Profit by this advice, Sancho, and report to me clearly and faithfully the truth of what thou knowest touching what I have demanded of thee." "That I will do with all my heart, master," replied Sancho, "provided your worship will not be vexed at what I say, as you wish me to say it out in all its nakedness, without putting any more clothes on it than it came to my knowledge in." "I will not be vexed at all," returned Don Quixote; "thou mayest speak freely, Sancho, and without any beating about the bush." "Well then," said he, "first of all, I have to tell you that the common people consider your worship a mighty great madman, and me no less a fool.

The hidalgos say that, not keeping within the bounds of your quality of gentleman, you have assumed the 'Don,' and made a knight of yourself at a jump, with four vine-stocks and a couple of acres of land, and never a shirt to your back.

The caballeros say they do not want to have hidalgos setting up in opposition to them, particularly squire hidalgos who polish their own shoes and darn their black stockings with green silk." "That," said Don Quixote, "does not apply to me, for I always go well dressed and never patched; ragged I may be, but ragged more from the wear and tear of arms than of time." "As to your worship's valour, courtesy, accomplishments, and task, there is a variety of opinions.

Some say, 'mad but droll;' others, 'valiant but unlucky;' others, 'courteous but meddling,' and then they go into such a number of things that they don't leave a whole bone either in your worship or in myself." "Recollect, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that wherever virtue exists in an eminent degree it is persecuted.

Few or none of the famous men that have lived escaped being calumniated by malice.