Chapter 10 - Page 2

beauty
as she lay asleep.
O blind Chance! whose power in human affairs is but too great, canst
thou then abandon to the teeth of a horrible monster those charms
which different sovereigns took arms against one another to possess?
Alas, the lovely Angelica is destined to be the victim of those
cruel islanders.
Still asleep, she was bound by the Ebudians, and it was not until
she was carried on board the vessel that she came to a knowledge of
her situation. The wind filled the sails and wafted the ship swiftly
to the port, where all that beheld her agreed that she was
unquestionably the victim selected by Proteus himself to be his
prey. Who can tell the screams, the mortal anguish of this unhappy
maiden, the reproaches she addressed even to the heavens themselves,
when the dreadful information of her cruel fate was made known to her?
I cannot; let me rather turn to a happier part of my story.
Rogero left the palace of Logestilla, careering on his flying
courser far above the tops of the mountains, and borne westward by the
Hippogriff, which he guided with ease, by means of the bridle that
Melissa had given him. Anxious as he was to recover Bradamante, he
could not fail to be delighted at the view his rapid flight
presented of so many vast regions and populous countries as he
passed over in his career. At last he approached the shores of
England, and perceived an immense army in all the splendor of military
pomp, as if about to go forth flushed with hopes of victory. He caused
the Hippogriff to alight not far from the scene, and found himself
immediately surrounded by admiring spectators, knights and soldiers,
who could not enough indulge their curiosity and wonder. Rogero
learned, in reply to his questions, that the fine array of troops
before him was the army destined to go to the aid of the French
Emperor, in compliance with the request presented by the illustrious
Rinaldo, as ambassador of King Charles, his uncle.
By this time the curiosity of the English chevaliers was partly
gratified in beholding the Hippogriff at rest, and Rogero, to renew
their surprise and delight, remounted the animal, and, clapping
spurs to his sides, made him launch into the air with the rapidity
of a meteor, and directed his flight still westwardly, till he came
within sight of the coasts of Ireland. Here he descried what seemed to
be a fair damsel, alone, fast chained to a rock which projected into
the sea. What was his astonishment when, drawing nigh, he beheld the
beautiful princess Angelica. That day she had been led forth and bound
to the rock, there to wait till the sea-monster should come to
devour her. Rogero exclaimed as he came near, "What cruel hands,
what barbarous soul, what fatal chance can have loaded