hey were mules, and not
horses, was evident by the slowness of their pace. Those robed in white
were muttering to themselves in a low and plaintive tone.

This strange vision, at such an hour, and in a place so uninhabited
might well strike terror into Sancho's heart, and even into that of his
master; and so it would have done had he been any other than Don
Quixote. As for Sancho, his whole stock of courage was now exhausted.
But it was otherwise with his master, whose lively imagination instantly
suggested to him that this must be truly a chivalrous adventure. He
conceived that the litter was a bier, whereon was carried some knight
sorely wounded, or slain, whose revenge was reserved for him alone; he,
therefore, without delay couched his spear, seated himself firm in his
saddle, and with grace and spirit advanced into the middle of the road
by which the procession must pass; and, when they were near, he raised
his voice and said: "Ho, knights, whoever ye are, halt, and give me an
account to whom ye belong; whence ye come, whither ye are going, and
what it is ye carry upon that bier; for in all appearance either ye have
done some injury to others, or others to you: and it is expedient and
necessary that I be informed of it, either to chastise ye for the evil
ye have done, or to revenge ye of wrongs sustained."

"We are in haste," answered one in the procession; "the inn is a great
way off, and we cannot stay to give so long an account as you require."
Then, spurring his mule, he passed forward.

Don Quixote, highly resenting this answer, laid hold of his bridle and
said: "Stand, and with more civility give me the account I demand;
otherwise I challenge ye all to battle."

The mule was timid, and started so much upon his touching the bridle,
that, rising on her hind legs, she threw her rider over the crupper to
the ground. A lacquey that came on foot, seeing the man in white fall,
began to revile Don Quixote, whose choler being now raised, he couched
his spear, and immediately attacking one of the mourners, laid him on
the ground grievously wounded; then turning about to the rest, it was
worth seeing with what agility he attacked and defeated them; and it
seemed as if wings at that instant had sprung on Rozinante--so lightly
and swiftly he moved! All the white-robed people, being timorous and
unarmed, soon quitted the skirmish and ran over the plain with their
lighted torches, looking like so many masqueraders on a c