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species that have as yet appeared； and he who has not read it may be
sure he has never read what is delightful。 Give it here； gossip； for I
make more account of having found it than if they had given me a
cassock of Florence stuff。〃
He put it aside with extreme satisfaction； and the barber went on；
〃These that come next are 'The Shepherd of Iberia；' 'Nymphs of
Henares；' and 'The Enlightenment of Jealousy。'〃
〃Then all we have to do；〃 said the curate； 〃is to hand them over
to the secular arm of the housekeeper； and ask me not why； or we shall
never have done。〃
〃This next is the 'Pastor de Filida。'〃
〃No Pastor that；〃 said the curate； 〃but a highly polished
courtier； let it be preserved as a precious jewel。〃
〃This large one here；〃 said the barber； 〃is called 'The Treasury
of various Poems。'〃
〃If there were not so many of them；〃 said the curate； 〃they would be
more relished： this book must be weeded and cleansed of certain
vulgarities which it has with its excellences； let it be preserved
because the author is a friend of mine； and out of respect for other
more heroic and loftier works that he has written。〃
〃This；〃 continued the barber； 〃is the 'Cancionero' of Lopez de
Maldonado。〃
〃The author of that book； too；〃 said the curate； 〃is a great
friend of mine； and his verses from his own mouth are the admiration
of all who hear them； for such is the sweetness of his voice that he
enchants when he chants them： it gives rather too much of its
eclogues； but what is good was never yet plentiful： let it be kept
with those that have been set apart。 But what book is that next it？〃
〃The 'Galatea' of Miguel de Cervantes；〃 said the barber。
〃That Cervantes has been for many years a great friend of mine；
and to my knowledge he has had more experience in reverses than in
verses。 His book has some good invention in it； it presents us with
something but brings nothing to a conclusion： we must wait for the
Second Part it promises： perhaps with amendment it may succeed in
winning the full measure of grace that is now denied it； and in the
mean time do you； senor gossip； keep it shut up in your own quarters。〃
〃Very good；〃 said the barber； 〃and here come three together； the
'Araucana' of Don Alonso de Ercilla； the 'Austriada' of Juan Rufo；
Justice of Cordova； and the 'Montserrate' of Christobal de Virues； the
Valencian poet。〃
〃These three books；〃 said the curate； 〃are the best that have been
written in Castilian in heroic verse； and they may compare with the
most famous of Italy； let them be preserved as the richest treasures
of poetry that Spain possesses。〃
The curate was tired and would not look into any more books； and
so he decided that； 〃contents uncertified；〃 all the rest should be
burned； but just then the barber held open one； called 〃The Tears of
Angelica。〃
〃I should have shed tears myself；〃 said the curate when he heard the
title； 〃had I ordered that book to be burned； for its author was one
of the famous poets of the world； not to say of Spain； and was very
happy in the translation of some of Ovid's fables。〃
CHAPTER VII
OF THE SECOND SALLY OF OUR WORTHY KNIGHT DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA
AT this instant Don Quixote began shouting out； 〃Here； here；
valiant knights！ here is need for you to put forth the might of your
strong arms； for they of the Court are gaining the mastery in the
tourney！〃 Called away by this noise and outcry； they proceeded no
farther with the scrutiny of the remaining books； and so it is thought
that 〃The Carolea；〃 〃The Lion of Spain；〃 and 〃The Deeds of the
Emperor；〃 written by Don Luis de Avila； went to the fire unseen and
unheard； for no doubt they were among those that remained； and perhaps
if the curate had seen them they would not have undergone so severe
a sentence。
When they reached Don Quixote he was already out of bed； and was
still shouting and raving； and slashing and cutting all round； as wide
awake as if he had never slept。
They closed with him and by force got him back to bed； and when he
had become a little calm； addressing the curate； he said to him； 〃Of a
truth； Senor Archbishop Turpin； it is a great disgrace for us who call
ourselves the Twelve Peers； so carelessly to allow the knights of
the Court to gain the victory in this tourney； we the adventurers
having carried off the honour on the three former days。〃
〃Hush； gossip；〃 said the curate； 〃please God； the luck may turn； and
what is lost to…day may be won to…morrow； for the present let your
worship have a care of your health； for it seems to me that you are
over…fatigued； if not badly wounded。〃
〃Wounded no；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but bruised and battered no
doubt； for that bastard Don Roland has cudgelled me with the trunk
of an oak tree； and all for envy； because he sees that I alone rival
him in his achievements。 But I should not call myself Reinaldos of
Montalvan did he not pay me for it in spite of all his enchantments as
soon as I rise from this bed。 For the present let them bring me
something to eat； for that； I feel； is what will be more to my
purpose； and leave it to me to avenge myself。〃
They did as he wished； they gave him something to eat； and once more
he fell asleep； leaving them marvelling at his madness。
That night the housekeeper burned to ashes all the books that were
in the yard and in the whole house； and some must have been consumed
that deserved preservation in everlasting archives； but their fate and
the laziness of the examiner did not permit it； and so in them was
verified the proverb that the innocent suffer for the guilty。
One of the remedies which the curate and the barber immediately
applied to their friend's disorder was to wall up and plaster the room
where the books were； so that when he got up he should not find them
（possibly the cause being removed the effect might cease）； and they
might say that a magician had carried them off； room and all； and this
was done with all despatch。 Two days later Don Quixote got up； and the
first thing he did was to go and look at his books； and not finding
the room where he had left it； he wandered from side to side looking
for it。 He came to the place where the door used to be； and tried it
with his hands； and turned and twisted his eyes in every direction
without saying a word； but after a good while he asked his housekeeper
whereabouts was the room that held his books。
The housekeeper； who had been already well instructed in what she
was to answer； said； 〃What room or what nothing is it that your
worship is looking for？ There are neither room nor books in this house
now； for the devil himself has carried all away。〃
〃It was not the devil；〃 said the niece； 〃but a magician who came
on a cloud one night after the day your worship left this； and
dismounting from a serpent that he rode he entered the room； and
what he did there I know not； but after a little while he made off；
flying through the roof； and left the house full of smoke； and when we
went to see what he had done we saw neither book nor room： but we
remember very well； the housekeeper and I； that on leaving； the old
villain said in a loud voice that； for a private grudge he owed the
owner of the books and the room； he had done mischief in that house
that would be discovered by…and…by： he said too that his name was
the Sage Munaton。〃
〃He must have said Friston；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I don't know whether he called himself Friston or Friton；〃 said the
housekeeper； 〃I only know that his name ended with 'ton。'〃
〃So it does；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and he is a sage magician； a
great enemy of mine； who has a spite against me because he knows by
his arts and lore that in process of time I am to engage in single
combat with a knight whom he befriends and that I am to conquer； and
he will be unable to prevent it； and for this reason he endeavours
to do me all the ill turns that he can； but I promise him it will be
hard for him to oppose or avoid what is decreed by Heaven。〃
〃Who doubts that？〃 said the niece； 〃but； uncle； who mixes you up
in these quarrels？ Would it not be better to remain at peace in your
own house instead of roaming the world looking for better bread than
ever came of wheat； never reflecting that many go for wool and come
back shorn？〃
〃Oh； niece of mine；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃how much astray art
thou in thy reckoning： ere they shear me I shall have plucked away and
stripped off the beards of all who dare to touch only the tip of a
hair of mine。〃
The two were unwilling to make any further answer； as they saw
that his anger was kindling。
In short； then； he remained at home fifteen days very quietly
without showing any signs of a desire to take up with his former
delusions； and during this time he held lively discussions with his
two gossips； the curate and the barber； on the point he maintained；
that knights…errant were what the world stood most in need of； and
that in him was to be accomplished the revival of knight…errantry。 The
curate sometimes contradicted him； sometimes agreed with him； for if
he had not observed this precaution he would have been unable to bring
him to reason。
Meanwhile Don Quixote worked upon a farm labourer