d went on to tell how the world was clamoring
for this remarkable chronicle of heroism and sacrifices. Don Quixote
remarked here what a great source of joy and inspiration it should
prove to a man with achievements to his credit to see himself in print
before being dead. The bachelor's opinion on the subject coincided
with his own; and Samson took the opportunity to pay homage to the
marvelous courage, intrepidity, gallantry, gentleness and patience of
Don Quixote, as the author had described it in the book. He also spoke
feelingly of the beautiful, platonic courtship of our knight errant;
and the mention of this caused Don Quixote to ask which of his many
acts of chivalry were most appealing to the reader. The bachelor
replied that that depended greatly upon the reader's taste: some liked
the adventure of the windmills that were enchanted giants; others
preferred reading about the two armies that suddenly turned into
droves of sheep; then again there were those who seemed to think the
victorious assault on the Biscayan made a thrilling chapter; while
many would swear they had never read anything that excited them
quite as much as the account of the liberation of the galley slaves.

Sancho interrupted him here, asking what was said of their experience
with the Yanguesans, when the good Rocinante went looking for
adventure and was bitten by the ponies. Samson replied that the sage
had forgotten nothing; not even the capers that Sancho himself had cut
in the blanket. Whereupon Sancho said: "I cut no capers in the
blanket. In the air I did, and more of them than I liked!" But Don
Quixote interposed here, saying that history must of necessity be more
than one-sided. It must take into its pages adversities as well as
good fortune.

Some people, the bachelor held forth, had expressed a desire that the
author might have eliminated some of the cruel thrashings he had given
the hero; but Sancho differed with these people and supported the
author unqualifiedly, saying, with a glance at Don Quixote, "That is
where the truth of the history comes in!"

Of course Don Quixote saw it in a different light, for he thought that
the thrashings tended to bring the hero of the book into contempt. The
author should have passed them over in silence, he said. Sancho
muttered something to himself, and Don Quixote admonished him to be
quiet so that the bachelor might tell him more of what was said of him
in the book.

"And about me!" broke i