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out beams at all； it must have been； that as her grace was sifting
that wheat I told you of； the thick dust she raised came before her
face like a cloud and dimmed it。〃
〃What！ dost thou still persist； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃in
saying； thinking； believing； and maintaining that my lady Dulcinea was
sifting wheat； that being an occupation and task entirely at
variance with what is and should be the employment of persons of
distinction； who are constituted and reserved for other avocations and
pursuits that show their rank a bowshot off？ Thou hast forgotten； O
Sancho； those lines of our poet wherein he paints for us how； in their
crystal abodes； those four nymphs employed themselves who rose from
their loved Tagus and seated themselves in a verdant meadow to
embroider those tissues which the ingenious poet there describes to
us； how they were worked and woven with gold and silk and pearls；
and something of this sort must have been the employment of my lady
when thou sawest her； only that the spite which some wicked
enchanter seems to have against everything of mine changes all those
things that give me pleasure； and turns them into shapes unlike
their own； and so I fear that in that history of my achievements which
they say is now in print； if haply its author was some sage who is
an enemy of mine； he will have put one thing for another； mingling a
thousand lies with one truth； and amusing himself by relating
transactions which have nothing to do with the sequence of a true
history。 O envy； root of all countless evils； and cankerworm of the
virtues！ All the vices； Sancho； bring some kind of pleasure with them；
but envy brings nothing but irritation； bitterness； and rage。〃
〃So I say too；〃 replied Sancho； 〃and I suspect in that legend or
history of us that the bachelor Samson Carrasco told us he saw； my
honour goes dragged in the dirt； knocked about； up and down；
sweeping the streets； as they say。 And yet； on the faith of an
honest man； I never spoke ill of any enchanter； and I am not so well
off that I am to be envied； to be sure； I am rather sly； and I have
a certain spice of the rogue in me； but all is covered by the great
cloak of my simplicity； always natural and never acted； and if I had
no other merit save that I believe； as I always do； firmly and truly
in God； and all the holy Roman Catholic Church holds and believes； and
that I am a mortal enemy of the Jews； the historians ought to have
mercy on me and treat me well in their writings。 But let them say what
they like； naked was I born； naked I find myself； I neither lose nor
gain； nay； while I see myself put into a book and passed on from
hand to hand over the world； I don't care a fig； let them say what
they like of me。〃
〃That； Sancho；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃reminds me of what happened
to a famous poet of our own day； who； having written a bitter satire
against all the courtesan ladies； did not insert or name in it a
certain lady of whom it was questionable whether she was one or not。
She； seeing she was not in the list of the poet； asked him what he had
seen in her that he did not include her in the number of the others；
telling him he must add to his satire and put her in the new part；
or else look out for the consequences。 The poet did as she bade him；
and left her without a shred of reputation； and she was satisfied by
getting fame though it was infamy。 In keeping with this is what they
relate of that shepherd who set fire to the famous temple of Diana； by
repute one of the seven wonders of the world； and burned it with the
sole object of making his name live in after ages； and； though it
was forbidden to name him； or mention his name by word of mouth or
in writing； lest the object of his ambition should be attained；
nevertheless it became known that he was called Erostratus。 And
something of the same sort is what happened in the case of the great
emperor Charles V and a gentleman in Rome。 The emperor was anxious
to see that famous temple of the Rotunda； called in ancient times
the temple 'of all the gods；' but now…a…days； by a better
nomenclature； 'of all the saints；' which is the best preserved
building of all those of pagan construction in Rome； and the one which
best sustains the reputation of mighty works and magnificence of its
founders。 It is in the form of a half orange； of enormous
dimensions； and well lighted； though no light penetrates it save
that which is admitted by a window； or rather round skylight； at the
top； and it was from this that the emperor examined the building。 A
Roman gentleman stood by his side and explained to him the skilful
construction and ingenuity of the vast fabric and its wonderful
architecture； and when they had left the skylight he said to the
emperor； 'A thousand times； your Sacred Majesty； the impulse came upon
me to seize your Majesty in my arms and fling myself down from
yonder skylight； so as to leave behind me in the world a name that
would last for ever。' 'I am thankful to you for not carrying such an
evil thought into effect；' said the emperor； 'and I shall give you
no opportunity in future of again putting your loyalty to the test；
and I therefore forbid you ever to speak to me or to be where I am；
and he followed up these words by bestowing a liberal bounty upon him。
My meaning is； Sancho； that the desire of acquiring fame is a very
powerful motive。 What； thinkest thou； was it that flung Horatius in
full armour down from the bridge into the depths of the Tiber？ What
burned the hand and arm of Mutius？ What impelled Curtius to plunge
into the deep burning gulf that opened in the midst of Rome？ What；
in opposition to all the omens that declared against him； made
Julius Caesar cross the Rubicon？ And to come to more modern
examples； what scuttled the ships； and left stranded and cut off the
gallant Spaniards under the command of the most courteous Cortes in
the New World？ All these and a variety of other great exploits are；
were and will be； the work of fame that mortals desire as a reward and
a portion of the immortality their famous deeds deserve； though we
Catholic Christians and knights…errant look more to that future
glory that is everlasting in the ethereal regions of heaven than to
the vanity of the fame that is to be acquired in this present
transitory life； a fame that； however long it may last； must after all
end with the world itself； which has its own appointed end。 So that； O
Sancho； in what we do we must not overpass the bounds which the
Christian religion we profess has assigned to us。 We have to slay
pride in giants； envy by generosity and nobleness of heart； anger by
calmness of demeanour and equanimity； gluttony and sloth by the
spareness of our diet and the length of our vigils； lust and
lewdness by the loyalty we preserve to those whom we have made the
mistresses of our thoughts； indolence by traversing the world in all
directions seeking opportunities of making ourselves； besides
Christians； famous knights。 Such； Sancho； are the means by which we
reach those extremes of praise that fair fame carries with it。〃
〃All that your worship has said so far；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have
understood quite wel