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up my ancestry and pedigree that I may find myself fifth or sixth in
descent from a king； for I would have thee know； Sancho； that there
are two kinds of lineages in the world； some there be tracing and
deriving their descent from kings and princes； whom time has reduced
little by little until they end in a point like a pyramid upside down；
and others who spring from the common herd and go on rising step by
step until they come to be great lords； so that the difference is that
the one were what they no longer are； and the others are what they
formerly were not。 And I may be of such that after investigation my
origin may prove great and famous； with which the king； my
father…in…law that is to be； ought to be satisfied； and should he
not be； the princess will so love me that even though she well knew me
to be the son of a water…carrier； she will take me for her lord and
husband in spite of her father； if not； then it comes to seizing her
and carrying her off where I please； for time or death will put an end
to the wrath of her parents。〃
〃It comes to this； too；〃 said Sancho； 〃what some naughty people say；
'Never ask as a favour what thou canst take by force；' though it would
fit better to say； 'A clear escape is better than good men's prayers。'
I say so because if my lord the king； your worship's father…in…law；
will not condescend to give you my lady the princess； there is nothing
for it but； as your worship says； to seize her and transport her。
But the mischief is that until peace is made and you come into the
peaceful enjoyment of your kingdom； the poor squire is famishing as
far as rewards go； unless it be that the confidante damsel that is
to be his wife comes with the princess； and that with her he tides
over his bad luck until Heaven otherwise orders things； for his
master； I suppose； may as well give her to him at once for a lawful
wife。〃
〃Nobody can object to that；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Then since that may be；〃 said Sancho； 〃there is nothing for it
but to commend ourselves to God； and let fortune take what course it
will。〃
〃God guide it according to my wishes and thy wants；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃and mean be he who thinks himself mean。〃
〃In God's name let him be so；〃 said Sancho： 〃I am an old
Christian； and to fit me for a count that's enough。〃
〃And more than enough for thee；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and even wert
thou not； it would make no difference； because I being the king can
easily give thee nobility without purchase or service rendered by
thee； for when I make thee a count； then thou art at once a gentleman；
and they may say what they will； but by my faith they will have to
call thee 'your lordship；' whether they like it or not。〃
〃Not a doubt of it； and I'll know how to support the tittle；〃 said
Sancho。
〃Title thou shouldst say； not tittle；〃 said his master。
〃So be it；〃 answered Sancho。 〃I say I will know how to behave； for
once in my life I was beadle of a brotherhood； and the beadle's gown
sat so well on me that all said I looked as if I was to be steward
of the same brotherhood。 What will it be； then； when I put a duke's
robe on my back； or dress myself in gold and pearls like a count？ I
believe they'll come a hundred leagues to see me。〃
〃Thou wilt look well；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but thou must shave thy
beard often； for thou hast it so thick and rough and unkempt； that
if thou dost not shave it every second day at least； they will see
what thou art at the distance of a musket shot。〃
〃What more will it be；〃 said Sancho； 〃than having a barber； and
keeping him at wages in the house？ and even if it be necessary； I will
make him go behind me like a nobleman's equerry。〃
〃Why； how dost thou know that noblemen have equerries behind
them？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃I will tell you；〃 answered Sancho。 〃Years ago I was for a month
at the capital and there I saw taking the air a very small gentleman
who they said was a very great man； and a man following him on
horseback in every turn he took； just as if he was his tail。 I asked
why this man did not join the other man； instead of always going
behind him； they answered me that he was his equerry； and that it
was the custom with nobles to have such persons behind them； and
ever since then I know it； for I have never forgotten it。〃
〃Thou art right；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and in the same way thou mayest
carry thy barber with thee； for customs did not come into use all
together； nor were they all invented at once； and thou mayest be the
first count to have a barber to follow him； and； indeed； shaving one's
beard is a greater trust than saddling one's horse。〃
〃Let the barber business be my look…out；〃 said Sancho； 〃and your
worship's be it to strive to become a king； and make me a count。〃
〃So it shall be；〃 answered Don Quixote； and raising his eyes he
saw what will be told in the following chapter。
CHAPTER XXII
OF THE FREEDOM DON QUIXOTE CONFERRED ON SEVERAL UNFORTUNATES WHO
AGAINST THEIR WILL WERE BEING CARRIED WHERE THEY HAD NO WISH TO GO
CIDE Hamete Benengeli； the Arab and Manchegan author； relates in
this most grave； high…sounding； minute； delightful； and original
history that after the discussion between the famous Don Quixote of La
Mancha and his squire Sancho Panza which is set down at the end of
chapter twenty…one； Don Quixote raised his eyes and saw coming along
the road he was following some dozen men on foot strung together by
the neck； like beads； on a great iron chain； and all with manacles
on their hands。 With them there came also two men on horseback and two
on foot； those on horseback with wheel…lock muskets； those on foot
with javelins and swords； and as soon as Sancho saw them he said：
〃That is a chain of galley slaves； on the way to the galleys by
force of the king's orders。〃
〃How by force？〃 asked Don Quixote； 〃is it possible that the king
uses force against anyone？〃
〃I do not say that；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but that these are people
condemned for their crimes to serve by force in the king's galleys。〃
〃In fact；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃however it may be； these people are
going where they are taking them by force； and not of their own will。〃
〃Just so；〃 said Sancho。
〃Then if so；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃here is a case for the exercise
of my office； to put down force and to succour and help the wretched。〃
〃Recollect； your worship；〃 said Sancho； 〃Justice； which is the
king himself； is not using force or doing wrong to such persons； but
punishing them for their crimes。〃
The chain of galley slaves had by this time come up； and Don Quixote
in very courteous language asked those who were in custody of it to be
good enough to tell him the reason or reasons for which they were
conducting these people in this manner。 One of the guards on horseback
answered that they were galley slaves belonging to his majesty； that
they were going to the galleys； and that was all that was to be said
and all he had any business to know。
〃Nevertheless；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃I should like to know from
each of them separately the reason of his misfortune；〃 to this he
added more to the same effect to induce them to tell him what he
wanted so civilly that the other mounted guard said to him：
〃Though we have here the register and certificate of the sentence of
every one of these wretches； this is no time to take them out or
read them； come and ask themselves； they can tell if they choose；
and they will； for these fellows take a pleasure in doing and
talking about rascalities。〃
With this permission； which Don Quixote would have taken even had
they not granted it； he approached the chain and asked the first for
what offences he was now in such a sorry case。
He made answer that it was for being a lover。
〃For that only？〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃why； if for being lovers they
send people to the galleys I might have been rowing in them long ago。〃
〃The love is not the sort your worship is thinking of；〃 said the
galley slave； 〃mine was that I loved a washerwoman's basket of clean
linen so well； and held it so close in my embrace； that if the arm
of the law had not forced it from me； I should never have let it go of
my own will to this moment； I was caught in the act； there was no
occasion for torture； the case was settled； they treated me to a
hundred lashes on the back； and three years of gurapas besides； and
that was the end of it。〃
〃What are gurapas？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃Gurapas are galleys；〃 answered the galley slave； who was a young
man of about four…and…twenty； and said he was a native of Piedrahita。
Don Quixote asked the same question of the second； who made no
reply； so downcast and melancholy was he； but the first answered for
him； and said； 〃He； sir； goes as a canary； I mean as a musician and
a singer。〃
〃What！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for being musicians and singers are
people sent to the galleys too？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered the galley slave； 〃for there is nothing worse
than singing under suffering。〃
〃On the contrary； I have heard say；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that he
who sings scares away his woes。〃
〃Here it is the reverse；〃 said the galley slave； 〃for he who sings
once weeps all his life。〃
〃I do not understand it；〃 s