Holding it fast in his two hands he braced the butt on the stones of the courtyard pavement, steadying it with all the strength in his body. And when the serpent’s head loomed above him he moved so that the lance pierced up into its mouth and through that into its brain. Thus did it die with many writhings and coilings of its loathsome body.
Faint and weak Huon stumbled on into the hall of the castle and there did he halt amazed at what he saw. For not even the court of the Emperor could boast such richness.
There were five and twenty great pillars and some of these were of a marble as purely white as the walls of Heaven, and some of a marble as dark as night, and some of jasper and some of sardonyx. And about the walls and entwined upon these pillars was a vine of soft gold, wrought with marvelous subtlety so that it seemed a living thing. And hanging from this vine were clusters of grapes, but they were formed of amethyst and emeralds and rubies, more than might be contained in the ransom of a hundred kings. Light shone from these stones, making bright all that long hall.
The flooring whereon he trod was a mosaic patterned with the deeds of heroes, but heroes he knew not. And beyond this hall were divers other chambers all rich and of a surpassing beauty, with baths of gleaming crystal, containing likewise coffers and chests full of all manner of clothing such as the greatest lords of the earth might be proud to wear.
Then did Huon put off his armor and lave his body in a cooling bath. And he donned a fine robe of soft blue and set about his loins a belt of sapphire and gold. Thus appareled, he further explored the castle and found at last a walled garden wherein grew ripe fruit. And on this did he break his fast, though still he longed for meat and bread.
That night he slept in an ivory bed, full weary from all which had happened to him. But in the morning he awoke refreshed. And having eaten again of the fruit, he wandered anew through Adamant. So did he learn that there was no road out of this wondrous castle save back down the rock to the dead ships. And he feared that he must spend his days there a prisoner for life.
Despairing, he sank down upon a throne-like seat fashioned of beaten gold which stood in a little room all to itself. And casting his eyes to the floor because of his sorrow, he chanced to see certain words set there in the paving.
“0, man of courage,” he read, “if you be also free of sin, take then the key which lies to your hand and use it here.”
And below these words he saw a keyhole of gold, while on the arm of the throne there was chained a key. Kneeling he set this into the lock and turned. There came the sound of stones moving in their beds and that portion of the pavement on which lay the writing tilted up, showing beneath it a stair. Down these steps went Huon, for he deemed that his case could be no worse than now it was.
Below he found a long vaulted hallway wherein was set an oven of stone. And two men served this oven, bringing out fair loaves of bread and setting dough in their place. They worked in silence, nor did they make an answer when Huon asked them whence they came or who they were. Angered at last he set himself in the path of one and seized tight upon the sleeve of his tunic.
Then the man turned upon him, frowning, and said:
“Rash mortal, why do you so disturb my labors?” And he tried to pull free his sleeve from Huon’s grip. But the Duke would not let him go.
“In the Name of Our Lord Jesu and those who dwell in Heaven, I beg you give me to eat of your bread, for I have been fasting for these many days—”
The servingman still frowned, but he answered quickly:
“If you be Christian man and without sin, then you may eat freely of our viands. Go you to the table yonder and break your fast as you will. But know you—our food be death to those who eat treacherously of it. This is a fairy castle and we are bound here to serve in silence for a thousand years. Nor shall we speak to you again!”
Then he twitched his sleeve from out Huen’s fingers and went back to his work. Nor would he answer any question Huon asked of him thereafter.
So Huon went to the table at the far side of the room and there he discovered all manner of meat and drink laid out upon it. And he feasted as he had not since he left Bordeaux. Thus passed many days in the Castle of Adamant. And every day Huon tried to find a way out of that place, but there was none.
Then one night there came a storm which appeared like to tear the castle from its root on the rock. And when he went forth in the morning and looked down upon the place of ships he saw that many had been pounded into bits against the rock by the waves.
But even as he watched a new vessel appeared on the edge of the sea and was borne toward Adamant by that fatal enchantment which made the mountain a trap. Huon sorrowed to see the coming of more companions in misfortune. But he climbed down the mountain to lend aid to any who might win to shore.
IX. OF THE COMING OF THE GRIFFIN AND HUON’S ESCAPE FROM ADAMANT
Those upon the ship in the bay gave thanks upon reaching land in safety. Now half of them were Saracen and half Christian men who had been taken up by the mariners from a barren rock after a storm had shattered their vessel. When they saw Huon all cried out to him for food, being sore distressed, for they had been driven before the winds for many days and what provisions they had carried were all gone.
So did Huon bring to them the bread and meat which were provided by the fairy men within the castle. But he cautioned them that only those who were Christian and of good heart could eat thereof without hurt. So did the Christians among the company take up the food and eat it and feel no ill. But the captain of the Saracens said unto Huon:
“Faint are we from hunger and nigh unto death.
Yet a man who will betray his faith for meat in his belly is a false coward. Therefore we shall not eat.”
But not all of his men were of the same mind •and some gave over their belief and swore that they were Christian for the sake of food. But when they took into their mouths the bread from the castle it was if they chewed upon a strong poison, and their hearts failed them and they died. Looking upon their bodies the Saracen captain laughed bitterly and spoke his thoughts aloud.
“The truth was not in them and so they died. The truth is in us but we shall also die, since we will not turn our coats for bread.”
But Huon saluted him as one brave man to another, being true to himself and his belief. And the Duke climbed again the mountain and gathered the fruit of the walled garden. This he brought unto the Saracens so that they praised him much for the mercy and pity he had shown unto them.
Christians and Saracens together now entered Adamant with Huon and made free with all its treasures, abiding with good content within its walls. But Huon was still sore of mind and heart and wished to win free of that place—though he could see no manner of doing so.
Now it chanced that he came out upon the wall of the castle in the early morning. And so did he see a dark shadow which flashed across the sky, as there flew from the east a mighty griffin. So huge was this monster that its body darkened the rising sun and its wings spanned the walls of Adamant.
While Huon watched, the griffin dropped on closed wings to the splintered wreckage of the ships below and there it did choose one of the bodies of those Saracens who had died of their greed. In its talons it bore away the dead man, flying steadily off with its prey.
And seeing this Huon thought him of a plan, and he did determine to watch the following morning to see if the griffin would return or if its coming was but a chance happening. So he arose with the dawn on the next day and went up on the battlements. Nor was he disappointed, for the griffin returned again and bore away one of the bodies.