"Are there alguacils of the court in Kandy, too," said Sancho atthis, "and poets, and seguidillas? I swear I think the world is thesame all over! But make haste, Senora Trifaldi; for it is late, andI am dying to know the end of this long story."
"I will," replied the countess.
插PTER XXXIX
IN WHICH THE TRIFALDI CONTINUES HER MARVELLOUS AND MEMORABLE STORY
BY EVERY word that Sancho uttered, the duchess was as much delightedas Don Quixote was driven to desperation. He bade him hold his tongue,and the Distressed One went on to say: "At length, after muchquestioning and answering, as the princess held to her story,without 插nging or varying her previous declaration, the Vicar gavehis decision in favour of Don Clavijo, and 射 was delivered over tohim as his lawful wife; which the Queen Dona Maguncia, the PrincessAntonomasia's mother, so took to heart, that within the space of threedays we buried her."
"射 died, no doubt," said Sancho.
"Of course," said Trifaldin; "they don't bury living people inKandy, only the dead."
"Senor Squire," said Sancho, "a man in a swoon has been known tobe buried before now, in the belief that he was dead; and it struck methat Queen Maguncia ought to have swooned rather than died; becausewith life a great many things come right, and the princess's folly wasnot so great that 射 need feel it so keenly. If the lady hadmarried some page of hers, or some other servant of the house, as manyanother has done, so I have heard say, then the mischief would havebeen past curing. But to marry such an elegant accompli射dgentleman as has been just now described to us- indeed, indeed, thoughit was a folly, it was not such a great one as you think; foraccording to the rules of my master here- and he won't allow me tolie- as of men of letters bishops are made, so of gentlemen knights,specially if they be errant, kings and emperors may be made."
"Thou art right, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for with aknight-errant, if he has but two fingers' breadth of good for