them with a heavy heart.

He had not travelled far when he entered a wood, and there met with a
hermit, who had long been retired from the world. Rinaldo greeted him,
and the hermit replied courteously, and asked him who he was and what
was his purpose. Rinaldo replied, "Sir, I have led a sinful life; many
deeds of violence have I done, and many men have I slain, not always in
a good cause, but often under the impulse of my own headstrong
passions. I have also been the cause of the death of many of my
friends, who took my part, not because they thought me in the right,
but only for love of me. And now I come to make confession of all my
sins, and to do penance for the rest of my life, if perhaps the mercy
of God will forgive me." The hermit said, "Friend, I perceive you have
fallen into great sins, and have broken the commandments of God, but
his mercy is greater than your sins; and if you repent from your heart,
and lead a new life, there is yet hope for you that he will forgive you
what is past." So Rinaldo was comforted, and said, "Master, I will stay
with you, and what you bid ane I will do." The hermit replied, "Roots
and vegetables will be your food; shirt or shoes you may not wear; your
lot must be poverty and want if you stay with me." Rinaldo replied, "I
will cheerfully bear all this, and more." So he remained three whole
years with the hermit, and after that his strength failed, and it
seemed as if he was like to die.

One night the hermit had a dream, and heard a voice from heaven, which
commanded him to say to his companion that he must without delay go to
the Holy Land, and fight against the heathen. The hermit, when he heard
that voice, was glad, and calling Rinaldo, he said, "Friend, God's
angel has commanded me to say to you that you must without delay go to
Jerusalem, and help our fellow-Christians in their struggle with the
Infidels." Then said Rinaldo, "Ah! master, how can I do that? It is
over three years since I made a vow no more to ride a horse, nor take a
sword or spear in my hand." The hermit answered, "Dear friend, obey
God, and do what the angel commanded." "I will do so," said Rinaldo,
"and pray for me, my master, that God may guide me right." Then he
departed, and went to the seaside, and took ship and came to Tripoli in
Syria.

And as he went on his way his strength returned to him, till it was
equal to what it was in his best days. And though he never mounted a
horse, nor took a sword