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she may have learned from having sometimes seen from a distance that
my eyes were filled with tears。 You know already； senor； the wealth
and noble birth of my parents； and that I am their sole heir； if
this be a sufficient inducement for you to venture to make me
completely happy； accept me at once as your son； for if my father；
influenced by other objects of his own； should disapprove of this
happiness I have sought for myself； time has more power to alter and
change things； than human will。〃
With this the love…smitten youth was silent； while the Judge；
after hearing him； was astonished； perplexed； and surprised； as well
at the manner and intelligence with which Don Luis had confessed the
secret of his heart； as at the position in which he found himself； not
knowing what course to take in a matter so sudden and unexpected。
All the answer； therefore； he gave him was to bid him to make his mind
easy for the present； and arrange with his servants not to take him
back that day； so that there might be time to consider what was best
for all parties。 Don Luis kissed his hands by force； nay； bathed
them with his tears； in a way that would have touched a heart of
marble； not to say that of the Judge； who； as a shrewd man； had
already perceived how advantageous the marriage would be to his
daughter； though； were it possible； he would have preferred that it
should be brought about with the consent of the father of Don Luis；
who he knew looked for a title for his son。
The guests had by this time made peace with the landlord； for； by
persuasion and Don Quixote's fair words more than by threats； they had
paid him what he demanded； and the servants of Don Luis were waiting
for the end of the conversation with the Judge and their master's
decision； when the devil； who never sleeps； contrived that the barber；
from whom Don Quixote had taken Mambrino's helmet； and Sancho Panza
the trappings of his ass in exchange for those of his own； should at
this instant enter the inn； which said barber； as he led his ass to
the stable； observed Sancho Panza engaged in repairing something or
other belonging to the pack…saddle； and the moment he saw it he knew
it； and made bold to attack Sancho； exclaiming； 〃Ho； sir thief； I have
caught you！ hand over my basin and my pack…saddle； and all my
trappings that you robbed me of。〃
Sancho； finding himself so unexpectedly assailed； and hearing the
abuse poured upon him； seized the pack…saddle with one hand； and
with the other gave the barber a cuff that bathed his teeth in
blood。 The barber； however； was not so ready to relinquish the prize
he had made in the pack…saddle； on the contrary； he raised such an
outcry that everyone in the inn came running to know what the noise
and quarrel meant。 〃Here； in the name of the king and justice！〃 he
cried； 〃this thief and highwayman wants to kill me for trying to
recover my property。〃
〃You lie；〃 said Sancho； 〃I am no highwayman； it was in fair war my
master Don Quixote won these spoils。〃
Don Quixote was standing by at the time； highly pleased to see his
squire's stoutness； both offensive and defensive； and from that time
forth he reckoned him a man of mettle； and in his heart resolved to
dub him a knight on the first opportunity that presented itself；
feeling sure that the order of chivalry would be fittingly bestowed
upon him。
In the course of the altercation； among other things the barber
said； 〃Gentlemen； this pack…saddle is mine as surely as I owe God a
death； and I know it as well as if I had given birth to it； and here
is my ass in the stable who will not let me lie； only try it； and if
it does not fit him like a glove； call me a rascal； and what is
more； the same day I was robbed of this； they robbed me likewise of
a new brass basin； never yet handselled； that would fetch a crown
any day。〃
At this Don Quixote could not keep himself from answering； and
interposing between the two； and separating them； he placed the
pack…saddle on the ground； to lie there in sight until the truth was
established； and said； 〃Your worships may perceive clearly and plainly
the error under which this worthy squire lies when he calls a basin
which was； is； and shall be the helmet of Mambrino which I won from
him in air war； and made myself master of by legitimate and lawful
possession。 With the pack…saddle I do not concern myself； but I may
tell you on that head that my squire Sancho asked my permission to
strip off the caparison of this vanquished poltroon's steed； and
with it adorn his own； I allowed him； and he took it； and as to its
having been changed from a caparison into a pack…saddle； I can give no
explanation except the usual one； that such transformations will
take place in adventures of chivalry。 To confirm all which； run；
Sancho my son； and fetch hither the helmet which this good fellow
calls a basin。〃
〃Egad； master；〃 said Sancho； 〃if we have no other proof of our
case than what your worship puts forward； Mambrino's helmet is just as
much a basin as this good fellow's caparison is a pack…saddle。〃
〃Do as I bid thee；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃it cannot be that
everything in this castle goes by enchantment。〃
Sancho hastened to where the basin was； and brought it back with
him； and when Don Quixote saw it； he took hold of it and said：
〃Your worships may see with what a face this squire can assert
that this is a basin and not the helmet I told you of； and I swear
by the order of chivalry I profess； that this helmet is the
identical one I took from him； without anything added to or taken from
it。〃
〃There is no doubt of that；〃 said Sancho； 〃for from the time my
master won it until now he has only fought one battle in it； when he
let loose those unlucky men in chains； and if had not been for this
basin…helmet he would not have come off over well that time； for there
was plenty of stone…throwing in that affair。〃
CHAPTER XLV
IN WHICH THE DOUBTFUL QUESTION OF MAMBRINO'S HELMET AND THE
PACK…SADDLE IS FINALLY SETTLED； WITH OTHER ADVENTURES THAT OCCURRED IN
TRUTH AND EARNEST
WHAT do you think now； gentlemen；〃 said the barber； 〃of what these
gentles say； when they want to make out that this is a helmet？〃
〃And whoever says the contrary；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I will let him
know he lies if he is a knight； and if he is a squire that he lies
again a thousand times。〃
Our own barber； who was present at all this； and understood Don
Quixote's humour so thoroughly； took it into his head to back up his
delusion and carry on the joke for the general amusement； so
addressing the other barber he said：
〃Senor barber； or whatever you are； you must know that I belong to
your profession too； and have had a licence to practise for more
than twenty years； and I know the implements of the barber craft；
every one of them； perfectly well； and I was likewise a soldier for
some time in the days of my youth； and I know also what a helmet is；
and a morion； and a headpiece with a visor； and other things
pertaining to soldiering； I meant to say to soldiers' arms； and I say…
saving better opinions and always with submission to sounder judgments
…that this piece we have now before us； which this worthy gentleman
has in his hands； not only is no barber's basin； but is as far from
being one as white is from black； and truth from falsehood； I say；
moreover； that this； although it is a helmet； is not a complete
helmet。〃
〃Certainly not；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for half of it is wanting；
that is to say the beaver。〃
〃It is quite true；〃 said the curate； who saw the object of his
friend the barber； and Cardenio； Don Fernando and his companions
agreed with him； and even the Judge； if his thoughts had not been so
full of Don Luis's affair； would have helped to carry on the joke； but
he was so taken up with the serious matters he had on his mind that he
paid little or no attention to these facetious proceedings。
〃God bless me！〃 exclaimed their butt the barber at this； 〃is it
possible that such an honourable company can say that this is not a
basin but a helmet？ Why； this is a thing that would astonish a whole
university； however wise it might be！ That will do； if this basin is a
helmet； why； then the pack…saddle must be a horse's caparison； as this
gentleman has said。〃
〃To me it looks like a pack…saddle；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I have
already said that with that question I do not concern myself。〃
〃As to whether it be pack…saddle or caparison；〃 said the curate； 〃it
is only for Senor Don Quixote to say； for in these matters of chivalry
all these gentlemen and I bow to his authority。〃
〃By God； gentlemen；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃so many strange things
have happened to me in this castle on the two occasions on which I
have sojourned in it； that I will not venture to assert anything
positively in reply to any question touching anything it contains； for
it is my belief that everything that goes on within it goes by
enchantment。 The first time； an enchanted Moor that there is in it
gave me sore trouble； nor did Sancho fare well among certain followers
of his； and last night I was kept hanging by this arm for nearly two
hours； without knowing how or why I came by such a mishap。 S