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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 name；
for it does not deserve it； as ye shall soon see。〃
He then begged them to give him something to eat； as he was very
hungry。 They spread the cousin's sackcloth on the grass； and put the
stores of the alforjas into requisition； and all three sitting down
lovingly and sociably； they made a luncheon and a supper of it all
in one； and when the sackcloth was removed； Don Quixote of La Mancha
said； 〃Let no one rise； and attend to me； my sons； both of you。〃
CHAPTER XXIII
OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THE INCOMPARABLE DON QUIXOTE SAID HE SAW
IN THE PROFOUND CAVE OF MONTESINOS； THE IMPOSSIBILITY AND MAGNITUDE OF
WHICH CAUSE THIS ADVENTURE TO BE DEEMED APOCRYPHAL
IT WAS about four in the afternoon when the sun； veiled in clouds；
with subdued light and tempered beams； enabled Don Quixote to
relate； without heat or inconvenience； what he had seen in the cave of
Montesinos to his two illustrious hearers； and he began as follows：
〃A matter of some twelve or fourteen times a man's height down in
this pit； on the right…hand side； there is a recess or space； roomy
enough to contain a large cart with its mules。 A little light
reaches it through some chinks or crevices； communicating with it
and open to the surface of the earth。 This recess or space I perceived
when I was already growing weary and disgusted at finding myself
hanging suspended by the rope； travelling downwards into that dark
region without any certainty or knowledge of where I was going； so I
resolved to enter it and rest myself for a while。 I called out；
telling you not to let out more rope until I bade you； but you
cannot have heard me。 I then gathered in the rope you were sending me；
and making a coil or pile of it I seated myself upon it； ruminating
and considering what I was to do to lower myself to the bottom； having
no one to hold me up； and as I was thus deep in thought and
perplexity； suddenly and without provocation a profound sleep fell
upon me； and when I least expected it； I know not how； I awoke and
found myself in the midst of the most beautiful； delightful meadow
that nature could produce or the most lively human imagination
conceive。 I opened my eyes； I rubbed them； and found I was not
asleep but thoroughly awake。 Nevertheless； I felt my head and breast
to satisfy myself whether it was I myself who was there or some
empty delusive phantom； but touch； feeling； the collected thoughts
that passed through my mind； all convinced me that I was the same then
and there that I am this moment。 Next there presented itself to my
sight a stately royal palace or castle； with walls that seemed built
of clear transparent crystal； and through two great doors that
opened wide therein； I saw coming forth and advancing towards me a
venerable old man； clad in a long gown of mulberry…coloured serge that
trailed upon the ground。 On his shoulders and breast he had a green
satin collegiate hood； and covering his head a black Milanese
bonnet； and his snow…white beard fell below his girdle。 He carried
no arms whatever； nothing but a rosary of beads bigger than fair…sized
filberts； each tenth bead being like a moderate ostrich egg； his
bearing； his gait； his dignity and imposing presence held me
spellbound and wondering。 He approached me； and the first thing he did
was to embrace me closely； and then he said to me； 'For a long time
now； O valiant knight Don Quixote of La Mancha； we who are here
enchanted in these solitudes have been hoping to see thee； that thou
mayest make known to the world what is shut up and concealed in this
deep cave； called the cave of Montesinos； which thou hast entered；
an achievement reserved for thy invincible heart and stupendous
courage alone to attempt。 Come with me； illustrious sir； and I will
show thee the marvels hidden within this transparent castle； whereof I
am the alcaide and perpetual warden； for I am Montesinos himself； from
whom the cave takes its name。'
〃The instant he told me he was Montesinos； I asked him if the
story they told in the world above here was true； that he had taken
out the heart of his great friend Durandarte from his breast with a
little dagger； and carried it to the lady Belerma； as his friend
when at the point of death had commanded him。 He said in reply that
they spoke the truth in every respect except as to the dagger； for
it was not a dagger； nor little； but a burnished poniard sharper
than an awl。〃
〃That poniard must have been made by Ramon de Hoces the
Sevillian；〃 said Sancho。
〃I do not know；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃it could not have been by that
poniard maker； however； because Ramon de Hoces was a man of yesterday；
and the affair of Roncesvalles； where this mishap occurred； was long
ago； but the question is of no great importance； nor does it affect or
make any alteration in the truth or substance of the story。〃
〃That is true；〃 said the cousin； 〃continue； Senor Don Quixote； for I
am listening to you with the greatest pleasure in the world。〃
〃And with no less do I tell the tale；〃 said Don Qui