Which tells how the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso was to be disenchanted, which is one of the most famous adventures in this history.
GREAT WAS the pleasure the duke and duchess got from the conversation with don Quixote and from the one with Sancho Panza, and they were eager to carry out pranks that would give the appearance and semblance of adventures, and they chose as a theme what don Quixote had told them about the descent into the Cave of Montesinos, thinking it would make a good jest. But what the duchess marveled at most was that Sancho was so gullible that he’d come to believe it was true that Dulcinea del Toboso was enchanted, when he was the enchanter and the trickster of the affair himself. So, having told heir servants what they had to do, six days later they took don Quixote on a hunting expedition, with an array of hunters and beaters worthy of a crowned king.
They gave don Quixote a hunting outfit and another one to Sancho, green in color and made of very fine cloth. But don Quixote didn’t want to wear his, saying that one day he’d have to return to the rigorous profession of arms and he couldn’t take a wardrobe or luggage with him. Sancho, on the other hand, took the one they gave him, with the intention of selling it as soon as he could.
When the designated day came, don Quixote put on his armor, Sancho got dressed, and, riding his donkey—for he refused to leave him behind, even though they offered him a horse— joined the company of hunters. The duchess came out dressed very elegantly, and don Quixote, showing great courtesy, led her palfrey by the reins, although the duke tried to demur, and finally they arrived at a forest between two high mountains, and once the sites, blinds, and paths were assigned, and people were stationed at different spots, the hunt began with a lot of noise, shouts, and yelling so loud they couldn’t hear one another speak, all this amidst the barking of dogs and the sounding of huntsmen’s horns. The duchess dismounted, and with a sharp spear in her hands, placed herself where she knew that wild boars usually came through. The duke and don Quixote also dismounted and placed themselves at her sides. Sancho got behind everyone else, without getting off his donkey, which he didn’t dare leave alone so that he wouldn’t be harmed in any way.
And no sooner had they settled and fanned out with many of their servants, when a huge wild boar ran out, pursued by dogs and hunters, gnashing his teeth and tusks, and foam streaming from his mouth. When don Quixote saw him, clutching his shield and clasping his sword, he started to go out to receive him. The duke did the same with his spear. But the duchess would have gotten in front of everyone if the duke hadn’t prevented her. Only Sancho, seeing the fierce animal, abandoned his donkey and started to run as fast as he could. He found it impossible to climb all the way up a tall oak, but when he was half way up, holding onto a branch, trying to get to the top, owing to his bad luck and misfortune, the branch broke off, and he got caught on a snag before he reached the ground. Seeing himself in that plight, and also realizing that the suit was tearing—it seemed to him that if the animal attacked him, he was hanging low enough for the animal to reach—he began to shout so loudly and yell for help with such insistence that everyone who heard him thought he was already in the jaws of some wild beast.
Finally the tusked boar was pierced by the several pointed spears that he faced. Don Quixote turned his head toward Sancho’s shouts—for he recognized whose they were—and saw him dangling from the oak, head hanging down, and the donkey, who wouldn’t abandon his master in his misfortune, standing next to him. And Cide Hamete says that he rarely saw Sancho Panza without also seeing the donkey, nor the donkey without seeing Sancho, such was the friendship and loyalty the one had for the other. Don Quixote went over and helped Sancho down, who looked at his torn hunting outfit once he was free and on the ground, and it grieved him in his heart, because he felt that the garment was worth a fortune.
Then they placed the powerful boar on a pack mule, and, covering it with sprigs of rosemary and myrtle branches, they took it as the spoil of victory to some large field tents erected in the middle of the forest, where they found the tables set and a meal already prepared, which was so sumptuous and enormous that it was easy to see the greatness and magnificence of those who offered it.
Sancho, showing the rents of his torn outfit to the duchess, said: “If this hunt had been for rabbits or little birds, my suit would have never ended up in this state. I don’t know what pleasure anyone can get waiting for an animal who can snatch away your life if he gets you with one of his tusks. I remember hearing an ancient ballad sung, which goes like this:
“He was a Gothic king,” said don Quixote, “who, when he went off to hunt, was eaten by a bear,”
“That’s what I say,” responded Sancho, “for I think it’s wrong for princes and kings to run such a risk just for a little pleasure, which seems like it’s no pleasure at all since in involves killing an animal who has committed no crime.”
“You’re quite mistaken,” responded the duke, “because the hunt is the best and most necessary activity for kings and princes. It is the image of war. In it there are stratagems, skills, and snares to conquer safely one’s enemy. During the hunt one endures bitter cold and insufferable heat; laziness and listlessness are cast aside; and finally, it’s an activity that can be done with no injury to anyone, and gives pleasure to many. And the best thing about it is that this kind of hunting is not for everyone, as are other types of hunting, except falconing, which is also reserved for kings and great lords. So, Sancho, change your opinion, and when you’re governor, engage in the hunt and you will benefit from it.”
“I don’t think so,” responded Sancho, “because the good governor should have «a broken leg and stay at home». A pretty predicament if people with business came to see him all tired out and he’s off in the forest hunting. So, the government would go to pot. On my faith, señor, hunting and pastimes should be reserved for lazy people and not for governors. What I think I’ll do for entertainment is to play cards on religious holidays and ninepins on Sundays and holidays. Hunting doesn’t jibe with my temperament or agree with my conscience.”
“May it please God that’s the way it’ll be, because «there’s a big difference between saying and doing».”
“No matter,” replied Sancho, “because «the person who pays on time doesn’t worry about leaving security» and «him who God helps is better off than he who gets up early» and «it’s the stomach that carries the feet and not the feet that carry the stomach». I mean that if God helps me, and I do what I should with a good purpose I’ll doubtless govern perfectly. «Let them put their finger in my mouth and see if I bite».”
“May God and all his saints confound you, cursèd Sancho!” said don Quixote, “And when will the day come, as I’ve said on many other occasions, when I’ll see you say a whole speech, well put together and coherent, without proverbs? Your highnesses should pay no attention to this idiot, señores míos, because he’ll grind up your souls, not just between two, but amidst two thousand proverbs, which he drags in, and if they’re ever to the point and timely, may God give him salvation, and to me as well, if I ever should listen to them.”
“The proverbs of Sancho Panza,” said the duchess, “although he knows more of them than the Greek Commander, are to be prized for the brevity of the maxims. For myself I can say they give me more pleasure than others that are more to the point and more aptly introduced.”
With these and other entertaining conversations they left the tent and went into the forest, where they visited some hunting blinds, and soon the day was over and night overtook them, which was not as clear or as calm as might have been expected, since it was the middle of summer. But a certain chiaroscuro that it brought with it helped the duke and duchess’s plan. So, when night began to fall, just before dusk, suddenly it appeared as if the whole forest was aflame everywhere. And then an infinite number of bugles and other musical instruments of war were heard here and there in all four directions, as if many mounted troops were coming. The blaze of the fire and the blare of military horns almost blinded the eyes and numbed the ears of all those present and even of all those who were in the forest.
Then an infinite number of war cries were heard, in the style of those when Moors enter into battle. Trumpets and bugles blared, kettle-drums resounded, fifes whistled, all almost at the same time, continuously, and without ceasing, and anyone who was sane would lose his sanity on hearing so many instruments. The duke was stunned; the duchess amazed; don Quixote stood in wonderment; Sancho Panza trembled; and finally, even those privy to what was happening were astonished. Fear reduced them to silence, and a messenger dressed as the devil on horseback rode past playing, not a bugle, but a long, hollow ox horn that emitted a hoarse, frightful sound.
“Ho, brother courier,” said the duke, “who are you, where are you going, and what warriors are these who are marching through the forest?”
To which the messenger replied in a terrifying voice: “I’m the devil. I’m looking for don Quixote de La Mancha. The people who are coming along are six groups of enchanters, who are bringing on a triumphal carriage the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso. She’s enchanted along with the gallant Frenchman Montesinos who is to instruct don Quixote how that lady is to be disenchanted.”
“If you were the devil, as you say and as your appearance reveals, you should have already recognized that knight don Quixote de La Mancha, since here he is right in front of you.”
“Before God and my conscience,” responded the devil, “I wasn’t paying attention—I have so many different things to think about that the reason I came slipped my mind.”
“Doubtless,” said Sancho, “this demon must be a good man and a good Christian, because if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have sworn «before God and my conscience». Now I believe that in hell itself there must be good people.”
Then the devil, without dismounting, looking over to don Quixote, said: “The unfortunate but brave knight Montesinos has sent me to you, Knight of the Lions—and may I see you between their claws—to tell you to wait for him in whatever place I should find you, because he’s bringing the one they call Dulcinea del Toboso with him, to instruct you how to disenchant her. Since this is all I came for, I won’t stay any longer. May demons such as I remain with you and good angels with these others.”
And when he said this, he sounded his huge horn, and turned around and left without waiting for anyone’s response.
Wonder once again fell on everyone, especially Sancho and don Quixote. Upon Sancho because he saw that, in spite of the truth, they would have it that Dulcinea was enchanted; upon don Quixote because he couldn’t be sure that if what had happened to him in the Cave of Montesinos was true or not. And while he was absorbed in these thoughts, the duke asked him: “Does your grace plan to wait, señor don Quixote?”
“Most certainly,” he responded. “I’ll wait here dauntless and strong, even if all hell comes to attack me.”
“But if I see another devil and hear another horn like that one, I’ll as soon wait here as in Flanders,” said Sancho.
By this time, it was getting very dark, and many lights began to flicker in the forest, just as dry exhalations from the earth dart across the sky, which seem like shooting stars in the sky to us. At the same moment a terrifying sound was heard, like the noise made by the solid wheels of an oxcart, whose harsh and continual creaking cause wolves and bears to flee, it is said, if there are any around. Adding to this flurry, another storm of noise arose that gave the impression that from the four corners of the forest there were four battles going on, because over there was the din of frightening artillery; in another corner they were firing infinite muskets; nearby you could hear the shouts of the combatants; and far away there were more Muslim war cries.
Finally, the cornets, the ox-horns, the huntsman’s horns, the bugles, the trumpets, the drums, the artillery, the muskets, and especially the frightful sound of the carts, all together made such a cacophonous and horrendous noise that don Quixote had to pluck up all his courage to be able to withstand it. But Sancho’s heart fell to earth and sent him half-fainting to the skirts of the duchess, who received him and had water brought right away to throw in his face. It was done and he came to just as a cart with creaking wheels was arriving. It was pulled by four sluggish oxen, all covered with black caparisons, and each one had a blazing wax torch tied to each horn. On top of the cart there was a high seat on which was seated a venerable old man with a beard that was whiter than fallen snow itself, and so long that it extended beneath his waist. He was clad in a long black robe of buckram. Since the cart was coming with a great many torches it was easy to perceive and discern everything that was on it. It was driven by two ugly demons dressed in the same fine buckram, and their faces were so ugly that Sancho, as soon as he saw them, closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see them again. When the cart came up to them, the venerable old man stood up from his seat, and said in a loud voice: “I’m the wizard Lirgandeo.” The cart continued along, and nothing more was said.
After this one, another similar one came, with another old man enthroned on top, who, making the cart stop, with a voice that was no less grave than the other, and said: “I’m the wizard Alquife, the great friend of Urganda the Unknown,” and he went by as well.
Then, in the same way, another cart arrived. But the person who was seated on the throne was not an old man like the others, but a big robust man with an evil eye, and he, when he came, stood up as the others did, and said with an even more hoarse and even more devilish voice: “I’m Arcaláus, the enchanter, the mortal enemy of Amadís de Gaula and all his kinfolk.” And he passed by.
These three carts moved to one side and the distressing noise made by their wheels ceased. Then what was heard wasn’t a noise, but rather the sound of sweet and harmonious music that made Sancho glad, and he took it as a good omen. And so he said to the duchess, from whom he dared not move an inch: “Señora, where there’s music, there can’t be anything bad.”
“Nor where there’s light and brightness,” responded the duchess.
To which Sancho replied: “The fire gives light and the bonfire gives brightness, as we can see in those that surround us, but they may scorch us. But music always indicates joy and festivity.”
“We’ll see soon enough,” said don Quixote, who was listening to it all, and he was correct, as the next chapter will show.