great trespassers that way. Alack-a-day! mere element must be our daily beverage,-ditch-water, for want of better,-in woods and deserts, on rocks and mountains, without lighting on the blessing of one merciful drop of wine, though you would give one of your eyes for a single gulp."

"I believe it, Sancho," said the duchess; "but now it grows late, and therefore go and take some rest; after that we'll have a longer conversation, and will take measures about clapping you suddenly into this same government, as you are pleased to word it." Sancho kissed the duchess's hand once more, and begged her worship's grace that special care might be taken of his Dapple, for that he was the light of his eyes." What is that Dapple?" asked the duchess. "My beast, an't like your honour," answered Sancho; "my ass I would say, saving your presence; but because I won't call him ass, which is so common a name among men, I call him Dapple. It is the very same beast I would have given charge of to that same gentlewoman when I came first to this castle; but her back was up presently, and she flew out as I had called her ugly face, old witch, and what not. However, I'll be judged by any one, whether such-like sober grave bodies as she and other duennas are, be not fitter to look after asses, than to sit with a prim countenance to grace a fine state-room? Passion of my heart! what a deadly grudge a certain gentleman of our town, that shall be nameless, had to these creatures! I mean these old waiting gentlewomen."-" Some

filthy clown I dare engage," said Donna Rodriguez the duenna; " had he been a gentleman, or a person of good breeding, he would have praised them up to the skies."-" Well," said the duchess, " let us have no more of that; let Donna Rodriguez hold her tongue, and Signior Sancho Panza go to his repose, and leave me to take care of his Dapple's good entertainment; for since I find him to be one of Sancho's moveables, I will place him in my esteem above the apple of my eye."-" Place him in the stable, my good lady," replied Sancho," that is as much as he deserves; neither he nor I are worthy of being placed a minute of an hour where you said. Odsbods! I'd sooner be stuck in the guts with a butcher's knife, than you should be served so; I am better bred than that comes to; for though my lord and master has taught me, that in point of haviour one ought rather to over-do than under-do, yet when the case lies about an ass and the ball of one's eye, it is best to think twice, and go warily about the matter."-" Well," said the duchess, "your ass may go with you to the government, and there you may feed him, and pamper him, and make as much of him as you please."—" Adad! my lady," quoth Sancho," don't let your worship think this will be such a strange matter neither. I have seen more asses than one go to a government before now; and if mine goes too, it will be no new thing e'trow."

Sancho's words again set the duchess a-laughing; and so sending him to take his rest, she went to the duke, and gave him an account of the pleasant dis

course between her and the squire. After this they resolved to have some notable contrivance to make sport with Don Quixote, and of such a romantic cast as should humour his knight-errantry. And so successful they were in their management of that interlude, that it may well be thought one of the best adventures in this famous history.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Containing ways and means for disenchanting the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, being one of the most famous Adventures in the whole book.

THE duke and duchess were extremely diverted with the humours of their guests. Resolving, therefore, to improve their sport, by carrying on some pleasant design, that might bear the appearance of an adventure, they took the hint from Don Quixote's account of Montesinos's cave, as a subject from which they might raise an extraordinary entertainment; the rather, since, to the duchess's amazement, Sancho's simplicity was so great, as to believe that Dulcinea del Toboso was really enchanted, though he himself had been the first contriver of the story, and her only enchanter.

Accordingly, having given directions to their servants that nothing might be wanting, and proposed a day for hunting the wild boar, in five or six days they were ready to set out, with a train of huntsmen and other attendants not unbecoming the greatest

prince. They presented Don Quixote with a hunting suit, but he refused it, alleging it superfluous, since he was, in a short time, to return to the hard exercise of arms, and could carry no sumpters nor wardrobes along with him: but Sancho readily accepted one of fine green cloth, with design to sell it the first opportunity.

The day prefixed being come, Don Quixote armed, and Sancho equipped himself in his new suit, and mounting his ass, which he would not quit for a good horse that was offered him, he crowded in among the train of sportsmen. The duchess also, in a dress both odd and gay, made one of the company. The knight, who was courtesy itself, very gallantly would needs hold the reins of her palfrey, though the duke seemed very unwilling to let him. In short, they came to the scene of their sport, which was in a wood between two very high mountains, where, alighting, and taking their several stands, the duchess, with a pointed javelin in her hand, attended by the duke and Don Quixote, took her stand in a place where they knew the boars were used to pass through. The hunters posted themselves in several lanes and paths, as they most conveniently could; but as for Sancho, he chose to stay behind them all with his Dapple, whom he would by no means leave for a moment, for fear the poor creature should meet with some sad accident.

And now the chase began with full cry, the dogs opened, the horns sounded, and the huntsmen hollowed in so loud a concert, that there was no hearing one another. Soon after, a hideous boar, of a

monstrous size, came on, gnashing his teeth and tusks, and foaming at the mouth; and, being baited hard by the dogs, and followed close by the huntsmen, made furiously towards the pass which Don Quixote had taken; whereupon the knight, grasping his shield and drawing his sword, moved forward to receive the raging beast. The duke joined him with a boar-spear, and the duchess would have been foremost, had not the duke prevented her. Sancho alone, seeing the furious animal, resolved to shift for one, and leaving Dapple, away he scudded, as fast as his legs would carry him, towards an high oak, to the top of which he endeavoured to clamber; but, as he was getting up, one of the boughs unluckily broke, and down he was tumbling, when a snag or stump of another bough caught hold of his new coat, and stopped his fall, slinging him in the air by the middle, so that he could neither get up nor down. His fine green coat was torn, and he fancied every moment the wild boar was running that way, with foaming chaps, and dreadful tusks, to tear him to pieces; which so disturbed him, that he roared and bellowed for help, as if some wild beast had been devouring him in good earnest.

At last the tusky boar was laid at his length, with a number of pointed spears fixed in him; and Don Quixote, being alarmed by Sancho's noise, which he could distinguish easily, looked about, and discovered him swinging from the tree with his head downwards, and close by him poor Dapple, who, like a true friend, never forsook him in his adversity; for Cid Hamet observes, that they were such