The length of time he delayed with Ricote prevented Sancho from reaching the duke's castle that day, though he was within half a league of it when night, somewhat dark and cloudy, overtook him. This, however, as it was summer time, did not give him much uneasiness, and he turned aside out of the road intending to wait for morning; but his ill luck and hard fate so willed it that as he was searching about for a place to make himself as comfortable as possible, he and Dapple fell into a deep dark hole that lay among some very old buildings.
El haberse detenido Sancho con Ricote no le dio lugar a que aquel día llegase al castillo del duque, puesto que llegó media legua dél, donde le tomó la noche, algo escura y cerrada; pero, como era verano, no le dio mucha pesadumbre; y así, se apartó del camino con intención de esperar la mañana; y quiso su corta y desventurada suerte que, buscando lugar donde mejor acomodarse, cayeron él y el rucio en una honda y escurísima sima que entre unos edificios muy antiguos estaba, y al tiempo del caer, se encomendó a Dios de todo corazón, pensando que no había de parar hasta el profundo de los abismos.