“I like this novel,” said the curate;
“but I cannot persuade myself of its truth;
and if it has been invented, the author’s invention
is faulty, for it is impossible to imagine any husband
so foolish as to try such a costly experiment as Anselmo’s.
If it had been represented as occurring between a
gallant and his mistress it might pass; but between
husband and wife there is something of an impossibility
about it. As to the way in which the story is
told, however, I have no fault to find.”
WHICH TREATS OF MORE CURIOUS INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED AT THE INN
Just at that instant the landlord, who was standing
at the gate of the inn, exclaimed, “Here comes
a fine troop of guests; if they stop here we may say
gaudeamus.”
“What are they?” said Cardenio.
“Four men,” said the landlord, “riding
a la jineta, with lances and bucklers, and all with
black veils, and with them there is a woman in white
on a side-saddle, whose face is also veiled, and two
attendants on foot.”
“Are they very near?” said the curate.
“So near,” answered the landlord, “that
here they come.”
Hearing this Dorothea covered her face, and Cardenio
retreated into Don Quixote’s room, and they
hardly had time to do so before the whole party the
host had described entered the inn, and the four that
were on horseback, who were of highbred appearance
and bearing, dismounted, and came forward to take
down the woman who rode on the side-saddle, and one
of them taking her in his arms placed her in a chair
that stood at the entrance of the room where Cardenio
had hidden himself. All this time neither she
nor they had removed their veils or spoken a word,
only on sitting down on the chair the woman gave a
deep sigh and let her arms fall like one that was
ill and weak. The attendants on foot then led
the horses away to the stable. Observing this
the curate, curious to know who these people in such
a dress and preserving such silence were, went to
where the servants were standing and put the question
to one of them, who answered him.
“Faith, sir, I cannot tell you who they are,
I only know they seem to be people of distinction,
particularly he who advanced to take the lady you
saw in his arms; and I say so because all the rest
show him respect, and nothing is done except what
he directs and orders.”
“And the lady, who is she?” asked the
curate.
“That I cannot tell you either,” said
the servant, “for I have not seen her face all
the way: I have indeed heard her sigh many times
and utter such groans that she seems to be giving
up the ghost every time; but it is no wonder if we
do not know more than we have told you, as my comrade
and I have only been in their company two days, for
having met us on the road they begged and persuaded
us to accompany them to Andalusia, promising to pay
us well.”
