"Oh, senor," said Sancho, "those scoundrels are well used tochanging whatever concerns my master from one thing into another. Aknight that he overcame some time back, called the Knight of theMirrors, they turned into the shape of the bachelor Samson Carrasco ofour town and a great friend of ours; and my lady Dulcinea del Tobosothey have turned into a common country wench; so I suspect thislacquey will have to live and die a lacquey all the days of his life."
Here the Rodriguez's daughter exclaimed, "Let him be who he may,this man that claims me for a wife; I am thankful to him for the same,for I had rather he the lawful wife of a lacquey than the cheatedmistress of a gentleman; though he who played me false is nothing ofthe kind."
To be brief, all the talk and all that had happened ended in Tosilosbeing shut up until it was seen how his transformation turned out. Allhailed Don Quixote as victor, but the greater number were vexed anddisappointed at finding that the combatants they had been so anxiouslywaiting for had not battered one another to pieces, just as the boysare disappointed when the man they are waiting to see hanged doesnot come out, because the prosecution or the court has pardoned him.The people dispersed, the duke and Don Quixote returned to the castle,they locked up Tosilos, Dona Rodriguez and her daughter remainedperfectly contented when they saw that any way the affair must endin marriage, and Tosilos wanted nothing else.
CHAPTER LVII
WHICH TREATS OF HOW DON QUIXOTE TOOK LEAVE OF THE DUKE, AND OFWHAT FOLLOWED WITH THE WITTY AND IMPUDENT ALTISIDORA, ONE OF THEDUCHESS'S DAMSELS
DON QUIXOTE now felt it right to quit a life of such idleness ashe was leading in the castle; for he fancied that he was makinghimself sorely missed by suffering himself to remain shut up andinactive amid the countless luxuries and enjoyments his hosts lavishedupon him as a knight. and he felt too that he would have to render astrict account to heaven of that indolence and seclusion; and so oneday he asked the duke and duchess to grant him permission to takehis departure. They gave it, showing at the same time that they werevery sorry he was leaving them. The duchess gave his wife's letters toSancho Panza, who shed tears over them, saying, "Who would havethought that such grand hopes as the news of my government bred inmy wife Teresa Panza's breast would end in my going back now to thevagabond adventures of my master Don Quixote of La Mancha? Still I'mglad to see my Teresa behaved as she ought in sending the acorns,for if she had not sent them I'd have been sorry, and she'd have shownherself ungrateful. It is a comfort to me that they can't call thatpresent a bribe; for I had got the government already when she sentthem, and it's but reasonable that those who have had a good turn donethem should show their gratitude, if it's only with a trifle. Afterall I went into the government naked, and I come out of it naked; so Ican say with a safe conscience -and that's no small matter- 'naked Iwas born, naked I find myself, I neither lose nor gain.'"
Thus did Sancho soliloquise on the day of their departure, as DonQuixote, who had the night before taken leave of the duke and duchess,coming out made his appearance at an early hour in full armour inthe courtyard of the castle. The whole household of the castle werewatching him from the corridors, and the duke and duchess, too, cameout to see him. Sancho was mounted on his Dapple, with his alforjas,valise, and proven. supremely happy because the duke's majordomo,the same that had acted the part of the Trifaldi, had given him alittle purse with two hundred gold crowns to meet the necessaryexpenses of the road, but of this Don Quixote knew nothing as yet.While all were, as has been said, observing him, suddenly from amongthe duennas and handmaidens the impudent and witty Altisidora liftedup her voice and said in pathetic tones:
Give ear, cruel knight;
Draw rein; where's the need
Of spurring the flanks
Of that ill-broken steed?
From what art thou flying?
No dragon I am,
Not even a sheep,
But a tender young lamb.
Thou hast jilted a maiden
As fair to behold
As nymph of Diana
Or Venus of old.
Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
In thy claws, ruthless robber,
Thou bearest away
The heart of a meek
Loving maid for thy prey,
Three kerchiefs thou stealest,
And garters a pair,
From legs than the whitest
Of marble more fair;
And the sighs that pursue thee
Would burn to the ground
Two thousand Troy Towns,
If so many were found.
Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
May no bowels of mercy
To Sancho be granted,
And thy Dulcinea
Be left still enchanted,
May thy falsehood to me
Find its punishment in her,
For in my land the just
Often pays for the sinner.
May thy grandest adventures
Discomfitures prove,
May thy joys be all dreams,
And forgotten thy love.
Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
May thy name be abhorred
For thy conduct to ladies,
From London to England,
From Seville to Cadiz;
May thy cards be unlucky,
Thy hands contain ne'er a
King, seven, or ace
When thou playest primera;
When thy corns are cut
May it be to the quick;
When thy grinders are drawn
May the roots of them stick.
Bireno, AEneas, what worse shall I call thee?
Barabbas go with thee! All evil befall thee!
All the while the unhappy Altisidora was bewailing herself in theabove strain Don Quixote stood staring at her; and without utteringa word in reply to her he turned round to Sancho and said, "Sanchomy friend, I conjure thee by the life of thy forefathers tell me thetruth; say, hast thou by any chance taken the three kerchiefs andthe garters this love-sick maid speaks of?"
To this Sancho made answer, "The three kerchiefs I have; but thegarters, as much as 'over the hills of Ubeda.'"
The duchess was amazed at Altisidora's assurance; she knew thatshe was bold, lively, and impudent, but not so much so as to ventureto make free in this fashion; and not being prepared for the joke, herastonishment was all the greater. The duke had a mind to keep up thesport, so he said, "It does not seem to me well done in you, sirknight, that after having received the hospitality that has beenoffered you in this very castle, you should have ventured to carry offeven three kerchiefs, not to say my handmaid's garters. It shows a badheart and does not tally with your reputation. Restore her garters, orelse I defy you to mortal combat, for I am not afraid of rascallyenchanters changing or altering my features as they changed his whoencountered you into those of my lacquey, Tosilos."
"God forbid," said Don Quixote, "that I should draw my sword againstyour illustrious person from which I have received such great favours.The kerchiefs I will restore, as Sancho says he has them; as to thegarters that is impossible, for I have not got them, neither has he;and if your handmaiden here will look in her hiding-places, dependupon it she will find them. I have never been a thief, my lord duke,nor do I mean to be so long as I live, if God cease not to have mein his keeping. This damsel by her own confession speaks as one inlove, for which I am not to blame, and therefore need not askpardon, either of her or of your excellence, whom I entreat to havea better opinion of me, and once more to give me leave to pursue myjourney."
"And may God so prosper it, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess,"that we may always hear good news of your exploits; God speed you;for the longer you stay, the more you inflame the hearts of thedamsels who behold you; and as for this one of mine, I will sochastise her that she will not transgress again, either with hereyes or with her words."
"One word and no more, O valiant Don Quixote, I ask you to hear,"said Altisidora, "and that is that I beg your pardon about the theftof the garters; for by God and upon my soul I have got them on, andI have fallen into the same blunder as he did who went looking for hisass being all the while mounted on it."
"Didn't I say so?" said Sancho. "I'm a likely one to hide thefts!Why if I wanted to deal in them, opportunities came ready enough to mein my government."
Don Quixote bowed his head, and saluted the duke and duchess and allthe bystanders, and wheeling Rocinante round, Sancho following himon Dapple, he rode out of the castle, shaping his course forSaragossa.CHAPTER LVIII
WHICH TELLS HOW ADVENTURES CAME CROWDING ON DON QUIXOTE IN SUCHNUMBERS THAT THEY GAVE ONE ANOTHER NO BREATHING-TIME
WHEN Don Quixote saw himself in open country, free, and relievedfrom the attentions of Altisidora, he felt at his ease, and in freshspirits to take up the pursuit of chivalry once more; and turning toSancho he said, "Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious giftsthat heaven has bestowed upon men; no treasures that the earth holdsburied or the sea conceals can compare with it; for freedom, as forhonour, life may and should be ventured; and on the other hand,captivity is the greatest evil that can fall to the lot of man. Isay this, Sancho, because thou hast seen the good cheer, the abundancewe have enjoyed in this castle we are leaving; well then, amid thosedainty banquets and snow-cooled beverages I felt as though I wereundergoing the straits of hunger, because I did not enjoy them withthe same freedom as if they had been mine own; for the sense ofbeing under an obligation to return benefits and favours received is arestraint that checks the independence of the spirit. Happy he, towhom heaven has given a piece of bread for which he is not bound togive thanks to any but heaven itself!"