XXX

At last with creeping crooked pace forth came
  An old old man, with beard as white as snow,
  That on a staffe his feeble steps did frame,
  And guide his wearie gate both to and fro:  265
  For his eye sight him failed long ygo,
  And on his arme a bounch of keyes he bore,
  The which unused rust[*] did overgrow: 
  Those were the keyes of every inner dore,
But he could not them use, but kept them still in store. 270

XXXI

But very uncouth sight was to behold,
  How he did fashion his untoward pace,
  For as he forward moov’d his footing old,
  So backward still was turnd his wrincled face,
  Unlike to men, who ever as they trace, 275
  Both feet and face one way are wont to lead. 
  This was the auncient keeper of that place,
  And foster father of the Gyant dead;
His name Ignaro did his nature right aread.

XXXII

His reverend haires and holy gravitie 280
  The knight much honord, as beseemed well,
  And gently askt, where all the people bee,
  Which in that stately building wont to dwell. 
  Who answerd him full soft, he could not tell. 
  Again he askt, where that same knight was layd, 285
  Whom great Orgoglio with his puissance fell
  Had made his caytive thrall, againe he sayde,
He could not tell:  ne ever other answere made.

XXXIII

Then asked he, which way he in might pas: 
  He could not tell, againe he answered. 290
  Thereat the curteous knight displeased was,
  And said, Old sire, it seemes thou hast not red
  How ill it sits with that same silver hed,
  In vaine to mocke, or mockt in vaine to bee: 
  But if thou be, as thou art pourtrahed 295
  With natures pen,[*] in ages grave degree,
Aread in graver wise, what I demaund of thee.

XXXIV

His answere likewise was, he could not tell. 
  Whose sencelesse speach, and doted ignorance
  When as the noble Prince had marked well, 300
  He ghest his nature by his countenance,
  And calmd his wrath with goodly temperance. 
  Then to him stepping, from his arme did reach
  Those keyes, and made himselfe free enterance. 
  Each dore he opened without any breach; 305
There was no barre to stop, nor foe him to empeach.

XXXV

There all within full rich arrayd he found,
  With royall arras and resplendent gold. 
  And did with store of every thing abound,
  That greatest Princes[*] presence might behold. 310
  But all the floore (too filthy to be told)
  With bloud of guiltlesse babes, and innocents trew,[*]
  Which there were slaine, as sheepe out of the fold,
  Defiled was, that dreadfull was to vew,
And sacred ashes over it was strowed new.[*] 315