and, 'Whether the pitcher hits
the stone, or the stone hits the pitcher, it goes ill with the pitcher.'
All these, your worship must see, fit to a hair. Let no one meddle with
the governor or his deputy, or he will come off the worst, like him who
claps his finger between two eye-teeth, and though they were not
eye-teeth, 'tis enough if they be but teeth. To what a governor says
there is no replying, any more than to 'Get out of my house--what
business have you with my wife?' Then as to the stone and the pitcher--a
blind man may see that. So he who points to the mote in another man's
eye, should first look to the beam in his own, that it may not be said
of him, the dead woman was afraid of her that was flayed. Besides, your
worship knows well that the fool knows more in his own house than the
wise in that of another."

"Not so, Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "the fool knows nothing, either
in his own or any other house; for knowledge is not to be erected upon
so bad a foundation as folly. But here let it rest, Sancho, for, if thou
governest ill, though the fault will be thine, the shame will be mine.
However, I am comforted in having given thee the best counsel in my
power; and therein having done my duty, I am acquitted both of my
obligation and promise; so God speed thee, Sancho, and govern thee in
thy government, and deliver me from the fears I entertain that thou wilt
turn the whole island topsy-turvy!--which, indeed, I might prevent by
letting the duke know what thou art, and telling him that all that
paunch-gut and little carcass of thine is nothing but a sack full of
proverbs and impertinence."

"Signor," replied Sancho, "if your worship really thinks I am not
qualified for that government, I renounce it from henceforward forever,
amen. I have a greater regard for a nail's breadth of my soul than my
whole body; and I can subsist, as bare Sancho, upon a crust of bread and
an onion, as well as governor on capons and partridges; for, while we
sleep, great and small, rich and poor, are equal all. If your worship
will consider, your worship will find that you yourself put this scheme
of government into my head. As for my own part, I know no more of the
matter than a bustard; and, if you think the governorship will be the
means of my going to the devil, I would much rather go as simple Sancho
to Heaven than as a governor to hell-fire."

"Before God!" cried the knight, "from these last reflections thou hast
uttered,