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describe some lady or another in the arms of her knight under the
orange trees； and the duenna who is keeping watch for them half dead
with envy and fright； all this I say is as good as honey。〃
〃And you； what do you think； young lady？〃 said the curate turning to
the landlord's daughter。
〃I don't know indeed； senor；〃 said she； 〃I listen too； and to tell
the truth； though I do not understand it； I like hearing it； but it is
not the blows that my father likes that I like； but the laments the
knights utter when they are separated from their ladies； and indeed
they sometimes make me weep with the pity I feel for them。〃
〃Then you would console them if it was for you they wept； young
lady？〃 said Dorothea。
〃I don't know what I should do；〃 said the girl； 〃I only know that
there are some of those ladies so cruel that they call their knights
tigers and lions and a thousand other foul names： and Jesus！ I don't
know what sort of folk they can be； so unfeeling and heartless； that
rather than bestow a glance upon a worthy man they leave him to die or
go mad。 I don't know what is the good of such prudery； if it is for
honour's sake； why not marry them？ That's all they want。〃
〃Hush； child；〃 said the landlady； 〃it seems to me thou knowest a
great deal about these things； and it is not fit for girls to know
or talk so much。〃
〃As the gentleman asked me； I could not help answering him；〃 said
the girl。
〃Well then；〃 said the curate； 〃bring me these books； senor landlord；
for I should like to see them。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said he； and going into his own room he brought
out an old valise secured with a little chain； on opening which the
curate found in it three large books and some manuscripts written in a
very good hand。 The first that he opened he found to be 〃Don
Cirongilio of Thrace；〃 and the second 〃Don Felixmarte of Hircania；〃
and the other the 〃History of the Great Captain Gonzalo Hernandez de
Cordova； with the Life of Diego Garcia de Paredes。〃
When the curate read the two first titles he looked over at the
barber and said； 〃We want my friend's housekeeper and niece here now。〃
〃Nay；〃 said the barber； 〃I can do just as well to carry them to
the yard or to the hearth； and there is a very good fire there。〃
〃What！ your worship would burn my books！〃 said the landlord。
〃Only these two；〃 said the curate； 〃Don Cirongilio； and Felixmarte。〃
〃Are my books； then； heretics or phlegmaties that you want to burn
them？〃 said the landlord。
〃Schismatics you mean； friend；〃 said the barber； 〃not phlegmatics。〃
〃That's it；〃 said the landlord； 〃but if you want to burn any； let it
be that about the Great Captain and that Diego Garcia； for I would
rather have a child of mine burnt than either of the others。〃
〃Brother；〃 said the curate； 〃those two books are made up of lies；
and are full of folly and nonsense； but this of the Great Captain is a
true history； and contains the deeds of Gonzalo Hernandez of
Cordova； who by his many and great achievements earned the title all
over the world of the Great Captain； a famous and illustrious name；
and deserved by him alone； and this Diego Garcia de Paredes was a
distinguished knight of the city of Trujillo in Estremadura； a most
gallant soldier； and of such bodily strength that with one finger he
stopped a mill…wheel in full motion； and posted with a two…handed
sword at the foot of a bridge he kept the whole of an immense army
from passing over it； and achieved such other exploits that if；
instead of his relating them himself with the modesty of a knight
and of one writing his own history； some free and unbiassed writer had
recorded them； they would have thrown into the shade all the deeds
of the Hectors； Achilleses； and Rolands。〃
〃Tell that to my father；〃 said the landlord。 〃There's a thing to
be astonished at！ Stopping a mill…wheel！ By God your worship should
read what I have read of Felixmarte of Hircania； how with one single
backstroke he cleft five giants asunder through the middle as if
they had been made of bean…pods like the little friars the children
make； and another time he attacked a very great and powerful army；
in which there were more than a million six hundred thousand soldiers；
all armed from head to foot； and he routed them all as if they had
been flocks of sheep。 And then； what do you say to the good Cirongilio
of Thrace； that was so stout and bold； as may be seen in the book；
where it is related that as he was sailing along a river there came up
out of the midst of the water against him a fiery serpent； and he；
as soon as he saw it； flung himself upon it and got astride of its
scaly shoulders； and squeezed its throat with both hands with such
force that the serpent； finding he was throttling it； had nothing
for it but to let itself sink to the bottom of the river； carrying
with it the knight who would not let go his hold； and when they got
down there he found himself among palaces and gardens so pretty that
it was a wonder to see； and then the serpent changed itself into an
old ancient man； who told him such things as were never heard。 Hold
your peace； senor； for if you were to hear this you would go mad
with delight。 A couple of figs for your Great Captain and your Diego
Garcia！〃
Hearing this Dorothea said in a whisper to Cardenio； 〃Our landlord
is almost fit to play a second part to Don Quixote。〃
〃I think so；〃 said Cardenio； 〃for； as he shows； he accepts it as a
certainty that everything those books relate took place exactly as
it is written down； and the barefooted friars themselves would not
persuade him to the contrary。〃
〃But consider； brother； said the curate once more； 〃there never
was any Felixmarte of Hircania in the world； nor any Cirongilio of
Thrace； or any of the other knights of the same sort； that the books
of chivalry talk of； the whole thing is the fabrication and
invention of idle wits； devised by them for the purpose you describe
of beguiling the time； as your reapers do when they read； for I
swear to you in all seriousness there never were any such knights in
the world； and no such exploits or nonsense ever happened anywhere。〃
〃Try that bone on another dog；〃 said the landlord； 〃as if I did
not know how many make five； and where my shoe pinches me； don't think
to feed me with pap； for by God I am no fool。 It is a good joke for
your worship to try and persuade me that everything these good books
say is nonsense and lies； and they printed by the license of the Lords
of the Royal Council； as if they were people who would allow such a
lot of lies to be printed all together； and so many battles and
enchantments that they take away one's senses。〃
〃I have told you； friend；〃 said the curate； 〃that this is done to
divert our idle thoughts； and as in well…ordered states games of
chess； fives； and billiards are allowed for the diversion of those who
do not care； or are not obliged； or are unable to work； so books of
this kind are allowed to be printed； on the supposition that； what
indeed is the truth； there can be nobody so ignorant as to take any of
them for true stories； and if it were permitted me now； and the
present company desired it； I could sa