Volume 2, Chapter 66
As they travel, Don Quijote has good things to say about Sancho and honest things to say about himself:
"[S]o I have had to pay in spades for my vanity, because I ought to have understood that my feeble Rocinante could never withstand a horse so immensely strong as the Knight of the White Moon's." Volume 2, Chapter 66, pg. 709
Sancho suggests they place the armor in a tree like a man being hanged because there is absolutely no way he is going to make this journey on foot. Don Quijote warms to the idea thinking of it as a monument to himself and suggests carving a warning into the tree that no one should remove the armor unless they wish to fight Don Quijote. Sancho says if they didn't need her for the journey they could hang Rocinante up there too. Angered, Don Quijote says that is not a fit reward for her service and now he's not going to hang the armor up either. Sancho says Don Quijote is right:
"[A]nd since in all this the fault is yours, your grace, you ought to punish yourself, instead of venting your anger on this armor...and you shouldn't blame it on Rocinante's meek, mild ways, or even on the softness of my feet." Volume 2, Chapter 66, pg. 710
Topic Tracking: Scapegoat 21
After several days they pass through a village where the villagers ask Don Quijote and Sancho (since they are outsiders, they'll be unbiased) to decide on some particulars involving a race between a fat man and a thin man. Sancho asks to be allowed to handle this, as this was his forte as governor. Feeling a bit muddled in the head, Don Quijote readily agrees. Sancho quickly finds the flaw in the people's reasoning, offers a fair alternative and everyone is impressed and believes Sancho could easily be a magistrate if he went to college.
They run into Tosilos, the footman. He tells Don Quijote how happy his master will be to find Don Quijote returning to the castle. Don Quijote asks Tosilos who he is since he doesn't recognize him. Tosilos explains that he is the one who conceded the battle and offered to marry Doña Rodriguez's daughter. Don Quijote is confused and astonished that he has not transformed back into his true identity and will not be convinced that he was always the footman. Tosilos tells them that the Duke gave him a hundred lashes for his disobedience, the daughter is in a nunnery and Doña Rodríguez has gone back to Castille. He offers to share his cheese and wine with them both. Sancho accepts gladly, but Don Quijote says he'll ride slowly ahead and Sancho can catch up after he is done stuffing his face with an apparition.
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