nor could forsake the one the other to take another
spouse. This her assertion she offered to prove, in single combat,
against Prince Leo, or any one else.

Charlemagne, sadly perplexed at this, commanded Bradamante to be
called, and told her what the bold Marphisa had declared. Bradamante
neither denied nor confirmed the statement, but hung her head, and kept
silence. Duke Aymon was enraged, and would fain have set aside the
pretended contract on the ground that, if made at all, it must have
been made before Rogero was baptized, and therefore void. But not so
thought Rinaldo, nor the good Orlando, and Charlemagne knew not which
way to decide, when Marphisa spoke thus:

"Since no one else can marry the maiden while my brother lives, let the
prince meet Rogero in mortal combat, and let him who survives take her
for his bride."

This saying pleased the Emperor, and was accepted by the prince, for he
thought that, by the aid of his unknown champion, he should surely
triumph in the fight. Proclamation was therefore made for Rogero to
appear and defend his suit; and Leo, on his part, caused search to be
made on all sides for the knight of the Unicorn.

Meanwhile Rogero, overwhelmed with despair, lay stretched on the ground
in the forest night and day without food, courting death. Here he was
discovered by one of Leo's people, who, finding him resist all attempts
to remove him, hastened to his master, who was not far off, and brought
him to the spot. As he approached he heard words which convinced him
that love was the cause of the knight's despair; but no clew was given
to guide him to the object of that love. Stooping down, the prince
embraced the weeping warrior, and, in the tenderest accents, said:
"Spare not, I entreat you, to disclose the cause of your distress, for
few such desperate evils betide mankind as are wholly past cure. It
grieves me much that you would hide your grief from me, for I am bound
to you by ties that nothing can undo. Tell me, then, your grief, and
leave me to try if wealth, art, cunning, force, or persuasion cannot
relieve you. If not, it will be time enough after all has been tried in
vain to die."

He spoke in such moving accents that Rogero could not choose but yield.
It was some time before he could command utterance; at last he said,
"My lord, when you shall know me for what I am, I doubt not you, like
myself, will be content that I should die. Know, then, I am that Rogero
whom you have