, I believe, any who are to come, have ever seen one so handsome and
so elegant, nor will see in the days which are to be. O Queen, what
shall I say to you, but that, if he were of our faith, we might believe
that our Gods had made him with their own hands, with all their power
and wisdom, so that he lacks in nothing?'

"The Queen, who heard her, said,--

"'Damsel, my friend, your words are too great.'

"'It is not so,' said she; 'for, excepting the sight of him, there is
nothing else which can give account of his great excellence.'

"'Then I say to you,' said the Queen, 'that I will not fight with such a
man until I have first seen and talked with him; and I make this request
to the Sultan, that he will gratify me in this thing, and arrange that I
may see him.'

"The Sultan said,--

"'I will do everything, O Queen, agreeably to your wish.'

"'Then,' said the damsel, 'I will go and obtain that which you ask for,
according to your desire.'

"And turning her horse, she approached the camp again, so that all
thought that she brought the agreement for the battle. But as she
approached, she called the Kings to the door of the tent, and said,--

"'King Amadis, the Queen Calafia demands of you that you give order for
her safe conduct, that she may come to-morrow morning and see your son.'

"Amadis began to laugh, and said to the Kings,--

"'How does this demand seem to you?'

"'I say, let her come,' said King Lisuarte; 'it is a very good thing to
see the most distinguished woman in the world.'

"'Take this for your reply,' said Amadis to the damsel; 'and say that
she shall be treated with all truth and honor.'

"The damsel, having received this message, returned with great pleasure
to the Queen, and told her what it was. The Queen said to the Sultan,--

"'Wait and prosper, then, till I have seen him; and charge your people
that in the mean time there may be no outbreak.'

"'Of that,' he said, 'you may be secure.'

"At once she returned to her ships; and she spent the whole night
thinking whether she would go with arms or without them. But at last she
determined that it would be more dignified to go in the dress of a
woman. And when the morning came, she rose and directed them to bring
one of her dresses, all of gold, with many precious stones, and a turban
wrought with great art. It had a volume of many folds, in the manner of
a _toca_, and she placed it upon her head as if it had been a hood
[_capellina_];