InLibrary.org - "And while the good Sancho was amusing himself with the goats," saidthe duke, "how did Senor Don Quixote amuse himself?" To which Don Quixote replied, "As all the

"And while the good Sancho was amusing himself with the goats," saidthe duke, "how did Senor Don Quixote amuse himself?"

To which Don Quixote replied, "As all these things and such likeoccurrences are out of the ordinary course of nature, it is nowonder that Sancho says what he does; for my own part I can only saythat I did not uncover my eyes either above or below, nor did I seesky or earth or sea or shore. It is true I felt that I was passingthrough the region of the air, and even that I touched that of fire;but that we passed farther I cannot believe; for the region of firebeing between the heaven of the moon and the last region of the air,we could not have reached that heaven where the seven goats Sanchospeaks of are without being burned; and as we were not burned,either Sancho is lying or Sancho is dreaming."

"I am neither lying nor dreaming," said Sancho; "only ask me thetokens of those same goats, and you'll see by that whether I'm tellingthe truth or not."

"Tell us them then, Sancho," said the duchess.

"Two of them," said Sancho, "are green, two blood-red, two blue, andone a mixture of all colours."

"An odd sort of goat, that," said the duke; "in this earthlyregion of ours we have no such colours; I mean goats of such colours."

"That's very plain," said Sancho; "of course there must be adifference between the goats of heaven and the goats of the earth."

"Tell me, Sancho," said the duke, "did you see any he-goat amongthose goats?"

"No, senor," said Sancho; "but I have heard say that none everpassed the horns of the moon."

They did not care to ask him anything more about his journey, forthey saw he was in the vein to go rambling all over the heavens givingan account of everything that went on there, without having everstirred from the garden. Such, in short, was the end of theadventure of the Distressed Duenna, which gave the duke and duchesslaughing matter not only for the time being, but for all theirlives, and Sancho something to talk about for ages, if he lived solong; but Don Quixote, coming close to his ear, said to him,"Sancho, as you would have us believe what you saw in heaven, Irequire you to believe me as to what I saw in the cave ofMontesinos; I say no more."

CHAPTER XLII

OF THE COUNSELS WHICH DON QUIXOTE GAVE SANCHO PANZA BEFORE HE SETOUT TO GOVERN THE ISLAND, TOGETHER WITH OTHER WELL-CONSIDERED MATTERS

The duke and duchess were so well pleased with the successful anddroll result of the adventure of the Distressed One, that theyresolved to carry on the joke, seeing what a fit subject they had todeal with for making it all pass for reality. So having laid theirplans and given instructions to their servants and vassals how tobehave to Sancho in his government of the promised island, the nextday, that following Clavileno's flight, the duke told Sancho toprepare and get ready to go and be governor, for his islanders werealready looking out for him as for the showers of May.

Sancho made him an obeisance, and said, "Ever since I came down fromheaven, and from the top of it beheld the earth, and saw how little itis, the great desire I had to be a governor has been partly cooledin me; for what is there grand in being ruler on a grain of mustardseed, or what dignity or authority in governing half a dozen men aboutas big as hazel nuts; for, so far as I could see, there were no moreon the whole earth? If your lordship would be so good as to give meever so small a bit of heaven, were it no more than half a league, I'drather have it than the best island in the world."

"Recollect, Sancho," said the duke, "I cannot give a bit ofheaven, no not so much as the breadth of my nail, to anyone; rewardsand favours of that sort are reserved for God alone. What I can give Igive you, and that is a real, genuine island, compact, wellproportioned, and uncommonly fertile and fruitful, where, if youknow how to use your opportunities, you may, with the help of theworld's riches, gain those of heaven."

"Well then," said Sancho, "let the island come; and I'll try andbe such a governor, that in spite of scoundrels I'll go to heaven; andit's not from any craving to quit my own humble condition or bettermyself, but from the desire I have to try what it tastes like to bea governor."

"If you once make trial of it, Sancho," said the duke, "you'll eatyour fingers off after the government, so sweet a thing is it tocommand and be obeyed. Depend upon it when your master comes to beemperor (as he will beyond a doubt from the course his affairs aretaking), it will be no easy matter to wrest the dignity from him,and he will be sore and sorry at heart to have been so long withoutbecoming one."

"Senor," said Sancho, "it is my belief it's a good thing to be incommand, if it's only over a drove of cattle."

"May I be buried with you, Sancho," said the duke, "but you knoweverything; I hope you will make as good a governor as your sagacitypromises; and that is all I have to say; and now remember to-morrow isthe day you must set out for the government of the island, and thisevening they will provide you with the proper attire for you towear, and all things requisite for your departure."

"Let them dress me as they like," said Sancho; "however I'mdressed I'll be Sancho Panza."

"That's true," said the duke; "but one's dress must be suited to theoffice or rank one holds; for it would not do for a jurist to dresslike a soldier, or a soldier like a priest. You, Sancho, shall gopartly as a lawyer, partly as a captain, for, in the island I amgiving you, arms are needed as much as letters, and letters as much asarms."

"Of letters I know but little," said Sancho, "for I don't evenknow the A B C; but it is enough for me to have the Christus in mymemory to be a good governor. As for arms, I'll handle those they giveme till I drop, and then, God be my help!"

"With so good a memory," said the duke, "Sancho cannot go wrong inanything."

Here Don Quixote joined them; and learning what passed, and how soonSancho was to go to his government, he with the duke's permission tookhim by the hand, and retired to his room with him for the purpose ofgiving him advice as to how he was to demean himself in his office. Assoon as they had entered the chamber he closed the door after him, andalmost by force made Sancho sit down beside him, and in a quiet tonethus addressed him: "I give infinite thanks to heaven, friendSancho, that, before I have met with any good luck, fortune has comeforward to meet thee. I who counted upon my good fortune todischarge the recompense of thy services, find myself still waitingfor advancement, while thou, before the time, and contrary to allreasonable expectation, seest thyself blessed in the fulfillment ofthy desires. Some will bribe, beg, solicit, rise early, entreat,persist, without attaining the object of their suit; while anothercomes, and without knowing why or wherefore, finds himself investedwith the place or office so many have sued for; and here it is thatthe common saying, 'There is good luck as well as bad luck insuits,' applies. Thou, who, to my thinking, art beyond all doubt adullard, without early rising or night watching or taking any trouble,with the mere breath of knight-errantry that has breathed upon thee,seest thyself without more ado governor of an island, as though itwere a mere matter of course. This I say, Sancho, that thouattribute not the favour thou hast received to thine own merits, butgive thanks to heaven that disposes matters beneficently, and secondlythanks to the great power the profession of knight-errantry containsin itself. With a heart, then, inclined to believe what I have said tothee, attend, my son, to thy Cato here who would counsel thee and bethy polestar and guide to direct and pilot thee to a safe haven out ofthis stormy sea wherein thou art about to ingulf thyself; foroffices and great trusts are nothing else but a mighty gulf oftroubles.

"First of all, my son, thou must fear God, for in the fear of him iswisdom, and being wise thou canst not err in aught.

"Secondly, thou must keep in view what thou art, striving to knowthyself, the most difficult thing to know that the mind can imagine.If thou knowest thyself, it will follow thou wilt not puff thyselfup like the frog that strove to make himself as large as the ox; ifthou dost, the recollection of having kept pigs in thine own countrywill serve as the ugly feet for the wheel of thy folly."

"That's the truth," said Sancho; "but that was when I was a boy;afterwards when I was something more of a man it was geese I kept, notpigs. But to my thinking that has nothing to do with it; for all whoare governors don't come of a kingly stock."

"True," said Don Quixote, "and for that reason those who are notof noble origin should take care that the dignity of the office theyhold he accompanied by a gentle suavity, which wisely managed willsave them from the sneers of malice that no station escapes.

"Glory in thy humble birth, Sancho, and he not ashamed of sayingthou art peasant-born; for when it is seen thou art not ashamed no onewill set himself to put thee to the blush; and pride thyself ratherupon being one of lowly virtue than a lofty sinner. Countless are theywho, born of mean parentage, have risen to the highest dignities,pontifical and imperial, and of the truth of this I could give theeinstances enough to weary thee.

"Remember, Sancho, if thou make virtue thy aim, and take a pridein doing virtuous actions, thou wilt have no cause to envy those whohave princely and lordly ones, for blood is an inheritance, but virtuean acquisition, and virtue has in itself alone a worth that blood doesnot possess.

"This being so, if perchance anyone of thy kinsfolk should come tosee thee when thou art in thine island, thou art not to repel orslight him, but on the contrary to welcome him, entertain him, andmake much of him; for in so doing thou wilt be approved of heaven(which is not pleased that any should despise what it hath made),and wilt comply with the laws of well-ordered nature.

"If thou carriest thy wife with thee (and it is not well for thosethat administer governments to be long without their wives), teach andinstruct her, and strive to smooth down her natural roughness; for allthat may be gained by a wise governor may be lost and wasted by aboorish stupid wife.

"If perchance thou art left a widower- a thing which may happen- andin virtue of thy office seekest a consort of higher degree, choose notone to serve thee for a hook, or for a fishing-rod, or for the hood ofthy 'won't have it;' for verily, I tell thee, for all the judge's wifereceives, the husband will be held accountable at the generalcalling to account; where he will have repay in death fourfold,items that in life he regarded as naught.

"Never go by arbitrary law, which is so much favoured by ignorantmen who plume themselves on cleverness.

"Let the tears of the poor man find with thee more compassion, butnot more justice, than the pleadings of the rich.

"Strive to lay bare the truth, as well amid the promises andpresents of the rich man, as amid the sobs and entreaties of the poor.

"When equity may and should be brought into play, press not theutmost rigour of the law against the guilty; for the reputation of thestern judge stands not higher than that of the compassionate.

"If perchance thou permittest the staff of justice to swerve, let itbe not by the weight of a gift, but by that of mercy.

"If it should happen thee to give judgment in the cause of one whois thine enemy, turn thy thoughts away from thy injury and fix them onthe justice of the case.

"Let not thine own passion blind thee in another man's cause; forthe errors thou wilt thus commit will be most frequently irremediable;or if not, only to be remedied at the expense of thy good name andeven of thy fortune.

"If any handsome woman come to seek justice of thee, turn away thineeyes from her tears and thine ears from her lamentations, and considerdeliberately the merits of her demand, if thou wouldst not have thyreason swept away by her weeping, and thy rectitude by her sighs.

"Abuse not by word him whom thou hast to punish in deed, for thepain of punishment is enough for the unfortunate without theaddition of thine objurgations.

"Bear in mind that the culprit who comes under thy jurisdiction isbut a miserable man subject to all the propensities of our depravednature, and so far as may be in thy power show thyself lenient andforbearing; for though the attributes of God are all equal, to oureyes that of mercy is brighter and loftier than that of justice.

"If thou followest these precepts and rules, Sancho, thy days willbe long, thy fame eternal, thy reward abundant, thy felicityunutterable; thou wilt marry thy children as thou wouldst; they andthy grandchildren will bear titles; thou wilt live in peace andconcord with all men; and, when life draws to a close, death will cometo thee in calm and ripe old age, and the light and loving hands ofthy great-grandchildren will close thine eyes.

"What I have thus far addressed to thee are instructions for theadornment of thy mind; listen now to those which tend to that of thebody."

CHAPTER XLIII

OF THE SECOND SET OF COUNSELS DON QUIXOTE GAVE SANCHO PANZA

Who, hearing the foregoing discourse of Don Quixote, would nothave set him down for a person of great good sense and greaterrectitude of purpose? But, as has been frequently observed in thecourse of this great history, he only talked nonsense when hetouched on chivalry, and in discussing all other subjects showedthat he had a clear and unbiassed understanding; so that at every turnhis acts gave the lie to his intellect, and his intellect to his acts;but in the case of these second counsels that he gave Sancho he showedhimself to have a lively turn of humour, and displayed conspicuouslyhis wisdom, and also his folly.

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Miqeul de Cervantes >> Don Quixote (page 120)