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first tumbler in the world； you must know； was Lucifer； when they cast
or pitched him out of heaven； for he came tumbling into the bottomless
pit。〃
〃You are right； friend；〃 said the cousin； and said Don Quixote；
〃Sancho； that question and answer are not thine own； thou hast heard
them from some one else。〃
〃Hold your peace； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃faith； if I take to asking
questions and answering； I'll go on from this till to…morrow
morning。 Nay！ to ask foolish things and answer nonsense I needn't go
looking for help from my neighbours。〃
〃Thou hast said more than thou art aware of； Sancho；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃for there are some who weary themselves out in learning
and proving things that； after they are known and proved； are not
worth a farthing to the understanding or memory。〃
In this and other pleasant conversation the day went by； and that
night they put up at a small hamlet whence it was not more than two
leagues to the cave of Montesinos； so the cousin told Don Quixote；
adding； that if he was bent upon entering it； it would be requisite
for him to provide himself with ropes； so that he might be tied and
lowered into its depths。 Don Quixote said that even if it reached to
the bottomless pit he meant to see where it went to； so they bought
about a hundred fathoms of rope； and next day at two in the
afternoon they arrived at the cave； the mouth of which is spacious and
wide； but full of thorn and wild…fig bushes and brambles and briars；
so thick and matted that they completely close it up and cover it
over。
On coming within sight of it the cousin； Sancho； and Don Quixote
dismounted； and the first two immediately tied the latter very
firmly with the ropes； and as they were girding and swathing him
Sancho said to him； 〃Mind what you are about； master mine； don't go
burying yourself alive； or putting yourself where you'll be like a
bottle put to cool in a well； it's no affair or business of your
worship's to become the explorer of this； which must be worse than a
Moorish dungeon。〃
〃Tie me and hold thy peace；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for an emprise
like this； friend Sancho； was reserved for me；〃 and said the guide； 〃I
beg of you； Senor Don Quixote； to observe carefully and examine with a
hundred eyes everything that is within there； perhaps there may be
some things for me to put into my book of 'Transformations。'〃
〃The drum is in hands that will know how to beat it well enough；〃
said Sancho Panza。
When he had said this and finished the tying （which was not over the
armour but only over the doublet） Don Quixote observed； 〃It was
careless of us not to have provided ourselves with a small cattle…bell
to be tied on the rope close to me； the sound of which would show that
I was still descending and alive； but as that is out of the question
now； in God's hand be it to guide me；〃 and forthwith he fell on his
knees and in a low voice offered up a prayer to heaven； imploring
God to aid him and grant him success in this to all appearance
perilous and untried adventure； and then exclaimed aloud； 〃O
mistress of my actions and movements； illustrious and peerless
Dulcinea del Toboso； if so be the prayers and supplications of this
fortunate lover can reach thy ears； by thy incomparable beauty I
entreat thee to listen to them； for they but ask thee not to refuse me
thy favour and protection now that I stand in such need of them。 I
am about to precipitate； to sink； to plunge myself into the abyss that
is here before me； only to let the world know that while thou dost
favour me there is no impossibility I will not attempt and
accomplish。〃 With these words he approached the cavern； and
perceived that it was impossible to let himself down or effect an
entrance except by sheer force or cleaving a passage； so drawing his
sword he began to demolish and cut away the brambles at the mouth of
the cave； at the noise of which a vast multitude of crows and
choughs flew out of it so thick and so fast that they knocked Don
Quixote down； and if he had been as much of a believer in augury as he
was a Catholic Christian he would have taken it as a bad omen and
declined to bury himself in such a place。 He got up； however； and as
there came no more crows； or night…birds like the bats that flew out
at the same time with the crows； the cousin and Sancho giving him
rope； he lowered himself into the depths of the dread cavern； and as
he entered it Sancho sent his blessing after him； making a thousand
crosses over him and saying； 〃God； and the Pena de Francia； and the
Trinity of Gaeta guide thee； flower and cream of knights…errant。 There
thou goest； thou dare…devil of the earth； heart of steel； arm of
brass； once more； God guide thee and send thee back safe； sound； and
unhurt to the light of this world thou art leaving to bury thyself
in the darkness thou art seeking there；〃 and the cousin offered up
almost the same prayers and supplications。
Don Quixote kept calling to them to give him rope and more rope； and
they gave it out little by little； and by the time the calls； which
came out of the cave as out of a pipe； ceased to be heard they had let
down the hundred fathoms of rope。 They were inclined to pull Don
Quixote up again； as they could give him no more rope； however； they
waited about half an hour； at the end of which time they began to
gather in the rope again with great ease and without feeling any
weight； which made them fancy Don Quixote was remaining below； and
persuaded that it was so； Sancho wept bitterly； and hauled away in
great haste in order to settle the question。 When； however； they had
come to； as it seemed； rather more than eighty fathoms they felt a
weight； at which they were greatly delighted； and at last； at ten
fathoms more； they saw Don Quixote distinctly； and Sancho called out
to him； saying； 〃Welcome back； senor； for we had begun to think you
were going to stop there to found a family。〃 But Don Quixote
answered not a word； and drawing him out entirely they perceived he
had his eyes shut and every appearance of being fast asleep。
They stretched him on the ground and untied him； but still he did
not awake； however； they rolled him back and forwards and shook and
pulled him about； so that after some time he came to himself；
stretching himself just as if he were waking up from a deep and
sound sleep； and looking about him he said； 〃God forgive you； friends；
ye have taken me away from the sweetest and most delightful
existence and spectacle that ever human being enjoyed or beheld。 Now
indeed do I know that all the pleasures of this life pass away like
a shadow and a dream； or fade like the flower of the field。 O
ill…fated Montesinos！ O sore…wounded Durandarte！ O unhappy Belerma！
O tearful Guadiana； and ye O hapless daughters of Ruidera who show
in your waves the tears that flowed from your beauteous eyes！〃
The cousin and Sancho Panza listened with deep attention to the
words of Don Quixote； who uttered them as though with immense pain
he drew them up from his very bowels。 They begged of him to explain
himself； and tell them what he had seen in that hell down there。
〃Hell do you call it？〃 said Don Quixote； 〃call it by no such