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that reckoning； for when it comes to the promise of the island we must
count from the day your worship promised it to me to this present hour
we are at now。〃
〃Well； how long is it； Sancho； since I promised it to you？〃 said Don
Quixote。
〃If I remember rightly；〃 said Sancho； 〃it must be over twenty years；
three days more or less。〃
Don Quixote gave himself a great slap on the forehead and began to
laugh heartily； and said he； 〃Why； I have not been wandering； either
in the Sierra Morena or in the whole course of our sallies； but barely
two months； and thou sayest； Sancho； that it is twenty years since I
promised thee the island。 I believe now thou wouldst have all the
money thou hast of mine go in thy wages。 If so； and if that be thy
pleasure； I give it to thee now； once and for all； and much good may
it do thee； for so long as I see myself rid of such a good…for…nothing
squire I'll be glad to be left a pauper without a rap。 But tell me；
thou perverter of the squirely rules of knight…errantry； where hast
thou ever seen or read that any knight…errant's squire made terms with
his lord； 'you must give me so much a month for serving you'？
Plunge； scoundrel； rogue； monster… for such I take thee to be… plunge；
I say； into the mare magnum of their histories； and if thou shalt find
that any squire ever said or thought what thou hast said now； I will
let thee nail it on my forehead； and give me； over and above； four
sound slaps in the face。 Turn the rein； or the halter； of thy
Dapple； and begone home； for one single step further thou shalt not
make in my company。 O bread thanklessly received！ O promises
ill…bestowed！ O man more beast than human being！ Now； when I was about
to raise thee to such a position； that； in spite of thy wife； they
would call thee 'my lord；' thou art leaving me？ Thou art going now
when I had a firm and fixed intention of making thee lord of the
best island in the world？ Well； as thou thyself hast said before
now； honey is not for the mouth of the ass。 Ass thou art； ass thou
wilt be； and ass thou wilt end when the course of thy life is run； for
I know it will come to its close before thou dost perceive or
discern that thou art a beast。〃
Sancho regarded Don Quixote earnestly while he was giving him this
rating； and was so touched by remorse that the tears came to his eyes；
and in a piteous and broken voice he said to him； 〃Master mine； I
confess that； to be a complete ass； all I want is a tail； if your
worship will only fix one on to me； I'll look on it as rightly placed；
and I'll serve you as an ass all the remaining days of my life。
Forgive me and have pity on my folly； and remember I know but
little； and； if I talk much； it's more from infirmity than malice； but
he who sins and mends commends himself to God。〃
〃I should have been surprised； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃if thou
hadst not introduced some bit of a proverb into thy speech。 Well；
well； I forgive thee； provided thou dost mend and not show thyself
in future so fond of thine own interest； but try to be of good cheer
and take heart； and encourage thyself to look forward to the
fulfillment of my promises； which； by being delayed； does not become
impossible。〃
Sancho said he would do so； and keep up his heart as best he
could。 They then entered the grove； and Don Quixote settled himself at
the foot of an elm； and Sancho at that of a beech； for trees of this
kind and others like them always have feet but no hands。 Sancho passed
the night in pain； for with the evening dews the blow of the staff
made itself felt all the more。 Don Quixote passed it in his
never…failing meditations； but； for all that； they had some winks of
sleep； and with the appearance of daylight they pursued their
journey in quest of the banks of the famous Ebro； where that befell
them which will be told in the following chapter。
CHAPTER XXIX
OF THE FAMOUS ADVENTURE OF THE ENCHANTED BARK
BY STAGES as already described or left undescribed； two days after
quitting the grove Don Quixote and Sancho reached the river Ebro；
and the sight of it was a great delight to Don Quixote as he
contemplated and gazed upon the charms of its banks； the clearness
of its stream； the gentleness of its current and the abundance of
its crystal waters； and the pleasant view revived a thousand tender
thoughts in his mind。 Above all； he dwelt upon what he had seen in the
cave of Montesinos； for though Master Pedro's ape had told him that of
those things part was true； part false； he clung more to their truth
than to their falsehood； the very reverse of Sancho； who held them all
to be downright lies。
As they were thus proceeding； then； they discovered a small boat；
without oars or any other gear； that lay at the water's edge tied to
the stem of a tree growing on the bank。 Don Quixote looked all
round； and seeing nobody； at once； without more ado； dismounted from
Rocinante and bade Sancho get down from Dapple and tie both beasts
securely to the trunk of a poplar or willow that stood there。 Sancho
asked him the reason of this sudden dismounting and tying。 Don Quixote
made answer； 〃Thou must know； Sancho； that this bark is plainly； and
without the possibility of any alternative； calling and inviting me to
enter it； and in it go to give aid to some knight or other person of
distinction in need of it； who is no doubt in some sore strait； for
this is the way of the books of chivalry and of the enchanters who
figure and speak in them。 When a knight is involved in some difficulty
from which he cannot be delivered save by the hand of another
knight； though they may be at a distance of two or three thousand
leagues or more one from the other； they either take him up on a
cloud； or they provide a bark for him to get into； and in less than
the twinkling of an eye they carry him where they will and where his
help is required； and so； Sancho； this bark is placed here for the
same purpose； this is as true as that it is now day； and ere this
one passes tie Dapple and Rocinante together； and then in God's hand
be it to guide us； for I would not hold back from embarking； though
barefooted friars were to beg me。〃
〃As that's the case；〃 said Sancho； 〃and your worship chooses to give
in to these… I don't know if I may call them absurdities… at every
turn； there's nothing for it but to obey and bow the head； bearing
in mind the proverb； 'Do as thy master bids thee； and sit down to
table with him；' but for all that； for the sake of easing my
conscience； I warn your worship that it is my opinion this bark is
no enchanted one； but belongs to some of the fishermen of the river；
for they catch the best shad in the world here。〃
As Sancho said this； he tied the beasts； leaving them to the care
and protection of the enchanters with sorrow enough in his heart。
Don Quixote bade him not be uneasy about deserting the animals； 〃for
he who would carry themselves over such longinquous roads and
regions would take care to feed them。〃
〃I don't understand that logiquous；〃 said Sancho； 〃nor have I ever
heard the word all the days of my life。〃
〃Longinquous；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃means far off； but it is no
wonder thou dost not understand it； for thou art not bound to know
Latin； like some who pretend to know it and don't。〃
〃Now they are tied；〃 said Sancho； 〃what are we to do next？〃
〃What？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃cross ourselves and weigh anchor； I mean；
embark and cut the moorings by which the bark is held；〃 and the bark
began to drift away slowly from the bank。 But when Sancho saw
himself somewhere about two yards out in the river； he began to
tremble and give himself up for lost； but nothing distressed him
more than hearing Dapple bray and seeing Rocinante struggling to get
loose； and said he to his master； 〃Dapple is braying in grief at our
leaving him； and Rocinante is trying to escape and plunge in after us。
O dear friends； peace be with you； and may this madness that is taking
us away from you； turned into sober sense； bring us back to you。〃
And with this he fell weeping so bitterly； that Don Quixote said to
him； sharply and angrily； 〃What art thou afraid of； cowardly creature？
What art thou weeping at； heart of butter…paste？ Who pursues or
molests thee； thou soul of a tame mouse？ What dost thou want；
unsatisfied in the very heart of abundance？ Art thou； perchance；
tramping barefoot over the Riphaean mountains； instead of being seated
on a bench like an archduke on the tranquil stream of this pleasant
river； from which in a short space we shall come out upon the broad
sea？ But we must have already emerged and gone seven hundred or
eight hundred leagues； and if I had here an astrolabe to take the
altitude of the pole； I could tell thee how many we have travelled；
though either I know little； or we have already crossed or shall
shortly cross the equinoctial line which parts the two opposite
poles midway。〃
〃And when we come to that line your worship speaks of；〃 said Sancho；
〃how far shall we have gone？〃
〃Very far；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for of the three hundred and sixty
degrees that this terraqueous globe contains； as computed by
Ptolemy； the greatest cosmographer known； we shall have travelled