FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   700   701   702   703   704   705   706   707   708   709   710   711   712   713   714   715   716   717   718   719   720   721   722   723   724  
725   726   727   728   729   730   731   732   733   734   735   736   737   738   739   740   741   742   743   744   745   746   747   748   749   >>   >|  
und of sweet, harmonious music, of which Sancho was very glad, taking it to be a good sign; and said he to the duchess, from whom he did not stir a step, or for a single instant, "Senora, where there's music there can't be mischief." "Nor where there are lights and it is bright," said the duchess; to which Sancho replied, "Fire gives light, and it's bright where there are bonfires, as we see by those that are all round us and perhaps may burn us; but music is a sign of mirth and merrymaking." "That remains to be seen," said Don Quixote, who was listening to all that passed; and he was right, as is shown in the following chapter. CHAPTER XXXV. WHEREIN IS CONTINUED THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO DON QUIXOTE TOUCHING THE DISENCHANTMENT OF DULCINEA, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MARVELLOUS INCIDENTS They saw advancing towards them, to the sound of this pleasing music, what they call a triumphal car, drawn by six grey mules with white linen housings, on each of which was mounted a penitent, robed also in white, with a large lighted wax taper in his hand. The car was twice or, perhaps, three times as large as the former ones, and in front and on the sides stood twelve more penitents, all as white as snow and all with lighted tapers, a spectacle to excite fear as well as wonder; and on a raised throne was seated a nymph draped in a multitude of silver-tissue veils with an embroidery of countless gold spangles glittering all over them, that made her appear, if not richly, at least brilliantly, apparelled. She had her face covered with thin transparent sendal, the texture of which did not prevent the fair features of a maiden from being distinguished, while the numerous lights made it possible to judge of her beauty and of her years, which seemed to be not less than seventeen but not to have yet reached twenty. Beside her was a figure in a robe of state, as they call it, reaching to the feet, while the head was covered with a black veil. But the instant the car was opposite the duke and duchess and Don Quixote the music of the clarions ceased, and then that of the lutes and harps on the car, and the figure in the robe rose up, and flinging it apart and removing the veil from its face, disclosed to their eyes the shape of Death itself, fleshless and hideous, at which sight Don Quixote felt uneasy, Sancho frightened, and the duke and duchess displayed a certain trepidation. Having risen to its feet, this living death, in a sleepy
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   700   701   702   703   704   705   706   707   708   709   710   711   712   713   714   715   716   717   718   719   720   721   722   723   724  
725   726   727   728   729   730   731   732   733   734   735   736   737   738   739   740   741   742   743   744   745   746   747   748   749   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
duchess
 

Sancho

 

Quixote

 

lighted

 

figure

 

covered

 
lights
 

instant

 

bright

 

features


maiden
 

texture

 

transparent

 
sendal
 
prevent
 
tissue
 

embroidery

 
silver
 

multitude

 

draped


seated

 

throne

 

countless

 

richly

 

brilliantly

 
apparelled
 

raised

 
spangles
 

glittering

 

distinguished


fleshless

 

disclosed

 

flinging

 

removing

 
hideous
 

Having

 
living
 

sleepy

 

trepidation

 

uneasy


frightened

 

displayed

 

seventeen

 
reached
 

beauty

 
twenty
 
Beside
 

clarions

 
ceased
 
opposite