A Compromising Position

Chapter XLIII

When all have retired to bed, the ladies being together in their own chamber, a young man disguised as a muleteer sings a beautiful love song outside of the inn; he turns out to be a neighbor of Juan Perez and the young Clara, who has captured the latter’s heart and follows her wherever she and her father go.  Meanwhile, the innkeeper’s daughter and the maid, Maritornes, seek amusement by duping and leaving Quixote in a compromising position dangling by one arm from a hole in the loft while he was on guard outside of the inn; unfortunately, now he is defenseless when four horsemen arrive at the inn seeking entry.