Orlando Furioso Part 75

If to my inmost heart the arrow goes, Which Love directs, may well by you be wist.

She leads me to her chamber of repose In haste, not suffers others to a.s.sist In taking off my panoply of steel; Disarming me herself from head to heel.

LV "Then, ordering from her store a costly vest, She spread it, and -- as I a woman were -- The lady me in that rich garment drest, And in a golden net confined my hair.

I gravely moved my eye-b.a.l.l.s, nor confest, By gesture or by look, the s.e.x I bear.

My voice, which might discover the deceit, I tuned so well that none perceived the cheat.

LVI "Next to the hall, where dame and cavalier In crowds are gathered, we united go; Who make to us such court and goodly cheer, As men to queen or high-born lady show.

Here oft I laughed at some, with secret jeer, Who, knowing not the s.e.x concealed below My flowing robe of feminine array, Wooed me with wishful eyes in wanton way.

LVII "When more advanced in now the festive night, And the rich board -- board plenteously purveyed With what in season was most exquisite -- Has been some time removed, the royal maid Expects not till I of myself recite The cause, which thither me anew conveyed: By her own courtesy and kindness led, That lady prays me to partake her bed.

LVIII "Damsels and dames withdrawn -- with all the rest -- Pages and chamberlains, when now we lay, One and the other, in our bed undrest, With kindled torches, counterfeiting day; 'Marvel not, lady,' (her I thus addrest,) 'That I return after such short delay; For, haply, thou imagined, that again Thou shouldst not see me until Heaven knows when.

LIX " 'The reason I departed from thy side, And next of my return, explained shall be.

Could I unto thy fever have applied, By longer sojourn here, a remedy, I in thy service would have lived and died, Nor would have been an hour away from thee: But seeing how my stay increased thy woe, I, who could do no better, fixed to go.

LX " 'Into the middle of a wood profound By chance I from the beaten pathway strayed: Where near me plaintive cries I hear resound, As of a woman who intreated aid.

To a lake of crystal I pursue the sound, And, there, amid the waves, a naked maid Caught on the fish-hook of a Faun, survey, Who would devour alive his helpless prey.

LXI " 'Upon the losel, sword in hand, I ran, And, for I could not aid in other wise, Bereft of life that evil fisherman.

She in an instant to the water flies.

-- 'Me hast thou helped not vainly,' (she began) And well shalt be rewarded -- with what prize Thou canst demand -- for know I am a nymph, And have my dwelling in this crystal lymph;

LXII " 'And power is mine to work portentous ends; Nature and Elements I force: thy prayer Shape to the scope to which my strength extends, And leave its satisfaction to my care.

Charmed by my song the moon from Heaven descends; Fire can I freeze, and harden liquid air; And I at times have stopt the sun, and stirred This earth beneath me by a simple word.'

LXIII "Treasure I covet not, nor yet aspire O'er land or people to hold sovereign sway; Nor greater strength nor valour would acquire, Nor fame in every warfare bear away; But only to accomplish thy desire, Entreat the damsel she will show some way.

Nor one nor other method I forestall; But to her choice refer me, all in all.

LXIV "Scarce my demand was made, before mine eye Beneath the lymph engulphed that lady viewed: Nor answered she my prayer, but, for reply, Me with the enchanted element bedewed; Which has no sooner touched my face than I, I know not how, am utterly transmewed: I see, I feel -- yet doubting what I scan -- Feel, I am changed from woman into man.

LXV - LXIX (Stazas LXV - LXIX untranslated by Rose)

LXX "The thing remained concealed between us two; So that our bliss endured some months; at last We were espied; and, as I sorely rue, The tidings to the Spanish monarch past.

Thou that whilere preserved'st me from the crew, Which me into the flames designed to cast, By this mayst fully comprehend the rest; But G.o.d alone can read my sorrowing breast."

LXXI So Richardetto spake, and by his say Made the dark path they trod less irksome be.

Up a small height this while their journey lay, Girded with cliff and cavern, drear to see.

Bristling with rocks, a steep and narrow way Was to that rugged hill the stubborn key; A town, called Agrismonte, crowned the steep, Which Aldigier of Clermont had in keep.

LXXII b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Buovo, brother to the pair, Sir Vivian and Sir Malagigi hight: Who him Gerardo's lawful son declare, Are witnesses of little worth and light.

-- This, as it may! -- strong, valiant, wise, and ware, Liberal, humane, and courteous was the knight; And on the fortress of its absent lord, By night and day, kept faithful watch and ward.

LXXIII His cousin Richardetto, as behoved, Was courteously received by Aldigier; Who him as dearly as a brother loved, And made Rogero for his sake good cheer; But not with wonted welcome; -- inly moved -- He even wore a visage sad and drear: For he, that day, ill-tidings had received, And hence in heart and face the warrior grieved.

LXXIV To Richardetto he exclaims, instead Of greeting: "Evil news are hither blown.

By a sure messenger, to-day I read That faithless Bertolagi of Bayonne, With barbarous Lanfusa has agreed, And costly spoils makes over to that crone; Who will consign to him the brethren twain, Thy Malagigi and thy Viviane;

LXXV "These she, since Ferrau took them, aye has stayed Imprisoned in a dark and evil cell; Till the discourteous and foul pact was made With that false Maganzese of whom I tell; And them to-morrow, to a place conveyed 'Twixt Bayonne and a town of his, will sell To him, who will be present, to advance The price of the most precious blood in France.

LXXVI "One, at a gallop, even now, to report Tidings to our Rinaldo of the wrong, I sent; bur fear that he can ill resort To him in time, the journey is so long.

Men have I not to sally from my fort; And my power halts where my desire is strong.

The traitor will the knights, if rendered, slay; Nor know I what to do nor what to say."

LXXVII Sir Richardetto the ill news displease, And (as they him) displease in equal wise Rogero; who, when silent both he sees, Nor able any counsel to devise, Exclaims with mickle daring: "Be at ease; I challenge for myself the whole emprize; And, to set free your brethren, in my hand More than a thousand shall avail this brand.

LXXVIII "I ask not men, I ask not aid; my spear Is, I believe, sufficient to the feat.

I only ask of you a guide to steer Me to the place where for the exchange they meet: I even in this place will make you hear Their cries, who for that evil bargain threat."

He said; nor to one listener of the twain, That had helped his actions, spake in vain.

LXXIX The other heard him not, or heard at most As we great talkers hear, who little do: But Richardetto took aside their host And told how him he from the fire withdrew; And how he was a.s.sured, beyond his boast, He would in time and place his prowess shew.

'Twas now that better audience than before Aldigier lent, and set by him great store;

Lx.x.x And at the feast, where Plenty for the three Emptied her horn, him honoured as his lord.

Here they conclude they can the brethren free Without more succour from their gaoler's ward.

This while Sleep seized on lord and family, Save young Rogero: no repose afford To him the thoughts, which evermore molest, And, rankling in his bosom, banish rest.

Lx.x.xI The siege of Agramant, to him that day Told by the messenger, he has at heart.

He well discerns that every least delay Will he dishonour. What a ceaseless smart Will scorn inflict, what shame will him appay, If he against his sovereign lord take part?

Oh! what foul cowardice, how foul a crime His baptism will appear at such a time!

Lx.x.xII That true religion had the stripling swayed Men might at any other time conceive: But now, when needed was the warrior's aid From siege the Moorish monarch to relieve, That Fear and Baseness had more largely weighed, In his designs, would every one believe, That any preference of a better creed: This thought makes good Rogero's bosom bleed.

Lx.x.xIII Nor less to quit his Queen, her leave unsought, Did with Rogero's other griefs combine: Now this and now that care upon him wrought; Which diversely his doubtful heart incline: The unhappy lover fruitlessly had thought To find her at the abode of Flordespine; Whither together went (as told whilere) To succour Richardetto, maid and peer.

Lx.x.xIV He next bethinks him of the promise plight To meet at Vallombrosa's sanctuary, Deems her gone thither, and that 'twill excite Her wonderment himself not there to see.

Could he at least a message send or write, That he with reason might not censured be, Because not only he had disobeyed, But was departing hence, and nothing said!

Lx.x.xV He, having thought on many things, in the end Resolves on writing what behoves; and, though He knows not how his letter he shall send, In the a.s.surance it will safely go, This hinders not; he thinks that, as they wend, Chance in his way some faithful Post may throw; Nor more delays: up leaps the restless knight, And calls for pen and paper, ink and light.

Lx.x.xVI That which is needed, in obedience meet, Aldigier's valets bring, a careful band, The youth begins to write; and, first, to greet The maid, as wonted courtesies demand; Next tells how Agramant has sent to entreat, In his dispatches, succour at his hand; And, save he quickly to his comfort goes, Must needs be slain or taken by his foes.

Lx.x.xVII Then adds, his sovereign being so bested, And praying him for succour in his pain, She must perceive what blame upon his head Would light, if Agramant applied in vain; And, since with her he is about to wed, 'Tis fitting he should keep him with stain; For ill he deems a union could endure Between aught foul and her to pa.s.sing pure.

Lx.x.xVIII And if he erst a name, renowned and clear, Had laboured to procure by actions fair, And having gained it thus, he held it dear, -- If this had sought to keep -- with greater care He kept it now, -- and with a miser's fear Guarded the treasure she with him would share; Who, though distinct in body and in limb, When wedded, ought to be one soul with him;

Lx.x.xIX And, as he erst by word, he now explained Anew by writing, that the period o'er, For which he was to serve his king constrained, Unless it were his lot to die before, He would in deed a Christian be ordained, As in resolve he had been evermore; And of her kin, Rinaldo and her sire, Her afterwards in wedlock would require.

XC "I would," he said, "relieve, with your good will, My king, besieged by Charlemagne's array, That the misjudging rabble, p.r.o.ne to ill, Might never, to my shame and scandal, say: Rogero, in fair wind and weather, still Waited upon his sovereign, night and day, And now that Fortune to King Charles is fled, Has with that conquering lord his ensign spread.'

XCI "I fifteen days or twenty ask, that I Yet once again may to our army speed; So that, by me from leaguering enemy The African cantonments may be freed: I will some fit and just occasion spy, Meanwhile, to justify my change of creed, I for my honour make this sole request; Then wholly yours for life, in all things, rest."

XCII Rogero is such words his thoughts exposed, Which never could by me be fully showed; And added more, nor from his task reposed, Until the crowded paper overflowed: He next the letter folded and enclosed, And sealed it, and within his bosom stowed; In hopes to meet next morning by the way One who might covertly that writ convey.

XCIII When he had closed the sheet, that amorous knight His eyelids closed as well, and rest ensued: For Slumber came and steeped his wearied might In balmy moisture, from a branch imbued With Lethe's water; and he slept till -- white And red -- a rain of flowers the horizon strewed, Painting the joyous east with colours gay; When from her golden dwelling broke the day:

XCIV And when the greenwood birds 'gan, far and wide, Greet the returning light with gladsome strain, Sir Aldigier (who wished to be the guide, Upon that journey, of the warlike twain, Who would in succour of those brethren ride, To rescue them from Bertolagi's chain) Was first upon his feet; and either peer Issues as well from bed, when him they hear.

XCV When clad and thoroughly in arms arrayed -- Rogero with the cousins took his way, Having that pair already warmly prayed The adventure on himself alone to lay: But these, by love for those two brethren swayed, And deeming it discourtesy to obey, Stood out against his prayer, more stiff than stone, Nor would consent that he should wend alone.