by the example of his master； Sancho did the same； and to begin
with； Don Quixote delivered a slash at one of them that laid open
the leather jerkin he wore； together with a great portion of his
shoulder。 The Yanguesans； seeing themselves assaulted by only two
men while they were so many； betook themselves to their stakes； and
driving the two into the middle they began to lay on with great zeal
and energy； in fact； at the second blow they brought Sancho to the
ground； and Don Quixote fared the same way； all his skill and high
mettle availing him nothing； and fate willed it that he should fall at
the feet of Rocinante； who had not yet risen； whereby it may be seen
how furiously stakes can pound in angry boorish hands。 Then； seeing
the mischief they had done； the Yanguesans with all the haste they
could loaded their team and pursued their journey； leaving the two
adventurers a sorry sight and in sorrier mood。
Sancho was the first to come to； and finding himself close to his
master he called to him in a weak and doleful voice； 〃Senor Don
Quixote； ah； Senor Don Quixote！〃
〃What wouldst thou； brother Sancho？〃 answered Don Quixote in the
same feeble suffering tone as Sancho。
〃I would like； if it were possible；〃 answered Sancho Panza； 〃your
worship to give me a couple of sups of that potion of the fiery
Blas； if it be that you have any to hand there； perhaps it will
serve for broken bones as well as for wounds。〃
〃If I only had it here； wretch that I am； what more should we want？〃
said Don Quixote； 〃but I swear to thee； Sancho Panza； on the faith
of a knight…errant； ere two days are over； unless fortune orders
otherwise； I mean to have it in my possession； or my hand will have
lost its cunning。〃
〃But in how many does your worship think we shall have the use of
our feet？〃 answered Sancho Panza。
〃For myself I must say I cannot guess how many；〃 said the battered
knight Don Quixote； 〃but I take all the blame upon myself； for I had
no business to put hand to sword against men who where not dubbed
knights like myself； and so I believe that in punishment for having
transgressed the laws of chivalry the God of battles has permitted
this chastisement to be administered to me； for which reason；
brother Sancho； it is well thou shouldst receive a hint on the
matter which I am now about to mention to thee； for it is of much
importance to the welfare of both of us。 It is at when thou shalt
see rabble of this sort offering us insult thou art not to wait till I
draw sword against them； for I shall not do so at all； but do thou
draw sword and chastise them to thy heart's content； and if any
knights come to their aid and defence I will take care to defend
thee and assail them with all my might； and thou hast already seen
by a thousand signs and proofs what the might of this strong arm of
mine is equal to〃… so uplifted had the poor gentleman become through
the victory over the stout Biscayan。
But Sancho did not so fully approve of his master's admonition as to
let it pass without saying in reply； 〃Senor； I am a man of peace； meek
and quiet； and I can put up with any affront because I have a wife and
children to support and bring up； so let it be likewise a hint to your
worship； as it cannot be a mandate； that on no account will I draw
sword either against clown or against knight； and that here before God
I forgive the insults that have been offered me； whether they have
been； are； or shall be offered me by high or low； rich or poor；
noble or commoner； not excepting any rank or condition whatsoever。〃
To all which his master said in reply； 〃I wish I had breath enough
to speak somewhat easily； and that the pain I feel on this side
would abate so as to let me explain to thee； Panza； the mistake thou
makest。 Come now； sinner； suppose the wind of fortune； hitherto so
adverse； should turn in our favour； filling the sails of our desires
so that safely and without impediment we put into port in some one
of those islands I have promised thee； how would it be with thee if on
winning it I made thee lord of it？ Why； thou wilt make it well…nigh
impossible through not being a knight nor having any desire to be one；
nor possessing the courage nor the will to avenge insults or defend
thy lordship； for thou must know that in newly conquered kingdoms
and provinces the minds of the inhabitants are never so quiet nor so
well disposed to the new lord that there is no fear of their making
some move to change matters once more； and try； as they say； what
chance may do for them； so it is essential that the new possessor
should have good sense to enable him to govern； and valour to attack
and defend himself； whatever may befall him。〃
〃In what has now befallen us；〃 answered Sancho； 〃I'd have been
well pleased to have that good sense and that valour your worship
speaks of； but I swear on the faith of a poor man I am more fit for
plasters than for arguments。 See if your worship can get up； and let
us help Rocinante； though he does not deserve it； for he was the
main cause of all this thrashing。 I never thought it of Rocinante； for
I took him to be a virtuous person and as quiet as myself。 After
all； they say right that it takes a long time to come to know
people； and that there is nothing sure in this life。 Who would have
said that； after such mighty slashes as your worship gave that unlucky
knight…errant； there was coming； travelling post and at the very heels
of them； such a great storm of sticks as has fallen upon our
shoulders？〃
〃And yet thine； Sancho；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃ought to be used to
such squalls； but mine； reared in soft cloth and fine linen； it is
plain they must feel more keenly the pain of this mishap； and if it
were not that I imagine… why do I say imagine？… know of a certainty
that all these annoyances are very necessary accompaniments of the
calling of arms； I would lay me down here to die of pure vexation。〃
To this the squire replied； 〃Senor； as these mishaps are what one
reaps of chivalry； tell me if they happen very often； or if they
have their own fixed times for coming to pass； because it seems to
me that after two harvests we shall be no good for the third； unless
God in his infinite mercy helps us。〃
〃Know； friend Sancho；〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃that the life of
knights…errant is subject to a thousand dangers and reverses； and
neither more nor less is it within immediate possibility for
knights…errant to become kings and emperors； as experience has shown
in the case of many different knights with whose histories I am
thoroughly acquainted； and I could tell thee now； if the pain would
let me； of some who simply by might of arm have risen to the high
stations I have mentioned； and those same； both before and after；
experienced divers misfortunes and miseries； for the valiant Amadis of
Gaul found himself in the power of his mortal enemy Arcalaus the
magician； who； it is positively asserted； holding him captive； gave
him more than two hundred lashes with the reins of his horse while
tied to one of the pillars of a court； and moreover there is a certain
recondite author of no small authority who says that the Knight of
Phoebus； being caught in a certain pitfall； which opened under his
feet in a certain castle； on falling found himself bound hand and foot
in a deep pit underground； where they administered to him one of those
things they call clysters； of sand and snow…water； that well…nigh
finished him； and if he had not been succoured in that sore
extremity by a sage； a great friend of his； it would have gone very
hard with the poor knight； so I may well suffer in company with such
worthy folk； for greater were the indignities which they had to suffer
than those which we suffer。 For I would have thee know； Sancho； that
wounds caused by any instruments which happen by chance to be in
hand inflict no indignity； and this is laid down in the law of the
duel in express words： if； for instance； the cobbler strikes another
with the last which he has in his hand； though it be in fact a piece
of wood； it cannot be said for that reason that he whom he struck with
it has been cudgelled。 I say this lest thou shouldst imagine that
because we have been drubbed in this affray we have therefore suffered
any indignity； for the arms those men carried； with which they pounded
us； were nothing more than their stakes； and not one of them； so far
as I remember； carried rapier； sword； or dagger。〃
〃They gave me no time to see that much；〃 answered Sancho； 〃for
hardly had I laid hand on my tizona when they signed the cross on my
shoulders with their sticks in such style that they took the sight out
of my eyes and the strength out of my feet； stretching me where I
now lie； and where thinking of whether all those stake…strokes were an
indignity or not gives me no uneasiness； which the pain of the blows
does； for they will remain as deeply impressed on my memory as on my
shoulders。〃
〃For all that let me tell thee； brother Panza；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃that there is no recollection which time does not put an end to；
and no pain which death does not remove。〃
〃And what greater misfortune can there be；〃 replied Panza； 〃than the
one that waits for time to put an end to it and death to remove it？ If
our mishap were one of those that are cured with a couple of plasters；
it would not be so bad； but I am beginning to think that all the
plasters in a hospital almost won't be enough to put us right。〃
〃No more of that： pluck strength out of weakness； Sancho； as I
mean to do；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃and let us see how Rocinante is；
for it seems to me that not the least share of this mishap has
fallen to the lot of the poor beast。〃
〃There is nothing wonderful in that；〃 replied Sancho； 〃since he is a
knight…errant too； what I wonder at is that my beast should have
come off scot…free where we come out scotched。〃
〃Fortune always leaves a door open in adversity in order to bring
relief to it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I say so because this little beast
may now supply the want of Rocinante； carrying me hence to some castle
where I may be cured of my wounds。 And moreover I shall not hold it
any dishonour to be so mounted； for I remember having