ing of
the pain he was to give himself. But the Duke was bent on hitting upon
new schemes whereby he should be able to continue the gaiety that
Sancho and his master caused.

CHAPTER XXXVI

WHEREIN IS RELATED THE STRANGE AND UNDREAMED-OF ADVENTURE
OF THE DISTRESSED DUENNA, ALIAS THE COUNTESS TRIFALDI,
TOGETHER WITH A LETTER WHICH SANCHO PANZA WROTE TO HIS
WIFE, TERESA PANZA

The Duke's majordomo had played the part of Merlin, and he it was who
induced a page to appear as Dulcinea. This majordomo was a fellow full
of pranks and good humor, and it was he who had written the verses he
recited, too. To him the Duke now turned, and they contrived together
another amusing scheme.

The next day Sancho was asked by the Duchess how many lashes he had
given himself; and he replied meekly that he had commenced with five.
After a moment's inquisition, however, the squire admitted that it had
not been with lashes but slaps that he had done penance. The Duchess
said she was certain that the sage Merlin would not tolerate any such
false pretense. She suggested that he make a scourge with claws or
knotted cords so that he would be sure to feel what he was doing to
himself, and when the Duchess offered to bring him such a scourge in
the morning, he had to promise to accept it. Then he told her that he
had written a letter to his wife, Teresa Panza, in the governor style;
and begged her to read it, which she did. The Duchess derived so much
amusement from it that she hastened to show it to the Duke. And when
Sancho was asked whether he had written the letter himself, he said
that he only dictated it, since he could neither read nor write.

After dinner the Duke and the Duchess were sitting in the garden
talking with Don Quixote and Sancho, when suddenly there was heard the
sound of a deep doleful voice. They all turned quickly to see who was
speaking, and there they saw approaching them a man with a snow-white
beard that reached almost to the ground. He said he was Trifaldin, of
the White Beard, squire to the Countess Trifaldi, otherwise called the
Distressed Duenna, and that he had come in search of the valiant
knight Don Quixote who he had heard was visiting at the castle. His
mistress, he said, in order to find this knight had traveled all the
way from the kingdom of Kandy without breaking her fast, and now he
begged that Don Quixote would receive the lady, that she herself might
tell him her misfortunes.

Don Quixote