Meanwhile Duessa had led the Red Cross Knight to the house of Pride.

    “A stately Palace built of squared brick,
    Which cunningly was without mortar laid,
    Whose walls were high, but nothing strong, nor thick,
    And golden foil all over them displayed,
    That purest sky with brightness they dismayed. 
    High lifted up were many lofty towers
    And goodly galleries far overlaid,
    Full of fair windows, and delightful bowers,
    And on the top a dial told the timely hours.

    It was a goodly heap for to behold,
    And spake the praises of the workman’s wit,
    But full great pity, that so fair a mould
    Did on so weak foundation ever sit;
    For on a sandy hill, that still did flit,
    And fall away, it mounted was full high,
    And every breath of heaven shaked it;
    And all the hinder parts, that few could spy,
    Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly.”

Here the Knight met Sansjoy, the third of the Saracen brothers, and another fearful fight took place.

    “The Saracen was stout, and wondrous strong,
    And heaped blows like iron hammers great: 
    For after blood and vengeance he did long. 
    The Knight was fierce, and full of youthly heat,
    And doubled strokes like dreaded thunder’s threat,
    For all for praise and honour he did fight. 
    Both striken strike, and beaten both do beat
    That from their shields forth flyeth fiery light,
    And helmets hewen deep, show marks of either’s might.”

At last a charmed cloud hid the Saracen from the Knight’s sight.  So the fight ended, and the Knight, sorely wounded, was “laid in sumptuous bed, where many skilful leeches him abide.”

But as he lay there weak and ill the Dwarf came to warn him, for he had spied

“Where, in a dungeon deep, huge numbers lay Of caitiff wretched thralls, that wailed night and day, . . . . . . .  Whose case when as the careful Dwarf had told, And made ensample of their mournful sight Unto his master, he no longer would There dwell in peril of like painful plight, But early rose, and ere that dawning light Discovered had the world to heaven wide, He by a privy postern took his flight, That of no envious eyes he might be spied, For doubtless death ensued, if any him descried.”

When the false Duessa discovered that the Red Cross Knight had fled, she followed him and found him resting beside a fountain.  Not knowing that the water was enchanted, he drank of it, and at once all his manly strength ebbed away, and he became faint and feeble.  Then, when he was too weak to hold a sword or spear, he saw a fearful sight:—­

    “With sturdy steps came stalking in his sight,
    An hideous Giant horrible and high,
    That with his tallness seemed to threat the sky,
    The ground eke groaned under him for dread;
    His living like saw never living eye,
    Nor durst behold; his stature did exceed
    The height of three the tallest sons of mortal seed.”