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city； and saw the whole sack and storming and the death of Bourbon；
and was back in Madrid the next morning； where he gave an account of
all he had seen； and he said moreover that as he was going through the
air； the devil bade him open his eyes； and he did so； and saw
himself so near the body of the moon； so it seemed to him； that he
could have laid hold of it with his hand； and that he did not dare
to look at the earth lest he should be seized with giddiness。 So that；
Sancho； it will not do for us to uncover ourselves； for he who has
us in charge will be responsible for us； and perhaps we are gaining an
altitude and mounting up to enable us to descend at one swoop on the
kingdom of Kandy； as the saker or falcon does on the heron； so as to
seize it however high it may soar； and though it seems to us not
half an hour since we left the garden； believe me we must have
travelled a great distance。〃
〃I don't know how that may be；〃 said Sancho； 〃all I know is that
if the Senora Magallanes or Magalona was satisfied with this croup；
she could not have been very tender of flesh。〃
The duke； the duchess； and all in the garden were listening to the
conversation of the two heroes； and were beyond measure amused by
it； and now； desirous of putting a finishing touch to this rare and
well…contrived adventure； they applied a light to Clavileno's tail
with some tow； and the horse； being full of squibs and crackers；
immediately blew up with a prodigious noise； and brought Don Quixote
and Sancho Panza to the ground half singed。 By this time the bearded
band of duennas； the Trifaldi and all； had vanished from the garden；
and those that remained lay stretched on the ground as if in a
swoon。 Don Quixote and Sancho got up rather shaken； and； looking about
them； were filled with amazement at finding themselves in the same
garden from which they had started； and seeing such a number of people
stretched on the ground； and their astonishment was increased when
at one side of the garden they perceived a tall lance planted in the
ground； and hanging from it by two cords of green silk a smooth
white parchment on which there was the following inscription in
large gold letters： 〃The illustrious knight Don Quixote of La Mancha
has； by merely attempting it； finished and concluded the adventure
of the Countess Trifaldi； otherwise called the Distressed Duenna；
Malambruno is now satisfied on every point； the chins of the duennas
are now smooth and clean； and King Don Clavijo and Queen Antonomasia
in their original form； and when the squirely flagellation shall
have been completed； the white dove shall find herself delivered
from the pestiferous gerfalcons that persecute her； and in the arms of
her beloved mate； for such is the decree of the sage Merlin；
arch…enchanter of enchanters。〃
As soon as Don Quixote had read the inscription on the parchment
he perceived clearly that it referred to the disenchantment of
Dulcinea； and returning hearty thanks to heaven that he had with so
little danger achieved so grand an exploit as to restore to their
former complexion the countenances of those venerable duennas； he
advanced towards the duke and duchess； who had not yet come to
themselves； and taking the duke by the hand he said； 〃Be of good
cheer； worthy sir； be of good cheer； it's nothing at all； the
adventure is now over and without any harm done； as the inscription
fixed on this post shows plainly。〃
The duke came to himself slowly and like one recovering
consciousness after a heavy sleep； and the duchess and all who had
fallen prostrate about the garden did the same； with such
demonstrations of wonder and amazement that they would have almost
persuaded one that what they pretended so adroitly in jest had
happened to them in reality。 The duke read the placard with
half…shut eyes； and then ran to embrace Don Quixote with…open arms；
declaring him to be the best knight that had ever been seen in any
age。 Sancho kept looking about for the Distressed One； to see what her
face was like without the beard； and if she was as fair as her elegant
person promised； but they told him that； the instant Clavileno
descended flaming through the air and came to the ground； the whole
band of duennas with the Trifaldi vanished； and that they were already
shaved and without a stump left。
The duchess asked Sancho how he had fared on that long journey； to
which Sancho replied； 〃I felt； senora； that we were flying through the
region of fire； as my master told me； and I wanted to uncover my
eyes for a bit； but my master； when I asked leave to uncover myself；
would not let me； but as I have a little bit of curiosity about me；
and a desire to know what is forbidden and kept from me； quietly and
without anyone seeing me I drew aside the handkerchief covering my
eyes ever so little； close to my nose； and from underneath looked
towards the earth； and it seemed to me that it was altogether no
bigger than a grain of mustard seed； and that the men walking on it
were little bigger than hazel nuts； so you may see how high we must
have got to then。〃
To this the duchess said； 〃Sancho； my friend； mind what you are
saying； it seems you could not have seen the earth； but only the men
walking on it； for if the earth looked to you like a grain of
mustard seed； and each man like a hazel nut； one man alone would
have covered the whole earth。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Sancho； 〃but for all that I got a glimpse of
a bit of one side of it； and saw it all。〃
〃Take care； Sancho；〃 said the duchess； 〃with a bit of one side one
does not see the whole of what one looks at。〃
〃I don't understand that way of looking at things；〃 said Sancho；
〃I only know that your ladyship will do well to bear in mind that as
we were flying by enchantment so I might have seen the whole earth and
all the men by enchantment whatever way I looked； and if you won't
believe this； no more will you believe that； uncovering myself
nearly to the eyebrows； I saw myself so close to the sky that there
was not a palm and a half between me and it； and by everything that
I can swear by； senora； it is mighty great！ And it so happened we came
by where the seven goats are； and by God and upon my soul； as in my
youth I was a goatherd in my own country； as soon as I saw them I felt
a longing to be among them for a little； and if I had not given way to
it I think I'd have burst。 So I come and take； and what do I do？
without saying anything to anybody； not even to my master； softly
and quietly I got down from Clavileno and amused myself with the
goats… which are like violets； like flowers… for nigh three…quarters
of an hour； and Clavileno never stirred or moved from one spot。〃
〃And while the good Sancho was amusing himself with the goats；〃 said
the duke； 〃how did Senor Don Quixote amuse himself？〃
To which Don Quixote replied； 〃As all these things and such like
occurrences are out of the ordinary course of nature； it is no
wonder that Sancho says what he does； for my own part I can only say
that I did not uncover my eyes either above or below； nor did I see
sky or earth or sea or shore。 It is true I felt that I was passing
through the region of the air； and even that I touched that of fire；
but that we passed farther I cannot believe； for the region of fire
being between the heaven of the moon and the last region of the air；
we could not have reached that heaven where the seven goats Sancho
speaks of are without being burned； and as we were not burned；
either Sancho is lying or Sancho is dreaming。〃
〃I am neither lying nor dreaming；〃 said Sancho； 〃only ask me the
tokens of those same goats； and you'll see by that whether I'm telling
the truth or not。〃
〃Tell us them then； Sancho；〃 said the duchess。
〃Two of them；〃 said Sancho； 〃are green； two blood…red； two blue； and
one a mixture of all colours。〃
〃An odd sort of goat； that；〃 said the duke； 〃in this earthly
region of ours we have no such colours； I mean goats of such colours。〃
〃That's very plain；〃 said Sancho； 〃of course there must be a
difference between the goats of heaven and the goats of the earth。〃
〃Tell me； Sancho；〃 said the duke； 〃did you see any he…goat among
those goats？〃
〃No； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃but I have heard say that none ever
passed the horns of the moon。〃
They did not care to ask him anything more about his journey； for
they saw he was in the vein to go rambling all over the heavens giving
an account of everything that went on there； without having ever
stirred from the garden。 Such； in short； was the end of the
adventure of the Distressed Duenna； which gave the duke and duchess
laughing matter not only for the time being； but for all their
lives； and Sancho something to talk about for ages； if he lived so
long； but Don Quixote； coming close to his ear； said to him；
〃Sancho； as you would have us believe what you saw in heaven； I
require you to believe me as to what I saw in the cave of
Montesinos； I say no more。〃
CHAPTER XLII
OF THE COUNSELS WHICH DON QUIXOTE GAVE SANCHO PANZA BEFORE HE SET
OUT TO GOVERN THE ISLAND； TOGETHER WITH OTHER WELL…CONSIDERED MATTERS
THE duke and duchess were so well pleased with the successful and
drol