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I find myself in the presence of your fierce enemy； whose haughty head
I trust by the aid of my arm to cut off with the edge of this… I
will not say good sword； thanks to Gines de Pasamonte who carried away
mine〃… （this he said between his teeth； and then continued）； 〃and when
it has been cut off and you have been put in peaceful possession of
your realm it shall be left to your own decision to dispose of your
person as may be most pleasing to you； for so long as my memory is
occupied； my will enslaved； and my understanding enthralled by her…
I say no more… it is impossible for me for a moment to contemplate
marriage； even with a Phoenix。〃
The last words of his master about not wanting to marry were so
disagreeable to Sancho that raising his voice he exclaimed with
great irritation：
〃By my oath； Senor Don Quixote； you are not in your right senses；
for how can your worship possibly object to marrying such an exalted
princess as this？ Do you think Fortune will offer you behind every
stone such a piece of luck as is offered you now？ Is my lady
Dulcinea fairer； perchance？ Not she； nor half as fair； and I will even
go so far as to say she does not come up to the shoe of this one here。
A poor chance I have of getting that county I am waiting for if your
worship goes looking for dainties in the bottom of the sea。 In the
devil's name； marry； marry； and take this kingdom that comes to hand
without any trouble； and when you are king make me a marquis or
governor of a province； and for the rest let the devil take it all。〃
Don Quixote； when he heard such blasphemies uttered against his lady
Dulcinea； could not endure it； and lifting his pike； without saying
anything to Sancho or uttering a word； he gave him two such thwacks
that he brought him to the ground； and had it not been that Dorothea
cried out to him to spare him he would have no doubt taken his life on
the spot。
〃Do you think；〃 he said to him after a pause； 〃you scurvy clown；
that you are to be always interfering with me； and that you are to
be always offending and I always pardoning？ Don't fancy it； impious
scoundrel； for that beyond a doubt thou art； since thou hast set thy
tongue going against the peerless Dulcinea。 Know you not； lout；
vagabond； beggar； that were it not for the might that she infuses into
my arm I should not have strength enough to kill a flea？ Say；
scoffer with a viper's tongue； what think you has won this kingdom and
cut off this giant's head and made you a marquis （for all this I count
as already accomplished and decided）； but the might of Dulcinea；
employing my arm as the instrument of her achievements？ She fights
in me and conquers in me； and I live and breathe in her； and owe my
life and being to her。 O whoreson scoundrel； how ungrateful you are；
you see yourself raised from the dust of the earth to be a titled
lord； and the return you make for so great a benefit is to speak
evil of her who has conferred it upon you！〃
Sancho was not so stunned but that he heard all his master said； and
rising with some degree of nimbleness he ran to place himself behind
Dorothea's palfrey； and from that position he said to his master：
〃Tell me； senor； if your worship is resolved not to marry this great
princess； it is plain the kingdom will not be yours； and not being so；
how can you bestow favours upon me？ That is what I complain of。 Let
your worship at any rate marry this queen； now that we have got her
here as if showered down from heaven； and afterwards you may go back
to my lady Dulcinea； for there must have been kings in the world who
kept mistresses。 As to beauty； I have nothing to do with it； and if
the truth is to be told； I like them both； though I have never seen
the lady Dulcinea。〃
〃How！ never seen her； blasphemous traitor！〃 exclaimed Don Quixote；
〃hast thou not just now brought me a message from her？〃
〃I mean；〃 said Sancho； 〃that I did not see her so much at my leisure
that I could take particular notice of her beauty； or of her charms
piecemeal； but taken in the lump I like her。〃
〃Now I forgive thee；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and do thou forgive me
the injury I have done thee； for our first impulses are not in our
control。〃
〃That I see；〃 replied Sancho； 〃and with me the wish to speak is
always the first impulse； and I cannot help saying； once at any
rate； what I have on the tip of my tongue。〃
〃For all that； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃take heed of what thou
sayest； for the pitcher goes so often to the well… I need say no
more to thee。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Sancho； 〃God is in heaven； and sees all tricks；
and will judge who does most harm； I in not speaking right； or your
worship in not doing it。〃
〃That is enough；〃 said Dorothea； 〃run； Sancho； and kiss your
lord's hand and beg his pardon； and henceforward be more circumspect
with your praise and abuse； and say nothing in disparagement of that
lady Toboso； of whom I know nothing save that I am her servant； and
put your trust in God； for you will not fail to obtain some dignity so
as to live like a prince。〃
Sancho advanced hanging his head and begged his master's hand； which
Don Quixote with dignity presented to him； giving him his blessing
as soon as he had kissed it； he then bade him go on ahead a little； as
he had questions to ask him and matters of great importance to discuss
with him。 Sancho obeyed； and when the two had gone some distance in
advance Don Quixote said to him； 〃Since thy return I have had no
opportunity or time to ask thee many particulars touching thy
mission and the answer thou hast brought back； and now that chance has
granted us the time and opportunity； deny me not the happiness thou
canst give me by such good news。〃
〃Let your worship ask what you will；〃 answered Sancho； 〃for I
shall find a way out of all as as I found a way in； but I implore you；
senor； not not to be so revengeful in future。〃
〃Why dost thou say that； Sancho？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I say it；〃 he returned； 〃because those blows just now were more
because of the quarrel the devil stirred up between us both the
other night； than for what I said against my lady Dulcinea； whom I
love and reverence as I would a relic… though there is nothing of that
about her… merely as something belonging to your worship。〃
〃Say no more on that subject for thy life； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃for it is displeasing to me； I have already pardoned thee
for that； and thou knowest the common saying； 'for a fresh sin a fresh
penance。'〃
While this was going on they saw coming along the road they were
following a man mounted on an ass； who when he came close seemed to be
a gipsy； but Sancho Panza； whose eyes and heart were there wherever he
saw asses； no sooner beheld the man than he knew him to be Gines de
Pasamonte； and by the thread of the gipsy he got at the ball； his ass；
for it was； in fact； Dapple that carried Pasamonte； who to escape
recognition and to sell the ass had disguised himself as a gipsy；
being able to speak the gipsy language； and many more； as well as if
they were his own。 Sancho saw him and recognised him； and the
instant he did so he shouted to him； 〃Ginesillo； you thief； give up my
treasure； re