the whole world should desire me, the sum will be three thousand three hundred quartillos; the three thousand quartillos make fifteen hundred half rials, which are equal to seven hundred and fifty rials, and the other three hundred quartillos make one hundred and fifty half rials, which are equal to seventy-five rials, and these being added to the former seven hundred and fifty, the whole reckoning amounts to eight hundred and twenty-five rials. These I will deduct from your cash that is in my hands, and then I will return to my own house, rich and satisfied, though well scourged; for, We cannot catch trouts without wetting our clouts and I will say no more upon the subject."-" O, blessed Sancho; O, lovely Sancho! (cried Don Quixote); Dulcinea and I will be bound to serve thee all the days that Heaven shall permit us to live, provided she shall retrieve her lost form: and in this hope we cannot possibly be mistaken; her misfortune will prove fortunate, and my overthrow a most happy triumph. And now, Sancho, consider when thou wilt begin this discipline; towards the speedy performance of which I add another hundred rials."-"When? (replied the 'squire); this very night without fail: if your worship will take care to choose our lodging in the open field, I will take care to open my own car

cass.

At length the night arrived, after it had been impatiently expected by Don Quixote, who thought the wheels of Apollo's car had broken down, and that the day was extended to an unusual length; like those lovers whose desires ever outstrip the career of time.

66

In the evening, they betook themselves to the covert of some pleasant trees at a little distance from the highway, and, vacating the sad dle of Rozinante, and the pannel of the ass, sat down together upon the grass, and supped upon the store contained in the wallet of Sancho, who, forming a strong and flexible scourge with Dapple's halter, retired into a tuft of beeches about twenty paces from his master. The knight seeing him withdraw so brisk and resolute, Beware, friend Sancho (said he), of scourging thyself to pieces; perform thy dis=cipline at leisure; let the stripes follow one another in a regular succession, and do not run so fast as to be out of breath in the middle of thy career; I mean, do not lash thyself so severely as to destroy thy own life before the number be completed; and, that thou mayest not lose it by a card too many, or too few, I will stand aside and count the stripes upon my rosary.=Mayest thou enjoy the protection of Heaven, which thy Christian intention so richly deserves."-"A good paymaster needs no bail (answered the 'squire): I intend to scourge myself in such a manner as will mortify my flesh, without any hazard of my life; for in that medium the substance of the miracle must consist."

He forthwith stripped himself naked from the waist upwards, and, snatching the scourge, began to whip himself, while his master reckoned the stripes. About half a dozen or eight lashes had Sancho bestowed upon himself, when he found the joke very expensive, and the reward dog cheap; and suspending the instrument, told the knight he had been deceived, and claimed the benefit of an appeal; for every one of these stripes was worth half a rial instead of a quartillo. Proceed, friend Sancho, without dismay (replied Don Quixote), and I will double the allowance."-" At that rate (replied the 'squire), to it again, by the grace of God, and let it rain lashes." But the cunning knave no longer made application to his own shoulders, in lieu of which he began to scourge the trees, venting, between whiles, such dismal groans as seemed to tear his very soul up by the roots. The knight, from the tenderness of his own disposition, being apprehensive that he would actually put an end to his life, and of consequence defeat the purpose of his flagellation by his imprudence, exclaimed, "I conjure thee, by thy life, friend Sancho, to let the business rest where it now stands: the medicine seems to have a very rough operation, and it will be better to proceed leisurely; for Zamora was not taken in one hour. Above a thousand stripes hast thou already inflicted upon thyself, if my reckoning is just, and these shall suffice for the present; for, if I may use a vulgar expression, though the load must lie over the ass, he must not be overloaded."-" No, no, signor (replied Sancho), they shall never say of me, when money's paid before it is due, a broken limb will straight ensue. Pray stand aside a little, signor, and let me lay on another thousand, if you please; two such bouts will perform the bargain, and leave something to boot."

"Since thou findest thyself in such an excellent frame and disposition (said the knight), Heaven protect thee; stick to the stuff, and I shall withdraw." Sancho, resuming his task and reckoning, had already disbarked a number of trees with the rigorous application of his scourge, when, bestowing a dreadful stroke upon an unfortunate beech, he exclaimed with great vociferation, "Here, Sampson, shalt thou die with all thine abettors." Don Quixote, hearing this dismal ejaculation, and the terrible sound of the stroke, ran up to the spot, and seizing the twisted halter that Sancho used instead of a bull's pizzle, " Fate (said he), friend Sancho, will not permit that for my pleasure thou shouldst lose that life on which the sustenance of thy wife and family must depend. Dulcinea shall wait for a more favourable conjuncture, and I will contain myself within the limits of the nearest hope, until thou shalt recover new strength to conclude this affair to the satisfaction of all parties."-" Since your worship is so inclined (answered the 'squire), so be it in happy

much mistaken if I did not perceive, as I turn ed over the leaves, this very name of Don Al varo Tarfe."-" Very likely (replied the 'squire), first let him alight, and then we can ask questions." Accordingly the traveller having alight ed, was conducted by the landlady into a room that fronted the knight's apartment, and was ornamented with the same kind of paintings which we have already described. This newcome cavalier, laying aside his upper garment, came out into the porch, which was cool and spacious, where seeing Don Quixote walking backwards and forwards for the benefit of the air, asked, in a courteous manner, which way his worship was travelling. The knight told him he was going to the place of his nativity, which was a village in the neighbourhood; and in his turn expressed a desire of knowing the direction of the stranger's course. "Signor (said the cavalier), I am travelling to Grenada, which is my native country."-" And a good country it is (replied Don Quixote); but will your worship be so good as to tell me your name, which I believe is of more importance to me to know than I can well explain."-" My name (said the stranger), is Don Alvaro Tarfe."-"Without doubt then (replied the knight), you must be the gentleman mentioned in the second part of the History of Don Quixote de la Mancha, lately printed and published by a modern author." "The very same (answered the cavalier): Don Quixote, the principal character of that history, was an intimate acquaintance of mine: I brought him from his own habitation; at least I persuaded him to assist at the tournament of Saragossa, whither I was going, and where I really and truly did him signal services; and particularly saved his back from being very roughly handled by the hangman, for his excessive impudence and knavery."-" And pray, Signor Don Alvaro, is there any resemblance between me and that Don Quixote whom your worship mentions?" said the knight. 66 No, surely; none at all," replied the stranger. "Is that Don Quixote attended by a 'squire called Sancho Panza?" resumed our hero. "Yes, he is (answered the other); and although he was reported to be a very humorous companion, I never heard him utter one merry conceit." "That I can very well believe (said Sancho, mingling in the discourse); it is not every body that can utter conceits; and that same Sancho, whom your worship mentions, must be a very great knave, and indeed both fool and knave; for I am the true Sancho Panza, who have as many conceits as there are drops of rain; if your worship will but try the experiment, and keep me company for a year or so, you will see them fall from me at every step; nay, they are so merry and so numerous, that very often when I myself know not what I have said, they make all the hearers burst their sides with laughing: and the true Don Quixote de la Mancha, the re

nowned, the valiant, the sage, the enamoured knight, the undoer of wrongs, the tutor of wards and orphans, the proctector of widows, the destroyer of maids, he who owns no other mistress than the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, is my master, this very gentleman here present; every other Don Quixote, and every other Sancho whatsoever, is no better than a dream or delusion."-" Before God! I am of the same opinion (replied Don Alvaro); for truly, my good friend, you have uttered more pleasantry in these few sentences you have spoke, than ever I knew come from the mouth of the other Sancho Panza, though he was an eternal babbler: he was much more of a glutton than an orator, and rather idiotical than humorous. Indeed, I am fully persuaded, that those enchanters who molest the good Don Quixote, have been pleased to persecute me with the bad Don Quixote: and yet I know not what to say; for I can take my oath that I left him at Toledo in the nuncio's house, under the care of surgeons; and now another Don Quixote starts up in his place, though of a very different character and complexion !"-" I know not whether or not I am the good Don Quixote (replied the knight); but I will venture to say I am not the bad Don Quixote; and, as a proof of what I allege, my good Signor Don Alvaro Tarfe, your worship must know, that in the whole course of my life I never was at Saragossa; on the contrary, having been informed that the fantastical Don Quixote had been present at the tournament of that city, I would not set foot within its walls, that I might demonstrate his imposture to the satisfaction of the whole world: I, therefore, openly repaired to Barcelona, that repository of politeness, that asylum of strangers, that hospital of the poor, that native place of gallantry, that avenging tribunal of the injured, that agreeable scene of unshaken friendship, unparalleled both in beauty and situation! and although certain adventures which there befell me did not much contribute to my satisfaction, but, on the contrary, conduced to my unspeakable disquiet, I bear my fate without repining, and count myself happy in having seen that celebrated place: finally, Signor Don Alvaro Tarfe, I am the real Don Quixote de la Mancha, so well known to fame, and not that wretched impostor who has thought proper to usurp my name, and deck himself with the spoils of my reputation. I must therefore entreat your worship, as you value yourself on the character of a gentleman, to make a declaration before the alcade of the place; importing that, before this day, you never saw me in the whole course of your life; and that I am not the Don Quixote described in the second part, nor this Sancho Panza the 'squire whom your worship knew in his service."-"With all my heart (said Don Alvaro), and yet I cannot help being astonished to see

two Don Quixotes, and two Sanchos at the same time, so similar in name, and so unlike in character; so that I say again, and even affirm, that I have not really seen that which I thought I had seen, nor met with those incidents in which I supposed myself concerned." "Doubt less (cried Sancho), your worship must be enchanted, like my lady Dulcinea del Toboso; and would to God your disenchantment depended upon my undergoing another tale of three thousand three hundred lashes, such as I have undertaken in her favour; I would lay them on without interest or deduction. When Don Alvaro said he did not understand what he meant by lashes, the 'squire answered, it was a long story, which, however, he would relate to him, should they chance to travel the same road.

Don Quixote and Don Alvaro dined together; and the alcade of the town chancing to enter the inn with a scrivener, our hero demanded, by a formal petition, that Don Alvaro Tarfe, the gentleman there present, should depose before his worship, that he was not acquainted with him, Don Quixote, there present also; and that he the said Don Quixote was not the person described in a certain history, entitled, The Second Part of Don Quixote de la Mancha; composed by one Avellanda, native of Torde sillas. In a word, the alcade proceeded in form: the deposition was drawn up in the strongest terms, and the knight and 'squire were as much rejoiced as if this certificate had been of the utmost consequence to their identity, and as if the difference between the two Quixotes and Sanchos would not have plainly appeared from their words and actions.

Many compliments and proffers of service passed between Don Alvaro and Don Quixote; and our great Manchegan gave such proofs of discretion as undeceived Don Alvaro, who persuaded himself that he was certainly enchanted, seeing he had felt, as it were with! his hand, two such contrary Don Quixotes. In the even ing they departed from the village, and travelled together about half a league, until they found the highway divided into two roads, one of which led to the habitation of Don Quixote, and Don Alvaro's journey lay through the other: yet, in that small space, the knight recounted the misfortune of his overthrow, together with Dulcinea's enchantment, and the remedy proposed; so as to excite anew the admiration of the stranger, who, embracing Don Quixote and Sancho, took his leave, and proceeded on his own affairs, while our knight jogged on at an easy pace, and passed the night in a grove of trees, in order to give Sancho an opportunity to perform his penance, which he accomplished, as before, at the expense of the beeches, and not of his own shoulders; these he defended with such care that they felt not even the whiff of any stripe sufficient to displace a fly. The

credulous knight lost not one in his reckoning of the lashes, which, including those of the preceding night, amounted to three thousand and twenty-nine: the sun seemed to rise early on purpose to behold this sacrifice, and to light our adventurer on his way, which he prosecuted, conversing with Sancho upon the mistake and deception of Don Alvaro, and his own presence of mind in obtaining such an authentic testimonial before the justice.

The whole day and night they travelled without encountering any adventure worthy of record, except that, in the dark, Sancho finished his discipline, to the unspeakable satisfaction of the knight, who waited with impatience for the day, in hope of finding his mistress Dulcinea disenchanted upon the road: indeed, he was so much engrossed by this notion, that he went up to every woman he met in the remaining part of his journey, to see if she was not Dulcinea del Toboso, infallibly persuaded that there could be no deceit in the promises of Merlin. While he indulged these reflections and desires, they ascended a rising ground, from whence they descried their own village, which Sancho no sooner perceived than he fell upon his knees, saying, "Open thine eyes, beloved country! and behold the return of thy son Sancho Panza, who, though not very rich in coin, is well stored with lashes: open thine arms at the same time, and receive thy son Don Quixote, who, though vanquished by a stranger's hand, returns the victor of himself: and that, as he hath often told me, is the greatest conquest which can be desired: with regard to my own fate, I have money in my purse; for, though the stripes fell thick and heavy, I was rewarded like a gentle man."-"Leave these fooleries (said the knight), and let us go directly home, where we will indulge our imagination with free scope, in contriving the scheme of pastoral felicity which we intend to enjoy."

They accordingly descended the hill, and made the best of their way to their own village.

CHAP. XXI.

Of the omens that occurred to Don Quixote when he entered the village; with other incidents which adorn and authenticate this sublime history.

CID Hamet relates, that Don Quixote, as he entered the village, perceived two boys quarrelling in a threshing floor, and heard the one say to his antagonist, Struggle thy fill, Periquillo, thou shalt never see it in all the days of thy life." These words no sooner reached the knight's ears, than turning to his 'squire, "Friend Sancho (said he), didst not thou mark what the boy said? Thou shalt never see it in all the days of thy life."-" And what signifies

what the boy says?" answered the 'squire. "What! (replied the knight), dost thou not perceive that these words, applied to my concerns, signify that I shall never behold Dulcinea?" Sancho was just going to answer, when he was prevented by the sight of a hare, which, being pursued by a number of greyhounds and hunters, came running through the field, and squatted down in a fright under Dapple; the 'squire immediately saved it from the dogs, by seizing and presenting it to his master, who said, Malum Signum, Malum Signum! the hare flies, the hounds pursue, and Dulcinea does not appear."-"That is a strange fancy in your worship! (replied the 'squire): let us, for example, suppose Dulcinea del Toboso, and these pursuing hounds the felonious enchanters who have transformed her into a country wench; she flies, I catch and deliver her to your worship, who hold and fondle her in your arms; what bad sign is that? or what ill omen can be conjured from such a circumstance?" At this juncture, the two boys who had been quarrelling came up to see the hare, and Sancho having asked the cause of their quarrel, was answered by him who said, "Thou shalt never see it in all the days of thy life," that he had taken a cage full of crickets from the other boy, which he did not intend to restore in the whole course of his life. In consequence of this information, the 'squire pulled out of his pocket four far things, and gave them to the boy for the cage, which he put into the hands of Don Quixote, saying, "Behold, signor, the wreck and destruction of those omens, which I (though a fool), imagine have no more to do with our affairs, than last year's clouds; and, if I right remember, I have heard the curate of our parish observe, that no Christian of common sense ought to mind such childish trifles; nay, even your worship made the same remark some time ago, and told me those Christians were actually mad who put any faith in omens; and there fore we have no occasion to make a stumbling block of this accident: but let us proceed and enter the town a God's name.

The hunters coming up, demanded the hare, which was delivered to them by our knight, who, jogging on with his 'squire, perceived the curate and bachelor Carrasco busy at their devotion in a little meadow that skirted the town. Now the reader must know, that Sancho Panza had, over the bundle of armour carried by Dapple, thrown, by way of sumpter-cloth, the buckram robe painted with flames of fire, which he had worn in the duke's castle on the night of Altisidora's resurrection; and he at the same time had fixed the mitre upon the head of the ass, which, thus adorned, exhibited the strangest transformation that any beast of burden in the

In a word, they entered the town, surrounded with boys, and accompanied by the curate and bachelor, who attended them to the knight's house, at the gate of which they found the niece and housekeeper, already apprised of his arrival. The same intimation, neither more nor less, had been given to Sancho's spouse, Teresa Panza, who came running to see her husband, half naked, with her hair hanging about her ears, and her daughter Sanchica in her hand: but seeing he was not so gaily equipped as she thought a governor should be, "Heyday! husband (cried she), you come home a-foot, and seem to be quite foundered, and look more like a governor of hogs than a ruler of men." Hold your tongue, Teresa (replied the 'squire); you will often find hooks where there is no bacon: let us e'en trudge home, where I will tell thee wonders: I have money in my purse (and that's the one thing needful), earned by my own industry, without prejudice to any person whatsoever."-" Do you bring home the money, good husband (said Teresa); and let it be earned here or there, or got in what shape you please, I give myself no trouble about the matter: I am sure, in getting it, you have introduced no new fashion into the world." Sanchica embraced her father, and asked if he had brought any thing for her, who had expected him as impatiently as if he had been May dew: then taking hold of his girdle with one hand, and leading Dapple with the other, while her mother held him by the fist, they repaired to their own house, leaving Don Quixote to the care of his niece and housekeeper, and in company with the curate and bachelor.

The knight, disregarding times and seasons, instantly retired into an apartment with his two friends, to whom he briefly related his overthrow, and the obligation under which he lay to stay at home for the space of one year, which obligation he intended literally to observe, without failing in the least tittle, like a true knighterrant, bound by the punctuality of the order which he had the honour to profess. During this term of retirement, he proposed to turn shepherd, and enjoy the solitude of the fields, where he would give full scope to his amorous sentiments, and exercise himself in all the vir