Virgilius was fond of books , and pored over them all day long . But one afternoon , when the boys were given a holiday , he took a long walk , and found himself in a place where he had never been before . In front of him was a cave , and , as no boy ever sees a cave without entering it , he went in . The cave was so deep that it seemed to Virgilius as if it must run far into the heart of the mountain , and he thought he would like to see if it came out anywhere on the other side . For some time he walked on in pitch darkness , but he went steadily on , and by-and-by a glimmer of light shot across the floor , and he heard a voice calling , ` Virgilius ! Virgilius ! ' ` Who calls ? ' he asked , stopping and looking round . ` Virgilius ! ' answered the voice , ` do you mark upon the ground where you are standing a slide or bolt ? ' ' I do , ' replied Virgilius . ` Then , ' said the voice , ` draw back that bolt , and set me free . ' ` But who are you ? ' asked Virgilius , who never did anything in a hurry . ' I am an evil spirit , ' said the voice , ` shut up here till Doomsday , unless a man sets me free . If you will let me out I will give you some magic books , which will make you wiser than any other man . ' Now Virgilius loved wisdom , and was tempted by these promises , but again his prudence came to his aid , and he demanded that the books should be handed over to him first , and that he should be told how to use them . The evil spirit , unable to help itself , did as Virgilius bade him , and then the bolt was drawn back . Underneath was a small hole , and out of this the evil spirit gradually wriggled himself ; but it took some time , for when at last he stood upon the ground he proved to be about three times as large as Virgilius himself , and coal black besides . ` Why , you ca n't have been as big as that when you were in the hole ! '
cried XXXXX .
Virgilius afternoon cave day first ground heart mountain promises walk