have no fancy to whip myself； it is enough if I give you my word to
flog and flap myself when I have a mind。〃
〃It will not do to leave it to thy courtesy； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃for thou art hard of heart and； though a clown； tender of
flesh；〃 and at the same time he strove and struggled to untie him。
Seeing this Sancho got up； and grappling with his master he
gripped him with all his might in his arms； giving him a trip with the
heel stretched him on the ground on his back； and pressing his right
knee on his chest held his hands in his own so that he could neither
move nor breathe。
〃How now； traitor！〃 exclaimed Don Quixote。 〃Dost thou revolt against
thy master and natural lord？ Dost thou rise against him who gives thee
his bread？〃
〃I neither put down king； nor set up king；〃 said Sancho； 〃I only
stand up for myself who am my own lord； if your worship promises me to
be quiet； and not to offer to whip me now； I'll let you go free and
unhindered； if not…
Traitor and Dona Sancha's foe；
Thou diest on the spot。〃
Don Quixote gave his promise； and swore by the life of his
thoughts not to touch so much as a hair of his garments； and to
leave him entirely free and to his own discretion to whip himself
whenever he pleased。
Sancho rose and removed some distance from the spot； but as he was
about to place himself leaning against another tree he felt
something touch his head； and putting up his hands encountered
somebody's two feet with shoes and stockings on them。 He trembled with
fear and made for another tree； where the very same thing happened
to him； and he fell a…shouting； calling upon Don Quixote to come and
protect him。 Don Quixote did so； and asked him what had happened to
him； and what he was afraid of。 Sancho replied that all the trees were
full of men's feet and legs。 Don Quixote felt them； and guessed at
once what it was； and said to Sancho； 〃Thou hast nothing to be
afraid of； for these feet and legs that thou feelest but canst not see
belong no doubt to some outlaws and freebooters that have been
hanged on these trees； for the authorities in these parts are wont
to hang them up by twenties and thirties when they catch them； whereby
I conjecture that I must be near Barcelona；〃 and it was； in fact； as
he supposed； with the first light they looked up and saw that the
fruit hanging on those trees were freebooters' bodies。
And now day dawned； and if the dead freebooters had scared them；
their hearts were no less troubled by upwards of forty living ones；
who all of a sudden surrounded them； and in the Catalan tongue bade
them stand and wait until their captain came up。 Don Quixote was on
foot with his horse unbridled and his lance leaning against a tree；
and in short completely defenceless； he thought it best therefore to
fold his arms and bow his head and reserve himself for a more
favourable occasion and opportunity。 The robbers made haste to
search Dapple； and did not leave him a single thing of all he
carried in the alforjas and in the valise； and lucky it was for Sancho
that the duke's crowns and those he brought from home were in a girdle
that he wore round him； but for all that these good folk would have
stripped him； and even looked to see what he had hidden between the
skin and flesh； but for the arrival at that moment of their captain；
who was about thirty…four years of age apparently； strongly built；
above the middle height； of stern aspect and swarthy complexion。 He
was mounted upon a powerful horse； and had on a coat of mail； with
four of the pistols they call petronels in that country at his
waist。 He saw that his squires （for so they call those who follow that
trade） were about to rifle Sancho Panza； but he ordered them to desist
and was at once obeyed； so the girdle escaped。 He wondered to see
the lance leaning against the tree； the shield on the ground； and
Don Quixote in armour and dejected； with the saddest and most
melancholy face that sadness itself could produce； and going up to him
he said； 〃Be not so cast down； good man； for you have not fallen
into the hands of any inhuman Busiris； but into Roque Guinart's； which
are more merciful than cruel。〃
〃The cause of my dejection；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃is not that I
have fallen into thy hands； O valiant Roque； whose fame is bounded
by no limits on earth； but that my carelessness should have been so
great that thy soldiers should have caught me unbridled； when it is my
duty； according to the rule of knight…errantry which I profess； to
be always on the alert and at all times my own sentinel； for let me
tell thee； great Roque； had they found me on my horse； with my lance
and shield； it would not have been very easy for them to reduce me
to submission； for I am Don Quixote of La Mancha； he who hath filled
the whole world with his achievements。〃
Roque Guinart at once perceived that Don Quixote's weakness was more
akin to madness than to swagger； and though he had sometimes heard him
spoken of； he never regarded the things attributed to him as true； nor
could he persuade himself that such a humour could become dominant
in the heart of man； he was extremely glad； therefore； to meet him and
test at close quarters what he had heard of him at a distance； so he
said to him； 〃Despair not； valiant knight； nor regard as an untoward
fate the position in which thou findest thyself； it may be that by
these slips thy crooked fortune will make itself straight； for
heaven by strange circuitous ways； mysterious and incomprehensible
to man； raises up the fallen and makes rich the poor。〃
Don Quixote was about to thank him； when they heard behind them a
noise as of a troop of horses； there was； however； but one； riding
on which at a furious pace came a youth； apparently about twenty years
of age； clad in green damask edged with gold and breeches and a
loose frock； with a hat looped up in the Walloon fashion；
tight…fitting polished boots； gilt spurs； dagger and sword； and in his
hand a musketoon； and a pair of pistols at his waist。
Roque turned round at the noise and perceived this comely figure；
which drawing near thus addressed him； 〃I came in quest of thee；
valiant Roque； to find in thee if not a remedy at least relief in my
misfortune； and not to keep thee in suspense； for I see thou dost
not recognise me； I will tell thee who I am； I am Claudia Jeronima；
the daughter of Simon Forte； thy good friend； and special enemy of
Clauquel Torrellas； who is thine also as being of the faction
opposed to thee。 Thou knowest that this Torrellas has a son who is
called； or at least was not two hours since； Don Vicente Torrellas。
Well； to cut short the tale of my misfortune； I will tell thee in a
few words what this youth has brought upon me。 He saw me； he paid
court to me； I listened to him； and； unknown to my father； I loved
him； for there is no woman； however secluded she may live or close she
may be kept； who will not have opportunities and to spare for
following her headlong impulses。 In a word； he pledged himself to be
mine； and I promised to be his； without carrying matters any
further。 Yesterday I learned that； forgetful of his pledge to me； he
was about to marry another； and that he was to go this morning to
plight his troth； intelligence which overwhelmed and exasperated me；
my father not being at home I was able to adopt this costume you
see； and urging my horse to speed I overtook Don Vicente about a
league from this； and without waiting to utter reproaches or hear
excuses I fired this musket at him； and these two pistols besides； and
to the best of my belief I must have lodged more than two bullets in
his body； opening doors to let my honour go free； enveloped in his
blood。 I left him there in the hands of his servants； who did not dare
and were not able to interfere in his defence； and I come to seek from
thee a safe…conduct into France； where I have relatives with whom I
can live； and also to implore thee to protect my father； so that Don
Vicente's numerous kinsmen may not venture to wreak their lawless
vengeance upon him。〃
Roque； filled with admiration at the gallant bearing； high spirit；
comely figure； and adventure of the fair Claudia； said to her；
〃Come； senora； let us go and see if thy enemy is dead； and then we
will consider what will be best for thee。〃 Don Quixote； who had been
listening to what Claudia said and Roque Guinart said in reply to her；
exclaimed； 〃Nobody need trouble himself with the defence of this lady；
for I take it upon myself。 Give me my horse and arms； and wait for
me here； I will go in quest of this knight； and dead or alive I will
make him keep his word plighted to so great beauty。〃
〃Nobody need have any doubt about that；〃 said Sancho； 〃for my master
has a very happy knack of matchmaking； it's not many days since he
forced another man to marry； who in the same way backed out of his
promise to another maiden； and if it had not been for his
persecutors the enchanters changing the man's proper shape into a
lacquey's the said maiden would not be one this minute。〃
Roque； who was paying more attention to the fair Claudia's adventure
than to the words of master or man； did not hear them； and ordering
his squires to restore to Sancho everything they had stripped Dapple
of； he directed them to return to the place where they had been
quartered during the night； and then set off with Claudia at full
speed in search of the wounded or slain Don Vicente。 They reached
the spot where Claudia met him； but found nothing there save freshly
spilt blood； looking all round； however； they descried some people
on the slope of a hill above them； and concluded； as indeed it
proved to be； that it was Don Vicente； whom either dead or alive his
servants were removing to attend to his wounds or to bury him。 They
made haste to overtake them； which； as the party moved slowly； they
were able to do with ease。 They found Don Vicente in the arms of his
servants； whom he was entreating in a broken feeble voice to leave him
there to die； as the pain of his wounds would not suffer him to go any
farther。 Claudia and Roque threw themselves off their horses and
advanced towards him； the servants were overawed by t