in his
life, Don Quixote decided that she must be some lady of great
distinction. Therefore he dispatched his squire with a message to her,
asking her for permission to kiss her hand in person. He instructed
Sancho to be particularly careful not to dispense any of his proverbs
to the lady; but Sancho said he could do without this warning, for had
he not carried messages before to the exalted Dulcinea, the highest
lady of them all?

Soon Don Quixote saw his squire kneeling before the lady. Having given
her his life's history and told her his name, Sancho proceeded with
the message of his master, the valiant Knight of the Lions, formerly
the Knight of the Rueful Countenance, explicitly explaining his
master's modest desire. The lady, who was no other than a duchess, at
once was interested, as she had read and laughed over the first volume
of "The Ingenious Gentleman, Don Quixote of La Mancha"; and she
immediately asked Sancho to return to his master and say that she
would be delighted beyond words to have the worthy knight and his
squire come and be her and the Duke's guests at a country place they
had there.

Sancho was so flattered that the Duchess had recognized him from
having read the book, and so pleased with the reception she had given
him, as well as so taken by her great charm and beauty that he could
not get back to his master quickly enough to tell him the good news.
With his best manner and bearing Don Quixote, attended by his faithful
one, rode into the presence of the august lady, and kissed her hand.

But while Sancho was on his way to his master with the Duchess'
message, she had sent for the Duke, and they had arranged, both being
gifted with a remarkable sense of humor, to receive and entertain the
hero in true knight-errant fashion. Having read all the tales of
chivalry, they knew exactly what to do.

Don Quixote was about to dismount, when he had kissed the Duchess'
hand; and Sancho, as was his custom, wanted to get off Dapple in a
hurry and hold his stirrup, as soon as he perceived his master's
intention. But luck would have it that one of his legs caught in the
trappings, and he fell head first towards the ground. There the poor
squire hung, unable to get up or down, caught by the foot. Now, when
Don Quixote, his eyes fixedly and courteously on the Duchess, thought
that his squire was there with the stirrup, he pressed downward with
all his weight, and knight and saddle both flew high in the ai