[Illustration: DON QUIXOTE ADDRESSING DOROTHEA]
Wherein is continued the History of the famous Princess Micomicona
Sancho gave ear to what he heard with no small grief of mind, seeing that all hopes of his Earldom vanished away like smoke, and the fair Princess Micomicona was turned into Dorothea, whilst his Master was sound asleep, careless of all that happened. Dorothea could not believe that the happiness she enjoyed was not a dream. Cardenio and Lucinda were of a similar mind, and Don Fernando was truly thankful that he was free from the dangerous path he had taken, which must have ended in loss of all honour and credit.
In a word, all were contented and happy. The Curate, like a man of sense, congratulated every one on his good fortune; but she that kept greatest Jubilee and joy was the Hostess, because Cardenio and the Curate had promised to pay all the damages done by Don Quixote.
Only Sancho, as has been said, was unhappy and sorrowful. And thus he went with a melancholy face to his Master, who was then just awaking, and said: 'Your Worship, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, may well sleep on as long as you please, without troubling yourself to kill any Giant, or restore to the Princess her Kingdom, for all that is done and finished already.'
'That I well believe,' replied Don Quixote, 'for I have had the most monstrous and terrible battle with that Giant that ever I had all the days of my life; and yet with one back stroke, swish, I tumbled his head to the ground, and his blood gushed forth, so that streams of it ran along the earth as if it had been water.'
'As if it had been red wine, your Worship might have said,' replied Sancho, 'for I would have you know, if you do not know already, that the dead Giant is no other than a ruined wine-bag, and the blood six-and-twenty gallons of red wine.'
'What sayest thou, madman?' cried Don Quixote. 'Art thou in thy right wits?'
'Get up, Sir,' said Sancho, 'and you shall see yourself the fine piece of work you have done, and what we have to pay. You shall behold the Queen turned into a private Lady, called Dorothea, with many other things that may well astonish you.'
'I should marvel at nothing,' replied Don Quixote, 'for if thou rememberest right, I told thee, the other time that we were here, how all that happened here was done by enchantment, and it would be no wonder if it were the same now.'