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do the shoe…fling like a gerfalcon； but I'm no good at dancing。〃
With these and other observations Sancho set the whole ball…room
laughing； and then put his master to bed； covering him up well so that
he might sweat out any chill caught after his dancing。
The next day Don Antonio thought he might as well make trial of
the enchanted head； and with Don Quixote； Sancho； and two others；
friends of his； besides the two ladies that had tired out Don
Quixote at the ball； who had remained for the night with Don Antonio's
wife； he locked himself up in the chamber where the head was。 He
explained to them the property it possessed and entrusted the secret
to them； telling them that now for the first time he was going to
try the virtue of the enchanted head； but except Don Antonio's two
friends no one else was privy to the mystery of the enchantment； and
if Don Antonio had not first revealed it to them they would have
been inevitably reduced to the same state of amazement as the rest； so
artfully and skilfully was it contrived。
The first to approach the ear of the head was Don Antonio himself；
and in a low voice but not so low as not to be audible to all； he said
to it； 〃Head； tell me by the virtue that lies in thee what am I at
this moment thinking of？〃
The head； without any movement of the lips； answered in a clear
and distinct voice； so as to be heard by all； 〃I cannot judge of
thoughts。〃
All were thunderstruck at this； and all the more so as they saw that
there was nobody anywhere near the table or in the whole room that
could have answered。 〃How many of us are here？〃 asked Don Antonio once
more； and it was answered him in the same way softly； 〃Thou and thy
wife； with two friends of thine and two of hers； and a famous knight
called Don Quixote of La Mancha； and a squire of his； Sancho Panza
by name。〃
Now there was fresh astonishment； now everyone's hair was standing
on end with awe； and Don Antonio retiring from the head exclaimed；
〃This suffices to show me that I have not been deceived by him who
sold thee to me； O sage head； talking head； answering head；
wonderful head！ Let some one else go and put what question he likes to
it。〃
And as women are commonly impulsive and inquisitive； the first to
come forward was one of the two friends of Don Antonio's wife； and her
question was； 〃Tell me； Head； what shall I do to be very beautiful？〃
and the answer she got was； 〃Be very modest。〃
〃I question thee no further；〃 said the fair querist。
Her companion then came up and said； 〃I should like to know； Head；
whether my husband loves me or not；〃 the answer given to her was；
〃Think how he uses thee； and thou mayest guess；〃 and the married
lady went off saying； 〃That answer did not need a question； for of
course the treatment one receives shows the disposition of him from
whom it is received。〃
Then one of Don Antonio's two friends advanced and asked it； 〃Who am
I？〃 〃Thou knowest；〃 was the answer。 〃That is not what I ask thee；〃
said the gentleman； 〃but to tell me if thou knowest me。〃 〃Yes； I
know thee； thou art Don Pedro Noriz；〃 was the reply。
〃I do not seek to know more；〃 said the gentleman； 〃for this is
enough to convince me； O Head； that thou knowest everything；〃 and as
he retired the other friend came forward and asked it； 〃Tell me； Head；
what are the wishes of my eldest son？〃
〃I have said already；〃 was the answer； 〃that I cannot judge of
wishes； however； I can tell thee the wish of thy son is to bury thee。〃
〃That's 'what I see with my eyes I point out with my finger；'〃
said the gentleman； 〃so I ask no more。〃
Don Antonio's wife came up and said； 〃I know not what to ask thee；
Head； I would only seek to know of thee if I shall have many years
of enjoyment of my good husband；〃 and the answer she received was；
〃Thou shalt； for his vigour and his temperate habits promise many
years of life； which by their intemperance others so often cut short。〃
Then Don Quixote came forward and said； 〃Tell me； thou that
answerest； was that which I describe as having happened to me in the
cave of Montesinos the truth or a dream？ Will Sancho's whipping be
accomplished without fail？ Will the disenchantment of Dulcinea be
brought about？〃
〃As to the question of the cave；〃 was the reply； 〃there is much to
be said； there is something of both in it。 Sancho's whipping will
proceed leisurely。 The disenchantment of Dulcinea will attain its
due consummation。〃
〃I seek to know no more；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃let me but see Dulcinea
disenchanted； and I will consider that all the good fortune I could
wish for has come upon me all at once。〃
The last questioner was Sancho； and his questions were； 〃Head； shall
I by any chance have another government？ Shall I ever escape from
the hard life of a squire？ Shall I get back to see my wife and
children？〃 To which the answer came； 〃Thou shalt govern in thy
house； and if thou returnest to it thou shalt see thy wife and
children； and on ceasing to serve thou shalt cease to be a squire。〃
〃Good； by God！〃 said Sancho Panza； 〃I could have told myself that；
the prophet Perogrullo could have said no more。〃
〃What answer wouldst thou have； beast？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃is it not
enough that the replies this head has given suit the questions put
to it？〃
〃Yes； it is enough；〃 said Sancho； 〃but I should have liked it to
have made itself plainer and told me more。〃
The questions and answers came to an end here； but not the wonder
with which all were filled； except Don Antonio's two friends who
were in the secret。 This Cide Hamete Benengeli thought fit to reveal
at once； not to keep the world in suspense； fancying that the head had
some strange magical mystery in it。 He says； therefore； that on the
model of another head； the work of an image maker； which he had seen
at Madrid； Don Antonio made this one at home for his own amusement and
to astonish ignorant people； and its mechanism was as follows。 The
table was of wood painted and varnished to imitate jasper； and the
pedestal on which it stood was of the same material； with four eagles'
claws projecting from it to support the weight more steadily。 The
head； which resembled a bust or figure of a Roman emperor； and was
coloured like bronze； was hollow throughout； as was the table； into
which it was fitted so exactly that no trace of the joining was
visible。 The pedestal of the table was also hollow and communicated
with the throat and neck of the head； and the whole was in
communication with another room underneath the chamber in which the
head stood。 Through the entire cavity in the pedestal； table； throat
and neck of the bust or figure； there passed a tube of tin carefully
adjusted and concealed from sight。 In the room below corresponding
to the one above was placed the person who was to answer； with his
mouth to the tube； and the voice； as in an ear…trumpet； passed from
above downwards； and from below upwards； the words coming clearly
and distinctly； it was impossible； thus； to detect the trick。 A nephew
of Don Antonio's； a smart sharp…witted student； was the answerer；
and as he had been told beforehand by his uncle who the persons were
that would come with him th