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also had slipped under the ass's belly。 The pack…saddle being secured；
as Don Quixote was about to lift up his enchanted mistress in his arms
and put her upon her beast； the lady； getting up from the ground；
saved him the trouble； for； going back a little； she took a short run；
and putting both hands on the croup of the ass she dropped into the
saddle more lightly than a falcon； and sat astride like a man； whereat
Sancho said； 〃Rogue！〃 but our lady is lighter than a lanner； and might
teach the cleverest Cordovan or Mexican how to mount； she cleared
the back of the saddle in one jump； and without spurs she is making
the hackney go like a zebra； and her damsels are no way behind her；
for they all fly like the wind；〃 which was the truth； for as soon as
they saw Dulcinea mounted； they pushed on after her； and sped away
without looking back； for more than half a league。
Don Quixote followed them with his eyes； and when they were no
longer in sight； he turned to Sancho and said； 〃How now； Sancho？
thou seest how I am hated by enchanters！ And see to what a length
the malice and spite they bear me go； when they seek to deprive me
of the happiness it would give me to see my lady in her own proper
form。 The fact is I was born to be an example of misfortune； and the
target and mark at which the arrows of adversity are aimed and
directed。 Observe too； Sancho； that these traitors were not content
with changing and transforming my Dulcinea； but they transformed and
changed her into a shape as mean and ill…favoured as that of the
village girl yonder； and at the same time they robbed her of that
which is such a peculiar property of ladies of distinction； that is to
say； the sweet fragrance that comes of being always among perfumes and
flowers。 For I must tell thee； Sancho； that when I approached to put
Dulcinea upon her hackney （as thou sayest it was； though to me it
appeared a she…ass）； she gave me a whiff of raw garlic that made my
head reel； and poisoned my very heart。〃
〃O scum of the earth！〃 cried Sancho at this； 〃O miserable；
spiteful enchanters！ O that I could see you all strung by the gills；
like sardines on a twig！ Ye know a great deal； ye can do a great deal；
and ye do a great deal more。 It ought to have been enough for you；
ye scoundrels； to have changed the pearls of my lady's eyes into oak
galls； and her hair of purest gold into the bristles of a red ox's
tail； and in short； all her features from fair to foul； without
meddling with her smell； for by that we might somehow have found out
what was hidden underneath that ugly rind； though； to tell the
truth； I never perceived her ugliness； but only her beauty； which
was raised to the highest pitch of perfection by a mole she had on her
right lip； like a moustache； with seven or eight red hairs like
threads of gold； and more than a palm long。〃
〃From the correspondence which exists between those of the face
and those of the body；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃Dulcinea must have
another mole resembling that on the thick of the thigh on that side on
which she has the one on her ace； but hairs of the length thou hast
mentioned are very long for moles。〃
〃Well； all I can say is there they were as plain as could be；〃
replied Sancho。
〃I believe it； my friend；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃for nature
bestowed nothing on Dulcinea that was not perfect and well…finished；
and so； if she had a hundred moles like the one thou hast described；
in her they would not be moles； but moons and shining stars。 But
tell me； Sancho； that which seemed to me to be a pack…saddle as thou
wert fixing it； was it a flat…saddle or a side…saddle？〃
〃It was neither；〃 replied Sancho； 〃but a jineta saddle； with a field
covering worth half a kingdom； so rich is it。〃
〃And that I could not see all this； Sancho！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃once
more I say； and will say a thousand times； I am the most unfortunate
of men。〃
Sancho； the rogue； had enough to do to hide his laughter； at hearing
the simplicity of the master he had so nicely befooled。 At length；
after a good deal more conversation had passed between them； they
remounted their beasts； and followed the road to Saragossa； which they
expected to reach in time to take part in a certain grand festival
which is held every year in that illustrious city； but before they got
there things happened to them； so many； so important； and so
strange； that they deserve to be recorded and read； as will be seen
farther on。
CHAPTER XI
OF THE STRANGE ADVENTURE WHICH THE VALIANT DON QUIXOTE HAD WITH
THE CAR OR CART OF 〃THE CORTES OF DEATH〃
DEJECTED beyond measure did Don Quixote pursue his journey；
turning over in his mind the cruel trick the enchanters had played him
in changing his lady Dulcinea into the vile shape of the village lass；
nor could he think of any way of restoring her to her original form；
and these reflections so absorbed him； that without being aware of
it he let go Rocinante's bridle； and he； perceiving the liberty that
was granted him； stopped at every step to crop the fresh grass with
which the plain abounded。
Sancho recalled him from his reverie。 〃Melancholy； senor；〃 said
he； 〃was made； not for beasts； but for men； but if men give way to
it overmuch they turn to beasts； control yourself； your worship； be
yourself again； gather up Rocinante's reins； cheer up； rouse
yourself and show that gallant spirit that knights…errant ought to
have。 What the devil is this？ What weakness is this？ Are we here or in
France？ The devil fly away with all the Dulcineas in the world； for
the well…being of a single knight…errant is of more consequence than
all the enchantments and transformations on earth。〃
〃Hush； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote in a weak and faint voice； 〃hush
and utter no blasphemies against that enchanted lady； for I alone am
to blame for her misfortune and hard fate； her calamity has come of
the hatred the wicked bear me。〃
〃So say I；〃 returned Sancho； 〃his heart rend in twain； I trow； who
saw her once； to see her now。〃
〃Thou mayest well say that； Sancho；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃as thou
sawest her in the full perfection of her beauty； for the enchantment
does not go so far as to pervert thy vision or hide her loveliness
from thee； against me alone and against my eyes is the strength of its
venom directed。 Nevertheless； there is one thing which has occurred to
me； and that is that thou didst ill describe her beauty to me； for； as
well as I recollect； thou saidst that her eyes were pearls； but eyes
that are like pearls are rather the eyes of a sea…bream than of a
lady； and I am persuaded that Dulcinea's must be green emeralds；
full and soft； with two rainbows for eyebrows； take away those
pearls from her eyes and transfer them to her teeth； for beyond a
doubt； Sancho； thou hast taken the one for the other； the eyes for the
teeth。〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Sancho； 〃for her beauty bewildered me as much as
her ugliness did your worship； but let us leave it all to God； who
alone knows what is to happen in this vale of tears； in this evil
world of ours； where there is hardly a thing to be found without
some mixture of wickedness； roguery； and rascality。 But one thing；
s