Which being heard by his Lord, he said, I could wish to have Breath enough, that I might answer thee with a little more Ease, or that the Grief which I feel in this Rib were asswaged ever so little, that I might, Pancha, make thee understand the Error wherein thou art.
Come here, poor Fool, if the Gale of Fortune, hitherto so contrary, do turn in our favour, swelling the Sails of our Desire, in such sort as we may securely, and without any hindrance, arrive at the Haven of any of those Islands which I have promis'd unto thee, what would become of thee, if I, conquering it, did make thee Lord thereof, seeing thou would'st disable thy self in respect thou art not a Knight, nor desirest to be one, nor would'st have Valour or Will to revenge thine Injuries, or to defend thy Lordships? For thou must understand, that in the Kingdoms and Provinces newly conquered, the Minds of the Inhabitants are never so thoroughly appeas'd or wedded to the Affection of their new Lord, that it is not to be fear'd that they will work some Novelty to alter things again, and turn, as Men say, afresh to try Fortune: And it is therefore requisite that the new Possessor have Understanding to govern, and Valour to offend and defend himself in any Adventure whatsoever. In this last that hath befall'n us, quoth Sancho, I would I had had that Understanding and Valour; of which you speak; but I vow unto you by the Faith of a poor Man, that I am now fitter for Plaisters than Discourses. I pray you try whether you can arise, and we will help Rozinante, although he deserves it not, for he was the principal Cause of all these Troubles; I would never have believed the like before of Rozinante, whom I ever held to be as chaste and peaceable a Person as my self. In fine, they say well, that one must have a long Time to
come to the Knowledge of Bodies; and, that there's nothing in this Life secure. Who durst affirm, that after those mighty Blows which you gave to that unfortunate Knight-Errant, would succeed so in post, and as it were in your pursuit, this so furious a Tempest of Staves, that hath discharged it self on our Shoulders? Thine, Sancho