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liable to all this。 Mount； friend； and lead the way； and I will follow
thee at whatever pace thou wilt。〃
Sancho did as he bade him； and proceeded in the direction in which
he thought he might find refuge without quitting the high road；
which was there very much frequented。 As they went along； then； at a
slow pace… for the pain in Don Quixote's jaws kept him uneasy and
ill…disposed for speed… Sancho thought it well to amuse and divert him
by talk of some kind； and among the things he said to him was that
which will be told in the following chapter。
CHAPTER XIX
OF THE SHREWD DISCOURSE WHICH SANCHO HELD WITH HIS MASTER； AND OF
THE ADVENTURE THAT BEFELL HIM WITH A DEAD BODY； TOGETHER WITH OTHER
NOTABLE OCCURRENCES
〃IT SEEMS to me； senor； that all these mishaps that have befallen us
of late have been without any doubt a punishment for the offence
committed by your worship against the order of chivalry in not keeping
the oath you made not to eat bread off a tablecloth or embrace the
queen； and all the rest of it that your worship swore to observe until
you had taken that helmet of Malandrino's； or whatever the Moor is
called； for I do not very well remember。〃
〃Thou art very right； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but to tell the
truth； it had escaped my memory； and likewise thou mayest rely upon it
that the affair of the blanket happened to thee because of thy fault
in not reminding me of it in time； but I will make amends； for there
are ways of compounding for everything in the order of chivalry。〃
〃Why！ have I taken an oath of some sort； then？〃 said Sancho。
〃It makes no matter that thou hast not taken an oath；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃suffice it that I see thou art not quite clear of
complicity； and whether or no； it will not be ill done to provide
ourselves with a remedy。〃
〃In that case；〃 said Sancho； 〃mind that your worship does not forget
this as you did the oath； perhaps the phantoms may take it into
their heads to amuse themselves once more with me； or even with your
worship if they see you so obstinate。〃
While engaged in this and other talk； night overtook them on the
road before they had reached or discovered any place of shelter； and
what made it still worse was that they were dying of hunger； for
with the loss of the alforjas they had lost their entire larder and
commissariat； and to complete the misfortune they met with an
adventure which without any invention had really the appearance of
one。 It so happened that the night closed in somewhat darkly； but
for all that they pushed on； Sancho feeling sure that as the road
was the king's highway they might reasonably expect to find some inn
within a league or two。 Going along； then； in this way； the night
dark； the squire hungry； the master sharp…set； they saw coming towards
them on the road they were travelling a great number of lights which
looked exactly like stars in motion。 Sancho was taken aback at the
sight of them； nor did Don Quixote altogether relish them： the one
pulled up his ass by the halter； the other his hack by the bridle； and
they stood still； watching anxiously to see what all this would turn
out to be； and found that the lights were approaching them； and the
nearer they came the greater they seemed； at which spectacle Sancho
began to shake like a man dosed with mercury； and Don Quixote's hair
stood on end； he； however； plucking up spirit a little； said：
〃This； no doubt； Sancho； will be a most mighty and perilous
adventure； in which it will be needful for me to put forth all my
valour and resolution。〃
〃Unlucky me！〃 answered Sancho； 〃if this adventure happens to be
one of phantoms； as I am beginning to think it is； where shall I
find the ribs to bear it？〃
〃Be they phantoms ever so much；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I will not
permit them to touch a thread of thy garments； for if they played
tricks with thee the time before； it was because I was unable to
leap the walls of the yard； but now we are on a wide plain； where I
shall be able to wield my sword as I please。〃
〃And if they enchant and cripple you as they did the last time；〃
said Sancho； 〃what difference will it make being on the open plain
or not？〃
〃For all that；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃I entreat thee； Sancho； to
keep a good heart； for experience will tell thee what mine is。〃
〃I will； please God；〃 answered Sancho； and the two retiring to one
side of the road set themselves to observe closely what all these
moving lights might be； and very soon afterwards they made out some
twenty encamisados； all on horseback； with lighted torches in their
hands； the awe…inspiring aspect of whom completely extinguished the
courage of Sancho； who began to chatter with his teeth like one in the
cold fit of an ague； and his heart sank and his teeth chattered
still more when they perceived distinctly that behind them there
came a litter covered over with black and followed by six more mounted
figures in mourning down to the very feet of their mules… for they
could perceive plainly they were not horses by the easy pace at
which they went。 And as the encamisados came along they muttered to
themselves in a low plaintive tone。 This strange spectacle at such
an hour and in such a solitary place was quite enough to strike terror
into Sancho's heart； and even into his master's； and （save in Don
Quixote's case） did so； for all Sancho's resolution had now broken
down。 It was just the opposite with his master； whose imagination
immediately conjured up all this to him vividly as one of the
adventures of his books。
He took it into his head that the litter was a bier on which was
borne some sorely wounded or slain knight； to avenge whom was a task
reserved for him alone； and without any further reasoning he laid
his lance in rest； fixed himself firmly in his saddle； and with
gallant spirit and bearing took up his position in the middle of the
road where the encamisados must of necessity pass； and as soon as he
saw them near at hand he raised his voice and said：
〃Halt； knights； or whosoever ye may be； and render me account of who
ye are； whence ye come； where ye go； what it is ye carry upon that
bier； for； to judge by appearances； either ye have done some wrong
or some wrong has been done to you； and it is fitting and necessary
that I should know； either that I may chastise you for the evil ye
have done； or else that I may avenge you for the injury that has
been inflicted upon you。〃
〃We are in haste；〃 answered one of the encamisados； 〃and the inn
is far off； and we cannot stop to render you such an account as you
demand；〃 and spurring his mule he moved on。
Don Quixote was mightily provoked by this answer； and seizing the
mule by the bridle he said； 〃Halt； and be more mannerly； and render an
account of what I have asked of you； else； take my defiance to combat；
all of you。〃
The mule was shy； and was so frightened at her bridle being seized
that rearing up she flung her rider to the ground over her haunches。
An attendant who was on foot； seeing the encamisado fall； began to
abuse Don Quixote； who now moved to anger； without any more ado；
laying his lance in rest charged one of the men in mourning and
brough