pensable to his master. As he stood there
gaping in amazement, the bachelor, Samson, suddenly entered, followed
by the niece and the housekeeper. Samson threw himself on his knees
before the knight, passionately declaiming:

"O flower of knight-errantry! O shining light of arms! O honor and
mirror of the Spanish nation! May God Almighty grant that any person
or persons who would impede or hinder thy third sally, may find no way
out of the labyrinth of their schemes, nor ever accomplish what they
most desire!"

Then he rose and turned to the housekeeper, who was distressed and
astonished beyond words, telling her it was no use gainsaying her
master; that he had made up his mind, and no Santa Appolonia or any
other prayer would cause him to change it. Whereupon he addressed Don
Quixote again in the same lofty way, and slyly asked him whether he
would deign to accept him as his squire or as his meanest servant.

Sancho's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at this, and filled with
tears. Fearing that he might lose both his master and his island, he
embraced Don Quixote's knees and kissed his hand, begging Don Quixote
not to give him up. Then he began to plead with him to leave the
village at once. Don Quixote, having taken the squire into his fold
again, embraced him, and then conferred with the bachelor and decided
that they would set out three days hence. Samson promised to obtain a
helmet for Don Quixote before the departure.

In the meantime the bachelor had daily conferences with the curate and
the barber. The niece and the housekeeper were cursing the evil and
learned bachelor of Salamanca, and hardly slept at night for fear
that Don Quixote would steal away in the darkness.

Finally the night of the third day arrived, and Don Quixote and
Sancho, accompanied by Samson, quietly and secretly stole out of the
village, in the direction of El Toboso. When they had ridden half a
league, Samson wished the knight errant godspeed, embraced him
tenderly, begged him to let him hear of his good fortune, and then he
returned to the village.

CHAPTER VIII

WHEREIN IS RELATED WHAT BEFELL DON QUIXOTE ON HIS WAY TO SEE
HIS LADY DULCINEA DEL TOBOSO

Scarcely had Samson departed before Rocinante began to neigh, and
Dapple, Sancho's donkey, to bray; and these animal expressions,
considering the time, and the road they were taking, were interpreted
by their respective masters to be omens of good luck. But it so
happened