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"By my faith, brother," said he of the Grove, "my stomach is not made for thistles, or wild pears, or roots of the woods; let our masters do as they like, with their chivalry notions and laws, and eat what those enjoin; I carry my prog-basket and this bota hanging to the saddle-bow, whatever they may say; and it is such an object of worship with me, and I love it so, that there is hardly a moment but I am kissing and embracing it over and over again;" and so saying he thrust it into Sancho's hands, who raising it aloft pointed to his mouth, gazed at the stars for a quarter of an hour; and when he had done drinking let his head fall on one side, and giving a deep sigh, exclaimed, "Ah, whoreson rogue, how catholic it is!"
"Is it a bear?" cried Bab, rushing after her, beater in hand, for a dancing bear was the delight of her heart. "Sancho's found! Sancho's found!" shouted Thorny, throwing up his hat like a lunatic. "Found, found, found!" echoed Betty, dancing wildly about as if she too had lost her little wits. "Where? how? when? who did it?" asked Mrs. Moss, clapping her dusty hands delightedly.
Then followed other carts, with other sages, and Sancho's face suddenly lighted up, for he heard sweet music in the distance, and he said to the Duchess: "Señora, where there is music, there can be no mischief." But Don Quixote would not commit himself, for all he remarked was: "That remains to be seen."
The Duke wanted to call him back, but he was in such hysterics from hearing Sancho's proverbial nonsense that he could not speak.
The bachelor was filled with amazement when he heard Sancho's phraseology and style of talk, for though he had read the first part of his master's history he never thought that he could be so droll as he was there described; but now, hearing him talk of a "will and codicil that could not be provoked," instead of "will and codicil that could not be revoked," he believed all he had read of him, and set him down as one of the greatest simpletons of modern times; and he said to himself that two such lunatics as master and man the world had never seen.
"By all that's good," said one of the peasants as he heard Sancho's decision, "but the gentleman has spoken like a saint, and given judgment like a canon! But I'll be bound the fat man won't part with an ounce of his flesh, not to say eleven stone."
"It's little you'll make o' that, Mistress Mabel," put in Muir; "that's little by nature. "I know the spot you mean, Quartermaster; Sancho's Island coral rock, of new formation, and as bad a landfall, in a dark night and blowing weather, as a sinner could wish to keep clear of. It's a famous place for cocoanuts and bitter water, that Sancho's Island."
Yet, never had Loring heard such pathetic pleading, never had he seen child or woman in such utter abandonment of woe. Never had he thought it possible that Pancha, the siren of Sancho's ranch cold, crafty, luring, designing, treacherous as any Carmen ever since portrayed upon the stage could be capable of such intensity of feeling.
He told all that quickly gathered round them that they could assure themselves of the truth of what he said by fitting Sancho's saddle to his own steed; furthermore, he said, they had plundered him of a basin. When Don Quixote heard this ridiculous accusation, his lips twisted into a scornful smile.
Then Don Quixote came forward and said, "Tell me, thou that answerest, was that which I describe as having happened to me in the cave of Montesinos the truth or a dream? Will Sancho's whipping be accomplished without fail? Will the disenchantment of Dulcinea be brought about?" "As to the question of the cave," was the reply, "there is much to be said; there is something of both in it.
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