modest； and so tender； that on reading it he told me that in
Luscinda alone were combined all the charms of beauty and
understanding that were distributed among all the other women in the
world。 It is true； and I own it now； that though I knew what good
cause Don Fernando had to praise Luscinda； it gave me uneasiness to
hear these praises from his mouth； and I began to fear； and with
reason to feel distrust of him； for there was no moment when he was
not ready to talk of Luscinda； and he would start the subject
himself even though he dragged it in unseasonably； a circumstance that
aroused in me a certain amount of jealousy； not that I feared any
change in the constancy or faith of Luscinda； but still my fate led me
to forebode what she assured me against。 Don Fernando contrived always
to read the letters I sent to Luscinda and her answers to me； under
the pretence that he enjoyed the wit and sense of both。 It so
happened； then； that Luscinda having begged of me a book of chivalry
to read； one that she was very fond of； Amadis of Gaul…〃
Don Quixote no sooner heard a book of chivalry mentioned； than he
said：
〃Had your worship told me at the beginning of your story that the
Lady Luscinda was fond of books of chivalry； no other laudation
would have been requisite to impress upon me the superiority of her
understanding； for it could not have been of the excellence you
describe had a taste for such delightful reading been wanting； so；
as far as I am concerned； you need waste no more words in describing
her beauty； worth； and intelligence； for； on merely hearing what her
taste was； I declare her to be the most beautiful and the most
intelligent woman in the world； and I wish your worship had； along
with Amadis of Gaul； sent her the worthy Don Rugel of Greece； for I
know the Lady Luscinda would greatly relish Daraida and Garaya； and
the shrewd sayings of the shepherd Darinel； and the admirable verses
of his bucolics； sung and delivered by him with such sprightliness；
wit； and ease； but a time may come when this omission can be remedied；
and to rectify it nothing more is needed than for your worship to be
so good as to come with me to my village； for there I can give you
more than three hundred books which are the delight of my soul and the
entertainment of my life；… though it occurs to me that I have not
got one of them now； thanks to the spite of wicked and envious
enchanters；… but pardon me for having broken the promise we made not
to interrupt your discourse； for when I hear chivalry or
knights…errant mentioned； I can no more help talking about them than
the rays of the sun can help giving heat； or those of the moon
moisture； pardon me； therefore； and proceed； for that is more to the
purpose now。〃
While Don Quixote was saying this； Cardenio allowed his head to fall
upon his breast； and seemed plunged in deep thought； and though
twice Don Quixote bade him go on with his story； he neither looked
up nor uttered a word in reply； but after some time he raised his head
and said； 〃I cannot get rid of the idea； nor will anyone in the
world remove it； or make me think otherwise …and he would be a
blockhead who would hold or believe anything else than that that
arrant knave Master Elisabad made free with Queen Madasima。〃
〃That is not true； by all that's good；〃 said Don Quixote in high
wrath； turning upon him angrily； as his way was； 〃and it is a very
great slander； or rather villainy。 Queen Madasima was a very
illustrious lady； and it is not to be supposed that so exalted a
princess would have made free with a quack； and whoever maintains
the contrary lies like a great scoundrel； and I will give him to
know it； on foot or on horseback； armed or unarmed； by night or by
day； or as he likes best。〃
Cardenio was looking at him steadily； and his mad fit having now
come upon him； he had no disposition to go on with his story； nor
would Don Quixote have listened to it； so much had what he had heard
about Madasima disgusted him。 Strange to say； he stood up for her as
if she were in earnest his veritable born lady； to such a pass had his
unholy books brought him。 Cardenio； then； being； as I said； now mad；
when he heard himself given the lie； and called a scoundrel and
other insulting names； not relishing the jest； snatched up a stone
that he found near him； and with it delivered such a blow on Don
Quixote's breast that he laid him on his back。 Sancho Panza； seeing
his master treated in this fashion； attacked the madman with his
closed fist； but the Ragged One received him in such a way that with a
blow of his fist he stretched him at his feet； and then mounting
upon him crushed his ribs to his own satisfaction； the goatherd； who
came to the rescue； shared the same fate； and having beaten and
pummelled them all he left them and quietly withdrew to his
hiding…place on the mountain。 Sancho rose； and with the rage he felt
at finding himself so belaboured without deserving it； ran to take
vengeance on the goatherd； accusing him of not giving them warning
that this man was at times taken with a mad fit； for if they had known
it they would have been on their guard to protect themselves。 The
goatherd replied that he had said so； and that if he had not heard
him； that was no fault of his。 Sancho retorted； and the goatherd
rejoined； and the altercation ended in their seizing each other by the
beard； and exchanging such fisticuffs that if Don Quixote had not made
peace between them； they would have knocked one another to pieces。
〃Leave me alone； Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance；〃 said Sancho；
grappling with the goatherd； 〃for of this fellow； who is a clown
like myself； and no dubbed knight； I can safely take satisfaction
for the affront he has offered me； fighting with him hand to hand like
an honest man。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I know that he is not to
blame for what has happened。〃
With this he pacified them； and again asked the goatherd if it would
be possible to find Cardenio； as he felt the greatest anxiety to
know the end of his story。 The goatherd told him； as he had told him
before； that there was no knowing of a certainty where his lair was；
but that if he wandered about much in that neighbourhood he could
not fail to fall in with him either in or out of his senses。
CHAPTER XXV
WHICH TREATS OF THE STRANGE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO THE STOUT KNIGHT
OF LA MANCHA IN THE SIERRA MORENA； AND OF HIS IMITATION OF THE PENANCE
OF BELTENEBROS
DON QUIXOTE took leave of the goatherd； and once more mounting
Rocinante bade Sancho follow him； which he having no ass； did very
discontentedly。 They proceeded slowly； making their way into the
most rugged part of the mountain； Sancho all the while dying to have a
talk with his master； and longing for him to begin； so that there
should be no breach of the injunction laid upon him； but unable to
keep silence so long he said to him：
〃Senor Don Quixote； give me your worship's blessing and dismissal；
for I'd like to go home at once to my wife and children with whom I
can at any rate talk and converse as much as I like； for to want me to
go through these solitudes day and night and not speak to you when I
have a mind is burying me alive。 If luck would have it that animals
spoke as they did in the days of Guisopete； it would not be so bad；
because I could talk to Rocinante about whatever came into my head；
and so put up with my ill…fortune； but it is a hard case； and not to
be borne with patience； to go seeking adventures all one's life and
get nothing but kicks and blanketings； brickbats and punches； and with
all this to have to sew up one's mouth without daring to say what is
in one's heart； just as if one were dumb。〃
〃I understand thee； Sancho；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃thou art dying to
have the interdict I placed upon thy tongue removed； consider it
removed； and say what thou wilt while we are wandering in these
mountains。〃
〃So be it；〃 said Sancho； 〃let me speak now； for God knows what
will happen by…and…by； and to take advantage of the permit at once；
I ask； what made your worship stand up so for that Queen Majimasa；
or whatever her name is； or what did it matter whether that abbot
was a friend of hers or not？ for if your worship had let that pass
…and you were not a judge in the matter… it is my belief the madman
would have gone on with his story； and the blow of the stone； and
the kicks； and more than half a dozen cuffs would have been escaped。〃
〃In faith； Sancho；〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃if thou knewest as I do
what an honourable and illustrious lady Queen Madasima was； I know
thou wouldst say I had great patience that I did not break in pieces
the mouth that uttered such blasphemies； for a very great blasphemy it
is to say or imagine that a queen has made free with a surgeon。 The
truth of the story is that that Master Elisabad whom the madman
mentioned was a man of great prudence and sound judgment； and served
as governor and physician to the queen； but to suppose that she was
his mistress is nonsense deserving very severe punishment； and as a
proof that Cardenio did not know what he was saying； remember when
he said it he was out of his wits。〃
〃That is what I say；〃 said Sancho； 〃there was no occasion for
minding the words of a madman； for if good luck had not helped your
worship； and he had sent that stone at your head instead of at your
breast； a fine way we should have been in for standing up for my
lady yonder； God confound her！ And then； would not Cardenio have
gone free as a madman？〃
〃Against men in their senses or against madmen；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃every knight…errant is bound to stand up for the honour of women；
whoever they may be； much more for queens of such high degree and
dignity as Queen Madasima； for whom I have a particular regard on
account of her amiable qualities； for； besides being extremely
beautiful； she was very wise； and very patient under her
misfortunes； of which she had many； and the counsel and society of the
Master Elisabad were a great help and support to her in enduring her
afflictions with wisdom and resignation； hence the ignorant and
ill…disposed vulgar took occasion to say and think that she was