OFTHEFREEDOMDONQUIXOTECONFERREDONSEVERALUNFORTUNATESWHOAGAINSTTHEIRWILLWEREBEINGCARRIEDWHERETHEYHADNOWISHTOGO
CideHameteBenengeli, theArabandMancheganauthor, relatesinthismostgrave, highsounding, minute, delightful, andoriginalhistorythatafterthediscussionbetweenthefamousDonQuixoteofLaManchaandhissquireSanchoPanzawhichissetdownattheendofchaptertwenty-one, DonQuixoteraisedhiseyesandsawcomingalongtheroadhewasfollowingsomedozenmenonfootstrungtogetherbytheneck, likebeads, onagreatironchain, ; thoseonhorsebackwithwheel-lockmuskets, thoseonfootwithjavelinsandswords, andassoonasSanchosawthemhesaid:
"Thatisachainofgalleyslaves, onthewaytothegalleysbyforceoftheking'sorders."
"Howbyforce?" askedDonQuixote; "isitpossiblethatthekingusesforceagainstanyone?"
"Idonotsaythat," answeredSancho, "butthatthesearepeoplecondemnedfortheircrimestoservebyforceintheking'sgalleys."
"Infact," repliedDonQuixote, "howeveritmaybe, thesepeoplearegoingwheretheyaretakingthembyforce, andnotoftheirownwill."
"Justso," saidSancho.
"Thenifso," saidDonQuixote, "hereisacasefortheexerciseofmyoffice, toputdownforceandtosuccourandhelpthewretched."
"Recollect, yourworship," saidSancho, "Justice, whichisthekinghimself, isnotusingforceordoingwrongtosuchpersons, butpunishingthemfortheircrimes."
Thechainofgalleyslaveshadbythistimecomeup, , thattheyweregoingtothegalleys, andthatwasallthatwastobesaidandallhehadanybusinesstoknow.
