Dorothea, who heard the disguised Lady sigh so mournfully, moved by pity, drew near to her and asked: 'What ails you, good Madam, for I offer you my service and good-will, and would help you as much as lies in my power?'
To this the unhappy Lady made no reply; and though Dorothea again spoke kindly to her, yet she sat silent and spoke not a word.
At length the masked gentleman came across and said to Dorothea: 'Lady, do not trouble yourself to offer anything to that woman; she is of a most ungrateful nature, and not wont to return any courtesy.'
'I have never spoken,' said the silent Lady, 'since I am too unhappy to do so, and am almost drowned in my misfortunes.'
Cardenio overheard these words very clearly and distinctly, for he was close to her who uttered them, the door of Don Quixote's room being the only thing that separated them, and he cried aloud: 'What is this I hear? What voice is this that hath touched mine ear?'
The Lady, moved with a sudden passion, turned her head at these cries, and as she could not see who uttered them, she rose to her feet and would have entered the room, but the gentleman stopped her and would not let her move a step.
This sudden movement loosened the mask, which fell from her face, discovering her marvellous beauty. But her countenance was wan and pale, and she turned her eyes from place to place as one distracted, which caused Dorothea and the rest to behold her with a vast pity.
The gentleman held her fast by the shoulders, and was so busied that he could not hold up his own mask, which fell from his face, and, as it did so, Dorothea looked up and discovered that it was her lover, Don Fernando.
Scarce had she known him than, breathing out a long and most pitiful 'Alas!' from the bottom of her heart, she fell backward in a swoon. And if the Barber had not been by good chance at hand, she would have fallen on the ground with all the weight of her body.
The Curate removed the veil from her face, and cast water thereon, and Don Fernando, as soon as he looked upon her, turned as pale as death. Cardenio, who had heard the moan which Dorothea uttered, as she fell fainting on the floor, came out of the room, and saw Don Fernando holding his beloved Lucinda.