midnight
In this way they passed that night and the following day , without any trace of excitement or adventure . Finally , at daybreak on the second day , they approached the great city of El Toboso ; and Sancho 's worries increased as they came closer to the place where the heart of the peerless Dulcinea was beating -- for what was he going to say or do when his master wanted to meet his beloved one ? Don Quixote decided to await dusk before entering the city , and they spent the day resting in the shade of some oak-trees outside the town . It was midnight when they rode into El Toboso . It was a very dark night , so Sancho could not be blamed for not finding the house in the darkness . They were greeted by a multitude of noises : barking dogs , braying asses , mewing cats , and grunting pigs ; noises that seemed like an ill omen to Don Quixote . He suddenly turned to Sancho and said : `` Sancho , my son , lead on to the place of Dulcinea .