While Don Quixote was talking in this strain, the curate was endeavouring to persuade the officers that he was out of his senses, as they might perceive by his deeds and his words, and that they need not press the matter any further, for even if they arrested him and carried him off, they would have to release him by-and-by as a madman; to which the holder of the warrant replied that he had nothing to do with inquiring into Don Quixote’s madness, but only to execute his superior’s orders, and that once taken they might let him go three hundred times if they liked.
“For all that,” said the curate, “you must not take him away this time, nor will he, it is my opinion, let himself be taken away.”
In short, the curate used such arguments, and Don Quixote did such mad things, that the officers would have been more mad than he was if they had not perceived his want of wits, and so they thought it best to allow themselves to be pacified, and even to act as peacemakers between the barber and Sancho Panza, who still continued their altercation with much bitterness. In the end they, as officers of justice, settled the question by arbitration in such a manner that both sides were, if not perfectly contented, at least to some extent satisfied; for they changed the pack-saddles, but not the girths or head-stalls; and as to Mambrino’s helmet, the curate, under the rose and without Don Quixote’s knowing it, paid eight reals for the basin, and the barber executed a full receipt and engagement to make no further demand then or thenceforth for evermore, amen. These two disputes, which were the most important and gravest, being settled, it only remained for the servants of Don Luis to consent that three of them should return while one was left to accompany him whither Don Fernando desired to take him; and good luck and better fortune, having already begun to solve difficulties and remove obstructions in favour of the lovers and warriors of the inn, were pleased to persevere and bring everything to a happy issue; for the servants agreed to do as Don Luis wished; which gave Dona Clara such happiness that no one could have looked into her face just then without seeing the joy of her heart. Zoraida, though she did not fully comprehend all she saw, was grave or gay without knowing why, as she watched and studied the various countenances, but particularly her Spaniard’s , whom she followed with her eyes and clung to with her soul. The gift and compensation which the curate gave the barber had not escaped the landlord’s notice, and he demanded Don Quixote’s reckoning, together with the amount of the damage to his wine-skins, and the loss of his wine, swearing that neither Rocinante nor Sancho’s ass should leave the inn until he had been paid to the very last farthing. The curate settled all amicably, and Don Fernando paid; though the Judge had also very readily offered to pay the score; and all became so peaceful and quiet that the inn no longer reminded one of the discord of Agramante’s camp, as Don Quixote said, but of the peace and tranquillity of the days of Octavianus: for all which it was the universal opinion that their thanks were due to the great zeal and eloquence of the curate, and to the unexampled generosity of Don Fernando.
Finding himself now clear and quit of all quarrels, his squire’s as well as his own, Don Quixote considered that it would be advisable to continue the journey he had begun, and bring to a close that great adventure for which he had been called and chosen; and with this high resolve he went and knelt before Dorothea, who, however, would not allow him to utter a word until he had risen; so to obey her he rose, and said, “It is a common proverb, fair lady, that ‘diligence is the mother of good fortune,’ and experience has often shown in important affairs that the earnestness of the negotiator brings the doubtful case to a successful termination; but in nothing does this truth show itself more plainly than in war, where quickness and activity forestall the devices of the enemy, and win the victory before the foe has time to defend himself. All this I say, exalted and esteemed lady, because it seems to me that for us to remain any longer in this castle now is useless, and may be injurious to us in a way that we shall find out some day; for who knows but that your enemy the giant may have learned by means of secret and diligent spies that I am going to destroy him, and if the opportunity be given him he may seize it to fortify himself in some impregnable castle or stronghold, against which all my efforts and the might of my indefatigable arm may avail but little? Therefore, lady, let us, as I say, forestall his schemes by our activity, and let us depart at once in quest of fair fortune; for your highness is only kept from enjoying it as fully as you could desire by my delay in encountering your adversary.”
Don Quixote held his peace and said no more, calmly awaiting the reply of the beauteous princess, who, with commanding dignity and in a style adapted to Don Quixote’s own, replied to him in these words, “I give you thanks, sir knight, for the eagerness you, like a good knight to whom it is a natural obligation to succour the orphan and the needy, display to afford me aid in my sore trouble; and heaven grant that your wishes and mine may be realised, so that you may see that there are women in this world capable of gratitude; as to my departure, let it be forthwith, for I have no will but yours; dispose of me entirely in accordance with your good pleasure; for she who has once entrusted to you the defence of her person, and placed in your hands the recovery of her dominions, must not think of offering opposition to that which your wisdom may ordain.”
“On, then, in God’s name,” said Don Quixote; “for, when a lady humbles herself to me, I will not lose the opportunity of raising her up and placing her on the throne of her ancestors. Let us depart at once, for the common saying that in delay there is danger, lends spurs to my eagerness to take the road; and as neither heaven has created nor hell seen any that can daunt or intimidate me, saddle Rocinante, Sancho, and get ready thy ass and the queen’s palfrey, and let us take leave of the castellan and these gentlemen, and go hence this very instant.”
Sancho, who was standing by all the time, said, shaking his head, “Ah! master, master, there is more mischief in the village than one hears of, begging all good bodies’ pardon.”
“What mischief can there be in any village, or in all the cities of the world, you booby, that can hurt my reputation?” said Don Quixote.
“If your worship is angry,” replied Sancho, “I will hold my tongue and leave unsaid what as a good squire I am bound to say, and what a good servant should tell his master.”
“Say what thou wilt,” returned Don Quixote, “provided thy words be not meant to work upon my fears; for thou, if thou fearest, art behaving like thyself; but I like myself, in not fearing.”
“It is nothing of the sort, as I am a sinner before God,” said Sancho, “but that I take it to be sure and certain that this lady, who calls herself queen of the great kingdom of Micomicon, is no more so than my mother; for, if she was what she says, she would not go rubbing noses with one that is here every instant and behind every door.”
Dorothea turned red at Sancho’s words, for the truth was that her husband Don Fernando had now and then, when the others were not looking, gathered from her lips some of the reward his love had earned, and Sancho seeing this had considered that such freedom was more like a courtesan than a queen of a great kingdom; she, however, being unable or not caring to answer him, allowed him to proceed, and he continued, “This I say, senor, because, if after we have travelled roads and highways, and passed bad nights and worse days, one who is now enjoying himself in this inn is to reap the fruit of our labours, there is no need for me to be in a hurry to saddle Rocinante, put the pad on the ass, or get ready the palfrey; for it will be better for us to stay quiet, and let every jade mind her spinning, and let us go to dinner.”
Good God, what was the indignation of Don Quixote when he heard the audacious words of his squire! So great was it, that in a voice inarticulate with rage, with a stammering tongue, and eyes that flashed living fire, he exclaimed, “Rascally clown, boorish, insolent, and ignorant, ill-spoken, foul-mouthed, impudent backbiter and slanderer! Hast thou dared to utter such words in my presence and in that of these illustrious ladies? Hast thou dared to harbour such gross and shameless thoughts in thy muddled imagination? Begone from my presence, thou born monster, storehouse of lies, hoard of untruths, garner of knaveries, inventor of scandals, publisher of absurdities, enemy of the respect due to royal personages! Begone, show thyself no more before me under pain of my wrath;” and so saying he knitted his brows, puffed out his cheeks, gazed around him, and stamped on the ground violently with his right foot, showing in every way the rage that was pent up in his heart; and at his words and furious gestures Sancho was so scared and terrified that he would have been glad if the earth had opened that instant and swallowed him, and his only thought was to turn round and make his escape from the angry presence of his master.
But the ready-witted Dorothea, who by this time so well understood Don Quixote’s humour, said, to mollify his wrath, “Be not irritated at the absurdities your good squire has uttered, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, for perhaps he did not utter them without cause, and from his good sense and Christian conscience it is not likely that he would bear false witness against anyone. We may therefore believe, without any hesitation, that since, as you say, sir knight, everything in this castle goes and is brought about by means of enchantment, Sancho, I say, may possibly have seen, through this diabolical medium, what he says he saw so much to the detriment of my modesty.”
“I swear by God Omnipotent,” exclaimed Don Quixote at this, “your highness has hit the point; and that some vile illusion must have come before this sinner of a Sancho, that made him see what it would have been impossible to see by any other means than enchantments; for I know well enough, from the poor fellow’s goodness and harmlessness, that he is incapable of bearing false witness against anybody.”
“True, no doubt,” said Don Fernando, “for which reason, Senor Don Quixote, you ought to forgive him and restore him to the bosom of your favour, sicut erat in principio, before illusions of this sort had taken away his senses.”
Don Quixote said he was ready to pardon him, and the curate went for Sancho, who came in very humbly, and falling on his knees begged for the hand of his master, who having presented it to him and allowed him to kiss it, gave him his blessing and said, “Now, Sancho my son, thou wilt be convinced of the truth of what I have many a time told thee, that everything in this castle is done by means of enchantment.”
“So it is, I believe,” said Sancho, “except the affair of the blanket, which came to pass in reality by ordinary means.”
“Believe it not,” said Don Quixote, “for had it been so, I would have avenged thee that instant, or even now; but neither then nor now could I, nor have I seen anyone upon whom to avenge thy wrong.”
They were all eager to know what the affair of the blanket was, and the landlord gave them a minute account of Sancho’s flights, at which they laughed not a little, and at which Sancho would have been no less out of countenance had not his master once more assured him it was all enchantment. For all that his simplicity never reached so high a pitch that he could persuade himself it was not the plain and simple truth, without any deception whatever about it, that he had been blanketed by beings of flesh and blood, and not by visionary and imaginary phantoms, as his master believed and protested.
The illustrious company had now been two days in the inn; and as it seemed to them time to depart, they devised a plan so that, without giving Dorothea and Don Fernando the trouble of going back with Don Quixote to his village under pretence of restoring Queen Micomicona, the curate and the barber might carry him away with them as they proposed, and the curate be able to take his madness in hand at home; and in pursuance of their plan they arranged with the owner of an oxcart who happened to be passing that way to carry him after this fashion. They constructed a kind of cage with wooden bars, large enough to hold Don Quixote comfortably; and then Don Fernando and his companions, the servants of Don Luis, and the officers of the Brotherhood, together with the landlord, by the directions and advice of the curate, covered their faces and disguised themselves, some in one way, some in another, so as to appear to Don Quixote quite different from the persons he had seen in the castle. This done, in profound silence they entered the room where he was asleep, taking his his rest after the past frays, and advancing to where he was sleeping tranquilly, not dreaming of anything of the kind happening, they seized him firmly and bound him fast hand and foot, so that, when he awoke startled, he was unable to move, and could only marvel and wonder at the strange figures he saw before him; upon which he at once gave way to the idea which his crazed fancy invariably conjured up before him, and took it into his head that all these shapes were phantoms of the enchanted castle, and that he himself was unquestionably enchanted as he could neither move nor help himself; precisely what the curate, the concoctor of the scheme, expected would happen. Of all that were there Sancho was the only one who was at once in his senses and in his own proper character, and he, though he was within very little of sharing his master’s infirmity, did not fail to perceive who all these disguised figures were; but he did not dare to open his lips until he saw what came of this assault and capture of his master; nor did the latter utter a word, waiting to the upshot of his mishap; which was that bringing in the cage, they shut him up in it and nailed the bars so firmly that they could not be easily burst open.
They then took him on their shoulders, and as they passed out of the room an awful voice — as much so as the barber, not he of the pack-saddle but the other, was able to make it — was heard to say, “O Knight of the Rueful Countenance, let not this captivity in which thou art placed afflict thee, for this must needs be, for the more speedy accomplishment of the adventure in which thy great heart has engaged thee; the which shall be accomplished when the raging Manchegan lion and the white Tobosan dove shall be linked together, having first humbled their haughty necks to the gentle yoke of matrimony. And from this marvellous union shall come forth to the light of the world brave whelps that shall rival the ravening claws of their valiant father; and this shall come to pass ere the pursuer of the flying nymph shall in his swift natural course have twice visited the starry signs. And thou, O most noble and obedient squire that ever bore sword at side, beard on face, or nose to smell with, be not dismayed or grieved to see the flower of knight-errantry carried away thus before thy very eyes; for soon, if it so please the Framer of the universe, thou shalt see thyself exalted to such a height that thou shalt not know thyself, and the promises which thy good master has made thee shall not prove false; and I assure thee, on the authority of the sage Mentironiana, that thy wages shall be paid thee, as thou shalt see in due season. Follow then the footsteps of the valiant enchanted knight, for it is expedient that thou shouldst go to the destination assigned to both of you; and as it is not permitted to me to say more, God be with thee; for I return to that place I wot of;” and as he brought the prophecy to a close he raised his voice to a high pitch, and then lowered it to such a soft tone, that even those who knew it was all a joke were almost inclined to take what they heard seriously.
Don Quixote was comforted by the prophecy he heard, for he at once comprehended its meaning perfectly, and perceived it was promised to him that he should see himself united in holy and lawful matrimony with his beloved Dulcinea del Toboso, from whose blessed womb should proceed the whelps, his sons, to the eternal glory of La Mancha; and being thoroughly and firmly persuaded of this, he lifted up his voice, and with a deep sigh exclaimed, “Oh thou, whoever thou art, who hast foretold me so much good, I implore of thee that on my part thou entreat that sage enchanter who takes charge of my interests, that he leave me not to perish in this captivity in which they are now carrying me away, ere I see fulfilled promises so joyful and incomparable as those which have been now made me; for, let this but come to pass, and I shall glory in the pains of my prison, find comfort in these chains wherewith they bind me, and regard this bed whereon they stretch me, not as a hard battle-field, but as a soft and happy nuptial couch; and touching the consolation of Sancho Panza, my squire, I rely upon his goodness and rectitude that he will not desert me in good or evil fortune; for if, by his ill luck or mine, it may not happen to be in my power to give him the island I have promised, or any equivalent for it, at least his wages shall not be lost; for in my will, which is already made, I have declared the sum that shall be paid to him, measured, not by his many faithful services, but by the means at my disposal.”
Sancho bowed his head very respectfully and kissed both his hands, for, being tied together, he could not kiss one; and then the apparitions lifted the cage upon their shoulders and fixed it upon the ox-cart.
在唐吉诃德慷慨陈词的时候，神甫正劝说团丁，告诉他们唐吉诃德如何神志不正常，他的所作所为大家都看到了，因此没有必要把事情再闹下去了。即使把他抓走了，以后看他是个疯子，还得放他。可那个拿通缉令的团丁说，他不管唐吉诃德是不是神志不正常，他只管执行上司的命令。只要抓了他就行，再放三百次都没关系。
“话是这么讲，”神甫说，“不过这次就不要把他带走了，而且，他也不会让人把他带走的，这点我很清楚。”
神甫一再劝说，唐吉诃德做的那些事团丁们也知道，如果他们不承认唐吉诃德是疯子，那么他们就比唐吉诃德还疯了。所以，他们倒也愿意落个清闲，甚至还愿意为理发师和桑乔斡旋，因为两人还在为那场争执而耿耿于怀呢。团丁们以执法者的身份从中调解裁决，最后双方虽然不能算是满心欢喜，也还可以说是比较满意。他们交换了驮鞍，肚带和笼头就算了。至于那个曼布里诺的头盔，神甫瞒着唐吉诃德，悄悄给了理发师八个雷阿尔，就算买了那个盆。理发师写了收条，表示永不翻悔，真是谢天谢地。
这两件最大的纷争解决了，唐路易斯的三个佣人也高高兴兴地走了，留下一个佣人随便到哪儿都陪着唐路易斯。福祉既开，喜气随来。无论是客店里的情人还是勇士，自己的事情都可望有个圆满的结局。唐路易斯满意，他的佣人们也高兴。唐娜克拉拉更是喜笑颜开。只要看看她的脸就可以知道，她的欣喜发自内心。
索赖达虽然对眼前的事情不能全部理解，只是人喜她喜，人忧她忧，不过她特别注意观察她那位西班牙人，眼睛始终不离开他，为他牵肠挂肚。店主对于神甫给理发师的赔偿和赠予不能熟视无睹，他也要求赔偿损坏的皮酒囊和红葡萄酒的损失，发誓说如果少给一分钱就休想让罗西南多或者桑乔的驴出客店的门。神甫安慰店主，法官表示愿意出钱赔偿，不过最后钱还是由费尔南多付了。这回客店里安静下来了，没有了唐吉诃德所说的阿格拉曼特阵地的混乱，倒是出现了奥古斯都大帝时期的和谐宁静。神甫在这个过程中的善意与口才，以及费尔南多的慷慨大度，有口皆碑。
唐吉诃德见已经从与他和桑乔有关的纠纷中解脱出来，觉得该继续赶路，去完成他肩负的那件重任了。决心已定，他跑去跪在多罗特亚面前。多罗特亚让他先起身再说话。唐吉诃德遵命站了起来，说道：
“美丽的公主，俗话说，神速出佳运。过去的很多事实都证明，正是由于当事人当机立断，才使本来后果难料的事情有了良好的结局，而且这点在军事上显得尤为突出。兵贵神速，使敌人措手不及，不等他们来得及抵抗就取得了胜利。
“尊贵的公主，我说这些是因为我觉得咱们再在这个城堡待下去已经没有什么意义了，而对我们到底有多少不利之处，也许我们以后某一天才能知道。谁知道与您为敌的那个巨人是否会通过潜伏在这里的奸细得知，我今天要去攻打他呢？如果他抓紧时间，加固工事，使他的城堡或堡垒坚不可摧，纵使我们出击迅速，我们不知疲倦的臂膀再有力量，也会无济于事。所以，我的女主人，咱们马上出发才会有好运。只要我和您的对手一交锋，您就肯定会如愿以偿。”
唐吉诃德讲到这儿不再说话了，静静地等候美丽公主的回答。公主一副威严的样子，很符合唐吉诃德当时的状态。她答道：
“骑士大人，非常感谢你表达了要帮我解除危难的愿望，这才像个扶弱济贫的骑士的样子。愿老天让你我的愿望得以实现，那时候你也会知道世界上还有知恩图报的女人。我的启程应该尽快安排，我的意见与你一致。你全权酌定吧，我已经把我的人身安全以及光复王国的重任托付给你，你随意安排吧，我不会有异议。”
“那就这么定了，”唐吉诃德说，“既然沦落的是位女王，我一定抓紧时机，把您扶上您的世袭宝座。咱们马上出发，我现在上路心切，否则就会像人们常说的那样坐失良机。能够让我胆怯恐惧的人，恐怕天上没有过，地上也没见过。桑乔，给罗西南多备鞍，还有你的驴和女王的坐骑，咱们告别城堡长官和那几位大人，马上出发。”
桑乔一直在场。这时他摇晃着脑袋说：
“哎呀，大人啊大人，村庄虽小议论多，评头品足又奈何！”
“不管在什么村庄和城市，我有什么不好的事可以让人议论的，乡巴佬？”
“您若是生气，我就不说了，”桑乔说，“本来我作为一个好待从应该向主人说的事，我也不说了。”
“你随便说，只要你不危言耸听。”唐吉诃德说，“你若是害怕，就随你的便；反正我不害怕，我行我素。”
“不是这个意思，真是的，都怪我！”桑乔说，“我现在已经弄清楚了，这个自称是米科米孔伟大王国女王的女人，跟我母亲比并没有什么特别之处。她要真是女王，就不会趁人不注意偷着同这个圈子里的某个人乱啃了。”
桑乔这么一说，多罗特亚立刻变得满脸绯红，因为她的丈夫费尔南多的确避着大家，用自己的嘴唇从她的嘴唇那儿给自己的情爱以一定的安慰。这些被桑乔看见了，他觉得这样轻佻只能是妓女，而不是一个如此伟大王国的女王应有的行为。多罗特亚无法回答，也不想回答桑乔的话，只好任他说下去。桑乔又说：
“我是说，大人，咱们走大路绕小道，白天黑夜都不得安生，可换来的却是让这些在客店里逍遥自在的人坐享其成。既然这样，我就没必要慌慌张张地为罗西南多备鞍，为我的驴上好驮鞍，为她准备坐骑了。让婊子干她的，咱们吃咱们的。”
上帝保佑！唐吉诃德听做自己的侍从竟说出这般无礼的话来，生了多大的气！他的眼睛都要冒出火来了，急急忙忙又结结巴巴地说道：
“你这个下贱货，这么没头脑，无礼又无知，竟敢背后说别人的坏话！你竟敢当着我的面，当着这么多尊贵的夫人说出这种话，而且还不知羞耻地胡思乱想！你这个万恶的魔鬼，竟敢造谣生事，盅惑人心，真是卑鄙至极，愚蠢透顶，污辱贵人的尊严。你赶快从我面前滚开，免得我对你不客气！”
说完他紧蹙眉头，鼓着两颊，环顾四方，右脚在地上狠狠地跺了一下，满肚子怒气溢于言表。桑乔听了唐吉诃德这些话，又见他一副怒不可遏的样子，吓得缩成一团，真恨不得脚下的地裂个缝，让他掉进去。他不知如何是好，只好转身走开。聪明的多罗特亚十分了解唐吉诃德的脾气，为了缓和一下他的怒气，多罗特亚对他说：
“你不要为你善良的侍从说的那些蠢话生气，猥獕骑士大人。他只是不应该无中生有地乱说。他是一番好意，而且具有基督徒的良心，没有人会相信他有意诬陷谁。由此可以相信，就像骑士大人你说的，在这座城堡里，各种事情都受到了魔法的控制，肯定是这样。所以我说，桑乔很可能受到了魔法的影响，看到了他其实没有看到的那些有损于我尊严的事情。”
“我向全能的上帝发誓，”唐吉诃德说，“您说得完全对。也许是某种魔法的幻觉使得这个有罪的桑乔看到了根本不可能的事情，而且我也十分了解这个倒霉鬼，他善良单纯，不会有意诬陷人。”
“是这样，肯定是这样，”费尔南多说，“所以您，唐吉诃德大人，应该原谅他，与他和好如初，别让那些幻觉使他丧失了理智。”
唐吉诃德说他原谅桑乔，于是神甫就去找桑乔。桑乔低三下四地回来了。他跪在唐吉诃德面前，请求吻唐吉诃德的手。唐吉诃德把手伸给他，让他吻了自己的手，然后又祝福了他。唐吉诃德说：
“桑乔，我多次对你说过，这座城堡的一切都受到了魔法的控制，现在你该明白了，这的确是真的。”
“这个我相信，”桑乔说，“不过那次被扔可是确有其事。”
“你不要这么想，”唐吉诃德说，“如果是这样，我早为你报仇了，即使那时没报仇，现在也会为你报。可是无论过去还是现在，我都不知道该向谁去报仇。”
大家都想知道被单的事，于是店主又把桑乔的那次遭遇一五一十地讲了一遍，大家听了不禁大笑。若不是唐吉诃德再次保证，那次是由于魔法，桑乔早就羞愧得无地自容了。不过，桑乔即使再愚蠢，也不会不知道自己是被一群有血有肉的人耍了，而不是像他的主人说的那样是什么幻觉。
两天过去了。住在客店的贵客一行人觉得该启程了。他们决定不再烦劳多罗特亚和费尔南多，像原来商定的那样，让神甫和理发师假借解救米科米科纳公主的名义，把唐吉诃德送回家乡去。神甫在当地设法为他治疗。他们决定用一辆恰巧从那儿路过的牛车把唐吉诃德送回去。他们在牛车上装了个像笼子样的东西，让唐吉诃德能够舒舒服服地待在里面，费尔南多和他的伙伴们、唐路易斯的佣人和团丁们按照神甫的主意和吩咐，都蒙着脸，装扮成身份不同的人，让唐吉诃德认不出这是他在客店里见过的那些人。准备得当之后，他们悄悄走进唐吉诃德的房间。唐吉诃德那天经过几番打斗，已经睡觉休息了。”
大家来到他身边，在他鼾声如雷、全然不知的情况下把他紧紧按住，把手脚都结结实实地捆了起来。待他被惊醒时，已经动弹不得，只能惊奇地看着眼前这些陌生的面孔。此时他的怪诞念头又闪现出来，相信这些模样奇怪的人就是这座城堡里的鬼怪，他自己也肯定是被魔法制服了，所以既动弹不得，也不能自卫。这一切都已在这次行动的策划者神甫的预料之中。
在场的人中，只有桑乔的思维和形象没有变化。虽然他差一点就要患上同主人一样的疯病了，但还是能认出那些化了装的人来。不过他一直没敢张嘴，想看看他们把他的主人突然抓起来要干什么。唐吉诃德也一言不发，只是关注着自己的下场。人们把笼子抬过来，把唐吉诃德关了进去，外面又钉了许多木条，无论谁也不能轻易打开这个笼子了。
大家又把笼子抬起来，走出房间时，忽然听见一个令人毛骨悚然的声音。那声音是理发师发出来的，不是那位要驮鞍的理发师，而是另一位。那声音说道：
“噢，猥獕骑士，不要为你被囚禁而感到苦恼。只有这样才能尽早完成你的征险大业。这种状况只有等到曼查的雄狮和托博索的白鸽双双垂颈接受婚姻枷锁①时才会结束。这个史无前例的结合会产生出凶猛的幼崽，它们会模仿它们的勇敢父亲的样子张牙舞爪。所有这些，在仙女的追求者②以他光辉的形象迅速而又自然地两度运行黄道之前就可以实现。你呢，高尚而又温顺的侍从，腰间佩剑，脸上有胡子，嗅觉又灵敏，不要因为人们当着你的面如此带走了游侠骑士的精英而一蹶不振。只要世界的塑造者愿意，你马上就会得到高官显爵，连你都会认不出自己。你的善良主人对你的承诺也一定会实现。我以谎言女神的名义向你发誓，你的工钱一定会付给你，到时候你就知道了。你跟着你那位被魔法制服了的主人一起走吧，无论到哪儿，你都应跟随他。我只能说这些了，上帝与你同在，我要回去了。至于我要回到哪里去，只有我自己才知道。”
①西方谑语，指结婚后必须承担很多义务。
②此处指太阳神阿波罗追求达佛涅的神话。
说到这儿，那个声音立刻提高了嗓门，然后慢慢转化为非常和蔼的语调，结果就连知道这是理发师在开玩笑的人都信以为真了。
唐吉诃德听到这番话也放心了，因为那些人允诺他和托博索他亲爱的杜尔西内亚结成神圣的姻缘，从杜尔西内亚肚子里可以产生出很多幼崽，那些都是他的孩子，这将是曼查世世代代的光荣。他坚信这点，长长地吁了一口气，高声说道：
“你预示了我的美好未来。不管你是谁，都请你代我向负责我的事情的智慧的魔法师请求，在我实现我刚才在这里听到的如此令人兴奋又无与伦比的诺言之前，不要让我死在这个囚笼里。如果这些诺言能够实现，我将视我的牢笼之苦为光荣，视这缠身的锁链为休闲，不把我现在躺的这张床当作战场，而视它为松软的婚床和幸福的洞房。现在该谈谈如何安慰我的侍从桑乔了。根据他的品德和善行，我肯定，不管我的命运如何，他都不会抛弃我。假如由于他或我的不幸，我不能够按照我的承诺，给他一个岛屿或其他类似的东西，至少他的工钱我不会不给，这在我的遗嘱里已经注明了。我不是根据他对我的无数辛勤服侍，而是根据我的能力所及，把该交代的事情都在遗嘱里交代了。”
桑乔毕恭毕敬地向唐吉诃德鞠了一躬，吻了他的双手。唐吉诃德的双手被捆在一起，要吻就得吻两只手。然后，那些妖魔鬼怪扛起笼子，放到了牛车上。