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“This letter is from my lord the governor, and another letter and these corals are from my lady the duchess, who has sent me to your grace.”

Teresa was stunned, and her daughter no less so, and the girl said:

“On my life, our lord and master, Don Quixote, has something to do with this, for he must have given my father the governorship or countship that he promised him so often.”

“That’s true,” responded the page, “and out of respect for Señor Don Quixote, Señor Sancho is now the governor of the ínsula of Barataria, as can be seen in this letter.”

“Your grace must read it to me, Señor,” said Teresa, “because I know how to spin but can’t read a thing.”

“Neither can I,” added Sanchica, “but wait for me here, and I’ll go and find somebody to read it, whether it’s the priest himself or Bachelor Sansón Carrasco, and they’ll be very happy to come hear news about my father.”

“You don’t have to find anybody, because I don’t know how to spin, but I do know how to read, and I’ll read it to you.”

And so he read her Sancho’s entire letter, and since it has already been cited, it is not set down here, and then he took out another letter, the one from the duchess, and it said:

My friend Teresa: The qualities of goodness and wit in your husband, Sancho, moved and obliged me to ask my husband, the duke, to give him the governorship of one of the many ínsulas which he possesses. I have been told that he governs in grand style, which makes me very happy, and of course, the duke my lord, too, for which I give many thanks to heaven that I was not deceived when I chose him for the governorship, because I want Señora Teresa to know that it is difficult to find a good governor in the world, and may God treat me in just the way that Sancho governs.

I am sending you, my dear, a string of corals with gold beads; I’d be happy if they were Oriental pearls, but the person who gives you a bone doesn’t want to see you dead; 4 one day we shall meet and communicate with each other, God knows when that will be. Remember me to your daughter, Sanchica, and tell her for me that she should get ready, because I plan to arrange an excellent marriage for her when she least expects it.

I am told that there are fat acorns in your village: send me about two dozen, and I shall esteem them greatly because they come from your hand; write me a long letter informing me of your health and well-being; if you happen to need anything, you only have to say the word, and your word will be heeded. May God keep you. From this place.

Your friend who loves you,

THE DUCHESS

“O,” said Teresa when she heard the letter, “what a good and straightforward and humble lady! Let them bury me with ladies like these and not the gentlewomen we have in this village who think that because they’re wellborn the wind shouldn’t touch them, and who go to church with all the airs of queens, and seem to think it’s a dishonor to look at a peasant woman; and you can see here where this good lady, even though she’s a duchess, calls me her friend and treats me like an equal, and may I see her equal to the highest belltower in all of La Mancha. And as for the acorns, Señor, I’ll send her ladyship a celemín5 of ones so fat that people will come just to look at them. And for now, Sanchica, look after this gentleman: take care of his horse, and get some eggs from the stable, and cut plenty of bacon, and let’s feed him like a prince; he deserves it for the good news he’s brought us and for that nice face of his; in the meantime, I’ll go out and tell the news about our luck to my neighbors and to the reverend priest and Master Nicolás, the barber, who are and have been such good friends of your father’s.”

“I will, Mother,” responded Sanchica, “but look, you have to give me half of that necklace, because I don’t think my lady the duchess is so foolish as to send the whole thing to you.”

“It’s all for you, daughter,” responded Teresa, “but let me wear it around my neck for a few days, because it really seems to bring joy to my heart.”

“You’ll both feel joy,” said the page, “when you see the