CHAPTER XXXII

OF THE KNAVE MALENGIN

The two knights delivered the city, when they had ordered it anew, to the Lady Samient, to hold for Queen Mercilla. This done, they would have departed on their own business, but Samient was not content that they should depart without seeing the queen, and this, overborne by her entreaties, they consented to do. As they journeyed, the damsel said to them: “There abides in this region a very sturdy villain, who is wont to rob all the country round about; and carries the spoil to a rock which he makes his dwelling, and to this place no man can get, so hard of access is it. Also he is marvellously light of hand and nimble of foot, smooth of face, and so subtle in his talk that he can deceive well-nigh anyone.”

When the two knights heard this tale, they desired with one accord that the damsel should take them to the place where this villain abode.

“That would I willingly do,” said she, “only that the going thither would hinder your journey to Queen Mercilla.”

“Let not that stay you,” said the prince, and Sir Artegall gave also his consent.

So they travelled onwards together. After a while the damsel said to the knights: “We are close to the place!” Then Sir Artegall and Prince Arthur consulted together what was best to be done. They agreed that the damsel should sit by the robber’s cave, and raise a great uproar, and that when he should come to see what was the cause of the disturbance, they should set upon him, and hinder his return. So the Lady Samient went to the cave, and there threw herself upon the ground, and then made a great uproar, with much wailing and many cries of grief. When the villain heard it he came forth from his den, thinking that something had come in his way. A dreadful creature he was to see, with hollow eyes, and long curling hair which fell over his shoulders, and a most uncouth and ragged garment. In his hand he carried a long staff with iron hooks at the end of it, and on his back he bore a wide net. This he used, not for fishing in the brook, but to catch such prey as he desired on the dry land, taking them unawares.

When the damsel saw this strange creature standing close by her she was not a little dismayed, and cried out for help in good earnest. But he, with guileful words, would have persuaded her that she had nothing to fear; and then, while she listened, as she could scarce refrain from doing, suddenly he threw his net about her, and lifting her from the ground ran with her to his cave. But when, as he came near to the cave mouth, he saw the two knights barring the way, he threw down on the ground his net with its burden, and fled away: like to a wild goat did he leap from rock to rock, and he ran along the cliff-side without fear, into places where Sir Artegall, for all his courage, durst not follow him. So the knight sent his iron man, Talus, to follow him. And when the knave saw that the new-comer was not less swift of foot than he was himself, and did not grow weary or scant of breath, then he left running on the hills and came down again to the plain. And here he had recourse to a new device, changing himself into various shapes. First he made himself into a fox, but Talus was not slow to hunt him as a fox is hunted; then into a bush, but the iron man beat the bush with his flail; and from the bush he made himself into a bird, but Talus threw stones at the bird, and with so sure an aim that he soon brought it to the ground, as if it had been itself a stone. This Talus took from the ground and brought it to the knights, and gave it to Sir Artegall, saying at the same time: “Take it, Sir Knight, but beware! Hold it fast!” And lo! even while he held it fast, it was changed into a hedgehog, and pricked the knight’s hand so sorely that he threw it away. And the villain returned to his own shape and would have fled. But when Talus perceived it, he followed and overtook him and led him back. Then did he change himself into a snake; but this Talus struck so heavily with his iron flail that he broke all his bones, and left him dead for the fowls of the air to devour.

After this they came to the palace of Queen Mercilla, as fair and noble a palace as was ever seen upon the earth. The porch stood open day and night, so that all comers might enter in. But a warder of giant form sat there, to keep from entering all that harboured guile or malice, and such as with flattery and dissembling work such harm in the courts of kings. The warder’s name was Awe. Such as were permitted to pass in were marshalled in the hall by another warder, whose name was Order. There they saw many noteworthy things, and chief of all the Queen Mercilla herself, where she sat on her throne, with a sceptre in her hand, a pledge of peace and clemency. And under her feet lay a great lion, very fierce of nature, but wholly tamed in that presence. So then the two did obeisance, and stood aside while the queen judged affairs of state, and ministered justice and equity to her people. Of all these affairs the chiefest was the trial of a great lady who stood before the throne, most fair and royally arrayed. Many accusations were brought against this lady, the prosecutor being one Zeal. Nor could this be wondered at, for this great lady was no other than the false Duessa. It was surely proved against her that she had deceived knights, and brought them to shame, and even to death; also that she had wrought upon two vain knights, Blandamour and Paridell, to devise hostility against Queen Mercilla herself. Sir Artegall was so moved by these accusations that, being a lover of justice, he was firm in taking the contrary part against her. Prince Arthur, on the other hand, was not a little touched by the pleadings on her behalf. When all had been heard on either side, Queen Mercilla gave judgment, and although Duessa’s guilt was clear beyond all doubt, yet she, being true to name and nature, did not adjudge the extreme penalty of death, but ordered that she should be so kept as not to do any mischief more.