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Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra · c. 1605–1615 primary

passage 518 of 841 · CHAPTER I WHICH TREATS OF THE CHARACTER AND > CHAPTER XIV. (6/9)

in brief
Don Quixote insists the Mirror Knight is deceived and demands a clear look, then both mount to charge; Sancho urges Don Quixote to help him climb a cork tree to watch, fearing the monster-like nose.

I vanquished as one egg is like another, but as you say enchanters persecute you, I will not venture to say positively whether you are the said person or not.”

“That,” said Don Quixote, “is enough to convince me that you are under a deception; however, entirely to relieve you of it, let our horses be brought, and in less time than it would take you to raise your visor, if God, my lady, and my arm stand me in good stead, I shall see your face, and you shall see that I am not the vanquished Don Quixote you take me to be.”

With this, cutting short the colloquy, they mounted, and Don Quixote wheeled Rocinante round in order to take a proper distance to charge back upon his adversary, and he of the Mirrors did the same; but Don Quixote had not moved away twenty paces when he heard himself called by the other, and, each returning half-way, he of the Mirrors said to him, “Remember, sir knight, that the terms of our combat are, that the vanquished, as I said before, shall be at the victor’s disposal.”

“I am aware of it already,” said Don Quixote; “provided what is commanded and imposed upon the vanquished be things that do not transgress the limits of chivalry.”

“That is understood,” replied he of the Mirrors.

At this moment the extraordinary nose of the squire presented itself to Don Quixote’s view, and he was no less amazed than Sancho at the sight; insomuch that he set him down as a monster of some kind, or a human being of some new species or unearthly breed. Sancho, seeing his master retiring to run his course, did not like to be left alone with the nosy man, fearing that with one flap of that nose on his own the battle would be all over for him and he would be left stretched on the ground, either by the blow or with fright; so he ran after his master, holding on to Rocinante’s stirrup-leather, and when it seemed to him time to turn about, he said, “I implore of your worship, señor, before you turn to charge, to help me up into this cork tree, from which I will be able to witness the gallant encounter your worship is going to have with this knight, more to my taste and better than from the ground.”

“It seems to me rather, Sancho,” said Don Quixote, “that thou wouldst mount a scaffold in order to see the bulls without danger.”

“To tell the truth,” returned Sancho, “the monstrous nose of that squire has filled me with fear and terror, and I dare not stay near him.”

“It is,” said Don Quixote, “such a one that were I not what I am it would terrify me too; so, come, I will help thee up where thou wilt.”

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topics: conquest, plunder, and captives · magic, witchcraft, and the occult · strategy and the aims of war

Don Quixote · Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra · 1605–1615