Chapter 129 [part 4 of 4]

[How Grasandor finally found Amadis.] 

[Detail of the Cloister of Sant Benet de Bages, in Bages, Spain. The Benedictine monastery was built in the 10th century. Photo by Mutari.]
 
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And as ye hear, they reached the monastery and found Eliseo in no danger, for one of the monks there who knew something about such duties had cared for him and treated him. By then Galifon, lord of the castle, was fully conscious, and when he saw Landin unarmed, he recognized him, for he like all his brothers served King Cildadan.

But when they had learned that King Cildadan was going to help King Lisuarte in the war he had with Amadis, those three brothers had remained in those lands, and he could not take them with him. And when he was away attending to that matter, they did a great deal of harm in that region, considering King Cildadan to be insignificant because he was under vassalage to King Lisuarte. For when fortune moves from good to bad, not only is it contrary and adverse in the principal concern, it is contrary in many other things related to that, which could be compared to the circumstances of mortal sin.

Galifon said:

“My lord Landin, could I obtain a courtesy from you? And if ye think that my misdeeds do not merit it, your good deeds do. Do not consider my errors but what ye, given who ye are and the lineage from which ye come, ought to do.”

Landin told him:

“Galifon, I did not expect such evil deeds from you, for a knight who was raised in the court of such a good King and in the company of so many good knights is greatly obliged to follow all virtue. And I am amazed to see your upbringing brought to ruin and you following such a vile and treacherous life.”

“My greed for lordship,” Galifon said, “drew me from the path that virtue obliged me to follow, as it has done to many others who are more worthy and wise than me, but by your hand and will it shall all be remedied.”

“What do ye wish me to do?” Landin said.

“To win me a pardon from my lord the King,” he said, “and I shall put myself by your behalf at his mercy when I can ride again.”

“It shall be as ye say,” Landin said, “for from here on ye shall abide by the style of life that befits the order of knighthood.”

“So it shall be,” Galifon said, “without a doubt.”

“Then I set you and your brother free,” Landin said, “as long as ye shall be before my lord King Cildadan in twenty days and ye shall do what he orders. And in the meantime I will get you a pardon.”

Galifon thanked him deeply and promised to do as he had been ordered.

That done, they spent the night together there. The next morning Grasandor heard Mass and bid farewell to Landin and his cousin to return to his ship where he had left it on a beach at the sea, with great pleasure in his heart for the news that Landin had told him, for he was certain that Amadis was the knight who left Prince Island with the lady and went to fight with the giant Balan. So he returned on the same road he had come on, and he arrived at the ship before nightfall, where he found his squires, who were very pleased to see him, and they to see him.

Grasandor asked the sailor if he knew how to guide them to the island called Prince. He told him he did, because after they had arrived he had determined where they were, which he had not known at the time, and he would guide them there.

“Then let us go there,” Grasandor said.

So they left the beach and sailed all night, and the next day at vespers they arrived at the island. Grasandor went on land up to the town, where they told him everything that had happened to Amadis with the giant, which they had learned from the governor, who had returned there. And Grasandor spoke with him to be more certain, and he told him everything he had witnessed regarding Amadis, as this story has recounted.

Grasandor told him:

“My good lord, the news ye have told me has given me great pleasure. And I do not say this because it has a lot to do with the fact that Amadis has received so much honor in this adventure, for given the great events and dangers he has gone through, those of us who know him could not be surprised by anything else, no matter how great it were. Instead, I say this for having found him, for truly I could not have enjoyed any rest or respite anywhere until I had found news about him.”

The knight told him:

“Well, I believe that given the great things said about this knight everywhere in the world, those who have accompanied him for any time have seen many great deeds. But I tell you that if they could have seen what I saw of what just happened, that they would consider it among the most perilous.”

Then they ceased to speak more about that, and Grasandor told him:

“I ask you, knight, as a courtesy to give me one of your men to guide me to the island where Amadis is.”

“I would gladly do that,” he said, “and if ye need any provisions for the sea, I shall give you them, too.”

“I thank you for that sincerely,” Grasandor said, “but I have brought everything I need.”

The knight of the island said:

“Ye see here the man who will guide you, who came from there yesterday.”

Grasandor thanked him and got in his ship with the man to guide them, and they went out to sea. And they traveled without incident to the port at the Island of the Vermilion Tower, where Amadis was. Grasandor was immediately seized by the giant’s men, who asked him what he sought. He told them that he came looking for a knight called Amadis of Gaul, whom he had been told was at that island.

“Ye speak the truth,” they said. “Come with us up to the castle, and ye shall find him there.”

Then he left the ship armed as he was and went with those men up to the castle. When they reached the gate, they told Amadis that a knight was there asking for him. Amadis thought right away that it was one of his friends looking for him, and he came out to the gate.

When he saw Grasandor, he was the happiest person in the world, and he embraced him joyfully, and Grasandor embraced him, as if a great deal of time had passed without seeing each other. Amadis asked him how his lady Oriana was and if she had taken the news of his departure with much anger. Grasandor told him:

“My good lord, she and all the other ladies are very well, and about Oriana I tell you that she felt very upset and troubled when I told her. But her discretion is so great that she did not think ye would take that journey without a good cause. And do not believe that any upset or anger remains, for she only thinks about whether she can see you as soon as she wishes. And although I came to bring you back, I would be pleased if ye were to wait on my behalf four or five days because I have arrived very seasick.”

“I consider it good to do that,” Amadis said, “because I also need that time since I still feel weak from some injuries I had suffered and from which I have not yet healed. And ye made me very happy with what ye said about my lady, because in comparison to her anger, everything else that may befall me in great confrontations, even death itself, I would consider as nothing.”

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