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present at the adventure of the cart of Death and finally
encountered them in the grove； where all that the sagacious reader has
been reading about took place； and had it not been for the
extraordinary fancies of Don Quixote； and his conviction that the
bachelor was not the bachelor； senor bachelor would have been
incapacitated for ever from taking his degree of licentiate； all
through not finding nests where he thought to find birds。
Tom Cecial； seeing how ill they had succeeded； and what a sorry
end their expedition had come to； said to the bachelor； 〃Sure
enough； Senor Samson Carrasco； we are served right； it is easy
enough to plan and set about an enterprise； but it is often a
difficult matter to come well out of it。 Don Quixote a madman； and
we sane； he goes off laughing； safe； and sound； and you are left
sore and sorry！ I'd like to know now which is the madder； he who is so
because he cannot help it； or he who is so of his own choice？〃
To which Samson replied； 〃The difference between the two sorts of
madmen is； that he who is so will he nil he； will be one always； while
he who is so of his own accord can leave off being one whenever he
likes。〃
〃In that case；〃 said Tom Cecial； 〃I was a madman of my own accord
when I volunteered to become your squire； and； of my own accord；
I'll leave off being one and go home。〃
〃That's your affair；〃 returned Samson； 〃but to suppose that I am
going home until I have given Don Quixote a thrashing is absurd； and
it is not any wish that he may recover his senses that will make me
hunt him out now； but a wish for the sore pain I am in with my ribs
won't let me entertain more charitable thoughts。〃
Thus discoursing； the pair proceeded until they reached a town where
it was their good luck to find a bone…setter； with whose help the
unfortunate Samson was cured。 Tom Cecial left him and went home； while
he stayed behind meditating vengeance； and the history will return
to him again at the proper time； so as not to omit making merry with
Don Quixote now。
CHAPTER XVI
OF WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE WITH A DISCREET GENTLEMAN OF LA MANCHA
DON QUIXOTE pursued his journey in the high spirits； satisfaction；
and self…complacency already described； fancying himself the most
valorous knight…errant of the age in the world because of his late
victory。 All the adventures that could befall him from that time forth
he regarded as already done and brought to a happy issue； he made
light of enchantments and enchanters； he thought no more of the
countless drubbings that had been administered to him in the course of
his knight…errantry； nor of the volley of stones that had levelled
half his teeth； nor of the ingratitude of the galley slaves； nor of
the audacity of the Yanguesans and the shower of stakes that fell upon
him； in short； he said to himself that could he discover any means；
mode； or way of disenchanting his lady Dulcinea； he would not envy the
highest fortune that the most fortunate knight…errant of yore ever
reached or could reach。
He was going along entirely absorbed in these fancies； when Sancho
said to him； 〃Isn't it odd； senor； that I have still before my eyes
that monstrous enormous nose of my gossip； Tom Cecial？〃
〃And dost thou； then； believe； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that
the Knight of the Mirrors was the bachelor Carrasco； and his squire
Tom Cecial thy gossip？〃
〃I don't know what to say to that；〃 replied Sancho； 〃all I know is
that the tokens he gave me about my own house； wife and children；
nobody else but himself could have given me； and the face； once the
nose was off； was the very face of Tom Cecial； as I have seen it
many a time in my town and next door to my own house； and the sound of
the voice was just the same。〃
〃Let us reason the matter； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Come now；
by what process of thinking can it be supposed that the bachelor
Samson Carrasco would come as a knight…errant； in arms offensive and
defensive； to fight with me？ Have I ever been by any chance his enemy？
Have I ever given him any occasion to owe me a grudge？ Am I his rival；
or does he profess arms； that he should envy the fame I have
acquired in them？〃
〃Well； but what are we to say； senor；〃 returned Sancho； 〃about
that knight； whoever he is； being so like the bachelor Carrasco； and
his squire so like my gossip； Tom Cecial？ And if that be
enchantment； as your worship says； was there no other pair in the
world for them to take the likeness of？〃
〃It is all；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃a scheme and plot of the malignant
magicians that persecute me； who； foreseeing that I was to be
victorious in the conflict； arranged that the vanquished knight should
display the countenance of my friend the bachelor； in order that the
friendship I bear him should interpose to stay the edge of my sword
and might of my arm； and temper the just wrath of my heart； so that he
who sought to take my life by fraud and falsehood should save his own。
And to prove it； thou knowest already； Sancho； by experience which
cannot lie or deceive； how easy it is for enchanters to change one
countenance into another； turning fair into foul； and foul into
fair； for it is not two days since thou sawest with thine own eyes the
beauty and elegance of the peerless Dulcinea in all its perfection and
natural harmony； while I saw her in the repulsive and mean form of a
coarse country wench； with cataracts in her eyes and a foul smell in
her mouth； and when the perverse enchanter ventured to effect so
wicked a transformation； it is no wonder if he effected that of Samson
Carrasco and thy gossip in order to snatch the glory of victory out of
my grasp。 For all that； however； I console myself； because； after all；
in whatever shape he may have been； I have victorious over my enemy。〃
〃God knows what's the truth of it all；〃 said Sancho； and knowing
as he did that the transformation of Dulcinea had been a device and
imposition of his own； his master's illusions were not satisfactory to
him； but he did not like to reply lest he should say something that
might disclose his trickery。
As they were engaged in this conversation they were overtaken by a
man who was following the same road behind them； mounted on a very
handsome flea…bitten mare； and dressed in a gaban of fine green cloth；
with tawny velvet facings； and a montera of the same velvet。 The
trappings of the mare were of the field and jineta fashion； and of
mulberry colour and green。 He carried a Moorish cutlass hanging from a
broad green and gold baldric； the buskins were of the same make as the
baldric； the spurs were not gilt； but lacquered green； and so brightly
polished that； matching as they did the rest of his apparel； they
looked better than if they had been of pure gold。
When the traveller came up with them he saluted them courteously；
and spurring his mare was passing them without stopping； but Don
Quixote called out to him； 〃Gallant sir； if so be your worship is
going our road； and has no occasion for speed； it would be a
pleasure to me if we were to join company。〃
〃In truth；〃 replied he on the mare； 〃I would not pass you so hastily
but for fear that horse might turn r