seeking to vie with those whose
nobility is of ancient date,--depend upon it, Teresa, no one will
remember what he was, and every one will respect what he is, except
indeed the envious, from whom no fair fortune is safe."

"I do not understand you, husband," replied Teresa; "do as you like,
and don't break my head with any more speechifying and rhetoric; and
if you have revolved to do what you say--"

"Resolved, you should say, woman," said Sancho, "not revolved."

"Don't set yourself to wrangle with me, husband," said Teresa; "I
speak as God pleases, and don't deal in out-of-the-way phrases; and I
say if you are bent upon having a government, take your son Sancho
with you, and teach him from this time on how to hold a government;
for sons ought to inherit and learn the trades of their fathers."

"As soon as I have the government," said Sancho, "I will send for him
by post, and I will send thee money, of which I shall have no lack,
for there is never any want of people to lend it to governors when
they have not got it; and do thou dress him so as to hide what he is
and make him look what he is to be."

"You send the money," said Teresa, "and I'll dress him up for you as
fine as you please."

"Then we are agreed that our daughter is to be a countess," said
Sancho.

"The day that I see her a countess," replied Teresa, "it will be the
same to me as if I was burying her; but once more I say do as you
please, for we women are born to this burden of being obedient to our
husbands, though they be dogs;" and with this she began to weep in
downright earnest, as if she already saw Sanchica dead and buried.

Sancho consoled her by saying that though he must make her a countess,
he would put it off as long as possible. Here their conversation came
to an end, and Sancho went back to see Don Quixote and make
arrangements for their departure.

OF SANCHO PANZA'S DELECTABLE DISCOURSE WITH THE DUCHESS

The history records that Sancho did not sleep that afternoon, but in
order to keep his word, came, before he had well done dinner, to visit
the duchess; who, finding enjoyment in listening to him, made him sit
down beside her on a low seat, though Sancho out of pure good breeding
wanted not to sit down; the duchess however told him he was to sit
down as governor and talk as squire, as in both respects he was worthy
of even the chair of Cid Ruy Diaz the Campeador. Sancho shrugged his
shoulders, obeyed, and sat down, and a