Archimago, the wicked magician, who had worked such mischief to Una and
the Red Cross Knight, was very angry when he found that in the end all
his evil wiles were defeated, and that the Knight and the lady were
happily betrothed. He would willingly have brought more trouble on them,
but he was powerless to do any harm to Una, for she was now safely
restored to her own kingdom, and living in the care of her father and
mother. He therefore directed all his spite against the Knight, who had
once more to set forth on his adventures, as he had promised Queen
Gloriana to serve her faithfully for six years. At the end of that time
he hoped to return and marry Una, and the King, her father, had made him
heir to the throne.
[Illustration:
“=Upon the way him fortuned to meete,
Faire marching underneath a shadie hill,
A goodly Knight, all armed in harnesse meete.=”
]
Archimago, whose other name you may remember was _Hypocrisy_, set all
his wits to work to see what harm he could do the Knight, for he knew
that, after all the troubles he had fallen into, he would be more than
usually careful. He kept laying snares for him, and placed spies
wherever he went, but the Knight had now become so wise and wary that he
always found out and shunned the danger. Archimago, however, still kept
on hoping he should find some way to hurt him, and at last his
opportunity came.
It happened, one day, that the enchanter saw marching to meet him a
noble knight. The stranger was clad in shining armour and rode a
splendid war-horse; his bearing was very stately, and his face, although
calm and beautiful, was so stern and noble that all his friends loved
him and his foes feared him. He was one of the chief knights of Queen
Gloriana’s court, a man of great honour and power in his native land.
His name was Sir Guyon.
As the Red Cross Knight was known as the Champion of _Holiness_, so Sir
Guyon was known as the Knight of _Temperance_.
With him now there was an aged palmer or pilgrim, clad in black; his
hair was grey and he leant on a staff. To judge by his look he was a
wise and grave old man, and he seemed to be acting as guide to the
Knight, who carefully checked his prancing horse to keep pace with his
slow footsteps.
The name of the black palmer was _Conscience_, and he went with Sir
Guyon as his companion and adviser, somewhat in the same fashion as
_Prudence_ had gone as servant with the Red Cross Knight.
When Archimago saw Sir Guyon, he immediately stopped him, just as on a
former occasion he had stopped the Red Cross Knight.
This time he had a fresh story to tell, which, of course, was perfectly
false. He implored Sir Guyon to come to the help of a beautiful maiden,
cruelly ill-treated by a rough knight, who had cut off her golden locks,
and threatened to kill her with his sharp sword.
“What!” cried Sir Guyon, his gentle nature roused to indignation, “is
the man still alive who could do such a deed?”
“He is alive, and boasts of it,” said wicked Hypocrisy. “Nor has any
other knight yet punished him for it.”
“Take me to him at once,” said Sir Guyon.
“That I can easily do,” said Archimago. “I will show you where he is,”
and he hurried off in high glee, because he thought that at last he had
found a way of revenging himself on the Red Cross Knight.
Friend or Foe?
Archimago and Sir Guyon came presently to a place where a beautiful lady
sat alone, with torn clothes and ruffled hair; she was weeping bitterly
and wringing her hands, and when Sir Guyon asked her the cause of her
grief, she said it was because she had been most cruelly treated by a
rough knight.
[Illustration: A weeping woman seated on the ground while a knight and a
man approach.]
This lady who seemed so good and gentle was, in reality, no other than
Duessa (or _Falsehood_), who had formerly led the Red Cross Knight into
such trouble. Her old companion, Archimago, had found her wandering
forlorn in the desert whither she had been banished by Prince Arthur,
and had again decked her out in fine clothes and ornaments, so that she
might help him in his wicked schemes.
Her cunning quite deceived Sir Guyon, who believed everything she told
him.
“Be comforted, fair lady,” he said, “and tell me who did this, so that I
can punish him at once.”
“I do not know his name,” she replied, “but he rode a dappled grey
steed, and on his silver shield there was a red cross.”
When Sir Guyon heard this he was amazed.
“I cannot think how that knight could have done such a deed,” he said,
“for I can say boldly he is a right good knight. I was present when he
first took arms and started out to help the Lady Una, since when he has
won great glory, as I have heard tell. Nevertheless, he shall be made to
explain this, and if he cannot clear himself of all blame, be sure he
shall be well punished.”
Duessa was greatly pleased when she heard this, for now she hoped there
would be a quarrel between the two knights.
Archimago then led Sir Guyon by an unknown way through woods and across
mountains, till they came at last to a pleasant dale which lay between
two hills. A little river ran through this valley, and by it sat a
knight with his helmet unlaced, refreshing himself with the cool water
after his long journey and hard work.
“Yonder is the man!” cried Archimago. “He has come here thinking to hide
himself, but in vain, for you will soon make him repent of his cruelty.
All success to you! We will stay here, and watch from a distance.”
Archimago and Duessa left Sir Guyon, who immediately rushed forward to
the attack. The stranger, seeing a knight hurrying so fiercely towards
him, seized his own weapons, prepared for battle, and sprang to meet
him. The two had almost met when Sir Guyon suddenly lowered his spear.
“Mercy, Sir Knight! Mercy!” he cried. “Pardon my rashness, that had
almost led me to disgrace my honour by raising my weapon against the
sacred badge on your shield.”
When the Red Cross Knight, for he indeed it was, heard the other’s
voice, he knew him at once.
“Ah! dear Sir Guyon,” he said, bowing courteously, “it is I rather who
should be blamed. In my reckless haste I almost did violence to the
image of Queen Gloriana which I now see inscribed on your shield. The
fault is mine!”
So the two knights made friends, and talked very happily together, and
Sir Guyon explained how he had been cheated by Archimago and Duessa, who
had both now fled away. Then up came Guyon’s guide, Conscience, and as
soon as his eye fell on the Red Cross Knight, he knew him, for he had
seen him at the court of Queen Gloriana.
“Joy be with you, and everlasting fame, for the great deeds you have
done!” he cried. “Your glorious name is enrolled in the heavenly
register, where you have won a seat among the saints. But we luckless
mortals are only now beginning to run the race in which you have gained
such renown.” Then to his master he said, “God grant you, Guyon, to end
your work well, and bring your weary bark safely to the wished-for
haven.”
“Palmer,” said the Red Cross Knight, “give the praise to GOD, to whom
all honour is due, and who made my hand the organ of His might.
Attribute nothing to me except a willing heart; for all that I did, I
only did as I ought. But as for you, fair sir, whose turn it is now,” he
added to Guyon, “may you prosper as well as you can wish, and may we
hear thrice happy tidings of you; for you are indeed worthy, both in
courage and gentle manners.”
Then the two Knights took leave of each other with much courtesy and
goodwill. Sir Guyon went forward on his journey, still guided by the
Black Palmer, who led him over hill and dale, pointing out the way with
his staff, and by his wise judgment guarding his master from all dangers
into which his own hasty nature might have made him fall.