it went to one's heart to see him。 I tried to drive him before me
and bring him to you； but he is already so wild and shy that when I
went near him he made off into the thickest part of the forest。 If you
have a mind that we two should go back and look for him； let me put up
this she…ass at my house and I'll be back at once。' 'You will be doing
me a great kindness；' said the owner of the ass； 'and I'll try to
pay it back in the same coin。' It is with all these circumstances； and
in the very same way I am telling it now； that those who know all
about the matter tell the story。 Well then； the two regidors set off
on foot； arm in arm； for the forest； and coming to the place where
they hoped to find the ass they could not find him； nor was he to be
seen anywhere about； search as they might。 Seeing； then； that there
was no sign of him； the regidor who had seen him said to the other；
'Look here； gossip； a plan has occurred to me； by which； beyond a
doubt； we shall manage to discover the animal； even if he is stowed
away in the bowels of the earth； not to say the forest。 Here it is。
I can bray to perfection； and if you can ever so little； the thing's
as good as done。' 'Ever so little did you say； gossip？' said the
other； 'by God； I'll not give in to anybody； not even to the asses
themselves。' 'We'll soon see；' said the second regidor； 'for my plan
is that you should go one side of the forest； and I the other； so as
to go all round about it； and every now and then you will bray and I
will bray； and it cannot be but that the ass will hear us； and
answer us if he is in the forest。' To which the owner of the ass
replied； 'It's an excellent plan； I declare； gossip； and worthy of
your great genius；' and the two separating as agreed； it so fell out
that they brayed almost at the same moment； and each； deceived by
the braying of the other； ran to look； fancying the ass had turned
up at last。 When they came in sight of one another； said the loser；
'Is it possible； gossip； that it was not my ass that brayed？' 'No；
it was I；' said the other。 'Well then； I can tell you； gossip；' said
the ass's owner； 'that between you and an ass there is not an atom
of difference as far as braying goes； for I never in all my life saw
or heard anything more natural。' 'Those praises and compliments belong
to you more justly than to me； gossip；' said the inventor of the plan；
'for； by the God that made me； you might give a couple of brays odds
to the best and most finished brayer in the world； the tone you have
got is deep； your voice is well kept up as to time and pitch； and your
finishing notes come thick and fast； in fact； I own myself beaten； and
yield the palm to you； and give in to you in this rare
accomplishment。' 'Well then；' said the owner； 'I'll set a higher value
on myself for the future； and consider that I know something； as I
have an excellence of some sort； for though I always thought I
brayed well； I never supposed I came up to the pitch of perfection you
say。' 'And I say too；' said the second； 'that there are rare gifts
going to loss in the world； and that they are ill bestowed upon
those who don't know how to make use of them。' 'Ours；' said the
owner of the ass； 'unless it is in cases like this we have now in
hand； cannot be of any service to us； and even in this God grant
they may be of some use。' So saying they separated； and took to
their braying once more； but every instant they were deceiving one
another； and coming to meet one another again； until they arranged
by way of countersign； so as to know that it was they and not the ass；
to give two brays； one after the other。 In this way； doubling the
brays at every step； they made the complete circuit of the forest； but
the lost ass never gave them an answer or even the sign of one。 How
could the poor ill…starred brute have answered； when； in the
thickest part of the forest； they found him devoured by wolves？ As
soon as he saw him his owner said； 'I was wondering he did not answer；
for if he wasn't dead he'd have brayed when he heard us； or he'd
have been no ass； but for the sake of having heard you bray to such
perfection； gossip； I count the trouble I have taken to look for him
well bestowed； even though I have found him dead。' 'It's in a good
hand； gossip；' said the other； 'if the abbot sings well； the acolyte
is not much behind him。' So they returned disconsolate and hoarse to
their village； where they told their friends； neighbours； and
acquaintances what had befallen them in their search for the ass； each
crying up the other's perfection in braying。 The whole story came to
be known and spread abroad through the villages of the
neighbourhood； and the devil； who never sleeps； with his love for
sowing dissensions and scattering discord everywhere； blowing mischief
about and making quarrels out of nothing； contrived to make the people
of the other towns fall to braying whenever they saw anyone from our
village； as if to throw the braying of our regidors in our teeth。 Then
the boys took to it； which was the same thing for it as getting into
the hands and mouths of all the devils of hell； and braying spread
from one town to another in such a way that the men of the braying
town are as easy to be known as blacks are to be known from whites；
and the unlucky joke has gone so far that several times the scoffed
have come out in arms and in a body to do battle with the scoffers；
and neither king nor rook； fear nor shame； can mend matters。 To…morrow
or the day after； I believe； the men of my town； that is； of the
braying town； are going to take the field against another village
two leagues away from ours； one of those that persecute us most； and
that we may turn out well prepared I have bought these lances and
halberds you have seen。 These are the curious things I told you I
had to tell； and if you don't think them so； I have got no others；〃
and with this the worthy fellow brought his story to a close。
Just at this moment there came in at the gate of the inn a man
entirely clad in chamois leather； hose； breeches； and doublet； who
said in a loud voice； 〃Senor host； have you room？ Here's the
divining ape and the show of the Release of Melisendra just coming。〃
〃Ods body！〃 said the landlord； 〃why； it's Master Pedro！ We're in for
a grand night！〃 I forgot to mention that the said Master Pedro had his
left eye and nearly half his cheek covered with a patch of green
taffety； showing that something ailed all that side。 〃Your worship
is welcome； Master Pedro；〃 continued the landlord； 〃but where are
the ape and the show； for I don't see them？〃 〃They are close at hand；〃
said he in the chamois leather； 〃but I came on first to know if
there was any room。〃 〃I'd make the Duke of Alva himself clear out to
make room for Master Pedro；〃 said the landlord； 〃bring in the ape
and the show； there's company in the inn to…night that will pay to see
that and the cleverness of the ape。〃 〃So be it by all means；〃 said the
man with the patch； 〃I'll lower the price； and he well satisfied if
I only pay my expenses； and now I'll go back and hurry on the cart
with the ape and the show；〃 and with this he went out of the inn。
Don Quixote at once asked the landlord what this Master Pedro was；
and what was the show and what was the ape he had with him； which
the landlord replied； 〃This is a famous puppet…showman； who for some
time past has been going about this Mancha de Aragon； exhibiting a
show of the release of Melisendra by the famous Don Gaiferos； one of
the best and best…represented stories that have been seen in this part
of the kingdom for many a year； he has also with him an ape with the
most extraordinary gift ever seen in an ape or imagined in a human
being； for if you ask him anything； he listens attentively to the
question； and then jumps on his master's shoulder； and pressing
close to his ear tells him the answer which Master Pedro then
delivers。 He says a great deal more about things past than about
things to come； and though he does not always hit the truth in every
case； most times he is not far wrong； so that he makes us fancy he has
got the devil in him。 He gets two reals for every question if the
ape answers； I mean if his master answers for him after he has
whispered into his ear； and so it is believed that this same Master
Pedro is very rich。 He is a 'gallant man' as they say in Italy； and
good company； and leads the finest life in the world； talks more
than six； drinks more than a dozen； and all by his tongue； and his
ape； and his show。〃
Master Pedro now came back； and in a cart followed the show and
the ape… a big one； without a tail and with buttocks as bare as
felt； but not vicious…looking。 As soon as Don Quixote saw him； he
asked him； 〃Can you tell me； sir fortune…teller； what fish do we
catch； and how will it be with us？ See； here are my two reals；〃 and he
bade Sancho give them to Master Pedro； but he answered for the ape and
said； 〃Senor； this animal does not give any answer or information
touching things that are to come； of things past he knows something；
and more or less of things present。〃
〃Gad；〃 said Sancho； 〃I would not give a farthing to be told what's
past with me； for who knows that better than I do myself？ And to pay
for being told what I know would be mighty foolish。 But as you know
things present； here are my two reals； and tell me； most excellent sir
ape； what is my wife Teresa Panza doing now； and what is she diverting
herself with？〃
Master Pedro refused to take the money； saying； 〃I will not
receive payment in advance or until the service has been first
rendered；〃 and then with his right hand he gave a couple of slaps on
his left shoulder； and with one spring the ape perched himself upon
it； and putting his mouth to his master's ear began chattering his
teeth rapidly； and having kept this up as long as one would be
saying a credo； with another spring he brought himself to the
ground； and the same instant Master Pedro ran in great haste and
fell upon his knees before Don Quixote； and embracing his legs
exclaimed； 〃These legs do I embrace as I would embrace the two pillars
of Hercules； O illustrious reviver of knight…errantry； so long
consigned to oblivi