through it into a second chamber, whose walls were lined with silver and gold, where she saw another door above which the same words were written twice.  Opening this door also, Britomart entered into a third apartment, sparkling with precious stones, in the centre of which she saw an altar surmounted by a statue of Love.  Further investigation revealed also the fact that it boasted another door above which was the inscription “Be bold, but not too bold.”

Pondering on the meaning of this warning, Britomart decided not to open it, but to take up her vigil fully armed beside the altar.  As the clock struck midnight, the mysterious door flew open, and through its portals came a strange procession of beasts and queer mortals, leading the doleful Amoret, who had a dagger thrust into her heart and stumbled along in mortal pain.  Although Britomart would fain have gone to Amoret’s rescue, she was rooted to the soil by a spell too powerful to break, and, therefore, remained inactive while the procession circled around the altar, and again vanished behind the door, which closed with an ominous clang.  Then only the spell lost its power, and Britomart, springing toward the door, vainly tried to open it.  Not being able to do so, she decided to continue mounting guard on this spot in hopes of catching another glimpse of the suffering lady.  But only twenty-four hours later the door reopened and the same procession appeared; it was about to vanish a second time when Britomart, by a violent effort, broke the spell and dashed into the next apartment before the door closed.

There, finding the magician Brusirane on the point of binding Amoret fast to a post, she struck him so powerful a blow that he was obliged to recognize he was in her power.  Britomart was about to slay him when Amoret reminded her he alone could heal her wound and free the other inmates of the castle from magic thraldom.  At the point of her sword, therefore, Britomart compelled the magician to undo his spells, and, when he had pronounced the necessary words, Amoret stood before her as whole and as well as on her wedding-morn when snatched away from her bridegroom.  Seeing this, Britomart bade Amoret follow her out of the castle, assuring her that her husband was waiting without and would be overjoyed to see her once more.  But, although the rescued lady now gladly followed her deliverer, she was sorely dismayed on reaching the forest to find that Sir Scudamore and Britomart’s nurse and squire had gone away, evidently deeming them both lost.  To comfort poor Amoret, Britomart suggested that they ride after their companions, a proposal which Amoret gladly accepted.

BOOK IV.  LEGEND OF COMBEL AND TRIAMOND, OR OF FRIENDSHIP

As Britomart conjectured, Sir Scudamore, deeming it impossible she should survive the heat of the flames which had so sorely scorched him, persuaded the nurse to ride on with him, in hopes of encountering knights who would help him rescue his bride.