n a huge sheath, and a band tied
with tape. He had indeed but two tapes, so that his band got out of
its place, which he took great pains to rectify.

"'Doubtless,' said he, 'senors, you are in quest of some office or
some prebend at the court of my lord of Toledo, or from the king, if I
may judge from the celerity with which you get along; for, in good
truth, my ass has hitherto had the fame of a good trotter, and yet he
could not overtake you."

"One of my companions answered, 'It is the steed of Senor Miguel de
Cervantes that is the cause of it, for he is very quick in his
paces.'"

"Scarcely had the student heard the name of Cervantes than, throwing
himself off his ass, while his cloak-bag tumbled on one side and his
portmanteau on the other, and his bands covered his face, he sprang
toward me, and, seizing me by the hand, exclaimed:

"'This, then, is the famous one-handed author, the merriest of all
writers, the favorite of the Muses!' As for me, when I heard him
pouring forth all these praises, I thought myself bound to answer him;
so, embracing his neck, by which I contrived to pull off his bands
altogether, I said, 'I am indeed that Cervantes, senor, but not the
favorite of the Muses, nor the other fine things which you have said
of me. Pray mount your ass again, and let us converse together for
the small remainder of our journey.' The good student did as I
desired. We then drew bit and proceeded at a more moderate pace. As we
rode on, we talked of my illness, but the student gave me little hope,
saying:

"'It is an hydropsy, which all the water in the ocean, if you could
drink it, would not cure; you must drink less, Senor Cervantes, and
not forget to eat, for that alone can cure you.'

"'Many other people,' said I, 'have told me the same thing, but it is
impossible for me not to drink as if I had been born for nothing but
drinking. My life is pretty nearly ended, and, to judge by the
quickness of my pulse, I cannot live longer than next Sunday. You have
made acquaintance with me at a very unfortunate time, as I fear I
shall not live to show my gratitude to you for your obliging conduct.'

"Such was our conversation when we arrived at the bridge of Toledo,
over which I was to pass, while he followed another route by the
bridge of Segovia. As to his future history, I leave that to the care
of fame. My friends, no doubt, will be very anxious to narrate it, and
I shall have great pleasure in hearing it. I