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and that no truth was to be looked for from Moors； as they are all
impostors； cheats； and schemers。 He was afraid he might have dealt
with his love affairs in some indecorous fashion； that might tend to
the discredit and prejudice of the purity of his lady Dulcinea del
Toboso； he would have had him set forth the fidelity and respect he
had always observed towards her； spurning queens； empresses； and
damsels of all sorts； and keeping in check the impetuosity of his
natural impulses。 Absorbed and wrapped up in these and divers other
cogitations； he was found by Sancho and Carrasco； whom Don Quixote
received with great courtesy。
The bachelor； though he was called Samson； was of no great bodily
size； but he was a very great wag； he was of a sallow complexion；
but very sharp…witted； somewhere about four…and…twenty years of age；
with a round face； a flat nose； and a large mouth； all indications
of a mischievous disposition and a love of fun and jokes； and of
this he gave a sample as soon as he saw Don Quixote； by falling on his
knees before him and saying； 〃Let me kiss your mightiness's hand；
Senor Don Quixote of La Mancha； for； by the habit of St。 Peter that
I wear； though I have no more than the first four orders； your worship
is one of the most famous knights…errant that have ever been； or
will be； all the world over。 A blessing on Cide Hamete Benengeli；
who has written the history of your great deeds； and a double blessing
on that connoisseur who took the trouble of having it translated out
of the Arabic into our Castilian vulgar tongue for the universal
entertainment of the people！〃
Don Quixote made him rise； and said； 〃So； then； it is true that
there is a history of me； and that it was a Moor and a sage who
wrote it？〃
〃So true is it； senor；〃 said Samson； 〃that my belief is there are
more than twelve thousand volumes of the said history in print this
very day。 Only ask Portugal； Barcelona； and Valencia； where they
have been printed； and moreover there is a report that it is being
printed at Antwerp； and I am persuaded there will not be a country
or language in which there will not be a translation of it。〃
〃One of the things；〃 here observed Don Quixote； 〃that ought to
give most pleasure to a virtuous and eminent man is to find himself in
his lifetime in print and in type； familiar in people's mouths with
a good name； I say with a good name； for if it be the opposite； then
there is no death to be compared to it。〃
〃If it goes by good name and fame；〃 said the bachelor； 〃your worship
alone bears away the palm from all the knights…errant； for the Moor in
his own language； and the Christian in his； have taken care to set
before us your gallantry； your high courage in encountering dangers；
your fortitude in adversity； your patience under misfortunes as well
as wounds； the purity and continence of the platonic loves of your
worship and my lady Dona Dulcinea del Toboso…〃
〃I never heard my lady Dulcinea called Dona；〃 observed Sancho
here； 〃nothing more than the lady Dulcinea del Toboso； so here already
the history is wrong。〃
〃That is not an objection of any importance；〃 replied Carrasco。
〃Certainly not；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but tell me； senor bachelor；
what deeds of mine are they that are made most of in this history？〃
〃On that point；〃 replied the bachelor； 〃opinions differ； as tastes
do； some swear by the adventure of the windmills that your worship
took to be Briareuses and giants； others by that of the fulling mills；
one cries up the description of the two armies that afterwards took
the appearance of two droves of sheep； another that of the dead body
on its way to be buried at Segovia； a third says the liberation of the
galley slaves is the best of all； and a fourth that nothing comes up
to the affair with the Benedictine giants； and the battle with the
valiant Biscayan。〃
〃Tell me； senor bachelor；〃 said Sancho at this point； 〃does the
adventure with the Yanguesans come in； when our good Rocinante went
hankering after dainties？〃
〃The sage has left nothing in the ink…bottle；〃 replied Samson； 〃he
tells all and sets down everything； even to the capers that worthy
Sancho cut in the blanket。〃
〃I cut no capers in the blanket；〃 returned Sancho； 〃in the air I
did； and more of them than I liked。〃
〃There is no human history in the world； I suppose；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃that has not its ups and downs； but more than others such as
deal with chivalry； for they can never be entirely made up of
prosperous adventures。〃
〃For all that；〃 replied the bachelor； 〃there are those who have read
the history who say they would have been glad if the author had left
out some of the countless cudgellings that were inflicted on Senor Don
Quixote in various encounters。〃
〃That's where the truth of the history comes in；〃 said Sancho。
〃At the same time they might fairly have passed them over in
silence；〃 observed Don Quixote； 〃for there is no need of recording
events which do not change or affect the truth of a history； if they
tend to bring the hero of it into contempt。 AEneas was not in truth
and earnest so pious as Virgil represents him； nor Ulysses so wise
as Homer describes him。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Samson； 〃but it is one thing to write as a
poet； another to write as a historian； the poet may describe or sing
things； not as they were； but as they ought to have been； but the
historian has to write them down； not as they ought to have been；
but as they were； without adding anything to the truth or taking
anything from it。〃
〃Well then；〃 said Sancho； 〃if this senor Moor goes in for telling
the truth； no doubt among my master's drubbings mine are to be
found； for they never took the measure of his worship's shoulders
without doing the same for my whole body； but I have no right to
wonder at that； for； as my master himself says； the members must share
the pain of the head。〃
〃You are a sly dog； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃i' faith； you have
no want of memory when you choose to remember。〃
〃If I were to try to forget the thwacks they gave me；〃 said
Sancho； 〃my weals would not let me； for they are still fresh on my
ribs。〃
〃Hush； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and don't interrupt the bachelor；
whom I entreat to go on and tell all that is said about me in this
history。〃
〃And about me；〃 said Sancho； 〃for they say； too； that I am one of
the principal presonages in it。〃
〃Personages； not presonages； friend Sancho；〃 said Samson。
〃What！ Another word…catcher！〃 said Sancho； 〃if that's to be the
way we shall not make an end in a lifetime。〃
〃May God shorten mine； Sancho；〃 returned the bachelor； 〃if you are
not the second person in the history； and there are even some who
would rather hear you talk than the cleverest in the whole book；
though there are some； too； who say you showed yourself over…credulous
in believing there was any possibility in the government of that
island offered you by Senor Don Quixote。〃
〃There is still sunshine on the wall；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and when
Sancho is somewhat more advanced in life； with the experience that
years bring； he will be fitter and better qualified for being a
governor than he is at