WhilethisconversationpassedbetweenSanchoPanzaandhiswife, DonQuixote', , , , inshort, keptinanxietyanddreadlesttheiruncleandmastershouldgivethemtheslipthemomenthefoundhimselfsomewhatbetter, andastheyfearedsoitfellout.
Buttheauthorofthishistory, thoughhehasdevotedresearchandindustrytothediscoveryofthedeedsachievedbyDonQuixoteinhisthirdsally, hasbeenunabletoobtainanyinformationrespectingthem, atanyratederivedfromauthenticdocuments; traditionhasmerelypreservedinthememoryofLaManchathefactthatDonQuixote, thethirdtimehesalliedforthfromhishome, betookhimselftoSaragossa, wherehewaspresentatsomefamousjoustswhichcameoffinthatcity, , norwouldhehaveascertaineditorknownofit, ifgoodfortunehadnotproducedanoldphysicianforhimwhohadinhispossessionaleadenbox, which, accordingtohisaccount, hadbeendiscoveredamongthecrumblingfoundationsofanancienthermitagethatwasbeingrebuilt; inwhichboxwerefoundcertainparchmentmanuscriptsinGothiccharacter, butinCastilianverse, containingmanyofhisachievements, andsettingforththebeautyofDulcinea, theformofRocinante, thefidelityofSanchoPanza, andtheburialofDonQuixotehimself, togetherwithsundryepitaphsandeulogiesonhislifeandcharacter; , savethattheygivehimthesamecreditthatpeopleofsensegivetothebooksofchivalrythatpervadetheworldandaresopopular; forwiththishewillconsiderhimselfamplypaidandfullysatisfied, andwillbeencouragedtoseekoutandproduceotherhistories, ifnotastruthful, :
