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Ptolemy； the greatest cosmographer known； we shall have travelled
one…half when we come to the line I spoke of。〃
〃By God；〃 said Sancho； 〃your worship gives me a nice authority for
what you say； putrid Dolly something transmogrified； or whatever it
is。〃
Don Quixote laughed at the interpretation Sancho put upon
〃computed；〃 and the name of the cosmographer Ptolemy； and said he；
〃Thou must know； Sancho； that with the Spaniards and those who
embark at Cadiz for the East Indies； one of the signs they have to
show them when they have passed the equinoctial line I told thee of；
is； that the lice die upon everybody on board the ship； and not a
single one is left； or to be found in the whole vessel if they gave
its weight in gold for it； so； Sancho； thou mayest as well pass thy
hand down thy thigh； and if thou comest upon anything alive we shall
be no longer in doubt； if not； then we have crossed。〃
〃I don't believe a bit of it；〃 said Sancho； 〃still； I'll do as
your worship bids me； though I don't know what need there is for
trying these experiments； for I can see with my own eyes that we
have not moved five yards away from the bank； or shifted two yards
from where the animals stand； for there are Rocinante and Dapple in
the very same place where we left them； and watching a point； as I
do now； I swear by all that's good； we are not stirring or moving at
the pace of an ant。〃
〃Try the test I told thee of； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and
don't mind any other； for thou knowest nothing about colures； lines；
parallels； zodiacs； ecliptics； poles； solstices； equinoxes； planets；
signs； bearings； the measures of which the celestial and terrestrial
spheres are composed； if thou wert acquainted with all these things；
or any portion of them； thou wouldst see clearly how many parallels we
have cut； what signs we have seen； and what constellations we have
left behind and are now leaving behind。 But again I tell thee； feel
and hunt； for I am certain thou art cleaner than a sheet of smooth
white paper。〃
Sancho felt； and passing his hand gently and carefully down to the
hollow of his left knee； he looked up at his master and said；
〃Either the test is a false one； or we have not come to where your
worship says； nor within many leagues of it。〃
〃Why； how so？〃 asked Don Quixote； 〃hast thou come upon aught？〃
〃Ay； and aughts；〃 replied Sancho； and shaking his fingers he
washed his whole hand in the river along which the boat was quietly
gliding in midstream； not moved by any occult intelligence or
invisible enchanter； but simply by the current； just there smooth
and gentle。
They now came in sight of some large water mills that stood in the
middle of the river； and the instant Don Quixote saw them he cried
out； 〃Seest thou there； my friend？ there stands the castle or
fortress； where there is； no doubt； some knight in durance； or
ill…used queen； or infanta； or princess； in whose aid I am brought
hither。〃
〃What the devil city； fortress； or castle is your worship talking
about； senor？〃 said Sancho； 〃don't you see that those are mills that
stand in the river to grind corn？〃
〃Hold thy peace； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃though they look like
mills they are not so； I have already told thee that enchantments
transform things and change their proper shapes； I do not mean to
say they really change them from one form into another； but that it
seems as though they did； as experience proved in the transformation
of Dulcinea； sole refuge of my hopes。〃
By this time； the boat； having reached the middle of the stream；
began to move less slowly than hitherto。 The millers belonging to
the mills； when they saw the boat coming down the river； and on the
point of being sucked in by the draught of the wheels； ran out in
haste； several of them； with long poles to stop it； and being all
mealy； with faces and garments covered with flour； they presented a
sinister appearance。 They raised loud shouts； crying； 〃Devils of
men； where are you going to？ Are you mad？ Do you want to drown
yourselves； or dash yourselves to pieces among these wheels？〃
〃Did I not tell thee； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote at this； 〃that we
had reached the place where I am to show what the might of my arm
can do？ See what ruffians and villains come out against me； see what
monsters oppose me； see what hideous countenances come to frighten us！
You shall soon see； scoundrels！〃 And then standing up in the boat he
began in a loud voice to hurl threats at the millers； exclaiming；
〃Ill…conditioned and worse…counselled rabble； restore to liberty and
freedom the person ye hold in durance in this your fortress or prison；
high or low or of whatever rank or quality he be； for I am Don Quixote
of La Mancha； otherwise called the Knight of the Lions； for whom； by
the disposition of heaven above； it is reserved to give a happy
issue to this adventure；〃 and so saying he drew his sword and began
making passes in the air at the millers； who； hearing but not
understanding all this nonsense； strove to stop the boat； which was
now getting into the rushing channel of the wheels。 Sancho fell upon
his knees devoutly appealing to heaven to deliver him from such
imminent peril； which it did by the activity and quickness of the
millers； who； pushing against the boat with their poles； stopped it；
not； however； without upsetting and throwing Don Quixote and Sancho
into the water； and lucky it was for Don Quixote that he could swim
like a goose； though the weight of his armour carried him twice to the
bottom； and had it not been for the millers； who plunged in and
hoisted them both out； it would have been Troy town with the pair of
them。 As soon as； more drenched than thirsty； they were landed； Sancho
went down on his knees and with clasped hands and eyes raised to
heaven； prayed a long and fervent prayer to God to deliver him
evermore from the rash projects and attempts of his master。 The
fishermen； the owners of the boat； which the mill…wheels had knocked
to pieces； now came up； and seeing it smashed they proceeded to
strip Sancho and to demand payment for it from Don Quixote； but he
with great calmness； just as if nothing had happened him； told the
millers and fishermen that he would pay for the bark most
cheerfully； on condition that they delivered up to him； free and
unhurt； the person or persons that were in durance in that castle of
theirs。
〃What persons or what castle art thou talking of； madman？ Art thou
for carrying off the people who come to grind corn in these mills？〃
〃That's enough；〃 said Don Quixote to himself； 〃it would be preaching
in the desert to attempt by entreaties to induce this rabble to do any
virtuous action。 In this adventure two mighty enchanters must have
encountered one another； and one frustrates what the other attempts；
one provided the bark for me； and the other upset me； God help us；
this world is all machinations and schemes at cross purposes one
with the other。 I can do no more。〃 And then turning towards the
mills he said aloud； 〃Friends； whoe'er ye be that are immured in
that prison； forgive me that； to my misfortune and yours； I cannot
deliver you from your misery； this adventure is doubtless reserved and
destined for some other knight。〃
So saying he settled with the fishermen； and paid fifty reals for
the boat； which Sancho handed to them very much against the grain；
saying； 〃With a couple more bark businesses like this we shall have
sunk our whole capital。〃
The fishermen and the millers stood staring in amazement at the
two figures； so very different to all appearance from ordinary men；
and were wholly unable to make out the drift of the observations and
questions Don Quixote addressed to them； and coming to the
conclusion that they were madmen； they left them and betook
themselves； the millers to their mills； and the fishermen to their
huts。 Don Quixote and Sancho returned to their beasts； and to their
life of beasts； and so ended the adventure of the enchanted bark。
CHAPTER XXX
OF DON QUIXOTE'S ADVENTURE WITH A FAIR HUNTRESS
THEY reached their beasts in low spirits and bad humour enough；
knight and squire； Sancho particularly； for with him what touched
the stock of money touched his heart； and when any was taken from
him he felt as if he was robbed of the apples of his eyes。 In fine；
without exchanging a word； they mounted and quitted the famous
river； Don Quixote absorbed in thoughts of his love； Sancho in
thinking of his advancement； which just then； it seemed to him； he was
very far from securing； for； fool as he was； he saw clearly enough
that his master's acts were all or most of them utterly senseless； and
he began to cast about for an opportunity of retiring from his service
and going home some day； without entering into any explanations or
taking any farewell of him。 Fortune； however； ordered matters after
a fashion very much the opposite of what he contemplated。
It so happened that the next day towards sunset； on coming out of
a wood； Don Quixote cast his eyes over a green meadow； and at the
far end of it observed some people； and as he drew nearer saw that
it was a hawking party。 Coming closer； he distinguished among them a
lad