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have now, sir," quoth Sancho to his master, "reluced my wife to consent
that I should go with your worship wherever you please to carry me."
"Reduced, thou shouldst say, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "and not
'reluced.'" "Once or twice already," answered Sancho, "I have besought your
worship not to mind my words, when you know my meaning; and when you do
not, say, Sancho, or devil, I understand thee not; and then if I do not
explain myself, you may correct me, for I am so focile."--"I do not
understand thee now, Sancho," said Don Quixote; for I know not the meaning
of 'focile.'" "So focile," answered Sancho, "means, I am so much so." "I
understand thee still less now," replied Don Quixote. "Why, if you do not
understand me," answered Sancho, "I cannot help it; I know no more, so God
help me!" "O! now I have it," answered Don Quixote, "thou wilt say that
thou art so docile, so pliant, and so tractable, that thou wilt readily
comprehend whatever I say, and wilt learn whatever I shall teach thee." "I
will lay a wager," quoth Sancho, "you took me from the first, only you had
a mind to puzzle me, that you might hear some more of my blunders."
"Perhaps thou mayest be right there," answered Don Quixote; "but tell me,
what says Teresa?" "Teresa," quoth Sancho, "says that fast bind, fast find,
and that we must have less talking, and more doing: for he who shuffles is
not he who cuts, and, 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the
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