Don Quixote - Part I

Such was the conversation that passed between master and man; and Don

Fernando and Cardenio, apprehensive of Sancho's making a complete

discovery of their scheme, towards which he had already gone some way,

resolved to hasten their departure, and calling the landlord aside, they

directed him to saddle Rocinante and put the pack-saddle on Sancho's ass,

which he did with great alacrity. In the meantime the curate had made an

arrangement with the officers that they should bear them company as far

as his village, he paying them so much a day. Cardenio hung the buckler

on one side of the bow of Rocinante's saddle and the basin on the other,

and by signs commanded Sancho to mount his ass and take Rocinante's

bridle, and at each side of the cart he placed two officers with their

muskets; but before the cart was put in motion, out came the landlady and

her daughter and Maritornes to bid Don Quixote farewell, pretending to

weep with grief at his misfortune; and to them Don Quixote said:

"Weep not, good ladies, for all these mishaps are the lot of those who

follow the profession I profess; and if these reverses did not befall me

I should not esteem myself a famous knight-errant; for such things never

happen to knights of little renown and fame, because nobody in the world

thinks about them; to valiant knights they do, for these are envied for

their virtue and valour by many princes and other knights who compass the

destruction of the worthy by base means. Nevertheless, virtue is of

herself so mighty, that, in spite of all the magic that Zoroaster its

first inventor knew, she will come victorious out of every trial, and

shed her light upon the earth as the sun does upon the heavens. Forgive

me, fair ladies, if, through inadvertence, I have in aught offended you;

for intentionally and wittingly I have never done so to any; and pray to

God that he deliver me from this captivity to which some malevolent

enchanter has consigned me; and should I find myself released therefrom,

the favours that ye have bestowed upon me in this castle shall be held in

memory by me, that I may acknowledge, recognise, and requite them as they

deserve."

While this was passing between the ladies of the castle and Don Quixote,

the curate and the barber bade farewell to Don Fernando and his

companions, to the captain, his brother, and the ladies, now all made

happy, and in particular to Dorothea and Luscinda. They all embraced one

another, and promised to let each other know how things went with them,

and Don Fernando directed the curate where to write to him, to tell him

what became of Don Quixote, assuring him that there was nothing that

could give him more pleasure than to hear of it, and that he too, on his

part, would send him word of everything he thought he would like to know,

about his marriage, Zoraida's baptism, Don Luis's affair, and Luscinda's

return to her home. The curate promised to comply with his request

carefully, and they embraced once more, and renewed their promises.