am 
 
GIFT OF 
 MICHAEL REE^E 
 
PALADIN AND SARACEN 
 
•■ Of knights and ladies, arms and loves, I sing, 
 Of courtesies, and feats with sword and lance ; 
 What time the Moors were led by Afric's king 
 To wreak destruction on the homes of France." 
 
 Ariosto, Orlando Fur ioso, Canto I. St. i. 
 
 "Where in the world. Master Ludovic, did you get hold of all these 
 tomfooleries ? " — Speech of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este to A riosto on 
 accepting the dedication of the " Orlando." 
 
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PALADIN & SARACEN 
 
 @tarie0 from atiosto 
 
 BY 
 
 H. C. HOLLWAY-CALTHROP 
 
 / 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY MRS. ARTHUR LEMON ' 
 
 I 
 
 ILontJon 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO. 
 1882 
 
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TO 
 
 MY DEAR LITTLE FRIEND 
 
 LAURA GWENLLIAN RICE 
 
 I DEDICATE THESE STORIES 
 IN TOKEN OF LOVE 
 AND IN . 
 REMEMBRANCE OF MANY HAPPY DAYS 
 
 I'^HSt 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I CANNOT let these stories go forth under the title of Stories 
 from Ariosto without a word of explanation — I had almost 
 said of apology — to students of Italian literature concerning 
 the great changes which I have introduced into their details. 
 For many of these changes no justification is needed, as 
 any one who knows the original will understand. But after 
 making every allowance for the necessary omission or alter- 
 ation of some incidents, and for the consequent modification 
 of others, there still remain cases in which, had I chosen, I 
 might have followed my original more closely. If I am 
 blamed for not doing so, my answer must be that I am 
 writing for boys and girls, not for scholars or students ; and 
 this, in the case of the Orlando^ I hold to be a valid 
 excuse. For Ariosto was a man of keen self-conscious in- 
 tellect, writing for men and women of like temper with 
 himself, and designedly playing with his fantasies as a 
 watchmaker may play with his mechanisms. This is just 
 the method which only highly trained intellects can appre- 
 ciate, and which seems to me quite hopelessly unsuited to 
 children's tales. Therefore I have felt warranted in taking 
 any liberties with my text which I judged likely to make it 
 more attractive to the audience of my choice. On one page 
 I have translated Ariosto almost word for word ; on another 
 I have filled in his framework with my own patterns ; a 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 third is my own work alike in conception and execution. 
 Obviously such patchwork as this is not designed to satisfy 
 the canons of critical study ; and I only ask that it may not 
 be judged by standards of scholarship inappropriate to the 
 class of play-work to which it belongs. If its colours please 
 the eye, and its outlines stimulate the imagination, of those 
 for whom it is written, my object will be better attained 
 than I dare to hope is the case. 
 
 And if ever I realise my wish of doing real work, helpful 
 to students, in the fertile field of Italian letters, I will stand 
 submissive as any sheep beneath the shears of the critics. 
 Meanwhile, with many doubts, but also with some hope of 
 sympathy, I appeal from them to their sons and daughters. 
 
 H. C. H.-C. 
 
 Florence, October 18S2. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Of Charlemagne and his Paladins ; how they fought against the 
 Saracens of Africa and Spain, and lost the battle of the 
 Pyrenees . . . . . . . . . . xiii 
 
 PART I. 
 
 The Adventures of Roger and Bradamante. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 I. How Bradamante sought for Roger, and came to the 
 
 tomb of Merlin ........ i 
 
 II. How Bradamante defeated the enchanter Atlas and freed 
 
 her lover ......... 9 
 
 III. How Roger was carried away on the Hippogrif and came 
 
 to the Fortunate Islands . . . . . . iS 
 
 IV. How Roger lived in the gardens of Alcina, and how he 
 
 escaped from her ... .... .26 
 
 V. How Roger delivered Angelica from great peril and lost 
 
 the magic ring and the Hippogrif ..... 36 
 
 VI. How Roger and Bradamante met each other and journeyed 
 
 together, and how they were separated again . . 45 
 
 VII. How Roger threw away the wonderful shield and saved 
 
 Richardetto's life ........ 54 
 
 PART 11. 
 The Journeys and Madness of Roland. 
 
 I. How Roland went in search of Angelica and delivered 
 
 Olympia and Duke Biron ...... 63 
 
X CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 II. How Duke Biron proved faithless and Roland delivered 
 
 Olympia the second time ...... 75 
 
 III. How Angelica nursed Medoro and soon afterwards married 
 
 him . .   . . , . . . . .84 
 
 IV. How Roland found Isabella in a cave and restored her to 
 
 Prince Zerbin of Scotland . . . . . • 91 
 
 V. How the peerless Count Roland fought with Prince Mandri- 
 card, and went mad for love of Angelica, and how 
 Zerbin's loyalty cost him his life ..... 99 
 
 PART III. 
 
 ASTULF. 
 
 I, How Astulf conquered a giant and slew a magician . . 1 1 1 
 
 II. How Grypho was cheated by a witch, but made the people 
 of Damascus laugh on the wrong side of their mouths ; 
 and how Aquilas avenged his brother . . . .120 
 
 III. How Astulf and his companions met with Marfisa ; and 
 
 how the people of Damascus had again the worst of it . 135 
 
 IV. How Marfisa and the four Paladins came to the country of 
 
 the manslaying women ; and how Astulf was left alone 
 
 in their city 144 
 
 V. How Astulf destroyed the enchanted palace of Atlas and 
 
 became master of the Hippogrif . . . . -155 
 
 VI. How Astulf journeyed to the moon, and what he found 
 
 there .......... 163 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 The Siege of Paris. 
 
 I. How Raynald was sent into Britain and saved the life of 
 
 the Scotch king's daughter ..... 177 
 
 II. How the Saracens assaulted Paris, and of the deeds of 
 
 Rodomont ......... 187 
 
 III. How Raynald brought the English and Scotch armies to 
 
 the help of Charlemagne, and of the victory which they 
 gained ........ . 194 
 
 IV. How Rodomont and Mandricard fought together, but 
 
 Doralis persuaded them to a truce .... 202 
 
 V. How Rodomont and Mandricard fell in with Marfisa and 
 Roger ; and how they all went together to help King 
 Agramant ......... 210 
 
CONTENTS. xi 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 VI. How the Saracen chiefs were all at loggerheads, and how 
 
 Roger killed the ferocious Mandricard .... 222 
 
 VII, How Raynald brought his brothers to deliver Paris, and of 
 
 the victory which they had ...... 234 
 
 VIII. How Roger, Bradamante, and Marfisa nearly came to 
 
 blows . . . . . . . . . .241 
 
 IX. How Roger fought with Raynald in single combat, and 
 how King Agramant broke the truce and had to fly from 
 France ......... 250 
 
 PART V. 
 
 BiSERTA. 
 
 I. How Astulf came to besiege Biserta, and sent a fleet to 
 
 France ......... 261 
 
 II. Of the noble fight between Roger and Dieudonne ; and 
 how Roger was shipwrecked and came to a hermit's 
 island .......... 269 
 
 III. How Roland and Rodomont tumbled into a river ; and of 
 
 other mad doings of the Count ..... 278 
 
 IV. How Roland came to Biserta, and got back his wits . 287 
 
 V. How the Paladins took the great city of Biserta . . 293 
 
 VI. Battle of the Six Champions ; and how Roland got back his 
 
 horse and armour ....... 299 
 
 PART VI. 
 
 Last Adventures of Roger and Bradamante. 
 
 I. How the Paladins found Roger on the hermit's island ; 
 
 and how they all returned to France . . . -313 
 
 II. How Bradamante was promised in marriage to the Greek 
 Prince Leo ; and how Roger helped the Bulgarians to 
 defeat the Prince and his father . . . ' . -321 
 
 III. How Prince Leo delivered Roger out of prison . . 332 
 
 IV. How Roger out of gratitude obtained Bradamante for 
 
 Prince Leo, and went away to die of his grief . . 339 
 
 V. How Prince Leo found Roger still alive and restored 
 Bradamante to him ; and how they all lived happily 
 ever after ......... 346 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 The Hippogrif and his Rider .... Frontispiece 
 
 The Magic Procession To face page 7 
 
 Alcina's Damsels ,, 25 
 
 Isabella in the Cave ..... ., 93 
 
 By the River Oblivion . . . . ,, 170 
 
 DORALIS stays the FiGHT .... ,, 208 
 
 Roger saved from the Sea . . . „ 276 
 
 The Finding of Roger .... ,, 349 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 OF CHARLEMAGNE AND HIS PALADINS; HOW THEY FOUGHT 
 AGAINST THE SARACENS OF AFRICA AND SPAIN, AND 
 LOST THE BATTLE OF THE PYRENEES. 
 
 I SUPPOSE you have all heard the name of the great Emperor 
 Charlemagne, who reigned in Paris about eleven hundred 
 years ago, and many of whose actions you can read about 
 in your history-books, if you will take the trouble to look 
 them out. These, however, we will leave till lesson-time ; 
 for in this book I am going to tell you about some of the 
 strange adventures which befell the great Emperor and his 
 knights — adventures which are not mentioned in any of 
 your school-books, but have been handed down to us in 
 legends and poems of long ago, and which you will find, 
 I hope, both interesting and amusing. 
 
 I should tell you at starting that some of those history- 
 books speak of this wise and mighty ruler as the Emperor 
 Charles the Great. But we will not quarrel about his name, 
 since Charlemagne and Charles the Great mean exactly the 
 same thing : only all through these stories we will take leave 
 to call him Charlemagne, asking Mr. Freeman's pardon for 
 the liberty, because' that is his name in the old legends 
 which I purpose to relate to you. 
 
 Well, Charlemagne spent a great part of his life, say the 
 legends, in fighting against the Saracens ; sometimes de- 
 fending the lands of Christendom, and especially his own 
 Kingdom of France, against their inroads, and sometimes 
 carrying the war into their country, and delivering wide 
 territories from their oppression. His own government ex- 
 
xiv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tended over the whole of France, besides a good slice of 
 what now belongs to Germany, with Paris for the capital 
 city and seat of the Emperor ; though later in his life he 
 removed his court to Aix-la-Chapelle, where his tomb may 
 still be seen. And all the Kings and Rulers of Europe 
 acknowledged him for their Lord and Emperor, and did 
 homage to him for their possessions. Only in Spain and 
 Portugal the Saracens his enemies had firmly established 
 their dominion, having conquered the whole Peninsula 
 from the Christians ; while in the east of Europe the Greek 
 Emperor reigned supreme at Constantinople over a part of 
 the countries which at present belong to Turkey. 
 
 Now ^t the time to which these stories belong, the 
 Saracens were making a tremendous effort to conquer 
 France, thinking that if once they could subdue the mighty 
 Charlemagne, they would make an easy prey of all the rest 
 of Europe ; as indeed would certainly have been the case. 
 For in those days no other king was strong enough to stand 
 against them. 
 
 Their leader was the illustrious Agramant, King of Tunis 
 in Africa, who had brought a mighty fleet, and a powerful 
 army on board of it, from his great seaport city of Biserta. 
 He was the wisest and most famous Prince in all the world, 
 excepting only the Emperor Charlemagne ; and at his mere 
 command an enormous host had gathered together from all 
 the heathen nations upon earth, to help him in his difficult 
 enterprise. 
 
 Next in honour to him was King Marsilius, who ruled 
 over nearly the whole of Spain ; he was the firm friend and 
 ally of King Agramant, and gave passage to the African 
 forces through his dominions, besides joining them with all 
 the warriors he could muster. 
 
 With them were leagued also the terrible Rodomont, 
 King of Algiers, a giant in stature, who wore a dragon's 
 hide for armour and was more feared by the Christians than 
 any of his comrades ; and the ferocious Mandricard, Sover- 
 eign Prince of Tartary, who had a special quarrel to prose- 
 cute, of which I shall have more to tell you later on. 
 
 There, too, were the stately King Gradasso of China, 
 
INTRODUCTION. xv 
 
 Sacripant King of Circassia, and the wise King Sobrin, 
 renowned no less for counsel than for valour ; together with 
 many other kings, princes, and knights, whose names would 
 fill a hundred pages if I tried to mention them all. And 
 each of the great leaders brought with him a strong squadron 
 of soldiers, while there was not a knight in the camp but 
 had at least one squire to attend him ; so that King Agra- 
 mant found himself at the head of the largest army that had 
 ever been seen in Europe up to that time. 
 
 They were opposed by a host of Christians, led by chiefs 
 of equal fame. For Charlemagne, ever since he came to 
 the throne, had taken care to surround himself with a chosen 
 company of knights, such as were never assembled in one 
 court before or since. The best of them were called the 
 Paladins of France ; and this title was coveted above any 
 other distinction by all the bravest knights of Christendom, 
 seeing that it was an honour which could only be obtained 
 by giving proof of uncommon skill and valour. 
 
 Foremost in this noble band was the Emperor's nephew, 
 the peerless Count Roland, whose wonderful adventures wdll 
 occupy a great part of the following tales. For w^hich 
 reason I will say nothing more about him at present. 
 
 Next to him we must mention his cousin Raynald, eldest 
 son to Duke Hammon of Montalbano and heir of the great 
 house of Clairmont, who wore the famous helmet of Mam- 
 brino which Don Quixote was so anxious to discover in 
 after times. 
 
 Oliver and Brandimart, too, the faithful friends of Roland, 
 were eminent in the glorious band of Paladins ; and another 
 of the number was Ogier the Dane, who plays a part in the 
 legends of old England. There were many more besides, 
 whose names I have no time to chronicle just now; but you 
 will come across several of them, and will be interested, I 
 hope, in their exploits, before we get to the end of our book. 
 
 Besides his famous company of Paladins, Charlemagne 
 was accompanied by the King of England, his friend and 
 ally ; by the Duke of Bavaria ; and by a host of other poten- 
 tates more or less illustrious in their day, but about whom no- 
 body either knows or cares anything at this distance of time. 
 
xvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 And now that you have heard the names of a few of the 
 most celebrated champions on each side, we can get on with 
 our story and indulge in a taste of the fighting. 
 
 King Agramant had assembled all his forces at Barce- 
 lona, where he held a great review to see that they were in 
 fit condition to take the field ; then he sent on detachments 
 to occupy the strong places in the range of the Pyrenees, 
 that the Christians might not be able to molest him on his 
 way through the pass. And when everything was arranged 
 as he desired, he gave the command to march to the inva- 
 sion of France. Meanwhile Charlemagne, finding the passes 
 all fortified beforehand, had to content himself with taking 
 up a strong position on the French side of the mountains ; 
 where he encamped with all his army, and prepared to give 
 battle to the invaders before they should have time to form 
 themselves in regular order on the plain. 
 
 So as soon as the Saracen vanguard defiled through the 
 pass, it was fiercely attacked by the foremost squadrons of 
 the Christian army, and suffered terrible loss in the en- 
 counter. But the innumerable Pagan hordes pressed 
 steadily on from behind, while the place where the fight 
 had commenced was too narrow for the main body of the 
 French to be of any service. So the enemy managed to 
 fight his way through, and spread gradually over the plain, 
 forming in battle array in face of the Christians, who lost 
 no occasion of impeding his movements and taking advan- 
 tage of his confusion. Soon the battle became general, and 
 prodigies of valour were performed by the leaders on either 
 side. The invaders had much the best of it in numbers ; 
 but they found great difficulty in performing their evolutions 
 under an incessant attack, and the slaughter among them 
 was far more severe than in the ranks of their opponents. 
 Thick as leaves before the autumn wind they fell beneath 
 the swords of the Paladins ; Roland and Oliver, Brandimart 
 and Raynald, counted their slain by the thousand ; and for 
 a long time it seemed as though France would that day 
 achieve a great deliverance from her foes. The Saracen 
 chiefs, however, were not the men to be easily daunted, but 
 gallantly maintained the struggle through all discourage- 
 
INTRODUCTION. xvii 
 
 ments, constantly bringing up fresh masses of troops to 
 supply the posts of the slain. And presently their perse- 
 verance was rewarded, and they gained a signal victory. 
 For the common soldiers of the French army had but small 
 experience of warfare, and were appalled at perceiving how 
 much weaker they were than their enemies in number ; in 
 truth the legions of slaughtered Pagans seemed as nothing 
 in comparison with the swarms that pressed steadily forward 
 to fill their places. And this struck such terror into the 
 hearts of the lower ranks among the Christians, that they 
 considered not the gallantry of their leaders, nor the advan- 
 tages given them by their position, but were smitten with 
 senseless panic, and fled headlong away from the battlefield. 
 Vainly their captains strove to rally them ; vainly the gallant 
 Paladins attempted to bear the whole brunt of the battle, 
 and stay by their own bravery the advancing hosts of Sara- 
 cens. Their utmost efforts could only avail to maintain the 
 unequal fight for a few hours more ; but by their heroic 
 deeds they covered themselves with glory, and saved their 
 forces from utter destruction, giving the Emperor time to 
 collect what troops he could, and retreat in orderly fashion 
 from the field. 
 
 Thus the Saracens won the great Battle of the Pyrenees, 
 and established a firm footing in the realm of France ; 
 Avhere they maintained their position for many months, and 
 from which they were only driven out after a number of 
 fiercely-contested battles, as the Fourth Part of our history 
 will show. 
 
PART I. 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF ROGER AND 
 BRADAMANTE. 
 
) ' » • > J J 
 
 PALADIN AND SARACEN, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW BRADAMANTE SOUGHT FOR ROGER AND CAME 
 TO THE TOMB OF MERLIN. 
 
 Many were the brave deeds done by the Paladins of France, 
 and when I have told you a few of them you will easily 
 believe that so gallant a band of knights never fought under 
 the banner of any prince before or afterwards. But what 
 will you say when I tell you that one of the boldest and 
 most skilful warriors in the great Emperor's army was a 
 gentle maiden, born of the noblest family in France? 
 Bradamante was the name of this warlike damsel, and her 
 father was Duke Hammon of Montalbano, so that she came 
 of the famous house of Clairmont, and was sister to Raynald 
 the Paladin and cousin to the peerless Roland. But 
 though her valour in arms was such that Charlemagne 
 esteemed her the equal of her fiery brother, yet she was 
 gentle of heart as befitted a dame of such high degree, and 
 dearly loved a noble young prince of the Saracen army, 
 whom many held to be the bravest knight in all the camp 
 of King Agramant. Roger was the name of this valiant 
 prince, whom his comrades surnamed the Courteous, and 
 he loved the noble Bradamante with all his heart, so that 
 above everything in the world he longed to win her for 
 his bride. 
 
 Now, when the battle of the Pyrenees was fairly lost, 
 Bradamante separated herself from the retreating Paladins 
 and set out in quest of her lover ; for she had perceived 
 
 B 
 
2 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 that he was not among the knights who fought around the 
 Saracen king, and she feared that some evil chance had 
 befallen him. She asked news of Roger from every one 
 whom she met, but no one could tell her anything of the 
 Courteous Prince ; so she rode on alone through a vast 
 forest and over a lofty mountain, till she came down on the 
 other side of it to a shady valley, at the head of which a 
 spring of clear water bubbled out from a rocky cave, and 
 ran down between the green pastures and through the 
 beautiful copses. By the side of the stream lay a knight, 
 who had tied his horse to a beech-tree near the bank, and, 
 as he seemed very sorrowful, Bradamante asked him what 
 was his grief and whether she could do anything to help 
 him. But he supposed her to be a man like himself, and 
 answered her : " Sir Knight, I am truly the most wretched 
 of men, and much I fear that no man can avail to help me. 
 For a week ago I was leading my people to fight for the 
 Emperor, and with me was my gentle lady in whose love is 
 all my happiness, when suddenly there appeared in the air 
 above us a warrior in shining armour, riding upon a winged 
 monster with the head of a griffin and the body of a horse, 
 who seized my lady in his arms and placed her on his own 
 saddle, and in spite of her tears and shrieks carried her off 
 through the air as an eagle carries a bleating lamb to his 
 nest. Thereupon I left my soldiers to go on without their 
 leader to the battle, and turning my horse's head I followed 
 alone in the direction in which the robber had vanished 
 with my lady. Three days I rode over desolate mountains 
 and through dark forests, and on the fourth day I came to 
 a dreary valley, in the midst of which rose a steep crag of 
 bare rock, and on the top of the rock stood a vast castle 
 which dazzled the eyes of all who looked upon it ; for its 
 walls and towers were built of shining steel, and not a speck 
 of rust or dirt was to be seen on all their briUiant surface. 
 When I saw this wonderful castle I thought that here surely 
 was the stronghold of the robber whom I sought, and 
 without delay I essayed to ride up to the gate ; but my 
 horse was weary from long journeying, and could not 
 clamber up the steep rock upon which the castle was built. 
 
CHAP. I.] WHAT HAD BEFALLEN ROGER. 3 
 
 So I was forced to remain in the valley below ; but while I 
 stood there, not knowing what would become of me, there 
 came by Gradasso the King of China and the African 
 Prince Roger, who asked me the cause of my sorrow and 
 perplexity. And when I had told it them they clambered 
 to the top of the rock, and seizing the horn which hung 
 upon the gatepost, challenged the master of the castle to 
 combat. But alas ! though they were the bravest warriors 
 upon earth, they could not prevail against this villain ; for 
 the swoop of the winged monster was swifter than the swoop 
 of the hawk upon his prey, and their sword-thrusts were 
 spent upon the empty air, while all the blows of their enemy 
 fell true upon their shields and helmets. And at last, after 
 he had wearied them awhile with this unequal battle, he 
 stripped off the silken cover from his shield, and at the 
 sight of it they fainted away upon the ground ; for that 
 shield is forged of enchanted steel, and whoever beholds its 
 brilliance must fall dazzled and senseless to the earth. I 
 too lost my senses at that terrible sight, and when I came 
 to myself the robber and the knights had disappeared, and 
 I was lying alone upon the ground. Thereupon I lost all 
 hope and rode sorrowfully away, and came to this fountain, 
 where I remain in grief and despair ; for this robber is so 
 mighty an enchanter that nothing can avail to vanquish him." 
 Now when Bradamante first heard the name of Roger 
 her heart was filled with joy ; but when she learned how he 
 had fallen into the hands of the enchanter she turned pale 
 with fear, and knew not what to think of her lover's fate, 
 only she was resolved to go at once and try if she could not 
 deliver him from this peril. So when the knight had 
 finished his woful story she said : " Lead me at once, I 
 pray you, Sir Knight, to this castle, for I must try my 
 strength against the enchanter without delay." And the 
 knight answered that he would gladly show her the way, 
 but her enterprise would certainly end in disaster, for no 
 man could hope to stand against the owner of the flying 
 horse and enchanted shield. Therewith tliey set out upon 
 their journey ; but they had hardly gone a hundred yards 
 before a messenger came up at full gallop from behind 
 
4 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 them, and calling Bradamante by name, cried : " Noble 
 Lady, hasten to the rescue of your people, for the city of 
 Marseilles and all the county of fair Provence is assailed by 
 the Saracens." Now Charlemagne had appointed Brada- 
 mante governor over all Provence, and when she heard 
 this doleful news she knew not what to do ; but at length 
 she decided to go first to the succour of the Prince, and 
 afterwards to hurry on to the rescue of her subjects. So 
 she bade the messenger return and say that she would come 
 to their relief as soon as she had finished a pressing 
 adventure ; and with this answer the messenger galloped 
 back by the way that he had come, and left her free to 
 pursue her journey. 
 
 But a great change came over the spirit of her com- 
 panion when he heard the name of Bradamante, and from 
 that moment all gratitude for her generosity forsook him, 
 and he thought only how he might do her a mischief. For 
 he came of the false brood of Maganza, which was ever at 
 enmity with the noble house of Clairmont ; and of all his 
 traitorous line this Count Pinabel — for so the knight was 
 named — was the basest and the worst. Willingly would he 
 have slain the noble damsel where she stood, but he knew 
 that he could not hope to overcome her ; so he meditated 
 how he might do by treachery what he could never ac- 
 complish in fair fight. With this intent he led the way, 
 as though he would guide her faithfully to the enchanted 
 castle j and Bradamante pressed on eagerly behind him, for 
 she never suspected that he was one of the enemies of her 
 race, and felt nothing but pity for his misfortunes and 
 impatience to deliver her lover. Thus they rode together 
 down the valley and through a great forest, and came to the 
 foot of a mountain, which they set themselves to cross ; but 
 as they were winding up its side, Pinabel turned to his 
 companion and said : "At the top of this mountain there 
 is a deep pit which leads into a dark cave beneath the 
 ground ; and when I passed by the place two days ago I 
 saw a beautiful damsel sitting at the bottom of the pit, and 
 weeping as though her heart would break for sorrow. And 
 even as I looked, a villainous-looking ruffian came out of 
 
CHAP. I.] BRADAMANTE ESCAPES DEATH, 5 
 
 the cave and rudely dragged her in with him by the wrist, 
 though with sobs and tears she implored him to have mercy 
 on her and release her from her imprisonment." Now 
 Bradamante was ever ready to give help to those who 
 needed it, so she answered that it wxre a shame to pass so 
 near the place without attempting to deliver the damsel, 
 and that there was just time enough to accomplish the 
 enterprise before the setting of the sun. So they rode to 
 the mouth of the pit, where Bradamante drew her sword 
 and lopped off a great bough from an oak that grew hard 
 by, and giving it to Pinabel, said : " Keep firm hold of the 
 end of this pole, and I will lower myself down by it into 
 the pit." So Pinabel grasped the end of the bough in 
 both hands and lowered it into the pit, while the noble 
 Bradamante sheathed her sword and began scrambling 
 down this shaky ladder without ever trying to find out how 
 nearly it reached the bottom. But she had not got half 
 way down its length when the false Pinabel suddenly let 
 it slip from his hands, and cried with a diabolical laugh : 
 " Would that all thy hateful race were with thee on this 
 pole, that I might destroy them in an instant." And 
 thereupon he mounted his horse and rode upon his way 
 rejoicing in the success of his dastardly treason ; for I need 
 hardly tell you that his story of the distressed damsel was 
 a sheer invention of his own to lure Bradamante to her 
 destruction ; and he little thought that his treachery would 
 be the means of giving her the victory over the enchanter, 
 or that it would lead to his own death. 
 
 The pit was very deep, and was bored out of the solid 
 rock ; but happily for Bradamante her fall was broken by 
 the great bough to which she clung, and this saved her from 
 being dashed to pieces as Pinabel had expected, though so 
 rude was her fall that for more than an hour she lay stunned 
 upon the rocky floor. But when she recovered her senses 
 she found that in one respect Pinabel had spoken more 
 truly than he knew or intended ; for there was really a door 
 in the wall of the pit, w^hich seemed to lead into the bowels 
 of the earth. She passed through it, and found herself in a 
 cavern hollowed out of the hard rock, so vast that it might 
 
6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 have served for the den of a race of giants ; but the form 
 in which it was built suggested rather the appearance of a 
 solemn cathedral : great columns of the purest alabaster 
 rose from floor to roof and divided it into nave and aisles, 
 and the whole grotto was lighted by a single lamp of 
 wonderful brightness, which hung before an altar in the 
 distant apse. While Bradamante gazed in wonder around 
 her, a beautiful lady, clad in robes of purple samite, and 
 with her black hair bound by a chain of golden bees, came 
 from before the altar, and said: "Welcome, noble Brada- 
 mante, and know that it is no mere chance that brings you 
 hither. For this is the grotto which Merlin the Wise 
 commanded the spirits of the earth to fashion for him, and 
 hither his body was brought when false Vivian had laid 
 him in a trance for ever. Now, therefore, his body lies 
 motionless in the tomb which I will show you, but his 
 spirit is alive within him, and prophesies of the future to all 
 who seek his counsel. And when I came many days ago 
 to consult him, he told me that you would follow me hither 
 to-day, and bade me stay to show you the high fortunes 
 that await you. Come with me therefore to the tomb and 
 hear what his voice will say to you, and afterwards I will 
 teach you all things needful for your fame and happiness. 
 For I am the enchantress Melissa, the friend of you and 
 all your house, and Merlin has appointed me to guard your 
 destinies and bring to naught the counsels of your enemies." 
 With these words Melissa led the astonished Bradamante to 
 the apse at the end of the grotto, and opening another door 
 in the wall disclosed a vaulted chapel, in the centre of 
 which stood the sepulchre of Merlin the Wise. The walls 
 of this chapel were lined with transparent marble, which 
 shed a soft rosy light through all the place ; but the tomb 
 was a great sarcophagus of unblemished crystal, and in it 
 the body of the mighty wizard had lain entranced for a 
 hundred years, so that his white beard was grown down to 
 his knees ; but the blood had not left his lips, nor the 
 colour faded from his cheeks. And there he must lie till 
 the end of the world, for there is no remedy to break the 
 spell which binds him in this trance. 
 
?(^ 
 
 ■w 
 
THE MAGIC PROCESSION. — P. 7. 
 
CHAP. II.] BRADAMANTE SPOILS A THIEF. ii 
 
 days without seeing any stranger approach the place, but 
 she bought a fine black Spanish jennet which the landlord 
 happened to have for sale in his stables, and amused her- 
 self by trying his paces and tilting at the ring in the yard. 
 On the third morning the notorious thief Brunello came 
 to the inn and called for breakfast ; and Bradamante knew 
 him at once from Melissa's description, and thought : "This 
 must certainly be my scoundrel, for the world could not 
 hold two such monsters at a time." He was dressed in 
 the tight leather jerkin and breeches of a courier, which 
 showed off all the deformities of his hideous limbs at their 
 worst; his wicked -looking face was so disgustingly ugly 
 that you could hardly believe him to be a human being ; 
 and his bony hands played restlessly about, as if they itched 
 to steal whatever his bleared eyes lighted on. Bradamante 
 saw with joy that on one of his fingers he carried the magic 
 ring, which was a broad hoop of solid gold with a turquoise 
 as big and as blue as a hedge-sparrow's egg in the centre ; 
 and she lost no time in coming to speech with him, and 
 asking him if he could show her the way to the castle of 
 steel. " For," she said, " I have heard much of the crimes 
 of the robber who dwells there, and how he afflicts all the 
 land by carrying off noble knights and beautiful ladies to 
 his fortress ; and I have vowed not to put off the helmet 
 from my head nor unbuckle the sword from my side till 
 I have come to an encounter with him, and tried to rid 
 the world of such a plague. But the people here dare not 
 show me the way to his castle, and so great is their terror 
 that they pretend not to know where it lies ; so that, if 
 you know these mountains, and will guide me on my way, 
 you will do a great service to me and all the world." 
 
 Now to Brunello this proposal seemed a rare piece of 
 luck ; for he thought, " If only this big fellow sets to 
 whacking the enchanter, I shall find it all the easier to 
 slip into the castle and do my errand." So he put on a 
 hideous grin, which was his way of smiling pleasantly, and 
 answered : " True it is, Sir Knight, that I know every moun- 
 tain and valley of the Pyrenees as well as a farmer knows 
 his own fields and hedges ; and as I have a little spare 
 
12 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 time on my hands I will gladly show you the way to the 
 enchanter's castle ; " but he said nothing about the magic 
 ring, and you may be sure Bradamante was very careful 
 not to let a word drop about Prince Roger. 
 
 Brunello was still busy over his breakfast, and the greedy 
 little scamp gobbled down half a dozen mutton-chops and 
 three plates full of eggs and bacon before he was ready to 
 start ; but at last he got into his saddle and led the way 
 towards the mountains. Bradamante followed just behind 
 him, and took care not to come too close, for, she thought, 
 " If I don't keep my distance, those cunning hands of his 
 will be stealing the horse from under me ; " and in this 
 she showed her sense, for nothing was safe that came within 
 reach of Brunello's fingers ; and in fact he was the very 
 master-thief to whom the light-fingered fellow in Grimm's 
 Stories bound himself apprentice. They rode a long way 
 over the windy passes, and from height to height of the 
 great chain of the Pyrenees, till they mounted to the topmost 
 ridge, from which they could see the Bay of Biscay heav- 
 ing with the great Atlantic swell on their right, and the 
 blue Mediterranean glittering in the sunlight to their left. 
 Thence they followed a rugged track which led them down 
 the southern side of the mountain range and brought 
 them at length to the desolate valley, in the midst of which 
 rose the steep mass of rock crowned with its enchanted 
 castle of shining steel. Then Bradamante thought it was 
 high time to get possession of the magic ring ; so she leaped 
 upon Brunello as a cat leaps upon a mouse, and before he 
 had time to think of what was happening to him, she had 
 dragged him from his saddle, and tied his hands tight 
 behind his back with a piece of w^hipcord. But the gener- 
 ous damsel would not draw her sword, as Melissa had 
 bidden her, against an unarmed man ; and even though 
 she knew the hideous little dwarf to be the most thorough- 
 paced scoundrel unhung, still she took shame to slay him 
 when she saw him lie bound and helpless at her feet. In 
 this only did she disobey the instructions of Melissa, and 
 I am happy to say her generosity brought her no harm ; 
 though the world would certainly have been grateful to her 
 
CHAP. II.] MAGIC SHIELD AND FLYING STEED. i 
 
 J 
 
 for making an end of so pestilent a rascal. However, she 
 dared not leave him at liberty, or he would assuredly have 
 revenged himself for the assault by working the ruin of her 
 enterprise ; so she bound him securely to a great tree that 
 grew by the side of the path, and there left him to shriek 
 himself hoarse with abuse of her. But first she took the 
 precious ring which he wore and put it on her own finger, 
 and with it went on confidently towards the castle. 
 
 The four sides of the crag went sheer down from top 
 to bottom ; but in one of them the enchanter had cut a 
 pathway so narrow that only one person could ride along 
 it at a time, and so steep that it needed a strong and sure- 
 footed horse to clamber up it. With great difficulty 
 Bradamante got her jennet to make the ascent ; and she 
 no sooner came to the level platform at the top than she 
 seized the horn which hung by the castle gate and blew a 
 blast which made the bright walls ring and quiver with its 
 echo. Her challenge was answered from within the castle, 
 and immediately afterwards Bradamante saw her enemy 
 shoot up into the air and wheel in great circles above her 
 head. The winged monster upon which he rode was 
 called the Hippogrif, and was the only beast of its kind 
 that ever was seen ; for its head and neck were those of a 
 griffin, and so were its fore-legs and feet, which were fur- 
 nished with great claws three inches long and as hard as 
 the curved instrument at the back of your knife for 
 puUing a stone out of a horse's foot. But in its hind- 
 legs and all its body it was like a horse ; only from the 
 shoulders grew a pair of enormous wings, with feathers 
 shaped like an eagle's, and radiant with all the seven 
 colours of the rainbow. The robber himself was armed 
 from head to foot in shining steel, and carried a lance in 
 his right hand, while the wonderful shield was encased in 
 a cover of purple silk and strapped to his left arm ; but in 
 his left hand he held an open book, from which he read 
 out spells and incantations, while he guided the flight of the 
 Hippogrif simply by the pressure of his knees. 
 
 And now Bradamante became aware of the extraordinary 
 fact that this enchanter never really came near the knights 
 
14 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 with whom he fought ; but the spells which he kept read- 
 ing from his book made them believe that he was rushing 
 at them through the air and dealing them sound knocks 
 with his lance, while really he was soaring well out of reach 
 above their heads and laughing in his sleeve at the 
 trouble they took for nothing. This time, however, he 
 had little reason to laugh ; for with the magic ring upon 
 her finger Bradamante saw through all his tricks and 
 met them by superior cunning. She did not choose that 
 he should find out too soon that she possessed a talisman 
 against his spells, so she thrust away at the empty air with 
 her lance, as though she saw an enemy before her, and 
 kept raising and lowering her shield as if to parry the 
 blows which he seemed to deal her. For more than an 
 hour they kept up this game of sham fighting, and both 
 of them thought it capital fun ; though the magician little 
 dreamed where the point of the joke really lay. But at 
 last he began to think that his fooling had gone far enough, 
 and that it was time to get to business, so he wheeled up 
 right in front of Bradamante, and ripping off the silken 
 cover from the shield flashed its brilliant surface in her 
 eyes. Of course the noble damsel was not a bit dazzled 
 at the sight, but she was not so simple as to show her 
 game to the enemy till she had got him well within her 
 grasp ; so she tumbled off her horse as if she had been 
 shot, and lay motionless and to all appearance senseless 
 on the ground. 
 
 Then with a laugh of triumph the enchanter put back 
 the shield into its case, which he slung across his saddlebow, 
 and bringing the Hippogrif with a swoop to the earth, he 
 leaped off its back and unwound an iron chain from his 
 waist ; for whenever he went out to fight he carried this 
 chain in readiness to bind the knights whom the sight of 
 his shield laid swooning at his feet. Grasping its links in 
 both hands he bent over the prostrate maiden ; but this was 
 just the opportunity for which Bradamante had been waiting, 
 and springing up she seized the astonished magician in her 
 arms, and threw him down without a struggle upon the 
 ground. Then she bound him firmly with his own chain, 
 
CHAP. II.] THE ENCHANTER VANQUISHED, 15 
 
 and unlaced his helmet to slay him ; but what was her 
 surprise when the helmet fell off and displayed no savage 
 ruffian as she expected, but the wrinkled face and white 
 hair of a decrepit old man, who looked nearly eighty years 
 old ! Thereat Bradamante put back her sword into its 
 sheath, and gazed in speechless wonder at her captive, who 
 cried, with the tears in his eyes : " Slay me, slay me, Sir 
 Knight, I entreat you ; for you have broken my power, and 
 life is become hateful to me." But the generous damsel 
 answered : " Nay, for I have never slain a boy or an old 
 man, and never will I be guilty of so vile a deed. But 
 neither will I release you from your chains till you have 
 demolished this enchanted castle and set at liberty all the 
 knights and ladies whom you hold in shameful captivity." 
 At this the old man uttered a cry of anguish and exclaimed : 
 " Noble Sir Knight, have pity on me, and ask of me any 
 other service than this. In all else I am ready to obey 
 you ; and willingly will I set free all the ladies in the castle, 
 and all the gallant knights save one alone. But suffer me 
 to keep my fortress and to guard from danger the courteous 
 Prince Roger, for love of whom I have committed all this 
 fault. For I am the enchanter Atlas, who took him as an 
 orphan babe from his dead mother's breast, after she had 
 followed the king his father to the grave. All through his 
 boyhood I tended him as though he were my own son, and 
 when he grew to man's estate and approved himself the 
 bravest knight in Africa, my heart rejoiced in his prowess 
 and renown. But alas ! the stars have lately foretold to 
 me that he must die by treachery in a Christian land ; and 
 when I knew that, I immediately built this castle, into which 
 I entrapped him for his safety ; and all the other knights 
 and ladies I brought hither that he might spend his life 
 joyously in worthy company. Suffer me therefore, generous 
 Sir Knight, to keep him under my protection ; or else kill 
 me without delay, for I would rather die than see him fall 
 into the calamities which await him." But Bradamante 
 answered him scornfully: " Methinks you must be ill able 
 to foretell the destinies of others, who have proved so poor 
 a prophet of your own. Kno\y that high and glorious 
 
1 6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 fortunes await this Prince Roger whom you love, and you 
 play the part of a bad friend to him in keeping him secluded 
 from the field of battle and fame. Wherefore I command 
 you to destroy the walls of this castle, with the rock on 
 which it stands ; for till you have done this I will not 
 release you from your captivity." 
 
 Poor Atlas was not at all convinced by her assurances, 
 but he saw that he was in her power and could not resist 
 her will ; so with a heavy heart he promised to do as she 
 commanded him. Then she loosed the chain from his 
 arms, but kept it sdll fastened round his body, and held the 
 end of it in her hand, for fear he should attempt to give 
 her the slip ; and Atlas went to the gate of the castle and 
 lifted up a heavy slab of marble, under which a square 
 hole about th'e size of a large oven was disclosed in the 
 foundation of hard rock. From this hole he took out a 
 long roll of parchment, covered with written spells and all 
 manner of cabalistic signs and figures, which he tore into a 
 thousand pieces and scattered to the four winds. A second 
 and yet a third roll he destroyed in the same way, but still 
 the castle of steel remained unskaken ; and Bradamante 
 would have thought he was trying to play her a trick, if the 
 ring had not told her that these parchment scrolls really 
 contained the spells by which the spirits of the air had been 
 constrained to build and maintain the fortress. But there 
 was still a spirit imprisoned in the hole, and till he was 
 released the castle would remain as strong and impregnable 
 as ever. So when Atlas had torn up the three parchments 
 and scattered abroad their fragments, he stooped down 
 again over the hole and drew up a half-gallon stone bottle 
 sealed at the mouth with yellow sealing-wax, on which was 
 stamped the impression of Virgil's magic signet-ring. With 
 a deep sigh the poor old man broke the seal and drew out 
 the cork from beneath it, when a thick column of white 
 vapour issued from the opening and took the form of a 
 beautiful youth, with wings sprouting from his heels and the 
 winged cap of Mercury on his head, who flew up into the 
 air and was lost to sight beyond the neighbouring mountains. 
 Immediately the enchanted castle and the rock on which it 
 
CHAP. II.] AND HIS CASTLE DESTROYED. 17 
 
 Stood were dissolved in a dense cloud of blue smoke ; and 
 when the smoke cleared away, Bradamante found that the 
 old magician too had disappeared, and she was left standing 
 in the middle of the valley with the knights and ladies whom 
 she had delivered. 
 
CHAPTER HI. 
 
 HOW ROGER WAS CARRIED AWAY ON THE HIPPOGRIF 
 AND CAME TO THE FORTUNATE ISLANDS. 
 
 To tell the honest truth, more than half of the delivered 
 
 knights and ladies were but ill pleased at the destruction of 
 
 the enchanted castle, and heartily wished that Bradamante 
 
 had succumbed, like all who came before her, to the power 
 
 of the magician. For although Atlas intended to keep them 
 
 in perpetual captivity, yet he had brought them thither, 
 
 as he confessed to Bradamante, solely to make pleasant 
 
 company for Roger in a life of ease and delight. And for 
 
 this end he had provided them with a ceaseless round of 
 
 tournaments by day and revelry by night, with sumptuous 
 
 banquets spread with every dainty which the whole earth 
 
 could furnish, and luxuries undreamt of by the most 
 
 magnificent of princes. Thus it happened that the slothful 
 
 and pleasure -loving men among them were thoroughly 
 
 vexed at the interruption to their life of peace and dalliance, 
 
 and rode sullenly away through the valley without giving so 
 
 much as a bow to their deliverer ; for there are many birds 
 
 silly enough to think a little gilding on their cages better 
 
 than the pure gold of the free sunshine. But the nobler 
 
 and wiser among the knights had long since schooled 
 
 themselves 
 
 " To know that rest is nowise bliss, 
 And darkness is the end thereof," 
 
 as Mr. Lang sings in a poem which I hope you will read 
 before you are very many years older. These rejoiced 
 beyond measure at recovering their liberty, and crowded 
 
CHAP. III.] ROGER TALKS WITH BRAD AM ANTE. 19 
 
 round Bradamante to thank her for the service she had 
 rendered them. And when the noble damsel took off her 
 helmet, and they saw the beautiful brown hair fall in masses 
 to her waist and proclaim her a gentle lady, their gratitude 
 was mingled with wonder, and they paid no less homage to 
 her beauty than they felt admiration for her valour and 
 generosity. 
 
 Foremost of this gallant company was King Gradasso, 
 who had led a mighty host from China into Europe in hope 
 of winning back the sword Durindana from the hands of 
 Roland, and who had been captured together with Prince 
 Roger by the cunning Atlas, as Pinabel had narrated to 
 Bradamante. With kingly courtesy he saluted the noble 
 damsel, and thanked her for restoring him to the liberty 
 which he valued more than life ; and then took his leave 
 of her with a stately reverence, and rode off in haste to join 
 his soldiers in the Saracen army. After him came Sacripant, 
 King of Circassia, who also had come to France to fight as 
 the ally of King Agramant ; and he was followed by the 
 Christian Knights Prasild and Irold, a pair of valiant friends 
 who had followed the fiery Raynald from the islands of 
 Greece, and now rejoiced to owe their freedom to their 
 gallant comrade's sister. 
 
 But the courteous Prince Roger, who exulted more than 
 any of them in the success of Bradamante, came last of all ; 
 for he would not that any stranger's eye should witness his 
 meeting wuth his lady. Imagine if you can the joy with 
 which these noble lovers greeted each other, and how hour 
 after hour passed away like a few short minutes and left 
 them still deep in their conversation. For Bradamante had 
 to tell Roger of all that had befallen her in her search for 
 him ; how Pinabel had treacherously sought to slay her ; 
 how Merlin had foretold their marriage, and how kind 
 Melissa had shown her all the images of their future 
 descendants : she told him, too, all about the thief Brunello, 
 and the magic ring which was once Angelica's, and of the 
 old enchanter's distress at being obliged to destroy his castle 
 of steel. And Roger told her how Atlas had been as a 
 father to him ever since he could remember, but that lately 
 
20 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 he had tried to keep him from the warfare to which honour 
 summoned him. And this was a thing, he said, in which 
 he could not yield, even to the wishes of his foster-father, 
 though in all else he willingly submitted himself to his 
 authority. 
 
 Presently Bradamante said : " Look ! there is the old 
 man's Hippogrif still standing quietly by us. I have a 
 mind to catch him and take a ride on him, for he is mine 
 by right of conquest since I have overcome his master." 
 So she went towards the winged steed and stretched out 
 her hand to take him by the bridle ; but the Hippogrif 
 darted up into the air, and flew a hundred yards or so 
 away before he settled again upon the ground. Again and 
 again she tried to catch him, but he always flew off before 
 she could touch him, and then came down to earth a little 
 distance away, where he waited for her to get near him 
 again, just as you may see a butterfly flit from one cabbage- 
 row to another, and always manage to keep a yard or two 
 ahead of the boy who chases it. At last, however, he 
 alighted close by the side of Roger, whereupon the Prince 
 cried to his lady : " I will catch him and give him a ride to 
 break him in for you ; " and, seizing hold of the bridle in 
 his left hand, he vaulted on to the back of the Hippogrif, 
 who stood still without attempting to escape, as if to 
 acknowledge that here he had found his proper master. 
 But the Prince was no sooner fairly in the saddle than his 
 strange mount shot up fifty feet straight into the air, and, 
 taking the bit between his teeth, with a dozen flaps 
 of his mighty wings carried his unwilling rider far away 
 over the mountains and out of sight of the unfortunate 
 Bradamante. 
 
 You must know that though Roger was quite unable to 
 hold his Hippogrif, and soon gave up the attempt in despair, 
 the winged monster was really guided by something stronger 
 than bit or bridle, and every motion of his headlong flight 
 was controlled by the will of an invisible master. The 
 whole affair, in fact, was the work of the enchanter Atlas, 
 who was still persuaded that great dangers awaited his 
 beloved Prince in the land of France, and determined to 
 
CHAP. III.] HE TAKES A RIDE AGAINST HIS WILL. 21 
 
 use all his cunning to remove him to a place of safety. 
 With this design he had watched the noble lovers from his 
 hiding-place, and guided every movement of the Hippogrif 
 by the mere muttering of spells ; and by the same means 
 he still steered the creature's course through the air, for he 
 was so powerful an enchanter that he could make his 
 purpose take effect from one end of the earth to the other. 
 Roger had a firm seat and a heart that knew no fear, 
 and at any other time would have enjoyed nothing better 
 than such an exciting adventure ; but now he was terribly 
 vexed at being separated again from his beloved Brada- 
 mante, and at being carried away from the land where 
 Agramant his King and the Emperor Charlemagne were 
 mustering all their forces for the great struggle. However, 
 there was no help for it, for the Hippogrif flew through the 
 air at such a pace that he soon left the realms of Europe 
 far behind him, and after a flight of a few hours he had 
 carried the Prince half round the globe, and found himself 
 hovering over the Fortunate Islands, which lie in the far 
 Eastern seas beyond the shores of India. Here he checked 
 his course, and descended in wide circles to the earth, and 
 at length alighted on the largest and most beautiful island 
 of all the group. Green meadows and rich fields were 
 watered by clear streams ; and lovely groves of palm and 
 myrtle, cedar and banyan, spread their thick shade over 
 the gentle slopes of hill, and offered a refuge from the heat 
 of the mid-day sun. Birds of paradise flashed like jewels 
 in the blazing light, and modest brown nightingales sang 
 their sweet refrain to the conceited parrots, who sat ad- 
 miring themselves among the branches ; while under the 
 trees hares and rabbits frisked merrily about, and stately 
 stags led their graceful does to drink at the river banks. 
 Upon this fertile tract, which stretched down to the very 
 brink of the sea, the Hippogrif descended ; and his feet no 
 sooner touched the ground than Prince Roger leaped from 
 his back, and made fast his bridle to the stem of a spreading 
 myrtle-bush. Then he took off his helmet and cuirass, and 
 went to bathe his face and hands in the cool waters of the 
 brook ; for his pulses were throbbing from his swift ride 
 
22 . PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 through ten thousand miles of air, and his veins burned as 
 though the blood within them were turned to liquid fire. 
 
 But while the Prince was splashing the refreshing water 
 over his aching head, a sulphur-crested cockatoo settled in 
 the branches of the myrtle to which the Hippogrif was tied, 
 and gave vent to one of those unearthly screams of which 
 cockatoos and parrots keep the secret. This hideous noise 
 so startled the Hippogrif, that he made a great bound into 
 the air ; and if his bridle had been a little less firmly tied, 
 he would certainly have broken loose and soared away 
 goodness knows whither in his terror. Up jumped Roger 
 when he heard the commotion, and ran to make sure that 
 the knot was strong enough to hold the struggling beast ; 
 and he found the myrtle so shaken and torn by his frantic 
 efforts, that half its leaves and twigs lay strewn upon the 
 grass beneath. So he set himself to fasten the knot more 
 tightly round the stem ; but only fancy his astonishment 
 when a lamentable voice, as of a man in an agony of 
 suffering, issued from the midst of the bush, and said : 
 " Ah ! Sir Knight, if you have any pity take away your 
 beast from my trunk, for his struggles are tearing me into 
 a thousand pieces." The Prince was so astounded that he 
 stood stock still, and could not find a word to answer ; but 
 the myrtle continued : " Know that I was once the English 
 Duke Astulf, a Paladin of France, and a knight of no little 
 renown in the world ; and my comrades called me the 
 Jovial, because I was light of heart, and delighted in good- 
 fellowship and mirth. But now I am the unhappiest 
 wretch upon earth; and I have been brought to this 
 misery by the magic of the bad fairy Alcina, who is Queen 
 of this beautiful country, and the wickedest fairy in all the 
 world. For whenever a stranger knight comes to her 
 kingdom, she receives him with joyful welcome, and enter- 
 tains him for a year and a day with such delights as pass 
 the mind of man to imagine. She makes him forget the 
 toils and troubles of his life, and drowns all memory of the 
 past and all care for the future in a ceaseless round of 
 pastime and gaiety. But when a year and a day are past, 
 she tires of his company, and brings him hither to the 
 
CHAP. III.] HOW A DUKE BECAME A MYRTLE. 2 
 
 o 
 
 shore of the island, where she changes him into the shape 
 of a tree, and so leaves him to bewail his folly in having 
 listened to her treacherous blandishments. This is what 
 has happened to me and many others, and the same fate 
 will surely be yours ; for there is no man so wise and 
 constant of soul as to resist the fascinations of her beauty 
 and her witchcraft." 
 
 Great was Roger's grief at hearing the myrtle's woful 
 story ; for he lamented that a valiant knight should be 
 brought to such a pass, and he knew besides that Duke 
 Astulf was cousin to his lady Bradamante, He was no 
 magician himself, and could do nothing to help him ; but 
 he resolved that whenever he saw his foster-father again, 
 he would beg him to use his arts for the release of the 
 hapless Paladin. Meanwhile he asked if there was no way 
 of escape from the kingdom of this wicked fairy ; and the 
 myrtle answered him : " The end of this island is ruled by 
 Alcina's sister, the fairy Logistilla ; and if you can flee to 
 her domains you will be safe, for she is as wise and good 
 as her sister is base and treacherous. Her court is still 
 more splendid than Alcina's, for she delights in sober 
 and stately magnificence ; she has taken Justice for her 
 counsellor and Virtue for her handmaid ; and instead of 
 persuading to sloth and dalliance, she trains her knights to 
 be watchful and diligent in arms, and constant in all 
 practices of chivalrous self-denial. Her ladies, too, are 
 prudent and decorous dames, whose applause is given to 
 deeds of valour and loyalty ; and throughout her realm 
 every man is esteemed according to his worth, so that the 
 wise and noble of heart bear rule, and the baser sort are 
 kept in subjection under them. But her kingdom is 
 separated from this by a deep bay and a steep and narrow 
 mountain ; and the path across this isthmus is guarded by 
 a tribe of savages, whom Alcina stations there to bar the 
 passage against all who wish to seek the good fairy's pro- 
 tection. These savages are so fierce and so many in 
 number that Roland himself could scarce hope to force 
 the passage ; but perhaps your winged beast may carry 
 you safely over their heads." " Alas 1" answered Roger, " the 
 
24 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 Hippogrif is of no use to me, for I can neither hold nor 
 steer him, and he has already brought me many thousand 
 miles against my will. But I will essay the mountain- 
 path ; for I would rather be torn in pieces by the savages 
 than submit myself to the wiles of the wicked Alcina." 
 
 So he threw the Hippogrif's bridle over his arm, for he 
 would not trust himself again on the creature's back, and 
 set out to walk towards the mountain. He reached the 
 foot of it in a couple of hours, and began ascending the 
 zigzag path that led across it ; but he had not mounted a 
 quarter of the height when he was assailed by the whole 
 horde of wild men, and had much ado to defend his life 
 against them. They were a hideous race of giants, with 
 long arms and copper-coloured skins covered with bristly 
 black hair ; and you would have wondered whether they 
 were apes or men, till you heard them screaming to each 
 other with human speech. They wore no armour, but 
 their hides were so tough that no common weapon could 
 pierce them, and even Roger, with his wonderful sword 
 Balisarda, which could cut through an iron buckler as 
 easily as a knife cuts butter, found that all the strength of 
 his arm was needed to draw the blood from their veins. 
 He laid about him with a will, however, and managed to 
 kill the first dozen who came within his reach ; but he was 
 sadly hampered by having to keep hold of the Hippogrif's 
 bridle, while a constantly increasing number of the savages 
 pressed on from behind their slaughtered companions, and 
 maintained the fight against him with unabated fierceness. 
 Already he had suffered many a stunning blow from the 
 knotted clubs which they carried, and it seemed as if in 
 spite of his gallantry he must soon be overborne by the 
 sheer weight of their numbers. 
 
 But the chief city of Alcina's kingdom lay at no great 
 distance in the valley below, and the watchman there had 
 seen what was going on, and cried that a knight of goodly 
 aspect was fighting against the wild men on the mountain 
 path. Forthwith a pair of damsels belonging to the 
 wicked fairy's court set out to see if they could not 
 persuade this gallant warrior to leave the hideous savages 
 
ALCINA S DAMSELS. —P. 25. 
 
CHAP. III.] FAIR SPEECH AND FALSE COUNSEL. 25 
 
 alone, and return with them to the palace of their queen. 
 Mounted on white unicorns, with their green robes of the 
 finest gauze fluttering behind them in the breeze, and their 
 yellow hair bound by chains of brilliant emeralds, they set 
 out from the city gate, and rode in haste towards the 
 border mountain. And as soon as they came there, they 
 called to the savages to cease from the combat, and then 
 turning to the valiant Prince, said in voices softer than the 
 rippling brook : " Sir Knight, of what avail is it to seek 
 toil and danger, when ease and pleasure stand ready at 
 your call ? Leave these ferocious savages, who will certainly 
 kill you if you continue to fight against them, and turn 
 with us to the joyous court, wherein there is neither grief 
 of spirit nor peril of life, but all the day is spent in peaceful 
 delights, and the night is gay with feast and dance and 
 mirthful frolic. Turn with us, I say, and refuse not our 
 request ; for it is discourteous in a knight to deny a 
 maiden's prayer, when she asks him to bear her company." 
 Now Roger might have answered that he preferred a 
 life of peril and fame to all the soft delights of inglorious 
 ease ; but he could not resist an appeal to his courtesy, and 
 he said to himself: "Certainly these beauteous creatures 
 mean me nothing but good ; and I were unworthy to bear 
 the golden spurs of knighthood if I refused so gracious an 
 entreaty." So he answered the damsels : " Fair and gentle 
 ladies, I am your servant to dispose of as you will, and I 
 hold him no better than a churl who could hold back in 
 any wise from performing your behests." And thereupon 
 he turned his back upon the rough mountain that led 
 through toil and danger to the kingdom of Logistilla, and 
 took his way with these beautiful companions towards the 
 pleasant city of Alcina. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW ROGER LIVED IN THE GARDENS OF ALCINA AND 
 HOW HE ESCAPED FROM HER. 
 
 You may be surprised, perhaps, that Roger had not 
 thought of stripping oft' the cover from his wonderful 
 shield when he was so hard pressed by the horde of 
 savages. For when the Hippogrif carried him off" from 
 the valley of the Pyrenees the shield still hung from the 
 pommel of his saddle where it had been left by the old 
 enchanter, and Roger actually made use of it to defend 
 himself from the clubs of his wild assailants. And if he 
 had only ripped off the case of silk that covered its 
 dazzling surface he would in a moment have found his 
 way clear over the mountain into Logistilla's kingdom. 
 The fact was, I suppose, that he would not owe a victory 
 to the force of enchantment as long as he had the least 
 hope of winning it by his own valour, for in the point of 
 honour Roger was the most punctilious man alive. Some 
 people say, however, that he forgot all about the magic 
 properties of the shield ; but I don't think that is at all 
 likely. At all events the damsels from Alcina's court came 
 upon the scene before things had got to such a pass as to 
 compel him to use this last resource ; and their appeal to 
 his courtesy persuaded him, as you have already heard, to 
 turn back with them to the joyous court. So they rode 
 on their white unicorns towards the city, and Prince Roger 
 walked between them with the Hippogrif's bridle over his 
 arm. As they approached the town, the Prince was almost 
 struck blind by its splendour, which surpassed anything 
 
CHAP. IV.] ROGER DEFEATS A GIANTESS. 27 
 
 that he had ever seen or heard of. For it was encircled 
 by a battlemented wall of pure white marble, from which 
 sprang lofty towers of red porphyry ; and all the houses, 
 both small and- great, were likewise built of white marble, 
 with lintels and window-jambs of ebony, and overhanging 
 roofs of solid silver, l^ut the most wonderful sight of all 
 was the city gate, which consisted of two great folding 
 doors of beaten gold, decorated in every panel with beauti- 
 ful sculpture ; while the frieze above the gateway was a 
 broad band of gold graven in quaint patterns and studded 
 all over with priceless gems, and was supported on four 
 tall columns each cut out of a single enormous diamond. 
 Through this beautiful gate Roger entered the city with his 
 companions ; and here they mounted him on a magnificent 
 bay charger decked with gorgeous trappings, while the 
 Hippogrif was handed over to a groom, who was ordered 
 to lead him after them. 
 
 The palace and gardens of Alcina were not in the town 
 but on the side of a hill beyond it, and to reach them it 
 was necessary to cross a broad and rapid river which ran 
 beneath the city walls. As they drew near to the bridge, 
 the damsels turned to Roger and said : " Sir Knight, we 
 have seen proof of your valour in arms, and for once we 
 must ask you to display it in our service. For the bridge 
 across this river is guarded by a terrible giantess, named 
 Erifilla, who is the one plague of our country, for she 
 opposes the passage of all who seek to mount from the 
 city to the palace of our Queen. But we doubt not that 
 you will prevail against her ; and when she is overthrown 
 the way is clear to the pleasant gardens where there is 
 no more toil or strife, but all is merriment and plea- 
 sure, with ease of body and mind." " Right willingly, fair 
 ladies," answered the Courteous Prince, " will I essay this 
 adventure in your service ; nay, if there were a hundred 
 giantesses, and every giantess had with her a hundred 
 giants, I would do battle with all the tribe of them at your 
 command." 
 
 Thereupon he laid his lance in rest and pushed forward 
 to the bridge, and the giantess Erifilla lost no time in 
 
28 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 coming against him to dispute the passage. She must 
 have been the biggest woman that ever was seen, for she 
 was fully eight feet high ; and instead of a horse she rode 
 upon an enormous wolf, which was as big and heavy as 
 a Hereford bull, but as swift of foot as the fleetest mare 
 in Arabia. How she guided this strange charger I don't 
 know, for she rode without bit or bridle ; but in some 
 way or other she had complete control over every move- 
 ment of the beast. And now she launched him at full 
 gallop against the Prince ; but he was no less eager to 
 come to blows, and spurred his bay charger with equal 
 fury to the assault. They met with a shock that made the 
 earth tremble beneath them, but the victory was not in 
 doubt for a moment. For Erifilla's lance snapped short 
 against Prince Roger's buckler, but his point struck her 
 true and full beneath the chin, and bearing her fairly out 
 of the saddle laid her huge body senseless on the ground. 
 Down leaped the Prince from his horse, and drew his 
 sword Balisarda to slay her ; but the damsels that bore him 
 company cried : " Hold, Sir Knight ! hold ! Bravely have 
 you borne yourself, and the victory is fairly yours. But 
 be satisfied with this conquest, and seek not to slay the 
 giantess ; for though her life is a plague to us, yet her 
 death would bring far greater calamities upon all the 
 land." Thereupon the knight thrust back Bahsarda into 
 the scabbard, and mounted again upon his horse, and 
 so accompanied the damsels without further hindrance 
 towards the gardens of Alcina. 
 
 The palace of this wicked fairy, built upon the hill- 
 slope, was far more splendid even than the city which lay 
 in the valley. Its walls were coated both outside and in 
 with a layer of mother-of-pearl, and the windows were 
 bordered by blocks of deep -blue lapis lazuH; it was 
 roofed with tiles of pure gold laid upon beams and rafters 
 of sweet-scented sandal-wood; and its doors were all of 
 ivory fantastically inlaid with gold, with posts and lintels 
 beautifully carved of the blackest ebony. Round the 
 palace lay the pleasant gardens, with their golden-gravelled 
 terraces and brilliant flower-beds breaking the soft slope of 
 
CHAP. IV.] A BAD FAIRY'S DWELLING-PLACE. 29 
 
 fresh green lawn. They stretched over the whole surface 
 of the hill, and in them were planted trees and shrubs of 
 every kind upon earth, some to furnish luscious fruits in 
 their season, and others to give shade from the heat and 
 gladden the eye with their graceful shapes and various 
 tints of foliage. As the little party wound up the side 
 of the hill, one of the damsels unscrewed the horn from 
 her unicorn's forehead, and putting it to her lips drew from 
 it a few notes of delicious music. This was the signal to 
 those in the palace that a stranger knight was coming to 
 the place, and immediately Alcina herself issued from the 
 door and came forward to meet her guest. She was dressed 
 in a pink robe of the finest gauze sewn with priceless 
 jewels ; round her white neck and arms flashed a collar 
 and bracelets of the most splendid diamonds, and her 
 golden hair was bound by ropes of pearls worth a king's 
 ransom. Her train of pink satin was borne by two beau- 
 tiful boys in the garb of pages, and she was accompanied 
 by a bevy of handsome youths and lovely damsels who 
 formed her court. But by far the loveliest to look upon 
 of all the company was the fairy herself; and as she held 
 out her hand and bade Prince Roger welcome to her 
 dwelling, he thought that his eyes had never lighted on 
 so fair a sight, and said to himself: "Surely this beautiful 
 creature must be the best and noblest of women, and not 
 a word will I believe of what that evil-speaking myrtle said 
 to me. Certainly the Queen must have punished him thus 
 for some heinous fault, and it was spite that made him 
 utter such slanders against her." For you must know that 
 Alcina was a very powerful fairy ; and so strong was her 
 magic that whoever beheld her straightway forgot all wisdom 
 and looked upon his past life as a barren dream, desiring 
 only to remain thenceforward for ever in her presence and 
 spend his days in doing whatever she might command him. 
 So you must not be too hard upon poor Prince Roger, nor 
 hold him very much to blame for his folly, seeing that 
 there was never a man in the world wise enough to resist 
 of his own strength her magic fascinations. Naturally he 
 was only too glad to follow her into the palace, and there 
 
30 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 she received him with such festivities as are never dreamt 
 of in these humdrum days. 
 
 For she bade her people set about preparing a magnifi- 
 cent banquet for the evening, which I shall not attempt to 
 describe for fear of making your mouth water till the 
 middle of next week. At this banquet Prince Roger sat 
 at her right hand ; and when it was finished, the whole 
 joyous company went out and had strawberry ices on the 
 lawn, and amused themselves with stroUing about in the 
 moonlight or telling each other's fortunes by the stars, 
 which gave rise to infinite merriment. But when they had 
 had enough of this they went in again to the palace, where 
 they diverted themselves with music and dancing till it was 
 high time to think about going to bed. The next morn- 
 ing they all rode a-hawking in the glorious forest that lay 
 beyond the gardens, and in the evening they took their 
 pleasure as before, so that day and night were spent in 
 perpetual diversion and gaiety. And all the while Alcina 
 kept Roger at her side and seemed as though she could 
 never have enough of his company, while the infatuated 
 Prince was miserable if he found himself for a moment 
 apart from her. Now we must leave him there for a while 
 amid his pitiful pleasures, and see what had become of the 
 noble lady whom Alcina's magic had driven out of his 
 thoughts. 
 
 Bradamante was at first nearly wild with grief and 
 despair when she saw her lover carried off from her sight 
 upon the Hippogrif ; but she resolved to find him again if 
 she had to go to the world's end in search of him. First, 
 however, she remembered how the people of her govern- 
 ment stood in need of her help, and rode in haste to her 
 county of Provence, by which she killed two birds with 
 one stone, as the saying goes. For all day she helped her 
 subjects to fight against the Saracens who had overrun the 
 country ; but at night she made herself invisible by putting 
 the magic ring into her mouth, and so wandered unperceived 
 through the enemy's camp and up and down the quarters 
 of the Saracen chiefs, trying if she could not hear tidings 
 of her beloved Prince. Often she heard them make 
 
CHAP. IV.] MELISSA COMFORTS BRAD AM ANTE. 31 
 
 mention of his name, and lament his absence from the 
 army, but she got no hint of his whereabouts, for they 
 knew less of the matter than the anxious listener herself 
 But a few days afterwards King Agramant ordered all 
 his soldiers to quit Provence and hasten with him to 
 besiege the Emperor in Paris ; and the county was no 
 sooner freed from its enemies than Bradamante resolved 
 to go once more to the tomb of Merlin and seek the 
 great wizard's counsel as to what she should do in her 
 distress. So she set out for the mountain cavern, but she 
 had not gone half a day's journey before she met the kind 
 enchantress Melissa, who was at that very moment coming 
 in search of her. To her Bradamante confided her troubles, 
 and begged her to say if she knew where Roger was to be 
 found ; and Melissa comforted her and bade her be of 
 good heart, for she said : " Stay quietly here, noble lady, 
 in your government, for I know whither the Prince is gone, 
 and I promise you he shall soon return to find you. But 
 I myself must go and seek him, and you must give me the 
 magic ring which you took from the thief Brunello, that I 
 may be able to send him back to you. For the Hippogrif 
 has carried him to the Fortunate Islands at the other end 
 of the world, where he is now detained by the wicked fairy 
 Alcina, and as her power is greater than mine I must have 
 the ring for a remedy against her enchantments. Without 
 it I cannot prevail against her in anything, but if you will 
 give it into my keeping for a time I wnll soon send back 
 your Prince to gladden you with his company." 
 
 Gladly did Bradamante give the magic ring to Melissa, 
 and no less willingly would she have given her heart and 
 her very life, if such a gift could have been of any use to 
 her beloved Roger. Then Alelissa called up the north-west 
 wind by a powerful spell, and bade him take the shape of 
 a coal-black palfrey ; and when the wind had obeyed her 
 orders, she mounted upon his back and rode him that ver^^ 
 afternoon all the way from France to the Fortunate Islands. 
 For when you have a Hippogrif or a wind to carry you, you 
 don't lose much time in loitering by the way. As soon as 
 she arrived in Alcina's island she dismissed her wind and 
 
32 PALADIN AND SARACEN, [part i. 
 
 changed herself into the Hkeness of the old enchanter Atlas. 
 Then she put the magic ring in her mouth, and after thus 
 making herself invisible, went up to the wicked fairy's 
 gardens and waited for an opportunity of finding Roger 
 alone. That was not very easy, for Alcina hardly ever left 
 his side ; but at length she went for a moment into the 
 palace to give some orders to her servants, and left Roger to 
 wait for her return in the garden. Immediately Melissa 
 took the ring out of her mouth, and presented herself to 
 Roger in the semblance of the old enchanter. Alas ! the 
 Courteous Prince was sadly changed from the dauntless 
 warrior who was so lately the pride and glory of King 
 Agramant's army. In place of his coat of mail he wore a 
 luxurious garment of soft silk, bracelets of gold encircled 
 his once manly wrists, and his hair was wet with the costly 
 perfumes of Arabia ; in short, he looked as if all his life had 
 been spent in ignoble foppery. With a severe frown the 
 pretended Atlas approached the fallen knight and upbraided 
 him with his forgetfulness of his own honour and Brada- 
 mante's love. And this Melissa could safely do, since the 
 real Atlas was satisfied with having removed the Prince to 
 a place of safety, where he meant to leave him for a time, 
 thinking that he would easily find means to take him to 
 some other retreat before the fatal year was out, and Alcina 
 took it into her head to plant him by the side of the good 
 Duke Astulf. With downcast eyes and a shame-stricken 
 countenance Prince Roger listened to the bitter reproof of 
 his supposed foster-father ; and at last Melissa concluded : 
 "Take now this ring and put it on your finger, and 
 straightway you will see how your senses have been beguiled 
 by Alcina's magic." Therewith she put the magic ring 
 upon his hand, and Roger's eyes were opened to behold the 
 truth and know the depth of his degradation, so that he 
 longed to sink beneath the earth for shame and abhorrence 
 of his foolishness. And at the same moment Mefissa 
 appeared to him in her own shape, and told him that she 
 had taken the form of Atlas in order more easily to persuade 
 him to his good, but the magic ring had now revealed her 
 to him in her own person. Then she spoke to him of 
 
CHAP. IV.] ROGER REPENTS OF HIS FOLLY. 33 
 
 Bradamante and her love for him, and bade him consider 
 his folly in abandoning so noble a bride, till Roger begged 
 her to stop, for he could not bear her just reproaches, and 
 now loathed the false Alcina more than words could say. 
 Lastly, the kind enchantress counselled him to be very 
 prudent, and hide his change of purpose from Alcina till he 
 had managed to get his good armour and sword again, but 
 then to make the best of his way to the kingdom of Queen 
 Logistilla ; and Roger promised to do in everything as she 
 advised him. 
 
 Then he went towards the palace and met with the 
 wicked fairy ; but what was his disgust when the ring 
 showed him that her seeming beauty was all the work of 
 magic, and she now appeared to him in her true shape as a 
 wrinkled and spiteful-looking old hag, with a crook in her 
 back and not a tooth remaining in her ugly mumbling 
 gums ! However, the Prince remembered Melissa's counsel 
 and concealed the loathing which he felt for her ; but he 
 took the first opportunity of quitting her to don his armour 
 and take a horse from her stables, on pretence that he 
 wished to practise a little tilting at the ring in the palace 
 yard. Next he girded on his good sword Balisarda, and 
 passed his arm through the sling of the wonderful shield ; 
 and then, giving back the magic ring to Melissa that she 
 might be able to release Duke Astulf and the other knights 
 from their enchantment, he put spurs to his horse and made 
 the best of his way towards the kingdom of Logistilla. 
 
 He had not gone far before he fell in with Alcina's chief 
 huntsman, who carried his favourite falcon on his wrist, 
 while the best of his hounds trotted at his heels. When 
 this huntsman saw Roger ride past him at full gallop without 
 saying a word he easily guessed his intention, and called 
 out : " Stop ! stop ! no one is allowed to gallop away from 
 here without giving an account of himself to the Queen." 
 But Roger rode on without taking any notice of the fellow's 
 impertinence, and thereupon the huntsman unhooded his 
 falcon and threw it off from his wrist, and the bird flew 
 round and round Prince Roger's head flapping its great 
 wings in his face, while the huntsman came on behind like 
 
 D 
 
34 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 the wind, and kept beating him about the shoulders with 
 his staff; the hound, too, gave tongue and joined in the 
 pursuit, trying to fasten his teeth into Roger's leg, but the 
 knight's greaves saved him from the bite. Then Prince 
 Roger thought: "I must rid myself of this troublesome 
 company;" so he reined in his horse and drew Balisarda to 
 attack them. But the huntsman, the hound, and the hawk 
 were all enchanted, so that he could do nothing against 
 them. For the hawk nearly blinded him by the blows of 
 its wings against his eyes, and prevented him from taking 
 aim with his sword ; and if Balisarda did happen to come 
 near the mark, the huntsman warded off the stroke with his 
 staff, while the hound kept snapping at the Prince's legs, 
 and so frightened his horse that he could not be kept steady 
 for an instant. Much time had already been wasted in this 
 wearisome conflict, and the Prince feared that if it lasted a 
 few minutes longer he would have Alcina with all her people 
 upon him ; so without more delay he tore off the cover from 
 his shield and flashed it in the eyes of his troublesome 
 assailants. Then the huntsman, the hawk, and the hound 
 all fell senseless together to the earth, and leaving them 
 there the Prince proceeded on his journey. 
 
 He was not yet at the end of his troubles, for no one 
 can escape from Alcina to Logistilla without much toil and 
 many a laborious contest. And now the wicked fairy had 
 found out all about his departure, and roused all her people 
 to pursue him. So great was her rage at his flight, and her 
 eagerness to capture him, that she left her palace and all 
 the city quite empty of inhabitants, summoning every man, 
 woman, and child of them to go and oppose the retreat of 
 the Courteous Prince. She herself was following his track 
 with a powerful army, and all the rest of her subjects she 
 sent round in ships to the isthmus to rouse its savage 
 guardians and help them to bar the passage. So when 
 Roger came to the foot of the mountain he found it already 
 occupied by hundreds of thousands of his enemies, while 
 Alcina with her host of warriors was close behind, and 
 threatened to overtake him every minute. Then the Prince 
 saw that there was not a minute to be lost if he wished to 
 
CHAP. IV.] HE ESCAPES FROM MANY PERILS. 35 
 
 escape with liberty and life ; so wheeling his horse about, 
 he uncovered again the face of his wonderful shield, and rid 
 himself at a glance of Alcina and the soldiers who were 
 coming on with her behind him. Without a moment's 
 delay he turned again and did the same by the masses 
 who guarded the isthmus in front ; and while they all lay 
 stunned and helpless on the mountain which they were set 
 to defend, he rode unopposed through the midst of them, 
 and so, half dead with heat and fatigue, but joyful in spirit 
 at his release from so degrading a bondage, arrived at last 
 in the kingdom of the wise and virtuous Logistilla. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW ROGER DELIVERED ANGELICA FROM GREAT PERIL 
 AND LOST THE MAGIC RING AND THE HIPPOGRIF. 
 
 The palace and court of Logistilla were not nearly so 
 gaudy as those of her wicked sister ; nevertheless, as 
 Astulf had truly said to Prince Roger, they were really 
 far more magnificent. But time is short, and I think you 
 have had quite enough lately in the way of description ; so 
 I shall leave you to fancy for yourself what they were like, 
 and will only say, to help out your imagination, that if you 
 can get somebody to show you a photograph of the Palazzo 
 Vecchio at Florence, with its great bosses of brown stone, 
 and the marvellous tower built flush with its overhanging 
 battlements, you will find in it a model of the stern and 
 sober majesty which characterised the palace of this prudent 
 Queen. Very glad was she to receive the visit of our 
 Courteous Prince, and to find that so noble a knight had 
 saved himself from the fatal witchcraft of Alcina ; and 
 accordingly she bade her servants pay him great honour 
 and careful attendance, and set food and wine before him 
 to refresh him after the fatigues of his journey. After this 
 she invited him to an audience, and asked him if he would 
 honour her court by remaining as her guest for a while ; 
 but the Prince modestly answered : " Most noble Queen, 
 the shame of seeking my own pleasure is yet upon me, 
 and I must follow where duty leads me if I would wipe 
 away this blot from my honour. Wherefore, I render you 
 infinite thanks for the favour which you show to me, but 
 I beseech you give me leave to return at once to the land 
 
CHAP, v.] FLIGHT OF ANGELICA. 37 
 
 of France ; for my King has led his armies thither to fight 
 against the great Emperor Charlemagne, and my post is 
 at the side of my liege lord." At this Logistilla was 
 mightily pleased, and graciously replied : " Sir Prince, 
 you have spoken nobly, and not for all the world would I 
 hinder you in the performance of your duty. But there 
 is no better or quicker way of sending you back to France, 
 than by teaching you to guide and control the Hippogrif 
 which brought you thence ; and for this you must have a 
 particular bit and bridle, which cannot be ready before 
 to-morrow morning. Be content, therefore, I pray you, 
 to abide under my roof to-night ; and to-morrow everything 
 shall be in readiness for your departure." So Roger abode 
 that night in the palace ; but in the morning MeHssa gave 
 him back the magic ring, and the wise Queen Logistilla 
 taught him how to keep the Hippogrif in hand by means 
 of a golden bit and bridle, which her chief saddler had 
 made for him during the night. So Roger thanked the 
 good fairy for her kindness and for all the wise counsel 
 which she had given him, and then, mounting his Hippogrif, 
 bade adieu to the Fortunate Islands, and made the best 
 of his way back to Europe. But now we must lose sight 
 of him for a little, and you must put on your company 
 manners, for I am going to introduce you to a Celebrated 
 Personage. 
 
 You have already heard the name of Angelica, who 
 was beloved by the peerless Count Roland, and now it is 
 time for you to make the acquaintance of that beautiful 
 princess. Well might she be called so, for she was by 
 far the most beautiful woman in all the world ; and to say 
 nothing of Roland, who worshipped the very ground she 
 trod on, half the kings of the Eastern countries were 
 madly in love with her. Moreover, she was a mighty 
 queen, and ruled over a wide domain in India, which she 
 had left to follow Count Roland into France, out of grati- 
 tude for the great services which he had rendered her. 
 But she was no sooner there than she longed with all her 
 heart to be at home again ; for she was not a bit in love 
 with the peerless Count, or indeed with any other of her 
 
38 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 numberless admirers, and had not the least intention of 
 marrying him, as he desired. Meanwhile she had accom- 
 panied the army of the Emperor for want of anything 
 better to do ; and when the great battle of the Pyrenees 
 was lost, and the Paladins were in full retreat, she thought : 
 " Now I can escape unobserved to the sea-shore, and there 
 perhaps I may find a ship which will carry me home to 
 India." So she leaped upon her palfrey's back, and made 
 haste to traverse a forest that grew close by. 
 
 She had hardly ridden a mile when she fell in with 
 the noble Saracen Ferralu, who was one of the most 
 devoted of her hundred lovers ; but she soon got quit of 
 him by contriving to set him by the ears with the Paladin 
 Raynald, and galloping off alone while the two knights 
 were in the middle of their conflict. Next she met Sacri- 
 pant, King of Circassia, another of her lovers ; but she 
 had no fancy for his company either, and played him the 
 self-same trick to get out of his sight. After this she rode 
 on alone all the rest of the day, thinking that she would 
 soon come to the sea-shore ; but when the sun set, she 
 found that she had completely lost herself in the forest, 
 and began to wonder how she should ever find her way 
 out of it, and where she could procure safe shelter for the 
 coming night. Luckily at that moment the fast -failing 
 light showed her the form of a venerable hermit, wrinkled 
 with age, and wasted by constant fasting, whose long white 
 beard descended to his waist, and who rode a fine Spanish 
 donkey, which seemed far better fed and tended than its 
 master. This good old man took her to his simple her- 
 mitage, where he gave her food and lodging for the night ; 
 and in the morning he showed her the way out of the 
 forest and down to the sea, where he left her with instruc- 
 tions to follow the line of the coast till she came to the 
 nearest port. 
 
 But the old hermit was hardly out of sight before a 
 strange thing happened, which put poor Angelica in sad 
 perplexity, and ended by bringing her into terrible danger. 
 For her palfrey, which till now had always been the quietest 
 and gentlest-mannered of hacks, suddenly took it into his 
 
CHAP, v.] THE PIRATES OF EBUDA. 39 
 
 head to come to a dead stop, and refused to move a step 
 upon the road which led along the shore. The more his 
 mistress coaxed him, the more obstinate he grew in his 
 unaccountable freak, till at last Angelica lost patience 
 altogether, and caught him a smart cut with her riding- 
 whip over the shoulder. I hope you never do anything of 
 the sort yourself under any provocation ; but at all events 
 what followed may be a warning to you never to hit a horse 
 in front of the saddle. For the palfrey no sooner felt the 
 sting of the whip upon his shoulder, than he gave a great 
 jump into the air, which nearly unhorsed the Princess, and 
 then turned and rushed straight across the sands and into 
 the very waves of the sea. Splash, splash ! he galloped 
 through the water, and Angelica was soon drenched from 
 top to toe ; but the palfrey still rushed madly on, till the 
 water rose from his heels to his houghs, and from his 
 houghs to the girths of his saddle. Even this was not 
 enough to stop the headstrong beast, but when his footing 
 failed him he took to swimming, and carried his unhappy 
 rider through many a league of water ; till at last he brought 
 her to a desolate strip of sand far away from any road, and 
 cut off by precipitous cliffs from all the country round. 
 There Angelica dismounted, half dead with terror and 
 fatigue, and dropping like a stone upon the sand, fell into 
 the soundest sleep that ever overwhelmed a weary maiden. 
 Alas ! the worst of her troubles was yet to come ; for 
 while she slept a pirate galley put in to the place, and the 
 crew no sooner saw her lying upon the shore than they 
 bound her hand and foot, and in spite of her tears and 
 prayers bore her off to their ship, and carried her captive 
 to their own country. It would have been bad enough 
 had they doomed this beautiful Princess to a life of toil 
 and slavery ; but these cruel men reserved her for a still 
 more lamentable fate. For they were natives of the island 
 of Ebuda, the inhabitants of which were compelled to 
 offer a beautiful maiden every day as a victim to a sea- 
 monster that infested their shores ; and in order to save 
 their own daughters from so dreadful a fate they turned 
 pirates, and scoured the seas far and wide, carrying off all 
 
40 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 the maidens whom they could lay hands on to appease 
 the hunger of their terrible oppressor. This island of 
 Ebuda lay off the western coast of Ireland, and was a 
 place of no little renown in its day ; but now it is no use 
 looking for it in your map, for it no longer exists, and its 
 very name has well-nigh been forgotten. For a great many 
 years ago it came to the conclusion that its mission in the 
 world was accompHshed, and the sooner it made an end 
 of itself the better. So one fine night it sank beneath the 
 sea; and its inhabitants were changed into mermen and 
 mermaids, who have ever since occupied their spare time 
 in singing dirges to the crews of the Greenland whalers. 
 But at the time of my story, and for many centuries after- 
 wards, this Ebuda was a celebrated place, and I shall 
 have occasion to mention it again when I come to tell 
 you about the journeys of the peerless Count Roland. 
 
 Thither, then, the pirates brought the beautiful Princess 
 Angelica, intending to offer her as a victim to the Ore, as 
 the terrible sea-monster was called. But their hard hearts 
 were so touched by her marvellous beauty that they put 
 off the fatal day as long as possible, and resolved that they 
 would spare her while they had any other captives to offer. 
 Meanwhile she was kept in prison, and guarded night and 
 day by the women of the place ; but all the people treated 
 her kindly, and did what they could to lighten the burden 
 of her distress. At length, however, the last of their cap- 
 tive maidens had been devoured by the Ore, and Angelica's 
 turn could no longer be delayed. So one morning they 
 took her from her prison and led her down to the shore 
 of the island, where they bound her firmly to a rock and 
 left her — ah! the pity of it — to await the coming of the 
 monster. 
 
 But while this series of misfortunes was befalling 
 Angelica, Roger was returning on his Hippogrif to France ; 
 only, as he foolishly travelled without a pocket compass, he 
 steered his beast rather too far to the northward, and miss- 
 ing the latitude of Paris passed over the island of Ebuda at 
 the very time when the beautiful Princess was standing 
 there bound to the rock and expecting the most horrible of 
 
CHAP, v.] ROGER BAFFLES THE ORG. 41 
 
 deaths. Full of compassion at so pitiable a sight, the Prince 
 drew near to the weeping maiden and asked her what was 
 the meaning of her bondage, and who had dared to subject 
 her to such foul indignity. And Angelica answered him 
 with groans and tears : " Alas, Sir Knight ! I am doomed 
 
 to be eaten aHve by a horrible mo ; " but before she 
 
 could finish the word " monster," a fearful commotion in 
 the sea made her shriek aloud with terror, and the Ore 
 raised his loathsome head above the breakers. The creature 
 was covered all over with scales like those of a crocodile ; 
 his shapeless body was as big as any six full-grown 
 hippopotami put together, and he lashed the waves with a 
 tail as long as a frigate's mainmast, while a frightful pair of 
 gleaming tusks protruded from the vast cavern of his mouth. 
 Well might the poor Princess scream with terror at the 
 hideous sight ; but Roger dug the spurs into his Hippogrif 
 and caught the monster a stunning blow upon the head with 
 his sword. Mad with rage, the Ore turned from his helpless 
 victim and dashed to and fro through the water after the 
 shadow of the Hippogrif, while Roger redoubled his blows 
 upon its unwieldy head and neck. Unluckily the hard 
 scales were proof against the keenest steel, and the Prince 
 began to fear that even his marvellous Balisarda would 
 break in his hand before he could make any impression on 
 the monster. So he flew back to the shore and slipped the 
 magic ring on Angelica's finger that she might suffer nothing 
 from the enchantment which he purposed to use, after which 
 he pulled out his shield from its case and flashed it in the 
 eyes of the Ore. Down fell the monster with a crash, and 
 without wasting more time in the hopeless endeavour to 
 slay him, Roger hastened to release the Princess from her 
 chains and lift her up to the saddle in front of him. Then 
 he made the Hippogrif fly up and travel at his best pace 
 through the air, so that they soon lost sight of the island of 
 Ebuda, and arrived that very afternoon in the fair realm of 
 France. 
 
 Naturally Angelica was at first filled with fervent 
 gratitude to her preserver, and thanked him with sobs and 
 tears for her deliverance. But she was a wayward and 
 
42 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 fickle -minded Princess, and she had not been seated five 
 minutes in front of him on the Hippogrif before her 
 enthusiasm began to cool, and she said to herself quite 
 calmly : " Certainly it was uncommonly good of him." Five 
 minutes more and she fell to pouting her beautiful lips and 
 thinking: "After all, it was no more than his duty;" and 
 long before they arrived in France all idea of the debt she 
 owed him had gone out of her head, and she began to feel 
 heartily tired of his company. Presently her eye lighted on 
 her finger round which the Prince had slipped the magic 
 ring, and she recognised the precious jewel at a glance ; for, 
 as I told you, it had formerly been her own property and 
 the most valued of all her rich possessions. " Oh ! oh !" 
 she thought to herself, " here is a piece of luck indeed ! 
 But w^here in the world, I wonder, can this brave fellow 
 have picked up my magic jewel ? Anyhow I've got it back 
 at last, and Fll take good care not to lose it a second time." 
 She was indeed as glad of this discovery as if she had 
 been already safe home in her own kingdom, and thought 
 gleefully that now she need ask nobody's assistance, but 
 could travel back to India or anywhere else that she chose 
 without fear of the least annoyance. 
 
 Meanwhile the Hippogrif had brought them safely to 
 Brittany and set them down in a beautiful wood not far from 
 the rocky coast. No sooner did this ungrateful Princess 
 feel her foot once more on the soUd ground than she 
 thought : " It is high time for me to part company with this 
 tiresome knight ;" and slipping the ring into her mouth she 
 disappeared in an instant from the view of her unlucky 
 deliverer. For a moment Roger was lost in amazement, 
 and doubted whether he were awake or asleep ; but very 
 soon he remembered that he had left the ring upon her 
 finger, and understood the full extent of his misfortune. 
 Deeply he lamented it, for Melissa had specially charged 
 him to give back the ring to Bradamante ; but he knew 
 there was no chance of his finding the vanished maiden 
 again, so with a heavy heart he made up his mind to 
 continue his journey. 
 
 " ^Misfortunes never come single," and " It never rains 
 
CHAP, v.] MISFORTUNES OF ROGER. 43 
 
 but it pours;" two proverbs which you will find about as 
 true as any proverb can be expected to be. Poor Roger 
 had soon an opportunity of proving their correctness, 
 for as ill-luck would have it he was not only robbed of the 
 ring on this fatal afternoon, but lost his useful Hippogrif 
 and himself into the bargain ; and this was how it 
 happened. 
 
 When he found that Angelica had made off with the 
 magic jewel he mounted again and rode a long way through 
 the air, till he found himself flying over a vast forest, in the 
 midst of which bubbled up a tempting spring of clear water. 
 There he brought his winged steed to earth and dismounted 
 to quench his raging thirst ; but he, had hardly taken off his 
 helmet and stooped his head over the spring before a 
 rufifian-like peasant leaped out of a neighbouring thicket, 
 untied the Hippogrif's bridle which Roger had made fast to 
 a tree, and vaulting on the creature's back, made off with 
 him through the glades of the forest. Up jumped the 
 Prince at the noise and gave chase as fast as his legs could 
 carry him, while the peasant seemed mightily to enjoy the 
 fun, and regulated the Hippogrif's pace so as to keep just 
 a yard or two in front of the pursuing knight. Thus he 
 lured him on till they came in sight of a stately palace built 
 in a clearing of the forest, and then the robber gave the rein 
 to his beast and vanished in a moment through the gate of 
 the walled enclosure. Panting for breath, Roger followed 
 him through the doorway, but when he came inside the 
 place not a trace could he see of peasant or Hippogrif 
 He searched every corner of the yard and every stall in the 
 stables, but without the smallest success ; then he went into 
 the house itself and wandered through all its chambers, both 
 upstairs and down, but no peasant and no Hippogrif were 
 anywhere to be seen. And that will hardly surprise you 
 much, for I daresay you have already guessed that this 
 palace was another trick of our clever friend Atlas, and the 
 peasant-thief was in truth no other than the cunning old 
 enchanter himself Of course the palace was enchanted, 
 and the particular enchantment of it was that whoever came 
 there must spend the rest of his life wandering about it in 
 
44 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 a hopeless search after his missing property. So you see 
 poor Roger lost the ring, the Hippogrif, and himself, all 
 in one day ; and now we must leave him roaming about 
 the enchanted precincts, for it is time this chapter came 
 to an end. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 How ROGER AND BRADAMANTE MET EACH OTHER AND 
 JOURNEYED TOGETHER, AND HOW THEY WERE SEPA- 
 RATED AGAIN. 
 
 You must not suppose that Roger was the only person 
 whom cunning old Atlas had entrapped into his newly- 
 built palace ; on the contrary, not a knight passed through 
 that forest but the enchanter met him in some shape or 
 other and enticed him into the enchanted precincts. To 
 one he appeared as a giant carrying off a distressed damsel 
 by force in his arms, to another as a thief who stole just 
 the thing that he prized the most of his equipment, while 
 a third saw him in the shape of an old witch in a steeple- 
 crowned hat, who snatched the helmet from his head and 
 flew off with it on her broomstick through the air. To 
 many, also, he took the likeness of those whom they loved 
 best in the world, and in that form seemed to beckon them 
 along the road to the palace ; thus, one thought he was 
 following in the footsteps of his lady-love, another that his 
 faithful squire was showing him the way through the forest, 
 and yet another that his dearest friend and comrade in 
 arms was summoning him to undertake some knightly enter- 
 prise. In this way the cunning enchanter had beguiled 
 many of the principal knights from both the hostile armies. 
 Friends and enemies, Christians and Saracens, wandered 
 ceaselessly about his palace, and so strong was the enchant- 
 ment of the place that they never recognised one another, 
 but pursued each his own fruitless search as if there were 
 not a human being to be seen in the neighbourhood. 
 
46 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 Meanwhile, Bradamante had been anxiously waiting for 
 Roger to return to her, as Melissa had promised, but days 
 and weeks passed away and still the Prince did not make 
 his appearance. Every day that failed to bring him added 
 to the distress of the noble damsel, who knew not what to 
 think of her lover's absence, and fancied that he must have 
 forgotten all about her, or still worse, that he had died upon 
 the road. At last she could bear the suspense no longer, 
 and resolved to travel over the world till she either found 
 him or got news of him ; but just as she was setting out 
 the kind MeHssa came to visit her, and soon set her at ease 
 by saying : " Noble lady, Prince Roger is alive and loves 
 you as devotedly as ever; but he cannot come hither 
 because he has fallen again into the clutches of the 
 enchanter Atlas. Now, therefore, it is well that I find 
 you armed and on horseback, for you must fohow me 
 to deliver him once again from this troublesome old 
 madcian." The news that her beloved Prince was ahve 
 and faithful put new life into Bradamante, and she eagerly 
 begged Melissa to tell her how Atlas had contrived to 
 capture him, and what she must do to effect his deliver- 
 ance. But MeUssa said : " First let us start upon our 
 journey, for we have a long distance to go, and as we 
 ride I shall have plenty of time to tell you all that has 
 happened since I saw you last." 
 
 So they rode side by side, while the kind enchantress 
 told Bradamante all that you have read in the last couple 
 of chapters, and finished her account by saying : " Now, 
 we are not far from the forest, and I will explain to you 
 the trick which Roger's foster-father will try to play upon 
 you, and how you may defeat him and deliver the Prince 
 out of his hand. But pay great attention to my instruc- 
 tions, and be sure you follow them to the letter, otherwise 
 you will lose your own liberty without winning that of your 
 lover. When you have ridden a little way into the forest 
 you will come upon a couple of giants apparently ill-treat- 
 ing a valiant knight ; and as you draw nearer you will see 
 that their victim has the form and features of Prince Roger, 
 and in Roger's voice he will call to you for help against his 
 
CHAP. VI.] BRADAMANTE FALLS INTO A TRAP. 47 
 
 oppressors. But don't believe your own eyes or ears, for 
 the seeming Roger will really be the enchanter himself, and 
 the giants are two spirits whom he compels by magic to do his 
 bidding. Well I know that it will cost you a hard struggle 
 to do violence to one who bears the likeness of your Prince ; 
 nevertheless, you must harden your heart and cut off his 
 head with your sword, for I tell you again that it will be 
 Atlas whom you attack, and that is the only way in which 
 you can free your lover from his captivity." So Brada- 
 mante promised to do as Melissa advised her, and there- 
 upon the kind enchantress left her to take her way alone 
 through the forest. 
 
 She had not ridden far before she came in sight of the 
 two giants, who had bound the knight's hands behind his 
 back, and were dragging him roughly along between them. 
 And as Melissa had foretold, the captive was to all appear- 
 ance no other than the Courteous Prince, and cried out to 
 Bradamante to deliver him from the grasp of these villain- 
 ous giants. Now, when the noble damsel saw the form of 
 her lover thus bound and ill-treated before her eyes, her 
 heart was stirred with love and pity, so that her prudence 
 completely forsook her, and in spite of Melissa's warning 
 she fell headlong into the trap laid for her by the old 
 enchanter. For she thought : " Certainly this is my Roger 
 himself whom I see, and I cannot possibly be mistaken 
 about my own lover's identity." So she called to the 
 giants to let go their prisoner, and when she saw that they 
 paid no heed to her, she drew her sword from the scabbard 
 and rushed to attack the nearest of them. But while she 
 was busy fighting against the one, the other threw the pre- 
 tended Roger over his shoulder and ran off with him at a 
 good pace along the path. Immediately Bradamante left 
 the first giant alone, and spurred in pursuit of his com- 
 panion ; but the huge fellow made no more of the weight 
 upon his back than a champion runner makes of the corks 
 in his hands, and kept well ahead of the damsel till he 
 brought her within sight of the enchanted palace. Then 
 he redoubled his speed and shot through the gateway a 
 good hundred yards ahead of her, and she followed him 
 
48 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 recklessly into the trap without a thought of the caution 
 which Melissa had given her. Of course, when she got 
 inside not a sign of the giant or his captive was to be seen, 
 and she went hunting about the rooms of the palace as 
 fruitlessly as all the rest of those assembled within it. And 
 thus it came about that Roger and Bradamante were caught 
 in the same snare and dwelt under the same roof for many 
 weeks afterwards ; but neither could recognise the other be- 
 cause of the enchantment of the place, though they passed 
 within a yard of each other a hundred times a day. 
 
 But when they were delivered at last from their captivity 
 — "How were they delivered?" you want to know; ah! 
 that is my secret for the present, and you must read a 
 good many more chapters before you find it out, for it 
 belongs to the history of Duke Astulf's achievements, and 
 I can't tell you anything out of the proper order. But you 
 shall hear about it all in good time, and till then you must 
 take my word for it that they escaped safe and sound from 
 the palace, with each a good horse to ride upon. Well, 
 when they were delivered they knew each other in a 
 moment, and rushed into each other's arms in a transport 
 of joy; only they felt it a sad waste of time that they 
 should have been so long in the same house without 
 knowing either of the other's presence, or being able to 
 make the best of their fellowship in imprisonment. Many 
 hours they spent in talking over all that had happened 
 since they parted ; and after that they rode side by side 
 through the forest, and fell to discoursing of their love and 
 planning their future marriage. As to that, Bradamante 
 said that Roger must first become a Christian, to which 
 the Prince readily agreed, for he had long been intending 
 to do so, and had only waited for a fitting opportunity. 
 And, in fact, his father and all his ancestors had been 
 Christians before him, and it was by a mere accident that 
 Roger himself, left an orphan from the very day of his 
 birth, had been brought up by Atlas as a Saracen. Brada- 
 mante was delighted at getting his consent, and said joy- 
 fully : "We will go together to the beautiful Abbey of 
 Vallombrosa amid the hills of Tuscany, where you shall 
 
CHAP. VI.] A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS. 49 
 
 carry out your design : and afterwards you must accompany 
 me to my home in Montalbano, and ask me in marriage of 
 my father Hammon." 
 
 Thus talking they came to the edge of the forest, where 
 they saw a damsel sitting by the roadside weeping as though 
 her heart would break. Roger, whose courtesy made him 
 ever ready to give help to those who needed it, and especi- 
 ally to a woman in distress, went up and saluted her kindly, 
 and asked what was the reason of her grief, and whether 
 he and his companion could render her any aid in her 
 necessity. To which the damsel answered through her 
 tears : "Woe is me ! Sir Knight; I weep for the sad fate 
 of a gentle youth w^ho is doomed to die by the cruellest of 
 deaths. Poor lad ! he fell in love with my mistress, the 
 lovely Princess Mayblossom, daughter of Marsilius, King of 
 Spain, and gained admittance to her court by disguising 
 himself in the garb of a woman. In this disguise he won 
 the heart of Mayblossom and persuaded her to marry him 
 by stealth, after which they lived together for a while in 
 perfect love and happiness, while every one supposed the 
 Princess's husband to be a gentle maiden. But alas ! the 
 truth presently came to the ears of her father the King ; 
 and when he knew it he was wild with anger, and sent 
 orders for the Princess to be shut up in a dismal dungeon 
 for the rest of her life, and her husband to be burned alive 
 in the great square of the town. This very afternoon the 
 sentence is to be executed, and I fled away that I might 
 not witness so cruel a spectacle." And with that the 
 damsel burst afresh into a flood of tears, and seemed as 
 though she would die for sorrow. But when Bradamante 
 heard the story she turned pale and faint with fear, for she 
 knew only too surely who the unhappy youth must be. And 
 turning to Roger, she cried : " Haste ! haste ! let us go to 
 the rescue without a moment's delay ; perhaps we may still 
 be in time to save the poor youth from so frightful a 
 death." Roger was hardly less eager for the enterprise, 
 though he knew not all the cause of his lady's anxiety ; so 
 he gave his hand to the weeping maid, and said : " Fair 
 damsel, this is a time for action, not for tears ; prithee 
 
 £ 
 
50 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 mount your palfrey and lead us at once to the town, and 
 if only we arrive in time I promise you our succour will 
 not be in vain." The bold words of Roger and his princely 
 bearing reassured the damsel a little, so that she dried her 
 tears and prepared to lead the way to the town, which was 
 only a few miles distant ; for fortunately the Princess had 
 followed her father out of Spain, and was holding her court 
 in France when the lamentable discovery was made. 
 
 Presently, however, they came to a fork in the road, 
 where the damsel fell to weeping again, and said: "Ah! 
 valiant sirs, if only we could take the left-hand path we 
 should certainly arrive in good time, for it is shorter by four 
 or five miles than the other. Still we must do the best we 
 can with the longer road, for the shorter leads past the castle 
 of Count Pinabel, who permits no one to pass armed by his 
 gates." With these words she was turning her palfrey's 
 head to the right, when Roger cried: "To the left, fair 
 damsel! to the left! if that is the path we want; for I suffer 
 no man to hinder me on my way." And Bradamante 
 laughed aloud in spite of her trouble, and said : " Aha ! I 
 have an old score to settle with this worthy Pinabel, and it 
 shall go hard but I will pay him the two accounts with one 
 coin. But tell us in what manner the scoundrel dares to 
 block the road against a traveller." To this the damsel 
 answered : "You must know, valiant sirs, that a week ago 
 four very gallant knights came to the castle and requested 
 Count Pinabel to give them lodging for the night, and he 
 received them with great magnificence, as though it were 
 his greatest pleasure to do them honour. But Avhile they 
 were asleep the traitor had them seized and bound, and 
 then threatened them with instant death if they did not 
 swear to perform his bidding. To save their lives the 
 knights were constrained to take the vow ; and then the 
 Count said that they must stay with him for a year and a 
 day, during which they must allow no man to pass the castle 
 gates without surrendering his horse and armour. So if 
 any knight refuses to surrender them peaceably, the four 
 champions decide by lot which of them shall first oppose 
 him ; and, if the knight is overthrown, his horse and arms 
 
CHAP. VI.] ROGER CLEARS THE WAY. 51 
 
 are taken from him immediately ; but if it is the champion 
 who is vanquished, then his three companions are bound by 
 their vow to go all together against the conqueror and fight 
 three against one till they overcome him. The custom is 
 scarcely a week old, as I have told you ; yet already many 
 knights have been despoiled by force, and many more have 
 laid down their arms rather than come to an encounter, for 
 the four champions are very valiant and of great renown." 
 
 The maiden had hardly finished speaking before they 
 came in sight of the castle, and straightway a herald came 
 riding towards them and summoned them to surrender their 
 horses and arms ; but when Roger and Bradamante refused 
 with scorn, he rode back in haste to the castle and carried 
 their message of defiance to the Count and all who held 
 with him. Meanwhile Roger implored Bradamante to let 
 him undertake alone the whole burden of this fight against 
 the champions, to which the noble damsel would hardly 
 consent, for she was eager to bear her share in the enterprise. 
 But she could not refuse her lover a boon which he asked 
 so earnestly as a proof of her trust in him and for the 
 greater honour of his own name ; so at length she reluctantly 
 consented to stand aside and take no part against the 
 strangers ; but she said : "If Pinabel himself comes out you 
 must leave him to me, for I have long owed him a debt 
 which I hope to discharge to-day." 
 
 By the time they had settled this compact the portculUs 
 of the castle gate was raised again, and the first of the four 
 champions rode forth over the drawbridge. And after him 
 came the false Count Pinabel himself at the head of a band 
 of soldiers, with whom he stationed himself in rear of Roger 
 and Bradamante, that they might have no hope of retreating 
 by the way they had come. Little those gallant lovers 
 thought of retreating, who had never in their lives turned 
 their backs upon any foe ; but you see Pinabel had no 
 notion who were the warriors whom he had provoked by 
 his insolent challenge. Roger, however, soon showed the 
 champion who opposed him that he had to deal with no 
 common enemy. As soon as their lances were laid in rest 
 they put spurs to their gallant chargers and met with a 
 
52 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 shock that made the castle walls ring with its echo. The 
 stranger was a valiant and skilful knight enough, but a better 
 than he would have been a poor match for our Courteous 
 Prince ; and his lance bent and broke against the breast- 
 plate without making Roger so much as waver in his seat. 
 But the Prince aimed his lance so trul}^, and held it so 
 firmly, that he drove its point clean through his adversary's 
 shield and into the shoulder beyond, and, bearing the 
 unknown knight out of his saddle, laid him stunned and 
 bleeding on the ground. 
 
 The prowess of Prince Roger excited the admiration of 
 the three remaining champions, who had watched the 
 contest from the battlements of the castle, and would 
 willingly have withdrawn from their engagement to attack 
 him. Not that they feared to meet him in fair fight, for 
 they were all men of dauntless courage who would gladly 
 brave a hundred deaths where honour was to be won ; but 
 it seemed to them foul dishonour to assail an adversary with 
 such vantage of numbers on their side. So they went to 
 Pinabel's wife, — the same whom Bradamante had set free 
 with the other prisoners from the castle of steel, — and 
 besought her to absolve them from their compact, or at 
 least to allow them to fight one by one against the Prince. 
 But the Countess was as mean and treacherous as her 
 husband, and only said : " You should have thought about 
 all that when you lay bound and helpless in our power ; 
 now you have taken the vow, and the sooner you fulfil it the 
 better." So with heavy hearts they rode out of the castle, 
 and couched their lances all at once against the Prince. 
 But one of them spurred on a little quicker than the other 
 two, and came to blows with Roger while they were still a 
 yard or two behind. Our Prince's lance struck full and 
 true as before, but that of the stranger knight caught the 
 bottom of his opponent's shield, and, glancing upwards along 
 its surface, rent the silken cover in twain from end to end. 
 Immediately the terrible light flashed forth and gave Roger 
 an easier victory than he desired ; for the three champions 
 and all the crowd of bystanders fell senseless to the earth, 
 and he found no one left to oppose him. 
 
CHAP. VI.] A TRAITOR'S REWARD. 53 
 
 "But what had Bradamante been doing all this time?" 
 That is what I am just going to tell you ; for, if you 
 remember, I promised you in the first chapter that Pinabel's 
 treachery should lead to his own death before we had done 
 with him. Now, when Bradamante saw that the false 
 Count had stationed himself behind her with his soldiers, 
 she thought : " Here is my chance of giving this scoundrel 
 his reward ; " and unsheathing her sword she charged 
 towards him, crying : " Draw and defend yourself, traitor 
 and felon, if you dare ; for I am Bradamante whom you 
 sought to slay by treachery." But Pinabel was the veriest 
 coward on the face of the earth, and when he beheld his 
 intended victim safe and sound before his eyes, with the 
 naked blade gleaming 'in her hand, and heard her stern 
 voice uttering terrible threats of vengeance, his craven heart 
 failed him and his very lips were blanched with terror, and 
 he turned and fled from before her, screaming : " It is a 
 ghost ! it is a ghost ! come back to punish me for my 
 treason." He was mounted on Bradamante's charger, which 
 was a far better horse than any of his own, and thanks to 
 its speed, which he quickened with frantic efforts of whip 
 and spur, he was able for a long time to keep out of reach 
 of the angry damsel. Thus they galloped over hedges and 
 ditches for many a mile, till they found themselves at last 
 in the midst of a thick and gloomy forest. There Pinabel's 
 fright was so great that he could not guide his horse among 
 the trees, and the bewildered animal slackened his headlong 
 pace and refused to answer any longer to the whip. So 
 Bradamante easily overtook the Count, and severed his 
 head from his body with a single stroke, and thus dealt the 
 villain just punishment for his treachery, while at the same 
 time she recovered possession of her own horse. 
 
 Then she left the body lying in the wood, and turned to 
 go back to her Prince ; but to her dismay she found she 
 had completely lost her way, and there was nobody at hand 
 to guide her out of the forest. And thus this unlucky pair 
 of lovers were separated once more after a few short hours 
 of companionship, and many a month was to pass before 
 they could find each other again. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HOW ROGER THREW AWAY THE WONDERFUL SHIELD 
 AND SAVED RTCHARDETTO'S LIFE. 
 
 Now when Roger found that his enemies were fallen before 
 him, he wondered at first what could be the cause of their 
 confusion, for he had not noticed how the cover of his 
 shield had been torn by his adversary's lance. Very soon, 
 however, he saw what had happened, and then his first 
 thought was for Bradamante, whom he expected to find 
 lying with the rest upon the ground. But when he had 
 satisfied himself that the noble damsel was nowhere within 
 sight, he remembered her anxiety to save the condemned 
 youth from his doom, and he thought : " Doubtless she 
 escaped my notice while I was busy with these valiant 
 champions, and is gone before me to the city appointed for 
 the execution." Supposing that he would certainly find 
 her there, and imagining that she might need his help to 
 effect the rescue, he resolved to push forward with all 
 speed to the town. So he picked up the maiden who 
 had served them as a guide — for she had been struck 
 senseless like the rest by the flash of the wonderful shield 
 — and laid her across his own saddlebow. Then he took 
 her palfrey by the bridle and led him along beside him, 
 and before they had gone a mile she recovered her senses 
 and was able to mount again and guide him towards the 
 city. 
 
 So the maiden rode in front as before, but Roger 
 followed after her with a frown upon his bro^v, and his 
 heart was heavy within him. For I have told you already 
 
CHAP. VII.] ROGER TO THE RESCUE ! 55 
 
 that he was the most punctilious of men, and esteemed 
 nothing in comparison with the maintenance of his honour 
 and renown. And now he bethought him how he had 
 gained his easy victory over the champions through the 
 accident to the cover of his shield, and exclaimed in the 
 bitterness of his spirit : " Men will point at me and say, 
 ' Lo ! this is the fellow who wins battles by spells and 
 enchantments, because his own courage and skill are lack- 
 ing to him.' Woe is me ! with what face shall I meet my 
 King and the bold knights my companions ? Or how shall 
 I clear myself of this dishonour in the sight of my noble 
 lady ? Surely Agramant and all his lieges will despise me 
 henceforth for a coward, and the valiant Bradamante will 
 hold me unworthy of her love." This thought was so 
 intolerable to him that he groaned aloud in his wrath, and 
 refused to be comforted by all that the damsel who guided 
 him could say. Now, as they journeyed along the road 
 they came presently to the mouth of a deep well, from 
 which the people were wont to draw water for their herds 
 in the droughts of summer. There Prince Roger leaped 
 from his saddle, and cried : " Never again shall this shield 
 bring shame upon a noble knight !" With these words he 
 plucked the wonderful shield from his arm and cast it into 
 the mouth of the well, and the steel plate rang and clattered 
 against the rocky sides till it fell with a splash into the 
 depths of the water below. Next the Prince seized a great 
 boulder of rock in both hands and hurled it also down the 
 well, that no one might ever be able to draw up the 
 enchanted shield from the bottom where it lay. Then his 
 heart was lightened, for he thought : " I have atoned for 
 my dishonour, and have prevented such disgrace in the 
 future;" so he mounted his charger again and followed 
 his guide with all speed to the fatal city. 
 
 They were just within sight of the walls when they fell 
 in with one of King Agramant's couriers, who recognised 
 Prince Roger at a glance, and summoned him to join the 
 army before Paris without delay, saying that the Saracen 
 King had need of the succour of all his knights. To which 
 Roger answered that for the moment he was engaged in 
 
56 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 an adventure that brooked no delay ; but in an hour or 
 two he hoped to have brought it to a good end, and then 
 he would use all diligence in the service of his king. None 
 the less he was terribly annoyed at the summons, for he 
 earnestly desired to find Bradamante, and go with her to 
 Vallombrosa as they had arranged ; but honour and duty 
 called him to the side of his king, and Roger was one who 
 followed honour and duty through every obstacle. The 
 messenger was well content with his answer, and galloped 
 on to find the other knights to whom Agramant had sent 
 him, while Roger and his companion arrived a little before 
 sunset at the town. 
 
 They found the entrance guarded by a company ot 
 soldiers, but the maiden was well known to the captain of 
 the gate, wtio had often seen her at the court of Princess 
 Mayblossom, her mistress. So when she demanded a 
 passage for the Prince and. herself, he allowed it without 
 question, and they rode unopposed through the gate and 
 along the High Street of the city, till they came to the 
 square of the market-place, where the execution was 
 appointed to take place. There they found a great crowd 
 of the inhabitants, who were gathered to witness the cruel 
 spectacle. Some came there out of pity for the unhappy 
 youth, others to gratify their savage thirst for bloodshed 
 and cruelty ; but the greater part were drawn together by 
 mere idle curiosity, and so great was the number of them 
 that Roger could hardly push his way through the throng. 
 But the centre of the place was held by two regiments of 
 soldiers drawn up in a hollow square ; and in the midst 
 of this hollow square was planted the stake, surrounded 
 by a great pile of logs and brushwood, and bundles of 
 furze and straw. On the top of this pile two soldiers had 
 just placed the wretched victim, who was clad in a single 
 woollen tunic that covered him from the throat to the 
 knees ; his bare arms were bound tight behind his back, 
 and his ankles secured in heavy fetters, while a strong iron 
 chain encircled his waist and fastened him to the stake of 
 doom. 
 
 But what was Roger's astonishment when he glanced at 
 
CHAP. VII.] WHO IS THE VICTIM? 57 
 
 the poor lad's face and seemed to behold the beauteous 
 features of his lady-love ! A cold shudder convulsed his 
 limbs and a cry of rage and horror burst from his lips ; but 
 alas ! he could feel no doubt about the matter ; here were 
 the very features, the very height and size of Bradamante ; 
 even the colour of the hair was the same, and only in the 
 shortness of it did the doomed victim differ from the 
 noble damsel as her lover had last beheld her. Yet how, 
 thought the Prince, could she be come into this terrible 
 danger? Could she have been overpowered in trying to 
 deliver the youth ? Then the soldiers must have fastened 
 her there in his place in revenge for her brave attempt. 
 Had they cut off her beautiful hair in mockery and degra- 
 dation ? Ah. I why was she so rash in her generosity ? 
 Why would she not wait till her lover could share with her 
 in the enterprise ? How different had been the issue if 
 they had joined together in the contest ! But at least he 
 was come in time to prevent the worst ; at least he would 
 save her from the flames that menaced her. Yet why did 
 she seem not to recognise her Prince? She must surely 
 have seen him and heard his cry of horror. Then why no 
 call in answer ? why no glance of the eyes to show him that 
 she trusted in his help ? Could this really be Bradamante 
 whom he saw ? Alas ! his eyes could never cheat him 
 about the person of his lady. And there was not a moment 
 to be lost in saving her ; another minute and the pile would 
 be lighted, and the cruel flames would leap up to consume 
 her beautiful limbs. 
 
 Maddened at the horrible thought, Roger snatched forth 
 Balisarda from the scabbard at the very moment when the 
 executioner was advancing with his torch to light the pile. 
 With a great shout of " Rescue ! rescue ! a Roger to the 
 rescue !" he cut his way through the masses of the crowd 
 and through the wonder-stricken ranks of soldiers. Straight 
 up to the executioner he rode and split open his skull with 
 a single blow ; then he seized the torch, which had happily 
 fallen away from the pile, and flung it among the 'shrieking 
 crowd. Vainly the soldiers pressed upon him and strove 
 to overwhelm him, for he took his stand in front of their 
 
58 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 destined victim, and cut them down as fast as they came 
 within his reach. Never a stroke he dealt but a soldier 
 fell dead beneath it, and sometimes two or three heads 
 were shorn clean from their shoulders with one sweep of 
 the terrible Balisarda. In three or four minutes a hundred 
 corpses lay around him, while neither he nor the victim 
 whom he guarded was the worse by a single wound. Soon 
 the foremost soldiers shrank backward from his reach, and 
 struggled to resist the pressure of their comrades from 
 behind, while their chiefs strove in vain to encourage them, 
 and the dense mass swayed backwards and forwards as fear 
 or anger prompted them. Roger marked well the wavering 
 spirit of his enemies, and laughed within himself to think 
 that one man should put to shame a thousand. Faster 
 and harder he struck among the throng, and thicker every 
 instant grew the heap of mangled corpses, till all the host 
 was smitten with panic and rushed headlong away from the 
 stake and its terrible defender. Mingled among the soldiers 
 fled the hapless populace, so that every outlet was choked 
 by their numbers and many were trampled to death by the 
 rush of their frantic companions, while yet more fell beneath 
 the blows of the avenging sword. Furious with anger at 
 the dastardly deed which they had planned, Roger spared 
 none who came within his reach, but leaped amid the herd 
 of fugitives as a hungry lion leaps within the pen of 
 trembling cattle. And he ceased not from his fury till the 
 whole square was cumbered with the bodies of the slain, 
 while all who could escape had fled far beyond the city 
 walls and left him alone with the victim whom he had saved 
 from death. 
 
 Thereupon the rescued youth called to him and said : 
 "Valiant Sir Knight, I am become bound to you this 
 evening for a debt which I can never repay ; but of your 
 courtesy prithee tell me your name and station, that I may 
 know who has rendered me this great and unlooked-for 
 service." Now, when Roger heard the voice of the youth 
 he wondered yet more, and said within himself: " Lo ! I 
 see the face of my Bradamante, but I hear not my lady's 
 gentle voice, neither is it in such wise that she is wont to 
 
CHAP. VII.] THE MYSTERY SOLVED. 59 
 
 address her lover." So, being very curious to know more , 
 about the beautiful lad, he did not answer his question 
 outright, but said as he loosened him from his chains : 
 " Your face is not strange to me, fair youth, and methinks 
 this is not the first occasion of our meeting ; but my 
 memory serves me so ill that I remember not where or how 
 I have encountered you." And the grateful lad answered 
 him and said : "I think not, Sir Knight, that I have ever 
 heretofore beheld you ; for of a surety I should not easily 
 forget such a semblance and bearing as yours. But it may 
 be that you have met with my twin-sister, who bears armour 
 and does the deeds of a gallant knight ; and you are not 
 the first, nor yet the hundredth, who has fallen under the 
 same mistake. For I am Richardetto, the son of Hammon, 
 and twin-brother of the noble Bradamante ; and we are so 
 like to one another that the very mother who bare us 
 cannot discern between us, save only by the different 
 fashions of our hair. In truth it was this very likeness 
 which lately won me my greatest happiness, and which was 
 even now like to bring me to my death by the flames. For 
 many months ago the lovely Princess Mayblossom met my 
 sister in the forest and took her home to her own castle, 
 where she entertained her with such honour and affection 
 as the like was never known in any friendship of noble 
 women. Long before this I had seen the Princess by " 
 chance, and loved her with passionate fervour ; but she 
 knew nothing of me or of my love, which I hid sorrowfully 
 in the depths of my heart, as despairing of any means to 
 gain her favour. But when Bradamante came home and 
 told us of all that had befallen her, here, methought, was a 
 way to bring my love to a happy issue ; so that very night 
 I stole from my bed and took the horse and armour of my 
 sister, and thus journeyed to Mayblossom's castle. When 
 I arrived there they all supposed that Bradamante was 
 returned to visit them, whereat the Princess was beside 
 herself with joy, and bestowed a rich jewel on the damsel 
 who first announced my coming. Then they led me in 
 and clad me in the robes of a woman, while the Princess 
 kissed me on the mouth and received me with such honour 
 
6o PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part i. 
 
 as might have suited with the state of the fairest queen on 
 earth. But presently I told her my secret ; and when she 
 knew that I was a man she fell deeply in love with me, even 
 as I with her, and we arranged how w^e might be married 
 by stealth and how I might still remain with her in disguise. 
 All our plans succeeded beyond our hopes, and for many 
 weeks we dwelt together in transports of bUss ; but at last 
 our secret was discovered and came to the ears of King 
 Marsilius. In the wrath of his heart the King sentenced 
 me to the stake, from which you have just preserved me ; 
 but he commanded the wretched Mayblossom to be shut 
 up in a dreary dungeon, and thence, if you will once more 
 lend me your aid, we will immediately essay to deliver her." 
 
 Very willingly did Roger promise his help in so good a 
 cause, when who should appear before them but the lovely 
 Princess herself, accompanied by the damsel who had 
 guided Prince Roger to the town. For this loyal damsel 
 had not been idle nor forgetful of her imprisoned mistress ; 
 but when she saw how all the people fled from the face of 
 Roger she hastened to the palace, where no one was left to 
 oppose her, and finding there the dungeon keys she flew 
 down the deserted steps and soon set Mayblossom free from 
 her vile captivity. I leave you to imagine with what joy 
 the delivered Princess and her bridegroom rushed into each 
 other's arms ; how they clasped each other as though they 
 feared to be torn asunder again if they relaxed their embrace 
 for an instant ; and how they overwhelmed the Courteous 
 Prince and the faithful maiden with the fervour of their 
 gratitude. At length, however, Roger managed to remind 
 them that the sooner they quitted this hateful town the 
 better ; so they all four mounted their horses and rode the 
 whole night long by the moonlight till they came in the 
 morning to the strong castle of Agrismont, where Aldigier 
 of Clairmont, the cousin of Richardetto, bare rule. 
 
 And there you must say good-bye to the courteous Prince 
 Roger and do without his company for a great many 
 chapters to come ; for it is time that I told you something 
 about the journeys of the peerless Count Roland. 
 
PART II, 
 
 THE JOURNEYS AND MADNESS OF ROLAND. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW ROLAND WENT IN SEARCH OF ANGELICA AND 
 DELIVERED OLYMPIA AND DUKE BIRON. 
 
 Attention ! children ; keep your ears open and your- 
 mouths shut, and you shall hear something about the deeds 
 of the most perfect knight in all the world. I have told 
 you already that the peerless Count Roland was nephew 
 to the great Emperor Charlemagne and chief among the 
 Paladins of France, He was the handsomest man at his 
 uncle's court, taller by a head than the tallest of his 
 comrades, and so strong and valiant that he could hold 
 his own against any two of them together in battle or 
 tournament ; he wore the wonderful armour that had once 
 belonged to Hector, Prince of Troy, and his sword Durin- 
 dana was the heaviest and sharpest blade that ever was 
 forged ; indeed, not a dozen knights in all the world were 
 strong enough to wield it, and not one of them could have 
 performed with it the feats of its master Roland. At the 
 same time the peerless Count was the gentlest and kindest- 
 mannered man that ever went forth to battle, ever ready to 
 use his might in defence of the weak and oppressed, and 
 never so happy as when he got a chance to kill a ruffian 
 and rescue his victim at one blow. 
 
 Alas ! that so brave and gentle a knight should be 
 wretched and forlorn of spirit ; you would think that he, 
 who spent all his life in giving happiness to others, ought 
 to have been the happiest of men himself. But in an 
 unlucky hour our noble Count set eyes on the beautiful 
 Princess Angelica, and instantly fell so deeply in love with 
 
64 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 her that from that moment all peace of mind forsook hnn, 
 and his days were spent in continual sighing and lamenta- 
 tion. For I have told you already that Angelica cared 
 never a rap for him ; and if you remember how ungrateful 
 she had been to Roger after he had saved her from the 
 Ore, you will see what a fickle Princess she was, and how 
 unworthy, in spite of all her beauty, to be loved by the 
 peerless Roland. 
 
 Now matters were still in this unsatisfactory state between 
 them when the great battle of the Pyrenees was fought, and 
 Angelica, as you know, fled away on her palfrey through 
 the forest, hoping to make her way to some seaport town 
 where she could find a ship to carry her home to India. 
 Roland was just then in another part of the field fighting 
 with all his might to cover the retreat of the Emperor, so 
 that it was pitch dark before he got back to his uncle's 
 quarters and found the whole army in an uproar because 
 the beautiful Princess Angelica was nowhere to be seen. 
 Imagine the consternation of her lover at this terrible news ! 
 All that night he rushed up and down the camp calling her 
 frantically by name and seeking her under every tent and 
 by every bivouac fire ; but every hole and corner had been 
 searched before he arrived, and Angelica, as we know, was 
 far away in the good old hermit's hut. Never was such a 
 pitifulcase ; but what was poor Count Roland to do ? He 
 was eager to set out at once and search the whole world 
 through for his Princess ; but the Emperor Charlemagne 
 was hastening with his beaten army to Paris, and could not 
 spare the best of his Paladins, while Roland was bound in 
 honour to stay with his uncle and his comrades and share 
 their perils and their toils. So he rode back, tortured with 
 grief and anxiety, to Paris, where the whole Christian army 
 shut themselves up within the walls and prepared to defend 
 the city. King Agramant and his Saracens were not long- 
 in following them, and the siege of Paris was begun, about 
 which I shall have a good deal to tell you when we come 
 to the fourth part of this history. But at present all 
 you need know is, that it was a time of great peril to all 
 Christendom, in which Roland and all the other Paladins 
 
CHAP. I.] COUNT ROLAND'S DREAM. 65 
 
 had their hands full of fighting; for the Saracens were 
 constantly assaulting the city, and the Christians had hard 
 work to remain masters of their own walls, wherein was their 
 last hope of defence against their enemies. For several 
 weeks, therefore, Roland stayed in Paris, and fought more 
 fiercely than he had ever fought before ; for the thought of 
 Angelica was constantly in his mind, maddening him to 
 frenzy in the stress of battle, and haunting him at night 
 with fearful doubts about her fate, so that he could get no 
 rest for the anguish of his heart. 
 
 One night, at last, after tossing feverishly on his bed as 
 usual, he fell into a short troubled sleep, from which he was 
 awakened by a horrible dream. He dreamed that he was 
 back again with Angelica in her Indian kingdom, and they 
 were walking together in the cool of the evening under a 
 grove of stately palm-trees. Never had any grove appeared 
 so beautiful, or the notes of the gay-feathered singing-birds 
 so sweet ; for never before had the Princess been so kind 
 and gentle to her lover. Thus they walked together in the 
 fulness of joy, when suddenly the air grew black, and a 
 fearful hurricane burst upon the place where they stood. 
 The beautiful palm-trees were torn up by the roots, and fell 
 crashing to the earth ; whole branches were driven whirling 
 through the air, and the loveliness of the grove was changed 
 in a moment to desolation. Instantly the Count turned to 
 grasp the hand of his lady-love and save her from the falling 
 trees ; but to his horror he found that she was no longer 
 beside him ! In the agony of his despair he cried aloud, 
 "Angelica! Angelica!" and in answer he seemed to hear 
 her voice faint and far away, but wailing as though she were 
 in great pain, and imploring him to hasten to her rescue. 
 But the air was dark around him, so that he could not see 
 where she was, while her voice seemed to come now from 
 one side and now from the other ; and thus he stood for a 
 while in grievous perplexity, till of a sudden the roar of the 
 wind changed and burst in a hoarse, angry shriek, which 
 screamed, " Never ! never ! never ! " in his ears. With 
 that frightful scream Count Roland awoke, and found him- 
 self alone in his chamber. But the terror of his dream so 
 
66 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 wrought upon his spirit that he could Hve no longer in 
 suspense, but resolved to start that very moment in search 
 of the Princess. 
 
 So he leaped from his bed and buckled on his wonderful 
 armour ; then he girded his sword Durindana to his side, 
 and taking his heaviest and stoutest lance in his hand, crept 
 down in the darkness to the stables. There he groped his 
 way to the stall of his good horse Gold Bridle, whom he 
 saddled with his own hands ; and, leaping upon his back, 
 he rode hastily out of the palace and down through the 
 solitary streets, till he came to the city gate. Great was 
 the sentinel's astonishment at hearing Gold Bridle's hoofs 
 come tramping along through the darkness ; but Roland 
 beckoned him to his side, and whispered in his ear : " I am 
 the Count." And when the sentinel heard that, he did his 
 bidding at once, and opened the gate to let him pass. 
 
 So Count Roland rode away from Paris by night, and 
 set out alone in quest of Angelica. Many months he 
 wandered north and south, east and west, doing deeds of 
 valour wherever he went ; but he could hear no tidings of 
 his Princess, and his grief grew heavier every day. At last 
 he came to Brittany, and found himself on the bank of a 
 river, which he wished to cross ; but a flood had lately 
 washed away the bridge, and the water was too deep for 
 fording ; so the Count was forced to come to a halt. 
 While he stood there doubting what he should do he saw a 
 beautiful maiden leap into a ferry-boat which lay moored 
 to the opposite bank and row swiftly towards him across 
 the current. At this the Count raised his voice and said : 
 " Fair maiden, of your courtesy prithee give me passage 
 in your boat across the stream, for I am bound on a quest 
 which ill brooks delay." But the lass stayed her ferry-boat 
 at a little distance from the bank and answered : "Sir 
 Knight, the man that would enter my boat must first take 
 a vow to fulfil me a noble enterprise. You must know that 
 Sir Brian, King of Ireland, is gathering together an army to 
 conquer the wicked islanders of Ebuda and put an end to 
 their cruel practices." And then the maiden told Count 
 Roland all about the island of Ebuda, and how every day 
 
CHAP. I.] ROLAND TAKES A VOW. 67 
 
 a beautiful damsel was offered there as a prey to the 
 ferocious Ore ; and she ended by saying : " Now, Sir 
 Knight, if you would cross this river in my boat you must 
 first solemnly promise and vow, upon your honour as a 
 loyal knight, to lend your help to the gallant enterprise of 
 King Brian and endeavour with all your might to put a 
 stop to this horrible custom ; and till you have taken such 
 a vow there is no passage for you across the river. 
 
 Now when the maiden spoke of the Ore and his daily 
 tale of victims Count Roland grew suddenly pale as death ; 
 his very lips were white and dry, and his heart throbbed as 
 though it would burst his bosom. For he thought : " Oh ! 
 if my beautiful Princess should have fallen into the 
 clutches of these abominable pirates ! " So the maiden had 
 hardly done speaking before he cried out vehemently and 
 said : " I vow ! I vow ! — upon the faith and honour of a 
 true knight I take the vow ; yea, and this very hour will I 
 enter upon the adventure." Then the damsel gladly ferried 
 him over the river ; and as soon as they were come across 
 the Count took hasty leave of her, and galloped off at full 
 speed towards the harbour of St. Malo. 
 
 There he found a merchant ship just ready to put to 
 sea, which he hired for a great price to carry him to the 
 island of Ebuda. And when he had agreed with the 
 captain he left Gold Bridle on shore in charge of a trusty 
 friend ; for he thought : " In this business a horse would 
 be of little service." And when everything was disposed 
 as he desired he went on board his ship and set sail that 
 very afternoon. The breeze was favourable at first, though 
 much too light to suit the Count's impatience ; but just as 
 they were off the Land's End it veered suddenly round to 
 the west and blew straight in the teeth of our vova^ers. 
 Higher and higher it rose, till it soon became a furious 
 gale, which threatened to capsize them every minute, so 
 that their only hope of safety was to keep their vessel 
 scudding before it. Thus for four days they were driven 
 up the Channel, and through the Straits of Dover, to the 
 coast of the Netherlands ; but on the fifth day the wind 
 began to abate, and to their great joy they were able to run 
 
68 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 into the harbour of Antwerp. There they beached their 
 ship and began to think about repairing her damages, but 
 they were no sooner come ashore than they saw a white- 
 haired old man issue from a castle which stood hard by 
 and hasten towards the beach. By his dress he seemed the 
 steward of a noble house, but his countenance was heavy 
 and full of care ; and when he reached the place where 
 they stood he saluted Count Roland courteously — for he 
 judged him to be chief of the party — and said: "Sir 
 Knight, if you are a brave and courteous cavalier, as your 
 mien bespeaks you, return with me, I pray you, to yonder 
 castle and refuse not to speak with my mistress ; for she is 
 a noble damsel of high lineage and great beauty ; but alas ! 
 she is fallen into very grievous trouble, and sadly needs 
 the counsel of some wise and valiant knight. But if it 
 please you not to come to the castle, at least be content to 
 abide here upon the shore till she can descend and have 
 speech with you at your leisure, for her distress is very 
 sore." At this the noble Roland exclaimed : " Heaven 
 forbid that a damsel in distress should need to come in 
 search of me ! Lead me to the castle, old sir, and give me 
 quick admittance that I may speak with your mistress 
 without delay." 
 
 The old steward thanked the Count heartily for his 
 goodwill, and led the way forthwith towards the half-ruined 
 castle. They passed over the mouldering planks of the 
 old drawbridge, and through the crumbling gateway, into a 
 large courtyard, the very picture of neglect and desolation, 
 with the rank weeds sprouting unheeded between the moss- 
 coated flagstones of its pavement. There the old man led 
 his guest to the foot of a flight of steps, and said : " Noble 
 Sir Knight, be pleased to mount this staircase, for my 
 mistress sits waiting in the hall : I pray you give her what 
 consolation you can." So Roland went alone up the steps, 
 and passed through a lofty doorway into the great hall of 
 the castle. It had once been a splendid room, where the 
 lords of the place gave audience to all their vassals, or 
 feasted them by hundreds at the great tables ranged along 
 Ihe sides ; but now its magnificence was faded quite away, 
 
CHAP. I.] THE SORROWS OF OLYMPIA. 69 
 
 and the tarnished shields which hung upon its walls looked 
 drearily down upon the phantom scene of bygone pomp. 
 Yet one treasure the desolate old hall still held, fairer than 
 aught that had graced it in the days of prosperity. For 
 upon the dais ^at the farther end was seated a lady of 
 marvellous beauty, very sorrowful of countenance, dressed 
 in robes of sombre black, with her rich auburn hair falling 
 in dishevelled masses to her waist, and her deep gray eyes 
 moist and glistening with the tears which she struggled to 
 repress. She sat in a great oaken chair, with her head 
 resting wearily on her hand, so absorbed in melancholy 
 thought that Count Roland had w-alked half way up the 
 hall before she perceived his entrance. But the clang of 
 his mailed tread upon the pavement roused her at length 
 from her reverie ; and rising from her chair she greeted him 
 with courteous grace, and prayed him to be seated by her 
 side upon the dais. 
 
 Then Count Roland made her a low obeisance, and 
 said : " Noble lady, I pray you tell me if I can be of 
 service to you in anything." And the sorrowful lady 
 answered him and said : " Sir Knight, I am truly in a 
 pitiful case, w^herein I have great need of your counsel. 
 But first you must hear my story, and thereafter advise me 
 as you think best. Know that I am the Lady Olympia, 
 whose father w^as Sovereign Count of Holland and lord 
 over much people. Also I had two brothers, very noble 
 and valiant lads, but I was the only daughter of my father, 
 who loved me better than his hfe, and could refuse me 
 nothing that I chose to ask of him. Now, a few months 
 since it chanced that the young Sir Biron Duke of Zealand 
 passed through our territories and came to visit my father. 
 And when we looked upon each other, straightway love 
 entered into our hearts, so that he became my Knight and 
 proclaimed me his only Lady. Forty days he remained 
 with us, and then departed to fight against the Saracens in 
 Biscay ; but first we plighted our troth, and resolved to be 
 married on his return. Alas ! he was hardly gone from us 
 when the wicked King of Frisia sent an embassy to my 
 father, saying : ' Send me the Lady Olympia, thy daughter. 
 
70 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 that I may wed her to my only son, Prince Aribant.' Now 
 when my father heard this he said : ' Call hither the Lady 
 Olympia;' and I came into his presence, where he sat with 
 the ambassadors of the King of Frisia. Then my father 
 asked me : ' Wilt thou go into Frisia to be the wife of the 
 young Prince Aribant?' But I cast my eyes upon the 
 ground and answered : ' My father, I have plighted my 
 troth to Sir Biron Duke of Zealand, and I cannot marry 
 any other.' So my good father gave rich gifts to the 
 ambassadors and sent them back to their own country. 
 But when the wicked King knew that his suit was denied 
 he was furious with anger, and cried : ' As I live I will 
 punish this Count for his insolence, for I will win his 
 daughter for my son by force.' So he called his knights 
 together, and gathered a great army of soldiers, and made 
 war upon the Count my father. But his chief trust was not 
 in the valour of his knights, nor in any practice of chivalrous 
 warfare, but in a vile and horrible weapon, the like of 
 which was never yet seen in the world. It is a tube of iron 
 closed at one end, within which he puts a certain powder 
 and a ball of lead ; then he lights the powder through a 
 very small hole, and the ball shoots forth as the thunderbolt 
 shoots down upon the earth, so that nothing can stand 
 against its passage. With the help of this villainous cannon 
 he twice put to flight the armies of my father, and in each 
 battle one of my brothers was slain by the ball of lead. 
 Then my father shut himself up in his chief fortress and 
 prepared to defend it to the uttermost ; but the wicked 
 King brought forth his cannon again and slew him as he 
 marshalled his men upon the ramparts. Thus I was left 
 desolate and alone, and heiress to all the heritage of my 
 father, while the wicked King overran my dominions and 
 practised great cruelties upon my people. But presently 
 he sent again to demand me in marriage for his son, saying 
 that if I consented he would cease from the war and hold 
 me in high honour, but otherwise he would strip me of my 
 inheritance and send me forth a beggar into the world. 
 Now I was still mindful of my plighted troth, and hated the 
 King and Prince of Frisia, who had slain my father and my 
 
CHAP. I.] ROLAND BECOMES HER CHAMPION, 71 
 
 brothers. But I had no strength to stand against them, for 
 Duke Biron was far away, and my people were weary of the 
 war. And before my lover could come to my help, my 
 own vassals turned against me and constrained me to make 
 peace with the King. So they promised me in marriage to 
 Prince Aribant, and preparation was being made for the 
 wedding, when Biron appeared at the head of a band of 
 soldiers, and made war on my behalf against my oppressors. 
 Then the wicked King left all care of the marriage to his 
 son and went himself to fight against Duke Biron ; and in 
 the very first battle he gained an easy victory; for he 
 scattered the young Duke's soldiers with his cannon, and 
 took prisoner their unhappy chieftain, whom he led back in 
 triumph to the city. But meanwhile a faithful lad, who 
 had been my father's page, found means to slay Prince 
 Aribant, and helped me to flee to this castle, which is all 
 that is left to me of my possessions. So when the King of 
 Frisia returned from his victory he found that I had escaped 
 out of his hand, and his son lay dead within the chamber. 
 Then in his bitter wrath he schemed how he might get me 
 again in his power, to take vengeance on me for the death 
 of Prince Aribant. To this end he shut up Duke Biron, 
 my lover, in a dungeon, and made proclamation that at the 
 end of a year he would put him to a cruel death unless I 
 first surrendered myself to suffer the penalty in his stead. 
 Now, Sir Knight, it is on this matter that I ask your coun- 
 sel. Think not that I fear to suffer for Duke Biron, for 
 whom I would gladly die a hundred deaths ; but the King 
 my enemy is full of treachery, and I fear lest, when he has 
 me in his power, he may refuse to deliver the Duke, and I 
 may have given up my life without gaining the liberty of 
 my lover. Tell me therefore, I beseech you, if you can 
 think of any device to hold this wicked King to his promise, 
 and compel him to deliver the Duke so soon as he has me 
 in his grasp." 
 
 With many tears the Lady Olympia told her woful story, 
 which roused such compassion in Count Roland that he 
 cried : " Gentle lady, I am better at deeds than words ; 
 but trust your cause to me, and I promise you that all shall 
 
72 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 be well." In truth he intended to give her help beyond 
 what she asked of him ; for he had no mind that her life 
 should be the price of Duke Biron's freedom, but meant 
 to deliver them both, if the might of his arm failed not. 
 So he suited himself with a stout Flemish charger, in place 
 of Gold Bridle, whom he had left in Brittany, and prayed 
 the gentle Olympia to come with him on board his ship. 
 Then he set sail without delay, — for he was eager to bring 
 this adventure to an end, and start again for the island of 
 Ebuda, — and so came on the third day to Holland. 
 There he left Olympia in the ship, and rode alone to the 
 city of Dordrecht, where the King of Frisia had taken up 
 his abode. And when he came thither and found a great 
 company of soldiers camped within the gate, he called to 
 an archer, and said : " Go to the King of Frisia, and say 
 to him that a knight -errant is waiting at the gate, who 
 challenges him to combat with lance and sword. And 
 these shall be the conditions of the combat ; if the knight 
 is vanquished, he shall deliver the Lady Olympia into the 
 King's hand, — for he has left her in a safe place not far 
 from hence ; — but if the King is vanquished, he shall 
 deliver Duke Biron out of prison, and trouble him and the 
 Lady Olympia no more." 
 
 Thereupon the archer made haste to find the King, and 
 delivered to him Count Roland's challenge faithfully. But 
 the King, who knew neither valour nor generosity, fell 
 straightway to devising a scheme of cunning treachery ; for 
 he thought : " If I can get hold of this knight-errant alive, 
 I shall catch Olympia too, and there will be three of them 
 to glut my vengeance." So he summoned thirty of his 
 knights, and bade them leave the city by the opposite gate 
 to that at which Count Roland was waiting, and make the 
 circuit of the walls, so as to take the Paladin in rear. 
 Meanwhile he sent a treacherous courtier to parley with 
 the Count till the thirty knights should be come to 
 their post ; and then he himself rode out of the gate at 
 the head of thirty knights more, with whom he attacked 
 him in front. So Roland found himself in the midst of 
 sixty enemies, who rushed upon him at once from every 
 
CHAP. I.] AND SLAYS HER OPPRESSOR. 73 
 
 side. But the felon King left his deadly cannon at home, 
 because he wished not to kill the Count, but to take him 
 prisoner; like a cunning bird-catcher, who preserves his 
 first few victims alive, that their voices may lure others 
 into the net : he calculated, too, that sixty knights would 
 have little trouble in surprising a single opponent. 
 
 But no odds could daunt our peerless Roland, and no 
 surprise ever found him off his guard. So when he saw 
 that the wicked King had betrayed him, he laid his lance 
 in rest and dashed into the mass of his enemies. So 
 terrible was his onset, that the lance passed clean through 
 the body of the first whom he met, and stuck out a good 
 half of its length behind his back. The second the Count 
 served in the same fashion, and another, and another, 
 piercing their armoured bodies as a fork may pierce a 
 dumpling of dough ; till six Frisians were thus run through 
 the midriff and spitted on a single lance. And as there 
 was no room on it for any more, the seventh received it 
 not in his body, but the point of it struck him under the 
 cliin, so that his neck was broken, and he died. Then 
 Roland threw away the lance and its six corpses, and drew 
 forth Durindana from the scabbard. Woe to the enemy 
 who came within reach of that wondrous sword ! each cut, 
 each thrust, was death to the knight who encountered it, 
 for Roland never struck a stroke in vain. 
 
 Soon the King repented bitterly that he had left his 
 cannon at home, and shouted to his knights that one of 
 them should go and fetch it. But they were all much too 
 frightened to pay any heed to his orders. And when the 
 King saw that they were all stricken with panic, he too 
 made haste to escape, and rode towards the city gate ; but 
 the Count was there before him, and the terrible Durindana 
 barred his passage. Then the King turned and fled round 
 the walls, and Roland hastened after him at full gallop. 
 Oh for five minutes on the back of Gold Bridle ! the war 
 would soon have been ended, if Roland could only have 
 come up with his arch-enemy ! But his stout Flemish 
 horse was somewhat slow of foot, so that the flying King 
 gained distance every minute, and soon escaped into the 
 
74 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 city by the farther gate, which he ordered to be shut be- 
 hind him. 
 
 He galloped to his palace and fetched out his deadly 
 cannon ; and when he had loaded it, he returned with it 
 to find Count Roland. Soon he saw him pursuing the 
 beaten knights round the walls; so he posted himself in 
 ambush outside the gates, and waited for the Paladin to 
 pass. And when Roland came within shot, he put the 
 match to the touch-hole ; and with a roar like thunder and 
 a flash as of lightning the leaden ball sped forth on its 
 errand of destruction. But whether the King was over- 
 eager to kill his enemy, or whether the fright which the 
 Count had given him made his hand shake and his eye 
 uncertain, at all events the bullet missed its aim, and only 
 killed the Flemish charger which Roland was riding. 
 Quick as lightning the Count leaped from off the fallen 
 steed, and rushed towards the King's hiding-place ; and in 
 great terror the traitor vaulted into his saddle and fled 
 away from the face of the Paladin. But now Roland did 
 better on foot than he had before been able to do on 
 horseback ; for running at full speed he pursued after the 
 King with Durindana drawn in his hand. And he was so 
 fleet of foot that he very soon came up with his enemy 
 and clave him from head to waist with a single blow. 
 Thus the wicked King of Frisia died in the midst of his 
 treacheries, and the Lady Olympia was delivered from the 
 fear of her enemy. 
 
 And at the same moment a cousin of Duke Biron's 
 appeared before the city at the head of a mighty army, 
 which he had assembled to deliver the Duke. So Roland 
 and he attacked the Frisian garrison ; and the Dutchmen 
 of the city, who were weary of the wicked King's tyranny, 
 rose up against their oppressors, and helped to drive them 
 out of the land. Thus Duke Biron was delivered out of 
 prison and from the fear of a cruel death, and the gentle 
 Olympia was once more lady over the heritage of her 
 fathers. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 HOW DUKE BIRON PROVED FAITHLESS AND ROLAND 
 DELIVERED OLYMPIA THE SECOND TIME. 
 
 When the Frisians were all got out of the way and the city 
 had become tranquil again, Count Roland and Duke Biron 
 rode down together to the place where the Lady Olympia 
 was awaiting the issue of the combat. Little had she 
 imagined, when she first asked the stranger knight's advice, 
 that he would utterly defeat her wicked enemy and deliver 
 herself and her lover ; and all day she remained on board 
 his ship in great anxiety, fearing that he would fall a victim 
 to the murderous cannon, and that her state would then be 
 worse than before — for she knew not that it was the peer- 
 less Count Roland who had engaged to fight her battle. 
 But oh ! how deep was her joy when in the dusk of the 
 evening she saw her champion return to his vessel with 
 Biron riding safe and sound by his side ! In a transport 
 of gratitude she would have thrown herself at Roland's 
 feet, but he prevented her, and placed her in the arms of 
 her Duke. 
 
 Long into the night they sat communing together, telling 
 each other of all the hardships and misery that they had 
 borne ; but in the morning they left the ship again, and 
 rode all together back to Dordrecht. There they were 
 heartily welcomed by all the Dutchmen, w^ho were over- 
 joyed to see their rightful lady once more ; all the bells 
 were set merrily ringing, flags were hung out of every 
 window, and fifty fat oxen were roasted whole in the city 
 square ; there was such shouting too, and huzzaing from all 
 
76 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 the men and boys, with such crying for joy among the 
 women, that it seemed as if the town had gone mad with 
 dehght ; and when night came on again the whole country- 
 side was ablaze with innumerable bonfires. Without loss of 
 time the lovers were solemnly betrothed with stately pomp 
 and ceremony in the presence of Count Roland and Duke 
 Biron's faithful cousin, and of all the chief citizens of 
 Dordrecht ; but the completion of their marriage was de- 
 layed for a while, because they wished it to take place in 
 Biron's own province of Zealand. Meanwhile the Lady 
 Olympia made over the government of her territories to the 
 Duke, and he appointed his cousin to rule them in his 
 name, after he should have departed to his own country. 
 
 Now, as soon as all these ceremonies were done, Count 
 Roland took leave of Biron and Olympia, and returned on 
 board his ship ; for he counted every minute as lost which 
 kept him away from the island of Ebuda. Before he de- 
 parted, however, the Dutchmen of the city came to him 
 and said : " Sir Knight, by your valour you have delivered 
 us from sore oppression ; wherefore, we pray you look upon 
 the spoils which we have taken from the King of Frisia, 
 and choose from them whatsoever pleases you." But 
 Roland answered : " Nay, for I war not for mine own 
 profit, but only that I may execute justice in the world. 
 Therefore, I will take neither silver nor gold, nor anything 
 which men count riches ; but I will take the wicked King's 
 cannon, with the powder and balls that belong to it, and 
 will sink them in the depths of the sea, that the world may 
 be rid of so monstrous an engine for ever." The Dutch- 
 men were well pleased that the Count demanded nothing 
 but the cannon, for they said : " There will be all the more 
 to share among ourselves." So they chuckled over their 
 good luck as they kept the gold and silver, the precious 
 jewels, and the richly -chased suits of armour, which they 
 divided among themselves ; but Roland carried off the 
 cannon, with its whole stock of powder and balls, to his 
 ship. 
 
 The same afternoon he weighed anchor and sailed west- 
 ward away upon his journey ; and when he came to the 
 
CHAP. II.] A CANNON OVERBOARD. 77 
 
 middle of the German Ocean he heaved the cannon and 
 ammunition overboard into the sea, crying : " Lie there, 
 thou monstrous new-fangled weapon, where no man shall 
 ever discover thee ! For even a coward may kill his enemy 
 by craft from a distance, but the brave man prevails in 
 the press of combat where the spears are shivered on the 
 buckler and the keen swords crash upon the helmet." So 
 the deadly gun sank to the bottom of the ocean, where it 
 lay for full five hundred years ; and there it would be lying 
 still but for the malice of a cunning enchanter who hated 
 all the race of men, and sought only how he might plague 
 and destroy them. With this intent he wove a powerful 
 spell, which caused the iron tube to rise again to the top 
 of the waves, and float as if it had been made of cork to 
 the shore. There the enchanter seized it and showed men 
 how to use it in their battles ; he taught them too to make 
 others like it, and to cast bullets, and manufacture gun- 
 powder, as the King of Frisia had done before, so that they 
 might slay each other by thousands at a time. And thus 
 it happened that the good intentions of the peerless Count 
 Roland came to nothing, and men gave up the knightly 
 exercises of lance and sword to learn musketry drill and 
 artillery practice in their stead. 
 
 Roland, however, sailed forward on his voyage, thinking 
 that the world was quit of cannons for ever. But very soon 
 the wind became contrary again, so that he could make no 
 way against it, but drifted about the coast of England and 
 Scotland, biting his lips with impatience to arrive at Ebuda. 
 And while he is tossing about we must go back to Holland 
 for a while, and see what became of Duke Biron and the 
 Lady Olympia. 
 
 Surely if ever a knight was bound to love and cherish 
 his lady, shielding her from harm and sorrow with all his 
 might, and devoting his every thought to further her happi- 
 ness, Duke Biron was above all men bound so to love and 
 cherish Olympia. For his sake she had borne grief and 
 suffered injustice ; for him she had lost her noble father 
 and her brave young brothers ; for him she had been 
 robbed of her possessions and driven forth an exile from 
 
78 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 her territories. Well might the young Duke doubt whether 
 his utmost love and care could ever reward her enough for 
 her faithful devotion ! Alas ! in the hour of happiness he 
 proved himself unworthy of his gentle lady. For though 
 strong of arm and brave enough in battle or adventure, he 
 was light of heart and fickle of purpose ; and after remain- 
 ing faithful to his love through peril and adversity, he fell 
 away from her in the time of his prosperity. And his 
 treachery befell on this wise. When the Frisian garrison 
 fled away from the city of Dordrecht they left behind the 
 only daughter of their King, a blue-eyed little maiden not 
 more than sixteen years old, alone and helpless in the 
 midst of her father's enemies. There Duke Biron found 
 her stretched upon the dead King's body, weeping as 
 though her heart would break, and tearing her flaxen locks 
 for sorrow. She was not nearly so beautiful as Olympia, 
 but her fresh childish face won the fickle Biron's heart, and 
 made him forget the noble lady to whom he owed so deep 
 a debt of gratitude. With tender caresses he raised her 
 from the ground, and strove to comfort her in her mis- 
 fortunes, saying that he would take her with him into 
 Zealand, and marry her to his younger brother ; but really 
 he had fallen in love with her from the first moment of 
 their meeting, and intended to marry her himself as soon 
 as he could get rid of his betrothed. The gentle Olympia, 
 who was ever full of pity for the unfortunate, and had no 
 suspicion of her lover's treachery, encouraged him in his 
 pretended purpose, and welcomed the poor little Princess as 
 though she were her own sister. And all the people said : 
 " See how noble of heart Duke Biron is, who protects 
 the innocent daughter of his enemy!" In this way the 
 young Duke won praise of all men for his counterfeit good- 
 ness, while really he was planning the most wicked perfidy. 
 Very soon, however, he found an opportunity of showing 
 himself in his true colours ; for he ordered a ship to be 
 made ready to carry him back to Zealand, on which he 
 embarked two days after Count Roland's departure. With 
 him went Olympia, to whom he had just been so solemnly 
 betrothed, and the little Frisian Princess, as well as a few 
 
CHAP. II.] DUKE BIRON'S INGRATITUDE. 79 
 
 nobles of Holland, who were invited to be present at their 
 Lady's wedding. But they had hardly put out to sea before 
 they encountered the same contrary wind that was delaying 
 the Count's voyage ; and they were so buffeted about by 
 the sea that they were thankful to make for the shelter of 
 a little desert island, off which they came to an anchorage 
 about the time of sunset. There Olympia, who was tired 
 out with her stormy voyage, entreated to be put on shore for 
 the night, saying : " You can spread me a tent on the beach, 
 where I shall sleep better than on board the ship ; and in 
 the morning we will continue our journey." So they put 
 up a tent for her as she desired ; and thither she went to 
 take her rest, while Biron and all his company remained on 
 board the vessel. 
 
 But a little after midnight, while the gentle Olympia 
 was still sleeping on the shore without a suspicion of harm, 
 the faithless Duke woke up the captain and crew of the 
 ship, and commanded them to weigh anchor immediately, 
 threatening them with instant death if they refused to per- 
 form his bidding. So they were compelled to obey him ; 
 and though the wind was still high and the sea rough, they 
 sailed noiselessly away from the island, and left the unhappy 
 lady to her fate. 
 
 Poor soul ! she slept on peacefully till the light of the 
 rising sun shining into her tent awoke her. Then she rose 
 from her bed and dressed herself in haste ; and when she 
 was ready she stepped out of the tent, meaning to signal 
 for a boat to come and take her on board the ship. To 
 her horror no ship was in the roadstead ; but far away to 
 seaward she saw the white sail above the waves, looking no 
 bigger than a sea-gull's wing against the sky. How can I 
 tell you all the misery of her heart at such a moment ? At 
 first she could not believe that her lover had really deserted 
 her, but thought that the ship must have slipped her moor- 
 ings and been driven out to sea during the night, and 
 would even now be beating back to take her on board. 
 Was not the sail growing larger and larger as she looked ? 
 Alas ! it grew smaller and smaller, as the ship sailed farther 
 and farther away, till it dwindled to the merest speck, and 
 
8o PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 then vanished for ever from her gaze. Then indeed the 
 wretched Olympia knew all the depth of her misery ; then 
 she knew that all her sufferings for Biron's sake had been 
 endured in vain, and that her pure and noble love for him 
 had been utterly thrown away. With bitter tears she ex- 
 claimed against his cruel treachery, and lamented the hard- 
 ness of her fate ; and with terror she thought that she was 
 doomed to die of starvation on this island, whereon was no 
 man to help her. But very soon she was threatened with 
 a worse death than that which she dreaded. For in the 
 afternoon some pirates from Ebuda, who happened to be 
 cruising in those seas, and had run short of provisions for 
 their boat, came to shoot wild-fowl on the island. These 
 men, when they saw the beautiful Olympia sitting alone 
 and helpless on the shore, cried : " A prize ! a prize for 
 the Ore !"' and seizing her in spite of her entreaties, they 
 bound her hand and foot, and carried her away with them 
 in their boat. 
 
 Seven days she was forced to sail with them over the 
 sea ; but on the eighth day they brought her captive to 
 their own land, and shut her up in prison for the night. 
 And as they had no other prisoners at that time, they 
 appointed the morrow for exposing her to be eaten by the 
 Ore. So the next morning two men took her from her 
 cell, and led her away, surrounded by a great company of 
 women and girls, to the sea-shore, where they bound her 
 fast to the rock, just as they had formerly done with 
 Angelica, and so left her to await the monster's coming. 
 
 But help was nearer at hand than poor Olympia dared 
 to hope. For Roland, after being driven far out of his 
 course by unfavourable winds, had got to his destination at 
 last, and was preparing to perform the promise which he 
 vowed to the maiden of the ferry-boat. This very morn- 
 ing, before the sun was well risen, he had brought his ship 
 to an anchor off Ebuda, just out of sight of the fatal rock 
 to which the islanders w^re chaining their victim. And as 
 soon as the ship w^as made fast, he called the captain, and 
 said : " Lower me the smallest of your boats and put in it 
 the biggest anchor and the strongest hawser that you can 
 
CHAP, i:.] HOW ROLAND SLEW THE ORG. 8i 
 
 find among your stores ; for I think to make good use of 
 them, if I can come to close quarters with the Ore." And 
 when they had done as Count Roland bade them, he 
 clothed himself in his armour, and slung Durindana at his 
 side; but he took neither lance nor battle-axe nor any 
 weapon of assault save his sword alone. Thus equipped 
 he let himself down into the boat, and taking the sculls 
 into his hands, rowed himself swiftly round the point, till 
 he came within sight of the fatal spot. 
 
 Then he looked about him, and saw a maiden chained 
 to the rock ; but he was still so far off that he could not 
 discern who she was, and a cold shudder ran through him 
 at the thought that this might indeed be none other than 
 his beautiful Princess. Straining every nerve, he sculled 
 swiftly towards the place ; but just as he came opposite, a 
 frightful roar was heard on the other side of him, as the 
 hideous Ore raised itself above the waves, and seemed to 
 gather the whole sea beneath its huge ungainly breast. 
 Now when the monster saw the Count rowing just in front 
 of its prey, it rushed open-mouthed towards him, thinking 
 that to-day it would get double rations for breakfast ; but 
 this was exactly what Roland had expected, and, like the 
 wise man that he was, he had planned his measures well 
 beforehand. So he waited quietly till the Ore had actually 
 sucked him up, boat and all, into the vast cavern of its 
 mouth ; but the moment he found himself inside, he 
 snatched up the great anchor which he had brought with 
 him, and stuck one point of it firmly into the monster's 
 tongue. Then with a scream of pain the Ore tried to snap 
 its jaws together; but the other point of the anchor caught 
 its palate, and stuck there so firmly that the brute could 
 neither shut its mouth closer nor open it wider. Then 
 did Count Roland draw forth Durindana from the scab- 
 bard, and begin stabbing the Ore about the mouth ; and 
 the great monster was as powerless to defend itself as 
 the garrison of a city, after the enemy has mastered its walls 
 and towers. Presently, however, the creature dived with 
 its head beneath the waves ; whereupon the Count floated 
 out of its mouth with one end of the hawser wound about 
 
82 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 his body, while the other was fastened to the anchor. 
 Then he swam as fast as he could to the shore ; where he 
 seized the hawser in both hands, and pulled at it with all 
 his might. And so great was his strength, that the Ore 
 being now spent with loss of blood, had to let itself be 
 hauled ashore ; just as a salmon, after many rushes and 
 struggles, has to follow the line at last. Thus the horrible 
 monster was pulled in, and died upon the beach ; and 
 surely, you would think, all the people of the island wel- 
 comed the peerless Count Roland as the noblest of bene- 
 factors. 
 
 Not a bit of it ! In their silly superstition they believed 
 that the Ore was a god, whose death was a terrible 
 calamity ; and so, instead of falling down at Roland's feet 
 in thankfulness, all the men in the place set upon him with 
 every weapon they could lay hands on, doing their utmost 
 to slay him in requital for the deliverance he had wrought 
 for them. But Durindana soon cleared a passage through 
 this senseless rabble ; and while they were fleeing in all 
 directions from the terrible blade a mighty cry arose from 
 the centre of the island. For while Roland was battling 
 with the Ore, King Brian of Ireland had landed on the 
 opposite coast, and was wasting all the land with fire and 
 sword. But when he heard how the sea-monster had been 
 hooked and slain, he cried : " Surely the peerless Count 
 Roland is here ; for no other knight could perform so 
 wondrous a feat." So he hastened to the sea-shore, while all 
 the people were scattered from before him ; and finding the 
 Count there, he greeted him with great joy, having known, 
 him for many years at the great Emperor's court, where he 
 was nurtured. 
 
 Then at last Roland had leisure to look at the maiden 
 whom he had saved : and what was his astonishment when 
 he beheld in her the Lady Olympia ! But still greater was 
 his indignation when she told him of Duke Biron's 
 treachery, and of all the miseries she had suffered. At 
 last, however, this gentle lady was destined to find true 
 and lasting happiness, fit to make her amends for all her 
 sorrows. For King Brian was so moved by her beauty 
 
CHAP. II.] OLYMPIA IS MADE HAPPY. 83 
 
 and by the story of her misfortunes, that he fell in love with 
 her on the spot, and lost no time in embarking his army 
 and sailing straight to Zealand. There he encountered 
 the traitor Biron, and slew him with his own hand ; after 
 which he returned and married the Lady Olympia, crown- 
 ing her Queen of Ireland, as well as Lady over her own 
 County of Holland. And you will be glad to know that 
 King Brian and Queen Olympia lived happily and pros- 
 perously together for the rest of their lives. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW ANGELICA NURSED MEDORO AND SOON AFTERWARDS 
 
 MARRIED HIM. 
 
 Count Roland soon found that Angelica was nowhere in 
 
 the island of Ebuda, but he could not learn for certain 
 
 whether she had ever been there, because the islanders who 
 
 had exposed her had no notion who she was. They could 
 
 only tell him that some time before a knight, who rode upon 
 
 a flying horse, had rescued one of the maidens from the 
 
 rock and carried her off through the air in the direction of 
 
 France. Hoping that this rescued maiden might prove to 
 
 be his beautiful Princess, the Count returned immediately 
 
 on board his ship and steered for the French coast. And 
 
 when he came to St. Malo again, he took Gold Bridle from 
 
 the hands of the friend with whom he had left him, and 
 
 mounting on his back set out once more upon his weary 
 
 search. Now what perils he endured and what feats he 
 
 performed during the next few weeks nobody can tell, 
 
 because he was journeying quite alone, so that no record 
 
 has been kept of his actions. For Roland himself never 
 
 spoke of his own prowess, and all his gallant deeds that we 
 
 know about were told by the friends who saw him do them 
 
 or the grateful people whom he assisted ; a few of them, 
 
 too, were narrated by the enemies whom he conquered, 
 
 and whose generous admiration for his valour made them 
 
 glad to record even their own defeats by so peerless a 
 
 champion. 
 
 The next thing that I have to tell you about him is, that 
 he actually got a glimpse of Angelica for a moment, and it 
 
CHAP. III.] HOW ROLAND SAW HIS LADY, 85 
 
 happened in a strange manner. For one day he was riding 
 through the wood in which Atlas had built his enchanted 
 
 O ... 
 
 palace, when the cunning old wizard lured him mto his 
 trap, and set him to searching fruitlessly about the precincts, 
 as he had done to Roger and Bradamante and so many 
 other noble knights. And it chanced that on the same day 
 the Saracen chief Ferralu, whose name you may remember 
 as another of Angelica's lovers, was also decoyed into the 
 palace, and went hunting up and down it in company with 
 the peerless Roland ; but neither could recognise the other 
 because of the enchantment of the place. AVhile they were 
 thus wandering, however, who should enter the garden but 
 the beautiful Princess Angelica herself, wearing on her finger 
 her magic ring, which she had recovered from the courteous 
 Prince Roger. Of course this magic ring overcame the 
 enchantment of the place, so that Roland and Ferralu both 
 knew her the moment she came in sight, and spurred 
 towards her at full gallop. But Angelica had no mind for 
 their company, so she turned her palfrey's head and fled 
 away from them as fast as she could go. Thus she fled, 
 and they went galloping in pursuit of her, till all three were 
 far beyond the enchanted precincts ; but then Angelica, 
 finding that the two knights gained upon her at every stride, 
 slipped the ring off her finger and into her pretty mouth, 
 and so instantly disappeared from their view. 
 
 At this both Roland and Ferralu were utterly dumb- 
 foundered ; but as the Princess was no longer to be seen, 
 they had leisure to recognise each other. And when they 
 knew each other they instantly resolved to fight, seeing that 
 there was an ancient quarrel between them. For not only 
 were they rivals for the love of Angelica, but Ferralu had 
 the impudence to claim the helmet which Count Roland 
 always wore, and had vowed that he would wear nothing 
 on his head till he could obtain it. He therefore went 
 bareheaded; and Roland, who was too noble to take an 
 enemy at a disadvantage, said : " Sir Ferralu, since you have 
 no helmet, I also will fight bareheaded ; and let the con- 
 queror take this casque of Hector which I wear." 
 
 So he took off the wonderful helmet and hung it to the 
 
86 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 branch of a tree, and then the two knights began their battle. 
 Very fierce was their encounter, and terrible were the blows 
 they struck; for Ferralu, though he was not the equal of 
 Roland, was yet a knight of great skill and undaunted 
 valour, who could not be conquered in a moment. But 
 just as he was beginning to get the worst of it, he was 
 saved by a fresh freak of the invisible Princess Angelica, 
 who had remained close by her lovers all this while, enjoy- 
 ing their astonishment at her disappearance. And when 
 she saw them fairly set a-fighting for Roland's helmet, the 
 thought came into her foolish head that it would be a good 
 joke to run away with this prize of their battle and hide it, 
 at least for a time, from both of them. So she took it 
 down from the bough to which the Count had fastened it, 
 and rode swiftly away with it through the forest, laughing 
 in her sleeve at the success of her silly and mischievous 
 prank. 
 
 She had not been gone five minutes before Ferralu 
 happened to glance up at the bough, and perceived that the 
 wonderful helmet had disappeared. Thereupon he reined 
 back his horse, and cried : "Sir Count, we waste our 
 labour in this battle, seeing that the casque for which we 
 strive is no longer here." At this Count Roland stayed his 
 hand from the battle, marvelling where his helmet could be; 
 but he supposed that some false knight must have passed 
 by the place and taken it away while he and Ferralu were 
 too busy to see what was happening. So he answered : 
 " Certainly we must first recover the casque of Hector, and 
 afterwards we will renew our battle to determine which of 
 us shall wear it." They rode therefore side by side through 
 the forest, till they came to a place where three roads met. 
 There Count Roland turned to his adversary and said : "Sir 
 Ferralu, here we must separate, since we know not which 
 path this thief has taken. Go you therefore to the left and 
 I will take the right-hand road ; for thus one of us will 
 surely come up with the object of our quest." So they 
 separated at the parting of the ways, and the Count rode 
 along the path to the right, which brought him presently to 
 a new adventure, as I will tell you in the next chapter. 
 
CHAP. III.] AND LOST HIS HELMET. 87 
 
 But the Saracen Ferralu took the left-hand road, and had 
 hardly ridden a mile along it before he found the wonder- 
 ful helmet lying right in the middle of the way. For 
 Angelica had soon grown tired of carrying it, and let it fall 
 where Ferralu now found it. Then the Saracen rejoiced 
 greatly that his good luck had brought him the prize, which 
 he never could have won by his valour ; so he buckled the 
 helmet on his head and rode off gaily to the camp of King 
 Agramant. 
 
 Meanwhile the beautiful Princess Angelica remained in 
 the forest indeed, but so close to the edge of it that she 
 was not above a couple of miles away from the headquarters 
 of the Saracen army. Nevertheless she feared nothing, 
 because with the help of her ring she could make herself 
 invisible whenever she chose. Now all this time the siege 
 of Paris was going on, and there were frequent sallies on 
 the part of the Christians, and skirmishes between them 
 and the Saracens, besides three or four great pitched battles, 
 about which I shall have a great deal more to tell you later 
 on. Well, in one of these great encounters it chanced 
 that the Christians had much the best of it, and Raynald 
 the Paladin, who was bringing the English and Scotch 
 armies to the help of Charlemagne, slew a young Saracen 
 chieftain named Prince Dardinel. This young Prince's 
 death was bitterly deplored by the whole Saracen army; 
 but they were so utterly defeated that day that they could 
 not even recover his body, but were forced to flee within 
 their lines and leave it on the field of battle. Prince 
 Dardinel, however, had been followed to the wars by a 
 faithful squire named Cloridan and a page called Medoro, 
 his friend, a beautiful boy not yet twenty years old, but who 
 already gave promise of future valour. These two were 
 caught in the stream of flying Saracens, and drawn with 
 them into the lines of the camp ; but when night had put 
 an end to the struggle, young Medoro turned to his friend 
 Cloridan and said : " It is a shame that our noble Prince 
 should be left unburied on the field. Behold, it is now 
 night, and the Christians, secure of their victory, are keeping 
 careless guard ; let us go now together and search by the 
 
88 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 moonlight for our lord, that we may bring back his body 
 to the camp, and bury him as befits his rank." Cloridan 
 looked with admiration at his friend, marvelling that a mere 
 boy should display such bold fidelity, and strove at first 
 to turn him from his purpose, showing him all the dangers 
 of such an enterprise. But Medoro answered: "I would 
 rather die than make no effort to bury the body of my 
 Prince;" and Cloridan, finding his friend so resolute, said 
 he would willingly share in the attempt. 
 
 So they went both together to the field, and made search 
 among the heaps of slain, till they came at last to the body 
 of Prince Dardinel. With many tears they raised it in 
 their arms, and had borne it half way back to the camp, 
 when they were surprised by a party of Scotch soldiers, 
 who had followed the noble young Zerbin, their Prince, to 
 the battle, and were now returning with him from pursuing 
 after a band of routed Saracens. At the sight of them 
 Cloridan cried : " Leave the body, Medoro, and follow me 
 for your life;" saying which, he dropped his part of the 
 burden, and fled into a r- neighbouring copse, thinking that 
 Medoro would surely do the like. But the boy still clung 
 to his Prince's body, and bore it slowly and with difliculty 
 to the copse, where he tried to hide himself with it among 
 the trees. Alas ! the Scotch soldiers had already sur- 
 rounded the place, being resolved to make prisoners of the 
 two Saracens ; and Medoro soon fell into their hands. 
 Prince Zerbin, however, was as generous a knight as ever 
 lived, and promised to spare his captive's life ; when Clori- 
 dan, knowing nothing of what had happened, returned to 
 look for his friend. And seeing Medoro in the enemy's 
 power, he posted himself in concealment behind a tree, and 
 drawing his bow sent an arrow through the nearest Scotch- 
 man's brain. Another arrow and another he shot, and 
 each one took the life of an adversary, till the Scotchmen 
 waxed wild with rage and bewilderment, for they could not 
 see whence this slaughter proceeded. And one of them, 
 thirsting to avenge the death of his companions, disobeyed 
 Prince Zerbin's orders, and pierced Medoro through the 
 breast with a lance ; so that the poor boy fell fainting, and 
 
CHAP. III.] ANGELICA FINDS A HUSBAND. 89 
 
 to all appearance dead, upon the ground. At this Cloridan, 
 beside himself with grief, leaped out from his hiding-place, 
 and rushing into the midst of his enemies, he bared 
 his breast to their swords, and so fell dead beside 
 the body of his friend. Then the Scotchmen, having 
 accomplished their vengeance, rode away to their own 
 camp, thinking that Medoro, as well as Cloridan, was 
 certainly slain. 
 
 Fortunately, however, Angelica happened to pass by the 
 place a few minutes afterwards ; and attracted by the 
 beauty of Medoro's countenance, she stooped over him to 
 see if he were really dead. The poor boy lay in a pool of 
 his own blood, which had flowed from the wound in his 
 breast ; his face was ghastly pale, and his eyes closed as if 
 in death ; but the life was not utterly gone out of him, and 
 the Princess felt his heart still beating feebly in his bosom. 
 In those warlike old days there w^as frequent need of 
 nursing, so that all noble ladies knew something of the 
 physician's craft ; and AngeUca was especially expert in all 
 arts of heahng and tending the sick. So she hastened to 
 tear open the lad's doublet and stanch the blood which 
 still trickled from the ghastly wound ; then she cut off a 
 strip from her own gown, and bound it round his breast for 
 a bandage ; after which she bathed his face and hands till 
 he came to himself again, and persuaded him to suck the 
 juice of a certain herb, which she knew to be a medicine 
 of great virtue. And this precious herb performed such 
 wonders that Medoro soon began to recover his strength, 
 and declared that, though he was still too weak to walk, he 
 could get along very well on horseback. Only he would 
 not quit the place till he had buried the bodies of Cloridan 
 and Prince Dardinel, and as yet he had no strength for 
 such a task. Luckily at that moment a kind-hearted old 
 shepherd drew near, riding on a sturdy forest pony, from 
 which he gladly dismounted at the request of the beautiful 
 Princess. Then he buried the Prince and his squire, and 
 raised a mound above their grave, which he covered with 
 fresh turf; and when this was done he lifted Medoro into 
 his saddle, walking himself at the pony's head, while 
 
90 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 Angelica rode her palfrey as before. They journeyed 
 slowly and by easy stages, because Medoro was still very 
 weak from his wound ; but on the third day they arrived 
 without accident in the valley where the good old shepherd 
 had his dwelling. 
 
 There they sojourned happily for several weeks with the 
 old man and his wife ; and the Princess would help the 
 dame in her dairy, while Medoro took his turn at pasturing 
 the flocks and herds. For, thanks to Angelica's skilful 
 nursing, the boy quickly recovered his strength, and his 
 beauty waxed greater every day. And to cut a long story 
 short, the lovely Princess Angelica, who had disdained the 
 homage of the peerless Count Roland, and turned up her 
 nose at half the kings and princes of the world, now gave 
 herself up to the love of this humble page, and could 
 hardly be happy out of his sight. Every evening they 
 would go together to an arbour, which they had built by 
 the side of a beautiful spring, and sit hand in hand talking 
 of their love, and planning their future happiness. And as 
 soon as Medoro was quite well, Angelica took him for her 
 husband ; after which she thought it was high time for 
 them to quit the happy valley, and travel over the seas to 
 India. So, as she had come to the end of all- her money, 
 she took from her arm a magnificent bracelet of gold, which 
 Roland had given her long before, and bestowed it on the 
 good old shepherd as a recompense for all the kindness he 
 had shown her. Then she set out with Medoro, and 
 journeyed safely to the port of Marseilles, where they em- 
 barked on board a ship, which carried them safe to India. 
 There she crowned her husband lord over all her wide 
 dominions, and they reigned happily together for many years, 
 and had plenty of children as beautiful as themselves. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW ROLAND FOUND ISABELLA IN A CAVE AND RESTORED 
 HER TO PRINCE ZERBIN OF SCOTLAND. 
 
 Little dreaming that the haughty AngeHca would ever 
 take it into her head to marry a simple page, Count Roland 
 pursued his journey along the road which he had taken 
 when he separated from Ferralu. And for three or four 
 days he rode along it without meeting with any notable 
 adventure, hoping always to achieve the recovery of his 
 helmet, and to get at least another glimpse of his Princess. 
 But when neither the one hope nor the other seemed likely 
 to be fulfilled, he made a halt in the first town through 
 which he passed and bought himself a brand new helmet, 
 which he judged to be a good serviceable headpiece 
 enough, though far inferior to the famous casque of Hector 
 which he had lost. His purchase made, he rode away 
 again on his faithful Gold Bridle, and spent several weeks 
 journeying hither and thither through all the provinces of 
 France. 
 
 One day he was passing not far from Paris, when he fell 
 in with two squadrons of the Saracen army, each led by a 
 king of great renown. The first of these kings was Mani- 
 lard, a chieftain old in years, but still eager and intrepid in 
 battle, and much esteemed by King Agramant as a coun- 
 sellor of excellent wisdom. The other was the young King 
 Alzird, as bold and lusty a knight as any among his fellows; 
 but rash and headstrong, as is the manner of youthful 
 warriors. Now, when this gallant young king saw the 
 peerless Roland approaching, he knew not who he was, but 
 
92 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 by his appearance he judged him to be a knight of great 
 prowess. This was enough to make Alzird eager to en- 
 counter him ; so challenging him from afar off, he laid his 
 lance in rest, and spurred his charger forward to the attack. 
 Better had it been for him to have stayed quietly among 
 the knights whom he led ; for Roland came thundering 
 against him on Gold Bridle with such a shock that he 
 drove the point of his lance through the heart of the rash 
 young king, who fell dead without a struggle to the ground. 
 Then from both squadrons of the Saracens rose a piercing 
 cry of rage and grief; and rushing all at once against the 
 Count, they strove to avenge their chieftain's death. Thick 
 as hail upon the roof the strokes of sword and mace rained 
 down upon the helmet and armour of Roland ; but he no 
 more heeded all this rabble of adversaries than an old 
 wolf who has leaped into the middle of the sheepfold is 
 daunted by the numbers of the huddling flock. Bare in 
 his hand gleamed the terrible blade which had so often 
 wrought havoc among the Saracen hosts ; and to tell the 
 true number of those who now fell beneath it were a task 
 almost beyond the power of man to accomplish. The 
 whole roadway soon ran red with blood, and was cumbered 
 with the innumerable corpses ; for each stroke of the fatal 
 Durindana was the death-blow of one foeman at least, and 
 neither casque nor coat-of-mail could avail to stay its progress. 
 So suddenly did stroke follow stroke that very soon the 
 Saracens who survived began to turn in flight ; friends 
 stayed not to succour their friends, nor brother sought to 
 bear his brother company ; but all fled helter-skelter away, 
 seeking every man his own safety ; some on horseback and 
 some on foot, without looking whether the way was smooth 
 or rough before them. Only the aged King Manilard held 
 his ground, deserted by all his followers. He would have 
 been too prudent to begin a combat against a knight whom 
 he recognised by the majesty of his mien to be none other 
 than the peerless Count Roland ; but when once the battle 
 was fairly joined he was too valiant a knight to turn his 
 back. Now therefore he accounted it better to die with 
 honour than to save himself by shameful flight, and so 
 
f/- 
 
ISABELLA IN THE CAVE. — ?■ 93. 
 
CHAP. IV.] ROLAND SCATTERS HIS FOES. 93 
 
 pressed gallantly forward to assail the Count. And his 
 good fortune rewarded him for his bravery by saving him 
 from what seemed certain death ; for it chanced that 
 Durindana turned in Roland's hand as he struck, so that, 
 instead of cleaving through the old King's brain, the Count 
 smote him with the flat of the sword upon his helmet. 
 Thus King Manilard's life was saved ; but so terrible was 
 the blow he received that he fell stunned from off his 
 saddle and lay motionless as though he were slain upon 
 the ground. 
 
 This completed Roland's victory, for the rest of the 
 Saracens were fast escaping in all directions ; so he thrust 
 back Durindana into the scabbard, and started off to con- 
 tinue his wanderings. After journeying westwards for 
 several days, he came one evening after sunset to the foot 
 of a high mountain, and looking up its side he was much 
 astonished to see a light issuing from a cleft in the rocks. 
 Thinking that Angelica might possibly have made this her 
 hiding-place, he rode up the side of the hill, and found that 
 the narrow cleft formed the entrance of a large and lofty 
 cavern. In front of it grew a tangled mass of shrubs and 
 brambles, so that it would have been quite invisible by day ; 
 but now that all around was dark the firelight from within 
 streamed through this screen of bushes and betrayed the 
 grot1;o beyond them. Seeing the nature of the place, the 
 Count easily guessed what sort of men would make it their 
 habitation ; but as he wished to be certain of the matter, he 
 fastened Gold Bridle's rein to a bush, and pushed his way 
 through the brambles and into the mouth of the cavern. 
 
 Descending a flight of rough-hewn steps, he soon found 
 himself on the floor of the grotto, where he saw a sight 
 which surprised him greatly. In front of the fire which was 
 kindled on the middle of the floor sat a young and beautiful 
 damsel, apparelled in robes now torn and ragged, but woven 
 of the finest stuffs and still covered with the remnants of 
 rich embroideries, such as only princesses are wont to wear. 
 She seemed about seventeen years old, and though her eyes 
 were dim with weeping, giving sure token of the grief that 
 weighed upon her heart, yet her countenance was so fair 
 
94 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 and lovely that the light of it seemed to illumine the grim 
 cavern as though a ray from Paradise had struck it. On 
 the other side of the fire stood a hideous old crone, with a 
 wicked, wrinkled face, who seemed to have been quarrel- 
 ling with the lovely maiden ; but she held her tongue at 
 Roland's approach, wondering what could have brought a 
 knight of such goodly aspect to this grotto. 
 
 Roland saluted both the women courteously, and they 
 returned his salutation, after which he turned to the damsel 
 and said : " Tell me, I pray you, fair maiden, who can have 
 been so outrageously brutal as to shut up your gentle person 
 in the depths of this living tomb?" This question seemed 
 to renew the damsel's grief, so that for some minutes she 
 was unable to speak for sobbing ; but presently she choked 
 back her tears, and answered : " Sir Knight, perhaps it were 
 wiser in me to tell you nothing, seeing that this wicked old 
 crone will certainly inform my gaolers of all that I say to you, 
 and then I shall be chastised for my talking. Nevertheless, 
 I will answer your question, and reveal to you the whole 
 truth, that, if you are unable to assist me, at least one loyal 
 knight in the world may know what grievous wrongs I 
 suffer. I am called Isabella, and till lately I was a great 
 Princess, being only daughter to the Saracen King of 
 Galicia ; but now I am fallen from my high estate to be the 
 slave of a band of robbers, who make this cavern their den. 
 All this I suffer through my love for a noble young Prince, 
 whom once I hoped to call my husband, but who is now 
 lost to me for evermore. For about a year ago, while there 
 was yet peace between Christians and Saracens, my father 
 proclaimed a tournament to be held in Bayonne, the fame 
 whereof drew many knights from divers countries to visit 
 our land. Now of all this gallant company young Sir 
 Zerbin, Prince of Scotland, seemed to me the most perfect 
 in courtesy and valour, and when I saw his bearing in the 
 jousts, where he won the prize from all opponents, my 
 admiration was kindled to love, so that I desired none 
 other than him for my husband. The gallant youth re- 
 turned my love with equal fervour, and desired above every- 
 ihins to make me his wife ; but my father forbade our 
 
CHAP. IV.] ISABELLA'S . MOURNFUL STORY. 95 
 
 marriage, saying that he would never suffer me to wed a 
 Christian. Now, when we found that there was no hope of 
 turning the King my father from his decision, we resolved 
 to escape together by stealth, to the end that Zerbin might 
 take me into Scotland and marry me there. But presently 
 the war broke out, and Zerbin was forced to return home 
 before we could execute our plan, being summoned by 
 Raynald the Paladin to lead his father's troops to the 
 succour of the Emperor Charlemagne. So with many tears 
 we parted for the time ; but he promised that he would 
 send a trusty friend to carry me off from my home and 
 take me by sea to Scotland. And well did he keep his 
 promise, for a few weeks afterwards a gallant ship appeared 
 off our coast, commanded by Odoric of Biscay, the faithful 
 friend and comrade in arms of my Prince. Meanwhile I 
 had taken up my abode in a palace by the sea-shore, and 
 one night I contrived to escape from my attendants and 
 make my way to a boat which was waiting for me on the 
 neighbouring beach. Thus I fled to Odoric's ship, and as 
 soon as I was on board he weighed anchor and sailed 
 northward away for Scotland. Oh ! how happy I felt at 
 the thought that I should soon be the wife of Zerbin. But 
 fortune flattered me a while with false hopes only to over- 
 whelm me with more terrible disappointment ; for off the 
 coast of La Rochelle we encountered a fearful tempest, which 
 drove the ship upon the rocks and wrecked it with all that 
 were on board, of whom only Odoric and I were able to 
 save ourselves in the boat. In the wreck I lost everything 
 that I possessed ; but little I cared about gowns and jewels 
 when my life was saved to make my loyal Zerbin happy. 
 Alas ! this was only the beginning of my miseries. For the 
 robbers who inhabit this cavern had espied the wreck from 
 a distance, and hurried down to the beach to seize upon 
 whatever might be washed ashore. There they came upon 
 Odoric and me, and called to us to surrender ourselves 
 prisoners ; but the faithful knight resisted them, defending 
 himself and me gallantly against them. All his efforts, 
 however, proved of no avail ; for they overcame him by 
 force of numbers and slew him, and led me away captive to 
 
96 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 this cavern, where they have kept me ever since in bondage. 
 At first they treated me kindly, because they saw that I was 
 richly dressed, and hoped to obtain a great ransom for me ; 
 but now they have learnt that my father has been slain in 
 the wars and that there is no one willing to pay the price 
 of my liberty — for they are afraid to apply to my lover ; — 
 wherefore they now use me cruelly and despitefully, and 
 threaten to sell me to a slave merchant, who will carry me 
 away to Persia. Woe is me ! I have renounced all hope of 
 ever seeing my Zerbin again, and I pray only for death that 
 it may deliver me from the terror of slavery." 
 
 Her pitiful story ended, poor Isabella burst afresh into 
 tears ; but Roland comforted her, saying : " Fear not, noble 
 Princess ; henceforth I will be your champion, and I hope 
 that all may yet be well with you." The words were hardly 
 out of his mouth when the captain of the robbers entered 
 the cave followed by the twenty scoundrels who formed his 
 band. His countenance was the most repulsive that you can 
 imagine ; for in his bloated face there was only one eye 
 remaining, and that one had a horrible squint; the other 
 had been put out long since by a sword-stroke, which had 
 cut away a piece of his nose and left an ugly scar across 
 his jaw. This monstrous-looking villain, seeing the Count 
 seated by the side of Isabella, cried out to his followers : 
 " Here is a gay bird caught without the trouble of spreading 
 a net!" And turning to Roland, he said: "My dainty 
 sir, you are come hither just in the nick of time ; have the 
 goodness to take off that excellent suit of armour of yours, 
 which will suit me, I think, to a nicety. Your doublet and 
 hose, too, will come in handy to replenish my wardrobe, 
 which happens to be rather ill stocked just at present. So 
 please to make haste and strip yourself, and then we will 
 talk about your ransom, for I fancy you have run your head 
 fairly into the noose." Saying this he uttered a diabolical 
 laugh ; but Roland answered with a bitter smile : " I will 
 sell you the armour under such a bargain as no merchant 
 ever stipulated;" and catching up a great log from the fire, 
 he smote the villain full on the forehead. The burning 
 brand put out the sight of the robber-captain's only remain- 
 
CHAP. IV.] THE ROBBERS DESTROYED. 97 
 
 ing eye, and, not content with blinding him, broke right 
 through his skull into the brain, and laid him dead upon 
 the floor of his own cavern. 
 
 This was not enough for the Count, who was resolved 
 to rid the world of the whole troop of bandits. So seeing 
 in the cavern an enormous table, some eighteen inches 
 thick and very long and wide, he seized it in both his hands, 
 and flung it with all his force into the middle of the band. 
 Like a rock which a peasant hurls from above upon a 
 swarming brood of vipers, the great table crashed among 
 the throng ; some it crushed to death outright ; some had 
 a leg and others an arm broken by the blow ; and in short, 
 out of the twenty bandits thirteen lay dead or dying under 
 its weight. The other seven tried to escape through the 
 narrow entrance ; but Roland was too quick for them, 
 and taking advantage of their panic he disarmed them all 
 in a trice, and bound them firmly with a coil of rope. 
 Then he dragged them out of the cavern, and to the foot 
 of a great tree that grew hard by, from the branches of 
 which he hanged them all by the neck, and so made an 
 end of as rascally a crew as ever infested the earth. But 
 the wicked old crone, when she beheld the ruin of her 
 accomplices, fled shrieking out of the grotto, and left 
 Count Roland alone with the lovely Isabella. Finding 
 herself thus delivered from the brigands, the fair damsel 
 protested that she would follow her preserver whithersoever 
 he chose to lead her ; only she besought him not to leave 
 her alone, lest some new misfortune should befall her. 
 And the Count willingly promised her his protection, 
 saying that he hoped they might fall in with Prince Zerbin 
 before very long, but till then he would take care that she 
 came to no harm. So when morning came, Isabella 
 mounted the dead robber-captain's horse, and accompanied 
 Roland in his wanderings. 
 
 After journeying together for some time, they came one 
 day in sight of the castle which had belonged to the traitor 
 Pinabel, whom Bradamante had lately slain, as I told you 
 in a former chapter. Now this was just a week after 
 Pinabel's death ; and when Roland and Isabella drew near 
 
 H 
 
98 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 the place, they saw a great crowd of men and women 
 streaming forth from the castle gate, in the midst of whom 
 walked a prisoner with his hands bound tight behind his 
 back, and his head stooped sorrowfully on his breast. But 
 what was poor Isabella's horror when in this prisoner, who 
 was evidently being led forth to death, she recognised her 
 lover Prince Zerbin ! He it was indeed ; for an enemy 
 had falsely accused him to Count Anselm, the father of 
 Pinabel, as the murderer of his wretched son. Believing 
 this false witness, Anselm had taken the young Prince in 
 an ambush, and condemned him to be slain on the spot 
 where the traitor Count's body had been found. But 
 when Roland understood the matter, he shouted to the 
 crowd : *' Unbind this noble knight, and disperse to your 
 homes, lest a worse thing befall you." And when the 
 people paid no heed to his command, he shook up Gold 
 Bridle's rein, and dashed into the midst of them ; where 
 he made such slaughter, first with his lance and afterwards 
 with the terrible Durindana, that the rabble soon left their 
 prisoner in the roadway, and fled screaming back into the 
 castle. Then the Count unbound the young Prince's 
 hands and restored to him his horse and armour ; after 
 which he left him to escort the lovely Princess Isabella, 
 and bidding them an affectionate farewell, rode forth alone 
 upon his journey. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW THE PEERLESS COUNT ROLAND FOUGHT WITH PRINCE 
 MANDRICARD AND WENT MAD FOR LOVE OF ANGELICA, 
 AND HOW ZERBIN's LOYALTY COST HIM HIS LIFE. 
 
 With hope growing fainter and fainter every day Roland 
 continued his search for Angelica ; but presently he found 
 to his surprise that a Saracen knight had been riding up 
 and down the land in search of him. This was the Tartar 
 Prince Mandricard, the most ferocious warrior in all the 
 Saracen host, who had sworn to follow Count Roland over 
 the world till he had avenged the death of King Alzird 
 and his company. For the aged King Manilard, on re- 
 covering from the stunning blow which the Count had 
 dealt him, made his way to the camp of King Agramant ; 
 where he narrated how a single knight, who could surely 
 be no other than Roland himself, had routed the two 
 squadrons with terrible slaughter, killing the rash young 
 Alzird together with some hundreds of his followers. 
 Thereupon the ferocious Mandricard blazed out in wrath, 
 and swore to take vengeance on the Count, with wliom he 
 had yet another cause of quarrel. For the good sword 
 Durindana had formerly belonged to King Agrican, the 
 Tartar Prince's father ; but Roland had won it from him 
 many years ago, when he slew him in single combat. And 
 Mandricard was so vexed that a stranger should possess his 
 father's wonderful blade that he had vowed to wrest it 
 from the Count and to wear no sword at all till he could 
 do so. With this double quarrel to setde. Prince Mand- 
 ricard mounted his horse and rode alone out of the Saracen 
 
lOO PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 camp. Here and there along the road he came upon 
 wounded soldiers, who had dragged themselves with diffi- 
 culty away from the scene of the encounter ; and presently 
 he arrived at the very place where the greater part of the 
 two squadrons had been slaughtered. There he stood 
 fairly amazed to behold the number of the slain and the 
 depth of their wounds, which testified to the marvellous 
 strength of their conqueror ; and after gazing upon them 
 a while with strange envy of Count Roland's prowess, he 
 left them and resumed his journey. 
 
 The next day he came to a green and shady meadow, 
 which was almost surrounded by a great bend of the stream 
 that watered it, so that it formed a peninsula with a very 
 narrow isthmus for entrance. In this meadow were pitched 
 a number of tents, the largest of which was made of silken 
 curtains ; and a captain with a company of soldiers was 
 keeping guard on the little isthmus. Riding up to this 
 captain, Mandricard asked him who were his companions, 
 and to what end they were here assembled ; and the 
 captain answered : " Sir Knight, we are bidden by our lord 
 the King of Granada to accompany the Princess Doralis 
 his daughter, whom he has promised in marriage to Rodo- 
 mont the mighty King of Algiers. At present she is sleep- 
 ing in yonder tent to escape the noon-day heat ; but when 
 the cool of the evening comes on, we purpose to continue 
 our journey, and to-morrow we hope to conduct the Princess 
 to her father in the Saracen camp." Hearing this, Mand- 
 ricard was seized with a desire to behold the Princess 
 Doralis, since the fame of her great beauty had reached 
 him ; and turning to the captain he said : " I have a desire 
 to come to speech with your lady ; lead me therefore into 
 her presence, or else ask her to come hither immediately, 
 for I am bound on a journey which brooks no delay." 
 The captain shrugged his shoulders, and only said : " You 
 must be mad to think of such a thing;" but the ferocious 
 Prince laid his lance in rest, and pierced him through the 
 middle of the body. Then he drew out his lance from the 
 corpse, and laid it in the rest again, crying : "Who dare bar 
 my passage?" And when the other soldiers pressed for- 
 
• ',> 
 
 I ' ' ' > • 1 ' " 
 
 CHAP, v.] HOW TO WOO A PRrNCE'sS.; , , i ^ \ iJ^^i. 
 
 ward to resist him, he spurred into the midst of them, and 
 slew a goodly number before his stout lance broke. But 
 when at length it split in half, he grasped the butt end of 
 it in both hands and used it like a mace, killing or stunning 
 an opponent at every blow. The soldiers defended their 
 post manfully till two -thirds of them had fallen beneath 
 the spear ; but then the remnant fled away, and left the 
 passage free to the Tartar Prince. Entering the meadow, 
 he found the Princess Doralis leaning against the trunk of 
 a tree, to which she had run when the noise of battle 
 startled her from her slumber ; and her eyes were stream- 
 ing with tears, which she shed half in grief for the slaughter 
 of her soldiers, half for fear of what might happen to her- 
 self. Still greater grew her terror as she beheld the ferocious 
 Mandricard advance towards her ; but when the Tartar 
 looked upon her beautiful face, which was justly reputed 
 the fairest in all the realms of Spain, his only thought was 
 to profess himself her knight, entreating her to forget her 
 betrothal to Rodomont, and consent to be his lady. And 
 as Doralis had never had much love for the King of Algiers, 
 Prince Mandricard prevailed so well that, partly won by 
 admiration of his prowess and partly yielding to her 
 pleasure at his avowal of love, she presently agreed to 
 accompany him on his quest, allowing him to hope that she 
 would marry him as soon as an opportunity should occur. 
 
 So she mounted her palfrey and followed him ; and 
 after journeying together for two or three weeks they fell 
 in at last with Count Roland. He had dismounted from 
 Gold Bridle to take an hour's rest, for the heat of the mid- 
 day sun oppressed him, and was lying at full length upon 
 the grass by the side of a beautiful fountain, shaded by the 
 interlacing boughs and dense foliage of a grove of ilex-trees. 
 But when he heard the tramp of horses approaching he 
 started to his feet and buckled on his helmet in haste ; 
 then, seeing that Mandricard came on fiercely as though 
 eager to challenge him to combat, he leaped into the saddle 
 and sat ready to defend himself against him. Mandricard, 
 meanwhile, rode close up to him, and cried: "Surely thou 
 art he who lately routed two great squadrons of Saracens, 
 
ro2 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 and slew King Alzird their leader; for thou wearest the 
 armour borne by the knight who did that deed." And 
 when Roland answered, " I am he," Mandricard added ; 
 " Art thou not also Count Roland, the nephew of Charle- 
 magne?" And Roland answered again: "I am he; but 
 what doth it concern thee to know who I am?" "It 
 concerns me much," exclaimed the other wrathfully, " see- 
 ing that I have a double cause of quarrel against thee. 
 For I am Mandricard the Tartar, who have sworn to 
 avenge the death of King Alzird my friend ; and more- 
 over, I am the son of King Agrican, whose sword thou 
 wearest, having slain him disloyally and with treachery ; 
 for well I know that thou couldst not have prevailed 
 against him otherwise." At this Count Roland could 
 endure no longer, but shouted : " Thou liest. Sir Mand- 
 ricard ; for I slew thy father righteously and in fair fight, 
 and that will I prove upon thy body. But with what 
 weapons shall we fight if our lances chance to break 
 without advantage to either of us?" And the Tartar 
 answered : " Behold, I have no sword, because I have 
 vowed to wear none till I recover Durindana out of thine 
 hands. But care not for that ; seeing that I hope to 
 pierce thine heart at our first encounter with the lance." 
 The noble -hearted Roland, however, would take no such 
 advantage over his enemy, but unbuckled Durindana from 
 his side and hung it from the branch of a tree, saying : 
 " Of a truth thou art presumptuous enough ; but it was 
 never my wont to fight with any man save on equal terms. 
 The sword, therefore, shall hang on the tree till our battle 
 be over, and let the victor take it for his guerdon." 
 
 Then they laid their lances in rest, and galloped about 
 half a bowshot apart ; and, wheeling at that distance, they 
 struck the spurs into their chargers' sides, and rushed to 
 encounter each other at full speed. Each aimed at the 
 bottom of his adversary's visor, and each lance struck full 
 and true ; nevertheless these mighty warriors blenched not 
 a whit, but each sat as firm in his saddle as if nothing 
 heavier than an acorn had hit upon his helmet. Yet so 
 tremendous were both their strokes that the oaken lances 
 
CHAP, v.] A TERRIBLE DUEL. 103 
 
 snapped short in the middle, and the ends flew up many feet 
 into the air, striking the branches of the trees above them. 
 Their lances being thus broken in twain, the knights grasped 
 the remaining halves in both hands and belaboured each 
 other with them as Robin Hood's merry outlaws used to 
 do with their quarter-staves in Sherwood Forest ; but neither 
 seemed a whit the worse for the other's strokes, and their 
 strange clubs soon splintered to pieces without either being 
 able to claim any advantage. Thus they were left without 
 any weapons, and you would suppose they might surely 
 have cried quits and gone upon their several ways ; but 
 no, they fell to buffeting each other with their gauntleted 
 fists, till all the grove re-echoed with the clang of the 
 smitten mail. Each champion's arm descended on his 
 opponent's body with the force of a sledge-hammer striking 
 the anvil ; yet neither could claim to have the best of this 
 extraordinary boxing-match ; and after several minutes of 
 equal fight the Tartar Prince lost patience altogether, so he 
 suddenly flung his arms round Roland's body, and strove 
 with might and main to drag him from the saddle. But 
 the Count sat firm and upright, seeming as if he and Gold 
 Bridle were carved out of one solid block of marble ; only, 
 perceiving that his enemy's attention was fully taken up 
 with wrestling, he quietly stretched out his arm and loosened 
 the bridle from the head of the Prince's charger. Bit and 
 bridle fell together to the ground unheeded by Mandricard, 
 who still tugged and strained at Roland, while the Count 
 sat motionless as before. But though this tremendous 
 strain could not shake our Paladin in his seat, it very soon 
 proved too much for his girths, which fairly split away from 
 the saddle. With his feet still firm in the stirrups and his 
 knees still pressing the saddle-flaps, Count Roland was 
 dragged from off" the back of Gold Bridle, and the clang of 
 his armour as he fell to the ground was like the crackling of 
 thunderclouds that burst straight overhead. This fearsome 
 noise frightened the Tartar charger out of his senses, so 
 that he gave a great leap into the air, and rushed headlong 
 away as fast as his legs could carry him ; and as his bridle 
 had fallen to the ground Prince ^landricard had no power 
 
104 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 to control his flight, but was borne over hedges and ditches 
 far away, with DoraUs following after on her palfrey as best 
 she could. 
 
 The gallant Gold Bridle knew his duties better, for 
 though his mettle was every whit as high as that of the 
 Tartar steed, he had "been more thoroughly trained to his 
 work, and had greater intelligence to perform it. So he 
 stood stock still by the side of his master, who jumped to 
 his feet in a moment, none the worse for his tumble, and 
 set to work to stitch his girths in their place again. As 
 soon as he had managed this he saddled his horse anew, 
 and looked about him to see if there was any sign of 
 Mandricard returning to continue the struggle ; but finding 
 that the Tartar Prince was nowhere within sight, he took 
 down Durindana from the bough and hung it again by his 
 side ; then he vaulted on Gold Bridle's back and rode away 
 out of the shady grove. 
 
 He tried to follow Mandricard's track, hoping to come 
 up with him and fight again with better luck; but the 
 Prince's horse had taken so wild a course, galloping for a 
 long way over hard rocky ground, that Roland soon lost 
 his trace, and spent two whole days attempting in vain to 
 recover it. On the second evening he found himself on 
 the banks of a stream as clear as crystal, which was 
 bordered by luxuriant meadows of fresh green pasture, 
 adorned with many beautiful trees. On the trunks of the 
 trees the Count noticed everywhere the letters A and M 
 cut in every imaginable shape ; but he only thought that 
 some shepherd lad had been carving his lass's initials and 
 his own. Little did he dream that the course of his 
 wanderings had brought him to the very valley in which 
 the beautiful Princess Angelica had nursed and married 
 Medoro. Presently, however, he noticed two hearts united 
 by a love -knot cut in the bark of a poplar; and going 
 nearer to examine them, he saw in one of them the name 
 " Angelica," and in the other " Medoro," deeply and beauti- 
 fully graven in the wood. At this his heart gave a great 
 throb of anguish ; but even yet he could not believe that 
 his lady was the Angelica in question. " It must be some 
 
CHAP, v.] ROLAND LEARNS HIS FATE. 105 
 
 other Angelica," he said to himself; "some shepherd's lass, 
 as I supposed at first. Yet Angelica is not a likely name 
 for a peasant." Very soon, however, his doubts were at an 
 end, for he entered the arbour on the hillside which the 
 Princess and her page -lover had built. There he saw 
 strewn about the floor innumerable sheets and scraps of 
 paper, the greater part of which were covered with verses 
 in Angelica's hand -writing, and told of her passion for 
 Medoro ; how she scorned the homage of all other suitors 
 and found happiness only in his company. When the 
 unhappy Roland had read two or three of these poems 
 and recognised beyond a doubt the hand of his Princess, 
 he cast himself on the ground in an agony of rage and 
 despair, gnashing his teeth and beating with his clenched 
 fists upon the floor. Yet once again he had a ray of hope, 
 for the thought struck him : " It may be that this ' Medoro ' 
 is only a name imagined by my lady ; perhaps even she 
 uses* it as a surname for me." And taking comfort from 
 this thought he searched dihgently through the papers, if 
 haply he might light upon anything to confirm his idea, 
 Alas ! he only found what destroyed it altogether ; for he 
 came across a sonnet in a different hand-writing, and signed 
 " Medoro," composed in celebration of their marriage, and 
 telling in plain terms how the beautiful Princess Angelica 
 had preferred a simple page before all the kings and princes 
 of the earth. When he read this the Count dashed the 
 hateful paper to the ground, and rushed frantically out of 
 the arbour ; and leaping on Gold Bridle's back he galloped 
 him furiously down the valley, neither knowing nor caring 
 whither he went. 
 
 But by-and-by, perceiving that it was fast growing dark, 
 and seeing a cottage close at hand, he thought he might as 
 well pass the night there as anywhere else, since all places 
 seemed alike to him in his misery. So he entered the 
 cottage, and asked if he could have a lodging for the night; 
 where, as ill luck v/ould have it, he was welcpmed by the 
 very same old shepherd who had harboured Angelica and 
 her husband. This good old man, noticing that the Count 
 looked moody and sad, thought to divert him from his 
 
io6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 melancholy by narrating the story of his former guests ; and 
 to confirm the truth of his tale he produced the golden 
 bracelet which the Princess had given him in recompense 
 of his services. Too surely did Roland recognise the jewel, 
 which he himself had won at a great tournament and given 
 to the fickle Angelica ; and, unable to endure the sight of 
 it, he burst wildly out of the cottage, and mounting Gold 
 Bridle again, galloped back to the fatal arbour. This he 
 utterly destroyed, breaking down its walls and tearing up 
 the wooden flooring, and then, spent with grief and toil, he 
 threw himself down upon his back, and lay stiff as though 
 he were dead upon the ground. Three days and three 
 nights he lay there in a kind of trance without moving hand 
 or foot ; but when he arose on the fourth day, his senses 
 were utterly gone from him, and the peerless Count Roland 
 was become a raving madman. In his frenzy he dashed 
 aside his helmet and wrenched asunder his wonderful armour, 
 then he tore off his doublet and all his garments, stripping 
 himself naked to the skin ; and wrenching up a young pine- 
 tree by the roots, he bore it in his hand for a club, and 
 rushed leaping and shouting down the valley. This was 
 the beginning of the great madness of Roland, which has 
 been much celebrated through all later times, and which 
 deprived the Emperor Charlemagne of his bravest Paladin's 
 help at a time when the Christians could ill spare a valiant 
 champion. 
 
 A few hours after this lamentable misfortune had befallen 
 the Count, it chanced that Prince Zerbin and his lovely 
 Isabella entered the valley and rode towards the place 
 where the arbour had formerly stood. There they beheld 
 a surprising sight ; Roland's cuirass lay in one place, his 
 greaves in another, and his helmet in a third ; some distance 
 off they found Durindana fallen out of the scabbard, while 
 Gold Bridle stood in the midst of all this confusion with 
 his head bent sorrowfully down as though he knew that his 
 master was in evil case. Great was the astonishment of 
 Zerbin and Isabella, and much they marvelled what so 
 strange a sight might mean ; they could have believed any- 
 thing sooner than that Roland had been seized with madness. 
 
CHAP, v.] DEATH OF ZERBIN AND ISABELLA. 107 
 
 yet they could not suppose that he had been slain, since 
 there was no drop of blood to be seen. But presently they 
 were joined by the old shepherd, who had witnessed all 
 that had happened, and informed them accurately of every- 
 thing. Then they made great lamentation, but resolved to 
 do what they could in honour of the Count their preserver. 
 So they gathered all his arms together and laid them at the 
 foot of a tree, placing Durindana on the top of the heap, 
 after which Zerbin carved in the bark : " These are the arms 
 of Roland;" as who should say, "Let no man touch them 
 who is n6t able to stand against Roland in battle." 
 
 Then they turned to depart, when lo and behold ! Prince 
 Mandricard appeared upon the scene, furnished with a new 
 bridle, and accompanied by Doralis as before. Seeing the 
 heap of arms and reading the inscription above them, he 
 joyfully caught up Durindana and girded it to his own side, 
 when Zerbin cried out to him : " Touch not these arms at 
 your peril, for they belong to the peerless Roland, who is 
 now suffering the affliction of madness." Hearing this, 
 Mandricard demanded to know more of the matter ; and 
 when he understood it, he said : " Mine verily are these arms 
 and this sword, for the possession of which I lately fought 
 with Count Roland. For the time, indeed, an accident 
 parted us without advantage to either ; but now I perceive 
 that the Count fears to meet me again, and has stripped oft" 
 his arms and feigned madness in order to escape me." 
 With these words he stretched forth his hand to take the 
 rest of the armour ; but Zerbin, moved by loyal devotion 
 to Roland, exclaimed : " Thou art a thief if thou layest 
 hands on the arms of Hector thus !" Then without more 
 ado they addressed themselves to battle, since the Tartar 
 would not renounce his claim, nor Zerbin be false to the 
 interests of his deliverer. And bravely did the young 
 Scotch Prince bear himself, trusting in the righteousness of 
 his cause ; but he was no match in fight for Mandricard, 
 who now wielded the terrible Durindana. Still for a long 
 time he contrived to remain unscathed, now turning aside 
 his enemy's blows with his shield, now making his charger 
 swerve to avoid them with marvellous dexterity. At last, 
 
io8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part ii. 
 
 however, Durindana pierced the tempered mail of his breast- 
 plate, and dealt him a deep wound on the chest ; and still 
 Mandricard rained down blow on blow, till poor Zerbin was 
 like to faint and fall from his horse. Then in great distress 
 Isabella turned to Doralis, and besought her to stay the 
 battle ; and Doralis, who was kind of heart, persuaded her 
 ferocious lover to be content with his victory and leave his 
 noble adversary alive. So Mandricard rode away, taking 
 Gold Bridle and Durindana and the wonderful armour as 
 the spoils of his victory, and leaving Zerbin to be tended 
 by his gentle lady. 
 
 Alas ! it was already too late to save the life of the loyal 
 young Prince, who was bleeding from eight wounds, of 
 which the least was deep and dangerous. He could no 
 longer sit on horseback, but lay at full length upon the 
 grass with his head in the lap of Isabella, who wept as 
 though her heart were breaking, and lamented bitterly that 
 she had been spared from the shipwreck to suffer this greater 
 sorrow. But Zerbin comforted her, saying : " Grieve not 
 overmuch, my heart ; only love me after I am dead even 
 as thou hast loved me in my lifetime. Truly one thing 
 only troubles me, that I leave thee without stay or pro- 
 tection in the world, else would I deem myself happy, — yea, 
 the cup of my joy would be full, in that it is granted me to 
 meet death thus with my head upon thy breast." At this 
 the mournful Isabella, bending down her tearful face, and 
 pressing her lips to his, drooping like the rose not gathered 
 in its season, but left to wither on the leafy hedge, answered : 
 " Nay, my love, not so ; think not to take this last journey 
 without thy bride. Together we will quit the earth; together 
 we will reside for ever." And as she said this the loyal 
 Prince Zerbin breathed his last ; and at the same instant 
 his faithful Isabella's heart broke for sorrow, and she fell 
 dead beside the dead body of her beloved. 
 
PART III. 
 
 ASTULF. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 t 
 
 HOW ASTULF CONQUERED A GIANT AND KILLED 
 
 A MAGICIAN. 
 
 Of all the Paladins of France who fought for the great 
 Emperor Charlemagne, the strongest of body, the bravest in 
 fight, and the noblest in all knightly virtues, was the 
 Emperor's nephew, the famous Count Roland, now, alas ! 
 become a raving madman, as you heard in the last chapter. 
 But of all the rest none surpassed, and very few could 
 equal, the jovial English Duke Astulf, whom we found a 
 while since transformed into a myrtle bush by the magic of 
 the wicked fairy Alcina ; and in that form he would have 
 ended his miserable life but for the kind enchantress 
 Melissa, who had no sooner seen Roger well on his way out 
 of the fatal city than she went through all the wicked fairy's 
 kingdom and liberated the noble knights who were bound 
 there by her hateful spells. First of all she came to Duke 
 Astulf and freed him from the enchantment, and did her 
 work so well that he not only appeared in his own shape 
 again, but was stronger and handsomer than he had ever 
 been before. Then she went into the palace, which Alcina 
 had left empty when she followed Roger, and found the 
 Duke's good armour that lay tumbled among the lumber ; 
 she found, too, his golden lance made long before by the 
 wise Argaglia, who had enchanted it so cunningly that it 
 unhorsed every knight whom it struck, and none could 
 stand against it. Astulf, however, knew nothing of this 
 enchantment, but thought that all his victories in the lists 
 were due to his own prowess, and that he would have done 
 
112 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part in. 
 
 just as well with any other stout lance ; and so I daresay 
 he would, for he was a very valiant knight. The armour 
 and the lance Melissa gave back to Astulf, who received 
 them with great joy, and thanked the kind enchantress a 
 thousand times while he buckled on the mail and balanced 
 the well-known bar of gold in his hand. Then they went 
 to Alcina's stables and took the best horse they could find, 
 and so, after Melissa had freed all the other knights, came 
 safely to the kingdom of Logistilla. Right glad was the 
 good fairy to see the famous Paladin, and received him with 
 great honour, and kept him for two days with Roger and 
 the other knights in such noble and pleasant entertainment 
 as no other queen, not even among the fairies, could give. 
 Then, as soon as she had sent Roger back to France upon 
 the Hippogrif, she bade her people make ready the best of 
 her ships to take Astulf far upon his way beyond the power 
 of the wicked Alcina ; and calling him to her, she gave him 
 much wise counsel and two presents of great price to help 
 him in all dangers that might beset him. ^ The first present 
 was a wonderful book in which were written all the enchant- 
 ments and spells that ever were or ever would be practised 
 in the world, and after each spell was the way in which it 
 could be overcome ; so that whoever had this book in his 
 hand need never be afraid of magic any more. And the 
 second present was a marvellous horn, the sound of which 
 was so harsh and terrible that whoever heard it, though he 
 were the bravest warrior or the wisest magician upon earth, 
 must needs clap his hands to his ears and run as if he were 
 running for his life. These presents Queen Logistilla gave 
 to Duke Astulf, who then took leave of her with a thousand 
 thanks and much courteous reverence, and went on board 
 the ship that she had prepared for him. 
 
 Safely the good ship went over the sea, and carried the 
 English Duke over many thousand leagues of water and by 
 the shore of many strange and rich countries, till at last 
 they came to the Persian Gulf and the eastern coast of 
 Arabia. There Astulf took leave of the captain and those 
 who had accompanied him, and mounting his good horse 
 Rabican, journeyed through all Arabia, till he came to the 
 
CHAP. I.] DUKE ASTULF'S JOURNEY. 113 
 
 land of Egypt and the banks of the great river Nile. Now 
 Rabican was the most wonderful horse in the world, for he 
 was the son of Flame and Wind ; he needed no oats or hay 
 to nourish him, but fed upon air alone ; and though he 
 galloped so swiftly that he left the winds and the lightning 
 behind him, yet his tread was so light that not a flower was 
 bruised by his touch and no trace of his passage was left in 
 the softest sand. You may suppose that with Rabican to 
 carry him Astulf wasted no time by the way, but travelled 
 as far in a single day as you or I could go on the best 
 hunter in England in a month. 
 
 He was no sooner come to the right bank of the Nile 
 than he turned Rabican's head to follow the course of the 
 stream along the bank, but stopped short when he saw a 
 ferry-boat put off from the opposite shore and make straight 
 for the point where he had halted. In the boat was a 
 venerable old hermit, who rowed swiftly across the river, 
 and as soon as he came near enough to be heard cried out 
 to Astulf: " Ah ! my son, if you would save your life come 
 now in the boat with me and pass over to the other bank ; 
 for the road by which you are travelling will lead you 
 straight to your death. Less than six miles along it lives a 
 terrible giant, full eight feet taller than the tallest man in 
 the world, who lets no knight or traveller pass his house, 
 but hacks in pieces all who try to pass along that road. 
 And no man can escape him be he ever so brave and 
 strong, for this giant, whose name is Caligorant, has a 
 marvellous net large enough to cover an acre of ground, 
 woven of steel threads so fine that no eye can see them, and 
 yet so strong that force cannot rend or sword cut them. In 
 this net he catches all who try to pass along the path, and 
 when he has cruelly killed them he eats their flesh and 
 drinks their blood, and then throws out their bones into 
 the desert ; and he spares neither noble knight nor humble 
 merchant, nor even the most beautiful ladies, but treats 
 them all alike. Hasten, then, my son, and come into the 
 boat with me, for if you cross not over the river certain 
 death is before you." The tears were in the good old 
 hermit's eyes as he spoke ; but Astulf, who cared no more 
 
 I 
 
114 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 for giants than a well-bred fox-terrier cares for a fox, 
 answered him boldly, and said : " I thank thee, reverend 
 father, for thy counsel, but it suits not with the quality of a 
 knight to prefer life to honour. Seek not to persuade me 
 to cross over the river, for I am minded to go straight to 
 this giant's den and see if I cannot rid the world of so foul 
 a plague ; and if I die there will be but one knight less in 
 the world, but if I conquer thousands will be saved from 
 the cruel toils of the monster. Hinder me not, therefore, 
 for never shall it be said that Astulf failed in the duty of a 
 loyal knight." So the old man blessed him and bade him 
 go in peace, and Astulf departed to fight against the giant 
 Caligorant. 
 
 The road led along a narrow strip of sand, with the 
 swift river on the one side and a deep black marsh on the 
 other; and right in the middle of the road the giant had 
 built his house, so that only a narrow path just wide enough 
 for a horse to pass freely was left on either side ; and just 
 beyond the house the net which no eye could see and no 
 strength could break was spread all across the road. All 
 around lay the heads and bones of murdered men, and 
 Caligorant himself stood before the door of his house with 
 a huge knotted club in his hand, and laughed a fiendish 
 laugh as he saw Astulf come riding along in the distance. 
 " Ha ! ha !" he laughed to himself, " here's luck for me at 
 last, and high time too ! Three months to-morrow since 
 last a knight jumped into my pretty little web, but now 
 here's a fine big dinner for me coming riding along. Ho ! 
 ho ! ho ! " and still chuckling to himself, the abominable 
 monster began slinking along the edge of the road next the 
 marsh, thinking that he would slip round behind Astulf, and 
 then by screaming and brandishing his great club at him 
 would so frighten him and his horse that they would rush 
 full tilt past the house into the net. But Astulf saw what 
 he was after, and thought : " Aha ! my big brute, now's the 
 time to see whether you or I can make the more terrible 
 noise ;" and before the giant could get behind him he put 
 his wonderful horn to his fips and blew such a blast that all 
 the shutters of the house rattled and the chimneys shook 
 
CHAP. I.] HOW TO CATCH A GIANT. 115 
 
 and the peewits in the marsh flew away as fast as their wings 
 could carry them, and never stopped flying till they came 
 to Perthshire, where they remain to this day. And if you 
 don't believe me, just take a walk some summer afternoon 
 from Lochearnhead to Killin, and when you get well through 
 Glen Ogle turn to your right across the moor, and if you 
 don't find there a hen peewit sitting so close upon her nest 
 that she looks like a bunch of moss, and will let you stroke 
 the soft feathers on her back without getting up to fly away, 
 why you will have either worse luck or duller eyes than I 
 had three or four summers ago. But when you have found 
 her, mind you only touch her gently, gently, and don't 
 startle the poor thing or drive her off her nest, for she has 
 been so terrified once in her life by Astulf s horn that it 
 would be a shame to frighten her any more. 
 
 Caligorant no sooner heard the sound of that terrible 
 horn, than with a great scream of terror he turned tail, and 
 rushed away back as hard as he could tear. And he was 
 so out of his senses with fear that he never so much as 
 thought of where he was running, but went clean past his 
 house, and plunged head foremost into the very net which he 
 had set for Astulf Into it he plunged, and down he fell 
 with a great thud upon the earth, and the fine steel meshes 
 closed round him so tightly that, hard as he tried to struggle, 
 he had to lie quite still upon the ground, and could move 
 neither hand nor foot. Right glad was Astulf to see the 
 monster caught in his own trap, and he leaped down from 
 Rabican, and drew his sword, and ran to cut off his ugly 
 head, and rid the world of him for ever at one blow. But 
 when he saw him lie there helpless at his feet, the noble 
 knight took scorn to slay a man who could no longer 
 defend his life ; and though the wicked giant by his 
 murders and cruelties had well deserved a hundred deaths, 
 yet Astulf, now that he had him in his power, generously 
 gave him his life. But he had no mind to leave him at 
 liberty to be again a terror to all Egypt ; so taking the 
 chain which fastened one end of the net to the ground, he 
 first tied the giant's hands behind his back, and then bound 
 the chain tightly round his arms and body, so that, struggle 
 
ii6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part in. 
 
 and twist as he might, he could in no way set himself free. 
 Then with great trouble he disentangled his huge limbs 
 from the close invisible meshes, and set him on his feet ; 
 but the net he rolled up and strapped upon Caligorant's 
 back, and hung there too his own helmet and shield, that 
 he and his good Rabican might have the less weight to carry 
 on their journey; and so, leading the conquered giant in 
 triumph behind him, he came that afternoon to the great 
 city of Cairo. 
 
 There all the people flocked to meet him, and see the 
 huge Caligorant in chains ; and great honour they paid to 
 the brave Paladin who had rid them of so terrible a 
 monster ; they besought him also to stay with them for 
 a while, and promised him joyous entertainment and rich 
 gifts. But to this Astulf would not agree, for he wished to 
 journey down the Nile to Damietta, where there lived a 
 terrible magician, who roamed all over Egypt murdering 
 men and women, burning their houses, and plundering 
 their goods. 
 
 Orrilus was the magician's name ; and he was the son 
 of a goblin and of a wicked fairy, who had cast such a 
 spell over him at his birth that any wound which he 
 received healed itself at once ; and though he were hacked 
 into a hundred pieces, the fragments would join together 
 again, and his body would be as sound and strong as 
 before. So that no one need hope to kill him, or even to 
 hurt him, without first finding out how to conquer this 
 strange enchantment ; indeed many noble knights had 
 already lost their lives in fighting against him, and the fear 
 of him was sreat throuoh all the land. But when bold 
 Duke Astulf heard of him and his evil deeds, he vowed 
 that such a villain should plague the world no longer. So 
 with his book and his horn slung at his saddlebow, and 
 the great giant Caligorant lumbering along behind him, he 
 set out from Cairo, and took the road to Damietta. 
 
 When he arrived there, he found two knights already 
 fighting against the magician ; and by their arms he knew 
 them to be the twin-brothers Grypho and Aquilas, sons of 
 Oliver the Paladin. These two brothers journeyed every- 
 
CHAP. I.] A STRANGE IJATTLE. 117 
 
 where together ; and thay were so Hke one to the other in 
 face and bearing that but for the difference in their armour 
 their ow^n father could not tell them apart. But Grypho 
 wore a suit of snow-white mail and rode a snow-white 
 horse, while the armour and horse of Aquilas were as black 
 as the blackest jet. Brave young knights they were, and 
 many deeds of valour they had done against the Saracen 
 enemies of the great Emperor ; but now against the 
 magician Orrilus they could prevail nothing, but were 
 rather in peril of their own lives. For though Grypho split 
 the magician's skull through to the teeth, and though 
 Aquilas clave his body from shoulder to waist, the wounds 
 healed up again as soon as they were made, and Orrilus 
 only came on the more fiercely to the attack. At last 
 Grypho in great rage swung his sword round over his head, 
 and struck Orrilus such a blow upon the neck, that his 
 head was cut clean off from his body, and went rolling 
 away along the sand. But Orrilus cared never a rap for 
 that, but ran after his head and caught it up, and stuck it 
 upon the neck again, where it grew as tight as before with- 
 out so much as a scar to show that it had ever been cut off. 
 Loud laughed Duke Astulf when he saw the robber- 
 magician chasing his own head along the shore, and calling 
 to the two noble youths, he bade them put up their swords 
 and stand aside, for he would soon bring the enterprise to 
 an end. Orrilus was willing enough to leave the other two 
 and fight against Astulf; and indeed he w^ould have cared 
 nothing though all three had come against him at once, so 
 confident was he in the power of the spell which charmed 
 his life. But Astulf, as he jogged along on Rabican from 
 Cairo, had been reading in his Book of Spells — you see 
 dictionaries are of use sometimes — and this is what lie 
 found in it : 
 
 "Orrilus. — A robber and magician, of Damietta, in Egypt, wlio 
 flourishes at the present day. He bears a charmed life, so that 
 all wounds inflicted on him heal instantly, and do him no harm." 
 
 And then in the next paragraph : 
 
 " N.B. — The charm lies in one of the hairs of his head ; and when 
 this is cut off at the skin, the spell will be broken." 
 
ii8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 This was very satisfactory so far ; but Astulf would have 
 Uked to know more exactly which of all the hairs was the 
 charmed one, and whether there was any difference of 
 colour or texture to distinguish it from the rest, or at least 
 in which part of the magician's head it grew ; but the book 
 said nothing of this. However, the first thing to be done 
 was clearly to get hold of the head. So Astulf drew his 
 sword and rode up to Orrilus, who was brandishing his 
 great mace in the air and calling to him to come on and 
 be pounded to a jelly, and a terrible battle began between 
 them. Many a hard stroke did Astulf strike, but Orrilus 
 always warded them off his head ; now the Duke cut off a 
 finger, now a hand, now a whole arm with the shoulder to 
 boot, but the magician picked them up and stuck them on 
 again in their places, and was never a whit the worse. But 
 at last, as he was stooping to pick up one of his pieces, 
 Astulf caught him a blow full on the neck, as Grypho had 
 done before, and the great head fell down upon the sand 
 and rolled right under the feet of Rabican. Off jumped 
 the Paladin in a moment, and caught up the head by the 
 hair, and was back again in the saddle before Orrilus well 
 knew where he had been hit. Then he put spurs to his 
 horse, and went scouring over the sands like the wind with 
 the magician's body following him as fast as it could tear, 
 and trying to call out "Stop, thief!" but it could not utter 
 a word, because the Duke was galloping off with its mouth. 
 And if Astulf had been riding any horse but Rabican, the 
 body would certainly have come up with him, but not even 
 the Swift Runner in Grimvis Stories could keep pace with 
 the son of Flame and Wind. Meanwhile Astulf, as he rode, 
 was looking all over the head to see if any one of its hairs 
 was different from the rest, but for all that he could see one 
 was exactly like another all the head over. Then he be- 
 thought him that his good sword was as sharp as a razor, 
 and would shave the head even without any soap as clean 
 as a French dog-fancier shaves the coat off the hind-quarters 
 of a poodle; so he clutched tight hold of the nose, and 
 scrape, scrape, away came whole patches of hair from the 
 scalp, and he had not got half over the head when whish ! 
 
CHAP. I.] ASTULF BREAKS THE SPELL. 119 
 
 tlie good sword cut the fatal hair clean off at the skin. 
 Then the hideous face grew suddenly pale and livid in his 
 hand, and the body which was just now running so swiftly 
 fell full length upon the sand, for the spell was broken and 
 the w^icked robber Orrilus was no more. Thereat there 
 was great joy throughout all Egypt ; but Astulf, with 
 Grypho the White and Aquilas the Black, went on his way 
 to Palestine. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 HOW GRYPHO WAS CHEATED BY A WITCH, BUT MADE THE 
 PEOPLE OF DAMASCUS LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF 
 THEIR MOUTHS ; AND HOW AQUILAS AVENGED HIS 
 BROTHER. 
 
 Of the two ways which led into Palestine, one was easy 
 and comfortable for travelling; but it was the longer of 
 the two. The other was across a desert country, where 
 there was little water to be found and less food ; but the 
 three Paladins decided to go by it, for they wished to 
 hasten to the help of the Emperor, and to lose as little 
 time as possible by the way. But as they had no mind to 
 starve in the desert, they took some of the treasure which 
 they found in the house of Orrilus, and bought a great 
 barrel of wine, big enough to last them over a fortnight, 
 and a sack of dates and other dried fruit that weighed as 
 much as Grypho's white horse, as well as a quantity of 
 other things which they thought would be of use on the 
 road. All these they slung upon Caligorant's back, and 
 the great giant tramped along with them just as easily as 
 before ; for in fact he was strong enough to have carried 
 the Tower of London with all the armour and Crown jewels 
 in it, and a Beefeater or two into the bargain. 
 
 In those days Palestine had not yet fallen into the 
 hands of the Saracens, but was wisely and justly governed 
 by Sansonet of Mecca, a very valiant young man skilled in 
 all knightly practices, whom Count Roland had converted 
 to Christianity some years before, after which he approved 
 himself so brave and prudent that Charlemagne created 
 
CHAP. II.] THE KNIGHTS IN PALESTINE. 121 
 
 liim a Paladin of France, and appointed him his lieutenant 
 to rule over all 'Palestine. Sansonet, who was just now 
 busy fortifying all his strong places for fear of an attack by 
 the Caliph of Egypt, received Astulf and the sons of Oliver 
 with great joy, and lodged them magnificently in his own 
 palace : and Astulf, seeing what he was doing and that 
 there was a scarcity of labourers for the works, made him 
 a present of the giant Caligorant, who could carry as big a 
 load of stones in a single journey as half a dozen horses 
 and carts could bring in twenty ; he gave him, too, the 
 wonderful net of steel which had been so useful to him 
 in taking its owner prisoner. And Sansonet in return gave 
 Astulf a rich and beautiful sword-belt, and a splendid pair 
 of spurs with buckles and rowels of pure gold, which were 
 said to have been the very spurs worn by St. George when 
 he fought the dragon and saved the King of Egypt's 
 daughter. The intention of the Paladins was to take ship 
 as soon as possible in one of the ports of Palestine or 
 Syria, and so go by sea all the way to France ; and San- 
 sonet, when he heard how Charlemagne was hard pressed by 
 the Saracen armies, declared that he would appoint the 
 wisest and most faithful of his vassals to govern for a while 
 in his stead, and would accompany the others to the help 
 of his liege lord. But before they could do as they pro- 
 posed there happened an incident which kept them all in 
 Asia longer than they either v/ished or expected. 
 
 There lived in Constantinople a young witch named 
 Origille, who was one of the most beautiful women in the 
 world, but as wicked at heart as she was fair to look upon. 
 This Origille had cast such a spell over Grypho by her 
 beauty and her witchcraft when he and Aquilas were at Con- 
 stantinople some months before, that he vowed that he 
 would be her knight and she should be his lady ; and he 
 never rested till he had got her to promise that she would 
 marry him and follow him about the world wherever he 
 went. Origille made no great difficulty about promising 
 what he asked of her, and the very next evening gave him 
 a philtre which made him more in love with her than ever ; 
 for in her vanity she was well pleased that Grypho should 
 
122 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part in. 
 
 wear her colours, which he ahvays carried to victory in 
 battle or tournament ; for he was stronger and braver than 
 any of the knights at Constantinople. But in her evil 
 heart she hated the bold young Paladin, and would rather 
 have lost all her power over him than be compelled to 
 keep her promise by marrying him. So when he and 
 Aquilas had to go off to Egypt, Origille pretended to be so 
 ill that she could not leave her bed ; but the brothers were 
 no sooner out of the way than she got up as well as ever 
 she had been in her life, and soon afterwards married a 
 vile knight of Antioch as wicked as herself, and the greatest 
 coward and most treacherous villain in all the country. 
 All this Grypho heard while he was still sojourning with 
 the others in Palestine from the mouth of a Greek pilgrim, 
 who told him also that Origille and Martan her husband 
 were now on their way to be present at a splendid tourna- 
 ment which Noureddin King of Syria had proclaimed to 
 be held at Damascus. Poor Grypho was wild with rage at 
 such evil news, and determined to go straight to Damascus 
 and wreak vengeance on the man who had robbed him of 
 his lady ; for his love for Origille, thanks to her potions 
 and philtres, was as strong in him as ever. But he was 
 ashamed to tell his brother of his plan, since Aquilas was 
 wiser than he in this matter, and had often reproached him 
 for throwing away his love on such a vile woman, and had 
 done all he could to make him leave and forget her. So 
 Grypho started off without his brother, which he had never 
 done before in all their lives, and putting spurs to his white 
 horse galloped alone along the road to Damascus. Six 
 days he travelled thus, and on the seventh day came in sight 
 of the great city ; when lo ! in the distance whom should 
 he see but Origille herself magnificently dressed in a robe 
 of blue with fringe of gold, mounted on a cream-coloured 
 palfrey, and accompanied by the false knight Martan, who 
 rode at her side in great state followed by two pages who 
 bore his shield and helmet. Burning with rage, Grypho 
 spurred towards the party ; but Origille had long before 
 seen his white armour glancing in the sunlight, and guessed 
 with what intent he came to meet her. Well she knew 
 
CHAP. II.] A WITCH'S TRICKS. 12 
 
 J 
 
 that if it came to blows her craven husband was no match 
 for the vaHant Paladin; so she plotted'cunningly with Martan 
 how to deceive the brave youth and bring him again into 
 her power. With a look of gladness on her face, though 
 inwardly she was trembling with fear and hatred, she gal- 
 loped forward to meet him, and reproached him lovingly 
 for having stayed so long away from her, vowing that she 
 had been so miserable without him that she had determined 
 to set out in search of him, and had persuaded her brother 
 Martan to bear her company till she should find him. 
 And so great was her power over the bewitched young 
 knight that he was silly enough to believe all that she 
 said, and saluted Martan affectionately as her brother, and 
 so, instead of punishing his betrayers, as he had intended, 
 rode pleasantly with them into Damascus. 
 
 The next morning the city was all astir to witness the 
 great tournament, which was to be the most splendid 
 ever held in all Asia, and to which had gathered knights 
 and ladies from all the kingdoms round ; drums and 
 trumpets sounded in every quarter to warn the knights that 
 it was time to arm themselves and hasten to the lists, and 
 all the streets were crowded with a countless throng of 
 horses and chariots, which made the walls ring with the 
 echo of their hoofs and wheels upon the pavement. You 
 may be sure that Grypho was not the last to don his snow- 
 white armour and mount his beautiful charger ; and the 
 false-hearted Martan rode at his side, and came with him 
 to the great square, in the centre of which were marked out 
 the lists for the jousting. In the galleries were gathered 
 beautiful ladies, who threw down flowers of every colour to 
 their knights below; and on a splendid throne of ebony 
 and ivory sat the King Noureddin armed from head to 
 foot, and wearing over his armour a rich tunic woven of 
 the finest silk, and so embroidered with threads of gold 
 and studded with pearls and precious stones that all the 
 money in the Bank of England would not have been 
 enough to buy a single sleeve of it. The prize of the tour- 
 nament was a magnificent suit of armour, which a merchant 
 of Armenia had found by the roadside and given to the 
 
124 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 King a few days before : who was its owner and how it 
 came to be left there I can't tell you just yet, but if you 
 will read on without skipping to the middle of the next 
 chapter you will find out all about it. The lists were held 
 by eight noble young knights, great favourites of the King, 
 and the bravest and most skilful warriors to be found in all 
 Syria ; and whoever wished to win the beautiful armour 
 must fight with them all in turn, and vanquish every one 
 of them before he could be proclaimed conqueror of the 
 tourney. The jousting had begun, and two or three lances 
 had been broken, by the time that Grypho and Martan 
 came upon the field ; and finding two knights already 
 engaged in fight they stood aside to watch the issue of the 
 combat. Martan at first made a brave enough show, and 
 rode as proudly into the lists as if Grypho's companion- 
 ship had given him the Paladin's courage and skill ; but 
 when he saw the champion knight deal his adversary such 
 a thrust in the face that the sword passed clean through his 
 helmet and laid him dead upon the ground, so great fear 
 fell upon the craven that his face grew suddenly pale as 
 death, and he trembled in every limb with terror, as an 
 aspen quivers in every leaf when the June breeze blows 
 along the river. Still for all his fright he could not escape 
 the peril, for in his foolish presumption he had challenged 
 the champions of the lists, and the heralds now called on 
 him to make his challenge good against the first of them. 
 The trumpets sounded for the onset, and with his knees 
 knocking against his horse's sides and his lance wobbling 
 about in the rest, Martan started to meet his adversary ; 
 but before he got to the middle of the course he gave the 
 off rein such a tug that his charger swerved right against 
 the ropes, and the Syrian knight shot by without being 
 able to touch him. The crowd yelled and hooted, the 
 ladies laughed scornfully, and Grypho bit his lips with 
 vexation to see his companion so disgrace himself; still 
 there were some who said that the horse might have been 
 to blame, and not the man who rode him. But when it 
 came to fighting with the sword all doubts were at an end. 
 For the coward's hand shook so with terror that he could 
 
CHAP. II.] GRYPHO IN THE LISTS. 125 
 
 hardly hold the hilt, and he screamed with fright if his 
 adversary's sword so much as touched a corner of his 
 armour ; and at last he fairly turned tail, and breaking 
 tlirough the ring of bystanders fled away as fast as his horse 
 could carry him to his lodging in the town, with the taunts 
 and laughter of all the people in his ears. 
 
 Grypho, who felt his own honour tarnished by the dis- 
 grace of Martan, was boiling with rage, and wished himself 
 a thousand feet below the earth rather than be pointed at 
 as the comrade of such a dastard. And when the heralds 
 called on him to come forth and do battle in his turn, the 
 people laughed again, for they expected him to prove him- 
 self no better than his companion. But Grypho was not 
 the man to do himself dishonour in joust or battle ; and 
 what with rage and shame he was now wrought up to such 
 a pitch that if the great Count Roland himself had met 
 him in that moment he would have found it no easy matter 
 to overthrow him. So as soon as the trumpet sounded he 
 grasped his lance tightly in his hand, and putting spurs to 
 his horse struck the first of the Syrian champions such a 
 blow upon the chest as bore him fairly out of the saddle 
 and over the crupper, and laid him with a shoulder out of 
 joint upon the ground a good couple of yards behind his 
 horse's heels. Great was the astonishment of all the people ; 
 and the old Chief Justice threw up his hands and let his wig 
 drop from his head in amazement at finding that a man 
 cannot always be known by his companions, as he had 
 spent half his life in declaring, for that was his favourite 
 maxim. But the surprise was still greater when Grypho 
 struck the second champion's shield with such force that 
 his lance was shivered into three pieces, and then drawing 
 his sword smote him three such blows upon the helmet's 
 crest that he fell dizzy and stunned upon the earth, and 
 for six weeks afterwards went about with a buzzing in his 
 ears. And in like manner Grypho vanquished all the eight 
 champions each in his turn, wounding one and stunning 
 another, so that it was many a day before any of them were 
 fit to wield sword or lance again. All this had taken less 
 than an hour; and King Noureddin, seeing that it was yet 
 
126 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 scarce mid-day, devised new jousts to amuse the people till 
 the evening ; but Grypho rode gloomily away to his lodging. 
 And when he came there he burst into such a torrent of 
 threats against the vile knight Martan, that the craven 
 turned green with fright, and Origille with her lying tongue 
 had no small ado to make excuses for him, and wheedle 
 the young Paladin into giving up his vengeance ; but so 
 great was his love for her that at last she got him to promise 
 his pardon to the caitiff who had disgraced them all. But 
 nothing would induce him to remain longer in a place 
 where he had suffered such scorn ; and sullenly bidding 
 Martan and Origille mount their horses and follow him out 
 of the town, he rode with them in silence to a little wayside 
 inn some couple of miles outside the city gates. There he 
 sent the horses to the stable, and worn out with vexation 
 and with his efforts in the tournament, took off his armour 
 and lay down upon a bed to rest, where he soon fell into 
 so sound a sleep that if all the house had come rattling 
 about his ears it would hardly have been enough to wake 
 him. 
 
 Meanwhile Martan and Origille walked together in the 
 little garden of the inn ; and there this wicked couple hatched 
 as treacherous a plot as ever you heard of against the name 
 and fame of Grypho. For seeing that the young knight 
 was lying fast asleep upon his bed, Martan entered his room 
 by stealth, and taking off his own armour, which he left 
 upon the floor of the chamber, dressed himself from head 
 to foot in Grypho's snow-white panoply ; then he went into 
 the stables and saddled the white charger and Origille's 
 palfrey, and so rode with her in all haste back to Damascus. 
 It chanced that they arrived there just as the tournament 
 was ended, and the King was bidding the heralds search 
 for the unknown knight of the white armour who had 
 fairly won the prize. So when Martan was seen riding with 
 Origille into the great square, every one took him for the 
 hero who had performed such wondrous feats of valour ; 
 all the people rent the air with the shouts of their applause, 
 and the King, who loved to honour all doers of great deeds, 
 came down from his throne to meet the pair, and received 
 
CHAP. II.] ORIGILLE'S WICKED PLOT. 127 
 
 them with such welcome as might have befitted the greatest 
 prince and princess in all the world. For he bade the 
 heralds proclaim the stranger knight as the greatest warrior 
 that had ever been seen in Syria ; and then placing Martan 
 on his left hand and Origille on his right, rode with them 
 to his royal palace, where he loaded them both with gifts, 
 and afterwards entertained them at so magnificent a banquet 
 that only to hear of it would make a Lord Mayor's mouth 
 water for a week. 
 
 But while the wicked couple were thus enjoying the 
 
 fruits of their treason, Grypho woke from his slumbers, and 
 
 seeing Martan's armour lying on the floor where his own 
 
 had been knew not what to think ; but fearing some 
 
 treachery he called for the landlord, and learnt from him 
 
 that Martan had indeed taken the white horse and armour, 
 
 and was gone in company with Origille towards Damascus. 
 
 Then at last the miserable youth saw all his wretchedness ; 
 
 for he knew now that Origille's love for him was all a 
 
 deceit, and that she was in truth the wife of Martan, as the 
 
 Greek pilgrim had told him, and not his sister, as he had 
 
 foolishly believed. In bitter sadness of heart, but thirsting 
 
 for vengeance on the traitors, he put on the caitiff's armour 
 
 and mounted his chestnut horse, since there were no others 
 
 to be had, and galloped towards the city. Better had it 
 
 been for him to have gone on foot and in a simple tunic ; 
 
 for from afar the people recognised the dishonoured horse 
 
 and armour, and one of them ran to the palace and told 
 
 Noureddin that the knight who had fled from the lists in 
 
 the morning was now entering in by the gate. Thereat the 
 
 King, who was still seated at the banquet, grew very wroth, 
 
 and turning to Martan, he said : " I marvel. Sir Knight, that 
 
 this shameless fellow should thus parade his dishonour 
 
 before our very eyes ; and I marvel too that so gallant a 
 
 knight as yourself, the like of whom I never yet saw, should 
 
 suffer such a graceless dastard in your company. Yea, I 
 
 swear to you that were it not for the love I bear to you, 
 
 who suffer him as your companion, I would yet make him 
 
 smart for his cowardice and his impudence." And Martan, 
 
 with an evil smile upon his lips, answered the King and said : 
 
128 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 " Sir King, this dastardly rascal is no comrade in arms of 
 mine, and in truth I know not what is his name nor whence 
 he comes ; but two days ago he joined himself to us on the 
 road, and I permitted him to ride in our company, for he 
 seemed to me of goodly and valiant aspect. But when I saw 
 how he demeaned himself this morning in the lists I was 
 filled with shame and anger ; and save for the respect I bear 
 to you and the city which you rule, I had surely punished 
 him roundly for his villainy. Wherefore, I pray you, be not 
 hindered by any regard for me, but inflict on him the 
 chastisement of death which his infamy deserves." The 
 King, however, answered that he held not such misdeeds 
 to be a cause of death, but only willed that the people 
 should have a merry spectacle prepared for them on the 
 morrow. So he called one of his captains and told him of 
 his purpose ; and the captain took with him a company of 
 soldiers, and came with them upon Grypho suddenly and 
 unawares, so that before he could so much as clap his hand 
 to his sword they had dragged him from the saddle, and 
 bound him hand and foot with cords. Then they took him 
 into the palace and cast him into a dismal dungeon for the 
 night ; but Martan and Origille finished their dinner with 
 King Noureddin, and afterwards with great glee went to 
 their rest. Still in spite of their evil gladness Martan was 
 terribly afraid lest in the morning Grypho should come to 
 speech with the King and manifest all the treason ; so as 
 soon as it was light he called up Origille and bade the 
 pages saddle the white horse and the palfrey ; and so, 
 before the sun was well risen, rode with her out of the city 
 and hastened along the road to Antioch. And there let 
 them ride for a while, for I promise you they shall soon be 
 richly punished for all their villainies. 
 
 They had not been gone above half an hour before 
 Noureddin bade the heralds proclaim throughout the town 
 that whoever would see a merry jest should come to the 
 great square within an hour's time, and witness the disgrace 
 of the dastard knight. And when the crowd was all 
 assembled a rickety old tumbril filled with dirty straw was 
 drawn up before the great door of the palace, and an up- 
 
CHAP. II.] DISGRACE OF GRYPHO. 129 
 
 right pole was planted in the middle of it and firmly nailed 
 to the bottom of the cart, to which were harnessed a pair 
 of lean old cows, looking as if they had not tasted grass 
 for a fortnight, and led by a couple of wrinkled hags 
 the ugliest and wickedest to be found in all Damascus. 
 Presently from the palace door came out four soldiers 
 carrying the wretched Grypho stripped of his armour, with 
 his wrists tied tightly behind his back, and his ankles 
 secured in a rusty pair of iron fetters. They hoisted him 
 up on to the tumbril and bound him firmly by the waist to 
 the upright pole, and over his head they nailed a board 
 with an inscription in letters a foot long : " This is the 
 coward who fled from the tournament." The dishonoured 
 armour, the cause of all his misfortunes, was tied to the 
 back of the cart and dragged helmet downwards through 
 the mud ; and in front walked two of the Court heralds 
 blowing on their trumpets and shouting at the top of their 
 voices : "Behold how Noureddin King of Syria punishes a 
 coward." Never was Paladin of France in such an evil 
 plight. The boys pelted him with mud, the men poked at 
 him with their sticks, and the women shrieked taunts at 
 him with shrill, abusive tongues ; and thus, with scorn and 
 insult, they led him round the square and through all the 
 principal streets, till at last the procession halted outside 
 the main gate of the city. There the soldiers took him 
 down from the cart and loosened the fetters from his feet 
 and the cords from his hands, and mockingly bade him go 
 and practise for his next appearance in the lists ; but they 
 little knew with whom they had to reckon. For no sooner 
 were his hands and feet free from their bonds than he 
 dashed at his sword, and snatching it from the scabbard 
 dealt the nearest soldier such a blow upon the shoulder 
 that his body fell cloven to the waist. Frenzied with wrath, 
 Grypho leaped amid the throng, and spared not the boys 
 who had pelted him nor the old men who had struck him 
 with their crutches ; but most of all he raged against the 
 soldiers, and so sorely did he smite them that of all their 
 company not one remained alive to tell the tale. Then the 
 laughter of the crowd was turned to shrieks and wailing, 
 
 K 
 
I30 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part in. 
 
 and their mockery to cries for pardon ; but the pitiless 
 knight slew all who came within his reach, and before five 
 minutes were over a hundred bodies lay dead upon the 
 ground around him. Happy were those nearest to the 
 gate, for they rushed pell-mell within the walls ; but w^hen 
 a few had got safely through, their terror was so great lest 
 Grypho should make a rush into the city, that they closed 
 the gates and lowered the portcullis behind them and left 
 the screaming multitude outside at the mercy of the infuri- 
 ated Paladin. Alas ! in that hour Grypho took no thought 
 of mercy, but whirled the dripping sword round his head 
 and hacked and slew till the road ran with blood like a 
 river at the flood time, and ceased not his vengeance till all 
 who could escape the sword had fled over fields and hedges 
 far away and left him all alone among a thousand corpses. 
 Then at last he put back the sword into its scabbard and 
 hastened to buckle on the traitor Martan's armour and look 
 about for a place where he could defend himself with 
 vantage ; for he knew that the King and his knights would 
 soon come against him to avenge the slaughter of their 
 people ; and he said to himself, with a grim smile : " They 
 shall not take me unawares a second time." 
 
 It chanced that just outside the gate there stood a 
 moated castle, which had long been uninhabited save by 
 the owls and jackdaws that made their nests among its 
 ruins. Three of the planks which formed the ancient 
 drawbridge were rotted away by age, but the two others still 
 spanned the moat, which was both large and deep, and 
 formed a passage some couple of feet in width where one 
 man might defy a thousand ; and there Grypho took his 
 stand, ready to hold this narrow bridge against all assailants. 
 He had not long to wait, for Noureddin no sooner heard of 
 the slaughter of his people than he bade fifty of his bravest 
 knights don their arms and mount their horses and bring 
 the foreigner dead or alive before him without delay, for he 
 was persuaded that they would make short and easy work 
 of a man whom they still believed to be the fugitive from 
 yesterday's tournament. But when this gallant company 
 defiled through the gate and saw how Grypho stood fronting 
 
CHAP. II.] SLAUGHTER OF THE SYRIANS. 131 
 
 them with his sword drawn in his hand and bathed from 
 head to foot in the blood of his victims, they began to 
 doubt whether their task might not prove a trifle harder 
 than they had expected. Their leader, however, dis- 
 mounted and advanced towards the head of the bridge ; 
 but before he could reach it the Paladin flew at him as a 
 wild cat flies upon her pursuers, and raising his sword in 
 both hands brought it down with such a sweep upon his 
 head that the keen blade went crashing through the helmet 
 and split the Syrian's skull through to the teeth. Next a 
 young knight leaped from his horse and rushed to avenge 
 his chief; but for him Grypho waited on the middle of the 
 bridge, and lunged at him with so true an aim that the 
 sword pierced the joints of his armour between the ribs, and 
 the poor youth staggered backwards and fell lifeless into the 
 moat below. Thereat the whole band of Syrians stood 
 silent and aghast, and before they could recover from their 
 amazement the Paladin darted from his stronghold and with 
 two swift blows laid two more of them dead upon the field ; 
 but when the others rallied and advanced all together to 
 assail him, he retreated to his narrow plank and bade 
 defiance to them all. And thus for near an hour did this 
 one knight maintain himself against fifty, sometimes sallying 
 forth and staining his sword to the hilt in the blood of his 
 enemies, and then retreating again to his bridge, whither 
 the bravest of them feared to follow ; so that ten of their 
 number lay dead upon the earth before him, and though 
 they had twice wounded him, in the shoulder and in the 
 thigh, they seemed no nearer the end of their enterprise 
 than when first they came out to take him. Now when 
 King Noureddin found that his knights returned not as he 
 had bidden them, he called for his horse and clothed him- 
 self in his armour and rode in haste to see what such a 
 delay might mean. And when he found but thirty-nine of 
 his fifty knights left aUve — for ten lay dead upon the field 
 and one was fallen into the moat, — and saw Grypho stand- 
 ing boldly on the bridge, he marvelled greatly and his 
 heart was black with anger ; but when he drew near and 
 beheld how the helmets of the dead men were riven and 
 
132 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 their armour hacked and hewn from their bodies, his wrath 
 against the stranger was turned to admiration, and he 
 repented bitterly of the injury he had done him, for he 
 said : "Truly it was no dastard's arm that could deal such 
 blows, but the might of the most valiant warrior in all the 
 world." So he bade the knights fall back from before the 
 bridge, and himself leaped down from his horse, and with 
 his right hand bared in token of peace advanced towards 
 the Paladin and said : " Great has been my error, valiant 
 Sir Knight, and just and righteous is your vengeance ; for 
 the scorn which I thought to do to the vilest knight on 
 earth I have done to the noblest, and I know not if I can 
 ever make sufficient atonement for so grievous a wrong ; 
 but forasmuch as I did it in ignorance, I beseech you grant 
 me your forgiveness and suffer me to honour you hence- 
 forward as much as I have abused you this day ; for I 
 swear to you that whatever you shall ask of me, even to the 
 half of my kingdom, I will freely give it you." Now when 
 Grypho found that the King's wrath was turned to repent- 
 ance and his enmity to loving friendship he rejoiced greatly, 
 and with a glad voice answered and said : " Well I wot. 
 Sir King, that whatsoever you did against me was done in 
 ignorance and error, for the vile knight who yesterday fled 
 away in fear from the tournament entered my chamber 
 while I slept, and took away my armour and my horse, and 
 therewith devised this treachery against my honour. Now, 
 therefore, I willingly accept your friendship and repent me 
 of the destruction which I have wrought upon your people ; 
 but I ask neither lands nor gifts, for it becomes not a 
 Paladin of France to be covetous of aught save fame and 
 honour." Great was the delight of Noureddin at hearing 
 the answer of the noble knight ; and the old Chief Justice 
 who had ridden out with the King chuckled with satisfac- 
 tion, and whispered in his horse's ear : " Did not I always 
 tell His Majesty that you should look before you leap?" — 
 for the old fellow dearly loved a proverb. So Grypho and 
 Noureddin returned in love and friendship to the palace, 
 where the King laid him in his own bed and sent his chief sur- 
 geon to dress his wounds, and tended him night and morning 
 
CHAP. II.] ^TREACHERY REQUITED. i 
 
 OJ 
 
 as a father watches over his son ; and all the people rejoiced 
 to know that the terrible knight was become their friend. 
 
 Meanwhile Aquilas had been wofully distressed about his 
 brother, for they had never been separated in all their lives 
 before ; and after vainly searching for him for two days, he 
 fell in at last with the Greek pilgrim who had given Grypho 
 such evil news of Origille. From him Aquilas heard how 
 the witch had married Martan and was gone with him to 
 Damascus, and how they purposed returning after the 
 tournament to Antioch ; the pilgrim told him also that two 
 days since he had related the same story to Grypho. 
 Thereupon Aquilas made no doubt but that his brother 
 was gone to Damascus, and perhaps to Antioch ; and 
 begging Astulf and Sansonet not to sail for France till he 
 returned, he set off that very hour, and in less than a week 
 arrived before the walls of Martan's city. There he made 
 diligent inquiry, and found that the faithless pair were not 
 yet returned from the tournament ; so the next morning 
 he started again upon his journey, and took the road to 
 Damascus. Two days more he travelled thus, and on the 
 third he saw the white armour of his brother flashing in the 
 distance ; and thinking it was surely Grypho who rode to 
 meet him, he put spurs to his horse, and with a cry of 
 gladness held out his hand in welcome. But when he 
 came up with the party, he saw that it was a stranger who 
 rode by the side of Origille ; and in furious anger he cried : 
 " Stop ! traitor and thief, as I hold you, and tell me whence 
 had you this horse and panoply?" Origille, when she 
 recognised the jet-black steed and armour, and heard the 
 angry voice, was seized with fear, and turned her palfrey's 
 head for flight, but Aquilas was too quick for her, and 
 grasping her rein he vowed that the first movement which 
 she or Martan made should cost them both their lives. 
 Then Martan in a voice that shook with terror began to 
 make excuses, and invented a hundred lies to explain the 
 adventure, but Aquilas believed him never a word, and with 
 dreadful threats comoelled him to confess the truth. And 
 when he knew it, he made the guilty pair dismount, and 
 stripping IMartan of the stolen armour, tied his hands tight 
 
134 PALADIN AND SARACEN^. [part hi. 
 
 behind his back, and bound him firmly on one of the 
 pages' horses with his face towards the tail ; Origille too he 
 fastened to her saddle, and laying the white armour on the 
 back of Grypho's charger, who whinnied with delight and 
 followed his black companion without needing to be led, 
 the good knight brought the whole party with him to 
 Damascus. There the news soon spread abroad that the 
 traitor and his wicked wife were being led prisoners through 
 the city, and all the people came out to see them, and 
 greeted the brave Paladin with cheers, and showered down 
 flowers upon his head ; but Martan and the witch they 
 hooted and pelted with dirt, and could hardly be kept from 
 tearing them to pieces on the spot. As soon as Noureddin 
 heard the news, he hastened forth to meet the victor ; and 
 when he knew that it was Grypho's brother who had 
 wrought this vengeance, he welcomed him with love and 
 gladness, and took him to the palace, and brought him to 
 the chamber where Grypho lay healing of his wounds ; so 
 there with great joy Aquilas greeted his brother, and heard 
 from his mouth of all the wonderful things that had 
 happened in his absence. But Martan and Origille were 
 thrown into the dungeon, and lay there in great fear all 
 that night, for the King was minded to punish them with 
 death upon the morrow. The noble Grypho, however, 
 said he desired not the death of either of them, but only 
 that Martan should bear such scorn as he himself had 
 suffered, and that Origille should no more be able to 
 betray a valiant knight ; and to this Noureddin at length 
 consented. So the next morning the cart was brought 
 again into the great square, and Martan was led through 
 the city as Grypho had been before, after which the public 
 executioner came and stripped him to the waist, and gave 
 him two hundred lashes with the cat -o'- nine -tails on his 
 bare back, and so let him go upon his way half dead with 
 pain and fright ; but Origille was kept in prison till the 
 Queen should return, — for she was gone on a visit to her 
 father, the King of Cyprus, — and decide what should be 
 done with her. And of the further adventures of Aquilas 
 and Grypho I will tell you something more in the next 
 chapter, for it is high time that this one came to an end. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW ASTULF AND HIS COMPANIONS MET WITH MARFISA ; 
 AND HOW THE PEOPLE OF DAMASCUS HAD AGAIN THE 
 WORST OF IT. 
 
 The two wounds which Grypho had received in fighting 
 against such fearful odds proved very severe, so that it was 
 a week before he was able to leave his bed, and nearly a 
 month before he recovered all his strength. IVIeanwhile 
 Noureddin had been considering how best to make amends 
 for the outrage he had inflicted on him ; for the remem- 
 brance of his error filled him with grief, and in spite of all 
 that the brothers said to comfort him, his heart was heavy 
 at the thought that he, who above all things delighted to 
 honour the valiant and shame the craven, should have let 
 himself be so tricked and bamboozled by a vile impostor. 
 And after much thought he resolved to proclaim another 
 tournament, still more splendid than the first, to be held in 
 a month's time, and for the chief prize of it he appointed 
 the very suit of armour of which Martan on the last 
 occasion had defrauded the brave young Paladin. For 
 although Grypho would accept nothing as a gift, he would 
 surely, thought the King, consent to take the armour when 
 he had won it a second time by his prowess in the lists ; 
 and that he and no other would win it Noureddin doubted 
 not for a moment, for he held him to be the bravest and 
 strongest knight in all the world. So he sent his heralds 
 to make the proclamation in every kingdom from the 
 Euphrates to the Danube, and kept all his courtiers busy 
 from morning to night devising shows for the day-time, and 
 
136 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 feasts and dances for the evenings ; and very sick the 
 courtiers grew of the whole concern, but it was as much as 
 their places were worth to say so. 
 
 Now Astulf was still sojourning with Sansonet in the 
 land of Palestine, when the fame of King Noureddin's 
 proclamation reached his ears. And thereupon he took 
 counsel with his host how they might have a part in these 
 brave doings ', "for 'twere a thousand pities," said the 
 jovial Englishman, " that so merry a jig should be piped in 
 Damascus, and we lift never a leg to dance." So they 
 bade their squires polish up their armour, and see that all 
 the horses were in good case for the journey — for Sansonet 
 had appointed a squire of gentle birth to wait on the 
 Paladin, as befitted a knight of such high degree — and the 
 next morning they set out in great state, and took the 
 northern road. They travelled towards Syria leisurely and 
 by easy stages, for it wanted yet a fortnight to the appointed 
 day, and they took pleasure in viewing the beautiful country 
 through which they passed ; besides, like gallant riders as 
 they were, they were careful not to weary the good steeds 
 that carried them. Not that it would have mattered much 
 to Rabican, who could have gone a thousand times the 
 pace at a pinch ; but even he liked a quiet time now and 
 again as well as the veriest sluggard that ever was foaled, 
 while his master had no wish to leave Sansonet and the 
 squires out of sight behind him, and was far too good a 
 horseman to press his mount without necessity. Now just 
 remember this, and follow Astulf's example the next time 
 you get a day's hunting, and spare your pony as much as 
 ever you can ; for if only you do your best to ride straight 
 to hounds, you may be sure he will have had quite as much 
 work as is good for him by the end of the day ; though I 
 won't deny but that there's a grim sort of satisfaction in 
 seeing a good stiff plough ahead, when you're on the back 
 of a hard-mouthed brute who nearly pulls your arms from 
 their sockets in his efforts to ride over the pack. 
 
 The two Paladins travelled thus for ten days without 
 any adventure ; but when they were within three days' 
 journey of Damascus they came to a place where four 
 
CHAP. III.] A PRINCESS IN ARMOUR. 137 
 
 roads met, and there they encountered, as they thought, a 
 knight of lordly bearing, clad from head to foot in splendid 
 armour, and mounted on a magnificent charger. But this 
 warlike person was in truth no knight at all, but the great 
 Princess Marfisa, whose name was a sound of terror through 
 all Asia, for in all the Eastern lands there was not a warrior 
 who could stand against her. No one knew anything of 
 her parentage, for she had been stolen away in her child- 
 hood by a band of Arab pirates, who brought her home 
 with them to Arabia, and presented her to the King of the 
 country ; and the King, who was old and childless, took 
 the little maiden to his heart, and brought her up as his 
 own daughter. Great ladies were appointed to wait on her 
 and teach her all such arts and graces as might befit a 
 noble Princess ; her table was served with the daintiest 
 meats and the choicest wines, and she had twice as many 
 rich gowns as she could possibly wear, and jewels enough 
 to outblaze the sun at mid-day. But Marfisa was not like 
 other girls, for she cared not a whit for all these womanly 
 splendours, but delighted only in the discipline of arms and 
 the practices of knightly science. And as she grew to the 
 strength and stature of a man, and was never -sveary of 
 exercising herself in the use of lance and sword, she 
 presently came to such perfection in the warrior's craft, 
 that she vanquished every knight at the old King's Court, 
 and gained the reputation of having the firmest seat and 
 the strongest arm in all the land of Arabia. From that 
 day she put away the robes and ornaments of a woman, 
 and was never seen abroad save equipped with sword and 
 mail ; and her greatest pleasure w^as to wander about the 
 world in quest of battles or adventures in which she could 
 prove her prowess and win herself immortal glory. Now 
 therefore, when she saw two knights of such goodly aspect 
 advancing to meet her, she was filled with exultation, and 
 went forward in haste to defy them to single combat ; for 
 she no sooner clapped eyes upon a stranger than she 
 longed to tilt him out of his saddle, or try the temper of 
 her sword upon his armour, and in all her encounters she 
 had never yet met the man who could get the better of her. 
 
138 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 But when she came up with the Paladins and looked at 
 them more narrowly, she recognised the bold Duke Astulf ; 
 for she had known him a few years since in far Cathay, and 
 had proved his valour and good fellowship in many a 
 strange adventure. So she raised the visor of her helmet 
 and held out her hand in welcome, and Astulf greeted her 
 with great joy, as one who knew her worth and counted 
 himself honoured in her friendship. Then she asked him 
 of his journey ; and when Astulf had told her that he 
 was going with Sansonet to be present at Noureddin's 
 tournament, she answered : " With your leave, gallant 
 friends, I will ride in your company to Damascus, for I 
 would gladly have a finger in so brave a pie." So for two 
 days they rode all together, and on the third they came to 
 the little inn outside the city where Grypho had been 
 robbed of his horse and armour ; and there they halted for 
 the night, and with good cheer and sound sleep prepared 
 themselves for the morrow's festival. 
 
 As soon as the sun was risen they sent messengers into 
 the town to make inquiry when the jousting would begin ; 
 and these presently brought back word that there was not 
 a moment to be lost, for they had found the people already 
 gathered in their thousands and the balconies filled with 
 ladies, while the King was expected to leave the palace 
 every minute. Thereupon the three comrades hastened to 
 buckle on their armour, and mounting their horses came 
 forthwith to the great square, where they found Noureddin 
 already seated on his throne, and the whole company of 
 knights assembled in the lists and waiting eagerly for the 
 heralds to give the signal for the opening of the tournament. 
 Now King Noureddin had ordered the magnificent armour 
 which was to be the conqueror's guerdon to be set up as a 
 trophy in the entrance to the lists, and had added to it a 
 rapier and mace of the finest workmanship, and a charger 
 such as any warrior might be proud to ride ; for he made 
 sure that none but Grypho could possibly be proclaimed 
 the victor ; and he took delight in giving as a prize to the 
 brave young knight what he could never induce him to 
 accept as a gift. But all his plans were upset by the 
 
CHAP. III.] THE TOURNAMENT DISTURBED. 139 
 
 dauntless Marfisa; for when she rode up to the barrier 
 and saw this armour displayed in the entrance, she recog- 
 nised it at once as her own, and not for all the world would 
 she suffer it to pass into the possession of a stranger or 
 remain another day out of her keeping. For it had been 
 given to her many years before by her adopted father, and 
 she prized it above all her other possessions ; but some 
 couple of months ago as she was returning from Armenia, 
 the notorious thief Brunello had managed to run off with 
 her sword, and because the heavy armour hindered her in 
 the pursuit of him she had taken it off and laid it by the 
 side of the road, intending to come back and put it on 
 again as soon as she had punished the robber. ]\Ieanwhile, 
 however, the Armenian merchant had passed by the place, 
 and findmg it lying there with no sign of any one to own 
 it, he had laid it among his bales, and afterwards made a 
 present of it to King Noureddin, as I told you in the last 
 chapter. Mariisa had been terribly vexed by the loss, and 
 was now so glad to see her good arms again that she stayed 
 not a moment to think how she might best regain them, 
 but rode straight up to the trophy, and snatching them 
 hastily off the pole that supported them, wdth a great clatter 
 laid them across the pommel of her own saddle. The 
 whole company of knights stood dumb with amazement, 
 wondering what so strange a proceeding might mean ; but 
 the populace was mad with rage, and clean forgot how 
 Grypho had played the schoolmaster to them a month ago, 
 and taught them that knights-errant were better let alone 
 for the future. Yelling and screaming with fury, and 
 encouraged by the frowning King, they set upon Marfisa 
 all at once with sticks and stones and any other weapon 
 that came to hand, while others tried to wrest the disputed 
 armour from her grasp or drag her by main force from off 
 her saddle. But it's ill taking the breeks off a Highlander, 
 as our brothers of Scotland say ; and the dauntless Princess 
 soon showed this senseless mob that warriors in plume and 
 mail are uncommonly kittle cattle to shoe. For no gentle 
 lady ever went to display her gorgeous robes at dance or 
 festival with half the pleasure that this warlike damsel felt 
 
140 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 amid the crash of arms in the press and peril of battle. 
 Lowering her lance's point and putting spurs to her horse 
 she careered amid the crowd, striking one on the neck and 
 another on the breast, bearing them to the earth by scores, 
 and trampling them under the hoofs of her charger. And 
 when her stout lance bent and broke she drew her terrible 
 sword and cut off here a head and there an arm, cleaving 
 one man's shoulder-blade and piercing another through the 
 ribs, till the dead and w^ounded lay round her in a heap, 
 and the foolish crowd fled shrieking and wailing from before 
 her. Astulf and Sansonet were but ill pleased to see the 
 merry festival turned to such woful carnage; still, when 
 they saw the fight fairly set a-going they drew down their 
 visors and prepared to help their comrade, and charging 
 among the populace, one with the lance and the other with 
 the naked blade, they rivalled Marfisa herself in the havoc 
 and destruction that they wrought. 
 
 Meanwhile Aquilas and Grypho were burning with 
 impatience, for they pitied the hapless rabble whose folly 
 had brought them to such a pass, and still more they held 
 themselves bound in honcur to succour the generous 
 Noureddin and avenge the insult done him by Marfisa's 
 rashness. So as soon as space enough was clear for action 
 they laid their lances in the rest and came thundering down 
 upon the three disturbers of the peace ; for the confusion 
 was so great that they recognised neither Astulf nor San- 
 sonet, and these last were so occupied with their battle 
 against the mob that they paid little heed to the persons 
 and devices of their assailants. But our Englishman bore 
 in his hand the wonderful lance of gold, and scarcely did 
 he strike the point of it against the boss of Grypho's shield 
 before the knight of the white armour fell from off his 
 saddle and lay sprawling all his length upon the ground. 
 Then Astulf encountered Aquilas, and did the like by him, 
 while Sansonet disposed of another knight who had leagued 
 himself with the noble brothers. Thereupon Marfisa, 
 seeing that the people had fled in all directions and the 
 way was clear before her, started off to leave the square 
 and return to the inn beyond the walls, carrying her 
 
CHAP. III.] A FIGHT AND A PARLEY. 141 
 
 recovered armour on her pommel and followed by the two 
 Paladins her companions, who rode with her unmolested 
 along the street till they came to the city gates. But the 
 brothers had no sooner picked themselves up and recovered 
 their horses than they started off in pursuit of their con- 
 querors, for they were furious at having been so easily 
 unhorsed, and took shame to appear before the King 
 without having first retrieved their reputation. Marfisa and 
 her companions were in the act of crossing the drawbridge 
 when they heard a challenge in their rear, whereupon they 
 turned their horses' heads, and taking up their position at 
 the entrance to the bridge awaited the onset of their 
 pursuers. The brothers came on in hot haste followed by 
 a bevy of Syrian knights eager to help them in avenging 
 the insult to their King ; but when Grypho was come within 
 a stone's throw of the party he recognised the arms and 
 device of Astulf, and reining in his charger saluted him with 
 reverence, begging him to say who were his companions — 
 for he knew not Sansonet's device, — and wherefore they 
 had laid hands upon the armour and slaughtered the people 
 of King Noureddin. When Astulf saw that it was the son 
 of Oliver who addressed him, he gave him joyful welcome 
 and courteous answer, telling him that his comrades were 
 Sansonet the Paladin and the great Princess ]\Iarfisa, but 
 about the armour, which was the cause of all this tumult, 
 he said he knew not overmuch ; only, seeing the battle in 
 full swing, Sansonet and he had gone to the succour of their 
 companion. Now while the Duke was speaking thus with 
 Grypho, Aquilas too came up and gave him courteous 
 salutation, for they felt it no shame to have been overthrown 
 by the mighty Astulf, but rather counted it an honour to 
 have crossed lances with so valorous a knight. And all the 
 other knights stood by awaiting the issue of the parley ; but 
 when Astulf named his companions one of them turned 
 and galloped back as fast as his horse could carry him to 
 find the King, and said : " Sir King, an you would not 
 bring death on all your people, hasten now and make an 
 end of this strife, for the knight who laid hands upon the 
 armour is no other than the terrible ]\Iarfisa." When they 
 
142 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 heard this name of fear all the courtiers shook in their shoes 
 and held their breath for fright, and Noureddin took a flag 
 of truce in his hand and pressed forward without delay 
 towards the bridge ; but Marfisa, seeing that he came in 
 peaceful guise, rode out to meet him, and raising her visor, 
 said in haughty tones : " I know not, Sir King, by what 
 right you set for prizes in your tournaments such things as 
 are not yours to give away. Mine are these arms, and I 
 left them a while since upon the road because they hindered 
 me in the pursuit of a certain thief who had done me a 
 wrong ; but if you chance to know my device behold it is 
 here imprinted on the cuirass for a witness to my claim." 
 And Noureddin answered her graciously, and Said : " Noble 
 lady, your word is proof enough, neither need I any other 
 witness ; and in good sooth had you claimed the arms 
 in friendly fashion at the first, neither I nor any man had 
 gainsaid you : for albeit I had destined them for Grypho, 
 well I know that of his courtesy he would have given 
 them to me again, that I might satisfy your just demands. 
 Now therefore take them as you desire, and I will pray 
 Grypho to be content with other gifts in recompense 
 of these which he has lost." And Grypho said : " Sir 
 King, I thank you for this and all your other courtesies, 
 for the which I hold myself so much your debtor, that 
 an occasion to do you a pleasure is more welcome to 
 me than a thousand gifts." But Marfisa, now that her 
 honour was satisfied and her claim allowed, was not to be 
 outdone in courtesy, and was fain to yield the prize to 
 Grypho, only he was as unwilling to take it as she was 
 generous in offering it ; and at last, after much gracious 
 contention, the young Paladin received the armour from the 
 Princess and immediately returned it to her as a gift ; after 
 which they rode back all together to the square, and their 
 quarrel was turned to friendship. Then the interrupted 
 tournament was held with double splendour ; and the King 
 of his bounty gave another suit of armour as a prize, which 
 was won by Sansonet amid great applause, for Astulf and 
 Marfisa and the sons of Oliver abstained from the contest, 
 that their comrade might have the surer victory. And for 
 
CHAP. III.] EXPLANATION AND RECONCILIATION. 143 
 
 ten days they all remained with King Noureddin, and bore 
 their part in all manner of joyous entertainments ; after 
 which the four Paladins were fain to make haste towards 
 the land of France, and the dauntless Princess offered her- 
 self to travel in their company, for above everything on 
 earth she desired to encounter the peerless Roland, and 
 match herself in single combat against that paragon of 
 knighthood. So they took leave of the King of Syria and 
 rode to the nearest port, where they found a merchant ship 
 laden with bales for Italy and just ready to put to sea ; 
 and w^hen they had made agreement with the captain for 
 their passage they embarked with their horses without delay, 
 and the next morning sailed out of the harbour and with a 
 fair wind steered towards the west. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW MARFISA AND THE PALADINS CAME TO THE COUNTRY 
 OF THE MANSLAYING WOMEN ; AND HOW ASTULF WAS 
 LEFT |AL0NE in THEIR CITY. 
 
 The ship in which this gallant company took their passage 
 was one of the largest merchantmen then afloat, and be- 
 longed to a trader of Amalfi, which was at that time the 
 most flourishing seaport in Italy ; and although the lines on 
 which she was built have been out of fashion for some 
 eight or ten centuries, and the sight of her would make our 
 modern Jack Tars stare with eyes as wide as crown pieces 
 and hold their sides with laughing, for all that this carack 
 was a good roomy vessel, broad in the beam and high at the 
 bows and stern, and her seasoned timbers were as stoutly 
 put together as the good Italian shipwright could peg 
 them. Starting from Tripolis of Phoenicia, she made a 
 straight course to the shores of Cyprus, and leaving desolate 
 Famagosta with its dreary marsh to starboard, coasted along 
 the southern shore of the island past flourishing Larnaca 
 and the broad bay of Limasol, and so came to an anchor 
 in the roadstead of beautiful Paphos. There the whole 
 company went on shore, the sailors to lade more bales for 
 their cargo, and the passengers to enjoy the sight of one, of 
 the loveliest spots in all the world. Six or seven miles 
 from the water's edge rose gradual slopes of gently undulat- 
 ing hills j groves of laurel and myrtle and spreading cedars 
 alternated with the rich green leaves and golden fruit of 
 the orangeries ; while the teeming soil was laden with 
 bunches of serpillum and marjoram, thickets of roses, and 
 
CHAP. IV.] A STORM AT SEA. 145 
 
 wide beds of crocus and lily, whose mingled scents were 
 wafted by the land breeze far across the sapphire sea. 
 From a clear fount amid the hills flowed down a limpid 
 stream which watered all the plain ; and groups of lads 
 girt with crimson sashes were gathered upon its banks, and 
 danced with the dark -eyed peasant girls, w^ho laid down 
 their unfilled pitchers in the moss or spread the dripping 
 linen in the blazing sunshine. 
 
 All that day the travellers remained at Paphos and took 
 their fill of pleasure in its scenes of beauty ; but at sun- 
 down they returned on board their ship, and weighing 
 anchor by the moonlight started again upon their voyage. 
 For a night and a day they sped swiftly over a calm sea ; 
 but at the following sunset the wind shifted to the west, 
 and presently increased to such a gale as put them in 
 peril of their lives, and made the captain vow that in thirty 
 years of seafaring he had never known so fearful a storm. 
 For great black masses of clouds shrouded night and day 
 in almost equal darkness ; the rain came down like a flood, 
 and hailstones the size of pigeons' eggs rattled upon the 
 decks and drove the sailors from their work, while the 
 waves ran mountains high, and the wind howled and 
 shrieked among the rigging. For two days they ran before 
 the gale and knew not whither they were going, for they 
 saw neither the sun by day nor the stars by night ; and on 
 the third day the mast fell overboard with a crash, and a 
 wave carried away their rudder, and left them helpless at 
 the mercy of the tempest. Then the sailors gave them- 
 selves up for lost, and as men without hope they all pre- 
 pared to die ; and the dauntless Alarfisa herself confessed 
 that on that day she had first known fear. But just as 
 their terror was at the worst the rain ceased and the wind 
 began to abate ; and presently they fell in with a swift 
 current, which carried them along at such a rate that it 
 seemed as though they must soon come to the world's end; 
 but when the thick clouds rolled awayj they sighted land 
 ahead, and fell to wondering where in the world they 
 could be, for it was well-nigh three days since they lost 
 their bearings. But when they came nearer to the shore 
 
 L 
 
146 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 they saw two massive ledges of steep rock, which jutted 
 out in the form of a crescent into the sea, so that their 
 ends nearly met together, and they formed natural break- 
 waters to the vast harbour which lay within them ; and 
 through the narrow gap appeared a wide stretch of tranquil 
 water, and a mighty city built upon the shore beyond it. 
 Each of the projecting ledges of rock was crowned at its 
 end with an impregnable fortress, and the city was pro- 
 tected on the land side by a battlemented wall of solid 
 masonry, from which rose a hundred strong and lofty towers 
 at equal intervals ; while far in the distance a huge semi- 
 circle of mountains shut in the view with a rampart of 
 frowning crags, which looked as though nothing but a bird 
 could hope to cross them. Now when the captain of the 
 ship beheld this fearsome place and saw that the resistless 
 current was bearing the vessel straight] for the narrow 
 channel between the rocks, he threw up his hands in 
 agony, and crying, " We are lost ! we are lost ! " fell down 
 and swooned upon the deck with terror. But as soon as 
 he came to himself Duke Astulf asked him in amazement 
 what could be the reason of his despair, for to him and his 
 companions the sight of land was as welcome as the first 
 warm breeze of April to the budding hedgerows .long 
 nipped by the piercing blasts of March. And the captain 
 answered: "Alas! my masters, better had it been for us 
 to perish in the angry sea than to seek refuge on this 
 blood-stained shore ! For beyond those rocks lie the 
 harbour and city of Issus in Cilicia ; and there dwell the 
 manslaying women, whom all sailors and merchants dread 
 more than the African quicksands or the fatal clifts of 
 Malea. There the women bear rule and clothe themselves 
 in mail for battle, but the men stay at home, and clad in 
 women's robes ply the needle and the loom and do the 
 service of the house ; only ten men of the whole nation are 
 trained in the use of arms for the fulfilment of an ancient 
 custom. For whenever a foreign vessel comes into their 
 power they lead the whole crew into captivity, and those of 
 gentle birth are hanged outright upon the gallows, but the 
 meaner sort are kept in chains to till the ground or pasture 
 
CHAP. IV.] THE WOMEN OF ISSUS. 147 
 
 the flocks and herds, and with cruel oppression their 
 slavery is made worse than the worst of deaths ; and thus 
 these pitiless women deal with all who fall into their hands, 
 unless there be among them any knight of such valour as 
 to essay the appointed trial of his strength and grace. 
 And the trial is this : he must first vanquish in the lists 
 the ten warriors who alone among their men are trained 
 to arms for this very purpose, and afterwards he must keep 
 up the dance with ten of their damsels the whole night 
 long without rest or pause or sign of weariness. And if he 
 pass victoriously through the trial, his comrades are free to 
 go whithersoever they please, but he himself remains in the 
 city with great honour as commander of their armies and 
 chief of their band of champions : but if he be either van- 
 quished in the field or make a single false step in the 
 dance, he must be slain on the morrow amid cruel 
 torments, and all his companions will end their days in 
 hateful slavery. And rather would I plunge a dagger into 
 my own breast, or cast myself amid the raging waves, than 
 bend my neck to the yoke of these abominable women !" 
 
 Now when Astulf and his companions heard what the 
 captain said they were mightily cheered in spirit, for they 
 had had more than enough of the terrors and perils of the 
 sea, but they feared no danger where there were lances to 
 be broken and swords to be drawn in the stricken field. 
 And Marfisa laughed aloud, and thought to herself: "Truly 
 this city of warrior dames would be just the place for me ;" 
 but she said nothing, because the captain and all his crew 
 supposed her to be a man, and she had no wish to un- 
 deceive them. But Astulf comforted the worthy captain, 
 and bade him fear nothing, for he or one of his comrades 
 would surely deliver all of them from this danger. While 
 he was yet speaking, a great galley, rowed by slaves who 
 were chained to their oars, and filled with warrior women 
 armed from head to foot, came swiftly through the harbour 
 mouth, and making fast a line to the bows of the ship 
 towed her across the harbour and up to the city quay. 
 And on the way the women told them of the customs of 
 the place, and asked if there were any man in the ship so 
 
148 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 bold and agile as to essay the trials of the combat and the 
 dance ; to which Astulf made answer, as had been agreed 
 beforehand, that there were there five knights, brothers in 
 arms, all equally eager to be put to the proof, and therefore 
 the lots should decide which of them should be their 
 champion. So they cast lots among themselves, and the 
 lot fell upon Marfisa, whereat she laughed again for glad- 
 ness, and whispered in the ear of Astulf : " Beshrew me, 
 but I will give these iron sisters of mine a lesson in their 
 own craft." So they came to the steps of the quay, where 
 Marfisa and the Paladins made haste to disembark and 
 mount their horses ; but the captain and crew remained 
 closely watched by their captors on the ship and busied 
 themselves with rigging a jurymast and shipping a new 
 rudder, which the women lent them gaily, for they said : 
 "We lend you a rudder to-day, but we shall take your- 
 selves and your ship in payment to-morrow." 
 
 So the ship was towed into the middle of the harbour 
 and there came to an anchor; but the gallant little band rode 
 through the town escorted by a great crowd of women, till 
 they came to the place set apart for tournaments and combats. 
 It was a vast square bounded on all its four sides by great 
 steps of stone, which rose to a height of fifty feet, and were 
 covered with scarlet cushions to serve as seats for the spec- 
 tators ; in the middle of each side were gates of solid 
 bronze, and across the ends were drawn stout barriers of 
 timber behind which the knights could await their turn for 
 jousting. Through the southern gate Marfisa and her 
 comrades rode into the square, and the Paladins remained 
 seated on their horses behind the barrier, but their 
 champion passed beyond it and prepared for the coming of 
 her opponents. She rode a charger of dapple gray with 
 faultless points and magnificent paces, given to her by 
 King Noureddin, who had picked him out as the best 
 horse in all his stable and adorned him with a rich capari- 
 son in token of the honour in which he held her ; and she 
 wielded a lance so stout and heavy that four squires could 
 scarcely lift it from the ground, but to the strong hand of 
 Marfisa it felt as light as the plume upon her casque. 
 
CHAP. IV.] MARFISA PLAYS THE CHAMPION. 149 
 
 Very soon the seats were filled with an eager throng of 
 steel-clad women and petticoated men, and to the sound of 
 bugles and trumpets the ten warriors entered the square by 
 the northern gate. The first of the band rode proudly 
 into the hsts on a splendid horse with a coat of raven 
 black save for a small star of white upon the forehead ; 
 and he was clad in black armour with a white star in the 
 centre of his shield, and looked as though he were worth 
 all the other nine put together for strength and skill. And 
 when the bugles sounded for the onset he alone showed 
 practice of chivalry, for he disdained to take his enemy at 
 a disadvantage, and drew aside to watch the issue of her 
 combat with his companions. These rode all together to 
 the attack, but Marfisa came thundering against the first of 
 them with such a shock that her lance's point pierced 
 clean through shield and buckler and stood out a couple 
 of feet behind the warrior's back. Without waiting to dis- 
 engage the body from her lance the Princess bore down 
 upon the second of the band, and caught him such a blow 
 upon the throat that she laid him with a broken neck upon 
 the ground ; and the same fate befell the third and fourth 
 whom she encountered, for though the whole nine of them 
 broke many a lance upon her armour, IMarfisa cared no 
 more for the thrusts that she received than the wall of a 
 tennis-court cares for the strokes of the balls against its 
 surface. But when she reached the farther end of the lists, 
 she threw away the lance still cumbered with the dead 
 knight's body, and drawing her sword from the scabbard 
 hastened to make mincemeat of the five who still opposed 
 her. One had his head shorn from his shoulders, two she 
 clave through the skull, and slew a fourth with a thrust 
 between the ribs; while she caught up .the fifth, who 
 turned and fled from before her, and cut him across the 
 waist with such a stroke that his head and breast fell 
 severed to the ground, while his legs remained upon the 
 saddle and were borne by his frightened courser round the 
 lists. 
 
 Now when tlie Chief saw that all his warriors were 
 vanquished and slain he came forward in his turn to meet 
 
I50 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 ]Marfisa, but first he raised his hand as though he would 
 speak with her, and when he saw that she stayed to Hsten 
 he said : " VaUant Sir Knight, it were discourteous in me 
 to come against you now that you are wearied with combat, 
 and though I vanquished you such victory would bring me 
 little honour ; wherefore I beseech you take your rest and 
 recover your strength this night, and to-morrow morning we 
 will prove which of us is the better fighter." But Marfisa 
 answered him : "I thank you for your courtesy, Sir Knight, 
 but I am not unused to the exercise of arms and yield not 
 for so slight cause to weariness, and there are yet two hours 
 of day before us wherein I may prove to you that my arm 
 has not lost its strength, and which it were shame to waste 
 in slothful dalliance." And the Chief replied : " Would 
 that all my wishes were satisfied as readily as I satisfy yours 
 in this matter ! " and therewith he bade his squire bring two 
 mighty lances and invited Marfisa to choose whichever of 
 them pleased her best, and taking the other for himself 
 galloped to his post before the barrier. As soon as the 
 trumpet sounded they rushed forward at full gallop to the 
 encounter, while all the spectators held their breath to 
 watch them ; and they met in the very centre of the lists 
 with such a shock that the stout lances of green oak 
 splintered into a thousand fragments as though they had 
 been dry sticks of brittle willow, while the legs of their 
 chargers failed beneath them and the black horse and the 
 gray rolled upon the plain together. Quick as lightning the 
 champions leaped from their fallen steeds and renewed the 
 battle with their swords. With thrust and parry, stroke and 
 counter-stroke, they strove together for the mastery, and 
 the steel blades clashed upon shield and helmet as the 
 hammers ring upon the anvil ; but neither could have any 
 advantage over the other, and Marfisa said to herself: 
 " Well was it for me that this warrior stood aside at the 
 first, for had he come against me with the rest I had surely 
 been slain upon the field." But the Knight of the White 
 Star was not less astonished at the prowess of his enemy, 
 and thought : " Well was it for me that this gallant knight 
 accepted not my offer of repose, for now that I am fresh 
 
CHAP. IV.] A GALLANT YOUNG CHIEF. 151 
 
 while he is wearied I have much ado to hold my own 
 against him." For two hours they maintained this wonder- 
 ful battle with equal fortune and unabated fury ; but when 
 the sun was set and the brief twilight faded into darkness, 
 the Chief w^ent backwards a step, and raising his hand for a 
 parley, said : " Valiant Sir Knight, the day is fairly spent, 
 and to fight at random in the darkness brings no honour to 
 either of us ; I pray you therefore to tarry with me this 
 night, you and all your comrades ; for if you abide else- 
 where in the city the women whose husbands you have 
 slain will stir up a tumult against you ; but in my house 
 you can rest in safety till I slay you in fair fight to-morrow 
 morning." And Marfisa answered him : "Sir Knight, it 
 were better not to boast beforehand, seeing that hitherto you 
 have had little advantage over me ; but for your courtesy 
 my comrades and I render you hearty thanks and with 
 good will we accept your hospitality." 
 
 So they all followed after the Chief and came with him 
 to his house ; but when they took off their helmets in the 
 banqueting hall great was the astonishment of the whole 
 company, for the valiant chief appeared a lad not yet twenty 
 years old, and Marfisa and the Paladins marvelled how 
 such a stripling should be come to so great skill and valour; 
 and no less amazed was the youthful knight at beholding 
 the golden hair which fell down over the shoulders of the 
 Princess ; for even in that land of warrior dames he had 
 never found a woman to compare wdth her in prowess. 
 Then Marfisa told him of her name and country and asked 
 him of his own, but he answered : " Noble Lady, I pray 
 you excuse me yet a little while, for the supper is now 
 ready and a fasting tongue is an ill talker ; but when we 
 have eaten and drunk I will make true answer to all your 
 questioning." So they sat down all together at the board, 
 and when they had taken their fill of meat and wine the 
 young Chief turned to his guests and said : " Noble Lady 
 and gallant Knights, I think that you will all know some- 
 what of my lineage, which is famous throughout the w'orld, 
 for I am sprung from the house of Clairmont and my father 
 is Duke Hammon, Lord of Montalbano. Men call me 
 
152 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 Guy the Wild, because I have sojourned from my boyhood 
 in the rude forests by the banks of the Danube, and ten 
 months since I was returning thence to join my kindred in 
 their home when a strong wind caught my vessel and drove 
 me to this bay of Issus, Here I came victorious through 
 the trials of the combat and the dance ; whereupon the 
 women made me Chief of their champions, and gave me 
 this palace to dwell in, and wedded me to the fairest of 
 their damsels ; but though I am held in great honour and 
 bear rule in the land, yet I count the days of my captivity 
 and sigh for an occasion to escape with my wife to the fair 
 land of France." Now when Astulf heard this and found 
 that the lad was son to his cousin Hammon, he embraced 
 him lovingly and spoke to him of his brother Raynald and 
 his sister the noble Bradamante ; and at last he added : 
 " Verily, Sir Guy, the hour is now come for the fulfilment 
 of your wish, for here are we four Paladins of France, and 
 with us is the great Princess Marfisa at whose name all 
 Asia trembles, and if you join yourself to us and do battle 
 by our side, by my faith I think it will take six Rolands to 
 overthrow us. And I count it a monstrous thing that these 
 women should hold in captivity a brother of Raynald and 
 Bradamante ; wherefore I pray you devise by what means 
 we may best make our escape hence, and be sure that our 
 swords will not fail you in the enterprise." Thereat the 
 fierce light shone in Marfisa's eyes, and she added her 
 voice to Astulf's, and her words were few and fiery, for she 
 said : " All we have to do is to kill the women and burn 
 the city." But Guy the Wild shook his head and answered 
 with a sad smile : " O my friends ! gladly will I stand 
 by you and share your fortunes, but hope not to escape 
 hence alive ; for ten thousand women will be gathered to- 
 morrow in the great square, while as many more will be 
 kept to guard the walls and forts ; and all these are trained 
 to battle from their childhood ; so that although we avenge 
 ourselves by the slaughter of some hundreds, we must be 
 vanquished by their numbers in the end." At this Marfisa 
 curled her lip and cried : " The more oppose us, the more 
 will meet their death ;" but the young Chief shook his head 
 
CHAP. IV.] HARD KNOCKS AND A LOUD NOISE. 153 
 
 again and said : " Since you are resolved upon this adven- 
 ture I will loyally brave it in your company, for to remain 
 here is worse to me than death. Hear therefore what I 
 propose, for I see no other hope of safety. Your sailors 
 have repaired the damage done to your vessel, but we need 
 a boat to reach her, and it is instant death for a man to be 
 seen upon the shore. Now I will send my wife, who is 
 faithful and true, to prepare a boat against our coming, and 
 in the morning we will go all together and fight our way 
 down to the quay ; but before we can come thither we must 
 needs pass through the great square where the women will 
 be assembled, and there we must clear a passage with our 
 swords or perish in the attempt." Then he called Aleria 
 his wife and told her of his design, and she promised to 
 help him to the uttermost of her power, for she loved him 
 better than her life. So she went to the quay and made 
 ready a swift-sailing boat, and stored it with food and wine, 
 saying to her companions that she purposed making an 
 expedition the next day ; and coming secretly to speech 
 with the captain of the merchantman she bade him be 
 ready to sail upon the morrow as soon as the boat should 
 be alongside, and when everything was prepared as she 
 desired she returned to her husband's palace. 
 
 The next morning Aleria returned to the quay betimes 
 and held her boat in readiness to sail, while the gallant 
 little band rode into the great square greeted by the cheers 
 of the assembled thousands, who supposed that they came 
 to renew the fight of yesterday. But when they saw that 
 they rode all together to the farther gates they easily guessed 
 at their intention, and there arose such a "tumult as is im- 
 possible to describe or imagine ; for the whole assembly of 
 women sprang to their feet and rushed to bar the passage ; 
 and though scores of them fell stricken by the blows of the 
 valiant knights, yet the rest pressed on undaunted from 
 behind and attacked them with such fury that Marfisa and 
 Sansonet had their horses killed under them, and the whole 
 company were like to be overwhelmed by the raging mass 
 of their assailants. Then our jovial EngUshman thought it 
 high time to try a touch of magic ; so clearing a little space 
 
154 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 around him with a great sweep of his sword, he put his 
 wonderful horn to his Hps and blew such a blast as made 
 the bronze doors fly open with a bang, while the ground 
 trembled as though an earthquake had shaken all the place. 
 At the first sound of that terrible instrument the women 
 dropped their swords and shields in terror and fled away 
 as fast as their legs could carry them ; some rushed towards 
 the mountains on the north, others to the cliffs to south- 
 ward ; many were trampled to death by the hurrying throng 
 behind them, and many leaped headlong into the sea and 
 perished by drowning in the waters. And the horrid noise 
 affrighted friends and foes alike, so that the dauntless 
 Marfisa herself, who never feared a foe, and Guy the Wild, 
 and Sansonet, and the sons of Oliver, all turned tail like so 
 many hares with the greyhounds in their rear and scampered 
 to the quay, where they jumped into Aleria's boat, and 
 thence into their own vessel, and never recovered from their 
 panic till many a league of w^ater lay between them and the 
 Cilician coast. Then they looked one upon another and 
 could scarcely speak for shame ; but it was now too late 
 to return, so they continued their voyage and in due time 
 came safely to the shores of France. 
 
 Meanwhile Astulf had been running all about the city 
 blowing louder and yet louder blasts upon his horn, till not 
 a soul was left within a dozen miles of the place, except a 
 few poor wretches who had thrown themselves from the 
 windows of their houses and lay with broken legs upon the 
 pavement. But when the Duke was tired of his music he 
 came laughing down to the quay, expecting to find his 
 comrades awaiting him in the boat ; but he found not a 
 sign of them in all the place, till at last he looked seaw^ard 
 and saw the white sail vanishing through the narrow 
 channel. At that he felt thoroughly vexed, for he was of a 
 sociable turn and had no great liking for his own company ; 
 but making the best of a bad job, he went into a deserted 
 palace and helped himself to a round of beef and a flask of 
 Chian wine, and consoled himself for the absence of his 
 companions with a hearty luncheon. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW ASTULF DESTROYED THE ENCHANTED PALACE OF 
 ATLAS AND BECAME MASTER OF THE HIPPOGRIF. 
 
 Luckily for Astulf, Rabican had come unhurt out of the 
 fierce battle with the women of Issus, in which Marfisa's 
 dapple-gray and Sansonet's roan were killed. So as soon 
 as the Duke had finished his beef and wine, he filled his 
 flask and cut himself a good packet of sandwiches, in case 
 he should be hungry or thirsty by the road ; then he patted 
 his noble courser on the neck and said : " My Rabican, for 
 this time you must be my ship and carry me safely on my 
 way to England." And at the sound of England Rabican 
 pricked up his ears and pawed the ground in his eagerness 
 to be off; so i\stulf looked to his girths and vaulted into 
 the saddle, and set out to travel overland by the northern 
 road. He crossed over many a mountain pass, and forded 
 many a rapid stream, and if he had been on the back of 
 any other horse, he could hardly have- come safely through 
 so perilous a journey. Often, too, the wild mountain tribes 
 moved to attack him, but he knocked them down with the 
 golden lance, or dispersed them with the magic horn, if 
 they persisted in giving him trouble ; and thus he rode 
 securely through the heart of Armenia, and reached the 
 land of Angora, where the sheep have fleeces a foot in 
 length, and as fine as the finest camel's hair ; indeed, some 
 people say that the wool grows ready dyed upon their 
 backs, but for my part I don't believe it. 
 
 Thence he followed the track to the north-west, till he 
 came to Scutari on the Bosi^horus ; and there he hailed a 
 
156 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 ferry-boat, which took him over the strait to Constantinople, 
 where the Greeks still reigned supreme, for the Turks had 
 not yet arisen to destroy their empire. 
 
 Here Astulf had to content himself with a slice of bread 
 and cheese for supper, because the Greeks were all busy 
 disputing over a subtle question of philosophy, so that no 
 one had time to cut up the meat or gather the vegetables 
 for dinner. 
 
 Leaving Constantinople, the Duke struck northward 
 again, and crossing the great Balkan mountains, came 
 down to the banks of the blue Danube, which he followed 
 through Servia and Hungary. Then he urged Rabican to 
 his best pace, and sped so swiftly through the states of 
 Germany, that in a few days he came to the great city of 
 Cologne upon the Rhine ; whence he journeyed down the 
 river into Flanders, and there took ship for London. 
 
 Very joyful was the bold Duke at sighting once more 
 the white shores of his native England ; and " Ah ! " he 
 exclaimed, " if ever I am turned into a tree again, I will 
 choose to be a lordly oak in the merry glades of Sherwood, 
 or a tall thin poplar mirrored in some quiet backwater of 
 the silvern Thames." But when he arrived in London, it 
 seemed as though he were come to a city of the dead. 
 Scarce a soul was to be seen about the once busy docks 
 where he landed ; not a man-at-arms was left to guard the 
 Tower; and the portly Beefeaters who remained there 
 looked haggard and melancholy, and sighed for the good 
 old times when every day brought a royal banquet to be 
 served, and every evening a band of merry comrades to 
 help them in disposing of the remnants. 
 
 Struck with amazement, and fearing lest some terrible 
 calamity had overwhelmed his country, Astulf asked the 
 reason of this desolation. And he was told that the King 
 with more than half his knights and barons had long 
 been fighting by the side of the Emperor Charlemagne 
 against the Saracens ; but since the battle of the Pyrenees 
 was lost, all the rest of his chivalry, and every able-bodied 
 man in the country, had been summoned to the defence of 
 Paris. Now when Astulf heard this, he leaped back into 
 
CHAP, v.] ASTULF RETURNS TO FRANCE, 157 
 
 his saddle without a moment's repose, crying : " By my 
 haUdome, I would not miss this giving of knocks for all 
 the world ! " So he started for Dover that afternoon, and 
 engaged a boat to carry him over the straits to Calais. 
 
 The wind blew strongly from the east, and the captain 
 of the vessel was ill pleased at the notion of putting to sea 
 in such dirty weather; but the impatient Duke refused to 
 delay his voyage, and persuaded him to make the attempt 
 by an offer of double passage-money. They were not half 
 way across the Straits, however, before the wind increased 
 to a furious tempest, so that they could neither make the 
 port of Calais, nor return to their anchorage at Dover ; and 
 to save the ship there was nothing for it but to run before 
 the gale, which drove her westward down the Channel. 
 For many hours they were all in peril of their lives ; but 
 at last they managed to run safely into the harbour of St. 
 Malo, where Astulf rewarded the captain and crew with 
 such heaps of money as made them wish their timbers 
 might be shivered if they would not run a like risk every 
 week for so generous a land-lubber. 
 
 Then the jovial Duke made haste to saddle his Rabican, 
 and set out to encounter the Saracens. But presently he 
 came to the very forest where Roger had lost the Hippo- 
 grif, and in the midst of which the cunning Atlas had built 
 his enchanted palace. I hope you have not forgotten that 
 I promised to tell you how Roger and Bradamante were 
 delivered from this house of the old enchanter, where they 
 would have wandered for the rest of their lives if Astulf 
 had not come to the rescue. Of course the Duke knew 
 nothing of either palace or magician when he crossed the 
 borders of the forest ; but he rode through it in the heat 
 of the day, at the hour when the sheep cease browsing, and 
 lie with their legs doubled under them upon the ground, 
 while the shepherd and his panting dog take their mid-day 
 slumber beneath the branches of a spreading beech. The 
 hot sun gleamed through the trees and smote upon the 
 armour of our Paladin, who was wearied with his ceaseless 
 travelling, and parched with intolerable thirst. In this 
 state he came to the beautiful spring which had tempted 
 
158 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iii. 
 
 Prince Roger before him, and which seemed to invite him 
 to moisten his burning throat with a draught of its spark- 
 ling waters. Without an instant's hesitation he leaped 
 down from the back of Rabican, and tying the bridle to a 
 tree ran to slake his thirst at the fountain ; but first he 
 unlaced his hemlet and laid it on the moss beside him. 
 Then he plunged his head into the refreshing water, and 
 was in the middle of a delicious draught when a hunch- 
 backed dwarf sprang suddenly out of the thicket, and 
 snatching up the helmet from the bank scampered off with 
 it along the woodland path. After him rode the Duke as 
 fast as his horse could carry him ; but though Rabican was 
 swifter than the lightning, the dwarf's crooked legs moved 
 by magic, and besides he had got a good start while Astulf 
 was busy unfastening his reins and leaping into the saddle. 
 In the twinkling of an eye they came to the gate of the 
 palace and dashed almost together through the entrance ; 
 but no sooner were they inside the enclosure than the 
 dwarf vanished from the sight of his bewildered pursuer, 
 who went hunting all over the palace in the hopeless effort 
 to find him. He sought him in every chamber and poked 
 his nose into every cupboard of the house ; down into the 
 cellars and up into the attics he rambled, till not a hole or 
 corner had escaped his gaze ; and w^hen he had ransacked 
 the place once without result, he went a second and a third 
 time over the same ground, but of course he could find no 
 trace of his light-fingered little hunchback. 
 
 Now when his third search proved as fruitless as the 
 others, it occurred to him that there must be magic at 
 w^ork ; and straightway he consulted his Book of Spells to 
 see if it made mention of this wonderful palace. And 
 as soon as he laid the book in his hand, it opened of its 
 own accord at the very page that he wanted ; wherein he 
 found a full description of the palace, with the name of the 
 magician Atlas who had built it, and an account of the 
 enchantments on which it depended. The book said that 
 beneath the threshold was buried an image of wax, in which 
 the spirit who maintained the place was imprisoned, and 
 which was encased in a sheet of parchment covered with 
 
CHAP, v.] DESTROYS THE PALACE OF ATLAS, 159 
 
 spells and incantations and cabalistic figures of ever}' 
 description. Whoever wished to destroy the enchantment 
 must first cut this parchment in pieces and scatter the frag- 
 ments to the four winds, and then release the spirit from 
 his prison by chopping off" the head of the waxen figure ; 
 after wiiich the spell would be broken and the palace would 
 dissolve in a cloud of smoke. 
 
 When he read this, Astulf lost no time in making his 
 way to the threshold and trying the weight of the door-step 
 which covered the buried image. But cunning old Atlas 
 was watching him all the while, and had no mind that he 
 should destroy his fine building and release the noble 
 knights who were detained within it. So he took to his 
 magic arts again, and made our Duke appear to all the 
 knights in the shape which they had chivied across the 
 forest. To Roger he seemed the peasant who had stolen 
 away the Hippogrif, to Bradamante the giant who had run 
 off with her Prince upon his back ; one thought he was the 
 witch who had snatched the helmet from his head, and to 
 another he appeared as the urchin who had filched his 
 golden spurs. Thus they all rushed at him with one accord 
 to take vengeance for the wrongs which Atlas had inflicted 
 on them ; Roger made towards him from the right and the 
 noble Bradamante from the left, while Gradasso King of 
 China and Brandimart the friend of Roland bore down to 
 attack him in front. With them came full fifty other 
 knights, both Christians and Saracens, and Atlas might well 
 suppose that this clever trick had saved his enchanted 
 palace. But Astulf was not yet at the end of his resources ; 
 and seeing that so many noble warriors, some of whom 
 were a match for him in single combat, were now banded 
 together to overwhelm him, he cried : " JNIagic for magic, 
 my friends ; let us see whether mine or the enchanter's is 
 the stronger." And immediately he put his marvellous 
 horn to his lips and blew " God save the Queen " in three 
 different keys at once, and so loud that the horrible discord 
 was heard all the way from France to the Crystal Palace. 
 At that hideous noise every soul in the place clapped his 
 hands to his ears and ran for his life into the forest, while 
 
i6o PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 foremost of all in the flight was the old enchanter himself, 
 whose legs had never moved at such a pace since he played 
 his last game of football more than fifty years before. And 
 not only did the knights rush wildly out of the enchanted 
 precincts, but all the horses broke out of the stables and 
 raced after their terrified masters, so that not a living 
 creature was left with the jovial Duke except the Hippogrif, 
 whose golden bit prevented him from getting away, and 
 Rabican, whom his master caught by the bridle before he 
 could start to join the rest. And this was the way in which 
 Roger and Bradamante escaped out of the hand of Atlas, 
 and found themselves riding side by side in the forest. 
 
 Now when Astulf was left to himself he set to work 
 again with a will, and with a great tug wrenched up the 
 heavy doorstep from its place. Under it he found a trench, 
 at the bottom of which lay the waxen image completely 
 covered over with its wrapping of parchment, as the Book 
 of Spells had described it. Lifting up the bundle, the Duke 
 tore off this parchment case, which he cut into a thousand 
 fragments and scattered to the four winds. Then he 
 raised his sword in both hands and chopped off the head 
 of the image, and immediately he saw a red flame spring 
 from the neck and consume the figure which had enclosed 
 it, so that the soft wax melted away to nothing before his 
 eyes. And as soon as all trace of the image had disappeared, 
 the palace with its stables and gardens vanished suddenly 
 in a cloud of smoke, and Astulf was left standing in the 
 lonely forest between Rabican on his left hand and the 
 Hippogrif on his right. 
 
 He noticed with joy that the winged beast still wore his 
 golden bit, which made him as quiet and docile as a lamb, 
 and which Astulf had seen given to Roger by the wise 
 Queen Logistilla ; and he thought to himself : " Here is a 
 fine charger for me to ride about the world in quest of 
 adventures." So he took his saddle off his own horse and 
 threw it over the back of the Hippogrif; then he drew the 
 girths tight, and would have started that instant on his 
 voyage, but a thought of his faithful Rabican detained him. 
 Well might he love that noble steed, who had borne him 
 
CHAP, v.] AND MOUNTS THE HIPPOGRIF. i6i 
 
 safely through so many perils and encounters ; and he 
 could not bear to leave the loyal animal to shift for himself 
 in the forest. So he resolved to wait where he was till 
 somebody should pass by who could be trusted to take 
 good care of the son of Flame and Wind. And for two 
 days and two nights he waited without seeing a human 
 creature ; but as the third day was drawing to a close he 
 beheld a gallant-looking warrior come riding towards him 
 leading a spare horse saddled and bridled by his side. 
 Presently the warrior came near, and Astulf perceived that 
 it was no other than his cousin Bradamante, who had 
 wandered thus for two days since she killed the traitor 
 Pinabel and recovered her charger out of his possession. 
 Very glad was Duke Astulf at falling in so luckily with the 
 noble damsel, and gave her cousinly greeting ; after which 
 he begged her to take charge of Rabican till he should 
 come again to claim him at her hands. To this Brada- 
 mante willingly consented, and Astulf gave her also the 
 lance of gold to keep for him ; for he said : "A lance 
 would only be cumbersome to me while I have the book, 
 the horn, and my good sword, to aid me in all adventures." 
 So Bradamante took charge of Rabican and the golden 
 lance ; whereupon Astulf immediately bade her an affection- 
 ate farewell, and leaping upon the Hippogrif's back rose 
 gently through the air, and was soon lost to sight above the 
 tree-tops. 
 
 Bradamante had now two horses to lead besides the one 
 upon which she rode ; and although all the three were 
 quiet to her hand, she had trouble enough to bring them 
 along together through the forest. Presently, however, she 
 fell in with a peasant of the country, who said that for a 
 reward he would lead the two spare horses behind her, and 
 would also show her the way into Italy and as far as the 
 Abbey of Vallombrosa, where she desired to await the 
 coming of her lover. But the fellow knew less about the 
 road than he pretended, and took her so much out of the 
 right way that after a week of wandering she found herself 
 close to her own home at Montalbano. There she fell in 
 with her brother Alured, and could not refuse to go with 
 
 M 
 
i62 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 him to her father's castle, though she would much rather 
 have continued her journey to Vallombrosa. But when 
 she arrived at home she found herself constrained to stay 
 there ; for the Duchess Beatrice her mother would not 
 suffer her to depart upon any pretence, or to wander any 
 more about the world for the present, and Bradamante 
 was the best and most obedient of daughters. So she 
 stayed quietly at home very much against her will ; and 
 there we must leave her and return to follow her jovial 
 cousin Astulf. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW ASTULF JOURNEYED TO THE MOON, AND WHAT 
 
 HE FOUND THERE. 
 
 I DARESAY you think that Monsieur Jules Verne is the only 
 person who ever found out how to get up to the moon and 
 down again, but I assure you that is quite a mistake, for if 
 you will read this chapter you will learn that an Englishman 
 l^erformed the feat in safety some eleven hundred years 
 before the clever Frenchman thought of shooting up his 
 adventurous party from a cannon ; and, what is more, you 
 will find that the Englishman got much more fun out of 
 his expedition than Jules Verne's scientific travellers, and 
 saw a great many things that quite escaped their notice. 
 But before I describe to you what Duke Astulf found in the 
 moon I must tell you a little about his journey over the 
 kingdoms of the earth, which was destined to lead to im- 
 portant results, as the fifth part of this history will show you. 
 From the forest where he parted from Bradamante he 
 guided the Hippogrif southwards over France, and crossed 
 the Pyrenees into Spain, where he took only an hour or two 
 to fly over the kingdoms of Navarre and Castile, and so 
 came to the southern province of Andalusia. Just as the 
 sun was setting he arrived at the rich city of Seville, where 
 the oranges now grow which are sent every year to Dundee 
 to be made into marmalade for your breakfast. But when 
 Astulf was there this trade with Scotland had not begun ; 
 for the Moors were masters over Spain, and Seville was one 
 of their chief cities. There our Englishman beheld how 
 the women of the place flocked down in the twilight to the 
 
i64 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 banks of the Guadalquivir and bathed together in its noble 
 stream — a custom which they say is as old as the city itself, 
 and which may still be in force for aught I know to the 
 contrary. At all events, Prosper Merimee witnessed it less 
 than fifty years ago, and described it in a tale which will 
 charm the world for ever, even though railways and news- 
 papers may do all they can to make one man as dull as 
 another, and may succeed in imi^roving all quaint customs 
 of the sort off the face of this very much civilised earth, 
 
 Astulf stayed only one night in Seville, and the next 
 morning flew on to Gibraltar ; but little did he dream as 
 he looked down upon that barren rock that it would one 
 day fall into the hands of his countrymen, and be defended 
 by them through a siege which would make the name of 
 Elliot glorious in the long record of English heroism. 
 From Gibraltar the Duke passed over the Straits to Morocco, 
 where he turned the Hippogrif's head to the east, and flew 
 right over the terrible Rodomont's kingdom of "Algeria, till 
 he came to the realm of Tunis, where the Saracen leader, 
 King Agramant, bare rule. There he visited the seaport 
 city of Biserta, which was then the capital of all Tunis ; 
 and beholding its magnificence he was struck by a brilliant 
 idea, for he thought : " If only I could besiege this city 
 now that its King is away in France, what a service I should 
 do the Emperor and all the Christian army !" For the 
 present, however, he had no means of carrying out so vast 
 a project ; but he treasured it in his memory, and bided a 
 suitable opportunity. Then he flew on over Tripoli and 
 the hot sands of the Libyan Desert, till he came to the 
 fertile plain of Egypt, where he dismounted from his 
 Hippogrif to pass the night in Cairo. The Egyptians had 
 not forgotten how he had delivered them from Orrilus and 
 Caligorant, and welcomed him back to Cairo with marvel- 
 lous joy and honour ; moreover they tried to persuade him 
 to take up his abode among them for a time, but xAstulf had 
 other fish to fry ; so he stayed only two days in Cairo, just 
 to gratify the people who thronged to see him, and on the 
 third day he mounted again and flew over the Southern 
 desert, till he saw beneath him the green oasis in which the 
 
CHAP. V].] DUKE ASTULF IN NUBIA. 165 
 
 old temple of Jupiter Ammon was built. Here he halted 
 for an hour and refreshed himself with a handful of dates 
 and a draught of water ; after which he sent his winged 
 steed along at his best pace, till he reached the territories 
 of the mighty empire of Nubia. This flourishing realm was 
 governed by the Christian Emperor Senapo, whom the 
 Europeans called Prester John, and who ruled over more 
 than a hundred powerful negro tribes and nations. 
 
 Now Astulf had often heard of the fame of this Prester 
 John, who was celebrated as a wise and virtuous ruler, and 
 he was very anxious to visit the Court of so renowned an 
 Emperor. So he brought his Hippogrif down to earth in 
 the chief city of the Nubian Empire, and requested the first 
 negro he met to show him the way to the palace. When 
 he came thither he bade the servants say that the English 
 Duke Astulf, a Paladin of France, craved an audience of 
 the Emperor ; and immediately he was led into the great 
 hall where Prester John received his guests. There he saw 
 an old man of noble and reverend mien seated on a throne 
 of ivory and gold, who welcomed him kindly and asked him 
 the latest news from Europe. So Astulf told him about the 
 war between Charlemagne and King Agramant, and they 
 spent more than an hour in pleasant and friendly conversa- 
 tion. But as time went on and the hour of dinner drew 
 near the old Emperor became very sorrowful, and said with 
 a deep sigh : "Sir Knight, I would fain give you such 
 entertainment as you deserve, and I have commanded my 
 servants to spread a rich banquet in your honour ; but I 
 greatly fear that all their trouble will be in vain ; for I am 
 plagued with a brood of loathsome harpies, who snatch all 
 the food from my table and carry it off through the air, so 
 that I and my servants can never take our meals in peace, 
 but are obliged to swallow a mouthful by stealth whenever 
 an opportunity offers." At this Astulf was greatly amazed, 
 and exclaimed : " It grieves me. Sir Emperor, to think that 
 so great and good a Prince should not be able to eat and 
 drink merrily in his own palace ; but I have that by my 
 side which I hope will rid you for ever of your persecutors." 
 Prester John supposed that he meant his sword, and 
 
i66 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 answered sadly: "Alas! my son, these harpies are proof 
 against the keenest steel." But Astulf said : " Take com- 
 fort, Sir Emperor, for I have a more powerful remedy than 
 the sword ; wherefore let the dinner be served, I pray you. 
 and bid your grooms bring my Hippogrif saddled and 
 bridled into the banqueting-hall. Also you must stuff your 
 ears carefully with wax so that you may not be able to hear 
 the loudest noise, and order all your people to do the like, 
 and then I promise you these creatures shall never return 
 to plague you." So the Emperor commanded his servants 
 to do as Astulf had said, and they all went together into the 
 banqueting-hall. 
 
 As soon as the Emperor, his courtiers, servants, and 
 subjects, had all closed their ears with wax, the Duke gave 
 the signal to uncover the dishes and sit down to the 
 splendid feast. Forthwith a rushing sound of wings was 
 heard outside, and the harpies flew through the windows 
 into the hall. They were seven in number and the most 
 loathsome objects in all the world. Their heads and necks 
 were those of women, the ugliest you can imagine ; while 
 in all the rest they were like frightful and enormous 
 vultures ; and they smelt — pah ! you never knew anything 
 so horrible as the smell of them. Astulf gave them no 
 time to attack the victuals, but seized his marvellous horn 
 and soon played them out of the place to the tune of 
 " Over the hills and far away." At the very first note of 
 that terrible instrument the loathsome harpies turned tail, 
 much to the astonishment of the Emperor and his servants, 
 who could not hear the sound because of the wax that 
 stopped their ears. Then Astulf leaped upon the Hippogrif 
 and pursued the harpies out of the window and over the 
 city, playing all the while upon his horn, and laughing to 
 see the scared monsters flap their great wings faster and 
 faster in the vain endeavour to get out of earshot. Louder 
 and louder he played as he chased them far beyond old 
 Prester John's dominions ; and so great was their terror 
 that they flew frantically on to the end of the world, where 
 they toppled over the edge and have never been heard of 
 since. But Astulf returned laughing to the Emperor's 
 
CHAP. VI.] A CHASE AFTER HARPIES. 167 
 
 palace, and helped his grateful host to demolish the 
 first hearty meal he had been able to enjoy for twenty 
 years. 
 
 As you may suppose, the Emperor's thankfulness knew 
 no bounds, and he begged Astulf to name any recompense 
 he chose, saying : " Whatsoever you ask I will freely give it 
 you and count myself still your debtor for so great a 
 service." But Astulf answered : "Sir Emperor, I pray you 
 delay the granting of your favours for a few days, seeing 
 that I am minded to go to-morrow to the summit of the 
 mountains of the moon, whither no man has ever been able 
 to ascend before me. But when I have been thither I will 
 return to you again, and ask of you a boon which shall be 
 for your honour and mine, and for the great advantage of 
 all Christendom." So Prester John promised that he would 
 perform the Duke's request whatever it might be and when- 
 ever he should see fit to make it; and Astulf set off the next 
 morning to fly up the mountains of the moon, which formed 
 one boundary of the Nubian Empire, as a map of Africa 
 will show you. 
 
 It was true that no man had ever ascended to their top ; 
 for the crags were so steep that neither man nor beast 
 could climb them, and so high that the very birds of the 
 air could scarcely hope to soar to their summit. But the 
 Hippogrif was far stronger than any bird, and Astulf had 
 no doubt that he would bear him safely to the mountain 
 top. In this he was not disappointed, for the winged steed 
 soared up so high that the tall palm-trees beneath him 
 looked no bigger than bunches of fern ; but a thick belt of 
 clouds still stretched above his head and shrouded the 
 summit from his view. Nothing daunted, Astulf flew 
 higher and higher, till at length he rose above the very 
 clouds, and saw before him a level table-land which formed 
 the top of this wonderful mountain chain. Here he dis- 
 mounted, and found to his astonishment that the climate 
 was as warm and balmy as a June day at home, while the 
 whole table-land was laid out as a lovely garden, in which 
 grew flowers and fruits more beautiful than any in the world. 
 Nothing that I could say would give you the faintest idea 
 
1 68 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 of the marvellous charm of this garden, in the centre of 
 which rose a stately palace of the purest ivory, large enough 
 to shelter a nation of kings within its walls, and ornamented 
 throughout with carving more exquisite than that of an 
 Indian casket. 
 
 While Astulf was gazing on this scene of splendour he 
 was approached by a man of noble and courteous aspect, 
 dressed in the toga of an ancient Roman, and bound about 
 the brows with a laurel chaplet, w^ho gave him grave and 
 kindly salutation, saying : " Hail, noble Sir Duke, and 
 marvel not that I know who you are, or that I expected 
 you to-day in these gardens. For this is the Earthly 
 Paradise, where poets have their dwelling after death ; and 
 I am the Mantuan Virgil, who sang the deeds of ^neas, 
 and was the friend of the wise Emperor Augustus. But if 
 you wish to know the reason of your coming hither, it is 
 appointed for you to get back the lost wits of the peerless 
 Count Roland, who is gone mad for love of Angelica, and 
 whose senses have been put away in the moon among the 
 rest of the earth's missing rubbish. Now the mountains 
 on the top of which we stand are called the Mountains of 
 the Moon, because they are the only place from which an 
 ascent to the moon is possible'; and this very night I intend 
 to guide you thither on your errand. But first, I pray you, 
 take your dinner wdth us in our palace, for you have need 
 of refreshment to prepare you for so strange a journey." 
 I need hardly tell you that Astulf was delighted at being 
 chosen to go to the moon on so worthy a mission, and 
 thanked the noble poet a thousand times for his courtesy 
 and kindness. But Virgil answered: "It is a pleasure to 
 be of any service to such valiant warriors as Count Roland 
 and yourself;" and thereupon he took the Duke through 
 the shady alleys to the ivory palace which stood in the 
 midst of the garden. 
 
 They passed through the magnificent entrance-hall into 
 a splendid chamber, where they found a great company of 
 poets assembled ; and Virgil told Astulf that this was the 
 ante-room where they waited for their King to lead the way 
 into the refectory. Presently there was a murmur, " The 
 
CHAP. VI.] THE PARADISE OF POETS. 169 
 
 King ! the King ! " the great doors of the refectory were 
 thrown open, and the company of poets ranged themselves 
 in two rows, while their King passed down between their 
 ranks. He was a majestic old man with curly beard and 
 hair, and his broad forehead was furrowed with lines that 
 betokened a life of noble thought ; but alas ! he was totally 
 blind, and leaned upon the shoulder of a beautiful Greek 
 youth who guided him. Every liead was bowed reverently 
 as he passed, and Virgil whispered to his guest: "That is 
 Homer, the Father and King of poets." 
 
 At the end of the refectory was a dais with a table at 
 which Homer took his seat, while another long table 
 stretched down the middle of the hall ; but Astulf saw with 
 surprise that three places were laid on the upper board, 
 though the King was apparently to sit there alone. But 
 Virgil explained the reason, and said : " You must under- 
 stand, Sir Duke, that it is our custom to lay a place for 
 every poet who will ever ascend to this Earthly Paradise ; 
 and as yet there is none here worthy to sit beside our 
 Father Homer. But after some five hundred and fifty years 
 the seat at his left hand will be taken by the Florentine 
 Dante, who will find here the rest and happiness denied to 
 him in his lifetime. The place on the right of the King, 
 however, will remain vacant three hundred years more ; 
 but then it will be filled by a countryman of your own, and 
 Shakspeare will receive the honour due to him as the 
 third great poet of the world." With these words Virgil 
 took his seat at the head of the lower table, and motioned 
 Astulf to an empty place at his right hand, saying : " This 
 seat also will remain a long while vacant, being kept for 
 another of your countrymen, who will come hither after 
 more than a thousand years. He will be reviled and 
 slandered in his lifetime ; but after his death the very fools 
 who abused him will pretend to admire and understand 
 him, while here among his brethren he will be welcomed 
 with joy and high honour." So Astulf sat in the seat of 
 Shelley at the right hand of Virgil, and made a hearty 
 dinner off nectar and ambrosia, "which are mighty fine 
 victuals," as he afterwards told his friends at home ; "but a 
 
170 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part in. 
 
 beefsteak and a pint of porter at the Cock are more to my 
 liking." 
 
 After the dinner our Duke took a few hours' sleep ; but 
 at midnight Virgil woke him, and said : " The moon is full 
 to-night and stands straight above our heads ; now. there- 
 fore, it is time for us to depart, and I have ordered Pegasus, 
 the winged steed of poets, to be in readiness, seeing that 
 even your Hippogrif could not perform this flight." So 
 Astulf followed his guide out of the ivory palace, and 
 mounted behind him on the back of Pegasus, who flew 
 straight upwards through the air, and in five minutes landed 
 them in the moon. 
 
 They dismounted in a meadow watered by a broad and 
 deep river, on the banks of which were gathered innumer- 
 able flocks of gulls and jackdaws, while three or four swans 
 swam majestically about the middle of the stream. Presently 
 there came running to the bank a wizened but active old 
 man with a canvas bag slung upon his shoulder, from which 
 he took out bundle after bundle of papers, each with a 
 man's name written upon it in large and legible letters. 
 These papers he flung into the stream, and immediately 
 the gulls and jackdaws flew screaming down to snatch at 
 them and pull them to pieces with their beaks and claws, 
 so that nearly all the papers were quickly torn into shreds, 
 and their fragments scattered to the winds. But a few 
 were saved from destruction by the beautiful swans, who 
 took them up reverently in their beaks and carried them 
 to the shelter of a neighbouring temple. Astulf was eager 
 to know the meaning of so strange a sight ; for he said : 
 " Many a time have I seen birds fight for a crumb of bread 
 or a morsel of meat, but what can induce them to struggle 
 so over strips of useless paper?" And Virgil answered 
 him, and said : " You must know, Sir Duke, that everything 
 which happens on earth has its counterpart here in the 
 moon ; and the papers which you see represent the names 
 of the men who die there below, which are taken away by 
 the old man Time to be cast into the river Oblivion. The 
 gulls and jackdaws answer to the crowds of ignorant and 
 malicious men who help Time to destroy the reputations of 
 
BY THE RIVKR OBLIVION. — P. 1 70. 
 
A^l>^' 
 
CHAP. VI.] A VALLEY IN THE MOON. 171 
 
 the dead ; but the swans are the poets and historians who 
 rescue the worthiest names from ObHvion, and lay them 
 reverently in the temple of Immortality. The swans, in 
 truth, are very few in number compared with the countless 
 swarm of gulls and jackdaws, but they are enough for the 
 work they have to do, seeing that only a very few names 
 are worthy to be saved from the general destruction." 
 
 Now when they had looked on for a while at this notable 
 sight they left the river Oblivion and proceeded to the 
 valley of Lost Lumber, where the object of their errand was 
 to be found. It was a long though narrow valley shut in 
 between two lofty mountain ridges, and in it were stored 
 away all the things which men lose or waste on earth. 
 Here they found an infinite number of lovers' sighs, beyond 
 which lay the useless moments lost at the gaming-tables, 
 and the long wasted leisure of ignorant and idle men. 
 Next came the vain desires and foolish wishes that can 
 never take effect, and these were heaped together in such 
 quantities that they blocked up the greater part of the valley. 
 Here, too, were mountains of gold and silver which foolish 
 politicians throw away in bribing voters to return them to 
 Parliament ; a little farther on was an enormous pile of 
 garlands with steel gins concealed among their flowers, 
 which Virgil explained to be flatteries ; while a heap of 
 grasshoppers which had burst themselves in keeping up 
 their shrill, monotonous chirp, represented, he said, the 
 dedications and addresses which servile authors used to 
 write in praise of unworthy patrons. In the middle of the 
 valley lay a great pool of spilt broth, and this signified the 
 alms which rich men are too selfish to give away in their 
 lifetime but bequeath to charities in their wills, to be paid 
 out of money they can no longer use. Next Astulf came 
 upon numbers of beautiful dolls from Paris, which little girls 
 throw aside because they prefer their dear old bundles of 
 rags with beads for eyes ; and one of the biggest hillocks 
 in all the place was formed of a pile of knives lost out of 
 careless schoolboys' pockets. In fact, if I tried to tell you 
 everything that our Englishman found in this Valley of Lost 
 Lumber I should want more paper and ink than all the 
 
172 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part hi. 
 
 stationers in London can supply ; for there was not a single 
 thing which you can imagine, except one, of which he did 
 not find a goodly quantity among those endless piles of 
 rubbish. Only there was not a particle of folly to be found 
 there, because folly is the one thing of which men keep a 
 tight hold, and which they never allow to leave the earth 
 where it inhabits. 
 
 Our travellers had to go to the very end of the long 
 valley before they reached the object of their search ; but 
 at last they came to an enormous cavern, in which the lost 
 wits of mankind were stored in green glass bottles. Never 
 was seen so vast or so well stocked a cellar ; for here was 
 a bottle for every man, woman, and child on earth, some 
 greater and some smaller, according to the amount of sense 
 which their owners received at birth. And some of them 
 were half full of wits, some a quarter, and others three- 
 quarters or more ; so that by measuring here the quantity 
 of wits which each man had lost, and doing a very easy 
 little sum in subtraction, you could tell to a tittle how 
 much of his portion still remained to him. Now the wits 
 were a kind of sweet-scented ether, very apt to exhale if not 
 kept tightly corked ; and each of the green bottles bore a 
 label with the name of the man to whom it belonged. 
 Astulf found his own bottle rather more than half full, and 
 this did not much surprise him, for he had never made 
 pretension to any great stock of wisdom. But he was much 
 more astonished at reading the names of several persons 
 who had great repute in the world for unfailing cleverness ; 
 while here you could see by the state of their bottles that 
 they had lost three-quarters of such wits as they ever 
 possessed. Indeed, there v/as not a single empty bottle in 
 the whole collection ; for there never lived a man so 
 prudent as not to lose at least a part of his sense in the 
 course of his time on earth. Some are robbed of it by love, 
 and others by rancorous hate ; one man throws it away in 
 the pursuit of place and power, another in ignoble greed of 
 gain ; some lose it by believing everything they hear, and 
 others by putting faith in nobody. In a word, men have 
 numberless methods of scattering their wits, and are all 
 
CHAP. VI.] COUNT ROLAND'S LOST WITS. 173 
 
 alike only in managing to get quit of them. But Astulf 
 found that the fullest bottles were those of astrologers and 
 their dupes, for these are the silliest people in all the 
 world. 
 
 Now when he had done looking about him and remark- 
 ing the bottles that belonged to his friends and comrades, 
 he took his own up by the neck, as Virgil permitted and 
 advised him, and drawing out the cork clapped the mouth 
 of the bottle to his nostrils. Very soon the missing wits 
 were all sniffed up his nose and returned to their proper 
 place in his brain ; and from that moment the jovial Duke 
 became much wiser than he had been for many a long year 
 before. Then he took up the biggest bottle of all, which 
 bore the name of Roland in letters three inches long upon 
 its label ; and this was full to the very cork, because its 
 owner had lost all his wits through his love for the beautiful 
 x\ngelica. Astulf found Roland's bottle much heavier than 
 he expected, so solid had formerly been the wisdom of the 
 peerless Count ; but he tucked it away comfortably under 
 his arm and prepared to follow Virgil out of the cavern. 
 They returned by the way that they came, through the Valley 
 of Lost Lumber to the banks of the river Oblivion, where 
 they found Pegasus quietly grazing in the meadow. So 
 they jumped upon his back and bade good-bye to the moon 
 and all its wonders, and five minutes afterwards the winged 
 steed had landed them safe at home again in the gardens 
 of the Earthly Paradise. 
 
PART IV. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF PARIS. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW RAYNALD WAS SENT INTO BRITAIN AND SAVED 
 THE LIFE OF THE SCOTCH KING'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Once more, and " positively for the last time," as the play- 
 bills say, I must take you back to the very beginning of our 
 history. You remember how the Emperor Charlemagne 
 retreated upon Paris after losing the battle of the Pyrenees ; 
 how he and his army shut themselves up within the walls ; 
 and how King Agramant led the Saracen forces to besiege 
 them there. Well, the Emperor considered the great 
 multitude of his enemies, and decided that he must rein- 
 force his own army with fresh soldiers, or he would certainly 
 be overpowered in the long run. So the first thing he did 
 on arriving in Paris was to summon Bradamante's brother, 
 the fiery Raynald, into his presence, and charge him to go 
 as his ambassador into Britain to levy troops there for the 
 succour of the beleaguered city. The King of England 
 also, who remained with the Emperor in Paris, gave 
 Raynald letters of authority to act as his lieutenant and 
 summon all the able-bodied men in England to join his 
 standard. And Raynald, though sorry to miss any of the 
 fighting, was well pleased to be entrusted with so honour- 
 able a commission, and set himself straightway to do the 
 Emperor's bidding. 
 
 So he buckled on his armour and girded his sword 
 Fusberta to his side ; then he set the famous helmet of 
 Mambrino on his head, and mounted his noble charger 
 Bayard, and so set out alone on the road to Calais. There 
 he chartered a ship for his passage, and insisted on putting 
 
 N 
 
178 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 to sea at once against the advice of the captain and all the 
 crew, who warned him in vain that the state of the weather 
 was very dangerous. Sure enough they had not sailed a 
 league beyond the harbour before they found it impossible 
 to make any head against the storm, and turned to regain 
 the port from which they started. But even this was now 
 denied them, for the furious wind caught their vessel, driving 
 her into the German Ocean and up along the eastern coast 
 of England. Luckily the ship was a strong one, or she must 
 have foundered in the raging sea ; while, even as it was, 
 her timbers were grievously strained and she ran helplessly 
 before the wind for two days. At last the gale abated so 
 far that the crew were able to steer for shore ; and taking 
 their bearings, they found that they were off the coast of 
 Scotland. Accordingly, they ran into the harbour of Aber- 
 deen, where they docked their ship and set about repairing 
 her damages. 
 
 But Raynald thought it best to travel overland into 
 England ; so he mounted on Bayard and took the southern 
 road. All day he rode through a vast and gloomy pine 
 forest, till he came about sunset to a lonely monastery, 
 where he asked a lodging for the night, and the monks 
 received him gladly with great hospitality, setting meat and 
 wine before him to refresh him after his day's journey. 
 Now when Raynald had eaten and drunk he told the monks 
 of his errand, saying : " I am bound for England to raise 
 troops for the succour of the Emperor in his warfare against 
 the Saracens, and I think to ask help from the King of 
 Scotland too ; but tell me, I pray you, if you know of any 
 enterprise proper for me to undertake by the way whereby 
 I may gain honour and renown in the world." And the 
 monks answered him : " Truly if you will go to St. Andrews, 
 where our King is now holding his Court, you will find just 
 such an enterprise as a gallant knight may rejoice to essay. 
 For the beautiful Princess Guenever, the only daughter of 
 our King, is sorely in need of a champion to maintain her 
 innocence. She stands accused of having made a secret 
 marriage with Poliness, Duke of Albany, without the con- 
 sent of her father; and by our Scotch laws a maiden who 
 
CHAP. I.] RAYNALD SEEKS AN ADVENTURE. 179 
 
 thus neglects the deference due to her parents' authority- 
 must suffer the penalty of death. Now, therefore, a very 
 vahant knight, Sir Lurcan by name, has accused the Prin- 
 cess of this crime, saying that with his own eyes he beheld 
 the wedding ; and the Duke of Albany, who is reputed to 
 be her husband, denies it not ; but the Princess vehemently 
 protests her innocence, vowing that she never suffered the 
 Duke as a suitor, and would rather die than become his 
 wife ; and the King her father would fain believe her story 
 and save her life. Sir Lurcan, however, abides by his 
 accusation, which he offers to prove by ordeal of battle ; 
 wherefore Guenever is doomed to die unless some champion 
 appears within the month to uphold her cause. Alas ! her 
 brother, Prince Zerbin, is still in the land of Spain and 
 knows nothing of his sister's peril ; so that it seems as 
 though she would nowhere find a champion. Yet if her 
 innocence be established, the King promises to give her in 
 marriage with a rich dowry to the knight who offers him- 
 self as her defender, whosoever he be ; and this is such an 
 adventure as well beseems a brave and gentle knight." 
 
 " What ! " cried Raynald in amazement, when the monks 
 had finished their story, " can there be a law so barbarous 
 as to doom a fair damsel to death merely for pleasing her- 
 self in choice of a husband ? Truly I care not whether 
 the Princess Guenever be wife or maid ; but I will uphold 
 her cause with all my might. I pray you therefore, pious 
 brethren, let one of your servants attend me to guide me 
 on my way, for I am impatient to come to the encounter." 
 
 The good monks were delighted with Raynald's bold- 
 ness, and promised that a squire should be ready to attend 
 him on the morrow. So the next morning the Paladin set 
 out with his guide, and took his way through the forest 
 towards St. Andrews. Presently they left the highroad to 
 take a shorter path ; and they had not gone far along it 
 before they heard a woman's voice screaming for help, and 
 saw a very beautiful maiden struggling to escape from a 
 couple of ruffians, who seemed on the point of murdering 
 her. But as soon as Raynald spurred to the rescue the 
 scoundrels fled away into the wood, and left their intended 
 
i8o PALADIN AND SARACEN, [part iv. 
 
 victim unhurt. Then Raynald bade his squire take the 
 maiden on the piUion behind him, and said to her : " Fair 
 damsel, I pray you be content to tell me your history as we 
 ride, for I have no leisure to loiter by the way." And after 
 thanking him for his timely succour, the maiden answered : 
 " Verily, Sir Knight, I will tell you all the truth, though my 
 words will unfold such a tale of villainy as an honourable 
 man can scarcely believe. I am called Dalinda, and I was 
 the friend and chief lady of the beautiful Princess Guenever, 
 who is now brought in peril of her life by a false accusation. 
 The matter befell in this wise : PoHness, Duke of Albany, 
 was long a suitor for the hand of the Princess ; but she was 
 resolute in rejecting his offers, having set her affections on 
 a noble young knight. Sir Ariodant by name, the hand- 
 somest and bravest warrior in all Scotland. Him she 
 promised to marry as soon as she could obtain the King's 
 consent ; and Duke Poliness, finding that he could not 
 prevail to change her determination, resolved to take a 
 deadly revenge upon her. So he secretly paid his court to 
 me, pretending that his love for the Princess was quite at 
 an end, and that he would have no other lady in the world 
 but me ; and I, foolish girl that I was, believed all that he 
 said and loved him with my whole heart. One day he 
 came to me and told me that at last he had found an 
 occasion for accomplishing our desires, and that the same 
 night he would marry me in the little chapel beyond the 
 walls ; but our marriage, he said, must be secret, for he 
 could not yet proclaim me openly as his wife. Also he 
 bade me apparel myself in a magnificent gown which 
 Guenever had lately given me out of her own wardrobe, 
 and put on a wreath and veil of hers which I could easily 
 take for the occasion ; for he said that as he could not 
 and would not wed a Princess, he wished at least that his 
 bride should be royally dressed. Little dreaming for what 
 end he made his request, and suspecting anything rather 
 than treachery in my lover, I joyfully prepared myself for the 
 secret marriage, and promised to do in everything as he 
 desired. Then the traitor having got my promise, went 
 straight to the noble Sir Ariodant, and upbraided him with 
 
CHAP. I.] HOW GUENEVER WAS BETRAYED. i8i 
 
 continuing his suit to the Princess, saying : ' Have you not 
 professed yourself my friend, Sir Ariodant ? And is it 
 a friendly act to plague the Princess with your suit when 
 you know that I am her chosen lover? Surely you ought 
 to give way to me who am your friend, even as I would 
 give way to you if Guenever had chosen you for her 
 husband.' At this Ariodant grew very wroth, protesting 
 that the Princess had promised to marry none but him, and 
 that Poliness must be out of his senses to imagine himself 
 first in her favour. But the false Duke only shrugged his 
 shoulders, and said : ' Promise me to keep my secret and 
 I will give you sure proof of what I say.' And when 
 Ariodant promised, he added : ' Take your stand to-night 
 near the little chapel beyond the walls and you will see me 
 secretly wedded to the Princess.' 
 
 " Now Sir Ariodant was resolved to discover the truth 
 of this matter ; but he knew that Duke Poliness was a 
 treacherous man, and feared that he was trying to lure him 
 into an ambush. So he determined to take with him his 
 brother Sir Lurcan, whom he trusted as his second self, 
 to help him in case he should be attacked ; and having 
 bound over his brother by a vow to reveal nothing of what 
 he should hear and see, he went with him at midnight to 
 the little chapel. Thither came also the false Duke 
 Poliness ; and thither came I, dressed in Guenever's apparel, 
 and looking exactly like her in the dim moonlight, for we 
 happen to be of the same height and complexion, so that 
 any one might suppose us to be sisters. And there I was 
 married to the Duke, while Ariodant and Lurcan, as well 
 as the priest of the chapel, imagined that he was wedding 
 the Princess Guenever. 
 
 " This fancied discovery of his lady's falseness so wrought 
 upon Sir Ariodant that he left the Court next day without 
 a word to any of his friends ; and shortly afterwards it was 
 rumoured that he had drowned himself in the sea. All the 
 Court was amazed at the terrible news, knowing not what 
 to think ; but Sir Lurcan was beside himself with grief, so 
 that he forgot his vow of silence, and accused the Princess 
 as the murderess of his brother ; ' for,' he said, ' Ariodant 
 
1 82 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 and I saw her secretly married to the Duke of Albany ; 
 and it is her treachery which has driven my brother to his 
 death.' The King was terribly grieved at Sir Lurcan's 
 accusation, which he was fain to disbelieve ; but the knight 
 threw down his glove upon the floor, and declared himself 
 ready to maintain the truth of his words against any one 
 who would take up his gage. Then the King had no 
 choice but to sentence his unhappy daughter to death, 
 unless some knight should come within a month to prove 
 her innocence in combat against Sir Lurcan. This was 
 just what the cruel Duke Poliness wanted ; but he feared 
 lest, when I came to hear of what had passed, I should 
 reveal the truth of the matter, and thus his vengeance 
 would come to nothing. So before any rumour of it reached 
 my ears he had me removed from the Court to one of his 
 castles ; and finding that even there I had chanced to hear 
 the truth, he hired those ruffians to murder me in this 
 lonely wood, thinking that my death would rid him of a 
 wife whom he loves not, and would make his vengeance sure." 
 
 The noble Raynald was delighted to find from Dalinda's 
 long story that the Princess Guenever was entirely blame- 
 less, and with more ardour than ever he vowed to maintain 
 her cause. So he made all the haste he could, and arrived 
 the next morning with his squire and Dalinda at St. 
 Andrews. There they found the city quite deserted, 
 except by a few children and aged folks ; and on inquiring 
 the reason they were informed that all the people had gone 
 to see a fight in the lists outside the farther gate. For a 
 knight had unexpectedly appeared, clad from head to foot 
 in plain black armour, bearing no device upon his shield, 
 and refusing to show his face or tell his name ; but offering 
 himself as a champion to uphold the beautiful Guenever's 
 innocence against Sir Lurcan. 
 
 Just then a distant flourish of trumpets announced that 
 the King had taken his seat upon the throne overlooking 
 the lists ; and Raynald perceived that he had not a moment 
 to lose if he would arrive in time to explain the rights of 
 the matter. So he left Dalinda at an inn within the city, 
 and hastened off, followed by his squire, to the battlefield. 
 
CHAP. I.] RAYNALD UPHOLDS THE TRUTH. 183 
 
 There he found a great multitude assembled, breath- 
 lessly watching the two champions, who were engaged in a 
 fiercely-contested battle. At present neither could claim 
 much advantage over the other; but the stranger in the 
 black armour seemed rather the more skilful swordsman of 
 the two, and the spectators had some reason to hope that 
 his prowess would establish the innocence of their Princess. 
 Raynald, however, came galloping up on Bayard, who easily 
 cleared himself a passage through the crowd, till he arrived 
 at the foot of the throne. There the Paladin reined in his 
 charger, and making a courteous obeisance to the King, 
 cried : "Sir King, as you value justice and right, stop this 
 combat on the instant ; for I tell you that if either champion 
 be slain he will fall a victim to a traitor's cunning." 
 
 The King was much astonished at the interruption ; but 
 seeing that Raynald bore himself like a gallant knight he 
 ordered the combatants to separate instantly ; and when 
 they stood apart he said : " Sir Knight, I think you know 
 well that it is a shameful thing to stay two champions from 
 their battle save upon just and weighty cause. Declare 
 your name, therefore, and explain to us the reasons for 
 which you bid this contest cease." " Prithee, Sir King," 
 answered the Paladin, "suffer me to keep my visor down 
 and my name a secret till I have proved the truth of what 
 I am about to relate to you. I tell you that Sir Lurcan 
 has been deceived by the plots of a traitor, and through no 
 fault of his own he is mistaken in supposing that he saw the 
 Princess Guenever married by stealth to a husband against 
 the laws of this realm. And I say also that the knight of 
 the black armour knows not the truth of the cause which 
 he maintains ; but you and the Princess, with these 
 champions and all the people of this land, are victims of 
 the treachery devised by Poliness, Duke of Albany." And 
 thereupon he told the King everything in order as he had 
 heard it from the mouth of Dalinda, adding that he had 
 left the maiden in the city, and would produce her, if re- 
 quired, to confirm his story. " But first," he cried, " I 
 proclaim Poliness, Duke of Albany, a liar and a traitor, and 
 I challenge him to make sfood his cause against me in 
 
1 84 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 battle, whereof there is my gage;" and with these words he 
 flung down his gauntlet on the ground. 
 
 Duke Poliness had grown livid with baffled rage while 
 Raynald was giving his narrative ; for he perceived that his 
 villainies were come to light, and that his wicked scheme of 
 vengeance against the Princess would be brought to 
 naught. He would not confess his infamy, however, with- 
 out one last struggle to make his falsehoods pass for truth ; 
 so he forced himself to take up the Paladin's glove, though 
 his hand was trembling with fear, and cast it in the face of 
 his challenger, exclaiming that his story was the vilest of 
 lies. Nothing but bloodshed could atone for so gross an 
 insult, and without more ado the false Duke and his accuser 
 prepared themselves for battle. 
 
 At the first sound of the trumpets they took up their 
 position, each at his own end of the lists ; at the second 
 they saluted the King and the ladies of his Court ; but as 
 the notes of the third blast died away they laid their lances 
 in the rest and rushed forward at full gallop to the encoun- 
 ter. Not for an instant was the issue doubtful, for the 
 Duke's lance glanced harmless from Kaynald's buckler ; 
 but the fiery Paladin drove his weapon half its length 
 through the traitor's body, so that he bore him off his horse 
 and laid him dying on the grass. Then he seized him by 
 the arm and dragged him to the King's throne, where he 
 cried : " Say, hast thou lied in this matter ?" And with his 
 last breath the wretch confessed : " I have lied indeed, and 
 the truth is as you said to the King." 
 
 Then a great shout rent the air ; for the people dearly 
 loved the gracious Princess Guenever, and hated Poliness, 
 who had long been reputed cruel and greedy of gain. But 
 the grateful King turned to the conqueror, thanking him 
 with tears in his eyes for having proved his sweet daughter 
 innocent, and beseeching him that now at length he would 
 raise his visor and declare his name before them all. So 
 Raynald lifted up his visor and uncovered his face, where- 
 upon he was known at once to the King and to many of 
 his Thanes, who had consorted with him of old in the realm 
 of France, and now rejoiced greatly that he was come to 
 
CHAP. I.] A FAITHFUL LOVER REWARDED. 185 
 
 grace their land with deeds of valour. And when the 
 rumour spread among the people that it was Raynald the 
 Paladin who had defeated the villainous plots of Poliness, 
 they fell to shouting anew for joy, crying : " Long live the 
 fiery Raynald! Long live the famous house of Clairmont !" 
 
 All this while the knight of the black armour had been 
 standing by the side of Sir Lurcan, his former adversary, at 
 the foot of the King's throne ; and everybody marvelled 
 who he could be that had risked his life in a quarrel of 
 which he knew not the truth. At length upon the King's 
 entreaty he also uncovered his head, when lo ! he was seen 
 to be the gallant Sir Ariodant himself, the true lover of 
 Princess Guenever, who had not really drowned himself in 
 the sea, as the King and all the Court believed. He had 
 only withdrawn himself into the wilderness, where he might 
 bear his grief in solitude ; but happening to hear of his 
 lady's danger he had come back to defend her at the peril 
 of his life against his own brother, even though he believed 
 all the while that she had been false to her vows of love 
 for him. 
 
 Now when the King looked upon the face of this gallant 
 knight, and considered all the matter, he said within him- 
 self : "Where shall I find a more loyal and worthy husband 
 for my daughter than this her champion ? Can any man 
 give proof of greater love than Sir Ariodant has given ? I 
 trow not." So he sent for the beautiful Guenever, who had 
 remained all day within the palace, bidding her come 
 attended by all her ladies to the lists. And as soon as she 
 appeared he solemnly betrothed her to her trusty knight, 
 saying : " Though I searched the whole earth through I 
 could nowhere find a nobler son-in-law." Moreover, since 
 Duke Poliness was dead without an heir, the King entered 
 into possession of his duchy, with all the broad lands and 
 fiefs appertaining to it ; and he presently bestowed the 
 whole on Sir Ariodant as a rich dowry for his royal wife. 
 Thus the gallant Sir Ariodant became Duke of Albany and 
 wedded the faithful and beautiful Princess Guenever, at 
 which there was great joy throughout all Scotland, with 
 such marriage festivities as had never been seen there before. 
 
1 86 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 But the King could not be satisfied without giving 
 Raynald also some recompense for the service he had done 
 him, and entreated him to ask whatsoever he desired and 
 it should be granted him. So Raynald begged the King's 
 fi-ee pardon for Dalinda, who had been decoyed into doing 
 mischief by Poliness, and had no idea that she was com- 
 passing the ruin of her mistress. To which the King made 
 answer : " Her pardon is granted already, Sir Raynald, 
 seeing that she was innocent of any guilty purpose. Ask 
 therefore some other boon, I pray you, for this is no favour 
 but only justice that you have demanded." Then Raynald 
 said that both as a boon to himself and also as a service 
 due to all Christendom, he would ask the King to send 
 troops with him to the succour of the Emperor Charlemagne. 
 And the King willingly promised to do as he desired, and 
 kept his promise faithfully, as you will hear in a future 
 chapter. 
 
CHAPTER 11. 
 
 HOW THE SARACENS ASSAULTED PARIS, AND OF THE 
 DEEDS OF RODOMONT. 
 
 While Raynald was absent on his mission to Britain neither 
 Christians nor Saracens were idle under the walls of Paris. 
 King Agramant had brought thither all his army only a few 
 days after Charlemagne passed safely through the gates, 
 but not before the prudent Emperor had had time to put 
 the walls in thorough repair and to strengthen every weak 
 point in the fortifications. Day and night the workmen 
 and soldiers toiled side by side, taking it in turns to labour 
 and sleep by companies at a time, so that the work never 
 ceased altogether for a moment. And they were all well 
 rewarded for their pains ; for when the Saracen hosts 
 appeared before the place they found themselves in front 
 of the strongest fortifications in the world. The river Seine, 
 as I daresay you know, flows through the heart of the city ; 
 and in the middle of its stream is an island, on which the 
 glorious cathedral is built. Then, as now, this island formed 
 the central part of Paris ; but at that time there were only 
 two other divisions of the town, built one on each bank of 
 the Seine, and each protected by a wall in the shape of a 
 half-moon with its horns resting on the river. These outer 
 walls were of great height and very strongly built, but they 
 were not the only defence on which the Emperor could 
 rely. For they were encompassed by a wide ditch filled 
 with water six feet deep ; and within them was a second 
 circuit of fortifications still stronger than the outer ring. 
 This second circuit consisted of an immense moat, the like 
 
1 88 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 of which had never been seen for depth or width, and from 
 the inner bank of which rose another wall of solid stone- 
 work, broad and high, and crowned by a ring of strong 
 square towers at intervals of fifty feet apart. Lastly, across 
 the river, where it passed between the walls, Charlemagne 
 had hung great chains of iron, guarded by companies of 
 crossbowmen stationed upon the banks, so that the enemy 
 might not be able to steal into the city by boat. 
 
 No wonder that the Saracens fought shy for a while of 
 attacking a town so strongly defended. For many weeks 
 there occurred no regular battle between the armies, though 
 there were skirmishes almost every day. For often a party 
 of knights would issue from the gates, and make a raid on 
 the Pagan encampment ; or a company of one army would 
 challenge an equal number of the other to combat in the 
 lists ; so that the warriors in either camp found no lack of 
 fighting ready to their hands. But at last, just after Roland 
 had routed the two squadrons commanded by Alzird and 
 Manilard, King Agramant resolved to make a grand attack, 
 to which he was the more encouraged by hearing that the 
 peerless Count was no longer among the defenders of the 
 town. First he held a great review of all his troops, calling 
 in those who had their camp at a distance, and assigning 
 to each nation its position in the assault, which he purposed 
 to deliver on the morrow. 
 
 The next morning every man was at his post, so that all 
 the plain for many miles round seemed alive with the hordes 
 of Saracens. Don't ask me to tell you how many they 
 were ; for you might as well try to count the stars that 
 sparkle in the sky on a frosty December night, or the drops 
 of the foam that dashes over Eddystone lighthouse in a 
 storm, as attempt to number the troops, drawn from every 
 quarter of the globe, who gathered under the standard of 
 King Agramant to the assault of Paris. But among them 
 all the men of Algiers were appointed to lead the van, 
 under the command of their King, the gigantic Rodomont. 
 He was clad in the dragon's hide Avhich he wore for armour, 
 and his standard was a blood -red banner, on which was 
 emblazoned the figure of a tawny lion sufi'ering himself to 
 
CHAP. II.] THE GREAT ASSAULT. 189 
 
 be bridled by a gentle damsel. By this device the terrible 
 King meant to signify his own willing submission to his 
 lady and promised bride, the beautiful Princess Doralis ; 
 for he knew not as yet that she had been carried off by 
 Mandricard the Tartar, but imagined that in a few days she 
 would arrive in the camp to be wedded to himself and 
 crowned queen over his sovereignty of Algiers. So he 
 girded himself joyously for battle, confident in his mighty 
 valour, and exclaiming with a boastful laugh : "To-day we 
 burn Paris town, and to-morrow all Europe will be ours ! " 
 
 Meanwhile the city within was alive with the stir and 
 bustle of preparation ; the churches were thronged by 
 crowds of women and old men, while all those of an age 
 to bear arms were ordered to man the walls and help in 
 repelling the assault. Some were told off to prepare 
 caldrons of boiHng water, or coils of rope smeared with 
 tar and pitch, to throw down upon the head of the enemy 
 if he attempted to scale the walls ; to others was given the 
 office of managing the Greek fire ; others again had charge 
 of great catapults made to discharge volleys of enormous 
 stones. Carefully and skilfully the great Emperor mar- 
 shalled all his men, putting the greater number at the posts 
 most likely to be threatened, but leaving no corner un- 
 guarded at w^hich any danger could possibly arise. 
 
 The battle w^as begun by a party of skirmishers thrown 
 forward to attack the Saracen vanguard ; but these light 
 troops soon proved no match for King Rodomont and his 
 Algerians. So after harassing the enemy a little in his 
 advance, they presently retreated behind the outer circuit 
 of defence, breaking down the bridges over the ditch as 
 soon as they had passed them. Here the Saracens were 
 brought to a halt in front of the ditch, and had to set about 
 bridging it with a quantity of planks which they had brought 
 on their shoulders for the purpose. But the work was no 
 easy one ; for the men on the walls threw the coils of 
 flaming rope over their necks, while the catapults shot 
 volleys of missiles into the midst of them, so that great 
 numbers had been slain before a single plank could be laid. 
 The terrible Rodomont was wild with fury at this delay, and 
 
I90 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 determined to cross the ditch at all hazards. So he leaped 
 down into it and waded through to the other side ; and so 
 huge was his stature that the water barely came up to his 
 armpits, though it was deep enough to drown the tallest of 
 his followers. Covered with mud from top to toe the giant 
 took his stand at the foot of the wall, and shouted to his 
 men to bring the scaling-ladders across as best they could. 
 By this time they had managed to get a couple of planks 
 laid side by side, on which the foremost of the soldiers 
 rushed across in spite of all that the French could do to 
 hinder them. But many more of them were killed in trying 
 to get the scaling-ladders into position, and many times the 
 ladders were thrown down before a man could reach the 
 top. However, when the Christian leaders saw that their 
 enemies had now crossed the ditch by thousands, and came 
 swarming on in ever -increasing numbers, they judged it 
 most prudent to abandon the outer line of wall, and reserve 
 their forces for the defence of the second circuit. 
 
 So they retreated behind the inner lines, breaking down 
 all means of communication as they passed, and left the 
 Saracens masters of the outer ring. Little profit did the 
 Pagans reap from this first success, since they had now to 
 assault far stronger fortifications than those they had won. 
 Moreover, their planks were not long enough to stretch 
 across the great moat, so that they must wade through it 
 and scramble up the steep slippery bank before they could 
 get to the foot of the wall beyond. And the Christians 
 were more resolute than ever to oppose them, knowing that 
 on the defence of these lines depended the fate of a whole 
 division of their city. When they saw this, the foremost 
 among Rodomont's troops shrank back and turned to 
 retreat from the place ; but the terrible King drove them 
 on with threats and blows, even drawing his sword and 
 slaying with his own hand a few who refused to obey him. 
 And when he had driven down a great multitude, and 
 forced them to struggle through the moat, he himself took 
 a scaling-ladder on his back, and with a run and a jump 
 sprang clear over the yawning chasm, alighting safely on the 
 opposite bank. Never was seen such a wonderful leap ; 
 
CHAP. II.] RODOMONT SCALES THE WALLS. 191 
 
 for the moat was near forty feet wide, and Rodomont 
 cleared it in full armour, with his sword drawn in his hand 
 and the heavy ladder lashed upon his back. Yet he came 
 down firmly and lightly on the ground, making no more 
 noise than if his feet had been shod with felt. 
 
 Meanwhile the moat was becoming choked with soldiers, 
 who followed their officers into its depths, but could not 
 mount the sheer bank on the farther side. Then came 
 the opportunity of the garrison on the city walls, and they 
 hastened to use it for the utter destruction of their foes. 
 For, fearing that some of the Pagans might soon be able to 
 scramble up over the bodies of their comrades, they called 
 for great caldrons of boiling oil, which they poured down 
 all along the line into the moat, so that hundreds and 
 thousands of the enemy died a horrible death by scalding. 
 For the oil and the boiling water which was poured down 
 along with it penetrated between the joints of their harness, 
 so that they found no protection in armour, but the knight 
 in full equipment died equally with the lightly-clad bowman. 
 Also, when a great quantity of oil and water had been 
 thrown down into the fosse, the garrison called for fire, and 
 cast after it burning tar- barrels, faggots of dry sticks, and 
 coils of lighted rope and straw smeared with pitch. These 
 set all the oil in a blaze, so that the moat was one great 
 sheet of fire from end to end, with a dense cloud of smoke 
 rising up from it which seemed to darken the very sun, and 
 every Saracen within it was quickly burnt to death. 
 
 Eleven thousand and twenty-eight of King Agramant's 
 soldiers perished thus miserably in the flames, and those 
 behind could no longer hope to cross the fiery ditch. 
 Rodomont, too, would surely have met the same death if 
 he had been clad in arms of mail like the rest, for the men 
 on the ramparts took good care to aim more than one 
 caldron of burning oil at his head. But his dragon's hide 
 was all in one piece, without seam or joint through which 
 the liquid could penetrate, and the scales of it were proof 
 against the hottest flames. So he had only to guard his 
 eyes and he was perfectly safe ; besides, he gave the garrison 
 little time for continuing their attack on him. Unstrapping 
 
192 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 his ladder from his back, he quickly planted it against the 
 wall, and had sprung to the top of it and on the very battle- 
 ments before the French soldiers well knew what he was 
 about. 
 
 Once there, he whirled his great sword round his head 
 and dealt such blows as no skill could avail to parry. Four 
 knights rushed together against him and strove to hurl him 
 back from the wall ; but he slew them all with a single 
 sweep of his sword and leaped down into the streets of 
 Paris. Terrible was the consternation of all who beheld 
 him, for they knew by his armour of dragon's hide that it 
 was Rodomont who had thus entered their city. Like a 
 herd of deer when the savage tiger springs into their midst, 
 the frightened populace fled in all directions ; knights and 
 squires, spearmen and archers, all rushed madly away from 
 the gigantic King and dashed towards the centre of the 
 town. But Rodomont was as swift to pursue as they to 
 flee ; a stroke of the sword accompanied his every footstep, 
 and each stroke laid at least one victim in the dust. 
 Presently great numbers of women, children, and old men 
 were drawn into the stream of fugitives ; and here the 
 terrible Algerian showed the cruelty of his savage nature ; 
 for he discerned not between the soldiery, whom he might 
 fairly slay, and the helpless folk, whom a noble warrior 
 should have sought to spare, but blindly slaughtered all who 
 came within his reach, mingling the blood of matrons and 
 boys and feeble grandsires with that of the knights and 
 warriors who were his enemies. Thus did one man fill a 
 great part of Paris with wailing and lamentation and drive 
 the whole population before him ; so that if King Agramant 
 and his captains could once have forced an entrance they 
 would soon have been masters of the city. 
 
 Nor did the Saracen leader fail to make the attempt, for 
 he led the chieftains of his host to one of the gates, which 
 he hoped to find ill guarded through the confusion of 
 Rodomont's assault. Followed by half a score of Pagan 
 Kings and by many thousands of his troops, King Agramant 
 moved to attack this entrance ; but in place of a feeble 
 garrison, he found himself face to face with the watchful 
 
CHAP. II.] BATTLE AT TllK CITY GATE. 193 
 
 Charlemagne and the flower of his matchless chivalr3\ 
 There were the King of England and the Duke of Bavaria, 
 there was Ogier the Dane, with Otto and Berlingier, Oliver 
 and Avolon, and many more of the famous Paladins, all 
 eager to do their utmost under the eyes of the Emperor. 
 No less impatient for the fray were the Saracen kings and 
 leaders, who had hitherto done nothing but watch the 
 efforts of Rodomont and his Algerians ; and a great battle 
 began forthwith for the possession of the city gate. IMany 
 knights and an enormous number of soldiers fell on both 
 sides ; but still the Pagans persevered in the attack and the 
 Christians remained stubborn in defence, so that the strife 
 raged fiercely for upwards of an hour, and yet no step of 
 vantage had been won by the invaders. Then at last the 
 struggle was ended by the arrival of unexpected help for the 
 Christian forces, and King Agramant was forced to give up 
 all hope of taking Paris by storm, and think rather of pro- 
 viding for his own safety. But the manner in which this 
 great deliverance was achieved must form the subject of 
 another chapter. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW RAYNALD BROUGHT THE ENGLISH AND SCOTCH ARMIES 
 TO THE HELP OF CHARLEIS: 
 TORY WHICH THEY GAINED. 
 
 TO THE HELP OF CHARLEMAGNE, AND OF THE VIC- 
 
 All this while Raynald had not been idle for a moment, 
 but had pushed on the provision of fresh troops as quickly 
 as possible, knowing that every hour was precious. You 
 have heard how fortunately his prowess had gained him 
 great influence with the King of Scotland, which he immedi- 
 ately employed in persuading the King to send troops to 
 the help of Charlemagne, and how the grateful monarch 
 promised to act in everything as Raynald should advise 
 him. The first thing he did in performance of his promise 
 was to send off a courier whom he charged to recall his 
 only son. Prince Zerbin, out of Spain, since he deemed it 
 right and fitting that so great an expedition should be led 
 by the heir to his throne. And Zerbin, as we know, obeyed 
 the summons like a loyal knight, leaving his lovely Princess 
 Isabella in Galicia rather than delay his return to Scotland. 
 Next the King ordered a muster to be held of all the men 
 in his dominions who were of an age to bear arms. The 
 fiery cross, that ancient signal of gathering for war, was 
 borne from end to end of the Highlands ; while the Court 
 heralds proclaimed in each lowland fief the King's command 
 that every vassal should repair, without delay, but fully 
 equipped for a campaign, to Edinburgh. There they 
 presently assembled in such numbers as no other Scotch 
 army could ever boast. There was every Highland clan, 
 with its chieftain or his heir at its head ; while side by side 
 
CHAP. III.] ENGLISH, SCOTCH, AND H^ISH. 195 
 
 with them were seen all the lairds of the lowlands, each 
 followed by a goodly company of his vassals. Each division 
 was fully armed according to its wont, — the kilted High- 
 landers with target and claymore, and the lowlanders in the 
 gear of Southern nations, those of knightly rank being clad 
 in panoply of mail and attended by their trusty squires, 
 while the meaner sort served as spearmen and bowmen 
 under them. But the general command of the army was 
 given to the noble Prince Zerbin, who was subject to none 
 save to Raynald alone ; and Sir Ariodant, the new Duke of 
 Albany, and his gallant brother, Sir Lurcan, were appointed 
 lieutenants under the Prince to marshal the troops accord- 
 ing to his bidding. Thus arrayed they set out from 
 Edinburgh and marched all the w^ay through England to 
 Dover, where a fleet was in readiness to carry them over 
 to France. 
 
 Meanwhile Raynald had gone on before them into Eng- 
 land, where the Duke of Lancaster was governing as Regent 
 in the King's absence. To him the Paladin showed the 
 letters of authority which he had received from the King, 
 and ordered all the nobles and knights of the realm to 
 meet him at Dover, bringing their vassals and henchmen 
 in their train. In this manner he gathered a second great 
 army from England still more numerous than that which 
 was now on the march from Edinburgh, in which were 
 whole squadrons of gallant knights whose names it would 
 take too long to tell you here, as well as great bodies of 
 infantry, with our famous English archers at their head. 
 The command of them was taken by the Duke of Lancaster 
 himself, who was brother to the absent King ; and next in 
 authority under him were the Dukes of Gloucester, York, 
 and Clarence, all princes of the royal house, together with 
 the Earl of Warwick, who was the most powerful baron in 
 the land. 
 
 Lastly, that each part of our country might have its share 
 in this glorious enterprise, Raynald succeeded in obtaining 
 a strong body of troops from Ireland, whom King Brian 
 willingly sent to join the camp at Dover, as a proof of his 
 loyalty and devotion to the Emperor. 
 
196 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 As soon as they were all assembled Raynald lost no time 
 in carrying them over the Straits in transport ships provided 
 by the Duke of Lancaster ; and as the weather was wonder- 
 fully fair, and there was no enemy at hand to oppose their 
 landing, in an incredibly short time they had pitched their 
 camp under the walls of Calais. The next day they struck 
 their tents and took the road to Paris ; and journeying by 
 forced marches, they arrived within sight of the city just as 
 Rodomont was raging inside it and King Agramant attack- 
 ing its gate : in fact, thanks to Raynald's diligence and 
 energy, they came up in the very nick of time, and long 
 before Charlemagne and his besieged forces had ventured 
 to expect their succour. 
 
 Seeing from afar off that a battle was engaged beneath 
 the walls, Raynald threw a bridge over the Seine, by which 
 all his army crossed to the southern side of the river, where 
 the Saracen forces were drawn up. Then he disposed his 
 troops in order of battle, giving to Prince Zerbin and his 
 Scotchmen the honour of leading the attack along the river 
 bank ; the English army formed the centre of his line ; 
 while the Irishmen on the farther wing, who were fewer in 
 number than the English and Scotch divisions, were ordered 
 to make a circuit of several miles and fall upon the enemy's 
 flank. After proving himself a skilful general by these 
 masterly arrangements, the fiery Paladin left the execution 
 of them to the commanders of divisions, and himself 
 hastened forward to animate his followers by the example 
 of his ardour in attack. Striking the spurs into Bayard, 
 he dashed a bowshot ahead of the Scottish vanguard, 
 with his lance laid ready in rest, as though each moment's 
 delay in beginning the fight were an intolerable annoyance. 
 Like the first black squall of wind that heralds the approach 
 of a fearsome tempest, he galloped in front of all his forces 
 towards the enemy ; and at his onset the Pagans seemed to 
 feel a presage of misfortune to come, so that the lances 
 quivered in their hands, while their feet shook visibly in the 
 stirrups and their thighs upon the saddles. Only King 
 Pulian changed not countenance, being ignorant that it was 
 Raynald who was coming against him ; and little thinking 
 
CHAP. III.] VICTORY OF THE CHRISTIANS. 197 
 
 to encounter so doughty a foe, he set forward at full gallop 
 to attack him. Both alike aimed their lances at the head, 
 but very differently did they fare in the result ; for Raynald 
 passed on unhurt and left the Saracen King dead upon the 
 ground. A like death befell the King of Oran, a Pagan 
 chief of enormous bulk but of little skill or valour, whom 
 Raynald pierced through shield and breast, though his stout 
 lance broke in unhorsing the unwieldy body. The dead 
 King's charger flung up his heels and careered across the 
 field, thanking the conqueror, no doubt, in his heart for 
 ridding him of his overgrown burden ; but Raynald, seeing 
 that his lance was splintered, turned Bayard's head where 
 the press of Saracens was thickest, and laid about him with 
 his famous sword Fusberta, which shivered the arms of mail 
 as though they were brittle glass. And so vigorous were 
 his blows that the enemy's vanguard was already put to 
 flight, when Zerbin and his foremost Scotchmen came up to 
 the attack. 
 
 Then began a fierce slaughter of the Saracens with little 
 loss to the Christian knights, who profited well by the terror 
 and bewilderment of their foes. Each Pagan seemed turned 
 to ice, and each Scot to a consuming fire ; for to the panic- 
 stricken Africans it appeared as though every warrior in the 
 Christian ranks was gifted with the force of Raynald. 
 Indeed they would have perished altogether but for the 
 exertions of the wise King Sobrin, who succeeded in rally- 
 ing the bravest of them and bringing up fresh battalions to 
 their support, thus maintaining the struggle against Raynald 
 and Prince Zerbin till better help should come. 
 
 The succour he hoped for was not long delayed ; for 
 King Agramant soon heard of the peril of his army, and 
 immediately quitted the city gate, which he had been 
 assaulting for more than an hour, to hasten with all his 
 warriors to the rescue. Then did the battle wax fierce and 
 terrible indeed ; for the courage of the Saracens revived 
 when they found themselves reinforced by all the bravest of 
 their leaders, and they struggled valiantly to check the 
 advance of the British, who still pressed upon them as 
 vigorously as before. Prince Zerbin in particular fought 
 
198 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 with marvellous success, and was well seconded by the 
 gallant brothers Sir Ariodant and Sir Lurcan, his lieutenants. 
 For a moment he was placed in peril of his life, being 
 assailed by three Saracen knights at once, one of whom 
 with a basely-aimed stroke killed his charger under him, so 
 that the brave young Prince found himself on foot in the 
 midst of his enemies. But Ariodant and Lurcan rushed 
 forward to the rescue, and placed themselves one on either 
 side of their general, and the three made deadly havoc 
 among the Africans. At the same time the English troops 
 had joined battle with the Spaniards, and rivalled their 
 brothers from Scotland in valour and success ; the Dukes 
 of Lancaster, York, and Clarence unhorsed and slew the 
 Saracen chiefs who opposed them, and the Spanish line was 
 forced to retreat with great loss before the onset of our 
 gallant countrymen. 
 
 Meanwhile there was desolation within the walls of Paris, 
 where the terrible Rodomont still bathed the streets in 
 blood, and no man was yet found able to withstand him. 
 But just as King Agramant turned to abandon the battle at 
 the gates, a messenger came to Charlemagne, crying : " Sir 
 Emperor, all your people are at the mercy of a single man, 
 and if you check not his careeer the whole city will soon be 
 lost to you and destroyed." Hearing this, the Emperor 
 asked who it was that could do all this mischief; and when 
 he knew that it was Rodomont King of Algiers, he sum- 
 moned his Paladins round him and hastened to the scene 
 of slaughter. There a piteous sight met his eyes ; for not 
 only had Rodomont slain every man, woman, and child 
 that came within his reach, so that the ways were blocked 
 with corpses, but in his fury he had set fire to the very 
 houses, which in those days were mostly built of wood, and 
 whole streets were wrapped in flames and clouds of smoke. 
 The terrified populace still fled before him in hopeless con- 
 fusion, till they came to a broad square where the Emperor 
 and his train encountered them. Then Charlemagne lifted 
 up his voice, and cried to the soldiers among them : " For 
 shame ! you that call yourselves warriors, and ere this have 
 put to fligjit whole legions of the infidels ; will you now 
 
CHAP. III.] THE FURY OF RODOMONT. 199 
 
 suffer a single foe to take your city?" But no exhortation 
 could stay the panic among the soldiers, or persuade them 
 to turn and face the terrible King. Then the Emperor 
 exclaimed to those who accompanied him : " Forward now, 
 Paladins of France, to the deliverance of this city and all 
 Christendom." And thereat the Paladins laid their lances 
 in rest, and spurred forward, each in his order, to meet the 
 Saracen. 
 
 Ogier the Dane and Oliver, Otto and Berlingier, with 
 many others beside, answered gladly to their Emperor's 
 command ; and Rodomont, when he saw them bearing 
 down upon him one after the other, only shouted out boast- 
 fully : " Come all together if you will, and meet your deaths 
 the sooner." But his vaunt availed him nothing against 
 such foes as these, who were not to be turned from their 
 purpose by idle words. Eight blows in succession did the 
 wonderful armour of dragon's hide receive, and still its 
 scales remained whole and sound, though the strokes were 
 struck by eight of the mightiest chamj^ions in the world. 
 None the less the terrible Algerian was brought to a halt at 
 last, and had hard work to defend his life against these 
 assailants. The common soldiers also, whom he had 
 scattered in wild disorder but a moment before, began to 
 pluck up heart when they saw him fearlessly resisted by 
 their leaders ; and turning back from their flight, the whole 
 body of them encompassed him about as a pack of puppies 
 encompasses the savage boar whom the huntsman and the 
 old hounds have brought to bay. Thus hard pressed by a 
 host of enemies, Rodomont was forced to give up all hope 
 of taking Paris singlehanded by assault, and began to 
 retreat slowly towards the river, fighting all the while, and 
 keeping his face still turned towards his foes. Step by step 
 they thrust him back, till they brought him at length to the 
 foot of the western wall, where the Seine flows out of the 
 city boundaries. There the terrible king suddenly sheathed 
 his sword, and with a great leap plunged into the waters, 
 swimming strongly down the stream in spite of the weight 
 of his armour. Very soon he passed the line of the walls, 
 and a few more strokes brought him to the bank beyond 
 
200 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 them, on which he had no sooner landed than he heard 
 such tidings as kept him far away from Paris and her 
 besiegers for a while. 
 
 And now the fortune of the day turned all in favour of 
 the Christians. For as soon as Rodomont was beaten back 
 Charlemagne led the Paladins and a great host of soldiers 
 out of the city and fell upon the flank of the African troops 
 with whom King Agramant was opposing Raynald and his 
 Scotch allies ; and at the same moment the Irish troops 
 came up and attacked the farther flank of the Saracens, 
 where the Spaniards under King Marsilius were already 
 hard pressed by the Duke of Lancaster and his gallant 
 Englishmen. Thus the Pagans were taken in front and on 
 both flanks at once, so that they were utterly unable to 
 maintain the struggle any longer; at every point their 
 common soldiers broke and fled, while their chivalry fought 
 bravely on, though expecting every moment to be over- 
 whelmed. At last, perceiving that all efforts to retrieve the 
 day were hopeless. King Agramant gave orders for a general 
 retreat to the camp ; and thither he brought the greater 
 part of his army in safety, though vast numbers were slain 
 upon the way, and many were dispersed over the country in 
 headlong flight before the victorious Christians. Indeed, if 
 the daylight had lasted a little longer, more than half the 
 Pagan army would have been annihilated ; but night came 
 on apace and stopped the victors in their pursuit, enabling 
 whole squadrons of routed Africans and Spaniards to retreat 
 unharmed within their lines. There they were safe for the 
 present, for King Agramant, like a prudent general, had 
 defended his encampment with earthworks and strong forts 
 of every kind, so that a city could hardly be more difficult 
 to storm. But though still able to make defence against 
 their enemies, the Pagans were greatly fallen from their 
 former fortune ; for they, who but yesterday were besieging 
 Paris, were now shut up and besieged in their own camp ; 
 while Charlemagne and the Christians, who had so lately 
 trembled for the safety of their city, now established them- 
 selves boldly without the walls, and encompassed their 
 beaten foes on every side. 
 
CHAP. III.] PARIS DELIVERED. 201 
 
 Three cheers, then, for the fiery Raynald and his gallant 
 allies from England, Scotland, and Ireland, who gained 
 upon that day a victory as glorious as any in our country's 
 history. For it was not merely the city of Paris that they 
 saved from fearful danger, but all the lands of Christendom 
 from the Tiber to the Forth were delivered by their valour 
 in this battle, since no other nation could have resisted the 
 Saracen hosts if once they had become masters over France. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW RODOMONT AND MANDRICARD FOUGHT TOGETHER, 
 BUT DORALIS PERSUADED THEM TO A TRUCE. 
 
 Dripping with water and splashed with mud from head to 
 foot, but unwounded and scarcely at all fatigued by his 
 hard day's fighting, the terrible King Rodomont scrambled 
 up the bank of the river Seine and stood in the flowery 
 meadow that bordered its stream. Wrathful was his 
 countenance, as though he were ill schooled to brook 
 defeat ; his brows were knit to a fearful scowl, and his eyes 
 glared with hatred, as he shook his fist towards the walls of 
 Paris, and muttered : " They shall pay me richly yet for 
 this day's business." But suddenly, as he stood to take 
 breath and look about him, he caught sight of a queer- 
 looking little dwarf, who was strolling disconsolately along 
 the path. The mannikin, who was barely three feet high, 
 was clad in a costly dress of scarlet and white, such as 
 might befit a wealthy courtier ; but on his head he wore 
 the cap and bells of a jester, while his tiny hand grasped 
 a little ivory staff that looked like a miniature copy of a 
 minister's wand of office. At the sight of him Rodomont's 
 face lighted up with joy, not from amusement at the little 
 fellow's comical appearance, but because he knew him to be 
 the favourite dwarf of the lovely Princess Doralis, his lady 
 and affianced bride. So he stepped forward to meet him 
 and hailed him cheerily, crying : " What news, my manni- 
 kin, what news of our lady, and on what errand has she 
 sent you hither?" But the dwarf answered gloomily: 
 "Speak not of thy lady or of mine any more, for she that was 
 
CHAP. IV.] RODOMONT HEARS BAD NEWS. 203 
 
 our lady is become the slave of another. A few days since 
 we encountered a knight by the way, who took the Princess 
 Doralis out of our keeping and carried her off by force in 
 his company." And thereupon the dwarf related all the 
 story of Mandricard's victory over the escort of the Princess, 
 and how he had half compelled and half persuaded her to 
 accompany him. At every word the wrath of Rodomont 
 grew fiercer, and his savage face darkened with frowns, till 
 at last he could control himself no longer, but burst into 
 wild cries of anger and jealousy, vowing that he would not 
 rest till he had taken vengeance on the knight who had 
 dared to rob him of his lady. Even as the bereaved tigress 
 burns with impetuous rage when she returns to her empty 
 lair and, after roaming through all the thicket, understands 
 at length that her cubs have been stolen from her ; as she 
 takes no heed of mountain or river, and neither darkness 
 nor tempest nor the length of the way can check the hatred 
 with which she dogs the steps of the hunter ; even so the 
 furious Rodomont blazed out in ungovernable passion, as, 
 shouting to the dwarf: "Begone! begone!" he dashed 
 away through the meadow, thinking only how he might 
 avenge himself on Prince iNIandricard. 
 
 He stayed not for horse or chariot, nor yet to inform 
 his comrades of his purpose, but hurried forward along the 
 road which he deemed the most likely to bring him to the 
 Prince, counting on supplying his want of a charger by 
 laying hands on the first good horse he should happen to 
 see. He cared nothing about robbing another man to suit 
 his own convenience, and in his present mood rather hoped 
 that he might have a struggle for what he wanted, so that 
 he might wreak a portion of his furious wrath upon some- 
 body. In this he was disappointed ; for after travelling 
 several days on foot, he fell in at length with a solitar)^ 
 maiden, who was mounted on a handsome palfrey and led 
 a magnificent charger by the bridle. And now suppose we 
 go back for a moment in our story and see who this maiden 
 was and to whom the horse which she was leading belonged. 
 
 When Prince Roger was carried off upon the Hippogrif, 
 of course he left his charger behind ; and next after his 
 
204 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 separation from Bradamante, this was what most annoyed 
 him about the adventure, since his steed was such an one 
 as a gallant knight prizes above everything upon earth save 
 the lady of his love alone. His name was Frontin, and he 
 was the best charger to be found in all the Saracen army. 
 In battle or tournament he knew his duties as thoroughly 
 as the most experienced knight ; no danger ever startled 
 him, and no quantity of work seemed able to subdue his 
 mettle ; in a word, he had no equal in the world, excepting 
 only the celebrated three of whom you have heard so much 
 already — I mean, of course. Sir Raynald's Bayard, Duke 
 Astulf's Rabican, and Count Roland's famous Gold Bridle. 
 No wonder that Roger was vexed at being separated from 
 such a horse as this Frontin. But Bradamante, eager to 
 care for anything that belonged to her lover, took the 
 gallant charger with her, and presently sent him under sure 
 guard to her own home in Montalbano, with a message 
 ordering that he should be well tended there till she should 
 either send for him again or come herself to fetch him. 
 There Frontin remained in good keeping till Bradamante 
 returned to her home after slaying the false Count Pinabel, 
 and being parted once more from her Prince. You re- 
 member, I hope, how she was constrained to abide in 
 Montalbano for a time, so that she was unable to seek 
 Roger, as she had intended, at Vallombrosa. Finding that 
 she could not carry out her purpose in this matter, the 
 noble damsel thought that at least she would give her lover 
 the pleasure of having his gallant steed again ; so she called 
 for her faithful waiting -woman Hippalca, who was the 
 daughter of her nurse and had known and loved her from 
 a child, and charged her to set out on her palfrey leading 
 Frontin by the bridle at her side, and journey in search of 
 Prince Roger, to whom she was also to explain the reasons 
 which kept Bradamante for the present at Montalbano. 
 
 Hippalca willingly set out to do this errand for her 
 mistress ; but before she could find Prince Roger she had 
 the misfortune to fall in with the terrible King Rodomont. 
 They met in a narrow path at the foot of a hill, so that the 
 Saracen was easily able to bar the way against her ; but 
 
CHAP. IV.] HE SEIZES ROGER'S HORSE, 205 
 
 even he hardly Hked to rob a defenceless maiden, though 
 he had vowed to take for himself the first good horse he 
 could meet with. Now, as he eyed the gallant Frontin, he 
 perceived that he had met with a better than he could have 
 ventured to hope for ; and more than once he exclaimed : 
 " By the beard of the Prophet, but I would that the horse's 
 master were here ! " " Would indeed that he were ! " 
 answered Hippalca sharply, for she was annoyed at the tone 
 of the Saracen and at the unwelcome interruption of her 
 journey ; " would indeed that he were ! for methinks he 
 w^ould soon teach you to mind your business and to know 
 how much he is your better." "And, pray, who may be this 
 wonderful knight who claims to be my better ? " asked the 
 angry Rodomont. " The courteous Prince Roger, Sir 
 Knight," said Hippalca ; " and now, perhaps, you will let 
 me go upon my way." But Rodomont caught Frontin's 
 bridle out of her hand, exclaiming : " Oho ! then I do you 
 no wrong, fair maiden, in taking this horse for myself 
 From Roger I take him, and to Roger I will answer for 
 what I do ; go and tell him that Rodomont, King of Algiers, 
 has gained possession of his charger, and will maintain his 
 claim aofainst him in battle whenever and wherever he 
 pleases. Truly I am not hard to find, if he cares to seek 
 me out, seeing that wherever I go the fame of my deeds 
 proclaims my presence." With these words the Saracen 
 leaped upon Frontin's back and rode away, leaving the 
 disconsolate maiden to bear the evil tidings to Prince 
 Roger. 
 
 He rode away over the hill, paying no heed to the tears 
 of the maiden, or to the threats and reproaches which she 
 shouted after him, but blessing the good luck which had 
 brought him so splendid a charger at his need. No whit 
 did he care though he had broken all laws of chivalrous 
 courtesy, which he was never much inclined to respect, and 
 now regarded less than ever, being intent solely on prose- 
 cuting his quarrel with Prince Mandricard. Yet, eager 
 though he was to do battle with the Tartar champion, he 
 had to travel for several days more before he could find 
 any trace of him ; but at last he passed through the 
 
2o6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 shepherd's valley, where Mandricard had just dealt the loyal 
 Prince Zerbin his death-wound. Riding farther along the 
 place, he soon came in sight of the ferocious young Tartar 
 himself, with the lovely Doralis still in his company ; and 
 as soon as he beheld them he uttered a cry of eager revenge, 
 and dashed forward to challenge his rival to battle. Doralis 
 was the first to espy him, while yet he was a great way off, 
 and pointed him out to her companion, saying : " Lo! there 
 comes the terrible King Rodomont, and you must prepare 
 yourself for a mortal struggle. For I doubt not that he is 
 come with intent to take vengeance for the wrong which you 
 have done him." " I am ready," answered Mandricard, as 
 he buckled tight the arms of Hecto^ which Count Roland 
 had so lately worn ; "but hold you Gold Bridle's rein, and 
 I will ride my own charger to meet the Algerian." So the 
 Princess Doralis held Gold Bridle apart, while Prince 
 Mandricard turned himself about to face the terrible King 
 Rodomont. 
 
 As soon as they came within hearing of one another the 
 enraged King burst forth in clamorous threats against the 
 Tartar, menacing him with gestures of head and hand, and 
 crying: "Robber and villain, bitterly shall you rue your 
 folly ! Death and disgrace shall be your portion ; and too 
 late you shall repent that ever you provoked my wrath to 
 gratify a foolish whim. For revenge am I come, and a 
 terrible revenge will I take ! " But Mandricard answered : 
 " Think not to terrify me by empty threats. Raw boys, 
 weak women, and cowards that know no practice of arms, 
 may be frightened thus ; not I, to whom the toil of battle 
 is ever more welcome than repose. Never does fighting 
 come amiss to me ; but gladly will I prove my might on 
 horseback or on foot, naked or equipped, in open field or 
 within the enclosure of the lists." Thence the two rivals 
 proceeded to mutual insults, to cries of rage, and finally to 
 blows with the sword ; even as the wind first soughs gently 
 among the pines, then dashes their branches together with 
 greater and greater fury, till at last it bursts in tempest, 
 tearing up the trees of the forest by the roots, and laying 
 level with the ground the habitations of men. 
 
CHAP. IV.] AND FIGHTS PRINCE MANDRICARD. 207 
 
 Thus did these two ardent warriors meet in deadly 
 strife ; the earth trembled at the terrible clash of their 
 weapons, and the bright sparks struck from their armour 
 flew upwards to the sky like lamps lit and quenched by 
 thousands at a time. Without a thought of repose, without 
 resting for a single instant to take breath, they continued 
 their battle, striving each to cleave his adversary's harness 
 of mail and lay bare his flesh to the blow. Yet neither the 
 one nor the other could gain an inch of vantage, but both 
 stood firm on their ground, as though a wall of iron hedged 
 them in. Once, among a thousand blows, the Tartar raised 
 his sword in both hands and smote the King of Algiers full 
 upon the brow, making countless lights dance before his 
 dazzled eyes ; the African's head fell backward over his 
 charger's flanks, as though all his strength were spent : he 
 lost his stirrup, and was like to fall from the saddle before 
 the very eyes of his lady. But like a well-fashioned bow 
 of tempered steel, which rebounds with greater force the 
 more it is compressed and bent, so Rodomont sprang up 
 again in a moment, and smote his enemy with redoubled 
 fury. Just such a blow as he had himself received he now 
 dealt the Tartar Prince, whose good helmet stayed it from 
 cleaving through his skull, but could not prevent it so 
 stunning him that for a moment he lost all knowledge of 
 his whereabouts. Rodomont hastened to press his ad- 
 vantage, and lifted his blade for a second blow ; but the 
 Tartar's charger, shrinking from the whistling steel, swerved 
 backward as the sword descended, and saved his master at 
 the cost of his own life. For the blow, which was aimed 
 at the rider, fell full upon the head of his horse; and, as 
 the poor beast wore no helmet of steel to defend him, his 
 skull was cloven to the brain, and he fell dead without a 
 struggle upon the ground. Mandricard by this time had 
 recovered his senses, and leaped instantly to his feet, 
 whirling Durindana round his head ; whereat the African 
 King spurred his horse forward against him, thinking to 
 knock him down and trample him under foot. But the 
 Tartar stood firm as a rock which no wave can shake from 
 its position ; and so it happened that Rodomont's horse 
 
2o8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 was overthrown by the shock, while Mandricard remained 
 upright as before. Rodomont immediately leaped clear of 
 his fallen steed, and the rivals, now both dismounted, fell to 
 renewing their battle on equal terms and with greater fury 
 than ever. And how the matter would have ended no one 
 can tell ; for at this juncture a messenger came up with 
 tidings that put an end to their strife for the present. 
 
 This messenger was a Tunisian courier, sent by King 
 Agramant to seek out the absent leaders of his army and 
 summon them to return instantly to the camp, where the 
 Saracens were now besieged by the victorious Charlemagne 
 and brought in sore peril of their lives. The courier had 
 already found Prince Roger, as I told you in the chapter 
 about Richardetto ; and now he recognised King Rodomont 
 and Prince Mandricard not so much by the devices on their 
 shields as by the terrible blows which he saw them deal. 
 He ventured not, however, to approach them, thinking that 
 the maxim, " An ambassador is held harmless in all things," 
 would be small consolation if once a stroke from either of 
 their swords were to light upon him. But he turned to the 
 Princess Doralis, who was sitting a little distance apart upon 
 her palfrey with Gold Bridle's rein in her hand, and besought 
 her to put an end to this ill-timed battle. To this end he 
 told her of the peril in which King Agramant and King 
 Marsilius, together with her own father and all the Saracen 
 army, were placed, and how they needed the help of all 
 their bravest champions to deliver them from utter destruc- 
 tion. When Doralis heard this her heart was stirred within 
 her, and bidding the courier hold the horses, she dis- 
 mounted from her palfrey and stepped boldly in between 
 the combatants, raising her hand with a gesture of command, 
 and crying to them in a resolute tone : " By the love which 
 you both profess to bear me, I charge you cease instantly 
 from your combat." 
 
 Now when these fierce knights beheld how the lady 
 whom they loved, and whose hand was to be the prize 
 of their contest, came forward to put them asunder, they 
 lowered the points of their swords at once, and stood 
 quietly listening to what she might say to them ; for they 
 
DORALIS STAYS THE FIGHT. — P. 2o8. 
 
CHAP. IV.] CONDITIONS OF THEIR TRUCE. 209 
 
 were persuaded that so nobly nurtured a Princess would 
 never interfere in such a combat without good and sufficient 
 cause. Then Doralis, rejoicing to perceive that they were 
 submissive to her authority, informed them of everything 
 which King Agramant's courier had narrated to her ; and 
 she ended her story by saying : " Hearken now both of you 
 to me, and approve yourselves worthy of my love by your 
 obedience to the commands which I shall lay upon you. 
 For I hereby make a vow, which I will keep even at the 
 risk of my life, that if either of you refuses to do my bidding 
 in this matter, he shall forfeit all hope of calling me his 
 wife for ever. This is no time for private quarrels, when 
 our Kings with their armies are in peril, and our cause is 
 like to be ruined unless every man does his utmost to save 
 it. Wherefore there shall be truce between you two for a 
 time ; you. Prince Mandricard, shall not provoke King 
 Rodomont any more ; and you, Sir King, shall cease from 
 urging your claim to possess me for a while. Both of you 
 shall travel immediately in my company to the Saracen 
 camp ; and forgetting the hatred that is between you, you 
 shall do your duty as good and loyal comrades, till such 
 time as Charlemagne shall be driven back within the walls 
 of Paris, and our army shall be delivered from the fear of 
 its enemies. Then, if you will, you may fix time and place 
 for renewing this battle, and you may fight it in due order 
 within the lists, as befits so weighty an issue, before the 
 eyes of King Agramant and my father." 
 
 Both the knights applauded the counsel of their Princess, 
 and agreed to make truce, as she commanded them, for a 
 time ; but none the less they hated each other mortally in 
 their hearts, and determined to renew the combat as soon 
 as ever the great Emperor should be driven back from 
 besieging the camp. Meanwhile they put up their swords, 
 and prepared to take the way to Paris, Rodomont riding 
 upon Frontin, who was none the worse for his tumble, while 
 Prince Mandricard mounted on Gold Bridle, in place of 
 the Tartar charger which the King had accidentally slain'. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW RODOMONT AND MANDRICARD FELL IN WITH MARFISA 
 AND ROGER ; AND HOW THEY ALL WENT TOGETHER 
 TO HELP KING AGRAMANT. 
 
 Now we are going to meet a few of our old friends again, 
 and I hope you care enough about them to wish to hear a 
 little more of their history. You remember, no doubt, how 
 Richardetto, after his deliverance from the stake, brought 
 his preserver Roger and the lovely Princess Mayblossom his 
 bride to the castle of his cousin Sir Aldigier. This noble 
 knight welcomed them all courteously, and thanked Prince 
 Roger warmly in the name of his whole family for saving 
 his young cousin's life ; nevertheless he seemed troubled 
 and ill at ease, and turning to Richardetto, he said : " My 
 cousin, I would that I could show my gratitude for your 
 deliverance by a merry countenance ; but alas ! while you 
 are saved others of our house are fallen into fearful peril. 
 Only this morning a messenger brought me the tidings, 
 saying that my brothers Sir Malibran and Sir Vivian have 
 been treacherously taken prisoners by Count Bertram of 
 Maganza and his vassals, and that to-morrow they will be 
 led to his castle, where they are to suffer a shameful death. 
 Immediately I sent off a messenger to inform our noble 
 Raynald of their peril ; but I greatly fear that he cannot 
 possibly arrive in time, and I know not how else to provide 
 for their rescue, seeing that I have but a handful of men-at- 
 arms in this fortress, while our enemies are many in number." 
 At this sad news Richardetto's face grew very sorrowful ; 
 but Prince Roger turned to Sir Aldigier, and asked : " Know 
 
CHAP, v.] SIR ALDIGIER'S BAD TIDINGS. 211 
 
 you the road, Sir Knight, by which these villains will lead 
 your brothers to their death?" "Too well I know it," 
 answered the Knight, " for it leads through the territories 
 of our cruel enemies ; and many a time have the houses of 
 Clairmont and Maganza met in battle upon it ; but now I 
 perceive not how to turn my knowledge to account." Then 
 said Roger : " I have always heard that the men of Maganza 
 are a false and treacherous brood, and more than any man 
 alive do I wish prosperity to your noble house of Clairmont. 
 Wherefore place me, I beseech you, at any point by which 
 the prisoners have to pass, and it shall go hard but I will 
 accomplish tlieir rescue." " Truly," answered Sir Aldigier, 
 " our house owes you already a heavy debt of gratitude, 
 which will be trebled if you give us this succour. But 
 think not that we will leave you to face our enemies alone, 
 which would be a foul dishonour to our name ; nay, but 
 Richardetto and I will essay the adventure in your com- 
 pany, and will be for ever grateful to you for this timely 
 offer of your help." This matter settled, they all went in to 
 supper ; and after supper Sir Aldigier escorted Prince 
 Roger to his chamber, where he left him to take his rest 
 for the night. 
 
 But in spite of his late toilsome journeys sleep came 
 not to the eyes of Prince Roger, because his soul was vexed 
 with anxious thoughts. The tidings of King Agramant's 
 peril, which he had received the day before from the courier, 
 troubled him greatly; and he was eager to hasten to the 
 help of his lord, counting each moment's delay as a stain 
 upon the honour which he guarded so jealously. On the 
 other hand, it grieved him that he could not yet perform 
 his promise to Bradamante by going to Vallombrosa and 
 adopting the Christian faith. But his allegiance was still 
 due to the Saracen King, whom he could not abandon in 
 the hour of his greatest need. For he feared lest his change 
 of parties should be imputed to him for cowardice, and lest 
 men should say : " Prince Roger faithfully followed Agra- 
 mant through the days of prosperity, but fell away from him 
 in the time of his distress." Wherefore he resolved to do 
 his duty at all hazards ; but he thought : "At least I will 
 
212 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 write a letter to my lady and explain to her the strait in 
 which I am placed, that she may not account me as one 
 who lightly regards the promises he has made her. For 
 my lady is noble of heart above all women, so that she will 
 understand the necessity which is laid upon me ; yea, I 
 know that if she were here to counsel me she would be the 
 first to bid me perform my duty to my King." So he called 
 for paper and ink, and wrote a letter to Bradamante setting 
 forth all the circumstances of the case ; then he folded the 
 paper and sealed it, and thrust it into the pocket of his vest, 
 to keep it safely till he should find some trusty messenger 
 to take it. Thereat his heart was lightened, so that he lay 
 down upon his bed and slept soundly till the following 
 morning. 
 
 He was awoken betimes by Sir Aldigier and Richardetto, 
 who came to summon him to the rescue of their kinsmen. 
 Willingly would our gallant Roger have undertaken this 
 enterprise alone, knowing that he was a match for any 
 number of the treacherous Maganzese ; but the others were 
 determined to accompany him, claiming to bear their part 
 in a matter which concerned them so nearly. So the three 
 rode together from Aldigier's castle, till they came within 
 the enemy's territory. This was a broad stretch of plain 
 lying open to the scorching sun ; no forest or grove was 
 anywhere to be seen, but only the bare desolate soil, over- 
 grown here and there by a patch of scanty brushwood, and 
 never broken to the use of man by mattock or ploughshare. 
 Our three knights took up their position on a path which 
 traversed this dreary plain ; and as they waited there they 
 were approached by a cavalier of lordly mien, whose armour 
 was fringed with gold, and who bore on his shield the 
 device of a flame-coloured phoenix rising with outspread 
 wings from a field of green. The stranger laid his lance in 
 rest and challenged them to a trial of arms; but Sir Aldigier 
 answered : " Sir Knight, at any other time I will gladly 
 accept your challenge, and I doubt not that my comrades 
 will be as ready as myself. But just now we are engaged 
 in a matter of importance, being intent on rescuing certain 
 of our kinsfolk who have been treacherously captured by 
 
CHAP, v.] MARFISA GIVES HER AID. 213 
 
 our enemies, and who will shortly be brought hither to die 
 under guard of a numerous company. Wherefore, I pray 
 you, wait till we have finished this business, after which you 
 shall have ample satisfaction." " By my faith," replied the 
 stranger, " I only challenged you for want of something 
 better to do. But if you have fighting ready to hand, I 
 will e'en strike in upon your side ; for by what you tell me 
 I judge you to be fewer in number than your opponents. 
 And think not that I shall do you little service ; but 
 look upon my device, and know that I am the Princess 
 Marfisa." 
 
 It was indeed the great Princess Marfisa herself, who 
 was newly arrived in the land of France in company with 
 Sansonet and Sir Guy the Wild and the two brave sons of 
 Oliver. As soon as they were all on shore she had bidden 
 adieu to her companions, saying : " I hate the practice 
 of your knights who travel like the swallows in flocks, 
 as if two arms were not enough to defend one head." 
 So she had set out alone upon her journey, being desir- 
 ous above all things to match herself against the most 
 famous of the Paladins. As yet she had encountered 
 none of them ; but she was always ready for a battle, and 
 now joyfully engaged herself to fight against the traitors of 
 Maganza. 
 
 Sir Aldigier had barely time to thank her for her promise 
 of help before the false Count Bertram came in sight, fol- 
 lowed by a company of more than a hundred men-at-arms. 
 In the midst of them walked the two noble prisoners and a 
 couple of pages, who had been captured together with their 
 masters ; all four were bareheaded and stripped to their 
 shirts, with their hands tied behind their backs and ropes 
 hung round their necks. At the sight of this foul indignity, 
 practised upon knights of noble birth and helpless boys, the 
 blood of our champions boiled in their veins ; and shouting, 
 "Clairmont! Clairmont to the rescue!" they dashed into 
 the throng of their enemies. Roger first aimed his lance 
 against Count Bertram, whom he laid dead with a broken 
 neck upon the ground ; then he pierced two soldiers 
 through the breast before his weapon snapped asunder, after 
 
214 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 which he drew forth BaHsarda from the scabbard and laid 
 an enemy low at every stroke. Meanwhile Marfisa had 
 slain the lieutenant of the band and two others with her 
 lance, and was now busy rivalling the feats of Roger with 
 the sword, while Aldigier and Richardetto dashed straight 
 through the bewildered throng and cut the cords which 
 bound their kinsmen's hands, bidding them array themselves 
 in the dead knights' armour and help in taking vengeance 
 on their foes. Very soon the whole band of traitors 
 were slain or dispersed in flight; Sir Malibran and Sir 
 Vivian with their pages were rescued ; and much spoil 
 fell into the hands of the conquerors, for the men of 
 Maganza had brought with them a string of mules laden 
 with treasure and costly stuffs, besides large provision of 
 wine and victuals. 
 
 Well satisfied with their morning's work, our friends rode 
 away from the desolate plain, till they came to a shady 
 grove with a beautiful fountain in the midst of it. Here 
 they dismounted to refresh themselves after their labours ; 
 and when they had eaten and drunk, Sir Malibran and Sir 
 Vivian kept watch, while the others lay down to sleep. 
 Soon Sir Vivian awakened them with the tidings that a 
 maiden was approaching, who made as if she wished to 
 speak with them ; and this maiden proved to be no other 
 than Bradamante's handmaid Hippalca, who was journeying 
 in search of Prince Roger. First she gave Richardetto 
 tidings of his noble sister ; and then, taking the Courteous 
 Prince apart from the others, she told him how Rodomont 
 had taken his good horse Frontin out of her keeping, and 
 had vowed to maintain possession of him against his rightful 
 master. Moreover, she gave him the message with which 
 Bradamante had charged her ; and Roger in turn entrusted 
 her with his letter, which she promised to deliver to her 
 mistress. Her errand done she went upon her way, and 
 soon came back safely to Montalbano, while Roger rode a 
 little way along a woodland path, hoping to come upon 
 some trace of King Rodomont. 
 
 While Roger was thus absent from the party Marfisa 
 yielded to the urgent request of her friends, and consented 
 
CHAP, v.] A PICNIC INTERRUPTED. 215 
 
 to lay aside for once her armour of mail and array herself 
 in woman's apparel. And when they beheld her thus 
 attired the knights of Clairmont were astounded at her 
 wonderful beauty, marvelling that so fair a dame should 
 prove herself the equal of any knight in warfare. Scarcely 
 had they recovered from their amazement when they were 
 disturbed again by the appearance of two valiant-looking 
 knights with a fair lady riding between them. These were 
 King Rodomont and Prince Mandricard, who were jour- 
 neying with the Princess Doralis towards Paris after that 
 she had persuaded them to make truce for a time. Now 
 when Mandricard perceived Marfisa by the fountain in 
 company with the knights of Clairmont he determined to 
 win her from them in battle, thinking that he might give 
 her in marriage to King Rodomont, and thus persuade the 
 Algerian to renounce his claim upon Princess Doralis. 
 So he laid his lance in the rest and challenged the knights 
 to combat, whereupon Sir Vivian galloped boldly forward 
 and aimed his lance against the Tartar's visor. But though 
 his aim was true and steady, he could not prevail against 
 the mighty Mandricard, who shivered his shield in pieces 
 and laid him sprawling at full length upon the ground. 
 Malibran and Aldigier met with no better success ; and last 
 of the band came Richardetto, who proved himself worthy 
 to be a Paladin of France by the gallantry and vigour 
 of his onset. Nevertheless he too went down before the 
 lance of the Tartar ; but he was only vanquished through 
 the fault of his horse, which stumbled and fell, while 
 Gold Bridle remained firm as a rock beneath the weight 
 of Mandricard. 
 
 Seeing that no knight remained to oppose him, the 
 Tartar turned to Marfisa, saying : " Fair lady, you are ours 
 by right of conquest, since all your champions have been 
 unhorsed and defeated." But Marfisa laughed scornfully 
 as she answered : " Sir Knight, you have won no right to 
 my company, seeing that none of these cavaliers is my 
 chosen knight. But I too have some knowledge of arms, 
 so that I need no stranger to champion my cause ; but he 
 that would possess me for his own must first win me from 
 
2i6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 my own self in battle." With these words she pulled off 
 her gown and clad herself in her armour again ; and as soon 
 as she was equipped, she laid her lance in the rest and 
 defied the Saracen to battle. At their first encounter both 
 lances were shivered to the handles, while neither Mandri- 
 card nor the Princess gave backward so much as an inch 
 upon their saddles. Thereupon they snatched forth their 
 swords and set to hewing at each other's armour ; and I 
 know not who would have had the advantage in the end if 
 their battle had been suffered to continue. But it was 
 suddenly stopped by Rodomont, who thrust himself between 
 them and cried : " Sir Prince, if you are minded to fight, I 
 have the first claim on your attention. But be pleased to 
 remember our compact, and engage in no private quarrel till 
 we have delivered King Agramant out of danger." Then 
 he justified his conduct to the Princess by giving her a full 
 account of what had happened, entreating her to postpone 
 the settlement of this quarrel for a time. But when Marfisa 
 understood the matter, she exclaimed: "Here is just the 
 opportunity w^hich I am seeking ! Suffer me, valiant sirs, 
 to go in your company to the Saracen camp, where I may 
 fight against some of these famous Paladins; for to that 
 end am I come to France." Rodomont, of course, w^as 
 delighted at her proposal ; so she took speedy leave of 
 Richardetto and his vanquished cousins, and turned to ride 
 with Doralis and her lovers to Paris. 
 
 But just as they w^re starting Prince Roger returned to 
 the fountain, and a new contention arose. From afar off 
 he recognised his charger Frontin with Rodomont seated 
 on his back ; w^hereupon he galloped forward, burning with 
 anger and shouting : "Sir King, dismount, I charge j^ou, 
 from my horse, or else maintain by arms your right to ride 
 him." Never in all his life had the terrible Rodomont 
 refused a challenge to battle ; and, moreover, he was 
 especially eager to fight Prince Roger since he had heard 
 of his great renown, and deemed that nowhere could he 
 find a w^orthier foe. Yet so great was his anxiety to lose 
 no time in succouring King Agramant, and so firm his 
 resolution to abide by his compact with Prince Mandricard, 
 
CHAP, v.] QUARRELS OF THE CHIEFTAINS. 217 
 
 that he curbed his warlike spirit and answered : " Sir Prince, 
 at any other time I would gladly encounter you, and I hope 
 that we may settle this dispute ere many days are past ; but 
 now both you and I owe our swords to our liege lord the 
 King of Tunis, seeing that he is greatly straitened by his 
 enemies, and hourly expects our help." To this Roger 
 made answer that he was very willing to defer the fight 
 till after Charlemagne should be driven back from the 
 camp ; " but in the meantime," he said, " I am Frontin's 
 rightful master, and you must deliver him into my keeping 
 till such time as we can contend for the possession of him." 
 This was surely a just and temperate demand ; yet King 
 Rodomont refused to agree to it, and the contention was 
 waxing hot between them when it was unexpectedly cut 
 short by a new freak on the part of Mandricard. 
 
 The ferocious young Tartar suddenly provoked Prince 
 Roger to combat, crying : "The device upon your shield 
 belongs to me alone, and I will never suffer any other 
 knight to bear it." Now Roger bore upon his shield the 
 device of a white eagle displayed upon an azure field, which 
 in olden days was the emblem of the city of Troy, and 
 which had descended to the Courteous Prince as the lineal 
 heir of Hector. But Mandricard also claimed it for his 
 own, and some two or three years ago he and Roger had 
 had a battle upon the subject. Now the Tartar pressed 
 his claim again, and summoned Roger to abandon his crest 
 or fight without delay for the right to bear it. Never would 
 our hero consent to forego that glorious device ; the mere 
 suggestion lashed his soul to fury, and "What !" he cried, 
 " think you to make good this claim against me now 
 because I am already engaged in a dispute with Rodomont? 
 Nay, but if need be, I will show myself man enough to take 
 both Frontin from him and the crest of Hector from you ! 
 Once already have I striven against you on this account ; 
 but then I forbore to slay you because you wore no sword. 
 Now I will prove against you to your hurt that the white 
 eagle is mine by right and that you usurp my device in 
 bearing it." " By my life," answered Mandricard, '' 'tis you 
 that usurp my crest ; " and therewithal he plucked forth 
 
2i8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 Durindana from the scabbard to maintain his fancied claim. 
 The noble Roger, ever true to his reputation for courtesy, 
 threw away his lance when he saw his antagonist draw the 
 sword, and grasped Balisarda to contend against him on 
 equal terms. A moment more and they would have met 
 in deadly combat ; but Rodomont and Marfisa threw them- 
 selves between them and forced them asunder, beseeching 
 them to stay their hands from the battle. Rodomont 
 especially was angered against Prince Mandricard, who had 
 now violated their compact the second time, and again he 
 exclaimed : "If you must needs be doing battle with some- 
 body, our quarrel stands first for settlement. How often 
 must I put you in mind of our agreement to suffer no 
 private brawlings till we have rescued our allies from their 
 danger ? Care you nothing for the honour of our leader or 
 for the success of the Saracen cause ? When our army is 
 delivered you and I will fight out our unfinished battle ; 
 next comes my contention against Prince Roger for the 
 possession of Frontin ', and after these disputes have been 
 decided you can fight him about this matter of crests if 
 you find yourself still alive upon the earth. But flatter not 
 yourself that it will ever come to this, for I look to give you 
 such handling as will put an end to your claims and 
 quarrels once for all." This speech angered the ferocious 
 Mandricard yet more, so that he wanted to fight with Roger 
 and Rodomont both at once ; and Roger, unused to brook 
 insult from any man, no longer desired an agreement, but 
 clamoured for instant combat. From all sides burst forth 
 angry words accompanied by menacing gestures ; while 
 Marfisa addressed herself now to one and now to another 
 of the knights, seeking to calm their wrath and heal their 
 disputes, but meeting with little success in her unaccustomed 
 office of peacemaker. 
 
 At last she too lost patience and exclaimed : " If you 
 are all so bent on fighting, I will finish my little difference 
 with Prince Mandricard. But if we are to succour King 
 Agram^ant, let us succour him at once, and lose no time 
 over quarrelling among ourselves." " I make no objection," 
 said Roger, " provided that my horse be first restored to 
 
CHAP, v.] FROM WORDS TO BLOWS. 219 
 
 me ; but I am resolved either to die here or to return on 
 Kis back to the camp." " You will find it easier to die than 
 to recover him," shouted Rodomont in a furious passion ; 
 to which Prince Roger returned no answer in words, but 
 grasped Balisarda in his hand and rushed upon him with 
 such violence that the Algerian lost his stirrup and with 
 difficulty maintained his seat. Thereupon Mandricard 
 cried : " Defer the battle, Roger, or fight with me," and 
 ungenerously struck the Prince, whose attention was full}' 
 occupied with Rodomont, an unexpected blow upon the 
 head. Roger bent down beneath the stroke till the plume 
 upon his casque mingled with his charger's mane ; nor was 
 he able to raise himself up again, because Rodomont dealt 
 him a second blow of equal force without considering what 
 a shameful thing it was for two knights to combine against 
 a single adversary. At this second blow Prince Roger lost 
 consciousness for a moment ; the grasp of his hands was 
 loosened, so that the bridle and sword fell from them, and 
 his charger sprang forward unchecked, while Balisarda was 
 left lying upon the ground. 
 
 Thereat Marfisa waxed very wroth, accounting it foul 
 villainy that two should fight against one ; moreover, she 
 considered Roger as her comrade in arms since they had 
 joined together in defeating the traitors of Maganza. So 
 she rushed to encounter Prince Mandricard, while Rodo- 
 mont pursued after Roger, thinking that another such a 
 stroke would win him Frontin once for all, and shaming not 
 to press his unfair advantage against the Prince, who had 
 been so villainously deprived of his sword. 
 
 But the knights of Clairmont had been watching the 
 progress of the struggle, and were resolved to hinder such 
 dastardly injustice to their benefactor. So Richardetto 
 threw himself across Rodomont's path and checked him for 
 a moment in his pursuit, while Vivian picked up Balisarda 
 and replaced it in the hand of Roger, who was now re- 
 covered from his bewilderment. As soon as he felt the 
 hilt in his hand again he dashed against the Algerian like 
 the lion which has once been tossed upon the horns of the 
 bufialo but recks not of wounds or pain in his eagerness to 
 
220 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 take vengeance upon his enemy. Even thus did our 
 Courteous Prince rush to avenge himself on King Rodo- 
 mont, whom he smote with all his strength upon the visor, 
 so that the Algerian fell backward over Frontin's flanks and 
 would have dropped his sword in his turn if it had not been 
 fastened by a strap to his wrist. 
 
 Meanwhile Marfisa was hard pressed by Prince Mandri- 
 card j for in making a sudden turn her charger slipped and 
 fell upon his side. Before she could get him fairly on his 
 feet again the discourteous Tartar spurred Gold Bridle 
 forward and knocked him down the second time ; but 
 Roger beheld the valiant damsel's peril and hurried to the 
 rescue, shouting : " Fight not against the fallen, Sir Prince, 
 but turn and encounter me." With these words he smote 
 the Tartar on the crest of his helmet, and gave Marfisa 
 time to raise up her horse. 
 
 Rodomont at this moment found Roger gone from 
 before him ; but looking round he espied the gallant young 
 Richardetto and remembered how he had brought timely 
 succoui to his antagonist. Vowing revenge, he galloped 
 straight towards him, and this day might have ended the 
 brave boy's life but for the sudden interference of Sir 
 Malibran. That prudent cavalier possessed great skill in 
 magic arts, and now turned his knowledge to account to 
 save his kinsman's life. Hastily muttering a spell, he con- 
 jured up a spirit to do his bidding, and made him enter 
 into the palfrey which the beautiful Princess Doralis rode. 
 Seized with the demon, the quiet palfrey gave a sudden 
 bound into the air, which wrung a scream from the lips of 
 his rider, and then carried her away at full speed along the 
 road which led towards Paris. Rodomont, when he heard 
 his lady's scream, forgot all about the quarrel in which he 
 was engaged and dashed off upon Frontin in pursuit of her; 
 and Mandricard seeing these two gallop away from the 
 field, turned Gold Bridle's head in the same direction and 
 followed after them as hard as he could tear. Marfisa and 
 Roger, too, seeing that their adversaries were gone, were 
 loth to be left behind ; and though their horses could not 
 hope to overtake Frontin and Gold Bridle, they followed 
 
CHAP, v.] A SCAMPER TO PARIS. 221 
 
 as best they might along the road, and rapidly approached 
 the Saracen encampment. 
 
 In this manner did King Agramant recover the services 
 of his bravest champions, not by their own intention, but 
 because of the demon which Sir Malibran had conjured into 
 the palfrey of the Princess Doralis. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW THE SARACEN CHIEFS WERE ALL AT LOGGERHEADS, 
 AND HOW ROGER KILLED THE FEROCIOUS MANDRICARD. 
 
 Very clever appeared Sir Malibran's contrivance for saving 
 Richardetto's life, yet it turned out ill for the Emperor 
 Charlemagne and his army. With a little more time for 
 consideration Malibran would have ordered his spirit to 
 drive the palfrey far away towards the East ; but he was in 
 such a hurry to prevent the danger which threatened his 
 kinsman, that he simply bade the demon carry off the 
 Princess Doralis at full speed, leaving him free to take her 
 in whatever direction he pleased. And the malicious spirit 
 chose the road to Paris, by which he brought the fair 
 Princess and her pair of lovers to the Saracen encampment 
 much quicker than they would have gone if left to them- 
 selves. 
 
 The Pagans were still cooped within their lines and 
 encompassed about by a ring of enemies ; but, as ill luck 
 would have it, many of the foremost warriors were just now 
 absent from the Christian ranks. Raynald, for one, had 
 gone southward on receiving Sir Aldigier's message ; Prince 
 Zerbin of Scotland was dead ; the Duke of Lancaster had 
 returned to England, since the realm could not long spare 
 both King and Regent ; and others of the Paladins and 
 leaders were dispersed abroad, some from one cause and 
 some from another, so that Charlemagne's army, though 
 still strong in position, was grown very weak in knights of 
 approved renown. On the other hand, Gradasso, King of 
 China, and Sacripant, King of Circassia, had lately returned 
 
CHAP. VI.] THE CHRISTIANS DRIVEN BACK. 223 
 
 together to the camp of the Saracens, who were now to 
 receive a still more valuable reinforcement. 
 
 For Rodomont and Mandricard, racing neck and neck 
 with the Princess's palfrey, but unable quite to catch him, 
 came within sight of the hostile armies, and instantly re- 
 solved to cut their way through to the Saracen lines in spite 
 of all that Charlemagne might do to oppose them. So they 
 came storming down upon the Christian quarters, shouting 
 the war-cry of " Africa and Spain ! " and slaughtering every 
 Christian who was unlucky enough to come within their 
 reach. " To arms ! to arms ! " resounded over the plain ; 
 but the Pagan champions were in the midst of our men 
 before they could buckle on their mail or make ready 
 their weapons for battle. The Christian rear-guard fled in 
 confusion almost without striking a blow, and the whole 
 army was thrown into a hurly-burly before they had time 
 to know what was befalling them. Presently they began 
 forming themselves in squadrons and companies, while the 
 great Emperor hurried forth, surrounded by his Paladins, 
 to inquire the reason of the uproar. But by this time the 
 two Saracens and their lady had traversed the whole breadth 
 of the camp, and Charlemagne could only descry the fatal 
 marks of their passage. These were only too plain to view ; 
 for the line by which they had passed was strewn with 
 corpses, whose fearful wounds bore witness that they had 
 been assailed by no common foe. 
 
 Order was not yet restored when Roger and iVIarfisa 
 appeared and straightway rivalled the feats of their prede- 
 cessors. As when a mine is sprung beneath the walls of a 
 beleaguered fortress, and first the line of black powder flashes 
 up in flame and smoke, then with an awful crash the solid 
 masonry is blown and scattered into the air, even so did 
 this gallant pair dash forward to the fray and deal ruin and 
 destruction around them. Many of those who had escaped 
 the fury of Rodomont and Mandricard, and were congratu- 
 lating themselves on their lucky fleetness of foot, now fell 
 beneath the swords of these others ; and so they too rode 
 safely through the Christian lines, and arrived within the 
 entrenchments of King Agramant. 
 
224 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 As soon as they were there, the Saracens were no longer 
 oppressed by fear of the Paladins ; and it was resolved to 
 take advantage of the confusion among the French by 
 sallying forth instantly to attack them. Fired by the 
 reckless daring of his leaders, each Pagan felt himself a 
 match for a hundred adversaries as King Agramant gave 
 the signal to advance ; and to the sound of drums and 
 trumpets, with waving of pennon and banner and knightly 
 plumes, the whole army rushed forth beyond their lines. 
 With incredible fury they attacked the Christians at every 
 point ; and these latter were taken unawares, not having 
 yet recovered from their astonishment at the onslaught of 
 Roger and Marfisa. Nevertheless their captains essayed to 
 marshal them for battle, and made brave resistance for a 
 while to the surging torrent of their foes. Presently, how- 
 ever, they began to feel the want of their most notable 
 champions ; for there was scarce a chieftain in their ranks 
 able to cope with the force of the terrible Rodomont, the 
 furious rage of Mandricard, or the gallantry of Roger and 
 Marfisa. Gradasso, too, and Sacripant showed themselves 
 hardly inferior to the other four ; so that, while the common 
 soldiers on either side were fairly matched, the greater force 
 of the Saracen captains turned the tide of battle in their 
 favour. Ogier the Dane was severely wounded in the head, 
 and Oliver in the shoulder, and some of the lesser Paladins 
 were actually taken prisoners by their enemies. Brandimart 
 alone still maintained the unequal fight with marvellous 
 valour ; and if only his friend the peerless Count and 
 Raynald had been present to help him, the Christians might 
 well have hoped to gain the victory. But, unassisted as he 
 was, the gallant Paladin could do no more than cover the 
 retreat of his fellows, and enable the Emperor to bring the 
 greater portion of them safe home within the walls of Paris. 
 Even so vast numbers lay dead upon the field, while many 
 were driven into the Seine and perished in its waters ; and 
 the result of this disastrous day was that the Christians were 
 once more pent within the city, while the victorious Saracens 
 took up their old positions to besiege them. 
 
 But now that King Agramant was delivered from his 
 
CHAP. VI.] KING AGRAMANT'S DECISION. 225 
 
 peril, the old dissensions among the Pagan chieftains burst 
 forth with double vigour. Rodomont insisted on finishing 
 his interrupted battle with Prince Mandricard ; Mandricard 
 was impatient to fight with Roger for the right to bear the 
 Trojan eagle ; Roger pressed his claim to Frontin against 
 King Rodomont ; and Marfisa cried that it was high time 
 for her to show Mandricard how a damsel could stand 
 champion in her own behalf. Each knight demanded that 
 his own particular quarrel should be the first decided ; but 
 at length they agreed to submit their claims to King Agra- 
 mant, who should determine the order of their precedence. 
 The whole four, therefore, appeared before the prudent 
 King, and nearly deafened him by speaking all at once in 
 their loudest tones, so that it was a long time before he 
 could make his judgment known. At last he got a hearing, 
 and commanded that the order of their several combats 
 should be settled by lot, — a decision at which none of them 
 could grumble, but which pleased them none the better on 
 that account. However, they were bound to submit, since 
 they could come to no agreement among themselves ; so 
 Agramant took four slips of paper, and wrote upon one of 
 them "Rodomont and Mandricard," upon another " Mand- 
 ricard and Roger," on the third " Roger and Rodomont," 
 and on the fourth " Mandricard and Marfisa." Then he 
 cast these lots into an urn and shook them well within it, 
 after which he put in his hand and drew them forth at 
 haphazard. The first to come out was the lot of Rodomont 
 and Mandricard, wherefore the fight between them was 
 appointed to take place on the morrow. The other lots 
 followed in the order in which I just now mentioned them, 
 which mightily displeased Marfisa, whose combat with 
 Mandricard was thus fixed for last of all. But, annoyed 
 though she was, she had pledged herself to abide by King 
 Agramant's decision, so she had to swallow her vexation as 
 best she could. Roger was hardly less discontented, though 
 he had gained second and third places for his two disputes ; 
 for he thought : " Rodomont and Mandricard will never 
 cease fighting till one or both of them be wounded to death, 
 and whichever of them dies, I shall lose the chance of 
 
 Q 
 
226 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 establishing my right either to Frontin or to my crest." 
 However, he too was bound in honour to accept the order 
 as the lots had determined it. 
 
 Not far from Paris was a level field, enclosed by a wall 
 about a mile in circumference, which had formerly been a 
 fortress of great strength, but was now dismantled and fallen 
 to decay. Here was marked off a space of ample size for 
 the lists, with a wide gate at either end, according to custom, 
 for entrance; and just within the gates were pitched the 
 two pavilions for the champions. In the western pavilion 
 stood the gigantic King of Algiers, and with him were the 
 Spaniard Ferralu and Sacripant, King of Circassia, who 
 aided him in putting on the famous armour of dragon's 
 hide, while Prince Mandricard occupied the pavilion at 
 the opposite end, and was armed by Prince Roger and 
 Gradasso, King of China. Half-way down one side of the 
 lists a high double throne was erected, on which the Kings 
 Agramant and Marsilius took their seats, surrounded by the 
 flower of the African and Spanish chivalry ; and opposite 
 them in the ladies' gallery, accompanied by dames of royal 
 and noble blood, sat the beautiful Princess Doralis, whose 
 hand was to be the victor's guerdon. 
 
 The people were gathered in their thousands round the 
 lists, and everything was in readiness for the combat, when 
 suddenly a fearful clamour arose in the eastern pavilion. 
 The cause of it was a fresh dispute added to the four 
 already existing, and threatening to rival the bitterest of 
 them in fury. For as soon as Mandricard was equipped 
 in all his armour, King Gradasso stretched forth his hand 
 to take the sword, intending to gird it round the Tartar 
 Prince's body. But he had no sooner got it in his grasp 
 than he perceived it to be the famous Durindana, to which 
 h^ also had long laid claim ; only he could not imagine 
 how it had come into Mandricard's possession. So he 
 asked him whether he had gained it from Count Roland 
 by force or compact, and where and when he had acquired 
 it. " I fought a mighty batde for it Avith Roland," answered 
 the Tartar, "from which we parted on equal terms. After- 
 wards, however, the Count feared to meet me again ; where- 
 
CHAP. VI.] NEW QUARRELS OF THE CHIEFS. 227 
 
 fore he feigned madness and threw away his sword and 
 armour, hoping by such means to elude my vengeance." 
 " Be Roland sane or mad," replied the stately King of 
 China, " I claim this sword for my own wheresoever I 
 find it, and never will I suffer another to wear it a moment 
 longer than I can help. Provide yourself, therefore, with 
 some other weapon, or else fight with me this instant for 
 the possession of Durindana, since it is only fitting that 
 you should win your weapons fairly before using them 
 in your conflict with King Rodomont." "Never comes 
 sound more welcome to my ears than the utterance of a 
 challenge," answered the Tartar ; " only bring Rodomont 
 to consent, and our quarrel shall be decided without delay." 
 But Prince Roger was very wroth at the idea of this 
 arrangement, which would have deferred the settlement 
 of his own disputes ; and " Nay," he cried, " but the order 
 of the lots must be kept : either Rodomont comes first to 
 battle, or I, who am next in succession, take his place. 
 For if Gradasso's reasoning be good, that arms must be 
 won before they are borne, you must despoil me of the 
 Trojan eagle before you can wear it as your crest. If you 
 disturb the settled order in part, I will overturn it altogether, 
 and bid you fight with me first of all for the device." 
 " Neither sword nor crest will I surrender," shouted Mandri- 
 card in a furious rage ; whereupon he clenched his fist 
 and struck Gradasso such a blow upon the wrist as forced 
 him to let go the hilt. Enraged at so gross an insult, the 
 King plucked forth his scimitar, and called to Roger to 
 stand clear from before him ; but Roger too had drawn 
 his sword and demanded the first place in this encounter, 
 while Mandricard yelled defiance against the pair, daring 
 them to assail him both at once. And a strange medley 
 would have resulted from all this brawling, if King Agra- 
 mant had not arrived upon the scene, seeking to know 
 the reason of so unseemly an uproar. Out of respect to 
 their liege lord the disputants stayed their hands from the 
 strife, and explained the causes which had provoked it ; 
 and when Agramant understood the matter, he ordained 
 that for this once Gradasso should courteously resign 
 
228 PALADIN AND SARACEN. . [part iv. 
 
 Durindana to Prince Mandricard, till the Tartar had ended 
 his contest against King Rodomont. 
 
 Scarcely was this difference settled when sounds of angry 
 voices, soon followed by the clashing of steel, were heard 
 proceeding from the opposite tent, where Sacripant and 
 Sir Ferralu had already clothed the terrible Rodomont in 
 his armour. But when they came to fetch him his horse, 
 the King of Circassia was astonished to see Frontin stand- 
 ing saddled and bridled by the tent, and to learn that this 
 was the charger which Rodomont meant to ride that day. 
 Now Frontin had originally belonged to this Sacripant, but 
 a year or two ago the notorious thief Brunello had stolen 
 him away, and afterwards sold him for a great price to 
 Prince Roger, who knew nothing of his former history. 
 His rightful master had never set eyes upon him since, but 
 now that he had found him again, he determined to keep 
 possession of him at all hazards. So he turned to Rodomont 
 and said, " Know, Sir King, that this is my horse, which 
 was stolen from me many months ago. Considering that 
 we are comrades in arms I am willing to lend you the use of 
 him for to-day ; but only on condition that you acknowledge 
 my right and restore him to me when your contest is over. 
 Otherwise think not to mount him till you have made good 
 your claim in battle against me." To this Rodomont, as 
 proud a warrior as ever donned armour, made reply : 
 " Sacripant, any other than you who should dare to address 
 me thus would soon find reason to wish that he had been 
 born without a tongue. But out of respect to our late 
 fellowship I will merely warn you to cease insisting on 
 your pretensions till you have seen the issue of my combat 
 with Prince Mandricard. For I hope to show such prowess 
 as shall make you thankful to surrender your claim, rather 
 than risk yourself in battle to maintain it." "What !" ex- 
 claimed the Circassian in great wrath ; " is such insolence 
 all the courtesy you can show me ? Nay, but I tell you I 
 will never resign this horse while my hand is still able to 
 grasp a sword." From words and mutual threats they 
 proceeded to blows, and maintained the contest fiercely for 
 some minutes; for Sacripant, though only half armed, 
 
CHAP. VI.] , DORALIS REFUSES RODOMONT. 229 
 
 managed his sword with such dexterity that he parried 
 every blow which the Algerian could deliver. Just in the 
 nick of time, however, King Agramant received tidings 
 of the dispute, whereupon he prayed Marsilius to see that 
 Mandricard and Gradasso observed the terms of their 
 engagement, while he himself hastened to King Rodo- 
 mont's pavilion. As soon as he arrived he bade Sacripant 
 expound his title to possess the horse, and the Circassian 
 obeyed by recounting at great length the cunning theft 
 which Brunello had practised on him. 
 
 Now it chanced that Marfisa was standing at the right 
 hand of Agramant, and when she heard King Sacripant's 
 story she suddenly remembered that Brunello had robbed 
 her of her sword on the very same day. Burning to avenge 
 this felony, and espying the hideous little rogue among the 
 crowd of spectators, she rode straight to the spot where he 
 stood, and, catching him up by the scruff of his neck, she 
 laid him across the pommel of her saddle, saying to King 
 Agramant as she did so : " Sir King, I too have been 
 wronged by this scoundrelly vassal of yours, and I claim 
 to punish him as he deserves. Wherefore I will carry him 
 away and hold him prisoner for three days, during which 
 you may make intercession for his life, if you care to inter- 
 fere with my design. But on the fourth day, unless you 
 can show good cause to hinder me, I shall hang him on 
 the nearest tree, that justice may get her due at last." 
 Having thus spoken, the Princess rode away with the little 
 monster, paying no heed to his screams and entreaties for 
 pardon, and kept him in prison for three days, as she had 
 promised ; but when this time of grace was over, she took 
 him to the foot of a tree and hung him by the neck from 
 one of its branches, and there was an end of him. 
 
 Meanwhile King Agramant was weary of these endless 
 quarrels, which threatened to deprive him of half his bravest 
 warriors ; so he racked his brains to devise some means of 
 preventing the fight between King Rodomont and Prince 
 Mandricard ; and after much thought he hit upon a plan 
 which seemed likely to content them both. He pro- 
 posed that the Princess Doralis, who was the innocent 
 
230 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 cause of their dissension, should be free to make her choice 
 between them, under condition that whichever of them was 
 rejected should loyally submit himself to her will, and 
 suffer her to marry his fortunate rival without further con- 
 tention. Both knights were well pleased with this proposal, 
 for each of them thought himself sure of his lady's prefer- 
 ence ; but the bystanders all supposed that she would give 
 her voice for Rodomont, who had worn her colours on his 
 helmet these three years past, and the fame of whose valiant 
 deeds had made her name glorious throughout the world. 
 While they busied themselves with such surmises King Agra- 
 mant led the rivals to the foot of the ladies' gallery, and en- 
 couraged Doralis to name the one whom she preferred for her 
 husband ; at which the fair Princess cast her eyes upon the 
 ground, and blushing to the roots of her hair, declared that 
 Prince Mandricard was the dearer to her heart, and there- 
 fore she would make choice of him as her lord. The whole 
 assembly marvelled greatly at her decision, but by far the 
 most astonished of them all was the terrible King of Algiers, 
 who never thought to figure as a rejected suitor. Burning 
 with indignation, he would fain have repeated his challenge 
 to the Prince of Tartary, but Agramant interposed and for- 
 bade him, reminding him of the covenant which he had 
 made. Then, deeming himself doubly slighted by his lady 
 and his liege lord, the angry Rodomont would no longer 
 abide in the camp, but turned his back on his comrades, 
 and rode sullenly away to nurse his wrath in solitude. 
 
 Roger would have followed after him to recover Frontin 
 but that he was detained by his engagement to fight Prince 
 Mandricard. So much time, however, had been wasted 
 over the various quarrels and their settlement that it was 
 now too late in the day for the Princes to begin their con- 
 test, and Agramant commanded that it should take place 
 on the following morning. Meanwhile he spent the even- 
 ing in trying to effect some arrangement by which this 
 battle too might be avoided, or at least postponed ; and 
 Princess Doralis joined her entreaties to his, being very 
 loth that her knight should risk his life for a paltry crest 
 the very day after she had accepted him for her husband. 
 
CHAP. VI.] COMBAT OF THE TWO PRINCES. 231 
 
 But all their efforts were vain, because neither Prince would 
 suffer the other to bear the Trojan eagle any longer. 
 Mandricard was obstinate in demanding a battle, which his 
 ferocious spirit loved, whatever the pretext ; while Roger 
 contended that he had been grossly insulted by the Tartar, 
 and that such outrage could only be avenged by bloodshed. 
 So our Courteous Prince took up his quarters in the 
 western pavilion, and as soon as morning broke the 
 trumpets sounded for the combat. At this welcome music 
 both knights made haste to don their armour and mount 
 their horses, while the Kings took their seats upon the 
 throne, and the populace gathered round the barriers. The 
 trumpets sounded the second time, and the two knights 
 closed their visors and moved to their places, one at either 
 end of the lists ; but at the third blast they laid their lances 
 in rest and rushed forward to the encounter with such fury 
 that it seemed as though the sky were falling and the solid 
 earth yawning under foot. Both lances were shivered to 
 the handle, and the fragments flew high into the air; 
 whereupon the warriors plucked forth their swords, and for 
 the first time Durindana met Balisarda in deadly conflict. 
 Each Prince directed his first blow against his foeman's 
 visor, but neither could smite through the double bars of 
 tempered steel. Then stroke followed stroke as thick as 
 hailstones that strip the forest of leaf and twig; and thus 
 they continued together for nearly an hour, each parrying 
 the cuts of his antagonist, or raining down blows without 
 effect upon his armour. The first advantage fell to the 
 side of Mandricard, who with one stroke clave Prince 
 Roger's shield from top to bottom, and drove Durindana 
 on through the cuirass, till he cut into the flesh beneath it. 
 At the sight of this fearful wound the blood of all the by- 
 standers curdled in their veins, and their hearts sank with 
 fear for the fate of Roger; for, as you may suppose, the 
 Courteous Prince was the general favourite ; and if the 
 people's wishes could have decided the struggle, the 
 ferocious Mandricard would long since have lain stark upon 
 the ground. Feeling himself wounded, Roger gathered all 
 his strength and brought Balisarda down upon the crest of 
 
232 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 Prince Mandricard's helmet; and if the weapon had not 
 turned in his hand that blow would have made an end of 
 the Tartar's life. As it was, his brain reeled and his eyes 
 were darkened, while his fingers let go the rein, and Gold 
 Bridle bore him thrice round the enclosure before he could 
 recover his senses. As soon as he was himself again he 
 spurred his charger against Prince Roger, and rising in his 
 stirrups lifted up Durindana above his head as if to smite 
 him through the helmet to the brain ; but our hero was too 
 quick for him, and pierced the joints of his harness under 
 the right armpit before the blow had time to descend. A 
 crimson stream of blood rushed out from the gash, weaken- 
 ing the force of Mandricard's downward blow ; yet even so 
 the gallant Roger bent beneath it, and would have received 
 an ugly wound if his helmet had been forged of common 
 metal. But he recovered himself in a trice, and dealt his 
 adversary a second wound upon the hip, which so angered 
 the Tartar that he cast away his shield from off his arm and 
 grasped Durindana in both hands. "Ah!" cried Roger, 
 " here is proof that you are unworthy to bear the eagle, 
 since you throw it thus wantonly to the ground;" but even 
 as he spake he felt the full force of Durindana descending 
 like an avalanche on his visor. Luckily it glanced from 
 his face and fell upon the high pommel of his saddle ; and 
 although this was well plated with steel, the keen blade cut 
 through it as a knife cuts cheese, giving Roger a grievous 
 wound upon the thigh, from which he afterwards took long 
 to recover. By this time both warriors were red with blood, 
 and the issue of their combat was still in doubt ; but now 
 the skill of Prince Roger decided the struggle in his favour. 
 Taking fair advantage of Mandricard's folly in throwing 
 away his shield, he made a thrust with Balisarda at his left 
 side; and dividing the steel cuirass, the point pierced 
 between the Tartar's ribs to his heart and dealt him a mortal 
 wound. Yet even in death the ferocious Mandricard gave 
 proof of his mighty prowess ; for with a last effort he clave 
 through Roger's helmet and gave him a fearful gash upon 
 the head. At the same instant both champions fell from 
 their horses, so that the people knew not which to account 
 
CHAP. VI.] THE DEATH OF MANDRICARD. 233 
 
 the conqueror, but believed them both to be slain. Soon, 
 however, Roger raised himself up, and was proclaimed 
 victor to the great joy of King Agramant and all the 
 people ; indeed I never heard that any one much regretted 
 Prince Mandricard's death except the unhappy Princess 
 Doralis, who had counted on welcoming him as her bride- 
 groom. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HOW RAYNALD BROUGHT HIS BROTHERS TO DELIVER PARIS, 
 AND OF THE VICTORY WHICH THEY HAD. 
 
 When Roger had been proclaimed conqueror in this hard- 
 fought battle the arms and horse of his dead opponent were 
 made over to him as the spoils of victory ; but our Cour- 
 teous Prince kept none of them for himself, being content 
 with having established his right to bear the Trojan eagle 
 as his crest. First he bestowed Durindana on King 
 Gradasso according to agreement — for they had made a 
 covenant together, that whichever came first to battle with 
 the Tartar should maintain both claims against him, — but 
 Gold Bridle and the armour, which Count Roland had 
 abandoned in his frenzy, he gave as a gift to King Agra- 
 mant in testimony of his loyalty towards him. Then he 
 fell back, weak from loss of blood, upon the earth ; and 
 King Agramant bade his henchmen lift him up and carry 
 him to his own tent, where he might be well tended till his 
 wounds should be healed. There he lay wrestling with 
 death for several weeks, scarce able to stir hand or foot, so 
 grievous were the hurts he had received, but watched day 
 and night by the King of Tunis and his vassals, as a sick 
 boy is nursed by a loving mother. 
 
 Meanwhile Raynald had made all speed to reach the 
 castle of Sir Aldigier, who gave him the glad news that 
 Malibran and Vivian were already saved, and that it was 
 Prince Roger and the great Princess Marfisa who had 
 wrought their deliverance. When he heard this Raynald 
 went on to his own home in Montalbano, where he found 
 
CHAP. VII.] RICHARDETTO GETS A FALL, 235 
 
 his whole family assembled and rejoicing over the good 
 fortune of their kinsmen. There he was greeted with great 
 joy by them all ; nevertheless he was loth to tarry in the 
 place, and desired to return to his post with the Christian 
 army. So after spending a couple of days at home he set 
 out again on the road to Paris, and took with him his four 
 brothers, whose names were Sir Richard, Sir Alured, Sir 
 Walter, and Sir Richardetto ; as well as Sir Malibran and 
 Sir Vivian, his cousins. Moreover, he had under his com- 
 mand a chosen band of soldiers, seven hundred in num- 
 ber, each man of whom was well seasoned to warfare and 
 ready to follow his leader to the death. This regiment was 
 quartered at Montalbano, and Raynald never took them 
 away save in case of urgent need ; but now, hearing that 
 Charlemagne had been driven back behind his walls, he 
 bade them make ready for battle and follow him to the 
 relief of Paris. 
 
 They had not gone far before they met a knight of 
 valiant aspect, who bore a black shield traversed by a silver 
 bar, and whose person and device were alike unknown to 
 them all. Richardetto happened just then to be riding at 
 the head of the troop, wherefore the stranger challenged 
 him first to joust, since he perceived that he bore himself 
 like a gallant cavaHer. The young Paladin gleefully ac- 
 cepted the challenge, thinking : " I will give this foreigner 
 a rare fall, to make him shy for the future of provoking a 
 knight of Clairmont;" but the result proved contrary to his 
 hopes. For his adversary sat firm on his seat, while 
 Richardetto was borne off his saddle and laid on his back 
 a yard behind his horse's heels. Then Sir Alured galloped 
 forward to avenge his brother's fall, but met with the same 
 misfortune ; while no better luck attended Sir Walter, who 
 came next to prove himself against the stranger. Sir 
 Richard, Sir Malibran, and Sir Vivian were all eager to take 
 the fourth turn ; but Raynald motioned them back. For 
 he thought within himself: " It is time for us to proceed on 
 our journey, and I have no leisure to wait till you have all 
 been overthrown in succession." Howbeit he spake not 
 his thought aloud, lest he should wound the pride of his 
 
236 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 kinsmen ; but he laid his lance in the rest, and spurred 
 forward to encounter the stranger. 
 
 Now was seen a different kind of contest from the 
 former, for both knights sat firm in their saddles, while 
 their lances splintered and broke, and their chargers dashed 
 one against the other with such a shock as threw both of 
 them backward on their haunches. The noble Bayard 
 sprang up again in a trice none the worse for the encounter, 
 but the other broke his back, so that he died. His rider, 
 however, was unhurt, and leapt to his feet when he perceived 
 that his horse lay dead; and, drawing forth his sword, he 
 said : ''Sir Knight, I bear you no malice for my charger's 
 death, which has happened through no fault of yours, but 
 in fair and honourable combat. Nevertheless, I pray you, 
 let us do battle with our swords ; for I should be sorely 
 grieved to part from such an antagonist as you till we had 
 proved our prowess to the uttermost. Remain on horseback, 
 if you will, and I will encounter you on foot : I am willing 
 to allow you every advantage rather than forego the plea- 
 sure of a contest." "Willingly will I (grant your request," 
 answered Raynald; "but I will take no advantage over 
 you. In proof of which I will send away my comrades and 
 escort, so that none shall stay beside us except my groom, 
 who must hold my horse apart while we fight. And I 
 promise you that if we both survive the battle, I will give 
 you another charger out of my stables no whit inferior to 
 the one you have lost." The stranger made due acknow- 
 ledgment of our Paladin's courtesy, and Raynald bade his 
 kinsmen and soldiers go before him to the castle of Sir 
 Aldigier, where they had arranged to pass the night. 
 
 As soon as they were out of sight Sir Raynald threw 
 Bayard's rein to his groom, and addressed himself to battle 
 against the stranger. Seldom has such a combat been seen, 
 for each knight felt the need of employing his utmost skill ; 
 each struck hard and terrible blows against his adversary, 
 but every cut was parried and every thrust turned cleverly 
 aside. For both of them fought with the greatest caution 
 as well as admirable valour, each knowing that a single 
 mistake might cost him his life. Thus they strove together 
 
CHAP. VII.] AND FINDS A BROTHER. 237 
 
 till sundown, and neither could lay claim to any advantage ; 
 but as the darkness thickened apace, Sir Raynald lifted up 
 his voice and said : " Sir Knight, to fight at random in the 
 dark can bring no honour to either of us. Come with me 
 therefore, I pray you, to my cousin's dwelling, where you 
 shall be fitly entertained for the night." The stranger joy- 
 fully accepted the invitation, and the two knights proceeded 
 to join the others at the castle of Sir Aldigier, who received 
 them all hospitably according to his wont. 
 
 Now in the morning, as the stranger was crossing the 
 courtyard, he met a magnificent charger led by Sir Raynald's 
 groom, who accosted him reverently, and said : " Valiant 
 Sir Knight, the Paladin Raynald entreats you to do him the 
 favour of accepting this horse in place of the one which was 
 killed under you yesterday." "Sir Raynald! what Sir 
 Raynald is this ? " asked the knight in an eager voice. 
 " My master, who had the honour to cross swords with 
 you yesterday," replied the groom ; to which the stranger 
 answered not a word, but ran to the place where the knights 
 of Clairmont were assembled, and fell down at the feet of 
 Raynald, exclaiming : " Pardon ! pardon ! Sir Raynald, for 
 having challenged you yesterday to battle. Verily I knew 
 not who you were, else had I offered myself at once to obey 
 your least command. For I am Guy, the son of Hammon, 
 whom men call Sir Guy the Wild ; yea, I am your own 
 brother, who have hitherto dwelt in the forests by the 
 Danube, but am now come hither to greet my kindred, 
 and to follow you whithersoever you lead, if you disdain 
 not to accept my service." " By my faith, brother Guy," 
 replied Raynald, laughing, as he raised the stranger from his 
 knees — " by my faith thou couldst not give me better proof 
 of thy birth than by thy fashion of belabouring me with thy 
 sword ! Hadst thou come meekly to encounter me, I had 
 doubted the truth of thy story; for the lion sires not the 
 fawn, nor the eagle begets the turtle-dove. But by the 
 might of thine arm I know thee for Duke Hammon's son ; 
 and right glad I am to welcome so gallant a warrior as my 
 brother. Nay, lad, but the Emperor shall create thee a 
 Paladin of France ere many days be past ; for although 
 
238 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 thou art the youngest of us all, thou hast proved thyself a 
 match for the best of us." Thereupon these noble brothers 
 embraced each other lovingly, after which Sir Guy the Wild 
 greeted in like manner his other brothers and his cousins, to 
 the great joy of them all, and offered himself to bear them 
 company to Paris. 
 
 Sir xAldigier also joined himself to his kinsmen, and 
 brought his men-at-arms with him ; and as soon as they 
 were ready they set out all together upon their journey, 
 making as much haste as they possibly could. 
 
 Presently they descried two other knights, one apparelled 
 all in white and mounted on a snow-white charger, the 
 other with arms and horse as black as jet. From afar Sir 
 Raynald recognised them, and knew them to be Grypho the 
 White and Aquilas the Black, the gallant sons of Oliver. 
 So he rode forward to greet them, and asked if they would 
 bear their part in his perilous enterprise, to which the valiant 
 youths consented gladly, being eager to win themselves 
 renown and to rescue their father and the Emperor. Just 
 at this moment Sansonet likewise came up, and Raynald, 
 who had known him long since in Palestine, invited him to 
 join in the adventure, — a proposal which Sansonet accepted 
 with ardour, since to his loyal spirit the honour of Charle- 
 magne was almost dearer than his own. 
 
 After this the Paladins continued their journey for some 
 days, till one evening they came in sight of the walls of Paris, 
 and marked how the Saracen camp was pitched beneath 
 them. Then Sir Raynald called his kinsmen and comrades 
 together, and said : " Behold, we are few in number, and 
 the enemies that oppose us are many ; nevertheless the 
 fortunes of all Christendom may hang upon the issue of our 
 attack. Wherefore it behoves us to act warily, and take 
 such advantage as our honour allows us, lest, if we be vain 
 and foolhardy, we put in jeopardy the lives of our friends. 
 Now if we make our assault by night we shall reap a double 
 profit ; for, on the one hand, we shall take the enemy 
 unawares in the hour of sleep, and, on the other, the dark- 
 ness will hide from them the fewness of our numbers. I 
 advise, therefore, that we should seek cover in the woods 
 
CHAP. VII.] GREAT VICTORY OF THE PALADINS. 239 
 
 till past midnight, and then sally forth to attack the Pagans 
 in their tents." 
 
 All the Paladins approved this prudent counsel, and 
 accordingly Sir Raynald ordered everything as he had 
 proposed. He concealed his regiment and all his comrades 
 in a neighbouring wood till midnight ; but then he drew 
 them up in order of battle, and gave them his commands for 
 the enterprise. " The Paladins," he said, " will begin the 
 combat, and the soldiers will follow close after us to second 
 our attack. But that we may know each other in the 
 darkness, let every man bind a white kerchief round his 
 elbow, and let 'France and Clairmont !' be our battle-cry." 
 
 With these words he turned Bayard's head and galloped 
 towards the camp, accompanied by the band of Paladins, 
 and followed at a little distance by his faithful regiment 
 and Sir Aldigier's men-at-arms. First our knights en- 
 countered a Saracen picket and slew every man of them 
 before they could raise an alarm ; next, with a little more 
 trouble, they did the like by a numerous guard, which King 
 Agramant had set to defend the entrance to the camp ; 
 and so they burst through the Saracen entrenchments, and 
 rode into the very midst of the tents, while three-fourths of 
 their enemies were still sunk in unsuspecting sleep. By 
 tens and by hundreds the Pagans were slain around their 
 path, till the whole camp was thoroughly roused, and such 
 clamour and confusion arose as no words can possibly 
 describe. Some leapt out unarmed from their tents, and 
 rushed unwittingly upon their death ; one would snatch up 
 a sword, another a pike, and a tliird a mace ; some had no 
 defence but their helmets, others bore nothing but their 
 shields, and others again dashed forth in hastily fastened 
 cuirasses, or with half-laced greaves swinging loosely against 
 their legs. Not one in a thousand found leisure to put on 
 his whole armour ; but naked or equipped the same de- 
 struction overtook them all. Soon Sir Raynald and Sir 
 Guy might number their slain by the thousand ; and the 
 other knights fell but little short of them in the havoc which 
 they made among their foes. And just as the confusion 
 was at its height, the soldiers appeared upon the scene, 
 
240 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 whose shouts of "France and Clairmont!" struck fresh 
 terror into the hearts of the Pagans, making them suppose 
 that a powerful army was assailing them. 
 
 For three hours the slaughter raged, and the Christians 
 lost scarcely a man, while the lines were cumbered with 
 the dead bodies of Africans and Spaniards. At last the 
 morning broke and revealed to the Saracens that their 
 enemies were but a handful in number ; whereupon they 
 began to pluck up heart, and made a rally in the hope of 
 driving them out of the camp. But the daylight showed 
 the Emperor also what was happening ; and when he 
 understood the matter he ordered a general sortie from the 
 city, to attack the Pagan camp on the opposite side. 
 
 Bitterly did the Saracens now regret the late quarrels 
 among their chiefs, which had deprived them of well-nigh all 
 their principal warriors. For Mandricard was dead ; Roger 
 was lying helpless on his sick-bed ; Marfisa, after hanging 
 Brunello, had gone off on a private expedition ; and 
 Rodomont had ridden away in a huff, proclaiming that 
 henceforth he would be the enemy of Christian and Saracen 
 alike. Thus their army had now few leaders able to en- 
 counter the knights of Clairmont, while no weight of 
 numbers could prevail against the trained and disciplined 
 valour of Raynald's battalion. And when Charlemagne 
 with his troops from Paris came to join in the fray, their 
 resistance was speedily ended, and they broke and fled in 
 all directions, hotly followed by the victorious Christians. 
 
 Thus King Agramant was forced to abandon his camp 
 and all his baggage ; indeed, he counted himself fortunate 
 in that he escaped with his life, and was able to take Prince 
 Roger along with him. He laid the sick Prince on a litter 
 which he commanded his henchmen to bear, while he him- 
 self rode by the side, surrounded by the bravest of his 
 warriors. In this fashion he retreated from Paris, and 
 came to the strong city of Aries, which was held by a 
 garrison of his troops. There he gradually gathered to- 
 gether the remnants of his beaten anny, and busied himself 
 in fortifying the place still more strongly, expecting every 
 day that the Emperor would march thither to besiege him. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 HOW ROGER, BRADAMANTE, AND MARFISA NEARLY 
 
 CAME TO BLOWS. 
 
 King Agramant was not left long in suspense, for after a 
 fortnight's delay the Emperor brought his army to Aries, 
 and pitched his camp beneath the walls of the city. With 
 him were all the knights of Clairmont, the noble Sansonet, 
 and the twin sons of Oliver with their father, as well as 
 Ogier the Dane, who was now recovered from his wound. 
 Only Sir Brandimart, the friend of Roland, was absent ; for 
 he had gone in search of the Count when he heard the 
 sad tidings of his madness, and had taken with him his 
 wife, the fair and gentle lady Lilias, who loved to share his 
 perils and adventures. The Emperor could well spare him 
 just at present, seeing that so many gallant knights were 
 now collected beneath his banner, who were amply sufficient 
 to aid him in the siege of Aries. 
 
 Perhaps you may have wondered why Bradamante re- 
 mained beside her parents at Montalbano, and went not 
 forth with her brothers to attack the Saracen camp. The 
 truth is, she was sick in mind and body, being sorely 
 afflicted at the long absence of her beloved Prince Roger. 
 Over and over again she would read the letter which he 
 had sent her by the hand of Hippalca, and she found some 
 comfort in gazing upon the writing of her betrothed. But 
 it was not enough to console her for her loneliness ; and 
 although he had promised to return to her as soon as he 
 could, she knew only too well how many accidents might 
 happen to prevent him, so that at times she would exclaim 
 
 R 
 
242 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 in the bitterness of despair : " I shall never look upon his 
 face again ! " To add to her trouble, she presently heard 
 how he had joined company with the great Princess Marfisa, 
 and thereupon a new fear tormented her spirit. For she 
 knew by repute that Marfisa was very comely in face and 
 person, and she thought : " Will not Roger forget me, who 
 am far away, and give his love to this Marfisa, who is ever 
 present to help him at his need ? Woe is me ! what profit 
 is there in my life if my lover forsake me ? Would to 
 Heaven that I had never been born !" This fear so preyed 
 upon her mind that she could neither eat not sleep, but lay 
 grievously ill for many days, till her handmaids began to 
 fear for her life. 
 
 But presently there came a knight to Montalbano, bring- 
 ing tidings from the seat of war, who narrated how Prince 
 Roger had killed the Tartar Mandricard, but was himself 
 wounded nearly to death ; and how King Agramant had 
 been driven from Paris, and was now entrenching himself 
 in the city of Aries. He added that Roger's hurts were 
 almost healed ; that Marfisa was once more with the Saracen 
 army ; and that it was commonly reported that they would 
 soon be joined together in marriage. Of course this report 
 was sheer falsehood; but it seemed so likely to be true 
 that the unhappy Bradamante believed it. Then her grief 
 was far more bitter than before ; yet her indignation at her 
 lover's fancied treachery proved stronger than her sorrow, so 
 that she leapt from her bed and bade Hippalca bring her 
 armour without delay. For she was resolved on making 
 the best of her way to Aries, hoping that she might wreak 
 her vengeance on the hated Marfisa, and then meet the 
 death for which she longed at the hands of Prince Roger. 
 
 With many lamentations she buckled on her armour and 
 girded her sword to her side, after which she looked about 
 for the stoutest lance she could find ; and it happened that 
 her eye lighted on the enchanted bar of gold, which her 
 cousin Astulf had entrusted to her keeping. Bradamante, 
 of course, knew no more about its magic properties than 
 the jovial Duke to whom it belonged ; but she chose it for 
 her present adventure simply because it was the toughest 
 
CHAP. VIII.] BRADAMANTE RIDES TO WAR. 243 
 
 weapon in her store. Then she went towards the stables, 
 considering what horse she should ride, when suddenly she 
 bethought her of Rabican, and said: "Well I know that 
 my cousin would not grudge me the use of his charger for 
 this enterprise, since nowhere can I meet with a better." 
 So she led out the son of Flame and Wind from his stall, 
 and saddled him with her own hands ; after which she 
 vaulted on his back, and bade adieu to the castle of 
 Montalbano. 
 
 On the road she fell in with King Rodomont, who 
 straightway challenged her to combat ; but at their first 
 encounter he went down before the golden lance, and 
 Bradamante took Frontin out of his possession as the 
 lawful spoil of her victory. Rejoicing greatly that she had 
 recovered Prince Roger's gallant steed, she pursued her 
 journey to Aries ; and as she drew near to the place, she 
 summoned a shepherd boy to her side, and offered him a 
 rich reward if he would do her bidding faithfully. The 
 lad promised eagerly to obey her, whereupon she delivered 
 Frontin's rein into his hand, and said : " Take this charger 
 into the city and inquire for Prince Roger, whom his 
 comrades surname the Courteous. And when you have 
 found him, give the rein into his hand, and say to him : 
 ' Sir Prince, a warrior whom you have grievously wronged 
 restores to you the horse of which you were robbed ; and 
 challenges you to ride the same to battle beyond the walls 
 as soon as your wounds are fully healed.' " 
 
 The lad therefore took Frontin into the city and de- 
 livered him together with Bradamante's message to Prince 
 Roger ; while the valiant damsel herself sounded her 
 trumpet before the gates, defying the bravest among the 
 Saracens to withstand her in single combat. It happened 
 that at this moment a great company of knights was 
 assembled round King Agramant on the ramparts, and as 
 soon as Bradamante's challenge was heard young Serpentin 
 of Tunis besought his King's permission to prove himself 
 against the unknown champion. Accordingly he rode forth 
 to the encounter, but was unhorsed at the first touch of the 
 enchanted lance. With great generosity Bradamante for- 
 
244 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 bore to press her advantage, but caught his horse by the 
 bridle and helped him to mount again, saying : " Return 
 into the city, Sir Knight, and bid your King send me a 
 champion more practised in warfare." 
 
 The young knight thanked her for her courtesy, and 
 hastened to deliver her message ; whereupon Sir Ferralu 
 turned to King Agramant and said : " Grant me the next 
 turn, I pray you, that if I fall Sir Serpentin may feel no 
 shame for his overthrow." The King willingly agreed to 
 his request, and Sir Ferralu rode forth from the gate, 
 saluting Bradamante courteously with his hand. Then the 
 damsel cried to him : "Sir Knight, I pray you tell me your 
 name;" and he answered: "I am Ferralu the Spaniard, 
 who seek the honour of proving myself against you." 
 " You I may hardly refuse to meet," replied Bradamante, 
 "yet I would that another were in your place." "Who is 
 that ? " asked Sir Ferralu ; at which the damsel felt the hot 
 blood rush to her cheeks, as with faltering voice she 
 murmured the name of "Roger." "Prithee do me the 
 favour of encountering me first," answered the Spaniard, 
 " and if I am overthrown I will return forthwith to the 
 city and send out Prince Roger to meet you." So they 
 addressed themselves to the jousting, in which Ferralu 
 fared no better than his predecessor, since no one could 
 stand for a moment against Duke Astulf's golden lance. 
 But Bradamante held his horse for him, saying : " Return 
 and perform your promise ;" so Ferralu rode back to his 
 place and told Roger that the strange knight demanded to 
 fight with him. 
 
 The Courteous Prince was quite at a loss to know who 
 in the world could have a quarrel against him ; for Brada- 
 mante's stature was much less than that of King Rodomont, 
 and he could think of no one else whom he had offended. 
 Nevertheless he willingly accepted the challenge, and bade 
 his squire make haste to fetch his armour ; and while he 
 was arming himself he turned to the Spaniard and said : 
 " Know you. Sir Ferralu, who this stranger may be and 
 wherefore he challenges me to battle?" " For a moment," 
 replied the other, " the warrior raised his visor, and his face 
 
CHAP. VIII.] PROWESS OF BRADAMANTE. 245 
 
 was like the face of Richardetto, the son of Hammon ; but 
 I know that Richardetto lacks the skill to bear himself in 
 this fashion ; wherefore I conjecture that the stranger is his 
 twin-sister Bradamante, who is said to be so like him in 
 countenance that their own mother scarce knows them 
 apart." When Roger heard this his heart grew suddenly 
 faint within him and a great trembling seized his limbs, for 
 he thought that something must have occurred to change 
 Bradamante's love for him to hatred. He could not guess 
 how he had offended her, but the very idea made him feel 
 weak and miserable, so that he stood a while in doubt 
 whether he should go forth to battle against her. 
 
 But while he doubted Marfisa made up her mind to 
 seize the opportunity for herself; so she laid her lance in 
 rest and rode out of the gate without asking leave of any 
 man. Bradamante meanwhile had been considering where 
 to aim her lance so as to do Prince Roger no hurt and yet 
 prove herself worthy to encounter him. Perceiving, to her 
 surprise, that some other warrior was coming against her, 
 she demanded her antagonist's name ; and when she heard 
 that Marfisa stood before her — Marfisa whom she suspected 
 of having supplanted her in the affections of her Prince — 
 her spirit was inflamed to fury, and she thought only how 
 she might disgrace her fancied rival before the eyes of 
 Roger. So she rushed madly to the attack, and straightway 
 laid the great Princess flat on the ground, for which success 
 she had the golden lance to thank, since Marfisa was as 
 nearly as possible her equal in skill and valour. Amazed 
 at finding herself unhorsed so easily, a thing which had 
 never happened to her before, Marfisa plucked out her 
 sword ; and Bradamante, if she had been dealing with any 
 other antagonist, would have dismounted of her own accord 
 to maintain the struggle on equal terms. But she was so 
 incensed against Marfisa that she pressed her advantage to 
 the utmost, and spurring Rabican forward to encounter her 
 knocked her down with the magic lance for the second 
 time. 
 
 By this time half the Saracen army was gathered 
 together on the ramparts to witness this wonderful combat, 
 
vJ 
 
 246 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 and the Christians, too, were coming forth from their tents 
 and glorying in the success of their champion. Finding 
 themselves thus in sight of one another, the hostile forces 
 seized the occasion for a skirmish ; the Africans and 
 Spaniards dashed out to succour Marfisa, and with equal 
 ardour the Frenchmen ranged themselves on the side of 
 Bradamante. In the confusion that followed the warrior 
 damsels were separated ; but it was not long before Brada- 
 mante found herself face to face with Prince Roger. Her 
 first thought on beholding him was to take vengeance for 
 the treachery imputed to him ; but even now her love was 
 stronger than her wrath, so she lowered her lance and 
 cried : " Traitor, get thee gone from my sight ! It is 
 enough that thou hast deceived and deserted me ; hence- 
 forth seek only how thou mayest avoid me !" With these 
 words she turned against a company of the Saracens, every 
 man of whom she unhorsed with the golden lance ; and in 
 this manner she went careering over the field, vanquishing 
 every foe whom she met, so that she appeared to be a 
 match for King Agramant's whole army at once. Very 
 soon the enemy were driven back within the city ; and 
 then Prince Roger found an opportunity of riding up to 
 Bradamante and saying : " Hear me, most noble damsel 
 — for pity's sake, I entreat thee, hear me, for I swear that 
 I have done thee no wrong." Bradamante could scarcely 
 believe her ears ; nevertheless hope rose again in her heart ; 
 and bowing her head in token of her willingness to listen, 
 she galloped away in search of a place where she might 
 speak with her lover in private. 
 
 She rode, with Roger following close behind her, till she 
 came to a quiet little valley, in the midst of which was a 
 grove of solemn cypresses. Among the trees was erected 
 a new and splendid tomb of white marble, with an inscrip- 
 tion in letters of gold on the front ; but both Roger and 
 Bradamante were too busy with their own thoughts to care 
 about reading the writing, which would have told them who 
 it was that lay buried there. They dismounted at once 
 and tied their horses to the trunk of a cypress ; and then 
 the damsel began to tell her Prince about the rumours 
 
CHAP. VIII.] THE LAST WORDS OF ATLAS. 247 
 
 which had come to her ears. But she had hardly time to 
 finish her first sentence before she was interrupted by the 
 Princess Marfisa, who had followed the lovers to the grove, 
 and now clamorously demanded to finish her batde with 
 Bradamante. At this the noble damsel's wrath was kindled 
 anew, and drawing out her sword she ran upon Marfisa to 
 slay her ; but the Princess parried the blow and gathered 
 all her strength to return it. Before she could strike, 
 however, Prince Roger thrust himself between them, and, 
 taking them unawares, cleverly succeeded in disarming them 
 both ; for he snatched the swords from their hands and laid 
 them down at the foot of a tree. Then he placed himself 
 in front to guard them ; but the angry Marfisa was not to 
 be balked of her purpose so easily. Deeming his inter- 
 ference an insult to herself, she turned the fury of her 
 wrath against him, and clasping him suddenly round the 
 waist, she wrestled with all her might to dislodge him from 
 his position in front of her sword. But Roger stood firm 
 as a rock, and refused to surrender the weapon ; whereupon 
 Marfisa's rage waxed yet more furious, and she shrieked 
 out insults against him, calling him villain and thief, and 
 threatening that his obstinacy should cost him his life. 
 
 How this three-cornered quarrel would have ended, if 
 it had been suffered to run its course, I know not ; but 
 happily it was cut short by as strange an event as ever you 
 heard of. The earth trembled and shook, the cypresses 
 bent as though struck by a furious tempest, and from the 
 marble tomb in the midst of them proceeded an unearthly 
 voice commanding them to cease from the struggle. " Stay 
 your hands from strife," cried the terrible voice, " and let 
 there be peace and love between you from henceforth ; for 
 it is a monstrous and horrible thing for a sister to lift her 
 hand against her brother. You, Marfisa, are twin-sister to 
 my beloved Prince Roger ; and I took you both as orphans 
 from the breast of your mother, who died on the day of 
 your birth. Orphans you were indeed, since your father 
 had already met his death at the hands of Trojan, the father 
 of King Agramant ; nevertheless you were not left without 
 good protection in the world. For I, the enchanter Atlas, 
 
248 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 cared for you, and reared you as though you were my own 
 offspring, using all my magic arts without stint to serve you. 
 But alas ! on an unlucky day Marfisa was stolen, while yet 
 a child, out of my hands, and carried by pirates to the 
 Court of Arabia. Thenceforth I had none but Roger to 
 love ; and thou knowest, my Prince, if I gave thee not good 
 proof of my affection. In truth, I never cared for aught in 
 comparison with thy welfare, and all my endeavours for 
 these many years have had this and nothing else for their 
 end. But a few days since it was declared to me that I 
 must die, and that you would soon afterwards come hither 
 to fight ; wherefore I commanded the spirits to build me a 
 sepulchre in this place, which my ghost might haunt till I 
 had revealed to you the truth of this matter. Put away, 
 then, all enmity, O my children, and live henceforward in 
 brotherly love together, that the spirit of your foster-father 
 may be at peace. Farewell, my beloved ones, farewell ! ye 
 will never hear of Atlas more." 
 
 With this loving adieu the voice of the old enchanter 
 fell silent for evermore, but the hatred of his noble foster- 
 children was turned to undying love, and with tears in his 
 eyes Prince Roger embraced his sister. Next he turned to 
 Bradamante, and asked her : " Sweet my love, art thou 
 now content?" And the noble damsel answered: "I am 
 content, O my knight ; and never again will I doubt con- 
 cerning thy faith." Then said Roger to Marfisa : " My 
 sister, embrace this damsel, I pray thee, and receive her 
 into thy love, seeing that she is dearer to me than my life, 
 and to her have I plighted my troth." So Marfisa and 
 Bradamante embraced each other, forgetting all their 
 former enmity, and vowing that they would live together 
 thenceforward as comrades and loving sisters. 
 
 Presently Marfisa spake again to her brother, and said : 
 " Hast thou not heard, my Roger, how our father was slain 
 by the father of King Agramant ? Truly it behoves us not 
 to consort with the son of him who made us orphans ; 
 wherefore I will go this very evening to the camp of 
 Charlemagne and enrol myself to serve beneath his banner. 
 As my father was a Christian, so will I be also j and as he 
 
CHAP. VIII.] ANGER GIVES PLACE TO LOVE. 249 
 
 was the enemy of King Trojan, so will I be the enemy of 
 Trojan's son King Agramant." "Go thy way with Brada- 
 mante, my sister," replied the Prince, " and believe that it 
 grieves me beyond measure that I am not able to bear thee 
 company. But Agramant has been very good to me in the 
 hour of my need, and my allegiance is still due to him as 
 my lord ; wherefore my honour bids me remain by his side 
 till the issue of this war be decided." 
 
 Marfisa admitted the justice of her brother's words, and 
 Bradamante loved her noble knight the better for his 
 faithfulness in cleaving to his duty; so the two valiant 
 damsels rode side by side to the camp of the Emperor, 
 while Prince Roger returned against his will to the city, and 
 remained in his post beneath the standard of his King. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOW ROGER FOUGHT WITH RAYNALD IN SINGLE COMBAT, 
 AND HOW KING AGRAMANT BROKE THE TRUCE AND 
 HAD TO FLY FROM FRANCE. 
 
 Did you ever suspect that the great Princess Marfisa would 
 turn out to be Prince Roger's twin-sister? I am sure you 
 didn't ; and for my part I was never more surprised than 
 when I read it in the old poem from which I am taking 
 these stories. However, there it is in black and white, and 
 I am heartily glad to have found it out ; for our friends 
 were getting dreadfully mixed up in their ill-timed quarrels, 
 and I don't see how they could ever have got clear of them 
 but for the discovery of this lucky relationship. The only 
 pity was that they could not remain together as comrades 
 in arms ; but that was impossible for the reasons that you 
 know already. So Roger returned alone to Aries, while 
 Bradamante and Marfisa took their way to the Christian 
 encampment, and came into the presence of Charlemagne. 
 There the Princess kneeled before the Emperor's throne, 
 saying : "Sir Emperor, I have never yet bent the knee to 
 any man, because I never found one worthy to command 
 my homage. But now I kneel to thee willingly, deeming 
 thee greatest among rulers ; that as my father was thy friend 
 and ally, so I too may fight beneath thy banner and do 
 thy bidding so long as I live." When Charlemagne heard 
 this, he and all that were with him rejoiced greatly ; and he 
 raised Marfisa from her knees, saying : " My daughter, I 
 gladly accept the offer of thy service, and I thank thee for 
 coming now to my aid. Truly I knew thy father well, and 
 
CHAP. IX.] AGRAMANT IN PERPLEXITY. 251 
 
 held him ever in high honour ; and in like manner will I 
 honour thee, of whose deeds the whole earth has heard." 
 Then the Princess was w^elcomed by Sir Raynald, and by all 
 the Paladins in turn ; and the next day she was baptized 
 by Turpin, Archbishop of Paris, and swore fealty to the 
 Emperor as his vassal. 
 
 On the same day King Agramant received evil tidings 
 from home ; for a messenger arrived in hot haste, bringing 
 word that a host of Nubians had overrun his kingdom of 
 Tunis, and were laying siege to his chief seaport Biserta. 
 (You will find out from the next chapter how these Nubians 
 came there ; for the present our business is with the Saracens 
 in Aries, till we have seen how they were driven out of 
 France.) Immediately the King called a council of war, 
 and repeated the news which he had learnt from the 
 messenger, saying : " I hear that Tunis has fallen a prey to 
 a vast army of Nubians, who have wasted the country, and 
 are even now besieging the strong cities. Wherefore give 
 me your counsel, I pray you, whether we ought to depart 
 instantly out of France to the defence of our own land, or 
 whether it were better for us to remain here for a time, till 
 we have tried once more to break the power of Charlemagne 
 for ever." As he spoke he turned his eyes upon Marsilius, 
 who was next in place after himself; and the Spanish King 
 rose up and answered him, saying : " Lord King, I bid thee 
 put no trust in the vain babblings of this messenger ; doubt- 
 less the fellow has been frightened by some small squadron 
 of roving Arabs, who may have carried off a few cattle from 
 the lands of Tunis. For it is plainly impossible that an 
 army of Nubians can have marched over the Libyan deserts, 
 w^hich even a caravan of camels can hardly cross. Yet even 
 granted that the Nubians may have rained down from the 
 sky, they will surely perish immediately, seeing that they are 
 ill practised in warfare and have no chieftains of renown to 
 lead them. Fear not, then, for thy realm ; but strive to 
 vanquish the Emperor once for all before Roland can return 
 to his side ; for while the Count is away, the Christians fight 
 without their right arm." Thus spoke the King of Spain, 
 seeking to persuade King Agramant to remain in France. 
 
252 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 But the wise King Sobrin perceived that the counsel of 
 Marsihus proceeded not from single-hearted loyalty to his 
 lord, but that he spoke thus because he feared to be left 
 alone in Europe to bear the brunt of Charlemagne's ven- 
 geance. Wherefore Sobrin rose up in turn from his seat 
 and bowed himself before King Agramant, and said : " Lord 
 King, when thou didst first propose this war against the 
 Emperor, I alone of all thy counsellors sought to turn thee 
 from thy purpose ; and well I wot that it was imputed to 
 me for cowardice. Nevertheless, I have followed thee 
 faithfully, and have not turned back in the day of thy 
 misfortune, as some others have done who were loudest 
 in persuading thee to the enterprise. Now, therefore, 
 hearken to my words, and think not because I counsel 
 thee to prudence that I am lacking in zeal for thy service. 
 Behold, we are few in number, for Prince Mandricard is 
 dead, and King Rodomont is gone away in his anger ; 
 Marfisa also has joined herself to our enemies, and all the 
 advantage of the war is theirs. True it is that Count 
 Roland is away ; and we ought to offer up thanksgivings 
 for his absence, since otherwise there would hardly be a 
 man of us left alive. But Raynald is with them, and his 
 brothers, and their valiant sister Bradamante ; Brandimart 
 also, who is a second Roland for valour, and Ogier the 
 Dane are there, with Oliver and his gallant sons, who are 
 lately returned to France. Of a truth, my lord, I reckon 
 that we are become much weaker than our enemies ; and I 
 count it sheer madness for us to lose our dominions at home 
 and gain nothing but defeat and death abroad. Neverthe- 
 less, I do not advise thee to depart without one effort to gain 
 the victory ; only I give not my voice for a general battle, 
 in which we must certainly be overwhelmed. Send rather 
 to Charlemagne, and propose a single combat to decide the 
 issue of the war, and make an agreement with him that the 
 king whose champion is overthrown shall do homage to the 
 other, paying him tribute from henceforward as his vassal. 
 And if the Emperor accepts this challenge, behold, here is 
 Roger in thy camp to be our champion, whose valour is 
 surely sufficient to defeat the bravest of our adversaries." 
 
CHAP. IX.] THE CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. 253 
 
 Now Sobrin's counsel found favour with King Agramant, 
 so that he sent a herald to the Emperor the same afternoon 
 to propose a single combat on these terms, saying that Prince 
 Roger was willing to maintain the Saracen cause against 
 any knight who might be chosen to encounter him ; and 
 Charlemagne was too noble to refuse such a challenge, even 
 though the course of the war was all in his favour ; but he 
 generously renounced his advantage, and bade Sir Raynald 
 make ready to do battle on the morrow morning. For 
 next after Count Roland he put most confidence in the fiery 
 Raynald, and deemed that the contest was already as good 
 as won when he had named him to fight as his champion. 
 At the news of this agreement there was great joy through- 
 out both the hostile armies ; for the common soldiers had 
 grown weary of the war, and were heartily glad to find that 
 everything was to be settled without further trouble or 
 danger to them. But most joyful of all was Sir Raynald, 
 who counted himself honoured above measure in being 
 chosen as the Emperor's champion, and vowed that he 
 would prove himself worthy to be trusted with the fortunes 
 of all Christendom. Only Roger was very sorrowful, and 
 his spirit was troubled within him, when he heard that 
 Charlemagne's choice had fallen upon Sir Raynald; not that 
 he feared the knight of Clairmont, or any other warrior 
 upon earth, but because he was very loth to meet the 
 brother of his Bradamante as an enemy. But he could not 
 go back from his word, which he had pledged to King 
 Agramant : so with a heavy heart he returned to his 
 lodging, and lay awake all night brooding over the evil 
 fortune which seemed always to persecute him. For how 
 could he hope ever to marry his lady if he defeated and 
 slew her brother ? And Bradamante was as sorrowful as 
 her lover, seeing that whatever were the issue of the combat 
 she would fall into great aftliction. For between two such 
 knights the battle would certainly be fought out to the 
 death, and she would be left to mourn the loss either of 
 her dear brother or of her affianced husband. 
 
 Early in the morning a company from each army came 
 out to prepare the lists. They enclosed an ample space 
 
254 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 with cords and stakes, and raised an altar of stones and 
 turf at either end, and then gave the signal that all was in 
 readiness. Thereupon the Pagan hosts trooped forth from 
 the city, and took their stand at a little distance from the 
 enclosure ; but King Agramant advanced from the midst 
 of them, riding on a splendid bay charger, and passed 
 within the barrier. At his right hand rode Prince Roger 
 on Frontin, equipped in full armour except that his head 
 was bare ; while his helmet was carried by King Marsilius, 
 who rode upon Agramant's left, and disdained not to serve 
 as squire to the Courteous Prince. Likewise the Christian 
 army came forth from their encampment, and ranged them- 
 selves on the opposite side of the lists : while the Emperor 
 Charlemagne rode forward to face King Agramant, having 
 Sir Raynald, mounted on Bayard, at his right hand, and 
 Ogier the Dane, who carried Raynald's helmet, on his left. 
 
 Charlemagne first laid his hand upon one of the altars, 
 and swore a great oath that he would neither interrupt this 
 combat, nor refuse to abide by the issue of it ; but that, if 
 Raynald were slain, he would do homage to the King of 
 Tunis, and pay him tribute thenceforward as his vassal. 
 Then King Agramant laid his hand upon the other altar, 
 and swore in like manner to maintain the conditions of the 
 fight, as he himself had proposed them ; and when they 
 had thus pledged their faith the King and the Emperor 
 saluted each other courteously like noble adversaries, and 
 retired without the lists. 
 
 Next the champions came forward in their turn : Roger 
 promised that if his King did anything to disturb the 
 combat contrary to the agreement, he would straightway 
 renounce his allegiance and profess himself the vassal of 
 Charlemagne ; and in like manner Raynald vowed that 
 he would pass over to the Saracen forces if the Emperor 
 should interfere in the battle. 
 
 These ceremonies ended, the champions separated and 
 put on their helmets, and immediately the trumpets sounded 
 for the onset. They rushed together, not in blind fury of 
 hatred, but coolly and circumspectly, each being intent on 
 giving no advantage to his adversary ; and thus they con- 
 
CHAP. IX.] THE SINGLE COMBAT. 255 
 
 tended with such skilful wariness and such quickness of eye 
 and limb as I cannot pretend to describe, and you would 
 hardly believe if I did. Prince Roger, however, considered 
 that he was fighting against the brother of his lady love, 
 and assailed him so cautiously that to all the bystanders it 
 appeared as if he must soon be worsted : for he cared only 
 to parry Sir Raynald's strokes, or if he delivered a cut him- 
 self, he aimed it so as to do the Paladin no hurt. But 
 Raynald had no such cause for forbearance, and put forth 
 his utmost strength to defeat the Prince : wherefore all the 
 Pagan chieftains trembled and gave up their cause for lost, 
 deeming their champion quite overmatched, and marvelling 
 to see him so sluggish in dealing his blows. And Agramant 
 especially began to upbraid the wise King Sobrin for having 
 persuaded him to propose the single combat, forgetting 
 that he himself was the only one to blame, since he had 
 been free to take his counsellor's advice or leave it as he 
 chose. But that is just the way of most people : if their 
 friends' advice turns out well, they take great credit to 
 themselves for following it ; but if things chance to go ill, 
 they lay all the blame upon their counsellors. 
 
 Still, however. Sir Raynald could win no real advantage, 
 for Roger, though loth to slay or hurt a knight of Clair- 
 mont, had no mind to be slain himself; and if he was slow 
 to smite, he parried every blow of his antagonist with 
 perfect skill. So that the battle seemed likely to last all 
 day, unless the Saracen champion should make some mis- 
 take in his defence by which Sir Raynald might get a chance 
 to overcome him. 
 
 But there was one friend of ours to whom this fight 
 between the lover and brother of Bradamante was hateful 
 above everything, and who resolved to stop it at all hazards 
 — I mean the kind enchantress Melissa, who had set her 
 heart on accomplishing the marriage of Prince Roger and 
 his lady. To this end she transformed herself into the 
 likeness of the gigantic king Rodomont, making herself 
 appear as though she were equipped in his armour of 
 dragon's hide, with his enormous sword and shield at her 
 side. Then she called up a spirit, and bade him take the 
 
256 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 shape of a horse for her to ride ; and in this guise she came 
 into the presence of King Agramant, and with a frown on 
 her brow cried out in an angry voice : " What folly is this, 
 Sir King? Are you mad, that you have trusted a youth 
 like Roger to maintain our cause against the bravest 
 warrior in France ? Stop the fight at once, and rush with 
 all your men to attack our enemies ; and fear not to break 
 your oath since I am here, and my prowess will gain you 
 the victory." 
 
 Now Agramant supposed that this was really Rodomont 
 returned to his allegiance : and he rejoiced more in the 
 support of the terrible Algerian than if a whole army of 
 lesser men had come to reinforce him. Persuaded that 
 none could stand against him if Rodomont fought on his 
 side, he allowed himself to forget his oath and the truce to 
 which his honour was pledged ; and calling upon his men 
 to follow him, he dashed forward to assail the Christians. 
 But though taken unawares, the gallant Paladins and their 
 followers spurred eagerly to meet him, being filled with rage 
 at the perfidy of their foes. Thus the single combat was 
 brought to an end, and a general encounter took its place, 
 while Roger and Raynald stayed their hands and stood 
 aside, till they could know for certain which party had 
 broken the agreement ; for they had been so intent on their 
 own struggle that neither of them had seen what had hap- 
 pened, and they knew not whether Charlemagne or Agra- 
 mant was in fault. 
 
 Meanwhile Melissa vanished out of sight as soon as she 
 saw the truce broken and the champions' combat inter- 
 rupted, while the fight waxed hotter and hotter between the 
 armies. All the morning Marfisa had stood by the side of 
 Bradamante in restless impatience at having to witness a 
 battle in which slie could take no part, like a hound that 
 strains at the leash when its fellow is loosed for the chase. 
 But now she plucked out her sword and smote through half 
 a dozen helmets w^ith as many strokes, while Bradamante 
 pranced by her side with the golden lance in her hand, 
 which overthrew every adversary whom it struck. Count- 
 less were the numbers of Pagans who fell beneath the 
 
CHAP. IX.] ROUT OF THE SARACENS. 257 
 
 weapons of these valiant damsels ; and they were well 
 seconded by all their followers, and especially by the brave 
 company of Paladins. 
 
 Very soon King Agramant perceived that he was being 
 beaten, and looked round for Rodomont, by whose instiga- 
 tion, as he imagined, he had been led to break the truce. 
 But the form of the gigantic Algerian was nowhere to be 
 seen, since Melissa, who wore it, had long since vanished 
 from the field. King Sobrin also was gone, for he had re- 
 treated within the city, protesting that he was guiltless of 
 his leader's perjury; and he was followed thither by King 
 Marsilius, who was persuaded that so great wickedness 
 must meet with a terrible punishment. Moreover, doubting 
 whether they could find safety anywhere on dry land, these 
 two kings retired on board their ships, which lay moored in 
 the river Rhone within the city ; and a great multitude of 
 chiefs and soldiers followed them. So Agramant was left 
 almost alone to bear the brunt of Charlemagne's onset, and 
 perceiving how his people fled in all directions, he too was 
 forced to turn his back and make a push for the city gates. 
 Before he could come there, he ran great risk of his life ; 
 for Marfisa thundered down on his track to slay him, because 
 of the ancient feud between their families, and Bradamante 
 also spurred Rabican in pursuit of him, being eager to be 
 avenged on the man who was the chief cause of her separa- 
 tion from Prince Roger. But Agramant's bay charger was 
 very fleet of foot, and had got so good a start that not 
 even Rabican could overtake him, though the point of 
 the golden lance was within a yard of the flying monarch's 
 back as he passed through the gate into the town. He 
 saved his life, indeed ; but this day's treachery brought 
 a lasting stain upon his honour, besides ruining for 
 ever his hopes of victory. Of thirty-two kings who had 
 followed his standard as his vassals into France, only 
 eight or nine remained alive ; his army had already 
 dwindled to a quarter of its former strength, and now 
 a full half of the remnant were either slain or taken 
 prisoners by the Christians. And so great was the 
 slaughter that the signs of it may be seen to this day ; at 
 
 s 
 
258 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part iv. 
 
 least I am told that the ground near Aries is all broken 
 into mounds and barrows, which are said to be the graves 
 of the Saracens who fell that day beneath the swords of 
 the great Emperor's army. 
 
 In bitterness of spirit King Agramant rode through the 
 town, looking neither to the right nor to the left, till he 
 came to the quay by the river side, where his galleys and 
 other ships were anchored. There he remained two days on 
 board his ship, embarking such of his people as had escaped 
 from the battle ; and on the third day he weighed anchor 
 and sailed down the Rhone before a northerly breeze, with 
 intent to convey this poor remainder of his army back to 
 Africa. In the same ship with him went the wise King 
 Sobrin, whose loyal heart clave to his unhappy lord, and 
 remembered not his former faults against him; and they 
 were accompanied by a fleet of vessels very many in 
 number, but feebly manned and with a scanty complement 
 of soldiers. Meanwhile King Marsilius went his own way 
 into Spain, where he busied himself with fortifying his 
 strong places and gathering together stores and munitions 
 of war ; for he feared lest the vengeance of Charlemagne 
 should overtake him suddenly, and find him unready for 
 defence. 
 
 Thus were the Moors of Africa and Spain driven back, 
 and all Christendom was delivered from the fear of the 
 Saracens. For never since that day has any nation of 
 Asia or Africa set foot in the fair dominion of France to 
 make war upon its inhabitants. 
 
PART V. 
 
 bisIrta. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW ASTULF CAME TO BESIEGE BISERTA, AND SENT A 
 
 FLEET TO FRANCE. 
 
 Now we can say farewell to France for a short time, and 
 travel over the sea to Africa without need of chartering a 
 ship for our passage. There we shall meet with Duke 
 Astulf again -, and we shall find him in high prosperity and 
 renown, doing good service to the Christian cause in the 
 enemy's country. Shall you not be glad to hear some 
 more about him ? I declare I am as pleased to see him 
 again as if I were welcoming an old friend after a year's 
 absence ; for I confess that, for my part, I love this jovial 
 Englishman better than any of his comrades. He has an 
 enormous appetite, to be sure, and heartily enjoys a good 
 dinner; but then he never grumbles at having to go without 
 it, or at enduring any other hardship ; and what a frank, 
 manly, true-hearted fellow he is ! 
 
 We left him, if you remember, in company with Virgil 
 in the Earthly Paradise, carrying under his arm the green 
 glass bottle in which the lost wits of Count Roland were 
 stored. Dismounting from Pegasus, Virgil led him to the 
 ivory palace in the midst of the garden, where he gave him 
 some breakfast to refresh him after his night's expedition. 
 And while Astulf was eating, the poet instructed him in all 
 that he would have to do when he returned to earth, and 
 told him of a sign by which he might recognise Count 
 Roland, in spite of the changes which his frenzy had 
 wrought in his appearance. 
 
 Then our Englishman was ready to start ; so Virgil took 
 
262 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 him round to the stables, where the Hippogrif was standing 
 ready with his saddle on his back and the golden bit in 
 his mouth. Bidding his guide a last farewell, with hearty- 
 thanks for all his kindness, Astulf vaulted into the saddle ; 
 and immediately the Hippogrif spread out its great many- 
 coloured wings, and flew away from the Earthly Paradise. 
 He flew down through the clouds by the way that he came, 
 along the steep slopes of the Mountains of the Moon, till 
 at last he alighted safely before the palace of Prester John 
 the Nubian Emperor. Prester John, I need hardly tell 
 you, received the Duke with great gladness, and begged 
 him to stay awhile as his guest ; moreover, he urged him 
 again to ask a boon in return for his service in expelling 
 the Harpies, saying : " Fear not to ask whatsoever thou 
 desirest, Sir Knight ; for all that I have is thine, since thou 
 didst deliver me from so grievous a plague." Then Duke 
 Astulf made answer and said : " Sir Emperor, I ask not 
 anything for myself, since a Paladin of France must seek to 
 gain honour, and not riches, by his labours ; but for my 
 liege lord the Emperor Charlemagne, and for the welfare of 
 all Christendom, I will make a very grave request. Send 
 with me, I pray thee, a mighty army to invade the realm of 
 Tunis ; for by so doing we shall draw away King Agramant 
 out of France, and punish him for warring unjustly against 
 us." "Sir Duke," replied Prester John, "my horses and 
 chariots are thine, my knights also, and my soldiers, and 
 all that I have, to do with according to thy pleasure. 
 Nevertheless I know not how thou wilt accomplish this 
 thing, seeing that an army cannot march across the deserts 
 which separate us from the kingdom of Tunis." " Is it 
 then impossible for any one to cross these deserts ? " asked 
 Astulf; and the Emperor answered : "A man may cross 
 them indeed, if the South Wind be still ; but for horses and 
 chariots it is always impossible. And even if you march 
 all on foot, you bring yourselves in great peril of your 
 lives ; for if the South Wind chance to blow, it will sweep 
 great mountains of sand before it, so that you will all be 
 buried in the sand, and not a man of you will escape 
 alive." " Give me the men, Sir Emperor," answered Duke 
 
CHAP. I.] ASTULF LAYS HIS PLANS. 263 
 
 Astulf, "and I will promise to lead them safe across the 
 deserts ; for in the mountains of the moon I learned how to 
 keep the South Wind quiet. The chariots and horses, in 
 truth, must be left behind ; but suffer your chief magician 
 to go along with me, and we will provide chargers for the 
 knights when we come to the other side." 
 
 The Nubian Emperor opened his eyes wide with 
 amazement, when he heard Astulf declare that he knew 
 how to quiet the wind ; but he had already seen such 
 wonderful proofs of his power, that he was willing to believe 
 him at his word, and promised that everything should be 
 done as he desired. So he sent forth heralds through all 
 his dominions to gather his fighting -men together, and 
 appointed a trysting-day on which they were to assemble 
 outside the chief city. And when they came thither, the 
 broad meadows round about were scarce large enough to 
 give them camping-ground; and the Emperor gave the com- 
 mand over them all to Duke Astulf, who thus found him- 
 self at the head of eighty thousand one hundred and 
 two knights and over four hundred thousand infantry. 
 
 With these he designed to march against the kingdom 
 of Tunis ; but first he must needs make sure of the South 
 Wind, lest it should blow^ over the desert and bury them all 
 beneath the sand. Now Astulf knew — for Virgil had fully 
 instructed him in this matter — that the South Wind had his 
 dwelling in a cavern at the foot of the Mountains of the 
 Moon, and that he generally went thither to take his rest, 
 when he w^as tired of blowing over the deserts. Here our 
 duke intended to catch him ; so he asked a farmer to lend 
 him a good big sack, tied at the mouth wath a running cord. 
 On the evening before he wanted to start with his army 
 across the sands, he slung this sack over his shoulder, and 
 rode the Hippogrif to the South Wind's resting-place. The 
 cave was large and lofty inside, but it had a very narrow 
 entrance, not more than a foot and a half square; and 
 peeping through this hole, Astulf could see by the light of 
 the moon that the South Wind was lying fast asleep on the 
 floor. "Oho! my fine fellow," he w'hispered, "now I think 
 I've got you safe ; " and opening the mouth of his sack, he 
 
264 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 fastened it over the little entrance to the cavern. Then he 
 waited patiently till morning ; and about an hour before 
 sunrise the Wind jumped up from his sleep, and rushed out 
 of the cave, thinking to take his usual run before breakfast. 
 But of course he bolted headlong into the sack; and as 
 soon as he was inside, Astulf drew the cord across the 
 mouth, and kept him there like a pig in a poke. Struggle 
 as he would, the South Wind could not get out of the sack 
 — I daresay you remember that this was just the way in 
 which the Mother of the Winds used to punish her sons in 
 Andersen's delightful story — and the duke in high glee 
 laid him across his back, and mounting the Hippogrif again, 
 carried him a prisoner to the city of Prester John. 
 
 Now he could cross the desert without fear, so he ordered 
 his army to begin the march that very afternoon. He him- 
 self, indeed, could easily have flown over on the Hippogrif; 
 but the others must needs go on foot and endure a march 
 of twenty days or more, and our Englishman, like a noble 
 general, determined to share the toils of his soldiers. For 
 he knew that men labour more zealously when they see that 
 their masters are willing to do the like, and besides, he 
 bethought him that he would have no further use for the 
 Hippogrif, and that it was a shame to keep the gallant' 
 animal in captivity longer than was necessary. So he patted 
 him on the neck and said, " Brave beast, thou hast done 
 me good service, in return for which I now give thee thy 
 freedom. " With these words he let fall the golden bit, and 
 the Hippogrif, no longer constrained to servitude, flew joy- 
 fully up into the air, and was soon lost to sight amid the 
 clouds. What became of him afterwards I don't know; 
 some say that he died very soon, but that I don't believe ; 
 others, that he is still flying about the air, and that an 
 eclipse of the sun is caused by one of his wings overshadow- 
 ing it ; but that is sheer nonsense, as the Astronomer-Royal 
 will tell you. Most people think — and I fancy they are 
 right — that he flew straight up to the sky, and has ever since 
 been living at his ease in one of the stars, where he finds 
 plenty of good pasture and fresh water ; it is said, too, that 
 if any one could find the bit which Duke Astulf dropped in 
 
CHAP. L] FAREWELL, HIPPOGRIF ! 265 
 
 Nubia, the creature would come back to earth and acknow- 
 ledge the lucky finder as his master ; so if you are anxious 
 to have a Hippogrif in your stables, I advise you to take a 
 Cook's ticket to Nubia and make search for this golden bit. 
 Otherwise, I am afraid, you will never see this wonderful 
 animal except in the frontispiece to these stories, and 
 certainly I shall have nothing more to tell you about him. 
 
 After releasing his Hippogrif, Duke Astulf gave the sack 
 with the South Wind inside it to Prester John, charging him 
 not to open it till a month should be fully past ; and the 
 Emperor promised to perform his commands. Then they 
 took leave of each other, and Prester John returned to his 
 palace, while the Paladin started with his army across the 
 desert. They had a long and toilsome march over the 
 sands, but Astulf had prudently provided a great number of 
 camels laden with countless stores of food and drink, so 
 that they wanted for nothing by the way, and at length 
 arrived safely on the frontiers of Tunis. When they arrived 
 there, Astulf bade them pitch their tents and remain for 
 three days in one place to refresh them after the fatigue of 
 their march. Nevertheless he was not idle all this time, 
 but set about providing chargers for the horsemen in his 
 army. Prester John's chief magician had accompanied 
 him, as he requested, and he now took this man half-way 
 up a hill, the sides of which were covered with loose stones. 
 There the magician muttered a mighty spell, and began 
 taking up the stones in his right hand and throwing them 
 over his left shoulder; and each stone, as it fell, was 
 changed into the form of a horse, which went cantering 
 down the side of the hill. The people were all assembled 
 in the valley beneath, and caught the horses as they came 
 among them ; and in this manner Astulf provided splendid 
 horses for himself and for every one of his eighty thousand 
 one hundred and two knights. And as the horses were 
 born with saddles and bridles and all needful accoutrements, 
 his cavalry was immediately in a fit state to take the field. 
 
 Everything being now prepared according to his wish, 
 the Duke led his Nubians through all the dominion of 
 Tunis, scouring the plains day and night, and defeating the 
 
266 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 native troops whenever he encountered them. And this, 
 as of course you have guessed, was the great Nubian in- 
 vasion, of which tidings were brought to King Agramant 
 while Charlemagne was besieging him in Aries. 
 
 Astulf s task was all the easier as Agramant had taken 
 away the best of his soldiers to France. He had left, it is 
 true, two chieftains of great repute, named Count Branzard 
 and Sir Bucifar, to guard and rule his country ; but the 
 troops which they commanded were feeble and ill practised 
 in arms, for nobody ever dreamed that a great army could 
 come to invade the land. So the Saracens were every- 
 where defeated ; and in one great battle beneath the walls 
 of Biserta they were routed so utterly that Sir Bucifar was 
 taken prisoner, while Count Branzard had to shut himself 
 up in the city and endure all the miseries of a siege. Now 
 Branzard grieved more for the loss of Sir Bucifar than for 
 anything else that had befallen him ; and he considered 
 anxiously how he might redeem him out of captivity. 
 Presently he learned that Duke Astulf was captain of the 
 Nubian host, and then he thought he had hit upon a way 
 of rescuing his friend. For the brave young Paladin 
 Dieudonne, the only son of Ogier the Dane, had been 
 kept a prisoner in Tunis for many months ; and Count 
 Branzard thought : " Seeing that the leader of our enemies 
 is a Paladin, he will surely be well pleased to deliver his 
 comrade out of prison, and perhaps he will release me Sir 
 Bucifar in exchange for Dieudonne." He sent an embassy, 
 therefore, to Duke Astulf, proposing an exchange of 
 prisoners ; to which the Duke consented joyfully, being 
 very glad to obtain the liberty of Dieudonne, whom he 
 dearly loved. So Sir Bucifar went to Biserta to help 
 Branzard in defending the place ; while Dieudonne the son 
 of Ogier joined himself to the army of Duke Astulf. 
 
 Now our Englishman considered that he had with him 
 a greater number of soldiers than were needed for his 
 present business ; wherefore he thought that it would be a 
 good thing to send some fifty thousand of them to France, 
 where they might reinforce the Emperor. (For he knew 
 not as yet how the fortune of the war had turned against 
 
CHAP. I.] DUKE ASTULF'S SHIPBUILDING. 267 
 
 the Saracens ; indeed he formed this plan on the very day 
 when King Agramant broke the truce.) The men were 
 ajl ready to start, and here was Dieudonne eager to be 
 their captain ; only there were no ships at hand to convey so 
 great a multitude. In this difficulty Astulf bethought him 
 of Prester John's chief magician, who had already provided 
 him with horses for his cavalry, and asked him whether he 
 could think of any plan to furnish a fleet of transport 
 vessels. " Certainly I can," answered the magician ; 
 " only send me a woodcutter, and your need shall soon 
 be supplied." The woodcutter soon came with his axe, 
 and the magician bade him cut down a laurel, a cedar, an 
 olive, and a palm, and lop off all their branches close to 
 the stem. Then he ordered him to carry down all the 
 boughs to the sea-shore, and throw them one by one into 
 the sea; and as each branch touched the water, the 
 magician muttered an enchantment which made it grow 
 longer and broader and deeper, till at last it turned into a 
 beautiful ship big enough to carry five hundred men. 
 Each kind of branch produced a different sort of vessel ; 
 so that at the end of the day Duke Astulf possessed a 
 hundred ships of four different rigs, twenty-five of each. 
 They were all stout vessels, fit to sail to the world's end, 
 and were ready furnished with masts, sails, and rigging of 
 the best quality ; besides good anchors and strong cables, 
 with a proper number of small boats, abundance of oars to 
 use in case the winds should prove contrary, and every- 
 thing else which could possibly be wanted on a voyage. 
 Moreover, Astulf found no lack of captains, pilots, and 
 crews ; for he could get as many as he w^anted from the 
 islands of Malta, Corsica, and Sardinia ; so that in a very 
 few days his fleet was fully manned and ready to start upon 
 its voyage. 
 
 Then the Duke embarked fifty thousand of his soldiers, 
 five hundred in each ship ; and he appointed Dieudonne 
 to be their general. For he knew that the young Dane 
 was a prudent and valiant captain, equally expert in war- 
 fare both by land and sea ; as all his countrymen were in 
 those olden times. The very day before they were ready 
 
268 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 to put to sea, Prester John let loose the South Wind out of 
 the sack in which Astulf had imprisoned him ; and im- 
 mediately the Wind went leaping and whistling over Africa, 
 rejoicing in his newly -recovered liberty. Nothing could 
 have been luckier for Duke Astulf s plans ; for with this 
 wind his fleet could sail quickly northward, and miight 
 reach the harbour of Marseilles in a very few days. So 
 they weighed anchor at daybreak and sailed merrily away ; 
 and in the next chapter I will tell you what fortune 
 they had. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 of the noble fight between roger and dieudonne ; 
 and how roger was shipwrecked and came to a 
 hermit's island. 
 
 DiEUDONN^'s fleet sped swiftly over the sea before the 
 southerly wind ; and at the same time King Agramant's 
 vessels, conveying the remnant of his shattered army, 
 were slowly beating to windward in hopes of making the 
 coast of Africa. Knowing that a mighty host was besieging 
 Biserta, the Saracen king determined not to land there, 
 but to make for some port a little to the eastward, where 
 he might disembark his troops, and so lead them overland 
 to the succour of his beleaguered city. His hard fortune, 
 however, suffered him not to accomplish this prudent 
 design, but led him to encounter the hostile fleet, in which 
 Dieudonne was transporting his army of Nubians to 
 France. Now Agramant had not heard any rumour of 
 Duke Astulf's intention to send these reinforcements to the 
 Emperor ; neither would he have believed it, if any one 
 had told him of it, since he knew that the Duke could not 
 have brought any ships across the desert. So he deemed 
 himself quite secure at sea, and sailed on his way without 
 taking the trouble to make sure that his men kept careful 
 watch. The young Dane, on the other hand, like a 
 prudent admiral, kept a constant look-out ; and one even- 
 ing just after sunset his men signalled the Saracen ships 
 ahead. Knowing that Charlemagne had no fleet at 
 present, Dieudonn^ felt certain that these must be the 
 enemy's vessels ; so he bade his men prepare for action 
 
270 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 and sail in all haste towards them. By this time it was 
 pitch dark, so that the Nubians fell upon the Saracen 
 vessels unawares ; and having also the advantage of the 
 wind, they crashed into the midst of them with such a 
 shock that they sent several to the bottom at the first 
 encounter. Then they got out their grappling-irons and 
 chains, with which they lashed their own ships to those of 
 the enemy ; and immediately a fierce and terrible battle 
 began in the darkness. Some cleared the Saracen decks 
 with volleys of great stones from their catapults ; others 
 boarded them sword in hand ; while the Nubian archers 
 perched themselves in the rigging of their vessels, whence 
 they rained down a storm of arrows on their bewildered 
 foes. Others again brought caldrons of pitch and ropes 
 besmeared with tar, which they lighted and threw into 
 the enemy's ships ; and by this means several were burnt 
 to the water's edge. Assailed by so many terrors, the 
 Saracens knew not how to defend themselves ; and while 
 they sought to escape one kind of death they rushed 
 bHndly to encounter another. Some threw themselves 
 overboard to avoid the arrows and stones, and perished by 
 drowning in the waters ; others lowered boats, in which 
 they tried to sail away ; but the boats were all overladen, 
 so that every one of them sank with all its crew. Others 
 had a still more miserable death ; for in the agony of 
 drowning they would clutch at a burning spar, and thus 
 they perished wretchedly half by water and half by fire. 
 In short, Dieudonne and his Nubians gained the completest 
 victory ever known, for they destroyed the whole of the 
 enemy's fleet except seven ships which surrendered at dis- 
 cretion. 
 
 Only King Agramant escaped, taking with him the wise 
 King Sobrin, his counsellor, and about a dozen of his 
 ship's crew. At first he had scorned to flee ; for the 
 darkness hid from him the number of his assailants, and 
 he would not believe that he had encountered a force 
 superior to his own. But presently the whole scene was 
 lit up by the flames from the burning ships, so that the 
 night seemed turned to day ; and then the Saracen King 
 
CHAP. II.] BATTLE OF THE FLEETS. 271 
 
 perceived that his choice lay between flight and death. 
 So he ordered a boat to be got ready, into which he 
 lowered Gold Bridle and the most precious of his treasures ; 
 and as soon as these were on board, he called to Sobrin 
 and a handful of sailors to accompany him. With them 
 he descended into the boat ; and steering a perilous course 
 through the midst of the fleets, by great good luck he 
 gained the open sea, and fled away in the direction of the 
 African coast. 
 
 Meanwhile Dieudonne sailed on towards Provence, 
 taking with him the seven ships that had surrendered. 
 These were commanded by seven kings, who submitted 
 themselves as prisoners to the young Paladin ; but he 
 said : " I am only the vassal of the Emperor Charlemagne, 
 and henceforward you are his prisoners, not mine." So he 
 bound them in chains on board his own ship, and carried 
 them with all their people to Marseilles. 
 
 All this time Prince Roger was in sore perplexity, not 
 knowing what he ought to do. For when Melissa in the 
 likeness of Rodomont persuaded King Agramant to break 
 the truce, the two champions, whose combat was thus 
 interrupted, stood aside till they could know which army 
 had begun the battle. The rest of that day and the next 
 morning were spent by Roger in asking every one whom 
 he met to tell him the origin of the fray ; and all whom he 
 asked agreed in declaring King Agramant to be in fault. 
 Now, according to the strict letter of his agreement. Prince 
 Roger, when convinced of his leader's guilt, ought to have 
 gone over to the Emperor and professed himself his 
 vassal. But he loved the King of Tunis in his heart, and 
 could not bear to forsake him in his misfortune, thinking, 
 " Men would certainly say that I took the first excuse for 
 deserting my liege lord, when I perceived that the Emperor 
 prevailed against him." Thus he was divided in spirit 
 between his promise, which his love for Bradamante urged 
 him to keep, and his loyal devotion to King Agramant. 
 A day and a night he remained irresolute ; but at length 
 he decided that his first duty was towards his liege lord, 
 and accordingly he returned to Aries, intending to rejoin 
 
272 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 the Saracen army. But he arrived in the city only in 
 time to see the sails of Agramant's fleet disappearing in the 
 distance, while not a Saracen was to be seen about the 
 place except the unburied corpses of those who had 
 perished in the battle. 
 
 Finding himself thus left behind, Roger determined to 
 take ship and follow his comrades to Africa ; and for this 
 purpose he rode down to Marseilles, where he arrived just 
 an hour after Dieudonne's fleet had cast anchor in the 
 harbour. The huge ships seemed to fill up the whole 
 roadstead ; and our Prince marvelled greatly at the sight 
 of them, for he could not imagine whence so mighty an 
 armament could have come. But his astonishment was 
 increased tenfold, when he rode down to the shore, and 
 saw the seven kings sitting in bonds upon the beach, with 
 a troop of Nubian soldiers keeping guard over them. 
 Near them were spread out all the spoils from their ships, 
 which had just been brought on shore ; and Dieudonne 
 himself was close at hand, giving orders how everything 
 should be arranged. 
 
 Now these seven kings were all known to Prince Roger, 
 for they were neighbours and vassals of King Agramant, 
 and were wont to frequent his Court. So the Prince, who 
 loved them, could not bear to see them in such pitiable 
 plight ; and shouting : " Rescue ! rescue ! " he laid his 
 lance in rest, and spurred Frontin against the Nubians who 
 guarded them. Three he slew with the lance, and five 
 more with his terrible Balisarda ; after which the remaining 
 soldiers fled in confusion, being unaccustomed to encounter 
 a knight of Roger's prowess. But Dieudonne heard the 
 uproar, and saw the slaughter which Roger wrought, though 
 he knew not who it was that had come to rescue his 
 prisoners. Nevertheless, seeing that his men were put to 
 flight and stricken with terror, he closed his visor, and 
 leaped upon his horse, and boldly laid his lance in rest for 
 battle, as befitted a Paladin of France. Thereupon Roger 
 ceased from pursuing after the Nubians, and went to 
 encounter Dieudonne, whom he rightly judged to be their 
 captain. And the gallant young Dane, seeing that his 
 
CHAP. II.] COMBAT AND COURTESY. 273 
 
 antagonist's lance was broken, forbore to use any advantage 
 against him ; and throwing his own lance aside, he drew 
 forth his mace to contend with him on equal terms. 
 
 Now when Roger perceived this act of courtesy, he said 
 within himself : " Surely this must be one of those perfect 
 warriors, who bear the title of Paladins of France." 
 Wishing to be certainly informed in this matter, he 
 entreated his adversary to tell him his name ; and when 
 he knew it, he said : "Truly I could not desire a nobler 
 antagonist." Then Dieudonne made the same request to 
 Prince Roger, and found him equally courteous in answer- 
 ing his inquiry ; and when they knew each other's names, 
 they challenged each other in due form, and straightway 
 addressed themselves to battle. 
 
 Dieudonne was armed with the iron-spiked mace, which 
 had brought him renown on many a hard-fought field ; 
 and with it he gave good proof that the blood of Ogier 
 flowed in his veins. But Roger's weapon was the terrible 
 sword Balisarda, which could smite through any helmet or 
 cuirass, and which had no equal in all the world save only 
 the thrice famous Durindana. So Dieudonne and his 
 mace soon proved no match for Prince Roger and Balisarda ; 
 nevertheless our Courteous Prince was careful to do his 
 adversary no hurt, because he knew him to be cousin by 
 the mother's side to Bradamante. Therefore he never 
 dealt him either thrust or cut, but smote him always with 
 the flat of the sword, thinking that in this way he could 
 conquer him without risk of shedding his blood. Yet so 
 tremendous was his strength, that even thus he half stunned 
 Dieudonne several times ; so that his mace nearly fell from 
 his hands, and Roger could easily have slain him if he 
 had chosen. Now when this had happened three or four 
 times, Dieudonne understood that his adversary meant to 
 respect his life ; and he thought : " Certainly I am no 
 match for this knight in strength or skill, but at least I will 
 show myself his equal in courtesy." So he lifted up his 
 hand for a signal that the battle should be stayed, and 
 said: "Sir Prince, let there -be peace between us, seeing 
 that the victory can in no wise be mine. For I see that 
 
 T 
 
274 PALADIN AND SARACEN. ' [part v. 
 
 you forbear to slay me ; wherefore I confess myself con- 
 quered alike by your valour and your generosity." " I also 
 desire peace," answered Roger; "but it must be on condi- 
 tion that you release these seven kings, my friends, whom 
 you hold captive, and suffer me to take them back to their 
 own land." " Of a truth," replied the Dane, " I held them 
 as prisoners of the Emperor; since I, who took them 
 captive, am his vassal. But now I am overcome by you 
 in fair and honourable combat ; wherefore my right to hold 
 them in bondage has passed to you, and they are become 
 your prisoners to do with as you will." So Prince Roger 
 struck off the chains from the hands of the seven kings ; 
 and Dieudonne, hearing that he wished to return with them 
 to Africa, offered to give him one of his ships for the 
 passage. 
 
 Then these noble warriors made a solemn covenant of 
 friendship, vowing that they would be true allies thence- 
 forward ; after which they separated, and Dieudonne con- 
 veyed his spoils and the rest of his prisoners to Paris, 
 whither the Emperor Charlemagne had returned in peace. 
 
 But Roger embarked, together with the seven kings, on 
 board the ship which the Paladin had given him, and 
 sailed southward away for Africa. For two days they sped 
 merrily before a fair wind, which filled their sails, and gave 
 promise of a quick and prosperous voyage. But on the 
 third day the wind began to shift about, and struck them 
 in squalls now to starboard, now to larboard, and now right 
 ahead ; so that their ship was caught in a high chopping 
 sea, and the helmsman strove in vain to keep her in her 
 proper course. While they were thus buffeted about, night 
 came on and bewildered the crew still more ; their main- 
 mast was carried away by the gale : the helmsman was 
 washed overboard, and the ship swung round into the 
 trough of the sea. Then the sailors lost heart, and 
 shrieked aloud for terror, making such a noise that the 
 captain's word of command could no longer be heard. 
 And still the tempest grew fiercer, and every wave 
 threatened to send the vessel to the bottom ; indeed, if she 
 had not been one of Duke Astulf s magic ships, she must 
 
CHAP. II.] A FATx\L TEMPEST. 275 
 
 certainly have foundered long ago. At length morning 
 broke ; and behold ! straight before them rose the cliffs of 
 a rocky island, towards which the wind was driving them 
 at a fearful speed. Vainly did they strive to steer clear of 
 it ; for their ship had got quite out of hand and refused to 
 answer to her helm. Thrice did the sailors put their whole 
 strength to the tiller, but all their efforts were useless, and 
 at the third attempt their rudder was broken and carried 
 away by the waves. Then they gave themselves up for 
 lost, and rushed frantically about the decks ; all discipline, 
 all order, was lost, and every one thought only how he 
 might have the best chance of saving his own life. At 
 this moment two or three of them lowered the boat, and 
 immediately there was a rush to the ship's side ; the seven 
 kings, the captain, and all the crew crowded together into 
 this one pinnace, and tried to row^ her away from the cliffs, 
 which were now within half a mile of them. Only Prince 
 Roger kept his head, and remained calmly on the deck of 
 the ship ; and it was well for him that he did so. For in 
 two or three minutes the overladen pinnace was swamped, 
 and every soul on board of her perished. 
 
 Thus Roger alone of all the company remained alive ; 
 and he too seemed doomed to a speedy death, since the 
 ship must soon be dashed upon the rocks. Perceiving this, 
 he thought his only chance of life lay in swimming to 
 shore ; so he stripped off his armour and all his clothes, 
 and laid them on the deck of the vessel. Also he brought 
 up his good horse Frontin from below, that he too might 
 have a chance to save himself by swimming, and then 
 plunged headlong into the waves and struck out vigorously 
 for shore. But Frontin refused to follow him, and stood 
 quietly looking at him from the deck, though his master 
 called out to him with his voice, which the gallant steed 
 had never disobeyed before. And now a strange thing 
 came to pass, of which Frontin's instinct had perhaps given 
 him some foreboding : the wind suddenly veered back to 
 the north and began to abate in violence ; and the ship, 
 which a skilful captain and crew could not save from 
 deadly peril, drifted safely and quickly along now that there 
 
276 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 was nobody to steer or manage it. With wondering eyes 
 Roger saw what had happened, and wished he had waited 
 a Uttle longer before jumping overboard. But his regrets 
 came too late, since he could not hope to overtake the 
 vessel ; so he swam bravely on towards the island, while 
 his horse and armour were borne away from him over the 
 waters. 
 
 He had terribly hard work to keep his head above the 
 waves, which still ran mountains high ; and in spite of his 
 fine swimming he quite expected to sink before he could 
 get to land. With the fear of death before his eyes his 
 conscience began to trouble him, and he saw clearly that 
 he had committed a grievous fault in not joining himself 
 to the Emperor's army after King Agramant had broken 
 the truce. Misled by his loyalty to the King of Tunis, he 
 had thought that his duty to him should outweigh his 
 solemn promise in the lists ; but now he perceived his 
 error, and bitterly repented that he had broken his faith 
 with the Emperor. His love for Bradamante, too, added 
 to the bitterness of his repentance ; for he considered that, 
 if he had kept his promise, he might now be sojourning 
 beside her in Paris, and the day for their marriage might be 
 fixed. So he vowed that, if he escaped this time from the 
 waves, he would make atonement for his former fault by 
 going as soon as possible to France, and acknowledging 
 himself the vassal of Charlemagne. Then with a better 
 heart he strove against the sea, till at last he managed to 
 reach the rocky island, and lay half dead with fatigue upon 
 the beach. 
 
 He had not lain there many minutes before he was 
 accosted by a venerable hermit, who lived quite alone on 
 this desolate island. This good old man had been taking 
 a walk on the cliffs, as it was his habit to do every morning ; 
 and seeing Roger struggling in the water below, he had 
 hastened down to offer him such help as he could. Find- 
 ing him safely got to shore, he saluted him courteously, — 
 for by his aspect he perceived him to be of noble birth, — 
 and took him to his cell among the rocks, where he gave 
 him clothes to wear, and set food and drink before him. 
 
V. 
 
 'W/^ 
 
 KOGEK SAVED !• KO.M THE SEA. — V. 276. 
 

CHAP. 11.] ROGER ON THE HERMIT'S ISLAND. 277 
 
 Moreover, he offered him a share of his cell and of all that 
 he possessed, till such time as he should be able to depart ; 
 and the Prince accepted his offer gladly, and gave him 
 many thanks for his kindness. 
 
 So Roger dwelt in the hermit's cell ; and there we must 
 leave him for the present, knowing that he is in good 
 company. For there are several other friends of ours 
 who claim their share of our attention ; and in particular 
 it is time for us to follow the wanderings of the peerless 
 Count Roland. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW ROLAND AND RODOMONT TUMBLED INTO A RIVER; 
 AND OTHER MAD DOINGS OF THE COUNT. 
 
 We have seen nothing of Count Roland since the unlucky 
 day when his frenzy came upon him in the shepherd's 
 valley ; when he cast aside armour and clothing, and bran- 
 dishing a young pine-tree for a club, rushed forth a raving 
 madman from the place where he had found proof of 
 Angelica's fickleness. Thenceforward he hid himself in 
 solitary places, sometimes lying for weeks together in a cave 
 among the mountains, or making his lair in the wild recesses 
 of some pathless forest. Thus he led the life of a wild 
 beast, and his aspect was changed so that his dearest friend 
 could hardly have recognised him ; his hair fell down in 
 tangled masses over his naked back, his nails grew long like 
 claws, and his skin became hard and discoloured from con- 
 stant exposure. He always carried his pine-tree in his hand, 
 and woe to the unhappy huntsman or peasant who chanced 
 to cross his path ! For in his madness he attacked every 
 one whom he met, and one stroke from his club dashed 
 out the brains from the hardest skull. Often, too, like Ajax 
 the Greek of old, he would fall upon flocks and herds and 
 slaughter them by hundreds at a time, imagining himself to 
 be destroying the armies of his enemies j and many a time 
 he fought with the fierce beasts of the forest, strangling the 
 terrible wild boar in his hands, or pursuing after a whole 
 pack of frightened wolves, and destroying them with his 
 wooden club. Moreover, he was so fleet of foot that he 
 could outrun a full-grown stag ; wherefore he never wanted 
 
CHAP. III.] RODOMONT'S BRIDGE PERILOUS. 279 
 
 for food, but whenever he felt hungry he would go forth 
 into the forest and kill the first animal he happened to see. 
 
 Many months passed by, and still his madness abated 
 not ; but he, the foremost knight in all the world, lived 
 more wretchedly than a brute beast, while his comrades, 
 who delighted to honour him as their chief, were covering 
 themselves with glory in the defence of their country against 
 the Saracens. Yet, strangely enough, without knowing what 
 he did, he once came to blows with the most terrible warrior 
 in all the Pagan army ; and this was how it happened. 
 
 You remember, no doubt, how King Rodomont turned 
 his back on his former allies, after Princess Doralis had 
 refused to marry him ; and how he rode away in great 
 wrath, renouncing his allegiance to King Agramant, and 
 vowing that from that day forvvard he would be the enemy 
 alike of Christian and Saracen. He rode southward through 
 France for several days, till he came to a deep and rapid 
 river which cut across the road so that whoever wished to 
 pursue his journey must be ferried over the stream in a 
 boat. On the opposite bank were the ruins of an old castle, 
 built upon a grassy knoll not twenty yards from the water's 
 edge ; and here the King of Algeria resolved to take up his 
 quarters for a season. For as soon as he saw the place, he 
 thought of a plan for avenging himself upon all the world, 
 and determined to lose no time in carrying it out. 
 
 First he pressed a number of masons into his service, 
 and set them to repair the crumbling walls, making them 
 work day and night till the old fortress was as strong as it 
 had ever been. Next he threw a narrow bridge over the 
 stream, consisting of three planks laid side by side and 
 pegged firmly together ; and this bridge, which was just 
 wide enough for a single horseman to gallop over, was 
 furnished with neither rail nor rope, but was quite open at 
 both sides, so that a single false step would j^lunge horse 
 and rider into the stream. When his bridge was finished, 
 Rodomont drove away the ferryman and broke his boat to 
 pieces, so that no one could pass over the stream except by 
 these narrow planks ; and this passage he resolved to dis- 
 pute against all comers. He called this place "The Bridge 
 
28o PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 Perilous," because here he intended to wreak his vengeance 
 on any knight who passed by, no matter whether he had 
 offended him or not ; for his disappointment had enraged 
 him against all the world. And he vowed that he would 
 disarm all the knights whom he overcame, and hang up 
 their harness as a trophy on the battlements of his fortress : 
 if the vanquished one were a Saracen he might go free after 
 being stripped of his armour ; but all Christians should 
 be kept in the castle dungeons, till he could send them 
 prisoners to his own kingdom. 
 
 This was the vow which Rodomont made, and he was 
 not long in proving that he meant what he said. Before 
 he had been a week in the place, he had encountered a 
 score of knights, all of whom he had overthrown and stripped 
 of their harness. One of the first to suffer this outrage was 
 Sacripant, King of Circassia, who had followed after the 
 Algerian in the hope of wresting Frontin out of his posses- 
 sion. Instead of which he gained nothing but defeat, and 
 lost his own horse and his armour to boot ; for Rodomont 
 toppled him over into the stream, and robbed him of every- 
 thing that he possessed except the tunic under his coat of 
 mail. However, as Sacripant was a Pagan, Rodomont 
 would not shut him up in prison, but left him free to make 
 his way back, unarmed and on foot, as best he might. 
 
 Soon after this it chanced that the mad Count Roland 
 came to the Bridge Perilous, leaping and shouting and 
 brandishing his club, so that the people on the road scattered 
 in all directions from before him. Only Rodomont, who 
 was standing fully armed at the head of his bridge, kept his 
 ground, and shouted to the madman, not knowing who he 
 was : " Avaunt, villain, and dare not to tread this bridge, 
 which is made for lords and knights to pass over if they 
 can." But Roland gave him no answer save a fierce 
 cry as he leaped upon the planks ; wherefore Rodomont 
 exclaimed : " I must give this crazy peasant a lesson ;" and 
 went on foot to throw him off the bridge, never dreaming 
 that he would be able to resist him. In great wrath he 
 seized Roland round the waist, and thought to hurl him 
 down at the first trial ; but the mad Count stood firm as a 
 
CHAP. III.] A STRANGE \YRESTLING-MATCH. 281 
 
 rock, and Rodomont could not so much as shake him in 
 his footing. Again and again he wrestled with him, putting 
 forward now his right foot and now his left, and throwing 
 his arms at one time round the waist, at another round the 
 hips, and sometimes even over the neck of his antagonist. 
 But all his efforts were in vain, for Roland stood upright 
 and unmoved, laughing wildly at each useless tussle ; and 
 Rodomont looked like a thick-witted bear which has 
 tumbled out of a tree, and tries to tear the great trunk out 
 of the earth in stupid revenge for his fall. At last the 
 madman lost patience, and in his turn clutched Rodomont 
 round the middle ; then with a crazy peal of laughter he 
 swayed violently to one side, lost his balance, and with the 
 gigantic Algerian in his arms fell over the side of the bridge. 
 Down to the bottom of the river they fell with a tremendous 
 splash, while the water flew up in spray, and the very banks 
 trembled as though an earthquake had shaken them. The 
 water soon parted them one from the other, and Roland, 
 who was naked, swam like a fish, so that he picked up his 
 club in mid-stream and got safe to the opposite shore. Then 
 he went madly on his course as before ; while Rodomont, 
 who was hindered by the weight of his armour, was still 
 struggling in the water, and swimming slowly and painfully 
 across the current. 
 
 It was many a long day before the terrible Algerian met 
 with another defeat ; and before that happened he had 
 overthrown above a hundred and fifty knights, of whom the 
 greater part were Christians. All these he shut up in his 
 dungeons, according to his vow, till he got an opportunity 
 of sending them by ship to Algiers. The very day after his 
 adventure with Roland, the noble Sansonet fell into his 
 clutches ; and he was followed by two knights of still greater 
 renown. For Oliver and Brandimart, the faithful friends 
 of Roland, started in search of the Count, hoping to find 
 means of healing his madness, if only they could discover 
 him. With them went the lovely Lady Lilias, Sir Brandi- 
 mart's gentle wife, who always shared her husband's perils 
 and adventures ; but though they all three set out together, 
 they soon resolved to separate, that they might have more 
 
282 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 chance of falling in with the Count. So Sir Oliver jour- 
 neyed southward, and came straight to the Bridge Perilous, 
 where Rodomont overthrew him and shut him up in the 
 same dungeon with Sansonet. Meanwhile Sir Brandimart 
 and his lady searched through the eastern forests of France, 
 but at length they also took the southern road, and appeared 
 before King Rodomont's fortress. There the valiant Sir 
 Brandimart was unhorsed, as Oliver had been before him, 
 not through any fault of his own, but because his charger 
 feared to gallop over the narrow plank ; whereupon the 
 King of Algiers shut him up in prison with his comrades, 
 and hung up his armour for a trophy on the castle battle- 
 ments. And a few days afterwards he made ready one of 
 his own ships, in which he forced his unlucky captives to 
 embark, and bade the captain convey them in chains to 
 Algiers. 
 
 So Brandimart, Oliver, and Sansonet were carried away 
 captive with many others out of France ; but the sweet 
 Lady Lilias remained at liberty, and w^andered to and fro 
 about the country seeking a champion to deliver and avenge 
 her husband. Several knights undertook the enterprise, for 
 Sir Brandimart and his lady were beloved by all the world ; 
 but the terrible Rodomont vanquished them all in turn, 
 and added them to his tale of prisoners. At last Lihas 
 had the good fortune to encounter Bradamante on her 
 journey from Montalbano to Aries ; and then the great 
 King of Algiers sustained his second defeat. I told you 
 briefly a few chapters back that Bradamante conquered him 
 and won Frontin out of his possession, but then I had no 
 time to say much about their battle, and perhaps you may 
 like to hear something more about it. Our gallant damsel, 
 you remember, was mounted on her cousin Astulf s horse 
 Rabican, and carried his wonderful lance of gold in her 
 hand. Thus equipped, and guided by her friend the Lady 
 Lilias, she drew near to the Bridge Perilous, which took 
 her only a little out of her road. When he saw her 
 approaching, Rodomont supposed her to be a man, and 
 shouted : " Hold, Sir Knight ; no one crosses over this 
 bridge save after fighting with me for the passage." And 
 
CHAP. III.] BRADAMANTE'S VICTORY. 283 
 
 then he went on to tell her the conditions of the battle, 
 saying that if she were vanquished she must deliver up her 
 horse and armour, and yield herself a prisoner into his 
 hands. But Bradamante answered him : " I will fight with 
 you on these terms, Sir King ; only you too must accept 
 certain conditions, in case I overthrow you. In that case 
 you must yield me your charger Frontin, which properly 
 belongs to a friend of mine ; also you must set at liberty all 
 your prisoners, and restore to them their armour, which I 
 see hanging from the walls of your fortress." 
 
 King Rodomont accepted her terms with a scornful 
 laugh, thinking it impossible that she could prevail against 
 him ; and as soon as they had come to this agreement they 
 laid their lances in rest, and met together in the very middle 
 of the bridge. Now all the former champions had been 
 easily overthrown, because their horses were scared at 
 having to gallop over these narrow planks, while Rodomont 
 had trained Frontin to tread them without fear, as though 
 he were being ridden to a tournament in the lists. But 
 Rabican was so light of foot that he could have galloped 
 safely along the thinnest rail, so Bradamante suffered no 
 disadvantage on the score of her horse. Thus she was free 
 to bring her wonderful lance into play, and its virtue stood 
 her in good stead now as before ; for she merely touched 
 the rim of Rodomont's shield with its point, when the 
 gigantic Saracen fell sideways off his horse and toppled over 
 into the rushing stream, out of which he had great difficulty 
 in swimming to land. Mortified at his unexpected defeat, 
 he begged his conqueror to tell him her name, and he was 
 doubly vexed when he learnt that a woman had overthrown 
 him ; nevertheless he was bound to perform the conditions 
 of their fight, so he delivered Frontin and all the armour 
 into the hands of Bradamante. Then he said: "Noble 
 lady, I cannot release you the prisoners at present, because 
 I have already sent them into Africa, but I promise on my 
 honour as a knight to send a messenger after them, with 
 authority to deliver them out of prison." So Bradamante 
 took Frontin to Aries, as you know, and Rodomont made 
 haste to despatch his messenger to Algiers, for bad and 
 
 J 
 
284 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 cruel as he was, he was never false to his word. However^ 
 the messenger's errand proved needless, because all the 
 knights had been set at liberty long before he arrived, as 
 we shall see in the next chapter. And this is the last that 
 you will hear of King Rodomont till the very end of the 
 book, where I shall have something to tell you about the 
 manner of his death. 
 
 Now we must follow Count Roland, and see whither his 
 frenzy led him. You would think me as crazy as the 
 Count himself if I tried to tell you all his mad deeds, but 
 I will choose just a few of them, to show you how terrible 
 was his affliction to himself and everybody else, and to give 
 you some idea of his wanderings. 
 
 From the Bridge Perilous he went to the Pyrenees, and 
 rushed up one of the passes that led over the mountains 
 into Spain. The path was cut in the side of a hill, with a 
 precipice on one side, and the steep slope of the mountain 
 on the other ; and in this dangerous place the mad Count 
 met a couple of peasant lads driving an ass laden with wood 
 before them. Perceiving that Roland was crazy, the silly 
 fellows thought it good fun to gibe at him, crying, " Ha ! 
 Mr. Madman, where have you left your wits?" But they 
 had better have held their foolish tongues, for Roland lifted 
 up his foot and caught their ass a tremendous kick in the 
 stomach, which sent the poor beast flying fifty yards up in the 
 air. When they saw how strong the madman was, the lads 
 repented of their folly, and did their best to avoid his ven- 
 geance. One of them let himself tumble over the precipice, 
 and he was the luckier of the two, for he had the good 
 fortune to fall into a thicket of brambles, and escaped with 
 a severe scratching ; the other began scrambling up the 
 mountain side, thinking that his best chance of safety, but 
 the angry Count caught him by the feet and tore his legs 
 asunder, ripping his body in twain as a falconer rips up 
 a fowl to feed his hawk on the entrails. 
 
 Thence the madman sped onwards through Spain, giving 
 terrible proof of his strength and fury wherever he went. 
 When he felt hungry he would rush into the nearest village 
 and take whatever he wanted by force, scattering the inha- 
 
CHAP. III.] THROUGH SPAIN TO AFRICA. 285 
 
 bitants before him and killing any that opposed him. And 
 the worst of it was that, while he wrought all this havoc, he 
 fancied himself to be doing good and valiant service ; for 
 his madness made him take wrong for right. 
 
 One day near Tarragon he fell in with a knight and his 
 lady riding pleasantly along together. Imagining them to 
 be a couple of madmen whom he ought to attack, he began 
 a furious assault upon them : first he knocked the knight 
 over with his club, and laid him stunned and bleeding on 
 the ground ; then he tore the lady from her saddle, and 
 leaping upon her palfrey scampered wildly away across the 
 fields. He galloped so furiously that the palfrey's strength 
 began to fail ; but still he urged it on with kicks and blows, 
 allowing it not a moment to take breath. And when it 
 could carry him no farther, he got off its back and drove it 
 before him, forcing it to gallop when it was hardly able to 
 crawl. At last the poor overworked creature fell down and 
 died ; whereupon the mad Count flung its carcass over his 
 .shoulders, and went on leaping and yelling as before. 
 
 Presently he came to the bank of a river, where he was 
 forced to drop his burden. He swam easily enough with 
 his great club in one hand to the other side, where he met 
 a shepherd riding on a horse, which he was taking down 
 to drink at the stream. " Hola !" cried Roland; "good 
 fellow, I would fain have that horse of yours, and will give 
 you my own in exchange. He is a first-rate beast, as you 
 may see for yourself if you choose, since he is lying down 
 on the opposite bank ; I have no fault to find with him, 
 except that he is dead. So dismount and let me get into 
 your saddle, for that is my good pleasure." The shepherd 
 only laughed at this proposed bargain ; whereupon the mad 
 Count flew into a rage, and hit him over the head with his 
 club, smashing his skull to atoms. Then he leaped into 
 the saddle and scoured the country round, committing 
 havoc wherever he went. 
 
 At last he came to Gibraltar, where he saw a pleasure- 
 boat just putting out to sea, and cried : " Stop ! stop ! I 
 want to make one of your company." But the people in 
 the boat had no mind to take him in, so they held on their 
 
286 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 course, while Roland forced his horse into the water, intend- 
 ing to pursue them. Soon he forgot all about the boat, 
 and thought only of riding to the African shore ; for he 
 was so mad that he hardly knew whether he was in the sea 
 or on dry land. His horse could hardly keep his head 
 above water; but whenever he gasped for breath, Roland 
 dealt him a blow with his club, and made him swim on 
 towards the middle of the Straits. At last the poor beast 
 sank to the bottom ; nevertheless the Count was not dis- 
 couraged, but swam boldly on towards Africa. Luckily the 
 sea was as smooth as glass, and he was the finest swimmer 
 ever known, so that, even though he was weighted by his 
 club, there was no fear of his perishing in the water. And 
 in this fashion he crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and landed 
 safely on the shore of Tangier in Africa. 
 
 t* 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW ROLAND CAME TO BISERTA, AND GOT 
 BACK HIS WITS. 
 
 Duke Astulf was walking one day upon the shore near 
 Biserta when he saw a Saracen ship run aground on the 
 sands dose by his encampment. Immediately he sum- 
 moned a detachment of his soldiers, who boarded the vessel 
 and took her captain and crew prisoners. But what was 
 Astulfs astonishment when he found Brandimart, Oliver, 
 Sansonet, and a number of other Christian knights sitting 
 together in the hold, loaded with chains, and having their 
 feet made fast in fetters of iron ! In fact, this ship, which 
 had so fortunately run aground near Biserta, was the one 
 in which Rodomont had intended his captives to be taken 
 to Algiers, but stress of weather had forced the captain out 
 of his course, and drove him upon the beach where the 
 Nubian army was bivouacking. Straightway our English- 
 man struck off the fetters and chains from the Christian 
 knights and put them on the ship's crew ; and when he had 
 released his gallant comrades he asked them how they had 
 fallen into this plight. So they told him of Rodomont and 
 his Bridge Perilous, and how one after the other they were 
 all toppled off the planks into the river; at which Astulf 
 could not refrain from laughing, and said : "By my faith, 
 my friends, you are come hither in the very nick of time ; 
 if you had got yourselves overthrown on purpose, you could 
 not have contrived things better. Here am I battering 
 away at Biserta with a great army of Nubians under my 
 orders, and the only thing that I wanted was a company of 
 
288 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 valiant knights, able to lead my men in battle. So the best 
 thing you can do is to stay here till we have taken the city, 
 for that will make Agramant howl as if his best tooth were 
 pulled out." 
 
 With these and other jests the Duke led them to his own 
 tent, where he bade his servants spread a good dinner for 
 them to eat. " For you must be terribly hungry," he said, 
 " after living so long on prisoners' fare. Poor fellows ! with 
 nothing but bread and water to sustain you all these weeks ! 
 To be sure, you might have caught a few fish to vary your 
 diet while you were swimming out of the river ; but I sup- 
 pose you never thought of that." " Truly," answered Sir 
 Oliver, " I for one shall be glad enough to sit at a Christian 
 table once more. But tell me, my Astulf, where hast thou 
 been all these many months ? It is now nigh upon two 
 years since we met, and right glad am I to see thee again ; 
 but I long to hear of thy adventures." " No talking on 
 empty stomachs," replied the Duke ; " but with a beefsteak 
 to keep up my strength, and a jorum of wine to oil my 
 throat, I will talk till midnight if you care to listen." 
 "Wherever thou hast been," said Sir Brandimart, "that 
 plaguy good -humour of thine is as frolicsome as ever." 
 "Ay, ay," answered Astulf; "but it took a good rest for 
 several weeks, while I lived the life of a vegetable out in 
 the Fortunate Islands. I can tell you it's no good for a 
 myrtle-bush to try to be jovial. But all that shall form 
 part of my tale after dinner; now let us sit down to the 
 victuals." 
 
 Now while this company of friends were still eating and 
 drinking, a servant entered the tent, saying that a lady was 
 waiting outside who desired to speak with Sir Brandimart. 
 Imagine the gallant Paladin's joy when he went out and 
 found the arms of his sweet wife Lilias thrown round his 
 neck ! She it was indeed ; and by her presence here you 
 may know how dearly this gentle lady loved her husband. 
 For hearing that he had been sent captive into Africa she 
 straightway resolved to follow him thither and be present at 
 his promised release, counting all perils and hardships of 
 the voyage as nothing in comparison with the pleasure of 
 
CHAP. IV.] A MEETING OF OLD COMRADES. 289 
 
 meeting him again. So with only one trusty old henchman, 
 Sir Brandimart's favourite servant, to bear her company, 
 she chartered a ship at Marseilles, and went by sea to the 
 port of Algiers. There she learned that the vessel with 
 Rodomont's captives had never arrived ; at which she was 
 overwhelmed with despair, fearing that her lord must have 
 been cast away upon the voyage. Hardly daring to hope, 
 she bought horses for herself and her servant, and rode all 
 the way to Biserta in Tunis, where she heard the glad news 
 that Sir Brandimart had arrived safe and sound among his 
 friends. I know not which of the two felt the greater joy 
 at this happy meeting ; again and again they embraced 
 each other, while tears of delight fell fast from the eyes of 
 Lilias, and her loving husband could not utter a word for 
 pleasure. But at length he took her by the hand and led 
 her within the tent, where she was welcomed with great joy 
 and honour by Duke Astulf and all his comrades. 
 
 Their greetings were scarcely finished, when a great 
 uproar was heard among the soldiers, and Astulfs servant 
 rushed into the tent with trembling limbs and a scared 
 countenance, crying out that they were all undone, for a 
 naked madman with a great club in his hand had assaulted 
 the camp, and no one could stand against him. Hearing 
 this, the Paladins rose up from their seats, and girt on their 
 swords, and went forth to quell the tumult. Guided by 
 the shrieks of the terrified Nubians, they soon came in 
 sight of the madman, whom they found leaping among the 
 flying crowd and felling a soldier to the ground at each 
 stroke of his massive club ; already he had slain above a 
 hundred, and nobody dared attempt to restrain him. Now 
 when Astulf beheld the madman, he knew at once who he 
 was by the token of which Virgil had told him, and cried 
 to his comrades: " It is Count Roland himself;" but at 
 first they would hardly believe his words. Fancy how 
 changed the peerless Count must have been, when Brandi- 
 mart and Oliver, his chosen friends, failed to recognise 
 him ! During many years these two had been constantly 
 at his side, for Roland loved them better than any other 
 men in the world ; yet now they declared that Duke Astulf 
 
 u 
 
290 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 must be mistaken, since this furious lunatic bore no resem- 
 blance whatever to their friend ! At last, however, the 
 Duke convinced them by telling them of the token which 
 he had received ; and then the four Paladins took speedy 
 counsel together how they might take the Count and restore 
 him to his senses. 
 
 With this intent they surrounded him and advanced on 
 all sides to lay hands on him ; but the madman had no 
 mind to be captured, and lifting up his pine-tree in both 
 hands, he aimed a blow at Sir OUver's head. Oliver raised 
 his shield to protect himself, and lucky it proved for him 
 that his armour was of well-tempered steel ; otherwise he 
 must have been killed on the spot. Even as it was, so 
 tremendous was the stroke, that it shivered his shield to 
 atoms, and made a great dint in the top of his helmet. 
 Seeing this, Sansonet drew his sword, and with a mighty 
 cut lopped off a yard from the end of Roland's club, 
 making it well-nigh harmless for the future. Next the 
 mad Count rushed against Duke Astulf and knocked him 
 head over heels, intending to escape over his body ; but 
 Brandimart had now caught him round the loins, and held 
 him with so firm a grip, that Roland could not shake him 
 off. At the same moment Oliver advanced to seize him 
 by the shoulders ; but he clenched his fist and dealt the 
 Paladin a blow upon the visor of his helmet which laid 
 him stunned upon the ground. Astulf and Sansonet, how- 
 ever, were upon him in a moment ; the one took hold of 
 him round the neck, while the other seized his legs from 
 behind and strove to throw him ; but all their efforts were 
 in vain. For, like a wild bull overtaken by the hounds, 
 which rushes over the plain, and carries along with him 
 the dogs whose teeth are fastened in his flanks and ears ; — 
 the dogs cannot hinder him in his course, neither can he 
 shake himself free from their teeth ; — even so did Count 
 Roland pursue his career, and carry along with him the 
 three Paladins who clung to his limbs. 
 
 At this moment Sir Oliver rose up from the ground, 
 where the blow of Roland's fist had laid him prostrate ; and 
 perceiving that the efforts of his comrades were unavailing 
 
CHAP. IV.] COUNT ROLAND HIMSELF AGAIN. 291 
 
 against Roland's marvellous strength, he thought of a better 
 plan for overthrowing the Count. He procured a quan- 
 tity of ropes, in which he made slip-knots as many as he 
 needed ; these he cast, some about the legs, others over the 
 arms of Roland, who was too much occupied with the other 
 three Paladins to prevent Oliver from slipping them over 
 his limbs. Then Sir Oliver called up a number of soldiers, 
 and told them off in companies of six, giving each com- 
 pany the end of one of the ropes to hold. In this way as 
 Roland rushed forward, the cords were tightened round his 
 limbs, so that he soon fell helpless to the ground like a 
 buffalo taken in the lasso. As soon as he was down, the 
 four Paladins rushed upon him, and bound him still more 
 tightly, both hand and foot j in vain he writhed and kicked, 
 and strove to free himself; they had got him now in their 
 power, and he could not escape from their bonds. 
 
 " Alas ! " exclaimed the faithful Brandimart, with tears 
 in his eyes at witnessing his friend's condition ; " alas ! 
 there is small profit in having captured him, if we know 
 not how to heal his madness." But Duke Astulf smiled 
 knowingly and answered : " Leave that to me, my Brandi- 
 mart : I have his lost wits here safe in a bottle, and I 
 promise you they shall soon be back in his brain." Then 
 he ordered six of his soldiers to take up the Count and 
 carry him to the sea-shore, while he himself went to his 
 tent, and fetched out the precious bottle of green glass, in 
 which he had brought down his lost wits from the moon. 
 The soldiers did as they were bid, and laid Roland down 
 at the water's edge ; whereupon Astulf took him and dipped 
 him seven times beneath the waves, till the dust and mud 
 were all washed from off his face and limbs. Next he 
 gathered certain herbs, and kneaded them into a plaster, 
 which he spread over the mad Count's mouth, so that he 
 might only be able to breathe through his nose. Lastly, 
 when all these preparations were finished, the Duke drew 
 out the cork from the bottle, which he thrust beneath 
 Roland's nostrils ; and in a single breath the Count drew 
 up all his wits into his brain, so that his wisdom returned 
 to him greater than it had been before his frenzy. 
 
292 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 Like one who starts out of a troubled sleep, in which he 
 has been haunted by monstrous shapes of things that never 
 were, and still marvels, even in his waking moments, at the 
 horrible forms that perplexed his dream ; so did Roland 
 remain stupefied and amazed after that his senses were given 
 back to him. He turned his eyes upon Brandimart and 
 Oliver and Duke Astulf, and knew them all ; yet he spoke 
 not for a while, but silently wondered how he had fallen 
 into so strange a plight. *' Loose me," he said at length, 
 in his old tone of kindly command ; and when they saw 
 that he was indeed grown sane again, the four Paladins 
 hastened to obey him. So they loosed him from his bonds, 
 and Astulf brought him clothes to cover himself withal ; 
 after which they all returned with joy and thankfulness to 
 the camp. 
 
 Thus was the most perfect knight in all the world 
 restored to his senses, to stand forth once more as the 
 chief bulwark of Christendom against its enemies. More- 
 over, his ardent love for the fickle x^ngelica had departed 
 from him together with his frenzy ; so that his happiness 
 was never greatly troubled from that day forward ; and no 
 man could find a reproach to utter against his wisdom. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW THE PALADINS TOOK THE GREAT CITY OF BISERTA. 
 
 With Count Roland to lead them on, the Paladins were 
 marvellously cheered in spirit, and doubted not but that 
 they would soon succeed in taking Biserta by assault. And 
 the Count willingly joined in their enterprise, of which he 
 highly approved, thinking this the surest and quickest way 
 of breaking King Agramant's power. Astulf immediately 
 begged him to take command of the expedition, knowing 
 him to be the most skilful general alive ; but the peerless 
 Count generously answered : " No ; for this is your under- 
 taking, Sir Duke. You have had all the trouble of collecting 
 this army and leading it hither across the desert ; wherefore 
 it is right that you should still be chief captain, that the 
 honour of the enterprise may be wholly yours. I will joy- 
 fully serve beneath your banner, and help you both with 
 sword and counsel to the uttermost of my power; but I 
 may not set myself above you in this matter." 
 
 So it was settled that Duke Astulf should still hold the 
 chief command ; nevertheless he purposed to do nothing 
 without the consent and advice of Roland. Then the 
 whole company returned to the Duke's tent, where they 
 finished their dinner in peace. But when they had eaten 
 their fill, they called upon Astulf to give them an account 
 of his adventures; and accordingly he related all the wonder- 
 ful things that had happened to him in the last two years, 
 mentioning everything in its order, from the time when he 
 had quitted his home in England down to his leading the 
 Nubian army across the sands. IMany times in the course 
 
294 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 of his narrative did the Paladins open their eyes wide with 
 astonishment, especially when he told them how Alcina 
 had transformed him into a myrtle-bush, and how he had 
 travelled by way of the Earthly Paradise to the Moon : they 
 were greatly diverted also with the history of the man-slaying 
 women, the truth of which Sansonet, who had borne his 
 share in that adventure, was able to attest. And when the 
 jovial Duke had finished speaking. Sir Brandimart turned 
 to him and said : " Truly you are a fortunate man, my 
 Astulf : for you have done and suffered wonderful things, 
 such as never befell any man before. Heartily do I rejoice 
 that you are come safe out of all your perils to gladden us 
 again with your countenance ; but most of all we ought to 
 be thankful to you for having discovered the lost wits of 
 our noble Count, and for the care which you have taken 
 in restoring them to him." 
 
 It was now near midnight, for Astulf s adventures had 
 taken a long time in the telling ; so the company rose up 
 from their seats, and prepared to take their rest for the 
 night. The Duke had ordered pavilions to be pitched close 
 to his own for Count Roland and his fellow Paladins, and 
 had also provided a tent apiece for all the other knights 
 whom he had delivered out of Rodomont's ship. So they 
 gat them every man to his tent, and lay down to enjoy their 
 well-earned sleep. 
 
 But in the morning the chiefs assembled again in Duke 
 Astulfs pavilion, and took counsel together how they might 
 best carry on the siege. By the advice of Count Roland it 
 was resolved to make an assault on the city without delay ; 
 "for," said the Count, "we shall never get together a stronger 
 force than this which is ours to-day, while every hour that 
 we waste in idleness gives the enemy time to strengthen 
 his defences." This counsel was heartily approved by 
 all the Paladins ; for they judged it prudent and good, 
 and, besides, they were always glad of an occasion to 
 do some fighting. Accordingly Astulf summoned his 
 heralds, and bade them proclaim his will aloud through- 
 out the camp, commanding every soldier to look well to 
 his arms and accoutrements, that all might be ready to 
 
CHAP, v.] THE ASSAULT ON BISERTA. 295 
 
 join in the general assault which would be delivered in 
 three days' time. 
 
 Now the city of Biserta was built in the form of a square, 
 with two sides resting on the sea, and the other two fronting 
 the Nubian encampment, which was pitched in a semicircle, 
 stretching from shore to shore. The landward sides of the 
 town were defended by a moat, which was both wide and 
 deep ; but luckily the water that should have filled it was 
 just now nearly dried up, because there had been a scarcity 
 of rain in the country, while there were no means of pump- 
 ing up a supply from the sea. On the inner edge of this 
 moat was built an ancient wall, very high and strong, with 
 battlements and embrasures and square towers rising at 
 intervals along its length. These were all the fortifications 
 that the city possessed ; for its Saracen commanders had 
 not had time to construct an inner line of defence. 
 
 Now the Paladins purposed to assail the place both by 
 sea and land, having abundance of troops to carry out their 
 double design ; they had also plenty of ships, since Astulf 's 
 magician had built him a second fleet equal to that in which 
 Dieudonne had sailed to France. The command of these 
 ships was given to Sansonet, since Astulf knew him to be 
 well skilled in naval warfare ; but there were yet two days 
 to pass before they attempted the assault, which they had 
 no mind to waste in idleness. Therefore, while Sansonet 
 practised his men on board ship, and the greater part of the 
 army were occupied in furbishing up their weapons, Duke 
 Astulf selected twenty thousand men, whom he set to the 
 task of filling up the moat beneath the walls. First they 
 drained away all the water that remained in it into the sea ; 
 and this was not difficult, because the shore sloped rapidly 
 down at both ends of the wall : moreover they accomplished 
 this work by night, when the enemy could do but little to 
 hinder them. It proved a much harder task to fill up the 
 ditch with earth ; for this must needs be done in broad 
 daylight, and the Saracens, now fully aware of their design, 
 poured a continual shower of missiles upon them from the 
 walls. Some hundreds were slain and nearly two thousand 
 wounded in this manner; nevertheless, as the labourers 
 
296 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 were so many, the work went on apace, so that by the 
 evening of the second day after Astulf's proclamation the 
 moat was filled up level with the ground, and everything 
 was in readiness for the assault 
 
 Then the detachment that had performed this work were 
 dismissed and allowed to rest ; but of the others not a man 
 closed his eyes that night, for all was bustle and stir of 
 preparation. Sansonet stood out a little to sea, and made 
 ready his ships for action ; thirty thousand men were told 
 off to work the catapults and battering-rams under the com- 
 mand of a Nubian captain ; and all the rest were divided 
 into four columns, each led by one of the Paladins, which 
 were to assault the walls in four different places at once. 
 An hour before daybreak every man was at his post, and 
 Duke Astulf bade the trumpets sound for battle. 
 
 The Saracens were commanded by King Agramant's 
 lieutenants. Count Branzard and Sir Bucifar, joined with 
 whom was the commandant of the town, whose name was 
 Sir Fulvus. These three were all brave warriors and pru- 
 dent leaders, who had kept their men well on the alert and 
 made great preparation for resisting the expected attack. 
 So when the Christians came beneath the walls, they found 
 them manned by all the enemy's troops, so that they profited 
 little by beginning their enterprise in the dark. In this last 
 hour of the night, and while the gray dawn was yet faint in 
 the east, the Nubians lost many thousands of their men ; 
 for the Saracens cast down javelins and spears, heavy logs 
 of wood, great masses of stone, and numberless other mis- 
 siles upon them. Their archers also shot forth clouds of 
 arrows ; and they were provided with abundance of Greek 
 fire, which greatly discomfited their assailants. 
 
 Nevertheless the Nubians persevered bravely, cheered on 
 by the gallant Paladins their leaders ; and when at length 
 the sun rose, they began to have the advantage over their 
 enemies. For then Sansonet sailed up with all his fleet, 
 and attacked the city on the sides which faced the sea ; and 
 this forced Count Branzard to draw off a number of his 
 men from the walls in order to defend the quays. Also the 
 men who worked the catapults could now see to take aim 
 
CHAP, v.] THE CITY TAKEN BY STORM. 297 
 
 at the Saracens on the battlements, and discharged huge 
 masses of rock among them ; while the great battering-rams 
 thundered against the walls till they quivered to the very 
 foundations. 
 
 Perceiving that the enemy resisted more faintly, the 
 Paladins pressed the attack with double vigour ; they 
 dragged forward great wooden towers on wheels, made of 
 an equal height with the battlements, so that the men in 
 them met the garrison on equal terms ; and in every way 
 they encouraged their soldiers to deeds of valour. Also 
 they had provided a number of elephants, which carried 
 other wooden towers on their backs ; and in these, which 
 rose high above the level of the walls, were stationed com- 
 panies of archers, who rained down their arrows on the heads 
 of the Saracens. At the same time some of the Nubians 
 attacked the city gates, and others tried to mount the walls 
 on scaling-ladders ; but as yet they could not force an en- 
 trance. 
 
 At last Brandimart seized a ladder, and with his own 
 hands succeeded in laying it against the wall. Sword in 
 hand he dashed up its steps and leaped upon the wall, call- 
 ing on his men to follow him, but looking only to the foe 
 in front, whom he thrust down with his arm or hacked in 
 pieces with his sword, showing them to their sorrow what 
 it was to oppose a Paladin of France. Animated by their 
 chief's example, the Nubians pressed on behind him ; but 
 unluckily they were too eager to mount the wall, and 
 crowded up the ladder in such numbers that it broke 
 beneath their weight, and all who were upon it fell to the 
 ground. Thus Sir Brandimart was left alone upon the 
 battlements to face the whole army of the Pagans ; neverthe- 
 less that gallant warrior lost not heart, nor thought for a 
 moment of drawing back. Many voices entreated him to 
 return, but he thought only of going forward ; and having 
 overthrown all the Saracens within his reach, he leaped down 
 after them from the wall, and thus dauntlessly entered the 
 city of his foes. 
 
 Very soon the other Paladins learnt that Brandimart was 
 alone in Biserta; whereupon, being alarmed for his safety, 
 
298 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 they redoubled their efforts to follow him, and Roland 
 especially could ill brook a moment's delay in going to 
 the succour of his friend. And such valour as these gallant 
 knights displayed could not long fail of its effect. Even as 
 a tempest-tossed vessel strains and strains in the trough of the 
 sea, but her timbers still hold tightly together, till at length 
 some great billow forces a narrow leak, which widens with 
 each succeeding wave, and the whole sea rushes in at last ; 
 — even so fared it now with the mighty city of Biserta. 
 Where Brandimart had first forced an entrance alone, 
 Roland, Oliver, and Astulf were quick to follow ; and after 
 them rushed in the whole army of Nubians, athirst for the 
 plunder of the richest city in all the realms of Africa. At 
 the same moment Sansonet succeeded in repulsing the 
 Saracens who were defending the quays, and his men 
 dashed forth from their ships to assist their comrades in 
 sacking the town. 
 
 Then ensued such a scene of horror as passes the power 
 of man to describe ; the men were put to the sword, till the 
 streets ran red with blood ; the women and children were 
 led into captivity ; houses were fired in every quarter, so 
 that the sky was blackened with smoke, and the earth aglow 
 with lurid flame. The noble Paladins did their best to save 
 the beautiful city and its unhappy people ; but even they 
 could not control the savage spirit of the Nubians. Their 
 fierce African blood was up, lusting for slaughter and de- 
 struction ; and before another day was spent nothing but a 
 mass of smoking ruins was left where the mighty town of 
 Biserta had stood. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 BATTLE OF THE SIX CHAMPIONS ; AND HOW ROLAND 
 GOT BACK HIS HORSE AND ARMOUR. 
 
 When King Agramant fled before the ships of Dieudonne 
 the Paladin, he escaped, if you remember, in a small pin- 
 nace, taking with him Gold Bridle and the most precious of 
 his treasures, and being accompanied by the wise King 
 Sobrin, his chief counsellor. In such sorry plight, almost 
 alone, and with not a soldier remaining to him out of his 
 once numberless hosts, the vanquished monarch steered 
 towards his own kingdom, hoping that at least he should 
 arrive in time to save Biserta from the Nubians. But his 
 voyage was delayed by contrary winds ] and when at last he 
 sighted the coast of Tunis, he learnt to his dismay that his 
 great seaport had been sacked and burnt the day before ; 
 that Count Branzard and Sir Bucifar his lieutenants, with 
 Sir Fulvus the commandant of the town, had fallen in the 
 battle ; and that the victorious Nubians had put the whole 
 garrison to the sword, and were now masters over all the 
 realm. Hearing this, the unhappy king would fain have 
 slain himself in despair ; but he was prevented by the wise 
 King Sobrin. He dared not land, however, in his own 
 dominions, but sailed away round Cape Bon, intending to 
 take refuge in Egypt. For he had a treaty of alliance with 
 the Soldan of Egypt, and hoped to persuade him to lend him 
 an army, with which he might recover possession of his 
 kingdom. 
 
 They had not gone above a day's sail, and were still but 
 a little distance from the coast of Tunis, when the captain 
 
300 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 of the pinnace came to Agramant and said : "Sir King, I 
 perceive that a tempest is gathering off the land, and I fear 
 that in this small boat we cannot weather it. But here to 
 leeward Ues a little island called Lampedusa, where I know 
 of a creek which will afford us safe shelter from the gale ; 
 thither, if you take my advice, we will repair without delay." 
 
 "It matters little to me," replied the King, "whether I 
 sink or swim : I had as lief perish here in the open sea as 
 drag out a wretched life in exile from my country. But for 
 the sakes of the others who are here with me in the boat, 
 I will choose the safer course." So they steered immedi- 
 ately for the island, and there took shelter from the fury of 
 the storm. 
 
 If you care to look it out in your maps, you will find 
 that this little island of Lampedusa lies about eighty miles 
 off the east coast of Tunis, nearly opposite the old town of 
 Thapsus, where Julius Csesar gained an important victory. 
 I don't know whether anybody lives on the island now, but 
 in the time of Charlemagne it was quite uninhabited ; only 
 the fishermen from the neighbouring coast used to repair 
 thither at times, and hang out their nets to dry on the low 
 brushwood with which it was covered. Hither came Agra- 
 mant and Sobrin in their little pinnace, seeking shelter from 
 the gathering tempest ; and, as they sailed into the creek, 
 they were surprised to see a large ship already anchored 
 there. To their great relief this turned out to be the ship 
 of their friend Gradasso, the King of China,yho had departed 
 out of France a day earlier than his allies, and had thus 
 avoided meeting with Dieudonne's navy. He too had put 
 in to Lampedusa in order to avoid the coming gale ; so here 
 were three of the principal Saracen leaders assembled to- 
 gether in this out-of-the-way little island. 
 
 When their first greetings were over. King Agramant 
 told Gradasso the evil tidings from Tunis, and explained 
 that he was now on his way to ask troops from the Soldan 
 of Egypt, deeming that his only hope of recovering his 
 dominions. But Gradasso exclaimed : " Do not thus, I 
 entreat you. Sir King ; surely you know the character of 
 the Soldan, that he is a man of a treacherous heart, whose 
 
CHAP. VI.] DEBATE OF THE SARACEN KINGS. 301 
 
 promises are nought but deceit. Confide your cause rather 
 to me ; for I have thought of a way by which I may avenge 
 you and restore you to your kingdom. You say that Count 
 Roland has recovered his wits, and was one of those who 
 took Biserta by assault ; truly, if that is so, I rejoice ex- 
 ceedingly, seeing that all my life I have desired nothing so 
 much as an occasion to fight with him. With that intent 
 I came into Europe ; and now, albeit I have obtained 
 Durindana and his armour, which I chiefly sought, without 
 doing battle against him, yet am I none the less eager to 
 put his boasted prowess to the proof. Wherefore I will 
 presently send a messenger to him, saying that I have the 
 sword and armour that once were his, and challenging him 
 to meet me here in single combat. And the conditions of 
 our combat shall be these : if I am vanquished or slain, — 
 and truly I purpose not to yield myself alive, — then he shall 
 recover this sword and armour out of my hands ; but if I 
 overthrow him, he shall straightway return with all his com- 
 panions to France, and deliver up your kingdom of Tunis 
 into your possession." "Nay, my friend," answered King 
 Agramant, " though your proposal is good in many ways, 
 yet I cannot suffer you to fight my battles in this fashion. 
 If Roland is to be challenged to single combat, it is I who 
 ought to challenge him ; and I will send him a message 
 accordingly as soon as this tempest abates." Gradasso 
 entreated that this enterprise might be left to him, but 
 Agramant remained firm in his intention ; wherefore the 
 King of China said at last : " Take then your share of the 
 fighting, Sir King ; only seek not to deprive me of mine. 
 Rather let us send to Roland, and challenge him to come 
 hither with one companion, that we may fight two against 
 two to decide the quarrel." " I am well content," replied 
 King Agramant, " provided I bear my part in the under- 
 taking;" and so the question would have been settled, but 
 that Sobrin chimed in : " And what of me, I pray you ? 
 Am I to stand with my thumbs in my doublet, while you 
 others wield sword and shield ? Think not that I am too 
 old to engage in such an encounter ; by my faith, I am still 
 as vigorous as ever I was in my youth, and my years have 
 
302 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 but added experience to my strength." Sobrin only spoke 
 the truth in what he said, as his two friends were most ready 
 to confess ; for he was of a strong and lusty old age, and his 
 renown both for valour and prudence was great throughout 
 all the world. Wherefore Agramant and Gradasso held that 
 his claim to share their enterprise was just, and declared that 
 they could not desire a better companion in arms. So it was 
 decided that these three Saracen Kings should challenge 
 the peerless Count Roland, together with any two of his 
 comrades, to fight against them in the island of Lampedusa ; 
 and as soon as the tempest was overpast, they sent a mess- 
 enger to the Count to bid him defiance in their names. 
 
 The messenger soon arrived in the Nubian camp, which 
 was still pitched over against the ruins of Biserta ; where he 
 found Count Roland and his friends busily occupied in 
 dividing the spoil among their soldiers. There he sounded 
 his trumpet three times, and three times bowed himself be- 
 fore the Count; after which he delivered aloud the challenge, 
 as the Kings his masters had bidden him. Never came 
 sound more welcome to the ears of Roland, who saw here 
 a chance of winning back his sword and armour from 
 Gradasso, and his noble horse Gold Bridle from Agramant. 
 So great was his joy that he loaded the herald with rich 
 gifts, bidding him return with all speed to them that sent 
 him, and say that on the seventh day from this he would 
 be ready, together with two of his comrades, to meet them 
 in Lampedusa, as they desired. 
 
 When the herald departed Count Roland called to his 
 dear friends Sir Oliver and Sir Brandimart, and asked them : 
 "O my friends, will ye bear me company in this fight?" 
 And the noble Paladins answered him, saying : " We will 
 follow thee whithersoever thou leadest us ; but most of all 
 to such an enterprise as this, which shall bring great honour 
 to us all." So Roland chose Brandimart and Oliver to be 
 his fellow-champions ; and immediately they set about pre- 
 paring themselves for the battle to come. 
 
 Of course none of the three had his own horse and 
 armour to use ; for those of Roland were in the possession 
 of his enemies, while the other two had forfeited theirs to 
 
CHAP. VI.] THE PALADINS' EQUIPMENT. 303 
 
 King Rodomont, who had given them up, indeed, to Brada- 
 mante when she vanquished him, but only after their owners 
 had sailed away from France. This placed our champions 
 at a great disadvantage ; nevertheless their valiant spirits 
 were in no wise daunted, but they diligently sought out the 
 best that were to be had in the camp, trusting in their 
 valour and the goodness of their cause to make good the 
 deficiency of their equipment. After that they had provided 
 themselves as best they could, they walked together by the 
 sea-shore, discoursing of their future battle j when lo ! they 
 beheld a gallant ship come sailing towards the place where 
 they stood. Her mainmast was gone clean away, showing 
 that she had encountered a terrible storm ; but her foremast 
 was still standing whole and sound, with the foresail set to 
 the breeze. Nevertheless there was neither pilot nor crew 
 to steer her, but she seemed as though the spirits of the air 
 were guiding her. She struck at length upon the sands 
 close under the eyes of our Paladins ; wliereupon they 
 straightway put off in a boat to examine her, being curious 
 to know what so strange a sight might mean. And when 
 they boarded her, they found that she had indeed been 
 abandoned by all her passengers ; only they discovered in 
 her a magnificent war-horse, a faultless suit of armour, and 
 a sword of perfect temper, the equal of Durindana itself, on 
 the hilt of which was graven in letters of gold the famous 
 name " Balisarda." 
 
 You will have understood already, without my telling 
 you, that this was the ship out of which Prince Roger had 
 swum to the hermit's island ; she had sailed thence all by 
 herself to this coast of Biserta, and certainly nothing could 
 have been more fortunate for the three friends than her 
 timely arrival. Now as soon as Roland's eye lighted on the 
 sword, he recognised it at once, even before he saw its 
 name upon the hilt ; for it had formerly belonged to him, 
 but the thief Brunello stole it out of his keeping in the 
 time of a former war. \^'herefore he rejoiced greatly, and 
 took it for himself, knowing well its priceless worth, since 
 with its aid he had performed many of his most wonderful 
 feats. But the other things he divided between his two 
 
304 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 friends, giving Roger's well-fashioned armour to Sir Oliver, 
 and the noble charger Frontin to Sir Brandimart. And thus 
 each of the three champions found himself much better 
 equipped for the battle than he had expected. 
 
 Being now provided with one good needful article apiece, 
 and having no hope of making their equipment perfect, the 
 Paladins next took thought for the adornment of their 
 persons. On great occasions it was customary for the 
 knights of those days to wear a close-fitting vest above their 
 armour, which vest was wrought of the finest stuffs, and 
 richly embroidered with any device that the wearer might 
 choose. The three friends desired to observe this custom, 
 more especially on such an occasion as the present, for this 
 Battle of the Six Champions was an event the like of which 
 had scarcely ever been seen. So Count Roland procured 
 himself a vestment of cloth of gold, embroidered with scarlet 
 thread ; and the device of the embroidery was the Tower 
 of Babel shivered by a flash of lightning, by which the 
 Count signified that the pride of the Saracens should be 
 shattered and brought low. Sir Oliver made choice of a 
 purple vest, on which was wrought the figure of a milk- 
 white hound lying down in an attitude of watchfulness, and 
 having a collar and chain of gold around his neck, with the 
 motto, "Till my lord come forth." By this device Sir 
 Oliver represented his faithful love for his friend Roland, 
 whose bidding he was always ready and eager to perform. 
 But Sir Brandimart chose to appear in raiment all of sombre 
 black, and the Lady LiHas his wife fashioned it with her 
 own hands, embroidering it cunningly with threads of the 
 same hue, and adding a black fringe richly designed in 
 patterns of needlework, in which she sewed many pearls of 
 great price. She wrought also the trappings of his horse 
 Frontin in like manner, sparing no toil that her lord might 
 be fitly apparelled ; yet from the hour of beginning this 
 work till that in which it was finished the gentle lady was 
 never seen to smile, but seemed as one oppressed with a 
 foreboding of woe. Never before had she known fear for 
 the safety of her husband, though she had accompanied him 
 in all his adventures ; but now her spirit was troubled within 
 
CHAP. VI.] MEETING OF THE CHAMPIONS. 305 
 
 her, and the newness of her fear increased her grief, so 
 that the tears stole down her beautiful cheeks, and her 
 heart beat fast with double terror. 
 
 Now when their apparel was prepared, on the sixth day 
 after they had received King Agramant's challenge the 
 three Paladins hoisted sail and steered their course towards 
 the island of Lampedusa. A fair breeze carried them 
 swiftly over the waters, so that they came to the place the 
 same evening, and pitched their tents upon the shore over 
 against those of the Saracen Kings. The next morning, as 
 soon as it was light, the six champions rose up from their 
 beds and put on their armour. Then they came out of their 
 tents and mounted their horses, and stood face to face upon 
 the shore ready to begin the encounter. Man for man, 
 they were very fairly matched, being all warriors of great 
 renown; and if the Christians had slightly the advantage 
 in prowess, — and certainly there was no one in the world 
 quite equal to the mighty Roland, — their adversaries were 
 by far the better equipped, which was a matter of great 
 importance in those times. Count Roland, indeed, wielded 
 Balisarda in his hand, but then his horse and armour were 
 of inferior quality ; Brandimart rode upon P^rontin, that 
 perfect steed, but the mail in which he was clad, and the 
 sword that he carried, were far from equal to those which 
 he had left in France ; lastly, Oliver was armed in Roger's 
 panoply, which was even better than his own, but he had 
 great fault to find with both his sword and charger. The 
 equipment of the Pagans, on the other hand, was perfect at 
 all points ; besides which. King Agramant was mounted on 
 Gold Bridle, while King Gradasso wielded the famous 
 Durindana, and was furnished with the armour that Roland 
 had cast aside in the day of his madness. 
 
 As soon as they were assembled they recited the condi- 
 tions of the combat, which each party swore solemnly to 
 observe ; then they took up their positions at a convenient 
 distance from each other, laid their lances in rest, and 
 spurred forward with one accord to the encounter. For 
 this opening joust Roland was matched against the stately 
 Gradasso, Sir Oliver encountered King Agramant, and Sir 
 
 X 
 
3o6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. {party. 
 
 Brandimart rode against King Sobrin. Now Oliver and Agra- 
 mant shivered both their lances to the hilt without the least 
 advantage to either, whereupon they drew forth their swords, 
 and so continued their battle. But of the other two pairs, 
 one champion on either side was borne to earth. For 
 Count Roland's weakly charger proved no match for the 
 powerful animal that Gradasso rode, but swayed to one side 
 at the shock of their meeting, and then fell full length upon 
 the ground. The Count, finding himself borne down by 
 no fault of his own, made three or four efforts to raise up 
 his horse ; but at length, perceiving this to be impossible, 
 he threw aside his lance, and drew out Balisarda from the 
 scabbard. On the other hand, Sir Brandimart had unhorsed 
 King Sobrin, but whether through the fault of the Pagan 
 chieftain or his steed I cannot tell you, only I think it most 
 likely that the latter was to blame, since Sobrin was too 
 skilful a knight to be easily thrown. 
 
 Now Brandimart, seeing his first adversary on the 
 ground, offered him no further violence, but turned to 
 match himself against Gradasso, who had in like manner 
 overthrown Count Roland. And the Count, perceiving 
 Gradasso thus busily engaged, went to join battle with 
 Sobrin, who was now on foot like himself. Raising Bali- 
 sarda aloft, he struck hard at his adversary's crest, and vainly 
 did Sobrin hope to parry the blow with his shield ; for the 
 good sword clave the shield in twain, though it was encircled 
 with solid steel, and descended through it upon Sobrin's 
 shoulder, rending the plates of mail, and piercing the flesh 
 beneath with a grievous wound. Quick to press his advan- 
 tage, the peerless Count dealt a second stroke, with which 
 he thought to sever Sobrin's head from his body, but the 
 wise king drew backward a step and avoided the full force 
 of the blow. Nevertheless he could not escape it alto- 
 gether, but it pierced through his helmet and laid him 
 stunned and bleeding on the ground. Thereupon Roland 
 supposed that he was slain, and turned to watch the fight 
 between Brandimart and Gradasso, holding himself in readi- 
 ness to succour his friend if need were. Brandimart, how- 
 ever, was gallantly holding his own, for though his armour 
 
CHAP. VI.] THEIR TERRIBLE ENCOUNTER. 307 
 
 was poor and quite unable to resist the edge of Durindana, 
 yet Frontin was so clever a charger, that of his own accord 
 he would swerve to one side, or step backwards or forwards 
 to avoid Gradasso's strokes ; and so, partly through the 
 instinct of his horse, and partly through his own great 
 valour, the Paladin, in spite of the badness of his harness, 
 was pressing his antagonist hard. 
 
 Seeing that his services were not needed just now, the 
 Count thought he would take the opportunity to mount on 
 horseback again. His own charger had broken his leg, but 
 Sobrin's was still as sound as ever, and was quietly grazing 
 at a little distance. Roland easily caught him, and vaulted 
 into the saddle ; and as soon as Gradasso perceived that he 
 was mounted again, he desisted from his battle with Sir 
 Brandimart, desiring to prove himself to the uttermost 
 against the Count. So now Brandimart was " odd man 
 out " (since Sobrin still lay helpless on the ground), while 
 King Gradasso and Count Roland fought together with the 
 sword. First Gradasso aimed a thrust at his opponent's 
 breast, but Roland cleverly turned it aside, and brought 
 down Balisarda like lightning on the head of Gradasso. 
 Helmet, shield, and cuirass were all cloven by this terrible 
 blow, which dealt the King three separate wounds in the 
 face, breast, and thigh, and moreover destroyed the con- 
 fidence which he had hitherto felt in his armour. For he 
 had been persuaded that no weapon could pierce the 
 wonderful arms of Hector, and with them on his body and 
 Durindana in his hand he had deemed himself invincible. 
 Now he perceived to his amazement that Balisarda in the 
 hands of Roland could pierce even this faultless harness ; 
 nevertheless his spirit was not daunted, only he took more 
 pains thenceforward to parry the blows of his antagonist. 
 
 All this time Sir Oliver and King Agramant had been 
 continuing their combat on very equal terms, so that it was 
 hard to know which had the better chance of victory. But 
 presently King Sobrin recovered his senses and rose up 
 from the ground ; and seeing his liege lord hard pressed, 
 he determined to give him such help as he could. So he 
 went up silently and smote Sir Oliver's horse across the 
 
3o8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part v. 
 
 houghs ; and immediately the horse fell down, crushing 
 the left leg of his rider under him. Thereupon Sir Brandi- 
 mart, being mounted, took up the battle against King Agra- 
 mant ; while Sobrin made an assault on Oliver, who vainly 
 struggled to draw out his foot from beneath the body of his 
 horse. This he could not achieve ; yet even lying on his 
 left side, as he was, he managed to keep Sobrin at a distance 
 with his sword ; and he hoped in this manner to wear out 
 the wise King's strength, since he perceived him to be sorely 
 wounded and much weakened by loss of blood. 
 
 Meanwhile a terrible struggle was going on between 
 Count Roland and King Gradasso : the Pagan had hacked 
 off several plates from his enemy's harness, but had not yet 
 been able to pierce his flesh ; while Roland had pHed his 
 sword to better purpose, wounding Gradasso in the head, 
 throat, and shoulder, besides those other cuts of which I 
 told you. At last the Saracen grew furious at beholding 
 his adversary whole and sound, while he himself was bathed 
 from head to foot in his own blood ; and with the energy of 
 despair he lifted Durindana in both hands, and brought it 
 crashing down upon Roland's head. Vainly did Roland 
 essay to parry that fearful stroke ; it cut through the crest 
 of his helmet, defended as it was by triple steel ; and all 
 that his attempt at parrying could accomplish was so far to 
 break its force, that it stopped short at the helmet's crest 
 and clave not the skull beneath. Thus the Count suffered 
 no loss of blood : nevertheless he was quite stunned for the 
 moment by the shock, so that he reeled in his saddle, the 
 reins dropped from his fingers, and his charger bore him 
 helpless over the plain ; while he w^ould certainly have lost 
 Balisarda to boot, but that it was chained by the hilt to his 
 wrist. 
 
 Gradasso took advantage of his absence to help King 
 Agramant against Sir Brandimart, who was bringing him 
 into great peril of his life, having knocked the sword from 
 his hand, and cut through the lacings of his helmet, so that 
 the King's head lay bare to the blow. Now the gallant 
 Brandimart was not expecting a second opponent, since 
 he thought that Gradasso was fully occupied with Count 
 
CHAP. VI.] A DEARLY BOUGHT VICTORY. 309 
 
 Roland, while Sobrin had fainted away anew from loss of 
 blood. So the King of China came upon him unawares, 
 and smote him through the helmet to the brain ; so that he 
 fell backward off his saddle to the earth, while a torrent of 
 blood spouted from the wound, and his face grew pale with 
 the livid hue of death. 
 
 Who shall describe the mingled rage and grief of Roland, 
 when he recovered from his giddiness only in time to see 
 his faithful friend lie dying on the ground ? His heart was 
 like to burst for sorrow, and his wrath was terribly kindled 
 within him, as with a cry of "Vengeance ! vengeance !" he 
 rushed upon King Agramant to slay him. Whirling Bali- 
 sarda round his head, he smote the King of Tunis across 
 the neck and severed it at a single blow : down from the 
 saddle fell the headless trunk, and the mighty African 
 monarch was no more. 
 
 For the first time in his life Gradasso trembled with fear, 
 when he beheld the manner of King Agramant's death ; and 
 when Roland made haste to assail him, he offered no defence 
 at all, but stood as one bewildered to receive the death- 
 blow. So Roland smote him beneath the lowest rib, and 
 the sword passed through his body, and stood out a hand- 
 breadth on the farther side. Thus died Agramant, the 
 greatest ruler among the Saracens, and Gradasso, one of 
 their bravest warriors ; and they fell by the hand of Count 
 Roland the Paladin, who avenged upon them the death of 
 Brandimart his friend. 
 
 But when they were slain, Roland ran in haste to the 
 place where Sir Brandimart lay, and raised the beloved head 
 upon his knee, striving to stanch the blood which poured 
 from the fatal wound. Then the dying knight opened his 
 eyes and looked upon the face of his friend, saying : " O 
 my friend, grieve not for me, seeing that my hour is come, 
 and I am content to have it so. But by the love that 
 thou bearest me, I beseech thee watch from henceforward 
 over my sweet wife Lilias." And with that his noble spirit 
 fled, and he died with his lady's name upon his lips. 
 
 Then Count Roland bowed his head and wept, for his 
 grief was very sore. But presently he arose and went to 
 
3IO PALADIN AND SARACEN. [party. 
 
 Sir Oliver, who was likewise in evil case. For he could not 
 draw out his foot from under the body of his horse ; and 
 his leg was so bruised and crushed, that it seemed as if he 
 must be lame for the rest of his life. But Roland moved 
 away the carcass and set him free ; and seeing that he could 
 not stand upright, he called to his servants and bade them 
 carry him gently to the ship. Next he found King Sobrin 
 still alive, though his strength was nearly spent, and had him 
 carried in like manner to the ship ; where he dressed his 
 wounds with his own hands, bidding him be of good cheer 
 the while, and comforting him as though he were his own 
 brother. For now that the battle was over, the noble 
 Count felt no malice ; but the bitterness was gone out of 
 his heart, and his wrath gave place to compassion. Lastly, 
 he took with him all the arms and the horses of the dead 
 kings, among which he recovered Gold Bridle and Durin- 
 dana and the panoply of Hector for himself: he took also 
 the body of Sir Brandimart, that he might bury him as 
 befitted his rank and worth. Then he sailed back to 
 Biserta, having little joy in his glorious victory, seeing that 
 it had cost him the life of the friend whom he loved above 
 all the world. 
 
 But the bodies of Agramant King of Tunis and Gradasso 
 King of China remained upon the shore in the island of 
 Lampedusa ; and there they were buried by the sailors who 
 had come with them in the ships from France. 
 
PART VL 
 
 LAST ADVENTURES OF ROGER AND 
 BRADAMANTE. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW THE PALADINS FOUND ROGER ON THE HERMIT's ISLAND j 
 AND HOW THEY ALL RETURNED TO FRANCE. 
 
 Count Roland returned across the sea to Biserta, taking 
 with him Sir OUver his friend and King Sobrin, who was 
 lately his enemy, both grievously wounded. He had won 
 a splendid victory, recovering his horse and armour out of 
 the hands of his foes, and delivering France from the fear 
 of the Africans for ever; nevertheless he ca'me not with 
 songs and dances and the voice of merrymaking, as might 
 befit the conqueror of so great a battle. His flag was hoisted 
 half-mast high, and the sound of weeping and lamentation 
 was heard on his deck, as the ship sailed to her anchorage 
 near Duke Astulf s encampment ; for all hearts were sore 
 afflicted at the death of Sir Brandimart. 
 
 Now when Astulf beheld how the ship drew nigh, he 
 said : " Surely the victory is ours ; else our vessel would 
 never have returned hither. Yet by the manner of her 
 coming I fear some terrible calamity ; for her flag flies half- 
 mast high, and her crew seem as men who mourn over the 
 loss of their chief" So he went out of his tent, and hied 
 him down to the sea-shore, to welcome his friends and to 
 hear their tidings. With him went also Sir Raynald, who 
 had come unexpectedly to Biserta the evening before. For 
 some rumour of King Agramant's challenge had reached 
 him, while yet he sojourned with Charlemagne in Paris ; 
 wherefore he made great haste out of France, desiring 
 to bear his part in the enterprise of his comrades. Yet 
 for all his diligence he arrived a day too late, when 
 
314 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 nothing remained for him but to learn the issue of their 
 combat. 
 
 He therefore went down with Astulf to the beach, looking 
 anxiously toward the approaching ship ; and presently their 
 worst fears were set at rest by seeing Roland come safe and 
 sound towards them. The Count put off to shore in a 
 little boat, and greeted his fellow Paladins in love and sad- 
 ness, telling them how Sir Brandimart had fallen in the hour 
 of victory : whereat their souls were vexed with sorrow, and 
 the fiery Raynald exclaimed : " Would to Heaven that I 
 were lying in his place ; for I would willingly have given 
 my life for his ! " But Duke Astulf, the bluff, true-hearted 
 Englishman, thought first of the desolate widow, and cried : 
 " Alas for the sweet Lady Lilias his beloved ! Verily our 
 Brandimart is happy, in that he has met an honourable 
 death ; but who shall bear these sad tidings to her, and tell 
 her that the joy of her life is turned to loneliness and grief? 
 Or who shall comfort her in her measureless affliction ? " 
 
 Thus spake Astulf out of the fulness of his heart ; and 
 Count Roland sighed heavily, as he answered : " Truly my 
 heart is very sore for the sweet lady, who hath ever loved 
 all the friends of her husband. But for thee, my Astulf, 
 she hath shown especial affection ; wherefore it is fitting 
 that thou shouldest take this sad office upon thee. For ill 
 tidings are most softened when they are heard from the 
 lips of a friend." 
 
 So Astulf went to find the Lady Lilias, that he might tell 
 her the heavy news, and give her what comfort he could. 
 Now in the past night this gentle lady had dreamed a 
 dream, which she interpreted as a message of affliction. 
 She thought that she held in her lap the vestment of 
 needlework which she had wrought so cunningly for her 
 lord ; only the fashion of the vestment was changed, for it 
 was embroidered all over with crimson spots. And as she 
 gazed upon it, Sir Brandimart appeared before her, asking 
 her wherefore she had mingled crimson threads with the 
 black ; and she could not answer him a word, but fell to 
 weeping, she knew not why. With the tears still in her 
 eyes she awoke, and foreboded nothing but evil from her 
 
CHAP. I.] SIR BRANDIMART'S FUNERAL. 315 
 
 dream. Therefore, when Duke Astulf entered her chamber, 
 she rose up sorrowfully to meet him ; and as soon as she 
 looked upon his countenance, before he could utter a word, 
 she knew that her lord was dead. Then a sharp spasm 
 wrung her heart, her brain reeled, and a thick mist darkened 
 her eyes ; and she fell as one dead upon the floor. But 
 when she recovered from her swoon, she spoke no word of 
 lamentation, neither did any tear bedew her cheeks ; only 
 she sat gazing before her with blank eyes, from which the 
 lustre was fled, and her face was as the face of a marble 
 image. Presently, with a gentle motion of her hand she 
 beckoned Duke Astulf to depart; and the good Duke, under- 
 standing that she would fain be left alone with her sorrow, 
 retired out of her presence, and went to weep in his own tent. 
 The next morning the Paladins consulted together how 
 they should bury their comrade with fitting honour; and 
 Count Roland said : " Let us go into Sicily and build him 
 a tomb on Mount Etna, that the mountain of fire may be 
 as a beacon to show where he lies." So they laid his 
 body on a bier and covered it with cloth of gold for 
 a pall, and so carried it into Sicily by sea. There they 
 buried Sir Brandimart upon the slopes of Mount Etna ; at 
 sunset they buried him with great pomp, as befitted so 
 valiant a warrior, and from all the country round great 
 multitudes of people assembled to join the Paladins in 
 paying honour to his memory. Before the body was com- 
 mitted to the grave. Count Roland came forward to bid his 
 friend a last farewell ; and near him stood the Lady Lilias, 
 clad in raiment of black from head to foot. The Count 
 laid his hand gently on the bier, and said : " O faithful, 
 dear, and valiant comrade, who art lost to us here for a 
 while, forgive me that I lament thy death ; truly thou hast 
 gained great happiness and everlasting renown, but I am 
 left alone to bewail thy absence, and the joy of my life is 
 ended, since thou art no longer beside me to share it. 
 Lonely am I from henceforth, and lonely is thy gentle 
 wife ; nevertheless despair not, O sweet Lady Lilias, but 
 take comfort in remembering the manner of thy lord's 
 departure. For verily there is no knight in Christendom 
 
3i6 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 who doth not envy him so noble a death ; and as his life 
 was perfect in valour and all virtue, so the ending of it hath 
 brought him renown that shall never die, so long as loyalty 
 and truth are held in repute among mankind." 
 
 Thus spake Count Roland in the anguish of his heart ; 
 and thereupon the priests took the body of Sir Brandimart, 
 and lowered it into the grave, after they had performed the 
 accustomed rites of burial. Then Roland gathered together 
 carvers and builders, and bade them raise a costly sepulchre 
 above the vault ; and they built it of porphyry and alabaster, 
 with marbles of divers colours, beautifully carved by the 
 hands of a cunning craftsman. All the time that they were 
 building it, the Lady Lilias departed not from the place, but 
 stood silently looking on their work, that everything might 
 be done in due order. From the hour in which she knew 
 that her lord was dead, she neither wept nor spake aught 
 to any man; and when the sepulchre was finished, she 
 opened the door and went in, and laid herself down beside 
 the body of Sir Brandimart. There her faithful heart broke 
 for sorrow, and she died in the tomb of her beloved ; and 
 when the people of the place heard of her death, they left 
 her lying in the place which she had chosen, and sealed 
 up the door of the sepulchre, that no one might enter it 
 thenceforward. 
 
 Meanwhile Count Roland and the other Paladins had 
 returned to Biserta, whence they purposed to set sail for 
 France. First, however, they wished to find some physician 
 of repute, who might be able to heal Sir Oliver and King 
 Sobrin. For Oliver's leg had been so crushed and mangled 
 beneath the weight of his horse, that he was not yet able to 
 stand upright ; while Sobrin lay still in great weakness and 
 peril of his life, by reason of the fearful wounds which 
 Count Roland had dealt him. Roland therefore consulted 
 with Astulf, Raynald, and Sansonet, concerning this matter, 
 which put them all in great perplexity. But when the 
 captain of their ship understood what they w^anted, he came 
 to Roland and said : "Sir Count, I know of a little island 
 off the coast of Italy, whereon dwells an aged hermit, who 
 is the most skilfiil leech in all the world. Men resort to 
 
CHAP. I.] MEETING ON THE ISLAND. 317 
 
 him from all the neighbouring lands, bringing their sick to 
 be healed by him ; and none ever return unsatisfied out 
 of his presence. He was formerly a priest in Rome ; and 
 it is said that he has great skill in magic arts, which he 
 uses only in the service of mankind. For though he dwells 
 alone upon his island, he receives all who come to him for 
 aid, and heals their infirmities by his spells. If you will 
 take my advice, you will carry your friends thither in the 
 ship ; and doubt not but that the good old hermit will 
 restore them to their former health." 
 
 The captain's proposal found favour with the Paladins ; 
 wherefore they carried their baggage on board ship, and set 
 sail the next morning for the hermit's island. All this time 
 Prince Roger had been living there with the good old man, 
 who knew from his magic books every circumstance of his 
 young guest's life, as well as everything that should befall 
 him in the future. So when Roger had renewed his 
 strength with meat and drink, the hermit needed not to 
 ask him who he was or whence he came ; but to the Prince's 
 great surprise he began to reprove him in mild and kindly 
 fashion, because he had followed after King Agramant 
 instead of joining himself to the Emperor as he had pro- 
 mised. But when he found Roger already penitent for that 
 fault, he exhorted him to lose no more time in professing 
 himself a Christian ; " for I know," he said, " that you have 
 long intended to adopt our religion, and here is a fitting 
 opportunity for doing it." So Prince Roger was baptized 
 by the old hermit, and afterwards continued to dwell with 
 him on the island, profiting much by the good man's in- 
 struction and conversation. Many times he might have 
 left him if he had chosen ; for the people who came to be 
 healed would gladly have taken him back with them to 
 the mainland. But the hermit always said: "Wait yet 
 a while, and in a few weeks you shall travel in worthy com- 
 pany to France." So Roger waited, as he was bidden ; and 
 to amuse his leisure the hermit prophesied to him of his 
 future marriage with his lady, telling him also about the 
 glorious family that should descend from him, even as 
 Melissa had prophesied to Bradamante. 
 
31 8 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 One morning, as they walked together upon the cliff, 
 they saw a large ship coming towards them ; whereupon 
 the hermit said to his companion: "Yonder comes the 
 vessel in which you must return to France." For his 
 wonderful books of magic had shown him that this was the 
 Paladins' ship, and he wished Prince Roger to make the 
 voyage in their company. Now when the Courteous Prince 
 heard who these travellers were, his heart leaped up for joy ; 
 for he longed exceedingly to look upon the face of Count 
 Roland, whom all men esteemed the very pattern of knightly 
 excellence. So he promised to do in all things as the hermit 
 should advise him ; and the old man answered : " It is well 
 said, my son ; get thee therefore to the cell, and make 
 ready such victuals as we have, that we may worthily enter- 
 tain these strangers. Meanwhile I will go alone to meet 
 them, and give them the aid which they seek; and after- 
 wards I will bring them into thy presence." 
 
 So Prince Roger departed and prepared a breakfast for 
 all the company, while the old hermit went down to meet 
 the Paladins on the shore. When they were come thither, 
 he gave them courteous welcome, saying : " Noble knights, 
 I bid you welcome to this my island, and I ask you not 
 wherefore you are come, because I know your errand, and 
 am purposed to do that which you desire. Bring hither, 
 therefore, Sir Oliver your comrade, that I may heal him of 
 his hurts without delay." Then the Paladins carried Sir 
 Oliver on a litter, and laid him at the hermit's feet ; and 
 the old man repeated an incantation, laying his hand upon 
 the mangled limb, so that its strength was restored, and Sir 
 Oliver stood up whole as before. Next Count Roland 
 brought King Sobrin to the hermit, saying : " My father, 
 heal this man also, I pray you, who is a very wise and 
 valiant king ; and remember not that he was aforetime our 
 enemy, for the former things are past and gone." So King 
 Sobrin also was healed, and presently declared that he was 
 minded to become a Christian and serve the Emperor 
 Charlemagne thenceforward as his vassal ; whereat the 
 whole company rejoiced greatly, and very gladly received 
 him as their ally. 
 
CHAP. I.] THE RETURN TO FRANCE. 319 
 
 Then said Count Roland : " My father, what recom- 
 pense can we make thee for these great benefits which thou 
 hast given us?" And the old hermit answered him : " My 
 son, I desire no reward, seeing that I long since vowed my 
 life to works of charity. But if you will do me a pleasure, 
 come all of you and eat with me in my cell, wherein is a 
 very valiant knight who desires to return with you into 
 France." So he went before to show them the way, and 
 they all followed after him and came to his cell among the 
 rocks. There they found Prince Roger waiting to receive 
 them ; and the first to recognise him was Duke Astulf, who 
 gave him hearty greeting. For he remembered the Fortu- 
 nate Islands, where he would still have been planted in the 
 shape of a myrtle-bush but for Roger's lucky interference. 
 Sir Raynald also knew the Courteous Prince, and said to 
 him : " Of a truth. Sir Prince, I once fought against you 
 with all my might, being constrained by my duty to my 
 lord the Emperor. But think not that I bear you ill will j 
 nay, for I know what services you have rendered to our 
 house, so that I esteem you as the dearest among my friends. 
 For I am well aware how you saved Richardetto my brother 
 from the stake, and afterwards put to flight the traitors of 
 Maganza, delivering my cousins out of their hands. Where- 
 fore, I beseech you, let us be as brothers from henceforth, 
 that I may strive to repay you the benefits that I have 
 received at your hands." Nothing could have given Roger 
 greater pleasure than such a greeting from his lady's brother ; 
 and his joy was multiplied when Count Roland welcomed 
 him as his comrade, saying : " If all that I hear of thee be 
 true, thou art like to prove the best knight of us all." 
 
 The Paladins abode three days upon the island, till King 
 Sobrin had been baptized by the hermit ; after which they 
 invited Prince Roger to accompany them, since it was time 
 for them to make the best of their way to Paris. Mean- 
 while Roger had opened his heart to Sir Raynald, telling 
 him that he loved the noble Bradamante above all the 
 world, and that he knew from her own mouth that his love 
 was returned, since they had plighted their troth one to the 
 other many months ago. And Raynald, whose affection for 
 
320 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 the young Prince increased daily, replied that nothing could 
 be more to his mind than such a marriage for his sister, and 
 he would do all in his power to promote it by speaking to 
 his father and mother on Roger's behalf. 
 
 Then in great happiness they all went together on board 
 the ship, after they had taken leave of the hermit and 
 thanked him for all his kindness ; and soon afterwards they 
 arrived in the harbour of Marseilles, where they mounted 
 their horses and rode to the Emperor's Court. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 HOW BRAD AM ANTE WAS PROMISED IN MARRIAGE TO THE 
 GREEK PRINCE LEO ; AND HOW ROGER HELPED THE 
 BULGARIANS TO DEFEAT THE PRINCE AND HIS FATHER. 
 
 When the Paladins arrived at Marseilles, they sent a 
 messenger before them to tell the Emperor that they were 
 come back completely victorious, with Roger and Sobrin in 
 their company ; and having bidden this messenger make 
 all the speed he could, they themselves followed by easy 
 stages in his wake. Every day the French knights took 
 more and more pleasure in consorting with Prince Roger, 
 since over and above his valour, which he had nobly proved 
 in the late war, they found him to be discreet and prudent 
 beyond his years, while his courtesy was such as no man 
 that ever lived could excel. Sir Raynald especially loved 
 him with an ever-increasing affection, and desired nothing 
 so much as to bring about his marriage with Bradamante ; 
 of which Count Roland also heartily approved, saying that 
 nowhere could the noble damsel meet with a worthier 
 husband. Wherefore the young Prince was happy beyond 
 expression, deeming his difficulties as good as ended, seeing 
 that Roland and Raynald joined in promising to further 
 his cause. 
 
 Now when Charlemagne heard that his champions were 
 approaching, he took thought how he might receive them 
 worthily, wishing to show them such honour as they 
 deserved, and to make manifest before all the world his 
 gratitude for the victory which they had gained. To this 
 end he rode forth to meet them a mile beyond the gates of 
 
 Y 
 
322 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 Paris, attended by all the persons of most honour at his 
 Court. The King of England, his faithful ally, rode at his 
 side, followed by Dukes and Princes from every country 
 in Christendom ; Marfisa, also, and Bradamante had their 
 places in his train, together with all the knights of Clair- 
 mont, and fifty other Paladins of France. After the 
 knights came their squires, and these again were followed 
 by pages and men-at-arms, making up as brave a cavalcade 
 as any one could wish to see. Moreover, the whole road- 
 way was lined with multitudes of the people, who waited 
 in orderly silence to greet their deliverers. But when 
 Count Roland and his companions drew near, the number- 
 less throng burst forth into shouts of welcome and triumph : 
 cries of " Roland and Clairmont ! " " France and England !" 
 " Long live the Paladins ! " and a hundred other such 
 acclamations, rent the air, and each of the champions was 
 greeted by name with huzzas that might have been heard a 
 dozen miles away. 
 
 With majestic mien, made doubly noble by the joy 
 that illumined his countenance, the Emperor advanced to 
 greet his nephew, and held him long embraced, with such 
 love as a father might show to his only son ; after which 
 he turned to the other Paladins, each in his turn, and 
 bestowed marks of his favour upon them all. Then Count 
 Roland and Sir Raynald took Prince Roger by the hand, 
 and presented him to the Emperor ; and Charlemagne 
 embraced him also, saying : "As thy father was before thee, 
 so be thou ; for he was prudent, brave, and courteous, 
 which things are very excellent virtues in a knight. Follow 
 therefore in his footsteps, and doubt not but that I will 
 promote thee to great honour ; and this I will do for thine 
 own sake not less than for his." When the Emperor had 
 finished speaking, Marfisa came forward and fell upon her 
 brother's neck ; and the noble Bradamante, his lady-love, 
 greeted him also with still greater joy in her heart ; only 
 she showed it not openly because of the people that stood 
 by. Then the Emperor bade Roger mount again and ride 
 by his side, leaving nothing undone whereby he might show 
 him honour ; the King of England rode at his other hand, 
 
CHAP. II.] PAGEANTS AND FEASTS. 323 
 
 as before ; next came Roland and Raynald, Astulf, Oliver, 
 Sansonet and Sobrin, after whom followed the rest of the 
 procession in the same order as they had kept in coming 
 forth. Thus with great pomp the champions made their 
 triumphal entry into Paris ; and when they came within 
 the walls, they found yet further signs of the people's joy. 
 For the whole city was keeping high festival in celebration 
 of their victory ; the streets through which they were to 
 pass were carpeted with crimson cloth, and spanned by 
 triumphal arches of green boughs, which bore the motto : 
 " To the Deliverers of the Empire : " the houses also were 
 gay with banners of various device, and from every balcony 
 and window the ladies and damsels of the city rained down 
 flowers upon their heads as they passed. Meanwhile the 
 bells of the great Cathedral rang a joy-peal, which was taken 
 up by every belfry round about; while the procession 
 moved to the sound of loud trumpets and clear- sound- 
 ing fifes accompanied by joyous laughter and deafening 
 applause from the crowds that thronged the roadway. In 
 this manner they rode till they came to the door of the 
 palace, where the Emperor entertained them for many days 
 with tournaments, banquets, and dances, the like of which 
 had never been seen since France became a kingdom. 
 
 Of all the gay company in the palace. Prince Roger was 
 at first the gayest, thinking that he should soon be able 
 to marry his Bradamante ; but presently his gladness was 
 turned to tribulation, when he found a fresh impediment 
 to his desire. For to his dismay he learned that the 
 parents of his lady were bent on marrying her to another, 
 and it seemed as if nothing would turn them from their 
 purpose. As you may suppose, the renown of Bradamante 
 had gone forth into all lands ; everywhere minstrels sang 
 the praises of this noble damsel, who was a match for the 
 fairest ladies in beauty and for the bravest knights in 
 prowess ; and all men envied Duke Hammon of Mont- 
 albano, her father, who had such a son as the Paladin 
 Raynald, and a daughter of such matchless excellence. 
 Now among others who had heard of her fame was the 
 young Prince Leo, only son to the Greek Emperor who 
 
324 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 reigned in Constantinople at that time. This princely 
 youth was so struck with admiration at the report of her 
 many virtues, that he fell in love with her by mere hearsay, 
 and exclaimed : " Truly this most noble damsel shall be 
 my lady, and I will be her knight ; neither will I wed any 
 other maiden but her alone." Then he went to the Greek 
 Emperor, his father, and said to him : " Father, I pray 
 thee send an embassy into France, even to the illustrious 
 Duke Hammon of Montalbano, and entreat him to give 
 me his daughter Bradamante to wife. For I have heard 
 many wonderful things concerning her, by which I am 
 persuaded that she excels all the maidens upon earth ; 
 wherefore I am steadfastly resolved to marry her with all 
 convenient speed." 
 
 The old Emperor was greatly pleased at his son's words, 
 and willingly granted his request by sending three of his 
 chief nobles ambassadors into France. These Greek 
 nobles came to Montalbano just at the time when Sir 
 Raynald was with his comrades at Biserta ; and when they 
 inquired after Duke Hammon, they were told that he was 
 now sojourning at the Court of Charlemagne in Paris. So 
 they turned and went thither with all speed ; and there 
 they found Duke Hammon and the Duchess Beatrice his 
 wife, together with Bradamante and all her brothers, except 
 Sir Raynald. And when they had obtained an audience 
 of the Duke, they came into his presence, and bowed 
 themselves before him, saying : " Most noble Duke, we 
 are sent to thee by our Lord the Greek Emperor, who rules 
 in the City of Constantinople. For Prince Leo, the only 
 son of our Lord, is smitten with vehement love for thy 
 daughter, the noble lady Bradamante, having heard the 
 report of her beauty, and of her many virtues, whereof the 
 fame is noised abroad through all countries. Now there- 
 fore our Lord greets thee by our mouth, and desires that 
 thou wilt give him thy daughter, that he may marry her to 
 his son Prince Leo." When Duke Hammon heard this, 
 he rejoiced exceedingly that such honour was shown to his 
 daughter, and answered : " Noble sirs, I thank the Greek 
 Emperor from my heart for his great goodness, and I am 
 
CHAP. II.] THE GREEK EMPEROR'S EMBASSY. 325 
 
 altogether inclined to do as he desires. Nevertheless, I 
 pray you, wait yet a few days, till my son Sir Raynald be 
 returned, with whom I am wont to consult in all weighty 
 matters. But when I have spoken with him, I will call 
 you again, and give you an answer to carry back to your 
 lord ; and doubt not but that I shall answer as you desire, 
 seeing that it is a great honour for me to give my daughter 
 in marriage to the Greek Emperor's heir." 
 
 The ambassadors departed well pleased with the success 
 of their mission, and Duke Hammon went to tell his wife 
 of the offer which they had made him. The Duchess 
 Beatrice was still more delighted than her husband at the 
 news ; for she set great store by dignities and riches, and 
 thought it a fine thing that her daughter should one day be 
 Empress of the Greeks. But imagine poor Bradamante's 
 consternation when she heard of this unwelcome honour 
 which her parents were so eager to thrust upon her. The 
 Duchess spoke of it as a thing already decided, bidding her 
 submit herself to the will of her father and mother, and 
 rejoice in the good fortune which had befallen her ; and 
 the noble damsel was so obedient a daughter that she 
 would not contradict her parents openly. Only she deter- 
 mined in her heart that she would die sooner than marry 
 any one but Roger ; and when she was left alone, she burst 
 into passionate weeping, vowing amid her sobs that she 
 would be true to her plighted word. And whenever her 
 mother spoke of her marriage with Prince Leo she answered 
 never a word, but heard her in respectful silence, while her 
 heart was consumed with grief. 
 
 In the midst of her distress Sir Raynald returned with 
 Prince Roger and his other companions ; and then Duke 
 Hammon thought that he might give the Greek ambassadors 
 their final answer, never doubting but that his son would 
 approve of his intention. But to his surprise Sir Raynald 
 informed him that he had already promised Bradamante to 
 Prince Roger, who had long since won her affections, and 
 that Count Roland heartily approved the marriage. For 
 they were persuaded that the Courteous Prince was in every 
 way worthy to be her husband. At this Duke Hammon 
 
326 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 grew very wroth, and severely rebuked Sir Raynald for his 
 presumption in thus betrothing his sister without the know- 
 ledge of her parents. And though Raynald showed him 
 plainly that in nobleness of lineage, as well as in every 
 knightly virtue, Prince Roger was the equal of any man 
 alive, yet the old Duke's anger was not diminished, for he 
 had set his heart on wedding her to Prince Leo. Still more 
 angry was the Duchess Beatrice, who was dazzled by visions 
 of Leo's wealth and future empire, so that she railed bitterly 
 against her gallant son, and in every way, both openly and 
 in secret, used her influence to prevent her daughter's mar- 
 riage with Prince Roger. 
 
 Thus the hopes of these noble lovers were once more 
 turned to despair, just as they seemed on the point of being 
 fulfilled. Many a time did Bradamante implore her parents 
 to send away Prince Leo's ambassadors, and suffer her to 
 marry her chosen knight ; her prayers and tears were all in 
 vain, for their hearts were hardened against her. At last 
 the noble damsel lost patience, and resolved to take the 
 matter into her own hands : she would not indeed marry 
 Prince Roger against their will, but she took counsel with 
 herself how she might escape from any other marriage. 
 " For if I owe respect to them," she thought, " have I not 
 also a duty to my Roger, to whom I plighted my troth 
 these many months since ? And if my parents desire me 
 to wed Prince Leo, is not my true knight's suit approved by 
 my brother Raynald and the peerless Count Roland my 
 cousin, who are of more repute than all the other knights 
 in France ? Verily the right is on my side, and I will not 
 yield myself a slave to this stripling Greek." With these 
 words she put on her armour, and girded her sword by her 
 side, and so went into the presence of Charlemagne. There 
 she bowed herself before the Emperor, and said : " Sire, if 
 ever I did you good service, either in your war against the 
 Saracens, or in the government which you trusted to my 
 care, I beseech you grant me a boon." " Speak, my 
 daughter," answered the great Emperor, " and fear not to 
 say all that is in your heart ; for whatever your request may 
 be, I grant it freely in due recompense of your deserts." 
 
CHAP. II.] BRADAMANTE'S NOBLE CHALLENGE. 327 
 
 Then Bradamante took courage, and her heart was strength- 
 ened within her, as she Hfted up her voice and said : " Sire, 
 I ask nothing but what is honourable and just ; and my 
 request is this, that you will not suffer me to be given in 
 marriage to any man that is not my equal in valour. But 
 if any man desire to take me to wife, let him come hither 
 and win me in the Hsts, maintaining his cause against me 
 in battle from sunrise until sunset. If I am vanquished in 
 this contest, or if I fail to get the better of my adversary, 
 I will loyally submit myself to his will and go with him 
 whithersoever he pleases ; but if I prevail against him and 
 overthrow him, then, I beseech you, command him to go 
 empty-handed away, and seek himself some wife better suited 
 to his condition. For a wife ought to obey her husband 
 with love and reverence ; but how can I yield such honour 
 to one who is weaker than myself?" "My daughter," 
 replied Charlemagne, " I swear to you by my royal sceptre 
 that this thing shall be ordered according to your wish ; for 
 your request is seemly and prudent." And immediately he 
 commanded his heralds to make proclamation of his will in 
 this matter, establishing the conditions which Bradamante 
 herself had proposed. 
 
 Thereupon the noble damsel thanked him heartily for 
 his kindness, and returned to her father's house in great 
 contentment. For she knew herself able to hold her own 
 against any knight who was likely to woo her ; only, if 
 Prince Roger should essay the ordeal, she would joyfully 
 suffer defeat at his hands. But when her parents heard 
 what she had done, their wrath was kindled yet more fiercely 
 against her, and they vowed that she should marry Prince 
 Leo in spite of her obstinacy. " Bid him come, then, and 
 win me in fair fight," replied the maiden; "since other- 
 wise the Emperor will not suffer him to possess me." And 
 in this her parents could not gainsay her : for they dared 
 not disobey the Emperor, whose word was law throughout 
 his dominions. But in violent anger they took her away 
 to Montalbano, and shut her up a prisoner in her own 
 chamber, refusing to give her her liberty till she submitted 
 herself to their will. 
 
328 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 Now when Roger heard what had happened, he knew 
 not whether to be glad or sorry. On the one hand, he 
 understood his lady's intention, and rejoiced to find that she 
 remained faithful to him through all temptations. But then 
 he saw not how he was ever to win her for his bride, since 
 her parents kept her closely imprisoned in their castle. 
 Often, when he thought thereon, his rage against them grew 
 so vehement that he was minded to take her out of their 
 hands by force ; but then he remembered that she was their 
 daughter, and loved them in spite of their harshness, so that 
 for her sake he could not do them any hurt. " But this 
 rival of mine," he thought, " has no claim upon her love, 
 and upon him I may execute my vengeance. I will pursue 
 him to the ends of the earth; and wherever I encounter 
 him, I will surely punish him for the ruin of our happiness. 
 For this Leo is the cause of all our wretchedness, and he at 
 least shall not escape due chastisement." 
 
 Burning with the fierce desire to avenge his wrongs on 
 the rival who had caused them, he put on his armour and 
 girded Balisarda to his side ; then he took his good horse 
 Frontin out of the stable, and made haste to ride to Charle- 
 magne's palace. (I should tell you, by-the-bye, that Count 
 Roland had freely given him back his horse and sword, when 
 he heard the story of their loss. Even though he himself 
 had a claim of long standing to the possession of Balisarda, 
 he renounced it willingly in Roger's favour, as a mark of the 
 esteem in which he held him ; and this he could the better 
 afford to do, as he had now recovered Durindana for him- 
 self And Sir Oliver, in like manner, restored the armour 
 which he had found in Roger's abandoned ship, and received 
 his own suit from Bradamante, who had won it out of the 
 hands of King Rodomont.) Thus equipped at all points 
 as in former days, the Courteous Prince took leave of 
 Charlemagne and the Paladins, saying that he was minded 
 to go in quest of adventures till such time as Bradamante 
 should be able to marry him. Only he took not his own 
 famous eagle for a device, seeing that he wished to be un- 
 known in all countries through which he might pass ; but 
 he chose a white unicorn for his crest, and blazoned it 
 
CHAP. II.] ROGER ATTACKS THE GREEKS. 329 
 
 on a crimson field, and so set out on his journey towards 
 the East. 
 
 Eager to challenge his rival to battle, and thinking to 
 find him at home in Constantinople, Roger passed through 
 Munich and Vienna, and so came to Buda-Pesth in Hun- 
 gary. Thence he followed the course of the river Danube, 
 keeping always along its northern bank, till he came to the 
 city of Belgrade, which is now the capital of the kingdom 
 of Servia. Beneath the walls of Belgrade the river Save 
 falls into the Danube ; and here Prince Roger was aston- 
 ished to 'find the very enemy whom he sought. For the 
 tribes of the Bulgarians, who were at that time a very fierce 
 and powerful nation, were engaged in warfare against the 
 Empire of the Greeks ; and the hostile armies had met 
 together in this place, with only the river Save to separate 
 them. The Bulgarians under their King Vatran held the 
 town of Belgrade and the northern bank of the river ; while 
 the Greek legions, commanded by their old Emperor and 
 his son Prince Leo, were encamped on the opposite side of 
 the Save. At the moment of Prince Roger's arrival, the 
 Greeks were seeking to throw a bridge across the stream, 
 and the whole force of their enemies was assembled under 
 arms to resist them. The Greeks outnumbered the Bul- 
 garians by four to one, and had boats ready prepared to 
 form a bridge ; yet they encountered so stubborn a resistance 
 that they could not accomplish their design. But while the 
 main body of his army was thus engaged, Prince Leo took 
 with him twenty thousand chosen men, and led them by a 
 long circuit, out of sight of the enemy, to a ford a long way up 
 the stream, where there was no one to oppose his passage. 
 There he easily crossed the river, and hastened along its 
 northern bank to fall upon the flank of the Bulgarians. 
 His sudden attack, which he delivered with great vigour, 
 so distracted their attention that they were no longer a 
 match for their enemies in front ; and the Greek Emperor 
 succeeded at last in laying his bridge, over which he passed 
 with all his army to succour his son. Thus the Bulgarians 
 were attacked in front and on the flank at once ; their King 
 Vatran was cut down by Prince Leo in the act of rallying 
 
330 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 his squadrons, and his death was the signal for a general 
 flight towards the city. 
 
 But by this time Prince Roger was come up ; and under- 
 standing how matters stood, he resolved to help the Bul- 
 garians without delay. For his soul was bitter against his 
 rival, Prince Leo, so that he determined to defeat him and 
 his father, and if possible to win their dominions for himself, 
 thinking : " If I can accomplish this, Duke Hammon must 
 own that I am worthy to marry his daughter ; and here is a 
 splendid opportunity." So he laid his lance in rest, and 
 spurred Frontin forward against the Greeks, rallying the 
 flying Bulgarians by the way, and promising them certain 
 victory. The first whom he encountered was a knight clad 
 in splendid armour, with a rich vest of crimson and gold, 
 who rode at the head of the Greek cavalry. He was 
 nephew to the old Emperor, being the only son of his sister 
 Theodora ; and his uncle, who loved him like a son, had 
 appointed him second in command under Leo. But the 
 poor youth held not his honours for long ; for Roger's lance 
 clave through shield and breastplate, breaking them as if the 
 good steel had been brittle glass, and piercing through his 
 body till the point stood out a handbreadth beyond his back. 
 Leaving him dead upon the field, Roger drew forth Bali- 
 sarda and dashed into the midst of the Greeks : everywhere 
 men fell beneath his blows as the ripe corn falls before the 
 scythe ; here he clave through a waist, there he cut off a 
 head ; one he pierced through the heart, from another he 
 struck off an arm ; and in short, he had not been ten minutes 
 at work before more than a hundred lay dead around him. 
 
 Now when the Greeks beheld what strokes he dealt, 
 there was none of them so bold as to risk an encounter, but 
 with one accord they turned and fled from before him. So 
 that the aspect of the battle was suddenly changed ; the 
 Greeks, who were lately the pursuers, turned and rushed 
 helter-skelter across their bridge, while the Bulgarians re- 
 covered from their confusion, and pressed upon their 
 enemies after the manner of conquerors. All this Prince 
 Leo beheld from the top of a hill, where he had taken up 
 his position ; but he could do nothing to remedy the disas- 
 
CHAP. 11. ] AND OVERTHROWS THEIR ARMY. 331 
 
 ter, because not a man of all his troops would follow him 
 down to battle. In vain did the young Prince upbraid them 
 with their cowardice ; in vain he offered to risk his own life, 
 if a single soldier would accompany him ; they w^re all un- 
 manned by the sight of Roger's prowess, and thought only 
 how they might keep out of his way. Great was Prince 
 Leo's dismay at seeing his whole army thus vanquished by 
 a single adversary ; nevertheless he could not refrain from 
 admiring the stranger's valour. For he was a generous, 
 noble -hearted lad, who could cheerfully submit to being 
 defeated by a better than himself; and when he beheld how 
 Prince Roger prevailed, instead of hating him, as a meaner 
 foe would have done, he thought only how he might gain 
 his love, saying: "Verily this stranger is the most valiant 
 knight that ever I saw, and I would fain be friends with all 
 gallant men. Though he is now mine enemy, I may one 
 day be able to make him my friend ; and, friend or enemy, 
 I would rather lose all my dominions than see him come to 
 any harm." He had but little time, however, to indulge 
 these generous thoughts, for his army was in full flight on 
 every side, and there was nothing left for him but to make as 
 orderly a retreat as he could. So he sounded his trumpets, 
 and led back his men by the way that they came ; and as 
 soon as he had crossed the river, he made haste to rejoin his 
 father. The Greek Emperor, meanwhile, had escaped back 
 across his bridge, which he had broken down behind him to 
 check the enemy's pursuit ; and Leo came up with him about 
 sunset in the town of Semendria, which lies about twenty 
 miles from Belgrade on the road to Constantinople. There 
 they rested one night, but the next morning they resumed 
 their march, that they might get farther out of reach of the 
 enemy. And two days later they arrived safe and sound at 
 Nissa, a strongly fortified town, in which they shut themselves 
 up with all the troops which remained to them after the battle. 
 But many had fallen on the field, and many more were 
 drowned in the Save while attempting to make good their 
 escape ; besides which, six or seven thousand remained 
 prisoners to the Bulgarians, so that nearly half the Greek 
 army had been destroyed by Prince Roger's valiant attack. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW PRINCE LEO DELIVERED ROGER OUT OF PRISON. 
 
 When this great victory was gained, the Bulgarians gathered 
 in crowds round Prince Roger, greeting him with worship 
 and honour, and haiHng him as the deUverer of their nation. 
 Their chief men also came into his presence, and bowed 
 themselves to the earth before him, saying : " Behold, our 
 lord King Vatran is dead, leaving no heir to his title and 
 inheritance ; now therefore, O most noble Sir Knight, we 
 beseech thee take this vacant office upon thyself, and rule 
 over us as king and captain of our hosts. For verily thou 
 hast preserved us this day from our enemies, and thy might- 
 hath brought us from destruction unto victory : to thee we 
 belong, since without thee we had been all dead men ; and 
 if thou wilt remain with us to govern us, we shall ever have 
 the advantage over our adversaries." Thus spoke the chief 
 men of the Bulgarians, and all the multitude approved their 
 words, shouting with one voice : " The Knight of the White 
 Unicorn shall be our King ! " Then Prince Roger lifted 
 up his visor, and uncovered his face to make reply ; whereat 
 all the people applauded again, delighting in the beauty of 
 his countenance. And Roger saluted them courteously, 
 and said : " Sirs, this is a great office to which ye call me, 
 and I have done but little to deserve such honour at your 
 hands; nevertheless I refuse it not, but will be king, captain, 
 or whatever else ye are pleased to name me. Only I must 
 leave you for a while ; since I cannot handle staff or sceptre, 
 nor enter Belgrade as your sovereign, till I have overtaken 
 the Greek Prince Leo, and challenged him to mortal com- 
 
CHAP. III.] ROGER IS CAUGHT IN A TRAP. 333 
 
 bat. To this end I came hither out of France, having a 
 bitter quarrel against the Prince ; for he hath done me a 
 grievous wrong, and I cannot rest till I have avenged it 
 upon his head." 
 
 With these words he took leave of the Bulgarians, who 
 went up into the city with great joy, and made preparation 
 for crowning him King on his return ; but Roger turned 
 and followed in the track of Prince Leo. He set out about 
 the hour of sunset, having been detained till then by his 
 allies, and continued his pursuit all night ; but he could 
 not overtake his rival. For Leo had the start of him by 
 many hours, and had made great haste as far as Semendria, 
 while Prince Roger was compelled to travel slowly through 
 the hours of darkness. 
 
 About daybreak he found himself near a town, in which 
 he resolved to rest for a few hours ; and this he did more 
 for Frontin's sake than for his own, since the good horse 
 had carried him a day and a night without any repose. So 
 he rode to the inn and saw Frontin comfortably settled in 
 a stall ; then he went into the house, and called for meat 
 and drink to be set before him ; and when he had break- 
 fasted, he lay down upon his bed and fell asleep. Now 
 while he was sleeping, there came to the place a knight of 
 Roumelia, who had fought the day before in the Greek 
 Emperor's army, and had narrowly escaped death at the 
 hands of our Prince. As soon as this knight beheld the 
 device on Roger's shield, he knew that the sleeping man 
 must be the enemy who had discomfited the Greek army 
 the day before ; wherefore he ran in haste to the castle, 
 and told the governor what he had seen. And when the 
 governor heard it, he summoned a company of men-at-arms, 
 and bade them go to the inn and seize the Knight of the 
 Unicorn while he slept, and so bring him captive to the 
 castle. Guided by the knight of Roumelia, these men-at- 
 arms entered Roger's chamber by stealth, and quietly slipped 
 strong cords round his limbs ; while the valiant Prince slept 
 peacefully, not suspecting that any harm would befall him, 
 and only awoke as his captors drew the cords tight round 
 his wrists and ankles. Then he struggled wildly to set him- 
 
334 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 self free, striving to burst his bonds asunder by his great 
 strength ; but the ropes were thick and new, so that he 
 could not break them, and for greater security the men-at- 
 arms added fetters and handcuffs of iron to hold him fast. 
 Thus they carried him bound and helpless to the castle, 
 and delivered him into the hands of the governor. 
 
 Then Prince Roger was loaded with chains and thrust 
 into a dungeon, while the governor sent a messenger to the 
 Greek Emperor to inquire his pleasure concerning the 
 prisoner. The messenger found his lord at Nissa, where 
 he was busy entrenching himself with the remnant of his 
 host, expecting that the Bulgarians would soon come up to 
 besiege him, now that they had such a captain as the Knight 
 of the Unicorn to lead them. But when he heard that this 
 dreaded champion was a prisoner, his fear was changed to 
 exultation, and he cried : " Now will we take swift ven- 
 geance on these Bulgarians, who will never be able to stand 
 against us without the aid of this stranger." So he bestowed 
 a rich gift on the messenger in recompense of his tidings, 
 and bade him return in haste to him that sent him, 
 and say : " Sir governor, the Greek Emperor Constantine 
 approves thy deeds, and will richly reward thee for thy zeal 
 in this matter. Now therefore hearken to his commands, 
 and perform them faithfully according to thy duty. He 
 bids thee send him the Knight of the Unicorn in chains 
 to Nissa, that he may deal with him as he pleases at his 
 leisure ; thou shalt send also the horse and armour of the 
 Knight, which the Emperor desires to keep for a trophy." 
 Thereupon the messenger departed to carry back these 
 orders to the governor, while the Emperor Constantine sent 
 in high glee to call Prince Leo, to whom he gave the joyful 
 news of their enemy's capture. 
 
 Now when Leo heard that the strange knight was taken 
 prisoner, he also rejoiced exceedingly in his heart ; but his 
 joy was more noble than the joy of his father Constantine. 
 For the generous youth desired above everything to win 
 Prince Roger for his friend, being struck with admiration 
 of his wonderful prowess, so that he remembered not against 
 him the injury which he had done to the Greeks, but 
 
CHAP. III.] PRINCE LEO'S GENEROSITY. 335 
 
 thought : " Now I shall have an opportunity to do this 
 noble knight good service, by which I may gain me his 
 love and gratitude for ever. When he comes hither, I will 
 speak to my father on his behalf, that he may be loosed 
 from his bonds and treated with such honour as befits his 
 worth. And if by this intercession I gain his friendship, 
 truly I shall not need to envy Charlemagne himself, or any 
 other leader of mighty men; for by the aid of this champion 
 my throne will be firmly established, and I shall ever prevail 
 against my adversaries." 
 
 This was the design of Prince Leo, by which he hoped 
 to win both pleasure and profit ; and this was the cause of 
 his joy when he heard that Prince Roger was taken captive. 
 Very different were the feelings of his aunt, the Princess 
 Theodora, whose only son had been slain by Roger in the 
 battle. For she was a savage and cruel woman, whose 
 delight was in revenge ; wherefore she considered not that 
 her son had fallen in fair and honourable combat, but hated 
 his conqueror as though he were a murderer, and thirsted 
 after a vengeance contrary to all laws of chivalry and 
 honour. If she had been a lady of noble heart, she would 
 have procured herself a champion to challenge Prince 
 Roger to combat on equal terms ; and this would have 
 been a just and lawful method of requital. But she cared 
 not a jot for equity or honour, and her baleful spirit longed 
 only for revenge, no matter by what means she obtained it. 
 
 Meanwhile the unhappy Prince had been taken from 
 the dungeon and placed in a cart ; his hands were bound 
 behind his back, his feet secured in iron fetters, and his 
 body encompassed with chains, so that he could scarcely 
 move a muscle. Moreover, a guard of fifty soldiers sur- 
 rounded the cart, after which followed Frontin in charge 
 of a groom, with his master's sword and armour strapped 
 across the saddle. In this manner they conveyed the 
 Prince to Nissa, where they took him out of the cart and 
 carried him into the presence of the Emperor. Then the 
 Princess Theodora threw herself at her brother's feet, weep- 
 ing passionate tears of rage and grief, and crying : "A boon, 
 Sir Emperor, a boon ! I conjure thee to grant me a boon!" 
 
336 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 The Emperor tried in vain to raise her, saying that it wa§ 
 not seemly for a Princess of Greece to kneel in the dust ; 
 but she cried out yet more vehemently : "I will not rise 
 till thou hast sworn to grant my request." So the Emperor 
 Constantine was constrained to promise her all that she 
 asked ; whereat the fierce light flashed from her eyes, and 
 she said : " Give me then this felon who slew my son, that 
 I may punish him as my heart desires." "Take him, my 
 sister," replied the Emperor, " and do with him according 
 as thou wilt ; but I would thou hadst asked any other favour 
 at my hands." For he knew that Leo desired to save the 
 stranger's life, and it grieved him to balk his only son of 
 his desire ; but his word was pledged to Theodora, and he 
 could not go back from his promise. 
 
 The cruel Princess, therefore, took Roger to her castle, 
 which was built in the midst of the city ; and there she 
 designed to take his life in requital for the life of her son. 
 His mere death, however, was not enough for her savage 
 vengeance ; but she intended to kill him by slow degrees 
 and with lingering tortures. To this end she shut him up 
 in an underground cell, built in the foundations of a tower, 
 into which no ray of light ever penetrated ; and she ap- 
 pointed one of her servants, in whom she trusted, to be his 
 gaoler, ordering that only a morsel of bread and half a cup- 
 ful of water should be given him each day, that he might 
 die miserably by slow starvation. 
 
 For more than a week Prince Roger remained in this 
 horrible cell, enduring such hardship as no words can 
 describe, so that he longed for death to put an end to his 
 pains, since he saw no hope of escaping alive from his 
 tormentors. But the generous young Leo remembered him, 
 and plotted day and night to deliver him, thinking it foul 
 shame that a gallant knight should endure such outrage. 
 One evening, at last, he managed to enter his aunt's castle 
 by stealth, where he hid himself till all the household were 
 sunk in sleep. Then he lit a torch which he had brought 
 with him, and crept down the steps to the door of Prince 
 Roger's cell. In front of the door stood the gaoler, who 
 would fain have opposed his passage ; but Leo cut off his 
 
CHAP. III.] HE DELIVERS HIS RIVAL. t,2>1 
 
 head with one stroke of his sword, and took the key of the 
 dungeon from his belt. Then he opened the door and 
 went in ; and in a corner of the cell he saw Prince Roger 
 lying loaded with chains and brought very near to death. 
 Immediately Leo set down his torch, and began striking off 
 the bonds from Roger's limbs, comforting him the while 
 with hopes of deliverance, and saying : " Most noble Sir 
 Knight, admiration of thy prowess has possessed my heart ; 
 yea, I am bound to thee in chains of love, which are far 
 stronger than these fetters and links of iron. Accept my 
 homage therefore, I beseech thee, and grant me the honour 
 of serving thee both now and for the rest of my life ; since 
 for thy sake I would willingly renounce whatsoever I possess 
 in the world. Know also that I am Leo, only son of the 
 Greek Emperor Constantine, whose whole army fled before 
 thy single might when we fought beneath the walls of Bel- 
 grade. On that day I beheld thy valour, and vehemently 
 desired to win thee for my friend, though in truth I hold 
 myself scarce worthy to be thy squire. Now therefore I am 
 come to deliver thee out of prison, at no small peril to my- 
 self if my father and the Princess Theodora should discover 
 the matter. But I care nothing for what may befall me, 
 neither hold I their unjust anger in any estimation, in com- 
 parison with the pleasure of doing thee service and saving 
 thee from a shameful death." 
 
 With these words Prince Leo struck off the last of the 
 chains ; so that Roger stood before him free of limb, but 
 more than ever confounded in spirit. For he was amazed 
 at the young Greek's generosity, and stood abashed to think 
 that this was the rival whom he had come forth to slay ; 
 and although Leo knew not who he was, and of course had 
 no suspicion of his love for Bradamante, yet Roger would 
 have chosen to be under an obligation to any one else, 
 rather than to the man who had caused the ruin of his 
 happiness. Nevertheless, the more he thought thereon the 
 greater became his gratitude to his preserver, to whom he 
 rendered heartfelt thanks for his great kindness, saying : 
 " Most noble Sir Prince, from henceforward my life is no 
 longer mine own, for thou hast rescued it from destruction 
 
 z 
 
33^ PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 this day, and hereafter I hold it only at thy pleasure. 
 Whither thou sendest me, I will go, and whatsoever thou 
 requirest of me, I will surely perform it, if haply I may 
 requite thee in a measure for the kindness thou hast shown 
 me in this place. For truly thy nobleness has won my 
 heart, so that I count it a pleasure to do thee service ; and 
 I confess that thou hast laid upon me a debt, which I can 
 scarcely hope to repay thee in full." 
 
 When Prince Roger had thus spoken, he crept silently 
 after his guide ; and together they stole up the narrow steps 
 and along the winding passages of the castle, till they came 
 to the outer wall. There Leo unfolded a rope, which he 
 had brought coiled round his waist for this purpose, and 
 made it fast to one of the battlements. Then he bade 
 Roger lower himself down into the street, and as soon as 
 he saw him safe at the bottom, he slid after him in like 
 manner down the rope. Thus these noble rivals escaped 
 out of the castle of Theodora, and came together to Leo's 
 lodgings, where the young Prince kept Roger hidden for 
 many days. 
 
 In the morning word was brought to Theodora that her 
 prisoner had escaped, and that his gaoler lay slain on the 
 dungeon steps ; whereat the savage Princess burst into a 
 frenzy of rage, tearing her hair and beating her breast in 
 fury, and uttering terrible threats against all her people for 
 having kept such careless guard. Also she sent men to 
 search for him throughout the city and in all the neighbour- 
 ing country, and made proclamation that any man who 
 harboured him should be punished with death. Only no 
 search was made in Prince Leo's lodgings, because no one 
 ever suspected him of having delivered the most formidable 
 of his enemies ; so the generous youth kept Roger safe in 
 his chamber, and brought him food and drink with his 
 own hands, that no one else might share their secret. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW ROGER OUT OF GRATITUDE OBTAINED BRADAMANTE FOR 
 PRINCE LEO, AND WENT AWAY TO DIE OF HIS GRIEF. 
 
 While Prince Roger was engaged in this adventure, a 
 change for the better befell his lady Bradamante. For 
 Charlemagne was very angry with her parents when he 
 understood how hardly they used her ; wherefore he sent a 
 messenger to Duke Hammon, commanding him to bring 
 his noble daughter back to Paris without delay. The old 
 Duke dared not disobey his Emperor's orders, so he quitted 
 Montalbano immediately, and journeyed back with his wife 
 and daughter to the Court. There Bradamante found great 
 comfort in consorting with Marfisa, who encouraged her to 
 hope for the best, reminding her of Prince Roger's loyalty, 
 and consoling her as best she could for his absence. The 
 kind enchantress Melissa, too, came now and again to visit 
 her, and cheered her with assurances that all would be well 
 in the end, though she had yet one more trial to endure. 
 Also all the Paladins did their utmost to serve her ; and 
 especially her brother. Sir Raynald, and the peerless Count 
 Roland, her cousin, were forward in showing her kindness, 
 desiring fervently to see her wedded to her lover. And, 
 best of all, the Emperor himself watched over her welfare, 
 compelling her parents to treat her fairly with such honour 
 as became her station ; for he loved her very tenderly, and 
 esteemed her equally with the best of his knights. ]>.Iore- 
 over, he sent out heralds over all Europe to proclaim the 
 conditions under which she was to be wooed ; and these 
 conditions were the same which the damsel herself had pro- 
 
340 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 posed — namely, that no man should have her to wife who 
 could not maintain himself a whole day long against her in 
 the lists. 
 
 Now it chanced that this proclamation was made in 
 Nissa, where the Greek Emperor lay entrenched w^th his 
 army, about a week after Leo had saved Prince Roger's 
 life. And when the Greek Prince heard the conditions his 
 heart grew hea\y with grief, since he knew that he could 
 not perform them. So he returned to his lodging, and 
 entered into the chamber where Roger lay hidden ; and his 
 countenance was clouded with sorrow. Nevertheless he 
 would not utterly renounce his hopes, but took counsel with 
 himself how he might win Bradamante for his bride in spite 
 of the conditions which the herald had proclaimed. Since 
 his strength was too little to prevail against her in the lists, 
 he resolved to compass his desire by craft ; and presently 
 he thought of a stratagem well suited to serve his purpose. 
 His plan was to persuade Prince Roger — of whose name 
 and state he still knew nothing — to take his place and 
 maintain his suit in the lists, with such precautions that no 
 one should suspect the deceit ; for he felt assured that the 
 prowess of his guest was sufficient to prevail against Brada- 
 mante. So he called him to his side, and expounded all 
 the matter to him from beginning to end — as if poor Roger 
 did not know it only too well already ! — earnestly entreat- 
 ing him to engage in the contest under his name, since he 
 could see no other chance of success. This unlucky pro- 
 posal cut Prince Roger to the quick, so that he felt as if a 
 dagger had pierced his heart ; for how could he renounce 
 his lady, whose love was as the breath of life to him ? Or 
 how could he consent to deceive her by such a stratagem 
 as this, which would ruin her happiness, as well as his own, 
 for ever? Yet Prince Leo, who made the request, was the 
 man who had saved his life, and Roger had solemnly pro- 
 mised to undertake whatever he might require. So he was 
 placed in a great strait betwixt love and gratitude, and 
 earnestly wished that he had died in prison and so escaped 
 this greater sorrow. In vain he tried to turn Prince Leo 
 from his purpose, saying that so deceitful an action was 
 
CHAP. IV.] ROGER'S FATAL PROMISE. 341 
 
 unbecoming in a knight of high degree ; the crafty Greek 
 was set upon obtaining Bradamante, and any means seemed 
 good to him which could help him to attain his end. And 
 at last, finding all argument useless, Prince Roger bent his 
 eyes upon the ground, and said: "Sir Prince, though I 
 approve not this thing, yet I will do it for the gratitude 
 which I owe you :" whereupon Leo was mightily pleased, 
 and overwhelmed his reluctant champion with unwelcome 
 thanks ; while Roger endured his misery in silence, though 
 his heart was like to break with its agony. 
 
 The Greek Prince was impatient to put his cunning plan 
 into practice ; so the next morning he rode away from 
 Nissa, accompanied by Roger and two squires, with whom 
 he set out on his way to Paris. He took care that Frontin 
 and Balisarda should be restored to their owner, together 
 with the armour in which he had come from France ; but 
 the recovery of these treasures gave little joy to Prince 
 Roger, who continually lamented in secret over his misfor- 
 tunes. " Was ever any man so unlucky as I ? " he thought : 
 " Whatever be the issue of this contest, it must bring death 
 to me, and wretchedness to my lady for evermore. For if 
 I maintain the struggle, I shall lose Bradamante, without 
 whom I cannot live ; while she will be married to Prince 
 Leo, and will spend her days in misery, bewailing her 
 separation from the knight of her choice. But if I lose 
 the battle, it will be because she prevails against me, and 
 slays me ; and in this case also I die, leaving her to mourn 
 me with a double sorrow. Sweet, indeed, to me were 
 such a death at the hands of my lady ; but she would be 
 very grievously afflicted, when she found that she had slain 
 her lover." Thus the unhappy knight knew not whether 
 to dread defeat or victory the most : many times he thought 
 of feigning weakness, and allowing Bradamante to slay him, 
 which seemed the only means of saving her from a hateful 
 marriage ; but then again he remembered that he had 
 promised to be Leo's champion, and that he was bound in 
 honour to do his best. Everywhere, in truth, was misery, 
 and in any case he was resolved to die. These gloomy 
 thoughts beset his mind perpetually, so that he could 
 
342 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 hardly speak a word to his companion throughout the 
 journey, which they accompHshed in great haste without 
 meeting with any accident or adventure. 
 
 When they arrived within sight of Paris, Prince Leo 
 would not enter within the walls, but pitched his pavilion 
 in a meadow half a mile outside the gates. Thence he sent 
 one of his squires to salute the Emperor Charlemagne in his 
 name, and to acquaint him with the purpose of his coming ; 
 whereupon the Emperor rode forth from the city in great 
 state, to greet Leo with the honour due to his rank. As 
 soon as they had exchanged salutations Charlemagne recited 
 the conditions under which Bradamante must be wooed; 
 to w^hich the Greek Prince answered that he knew them 
 already, and was prepared to maintain his suit on those 
 terms. The Emperor therefore appointed the contest to 
 begin the next morning at sunrise, after which he returned 
 to his palace and told Bradamante what he had done. 
 
 The noble damsel left the choice of arms to her 
 adversary ; and Roger elected to fight on foot with the 
 sword, because otherwise Bradamante would certainly 
 recognise Frontin, whom she had tended with her own 
 hands at Montalbano. Also, the better to conceal himself 
 he put on Leo's vest above his armour, and took his rival's 
 shield upon his arm. This shield was emblazoned with 
 the two-headed eagle of gold, the device of the Empire, 
 and no one had a right to bear it except the Greek Prince 
 and his father Constantine ; so that every one who beheld 
 it must suppose that the knight who bore it was Prince 
 Leo. Neither would Roger gird himself with his own 
 sword Balisarda for this battle, fearing that, if he wielded 
 it, he might do his lady a mischief against his will : where- 
 fore he left it in the tent, and armed himself with Leo's 
 Damascus blade, which was a much less terrible weapon. 
 While he was busy with these hateful preparations, his 
 heart was torn with anguish, such as no words can 
 describe ; nevertheless, he spoke no word of complaint, 
 but went silently forth to his doom, rather than break the 
 covenant which he had made with his preserver. 
 
 During the night the lists were marked out in a meadow 
 
CHAP. IV.] HIS CONTEST WITH BRAD AiM ANTE. 343 
 
 close beneath the walls of Paris ; and thither went Roger 
 at the appointed hour, fully accoutred, and with the visor 
 of his helmet closed, so that no man could discern his face. 
 At the same moment Bradamante entered the enclosure 
 from the opposite end ; Charlemagne took his seat upon 
 a throne overlooking the barriers ; and all the Paladins 
 ranged themselves round their Emperor, to watch the pro- 
 gress of the combat. As the sun rose above the horizon, 
 the heralds sounded their trumpets, and these noble lovers 
 began their struggle. 
 
 Even as Roger had formerly striven against Sir Raynald, 
 attempting only to save himself from injury without harm- 
 ing a hair of his opponent, in like manner, but with tenfold 
 greater caution, he now fought against his lady Bradamante. 
 Not a cut or thrust did he deliver by which he might 
 bring her in any peril ; only he defended himself from her 
 blows, which he parried with the utmost skill, so that she 
 could gain no advantage over him. And all the people 
 applauded his moderation, supposing him to be the Greek 
 Prince Leo, and saying one to another: "Verily this 
 Prince is a courteous knight, and loves the noble damsel 
 well, since he seeks not to hurt her in his own defence." 
 
 Very different was the desire of Bradamante, who believed 
 herself to be fighting against her true love's rival, and put 
 forth all her strength to overwhelm him. Like a high- 
 spirited charger when he waits impatient at the barrier, 
 champing the bit and pawing the ground with his hoofs, 
 with nostrils wide distended, and ears pricked to catch the 
 signal for the jousting ; such did this gallant damsel appear 
 in her eagerness, as she waited for the rising of the sun. 
 And even as the awful tornado, which bears the thunder- 
 cloud in its bosom, rushes headlong over sea and land, 
 stirring the turbid ocean to its depths, and whirling the 
 dust of the earth in clouds to the skies, while the beasts 
 of the forest crouch timidly in their lairs, and the shepherd 
 drives his frightened flock to shelter ; even so at the 
 trumpet's signal did Bradamante pluck her sword from the 
 scabbard and burst in fury on her lover. But like the 
 rooted oak, which bends not to the northern blast, blow it 
 
344 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 never so furiously ; or as some mighty rock raises its firm 
 peak high amid the raging waves, and scatters them in foam 
 and spray, though they cease not day and night from their 
 smiting ; so did the vaHant Roger stand firm against her 
 onset, and turn aside the storm of her assault. Vainly she 
 aimed her blows at head or shoulder ; vainly she tried to 
 pierce the joints of his harness, or cut through the lacings 
 of his helmet ; hour after hour wore on, and brought no 
 change in the combat ; till at last the day was spent, the 
 sun sank down in the west, and Brandamante had gained 
 no victory. 
 
 Then Charlemagne bade the combatants stand apart, 
 and gave sentence that Prince Leo had won the noble 
 Bradamante for his wife ; whereat the damsel mournfully 
 hung her head, and returned in great tribulation to the 
 city. The hot tears streamed down her cheeks, her heart 
 throbbed as though it would burst her bosom, and a faint 
 trembling seized upon her limbs ; indeed, I think she 
 would have died outright for sorrow, but that she remem- 
 bered the words of Melissa, who said that she would have 
 one more great trial to overcome, but that all would be 
 well with her in the end. 
 
 Meanwhile the unhappy Roger stayed not to unbuckle 
 his helmet, or loose the mail from his body, but mounted on a 
 little palfrey, and galloped desperately away to the pavilion, 
 in which Leo had lain concealed throughout the day. 
 There the Greek Prince flung his arms round his rival's 
 neck, embracing him again and again with transports of joy, 
 and crying that nothing which he could do would be 
 sufficient recompense for so great a service. But Roger 
 answered him never a word, being unable to speak for 
 sorrow; silently he threw down the imperial shield, and 
 put off his borrowed raiment, taking again his own device 
 of the White Unicorn, and girding Balisarda to his side. 
 Then he made a sign that he was weary, and would fain 
 take a little repose ; whereupon Prince Leo led him to his 
 own tent, and there left him to take his rest as he desired. 
 
 But at midnight Roger rose up from his bed, and 
 arrayed himself in all his armour ; then he went out quietly 
 
CHAP. IV.] HE GOES AWAY TO DIE. 345 
 
 from the tent, and put the saddle on his noble Frontin ; 
 and leaping upon his back, he bade no farewell to his com- 
 panions, neither was any man aware of his departure, but 
 he rode forth alone into the darkness. All night long his 
 steed carried him over hill and dale, through vast forests of 
 oak and pine, where was neither path nor habitation of 
 man ; and Roger perceived not where he was nor whither 
 he was going, for his soul was benumbed with grief 
 
 At length the daybreak roused him from his reverie, and 
 looking round, he found himself close by a dense and shady 
 thicket. Here he determined to die, since the happiness 
 of his life was destroyed, and only death could deliver him 
 from his misery. First he took the saddle and bridle off 
 his horse, and gave him his liberty, saying : " O my Frontin, 
 had I the power to reward thee as thou deservest, thou 
 shouldest lack nothing that earth could furnish to content 
 thee. But now I am poor and lonely, having lost all that 
 could yield me pleasure in the world ; wherefore I am 
 minded to lie down and die, since she who once fed and 
 tended thee in Montalbano is parted from me for ever. 
 Take, then, thy liberty, thou best of chargers, which is all 
 that I have left to bestow on thee, and go whithersoever 
 thou listest, being no longer in subjection to any master." 
 With these words he patted Frontin's neck, and turned to 
 lay himself down in the thicket ; but the faithful animal 
 would not move from the place, and continued gazing with 
 wistful eyes into the careworn face of his master. Then 
 Prince Roger put off his armour, and stretched himself on 
 the moss beneath the bushes, where he lay quietly awaiting 
 his death ; and hard by the noble Frontin kept his place, 
 standing motionless as a brazen statue, as though he shared 
 the sorrow of his lord and longed to ease his distress, if 
 only he could know the way. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW PRINCE LEO FOUND ROGER STILL ALIVE, AND RESTORED 
 BRADAMANTE TO HIM ; HOW ROGER SLEW THE TER- 
 RIBLE RODOMONT; AND HOW THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY 
 EVER AFTER. 
 
 Though Roger and Bradamante might resign themselves 
 to their misery, such meekness was not at all to the taste 
 of the great Princess Marfisa. She had determined that 
 these noble lovers should be married, and when she made 
 up her mind on any matter she generally managed to bring 
 it to pass as she wished. So the morning after the battle 
 she clad herself in her armour, and rode to the Emperor 
 Charlemagne's palace ; and when she was admitted to his 
 presence, she cried in a loud voice : " Justice, Sir Emperor, 
 justice for my brother Prince Roger, who is suffering a 
 grievous wrong ! Know that he was betrothed to the lady 
 Bradamante before ever this Prince Leo was heard of, and 
 I will not suffer him to be robbed of his just rights in his 
 absence. In my hearing they plighted their troth, on the 
 day when Bradamante drove back the Saracens into Aries ; 
 and to him must the damsel be married, if there is any 
 sanctity in oaths and promises. But if any man dare dis- 
 pute what I say, I will prove its truth in battle against him ; 
 and there lies my glove for a gage." With these haughty 
 words the Princess threw down her gauntlet upon the pave- 
 ment, and looked round to see if any one would take it 
 up, but not one of the Paladins came forward, since they 
 all believed and hoped that her words were true. Charle- 
 magne, however, was greatly perplexed when he heard her 
 
CHAP, v.] AIARFISA MAKES AN UPROAR. 347 
 
 story, and called one of his pages, to whom he said : " Run 
 quickly to the house of Duke Hammon, and summon hither 
 the noble lady Bradamante." So Bradamante came in 
 haste to tlie palace and into the presence of the Emperor, 
 who asked her if it were true that she was betrothed to the 
 Courteous Prince Roger. To this question the damsel 
 could give no answer in words, but blushed and cast her 
 eyes upon the ground, plainly confessing by her silence that 
 Marfisa had declared the truth. At this all the Paladins 
 rejoiced, and protested that she ought to marry her chosen 
 lover, seeing that she had plighted her faith to him before 
 ever Prince Leo came to France. 
 
 But Duke Hammon of Montalbano, her father, who 
 had accompanied her to the palace, was furiously angry, 
 and cried aloud that Prince Leo had fairly won her in the 
 lists, and that no one else should be her husband. He 
 complained, also, that he ought to have had notice of 
 Roger's claim before Leo was allowed to risk his life in the 
 combat ; but this complaint was cut short by Sir Raynald, 
 who reminded his father that he had told him of Brada- 
 mante's betrothal while the Greek Prince's ambassadors 
 were still awaiting his answer. Convicted of error on this 
 point, Duke Hammon was still as obstinate as ever in 
 opposing Prince Roger's claim, notwithstanding that all 
 the Paladins gave their voices in its favour ; while the wise 
 Emperor inclined neither to the one side nor to the other, 
 but appointed a day on which he would deliver his judg- 
 ment, and meanwhile listened impartially to both their 
 arguments. 
 
 Now while the confusion of tongues was yet great in the 
 council-room, Marfisa came forward with a fresh proposal, 
 and said: "While my brother Prince Roger remains alive, 
 no other man can wed Bradamante ; now therefore, if 
 Prince Leo desires to have her, let him find out my brother 
 and challenge him to single combat. For whichever of 
 them can slay the other will live thenceforward without a 
 rival for her hand." Marfisa spoke thus because she 
 was sure that the Greek could not stand against Prince 
 Roger ; and her counsel seemed good to Charlemagne, 
 
348 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 who sent a messenger forthwith to propose this plan to 
 Prince Leo. 
 
 When the Greek Prince heard of tliis proposal, he 
 accepted it immediately with great joy, for even now he 
 had no idea that it was Roger himself who had fought on 
 his behalf the day before, and he thought, "If only my 
 Knight of the White Unicorn will fight this battle also in 
 my name, he is certain to triumph over my rival." So he 
 went to his companion's tent to ask this second favour 
 at his hands, but the Knight of the White Unicorn was 
 nowhere to be found. Supposing that he was gone away 
 for an hour or tw^, Leo sent out his squires to seek him, 
 but the squires presently came back saying that they could 
 find no trace of his whereabouts. Thereupon the Greek 
 Prince mounted his horse and set out himself in quest of 
 his friend j day and night he persevered in the search, 
 traversing all the neighbouring country for many miles 
 round, yet he never would have found out his hiding-place 
 if he had been left to his own endeavours. 
 
 Happily the kind enchantress Melissa was still watching 
 over the welfare of our lovers, and was resolved that Roger 
 should be succoured before grief and starvation could kill 
 him. So she conjured up a spirit of the air, whom she 
 transformed into the likeness of a palfrey, and taking her 
 seat upon his back, she rode to meet Prince Leo. As soon 
 as she came within sight of him she' began to weep and 
 implore his assistance, saying, " Gallant Sir Knight, if thy 
 heart be as noble as thine aspect, come quickly, I pray 
 thee, and relieve the most valiant knight in all the world. 
 Through an act of high courtesy which he lately performed, 
 he is brought to a pitiful pass, so that he is Uke to perish 
 if he meet not with speedy aid. Hasten, therefore, I 
 entreat thee, hasten, and suffer us not to lose the bravest 
 of our warriors." Now when Leo heard this appeal, he 
 thought, " Surely this warrior in distress must be the Knight 
 of the Unicorn whom I seek ; " wherefore he besought 
 Melissa to lead him with all speed to her friend. 
 
 They had not far to go, for they had met each other in 
 a glade of the forest, so very soon they came to the thicket 
 
THK FINDING OF KOGEK. — 1\ 349. 
 
CHAP, v.] LEO RENOUNCES HIS CLAIM. 349 
 
 where Roger had lain down to die. It was now the third 
 day since his fight with Bradamante, and all this time the 
 wretched knight had tasted neither food nor drink, so that 
 his strength was rapidly ebbing aw^iy, and the flesh was 
 almost worn from off his bones. Still he ceased not to 
 lament his misfortunes, though his voice was grow^n small 
 and w^eak ; and especially he grieved for Bradamante, know- 
 ing that her misery would be equal to his own. In this 
 state he was discovered by his rival, who overheard some 
 w^ords of his complaint, by which he understood that love 
 was the cause of it ; nevertheless he knew not yet that this 
 mourner was Prince Roger, nor that he was bewailing his 
 separation from Bradamante. 
 
 So he drew near and threw his arms about Roger's neck, 
 calling him brother and dearest friend, and uttering sweet 
 w^ords of consolation fit to soothe the vehemence of his 
 grief. At last he said : " Behold, my brother, I have yet 
 another enterprise for thee to undertake, w^hich will divert 
 thee from too much pondering on thy sorrow;" and so he 
 went on to tell him of Marfisa's proposal, entreating him to 
 defeat Prince Roger as he had already defeated Bradamante. 
 At this strange idea of doing battle against himself our hero 
 could not refrain from a melancholy smile, as he answered : 
 " Sir Prince, when you know^ who I am, you will be glad 
 that I should die here, as I desire. For I am that Roger 
 whom you hate ; yea, I am the chosen lover of Bradamante." 
 On hearing this astonishing avowal, Leo stood at first stock 
 still from sheer amazement, with mouth and eyes wide open, 
 so that you might have taken him for a statue of Surprise. 
 Much he wondered at the freak of fortune, which had so 
 bound up his rival's destiny with his own ; but far greater 
 was his astonishment when he mused on Roger's noble 
 generosity, which had led him to ruin his own happiness 
 rather than disobey the call of gratitude. As he thought 
 thereon his old nobleness of soul came back, and he despised 
 himself for having devised so mean a stratagem as to let 
 another take his place in the combat. So he fell again 
 upon the neck of his friend, and embraced him with double 
 love, crying : " O my brother, if thou hadst told me this 
 
350 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 thing before, I had surely yielded in thy favour. Thou art 
 worthy, and I am unworthy ; grant me pardon, I beseech 
 thee, for my fault, and take thy lady to thyself; for I will- 
 ingly renounce a claim which I never could rightfully main- 
 tain." Thereupon Roger embraced Leo in his turn, promis- 
 ing that he would be his friend for ever ; his eyes sparkled 
 with joy, and the best part of his strength was restored, 
 when he felt again the hope of winning Bradamante for his 
 bride. So he laid his hand upon Frontin's bridle — for the 
 noble horse had never deserted him all this time — and 
 vaulting lightly into the saddle, rode back with Prince Leo 
 to Paris. But Melissa had vanished as soon as she saw 
 that the rivals were reconciled, considering that her labour 
 of love was now accomplished. 
 
 The two Princes rode together to Paris and presented 
 themselves at the Court of Charlemagne, where Leo explained 
 the truth of all the matter, humbly begging Bradamante to 
 pardon him for having used such deceitfulness to obtain 
 her. The noble damsel willingly forgave him, since her 
 soul was possessed with happiness ; and when the Emperor 
 understood the affair, he rose up from his throne and said : 
 "■ Hearken, all ye Paladins of France, while I pronounce 
 my judgment in this case. Since it is Roger who won 
 Bradamante by withstanding her a whole day in the lists, 
 let him take her for his bride without delay, and I myself 
 will be present at the marriage to deliver her into the hands 
 of her husband." Thereat all the bystanders raised a mighty 
 shout, applauding the judgment of their ruler, and crying : 
 " Roger and Bradamante ! Honour to the knight ! Honour 
 to the damsel ! Long live the noble House of Clairmont ! 
 Long live Prince Roger and his bride !" Even Duke 
 Hammon and the Duchess Beatrice could no longer refuse 
 their consent, since Charlemagne had sanctioned the mar- 
 riage ; and they were constrained to acknowledge that 
 Roger well deserved their daughter. 
 
 So the marriage was fixed to take place on that day 
 fortnight; and it was graced by such an assemblage of 
 gallant knights and noble ladies as the world never saw 
 before or since. In the great Cathedral of Paris Prince 
 
CHAP, v.] MARRIAGE OF THE LOVERS. 351 
 
 Roger was wedded to Bradamante by the good Archbishop 
 Turpin ; and Charlemagne gave away the bride, as he had 
 promised in delivering his judgment. The Kings of Eng- 
 land, Ireland, and Denmark were there, and only the King 
 of Scotland was absent, because he was still mourning for 
 the loss of the loyal Prince Zerbin his son. There too were 
 princes, dukes, and counts from every country in Europe, 
 as well as the whole brave company of Paladins, who re- 
 joiced to welcome Roger as their comrade. The gentle 
 Olympia also, now Queen of Ireland, was present; princesses, 
 duchesses, countesses, were numbered by the hundred ; and 
 there was no lack of noble and beautiful dames of lesser 
 degree. All these left the cathedral when the marriage was 
 over and walked through the streets in procession to the 
 palace, where Charlemagne had provided a feast of un- 
 equalled splendour ; for he insisted on treating Brada- 
 mante as though she were his own daughter. 
 
 Now when they returned to the palace, they were met 
 by three of the chief men of the Bulgarians, who were come 
 to make Roger King over their people. For they had dis- 
 covered that he was the Knight of the White Unicorn, who 
 had gained them the great victory at Belgrade ; and they 
 had heard also that he was gone with Prince Leo into 
 France. Wherefore they chose three of the most honour- 
 able among their chiefs, and sent them as ambassadors into 
 France, to entreat the Prince to come and be their ruler. 
 Roger willingly accepted the offered kingdom, and promised 
 to go and be crowned in Adrianople three months hence ; 
 and this thing was a great joy to the Duchess Beatrice, who 
 found that her daughter would be a powerful Queen after 
 all. Prince Leo also was greatly delighted, and concluded 
 a treaty of alliance with Roger on the spot, binding himself 
 to make amends for the mischief caused by the war, and 
 engaging that there should be peace and friendship between 
 the Greeks and the Bulgarians thenceforward. 
 
 Then the guests all sat down to the marriage feast, after 
 which they spent the evening in dancing and other festivi- 
 ties ; and in order to do full honour to the occasion, the 
 Emperor Charlemagne proclaimed a splendid tournament 
 
352 PALADIN AND SARACEN. [part vi. 
 
 to be held throughout the following week. Here all the 
 knights of Christendom met together to joust ; and Roger 
 proved himself equal to the best of them, overthrowing 
 great numbers of his antagonists, and holding his own 
 against the peerless Count Roland himself. No man 
 grudged him his victories, for he was loved and honoured 
 by them all ; and the days passed merrily by in joyous and 
 noble entertainment. 
 
 But on the last day of the week, w^hen the tournament 
 was already ended, and the guests were seated at supper, 
 there rode up to the palace a warrior of gigantic stature, 
 whose armour was covered with raiment of black, and 
 whose charger was decked in black trappings. This stranger 
 came face to face with Roger, who sat at the right hand 
 of the Emperor^ and cried in loud and insolent tones : 
 " I am Rodomont, King of Algiers, and I challenge thee, 
 Roger, to battle, that I may take vengeance upon thee 
 for thy villainy. I say that thou didst betray thy lord, King 
 Agramant, and didst desert him in the hour of his mis- 
 fortune ; and for this I will punish thee with death before 
 the setting of the sun." " Thine accusation is a falsehood," 
 answered Roger, " and that will I prove upon thy body ; 
 for I clung to my lord King Agramant even after he had 
 broken the truce, by which my allegiance became due to 
 the Emperor, according to the oath which the King himself 
 had sworn." 
 
 Thereupon a great clamour arose among the Paladins, 
 each desiring to maintain Roger's cause against King 
 Rodomont, since they said that it was not fitting for a 
 bridegroom to peril his life in such a contest. But Roger 
 answered them courteously, saying that he must needs 
 defend his honour with his own hands; wherefore he armed 
 himself in haste for battle, and rode forth upon Frontin to 
 meet his accuser. In furious wrath they met together, and 
 both lances were shivered to the hilt ; Roger's point pierced 
 the shield of his adversary, and broke off against the armour 
 beneath, while Rodomont's lance flew upward in a thousand 
 splinters, and could do no harm to the panoply of our 
 hero. Both horses fell to the earth, overthrown by the 
 
CHAP, v.] THE DEATH OF RODOMONT. 353 
 
 shock of their encounter ; but the knights raised them up 
 again in a trice, and straightway assailed each other with 
 the sword. Then did Roger prove his might with BaHsarda 
 against King Rodomont, wounding him many times in the 
 head and shoulder, while the terrible Algerian could draw 
 no drop of blood from his enemy's veins. For more than 
 an hour they strove together, dealing each other terrible 
 blows ; but still Roger remained unwounded, while the 
 Pagan's armour ran red with his blood. At last our 
 champion found his opportunity, and thrust Balisarda 
 through Rodomont's helmet into his brain, so that the 
 giant fell crashing to the earth, and lay dead at the feet 
 of his conqueror. 
 
 They buried the terrible King where he fell, in front 
 of the Emperor Charlemagne's palace ; and there was no 
 man found to lament for him, since he had been a savage 
 and pitiless tyrant all his days. But King Roger and 
 Queen Bradamante lived happily together for many years, 
 and reigned over their subjects, the Bulgarians, in great 
 prosperity ; and their happiness was completed by the birth 
 of a goodly family of children, who grew up as brave and 
 beautiful as their parents. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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