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majordomo of the duke's here is the very face of the Distressed One。〃
Don Quixote regarded the majordomo attentively； and having done
so； said to Sancho； 〃There is no reason why the devil should carry
thee off； Sancho； either righteous or believing… and what thou meanest
by that I know not； the face of the Distressed One is that of the
majordomo； but for all that the majordomo is not the Distressed One；
for his being so would involve a mighty contradiction； but this is not
the time for going into questions of the sort； which would be
involving ourselves in an inextricable labyrinth。 Believe me； my
friend； we must pray earnestly to our Lord that he deliver us both
from wicked wizards and enchanters。〃
〃It is no joke； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃for before this I heard him
speak； and it seemed exactly as if the voice of the Trifaldi was
sounding in my ears。 Well； I'll hold my peace； but I'll take care to
be on the look…out henceforth for any sign that may be seen to confirm
or do away with this suspicion。〃
〃Thou wilt do well； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and thou wilt let me
know all thou discoverest； and all that befalls thee in thy
government。〃
Sancho at last set out attended by a great number of people。 He
was dressed in the garb of a lawyer； with a gaban of tawny watered
camlet over all and a montera cap of the same material； and mounted
a la gineta upon a mule。 Behind him； in accordance with the duke's
orders； followed Dapple with brand new ass…trappings and ornaments
of silk； and from time to time Sancho turned round to look at his ass；
so well pleased to have him with him that he would not have changed
places with the emperor of Germany。 On taking leave he kissed the
hands of the duke and duchess and got his master's blessing； which Don
Quixote gave him with tears； and he received blubbering。
Let worthy Sancho go in peace； and good luck to him； Gentle
Reader； and look out for two bushels of laughter； which the account of
how he behaved himself in office will give thee。 In the meantime
turn thy attention to what happened his master the same night； and
if thou dost not laugh thereat； at any rate thou wilt stretch thy
mouth with a grin； for Don Quixote's adventures must be honoured
either with wonder or with laughter。
It is recorded； then； that as soon as Sancho had gone； Don Quixote
felt his loneliness； and had it been possible for him to revoke the
mandate and take away the government from him he would have done so。
The duchess observed his dejection and asked him why he was
melancholy； because； she said； if it was for the loss of Sancho； there
were squires； duennas； and damsels in her house who would wait upon
him to his full satisfaction。
〃The truth is； senora；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃that I do feel the
loss of Sancho； but that is not the main cause of my looking sad；
and of all the offers your excellence makes me； I accept only the
good…will with which they are made； and as to the remainder I
entreat of your excellence to permit and allow me alone to wait upon
myself in my chamber。〃
〃Indeed； Senor Don Quixote；〃 said the duchess； 〃that must not be；
four of my damsels； as beautiful as flowers； shall wait upon you。〃
〃To me；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃they will not be flowers； but thorns
to pierce my heart。 They； or anything like them； shall as soon enter
my chamber as fly。 If your highness wishes to gratify me still
further； though I deserve it not； permit me to please myself； and wait
upon myself in my own room； for I place a barrier between my
inclinations and my virtue； and I do not wish to break this rule
through the generosity your highness is disposed to display towards
me； and； in short； I will sleep in my clothes； sooner than allow
anyone to undress me。〃
〃Say no more； Senor Don Quixote； say no more；〃 said the duchess；
〃I assure you I will give orders that not even a fly； not to say a
damsel； shall enter your room。 I am not the one to undermine the
propriety of Senor Don Quixote； for it strikes me that among his
many virtues the one that is pre…eminent is that of modesty。 Your
worship may undress and dress in private and in your own way； as you
please and when you please； for there will be no one to hinder you；
and in your chamber you will find all the utensils requisite to supply
the wants of one who sleeps with his door locked； to the end that no
natural needs compel you to open it。 May the great Dulcinea del Toboso
live a thousand years； and may her fame extend all over the surface of
the globe； for she deserves to be loved by a knight so valiant and
so virtuous； and may kind heaven infuse zeal into the heart of our
governor Sancho Panza to finish off his discipline speedily； so that
the world may once more enjoy the beauty of so grand a lady。〃
To which Don Quixote replied； 〃Your highness has spoken like what
you are； from the mouth of a noble lady nothing bad can come； and
Dulcinea will be more fortunate； and better known to the world by
the praise of your highness than by all the eulogies the greatest
orators on earth could bestow upon her。〃
〃Well； well； Senor Don Quixote；〃 said the duchess； is nearly
supper…time； and the duke is is probably waiting； come let us go to
supper； and retire to rest early； for the journey you made yesterday
from Kandy was not such a short one but that it must have caused you
some fatigue。〃
〃I feel none； senora；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for I would go so far as
to swear to your excellence that in all my life I never mounted a
quieter beast； or a pleasanter paced one； than Clavileno； and I
don't know what could have induced Malambruno to discard a steed so
swift and so gentle； and burn it so recklessly as he did。〃
〃Probably；〃 said the duchess； 〃repenting of the evil he had done
to the Trifaldi and company； and others； and the crimes he must have
committed as a wizard and enchanter； he resolved to make away with all
the instruments of his craft； and so burned Clavileno as the chief
one； and that which mainly kept him restless； wandering from land to
land； and by its ashes and the trophy of the placard the valour of the
great Don Quixote of La Mancha is established for ever。〃
Don Quixote renewed his thanks to the duchess； and having supped；
retired to his chamber alone； refusing to allow anyone to enter with
him to wait on him； such was his fear of encountering temptations that
might lead or drive him to forget his chaste fidelity to his lady
Dulcinea； for he had always present to his mind the virtue of
Amadis； that flower and mirror of knights…errant。 He locked the door
behind him； and by the light of two wax candles undressed himself； but
as he was taking off his stockings… O disaster unworthy of such a
personage！… there came a burst； not of sighs； or anything belying
his delicacy or good breeding； but of some two dozen stitches in one
of his stockings； that made it look like a window…lattice。 The
worthy gentleman was beyond measure distressed； and at that moment
he would have given an ounce of silver to have had half a drachm of
green silk there； I say green silk； because the stockings were green。
Here Cide Hamete exclaimed as he was writing； 〃O poverty； poverty！ I
know not what could have possessed the great Cordovan poet to call
thee 'holy gift ungratefully received。' Although a Moor； I know well
enough from the intercourse I have had with Christians that holiness
consists in charity； humility； faith； obedience； and poverty； but
for all that； I say he must have a great deal of godliness who can
find any satisfaction in being poor； unless； indeed； it be the kind of
poverty one of their greatest saints refers to； saying； 'possess all
things as though ye possessed them not；' which is what they call
poverty in spirit。 But thou； that other poverty… for it is of thee I
am speaking now… why dost thou love to fall out with gentlemen and men
of good birth more than with other people？ Why dost thou compel them
to smear the cracks in their shoes； and to have the buttons of their
coats； one silk； another hair； and another glass？ Why must their ruffs
be always crinkled like endive leaves； and not crimped with a crimping
iron？〃 （From this we may perceive the antiquity of starch and
crimped ruffs。） Then he goes on： 〃Poor gentleman of good family！
always cockering up his honour； dining miserably and in secret； and
making a hypocrite of the toothpick with which he sallies out into the
street after eating nothing to oblige him to use it！ Poor fellow； I
say； with his nervous honour； fancying they perceive a league off
the patch on his shoe； the sweat…stains on his hat； the shabbiness
of his cloak； and the hunger of his stomach！〃
All this was brought home to Don Quixote by the bursting of his
stitches； however； he comforted himself on perceiving that Sancho
had left behind a pair of travelling boots； which he resolved to
wear the next day。 At last he went to bed； out of spirits and heavy at
heart； as much because he missed Sancho as because of the
irreparable disaster to his stockings； the stitches of which he
would have even taken up with silk of another colour； which is one
of the greatest signs of poverty a gentleman can show in the course of
his never…faili