OF THE SECOND SET OF COUNSELS DON QUIXOTE GAVE SANCHO PANZA
Don Quixote then told his squire to forget neither to cut his nails nor
to supply his servants with livery. The latter, he said, must be neat and
never showy. If he could do with three servants instead of six, he
advised him to clothe three poor men: thus he would have pages for heaven
as well as for earth. He must never eat garlic or onions, the knight
said, and he begged him to leave out all affectations. When it came to
drinking, he asked him always to bear in mind that too much wine kept
neither secrets nor promises. Another thing he must not do was to flatter
people; Don Quixote considered this a very odious practice. Last, but not
least, said Don Quixote, he must remember not to use such quantities of
proverbs as he had been wont to.
Here Sancho felt he had to break in and say a word, and he retorted:
"God alone can cure that, for I have more proverbs in me than a book,
and when I speak they fall to fighting among themselves to get out;
that's why my tongue lets fly the first that comes, though it may not
be pat to the purpose." And here Sancho in the very face of his
master's admonitions, let go a string of proverbs so long that Don
Quixote was almost in despair.
"My mother beats me, and I go on with my tricks," said Don Quixote. "I
am bidding thee avoid proverbs, and here in a second thou hast shot
out a whole litany of them. Those proverbs will bring thee to the
gallows some day, I promise thee."