CIII. SANCHO PANZA.

Sancho Panza, for faithful service to his master, Don Quixote, had been promised the government of an island. In the following extract, he is represented as taking possession.

SAN

ANCHO, with all his attendants, came to a town that had about a thousand inhabitants, and was one of the best where the duke had any power. As soon as he came to the gates (for it was walled), the chief officers and inhabitants, in their formalities, came out to receive him; the bells rung, and all the people gave general demonstration of their joy.

2. The new governor was then carried in mighty pomp to the great church, to give Heaven thanks; and, after some ridiculous ceremonies, they delivered him the keys of the gates, and received him as perpetual governor of the island of Barataria. In the meantime, the garb, the port, the huge beard, and the short and thick shape of the new governor, made every one, who knew nothing of the jest, wonder; and even those who were privy to the plot, who were many, were not a little surprised.

3. In short, from the church they carried him to the court of justice; where, when they had placed him in his seat, "My Lord Governor," said the duke's steward to him, "it is an ancient custom here, that he who takes possession of this famous island, must answer to some difficult and intricate question that is propounded to him; and, by the return that he makes, the people feel the pulse of his understanding, and, by an estimate of his abilities, judge whether they ought to rejoice or be sorry for his coming."

4. All the while the steward was speaking, Sancho

was staring on an inscription, in large characters, on the wall over against his seat; and, as he could not read, he asked what was the meaning of that which he saw painted there upon the wall. "Sir," said they, "it is an account of the day when your lordship took possession of this island; and the inscription runs thus: "This day, being such a day of this month, in such a year, the Lord Don Sancho Panza took possession of this island, which may he long enjoy."

"Your lord

5. "And who is he?" asked Sancho. ship," answered the steward, "for we know of no other Panza in this island but yourself, who now sit in this chair." 66 Well, friend," said Sancho, "pray take notice that Don does not belong to me, nor was it borne by any of my family before me. Plain Sancho Panza is my name. Now do I already guess that your Dons are as thick as stones in this island. But it is enough that Heaven knows my meaning. If my government happen to last but four days to an end, it shall go hard but I will clear the island of these Dons, that must needs be as troublesome as so many flesh-flies.

6. "Come, now for your question, good Mr. Steward, and I will answer it as well as I can, whether the town be sorry or pleased." At the same instant two men came into the court, the one dressed like a country fellow, the other looking like a tailor, with a pair of shears in his hand.

7. "If it please you, my lord," cried the tailor, "I and this farmer are come before your worship. This honest man came to my shop yesterday; for, saving your presence, I am a tailor, and, Heaven be praised, free of my company; so, my lord, he showed me a

piece of cloth. 'Sir,' quoth he, 'is there enough of this to make a cap?' Whereupon I measured the stuff, and answered him, Yes, if it like your worship.'

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8. "Now, as I imagined, do you see, he could not but imagine (and perhaps he imagined right enough) that I had a mind to cabbage some of his cloth, judging hard of us honest tailors. Prithee,' quoth he, 'look there be not enough for two caps?' Now I smelt him out, and told him there was. Whereupon the old knave, (if it like your worship,) going on to the same tune, bid me look again, and see whether it would not make three; and, at last, if it would not make five. I was resolved to humor my customer, and said it might; so we struck a bargain.

9. "Just now the man is come for his caps, which I gave him; but when I asked him for my money, he will have me give him his cloth again, or pay him for it." "Is this true, honest man?" said Sancho to the farmer. "Yes, if it please you," answered the fellow; "but, pray, let him show the five caps he has made me."

10. “With all my heart," cried the tailor; and with that, pulling his hand from under his cloak, he held up five little tiny caps, hanging upon his four fingers and thumb, as upon so many pins. "There," quoth he, “you see the fine caps this good gaffer asks for; and may I never whip a stitch more if I have wronged him of the least snip of his cloth, and let any workman be judge."

11. The sight of the caps, and the oddness of the cause, set the whole court a laughing. Only Sancho sat gravely, considering awhile, and then, "Me

thinks," said he, "this suit needs not be long depending, but may be decided without any more ado, with a great deal of equity; and, therefore, the judgment is, that the tailor shall lose his making, and the countryman his cloth, and that the caps be given to the poor prisoners, and so let there be an end of the business."

12. If this sentence provoked the laughter of the whole court, the next no less raised their admiration; for, after the governor's order was executed, two old men appeared before him, one of them with a large cane in his hand, which he used as a staff. "My lord," said the other, who had none, "some time ago. I lent this man ten gold crowns, to do him a kindness, which money he was to pay me on demand. I did not ask him for it again in a good while, lest it should prove a greater inconvenience to him to repay me, than he labored under when he borrowed it. However, perceiving that he took no care to pay me, I have asked him for my due; nay, I have been forced to dun him hard for it.

13. "But still he did not only refuse to pay me again, but denied that he owed me any thing, and said, that if I lent him so much money, he certainly returned it.' Now, because I have no witnesses of the loan, nor he of the pretended payment, I beseech your lordship to put him to his oath, and if he will swear that he has paid me, I will freely forgive him before God and the world."

14. "What say you to this, old gentleman with the staff?" asked Sancho. "Sir," answered the old man, "I own he lent me the gold; and, since he requires my oath, I beg you will be pleased to hold down your rod of justice, that I may swear upon it

how I have honestly and truly returned him his money."

15. Thereupon the governor held down his rod, and, in the meantime, the defendant gave the plaintiff his cane to hold, as if it hindered him, while he was to make a cross, and swear over the judge's rod. This done, he declared that it was true the other had lent him ten crowns, but that he really had returned him the sum into his own hands; and that, because he supposed the plaintiff had forgotten it, he was continually asking him for it.

16. The great governor, hearing this, asked the creditor what he had to reply. He made answer that, since his adversary had sworn it, he was satisfied; for he believed him to be a better Christian than to forswear himself, and perhaps he had forgotten that he had been repaid. Then the defendant took his cane again, and, having made a low obeisance to the judge, was leaving the court; which, when Sancho perceived, reflecting on the passage of the cane and admiring the creditor's patience, after he had studied awhile, with his hand leaning over his stomach and his forefinger on his nose, on a sudden, he ordered the old man with the staff to be called back.

17. When he returned, "Honest man," said Sancho, "let me see that cane a little. I have a use for it." "With all my heart," answered the other; "sir, here it is," and with that he gave it to him. Sancho took it, and giving it to the other old man, "There," said he, "go your ways, and Heaven be with you, for now you are paid." "How so, my lord?" cried the old man; "do you judge this cane to be worth ten gold crowns?" "Certainly," said