"I do deign," said Sancho, deeply moved and with tears in his eyes; "it

shall not be said of me, master mine," he continued, "'the bread eaten

and the company dispersed.' Nay, I come of no ungrateful stock, for all

the world knows, but particularly my own town, who the Panzas from whom I

am descended were; and, what is more, I know and have learned, by many

good words and deeds, your worship's desire to show me favour; and if I

have been bargaining more or less about my wages, it was only to please

my wife, who, when she sets herself to press a point, no hammer drives

the hoops of a cask as she drives one to do what she wants; but, after

all, a man must be a man, and a woman a woman; and as I am a man anyhow,

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which I can't deny, I will be one in my own house too, let who will take

it amiss; and so there's nothing more to do but for your worship to make

your will with its codicil in such a way that it can't be provoked, and

let us set out at once, to save Senor Samson's soul from suffering, as he

says his conscience obliges him to persuade your worship to sally out

upon the world a third time; so I offer again to serve your worship

faithfully and loyally, as well and better than all the squires that

served knights-errant in times past or present."

The bachelor was filled with amazement when he heard Sancho's phraseology

and style of talk, for though he had read the first part of his master's

history he never thought that he could be so droll as he was there

described; but now, hearing him talk of a "will and codicil that could

not be provoked," instead of "will and codicil that could not be

revoked," he believed all he had read of him, and set him down as one of

the greatest simpletons of modern times; and he said to himself that two

such lunatics as master and man the world had never seen. In fine, Don

Quixote and Sancho embraced one another and made friends, and by the

advice and with the approval of the great Carrasco, who was now their

oracle, it was arranged that their departure should take place three days

thence, by which time they could have all that was requisite for the

journey ready, and procure a closed helmet, which Don Quixote said he

must by all means take. Samson offered him one, as he knew a friend of

his who had it would not refuse it to him, though it was more dingy with

rust and mildew than bright and clean like burnished steel.




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