gone and come through the air； for thou hast taken but little more
than three days to go to El Toboso and return； though it is more
than thirty leagues from here to there。 From which I am inclined to
think that the sage magician who is my friend； and watches over my
interests （for of necessity there is and must be one； or else I should
not be a right knight…errant）； that this same； I say； must have helped
thee to travel without thy knowledge； for some of these sages will
catch up a knight…errant sleeping in his bed； and without his
knowing how or in what way it happened； he wakes up the next day
more than a thousand leagues away from the place where he went to
sleep。 And if it were not for this； knights…errant would not be able
to give aid to one another in peril； as they do at every turn。 For a
knight； maybe； is fighting in the mountains of Armenia with some
dragon； or fierce serpent； or another knight； and gets the worst of
the battle； and is at the point of death； but when he least looks
for it； there appears over against him on a cloud； or chariot of fire；
another knight； a friend of his； who just before had been in
England； and who takes his part； and delivers him from death； and at
night he finds himself in his own quarters supping very much to his
satisfaction； and yet from one place to the other will have been two
or three thousand leagues。 And all this is done by the craft and skill
of the sage enchanters who take care of those valiant knights； so
that； friend Sancho； I find no difficulty in believing that thou
mayest have gone from this place to El Toboso and returned in such a
short time； since； as I have said； some friendly sage must have
carried thee through the air without thee perceiving it。〃
〃That must have been it；〃 said Sancho； 〃for indeed Rocinante went
like a gipsy's ass with quicksilver in his ears。〃
〃Quicksilver！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃aye and what is more； a legion
of devils； folk that can travel and make others travel without being
weary； exactly as the whim seizes them。 But putting this aside； what
thinkest thou I ought to do about my lady's command to go and see her？
For though I feel that I am bound to obey her mandate； I feel too that
I am debarred by the boon I have accorded to the princess that
accompanies us； and the law of chivalry compels me to have regard
for my word in preference to my inclination； on the one hand the
desire to see my lady pursues and harasses me； on the other my
solemn promise and the glory I shall win in this enterprise urge and
call me； but what I think I shall do is to travel with all speed and
reach quickly the place where this giant is； and on my arrival I shall
cut off his head； and establish the princess peacefully in her
realm； and forthwith I shall return to behold the light that
lightens my senses； to whom I shall make such excuses that she will be
led to approve of my delay； for she will see that it entirely tends to
increase her glory and fame； for all that I have won； am winning； or
shall win by arms in this life； comes to me of the favour she
extends to me； and because I am hers。〃
〃Ah！ what a sad state your worship's brains are in！〃 said Sancho。
〃Tell me； senor； do you mean to travel all that way for nothing； and
to let slip and lose so rich and great a match as this where they give
as a portion a kingdom that in sober truth I have heard say is more
than twenty thousand leagues round about； and abounds with all
things necessary to support human life； and is bigger than Portugal
and Castile put together？ Peace； for the love of God！ Blush for what
you have said； and take my advice； and forgive me； and marry at once
in the first village where there is a curate； if not； here is our
licentiate who will do the business beautifully； remember； I am old
enough to give advice； and this I am giving comes pat to the
purpose； for a sparrow in the hand is better than a vulture on the
wing； and he who has the good to his hand and chooses the bad； that
the good he complains of may not come to him。〃
〃Look here； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote。 〃If thou art advising me to
marry； in order that immediately on slaying the giant I may become
king； and be able to confer favours on thee； and give thee what I have
promised； let me tell thee I shall be able very easily to satisfy
thy desires without marrying； for before going into battle I will make
it a stipulation that； if I come out of it victorious； even I do not
marry； they shall give me a portion portion of the kingdom； that I may
bestow it upon whomsoever I choose； and when they give it to me upon
whom wouldst thou have me bestow it but upon thee？〃
〃That is plain speaking；〃 said Sancho； 〃but let your worship take
care to choose it on the seacoast； so that if I don't like the life； I
may be able to ship off my black vassals and deal with them as I
have said； don't mind going to see my lady Dulcinea now； but go and
kill this giant and let us finish off this business； for by God it
strikes me it will be one of great honour and great profit。〃
〃I hold thou art in the right of it； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and
I will take thy advice as to accompanying the princess before going to
see Dulcinea； but I counsel thee not to say anything to any one； or to
those who are with us； about what we have considered and discussed；
for as Dulcinea is so decorous that she does not wish her thoughts
to be known it is not right that I or anyone for me should disclose
them。〃
〃Well then； if that be so；〃 said Sancho； 〃how is it that your
worship makes all those you overcome by your arm go to present
themselves before my lady Dulcinea； this being the same thing as
signing your name to it that you love her and are her lover？ And as
those who go must perforce kneel before her and say they come from
your worship to submit themselves to her； how can the thoughts of both
of you be hid？〃
〃O； how silly and simple thou art！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃seest thou
not； Sancho； that this tends to her greater exaltation？ For thou
must know that according to our way of thinking in chivalry； it is a
high honour to a lady to have many knights…errant in her service；
whose thoughts never go beyond serving her for her own sake； and who
look for no other reward for their great and true devotion than that
she should be willing to accept them as her knights。〃
〃It is with that kind of love；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have heard preachers
say we ought to love our Lord； for himself alone； without being
moved by the hope of glory or the fear of punishment； though for my
part； I would rather love and serve him for what he could do。〃
〃The devil take thee for a clown！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and what
shrewd things thou sayest at times！ One would think thou hadst
studied。〃
〃In faith； then； I cannot even read。〃
Master Nicholas here called out to them to wait a while； as they
wanted to halt and drink at a little spring there was there。 Don
Quixote drew up； not a little to the satisfaction of Sancho； for he
was by this time weary of telling so many lies； and in dread of his
master catching him tripping； for though he knew that Dulcinea was a
peasant girl of El Toboso； he had never seen her in all his life。
Cardenio had now put on the clothes which Dorothea was wearing when
they found her； and though they were not very good； they were far
better than those he put off。 They dismounted together by the side
of the spring； and with what the curate had provided himself with at
the inn they appeased； though not very well； the keen appetite they
all of them brought with them。
While they were so employed there happened to come by a youth
passing on his way； who stopping to examine the party at the spring；
the next moment ran to Don Quixote and clasping him round the legs；
began to weep freely； saying； 〃O； senor； do you not know me？ Look at
me well； I am that lad Andres that your worship released from the
oak…tree where I was tied。〃
Don Quixote recognised him； and taking his hand he turned to those
present and said： 〃That your worships may see how important it is to
have knights…errant to redress the wrongs and injuries done by
tyrannical and wicked men in this world； I may tell you that some days
ago passing through a wood； I heard cries and piteous complaints as of
a person in pain and distress； I immediately hastened； impelled by
my bounden duty； to the quarter whence the plaintive accents seemed to
me to proceed； and I found tied to an oak this lad who now stands
before you； which in my heart I rejoice at； for his testimony will not
permit me to depart from the truth in any particular。 He was； I say；
tied to an oak； naked from the waist up； and a clown； whom I
afterwards found to be his master； was scarifying him by lashes with
the reins of his mare。 As soon as I saw him I asked the reason of so
cruel a flagellation。 The boor replied that he was flogging him
because he was his servant and because of carelessness that
proceeded rather from dishonesty than stupidity； on which this boy
said； 'Senor； he flogs me only because I ask for my wages。' The master
made I know not what speeches and explanations； which； though I
listened to them； I did not accept。 In short； I compelled the clown to
unbind him； and to swear he would take him with him； and pay him
real by real； and perfumed into the bargain。 Is not all this true；
Andres my son？ Didst thou not mark with what authority I commanded
him； and with what humility he promised to do all I enjoined；
specified； and required of him？ Answer without hesitation； tell
these gentlemen what took place； that they may see that it is as great
an advantage as I say to have knights…errant abroad。〃
〃All that your worship has said is quite true；〃 answered the lad；
〃but the end of the business turned out just the opposite of what your
worship supposes。〃
〃How！ the opposite？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃did not the clown pay thee
then？〃
〃Not only did he not pay me；〃 replied the lad； 〃but as soon as
your worship had passed out of the wood and we were alone； he tied
me up again to the same oak and gave me a fresh flogging； that left me
like a flayed Saint Bartholomew； and every stroke he gave me he
followed up with some jest or gibe about