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I tell him I have neither pullets nor hens； and he wants me to have
eggs！ Talk of other dainties； if you please； and don't ask for hens
again。〃
〃Body o' me！〃 said Sancho； 〃let's settle the matter； say at once
what you have got； and let us have no more words about it。〃
〃In truth and earnest； senor guest；〃 said the landlord； 〃all I
have is a couple of cow…heels like calves' feet； or a couple of
calves' feet like cowheels； they are boiled with chick…peas； onions；
and bacon； and at this moment they are crying 'Come eat me； come eat
me。〃
〃I mark them for mine on the spot；〃 said Sancho； 〃let nobody touch
them； I'll pay better for them than anyone else； for I could not
wish for anything more to my taste； and I don't care a pin whether
they are feet or heels。〃
〃Nobody shall touch them；〃 said the landlord； 〃for the other
guests I have； being persons of high quality； bring their own cook and
caterer and larder with them。〃
〃If you come to people of quality；〃 said Sancho； 〃there's nobody
more so than my master； but the calling he follows does not allow of
larders or store…rooms； we lay ourselves down in the middle of a
meadow； and fill ourselves with acorns or medlars。〃
Here ended Sancho's conversation with the landlord； Sancho not
caring to carry it any farther by answering him； for he had already
asked him what calling or what profession it was his master was of。
Supper…time having come； then； Don Quixote betook himself to his
room； the landlord brought in the stew…pan just as it was； and he
sat himself down to sup very resolutely。 It seems that in another
room； which was next to Don Quixote's； with nothing but a thin
partition to separate it； he overheard these words； 〃As you live；
Senor Don Jeronimo； while they are bringing supper； let us read
another chapter of the Second Part of 'Don Quixote of La Mancha。'〃
The instant Don Quixote heard his own name be started to his feet
and listened with open ears to catch what they said about him； and
heard the Don Jeronimo who had been addressed say in reply； 〃Why would
you have us read that absurd stuff； Don Juan； when it is impossible
for anyone who has read the First Part of the history of 'Don
Quixote of La Mancha' to take any pleasure in reading this Second
Part？〃
〃For all that；〃 said he who was addressed as Don Juan； 〃we shall
do well to read it； for there is no book so bad but it has something
good in it。 What displeases me most in it is that it represents Don
Quixote as now cured of his love for Dulcinea del Toboso。〃
On hearing this Don Quixote； full of wrath and indignation； lifted
up his voice and said； 〃Whoever he may be who says that Don Quixote of
La Mancha has forgotten or can forget Dulcinea del Toboso； I will
teach him with equal arms that what he says is very far from the
truth； for neither can the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso be
forgotten； nor can forgetfulness have a place in Don Quixote； his
motto is constancy； and his profession to maintain the same with his
life and never wrong it。〃
〃Who is this that answers us？〃 said they in the next room。
〃Who should it be；〃 said Sancho； 〃but Don Quixote of La Mancha
himself； who will make good all he has said and all he will say； for
pledges don't trouble a good payer。〃
Sancho had hardly uttered these words when two gentlemen； for such
they seemed to be； entered the room； and one of them； throwing his
arms round Don Quixote's neck； said to him； 〃Your appearance cannot
leave any question as to your name； nor can your name fail to identify
your appearance； unquestionably； senor； you are the real Don Quixote
of La Mancha； cynosure and morning star of knight…errantry； despite
and in defiance of him who has sought to usurp your name and bring
to naught your achievements； as the author of this book which I here
present to you has done；〃 and with this he put a book which his
companion carried into the hands of Don Quixote； who took it； and
without replying began to run his eye over it； but he presently
returned it saying； 〃In the little I have seen I have discovered three
things in this author that deserve to be censured。 The first is some
words that I have read in the preface； the next that the language is
Aragonese； for sometimes he writes without articles； and the third；
which above all stamps him as ignorant； is that he goes wrong and
departs from the truth in the most important part of the history；
for here he says that my squire Sancho Panza's wife is called Mari
Gutierrez； when she is called nothing of the sort； but Teresa Panza；
and when a man errs on such an important point as this there is good
reason to fear that he is in error on every other point in the
history。〃
〃A nice sort of historian； indeed！〃 exclaimed Sancho at this； 〃he
must know a deal about our affairs when he calls my wife Teresa Panza；
Mari Gutierrez； take the book again； senor； and see if I am in it
and if he has changed my name。〃
〃From your talk； friend；〃 said Don Jeronimo； 〃no doubt you are
Sancho Panza； Senor Don Quixote's squire。〃
〃Yes； I am；〃 said Sancho； 〃and I'm proud of it。〃
〃Faith； then；〃 said the gentleman； 〃this new author does not
handle you with the decency that displays itself in your person； he
makes you out a heavy feeder and a fool； and not in the least droll；
and a very different being from the Sancho described in the First Part
of your master's history。〃
〃God forgive him；〃 said Sancho； 〃he might have left me in my
corner without troubling his head about me； 'let him who knows how
ring the bells； 'Saint Peter is very well in Rome。'〃
The two gentlemen pressed Don Quixote to come into their room and
have supper with them； as they knew very well there was nothing in
that inn fit for one of his sort。 Don Quixote； who was always
polite； yielded to their request and supped with them。 Sancho stayed
behind with the stew。 and invested with plenary delegated authority
seated himself at the head of the table； and the landlord sat down
with him； for he was no less fond of cow…heel and calves' feet than
Sancho was。
While at supper Don Juan asked Don Quixote what news he had of the
lady Dulcinea del Toboso； was she married； had she been brought to
bed； or was she with child； or did she in maidenhood； still preserving
her modesty and delicacy； cherish the remembrance of the tender
passion of Senor Don Quixote？
To this he replied； 〃Dulcinea is a maiden still； and my passion more
firmly rooted than ever； our intercourse unsatisfactory as before； and
her beauty transformed into that of a foul country wench；〃 and then he
proceeded to give them a full and particular account of the
enchantment of Dulcinea； and of what had happened him in the cave of
Montesinos； together with what the sage Merlin had prescribed for
her disenchantment； namely the scourging of Sancho。
Exceedingly great was the amusement the two gentlemen derived from
hearing Don Quixote recount the strange incidents of his history；
and if they were amazed by his absurdities they were equally amazed by
the elegant style in which he delivered them。 On the one hand they
regarded him as a man of wit and sense； and on the other he seemed
to them a maundering blockhead； and they could not make up their minds
whereabouts between wisdom and folly they ought to place him。
Sancho having finished his supper； and left the landlord in the X
condition； repaired to the room where his master was； and as he came
in said； 〃May I die； sirs； if the author of this book your worships
have got has any mind that we should agree； as he calls me glutton
（according to what your worships say） I wish he may not call me
drunkard too。〃
〃But he does；〃 said Don Jeronimo； 〃I cannot remember； however； in
what way； though I know his words are offensive； and what is more；
lying； as I can see plainly by the physiognomy of the worthy Sancho
before me。〃
〃Believe me；〃 said Sancho； 〃the Sancho and the Don Quixote of this
history must be different persons from those that appear in the one
Cide Hamete Benengeli wrote； who are ourselves； my master valiant；
wise； and true in love； and I simple； droll； and neither glutton nor
drunkard。〃
〃I believe it；〃 said Don Juan； 〃and were it possible； an order
should be issued that no one should have the presumption to deal
with anything relating to Don Quixote； save his original author Cide
Hamete； just as Alexander commanded that no one should presume to
paint his portrait save Apelles。〃
〃Let him who will paint me；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but let him not
abuse me； for patience will often break down when they heap insults
upon it。〃
〃None can be offered to Senor Don Quixote；〃 said Don Juan； 〃that
he himself will not be able to avenge； if he does not ward it off with
the shield of his patience； which； I take it； is great and strong。〃
A considerable portion of the night passed in conversation of this
sort； and though Don Juan wished Don Quixote to read more of the
book to see what it was all about； he was not to be prevailed upon；
saying that he treated it as read and pronounced it utterly silly；
and； if by any chance it should come to its author's ears that he
had it in his hand； he did not want him to flatter himself with the
i