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which his enemy had let fall, and began to smite at him. When the damsel saw that, she cried with a loud voice, Help! help! Arcalaus! or your cousin is slain! Presently the king heard a great noise, and looking round beheld ten knights riding towards him, and the one who was foremost exclaimed, King Lisuarte, thou art a dead man! thou shalt never reign another day, nor ever wear crown again! When the king heard this, he verily believed his end was come; but he answered him with that great courage which he always had: That may well be, seeing ye have me at such advantage; but ye shall die for me, like traitors and liars as ye are! The knight then ran at him full force, and smote him so rudely on the shield that he came to the ground; but presently rising, he struck at the horse and cut his leg clean off, so that he fell and the knight under him. By this the others came up and all beset him, and they bruised him with the breasts of their horses, and the two who were dismounted closed with him and forced his sword from his hands; then took away his shield and his helmet, and fastened a great chain round his neck; then they placed him on a palfrey, and taking the ends of the chain, one on each side, led him among the trees to the place where Arcalaus was with Oriana and the damsel of Denmark; and the foremost knight cried to him, Cousin, here is King Lisuarte! Quoth Arcalaus, He is welcome: henceforth we shall neither fear him nor his household. Ah, villain, quoth the king, wounded as I am, I would make thee confess thy treason if thou wouldst do battle with me! I should not value myself more for conquering such a knight as thou art, Arcalaus answered. Then speaking to one of his people,-Go to London with all speed,

and tell Barsinan to make himself king, for all is ready, and I will do what I promised him. Take you ten knights, said he to another, and carry Lisuarte to Daganel, and cast him into the dungeon. I will take Oriana with these four knights, and show her my books and things at Mount Aldin: this was one of the strongest castles in the world. So they divided company in this manner, whereby Arcalaus showed that he thought himself equal to five knights.*

CHAP. XXXVI.-How Amadis and Galaor knew of this great treason and took counsel to procure, if they could, the liberty of the King and Oriana.

MADIS and Galaor were within two leagues

of London when they saw Ardan the dwarf coming towards them as fast as horse could gallop. Never trust me, quoth Amadis, if he comes not with the news of some great mishap to seek us. Presently the dwarf came up and related all his tidings, and how Oriana was carried away. Holy Mary, help me! cried Amadis: which way did they take her?-By the city is the nearest road. Amadis immediately spurred his horse, and galloped amain towards London, so confounded with the terror of this news that he never spoke a word to Galaor, who followed him full speed. They passed close by the town without stopping a minute, only Amadis enquired of all he saw which way the Princess had been taken; but as Gandalin passed under the windows where the queen and her ladies were, the queen called him, and

* There follows in the original a column of advice to all emperors and kings upon the mutability of fortune, as instanced in King Lisuarte's situation,

throw the king's sword to him, which was the best sword that ever knight girded on: Take it to your master, quoth she, and God speed him with it! and tell Galaor that the king went from hence with a damsel this morning, and is not yet returned, and we know not where she has led him. Gandalin took the sword and rode as fast as he could after Amadis, who coming to a brook missed the bridge in his hurry, and forcing the horse to leap, the tired animal fell short into the mud; then Gandalin came up to him and gave him the sword, and the horse which he himself rode. Presently they turned aside from the road to follow the track of horsemen, and there they saw some woodmen, who asked them if they came from London, for if a knight and a damsel be missing there, said they, we have seen an adventure; and then they told them what they had beheld. Who is it that has taken them? quoth Amadis ; for he knew it was Lisuarte by the description. They answered, The damsel who led the knight here called loudly for Arcalaus. Lord God! quoth Amadis let me but find that traitor !-The woodmen then told them how the party had separated, and said that one of the five knights who went with the damsel was the biggest knight they had ever seen. Amadis knew that that

was Arcalaus; and bidding Galaor follow where the king went, he spurred on after Oriana. By sunset the horse could carry him no farther, and he being greatly distressed, saw a little to the right of the road a knight lying dead, and a squire by him holding his horse. Who slew that knight? cried Amadis. A traitor that passed by, carrying the fairest damsel in the world by force, and he slew my master only for asking who they were, and here is no one to help me

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to remove the body.—My squire shall help you: give me your master's horse: I promise to give you two better in return. He told Gandalin to follow him after the body was disposed of, and gallopped on. Towards day-break he came to a hermitage in a valley, and asked the hermit if he had seen five knights pass carrying with them two damsels? Do you see yonder castle? he replied: my nephew tells me that Arcalaus the enchanter is lodged there, and with him two fair damsels whom he hath taken by violence. By God the very villain whom I seek!-He hath done much evil in this land, replied the hermit. God remove him or mend him!-Then Amadis asked him if he had any barley for his horse; and while the horse was feeding, enquired who was the lord of the castle. Grumen, said the good man, cousin to Dardan who was slain in Lisuarte's court, and therefore the king's enemies put up there. Now God be with you, father! quoth Amadis; I beseech you remember me in your prayers! which way to the castle ?—Amadis followed the path which the good man had pointed out, and came up to it, and saw that the wall was high and the towers strong. He listened and could hear no sound within, and that pleased him, for he knew that Arcalaus was not gone forth; and he rode round, and saw that it had only one issue. Then he retired among some crags, and, dismounting, stood holding the bridle, and with his eyes fixed upon the gate, like one who had no will to sleep. By this the morning broke, and he removed farther across a valley to a hill that was well wooded, for he feared that if those of the castle saw him they would suspect there were others at hand, and therefore not come out. Presently the gate opened, and a knight came out, and went to a high

eminence and looked all round; then returned into the castle. It was not long before he saw Arcalaus and his four companions come out, all well armed, and among them Oriana. Ah, God! quoth he, now and for ever help me in her defence! They drew near him, and he heard Oriana say, Dear friend, I shall never see thee more, for I go to my death. The tears came into his eyes; he descended the hill as fast as he could, and came after them into a great plain, and then cried, Arcalaus! traitor! it becomes not one like thee to carry away so excellent a lady! Oriana knew the voice, and shook all over; but Arcalaus and the other ran at him. He took his aim at Arcalaus, and bore him right over the crupper; then turned his horse and smote at Grumen, so that the point and part of the stave of the spear came out at his back, and he fell down dead, and the spear broke in him. Then he drew the king's sword, and laid about with such rage and violence, and felt such strength in himself, that he thought if the whole plain were full of knights they could not stand before him. We are succoured! quoth the damsel of Denmark: it is the fortunate knight ! look at the wonders he performeth! Ah, God protect thee, dear friend! cried Oriana: none other in the world can save us. The squire who had her in his keeping seeing what had passed, cried out, Certes I shall not wait till those blows come upon my head which shields and helmets cannot resist and he put the princess down, and rode off full speed. By this Amadis had cut thro' the arm of another, and sent him away howling with the agony of death; and he cleft a third down to the neck. The fourth began to fly, and Amadis was after him, when he heard his lady cry and looking round, saw that

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