_Which treats of the beautiful Dorothea's discretion; with other
particulars._
"This, gentlemen," added Dorothea, "is my tragical story; think
whether the sighs and tears which you have witnessed have not been
more than justified. My misfortunes, as you will confess, are
incapable of a remedy; and all I desire of you is to advise me how to
live without the continual dread of being discovered; for although I
am certain of a kind reception from my parents, so overwhelmed am I
with shame, that I choose rather to banish myself for ever from their
sight than appear before them the object of such hateful suspicions."
Here she was silent, while her blushes and confusion sufficiently
manifested the shame and agony of her soul. Her auditors were much
affected by her tale, and the curate was just going to address her,
when Cardenio interrupted him, saying, "You, madam, then, are the
beautiful Dorothea, only daughter of the rich Clenardo." Dorothea
stared at hearing her father named by such a miserable-looking object,
and she asked him who he was, since he knew her father. "I am that
hapless Cardenio," he replied, "who suffer from the base author of
your misfortunes, reduced, as you now behold, to nakedness and
misery--deprived even of reason! Yes, Dorothea, I heard that fatal Yes
uttered by Lucinda, and, unable to bear my anguish, fled precipitately
from her house. Amidst these mountains I thought to have terminated my
wretched existence; but the account you have just given has inspired
me with hope that Heaven may still have happiness in store for us.
Lucinda has avowed herself to be mine, and therefore cannot wed
another; Don Fernando, being yours, cannot have Lucinda. Let us then,
my dear lady, indulge the hope that we may both yet recover our own,
since it is not absolutely lost. Indeed, I swear that, although I
leave it to Heaven to avenge my own injuries, your claims I will
assert; nor will I leave you until I have obliged Don Fernando, either
by argument or by my sword, to do you justice."
Dorothea would have thrown herself at the feet of Cardenio to express
her gratitude to him, had he not prevented her. The licentiate, too,
commended his generous determination, and entreated them both to
accompany him to his village, where they might consult on the most
proper measures to be adopted in the present state of their affairs; a
proposal to which they thankfully acceded. The barber, who had
hitherto been silent, now joined in expressing his good wishes to
them; he also briefly related the circumstances which had brought them
to that place; and when he mentioned the extraordinary insanity of Don
Quixote, Cardenio had an indistinct recollection of having had some
altercation with the knight, though he could not remember whence it
arose.
They were now interrupted by the voice of Sancho Panza, who, not
finding them where he left them, began to call out loudly; they went
instantly to meet him, and were eager in their inquiries after Don
Quixote. He told them that he had found him half dead with hunger,
sighing for his Lady Dulcinea; and that he positively would not appear
before her beauty, until he had performed exploits that might render
him worthy of her favour; so they must consider what was to be done to
get him away. The licentiate begged him not to give himself any
uneasiness on that account, for they should certainly contrive to get
him out of his present retreat.
The priest then informed Cardenio and Dorothea of their plan for Don
Quixote's cure, or at least for decoying him to his own house. Upon
which Dorothea said she would undertake to act the distressed damsel
better than the barber, especially as she had apparel with which she
could perform it to the life; and they might have reliance upon her,
as she had read many books of chivalry, and was well acquainted with
the style in which distressed damsels were wont to beg their boons of
knights-errant. "Let us, then, hasten to put our design into
execution," exclaimed the curate; "since fortune seems to favour all
our views." Dorothea immediately took from her bundle a petticoat of
very rich stuff, and a mantle of fine green silk; and, out of a
casket, a necklace and other jewels, with which she quickly adorned
herself in such a manner that she had all the appearance of a rich and
noble lady. They were charmed with her beauty, grace, and elegance;
and agreed that Don Fernando must be a man of little taste, since he
could slight so much excellence. But her greatest admirer was Sancho
Panza, who thought that in all his life he had never seen so beautiful
a creature; and he earnestly desired the priest to tell him who that
handsome lady was, and what she was looking for in those parts? "This
beautiful lady, friend Sancho," answered the priest, "is, to say the
least of her, heiress in the direct male line of the great kingdom of
Micomicon; and she comes in quest of your master, to beg a boon of
him, which is to redress a wrong or injury done her by a wicked giant;
for it is the fame of your master's prowess, which is spread over all
Guinea, that has brought this princess to seek him." "Now, a happy
seeking and a happy finding," quoth Sancho Panza; "especially if my
master is so fortunate as to redress that injury, and right that
wrong, by killing the giant you mention; and kill him he certainly
will if he encounters him, unless he be a goblin, for my master has no
power at all over goblins."
Dorothea now having mounted the priest's mule, and the barber fitted
on the ox-tail beard, they desired Sancho to conduct them to Don
Quixote, cautioning him not to say that he knew the licentiate or the
barber, since on that depended all his fortune. The priest would have
instructed Dorothea in her part; but she would not trouble him,
assuring him that she would perform it precisely according to the
rules and precepts of chivalry.
Having proceeded about three quarters of a league, they discovered Don
Quixote in a wild, rocky recess, at that time not armed. Dorothea now
whipped on her palfrey, attended by the well-bearded squire; and
having approached the knight, her squire leaped from his mule to
assist his lady, who, lightly dismounting, went and threw herself at
Don Quixote's feet, where, in spite of his efforts to raise her, she
remained kneeling, as she thus addressed him:
"I will never arise from this place, O valorous and redoubted knight,
until your goodness and courtesy vouchsafe me a boon, which will
redound to the honour and glory of your person, and to the lasting
benefit of the most disconsolate and aggrieved damsel the sun has ever
beheld. And if the valour of your puissant arm correspond with the
report of your immortal fame, you are bound to protect an unhappy
wight, who, attracted by the odour of your renown, is come from
distant regions to seek at your hands a remedy for her misfortunes."
"It is impossible for me to answer you, fair lady," said Don Quixote,
"while you remain in that posture." "I will not arise, signor,"
answered the afflicted damsel, "until your courtesy shall vouchsafe
the boon I ask." "I do vouchsafe and grant it you," answered Don
Quixote, "provided my compliance be of no detriment to my king, my
country, or to her who keeps the key of my heart and liberty." "It
will not be to the prejudice of any of these, dear sir," replied the
afflicted damsel. Sancho, now approaching his master, whispered softly
in his ear, "Your worship may very safely grant the boon she asks; for
it is a mere trifle, only to kill a great lubberly giant." "Whosoever
the lady may be," answered Don Quixote, "I shall act as my duty and my
conscience dictate, in conformity to the rules of my profession:" then
addressing himself to the damsel, he said, "Fairest lady, arise; for I
vouchsafe you whatever boon you ask." "My request, then, is," said the
damsel, "that your magnanimity will go whither I shall conduct you;
and that you will promise not to engage in any other adventure until
you have avenged me on a traitor who, against all right, human and
divine, has usurped my kingdom." "I grant your request," answered Don
Quixote; "and therefore, lady, dispel that melancholy which oppresses
you, and let your fainting hopes recover fresh life and strength; for
you shall soon be restored to your kingdom, and seated on the throne
of your ancient and high estate, in despite of all the miscreants who
would oppose it; and therefore we will instantly proceed to action,
for there is always danger in delay." The distressed damsel would fain
have kissed his hands; but Don Quixote, making her arise, embraced her
with much politeness and respect, and ordered Sancho to look after
Rozinante's girths, and to assist him to arm. Sancho took down the
armour from a tree, where it hung, and having got Rozinante ready,
quickly armed his master, who then cried, "In God's name, let us
hasten to succour this fair lady." The barber was still upon his
knees, and under much difficulty to forbear laughing, and keep his
beard from falling; but seeing that the boon was already granted, and
Don Quixote prepared to fulfil his engagement, he got up and took his
lady by the other hand; when they both assisted to place her upon the
mule, and then mounted themselves.
Cardenio and the priest, concealed among the bushes, had observed all
that passed, and being now desirous to join them, the priest, who had
a ready invention, soon hit upon an expedient; for with a pair of
scissors which he carried in a case, he quickly cut off Cardenio's
beard; then put him on a grey capouch, and gave him his own black
cloak, which so changed his appearance that had he looked in a mirror
he would not have known himself. They waited in the plain until Don
Quixote and his party came up; whereupon the curate, after gazing for
some time earnestly at him, at last ran towards him with open arms,
exclaiming aloud, "Happy is this meeting, O thou mirror of chivalry,
my noble countryman, Don Quixote de la Mancha! the flower and cream of
gentility, the protector of suffering mankind, the quintessence of
knight-errantry!" Having thus spoken, he embraced Don Quixote by the
knee of his left leg.
The knight was surprised at this address, but after attentively
surveying the features of the speaker, he recognised him, and would
immediately have alighted; but the priest would not suffer it. "You
must permit me to alight, signor licentiate," said Don Quixote; "for
it would be very improper that I should remain on horseback, while so
a reverend a person as you are travelling on foot." "I will by no
means consent to your dismounting," replied the priest, "since on
horseback you have achieved the greatest exploits this age hath
witnessed. As for myself, an unworthy priest, I shall be satisfied if
one of these gentlemen of your company will allow me to mount behind
him; and I shall then fancy myself mounted on Pegasus, or on a Zebra,
or the sprightly courser bestrode by the famous Moor Muzarque, who
lies to this day enchanted in the great mountain Zulema, not far
distant from the grand Compluto." "I did not think of that, dear
signor licentiate," said Don Quixote; "and I know her highness the
princess will, for my sake, order her squire to accommodate you with
the saddle of his mule; and he may ride behind, if the beast will
carry double." "I believe she will," answered the princess; "and I
know it is unnecessary for me to lay my commands upon my squire; for
he is too courteous and well-bred to suffer an ecclesiastic to go on
foot when he may ride." "Most certainly," answered the barber; and
alighting in an instant, he complimented the priest with the saddle,
which he accepted without much entreaty. But it unluckily happened
that as the barber was getting upon the mule, which was a vicious
jade, she threw up her hind-legs twice or thrice into the air; and had
they met with Master Nicholas's breast or head he would have wished
his rambling after Don Quixote far enough. He was, however, thrown to
the ground, and so suddenly that he forgot to take due care of his
beard, which fell off; and all he could do was to cover his face with
both hands, and cry out that his jaw-bone was broken. Don Quixote,
seeing such a mass of beard without jaws and without blood lying at a
distance from the fallen squire, exclaimed, "Heavens! what a miracle!
His beard has fallen as clean from his face as if he had been shaven!"
The priest, seeing the danger of discovery, instantly seized the
beard, and ran to Master Nicholas, who was still on the ground
moaning; and going up close to him, with one twitch replaced it;
muttering over him some words, which he said were a specific charm for
fixing on beards, as they should soon see; and when it was adjusted,
the squire remained as well bearded and as whole as before. Don
Quixote was amazed at what he saw, and begged the priest to teach him
that charm; for he was of opinion that its virtue could not be
confined to the refixing of beards, and since it wrought a perfect
cure, it must be valuable upon other occasions. The priest said that
his surmise was just, and promised to take the first opportunity of
teaching him the art.
Don Quixote, the princess, and the priest, being thus mounted,
attended by Cardenio, the barber, and Sancho Panza on foot, Don
Quixote said to the damsel, "Your highness will now be pleased to lead
on, in whatever direction you please." Before she could reply, the
licentiate interposing said, "Whither would your ladyship go? To the
kingdom of Micomicon, I presume, or I am much mistaken." She, being
aware that she was to answer in the affirmative, said, "Yes, signor,
that kingdom is indeed the place of my destination." "If so," said the
priest, "we must pass through my native village; and thence you must
go straight to Carthagena, where you may embark; and if you have a
fair wind, a smooth sea, and no storms, in somewhat less than nine
years you will get within view of the great lake Meona, I mean Meotis,
which is not more than a hundred days' journey from your highness's
territories." "You are mistaken, good sir," said she; "for it is not
two years since I left it; and although I had very bad weather during
the whole passage, here I am, and I have beheld what so ardently I
desired to see--Signor Don Quixote de la Mancha; the fame of whose
valour reached my ears the moment I set foot in Spain, and determined
me upon seeking him, that I might appeal to his courtesy, and commit
the justice of my cause to the valour of his invincible arm." "Cease,
I pray, these encomiums," said Don Quixote, "for I am an enemy to
every species of flattery; and even if this be not such, still are my
chaste ears offended at this kind of discourse. All I can say, dear
madam, is, that my powers, such as they are, shall be employed in your
service, even at the forfeit of my life; but waving these matters for
the present, I beg the signor licentiate to tell me what has brought
him into these parts alone, unattended, and so lightly apparelled." "I
can soon satisfy your worship," answered the priest: "our friend,
Master Nicholas and I were going to Seville, to receive a legacy left
me by a relation in India, and no inconsiderable sum, being sixty
thousand crowns; and on our road, yesterday, we were attacked by four
highway robbers, who stripped us of all we had, to our very beards,
and in such a manner that the barber thought it expedient to put on a
false one; as for this youth here (pointing to Cardenio), you see how
they have treated him. It is publicly reported here that those who
robbed us were galley-slaves, set at liberty near this very place, by
a man so valiant that in spite of the commissary and his guards he
released them all; but he must certainly have been out of his senses,
or as great a rogue as any of them, since he could let loose wolves
among sheep, foxes among poultry, and wasps among the honey; for he
has defrauded justice of her due, and has set himself up against his
king and natural lord by acting against his lawful authority. He has,
I say, disabled the galleys of their hands, and disturbed the many
years' repose of the holy brotherhood; in a word, he has done a deed
by which his body may suffer, and his soul be for ever lost."
Sancho had communicated the adventure of the galley-slaves, so
gloriously achieved by his master; and the priest laid it on thus
heavily to see what effect it would have upon Don Quixote; whose
colour changed at every word, and he dared not confess that he had
been the deliverer of those worthy gentlemen.