Scarcely had Sancho spoken, when the music struck up again, and a congratulatory volley of small shot was immediately discharged. Don Quixote fell on Sancho's neck, hugging and kissing him a thousand times. The duke, the duchess, and the whole company, seemed mightily pleased. The chariot moved on, and as it passed by, the fair Dulcinea made the duke and duchess a bow, and Sancho a low courtesy. And now the jolly morn began to spread her smiling looks in the eastern quarter of the skies, and the flowers of the field to disclose their bloomy folds, and raise their fragrant heads. The brooks, now cool and clear, in gentle murmurs, played with the grey pebbles, and flowed along to pay their liquid crystal tribute to the expecting rivers. The sky was clear, the air serene, swept clean by brushing winds for the reception of the shining light, and every thing, not only jointly, but in its separate gaiety, welcomed the fair Aurora, and, like her, foretold a fairer day. The duke and duchess, well pleased with the management and success of the hunting, and the counterfeit adventure, returned to the castle, resolving to make a second essay of the same nature, having received as much pleasure from the first, as any reality could have produced. CHAPTER XXXVI. The strange and never thought-of Adventure of the Disconsolate Matron, alias the Countess Trifaldi, with Sancho Panza's letter to his Wife Teresa Panza. THE whole contrivance of the late adventure was plotted by the duke's steward, a man of wit, and a facetious and quick fancy: He made the verses, acted Merlin himself, and instructed a page to personate Dulcinea. And now, by his master's appointment, he prepared another scene of mirth, as plea sant, and as artful and surprising as can be imagined. ess. - The next day, the duchess asked Sancho, "whether he had begun his penitential task, to disenchant Dulcinea ?"" Ay, marry have I," quoth Sancho, "for I have already lent myself five lashes on the buttocks."-" With what, friend ?" asked the duch"With the palm of my hand," answered Sancho." Your hand!" said the duchess, "those are rather claps than lashes, Sancho; I doubt Father Merlin will not be satisfied at so easy a rate; for the liberty of so great a lady is not to be purchased at so mean a price. No, you should lash yourself with something that may make you smart: A good friar's scourge, a cat of nine-tails, or penitent's whip, would do well; for letters written in blood stand good; but works of charity, faintly and coldly done, lose their merit and signify nothing.”—“ Then, madam," quoth he, " will your worship's grace do so much as help me to a convenient rod, such as you shall think best; though it must not be too smarting neither; for faith, though I am a clown, my flesh is as soft as any lady's in the land, no disparagement to any body's buttocks."—" Well, well, Sancho," said she, " it shall be my care to provide you a whip, that shall suit your soft constitution, as if they were twins."- "But now, my dear madam," quoth he, "you must know I have written a letter to my wife Teresa Panza, to give her to understand how things are with me. I have it in my bosom, and it is just ready to send away; it wants nothing but the direction on the outside. Now I would have your wisdom to read it, and see if it be not written like a governor ; I mean, in such a style as governors should write."-" And who penned it ?" asked the duchess." What a question there is now !" quoth Sancho. "Who should pen it but myself, sinner as I am?"" And did you write it too ?" said the duchess." Not I," quoth Sancho; "for I can neither write nor read, though I can make my mark.". "Let me see the letter," said the duchess; "for I dare say your wit is set out in it to some purpose." Sancho pulled the letter out of his bosom unsealed, and the duchess having taken it, read what follows: . 66. Sancho Panza to his Wife Teresa Panza. “IF I am well lashed, yet I am whipped into a government: If I have got a good government, it cost me many a good lash. Thou must know, my Teresa, that I am resolved thou shalt ride in a coach; for now, any other way of going is to me but creeping on all-fours, like a kitten. Thou art now a governor's wife, guess whether any one will dare to tread on thy heels. I have sent thee a green hunting-suit of reparel, which my Lady Duchess gave me. Pray see and get it turned into a petticoat and jacket for our daughter. The folks in this country are very ready to talk little good of my master, Don Quixote. They say he is a mad-wise-man, and a pleasant madman, and that I am not a jot behind-hand with him. We have been in Montesinos' cave, and Merlin the wizard has pitched on me to disenchant Dulcinea del Toboso, the same who among you is called Aldonza Lorenzo. When I have given myself three thousand three hundred lashes, lacking five, she will be as disenchanted as the mother that bore he.. But not a word of the pudding; for if you tell your case among a parcel of tattling gossips, you will never have done; one will cry it is white, and others, it is black. I am to go to my government very suddenly, whither I go with a huge mind to make money, as I am told all new governors do. I will first see how matters go, and then send thee word whether thou hadst best come or no. Dapple is well, and gives his humble service to you. I will not part with him, though I were to be made the Great Turk. My Lady "Thy husband the Governor, "Methinks, Mr Governor," said the duchess, having read the letter, "you are out in two particulars; first, when you intimate that this government was bestowed on you for the stripes you are to give yourself; whereas, you may remember it was allotted you before this disenchantment was dreamed of. The second branch that you failed in, is the discovery of your avarice, which is the most detest |