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are ill…conditioned scoundrels； nor is it everyone that calls
himself a gentleman； that is so in all respects； some are gold； others
pinchbeck； and all look like gentlemen； but not all can stand the
touchstone of truth。 There are men of low rank who strain themselves
to bursting to pass for gentlemen； and high gentlemen who； one would
fancy； were dying to pass for men of low rank； the former raise
themselves by their ambition or by their virtues； the latter debase
themselves by their lack of spirit or by their vices； and one has need
of experience and discernment to distinguish these two kinds of
gentlemen； so much alike in name and so different in conduct。〃
〃God bless me！〃 said the niece； 〃that you should know so much；
uncle… enough； if need be； to get up into a pulpit and go preach in
the streets …and yet that you should fall into a delusion so great and
a folly so manifest as to try to make yourself out vigorous when you
are old； strong when you are sickly； able to put straight what is
crooked when you yourself are bent by age； and； above all； a caballero
when you are not one； for though gentlefolk may he so； poor men are
nothing of the kind！〃
〃There is a great deal of truth in what you say； niece；〃 returned
Don Quixote； 〃and I could tell you somewhat about birth that would
astonish you； but； not to mix up things human and divine； I refrain。
Look you； my dears； all the lineages in the world （attend to what I am
saying） can be reduced to four sorts； which are these： those that
had humble beginnings； and went on spreading and extending
themselves until they attained surpassing greatness； those that had
great beginnings and maintained them； and still maintain and uphold
the greatness of their origin； those； again； that from a great
beginning have ended in a point like a pyramid； having reduced and
lessened their original greatness till it has come to nought； like the
point of a pyramid； which； relatively to its base or foundation； is
nothing； and then there are those… and it is they that are the most
numerous… that have had neither an illustrious beginning nor a
remarkable mid…course； and so will have an end without a name； like an
ordinary plebeian line。 Of the first； those that had an humble
origin and rose to the greatness they still preserve； the Ottoman
house may serve as an example； which from an humble and lowly
shepherd； its founder； has reached the height at which we now see
it。 For examples of the second sort of lineage； that began with
greatness and maintains it still without adding to it； there are the
many princes who have inherited the dignity； and maintain themselves
in their inheritance； without increasing or diminishing it； keeping
peacefully within the limits of their states。 Of those that began
great and ended in a point； there are thousands of examples； for all
the Pharaohs and Ptolemies of Egypt； the Caesars of Rome； and the
whole herd （if I may such a word to them） of countless princes；
monarchs； lords； Medes； Assyrians； Persians； Greeks； and barbarians；
all these lineages and lordships have ended in a point and come to
nothing； they themselves as well as their founders； for it would be
impossible now to find one of their descendants； and； even should we
find one； it would be in some lowly and humble condition。 Of
plebeian lineages I have nothing to say； save that they merely serve
to swell the number of those that live； without any eminence to
entitle them to any fame or praise beyond this。 From all I have said I
would have you gather； my poor innocents； that great is the
confusion among lineages； and that only those are seen to be great and
illustrious that show themselves so by the virtue； wealth； and
generosity of their possessors。 I have said virtue； wealth； and
generosity； because a great man who is vicious will be a great example
of vice； and a rich man who is not generous will be merely a miserly
beggar； for the possessor of wealth is not made happy by possessing
it； but by spending it； and not by spending as he pleases； but by
knowing how to spend it well。 The poor gentleman has no way of showing
that he is a gentleman but by virtue； by being affable； well…bred；
courteous； gentle…mannered； and kindly； not haughty； arrogant； or
censorious； but above all by being charitable； for by two maravedis
given with a cheerful heart to the poor； he will show himself as
generous as he who distributes alms with bell…ringing； and no one that
perceives him to be endowed with the virtues I have named； even though
he know him not； will fail to recognise and set him down as one of
good blood； and it would be strange were it not so； praise has ever
been the reward of virtue； and those who are virtuous cannot fail to
receive commendation。 There are two roads； my daughters； by which
men may reach wealth and honours； one is that of letters； the other
that of arms。 I have more of arms than of letters in my composition；
and； judging by my inclination to arms； was born under the influence
of the planet Mars。 I am； therefore； in a measure constrained to
follow that road； and by it I must travel in spite of all the world；
and it will be labour in vain for you to urge me to resist what heaven
wills； fate ordains； reason requires； and； above all； my own
inclination favours； for knowing as I do the countless toils that
are the accompaniments of knight…errantry； I know； too； the infinite
blessings that are attained by it； I know that the path of virtue is
very narrow； and the road of vice broad and spacious； I know their
ends and goals are different； for the broad and easy road of vice ends
in death； and the narrow and toilsome one of virtue in life； and not
transitory life； but in that which has no end； I know； as our great
Castilian poet says； that…
It is by rugged paths like these they go
That scale the heights of immortality；
Unreached by those that falter here below。〃
〃Woe is me！〃 exclaimed the niece； 〃my lord is a poet； too！ He
knows everything； and he can do everything； I will bet； if he chose to
turn mason； he could make a house as easily as a cage。〃
〃I can tell you； niece；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃if these chivalrous
thoughts did not engage all my faculties； there would be nothing
that I could not do； nor any sort of knickknack that would not come
from my hands； particularly cages and tooth…picks。〃
At this moment there came a knocking at the door； and when they
asked who was there； Sancho Panza made answer that it was he。 The
instant the housekeeper knew who it was； she ran to hide herself so as
not to see him； in such abhorrence did she hold him。 The niece let him
in； and his master Don Quixote came forward to receive him with open
arms； and the pair shut themselves up in his room； where they had
another conversation not inferior to the previous one。
CHAPTER VII
OF WHAT PASSED BETWEEN DON QUIXOTE AND HIS SQUIRE； TOGETHER WITH
OTHER VERY NOTABLE INCIDENTS
THE instant the housekeeper saw Sancho Panza shut himself in with
her master； she guessed what they were about； and suspecting that
the result of the consultation would be a resolve to undertake a third
sally； she seized her mantle； and in deep anxiety and distress； ran to
find the bachelor Samson Carrasco； as she thought that； being a
well…spoken man； and a new friend of her master's； he might be able to
persuade him to give up any such crazy notion。 She found him pacing
the patio of his house； and； perspiring and flurried； she fell at
his feet the moment she saw him。
Carrasco； seeing how distressed and overcome she was； said to her；
〃What is this； mistress housekeeper？ What has happened to you？ One
would think you heart…broken。〃
〃Nothing； Senor Samson；〃 said she； 〃only that my master is
breaking out； plainly breaking out。〃
〃Whereabouts is he breaking out； senora？〃 asked Samson； 〃has any
part of his body burst？〃
〃He is only breaking out at the door of his madness；〃 she replied；
〃I mean； dear senor bachelor； that he is going to break out again （and
this will be the third time） to hunt all over the world for what he
calls ventures； though I can't make out why he gives them that name。
The first time he was brought back to us slung across the back of an
ass； and belaboured all over； and the second time he came in an
ox…cart； shut up in a cage； in which he persuaded himself he was
enchanted； and the poor creature was in such a state that the mother
that bore him would not have known him； lean； yellow； with his eyes
sunk deep in the cells of his skull； so that to bring him round again；
ever so little； cost me more than six hundred eggs； as God knows；
and all the world； and my hens too； that won't let me tell a lie。〃
〃That I can well believe；〃 replied the bachelor； 〃for they are so
good and so fat； and so well…bred； that they would not say one thing
for another； though they were to burst for it。 In short then； mistress
housekeeper； that is all； and there is nothing the matter； except what
it is feared Don Quixote may do？〃
〃No； senor；〃 said she。
〃Well then；〃 returned the bachelor； 〃don't be uneasy； but go home in
peace； get me ready something hot for breakfast； and while you are
on the w