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Thrice the magic lance stretched Marfisa on the ground, and thrice she rose and sought to avenge herself by a sword-thrust. At this point a body of knights, with Roger in their midst, arrived upon the field, while a band of pagan warriors approached from the opposite side.
She knelt down by her, embraced her and called her by her name, but there was no reply. She kissed her and called "Bradamante," still there was no reply. She fondled her, and called her her "dolce cognata," her sweet sister-in-law and at length Bradamante raised herself with an effort, recognized Marfisa and saying, "Farewell, sister, I am dying," fell back and expired.
They had wandered the woods with Marfisa, they had sought Bradamante in the leafy glades, they had found her dying in the grotto, they had received her last breath and the world would never be the same to them again. A voice that can do this is rare and, like the power of a giant, rarely found in the possession of one who knows how to use it worthily.
The Empress Marfisa entered in all her bravery, riding cross-legged on her charger and looking round, first this way, then that. She was searching the wood for Bradamante who had retired from the world to "una grotta oscura" to die of grief. The empress looked about and rode here and there but could see Bradamante nowhere, so she rode away to search another part of the wood and the scene changed.
I saw their father, whose name in Italian is Amone, and their sister Bradamante, the widow of Ruggiero da Risa, and her sister-in-law, the Empress Marfisa, Ruggiero's sister. These two ladies were in armour, showing their legs, and in all respects like the men warriors, except that they wore their hair long. "Bradamante will die this evening," said Pasquale.
While Roger waited, uncertain whether to accept or refuse the challenge of Bradamante, Marfisa buckled on her coat of mail, and rode out in his stead to meet the foe. Bradamante felt in her heart who the knight was with the plume of blue and shining golden corselet, and hate burned in her soul as fiercely as in the breast of the other.
We were now in the obscure grotto and here came Marfisa, riding on her charger and looking about; she could see her sister-in-law nowhere and was overcome with anxiety. Presently, in the dim light, she spied something on the ground; she dismounted, went far into the cave, and could it be? yes, it was the unconscious form of Bradamante.
The reader is to remember that this is no romance, or at least no fiction, that he is reading; and it is proper to remind the reader of real romances in Ariosto or our own Spenser, that such martial ladies as the Marfisa, or Bradamant of the first, and Britomart of the other, were really not the improbabilities that modern society imagines.
Charles obtains complete victory over Marsilio Flight of the latter and taking of Barcelona Marfisa finds Bradamante who dies in her arms. We then went behind the scenes to spend some time among the puppets before the play began. First I inquired whether Ferrau had perished and ascertained that Orlando had duly killed him the night before with la Durlindana.
'Alas! madam, he answered, 'but a month since he was sore wounded in fight with one Mandricado, and has since lain in his bed, tended by the lady Marfisa, who wears a breast-plate as easily as she does a woman's gown. Had it not been for her skill, Roger would long have been buried, and when he is able to bear arms again doubtless he will offer his hand to the damsel in marriage.
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