I
fainted. Oh, that limitless abyss, so dire and terrible, opening out
upon another world! How those awful flames crackled incessantly as they
darted upwards above the banks of the accursed ravine, and the shafts of
impetuous lightning rent the thick, black smoke which the yawning chasm
belched forth! When my beloved companion awoke me, he gave me ambrosial
water to drink, of most excellent flavor and color. After drinking this
heavenly water I felt some wonderful power within me,--wit, courage,
faith, and many other divine virtues. Thereupon I drew nigh with him
unfearingly to the edge of the precipice, shrouded in the veil, whilst
the flames parted asunder around us, and dared not touch denizens of the
supernal regions. Then from the edge of that dread gulf, we let
ourselves descend, like two stars falling from the canopy of heaven,
down, down for myriad millions of miles, over many sulphurous rocks, and
many a hideous cataract and fiery precipice, where all things bent
downwards ever, with impending aspect; yet they all avoided us, except
when once I poked my nose out of the veil, there struck me such a
stifling and choking stench as would have ended me had he not saved me
out of hand with the reviving water.
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