INWHICHTHEDOUBTFULQUESTIONOFMAMBRINO'SHELMETANDTHEPACKSADDLEISFINALLYSETTLED, WITHOTHERADVENTURESTHATOCCURREDINTRUTHANDEARNEST
"Whatdoyouthinknow, gentlemen," saidthebarber, "ofwhatthesegentlessay, whentheywanttomakeoutthatthisisahelmet?"
"Andwhoeversaysthecontrary," saidDonQuixote, "Iwilllethimknowheliesifheisaknight, andifheisasquirethatheliesagainathousandtimes."
Ourownbarber, whowaspresentatallthis, andunderstoodDonQuixote'shumoursothoroughly, tookitintohisheadtobackuphisdelusionandcarryonthejokeforthegeneralamusement; soaddressingtheotherbarberhesaid:
"Senorbarber, orwhateveryouare, youmustknowthatIbelongtoyourprofessiontoo, andhavehadalicencetopractiseformorethantwentyyears, andIknowtheimplementsofthebarbercraft, everyoneofthem, perfectlywell; andIwaslikewiseasoldierforsometimeinthedaysofmyyouth, andIknowalsowhatahelmetis, andamorion, andaheadpiecewithavisor, andotherthingspertainingtosoldiering, Imeanttosaytosoldiers' arms; andIsay-savingbetteropinionsandalwayswithsubmissiontosounderjudgments—thatthispiecewehavenowbeforeus, whichthisworthygentlemanhasinhishands, notonlyisnobarber'sbasin, butisasfarfrombeingoneaswhiteisfromblack, andtruthfromfalsehood; Isay, moreover, thatthis, althoughitisahelmet, isnotacompletehelmet."
"Certainlynot," saidDonQuixote, "forhalfofitiswanting, thatistosaythebeaver."
