When Sancho heard his master's firm, resolute language, a cloud came over

the sky with him and the wings of his heart drooped, for he had made sure

that his master would not go without him for all the wealth of the world;

and as he stood there dumbfoundered and moody, Samson Carrasco came in

with the housekeeper and niece, who were anxious to hear by what

arguments he was about to dissuade their master from going to seek

adventures. The arch wag Samson came forward, and embracing him as he had

done before, said with a loud voice, "O flower of knight-errantry! O

shining light of arms! O honour and mirror of the Spanish nation! may God

Almighty in his infinite power grant that any person or persons, who

Advertisement..

would impede or hinder thy third sally, may find no way out of the

labyrinth of their schemes, nor ever accomplish what they most desire!"

And then, turning to the housekeeper, he said, "Mistress housekeeper may

just as well give over saying the prayer of Santa Apollonia, for I know

it is the positive determination of the spheres that Senor Don Quixote

shall proceed to put into execution his new and lofty designs; and I

should lay a heavy burden on my conscience did I not urge and persuade

this knight not to keep the might of his strong arm and the virtue of his

valiant spirit any longer curbed and checked, for by his inactivity he is

defrauding the world of the redress of wrongs, of the protection of

orphans, of the honour of virgins, of the aid of widows, and of the

support of wives, and other matters of this kind appertaining, belonging,

proper and peculiar to the order of knight-errantry. On, then, my lord

Don Quixote, beautiful and brave, let your worship and highness set out

to-day rather than to-morrow; and if anything be needed for the execution

of your purpose, here am I ready in person and purse to supply the want;

and were it requisite to attend your magnificence as squire, I should

esteem it the happiest good fortune."

At this, Don Quixote, turning to Sancho, said, "Did I not tell thee,

Sancho, there would be squires enough and to spare for me? See now who

offers to become one; no less than the illustrious bachelor Samson

Carrasco, the perpetual joy and delight of the courts of the Salamancan

schools, sound in body, discreet, patient under heat or cold, hunger or

thirst, with all the qualifications requisite to make a knight-errant's

squire! But heaven forbid that, to gratify my own inclination, I should

shake or shatter this pillar of letters and vessel of the sciences, and

cut down this towering palm of the fair and liberal arts. Let this new

Samson remain in his own country, and, bringing honour to it, bring

honour at the same time on the grey heads of his venerable parents; for I

will be content with any squire that comes to hand, as Sancho does not

deign to accompany me."




Most Popular