Marsilius has now made his first movement towards the destruction of Orlando, by sending before him his vassal-king Blanchardin with his presents of wines and other luxuries.  The temperate but courteous hero took them in good part, and distributed them as the traitor wished; and then Blanchardin, on pretence of going forward to salute Charlemagne at St. John Pied de Port, returned and put himself at the head of the second army, which was the post assigned him by his liege lord.  The device on his flag was an “Apollo” on a field azure.  King Falseron, whose son Orlando had slain in battle, headed the first army, the device of which was a black figure of the devil Belphegor on a dapple-grey field.  The third army was under King Balugante, and had for ensign a Mahomet with golden wings in a field of red.  Marsilius made a speech to them at night, in which he confessed his ill faith, but defended it on the ground of Charles’s hatred of their religion, and of the example of “Judith and Holofernes.”  He said, that he had not come there to pay tribute, and sell his countrymen for slaves, but to make all Christendom pay tribute to them as conquerors; and he concluded by recommending to their good-will the son of his friend Gan, whom they would know by the vest he had sent him, and who was the only soul among the Christians they were to spare.

This son of Gan, meantime, and several of the Paladins who were disgusted with Charles’s credulity, and anxious at all events to be with Orlando, had joined the hero in the fated valley; so that the little Christian host, considering the tremendous valour of their lord and his friends, and the comparative inefficiency of that of the infidels, were at any rate not to be sold for nothing.  Rinaldo, alas! the second thunderbolt of Christendom, was destined not to be there in time to save their lives.  He could only avenge the dreadful tragedy, and prevent still worse consequences to the whole Christian court and empire.  The Paladins had in vain begged Orlando to be on his guard against treachery, and send for a more numerous body of men.  The great heart of the Champion of the Faith was unwilling to think the worst as long as he could help it.  He refused to summon aid that might be superfluous; neither would he do any thing but what his liege lord had desired.  And yet he could not wholly repress a misgiving.  A shadow had fallen on his heart, great and cheerful as it was.  The anticipations of his friends disturbed him, in spite of the face with which he met them.  I am not sure that he did not, by a certain instinctive foresight, expect death itself; but he felt bound not to encourage the impression.  Besides, time pressed; the moment of the looked-for tribute was at hand; and little combinations of circumstances determine often the greatest events.

King Blanchardin had brought Orlando’s people a luxurious supper; King Marsilius was to arrive early next day with the tribute; and Uliviero accordingly, with the morning sun, rode forth to reconnoitre, and see if he could discover the peaceful pomp of the Spanish court in the distance.  Guottibuoffi was with him, a warrior who had expected the very worst, and repeatedly implored Orlando to believe it possible.  Uliviero and he rode up the mountain nearest them, and from the top of it beheld the first army of Marsilius already forming in the passes.