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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； release my life； embarrass thyself not with my repose；
quit my ass； leave my delight； be off； rip； get thee gone； thief；
and give up what is not thine。〃
There was no necessity for so many words or objurgations； for at the
first one Gines jumped down； and at a like racing speed made off and
got clear of them all。 Sancho hastened to his Dapple； and embracing
him he said； 〃How hast thou fared； my blessing； Dapple of my eyes；
my comrade？〃 all the while kissing him and caressing him as if he were
a human being。 The ass held his peace； and let himself be kissed and
caressed by Sancho without answering a single word。 They all came up
and congratulated him on having found Dapple； Don Quixote
especially； who told him that notwithstanding this he would not cancel
the order for the three ass…colts； for which Sancho thanked him。
While the two had been going along conversing in this fashion； the
curate observed to Dorothea that she had shown great cleverness； as
well in the story itself as in its conciseness； and the resemblance it
bore to those of the books of chivalry。 She said that she had many
times amused herself reading them； but that she did not know the
situation of the provinces or seaports； and so she had said at
haphazard that she had landed at Osuna。
〃So I saw；〃 said the curate； 〃and for that reason I made haste to
say what I did； by which it was all set right。 But is it not a strange
thing to see how readily this unhappy gentleman believes all these
figments and lies； simply because they are in the style and manner
of the absurdities of his books？〃
〃So it is；〃 said Cardenio； 〃and so uncommon and unexampled； that
were one to attempt to invent and concoct it in fiction； I doubt if
there be any wit keen enough to imagine it。〃
〃But another strange thing about it；〃 said the curate； 〃is that；
apart from the silly things which this worthy gentleman says in
connection with his craze； when other subjects are dealt with； he
can discuss them in a perfectly rational manner； showing that his mind
is quite clear and composed； so that； provided his chivalry is not
touched upon； no one would take him to be anything but a man of
thoroughly sound understanding。〃
While they were holding this conversation Don Quixote continued
his with Sancho； saying：
〃Friend Panza； let us forgive and forget as to our quarrels； and
tell me now； dismissing anger and irritation； where； how； and when
didst thou find Dulcinea？ What was she doing？ What didst thou say to
her？ What did she answer？ How did she look when she was reading my
letter？ Who copied it out for thee？ and everything in the matter
that seems to thee worth knowing； asking； and learning； neither adding
nor falsifying to give me pleasure； nor yet curtailing lest you should
deprive me of it。〃
〃Senor；〃 replied Sancho； 〃if the truth is to be told； nobody
copied out the letter for me； for I carried no letter at all。〃
〃It is as thou sayest；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for the note…book in
which I wrote it I found in my own possession two days after thy
departure； which gave me very great vexation； as I knew not what
thou wouldst do on finding thyself without any letter； and I made sure
thou wouldst return from the place where thou didst first miss it。〃
〃So I should have done；〃 said Sancho； 〃if I had not got it by
heart when your worship read it to me； so that I repeated it to a
sacristan； who copied it out for me from hearing it； so exactly that
he said in all the days of his life； though he had read many a
letter of excommunication； he had never seen or read so pretty a
letter as that。〃
〃And hast thou got it still in thy memory； Sancho？〃 said Don
Quixote。
〃No； senor；〃 replied Sancho； 〃for as soon as I had repeated it；
seeing there was no further use for it； I set about forgetting it； and
if I recollect any of it； it is that about 'Scrubbing；'I mean to say
'Sovereign Lady；' and the end 'Yours till death； the Knight of the
Rueful Countenance；' and between these two I put into it more than
three hundred 'my souls' and 'my life's' and 'my eyes。〃
CHAPTER XXXI
OF THE DELECTABLE DISCUSSION BETWEEN DON QUIXOTE AND SANCHO PANZA；
HIS SQUIRE； TOGETHER WITH OTHER INCIDENTS
〃ALL that is not unsatisfactory to me；〃 said Don Quixote。 〃Go on；
thou didst reach her； and what was that queen of beauty doing？
Surely thou didst find her stringing pearls； or embroidering some
device in gold thread for this her enslaved knight。〃
〃I did not；〃 said Sancho； 〃but I found her winnowing two bushels
of wheat in the yard of her house。〃
〃Then depend upon it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃the grains of that wheat
were pearls when touched by her hands； and didst thou look； friend？
was it white wheat or brown？〃
〃It was neither； but red；〃 said Sancho。
〃Then I promise thee；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that； winnowed by her
hands； beyond a doubt the bread it made was of the whitest； but go on；
when thou gavest her my letter； did she kiss it？ Did she place it on
her head？ Did she perform any ceremony befitting it； or what did she
do？〃
〃When I went to give it to her；〃 replied Sancho； 〃she was hard at it
swaying from side to side with a lot of wheat she had in the sieve；
and she said to me； 'Lay the letter； friend； on the top of that
sack； for I cannot read it until I have done sifting all this。〃
〃Discreet lady！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that was in order to read it
at her leisure and enjoy it； proceed； Sancho； while she was engaged in
her occupation what converse did she hold with thee？ What did she
ask about me； and what answer didst thou give？ Make haste； tell me
all； and let not an atom be left behind in the ink…bottle。〃
〃She asked me nothing；〃 said Sancho； 〃but I told her how your
worship was left doing penance in her service； naked from the waist
up； in among these mountains like a savage； sleeping on the ground；
not eating bread off a tablecloth nor combing your beard； weeping
and cursing your fortune。〃
〃In saying I cursed my fortune thou saidst wrong；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃for rather do I bless it and shall bless it all the days of my life
for having made me worthy of aspiring to love so lofty a lady as
Dulcinea del Toboso。〃
〃And so lofty she is；〃 said Sancho； 〃that she overtops me by more
than a hand's…breadth。〃
〃What！ Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃didst thou measure with her？〃
〃I measured in this way；〃 said Sancho； 〃going to help her to put a
sack of wheat on the back of an ass； we came so close together that
I could see she stood more than a good palm over me。〃
〃Well！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and doth she not of a truth accompany and
adorn this greatness with a thousand million charms of mind！ But one
thing thou wilt not deny； Sancho； when thou camest close to her
didst thou not perceive a Sabaean odour； an aromatic fragrance； a； I
know not what； delicious； that I cannot find a name for； I mean a
redolence； an exhalation； as if thou wert in the shop of some dainty
glover？〃
〃All I can say is；〃 said Sancho； 〃that I did perceive a little
odour； something goaty； it must