could enter the skies in triumph. Does
not the wheel of the mill descend low, and return to its height again?
Does not the bird in the air ascend and descend? Can you not yourself
come down from a mountain, and return thither? Did not the sun yesterday
rise in the east and set in the west, and yet rise again in the east
to-day? To that place from whence the Son of God descended, did he
likewise ascend."

"Well," said Ferracute, "to end our arguments, I will fight you on these
terms: If the faith you profess be the true faith, you shall conquer;
otherwise the victory shall be mine; and let the issue be eternal honour
to the conqueror, but dishonour to the vanquished." "Be it so!" said
Orlando: whereupon they immediately fell to blows. But the very first
which the Giant aimed at him would have certainly been fatal, if Orlando
had not nimbly leaped aside, and caught it on his staff, which was
however cut in twain. The Giant, seeing his advantage, then rushed in
upon him, and both came to the ground together. Orlando then, finding it
impossible to escape, instantly implored the divine assistance, and,
feeling himself re-invigorated, sprung upon his feet, when, seizing
the Giant's sword, he thrust it into his navel, and made his escape.
Ferracute, finding himself mortally wounded, called aloud upon Mahomet;
which the Saracens hearing, sallied from the city, and bore him off in
their arms. Orlando returned safe to the camp; the Christians then
boldly attacked the city, and carried it by storm. The Giant and his
people were slain, his castle taken, and all the Christian warriors
liberated.

CHAPTER XVIII.

_The War of the Masks._

Soon after the Emperor heard that Ibrahim, King of Seville, and Almanzor,
who escaped from the battle of Pampeluna, had gathered together at
Cordova a body of troops from seven[1] of the neighbouring cities of
Seville. Thither then did the King pursue his march with six thousand
men, and found the Saracens, ten thousand strong, about three miles from
the city. The King formed his army into three divisions. The first
composed of his best troops, all cavalry; the two last, foot. The
Saracens formed theirs in a similar manner. But when the King in person
advanced against the first squadrons of Pagans, he found them all
disguised in bearded masks, with horns upon their heads, like demons,
making so strange a din with their hands upon their drums and other
instruments, that the horses were t