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〃Look here； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote。 〃If thou art advising me to
marry； in order that immediately on slaying the giant I may become
king； and be able to confer favours on thee； and give thee what I have
promised； let me tell thee I shall be able very easily to satisfy
thy desires without marrying； for before going into battle I will make
it a stipulation that； if I come out of it victorious； even I do not
marry； they shall give me a portion portion of the kingdom； that I may
bestow it upon whomsoever I choose； and when they give it to me upon
whom wouldst thou have me bestow it but upon thee？〃
〃That is plain speaking；〃 said Sancho； 〃but let your worship take
care to choose it on the seacoast； so that if I don't like the life； I
may be able to ship off my black vassals and deal with them as I
have said； don't mind going to see my lady Dulcinea now； but go and
kill this giant and let us finish off this business； for by God it
strikes me it will be one of great honour and great profit。〃
〃I hold thou art in the right of it； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and
I will take thy advice as to accompanying the princess before going to
see Dulcinea； but I counsel thee not to say anything to any one； or to
those who are with us； about what we have considered and discussed；
for as Dulcinea is so decorous that she does not wish her thoughts
to be known it is not right that I or anyone for me should disclose
them。〃
〃Well then； if that be so；〃 said Sancho； 〃how is it that your
worship makes all those you overcome by your arm go to present
themselves before my lady Dulcinea； this being the same thing as
signing your name to it that you love her and are her lover？ And as
those who go must perforce kneel before her and say they come from
your worship to submit themselves to her； how can the thoughts of both
of you be hid？〃
〃O； how silly and simple thou art！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃seest thou
not； Sancho； that this tends to her greater exaltation？ For thou
must know that according to our way of thinking in chivalry； it is a
high honour to a lady to have many knights…errant in her service；
whose thoughts never go beyond serving her for her own sake； and who
look for no other reward for their great and true devotion than that
she should be willing to accept them as her knights。〃
〃It is with that kind of love；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have heard preachers
say we ought to love our Lord； for himself alone； without being
moved by the hope of glory or the fear of punishment； though for my
part； I would rather love and serve him for what he could do。〃
〃The devil take thee for a clown！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and what
shrewd things thou sayest at times！ One would think thou hadst
studied。〃
〃In faith； then； I cannot even read。〃
Master Nicholas here called out to them to wait a while； as they
wanted to halt and drink at a little spring there was there。 Don
Quixote drew up； not a little to the satisfaction of Sancho； for he
was by this time weary of telling so many lies； and in dread of his
master catching him tripping； for though he knew that Dulcinea was a
peasant girl of El Toboso； he had never seen her in all his life。
Cardenio had now put on the clothes which Dorothea was wearing when
they found her； and though they were not very good； they were far
better than those he put off。 They dismounted together by the side
of the spring； and with what the curate had provided himself with at
the inn they appeased； though not very well； the keen appetite they
all of them brought with them。
While they were so employed there happened to come by a youth
passing on his way； who stopping to examine the party at the spring；
the next moment ran to Don Quixote and clasping him round the legs；
began to weep freely； saying； 〃O； senor； do you not know me？ Look at
me well； I am that lad Andres that your worship released from the
oak…tree where I was tied。〃
Don Quixote recognised him； and taking his hand he turned to those
present and said： 〃That your worships may see how important it is to
have knights…errant to redress the wrongs and injuries done by
tyrannical and wicked men in this world； I may tell you that some days
ago passing through a wood； I heard cries and piteous complaints as of
a person in pain and distress； I immediately hastened； impelled by
my bounden duty； to the quarter whence the plaintive accents seemed to
me to proceed； and I found tied to an oak this lad who now stands
before you； which in my heart I rejoice at； for his testimony will not
permit me to depart from the truth in any particular。 He was； I say；
tied to an oak； naked from the waist up； and a clown； whom I
afterwards found to be his master； was scarifying him by lashes with
the reins of his mare。 As soon as I saw him I asked the reason of so
cruel a flagellation。 The boor replied that he was flogging him
because he was his servant and because of carelessness that
proceeded rather from dishonesty than stupidity； on which this boy
said； 'Senor； he flogs me only because I ask for my wages。' The master
made I know not what speeches and explanations； which； though I
listened to them； I did not accept。 In short； I compelled the clown to
unbind him； and to swear he would take him with him； and pay him
real by real； and perfumed into the bargain。 Is not all this true；
Andres my son？ Didst thou not mark with what authority I commanded
him； and with what humility he promised to do all I enjoined；
specified； and required of him？ Answer without hesitation； tell
these gentlemen what took place； that they may see that it is as great
an advantage as I say to have knights…errant abroad。〃
〃All that your worship has said is quite true；〃 answered the lad；
〃but the end of the business turned out just the opposite of what your
worship supposes。〃
〃How！ the opposite？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃did not the clown pay thee
then？〃
〃Not only did he not pay me；〃 replied the lad； 〃but as soon as
your worship had passed out of the wood and we were alone； he tied
me up again to the same oak and gave me a fresh flogging； that left me
like a flayed Saint Bartholomew； and every stroke he gave me he
followed up with some jest or gibe about having made a fool of your
worship； and but for the pain I was suffering I should have laughed at
the things he said。 In short he left me in such a condition that I
have been until now in a hospital getting cured of the injuries
which that rascally clown inflicted on me then； for all which your
worship is to blame； for if you had gone your own way and not come
where there was no call for you； nor meddled in other people's
affairs； my master would have been content with giving me one or two
dozen lashes； and would have then loosed me and paid me what he owed
me； but when your worship abused him so out of measure； and gave him
so many hard words； his anger was kindled； and as he could not revenge
himself on you； as soon as he saw you had left him the storm burst
upon me in such a way； that I feel as if I should never be a man
again。〃
〃The mischief；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃lay in my going away； for I
should not have gone until I had seen thee paid； because I ought to
have known well by lo