speak
truth or no."--"Prithee tell them, Sancho," said the duchess. "There
were two of them green," answered Sancho, "two carnation, two blue,
and one party-colored."--"That is a new kind of goats," said the duke.
"We have none of those colors in our region of the earth."--"Sure,
sir," replied Sancho, "you will make some sort of difference between
heavenly she-goats and the goats of this world?"--"But, Sancho," said
the duke, "among these she-goats did you ever see a he-goat." "Not
one, sir," answered Sancho; "and I have been told that none has ever
passed beyond the horns of the moon."

They did not think fit to ask Sancho more about his voyage; for they
judged he would ramble all over the heavens, and tell them news of
whatever was doing there, though he had not stirred out of the garden.

Thus ended, in short, the adventure of the Disconsolate Lady, which
afforded sport to the duke and duchess, not only for the present, but
for the rest of their lives; and to Sancho matter of talk for ages,
should he live so long.

"Sancho," said Don Quixote, whispering him in the ear, "if thou
wouldst have us believe what thou hast seen in heaven, I desire thee
to believe what I saw in Montesinos's cave. I say no more."

THE THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND ODD LASHES

_By Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra_

[Don Quixote believes that his Dulcinea may be freed from enchantment
by Sancho Panza's inflicting upon himself of his own will "three
thousand three hundred and odd lashes." Sancho has stopped at the
fifth, and now the knight bribes him to continue.]

"For my part," said Don Quixote, "hadst thou demanded a fee for
disenchanting Dulcinea, I can tell thee that I would have given it
thee already. But I know not if a gratuity would accord with the cure;
and I would not have the reward hinder the medicine. For all that, it
seems to me that nothing will be lost by putting it to a trial. Look
you, Sancho, to what you want, and scourge yourself at once, then pay
yourself ready money with your own hand, since you keep my money."
Sancho, opening his eyes and ears a span wide at this offer, gave
consent in his heart to scourge himself with a good will. "Ay, sir,
now you say well," quoth he to his master. "I am willing to dispose of
myself to do you a pleasure in what may consist with my advantage, for
my love for my children and wife makes me seem selfish. Tell me how
much you will give me for eac