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adventure； arduous as it promises to be； therefore tighten Rocinante's
girths a little； and God be with thee； wait for me here three days and
no more； and if in that time I come not back； thou canst return to our
village； and thence； to do me a favour and a service； thou wilt go
to El Toboso； where thou shalt say to my incomparable lady Dulcinea
that her captive knight hath died in attempting things that might make
him worthy of being called hers。〃
When Sancho heard his master's words he began to weep in the most
pathetic way； saying：
〃Senor； I know not why your worship wants to attempt this so
dreadful adventure； it is night now； no one sees us here； we can
easily turn about and take ourselves out of danger； even if we don't
drink for three days to come； and as there is no one to see us； all
the less will there be anyone to set us down as cowards； besides； I
have many a time heard the curate of our village； whom your worship
knows well； preach that he who seeks danger perishes in it； so it is
not right to tempt God by trying so tremendous a feat from which there
can be no escape save by a miracle； and Heaven has performed enough of
them for your worship in delivering you from being blanketed as I was；
and bringing you out victorious and safe and sound from among all
those enemies that were with the dead man； and if all this does not
move or soften that hard heart； let this thought and reflection move
it； that you will have hardly quitted this spot when from pure fear
I shall yield my soul up to anyone that will take it。 I left home
and wife and children to come and serve your worship； trusting to do
better and not worse； but as covetousness bursts the bag； it has
rent my hopes asunder； for just as I had them highest about getting
that wretched unlucky island your worship has so often promised me；
I see that instead and in lieu of it you mean to desert me now in a
place so far from human reach： for God's sake； master mine； deal not
so unjustly by me； and if your worship will not entirely give up
attempting this feat； at least put it off till morning； for by what
the lore I learned when I was a shepherd tells me it cannot want three
hours of dawn now； because the mouth of the Horn is overhead and makes
midnight in the line of the left arm。〃
〃How canst thou see； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃where it makes that
line； or where this mouth or this occiput is that thou talkest of；
when the night is so dark that there is not a star to be seen in the
whole heaven？〃
〃That's true；〃 said Sancho； 〃but fear has sharp eyes； and sees
things underground； much more above in heavens； besides； there is good
reason to show that it now wants but little of day。〃
〃Let it want what it may；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃it shall not be
said of me now or at any time that tears or entreaties turned me aside
from doing what was in accordance with knightly usage； and so I beg of
thee； Sancho； to hold thy peace； for God； who has put it into my heart
to undertake now this so unexampled and terrible adventure； will
take care to watch over my safety and console thy sorrow； what thou
hast to do is to tighten Rocinante's girths well； and wait here； for I
shall come back shortly； alive or dead。〃
Sancho perceiving it his master's final resolve； and how little
his tears； counsels； and entreaties prevailed with him； determined
to have recourse to his own ingenuity and compel him； if he could；
to wait till daylight； and so； while tightening the girths of the
horse； he quietly and without being felt； with his ass' halter tied
both Rocinante's legs； so that when Don Quixote strove to go he was
unable as the horse could only move by jumps。 Seeing the success of
his trick； Sancho Panza said：
〃See there； senor！ Heaven； moved by my tears and prayers； has so
ordered it that Rocinante cannot stir； and if you will be obstinate；
and spur and strike him； you will only provoke fortune； and kick； as
they say； against the pricks。〃
Don Quixote at this grew desperate； but the more he drove his
heels into the horse； the less he stirred him； and not having any
suspicion of the tying； he was fain to resign himself and wait till
daybreak or until Rocinante could move； firmly persuaded that all this
came of something other than Sancho's ingenuity。 So he said to him；
〃As it is so； Sancho； and as Rocinante cannot move； I am content to
wait till dawn smiles upon us； even though I weep while it delays
its coming。〃
〃There is no need to weep；〃 answered Sancho； 〃for I will amuse
your worship by telling stories from this till daylight； unless indeed
you like to dismount and lie down to sleep a little on the green grass
after the fashion of knights…errant； so as to be fresher when day
comes and the moment arrives for attempting this extraordinary
adventure you are looking forward to。〃
〃What art thou talking about dismounting or sleeping for？〃 said
Don Quixote。 〃Am I； thinkest thou； one of those knights that take
their rest in the presence of danger？ Sleep thou who art born to
sleep； or do as thou wilt； for I will act as I think most consistent
with my character。〃
〃Be not angry； master mine；〃 replied Sancho； 〃I did not mean to
say that；〃 and coming close to him he laid one hand on the pommel of
the saddle and the other on the cantle so that he held his master's
left thigh in his embrace； not daring to separate a finger's width
from him； so much afraid was he of the strokes which still resounded
with a regular beat。 Don Quixote bade him tell some story to amuse him
as he had proposed； to which Sancho replied that he would if his dread
of what he heard would let him； 〃Still；〃 said he； 〃I will strive to
tell a story which； if I can manage to relate it； and nobody
interferes with the telling； is the best of stories； and let your
worship give me your attention； for here I begin。 What was； was； and
may the good that is to come be for all； and the evil for him who goes
to look for it …your worship must know that the beginning the old folk
used to put to their tales was not just as each one pleased； it was
a maxim of Cato Zonzorino the Roman； that says 'the evil for him
that goes to look for it；' and it comes as pat to the purpose now as
ring to finger； to show that your worship should keep quiet and not go
looking for evil in any quarter； and that we should go back by some
other road； since nobody forces us to follow this in which so many
terrors affright us。〃
〃Go on with thy story； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and leave the
choice of our road to my care。〃
〃I say then；〃 continued Sancho； 〃that in a village of Estremadura
there was a goat…shepherd …that is to say； one who tended goats… which
shepherd or goatherd； as my story goes； was called Lope Ruiz； and this
Lope Ruiz was in love with a shepherdess called Torralva； which
shepherdess called Torralva was the daughter of a rich grazier； and
this rich grazier…〃
〃If that is the way thou tellest thy tale； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃repeating twice all thou hast to say； thou wilt not have
done these two days； go straight on with it； and tell it like a
reasonable man； or else say nothing。〃
〃Tales are always told in my country in the very way I am telling
this；〃 answered Sancho； 〃and I cannot tell it in any other； nor is
it right of your worship to ask me to make new customs。〃
〃Tell it as thou wilt；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃and as fate will
have it that I cannot help listening to thee； go on。〃
〃And so； lord of my soul；〃 continued Sancho； as I have said； this
shepherd was in love with Torralva the shepherdess； who was a wild
buxom lass with something of the look of a man about her； for she
had little moustaches； I fancy I see her now。〃
〃Then you knew her？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I did not know her；〃 said Sancho； 〃but he who told me the story
said it was so true and certain that when I told it to another I might
safely declare and swear I had seen it all myself。 And so in course of
time； the devil； who never sleeps and puts everything in confusion；
contrived that the love the shepherd bore the shepherdess turned
into hatred and ill…will； and the reason； according to evil tongues；
was some little jealousy she caused him that crossed the line and
trespassed on forbidden ground； and so much did the shepherd hate
her from that time forward that； in order to escape from her； he
determined to quit the country and go where he should never set eyes
on her again。 Torralva； when she found herself spurned by Lope； was
immediately smitten with love for him； though she had never loved
him before。〃
〃That is the natural way of women；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃to scorn
the one that loves them； and love the one that hates them： go on；
Sancho。〃
〃It came to pass；〃 said Sancho； 〃that the shepherd carried out his
intention； and driving his goats before him took his way across the
plains of Estremadura to pass over into the Kingdom of Portugal。
Torralva； who knew of it； went after him； and on foot and barefoot
followed him at a distance； with a pilgrim's staff in her hand and a
scrip round her neck； in which she carried； it is said； a bit of
looking…glass and a piece of a comb and some little pot or other of
paint for her face； but