PART II - CHAPTER XXVI.

by Miguel de Cervantes

　　WHEREIN IS CONTINUED THE DROLL ADVENTURE OF THE PUPPET-SHOWMAN, TOGETHERWITH OTHER THINGS IN TRUTH RIGHT GOODAll were silent, Tyrians and Trojans; I mean all who were watching theshow were hanging on the lips of the interpreter of its wonders, whendrums and trumpets were heard to sound inside it and cannon to go off.The noise was soon over, and then the boy lifted up his voice and said,"This true story which is here represented to your worships is taken wordfor word from the French chronicles and from the Spanish ballads that arein everybody's mouth, and in the mouth of the boys about the streets. Itssubject is the release by Senor Don Gaiferos of his wife Melisendra, whena captive in Spain at the hands of the Moors in the city of Sansuena, forso they called then what is now called Saragossa; and there you may seehow Don Gaiferos is playing at the tables, just as they sing it--At tables playing Don Gaiferos sits,

　　For Melisendra is forgotten now.And that personage who appears there with a crown on his head and asceptre in his hand is the Emperor Charlemagne, the supposed father ofMelisendra, who, angered to see his son-in-law's inaction and unconcern,comes in to chide him; and observe with what vehemence and energy hechides him, so that you would fancy he was going to give him half a dozenraps with his sceptre; and indeed there are authors who say he did givethem, and sound ones too; and after having said a great deal to him aboutimperilling his honour by not effecting the release of his wife, he said,so the tale runs,Enough I've said, see to it now.Observe, too, how the emperor turns away, and leaves Don Gaiferos fuming;and you see now how in a burst of anger, he flings the table and theboard far from him and calls in haste for his armour, and asks his cousinDon Roland for the loan of his sword, Durindana, and how Don Rolandrefuses to lend it, offering him his company in the difficult enterprisehe is undertaking; but he, in his valour and anger, will not accept it,and says that he alone will suffice to rescue his wife, even though shewere imprisoned deep in the centre of the earth, and with this he retiresto arm himself and set out on his journey at once. Now let your worshipsturn your eyes to that tower that appears there, which is supposed to beone of the towers of the alcazar of Saragossa, now called the Aljaferia;that lady who appears on that balcony dressed in Moorish fashion is thepeerless Melisendra, for many a time she used to gaze from thence uponthe road to France, and seek consolation in her captivity by thinking ofParis and her husband. Observe, too, a new incident which now occurs,such as, perhaps, never was seen. Do you not see that Moor, who silentlyand stealthily, with his finger on his lip, approaches Melisendra frombehind? Observe now how he prints a kiss upon her lips, and what a hurryshe is in to spit, and wipe them with the white sleeve of her smock, andhow she bewails herself, and tears her fair hair as though it were toblame for the wrong. Observe, too, that the stately Moor who is in thatcorridor is King Marsilio of Sansuena, who, having seen the Moor'sinsolence, at once orders him (though his kinsman and a great favouriteof his) to be seized and given two hundred lashes, while carried throughthe streets of the city according to custom, with criers going before himand officers of justice behind; and here you see them come out to executethe sentence, although the offence has been scarcely committed; for amongthe Moors there are no indictments nor remands as with us."Here Don Quixote called out, "Child, child, go straight on with yourstory, and don't run into curves and slants, for to establish a factclearly there is need of a great deal of proof and confirmation;" andsaid Master Pedro from within, "Boy, stick to your text and do as thegentleman bids you; it's the best plan; keep to your plain song, anddon't attempt harmonies, for they are apt to break down from being overfine.""I will," said the boy, and he went on to say, "This figure that you seehere on horseback, covered with a Gascon cloak, is Don Gaiferos himself,whom his wife, now avenged of the insult of the amorous Moor, and takingher stand on the balcony of the tower with a calmer and more tranquilcountenance, has perceived without recognising him; and she addresses herhusband, supposing him to be some traveller, and holds with him all thatconversation and colloquy in the ballad that runs--If you, sir knight, to France are bound,

　　Oh! for Gaiferos ask--which I do not repeat here because prolixity begets disgust; suffice itto observe how Don Gaiferos discovers himself, and that by her joyfulgestures Melisendra shows us she has recognised him; and what is more, wenow see she lowers herself from the balcony to place herself on thehaunches of her good husband's horse. But ah! unhappy lady, the edge ofher petticoat has caught on one of the bars of the balcony and she isleft hanging in the air, unable to reach the ground. But you see howcompassionate heaven sends aid in our sorest need; Don Gaiferos advances,and without minding whether the rich petticoat is torn or not, he seizesher and by force brings her to the ground, and then with one jerk placesher on the haunches of his horse, astraddle like a man, and bids her holdon tight and clasp her arms round his neck, crossing them on his breastso as not to fall, for the lady Melisendra was not used to that style ofriding. You see, too, how the neighing of the horse shows hissatisfaction with the gallant and beautiful burden he bears in his lordand lady. You see how they wheel round and quit the city, and in joy andgladness take the road to Paris. Go in peace, O peerless pair of truelovers! May you reach your longed-for fatherland in safety, and mayfortune interpose no impediment to your prosperous journey; may the eyesof your friends and kinsmen behold you enjoying in peace and tranquillitythe remaining days of your life--and that they may be as many as those ofNestor!"Here Master Pedro called out again and said, "Simplicity, boy! None ofyour high flights; all affectation is bad."The interpreter made no answer, but went on to say, "There was no want ofidle eyes, that see everything, to see Melisendra come down and mount,and word was brought to King Marsilio, who at once gave orders to soundthe alarm; and see what a stir there is, and how the city is drowned withthe sound of the bells pealing in the towers of all the mosques.""Nay, nay," said Don Quixote at this; "on that point of the bells MasterPedro is very inaccurate, for bells are not in use among the Moors; onlykettledrums, and a kind of small trumpet somewhat like our clarion; toring bells this way in Sansuena is unquestionably a great absurdity."On hearing this, Master Pedro stopped ringing, and said, "Don't look intotrifles, Senor Don Quixote, or want to have things up to a pitch ofperfection that is out of reach. Are there not almost every day athousand comedies represented all round us full of thousands ofinaccuracies and absurdities, and, for all that, they have a successfulrun, and are listened to not only with applause, but with admiration andall the rest of it? Go on, boy, and don't mind; for so long as I fill mypouch, no matter if I show as many inaccuracies as there are motes in asunbeam.""True enough," said Don Quixote; and the boy went on: "See what anumerous and glittering crowd of horsemen issues from the city in pursuitof the two faithful lovers, what a blowing of trumpets there is, whatsounding of horns, what beating of drums and tabors; I fear me they willovertake them and bring them back tied to the tail of their own horse,which would be a dreadful sight."Don Quixote, however, seeing such a swarm of Moors and hearing such adin, thought it would be right to aid the fugitives, and standing up heexclaimed in a loud voice, "Never, while I live, will I permit foul playto be practised in my presence on such a famous knight and fearless loveras Don Gaiferos. Halt! ill-born rabble, follow him not nor pursue him, orye will have to reckon with me in battle!" and suiting the action to theword, he drew his sword, and with one bound placed himself close to theshow, and with unexampled rapidity and fury began to shower down blows onthe puppet troop of Moors, knocking over some, decapitating others,maiming this one and demolishing that; and among many more he deliveredone down stroke which, if Master Pedro had not ducked, made himselfsmall, and got out of the way, would have sliced off his head as easilyas if it had been made of almond-paste. Master Pedro kept shouting, "Holdhard! Senor Don Quixote! can't you see they're not real Moors you'reknocking down and killing and destroying, but only little pasteboardfigures! Look--sinner that I am!--how you're wrecking and ruining allthat I'm worth!" But in spite of this, Don Quixote did not leave offdischarging a continuous rain of cuts, slashes, downstrokes, andbackstrokes, and at length, in less than the space of two credos, hebrought the whole show to the ground, with all its fittings and figuresshivered and knocked to pieces, King Marsilio badly wounded, and theEmperor Charlemagne with his crown and head split in two. The wholeaudience was thrown into confusion, the ape fled to the roof of the inn,the cousin was frightened, and even Sancho Panza himself was in mightyfear, for, as he swore after the storm was over, he had never seen hismaster in such a furious passion.The complete destruction of the show being thus accomplished, Don Quixotebecame a little calmer, said, "I wish I had here before me now all thosewho do not or will not believe how useful knights-errant are in theworld; just think, if I had not been here present, what would have becomeof the brave Don Gaiferos and the fair Melisendra! Depend upon it, bythis time those dogs would have overtaken them and inflicted some outrageupon them. So, then, long live knight-errantry beyond everything livingon earth this day!""Let it live, and welcome," said Master Pedro at this in a feeble voice,"and let me die, for I am so unfortunate that I can say with King DonRodrigo--Yesterday was I lord of Spain

　　To-day I've not a turret left

　　That I may call mine own.Not half an hour, nay, barely a minute ago, I saw myself lord of kingsand emperors, with my stables filled with countless horses, and my trunksand bags with gay dresses unnumbered; and now I find myself ruined andlaid low, destitute and a beggar, and above all without my ape, for, bymy faith, my teeth will have to sweat for it before I have him caught;and all through the reckless fury of sir knight here, who, they say,protects the fatherless, and rights wrongs, and does other charitabledeeds; but whose generous intentions have been found wanting in my caseonly, blessed and praised be the highest heavens! Verily, knight of therueful figure he must be to have disfigured mine."Sancho Panza was touched by Master Pedro's words, and said to him, "Don'tweep and lament, Master Pedro; you break my heart; let me tell you mymaster, Don Quixote, is so catholic and scrupulous a Christian that, ifhe can make out that he has done you any wrong, he will own it, and bewilling to pay for it and make it good, and something over and above.""Only let Senor Don Quixote pay me for some part of the work he hasdestroyed," said Master Pedro, "and I would be content, and his worshipwould ease his conscience, for he cannot be saved who keeps what isanother's against the owner's will, and makes no restitution.""That is true," said Don Quixote; "but at present I am not aware that Ihave got anything of yours, Master Pedro.""What!" returned Master Pedro; "and these relics lying here on the barehard ground--what scattered and shattered them but the invinciblestrength of that mighty arm? And whose were the bodies they belonged tobut mine? And what did I get my living by but by them?""Now am I fully convinced," said Don Quixote, "of what I had many a timebefore believed; that the enchanters who persecute me do nothing morethan put figures like these before my eyes, and then change and turn theminto what they please. In truth and earnest, I assure you gentlemen whonow hear me, that to me everything that has taken place here seemed totake place literally, that Melisendra was Melisendra, Don Gaiferos DonGaiferos, Marsilio Marsilio, and Charlemagne Charlemagne. That was why myanger was roused; and to be faithful to my calling as a knight-errant Isought to give aid and protection to those who fled, and with this goodintention I did what you have seen. If the result has been the oppositeof what I intended, it is no fault of mine, but of those wicked beingsthat persecute me; but, for all that, I am willing to condemn myself incosts for this error of mine, though it did not proceed from malice; letMaster Pedro see what he wants for the spoiled figures, for I agree topay it at once in good and current money of Castile."Master Pedro made him a bow, saying, "I expected no less of the rareChristianity of the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha, true helper andprotector of all destitute and needy vagabonds; master landlord here andthe great Sancho Panza shall be the arbitrators and appraisers betweenyour worship and me of what these dilapidated figures are worth or may beworth."The landlord and Sancho consented, and then Master Pedro picked up fromthe ground King Marsilio of Saragossa with his head off, and said, "Hereyou see how impossible it is to restore this king to his former state, soI think, saving your better judgments, that for his death, decease, anddemise, four reals and a half may be given me.""Proceed," said Don Quixote."Well then, for this cleavage from top to bottom," continued MasterPedro, taking up the split Emperor Charlemagne, "it would not be much ifI were to ask five reals and a quarter.""It's not little," said Sancho."Nor is it much," said the landlord; "make it even, and say five reals.""Let him have the whole five and a quarter," said Don Quixote; "for thesum total of this notable disaster does not stand on a quarter more orless; and make an end of it quickly, Master Pedro, for it's getting on tosupper-time, and I have some hints of hunger.""For this figure," said Master Pedro, "that is without a nose, and wantsan eye, and is the fair Melisendra, I ask, and I am reasonable in mycharge, two reals and twelve maravedis.""The very devil must be in it," said Don Quixote, "if Melisendra and herhusband are not by this time at least on the French border, for the horsethey rode on seemed to me to fly rather than gallop; so you needn't tryto sell me the cat for the hare, showing me here a noseless Melisendrawhen she is now, may be, enjoying herself at her ease with her husband inFrance. God help every one to his own, Master Pedro, and let us allproceed fairly and honestly; and now go on."Master Pedro, perceiving that Don Quixote was beginning to wander, andreturn to his original fancy, was not disposed to let him escape, so hesaid to him, "This cannot be Melisendra, but must be one of the damselsthat waited on her; so if I'm given sixty maravedis for her, I'll becontent and sufficiently paid."And so he went on, putting values on ever so many more smashed figures,which, after the two arbitrators had adjusted them to the satisfaction ofboth parties, came to forty reals and three-quarters; and over and abovethis sum, which Sancho at once disbursed, Master Pedro asked for tworeals for his trouble in catching the ape."Let him have them, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "not to catch the ape, butto get drunk; and two hundred would I give this minute for the good news,to anyone who could tell me positively, that the lady Dona Melisandra andSenor Don Gaiferos were now in France and with their own people.""No one could tell us that better than my ape," said Master Pedro; "butthere's no devil that could catch him now; I suspect, however, thataffection and hunger will drive him to come looking for me to-night; butto-morrow will soon be here and we shall see."In short, the puppet-show storm passed off, and all supped in peace andgood fellowship at Don Quixote's expense, for he was the height ofgenerosity. Before it was daylight the man with the lances and halberdstook his departure, and soon after daybreak the cousin and the page cameto bid Don Quixote farewell, the former returning home, the latterresuming his journey, towards which, to help him, Don Quixote gave himtwelve reals. Master Pedro did not care to engage in any more palaverwith Don Quixote, whom he knew right well; so he rose before the sun, andhaving got together the remains of his show and caught his ape, he toowent off to seek his adventures. The landlord, who did not know DonQuixote, was as much astonished at his mad freaks as at his generosity.To conclude, Sancho, by his master's orders, paid him very liberally, andtaking leave of him they quitted the inn at about eight in the morningand took to the road, where we will leave them to pursue their journey,for this is necessary in order to allow certain other matters to be setforth, which are required to clear up this famous history.