While uttering these words he showed such weakness that the bystanders

expected each return of faintness would take his life with it. Then

Quiteria, overcome with modesty and shame, holding in her right hand the

hand of Basilio, said, "No force would bend my will; as freely,

therefore, as it is possible for me to do so, I give thee the hand of a

lawful wife, and take thine if thou givest it to me of thine own free

will, untroubled and unaffected by the calamity thy hasty act has brought

upon thee."

"Yes, I give it," said Basilio, "not agitated or distracted, but with

unclouded reason that heaven is pleased to grant me, thus do I give

myself to be thy husband."

"And I give myself to be thy wife," said Quiteria, "whether thou livest

many years, or they carry thee from my arms to the grave."

"For one so badly wounded," observed Sancho at this point, "this young

man has a great deal to say; they should make him leave off billing and

cooing, and attend to his soul; for to my thinking he has it more on his

tongue than at his teeth."

Basilio and Quiteria having thus joined hands, the priest, deeply moved

and with tears in his eyes, pronounced the blessing upon them, and

implored heaven to grant an easy passage to the soul of the newly wedded

man, who, the instant he received the blessing, started nimbly to his

feet and with unparalleled effrontery pulled out the rapier that had been

sheathed in his body. All the bystanders were astounded, and some, more

simple than inquiring, began shouting, "A miracle, a miracle!" But

Basilio replied, "No miracle, no miracle; only a trick, a trick!" The

priest, perplexed and amazed, made haste to examine the wound with both

hands, and found that the blade had passed, not through Basilio's flesh

and ribs, but through a hollow iron tube full of blood, which he had

adroitly fixed at the place, the blood, as was afterwards ascertained,

having been so prepared as not to congeal. In short, the priest and

Camacho and most of those present saw they were tricked and made fools

of. The bride showed no signs of displeasure at the deception; on the

contrary, hearing them say that the marriage, being fraudulent, would not

be valid, she said that she confirmed it afresh, whence they all

concluded that the affair had been planned by agreement and understanding

between the pair, whereat Camacho and his supporters were so mortified

that they proceeded to revenge themselves by violence, and a great number

of them drawing their swords attacked Basilio, in whose protection as

many more swords were in an instant unsheathed, while Don Quixote taking

the lead on horseback, with his lance over his arm and well covered with

his shield, made all give way before him. Sancho, who never found any

pleasure or enjoyment in such doings, retreated to the wine-jars from

which he had taken his delectable skimmings, considering that, as a holy

place, that spot would be respected.




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