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horseback seeking a strayed heifer, she begged him to come to her
assistance, and endeavor to remove the wounded man to a more secure
asylum.
Angelica, having prepared the plants by bruising them between two
stones, laid them with her fair hand on Medoro's wound. The remedy soon
restored in some degree the strength of the wounded man, who, before he
would quit the spot, made them cover with earth and turf the bodies of
his friend and of the prince. Then surrendering himself to the pity of
his deliverers, he allowed them to place him on the horse of the
shepherd, and conduct him to his cottage. It was a pleasant farmhouse
on the borders of the wood, bearing marks of comfort and competency.
There the shepherd lived with his wife and children. There Angelica
tended Medoro, and there, by the devoted care of the beautiful queen,
his sad wound closed over, and he recovered his perfect health.
troop, and, observing that they dispersed themselves over the plain as
if in search of booty, told Medoro to lay down the body, and let each
save himself by flight. He dropped his part, thinking that Medoro would
do the same; but the good youth loved his prince too well to abandon
him, and continued to carry his load singly as well as he might, while
Cloridan made his escape. Near by there was a part of the wood tufted
as if nothing but wild animals had ever penetrated it. The unfortunate
youth, loaded with the weight of his dead master, plunged into its
recesses.
Cloridan, when he perceived that he had evaded his foes, discovered
that Medoro was not with him. "Ah!" exclaimed he, "how could I, dear
Medoro, so forget myself as to consult my own safety without heeding
yours?" So saying, he retraced the tangled passes of the wood toward
the place from whence he had fled. As he approached he heard the noise
quarters came together at our court. Among these Zerbino, son of the
king of Scotland, victorious in all combats, eclipsed by his beauty and
his valor all the rest. Before departing from the court of Galicia he
testified the wish to espouse me, and I consented that he should demand
my hand of the king, my father. But I was a Mahometan, and Zerbino a
Christian, and my father refused his consent. The prince, called home
by his father to take command of the forces destined to the assistance
of the French Emperor, prevailed on me to be married to him secretly,
and to follow him to Scotland. He caused a galley to be prepared to
receive me, and placed in command of it the chevalier Oderic, a
Biscayan, famous for his exploits both by land and sea. On the day
appointed, Oderic brought his vessel to a seaside resort of my
father's, where I embarked. Some of my domestics accompanied me, and
thus I departed from my native land.
Pinabel, the son of Count Anselm, had been treacherously slain. At
these words the prisoner exclaimed, "I am no murderer, nor have I been
in any way the cause of the young man's death." Orlando, knowing the
cruel and ferocious character of the chiefs of the house of Maganza,
needed no more to satisfy him that the youth was the victim of
injustice. He commanded the leader of the troop to release his victim,
and, receiving an insolent reply, dashed him to the earth with a stroke
of his lance; then by a few vigorous blows dispersed the band, leaving
deadly marks on those who were slowest to quit the field.
Orlando then hastened to unbind the prisoner, and to assist him to
reclothe himself in his armor, which the false Magencian had dared to
assume. He then led him to Isabella, who now approached the scene of
action. How can we picture the joy, the astonishment, with which
Isabella recognized in him Zerbino, her husband, and the prince
search of until dawn of day, were it not that the moon lent the aid of
her uncertain rays.
Medoro raised his eyes to the planet, and exclaimed, "O holy goddess,
whom our fathers have adored under three different forms,--thou who
displayest thy power in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld,--thou
who art seen foremost among the nymphs chasing the beasts of the
forest,--cause me to see, I implore thee, the spot where my dear master
lies, and make me all my life long follow the example which thou dost
exhibit of works of charity and love."
Either by accident, or that the moon was sensible of the prayer of
Medoro, the cloud broke away, and the moonlight burst forth as bright
as day. The rays seemed especially to gild the spot where lay the body
of Prince Dardinel; and Medoro, bathed in tears and with bleeding
