But Fortune stands watching in secret to baffle our designs.  While Charles was thus hugging himself with delight, Orlando governed every thing at court, and this made Gan burst with envy; so that he began one day talking with Charles after the following manner—­“Are we always to have Orlando for our master?  I have thought of speaking to you about it a thousand times.  Orlando has a great deal too much presumption.  Here are we, counts, dukes, and kings, at your service, but not at his; and we have resolved not to be governed any longer by one so much younger than ourselves.  You began in Aspramont to give him to understand how valiant he was, and that he did great things at that fountain; whereas, if it had not been for the good Gerard, I know very well where the victory would have been.  The truth is, he has an eye upon the crown.  This, Charles, is the worthy who has deserved so much!  All your generals are afflicted at it.  As for me, I shall repass those mountains over which I came to you with seventy-two counts.  Do you take him for a Mars?”

Orlando happened to hear these words as he sat apart, and it displeased him with the lord of Pontiers that he should speak so, but much more that Charles should believe him.  He would have killed Gan, if Uliviero had not prevented him and taken his sword out of his hand; nay, he would have killed Charlemagne; but at last he went from Paris by himself, raging with scorn and grief.  He borrowed, as he went, of Ermillina the wife of Ogier, the Dane’s sword Cortana and his horse Rondel, and proceeded on his way to Brava.  His wife, Alda the Fair, hastened to embrace him; but while she was saying, “Welcome, my Orlando,” he was going to strike her with his sword, for his head was bewildered, and he took her for the traitor.  The fair Alda marvelled greatly, but Orlando recollected himself, and she took hold of the bridle, and he leaped from his horse, and told her all that had passed, and rested himself with her for some days.

He then took his leave, being still carried away by his disdain, and resolved to pass over into Heathendom; and as he rode, he thought, every step of the way, of the traitor Gan; and so, riding on wherever the road took him, he reached the confines between the Christian countries and the Pagan, and came upon an abbey, situate in a dark place in a desert.

Now above the abbey was a great mountain, inhabited by three fierce giants, one of whom was named Passamonte, another Alabastro, and the third Morgante; and these giants used to disturb the abbey by throwing things down upon it from the mountain with slings, so that the poor little monks could not go out to fetch wood or water.  Orlando knocked, but nobody would open till the abbot was spoken to.  At last the abbot came himself, and opening the door bade him welcome.  The good man told him the reason of the delay, and said that since the arrival of the giants they had been so perplexed that they did not know what to do.