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diff --git a/old/orig5921-h/p11.htm b/old/orig5921-h/p11.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a8cee7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/orig5921-h/p11.htm @@ -0,0 +1,627 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE, By Cervantes, Vol. I., Part 11.</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> + +<center> +<table summary="" cellPadding=4 border=3> +<tr><td> + <a href="p10.htm">Previous Part</a> +</td><td> + <a href="5921-h.htm">Main Index</a> +</td><td> + <a href="p12.htm">Next Part</a> + </td></tr> +</table> +</center> +<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 11. +<br><br> +Chapter 29 +</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 "Enlarge" 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 Quixote's dreams. + + 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="#ch29">CHAPTER XXIX</a> +WHICH TREATS OF THE DROLL DEVICE AND METHOD +ADOPTED TO EXTRICATE OUR LOVE-STRICKEN KNIGHT +FROM THE SEVERE PENANCE HE HAD IMPOSED UPON HIMSELF + +</pre> + +<br><br><br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch29"></a>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2></center> +<br> +<center><h3>WHICH TREATS OF THE DROLL DEVICE AND METHOD ADOPTED TO EXTRICATE OUR +LOVE-STRICKEN KNIGHT FROM THE SEVERE PENANCE HE HAD IMPOSED UPON HIMSELF +</h3></center> +<br> +<br> + +<center><a name="c29a"></a><img alt="c29a.jpg (99K)" src="images/c29a.jpg" height="282" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Such, sirs, is the true story of my sad adventures; judge for +yourselves now whether the sighs and lamentations you heard, and the +tears that flowed from my eyes, had not sufficient cause even if I had +indulged in them more freely; and if you consider the nature of my +misfortune you will see that consolation is idle, as there is no +possible remedy for it. All I ask of you is, what you may easily and +reasonably do, to show me where I may pass my life unharassed by the +fear and dread of discovery by those who are in search of me; for +though the great love my parents bear me makes me feel sure of being +kindly received by them, so great is my feeling of shame at the mere +thought that I cannot present myself before them as they expect, +that I had rather banish myself from their sight for ever than look +them in the face with the reflection that they beheld mine stripped of +that purity they had a right to expect in me."</p> + +<p>With these words she became silent, and the colour that overspread +her face showed plainly the pain and shame she was suffering at heart. +In theirs the listeners felt as much pity as wonder at her +misfortunes; but as the curate was just about to offer her some +consolation and advice Cardenio forestalled him, saying, "So then, +senora, you are the fair Dorothea, the only daughter of the rich +Clenardo?" Dorothea was astonished at hearing her father's name, and +at the miserable appearance of him who mentioned it, for it has been +already said how wretchedly clad Cardenio was; so she said to him:</p> + +<p>"And who may you be, brother, who seem to know my father's name so +well? For so far, if I remember rightly, I have not mentioned it in +the whole story of my misfortunes."</p> + +<p>"I am that unhappy being, senora," replied Cardenio, "whom, as you +have said, Luscinda declared to be her husband; I am the unfortunate +Cardenio, whom the wrong-doing of him who has brought you to your +present condition has reduced to the state you see me in, bare, +ragged, bereft of all human comfort, and what is worse, of reason, for +I only possess it when Heaven is pleased for some short space to +restore it to me. I, Dorothea, am he who witnessed the wrong done by +Don Fernando, and waited to hear the 'Yes' uttered by which Luscinda +owned herself his betrothed: I am he who had not courage enough to see +how her fainting fit ended, or what came of the paper that was found +in her bosom, because my heart had not the fortitude to endure so many +strokes of ill-fortune at once; and so losing patience I quitted the +house, and leaving a letter with my host, which I entreated him to +place in Luscinda's hands, I betook myself to these solitudes, +resolved to end here the life I hated as if it were my mortal enemy. +But fate would not rid me of it, contenting itself with robbing me +of my reason, perhaps to preserve me for the good fortune I have had +in meeting you; for if that which you have just told us be true, as +I believe it to be, it may be that Heaven has yet in store for both of +us a happier termination to our misfortunes than we look for; +because seeing that Luscinda cannot marry Don Fernando, being mine, as +she has herself so openly declared, and that Don Fernando cannot marry +her as he is yours, we may reasonably hope that Heaven will restore to +us what is ours, as it is still in existence and not yet alienated +or destroyed. And as we have this consolation springing from no very +visionary hope or wild fancy, I entreat you, senora, to form new +resolutions in your better mind, as I mean to do in mine, preparing +yourself to look forward to happier fortunes; for I swear to you by +the faith of a gentleman and a Christian not to desert you until I see +you in possession of Don Fernando, and if I cannot by words induce him +to recognise his obligation to you, in that case to avail myself of +the right which my rank as a gentleman gives me, and with just cause +challenge him on account of the injury he has done you, not +regarding my own wrongs, which I shall leave to Heaven to avenge, +while I on earth devote myself to yours."</p> + +<p>Cardenio's words completed the astonishment of Dorothea, and not +knowing how to return thanks for such an offer, she attempted to +kiss his feet; but Cardenio would not permit it, and the licentiate +replied for both, commended the sound reasoning of Cardenio, and +lastly, begged, advised, and urged them to come with him to his +village, where they might furnish themselves with what they needed, +and take measures to discover Don Fernando, or restore Dorothea to her +parents, or do what seemed to them most advisable. Cardenio and +Dorothea thanked him, and accepted the kind offer he made them; and +the barber, who had been listening to all attentively and in +silence, on his part some kindly words also, and with no less +good-will than the curate offered his services in any way that might +be of use to them. He also explained to them in a few words the object +that had brought them there, and the strange nature of Don Quixote's +madness, and how they were waiting for his squire, who had gone in +search of him. Like the recollection of a dream, the quarrel he had +had with Don Quixote came back to Cardenio's memory, and he +described it to the others; but he was unable to say what the +dispute was about.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c29b"></a><img alt="c29b.jpg (351K)" src="images/c29b.jpg" height="815" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>At this moment they heard a shout, and recognised it as coming +from Sancho Panza, who, not finding them where he had left them, was +calling aloud to them. They went to meet him, and in answer to their +inquiries about Don Quixote, he told them how he had found him +stripped to his shirt, lank, yellow, half dead with hunger, and +sighing for his lady Dulcinea; and although he had told him that she +commanded him to quit that place and come to El Toboso, where she +was expecting him, he had answered that he was determined not to +appear in the presence of her beauty until he had done deeds to make +him worthy of her favour; and if this went on, Sancho said, he ran the +risk of not becoming an emperor as in duty bound, or even an +archbishop, which was the least he could be; for which reason they +ought to consider what was to be done to get him away from there. +The licentiate in reply told him not to be uneasy, for they would +fetch him away in spite of himself. He then told Cardenio and Dorothea +what they had proposed to do to cure Don Quixote, or at any rate +take him home; upon which Dorothea said that she could play the +distressed damsel better than the barber; especially as she had +there the dress in which to do it to the life, and that they might +trust to her acting the part in every particular requisite for +carrying out their scheme, for she had read a great many books of +chivalry, and knew exactly the style in which afflicted damsels begged +boons of knights-errant.</p> + +<p>"In that case," said the curate, "there is nothing more required +than to set about it at once, for beyond a doubt fortune is +declaring itself in our favour, since it has so unexpectedly begun +to open a door for your relief, and smoothed the way for us to our +object."</p> + +<p>Dorothea then took out of her pillow-case a complete petticoat of +some rich stuff, and a green mantle of some other fine material, and a +necklace and other ornaments out of a little box, and with these in an +instant she so arrayed herself that she looked like a great and rich +lady. All this, and more, she said, she had taken from home in case of +need, but that until then she had had no occasion to make use of it. +They were all highly delighted with her grace, air, and beauty, and +declared Don Fernando to be a man of very little taste when he +rejected such charms. But the one who admired her most was Sancho +Panza, for it seemed to him (what indeed was true) that in all the +days of his life he had never seen such a lovely creature; and he +asked the curate with great eagerness who this beautiful lady was, and +what she wanted in these out-of-the-way quarters.</p> + +<p>"This fair lady, brother Sancho," replied the curate, "is no less +a personage than the heiress in the direct male line of the great +kingdom of Micomicon, who has come in search of your master to beg a +boon of him, which is that he redress a wrong or injury that a +wicked giant has done her; and from the fame as a good knight which +your master has acquired far and wide, this princess has come from +Guinea to seek him."</p> + +<p>"A lucky seeking and a lucky finding!" said Sancho Panza at this; +"especially if my master has the good fortune to redress that +injury, and right that wrong, and kill that son of a bitch of a +giant your worship speaks of; as kill him he will if he meets him, +unless, indeed, he happens to be a phantom; for my master has no power +at all against phantoms. But one thing among others I would beg of +you, senor licentiate, which is, that, to prevent my master taking a +fancy to be an archbishop, for that is what I'm afraid of, your +worship would recommend him to marry this princess at once; for in +this way he will be disabled from taking archbishop's orders, and will +easily come into his empire, and I to the end of my desires; I have +been thinking over the matter carefully, and by what I can make out +I find it will not do for me that my master should become an +archbishop, because I am no good for the Church, as I am married; +and for me now, having as I have a wife and children, to set about +obtaining dispensations to enable me to hold a place of profit under +the Church, would be endless work; so that, senor, it all turns on +my master marrying this lady at once—for as yet I do not know her +grace, and so I cannot call her by her name."</p> + +<p>"She is called the Princess Micomicona," said the curate; "for as +her kingdom is Micomicon, it is clear that must be her name."</p> + +<p>"There's no doubt of that," replied Sancho, "for I have known many +to take their name and title from the place where they were born and +call themselves Pedro of Alcala, Juan of Ubeda, and Diego of +Valladolid; and it may be that over there in Guinea queens have the +same way of taking the names of their kingdoms."</p> + +<p>"So it may," said the curate; "and as for your master's marrying, +I will do all in my power towards it:" with which Sancho was as much +pleased as the curate was amazed at his simplicity and at seeing +what a hold the absurdities of his master had taken of his fancy, +for he had evidently persuaded himself that he was going to be an +emperor.</p> + +<p>By this time Dorothea had seated herself upon the curate's mule, and +the barber had fitted the ox-tail beard to his face, and they now told +Sancho to conduct them to where Don Quixote was, warning him not to +say that he knew either the licentiate or the barber, as his +master's becoming an emperor entirely depended on his not +recognising them; neither the curate nor Cardenio, however, thought +fit to go with them; Cardenio lest he should remind Don Quixote of the +quarrel he had with him, and the curate as there was no necessity +for his presence just yet, so they allowed the others to go on +before them, while they themselves followed slowly on foot. The curate +did not forget to instruct Dorothea how to act, but she said they +might make their minds easy, as everything would be done exactly as +the books of chivalry required and described.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c29c"></a><img alt="c29c.jpg (286K)" src="images/c29c.jpg" height="821" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<p>They had gone about three-quarters of a league when they +discovered Don Quixote in a wilderness of rocks, by this time clothed, +but without his armour; and as soon as Dorothea saw him and was told +by Sancho that that was Don Quixote, she whipped her palfrey, the +well-bearded barber following her, and on coming up to him her +squire sprang from his mule and came forward to receive her in his +arms, and she dismounting with great ease of manner advanced to +kneel before the feet of Don Quixote; and though he strove to raise +her up, she without rising addressed him in this fashion:</p> + +<p>"From this spot I will not rise, valiant and doughty knight, until +your goodness and courtesy grant me a boon, which will redound to +the honour and renown of your person and render a service to the +most disconsolate and afflicted damsel the sun has seen; and if the +might of your strong arm corresponds to the repute of your immortal +fame, you are bound to aid the helpless being who, led by the savour +of your renowned name, hath come from far distant lands to seek your +aid in her misfortunes."</p> + +<p>"I will not answer a word, beauteous lady," replied Don Quixote, +"nor will I listen to anything further concerning you, until you +rise from the earth."</p> + +<p>"I will not rise, senor," answered the afflicted damsel, "unless +of your courtesy the boon I ask is first granted me."</p> + +<p>"I grant and accord it," said Don Quixote, "provided without +detriment or prejudice to my king, my country, or her who holds the +key of my heart and freedom, it may be complied with."</p> + +<p>"It will not be to the detriment or prejudice of any of them, my +worthy lord," said the afflicted damsel; and here Sancho Panza drew +close to his master's ear and said to him very softly, "Your worship +may very safely grant the boon she asks; it's nothing at all; only +to kill a big giant; and she who asks it is the exalted Princess +Micomicona, queen of the great kingdom of Micomicon of Ethiopia."</p> + +<p>"Let her be who she may," replied Don Quixote, "I will do what is my +bounden duty, and what my conscience bids me, in conformity with +what I have professed;" and turning to the damsel he said, "Let your +great beauty rise, for I grant the boon which you would ask of me."</p> + +<p>"Then what I ask," said the damsel, "is that your magnanimous person +accompany me at once whither I will conduct you, and that you +promise not to engage in any other adventure or quest until you have +avenged me of a traitor who against all human and divine law, has +usurped my kingdom."</p> + +<p>"I repeat that I grant it," replied Don Quixote; "and so, lady, +you may from this day forth lay aside the melancholy that distresses +you, and let your failing hopes gather new life and strength, for with +the help of God and of my arm you will soon see yourself restored to +your kingdom, and seated upon the throne of your ancient and mighty +realm, notwithstanding and despite of the felons who would gainsay it; +and now hands to the work, for in delay there is apt to be danger."</p> + +<p>The distressed damsel strove with much pertinacity to kiss his +hands; but Don Quixote, who was in all things a polished and courteous +knight, would by no means allow it, but made her rise and embraced her +with great courtesy and politeness, and ordered Sancho to look to +Rocinante's girths, and to arm him without a moment's delay. Sancho +took down the armour, which was hung up on a tree like a trophy, and +having seen to the girths armed his master in a trice, who as soon +as he found himself in his armour exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Let us be gone in the name of God to bring aid to this great lady."</p> + +<p>The barber was all this time on his knees at great pains to hide his +laughter and not let his beard fall, for had it fallen maybe their +fine scheme would have come to nothing; but now seeing the boon +granted, and the promptitude with which Don Quixote prepared to set +out in compliance with it, he rose and took his lady's hand, and +between them they placed her upon the mule. Don Quixote then mounted +Rocinante, and the barber settled himself on his beast, Sancho being +left to go on foot, which made him feel anew the loss of his Dapple, +finding the want of him now. But he bore all with cheerfulness, +being persuaded that his master had now fairly started and was just on +the point of becoming an emperor; for he felt no doubt at all that +he would marry this princess, and be king of Micomicon at least. The +only thing that troubled him was the reflection that this kingdom +was in the land of the blacks, and that the people they would give him +for vassals would be all black; but for this he soon found a remedy in +his fancy, and said he to himself, "What is it to me if my vassals are +blacks? What more have I to do than make a cargo of them and carry +them to Spain, where I can sell them and get ready money for them, and +with it buy some title or some office in which to live at ease all the +days of my life? Not unless you go to sleep and haven't the wit or +skill to turn things to account and sell three, six, or ten thousand +vassals while you would be talking about it! By God I will stir them +up, big and little, or as best I can, and let them be ever so black +I'll turn them into white or yellow. Come, come, what a fool I am!" +And so he jogged on, so occupied with his thoughts and easy in his +mind that he forgot all about the hardship of travelling on foot.</p> + +<p>Cardenio and the curate were watching all this from among some +bushes, not knowing how to join company with the others; but the +curate, who was very fertile in devices, soon hit upon a way of +effecting their purpose, and with a pair of scissors he had in a +case he quickly cut off Cardenio's beard, and putting on him a grey +jerkin of his own he gave him a black cloak, leaving himself in his +breeches and doublet, while Cardenio's appearance was so different +from what it had been that he would not have known himself had he seen +himself in a mirror. Having effected this, although the others had +gone on ahead while they were disguising themselves, they easily +came out on the high road before them, for the brambles and awkward +places they encountered did not allow those on horseback to go as fast +as those on foot. They then posted themselves on the level ground at +the outlet of the Sierra, and as soon as Don Quixote and his +companions emerged from it the curate began to examine him very +deliberately, as though he were striving to recognise him, and after +having stared at him for some time he hastened towards him with open +arms exclaiming, "A happy meeting with the mirror of chivalry, my +worthy compatriot Don Quixote of La Mancha, the flower and cream of +high breeding, the protection and relief of the distressed, the +quintessence of knights-errant!" And so saying he clasped in his +arms the knee of Don Quixote's left leg. He, astonished at the +stranger's words and behaviour, looked at him attentively, and at +length recognised him, very much surprised to see him there, and +made great efforts to dismount. This, however, the curate would not +allow, on which Don Quixote said, "Permit me, senor licentiate, for it +is not fitting that I should be on horseback and so reverend a +person as your worship on foot."</p> + +<p>"On no account will I allow it," said the curate; "your mightiness +must remain on horseback, for it is on horseback you achieve the +greatest deeds and adventures that have been beheld in our age; as for +me, an unworthy priest, it will serve me well enough to mount on the +haunches of one of the mules of these gentlefolk who accompany your +worship, if they have no objection, and I will fancy I am mounted on +the steed Pegasus, or on the zebra or charger that bore the famous +Moor, Muzaraque, who to this day lies enchanted in the great hill of +Zulema, a little distance from the great Complutum."</p> + +<p>"Nor even that will I consent to, senor licentiate," answered Don +Quixote, "and I know it will be the good pleasure of my lady the +princess, out of love for me, to order her squire to give up the +saddle of his mule to your worship, and he can sit behind if the beast +will bear it."</p> + +<p>"It will, I am sure," said the princess, "and I am sure, too, that I +need not order my squire, for he is too courteous and considerate to +allow a Churchman to go on foot when he might be mounted."</p> + +<p>"That he is," said the barber, and at once alighting, he offered his +saddle to the curate, who accepted it without much entreaty; but +unfortunately as the barber was mounting behind, the mule, being as it +happened a hired one, which is the same thing as saying +ill-conditioned, lifted its hind hoofs and let fly a couple of kicks +in the air, which would have made Master Nicholas wish his +expedition in quest of Don Quixote at the devil had they caught him on +the breast or head. As it was, they so took him by surprise that he +came to the ground, giving so little heed to his beard that it fell +off, and all he could do when he found himself without it was to cover +his face hastily with both his hands and moan that his teeth were +knocked out. Don Quixote when he saw all that bundle of beard +detached, without jaws or blood, from the face of the fallen squire, +exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"By the living God, but this is a great miracle! it has knocked +off and plucked away the beard from his face as if it had been +shaved off designedly."</p> + +<p>The curate, seeing the danger of discovery that threatened his +scheme, at once pounced upon the beard and hastened with it to where +Master Nicholas lay, still uttering moans, and drawing his head to his +breast had it on in an instant, muttering over him some words which he +said were a certain special charm for sticking on beards, as they +would see; and as soon as he had it fixed he left him, and the +squire appeared well bearded and whole as before, whereat Don +Quixote was beyond measure astonished, and begged the curate to +teach him that charm when he had an opportunity, as he was persuaded +its virtue must extend beyond the sticking on of beards, for it was +clear that where the beard had been stripped off the flesh must have +remained torn and lacerated, and when it could heal all that it must +be good for more than beards.</p> + +<p>"And so it is," said the curate, and he promised to teach it to +him on the first opportunity. They then agreed that for the present +the curate should mount, and that the three should ride by turns until +they reached the inn, which might be about six leagues from where they +were.</p> + +<p>Three then being mounted, that is to say, Don Quixote, the princess, +and the curate, and three on foot, Cardenio, the barber, and Sancho +Panza, Don Quixote said to the damsel:</p> + +<p>"Let your highness, lady, lead on whithersoever is most pleasing +to you;" but before she could answer the licentiate said:</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c29d"></a><img alt="c29d.jpg (345K)" src="images/c29d.jpg" height="818" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29d.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<p>"Towards what kingdom would your ladyship direct our course? Is it +perchance towards that of Micomicon? It must be, or else I know little +about kingdoms."</p> + +<p>She, being ready on all points, understood that she was to answer +"Yes," so she said "Yes, senor, my way lies towards that kingdom."</p> + +<p>"In that case," said the curate, "we must pass right through my +village, and there your worship will take the road to Cartagena, where +you will be able to embark, fortune favouring; and if the wind be fair +and the sea smooth and tranquil, in somewhat less than nine years +you may come in sight of the great lake Meona, I mean Meotides, +which is little more than a hundred days' journey this side of your +highness's kingdom."</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c29e"></a><img alt="c29e.jpg (318K)" src="images/c29e.jpg" height="819" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29e.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Your worship is mistaken, senor," said she; "for it is not two +years since I set out from it, and though I never had good weather, +nevertheless I am here to behold what I so longed for, and that is +my lord Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose fame came to my ears as soon +as I set foot in Spain and impelled me to go in search of him, to +commend myself to his courtesy, and entrust the justice of my cause to +the might of his invincible arm."</p> + +<p>"Enough; no more praise," said Don Quixote at this, "for I hate +all flattery; and though this may not be so, still language of the +kind is offensive to my chaste ears. I will only say, senora, that +whether it has might or not, that which it may or may not have shall +be devoted to your service even to death; and now, leaving this to its +proper season, I would ask the senor licentiate to tell me what it +is that has brought him into these parts, alone, unattended, and so +lightly clad that I am filled with amazement."</p> + +<p>"I will answer that briefly," replied the curate; "you must know +then, Senor Don Quixote, that Master Nicholas, our friend and +barber, and I were going to Seville to receive some money that a +relative of mine who went to the Indies many years ago had sent me, +and not such a small sum but that it was over sixty thousand pieces of +eight, full weight, which is something; and passing by this place +yesterday we were attacked by four footpads, who stripped us even to +our beards, and them they stripped off so that the barber found it +necessary to put on a false one, and even this young man +here"—pointing to Cardenio—"they completely transformed. But the best of it +is, the story goes in the neighbourhood that those who attacked us +belong to a number of galley slaves who, they say, were set free +almost on the very same spot by a man of such valour that, in spite of +the commissary and of the guards, he released the whole of them; and +beyond all doubt he must have been out of his senses, or he must be as +great a scoundrel as they, or some man without heart or conscience +to let the wolf loose among the sheep, the fox among the hens, the fly +among the honey. He has defrauded justice, and opposed his king and +lawful master, for he opposed his just commands; he has, I say, robbed +the galleys of their feet, stirred up the Holy Brotherhood which for +many years past has been quiet, and, lastly, has done a deed by +which his soul may be lost without any gain to his body." Sancho had +told the curate and the barber of the adventure of the galley +slaves, which, so much to his glory, his master had achieved, and +hence the curate in alluding to it made the most of it to see what +would be said or done by Don Quixote; who changed colour at every +word, not daring to say that it was he who had been the liberator of +those worthy people. "These, then," said the curate, "were they who +robbed us; and God in his mercy pardon him who would not let them go +to the punishment they deserved."</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="c29f"></a><img alt="c29f.jpg (53K)" src="images/c29f.jpg" height="443" width="650"> +</center> +<a href="images/c29f.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg"></a> + + +<br> +<br> + + + +<center> +<table summary="" cellPadding=4 border=3> +<tr><td> + <a href="p10.htm">Previous Part</a> +</td><td> + <a href="5921-h.htm">Main Index</a> +</td><td> + <a href="p12.htm">Next Part</a> + </td></tr> +</table> +</center> +<br><br> + +</body> +</html> + + |