Butnowthewallsandturretsroundabout,Bothyoungandoldwithmanythousandsfill;
ThekingClorindasentandherbraverout,Tokeepthefield,shestayeduponthehill:
GodfreylikewisesomeChristianbandssentoutWhicharmed,andrankedingoodarraystoodstill,AndtotheirchampionsemptyletremainTwixteithertroopalargeandspaciousplain。
LXXXIV
ArganteslookedforTancredibold,Butsawanuncouthfoeatlastappear,Raymondrodeon,andwhatheaskedhim,told,Betterbychance,“Tancredisnowelsewhere,Yetglorynotofthat,myselfbeholdAmcomeprepared,andbidtheebattlehere,Andinhisplace,orformyselftofight,Lo,hereIam,whoscornthyheathenishmight。“
LXXXV
ThePagancastascornfulsmileandsaid,“ButwhereisTancred,ishestillinbed?
Hislookslateseemedtomakehighheavenafraid;
Butnowfordreadheisordeadorfled;
Butwhe’erearth’scentreorthedeepseamadeHislurkinghole,itshouldnotsavehishead。“
“Thouliest,“hesays,“tosaysobraveaknightIsfledfromthee,whotheeexceedsinmight。“
LXXXVI
TheangryPagansaid,“IhavenotspiltMylaborthen,ifthouhisplacesupply,Gotakethefield,andlet’sseehowthouwiltMaintainthyfoolishwordsandthatbravelie;“
Thusparleyedtheytomeetinequaltilt,Eachtookhisaimatother’shelmonhigh,EveninthefighthisfoegoodRaymondhit,Butshakedhimnot,hedidsofirmlysit。
LXXXVII
ThefierceCircassianmissedofhisblow,Athingwhichseldbefellthemanbefore,Theangel,byunseen,hisforcedidknow,Andfarawrythepoignantweaponbore,Hebursthislanceagainstthesandbelow,Andbithislipsforrage,andcursedandswore,Againsthisfoereturnedheswiftaswind,Halfmadinarmsasecondmatchtofind。
LXXXVIII
Liketoaramthatbuttswithhornedhead,Sospurredheforthhishorsewithdesperaterace:
Raymondathisrighthandletslidehissteed,AndashepassedstruckatthePagan’sface;
Heturnedagain,theearlwasnothingdread,Yetsteptaside,andtohisragegaveplace,Andonhishelmwithallhisstrengthgansmite,Whichwassohardhiscourtlaxcouldnotbite。
LXXXIX
TheSaracenemployedhisartandforceTogriphisfoewithinhismightyarms,Butheavoidednimblywithhishorse,Hewasnoprenticeinthosefiercealarms,Abouthimmadehemanyawindingcourse,Nostrength,norsleightthesubtlewarriorharms,Hisnimblesteedobeyedhisreadyhand,Andwherehesteptnoprintleftinthesand。
XC
Aswhenacaptaindothbesiegesomehold,Setinamarshorhighuponahill,Andtriethwaysandwilesathousandfold,Tobringthepiecesubjectedtohiswill;
SofaredtheCountywiththePaganbold;
Andwhenhedidhisheadandbreastnoneill,Hisweakerpartshewiselyganassail,Andentrancesearchedoft’twixtmailandmail。
XCI
Atlasthehithimonaplaceortwain,Thatonhisarmstheredbloodtrickleddown,Andyethimselfuntoucheddidremain,Nonailwasbroke,noplumecutfromhiscrown;
Argantesragingspenthisstrengthinvain,Wastewerehisstrokes,histhrustswereidlethrown,Yetpressedheon,anddoubledstillhisblows,Andwherehehitsheneithercaresnorknows。
XCII
AmongathousandblowstheSaracineAtlaststruckone,whenRaymondwassonear,ThatnottheswiftnessofhisAquilineCouldhisdearlordfromthathugedangerbear:
Butlo,athandunseenwashelpdivine,Whichsaveswhenworldlycomfortsnoneappear,Theangelonhistargereceivedthatstroke,AndonthatshieldArgantes’swordwasbroke。
XCIII
Theswordwasbroke,thereinnowonderliesIfearthlytemperedmetalcouldnotholdAgainstthattargetforgedabovetheskies,Downfellthebladeinpiecesonthemould;
TheproudCircassianscantbelievedhiseyes,Thoughnaughtwerelefthimbutthehiltsofgold,Andfullofthoughtsamazedawhilehestood,WonderingtheChristian’sarmorwassogood。
XCIV
Thebrittlewebofthatrichswordhethought,WasbrokethroughhardnessoftheCounty’sshield;
AndsothoughtRaymond,whodiscoverednaughtWhatsuccorHeavendidforhissafetyyield:
ButwhenhesawthemangainstwhomhefoughtUnweaponed,stillstoodheinthefield;
Hisnobleheartesteemedtheglorylight,Atsuchadvantageifheslewtheknight。
XCV
“Gofetch,“hewouldhavesaid,“anotherblade,“
Wheninhisheartabetterthoughtarose,HowforChrist’sgloryhewaschampionmade,HowGodfreyhadhimtothiscombatchose,Thearmy’shonoronhisshoulderlaidTohazardsnewhelistnotthatexpose;
Whilethushisthoughtsdebatedonthecase,ThehiltsArganteshurledathisface。
XCVI
Andforwardspurredhismounturefiercewithal,Withinhisarmslonginghisfoetostrain,Uponwhosehelmtheheavyblowdidfall,Andbentwell-nighthemetaltohisbrain:
Buthe,whosecouragewasheroical,Leaptby,andmakesthePagan’sonsetvain,Andwoundshishand,whichheoutstretchedsaw,Fiercerthaneagles’talon,lions’paw。
XCVII
Nowhere,nowthere,oneverysideherode,Withnimblespeed,andspurrednowout,nowin,AndashewentandcamestilllaidonloadWhereLordArgantes’armswereweakandthin;
Allthathugeforcewhichinhisarmsabode,Hiswrath,hisire,hisgreatdesiretowin,Againsthisfoetogetherallhebent,Andheavenandfortunefurtheredhisintent。
XCVIII
Buthe,whosecouragefornoperilfails,Wellarmed,andbetterhearted,scornshispower。
Likeatallshipwhenspentareallhersails,Whichstillresiststherageofstormandshower,Whosemightyribsfastboundwithbandsandnails,WithstandsfierceNeptune’swrath,formanyanhour,Andyieldsnotupherbruisedkeeltowinds,Inwhosesternblastnoruthnorgraceshefinds:
XCIX
Argantessuchthypresentdangerwas,WhenSatanstirredtoaidtheeatthyneed,Inhumanshapeheforgedanairymass,Andmadetheshadeabodyseemindeed;
WellmightthespiritofClorindapass,Likeheritwas,inarmorandinweed,Instature,beauty,countenanceandface,Inlooks,inspeech,ingesture,andinpace。
C
Andforthespiritshouldseemthesameindeed,Fromwhereshewaswhoseshowandshapeithad,Towardthewallitrodewithfeignedspeed,Wherestoodthepeoplealldismayedandsad,Toseetheirknightofhelphavesogreatneed,Andyetthelawofarmsallhelpforbad。
ThereinaturretsatasoldierstoutTowatch,andataloop-holepeepedout;
CI
Thespiritspaketohim,calledOradine,Thenoblestarcherthenthathandledbow,“OOradine,“quothshe,“whostraightaslineCan’stshoot,andhiteachmarksethighorlow,Ifyonderknight,alas!beslaininfine,Aslikestis,greatruthitwereyouknow,Andgreatershame,ifhisvictoriousfoeShouldwithhisspoilstriumphanthomewardgo。
CII
“Nowprovethyskill,thinearrow’ssharpheaddipInyonderthievishFrenchman’sguiltyblood,IpromisetheethysovereignshallnotslipTogivetheelargerewardsforsuchagood;“
Thussaidthespirit;themandidlaughandskipForhopeoffuturegain,norlongerstood,Butfromhisquiverhugeashafthehent,Andsetitinhismightybownewbent,CIII
Twangedthestring,outflewthequarrellong,Andthroughthesubtleairdidsingingpass,Ithittheknightthebucklesrichamong,Wherewithhispreciousgirdlefastenedwas,Itbruisedthemandpiercedhishauberkstrong,Somelittleblooddowntrickledonthegrass;
Lightwasthewound;theangelbyunseen,Thesharpheadbluntedoftheweaponkeen。
CIV
Raymonddrewforththeshaft,asmuchbehoved,Andwiththesteel,hisbloodoutstreamingcame,Withbitterwordshisfoehethenreproved,Forbreakingfaith,tohiseternalshame。
Godfrey,whosecarefuleyesfromhisbelovedWereneverturned,sawandmarkedthesame,AndwhenheviewedthewoundedCountybleed,Hesighed,andfeared,moreperchancethanneed;
CV
Andwithhiswords,andwithhisthreateningeyes,Hestirredhiscaptainstorevengethatwrong;
Forthwiththespurredcourserforwardhies,Withintheirrestsputweretheirlanceslong,Fromeithersideasquadronbraveoutflies,Andboldlymadeafierceencounterstrong,TheraiseddusttooverspreadbegunTheirshiningarms,andfarmoreshiningsun。
CVI
Ofbreakingspears,ofringinghelmandshield,Adreadfulrumorroaredoneveryside,Therelayahorse,anotherthroughthefieldRanmasterless,dismountedwashisguide;
Hereonelaydead,theredidanotheryield,Somesighed,somesobbed,someprayed,andsomecried;
Fiercewasthefight,andlongerstillitlasted,Fiercerandfewer,stillthemselvestheywasted。
CVII
Argantesnimblyleaptamidthethrong,Andfromasoldierwrunganironmace,Andbreakingthroughtheranksandrangeslong,Therewithhepassagemadehimselfandplace,Raymondhesought,thethickestpressamong。
Totakerevengefor!atereceiveddisgrace,Agreedywolfheseemed,andwouldassuageWithRaymond’sbloodhishungerandhisrage。
CVIII
Thewayhefoundnoteasyashewould,Butfierceencountersputhimofttopain,HemetOrmannoandRogerobold,OfBalnavile,Guy,andtheGerrardstwain;
Yetnothingmighthisrageandhastewithhold,Theseworthiesstrovetostophim,butinvain,Withthesestrongletsincreasedstillhisire,Likeriversstopped,orcloselysmoulderedfire。
CIX
HeslewOrmanno,andwoundedGuy,andlaidRogerolow,amongthepeopleslain,Oneverysidenewtroopsthemaninvade,Yetalltheirblowswerewaste,theironsetsvain,ButwhileArgantesthushisprizesplayed,Andseemedalonethisskirmishtosustain,Thedukehisbrothercalledandthushespake,“Gowiththytroop,fightforthySaviour’ssake;
CX
“Thereenterinwherehottestisthefight,Thyforceagainsttheleftwingstronglybend。“
Thissaid,sobraveanonsetgavetheknight,ThatmanyaPaynimboldtheremadehisend:
TheTurkstooweakseemedtosustainhismight,Andcouldnotfromhispowertheirlivesdefend,Theirensignsrent,andbrokewastheirarray,Andmenandhorseonheapstogetherlay。