PART II - CHAPTER XLVI.

by Miguel de Cervantes

　　OF THE TERRIBLE BELL AND CAT FRIGHT THAT DON QUIXOTE GOT IN THE COURSE OFTHE ENAMOURED ALTISIDORA'S WOOINGWe left Don Quixote wrapped up in the reflections which the music of theenamourned maid Altisidora had given rise to. He went to bed with them,and just like fleas they would not let him sleep or get a moment's rest,and the broken stitches of his stockings helped them. But as Time isfleet and no obstacle can stay his course, he came riding on the hours,and morning very soon arrived. Seeing which Don Quixote quitted the softdown, and, nowise slothful, dressed himself in his chamois suit and puton his travelling boots to hide the disaster to his stockings. He threwover him his scarlet mantle, put on his head a montera of green velvettrimmed with silver edging, flung across his shoulder the baldric withhis good trenchant sword, took up a large rosary that he always carriedwith him, and with great solemnity and precision of gait proceeded to theantechamber where the duke and duchess were already dressed and waitingfor him. But as he passed through a gallery, Altisidora and the otherdamsel, her friend, were lying in wait for him, and the instantAltisidora saw him she pretended to faint, while her friend caught her inher lap, and began hastily unlacing the bosom of her dress.Don Quixote observed it, and approaching them said, "I know very wellwhat this seizure arises from.""I know not from what," replied the friend, "for Altisidora is thehealthiest damsel in all this house, and I have never heard her complainall the time I have known her. A plague on all the knights-errant in theworld, if they be all ungrateful! Go away, Senor Don Quixote; for thispoor child will not come to herself again so long as you are here."To which Don Quixote returned, "Do me the favour, senora, to let a lutebe placed in my chamber to-night; and I will comfort this poor maiden tothe best of my power; for in the early stages of love a promptdisillusion is an approved remedy;" and with this he retired, so as notto be remarked by any who might see him there.He had scarcely withdrawn when Altisidora, recovering from her swoon,said to her companion, "The lute must be left, for no doubt Don Quixoteintends to give us some music; and being his it will not be bad."They went at once to inform the duchess of what was going on, and of thelute Don Quixote asked for, and she, delighted beyond measure, plottedwith the duke and her two damsels to play him a trick that should beamusing but harmless; and in high glee they waited for night, which camequickly as the day had come; and as for the day, the duke and duchessspent it in charming conversation with Don Quixote.When eleven o'clock came, Don Quixote found a guitar in his chamber; hetried it, opened the window, and perceived that some persons were walkingin the garden; and having passed his fingers over the frets of the guitarand tuned it as well as he could, he spat and cleared his chest, and thenwith a voice a little hoarse but full-toned, he sang the followingballad, which he had himself that day composed: Mighty Love the hearts of maidens Doth unsettle and perplex, And the instrument he uses Most of all is idleness. Sewing, stitching, any labour, Having always work to do, To the poison Love instilleth Is the antidote most sure. And to proper-minded maidens Who desire the matron's name Modesty's a marriage portion, Modesty their highest praise. Men of prudence and discretion, Courtiers gay and gallant knights, With the wanton damsels dally, But the modest take to wife. There are passions, transient, fleeting, Loves in hostelries declar'd, Sunrise loves, with sunset ended, When the guest hath gone his way. Love that springs up swift and sudden, Here to-day, to-morrow flown, Passes, leaves no trace behind it, Leaves no image on the soul. Painting that is laid on painting Maketh no display or show; Where one beauty's in possession There no other can take hold. Dulcinea del Toboso Painted on my heart I wear; Never from its tablets, never, Can her image be eras'd. The quality of all in lovers Most esteemed is constancy; 'T is by this that love works wonders, This exalts them to the skies. Don Quixote had got so far with his song, to which the duke, the duchess,Altisidora, and nearly the whole household of the castle were listening,when all of a sudden from a gallery above that was exactly over hiswindow they let down a cord with more than a hundred bells attached toit, and immediately after that discharged a great sack full of cats,which also had bells of smaller size tied to their tails. Such was thedin of the bells and the squalling of the cats, that though the duke andduchess were the contrivers of the joke they were startled by it, whileDon Quixote stood paralysed with fear; and as luck would have it, two orthree of the cats made their way in through the grating of his chamber,and flying from one side to the other, made it seem as if there was alegion of devils at large in it. They extinguished the candles that wereburning in the room, and rushed about seeking some way of escape; thecord with the large bells never ceased rising and falling; and most ofthe people of the castle, not knowing what was really the matter, were attheir wits' end with astonishment. Don Quixote sprang to his feet, anddrawing his sword, began making passes at the grating, shouting out,"Avaunt, malignant enchanters! avaunt, ye witchcraft-working rabble! I amDon Quixote of La Mancha, against whom your evil machinations avail notnor have any power." And turning upon the cats that were running aboutthe room, he made several cuts at them. They dashed at the grating andescaped by it, save one that, finding itself hard pressed by the slashesof Don Quixote's sword, flew at his face and held on to his nose toothand nail, with the pain of which he began to shout his loudest. The dukeand duchess hearing this, and guessing what it was, ran with all haste tohis room, and as the poor gentleman was striving with all his might todetach the cat from his face, they opened the door with a master-key andwent in with lights and witnessed the unequal combat. The duke ranforward to part the combatants, but Don Quixote cried out aloud, "Let noone take him from me; leave me hand to hand with this demon, this wizard,this enchanter; I will teach him, I myself, who Don Quixote of La Manchais." The cat, however, never minding these threats, snarled and held on;but at last the duke pulled it off and flung it out of the window. DonQuixote was left with a face as full of holes as a sieve and a nose notin very good condition, and greatly vexed that they did not let himfinish the battle he had been so stoutly fighting with that villain of anenchanter. They sent for some oil of John's wort, and Altisidora herselfwith her own fair hands bandaged all the wounded parts; and as she did soshe said to him in a low voice. "All these mishaps have befallen thee,hardhearted knight, for the sin of thy insensibility and obstinacy; andGod grant thy squire Sancho may forget to whip himself, so that thatdearly beloved Dulcinea of thine may never be released from herenchantment, that thou mayest never come to her bed, at least while I whoadore thee am alive."To all this Don Quixote made no answer except to heave deep sighs, andthen stretched himself on his bed, thanking the duke and duchess fortheir kindness, not because he stood in any fear of that bell-ringingrabble of enchanters in cat shape, but because he recognised their goodintentions in coming to his rescue. The duke and duchess left him torepose and withdrew greatly grieved at the unfortunate result of thejoke; as they never thought the adventure would have fallen so heavy onDon Quixote or cost him so dear, for it cost him five days of confinementto his bed, during which he had another adventure, pleasanter than thelate one, which his chronicler will not relate just now in order that hemay turn his attention to Sancho Panza, who was proceeding with greatdiligence and drollery in his government.