of their own sleep." Chaucer has used a similar figure in deoribing the "dark valley" of sleep: "A few wells Came running from the cliffs adown, That made a deadly sleeping soun." The false dream, brought for the purpose of misleading the knight, is one in which the vile Duessa, disguised as Una, is made instrumental in deceiving him as to the character of his true lady. The knight seems credulous, as honest people are apt to be; but we can scarce forgive him for being persuaded to doubt Una. His weakness costs him dear; for the new effort of Archimago, with which the following Canto opens, succeeds so far as to make the Red Cross Knight flee away, leaving "the royal virgin" unprotected in the toils of the arch-hypocrite. The passage describing the artifice being simply disagreeable, it has been omitted. CANTO II. The guileful great enchanter parts The Red Cross Knight from Truth: I. By this the northern wagoner had set II. When those accursed messengers of hell, That feigning Dream, and that fair-forged spright, Came to their wicked master, and gan tell Their bootless pains, and ill-succeeding night : Who, all in rage to see his skilful might And sad Prosérpines wrath, them to affright. He cast about, and searcht his baleful books again. * * * * * The result is another vile deception, in which Duessa is made to wear the form of Una, to the confusion and horror of her true knight. VI. Returning to his bed in torment great, He could not rest; but did his stout heart eat, Had spent his lamp, and brought forth dawning light; The dwarf him brought his steed: so both away do fly. VII. Now when the rosy-fingered Morning fair, Weary of aged Tithon's saffron bed, Had spread her purple robe through dewy air; And the high hills Titan discovered; The royal virgin shook off drowsyhed: And, rising forth out of her baser bower, Look'd for her knight, who far away was fled, And for her dwarf, that wont to wait each hour ; Then gan she wail and weep to see that woeful stowre.* * Stowre, blow. VIII. And after him she rode with so much speed, As her slow beast could make; but all in vain : IX. But subtile Archimago, when his guests And Una wandring in woods and forests (Th' end of his drift), he praised his devilish arts, And in her many troubles did most pleasure take. X. He then devised himself how to disguise; The hidden pow'r of herbs, and might of magic spell! XI. But now seem'd best the person to put on A bunch of hairs discolourd diversely. 'Full jolly knight he seem'd and well addrest; And, when he sate upon his courser free, Saint George himself ye would have deemed him to be. XII. But he, the knight, whose semblance he did bear, XIII. He had a fair companion of his way, A goodly lady clad in scarlet red, Purpled with gold and pearl of rich assay; She wore, with crowns and owches garnished, gave: Her wanton palfrey all was overspread With tinsel trappings, woven like a wave, Whose bridle rung with golden bells and bosses brave. |