Nicholas； and go with him to Don Quixote's house。
CHAPTER VI
OF THE DIVERTING AND IMPORTANT SCRUTINY WHICH THE CURATE AND THE
BARBER MADE IN THE LIBRARY OF OUR INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN
HE WAS still sleeping； so the curate asked the niece for the keys of
the room where the books； the authors of all the mischief； were； and
right willingly she gave them。 They all went in； the housekeeper
with them； and found more than a hundred volumes of big books very
well bound； and some other small ones。 The moment the housekeeper
saw them she turned about and ran out of the room； and came back
immediately with a saucer of holy water and a sprinkler； saying；
〃Here； your worship； senor licentiate； sprinkle this room； don't leave
any magician of the many there are in these books to bewitch us in
revenge for our design of banishing them from the world。〃
The simplicity of the housekeeper made the licentiate laugh； and
he directed the barber to give him the books one by one to see what
they were about； as there might be some to be found among them that
did not deserve the penalty of fire。
〃No；〃 said the niece； 〃there is no reason for showing mercy to any
of them； they have every one of them done mischief； better fling
them out of the window into the court and make a pile of them and
set fire to them； or else carry them into the yard； and there a
bonfire can be made without the smoke giving any annoyance。〃 The
housekeeper said the same； so eager were they both for the slaughter
of those innocents； but the curate would not agree to it without first
reading at any rate the titles。
The first that Master Nicholas put into his hand was 〃The four books
of Amadis of Gaul。〃 〃This seems a mysterious thing；〃 said the
curate； 〃for； as I have heard say； this was the first book of chivalry
printed in Spain； and from this all the others derive their birth
and origin； so it seems to me that we ought inexorably to condemn it
to the flames as the founder of so vile a sect。〃
〃Nay； sir；〃 said the barber； 〃I too； have heard say that this is the
best of all the books of this kind that have been written； and so；
as something singular in its line； it ought to be pardoned。〃
〃True；〃 said the curate； 〃and for that reason let its life be spared
for the present。 Let us see that other which is next to it。〃
〃It is；〃 said the barber； 〃the 'Sergas de Esplandian；' the lawful
son of Amadis of Gaul。〃
〃Then verily；〃 said the curate； 〃the merit of the father must not be
put down to the account of the son。 Take it； mistress housekeeper；
open the window and fling it into the yard and lay the foundation of
the pile for the bonfire we are to make。〃
The housekeeper obeyed with great satisfaction； and the worthy
〃Esplandian〃 went flying into the yard to await with all patience
the fire that was in store for him。
〃Proceed；〃 said the curate。
〃This that comes next；〃 said the barber； 〃is 'Amadis of Greece；'
and； indeed； I believe all those on this side are of the same Amadis
lineage。〃
〃Then to the yard with the whole of them；〃 said the curate； 〃for
to have the burning of Queen Pintiquiniestra； and the shepherd Darinel
and his eclogues； and the bedevilled and involved discourses of his
author； I would burn with them the father who begot me if he were
going about in the guise of a knight…errant。〃
〃I am of the same mind；〃 said the barber。
〃And so am I；〃 added the niece。
〃In that case；〃 said the housekeeper； 〃here； into the yard with
them！〃
They were handed to her； and as there were many of them； she
spared herself the staircase； and flung them down out of the window。
〃Who is that tub there？〃 said the curate。
〃This；〃 said the barber； 〃is 'Don Olivante de Laura。'〃
〃The author of that book；〃 said the curate； 〃was the same that wrote
'The Garden of Flowers；' and truly there is no deciding which of the
two books is the more truthful； or； to put it better； the less
lying； all I can say is； send this one into the yard for a
swaggering fool。〃
〃This that follows is 'Florismarte of Hircania；'〃 said the barber。
〃Senor Florismarte here？〃 said the curate； 〃then by my faith he must
take up his quarters in the yard； in spite of his marvellous birth and
visionary adventures； for the stiffness and dryness of his style
deserve nothing else； into the yard with him and the other； mistress
housekeeper。〃
〃With all my heart； senor；〃 said she； and executed the order with
great delight。
〃This；〃 said the barber； 〃is The Knight Platir。'〃
〃An old book that；〃 said the curate； 〃but I find no reason for
clemency in it； send it after the others without appeal；〃 which was
done。
Another book was opened； and they saw it was entitled； 〃The Knight
of the Cross。〃
〃For the sake of the holy name this book has；〃 said the curate； 〃its
ignorance might be excused； but then； they say； 'behind the cross
there's the devil； to the fire with it。〃
Taking down another book； the barber said； 〃This is 'The Mirror of
Chivalry。'〃
〃I know his worship；〃 said the curate； 〃that is where Senor
Reinaldos of Montalvan figures with his friends and comrades；
greater thieves than Cacus； and the Twelve Peers of France with the
veracious historian Turpin； however； I am not for condemning them to
more than perpetual banishment； because； at any rate； they have some
share in the invention of the famous Matteo Boiardo； whence too the
Christian poet Ludovico Ariosto wove his web； to whom； if I find him
here； and speaking any language but his own； I shall show no respect
whatever； but if he speaks his own tongue I will put him upon my
head。〃
〃Well； I have him in Italian；〃 said the barber； 〃but I do not
understand him。〃
〃Nor would it be well that you should understand him；〃 said the
curate； 〃and on that score we might have excused the Captain if he had
not brought him into Spain and turned him into Castilian。 He robbed
him of a great deal of his natural force； and so do all those who
try to turn books written in verse into another language； for； with
all the pains they take and all the cleverness they show； they never
can reach the level of the originals as they were first produced。 In
short； I say that this book； and all that may be found treating of
those French affairs； should be thrown into or deposited in some dry
well； until after more consideration it is settled what is to be
done with them； excepting always one 'Bernardo del Carpio' that is
going about； and another called 'Roncesvalles；' for these； if they
come into my hands； shall pass at once into those of the
housekeeper； and from hers into the fire without any reprieve。〃
To all this the barber gave his assent； and looked upon it as
right and proper； being persuaded that the curate was so staunch to
the Faith and loyal to the Truth that he would not for the world say
anything opposed to them。 Opening another book he saw it was 〃Palmerin
de Oliva；〃 and beside it was another called 〃Palmerin of England；〃
seeing which the licentiate said； 〃Let the Olive be made firewood of
at once and burned until no ashes even are left； and let that Palm
of England be kept and preserved as a thing that stands alone； and let
such another case be made for it as that which Alexander found among
the spoils of Darius and set aside for the safe keeping of the works
of the poet Homer。 This book； gossip； is of authority for two reasons；
first because it is very good； and secondly because it is said to have
been written by a wise and witty king of Portugal。 All the
adventures at the Castle of Miraguarda are excellent and of
admirable contrivance； and the language is polished and clear；
studying and observing the style befitting the speaker with
propriety and judgment。 So then； provided it seems good to you； Master
Nicholas； I say let this and 'Amadis of Gaul' be remitted the
penalty of fire； and as for all the rest； let them perish without
further question or query。〃
〃Nay； gossip；〃 said the barber； 〃for this that I have here is the
famous 'Don Belianis。'〃
〃Well；〃 said the curate； 〃that and the second； third； and fourth
parts all stand in need of a little rhubarb to purge their excess of
bile； and they must be cleared of all that stuff about the Castle of
Fame and other greater affectations； to which end let them be
allowed the over…seas term； and； according as they mend； so shall
mercy or justice be meted out to them； and in the mean time； gossip；
do you keep them in your house and let no one read them。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said the barber； and not caring to tire himself
with reading more books of chivalry； he told the housekeeper to take
all the big ones and throw them into the yard。 It was not said to
one dull or deaf； but to one who enjoyed burning them more than
weaving the broadest and finest web that could be； and seizing about
eight at a time； she flung them out of the window。
In carrying so many together she let one fall at the feet of the
barber； who took it up； curious to know whose it was； and found it
said； 〃History of the Famous Knight； Tirante el Blanco。〃
〃God bless me！〃 said the curate with a shout； 〃'Tirante el Blanco'
here！ Hand it over； gossip； for in it I reckon I have found a treasury
of enjoyment and a mine of recreation。 Here is Don Kyrieleison of
Montalvan； a valiant knight； and his brother Thomas of Montalvan；
and the knight Fonseca； with the battle the bold Tirante fought with
the mastiff； and the witticisms of the damsel Placerdemivida； and
the loves and wiles of the widow Reposada； and the empress in love
with the squire Hipolito… in truth； gossip； by right of its style it
is the best book in the world。 Here knights eat and sleep； and die
in their beds； and make their wills before dying； and a great deal
more of which there is nothing in all the other books。 Nevertheless； I
say he who wrote it； for deliberately composing such fooleries；
deserves to be sent to the galleys for life。 Take it home with you and
read it； and you will see that what I have said is true。〃
〃As you will；〃 said the barber； 〃but what are we to do with these
little books that are left？〃
〃These must be； not chivalry； but poetry；〃 said the curate； and
opening one he saw it was the 〃Diana〃 of Jorge de Montemayor； an