compared with hers； and so； not saying you lie； but merely that you
are not correct in what you state； I accept your challenge； with the
conditions you have proposed； and at once； that the day you have fixed
may not expire； and from your conditions I except only that of the
renown of your achievements being transferred to me； for I know not of
what sort they are nor what they may amount to； I am satisfied with my
own； such as they be。 Take； therefore； the side of the field you
choose； and I will do the same； and to whom God shall give it may
Saint Peter add his blessing。〃
The Knight of the White Moon had been seen from the city； and it was
told the viceroy how he was in conversation with Don Quixote。 The
viceroy； fancying it must be some fresh adventure got up by Don
Antonio Moreno or some other gentleman of the city； hurried out at
once to the beach accompanied by Don Antonio and several other
gentlemen； just as Don Quixote was wheeling Rocinante round in order
to take up the necessary distance。 The viceroy upon this； seeing
that the pair of them were evidently preparing to come to the
charge； put himself between them； asking them what it was that led
them to engage in combat all of a sudden in this way。 The Knight of
the White Moon replied that it was a question of precedence of beauty；
and briefly told him what he had said to Don Quixote； and how the
conditions of the defiance agreed upon on both sides had been
accepted。 The viceroy went over to Don Antonio； and asked in a low
voice did he know who the Knight of the White Moon was； or was it some
joke they were playing on Don Quixote。 Don Antonio replied that he
neither knew who he was nor whether the defiance was in joke or in
earnest。 This answer left the viceroy in a state of perplexity； not
knowing whether he ought to let the combat go on or not； but unable to
persuade himself that it was anything but a joke he fell back； saying；
〃If there be no other way out of it； gallant knights； except to
confess or die； and Don Quixote is inflexible； and your worship of the
White Moon still more so； in God's hand be it； and fall on。〃
He of the White Moon thanked the viceroy in courteous and
well…chosen words for the permission he gave them； and so did Don
Quixote； who then； commending himself with all his heart to heaven and
to his Dulcinea； as was his custom on the eve of any combat that
awaited him； proceeded to take a little more distance； as he saw his
antagonist was doing the same； then； without blast of trumpet or other
warlike instrument to give them the signal to charge； both at the same
instant wheeled their horses； and he of the White Moon； being the
swifter； met Don Quixote after having traversed two…thirds of the
course； and there encountered him with such violence that； without
touching him with his lance （for he held it high； to all appearance
purposely）； he hurled Don Quixote and Rocinante to the earth； a
perilous fall。 He sprang upon him at once； and placing the lance
over his visor said to him； 〃You are vanquished； sir knight； nay
dead unless you admit the conditions of our defiance。〃
Don Quixote； bruised and stupefied； without raising his visor said
in a weak feeble voice as if he were speaking out of a tomb； 〃Dulcinea
del Toboso is the fairest woman in the world； and I the most
unfortunate knight on earth； it is not fitting that this truth
should suffer by my feebleness； drive your lance home； sir knight； and
take my life； since you have taken away my honour。〃
〃That will I not； in sooth；〃 said he of the White Moon； 〃live the
fame of the lady Dulcinea's beauty undimmed as ever； all I require
is that the great Don Quixote retire to his own home for a year； or
for so long a time as shall by me be enjoined upon him； as we agreed
before engaging in this combat。〃
The viceroy； Don Antonio； and several others who were present
heard all this； and heard too how Don Quixote replied that so long
as nothing in prejudice of Dulcinea was demanded of him； he would
observe all the rest like a true and loyal knight。 The engagement
given； he of the White Moon wheeled about； and making obeisance to the
viceroy with a movement of the head； rode away into the city at a half
gallop。 The viceroy bade Don Antonio hasten after him； and by some
means or other find out who he was。 They raised Don Quixote up and
uncovered his face； and found him pale and bathed with sweat。
Rocinante from the mere hard measure he had received lay unable to
stir for the present。 Sancho； wholly dejected and woebegone； knew
not what to say or do。 He fancied that all was a dream； that the whole
business was a piece of enchantment。 Here was his master defeated； and
bound not to take up arms for a year。 He saw the light of the glory of
his achievements obscured； the hopes of the promises lately made him
swept away like smoke before the wind； Rocinante； he feared； was
crippled for life； and his master's bones out of joint； for if he were
only shaken out of his madness it would be no small luck。 In the end
they carried him into the city in a hand…chair which the viceroy
sent for； and thither the viceroy himself returned； cager to ascertain
who this Knight of the White Moon was who had left Don Quixote in such
a sad plight。
CHAPTER LXV
WHEREIN IS MADE KNOWN WHO THE KNIGHT OF THE WHITE MOON WAS； LIKEWISE
DON GREGORIO'S RELEASE； AND OTHER EVENTS
DON ANTONIO MORENO followed the Knight of the White Moon； and a
number of boys followed him too； nay pursued him； until they had him
fairly housed in a hostel in the heart of the city。 Don Antonio； eager
to make his acquaintance； entered also； a squire came out to meet
him and remove his armour； and he shut himself into a lower room；
still attended by Don Antonio； whose bread would not bake until he had
found out who he was。 He of the White Moon； seeing then that the
gentleman would not leave him； said； 〃I know very well； senor； what
you have come for； it is to find out who I am； and as there is no
reason why I should conceal it from you； while my servant here is
taking off my armour I will tell you the true state of the case；
without leaving out anything。 You must know； senor； that I am called
the bachelor Samson Carrasco。 I am of the same village as Don
Quixote of La Mancha； whose craze and folly make all of us who know
him feel pity for him； and I am one of those who have felt it most；
and persuaded that his chance of recovery lay in quiet and keeping
at home and in his own house； I hit upon a device for keeping him
there。 Three months ago； therefore； I went out to meet him as a
knight…errant； under the assumed name of the Knight of the Mirrors；
intending to engage him in combat and overcome him without hurting
him； making it the condition of our combat that the vanquished
should be at the disposal of the victor。 What I meant to demand of him
（for I regarded him as vanquished already） was that he should return
to his own village； and not leave it for a whole year； by which time
he might he cured。 But fate ordered it otherwise； for he vanquished me
and unhorsed me； and so my plan failed。 He went his way； and I came
back conquered； covered with shame； and sorely bruised by my fall；
which was a particularly dangerous one。 But this did not quench my
desire to meet him again and overcome him； as you have seen to…day。
And as he is so scrupulous in his observance of the laws of
knight…errantry； he will； no doubt； in order to keep his word； obey
the injunction I have laid upon him。 This； senor； is how the matter
stands； and I have nothing more to tell you。 I implore of you not to
betray me； or tell Don Quixote who I am； so that my honest
endeavours may be successful； and that a man of excellent wits… were
he only rid of the fooleries of chivalry… may get them back again。〃
〃O senor；〃 said Don Antonio； 〃may God forgive you the wrong you have
done the whole world in trying to bring the most amusing madman in
it back to his senses。 Do you not see； senor； that the gain by Don
Quixote's sanity can never equal the enjoyment his crazes give？ But my
belief is that all the senor bachelor's pains will be of no avail to
bring a man so hopelessly cracked to his senses again； and if it
were not uncharitable； I would say may Don Quixote never be cured； for
by his recovery we lose not only his own drolleries； but his squire
Sancho Panza's too； any one of which is enough to turn melancholy
itself into merriment。 However； I'll hold my peace and say nothing
to him； and we'll see whether I am right in my suspicion that Senor
Carrasco's efforts will be fruitless。〃
The bachelor replied that at all events the affair promised well；
and he hoped for a happy result from it； and putting his services at
Don Antonio's commands he took his leave of him； and having had his
armour packed at once upon a mule； he rode away from the city the same
day on the horse he rode to battle； and returned to his own country
without meeting any adventure calling for record in this veracious
history。
Don Antonio reported to the viceroy what Carrasco told him； and
the viceroy was not very well pleased to hear it； for with Don
Quixote's retirement there was an end to the amusement of all who knew
anything of his mad doings。
Six days did Don Quixote keep his bed； dejected； melancholy； moody
and out of sorts； brooding over the unhappy event of his defeat。
Sancho strove to comfort him； and among other things he said to him；
〃Hold up your head； senor； and be of good cheer if you can； and give
thanks to heaven that if you have had a tumble to the ground you
have not come off with a broken rib； and； as you know that 'where they
give they take；' and that 'there are not always fletches where there
are pegs；' a fig for the doctor； for there's no need of him to cure
this ailment。 Let us go home； and give over going about in search of
adventures in strange lands and places； rightly looked at； it is I
that am the greater loser； though it is your worship that has had
the worse usage。 With the government I gave up all wish to be a
governor again； but I did not give up all longing to be a count； and
that will never come to pass if your worship gives up becoming a
king by renouncin