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it is many a day since I saw her； and she must be altered by this
time； for going about the fields always； and the sun and the air spoil
women's looks greatly。 But I must own the truth to your worship； Senor
Don Quixote； until now I have been under a great mistake； for I
believed truly and honestly that the lady Dulcinea must be some
princess your worship was in love with； or some person great enough to
deserve the rich presents you have sent her； such as the Biscayan
and the galley slaves； and many more no doubt； for your worship must
have won many victories in the time when I was not yet your squire。
But all things considered； what good can it do the lady Aldonza
Lorenzo； I mean the lady Dulcinea del Toboso； to have the vanquished
your worship sends or will send coming to her and going down on
their knees before her？ Because may be when they came she'd be
hackling flax or threshing on the threshing floor； and they'd be
ashamed to see her； and she'd laugh； or resent the present。〃
〃I have before now told thee many times； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃that thou art a mighty great chatterer； and that with a
blunt wit thou art always striving at sharpness； but to show thee what
a fool thou art and how rational I am； I would have thee listen to a
short story。 Thou must know that a certain widow； fair； young；
independent； and rich； and above all free and easy； fell in love
with a sturdy strapping young lay…brother； his superior came to know
of it； and one day said to the worthy widow by way of brotherly
remonstrance； 'I am surprised； senora； and not without good reason；
that a woman of such high standing； so fair； and so rich as you are；
should have fallen in love with such a mean； low； stupid fellow as
So…and…so； when in this house there are so many masters； graduates；
and divinity students from among whom you might choose as if they were
a lot of pears； saying this one I'll take； that I won't take；' but she
replied to him with great sprightliness and candour； 'My dear sir； you
are very much mistaken； and your ideas are very old…fashioned； if
you think that I have made a bad choice in So…and…so； fool as he
seems； because for all I want with him he knows as much and more
philosophy than Aristotle。' In the same way； Sancho； for all I want
with Dulcinea del Toboso she is just as good as the most exalted
princess on earth。 It is not to be supposed that all those poets who
sang the praises of ladies under the fancy names they give them； had
any such mistresses。 Thinkest thou that the Amarillises； the
Phillises； the Sylvias； the Dianas； the Galateas； the Filidas； and all
the rest of them； that the books； the ballads； the barber's shops； the
theatres are full of； were really and truly ladies of flesh and blood；
and mistresses of those that glorify and have glorified them？
Nothing of the kind； they only invent them for the most part to
furnish a subject for their verses； and that they may pass for lovers；
or for men valiant enough to be so； and so it suffices me to think and
believe that the good Aldonza Lorenzo is fair and virtuous； and as
to her pedigree it is very little matter； for no one will examine into
it for the purpose of conferring any order upon her； and I； for my
part； reckon her the most exalted princess in the world。 For thou
shouldst know； Sancho； if thou dost not know； that two things alone
beyond all others are incentives to love； and these are great beauty
and a good name； and these two things are to be found in Dulcinea in
the highest degree； for in beauty no one equals her and in good name
few approach her； and to put the whole thing in a nutshell； I persuade
myself that all I say is as I say； neither more nor less； and I
picture her in my imagination as I would have her to be； as well in
beauty as in condition； Helen approaches her not nor does Lucretia
come up to her； nor any other of the famous women of times past；
Greek； Barbarian； or Latin； and let each say what he will； for if in
this I am taken to task by the ignorant； I shall not be censured by
the critical。〃
〃I say that your worship is entirely right；〃 said Sancho； 〃and
that I am an ass。 But I know not how the name of ass came into my
mouth； for a rope is not to be mentioned in the house of him who has
been hanged； but now for the letter； and then； God be with you； I am
off。〃
Don Quixote took out the note…book； and； retiring to one side；
very deliberately began to write the letter； and when he had
finished it he called to Sancho； saying he wished to read it to him；
so that he might commit it to memory； in case of losing it on the
road； for with evil fortune like his anything might be apprehended。 To
which Sancho replied； 〃Write it two or three times there in the book
and give it to me； and I will carry it very carefully； because to
expect me to keep it in my memory is all nonsense； for I have such a
bad one that I often forget my own name； but for all that repeat it to
me； as I shall like to hear it； for surely it will run as if it was in
print。〃
〃Listen；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃this is what it says：
〃DON QUIXOTE'S LETTER TO DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO
〃Sovereign and exalted Lady；… The pierced by the point of absence；
the wounded to the heart's core； sends thee； sweetest Dulcinea del
Toboso； the health that he himself enjoys not。 If thy beauty
despises me； if thy worth is not for me； if thy scorn is my
affliction； though I be sufficiently long…suffering； hardly shall I
endure this anxiety； which； besides being oppressive； is protracted。
My good squire Sancho will relate to thee in full； fair ingrate；
dear enemy； the condition to which I am reduced on thy account： if
it be thy pleasure to give me relief； I am thine； if not； do as may be
pleasing to thee； for by ending my life I shall satisfy thy cruelty
and my desire。
〃Thine till death；
〃The Knight of the Rueful Countenance。〃
〃By the life of my father；〃 said Sancho； when he heard the letter；
〃it is the loftiest thing I ever heard。 Body of me！ how your worship
says everything as you like in it！ And how well you fit in 'The Knight
of the Rueful Countenance' into the signature。 I declare your
worship is indeed the very devil； and there is nothing you don't
know。〃
〃Everything is needed for the calling I follow；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Now then；〃 said Sancho； 〃let your worship put the order for the
three ass…colts on the other side； and sign it very plainly； that they
may recognise it at first sight。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said Don Quixote； and as he had written it he
read it to this effect：
〃Mistress Niece；… By this first of ass…colts please pay to Sancho
Panza； my squire； three of the five I left at home in your charge：
said three ass…colts to be paid and delivered for the same number
received here in hand； which upon this and upon his receipt shall be
duly paid。 Done in the heart of the Sierra Morena； the
twenty…seventh of August of this present year。〃
〃That will do；〃 said Sancho； 〃now let your worship sign it。〃
〃There is no need to sign it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but merely to
put my flourish； which is the same as a signature； and enough for
three asses； or even three hund