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high honour to a lady to have many knights…errant in her service；
whose thoughts never go beyond serving her for her own sake； and who
look for no other reward for their great and true devotion than that
she should be willing to accept them as her knights。〃
〃It is with that kind of love；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have heard preachers
say we ought to love our Lord； for himself alone； without being
moved by the hope of glory or the fear of punishment； though for my
part； I would rather love and serve him for what he could do。〃
〃The devil take thee for a clown！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and what
shrewd things thou sayest at times！ One would think thou hadst
studied。〃
〃In faith； then； I cannot even read。〃
Master Nicholas here called out to them to wait a while； as they
wanted to halt and drink at a little spring there was there。 Don
Quixote drew up； not a little to the satisfaction of Sancho； for he
was by this time weary of telling so many lies； and in dread of his
master catching him tripping； for though he knew that Dulcinea was a
peasant girl of El Toboso； he had never seen her in all his life。
Cardenio had now put on the clothes which Dorothea was wearing when
they found her； and though they were not very good； they were far
better than those he put off。 They dismounted together by the side
of the spring； and with what the curate had provided himself with at
the inn they appeased； though not very well； the keen appetite they
all of them brought with them。
While they were so employed there happened to come by a youth
passing on his way； who stopping to examine the party at the spring；
the next moment ran to Don Quixote and clasping him round the legs；
began to weep freely； saying； 〃O； senor； do you not know me？ Look at
me well； I am that lad Andres that your worship released from the
oak…tree where I was tied。〃
Don Quixote recognised him； and taking his hand he turned to those
present and said： 〃That your worships may see how important it is to
have knights…errant to redress the wrongs and injuries done by
tyrannical and wicked men in this world； I may tell you that some days
ago passing through a wood； I heard cries and piteous complaints as of
a person in pain and distress； I immediately hastened； impelled by
my bounden duty； to the quarter whence the plaintive accents seemed to
me to proceed； and I found tied to an oak this lad who now stands
before you； which in my heart I rejoice at； for his testimony will not
permit me to depart from the truth in any particular。 He was； I say；
tied to an oak； naked from the waist up； and a clown； whom I
afterwards found to be his master； was scarifying him by lashes with
the reins of his mare。 As soon as I saw him I asked the reason of so
cruel a flagellation。 The boor replied that he was flogging him
because he was his servant and because of carelessness that
proceeded rather from dishonesty than stupidity； on which this boy
said； 'Senor； he flogs me only because I ask for my wages。' The master
made I know not what speeches and explanations； which； though I
listened to them； I did not accept。 In short； I compelled the clown to
unbind him； and to swear he would take him with him； and pay him
real by real； and perfumed into the bargain。 Is not all this true；
Andres my son？ Didst thou not mark with what authority I commanded
him； and with what humility he promised to do all I enjoined；
specified； and required of him？ Answer without hesitation； tell
these gentlemen what took place； that they may see that it is as great
an advantage as I say to have knights…errant abroad。〃
〃All that your worship has said is quite true；〃 answered the lad；
〃but the end of the business turned out just the opposite of what your
worship supposes。〃
〃How！ the opposite？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃did not the clown pay thee
then？〃
〃Not only did he not pay me；〃 replied the lad； 〃but as soon as
your worship had passed out of the wood and we were alone； he tied
me up again to the same oak and gave me a fresh flogging； that left me
like a flayed Saint Bartholomew； and every stroke he gave me he
followed up with some jest or gibe about having made a fool of your
worship； and but for the pain I was suffering I should have laughed at
the things he said。 In short he left me in such a condition that I
have been until now in a hospital getting cured of the injuries
which that rascally clown inflicted on me then； for all which your
worship is to blame； for if you had gone your own way and not come
where there was no call for you； nor meddled in other people's
affairs； my master would have been content with giving me one or two
dozen lashes； and would have then loosed me and paid me what he owed
me； but when your worship abused him so out of measure； and gave him
so many hard words； his anger was kindled； and as he could not revenge
himself on you； as soon as he saw you had left him the storm burst
upon me in such a way； that I feel as if I should never be a man
again。〃
〃The mischief；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃lay in my going away； for I
should not have gone until I had seen thee paid； because I ought to
have known well by long experience that there is no clown who will
keep his word if he finds it will not suit him to keep it； but thou
rememberest； Andres； that I swore if he did not pay thee I would go
and seek him； and find him though he were to hide himself in the
whale's belly。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Andres； 〃but it was of no use。〃
〃Thou shalt see now whether it is of use or not；〃 said Don
Quixote； and so saying； he got up hastily and bade Sancho bridle
Rocinante； who was browsing while they were eating。 Dorothea asked him
what he meant to do。 He replied that he meant to go in search of
this clown and chastise him for such iniquitous conduct； and see
Andres paid to the last maravedi； despite and in the teeth of all
the clowns in the world。 To which she replied that he must remember
that in accordance with his promise he could not engage in any
enterprise until he had concluded hers； and that as he knew this
better than anyone； he should restrain his ardour until his return
from her kingdom。
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and Andres must have patience
until my return as you say； senora； but I once more swear and
promise not to stop until I have seen him avenged and paid。〃
〃I have no faith in those oaths；〃 said Andres； 〃I would rather
have now something to help me to get to Seville than all the
revenges in the world； if you have here anything to eat that I can
take with me； give it me； and God be with your worship and all
knights…errant； and may their errands turn out as well for
themselves as they have for me。〃
Sancho took out from his store a piece of bread and another of
cheese； and giving them to the lad he said； 〃Here； take this；
brother Andres； for we have all of us a share in your misfortune。〃
〃Why； what share have you got？〃
〃This share of bread and cheese I am giving you；〃 answered Sancho；
〃and God knows whether I shall feel the want of it myself or not；
for I would have you know； friend； that we squires to knights…errant
have to bear a great deal of hunger and hard fortune； and even other
things more easily felt than told。〃
Andres seized his bread and cheese； and seeing that nobody gave
him anything more； bent his head； and took hold of the road； as the
saying is。 However； before leaving he said； 〃For the love of God；
sir knight…errant； if you ever meet me again； though you may see
them cutting me to pieces； give me no aid or succour； but leave me
to my misfortune； which will not be so great but that a greater will
come to me by being helped by your worship； on whom and all the
knights…errant that have ever been born God send his curse。〃
Don Quixote was getting up to chastise him； but he took to his heels
at such a pace that no one attempted to follow him； and mightily
chapfallen was Don Quixote at Andres' story； and the others had to
take great care to restrain their laughter so as not to put him
entirely out of countenance。
CHAPTER XXXII
WHICH TREATS OF WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE'S PARTY AT THE INN
THEIR dainty repast being finished； they saddled at once； and
without any adventure worth mentioning they reached next day the
inn； the object of Sancho Panza's fear and dread； but though he
would have rather not entered it； there was no help for it。 The
landlady； the landlord； their daughter； and Maritornes； when they
saw Don Quixote and Sancho coming； went out to welcome them with signs
of hearty satisfaction； which Don Quixote received with dignity and
gravity； and bade them make up a better bed for him than the last
time： to which the landlady replied that if he paid better than he did
the last time she would give him one fit for a prince。 Don Quixote
said he would； so they made up a tolerable one for him in the same
garret as before； and he lay down at once； being sorely shaken and
in want of sleep。
No sooner was the door shut upon him than the landlady made at the
barber； and seizing him by the beard； said：
〃By my faith you are not going to make a beard of my tail any
longer； you must give me back tail； for it is a shame the way that
thing of my husband's goe