Don Quixote - Part I

"It is with that kind of love," said Sancho, "I have heard preachers say

we ought to love our Lord, for himself alone, without being moved by the

hope of glory or the fear of punishment; though for my part, I would

rather love and serve him for what he could do."

"The devil take thee for a clown!" said Don Quixote, "and what shrewd

things thou sayest at times! One would think thou hadst studied."

"In faith, then, I cannot even read."

Master Nicholas here called out to them to wait a while, as they wanted

to halt and drink at a little spring there was there. Don Quixote drew

up, not a little to the satisfaction of Sancho, for he was by this time

weary of telling so many lies, and in dread of his master catching him

tripping, for though he knew that Dulcinea was a peasant girl of El

Toboso, he had never seen her in all his life. Cardenio had now put on

the clothes which Dorothea was wearing when they found her, and though

they were not very good, they were far better than those he put off. They

dismounted together by the side of the spring, and with what the curate

had provided himself with at the inn they appeased, though not very well,

the keen appetite they all of them brought with them.

While they were so employed there happened to come by a youth passing on

his way, who stopping to examine the party at the spring, the next moment

ran to Don Quixote and clasping him round the legs, began to weep freely,

saying, "O, senor, do you not know me? Look at me well; I am that lad

Andres that your worship released from the oak-tree where I was tied."

Don Quixote recognised him, and taking his hand he turned to those

present and said: "That your worships may see how important it is to have

knights-errant to redress the wrongs and injuries done by tyrannical and

wicked men in this world, I may tell you that some days ago passing

through a wood, I heard cries and piteous complaints as of a person in

pain and distress; I immediately hastened, impelled by my bounden duty,

to the quarter whence the plaintive accents seemed to me to proceed, and

I found tied to an oak this lad who now stands before you, which in my

heart I rejoice at, for his testimony will not permit me to depart from

the truth in any particular. He was, I say, tied to an oak, naked from

the waist up, and a clown, whom I afterwards found to be his master, was

scarifying him by lashes with the reins of his mare. As soon as I saw him

I asked the reason of so cruel a flagellation. The boor replied that he

was flogging him because he was his servant and because of carelessness

that proceeded rather from dishonesty than stupidity; on which this boy

said, 'Senor, he flogs me only because I ask for my wages.' The master

made I know not what speeches and explanations, which, though I listened

to them, I did not accept. In short, I compelled the clown to unbind him,

and to swear he would take him with him, and pay him real by real, and

perfumed into the bargain. Is not all this true, Andres my son? Didst

thou not mark with what authority I commanded him, and with what humility

he promised to do all I enjoined, specified, and required of him? Answer

without hesitation; tell these gentlemen what took place, that they may

see that it is as great an advantage as I say to have knights-errant

abroad."