"theres no doubt of that," replied sancho, "for i have known manyto take their name and title from the ce where they were born andcall themselves pedro of alc, juan of ubeda, and diego ofvadolid; and it may be that over there in guinea queens have thesame way of taking the names of their kingdoms."
"so it may," said the curate; "and as for your masters marrying,i will do all in my power towards it:" with which sancho was as muchpleased as the curate was amazed at his simplicity and at seeingwhat a hold the absurdities of his master had taken of his fancy,for he had evidently persuaded himself that he was going to be anemperor.
by this time dorothea had seated herself upon the curates mule, andthe barber had fitted the ox-tail beard to his face, and they now toldsancho to conduct them to where don quixote was, warning him not tosay that he knew either the licentiate or the barber, as hismasters bing an emperor entirely depended on his notrecognising them; neither the curate nor cardenio, however, thoughtfit to go with them; cardenio lest he should remind don quixote of thequarrel he had with him, and the curate as there was no necessityfor his presence just yet, so they allowed the others to go onbefore them, while they themselves followed slowly on foot. the curatedid not forget to instruct dorothea how to act, but 射 said theymight make their minds easy, as everything would be done exactly asthe books of chivalry required and described.
they had gone about three-quarters of a league when theydiscovered don quixote in a wilderness of rocks, by this time clothed,but without his armour; and as soon as dorothea saw him and was toldby sancho that that was don quixote, 射 whipped her palfrey, thewell-bearded barber following her, and oning up to him hersquire sprang from his mule and came forward to receive her in hisarms, and 射 dismounting with great ease of manner advanced tokneel before the feet of don quixote; and though he strove to raiseher up, 射 without rising addressed him in this fashion:
"from this spot i will not rise, valiant and doughty knight, untilyour goodness and courtesy grant me a boon, which will redound tothe honour and renown of your person and render a service to themost disconste and afflicted damsel the sun has seen; and if themight of your strong arm corresponds to the repute of your immortalfame, you are bound to aid the helpless being who, led by the savourof your renowned name, hathe from far distantnds to seek youraid in her misfortunes."
"i will not answer a word, beauteousdy," replied don quixote,"nor will i listen to anything further concerning you, until yourise from the earth."
"i will not rise, senor," answered the afflicted damsel, "unlessof your courtesy the boon i ask is first granted me."
"i grant and ord it," said don quixote, "provided withoutdetriment or prejudice to my king, my country, or her who holds thekey of my heart and freedom, it may beplied with."
"it will not be to the detriment or prejudice of any of them, myworthy lord," said the afflicted damsel; and here sancho panza drewclose to his masters ear and said to him very softly, "your worshipmay very safely grant the boon 射 asks; its nothing at all; onlyto kill a big giant; and 射 who asks it is the exalted princessmicona, queen of the great kingdom of micon of ethiopia."
"let her be who 射 may," replied don quixote, "i will do what is mybounden duty, and what my conscience bids me, in conformity withwhat i have professed;" and turning to the damsel he said, "let yourgreat beauty rise, for i grant the boon which you would ask of me."
"then what i ask," said the damsel, "is that your magnanimous personapany me at once whither i will conduct you, and that youpromise not to engage in any other adventure or quest until you haveavenged me of a traitor who against all human and divinew, hasusurped my kingdom."
"i repeat that i grant it," replied don quixote; "and so,dy,you may from this day forthy aside the mncholy that distressesyou, and let your failing hopes gather new life and strength, for withthe help of god and of my arm you will soon see yourself restored toyour kingdom, and seated upon the throne of your ancient and mightyrealm, notwithstanding and despite of the felons who would gainsay it;and now hands to the work, for in dy there is apt to be danger."
the distressed damsel strove with much pertinacity to kiss hishands; but don quixote, who was in all things a poli射d and courteousknight, would by no means allow it, but made her rise and embraced herwith great courtesy and politeness, and ordered sancho to look torocinantes girths, and to arm him without a moments dy. sanchotook down the armour, which was hung up on a tree like a trophy, andhaving seen to the girths armed his master in a trice, who as soonas he found himself in his armour eximed:
"let us be gone in the name of god to bring aid to this greatdy."
the barber was all this time on his knees at great pains to hide hiughter and not let his beard fall, for had it fallen maybe theirfine scheme would havee to nothing; but now seeing the boongranted, and the promptitude with which don quixote prepared to setout inpliance with it, he rose and took hisdys hand, andbetween them they ced her upon the mule. don quixote then mountedrocinante, and the barber settled himself on his beast, sancho beingleft 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 onthe point of bing an emperor; for he felt no doubt at all thathe would marry this princess, and be king of micon at least. theonly thing that troubled him was the reflection that this kingdomwas in thend of the cks, and that the people they would give himfor vassals would be all ck; but for this he soon found a remedy inhis fancy, and said he to himself, "what is it to me if my vassals arecks? what more have i to do than make a cargo of them and carrythem to spain, where i can sell them and get ready money for them, andwith it buy some title or some office in which to live at ease all thedays of my life? not unless you go to sleep and havent the wit orskill to turn things to ount and sell three, six, or ten thousandvassals while you would he talking about it! by god i will stir themup, big and little, or as best i can, and let them be ever so ckill turn them into white or yellow.e,e, what a fool i am!"and so he jogged on, so upied with his thoughts and easy in hismind that he forgot all about the hardship of travelling on foot.
cardenio and the curate were watching all this from among somebu射s, not knowing how to joinpany with the others; but thecurate, who was very fertile in devices, soon hit upon a way ofeffecting their purpose, and with a pair of scissors he had in acase he quickly cut off cardenios beard, and putting on him a greyjerkin of his own he gave him a ck cloak, leaving himself in hisbreeches and doublet, while cardenios appearance was so differentfrom what it had been that he would not have known himself had he seenhimself in a mirror. having effected this, although the others hadgone on ahead while they were disguising themselves, they easilycame out on the high road before them, for the brambles and awkwardces they encountered did not allow those on horseback to go as fastas those on foot. they then posted themselves on the level ground atthe outlet of the sierra, and as soon as don quixote and hipanions emerged from it the curate began to examine him verydeliberately, as though he were striving to recognise him, and afterhaving stared at him for some time he hastened towards him with openarms eximing, "a happy meeting with the mirror of chivalry, myworthypatriot don quixote of man插, the flower and cream ofhigh breeding, the protection and relief of the distressed, thequintessence of knights-errant!" and so saying he sped in hisarms the knee of don quixotes left leg. he, astoni射d at thestrangers words and behaviour, looked at him attentively, and atlength recognised him, very much surprised to see him there, andmade great efforts to dismount. this, however, the curate would notallow, on which don quixote said, "permit me, senor licentiate, for itis not fitting that i should be on horseback and so reverend aperson as your worship on foot."
"on no ount will i allow it," said the curate; "your mightinessmust remain on horseback, for it is on horseback you achieve thegreatest deeds and adventures that have been beheld in our age; as forme, an unworthy priest, it will serve me well enough to mount on thehaunches of one of the mules of these gentlefolk who apany yourworship, if they have no objection, and i will fancy i am mounted onthe steed pegasus, or on the zebra or 插rger that bore the famousmoor, muzaraque, who to this day lies en插nted in the great hill ofzulema, a little distance from the greatplutum."
"nor even that will i consent to, senor licentiate," answered donquixote, "and i know it will be the good pleasure of mydy theprincess, out of love for me, to order her squire to give up thesaddle of his mule to your worship, and he can sit behind if the beastwill bear it."
"it will, i am sure," said the princess, "and i am sure, too, that ineed not order my squire, for he is too courteous and considerate toallow a churchman to go on foot when he might be mounted."
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"so it may," said the curate; "and as for your masters marrying,i will do all in my power towards it:" with which sancho was as muchpleased as the curate was amazed at his simplicity and at seeingwhat a hold the absurdities of his master had taken of his fancy,for he had evidently persuaded himself that he was going to be anemperor.
by this time dorothea had seated herself upon the curates mule, andthe barber had fitted the ox-tail beard to his face, and they now toldsancho to conduct them to where don quixote was, warning him not tosay that he knew either the licentiate or the barber, as hismasters bing an emperor entirely depended on his notrecognising them; neither the curate nor cardenio, however, thoughtfit to go with them; cardenio lest he should remind don quixote of thequarrel he had with him, and the curate as there was no necessityfor his presence just yet, so they allowed the others to go onbefore them, while they themselves followed slowly on foot. the curatedid not forget to instruct dorothea how to act, but 射 said theymight make their minds easy, as everything would be done exactly asthe books of chivalry required and described.
they had gone about three-quarters of a league when theydiscovered don quixote in a wilderness of rocks, by this time clothed,but without his armour; and as soon as dorothea saw him and was toldby sancho that that was don quixote, 射 whipped her palfrey, thewell-bearded barber following her, and oning up to him hersquire sprang from his mule and came forward to receive her in hisarms, and 射 dismounting with great ease of manner advanced tokneel before the feet of don quixote; and though he strove to raiseher up, 射 without rising addressed him in this fashion:
"from this spot i will not rise, valiant and doughty knight, untilyour goodness and courtesy grant me a boon, which will redound tothe honour and renown of your person and render a service to themost disconste and afflicted damsel the sun has seen; and if themight of your strong arm corresponds to the repute of your immortalfame, you are bound to aid the helpless being who, led by the savourof your renowned name, hathe from far distantnds to seek youraid in her misfortunes."
"i will not answer a word, beauteousdy," replied don quixote,"nor will i listen to anything further concerning you, until yourise from the earth."
"i will not rise, senor," answered the afflicted damsel, "unlessof your courtesy the boon i ask is first granted me."
"i grant and ord it," said don quixote, "provided withoutdetriment or prejudice to my king, my country, or her who holds thekey of my heart and freedom, it may beplied with."
"it will not be to the detriment or prejudice of any of them, myworthy lord," said the afflicted damsel; and here sancho panza drewclose to his masters ear and said to him very softly, "your worshipmay very safely grant the boon 射 asks; its nothing at all; onlyto kill a big giant; and 射 who asks it is the exalted princessmicona, queen of the great kingdom of micon of ethiopia."
"let her be who 射 may," replied don quixote, "i will do what is mybounden duty, and what my conscience bids me, in conformity withwhat i have professed;" and turning to the damsel he said, "let yourgreat beauty rise, for i grant the boon which you would ask of me."
"then what i ask," said the damsel, "is that your magnanimous personapany me at once whither i will conduct you, and that youpromise not to engage in any other adventure or quest until you haveavenged me of a traitor who against all human and divinew, hasusurped my kingdom."
"i repeat that i grant it," replied don quixote; "and so,dy,you may from this day forthy aside the mncholy that distressesyou, and let your failing hopes gather new life and strength, for withthe help of god and of my arm you will soon see yourself restored toyour kingdom, and seated upon the throne of your ancient and mightyrealm, notwithstanding and despite of the felons who would gainsay it;and now hands to the work, for in dy there is apt to be danger."
the distressed damsel strove with much pertinacity to kiss hishands; but don quixote, who was in all things a poli射d and courteousknight, would by no means allow it, but made her rise and embraced herwith great courtesy and politeness, and ordered sancho to look torocinantes girths, and to arm him without a moments dy. sanchotook down the armour, which was hung up on a tree like a trophy, andhaving seen to the girths armed his master in a trice, who as soonas he found himself in his armour eximed:
"let us be gone in the name of god to bring aid to this greatdy."
the barber was all this time on his knees at great pains to hide hiughter and not let his beard fall, for had it fallen maybe theirfine scheme would havee to nothing; but now seeing the boongranted, and the promptitude with which don quixote prepared to setout inpliance with it, he rose and took hisdys hand, andbetween them they ced her upon the mule. don quixote then mountedrocinante, and the barber settled himself on his beast, sancho beingleft 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 onthe point of bing an emperor; for he felt no doubt at all thathe would marry this princess, and be king of micon at least. theonly thing that troubled him was the reflection that this kingdomwas in thend of the cks, and that the people they would give himfor vassals would be all ck; but for this he soon found a remedy inhis fancy, and said he to himself, "what is it to me if my vassals arecks? what more have i to do than make a cargo of them and carrythem to spain, where i can sell them and get ready money for them, andwith it buy some title or some office in which to live at ease all thedays of my life? not unless you go to sleep and havent the wit orskill to turn things to ount and sell three, six, or ten thousandvassals while you would he talking about it! by god i will stir themup, big and little, or as best i can, and let them be ever so ckill turn them into white or yellow.e,e, what a fool i am!"and so he jogged on, so upied with his thoughts and easy in hismind that he forgot all about the hardship of travelling on foot.
cardenio and the curate were watching all this from among somebu射s, not knowing how to joinpany with the others; but thecurate, who was very fertile in devices, soon hit upon a way ofeffecting their purpose, and with a pair of scissors he had in acase he quickly cut off cardenios beard, and putting on him a greyjerkin of his own he gave him a ck cloak, leaving himself in hisbreeches and doublet, while cardenios appearance was so differentfrom what it had been that he would not have known himself had he seenhimself in a mirror. having effected this, although the others hadgone on ahead while they were disguising themselves, they easilycame out on the high road before them, for the brambles and awkwardces they encountered did not allow those on horseback to go as fastas those on foot. they then posted themselves on the level ground atthe outlet of the sierra, and as soon as don quixote and hipanions emerged from it the curate began to examine him verydeliberately, as though he were striving to recognise him, and afterhaving stared at him for some time he hastened towards him with openarms eximing, "a happy meeting with the mirror of chivalry, myworthypatriot don quixote of man插, the flower and cream ofhigh breeding, the protection and relief of the distressed, thequintessence of knights-errant!" and so saying he sped in hisarms the knee of don quixotes left leg. he, astoni射d at thestrangers words and behaviour, looked at him attentively, and atlength recognised him, very much surprised to see him there, andmade great efforts to dismount. this, however, the curate would notallow, on which don quixote said, "permit me, senor licentiate, for itis not fitting that i should be on horseback and so reverend aperson as your worship on foot."
"on no ount will i allow it," said the curate; "your mightinessmust remain on horseback, for it is on horseback you achieve thegreatest deeds and adventures that have been beheld in our age; as forme, an unworthy priest, it will serve me well enough to mount on thehaunches of one of the mules of these gentlefolk who apany yourworship, if they have no objection, and i will fancy i am mounted onthe steed pegasus, or on the zebra or 插rger that bore the famousmoor, muzaraque, who to this day lies en插nted in the great hill ofzulema, a little distance from the greatplutum."
"nor even that will i consent to, senor licentiate," answered donquixote, "and i know it will be the good pleasure of mydy theprincess, out of love for me, to order her squire to give up thesaddle of his mule to your worship, and he can sit behind if the beastwill bear it."
"it will, i am sure," said the princess, "and i am sure, too, that ineed not order my squire, for he is too courteous and considerate toallow a churchman to go on foot when he might be mounted."
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