CHAPTER 14.
Beltenebros having taken leave of the Princess, returned joyfully to the fountain where the Damsels were. He bade Enil go to London, and get him other arms made the same as those he wore, which were now so battered as to be useless, and he was to buy him another sword, and bring them in eight days to the Fountain of the Three Channels. Enil forthwith departed, and the Damsels also taking their leave, rode on to Miraflores, and there told Oriana and Mabilia what great feats they had seen that day atchieved by a Knight called Beltenebros. He meantime struck into the forest, and rode slowly the same way, till he came to a brook winding among the trees, and there, for it was yet early, he alighted and took off his helmet, and drank of the water, and cleansed himself from the sweat of the battle; and there he remained, musing over his past and present fortunes and thestrange vicissitudes of life, till night approached; then he made for the castle. Durin and Gandalin met him at the garden-wall, and took his horse. Oriana and Mabilia and the Damsel were on the wall: they gave him their hands: presently he was over, and held Oriana in his arms; but who can tell what joy there then was in embracing and kisses, and the mingling of tears? Mabilia roused them as from a dream, and led them into the castle, and there Beltenebros remained eight days with Oriana in joys dearer to him than even Paradise.
Meantime King Lisuarte was preparing for the battle against King Cildadan, which he much doubted, knowing what Giants and mighty Knights would be with his enemy. Florestan and Galaor and Agrayes were returned, and Don Galvanes Lackland had arrived, and many other good Knights. The whole talk was of Beltenebros, and many said his deeds surpassed those of Amadis; whereat Galaor and Florestan were so enraged, that nothing but their promise to undertake no adventure before the battle, withheld them from seeking him and proving him in mortal combat, but of this they only communed with each other. One day there came into the palace an old Squire with twoothers, all clad in garments of the same cloth. The old man's beard was shorn, his ears were large, and the hair of his head grey. He, kneeling before the King, addressed him in the Greek language: Sir, the great fame which is gone abroad of the Knights and Dames and Damsels of your court hath brought me hither, to see if I can find among them what for sixty years I have sought through all parts of the world, and reaped no fruit for my labour. Noble King, if you hold it good, permit that a trial may be made here, which shall not be to your injury nor to the shame of any. All who were present, desirous to see what it might be, besought the King's assent, which he, feeling the like curiosity, readily granted. The old Squire then took in his hand a coffer of jasper, three cubits long and a span wide, its sides being fastened with plates of gold; this he opened, and took out a sword, so strange as the like was never seen; the sheath was of bone, yet green like an emerald, and so clear that the blade of the sword could be seen through, and it was unlike other blades, for the one-half was as bright as it could be, and the other burning red like fire; the hilt was of the same green bone, and the belt also, being made of such small pieces fastened together with gold screws, that it could be girt on like a commonbelt. This the Squire hung round his neck, and took from the same coffer a head-dress of flowers, the half whereof were as beautiful and fresh as though they had just then been cut from the living stem; the other half so withered and dry, that it seemed they would crumble at a touch. The King asked why those flowers, that all seemed to grow from the same stem, were yet in such different condition, and what was the nature of that strange sword? King, said the old Squire, this sword cannot be drawn from the scabbard, except by the Knight who of all men in the world loveth his Lady best; and as soon as he shall have it in his hand, the half which is now of burning red, shall become clear and bright like the other part, and the whole blade be of one colour; and when this garland of flowers shall be set upon the head of that Lady or Damsel, that with the same surpassing love doth love her husband or friend, the dry flowers shall again become fresh and green. And know, Sir, that I cannot be knighted except by the hands of that true lover, nor take sword except from that loyal Lady; for this, O King, having searched all other courts and parts of the world, I am come hither, after sixty years, hoping that as there is no court of Emperor or King like this, here I may succeed at last. Tell me, said Lisuarte, how is it that thehalf which is burning red, does not burn the scabbard? You shall hear, quoth the Squire: Between Tartary and India there is a sea so hot, that it boils like water over a fire, and it is all green; and in that sea serpents breed bigger than crocodiles, having wings wherewith they fly, and so venomous that all people run from them in fear; nevertheless, they who at any time find one dead esteem it much, being a thing excellent in medicine. These serpents have one bone reaching from the head to the tail, it is so strong that the whole body is formed upon this one bone, and green as you see it here in this scabbard and hilt and belt, and because it grew in that boiling sea no fire can burn it. Now I will tell you of this garland: the flowers are from trees in Tartary, in an island fifteen miles from the shore; the trees are only two, nor is it known that there are any such in any part elsewhere; but in that sea is a whirlpool, so terrible that men fear to venture to take them, howbeit they that have dared pass and succeeded, sell them for what they will to ask, for this freshness and life-green never fails. Having told you thus much, you shall know who I myself am. I am nephew of the best man of his own time, who was called Apolidon, and who long time dwelt here in your country in the FirmIsland. My father was King Ganor, his brother, to whom he gave his kingdom, and my mother, daughter to the King of Panonia, and, when I was of age to be knighted, my father, because of the exceeding love between him and my mother, made me promise to be made Knight by none but the most true Lover in the world, and to receive sword only from the truest Lady. I lightly promised, thinking to accomplish this as soon as I should see my Uncle Apolidon and his Grimanesa; but so it was, that, when I arrived, Grimanesa was dead, and he knowing wherefore I came, greatly pitied me, for it is the custom of my land that no one who is not a Knight can reign therein. So having no remedy to give me then, he bade me return to him at a year's end, and at that time he gave me this sword and garland, telling me by the labour of this search to remedy the folly of such a promise. And now, Sir, I beseech you, as without wrong or shame it may be done, that you and your Knights and the Queen and her Ladies be pleased to make the proof; and if such can be found as shall accomplish it, let the sword and garland be theirs, the profit will be mine, and rest from my weary toil, and the honour yours above all other Princes, that they who could accomplish this adventure were found in your court. The King thensaid, that Santiago's day was but five days off, and then he had summoned many Knights to be present, wherefore if it pleased him to wait so long, his chance of success would be greater among so many more Knights. This the Squire thought good.
Gandalin was at this time in the court, and heard all that the Squire had said. Forthwith he rode to Miraflores. Beltenebros and Oriana were playing chess in the little court under the trees. When he had related all that had past, and how a day was appointed for the trial, Beltenebros sate musing for a while, lost in thought, till Gandalin and his cousin had left the place, and then, as he looked up, Oriana asked what had made him so deep in thought. Lady mine, quoth he, if by God's help and your's my thought could be accomplished, I should be a happy man for ever. Dear friend, she answered, she who hath made you master of her person will do for you any thing! He took her hands and kissed them often, and said, this is what I have been thinking; that, if you and I could win this sword and garland, our hearts would be for ever at rest, and all those doubts that have tortured us be utterly destroyed. But how can I do this, said Oriana, without great shame andgreater danger to myself and to these Damsels, who are privy to our loves? That, replied Beltenebros, may easily be done, you shall go so disguised, and I will obtain such security from the King your father, that we shall be as unknown as before strangers. Then do your pleasure, quoth she, and God prosper it to good! I doubt not to gain the garland, if it is to be won by exceeding love. I will obtain your father's promise, said Beltenebros, that nothing shall be demanded from me against my own consent, and will go completely armed; and you, Lady, shall have a cloak fastened round you, and your face muffled, so that you shall see all, yet no one see you. Let us call Mabilia, cried Oriana, without her counsel I must not adventure. So they called her and Gandalin, and the Damsel of Denmark, and they, albeit they saw great peril, did not gainsay their inclination; and Mabilia said, there was a rich cloak among her mother's presents that the Damsel had brought, which never had been worn or seen in that land. She brought it, and took Oriana apart and dressed her in it, so that when she came out with her gloves on, and her face-cloths,[220:A]no one knew her,though they looked narrowly. Lady mine, cried Beltenebros, I never thought it would give me pleasure not to see and know you! He then bade Gandalin buy the fairest palfrey that could be found in all that country, and bring it at midnight before the day of the adventure, to the garden-wall; and he told Durin to have his horse ready for him this evening, that he might meet Enil, and send him to obtain the security from King Lisuarte.
Beltenebros rode that night through the forest, and at day-break reached the fountain of the Three Channels. Presently Enil came up and brought with him the arms: they were good arms, and pleased him well. He then asked the Squire what news of the court, and Enil told him the talk there was of his prowess, and was about to relate concerning the sword and garland, but Beltenebros said, this I learnt three days since from a Damsel who made me promise to carry her secretly to this proof: this I must do, and will prove the sword myself; but, as you know it is my will not to make myself known to the King nor to any other till my deeds make me worthy, you must return directly and tell the King, that if he will promise and secure us that nothing shall be said or done to us against our pleasure, we will come and try theadventure; and say you, before the Queen and her Ladies, that this Damsel makes me go greatly against my inclination. On the day of the proof, meet me here at dawn, that the Damsel may know if she has this security; meantime I must return to bring her here, for she dwells far off. Beltenebros then took his arms, and while Enil went to the city, lay down by the same brook-side till night, then rode to Miraflores. Durin was ready to take his horse, and his fair friends expected him at the garden-wall. What, Sir Cousin! quoth Mabilia, seeing his arms, you return richer than you went. Do you not understand it? cried Oriana, he went to get arms, that he might free himself from this prison. Thus chearfully they entered the castle, and they gave him food, for he had not eaten the whole day, lest he might be seen.
FOOTNOTES:
[220:A]Antifazes.
[220:A]Antifazes.