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put my flourish； which is the same as a signature； and enough for
three asses； or even three hundred。〃
〃I can trust your worship；〃 returned Sancho； 〃let me go and saddle
Rocinante； and be ready to give me your blessing； for I mean to go
at once without seeing the fooleries your worship is going to do； I'll
say I saw you do so many that she will not want any more。〃
〃At any rate； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃I should like… and there
is reason for it… I should like thee； I say； to see me stripped to the
skin and performing a dozen or two of insanities； which I can get done
in less than half an hour； for having seen them with thine own eyes；
thou canst then safely swear to the rest that thou wouldst add； and
I promise thee thou wilt not tell of as many as I mean to perform。〃
〃For the love of God； master mine；〃 said Sancho； 〃let me not see
your worship stripped； for it will sorely grieve me； and I shall not
be able to keep from tears； and my head aches so with all I shed
last night for Dapple； that I am not fit to begin any fresh weeping；
but if it is your worship's pleasure that I should see some
insanities； do them in your clothes； short ones； and such as come
readiest to hand； for I myself want nothing of the sort； and； as I
have said； it will be a saving of time for my return； which will be
with the news your worship desires and deserves。 If not； let the
lady Dulcinea look to it； if she does not answer reasonably； I swear
as solemnly as I can that I will fetch a fair answer out of her
stomach with kicks and cuffs； for why should it be borne that a
knight…errant as famous as your worship should go mad without rhyme or
reason for a …？ Her ladyship had best not drive me to say it； for by
God I will speak out and let off everything cheap； even if it
doesn't sell： I am pretty good at that！ she little knows me； faith； if
she knew me she'd be in awe of me。〃
〃In faith； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃to all appearance thou art no
sounder in thy wits than I。〃
〃I am not so mad；〃 answered Sancho； 〃but I am more peppery； but
apart from all this； what has your worship to eat until I come back？
Will you sally out on the road like Cardenio to force it from the
shepherds？〃
〃Let not that anxiety trouble thee；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃for
even if I had it I should not eat anything but the herbs and the
fruits which this meadow and these trees may yield me； the beauty of
this business of mine lies in not eating； and in performing other
mortifications。〃
〃Do you know what I am afraid of？〃 said Sancho upon this； 〃that I
shall not be able to find my way back to this spot where I am
leaving you； it is such an out…of…the…way place。〃
〃Observe the landmarks well；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for I will try
not to go far from this neighbourhood； and I will even take care to
mount the highest of these rocks to see if I can discover thee
returning； however； not to miss me and lose thyself； the best plan
will be to cut some branches of the broom that is so abundant about
here； and as thou goest to lay them at intervals until thou hast
come out upon the plain； these will serve thee； after the fashion of
the clue in the labyrinth of Theseus； as marks and signs for finding
me on thy return。〃
〃So I will；〃 said Sancho Panza； and having cut some； he asked his
master's blessing； and not without many tears on both sides； took
his leave of him； and mounting Rocinante； of whom Don Quixote
charged him earnestly to have as much care as of his own person； he
set out for the plain； strewing at intervals the branches of broom
as his master had recommended him； and so he went his way； though
Don Quixote still entreated him to see him do were it only a couple of
mad acts。 He had not gone a hundred paces； however； when he returned
and said：
〃I must say； senor； your worship said quite right； that in order
to be able to swear without a weight on my conscience that I had
seen you do mad things； it would be well for me to see if it were only
one； though in your worship's remaining here I have seen a very
great one。〃
〃Did I not tell thee so？〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Wait； Sancho； and I
will do them in the saying of a credo；〃 and pulling off his breeches
in all haste he stripped himself to his skin and his shirt； and
then； without more ado； he cut a couple of gambados in the air； and
a couple of somersaults； heels over head； making such a display
that； not to see it a second time； Sancho wheeled Rocinante round； and
felt easy； and satisfied in his mind that he could swear he had left
his master mad； and so we will leave him to follow his road until
his return； which was a quick one。
CHAPTER XXVI
IN WHICH ARE CONTINUED THE REFINEMENTS WHEREWITH DON QUIXOTE
PLAYED THE PART OF A LOVER IN THE SIERRA MORENA
RETURNING to the proceedings of him of the Rueful Countenance when
he found himself alone； the history says that when Don Quixote had
completed the performance of the somersaults or capers； naked from the
waist down and clothed from the waist up； and saw that Sancho had gone
off without waiting to see any more crazy feats； he climbed up to
the top of a high rock； and there set himself to consider what he
had several times before considered without ever coming to any
conclusion on the point； namely whether it would be better and more to
his purpose to imitate the outrageous madness of Roland； or the
melancholy madness of Amadis； and communing with himself he said：
〃What wonder is it if Roland was so good a knight and so valiant
as everyone says he was； when； after all； he was enchanted； and nobody
could kill him save by thrusting a corking pin into the sole of his
foot； and he always wore shoes with seven iron soles？ Though cunning
devices did not avail him against Bernardo del Carpio； who knew all
about them； and strangled him in his arms at Roncesvalles。 But putting
the question of his valour aside； let us come to his losing his
wits； for certain it is that he did lose them in consequence of the
proofs he discovered at the fountain； and the intelligence the
shepherd gave him of Angelica having slept more than two siestas
with Medoro； a little curly…headed Moor； and page to Agramante。 If
he was persuaded that this was true； and that his lady had wronged
him； it is no wonder that he should have gone mad； but I； how am I
to imitate him in his madness； unless I can imitate him in the cause
of it？ For my Dulcinea； I will venture to swear； never saw a Moor in
her life； as he is； in his proper costume； and she is this day as
the mother that bore her； and I should plainly be doing her a wrong
if； fancying anything else； I were to go mad with the same kind of
madness as Roland the Furious。 On the other hand； I see that Amadis of
Gaul； without losing his senses and without doing anything mad；
acquired as a lover as much fame as the most famous； for； according to
his history； on finding himself rejected by his lady Oriana； who had
ordered him not to appear in her presence until it should be her
pleasure； all he did was to retire to the Pena Pobre in company with a
hermit； and there he took his fill of weeping until Heaven sent him
relief in the midst of his great grief and