The Exemplary Novels of CervantesCervantes Saavedra, Miguel de
General
The Exemplary Novels of Cervantes
Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de
Spanish fiction -- Translations into English
He spent the remainder of the day in walking about the city, to let
himself be seen, and at night we went to the suburb of Triana, to a
street near the powder-mill, where my master, looking about to see if
any one observed him, entered a house, myself following him, and in the
court-yard we found the six rogues he had fought with, all untrussed,
and without cloaks or swords. One fellow, who appeared to be the
landlord, had a big jar of wine in one hand and a great tavern goblet in
the other, and, filling a sparkling bumper, he drank to all the company.
No sooner had they set eyes on my master than they all ran to him with
open arms. They all drank his health, and he returned the compliment in
every instance, and would have done it in as many more had there been
occasion--so affable he was and so averse to disoblige any one for
trifles. Were I to recount all that took place there--the supper that
was served up, the fights and the robberies they related, the ladies of
their acquaintance whom they praised or disparaged, the encomiums they
bestowed on each other, the absent bravoes whom they named, the clever
tricks they played, jumping up from supper to exhibit their sleight of
hand, the picked words they used, and, finally, the figure of the host,
whom all respected as their lord and father,--were I to attempt this, I
should entangle myself in a maze, from which I could never extricate
myself. I ascertained that the master of the house, whose name was
Monipodio, was a regular fence, and that my master's battle of the
morning had been preconcerted between him and his opponents, with all
its circumstances, including the dropping of the sword-sheaths, which my
master now delivered, in lieu of his share of the reckoning. The
entertainment was continued almost till breakfast time; and, by way of a
final treat, they gave my master information of a foreign bravo, an
out-and-outer, just arrived in the city. In all probability he was an
abler blade than themselves, and they denounced him from envy. My master
captured him the next night as he lay in bed; but had he been up and
armed, there was that in his face and figure which told me that he would
not have allowed himself to be taken so quietly. This capture, coming
close upon the heels of the pretended fight, enhanced the fame of my
poltroon of a master, who had no more courage than a hare, but sustained
his valorous reputation by treating and feasting; so that all the gains
of his office, both fair and foul, were frittered away upon his false
renown.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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