482 VALENTINE AND ORSON,

fate; I give thee warning.” —“ Base traitor,” replied Valentine,
“J fear thee not: come on; I defy thee.”—* First,” rejoined
the green knight, “fetch me yonder shield; for, in pity to thy
youth, I tell thee, unless thou canst remove that shield, thou
never canst rescue the lady Fezon, or conquer me.” Valentine
approached the shield ; but, in spite of all his efforts, he could
not loosen it from the tree, though it appeared to hang but on a
slender branch. Valentine, breathless with his exertions to pull
down the shield, stood leaning against the tree, when Agramont,
witha loud laugh exclaimed, “ Fly and save thyself, fair knight;
for since thou canst not move the shield, thou art not destined
to be my victor. Further, know, there is no one living who can
subdue me, unless he be the son of a mighty king, and yet was
suckled by a wild beast.” Valentine started on hearing these
latter words, and ran to Orson, who had been all this time em-
ployed in gazing with looks of delight and admiration on the
beautiful lady Fezon. Valentine led him to the enchanted
shield, which, on Orson’s raising his arm towards it, dropped
instantly from its place. A loud blast of wind now rushed through
the trees, the ground rocked beneath their feet, and the green
Inight trembled and turned pale; then, gnashing his teeth, he
seized his sword, and attacked Orson with desperate fury. At
the first blow, Agramont’s trusty sword broke in pieces upon
the enchanted shield. Next he caught up a battle-axe, which
also snapped instantly in two. He then called for a lance, which
shivered to atoms in the same manner. Furious with these
defeats, he threw aside his weapons, and trusting to his wonder-
ful strength, attempted to grasp Orson in his arms; but Orson,
seizing him as if he had been a mere child dashed him on the
ground, and would have instantly destroyed him, had not
Valentine interposed to save his life. Orson continued to hold
him down till some chains were brought, when, in despite of