Sancho made him an obeisance, and said, "Ever since I came down fromheaven, and from the top of it beheld the earth, and saw how little itis, the great desire I had to be a governor has been partly cooledin me; for what is there grand in being ruler on a grain of mustardseed, or what dignity or authority in governing half a dozen men aboutas big as hazel nuts; for, so far as I could see, there were no moreon the whole earth? If your lordship would be so good as to give meever so small a bit of heaven, were it no more than half a league, I'drather have it than the best island in the world."
"Recollect, Sancho," said the duke, "I cannot give a bit ofheaven, no not so much as the breadth of my nail, to anyone; rewardsand favours of that sort are reserved for God alone. What I can give Igive you, and that is a real, genuine island, compact, wellproportioned, and uncommonly fertile and fruitful, where, if youknow how to use your opportunities, you may, with the help of theworld's riches, gain those of heaven."
"Well then," said Sancho, "let the island come; and I'll try andbe such a governor, that in spite of scoundrels I'll go to heaven; andit's not from any craving to quit my own humble condition or bettermyself, but from the desire I have to try what it tastes like to bea governor."
"If you once make trial of it, Sancho," said the duke, "you'll eatyour fingers off after the government, so sweet a thing is it tocommand and be obeyed. Depend upon it when your master comes to beemperor （as he will beyond a doubt from the course his affairs aretaking）， it will be no easy matter to wrest the dignity from him,and he will be sore and sorry at heart to have been so long withoutbecoming one."
"Senor," said Sancho, "it is my belief it's a good thing to be incommand, if it's only over a drove of cattle."
"May I be buried with you, Sancho," said the duke, "but you knoweverything; I hope you will make as good a governor as your sagacitypromises; and that is all I have to say; and now remember to-morrow isthe day you must set out for the government of the island, and thisevening they will provide you with the proper attire for you towear, and all things requisite for your departure."
"Let them dress me as they like," said Sancho; "however I'mdressed I'll be Sancho Panza."
"That's true," said the duke; "but one's dress must be suited to theoffice or rank one holds; for it would not do for a jurist to dresslike a soldier, or a soldier like a priest. You, Sancho, shall gopartly as a lawyer, partly as a captain, for, in the island I amgiving you, arms are needed as much as letters, and letters as much asarms."
"Of letters I know but little," said Sancho, "for I don't evenknow the A B C; but it is enough for me to have the Christus in mymemory to be a good governor. As for arms, I'll handle those they giveme till I drop, and then, God be my help!"
"With so good a memory," said the duke, "Sancho cannot go wrong inanything."
Here Don Quixote joined them; and learning what passed, and how soonSancho was to go to his government, he with the duke's permission tookhim by the hand, and retired to his room with him for the purpose ofgiving him advice as to how he was to demean himself in his office. Assoon as they had entered the chamber he closed the door after him, andalmost by force made Sancho sit down beside him, and in a quiet tonethus addressed him: "I give infinite thanks to heaven, friendSancho, that, before I have met with any good luck, fortune has comeforward to meet thee. I who counted upon my good fortune todischarge the recompense of thy services, find myself still waitingfor advancement, while thou, before the time, and contrary to allreasonable expectation, seest thyself blessed in the fulfillment ofthy desires. Some will bribe, beg, solicit, rise early, entreat,persist, without attaining the object of their suit; while anothercomes, and without knowing why or wherefore, finds himself investedwith the place or office so many have sued for; and here it is thatthe common saying, 'There is good luck as well as bad luck insuits,' applies. Thou, who, to my thinking, art beyond all doubt adullard, without early rising or night watching or taking any trouble,with the mere breath of knight-errantry that has breathed upon thee,seest thyself without more ado governor of an island, as though itwere a mere matter of course. This I say, Sancho, that thouattribute not the favour thou hast received to thine own merits, butgive thanks to heaven that disposes matters beneficently, and secondlythanks to the great power the profession of knight-errantry containsin itself. With a heart, then, inclined to believe what I have said tothee, attend, my son, to thy Cato here who would counsel thee and bethy polestar and guide to direct and pilot thee to a safe haven out ofthis stormy sea wherein thou art about to ingulf thyself; foroffices and great trusts are nothing else but a mighty gulf oftroubles.
"First of all, my son, thou must fear God, for in the fear of him iswisdom, and being wise thou canst not err in aught.
"Secondly, thou must keep in view what thou art, striving to knowthyself, the most difficult thing to know that the mind can imagine.If thou knowest thyself, it will follow thou wilt not puff thyselfup like the frog that strove to make himself as large as the ox; ifthou dost, the recollection of having kept pigs in thine own countrywill serve as the ugly feet for the wheel of thy folly."
"That's the truth," said Sancho; "but that was when I was a boy;afterwards when I was something more of a man it was geese I kept, notpigs. But to my thinking that has nothing to do with it; for all whoare governors don't come of a kingly stock."
"True," said Don Quixote, "and for that reason those who are notof noble origin should take care that the dignity of the office theyhold he accompanied by a gentle suavity, which wisely managed willsave them from the sneers of malice that no station escapes.
"Glory in thy humble birth, Sancho, and he not ashamed of sayingthou art peasant-born; for when it is seen thou art not ashamed no onewill set himself to put thee to the blush; and pride thyself ratherupon being one of lowly virtue than a lofty sinner. Countless are theywho, born of mean parentage, have risen to the highest dignities,pontifical and imperial, and of the truth of this I could give theeinstances enough to weary thee.
"Remember, Sancho, if thou make virtue thy aim, and take a pridein doing virtuous actions, thou wilt have no cause to envy those whohave princely and lordly ones, for blood is an inheritance, but virtuean acquisition, and virtue has in itself alone a worth that blood doesnot possess.
"This being so, if perchance anyone of thy kinsfolk should come tosee thee when thou art in thine island, thou art not to repel orslight him, but on the contrary to welcome him, entertain him, andmake much of him; for in so doing thou wilt be approved of heaven（which is not pleased that any should despise what it hath made），and wilt comply with the laws of well-ordered nature.
"If thou carriest thy wife with thee （and it is not well for thosethat administer governments to be long without their wives）， teach andinstruct her, and strive to smooth down her natural roughness; for allthat may be gained by a wise governor may be lost and wasted by aboorish stupid wife.
"If perchance thou art left a widower- a thing which may happen- andin virtue of thy office seekest a consort of higher degree, choose notone to serve thee for a hook, or for a fishing-rod, or for the hood ofthy 'won't have it;' for verily, I tell thee, for all the judge's wifereceives, the husband will be held accountable at the generalcalling to account; where he will have repay in death fourfold,items that in life he regarded as naught.
"Never go by arbitrary law, which is so much favoured by ignorantmen who plume themselves on cleverness.
"Let the tears of the poor man find with thee more compassion, butnot more justice, than the pleadings of the rich.
"Strive to lay bare the truth, as well amid the promises andpresents of the rich man, as amid the sobs and entreaties of the poor.
"When equity may and should be brought into play, press not theutmost rigour of the law against the guilty; for the reputation of thestern judge stands not higher than that of the compassionate.
"If perchance thou permittest the staff of justice to swerve, let itbe not by the weight of a gift, but by that of mercy.
"If it should happen thee to give judgment in the cause of one whois thine enemy, turn thy thoughts away from thy injury and fix them onthe justice of the case.
"Let not thine own passion blind thee in another man's cause; forthe errors thou wilt thus commit will be most frequently irremediable;or if not, only to be remedied at the expense of thy good name andeven of thy fortune.
"If any handsome woman come to seek justice of thee, turn away thineeyes from her tears and thine ears from her lamentations, and considerdeliberately the merits of her demand, if thou wouldst not have thyreason swept away by her weeping, and thy rectitude by her sighs.
"Abuse not by word him whom thou hast to punish in deed, for thepain of punishment is enough for the unfortunate without theaddition of thine objurgations.