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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
brought him badly wounded to the ground； and as he wheeled round
upon the others the agility with which he attacked and routed them was
a sight to see； for it seemed just as if wings had that instant
grown upon Rocinante； so lightly and proudly did he bear himself。
The encamisados were all timid folk and unarmed； so they speedily made
their escape from the fray and set off at a run across the plain
with their lighted torches； looking exactly like maskers running on
some gala or festival night。 The mourners； too； enveloped and
swathed in their skirts and gowns； were unable to bestir themselves；
and so with entire safety to himself Don Quixote belaboured them all
and drove them off against their will； for they all thought it was
no man but a devil from hell come to carry away the dead body they had
in the litter。
Sancho beheld all this in astonishment at the intrepidity of his
lord； and said to himself； 〃Clearly this master of mine is as bold and
valiant as he says he is。〃
A burning torch lay on the ground near the first man whom the mule
had thrown； by the light of which Don Quixote perceived him； and
coming up to him he presented the point of the lance to his face；
calling on him to yield himself prisoner； or else he would kill him；
to which the prostrate man replied； 〃I am prisoner enough as it is；
I cannot stir； for one of my legs is broken： I entreat you； if you
be a Christian gentleman； not to kill me； which will be committing
grave sacrilege； for I am a licentiate and I hold first orders。〃
〃Then what the devil brought you here； being a churchman？〃 said
Don Quixote。
〃What； senor？〃 said the other。 〃My bad luck。〃
〃Then still worse awaits you；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃if you do not
satisfy me as to all I asked you at first。〃
〃You shall be soon satisfied；〃 said the licentiate； 〃you must
know； then； that though just now I said I was a licentiate； I am
only a bachelor； and my name is Alonzo Lopez； I am a native of
Alcobendas； I come from the city of Baeza with eleven others； priests；
the same who fled with the torches； and we are going to the city of
Segovia accompanying a dead body which is in that litter； and is
that of a gentleman who died in Baeza； where he was interred； and now；
as I said； we are taking his bones to their burial…place； which is
in Segovia； where he was born。〃
〃And who killed him？〃 asked Don Quixote。
〃God； by means of a malignant fever that took him；〃 answered the
bachelor。
〃In that case；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃the Lord has relieved me of the
task of avenging his death had any other slain him； but； he who slew
him having slain him； there is nothing for it but to be silent； and
shrug one's shoulders； I should do the same were he to slay myself；
and I would have your reverence know that I am a knight of La
Mancha； Don Quixote by name； and it is my business and calling to roam
the world righting wrongs and redressing injuries。〃
〃I do not know how that about righting wrongs can be；〃 said the
bachelor； 〃for from straight you have made me crooked； leaving me with
a broken leg that will never see itself straight again all the days of
its life； and the injury you have redressed in my case has been to
leave me injured in such a way that I shall remain injured for ever；
and the height of misadventure it was to fall in with you who go in
search of adventures。〃
〃Things do not all happen in the same way；〃 answered Don Quixote；
〃it all came； Sir Bachelor Alonzo Lopez； of your going； as you did； by
night； dressed in those surplices； with lighted torches； praying；
covered with mourning； so that naturally you looked like something
evil and of the other world； and so I could not avoid doing my duty in
attacking you； and I should have attacked you even had I known
positively that you were the very devils of hell； for such I certainly
believed and took you to be。〃
〃As my fate has so willed it；〃 said the bachelor； 〃I entreat you；
sir knight…errant； whose errand has been such an evil one for me； to
help me to get from under this mule that holds one of my legs caught
between the stirrup and the saddle。〃
〃I would have talked on till to…morrow；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃how long
were you going to wait before telling me of your distress？〃
He at once called to Sancho； who； however； had no mind to come； as
he was just then engaged in unloading a sumpter mule； well laden
with provender； which these worthy gentlemen had brought with them。
Sancho made a bag of his coat； and； getting together as much as he
could； and as the bag would hold； he loaded his beast； and then
hastened to obey his master's call； and helped him to remove the
bachelor from under the mule； then putting him on her back he gave him
the torch； and Don Quixote bade him follow the track of his
companions； and beg pardon of them on his part for the wrong which
he could not help doing them。
And said Sancho； 〃If by chance these gentlemen should want to know
who was the hero that served them so； your worship may tell them
that he is the famous Don Quixote of La Mancha； otherwise called the
Knight of the Rueful Countenance。〃
The bachelor then took his departure。
I forgot to mention that before he did so he said to Don Quixote；
〃Remember that you stand excommunicated for having laid violent
hands on a holy thing； juxta illud； si quis； suadente diabolo。〃
〃I do not understand that Latin；〃 answered Don Quixote； 〃but I
know well I did not lay hands； only this pike； besides； I did not
think I was committing an assault upon priests or things of the
Church； which； like a Catholic and faithful Christian as I am； I
respect and revere； but upon phantoms and spectres of the other world；
but even so； I remember how it fared with Cid Ruy Diaz when he broke
the chair of the ambassador of that king before his Holiness the Pope；
who excommunicated him for the same； and yet the good Roderick of
Vivar bore himself that day like a very noble and valiant knight。〃
On hearing this the bachelor took his departure； as has been said；
without making any reply； and Don Quixote asked Sancho what had
induced him to call him the 〃Knight of the Rueful Countenance〃 more
then than at any other time。
〃I will tell you；〃 answered Sancho； 〃it was because I have been
looking at you for some time by the light of the torch held by that
unfortunate； and verily your worship has got of late the most
ill…favoured countenance I ever saw： it must be either owing to the
fatigue of this combat； or else to the want of teeth and grinders。〃
〃It is not that；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃but because the sage whose
duty it will be to write the history of my achievements must have
thought it proper that I should take some distinctive name as all
knights of yore did； one being 'He of the Burning Sword；' another
'He of the Unicorn；' this one 'He of the Damsels；' that 'He of the
Phoenix；' another 'The Knight of the Griffin；' and another 'He of
the Death；' and by these names and designations they were known all
the world round； and so I say that the sage aforesaid must have put i