_A continuation of the extraordinary adventures that happened in the
inn._
The door being opened, they inquired of the host whether there was not
in the house a youth about fifteen years old, habited like a
muleteer--in short, describing Donna Clara's lover. The host said that
there were so many people in the inn, that he had not observed such a
person as they described. But one of them just then seeing the judge's
coach, said, "He must certainly be here, for there is the coach which
he is said to follow. Let one of us remain here, and the rest go in to
search for him; and it would not be amiss for one of us to ride round
the house, in case he should attempt to escape over the pales of the
yard." All this they immediately did, much to the innkeeper's
surprise, who could not guess the meaning of so much activity.
It was now full daylight, and most of the company in the house were
rising; among the first were Donna Clara and Dorothea, who had slept
but indifferently; the one from concern at being so near her lover,
and the other from a desire of seeing him. In the mean time the men
pursued their search after the youth, and at last found him peaceably
sleeping by the side of a muleteer. One of them, pulling him by the
arm, said, "Upon my word, Signor Don Louis, your dress is very
becoming a gentleman like you, and the bed you lie on is very suitable
to the tenderness with which your mother brought you up!" The youth
was roused from his sleep, and, looking earnestly at the man who held
him, he soon recollected him to be one of his father's servants, and
was so confounded that he could not say a word. "Signor Don Louis,"
continued the servant, "you must instantly return home, unless you
would cause the death of my lord, your father, he is in such grief at
your absence." "Why, how did my father know," said Don Louis, "that I
came this road and in this dress?" "He was informed by a student, to
whom you mentioned your project, and who was induced to disclose it
from compassion at your father's distress. There are four of us here
at your service, and we shall be rejoiced to restore you to your
family." "That will be as I shall please, or as Heaven may ordain,"
answered Don Louis. "What, signor, should you please to do but return
home?" rejoined the servant; "indeed you cannot do otherwise."
The muleteer who had been Don Louis's companion, hearing this contest,
went to acquaint Don Fernando and the rest of the company with what
was passing, telling them that the man had called the young lad Don,
and wanted him to return to his father's house, but that he refused to
go. They all recollected his fine voice, and being eager to know who
he was, and to assist him if any violence were offered him, they
repaired to the place where he was contending with his servant.
Dorothea now came out of her chamber with Donna Clara; and, calling
Cardenio aside, she related to him in a few words the history of the
musician and Donna Clara. He then told her of the search that had been
made after the young man by the servants; and although he whispered,
he was overheard by Donna Clara, who was thrown into such an agony by
the intelligence, that she would have fallen to the ground if Dorothea
had not supported her. Cardenio advised her to retire with Donna
Clara, while he endeavoured to make some arrangements in their behalf.
Don Louis was now surrounded by all the four servants, entreating that
he would immediately return to comfort his father. He answered that he
could not possibly do so until he had accomplished that on which his
life, his honour, and his soul depended. The servants still urged him,
saying they would certainly not go back without him, and that they
must compel him to return if he refused. "That you shall not do,"
replied Don Louis; "at least you shall not take me living." This
contest had now drawn together most of the people in the house; Don
Fernando, Cardenio, the judge, the priest, the barber, and even Don
Quixote had quitted his post of castleguard. Cardenio, already knowing
the young man's story, asked the men why they would take away the
youth against his will. "To save his father's life," replied one of
them; "which is in danger from distress of mind." "There is no
occasion to give an account of my affairs here," said Don Louis; "I am
free, and will go back if I please; otherwise none of you shall force
me." "But reason will prevail with you," answered the servant; "and if
not, we must do our duty." "Hold," said the judge; "let us know the
whole of this affair." The man (who recollected him) answered, "Does
not your worship know this gentleman? He is your neighbour's son, and
has absented himself from his father's house, in a garb very
unbecoming his quality, as your worship may see." The judge, after
looking at him with attention, recognised him, and accosted him in a
friendly manner: "What childish frolic is this, Signor Don Louis,"
said he; "or what powerful motive has induced you to disguise yourself
in a manner so unbecoming your rank?" The eyes of the youth were
filled with tears, and he could not say a word. The judge desired the
servants to be quiet, promising that all should be well; and taking
Don Louis by the hand, he led him aside and questioned him.
The youth, clasping his hands, as if some great affliction wrung his
heart, and shedding tears in abundance, said, in answer, "I can only
say, dear sir, that, from the moment Heaven was pleased, by means of
our vicinity, to give me a sight of Donna Clara, your daughter, she
became sovereign mistress of my affections; and if you, my true lord
and father, do not oppose it, this very day she shall be my wife. For
her I left my father's house, and for her I assumed this garb, to
follow her wheresoever she might go. She knows herself no more of my
passion than what she may have perceived, by occasionally seeing at a
distance my eyes full of tenderness and tears. You know, my lord, the
wealth and rank of my family, of whom I am the sole heir; if these
circumstances can plead in my favour, receive me immediately for your
son: for though my father, influenced by other views of his own,
should not approve my choice, time may reconcile him to it." Here the
enamoured youth was silent; and the judge remained in suspense, no
less surprised by the ingenuous confession of Don Louis than perplexed
how to act in the affair; in reply, therefore, he only desired him to
be calm for the present, and not let his servants return that day,
that there might be time to consider what was most expedient to be
done. Don Louis kissed his hands with vehemence, bathing them with
tears that might have softened a heart of marble, much more that of
the judge, who, being a man of sense, was aware how advantageous this
match would be for his daughter. Nevertheless, he would rather, if
possible, that it should take place with the consent of Don Louis's
father, who he knew had pretensions to a title for his son.
Now it so happened that, at this time, the very barber entered the inn
who had been deprived of Mambrino's helmet by Don Quixote, and of the
trappings of his ass by Sancho Panza; and as he was leading his beast
to the stable, he espied Sancho Panza, who at that moment was
repairing something about the self-same pannel. He instantly fell upon
him with fury: "Ah, thief!" said he, "have I got you at last!--give me
my basin and my pannel, with all the furniture you stole from me!"
Sancho, finding himself thus suddenly attacked and abused, secured the
pannel with one hand, and with the other made the barber such a
return, that his mouth was bathed in blood. Nevertheless, the barber
would not let go his hold; but raised his voice so high that he drew
every body round him, while he called out, "Justice, in the king's
name! This rogue and highway robber here would murder me for
endeavouring to recover my own goods." "You lie," answered Sancho; "I
am no highway robber; my master, Don Quixote, won these spoils in fair
war." Don Quixote was now present, and not a little pleased to see how
well his squire acted both on the offensive and defensive; and,
regarding him thenceforward as a man of mettle, he resolved in his
mind to dub him a knight the first opportunity that offered, thinking
the order of chivalry would be well bestowed upon him.
During this contest the barber made many protestations. "Gentlemen,"
said he, "this pannel is certainly mine; and moreover, the very day
they took this from me, they robbed me likewise of a new brass basin,
never hanselled, that cost me a crown." Here Don Quixote could not
forbear interposing. "The error of this honest squire," said he, "is
manifest, in calling that a basin which is Mambrino's helmet:--that
helmet which I won in fair war, and am therefore its right and lawful
possessor. In confirmation of what I say, go, Sancho, and bring hither
the helmet which this honest man terms a basin." "In faith, sir,"
quoth Sancho, "if we have no better proof than that of what your
worship says, Mambrino's helmet will prove as arrant a basin as the
honest man's trappings are a pack-saddle." "Do what I command,"
replied Don Quixote; "for surely all things in this castle cannot be
governed by enchantment." Sancho went for the basin, and, returning
with it, he gave it to Don Quixote. "Only behold, gentlemen," said he;
"how can this squire have the face to declare that this is a basin,
and not the helmet which I have described to you! By the order of
knighthood which I profess, I swear that this very helmet is the same
which I took from him, without addition or diminution." "There is no
doubt of that," quoth Sancho, "for from the time my master won it
until now, he has fought but one battle in it, which was when he freed
those unlucky galley-slaves; and had it not been for that same
basin-helmet, he would not have got off so well from the showers of
stones which rained upon him in that skirmish."