on the
innkeeper asked him whether he would not read it aloud to them; and as
they were all eager to hear it, the curate commenced the reading of
the manuscript.

CHAPTER XXXV

WHICH TREATS OF THE HEROIC AND PRODIGIOUS BATTLE DON QUIXOTE
HAD WITH CERTAIN SKINS OF RED WINE, AND BRINGS THE NOVEL OF
THE "ILL-ADVISED CURIOSITY" TO AN END

The curate had almost finished the reading of the novel, (which
consumed all of the two chapters which are omitted here) when Sancho
Panza burst into the room, excitedly shouting that his master was
having the wildest battle he had ever seen, up in the garret. He
pleaded for reinforcements, and wanted them all to join in conquering
the enemy who, he declared, was no other than the fierce giant that
had invaded the kingdom of Micomicon. He said he had left just as his
master had cut the giant's head clean off with his sword, leaving the
beast to bleed like a stuffed pig.

While Sancho was relating his blood-curdling story, a tremendous noise
and loud exclamations poured forth from the garret, and the innkeeper,
suddenly remembering all the many wine-skins he had hung up there on
the previous night sprang out of his chair and toward the scene of
action, followed by the rest.

The worst that the innkeeper might have feared was true; for there, on
the garret floor, was a sea of red wine, with hosts of empty skins
floating about upon it. In the middle of the sea stood Don Quixote,
sword in hand, slashing right and left, dressed in nothing but his
shirt. But the strangest thing of all was not his attire, but the fact
that he was fast asleep, his eyes shut tightly, dreaming that he had
already arrived in the distant realm of the Princess Micomicona and
had encountered the giant enemy.

Seeing all his precious wine floating away, the innkeeper became
enraged and set upon Don Quixote with his bare fists; but the beating
had no effect on the knight except, perhaps, that it made him sleep
more soundly. It was not until the barber had drenched him in cold
water that he came to his senses.

The Princess Micomicona, who had been listening to the saving of her
kingdom outside the door, became eager, after she had heard the
tempest subside, to enter and see the conquered giant; but she retired
hastily and with a slight exclamation of horrified modesty on seeing
the abbreviated length of her defender's night-shirt, the tail of
which had been sacrificed to his prayers in the wilderness.