Volume 2, Chapter 46
Leaving his bedroom after a sleepless night, Don Quijote comes upon Altisidora and another girl. Altisidora feigns a faint at the sight of him. He asks the girl to place a lute in his room that night and he will do what he can to comfort the Altisidora. The Duchess sends a page to bring Sancho's letter and torn outfit to his wife Teresa. That night, true to his word, Don Quijote sings to Altisidora from his window.
With a voice hoarse, yet in tune he sings of his faithful love for Dulcinea and the love-sick woman's need to keep busy with woman's work (washing, sewing, etc.) to keep herself from unseemly passions.
A belled bag of cats with bells upon their tails is lowered to his window and climb into his room where they run around extinguishing the candles. Don Quijote thinks that demons are attacking him and he chases them with his sword until one jumps up on his face and digs its claws in. His screaming brings the Duke and Duchess running to his room and the Duke pulls the cat off his face and throws it out the window. Altisidora comes in to bandage and salve his wounds and says he is being punished for his stubborn refusal to return her love and she hopes that Sancho forgets to whip himself and Dulcinea stays enchanted forever. The Duke and Duchess are upset that their joke caused so much harm to Don Quijote, who had to stay in his room five days healing and recuperating.
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