[Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra]@TWC D-Link book
Don Quixote

CHAPTER XXVII
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To all this Don Fernando answered that he would take it upon himself to speak to my father, and persuade him to speak to Luscinda's father.

O, ambitious Marius! O, cruel Catiline! O, wicked Sylla! O, perfidious Ganelon! O, treacherous Vellido! O, vindictive Julian! O, covetous Judas! Traitor, cruel, vindictive, and perfidious, wherein had this poor wretch failed in his fidelity, who with such frankness showed thee the secrets and the joys of his heart?
What offence did I commit?
What words did I utter, or what counsels did I give that had not the furtherance of thy honour and welfare for their aim?
But, woe is me, wherefore do I complain?
for sure it is that when misfortunes spring from the stars, descending from on high they fall upon us with such fury and violence that no power on earth can check their course nor human device stay their coming.

Who could have thought that Don Fernando, a highborn gentleman, intelligent, bound to me by gratitude for my services, one that could win the object of his love wherever he might set his affections, could have become so obdurate, as they say, as to rob me of my one ewe lamb that was not even yet in my possession?
But laying aside these useless and unavailing reflections, let us take up the broken thread of my unhappy story.
"To proceed, then: Don Fernando finding my presence an obstacle to the execution of his treacherous and wicked design, resolved to send me to his elder brother under the pretext of asking money from him to pay for six horses which, purposely, and with the sole object of sending me away that he might the better carry out his infernal scheme, he had purchased the very day he offered to speak to my father, and the price of which he now desired me to fetch.

Could I have anticipated this treachery?
Could I by any chance have suspected it?
Nay; so far from that, I offered with the greatest pleasure to go at once, in my satisfaction at the good bargain that had been made.

That night I spoke with Luscinda, and told her what had been agreed upon with Don Fernando, and how I had strong hopes of our fair and reasonable wishes being realised.


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