〃As I know thee； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I heed not thy words。〃
〃Nor I your worship's；〃 said Sancho； 〃whether you beat me or kill me
for those I have spoken； and will speak if you don't correct and
mend your own。 But tell me； while we are still at peace； how or by
what did you recognise the lady our mistress； and if you spoke to her；
what did you say； and what did she answer？〃
〃I recognised her；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃by her wearing the same
garments she wore when thou didst point her out to me。 I spoke to her；
but she did not utter a word in reply； on the contrary； she turned her
back on me and took to flight； at such a pace that crossbow bolt could
not have overtaken her。 I wished to follow her； and would have done so
had not Montesinos recommended me not to take the trouble as it
would be useless； particularly as the time was drawing near when it
would be necessary for me to quit the cavern。 He told me； moreover；
that in course of time he would let me know how he and Belerma； and
Durandarte； and all who were there； were to be disenchanted。 But of
all I saw and observed down there； what gave me most pain was； that
while Montesinos was speaking to me； one of the two companions of
the hapless Dulcinea approached me on one without my having seen her
coming； and with tears in her eyes said to me； in a low； agitated
voice； 'My lady Dulcinea del Toboso kisses your worship's hands； and
entreats you to do her the favour of letting her know how you are；
and； being in great need； she also entreats your worship as
earnestly as she can to be so good as to lend her half a dozen
reals； or as much as you may have about you； on this new dimity
petticoat that I have here； and she promises to repay them very
speedily。' I was amazed and taken aback by such a message； and turning
to Senor Montesinos I asked him； 'Is it possible； Senor Montesinos；
that persons of distinction under enchantment can be in need？' To
which he replied； 'Believe me； Senor Don Quixote； that which is called
need is to be met with everywhere； and penetrates all quarters and
reaches everyone； and does not spare even the enchanted； and as the
lady Dulcinea del Toboso sends to beg those six reals； and the
pledge is to all appearance a good one； there is nothing for it but to
give them to her； for no doubt she must be in some great strait。' 'I
will take no pledge of her；' I replied； 'nor yet can I give her what
she asks； for all I have is four reals； which I gave （they were
those which thou； Sancho； gavest me the other day to bestow in alms
upon the poor I met along the road）； and I said； 'Tell your
mistress； my dear； that I am grieved to the heart because of her
distresses； and wish I was a Fucar to remedy them； and that I would
have her know that I cannot be； and ought not be； in health while
deprived of the happiness of seeing her and enjoying her discreet
conversation； and that I implore her as earnestly as I can； to allow
herself to be seen and addressed by this her captive servant and
forlorn knight。 Tell her； too； that when she least expects it she will
hear it announced that I have made an oath and vow after the fashion
of that which the Marquis of Mantua made to avenge his nephew Baldwin；
when he found him at the point of death in the heart of the mountains；
which was； not to eat bread off a tablecloth； and other trifling
matters which he added； until he had avenged him； and I will make
the same to take no rest； and to roam the seven regions of the earth
more thoroughly than the Infante Don Pedro of Portugal ever roamed
them； until I have disenchanted her。' 'All that and more； you owe my
lady；' the damsel's answer to me； and taking the four reals； instead
of making me a curtsey she cut a caper； springing two full yards
into the air。〃
〃O blessed God！〃 exclaimed Sancho aloud at this； 〃is it possible
that such things can be in the world； and that enchanters and
enchantments can have such power in it as to have changed my
master's right senses into a craze so full of absurdity！ O senor；
senor； for God's sake； consider yourself； have a care for your honour；
and give no credit to this silly stuff that has left you scant and
short of wits。〃
〃Thou talkest in this way because thou lovest me； Sancho；〃 said
Don Quixote； 〃and not being experienced in the things of the world；
everything that has some difficulty about it seems to thee impossible；
but time will pass； as I said before； and I will tell thee some of the
things I saw down there which will make thee believe what I have
related now； the truth of which admits of neither reply nor question。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
WHEREIN ARE RELATED A THOUSAND TRIFLING MATTERS； AS TRIVIAL AS
THEY ARE NECESSARY TO THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF THIS GREAT HISTORY
HE WHO translated this great history from the original written by
its first author； Cide Hamete Benengeli； says that on coming to the
chapter giving the adventures of the cave of Montesinos he found
written on the margin of it； in Hamete's own hand； these exact words：
〃I cannot convince or persuade myself that everything that is
written in the preceding chapter could have precisely happened to
the valiant Don Quixote； and for this reason； that all the
adventures that have occurred up to the present have been possible and
probable； but as for this one of the cave； I see no way of accepting
it as true； as it passes all reasonable bounds。 For me to believe that
Don Quixote could lie； he being the most truthful gentleman and the
noblest knight of his time； is impossible； he would not have told a
lie though he were shot to death with arrows。 On the other hand； I
reflect that he related and told the story with all the
circumstances detailed； and that he could not in so short a space have
fabricated such a vast complication of absurdities； if； then； this
adventure seems apocryphal； it is no fault of mine； and so； without
affirming its falsehood or its truth； I write it down。 Decide for
thyself in thy wisdom； reader； for I am not bound； nor is it in my
power； to do more； though certain it is they say that at the time of
his death he retracted； and said he had invented it； thinking it
matched and tallied with the adventures he had read of in his
histories。〃 And then he goes on to say：
The cousin was amazed as well at Sancho's boldness as at the
patience of his master； and concluded that the good temper the
latter displayed arose from the happiness he felt at having seen his
lady Dulcinea； even enchanted as she was； because otherwise the
words and language Sancho had addressed to him deserved a thrashing；
for indeed he seemed to him to have been rather impudent to his
master； to whom he now observed； 〃I； Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha；
look upon the time I have spent in travelling with your worship as
very well employed； for I have gained four things in the course of it；
the first is that I have made your acquaintance； which I consider
great good fortune； the second； that I have learned what the cave of
Montesinos contains； together with the transformations of Guadiana and
of the lakes of Ruidera； which will be of use to me for the Spanish
Ovid that I have in hand； the third； to have discovered the
antiquity of cards； that they were in use at least in the time of
Charlemagne； as may be inferred from the words you say Durandarte
uttered when； at the end of that long spell while Montesinos was
talking to him； he woke up and said； 'Patience and shuffle。' This
phrase and expression he could not have learned while he was
enchanted； but only before he had become so； in France； and in the
time of the aforesaid emperor Charlemagne。 And this demonstration is
just the thing for me for that other book I am writing； the
'Supplement to Polydore Vergil on the Invention of Antiquities；' for I
believe he never thought of inserting that of cards in his book； as
I mean to do in mine； and it will be a matter of great importance；
particularly when I can cite so grave and veracious an authority as
Senor Durandarte。 And the fourth thing is； that I have ascertained the
source of the river Guadiana； heretofore unknown to mankind。〃
〃You are right；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I should like to know； if by
God's favour they grant you a licence to print those books of yours…
which I doubt… to whom do you mean dedicate them？〃
〃There are lords and grandees in Spain to whom they can be
dedicated；〃 said the cousin。
〃Not many；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃not that they are unworthy of it； but
because they do not care to accept books and incur the obligation of
making the return that seems due to the author's labour and
courtesy。 One prince I know who makes up for all the rest； and more…
how much more； if I ventured to say； perhaps I should stir up envy
in many a noble breast； but let this stand over for some more
convenient time； and let us go and look for some place to shelter
ourselves in to…night。〃
〃Not far from this；〃 said the cousin； 〃there is a hermitage； where
there lives a hermit； who they say was a soldier； and who has the
reputation of being a good Christian and a very intelligent and
charitable man。 Close to the hermitage he has a small house which he
built at his own cost； but though small it is large enough for the
reception of guests。〃
〃Has this hermit any hens； do you think？〃 asked Sancho。
〃Few hermits are without them；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for those we
see now…a…days are not like the hermits of the Egyptian deserts who
were clad in palm…leaves； and lived on the roots of the earth。 But
do not think that by praising these I am disparaging the others； all I
mean to say is that the penances of those of the present day do not
come up to the asceticism and austerity of former times； but it does
not follow from this that they are not all worthy； at least I think
them so； and at the worst the hypocrite who pretends to be good does
less harm than the open sinner。〃
At this point they saw approaching the spot where they stood a man
on foot； proceeding at a rapid pace； and beating a mule loaded with
lances and halberds。 When he came up to them； he saluted them and
passed on without stopping。 Don Quixote called to him； 〃Stay； good
fellow； you seem to be making more hast