for Orlando was there, and a band of fresh knights were about him, and Agrican in vain attempted to rally his troops.  The Paladin kept him constantly in his front, forcing him to attend to nobody else.  The Tartar king, who cared not a button for Galafron and all his army,[1] provided he could but rid himself of this terrible knight (whom he guessed at, but did not know), bethought him of a stratagem.  He turned his horse, and made a show of flying in despair.  Orlando dashed after him, as he desired; and Agrican fled till he reached a green place in a wood, with a fountain in it.

The place was beautiful, and the Tartar dismounted to refresh himself at the fountain, but without taking off his helmet, or laying aside any of his armour.  Orlando was quickly at his back, crying out, “So bold, and yet such a fugitive!  How could you fly from a single arm, and yet think to escape?  When a man can die with honour, he should be glad to die; for he may live and fare worse.  He may get death and infamy together.”

The Tartar king had leaped on his saddle the moment he saw his enemy; and when the Paladin had done speaking, he said in a mild voice, “Without doubt you are the best knight I ever encountered; and fain would I leave you untouched for your own sake, if you would cease to hinder me from rallying my people.  I pretended to fly, in order to bring you out of the field.  If you insist upon fighting, I must needs fight and slay you; but I call the sun in the heavens to witness, that I would rather not.  I should be very sorry for your death.”

The County Orlando felt pity for so much gallantry; and he said,” The nobler you shew yourself, the more it grieves me to think, that in dying without a knowledge of the true faith, you will be lost in the other world.  Let me advise you to save body and soul at once.  Receive baptism, and go your way in peace.”

Agrican looked him in the face, and replied, “I suspect you to be the Paladin Orlando.  If you are, I would not lose this opportunity of fighting with you, to be king of Paradise.  Talk to me no more about your things of the other world; for you will preach in vain.  Each of us for himself, and let the sword be umpire.”

No sooner said than done.  The Tartar drew his sword, boldly advancing upon Orlando; and a cut and thrust fight began, so long and so terrible, each warrior being a miracle of prowess, that the story says it lasted from noon till night.  Orlando then, seeing the stars come out, was the first to propose a respite.  “What are we to do,” said he, “now that daylight has left us?”

Agrican answered readily enough, “Let us repose in this meadow, and renew the combat at dawn.”

The repose was taken accordingly.  Each tied up his horse, and reclined himself on the grass, not far from one another, just as if they had been friends,—­Orlando by the fountain, Agrican beneath a pine.  It was a beautiful clear night; and as they talked together, before addressing themselves to sleep, the champion of Christendom, looking up at the firmament, said, “That is a fine piece of workmanship, that starry spectacle.  God made it all,—­that moon of silver, and those stars of gold, and the light of day and the sun,—­all for the sake of human kind.”