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believe that the good Aldonza Lorenzo is fair and virtuous； and as
to her pedigree it is very little matter； for no one will examine into
it for the purpose of conferring any order upon her； and I； for my
part； reckon her the most exalted princess in the world。 For thou
shouldst know； Sancho； if thou dost not know； that two things alone
beyond all others are incentives to love； and these are great beauty
and a good name； and these two things are to be found in Dulcinea in
the highest degree； for in beauty no one equals her and in good name
few approach her； and to put the whole thing in a nutshell； I persuade
myself that all I say is as I say； neither more nor less； and I
picture her in my imagination as I would have her to be； as well in
beauty as in condition； Helen approaches her not nor does Lucretia
come up to her； nor any other of the famous women of times past；
Greek； Barbarian； or Latin； and let each say what he will； for if in
this I am taken to task by the ignorant； I shall not be censured by
the critical。〃
〃I say that your worship is entirely right；〃 said Sancho； 〃and
that I am an ass。 But I know not how the name of ass came into my
mouth； for a rope is not to be mentioned in the house of him who has
been hanged； but now for the letter； and then； God be with you； I am
off。〃
Don Quixote took out the note…book； and； retiring to one side；
very deliberately began to write the letter； and when he had
finished it he called to Sancho； saying he wished to read it to him；
so that he might commit it to memory； in case of losing it on the
road； for with evil fortune like his anything might be apprehended。 To
which Sancho replied； 〃Write it two or three times there in the book
and give it to me； and I will carry it very carefully； because to
expect me to keep it in my memory is all nonsense； for I have such a
bad one that I often forget my own name； but for all that repeat it to
me； as I shall like to hear it； for surely it will run as if it was in
print。〃
〃Listen；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃this is what it says：
〃DON QUIXOTE'S LETTER TO DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO
〃Sovereign and exalted Lady；… The pierced by the point of absence；
the wounded to the heart's core； sends thee； sweetest Dulcinea del
Toboso； the health that he himself enjoys not。 If thy beauty
despises me； if thy worth is not for me； if thy scorn is my
affliction； though I be sufficiently long…suffering； hardly shall I
endure this anxiety； which； besides being oppressive； is protracted。
My good squire Sancho will relate to thee in full； fair ingrate；
dear enemy； the condition to which I am reduced on thy account： if
it be thy pleasure to give me relief； I am thine； if not； do as may be
pleasing to thee； for by ending my life I shall satisfy thy cruelty
and my desire。
〃Thine till death；
〃The Knight of the Rueful Countenance。〃
〃By the life of my father；〃 said Sancho； when he heard the letter；
〃it is the loftiest thing I ever heard。 Body of me！ how your worship
says everything as you like in it！ And how well you fit in 'The Knight
of the Rueful Countenance' into the signature。 I declare your
worship is indeed the very devil； and there is nothing you don't
know。〃
〃Everything is needed for the calling I follow；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Now then；〃 said Sancho； 〃let your worship put the order for the
three ass…colts on the other side； and sign it very plainly； that they
may recognise it at first sight。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said Don Quixote； and as he had written it he
read it to this effect：
〃Mistress Niece；… By this first of ass…colts please pay to Sancho
Panza； my squire； three of the five I left at home in your charge：
said three ass…colts to be paid and delivered for the same number
received here in hand； which upon this and upon his receipt shall be
duly paid。 Done in the heart of the Sierra Morena； the
twenty…seventh of August of this present year。〃
〃That will do；〃 said Sancho； 〃now let your worship sign it。〃
〃There is no need to sign it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but merely to
put my flourish； which is the same as a signature； and enough for
three asses； or even three hundred。〃
〃I can trust your worship；〃 returned Sancho； 〃let me go and saddle
Rocinante； and be ready to give me your blessing； for I mean to go
at once without seeing the fooleries your worship is going to do； I'll
say I saw you do so many that she will not want any more。〃
〃At any rate； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I should like… and there
is reason for it… I should like thee； I say； to see me stripped to the
skin and performing a dozen or two of insanities； which I can get done
in less than half an hour； for having seen them with thine own eyes；
thou canst then safely swear to the rest that thou wouldst add； and
I promise thee thou wilt not tell of as many as I mean to perform。〃
〃For the love of God； master mine；〃 said Sancho； 〃let me not see
your worship stripped； for it will sorely grieve me； and I shall not
be able to keep from tears； and my head aches so with all I shed
last night for Dapple； that I am not fit to begin any fresh weeping；
but if it is your worship's pleasure that I should see some
insanities； do them in your clothes； short ones； and such as come
readiest to hand； for I myself want nothing of the sort； and； as I
have said； it will be a saving of time for my return； which will be
with the news your worship desires and deserves。 If not； let the
lady Dulcinea look to it； if she does not answer reasonably； I swear
as solemnly as I can that I will fetch a fair answer out of her
stomach with kicks and cuffs； for why should it be borne that a
knight…errant as famous as your worship should go mad without rhyme or
reason for a …？ Her ladyship had best not drive me to say it； for by
God I will speak out and let off everything cheap； even if it
doesn't sell： I am pretty good at that！ she little knows me； faith； if
she knew me she'd be in awe of me。〃
〃In faith； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃to all appearance thou art no
sounder in thy wits than I。〃
〃I am not so mad；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but I am more peppery； but
apart from all this； what has your worship to eat until I come back？
Will you sally out on the road like Cardenio to force it from the
shepherds？〃
〃Let not that anxiety trouble thee；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃for
even if I had it I should not eat anything but the herbs and the
fruits which this meadow and these trees may yield me； the beauty of
this business of mine lies in not eating； and in performing other
mortifications。〃
〃Do you know what I am afraid of？〃 said Sancho upon this； 〃that I
shall not be able to find my way back to this spot where I am
leaving you； it is such an out…of…the…way place。〃
〃Observe the landmarks well；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for I will try
not to go far from this neighbourhood； and I will even take care to
mount the highest of these rocks to see if I can discover thee
returning； however； not to miss me and lose thyself； the best plan
will be to cut some branches of the broom that is so abundant about
here； and as thou goest to lay them at intervals until thou hast
come out upon the plain； these will serve thee； after the fashion of
the clue in the labyrinth of Theseus； as marks and signs for finding
me on thy return。〃
〃So I will；〃 said Sancho Panza； and having cut some； he asked his
master's blessing； and not without many tears on both sides； took
his leave of him； and mounting Rocinante； of whom Don Quixote
charged him earnestly to have as much care as of his own person； he
set out for the plain； strewing at intervals the branches of broom
as his master had recommended him； and so he went his way； though
Don Quixote still entreated him to see him do were it only a couple of
mad acts。 He had not gone a hundred paces； however； when he returned
and said：
〃I must say； senor； your worship said quite right； that in order
to be able to swear without a weight on my conscience that I had
seen you do mad things； it would be well for me to see if it were only
one； though in your worship's remaining here I have seen a very
great one。〃
〃Did I not tell thee so？〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Wait； Sancho； and I
will do them in the saying of a credo；〃 and pulling off his breeches
in all haste he stripped himself to his skin and his shirt； and
then； without more ado； he cut a couple of gambados in the air； and
a couple of somersaults； heels over head； making such a display
that； not to see it a second time； Sancho wheeled Rocinante round； and
felt easy； and satisfied in his mind that he could swear he had left
his master mad； and so we will leave him to follow his road until
his return； which was a quick one。
CHAPTER XXVI
IN WHICH ARE CONTINUED THE REFINEMENTS WHEREWITH DON QUIXOTE
PLAYED THE PART OF A LOVER IN THE SIERRA MORENA
RETURNING to the proceedings of him of the Rueful Countenance when
he found himself alone； the history says that when Don Quixote had
completed the performance of the somersaults or capers； naked from the
waist down and clothed from the waist up； and saw that Sancho had gone
off without waiting to see any more crazy feats； he climbed up to
the top of a high rock； and there set