and
placed it in her mouth, and, quicker than we can tell it, disappeared
from the sight of the paladin.

Rogero looked around him on all sides, like one frantic, but soon
remembered the ring which he had so lately placed on her finger. Struck
with the ingratitude which could thus recompense his services, he
exclaimed: "Thankless beauty, is this then the reward you make me? Do
you prefer to rob me of my ring rather than receive it as a gift?
Willingly would I have given it to you, had you but asked it." Thus he
said, searching on all sides with arms extended like a blind man,
hoping to recover by the touch what was lost to sight; but he sought in
vain. The cruel beauty was already far away.

Though sensible of her obligations to her deliverer, her first
necessity was for clothing, food, and repose. She soon reached a
shepherd's hut, where, entering unseen, she found what sufficed for her
present relief. An old herdsman inhabited the hut, whose charges
consisted of a drove of mares. When recruited by repose Angelica
selected one of the mares from the flock, and, mounting the animal,
felt the desire revive in her mind of returning to her home in the
East, and for that purpose would gladly have accepted the protection of
Orlando or of Sacripant across those wide regions which divided her
from her own country. In hopes of meeting with one or the other of them
she pursued her way.

Meanwhile Rogero, despairing of seeing Angelica again, returned to the
tree where he had left his winged horse, but had the mortification to
find that the animal had broken his bridle and escaped. This loss,
added to his previous disappointment, overwhelmed him with vexation.
Sadly he gathered up his arms, threw his buckler over his shoulders,
and, taking the first path that offered, soon found himself within the
verge of a dense and widespread forest.

He had proceeded for some distance when he heard a noise on his right,
and, listening attentively, distinguished the clash of arms. He made
his way toward the place whence the sound proceeded, and found two
warriors engaged in mortal combat. One of them was a knight of a noble
and manly bearing, the other a fierce giant. The knight appeared to
exert consummate address in defending herself against the massive club
of the giant, evading his strokes, or parrying them with sword or
shield. Rogero stood spectator of the combat, for he did not allow
himself to interfere in it, though a secret senti