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is looked for another thing is found； however； if my master Don
Quixote gets well of this wound； or fall； and I am left none the worse
of it； I would not change my hopes for the best title in Spain。〃
To all this conversation Don Quixote was listening very attentively；
and sitting up in bed as well as he could； and taking the hostess by
the hand he said to her； 〃Believe me； fair lady； you may call yourself
fortunate in having in this castle of yours sheltered my person； which
is such that if I do not myself praise it； it is because of what is
commonly said； that self…praise debaseth； but my squire will inform
you who I am。 I only tell you that I shall preserve for ever inscribed
on my memory the service you have rendered me in order to tender you
my gratitude while life shall last me； and would to Heaven love held
me not so enthralled and subject to its laws and to the eyes of that
fair ingrate whom I name between my teeth； but that those of this
lovely damsel might be the masters of my liberty。〃
The hostess； her daughter； and the worthy Maritornes listened in
bewilderment to the words of the knight…errant； for they understood
about as much of them as if he had been talking Greek； though they
could perceive they were all meant for expressions of good…will and
blandishments； and not being accustomed to this kind of language； they
stared at him and wondered to themselves； for he seemed to them a
man of a different sort from those they were used to； and thanking him
in pothouse phrase for his civility they left him； while the
Asturian gave her attention to Sancho； who needed it no less than
his master。
The carrier had made an arrangement with her for recreation that
night； and she had given him her word that when the guests were
quiet and the family asleep she would come in search of him and meet
his wishes unreservedly。 And it is said of this good lass that she
never made promises of the kind without fulfilling them； even though
she made them in a forest and without any witness present； for she
plumed herself greatly on being a lady and held it no disgrace to be
in such an employment as servant in an inn； because； she said；
misfortunes and ill…luck had brought her to that position。 The hard；
narrow； wretched； rickety bed of Don Quixote stood first in the middle
of this star…lit stable； and close beside it Sancho made his； which
merely consisted of a rush mat and a blanket that looked as if it
was of threadbare canvas rather than of wool。 Next to these two beds
was that of the carrier； made up； as has been said； of the
pack…saddles and all the trappings of the two best mules he had；
though there were twelve of them； sleek； plump； and in prime
condition； for he was one of the rich carriers of Arevalo； according
to the author of this history； who particularly mentions this
carrier because he knew him very well； and they even say was in some
degree a relation of his； besides which Cide Hamete Benengeli was a
historian of great research and accuracy in all things； as is very
evident since he would not pass over in silence those that have been
already mentioned； however trifling and insignificant they might be；
an example that might be followed by those grave historians who relate
transactions so curtly and briefly that we hardly get a taste of them；
all the substance of the work being left in the inkstand from
carelessness； perverseness； or ignorance。 A thousand blessings on
the author of 〃Tablante de Ricamonte〃 and that of the other book in
which the deeds of the Conde Tomillas are recounted； with what
minuteness they describe everything！
To proceed； then： after having paid a visit to his team and given
them their second feed； the carrier stretched himself on his
pack…saddles and lay waiting for his conscientious Maritornes。
Sancho was by this time plastered and had lain down； and though he
strove to sleep the pain of his ribs would not let him； while Don
Quixote with the pain of his had his eyes as wide open as a hare's。
The inn was all in silence； and in the whole of it there was no
light except that given by a lantern that hung burning in the middle
of the gateway。 This strange stillness； and the thoughts； always
present to our knight's mind； of the incidents described at every turn
in the books that were the cause of his misfortune； conjured up to his
imagination as extraordinary a delusion as can well be conceived；
which was that he fancied himself to have reached a famous castle
（for； as has been said； all the inns he lodged in were castles to
his eyes）； and that the daughter of the innkeeper was daughter of
the lord of the castle； and that she； won by his high…bred bearing；
had fallen in love with him； and had promised to come to his bed for a
while that night without the knowledge of her parents； and holding all
this fantasy that he had constructed as solid fact； he began to feel
uneasy and to consider the perilous risk which his virtue was about to
encounter； and he resolved in his heart to commit no treason to his
lady Dulcinea del Toboso； even though the queen Guinevere herself
and the dame Quintanona should present themselves before him。
While he was taken up with these vagaries； then； the time and the
hour… an unlucky one for him… arrived for the Asturian to come； who in
her smock； with bare feet and her hair gathered into a fustian coif；
with noiseless and cautious steps entered the chamber where the
three were quartered； in quest of the carrier； but scarcely had she
gained the door when Don Quixote perceived her； and sitting up in
his bed in spite of his plasters and the pain of his ribs； he
stretched out his arms to receive his beauteous damsel。 The
Asturian； who went all doubled up and in silence with her hands before
her feeling for her lover； encountered the arms of Don Quixote； who
grasped her tightly by the wrist； and drawing her towards him； while
she dared not utter a word； made her sit down on the bed。 He then felt
her smock； and although it was of sackcloth it appeared to him to be
of the finest and softest silk： on her wrists she wore some glass
beads； but to him they had the sheen of precious Orient pearls： her
hair； which in some measure resembled a horse's mane； he rated as
threads of the brightest gold of Araby； whose refulgence dimmed the
sun himself： her breath； which no doubt smelt of yesterday's stale
salad； seemed to him to diffuse a sweet aromatic fragrance from her
mouth； and； in short； he drew her portrait in his imagination with the
same features and in the same style as that which he had seen in his
books of the other princesses who； smitten by love； came with all
the adornments that are here set down； to see the sorely wounded
knight； and so great was the poor gentleman's blindness that neither
touch； nor smell； nor anything else about the good lass that would
have made any but a carrier vomit； were enough to undeceive him； on
the contrary； he was persuaded he had the goddess of beauty in his
arms； and holding her firmly in his grasp he went on to say in low；
tender voice：
〃Would that found myself； lovely and exalted lady； in a position
to repay such a favour as that which you； by the sight of your great
beauty； have granted me； but fortune； which is never weary of
persecuting the good； has chosen to place me upon this bed； where I
lie so bruised and broken that though my inclination would gladly
comply with yours it is impossible； besides； to this impossibility
another yet greater is to be added； which is the faith that I have
pledged to the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso； sole lady of my most
secret thoughts； and were it not that this stood in the way I should
not be so insensible a knight as to miss the happy opportunity which
your great goodness has offered me。〃
Maritornes was fretting and sweating at finding herself held so fast
by Don Quixote； and not understanding or heeding the words he
addressed to her； she strove without speaking to free herself。 The
worthy carrier； whose unholy thoughts kept him awake； was aware of his
doxy the moment she entered the door； and was listening attentively to
all Don Quixote said； and jealous that the Asturian should have broken
her word with him for another； drew nearer to Don Quixote's bed and
stood still to see what would come of this talk which he could not
understand； but when he perceived the wench struggling to get free and
Don Quixote striving to hold her； not relishing the joke he raised his
arm and delivered such a terrible cuff on the lank jaws of the amorous
knight that be bathed all his mouth in blood； and not content with
this he mounted on his ribs and with his feet tramped all over them at
a pace rather smarter than a trot。 The bed which was somewhat crazy
and not very firm on its feet； unable to support the additional weight
of the carrier； came to the ground； and at the mighty crash of this
the innkeeper awoke and at once concluded that it must be some brawl
of Maritornes'； because after calling loudly to her he got no
answer。 With this suspicion he got up； and lighting a lamp hastened to
the quarter where he had heard the disturbance。 The wench； seeing that
her master was coming and knowing that his