that may befall you as safe and sound as he has brought you out of
this one）； was it not a thing to laugh at； and is it not a good story；
the great fear we were in？… at least that I was in； for as to your
worship I see now that you neither know nor understand what either
fear or dismay is。〃
〃I do not deny；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that what happened to us may
be worth laughing at； but it is not worth making a story about； for it
is not everyone that is shrewd enough to hit the right point of a
thing。〃
〃At any rate；〃 said Sancho； 〃your worship knew how to hit the
right point with your pike； aiming at my head and hitting me on the
shoulders； thanks be to God and my own smartness in dodging it。 But
let that pass； all will come out in the scouring； for I have heard say
'he loves thee well that makes thee weep；' and moreover that it is the
way with great lords after any hard words they give a servant to
give him a pair of breeches； though I do not know what they give after
blows； unless it be that knights…errant after blows give islands； or
kingdoms on the mainland。〃
〃It may be on the dice；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that all thou sayest
will come true； overlook the past； for thou art shrewd enough to
know that our first movements are not in our own control； and one
thing for the future bear in mind； that thou curb and restrain thy
loquacity in my company； for in all the books of chivalry that I
have read； and they are innumerable； I never met with a squire who
talked so much to his lord as thou dost to thine； and in fact I feel
it to be a great fault of thine and of mine： of thine； that thou
hast so little respect for me； of mine； that I do not make myself more
respected。 There was Gandalin； the squire of Amadis of Gaul； that
was Count of the Insula Firme； and we read of him that he always
addressed his lord with his cap in his hand； his head bowed down and
his body bent double； more turquesco。 And then； what shall we say of
Gasabal； the squire of Galaor； who was so silent that in order to
indicate to us the greatness of his marvellous taciturnity his name is
only once mentioned in the whole of that history； as long as it is
truthful？ From all I have said thou wilt gather； Sancho； that there
must be a difference between master and man； between lord and
lackey； between knight and squire： so that from this day forward in
our intercourse we must observe more respect and take less
liberties； for in whatever way I may be provoked with you it will be
bad for the pitcher。 The favours and benefits that I have promised you
will come in due time； and if they do not your wages at least will not
be lost； as I have already told you。〃
〃All that your worship says is very well；〃 said Sancho； 〃but I
should like to know （in case the time of favours should not come；
and it might be necessary to fall back upon wages） how much did the
squire of a knight…errant get in those days； and did they agree by the
month； or by the day like bricklayers？〃
〃I do not believe；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃that such squires were
ever on wages； but were dependent on favour； and if I have now
mentioned thine in the sealed will I have left at home； it was with
a view to what may happen； for as yet I know not how chivalry will
turn out in these wretched times of ours； and I do not wish my soul to
suffer for trifles in the other world； for I would have thee know；
Sancho； that in this there is no condition more hazardous than that of
adventurers。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Sancho； 〃since the mere noise of the hammers of
a fulling mill can disturb and disquiet the heart of such a valiant
errant adventurer as your worship； but you may be sure I will not open
my lips henceforward to make light of anything of your worship's；
but only to honour you as my master and natural lord。〃
〃By so doing；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃shalt thou live long on the
face of the earth； for next to parents； masters are to be respected as
though they were parents。〃
CHAPTER XXI
WHICH TREATS OF THE EXALTED ADVENTURE AND RICH PRIZE OF MAMBRINO'S
HELMET； TOGETHER WITH OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO OUR INVINCIBLE
KNIGHT
IT NOW began to rain a little； and Sancho was for going into the
fulling mills； but Don Quixote had taken such an abhorrence to them on
account of the late joke that he would not enter them on any
account； so turning aside to right they came upon another road；
different from that which they had taken the night before。 Shortly
afterwards Don Quixote perceived a man on horseback who wore on his
head something that shone like gold； and the moment he saw him he
turned to Sancho and said：
〃I think； Sancho； there is no proverb that is not true； all being
maxims drawn from experience itself； the mother of all the sciences；
especially that one that says； 'Where one door shuts； another
opens。' I say so because if last night fortune shut the door of the
adventure we were looking for against us； cheating us with the fulling
mills； it now opens wide another one for another better and more
certain adventure； and if I do not contrive to enter it； it will be my
own fault； and I cannot lay it to my ignorance of fulling mills； or
the darkness of the night。 I say this because； if I mistake not； there
comes towards us one who wears on his head the helmet of Mambrino；
concerning which I took the oath thou rememberest。〃
〃Mind what you say； your worship； and still more what you do；〃
said Sancho； 〃for I don't want any more fulling mills to finish off
fulling and knocking our senses out。〃
〃The devil take thee； man；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃what has a helmet
to do with fulling mills？〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied Sancho； 〃but； faith； if I might speak as I
used； perhaps I could give such reasons that your worship would see
you were mistaken in what you say。〃
〃How can I be mistaken in what I say； unbelieving traitor？〃 returned
Don Quixote； 〃tell me； seest thou not yonder knight coming towards
us on a dappled grey steed； who has upon his head a helmet of gold？〃
〃What I see and make out；〃 answered Sancho； 〃is only a man on a grey
ass like my own； who has something that shines on his head。〃
〃Well； that is the helmet of Mambrino；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃stand
to one side and leave me alone with him； thou shalt see how； without
saying a word； to save time； I shall bring this adventure to an
issue and possess myself of the helmet I have so longed for。〃
〃I will take care to stand aside；〃 said Sancho； 〃but God grant； I
say once more； that it may be marjoram and not fulling mills。〃
〃I have told thee； brother； on no account to mention those fulling
mills to me again；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃or I vow… and I say no more…
I'll full the soul out of you。〃
Sancho held his peace in dread lest his master should carry out
the vow he had hurled like a bowl at him。
The fact of the matter as regards the helmet； steed； and knight that
Don Quixote saw； was this。 In that neighbourhood there were two
villages； one of them so small that it had neither apothecary's shop
nor barber； which the other that was close to it had； so the barber of
the larger served the smaller； and in it there was a sick man who
required to be bled and another man who wanted to be shaved； and on
this errand the barber was going； carrying with him a brass basin； but
as luck would have it； as he was on the way it began to rain； and
not to spoil his hat； which probably was a new one； he put the basin
on his head； and being clean it glittered at half a league's distance。
He rode upon a grey ass； as Sancho said； and this was what made it
seem to Don Quixote to be a dapple…grey steed and a knight and a
golden helmet； for everything he saw he made to fall in with his crazy
chivalry and ill…errant notions； and when he saw the poor knight
draw near； without entering into any parley with him； at Rocinante's
top speed he bore down upon him with the pike pointed low； fully
determined to run him through and through； and as he reached him；
without checking the fury of his charge； he cried to him：
〃Defend thyself； miserable being； or yield me of thine own accord
that which is so reasonably my due。〃
The barber； who without any expectation or apprehension of it saw
this apparition coming down upon him； had no other way of saving
himself from the stroke of the lance but to let himself fall off his
ass； and no sooner had he touched the ground than he sprang up more
nimbly than a deer and sped away across the plain faster than the
wind。
He left the basin on the ground； with which Don Quixote contented
himself； saying that the pagan had shown his discretion and imitated
the beaver； which finding itself pressed by the hunters bites and cuts
off with its teeth that for which； by its natural instinct； it knows
it is pursued。
He told Sancho to pick up the helmet； and he taking it in his
hands said：
〃By God the basin is a good one； and worth a real of eight if it
is worth a maravedis；〃 and handed it to his master； who immediately
put it on his head； turning it round； now this way； now that； in
search of fitment； and not finding it he said； 〃Clearly the pagan to
whose measure this famous head…piece was first forged must have had
a very large head； but the worst of it is half of it is wanting。〃
When Sancho heard him call the basin a headpiece he was unable to
restrain his laughter； but remembering his master's wrath he checked
himself in the midst of it。
〃What art thou laughing at； Sancho？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I am laughing；〃 said he； 〃to think of the great head the pagan must
have had who owned this helmet； for it looks exactly like a regular
barber's basin。〃
〃Dost thou know what I suspect； Sancho？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that
this wonderful piece of this enchanted helmet must by some strange
accident have come into the hands of some one who was unable to
recognise or realise its value； and who； not knowing what he did；
and seeing it to be of the purest gold； must have melted down one half
for the sake of what it might be worth； and of the other made this
which is like a barber's basin as thou sayest； but be it as it may； to
me who recognise it； its transformation makes no difference； for I
will set it to rights at the first village w