Don Quixote_ Translation by Edith Grossman (HarperCollins) - Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra [166]
The innkeeper picked up the case and the books, but the priest said:
“Wait, I want to see the papers that are written in such a fine hand.”
The innkeeper took them out and gave them to him to read, and the priest saw up to eight full sheets of paper written by hand, and at the beginning was the title in large letters: The Novel of the Man Who Was Recklessly Curious. The priest read three or four lines to himself and said:
“The title of this novel certainly doesn’t seem bad, and I think I would like to read all of it.”
To which the innkeeper responded:
“Well, your reverence can certainly read it, and you should know that some guests who read it here liked it very much and asked to have it over and over again, but I wouldn’t give it to them, because I plan to return it to the man who left this case here by mistake, along with the books and papers; their owner might come back here one day, and though I know I’ll miss the books, by my faith I’m going to give them back; I may be an innkeeper, but I’m still a Christian.”
“You are absolutely right, my friend,” said the priest, “but even so, if I like the novel, you must allow me to copy it.”
“I’ll be happy to,” responded the innkeeper.
While the two men were conversing, Cardenio had picked up the novel and begun to read it, and being of the same opinion as the priest, he asked him to read it aloud so that all of them could hear it.
“I would gladly read it,” said the priest, “but it might be better to spend this time sleeping rather than reading.”
“It will be very restful for me,” said Dorotea, “to spend the time listening to a story, for my spirit is not yet calm enough to let me sleep at the customary time.”
“In that case,” said the priest, “I do want to read it, if only out of curiosity; perhaps it will have something both pleasing and unusual.”
Master Nicolás made the same request, and so did Sancho; seeing this, and thinking that by reading aloud he would both give and receive pleasure, the priest said:
“Well then, pay careful attention, for this is how the novel begins:”
CHAPTER XXXIII
Which recounts the novel of The Man Who Was Recklessly Curious1
In Florence, a rich and famous Italian city in the province called Tuscany, lived two wealthy, eminent gentlemen who were such good friends that they were known by everyone as the two friends. They were bachelors, young men who were of the same age and habits, all of which was sufficient cause for both of them to feel a mutual, reciprocal friendship. True, Anselmo was somewhat more inclined to amorous pursuits than Lotario, whose preferred pastime was the hunt, but when the occasion presented itself, Anselmo would leave his pleasures to follow those of Lotario, and Lotario would leave his to pursue those of Anselmo, and in this fashion their desires were so attuned that a well-adjusted clock did not run as well.
Anselmo was deeply in love with a distinguished and beautiful girl from the same city, the daughter of such excellent parents, and so excellent in and of herself, that he decided, with his friend Lotario’s agreement, without which he did nothing, to ask her parents for her hand, which he did; his intermediary was Lotario, and he concluded the arrangements so successfully for his friend that in a short time Anselmo found himself in possession of what he desired; Camila was so happy at having Anselmo for a husband that she unceasingly gave her thanks to heaven, and to Lotario, through whose intervention so much contentment had come to her. In the first days of the nuptial celebrations, which are always filled with joy, Lotario continued to visit the house of his friend Anselmo as he had before, wishing to honor him, congratulate him, and rejoice with him in every way he could, but when the celebrations were over and the frequency