gentleman--whom I know as well as I do my right hand from my left, for
it is not a bow-shot from my house to his--invited a husbandman to dine
with him,--a poor man, but mainly honest."

"On, friend," said the chaplain, "for, at the rate you proceed, your
tale will not reach its end till you reach the other world."

"I shall stop," replied Sancho, "before I get half-way thither, if it
please Heaven! This same farmer coming to the house of the gentleman his
inviter--God rest his soul, for he is dead and gone; and, moreover, died
like an angel, as it is said,--for I was not by myself, being at that
time gone a reaping to Tembleque."

"Prithee, son," said the ecclesiastic, "come back quickly from
Tembleque, and stay not to bury the gentleman, unless you are determined
upon more burials. Pray make an end of your tale."

"The business, then," quoth Sancho, "was this, that, they being ready
to sit down to table,--methinks I see them plainer than ever."

The duke and duchess were highly diverted at the impatience of the good
ecclesiastic, and at the length and pauses of Sancho's tale; but Don
Quixote was almost suffocated with rage and vexation.

"I say, then," quoth Sancho, "that, as they were both standing before
the dinner-table, just ready to sit down, the farmer insisted that the
gentleman should take the upper end of the table, and the gentleman as
positively pressed the farmer to take it, saying he ought to be master
in his own house. But the countryman, piquing himself upon his good
breeding, still refused to comply, till the gentleman, losing all
patience, laid both his hands upon the farmer's shoulders, and made him
sit down by main force, saying, 'Sit thee down, clod-pole! for in
whatever place I am seated, that is the upper end to thee.' That is my
tale, and truly I think it comes in here pretty much to the purpose."

All things are not alike, nor are men always in a humor for
all things.

Leave fear to the cowardly.

A stout heart quails misfortune.

Letters written in blood cannot be disputed.

If you seek advice about your own concerns, one will say it
is white and another will swear it is black.

Nothing is so reasonable and cheap as good manners.

He is safe who has good cards to play.

Avarice bursts the bag, and the covetous governor doeth
ungoverned justice.

The law's measure
Is the king's pleasure.

The game is as often lost by a card too many as one too