CHAPTER 2.
Till the fleet was gone from the Firm Island the turmoil had been so great that Amadis had had no time to enquire from Galvanes the news from King Lisuarte's court; but now he took him into the garden to learn, and Galvanes told him all that had past, and gave him Mabilia's letter, whereby he learnt that his lineage was about to be increased. At this had Amadis great joy, yet for the loneliness he felt for his Lady, he retired alone and wept like a man beside himself. When this passion was somewhat abated, he bade Gandalin carry his arms aboard a vessel, for he and Don Bruneo would depart the next day for Gaul. On the morrow they put to sea, the wind was sometimes fair, at other times foul, and after five days they found themselves abreast of a fair island and well wooded. Let us stop here a day or two, quoth Don Bruneo, it seemeth a good land, and we mayperchance find adventures here. They then bade the master put to shore, for they would land. God forbid that you should! said he. Why so? quoth Amadis.—That you may escape death or cruel imprisonment. For know that this is the Dolorous Isle, whereof the great giant Madarque is Lord, the cruellest and fiercest in the world. I tell you no Knight or Damsel hath entered here for fifteen years, but hath been killed or taken. When they heard this they wondered greatly, and with no little fear to undertake such an adventure; yet as their hearts were such, and as their true office was to cleanse the world of such customs, not heeding danger they bade the Master make to land, which with difficulty and almost force they made him do. Then took they their arms and horses, and with their two Squires Gandalin and Lasindo, whom they told if they were set upon by any other than Knights to bestir themselves to aid them, they rode into the Island. So they went up the mountain, and being at the top saw near them a Castle goodly and strong, toward which they went to hear news of the Giant. Coming near they heard a horn sound from the Tower so loud that it made the valleys ring. The Master of the Ship had told them that that horn sounded to call the Giant when his people hadattacked any Knights whom they could not subdue, and that then he came forth in such fury that he slew all whom he met, even sometimes his own people. Let us go forward then! said Amadis. Far had they not gone when they heard a great uproar and the clash of lances and the clang of swords falling heavy and fast. Presently they saw a great crowd pressing upon two Knights and two Squires, having slain their horses and now labouring to kill them, but they four defended themselves marvellously well. Anon Amadis saw the dwarf Ardian come running toward him, and he knowing his master's shield, cried out, O! Sir Amadis! help your brother Galaor, whom they are slaying and his friend King Cildadan. At that they spurred their horses full speed to their rescue.
As they were thus gallopping they saw the Giant Madarque come up. He was on a huge horse; his mail was thick, and he was covered with plates of iron, and instead of a helmet he wore an armet of bright steel, and in his hand he held a spear so heavy that any other Knight could not without difficulty lift it, and a great shield; and he came on crying, give room, give room, ye worthless wretches, who cannot kill two tired and worthlessKnights! leave them to me that my spear may enjoy their blood. O how God takes vengeance upon the unjust! and how is he dissatisfied with those who follow pride! remember Reader that Nimrod who built the Tower of Babel, and many others, whom I will not now mention that I may not run into prolixity, so was it with Madarque in this battle. Amadis who heard him feared greatly seeing how monstrous he was, and commending himself to God, he said, now Oriana Lady mine, it is time to be succoured by you! he then besought Don Bruneo to engage the other Knights, for he would attack the Giant, and fitted his lance under his arm and ran at him in full career, and smote him so rudely on the breast that he made him fall back upon the crupper. The Giant held the reins short, and being thus driven back he plucked them with him so strongly that the horse reared and fell back upon his master; so that Madarque broke his leg, and the horses shoulder was put out, and neither of them could rise. Amadis, who saw him thus, drew his sword and cried out aloud at them, brother Galaor! for I am Amadis who help you. And he rode among them marvelling to see the feats of Bruneo, who at one stroke had pierced a nephew of the Giant through the throat, and was laying about him with hissword. Then Amadis cleaved down another Knight to the teeth, and Galaor mounted upon his horse, yet would he not move on from King Cildadan who was on foot by him; but Gandalin came up and gave his horse to the King, and fought himself with the Squires; then when the four Knights were all mounted you might have seen wonderful deeds of arms, how they smote down and slew all before them; and the Squires also did their parts manfully. So that all who were able to fly soon fled before them to the Castle, and they followed them close to the Castle-gate. Now the gate was shut, and might not be opened till the Giant himself came, for so he had commanded; when therefore his people saw that they could not enter and had no remedy, they who were on horseback alighted, and they threw away their swords, and fell upon their knees before Amadis, who was foremost in pursuit, and caught hold of the lappets of his armour to escape from his companions. Amadis protected them from King Cildadan and Galaor, who were so enraged at the wrong they had received that they would not else have left a man alive; and he took assurance from them to obey his commands. Then went they towards the Giant, who lay unable to help himself, in such plight that he was well nighexpiring, for the horse lay upon his broken leg. King Cildadan alighted, and bade his Squires help him, and they together turned the horse over, so that the Giant could breathe, for King Cildadan, though by his means both himself and Galaor had been brought to the point of death, had no design to slay him, not for his own sake, for he was evil and proud, but for the love of his son, King Gasquilan, who was a right good Knight, and he therefore besought Amadis to spare him. Madarque, then quoth Amadis, you see in what plight you are, if you will take my counsel you shall live, if not Death is with thee. Good Knight, replied the Giant, since you place life or death in my choice, I will do your pleasure and live, and this I swear. What I will then, answered Amadis, is that thou shouldst become a Christian, with all thy people, and build churches and monasteries in thy dominions, and release all thy prisoners, and never more keep this evil custom. The Giant answered being in the fear of death, all this will I do, for I well know that according to my force and people compared with yours I could not have been vanquished except for my sins, and that too by one blow. Now if it please you let me be carried to my Castle, and come ye there also and regale yourselves, and there I will obey you. ThenAmadis called those whom he had spared and they took up the Giant, and all went to the Castle.
When they had disarmed, Amadis and Galaor embraced each other many times, weeping for pure joy, and thus happy were those four Knights till the Giant sent to inform them that their food was ready; but Amadis replied that he would not eat till the prisoners were all brought before him. That shall presently be done, said the Giant's people, for he has already sent to release them. Presently they came, one hundred and thirty Knights and forty dames and damsels, and they all came humbly to kiss the hand of Amadis and ask what he would command them to do. What will most please me, replied Amadis, is that ye go to Queen Brisena, and tell her that her Knight of the Firm Island hath sent ye, and that he hath found here his brother Galaor, and kiss her hand for me. Then were they served with food, and Amadis ordered that ships should be provided for the prisoners, and so they set sail to perform his bidding. After they had made their meal Amadis and his companions went into the Giant's chamber to see him, and they found that his sister Andandona was looking to his wound. This was the fiercest andworst Giantess in the world; she was fifteen years older then her brother, and had holpen to bring him up, and her hair was white and so woolly that it could not be combed, and her face so deformed beyond all course of nature, that she looked like nothing but a Devil. Of stature was she huge, and fleet of foot, nor was there horse so wild nor any other savage beast that she could not tame and break in. She shot with the bow, and threw darts certainly and strong, so that for the most part she was hunting in the mountain, and her clothing was of the skins of bears and lions and wild boars whom she had slain. Great enemy was she to the Christians, and always had done them all the evil in her power, and much worse was she hereafter and made her brother be the same, till in the battle which King Lisuarte had with King Aravigo and the six Kings, King Perion slew him as shall be related.
After the Knights had remained awhile with Madarque, and he had again promised them to turn Christian, they left him, and on the following morning embarked for Gaul. They had to pass an arm of the sea which had thick woods on either side, and in these woods that devilish Giantess Andandona lay in wait for them, and when shesaw them on the water, she came close to the shore upon a rock above them, and took the sharpest of all her darts and threw it at them with all her force, it struck Don Bruneo and went through his leg into the side of the galley, and there brake, but with the force of her aim she overswayed herself and fell into the water, with such a sound as if a tower had fallen. They seeing how monstrous she was, and that she was clothed with the black skins of bears, verily believed she was some Devil and began to cross themselves and commend themselves to God; but presently they saw her swim stiffly towards the shore, and then they shot arrows at her, but she dived till she reached the land, then just as she landed Amadis and Cildadan wounded her with their arrows in the shoulder; but she quickly ran into the wood, and King Cildadan who saw her flying thus with the shafts in her shoulder, could not forbear laughing. Then they went to help Don Bruneo, and staunched the blood and laid him in his bed. Presently the Giantess appeared again upon an eminence, and cried out aloud, If you think I am a Devil you are wrong! but I am Andandona, who will do you all the mischief I can, and will not forbear for what pain or trouble it may cost me; and then she ran along the rocks so fleetly that nothing could haveovertaken her, so that they were much amazed thereat, for they thought surely that she would have died of her wounds. Then they learnt all concerning her from two of the prisoners whom Gandalin had taken on board the galley because they were natives of Gaul; and if Don Bruneo had not intreated them to carry him as quickly as possible where he might have help for his wound, they would have returned and hunted the whole island to catch that bedevilled Giantess, and have her burnt.
So they went on and entered the open sea, talking of many things, and Amadis told them all that had passed with King Lisuarte. Full sorrowful thereat was Don Galaor, and great grief did he feel in his heart, for he well understood what evils might ensue, and he was placed in great trouble; for though his brother Amadis whom he so dearly loved was on the other side, yet could not that so influence his heart as to make him refuse to serve King Lisuarte, with whom he had lived as you have heard heretofore. And then he remembered how Amadis had left him at the Firm Island, and calling him aside he said, Sir Brother, what thing so great or grievous could have happened to you that the love and tie between us was not greater; but you concealed it from me as from a stranger?Good brother, replied Amadis, since it was powerful enough to break that tie, you may well ween it was worse than death itself. I beseech you ask me no farther now. Galaor then put on a better semblance, for he had before been somewhat angry, and seeing that his brother would still be secret, said no more. Four days they continued their voyage, and then took haven at a town in Gaul called Mostrol, where King Perion and his Queen then sojourned, because it was opposite to Britain, and they could better learn tidings of their sons. They when they saw the galley sent to know who was come. Amadis bade the messenger reply that it was King Cildadan and Don Bruneo, but of himself or his brother to say nothing. Right joyful was King Perion at these tidings, for Amadis had sent him word how King Cildadan had been with Galaor in the house of Urganda, and now he thought he should hear of his son. He ordered all his company to take horse, and rode out with them to meet the new comers, for Don Bruneo had sometimes been at his court, and he loved him much, and knew that he was much with his sons.
Amadis and Galaor clad themselves richly and rode to the Queen's palace, and bade the Porter tell herthat two Knights of her lineage wished to speak with her. She bade them enter, and seeing Amadis, she knew Galaor by the likeness, albeit she had never seen him before since the Giant took him away being but a child, and she cried out in one breath, Ah Virgin Mary Lady, what is this! I see my sons before me! And she fell upon the estrado like one bereft of sense. They knelt down and kissed her hand, and she rose and descended from the estrado and took them in her arms, and kissed them many times, before any of them could speak, till their sister Melicia entered, and the Queen drew back that they might greet her, and much were they astonished at her exceeding beauty. Who can tell the joy of that noble Queen to see before her her two sons, how fair Knights they were, and considering the griefs and fears wherewith her heart was always troubled, knowing the dangers which Amadis encountered, and expecting life or death herself as the issue might be, and having lost Galaor as you have heard, and now beholding them both restored with such honour and renown; certes none can tell what joy she felt except she herself or one who has been in like case. Then said Amadis, we have brought Don Bruneo de Bonamar here, who is badly wounded; let him be honourably entreated as one of the bestKnights in the world. That shall he be, my son, replied Elisena, because you love him and because he has served us well, and when I cannot attend him, your sister Melicia shall. Lady Sister, quoth Galaor, you ought as a damsel to honour him greatly, as one who serves and honours all damsels better than any other; happy may she think herself whom he loves! for without let he passed under the enchanted Arch of True Lovers, a certain testimony that he had never been false. When Melicia heard this her heart leaped, for she well knew that that adventure had been atchieved for her sake; and she answered like a discreet damsel as she was, Sir I shall do my best because you command me, and because they tell me he is a good Knight, and one who loves you much.
While they were thus in talk the Kings Perion and Cildadan came up, and when Amadis and Galaor saw their father they knelt down and each took him by the hand and kissed it, and he kissed them, and the tears of joy ran down. King Cildadan bade them remember Don Bruneo, and he having spoken to the Queen and her daughter, they all went towards Don Bruneo, who was carried in Knights arms from the galley, and they laid him in a rich bed, in a chamber of the Queen'sapartments, the windows whereof opened into a garden of roses and other flowers. There the Queen and her daughter went to visit him, and she shewed great pity for his wound, and said to him, Don Bruneo, I will see you the most I can, and when any thing prevents me, your friend Melicia shall be with you and she shall cure your wound. Elisena then departed, leaving her daughter and her damsels. Melicia sate herself opposite his bed, where he could see her fair countenance, and so happy was Don Bruneo that while he could be so attended he did not wish to be healed. She looked at his wound and saw that it was a great one, but being open on both sides she hoped to heal it speedily; and she said Don Bruneo, methinks I can cure the wound, but you must altogether obey me, else you may bring on great danger. Lady, replied he, God forbid that I should ever otherwise than obey you, for sure am I that in that case none could help me. These words she understood as he had meant them, better than the damsels who were present. She then applied an ointment to his leg which allayed the swelling and pain, and gave him food with her own fair hands, and said to him, compose yourself now, and when it is time I will visit you again. As she left the chamber she met his Squire Lasindo;now he knew the secret of his master's love. Lasindo, said she, you are well known here, and do you ask for whatever your master may need. Lady, he replied, God send the time when this kindness may be rewarded! and drawing nearer he said to her in a low voice, She Lady who wishes to cure the wounded should take heed to the worst wound; for God's sake Lady have pity on him, who so needs it, not for the pain which his wound gives him, but for what he endures for you. When Melicia heard this she replied, friend I shall remedy the wound which I see, if I can; of the other I know nothing. You know, Lady, replied Lasindo, that the passion he endures for you enabled him to see the statues of Apolidon and Grimanesa. Ailings like these, Lasindo, she answered, are often cured by only Time, so it may be with your Master, and it is needless to ask remedy for him from one who cannot bestow it. With that she left him and went to her Mother. And though Lasindo repeated this answer to Don Bruneo, yet did it nothing trouble him, for he believed she felt otherwise than that, and he often blessed the Giantess Andandona for wounding him, because thereby he enjoyed that pleasure, without which all the world to him was only trouble and solitude.
Thus as you hear King Cildadan and Galaor and Amadis were in Gaul with King Perion, to the great joy of all, and Don Bruneo in the care of her whom he loved so well. One day Galaor led them aside and said, Sirs, I believe that though I were to labour much I could not find other three who would love me so well, and therefore I beseech ye advise me concerning that which ought to be prized next to my soul. You Sir my brother Amadis placed me with King Lisuarte, and commanded me to be his with great affection; and now seeing how you are at enmity with the King, and that I am not discharged from his service, certainly I am greatly perplexed; for if I should help you, my honour would be tainted, and if I should aid him, it is the pain of death to me to do aught against you. I beseech you give me counsel upon this, which is your cause also, and consider more my honour than your own inclination. King Perion answered, Son you cannot do wrong in following your brother against a King so thankless and unreasonable, for when you remained with him, it was to do the will of Amadis; and now with just cause may you leave him, seeing that like an enemy he labours to destroy your kindred who have served him so well. Sir, replied Don Galaor, I trust in God and in yourfavour whereto I commit my honour, that it never shall be said I left the service of that King now when he needs my service so much, not having taken leave of him before. Good brother, then said Amadis, though we are bound to follow the better judgment of the King our father, yet will I now venture by his favour to say, that at a time like this you ought not to forsake the King, unless it were so that no one could be injured thereby. As for this between him and me, there can be no Knights on his side so powerful, powerful as they may be, that the high Lord will not be stronger, who knows the services which I have wrought for him, and the evil guerdon, which nothing meriting such, I have from him received. It was determined then that Galaor should go to King Lisuarte. King Cildadan then said to the two brethren, ye know friends the issue of that great battle, which by you was won, and wherein ye took from me that great glory which I and my people should have gained; and ye know the terms of the battle, that the conquered should serve the conqueror, and this must I fulfill for my honour's sake, though it grieves me to the heart. To-day there came a summons to me from King Lisuarte to serve him with my full number of Knights.I must therefore go with Don Galaor. So the next day they took leave and entered into a vessel, and having landed in Great Britain, took their road towards the King.
Greatly incensed was Lisuarte at what had happened in the island of Mongaza, and the slaughter of his people. And he resolved without waiting for all the forces which he had summoned to go against it. But three days before he was to embark he told the Queen to take Oriana and the Ladies of the court to sport with him in the forest. So tents were pitched there, and they enjoyed the chace, but the King's thoughts were more upon the loss of the Firm Island than upon his sport.