pocket；〃 and putting his hand into his right pocket； he pulled out a
masquerade nose of varnished pasteboard of the make already described；
and Sancho； examining him more and more closely； exclaimed aloud in
a voice of amazement； 〃Holy Mary be good to me！ Isn't it Tom Cecial；
my neighbour and gossip？〃
〃Why； to be sure I am！〃 returned the now unnosed squire； 〃Tom Cecial
I am； gossip and friend Sancho Panza； and I'll tell you presently
the means and tricks and falsehoods by which I have been brought here；
but in the meantime； beg and entreat of your master not to touch；
maltreat； wound； or slay the Knight of the Mirrors whom he has at
his feet； because； beyond all dispute； it is the rash and
ill…advised bachelor Samson Carrasco； our fellow townsman。〃
At this moment he of the Mirrors came to himself； and Don Quixote
perceiving it； held the naked point of his sword over his face； and
said to him； 〃You are a dead man； knight； unless you confess that
the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso excels your Casildea de Vandalia in
beauty； and in addition to this you must promise； if you should
survive this encounter and fall； to go to the city of El Toboso and
present yourself before her on my behalf； that she deal with you
according to her good pleasure； and if she leaves you free to do
yours； you are in like manner to return and seek me out （for the trail
of my mighty deeds will serve you as a guide to lead you to where I
may be）； and tell me what may have passed between you and her…
conditions which； in accordance with what we stipulated before our
combat； do not transgress the just limits of knight…errantry。〃
〃I confess；〃 said the fallen knight； 〃that the dirty tattered shoe
of the lady Dulcinea del Toboso is better than the ill…combed though
clean beard of Casildea； and I promise to go and to return from her
presence to yours； and to give you a full and particular account of
all you demand of me。〃
〃You must also confess and believe；〃 added Don Quixote； 〃that the
knight you vanquished was not and could not be Don Quixote of La
Mancha； but some one else in his likeness； just as I confess and
believe that you； though you seem to be the bachelor Samson
Carrasco； are not so； but some other resembling him； whom my enemies
have here put before me in his shape； in order that I may restrain and
moderate the vehemence of my wrath； and make a gentle use of the glory
of my victory。〃
〃I confess； hold； and think everything to be as you believe； hold；
and think it；〃 the crippled knight； 〃let me rise； I entreat you； if；
indeed； the shock of my fall will allow me； for it has left me in a
sorry plight enough。〃
Don Quixote helped him to rise； with the assistance of his squire
Tom Cecial； from whom Sancho never took his eyes； and to whom he put
questions； the replies to which furnished clear proof that he was
really and truly the Tom Cecial he said； but the impression made on
Sancho's mind by what his master said about the enchanters having
changed the face of the Knight of the Mirrors into that of the
bachelor Samson Carrasco； would not permit him to believe what he
saw with his eyes。 In fine； both master and man remained under the
delusion； and； down in the mouth； and out of luck； he of the Mirrors
and his squire parted from Don Quixote and Sancho； he meaning to go
look for some village where he could plaster and strap his ribs。 Don
Quixote and Sancho resumed their journey to Saragossa； and on it the
history leaves them in order that it may tell who the Knight of the
Mirrors and his long…nosed squire were。
CHAPTER XV
WHEREIN IT IS TOLD AND KNOWN WHO THE KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS AND HIS
SQUIRE WERE
DON QUIXOTE went off satisfied； elated； and vain…glorious in the
highest degree at having won a victory over such a valiant knight as
he fancied him of the Mirrors to be； and one from whose knightly
word he expected to learn whether the enchantment of his lady still
continued； inasmuch as the said vanquished knight was bound； under the
penalty of ceasing to be one； to return and render him an account of
what took place between him and her。 But Don Quixote was of one
mind； he of the Mirrors of another； for he just then had no thought of
anything but finding some village where he could plaster himself； as
has been said already。 The history goes on to say； then； that when the
bachelor Samson Carrasco recommended Don Quixote to resume his
knight…errantry which he had laid aside； it was in consequence of
having been previously in conclave with the curate and the barber on
the means to be adopted to induce Don Quixote to stay at home in peace
and quiet without worrying himself with his ill…starred adventures； at
which consultation it was decided by the unanimous vote of all； and on
the special advice of Carrasco； that Don Quixote should be allowed
to go； as it seemed impossible to restrain him； and that Samson should
sally forth to meet him as a knight…errant； and do battle with him；
for there would be no difficulty about a cause； and vanquish him； that
being looked upon as an easy matter； and that it should be agreed
and settled that the vanquished was to be at the mercy of the
victor。 Then； Don Quixote being vanquished； the bachelor knight was to
command him to return to his village and his house； and not quit it
for two years； or until he received further orders from him； all which
it was clear Don Quixote would unhesitatingly obey； rather than
contravene or fail to observe the laws of chivalry； and during the
period of his seclusion he might perhaps forget his folly； or there
might be an opportunity of discovering some ready remedy for his
madness。 Carrasco undertook the task； and Tom Cecial； a gossip and
neighbour of Sancho Panza's； a lively； feather…headed fellow；
offered himself as his squire。 Carrasco armed himself in the fashion
described； and Tom Cecial； that he might not be known by his gossip
when they met； fitted on over his own natural nose the false
masquerade one that has been mentioned； and so they followed the
same route Don Quixote took； and almost came up with him in time to be
present at the adventure of the cart of Death and finally
encountered them in the grove； where all that the sagacious reader has
been reading about took place； and had it not been for the
extraordinary fancies of Don Quixote； and his conviction that the
bachelor was not the bachelor； senor bachelor would have been
incapacitated for ever from taking his degree of licentiate； all
through not finding nests where he thought to find birds。
Tom Cecial； seeing how ill they had succeeded； and what a sorry
end their expedition had come to； said to the bachelor； 〃Sure
enough； Senor Samson Carrasco； we are served right； it is easy
enough to plan and set about an enterprise； but it is often a
difficult matter to come well out of it。 Don Quixote a madman； and
we sane； he goes off laughing； safe； and sound； and you are left
sore and sorry！ I'd like to know now which is the madder； he who is so
because he cannot help it； or he who is so of his own choice？〃
To which Samson replied； 〃The difference between the two sorts of
madmen is； that he who is so will he nil he； will be one always； while
he who is so of his own accord can leave off being one whenever he
likes。〃
〃In that case；〃 said Tom Cecial； 〃I was a madman of my own accord
when I volunteered to become your squire； and； of my own accord；
I'll leave off being one and go home。〃
〃That's your affair；〃 returned Samson； 〃but to suppose that I am
going home until I have given Don Quixote a thrashing is absurd； and
it is not any wish that he may recover his senses that will make me
hunt him out now； but a wish for the sore pain I am in with my ribs
won't let me entertain more charitable thoughts。〃
Thus discoursing； the pair proceeded until they reached a town where
it was their good luck to find a bone…setter； with whose help the
unfortunate Samson was cured。 Tom Cecial left him and went home； while
he stayed behind meditating vengeance； and the history will return
to him again at the proper time； so as not to omit making merry with
Don Quixote now。
CHAPTER XVI
OF WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE WITH A DISCREET GENTLEMAN OF LA MANCHA
DON QUIXOTE pursued his journey in the high spirits； satisfaction；
and self…complacency already described； fancying himself the most
valorous knight…errant of the age in the world because of his late
victory。 All the adventures that could befall him from that time forth
he regarded as already done and brought to a happy issue； he made
light of enchantments and enchanters； he thought no more of the
countless drubbings that had been administered to him in the course of
his knight…errantry； nor of the volley of stones that had levelled
half his teeth； nor of the ingratitude of the galley slaves； nor of
the audacity of the Yanguesans and the shower of stakes that fell upon
him； in short； he said to himself that could he discover any means；
mode； or way of disenchanting his lady Dulcinea； he would not envy the
highest fortune that the most fortunate knight…errant of yore ever
reached or could reach。
He was going along entirely absorbed in these fancies； when Sancho
said to him； 〃Isn't it odd； senor； that I have still before my eyes
that monstrous enormous nose of my gossip； Tom Cecial？〃
〃And dost thou； then； believe； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that
the Knight of the Mirrors was the bachelor Carrasco； and his squire
Tom Cecial thy gossip？〃
〃I don't know what to say to that；〃 replied Sancho； 〃all I know is
that the tokens he gave me about my own house； wife and children；
nobody else but himself could have given me； and the face； once the
nose was off； was the very face of Tom Cecial； as I have seen it
many a time in my town and next door to my own house； and the sound of
the voice was just the same。〃
〃Let us reason the matter； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Come now；
by what process of thinking can it be supposed that the bachelor
Samson Carrasco would come as a knight…errant； in arms offensive and
defensive； to fight with me？ Have I ever been by any chance his enemy？
Have I ever given him any occasion to owe me a grudge？ Am I his rival；
or