WHICH TREATS OF ADDRESS DISPLAYED BY THE FAIR DOROTHEA, WITH OTHER
MATTERS PLEASANT AND AMUSING
The curate had hardly ceased speaking, when Sancho
said, “In faith, then, senor licentiate, he
who did that deed was my master; and it was not for
want of my telling him beforehand and warning him to
mind what he was about, and that it was a sin to set
them at liberty, as they were all on the march there
because they were special scoundrels.”
“Blockhead!” said Don Quixote at this,
“it is no business or concern of knights-errant
to inquire whether any persons in affliction, in chains,
or oppressed that they may meet on the high roads go
that way and suffer as they do because of their faults
or because of their misfortunes. It only concerns
them to aid them as persons in need of help, having
regard to their sufferings and not to their rascalities.
I encountered a chaplet or string of miserable and
unfortunate people, and did for them what my sense
of duty demands of me, and as for the rest be that
as it may; and whoever takes objection to it, saving
the sacred dignity of the senor licentiate and his
honoured person, I say he knows little about chivalry
and lies like a whoreson villain, and this I will give
him to know to the fullest extent with my sword;”
and so saying he settled himself in his stirrups and
pressed down his morion; for the barber’s basin,
which according to him was Mambrino’s helmet,
he carried hanging at the saddle-bow until he could
repair the damage done to it by the galley slaves.
Dorothea, who was shrewd and sprightly, and by this
time thoroughly understood Don Quixote’s crazy
turn, and that all except Sancho Panza were making
game of him, not to be behind the rest said to him,
on observing his irritation, “Sir Knight, remember
the boon you have promised me, and that in accordance
with it you must not engage in any other adventure,
be it ever so pressing; calm yourself, for if the
licentiate had known that the galley slaves had been
set free by that unconquered arm he would have stopped
his mouth thrice over, or even bitten his tongue three
times before he would have said a word that tended
towards disrespect of your worship.”
“That I swear heartily,” said the curate,
“and I would have even plucked off a moustache.”
“I will hold my peace, senora,” said Don
Quixote, “and I will curb the natural anger
that had arisen in my breast, and will proceed in peace
and quietness until I have fulfilled my promise; but
in return for this consideration I entreat you to
tell me, if you have no objection to do so, what is
the nature of your trouble, and how many, who, and
what are the persons of whom I am to require due satisfaction,
and on whom I am to take vengeance on your behalf?”
“That I will do with all my heart,” replied
Dorothea, “if it will not be wearisome to you
to hear of miseries and misfortunes.”
