horn as often as he came near them. They stretched their flight towards
the great mountain, at the foot of which there is a cavern, which is
thought to be the mouth of the infernal abodes. Hither those horrid
birds flew, as if to their home. Having seen them all disappear in the
recess, Astolpho cared not to pursue them farther, but alighting,
rolled huge stones into the mouth of the cave, and piled branches of
trees therein, so that he effectually barred their passage out, and we
have no evidence of their ever having been seen since in the outer air.

After this labor Astolpho refreshed himself by bathing in a fountain
whose pure waters bubbled from a cleft of the rock. Having rested
awhile, an earnest desire seized him of ascending the mountain which
towered above him. The Hippogriff bore him swiftly upwards, and landed
him on the top of the mountain, which he found to be an extensive plain.

A splendid palace rose in the middle of this plain, whose walls shone
with such brilliancy that mortal eyes could hardly bear the sight.
Astolpho guided the winged horse towards this edifice, and made him
poise himself in the air while he took a leisurely survey of this
favored spot and its environs. It seemed as if nature and art had
striven with one another to see which could do the most for its
embellishment.

Astolpho, on approaching the edifice, saw a venerable man advance to
meet him. This personage was clothed in a long vesture as white as
snow, while a mantle of purple covered his shoulders, and hung down to
the ground. A white beard descended to his middle, and his hair, of the
same color, overshadowed his shoulders. His eyes were so brilliant that
Astolpho felt persuaded that he was a blessed inhabitant of the
heavenly mansions.

The sage, smiling benignantly upon the paladin, who from respect had
dismounted from his horse, said to him: "Noble chevalier, know that it
is by the Divine will you have been brought to the terrestrial
paradise. Your mortal nature could not have borne to scale these
heights and reach these seats of bliss if it were not the will of
Heaven that you should be instructed in the means to succor Charles,
and to sustain the glory of our holy faith. I am prepared to impart the
needed counsels; but before I begin let me welcome you to our sojourn.
I doubt not your long fast and distant journey have given you a good
appetite."

The aspect of the venerable man filled the prince with admiration; bu