princes, do you wish to make yourself a hermit? Peace, on your
life; come to yourself and leave idle tales."

"Those which hitherto have been true, to my prejudice," replied Don
Quixote, "my death, with the assistance of heaven, shall turn to my
advantage. I perceive, sirs, that I am dying with all speed. Put aside
jests, and fetch me a confessor to confess me, and a scrivener to draw
up my will, for in such straits as this a man must not play with his
soul; and I beg that whilst Master Curate confesses me a scrivener may
be fetched."

They stared at one another, wondering at Don Quixote's words, and
though in doubt they were inclined to believe him. And one of the
signs by which they conjectured that he would die was his having
changed so quickly from a madman to a sane person; for to the words
already said he added many others so well spoken, so Christian, and so
connected that they came, withal, to lose their doubts and to believe
that he was sane. The curate made all the people leave the room, and
stayed alone with him and confessed him. The bachelor went for the
scrivener, and presently returned with him and with Sancho Panza, who,
being informed by the bachelor in what state his master was, and
finding the housekeeper and the niece in tears, began to make wry
faces and fall a-crying. The confession was ended and the curate came
out saying, "Certainly about to die and certainly in his senses is
Alonso Quixano the Good; we had best go in, that he may make his
will." These tidings were a terrible blow to the swollen eyes of the
housekeeper, the niece, and Sancho Panza, his good squire, so that it
made the tears burst out of their eyes, and a thousand profound sighs
from their hearts; for indeed, as on some occasion has been observed,
whilst Don Quixote was plain Alonso Quixano the Good, and whilst he
was Don Quixote de la Mancha, he was ever of pleasant humor and
agreeable behavior, and therefore he was beloved not only by his
family, but by every one that knew him.

The scrivener, with the rest, went in, and after he had made the
preamble of the will, and Don Quixote had disposed of his soul with
all those Christian circumstances that are requisite, he came to the
legacies, and said:--

"Item, it is my will that of certain moneys that Sancho Panza (whom in
my madness I made my squire) holds, inasmuch as there have been
between him and me certain accounts, both payments and receipts, there
shall be no charge ma