'It is enough,' said Dorothea, 'for among friends we must not be too particular, and whether it is on your shoulder or your backbone is of no importance. And, indeed, no sooner did I land in Osuna than I heard of Don Quixote's fame, and felt sure that he was the man.'
'But how did you land in Osuna, Madam,' asked Don Quixote, 'seeing that it is not a sea town?'
'Sir,' said the Curate, 'the Princess would say that she landed at Malaga, and that Osuna was the first place wherein she heard tidings of your Worship.'
'That is so,' said Dorothea; 'and now nothing remains but to guide you to Pandafilando of the Sour Face, that I may see you slay him, and once again enter into my Kingdom. For all must succeed as the wise Tinacrio, my father, has foretold, and if the Knight of the prophecy, when he has killed the Giant, so desires, then it will be my lot to become his wife, and he will at once possess both me and my Kingdom.'
'What thinkest thou of this, friend Sancho? Did I not tell thee this would come about? Here we have a Kingdom to command and a Queen to marry.'
When Sancho heard all this he jumped for joy, and running to Dorothea stopped her mule, and asking her very humbly to give him her hand to kiss, he kneeled down as a sign that he accepted her as his Queen and Lady.
All around could scarcely hide their laughter at the Knight's madness and the Squire's simplicity, and when Dorothea promised Sancho to make him a great lord, and Sancho gave her thanks, it roused their mirth anew.
'Madam,' continued Don Quixote, who appeared to be full of thought, 'I repeat all I have said, and make my vow anew, and when I have cut off the head of Pandafilando I will put you in peaceable possession of your Kingdom, but since my memory and will are captive to another, it is not possible for me to marry.'
So disgusted was Sancho with what he heard that he cried out in a great rage: 'Surely, Sir Don Quixote, your Worship is not in your right senses. Is it possible your Worship can refuse to marry a Princess like this? A poor chance have I of getting a Countship if your Worship goes on like this, searching for mushrooms at the bottom of the sea. Is my Lady Dulcinea more beautiful? She cannot hold a candle to her. Marry her! Marry at once, and when you are King make me a Governor.'
Don Quixote, who heard such evil things spoken of his Lady Dulcinea, could not bear them any longer, and therefore, lifting up his lance, without speaking a word to Sancho, gave him two blows that brought him to the earth, and if Dorothea had not called to the Knight to spare him, without doubt he would have taken his Squire's life.