r off
Rocinante. When Don Quixote had reached earth, he lay there, writhing
in pain and cursing and swearing at his stupid squire, who was still
hanging by his foot.

The Duke and the Duchess, unable to constrain themselves at the
amusing scene, finally were able through their laughter to order their
huntsmen to their help; and, limping, the knight advanced to do homage
to the Duke and his consort on his damaged knees. The Duke, however,
nobly refused such honor, and instead, embraced the knight. He then
regretted in a few well chosen words the knight's accident; but Don
Quixote replied with an exalted speech, saying that if he had fallen
to the depths of the bottomless pit, the glory of having seen such a
noble and worthy pair would have lifted him up. Then, of course, he
said something uncomplimentary about his squire, who did not know how
to tighten the girths of a saddle, although he could not help giving
him credit for having a loose tongue.

But when the knight began to praise the beauty of the Duchess, the
Duke asked him courteously whether there were not others to praise,
as, for instance, his own Lady Dulcinea. At this Don Quixote offered
the Duchess his services for a few days, together with those of his
squire, Sancho Panza, whom he now took pity on and praised as being
the drollest squire in the world. Whereupon the Duchess flattered
Sancho, saying that if he were droll, she was sure he was shrewd as
well; but Don Quixote broke in and added that he was talkative. When
the knight, having heard himself addressed as the Knight of the Rueful
Countenance, begged to correct it to the Knight of the Lions, the Duke
asked him to relate the episode that thus changed his title. And then
he invited all to come to the castle to be present at a reception that
he would give to their great and distinguished guest.

With the Duchess in the middle, flanked by Don Quixote and the Duke,
the whole company headed for the castle; but it was not long before
the Duchess found her desire for conversation with the droll and
amusing Sancho irresistible. As soon as the Duchess' wish was made
known to him, the squire eagerly wedged his way between the horses and
chattered his way into the lady's good graces.

CHAPTER XXXI

WHICH TREATS OF MANY AND GREAT MATTERS

The reception tendered Don Quixote was arranged in true knight-errant
fashion by the Duke, who had ridden ahead and given full instructions
to the servants. So wh