Print
Word
PDF
|
Don Quixote Volume 2, Chapter 62
Their guide and host was a rich man named Don Antonio Moreno. Although keen to enjoy the full measure of DQ's madness, his sense of humor drew the line at causing the knight errant any pain of injury. He invites some of his friends to dine with them. They ask Sancho if it is true that he carries leftovers like meatballs and tarts in his pockets. He denies this, and Don Quijote backs him up -- saying although an eager eater, Sancho is very clean.
After the meal, Don Antonio takes Don Quijote to a room to show him a secret bronze bust head that can answer any question spoken in its ear except on Fridays. It happens to be Friday, so he tells Don Quijote to think of a question to ask the head tomorrow. That afternoon he takes Don Quijote out for a street exhibition (Don Quijote being the exhibition) wearing a yellow wool cassock and a placard on his back on which it was written in bold print "This is Don Quijote de la Mancha". As they pass by people read it out loud; Don Quijote thinking all these people recognize him. A Castillian, who was very familiar with Don Quijote's history and antics, tells him to stop being nuts and go home.
Don Antonio's wife gives a dancing party and two ladies keep begging Don Quijote for dances till completely exhausted he has to be carried to bed. The next day, they visit the mysterious talking head. Don Quijote asks if the events in Montesino's cave were real or a dream and if Dulcinea would ever be set free from her enchantment. The head says the events were both and that Sancho's whipping would take a long time but eventually Dulcinea would be set free. It is all a parlor trick.
An impromptu tournament is being arranged just for Don Quijote. Don Quijote visits a shop that prints books and the subject of translating books from their original language is discussed. He finds them proofreading the ersatz sequel to the first volume of Don Quijote and he expresses surprise that it is still in print since he'd heard they'd all been burned!
