Rocinante； Sancho； and get ready thy ass and the queen's palfrey；
and let us take leave of the castellan and these gentlemen； and go
hence this very instant。〃
Sancho； who was standing by all the time； said； shaking his head；
〃Ah！ master； master； there is more mischief in the village than one
hears of； begging all good bodies' pardon。〃
〃What mischief can there be in any village； or in all the cities
of the world； you booby； that can hurt my reputation？〃 said Don
Quixote。
〃If your worship is angry；〃 replied Sancho； 〃I will hold my tongue
and leave unsaid what as a good squire I am bound to say； and what a
good servant should tell his master。〃
〃Say what thou wilt；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃provided thy words be
not meant to work upon my fears； for thou； if thou fearest； art
behaving like thyself； but I like myself； in not fearing。〃
〃It is nothing of the sort； as I am a sinner before God；〃 said
Sancho； 〃but that I take it to be sure and certain that this lady； who
calls herself queen of the great kingdom of Micomicon； is no more so
than my mother； for； if she was what she says； she would not go
rubbing noses with one that is here every instant and behind every
door。〃
Dorothea turned red at Sancho's words； for the truth was that her
husband Don Fernando had now and then； when the others were not
looking； gathered from her lips some of the reward his love had
earned； and Sancho seeing this had considered that such freedom was
more like a courtesan than a queen of a great kingdom； she； however；
being unable or not caring to answer him； allowed him to proceed；
and he continued； 〃This I say； senor； because； if after we have
travelled roads and highways； and passed bad nights and worse days；
one who is now enjoying himself in this inn is to reap the fruit of
our labours； there is no need for me to be in a hurry to saddle
Rocinante； put the pad on the ass； or get ready the palfrey； for it
will be better for us to stay quiet； and let every jade mind her
spinning； and let us go to dinner。〃
Good God； what was the indignation of Don Quixote when he heard
the audacious words of his squire！ So great was it； that in a voice
inarticulate with rage； with a stammering tongue； and eyes that
flashed living fire； he exclaimed； 〃Rascally clown； boorish； insolent；
and ignorant； ill…spoken； foul…mouthed； impudent backbiter and
slanderer！ Hast thou dared to utter such words in my presence and in
that of these illustrious ladies？ Hast thou dared to harbour such
gross and shameless thoughts in thy muddled imagination？ Begone from
my presence； thou born monster； storehouse of lies； hoard of untruths；
garner of knaveries； inventor of scandals； publisher of absurdities；
enemy of the respect due to royal personages！ Begone； show thyself
no more before me under pain of my wrath；〃 and so saying he knitted
his brows； puffed out his cheeks； gazed around him； and stamped on the
ground violently with his right foot； showing in every way the rage
that was pent up in his heart； and at his words and furious gestures
Sancho was so scared and terrified that he would have been glad if the
earth had opened that instant and swallowed him； and his only
thought was to turn round and make his escape from the angry
presence of his master。
But the ready…witted Dorothea； who by this time so well understood
Don Quixote's humour； said； to mollify his wrath； 〃Be not irritated at
the absurdities your good squire has uttered； Sir Knight of the Rueful
Countenance； for perhaps he did not utter them without cause； and from
his good sense and Christian conscience it is not likely that he would
bear false witness against anyone。 We may therefore believe； without
any hesitation； that since； as you say； sir knight； everything in this
castle goes and is brought about by means of enchantment； Sancho； I
say； may possibly have seen； through this diabolical medium； what he
says he saw so much to the detriment of my modesty。〃
〃I swear by God Omnipotent；〃 exclaimed Don Quixote at this； 〃your
highness has hit the point； and that some vile illusion must have come
before this sinner of a Sancho； that made him see what it would have
been impossible to see by any other means than enchantments； for I
know well enough； from the poor fellow's goodness and harmlessness；
that he is incapable of bearing false witness against anybody。〃
〃True； no doubt；〃 said Don Fernando； 〃for which reason； Senor Don
Quixote； you ought to forgive him and restore him to the bosom of your
favour； sicut erat in principio； before illusions of this sort had
taken away his senses。〃
Don Quixote said he was ready to pardon him； and the curate went for
Sancho； who came in very humbly； and falling on his knees begged for
the hand of his master； who having presented it to him and allowed him
to kiss it； gave him his blessing and said； 〃Now； Sancho my son；
thou wilt be convinced of the truth of what I have many a time told
thee； that everything in this castle is done by means of enchantment。〃
〃So it is； I believe；〃 said Sancho； 〃except the affair of the
blanket； which came to pass in reality by ordinary means。〃
〃Believe it not；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for had it been so； I would
have avenged thee that instant； or even now； but neither then nor
now could I； nor have I seen anyone upon whom to avenge thy wrong。〃
They were all eager to know what the affair of the blanket was；
and the landlord gave them a minute account of Sancho's flights； at
which they laughed not a little； and at which Sancho would have been
no less out of countenance had not his master once more assured him it
was all enchantment。 For all that his simplicity never reached so high
a pitch that he could persuade himself it was not the plain and simple
truth； without any deception whatever about it； that he had been
blanketed by beings of flesh and blood； and not by visionary and
imaginary phantoms； as his master believed and protested。
The illustrious company had now been two days in the inn； and as
it seemed to them time to depart； they devised a plan so that； without
giving Dorothea and Don Fernando the trouble of going back with Don
Quixote to his village under pretence of restoring Queen Micomicona；
the curate and the barber might carry him away with them as they
proposed； and the curate be able to take his madness in hand at
home； and in pursuance of their plan they arranged with the owner of
an oxcart who happened to be passing that way to carry him after
this fashion。 They constructed a kind of cage with wooden bars；
large enough to hold Don Quixote comfortably； and then Don Fernando
and his companions； the servants of Don Luis； and the officers of
the Brotherhood； together with the landlord； by the directions and
advice of the curate； covered their faces and disguised themselves；
some in one way； some in another； so as to appear to Don Quixote quite
different from the persons he had seen in the castle。 This done； in
profound silence they entered the room where he was asleep； taking his
his rest after the past frays； and advancing to where he was
sleeping tranquilly； not dreaming of anything of the kind happening；
they seized him firmly and bound him fast hand and foot； so that； when
he awoke startled； he was unable to move； and could only marvel and
wonder at the strange figures he saw before him； upon which he at once
gave way to the idea which his crazed fancy invariably conjured up
before him； and took it into his head that all these shapes were
phantoms of the enchanted castle； and that he himself was
unquestionably enchanted as he could neither move nor help himself；
precisely what the curate； the concoctor of the scheme； expected would
happen。 Of all that were there Sancho was the only one who was at once
in his senses and in his own proper character； and he； though he was
within very little of sharing his master's infirmity； did not fail
to perceive who all these disguised figures were； but he did not
dare to open his lips until he saw what came of this assault and
capture of his master； nor did the latter utter a word； waiting to the
upshot of his mishap； which was that bringing in the cage； they shut
him up in it and nailed the bars so firmly that they could not be
easily burst open。 They then took him on their shoulders； and as
they passed out of the room an awful voice… as much so as the
barber； not he of the pack…saddle but the other； was able to make
it… was heard to say； 〃O Knight of the Rueful Countenance； let not
this captivity in which thou art placed afflict thee； for this must
needs be； for the more speedy accomplishment of the adventure in which
thy great heart has engaged thee； the which shall be accomplished when
the raging Manchegan lion and the white Tobosan dove shall be linked
together； having first humbled their haughty necks to the gentle
yoke of matrimony。 And from this marvellous union shall come forth
to the light of the world brave whelps that shall rival the ravening
claws of their valiant father； and this shall come to pass ere the
pursuer of the flying nymph shall in his swift natural course have
twice visited the starry signs。 And thou； O most noble and obedient
squire that ever bore sword at side； beard on face； or nose to smell
with； be not dismayed or grieved to see the flower of
knight…errantry carried away thus before thy very eyes； for soon； if
it so please the Framer of the universe； thou shalt see thyself
exalted to such a height that thou shalt not know thyself； and the
promises which thy good master has made thee shall not prove false；
and I assure thee； on the authority of the sage Mentironiana； that thy
wages shall be paid thee； as thou shalt see in due season。 Follow then
the footsteps of the valiant enchanted knight； for it is expedient
that thou shouldst go to the destination assigned to both of you；
and as it is not permitted to me to say more； God be with thee； for
I return to that place I wot of；〃 and as he brought the prophecy to
a close he raised his voice to a high pitch； and then lowered it to
such a soft tone； that even those who knew it was all a joke were
almost inclined to take what they heard seriously。
Don Quixote was comforted by the pro