"Verylikely," answeredSancho, "thoughIdonotknowit; allIknowisthatsincewehavebeenknightserrant, orsinceyourworshiphasbeenone (forIhavenorighttoreckonmyselfoneofsohonourableanumber) wehaveneverwonanybattleexcepttheonewiththeBiscayan, andevenoutofthatyourworshipcamewithhalfanearandhalfahelmettheless; andfromthattillnowithasbeenallcudgellingsandmorecudgellings, cuffsandmorecuffs, Igettingtheblanketingoverandabove, andfallinginwithenchantedpersonsonwhomIcannotavengemyselfsoastoknowwhatthedelight, asyourworshipcallsit, ofconqueringanenemyislike."
"Thatiswhatvexesme, andwhatoughttovexthee, Sancho," repliedDonQuixote; "buthenceforwardIwillendeavourtohaveathandsomeswordmadebysuchcraftthatnokindofenchantmentscantakeeffectuponhimwhocarriesit, anditisevenpossiblethatfortunemayprocureformethatwhichbelongedtoAmadiswhenhewascalled 'TheKnightoftheBurningSword,' whichwasoneofthebestswordsthateverknightintheworldpossessed, for, besideshavingthesaidvirtue, itcutlikearazor, andtherewasnoarmour, howeverstrongandenchanteditmightbe, thatcouldresistit."
"Suchismyluck," saidSancho, "thatevenifthathappenedandyourworshipfoundsomesuchsword, itwould, likethebalsam, turnoutserviceableandgoodfordubbedknightsonly, andasforthesquires, theymightsupsorrow."
"Fearnotthat, Sancho," saidDonQuixote: "Heavenwilldealbetterbythee."
Thustalking, DonQuixoteandhissquireweregoingalong, when, ontheroadtheywerefollowing, DonQuixoteperceivedapproachingthemalargeandthickcloudofdust, onseeingwhichheturnedtoSanchoandsaid:
