imself as squire to his neighbor.

Sancho Panza proceeded upon his ass, like a patriarch, with his wallet
and leathern bottle, and with a vehement desire to find himself
governor of the island, which his master had promised him. Don Quixote
happened to take the same route as on his first expedition, over the
plain of Montiel, which he passed with less inconvenience than before,
for it was early in the morning, and the rays of the sun, darting on
them horizontally, did not annoy them. Sancho Panza now said to his
master: "I beseech your worship, good sir knight-errant, not to forget
your promise concerning that same island; for I shall know how to govern
it, be it ever so large."

To which Don Quixote answered: "Thou must know, friend Sancho Panza,
that it was a custom much in use among the knights-errant of old to make
their squires governors of the islands or kingdoms they conquered, and I
am determined that so laudable a custom, shall not be lost through my
neglect; on the contrary, I resolve to outdo them in it: for they
sometimes, and perhaps most times, waited till their squires were grown
old; and when they were worn out in their service, and had endured many
bad days and worse nights, they conferred on them some title, such as
count, or at least marquis, of some valley or province of more or less
account; but if you live, and I live, before six days have passed I may
probably win such a kingdom as may have others depending on it, just fit
for thee to be crowned king of one of them. And do not think this any
extraordinary matter, for things fall out to knights by such unforeseen
and unexpected ways, that I may easily give thee more than I promise."

"So then," answered Sancho Panza, "if I were a king by some of those
miracles your worship mentions, Joan Gutierrez, my duck, would come to
be a queen, and my children infantas!"

"Who doubts it?" answered Don Quixote.

"I doubt it," replied Sancho Panza, "for I am verily persuaded that, if
God were to rain down kingdoms upon the earth, none of them would sit
well upon the head of Mary Gutierrez; for you must know, sir, she is not
worth two farthings for a queen. The title of countess would sit better
upon her, with the help of Heaven and good friends."

"Recommend her to God, Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "and he will do
what is best for her, but do thou have a care not to debase thy mind so
low as to content thyself with being less than a viceroy."

"Heaven g