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sensible folk like his squire； who begged the curate to allow his
master to leave the cage for a little； for if they did not let him
out； the prison might not be as clean as the propriety of such a
gentleman as his master required。 The curate understood him； and
said he would very gladly comply with his request； only that he feared
his master； finding himself at liberty； would take to his old
courses and make off where nobody could ever find him again。
〃I will answer for his not running away；〃 said Sancho。
〃And I also；〃 said the canon； 〃especially if he gives me his word as
a knight not to leave us without our consent。〃
Don Quixote； who was listening to all this； said； 〃I give it；…
moreover one who is enchanted as I am cannot do as he likes with
himself； for he who had enchanted him could prevent his moving from
one place for three ages； and if he attempted to escape would bring
him back flying。〃… And that being so； they might as well release
him； particularly as it would be to the advantage of all； for； if they
did not let him out； he protested he would be unable to avoid
offending their nostrils unless they kept their distance。
The canon took his hand； tied together as they both were； and on his
word and promise they unbound him； and rejoiced beyond measure he
was to find himself out of the cage。 The first thing he did was to
stretch himself all over； and then he went to where Rocinante was
standing and giving him a couple of slaps on the haunches said； 〃I
still trust in God and in his blessed mother； O flower and mirror of
steeds； that we shall soon see ourselves； both of us； as we wish to
be； thou with thy master on thy back； and I mounted upon thee；
following the calling for which God sent me into the world。〃 And so
saying； accompanied by Sancho； he withdrew to a retired spot； from
which he came back much relieved and more eager than ever to put his
squire's scheme into execution。
The canon gazed at him； wondering at the extraordinary nature of his
madness； and that in all his remarks and replies he should show such
excellent sense； and only lose his stirrups； as has been already said；
when the subject of chivalry was broached。 And so； moved by
compassion； he said to him； as they all sat on the green grass
awaiting the arrival of the provisions：
〃Is it possible； gentle sir； that the nauseous and idle reading of
books of chivalry can have had such an effect on your worship as to
upset your reason so that you fancy yourself enchanted； and the
like； all as far from the truth as falsehood itself is？ How can
there be any human understanding that can persuade itself there ever
was all that infinity of Amadises in the world； or all that
multitude of famous knights； all those emperors of Trebizond； all
those Felixmartes of Hircania； all those palfreys； and damsels…errant；
and serpents； and monsters； and giants； and marvellous adventures； and
enchantments of every kind； and battles； and prodigious encounters；
splendid costumes； love…sick princesses； squires made counts； droll
dwarfs； love letters； billings and cooings； swashbuckler women； and；
in a word； all that nonsense the books of chivalry contain？ For
myself； I can only say that when I read them； so long as I do not stop
to think that they are all lies and frivolity； they give me a
certain amount of pleasure； but when I come to consider what they are；
I fling the very best of them at the wall； and would fling it into the
fire if there were one at hand； as richly deserving such punishment as
cheats and impostors out of the range of ordinary toleration； and as
founders of new sects and modes of life； and teachers that lead the
ignorant public to believe and accept as truth all the folly they
contain。 And such is their audacity； they even dare to unsettle the
wits of gentlemen of birth and intelligence； as is shown plainly by
the way they have served your worship； when they have brought you to
such a pass that you have to be shut up in a cage and carried on an
ox…cart as one would carry a lion or a tiger from place to place to
make money by showing it。 Come； Senor Don Quixote； have some
compassion for yourself； return to the bosom of common sense； and make
use of the liberal share of it that heaven has been pleased to
bestow upon you； employing your abundant gifts of mind in some other
reading that may serve to benefit your conscience and add to your
honour。 And if； still led away by your natural bent； you desire to
read books of achievements and of chivalry； read the Book of Judges in
the Holy Scriptures； for there you will find grand reality； and
deeds as true as they are heroic。 Lusitania had a Viriatus； Rome a
Caesar； Carthage a Hannibal； Greece an Alexander； Castile a Count
Fernan Gonzalez； Valencia a Cid； Andalusia a Gonzalo Fernandez；
Estremadura a Diego Garcia de Paredes； Jerez a Garci Perez de
Vargas； Toledo a Garcilaso； Seville a Don Manuel de Leon； to read of
whose valiant deeds will entertain and instruct the loftiest minds and
fill them with delight and wonder。 Here； Senor Don Quixote； will be
reading worthy of your sound understanding； from which you will rise
learned in history； in love with virtue； strengthened in goodness；
improved in manners； brave without rashness； prudent without
cowardice； and all to the honour of God； your own advantage and the
glory of La Mancha； whence； I am informed； your worship derives your
birth。〃
Don Quixote listened with the greatest attention to the canon's
words； and when he found he had finished； after regarding him for some
time； he replied to him：
〃It appears to me； gentle sir； that your worship's discourse is
intended to persuade me that there never were any knights…errant in
the world； and that all the books of chivalry are false； lying；
mischievous and useless to the State； and that I have done wrong in
reading them； and worse in believing them； and still worse in
imitating them； when I undertook to follow the arduous calling of
knight…errantry which they set forth； for you deny that there ever
were Amadises of Gaul or of Greece； or any other of the knights of
whom the books are full。〃
〃It is all exactly as you state it；〃 said the canon； to which Don
Quixote returned； 〃You also went on to say that books of this kind had
done me much harm； inasmuch as they had upset my senses； and shut me
up in a cage； and that it would be better for me to reform and
change my studies； and read other truer books which would afford
more pleasure and instruction。〃
〃Just so；〃 said the canon。
〃Well then；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃to my mind it is you who are the
one that is out of his wits and enchanted； as you have ventured to
utter such blasphemies against a thing so universally acknowledged and
accepted as true that whoever denies it； as you do； deserves the
same punishment which you say you inflict on the books that irritate
you when you read them。 For to try to persuade anybody that Amadis；
and all the other knights…adventurers with whom the books are
filled； never existed； would be like trying to persuade him that the
sun does not yield light； or ice cold； or earth nourishment。 What
wit in the world can persuade ano