should live to see it. Why, therefore, should either of us perish?
Give her up. Not a soul shall know it."

"I never yet," answered Orlando, "made a promise which I did not
keep, and nevertheless I own to you that, were I to make a promise
like that, and even swear to keep it, I should not. You might as
well ask me to tear away the limbs from my body, and the eyes out
of my head. I could as well live without breath itself as cease
loving Angelica."

Agrican had hardly patience to let him finish speaking, ere he
leapt furiously on horseback, though it was midnight. "Quit her,"
said he, "or die!"

Orlando seeing the infidel getting up, and not being sure that he
would not add treachery to fierceness, had been hardly less quick
in mounting for the combat. "Never," exclaimed he; "I never could
have quitted her if I would, and now I would not if I could. You
must seek her by other means than these."

Fiercely dashed their horses together, in the nighttime, on the
green mead. Despiteful and terrible were the blows they gave and
took by the moonlight. Agrican fought in a rage, Orlando was
cooler. And now the struggle had lasted more than five hours, and
day began to dawn, when the Tartar king, furious to find so much
trouble given him, dealt his enemy a blow sharp and violent beyond
conception. It cut the shield in two as if it had been made of
wood, and, though blood could not be drawn from Orlando, because
he was fated, it shook and bruised him as if it had started every
joint in his body.