equivalent to it； or at the least they were left with a title and
lordship。 If with these hopes and additional inducements you；
Sancho； please to return to my service； well and good； but to
suppose that I am going to disturb or unhinge the ancient usage of
knight…errantry； is all nonsense。 And so； my Sancho； get you back to
your house and explain my intentions to your Teresa； and if she
likes and you like to be on reward with me； bene quidem； if not； we
remain friends； for if the pigeon…house does not lack food； it will
not lack pigeons； and bear in mind； my son； that a good hope is better
than a bad holding； and a good grievance better than a bad
compensation。 I speak in this way； Sancho； to show you that I can
shower down proverbs just as well as yourself； and in short； I mean to
say； and I do say； that if you don't like to come on reward with me；
and run the same chance that I run； God be with you and make a saint
of you； for I shall find plenty of squires more obedient and
painstaking； and not so thickheaded or talkative as you are。〃
When Sancho heard his master's firm； resolute language； a cloud came
over the sky with him and the wings of his heart drooped； for he had
made sure that his master would not go without him for all the
wealth of the world； and as he stood there dumbfoundered and moody；
Samson Carrasco came in with the housekeeper and niece； who were
anxious to hear by what arguments he was about to dissuade their
master from going to seek adventures。 The arch wag Samson came
forward； and embracing him as he had done before； said with a loud
voice； 〃O flower of knight…errantry！ O shining light of arms！ O honour
and mirror of the Spanish nation！ may God Almighty in his infinite
power grant that any person or persons； who would impede or hinder thy
third sally； may find no way out of the labyrinth of their schemes；
nor ever accomplish what they most desire！〃 And then； turning to the
housekeeper； he said； 〃Mistress housekeeper may just as well give over
saying the prayer of Santa Apollonia； for I know it is the positive
determination of the spheres that Senor Don Quixote shall proceed to
put into execution his new and lofty designs； and I should lay a heavy
burden on my conscience did I not urge and persuade this knight not to
keep the might of his strong arm and the virtue of his valiant
spirit any longer curbed and checked； for by his inactivity he is
defrauding the world of the redress of wrongs； of the protection of
orphans； of the honour of virgins； of the aid of widows； and of the
support of wives； and other matters of this kind appertaining；
belonging； proper and peculiar to the order of knight…errantry。 On；
then； my lord Don Quixote； beautiful and brave； let your worship and
highness set out to…day rather than to…morrow； and if anything be
needed for the execution of your purpose； here am I ready in person
and purse to supply the want； and were it requisite to attend your
magnificence as squire； I should esteem it the happiest good fortune。〃
At this； Don Quixote； turning to Sancho； said； 〃Did I not tell thee；
Sancho； there would be squires enough and to spare for me？ See now who
offers to become one； no less than the illustrious bachelor Samson
Carrasco； the perpetual joy and delight of the courts of the
Salamancan schools； sound in body； discreet； patient under heat or
cold； hunger or thirst； with all the qualifications requisite to
make a knight…errant's squire！ But heaven forbid that； to gratify my
own inclination； I should shake or shatter this pillar of letters
and vessel of the sciences； and cut down this towering palm of the
fair and liberal arts。 Let this new Samson remain in his own
country； and； bringing honour to it； bring honour at the same time
on the grey heads of his venerable parents； for I will be content with
any squire that comes to hand； as Sancho does not deign to accompany
me。〃
〃I do deign；〃 said Sancho； deeply moved and with tears in his
eyes； 〃it shall not be said of me； master mine；〃 he continued； 〃'the
bread eaten and the company dispersed。' Nay； I come of no ungrateful
stock； for all the world knows； but particularly my own town； who
the Panzas from whom I am descended were； and； what is more； I know
and have learned； by many good words and deeds； your worship's
desire to show me favour； and if I have been bargaining more or less
about my wages； it was only to please my wife； who； when she sets
herself to press a point； no hammer drives the hoops of a cask as
she drives one to do what she wants； but； after all； a man must be a
man； and a woman a woman； and as I am a man anyhow； which I can't
deny； I will be one in my own house too； let who will take it amiss；
and so there's nothing more to do but for your worship to make your
will with its codicil in such a way that it can't be provoked； and let
us set out at once； to save Senor Samson's soul from suffering； as
he says his conscience obliges him to persuade your worship to sally
out upon the world a third time； so I offer again to serve your
worship faithfully and loyally； as well and better than all the
squires that served knights…errant in times past or present。〃
The bachelor was filled with amazement when he heard Sancho's
phraseology and style of talk； for though he had read the first part
of his master's history he never thought that he could be so droll
as he was there described； but now； hearing him talk of a 〃will and
codicil that could not be provoked；〃 instead of 〃will and codicil that
could not be revoked；〃 he believed all he had read of him； and set him
down as one of the greatest simpletons of modern times； and he said to
himself that two such lunatics as master and man the world had never
seen。 In fine； Don Quixote and Sancho embraced one another and made
friends； and by the advice and with the approval of the great
Carrasco； who was now their oracle； it was arranged that their
departure should take place three days thence； by which time they
could have all that was requisite for the journey ready； and procure a
closed helmet； which Don Quixote said he must by all means take。
Samson offered him one； as he knew a friend of his who had it would
not refuse it to him； though it was more dingy with rust and mildew
than bright and clean like burnished steel。
The curses which both housekeeper and niece poured out on the
bachelor were past counting； they tore their hair； they clawed their
faces； and in the style of the hired mourners that were once in
fashion； they raised a lamentation over the departure of their
master and uncle； as if it had been his death。 Samson's intention in
persuading him to sally forth once more was to do what the history
relates farther on； all by the advice of the curate and barber； with
whom he had previously discussed the subject。 Finally； then； during
those three days； Don Quixote and Sancho provided themselves with what
they considered necessary； and Sancho having pacified his wife； and
Don Quixote his niece and housekeeper； at nightfall； unseen by
anyone except the bachelor； who thought fit to accompany them half a
league out of the village； they set out for El Toboso； Don Quixote
on his good Rocinante and Sancho on his old Dapple； his alforjas
furnished with certain matters in the way of victuals； and his purse
with money that Don Quixote gave him to meet emergencies。 Samson
embraced him； and entreated him to let him hear of his good or evil
fortunes； so that he might rejoice over the former or condole with him
over the latter； as the laws of friendship required。 Don Quixote
promised him he would do so； and Samson returned to the village； and
the other two took the road for the great city of El Toboso。
CHAPTER VIII
WHEREIN IS RELATED WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE ON HIS WAY TO SEE HIS
LADY DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO
〃BLESSED be Allah the all…powerful！〃 says Hamete Benengeli on
beginning this eighth chapter； 〃blessed be Allah！〃 he repeats three
times； and he says he utters these thanksgivings at seeing that he has
now got Don Quixote and Sancho fairly afield； and that the readers
of his delightful history may reckon that the achievements and humours
of Don Quixote and his squire are now about to begin； and he urges
them to forget the former chivalries of the ingenious gentleman and to
fix their eyes on those that are to come； which now begin on the
road to El Toboso； as the others began on the plains of Montiel； nor
is it much that he asks in consideration of all he promises； and so he
goes on to say：
Don Quixote and Sancho were left alone； and the moment Samson took
his departure； Rocinante began to neigh； and Dapple to sigh； which； by
both knight and squire； was accepted as a good sign and a very happy
omen； though； if the truth is to be told； the sighs and brays of
Dapple were louder than the neighings of the hack； from which Sancho
inferred that his good fortune was to exceed and overtop that of his
master； building； perhaps； upon some judicial astrology that he may
have known； though the history says nothing about it； all that can
be said is； that when he stumbled or fell； he was heard to say he
wished he had not come out； for by stumbling or falling there was
nothing to be got but a damaged shoe or a broken rib； and； fool as
he was； he was not much astray in this。
Said Don Quixote； 〃Sancho； my friend； night is drawing on upon us as
we go； and more darkly than will allow us to reach El Toboso by
daylight； for there I am resolved to go before I engage in another
adventure； and there I shall obtain the blessing and generous
permission of the peerless Dulcinea； with which permission I expect
and feel assured that I shall conclude and bring to a happy
termination every perilous adventure； for nothing in life makes
knights…errant more valorous than finding themselves favoured by their
ladies。〃
〃So I believe；〃 replied Sancho； 〃but I think it will be difficult
for your worship to speak with her or see her； at any rate where you
will be able to receive her blessing； unless； indeed； she throws it
over the wall of the yard where I saw her the time before； when I took
her the letter that told of the follies and mad things your worship
was doing in t