.
+Consent to this whipping, my son; to the devil with the devil, and leave
+fear to milksops, for 'a stout heart breaks bad luck,' as you very well
+know."
+
+To this Sancho replied with an irrelevant remark, which, addressing
+Merlin, he made to him, "Will your worship tell me, Senor Merlin--when
+that courier devil came up he gave my master a message from Senor
+Montesinos, charging him to wait for him here, as he was coming to
+arrange how the lady Dona Dulcinea del Toboso was to be disenchanted; but
+up to the present we have not seen Montesinos, nor anything like him."
+
+To which Merlin made answer, "The devil, Sancho, is a blockhead and a
+great scoundrel; I sent him to look for your master, but not with a
+message from Montesinos but from myself; for Montesinos is in his cave
+expecting, or more properly speaking, waiting for his disenchantment; for
+there's the tail to be skinned yet for him; if he owes you anything, or
+you have any business to transact with him, I'll bring him to you and put
+him where you choose; but for the present make up your mind to consent to
+this penance, and believe me it will be very good for you, for soul as
+well for body--for your soul because of the charity with which you
+perform it, for your body because I know that you are of a sanguine habit
+and it will do you no harm to draw a little blood."
+
+"There are a great many doctors in the world; even the enchanters are
+doctors," said Sancho; "however, as everybody tells me the same
+thing--though I can't see it myself--I say I am willing to give myself
+the three thousand three hundred lashes, provided I am to lay them on
+whenever I like, without any fixing of days or times; and I'll try and
+get out of debt as quickly as I can, that the world may enjoy the beauty
+of the lady Dulcinea del Toboso; as it seems, contrary to what I thought,
+that she is beautiful after all. It must be a condition, too, that I am
+not to be bound to draw blood with the scourge, and that if any of the
+lashes happen to be fly-flappers they are to count. Item, that, in case I
+should make any mistake in the reckoning, Senor Merlin, as he knows
+everything, is to keep count, and let me know how many are still wanting
+or over the number."
+
+"There will be no need to let you know of any over," said Merlin,
+"because, when you reach the full number, the lady Dulcinea will at once,
+and that very instant, be disenchanted, and will come in her gratitude to
+seek out the worthy Sancho, and thank him, and even reward him for the
+good work. So you have no cause to be uneasy about stripes too many or
+too few; heaven forbid I should cheat anyone of even a hair of his head."
+
+"Well then, in God's hands be it," said Sancho; "in the hard case I'm in
+I give in; I say I accept the penance on the conditions laid down."
+
+The instant Sancho uttered these last words the music of the clarions
+struck up once more, and again a host of muskets were discharged, and Don
+Quixote hung on Sancho's neck kissing him again and again on the forehead
+and cheeks. The duchess and the duke expressed the greatest satisfaction,
+the car began to move on, and as it passed the fair Dulcinea bowed to the
+duke and duchess and made a low curtsey to Sancho.
+
+And now bright smiling dawn came on apace; the flowers of the field,
+revived, raised up their heads, and the crystal waters of the brooks,
+murmuring over the grey and white pebbles, hastened to pay their tribute
+to the expectant rivers; the glad earth, the unclouded sky, the fresh
+breeze, the clear light, each and all showed that the day that came
+treading on the skirts of morning would be calm and bright. The duke and
+duchess, pleased with their hunt and at having carried out their plans so
+cleverly and successfully, returned to their castle resolved to follow up
+their joke; for to them there was no reality that could afford them more
+amusement.
+
+Chapter XXXVI. -
+Wherein is related the strange and undreamt-of adventure of the
+distressed Duenna, alias the countess Trifaldi, together with a letter
+which Sancho Panza wrote to his wife, Teresa Panza
+
+The duke had a majordomo of a very facetious and sportive turn, and he it
+was that played the part of Merlin, made all the arrangements for the
+late adventure, composed the verses, and got a page to represent
+Dulcinea; and now, with the assistance of his master and mistress, he got
+up another of the drollest and strangest contrivances that can be
+imagined.
+
+The duchess asked Sancho the next day if he had made a beginning with his
+penance task which he had to perform for the disenchantment of Dulcinea.
+He said he had, and had given himself five lashes overnight.
+
+The duchess asked him what he had given them with.
+
+He said with his hand.
+
+"That," said the duchess, "is more like giving oneself slaps than lashes;
+I am sure the sage Merlin will not be satisfied with such tenderness;
+worthy Sancho must make a scourge with claws, or a cat-o'-nine tails,
+that will make itself felt; for it's with blood that letters enter, and
+the release of so great a lady as Dulcinea will not be granted so
+cheaply, or at such a paltry price; and remember, Sancho, that works of
+charity done in a lukewarm and half-hearted way are without merit and of
+no avail."
+
+To which Sancho replied, "If your ladyship will give me a proper scourge
+or cord, I'll lay on with it, provided it does not hurt too much; for you
+must know, boor as I am, my flesh is more cotton than hemp, and it won't
+do for me to destroy myself for the good of anybody else."
+
+"So be it by all means," said the duchess; "tomorrow I'll give you a
+scourge that will be just the thing for you, and will accommodate itself
+to the tenderness of your flesh, as if it was its own sister."
+
+Then said Sancho, "Your highness must know, dear lady of my soul, that I
+have a letter written to my wife, Teresa Panza, giving her an account of
+all that has happened me since I left her; I have it here in my bosom,
+and there's nothing wanting but to put the address to it; I'd be glad if
+your discretion would read it, for I think it runs in the governor style;
+I mean the way governors ought to write."
+
+"And who dictated it?" asked the duchess.
+
+"Who should have dictated but myself, sinner as I am?" said Sancho.
+
+"And did you write it yourself?" said the duchess.
+
+"That I didn't," said Sancho; "for I can neither read nor write, though I
+can sign my name."
+
+"Let us see it," said the duchess, "for never fear but you display in it
+the quality and quantity of your wit."
+
+Sancho drew out an open letter from his bosom, and the duchess, taking
+it, found it ran in this fashion:
+
+SANCHO PANZA'S LETTER TO HIS WIFE, TERESA PANZA
+
+If I was well whipped I went mounted like a gentleman; if I have got a
+good government it is at the cost of a good whipping. Thou wilt not
+understand this just now, my Teresa; by-and-by thou wilt know what it
+means. I may tell thee, Teresa, I mean thee to go in a coach, for that is
+a matter of importance, because every other way of going is going on
+all-fours. Thou art a governor's wife; take care that nobody speaks evil
+of thee behind thy back. I send thee here a green hunting suit that my
+lady the duchess gave me; alter it so as to make a petticoat and bodice
+for our daughter. Don Quixote, my master, if I am to believe what I hear
+in these parts, is a madman of some sense, and a droll blockhead, and I
+am no way behind him. We have been in the cave of Montesinos, and the
+sage Merlin has laid hold of me for the disenchantment of Dulcinea del
+Toboso, her that is called Aldonza Lorenzo over there. With three
+thousand three hundred lashes, less five, that I'm to give myself, she
+will be left as entirely disenchanted as the mother that bore her. Say
+nothing of this to anyone; for, make thy affairs public, and some will
+say they are white and others will say they are black. I shall leave this
+in a few days for my government, to which I am going with a mighty great
+desire to make money, for they tell me all new governors set out with the
+same desire; I will feel the pulse of it and will let thee know if thou
+art to come and live with me or not. Dapple is well and sends many
+remembrances to thee; I am not going to leave him behind though they took
+me away to be Grand Turk. My lady the duchess kisses thy hands a thousand
+times; do thou make a return with two thousand, for as my master says,
+nothing costs less or is cheaper than civility. God has not been pleased
+to provide another valise for me with another hundred crowns, like the
+one the other day; but never mind, my Teresa, the bell-ringer is in safe
+quarters, and all will come out in the scouring of the government; only
+it troubles me greatly what they tell me--that once I have tasted it I
+will eat my hands off after it; and if that is so it will not come very
+cheap to me; though to be sure the maimed have a benefice of their own in
+the alms they beg for; so that one way or another thou wilt be rich and
+in luck. God give it to thee as he can, and keep me to serve thee. From
+this castle, the 20th of July, 1614.
+
+Thy husband, the governor.
+
+SANCHO PANZA
+
+When she had done reading the letter the duchess said to Sancho, "On two
+points the worthy governor goes rather astray; one is in saying or
+hinting that this government has been bestowed upon him for the lashes
+that he is to give himself, when he knows (and he cannot deny it) that
+when my lord the duke promised it to him nobody ever dreamt of such a
+thing as lashes; the other is that he shows himself here to be very
+covetous; and I would not have him a money-seeker, for 'covetousness
+bursts the bag,' and the covetous governor does ungoverned justice."
+
+"I don't mean it that way, senora," said Sancho; "and if you think the
+letter doesn't run as it ought to do, it's only to tear it up and make
+another; and maybe it will be a worse one if it is left to my gumption."
+
+"No, no," said the duchess, "this one will do, and I wish the duke to see
+it."
+
+With this they betook themselves to a garden where they were to dine, and
+the duchess showed Sancho's letter to the duke, who was highly delighted
+with it. They dined, and after the cloth had been removed and they had
+amused themselves for a while with Sancho's rich conversation, the
+melancholy sound of a fife and harsh discordant drum made itself heard.
+All seemed somewhat put out by this dull, confused, martial harmony,
+especially Don Quixote, who could not keep his seat from pure
+disquietude; as to Sancho, it is needless to say that fear drove him to
+his usual refuge, the side or the skirts of the duchess; and indeed and
+in truth the sound they heard was a most doleful and melancholy one.
+While they were still in uncertainty they saw advancing towards them
+through the garden two men clad in mourning robes so long and flowing
+that they trailed upon the ground. As they marched they beat two great
+drums which were likewise draped in black, and beside them came the fife
+player, black and sombre like the others. Following these came a
+personage of gigantic stature enveloped rather than clad in a gown of the
+deepest black, the skirt of which was of prodigious dimensions. Over the
+gown, girdling or crossing his figure, he had a broad baldric which was
+also black, and from which hung a huge scimitar with a black scabbard and
+furniture. He had his face covered with a transparent black veil, through
+which might be descried a very long beard as white as snow. He came on
+keeping step to the sound of the drums with great gravity and dignity;
+and, in short, his stature, his gait, the sombreness of his appearance
+and his following might well have struck with astonishment, as they did,
+all who beheld him without knowing who he was. With this measured pace
+and in this guise he advanced to kneel before the duke, who, with the
+others, awaited him standing. The duke, however, would not on any account
+allow him to speak until he had risen. The prodigious scarecrow obeyed,
+and standing up, removed the veil from his face and disclosed the most
+enormous, the longest, the whitest and the thickest beard that human eyes
+had ever beheld until that moment, and then fetching up a grave, sonorous
+voice from the depths of his broad, capacious chest, and fixing his eyes
+on the duke, he said:
+
+"Most high and mighty senor, my name is Trifaldin of the White Beard; I
+am squire to the Countess Trifaldi, otherwise called the Distressed
+Duenna, on whose behalf I bear a message to your highness, which is that
+your magnificence will be pleased to grant her leave and permission to
+come and tell you her trouble, which is one of the strangest and most
+wonderful that the mind most familiar with trouble in the world could
+have imagined; but first she desires to know if the valiant and never
+vanquished knight, Don Quixote of La Mancha, is in this your castle, for
+she has come in quest of him on foot and without breaking her fast from
+the kingdom of Kandy to your realms here; a thing which may and ought to
+be regarded as a miracle or set down to enchantment; she is even now at
+the gate of this fortress or plaisance, and only waits for your
+permission to enter. I have spoken." And with that he coughed, and
+stroked down his beard with both his hands, and stood very tranquilly
+waiting for the response of the duke, which was to this effect: "Many
+days ago, worthy squire Trifaldin of the White Beard, we heard of the
+misfortune of my lady the Countess Trifaldi, whom the enchanters have
+caused to be called the Distressed Duenna. Bid her enter, O stupendous
+squire, and tell her that the valiant knight Don Quixote of La Mancha is
+here, and from his generous disposition she may safely promise herself
+every protection and assistance; and you may tell her, too, that if my
+aid be necessary it will not be withheld, for I am bound to give it to
+her by my quality of knight, which involves the protection of women of
+all sorts, especially widowed, wronged, and distressed dames, such as her
+ladyship seems to be."
+
+On hearing this Trifaldin bent the knee to the ground, and making a sign
+to the fifer and drummers to strike up, he turned and marched out of the
+garden to the same notes and at the same pace as when he entered, leaving
+them all amazed at his bearing and solemnity. Turning to Don Quixote, the
+duke said, "After all, renowned knight, the mists of malice and ignorance
+are unable to hide or obscure the light of valour and virtue. I say so,
+because your excellence has been barely six days in this castle, and
+already the unhappy and the afflicted come in quest of you from lands far
+distant and remote, and not in coaches or on dromedaries, but on foot and
+fasting, confident that in that mighty arm they will find a cure for
+their sorrows and troubles; thanks to your great achievements, which are
+circulated all over the known earth."
+
+"I wish, senor duke," replied Don Quixote, "that blessed ecclesiastic,
+who at table the other day showed such ill-will and bitter spite against
+knights-errant, were here now to see with his own eyes whether knights of
+the sort are needed in the world; he would at any rate learn by
+experience that those suffering any extraordinary affliction or sorrow,
+in extreme cases and unusual misfortunes do not go to look for a remedy
+to the houses of jurists or village sacristans, or to the knight who has
+never attempted to pass the bounds of his own town, or to the indolent
+courtier who only seeks for news to repeat and talk of, instead of
+striving to do deeds and exploits for others to relate and record. Relief
+in distress, help in need, protection for damsels, consolation for
+widows, are to be found in no sort of persons better than in
+knights-errant; and I give unceasing thanks to heaven that I am one, and
+regard any misfortune or suffering that may befall me in the pursuit of
+so honourable a calling as endured to good purpose. Let this duenna come
+and ask what she will, for I will effect her relief by the might of my
+arm and the dauntless resolution of my bold heart."
+
+Chapter XXXVII. -
+Wherein is continued the notable adventure of the distressed Duenna
+
+The duke and duchess were extremely glad to see how readily Don Quixote
+fell in with their scheme; but at this moment Sancho observed, "I hope
+this senora duenna won't be putting any difficulties in the way of the
+promise of my government; for I have heard a Toledo apothecary, who
+talked like a goldfinch, say that where duennas were mixed up nothing
+good could happen. God bless me, how he hated them, that same apothecary!
+And so what I'm thinking is, if all duennas, of whatever sort or
+condition they may be, are plagues and busybodies, what must they be that
+are distressed, like this Countess Three-skirts or Three-tails!--for in
+my country skirts or tails, tails or skirts, it's all one."
+
+"Hush, friend Sancho," said Don Quixote; "since this lady duenna comes in
+quest of me from such a distant land she cannot be one of those the
+apothecary meant; moreover this is a countess, and when countesses serve
+as duennas it is in the service of queens and empresses, for in their own
+houses they are mistresses paramount and have other duennas to wait on
+them."
+
+To this Dona Rodriguez, who was present, made answer, "My lady the
+duchess has duennas in her service that might be countesses if it was the
+will of fortune; 'but laws go as kings like;' let nobody speak ill of
+duennas, above all of ancient maiden ones; for though I am not one
+myself, I know and am aware of the advantage a maiden duenna has over one
+that is a widow; but 'he who clipped us has kept the scissors.'"
+
+"For all that," said Sancho, "there's so much to be clipped about
+duennas, so my barber said, that 'it will be better not to stir the rice
+even though it sticks.'"
+
+"These squires," returned Dona Rodriguez, "are always our enemies; and as
+they are the haunting spirits of the antechambers and watch us at every
+step, whenever they are not saying their prayers (and that's often
+enough) they spend their time in tattling about us, digging up our bones
+and burying our good name. But I can tell these walking blocks that we
+will live in spite of them, and in great houses too, though we die of
+hunger and cover our flesh, be it delicate or not, with widow's weeds, as
+one covers or hides a dunghill on a procession day. By my faith, if it
+were permitted me and time allowed, I could prove, not only to those here
+present, but to all the world, that there is no virtue that is not to be
+found in a duenna."
+
+"I have no doubt," said the duchess, "that my good Dona Rodriguez is
+right, and very much so; but she had better bide her time for fighting
+her own battle and that of the rest of the duennas, so as to crush the
+calumny of that vile apothecary, and root out the prejudice in the great
+Sancho Panza's mind."
+
+To which Sancho replied, "Ever since I have sniffed the governorship I
+have got rid of the humours of a squire, and I don't care a wild fig for
+all the duennas in the world."
+
+They would have carried on this duenna dispute further had they not heard
+the notes of the fife and drums once more, from which they concluded that
+the Distressed Duenna was making her entrance. The duchess asked the duke
+if it would be proper to go out to receive her, as she was a countess and
+a person of rank.
+
+"In respect of her being a countess," said Sancho, before the duke could
+reply, "I am for your highnesses going out to receive her; but in respect
+of her being a duenna, it is my opinion you should not stir a step."
+
+"Who bade thee meddle in this, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.
+
+"Who, senor?" said Sancho; "I meddle for I have a right to meddle, as a
+squire who has learned the rules of courtesy in the school of your
+worship, the most courteous and best-bred knight in the whole world of
+courtliness; and in these things, as I have heard your worship say, as
+much is lost by a card too many as by a card too few, and to one who has
+his ears open, few words."
+
+"Sancho is right," said the duke; "we'll see what the countess is like,
+and by that measure the courtesy that is due to her."
+
+And now the drums and fife made their entrance as before; and here the
+author brought this short chapter to an end and began the next, following
+up the same adventure, which is one of the most notable in the history.
+
+Chapter XXXVIII. -
+Wherein is told the distressed Duenna's tale of her misfortunes
+
+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. 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; 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; 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; 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; this countess, however, in
+honour of the new fashion of her skirt, dropped Lobuna and took up
+Trifaldi.
+
+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. 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. The twelve duennas halted and formed a lane, along which the
+Distressed One advanced, Trifaldin still holding her hand. On seeing this
+the duke, the duchess, and Don Quixote went some twelve paces forward to
+meet her. 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; but it must be a long way off, for
+the more I look for them the less I find them."
+
+"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;" and
+raising her up by the hand he led her to a seat beside the duchess, who
+likewise received her with great urbanity. Don Quixote remained silent,
+while Sancho was dying to see the features of Trifaldi and one or two of
+her many duennas; but there was no possibility of it until they
+themselves displayed them of their own accord and free will.
+
+All kept still, waiting to see who would break silence, which the
+Distressed Duenna did in these words: "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; 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."
+
+"The Panza is here," said Sancho, before anyone could reply, "and Don
+Quixotissimus too; and so, most distressedest Duenissima, you may say
+what you willissimus, for we are all readissimus to do you any
+servissimus."
+
+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. I am
+Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose calling it is to give aid to the needy of
+all sorts; 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: for you have hearers that will know
+how, if not to remedy them, to sympathise with them."
+
+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; 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!" 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. 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."
+
+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; may I have
+my soul well bearded and moustached when it comes to quit this life,
+that's the point; about beards here below I care little or nothing; 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; unpack your woes
+and lay them before us, and leave us to deal with them, for we'll be all
+of one mind."
+
+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. 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; 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. Time
+passed, and the young Antonomasia reached the age of fourteen, and such a
+perfection of beauty, that nature could not raise it higher. Then, it
+must not be supposed her intelligence was childish; she was as
+intelligent as she was fair, and she was fairer than all the world; and
+is so still, unless the envious fates and hard-hearted sisters three have
+cut for her the thread of life. 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. 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; 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; and gifts and graces of this kind are
+enough to bring down a mountain, not to say a tender young girl. 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.
+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. 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; 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; and if I remember rightly they ran thus:
+
+poem{
+
+  From that sweet enemy of mine
+  My bleeding heart hath had its wound;
+  And to increase the pain I'm bound
+  To suffer and to make no sign.
+
+}poem
+
+The lines seemed pearls to me and his voice sweet as syrup; 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 be banished from all well-ordered States; 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. Another time he sang:
+
+poem{
+
+  Come Death, so subtly veiled that I
+  Thy coming know not, how or when,
+  Lest it should give me life again
+  To find how sweet it is to die.
+
+}poem
+
+--and other verses and burdens of the same sort, such as enchant when
+sung and fascinate when written. And then, when they condescend to
+compose a sort of verse that was at that time in vogue in Kandy, which
+they call seguidillas! Then it is that hearts leap and laughter breaks
+forth, and the body grows restless and all the senses turn quicksilver.
+And so I say, sirs, that these troubadours richly deserve to be banished
+to the isles of the lizards. Though it is not they that are in fault, but
+the simpletons that extol them, and the fools that believe in them; 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. 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! 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. But where am I wandering
+to? Woe is me, unfortunate being! What madness or folly leads me to speak
+of the faults of others, when there is so much to be said about my own?
+Again, woe is me, hapless that I am! it was not verses that conquered me,
+but my own simplicity; it was not music made me yield, but my own
+imprudence; 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; 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; for,
+sinner though I was, would not have allowed him to approach the edge of
+her shoe-sole without being her husband. No, no, not that; marriage must
+come first in any business of this sort that I take in hand. 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. 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. The necessary
+steps were taken; the Vicar saw the agreement, and took the lady's
+confession; she confessed everything in full, and he ordered her into the
+custody of a very worthy alguacil of the court."
+
+"Are there alguacils of the court in Kandy, too," said Sancho at this,
+"and poets, and seguidillas? I swear I think the world is the same all
+over! But make haste, Senora Trifaldi; for it is late, and I am dying to
+know the end of this long story."
+
+"I will," replied the countess.
+
+Chapter XXXIX. -
+In which the Trifaldi continues her marvellous and memorable story
+
+By every word that Sancho uttered, the duchess was as much delighted as
+Don Quixote was driven to desperation. He bade him hold his tongue, and
+the Distressed One went on to say: "At length, after much questioning and
+answering, as the princess held to her story, without changing or varying
+her previous declaration, the Vicar gave his decision in favour of Don
+Clavijo, and she was delivered over to him as his lawful wife; which the
+Queen Dona Maguncia, the Princess Antonomasia's mother, so took to heart,
+that within the space of three days we buried her."
+
+"She died, no doubt," said Sancho.
+
+"Of course," said Trifaldin; "they don't bury living people in Kandy,
+only the dead."
+
+"Senor Squire," said Sancho, "a man in a swoon has been known to be
+buried before now, in the belief that he was dead; and it struck me that
+Queen Maguncia ought to have swooned rather than died; because with life
+a great many things come right, and the princess's folly was not so great
+that she need feel it so keenly. If the lady had married some page of
+hers, or some other servant of the house, as many another has done, so I
+have heard say, then the mischief would have been past curing. But to
+marry such an elegant accomplished gentleman as has been just now
+described to us--indeed, indeed, though it was a folly, it was not such a
+great one as you think; for according to the rules of my master here--and
+he won't allow me to lie--as of men of letters bishops are made, so of
+gentlemen knights, specially if they be errant, kings and emperors may be
+made."
+
+"Thou art right, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for with a knight-errant, if
+he has but two fingers' breadth of good fortune, it is on the cards to
+become the mightiest lord on earth. But let senora the Distressed One
+proceed; for I suspect she has got yet to tell us the bitter part of this
+so far sweet story."
+
+"The bitter is indeed to come," said the countess; "and such bitter that
+colocynth is sweet and oleander toothsome in comparison. The queen, then,
+being dead, and not in a swoon, we buried her; and hardly had we covered
+her with earth, hardly had we said our last farewells, when, quis talia
+fando temperet a lachrymis? over the queen's grave there appeared,
+mounted upon a wooden horse, the giant Malambruno, Maguncia's first
+cousin, who besides being cruel is an enchanter; and he, to revenge the
+death of his cousin, punish the audacity of Don Clavijo, and in wrath at
+the contumacy of Antonomasia, left them both enchanted by his art on the
+grave itself; she being changed into an ape of brass, and he into a
+horrible crocodile of some unknown metal; while between the two there
+stands a pillar, also of metal, with certain characters in the Syriac
+language inscribed upon it, which, being translated into Kandian, and now
+into Castilian, contain the following sentence: 'These two rash lovers
+shall not recover their former shape until the valiant Manchegan comes to
+do battle with me in single combat; for the Fates reserve this unexampled
+adventure for his mighty valour alone.' This done, he drew from its
+sheath a huge broad scimitar, and seizing me by the hair he made as
+though he meant to cut my throat and shear my head clean off. I was
+terror-stricken, my voice stuck in my throat, and I was in the deepest
+distress; nevertheless I summoned up my strength as well as I could, and
+in a trembling and piteous voice I addressed such words to him as induced
+him to stay the infliction of a punishment so severe. He then caused all
+the duennas of the palace, those that are here present, to be brought
+before him; and after having dwelt upon the enormity of our offence, and
+denounced duennas, their characters, their evil ways and worse intrigues,
+laying to the charge of all what I alone was guilty of, he said he would
+not visit us with capital punishment, but with others of a slow nature
+which would be in effect civil death for ever; and the very instant he
+ceased speaking we all felt the pores of our faces opening, and pricking
+us, as if with the points of needles. We at once put our hands up to our
+faces and found ourselves in the state you now see."
+
+Here the Distressed One and the other duennas raised the veils with which
+they were covered, and disclosed countenances all bristling with beards,
+some red, some black, some white, and some grizzled, at which spectacle
+the duke and duchess made a show of being filled with wonder. Don Quixote
+and Sancho were overwhelmed with amazement, and the bystanders lost in
+astonishment, while the Trifaldi went on to say: "Thus did that
+malevolent villain Malambruno punish us, covering the tenderness and
+softness of our faces with these rough bristles! Would to heaven that he
+had swept off our heads with his enormous scimitar instead of obscuring
+the light of our countenances with these wool-combings that cover us! For
+if we look into the matter, sirs (and what I am now going to say I would
+say with eyes flowing like fountains, only that the thought of our
+misfortune and the oceans they have already wept, keep them as dry as
+barley spears, and so I say it without tears), where, I ask, can a duenna
+with a beard to to? What father or mother will feel pity for her? Who
+will help her? For, if even when she has a smooth skin, and a face
+tortured by a thousand kinds of washes and cosmetics, she can hardly get
+anybody to love her, what will she do when she shows a countenace turned
+into a thicket? Oh duennas, companions mine! it was an unlucky moment
+when we were born and an ill-starred hour when our fathers begot us!" And
+as she said this she showed signs of being about to faint.
+
+Chapter XL. -
+Of matters relating and belonging to this adventure and to this memorable
+history
+
+Verily and truly all those who find pleasure in histories like this ought
+show their gratitude to Cide Hamete, its original author, for the
+scrupulous care he has taken to set before us all its minute particulars,
+not leaving anything, however trifling it may be, that he does not make
+clear and plain. He portrays the thoughts, he reveals the fancies, he
+answers implied questions, clears up doubts, sets objections at rest,
+and, in a word, makes plain the smallest points the most inquisitive can
+desire to know. O renowned author! O happy Don Quixote! O famous famous
+droll Sancho! All and each, may ye live countless ages for the delight
+and amusement of the dwellers on earth!
+
+The history goes on to say that when Sancho saw the Distressed One faint
+he exclaimed: "I swear by the faith of an honest man and the shades of
+all my ancestors the Panzas, that never I did see or hear of, nor has my
+master related or conceived in his mind, such an adventure as this. A
+thousand devils--not to curse thee--take thee, Malambruno, for an
+enchanter and a giant! Couldst thou find no other sort of punishment for
+these sinners but bearding them? Would it not have been better--it would
+have been better for them--to have taken off half their noses from the
+middle upwards, even though they'd have snuffled when they spoke, than to
+have put beards on them? I'll bet they have not the means of paying
+anybody to shave them."
+
+"That is the truth, senor," said one of the twelve; "we have not the
+money to get ourselves shaved, and so we have, some of us, taken to using
+sticking-plasters by way of an economical remedy, for by applying them to
+our faces and plucking them off with a jerk we are left as bare and
+smooth as the bottom of a stone mortar. There are, to be sure, women in
+Kandy that go about from house to house to remove down, and trim
+eyebrows, and make cosmetics for the use of the women, but we, the
+duennas of my lady, would never let them in, for most of them have a
+flavour of agents that have ceased to be principals; and if we are not
+relieved by Senor Don Quixote we shall be carried to our graves with
+beards."
+
+"I will pluck out my own in the land of the Moors," said Don Quixote, "if
+I don't cure yours."
+
+At this instant the Trifaldi recovered from her swoon and said, "The
+chink of that promise, valiant knight, reached my ears in the midst of my
+swoon, and has been the means of reviving me and bringing back my senses;
+and so once more I implore you, illustrious errant, indomitable sir, to
+let your gracious promises be turned into deeds."
+
+"There shall be no delay on my part," said Don Quixote. "Bethink you,
+senora, of what I must do, for my heart is most eager to serve you."
+
+"The fact is," replied the Distressed One, "it is five thousand leagues,
+a couple more or less, from this to the kingdom of Kandy, if you go by
+land; but if you go through the air and in a straight line, it is three
+thousand two hundred and twenty-seven. You must know, too, that
+Malambruno told me that, whenever fate provided the knight our deliverer,
+he himself would send him a steed far better and with less tricks than a
+post-horse; for he will be that same wooden horse on which the valiant
+Pierres carried off the fair Magalona; which said horse is guided by a
+peg he has in his forehead that serves for a bridle, and flies through
+the air with such rapidity that you would fancy the very devils were
+carrying him. This horse, according to ancient tradition, was made by
+Merlin. He lent him to Pierres, who was a friend of his, and who made
+long journeys with him, and, as has been said, carried off the fair
+Magalona, bearing her through the air on its haunches and making all who
+beheld them from the earth gape with astonishment; and he never lent him
+save to those whom he loved or those who paid him well; and since the
+great Pierres we know of no one having mounted him until now. From him
+Malambruno stole him by his magic art, and he has him now in his
+possession, and makes use of him in his journeys which he constantly
+makes through different parts of the world; he is here to-day, to-morrow
+in France, and the next day in Potosi; and the best of it is the said
+horse neither eats nor sleeps nor wears out shoes, and goes at an ambling
+pace through the air without wings, so that he whom he has mounted upon
+him can carry a cup full of water in his hand without spilling a drop, so
+smoothly and easily does he go, for which reason the fair Magalona
+enjoyed riding him greatly."
+
+"For going smoothly and easily," said Sancho at this, "give me my Dapple,
+though he can't go through the air; but on the ground I'll back him
+against all the amblers in the world."
+
+They all laughed, and the Distressed One continued: "And this same horse,
+if so be that Malambruno is disposed to put an end to our sufferings,
+will be here before us ere the night shall have advanced half an hour;
+for he announced to me that the sign he would give me whereby I might
+know that I had found the knight I was in quest of, would be to send me
+the horse wherever he might be, speedily and promptly."
+
+"And how many is there room for on this horse?" asked Sancho.
+
+"Two," said the Distressed One, "one in the saddle, and the other on the
+croup; and generally these two are knight and squire, when there is no
+damsel that's being carried off."
+
+"I'd like to know, Senora Distressed One," said Sancho, "what is the name
+of this horse?"
+
+"His name," said the Distressed One, "is not the same as Bellerophon's
+horse that was called Pegasus, or Alexander the Great's, called
+Bucephalus, or Orlando Furioso's, the name of which was Brigliador, nor
+yet Bayard, the horse of Reinaldos of Montalvan, nor Frontino like
+Ruggiero's, nor Bootes or Peritoa, as they say the horses of the sun were
+called, nor is he called Orelia, like the horse on which the unfortunate
+Rodrigo, the last king of the Goths, rode to the battle where he lost his
+life and his kingdom."
+
+"I'll bet," said Sancho, "that as they have given him none of these
+famous names of well-known horses, no more have they given him the name
+of my master's Rocinante, which for being apt surpasses all that have
+been mentioned."
+
+"That is true," said the bearded countess, "still it fits him very well,
+for he is called Clavileno the Swift, which name is in accordance with
+his being made of wood, with the peg he has in his forehead, and with the
+swift pace at which he travels; and so, as far as name goes, he may
+compare with the famous Rocinante."
+
+"I have nothing to say against his name," said Sancho; "but with what
+sort of bridle or halter is he managed?"
+
+"I have said already," said the Trifaldi, "that it is with a peg, by
+turning which to one side or the other the knight who rides him makes him
+go as he pleases, either through the upper air, or skimming and almost
+sweeping the earth, or else in that middle course that is sought and
+followed in all well-regulated proceedings."
+
+"I'd like to see him," said Sancho; "but to fancy I'm going to mount him,
+either in the saddle or on the croup, is to ask pears of the elm tree. A
+good joke indeed! I can hardly keep my seat upon Dapple, and on a
+pack-saddle softer than silk itself, and here they'd have me hold on upon
+haunches of plank without pad or cushion of any sort! Gad, I have no
+notion of bruising myself to get rid of anyone's beard; let each one
+shave himself as best he can; I'm not going to accompany my master on any
+such long journey; besides, I can't give any help to the shaving of these
+beards as I can to the disenchantment of my lady Dulcinea."
+
+"Yes, you can, my friend," replied the Trifaldi; "and so much, that
+without you, so I understand, we shall be able to do nothing."
+
+"In the king's name!" exclaimed Sancho, "what have squires got to do with
+the adventures of their masters? Are they to have the fame of such as
+they go through, and we the labour? Body o' me! if the historians would
+only say, 'Such and such a knight finished such and such an adventure,
+but with the help of so and so, his squire, without which it would have
+been impossible for him to accomplish it;' but they write curtly, "Don
+Paralipomenon of the Three Stars accomplished the adventure of the six
+monsters;' without mentioning such a person as his squire, who was there
+all the time, just as if there was no such being. Once more, sirs, I say
+my master may go alone, and much good may it do him; and I'll stay here
+in the company of my lady the duchess; and maybe when he comes back, he
+will find the lady Dulcinea's affair ever so much advanced; for I mean in
+leisure hours, and at idle moments, to give myself a spell of whipping
+without so much as a hair to cover me."
+
+"For all that you must go if it be necessary, my good Sancho," said the
+duchess, "for they are worthy folk who ask you; and the faces of these
+ladies must not remain overgrown in this way because of your idle fears;
+that would be a hard case indeed."
+
+"In the king's name, once more!" said Sancho; "If this charitable work
+were to be done for the sake of damsels in confinement or charity-girls,
+a man might expose himself to some hardships; but to bear it for the sake
+of stripping beards off duennas! Devil take it! I'd sooner see them all
+bearded, from the highest to the lowest, and from the most prudish to the
+most affected."
+
+"You are very hard on duennas, Sancho my friend," said the duchess; "you
+incline very much to the opinion of the Toledo apothecary. But indeed you
+are wrong; there are duennas in my house that may serve as patterns of
+duennas; and here is my Dona Rodriguez, who will not allow me to say
+otherwise."
+
+"Your excellence may say it if you like," said the Rodriguez; "for God
+knows the truth of everything; and whether we duennas are good or bad,
+bearded or smooth, we are our mothers' daughters like other women; and as
+God sent us into the world, he knows why he did, and on his mercy I rely,
+and not on anybody's beard."
+
+"Well, Senora Rodriguez, Senora Trifaldi, and present company," said Don
+Quixote, "I trust in Heaven that it will look with kindly eyes upon your
+troubles, for Sancho will do as I bid him. Only let Clavileno come and
+let me find myself face to face with Malambruno, and I am certain no
+razor will shave you more easily than my sword shall shave Malambruno's
+head off his shoulders; for 'God bears with the wicked, but not for
+ever."
+
+"Ah!" exclaimed the Distressed One at this, "may all the stars of the
+celestial regions look down upon your greatness with benign eyes, valiant
+knight, and shed every prosperity and valour upon your heart, that it may
+be the shield and safeguard of the abused and downtrodden race of
+duennas, detested by apothecaries, sneered at by squires, and made game
+of by pages. Ill betide the jade that in the flower of her youth would
+not sooner become a nun than a duenna! Unfortunate beings that we are, we
+duennas! Though we may be descended in the direct male line from Hector
+of Troy himself, our mistresses never fail to address us as 'you' if they
+think it makes queens of them. O giant Malambruno, though thou art an
+enchanter, thou art true to thy promises. Send us now the peerless
+Clavileno, that our misfortune may be brought to an end; for if the hot
+weather sets in and these beards of ours are still there, alas for our
+lot!"
+
+The Trifaldi said this in such a pathetic way that she drew tears from
+the eyes of all and even Sancho's filled up; and he resolved in his heart
+to accompany his master to the uttermost ends of the earth, if so be the
+removal of the wool from those venerable countenances depended upon it.
+
+Chapter XLI. -
+Of the arrival of Clavileno and the end of this protracted adventure
+
+And now night came, and with it the appointed time for the arrival of the
+famous horse Clavileno, the non-appearance of which was already beginning
+to make Don Quixote uneasy, for it struck him that, as Malambruno was so
+long about sending it, either he himself was not the knight for whom the
+adventure was reserved, or else Malambruno did not dare to meet him in
+single combat. But lo! suddenly there came into the garden four wild-men
+all clad in green ivy bearing on their shoulders a great wooden horse.
+They placed it on its feet on the ground, and one of the wild-men said,
+"Let the knight who has heart for it mount this machine."
+
+Here Sancho exclaimed, "I don't mount, for neither have I the heart nor
+am I a knight."
+
+"And let the squire, if he has one," continued the wild-man, "take his
+seat on the croup, and let him trust the valiant Malambruno; for by no
+sword save his, nor by the malice of any other, shall he be assailed. It
+is but to turn this peg the horse has in his neck, and he will bear them
+through the air to where Malambruno awaits them; but lest the vast
+elevation of their course should make them giddy, their eyes must be
+covered until the horse neighs, which will be the sign of their having
+completed their journey."
+
+With these words, leaving Clavileno behind them, they retired with easy
+dignity the way they came. As soon as the Distressed One saw the horse,
+almost in tears she exclaimed to Don Quixote, "Valiant knight, the
+promise of Malambruno has proved trustworthy; the horse has come, our
+beards are growing, and by every hair in them all of us implore thee to
+shave and shear us, as it is only mounting him with thy squire and making
+a happy beginning with your new journey."
+
+"That I will, Senora Countess Trifaldi," said Don Quixote, "most gladly
+and with right goodwill, without stopping to take a cushion or put on my
+spurs, so as not to lose time, such is my desire to see you and all these
+duennas shaved clean."
+
+"That I won't," said Sancho, "with good-will or bad-will, or any way at
+all; and if this shaving can't be done without my mounting on the croup,
+my master had better look out for another squire to go with him, and
+these ladies for some other way of making their faces smooth; I'm no
+witch to have a taste for travelling through the air. What would my
+islanders say when they heard their governor was going, strolling about
+on the winds? And another thing, as it is three thousand and odd leagues
+from this to Kandy, if the horse tires, or the giant takes huff, we'll be
+half a dozen years getting back, and there won't be isle or island in the
+world that will know me: and so, as it is a common saying 'in delay
+there's danger,' and 'when they offer thee a heifer run with a halter,'
+these ladies' beards must excuse me; 'Saint Peter is very well in Rome;'
+I mean I am very well in this house where so much is made of me, and I
+hope for such a good thing from the master as to see myself a governor."
+
+"Friend Sancho," said the duke at this, "the island that I have promised
+you is not a moving one, or one that will run away; it has roots so
+deeply buried in the bowels of the earth that it will be no easy matter
+to pluck it up or shift it from where it is; you know as well as I do
+that there is no sort of office of any importance that is not obtained by
+a bribe of some kind, great or small; well then, that which I look to
+receive for this government is that you go with your master Don Quixote,
+and bring this memorable adventure to a conclusion; and whether you
+return on Clavileno as quickly as his speed seems to promise, or adverse
+fortune brings you back on foot travelling as a pilgrim from hostel to
+hostel and from inn to inn, you will always find your island on your
+return where you left it, and your islanders with the same eagerness they
+have always had to receive you as their governor, and my good-will will
+remain the same; doubt not the truth of this, Senor Sancho, for that
+would be grievously wronging my disposition to serve you."
+
+"Say no more, senor," said Sancho; "I am a poor squire and not equal to
+carrying so much courtesy; let my master mount; bandage my eyes and
+commit me to God's care, and tell me if I may commend myself to our Lord
+or call upon the angels to protect me when we go towering up there."
+
+To this the Trifaldi made answer, "Sancho, you may freely commend
+yourself to God or whom you will; for Malambruno though an enchanter is a
+Christian, and works his enchantments with great circumspection, taking
+very good care not to fall out with anyone."
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "God and the most holy Trinity of Gaeta give me
+help!"
+
+"Since the memorable adventure of the fulling mills," said Don Quixote,
+"I have never seen Sancho in such a fright as now; were I as
+superstitious as others his abject fear would cause me some little
+trepidation of spirit. But come here, Sancho, for with the leave of these
+gentles I would say a word or two to thee in private;" and drawing Sancho
+aside among the trees of the garden and seizing both his hands he said,
+"Thou seest, brother Sancho, the long journey we have before us, and God
+knows when we shall return, or what leisure or opportunities this
+business will allow us; I wish thee therefore to retire now to thy
+chamber, as though thou wert going to fetch something required for the
+road, and in a trice give thyself if it be only five hundred lashes on
+account of the three thousand three hundred to which thou art bound; it
+will be all to the good, and to make a beginning with a thing is to have
+it half finished."
+
+"By God," said Sancho, "but your worship must be out of your senses! This
+is like the common saying, 'You see me with child, and you want me a
+virgin.' Just as I'm about to go sitting on a bare board, your worship
+would have me score my backside! Indeed, your worship is not reasonable.
+Let us be off to shave these duennas; and on our return I promise on my
+word to make such haste to wipe off all that's due as will satisfy your
+worship; I can't say more."
+
+"Well, I will comfort myself with that promise, my good Sancho," replied
+Don Quixote, "and I believe thou wilt keep it; for indeed though stupid
+thou art veracious."
+
+"I'm not voracious," said Sancho, "only peckish; but even if I was a
+little, still I'd keep my word."
+
+With this they went back to mount Clavileno, and as they were about to do
+so Don Quixote said, "Cover thine eyes, Sancho, and mount; for one who
+sends for us from lands so far distant cannot mean to deceive us for the
+sake of the paltry glory to be derived from deceiving persons who trust
+in him; though all should turn out the contrary of what I hope, no malice
+will be able to dim the glory of having undertaken this exploit."
+
+"Let us be off, senor," said Sancho, "for I have taken the beards and
+tears of these ladies deeply to heart, and I shan't eat a bit to relish
+it until I have seen them restored to their former smoothness. Mount,
+your worship, and blindfold yourself, for if I am to go on the croup, it
+is plain the rider in the saddle must mount first."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote, and, taking a handkerchief out of his
+pocket, he begged the Distressed One to bandage his eyes very carefully;
+but after having them bandaged he uncovered them again, saying, "If my
+memory does not deceive me, I have read in Virgil of the Palladium of
+Troy, a wooden horse the Greeks offered to the goddess Pallas, which was
+big with armed knights, who were afterwards the destruction of Troy; so
+it would be as well to see, first of all, what Clavileno has in his
+stomach."
+
+"There is no occasion," said the Distressed One; "I will be bail for him,
+and I know that Malambruno has nothing tricky or treacherous about him;
+you may mount without any fear, Senor Don Quixote; on my head be it if
+any harm befalls you."
+
+Don Quixote thought that to say anything further with regard to his
+safety would be putting his courage in an unfavourable light; and so,
+without more words, he mounted Clavileno, and tried the peg, which turned
+easily; and as he had no stirrups and his legs hung down, he looked like
+nothing so much as a figure in some Roman triumph painted or embroidered
+on a Flemish tapestry.
+
+Much against the grain, and very slowly, Sancho proceeded to mount, and,
+after settling himself as well as he could on the croup, found it rather
+hard, and not at all soft, and asked the duke if it would be possible to
+oblige him with a pad of some kind, or a cushion; even if it were off the
+couch of his lady the duchess, or the bed of one of the pages; as the
+haunches of that horse were more like marble than wood. On this the
+Trifaldi observed that Clavileno would not bear any kind of harness or
+trappings, and that his best plan would be to sit sideways like a woman,
+as in that way he would not feel the hardness so much.
+
+Sancho did so, and, bidding them farewell, allowed his eyes to be
+bandaged, but immediately afterwards uncovered them again, and looking
+tenderly and tearfully on those in the garden, bade them help him in his
+present strait with plenty of Paternosters and Ave Marias, that God might
+provide some one to say as many for them, whenever they found themselves
+in a similar emergency.
+
+At this Don Quixote exclaimed, "Art thou on the gallows, thief, or at thy
+last moment, to use pitiful entreaties of that sort? Cowardly, spiritless
+creature, art thou not in the very place the fair Magalona occupied, and
+from which she descended, not into the grave, but to become Queen of
+France; unless the histories lie? And I who am here beside thee, may I
+not put myself on a par with the valiant Pierres, who pressed this very
+spot that I now press? Cover thine eyes, cover thine eyes, abject animal,
+and let not thy fear escape thy lips, at least in my presence."
+
+"Blindfold me," said Sancho; "as you won't let me commend myself or be
+commended to God, is it any wonder if I am afraid there is a region of
+devils about here that will carry us off to Peralvillo?"
+
+They were then blindfolded, and Don Quixote, finding himself settled to
+his satisfaction, felt for the peg, and the instant he placed his fingers
+on it, all the duennas and all who stood by lifted up their voices
+exclaiming, "God guide thee, valiant knight! God be with thee, intrepid
+squire! Now, now ye go cleaving the air more swiftly than an arrow! Now
+ye begin to amaze and astonish all who are gazing at you from the earth!
+Take care not to wobble about, valiant Sancho! Mind thou fall not, for
+thy fall will be worse than that rash youth's who tried to steer the
+chariot of his father the Sun!"
+
+As Sancho heard the voices, clinging tightly to his master and winding
+his arms round him, he said, "Senor, how do they make out we are going up
+so high, if their voices reach us here and they seem to be speaking quite
+close to us?"
+
+"Don't mind that, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "for as affairs of this
+sort, and flights like this are out of the common course of things, you
+can see and hear as much as you like a thousand leagues off; but don't
+squeeze me so tight or thou wilt upset me; and really I know not what
+thou hast to be uneasy or frightened at, for I can safely swear I never
+mounted a smoother-going steed all the days of my life; one would fancy
+we never stirred from one place. Banish fear, my friend, for indeed
+everything is going as it ought, and we have the wind astern."
+
+"That's true," said Sancho, "for such a strong wind comes against me on
+this side, that it seems as if people were blowing on me with a thousand
+pair of bellows;" which was the case; they were puffing at him with a
+great pair of bellows; for the whole adventure was so well planned by the
+duke, the duchess, and their majordomo, that nothing was omitted to make
+it perfectly successful.
+
+Don Quixote now, feeling the blast, said, "Beyond a doubt, Sancho, we
+must have already reached the second region of the air, where the hail
+and snow are generated; the thunder, the lightning, and the thunderbolts
+are engendered in the third region, and if we go on ascending at this
+rate, we shall shortly plunge into the region of fire, and I know not how
+to regulate this peg, so as not to mount up where we shall be burned."
+
+And now they began to warm their faces, from a distance, with tow that
+could be easily set on fire and extinguished again, fixed on the end of a
+cane. On feeling the heat Sancho said, "May I die if we are not already
+in that fire place, or very near it, for a good part of my beard has been
+singed, and I have a mind, senor, to uncover and see whereabouts we are."
+
+"Do nothing of the kind," said Don Quixote; "remember the true story of
+the licentiate Torralva that the devils carried flying through the air
+riding on a stick with his eyes shut; who in twelve hours reached Rome
+and dismounted at Torre di Nona, which is a street of the city, and saw
+the whole sack and storming and the death of Bourbon, and was back in
+Madrid the next morning, where he gave an account of all he had seen; and
+he said moreover that as he was going through the air, the devil bade him
+open his eyes, and he did so, and saw himself so near the body of the
+moon, so it seemed to him, that he could have laid hold of it with his
+hand, and that he did not dare to look at the earth lest he should be
+seized with giddiness. So that, Sancho, it will not do for us to uncover
+ourselves, for he who has us in charge will be responsible for us; and
+perhaps we are gaining an altitude and mounting up to enable us to
+descend at one swoop on the kingdom of Kandy, as the saker or falcon does
+on the heron, so as to seize it however high it may soar; and though it
+seems to us not half an hour since we left the garden, believe me we must
+have travelled a great distance."
+
+"I don't know how that may be," said Sancho; "all I know is that if the
+Senora Magallanes or Magalona was satisfied with this croup, she could
+not have been very tender of flesh."
+
+The duke, the duchess, and all in the garden were listening to the
+conversation of the two heroes, and were beyond measure amused by it; and
+now, desirous of putting a finishing touch to this rare and
+well-contrived adventure, they applied a light to Clavileno's tail with
+some tow, and the horse, being full of squibs and crackers, immediately
+blew up with a prodigious noise, and brought Don Quixote and Sancho Panza
+to the ground half singed. By this time the bearded band of duennas, the
+Trifaldi and all, had vanished from the garden, and those that remained
+lay stretched on the ground as if in a swoon. Don Quixote and Sancho got
+up rather shaken, and, looking about them, were filled with amazement at
+finding themselves in the same garden from which they had started, and
+seeing such a number of people stretched on the ground; and their
+astonishment was increased when at one side of the garden they perceived
+a tall lance planted in the ground, and hanging from it by two cords of
+green silk a smooth white parchment on which there was the following
+inscription in large gold letters: "The illustrious knight Don Quixote of
+La Mancha has, by merely attempting it, finished and concluded the
+adventure of the Countess Trifaldi, otherwise called the Distressed
+Duenna; Malambruno is now satisfied on every point, the chins of the
+duennas are now smooth and clean, and King Don Clavijo and Queen
+Antonomasia in their original form; and when the squirely flagellation
+shall have been completed, the white dove shall find herself delivered
+from the pestiferous gerfalcons that persecute her, and in the arms of
+her beloved mate; for such is the decree of the sage Merlin,
+arch-enchanter of enchanters."
+
+As soon as Don Quixote had read the inscription on the parchment he
+perceived clearly that it referred to the disenchantment of Dulcinea, and
+returning hearty thanks to heaven that he had with so little danger
+achieved so grand an exploit as to restore to their former complexion the
+countenances of those venerable duennas, he advanced towards the duke and
+duchess, who had not yet come to themselves, and taking the duke by the
+hand he said, "Be of good cheer, worthy sir, be of good cheer; it's
+nothing at all; the adventure is now over and without any harm done, as
+the inscription fixed on this post shows plainly."
+
+The duke came to himself slowly and like one recovering consciousness
+after a heavy sleep, and the duchess and all who had fallen prostrate
+about the garden did the same, with such demonstrations of wonder and
+amazement that they would have almost persuaded one that what they
+pretended so adroitly in jest had happened to them in reality. The duke
+read the placard with half-shut eyes, and then ran to embrace Don Quixote
+with-open arms, declaring him to be the best knight that had ever been
+seen in any age. Sancho kept looking about for the Distressed One, to see
+what her face was like without the beard, and if she was as fair as her
+elegant person promised; but they told him that, the instant Clavileno
+descended flaming through the air and came to the ground, the whole band
+of duennas with the Trifaldi vanished, and that they were already shaved
+and without a stump left.
+
+The duchess asked Sancho how he had fared on that long journey, to which
+Sancho replied, "I felt, senora, that we were flying through the region
+of fire, as my master told me, and I wanted to uncover my eyes for a bit;
+but my master, when I asked leave to uncover myself, would not let me;
+but as I have a little bit of curiosity about me, and a desire to know
+what is forbidden and kept from me, quietly and without anyone seeing me
+I drew aside the handkerchief covering my eyes ever so little, close to
+my nose, and from underneath looked towards the earth, and it seemed to
+me that it was altogether no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, and
+that the men walking on it were little bigger than hazel nuts; so you may
+see how high we must have got to then."
+
+To this the duchess said, "Sancho, my friend, mind what you are saying;
+it seems you could not have seen the earth, but only the men walking on
+it; for if the earth looked to you like a grain of mustard seed, and each
+man like a hazel nut, one man alone would have covered the whole earth."
+
+"That is true," said Sancho, "but for all that I got a glimpse of a bit
+of one side of it, and saw it all."
+
+"Take care, Sancho," said the duchess, "with a bit of one side one does
+not see the whole of what one looks at."
+
+"I don't understand that way of looking at things," said Sancho; "I only
+know that your ladyship will do well to bear in mind that as we were
+flying by enchantment so I might have seen the whole earth and all the
+men by enchantment whatever way I looked; and if you won't believe this,
+no more will you believe that, uncovering myself nearly to the eyebrows,
+I saw myself so close to the sky that there was not a palm and a half
+between me and it; and by everything that I can swear by, senora, it is
+mighty great! And it so happened we came by where the seven goats are,
+and by God and upon my soul, as in my youth I was a goatherd in my own
+country, as soon as I saw them I felt a longing to be among them for a
+little, and if I had not given way to it I think I'd have burst. So I
+come and take, and what do I do? without saying anything to anybody, not
+even to my master, softly and quietly I got down from Clavileno and
+amused myself with the goats--which are like violets, like flowers--for
+nigh three-quarters of an hour; and Clavileno never stirred or moved from
+one spot."
+
+"And while the good Sancho was amusing himself with the goats," said the
+duke, "how did Senor Don Quixote amuse himself?"
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "As all these things and such like
+occurrences are out of the ordinary course of nature, it is no wonder
+that Sancho says what he does; for my own part I can only say that I did
+not uncover my eyes either above or below, nor did I see sky or earth or
+sea or shore. It is true I felt that I was passing through the region of
+the air, and even that I touched that of fire; but that we passed farther
+I cannot believe; for the region of fire being between the heaven of the
+moon and the last region of the air, we could not have reached that
+heaven where the seven goats Sancho speaks of are without being burned;
+and as we were not burned, either Sancho is lying or Sancho is dreaming."
+
+"I am neither lying nor dreaming," said Sancho; "only ask me the tokens
+of those same goats, and you'll see by that whether I'm telling the truth
+or not."
+
+"Tell us them then, Sancho," said the duchess.
+
+"Two of them," said Sancho, "are green, two blood-red, two blue, and one
+a mixture of all colours."
+
+"An odd sort of goat, that," said the duke; "in this earthly region of
+ours we have no such colours; I mean goats of such colours."
+
+"That's very plain," said Sancho; "of course there must be a difference
+between the goats of heaven and the goats of the earth."
+
+"Tell me, Sancho," said the duke, "did you see any he-goat among those
+goats?"
+
+"No, senor," said Sancho; "but I have heard say that none ever passed the
+horns of the moon."
+
+They did not care to ask him anything more about his journey, for they
+saw he was in the vein to go rambling all over the heavens giving an
+account of everything that went on there, without having ever stirred
+from the garden. Such, in short, was the end of the adventure of the
+Distressed Duenna, which gave the duke and duchess laughing matter not
+only for the time being, but for all their lives, and Sancho something to
+talk about for ages, if he lived so long; but Don Quixote, coming close
+to his ear, said to him, "Sancho, as you would have us believe what you
+saw in heaven, I require you to believe me as to what I saw in the cave
+of Montesinos; I say no more."
+
+Chapter XLII. -
+Of the counsels which Don Quixote gave Sancho Panza before he set out to
+govern the island, together with other well-considered matters
+
+The duke and duchess were so well pleased with the successful and droll
+result of the adventure of the Distressed One, that they resolved to
+carry on the joke, seeing what a fit subject they had to deal with for
+making it all pass for reality. So having laid their plans and given
+instructions to their servants and vassals how to behave to Sancho in his
+government of the promised island, the next day, that following
+Clavileno's flight, the duke told Sancho to prepare and get ready to go
+and be governor, for his islanders were already looking out for him as
+for the showers of May.
+
+Sancho made him an obeisance, and said, "Ever since I came down from
+heaven, and from the top of it beheld the earth, and saw how little it
+is, the great desire I had to be a governor has been partly cooled in me;
+for what is there grand in being ruler on a grain of mustard seed, or
+what dignity or authority in governing half a dozen men about as big as
+hazel nuts; for, so far as I could see, there were no more on the whole
+earth? If your lordship would be so good as to give me ever so small a
+bit of heaven, were it no more than half a league, I'd rather have it
+than the best island in the world."
+
+"Recollect, Sancho," said the duke, "I cannot give a bit of heaven, no
+not so much as the breadth of my nail, to anyone; rewards and favours of
+that sort are reserved for God alone. What I can give I give you, and
+that is a real, genuine island, compact, well proportioned, and
+uncommonly fertile and fruitful, where, if you know how to use your
+opportunities, you may, with the help of the world's riches, gain those
+of heaven."
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "let the island come; and I'll try and be such
+a governor, that in spite of scoundrels I'll go to heaven; and it's not
+from any craving to quit my own humble condition or better myself, but
+from the desire I have to try what it tastes like to be a governor."
+
+"If you once make trial of it, Sancho," said the duke, "you'll eat your
+fingers off after the government, so sweet a thing is it to command and
+be obeyed. Depend upon it when your master comes to be emperor (as he
+will beyond a doubt from the course his affairs are taking), it will be
+no easy matter to wrest the dignity from him, and he will be sore and
+sorry at heart to have been so long without becoming one."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho, "it is my belief it's a good thing to be in
+command, if it's only over a drove of cattle."
+
+"May I be buried with you, Sancho," said the duke, "but you know
+everything; I hope you will make as good a governor as your sagacity
+promises; and that is all I have to say; and now remember to-morrow is
+the day you must set out for the government of the island, and this
+evening they will provide you with the proper attire for you to wear, and
+all things requisite for your departure."
+
+"Let them dress me as they like," said Sancho; "however I'm dressed I'll
+be Sancho Panza."
+
+"That's true," said the duke; "but one's dress must be suited to the
+office or rank one holds; for it would not do for a jurist to dress like
+a soldier, or a soldier like a priest. You, Sancho, shall go partly as a
+lawyer, partly as a captain, for, in the island I am giving you, arms are
+needed as much as letters, and letters as much as arms."
+
+"Of letters I know but little," said Sancho, "for I don't even know the A
+B C; but it is enough for me to have the Christus in my memory to be a
+good governor. As for arms, I'll handle those they give me till I drop,
+and then, God be my help!"
+
+"With so good a memory," said the duke, "Sancho cannot go wrong in
+anything."
+
+Here Don Quixote joined them; and learning what passed, and how soon
+Sancho was to go to his government, he with the duke's permission took
+him by the hand, and retired to his room with him for the purpose of
+giving him advice as to how he was to demean himself in his office. As
+soon as they had entered the chamber he closed the door after him, and
+almost by force made Sancho sit down beside him, and in a quiet tone thus
+addressed him: "I give infinite thanks to heaven, friend Sancho, that,
+before I have met with any good luck, fortune has come forward to meet
+thee. I who counted upon my good fortune to discharge the recompense of
+thy services, find myself still waiting for advancement, while thou,
+before the time, and contrary to all reasonable expectation, seest
+thyself blessed in the fulfillment of thy desires. Some will bribe, beg,
+solicit, rise early, entreat, persist, without attaining the object of
+their suit; while another comes, and without knowing why or wherefore,
+finds himself invested with the place or office so many have sued for;
+and here it is that the common saying, 'There is good luck as well as bad
+luck in suits,' applies. Thou, who, to my thinking, art beyond all doubt
+a dullard, without early rising or night watching or taking any trouble,
+with the mere breath of knight-errantry that has breathed upon thee,
+seest thyself without more ado governor of an island, as though it were a
+mere matter of course. This I say, Sancho, that thou attribute not the
+favour thou hast received to thine own merits, but give thanks to heaven
+that disposes matters beneficently, and secondly thanks to the great
+power the profession of knight-errantry contains in itself. With a heart,
+then, inclined to believe what I have said to thee, attend, my son, to
+thy Cato here who would counsel thee and be thy polestar and guide to
+direct and pilot thee to a safe haven out of this stormy sea wherein thou
+art about to ingulf thyself; for offices and great trusts are nothing
+else but a mighty gulf of troubles.
+
+"First of all, my son, thou must fear God, for in the fear of him is
+wisdom, and being wise thou canst not err in aught.
+
+"Secondly, thou must keep in view what thou art, striving to know
+thyself, the most difficult thing to know that the mind can imagine. If
+thou knowest thyself, it will follow thou wilt not puff thyself up like
+the frog that strove to make himself as large as the ox; if thou dost,
+the recollection of having kept pigs in thine own country will serve as
+the ugly feet for the wheel of thy folly."
+
+"That's the truth," said Sancho; "but that was when I was a boy;
+afterwards when I was something more of a man it was geese I kept, not
+pigs. But to my thinking that has nothing to do with it; for all who are
+governors don't come of a kingly stock."
+
+"True," said Don Quixote, "and for that reason those who are not of noble
+origin should take care that the dignity of the office they hold he
+accompanied by a gentle suavity, which wisely managed will save them from
+the sneers of malice that no station escapes.
+
+"Glory in thy humble birth, Sancho, and be not ashamed of saying thou art
+peasant-born; for when it is seen thou art not ashamed no one will set
+himself to put thee to the blush; and pride thyself rather upon being one
+of lowly virtue than a lofty sinner. Countless are they who, born of mean
+parentage, have risen to the highest dignities, pontifical and imperial,
+and of the truth of this I could give thee instances enough to weary
+thee.
+
+"Remember, Sancho, if thou make virtue thy aim, and take a pride in doing
+virtuous actions, thou wilt have no cause to envy those who have princely
+and lordly ones, for blood is an inheritance, but virtue an acquisition,
+and virtue has in itself alone a worth that blood does not possess.
+
+"This being so, if perchance anyone of thy kinsfolk should come to see
+thee when thou art in thine island, thou art not to repel or slight him,
+but on the contrary to welcome him, entertain him, and make much of him;
+for in so doing thou wilt be approved of heaven (which is not pleased
+that any should despise what it hath made), and wilt comply with the laws
+of well-ordered nature.
+
+"If thou carriest thy wife with thee (and it is not well for those that
+administer governments to be long without their wives), teach and
+instruct her, and strive to smooth down her natural roughness; for all
+that may be gained by a wise governor may be lost and wasted by a boorish
+stupid wife.
+
+"If perchance thou art left a widower--a thing which may happen--and in
+virtue of thy office seekest a consort of higher degree, choose not one
+to serve thee for a hook, or for a fishing-rod, or for the hood of thy
+'won't have it;' for verily, I tell thee, for all the judge's wife
+receives, the husband will be held accountable at the general calling to
+account; where he will have repay in death fourfold, items that in life
+he regarded as naught.
+
+"Never go by arbitrary law, which is so much favoured by ignorant men who
+plume themselves on cleverness.
+
+"Let the tears of the poor man find with thee more compassion, but not
+more justice, than the pleadings of the rich.
+
+"Strive to lay bare the truth, as well amid the promises and presents of
+the rich man, as amid the sobs and entreaties of the poor.
+
+"When equity may and should be brought into play, press not the utmost
+rigour of the law against the guilty; for the reputation of the stern
+judge stands not higher than that of the compassionate.
+
+"If perchance thou permittest the staff of justice to swerve, let it be
+not by the weight of a gift, but by that of mercy.
+
+"If it should happen thee to give judgment in the cause of one who is
+thine enemy, turn thy thoughts away from thy injury and fix them on the
+justice of the case.
+
+"Let not thine own passion blind thee in another man's cause; for the
+errors thou wilt thus commit will be most frequently irremediable; or if
+not, only to be remedied at the expense of thy good name and even of thy
+fortune.
+
+"If any handsome woman come to seek justice of thee, turn away thine eyes
+from her tears and thine ears from her lamentations, and consider
+deliberately the merits of her demand, if thou wouldst not have thy
+reason swept away by her weeping, and thy rectitude by her sighs.
+
+"Abuse not by word him whom thou hast to punish in deed, for the pain of
+punishment is enough for the unfortunate without the addition of thine
+objurgations.
+
+"Bear in mind that the culprit who comes under thy jurisdiction is but a
+miserable man subject to all the propensities of our depraved nature, and
+so far as may be in thy power show thyself lenient and forbearing; for
+though the attributes of God are all equal, to our eyes that of mercy is
+brighter and loftier than that of justice.
+
+"If thou followest these precepts and rules, Sancho, thy days will be
+long, thy fame eternal, thy reward abundant, thy felicity unutterable;
+thou wilt marry thy children as thou wouldst; they and thy grandchildren
+will bear titles; thou wilt live in peace and concord with all men; and,
+when life draws to a close, death will come to thee in calm and ripe old
+age, and the light and loving hands of thy great-grandchildren will close
+thine eyes.
+
+"What I have thus far addressed to thee are instructions for the
+adornment of thy mind; listen now to those which tend to that of the
+body."
+
+Chapter XLIII. -
+Of the second set of counsels Don Quixote gave Sancho Panza
+
+Who, hearing the foregoing discourse of Don Quixote, would not have set
+him down for a person of great good sense and greater rectitude of
+purpose? But, as has been frequently observed in the course of this great
+history, he only talked nonsense when he touched on chivalry, and in
+discussing all other subjects showed that he had a clear and unbiassed
+understanding; so that at every turn his acts gave the lie to his
+intellect, and his intellect to his acts; but in the case of these second
+counsels that he gave Sancho he showed himself to have a lively turn of
+humour, and displayed conspicuously his wisdom, and also his folly.
+
+Sancho listened to him with the deepest attention, and endeavoured to fix
+his counsels in his memory, like one who meant to follow them and by
+their means bring the full promise of his government to a happy issue.
+Don Quixote, then, went on to say:
+
+"With regard to the mode in which thou shouldst govern thy person and thy
+house, Sancho, the first charge I have to give thee is to be clean, and
+to cut thy nails, not letting them grow as some do, whose ignorance makes
+them fancy that long nails are an ornament to their hands, as if those
+excrescences they neglect to cut were nails, and not the talons of a
+lizard-catching kestrel--a filthy and unnatural abuse.
+
+"Go not ungirt and loose, Sancho; for disordered attire is a sign of an
+unstable mind, unless indeed the slovenliness and slackness is to be set
+down to craft, as was the common opinion in the case of Julius Caesar.
+
+"Ascertain cautiously what thy office may be worth; and if it will allow
+thee to give liveries to thy servants, give them respectable and
+serviceable, rather than showy and gay ones, and divide them between thy
+servants and the poor; that is to say, if thou canst clothe six pages,
+clothe three and three poor men, and thus thou wilt have pages for heaven
+and pages for earth; the vainglorious never think of this new mode of
+giving liveries.
+
+"Eat not garlic nor onions, lest they find out thy boorish origin by the
+smell; walk slowly and speak deliberately, but not in such a way as to
+make it seem thou art listening to thyself, for all affectation is bad.
+
+"Dine sparingly and sup more sparingly still; for the health of the whole
+body is forged in the workshop of the stomach.
+
+"Be temperate in drinking, bearing in mind that wine in excess keeps
+neither secrets nor promises.
+
+"Take care, Sancho, not to chew on both sides, and not to eruct in
+anybody's presence."
+
+"Eruct!" said Sancho; "I don't know what that means."
+
+"To eruct, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "means to belch, and that is one of
+the filthiest words in the Spanish language, though a very expressive
+one; and therefore nice folk have had recourse to the Latin, and instead
+of belch say eruct, and instead of belches say eructations; and if some
+do not understand these terms it matters little, for custom will bring
+them into use in the course of time, so that they will be readily
+understood; this is the way a language is enriched; custom and the public
+are all-powerful there."
+
+"In truth, senor," said Sancho, "one of the counsels and cautions I mean
+to bear in mind shall be this, not to belch, for I'm constantly doing
+it."
+
+"Eruct, Sancho, not belch," said Don Quixote.
+
+"Eruct, I shall say henceforth, and I swear not to forget it," said
+Sancho.
+
+"Likewise, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "thou must not mingle such a
+quantity of proverbs in thy discourse as thou dost; for though proverbs
+are short maxims, thou dost drag them in so often by the head and
+shoulders that they savour more of nonsense than of maxims."
+
+"God alone can cure that," said Sancho; "for I have more proverbs in me
+than a book, and when I speak they come so thick together into my mouth
+that they fall to fighting among themselves to get out; that's why my
+tongue lets fly the first that come, though they may not be pat to the
+purpose. But I'll take care henceforward to use such as befit the dignity
+of my office; for 'in a house where there's plenty, supper is soon
+cooked,' and 'he who binds does not wrangle,' and 'the bell-ringer's in a
+safe berth,' and 'giving and keeping require brains.'"
+
+"That's it, Sancho!" said Don Quixote; "pack, tack, string proverbs
+together; nobody is hindering thee! 'My mother beats me, and I go on with
+my tricks.' I am bidding thee avoid proverbs, and here in a second thou
+hast shot out a whole litany of them, which have as much to do with what
+we are talking about as 'over the hills of Ubeda.' Mind, Sancho, I do not
+say that a proverb aptly brought in is objectionable; but to pile up and
+string together proverbs at random makes conversation dull and vulgar.
+
+"When thou ridest on horseback, do not go lolling with thy body on the
+back of the saddle, nor carry thy legs stiff or sticking out from the
+horse's belly, nor yet sit so loosely that one would suppose thou wert on
+Dapple; for the seat on a horse makes gentlemen of some and grooms of
+others.
+
+"Be moderate in thy sleep; for he who does not rise early does not get
+the benefit of the day; and remember, Sancho, diligence is the mother of
+good fortune, and indolence, its opposite, never yet attained the object
+of an honest ambition.
+
+"The last counsel I will give thee now, though it does not tend to bodily
+improvement, I would have thee carry carefully in thy memory, for I
+believe it will be no less useful to thee than those I have given thee
+already, and it is this--never engage in a dispute about families, at
+least in the way of comparing them one with another; for necessarily one
+of those compared will be better than the other, and thou wilt be hated
+by the one thou hast disparaged, and get nothing in any shape from the
+one thou hast exalted.
+
+"Thy attire shall be hose of full length, a long jerkin, and a cloak a
+trifle longer; loose breeches by no means, for they are becoming neither
+for gentlemen nor for governors.
+
+"For the present, Sancho, this is all that has occurred to me to advise
+thee; as time goes by and occasions arise my instructions shall follow,
+if thou take care to let me know how thou art circumstanced."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho, "I see well enough that all these things your
+worship has said to me are good, holy, and profitable; but what use will
+they be to me if I don't remember one of them? To be sure that about not
+letting my nails grow, and marrying again if I have the chance, will not
+slip out of my head; but all that other hash, muddle, and jumble--I don't
+and can't recollect any more of it than of last year's clouds; so it must
+be given me in writing; for though I can't either read or write, I'll
+give it to my confessor, to drive it into me and remind me of it whenever
+it is necessary."
+
+"Ah, sinner that I am!" said Don Quixote, "how bad it looks in governors
+not to know how to read or write; for let me tell thee, Sancho, when a
+man knows not how to read, or is left-handed, it argues one of two
+things; either that he was the son of exceedingly mean and lowly parents,
+or that he himself was so incorrigible and ill-conditioned that neither
+good company nor good teaching could make any impression on him. It is a
+great defect that thou labourest under, and therefore I would have thee
+learn at any rate to sign thy name." "I can sign my name well enough,"
+said Sancho, "for when I was steward of the brotherhood in my village I
+learned to make certain letters, like the marks on bales of goods, which
+they told me made out my name. Besides I can pretend my right hand is
+disabled and make some one else sign for me, for 'there's a remedy for
+everything except death;' and as I shall be in command and hold the
+staff, I can do as I like; moreover, 'he who has the alcalde for his
+father-,' and I'll be governor, and that's higher than alcalde. Only come
+and see! Let them make light of me and abuse me; 'they'll come for wool
+and go back shorn;' 'whom God loves, his house is known to Him;' 'the
+silly sayings of the rich pass for saws in the world;' and as I'll be
+rich, being a governor, and at the same time generous, as I mean to be,
+no fault will be seen in me. 'Only make yourself honey and the flies will
+suck you;' 'as much as thou hast so much art thou worth,' as my
+grandmother used to say; and 'thou canst have no revenge of a man of
+substance.'"
+
+"Oh, God's curse upon thee, Sancho!" here exclaimed Don Quixote; "sixty
+thousand devils fly away with thee and thy proverbs! For the last hour
+thou hast been stringing them together and inflicting the pangs of
+torture on me with every one of them. Those proverbs will bring thee to
+the gallows one day, I promise thee; thy subjects will take the
+government from thee, or there will be revolts among them. Tell me, where
+dost thou pick them up, thou booby? How dost thou apply them, thou
+blockhead? For with me, to utter one and make it apply properly, I have
+to sweat and labour as if I were digging."
+
+"By God, master mine," said Sancho, "your worship is making a fuss about
+very little. Why the devil should you be vexed if I make use of what is
+my own? And I have got nothing else, nor any other stock in trade except
+proverbs and more proverbs; and here are three just this instant come
+into my head, pat to the purpose and like pears in a basket; but I won't
+repeat them, for 'sage silence is called Sancho.'"
+
+"That, Sancho, thou art not," said Don Quixote; "for not only art thou
+not sage silence, but thou art pestilent prate and perversity; still I
+would like to know what three proverbs have just now come into thy
+memory, for I have been turning over mine own--and it is a good one--and
+none occurs to me."
+
+"What can be better," said Sancho, "than 'never put thy thumbs between
+two back teeth;' and 'to "get out of my house" and "what do you want with
+my wife?" there is no answer;' and 'whether the pitcher hits the stove,
+or the stove the pitcher, it's a bad business for the pitcher;' all which
+fit to a hair? For no one should quarrel with his governor, or him in
+authority over him, because he will come off the worst, as he does who
+puts his finger between two back and if they are not back teeth it makes
+no difference, so long as they are teeth; and to whatever the governor
+may say there's no answer, any more than to 'get out of my house' and
+'what do you want with my wife?' and then, as for that about the stone
+and the pitcher, a blind man could see that. So that he 'who sees the
+mote in another's eye had need to see the beam in his own,' that it be
+not said of himself, 'the dead woman was frightened at the one with her
+throat cut;' and your worship knows well that 'the fool knows more in his
+own house than the wise man in another's.'"
+
+"Nay, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "the fool knows nothing, either in his
+own house or in anybody else's, for no wise structure of any sort can
+stand on a foundation of folly; but let us say no more about it, Sancho,
+for if thou governest badly, thine will be the fault and mine the shame;
+but I comfort myself with having done my duty in advising thee as
+earnestly and as wisely as I could; and thus I am released from my
+obligations and my promise. God guide thee, Sancho, and govern thee in
+thy government, and deliver me from the misgiving I have that thou wilt
+turn the whole island upside down, a thing I might easily prevent by
+explaining to the duke what thou art and telling him that all that fat
+little person of thine is nothing else but a sack full of proverbs and
+sauciness."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho, "if your worship thinks I'm not fit for this
+government, I give it up on the spot; for the mere black of the nail of
+my soul is dearer to me than my whole body; and I can live just as well,
+simple Sancho, on bread and onions, as governor, on partridges and
+capons; and what's more, while we're asleep we're all equal, great and
+small, rich and poor. But if your worship looks into it, you will see it
+was your worship alone that put me on to this business of governing; for
+I know no more about the government of islands than a buzzard; and if
+there's any reason to think that because of my being a governor the devil
+will get hold of me, I'd rather go Sancho to heaven than governor to
+hell."
+
+"By God, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for those last words thou hast
+uttered alone, I consider thou deservest to be governor of a thousand
+islands. Thou hast good natural instincts, without which no knowledge is
+worth anything; commend thyself to God, and try not to swerve in the
+pursuit of thy main object; I mean, always make it thy aim and fixed
+purpose to do right in all matters that come before thee, for heaven
+always helps good intentions; and now let us go to dinner, for I think my
+lord and lady are waiting for us."
+
+Chapter XLIV. -
+How Sancho Panza was conducted to his government, and of the strange
+adventure that befell Don Quixote in the castle
+
+It is stated, they say, in the true original of this history, that when
+Cide Hamete came to write this chapter, his interpreter did not translate
+it as he wrote it--that is, as a kind of complaint the Moor made against
+himself for having taken in hand a story so dry and of so little variety
+as this of Don Quixote, for he found himself forced to speak perpetually
+of him and Sancho, without venturing to indulge in digressions and
+episodes more serious and more interesting. He said, too, that to go on,
+mind, hand, pen always restricted to writing upon one single subject, and
+speaking through the mouths of a few characters, was intolerable
+drudgery, the result of which was never equal to the author's labour, and
+that to avoid this he had in the First Part availed himself of the device
+of novels, like "The Ill-advised Curiosity," and "The Captive Captain,"
+which stand, as it were, apart from the story; the others are given there
+being incidents which occurred to Don Quixote himself and could not be
+omitted. He also thought, he says, that many, engrossed by the interest
+attaching to the exploits of Don Quixote, would take none in the novels,
+and pass them over hastily or impatiently without noticing the elegance
+and art of their composition, which would be very manifest were they
+published by themselves and not as mere adjuncts to the crazes of Don
+Quixote or the simplicities of Sancho. Therefore in this Second Part he
+thought it best not to insert novels, either separate or interwoven, but
+only episodes, something like them, arising out of the circumstances the
+facts present; and even these sparingly, and with no more words than
+suffice to make them plain; and as he confines and restricts himself to
+the narrow limits of the narrative, though he has ability; capacity, and
+brains enough to deal with the whole universe, he requests that his
+labours may not be despised, and that credit be given him, not alone for
+what he writes, but for what he has refrained from writing.
+
+And so he goes on with his story, saying that the day Don Quixote gave
+the counsels to Sancho, the same afternoon after dinner he handed them to
+him in writing so that he might get some one to read them to him. They
+had scarcely, however, been given to him when he let them drop, and they
+fell into the hands of the duke, who showed them to the duchess and they
+were both amazed afresh at the madness and wit of Don Quixote. To carry
+on the joke, then, the same evening they despatched Sancho with a large
+following to the village that was to serve him for an island. It happened
+that the person who had him in charge was a majordomo of the duke's, a
+man of great discretion and humour--and there can be no humour without
+discretion--and the same who played the part of the Countess Trifaldi in
+the comical way that has been already described; and thus qualified, and
+instructed by his master and mistress as to how to deal with Sancho, he
+carried out their scheme admirably. Now it came to pass that as soon as
+Sancho saw this majordomo he seemed in his features to recognise those of
+the Trifaldi, and turning to his master, he said to him, "Senor, either
+the devil will carry me off, here on this spot, righteous and believing,
+or your worship will own to me that the face of this majordomo of the
+duke's here is the very face of the Distressed One."
+
+Don Quixote regarded the majordomo attentively, and having done so, said
+to Sancho, "There is no reason why the devil should carry thee off,
+Sancho, either righteous or believing--and what thou meanest by that I
+know not; the face of the Distressed One is that of the majordomo, but
+for all that the majordomo is not the Distressed One; for his being so
+would involve a mighty contradiction; but this is not the time for going
+into questions of the sort, which would be involving ourselves in an
+inextricable labyrinth. Believe me, my friend, we must pray earnestly to
+our Lord that he deliver us both from wicked wizards and enchanters."
+
+"It is no joke, senor," said Sancho, "for before this I heard him speak,
+and it seemed exactly as if the voice of the Trifaldi was sounding in my
+ears. Well, I'll hold my peace; but I'll take care to be on the look-out
+henceforth for any sign that may be seen to confirm or do away with this
+suspicion."
+
+"Thou wilt do well, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and thou wilt let me know
+all thou discoverest, and all that befalls thee in thy government."
+
+Sancho at last set out attended by a great number of people. He was
+dressed in the garb of a lawyer, with a gaban of tawny watered camlet
+over all and a montera cap of the same material, and mounted a la gineta
+upon a mule. Behind him, in accordance with the duke's orders, followed
+Dapple with brand new ass-trappings and ornaments of silk, and from time
+to time Sancho turned round to look at his ass, so well pleased to have
+him with him that he would not have changed places with the emperor of
+Germany. On taking leave he kissed the hands of the duke and duchess and
+got his master's blessing, which Don Quixote gave him with tears, and he
+received blubbering.
+
+Let worthy Sancho go in peace, and good luck to him, Gentle Reader; and
+look out for two bushels of laughter, which the account of how he behaved
+himself in office will give thee. In the meantime turn thy attention to
+what happened his master the same night, and if thou dost not laugh
+thereat, at any rate thou wilt stretch thy mouth with a grin; for Don
+Quixote's adventures must be honoured either with wonder or with
+laughter.
+
+It is recorded, then, that as soon as Sancho had gone, Don Quixote felt
+his loneliness, and had it been possible for him to revoke the mandate
+and take away the government from him he would have done so. The duchess
+observed his dejection and asked him why he was melancholy; because, she
+said, if it was for the loss of Sancho, there were squires, duennas, and
+damsels in her house who would wait upon him to his full satisfaction.
+
+"The truth is, senora," replied Don Quixote, "that I do feel the loss of
+Sancho; but that is not the main cause of my looking sad; and of all the
+offers your excellence makes me, I accept only the good-will with which
+they are made, and as to the remainder I entreat of your excellence to
+permit and allow me alone to wait upon myself in my chamber."
+
+"Indeed, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, "that must not be; four of
+my damsels, as beautiful as flowers, shall wait upon you."
+
+"To me," said Don Quixote, "they will not be flowers, but thorns to
+pierce my heart. They, or anything like them, shall as soon enter my
+chamber as fly. If your highness wishes to gratify me still further,
+though I deserve it not, permit me to please myself, and wait upon myself
+in my own room; for I place a barrier between my inclinations and my
+virtue, and I do not wish to break this rule through the generosity your
+highness is disposed to display towards me; and, in short, I will sleep
+in my clothes, sooner than allow anyone to undress me."
+
+"Say no more, Senor Don Quixote, say no more," said the duchess; "I
+assure you I will give orders that not even a fly, not to say a damsel,
+shall enter your room. I am not the one to undermine the propriety of
+Senor Don Quixote, for it strikes me that among his many virtues the one
+that is pre-eminent is that of modesty. Your worship may undress and
+dress in private and in your own way, as you please and when you please,
+for there will be no one to hinder you; and in your chamber you will find
+all the utensils requisite to supply the wants of one who sleeps with his
+door locked, to the end that no natural needs compel you to open it. May
+the great Dulcinea del Toboso live a thousand years, and may her fame
+extend all over the surface of the globe, for she deserves to be loved by
+a knight so valiant and so virtuous; and may kind heaven infuse zeal into
+the heart of our governor Sancho Panza to finish off his discipline
+speedily, so that the world may once more enjoy the beauty of so grand a
+lady."
+
+To which Don Quixote replied, "Your highness has spoken like what you
+are; from the mouth of a noble lady nothing bad can come; and Dulcinea
+will be more fortunate, and better known to the world by the praise of
+your highness than by all the eulogies the greatest orators on earth
+could bestow upon her."
+
+"Well, well, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, is nearly supper-time,
+and the duke is is probably waiting; come let us go to supper, and retire
+to rest early, for the journey you made yesterday from Kandy was not such
+a short one but that it must have caused you some fatigue."
+
+"I feel none, senora," said Don Quixote, "for I would go so far as to
+swear to your excellence that in all my life I never mounted a quieter
+beast, or a pleasanter paced one, than Clavileno; and I don't know what
+could have induced Malambruno to discard a steed so swift and so gentle,
+and burn it so recklessly as he did."
+
+"Probably," said the duchess, "repenting of the evil he had done to the
+Trifaldi and company, and others, and the crimes he must have committed
+as a wizard and enchanter, he resolved to make away with all the
+instruments of his craft; and so burned Clavileno as the chief one, and
+that which mainly kept him restless, wandering from land to land; and by
+its ashes and the trophy of the placard the valour of the great Don
+Quixote of La Mancha is established for ever."
+
+Don Quixote renewed his thanks to the duchess; and having supped, retired
+to his chamber alone, refusing to allow anyone to enter with him to wait
+on him, such was his fear of encountering temptations that might lead or
+drive him to forget his chaste fidelity to his lady Dulcinea; for he had
+always present to his mind the virtue of Amadis, that flower and mirror
+of knights-errant. He locked the door behind him, and by the light of two
+wax candles undressed himself, but as he was taking off his stockings--O
+disaster unworthy of such a personage!--there came a burst, not of sighs,
+or anything belying his delicacy or good breeding, but of some two dozen
+stitches in one of his stockings, that made it look like a
+window-lattice. The worthy gentleman was beyond measure distressed, and
+at that moment he would have given an ounce of silver to have had half a
+drachm of green silk there; I say green silk, because the stockings were
+green.
+
+Here Cide Hamete exclaimed as he was writing, "O poverty, poverty! I know
+not what could have possessed the great Cordovan poet to call thee 'holy
+gift ungratefully received.' Although a Moor, I know well enough from the
+intercourse I have had with Christians that holiness consists in charity,
+humility, faith, obedience, and poverty; but for all that, I say he must
+have a great deal of godliness who can find any satisfaction in being
+poor; unless, indeed, it be the kind of poverty one of their greatest
+saints refers to, saying, 'possess all things as though ye possessed them
+not;' which is what they call poverty in spirit. But thou, that other
+poverty--for it is of thee I am speaking now--why dost thou love to fall
+out with gentlemen and men of good birth more than with other people? Why
+dost thou compel them to smear the cracks in their shoes, and to have the
+buttons of their coats, one silk, another hair, and another glass? Why
+must their ruffs be always crinkled like endive leaves, and not crimped
+with a crimping iron?" (From this we may perceive the antiquity of starch
+and crimped ruffs.) Then he goes on: "Poor gentleman of good family!
+always cockering up his honour, dining miserably and in secret, and
+making a hypocrite of the toothpick with which he sallies out into the
+street after eating nothing to oblige him to use it! Poor fellow, I say,
+with his nervous honour, fancying they perceive a league off the patch on
+his shoe, the sweat-stains on his hat, the shabbiness of his cloak, and
+the hunger of his stomach!"
+
+All this was brought home to Don Quixote by the bursting of his stitches;
+however, he comforted himself on perceiving that Sancho had left behind a
+pair of travelling boots, which he resolved to wear the next day. At last
+he went to bed, out of spirits and heavy at heart, as much because he
+missed Sancho as because of the irreparable disaster to his stockings,
+the stitches of which he would have even taken up with silk of another
+colour, which is one of the greatest signs of poverty a gentleman can
+show in the course of his never-failing embarrassments. He put out the
+candles; but the night was warm and he could not sleep; he rose from his
+bed and opened slightly a grated window that looked out on a beautiful
+garden, and as he did so he perceived and heard people walking and
+talking in the garden. He set himself to listen attentively, and those
+below raised their voices so that he could hear these words:
+
+"Urge me not to sing, Emerencia, for thou knowest that ever since this
+stranger entered the castle and my eyes beheld him, I cannot sing but
+only weep; besides my lady is a light rather than a heavy sleeper, and I
+would not for all the wealth of the world that she found us here; and
+even if she were asleep and did not waken, my singing would be in vain,
+if this strange AEneas, who has come into my neighbourhood to flout me,
+sleeps on and wakens not to hear it."
+
+"Heed not that, dear Altisidora," replied a voice; "the duchess is no
+doubt asleep, and everybody in the house save the lord of thy heart and
+disturber of thy soul; for just now I perceived him open the grated
+window of his chamber, so he must be awake; sing, my poor sufferer, in a
+low sweet tone to the accompaniment of thy harp; and even if the duchess
+hears us we can lay the blame on the heat of the night."
+
+"That is not the point, Emerencia," replied Altisidora, "it is that I
+would not that my singing should lay bare my heart, and that I should be
+thought a light and wanton maiden by those who know not the mighty power
+of love; but come what may; better a blush on the cheeks than a sore in
+the heart;" and here a harp softly touched made itself heard. As he
+listened to all this Don Quixote was in a state of breathless amazement,
+for immediately the countless adventures like this, with windows,
+gratings, gardens, serenades, lovemakings, and languishings, that he had
+read of in his trashy books of chivalry, came to his mind. He at once
+concluded that some damsel of the duchess's was in love with him, and
+that her modesty forced her to keep her passion secret. He trembled lest
+he should fall, and made an inward resolution not to yield; and
+commending himself with all his might and soul to his lady Dulcinea he
+made up his mind to listen to the music; and to let them know he was
+there he gave a pretended sneeze, at which the damsels were not a little
+delighted, for all they wanted was that Don Quixote should hear them. So
+having tuned the harp, Altisidora, running her hand across the strings,
+began this ballad:
+
+poem{
+
+O thou that art above in bed,
+  Between the holland sheets,
+A-lying there from night till morn,
+  With outstretched legs asleep;
+
+O thou, most valiant knight of all
+  The famed Manchegan breed,
+Of purity and virtue more
+  Than gold of Araby;
+
+Give ear unto a suffering maid,
+  Well-grown but evil-starr'd,
+For those two suns of thine have lit
+  A fire within her heart.
+
+Adventures seeking thou dost rove,
+  To others bringing woe;
+Thou scatterest wounds, but, ah, the balm
+  To heal them dost withhold!
+
+Say, valiant youth, and so may God
+  Thy enterprises speed,
+Didst thou the light mid Libya's sands
+  Or Jaca's rocks first see?
+
+Did scaly serpents give thee suck?
+  Who nursed thee when a babe?
+Wert cradled in the forest rude,
+  Or gloomy mountain cave?
+
+O Dulcinea may be proud,
+  That plump and lusty maid;
+For she alone hath had the power
+  A tiger fierce to tame.
+
+And she for this shall famous be
+  From Tagus to Jarama,
+From Manzanares to Genil,
+  From Duero to Arlanza.
+
+Fain would I change with her, and give
+  A petticoat to boot,
+The best and bravest that I have,
+  All trimmed with gold galloon.
+
+O for to be the happy fair
+  Thy mighty arms enfold,
+Or even sit beside thy bed
+  And scratch thy dusty poll!
+
+I rave,--to favours such as these
+  Unworthy to aspire;
+Thy feet to tickle were enough
+  For one so mean as I.
+
+What caps, what slippers silver-laced,
+  Would I on thee bestow!
+What damask breeches make for thee;
+  What fine long holland cloaks!
+
+And I would give thee pearls that should
+  As big as oak-galls show;
+So matchless big that each might well
+  Be called the great "Alone."
+
+Manchegan Nero, look not down
+  From thy Tarpeian Rock
+Upon this burning heart, nor add
+  The fuel of thy wrath.
+
+A virgin soft and young am I,
+  Not yet fifteen years old;
+(I'm only three months past fourteen,
+  I swear upon my soul).
+
+I hobble not nor do I limp,
+  All blemish I'm without,
+And as I walk my lily locks
+  Are trailing on the ground.
+
+And though my nose be rather flat,
+  And though my mouth be wide,
+My teeth like topazes exalt
+  My beauty to the sky.
+
+Thou knowest that my voice is sweet,
+  That is if thou dost hear;
+And I am moulded in a form
+  Somewhat below the mean.
+
+These charms, and many more, are thine,
+  Spoils to thy spear and bow all;
+A damsel of this house am I,
+  By name Altisidora.
+
+}poem
+
+Here the lay of the heart-stricken Altisidora came to an end, while the
+warmly wooed Don Quixote began to feel alarm; and with a deep sigh he
+said to himself, "O that I should be such an unlucky knight that no
+damsel can set eyes on me but falls in love with me! O that the peerless
+Dulcinea should be so unfortunate that they cannot let her enjoy my
+incomparable constancy in peace! What would ye with her, ye queens? Why
+do ye persecute her, ye empresses? Why ye pursue her, ye virgins of from
+fourteen to fifteen? Leave the unhappy being to triumph, rejoice and
+glory in the lot love has been pleased to bestow upon her in surrendering
+my heart and yielding up my soul to her. Ye love-smitten host, know that
+to Dulcinea only I am dough and sugar-paste, flint to all others; for her
+I am honey, for you aloes. For me Dulcinea alone is beautiful, wise,
+virtuous, graceful, and high-bred, and all others are ill-favoured,
+foolish, light, and low-born. Nature sent me into the world to be hers
+and no other's; Altisidora may weep or sing, the lady for whose sake they
+belaboured me in the castle of the enchanted Moor may give way to
+despair, but I must be Dulcinea's, boiled or roast, pure, courteous, and
+chaste, in spite of all the magic-working powers on earth." And with that
+he shut the window with a bang, and, as much out of temper and out of
+sorts as if some great misfortune had befallen him, stretched himself on
+his bed, where we will leave him for the present, as the great Sancho
+Panza, who is about to set up his famous government, now demands our
+attention.
+
+Chapter XLV. -
+Of how the great Sancho Panza took possession of his island, and of how
+he made a beginning in governing
+
+O perpetual discoverer of the antipodes, torch of the world, eye of
+heaven, sweet stimulator of the water-coolers! Thimbraeus here, Phoebus
+there, now archer, now physician, father of poetry, inventor of music;
+thou that always risest and, notwithstanding appearances, never settest!
+To thee, O Sun, by whose aid man begetteth man, to thee I appeal to help
+me and lighten the darkness of my wit that I may be able to proceed with
+scrupulous exactitude in giving an account of the great Sancho Panza's
+government; for without thee I feel myself weak, feeble, and uncertain.
+
+To come to the point, then--Sancho with all his attendants arrived at a
+village of some thousand inhabitants, and one of the largest the duke
+possessed. They informed him that it was called the island of Barataria,
+either because the name of the village was Baratario, or because of the
+joke by way of which the government had been conferred upon him. On
+reaching the gates of the town, which was a walled one, the municipality
+came forth to meet him, the bells rang out a peal, and the inhabitants
+showed every sign of general satisfaction; and with great pomp they
+conducted him to the principal church to give thanks to God, and then
+with burlesque ceremonies they presented him with the keys of the town,
+and acknowledged him as perpetual governor of the island of Barataria.
+The costume, the beard, and the fat squat figure of the new governor
+astonished all those who were not in the secret, and even all who were,
+and they were not a few. Finally, leading him out of the church they
+carried him to the judgment seat and seated him on it, and the duke's
+majordomo said to him, "It is an ancient custom in this island, senor
+governor, that he who comes to take possession of this famous island is
+bound to answer a question which shall be put to him, and which must be a
+somewhat knotty and difficult one; and by his answer the people take the
+measure of their new governor's wit, and hail with joy or deplore his
+arrival accordingly."
+
+While the majordomo was making this speech Sancho was gazing at several
+large letters inscribed on the wall opposite his seat, and as he could
+not read he asked what that was that was painted on the wall. The answer
+was, "Senor, there is written and recorded the day on which your lordship
+took possession of this island, and the inscription says, 'This day, the
+so-and-so of such-and-such a month and year, Senor Don Sancho Panza took
+possession of this island; many years may he enjoy it.'"
+
+"And whom do they call Don Sancho Panza?" asked Sancho.
+
+"Your lordship," replied the majordomo; "for no other Panza but the one
+who is now seated in that chair has ever entered this island."
+
+"Well then, let me tell you, brother," said Sancho, "I haven't got the
+'Don,' nor has any one of my family ever had it; my name is plain Sancho
+Panza, and Sancho was my father's name, and Sancho was my grandfather's
+and they were all Panzas, without any Dons or Donas tacked on; I suspect
+that in this island there are more Dons than stones; but never mind; God
+knows what I mean, and maybe if my government lasts four days I'll weed
+out these Dons that no doubt are as great a nuisance as the midges,
+they're so plenty. Let the majordomo go on with his question, and I'll
+give the best answer I can, whether the people deplore or not."
+
+At this instant there came into court two old men, one carrying a cane by
+way of a walking-stick, and the one who had no stick said, "Senor, some
+time ago I lent this good man ten gold-crowns in gold to gratify him and
+do him a service, on the condition that he was to return them to me
+whenever I should ask for them. A long time passed before I asked for
+them, for I would not put him to any greater straits to return them than
+he was in when I lent them to him; but thinking he was growing careless
+about payment I asked for them once and several times; and not only will
+he not give them back, but he denies that he owes them, and says I never
+lent him any such crowns; or if I did, that he repaid them; and I have no
+witnesses either of the loan, or the payment, for he never paid me; I
+want your worship to put him to his oath, and if he swears he returned
+them to me I forgive him the debt here and before God."
+
+"What say you to this, good old man, you with the stick?" said Sancho.
+
+To which the old man replied, "I admit, senor, that he lent them to me;
+but let your worship lower your staff, and as he leaves it to my oath,
+I'll swear that I gave them back, and paid him really and truly."
+
+The governor lowered the staff, and as he did so the old man who had the
+stick handed it to the other old man to hold for him while he swore, as
+if he found it in his way; and then laid his hand on the cross of the
+staff, saying that it was true the ten crowns that were demanded of him
+had been lent him; but that he had with his own hand given them back into
+the hand of the other, and that he, not recollecting it, was always
+asking for them.
+
+Seeing this the great governor asked the creditor what answer he had to
+make to what his opponent said. He said that no doubt his debtor had told
+the truth, for he believed him to be an honest man and a good Christian,
+and he himself must have forgotten when and how he had given him back the
+crowns; and that from that time forth he would make no further demand
+upon him.
+
+The debtor took his stick again, and bowing his head left the court.
+Observing this, and how, without another word, he made off, and observing
+too the resignation of the plaintiff, Sancho buried his head in his bosom
+and remained for a short space in deep thought, with the forefinger of
+his right hand on his brow and nose; then he raised his head and bade
+them call back the old man with the stick, for he had already taken his
+departure. They brought him back, and as soon as Sancho saw him he said,
+"Honest man, give me that stick, for I want it."
+
+"Willingly," said the old man; "here it is senor," and he put it into his
+hand.
+
+Sancho took it and, handing it to the other old man, said to him, "Go,
+and God be with you; for now you are paid."
+
+"I, senor!" returned the old man; "why, is this cane worth ten
+gold-crowns?"
+
+"Yes," said the governor, "or if not I am the greatest dolt in the world;
+now you will see whether I have got the headpiece to govern a whole
+kingdom;" and he ordered the cane to be broken in two, there, in the
+presence of all. It was done, and in the middle of it they found ten
+gold-crowns. All were filled with amazement, and looked upon their
+governor as another Solomon. They asked him how he had come to the
+conclusion that the ten crowns were in the cane; he replied, that
+observing how the old man who swore gave the stick to his opponent while
+he was taking the oath, and swore that he had really and truly given him
+the crowns, and how as soon as he had done swearing he asked for the
+stick again, it came into his head that the sum demanded must be inside
+it; and from this he said it might be seen that God sometimes guides
+those who govern in their judgments, even though they may be fools;
+besides he had himself heard the curate of his village mention just such
+another case, and he had so good a memory, that if it was not that he
+forgot everything he wished to remember, there would not be such a memory
+in all the island. To conclude, the old men went off, one crestfallen,
+and the other in high contentment, all who were present were astonished,
+and he who was recording the words, deeds, and movements of Sancho could
+not make up his mind whether he was to look upon him and set him down as
+a fool or as a man of sense.
+
+As soon as this case was disposed of, there came into court a woman
+holding on with a tight grip to a man dressed like a well-to-do cattle
+dealer, and she came forward making a great outcry and exclaiming,
+"Justice, senor governor, justice! and if I don't get it on earth I'll go
+look for it in heaven. Senor governor of my soul, this wicked man caught
+me in the middle of the fields here and used my body as if it was an
+ill-washed rag, and, woe is me! got from me what I had kept these
+three-and-twenty years and more, defending it against Moors and
+Christians, natives and strangers; and I always as hard as an oak, and
+keeping myself as pure as a salamander in the fire, or wool among the
+brambles, for this good fellow to come now with clean hands to handle
+me!"
+
+"It remains to be proved whether this gallant has clean hands or not,"
+said Sancho; and turning to the man he asked him what he had to say in
+answer to the woman's charge.
+
+He all in confusion made answer, "Sirs, I am a poor pig dealer, and this
+morning I left the village to sell (saving your presence) four pigs, and
+between dues and cribbings they got out of me little less than the worth
+of them. As I was returning to my village I fell in on the road with this
+good dame, and the devil who makes a coil and a mess out of everything,
+yoked us together. I paid her fairly, but she not contented laid hold of
+me and never let go until she brought me here; she says I forced her, but
+she lies by the oath I swear or am ready to swear; and this is the whole
+truth and every particle of it."
+
+The governor on this asked him if he had any money in silver about him;
+he said he had about twenty ducats in a leather purse in his bosom. The
+governor bade him take it out and hand it to the complainant; he obeyed
+trembling; the woman took it, and making a thousand salaams to all and
+praying to God for the long life and health of the senor governor who had
+such regard for distressed orphans and virgins, she hurried out of court
+with the purse grasped in both her hands, first looking, however, to see
+if the money it contained was silver.
+
+As soon as she was gone Sancho said to the cattle dealer, whose tears
+were already starting and whose eyes and heart were following his purse,
+"Good fellow, go after that woman and take the purse from her, by force
+even, and come back with it here;" and he did not say it to one who was a
+fool or deaf, for the man was off like a flash of lightning, and ran to
+do as he was bid.
+
+All the bystanders waited anxiously to see the end of the case, and
+presently both man and woman came back at even closer grips than before,
+she with her petticoat up and the purse in the lap of it, and he
+struggling hard to take it from her, but all to no purpose, so stout was
+the woman's defence, she all the while crying out, "Justice from God and
+the world! see here, senor governor, the shamelessness and boldness of
+this villain, who in the middle of the town, in the middle of the street,
+wanted to take from me the purse your worship bade him give me."
+
+"And did he take it?" asked the governor.
+
+"Take it!" said the woman; "I'd let my life be taken from me sooner than
+the purse. A pretty child I'd be! It's another sort of cat they must
+throw in my face, and not that poor scurvy knave. Pincers and hammers,
+mallets and chisels would not get it out of my grip; no, nor lions'
+claws; the soul from out of my body first!"
+
+"She is right," said the man; "I own myself beaten and powerless; I
+confess I haven't the strength to take it from her;" and he let go his
+hold of her.
+
+Upon this the governor said to the woman, "Let me see that purse, my
+worthy and sturdy friend." She handed it to him at once, and the governor
+returned it to the man, and said to the unforced mistress of force,
+"Sister, if you had shown as much, or only half as much, spirit and
+vigour in defending your body as you have shown in defending that purse,
+the strength of Hercules could not have forced you. Be off, and God speed
+you, and bad luck to you, and don't show your face in all this island, or
+within six leagues of it on any side, under pain of two hundred lashes;
+be off at once, I say, you shameless, cheating shrew."
+
+The woman was cowed and went off disconsolately, hanging her head; and
+the governor said to the man, "Honest man, go home with your money, and
+God speed you; and for the future, if you don't want to lose it, see that
+you don't take it into your head to yoke with anybody." The man thanked
+him as clumsily as he could and went his way, and the bystanders were
+again filled with admiration at their new governor's judgments and
+sentences.
+
+Next, two men, one apparently a farm labourer, and the other a tailor,
+for he had a pair of shears in his hand, presented themselves before him,
+and the tailor said, "Senor governor, this labourer and I come before
+your worship by reason of this honest man coming to my shop yesterday
+(for saving everybody's presence I'm a passed tailor, God be thanked),
+and putting a piece of cloth into my hands and asking me, 'Senor, will
+there be enough in this cloth to make me a cap?' Measuring the cloth I
+said there would. He probably suspected--as I supposed, and I supposed
+right--that I wanted to steal some of the cloth, led to think so by his
+own roguery and the bad opinion people have of tailors; and he told me to
+see if there would be enough for two. I guessed what he would be at, and
+I said 'yes.' He, still following up his original unworthy notion, went
+on adding cap after cap, and I 'yes' after 'yes,' until we got as far as
+five. He has just this moment come for them; I gave them to him, but he
+won't pay me for the making; on the contrary, he calls upon me to pay
+him, or else return his cloth."
+
+"Is all this true, brother?" said Sancho.
+
+"Yes," replied the man; "but will your worship make him show the five
+caps he has made me?"
+
+"With all my heart," said the tailor; and drawing his hand from under his
+cloak he showed five caps stuck upon the five fingers of it, and said,
+"there are the caps this good man asks for; and by God and upon my
+conscience I haven't a scrap of cloth left, and I'll let the work be
+examined by the inspectors of the trade."
+
+All present laughed at the number of caps and the novelty of the suit;
+Sancho set himself to think for a moment, and then said, "It seems to me
+that in this case it is not necessary to deliver long-winded arguments,
+but only to give off-hand the judgment of an honest man; and so my
+decision is that the tailor lose the making and the labourer the cloth,
+and that the caps go to the prisoners in the gaol, and let there be no
+more about it."
+
+If the previous decision about the cattle dealer's purse excited the
+admiration of the bystanders, this provoked their laughter; however, the
+governor's orders were after all executed. All this, having been taken
+down by his chronicler, was at once despatched to the duke, who was
+looking out for it with great eagerness; and here let us leave the good
+Sancho; for his master, sorely troubled in mind by Altisidora's music,
+has pressing claims upon us now.
+
+Chapter XLVI. -
+Of the terrible bell and cat fright that Don Quixote got in the course of
+the enamoured Altisidora's wooing
+
+We left Don Quixote wrapped up in the reflections which the music of the
+enamourned maid Altisidora had given rise to. He went to bed with them,
+and just like fleas they would not let him sleep or get a moment's rest,
+and the broken stitches of his stockings helped them. But as Time is
+fleet and no obstacle can stay his course, he came riding on the hours,
+and morning very soon arrived. Seeing which Don Quixote quitted the soft
+down, and, nowise slothful, dressed himself in his chamois suit and put
+on his travelling boots to hide the disaster to his stockings. He threw
+over him his scarlet mantle, put on his head a montera of green velvet
+trimmed with silver edging, flung across his shoulder the baldric with
+his good trenchant sword, took up a large rosary that he always carried
+with him, and with great solemnity and precision of gait proceeded to the
+antechamber where the duke and duchess were already dressed and waiting
+for him. But as he passed through a gallery, Altisidora and the other
+damsel, her friend, were lying in wait for him, and the instant
+Altisidora saw him she pretended to faint, while her friend caught her in
+her lap, and began hastily unlacing the bosom of her dress.
+
+Don Quixote observed it, and approaching them said, "I know very well
+what this seizure arises from."
+
+"I know not from what," replied the friend, "for Altisidora is the
+healthiest damsel in all this house, and I have never heard her complain
+all the time I have known her. A plague on all the knights-errant in the
+world, if they be all ungrateful! Go away, Senor Don Quixote; for this
+poor child will not come to herself again so long as you are here."
+
+To which Don Quixote returned, "Do me the favour, senora, to let a lute
+be placed in my chamber to-night; and I will comfort this poor maiden to
+the best of my power; for in the early stages of love a prompt
+disillusion is an approved remedy;" and with this he retired, so as not
+to be remarked by any who might see him there.
+
+He had scarcely withdrawn when Altisidora, recovering from her swoon,
+said to her companion, "The lute must be left, for no doubt Don Quixote
+intends to give us some music; and being his it will not be bad."
+
+They went at once to inform the duchess of what was going on, and of the
+lute Don Quixote asked for, and she, delighted beyond measure, plotted
+with the duke and her two damsels to play him a trick that should be
+amusing but harmless; and in high glee they waited for night, which came
+quickly as the day had come; and as for the day, the duke and duchess
+spent it in charming conversation with Don Quixote.
+
+When eleven o'clock came, Don Quixote found a guitar in his chamber; he
+tried it, opened the window, and perceived that some persons were walking
+in the garden; and having passed his fingers over the frets of the guitar
+and tuned it as well as he could, he spat and cleared his chest, and then
+with a voice a little hoarse but full-toned, he sang the following
+ballad, which he had himself that day composed:
+
+poem{
+
+Mighty Love the hearts of maidens
+  Doth unsettle and perplex,
+And the instrument he uses
+  Most of all is idleness.
+
+Sewing, stitching, any labour,
+  Having always work to do,
+To the poison Love instilleth
+  Is the antidote most sure.
+
+And to proper-minded maidens
+  Who desire the matron's name
+Modesty's a marriage portion,
+  Modesty their highest praise.
+
+Men of prudence and discretion,
+  Courtiers gay and gallant knights,
+With the wanton damsels dally,
+  But the modest take to wife.
+
+There are passions, transient, fleeting,
+  Loves in hostelries declar'd,
+Sunrise loves, with sunset ended,
+  When the guest hath gone his way.
+
+Love that springs up swift and sudden,
+  Here to-day, to-morrow flown,
+Passes, leaves no trace behind it,
+  Leaves no image on the soul.
+
+Painting that is laid on painting
+  Maketh no display or show;
+Where one beauty's in possession
+  There no other can take hold.
+
+Dulcinea del Toboso
+  Painted on my heart I wear;
+Never from its tablets, never,
+  Can her image be eras'd.
+
+The quality of all in lovers
+  Most esteemed is constancy;
+'T is by this that love works wonders,
+  This exalts them to the skies.
+
+}poem
+
+Don Quixote had got so far with his song, to which the duke, the duchess,
+Altisidora, and nearly the whole household of the castle were listening,
+when all of a sudden from a gallery above that was exactly over his
+window they let down a cord with more than a hundred bells attached to
+it, and immediately after that discharged a great sack full of cats,
+which also had bells of smaller size tied to their tails. Such was the
+din of the bells and the squalling of the cats, that though the duke and
+duchess were the contrivers of the joke they were startled by it, while
+Don Quixote stood paralysed with fear; and as luck would have it, two or
+three of the cats made their way in through the grating of his chamber,
+and flying from one side to the other, made it seem as if there was a
+legion of devils at large in it. They extinguished the candles that were
+burning in the room, and rushed about seeking some way of escape; the
+cord with the large bells never ceased rising and falling; and most of
+the people of the castle, not knowing what was really the matter, were at
+their wits' end with astonishment. Don Quixote sprang to his feet, and
+drawing his sword, began making passes at the grating, shouting out,
+"Avaunt, malignant enchanters! avaunt, ye witchcraft-working rabble! I am
+Don Quixote of La Mancha, against whom your evil machinations avail not
+nor have any power." And turning upon the cats that were running about
+the room, he made several cuts at them. They dashed at the grating and
+escaped by it, save one that, finding itself hard pressed by the slashes
+of Don Quixote's sword, flew at his face and held on to his nose tooth
+and nail, with the pain of which he began to shout his loudest. The duke
+and duchess hearing this, and guessing what it was, ran with all haste to
+his room, and as the poor gentleman was striving with all his might to
+detach the cat from his face, they opened the door with a master-key and
+went in with lights and witnessed the unequal combat. The duke ran
+forward to part the combatants, but Don Quixote cried out aloud, "Let no
+one take him from me; leave me hand to hand with this demon, this wizard,
+this enchanter; I will teach him, I myself, who Don Quixote of La Mancha
+is." The cat, however, never minding these threats, snarled and held on;
+but at last the duke pulled it off and flung it out of the window. Don
+Quixote was left with a face as full of holes as a sieve and a nose not
+in very good condition, and greatly vexed that they did not let him
+finish the battle he had been so stoutly fighting with that villain of an
+enchanter. They sent for some oil of John's wort, and Altisidora herself
+with her own fair hands bandaged all the wounded parts; and as she did so
+she said to him in a low voice. "All these mishaps have befallen thee,
+hardhearted knight, for the sin of thy insensibility and obstinacy; and
+God grant thy squire Sancho may forget to whip himself, so that that
+dearly beloved Dulcinea of thine may never be released from her
+enchantment, that thou mayest never come to her bed, at least while I who
+adore thee am alive."
+
+To all this Don Quixote made no answer except to heave deep sighs, and
+then stretched himself on his bed, thanking the duke and duchess for
+their kindness, not because he stood in any fear of that bell-ringing
+rabble of enchanters in cat shape, but because he recognised their good
+intentions in coming to his rescue. The duke and duchess left him to
+repose and withdrew greatly grieved at the unfortunate result of the
+joke; as they never thought the adventure would have fallen so heavy on
+Don Quixote or cost him so dear, for it cost him five days of confinement
+to his bed, during which he had another adventure, pleasanter than the
+late one, which his chronicler will not relate just now in order that he
+may turn his attention to Sancho Panza, who was proceeding with great
+diligence and drollery in his government.
+
+Chapter XLVII. -
+Wherein is continued the account of how Sancho Panza conducted himself in
+his government
+
+The history says that from the justice court they carried Sancho to a
+sumptuous palace, where in a spacious chamber there was a table laid out
+with royal magnificence. The clarions sounded as Sancho entered the room,
+and four pages came forward to present him with water for his hands,
+which Sancho received with great dignity. The music ceased, and Sancho
+seated himself at the head of the table, for there was only that seat
+placed, and no more than one cover laid. A personage, who it appeared
+afterwards was a physician, placed himself standing by his side with a
+whalebone wand in his hand. They then lifted up a fine white cloth
+covering fruit and a great variety of dishes of different sorts; one who
+looked like a student said grace, and a page put a laced bib on Sancho,
+while another who played the part of head carver placed a dish of fruit
+before him. But hardly had he tasted a morsel when the man with the wand
+touched the plate with it, and they took it away from before him with the
+utmost celerity. The carver, however, brought him another dish, and
+Sancho proceeded to try it; but before he could get at it, not to say
+taste it, already the wand had touched it and a page had carried it off
+with the same promptitude as the fruit. Sancho seeing this was puzzled,
+and looking from one to another asked if this dinner was to be eaten
+after the fashion of a jugglery trick.
+
+To this he with the wand replied, "It is not to be eaten, senor governor,
+except as is usual and customary in other islands where there are
+governors. I, senor, am a physician, and I am paid a salary in this
+island to serve its governors as such, and I have a much greater regard
+for their health than for my own, studying day and night and making
+myself acquainted with the governor's constitution, in order to be able
+to cure him when he falls sick. The chief thing I have to do is to attend
+at his dinners and suppers and allow him to eat what appears to me to be
+fit for him, and keep from him what I think will do him harm and be
+injurious to his stomach; and therefore I ordered that plate of fruit to
+be removed as being too moist, and that other dish I ordered to be
+removed as being too hot and containing many spices that stimulate
+thirst; for he who drinks much kills and consumes the radical moisture
+wherein life consists."
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "that dish of roast partridges there that seems
+so savoury will not do me any harm."
+
+To this the physician replied, "Of those my lord the governor shall not
+eat so long as I live."
+
+"Why so?" said Sancho.
+
+"Because," replied the doctor, "our master Hippocrates, the polestar and
+beacon of medicine, says in one of his aphorisms omnis saturatio mala,
+perdicis autem pessima, which means 'all repletion is bad, but that of
+partridge is the worst of all."
+
+"In that case," said Sancho, "let senor doctor see among the dishes that
+are on the table what will do me most good and least harm, and let me eat
+it, without tapping it with his stick; for by the life of the governor,
+and so may God suffer me to enjoy it, but I'm dying of hunger; and in
+spite of the doctor and all he may say, to deny me food is the way to
+take my life instead of prolonging it."
+
+"Your worship is right, senor governor," said the physician; "and
+therefore your worship, I consider, should not eat of those stewed
+rabbits there, because it is a furry kind of food; if that veal were not
+roasted and served with pickles, you might try it; but it is out of the
+question."
+
+"That big dish that is smoking farther off," said Sancho, "seems to me to
+be an olla podrida, and out of the diversity of things in such ollas, I
+can't fail to light upon something tasty and good for me."
+
+"Absit," said the doctor; "far from us be any such base thought! There is
+nothing in the world less nourishing than an olla podrida; to canons, or
+rectors of colleges, or peasants' weddings with your ollas podridas, but
+let us have none of them on the tables of governors, where everything
+that is present should be delicate and refined; and the reason is, that
+always, everywhere and by everybody, simple medicines are more esteemed
+than compound ones, for we cannot go wrong in those that are simple,
+while in the compound we may, by merely altering the quantity of the
+things composing them. But what I am of opinion the governor should cat
+now in order to preserve and fortify his health is a hundred or so of
+wafer cakes and a few thin slices of conserve of quinces, which will
+settle his stomach and help his digestion."
+
+Sancho on hearing this threw himself back in his chair and surveyed the
+doctor steadily, and in a solemn tone asked him what his name was and
+where he had studied.
+
+He replied, "My name, senor governor, is Doctor Pedro Recio de Aguero I
+am a native of a place called Tirteafuera which lies between Caracuel and
+Almodovar del Campo, on the right-hand side, and I have the degree of
+doctor from the university of Osuna."
+
+To which Sancho, glowing all over with rage, returned, "Then let Doctor
+Pedro Recio de Malaguero, native of Tirteafuera, a place that's on the
+right-hand side as we go from Caracuel to Almodovar del Campo, graduate
+of Osuna, get out of my presence at once; or I swear by the sun I'll take
+a cudgel, and by dint of blows, beginning with him, I'll not leave a
+doctor in the whole island; at least of those I know to be ignorant; for
+as to learned, wise, sensible physicians, them I will reverence and
+honour as divine persons. Once more I say let Pedro Recio get out of this
+or I'll take this chair I am sitting on and break it over his head. And
+if they call me to account for it, I'll clear myself by saying I served
+God in killing a bad doctor--a general executioner. And now give me
+something to eat, or else take your government; for a trade that does not
+feed its master is not worth two beans."
+
+The doctor was dismayed when he saw the governor in such a passion, and
+he would have made a Tirteafuera out of the room but that the same
+instant a post-horn sounded in the street; and the carver putting his
+head out of the window turned round and said, "It's a courier from my
+lord the duke, no doubt with some despatch of importance."
+
+The courier came in all sweating and flurried, and taking a paper from
+his bosom, placed it in the governor's hands. Sancho handed it to the
+majordomo and bade him read the superscription, which ran thus: To Don
+Sancho Panza, Governor of the Island of Barataria, into his own hands or
+those of his secretary. Sancho when he heard this said, "Which of you is
+my secretary?" "I am, senor," said one of those present, "for I can read
+and write, and am a Biscayan." "With that addition," said Sancho, "you
+might be secretary to the emperor himself; open this paper and see what
+it says." The new-born secretary obeyed, and having read the contents
+said the matter was one to be discussed in private. Sancho ordered the
+chamber to be cleared, the majordomo and the carver only remaining; so
+the doctor and the others withdrew, and then the secretary read the
+letter, which was as follows:
+
+It has come to my knowledge, Senor Don Sancho Panza, that certain enemies
+of mine and of the island are about to make a furious attack upon it some
+night, I know not when. It behoves you to be on the alert and keep watch,
+that they surprise you not. I also know by trustworthy spies that four
+persons have entered the town in disguise in order to take your life,
+because they stand in dread of your great capacity; keep your eyes open
+and take heed who approaches you to address you, and eat nothing that is
+presented to you. I will take care to send you aid if you find yourself
+in difficulty, but in all things you will act as may be expected of your
+judgment. From this place, the Sixteenth of August, at four in the
+morning.
+
+Your friend,
+
+THE DUKE
+
+Sancho was astonished, and those who stood by made believe to be so too,
+and turning to the majordomo he said to him, "What we have got to do
+first, and it must be done at once, is to put Doctor Recio in the
+lock-up; for if anyone wants to kill me it is he, and by a slow death and
+the worst of all, which is hunger."
+
+"Likewise," said the carver, "it is my opinion your worship should not
+eat anything that is on this table, for the whole was a present from some
+nuns; and as they say, 'behind the cross there's the devil.'"
+
+"I don't deny it," said Sancho; "so for the present give me a piece of
+bread and four pounds or so of grapes; no poison can come in them; for
+the fact is I can't go on without eating; and if we are to be prepared
+for these battles that are threatening us we must be well provisioned;
+for it is the tripes that carry the heart and not the heart the tripes.
+And you, secretary, answer my lord the duke and tell him that all his
+commands shall be obeyed to the letter, as he directs; and say from me to
+my lady the duchess that I kiss her hands, and that I beg of her not to
+forget to send my letter and bundle to my wife Teresa Panza by a
+messenger; and I will take it as a great favour and will not fail to
+serve her in all that may lie within my power; and as you are about it
+you may enclose a kiss of the hand to my master Don Quixote that he may
+see I am grateful bread; and as a good secretary and a good Biscayan you
+may add whatever you like and whatever will come in best; and now take
+away this cloth and give me something to eat, and I'll be ready to meet
+all the spies and assassins and enchanters that may come against me or my
+island."
+
+At this instant a page entered saying, "Here is a farmer on business, who
+wants to speak to your lordship on a matter of great importance, he
+says."
+
+"It's very odd," said Sancho, "the ways of these men on business; is it
+possible they can be such fools as not to see that an hour like this is
+no hour for coming on business? We who govern and we who are judges--are
+we not men of flesh and blood, and are we not to be allowed the time
+required for taking rest, unless they'd have us made of marble? By God
+and on my conscience, if the government remains in my hands (which I have
+a notion it won't), I'll bring more than one man on business to order.
+However, tell this good man to come in; but take care first of all that
+he is not some spy or one of my assassins."
+
+"No, my lord," said the page, "for he looks like a simple fellow, and
+either I know very little or he is as good as good bread."
+
+"There is nothing to be afraid of," said the majordomo, "for we are all
+here."
+
+"Would it be possible, carver," said Sancho, "now that Doctor Pedro Recio
+is not here, to let me eat something solid and substantial, if it were
+even a piece of bread and an onion?"
+
+"To-night at supper," said the carver, "the shortcomings of the dinner
+shall be made good, and your lordship shall be fully contented."
+
+"God grant it," said Sancho.
+
+The farmer now came in, a well-favoured man that one might see a thousand
+leagues off was an honest fellow and a good soul. The first thing he said
+was, "Which is the lord governor here?"
+
+"Which should it be," said the secretary, "but he who is seated in the
+chair?"
+
+"Then I humble myself before him," said the farmer; and going on his
+knees he asked for his hand, to kiss it. Sancho refused it, and bade him
+stand up and say what he wanted. The farmer obeyed, and then said, "I am
+a farmer, senor, a native of Miguelturra, a village two leagues from
+Ciudad Real."
+
+"Another Tirteafuera!" said Sancho; "say on, brother; I know Miguelturra
+very well I can tell you, for it's not very far from my own town."
+
+"The case is this, senor," continued the farmer, "that by God's mercy I
+am married with the leave and licence of the holy Roman Catholic Church;
+I have two sons, students, and the younger is studying to become
+bachelor, and the elder to be licentiate; I am a widower, for my wife
+died, or more properly speaking, a bad doctor killed her on my hands,
+giving her a purge when she was with child; and if it had pleased God
+that the child had been born, and was a boy, I would have put him to
+study for doctor, that he might not envy his brothers the bachelor and
+the licentiate."
+
+"So that if your wife had not died, or had not been killed, you would not
+now be a widower," said Sancho.
+
+"No, senor, certainly not," said the farmer.
+
+"We've got that much settled," said Sancho; "get on, brother, for it's
+more bed-time than business-time."
+
+"Well then," said the farmer, "this son of mine who is going to be a
+bachelor, fell in love in the said town with a damsel called Clara
+Perlerina, daughter of Andres Perlerino, a very rich farmer; and this
+name of Perlerines does not come to them by ancestry or descent, but
+because all the family are paralytics, and for a better name they call
+them Perlerines; though to tell the truth the damsel is as fair as an
+Oriental pearl, and like a flower of the field, if you look at her on the
+right side; on the left not so much, for on that side she wants an eye
+that she lost by small-pox; and though her face is thickly and deeply
+pitted, those who love her say they are not pits that are there, but the
+graves where the hearts of her lovers are buried. She is so cleanly that
+not to soil her face she carries her nose turned up, as they say, so that
+one would fancy it was running away from her mouth; and with all this she
+looks extremely well, for she has a wide mouth; and but for wanting ten
+or a dozen teeth and grinders she might compare and compete with the
+comeliest. Of her lips I say nothing, for they are so fine and thin that,
+if lips might be reeled, one might make a skein of them; but being of a
+different colour from ordinary lips they are wonderful, for they are
+mottled, blue, green, and purple--let my lord the governor pardon me for
+painting so minutely the charms of her who some time or other will be my
+daughter; for I love her, and I don't find her amiss."
+
+"Paint what you will," said Sancho; "I enjoy your painting, and if I had
+dined there could be no dessert more to my taste than your portrait."
+
+"That I have still to furnish," said the farmer; "but a time will come
+when we may be able if we are not now; and I can tell you, senor, if I
+could paint her gracefulness and her tall figure, it would astonish you;
+but that is impossible because she is bent double with her knees up to
+her mouth; but for all that it is easy to see that if she could stand up
+she'd knock her head against the ceiling; and she would have given her
+hand to my bachelor ere this, only that she can't stretch it out, for
+it's contracted; but still one can see its elegance and fine make by its
+long furrowed nails."
+
+"That will do, brother," said Sancho; "consider you have painted her from
+head to foot; what is it you want now? Come to the point without all this
+beating about the bush, and all these scraps and additions."
+
+"I want your worship, senor," said the farmer, "to do me the favour of
+giving me a letter of recommendation to the girl's father, begging him to
+be so good as to let this marriage take place, as we are not ill-matched
+either in the gifts of fortune or of nature; for to tell the truth, senor
+governor, my son is possessed of a devil, and there is not a day but the
+evil spirits torment him three or four times; and from having once fallen
+into the fire, he has his face puckered up like a piece of parchment, and
+his eyes watery and always running; but he has the disposition of an
+angel, and if it was not for belabouring and pummelling himself he'd be a
+saint."
+
+"Is there anything else you want, good man?" said Sancho.
+
+"There's another thing I'd like," said the farmer, "but I'm afraid to
+mention it; however, out it must; for after all I can't let it be rotting
+in my breast, come what may. I mean, senor, that I'd like your worship to
+give me three hundred or six hundred ducats as a help to my bachelor's
+portion, to help him in setting up house; for they must, in short, live
+by themselves, without being subject to the interferences of their
+fathers-in-law."
+
+"Just see if there's anything else you'd like," said Sancho, "and don't
+hold back from mentioning it out of bashfulness or modesty."
+
+"No, indeed there is not," said the farmer.
+
+The moment he said this the governor started to his feet, and seizing the
+chair he had been sitting on exclaimed, "By all that's good, you
+ill-bred, boorish Don Bumpkin, if you don't get out of this at once and
+hide yourself from my sight, I'll lay your head open with this chair. You
+whoreson rascal, you devil's own painter, and is it at this hour you come
+to ask me for six hundred ducats! How should I have them, you stinking
+brute? And why should I give them to you if I had them, you knave and
+blockhead? What have I to do with Miguelturra or the whole family of the
+Perlerines? Get out I say, or by the life of my lord the duke I'll do as
+I said. You're not from Miguelturra, but some knave sent here from hell
+to tempt me. Why, you villain, I have not yet had the government half a
+day, and you want me to have six hundred ducats already!"
+
+The carver made signs to the farmer to leave the room, which he did with
+his head down, and to all appearance in terror lest the governor should
+carry his threats into effect, for the rogue knew very well how to play
+his part.
+
+But let us leave Sancho in his wrath, and peace be with them all; and let
+us return to Don Quixote, whom we left with his face bandaged and
+doctored after the cat wounds, of which he was not cured for eight days;
+and on one of these there befell him what Cide Hamete promises to relate
+with that exactitude and truth with which he is wont to set forth
+everything connected with this great history, however minute it may be.
+
+Chapter XLVIII. -
+Of what befell Don Quixote with Dona Rodriguez, the Duchess's Duenna,
+together with other occurrences worthy of record and eternal remembrance
+
+Exceedingly moody and dejected was the sorely wounded Don Quixote, with
+his face bandaged and marked, not by the hand of God, but by the claws of
+a cat, mishaps incidental to knight-errantry.
+
+Six days he remained without appearing in public, and one night as he lay
+awake thinking of his misfortunes and of Altisidora's pursuit of him, he
+perceived that some one was opening the door of his room with a key, and
+he at once made up his mind that the enamoured damsel was coming to make
+an assault upon his chastity and put him in danger of failing in the
+fidelity he owed to his lady Dulcinea del Toboso. "No," said he, firmly
+persuaded of the truth of his idea (and he said it loud enough to be
+heard), "the greatest beauty upon earth shall not avail to make me
+renounce my adoration of her whom I bear stamped and graved in the core
+of my heart and the secret depths of my bowels; be thou, lady mine,
+transformed into a clumsy country wench, or into a nymph of golden Tagus
+weaving a web of silk and gold, let Merlin or Montesinos hold thee
+captive where they will; whereer thou art, thou art mine, and where'er I
+am, must be thine." The very instant he had uttered these words, the door
+opened. He stood up on the bed wrapped from head to foot in a yellow
+satin coverlet, with a cap on his head, and his face and his moustaches
+tied up, his face because of the scratches, and his moustaches to keep
+them from drooping and falling down, in which trim he looked the most
+extraordinary scarecrow that could be conceived. He kept his eyes fixed
+on the door, and just as he was expecting to see the love-smitten and
+unhappy Altisidora make her appearance, he saw coming in a most venerable
+duenna, in a long white-bordered veil that covered and enveloped her from
+head to foot. Between the fingers of her left hand she held a short
+lighted candle, while with her right she shaded it to keep the light from
+her eyes, which were covered by spectacles of great size, and she
+advanced with noiseless steps, treading very softly.
+
+Don Quixote kept an eye upon her from his watchtower, and observing her
+costume and noting her silence, he concluded that it must be some witch
+or sorceress that was coming in such a guise to work him some mischief,
+and he began crossing himself at a great rate. The spectre still
+advanced, and on reaching the middle of the room, looked up and saw the
+energy with which Don Quixote was crossing himself; and if he was scared
+by seeing such a figure as hers, she was terrified at the sight of his;
+for the moment she saw his tall yellow form with the coverlet and the
+bandages that disfigured him, she gave a loud scream, and exclaiming,
+"Jesus! what's this I see?" let fall the candle in her fright, and then
+finding herself in the dark, turned about to make off, but stumbling on
+her skirts in her consternation, she measured her length with a mighty
+fall.
+
+Don Quixote in his trepidation began saying, "I conjure thee, phantom, or
+whatever thou art, tell me what thou art and what thou wouldst with me.
+If thou art a soul in torment, say so, and all that my powers can do I
+will do for thee; for I am a Catholic Christian and love to do good to
+all the world, and to this end I have embraced the order of
+knight-errantry to which I belong, the province of which extends to doing
+good even to souls in purgatory."
+
+The unfortunate duenna hearing herself thus conjured, by her own fear
+guessed Don Quixote's and in a low plaintive voice answered, "Senor Don
+Quixote--if so be you are indeed Don Quixote--I am no phantom or spectre
+or soul in purgatory, as you seem to think, but Dona Rodriguez, duenna of
+honour to my lady the duchess, and I come to you with one of those
+grievances your worship is wont to redress."
+
+"Tell me, Senora Dona Rodriguez," said Don Quixote, "do you perchance
+come to transact any go-between business? Because I must tell you I am
+not available for anybody's purpose, thanks to the peerless beauty of my
+lady Dulcinea del Toboso. In short, Senora Dona Rodriguez, if you will
+leave out and put aside all love messages, you may go and light your
+candle and come back, and we will discuss all the commands you have for
+me and whatever you wish, saving only, as I said, all seductive
+communications."
+
+"I carry nobody's messages, senor," said the duenna; "little you know me.
+Nay, I'm not far enough advanced in years to take to any such childish
+tricks. God be praised I have a soul in my body still, and all my teeth
+and grinders in my mouth, except one or two that the colds, so common in
+this Aragon country, have robbed me of. But wait a little, while I go and
+light my candle, and I will return immediately and lay my sorrows before
+you as before one who relieves those of all the world;" and without
+staying for an answer she quitted the room and left Don Quixote
+tranquilly meditating while he waited for her. A thousand thoughts at
+once suggested themselves to him on the subject of this new adventure,
+and it struck him as being ill done and worse advised in him to expose
+himself to the danger of breaking his plighted faith to his lady; and
+said he to himself, "Who knows but that the devil, being wily and
+cunning, may be trying now to entrap me with a duenna, having failed with
+empresses, queens, duchesses, marchionesses, and countesses? Many a time
+have I heard it said by many a man of sense that he will sooner offer you
+a flat-nosed wench than a roman-nosed one; and who knows but this
+privacy, this opportunity, this silence, may awaken my sleeping desires,
+and lead me in these my latter years to fall where I have never tripped?
+In cases of this sort it is better to flee than to await the battle. But
+I must be out of my senses to think and utter such nonsense; for it is
+impossible that a long, white-hooded spectacled duenna could stir up or
+excite a wanton thought in the most graceless bosom in the world. Is
+there a duenna on earth that has fair flesh? Is there a duenna in the
+world that escapes being ill-tempered, wrinkled, and prudish? Avaunt,
+then, ye duenna crew, undelightful to all mankind. Oh, but that lady did
+well who, they say, had at the end of her reception room a couple of
+figures of duennas with spectacles and lace-cushions, as if at work, and
+those statues served quite as well to give an air of propriety to the
+room as if they had been real duennas."
+
+So saying he leaped off the bed, intending to close the door and not
+allow Senora Rodriguez to enter; but as he went to shut it Senora
+Rodriguez returned with a wax candle lighted, and having a closer view of
+Don Quixote, with the coverlet round him, and his bandages and night-cap,
+she was alarmed afresh, and retreating a couple of paces, exclaimed, "Am
+I safe, sir knight? for I don't look upon it as a sign of very great
+virtue that your worship should have got up out of bed."
+
+"I may well ask the same, senora," said Don Quixote; "and I do ask
+whether I shall be safe from being assailed and forced?"
+
+"Of whom and against whom do you demand that security, sir knight?" said
+the duenna.
+
+"Of you and against you I ask it," said Don Quixote; "for I am not
+marble, nor are you brass, nor is it now ten o'clock in the morning, but
+midnight, or a trifle past it I fancy, and we are in a room more secluded
+and retired than the cave could have been where the treacherous and
+daring AEneas enjoyed the fair soft-hearted Dido. But give me your hand,
+senora; I require no better protection than my own continence, and my own
+sense of propriety; as well as that which is inspired by that venerable
+head-dress;" and so saying he kissed her right hand and took it in his
+own, she yielding it to him with equal ceremoniousness. And here Cide
+Hamete inserts a parenthesis in which he says that to have seen the pair
+marching from the door to the bed, linked hand in hand in this way, he
+would have given the best of the two tunics he had.
+
+Don Quixote finally got into bed, and Dona Rodriguez took her seat on a
+chair at some little distance from his couch, without taking off her
+spectacles or putting aside the candle. Don Quixote wrapped the
+bedclothes round him and covered himself up completely, leaving nothing
+but his face visible, and as soon as they had both regained their
+composure he broke silence, saying, "Now, Senora Dona Rodriguez, you may
+unbosom yourself and out with everything you have in your sorrowful heart
+and afflicted bowels; and by me you shall be listened to with chaste
+ears, and aided by compassionate exertions."
+
+"I believe it," replied the duenna; "from your worship's gentle and
+winning presence only such a Christian answer could be expected. The fact
+is, then, Senor Don Quixote, that though you see me seated in this chair,
+here in the middle of the kingdom of Aragon, and in the attire of a
+despised outcast duenna, I am from the Asturias of Oviedo, and of a
+family with which many of the best of the province are connected by
+blood; but my untoward fate and the improvidence of my parents, who, I
+know not how, were unseasonably reduced to poverty, brought me to the
+court of Madrid, where as a provision and to avoid greater misfortunes,
+my parents placed me as seamstress in the service of a lady of quality,
+and I would have you know that for hemming and sewing I have never been
+surpassed by any all my life. My parents left me in service and returned
+to their own country, and a few years later went, no doubt, to heaven,
+for they were excellent good Catholic Christians. I was left an orphan
+with nothing but the miserable wages and trifling presents that are given
+to servants of my sort in palaces; but about this time, without any
+encouragement on my part, one of the esquires of the household fell in
+love with me, a man somewhat advanced in years, full-bearded and
+personable, and above all as good a gentleman as the king himself, for he
+came of a mountain stock. We did not carry on our loves with such secrecy
+but that they came to the knowledge of my lady, and she, not to have any
+fuss about it, had us married with the full sanction of the holy mother
+Roman Catholic Church, of which marriage a daughter was born to put an
+end to my good fortune, if I had any; not that I died in childbirth, for
+I passed through it safely and in due season, but because shortly
+afterwards my husband died of a certain shock he received, and had I time
+to tell you of it I know your worship would be surprised;" and here she
+began to weep bitterly and said, "Pardon me, Senor Don Quixote, if I am
+unable to control myself, for every time I think of my unfortunate
+husband my eyes fill up with tears. God bless me, with what an air of
+dignity he used to carry my lady behind him on a stout mule as black as
+jet! for in those days they did not use coaches or chairs, as they say
+they do now, and ladies rode behind their squires. This much at least I
+cannot help telling you, that you may observe the good breeding and
+punctiliousness of my worthy husband. As he was turning into the Calle de
+Santiago in Madrid, which is rather narrow, one of the alcaldes of the
+Court, with two alguacils before him, was coming out of it, and as soon
+as my good squire saw him he wheeled his mule about and made as if he
+would turn and accompany him. My lady, who was riding behind him, said to
+him in a low voice, 'What are you about, you sneak, don't you see that I
+am here?' The alcalde like a polite man pulled up his horse and said to
+him, 'Proceed, senor, for it is I, rather, who ought to accompany my lady
+Dona Casilda'--for that was my mistress's name. Still my husband, cap in
+hand, persisted in trying to accompany the alcalde, and seeing this my
+lady, filled with rage and vexation, pulled out a big pin, or, I rather
+think, a bodkin, out of her needle-case and drove it into his back with
+such force that my husband gave a loud yell, and writhing fell to the
+ground with his lady. Her two lacqueys ran to rise her up, and the
+alcalde and the alguacils did the same; the Guadalajara gate was all in
+commotion--I mean the idlers congregated there; my mistress came back on
+foot, and my husband hurried away to a barber's shop protesting that he
+was run right through the guts. The courtesy of my husband was noised
+abroad to such an extent, that the boys gave him no peace in the street;
+and on this account, and because he was somewhat shortsighted, my lady
+dismissed him; and it was chagrin at this I am convinced beyond a doubt
+that brought on his death. I was left a helpless widow, with a daughter
+on my hands growing up in beauty like the sea-foam; at length, however,
+as I had the character of being an excellent needlewoman, my lady the
+duchess, then lately married to my lord the duke, offered to take me with
+her to this kingdom of Aragon, and my daughter also, and here as time
+went by my daughter grew up and with her all the graces in the world; she
+sings like a lark, dances quick as thought, foots it like a gipsy, reads
+and writes like a schoolmaster, and does sums like a miser; of her
+neatness I say nothing, for the running water is not purer, and her age
+is now, if my memory serves me, sixteen years five months and three days,
+one more or less. To come to the point, the son of a very rich farmer,
+living in a village of my lord the duke's not very far from here, fell in
+love with this girl of mine; and in short, how I know not, they came
+together, and under the promise of marrying her he made a fool of my
+daughter, and will not keep his word. And though my lord the duke is
+aware of it (for I have complained to him, not once but many and many a
+time, and entreated him to order the farmer to marry my daughter), he
+turns a deaf ear and will scarcely listen to me; the reason being that as
+the deceiver's father is so rich, and lends him money, and is constantly
+going security for his debts, he does not like to offend or annoy him in
+any way. Now, senor, I want your worship to take it upon yourself to
+redress this wrong either by entreaty or by arms; for by what all the
+world says you came into it to redress grievances and right wrongs and
+help the unfortunate. Let your worship put before you the unprotected
+condition of my daughter, her youth, and all the perfections I have said
+she possesses; and before God and on my conscience, out of all the
+damsels my lady has, there is not one that comes up to the sole of her
+shoe, and the one they call Altisidora, and look upon as the boldest and
+gayest of them, put in comparison with my daughter, does not come within
+two leagues of her. For I would have you know, senor, all is not gold
+that glitters, and that same little Altisidora has more forwardness than
+good looks, and more impudence than modesty; besides being not very
+sound, for she has such a disagreeable breath that one cannot bear to be
+near her for a moment; and even my lady the duchess--but I'll hold my
+tongue, for they say that walls have ears."
+
+"For heaven's sake, Dona Rodriguez, what ails my lady the duchess?" asked
+Don Quixote.
+
+"Adjured in that way," replied the duenna, "I cannot help answering the
+question and telling the whole truth. Senor Don Quixote, have you
+observed the comeliness of my lady the duchess, that smooth complexion of
+hers like a burnished polished sword, those two cheeks of milk and
+carmine, that gay lively step with which she treads or rather seems to
+spurn the earth, so that one would fancy she went radiating health
+wherever she passed? Well then, let me tell you she may thank, first of
+all God, for this, and next, two issues that she has, one in each leg, by
+which all the evil humours, of which the doctors say she is full, are
+discharged."
+
+"Blessed Virgin!" exclaimed Don Quixote; "and is it possible that my lady
+the duchess has drains of that sort? I would not have believed it if the
+barefoot friars had told it me; but as the lady Dona Rodriguez says so,
+it must be so. But surely such issues, and in such places, do not
+discharge humours, but liquid amber. Verily, I do believe now that this
+practice of opening issues is a very important matter for the health."
+
+Don Quixote had hardly said this, when the chamber door flew open with a
+loud bang, and with the start the noise gave her Dona Rodriguez let the
+candle fall from her hand, and the room was left as dark as a wolf's
+mouth, as the saying is. Suddenly the poor duenna felt two hands seize
+her by the throat, so tightly that she could not croak, while some one
+else, without uttering a word, very briskly hoisted up her petticoats,
+and with what seemed to be a slipper began to lay on so heartily that
+anyone would have felt pity for her; but although Don Quixote felt it he
+never stirred from his bed, but lay quiet and silent, nay apprehensive
+that his turn for a drubbing might be coming. Nor was the apprehension an
+idle one; one; for leaving the duenna (who did not dare to cry out) well
+basted, the silent executioners fell upon Don Quixote, and stripping him
+of the sheet and the coverlet, they pinched him so fast and so hard that
+he was driven to defend himself with his fists, and all this in
+marvellous silence. The battle lasted nearly half an hour, and then the
+phantoms fled; Dona Rodriguez gathered up her skirts, and bemoaning her
+fate went out without saying a word to Don Quixote, and he, sorely
+pinched, puzzled, and dejected, remained alone, and there we will leave
+him, wondering who could have been the perverse enchanter who had reduced
+him to such a state; but that shall be told in due season, for Sancho
+claims our attention, and the methodical arrangement of the story demands
+it.
+
+Chapter XLIX. -
+Of what happened Sancho in making the round of his island
+
+We left the great governor angered and irritated by that
+portrait-painting rogue of a farmer who, instructed the majordomo, as the
+majordomo was by the duke, tried to practise upon him; he however, fool,
+boor, and clown as he was, held his own against them all, saying to those
+round him and to Doctor Pedro Recio, who as soon as the private business
+of the duke's letter was disposed of had returned to the room, "Now I see
+plainly enough that judges and governors ought to be and must be made of
+brass not to feel the importunities of the applicants that at all times
+and all seasons insist on being heard, and having their business
+despatched, and their own affairs and no others attended to, come what
+may; and if the poor judge does not hear them and settle the
+matter--either because he cannot or because that is not the time set
+apart for hearing them-forthwith they abuse him, and run him down, and
+gnaw at his bones, and even pick holes in his pedigree. You silly, stupid
+applicant, don't be in a hurry; wait for the proper time and season for
+doing business; don't come at dinner-hour, or at bed-time; for judges are
+only flesh and blood, and must give to Nature what she naturally demands
+of them; all except myself, for in my case I give her nothing to eat,
+thanks to Senor Doctor Pedro Recio Tirteafuera here, who would have me
+die of hunger, and declares that death to be life; and the same sort of
+life may God give him and all his kind--I mean the bad doctors; for the
+good ones deserve palms and laurels."
+
+All who knew Sancho Panza were astonished to hear him speak so elegantly,
+and did not know what to attribute it to unless it were that office and
+grave responsibility either smarten or stupefy men's wits. At last Doctor
+Pedro Recio Agilers of Tirteafuera promised to let him have supper that
+night though it might be in contravention of all the aphorisms of
+Hippocrates. With this the governor was satisfied and looked forward to
+the approach of night and supper-time with great anxiety; and though
+time, to his mind, stood still and made no progress, nevertheless the
+hour he so longed for came, and they gave him a beef salad with onions
+and some boiled calves' feet rather far gone. At this he fell to with
+greater relish than if they had given him francolins from Milan,
+pheasants from Rome, veal from Sorrento, partridges from Moron, or geese
+from Lavajos, and turning to the doctor at supper he said to him, "Look
+here, senor doctor, for the future don't trouble yourself about giving me
+dainty things or choice dishes to eat, for it will be only taking my
+stomach off its hinges; it is accustomed to goat, cow, bacon, hung beef,
+turnips and onions; and if by any chance it is given these palace dishes,
+it receives them squeamishly, and sometimes with loathing. What the
+head-carver had best do is to serve me with what they call ollas podridas
+(and the rottener they are the better they smell); and he can put
+whatever he likes into them, so long as it is good to eat, and I'll be
+obliged to him, and will requite him some day. But let nobody play pranks
+on me, for either we are or we are not; let us live and eat in peace and
+good-fellowship, for when God sends the dawn, he sends it for all. I mean
+to govern this island without giving up a right or taking a bribe; let
+everyone keep his eye open, and look out for the arrow; for I can tell
+them 'the devil's in Cantillana,' and if they drive me to it they'll see
+something that will astonish them. Nay! make yourself honey and the flies
+eat you."
+
+"Of a truth, senor governor," said the carver, "your worship is in the
+right of it in everything you have said; and I promise you in the name of
+all the inhabitants of this island that they will serve your worship with
+all zeal, affection, and good-will, for the mild kind of government you
+have given a sample of to begin with, leaves them no ground for doing or
+thinking anything to your worship's disadvantage."
+
+"That I believe," said Sancho; "and they would be great fools if they did
+or thought otherwise; once more I say, see to my feeding and my Dapple's
+for that is the great point and what is most to the purpose; and when the
+hour comes let us go the rounds, for it is my intention to purge this
+island of all manner of uncleanness and of all idle good-for-nothing
+vagabonds; for I would have you know that lazy idlers are the same thing
+in a State as the drones in a hive, that eat up the honey the industrious
+bees make. I mean to protect the husbandman, to preserve to the gentleman
+his privileges, to reward the virtuous, and above all to respect religion
+and honour its ministers. What say you to that, my friends? Is there
+anything in what I say, or am I talking to no purpose?"
+
+"There is so much in what your worship says, senor governor," said the
+majordomo, "that I am filled with wonder when I see a man like your
+worship, entirely without learning (for I believe you have none at all),
+say such things, and so full of sound maxims and sage remarks, very
+different from what was expected of your worship's intelligence by those
+who sent us or by us who came here. Every day we see something new in
+this world; jokes become realities, and the jokers find the tables turned
+upon them."
+
+Night came, and with the permission of Doctor Pedro Recio, the governor
+had supper. They then got ready to go the rounds, and he started with the
+majordomo, the secretary, the head-carver, the chronicler charged with
+recording his deeds, and alguacils and notaries enough to form a
+fair-sized squadron. In the midst marched Sancho with his staff, as fine
+a sight as one could wish to see, and but a few streets of the town had
+been traversed when they heard a noise as of a clashing of swords. They
+hastened to the spot, and found that the combatants were but two, who
+seeing the authorities approaching stood still, and one of them
+exclaimed, "Help, in the name of God and the king! Are men to be allowed
+to rob in the middle of this town, and rush out and attack people in the
+very streets?"
+
+"Be calm, my good man," said Sancho, "and tell me what the cause of this
+quarrel is; for I am the governor."
+
+Said the other combatant, "Senor governor, I will tell you in a very few
+words. Your worship must know that this gentleman has just now won more
+than a thousand reals in that gambling house opposite, and God knows how.
+I was there, and gave more than one doubtful point in his favour, very
+much against what my conscience told me. He made off with his winnings,
+and when I made sure he was going to give me a crown or so at least by
+way of a present, as it is usual and customary to give men of quality of
+my sort who stand by to see fair or foul play, and back up swindles, and
+prevent quarrels, he pocketed his money and left the house. Indignant at
+this I followed him, and speaking him fairly and civilly asked him to
+give me if it were only eight reals, for he knows I am an honest man and
+that I have neither profession nor property, for my parents never brought
+me up to any or left me any; but the rogue, who is a greater thief than
+Cacus and a greater sharper than Andradilla, would not give me more than
+four reals; so your worship may see how little shame and conscience he
+has. But by my faith if you had not come up I'd have made him disgorge
+his winnings, and he'd have learned what the range of the steel-yard
+was."
+
+"What say you to this?" asked Sancho. The other replied that all his
+antagonist said was true, and that he did not choose to give him more
+than four reals because he very often gave him money; and that those who
+expected presents ought to be civil and take what is given them with a
+cheerful countenance, and not make any claim against winners unless they
+know them for certain to be sharpers and their winnings to be unfairly
+won; and that there could be no better proof that he himself was an
+honest man than his having refused to give anything; for sharpers always
+pay tribute to lookers-on who know them.
+
+"That is true," said the majordomo; "let your worship consider what is to
+be done with these men."
+
+"What is to be done," said Sancho, "is this; you, the winner, be you
+good, bad, or indifferent, give this assailant of yours a hundred reals
+at once, and you must disburse thirty more for the poor prisoners; and
+you who have neither profession nor property, and hang about the island
+in idleness, take these hundred reals now, and some time of the day
+to-morrow quit the island under sentence of banishment for ten years, and
+under pain of completing it in another life if you violate the sentence,
+for I'll hang you on a gibbet, or at least the hangman will by my orders;
+not a word from either of you, or I'll make him feel my hand."
+
+The one paid down the money and the other took it, and the latter quitted
+the island, while the other went home; and then the governor said,
+"Either I am not good for much, or I'll get rid of these gambling houses,
+for it strikes me they are very mischievous."
+
+"This one at least," said one of the notaries, "your worship will not be
+able to get rid of, for a great man owns it, and what he loses every year
+is beyond all comparison more than what he makes by the cards. On the
+minor gambling houses your worship may exercise your power, and it is
+they that do most harm and shelter the most barefaced practices; for in
+the houses of lords and gentlemen of quality the notorious sharpers dare
+not attempt to play their tricks; and as the vice of gambling has become
+common, it is better that men should play in houses of repute than in
+some tradesman's, where they catch an unlucky fellow in the small hours
+of the morning and skin him alive."
+
+"I know already, notary, that there is a good deal to be said on that
+point," said Sancho.
+
+And now a tipstaff came up with a young man in his grasp, and said,
+"Senor governor, this youth was coming towards us, and as soon as he saw
+the officers of justice he turned about and ran like a deer, a sure proof
+that he must be some evil-doer; I ran after him, and had it not been that
+he stumbled and fell, I should never have caught him."
+
+"What did you run for, fellow?" said Sancho.
+
+To which the young man replied, "Senor, it was to avoid answering all the
+questions officers of justice put."
+
+"What are you by trade?"
+
+"A weaver."
+
+"And what do you weave?"
+
+"Lance heads, with your worship's good leave."
+
+"You're facetious with me! You plume yourself on being a wag? Very good;
+and where were you going just now?"
+
+"To take the air, senor."
+
+"And where does one take the air in this island?"
+
+"Where it blows."
+
+"Good! your answers are very much to the point; you are a smart youth;
+but take notice that I am the air, and that I blow upon you a-stern, and
+send you to gaol. Ho there! lay hold of him and take him off; I'll make
+him sleep there to-night without air."
+
+"By God," said the young man, "your worship will make me sleep in gaol
+just as soon as make me king."
+
+"Why shan't I make thee sleep in gaol?" said Sancho. "Have I not the
+power to arrest thee and release thee whenever I like?"
+
+"All the power your worship has," said the young man, "won't be able to
+make me sleep in gaol."
+
+"How? not able!" said Sancho; "take him away at once where he'll see his
+mistake with his own eyes, even if the gaoler is willing to exert his
+interested generosity on his behalf; for I'll lay a penalty of two
+thousand ducats on him if he allows him to stir a step from the prison."
+
+"That's ridiculous," said the young man; "the fact is, all the men on
+earth will not make me sleep in prison."
+
+"Tell me, you devil," said Sancho, "have you got any angel that will
+deliver you, and take off the irons I am going to order them to put upon
+you?"
+
+"Now, senor governor," said the young man in a sprightly manner, "let us
+be reasonable and come to the point. Granted your worship may order me to
+be taken to prison, and to have irons and chains put on me, and to be
+shut up in a cell, and may lay heavy penalties on the gaoler if he lets
+me out, and that he obeys your orders; still, if I don't choose to sleep,
+and choose to remain awake all night without closing an eye, will your
+worship with all your power be able to make me sleep if I don't choose?"
+
+"No, truly," said the secretary, "and the fellow has made his point."
+
+"So then," said Sancho, "it would be entirely of your own choice you
+would keep from sleeping; not in opposition to my will?"
+
+"No, senor," said the youth, "certainly not."
+
+"Well then, go, and God be with you," said Sancho; "be off home to sleep,
+and God give you sound sleep, for I don't want to rob you of it; but for
+the future, let me advise you don't joke with the authorities, because
+you may come across some one who will bring down the joke on your own
+skull."
+
+The young man went his way, and the governor continued his round, and
+shortly afterwards two tipstaffs came up with a man in custody, and said,
+"Senor governor, this person, who seems to be a man, is not so, but a
+woman, and not an ill-favoured one, in man's clothes." They raised two or
+three lanterns to her face, and by their light they distinguished the
+features of a woman to all appearance of the age of sixteen or a little
+more, with her hair gathered into a gold and green silk net, and fair as
+a thousand pearls. They scanned her from head to foot, and observed that
+she had on red silk stockings with garters of white taffety bordered with
+gold and pearl; her breeches were of green and gold stuff, and under an
+open jacket or jerkin of the same she wore a doublet of the finest white
+and gold cloth; her shoes were white and such as men wear; she carried no
+sword at her belt, but only a richly ornamented dagger, and on her
+fingers she had several handsome rings. In short, the girl seemed fair to
+look at in the eyes of all, and none of those who beheld her knew her,
+the people of the town said they could not imagine who she was, and those
+who were in the secret of the jokes that were to be practised upon Sancho
+were the ones who were most surprised, for this incident or discovery had
+not been arranged by them; and they watched anxiously to see how the
+affair would end.
+
+Sancho was fascinated by the girl's beauty, and he asked her who she was,
+where she was going, and what had induced her to dress herself in that
+garb. She with her eyes fixed on the ground answered in modest confusion,
+"I cannot tell you, senor, before so many people what it is of such
+consequence to me to have kept secret; one thing I wish to be known, that
+I am no thief or evildoer, but only an unhappy maiden whom the power of
+jealousy has led to break through the respect that is due to modesty."
+
+Hearing this the majordomo said to Sancho, "Make the people stand back,
+senor governor, that this lady may say what she wishes with less
+embarrassment."
+
+Sancho gave the order, and all except the majordomo, the head-carver, and
+the secretary fell back. Finding herself then in the presence of no more,
+the damsel went on to say, "I am the daughter, sirs, of Pedro Perez
+Mazorca, the wool-farmer of this town, who is in the habit of coming very
+often to my father's house."
+
+"That won't do, senora," said the majordomo; "for I know Pedro Perez very
+well, and I know he has no child at all, either son or daughter; and
+besides, though you say he is your father, you add then that he comes
+very often to your father's house."
+
+"I had already noticed that," said Sancho.
+
+"I am confused just now, sirs," said the damsel, "and I don't know what I
+am saying; but the truth is that I am the daughter of Diego de la Llana,
+whom you must all know."
+
+"Ay, that will do," said the majordomo; "for I know Diego de la Llana,
+and know that he is a gentleman of position and a rich man, and that he
+has a son and a daughter, and that since he was left a widower nobody in
+all this town can speak of having seen his daughter's face; for he keeps
+her so closely shut up that he does not give even the sun a chance of
+seeing her; and for all that report says she is extremely beautiful."
+
+"It is true," said the damsel, "and I am that daughter; whether report
+lies or not as to my beauty, you, sirs, will have decided by this time,
+as you have seen me;" and with this she began to weep bitterly.
+
+On seeing this the secretary leant over to the head-carver's ear, and
+said to him in a low voice, "Something serious has no doubt happened this
+poor maiden, that she goes wandering from home in such a dress and at
+such an hour, and one of her rank too." "There can be no doubt about it,"
+returned the carver, "and moreover her tears confirm your suspicion."
+Sancho gave her the best comfort he could, and entreated her to tell them
+without any fear what had happened her, as they would all earnestly and
+by every means in their power endeavour to relieve her.
+
+"The fact is, sirs," said she, "that my father has kept me shut up these
+ten years, for so long is it since the earth received my mother. Mass is
+said at home in a sumptuous chapel, and all this time I have seen but the
+sun in the heaven by day, and the moon and the stars by night; nor do I
+know what streets are like, or plazas, or churches, or even men, except
+my father and a brother I have, and Pedro Perez the wool-farmer; whom,
+because he came frequently to our house, I took it into my head to call
+my father, to avoid naming my own. This seclusion and the restrictions
+laid upon my going out, were it only to church, have been keeping me
+unhappy for many a day and month past; I longed to see the world, or at
+least the town where I was born, and it did not seem to me that this wish
+was inconsistent with the respect maidens of good quality should have for
+themselves. When I heard them talking of bull-fights taking place, and of
+javelin games, and of acting plays, I asked my brother, who is a year
+younger than myself, to tell me what sort of things these were, and many
+more that I had never seen; he explained them to me as well as he could,
+but the only effect was to kindle in me a still stronger desire to see
+them. At last, to cut short the story of my ruin, I begged and entreated
+my brother--O that I had never made such an entreaty-" And once more she
+gave way to a burst of weeping.
+
+"Proceed, senora," said the majordomo, "and finish your story of what has
+happened to you, for your words and tears are keeping us all in
+suspense."
+
+"I have but little more to say, though many a tear to shed," said the
+damsel; "for ill-placed desires can only be paid for in some such way."
+
+The maiden's beauty had made a deep impression on the head-carver's
+heart, and he again raised his lantern for another look at her, and
+thought they were not tears she was shedding, but seed-pearl or dew of
+the meadow, nay, he exalted them still higher, and made Oriental pearls
+of them, and fervently hoped her misfortune might not be so great a one
+as her tears and sobs seemed to indicate. The governor was losing
+patience at the length of time the girl was taking to tell her story, and
+told her not to keep them waiting any longer; for it was late, and there
+still remained a good deal of the town to be gone over.
+
+She, with broken sobs and half-suppressed sighs, went on to say, "My
+misfortune, my misadventure, is simply this, that I entreated my brother
+to dress me up as a man in a suit of his clothes, and take me some night,
+when our father was asleep, to see the whole town; he, overcome by my
+entreaties, consented, and dressing me in this suit and himself in
+clothes of mine that fitted him as if made for him (for he has not a hair
+on his chin, and might pass for a very beautiful young girl), to-night,
+about an hour ago, more or less, we left the house, and guided by our
+youthful and foolish impulse we made the circuit of the whole town, and
+then, as we were about to return home, we saw a great troop of people
+coming, and my brother said to me, 'Sister, this must be the round, stir
+your feet and put wings to them, and follow me as fast as you can, lest
+they recognise us, for that would be a bad business for us;' and so
+saying he turned about and began, I cannot say to run but to fly; in less
+than six paces I fell from fright, and then the officer of justice came
+up and carried me before your worships, where I find myself put to shame
+before all these people as whimsical and vicious."
+
+"So then, senora," said Sancho, "no other mishap has befallen you, nor
+was it jealousy that made you leave home, as you said at the beginning of
+your story?"
+
+"Nothing has happened me," said she, "nor was it jealousy that brought me
+out, but merely a longing to see the world, which did not go beyond
+seeing the streets of this town."
+
+The appearance of the tipstaffs with her brother in custody, whom one of
+them had overtaken as he ran away from his sister, now fully confirmed
+the truth of what the damsel said. He had nothing on but a rich petticoat
+and a short blue damask cloak with fine gold lace, and his head was
+uncovered and adorned only with its own hair, which looked like rings of
+gold, so bright and curly was it. The governor, the majordomo, and the
+carver went aside with him, and, unheard by his sister, asked him how he
+came to be in that dress, and he with no less shame and embarrassment
+told exactly the same story as his sister, to the great delight of the
+enamoured carver; the governor, however, said to them, "In truth, young
+lady and gentleman, this has been a very childish affair, and to explain
+your folly and rashness there was no necessity for all this delay and all
+these tears and sighs; for if you had said we are so-and-so, and we
+escaped from our father's house in this way in order to ramble about, out
+of mere curiosity and with no other object, there would have been an end
+of the matter, and none of these little sobs and tears and all the rest
+of it."
+
+"That is true," said the damsel, "but you see the confusion I was in was
+so great it did not let me behave as I ought."
+
+"No harm has been done," said Sancho; "come, we will leave you at your
+father's house; perhaps they will not have missed you; and another time
+don't be so childish or eager to see the world; for a respectable damsel
+should have a broken leg and keep at home; and the woman and the hen by
+gadding about are soon lost; and she who is eager to see is also eager to
+be seen; I say no more."
+
+The youth thanked the governor for his kind offer to take them home, and
+they directed their steps towards the house, which was not far off. On
+reaching it the youth threw a pebble up at a grating, and immediately a
+woman-servant who was waiting for them came down and opened the door to
+them, and they went in, leaving the party marvelling as much at their
+grace and beauty as at the fancy they had for seeing the world by night
+and without quitting the village; which, however, they set down to their
+youth.
+
+The head-carver was left with a heart pierced through and through, and he
+made up his mind on the spot to demand the damsel in marriage of her
+father on the morrow, making sure she would not be refused him as he was
+a servant of the duke's; and even to Sancho ideas and schemes of marrying
+the youth to his daughter Sanchica suggested themselves, and he resolved
+to open the negotiation at the proper season, persuading himself that no
+husband could be refused to a governor's daughter. And so the night's
+round came to an end, and a couple of days later the government, whereby
+all his plans were overthrown and swept away, as will be seen farther on.
+
+Chapter L. -
+Wherein is set forth who the enchanters and executioners were who flogged
+the Duenna and pinched Don Quixote, and also what befell the page who
+carried the letter to Teresa Panza, Sancho Panza's wife
+
+Cide Hamete, the painstaking investigator of the minute points of this
+veracious history, says that when Dona Rodriguez left her own room to go
+to Don Quixote's, another duenna who slept with her observed her, and as
+all duennas are fond of prying, listening, and sniffing, she followed her
+so silently that the good Rodriguez never perceived it; and as soon as
+the duenna saw her enter Don Quixote's room, not to fail in a duenna's
+invariable practice of tattling, she hurried off that instant to report
+to the duchess how Dona Rodriguez was closeted with Don Quixote. The
+duchess told the duke, and asked him to let her and Altisidora go and see
+what the said duenna wanted with Don Quixote. The duke gave them leave,
+and the pair cautiously and quietly crept to the door of the room and
+posted themselves so close to it that they could hear all that was said
+inside. But when the duchess heard how the Rodriguez had made public the
+Aranjuez of her issues she could not restrain herself, nor Altisidora
+either; and so, filled with rage and thirsting for vengeance, they burst
+into the room and tormented Don Quixote and flogged the duenna in the
+manner already described; for indignities offered to their charms and
+self-esteem mightily provoke the anger of women and make them eager for
+revenge. The duchess told the duke what had happened, and he was much
+amused by it; and she, in pursuance of her design of making merry and
+diverting herself with Don Quixote, despatched the page who had played
+the part of Dulcinea in the negotiations for her disenchantment (which
+Sancho Panza in the cares of government had forgotten all about) to
+Teresa Panza his wife with her husband's letter and another from herself,
+and also a great string of fine coral beads as a present.
+
+Now the history says this page was very sharp and quick-witted; and eager
+to serve his lord and lady he set off very willingly for Sancho's
+village. Before he entered it he observed a number of women washing in a
+brook, and asked them if they could tell him whether there lived there a
+woman of the name of Teresa Panza, wife of one Sancho Panza, squire to a
+knight called Don Quixote of La Mancha. At the question a young girl who
+was washing stood up and said, "Teresa Panza is my mother, and that
+Sancho is my father, and that knight is our master."
+
+"Well then, miss," said the page, "come and show me where your mother is,
+for I bring her a letter and a present from your father."
+
+"That I will with all my heart, senor," said the girl, who seemed to be
+about fourteen, more or less; and leaving the clothes she was washing to
+one of her companions, and without putting anything on her head or feet,
+for she was bare-legged and had her hair hanging about her, away she
+skipped in front of the page's horse, saying, "Come, your worship, our
+house is at the entrance of the town, and my mother is there, sorrowful
+enough at not having had any news of my father this ever so long."
+
+"Well," said the page, "I am bringing her such good news that she will
+have reason to thank God."
+
+And then, skipping, running, and capering, the girl reached the town, but
+before going into the house she called out at the door, "Come out, mother
+Teresa, come out, come out; here's a gentleman with letters and other
+things from my good father." At these words her mother Teresa Panza came
+out spinning a bundle of flax, in a grey petticoat (so short was it one
+would have fancied "they to her shame had cut it short"), a grey bodice
+of the same stuff, and a smock. She was not very old, though plainly past
+forty, strong, healthy, vigorous, and sun-dried; and seeing her daughter
+and the page on horseback, she exclaimed, "What's this, child? What
+gentleman is this?"
+
+"A servant of my lady, Dona Teresa Panza," replied the page; and suiting
+the action to the word he flung himself off his horse, and with great
+humility advanced to kneel before the lady Teresa, saying, "Let me kiss
+your hand, Senora Dona Teresa, as the lawful and only wife of Senor Don
+Sancho Panza, rightful governor of the island of Barataria."
+
+"Ah, senor, get up, do that," said Teresa; "for I'm not a bit of a court
+lady, but only a poor country woman, the daughter of a clodcrusher, and
+the wife of a squire-errant and not of any governor at all."
+
+"You are," said the page, "the most worthy wife of a most arch-worthy
+governor; and as a proof of what I say accept this letter and this
+present;" and at the same time he took out of his pocket a string of
+coral beads with gold clasps, and placed it on her neck, and said, "This
+letter is from his lordship the governor, and the other as well as these
+coral beads from my lady the duchess, who sends me to your worship."
+
+Teresa stood lost in astonishment, and her daughter just as much, and the
+girl said, "May I die but our master Don Quixote's at the bottom of this;
+he must have given father the government or county he so often promised
+him."
+
+"That is the truth," said the page; "for it is through Senor Don Quixote
+that Senor Sancho is now governor of the island of Barataria, as will be
+seen by this letter."
+
+"Will your worship read it to me, noble sir?" said Teresa; "for though I
+can spin I can't read, not a scrap."
+
+"Nor I either," said Sanchica; "but wait a bit, and I'll go and fetch
+some one who can read it, either the curate himself or the bachelor
+Samson Carrasco, and they'll come gladly to hear any news of my father."
+
+"There is no need to fetch anybody," said the page; "for though I can't
+spin I can read, and I'll read it;" and so he read it through, but as it
+has been already given it is not inserted here; and then he took out the
+other one from the duchess, which ran as follows:
+
+Friend Teresa,--Your husband Sancho's good qualities, of heart as well as
+of head, induced and compelled me to request my husband the duke to give
+him the government of one of his many islands. I am told he governs like
+a gerfalcon, of which I am very glad, and my lord the duke, of course,
+also; and I am very thankful to heaven that I have not made a mistake in
+choosing him for that same government; for I would have Senora Teresa
+know that a good governor is hard to find in this world and may God make
+me as good as Sancho's way of governing. Herewith I send you, my dear, a
+string of coral beads with gold clasps; I wish they were Oriental pearls;
+but "he who gives thee a bone does not wish to see thee dead;" a time
+will come when we shall become acquainted and meet one another, but God
+knows the future. Commend me to your daughter Sanchica, and tell her from
+me to hold herself in readiness, for I mean to make a high match for her
+when she least expects it. They tell me there are big acorns in your
+village; send me a couple of dozen or so, and I shall value them greatly
+as coming from your hand; and write to me at length to assure me of your
+health and well-being; and if there be anything you stand in need of, it
+is but to open your mouth, and that shall be the measure; and so God keep
+you.
+
+From this place. Your loving friend, THE DUCHESS.
+
+"Ah, what a good, plain, lowly lady!" said Teresa when she heard the
+letter; "that I may be buried with ladies of that sort, and not the
+gentlewomen we have in this town, that fancy because they are gentlewomen
+the wind must not touch them, and go to church with as much airs as if
+they were queens, no less, and seem to think they are disgraced if they
+look at a farmer's wife! And see here how this good lady, for all she's a
+duchess, calls me 'friend,' and treats me as if I was her equal--and
+equal may I see her with the tallest church-tower in La Mancha! And as
+for the acorns, senor, I'll send her ladyship a peck and such big ones
+that one might come to see them as a show and a wonder. And now,
+Sanchica, see that the gentleman is comfortable; put up his horse, and
+get some eggs out of the stable, and cut plenty of bacon, and let's give
+him his dinner like a prince; for the good news he has brought, and his
+own bonny face deserve it all; and meanwhile I'll run out and give the
+neighbours the news of our good luck, and father curate, and Master
+Nicholas the barber, who are and always have been such friends of thy
+father's."
+
+"That I will, mother," said Sanchica; "but mind, you must give me half of
+that string; for I don't think my lady the duchess could have been so
+stupid as to send it all to you."
+
+"It is all for thee, my child," said Teresa; "but let me wear it round my
+neck for a few days; for verily it seems to make my heart glad."
+
+"You will be glad too," said the page, "when you see the bundle there is
+in this portmanteau, for it is a suit of the finest cloth, that the
+governor only wore one day out hunting and now sends, all for Senora
+Sanchica."
+
+"May he live a thousand years," said Sanchica, "and the bearer as many,
+nay two thousand, if needful."
+
+With this Teresa hurried out of the house with the letters, and with the
+string of beads round her neck, and went along thrumming the letters as
+if they were a tambourine, and by chance coming across the curate and
+Samson Carrasco she began capering and saying, "None of us poor now,
+faith! We've got a little government! Ay, let the finest fine lady tackle
+me, and I'll give her a setting down!"
+
+"What's all this, Teresa Panza," said they; "what madness is this, and
+what papers are those?"
+
+"The madness is only this," said she, "that these are the letters of
+duchesses and governors, and these I have on my neck are fine coral
+beads, with ave-marias and paternosters of beaten gold, and I am a
+governess."
+
+"God help us," said the curate, "we don't understand you, Teresa, or know
+what you are talking about."
+
+"There, you may see it yourselves," said Teresa, and she handed them the
+letters.
+
+The curate read them out for Samson Carrasco to hear, and Samson and he
+regarded one another with looks of astonishment at what they had read,
+and the bachelor asked who had brought the letters. Teresa in reply bade
+them come with her to her house and they would see the messenger, a most
+elegant youth, who had brought another present which was worth as much
+more. The curate took the coral beads from her neck and examined them
+again and again, and having satisfied himself as to their fineness he
+fell to wondering afresh, and said, "By the gown I wear I don't know what
+to say or think of these letters and presents; on the one hand I can see
+and feel the fineness of these coral beads, and on the other I read how a
+duchess sends to beg for a couple of dozen of acorns."
+
+"Square that if you can," said Carrasco; "well, let's go and see the
+messenger, and from him we'll learn something about this mystery that has
+turned up."
+
+They did so, and Teresa returned with them. They found the page sifting a
+little barley for his horse, and Sanchica cutting a rasher of bacon to be
+paved with eggs for his dinner. His looks and his handsome apparel
+pleased them both greatly; and after they had saluted him courteously,
+and he them, Samson begged him to give them his news, as well of Don
+Quixote as of Sancho Panza, for, he said, though they had read the
+letters from Sancho and her ladyship the duchess, they were still puzzled
+and could not make out what was meant by Sancho's government, and above
+all of an island, when all or most of those in the Mediterranean belonged
+to his Majesty.
+
+To this the page replied, "As to Senor Sancho Panza's being a governor
+there is no doubt whatever; but whether it is an island or not that he
+governs, with that I have nothing to do; suffice it that it is a town of
+more than a thousand inhabitants; with regard to the acorns I may tell
+you my lady the duchess is so unpretending and unassuming that, not to
+speak of sending to beg for acorns from a peasant woman, she has been
+known to send to ask for the loan of a comb from one of her neighbours;
+for I would have your worships know that the ladies of Aragon, though
+they are just as illustrious, are not so punctilious and haughty as the
+Castilian ladies; they treat people with greater familiarity."
+
+In the middle of this conversation Sanchica came in with her skirt full
+of eggs, and said she to the page, "Tell me, senor, does my father wear
+trunk-hose since he has been governor?"
+
+"I have not noticed," said the page; "but no doubt he wears them."
+
+"Ah! my God!" said Sanchica, "what a sight it must be to see my father in
+tights! Isn't it odd that ever since I was born I have had a longing to
+see my father in trunk-hose?"
+
+"As things go you will see that if you live," said the page; "by God he
+is in the way to take the road with a sunshade if the government only
+lasts him two months more."
+
+The curate and the bachelor could see plainly enough that the page spoke
+in a waggish vein; but the fineness of the coral beads, and the hunting
+suit that Sancho sent (for Teresa had already shown it to them) did away
+with the impression; and they could not help laughing at Sanchica's wish,
+and still more when Teresa said, "Senor curate, look about if there's
+anybody here going to Madrid or Toledo, to buy me a hooped petticoat, a
+proper fashionable one of the best quality; for indeed and indeed I must
+do honour to my husband's government as well as I can; nay, if I am put
+to it and have to, I'll go to Court and set a coach like all the world;
+for she who has a governor for her husband may very well have one and
+keep one."
+
+"And why not, mother!" said Sanchica; "would to God it were to-day
+instead of to-morrow, even though they were to say when they saw me
+seated in the coach with my mother, 'See that rubbish, that
+garlic-stuffed fellow's daughter, how she goes stretched at her ease in a
+coach as if she was a she-pope!' But let them tramp through the mud, and
+let me go in my coach with my feet off the ground. Bad luck to backbiters
+all over the world; 'let me go warm and the people may laugh.' Do I say
+right, mother?"
+
+"To be sure you do, my child," said Teresa; "and all this good luck, and
+even more, my good Sancho foretold me; and thou wilt see, my daughter, he
+won't stop till he has made me a countess; for to make a beginning is
+everything in luck; and as I have heard thy good father say many a time
+(for besides being thy father he's the father of proverbs too), 'When
+they offer thee a heifer, run with a halter; when they offer thee a
+government, take it; when they would give thee a county, seize it; when
+they say, "Here, here!" to thee with something good, swallow it.' Oh no!
+go to sleep, and don't answer the strokes of good fortune and the lucky
+chances that are knocking at the door of your house!"
+
+"And what do I care," added Sanchica, "whether anybody says when he sees
+me holding my head up, 'The dog saw himself in hempen breeches,' and the
+rest of it?"
+
+Hearing this the curate said, "I do believe that all this family of the
+Panzas are born with a sackful of proverbs in their insides, every one of
+them; I never saw one of them that does not pour them out at all times
+and on all occasions."
+
+"That is true," said the page, "for Senor Governor Sancho utters them at
+every turn; and though a great many of them are not to the purpose, still
+they amuse one, and my lady the duchess and the duke praise them highly."
+
+"Then you still maintain that all this about Sancho's government is true,
+senor," said the bachelor, "and that there actually is a duchess who
+sends him presents and writes to him? Because we, although we have
+handled the present and read the letters, don't believe it and suspect it
+to be something in the line of our fellow-townsman Don Quixote, who
+fancies that everything is done by enchantment; and for this reason I am
+almost ready to say that I'd like to touch and feel your worship to see
+whether you are a mere ambassador of the imagination or a man of flesh
+and blood."
+
+"All I know, sirs," replied the page, "is that I am a real ambassador,
+and that Senor Sancho Panza is governor as a matter of fact, and that my
+lord and lady the duke and duchess can give, and have given him this same
+government, and that I have heard the said Sancho Panza bears himself
+very stoutly therein; whether there be any enchantment in all this or
+not, it is for your worships to settle between you; for that's all I know
+by the oath I swear, and that is by the life of my parents whom I have
+still alive, and love dearly."
+
+"It may be so," said the bachelor; "but dubitat Augustinus."
+
+"Doubt who will," said the page; "what I have told you is the truth, and
+that will always rise above falsehood as oil above water; if not operibus
+credite, et non verbis. Let one of you come with me, and he will see with
+his eyes what he does not believe with his ears."
+
+"It's for me to make that trip," said Sanchica; "take me with you, senor,
+behind you on your horse; for I'll go with all my heart to see my
+father."
+
+"Governors' daughters," said the page, "must not travel along the roads
+alone, but accompanied by coaches and litters and a great number of
+attendants."
+
+"By God," said Sanchica, "I can go just as well mounted on a she-ass as
+in a coach; what a dainty lass you must take me for!"
+
+"Hush, girl," said Teresa; "you don't know what you're talking about; the
+gentleman is quite right, for 'as the time so the behaviour;' when it was
+Sancho it was 'Sancha;' when it is governor it's 'senora;' I don't know
+if I'm right."
+
+"Senora Teresa says more than she is aware of," said the page; "and now
+give me something to eat and let me go at once, for I mean to return this
+evening."
+
+"Come and do penance with me," said the curate at this; "for Senora
+Teresa has more will than means to serve so worthy a guest."
+
+The page refused, but had to consent at last for his own sake; and the
+curate took him home with him very gladly, in order to have an
+opportunity of questioning him at leisure about Don Quixote and his
+doings. The bachelor offered to write the letters in reply for Teresa;
+but she did not care to let him mix himself up in her affairs, for she
+thought him somewhat given to joking; and so she gave a cake and a couple
+of eggs to a young acolyte who was a penman, and he wrote for her two
+letters, one for her husband and the other for the duchess, dictated out
+of her own head, which are not the worst inserted in this great history,
+as will be seen farther on.
+
+Chapter LI. -
+Of the progress of Sancho's government, and other such entertaining
+matters
+
+Day came after the night of the governor's round; a night which the
+head-carver passed without sleeping, so were his thoughts of the face and
+air and beauty of the disguised damsel, while the majordomo spent what
+was left of it in writing an account to his lord and lady of all Sancho
+said and did, being as much amazed at his sayings as at his doings, for
+there was a mixture of shrewdness and simplicity in all his words and
+deeds. The senor governor got up, and by Doctor Pedro Recio's directions
+they made him break his fast on a little conserve and four sups of cold
+water, which Sancho would have readily exchanged for a piece of bread and
+a bunch of grapes; but seeing there was no help for it, he submitted with
+no little sorrow of heart and discomfort of stomach; Pedro Recio having
+persuaded him that light and delicate diet enlivened the wits, and that
+was what was most essential for persons placed in command and in
+responsible situations, where they have to employ not only the bodily
+powers but those of the mind also.
+
+By means of this sophistry Sancho was made to endure hunger, and hunger
+so keen that in his heart he cursed the government, and even him who had
+given it to him; however, with his hunger and his conserve he undertook
+to deliver judgments that day, and the first thing that came before him
+was a question that was submitted to him by a stranger, in the presence
+of the majordomo and the other attendants, and it was in these words:
+"Senor, a large river separated two districts of one and the same
+lordship--will your worship please to pay attention, for the case is an
+important and a rather knotty one? Well then, on this river there was a
+bridge, and at one end of it a gallows, and a sort of tribunal, where
+four judges commonly sat to administer the law which the lord of river,
+bridge and the lordship had enacted, and which was to this effect, 'If
+anyone crosses by this bridge from one side to the other he shall declare
+on oath where he is going to and with what object; and if he swears
+truly, he shall be allowed to pass, but if falsely, he shall be put to
+death for it by hanging on the gallows erected there, without any
+remission.' Though the law and its severe penalty were known, many
+persons crossed, but in their declarations it was easy to see at once
+they were telling the truth, and the judges let them pass free. It
+happened, however, that one man, when they came to take his declaration,
+swore and said that by the oath he took he was going to die upon that
+gallows that stood there, and nothing else. The judges held a
+consultation over the oath, and they said, 'If we let this man pass free
+he has sworn falsely, and by the law he ought to die; but if we hang him,
+as he swore he was going to die on that gallows, and therefore swore the
+truth, by the same law he ought to go free.' It is asked of your worship,
+senor governor, what are the judges to do with this man? For they are
+still in doubt and perplexity; and having heard of your worship's acute
+and exalted intellect, they have sent me to entreat your worship on their
+behalf to give your opinion on this very intricate and puzzling case."
+
+To this Sancho made answer, "Indeed those gentlemen the judges that send
+you to me might have spared themselves the trouble, for I have more of
+the obtuse than the acute in me; but repeat the case over again, so that
+I may understand it, and then perhaps I may be able to hit the point."
+
+The querist repeated again and again what he had said before, and then
+Sancho said, "It seems to me I can set the matter right in a moment, and
+in this way; the man swears that he is going to die upon the gallows; but
+if he dies upon it, he has sworn the truth, and by the law enacted
+deserves to go free and pass over the bridge; but if they don't hang him,
+then he has sworn falsely, and by the same law deserves to be hanged."
+
+"It is as the senor governor says," said the messenger; "and as regards a
+complete comprehension of the case, there is nothing left to desire or
+hesitate about."
+
+"Well then I say," said Sancho, "that of this man they should let pass
+the part that has sworn truly, and hang the part that has lied; and in
+this way the conditions of the passage will be fully complied with."
+
+"But then, senor governor," replied the querist, "the man will have to be
+divided into two parts; and if he is divided of course he will die; and
+so none of the requirements of the law will be carried out, and it is
+absolutely necessary to comply with it."
+
+"Look here, my good sir," said Sancho; "either I'm a numskull or else
+there is the same reason for this passenger dying as for his living and
+passing over the bridge; for if the truth saves him the falsehood equally
+condemns him; and that being the case it is my opinion you should say to
+the gentlemen who sent you to me that as the arguments for condemning him
+and for absolving him are exactly balanced, they should let him pass
+freely, as it is always more praiseworthy to do good than to do evil;
+this I would give signed with my name if I knew how to sign; and what I
+have said in this case is not out of my own head, but one of the many
+precepts my master Don Quixote gave me the night before I left to become
+governor of this island, that came into my mind, and it was this, that
+when there was any doubt about the justice of a case I should lean to
+mercy; and it is God's will that I should recollect it now, for it fits
+this case as if it was made for it."
+
+"That is true," said the majordomo; "and I maintain that Lycurgus
+himself, who gave laws to the Lacedemonians, could not have pronounced a
+better decision than the great Panza has given; let the morning's
+audience close with this, and I will see that the senor governor has
+dinner entirely to his liking."
+
+"That's all I ask for--fair play," said Sancho; "give me my dinner, and
+then let it rain cases and questions on me, and I'll despatch them in a
+twinkling."
+
+The majordomo kept his word, for he felt it against his conscience to
+kill so wise a governor by hunger; particularly as he intended to have
+done with him that same night, playing off the last joke he was
+commissioned to practise upon him.
+
+It came to pass, then, that after he had dined that day, in opposition to
+the rules and aphorisms of Doctor Tirteafuera, as they were taking away
+the cloth there came a courier with a letter from Don Quixote for the
+governor. Sancho ordered the secretary to read it to himself, and if
+there was nothing in it that demanded secrecy to read it aloud. The
+secretary did so, and after he had skimmed the contents he said, "It may
+well be read aloud, for what Senor Don Quixote writes to your worship
+deserves to be printed or written in letters of gold, and it is as
+follows."
+
+DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA'S LETTER TO SANCHO PANZA, GOVERNOR OF THE ISLAND
+OF BARATARIA.
+
+When I was expecting to hear of thy stupidities and blunders, friend
+Sancho, I have received intelligence of thy displays of good sense, for
+which I give special thanks to heaven that can raise the poor from the
+dunghill and of fools to make wise men. They tell me thou dost govern as
+if thou wert a man, and art a man as if thou wert a beast, so great is
+the humility wherewith thou dost comport thyself. But I would have thee
+bear in mind, Sancho, that very often it is fitting and necessary for the
+authority of office to resist the humility of the heart; for the seemly
+array of one who is invested with grave duties should be such as they
+require and not measured by what his own humble tastes may lead him to
+prefer. Dress well; a stick dressed up does not look like a stick; I do
+not say thou shouldst wear trinkets or fine raiment, or that being a
+judge thou shouldst dress like a soldier, but that thou shouldst array
+thyself in the apparel thy office requires, and that at the same time it
+be neat and handsome. To win the good-will of the people thou governest
+there are two things, among others, that thou must do; one is to be civil
+to all (this, however, I told thee before), and the other to take care
+that food be abundant, for there is nothing that vexes the heart of the
+poor more than hunger and high prices. Make not many proclamations; but
+those thou makest take care that they be good ones, and above all that
+they be observed and carried out; for proclamations that are not observed
+are the same as if they did not exist; nay, they encourage the idea that
+the prince who had the wisdom and authority to make them had not the
+power to enforce them; and laws that threaten and are not enforced come
+to be like the log, the king of the frogs, that frightened them at first,
+but that in time they despised and mounted upon. Be a father to virtue
+and a stepfather to vice. Be not always strict, nor yet always lenient,
+but observe a mean between these two extremes, for in that is the aim of
+wisdom. Visit the gaols, the slaughter-houses, and the market-places; for
+the presence of the governor is of great importance in such places; it
+comforts the prisoners who are in hopes of a speedy release, it is the
+bugbear of the butchers who have then to give just weight, and it is the
+terror of the market-women for the same reason. Let it not be seen that
+thou art (even if perchance thou art, which I do not believe) covetous, a
+follower of women, or a glutton; for when the people and those that have
+dealings with thee become aware of thy special weakness they will bring
+their batteries to bear upon thee in that quarter, till they have brought
+thee down to the depths of perdition. Consider and reconsider, con and
+con over again the advices and the instructions I gave thee before thy
+departure hence to thy government, and thou wilt see that in them, if
+thou dost follow them, thou hast a help at hand that will lighten for
+thee the troubles and difficulties that beset governors at every step.
+Write to thy lord and lady and show thyself grateful to them, for
+ingratitude is the daughter of pride, and one of the greatest sins we
+know of; and he who is grateful to those who have been good to him shows
+that he will be so to God also who has bestowed and still bestows so many
+blessings upon him.
+
+My lady the duchess sent off a messenger with thy suit and another
+present to thy wife Teresa Panza; we expect the answer every moment. I
+have been a little indisposed through a certain scratching I came in for,
+not very much to the benefit of my nose; but it was nothing; for if there
+are enchanters who maltreat me, there are also some who defend me. Let me
+know if the majordomo who is with thee had any share in the Trifaldi
+performance, as thou didst suspect; and keep me informed of everything
+that happens thee, as the distance is so short; all the more as I am
+thinking of giving over very shortly this idle life I am now leading, for
+I was not born for it. A thing has occurred to me which I am inclined to
+think will put me out of favour with the duke and duchess; but though I
+am sorry for it I do not care, for after all I must obey my calling
+rather than their pleasure, in accordance with the common saying, amicus
+Plato, sed magis amica veritas. I quote this Latin to thee because I
+conclude that since thou hast been a governor thou wilt have learned it.
+Adieu; God keep thee from being an object of pity to anyone.
+
+Thy friend, DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA.
+
+Sancho listened to the letter with great attention, and it was praised
+and considered wise by all who heard it; he then rose up from table, and
+calling his secretary shut himself in with him in his own room, and
+without putting it off any longer set about answering his master Don
+Quixote at once; and he bade the secretary write down what he told him
+without adding or suppressing anything, which he did, and the answer was
+to the following effect.
+
+SANCHO PANZA'S LETTER TO DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA.
+
+The pressure of business is so great upon me that I have no time to
+scratch my head or even to cut my nails; and I have them so long-God send
+a remedy for it. I say this, master of my soul, that you may not be
+surprised if I have not until now sent you word of how I fare, well or
+ill, in this government, in which I am suffering more hunger than when we
+two were wandering through the woods and wastes.
+
+My lord the duke wrote to me the other day to warn me that certain spies
+had got into this island to kill me; but up to the present I have not
+found out any except a certain doctor who receives a salary in this town
+for killing all the governors that come here; he is called Doctor Pedro
+Recio, and is from Tirteafuera; so you see what a name he has to make me
+dread dying under his hands. This doctor says of himself that he does not
+cure diseases when there are any, but prevents them coming, and the
+medicines he uses are diet and more diet until he brings one down to bare
+bones; as if leanness was not worse than fever.
+
+In short he is killing me with hunger, and I am dying myself of vexation;
+for when I thought I was coming to this government to get my meat hot and
+my drink cool, and take my ease between holland sheets on feather beds, I
+find I have come to do penance as if I was a hermit; and as I don't do it
+willingly I suspect that in the end the devil will carry me off.
+
+So far I have not handled any dues or taken any bribes, and I don't know
+what to think of it; for here they tell me that the governors that come
+to this island, before entering it have plenty of money either given to
+them or lent to them by the people of the town, and that this is the
+usual custom not only here but with all who enter upon governments.
+
+Last night going the rounds I came upon a fair damsel in man's clothes,
+and a brother of hers dressed as a woman; my head-carver has fallen in
+love with the girl, and has in his own mind chosen her for a wife, so he
+says, and I have chosen youth for a son-in-law; to-day we are going to
+explain our intentions to the father of the pair, who is one Diego de la
+Llana, a gentleman and an old Christian as much as you please.
+
+I have visited the market-places, as your worship advises me, and
+yesterday I found a stall-keeper selling new hazel nuts and proved her to
+have mixed a bushel of old empty rotten nuts with a bushel of new; I
+confiscated the whole for the children of the charity-school, who will
+know how to distinguish them well enough, and I sentenced her not to come
+into the market-place for a fortnight; they told me I did bravely. I can
+tell your worship it is commonly said in this town that there are no
+people worse than the market-women, for they are all barefaced,
+unconscionable, and impudent, and I can well believe it from what I have
+seen of them in other towns.
+
+I am very glad my lady the duchess has written to my wife Teresa Panza
+and sent her the present your worship speaks of; and I will strive to
+show myself grateful when the time comes; kiss her hands for me, and tell
+her I say she has not thrown it into a sack with a hole in it, as she
+will see in the end. I should not like your worship to have any
+difference with my lord and lady; for if you fall out with them it is
+plain it must do me harm; and as you give me advice to be grateful it
+will not do for your worship not to be so yourself to those who have
+shown you such kindness, and by whom you have been treated so hospitably
+in their castle.
+
+That about the scratching I don't understand; but I suppose it must be
+one of the ill-turns the wicked enchanters are always doing your worship;
+when we meet I shall know all about it. I wish I could send your worship
+something; but I don't know what to send, unless it be some very curious
+clyster pipes, to work with bladders, that they make in this island; but
+if the office remains with me I'll find out something to send, one way or
+another. If my wife Teresa Panza writes to me, pay the postage and send
+me the letter, for I have a very great desire to hear how my house and
+wife and children are going on. And so, may God deliver your worship from
+evil-minded enchanters, and bring me well and peacefully out of this
+government, which I doubt, for I expect to take leave of it and my life
+together, from the way Doctor Pedro Recio treats me.
+
+Your worship's servant
+
+SANCHO PANZA THE GOVERNOR.
+
+The secretary sealed the letter, and immediately dismissed the courier;
+and those who were carrying on the joke against Sancho putting their
+heads together arranged how he was to be dismissed from the government.
+Sancho spent the afternoon in drawing up certain ordinances relating to
+the good government of what he fancied the island; and he ordained that
+there were to be no provision hucksters in the State, and that men might
+import wine into it from any place they pleased, provided they declared
+the quarter it came from, so that a price might be put upon it according
+to its quality, reputation, and the estimation it was held in; and he
+that watered his wine, or changed the name, was to forfeit his life for
+it. He reduced the prices of all manner of shoes, boots, and stockings,
+but of shoes in particular, as they seemed to him to run extravagantly
+high. He established a fixed rate for servants' wages, which were
+becoming recklessly exorbitant. He laid extremely heavy penalties upon
+those who sang lewd or loose songs either by day or night. He decreed
+that no blind man should sing of any miracle in verse, unless he could
+produce authentic evidence that it was true, for it was his opinion that
+most of those the blind men sing are trumped up, to the detriment of the
+true ones. He established and created an alguacil of the poor, not to
+harass them, but to examine them and see whether they really were so; for
+many a sturdy thief or drunkard goes about under cover of a make-believe
+crippled limb or a sham sore. In a word, he made so many good rules that
+to this day they are preserved there, and are called The constitutions of
+the great governor Sancho Panza.
+
+Chapter LII. -
+Wherein is related the adventure of the second distressed or afflicted
+Duenna, otherwise called Dona Rodriguez
+
+Cide Hamete relates that Don Quixote being now cured of his scratches
+felt that the life he was leading in the castle was entirely inconsistent
+with the order of chivalry he professed, so he determined to ask the duke
+and duchess to permit him to take his departure for Saragossa, as the
+time of the festival was now drawing near, and he hoped to win there the
+suit of armour which is the prize at festivals of the sort. But one day
+at table with the duke and duchess, just as he was about to carry his
+resolution into effect and ask for their permission, lo and behold
+suddenly there came in through the door of the great hall two women, as
+they afterwards proved to be, draped in mourning from head to foot, one
+of whom approaching Don Quixote flung herself at full length at his feet,
+pressing her lips to them, and uttering moans so sad, so deep, and so
+doleful that she put all who heard and saw her into a state of
+perplexity; and though the duke and duchess supposed it must be some joke
+their servants were playing off upon Don Quixote, still the earnest way
+the woman sighed and moaned and wept puzzled them and made them feel
+uncertain, until Don Quixote, touched with compassion, raised her up and
+made her unveil herself and remove the mantle from her tearful face. She
+complied and disclosed what no one could have ever anticipated, for she
+disclosed the countenance of Dona Rodriguez, the duenna of the house; the
+other female in mourning being her daughter, who had been made a fool of
+by the rich farmer's son. All who knew her were filled with astonishment,
+and the duke and duchess more than any; for though they thought her a
+simpleton and a weak creature, they did not think her capable of crazy
+pranks. Dona Rodriguez, at length, turning to her master and mistress
+said to them, "Will your excellences be pleased to permit me to speak to
+this gentleman for a moment, for it is requisite I should do so in order
+to get successfully out of the business in which the boldness of an
+evil-minded clown has involved me?"
+
+The duke said that for his part he gave her leave, and that she might
+speak with Senor Don Quixote as much as she liked.
+
+She then, turning to Don Quixote and addressing herself to him said,
+"Some days since, valiant knight, I gave you an account of the injustice
+and treachery of a wicked farmer to my dearly beloved daughter, the
+unhappy damsel here before you, and you promised me to take her part and
+right the wrong that has been done her; but now it has come to my hearing
+that you are about to depart from this castle in quest of such fair
+adventures as God may vouchsafe to you; therefore, before you take the
+road, I would that you challenge this froward rustic, and compel him to
+marry my daughter in fulfillment of the promise he gave her to become her
+husband before he seduced her; for to expect that my lord the duke will
+do me justice is to ask pears from the elm tree, for the reason I stated
+privately to your worship; and so may our Lord grant you good health and
+forsake us not."
+
+To these words Don Quixote replied very gravely and solemnly, "Worthy
+duenna, check your tears, or rather dry them, and spare your sighs, for I
+take it upon myself to obtain redress for your daughter, for whom it
+would have been better not to have been so ready to believe lovers'
+promises, which are for the most part quickly made and very slowly
+performed; and so, with my lord the duke's leave, I will at once go in
+quest of this inhuman youth, and will find him out and challenge him and
+slay him, if so be he refuses to keep his promised word; for the chief
+object of my profession is to spare the humble and chastise the proud; I
+mean, to help the distressed and destroy the oppressors."
+
+"There is no necessity," said the duke, "for your worship to take the
+trouble of seeking out the rustic of whom this worthy duenna complains,
+nor is there any necessity, either, for asking my leave to challenge him;
+for I admit him duly challenged, and will take care that he is informed
+of the challenge, and accepts it, and comes to answer it in person to
+this castle of mine, where I shall afford to both a fair field, observing
+all the conditions which are usually and properly observed in such
+trials, and observing too justice to both sides, as all princes who offer
+a free field to combatants within the limits of their lordships are bound
+to do."
+
+"Then with that assurance and your highness's good leave," said Don
+Quixote, "I hereby for this once waive my privilege of gentle blood, and
+come down and put myself on a level with the lowly birth of the
+wrong-doer, making myself equal with him and enabling him to enter into
+combat with me; and so, I challenge and defy him, though absent, on the
+plea of his malfeasance in breaking faith with this poor damsel, who was
+a maiden and now by his misdeed is none; and say that he shall fulfill
+the promise he gave her to become her lawful husband, or else stake his
+life upon the question."
+
+And then plucking off a glove he threw it down in the middle of the hall,
+and the duke picked it up, saying, as he had said before, that he
+accepted the challenge in the name of his vassal, and fixed six days
+thence as the time, the courtyard of the castle as the place, and for
+arms the customary ones of knights, lance and shield and full armour,
+with all the other accessories, without trickery, guile, or charms of any
+sort, and examined and passed by the judges of the field. "But first of
+all," he said, "it is requisite that this worthy duenna and unworthy
+damsel should place their claim for justice in the hands of Don Quixote;
+for otherwise nothing can be done, nor can the said challenge be brought
+to a lawful issue."
+
+"I do so place it," replied the duenna.
+
+"And I too," added her daughter, all in tears and covered with shame and
+confusion.
+
+This declaration having been made, and the duke having settled in his own
+mind what he would do in the matter, the ladies in black withdrew, and
+the duchess gave orders that for the future they were not to be treated
+as servants of hers, but as lady adventurers who came to her house to
+demand justice; so they gave them a room to themselves and waited on them
+as they would on strangers, to the consternation of the other
+women-servants, who did not know where the folly and imprudence of Dona
+Rodriguez and her unlucky daughter would stop.
+
+And now, to complete the enjoyment of the feast and bring the dinner to a
+satisfactory end, lo and behold the page who had carried the letters and
+presents to Teresa Panza, the wife of the governor Sancho, entered the
+hall; and the duke and duchess were very well pleased to see him, being
+anxious to know the result of his journey; but when they asked him the
+page said in reply that he could not give it before so many people or in
+a few words, and begged their excellences to be pleased to let it wait
+for a private opportunity, and in the meantime amuse themselves with
+these letters; and taking out the letters he placed them in the duchess's
+hand. One bore by way of address, Letter for my lady the Duchess
+So-and-so, of I don't know where; and the other To my husband Sancho
+Panza, governor of the island of Barataria, whom God prosper longer than
+me. The duchess's bread would not bake, as the saying is, until she had
+read her letter; and having looked over it herself and seen that it might
+be read aloud for the duke and all present to hear, she read out as
+follows.
+
+TERESA PANZA'S LETTER TO THE DUCHESS.
+
+The letter your highness wrote me, my lady, gave me great pleasure, for
+indeed I found it very welcome. The string of coral beads is very fine,
+and my husband's hunting suit does not fall short of it. All this village
+is very much pleased that your ladyship has made a governor of my good
+man Sancho; though nobody will believe it, particularly the curate, and
+Master Nicholas the barber, and the bachelor Samson Carrasco; but I don't
+care for that, for so long as it is true, as it is, they may all say what
+they like; though, to tell the truth, if the coral beads and the suit had
+not come I would not have believed it either; for in this village
+everybody thinks my husband a numskull, and except for governing a flock
+of goats, they cannot fancy what sort of government he can be fit for.
+God grant it, and direct him according as he sees his children stand in
+need of it. I am resolved with your worship's leave, lady of my soul, to
+make the most of this fair day, and go to Court to stretch myself at ease
+in a coach, and make all those I have envying me already burst their eyes
+out; so I beg your excellence to order my husband to send me a small
+trifle of money, and to let it be something to speak of, because one's
+expenses are heavy at the Court; for a loaf costs a real, and meat thirty
+maravedis a pound, which is beyond everything; and if he does not want me
+to go let him tell me in time, for my feet are on the fidgets to be off;
+and my friends and neighbours tell me that if my daughter and I make a
+figure and a brave show at Court, my husband will come to be known far
+more by me than I by him, for of course plenty of people will ask, "Who
+are those ladies in that coach?" and some servant of mine will answer,
+"The wife and daughter of Sancho Panza, governor of the island of
+Barataria;" and in this way Sancho will become known, and I'll be thought
+well of, and "to Rome for everything." I am as vexed as vexed can be that
+they have gathered no acorns this year in our village; for all that I
+send your highness about half a peck that I went to the wood to gather
+and pick out one by one myself, and I could find no bigger ones; I wish
+they were as big as ostrich eggs.
+
+Let not your high mightiness forget to write to me; and I will take care
+to answer, and let you know how I am, and whatever news there may be in
+this place, where I remain, praying our Lord to have your highness in his
+keeping and not to forget me.
+
+Sancha my daughter, and my son, kiss your worship's hands.
+
+She who would rather see your ladyship than write to you,
+
+Your servant,
+
+TERESA PANZA.
+
+All were greatly amused by Teresa Panza's letter, but particularly the
+duke and duchess; and the duchess asked Don Quixote's opinion whether
+they might open the letter that had come for the governor, which she
+suspected must be very good. Don Quixote said that to gratify them he
+would open it, and did so, and found that it ran as follows.
+
+TERESA PANZA'S LETTER TO HER HUSBAND SANCHO PANZA.
+
+I got thy letter, Sancho of my soul, and I promise thee and swear as a
+Catholic Christian that I was within two fingers' breadth of going mad I
+was so happy. I can tell thee, brother, when I came to hear that thou
+wert a governor I thought I should have dropped dead with pure joy; and
+thou knowest they say sudden joy kills as well as great sorrow; and as
+for Sanchica thy daughter, she leaked from sheer happiness. I had before
+me the suit thou didst send me, and the coral beads my lady the duchess
+sent me round my neck, and the letters in my hands, and there was the
+bearer of them standing by, and in spite of all this I verily believed
+and thought that what I saw and handled was all a dream; for who could
+have thought that a goatherd would come to be a governor of islands? Thou
+knowest, my friend, what my mother used to say, that one must live long
+to see much; I say it because I expect to see more if I live longer; for
+I don't expect to stop until I see thee a farmer of taxes or a collector
+of revenue, which are offices where, though the devil carries off those
+who make a bad use of them, still they make and handle money. My lady the
+duchess will tell thee the desire I have to go to the Court; consider the
+matter and let me know thy pleasure; I will try to do honour to thee by
+going in a coach.
+
+Neither the curate, nor the barber, nor the bachelor, nor even the
+sacristan, can believe that thou art a governor, and they say the whole
+thing is a delusion or an enchantment affair, like everything belonging
+to thy master Don Quixote; and Samson says he must go in search of thee
+and drive the government out of thy head and the madness out of Don
+Quixote's skull; I only laugh, and look at my string of beads, and plan
+out the dress I am going to make for our daughter out of thy suit. I sent
+some acorns to my lady the duchess; I wish they had been gold. Send me
+some strings of pearls if they are in fashion in that island. Here is the
+news of the village; La Berrueca has married her daughter to a
+good-for-nothing painter, who came here to paint anything that might turn
+up. The council gave him an order to paint his Majesty's arms over the
+door of the town-hall; he asked two ducats, which they paid him in
+advance; he worked for eight days, and at the end of them had nothing
+painted, and then said he had no turn for painting such trifling things;
+he returned the money, and for all that has married on the pretence of
+being a good workman; to be sure he has now laid aside his paint-brush
+and taken a spade in hand, and goes to the field like a gentleman. Pedro
+Lobo's son has received the first orders and tonsure, with the intention
+of becoming a priest. Minguilla, Mingo Silvato's granddaughter, found it
+out, and has gone to law with him on the score of having given her
+promise of marriage. Evil tongues say she is with child by him, but he
+denies it stoutly. There are no olives this year, and there is not a drop
+of vinegar to be had in the whole village. A company of soldiers passed
+through here; when they left they took away with them three of the girls
+of the village; I will not tell thee who they are; perhaps they will come
+back, and they will be sure to find those who will take them for wives
+with all their blemishes, good or bad. Sanchica is making bonelace; she
+earns eight maravedis a day clear, which she puts into a moneybox as a
+help towards house furnishing; but now that she is a governor's daughter
+thou wilt give her a portion without her working for it. The fountain in
+the plaza has run dry. A flash of lightning struck the gibbet, and I wish
+they all lit there. I look for an answer to this, and to know thy mind
+about my going to the Court; and so, God keep thee longer than me, or as
+long, for I would not leave thee in this world without me.
+
+Thy wife,
+
+TERESA PANZA.
+
+The letters were applauded, laughed over, relished, and admired; and
+then, as if to put the seal to the business, the courier arrived,
+bringing the one Sancho sent to Don Quixote, and this, too, was read out,
+and it raised some doubts as to the governor's simplicity. The duchess
+withdrew to hear from the page about his adventures in Sancho's village,
+which he narrated at full length without leaving a single circumstance
+unmentioned. He gave her the acorns, and also a cheese which Teresa had
+given him as being particularly good and superior to those of Tronchon.
+The duchess received it with greatest delight, in which we will leave
+her, to describe the end of the government of the great Sancho Panza,
+flower and mirror of all governors of islands.
+
+Chapter LIII. -
+Of the troublous end and termination Sancho Panza's government came to
+
+To fancy that in this life anything belonging to it will remain for ever
+in the same state is an idle fancy; on the contrary, in it everything
+seems to go in a circle, I mean round and round. The spring succeeds the
+summer, the summer the fall, the fall the autumn, the autumn the winter,
+and the winter the spring, and so time rolls with never-ceasing wheel.
+Man's life alone, swifter than time, speeds onward to its end without any
+hope of renewal, save it be in that other life which is endless and
+boundless. Thus saith Cide Hamete the Mahometan philosopher; for there
+are many that by the light of nature alone, without the light of faith,
+have a comprehension of the fleeting nature and instability of this
+present life and the endless duration of that eternal life we hope for;
+but our author is here speaking of the rapidity with which Sancho's
+government came to an end, melted away, disappeared, vanished as it were
+in smoke and shadow. For as he lay in bed on the night of the seventh day
+of his government, sated, not with bread and wine, but with delivering
+judgments and giving opinions and making laws and proclamations, just as
+sleep, in spite of hunger, was beginning to close his eyelids, he heard
+such a noise of bell-ringing and shouting that one would have fancied the
+whole island was going to the bottom. He sat up in bed and remained
+listening intently to try if he could make out what could be the cause of
+so great an uproar; not only, however, was he unable to discover what it
+was, but as countless drums and trumpets now helped to swell the din of
+the bells and shouts, he was more puzzled than ever, and filled with fear
+and terror; and getting up he put on a pair of slippers because of the
+dampness of the floor, and without throwing a dressing gown or anything
+of the kind over him he rushed out of the door of his room, just in time
+to see approaching along a corridor a band of more than twenty persons
+with lighted torches and naked swords in their hands, all shouting out,
+"To arms, to arms, senor governor, to arms! The enemy is in the island in
+countless numbers, and we are lost unless your skill and valour come to
+our support."
+
+Keeping up this noise, tumult, and uproar, they came to where Sancho
+stood dazed and bewildered by what he saw and heard, and as they
+approached one of them called out to him, "Arm at once, your lordship, if
+you would not have yourself destroyed and the whole island lost."
+
+"What have I to do with arming?" said Sancho. "What do I know about arms
+or supports? Better leave all that to my master Don Quixote, who will
+settle it and make all safe in a trice; for I, sinner that I am, God help
+me, don't understand these scuffles."
+
+"Ah, senor governor," said another, "what slackness of mettle this is!
+Arm yourself; here are arms for you, offensive and defensive; come out to
+the plaza and be our leader and captain; it falls upon you by right, for
+you are our governor."
+
+"Arm me then, in God's name," said Sancho, and they at once produced two
+large shields they had come provided with, and placed them upon him over
+his shirt, without letting him put on anything else, one shield in front
+and the other behind, and passing his arms through openings they had
+made, they bound him tight with ropes, so that there he was walled and
+boarded up as straight as a spindle and unable to bend his knees or stir
+a single step. In his hand they placed a lance, on which he leant to keep
+himself from falling, and as soon as they had him thus fixed they bade
+him march forward and lead them on and give them all courage; for with
+him for their guide and lamp and morning star, they were sure to bring
+their business to a successful issue.
+
+"How am I to march, unlucky being that I am?" said Sancho, "when I can't
+stir my knee-caps, for these boards I have bound so tight to my body
+won't let me. What you must do is carry me in your arms, and lay me
+across or set me upright in some postern, and I'll hold it either with
+this lance or with my body."
+
+"On, senor governor!" cried another, "it is fear more than the boards
+that keeps you from moving; make haste, stir yourself, for there is no
+time to lose; the enemy is increasing in numbers, the shouts grow louder,
+and the danger is pressing."
+
+Urged by these exhortations and reproaches the poor governor made an
+attempt to advance, but fell to the ground with such a crash that he
+fancied he had broken himself all to pieces. There he lay like a tortoise
+enclosed in its shell, or a side of bacon between two kneading-troughs,
+or a boat bottom up on the beach; nor did the gang of jokers feel any
+compassion for him when they saw him down; so far from that,
+extinguishing their torches they began to shout afresh and to renew the
+calls to arms with such energy, trampling on poor Sancho, and slashing at
+him over the shield with their swords in such a way that, if he had not
+gathered himself together and made himself small and drawn in his head
+between the shields, it would have fared badly with the poor governor,
+as, squeezed into that narrow compass, he lay, sweating and sweating
+again, and commending himself with all his heart to God to deliver him
+from his present peril. Some stumbled over him, others fell upon him, and
+one there was who took up a position on top of him for some time, and
+from thence as if from a watchtower issued orders to the troops, shouting
+out, "Here, our side! Here the enemy is thickest! Hold the breach there!
+Shut that gate! Barricade those ladders! Here with your stink-pots of
+pitch and resin, and kettles of boiling oil! Block the streets with
+feather beds!" In short, in his ardour he mentioned every little thing,
+and every implement and engine of war by means of which an assault upon a
+city is warded off, while the bruised and battered Sancho, who heard and
+suffered all, was saying to himself, "O if it would only please the Lord
+to let the island be lost at once, and I could see myself either dead or
+out of this torture!" Heaven heard his prayer, and when he least expected
+it he heard voices exclaiming, "Victory, victory! The enemy retreats
+beaten! Come, senor governor, get up, and come and enjoy the victory, and
+divide the spoils that have been won from the foe by the might of that
+invincible arm."
+
+"Lift me up," said the wretched Sancho in a woebegone voice. They helped
+him to rise, and as soon as he was on his feet said, "The enemy I have
+beaten you may nail to my forehead; I don't want to divide the spoils of
+the foe, I only beg and entreat some friend, if I have one, to give me a
+sup of wine, for I'm parched with thirst, and wipe me dry, for I'm
+turning to water."
+
+They rubbed him down, fetched him wine and unbound the shields, and he
+seated himself upon his bed, and with fear, agitation, and fatigue he
+fainted away. Those who had been concerned in the joke were now sorry
+they had pushed it so far; however, the anxiety his fainting away had
+caused them was relieved by his returning to himself. He asked what
+o'clock it was; they told him it was just daybreak. He said no more, and
+in silence began to dress himself, while all watched him, waiting to see
+what the haste with which he was putting on his clothes meant.
+
+He got himself dressed at last, and then, slowly, for he was sorely
+bruised and could not go fast, he proceeded to the stable, followed by
+all who were present, and going up to Dapple embraced him and gave him a
+loving kiss on the forehead, and said to him, not without tears in his
+eyes, "Come along, comrade and friend and partner of my toils and
+sorrows; when I was with you and had no cares to trouble me except
+mending your harness and feeding your little carcass, happy were my
+hours, my days, and my years; but since I left you, and mounted the
+towers of ambition and pride, a thousand miseries, a thousand troubles,
+and four thousand anxieties have entered into my soul;" and all the while
+he was speaking in this strain he was fixing the pack-saddle on the ass,
+without a word from anyone. Then having Dapple saddled, he, with great
+pain and difficulty, got up on him, and addressing himself to the
+majordomo, the secretary, the head-carver, and Pedro Recio the doctor and
+several others who stood by, he said, "Make way, gentlemen, and let me go
+back to my old freedom; let me go look for my past life, and raise myself
+up from this present death. I was not born to be a governor or protect
+islands or cities from the enemies that choose to attack them. Ploughing
+and digging, vinedressing and pruning, are more in my way than defending
+provinces or kingdoms. 'Saint Peter is very well at Rome; I mean each of
+us is best following the trade he was born to. A reaping-hook fits my
+hand better than a governor's sceptre; I'd rather have my fill of
+gazpacho' than be subject to the misery of a meddling doctor who me with
+hunger, and I'd rather lie in summer under the shade of an oak, and in
+winter wrap myself in a double sheepskin jacket in freedom, than go to
+bed between holland sheets and dress in sables under the restraint of a
+government. God be with your worships, and tell my lord the duke that
+'naked I was born, naked I find myself, I neither lose nor gain;' I mean
+that without a farthing I came into this government, and without a
+farthing I go out of it, very different from the way governors commonly
+leave other islands. Stand aside and let me go; I have to plaster myself,
+for I believe every one of my ribs is crushed, thanks to the enemies that
+have been trampling over me to-night."
+
+"That is unnecessary, senor governor," said Doctor Recio, "for I will
+give your worship a draught against falls and bruises that will soon make
+you as sound and strong as ever; and as for your diet I promise your
+worship to behave better, and let you eat plentifully of whatever you
+like."
+
+"You spoke late," said Sancho. "I'd as soon turn Turk as stay any longer.
+Those jokes won't pass a second time. By God I'd as soon remain in this
+government, or take another, even if it was offered me between two
+plates, as fly to heaven without wings. I am of the breed of the Panzas,
+and they are every one of them obstinate, and if they once say 'odds,'
+odds it must be, no matter if it is evens, in spite of all the world.
+Here in this stable I leave the ant's wings that lifted me up into the
+air for the swifts and other birds to eat me, and let's take to level
+ground and our feet once more; and if they're not shod in pinked shoes of
+cordovan, they won't want for rough sandals of hemp; 'every ewe to her
+like,' 'and let no one stretch his leg beyond the length of the sheet;'
+and now let me pass, for it's growing late with me."
+
+To this the majordomo said, "Senor governor, we would let your worship go
+with all our hearts, though it sorely grieves us to lose you, for your
+wit and Christian conduct naturally make us regret you; but it is well
+known that every governor, before he leaves the place where he has been
+governing, is bound first of all to render an account. Let your worship
+do so for the ten days you have held the government, and then you may go
+and the peace of God go with you."
+
+"No one can demand it of me," said Sancho, "but he whom my lord the duke
+shall appoint; I am going to meet him, and to him I will render an exact
+one; besides, when I go forth naked as I do, there is no other proof
+needed to show that I have governed like an angel."
+
+"By God the great Sancho is right," said Doctor Recio, "and we should let
+him go, for the duke will be beyond measure glad to see him."
+
+They all agreed to this, and allowed him to go, first offering to bear
+him company and furnish him with all he wanted for his own comfort or for
+the journey. Sancho said he did not want anything more than a little
+barley for Dapple, and half a cheese and half a loaf for himself; for the
+distance being so short there was no occasion for any better or bulkier
+provant. They all embraced him, and he with tears embraced all of them,
+and left them filled with admiration not only at his remarks but at his
+firm and sensible resolution.
+
+Chapter LIV. -
+Which deals with matters relating to this history and no other
+
+The duke and duchess resolved that the challenge Don Quixote had, for the
+reason already mentioned, given their vassal, should be proceeded with;
+and as the young man was in Flanders, whither he had fled to escape
+having Dona Rodriguez for a mother-in-law, they arranged to substitute
+for him a Gascon lacquey, named Tosilos, first of all carefully
+instructing him in all he had to do. Two days later the duke told Don
+Quixote that in four days from that time his opponent would present
+himself on the field of battle armed as a knight, and would maintain that
+the damsel lied by half a beard, nay a whole beard, if she affirmed that
+he had given her a promise of marriage. Don Quixote was greatly pleased
+at the news, and promised himself to do wonders in the lists, and
+reckoned it rare good fortune that an opportunity should have offered for
+letting his noble hosts see what the might of his strong arm was capable
+of; and so in high spirits and satisfaction he awaited the expiration of
+the four days, which measured by his impatience seemed spinning
+themselves out into four hundred ages. Let us leave them to pass as we do
+other things, and go and bear Sancho company, as mounted on Dapple, half
+glad, half sad, he paced along on his road to join his master, in whose
+society he was happier than in being governor of all the islands in the
+world. Well then, it so happened that before he had gone a great way from
+the island of his government (and whether it was island, city, town, or
+village that he governed he never troubled himself to inquire) he saw
+coming along the road he was travelling six pilgrims with staves,
+foreigners of that sort that beg for alms singing; who as they drew near
+arranged themselves in a line and lifting up their voices all together
+began to sing in their own language something that Sancho could not with
+the exception of one word which sounded plainly "alms," from which he
+gathered that it was alms they asked for in their song; and being, as
+Cide Hamete says, remarkably charitable, he took out of his alforias the
+half loaf and half cheese he had been provided with, and gave them to
+them, explaining to them by signs that he had nothing else to give them.
+They received them very gladly, but exclaimed, "Geld! Geld!"
+
+"I don't understand what you want of me, good people," said Sancho.
+
+On this one of them took a purse out of his bosom and showed it to
+Sancho, by which he comprehended they were asking for money, and putting
+his thumb to his throat and spreading his hand upwards he gave them to
+understand that he had not the sign of a coin about him, and urging
+Dapple forward he broke through them. But as he was passing, one of them
+who had been examining him very closely rushed towards him, and flinging
+his arms round him exclaimed in a loud voice and good Spanish, "God bless
+me! What's this I see? Is it possible that I hold in my arms my dear
+friend, my good neighbour Sancho Panza? But there's no doubt about it,
+for I'm not asleep, nor am I drunk just now."
+
+Sancho was surprised to hear himself called by his name and find himself
+embraced by a foreign pilgrim, and after regarding him steadily without
+speaking he was still unable to recognise him; but the pilgrim perceiving
+his perplexity cried, "What! and is it possible, Sancho Panza, that thou
+dost not know thy neighbour Ricote, the Morisco shopkeeper of thy
+village?"
+
+Sancho upon this looking at him more carefully began to recall his
+features, and at last recognised him perfectly, and without getting off
+the ass threw his arms round his neck saying, "Who the devil could have
+known thee, Ricote, in this mummer's dress thou art in? Tell me, who bas
+frenchified thee, and how dost thou dare to return to Spain, where if
+they catch thee and recognise thee it will go hard enough with thee?"
+
+"If thou dost not betray me, Sancho," said the pilgrim, "I am safe; for
+in this dress no one will recognise me; but let us turn aside out of the
+road into that grove there where my comrades are going to eat and rest,
+and thou shalt eat with them there, for they are very good fellows; I'll
+have time enough to tell thee then all that has happened me since I left
+our village in obedience to his Majesty's edict that threatened such
+severities against the unfortunate people of my nation, as thou hast
+heard."
+
+Sancho complied, and Ricote having spoken to the other pilgrims they
+withdrew to the grove they saw, turning a considerable distance out of
+the road. They threw down their staves, took off their pilgrim's cloaks
+and remained in their under-clothing; they were all good-looking young
+fellows, except Ricote, who was a man somewhat advanced in years. They
+carried alforjas all of them, and all apparently well filled, at least
+with things provocative of thirst, such as would summon it from two
+leagues off. They stretched themselves on the ground, and making a
+tablecloth of the grass they spread upon it bread, salt, knives, walnut,
+scraps of cheese, and well-picked ham-bones which if they were past
+gnawing were not past sucking. They also put down a black dainty called,
+they say, caviar, and made of the eggs of fish, a great thirst-wakener.
+Nor was there any lack of olives, dry, it is true, and without any
+seasoning, but for all that toothsome and pleasant. But what made the
+best show in the field of the banquet was half a dozen botas of wine, for
+each of them produced his own from his alforjas; even the good Ricote,
+who from a Morisco had transformed himself into a German or Dutchman,
+took out his, which in size might have vied with the five others. They
+then began to eat with very great relish and very leisurely, making the
+most of each morsel--very small ones of everything--they took up on the
+point of the knife; and then all at the same moment raised their arms and
+botas aloft, the mouths placed in their mouths, and all eyes fixed on
+heaven just as if they were taking aim at it; and in this attitude they
+remained ever so long, wagging their heads from side to side as if in
+acknowledgment of the pleasure they were enjoying while they decanted the
+bowels of the bottles into their own stomachs.
+
+Sancho beheld all, "and nothing gave him pain;" so far from that, acting
+on the proverb he knew so well, "when thou art at Rome do as thou seest,"
+he asked Ricote for his bota and took aim like the rest of them, and with
+not less enjoyment. Four times did the botas bear being uplifted, but the
+fifth it was all in vain, for they were drier and more sapless than a
+rush by that time, which made the jollity that had been kept up so far
+begin to flag.
+
+Every now and then some one of them would grasp Sancho's right hand in
+his own saying, "Espanoli y Tudesqui tuto uno: bon compano;" and Sancho
+would answer, "Bon compano, jur a Di!" and then go off into a fit of
+laughter that lasted an hour, without a thought for the moment of
+anything that had befallen him in his government; for cares have very
+little sway over us while we are eating and drinking. At length, the wine
+having come to an end with them, drowsiness began to come over them, and
+they dropped asleep on their very table and tablecloth. Ricote and Sancho
+alone remained awake, for they had eaten more and drunk less, and Ricote
+drawing Sancho aside, they seated themselves at the foot of a beech,
+leaving the pilgrims buried in sweet sleep; and without once falling into
+his own Morisco tongue Ricote spoke as follows in pure Castilian:
+
+"Thou knowest well, neighbour and friend Sancho Panza, how the
+proclamation or edict his Majesty commanded to be issued against those of
+my nation filled us all with terror and dismay; me at least it did,
+insomuch that I think before the time granted us for quitting Spain was
+out, the full force of the penalty had already fallen upon me and upon my
+children. I decided, then, and I think wisely (just like one who knows
+that at a certain date the house he lives in will be taken from him, and
+looks out beforehand for another to change into), I decided, I say, to
+leave the town myself, alone and without my family, and go to seek out
+some place to remove them to comfortably and not in the hurried way in
+which the others took their departure; for I saw very plainly, and so did
+all the older men among us, that the proclamations were not mere threats,
+as some said, but positive enactments which would be enforced at the
+appointed time; and what made me believe this was what I knew of the base
+and extravagant designs which our people harboured, designs of such a
+nature that I think it was a divine inspiration that moved his Majesty to
+carry out a resolution so spirited; not that we were all guilty, for some
+there were true and steadfast Christians; but they were so few that they
+could make no head against those who were not; and it was not prudent to
+cherish a viper in the bosom by having enemies in the house. In short it
+was with just cause that we were visited with the penalty of banishment,
+a mild and lenient one in the eyes of some, but to us the most terrible
+that could be inflicted upon us. Wherever we are we weep for Spain; for
+after all we were born there and it is our natural fatherland. Nowhere do
+we find the reception our unhappy condition needs; and in Barbary and all
+the parts of Africa where we counted upon being received, succoured, and
+welcomed, it is there they insult and ill-treat us most. We knew not our
+good fortune until we lost it; and such is the longing we almost all of
+us have to return to Spain, that most of those who like myself know the
+language, and there are many who do, come back to it and leave their
+wives and children forsaken yonder, so great is their love for it; and
+now I know by experience the meaning of the saying, sweet is the love of
+one's country.
+
+"I left our village, as I said, and went to France, but though they gave
+us a kind reception there I was anxious to see all I could. I crossed
+into Italy, and reached Germany, and there it seemed to me we might live
+with more freedom, as the inhabitants do not pay any attention to
+trifling points; everyone lives as he likes, for in most parts they enjoy
+liberty of conscience. I took a house in a town near Augsburg, and then
+joined these pilgrims, who are in the habit of coming to Spain in great
+numbers every year to visit the shrines there, which they look upon as
+their Indies and a sure and certain source of gain. They travel nearly
+all over it, and there is no town out of which they do not go full up of
+meat and drink, as the saying is, and with a real, at least, in money,
+and they come off at the end of their travels with more than a hundred
+crowns saved, which, changed into gold, they smuggle out of the kingdom
+either in the hollow of their staves or in the patches of their pilgrim's
+cloaks or by some device of their own, and carry to their own country in
+spite of the guards at the posts and passes where they are searched. Now
+my purpose is, Sancho, to carry away the treasure that I left buried,
+which, as it is outside the town, I shall be able to do without risk, and
+to write, or cross over from Valencia, to my daughter and wife, who I
+know are at Algiers, and find some means of bringing them to some French
+port and thence to Germany, there to await what it may be God's will to
+do with us; for, after all, Sancho, I know well that Ricota my daughter
+and Francisca Ricota my wife are Catholic Christians, and though I am not
+so much so, still I am more of a Christian than a Moor, and it is always
+my prayer to God that he will open the eyes of my understanding and show
+me how I am to serve him; but what amazes me and I cannot understand is
+why my wife and daughter should have gone to Barbary rather than to
+France, where they could live as Christians."
+
+To this Sancho replied, "Remember, Ricote, that may not have been open to
+them, for Juan Tiopieyo thy wife's brother took them, and being a true
+Moor he went where he could go most easily; and another thing I can tell
+thee, it is my belief thou art going in vain to look for what thou hast
+left buried, for we heard they took from thy brother-in-law and thy wife
+a great quantity of pearls and money in gold which they brought to be
+passed."
+
+"That may be," said Ricote; "but I know they did not touch my hoard, for
+I did not tell them where it was, for fear of accidents; and so, if thou
+wilt come with me, Sancho, and help me to take it away and conceal it, I
+will give thee two hundred crowns wherewith thou mayest relieve thy
+necessities, and, as thou knowest, I know they are many."
+
+"I would do it," said Sancho; "but I am not at all covetous, for I gave
+up an office this morning in which, if I was, I might have made the walls
+of my house of gold and dined off silver plates before six months were
+over; and so for this reason, and because I feel I would be guilty of
+treason to my king if I helped his enemies, I would not go with thee if
+instead of promising me two hundred crowns thou wert to give me four
+hundred here in hand."
+
+"And what office is this thou hast given up, Sancho?" asked Ricote.
+
+"I have given up being governor of an island," said Sancho, "and such a
+one, faith, as you won't find the like of easily."
+
+"And where is this island?" said Ricote.
+
+"Where?" said Sancho; "two leagues from here, and it is called the island
+of Barataria."
+
+"Nonsense! Sancho," said Ricote; "islands are away out in the sea; there
+are no islands on the mainland."
+
+"What? No islands!" said Sancho; "I tell thee, friend Ricote, I left it
+this morning, and yesterday I was governing there as I pleased like a
+sagittarius; but for all that I gave it up, for it seemed to me a
+dangerous office, a governor's."
+
+"And what hast thou gained by the government?" asked Ricote.
+
+"I have gained," said Sancho, "the knowledge that I am no good for
+governing, unless it is a drove of cattle, and that the riches that are
+to be got by these governments are got at the cost of one's rest and
+sleep, ay and even one's food; for in islands the governors must eat
+little, especially if they have doctors to look after their health."
+
+"I don't understand thee, Sancho," said Ricote; "but it seems to me all
+nonsense thou art talking. Who would give thee islands to govern? Is
+there any scarcity in the world of cleverer men than thou art for
+governors? Hold thy peace, Sancho, and come back to thy senses, and
+consider whether thou wilt come with me as I said to help me to take away
+treasure I left buried (for indeed it may be called a treasure, it is so
+large), and I will give thee wherewithal to keep thee, as I told thee."
+
+"And I have told thee already, Ricote, that I will not," said Sancho;
+"let it content thee that by me thou shalt not be betrayed, and go thy
+way in God's name and let me go mine; for I know that well-gotten gain
+may be lost, but ill-gotten gain is lost, itself and its owner likewise."
+
+"I will not press thee, Sancho," said Ricote; "but tell me, wert thou in
+our village when my wife and daughter and brother-in-law left it?"
+
+"I was so," said Sancho; "and I can tell thee thy daughter left it
+looking so lovely that all the village turned out to see her, and
+everybody said she was the fairest creature in the world. She wept as she
+went, and embraced all her friends and acquaintances and those who came
+out to see her, and she begged them all to commend her to God and Our
+Lady his mother, and this in such a touching way that it made me weep
+myself, though I'm not much given to tears commonly; and, faith, many a
+one would have liked to hide her, or go out and carry her off on the
+road; but the fear of going against the king's command kept them back.
+The one who showed himself most moved was Don Pedro Gregorio, the rich
+young heir thou knowest of, and they say he was deep in love with her;
+and since she left he has not been seen in our village again, and we all
+suspect he has gone after her to steal her away, but so far nothing has
+been heard of it."
+
+"I always had a suspicion that gentleman had a passion for my daughter,"
+said Ricote; "but as I felt sure of my Ricota's virtue it gave me no
+uneasiness to know that he loved her; for thou must have heard it said,
+Sancho, that the Morisco women seldom or never engage in amours with the
+old Christians; and my daughter, who I fancy thought more of being a
+Christian than of lovemaking, would not trouble herself about the
+attentions of this heir."
+
+"God grant it," said Sancho, "for it would be a bad business for both of
+them; but now let me be off, friend Ricote, for I want to reach where my
+master Don Quixote is to-night."
+
+"God be with thee, brother Sancho," said Ricote; "my comrades are
+beginning to stir, and it is time, too, for us to continue our journey;"
+and then they both embraced, and Sancho mounted Dapple, and Ricote leant
+upon his staff, and so they parted.
+
+Chapter LV. -
+Of what befell Sancho on the road, and other things that cannot be
+surpassed
+
+The length of time he delayed with Ricote prevented Sancho from reaching
+the duke's castle that day, though he was within half a league of it when
+night, somewhat dark and cloudy, overtook him. This, however, as it was
+summer time, did not give him much uneasiness, and he turned aside out of
+the road intending to wait for morning; but his ill luck and hard fate so
+willed it that as he was searching about for a place to make himself as
+comfortable as possible, he and Dapple fell into a deep dark hole that
+lay among some very old buildings. As he fell he commended himself with
+all his heart to God, fancying he was not going to stop until he reached
+the depths of the bottomless pit; but it did not turn out so, for at
+little more than thrice a man's height Dapple touched bottom, and he
+found himself sitting on him without having received any hurt or damage
+whatever. He felt himself all over and held his breath to try whether he
+was quite sound or had a hole made in him anywhere, and finding himself
+all right and whole and in perfect health he was profuse in his thanks to
+God our Lord for the mercy that had been shown him, for he made sure he
+had been broken into a thousand pieces. He also felt along the sides of
+the pit with his hands to see if it were possible to get out of it
+without help, but he found they were quite smooth and afforded no hold
+anywhere, at which he was greatly distressed, especially when he heard
+how pathetically and dolefully Dapple was bemoaning himself, and no
+wonder he complained, nor was it from ill-temper, for in truth he was not
+in a very good case. "Alas," said Sancho, "what unexpected accidents
+happen at every step to those who live in this miserable world! Who would
+have said that one who saw himself yesterday sitting on a throne,
+governor of an island, giving orders to his servants and his vassals,
+would see himself to-day buried in a pit without a soul to help him, or
+servant or vassal to come to his relief? Here must we perish with hunger,
+my ass and myself, if indeed we don't die first, he of his bruises and
+injuries, and I of grief and sorrow. At any rate I'll not be as lucky as
+my master Don Quixote of La Mancha, when he went down into the cave of
+that enchanted Montesinos, where he found people to make more of him than
+if he had been in his own house; for it seems he came in for a table laid
+out and a bed ready made. There he saw fair and pleasant visions, but
+here I'll see, I imagine, toads and adders. Unlucky wretch that I am,
+what an end my follies and fancies have come to! They'll take up my bones
+out of this, when it is heaven's will that I'm found, picked clean, white
+and polished, and my good Dapple's with them, and by that, perhaps, it
+will be found out who we are, at least by such as have heard that Sancho
+Panza never separated from his ass, nor his ass from Sancho Panza.
+Unlucky wretches, I say again, that our hard fate should not let us die
+in our own country and among our own people, where if there was no help
+for our misfortune, at any rate there would be some one to grieve for it
+and to close our eyes as we passed away! O comrade and friend, how ill
+have I repaid thy faithful services! Forgive me, and entreat Fortune, as
+well as thou canst, to deliver us out of this miserable strait we are
+both in; and I promise to put a crown of laurel on thy head, and make
+thee look like a poet laureate, and give thee double feeds."
+
+In this strain did Sancho bewail himself, and his ass listened to him,
+but answered him never a word, such was the distress and anguish the poor
+beast found himself in. At length, after a night spent in bitter moanings
+and lamentations, day came, and by its light Sancho perceived that it was
+wholly impossible to escape out of that pit without help, and he fell to
+bemoaning his fate and uttering loud shouts to find out if there was
+anyone within hearing; but all his shouting was only crying in the
+wilderness, for there was not a soul anywhere in the neighbourhood to
+hear him, and then at last he gave himself up for dead. Dapple was lying
+on his back, and Sancho helped him to his feet, which he was scarcely
+able to keep; and then taking a piece of bread out of his alforjas which
+had shared their fortunes in the fall, he gave it to the ass, to whom it
+was not unwelcome, saying to him as if he understood him, "With bread all
+sorrows are less."
+
+And now he perceived on one side of the pit a hole large enough to admit
+a person if he stooped and squeezed himself into a small compass. Sancho
+made for it, and entered it by creeping, and found it wide and spacious
+on the inside, which he was able to see as a ray of sunlight that
+penetrated what might be called the roof showed it all plainly. He
+observed too that it opened and widened out into another spacious cavity;
+seeing which he made his way back to where the ass was, and with a stone
+began to pick away the clay from the hole until in a short time he had
+made room for the beast to pass easily, and this accomplished, taking him
+by the halter, he proceeded to traverse the cavern to see if there was
+any outlet at the other end. He advanced, sometimes in the dark,
+sometimes without light, but never without fear; "God Almighty help me!"
+said he to himself; "this that is a misadventure to me would make a good
+adventure for my master Don Quixote. He would have been sure to take
+these depths and dungeons for flowery gardens or the palaces of Galiana,
+and would have counted upon issuing out of this darkness and imprisonment
+into some blooming meadow; but I, unlucky that I am, hopeless and
+spiritless, expect at every step another pit deeper than the first to
+open under my feet and swallow me up for good; 'welcome evil, if thou
+comest alone.'"
+
+In this way and with these reflections he seemed to himself to have
+travelled rather more than half a league, when at last he perceived a dim
+light that looked like daylight and found its way in on one side, showing
+that this road, which appeared to him the road to the other world, led to
+some opening.
+
+Here Cide Hamete leaves him, and returns to Don Quixote, who in high
+spirits and satisfaction was looking forward to the day fixed for the
+battle he was to fight with him who had robbed Dona Rodriguez's daughter
+of her honour, for whom he hoped to obtain satisfaction for the wrong and
+injury shamefully done to her. It came to pass, then, that having sallied
+forth one morning to practise and exercise himself in what he would have
+to do in the encounter he expected to find himself engaged in the next
+day, as he was putting Rocinante through his paces or pressing him to the
+charge, he brought his feet so close to a pit that but for reining him in
+tightly it would have been impossible for him to avoid falling into it.
+He pulled him up, however, without a fall, and coming a little closer
+examined the hole without dismounting; but as he was looking at it he
+heard loud cries proceeding from it, and by listening attentively was
+able to make out that he who uttered them was saying, "Ho, above there!
+is there any Christian that hears me, or any charitable gentleman that
+will take pity on a sinner buried alive, on an unfortunate disgoverned
+governor?"
+
+It struck Don Quixote that it was the voice of Sancho Panza he heard,
+whereat he was taken aback and amazed, and raising his own voice as much
+as he could, he cried out, "Who is below there? Who is that complaining?"
+
+"Who should be here, or who should complain," was the answer, "but the
+forlorn Sancho Panza, for his sins and for his ill-luck governor of the
+island of Barataria, squire that was to the famous knight Don Quixote of
+La Mancha?"
+
+When Don Quixote heard this his amazement was redoubled and his
+perturbation grew greater than ever, for it suggested itself to his mind
+that Sancho must be dead, and that his soul was in torment down there;
+and carried away by this idea he exclaimed, "I conjure thee by everything
+that as a Catholic Christian I can conjure thee by, tell me who thou art;
+and if thou art a soul in torment, tell me what thou wouldst have me do
+for thee; for as my profession is to give aid and succour to those that
+need it in this world, it will also extend to aiding and succouring the
+distressed of the other, who cannot help themselves."
+
+"In that case," answered the voice, "your worship who speaks to me must
+be my master Don Quixote of La Mancha; nay, from the tone of the voice it
+is plain it can be nobody else."
+
+"Don Quixote I am," replied Don Quixote, "he whose profession it is to
+aid and succour the living and the dead in their necessities; wherefore
+tell me who thou art, for thou art keeping me in suspense; because, if
+thou art my squire Sancho Panza, and art dead, since the devils have not
+carried thee off, and thou art by God's mercy in purgatory, our holy
+mother the Roman Catholic Church has intercessory means sufficient to
+release thee from the pains thou art in; and I for my part will plead
+with her to that end, so far as my substance will go; without further
+delay, therefore, declare thyself, and tell me who thou art."
+
+"By all that's good," was the answer, "and by the birth of whomsoever
+your worship chooses, I swear, Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, that I am
+your squire Sancho Panza, and that I have never died all my life; but
+that, having given up my government for reasons that would require more
+time to explain, I fell last night into this pit where I am now, and
+Dapple is witness and won't let me lie, for more by token he is here with
+me."
+
+Nor was this all; one would have fancied the ass understood what Sancho
+said, because that moment he began to bray so loudly that the whole cave
+rang again.
+
+"Famous testimony!" exclaimed Don Quixote; "I know that bray as well as
+if I was its mother, and thy voice too, my Sancho. Wait while I go to the
+duke's castle, which is close by, and I will bring some one to take thee
+out of this pit into which thy sins no doubt have brought thee."
+
+"Go, your worship," said Sancho, "and come back quick for God's sake; for
+I cannot bear being buried alive any longer, and I'm dying of fear."
+
+Don Quixote left him, and hastened to the castle to tell the duke and
+duchess what had happened Sancho, and they were not a little astonished
+at it; they could easily understand his having fallen, from the
+confirmatory circumstance of the cave which had been in existence there
+from time immemorial; but they could not imagine how he had quitted the
+government without their receiving any intimation of his coming. To be
+brief, they fetched ropes and tackle, as the saying is, and by dint of
+many hands and much labour they drew up Dapple and Sancho Panza out of
+the darkness into the light of day. A student who saw him remarked,
+"That's the way all bad governors should come out of their governments,
+as this sinner comes out of the depths of the pit, dead with hunger,
+pale, and I suppose without a farthing."
+
+Sancho overheard him and said, "It is eight or ten days, brother growler,
+since I entered upon the government of the island they gave me, and all
+that time I never had a bellyful of victuals, no not for an hour; doctors
+persecuted me and enemies crushed my bones; nor had I any opportunity of
+taking bribes or levying taxes; and if that be the case, as it is, I
+don't deserve, I think, to come out in this fashion; but 'man proposes
+and God disposes;' and God knows what is best, and what suits each one
+best; and 'as the occasion, so the behaviour;' and 'let nobody say "I
+won't drink of this water;"' and 'where one thinks there are flitches,
+there are no pegs;' God knows my meaning and that's enough; I say no
+more, though I could."
+
+"Be not angry or annoyed at what thou hearest, Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"or there will never be an end of it; keep a safe conscience and let them
+say what they like; for trying to stop slanderers' tongues is like trying
+to put gates to the open plain. If a governor comes out of his government
+rich, they say he has been a thief; and if he comes out poor, that he has
+been a noodle and a blockhead."
+
+"They'll be pretty sure this time," said Sancho, "to set me down for a
+fool rather than a thief."
+
+Thus talking, and surrounded by boys and a crowd of people, they reached
+the castle, where in one of the corridors the duke and duchess stood
+waiting for them; but Sancho would not go up to see the duke until he had
+first put up Dapple in the stable, for he said he had passed a very bad
+night in his last quarters; then he went upstairs to see his lord and
+lady, and kneeling before them he said, "Because it was your highnesses'
+pleasure, not because of any desert of my own, I went to govern your
+island of Barataria, which 'I entered naked, and naked I find myself; I
+neither lose nor gain.' Whether I have governed well or ill, I have had
+witnesses who will say what they think fit. I have answered questions, I
+have decided causes, and always dying of hunger, for Doctor Pedro Recio
+of Tirteafuera, the island and governor doctor, would have it so. Enemies
+attacked us by night and put us in a great quandary, but the people of
+the island say they came off safe and victorious by the might of my arm;
+and may God give them as much health as there's truth in what they say.
+In short, during that time I have weighed the cares and responsibilities
+governing brings with it, and by my reckoning I find my shoulders can't
+bear them, nor are they a load for my loins or arrows for my quiver; and
+so, before the government threw me over I preferred to throw the
+government over; and yesterday morning I left the island as I found it,
+with the same streets, houses, and roofs it had when I entered it. I
+asked no loan of anybody, nor did I try to fill my pocket; and though I
+meant to make some useful laws, I made hardly any, as I was afraid they
+would not be kept; for in that case it comes to the same thing to make
+them or not to make them. I quitted the island, as I said, without any
+escort except my ass; I fell into a pit, I pushed on through it, until
+this morning by the light of the sun I saw an outlet, but not so easy a
+one but that, had not heaven sent me my master Don Quixote, I'd have
+stayed there till the end of the world. So now my lord and lady duke and
+duchess, here is your governor Sancho Panza, who in the bare ten days he
+has held the government has come by the knowledge that he would not give
+anything to be governor, not to say of an island, but of the whole world;
+and that point being settled, kissing your worships' feet, and imitating
+the game of the boys when they say, 'leap thou, and give me one,' I take
+a leap out of the government and pass into the service of my master Don
+Quixote; for after all, though in it I eat my bread in fear and
+trembling, at any rate I take my fill; and for my part, so long as I'm
+full, it's all alike to me whether it's with carrots or with partridges."
+
+Here Sancho brought his long speech to an end, Don Quixote having been
+the whole time in dread of his uttering a host of absurdities; and when
+he found him leave off with so few, he thanked heaven in his heart. The
+duke embraced Sancho and told him he was heartily sorry he had given up
+the government so soon, but that he would see that he was provided with
+some other post on his estate less onerous and more profitable. The
+duchess also embraced him, and gave orders that he should be taken good
+care of, as it was plain to see he had been badly treated and worse
+bruised.
+
+Chapter LVI. -
+Of the prodigious and unparalleled battle that took place between Don
+Quixote of la mancha and the Lacquey Tosilos in defence of the daughter
+of Dona Rodriguez
+
+The duke and duchess had no reason to regret the joke that had been
+played upon Sancho Panza in giving him the government; especially as
+their majordomo returned the same day, and gave them a minute account of
+almost every word and deed that Sancho uttered or did during the time;
+and to wind up with, eloquently described to them the attack upon the
+island and Sancho's fright and departure, with which they were not a
+little amused. After this the history goes on to say that the day fixed
+for the battle arrived, and that the duke, after having repeatedly
+instructed his lacquey Tosilos how to deal with Don Quixote so as to
+vanquish him without killing or wounding him, gave orders to have the
+heads removed from the lances, telling Don Quixote that Christian
+charity, on which he plumed himself, could not suffer the battle to be
+fought with so much risk and danger to life; and that he must be content
+with the offer of a battlefield on his territory (though that was against
+the decree of the holy Council, which prohibits all challenges of the
+sort) and not push such an arduous venture to its extreme limits. Don
+Quixote bade his excellence arrange all matters connected with the affair
+as he pleased, as on his part he would obey him in everything. The dread
+day, then, having arrived, and the duke having ordered a spacious stand
+to be erected facing the court of the castle for the judges of the field
+and the appellant duennas, mother and daughter, vast crowds flocked from
+all the villages and hamlets of the neighbourhood to see the novel
+spectacle of the battle; nobody, dead or alive, in those parts having
+ever seen or heard of such a one.
+
+The first person to enter the-field and the lists was the master of the
+ceremonies, who surveyed and paced the whole ground to see that there was
+nothing unfair and nothing concealed to make the combatants stumble or
+fall; then the duennas entered and seated themselves, enveloped in
+mantles covering their eyes, nay even their bosoms, and displaying no
+slight emotion as Don Quixote appeared in the lists. Shortly afterwards,
+accompanied by several trumpets and mounted on a powerful steed that
+threatened to crush the whole place, the great lacquey Tosilos made his
+appearance on one side of the courtyard with his visor down and stiffly
+cased in a suit of stout shining armour. The horse was a manifest
+Frieslander, broad-backed and flea-bitten, and with half a hundred of
+wool hanging to each of his fetlocks. The gallant combatant came well
+primed by his master the duke as to how he was to bear himself against
+the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha; being warned that he must on no
+account slay him, but strive to shirk the first encounter so as to avoid
+the risk of killing him, as he was sure to do if he met him full tilt. He
+crossed the courtyard at a walk, and coming to where the duennas were
+placed stopped to look at her who demanded him for a husband; the marshal
+of the field summoned Don Quixote, who had already presented himself in
+the courtyard, and standing by the side of Tosilos he addressed the
+duennas, and asked them if they consented that Don Quixote of La Mancha
+should do battle for their right. They said they did, and that whatever
+he should do in that behalf they declared rightly done, final and valid.
+By this time the duke and duchess had taken their places in a gallery
+commanding the enclosure, which was filled to overflowing with a
+multitude of people eager to see this perilous and unparalleled
+encounter. The conditions of the combat were that if Don Quixote proved
+the victor his antagonist was to marry the daughter of Dona Rodriguez;
+but if he should be vanquished his opponent was released from the promise
+that was claimed against him and from all obligations to give
+satisfaction. The master of the ceremonies apportioned the sun to them,
+and stationed them, each on the spot where he was to stand. The drums
+beat, the sound of the trumpets filled the air, the earth trembled under
+foot, the hearts of the gazing crowd were full of anxiety, some hoping
+for a happy issue, some apprehensive of an untoward ending to the affair,
+and lastly, Don Quixote, commending himself with all his heart to God our
+Lord and to the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, stood waiting for them to give
+the necessary signal for the onset. Our lacquey, however, was thinking of
+something very different; he only thought of what I am now going to
+mention.
+
+It seems that as he stood contemplating his enemy she struck him as the
+most beautiful woman he had ever seen all his life; and the little blind
+boy whom in our streets they commonly call Love had no mind to let slip
+the chance of triumphing over a lacquey heart, and adding it to the list
+of his trophies; and so, stealing gently upon him unseen, he drove a dart
+two yards long into the poor lacquey's left side and pierced his heart
+through and through; which he was able to do quite at his ease, for Love
+is invisible, and comes in and goes out as he likes, without anyone
+calling him to account for what he does. Well then, when they gave the
+signal for the onset our lacquey was in an ecstasy, musing upon the
+beauty of her whom he had already made mistress of his liberty, and so he
+paid no attention to the sound of the trumpet, unlike Don Quixote, who
+was off the instant he heard it, and, at the highest speed Rocinante was
+capable of, set out to meet his enemy, his good squire Sancho shouting
+lustily as he saw him start, "God guide thee, cream and flower of
+knights-errant! God give thee the victory, for thou hast the right on thy
+side!" But though Tosilos saw Don Quixote coming at him he never stirred
+a step from the spot where he was posted; and instead of doing so called
+loudly to the marshal of the field, to whom when he came up to see what
+he wanted he said, "Senor, is not this battle to decide whether I marry
+or do not marry that lady?" "Just so," was the answer. "Well then," said
+the lacquey, "I feel qualms of conscience, and I should lay a-heavy
+burden upon it if I were to proceed any further with the combat; I
+therefore declare that I yield myself vanquished, and that I am willing
+to marry the lady at once."
+
+The marshal of the field was lost in astonishment at the words of
+Tosilos; and as he was one of those who were privy to the arrangement of
+the affair he knew not what to say in reply. Don Quixote pulled up in mid
+career when he saw that his enemy was not coming on to the attack. The
+duke could not make out the reason why the battle did not go on; but the
+marshal of the field hastened to him to let him know what Tosilos said,
+and he was amazed and extremely angry at it. In the meantime Tosilos
+advanced to where Dona Rodriguez sat and said in a loud voice, "Senora, I
+am willing to marry your daughter, and I have no wish to obtain by strife
+and fighting what I can obtain in peace and without any risk to my life."
+
+The valiant Don Quixote heard him, and said, "As that is the case I am
+released and absolved from my promise; let them marry by all means, and
+as 'God our Lord has given her, may Saint Peter add his blessing.'"
+
+The duke had now descended to the courtyard of the castle, and going up
+to Tosilos he said to him, "Is it true, sir knight, that you yield
+yourself vanquished, and that moved by scruples of conscience you wish to
+marry this damsel?"
+
+"It is, senor," replied Tosilos.
+
+"And he does well," said Sancho, "for what thou hast to give to the
+mouse, give to the cat, and it will save thee all trouble."
+
+Tosilos meanwhile was trying to unlace his helmet, and he begged them to
+come to his help at once, as his power of breathing was failing him, and
+he could not remain so long shut up in that confined space. They removed
+it in all haste, and his lacquey features were revealed to public gaze.
+At this sight Dona Rodriguez and her daughter raised a mighty outcry,
+exclaiming, "This is a trick! This is a trick! They have put Tosilos, my
+lord the duke's lacquey, upon us in place of the real husband. The
+justice of God and the king against such trickery, not to say roguery!"
+
+"Do not distress yourselves, ladies," said Don Quixote; "for this is no
+trickery or roguery; or if it is, it is not the duke who is at the bottom
+of it, but those wicked enchanters who persecute me, and who, jealous of
+my reaping the glory of this victory, have turned your husband's features
+into those of this person, who you say is a lacquey of the duke's; take
+my advice, and notwithstanding the malice of my enemies marry him, for
+beyond a doubt he is the one you wish for a husband."
+
+When the duke heard this all his anger was near vanishing in a fit of
+laughter, and he said, "The things that happen to Senor Don Quixote are
+so extraordinary that I am ready to believe this lacquey of mine is not
+one; but let us adopt this plan and device; let us put off the marriage
+for, say, a fortnight, and let us keep this person about whom we are
+uncertain in close confinement, and perhaps in the course of that time he
+may return to his original shape; for the spite which the enchanters
+entertain against Senor Don Quixote cannot last so long, especially as it
+is of so little advantage to them to practise these deceptions and
+transformations."
+
+"Oh, senor," said Sancho, "those scoundrels are well used to changing
+whatever concerns my master from one thing into another. A knight that he
+overcame some time back, called the Knight of the Mirrors, they turned
+into the shape of the bachelor Samson Carrasco of our town and a great
+friend of ours; and my lady Dulcinea del Toboso they have turned into a
+common country wench; so I suspect this lacquey will have to live and die
+a lacquey all the days of his life."
+
+Here the Rodriguez's daughter exclaimed, "Let him be who he may, this man
+that claims me for a wife; I am thankful to him for the same, for I had
+rather be the lawful wife of a lacquey than the cheated mistress of a
+gentleman; though he who played me false is nothing of the kind."
+
+To be brief, all the talk and all that had happened ended in Tosilos
+being shut up until it was seen how his transformation turned out. All
+hailed Don Quixote as victor, but the greater number were vexed and
+disappointed at finding that the combatants they had been so anxiously
+waiting for had not battered one another to pieces, just as the boys are
+disappointed when the man they are waiting to see hanged does not come
+out, because the prosecution or the court has pardoned him. The people
+dispersed, the duke and Don Quixote returned to the castle, they locked
+up Tosilos, Dona Rodriguez and her daughter remained perfectly contented
+when they saw that any way the affair must end in marriage, and Tosilos
+wanted nothing else.
+
+Chapter LVII. -
+Which treats of how Don Quixote took leave of the Duke, and of what
+followed with the witty and impudent Altisidora, one of the Duchess's
+damsels
+
+Don Quixote now felt it right to quit a life of such idleness as he was
+leading in the castle; for he fancied that he was making himself sorely
+missed by suffering himself to remain shut up and inactive amid the
+countless luxuries and enjoyments his hosts lavished upon him as a
+knight, and he felt too that he would have to render a strict account to
+heaven of that indolence and seclusion; and so one day he asked the duke
+and duchess to grant him permission to take his departure. They gave it,
+showing at the same time that they were very sorry he was leaving them.
+
+The duchess gave his wife's letters to Sancho Panza, who shed tears over
+them, saying, "Who would have thought that such grand hopes as the news
+of my government bred in my wife Teresa Panza's breast would end in my
+going back now to the vagabond adventures of my master Don Quixote of La
+Mancha? Still I'm glad to see my Teresa behaved as she ought in sending
+the acorns, for if she had not sent them I'd have been sorry, and she'd
+have shown herself ungrateful. It is a comfort to me that they can't call
+that present a bribe; for I had got the government already when she sent
+them, and it's but reasonable that those who have had a good turn done
+them should show their gratitude, if it's only with a trifle. After all I
+went into the government naked, and I come out of it naked; so I can say
+with a safe conscience--and that's no small matter--'naked I was born,
+naked I find myself, I neither lose nor gain.'"
+
+Thus did Sancho soliloquise on the day of their departure, as Don
+Quixote, who had the night before taken leave of the duke and duchess,
+coming out made his appearance at an early hour in full armour in the
+courtyard of the castle. The whole household of the castle were watching
+him from the corridors, and the duke and duchess, too, came out to see
+him. Sancho was mounted on his Dapple, with his alforjas, valise, and
+proven, supremely happy because the duke's majordomo, the same that had
+acted the part of the Trifaldi, had given him a little purse with two
+hundred gold crowns to meet the necessary expenses of the road, but of
+this Don Quixote knew nothing as yet. While all were, as has been said,
+observing him, suddenly from among the duennas and handmaidens the
+impudent and witty Altisidora lifted up her voice and said in pathetic
+tones:
+
+poem{
+
+Give ear, cruel knight;
+  Draw rein; where's the need
+Of spurring the flanks
+  Of that ill-broken steed?
+From what art thou flying?
+  No dragon I am,
+Not even a sheep,
+  But a tender young lamb.
+Thou hast jilted a maiden
+  As fair to behold
+As nymph of Diana
+  Or Venus of old.
+
+Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
+
+Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
+
+In thy claws, ruthless robber,
+  Thou bearest away
+The heart of a meek
+  Loving maid for thy prey,
+Three kerchiefs thou stealest,
+  And garters a pair,
+From legs than the whitest
+  Of marble more fair;
+And the sighs that pursue thee
+  Would burn to the ground
+Two thousand Troy Towns,
+  If so many were found.
+
+Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
+
+Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
+
+May no bowels of mercy
+  To Sancho be granted,
+And thy Dulcinea
+  Be left still enchanted,
+May thy falsehood to me
+  Find its punishment in her,
+For in my land the just
+  Often pays for the sinner.
+May thy grandest adventures
+  Discomfitures prove,
+May thy joys be all dreams,
+  And forgotten thy love.
+
+Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
+
+Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
+
+May thy name be abhorred
+  For thy conduct to ladies,
+From London to England,
+  From Seville to Cadiz;
+May thy cards be unlucky,
+  Thy hands contain ne'er a
+King, seven, or ace
+  When thou playest primera;
+When thy corns are cut
+  May it be to the quick;
+When thy grinders are drawn
+  May the roots of them stick.
+
+Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
+
+Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
+
+}poem
+
+All the while the unhappy Altisidora was bewailing herself in the above
+strain Don Quixote stood staring at her; and without uttering a word in
+reply to her he turned round to Sancho and said, "Sancho my friend, I
+conjure thee by the life of thy forefathers tell me the truth; say, hast
+thou by any chance taken the three kerchiefs and the garters this
+love-sick maid speaks of?"
+
+To this Sancho made answer, "The three kerchiefs I have; but the garters,
+as much as 'over the hills of Ubeda.'"
+
+The duchess was amazed at Altisidora's assurance; she knew that she was
+bold, lively, and impudent, but not so much so as to venture to make free
+in this fashion; and not being prepared for the joke, her astonishment
+was all the greater. The duke had a mind to keep up the sport, so he
+said, "It does not seem to me well done in you, sir knight, that after
+having received the hospitality that has been offered you in this very
+castle, you should have ventured to carry off even three kerchiefs, not
+to say my handmaid's garters. It shows a bad heart and does not tally
+with your reputation. Restore her garters, or else I defy you to mortal
+combat, for I am not afraid of rascally enchanters changing or altering
+my features as they changed his who encountered you into those of my
+lacquey, Tosilos."
+
+"God forbid," said Don Quixote, "that I should draw my sword against your
+illustrious person from which I have received such great favours. The
+kerchiefs I will restore, as Sancho says he has them; as to the garters
+that is impossible, for I have not got them, neither has he; and if your
+handmaiden here will look in her hiding-places, depend upon it she will
+find them. I have never been a thief, my lord duke, nor do I mean to be
+so long as I live, if God cease not to have me in his keeping. This
+damsel by her own confession speaks as one in love, for which I am not to
+blame, and therefore need not ask pardon, either of her or of your
+excellence, whom I entreat to have a better opinion of me, and once more
+to give me leave to pursue my journey."
+
+"And may God so prosper it, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, "that
+we may always hear good news of your exploits; God speed you; for the
+longer you stay, the more you inflame the hearts of the damsels who
+behold you; and as for this one of mine, I will so chastise her that she
+will not transgress again, either with her eyes or with her words."
+
+"One word and no more, O valiant Don Quixote, I ask you to hear," said
+Altisidora, "and that is that I beg your pardon about the theft of the
+garters; for by God and upon my soul I have got them on, and I have
+fallen into the same blunder as he did who went looking for his ass being
+all the while mounted on it."
+
+"Didn't I say so?" said Sancho. "I'm a likely one to hide thefts! Why if
+I wanted to deal in them, opportunities came ready enough to me in my
+government."
+
+Don Quixote bowed his head, and saluted the duke and duchess and all the
+bystanders, and wheeling Rocinante round, Sancho following him on Dapple,
+he rode out of the castle, shaping his course for Saragossa.
+
+Chapter LVIII. -
+Which tells how adventures came crowding on Don Quixote in such numbers
+that they gave one another no breathing-time
+
+When Don Quixote saw himself in open country, free, and relieved from the
+attentions of Altisidora, he felt at his ease, and in fresh spirits to
+take up the pursuit of chivalry once more; and turning to Sancho he said,
+"Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has
+bestowed upon men; no treasures that the earth holds buried or the sea
+conceals can compare with it; for freedom, as for honour, life may and
+should be ventured; and on the other hand, captivity is the greatest evil
+that can fall to the lot of man. I say this, Sancho, because thou hast
+seen the good cheer, the abundance we have enjoyed in this castle we are
+leaving; well then, amid those dainty banquets and snow-cooled beverages
+I felt as though I were undergoing the straits of hunger, because I did
+not enjoy them with the same freedom as if they had been mine own; for
+the sense of being under an obligation to return benefits and favours
+received is a restraint that checks the independence of the spirit. Happy
+he, to whom heaven has given a piece of bread for which he is not bound
+to give thanks to any but heaven itself!"
+
+"For all your worship says," said Sancho, "it is not becoming that there
+should be no thanks on our part for two hundred gold crowns that the
+duke's majordomo has given me in a little purse which I carry next my
+heart, like a warming plaster or comforter, to meet any chance calls; for
+we shan't always find castles where they'll entertain us; now and then we
+may light upon roadside inns where they'll cudgel us."
+
+In conversation of this sort the knight and squire errant were pursuing
+their journey, when, after they had gone a little more than half a
+league, they perceived some dozen men dressed like labourers stretched
+upon their cloaks on the grass of a green meadow eating their dinner.
+They had beside them what seemed to be white sheets concealing some
+objects under them, standing upright or lying flat, and arranged at
+intervals. Don Quixote approached the diners, and, saluting them
+courteously first, he asked them what it was those cloths covered.
+"Senor," answered one of the party, "under these cloths are some images
+carved in relief intended for a retablo we are putting up in our village;
+we carry them covered up that they may not be soiled, and on our
+shoulders that they may not be broken."
+
+"With your good leave," said Don Quixote, "I should like to see them; for
+images that are carried so carefully no doubt must be fine ones."
+
+"I should think they were!" said the other; "let the money they cost
+speak for that; for as a matter of fact there is not one of them that
+does not stand us in more than fifty ducats; and that your worship may
+judge; wait a moment, and you shall see with your own eyes;" and getting
+up from his dinner he went and uncovered the first image, which proved to
+be one of Saint George on horseback with a serpent writhing at his feet
+and the lance thrust down its throat with all that fierceness that is
+usually depicted. The whole group was one blaze of gold, as the saying
+is. On seeing it Don Quixote said, "That knight was one of the best
+knights-errant the army of heaven ever owned; he was called Don Saint
+George, and he was moreover a defender of maidens. Let us see this next
+one."
+
+The man uncovered it, and it was seen to be that of Saint Martin on his
+horse, dividing his cloak with the beggar. The instant Don Quixote saw it
+he said, "This knight too was one of the Christian adventurers, but I
+believe he was generous rather than valiant, as thou mayest perceive,
+Sancho, by his dividing his cloak with the beggar and giving him half of
+it; no doubt it was winter at the time, for otherwise he would have given
+him the whole of it, so charitable was he."
+
+"It was not that, most likely," said Sancho, "but that he held with the
+proverb that says, 'For giving and keeping there's need of brains.'"
+
+Don Quixote laughed, and asked them to take off the next cloth,
+underneath which was seen the image of the patron saint of the Spains
+seated on horseback, his sword stained with blood, trampling on Moors and
+treading heads underfoot; and on seeing it Don Quixote exclaimed, "Ay,
+this is a knight, and of the squadrons of Christ! This one is called Don
+Saint James the Moorslayer, one of the bravest saints and knights the
+world ever had or heaven has now."
+
+They then raised another cloth which it appeared covered Saint Paul
+falling from his horse, with all the details that are usually given in
+representations of his conversion. When Don Quixote saw it, rendered in
+such lifelike style that one would have said Christ was speaking and Paul
+answering, "This," he said, "was in his time the greatest enemy that the
+Church of God our Lord had, and the greatest champion it will ever have;
+a knight-errant in life, a steadfast saint in death, an untiring labourer
+in the Lord's vineyard, a teacher of the Gentiles, whose school was
+heaven, and whose instructor and master was Jesus Christ himself."
+
+There were no more images, so Don Quixote bade them cover them up again,
+and said to those who had brought them, "I take it as a happy omen,
+brothers, to have seen what I have; for these saints and knights were of
+the same profession as myself, which is the calling of arms; only there
+is this difference between them and me, that they were saints, and fought
+with divine weapons, and I am a sinner and fight with human ones. They
+won heaven by force of arms, for heaven suffereth violence; and I, so
+far, know not what I have won by dint of my sufferings; but if my
+Dulcinea del Toboso were to be released from hers, perhaps with mended
+fortunes and a mind restored to itself I might direct my steps in a
+better path than I am following at present."
+
+"May God hear and sin be deaf," said Sancho to this.
+
+The men were filled with wonder, as well at the figure as at the words of
+Don Quixote, though they did not understand one half of what he meant by
+them. They finished their dinner, took their images on their backs, and
+bidding farewell to Don Quixote resumed their journey.
+
+Sancho was amazed afresh at the extent of his master's knowledge, as much
+as if he had never known him, for it seemed to him that there was no
+story or event in the world that he had not at his fingers' ends and
+fixed in his memory, and he said to him, "In truth, master mine, if this
+that has happened to us to-day is to be called an adventure, it has been
+one of the sweetest and pleasantest that have befallen us in the whole
+course of our travels; we have come out of it unbelaboured and
+undismayed, neither have we drawn sword nor have we smitten the earth
+with our bodies, nor have we been left famishing; blessed be God that he
+has let me see such a thing with my own eyes!"
+
+"Thou sayest well, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "but remember all times are
+not alike nor do they always run the same way; and these things the
+vulgar commonly call omens, which are not based upon any natural reason,
+will by him who is wise be esteemed and reckoned happy accidents merely.
+One of these believers in omens will get up of a morning, leave his
+house, and meet a friar of the order of the blessed Saint Francis, and,
+as if he had met a griffin, he will turn about and go home. With another
+Mendoza the salt is spilt on his table, and gloom is spilt over his
+heart, as if nature was obliged to give warning of coming misfortunes by
+means of such trivial things as these. The wise man and the Christian
+should not trifle with what it may please heaven to do. Scipio on coming
+to Africa stumbled as he leaped on shore; his soldiers took it as a bad
+omen; but he, clasping the soil with his arms, exclaimed, 'Thou canst not
+escape me, Africa, for I hold thee tight between my arms.' Thus, Sancho,
+meeting those images has been to me a most happy occurrence."
+
+"I can well believe it," said Sancho; "but I wish your worship would tell
+me what is the reason that the Spaniards, when they are about to give
+battle, in calling on that Saint James the Moorslayer, say 'Santiago and
+close Spain!' Is Spain, then, open, so that it is needful to close it; or
+what is the meaning of this form?"
+
+"Thou art very simple, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "God, look you, gave
+that great knight of the Red Cross to Spain as her patron saint and
+protector, especially in those hard struggles the Spaniards had with the
+Moors; and therefore they invoke and call upon him as their defender in
+all their battles; and in these he has been many a time seen beating
+down, trampling under foot, destroying and slaughtering the Hagarene
+squadrons in the sight of all; of which fact I could give thee many
+examples recorded in truthful Spanish histories."
+
+Sancho changed the subject, and said to his master, "I marvel, senor, at
+the boldness of Altisidora, the duchess's handmaid; he whom they call
+Love must have cruelly pierced and wounded her; they say he is a little
+blind urchin who, though blear-eyed, or more properly speaking sightless,
+if he aims at a heart, be it ever so small, hits it and pierces it
+through and through with his arrows. I have heard it said too that the
+arrows of Love are blunted and robbed of their points by maidenly modesty
+and reserve; but with this Altisidora it seems they are sharpened rather
+than blunted."
+
+"Bear in mind, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that love is influenced by no
+consideration, recognises no restraints of reason, and is of the same
+nature as death, that assails alike the lofty palaces of kings and the
+humble cabins of shepherds; and when it takes entire possession of a
+heart, the first thing it does is to banish fear and shame from it; and
+so without shame Altisidora declared her passion, which excited in my
+mind embarrassment rather than commiseration."
+
+"Notable cruelty!" exclaimed Sancho; "unheard-of ingratitude! I can only
+say for myself that the very smallest loving word of hers would have
+subdued me and made a slave of me. The devil! What a heart of marble,
+what bowels of brass, what a soul of mortar! But I can't imagine what it
+is that this damsel saw in your worship that could have conquered and
+captivated her so. What gallant figure was it, what bold bearing, what
+sprightly grace, what comeliness of feature, which of these things by
+itself, or what all together, could have made her fall in love with you?
+For indeed and in truth many a time I stop to look at your worship from
+the sole of your foot to the topmost hair of your head, and I see more to
+frighten one than to make one fall in love; moreover I have heard say
+that beauty is the first and main thing that excites love, and as your
+worship has none at all, I don't know what the poor creature fell in love
+with."
+
+"Recollect, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "there are two sorts of beauty,
+one of the mind, the other of the body; that of the mind displays and
+exhibits itself in intelligence, in modesty, in honourable conduct, in
+generosity, in good breeding; and all these qualities are possible and
+may exist in an ugly man; and when it is this sort of beauty and not that
+of the body that is the attraction, love is apt to spring up suddenly and
+violently. I, Sancho, perceive clearly enough that I am not beautiful,
+but at the same time I know I am not hideous; and it is enough for an
+honest man not to be a monster to be an object of love, if only he
+possesses the endowments of mind I have mentioned."
+
+While engaged in this discourse they were making their way through a wood
+that lay beyond the road, when suddenly, without expecting anything of
+the kind, Don Quixote found himself caught in some nets of green cord
+stretched from one tree to another; and unable to conceive what it could
+be, he said to Sancho, "Sancho, it strikes me this affair of these nets
+will prove one of the strangest adventures imaginable. May I die if the
+enchanters that persecute me are not trying to entangle me in them and
+delay my journey, by way of revenge for my obduracy towards Altisidora.
+Well then let me tell them that if these nets, instead of being green
+cord, were made of the hardest diamonds, or stronger than that wherewith
+the jealous god of blacksmiths enmeshed Venus and Mars, I would break
+them as easily as if they were made of rushes or cotton threads." But
+just as he was about to press forward and break through all, suddenly
+from among some trees two shepherdesses of surpassing beauty presented
+themselves to his sight--or at least damsels dressed like shepherdesses,
+save that their jerkins and sayas were of fine brocade; that is to say,
+the sayas were rich farthingales of gold embroidered tabby. Their hair,
+that in its golden brightness vied with the beams of the sun itself, fell
+loose upon their shoulders and was crowned with garlands twined with
+green laurel and red everlasting; and their years to all appearance were
+not under fifteen nor above eighteen.
+
+Such was the spectacle that filled Sancho with amazement, fascinated Don
+Quixote, made the sun halt in his course to behold them, and held all
+four in a strange silence. One of the shepherdesses, at length, was the
+first to speak and said to Don Quixote, "Hold, sir knight, and do not
+break these nets; for they are not spread here to do you any harm, but
+only for our amusement; and as I know you will ask why they have been put
+up, and who we are, I will tell you in a few words. In a village some two
+leagues from this, where there are many people of quality and rich
+gentlefolk, it was agreed upon by a number of friends and relations to
+come with their wives, sons and daughters, neighbours, friends and
+kinsmen, and make holiday in this spot, which is one of the pleasantest
+in the whole neighbourhood, setting up a new pastoral Arcadia among
+ourselves, we maidens dressing ourselves as shepherdesses and the youths
+as shepherds. We have prepared two eclogues, one by the famous poet
+Garcilasso, the other by the most excellent Camoens, in its own
+Portuguese tongue, but we have not as yet acted them. Yesterday was the
+first day of our coming here; we have a few of what they say are called
+field-tents pitched among the trees on the bank of an ample brook that
+fertilises all these meadows; last night we spread these nets in the
+trees here to snare the silly little birds that startled by the noise we
+make may fly into them. If you please to be our guest, senor, you will be
+welcomed heartily and courteously, for here just now neither care nor
+sorrow shall enter."
+
+She held her peace and said no more, and Don Quixote made answer, "Of a
+truth, fairest lady, Actaeon when he unexpectedly beheld Diana bathing in
+the stream could not have been more fascinated and wonderstruck than I at
+the sight of your beauty. I commend your mode of entertainment, and thank
+you for the kindness of your invitation; and if I can serve you, you may
+command me with full confidence of being obeyed, for my profession is
+none other than to show myself grateful, and ready to serve persons of
+all conditions, but especially persons of quality such as your appearance
+indicates; and if, instead of taking up, as they probably do, but a small
+space, these nets took up the whole surface of the globe, I would seek
+out new worlds through which to pass, so as not to break them; and that
+ye may give some degree of credence to this exaggerated language of mine,
+know that it is no less than Don Quixote of La Mancha that makes this
+declaration to you, if indeed it be that such a name has reached your
+ears."
+
+"Ah! friend of my soul," instantly exclaimed the other shepherdess, "what
+great good fortune has befallen us! Seest thou this gentleman we have
+before us? Well then let me tell thee he is the most valiant and the most
+devoted and the most courteous gentleman in all the world, unless a
+history of his achievements that has been printed and I have read is
+telling lies and deceiving us. I will lay a wager that this good fellow
+who is with him is one Sancho Panza his squire, whose drolleries none can
+equal."
+
+"That's true," said Sancho; "I am that same droll and squire you speak
+of, and this gentleman is my master Don Quixote of La Mancha, the same
+that's in the history and that they talk about."
+
+"Oh, my friend," said the other, "let us entreat him to stay; for it will
+give our fathers and brothers infinite pleasure; I too have heard just
+what thou hast told me of the valour of the one and the drolleries of the
+other; and what is more, of him they say that he is the most constant and
+loyal lover that was ever heard of, and that his lady is one Dulcinea del
+Toboso, to whom all over Spain the palm of beauty is awarded."
+
+"And justly awarded," said Don Quixote, "unless, indeed, your unequalled
+beauty makes it a matter of doubt. But spare yourselves the trouble,
+ladies, of pressing me to stay, for the urgent calls of my profession do
+not allow me to take rest under any circumstances."
+
+At this instant there came up to the spot where the four stood a brother
+of one of the two shepherdesses, like them in shepherd costume, and as
+richly and gaily dressed as they were. They told him that their companion
+was the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha, and the other Sancho his
+squire, of whom he knew already from having read their history. The gay
+shepherd offered him his services and begged that he would accompany him
+to their tents, and Don Quixote had to give way and comply. And now the
+gave was started, and the nets were filled with a variety of birds that
+deceived by the colour fell into the danger they were flying from.
+Upwards of thirty persons, all gaily attired as shepherds and
+shepherdesses, assembled on the spot, and were at once informed who Don
+Quixote and his squire were, whereat they were not a little delighted, as
+they knew of him already through his history. They repaired to the tents,
+where they found tables laid out, and choicely, plentifully, and neatly
+furnished. They treated Don Quixote as a person of distinction, giving
+him the place of honour, and all observed him, and were full of
+astonishment at the spectacle. At last the cloth being removed, Don
+Quixote with great composure lifted up his voice and said:
+
+"One of the greatest sins that men are guilty of is--some will say
+pride--but I say ingratitude, going by the common saying that hell is
+full of ingrates. This sin, so far as it has lain in my power, I have
+endeavoured to avoid ever since I have enjoyed the faculty of reason; and
+if I am unable to requite good deeds that have been done me by other
+deeds, I substitute the desire to do so; and if that be not enough I make
+them known publicly; for he who declares and makes known the good deeds
+done to him would repay them by others if it were in his power, and for
+the most part those who receive are the inferiors of those who give.
+Thus, God is superior to all because he is the supreme giver, and the
+offerings of man fall short by an infinite distance of being a full
+return for the gifts of God; but gratitude in some degree makes up for
+this deficiency and shortcoming. I therefore, grateful for the favour
+that has been extended to me here, and unable to make a return in the
+same measure, restricted as I am by the narrow limits of my power, offer
+what I can and what I have to offer in my own way; and so I declare that
+for two full days I will maintain in the middle of this highway leading
+to Saragossa, that these ladies disguised as shepherdesses, who are here
+present, are the fairest and most courteous maidens in the world,
+excepting only the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, sole mistress of my
+thoughts, be it said without offence to those who hear me, ladies and
+gentlemen."
+
+On hearing this Sancho, who had been listening with great attention,
+cried out in a loud voice, "Is it possible there is anyone in the world
+who will dare to say and swear that this master of mine is a madman? Say,
+gentlemen shepherds, is there a village priest, be he ever so wise or
+learned, who could say what my master has said; or is there
+knight-errant, whatever renown he may have as a man of valour, that could
+offer what my master has offered now?"
+
+Don Quixote turned upon Sancho, and with a countenance glowing with anger
+said to him, "Is it possible, Sancho, there is anyone in the whole world
+who will say thou art not a fool, with a lining to match, and I know not
+what trimmings of impertinence and roguery? Who asked thee to meddle in
+my affairs, or to inquire whether I am a wise man or a blockhead? Hold
+thy peace; answer me not a word; saddle Rocinante if he be unsaddled; and
+let us go to put my offer into execution; for with the right that I have
+on my side thou mayest reckon as vanquished all who shall venture to
+question it;" and in a great rage, and showing his anger plainly, he rose
+from his seat, leaving the company lost in wonder, and making them feel
+doubtful whether they ought to regard him as a madman or a rational
+being. In the end, though they sought to dissuade him from involving
+himself in such a challenge, assuring him they admitted his gratitude as
+fully established, and needed no fresh proofs to be convinced of his
+valiant spirit, as those related in the history of his exploits were
+sufficient, still Don Quixote persisted in his resolve; and mounted on
+Rocinante, bracing his buckler on his arm and grasping his lance, he
+posted himself in the middle of a high road that was not far from the
+green meadow. Sancho followed on Dapple, together with all the members of
+the pastoral gathering, eager to see what would be the upshot of his
+vainglorious and extraordinary proposal.
+
+Don Quixote, then, having, as has been said, planted himself in the
+middle of the road, made the welkin ring with words to this effect: "Ho
+ye travellers and wayfarers, knights, squires, folk on foot or on
+horseback, who pass this way or shall pass in the course of the next two
+days! Know that Don Quixote of La Mancha, knight-errant, is posted here
+to maintain by arms that the beauty and courtesy enshrined in the nymphs
+that dwell in these meadows and groves surpass all upon earth, putting
+aside the lady of my heart, Dulcinea del Toboso. Wherefore, let him who
+is of the opposite opinion come on, for here I await him."
+
+Twice he repeated the same words, and twice they fell unheard by any
+adventurer; but fate, that was guiding affairs for him from better to
+better, so ordered it that shortly afterwards there appeared on the road
+a crowd of men on horseback, many of them with lances in their hands, all
+riding in a compact body and in great haste. No sooner had those who were
+with Don Quixote seen them than they turned about and withdrew to some
+distance from the road, for they knew that if they stayed some harm might
+come to them; but Don Quixote with intrepid heart stood his ground, and
+Sancho Panza shielded himself with Rocinante's hind-quarters. The troop
+of lancers came up, and one of them who was in advance began shouting to
+Don Quixote, "Get out of the way, you son of the devil, or these bulls
+will knock you to pieces!"
+
+"Rabble!" returned Don Quixote, "I care nothing for bulls, be they the
+fiercest Jarama breeds on its banks. Confess at once, scoundrels, that
+what I have declared is true; else ye have to deal with me in combat."
+
+The herdsman had no time to reply, nor Don Quixote to get out of the way
+even if he wished; and so the drove of fierce bulls and tame bullocks,
+together with the crowd of herdsmen and others who were taking them to be
+penned up in a village where they were to be run the next day, passed
+over Don Quixote and over Sancho, Rocinante and Dapple, hurling them all
+to the earth and rolling them over on the ground. Sancho was left
+crushed, Don Quixote scared, Dapple belaboured and Rocinante in no very
+sound condition.
+
+They all got up, however, at length, and Don Quixote in great haste,
+stumbling here and falling there, started off running after the drove,
+shouting out, "Hold! stay! ye rascally rabble, a single knight awaits
+you, and he is not of the temper or opinion of those who say, 'For a
+flying enemy make a bridge of silver.'" The retreating party in their
+haste, however, did not stop for that, or heed his menaces any more than
+last year's clouds. Weariness brought Don Quixote to a halt, and more
+enraged than avenged he sat down on the road to wait until Sancho,
+Rocinante and Dapple came up. When they reached him master and man
+mounted once more, and without going back to bid farewell to the mock or
+imitation Arcadia, and more in humiliation than contentment, they
+continued their journey.
+
+Chapter LIX. -
+Wherein is related the strange thing, which may be regarded as an
+adventure, that happened Don Quixote
+
+A clear limpid spring which they discovered in a cool grove relieved Don
+Quixote and Sancho of the dust and fatigue due to the unpolite behaviour
+of the bulls, and by the side of this, having turned Dapple and Rocinante
+loose without headstall or bridle, the forlorn pair, master and man,
+seated themselves. Sancho had recourse to the larder of his alforjas and
+took out of them what he called the prog; Don Quixote rinsed his mouth
+and bathed his face, by which cooling process his flagging energies were
+revived. Out of pure vexation he remained without eating, and out of pure
+politeness Sancho did not venture to touch a morsel of what was before
+him, but waited for his master to act as taster. Seeing, however, that,
+absorbed in thought, he was forgetting to carry the bread to his mouth,
+he said never a word, and trampling every sort of good breeding under
+foot, began to stow away in his paunch the bread and cheese that came to
+his hand.
+
+"Eat, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote; "support life, which is of
+more consequence to thee than to me, and leave me to die under the pain
+of my thoughts and pressure of my misfortunes. I was born, Sancho, to
+live dying, and thou to die eating; and to prove the truth of what I say,
+look at me, printed in histories, famed in arms, courteous in behaviour,
+honoured by princes, courted by maidens; and after all, when I looked
+forward to palms, triumphs, and crowns, won and earned by my valiant
+deeds, I have this morning seen myself trampled on, kicked, and crushed
+by the feet of unclean and filthy animals. This thought blunts my teeth,
+paralyses my jaws, cramps my hands, and robs me of all appetite for food;
+so much so that I have a mind to let myself die of hunger, the cruelest
+death of all deaths."
+
+"So then," said Sancho, munching hard all the time, "your worship does
+not agree with the proverb that says, 'Let Martha die, but let her die
+with a full belly.' I, at any rate, have no mind to kill myself; so far
+from that, I mean to do as the cobbler does, who stretches the leather
+with his teeth until he makes it reach as far as he wants. I'll stretch
+out my life by eating until it reaches the end heaven has fixed for it;
+and let me tell you, senor, there's no greater folly than to think of
+dying of despair as your worship does; take my advice, and after eating
+lie down and sleep a bit on this green grass-mattress, and you will see
+that when you awake you'll feel something better."
+
+Don Quixote did as he recommended, for it struck him that Sancho's
+reasoning was more like a philosopher's than a blockhead's, and said he,
+"Sancho, if thou wilt do for me what I am going to tell thee my ease of
+mind would be more assured and my heaviness of heart not so great; and it
+is this; to go aside a little while I am sleeping in accordance with thy
+advice, and, making bare thy carcase to the air, to give thyself three or
+four hundred lashes with Rocinante's reins, on account of the three
+thousand and odd thou art to give thyself for the disenchantment of
+Dulcinea; for it is a great pity that the poor lady should be left
+enchanted through thy carelessness and negligence."
+
+"There is a good deal to be said on that point," said Sancho; "let us
+both go to sleep now, and after that, God has decreed what will happen.
+Let me tell your worship that for a man to whip himself in cold blood is
+a hard thing, especially if the stripes fall upon an ill-nourished and
+worse-fed body. Let my lady Dulcinea have patience, and when she is least
+expecting it, she will see me made a riddle of with whipping, and 'until
+death it's all life;' I mean that I have still life in me, and the desire
+to make good what I have promised."
+
+Don Quixote thanked him, and ate a little, and Sancho a good deal, and
+then they both lay down to sleep, leaving those two inseparable friends
+and comrades, Rocinante and Dapple, to their own devices and to feed
+unrestrained upon the abundant grass with which the meadow was furnished.
+They woke up rather late, mounted once more and resumed their journey,
+pushing on to reach an inn which was in sight, apparently a league off. I
+say an inn, because Don Quixote called it so, contrary to his usual
+practice of calling all inns castles. They reached it, and asked the
+landlord if they could put up there. He said yes, with as much comfort
+and as good fare as they could find in Saragossa. They dismounted, and
+Sancho stowed away his larder in a room of which the landlord gave him
+the key. He took the beasts to the stable, fed them, and came back to see
+what orders Don Quixote, who was seated on a bench at the door, had for
+him, giving special thanks to heaven that this inn had not been taken for
+a castle by his master. Supper-time came, and they repaired to their
+room, and Sancho asked the landlord what he had to give them for supper.
+To this the landlord replied that his mouth should be the measure; he had
+only to ask what he would; for that inn was provided with the birds of
+the air and the fowls of the earth and the fish of the sea.
+
+"There's no need of all that," said Sancho; "if they'll roast us a couple
+of chickens we'll be satisfied, for my master is delicate and eats
+little, and I'm not over and above gluttonous."
+
+The landlord replied he had no chickens, for the kites had stolen them.
+
+"Well then," said Sancho, "let senor landlord tell them to roast a
+pullet, so that it is a tender one."
+
+"Pullet! My father!" said the landlord; "indeed and in truth it's only
+yesterday I sent over fifty to the city to sell; but saving pullets ask
+what you will."
+
+"In that case," said Sancho, "you will not be without veal or kid."
+
+"Just now," said the landlord, "there's none in the house, for it's all
+finished; but next week there will be enough and to spare."
+
+"Much good that does us," said Sancho; "I'll lay a bet that all these
+short-comings are going to wind up in plenty of bacon and eggs."
+
+"By God," said the landlord, "my guest's wits must be precious dull; I
+tell him I have neither pullets nor hens, and he wants me to have eggs!
+Talk of other dainties, if you please, and don't ask for hens again."
+
+"Body o' me!" said Sancho, "let's settle the matter; say at once what you
+have got, and let us have no more words about it."
+
+"In truth and earnest, senor guest," said the landlord, "all I have is a
+couple of cow-heels like calves' feet, or a couple of calves' feet like
+cowheels; they are boiled with chick-peas, onions, and bacon, and at this
+moment they are crying 'Come eat me, come eat me."
+
+"I mark them for mine on the spot," said Sancho; "let nobody touch them;
+I'll pay better for them than anyone else, for I could not wish for
+anything more to my taste; and I don't care a pin whether they are feet
+or heels."
+
+"Nobody shall touch them," said the landlord; "for the other guests I
+have, being persons of high quality, bring their own cook and caterer and
+larder with them."
+
+"If you come to people of quality," said Sancho, "there's nobody more so
+than my master; but the calling he follows does not allow of larders or
+store-rooms; we lay ourselves down in the middle of a meadow, and fill
+ourselves with acorns or medlars."
+
+Here ended Sancho's conversation with the landlord, Sancho not caring to
+carry it any farther by answering him; for he had already asked him what
+calling or what profession it was his master was of.
+
+Supper-time having come, then, Don Quixote betook himself to his room,
+the landlord brought in the stew-pan just as it was, and he sat himself
+down to sup very resolutely. It seems that in another room, which was
+next to Don Quixote's, with nothing but a thin partition to separate it,
+he overheard these words, "As you live, Senor Don Jeronimo, while they
+are bringing supper, let us read another chapter of the Second Part of
+'Don Quixote of La Mancha.'"
+
+The instant Don Quixote heard his own name be started to his feet and
+listened with open ears to catch what they said about him, and heard the
+Don Jeronimo who had been addressed say in reply, "Why would you have us
+read that absurd stuff, Don Juan, when it is impossible for anyone who
+has read the First Part of the history of 'Don Quixote of La Mancha' to
+take any pleasure in reading this Second Part?"
+
+"For all that," said he who was addressed as Don Juan, "we shall do well
+to read it, for there is no book so bad but it has something good in it.
+What displeases me most in it is that it represents Don Quixote as now
+cured of his love for Dulcinea del Toboso."
+
+On hearing this Don Quixote, full of wrath and indignation, lifted up his
+voice and said, "Whoever he may be who says that Don Quixote of La Mancha
+has forgotten or can forget Dulcinea del Toboso, I will teach him with
+equal arms that what he says is very far from the truth; for neither can
+the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso be forgotten, nor can forgetfulness have
+a place in Don Quixote; his motto is constancy, and his profession to
+maintain the same with his life and never wrong it."
+
+"Who is this that answers us?" said they in the next room.
+
+"Who should it be," said Sancho, "but Don Quixote of La Mancha himself,
+who will make good all he has said and all he will say; for pledges don't
+trouble a good payer."
+
+Sancho had hardly uttered these words when two gentlemen, for such they
+seemed to be, entered the room, and one of them, throwing his arms round
+Don Quixote's neck, said to him, "Your appearance cannot leave any
+question as to your name, nor can your name fail to identify your
+appearance; unquestionably, senor, you are the real Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, cynosure and morning star of knight-errantry, despite and in
+defiance of him who has sought to usurp your name and bring to naught
+your achievements, as the author of this book which I here present to you
+has done;" and with this he put a book which his companion carried into
+the hands of Don Quixote, who took it, and without replying began to run
+his eye over it; but he presently returned it saying, "In the little I
+have seen I have discovered three things in this author that deserve to
+be censured. The first is some words that I have read in the preface; the
+next that the language is Aragonese, for sometimes he writes without
+articles; and the third, which above all stamps him as ignorant, is that
+he goes wrong and departs from the truth in the most important part of
+the history, for here he says that my squire Sancho Panza's wife is
+called Mari Gutierrez, when she is called nothing of the sort, but Teresa
+Panza; and when a man errs on such an important point as this there is
+good reason to fear that he is in error on every other point in the
+history."
+
+"A nice sort of historian, indeed!" exclaimed Sancho at this; "he must
+know a deal about our affairs when he calls my wife Teresa Panza, Mari
+Gutierrez; take the book again, senor, and see if I am in it and if he
+has changed my name."
+
+"From your talk, friend," said Don Jeronimo, "no doubt you are Sancho
+Panza, Senor Don Quixote's squire."
+
+"Yes, I am," said Sancho; "and I'm proud of it."
+
+"Faith, then," said the gentleman, "this new author does not handle you
+with the decency that displays itself in your person; he makes you out a
+heavy feeder and a fool, and not in the least droll, and a very different
+being from the Sancho described in the First Part of your master's
+history."
+
+"God forgive him," said Sancho; "he might have left me in my corner
+without troubling his head about me; 'let him who knows how ring the
+bells; 'Saint Peter is very well in Rome.'"
+
+The two gentlemen pressed Don Quixote to come into their room and have
+supper with them, as they knew very well there was nothing in that inn
+fit for one of his sort. Don Quixote, who was always polite, yielded to
+their request and supped with them. Sancho stayed behind with the stew.
+and invested with plenary delegated authority seated himself at the head
+of the table, and the landlord sat down with him, for he was no less fond
+of cow-heel and calves' feet than Sancho was.
+
+While at supper Don Juan asked Don Quixote what news he had of the lady
+Dulcinea del Toboso, was she married, had she been brought to bed, or was
+she with child, or did she in maidenhood, still preserving her modesty
+and delicacy, cherish the remembrance of the tender passion of Senor Don
+Quixote?
+
+To this he replied, "Dulcinea is a maiden still, and my passion more
+firmly rooted than ever, our intercourse unsatisfactory as before, and
+her beauty transformed into that of a foul country wench;" and then he
+proceeded to give them a full and particular account of the enchantment
+of Dulcinea, and of what had happened him in the cave of Montesinos,
+together with what the sage Merlin had prescribed for her disenchantment,
+namely the scourging of Sancho.
+
+Exceedingly great was the amusement the two gentlemen derived from
+hearing Don Quixote recount the strange incidents of his history; and if
+they were amazed by his absurdities they were equally amazed by the
+elegant style in which he delivered them. On the one hand they regarded
+him as a man of wit and sense, and on the other he seemed to them a
+maundering blockhead, and they could not make up their minds whereabouts
+between wisdom and folly they ought to place him.
+
+Sancho having finished his supper, and left the landlord in the X
+condition, repaired to the room where his master was, and as he came in
+said, "May I die, sirs, if the author of this book your worships have got
+has any mind that we should agree; as he calls me glutton (according to
+what your worships say) I wish he may not call me drunkard too."
+
+"But he does," said Don Jeronimo; "I cannot remember, however, in what
+way, though I know his words are offensive, and what is more, lying, as I
+can see plainly by the physiognomy of the worthy Sancho before me."
+
+"Believe me," said Sancho, "the Sancho and the Don Quixote of this
+history must be different persons from those that appear in the one Cide
+Hamete Benengeli wrote, who are ourselves; my master valiant, wise, and
+true in love, and I simple, droll, and neither glutton nor drunkard."
+
+"I believe it," said Don Juan; "and were it possible, an order should be
+issued that no one should have the presumption to deal with anything
+relating to Don Quixote, save his original author Cide Hamete; just as
+Alexander commanded that no one should presume to paint his portrait save
+Apelles."
+
+"Let him who will paint me," said Don Quixote; "but let him not abuse me;
+for patience will often break down when they heap insults upon it."
+
+"None can be offered to Senor Don Quixote," said Don Juan, "that he
+himself will not be able to avenge, if he does not ward it off with the
+shield of his patience, which, I take it, is great and strong."
+
+A considerable portion of the night passed in conversation of this sort,
+and though Don Juan wished Don Quixote to read more of the book to see
+what it was all about, he was not to be prevailed upon, saying that he
+treated it as read and pronounced it utterly silly; and, if by any chance
+it should come to its author's ears that he had it in his hand, he did
+not want him to flatter himself with the idea that he had read it; for
+our thoughts, and still more our eyes, should keep themselves aloof from
+what is obscene and filthy.
+
+They asked him whither he meant to direct his steps. He replied, to
+Saragossa, to take part in the harness jousts which were held in that
+city every year. Don Juan told him that the new history described how Don
+Quixote, let him be who he might, took part there in a tilting at the
+ring, utterly devoid of invention, poor in mottoes, very poor in costume,
+though rich in sillinesses.
+
+"For that very reason," said Don Quixote, "I will not set foot in
+Saragossa; and by that means I shall expose to the world the lie of this
+new history writer, and people will see that I am not the Don Quixote he
+speaks of."
+
+"You will do quite right," said Don Jeronimo; "and there are other jousts
+at Barcelona in which Senor Don Quixote may display his prowess."
+
+"That is what I mean to do," said Don Quixote; "and as it is now time, I
+pray your worships to give me leave to retire to bed, and to place and
+retain me among the number of your greatest friends and servants."
+
+"And me too," said Sancho; "maybe I'll be good for something."
+
+With this they exchanged farewells, and Don Quixote and Sancho retired to
+their room, leaving Don Juan and Don Jeronimo amazed to see the medley he
+made of his good sense and his craziness; and they felt thoroughly
+convinced that these, and not those their Aragonese author described,
+were the genuine Don Quixote and Sancho. Don Quixote rose betimes, and
+bade adieu to his hosts by knocking at the partition of the other room.
+Sancho paid the landlord magnificently, and recommended him either to say
+less about the providing of his inn or to keep it better provided.
+
+Chapter LX. -
+Of what happened Don Quixote on his way to Barcelona
+
+It was a fresh morning giving promise of a cool day as Don Quixote
+quitted the inn, first of all taking care to ascertain the most direct
+road to Barcelona without touching upon Saragossa; so anxious was he to
+make out this new historian, who they said abused him so, to be a liar.
+Well, as it fell out, nothing worthy of being recorded happened him for
+six days, at the end of which, having turned aside out of the road, he
+was overtaken by night in a thicket of oak or cork trees; for on this
+point Cide Hamete is not as precise as he usually is on other matters.
+
+Master and man dismounted from their beasts, and as soon as they had
+settled themselves at the foot of the trees, Sancho, who had had a good
+noontide meal that day, let himself, without more ado, pass the gates of
+sleep. But Don Quixote, whom his thoughts, far more than hunger, kept
+awake, could not close an eye, and roamed in fancy to and fro through all
+sorts of places. At one moment it seemed to him that he was in the cave
+of Montesinos and saw Dulcinea, transformed into a country wench,
+skipping and mounting upon her she-ass; again that the words of the sage
+Merlin were sounding in his ears, setting forth the conditions to be
+observed and the exertions to be made for the disenchantment of Dulcinea.
+He lost all patience when he considered the laziness and want of charity
+of his squire Sancho; for to the best of his belief he had only given
+himself five lashes, a number paltry and disproportioned to the vast
+number required. At this thought he felt such vexation and anger that he
+reasoned the matter thus: "If Alexander the Great cut the Gordian knot,
+saying, 'To cut comes to the same thing as to untie,' and yet did not
+fail to become lord paramount of all Asia, neither more nor less could
+happen now in Dulcinea's disenchantment if I scourge Sancho against his
+will; for, if it is the condition of the remedy that Sancho shall receive
+three thousand and odd lashes, what does it matter to me whether he
+inflicts them himself, or some one else inflicts them, when the essential
+point is that he receives them, let them come from whatever quarter they
+may?"
+
+With this idea he went over to Sancho, having first taken Rocinante's
+reins and arranged them so as to be able to flog him with them, and began
+to untie the points (the common belief is he had but one in front) by
+which his breeches were held up; but the instant he approached him Sancho
+woke up in his full senses and cried out, "What is this? Who is touching
+me and untrussing me?"
+
+"It is I," said Don Quixote, "and I come to make good thy shortcomings
+and relieve my own distresses; I come to whip thee, Sancho, and wipe off
+some portion of the debt thou hast undertaken. Dulcinea is perishing,
+thou art living on regardless, I am dying of hope deferred; therefore
+untruss thyself with a good will, for mine it is, here, in this retired
+spot, to give thee at least two thousand lashes."
+
+"Not a bit of it," said Sancho; "let your worship keep quiet, or else by
+the living God the deaf shall hear us; the lashes I pledged myself to
+must be voluntary and not forced upon me, and just now I have no fancy to
+whip myself; it is enough if I give you my word to flog and flap myself
+when I have a mind."
+
+"It will not do to leave it to thy courtesy, Sancho," said Don Quixote,
+"for thou art hard of heart and, though a clown, tender of flesh;" and at
+the same time he strove and struggled to untie him.
+
+Seeing this Sancho got up, and grappling with his master he gripped him
+with all his might in his arms, giving him a trip with the heel stretched
+him on the ground on his back, and pressing his right knee on his chest
+held his hands in his own so that he could neither move nor breathe.
+
+"How now, traitor!" exclaimed Don Quixote. "Dost thou revolt against thy
+master and natural lord? Dost thou rise against him who gives thee his
+bread?"
+
+"I neither put down king, nor set up king," said Sancho; "I only stand up
+for myself who am my own lord; if your worship promises me to be quiet,
+and not to offer to whip me now, I'll let you go free and unhindered; if
+not--
+
+Traitor and Dona Sancha's foe,
+Thou diest on the spot."
+Don Quixote gave his promise, and swore by the life of his thoughts not
+to touch so much as a hair of his garments, and to leave him entirely
+free and to his own discretion to whip himself whenever he pleased.
+
+Sancho rose and removed some distance from the spot, but as he was about
+to place himself leaning against another tree he felt something touch his
+head, and putting up his hands encountered somebody's two feet with shoes
+and stockings on them. He trembled with fear and made for another tree,
+where the very same thing happened to him, and he fell a-shouting,
+calling upon Don Quixote to come and protect him. Don Quixote did so, and
+asked him what had happened to him, and what he was afraid of. Sancho
+replied that all the trees were full of men's feet and legs. Don Quixote
+felt them, and guessed at once what it was, and said to Sancho, "Thou
+hast nothing to be afraid of, for these feet and legs that thou feelest
+but canst not see belong no doubt to some outlaws and freebooters that
+have been hanged on these trees; for the authorities in these parts are
+wont to hang them up by twenties and thirties when they catch them;
+whereby I conjecture that I must be near Barcelona;" and it was, in fact,
+as he supposed; with the first light they looked up and saw that the
+fruit hanging on those trees were freebooters' bodies.
+
+And now day dawned; and if the dead freebooters had scared them, their
+hearts were no less troubled by upwards of forty living ones, who all of
+a sudden surrounded them, and in the Catalan tongue bade them stand and
+wait until their captain came up. Don Quixote was on foot with his horse
+unbridled and his lance leaning against a tree, and in short completely
+defenceless; he thought it best therefore to fold his arms and bow his
+head and reserve himself for a more favourable occasion and opportunity.
+The robbers made haste to search Dapple, and did not leave him a single
+thing of all he carried in the alforjas and in the valise; and lucky it
+was for Sancho that the duke's crowns and those he brought from home were
+in a girdle that he wore round him; but for all that these good folk
+would have stripped him, and even looked to see what he had hidden
+between the skin and flesh, but for the arrival at that moment of their
+captain, who was about thirty-four years of age apparently, strongly
+built, above the middle height, of stern aspect and swarthy complexion.
+He was mounted upon a powerful horse, and had on a coat of mail, with
+four of the pistols they call petronels in that country at his waist. He
+saw that his squires (for so they call those who follow that trade) were
+about to rifle Sancho Panza, but he ordered them to desist and was at
+once obeyed, so the girdle escaped. He wondered to see the lance leaning
+against the tree, the shield on the ground, and Don Quixote in armour and
+dejected, with the saddest and most melancholy face that sadness itself
+could produce; and going up to him he said, "Be not so cast down, good
+man, for you have not fallen into the hands of any inhuman Busiris, but
+into Roque Guinart's, which are more merciful than cruel."
+
+"The cause of my dejection," returned Don Quixote, "is not that I have
+fallen into thy hands, O valiant Roque, whose fame is bounded by no
+limits on earth, but that my carelessness should have been so great that
+thy soldiers should have caught me unbridled, when it is my duty,
+according to the rule of knight-errantry which I profess, to be always on
+the alert and at all times my own sentinel; for let me tell thee, great
+Roque, had they found me on my horse, with my lance and shield, it would
+not have been very easy for them to reduce me to submission, for I am Don
+Quixote of La Mancha, he who hath filled the whole world with his
+achievements."
+
+Roque Guinart at once perceived that Don Quixote's weakness was more akin
+to madness than to swagger; and though he had sometimes heard him spoken
+of, he never regarded the things attributed to him as true, nor could he
+persuade himself that such a humour could become dominant in the heart of
+man; he was extremely glad, therefore, to meet him and test at close
+quarters what he had heard of him at a distance; so he said to him,
+"Despair not, valiant knight, nor regard as an untoward fate the position
+in which thou findest thyself; it may be that by these slips thy crooked
+fortune will make itself straight; for heaven by strange circuitous ways,
+mysterious and incomprehensible to man, raises up the fallen and makes
+rich the poor."
+
+Don Quixote was about to thank him, when they heard behind them a noise
+as of a troop of horses; there was, however, but one, riding on which at
+a furious pace came a youth, apparently about twenty years of age, clad
+in green damask edged with gold and breeches and a loose frock, with a
+hat looped up in the Walloon fashion, tight-fitting polished boots, gilt
+spurs, dagger and sword, and in his hand a musketoon, and a pair of
+pistols at his waist.
+
+Roque turned round at the noise and perceived this comely figure, which
+drawing near thus addressed him, "I came in quest of thee, valiant Roque,
+to find in thee if not a remedy at least relief in my misfortune; and not
+to keep thee in suspense, for I see thou dost not recognise me, I will
+tell thee who I am; I am Claudia Jeronima, the daughter of Simon Forte,
+thy good friend, and special enemy of Clauquel Torrellas, who is thine
+also as being of the faction opposed to thee. Thou knowest that this
+Torrellas has a son who is called, or at least was not two hours since,
+Don Vicente Torrellas. Well, to cut short the tale of my misfortune, I
+will tell thee in a few words what this youth has brought upon me. He saw
+me, he paid court to me, I listened to him, and, unknown to my father, I
+loved him; for there is no woman, however secluded she may live or close
+she may be kept, who will not have opportunities and to spare for
+following her headlong impulses. In a word, he pledged himself to be
+mine, and I promised to be his, without carrying matters any further.
+Yesterday I learned that, forgetful of his pledge to me, he was about to
+marry another, and that he was to go this morning to plight his troth,
+intelligence which overwhelmed and exasperated me; my father not being at
+home I was able to adopt this costume you see, and urging my horse to
+speed I overtook Don Vicente about a league from this, and without
+waiting to utter reproaches or hear excuses I fired this musket at him,
+and these two pistols besides, and to the best of my belief I must have
+lodged more than two bullets in his body, opening doors to let my honour
+go free, enveloped in his blood. I left him there in the hands of his
+servants, who did not dare and were not able to interfere in his defence,
+and I come to seek from thee a safe-conduct into France, where I have
+relatives with whom I can live; and also to implore thee to protect my
+father, so that Don Vicente's numerous kinsmen may not venture to wreak
+their lawless vengeance upon him."
+
+Roque, filled with admiration at the gallant bearing, high spirit, comely
+figure, and adventure of the fair Claudia, said to her, "Come, senora,
+let us go and see if thy enemy is dead; and then we will consider what
+will be best for thee." Don Quixote, who had been listening to what
+Claudia said and Roque Guinart said in reply to her, exclaimed, "Nobody
+need trouble himself with the defence of this lady, for I take it upon
+myself. Give me my horse and arms, and wait for me here; I will go in
+quest of this knight, and dead or alive I will make him keep his word
+plighted to so great beauty."
+
+"Nobody need have any doubt about that," said Sancho, "for my master has
+a very happy knack of matchmaking; it's not many days since he forced
+another man to marry, who in the same way backed out of his promise to
+another maiden; and if it had not been for his persecutors the enchanters
+changing the man's proper shape into a lacquey's the said maiden would
+not be one this minute."
+
+Roque, who was paying more attention to the fair Claudia's adventure than
+to the words of master or man, did not hear them; and ordering his
+squires to restore to Sancho everything they had stripped Dapple of, he
+directed them to return to the place where they had been quartered during
+the night, and then set off with Claudia at full speed in search of the
+wounded or slain Don Vicente. They reached the spot where Claudia met
+him, but found nothing there save freshly spilt blood; looking all round,
+however, they descried some people on the slope of a hill above them, and
+concluded, as indeed it proved to be, that it was Don Vicente, whom
+either dead or alive his servants were removing to attend to his wounds
+or to bury him. They made haste to overtake them, which, as the party
+moved slowly, they were able to do with ease. They found Don Vicente in
+the arms of his servants, whom he was entreating in a broken feeble voice
+to leave him there to die, as the pain of his wounds would not suffer him
+to go any farther. Claudia and Roque threw themselves off their horses
+and advanced towards him; the servants were overawed by the appearance of
+Roque, and Claudia was moved by the sight of Don Vicente, and going up to
+him half tenderly half sternly, she seized his hand and said to him,
+"Hadst thou given me this according to our compact thou hadst never come
+to this pass."
+
+The wounded gentleman opened his all but closed eyes, and recognising
+Claudia said, "I see clearly, fair and mistaken lady, that it is thou
+that hast slain me, a punishment not merited or deserved by my feelings
+towards thee, for never did I mean to, nor could I, wrong thee in thought
+or deed."
+
+"It is not true, then," said Claudia, "that thou wert going this morning
+to marry Leonora the daughter of the rich Balvastro?"
+
+"Assuredly not," replied Don Vicente; "my cruel fortune must have carried
+those tidings to thee to drive thee in thy jealousy to take my life; and
+to assure thyself of this, press my hands and take me for thy husband if
+thou wilt; I have no better satisfaction to offer thee for the wrong thou
+fanciest thou hast received from me."
+
+Claudia wrung his hands, and her own heart was so wrung that she lay
+fainting on the bleeding breast of Don Vicente, whom a death spasm seized
+the same instant. Roque was in perplexity and knew not what to do; the
+servants ran to fetch water to sprinkle their faces, and brought some and
+bathed them with it. Claudia recovered from her fainting fit, but not so
+Don Vicente from the paroxysm that had overtaken him, for his life had
+come to an end. On perceiving this, Claudia, when she had convinced
+herself that her beloved husband was no more, rent the air with her sighs
+and made the heavens ring with her lamentations; she tore her hair and
+scattered it to the winds, she beat her face with her hands and showed
+all the signs of grief and sorrow that could be conceived to come from an
+afflicted heart. "Cruel, reckless woman!" she cried, "how easily wert
+thou moved to carry out a thought so wicked! O furious force of jealousy,
+to what desperate lengths dost thou lead those that give thee lodging in
+their bosoms! O husband, whose unhappy fate in being mine hath borne thee
+from the marriage bed to the grave!"
+
+So vehement and so piteous were the lamentations of Claudia that they
+drew tears from Roque's eyes, unused as they were to shed them on any
+occasion. The servants wept, Claudia swooned away again and again, and
+the whole place seemed a field of sorrow and an abode of misfortune. In
+the end Roque Guinart directed Don Vicente's servants to carry his body
+to his father's village, which was close by, for burial. Claudia told him
+she meant to go to a monastery of which an aunt of hers was abbess, where
+she intended to pass her life with a better and everlasting spouse. He
+applauded her pious resolution, and offered to accompany her
+whithersoever she wished, and to protect her father against the kinsmen
+of Don Vicente and all the world, should they seek to injure him. Claudia
+would not on any account allow him to accompany her; and thanking him for
+his offers as well as she could, took leave of him in tears. The servants
+of Don Vicente carried away his body, and Roque returned to his comrades,
+and so ended the love of Claudia Jeronima; but what wonder, when it was
+the insuperable and cruel might of jealousy that wove the web of her sad
+story?
+
+Roque Guinart found his squires at the place to which he had ordered
+them, and Don Quixote on Rocinante in the midst of them delivering a
+harangue to them in which he urged them to give up a mode of life so full
+of peril, as well to the soul as to the body; but as most of them were
+Gascons, rough lawless fellows, his speech did not make much impression
+on them. Roque on coming up asked Sancho if his men had returned and
+restored to him the treasures and jewels they had stripped off Dapple.
+Sancho said they had, but that three kerchiefs that were worth three
+cities were missing.
+
+"What are you talking about, man?" said one of the bystanders; "I have
+got them, and they are not worth three reals."
+
+"That is true," said Don Quixote; "but my squire values them at the rate
+he says, as having been given me by the person who gave them."
+
+Roque Guinart ordered them to be restored at once; and making his men
+fall in in line he directed all the clothing, jewellery, and money that
+they had taken since the last distribution to be produced; and making a
+hasty valuation, and reducing what could not be divided into money, he
+made shares for the whole band so equitably and carefully, that in no
+case did he exceed or fall short of strict distributive justice.
+
+When this had been done, and all left satisfied, Roque observed to Don
+Quixote, "If this scrupulous exactness were not observed with these
+fellows there would be no living with them."
+
+Upon this Sancho remarked, "From what I have seen here, justice is such a
+good thing that there is no doing without it, even among the thieves
+themselves."
+
+One of the squires heard this, and raising the butt-end of his harquebuss
+would no doubt have broken Sancho's head with it had not Roque Guinart
+called out to him to hold his hand. Sancho was frightened out of his
+wits, and vowed not to open his lips so long as he was in the company of
+these people.
+
+At this instant one or two of those squires who were posted as sentinels
+on the roads, to watch who came along them and report what passed to
+their chief, came up and said, "Senor, there is a great troop of people
+not far off coming along the road to Barcelona."
+
+To which Roque replied, "Hast thou made out whether they are of the sort
+that are after us, or of the sort we are after?"
+
+"The sort we are after," said the squire.
+
+"Well then, away with you all," said Roque, "and bring them here to me at
+once without letting one of them escape."
+
+They obeyed, and Don Quixote, Sancho, and Roque, left by themselves,
+waited to see what the squires brought, and while they were waiting Roque
+said to Don Quixote, "It must seem a strange sort of life to Senor Don
+Quixote, this of ours, strange adventures, strange incidents, and all
+full of danger; and I do not wonder that it should seem so, for in truth
+I must own there is no mode of life more restless or anxious than ours.
+What led me into it was a certain thirst for vengeance, which is strong
+enough to disturb the quietest hearts. I am by nature tender-hearted and
+kindly, but, as I said, the desire to revenge myself for a wrong that was
+done me so overturns all my better impulses that I keep on in this way of
+life in spite of what conscience tells me; and as one depth calls to
+another, and one sin to another sin, revenges have linked themselves
+together, and I have taken upon myself not only my own but those of
+others: it pleases God, however, that, though I see myself in this maze
+of entanglements, I do not lose all hope of escaping from it and reaching
+a safe port."
+
+Don Quixote was amazed to hear Roque utter such excellent and just
+sentiments, for he did not think that among those who followed such
+trades as robbing, murdering, and waylaying, there could be anyone
+capable of a virtuous thought, and he said in reply, "Senor Roque, the
+beginning of health lies in knowing the disease and in the sick man's
+willingness to take the medicines which the physician prescribes; you are
+sick, you know what ails you, and heaven, or more properly speaking God,
+who is our physician, will administer medicines that will cure you, and
+cure gradually, and not of a sudden or by a miracle; besides, sinners of
+discernment are nearer amendment than those who are fools; and as your
+worship has shown good sense in your remarks, all you have to do is to
+keep up a good heart and trust that the weakness of your conscience will
+be strengthened. And if you have any desire to shorten the journey and
+put yourself easily in the way of salvation, come with me, and I will
+show you how to become a knight-errant, a calling wherein so many
+hardships and mishaps are encountered that if they be taken as penances
+they will lodge you in heaven in a trice."
+
+Roque laughed at Don Quixote's exhortation, and changing the conversation
+he related the tragic affair of Claudia Jeronima, at which Sancho was
+extremely grieved; for he had not found the young woman's beauty,
+boldness, and spirit at all amiss.
+
+And now the squires despatched to make the prize came up, bringing with
+them two gentlemen on horseback, two pilgrims on foot, and a coach full
+of women with some six servants on foot and on horseback in attendance on
+them, and a couple of muleteers whom the gentlemen had with them. The
+squires made a ring round them, both victors and vanquished maintaining
+profound silence, waiting for the great Roque Guinart to speak. He asked
+the gentlemen who they were, whither they were going, and what money they
+carried with them; "Senor," replied one of them, "we are two captains of
+Spanish infantry; our companies are at Naples, and we are on our way to
+embark in four galleys which they say are at Barcelona under orders for
+Sicily; and we have about two or three hundred crowns, with which we are,
+according to our notions, rich and contented, for a soldier's poverty
+does not allow a more extensive hoard."
+
+Roque asked the pilgrims the same questions he had put to the captains,
+and was answered that they were going to take ship for Rome, and that
+between them they might have about sixty reals. He asked also who was in
+the coach, whither they were bound and what money they had, and one of
+the men on horseback replied, "The persons in the coach are my lady Dona
+Guiomar de Quinones, wife of the regent of the Vicaria at Naples, her
+little daughter, a handmaid and a duenna; we six servants are in
+attendance upon her, and the money amounts to six hundred crowns."
+
+"So then," said Roque Guinart, "we have got here nine hundred crowns and
+sixty reals; my soldiers must number some sixty; see how much there falls
+to each, for I am a bad arithmetician." As soon as the robbers heard this
+they raised a shout of "Long life to Roque Guinart, in spite of the
+lladres that seek his ruin!"
+
+The captains showed plainly the concern they felt, the regent's lady was
+downcast, and the pilgrims did not at all enjoy seeing their property
+confiscated. Roque kept them in suspense in this way for a while; but he
+had no desire to prolong their distress, which might be seen a bowshot
+off, and turning to the captains he said, "Sirs, will your worships be
+pleased of your courtesy to lend me sixty crowns, and her ladyship the
+regent's wife eighty, to satisfy this band that follows me, for 'it is by
+his singing the abbot gets his dinner;' and then you may at once proceed
+on your journey, free and unhindered, with a safe-conduct which I shall
+give you, so that if you come across any other bands of mine that I have
+scattered in these parts, they may do you no harm; for I have no
+intention of doing injury to soldiers, or to any woman, especially one of
+quality."
+
+Profuse and hearty were the expressions of gratitude with which the
+captains thanked Roque for his courtesy and generosity; for such they
+regarded his leaving them their own money. Senora Dona Guiomar de
+Quinones wanted to throw herself out of the coach to kiss the feet and
+hands of the great Roque, but he would not suffer it on any account; so
+far from that, he begged her pardon for the wrong he had done her under
+pressure of the inexorable necessities of his unfortunate calling. The
+regent's lady ordered one of her servants to give the eighty crowns that
+had been assessed as her share at once, for the captains had already paid
+down their sixty. The pilgrims were about to give up the whole of their
+little hoard, but Roque bade them keep quiet, and turning to his men he
+said, "Of these crowns two fall to each man and twenty remain over; let
+ten be given to these pilgrims, and the other ten to this worthy squire
+that he may be able to speak favourably of this adventure;" and then
+having writing materials, with which he always went provided, brought to
+him, he gave them in writing a safe-conduct to the leaders of his bands;
+and bidding them farewell let them go free and filled with admiration at
+his magnanimity, his generous disposition, and his unusual conduct, and
+inclined to regard him as an Alexander the Great rather than a notorious
+robber.
+
+One of the squires observed in his mixture of Gascon and Catalan, "This
+captain of ours would make a better friar than highwayman; if he wants to
+be so generous another time, let it be with his own property and not
+ours."
+
+The unlucky wight did not speak so low but that Roque overheard him, and
+drawing his sword almost split his head in two, saying, "That is the way
+I punish impudent saucy fellows." They were all taken aback, and not one
+of them dared to utter a word, such deference did they pay him. Roque
+then withdrew to one side and wrote a letter to a friend of his at
+Barcelona, telling him that the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha, the
+knight-errant of whom there was so much talk, was with him, and was, he
+assured him, the drollest and wisest man in the world; and that in four
+days from that date, that is to say, on Saint John the Baptist's Day, he
+was going to deposit him in full armour mounted on his horse Rocinante,
+together with his squire Sancho on an ass, in the middle of the strand of
+the city; and bidding him give notice of this to his friends the Niarros,
+that they might divert themselves with him. He wished, he said, his
+enemies the Cadells could be deprived of this pleasure; but that was
+impossible, because the crazes and shrewd sayings of Don Quixote and the
+humours of his squire Sancho Panza could not help giving general pleasure
+to all the world. He despatched the letter by one of his squires, who,
+exchanging the costume of a highwayman for that of a peasant, made his
+way into Barcelona and gave it to the person to whom it was directed.
+
+Chapter LXI. -
+Of what happened Don Quixote on entering Barcelona, together with other
+matters that partake of the true rather than of the ingenious
+
+Don Quixote passed three days and three nights with Roque, and had he
+passed three hundred years he would have found enough to observe and
+wonder at in his mode of life. At daybreak they were in one spot, at
+dinner-time in another; sometimes they fled without knowing from whom, at
+other times they lay in wait, not knowing for what. They slept standing,
+breaking their slumbers to shift from place to place. There was nothing
+but sending out spies and scouts, posting sentinels and blowing the
+matches of harquebusses, though they carried but few, for almost all used
+flintlocks. Roque passed his nights in some place or other apart from his
+men, that they might not know where he was, for the many proclamations
+the viceroy of Barcelona had issued against his life kept him in fear and
+uneasiness, and he did not venture to trust anyone, afraid that even his
+own men would kill him or deliver him up to the authorities; of a truth,
+a weary miserable life! At length, by unfrequented roads, short cuts, and
+secret paths, Roque, Don Quixote, and Sancho, together with six squires,
+set out for Barcelona. They reached the strand on Saint John's Eve during
+the night; and Roque, after embracing Don Quixote and Sancho (to whom he
+presented the ten crowns he had promised but had not until then given),
+left them with many expressions of good-will on both sides.
+
+Roque went back, while Don Quixote remained on horseback, just as he was,
+waiting for day, and it was not long before the countenance of the fair
+Aurora began to show itself at the balconies of the east, gladdening the
+grass and flowers, if not the ear, though to gladden that too there came
+at the same moment a sound of clarions and drums, and a din of bells, and
+a tramp, tramp, and cries of "Clear the way there!" of some runners, that
+seemed to issue from the city.
+
+The dawn made way for the sun that with a face broader than a buckler
+began to rise slowly above the low line of the horizon; Don Quixote and
+Sancho gazed all round them; they beheld the sea, a sight until then
+unseen by them; it struck them as exceedingly spacious and broad, much
+more so than the lakes of Ruidera which they had seen in La Mancha. They
+saw the galleys along the beach, which, lowering their awnings, displayed
+themselves decked with streamers and pennons that trembled in the breeze
+and kissed and swept the water, while on board the bugles, trumpets, and
+clarions were sounding and filling the air far and near with melodious
+warlike notes. Then they began to move and execute a kind of skirmish
+upon the calm water, while a vast number of horsemen on fine horses and
+in showy liveries, issuing from the city, engaged on their side in a
+somewhat similar movement. The soldiers on board the galleys kept up a
+ceaseless fire, which they on the walls and forts of the city returned,
+and the heavy cannon rent the air with the tremendous noise they made, to
+which the gangway guns of the galleys replied. The bright sea, the
+smiling earth, the clear air--though at times darkened by the smoke of
+the guns--all seemed to fill the whole multitude with unexpected delight.
+Sancho could not make out how it was that those great masses that moved
+over the sea had so many feet.
+
+And now the horsemen in livery came galloping up with shouts and
+outlandish cries and cheers to where Don Quixote stood amazed and
+wondering; and one of them, he to whom Roque had sent word, addressing
+him exclaimed, "Welcome to our city, mirror, beacon, star and cynosure of
+all knight-errantry in its widest extent! Welcome, I say, valiant Don
+Quixote of La Mancha; not the false, the fictitious, the apocryphal, that
+these latter days have offered us in lying histories, but the true, the
+legitimate, the real one that Cide Hamete Benengeli, flower of
+historians, has described to us!"
+
+Don Quixote made no answer, nor did the horsemen wait for one, but
+wheeling again with all their followers, they began curvetting round Don
+Quixote, who, turning to Sancho, said, "These gentlemen have plainly
+recognised us; I will wager they have read our history, and even that
+newly printed one by the Aragonese."
+
+The cavalier who had addressed Don Quixote again approached him and said,
+"Come with us, Senor Don Quixote, for we are all of us your servants and
+great friends of Roque Guinart's;" to which Don Quixote returned, "If
+courtesy breeds courtesy, yours, sir knight, is daughter or very nearly
+akin to the great Roque's; carry me where you please; I will have no will
+but yours, especially if you deign to employ it in your service."
+
+The cavalier replied with words no less polite, and then, all closing in
+around him, they set out with him for the city, to the music of the
+clarions and the drums. As they were entering it, the wicked one, who is
+the author of all mischief, and the boys who are wickeder than the wicked
+one, contrived that a couple of these audacious irrepressible urchins
+should force their way through the crowd, and lifting up, one of them
+Dapple's tail and the other Rocinante's, insert a bunch of furze under
+each. The poor beasts felt the strange spurs and added to their anguish
+by pressing their tails tight, so much so that, cutting a multitude of
+capers, they flung their masters to the ground. Don Quixote, covered with
+shame and out of countenance, ran to pluck the plume from his poor jade's
+tail, while Sancho did the same for Dapple. His conductors tried to
+punish the audacity of the boys, but there was no possibility of doing
+so, for they hid themselves among the hundreds of others that were
+following them. Don Quixote and Sancho mounted once more, and with the
+same music and acclamations reached their conductor's house, which was
+large and stately, that of a rich gentleman, in short; and there for the
+present we will leave them, for such is Cide Hamete's pleasure.
+
+Chapter LXII. -
+Which deals with the adventure of the enchanted head, together with other
+trivial matters which cannot be left untold
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+"What!" said Don Antonio, "has Sancho been a governor?"
+
+"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."
+
+Don Quixote then gave them a minute account of the whole affair of
+Sancho's government, with which he greatly amused his hearers.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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?"
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+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."
+
+"I question thee no further," said the fair querist.
+
+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."
+
+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.
+
+"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?"
+
+"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."
+
+"That's 'what I see with my eyes I point out with my finger,'" said the
+gentleman, "so I ask no more."
+
+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."
+
+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?"
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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."
+
+"Good, by God!" said Sancho Panza; "I could have told myself that; the
+prophet Perogrullo could have said no more."
+
+"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?"
+
+"Yes, it is enough," said Sancho; "but I should have liked it to have
+made itself plainer and told me more."
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+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."
+
+"What is the title of the book?" asked Don Quixote; to which the author
+replied, "Senor, in Italian the book is called Le Bagatelle."
+
+"And what does Le Bagatelle import in our Spanish?" asked Don Quixote.
+
+"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."
+
+"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?"
+
+"Yes, often," said the author.
+
+"And how do you render that in Spanish?"
+
+"How should I render it," returned the author, "but by olla?"
+
+"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."
+
+"I translate them so of course," said the author, "for those are their
+proper equivalents."
+
+"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?"
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"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.
+
+Chapter LXIII. -
+Of the mishap that befell Sancho Panza through the visit to the galleys,
+and the strange adventure of the fair Morisco
+
+Profound were Don Quixote's reflections on the reply of the enchanted
+head, not one of them, however, hitting on the secret of the trick, but
+all concentrated on the promise, which he regarded as a certainty, of
+Dulcinea's disenchantment. This he turned over in his mind again and
+again with great satisfaction, fully persuaded that he would shortly see
+its fulfillment; and as for Sancho, though, as has been said, he hated
+being a governor, still he had a longing to be giving orders and finding
+himself obeyed once more; this is the misfortune that being in authority,
+even in jest, brings with it.
+
+To resume; that afternoon their host Don Antonio Moreno and his two
+friends, with Don Quixote and Sancho, went to the galleys. The commandant
+had been already made aware of his good fortune in seeing two such famous
+persons as Don Quixote and Sancho, and the instant they came to the shore
+all the galleys struck their awnings and the clarions rang out. A skiff
+covered with rich carpets and cushions of crimson velvet was immediately
+lowered into the water, and as Don Quixote stepped on board of it, the
+leading galley fired her gangway gun, and the other galleys did the same;
+and as he mounted the starboard ladder the whole crew saluted him (as is
+the custom when a personage of distinction comes on board a galley) by
+exclaiming "Hu, hu, hu," three times. The general, for so we shall call
+him, a Valencian gentleman of rank, gave him his hand and embraced him,
+saying, "I shall mark this day with a white stone as one of the happiest
+I can expect to enjoy in my lifetime, since I have seen Senor Don Quixote
+of La Mancha, pattern and image wherein we see contained and condensed
+all that is worthy in knight-errantry."
+
+Don Quixote delighted beyond measure with such a lordly reception,
+replied to him in words no less courteous. All then proceeded to the
+poop, which was very handsomely decorated, and seated themselves on the
+bulwark benches; the boatswain passed along the gangway and piped all
+hands to strip, which they did in an instant. Sancho, seeing such a
+number of men stripped to the skin, was taken aback, and still more when
+he saw them spread the awning so briskly that it seemed to him as if all
+the devils were at work at it; but all this was cakes and fancy bread to
+what I am going to tell now. Sancho was seated on the captain's stage,
+close to the aftermost rower on the right-hand side. He, previously
+instructed in what he was to do, laid hold of Sancho, hoisting him up in
+his arms, and the whole crew, who were standing ready, beginning on the
+right, proceeded to pass him on, whirling him along from hand to hand and
+from bench to bench with such rapidity that it took the sight out of poor
+Sancho's eyes, and he made quite sure that the devils themselves were
+flying away with him; nor did they leave off with him until they had sent
+him back along the left side and deposited him on the poop; and the poor
+fellow was left bruised and breathless and all in a sweat, and unable to
+comprehend what it was that had happened to him.
+
+Don Quixote when he saw Sancho's flight without wings asked the general
+if this was a usual ceremony with those who came on board the galleys for
+the first time; for, if so, as he had no intention of adopting them as a
+profession, he had no mind to perform such feats of agility, and if
+anyone offered to lay hold of him to whirl him about, he vowed to God he
+would kick his soul out; and as he said this he stood up and clapped his
+hand upon his sword. At this instant they struck the awning and lowered
+the yard with a prodigious rattle. Sancho thought heaven was coming off
+its hinges and going to fall on his head, and full of terror he ducked it
+and buried it between his knees; nor were Don Quixote's knees altogether
+under control, for he too shook a little, squeezed his shoulders together
+and lost colour. The crew then hoisted the yard with the same rapidity
+and clatter as when they lowered it, all the while keeping silence as
+though they had neither voice nor breath. The boatswain gave the signal
+to weigh anchor, and leaping upon the middle of the gangway began to lay
+on to the shoulders of the crew with his courbash or whip, and to haul
+out gradually to sea.
+
+When Sancho saw so many red feet (for such he took the oars to be) moving
+all together, he said to himself, "It's these that are the real chanted
+things, and not the ones my master talks of. What can those wretches have
+done to be so whipped; and how does that one man who goes along there
+whistling dare to whip so many? I declare this is hell, or at least
+purgatory!"
+
+Don Quixote, observing how attentively Sancho regarded what was going on,
+said to him, "Ah, Sancho my friend, how quickly and cheaply might you
+finish off the disenchantment of Dulcinea, if you would strip to the
+waist and take your place among those gentlemen! Amid the pain and
+sufferings of so many you would not feel your own much; and moreover
+perhaps the sage Merlin would allow each of these lashes, being laid on
+with a good hand, to count for ten of those which you must give yourself
+at last."
+
+The general was about to ask what these lashes were, and what was
+Dulcinea's disenchantment, when a sailor exclaimed, "Monjui signals that
+there is an oared vessel off the coast to the west."
+
+On hearing this the general sprang upon the gangway crying, "Now then, my
+sons, don't let her give us the slip! It must be some Algerine corsair
+brigantine that the watchtower signals to us." The three others
+immediately came alongside the chief galley to receive their orders. The
+general ordered two to put out to sea while he with the other kept in
+shore, so that in this way the vessel could not escape them. The crews
+plied the oars driving the galleys so furiously that they seemed to fly.
+The two that had put out to sea, after a couple of miles sighted a vessel
+which, so far as they could make out, they judged to be one of fourteen
+or fifteen banks, and so she proved. As soon as the vessel discovered the
+galleys she went about with the object and in the hope of making her
+escape by her speed; but the attempt failed, for the chief galley was one
+of the fastest vessels afloat, and overhauled her so rapidly that they on
+board the brigantine saw clearly there was no possibility of escaping,
+and the rais therefore would have had them drop their oars and give
+themselves up so as not to provoke the captain in command of our galleys
+to anger. But chance, directing things otherwise, so ordered it that just
+as the chief galley came close enough for those on board the vessel to
+hear the shouts from her calling on them to surrender, two Toraquis, that
+is to say two Turks, both drunken, that with a dozen more were on board
+the brigantine, discharged their muskets, killing two of the soldiers
+that lined the sides of our vessel. Seeing this the general swore he
+would not leave one of those he found on board the vessel alive, but as
+he bore down furiously upon her she slipped away from him underneath the
+oars. The galley shot a good way ahead; those on board the vessel saw
+their case was desperate, and while the galley was coming about they made
+sail, and by sailing and rowing once more tried to sheer off; but their
+activity did not do them as much good as their rashness did them harm,
+for the galley coming up with them in a little more than half a mile
+threw her oars over them and took the whole of them alive. The other two
+galleys now joined company and all four returned with the prize to the
+beach, where a vast multitude stood waiting for them, eager to see what
+they brought back. The general anchored close in, and perceived that the
+viceroy of the city was on the shore. He ordered the skiff to push off to
+fetch him, and the yard to be lowered for the purpose of hanging
+forthwith the rais and the rest of the men taken on board the vessel,
+about six-and-thirty in number, all smart fellows and most of them
+Turkish musketeers. He asked which was the rais of the brigantine, and
+was answered in Spanish by one of the prisoners (who afterwards proved to
+be a Spanish renegade), "This young man, senor that you see here is our
+rais," and he pointed to one of the handsomest and most gallant-looking
+youths that could be imagined. He did not seem to be twenty years of age.
+
+"Tell me, dog," said the general, "what led thee to kill my soldiers,
+when thou sawest it was impossible for thee to escape? Is that the way to
+behave to chief galleys? Knowest thou not that rashness is not valour?
+Faint prospects of success should make men bold, but not rash."
+
+The rais was about to reply, but the general could not at that moment
+listen to him, as he had to hasten to receive the viceroy, who was now
+coming on board the galley, and with him certain of his attendants and
+some of the people.
+
+"You have had a good chase, senor general," said the viceroy.
+
+"Your excellency shall soon see how good, by the game strung up to this
+yard," replied the general.
+
+"How so?" returned the viceroy.
+
+"Because," said the general, "against all law, reason, and usages of war
+they have killed on my hands two of the best soldiers on board these
+galleys, and I have sworn to hang every man that I have taken, but above
+all this youth who is the rais of the brigantine," and he pointed to him
+as he stood with his hands already bound and the rope round his neck,
+ready for death.
+
+The viceroy looked at him, and seeing him so well-favoured, so graceful,
+and so submissive, he felt a desire to spare his life, the comeliness of
+the youth furnishing him at once with a letter of recommendation. He
+therefore questioned him, saying, "Tell me, rais, art thou Turk, Moor, or
+renegade?"
+
+To which the youth replied, also in Spanish, "I am neither Turk, nor
+Moor, nor renegade."
+
+"What art thou, then?" said the viceroy.
+
+"A Christian woman," replied the youth.
+
+"A woman and a Christian, in such a dress and in such circumstances! It
+is more marvellous than credible," said the viceroy.
+
+"Suspend the execution of the sentence," said the youth; "your vengeance
+will not lose much by waiting while I tell you the story of my life."
+
+What heart could be so hard as not to be softened by these words, at any
+rate so far as to listen to what the unhappy youth had to say? The
+general bade him say what he pleased, but not to expect pardon for his
+flagrant offence. With this permission the youth began in these words.
+
+"Born of Morisco parents, I am of that nation, more unhappy than wise,
+upon which of late a sea of woes has poured down. In the course of our
+misfortune I was carried to Barbary by two uncles of mine, for it was in
+vain that I declared I was a Christian, as in fact I am, and not a mere
+pretended one, or outwardly, but a true Catholic Christian. It availed me
+nothing with those charged with our sad expatriation to protest this, nor
+would my uncles believe it; on the contrary, they treated it as an
+untruth and a subterfuge set up to enable me to remain behind in the land
+of my birth; and so, more by force than of my own will, they took me with
+them. I had a Christian mother, and a father who was a man of sound sense
+and a Christian too; I imbibed the Catholic faith with my mother's milk,
+I was well brought up, and neither in word nor in deed did I, I think,
+show any sign of being a Morisco. To accompany these virtues, for such I
+hold them, my beauty, if I possess any, grew with my growth; and great as
+was the seclusion in which I lived it was not so great but that a young
+gentleman, Don Gaspar Gregorio by name, eldest son of a gentleman who is
+lord of a village near ours, contrived to find opportunities of seeing
+me. How he saw me, how we met, how his heart was lost to me, and mine not
+kept from him, would take too long to tell, especially at a moment when I
+am in dread of the cruel cord that threatens me interposing between
+tongue and throat; I will only say, therefore, that Don Gregorio chose to
+accompany me in our banishment. He joined company with the Moriscoes who
+were going forth from other villages, for he knew their language very
+well, and on the voyage he struck up a friendship with my two uncles who
+were carrying me with them; for my father, like a wise and far-sighted
+man, as soon as he heard the first edict for our expulsion, quitted the
+village and departed in quest of some refuge for us abroad. He left
+hidden and buried, at a spot of which I alone have knowledge, a large
+quantity of pearls and precious stones of great value, together with a
+sum of money in gold cruzadoes and doubloons. He charged me on no account
+to touch the treasure, if by any chance they expelled us before his
+return. I obeyed him, and with my uncles, as I have said, and others of
+our kindred and neighbours, passed over to Barbary, and the place where
+we took up our abode was Algiers, much the same as if we had taken it up
+in hell itself. The king heard of my beauty, and report told him of my
+wealth, which was in some degree fortunate for me. He summoned me before
+him, and asked me what part of Spain I came from, and what money and
+jewels I had. I mentioned the place, and told him the jewels and money
+were buried there; but that they might easily be recovered if I myself
+went back for them. All this I told him, in dread lest my beauty and not
+his own covetousness should influence him. While he was engaged in
+conversation with me, they brought him word that in company with me was
+one of the handsomest and most graceful youths that could be imagined. I
+knew at once that they were speaking of Don Gaspar Gregorio, whose
+comeliness surpasses the most highly vaunted beauty. I was troubled when
+I thought of the danger he was in, for among those barbarous Turks a fair
+youth is more esteemed than a woman, be she ever so beautiful. The king
+immediately ordered him to be brought before him that he might see him,
+and asked me if what they said about the youth was true. I then, almost
+as if inspired by heaven, told him it was, but that I would have him to
+know it was not a man, but a woman like myself, and I entreated him to
+allow me to go and dress her in the attire proper to her, so that her
+beauty might be seen to perfection, and that she might present herself
+before him with less embarrassment. He bade me go by all means, and said
+that the next day we should discuss the plan to be adopted for my return
+to Spain to carry away the hidden treasure. I saw Don Gaspar, I told him
+the danger he was in if he let it be seen he was a man, I dressed him as
+a Moorish woman, and that same afternoon I brought him before the king,
+who was charmed when he saw him, and resolved to keep the damsel and make
+a present of her to the Grand Signor; and to avoid the risk she might run
+among the women of his seraglio, and distrustful of himself, he commanded
+her to be placed in the house of some Moorish ladies of rank who would
+protect and attend to her; and thither he was taken at once. What we both
+suffered (for I cannot deny that I love him) may be left to the
+imagination of those who are separated if they love one another dearly.
+The king then arranged that I should return to Spain in this brigantine,
+and that two Turks, those who killed your soldiers, should accompany me.
+There also came with me this Spanish renegade"--and here she pointed to
+him who had first spoken--"whom I know to be secretly a Christian, and to
+be more desirous of being left in Spain than of returning to Barbary. The
+rest of the crew of the brigantine are Moors and Turks, who merely serve
+as rowers. The two Turks, greedy and insolent, instead of obeying the
+orders we had to land me and this renegade in Christian dress (with which
+we came provided) on the first Spanish ground we came to, chose to run
+along the coast and make some prize if they could, fearing that if they
+put us ashore first, we might, in case of some accident befalling us,
+make it known that the brigantine was at sea, and thus, if there happened
+to be any galleys on the coast, they might be taken. We sighted this
+shore last night, and knowing nothing of these galleys, we were
+discovered, and the result was what you have seen. To sum up, there is
+Don Gregorio in woman's dress, among women, in imminent danger of his
+life; and here am I, with hands bound, in expectation, or rather in
+dread, of losing my life, of which I am already weary. Here, sirs, ends
+my sad story, as true as it is unhappy; all I ask of you is to allow me
+to die like a Christian, for, as I have already said, I am not to be
+charged with the offence of which those of my nation are guilty;" and she
+stood silent, her eyes filled with moving tears, accompanied by plenty
+from the bystanders. The viceroy, touched with compassion, went up to her
+without speaking and untied the cord that bound the hands of the Moorish
+girl.
+
+But all the while the Morisco Christian was telling her strange story, an
+elderly pilgrim, who had come on board of the galley at the same time as
+the viceroy, kept his eyes fixed upon her; and the instant she ceased
+speaking he threw himself at her feet, and embracing them said in a voice
+broken by sobs and sighs, "O Ana Felix, my unhappy daughter, I am thy
+father Ricote, come back to look for thee, unable to live without thee,
+my soul that thou art!"
+
+At these words of his, Sancho opened his eyes and raised his head, which
+he had been holding down, brooding over his unlucky excursion; and
+looking at the pilgrim he recognised in him that same Ricote he met the
+day he quitted his government, and felt satisfied that this was his
+daughter. She being now unbound embraced her father, mingling her tears
+with his, while he addressing the general and the viceroy said, "This,
+sirs, is my daughter, more unhappy in her adventures than in her name.
+She is Ana Felix, surnamed Ricote, celebrated as much for her own beauty
+as for my wealth. I quitted my native land in search of some shelter or
+refuge for us abroad, and having found one in Germany I returned in this
+pilgrim's dress, in the company of some other German pilgrims, to seek my
+daughter and take up a large quantity of treasure I had left buried. My
+daughter I did not find, the treasure I found and have with me; and now,
+in this strange roundabout way you have seen, I find the treasure that
+more than all makes me rich, my beloved daughter. If our innocence and
+her tears and mine can with strict justice open the door to clemency,
+extend it to us, for we never had any intention of injuring you, nor do
+we sympathise with the aims of our people, who have been justly
+banished."
+
+"I know Ricote well," said Sancho at this, "and I know too that what he
+says about Ana Felix being his daughter is true; but as to those other
+particulars about going and coming, and having good or bad intentions, I
+say nothing."
+
+While all present stood amazed at this strange occurrence the general
+said, "At any rate your tears will not allow me to keep my oath; live,
+fair Ana Felix, all the years that heaven has allotted you; but these
+rash insolent fellows must pay the penalty of the crime they have
+committed;" and with that he gave orders to have the two Turks who had
+killed his two soldiers hanged at once at the yard-arm. The viceroy,
+however, begged him earnestly not to hang them, as their behaviour
+savoured rather of madness than of bravado. The general yielded to the
+viceroy's request, for revenge is not easily taken in cold blood. They
+then tried to devise some scheme for rescuing Don Gaspar Gregorio from
+the danger in which he had been left. Ricote offered for that object more
+than two thousand ducats that he had in pearls and gems; they proposed
+several plans, but none so good as that suggested by the renegade already
+mentioned, who offered to return to Algiers in a small vessel of about
+six banks, manned by Christian rowers, as he knew where, how, and when he
+could and should land, nor was he ignorant of the house in which Don
+Gaspar was staying. The general and the viceroy had some hesitation about
+placing confidence in the renegade and entrusting him with the Christians
+who were to row, but Ana Felix said she could answer for him, and her
+father offered to go and pay the ransom of the Christians if by any
+chance they should not be forthcoming. This, then, being agreed upon, the
+viceroy landed, and Don Antonio Moreno took the fair Morisco and her
+father home with him, the viceroy charging him to give them the best
+reception and welcome in his power, while on his own part he offered all
+that house contained for their entertainment; so great was the good-will
+and kindliness the beauty of Ana Felix had infused into his heart.
+
+Chapter LXIV. -
+Treating of the adventure which gave Don Quixote more unhappiness than
+all that had hitherto befallen him
+
+The wife of Don Antonio Moreno, so the history says, was extremely happy
+to see Ana Felix in her house. She welcomed her with great kindness,
+charmed as well by her beauty as by her intelligence; for in both
+respects the fair Morisco was richly endowed, and all the people of the
+city flocked to see her as though they had been summoned by the ringing
+of the bells.
+
+Don Quixote told Don Antonio that the plan adopted for releasing Don
+Gregorio was not a good one, for its risks were greater than its
+advantages, and that it would be better to land himself with his arms and
+horse in Barbary; for he would carry him off in spite of the whole
+Moorish host, as Don Gaiferos carried off his wife Melisendra.
+
+"Remember, your worship," observed Sancho on hearing him say so, "Senor
+Don Gaiferos carried off his wife from the mainland, and took her to
+France by land; but in this case, if by chance we carry off Don Gregorio,
+we have no way of bringing him to Spain, for there's the sea between."
+
+"There's a remedy for everything except death," said Don Quixote; "if
+they bring the vessel close to the shore we shall be able to get on board
+though all the world strive to prevent us."
+
+"Your worship hits it off mighty well and mighty easy," said Sancho; "but
+'it's a long step from saying to doing;' and I hold to the renegade, for
+he seems to me an honest good-hearted fellow."
+
+Don Antonio then said that if the renegade did not prove successful, the
+expedient of the great Don Quixote's expedition to Barbary should be
+adopted. Two days afterwards the renegade put to sea in a light vessel of
+six oars a-side manned by a stout crew, and two days later the galleys
+made sail eastward, the general having begged the viceroy to let him know
+all about the release of Don Gregorio and about Ana Felix, and the
+viceroy promised to do as he requested.
+
+One morning as Don Quixote went out for a stroll along the beach, arrayed
+in full armour (for, as he often said, that was "his only gear, his only
+rest the fray," and he never was without it for a moment), he saw coming
+towards him a knight, also in full armour, with a shining moon painted on
+his shield, who, on approaching sufficiently near to be heard, said in a
+loud voice, addressing himself to Don Quixote, "Illustrious knight, and
+never sufficiently extolled Don Quixote of La Mancha, I am the Knight of
+the White Moon, whose unheard-of achievements will perhaps have recalled
+him to thy memory. I come to do battle with thee and prove the might of
+thy arm, to the end that I make thee acknowledge and confess that my
+lady, let her be who she may, is incomparably fairer than thy Dulcinea
+del Toboso. If thou dost acknowledge this fairly and openly, thou shalt
+escape death and save me the trouble of inflicting it upon thee; if thou
+fightest and I vanquish thee, I demand no other satisfaction than that,
+laying aside arms and abstaining from going in quest of adventures, thou
+withdraw and betake thyself to thine own village for the space of a year,
+and live there without putting hand to sword, in peace and quiet and
+beneficial repose, the same being needful for the increase of thy
+substance and the salvation of thy soul; and if thou dost vanquish me, my
+head shall be at thy disposal, my arms and horse thy spoils, and the
+renown of my deeds transferred and added to thine. Consider which will be
+thy best course, and give me thy answer speedily, for this day is all the
+time I have for the despatch of this business."
+
+Don Quixote was amazed and astonished, as well at the Knight of the White
+Moon's arrogance, as at his reason for delivering the defiance, and with
+calm dignity he answered him, "Knight of the White Moon, of whose
+achievements I have never heard until now, I will venture to swear you
+have never seen the illustrious Dulcinea; for had you seen her I know you
+would have taken care not to venture yourself upon this issue, because
+the sight would have removed all doubt from your mind that there ever has
+been or can be a beauty to be compared with hers; and so, not saying you
+lie, but merely that you are not correct in what you state, I accept your
+challenge, with the conditions you have proposed, and at once, that the
+day you have fixed may not expire; and from your conditions I except only
+that of the renown of your achievements being transferred to me, for I
+know not of what sort they are nor what they may amount to; I am
+satisfied with my own, such as they be. Take, therefore, the side of the
+field you choose, and I will do the same; and to whom God shall give it
+may Saint Peter add his blessing."
+
+The Knight of the White Moon had been seen from the city, and it was told
+the viceroy how he was in conversation with Don Quixote. The viceroy,
+fancying it must be some fresh adventure got up by Don Antonio Moreno or
+some other gentleman of the city, hurried out at once to the beach
+accompanied by Don Antonio and several other gentlemen, just as Don
+Quixote was wheeling Rocinante round in order to take up the necessary
+distance. The viceroy upon this, seeing that the pair of them were
+evidently preparing to come to the charge, put himself between them,
+asking them what it was that led them to engage in combat all of a sudden
+in this way. The Knight of the White Moon replied that it was a question
+of precedence of beauty; and briefly told him what he had said to Don
+Quixote, and how the conditions of the defiance agreed upon on both sides
+had been accepted. The viceroy went over to Don Antonio, and asked in a
+low voice did he know who the Knight of the White Moon was, or was it
+some joke they were playing on Don Quixote. Don Antonio replied that he
+neither knew who he was nor whether the defiance was in joke or in
+earnest. This answer left the viceroy in a state of perplexity, not
+knowing whether he ought to let the combat go on or not; but unable to
+persuade himself that it was anything but a joke he fell back, saying,
+"If there be no other way out of it, gallant knights, except to confess
+or die, and Don Quixote is inflexible, and your worship of the White Moon
+still more so, in God's hand be it, and fall on."
+
+He of the White Moon thanked the viceroy in courteous and well-chosen
+words for the permission he gave them, and so did Don Quixote, who then,
+commending himself with all his heart to heaven and to his Dulcinea, as
+was his custom on the eve of any combat that awaited him, proceeded to
+take a little more distance, as he saw his antagonist was doing the same;
+then, without blast of trumpet or other warlike instrument to give them
+the signal to charge, both at the same instant wheeled their horses; and
+he of the White Moon, being the swifter, met Don Quixote after having
+traversed two-thirds of the course, and there encountered him with such
+violence that, without touching him with his lance (for he held it high,
+to all appearance purposely), he hurled Don Quixote and Rocinante to the
+earth, a perilous fall. He sprang upon him at once, and placing the lance
+over his visor said to him, "You are vanquished, sir knight, nay dead
+unless you admit the conditions of our defiance."
+
+Don Quixote, bruised and stupefied, without raising his visor said in a
+weak feeble voice as if he were speaking out of a tomb, "Dulcinea del
+Toboso is the fairest woman in the world, and I the most unfortunate
+knight on earth; it is not fitting that this truth should suffer by my
+feebleness; drive your lance home, sir knight, and take my life, since
+you have taken away my honour."
+
+"That will I not, in sooth," said he of the White Moon; "live the fame of
+the lady Dulcinea's beauty undimmed as ever; all I require is that the
+great Don Quixote retire to his own home for a year, or for so long a
+time as shall by me be enjoined upon him, as we agreed before engaging in
+this combat."
+
+The viceroy, Don Antonio, and several others who were present heard all
+this, and heard too how Don Quixote replied that so long as nothing in
+prejudice of Dulcinea was demanded of him, he would observe all the rest
+like a true and loyal knight. The engagement given, he of the White Moon
+wheeled about, and making obeisance to the viceroy with a movement of the
+head, rode away into the city at a half gallop. The viceroy bade Don
+Antonio hasten after him, and by some means or other find out who he was.
+They raised Don Quixote up and uncovered his face, and found him pale and
+bathed with sweat.
+
+Rocinante from the mere hard measure he had received lay unable to stir
+for the present. Sancho, wholly dejected and woebegone, knew not what to
+say or do. He fancied that all was a dream, that the whole business was a
+piece of enchantment. Here was his master defeated, and bound not to take
+up arms for a year. He saw the light of the glory of his achievements
+obscured; the hopes of the promises lately made him swept away like smoke
+before the wind; Rocinante, he feared, was crippled for life, and his
+master's bones out of joint; for if he were only shaken out of his
+madness it would be no small luck. In the end they carried him into the
+city in a hand-chair which the viceroy sent for, and thither the viceroy
+himself returned, cager to ascertain who this Knight of the White Moon
+was who had left Don Quixote in such a sad plight.
+
+Chapter LXV. -
+Wherein is made known who the Knight of the White Moon was; likewise Don
+Gregorio's release, and other events
+
+Don Antonia Moreno followed the Knight of the White Moon, and a number of
+boys followed him too, nay pursued him, until they had him fairly housed
+in a hostel in the heart of the city. Don Antonio, eager to make his
+acquaintance, entered also; a squire came out to meet him and remove his
+armour, and he shut himself into a lower room, still attended by Don
+Antonio, whose bread would not bake until he had found out who he was. He
+of the White Moon, seeing then that the gentleman would not leave him,
+said, "I know very well, senor, what you have come for; it is to find out
+who I am; and as there is no reason why I should conceal it from you,
+while my servant here is taking off my armour I will tell you the true
+state of the case, without leaving out anything. You must know, senor,
+that I am called the bachelor Samson Carrasco. I am of the same village
+as Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose craze and folly make all of us who
+know him feel pity for him, and I am one of those who have felt it most;
+and persuaded that his chance of recovery lay in quiet and keeping at
+home and in his own house, I hit upon a device for keeping him there.
+Three months ago, therefore, I went out to meet him as a knight-errant,
+under the assumed name of the Knight of the Mirrors, intending to engage
+him in combat and overcome him without hurting him, making it the
+condition of our combat that the vanquished should be at the disposal of
+the victor. What I meant to demand of him (for I regarded him as
+vanquished already) was that he should return to his own village, and not
+leave it for a whole year, by which time he might be cured. But fate
+ordered it otherwise, for he vanquished me and unhorsed me, and so my
+plan failed. He went his way, and I came back conquered, covered with
+shame, and sorely bruised by my fall, which was a particularly dangerous
+one. But this did not quench my desire to meet him again and overcome
+him, as you have seen to-day. And as he is so scrupulous in his
+observance of the laws of knight-errantry, he will, no doubt, in order to
+keep his word, obey the injunction I have laid upon him. This, senor, is
+how the matter stands, and I have nothing more to tell you. I implore of
+you not to betray me, or tell Don Quixote who I am; so that my honest
+endeavours may be successful, and that a man of excellent wits--were he
+only rid of the fooleries of chivalry--may get them back again."
+
+"O senor," said Don Antonio, "may God forgive you the wrong you have done
+the whole world in trying to bring the most amusing madman in it back to
+his senses. Do you not see, senor, that the gain by Don Quixote's sanity
+can never equal the enjoyment his crazes give? But my belief is that all
+the senor bachelor's pains will be of no avail to bring a man so
+hopelessly cracked to his senses again; and if it were not uncharitable,
+I would say may Don Quixote never be cured, for by his recovery we lose
+not only his own drolleries, but his squire Sancho Panza's too, any one
+of which is enough to turn melancholy itself into merriment. However,
+I'll hold my peace and say nothing to him, and we'll see whether I am
+right in my suspicion that Senor Carrasco's efforts will be fruitless."
+
+The bachelor replied that at all events the affair promised well, and he
+hoped for a happy result from it; and putting his services at Don
+Antonio's commands he took his leave of him; and having had his armour
+packed at once upon a mule, he rode away from the city the same day on
+the horse he rode to battle, and returned to his own country without
+meeting any adventure calling for record in this veracious history.
+
+Don Antonio reported to the viceroy what Carrasco told him, and the
+viceroy was not very well pleased to hear it, for with Don Quixote's
+retirement there was an end to the amusement of all who knew anything of
+his mad doings.
+
+Six days did Don Quixote keep his bed, dejected, melancholy, moody and
+out of sorts, brooding over the unhappy event of his defeat. Sancho
+strove to comfort him, and among other things he said to him, "Hold up
+your head, senor, and be of good cheer if you can, and give thanks to
+heaven that if you have had a tumble to the ground you have not come off
+with a broken rib; and, as you know that 'where they give they take,' and
+that 'there are not always fletches where there are pegs,' a fig for the
+doctor, for there's no need of him to cure this ailment. Let us go home,
+and give over going about in search of adventures in strange lands and
+places; rightly looked at, it is I that am the greater loser, though it
+is your worship that has had the worse usage. With the government I gave
+up all wish to be a governor again, but I did not give up all longing to
+be a count; and that will never come to pass if your worship gives up
+becoming a king by renouncing the calling of chivalry; and so my hopes
+are going to turn into smoke."
+
+"Peace, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "thou seest my suspension and
+retirement is not to exceed a year; I shall soon return to my honoured
+calling, and I shall not be at a loss for a kingdom to win and a county
+to bestow on thee."
+
+"May God hear it and sin be deaf," said Sancho; "I have always heard say
+that 'a good hope is better than a bad holding."
+
+As they were talking Don Antonio came in looking extremely pleased and
+exclaiming, "Reward me for my good news, Senor Don Quixote! Don Gregorio
+and the renegade who went for him have come ashore--ashore do I say? They
+are by this time in the viceroy's house, and will be here immediately."
+
+Don Quixote cheered up a little and said, "Of a truth I am almost ready
+to say I should have been glad had it turned out just the other way, for
+it would have obliged me to cross over to Barbary, where by the might of
+my arm I should have restored to liberty, not only Don Gregorio, but all
+the Christian captives there are in Barbary. But what am I saying,
+miserable being that I am? Am I not he that has been conquered? Am I not
+he that has been overthrown? Am I not he who must not take up arms for a
+year? Then what am I making professions for; what am I bragging about;
+when it is fitter for me to handle the distaff than the sword?"
+
+"No more of that, senor," said Sancho; "'let the hen live, even though it
+be with her pip; 'today for thee and to-morrow for me;' in these affairs
+of encounters and whacks one must not mind them, for he that falls to-day
+may get up to-morrow; unless indeed he chooses to lie in bed, I mean
+gives way to weakness and does not pluck up fresh spirit for fresh
+battles; let your worship get up now to receive Don Gregorio; for the
+household seems to be in a bustle, and no doubt he has come by this
+time;" and so it proved, for as soon as Don Gregorio and the renegade had
+given the viceroy an account of the voyage out and home, Don Gregorio,
+eager to see Ana Felix, came with the renegade to Don Antonio's house.
+When they carried him away from Algiers he was in woman's dress; on board
+the vessel, however, he exchanged it for that of a captive who escaped
+with him; but in whatever dress he might be he looked like one to be
+loved and served and esteemed, for he was surpassingly well-favoured, and
+to judge by appearances some seventeen or eighteen years of age. Ricote
+and his daughter came out to welcome him, the father with tears, the
+daughter with bashfulness. They did not embrace each other, for where
+there is deep love there will never be overmuch boldness. Seen side by
+side, the comeliness of Don Gregorio and the beauty of Ana Felix were the
+admiration of all who were present. It was silence that spoke for the
+lovers at that moment, and their eyes were the tongues that declared
+their pure and happy feelings. The renegade explained the measures and
+means he had adopted to rescue Don Gregorio, and Don Gregorio at no great
+length, but in a few words, in which he showed that his intelligence was
+in advance of his years, described the peril and embarrassment he found
+himself in among the women with whom he had sojourned. To conclude,
+Ricote liberally recompensed and rewarded as well the renegade as the men
+who had rowed; and the renegade effected his readmission into the body of
+the Church and was reconciled with it, and from a rotten limb became by
+penance and repentance a clean and sound one.
+
+Two days later the viceroy discussed with Don Antonio the steps they
+should take to enable Ana Felix and her father to stay in Spain, for it
+seemed to them there could be no objection to a daughter who was so good
+a Christian and a father to all appearance so well disposed remaining
+there. Don Antonio offered to arrange the matter at the capital, whither
+he was compelled to go on some other business, hinting that many a
+difficult affair was settled there with the help of favour and bribes.
+
+"Nay," said Ricote, who was present during the conversation, "it will not
+do to rely upon favour or bribes, because with the great Don Bernardino
+de Velasco, Conde de Salazar, to whom his Majesty has entrusted our
+expulsion, neither entreaties nor promises, bribes nor appeals to
+compassion, are of any use; for though it is true he mingles mercy with
+justice, still, seeing that the whole body of our nation is tainted and
+corrupt, he applies to it the cautery that burns rather than the salve
+that soothes; and thus, by prudence, sagacity, care and the fear he
+inspires, he has borne on his mighty shoulders the weight of this great
+policy and carried it into effect, all our schemes and plots,
+importunities and wiles, being ineffectual to blind his Argus eyes, ever
+on the watch lest one of us should remain behind in concealment, and like
+a hidden root come in course of time to sprout and bear poisonous fruit
+in Spain, now cleansed, and relieved of the fear in which our vast
+numbers kept it. Heroic resolve of the great Philip the Third, and
+unparalleled wisdom to have entrusted it to the said Don Bernardino de
+Velasco!"
+
+"At any rate," said Don Antonio, "when I am there I will make all
+possible efforts, and let heaven do as pleases it best; Don Gregorio will
+come with me to relieve the anxiety which his parents must be suffering
+on account of his absence; Ana Felix will remain in my house with my
+wife, or in a monastery; and I know the viceroy will be glad that the
+worthy Ricote should stay with him until we see what terms I can make."
+
+The viceroy agreed to all that was proposed; but Don Gregorio on learning
+what had passed declared he could not and would not on any account leave
+Ana Felix; however, as it was his purpose to go and see his parents and
+devise some way of returning for her, he fell in with the proposed
+arrangement. Ana Felix remained with Don Antonio's wife, and Ricote in
+the viceroy's house.
+
+The day for Don Antonio's departure came; and two days later that for Don
+Quixote's and Sancho's, for Don Quixote's fall did not suffer him to take
+the road sooner. There were tears and sighs, swoonings and sobs, at the
+parting between Don Gregorio and Ana Felix. Ricote offered Don Gregorio a
+thousand crowns if he would have them, but he would not take any save
+five which Don Antonio lent him and he promised to repay at the capital.
+So the two of them took their departure, and Don Quixote and Sancho
+afterwards, as has been already said, Don Quixote without his armour and
+in travelling gear, and Sancho on foot, Dapple being loaded with the
+armour.
+
+Chapter LXVI. -
+Which treats of what he who reads will see, or what he who has it read to
+him will hear
+
+As he left Barcelona, Don Quixote turned gaze upon the spot where he had
+fallen. "Here Troy was," said he; "here my ill-luck, not my cowardice,
+robbed me of all the glory I had won; here Fortune made me the victim of
+her caprices; here the lustre of my achievements was dimmed; here, in a
+word, fell my happiness never to rise again."
+
+"Senor," said Sancho on hearing this, "it is the part of brave hearts to
+be patient in adversity just as much as to be glad in prosperity; I judge
+by myself, for, if when I was a governor I was glad, now that I am a
+squire and on foot I am not sad; and I have heard say that she whom
+commonly they call Fortune is a drunken whimsical jade, and, what is
+more, blind, and therefore neither sees what she does, nor knows whom she
+casts down or whom she sets up."
+
+"Thou art a great philosopher, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "thou speakest
+very sensibly; I know not who taught thee. But I can tell thee there is
+no such thing as Fortune in the world, nor does anything which takes
+place there, be it good or bad, come about by chance, but by the special
+preordination of heaven; and hence the common saying that 'each of us is
+the maker of his own Fortune.' I have been that of mine; but not with the
+proper amount of prudence, and my self-confidence has therefore made me
+pay dearly; for I ought to have reflected that Rocinante's feeble
+strength could not resist the mighty bulk of the Knight of the White
+Moon's horse. In a word, I ventured it, I did my best, I was overthrown,
+but though I lost my honour I did not lose nor can I lose the virtue of
+keeping my word. When I was a knight-errant, daring and valiant, I
+supported my achievements by hand and deed, and now that I am a humble
+squire I will support my words by keeping the promise I have given.
+Forward then, Sancho my friend, let us go to keep the year of the
+novitiate in our own country, and in that seclusion we shall pick up
+fresh strength to return to the by me never-forgotten calling of arms."
+
+"Senor," returned Sancho, "travelling on foot is not such a pleasant
+thing that it makes me feel disposed or tempted to make long marches. Let
+us leave this armour hung up on some tree, instead of some one that has
+been hanged; and then with me on Dapple's back and my feet off the ground
+we will arrange the stages as your worship pleases to measure them out;
+but to suppose that I am going to travel on foot, and make long ones, is
+to suppose nonsense."
+
+"Thou sayest well, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "let my armour be hung up
+for a trophy, and under it or round it we will carve on the trees what
+was inscribed on the trophy of Roland's armour--
+
+These let none move
+Who dareth not his might with Roland prove."
+
+"That's the very thing," said Sancho; "and if it was not that we should
+feel the want of Rocinante on the road, it would be as well to leave him
+hung up too."
+
+"And yet, I had rather not have either him or the armour hung up," said
+Don Quixote, "that it may not be said, 'for good service a bad return.'"
+
+"Your worship is right," said Sancho; "for, as sensible people hold, 'the
+fault of the ass must not be laid on the pack-saddle;' and, as in this
+affair the fault is your worship's, punish yourself and don't let your
+anger break out against the already battered and bloody armour, or the
+meekness of Rocinante, or the tenderness of my feet, trying to make them
+travel more than is reasonable."
+
+In converse of this sort the whole of that day went by, as did the four
+succeeding ones, without anything occurring to interrupt their journey,
+but on the fifth as they entered a village they found a great number of
+people at the door of an inn enjoying themselves, as it was a holiday.
+Upon Don Quixote's approach a peasant called out, "One of these two
+gentlemen who come here, and who don't know the parties, will tell us
+what we ought to do about our wager."
+
+"That I will, certainly," said Don Quixote, "and according to the rights
+of the case, if I can manage to understand it."
+
+"Well, here it is, worthy sir," said the peasant; "a man of this village
+who is so fat that he weighs twenty stone challenged another, a neighbour
+of his, who does not weigh more than nine, to run a race. The agreement
+was that they were to run a distance of a hundred paces with equal
+weights; and when the challenger was asked how the weights were to be
+equalised he said that the other, as he weighed nine stone, should put
+eleven in iron on his back, and that in this way the twenty stone of the
+thin man would equal the twenty stone of the fat one."
+
+"Not at all," exclaimed Sancho at once, before Don Quixote could answer;
+"it's for me, that only a few days ago left off being a governor and a
+judge, as all the world knows, to settle these doubtful questions and
+give an opinion in disputes of all sorts."
+
+"Answer in God's name, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote, "for I am not
+fit to give crumbs to a cat, my wits are so confused and upset."
+
+With this permission Sancho said to the peasants who stood clustered
+round him, waiting with open mouths for the decision to come from his,
+"Brothers, what the fat man requires is not in reason, nor has it a
+shadow of justice in it; because, if it be true, as they say, that the
+challenged may choose the weapons, the other has no right to choose such
+as will prevent and keep him from winning. My decision, therefore, is
+that the fat challenger prune, peel, thin, trim and correct himself, and
+take eleven stone of his flesh off his body, here or there, as he
+pleases, and as suits him best; and being in this way reduced to nine
+stone weight, he will make himself equal and even with nine stone of his
+opponent, and they will be able to run on equal terms."
+
+"By all that's good," said one of the peasants as he heard Sancho's
+decision, "but the gentleman has spoken like a saint, and given judgment
+like a canon! But I'll be bound the fat man won't part with an ounce of
+his flesh, not to say eleven stone."
+
+"The best plan will be for them not to run," said another, "so that
+neither the thin man break down under the weight, nor the fat one strip
+himself of his flesh; let half the wager be spent in wine, and let's take
+these gentlemen to the tavern where there's the best, and 'over me be the
+cloak when it rains."
+
+"I thank you, sirs," said Don Quixote; "but I cannot stop for an instant,
+for sad thoughts and unhappy circumstances force me to seem discourteous
+and to travel apace;" and spurring Rocinante he pushed on, leaving them
+wondering at what they had seen and heard, at his own strange figure and
+at the shrewdness of his servant, for such they took Sancho to be; and
+another of them observed, "If the servant is so clever, what must the
+master be? I'll bet, if they are going to Salamanca to study, they'll
+come to be alcaldes of the Court in a trice; for it's a mere joke--only
+to read and read, and have interest and good luck; and before a man knows
+where he is he finds himself with a staff in his hand or a mitre on his
+head."
+
+That night master and man passed out in the fields in the open air, and
+the next day as they were pursuing their journey they saw coming towards
+them a man on foot with alforjas at the neck and a javelin or spiked
+staff in his hand, the very cut of a foot courier; who, as soon as he
+came close to Don Quixote, increased his pace and half running came up to
+him, and embracing his right thigh, for he could reach no higher,
+exclaimed with evident pleasure, "O Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha, what
+happiness it will be to the heart of my lord the duke when he knows your
+worship is coming back to his castle, for he is still there with my lady
+the duchess!"
+
+"I do not recognise you, friend," said Don Quixote, "nor do I know who
+you are, unless you tell me."
+
+"I am Tosilos, my lord the duke's lacquey, Senor Don Quixote," replied
+the courier; "he who refused to fight your worship about marrying the
+daughter of Dona Rodriguez."
+
+"God bless me!" exclaimed Don Quixote; "is it possible that you are the
+one whom mine enemies the enchanters changed into the lacquey you speak
+of in order to rob me of the honour of that battle?"
+
+"Nonsense, good sir!" said the messenger; "there was no enchantment or
+transformation at all; I entered the lists just as much lacquey Tosilos
+as I came out of them lacquey Tosilos. I thought to marry without
+fighting, for the girl had taken my fancy; but my scheme had a very
+different result, for as soon as your worship had left the castle my lord
+the duke had a hundred strokes of the stick given me for having acted
+contrary to the orders he gave me before engaging in the combat; and the
+end of the whole affair is that the girl has become a nun, and Dona
+Rodriguez has gone back to Castile, and I am now on my way to Barcelona
+with a packet of letters for the viceroy which my master is sending him.
+If your worship would like a drop, sound though warm, I have a gourd here
+full of the best, and some scraps of Tronchon cheese that will serve as a
+provocative and wakener of your thirst if so be it is asleep."
+
+"I take the offer," said Sancho; "no more compliments about it; pour out,
+good Tosilos, in spite of all the enchanters in the Indies."
+
+"Thou art indeed the greatest glutton in the world, Sancho," said Don
+Quixote, "and the greatest booby on earth, not to be able to see that
+this courier is enchanted and this Tosilos a sham one; stop with him and
+take thy fill; I will go on slowly and wait for thee to come up with me."
+
+The lacquey laughed, unsheathed his gourd, unwalletted his scraps, and
+taking out a small loaf of bread he and Sancho seated themselves on the
+green grass, and in peace and good fellowship finished off the contents
+of the alforjas down to the bottom, so resolutely that they licked the
+wrapper of the letters, merely because it smelt of cheese.
+
+Said Tosilos to Sancho, "Beyond a doubt, Sancho my friend, this master of
+thine ought to be a madman."
+
+"Ought!" said Sancho; "he owes no man anything; he pays for everything,
+particularly when the coin is madness. I see it plain enough, and I tell
+him so plain enough; but what's the use? especially now that it is all
+over with him, for here he is beaten by the Knight of the White Moon."
+
+Tosilos begged him to explain what had happened him, but Sancho replied
+that it would not be good manners to leave his master waiting for him;
+and that some other day if they met there would be time enough for that;
+and then getting up, after shaking his doublet and brushing the crumbs
+out of his beard, he drove Dapple on before him, and bidding adieu to
+Tosilos left him and rejoined his master, who was waiting for him under
+the shade of a tree.
+
+Chapter LXVII. -
+Of the resolution Don Quixote formed to turn shepherd and take to a life
+in the fields while the year for which he had given his word was running
+its course; with other events truly delectable and happy
+
+If a multitude of reflections used to harass Don Quixote before he had
+been overthrown, a great many more harassed him since his fall. He was
+under the shade of a tree, as has been said, and there, like flies on
+honey, thoughts came crowding upon him and stinging him. Some of them
+turned upon the disenchantment of Dulcinea, others upon the life he was
+about to lead in his enforced retirement. Sancho came up and spoke in
+high praise of the generous disposition of the lacquey Tosilos.
+
+"Is it possible, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that thou dost still think
+that he yonder is a real lacquey? Apparently it has escaped thy memory
+that thou hast seen Dulcinea turned and transformed into a peasant wench,
+and the Knight of the Mirrors into the bachelor Carrasco; all the work of
+the enchanters that persecute me. But tell me now, didst thou ask this
+Tosilos, as thou callest him, what has become of Altisidora, did she weep
+over my absence, or has she already consigned to oblivion the love
+thoughts that used to afflict her when I was present?"
+
+"The thoughts that I had," said Sancho, "were not such as to leave time
+for asking fool's questions. Body o' me, senor! is your worship in a
+condition now to inquire into other people's thoughts, above all love
+thoughts?"
+
+"Look ye, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "there is a great difference between
+what is done out of love and what is done out of gratitude. A knight may
+very possibly be proof against love; but it is impossible, strictly
+speaking, for him to be ungrateful. Altisidora, to all appearance, loved
+me truly; she gave me the three kerchiefs thou knowest of; she wept at my
+departure, she cursed me, she abused me, casting shame to the winds she
+bewailed herself in public; all signs that she adored me; for the wrath
+of lovers always ends in curses. I had no hopes to give her, nor
+treasures to offer her, for mine are given to Dulcinea, and the treasures
+of knights-errant are like those of the fairies,' illusory and deceptive;
+all I can give her is the place in my memory I keep for her, without
+prejudice, however, to that which I hold devoted to Dulcinea, whom thou
+art wronging by thy remissness in whipping thyself and scourging that
+flesh--would that I saw it eaten by wolves--which would rather keep
+itself for the worms than for the relief of that poor lady."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "if the truth is to be told, I cannot persuade
+myself that the whipping of my backside has anything to do with the
+disenchantment of the enchanted; it is like saying, 'If your head aches
+rub ointment on your knees;' at any rate I'll make bold to swear that in
+all the histories dealing with knight-errantry that your worship has read
+you have never come across anybody disenchanted by whipping; but whether
+or no I'll whip myself when I have a fancy for it, and the opportunity
+serves for scourging myself comfortably."
+
+"God grant it," said Don Quixote; "and heaven give thee grace to take it
+to heart and own the obligation thou art under to help my lady, who is
+thine also, inasmuch as thou art mine."
+
+As they pursued their journey talking in this way they came to the very
+same spot where they had been trampled on by the bulls. Don Quixote
+recognised it, and said he to Sancho, "This is the meadow where we came
+upon those gay shepherdesses and gallant shepherds who were trying to
+revive and imitate the pastoral Arcadia there, an idea as novel as it was
+happy, in emulation whereof, if so be thou dost approve of it, Sancho, I
+would have ourselves turn shepherds, at any rate for the time I have to
+live in retirement. I will buy some ewes and everything else requisite
+for the pastoral calling; and, I under the name of the shepherd Quixotize
+and thou as the shepherd Panzino, we will roam the woods and groves and
+meadows singing songs here, lamenting in elegies there, drinking of the
+crystal waters of the springs or limpid brooks or flowing rivers. The
+oaks will yield us their sweet fruit with bountiful hand, the trunks of
+the hard cork trees a seat, the willows shade, the roses perfume, the
+widespread meadows carpets tinted with a thousand dyes; the clear pure
+air will give us breath, the moon and stars lighten the darkness of the
+night for us, song shall be our delight, lamenting our joy, Apollo will
+supply us with verses, and love with conceits whereby we shall make
+ourselves famed for ever, not only in this but in ages to come."
+
+"Egad," said Sancho, "but that sort of life squares, nay corners, with my
+notions; and what is more the bachelor Samson Carrasco and Master
+Nicholas the barber won't have well seen it before they'll want to follow
+it and turn shepherds along with us; and God grant it may not come into
+the curate's head to join the sheepfold too, he's so jovial and fond of
+enjoying himself."
+
+"Thou art in the right of it, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "and the
+bachelor Samson Carrasco, if he enters the pastoral fraternity, as no
+doubt he will, may call himself the shepherd Samsonino, or perhaps the
+shepherd Carrascon; Nicholas the barber may call himself Niculoso, as old
+Boscan formerly was called Nemoroso; as for the curate I don't know what
+name we can fit to him unless it be something derived from his title, and
+we call him the shepherd Curiambro. For the shepherdesses whose lovers we
+shall be, we can pick names as we would pears; and as my lady's name does
+just as well for a shepherdess's as for a princess's, I need not trouble
+myself to look for one that will suit her better; to thine, Sancho, thou
+canst give what name thou wilt."
+
+"I don't mean to give her any but Teresona," said Sancho, "which will go
+well with her stoutness and with her own right name, as she is called
+Teresa; and then when I sing her praises in my verses I'll show how
+chaste my passion is, for I'm not going to look 'for better bread than
+ever came from wheat' in other men's houses. It won't do for the curate
+to have a shepherdess, for the sake of good example; and if the bachelor
+chooses to have one, that is his look-out."
+
+"God bless me, Sancho my friend!" said Don Quixote, "what a life we shall
+lead! What hautboys and Zamora bagpipes we shall hear, what tabors,
+timbrels, and rebecks! And then if among all these different sorts of
+music that of the albogues is heard, almost all the pastoral instruments
+will be there."
+
+"What are albogues?" asked Sancho, "for I never in my life heard tell of
+them or saw them."
+
+"Albogues," said Don Quixote, "are brass plates like candlesticks that
+struck against one another on the hollow side make a noise which, if not
+very pleasing or harmonious, is not disagreeable and accords very well
+with the rude notes of the bagpipe and tabor. The word albogue is
+Morisco, as are all those in our Spanish tongue that begin with al; for
+example, almohaza, almorzar, alhombra, alguacil, alhucema, almacen,
+alcancia, and others of the same sort, of which there are not many more;
+our language has only three that are Morisco and end in i, which are
+borcegui, zaquizami, and maravedi. Alheli and alfaqui are seen to be
+Arabic, as well by the al at the beginning as by the they end with. I
+mention this incidentally, the chance allusion to albogues having
+reminded me of it; and it will be of great assistance to us in the
+perfect practice of this calling that I am something of a poet, as thou
+knowest, and that besides the bachelor Samson Carrasco is an accomplished
+one. Of the curate I say nothing; but I will wager he has some spice of
+the poet in him, and no doubt Master Nicholas too, for all barbers, or
+most of them, are guitar players and stringers of verses. I will bewail
+my separation; thou shalt glorify thyself as a constant lover; the
+shepherd Carrascon will figure as a rejected one, and the curate
+Curiambro as whatever may please him best; and so all will go as gaily as
+heart could wish."
+
+To this Sancho made answer, "I am so unlucky, senor, that I'm afraid the
+day will never come when I'll see myself at such a calling. O what neat
+spoons I'll make when I'm a shepherd! What messes, creams, garlands,
+pastoral odds and ends! And if they don't get me a name for wisdom,
+they'll not fail to get me one for ingenuity. My daughter Sanchica will
+bring us our dinner to the pasture. But stay-she's good-looking, and
+shepherds there are with more mischief than simplicity in them; I would
+not have her 'come for wool and go back shorn;' love-making and lawless
+desires are just as common in the fields as in the cities, and in
+shepherds' shanties as in royal palaces; 'do away with the cause, you do
+away with the sin;' 'if eyes don't see hearts don't break' and 'better a
+clear escape than good men's prayers.'"
+
+"A truce to thy proverbs, Sancho," exclaimed Don Quixote; "any one of
+those thou hast uttered would suffice to explain thy meaning; many a time
+have I recommended thee not to be so lavish with proverbs and to exercise
+some moderation in delivering them; but it seems to me it is only
+'preaching in the desert;' 'my mother beats me and I go on with my
+tricks."
+
+"It seems to me," said Sancho, "that your worship is like the common
+saying, 'Said the frying-pan to the kettle, Get away, blackbreech.' You
+chide me for uttering proverbs, and you string them in couples yourself."
+
+"Observe, Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "I bring in proverbs to the
+purpose, and when I quote them they fit like a ring to the finger; thou
+bringest them in by the head and shoulders, in such a way that thou dost
+drag them in, rather than introduce them; if I am not mistaken, I have
+told thee already that proverbs are short maxims drawn from the
+experience and observation of our wise men of old; but the proverb that
+is not to the purpose is a piece of nonsense and not a maxim. But enough
+of this; as nightfall is drawing on let us retire some little distance
+from the high road to pass the night; what is in store for us to-morrow
+God knoweth."
+
+They turned aside, and supped late and poorly, very much against Sancho's
+will, who turned over in his mind the hardships attendant upon
+knight-errantry in woods and forests, even though at times plenty
+presented itself in castles and houses, as at Don Diego de Miranda's, at
+the wedding of Camacho the Rich, and at Don Antonio Moreno's; he
+reflected, however, that it could not be always day, nor always night;
+and so that night he passed in sleeping, and his master in waking.
+
+Chapter LXVIII. -
+Of the bristly adventure that befell Don Quixote
+
+The night was somewhat dark, for though there was a moon in the sky it
+was not in a quarter where she could be seen; for sometimes the lady
+Diana goes on a stroll to the antipodes, and leaves the mountains all
+black and the valleys in darkness. Don Quixote obeyed nature so far as to
+sleep his first sleep, but did not give way to the second, very different
+from Sancho, who never had any second, because with him sleep lasted from
+night till morning, wherein he showed what a sound constitution and few
+cares he had. Don Quixote's cares kept him restless, so much so that he
+awoke Sancho and said to him, "I am amazed, Sancho, at the unconcern of
+thy temperament. I believe thou art made of marble or hard brass,
+incapable of any emotion or feeling whatever. I lie awake while thou
+sleepest, I weep while thou singest, I am faint with fasting while thou
+art sluggish and torpid from pure repletion. It is the duty of good
+servants to share the sufferings and feel the sorrows of their masters,
+if it be only for the sake of appearances. See the calmness of the night,
+the solitude of the spot, inviting us to break our slumbers by a vigil of
+some sort. Rise as thou livest, and retire a little distance, and with a
+good heart and cheerful courage give thyself three or four hundred lashes
+on account of Dulcinea's disenchantment score; and this I entreat of
+thee, making it a request, for I have no desire to come to grips with
+thee a second time, as I know thou hast a heavy hand. As soon as thou
+hast laid them on we will pass the rest of the night, I singing my
+separation, thou thy constancy, making a beginning at once with the
+pastoral life we are to follow at our village."
+
+"Senor," replied Sancho, "I'm no monk to get up out of the middle of my
+sleep and scourge myself, nor does it seem to me that one can pass from
+one extreme of the pain of whipping to the other of music. Will your
+worship let me sleep, and not worry me about whipping myself? or you'll
+make me swear never to touch a hair of my doublet, not to say my flesh."
+
+"O hard heart!" said Don Quixote, "O pitiless squire! O bread
+ill-bestowed and favours ill-acknowledged, both those I have done thee
+and those I mean to do thee! Through me hast thou seen thyself a
+governor, and through me thou seest thyself in immediate expectation of
+being a count, or obtaining some other equivalent title, for I-post
+tenebras spero lucem."
+
+"I don't know what that is," said Sancho; "all I know is that so long as
+I am asleep I have neither fear nor hope, trouble nor glory; and good
+luck betide him that invented sleep, the cloak that covers over all a
+man's thoughts, the food that removes hunger, the drink that drives away
+thirst, the fire that warms the cold, the cold that tempers the heat,
+and, to wind up with, the universal coin wherewith everything is bought,
+the weight and balance that makes the shepherd equal with the king and
+the fool with the wise man. Sleep, I have heard say, has only one fault,
+that it is like death; for between a sleeping man and a dead man there is
+very little difference."
+
+"Never have I heard thee speak so elegantly as now, Sancho," said Don
+Quixote; "and here I begin to see the truth of the proverb thou dost
+sometimes quote, 'Not with whom thou art bred, but with whom thou art
+fed.'"
+
+"Ha, by my life, master mine," said Sancho, "it's not I that am stringing
+proverbs now, for they drop in pairs from your worship's mouth faster
+than from mine; only there is this difference between mine and yours,
+that yours are well-timed and mine are untimely; but anyhow, they are all
+proverbs."
+
+At this point they became aware of a harsh indistinct noise that seemed
+to spread through all the valleys around. Don Quixote stood up and laid
+his hand upon his sword, and Sancho ensconced himself under Dapple and
+put the bundle of armour on one side of him and the ass's pack-saddle on
+the other, in fear and trembling as great as Don Quixote's perturbation.
+Each instant the noise increased and came nearer to the two terrified
+men, or at least to one, for as to the other, his courage is known to
+all. The fact of the matter was that some men were taking above six
+hundred pigs to sell at a fair, and were on their way with them at that
+hour, and so great was the noise they made and their grunting and
+blowing, that they deafened the ears of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and
+they could not make out what it was. The wide-spread grunting drove came
+on in a surging mass, and without showing any respect for Don Quixote's
+dignity or Sancho's, passed right over the pair of them, demolishing
+Sancho's entrenchments, and not only upsetting Don Quixote but sweeping
+Rocinante off his feet into the bargain; and what with the trampling and
+the grunting, and the pace at which the unclean beasts went, pack-saddle,
+armour, Dapple and Rocinante were left scattered on the ground and Sancho
+and Don Quixote at their wits' end.
+
+Sancho got up as well as he could and begged his master to give him his
+sword, saying he wanted to kill half a dozen of those dirty unmannerly
+pigs, for he had by this time found out that that was what they were.
+
+"Let them be, my friend," said Don Quixote; "this insult is the penalty
+of my sin; and it is the righteous chastisement of heaven that jackals
+should devour a vanquished knight, and wasps sting him and pigs trample
+him under foot."
+
+"I suppose it is the chastisement of heaven, too," said Sancho, "that
+flies should prick the squires of vanquished knights, and lice eat them,
+and hunger assail them. If we squires were the sons of the knights we
+serve, or their very near relations, it would be no wonder if the penalty
+of their misdeeds overtook us, even to the fourth generation. But what
+have the Panzas to do with the Quixotes? Well, well, let's lie down again
+and sleep out what little of the night there's left, and God will send us
+dawn and we shall be all right."
+
+"Sleep thou, Sancho," returned Don Quixote, "for thou wast born to sleep
+as I was born to watch; and during the time it now wants of dawn I will
+give a loose rein to my thoughts, and seek a vent for them in a little
+madrigal which, unknown to thee, I composed in my head last night."
+
+"I should think," said Sancho, "that the thoughts that allow one to make
+verses cannot be of great consequence; let your worship string verses as
+much as you like and I'll sleep as much as I can;" and forthwith, taking
+the space of ground he required, he muffled himself up and fell into a
+sound sleep, undisturbed by bond, debt, or trouble of any sort. Don
+Quixote, propped up against the trunk of a beech or a cork tree--for Cide
+Hamete does not specify what kind of tree it was--sang in this strain to
+the accompaniment of his own sighs:
+
+poem{
+
+  When in my mind
+I muse, O Love, upon thy cruelty,
+  To death I flee,
+In hope therein the end of all to find.
+
+  But drawing near
+That welcome haven in my sea of woe,
+  Such joy I know,
+That life revives, and still I linger here.
+
+  Thus life doth slay,
+And death again to life restoreth me;
+  Strange destiny,
+That deals with life and death as with a play!
+
+}poem
+
+He accompanied each verse with many sighs and not a few tears, just like
+one whose heart was pierced with grief at his defeat and his separation
+from Dulcinea.
+
+And now daylight came, and the sun smote Sancho on the eyes with his
+beams. He awoke, roused himself up, shook himself and stretched his lazy
+limbs, and seeing the havoc the pigs had made with his stores he cursed
+the drove, and more besides. Then the pair resumed their journey, and as
+evening closed in they saw coming towards them some ten men on horseback
+and four or five on foot. Don Quixote's heart beat quick and Sancho's
+quailed with fear, for the persons approaching them carried lances and
+bucklers, and were in very warlike guise. Don Quixote turned to Sancho
+and said, "If I could make use of my weapons, and my promise had not tied
+my hands, I would count this host that comes against us but cakes and
+fancy bread; but perhaps it may prove something different from what we
+apprehend." The men on horseback now came up, and raising their lances
+surrounded Don Quixote in silence, and pointed them at his back and
+breast, menacing him with death. One of those on foot, putting his finger
+to his lips as a sign to him to be silent, seized Rocinante's bridle and
+drew him out of the road, and the others driving Sancho and Dapple before
+them, and all maintaining a strange silence, followed in the steps of the
+one who led Don Quixote. The latter two or three times attempted to ask
+where they were taking him to and what they wanted, but the instant he
+began to open his lips they threatened to close them with the points of
+their lances; and Sancho fared the same way, for the moment he seemed
+about to speak one of those on foot punched him with a goad, and Dapple
+likewise, as if he too wanted to talk. Night set in, they quickened their
+pace, and the fears of the two prisoners grew greater, especially as they
+heard themselves assailed with--"Get on, ye Troglodytes;" "Silence, ye
+barbarians;" "March, ye cannibals;" "No murmuring, ye Scythians;" "Don't
+open your eyes, ye murderous Polyphemes, ye blood-thirsty lions," and
+suchlike names with which their captors harassed the ears of the wretched
+master and man. Sancho went along saying to himself, "We, tortolites,
+barbers, animals! I don't like those names at all; 'it's in a bad wind
+our corn is being winnowed;' 'misfortune comes upon us all at once like
+sticks on a dog,' and God grant it may be no worse than them that this
+unlucky adventure has in store for us."
+
+Don Quixote rode completely dazed, unable with the aid of all his wits to
+make out what could be the meaning of these abusive names they called
+them, and the only conclusion he could arrive at was that there was no
+good to be hoped for and much evil to be feared. And now, about an hour
+after midnight, they reached a castle which Don Quixote saw at once was
+the duke's, where they had been but a short time before. "God bless me!"
+said he, as he recognised the mansion, "what does this mean? It is all
+courtesy and politeness in this house; but with the vanquished good turns
+into evil, and evil into worse."
+
+They entered the chief court of the castle and found it prepared and
+fitted up in a style that added to their amazement and doubled their
+fears, as will be seen in the following chapter.
+
+Chapter LXIX. -
+Of the strangest and most extraordinary adventure that befell Don Quixote
+in the whole course of this great history
+
+The horsemen dismounted, and, together with the men on foot, without a
+moment's delay taking up Sancho and Don Quixote bodily, they carried them
+into the court, all round which near a hundred torches fixed in sockets
+were burning, besides above five hundred lamps in the corridors, so that
+in spite of the night, which was somewhat dark, the want of daylight
+could not be perceived. In the middle of the court was a catafalque,
+raised about two yards above the ground and covered completely by an
+immense canopy of black velvet, and on the steps all round it white wax
+tapers burned in more than a hundred silver candlesticks. Upon the
+catafalque was seen the dead body of a damsel so lovely that by her
+beauty she made death itself look beautiful. She lay with her head
+resting upon a cushion of brocade and crowned with a garland of
+sweet-smelling flowers of divers sorts, her hands crossed upon her bosom,
+and between them a branch of yellow palm of victory. On one side of the
+court was erected a stage, where upon two chairs were seated two persons
+who from having crowns on their heads and sceptres in their hands
+appeared to be kings of some sort, whether real or mock ones. By the side
+of this stage, which was reached by steps, were two other chairs on which
+the men carrying the prisoners seated Don Quixote and Sancho, all in
+silence, and by signs giving them to understand that they too were to be
+silent; which, however, they would have been without any signs, for their
+amazement at all they saw held them tongue-tied. And now two persons of
+distinction, who were at once recognised by Don Quixote as his hosts the
+duke and duchess, ascended the stage attended by a numerous suite, and
+seated themselves on two gorgeous chairs close to the two kings, as they
+seemed to be. Who would not have been amazed at this? Nor was this all,
+for Don Quixote had perceived that the dead body on the catafalque was
+that of the fair Altisidora. As the duke and duchess mounted the stage
+Don Quixote and Sancho rose and made them a profound obeisance, which
+they returned by bowing their heads slightly. At this moment an official
+crossed over, and approaching Sancho threw over him a robe of black
+buckram painted all over with flames of fire, and taking off his cap put
+upon his head a mitre such as those undergoing the sentence of the Holy
+Office wear; and whispered in his ear that he must not open his lips, or
+they would put a gag upon him, or take his life. Sancho surveyed himself
+from head to foot and saw himself all ablaze with flames; but as they did
+not burn him, he did not care two farthings for them. He took off the
+mitre and seeing painted with devils he put it on again, saying to
+himself, "Well, so far those don't burn me nor do these carry me off."
+Don Quixote surveyed him too, and though fear had got the better of his
+faculties, he could not help smiling to see the figure Sancho presented.
+And now from underneath the catafalque, so it seemed, there rose a low
+sweet sound of flutes, which, coming unbroken by human voice (for there
+silence itself kept silence), had a soft and languishing effect. Then,
+beside the pillow of what seemed to be the dead body, suddenly appeared a
+fair youth in a Roman habit, who, to the accompaniment of a harp which he
+himself played, sang in a sweet and clear voice these two stanzas:
+
+poem{
+
+While fair Altisidora, who the sport
+  Of cold Don Quixote's cruelty hath been,
+Returns to life, and in this magic court
+  The dames in sables come to grace the scene,
+And while her matrons all in seemly sort
+  My lady robes in baize and bombazine,
+Her beauty and her sorrows will I sing
+With defter quill than touched the Thracian string.
+
+But not in life alone, methinks, to me
+  Belongs the office; Lady, when my tongue
+Is cold in death, believe me, unto thee
+  My voice shall raise its tributary song.
+My soul, from this strait prison-house set free,
+  As o'er the Stygian lake it floats along,
+Thy praises singing still shall hold its way,
+And make the waters of oblivion stay.
+
+}poem
+
+At this point one of the two that looked like kings exclaimed, "Enough,
+enough, divine singer! It would be an endless task to put before us now
+the death and the charms of the peerless Altisidora, not dead as the
+ignorant world imagines, but living in the voice of fame and in the
+penance which Sancho Panza, here present, has to undergo to restore her
+to the long-lost light. Do thou, therefore, O Rhadamanthus, who sittest
+in judgment with me in the murky caverns of Dis, as thou knowest all that
+the inscrutable fates have decreed touching the resuscitation of this
+damsel, announce and declare it at once, that the happiness we look
+forward to from her restoration be no longer deferred."
+
+No sooner had Minos the fellow judge of Rhadamanthus said this, than
+Rhadamanthus rising up said:
+
+"Ho, officials of this house, high and low, great and small, make haste
+hither one and all, and print on Sancho's face four-and-twenty smacks,
+and give him twelve pinches and six pin thrusts in the back and arms; for
+upon this ceremony depends the restoration of Altisidora."
+
+On hearing this Sancho broke silence and cried out, "By all that's good,
+I'll as soon let my face be smacked or handled as turn Moor. Body o' me!
+What has handling my face got to do with the resurrection of this damsel?
+'The old woman took kindly to the blits; they enchant Dulcinea, and whip
+me in order to disenchant her; Altisidora dies of ailments God was
+pleased to send her, and to bring her to life again they must give me
+four-and-twenty smacks, and prick holes in my body with pins, and raise
+weals on my arms with pinches! Try those jokes on a brother-in-law; 'I'm
+an old dog, and "tus, tus" is no use with me.'"
+
+"Thou shalt die," said Rhadamanthus in a loud voice; "relent, thou tiger;
+humble thyself, proud Nimrod; suffer and be silent, for no
+impossibilities are asked of thee; it is not for thee to inquire into the
+difficulties in this matter; smacked thou must be, pricked thou shalt see
+thyself, and with pinches thou must be made to howl. Ho, I say,
+officials, obey my orders; or by the word of an honest man, ye shall see
+what ye were born for."
+
+At this some six duennas, advancing across the court, made their
+appearance in procession, one after the other, four of them with
+spectacles, and all with their right hands uplifted, showing four fingers
+of wrist to make their hands look longer, as is the fashion now-a-days.
+No sooner had Sancho caught sight of them than, bellowing like a bull, he
+exclaimed, "I might let myself be handled by all the world; but allow
+duennas to touch me--not a bit of it! Scratch my face, as my master was
+served in this very castle; run me through the body with burnished
+daggers; pinch my arms with red-hot pincers; I'll bear all in patience to
+serve these gentlefolk; but I won't let duennas touch me, though the
+devil should carry me off!"
+
+Here Don Quixote, too, broke silence, saying to Sancho, "Have patience,
+my son, and gratify these noble persons, and give all thanks to heaven
+that it has infused such virtue into thy person, that by its sufferings
+thou canst disenchant the enchanted and restore to life the dead."
+
+The duennas were now close to Sancho, and he, having become more
+tractable and reasonable, settling himself well in his chair presented
+his face and beard to the first, who delivered him a smack very stoutly
+laid on, and then made him a low curtsey.
+
+"Less politeness and less paint, senora duenna," said Sancho; "by God
+your hands smell of vinegar-wash."
+
+In fine, all the duennas smacked him and several others of the household
+pinched him; but what he could not stand was being pricked by the pins;
+and so, apparently out of patience, he started up out of his chair, and
+seizing a lighted torch that stood near him fell upon the duennas and the
+whole set of his tormentors, exclaiming, "Begone, ye ministers of hell;
+I'm not made of brass not to feel such out-of-the-way tortures."
+
+At this instant Altisidora, who probably was tired of having been so long
+lying on her back, turned on her side; seeing which the bystanders cried
+out almost with one voice, "Altisidora is alive! Altisidora lives!"
+
+Rhadamanthus bade Sancho put away his wrath, as the object they had in
+view was now attained. When Don Quixote saw Altisidora move, he went on
+his knees to Sancho saying to him, "Now is the time, son of my bowels,
+not to call thee my squire, for thee to give thyself some of those lashes
+thou art bound to lay on for the disenchantment of Dulcinea. Now, I say,
+is the time when the virtue that is in thee is ripe, and endowed with
+efficacy to work the good that is looked for from thee."
+
+To which Sancho made answer, "That's trick upon trick, I think, and not
+honey upon pancakes; a nice thing it would be for a whipping to come now,
+on the top of pinches, smacks, and pin-proddings! You had better take a
+big stone and tie it round my neck, and pitch me into a well; I should
+not mind it much, if I'm to be always made the cow of the wedding for the
+cure of other people's ailments. Leave me alone; or else by God I'll
+fling the whole thing to the dogs, let come what may."
+
+Altisidora had by this time sat up on the catafalque, and as she did so
+the clarions sounded, accompanied by the flutes, and the voices of all
+present exclaiming, "Long life to Altisidora! long life to Altisidora!"
+The duke and duchess and the kings Minos and Rhadamanthus stood up, and
+all, together with Don Quixote and Sancho, advanced to receive her and
+take her down from the catafalque; and she, making as though she were
+recovering from a swoon, bowed her head to the duke and duchess and to
+the kings, and looking sideways at Don Quixote, said to him, "God forgive
+thee, insensible knight, for through thy cruelty I have been, to me it
+seems, more than a thousand years in the other world; and to thee, the
+most compassionate upon earth, I render thanks for the life I am now in
+possession of. From this day forth, friend Sancho, count as thine six
+smocks of mine which I bestow upon thee, to make as many shirts for
+thyself, and if they are not all quite whole, at any rate they are all
+clean."
+
+Sancho kissed her hands in gratitude, kneeling, and with the mitre in his
+hand. The duke bade them take it from him, and give him back his cap and
+doublet and remove the flaming robe. Sancho begged the duke to let them
+leave him the robe and mitre; as he wanted to take them home for a token
+and memento of that unexampled adventure. The duchess said they must
+leave them with him; for he knew already what a great friend of his she
+was. The duke then gave orders that the court should be cleared, and that
+all should retire to their chambers, and that Don Quixote and Sancho
+should be conducted to their old quarters.
+
+Chapter LXX. -
+Which follows sixty-nine and deals with matters indispensable for the
+clear comprehension of this history
+
+Sancho slept that night in a cot in the same chamber with Don Quixote, a
+thing he would have gladly excused if he could for he knew very well that
+with questions and answers his master would not let him sleep, and he was
+in no humour for talking much, as he still felt the pain of his late
+martyrdom, which interfered with his freedom of speech; and it would have
+been more to his taste to sleep in a hovel alone, than in that luxurious
+chamber in company. And so well founded did his apprehension prove, and
+so correct was his anticipation, that scarcely had his master got into
+bed when he said, "What dost thou think of tonight's adventure, Sancho?
+Great and mighty is the power of cold-hearted scorn, for thou with thine
+own eyes hast seen Altisidora slain, not by arrows, nor by the sword, nor
+by any warlike weapon, nor by deadly poisons, but by the thought of the
+sternness and scorn with which I have always treated her."
+
+"She might have died and welcome," said Sancho, "when she pleased and how
+she pleased; and she might have left me alone, for I never made her fall
+in love or scorned her. I don't know nor can I imagine how the recovery
+of Altisidora, a damsel more fanciful than wise, can have, as I have said
+before, anything to do with the sufferings of Sancho Panza. Now I begin
+to see plainly and clearly that there are enchanters and enchanted people
+in the world; and may God deliver me from them, since I can't deliver
+myself; and so I beg of your worship to let me sleep and not ask me any
+more questions, unless you want me to throw myself out of the window."
+
+"Sleep, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote, "if the pinprodding and
+pinches thou hast received and the smacks administered to thee will let
+thee."
+
+"No pain came up to the insult of the smacks," said Sancho, "for the
+simple reason that it was duennas, confound them, that gave them to me;
+but once more I entreat your worship to let me sleep, for sleep is relief
+from misery to those who are miserable when awake."
+
+"Be it so, and God be with thee," said Don Quixote.
+
+They fell asleep, both of them, and Cide Hamete, the author of this great
+history, took this opportunity to record and relate what it was that
+induced the duke and duchess to get up the elaborate plot that has been
+described. The bachelor Samson Carrasco, he says, not forgetting how he
+as the Knight of the Mirrors had been vanquished and overthrown by Don
+Quixote, which defeat and overthrow upset all his plans, resolved to try
+his hand again, hoping for better luck than he had before; and so, having
+learned where Don Quixote was from the page who brought the letter and
+present to Sancho's wife, Teresa Panza, he got himself new armour and
+another horse, and put a white moon upon his shield, and to carry his
+arms he had a mule led by a peasant, not by Tom Cecial his former squire
+for fear he should be recognised by Sancho or Don Quixote. He came to the
+duke's castle, and the duke informed him of the road and route Don
+Quixote had taken with the intention of being present at the jousts at
+Saragossa. He told him, too, of the jokes he had practised upon him, and
+of the device for the disenchantment of Dulcinea at the expense of
+Sancho's backside; and finally he gave him an account of the trick Sancho
+had played upon his master, making him believe that Dulcinea was
+enchanted and turned into a country wench; and of how the duchess, his
+wife, had persuaded Sancho that it was he himself who was deceived,
+inasmuch as Dulcinea was really enchanted; at which the bachelor laughed
+not a little, and marvelled as well at the sharpness and simplicity of
+Sancho as at the length to which Don Quixote's madness went. The duke
+begged of him if he found him (whether he overcame him or not) to return
+that way and let him know the result. This the bachelor did; he set out
+in quest of Don Quixote, and not finding him at Saragossa, he went on,
+and how he fared has been already told. He returned to the duke's castle
+and told him all, what the conditions of the combat were, and how Don
+Quixote was now, like a loyal knight-errant, returning to keep his
+promise of retiring to his village for a year, by which time, said the
+bachelor, he might perhaps be cured of his madness; for that was the
+object that had led him to adopt these disguises, as it was a sad thing
+for a gentleman of such good parts as Don Quixote to be a madman. And so
+he took his leave of the duke, and went home to his village to wait there
+for Don Quixote, who was coming after him. Thereupon the duke seized the
+opportunity of practising this mystification upon him; so much did he
+enjoy everything connected with Sancho and Don Quixote. He had the roads
+about the castle far and near, everywhere he thought Don Quixote was
+likely to pass on his return, occupied by large numbers of his servants
+on foot and on horseback, who were to bring him to the castle, by fair
+means or foul, if they met him. They did meet him, and sent word to the
+duke, who, having already settled what was to be done, as soon as he
+heard of his arrival, ordered the torches and lamps in the court to be
+lit and Altisidora to be placed on the catafalque with all the pomp and
+ceremony that has been described, the whole affair being so well arranged
+and acted that it differed but little from reality. And Cide Hamete says,
+moreover, that for his part he considers the concocters of the joke as
+crazy as the victims of it, and that the duke and duchess were not two
+fingers' breadth removed from being something like fools themselves when
+they took such pains to make game of a pair of fools.
+
+As for the latter, one was sleeping soundly and the other lying awake
+occupied with his desultory thoughts, when daylight came to them bringing
+with it the desire to rise; for the lazy down was never a delight to Don
+Quixote, victor or vanquished. Altisidora, come back from death to life
+as Don Quixote fancied, following up the freak of her lord and lady,
+entered the chamber, crowned with the garland she had worn on the
+catafalque and in a robe of white taffeta embroidered with gold flowers,
+her hair flowing loose over her shoulders, and leaning upon a staff of
+fine black ebony. Don Quixote, disconcerted and in confusion at her
+appearance, huddled himself up and well-nigh covered himself altogether
+with the sheets and counterpane of the bed, tongue-tied, and unable to
+offer her any civility. Altisidora seated herself on a chair at the head
+of the bed, and, after a deep sigh, said to him in a feeble, soft voice,
+"When women of rank and modest maidens trample honour under foot, and
+give a loose to the tongue that breaks through every impediment,
+publishing abroad the inmost secrets of their hearts, they are reduced to
+sore extremities. Such a one am I, Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha,
+crushed, conquered, love-smitten, but yet patient under suffering and
+virtuous, and so much so that my heart broke with grief and I lost my
+life. For the last two days I have been dead, slain by the thought of the
+cruelty with which thou hast treated me, obdurate knight,
+
+O harder thou than marble to my plaint;
+
+or at least believed to be dead by all who saw me; and had it not been
+that Love, taking pity on me, let my recovery rest upon the sufferings of
+this good squire, there I should have remained in the other world."
+
+"Love might very well have let it rest upon the sufferings of my ass, and
+I should have been obliged to him," said Sancho. "But tell me,
+senora--and may heaven send you a tenderer lover than my master-what did
+you see in the other world? What goes on in hell? For of course that's
+where one who dies in despair is bound for."
+
+"To tell you the truth," said Altisidora, "I cannot have died outright,
+for I did not go into hell; had I gone in, it is very certain I should
+never have come out again, do what I might. The truth is, I came to the
+gate, where some dozen or so of devils were playing tennis, all in
+breeches and doublets, with falling collars trimmed with Flemish
+bonelace, and ruffles of the same that served them for wristbands, with
+four fingers' breadth of the arms exposed to make their hands look
+longer; in their hands they held rackets of fire; but what amazed me
+still more was that books, apparently full of wind and rubbish, served
+them for tennis balls, a strange and marvellous thing; this, however, did
+not astonish me so much as to observe that, although with players it is
+usual for the winners to be glad and the losers sorry, there in that game
+all were growling, all were snarling, and all were cursing one another."
+"That's no wonder," said Sancho; "for devils, whether playing or not, can
+never be content, win or lose."
+
+"Very likely," said Altisidora; "but there is another thing that
+surprises me too, I mean surprised me then, and that was that no ball
+outlasted the first throw or was of any use a second time; and it was
+wonderful the constant succession there was of books, new and old. To one
+of them, a brand-new, well-bound one, they gave such a stroke that they
+knocked the guts out of it and scattered the leaves about. 'Look what
+book that is,' said one devil to another, and the other replied, 'It is
+the "Second Part of the History of Don Quixote of La Mancha," not by Cide
+Hamete, the original author, but by an Aragonese who by his own account
+is of Tordesillas.' 'Out of this with it,' said the first, 'and into the
+depths of hell with it out of my sight.' 'Is it so bad?' said the other.
+'So bad is it,' said the first, 'that if I had set myself deliberately to
+make a worse, I could not have done it.' They then went on with their
+game, knocking other books about; and I, having heard them mention the
+name of Don Quixote whom I love and adore so, took care to retain this
+vision in my memory."
+
+"A vision it must have been, no doubt," said Don Quixote, "for there is
+no other I in the world; this history has been going about here for some
+time from hand to hand, but it does not stay long in any, for everybody
+gives it a taste of his foot. I am not disturbed by hearing that I am
+wandering in a fantastic shape in the darkness of the pit or in the
+daylight above, for I am not the one that history treats of. If it should
+be good, faithful, and true, it will have ages of life; but if it should
+be bad, from its birth to its burial will not be a very long journey."
+
+Altisidora was about to proceed with her complaint against Don Quixote,
+when he said to her, "I have several times told you, senora that it
+grieves me you should have set your affections upon me, as from mine they
+can only receive gratitude, but no return. I was born to belong to
+Dulcinea del Toboso, and the fates, if there are any, dedicated me to
+her; and to suppose that any other beauty can take the place she occupies
+in my heart is to suppose an impossibility. This frank declaration should
+suffice to make you retire within the bounds of your modesty, for no one
+can bind himself to do impossibilities."
+
+Hearing this, Altisidora, with a show of anger and agitation, exclaimed,
+"God's life! Don Stockfish, soul of a mortar, stone of a date, more
+obstinate and obdurate than a clown asked a favour when he has his mind
+made up, if I fall upon you I'll tear your eyes out! Do you fancy, Don
+Vanquished, Don Cudgelled, that I died for your sake? All that you have
+seen to-night has been make-believe; I'm not the woman to let the black
+of my nail suffer for such a camel, much less die!"
+
+"That I can well believe," said Sancho; "for all that about lovers pining
+to death is absurd; they may talk of it, but as for doing it-Judas may
+believe that!"
+
+While they were talking, the musician, singer, and poet, who had sung the
+two stanzas given above came in, and making a profound obeisance to Don
+Quixote said, "Will your worship, sir knight, reckon and retain me in the
+number of your most faithful servants, for I have long been a great
+admirer of yours, as well because of your fame as because of your
+achievements?" "Will your worship tell me who you are," replied Don
+Quixote, "so that my courtesy may be answerable to your deserts?" The
+young man replied that he was the musician and songster of the night
+before. "Of a truth," said Don Quixote, "your worship has a most
+excellent voice; but what you sang did not seem to me very much to the
+purpose; for what have Garcilasso's stanzas to do with the death of this
+lady?"
+
+"Don't be surprised at that," returned the musician; "for with the callow
+poets of our day the way is for every one to write as he pleases and
+pilfer where he chooses, whether it be germane to the matter or not, and
+now-a-days there is no piece of silliness they can sing or write that is
+not set down to poetic licence."
+
+Don Quixote was about to reply, but was prevented by the duke and
+duchess, who came in to see him, and with them there followed a long and
+delightful conversation, in the course of which Sancho said so many droll
+and saucy things that he left the duke and duchess wondering not only at
+his simplicity but at his sharpness. Don Quixote begged their permission
+to take his departure that same day, inasmuch as for a vanquished knight
+like himself it was fitter he should live in a pig-sty than in a royal
+palace. They gave it very readily, and the duchess asked him if
+Altisidora was in his good graces.
+
+He replied, "Senora, let me tell your ladyship that this damsel's ailment
+comes entirely of idleness, and the cure for it is honest and constant
+employment. She herself has told me that lace is worn in hell; and as she
+must know how to make it, let it never be out of her hands; for when she
+is occupied in shifting the bobbins to and fro, the image or images of
+what she loves will not shift to and fro in her thoughts; this is the
+truth, this is my opinion, and this is my advice."
+
+"And mine," added Sancho; "for I never in all my life saw a lace-maker
+that died for love; when damsels are at work their minds are more set on
+finishing their tasks than on thinking of their loves. I speak from my
+own experience; for when I'm digging I never think of my old woman; I
+mean my Teresa Panza, whom I love better than my own eyelids." "You say
+well, Sancho," said the duchess, "and I will take care that my Altisidora
+employs herself henceforward in needlework of some sort; for she is
+extremely expert at it." "There is no occasion to have recourse to that
+remedy, senora," said Altisidora; "for the mere thought of the cruelty
+with which this vagabond villain has treated me will suffice to blot him
+out of my memory without any other device; with your highness's leave I
+will retire, not to have before my eyes, I won't say his rueful
+countenance, but his abominable, ugly looks." "That reminds me of the
+common saying, that 'he that rails is ready to forgive,'" said the duke.
+
+Altisidora then, pretending to wipe away her tears with a handkerchief,
+made an obeisance to her master and mistress and quitted the room.
+
+"Ill luck betide thee, poor damsel," said Sancho, "ill luck betide thee!
+Thou hast fallen in with a soul as dry as a rush and a heart as hard as
+oak; had it been me, i'faith 'another cock would have crowed to thee.'"
+
+So the conversation came to an end, and Don Quixote dressed himself and
+dined with the duke and duchess, and set out the same evening.
+
+Chapter LXXI. -
+Of what passed between Don Quixote and his Squire Sancho on the way to
+their village
+
+The vanquished and afflicted Don Quixote went along very downcast in one
+respect and very happy in another. His sadness arose from his defeat, and
+his satisfaction from the thought of the virtue that lay in Sancho, as
+had been proved by the resurrection of Altisidora; though it was with
+difficulty he could persuade himself that the love-smitten damsel had
+been really dead. Sancho went along anything but cheerful, for it grieved
+him that Altisidora had not kept her promise of giving him the smocks;
+and turning this over in his mind he said to his master, "Surely, senor,
+I'm the most unlucky doctor in the world; there's many a physician that,
+after killing the sick man he had to cure, requires to be paid for his
+work, though it is only signing a bit of a list of medicines, that the
+apothecary and not he makes up, and, there, his labour is over; but with
+me though to cure somebody else costs me drops of blood, smacks, pinches,
+pinproddings, and whippings, nobody gives me a farthing. Well, I swear by
+all that's good if they put another patient into my hands, they'll have
+to grease them for me before I cure him; for, as they say, 'it's by his
+singing the abbot gets his dinner,' and I'm not going to believe that
+heaven has bestowed upon me the virtue I have, that I should be dealing
+it out to others all for nothing."
+
+"Thou art right, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote, "and Altisidora has
+behaved very badly in not giving thee the smocks she promised; and
+although that virtue of thine is gratis data--as it has cost thee no
+study whatever, any more than such study as thy personal sufferings may
+be--I can say for myself that if thou wouldst have payment for the lashes
+on account of the disenchant of Dulcinea, I would have given it to thee
+freely ere this. I am not sure, however, whether payment will comport
+with the cure, and I would not have the reward interfere with the
+medicine. I think there will be nothing lost by trying it; consider how
+much thou wouldst have, Sancho, and whip thyself at once, and pay thyself
+down with thine own hand, as thou hast money of mine."
+
+At this proposal Sancho opened his eyes and his ears a palm's breadth
+wide, and in his heart very readily acquiesced in whipping himself, and
+said he to his master, "Very well then, senor, I'll hold myself in
+readiness to gratify your worship's wishes if I'm to profit by it; for
+the love of my wife and children forces me to seem grasping. Let your
+worship say how much you will pay me for each lash I give myself."
+
+"If Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "I were to requite thee as the
+importance and nature of the cure deserves, the treasures of Venice, the
+mines of Potosi, would be insufficient to pay thee. See what thou hast of
+mine, and put a price on each lash."
+
+"Of them," said Sancho, "there are three thousand three hundred and odd;
+of these I have given myself five, the rest remain; let the five go for
+the odd ones, and let us take the three thousand three hundred, which at
+a quarter real apiece (for I will not take less though the whole world
+should bid me) make three thousand three hundred quarter reals; the three
+thousand are one thousand five hundred half reals, which make seven
+hundred and fifty reals; and the three hundred make a hundred and fifty
+half reals, which come to seventy-five reals, which added to the seven
+hundred and fifty make eight hundred and twenty-five reals in all. These
+I will stop out of what I have belonging to your worship, and I'll return
+home rich and content, though well whipped, for 'there's no taking
+trout'--but I say no more."
+
+"O blessed Sancho! O dear Sancho!" said Don Quixote; "how we shall be
+bound to serve thee, Dulcinea and I, all the days of our lives that
+heaven may grant us! If she returns to her lost shape (and it cannot be
+but that she will) her misfortune will have been good fortune, and my
+defeat a most happy triumph. But look here, Sancho; when wilt thou begin
+the scourging? For if thou wilt make short work of it, I will give thee a
+hundred reals over and above."
+
+"When?" said Sancho; "this night without fail. Let your worship order it
+so that we pass it out of doors and in the open air, and I'll scarify
+myself."
+
+Night, longed for by Don Quixote with the greatest anxiety in the world,
+came at last, though it seemed to him that the wheels of Apollo's car had
+broken down, and that the day was drawing itself out longer than usual,
+just as is the case with lovers, who never make the reckoning of their
+desires agree with time. They made their way at length in among some
+pleasant trees that stood a little distance from the road, and there
+vacating Rocinante's saddle and Dapple's pack-saddle, they stretched
+themselves on the green grass and made their supper off Sancho's stores,
+and he making a powerful and flexible whip out of Dapple's halter and
+headstall retreated about twenty paces from his master among some beech
+trees. Don Quixote seeing him march off with such resolution and spirit,
+said to him, "Take care, my friend, not to cut thyself to pieces; allow
+the lashes to wait for one another, and do not be in so great a hurry as
+to run thyself out of breath midway; I mean, do not lay on so strenuously
+as to make thy life fail thee before thou hast reached the desired
+number; and that thou mayest not lose by a card too much or too little, I
+will station myself apart and count on my rosary here the lashes thou
+givest thyself. May heaven help thee as thy good intention deserves."
+
+"'Pledges don't distress a good payer,'" said Sancho; "I mean to lay on
+in such a way as without killing myself to hurt myself, for in that, no
+doubt, lies the essence of this miracle."
+
+He then stripped himself from the waist upwards, and snatching up the
+rope he began to lay on and Don Quixote to count the lashes. He might
+have given himself six or eight when he began to think the joke no
+trifle, and its price very low; and holding his hand for a moment, he
+told his master that he cried off on the score of a blind bargain, for
+each of those lashes ought to be paid for at the rate of half a real
+instead of a quarter.
+
+"Go on, Sancho my friend, and be not disheartened," said Don Quixote;
+"for I double the stakes as to price."
+
+"In that case," said Sancho, "in God's hand be it, and let it rain
+lashes." But the rogue no longer laid them on his shoulders, but laid on
+to the trees, with such groans every now and then, that one would have
+thought at each of them his soul was being plucked up by the roots. Don
+Quixote, touched to the heart, and fearing he might make an end of
+himself, and that through Sancho's imprudence he might miss his own
+object, said to him, "As thou livest, my friend, let the matter rest
+where it is, for the remedy seems to me a very rough one, and it will be
+well to have patience; 'Zamora was not won in an hour.' If I have not
+reckoned wrong thou hast given thyself over a thousand lashes; that is
+enough for the present; 'for the ass,' to put it in homely phrase, 'bears
+the load, but not the overload.'"
+
+"No, no, senor," replied Sancho; "it shall never be said of me, 'The
+money paid, the arms broken;' go back a little further, your worship, and
+let me give myself at any rate a thousand lashes more; for in a couple of
+bouts like this we shall have finished off the lot, and there will be
+even cloth to spare."
+
+"As thou art in such a willing mood," said Don Quixote, "may heaven aid
+thee; lay on and I'll retire."
+
+Sancho returned to his task with so much resolution that he soon had the
+bark stripped off several trees, such was the severity with which he
+whipped himself; and one time, raising his voice, and giving a beech a
+tremendous lash, he cried out, "Here dies Samson, and all with him!"
+
+At the sound of his piteous cry and of the stroke of the cruel lash, Don
+Quixote ran to him at once, and seizing the twisted halter that served
+him for a courbash, said to him, "Heaven forbid, Sancho my friend, that
+to please me thou shouldst lose thy life, which is needed for the support
+of thy wife and children; let Dulcinea wait for a better opportunity, and
+I will content myself with a hope soon to be realised, and have patience
+until thou hast gained fresh strength so as to finish off this business
+to the satisfaction of everybody."
+
+"As your worship will have it so, senor," said Sancho, "so be it; but
+throw your cloak over my shoulders, for I'm sweating and I don't want to
+take cold; it's a risk that novice disciplinants run."
+
+Don Quixote obeyed, and stripping himself covered Sancho, who slept until
+the sun woke him; they then resumed their journey, which for the time
+being they brought to an end at a village that lay three leagues farther
+on. They dismounted at a hostelry which Don Quixote recognised as such
+and did not take to be a castle with moat, turrets, portcullis, and
+drawbridge; for ever since he had been vanquished he talked more
+rationally about everything, as will be shown presently. They quartered
+him in a room on the ground floor, where in place of leather hangings
+there were pieces of painted serge such as they commonly use in villages.
+On one of them was painted by some very poor hand the Rape of Helen, when
+the bold guest carried her off from Menelaus, and on the other was the
+story of Dido and AEneas, she on a high tower, as though she were making
+signals with a half sheet to her fugitive guest who was out at sea flying
+in a frigate or brigantine. He noticed in the two stories that Helen did
+not go very reluctantly, for she was laughing slyly and roguishly; but
+the fair Dido was shown dropping tears the size of walnuts from her eyes.
+Don Quixote as he looked at them observed, "Those two ladies were very
+unfortunate not to have been born in this age, and I unfortunate above
+all men not to have been born in theirs. Had I fallen in with those
+gentlemen, Troy would not have been burned or Carthage destroyed, for it
+would have been only for me to slay Paris, and all these misfortunes
+would have been avoided."
+
+"I'll lay a bet," said Sancho, "that before long there won't be a tavern,
+roadside inn, hostelry, or barber's shop where the story of our doings
+won't be painted up; but I'd like it painted by the hand of a better
+painter than painted these."
+
+"Thou art right, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for this painter is like
+Orbaneja, a painter there was at Ubeda, who when they asked him what he
+was painting, used to say, 'Whatever it may turn out; and if he chanced
+to paint a cock he would write under it, 'This is a cock,' for fear they
+might think it was a fox. The painter or writer, for it's all the same,
+who published the history of this new Don Quixote that has come out, must
+have been one of this sort I think, Sancho, for he painted or wrote
+'whatever it might turn out;' or perhaps he is like a poet called Mauleon
+that was about the Court some years ago, who used to answer at haphazard
+whatever he was asked, and on one asking him what Deum de Deo meant, he
+replied De donde diere. But, putting this aside, tell me, Sancho, hast
+thou a mind to have another turn at thyself to-night, and wouldst thou
+rather have it indoors or in the open air?"
+
+"Egad, senor," said Sancho, "for what I'm going to give myself, it comes
+all the same to me whether it is in a house or in the fields; still I'd
+like it to be among trees; for I think they are company for me and help
+me to bear my pain wonderfully."
+
+"And yet it must not be, Sancho my friend," said Don Quixote; "but, to
+enable thee to recover strength, we must keep it for our own village; for
+at the latest we shall get there the day after tomorrow."
+
+Sancho said he might do as he pleased; but that for his own part he would
+like to finish off the business quickly before his blood cooled and while
+he had an appetite, because "in delay there is apt to be danger" very
+often, and "praying to God and plying the hammer," and "one take was
+better than two I'll give thee's," and "a sparrow in the hand than a
+vulture on the wing."
+
+"For God's sake, Sancho, no more proverbs!" exclaimed Don Quixote; "it
+seems to me thou art becoming sicut erat again; speak in a plain, simple,
+straight-forward way, as I have often told thee, and thou wilt find the
+good of it."
+
+"I don't know what bad luck it is of mine," argument to my mind; however,
+I mean to mend said Sancho, "but I can't utter a word without a proverb
+that is not as good as an argument to my mind; however, I mean to mend if
+I can;" and so for the present the conversation ended.
+
+Chapter LXXII. -
+Of how Don Quixote and Sancho reached their village
+
+All that day Don Quixote and Sancho remained in the village and inn
+waiting for night, the one to finish off his task of scourging in the
+open country, the other to see it accomplished, for therein lay the
+accomplishment of his wishes. Meanwhile there arrived at the hostelry a
+traveller on horseback with three or four servants, one of whom said to
+him who appeared to be the master, "Here, Senor Don Alvaro Tarfe, your
+worship may take your siesta to-day; the quarters seem clean and cool."
+
+When he heard this Don Quixote said to Sancho, "Look here, Sancho; on
+turning over the leaves of that book of the Second Part of my history I
+think I came casually upon this name of Don Alvaro Tarfe."
+
+"Very likely," said Sancho; "we had better let him dismount, and
+by-and-by we can ask about it."
+
+The gentleman dismounted, and the landlady gave him a room on the ground
+floor opposite Don Quixote's and adorned with painted serge hangings of
+the same sort. The newly arrived gentleman put on a summer coat, and
+coming out to the gateway of the hostelry, which was wide and cool,
+addressing Don Quixote, who was pacing up and down there, he asked, "In
+what direction your worship bound, gentle sir?"
+
+"To a village near this which is my own village," replied Don Quixote;
+"and your worship, where are you bound for?"
+
+"I am going to Granada, senor," said the gentleman, "to my own country."
+
+"And a goodly country," said Don Quixote; "but will your worship do me
+the favour of telling me your name, for it strikes me it is of more
+importance to me to know it than I can tell you."
+
+"My name is Don Alvaro Tarfe," replied the traveller.
+
+To which Don Quixote returned, "I have no doubt whatever that your
+worship is that Don Alvaro Tarfe who appears in print in the Second Part
+of the history of Don Quixote of La Mancha, lately printed and published
+by a new author."
+
+"I am the same," replied the gentleman; "and that same Don Quixote, the
+principal personage in the said history, was a very great friend of mine,
+and it was I who took him away from home, or at least induced him to come
+to some jousts that were to be held at Saragossa, whither I was going
+myself; indeed, I showed him many kindnesses, and saved him from having
+his shoulders touched up by the executioner because of his extreme
+rashness."
+
+"Tell me, Senor Don Alvaro," said Don Quixote, "am I at all like that Don
+Quixote you talk of?"
+
+"No indeed," replied the traveller, "not a bit."
+
+"And that Don Quixote-" said our one, "had he with him a squire called
+Sancho Panza?"
+
+"He had," said Don Alvaro; "but though he had the name of being very
+droll, I never heard him say anything that had any drollery in it."
+
+"That I can well believe," said Sancho at this, "for to come out with
+drolleries is not in everybody's line; and that Sancho your worship
+speaks of, gentle sir, must be some great scoundrel, dunderhead, and
+thief, all in one; for I am the real Sancho Panza, and I have more
+drolleries than if it rained them; let your worship only try; come along
+with me for a year or so, and you will find they fall from me at every
+turn, and so rich and so plentiful that though mostly I don't know what I
+am saying I make everybody that hears me laugh. And the real Don Quixote
+of La Mancha, the famous, the valiant, the wise, the lover, the righter
+of wrongs, the guardian of minors and orphans, the protector of widows,
+the killer of damsels, he who has for his sole mistress the peerless
+Dulcinea del Toboso, is this gentleman before you, my master; all other
+Don Quixotes and all other Sancho Panzas are dreams and mockeries."
+
+"By God I believe it," said Don Alvaro; "for you have uttered more
+drolleries, my friend, in the few words you have spoken than the other
+Sancho Panza in all I ever heard from him, and they were not a few. He
+was more greedy than well-spoken, and more dull than droll; and I am
+convinced that the enchanters who persecute Don Quixote the Good have
+been trying to persecute me with Don Quixote the Bad. But I don't know
+what to say, for I am ready to swear I left him shut up in the Casa del
+Nuncio at Toledo, and here another Don Quixote turns up, though a very
+different one from mine."
+
+"I don't know whether I am good," said Don Quixote, "but I can safely say
+I am not 'the Bad;' and to prove it, let me tell you, Senor Don Alvaro
+Tarfe, I have never in my life been in Saragossa; so far from that, when
+it was told me that this imaginary Don Quixote had been present at the
+jousts in that city, I declined to enter it, in order to drag his
+falsehood before the face of the world; and so I went on straight to
+Barcelona, the treasure-house of courtesy, haven of strangers, asylum of
+the poor, home of the valiant, champion of the wronged, pleasant exchange
+of firm friendships, and city unrivalled in site and beauty. And though
+the adventures that befell me there are not by any means matters of
+enjoyment, but rather of regret, I do not regret them, simply because I
+have seen it. In a word, Senor Don Alvaro Tarfe, I am Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, the one that fame speaks of, and not the unlucky one that has
+attempted to usurp my name and deck himself out in my ideas. I entreat
+your worship by your devoir as a gentleman to be so good as to make a
+declaration before the alcalde of this village that you never in all your
+life saw me until now, and that neither am I the Don Quixote in print in
+the Second Part, nor this Sancho Panza, my squire, the one your worship
+knew."
+
+"That I will do most willingly," replied Don Alvaro; "though it amazes me
+to find two Don Quixotes and two Sancho Panzas at once, as much alike in
+name as they differ in demeanour; and again I say and declare that what I
+saw I cannot have seen, and that what happened me cannot have happened."
+
+"No doubt your worship is enchanted, like my lady Dulcinea del Toboso,"
+said Sancho; "and would to heaven your disenchantment rested on my giving
+myself another three thousand and odd lashes like what I'm giving myself
+for her, for I'd lay them on without looking for anything."
+
+"I don't understand that about the lashes," said Don Alvaro. Sancho
+replied that it was a long story to tell, but he would tell him if they
+happened to be going the same road.
+
+By this dinner-time arrived, and Don Quixote and Don Alvaro dined
+together. The alcalde of the village came by chance into the inn together
+with a notary, and Don Quixote laid a petition before him, showing that
+it was requisite for his rights that Don Alvaro Tarfe, the gentleman
+there present, should make a declaration before him that he did not know
+Don Quixote of La Mancha, also there present, and that he was not the one
+that was in print in a history entitled "Second Part of Don Quixote of La
+Mancha, by one Avellaneda of Tordesillas." The alcalde finally put it in
+legal form, and the declaration was made with all the formalities
+required in such cases, at which Don Quixote and Sancho were in high
+delight, as if a declaration of the sort was of any great importance to
+them, and as if their words and deeds did not plainly show the difference
+between the two Don Quixotes and the two Sanchos. Many civilities and
+offers of service were exchanged by Don Alvaro and Don Quixote, in the
+course of which the great Manchegan displayed such good taste that he
+disabused Don Alvaro of the error he was under; and he, on his part, felt
+convinced he must have been enchanted, now that he had been brought in
+contact with two such opposite Don Quixotes.
+
+Evening came, they set out from the village, and after about half a
+league two roads branched off, one leading to Don Quixote's village, the
+other the road Don Alvaro was to follow. In this short interval Don
+Quixote told him of his unfortunate defeat, and of Dulcinea's enchantment
+and the remedy, all which threw Don Alvaro into fresh amazement, and
+embracing Don Quixote and Sancho he went his way, and Don Quixote went
+his. That night he passed among trees again in order to give Sancho an
+opportunity of working out his penance, which he did in the same fashion
+as the night before, at the expense of the bark of the beech trees much
+more than of his back, of which he took such good care that the lashes
+would not have knocked off a fly had there been one there. The duped Don
+Quixote did not miss a single stroke of the count, and he found that
+together with those of the night before they made up three thousand and
+twenty-nine. The sun apparently had got up early to witness the
+sacrifice, and with his light they resumed their journey, discussing the
+deception practised on Don Alvaro, and saying how well done it was to
+have taken his declaration before a magistrate in such an unimpeachable
+form. That day and night they travelled on, nor did anything worth
+mention happen them, unless it was that in the course of the night Sancho
+finished off his task, whereat Don Quixote was beyond measure joyful. He
+watched for daylight, to see if along the road he should fall in with his
+already disenchanted lady Dulcinea; and as he pursued his journey there
+was no woman he met that he did not go up to, to see if she was Dulcinea
+del Toboso, as he held it absolutely certain that Merlin's promises could
+not lie. Full of these thoughts and anxieties, they ascended a rising
+ground wherefrom they descried their own village, at the sight of which
+Sancho fell on his knees exclaiming, "Open thine eyes, longed-for home,
+and see how thy son Sancho Panza comes back to thee, if not very rich,
+very well whipped! Open thine arms and receive, too, thy son Don Quixote,
+who, if he comes vanquished by the arm of another, comes victor over
+himself, which, as he himself has told me, is the greatest victory anyone
+can desire. I'm bringing back money, for if I was well whipped, I went
+mounted like a gentleman."
+
+"Have done with these fooleries," said Don Quixote; "let us push on
+straight and get to our own place, where we will give free range to our
+fancies, and settle our plans for our future pastoral life."
+
+With this they descended the slope and directed their steps to their
+village.
+
+Chapter LXXIII. -
+Of the omens Don Quixote had as he entered his own village, and other
+incidents that embellish and give a colour to this great history
+
+At the entrance of the village, so says Cide Hamete, Don Quixote saw two
+boys quarrelling on the village threshing-floor one of whom said to the
+other, "Take it easy, Periquillo; thou shalt never see it again as long
+as thou livest."
+
+Don Quixote heard this, and said he to Sancho, "Dost thou not mark,
+friend, what that boy said, 'Thou shalt never see it again as long as
+thou livest'?"
+
+"Well," said Sancho, "what does it matter if the boy said so?"
+
+"What!" said Don Quixote, "dost thou not see that, applied to the object
+of my desires, the words mean that I am never to see Dulcinea more?"
+
+Sancho was about to answer, when his attention was diverted by seeing a
+hare come flying across the plain pursued by several greyhounds and
+sportsmen. In its terror it ran to take shelter and hide itself under
+Dapple. Sancho caught it alive and presented it to Don Quixote, who was
+saying, "Malum signum, malum signum! a hare flies, greyhounds chase it,
+Dulcinea appears not."
+
+"Your worship's a strange man," said Sancho; "let's take it for granted
+that this hare is Dulcinea, and these greyhounds chasing it the malignant
+enchanters who turned her into a country wench; she flies, and I catch
+her and put her into your worship's hands, and you hold her in your arms
+and cherish her; what bad sign is that, or what ill omen is there to be
+found here?"
+
+The two boys who had been quarrelling came over to look at the hare, and
+Sancho asked one of them what their quarrel was about. He was answered by
+the one who had said, "Thou shalt never see it again as long as thou
+livest," that he had taken a cage full of crickets from the other boy,
+and did not mean to give it back to him as long as he lived. Sancho took
+out four cuartos from his pocket and gave them to the boy for the cage,
+which he placed in Don Quixote's hands, saying, "There, senor! there are
+the omens broken and destroyed, and they have no more to do with our
+affairs, to my thinking, fool as I am, than with last year's clouds; and
+if I remember rightly I have heard the curate of our village say that it
+does not become Christians or sensible people to give any heed to these
+silly things; and even you yourself said the same to me some time ago,
+telling me that all Christians who minded omens were fools; but there's
+no need of making words about it; let us push on and go into our
+village."
+
+The sportsmen came up and asked for their hare, which Don Quixote gave
+them. They then went on, and upon the green at the entrance of the town
+they came upon the curate and the bachelor Samson Carrasco busy with
+their breviaries. It should be mentioned that Sancho had thrown, by way
+of a sumpter-cloth, over Dapple and over the bundle of armour, the
+buckram robe painted with flames which they had put upon him at the
+duke's castle the night Altisidora came back to life. He had also fixed
+the mitre on Dapple's head, the oddest transformation and decoration that
+ever ass in the world underwent. They were at once recognised by both the
+curate and the bachelor, who came towards them with open arms. Don
+Quixote dismounted and received them with a close embrace; and the boys,
+who are lynxes that nothing escapes, spied out the ass's mitre and came
+running to see it, calling out to one another, "Come here, boys, and see
+Sancho Panza's ass figged out finer than Mingo, and Don Quixote's beast
+leaner than ever."
+
+So at length, with the boys capering round them, and accompanied by the
+curate and the bachelor, they made their entrance into the town, and
+proceeded to Don Quixote's house, at the door of which they found his
+housekeeper and niece, whom the news of his arrival had already reached.
+It had been brought to Teresa Panza, Sancho's wife, as well, and she with
+her hair all loose and half naked, dragging Sanchica her daughter by the
+hand, ran out to meet her husband; but seeing him coming in by no means
+as good case as she thought a governor ought to be, she said to him, "How
+is it you come this way, husband? It seems to me you come tramping and
+footsore, and looking more like a disorderly vagabond than a governor."
+
+"Hold your tongue, Teresa," said Sancho; "often 'where there are pegs
+there are no flitches;' let's go into the house and there you'll hear
+strange things. I bring money, and that's the main thing, got by my own
+industry without wronging anybody."
+
+"You bring the money, my good husband," said Teresa, "and no matter
+whether it was got this way or that; for, however you may have got it,
+you'll not have brought any new practice into the world."
+
+Sanchica embraced her father and asked him if he brought her anything,
+for she had been looking out for him as for the showers of May; and she
+taking hold of him by the girdle on one side, and his wife by the hand,
+while the daughter led Dapple, they made for their house, leaving Don
+Quixote in his, in the hands of his niece and housekeeper, and in the
+company of the curate and the bachelor.
+
+Don Quixote at once, without any regard to time or season, withdrew in
+private with the bachelor and the curate, and in a few words told them of
+his defeat, and of the engagement he was under not to quit his village
+for a year, which he meant to keep to the letter without departing a
+hair's breadth from it, as became a knight-errant bound by scrupulous
+good faith and the laws of knight-errantry; and of how he thought of
+turning shepherd for that year, and taking his diversion in the solitude
+of the fields, where he could with perfect freedom give range to his
+thoughts of love while he followed the virtuous pastoral calling; and he
+besought them, if they had not a great deal to do and were not prevented
+by more important business, to consent to be his companions, for he would
+buy sheep enough to qualify them for shepherds; and the most important
+point of the whole affair, he could tell them, was settled, for he had
+given them names that would fit them to a T. The curate asked what they
+were. Don Quixote replied that he himself was to be called the shepherd
+Quixotize and the bachelor the shepherd Carrascon, and the curate the
+shepherd Curambro, and Sancho Panza the shepherd Pancino.
+
+Both were astounded at Don Quixote's new craze; however, lest he should
+once more make off out of the village from them in pursuit of his
+chivalry, they trusting that in the course of the year he might be cured,
+fell in with his new project, applauded his crazy idea as a bright one,
+and offered to share the life with him. "And what's more," said Samson
+Carrasco, "I am, as all the world knows, a very famous poet, and I'll be
+always making verses, pastoral, or courtly, or as it may come into my
+head, to pass away our time in those secluded regions where we shall be
+roaming. But what is most needful, sirs, is that each of us should choose
+the name of the shepherdess he means to glorify in his verses, and that
+we should not leave a tree, be it ever so hard, without writing up and
+carving her name on it, as is the habit and custom of love-smitten
+shepherds."
+
+"That's the very thing," said Don Quixote; "though I am relieved from
+looking for the name of an imaginary shepherdess, for there's the
+peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, the glory of these brooksides, the ornament
+of these meadows, the mainstay of beauty, the cream of all the graces,
+and, in a word, the being to whom all praise is appropriate, be it ever
+so hyperbolical."
+
+"Very true," said the curate; "but we the others must look about for
+accommodating shepherdesses that will answer our purpose one way or
+another."
+
+"And," added Samson Carrasco, "if they fail us, we can call them by the
+names of the ones in print that the world is filled with, Filidas,
+Amarilises, Dianas, Fleridas, Galateas, Belisardas; for as they sell them
+in the market-places we may fairly buy them and make them our own. If my
+lady, or I should say my shepherdess, happens to be called Ana, I'll sing
+her praises under the name of Anarda, and if Francisca, I'll call her
+Francenia, and if Lucia, Lucinda, for it all comes to the same thing; and
+Sancho Panza, if he joins this fraternity, may glorify his wife Teresa
+Panza as Teresaina."
+
+Don Quixote laughed at the adaptation of the name, and the curate
+bestowed vast praise upon the worthy and honourable resolution he had
+made, and again offered to bear him company all the time that he could
+spare from his imperative duties. And so they took their leave of him,
+recommending and beseeching him to take care of his health and treat
+himself to a suitable diet.
+
+It so happened his niece and the housekeeper overheard all the three of
+them said; and as soon as they were gone they both of them came in to Don
+Quixote, and said the niece, "What's this, uncle? Now that we were
+thinking you had come back to stay at home and lead a quiet respectable
+life there, are you going to get into fresh entanglements, and turn
+'young shepherd, thou that comest here, young shepherd going there?' Nay!
+indeed 'the straw is too hard now to make pipes of.'"
+
+"And," added the housekeeper, "will your worship be able to bear, out in
+the fields, the heats of summer, and the chills of winter, and the
+howling of the wolves? Not you; for that's a life and a business for
+hardy men, bred and seasoned to such work almost from the time they were
+in swaddling-clothes. Why, to make choice of evils, it's better to be a
+knight-errant than a shepherd! Look here, senor; take my advice--and I'm
+not giving it to you full of bread and wine, but fasting, and with fifty
+years upon my head--stay at home, look after your affairs, go often to
+confession, be good to the poor, and upon my soul be it if any evil comes
+to you."
+
+"Hold your peace, my daughters," said Don Quixote; "I know very well what
+my duty is; help me to bed, for I don't feel very well; and rest assured
+that, knight-errant now or wandering shepherd to be, I shall never fail
+to have a care for your interests, as you will see in the end." And the
+good wenches (for that they undoubtedly were), the housekeeper and niece,
+helped him to bed, where they gave him something to eat and made him as
+comfortable as possible.
+
+Chapter LXXIV. -
+Of how Don Quixote fell sick, and of the will he made, and how he died
+
+As nothing that is man's can last for ever, but all tends ever downwards
+from its beginning to its end, and above all man's life, and as Don
+Quixote's enjoyed no special dispensation from heaven to stay its course,
+its end and close came when he least looked for it. For-whether it was of
+the dejection the thought of his defeat produced, or of heaven's will
+that so ordered it--a fever settled upon him and kept him in his bed for
+six days, during which he was often visited by his friends the curate,
+the bachelor, and the barber, while his good squire Sancho Panza never
+quitted his bedside. They, persuaded that it was grief at finding himself
+vanquished, and the object of his heart, the liberation and
+disenchantment of Dulcinea, unattained, that kept him in this state,
+strove by all the means in their power to cheer him up; the bachelor
+bidding him take heart and get up to begin his pastoral life, for which
+he himself, he said, had already composed an eclogue that would take the
+shine out of all Sannazaro had ever written, and had bought with his own
+money two famous dogs to guard the flock, one called Barcino and the
+other Butron, which a herdsman of Quintanar had sold him.
+
+But for all this Don Quixote could not shake off his sadness. His friends
+called in the doctor, who felt his pulse and was not very well satisfied
+with it, and said that in any case it would be well for him to attend to
+the health of his soul, as that of his body was in a bad way. Don Quixote
+heard this calmly; but not so his housekeeper, his niece, and his squire,
+who fell weeping bitterly, as if they had him lying dead before them. The
+doctor's opinion was that melancholy and depression were bringing him to
+his end. Don Quixote begged them to leave him to himself, as he had a
+wish to sleep a little. They obeyed, and he slept at one stretch, as the
+saying is, more than six hours, so that the housekeeper and niece thought
+he was going to sleep for ever. But at the end of that time he woke up,
+and in a loud voice exclaimed, "Blessed be Almighty God, who has shown me
+such goodness. In truth his mercies are boundless, and the sins of men
+can neither limit them nor keep them back!"
+
+The niece listened with attention to her uncle's words, and they struck
+her as more coherent than what usually fell from him, at least during his
+illness, so she asked, "What are you saying, senor? Has anything strange
+occurred? What mercies or what sins of men are you talking of?"
+
+"The mercies, niece," said Don Quixote, "are those that God has this
+moment shown me, and with him, as I said, my sins are no impediment to
+them. My reason is now free and clear, rid of the dark shadows of
+ignorance that my unhappy constant study of those detestable books of
+chivalry cast over it. Now I see through their absurdities and
+deceptions, and it only grieves me that this destruction of my illusions
+has come so late that it leaves me no time to make some amends by reading
+other books that might be a light to my soul. Niece, I feel myself at the
+point of death, and I would fain meet it in such a way as to show that my
+life has not been so ill that I should leave behind me the name of a
+madman; for though I have been one, I would not that the fact should be
+made plainer at my death. Call in to me, my dear, my good friends the
+curate, the bachelor Samson Carrasco, and Master Nicholas the barber, for
+I wish to confess and make my will." But his niece was saved the trouble
+by the entrance of the three. The instant Don Quixote saw them he
+exclaimed, "Good news for you, good sirs, that I am no longer Don Quixote
+of La Mancha, but Alonso Quixano, whose way of life won for him the name
+of Good. Now am I the enemy of Amadis of Gaul and of the whole countless
+troop of his descendants; odious to me now are all the profane stories of
+knight-errantry; now I perceive my folly, and the peril into which
+reading them brought me; now, by God's mercy schooled into my right
+senses, I loathe them."
+
+When the three heard him speak in this way, they had no doubt whatever
+that some new craze had taken possession of him; and said Samson, "What?
+Senor Don Quixote! Now that we have intelligence of the lady Dulcinea
+being disenchanted, are you taking this line; now, just as we are on the
+point of becoming shepherds, to pass our lives singing, like princes, are
+you thinking of turning hermit? Hush, for heaven's sake, be rational and
+let's have no more nonsense."
+
+"All that nonsense," said Don Quixote, "that until now has been a reality
+to my hurt, my death will, with heaven's help, turn to my good. I feel,
+sirs, that I am rapidly drawing near death; a truce to jesting; let me
+have a confessor to confess me, and a notary to make my will; for in
+extremities like this, man must not trifle with his soul; and while the
+curate is confessing me let some one, I beg, go for the notary."
+
+They looked at one another, wondering at Don Quixote's words; but, though
+uncertain, they were inclined to believe him, and one of the signs by
+which they came to the conclusion he was dying was this so sudden and
+complete return to his senses after having been mad; for to the words
+already quoted he added much more, so well expressed, so devout, and so
+rational, as to banish all doubt and convince them that he was sound of
+mind. The curate turned them all out, and left alone with him confessed
+him. The bachelor went for the notary and returned shortly afterwards
+with him and with Sancho, who, having already learned from the bachelor
+the condition his master was in, and finding the housekeeper and niece
+weeping, began to blubber and shed tears.
+
+The confession over, the curate came out saying, "Alonso Quixano the Good
+is indeed dying, and is indeed in his right mind; we may now go in to him
+while he makes his will."
+
+This news gave a tremendous impulse to the brimming eyes of the
+housekeeper, niece, and Sancho Panza his good squire, making the tears
+burst from their eyes and a host of sighs from their hearts; for of a
+truth, as has been said more than once, whether as plain Alonso Quixano
+the Good, or as Don Quixote of La Mancha, Don Quixote was always of a
+gentle disposition and kindly in all his ways, and hence he was beloved,
+not only by those of his own house, but by all who knew him.
+
+The notary came in with the rest, and as soon as the preamble of the had
+been set out and Don Quixote had commended his soul to God with all the
+devout formalities that are usual, coming to the bequests, he said,
+"Item, it is my will that, touching certain moneys in the hands of Sancho
+Panza (whom in my madness I made my squire), inasmuch as between him and
+me there have been certain accounts and debits and credits, no claim be
+made against him, nor any account demanded of him in respect of them; but
+that if anything remain over and above, after he has paid himself what I
+owe him, the balance, which will be but little, shall be his, and much
+good may it do him; and if, as when I was mad I had a share in giving him
+the government of an island, so, now that I am in my senses, I could give
+him that of a kingdom, it should be his, for the simplicity of his
+character and the fidelity of his conduct deserve it." And then, turning
+to Sancho, he said, "Forgive me, my friend, that I led thee to seem as
+mad as myself, making thee fall into the same error I myself fell into,
+that there were and still are knights-errant in the world."
+
+"Ah!" said Sancho weeping, "don't die, master, but take my advice and
+live many years; for the foolishest thing a man can do in this life is to
+let himself die without rhyme or reason, without anybody killing him, or
+any hands but melancholy's making an end of him. Come, don't be lazy, but
+get up from your bed and let us take to the fields in shepherd's trim as
+we agreed. Perhaps behind some bush we shall find the lady Dulcinea
+disenchanted, as fine as fine can be. If it be that you are dying of
+vexation at having been vanquished, lay the blame on me, and say you were
+overthrown because I had girthed Rocinante badly; besides you must have
+seen in your books of chivalry that it is a common thing for knights to
+upset one another, and for him who is conquered to-day to be conqueror
+tomorrow."
+
+"Very true," said Samson, "and good Sancho Panza's view of these cases is
+quite right."
+
+"Sirs, not so fast," said Don Quixote, "'in last year's nests there are
+no birds this year.' I was mad, now I am in my senses; I was Don Quixote
+of La Mancha, I am now, as I said, Alonso Quixano the Good; and may my
+repentance and sincerity restore me to the esteem you used to have for
+me; and now let Master Notary proceed.
+
+"Item, I leave all my property absolutely to Antonia Quixana my niece,
+here present, after all has been deducted from the most available portion
+of it that may be required to satisfy the bequests I have made. And the
+first disbursement I desire to be made is the payment of the wages I owe
+for the time my housekeeper has served me, with twenty ducats, over and
+above, for a gown. The curate and the bachelor Samson Carrasco, now
+present, I appoint my executors.
+
+"Item, it is my wish that if Antonia Quixana, my niece, desires to marry,
+she shall marry a man of whom it shall be first of all ascertained by
+information taken that he does not know what books of chivalry are; and
+if it should be proved that he does, and if, in spite of this, my niece
+insists upon marrying him, and does marry him, then that she shall
+forfeit the whole of what I have left her, which my executors shall
+devote to works of charity as they please.
+
+"Item, I entreat the aforesaid gentlemen my executors, that, if any happy
+chance should lead them to discover the author who is said to have
+written a history now going about under the title of 'Second Part of the
+Achievements of Don Quixote of La Mancha,' they beg of him on my behalf
+as earnestly as they can to forgive me for having been, without intending
+it, the cause of his writing so many and such monstrous absurdities as he
+has written in it; for I am leaving the world with a feeling of
+compunction at having provoked him to write them."
+
+With this he closed his will, and a faintness coming over him he
+stretched himself out at full length on the bed. All were in a flutter
+and made haste to relieve him, and during the three days he lived after
+that on which he made his will he fainted away very often. The house was
+all in confusion; but still the niece ate and the housekeeper drank and
+Sancho Panza enjoyed himself; for inheriting property wipes out or
+softens down in the heir the feeling of grief the dead man might be
+expected to leave behind him.
+
+At last Don Quixote's end came, after he had received all the sacraments,
+and had in full and forcible terms expressed his detestation of books of
+chivalry. The notary was there at the time, and he said that in no book
+of chivalry had he ever read of any knight-errant dying in his bed so
+calmly and so like a Christian as Don Quixote, who amid the tears and
+lamentations of all present yielded up his spirit, that is to say died.
+On perceiving it the curate begged the notary to bear witness that Alonso
+Quixano the Good, commonly called Don Quixote of La Mancha, had passed
+away from this present life, and died naturally; and said he desired this
+testimony in order to remove the possibility of any other author save
+Cide Hamete Benengeli bringing him to life again falsely and making
+interminable stories out of his achievements.
+
+Such was the end of the Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha, whose village
+Cide Hamete would not indicate precisely, in order to leave all the towns
+and villages of La Mancha to contend among themselves for the right to
+adopt him and claim him as a son, as the seven cities of Greece contended
+for Homer. The lamentations of Sancho and the niece and housekeeper are
+omitted here, as well as the new epitaphs upon his tomb; Samson Carrasco,
+however, put the following lines:
+
+poem{
+
+A doughty gentleman lies here;
+A stranger all his life to fear;
+Nor in his death could Death prevail,
+In that last hour, to make him quail.
+He for the world but little cared;
+And at his feats the world was scared;
+A crazy man his life he passed,
+But in his senses died at last.
+
+}poem
+
+And said most sage Cide Hamete to his pen, "Rest here, hung up by this
+brass wire, upon this shelf, O my pen, whether of skilful make or clumsy
+cut I know not; here shalt thou remain long ages hence, unless
+presumptuous or malignant story-tellers take thee down to profane thee.
+But ere they touch thee warn them, and, as best thou canst, say to them:
+
+poem{
+
+Hold off! ye weaklings; hold your hands!
+  Adventure it let none,
+For this emprise, my lord the king,
+  Was meant for me alone.
+
+}poem
+
+For me alone was Don Quixote born, and I for him; it was his to act, mine
+to write; we two together make but one, notwithstanding and in spite of
+that pretended Tordesillesque writer who has ventured or would venture
+with his great, coarse, ill-trimmed ostrich quill to write the
+achievements of my valiant knight;--no burden for his shoulders, nor
+subject for his frozen wit: whom, if perchance thou shouldst come to know
+him, thou shalt warn to leave at rest where they lie the weary mouldering
+bones of Don Quixote, and not to attempt to carry him off, in opposition
+to all the privileges of death, to Old Castile, making him rise from the
+grave where in reality and truth he lies stretched at full length,
+powerless to make any third expedition or new sally; for the two that he
+has already made, so much to the enjoyment and approval of everybody to
+whom they have become known, in this as well as in foreign countries, are
+quite sufficient for the purpose of turning into ridicule the whole of
+those made by the whole set of the knights-errant; and so doing shalt
+thou discharge thy Christian calling, giving good counsel to one that
+bears ill-will to thee. And I shall remain satisfied, and proud to have
+been the first who has ever enjoyed the fruit of his writings as fully as
+he could desire; for my desire has been no other than to deliver over to
+the detestation of mankind the false and foolish tales of the books of
+chivalry, which, thanks to that of my true Don Quixote, are even now
+tottering, and doubtless doomed to fall for ever. Farewell."
+
+% THE END