WHERIN IS RELATED THE GRAND ADVENTURE OF THE CAVE OF MONTESINOS IN THE

HEART OF LA MANCHA, WHICH THE VALIANT DON QUIXOTE BROUGHT TO A HAPPY

TERMINATION

Many and great were the attentions shown to Don Quixote by the newly

married couple, who felt themselves under an obligation to him for coming

forward in defence of their cause; and they exalted his wisdom to the

same level with his courage, rating him as a Cid in arms, and a Cicero in

eloquence. Worthy Sancho enjoyed himself for three days at the expense of

the pair, from whom they learned that the sham wound was not a scheme

arranged with the fair Quiteria, but a device of Basilio's, who counted

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on exactly the result they had seen; he confessed, it is true, that he

had confided his idea to some of his friends, so that at the proper time

they might aid him in his purpose and insure the success of the

deception.

"That," said Don Quixote, "is not and ought not to be called deception

which aims at virtuous ends;" and the marriage of lovers he maintained to

be a most excellent end, reminding them, however, that love has no

greater enemy than hunger and constant want; for love is all gaiety,

enjoyment, and happiness, especially when the lover is in the possession

of the object of his love, and poverty and want are the declared enemies

of all these; which he said to urge Senor Basilio to abandon the practice

of those accomplishments he was skilled in, for though they brought him

fame, they brought him no money, and apply himself to the acquisition of

wealth by legitimate industry, which will never fail those who are

prudent and persevering. The poor man who is a man of honour (if indeed a

poor man can be a man of honour) has a jewel when he has a fair wife, and

if she is taken from him, his honour is taken from him and slain. The

fair woman who is a woman of honour, and whose husband is poor, deserves

to be crowned with the laurels and crowns of victory and triumph. Beauty

by itself attracts the desires of all who behold it, and the royal eagles

and birds of towering flight stoop on it as on a dainty lure; but if

beauty be accompanied by want and penury, then the ravens and the kites

and other birds of prey assail it, and she who stands firm against such

attacks well deserves to be called the crown of her husband. "Remember, O

prudent Basilio," added Don Quixote, "it was the opinion of a certain

sage, I know not whom, that there was not more than one good woman in the

whole world; and his advice was that each one should think and believe

that this one good woman was his own wife, and in this way he would live

happy. I myself am not married, nor, so far, has it ever entered my

thoughts to be so; nevertheless I would venture to give advice to anyone

who might ask it, as to the mode in which he should seek a wife such as

he would be content to marry. The first thing I would recommend him,

would be to look to good name rather than to wealth, for a good woman

does not win a good name merely by being good, but by letting it be seen

that she is so, and open looseness and freedom do much more damage to a

woman's honour than secret depravity. If you take a good woman into your

house it will be an easy matter to keep her good, and even to make her

still better; but if you take a bad one you will find it hard work to

mend her, for it is no very easy matter to pass from one extreme to

another. I do not say it is impossible, but I look upon it as difficult."




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