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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5916-h.zip b/5916-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d1c92e --- /dev/null +++ b/5916-h.zip diff --git a/5916-h/5916-h.htm b/5916-h/5916-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..084555a --- /dev/null +++ b/5916-h/5916-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1314 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE, By Cervantes, Vol. I., Part 14.</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {background:#faebd7; margin:10%; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; text-align: center; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; } + .figleft {float: left;} + .figright {float: right;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + PRE { font-family: Times; font-size: 97%; margin-left: 15%;} + // --> +</style> + + +</head> +<body> + +<h2>THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE, Vol. I., Part 14.</h2> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I., Part +14., by Miguel de Cervantes + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I., Part 14. + +Author: Miguel de Cervantes + +Release Date: July 19, 2004 [EBook #5916] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, PART 14 *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<br> +<hr> +<br><br><br><br><br><br> + + + +<center> +<h1>DON QUIXOTE</h1> +<br> +<h2>by Miguel de Cervantes</h2> +<br> +<h3>Translated by John Ormsby</h3> +</center> + +<br><br> + +<center><h3> +Volume I., Part 14. +<br><br> +Chapters 41 +</h3></center> + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="bookcover.jpg (230K)" src="images/bookcover.jpg" height="842" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/bookcover.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="spine.jpg (152K)" src="images/spine.jpg" height="842" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/spine.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + + + +<h3>Ebook Editor's Note</h3> + +<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote> +<p>The book cover and spine above and the images which follow were not part of the original Ormsby +translation—they are taken from the 1880 edition of J. W. Clark, illustrated by +Gustave Dore. Clark in his edition states that, "The English text of 'Don Quixote' +adopted in this edition is that of Jarvis, with occasional corrections from Motteaux." +See in the introduction below John Ormsby's critique of +both the Jarvis and Motteaux translations. It has been elected in the present Project Gutenberg edition +to attach the famous engravings of Gustave Dore to the Ormsby translation instead +of the Jarvis/Motteaux. The detail of many of the Dore engravings can be fully appreciated only +by utilizing the "Full Size" button to expand them to their original dimensions. Ormsby +in his Preface has criticized the fanciful nature of Dore's illustrations; others feel +these woodcuts and steel engravings well match the dreams of the man from La Mancha. + + D.W.</p> +</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="p003.jpg (307K)" src="images/p003.jpg" height="813" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/p003.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"> +</a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<center><h2>CONTENTS</h2></center> + + +<pre> + +<a href="#ch41">CHAPTER XLI</a> +IN WHICH THE CAPTIVE STILL CONTINUES HIS ADVENTURES + +</pre> + +<br><br><br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch41"></a>CHAPTER XLI.</h2></center> +<br> +<center><h3>IN WHICH THE CAPTIVE STILL CONTINUES HIS ADVENTURES +</h3></center> +<br> +<br> + +<center><a name="c41a"></a><img alt="c41a.jpg (106K)" src="images/c41a.jpg" height="374" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>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 +he 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"And when dost thou go?" said Zoraida.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"No doubt thou art married in thine own country," said Zoraida, "and +for that reason thou art anxious to go and see thy wife."</p> + +<p>"I am not married," I replied, "but I have given my promise to marry +on my arrival there."</p> + +<p>"And is the lady beautiful to whom thou hast given it?" said +Zoraida.</p> + +<p>"So beautiful," said I, "that, to describe her worthily and tell +thee the truth, she is very like thee."</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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?"</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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."</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41b"></a><img alt="c41b.jpg (320K)" src="images/c41b.jpg" height="838" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41c"></a><img alt="c41c.jpg (326K)" src="images/c41c.jpg" height="828" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Then it will be necessary to waken him and take him with us," +said the renegade, "and everything of value in this fair mansion."</p> + +<p>"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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41d"></a><img alt="c41d.jpg (266K)" src="images/c41d.jpg" height="505" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41d.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>"Daughter, is this true, what he says?" cried the Moor.</p> + +<p>"It is," replied Zoraida.</p> + +<p>"That thou art in truth a Christian," said the old man, "and that +thou hast given thy father into the power of his enemies?"</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>"And what good hast thou done thyself, daughter?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Ask thou that," said she, "of Lela Marien, for she can tell thee +better than I."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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:</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41e"></a><img alt="c41e.jpg (281K)" src="images/c41e.jpg" height="514" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41e.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<p>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."</p> + +<p>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."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41f"></a><img alt="c41f.jpg (268K)" src="images/c41f.jpg" height="518" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c41f.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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:</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>The Christian captive had hardly uttered these words, when the +horseman threw himself off his horse, and ran to embrace the young +man, crying:</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"It is true," replied the young man, "and by-and-by we will tell you +all."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c41g"></a><img alt="c41g.jpg (33K)" src="images/c41g.jpg" height="300" width="650"> +</center> + + +<br> +<br> +<hr> +<br><br> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I., +Part 14., by Miguel de Cervantes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, PART 14 *** + +***** This file should be named 5916-h.htm or 5916-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/9/1/5916/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I., Part 14. + +Author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra + +Release Date: July 19, 2004 [EBook #5916] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, PART 14 *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + DON QUIXOTE + + by Miguel de Cervantes + + Translated by John Ormsby + + + Volume I. + + Part 14. + + + +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. + + + +===15 + + + + + DON QUIXOTE + + by Miguel de Cervantes + + Translated by John Ormsby + + + Volume I. + + Part 15. + + + +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 + +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. + +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: + + 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. + +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. + + +===16 + + + + DON QUIXOTE + + by Miguel de Cervantes + + Translated by John Ormsby + + + Volume I. + + Part 16. + + + +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." + + +===17 + + + + + DON QUIXOTE + + by Miguel de Cervantes + + Translated by John Ormsby + + + Volume I. + + Part 17. + + + +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. + + +===18 + + + + + DON QUIXOTE + + by Miguel de Cervantes + + Translated by John Ormsby + + + Volume I. + + Part 18. + + + +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: + + + 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 + +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. + + + +PANIAGUADO, +ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA, +IN LAUDEM DULCINEAE DEL TOBOSO + +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. + + + +CAPRICHOSO, A MOST ACUTE ACADEMICIAN +OF ARGAMASILLA, IN PRAISE OF ROCINANTE, +STEED OF DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA + +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. + +BURLADOR, ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA, +ON SANCHO PANZA + +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. + + + + +CACHIDIABLO, +ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA, +ON THE TOMB OF DON QUIXOTE +EPITAPH + +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. + + TIQUITOC, + ACADEMICIAN OF ARGAMASILLA, +ON THE TOMB OF DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO + + 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. + +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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I., +Part 14., by Miguel de Cervantes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, PART 14 *** + +***** This file should be named 5916.txt or 5916.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/9/1/5916/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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