Orlando in Love, Episode 22:  Treachery's Reward

The fair princess Angelica,
  most beautiful in all the world,
 is now in peril, under siege,
  within her fortress at Albraka.

She'd left Albraka to seek aid,
 and returned with several valiant knights,
 including Count Orlando,.greatest Paladin of Charlemagne.
They'd fought their way  through the enemy's ranks
 to reach the safety of the castle.

That castle was not safe yet, though.
A traitor'd taken charge of it,
 False Truf-al-dino, Baghdad's King.
He'd treacherously taken captive
  the loyal knights who stayed behind,
 and would not let the new knights in
  until they swore to be his aid,
  to champion him 'gainst all foes,
  and fight for him against the *world*.

The next day, these knights sallied forth
 to fight some more against the foe.
Orlando chased an enemy king
 until they were _far_ from the field.
Orlando overcame his foe,
 and won from him a /special/ prize:

That king had, somewhat earlier,
 gotten posession of a horse,
  the greatest steed in all the world,
Baiardo was that charger's name;
 the Paladin _Rinaldo_, his true owner, had lost track of him,
  and he had fallen to strange hands.

Orlando now rides good Baiard,
 and lends his own steed, Brigliador,
 to a friend of his, whose horse had died.


While all of this was going on,
 Rinaldo was himself not far.
He'd found himself another steed,
 a magic horse named Rabicano.

/This/ horse had been owned by a lady,
 who had been cruelly murdered by that treacherous rogue, King Truf-al-dino.
When Rinaldo heard of her sad fate,
 he swore that he would _kill_ that king.

Rinaldo came upon Albraka,
 surrounded by the numerous foe.
The siege is now commanded by Marfisa, saracen warrior queen.
When Rinaldo learns that Truf-al-dino's hiding there,
  within the fortress,
 he joins forces with Marfisa,
  wanting to kill that villainous hound.

At the first light of the day,
 Rinaldo armed and blew his horn  to call forth Truf-al-din, the trickster.
He sounds, he shouts, and he declares  that king a renegade and traitor.
Five.knights came out with Truf-al-dino
 to answer his audacious challenge.

King Truf-al-dino stayed back
 as the five knights fought on his behalf.
Rinaldo.and.Marfisa (and some friends of theirs) attacked them, hard.

The battle's hot, and goes all day,
 Rinaldo gradually gaining ground.
When evil Truf-al-dino saw his knights _fall back_ before that blade,
 as one who had a lot to fear,
 he fled, and reached the fortress walls.

Rinaldo, seeing he'd escaped,
 called off the battle they'd begun
 but made the others _promise_ they'd return _with_ Truf-al-din next day.

"We will conclude our battle,                           (R)
  and_that _foul assassin_ will be killed,
 or truly, I myself will die --
  if God confuses wrong and right."


Let's leave the knights in their pavilions,
  where they will rest till morning comes,
 and go to rejoin with Orlando.
He rides so hard, with so much will,
 he soon has reached Albraka's gates.
The sun already sloped toward evening,
 when Orlando, that invincible knight,
  faced the citadel's high walls.

He has not come back from a /dance/,
 his arms are split, his crest is gone,
 he has no lance, nor shield with him.
But still he showed great arrogance,
 such pride, such fierceness in his manner,
 that any who saw him on Baiardo  would say,
"Here is the *flower* of _valour_!"

When Orlando reached the castle gates
 and fair Angelica came forth,
 he leaped at once from off his horse.
She doffed his arms in person,
 and,  taking his helm off, kissed his mouth.
When Orlando feels her face so close,
 he thinks he's died and gone to heaven.

The maiden had a bath prepared,
  sweetly perfumed (perhaps too restful),
 and she undressed the knight herself,
  kissing him ardently and often.

She oiled his body with a balm
  to chase the bruises from his skin,
 since when a man is weak and worn,
  this ointment makes him bold and strong.

Orlando stayed in modest silence
 while.Angelica massaged him well,
 and truly felt tremendous joy,
  though *no* part.of.him was.seen to /grow/.

Entering then, the scented bath,
  he washed himself from top to toe,
 and when he'd dried, with great delight,
  he went to bed for a short nap.

After that, Angelica led him to a richly furnished room,
 where Orlando sat down happily
  to feast upon the finest food.

After he'd dined, the bright-faced maiden,
  hugging the Count around his neck,
 asked him as sweetly as she could
  if he would do *one* thing for her.

"Only one thing, my Count," she said,                   (R)
"Promise it.  Do not say no,  if you want me to be yours,
  because  you'll _win_ me if you do this service.
 Don't think I'm so discourteous
  that I'd request what you can't give.
 I only ask that, for my love,
  for *one* day you'll show _all_ your prowess.

"Don't think of anything on earth                       (R)
  but that I may observe your best.
 I'll watch to see if you are bold --
  and I won't take my eyes off you
  until you've hurled down every standard
   carried by those men on the field.
 I know you're equal to the task.

"A fierce and moody woman, named Marfisa, now besieges me,
  and if you don't help,
  I'll be caught  by one who has such hate for me       (R)
   she'll flay and torture me to death."

So spoke the maiden, and she wept,
 bathing Orlando's face with tears.
Orlando barely kept himself
  from donning armor instantly,
 and, though he did not /speak/,
 his eyes rolled in his head -- they _flashed_, they *glowed*.   @

After his rage /somewhat/ subsided,
 he faced the maid.  He looked like fire.
Angelica could hardly bear
 to _look_ at his appalling face.

The Count said,
"Lady, I consider  this mission heaven-sent, a grace,   (L)
  and I will chase, and _catch_, and *kill*,
   this woman who makes you complain.
 Should _all_ the *world* put armor on  and join her,
  I'd still make that boast."

Angelica was happy when she heard Orlando's offer,
 since she knew the Count's amazing prowess.
Angelica then took her leave.
She was content,
 rejoicing over  the promise of that cavalier,
 so proud to have him for a lover
  Marfisa does not worry her.


Aquilant and Grifone entered
 Orlando's chamber, and embraced him.
Aquilant told the Count
"You'll need  your strength tomorrow on the plain,         (R)
  since you will face *Rinaldo* then.

"He came here, and I don't know why,                       (R)
   but.it seems that he has lost his mind
  since he has challenged everyone  within these walls, disgracing us.
 Grifon talked to him, as did I,
  but he refused to compromise,
  and we were forced to fight with him."

"You're sure it's *he*?" Orlando asked,                      (L)
"That you're not seeing someone else?"
Aquilant said, "I swear to God!                              (R)
 I stood before him and conversed,
  and then I fought him, sword to sword --
 Do you think I'm so absent-minded,
  so witless I don't know /Rinaldo/?"

Grifone gave the same account --
 they'd recognized him past all doubt --
And when Orlando understood,  his look changed:
He'd been questioning;  
 now he grew jealous in his mind
  to think Rinaldo might have come  for _love_ of fair Angelica.
Great sadness hammers at his heart.

He quickly took leave of the brothers
 and went inside his room alone,
  wringing his hands and pacing round             @
  while burning with contempt and scorn.
Then, with insane sighs and laments,
  he tumbled on the bed, still dressed,           @
 and there Orlando wept;
 in words of woe did he complain and mourn:

"Ah, sad and sorry human life                                 (L)
  in which no pleasure ever lasts!
 Just as a day of sun and light
   is quickly followed by black night,
  so never was a thing of joy
   unmingled with misfortune --
 Grief  endures forever, it won't cease,
  but moments of delight are brief.





"All this applies to my sad case:                             (L)
 I was received and honored by
  the maid with the angelic face,
  and I thought I would never pine  again,
   but this news ruins me!
 My grief grows:
  there's more agony  in losing what you have acquired
   than in not gaining your desire.

"I've traveled to the ends of earth                           (L)
   to try and win this lady's love,
  and this past day I've had such joy,
   I never could imagine more!
 Fortune denies a _second_ day,
  because Rinaldo comes my way -- /unbid/.
 God knows he has no right --
  but _one_ of us will surely die.

"I always did my best to favor  him                           (L)
  at Charlemagne's grand court.
 A thousand times when he'd been banished
  I returned him to my lord's grace.

"He has no love or reverence  for me,                         (L)
   although I have not pressed  the issue,
  thinking that my prudence  would moderate his craziness.
 My patience now is wearing thin
   because one dish won't serve two gluttons.
 I am determined this will end:
  Rulers, /and lovers/, need no friends!

"If he escapes,                                               (L)
  he's so malicious  he will eventually _steal_ the maid.
 He knows the tricks of flattery,
  and he is worse than any demon:
 If *I* disturbed a single hair  on any woman's head, I'd swoon --
 I don't know how to end, or start,
  unless _she_ taught me, lent me heart.

"What!  Am I saying we will *break*                           (L)
  the friendship and the family ties
   that our two houses long have had?
 I'm doing wrong, I know it's true,
  but Love won't let me do what's right --
 So let's have *swords*
  and split apart  our ancient friendship, our blood bonds,
  our common love for this one girl!"

Thus, with a grieving, burning heart,
 Orlando... 'reasons' with himself.
He did not sleep at all that night
 but often tossed from side to side.        @
Time passes, unperceived by him,
 who cursed the moon and every star,
 since they don't turn yet to the west  to make room for the morning's rays.

Three hours before the morning came  Orlando rose,
 and he was raging.
Orlando seems to be a storm,
 pacing his room, in all his arms.          @
He wears his fine enchanted helm,
 and Durindan is at his side.
Down to the stable yard he goes
 to outfit that stout steed Baiardo.

Returning to the courtyard, he~looks east to see if light appears,
  unable to endure delay,
 and gnaws upon his fingernails.            @

Orlando, like a thunderbolt,
 goes back and forth and grinds his teeth.  @
He drew out Durindan in rage,               @
 as if his enemies were all  before him;
 on all sides he swings.                    @

Before him, in the courtyard,
 was a marble statue of Macon,
 a sculpture of colossal size.
The Count attacks it ruinously,
 and from its forehead to its feet  fine Durindana shatters it.
He thrusts and backhands it until  he wrecks it,
 knocking chunks to earth.

Thus the Count Orlando raged
  while waiting for the light of day,
 but bold Rinaldo, in the field,
  is no less far from any rest.
/He/ is now armed, he holds Fusberta
 and storms just like a man who's mad:      @
His sword cut plants and even *trees*,      @
 he had so much desire to duel.

The dark was still impenetrable,
  daylight was absent on all sides,
 when, with no fear, Rinaldo mounts  his horse,
  and *blows* upon his horn.
It seems the plains and mountains shake,
  so loudly does that baron sound,
 and Count Orlando recognized  Rinaldo by the horn he heard.

So much fire burned in his heart,
 his anger could not bear delay.
He took /his/ horn, and, blasting it,
 the Count responded, "Traitor! Dog!                           (L)
 Take your position where you want.
 I'm coming down, and I can say,
  you will regret you ever came."













The air had gradually grown clear --
  a red dawn graced the peaceful sky,
 and the sun, new-born, drove out the stars --
When Count Orlando,
  just as if  he sighted _flames_ surrounding him,
 ground his teeth as he shook his head
  and swiftly laced his helmet on.

He grasped Baiardo's iron saddle  and leaped on, full of arrogance.
He was in such a rush to leave,
 that he forgot his shield and lance.

The castle's gate was firmly locked,
 and the drawbridge raised up for the night.
Orlando would have *cut* the bridge
  and smashed and battered down the gate
 had not /Angelica/ seen his rage and~approached the.Count.
Her eyes seemed kind.

When he saw her angelic face,
 he almost dropped good Durindana.
He jumped down from his saddle to~kneel upon the ground before the maiden.

She hugged the valiant warrior  and asked,
"Where are you going, knight?                                    (R)
 You swore to be *my* cavalier,
  that you would /dedicate/ this fight.
 Therefore, to show you love me,
  wear  this helmet crest and this fine shield.         @
 _Remember_ who remembers /you/,
  and do the _best_ that you can do."

She spoke and handed him a shield
  with a white ermine on gold field,
 then this fine crest:
  a naked boy  with wings, a quiver, and a bow.

Orlando, often so ungentle,
  grew dizzy as he watched the damsel,
 and he felt such joy, such desire,  such happiness,
  he thought he'd die.

Grifone reached them as they talked,
 ready for battle, fully armed.
Aquilant's with him, and Chyaron,
 and -- crown on helm -- King Adrian.

Even King Truf-al-dino came:
For him the fight had been proclaimed.
The scoundrel's countenance was pale,
 but he can find no good excuse  to keep him
 from the bitter path  descending to the open plain.
Truf-al-din feels outraged and wronged,
 and he looks dead; his face is drawn.






Let's leave those cavaliers for now,
 and turn attention to Rinaldo,
  who knew Orlando by his call.

Though he was clearly in the right,
 he'd just as soon /not/ _have_ this fight,
 because he loved his cousin _so_  that he was, like a brother, dear.

He worried, troubled in his heart,
  about how this campaign would end,
 since he'd sworn Truf-al-din must die,
  and now the Count defended him.

While he thinks -- look -- Marfisa joins,
 most eager to resume the fray,
  and several other knights as well.
When they arrived beside Rinaldo,
 Marfisa said, "Come on, let's go!                        (L)
 Let's beat the iron while it's hot!"

Rinaldo said, "'Tis better slow!                          (R)
 Fair lady, settle down somewhat.
 I tell you, here, before us,
  comes  the fearsome Count Orlando, armed."

Marfisa rolled her eyes at this,
 and, unperturbed, she almost laughed,
 asking Rinaldo, 
"Who is this,  who makes you fear before he's here?       (L)
 *I* could not care if were _he_...
  who killed King Almont and his knights  to win the great sword Durindana.
 This 'Orlando' of whom you speak --
  _I've_ never heard the name before."

Rinaldo did not answer her,
 since other things were on his mind.
He saw ride down the mountainside  six barons,
 with Orlando first,
 who's terrible when merely seen,
  his movements sharp, his bearing fierce.

Orlando reached the meadow's edge
 and set in place his heavy lance.
Aquilant moved at his right hand.
Grifone rode along his left.
King Truf-al-dino, whose face paled~from fear,
 along with strong Chyaron~and Adriano
 also spurred~/his/ charger forth ~ and gripped his spear.

Marfisa moves to meet them
 as~Rinaldo readies his large shaft;
The other knights who fight with them
 bear heavy lances and ride fast.
The joust begins, sharp, violent.






Here, valiant ~ Orlando and Rinaldo.bold ~ now meet in fury.
Each thinks ~ he'll knock the other down.

Now listen to what's strange and new:
 the good Baiardo recognized  its master when it saw Rinaldo.
Orlando'd won him, as I told you,
  after he'd killed an enemy,
 and that horse, who thinks like a man,
  has no desire to go against  Rinaldo,
  so he swerves, despite~Orlando, to avoid the clash.

Orlando's lance falls from his grip.
Rinaldo rams Orlando's hip,
 and almost launched him from his horse.

No one who *saw* him then could say  how high Orlando's fury soared,
 since when a storm at sea howls loudest,
 when lightning with its largest bolt  strikes earth,
  or when an earthquake roars,
 it's nothing to the boundless anger
  the Count on that occasion showed.

That cavalier could see no light,
 but his eyes looked like dancing fires.
His nose exhaled air of such heat,
 it seemed that this was flame he breathed,
 and he ground tooth on tooth so hard
  the gnashing sound was heard for miles.

He stabs that good steed with both spurs.
And at the same time, yanks the reins,
 believing he would turn Baiard,
But that horse moves no more, no less,
  than if it stood to graze on grass.


And when Rinaldo saw this pass,
 He yelled out to Orlando:
"Noble Cousin, you know God, who's true,                   (R)
  hates all injustice, all transgression.
 Where have you left the _spotless heart_,  the noble soul you had in France,
  where you defended what was *good*
   and were the _enemy_ of fraud?

"Dear Count, I'm very much afraid                          (R)
   that you have changed to evil ways,
  and that this meretricious witch
   has torn your heart up by its roots.

 Do you want them to know at court
  that you now fight to save a traitor?
 It would be better you were dead
  than have that mark upon your head!

"Please, mighty knight, leave Truf-al-din,                 (R)
   and leave the _false love_ of that _whore_,
  because, in truth -- I tell no lie --
  I don't know _which_ *degrades* you more."


Orlando said, 
"Here is a thief  who's just become a preaching priest:       (L)
 Now all the flock can sleep secure,
  knowing _the wolf_ is tending sheep!
 You offer me fine reasons why  I should not love Angelica,
  but one should check to see *he's* clean,
   before condemning other men.

"I did not come to bandy words,                               (L)
  for I'm not any good at that,  and nothing makes me more upset.

"Do me the worst that you can do --                           (L)
  because the sun won't set today
  before I make you suffer pain  for the disloyal, vicious speeches
   you have just made about my lady."

So they spoke.  Each keeps to his side.
Orlando did not dare dismount:
 before he could have reached the ground,
  Baiardo would have run away.


During the lengthy stretch of time  when both of them refrained from striking,
 Rinaldo had a look around
 and found false Truf-al-din in sight.
Rinaldo rode into the view  of Truf-al-dino, villain vile.
Just as a pigeon flees a hawk,
 so he flew from Rinaldo now.

As Truf-al-dino ran, he screamed,
"Help me! Help me, bold cavaliers!"                          (L)
He held them to the vows they'd made
 and certainly had need of aid
 because Rinaldo's at his heels.
All of the other warriors  abandoned their encounters now,
 to stop Rinaldo from his chase.

Orlando does not follow them  because --
 as I told you -- he can't  control Baiardo,
 but Grifon reached Truf-al-dino just in time.
However, when Rinaldo saw  Grifon approach, he turned at once 
 and gave that knight a backhand blow
 that stunned his mind from consciousness.

Rinaldo did not hesitate.
He followed Truf-al-dino through  the plain,
 where flight could be no use  with _Rabicano_ in pursuit.

King Truf-al-din was almost caught,
 when Adrian attempted rescue.
Rinaldo, though, struck with such force
 his blow knocked Adrian to earth.

All this time, Truf-al-dino fled,
  as fast as he could before Rinaldo,
 but Rabicano followed him
  as if he had, not hooves, but *wings*.



Rinaldo nearly reached that traitor,
 but Aquilante cut him off
  he came at Rinaldo from the side --
 and they fought wildly  until Rinaldo hit him on the helm.
Rinaldo drove good Aquilant -- in~a daze --
 back on his charger's rump.
Then he rushed after Truf-al-dino,
 racing faster than an arrow.

King Truf-al-dino's still in sight,
 but now Chiarone joined the fight:
Rinaldo swung so strong a blow
 it knocked Chiarone from his saddle.

Rinaldo caught that villain near  the fortress, /and he let him live/,
 at least - for a _brief_ space of time.
He ties him so he can't escape,
 his head down, his legs in the air --
 tethers him to his horse's tail --
Then races round the field and shouts,
"Who will defend the traitor now?"                            (R)

Daring Grifon had just revived,
  Adrian and Chiaron re-mounted,
 and when they heard Rinaldo call,
  they followed him across the plain.
But he rode off so rapidly
 those cavaliers pursued in vain.
Rabican galloped fast, as if~his tail ~ dragged no weight at all.

And still Rinaldo shouted out,
"Where are those men who were so brave,                       (R)
  a single knight was not enough --
  but they would keep the *world* away?
 Here's Truf-al-dino!
 Don't you /mind/  that I will make you watch him *die*?
 If someone wants to be assigned  as his protector, come _untie him_!"

Thus the knight boldly challenged them
 as he was dragging that condemned,  already half-dead Truf-al-dino,
  who bumped his head on every stone.
The field was smeared with blood
  along  the places where Rinaldo rode,
 and Truf-al-din's remains hung, torn,
  on every jagged rock and thorn.

That's how the wicked villain perished,
 and truly he deserved his fate,
 since he was false and murderous,
  and a traitor, as I've told you of.










Rinaldo rode close to the others,
 with _half_ of Truf-al-dino's corpse.
The other half, down to his waist -- his arms and head and chest --
 remained~on thorns on the stony plain.

Rinaldo's near Orlando now,
 and yells so he is clearly heard:
"Cavaliers!  Where is your concern?                     (R)
 Does _nobody_ defend this king,
  whose /honesty/ resembles yours?"

Orlando's maddened by these words,
 and charges _fast_ against Rinaldo
  (he's gotten his own horse back, now).
Their battle's just about to start,
 but now that Truf-al-dino's dead,
 I think that /I/ will stop for now.

I thank you, gentle ladies, lords,
 for listening to the crash of swords
 and armor.  This tale's done, I fear,
 but come again, there's more to hear.