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for what reason he spake, replied, That shall I right willingly, being sure it will be as you say. Then Patin was full joyful, thinking he had won her, and said, I will go through this land, seeking adventures; before long you will hear such things of me, as will make you with more reason grant what I require. And this also he said to the king, telling him that he would see the wonders of his land. The king replied, You have it in you to do this; yet would I dissuade you, for in this land you will find many great and perilous adventures, and many strong and hardy knights, practised in arms. I like this, quoth El Patin: if they are strong and hardy, I am neither weak nor faint, as my deeds shall show. So he departed, right joyful at Oriana's answer, and for this joy he was singing as you have heard, when his ill fortune led him where Amadis was making moan; and this is the reason why that knight came from so far a land.

Durin departed from Amadis when it was clear daylight, and he passed by El Patin, who had taken off the piece of his helmet that was left, and had his face and neck all bloody. He seeing Durin, said to him, Good child, so may God make you a good man as you tell me if there be any place near where I may have remedy for my wound. Yes, quoth he, but all there are so afflicted that they will hardly attend to you.— For what cause?-For the loss of a good knight, who hath won that lordship, and seen the likenesses and secrets of Apolidon, which none other could ever do, and he is departed in such sorrow that nothing but his death is looked for.-Methinks you speak of the Firm Island?-I do.-What! hath it found a master? certes I am heartily sorry, for I was going there myself to prove the adventure and win the island.

Durin laughed, and answered, Truly, sir knight, if there be no more prowess in you than you have just now manifested, you would have gained little honour! El Patin raised himself as well as he could, and tried to catch his bridle, but Durin turned aside. Tell me, said he, what knight is he that hath won the Firm Island! Tell me first who you are?—I am El Patin, brother to the Emperor of Rome.-God-a-mercy! quoth Durin, your birth is better than your prowess or your courtesy. Know that the knight you ask about is the same who hath just now left you: by what you have seen you may judge that he is worthy of what he hath won. So he went his way, and took the straight road to London, greatly desirous to tell Oriana all that he had seen of Amadis.

CHAP. VI.-How Don Galaor and Florestan and Agrayes went in quest of Amadis, and how Amadis forsaking his arms and changing his name betook himself to a solitary life with a good man in a hermitage.

SANJO, according to his promise, revealed

nothing concerning Amadis till after mass the next day. Then, when his brethren and his cousin enquired for him, he said, Arm yourselves, and I will tell you his commands. And, when they were armed, Ysanjo began to weep passionately, and exclaimed, O sirs, what a grief and a misery is come upon us, that we should lose our lord so soon! Then he told them all that Amadis had said, and how he besought that they would not seek him, for they could not help his ill, and that they should not grieve for his death. Holy Mary! cried they, the best knight in the world is about to perish! but we will

seek him, and, if we cannot with our lives help him, we will bear him company with our deaths. Ysanjo then told Galaor his brother's request that he would make Gandalin a knight, and take the dwarf into his service: this he delivered weeping, and they weeping also heard it. The dwarf for pure grief was beating his head against a wall; but Galaor caught him up and said, Ardian come with me, since thy master has so commanded, and my lot shall be yours. The dwarf answered, Sir, I will follow you, but not as my master, till we know some certain tidings of Amadis. Forthwith they went to horse, and all three hastened along the road which Ysanjo pointed. All day they rode on, meeting no one of whom they could ask tidings, till they came where El Patin lay wounded beside his dead horse: his squires had found him, and were cutting down boughs and poles to make him a litter, for he was exceeding faint with loss of blood, so that he could not answer them, but made sign that they should speak to his squires, and they replied, that their lord had sped so ill in an encounter with the knight who had won the Firm Island. Good squires, know you which way he went?-No; but before we came up to this place we met an armed knight in the forest, upon a stout horse, and he was weeping and accusing his fortune: a squire behind him carried his arms; the shield had two lions azure in a field or, and the squire was lamenting also. That is he cried they; and they pushed on with great speed till they came out of the forest upon a great plain, where there were many roads in every direction, so that they knew not which way to take; therefore they agreed to separate, and meet at the court of Lisuarte upon St. John's day, that if by then they

had been unsuccessful in their search, they might consult anew how to find him. There then they embraced and separated, each earnestly bent on his quest, but in vain: for, when Amadis reached the open country, he took none of those roads, but struck aside along a glen, and thence made into the mountain.

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He rode on lost in thought, suffering his horse to chuse the path. About noon the horse came to some trees that grew beside a mountain-stream, and then stopt, being weary with the heat and with the toil of last night. Here Amadis recollected himself and looked round, and was pleased to see no signs of a habitation he alighted and drank of the brook. Gandalin came up, and turning the horses to feed came to his master, whom he found more dead than alive; and not daring to disturb him, he lay down. before him. Amadis continued in this mood till sunset, then rising, he struck his foot against Gandalin : Art thou sleeping? quoth he. No, replied Gandalin, but I am thinking upon two things which concern you, the which, if it please you to hear, I will speak: if not, I will be silent. Amadis answered, Go saddle the horses, and let us begone: I do not chuse to be found by those who seek me. Sir, said Gandalin, you are in a solitary place, and your horse is so weary that, unless you allow him some rest, he cannot carry you. Amadis replied, weeping, Do what you think best whether I stay or go, there is no rest for me! Then Gandalin looked after the horses, and returned to his master, and begged him to eat of a pasty which he had brought, but he would not. Sir, said he, shall I say the two things whereon I have been thinking? Say what you will, quoth Amadis; I care nothing

now for any thing that may be said or done, and wish to live no longer than till I can confess.-Then I pray you hear me, sir: I have thought much upon that letter which Oriana sent you, and upon the words of the knight with whom you fought; and seeing how light is the faith of many women, it may be that she hath changed her affections, and so has feigned anger against you, before you discover it. The other thing is, that I believe her to be so good and loyal that she could not have been thus moved, unless some great falsehood had been spoken of you, which she believes and feels in her heart; and, since you know that you have never been false, you should make the truth known, whereby she will repent of what she hath done, and intreat your forgiveness for the wrong, and you will enjoy your former happiness. It is better to take food with this hope, than by abandoning yourself to despair, to die and lose her, and the glory of this world, and even the other. Hold thy peace, for God's sake! quoth Amadis, for such foolishness and lies-as thou hast uttered, are enough to provoke the whole world. Oriana, my lady, has never done wrong; and, if I perish, it is but reasonable, not for my deserving, but to accomplish her will and command: if I did not know that thou hast said this to comfort me, I would cut off thy head! you have greatly displeased me: never say the like to me again! He then turned away in anger, and walked along the side of the

stream.

But Gandalin, who for two days and a night had not slept, was overcome with heaviness, and at length fell asleep. When Amadis saw this, he saddled his horse, and hid Gandalin's saddle and bridle among the bushes, that he might not be able to find them;

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