y and his confusion by pulling the sheet
over his head. But while Don Quixote was not inclined to converse with
a maiden so early in the morning, Sancho showed no aversion to it
whatever, for he bombarded Altisidora with all kinds of impertinent
questions as to what was going on in Hell when she was there. Of
course Altisidora denied having any intimate knowledge of this place,
for in spite of her immodesty she had only got as far as the gates,
she said.

Don Quixote now entered into the conversation and asked why the fair
Altisidora had been so persistent in her love, when she knew that he
would never change or give up his beloved Dulcinea, to whom he
maintained he was born to belong. When she heard Don Quixote talk in
this manner, Altisidora grew very angry with him, and exclaimed:
"God's life! Don Stockfish, soul of a mortar, stone of a date, more
obstinate and obdurate than a clown asked a favor when he has his
mind made up! If I fall upon you I shall tear your eyes out! Do you
fancy, then, Don Vanquished, Don Cudgeled, that I died for _your_
sake? All that you have seen to-night has been make believe; I am not
the woman to let the black of my nail suffer for such a camel, much
less die!"

Sancho interrupted her here and said he could well believe that; then
he added: "All that about lovers pining to death is absurd. They may
talk of it, but as far as doing it--Judas may believe that!"

Now the Duke and the Duchess entered, and after an animated conversation
during which Sancho's amusing sayings as usual captivated his
distinguished friends, Don Quixote begged leave to be on his way to his
village. They granted him his request, and then they asked him whether he
had forgiven Altisidora for having tried to capture his love. He replied
saying that this lady's lack of virtue had its root in her idleness, and
he recommended that the Duchess see to it that Altisidora was put to
making lace or given some other employment. Sancho approved of his
master's advice, and remarked sagely that he never had seen any lacemaker
die for love; and he further illustrated the truth of Don Quixote's
remark by his own experience on that score: when he was digging, he
vowed, he never bothered with the thought of his old woman. The testimony
of two such staunch friends of hers as Don Quixote and Sancho made the
Duchess promise that hereafter she would keep the fair Altisidora
employed so that no foolish thoughts might take her away from