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by my duty as a good servant I was bound not to keep concealed a thing
so much opposed to the honour of my lord the duke； and so； to
mislead and deceive me； he told me he could find no better way of
effacing from his mind the beauty that so enslaved him than by
absenting himself for some months； and that he wished the absence to
be effected by our going； both of us； to my father's house under the
pretence； which he would make to the duke； of going to see and buy
some fine horses that there were in my city； which produces the best
in the world。 When I heard him say so； even if his resolution had
not been so good a one I should have hailed it as one of the
happiest that could be imagined； prompted by my affection； seeing what
a favourable chance and opportunity it offered me of returning to
see my Luscinda。 With this thought and wish I commended his idea and
encouraged his design； advising him to put it into execution as
quickly as possible； as； in truth； absence produced its effect in
spite of the most deeply rooted feelings。 But； as afterwards appeared；
when he said this to me he had already enjoyed the peasant girl
under the title of husband； and was waiting for an opportunity of
making it known with safety to himself； being in dread of what his
father the duke would do when he came to know of his folly。 It
happened； then； that as with young men love is for the most part
nothing more than appetite； which； as its final object is enjoyment；
comes to an end on obtaining it； and that which seemed to be love
takes to flight； as it cannot pass the limit fixed by nature； which
fixes no limit to true love… what I mean is that after Don Fernando
had enjoyed this peasant girl his passion subsided and his eagerness
cooled； and if at first he feigned a wish to absent himself in order
to cure his love； he was now in reality anxious to go to avoid keeping
his promise。
〃The duke gave him permission； and ordered me to accompany him； we
arrived at my city； and my father gave him the reception due to his
rank； I saw Luscinda without delay； and； though it had not been dead
or deadened； my love gathered fresh life。 To my sorrow I told the
story of it to Don Fernando； for I thought that in virtue of the great
friendship he bore me I was bound to conceal nothing from him。 I
extolled her beauty； her gaiety； her wit； so warmly； that my praises
excited in him a desire to see a damsel adorned by such attractions。
To my misfortune I yielded to it； showing her to him one night by
the light of a taper at a window where we used to talk to one another。
As she appeared to him in her dressing…gown； she drove all the
beauties he had seen until then out of his recollection； speech failed
him； his head turned； he was spell…bound； and in the end love…smitten；
as you will see in the course of the story of my misfortune； and to
inflame still further his passion； which he hid from me and revealed
to Heaven alone； it so happened that one day he found a note of hers
entreating me to demand her of her father in marriage； so delicate； so
modest； and so tender； that on reading it he told me that in
Luscinda alone were combined all the charms of beauty and
understanding that were distributed among all the other women in the
world。 It is true； and I own it now； that though I knew what good
cause Don Fernando had to praise Luscinda； it gave me uneasiness to
hear these praises from his mouth； and I began to fear； and with
reason to feel distrust of him； for there was no moment when he was
not ready to talk of Luscinda； and he would start the subject
himself even though he dragged it in unseasonably； a circumstance that
aroused in me a certain amount of jealousy； not that I feared any
change in the constancy or faith of Luscinda； but still my fate led me
to forebode what she assured me against。 Don Fernando contrived always
to read the letters I sent to Luscinda and her answers to me； under
the pretence that he enjoyed the wit and sense of both。 It so
happened； then； that Luscinda having begged of me a book of chivalry
to read； one that she was very fond of； Amadis of Gaul…〃
Don Quixote no sooner heard a book of chivalry mentioned； than he
said：
〃Had your worship told me at the beginning of your story that the
Lady Luscinda was fond of books of chivalry； no other laudation
would have been requisite to impress upon me the superiority of her
understanding； for it could not have been of the excellence you
describe had a taste for such delightful reading been wanting； so；
as far as I am concerned； you need waste no more words in describing
her beauty； worth； and intelligence； for； on merely hearing what her
taste was； I declare her to be the most beautiful and the most
intelligent woman in the world； and I wish your worship had； along
with Amadis of Gaul； sent her the worthy Don Rugel of Greece； for I
know the Lady Luscinda would greatly relish Daraida and Garaya； and
the shrewd sayings of the shepherd Darinel； and the admirable verses
of his bucolics； sung and delivered by him with such sprightliness；
wit； and ease； but a time may come when this omission can be remedied；
and to rectify it nothing more is needed than for your worship to be
so good as to come with me to my village； for there I can give you
more than three hundred books which are the delight of my soul and the
entertainment of my life；… though it occurs to me that I have not
got one of them now； thanks to the spite of wicked and envious
enchanters；… but pardon me for having broken the promise we made not
to interrupt your discourse； for when I hear chivalry or
knights…errant mentioned； I can no more help talking about them than
the rays of the sun can help giving heat； or those of the moon
moisture； pardon me； therefore； and proceed； for that is more to the
purpose now。〃
While Don Quixote was saying this； Cardenio allowed his head to fall
upon his breast； and seemed plunged in deep thought； and though
twice Don Quixote bade him go on with his story； he neither looked
up nor uttered a word in reply； but after some time he raised his head
and said； 〃I cannot get rid of the idea； nor will anyone in the
world remove it； or make me think otherwise …and he would be a
blockhead who would hold or believe anything else than that that
arrant knave Master Elisabad made free with Queen Madasima。〃
〃That is not true； by all that's good；〃 said Don Quixote in high
wrath； turning upon him angrily； as his way was； 〃and it is a very
great slander； or rather villainy。 Queen Madasima was a very
illustrious lady； and it is not to be supposed that so exalted a
princess would have made free with a quack； and whoever maintains
the contrary lies like a great scoundrel； and I will give him to
know it； on foot or on horseback； armed or unarmed； by night or by
day； or as he likes best。〃
Cardenio was looking at him steadily； and his mad fit having now
come upon him； he had no disposition to go on with his story； nor
would Don Quixote have listened to it； so much had what he had heard
about Madasima disgusted him。 Strange to say； he stood up for her as
if she were in earnest his veritable born lady； to such a pass had his
unholy books brought him。 Cardenio； then； being； as I said； now mad；
when he heard himself given the lie； and called a scoundrel and
other insulting names； not relishing the jest； snatched up a stone
that he found near him； and with it delivered such a blow on Don
Quixote's breast that he laid him on his back。 Sancho Panza； seeing
his master treated in this fashion； attacked the madman with his
closed fist； but the Ragged One received him in such a way that with a
blow of his fist he stretched him at his feet； and then mounting
upon him crushed his ribs to his own satisfaction； the goatherd； who
came to the rescue； shared the same fate； and having beaten and
pummelled them all he left them and quietly withdrew to his
hiding…place on the mountain。 Sancho rose； and with the rage he felt
at finding himself so belaboured without deserving it； ran to take
vengeance on the goatherd； accusing him of not giving them warning
that this man was at times taken with a mad fit； for if they had known
it they would have been on their guard to protect themselves。 The
goatherd replied that he had said so； and that if he had not heard
him； that was no fault of his。 Sancho retorted； and the goatherd
rejoined； and the altercation ended in their seizing each other by the
beard； and exchanging such fisticuffs that if Don Quixote had not made
peace between them； they would have knocked one another to pieces。
〃Leave me alone； Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance；〃 said Sancho；
grappling with the goatherd； 〃for of this fellow； who is a clown
like myself； and no dubbed knight； I can safely take satisfaction
for the affront he has offered me； fighting with him hand to hand like
an honest man。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I know that he is not to
blame for what has happened。〃
With this he pacified them； and again asked the goatherd if it would
be possible to find Cardenio； as he felt the greatest anxiety to
know the end of his story。 The goatherd told him； as he had told him
before； that there was no