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strong arm of mine； and lest you should be pining to know the name
of your deliverer； know that I am called Don Quixote of La Mancha；
knight…errant and adventurer； and captive to the peerless and
beautiful lady Dulcinea del Toboso： and in return for the service
you have received of me I ask no more than that you should return to
El Toboso； and on my behalf present yourself before that lady and tell
her what I have done to set you free。〃
One of the squires in attendance upon the coach； a Biscayan； was
listening to all Don Quixote was saying； and； perceiving that he would
not allow the coach to go on； but was saying it must return at once to
El Toboso； he made at him； and seizing his lance addressed him in
bad Castilian and worse Biscayan after his fashion； 〃Begone；
caballero； and ill go with thee； by the God that made me； unless
thou quittest coach； slayest thee as art here a Biscayan。〃
Don Quixote understood him quite well； and answered him very
quietly； 〃If thou wert a knight； as thou art none； I should have
already chastised thy folly and rashness； miserable creature。〃 To
which the Biscayan returned； 〃I no gentleman！ …I swear to God thou
liest as I am Christian： if thou droppest lance and drawest sword；
soon shalt thou see thou art carrying water to the cat： Biscayan on
land； hidalgo at sea； hidalgo at the devil； and look； if thou sayest
otherwise thou liest。〃
〃'〃You will see presently；〃 said Agrajes；'〃 replied Don Quixote； and
throwing his lance on the ground he drew his sword； braced his buckler
on his arm； and attacked the Biscayan； bent upon taking his life。
The Biscayan； when he saw him coming on； though he wished to
dismount from his mule； in which； being one of those sorry ones let
out for hire； he had no confidence； had no choice but to draw his
sword； it was lucky for him； however； that he was near the coach； from
which he was able to snatch a cushion that served him for a shield；
and they went at one another as if they had been two mortal enemies。
The others strove to make peace between them； but could not； for the
Biscayan declared in his disjointed phrase that if they did not let
him finish his battle he would kill his mistress and everyone that
strove to prevent him。 The lady in the coach； amazed and terrified
at what she saw； ordered the coachman to draw aside a little； and
set herself to watch this severe struggle； in the course of which
the Biscayan smote Don Quixote a mighty stroke on the shoulder over
the top of his buckler； which； given to one without armour； would have
cleft him to the waist。 Don Quixote； feeling the weight of this
prodigious blow； cried aloud； saying； 〃O lady of my soul； Dulcinea；
flower of beauty； come to the aid of this your knight； who； in
fulfilling his obligations to your beauty； finds himself in this
extreme peril。〃 To say this； to lift his sword； to shelter himself
well behind his buckler； and to assail the Biscayan was the work of an
instant； determined as he was to venture all upon a single blow。 The
Biscayan； seeing him come on in this way； was convinced of his courage
by his spirited bearing； and resolved to follow his example； so he
waited for him keeping well under cover of his cushion； being unable
to execute any sort of manoeuvre with his mule； which； dead tired
and never meant for this kind of game； could not stir a step。
On； then； as aforesaid； came Don Quixote against the wary
Biscayan； with uplifted sword and a firm intention of splitting him in
half； while on his side the Biscayan waited for him sword in hand； and
under the protection of his cushion； and all present stood
trembling； waiting in suspense the result of blows such as
threatened to fall； and the lady in the coach and the rest of her
following were making a thousand vows and offerings to all the
images and shrines of Spain； that God might deliver her squire and all
of them from this great peril in which they found themselves。 But it
spoils all； that at this point and crisis the author of the history
leaves this battle impending； giving as excuse that he could find
nothing more written about these achievements of Don Quixote than what
has been already set forth。 It is true the second author of this
work was unwilling to believe that a history so curious could have
been allowed to fall under the sentence of oblivion； or that the
wits of La Mancha could have been so undiscerning as not to preserve
in their archives or registries some documents referring to this
famous knight； and this being his persuasion； he did not despair of
finding the conclusion of this pleasant history； which； heaven
favouring him； he did find in a way that shall be related in the
Second Part。
CHAPTER IX
IN WHICH IS CONCLUDED AND FINISHED THE TERRIFIC BATTLE BETWEEN THE
GALLANT BISCAYAN AND THE VALIANT MANCHEGAN
IN THE First Part of this history we left the valiant Biscayan and
the renowned Don Quixote with drawn swords uplifted； ready to
deliver two such furious slashing blows that if they had fallen full
and fair they would at least have split and cleft them asunder from
top to toe and laid them open like a pomegranate； and at this so
critical point the delightful history came to a stop and stood cut
short without any intimation from the author where what was missing
was to be found。
This distressed me greatly； because the pleasure derived from having
read such a small portion turned to vexation at the thought of the
poor chance that presented itself of finding the large part that； so
it seemed to me； was missing of such an interesting tale。 It
appeared to me to be a thing impossible and contrary to all
precedent that so good a knight should have been without some sage
to undertake the task of writing his marvellous achievements； a
thing that was never wanting to any of those knights…errant who；
they say； went after adventures； for every one of them had one or
two sages as if made on purpose； who not only recorded their deeds but
described their most trifling thoughts and follies； however secret
they might be； and such a good knight could not have been so
unfortunate as not to have what Platir and others like him had in
abundance。 And so I could not bring myself to believe that such a
gallant tale had been left maimed and mutilated； and I laid the
blame on Time； the devourer and destroyer of all things； that had
either concealed or consumed it。
On the other hand； it struck me that； inasmuch as among his books
there had been found such modern ones as 〃The Enlightenment of
Jealousy〃 and the 〃Nymphs and Shepherds of Henares；〃 his story must
likewise be modern； and that though it might not be written； it
might exist in the memory of the people of his village and of those in
the neighbourhood。 This reflection kept me perplexed and longing to
know really and truly the whole life and wondrous deeds of our
famous Spaniard； Don Quixote of La Mancha； light and mirror of
Manchegan chivalry； and the first that in our age and in these so evil
days devoted himself to the labour and exercise of the arms of
knight…errantry； righting wrongs； succouring widows； and protecting
damsels of that sort that used to ride about； whi