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whatever quarter they may？〃
With this idea he went over to Sancho； having first taken
Rocinante's reins and arranged them so as to be able to flog him
with them； and began to untie the points （the common belief is he
had but one in front） by which his breeches were held up； but the
instant he approached him Sancho woke up in his full senses and
cried out； 〃What is this？ Who is touching me and untrussing me？〃
〃It is I；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and I come to make good thy
shortcomings and relieve my own distresses； I come to whip thee；
Sancho； and wipe off some portion of the debt thou hast undertaken。
Dulcinea is perishing； thou art living on regardless； I am dying of
hope deferred； therefore untruss thyself with a good will； for mine it
is； here； in this retired spot； to give thee at least two thousand
lashes。〃
〃Not a bit of it；〃 said Sancho； 〃let your worship keep quiet； or
else by the living God the deaf shall hear us； the lashes I pledged
myself to must be voluntary and not forced upon me； and just now I
have no fancy to whip myself； it is enough if I give you my word to
flog and flap myself when I have a mind。〃
〃It will not do to leave it to thy courtesy； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃for thou art hard of heart and； though a clown； tender of
flesh；〃 and at the same time he strove and struggled to untie him。
Seeing this Sancho got up； and grappling with his master he
gripped him with all his might in his arms； giving him a trip with the
heel stretched him on the ground on his back； and pressing his right
knee on his chest held his hands in his own so that he could neither
move nor breathe。
〃How now； traitor！〃 exclaimed Don Quixote。 〃Dost thou revolt against
thy master and natural lord？ Dost thou rise against him who gives thee
his bread？〃
〃I neither put down king； nor set up king；〃 said Sancho； 〃I only
stand up for myself who am my own lord； if your worship promises me to
be quiet； and not to offer to whip me now； I'll let you go free and
unhindered； if not…
Traitor and Dona Sancha's foe；
Thou diest on the spot。〃
Don Quixote gave his promise； and swore by the life of his
thoughts not to touch so much as a hair of his garments； and to
leave him entirely free and to his own discretion to whip himself
whenever he pleased。
Sancho rose and removed some distance from the spot； but as he was
about to place himself leaning against another tree he felt
something touch his head； and putting up his hands encountered
somebody's two feet with shoes and stockings on them。 He trembled with
fear and made for another tree； where the very same thing happened
to him； and he fell a…shouting； calling upon Don Quixote to come and
protect him。 Don Quixote did so； and asked him what had happened to
him； and what he was afraid of。 Sancho replied that all the trees were
full of men's feet and legs。 Don Quixote felt them； and guessed at
once what it was； and said to Sancho； 〃Thou hast nothing to be
afraid of； for these feet and legs that thou feelest but canst not see
belong no doubt to some outlaws and freebooters that have been
hanged on these trees； for the authorities in these parts are wont
to hang them up by twenties and thirties when they catch them； whereby
I conjecture that I must be near Barcelona；〃 and it was； in fact； as
he supposed； with the first light they looked up and saw that the
fruit hanging on those trees were freebooters' bodies。
And now day dawned； and if the dead freebooters had scared them；
their hearts were no less troubled by upwards of forty living ones；
who all of a sudden surrounded them； and in the Catalan tongue bade
them stand and wait until their captain came up。 Don Quixote was on
foot with his horse unbridled and his lance leaning against a tree；
and in short completely defenceless； he thought it best therefore to
fold his arms and bow his head and reserve himself for a more
favourable occasion and opportunity。 The robbers made haste to
search Dapple； and did not leave him a single thing of all he
carried in the alforjas and in the valise； and lucky it was for Sancho
that the duke's crowns and those he brought from home were in a girdle
that he wore round him； but for all that these good folk would have
stripped him； and even looked to see what he had hidden between the
skin and flesh； but for the arrival at that moment of their captain；
who was about thirty…four years of age apparently； strongly built；
above the middle height； of stern aspect and swarthy complexion。 He
was mounted upon a powerful horse； and had on a coat of mail； with
four of the pistols they call petronels in that country at his
waist。 He saw that his squires （for so they call those who follow that
trade） were about to rifle Sancho Panza； but he ordered them to desist
and was at once obeyed； so the girdle escaped。 He wondered to see
the lance leaning against the tree； the shield on the ground； and
Don Quixote in armour and dejected； with the saddest and most
melancholy face that sadness itself could produce； and going up to him
he said； 〃Be not so cast down； good man； for you have not fallen
into the hands of any inhuman Busiris； but into Roque Guinart's； which
are more merciful than cruel。〃
〃The cause of my dejection；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃is not that I
have fallen into thy hands； O valiant Roque； whose fame is bounded
by no limits on earth； but that my carelessness should have been so
great that thy soldiers should have caught me unbridled； when it is my
duty； according to the rule of knight…errantry which I profess； to
be always on the alert and at all times my own sentinel； for let me
tell thee； great Roque； had they found me on my horse； with my lance
and shield； it would not have been very easy for them to reduce me
to submission； for I am Don Quixote of La Mancha； he who hath filled
the whole world with his achievements。〃
Roque Guinart at once perceived that Don Quixote's weakness was more
akin to madness than to swagger； and though he had sometimes heard him
spoken of； he never regarded the things attributed to him as true； nor
could he persuade himself that such a humour could become dominant
in the heart of man； he was extremely glad； therefore； to meet him and
test at close quarters what he had heard of him at a distance； so he
said to him； 〃Despair not； valiant knight； nor regard as an untoward
fate the position in which thou findest thyself； it may be that by
these slips thy crooked fortune will make itself straight； for
heaven by strange circuitous ways； mysterious and incomprehensible
to man； raises up the fallen and makes rich the poor。〃
Don Quixote was about to thank him； when they heard behind them a
noise as of a troop of horses； there was； however； but one； riding
on which at a furious pace came a youth； apparently about twenty years
of age； clad in green damask edged with gold and breeches and a
loose frock； with a hat looped up in the Walloon fashion；
tight…fitting polished boots； gilt spurs； dagger and sword； and in his
hand a musketoon； and a pair of pistols at his waist。
Roque turned round at the noise and perceived this comely figure；
which drawing near thus addressed him；