like a flayed Saint Bartholomew； and every stroke he gave me he
followed up with some jest or gibe about having made a fool of your
worship； and but for the pain I was suffering I should have laughed at
the things he said。 In short he left me in such a condition that I
have been until now in a hospital getting cured of the injuries
which that rascally clown inflicted on me then； for all which your
worship is to blame； for if you had gone your own way and not come
where there was no call for you； nor meddled in other people's
affairs； my master would have been content with giving me one or two
dozen lashes； and would have then loosed me and paid me what he owed
me； but when your worship abused him so out of measure； and gave him
so many hard words； his anger was kindled； and as he could not revenge
himself on you； as soon as he saw you had left him the storm burst
upon me in such a way； that I feel as if I should never be a man
again。〃
〃The mischief；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃lay in my going away； for I
should not have gone until I had seen thee paid； because I ought to
have known well by long experience that there is no clown who will
keep his word if he finds it will not suit him to keep it； but thou
rememberest； Andres； that I swore if he did not pay thee I would go
and seek him； and find him though he were to hide himself in the
whale's belly。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Andres； 〃but it was of no use。〃
〃Thou shalt see now whether it is of use or not；〃 said Don
Quixote； and so saying； he got up hastily and bade Sancho bridle
Rocinante； who was browsing while they were eating。 Dorothea asked him
what he meant to do。 He replied that he meant to go in search of
this clown and chastise him for such iniquitous conduct； and see
Andres paid to the last maravedi； despite and in the teeth of all
the clowns in the world。 To which she replied that he must remember
that in accordance with his promise he could not engage in any
enterprise until he had concluded hers； and that as he knew this
better than anyone； he should restrain his ardour until his return
from her kingdom。
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and Andres must have patience
until my return as you say； senora； but I once more swear and
promise not to stop until I have seen him avenged and paid。〃
〃I have no faith in those oaths；〃 said Andres； 〃I would rather
have now something to help me to get to Seville than all the
revenges in the world； if you have here anything to eat that I can
take with me； give it me； and God be with your worship and all
knights…errant； and may their errands turn out as well for
themselves as they have for me。〃
Sancho took out from his store a piece of bread and another of
cheese； and giving them to the lad he said； 〃Here； take this；
brother Andres； for we have all of us a share in your misfortune。〃
〃Why； what share have you got？〃
〃This share of bread and cheese I am giving you；〃 answered Sancho；
〃and God knows whether I shall feel the want of it myself or not；
for I would have you know； friend； that we squires to knights…errant
have to bear a great deal of hunger and hard fortune； and even other
things more easily felt than told。〃
Andres seized his bread and cheese； and seeing that nobody gave
him anything more； bent his head； and took hold of the road； as the
saying is。 However； before leaving he said； 〃For the love of God；
sir knight…errant； if you ever meet me again； though you may see
them cutting me to pieces； give me no aid or succour； but leave me
to my misfortune； which will not be so great but that a greater will
come to me by being helped by your worship； on whom and all the
knights…errant that have ever been born God send his curse。〃
Don Quixote was getting up to chastise him； but he took to his heels
at such a pace that no one attempted to follow him； and mightily
chapfallen was Don Quixote at Andres' story； and the others had to
take great care to restrain their laughter so as not to put him
entirely out of countenance。
CHAPTER XXXII
WHICH TREATS OF WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE'S PARTY AT THE INN
THEIR dainty repast being finished； they saddled at once； and
without any adventure worth mentioning they reached next day the
inn； the object of Sancho Panza's fear and dread； but though he
would have rather not entered it； there was no help for it。 The
landlady； the landlord； their daughter； and Maritornes； when they
saw Don Quixote and Sancho coming； went out to welcome them with signs
of hearty satisfaction； which Don Quixote received with dignity and
gravity； and bade them make up a better bed for him than the last
time： to which the landlady replied that if he paid better than he did
the last time she would give him one fit for a prince。 Don Quixote
said he would； so they made up a tolerable one for him in the same
garret as before； and he lay down at once； being sorely shaken and
in want of sleep。
No sooner was the door shut upon him than the landlady made at the
barber； and seizing him by the beard； said：
〃By my faith you are not going to make a beard of my tail any
longer； you must give me back tail； for it is a shame the way that
thing of my husband's goes tossing about on the floor； I mean the comb
that I used to stick in my good tail。〃
But for all she tugged at it the barber would not give it up until
the licentiate told him to let her have it； as there was now no
further occasion for that stratagem； because he might declare
himself and appear in his own character； and tell Don Quixote that
he had fled to this inn when those thieves the galley slaves robbed
him； and should he ask for the princess's squire； they could tell
him that she had sent him on before her to give notice to the people
of her kingdom that she was coming； and bringing with her the
deliverer of them all。 On this the barber cheerfully restored the tail
to the landlady； and at the same time they returned all the
accessories they had borrowed to effect Don Quixote's deliverance。 All
the people of the inn were struck with astonishment at the beauty of
Dorothea； and even at the comely figure of the shepherd Cardenio。
The curate made them get ready such fare as there was in the inn；
and the landlord； in hope of better payment； served them up a
tolerably good dinner。 All this time Don Quixote was asleep； and
they thought it best not to waken him； as sleeping would now do him
more good than eating。
While at dinner； the company consisting of the landlord； his wife；
their daughter； Maritornes； and all the travellers； they discussed the
strange craze of Don Quixote and the manner in which he had been
found； and the landlady told them what had taken place between him and
the carrier； and then； looking round to see if Sancho was there；
when she saw he was not； she gave them the whole story of his
blanketing； which they received with no little amusement。 But on the
curate observing that it was the books of chivalry which Don Quixote
had read that had turned his brain； the landlord said：
〃I cannot understand how that can be； for in truth to my mind
there is no better reading in the world； and I have here two or
three of them； with other writings that are the very life； not only of
myself but of plenty more； for when it is harvest…time； the reapers
flock here on holidays； and there is always one among them who can
read and who takes up one of these books； and we gather round him；
thirty or more of us； and stay listening to him with a delight that
makes our grey hairs grow young again。 At least I can say for myself
that when I hear of what furious and terrible blows the knights
deliver； I am seized with the longing to do the same； and I would like
to be hearing about them night and day。〃
〃And I just as much；〃 said the landlady； 〃because I never have a
quiet moment in my house except when you are listening to some one
reading； for then you are so taken up that for the time being you
forget to scold。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Maritornes； 〃and； faith； I relish hearing these
things greatly too； for they are very pretty； especially when they
describe some lady or another in the arms of her knight under the
orange trees； and the duenna who is keeping watch for them half dead
with envy and fright； all this I say is as good as honey。〃
〃And you； what do you think； young lady？〃 said the curate turning to
the landlord's daughter。
〃I don't know indeed； senor；〃 said she； 〃I listen too； and to tell
the truth； though I do not understand it； I like hearing it； but it is
not the blows that my father likes that I like； but the laments the
knights utter when they are separated from their ladies； and indeed
they sometimes make me weep with the pity I feel for them。〃
〃Then you would console them if it was for you they wept； young
lady？〃 said Dorothea。
〃I don't know what I should do；〃 said the girl； 〃I only know that
there are some of those ladies so cruel that they call their knights
tigers and lions and a thousand other foul names： and Jesus！ I don't
know what sort of folk they can be； so unfeeling and heartless； that
rather than bestow a glance upon a worthy man they leave him to die or
go mad。 I don't know what is the good of such prudery； if it is for
honour's sake； why not marry them？ That's all they want。〃
〃Hush； child；〃 said the landlady； 〃it seems to me thou knowest a
great deal about these things； and it is not fit for girls to know
or talk so much。〃
〃As the gentleman asked me； I could not help answering him；〃 said
the girl。
〃Well then；〃 said the curate； 〃bring me these books； senor landlord；
for I should like to see them。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said he； and going into his own room he brought
out an old valise secured with a little chain； on opening which the
curate found in it three large books and some manuscripts written in a
very good hand。 The first that he opened he found to be 〃Don
Cirongilio of Thrace；〃 and the second 〃Don Felixmarte of Hircania；〃
and the other the 〃History of the Great Captain Gonzalo Hernandez de
Cordova； with the Life of Diego Garcia de Paredes。〃
When the curate read the two first titles he looked over at the
barber and said； 〃We want my friend's housekeeper and niece here now。〃