amazed when he found that the men were taking him there,
and he said to himself: "God bless me! What does this mean? It is all
courtesy and politeness in this house; but with the vanquished, good
turns into evil, and evil into worse." They entered the court, and
found it arrayed in such a manner that they could not help being
amazed and speechless, and they felt fear creeping into their hearts.

CHAPTER LXIX

OF THE STRANGEST AND MOST EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE THAT
BEFELL DON QUIXOTE IN THE WHOLE COURSE OF THIS GREAT HISTORY

As soon as the horsemen had dismounted, they and the men on foot
carried Don Quixote and Sancho bodily into the center of the court,
which was illuminated with hundreds of torches and lamps placed all
around it. In the very center there was a catafalque, elevated to a
height of several yards above the ground and covered by a huge canopy
of black velvet. To the catafalque steps led from all around, and on
the steps were hundreds of wax tapers burning in silver candlesticks.
On the catafalque lay the dead body of a beautiful maiden. On one side
of the stage there was a large platform on which sat two figures, with
scepters in their hands and crowns on their heads: judging by this,
Don Quixote thought they must be royal personages. On the side of this
platform were two empty chairs, to which Don Quixote and Sancho were
led. And when they had seated themselves and turned around to observe
what was going to happen, they were suddenly startled by seeing their
friends, the Duke and the Duchess, mount the platform and seat
themselves next to the royalty.

Don Quixote and Sancho both paid them homage by rising and bowing
profoundly, and the ducal pair returned their compliment with a
slight bow of the head. Following them came a long row of attendants.
Then suddenly Don Quixote came to realize that the corpse was none
other than that of the fair Altisidora, whose love he had scorned, and
that shocked him greatly.

Some one connected with the ceremonies passed at that moment and threw
a robe of black buckram covered with painted red flames of fire over
Sancho and, removing his cap, put on his head a miter of the kind that
those who were undergoing the sentence of the Holy Office wore. At the
same time he whispered in Sancho's ear that if he opened his lips, his
life would not be safe.

At first Sancho, seeing all the flames that seemed to be licking his
body, got frightened, but when he found t