braying ones over to his way of thinking, he had to pause for breath.

Sancho thought it his duty to interrupt the silence and take up the
broken thread here, so he continued in his own way, keeping more or
less to the same subject. He started in by praising his master--the
Knight of the Lions!--his bravery, his generosity, his knowledge of
Latin (which Sancho unfortunately did not understand), and all his
other virtues, and suddenly he bellowed out that they were fools to
take offense at hearing some one bray. Then he became reminiscent and
related how he as a boy used to like to go about braying, and told how
envious every one in his village was because of his great gift in that
direction. "Wait a bit and listen!" said he. "I'll show you!" And
before his master had a chance to stop him, he had pinched his nose
and brayed--had brayed such a bray that all the valleys and dales gave
echo.

When some of the men heard the braying they thought he had come there
to mock them, and they set upon him with such fury and force that Don
Quixote, though he did his best to defend him, had to spur Rocinante
into retreat, in order to save his own life. But Sancho was both
stoned and pummeled into insensibility, and then he was put on his
donkey and tied there; and when he came to, he had to put his trust in
Dapple, who was forced to smell his way back to Rocinante.

The braying troops remained in the field until evening, but since no
opposing army appeared, they returned to their village after dark.

CHAPTER XXVIII

OF MATTERS THAT BENENGELI SAYS HE WHO READS THEM WILL KNOW,
IF HE READS THEM WITH ATTENTION

When Dapple reached his faithful playmate, Rocinante, Sancho fell from
his back and rolled at his master's feet. There he lay; but Don
Quixote was angry and showed no compassion.

"In an evil hour didst thou take to braying, Sancho! Where hast thou
learned that it is well done to mention the rope in the house of the
man that has been hanged? To the music of brays what harmonies couldst
thou expect to get but cudgels?"

Having thus reprimanded his squire, the good knight looked to his
wounds, which Sancho complained of, but found him only discolored.

"I feel as if I was speaking through my shoulders," wailed Sancho; and
then he begged his master to hasten away from such evil premises. Of
course, he also had to say something scornful about Don Quixote's
having abandoned him in the heat of battle; but the knight b