ino had defeated and baptised, the two knights came to the
dreadful enchanted grotto and entered it to see whether perhaps it might
contain anything good to eat. Costanzo did not enter, they sent him off
to collect a quantity of wood to make a fire because it was a chilly
evening. When their eyes had become accustomed to the dim light, they
discerned a tomb whereon was this inscription:

IN HOC LOCO PAX.

Guido knelt down to pray, saying: "I perceive here a sepulchre."

"Yes," replied Argantino kneeling by his side; "I wonder who in this
peaceful grotto is sleeping his last long sleep."

Presently the tomb opened by a miracle and a voice disturbed their
devotions:

"Malagigi parlera."

The two cousins trembled with horror as a skeleton rattled up from the
sepulchre and spoke thus:

"I am the great magician Malagigi, and in obedience to the command of
heaven my spirit has here waited for this day. To you, O my son
Argantino! I confide the one book of magic which remains to me. To you,
O Guido! I confide the horse Sfrenato."

Here he delivered the two compliments to the two paladins; but for the
moment Sfrenato took the magical book and carried it in his mouth as a
cat carries her kitten.

"And now, listen to me. Terrible times are in store for the Christians
and it is God's ordinance that you two shall preserve the faith. Swear
to me therefore, O Guido! that you will"--and so forth.

When he had concluded his address, his prophetic spirit was exhausted, as
might perhaps have been anticipated, for the speech was of portentous
length, and the skeleton clattered down again into the tomb, which closed
by another miracle while a ball of fire ran along upon the ground across
the stage and back again. Then Guido took his oath and spoke thus to
Argantino:

"Let us now depart. And you Turks! all of you, tremble! for Guido shall
be your destruction."

With this he vaulted upon Sfrenato, who curveted and whinnied with joy at
recognising his master. And so the two paladins continued their journey;
but before leaving the neighbourhood they naturally made arrangements
with the local marble-mason to have the tomb closed in a proper and
hygienic manner.

"And all this," said the buffo, "happened only last Friday, and why did
you not come in time to see it? It was very emotional."

CHAPTER V
ARGANTINO

As I had missed the emotional interview at the tomb the buffo generously
arranged that there sho