The Curate now told them both the nature of his errand, and begged that they would join him in his travels, and stay as long as they pleased at his village. By this time they heard the voice of Sancho Panza, who, not finding them where he had left them, was calling out as loudly as he might.
They went to meet him, and asked for Don Quixote. Sancho told them that he had found him almost naked to his shirt, lean and yellow, half dead with hunger, and sighing for the Lady Dulcinea; and although he had told him that she commanded him to journey to Toboso, yet he declared that he had made up his mind not to appear before her until he had done feats worthy of her great beauty.
The Curate now returned and told Dorothea of their plan, and she at once offered to act the part of the distressed damsel, for she had a lady's dress in the bundle which she carried.
'The sooner, then, we set about our work the better,' said the Barber.
Dorothea retired to put on her robe of a fine rich woollen cloth, a short mantle of another green stuff, and a collar and many rich jewels which she took from a little casket. With these things she adorned herself so gorgeously that she appeared to be a Princess at least. When Sancho saw her he was amazed, and asked the Curate with great eagerness to tell him who the lady was, and what she was doing in these out of the way places.
'This beautiful lady, brother Sancho,' replied the Curate, 'is the heiress in direct line of the mighty Kingdom of Micomicon, who has come in search of thy Master, to ask of him a boon, which is to avenge her of a wrong done by a wicked Giant. And, owing to the great fame of thy Master which has spread through all lands, this beautiful Princess has come to find him out.'
'A happy searcher and a happy finding,' cried Sancho; 'my Master shall soon slay the great lubber of a Giant, unless he turn out to be a phantom, for he has no power over those things. And when this is done, my Lord shall marry the Princess, whose name, by the bye, you have not yet told me, and by this means shall he become an Emperor, and have Islands to give away.'
'Her name,' replied the Curate, 'is the Princess Micomicona, and as to your Master's marriage, I will do what I can to help.'
Sancho was quite satisfied with these answers, and, when Dorothea had mounted the mule, he guided them towards the spot where Don Quixote was to be found. And as they went along, the Barber told Sancho he must in no way pretend to know who he was, for if he did, Don Quixote would never leave the mountains and would never become an Emperor. The Curate and Cardenio remained behind, promising to join them again on the first opportunity.