Then said Sir Guyon: “What you ask brings to my mind that great Queen, fairest and best of all that are in the wide world. She is wont to make a great feast on the first day of the New Year, to which come all knights that seek adventure and desire to gain honour for themselves. At this feast, at the beginning of the self-same year, I was present; and it came to pass that this pilgrim whom you have bidden with me to your feast, stood forth before the Queen, and made his complaint of a certain wicked fairy that wasted the land wherein he dwelt, and wrought great damage to its inhabitants. And when he had ended the Queen set this task to me, unworthy as I am. Nor did I refuse to take it in hand. Now the name of this wicked fairy is Acrasia. Three times has the moon waxed and waned since that day, and I have already seen full proofs of the mischief which she works. To subdue her, therefore, and to bring her captive into the presence of Queen Gloriana is the purpose which I set before myself.”
Then, the night being now far spent, all the guests betook themselves to sleep.
CHAPTER XII
HOW SIR GUYON CAME INTO GREAT PERIL
Many perils did Sir Guyon encounter, which it would take too long time to tell. Nor were there perils only of battle, such as befell in the meeting of pagan knights and the like. For such he was well prepared; never did sturdier champion lay spear in rest or wage war at close quarters with his sword. Force could not overcome him, but he could be led astray by fraud. So it was when, in his journeyings, he came to a broad water, which seemed to bar his way. While he stood at the water’s brink, wondering how he might win his way farther, suddenly there was seen hard by a little boat rowed by a fair damsel. When he had told his need she said: “Be content, fair sir; step you aboard and I will take you to the place which you desire.”
So Sir Guyon, nothing doubting, stepped into the boat. But when he would have taken his guide, the pilgrim, with him, he was denied. “Nay, nay,” said the damsel, “we have not space for the old man on this journey.” And even while she was speaking the boat was already far from the land, for indeed it was a magic craft; nor could he even say farewell.
The two had pleasant converse awhile, for the damsel was gay and debonair, and the knight courteous. Nevertheless, he somewhat misliked her manner, and when in a short space they came to the other side of the water, he perceived that he had been led astray, and was not a little displeased. “Lady,” said he, “you have done me a wrong. This is not the place which I sought; I did not think when I followed your bidding that you would so deceive me.”
“Sir Knight,” she answered, “he that will travel by water cannot always command his way; winds and waves will not answer to his call: the sea is wide, and ’tis easy to go astray thereon. Yet here, methinks, you may abide awhile in peace.”
So Sir Guyon stepped upon the shore, though he was but half-content to find himself in such a plight. Nevertheless, he could not but perceive that it was a right pleasant place to which he had come, for the ground was covered with flowers, and the trees were green with the fresh leaves of spring, and the sweet singing of birds was heard on every side. And fairer and more pleasant than all else was the damsel of the boat; nevertheless, Sir Guyon was ever on the watch, nor would he suffer himself to be beguiled. “Maybe,” he said to himself, “this fair dame designs to turn me from my quest. Why did she, as by design, part me from my guide? Why did she turn me aside from the way in which I desired to go? This was more, I doubt not, than an idle whim.” She, on the other hand, perceived that she had failed of her intent, and was, in truth, as willing that he should go as he was eager to depart. So after a while she said: “Fair knight, I perceive that it irks you to abide in this place. Suffer me, therefore, to carry you to the other shore.”
Well content, he stepped into the boat, and was ferried across in the shortest space of time. So he passed through this peril, it seemed, without hurt, save indeed that he had lost his guide, for the damsel in her craft took him to a place far from where the guide had been left; and this losing of the guide was, as will be seen, a very sore hurt indeed.
After a while he came to a gloomy valley covered in on all sides from the light of heaven with the thick branches of trees. And here, in the deepest and darkest shade, he saw sitting a man of a most uncouth and savage aspect, having his face all dark with smoke, and his eyes bleared, and the hair of his head and his beard covered with soot. His hands were black as the hands of one who works in a forge, and his nails were like to claws. He had an iron coat, all rusty above, but underneath of gold, and finely wrought with curious devices, though, indeed, it was covered with dust and grime. In his lap he had a mass of golden coin, which he counted, turning over each piece as if he would feed his eyes with the delight of seeing them. Round about him were great heaps of gold, some of them of rude ore, not yet smelted in the furnace, and some smelted newly, in great squares and ingots, and others in round plates without device; but for the most part they bore the devices of ancient kings and Cæsars. When the man beheld Sir Guyon he rose as in great fear, as if he would hide this precious store from a stranger’s eyes, and began to pour it into a great hole that was thereby. But Sir Guyon, leaping forward, caught him by the hand, and, though he was not a little dismayed by the things which he saw, restrained him.