t
his surprise ceased when he learned from him that he was that one of
the Apostles of our Lord to whom he said, "I will that thou tarry till
I come."

St. John, conducting Astolpho, rejoined his companions. These were the
patriarch Enoch and the prophet Elijah; neither of whom had yet seen
his dying day, but, taken from our lower world, were dwelling in a
region of peace and joy, in a climate of eternal spring, till the last
trumpet shall sound.

The three holy inhabitants of the terrestrial paradise received
Astolpho with the greatest kindness, carried him to a pleasant
apartment, and took great care of the Hippogriff, to whom they gave
such food as suited him, while to the prince they presented fruits so
delicious that he felt inclined to excuse our first parents for their
sin in eating them without permission.

Astolpho, having recruited his strength, not only by these excellent
fruits, but also by sweet sleep, roused himself at the first blush of
dawn, and as soon as he left his chamber met the beloved Apostle coming
to seek him. St. John took him by the hand, and told him many things
relating to the past and the future. Among others, he said, "Son, let
me tell you what is now going on in France. Orlando, the illustrious
prince who received at his birth the endowment of strength and courage
more than mortal, raised up as was Samson of old to be the champion of
the true faith, has been guilty of the basest ingratitude in leaving
the Christian camp when it most needed the support of his arm, to run
after a Saracen princess, whom he would fain marry, though she scorns
him. To punish him his reason has been taken away, so that he runs
naked through the land, over mountains and through valleys, without a
ray of intelligence. The duration of his punishment has been fixed at
three months, and that time having nearly expired, you have been
brought hither to learn from us the means by which the reason of
Orlando may be restored. True, you will be obliged to make a journey
with me, and we must even leave the earth, and ascend to the moon, for
it is in that planet we are to seek the remedy for the madness of the
paladin. I propose to make our journey this evening, as soon as the
moon appears over our head."

As soon as the sun sunk beneath the seas, and the moon presented its
luminous disk, the holy man had the chariot brought out in which he was
accustomed to make excursions among the stars, the same which was
employed