r they were certain that the
Duke would be delighted to see him. They offered him anything that he
might need for the journey; but all Sancho asked for was some barley
for his Dapple, and some bread and cheese for himself. Then they all
bade him godspeed and embraced him; and Sancho, with tears in his
eyes, took leave of them. The majordomo and the rest of Sancho's staff
could not help thinking that he had displayed more sense than most men
might have under the same circumstances; for when Sancho left his
government he had earned their admiration for many and good reasons.

CHAPTERS LIV-LV

OF WHAT BEFELL SANCHO ON THE ROAD; AND OTHER THINGS THAT
CANNOT BE SURPASSED

Sancho had almost reached the Duke's castle, when night suddenly fell
and it grew so dark that he considered it best to stop where he was
and remain there overnight. Accordingly he took Dapple off the road,
and they went in search for some comfortable place where they could
rest. Presently Sancho found himself among some old ruins, and as he
was stumbling along he suddenly felt himself and Dapple falling deep
into the earth. He thought it was going to be an endless journey, but
when he struck bottom he discovered that nothing had happened to him
or to his faithful donkey, for there he was, still mounted even.

Of course he was somewhat shaken by this sudden plunge into the lower
regions, and taken aback; but as soon as he realized that he was
unhurt he began to praise the Lord and to give thanks to him on behalf
of himself and Dapple, who had burst into lamentations upon finding
himself separated from meadow and green grass. Then Sancho began to
look about for a way out, but he searched in vain, and it became plain
to him that here he was buried alive. He thought of his master's
descent into the cave of Montesinos, and was envious of Don Quixote's
imagination which could conjure up so easily soft beds to sleep in and
good food to eat. He could already see himself as a skeleton, and he
shed a tear when he thought of having no one to close his or Dapple's
eyes, when they had breathed their last breath.

All that night they sat there in somber reflection on the strange
fates of man and beast; and when dawn came Sancho found that he was in
a cave that had no outlet but which seemed to extend for miles
underneath the ground. He crawled with Dapple from one cavern or
compartment to another one; one dungeon was dark, the next one had a
bit of flicker