the puffy style of his
fabulous books.

Sancho listened to all this romantic muster-roll as mute as a fish,
with amazement; all that he could do was now and then to turn his head
on this side and the other side, to see if he could discern the
knights and giants whom his master named. But at length, not being
able to discover any, "Why," cried he, "you had as good tell me it
snows; the devil of any knight, giant, or man can I see, of all those
you talk of now; who knows but all this may be witchcraft and spirits,
like yesternight?"--"How," replied Don Quixote; "dost thou not hear
their horses neigh, their trumpets sound, and their drums beat?"--"Not
I," quoth Sancho, "I prick up my ears like a sow in the beans, and yet
I can hear nothing but the bleating of sheep." Sancho might justly say
so indeed, for by this time the two flocks were got very near them.
"Thy fears disturb thy senses," said Don Quixote, "and hinder thee
from hearing and seeing right; but it is no matter; withdraw to some
place of safety, since thou art so terrified; for I alone am
sufficient to give the victory to that side which I shall favor with
my assistance." With that he couched his lance, clapped spurs to
Rozinante, and rushed like a thunderbolt from the hillock into the
plain. Sancho bawled after him as loud as he could. "Hold, sir!" cried
Sancho; "for heaven's sake come back! What do you mean? as sure as I
am a sinner those you are going to maul are nothing but poor harmless
sheep. Come back, I say. Woe to him that begot me! Are you mad, sir?
there are no giants, no knights, no cats, no asparagus gardens, no
golden quarters nor what-d'-ye-call-thems. Does the devil possess you?
you are leaping over the hedge before you come at the stile. You are
taking the wrong sow by the ear. Oh, that I was ever born to see this
day!" But Don Quixote still riding on, deaf and lost to good advice,
out-roared his expostulating squire. "Courage, brave knights!" cried
he; "march up, fall on, all you who fight under the standard of the
valiant Pentapolin with the naked arm; follow me, and you shall see
how easily I will revenge him on that infidel Alifanfaron of
Taprobana."

So saying, he charged into the midst of the squadron of sheep and
commenced to spear them with his lance with as much gallantry and
resolution as if he were verily engaging with his mortal enemies.

The shepherds and drovers, seeing their sheep go to wreck, called out
to him; till finding