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〃These must be； not chivalry； but poetry；〃 said the curate； and
opening one he saw it was the 〃Diana〃 of Jorge de Montemayor； and；
supposing all the others to be of the same sort； 〃these；〃 he said； 〃do
not deserve to be burned like the others； for they neither do nor
can do the mischief the books of chivalry have done； being books of
entertainment that can hurt no one。〃
〃Ah； senor！〃 said the niece； 〃your worship had better order these to
be burned as well as the others； for it would be no wonder if； after
being cured of his chivalry disorder； my uncle； by reading these； took
a fancy to turn shepherd and range the woods and fields singing and
piping； or； what would be still worse； to turn poet； which they say is
an incurable and infectious malady。〃
〃The damsel is right；〃 said the curate； 〃and it will be well to
put this stumbling…block and temptation out of our friend's way。 To
begin； then； with the 'Diana' of Montemayor。 I am of opinion it should
not be burned； but that it should be cleared of all that about the
sage Felicia and the magic water； and of almost all the longer
pieces of verse： let it keep； and welcome； its prose and the honour of
being the first of books of the kind。〃
〃This that comes next；〃 said the barber； 〃is the 'Diana；' entitled
the 'Second Part； by the Salamancan；' and this other has the same
title； and its author is Gil Polo。〃
〃As for that of the Salamancan；〃 replied the curate； 〃let it go to
swell the number of the condemned in the yard； and let Gil Polo's be
preserved as if it came from Apollo himself： but get on； gossip； and
make haste； for it is growing late。〃
〃This book；〃 said the barber； opening another； 〃is the ten books
of the 'Fortune of Love；' written by Antonio de Lofraso； a Sardinian
poet。〃
〃By the orders I have received；〃 said the curate； 〃since Apollo
has been Apollo； and the Muses have been Muses； and poets have been
poets； so droll and absurd a book as this has never been written；
and in its way it is the best and the most singular of all of this
species that have as yet appeared； and he who has not read it may be
sure he has never read what is delightful。 Give it here； gossip； for I
make more account of having found it than if they had given me a
cassock of Florence stuff。〃
He put it aside with extreme satisfaction； and the barber went on；
〃These that come next are 'The Shepherd of Iberia；' 'Nymphs of
Henares；' and 'The Enlightenment of Jealousy。'〃
〃Then all we have to do；〃 said the curate； 〃is to hand them over
to the secular arm of the housekeeper； and ask me not why； or we shall
never have done。〃
〃This next is the 'Pastor de Filida。'〃
〃No Pastor that；〃 said the curate； 〃but a highly polished
courtier； let it be preserved as a precious jewel。〃
〃This large one here；〃 said the barber； 〃is called 'The Treasury
of various Poems。'〃
〃If there were not so many of them；〃 said the curate； 〃they would be
more relished： this book must be weeded and cleansed of certain
vulgarities which it has with its excellences； let it be preserved
because the author is a friend of mine； and out of respect for other
more heroic and loftier works that he has written。〃
〃This；〃 continued the barber； 〃is the 'Cancionero' of Lopez de
Maldonado。〃
〃The author of that book； too；〃 said the curate； 〃is a great
friend of mine； and his verses from his own mouth are the admiration
of all who hear them； for such is the sweetness of his voice that he
enchants when he chants them： it gives rather too much of its
eclogues； but what is good was never yet plentiful： let it be kept
with those that have been set apart。 But what book is that next it？〃
〃The 'Galatea' of Miguel de Cervantes；〃 said the barber。
〃That Cervantes has been for many years a great friend of mine；
and to my knowledge he has had more experience in reverses than in
verses。 His book has some good invention in it； it presents us with
something but brings nothing to a conclusion： we must wait for the
Second Part it promises： perhaps with amendment it may succeed in
winning the full measure of grace that is now denied it； and in the
mean time do you； senor gossip； keep it shut up in your own quarters。〃
〃Very good；〃 said the barber； 〃and here come three together； the
'Araucana' of Don Alonso de Ercilla； the 'Austriada' of Juan Rufo；
Justice of Cordova； and the 'Montserrate' of Christobal de Virues； the
Valencian poet。〃
〃These three books；〃 said the curate； 〃are the best that have been
written in Castilian in heroic verse； and they may compare with the
most famous of Italy； let them be preserved as the richest treasures
of poetry that Spain possesses。〃
The curate was tired and would not look into any more books； and
so he decided that； 〃contents uncertified；〃 all the rest should be
burned； but just then the barber held open one； called 〃The Tears of
Angelica。〃
〃I should have shed tears myself；〃 said the curate when he heard the
title； 〃had I ordered that book to be burned； for its author was one
of the famous poets of the world； not to say of Spain； and was very
happy in the translation of some of Ovid's fables。〃
CHAPTER VII
OF THE SECOND SALLY OF OUR WORTHY KNIGHT DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA
AT this instant Don Quixote began shouting out； 〃Here； here；
valiant knights！ here is need for you to put forth the might of your
strong arms； for they of the Court are gaining the mastery in the
tourney！〃 Called away by this noise and outcry； they proceeded no
farther with the scrutiny of the remaining books； and so it is thought
that 〃The Carolea；〃 〃The Lion of Spain；〃 and 〃The Deeds of the
Emperor；〃 written by Don Luis de Avila； went to the fire unseen and
unheard； for no doubt they were among those that remained； and perhaps
if the curate had seen them they would not have undergone so severe
a sentence。
When they reached Don Quixote he was already out of bed； and was
still shouting and raving； and slashing and cutting all round； as wide
awake as if he had never slept。
They closed with him and by force got him back to bed； and when he
had become a little calm； addressing the curate； he said to him； 〃Of a
truth； Senor Archbishop Turpin； it is a great disgrace for us who call
ourselves the Twelve Peers； so carelessly to allow the knights of
the Court to gain the victory in this tourney； we the adventurers
having carried off the honour on the three former days。〃
〃Hush； gossip；〃 said the curate； 〃please God； the luck may turn； and
what is lost to…day may be won to…morrow； for the present let your
worship have a care of your health； for it seems to me that you are
over…fatigued； if not badly wounded。〃
〃Wounded no；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but bruised and battered no
doubt； for that bastard Don Roland has cudgelled me with the trunk
of an oak tree； and all for envy； because he sees that I alone rival
him in his achievements。 But I should not call myself Reinaldos of
Montalvan did he not pay me for it in spite of all his enchantments as
soon as I rise from this bed。 For the present let them bring me
something to eat； for that； I feel； is what will be more to my
purpose； and leave it to me to avenge myself。〃
They did as