the Wood； the history tells us he of the Grove said to Don Quixote；
〃In fine； sir knight； I would have you know that my destiny； or；
more properly speaking； my choice led me to fall in love with the
peerless Casildea de Vandalia。 I call her peerless because she has
no peer； whether it be in bodily stature or in the supremacy of rank
and beauty。 This same Casildea； then； that I speak of； requited my
honourable passion and gentle aspirations by compelling me； as his
stepmother did Hercules； to engage in many perils of various sorts； at
the end of each promising me that； with the end of the next； the
object of my hopes should be attained； but my labours have gone on
increasing link by link until they are past counting； nor do I know
what will be the last one that is to be the beginning of the
accomplishment of my chaste desires。 On one occasion she bade me go
and challenge the famous giantess of Seville； La Giralda by name；
who is as mighty and strong as if made of brass； and though never
stirring from one spot； is the most restless and changeable woman in
the world。 I came； I saw； I conquered； and I made her stay quiet and
behave herself； for nothing but north winds blew for more than a week。
Another time I was ordered to lift those ancient stones； the mighty
bulls of Guisando； an enterprise that might more fitly be entrusted to
porters than to knights。 Again； she bade me fling myself into the
cavern of Cabra… an unparalleled and awful peril… and bring her a
minute account of all that is concealed in those gloomy depths。 I
stopped the motion of the Giralda； I lifted the bulls of Guisando； I
flung myself into the cavern and brought to light the secrets of its
abyss； and my hopes are as dead as dead can be； and her scorn and
her commands as lively as ever。 To be brief； last of all she has
commanded me to go through all the provinces of Spain and compel all
the knights…errant wandering therein to confess that she surpasses all
women alive to…day in beauty； and that I am the most valiant and the
most deeply enamoured knight on earth； in support of which claim I
have already travelled over the greater part of Spain； and have
there vanquished several knights who have dared to contradict me；
but what I most plume and pride myself upon is having vanquished in
single combat that so famous knight Don Quixote of La Mancha； and made
him confess that my Casildea is more beautiful than his Dulcinea；
and in this one victory I hold myself to have conquered all the
knights in the world； for this Don Quixote that I speak of has
vanquished them all； and I having vanquished him； his glory； his fame；
and his honour have passed and are transferred to my person； for
The more the vanquished hath of fair renown；
The greater glory gilds the victor's crown。
Thus the innumerable achievements of the said Don Quixote are now
set down to my account and have become mine。〃
Don Quixote was amazed when he heard the Knight of the Grove； and
was a thousand times on the point of telling him he lied； and had
the lie direct already on the tip of his tongue； but he restrained
himself as well as he could； in order to force him to confess the
lie with his own lips； so he said to him quietly； 〃As to what you say；
sir knight； about having vanquished most of the knights of Spain； or
even of the whole world； I say nothing； but that you have vanquished
Don Quixote of La Mancha I consider doubtful； it may have been some
other that resembled him； although there are few like him。〃
〃How！ not vanquished？〃 said he of the Grove； 〃by the heaven that
is above us I fought Don Quixote and overcame him and made him
yield； and he is a man of tall stature； gaunt features； long； lank
limbs； with hair turning grey； an aquiline nose rather hooked； and
large black drooping moustaches； he does battle under the name of 'The
Countenance；' and he has for squire a peasant called Sancho Panza；
he presses the loins and rules the reins of a famous steed called
Rocinante； and lastly； he has for the mistress of his will a certain
Dulcinea del Toboso； once upon a time called Aldonza Lorenzo； just
as I call mine Casildea de Vandalia because her name is Casilda and
she is of Andalusia。 If all these tokens are not enough to vindicate
the truth of what I say； here is my sword； that will compel
incredulity itself to give credence to it。〃
〃Calm yourself； sir knight；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and give ear to what
I am about to say to you。 you。I would have you know that this Don
Quixote you speak of is the greatest friend I have in the world； so
much so that I may say I regard him in the same light as my own
person； and from the precise and clear indications you have given I
cannot but think that he must be the very one you have vanquished。
On the other hand； I see with my eyes and feel with my hands that it
is impossible it can have been the same； unless indeed it be that；
as he has many enemies who are enchanters； and one in particular who
is always persecuting him； some one of these may have taken his
shape in order to allow himself to be vanquished； so as to defraud him
of the fame that his exalted achievements as a knight have earned
and acquired for him throughout the known world。 And in confirmation
of this； I must tell you； too； that it is but ten hours since these
said enchanters his enemies transformed the shape and person of the
fair Dulcinea del Toboso into a foul and mean village lass； and in the
same way they must have transformed Don Quixote； and if all this
does not suffice to convince you of the truth of what I say； here is
Don Quixote himself； who will maintain it by arms； on foot or on
horseback or in any way you please。〃
And so saying he stood up and laid his hand on his sword； waiting to
see what the Knight of the Grove would do； who in an equally calm
voice said in reply； 〃Pledges don't distress a good payer； he who
has succeeded in vanquishing you once when transformed； Sir Don
Quixote； may fairly hope to subdue you in your own proper shape； but
as it is not becoming for knights to perform their feats of arms in
the dark； like highwaymen and bullies； let us wait till daylight； that
the sun may behold our deeds； and the conditions of our combat shall
be that the vanquished shall be at the victor's disposal； to do all
that he may enjoin； provided the injunction be such as shall be
becoming a knight。〃
〃I am more than satisfied with these conditions and terms；〃
replied Don Quixote； and so saying； they betook themselves to where
their squires lay； and found them snoring； and in the same posture
they were in when sleep fell upon them。 They roused them up； and
bade them get the horses ready； as at sunrise they were to engage in a
bloody and arduous single combat； at which intelligence Sancho was
aghast and thunderstruck； trembling for the safety of his master
because of the mighty deeds he had heard the squire of the Grove
ascribe to his； but without a word the two squires went in quest of
their cattle； for by this time the three horses and the ass had
smelt one another out； and were all together。
On the way； he of the Grove said to Sancho； 〃You must know； brother；
that it is the custom with the fighting men of Andalusia； when they
are godfathers in any quarrel； not to stand idle with folded arms
while their godsons fight； I say so to remind you that while our
masters are fighting； we； too； have to fight； and knock one another to
shivers。〃
〃That custom； sir squire；〃 replied Sancho； 〃may hold good among
those bullies and fighting men you talk of； but certainly not among
the squires of knights…errant； at least； I have never heard my
master speak of any custom of the sort； and he knows all the laws of
knight…errantry by heart； but granting it true that there is an
express law that squires are to fight while their masters are
fighting； I don't mean to obey it； but to pay the penalty that may
be laid on peacefully minded squires like myself； for I am sure it
cannot be more than two pounds of wax； and I would rather pay that；
for I know it will cost me less than the lint I shall be at the
expense of to mend my head； which I look upon as broken and split
already； there's another thing that makes it impossible for me to
fight； that I have no sword； for I never carried one in my life。〃
〃I know a good remedy for that；〃 said he of the Grove； 〃I have
here two linen bags of the same size； you shall take one； and I the
other； and we will fight at bag blows with equal arms。〃
〃If that's the way； so be it with all my heart；〃 said Sancho； 〃for
that sort of battle will serve to knock the dust out of us instead
of hurting us。〃
〃That will not do；〃 said the other； 〃for we must put into the
bags； to keep the wind from blowing them away； half a dozen nice
smooth pebbles； all of the same weight； and in this way we shall be
able to baste one another without doing ourselves any harm or
mischief。〃
〃Body of my father！〃 said Sancho； 〃see what marten and sable； and
pads of carded cotton he is putting into the bags； that our heads
may not be broken and our bones beaten to jelly！ But even if they
are filled with toss silk； I can tell you； senor； I am not going to
fight； let our masters fight； that's their lookout； and let us drink
and live； for time will take care to ease us of our lives； without our
going to look for fillips so that they may be finished off before
their proper time comes and they drop from ripeness。〃
〃Still；〃 returned he of the Grove； 〃we must fight； if it be only for
half an hour。〃
〃By no means；〃 said Sancho； 〃I am not going to be so discourteous or
so ungrateful as to have any quarrel； be it ever so small； with one
I have eaten and drunk with； besides； who the devil could bring
himself to fight in cold blood； without anger or provocation？〃
〃I can remedy that entirely；〃 said he of the Grove； 〃and in this
way： before we begin the battle； I will come up to your worship fair
and softly； and give you three or four buffets； with which I shall
stretch you at my feet and rouse your anger； though it were sleeping
sounder than a dormouse。〃
〃To match that plan；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have another that is not a
whit behind it； I will take a cudgel； a