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were the emperor himself。〃
〃Don't think of it； your worship；〃 returned Sancho； 〃take my
advice and never meddle with actors； for they are a favoured class；
I myself have known an actor taken up for two murders； and yet come
off scot…free； remember that； as they are merry folk who give
pleasure； everyone favours and protects them； and helps and makes much
of them； above all when they are those of the royal companies and
under patent； all or most of whom in dress and appearance look like
princes。〃
〃Still； for all that；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃the player devil must
not go off boasting； even if the whole human race favours him。〃
So saying； he made for the cart； which was now very near the town；
shouting out as he went； 〃Stay！ halt！ ye merry； jovial crew！ I want to
teach you how to treat asses and animals that serve the squires of
knights…errant for steeds。〃
So loud were the shouts of Don Quixote； that those in the cart heard
and understood them； and； guessing by the words what the speaker's
intention was； Death in an instant jumped out of the cart； and the
emperor； the devil carter and the angel after him； nor did the queen
or the god Cupid stay behind； and all armed themselves with stones and
formed in line； prepared to receive Don Quixote on the points of their
pebbles。 Don Quixote； when he saw them drawn up in such a gallant
array with uplifted arms ready for a mighty discharge of stones；
checked Rocinante and began to consider in what way he could attack
them with the least danger to himself。 As he halted Sancho came up；
and seeing him disposed to attack this well…ordered squadron； said
to him； 〃It would be the height of madness to attempt such an
enterprise； remember； senor； that against sops from the brook； and
plenty of them； there is no defensive armour in the world； except to
stow oneself away under a brass bell； and besides； one should remember
that it is rashness； and not valour； for a single man to attack an
army that has Death in it； and where emperors fight in person； with
angels； good and bad； to help them； and if this reflection will not
make you keep quiet； perhaps it will to know for certain that among
all these； though they look like kings； princes； and emperors； there
is not a single knight…errant。〃
〃Now indeed thou hast hit the point； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃which may and should turn me from the resolution I had already
formed。 I cannot and must not draw sword； as I have many a time before
told thee； against anyone who is not a dubbed knight； it is for
thee； Sancho； if thou wilt； to take vengeance for the wrong done to
thy Dapple； and I will help thee from here by shouts and salutary
counsels。〃
〃There is no occasion to take vengeance on anyone； senor；〃 replied
Sancho； 〃for it is not the part of good Christians to revenge
wrongs； and besides； I will arrange it with my ass to leave his
grievance to my good…will and pleasure； and that is to live in peace
as long as heaven grants me life。〃
〃Well；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃if that be thy determination； good
Sancho； sensible Sancho； Christian Sancho； honest Sancho； let us leave
these phantoms alone and turn to the pursuit of better and worthier
adventures； for； from what I see of this country； we cannot fail to
find plenty of marvellous ones in it。〃
He at once wheeled about； Sancho ran to take possession of his
Dapple； Death and his flying squadron returned to their cart and
pursued their journey； and thus the dread adventure of the cart of
Death ended happily； thanks to the advice Sancho gave his master；
who had； the following day； a fresh adventure； of no less thrilling
interest than the last； with an enamoured knight…errant。
CHAPTER XII
OF THE STRANGE ADVENTURE WHICH BEFELL THE VALIANT DON QUIXOTE WITH
THE BOLD KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
THE night succeeding the day of the encounter with Death； Don
Quixote and his squire passed under some tall shady trees； and Don
Quixote at Sancho's persuasion ate a little from the store carried
by Dapple； and over their supper Sancho said to his master； 〃Senor；
what a fool I should have looked if I had chosen for my reward the
spoils of the first adventure your worship achieved； instead of the
foals of the three mares。 After all； 'a sparrow in the hand is
better than a vulture on the wing。'〃
〃At the same time； Sancho；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃if thou hadst
let me attack them as I wanted； at the very least the emperor's gold
crown and Cupid's painted wings would have fallen to thee as spoils；
for I should have taken them by force and given them into thy hands。〃
〃The sceptres and crowns of those play…actor emperors；〃 said Sancho；
〃were never yet pure gold； but only brass foil or tin。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for it would not be right that
the accessories of the drama should be real； instead of being mere
fictions and semblances； like the drama itself； towards which； Sancho…
and； as a necessary consequence； towards those who represent and
produce it… I would that thou wert favourably disposed； for they are
all instruments of great good to the State； placing before us at every
step a mirror in which we may see vividly displayed what goes on in
human life； nor is there any similitude that shows us more
faithfully what we are and ought to be than the play and the
players。 Come； tell me； hast thou not seen a play acted in which
kings； emperors； pontiffs； knights； ladies； and divers other
personages were introduced？ One plays the villain； another the
knave； this one the merchant； that the soldier； one the sharp…witted
fool； another the foolish lover； and when the play is over； and they
have put off the dresses they wore in it； all the actors become
equal。〃
〃Yes； I have seen that；〃 said Sancho。
〃Well then；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃the same thing happens in the comedy
and life of this world； where some play emperors； others popes； and；
in short； all the characters that can be brought into a play； but when
it is over； that is to say when life ends； death strips them all of
the garments that distinguish one from the other； and all are equal in
the grave。〃
〃A fine comparison！〃 said Sancho； 〃though not so new but that I have
heard it many and many a time； as well as that other one of the game
of chess； how； so long as the game lasts； each piece has its own
particular office； and when the game is finished they are all mixed；
jumbled up and shaken together； and stowed away in the bag； which is
much like ending life in the grave。〃
〃Thou art growing less doltish and more shrewd every day； Sancho；〃
said Don Quixote。
〃Ay；〃 said Sancho； 〃it must be that some of your worship's
shrewdness sticks to me； land that； of itself； is barren and dry； will
come to yield good fruit if you dung it and till it； what I mean is
that your worship's conversation has been the dung that has fallen
on the barren soil of my dry wit； and the time I have been in your
service and society has been the tillage； and with the help of this
I hope to yield fruit in abundance that will not fall away or slide
from those paths of good breeding that your worship has made in my
parched understanding。〃
Don Quixote laughed at Sancho's a