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daughter； the unhappy damsel here before you； and you promised me to
take her part and right the wrong that has been done her； but now it
has come to my hearing that you are about to depart from this castle
in quest of such fair adventures as God may vouchsafe to you；
therefore； before you take the road； I would that you challenge this
froward rustic； and compel him to marry my daughter in fulfillment
of the promise he gave her to become her husband before he seduced
her； for to expect that my lord the duke will do me justice is to
ask pears from the elm tree； for the reason I stated privately to your
worship； and so may our Lord grant you good health and forsake us
not。〃
To these words Don Quixote replied very gravely and solemnly；
〃Worthy duenna； check your tears； or rather dry them； and spare your
sighs； for I take it upon myself to obtain redress for your
daughter； for whom it would have been better not to have been so ready
to believe lovers' promises； which are for the most part quickly
made and very slowly performed； and so； with my lord the duke's leave；
I will at once go in quest of this inhuman youth； and will find him
out and challenge him and slay him； if so be he refuses to keep his
promised word； for the chief object of my profession is to spare the
humble and chastise the proud； I mean； to help the distressed and
destroy the oppressors。〃
〃There is no necessity；〃 said the duke； 〃for your worship to take
the trouble of seeking out the rustic of whom this worthy duenna
complains； nor is there any necessity； either； for asking my leave
to challenge him； for I admit him duly challenged； and will take
care that he is informed of the challenge； and accepts it； and comes
to answer it in person to this castle of mine； where I shall afford to
both a fair field； observing all the conditions which are usually
and properly observed in such trials； and observing too justice to
both sides； as all princes who offer a free field to combatants within
the limits of their lordships are bound to do。〃
〃Then with that assurance and your highness's good leave；〃 said
Don Quixote； 〃I hereby for this once waive my privilege of gentle
blood； and come down and put myself on a level with the lowly birth of
the wrong…doer； making myself equal with him and enabling him to enter
into combat with me； and so； I challenge and defy him； though
absent； on the plea of his malfeasance in breaking faith with this
poor damsel； who was a maiden and now by his misdeed is none； and
say that he shall fulfill the promise he gave her to become her lawful
husband； or else stake his life upon the question。〃
And then plucking off a glove he threw it down in the middle of
the hall； and the duke picked it up； saying； as he had said before；
that he accepted the challenge in the name of his vassal； and fixed
six days thence as the time； the courtyard of the castle as the place；
and for arms the customary ones of knights； lance and shield and
full armour； with all the other accessories； without trickery；
guile； or charms of any sort； and examined and passed by the judges of
the field。 〃But first of all；〃 he said； 〃it is requisite that this
worthy duenna and unworthy damsel should place their claim for justice
in the hands of Don Quixote； for otherwise nothing can be done； nor
can the said challenge be brought to a lawful issue。〃
〃I do so place it；〃 replied the duenna。
〃And I too；〃 added her daughter； all in tears and covered with shame
and confusion。
This declaration having been made； and the duke having settled in
his own mind what he would do in the matter； the ladies in black
withdrew； and the duchess gave orders that for the future they were
not to be treated as servants of hers； but as lady adventurers who
came to her house to demand justice； so they gave them a room to
themselves and waited on them as they would on strangers； to the
consternation of the other women…servants； who did not know where
the folly and imprudence of Dona Rodriguez and her unlucky daughter
would stop。
And now； to complete the enjoyment of the feast and bring the dinner
to a satisfactory end； lo and behold the page who had carried the
letters and presents to Teresa Panza； the wife of the governor Sancho；
entered the hall； and the duke and duchess were very well pleased to
see him； being anxious to know the result of his journey； but when
they asked him the page said in reply that he could not give it before
so many people or in a few words； and begged their excellences to be
pleased to let it wait for a private opportunity； and in the
meantime amuse themselves with these letters； and taking out the
letters he placed them in the duchess's hand。 One bore by way of
address； Letter for my lady the Duchess So…and…so； of I don't know
where； and the other To my husband Sancho Panza； governor of the
island of Barataria； whom God prosper longer than me。 The duchess's
bread would not bake； as the saying is； until she had read her letter；
and having looked over it herself and seen that it might be read aloud
for the duke and all present to hear； she read out as follows。
TERESA PANZA'S LETTER TO THE DUCHESS。
The letter your highness wrote me； my lady； gave me great
pleasure； for indeed I found it very welcome。 The string of coral
beads is very fine； and my husband's hunting suit does not fall
short of it。 All this village is very much pleased that your
ladyship has made a governor of my good man Sancho； though nobody will
believe it； particularly the curate； and Master Nicholas the barber；
and the bachelor Samson Carrasco； but I don't care for that； for so
long as it is true； as it is； they may all say what they like； though；
to tell the truth； if the coral beads and the suit had not come I
would not have believed it either； for in this village everybody
thinks my husband a numskull； and except for governing a flock of
goats； they cannot fancy what sort of government he can be fit for。
God grant it； and direct him according as he sees his children stand
in need of it。 I am resolved with your worship's leave； lady of my
soul； to make the most of this fair day； and go to Court to stretch
myself at ease in a coach； and make all those I have envying me
already burst their eyes out； so I beg your excellence to order my
husband to send me a small trifle of money； and to let it be something
to speak of； because one's expenses are heavy at the Court； for a loaf
costs a real； and meat thirty maravedis a pound； which is beyond
everything； and if he does not want me to go let him tell me in
time； for my feet are on the fidgets to he off； and my friends and
neighbours tell me that if my daughter and I make a figure and a brave
show at Court； my husband will come to be known far more by me than
I by him； for of course plenty of people will ask； 〃Who are those
ladies in that coach？〃 and some servant of mine will answer； 〃The wife
and daughter of Sancho Panza； governor of the island of Barataria；〃
and in this way Sancho will become known； and I'll be thought well of；
and 〃to Rome for everything。〃 I am as vexed as vexed can be that
they have gathered no acorns this year in our