dasso's cause and his own. Great preparations were made for this
signal contest. On the appointed day it was fought in the presence of
Agramant, and of the whole army. Rogero won it; and Mandricardo, the
conqueror of Hector's arms, the challenger of Orlando, and the slayer
of Zerbino, lost his life. Gradasso received Durindana as his prize,
which lost half its value in his eyes, since it was won by another's
prowess, not his own.

Rogero, though victorious, was severely wounded, and lay helpless many
weeks in the camp of Agramant, while Bradamante, ignorant of the cause
of his delay, expected him at Montalban. Thither he had promised to
repair in fifteen days, or twenty at furthest, hoping to have obtained
by that time an honorable discharge from his obligations to the Saracen
commander. The twenty days were passed, and a month more, and still
Rogero came not, nor did any tidings reach Bradamante accounting for
his absence. At the end of that time, a wandering knight brought news
of the famous combat, and of Rogero's wound. He added, what alarmed
Bradamante still more, that Marphisa, a female warrior, young and fair,
was in attendance on the wounded knight. He added that the whole army
expected that, as soon as Rogero's wounds were healed, the pair would
be united in marriage.

Bradamante, distressed by this news, though she believed it but in
part, resolved to go immediately and see for herself. She mounted
Rabican, the horse of Astolpho, which he had committed to her care, and
took with her the lance of gold, though unaware of its wonderful
powers. Thus accoutred, she left the castle, and took the road toward
Paris and the camp of the Saracens.

Marphisa, whose devotion to Rogero in his illness had so excited the
jealousy of Bradamante, was the twin sister of Rogero. She, with him,
had been taken in charge when an infant by Atlantes, the magician, but
while yet a child she had been stolen away by an Arab tribe. Adopted by
their chief, she had early learned horsemanship and skill in arms, and
at this time had come to the camp of Agramant with no other view than
to see and test for herself the prowess of the warriors of either camp,
whose fame rang through the world. Arriving at the very moment of the
late encounter, the name of Rogero, and some few facts of his story
which she learned, were enough to suggest the idea that it was her
brother whom she saw victorious in the single combat. Inquiry satisfied
the two of t