ing to tear her rich gown, lays hold on
it, and at one pull brings her down; and then at one lift sets her
astride upon his horse's crupper, bidding her to sit fast, and clap her
arms about him, that she might not fall; for the lady Melisendra was not
used to that kind of riding.

"'Observe now, gallants, how the horse neighs, and shows how proud he is
of the burden of his brave master and fair mistress. Look, now, how they
turn their backs, and leave the city, and gallop it merrily away towards
Paris. Peace be with you, for a peerless couple of true lovers! may ye
get safe and sound into your own country, without any lett or ill
chance in your journey, and live as long as Nestor, in peace and
quietness among your friends and relations.'--'Plainness, boy!' cried
Master Peter, 'none of your flights, I beseech you, for affectation is
the devil.'--The boy answered nothing, but going on: 'Now, sirs,' quoth
he, 'some of those idle people, that love to pry into everything,
happened to spy Melisendra as she was making her escape, and ran
presently and gave Marsilius notice of it; whereupon he straight
commanded to sound an alarm; and now mind what a din and hurly-burly
there is, and how the city shakes with the ring of the bells backwards
in all the mosques!'--'There you are out, boy,' said Don Quixote; 'the
Moors have no bells, they only use kettle-drums, and a kind of shaulms
like our waits or hautboys; so that your ringing of bells in Sansuena is
a mere absurdity, good Master Peter.'--'Nay, sir,' said Master Peter,
giving over ringing, 'if you stand upon these trifles with us, we shall
never please you. Don't be so severe a critic. Are there not a thousand
plays that pass with great success and applause, though they have many
greater absurdities, and nonsense in abundance? On, boy, on, let there
be as many impertinences as motes in the sun; no matter, so I get the
money.'--'Well said,' answered Don Quixote.--'And now, sirs,' quoth the
boy, 'observe what a vast company of glittering horse comes pouring out
of the city, in pursuit of the Christian lovers; what a dreadful sound
of trumpets, and clarions, and drums, and kettle-drums there is in the
air. I fear they will overtake them, and then will the poor wretches be
dragged along most barbarously at the tails of their horses, which would
be sad indeed.'

"Don Quixote, seeing such a number of Moors, and hearing such an alarm,
thought it high time to assist the flying lovers;