## THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE, By Cervantes, II-v31

    The Project Gutenberg EBook Don Quixote, II-v31, by Cervantes, Illustrated
    #34 in our series by Miguel de Cervantes
    [Illustrated by Gustave Dore; Translation of Ormsby][Part II., Chapters 44-45]

    Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
    copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
    this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.

    This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
    Gutenberg file.  Please do not remove it.  Do not change or edit the
    header without written permission.

    Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
    eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file.  Included is
    important information about your specific rights and restrictions in
    how the file may be used.  You can also find out about how to make a
    donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.

    **Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**

    **EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**

    *****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers*****

    Title: The History of Don Quixote, with Illustrations by Dore, v31

    Author: Miguel de Cervantes

    Release Date: June, 2004  [EBook #5934]
    [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
    [This file was first posted on October 13, 2002]

    Edition: 10

    Language: English

    Character set encoding: ASCII

    *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, II-31, CERVANTES ***

    This eBook was produced by David Widger [widger@cecomet.net]

# DON QUIXOTE

## by Miguel de Cervantes

### Translated by John Ormsby

### Part II, Volume 31
Chapters 44-45

> > ### Ebook Editor's Note

> > The book cover and spine above and the images which follow were not part of the original Ormsby translation--they are taken from the 1880 edition of J. W. Clark, illustrated by Gustave Dore. Clark in his edition states that, "The English text of 'Don Quixote' adopted in this edition is that of Jarvis, with occasional corrections from Motteaux." See in the introduction below John Ormsby's critique of both the Jarvis and Motteaux translations. It has been elected in the present Project Gutenberg edition to attach the famous engravings of Gustave Dore to the Ormsby translation instead of the Jarvis/Motteaux. The detail of many of the Dore engravings can be fully appreciated only by utilizing the "Full Size" button to expand them to their original dimensions. Ormsby in his Preface has criticized the fanciful nature of Dore's illustrations; others feel that these woodcuts and steel engravings well match the dreams of the man from La Mancha. D.W.

## CONTENTS

### Part II.

>     CHAPTER XLIV
>     HOW SANCHO PANZA WAS CONDUCTED TO HIS GOVERNMENT, AND OF THE STRANGE
>     ADVENTURE THAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE IN THE CASTLE

>     CHAPTER XLV
>     OF HOW THE GREAT SANCHO PANZA TOOK POSSESSION OF HIS ISLAND, AND
>     OF HOW HE MADE A BEGINNING IN GOVERNING

# DON QUIXOTE

## PART II.

## CHAPTER XLIV.

### HOW SANCHO PANZA WAS CONDUCTED TO HIS GOVERNMENT, AND OF THE STRANGE ADVENTURE THAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE IN THE CASTLE

It is stated, they say, in the true original of this history, that when Cide Hamete came to write this chapter, his interpreter did not translate it as he wrote it--that is, as a kind of complaint the Moor made against himself for having taken in hand a story so dry and of so little variety as this of Don Quixote, for he found himself forced to speak perpetually of him and Sancho, without venturing to indulge in digressions and episodes more serious and more interesting. He said, too, that to go on, mind, hand, pen always restricted to writing upon one single subject, and speaking through the mouths of a few characters, was intolerable drudgery, the result of which was never equal to the author's labour, and that to avoid this he had in the First Part availed himself of the device of novels, like "The Ill-advised Curiosity," and "The Captive Captain," which stand, as it were, apart from the story; the others are given there being incidents which occurred to Don Quixote himself and could not be omitted. He also thought, he says, that many, engrossed by the interest attaching to the exploits of Don Quixote, would take none in the novels, and pass them over hastily or impatiently without noticing the elegance and art of their composition, which would be very manifest were they published by themselves and not as mere adjuncts to the crazes of Don Quixote or the simplicities of Sancho. Therefore in this Second Part he thought it best not to insert novels, either separate or interwoven, but only episodes, something like them, arising out of the circumstances the facts present; and even these sparingly, and with no more words than suffice to make them plain; and as he confines and restricts himself to the narrow limits of the narrative, though he has ability; capacity, and brains enough to deal with the whole universe, he requests that his labours may not be despised, and that credit be given him, not alone for what he writes, but for what he has refrained from writing.

And so he goes on with his story, saying that the day Don Quixote gave the counsels to Sancho, the same afternoon after dinner he handed them to him in writing so that he might get some one to read them to him. They had scarcely, however, been given to him when he let them drop, and they fell into the hands of the duke, who showed them to the duchess and they were both amazed afresh at the madness and wit of Don Quixote. To carry on the joke, then, the same evening they despatched Sancho with a large following to the village that was to serve him for an island. It happened that the person who had him in charge was a majordomo of the duke's, a man of great discretion and humour--and there can be no humour without discretion--and the same who played the part of the Countess Trifaldi in the comical way that has been already described; and thus qualified, and instructed by his master and mistress as to how to deal with Sancho, he carried out their scheme admirably. Now it came to pass that as soon as Sancho saw this majordomo he seemed in his features to recognise those of the Trifaldi, and turning to his master, he said to him, "Senor, either the devil will carry me off, here on this spot, righteous and believing, or your worship will own to me that the face of this majordomo of the duke's here is the very face of the Distressed One."

Don Quixote regarded the majordomo attentively, and having done so, said to Sancho, "There is no reason why the devil should carry thee off, Sancho, either righteous or believing--and what thou meanest by that I know not; the face of the Distressed One is that of the majordomo, but for all that the majordomo is not the Distressed One; for his being so would involve a mighty contradiction; but this is not the time for going into questions of the sort, which would be involving ourselves in an inextricable labyrinth. Believe me, my friend, we must pray earnestly to our Lord that he deliver us both from wicked wizards and enchanters."

"It is no joke, senor," said Sancho, "for before this I heard him speak, and it seemed exactly as if the voice of the Trifaldi was sounding in my ears. Well, I'll hold my peace; but I'll take care to be on the look-out henceforth for any sign that may be seen to confirm or do away with this suspicion."

"Thou wilt do well, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and thou wilt let me know all thou discoverest, and all that befalls thee in thy government."

Sancho at last set out attended by a great number of people. He was dressed in the garb of a lawyer, with a gaban of tawny watered camlet over all and a montera cap of the same material, and mounted a la gineta upon a mule. Behind him, in accordance with the duke's orders, followed Dapple with brand new ass-trappings and ornaments of silk, and from time to time Sancho turned round to look at his ass, so well pleased to have him with him that he would not have changed places with the emperor of Germany. On taking leave he kissed the hands of the duke and duchess and got his master's blessing, which Don Quixote gave him with tears, and he received blubbering.

Let worthy Sancho go in peace, and good luck to him, Gentle Reader; and look out for two bushels of laughter, which the account of how he behaved himself in office will give thee. In the meantime turn thy attention to what happened his master the same night, and if thou dost not laugh thereat, at any rate thou wilt stretch thy mouth with a grin; for Don Quixote's adventures must be honoured either with wonder or with laughter.

It is recorded, then, that as soon as Sancho had gone, Don Quixote felt his loneliness, and had it been possible for him to revoke the mandate and take away the government from him he would have done so. The duchess observed his dejection and asked him why he was melancholy; because, she said, if it was for the loss of Sancho, there were squires, duennas, and damsels in her house who would wait upon him to his full satisfaction.

"The truth is, senora," replied Don Quixote, "that I do feel the loss of Sancho; but that is not the main cause of my looking sad; and of all the offers your excellence makes me, I accept only the good-will with which they are made, and as to the remainder I entreat of your excellence to permit and allow me alone to wait upon myself in my chamber."

"Indeed, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, "that must not be; four of my damsels, as beautiful as flowers, shall wait upon you."

"To me," said Don Quixote, "they will not be flowers, but thorns to pierce my heart. They, or anything like them, shall as soon enter my chamber as fly. If your highness wishes to gratify me still further, though I deserve it not, permit me to please myself, and wait upon myself in my own room; for I place a barrier between my inclinations and my virtue, and I do not wish to break this rule through the generosity your highness is disposed to display towards me; and, in short, I will sleep in my clothes, sooner than allow anyone to undress me."

"Say no more, Senor Don Quixote, say no more," said the duchess; "I assure you I will give orders that not even a fly, not to say a damsel, shall enter your room. I am not the one to undermine the propriety of Senor Don Quixote, for it strikes me that among his many virtues the one that is pre-eminent is that of modesty. Your worship may undress and dress in private and in your own way, as you please and when you please, for there will be no one to hinder you; and in your chamber you will find all the utensils requisite to supply the wants of one who sleeps with his door locked, to the end that no natural needs compel you to open it. May the great Dulcinea del Toboso live a thousand years, and may her fame extend all over the surface of the globe, for she deserves to be loved by a knight so valiant and so virtuous; and may kind heaven infuse zeal into the heart of our governor Sancho Panza to finish off his discipline speedily, so that the world may once more enjoy the beauty of so grand a lady."

To which Don Quixote replied, "Your highness has spoken like what you are; from the mouth of a noble lady nothing bad can come; and Dulcinea will be more fortunate, and better known to the world by the praise of your highness than by all the eulogies the greatest orators on earth could bestow upon her."

"Well, well, Senor Don Quixote," said the duchess, is nearly supper-time, and the duke is is probably waiting; come let us go to supper, and retire to rest early, for the journey you made yesterday from Kandy was not such a short one but that it must have caused you some fatigue."

"I feel none, senora," said Don Quixote, "for I would go so far as to swear to your excellence that in all my life I never mounted a quieter beast, or a pleasanter paced one, than Clavileno; and I don't know what could have induced Malambruno to discard a steed so swift and so gentle, and burn it so recklessly as he did."

"Probably," said the duchess, "repenting of the evil he had done to the Trifaldi and company, and others, and the crimes he must have committed as a wizard and enchanter, he resolved to make away with all the instruments of his craft; and so burned Clavileno as the chief one, and that which mainly kept him restless, wandering from land to land; and by its ashes and the trophy of the placard the valour of the great Don Quixote of La Mancha is established for ever."

Don Quixote renewed his thanks to the duchess; and having supped, retired to his chamber alone, refusing to allow anyone to enter with him to wait on him, such was his fear of encountering temptations that might lead or drive him to forget his chaste fidelity to his lady Dulcinea; for he had always present to his mind the virtue of Amadis, that flower and mirror of knights-errant. He locked the door behind him, and by the light of two wax candles undressed himself, but as he was taking off his stockings--O disaster unworthy of such a personage!--there came a burst, not of sighs, or anything belying his delicacy or good breeding, but of some two dozen stitches in one of his stockings, that made it look like a window-lattice. The worthy gentleman was beyond measure distressed, and at that moment he would have given an ounce of silver to have had half a drachm of green silk there; I say green silk, because the stockings were green.

Here Cide Hamete exclaimed as he was writing, "O poverty, poverty! I know not what could have possessed the great Cordovan poet to call thee 'holy gift ungratefully received.' Although a Moor, I know well enough from the intercourse I have had with Christians that holiness consists in charity, humility, faith, obedience, and poverty; but for all that, I say he must have a great deal of godliness who can find any satisfaction in being poor; unless, indeed, it be the kind of poverty one of their greatest saints refers to, saying, 'possess all things as though ye possessed them not;' which is what they call poverty in spirit. But thou, that other poverty--for it is of thee I am speaking now--why dost thou love to fall out with gentlemen and men of good birth more than with other people? Why dost thou compel them to smear the cracks in their shoes, and to have the buttons of their coats, one silk, another hair, and another glass? Why must their ruffs be always crinkled like endive leaves, and not crimped with a crimping iron?" (From this we may perceive the antiquity of starch and crimped ruffs.) Then he goes on: "Poor gentleman of good family! always cockering up his honour, dining miserably and in secret, and making a hypocrite of the toothpick with which he sallies out into the street after eating nothing to oblige him to use it! Poor fellow, I say, with his nervous honour, fancying they perceive a league off the patch on his shoe, the sweat-stains on his hat, the shabbiness of his cloak, and the hunger of his stomach!"

All this was brought home to Don Quixote by the bursting of his stitches; however, he comforted himself on perceiving that Sancho had left behind a pair of travelling boots, which he resolved to wear the next day. At last he went to bed, out of spirits and heavy at heart, as much because he missed Sancho as because of the irreparable disaster to his stockings, the stitches of which he would have even taken up with silk of another colour, which is one of the greatest signs of poverty a gentleman can show in the course of his never-failing embarrassments. He put out the candles; but the night was warm and he could not sleep; he rose from his bed and opened slightly a grated window that looked out on a beautiful garden, and as he did so he perceived and heard people walking and talking in the garden. He set himself to listen attentively, and those below raised their voices so that he could hear these words:

"Urge me not to sing, Emerencia, for thou knowest that ever since this stranger entered the castle and my eyes beheld him, I cannot sing but only weep; besides my lady is a light rather than a heavy sleeper, and I would not for all the wealth of the world that she found us here; and even if she were asleep and did not waken, my singing would be in vain, if this strange AEneas, who has come into my neighbourhood to flout me, sleeps on and wakens not to hear it."

"Heed not that, dear Altisidora," replied a voice; "the duchess is no doubt asleep, and everybody in the house save the lord of thy heart and disturber of thy soul; for just now I perceived him open the grated window of his chamber, so he must be awake; sing, my poor sufferer, in a low sweet tone to the accompaniment of thy harp; and even if the duchess hears us we can lay the blame on the heat of the night."

"That is not the point, Emerencia," replied Altisidora, "it is that I would not that my singing should lay bare my heart, and that I should be thought a light and wanton maiden by those who know not the mighty power of love; but come what may; better a blush on the cheeks than a sore in the heart;" and here a harp softly touched made itself heard. As he listened to all this Don Quixote was in a state of breathless amazement, for immediately the countless adventures like this, with windows, gratings, gardens, serenades, lovemakings, and languishings, that he had read of in his trashy books of chivalry, came to his mind. He at once concluded that some damsel of the duchess's was in love with him, and that her modesty forced her to keep her passion secret. He trembled lest he should fall, and made an inward resolution not to yield; and commending himself with all his might and soul to his lady Dulcinea he made up his mind to listen to the music; and to let them know he was there he gave a pretended sneeze, at which the damsels were not a little delighted, for all they wanted was that Don Quixote should hear them. So having tuned the harp, Altisidora, running her hand across the strings, began this ballad:

> >     O thou that art above in bed,
> >       Between the holland sheets,
> >     A-lying there from night till morn,
> >       With outstretched legs asleep;

> >     O thou, most valiant knight of all
> >       The famed Manchegan breed,
> >     Of purity and virtue more
> >       Than gold of Araby;

> >     Give ear unto a suffering maid,
> >       Well-grown but evil-starr'd,
> >     For those two suns of thine have lit
> >       A fire within her heart.

> >     Adventures seeking thou dost rove,
> >       To others bringing woe;
> >     Thou scatterest wounds, but, ah, the balm
> >       To heal them dost withhold!

> >     Say, valiant youth, and so may God
> >       Thy enterprises speed,
> >     Didst thou the light mid Libya's sands
> >       Or Jaca's rocks first see?

> >     Did scaly serpents give thee suck?
> >       Who nursed thee when a babe?
> >     Wert cradled in the forest rude,
> >       Or gloomy mountain cave?

> >     O Dulcinea may be proud,
> >       That plump and lusty maid;
> >     For she alone hath had the power
> >       A tiger fierce to tame.

> >     And she for this shall famous be
> >       From Tagus to Jarama,
> >     From Manzanares to Genil,
> >       From Duero to Arlanza.

> >     Fain would I change with her, and give
> >       A petticoat to boot,
> >     The best and bravest that I have,
> >       All trimmed with gold galloon.

> >     O for to be the happy fair
> >       Thy mighty arms enfold,
> >     Or even sit beside thy bed
> >       And scratch thy dusty poll!

> >     I rave,--to favours such as these
> >       Unworthy to aspire;
> >     Thy feet to tickle were enough
> >       For one so mean as I.

> >     What caps, what slippers silver-laced,
> >       Would I on thee bestow!
> >     What damask breeches make for thee;
> >       What fine long holland cloaks!

> >     And I would give thee pearls that should
> >       As big as oak-galls show;
> >     So matchless big that each might well
> >       Be called the great "Alone."

> >     Manchegan Nero, look not down
> >       From thy Tarpeian Rock
> >     Upon this burning heart, nor add
> >       The fuel of thy wrath.

> >     A virgin soft and young am I,
> >       Not yet fifteen years old;
> >     (I'm only three months past fourteen,
> >       I swear upon my soul).
> >     I hobble not nor do I limp,
> >       All blemish I'm without,
> >     And as I walk my lily locks
> >       Are trailing on the ground.

> >     And though my nose be rather flat,
> >       And though my mouth be wide,
> >     My teeth like topazes exalt
> >       My beauty to the sky.

> >     Thou knowest that my voice is sweet,
> >       That is if thou dost hear;
> >     And I am moulded in a form
> >       Somewhat below the mean.

> >     These charms, and many more, are thine,
> >       Spoils to thy spear and bow all;
> >     A damsel of this house am I,
> >       By name Altisidora.

Here the lay of the heart-stricken Altisidora came to an end, while the warmly wooed Don Quixote began to feel alarm; and with a deep sigh he said to himself, "O that I should be such an unlucky knight that no damsel can set eyes on me but falls in love with me! O that the peerless Dulcinea should be so unfortunate that they cannot let her enjoy my incomparable constancy in peace! What would ye with her, ye queens? Why do ye persecute her, ye empresses? Why ye pursue her, ye virgins of from fourteen to fifteen? Leave the unhappy being to triumph, rejoice and glory in the lot love has been pleased to bestow upon her in surrendering my heart and yielding up my soul to her. Ye love-smitten host, know that to Dulcinea only I am dough and sugar-paste, flint to all others; for her I am honey, for you aloes. For me Dulcinea alone is beautiful, wise, virtuous, graceful, and high-bred, and all others are ill-favoured, foolish, light, and low-born. Nature sent me into the world to be hers and no other's; Altisidora may weep or sing, the lady for whose sake they belaboured me in the castle of the enchanted Moor may give way to despair, but I must be Dulcinea's, boiled or roast, pure, courteous, and chaste, in spite of all the magic-working powers on earth." And with that he shut the window with a bang, and, as much out of temper and out of sorts as if some great misfortune had befallen him, stretched himself on his bed, where we will leave him for the present, as the great Sancho Panza, who is about to set up his famous government, now demands our attention.

## CHAPTER XLV.

### OF HOW THE GREAT SANCHO PANZA TOOK POSSESSION OF HIS ISLAND, AND OF HOW HE MADE A BEGINNING IN GOVERNING

O perpetual discoverer of the antipodes, torch of the world, eye of heaven, sweet stimulator of the water-coolers! Thimbraeus here, Phoebus there, now archer, now physician, father of poetry, inventor of music; thou that always risest and, notwithstanding appearances, never settest! To thee, O Sun, by whose aid man begetteth man, to thee I appeal to help me and lighten the darkness of my wit that I may be able to proceed with scrupulous exactitude in giving an account of the great Sancho Panza's government; for without thee I feel myself weak, feeble, and uncertain.

To come to the point, then--Sancho with all his attendants arrived at a village of some thousand inhabitants, and one of the largest the duke possessed. They informed him that it was called the island of Barataria, either because the name of the village was Baratario, or because of the joke by way of which the government had been conferred upon him. On reaching the gates of the town, which was a walled one, the municipality came forth to meet him, the bells rang out a peal, and the inhabitants showed every sign of general satisfaction; and with great pomp they conducted him to the principal church to give thanks to God, and then with burlesque ceremonies they presented him with the keys of the town, and acknowledged him as perpetual governor of the island of Barataria. The costume, the beard, and the fat squat figure of the new governor astonished all those who were not in the secret, and even all who were, and they were not a few. Finally, leading him out of the church they carried him to the judgment seat and seated him on it, and the duke's majordomo said to him, "It is an ancient custom in this island, senor governor, that he who comes to take possession of this famous island is bound to answer a question which shall be put to him, and which must he a somewhat knotty and difficult one; and by his answer the people take the measure of their new governor's wit, and hail with joy or deplore his arrival accordingly."

While the majordomo was making this speech Sancho was gazing at several large letters inscribed on the wall opposite his seat, and as he could not read he asked what that was that was painted on the wall. The answer was, "Senor, there is written and recorded the day on which your lordship took possession of this island, and the inscription says, 'This day, the so-and-so of such-and-such a month and year, Senor Don Sancho Panza took possession of this island; many years may he enjoy it.'"

"And whom do they call Don Sancho Panza?" asked Sancho.

"Your lordship," replied the majordomo; "for no other Panza but the one who is now seated in that chair has ever entered this island."

"Well then, let me tell you, brother," said Sancho, "I haven't got the 'Don,' nor has any one of my family ever had it; my name is plain Sancho Panza, and Sancho was my father's name, and Sancho was my grandfather's and they were all Panzas, without any Dons or Donas tacked on; I suspect that in this island there are more Dons than stones; but never mind; God knows what I mean, and maybe if my government lasts four days I'll weed out these Dons that no doubt are as great a nuisance as the midges, they're so plenty. Let the majordomo go on with his question, and I'll give the best answer I can, whether the people deplore or not."

At this instant there came into court two old men, one carrying a cane by way of a walking-stick, and the one who had no stick said, "Senor, some time ago I lent this good man ten gold-crowns in gold to gratify him and do him a service, on the condition that he was to return them to me whenever I should ask for them. A long time passed before I asked for them, for I would not put him to any greater straits to return them than he was in when I lent them to him; but thinking he was growing careless about payment I asked for them once and several times; and not only will he not give them back, but he denies that he owes them, and says I never lent him any such crowns; or if I did, that he repaid them; and I have no witnesses either of the loan, or the payment, for he never paid me; I want your worship to put him to his oath, and if he swears he returned them to me I forgive him the debt here and before God."

"What say you to this, good old man, you with the stick?" said Sancho.

To which the old man replied, "I admit, senor, that he lent them to me; but let your worship lower your staff, and as he leaves it to my oath, I'll swear that I gave them back, and paid him really and truly."

The governor lowered the staff, and as he did so the old man who had the stick handed it to the other old man to hold for him while he swore, as if he found it in his way; and then laid his hand on the cross of the staff, saying that it was true the ten crowns that were demanded of him had been lent him; but that he had with his own hand given them back into the hand of the other, and that he, not recollecting it, was always asking for them.

Seeing this the great governor asked the creditor what answer he had to make to what his opponent said. He said that no doubt his debtor had told the truth, for he believed him to be an honest man and a good Christian, and he himself must have forgotten when and how he had given him back the crowns; and that from that time forth he would make no further demand upon him.

The debtor took his stick again, and bowing his head left the court. Observing this, and how, without another word, he made off, and observing too the resignation of the plaintiff, Sancho buried his head in his bosom and remained for a short space in deep thought, with the forefinger of his right hand on his brow and nose; then he raised his head and bade them call back the old man with the stick, for he had already taken his departure. They brought him back, and as soon as Sancho saw him he said, "Honest man, give me that stick, for I want it."

"Willingly," said the old man; "here it is senor," and he put it into his hand.

Sancho took it and, handing it to the other old man, said to him, "Go, and God be with you; for now you are paid."

"I, senor!" returned the old man; "why, is this cane worth ten gold-crowns?"

"Yes," said the governor, "or if not I am the greatest dolt in the world; now you will see whether I have got the headpiece to govern a whole kingdom;" and he ordered the cane to be broken in two, there, in the presence of all. It was done, and in the middle of it they found ten gold-crowns. All were filled with amazement, and looked upon their governor as another Solomon. They asked him how he had come to the conclusion that the ten crowns were in the cane; he replied, that observing how the old man who swore gave the stick to his opponent while he was taking the oath, and swore that he had really and truly given him the crowns, and how as soon as he had done swearing he asked for the stick again, it came into his head that the sum demanded must be inside it; and from this he said it might be seen that God sometimes guides those who govern in their judgments, even though they may be fools; besides he had himself heard the curate of his village mention just such another case, and he had so good a memory, that if it was not that he forgot everything he wished to remember, there would not be such a memory in all the island. To conclude, the old men went off, one crestfallen, and the other in high contentment, all who were present were astonished, and he who was recording the words, deeds, and movements of Sancho could not make up his mind whether he was to look upon him and set him down as a fool or as a man of sense.

As soon as this case was disposed of, there came into court a woman holding on with a tight grip to a man dressed like a well-to-do cattle dealer, and she came forward making a great outcry and exclaiming, "Justice, senor governor, justice! and if I don't get it on earth I'll go look for it in heaven. Senor governor of my soul, this wicked man caught me in the middle of the fields here and used my body as if it was an ill-washed rag, and, woe is me! got from me what I had kept these three-and-twenty years and more, defending it against Moors and Christians, natives and strangers; and I always as hard as an oak, and keeping myself as pure as a salamander in the fire, or wool among the brambles, for this good fellow to come now with clean hands to handle me!"

"It remains to be proved whether this gallant has clean hands or not," said Sancho; and turning to the man he asked him what he had to say in answer to the woman's charge.

He all in confusion made answer, "Sirs, I am a poor pig dealer, and this morning I left the village to sell (saving your presence) four pigs, and between dues and cribbings they got out of me little less than the worth of them. As I was returning to my village I fell in on the road with this good dame, and the devil who makes a coil and a mess out of everything, yoked us together. I paid her fairly, but she not contented laid hold of me and never let go until she brought me here; she says I forced her, but she lies by the oath I swear or am ready to swear; and this is the whole truth and every particle of it."

The governor on this asked him if he had any money in silver about him; he said he had about twenty ducats in a leather purse in his bosom. The governor bade him take it out and hand it to the complainant; he obeyed trembling; the woman took it, and making a thousand salaams to all and praying to God for the long life and health of the senor governor who had such regard for distressed orphans and virgins, she hurried out of court with the purse grasped in both her hands, first looking, however, to see if the money it contained was silver.

As soon as she was gone Sancho said to the cattle dealer, whose tears were already starting and whose eyes and heart were following his purse, "Good fellow, go after that woman and take the purse from her, by force even, and come back with it here;" and he did not say it to one who was a fool or deaf, for the man was off like a flash of lightning, and ran to do as he was bid.

All the bystanders waited anxiously to see the end of the case, and presently both man and woman came back at even closer grips than before, she with her petticoat up and the purse in the lap of it, and he struggling hard to take it from her, but all to no purpose, so stout was the woman's defence, she all the while crying out, "Justice from God and the world! see here, senor governor, the shamelessness and boldness of this villain, who in the middle of the town, in the middle of the street, wanted to take from me the purse your worship bade him give me."

"And did he take it?" asked the governor.

"Take it!" said the woman; "I'd let my life be taken from me sooner than the purse. A pretty child I'd be! It's another sort of cat they must throw in my face, and not that poor scurvy knave. Pincers and hammers, mallets and chisels would not get it out of my grip; no, nor lions' claws; the soul from out of my body first!"

"She is right," said the man; "I own myself beaten and powerless; I confess I haven't the strength to take it from her;" and he let go his hold of her.

Upon this the governor said to the woman, "Let me see that purse, my worthy and sturdy friend." She handed it to him at once, and the governor returned it to the man, and said to the unforced mistress of force, "Sister, if you had shown as much, or only half as much, spirit and vigour in defending your body as you have shown in defending that purse, the strength of Hercules could not have forced you. Be off, and God speed you, and bad luck to you, and don't show your face in all this island, or within six leagues of it on any side, under pain of two hundred lashes; be off at once, I say, you shameless, cheating shrew."

The woman was cowed and went off disconsolately, hanging her head; and the governor said to the man, "Honest man, go home with your money, and God speed you; and for the future, if you don't want to lose it, see that you don't take it into your head to yoke with anybody." The man thanked him as clumsily as he could and went his way, and the bystanders were again filled with admiration at their new governor's judgments and sentences.

Next, two men, one apparently a farm labourer, and the other a tailor, for he had a pair of shears in his hand, presented themselves before him, and the tailor said, "Senor governor, this labourer and I come before your worship by reason of this honest man coming to my shop yesterday (for saving everybody's presence I'm a passed tailor, God be thanked), and putting a piece of cloth into my hands and asking me, 'Senor, will there be enough in this cloth to make me a cap?' Measuring the cloth I said there would. He probably suspected--as I supposed, and I supposed right--that I wanted to steal some of the cloth, led to think so by his own roguery and the bad opinion people have of tailors; and he told me to see if there would he enough for two. I guessed what he would be at, and I said 'yes.' He, still following up his original unworthy notion, went on adding cap after cap, and I 'yes' after 'yes,' until we got as far as five. He has just this moment come for them; I gave them to him, but he won't pay me for the making; on the contrary, he calls upon me to pay him, or else return his cloth."

"Is all this true, brother?" said Sancho.

"Yes," replied the man; "but will your worship make him show the five caps he has made me?"

"With all my heart," said the tailor; and drawing his hand from under his cloak he showed five caps stuck upon the five fingers of it, and said, "there are the caps this good man asks for; and by God and upon my conscience I haven't a scrap of cloth left, and I'll let the work be examined by the inspectors of the trade."

All present laughed at the number of caps and the novelty of the suit; Sancho set himself to think for a moment, and then said, "It seems to me that in this case it is not necessary to deliver long-winded arguments, but only to give off-hand the judgment of an honest man; and so my decision is that the tailor lose the making and the labourer the cloth, and that the caps go to the prisoners in the gaol, and let there be no more about it."

If the previous decision about the cattle dealer's purse excited the admiration of the bystanders, this provoked their laughter; however, the governor's orders were after all executed. All this, having been taken down by his chronicler, was at once despatched to the duke, who was looking out for it with great eagerness; and here let us leave the good Sancho; for his master, sorely troubled in mind by Altisidora's music, has pressing claims upon us now.

    *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON QUIXOTE, II-31, BY CERVANTES ***

    ********* This file should be named qx31w10h.html or qx31w10h.zip *********

    Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, qx31w11h.html
    VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, qx31w10ha.html

    This eBook was produced by David Widger [widger@cecomet.net]

    Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed
    editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US
    unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we usually do not
    keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

    We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance
    of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing.
    Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections,
    even years after the official publication date.

    Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til
    midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement.
    The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at
    Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month.  A
    preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment
    and editing by those who wish to do so.

    Most people start at our Web sites at:
    http://gutenberg.net or
    http://promo.net/pg

    These Web sites include award-winning information about Project
    Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new
    eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!).

    Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement
    can get to them as follows, and just download by date.  This is
    also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the
    indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an
    announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter.

    http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or
    ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03

    Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90

    Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want,
    as it appears in our Newsletters.

    Information about Project Gutenberg (one page)

    We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work.  The
    time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours
    to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright
    searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc.   Our
    projected audience is one hundred million readers.  If the value
    per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2
    million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text
    files per month:  1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+
    We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002
    If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total
    will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end.

    The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks!
    This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers,
    which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users.

    Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated):

    eBooks Year Month

        1  1971 July
       10  1991 January
      100  1994 January
     1000  1997 August
     1500  1998 October
     2000  1999 December
     2500  2000 December
     3000  2001 November
     4000  2001 October/November
     6000  2002 December*
     9000  2003 November*
    10000  2004 January*

    The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created
    to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium.

    We need your donations more than ever!

    As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people
    and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut,
    Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois,
    Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
    Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
    Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
    Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South
    Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
    Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

    We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones
    that have responded.

    As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list
    will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states.
    Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state.

    In answer to various questions we have received on this:

    We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally
    request donations in all 50 states.  If your state is not listed and
    you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have,
    just ask.

    While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are
    not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting
    donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to
    donate.

    International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about
    how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made
    deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are
    ways.

    Donations by check or money order may be sent to:

    Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
    PMB 113
    1739 University Ave.
    Oxford, MS 38655-4109

    Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment
    method other than by check or money order.

    The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by
    the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN
    [Employee Identification Number] 64-622154.  Donations are
    tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law.  As fund-raising
    requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be
    made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states.

    We need your donations more than ever!

    You can get up to date donation information online at:

    http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html

    ***

    If you can't reach Project Gutenberg,
    you can always email directly to:

    Michael S. Hart [hart@pobox.com]

    Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message.

    We would prefer to send you information by email.

    **The Legal Small Print**

    (Three Pages)

    ***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START***
    Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers.
    They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with
    your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from
    someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our
    fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement
    disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how
    you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to.

    *BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK
    By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
    eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept
    this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive
    a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by
    sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person
    you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical
    medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request.

    ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS
    This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks,
    is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart
    through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project").
    Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright
    on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and
    distribute it in the United States without permission and
    without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth
    below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook
    under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark.

    Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market
    any commercial products without permission.

    To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable
    efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain
    works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any
    medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other
    things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or
    corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
    intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged
    disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer
    codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

    LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES
    But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below,
    [1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may
    receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims
    all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including
    legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR
    UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT,
    INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE
    OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE
    POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

    If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of
    receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any)
    you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that
    time to the person you received it from. If you received it
    on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and
    such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement
    copy. If you received it electronically, such person may
    choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to
    receive it electronically.

    THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER
    WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS
    TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT
    LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
    PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

    Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or
    the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the
    above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you
    may have other legal rights.

    INDEMNITY
    You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation,
    and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated
    with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
    texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including
    legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the
    following that you do or cause:  [1] distribution of this eBook,
    [2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook,
    or [3] any Defect.

    DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm"
    You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by
    disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this
    "Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg,
    or:

    [1]  Only give exact copies of it.  Among other things, this
         requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the
         eBook or this "small print!" statement.  You may however,
         if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable
         binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form,
         including any form resulting from conversion by word
         processing or hypertext software, but only so long as
         *EITHER*:

         [*]  The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and
              does *not* contain characters other than those
              intended by the author of the work, although tilde
              (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may
              be used to convey punctuation intended by the
              author, and additional characters may be used to
              indicate hypertext links; OR

         [*]  The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at
              no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent
              form by the program that displays the eBook (as is
              the case, for instance, with most word processors);
              OR

         [*]  You provide, or agree to also provide on request at
              no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the
              eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC
              or other equivalent proprietary form).

    [2]  Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this
         "Small Print!" statement.

    [3]  Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the
         gross profits you derive calculated using the method you
         already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  If you
         don't derive profits, no royalty is due.  Royalties are
         payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation"
         the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were
         legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent
         periodic) tax return.  Please contact us beforehand to
         let us know your plans and to work out the details.

    WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO?
    Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of
    public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed
    in machine readable form.

    The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time,
    public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses.
    Money should be paid to the:
    "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

    If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or
    software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at:
    hart@pobox.com

    [Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only
    when distributed free of all fees.  Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by
    Michael S. Hart.  Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be
    used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be
    they hardware or software or any other related product without
    express permission.]

    *END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END*