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The First BookChapter II.
Chapter II.
Of the First Sally That Don Quixote Made to Seek Adventures
Things being thus ordered, he would defer the execution of his designs no
longer, being spurred on the more vehemently by the want which he esteemed his
delays wrought in the world, according to the wrongs that he resolved to
right, the harms he meant to redress, the excesses he would amend, the abuses
that he would better, and the debts he would satisfy. And therefore, without
acquainting any living creature with his intentions, he, unseen of any, upon a
certain morning, somewhat before the day (being one of the warmest of July),
armed himself cap-a-pie, mounted on Rozinante, laced on his ill-contrived
helmet, embraced his target, took his lance, and by a postern door of his base
- court issued out to the field, marvellous jocund and content to see with
what facility he had commenced his good desires. But scarce had he sallied to
the fields, when he was suddenly assaulted by a terrible thought, and such a
one as did well - nigh overthrow his former good purposes; which was, he
remembered he was not yet dubbed knight, and therefore, by the laws of
knighthood, neither could nor ought to combat with any knight: and though he
were one, yet ought he to wear white armour like a new knight, without any
device in his shield until he did win it by force of arms.
These thoughts did make him stagger in his purposes; but his follies
prevailing more than any other reason, he purposed to cause himself to be
knighted by the first he met, to the imitation of many others that did the
same, as he had read in the books which distracted him. As touching white
armour, he resolved, with the first opportunity, to scour his own so well,
that they should rest whiter than ermines. And thus he pacified his mind and
prosecuted his journey, without choosing any other way than that which his
horse pleased, believing that therein consisted the vigour of knightly
adventures. Our burnished adventurer, travelling thus onward, did parley with
himself in this manner: `Who doubts, in the ensuing ages, when the true
history of my famous acts shall come to light, but that the wise man who shall
write it, will begin it, when he comes to declare this my first sally so early
in the morning, after this manner? - "Scarce had the ruddy Apollo spread over
the face of the vast and spacious earth the golden twists of his beautiful
hairs, and scarce had the little enamelled birds with their naked tongues
saluted with sweet and mellifluous harmony the arrival of rosy Aurora, when,
abandoning her jealous husband`s soft couch, she shows herself to mortal
wights through the gates and windows of the Manchegall horizon; when the
famous knight, Don Quixote of the Mancha, abandoning the slothful plumes, did
mount upon his renowned horse Rozinante, and began to travel through the
ancient and known fields of Montiel"` (as indeed he did). And following still
on with his discourse, he said: `Oh, happy the age, and fortunate the time,
wherein my famous feats shall be revealed, feats worthy to be graven in brass,
carved in marble, and delivered with most curious art in tables, for a future
instruction and memory. And, thou wise enchanter, whosoever thou beest, whom
it shall concern to be the chronicler of this strange history, I desire thee
not to forget my good horse Rozinante, mine eternal and inseparable companion
in all my journeys and courses.` And then, as if he were verily enamoured, he
said: `O Princess Dulcinea! lady of this captive heart! much wrong hast thou
done me by dismissing me, and reproaching me with the rigorous decree and
commandment, not to appear before thy beauty. I pray thee, sweet lady, deign
to remember thee of this poor subjected heart, that for thy love suffers so
many tortures!` And with these words he inserted a thousand other ravings, all
after the same manner that his books taught him, imitating as near as he could
their very phrase and language, and did ride therewithal so slow a pace, and
the sun did mount so swiftly, and with so great heat, as it was sufficient to
melt his brains, if he had had any left.
He travelled almost all that day without encountering anything worthy the
recital, which made him to fret for anger; for he desired to encounter
presently some one upon whom he might make trial of his invincible strength.
Some authors write that his first adventure was that of the Lapicean straits;
others, that of the Windmills: but what I could only find out in this affair,
and which I have found written in the annals of the Mancha, is that he
travelled all that day long, and at night both he and his horse were tired,
and marvelously pressed by hunger; and, looking about him on every side to see
whether he could discover any castle or sheepfold wherein he might retire
himself for that night, and remedy his wants, he perceived an inn near unto
the highway wherein he travelled, which was as welcome a sight to him as if he
had seen a star that did address him to the porch, if not to the palace, of
his redemption. Then, spurring his horse, he hied all he might towards it, and
arrived much about nightfall. There stood by chance at the inn door two young
women, adventurers likewise, which travelled toward Seville with certain
carriers, and did by chance take up their lodging in that inn the same
evening; and, forasmuch as our knight-errant esteemed all which he thought,
saw, or imagined, was done or did really pass in the very same form as he had
read the like in his books, forthwith, as soon as he espied the vent, he
feigned to himself that it was a castle with four turrets, whereof the
pinnacles were of glistening silver, without omitting the drawbridge, deep
fosse, and other adherents belonging to the like places. And approaching by
little and little to the vent, when he drew near to it, checking Rozinante
with the bridle, he rested a while to see whether any dwarf would mount on the
battlements to give warning with the sound of a trumpet how some knight did
approach the castle; but seeing they stayed so long, and also, that Rozinante
kept a coil to go to his stable, he went to the inn door, and there beheld the
two loose baggages that stood at it, whom he presently supposed to be two
beautiful damsels or lovely ladies, that did solace themselves before the
castle gates. And in this space it befel by chance, that a certain swineherd,
as he gathered together his hogs, blew the horn whereat they are wont to come
together; and instantly Don Quixote imagined it was what he desired, to wit,
some dwarf who gave notice of his arrival; and therefore, with marvellous
satisfaction of mind he approached to the inn and ladies; who beholding one
armed in that manner to draw so near, with his lance and target they made much
haste, being greatly affrighted, to get to their lodging. But Don Quixote
perceiving their fear by their flight, lifting up his pasted beaver, and
discovering his withered and dusty countenance, did accost them with gentle
demeanour and grave words in this manner: `Let not your ladyships flee, nor
fear any outrage; for to the order of knighthood which I do profess, it
toucheth nor appertaineth not to wrong anybody, and least of all such worthy
damsels as your presence denote you to be.` The wenches looked on him very
earnestly, and did search with their eyes for the visage, which his
ill-fashioned beaver did conceal; but when they heard themselves termed
damsels, a thing so far from their profession, they could not contain their
laughter, which was so loud, as Don Quixote waxed ashamed thereat; and
therefore said to them: `Modesty is a comely ornament of the beautiful, and
the excessive laughter that springs from a light occasion must be reputed
great folly. But I do not object this unto you to make you the more ashamed,
or that you should take it in ill part; for my desire is none other than to do
you all the honour and service I may.` This he spake unto them in such uncouth
words as they could not understand him, which was an occasion, joined with his
own uncomeliness, to increase their laughter and his wrath, which would have
passed the bounds of reason, if the innkeeper had not come out at the instant,
being a man who, by reason of his exceeding fatness, must needs have been of a
very peaceable condition; how, beholding that counterfeit figure, all armed in
so unsuitable armour as were his bridle, lance, target, and corslet, was very
near to have kept the damsels company in the pleasant shows of his merriment,
but fearing in effect the machina and bulk contrived of so various furnitures,
he determined to speak him fairly; and therefore began to him in this manner:
`If your worship, sir knight, do seek for lodging, you may chalk yourself a
bed for there is none in this inn, wherein you shall find all other things in
abundance.` Don Quixote, noting the lowliness of the constable of that
fortress (for such the inn and innkeeper seemed unto him), answered,
`Anything, sir constable, may serve me; for mine arms are mine ornaments, and
battles mine ease, etc.` The host thought he had called him a castellano or
constable, because he esteemed him to be one of the sincere and honest men of
Castile, whereas he was indeed an Andalusian, and of the commark of St.
Lucars, no less thievish than Cacus, nor less malicious and crafty than a
student or page; and therefore he answered him thus: `If that be so, your bed
must be hard rocks, and your sleep a perpetual watching; and being such, you
may boldly alight, and shall find certainly here occasion and opportunity to
hold you waking this twelvemonth more, for one night.` And, saying so, laid
hold on Don Quixote`s stirrup, who did forthwith alight, though it was with
great difficulty and pain (as one that had not eaten all the day one crumb),
and then he requested his host to have special care of his horse, saying, he
was one of the best pieces that ever ate bread. The innkeeper viewed and
reviewed him, to whom he did not seem half so good as Don Quixote valued him,
and, setting him up in the stable, he turned to see what his guest would
command, who was a - disarming by both the damsels (which were by this time
reconciled to him), who, though they had taken off his breastplate and back
parts, yet knew they not how, nor could anywise undo his gorget, nor take off
his counterfeit beaver, which he had fastened on with green ribbons; and by
reason the knots were so intricate, it was requisite they should be cut,
whereunto he would not in anywise agree; and therefore remained all the night
with his helmet on, and was the strangest and pleasantest figure thereby that
one might behold. And as he was a - disarming (imagining those light wenches
that helped him to be certain principal ladies and dames of that castle), he
said unto them, with a very good grace: `Never was any knight so well attended
on and served by ladies as was Don Quixote: when he departed from his village,
damsels attended on him, and princesses on his horse. O Rozinante! - for,
ladies, that is the name of my horse, and Don Quixote de la Mancha is mine
own. For although I meant at the first not to have discovered myself, until
the acts done in your service and benefit should manifest me; yet the
necessity of accommodating to our present purpose the old romance of Sir
Launcelot, hath been an occasion that you should know my name before the right
season. But the time will come wherein your ladyships may command me, and I
obey, and then the valour of mine arm shall discover the desire I have to do
you service.`
[See Quixote`s Ladies: Ladies performed office for him.]
The wenches being unaccustomed to hear so rhetorical terms, answered
never a word to him, but only demanded whether he would eat anything. "That I
would,` replied Don Quixote, `forasmuch as I think the taking of a little meat
would be very behooveful for me.` It chanced by hap to be on Friday, and
therefore there was no other meat in the inn than a few pieces of a fish
called in Castile abadexo, in Andalusia bacallao, and in some places
curadillo, and in others truchuela, and is but poor-john.
They demanded of him, therefore, whether he would eat thereof, giving it
the name, used in that place, of truchuela, or little trout; for there was no
other fish in all the inn to present unto him but such. `Why, then,` quoth Don
Quixote, `bring it in; for if there be many little trouts they may serve me
instead of a great one; it being all one to me, to be paid my money (if I were
to receive any) in eight single reals, or to be paid the same in one real of
eight. And, moreover, those little trouts are perhaps like unto veal, which is
much more delicate flesh than beef; or the kid, which is better than the goat;
but be it what it list, let it be brought in presently; for the labour and
weight of arms cannot be well borne without the well-supplying of the guts.`
Then was there straight laid a table at the inn door, that he mought take the
air; and the host brought him a portion of evil - watered and worse - boiled
poor-john, and a loaf as black and hoary as his harness. But the only sport
was to behold him eat; for by reason his helmet was on, and his beaver lifted,
he could put nothing into his mouth himself if others did not help him to find
the way, and therefore one of those ladies served his turn in that; but it was
altogether impossible to give him drink after that manner, and would have
remained so for ever, if the innkeeper had not bored a cane, and setting the
one end in his mouth, poured down the wine at the other: all which he suffered
most patiently, because he would not break the ribbons of his helmet. And as
he sat at supper, there arrived by chance a sowgelder, who, as soon as he came
to the inn, did sound four or five times a whistle of canes, the which did
confirm Don Quixote that he was in some famous castle, where he was served
with music; and that the poor-john was trouts; the bread of the finest
flour; the whores, ladies; and the innkeeper, constable of that castle;
wherefore he accounted his resolution and departure from his own house very
well employed. But that which did most afflict him was, that he was not yet
dubbed knight, forasmuch as he was fully persuaded that he could not lawfully
enterprise, or follow any adventure, until he received the order of
knighthood.
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