Don Quixote — Chapter 80 in Spanish
By Miguel de Cervantes
Cuando el valiente huye, la superchería está descubierta, y es de varones prudentes guardarse para mejor ocasión. When the brave man flees, treachery is manifest and it is for wise men to reserve themselves for better occasions. Esta verdad se verificó en don Quijote, el cual, dando lugar a la furia del pueblo y a las malas intenciones de aquel indignado escuadrón, puso pies en polvorosa, y, sin acordarse de Sancho ni del peligro en que le dejaba, se apartó tanto cuanto le pareció que bastaba para estar seguro. This proved to be the case with Don Quixote, who, giving way before the fury of the townsfolk and the hostile intentions of the angry troop, took to flight and, without a thought of Sancho or the danger in which he was leaving him, retreated to such a distance as he thought made him safe. Seguíale Sancho, atravesado en su jumento, como queda referido. Llegó, en fin, ya vuelto en su acuerdo, y al llegar, se dejó caer del rucio a los pies de Rocinante, todo ansioso, todo molido y todo apaleado. Sancho, lying across his ass, followed him, as has been said, and at length came up, having by this time recovered his senses, and on joining him let himself drop off Dapple at Rocinante's feet, sore, bruised, and belaboured. Apeóse don Quijote para catarle las feridas; pero, como le hallase sano de los pies a la cabeza, con asaz cólera le dijo: — ¡Tan en hora mala supistes vos rebuznar, Sancho! Don Quixote dismounted to examine his wounds, but finding him whole from head to foot, he said to him, angrily enough, "In an evil hour didst thou take to braying, Sancho! Y ¿dónde hallastes vos ser bueno el nombrar la soga en casa del ahorcado? Where hast thou learned that it is well done to mention the rope in the house of the man that has been hanged? A música de rebuznos, ¿qué contrapunto se había de llevar sino de varapalos? To the music of brays what harmonies couldst thou expect to get but cudgels? Y dad gracias a Dios, Sancho, que ya que os santiguaron con un palo, no os hicieron el per signum crucis con un alfanje. Give thanks to God, Sancho, that they signed the cross on thee just now with a stick, and did not mark thee per signum crucis with a cutlass."
— No estoy para responder —respondió Sancho—, porque me parece que hablo por las espaldas. "I'm not equal to answering," said Sancho, "for I feel as if I was speaking through my shoulders; let us mount and get away from this; I'll keep from braying, but not from saying that knights-errant fly and leave their good squires to be pounded like privet, or made meal of at the hands of their enemies."
— No huye el que se retira —respondió don Quijote—, porque has de saber, Sancho, que la valentía que no se funda sobre la basa de la prudencia se llama temeridad, y las hazañas del temerario más se atribuyen a la buena fortuna que a su ánimo. "He does not fly who retires," returned Don Quixote; "for I would have thee know, Sancho, that the valour which is not based upon a foundation of prudence is called rashness, and the exploits of the rash man are to be attributed rather to good fortune than to courage; and so I own that I retired, but not that I fled; and therein I have followed the example of many valiant men who have reserved themselves for better times; the histories are full of instances of this, but as it would not be any good to thee or pleasure to me, I will not recount them to thee now."
En esto, ya estaba a caballo Sancho, ayudado de don Quijote, el cual asimismo subió en Rocinante, y poco a poco se fueron a emboscar en una alameda que hasta un cuarto de legua de allí se parecía. Sancho was by this time mounted with the help of Don Quixote, who then himself mounted Rocinante, and at a leisurely pace they proceeded to take shelter in a grove which was in sight about a quarter of a league off. De cuando en cuando daba Sancho unos ayes profundísimos y unos gemidos dolorosos; y, preguntándole don Quijote la causa de tan amargo sentimiento, respondió que, desde la punta del espinazo hasta la nuca del celebro, le dolía de manera que le sacaba de sentido. Every now and then Sancho gave vent to deep sighs and dismal groans, and on Don Quixote asking him what caused such acute suffering, he replied that, from the end of his back-bone up to the nape of his neck, he was so sore that it nearly drove him out of his senses.