But these plans and hopes were frustrated. The Christian army,
beaten at all points, fled from the Saracens; and Angelica,
indifferent to both her lovers, mounted a swift palfrey and
plunged into the forest, rejoicing, in spite of her terror, at
having regained her liberty. She stopped at last in a tufted
grove, where a gentle zephyr blew, and whose young trees were
watered by two clear runnels, which came and mingled their waters,
making a pleasing murmur. Believing herself far from Rinaldo, and
overcome by fatigue and the summer heat, she saw with delight a
bank covered with flowers so thick that they almost hid the green
turf, inviting her to alight and rest. She dismounted from her
palfrey, and turned him loose to recruit his strength with the
tender grass which bordered the streamlets. Then, in a sheltered
nook tapestried with moss and fenced in with roses and hawthorn-
flowers, she yielded herself to grateful repose.

She had not slept long when she was awakened by the noise made by
the approach of a horse. Starting up, she saw an armed knight who
had arrived at the bank of the stream. Not knowing whether he was
to be feared or not, her heart beat with anxiety. She pressed
aside the leaves to allow her to see who it was, but scarce dared
to breathe for fear of betraying herself. Soon the knight threw
himself on the flowery bank, and leaning his head on his hand fell
into a profound reverie. Then arousing himself from his silence he
began to pour forth complaints, mingled with deep sighs. Rivers of
tears flowed down his cheeks, and his breast seemed to labor with
a hidden flame. "Ah, vain regrets!" he exclaimed; "cruel fortune!
others triumph, while I endure hopeless misery! Better a thousand
times to lose life, than wear a chain so disgraceful and so