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knighthood； and hath to…day righted the greatest wrong and grievance
that ever injustice conceived and cruelty perpetrated： who hath to…day
plucked the rod from the hand of yonder ruthless oppressor so wantonly
lashing that tender child。〃
He now came to a road branching in four directions； and
immediately he was reminded of those cross…roads where
knights…errant used to stop to consider which road they should take。
In imitation of them he halted for a while； and after having deeply
considered it； he gave Rocinante his head； submitting his own will
to that of his hack； who followed out his first intention； which was
to make straight for his own stable。 After he had gone about two miles
Don Quixote perceived a large party of people； who； as afterwards
appeared； were some Toledo traders； on their way to buy silk at
Murcia。 There were six of them coming along under their sunshades；
with four servants mounted； and three muleteers on foot。 Scarcely
had Don Quixote descried them when the fancy possessed him that this
must be some new adventure； and to help him to imitate as far as he
could those passages he had read of in his books； here seemed to
come one made on purpose； which he resolved to attempt。 So with a
lofty bearing and determination he fixed himself firmly in his
stirrups； got his lance ready； brought his buckler before his
breast； and planting himself in the middle of the road； stood
waiting the approach of these knights…errant； for such he now
considered and held them to be； and when they had come near enough
to see and hear； he exclaimed with a haughty gesture； 〃All the world
stand； unless all the world confess that in all the world there is
no maiden fairer than the Empress of La Mancha； the peerless
Dulcinea del Toboso。〃
The traders halted at the sound of this language and the sight of
the strange figure that uttered it； and from both figure and
language at once guessed the craze of their owner； they wished；
however； to learn quietly what was the object of this confession
that was demanded of them； and one of them； who was rather fond of a
joke and was very sharp…witted； said to him； 〃Sir Knight； we do not
know who this good lady is that you speak of； show her to us； for；
if she be of such beauty as you suggest； with all our hearts and
without any pressure we will confess the truth that is on your part
required of us。〃
〃If I were to show her to you；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃what merit
would you have in confessing a truth so manifest？ The essential
point is that without seeing her you must believe； confess； affirm；
swear； and defend it； else ye have to do with me in battle；
ill…conditioned； arrogant rabble that ye are； and come ye on； one by
one as the order of knighthood requires； or all together as is the
custom and vile usage of your breed； here do I bide and await you
relying on the justice of the cause I maintain。〃
〃Sir Knight；〃 replied the trader； 〃I entreat your worship in the
name of this present company of princes； that； to save us from
charging our consciences with the confession of a thing we have
never seen or heard of； and one moreover so much to the prejudice of
the Empresses and Queens of the Alcarria and Estremadura； your worship
will be pleased to show us some portrait of this lady； though it be no
bigger than a grain of wheat； for by the thread one gets at the
ball； and in this way we shall be satisfied and easy； and you will
be content and pleased； nay； I believe we are already so far agreed
with you that even though her portrait should show her blind of one
eye； and distilling vermilion and sulphur from the other； we would
nevertheless； to gratify your worship； say all in her favour that
you desire。〃
〃She distils nothing of the kind； vile rabble；〃 said Don Quixote；
burning with rage； 〃nothing of the kind； I say； only ambergris and
civet in cotton； nor is she one…eyed or humpbacked； but straighter
than a Guadarrama spindle： but ye must pay for the blasphemy ye have
uttered against beauty like that of my lady。〃
And so saying； he charged with levelled lance against the one who
had spoken； with such fury and fierceness that； if luck had not
contrived that Rocinante should stumble midway and come down； it would
have gone hard with the rash trader。 Down went Rocinante； and over
went his master； rolling along the ground for some distance； and
when he tried to rise he was unable； so encumbered was he with
lance； buckler； spurs； helmet； and the weight of his old armour； and
all the while he was struggling to get up he kept saying； 〃Fly not；
cowards and caitiffs！ stay； for not by my fault； but my horse's； am
I stretched here。〃
One of the muleteers in attendance； who could not have had much good
nature in him； hearing the poor prostrate man blustering in this
style； was unable to refrain from giving him an answer on his ribs；
and coming up to him he seized his lance； and having broken it in
pieces； with one of them he began so to belabour our Don Quixote that；
notwithstanding and in spite of his armour； he milled him like a
measure of wheat。 His masters called out not to lay on so hard and
to leave him alone； but the muleteers blood was up； and he did not
care to drop the game until he had vented the rest of his wrath； and
gathering up the remaining fragments of the lance he finished with a
discharge upon the unhappy victim； who all through the storm of sticks
that rained on him never ceased threatening heaven； and earth； and the
brigands； for such they seemed to him。 At last the muleteer was tired；
and the traders continued their journey； taking with them matter for
talk about the poor fellow who had been cudgelled。 He when he found
himself alone made another effort to rise； but if he was unable when
whole and sound； how was he to rise after having been thrashed and
well…nigh knocked to pieces？ And yet he esteemed himself fortunate； as
it seemed to him that this was a regular knight…errant's mishap； and
entirely； he considered； the fault of his horse。 However； battered
in body as he was； to rise was beyond his power。
CHAPTER V
IN WHICH THE NARRATIVE OF OUR KNIGHT'S MISHAP IS CONTINUED
FINDING； then； that； in fact he could not move； he thought himself
of having recourse to his usual remedy； which was to think of some
passage in his books； and his craze brought to his mind that about
Baldwin and the Marquis of Mantua； when Carloto left him wounded on
the mountain side； a story known by heart by the children； not
forgotten by the young men； and lauded and even believed by the old
folk； and for all that not a whit truer than the miracles of
Mahomet。 This seemed to him to fit exactly the case in which he
found himself； so； making a show of severe suffering； he began to roll
on the ground and with feeble breath repeat the very words which the
wounded knight of the wood is said to have uttered：
Where art thou； lady mine； that thou
My sorrow dost not rue？
Thou canst not know it； lady mine；
Or else thou art untrue。
And so he went on with the ballad as far as the lines：
O noble Marquis of Mantua；
My Uncle and liege lord！
As chance would have it； when he had got to this line there happened
to come by a peasant from his own village； a neighbour of his； who had
been with a load of wheat to the mill； and he； seeing the man
stretched there； came up to him and asked him who he was and what
was the matter with him that he complained so dolefully。
Don Quixote was firmly persuaded that this was the Marquis of
Mantua； his uncle； so the only answer he made was to go on with his
ballad； in which he told the tale of his misfortune； and of the
loves of the Emperor's son and his wife all exactly as the ballad
sings it。
The peasant stood amazed at hearing such nonsense； and relieving him
of the visor； already battered to pieces by blows； he wiped his
face； which was covered with dust； and as soon as he had done so he
recognised him and said； 〃Senor Quixada〃 （for so he appears to have
been called when he was in his senses and had not yet changed from a
quiet country gentleman into a knight…errant）； 〃who has brought your
worship to this pass？〃 But to all questions the other only went on
with his ballad。
Seeing this； the good man removed as well as he could his
breastplate and backpiece to see if he had any wound； but he could
perceive no blood nor any mark whatever。 He then contrived to raise
him from the ground； and with no little difficulty hoisted him upon
his ass； which seemed to him to be the easiest mount for him； and
collecting the arms； even to the splinters of the lance； he tied
them on Rocinante； and leading him by the bridle and the ass by the
halter he took the road for the village； very sad to hear what
absurd stuff Don Quixote was talking。 Nor was Don Quixote less so； for
what with blows and bruises he could not sit upright on the ass； and
from time to time he sent up sighs to heaven； so that once more he
drove the peasant to ask what ailed him。 And it could have been only
the devil himself that put into his head tales to match his own
adventures； for now； forgetting Baldwin； he bethought