The King being at table with Agrayes and his cousins, said to them, I trust we shall have good news of Amadis, for I have sent thirty Knights of the best of my household to seek him, and, if they fail, take you as many as you will and seek him; but I beseech you do not depart till after a battle which has been appointed between me and King Cildadan of Ireland, who is a King renowned in arms, and has married the daughter of King Abies, whom Amadis slew. The battle is to be an hundred against an hundred, and the quarrel this: That kingdom has been obliged to pay tribute to the Kings of Great Britain: Cildadan demands battle on condition, that, if he be conquered, the tribute shall be doubled; but, if he succeed, the country shall be freed therefrom. I trow he will need all his Knights and friends! The three companions, albeit loth to have their search delayed, yet could they not refuse to stay and share the peril. After the cloths were removed, Florestan bade Gandalin go to Mabilia, who wished to see him. He went accordingly, and, when they saw each other, they both wept. Ah, Lady, quoth he, what great wrong hath Oriana done to you and to your lineage, in depriving you of the best Knight in the world! and what wrong hath she done to him, who never erred against her in deed nor word! Ill hath God bestowed such beauty and such goodness, when this could be in her! and yet none hath lost so much by it as herself! Say not thus, Gandalin! cried Mabilia, what she did was from exceeding love, and in the belief that he was loving another. And then she related all that had been said by Ardian concerning the broken sword. O God! quoth Gandalin, where were all your understandings? he would have buried himself alive for her displeasure! and she believed this! and thus is the best Knight in the world destroyed! Oriana had listened to all this: she came forward as if she had heard nothing; and weeping, so that hardly could she speak, she said, O Gandalin! God preserve and bless you, as you shall do what you ought! Lady, said he, in tears also, what do you command me? Kill me! cried she, for I killed your master, and you should revenge his death, as he would have revenged your's! And then she fell senseless.