to see such a number of people lie on the ground. But their wonder
was increased by the appearance of a large lance stuck in the ground,
and a scroll of white parchment fastened to it by two green silken
strings, with the following inscription upon it, in golden
characters:--

_"The renowned knight Don Quixote de la Mancha achieved the adventure
of the Countess Trifaldi, otherwise called the Disconsolate Lady, and
her companions, by solely attempting it. Malambruno is fully contented
and satisfied. The waiting gentlewomen have lost their beards. King
Clavijo and Queen Antonomasia have resumed their pristine shapes; and,
when the squire's scourging shall be finished, the white dove shall
escape the pernicious hawks that pursue her, and be lulled in the arms
of her beloved. This is ordained by the Sage Merlin, proto-enchanter
of enchanters."_

Don Quixote, having read this document, clearly understood it to refer
to Dulcinea's disenchantment, and rendered thanks to Heaven that he
had achieved so great a feat with so little danger, and brought back
to their former bloom the faces of the venerable waiting-women, who
had now disappeared; and approaching the duke and duchess, who had not
yet come to themselves, he took the duke by the hand: "Courage,
courage, noble sir," cried he, "there is no danger; the adventure is
finished without damage, as you may read it registered in that
record."

The duke, as if he had been waked out of a sound sleep, recovered
himself by degrees, as did the duchess and the rest of the company,
who were lying prostrate in the garden, all of them acting the
surprise and fear so naturally that the jest might have been believed
earnest. The duke with half-closed eyes read the scroll; then,
embracing Don Quixote, extolled him as the bravest knight the earth
had ever possessed. As for Sancho, he was looking up and down for the
Disconsolate Lady, to see what sort of a face she had got, without her
beard. But he was informed that as Clavileno came down flaming in the
air, the whole squadron of women with Trifaldi vanished immediately,
but all of them shaved and without a hair upon their faces.

The duchess asked Sancho how he had fared in his long voyage? "Why,
truly, madam," answered he, "when, as my master told me, we were
flying through the region of fire, I wished to uncover my eyes a
little, but my master would not suffer me to do so; yet, as I have a
spice of curiosity still hankering after what