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these； I would have to carry out my plan； and in that case his Majesty
would find himself well served and would save great expense； and the
Turk would be left tearing his beard。 And so I will stay where I am；
as the chaplain does not take me away； and if Jupiter； as the barber
has told us； will not send rain； here am I； and I will rain when I
please。 I say this that Master Basin may know that I understand him。〃
〃Indeed； Senor Don Quixote；〃 said the barber； 〃I did not mean it
in that way； and； so help me God； my intention was good； and your
worship ought not to be vexed。〃
〃As to whether I ought to be vexed or not；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃I
myself am the best judge。〃
Hereupon the curate observed； 〃I have hardly said a word as yet； and
I would gladly be relieved of a doubt； arising from what Don Quixote
has said； that worries and works my conscience。〃
〃The senor curate has leave for more than that；〃 returned Don
Quixote； 〃so he may declare his doubt； for it is not pleasant to
have a doubt on one's conscience。〃
〃Well then； with that permission；〃 said the curate； 〃I say my
doubt is that； all I can do； I cannot persuade myself that the whole
pack of knights…errant you； Senor Don Quixote； have mentioned； were
really and truly persons of flesh and blood； that ever lived in the
world； on the contrary； I suspect it to be all fiction； fable； and
falsehood； and dreams told by men awakened from sleep； or rather still
half asleep。〃
〃That is another mistake；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃into which many
have fallen who do not believe that there ever were such knights in
the world； and I have often； with divers people and on divers
occasions； tried to expose this almost universal error to the light of
truth。 Sometimes I have not been successful in my purpose； sometimes I
have； supporting it upon the shoulders of the truth； which truth is so
clear that I can almost say I have with my own eyes seen Amadis of
Gaul； who was a man of lofty stature； fair complexion； with a handsome
though black beard； of a countenance between gentle and stern in
expression； sparing of words； slow to anger； and quick to put it
away from him； and as I have depicted Amadis； so I could； I think；
portray and describe all the knights…errant that are in all the
histories in the world； for by the perception I have that they were
what their histories describe； and by the deeds they did and the
dispositions they displayed； it is possible； with the aid of sound
philosophy； to deduce their features； complexion； and stature。〃
〃How big； in your worship's opinion； may the giant Morgante have
been； Senor Don Quixote？〃 asked the barber。
〃With regard to giants；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃opinions differ as to
whether there ever were any or not in the world； but the Holy
Scripture； which cannot err by a jot from the truth； shows us that
there were； when it gives us the history of that big Philistine；
Goliath； who was seven cubits and a half in height； which is a huge
size。 Likewise； in the island of Sicily； there have been found
leg…bones and arm…bones so large that their size makes it plain that
their owners were giants； and as tall as great towers； geometry puts
this fact beyond a doubt。 But； for all that； I cannot speak with
certainty as to the size of Morgante； though I suspect he cannot
have been very tall； and I am inclined to be of this opinion because I
find in the history in which his deeds are particularly mentioned；
that he frequently slept under a roof and as he found houses to
contain him； it is clear that his bulk could not have been anything
excessive。〃
〃That is true；〃 said the curate； and yielding to the enjoyment of
hearing such nonsense； he asked him what was his notion of the
features of Reinaldos of Montalban； and Don Roland and the rest of the
Twelve Peers of France； for they were all knights…errant。
〃As for Reinaldos；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃I venture to say that he
was broad…faced； of ruddy complexion； with roguish and somewhat
prominent eyes； excessively punctilious and touchy； and given to the
society of thieves and scapegraces。 With regard to Roland； or
Rotolando； or Orlando （for the histories call him by all these names）；
I am of opinion； and hold； that he was of middle height；
broad…shouldered； rather bow…legged； swarthy…complexioned；
red…bearded； with a hairy body and a severe expression of countenance；
a man of few words； but very polite and well…bred。〃
〃If Roland was not a more graceful person than your worship has
described；〃 said the curate； 〃it is no wonder that the fair Lady
Angelica rejected him and left him for the gaiety； liveliness； and
grace of that budding…bearded little Moor to whom she surrendered
herself； and she showed her sense in falling in love with the gentle
softness of Medoro rather than the roughness of Roland。〃
〃That Angelica； senor curate；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃was a giddy
damsel； flighty and somewhat wanton； and she left the world as full of
her vagaries as of the fame of her beauty。 She treated with scorn a
thousand gentlemen； men of valour and wisdom； and took up with a
smooth…faced sprig of a page； without fortune or fame； except such
reputation for gratitude as the affection he bore his friend got for
him。 The great poet who sang her beauty； the famous Ariosto； not
caring to sing her adventures after her contemptible surrender
（which probably were not over and above creditable）； dropped her where
he says：
How she received the sceptre of Cathay；
Some bard of defter quill may sing some day；
and this was no doubt a kind of prophecy； for poets are also called
vates； that is to say diviners； and its truth was made plain； for
since then a famous Andalusian poet has lamented and sung her tears；
and another famous and rare poet； a Castilian； has sung her beauty。〃
〃Tell me； Senor Don Quixote；〃 said the barber here； 〃among all those
who praised her； has there been no poet to write a satire on this Lady
Angelica？〃
〃I can well believe；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃that if Sacripante or
Roland had been poets they would have given the damsel a trimming； for
it is naturally the way with poets who have been scorned and
rejected by their ladies； whether fictitious or not； in short by those
whom they select as the ladies of their thoughts； to avenge themselves
in satires and libels… a vengeance； to be sure； unworthy of generous
hearts； but up to the present I have not heard of any defamatory verse
against the Lady Angelica； who turned the world upside down。〃
〃Strange；〃 said the curate； but at this moment they heard the
housekeeper and the niece； who had previously withdrawn from the
conversation； exclaiming aloud in the courtyard； and at the noise they
all ran out。
CHAPTER II
WHICH TREATS OF THE NOTABLE ALTERCATION WHICH SANCHO PANZA HAD
WITH DON QUIXOTE'S NIECE； AND HOUSEKEEPER； TOGETHER WITH OTHER DROLL
MATTERS
THE history relates that the outcry Don Quixote； the curate； and the
barber heard came from the niece and the housekeeper exclaiming to
Sancho； who was striving to force his way in to see Don Quixote
while they held the door against him； 〃What does the vagabond want
in this house？ Be off to your own； brother； for it is you； and no
one else； that delude my master； and lead him astray； and take him
tramping about the country。〃
To which Sancho replied； 〃Devil's own housekeeper！ it is I who am
deluded； and led astray； and taken tramping about the country； and not
thy master！ He has carried me all over the world； and you are mightily
mistaken。 He enticed me away from home by a trick； promising me an
island； which I am still waiting for。〃
〃May evil islands choke thee； thou detestable Sancho；〃 said the
niece； 〃What are islands？ Is it something to eat； glutton and
gormandiser that thou art？〃
〃It is not something to eat；〃 replied Sancho； 〃but something to
govern and rule； and better than four cities or four judgeships at
court。〃
〃For all that；〃 said the housekeeper； 〃you don't enter here； you bag
of mischief and sack of knavery； go govern your house and dig your
seed…patch； and give over looking for islands or shylands。〃
The curate and the barber listened with great amusement to the words
of the three； but Don Quixote； uneasy lest Sancho should blab and
blurt out a whole heap of mischievous stupidities； and touch upon
points that might not be altogether to his credit； called to him and
made the other two hold their tongues and let him come in。 Sancho
entered； and the curate and the barber took their leave of Don
Quixote； of whose recovery they despaired when they saw how wedded
he was to his crazy ideas； and how saturated with the nonsense of
his unlucky chivalry； and said the curate to the barber； 〃You will
see； gossip； that when we are least thinking of it； our gentleman will
be off once more for another flight。〃
〃I have no doubt of it；〃 returned the barber； 〃but I do not wonder
so much at the madness of the knight as at the simplicity of the
squire； who has such a firm belief in all that about the island；
that I suppose all the exposures that could be imagined would not
get it out of his head。〃
〃God help them；〃 said the curate； 〃and let us be on the look