But when Alphebus had slain the Bedevilled Faun, and lived alone upon the Desolate Island, like a hermit, waiting and wishing for death, eating wild fruits and drinking of a spring which welled near some trees, under which he had made for himself a sort of bower, Cornelin used often to visit him in his solitude. It was some consolation to the unhappy Knight to see the good horse that he loved so well: but then again it redoubled his grief as he called to mind the exploits he had performed when mounted upon that famous courser. The displeasure of his beautiful and not less valiant than beautiful mistress the Princess Claridiana had caused his wretchedness, and driven him to this state of despair; and when Claridiana being not less wretched herself, came to the Desolate Island in quest of him, the first thing that she found was the huge and broken limb of a tree with which he had killed the Faun, and the next was Cornelin's saddle and bridle and trappings, which she knew by the gold and silk embroidery, tarnished as it was, and by the precious stones. Presently she saw the good horse Cornelin himself, who had now become well nigh wild, and came toward her bounding and neighing, and rejoicing at the sight of her horse, for it was long since he had seen a creature of his own kind. But he started off when she would have laid hold of him, for he could not brook that any but his own master should come near him now. Howbeit she followed his track, and was thus guided to the spot where her own good Knight was wasting his miserable life. Nobs was as precious a horse to the Doctor as Vegliantino was to Rinaldo,—that noble courser whom the Harpies killed, and whom Rinaldo, after killing the whole host of Harpies, buried sorrowfully, kneeling down and kissing his grave. He intended to go in mourning and afoot for his sake all the rest of his life, and wrote for him this epitaph upon a stone, in harpy's blood and with the point of his sword. _Quì giace Vegliantin, caval de Spagna, Orrido in guerra, e tutto grazie in pace; Servi Rinaldo in Francia ed in Lamagna, Ed ebbe ingegno e spirto si vivace Che averebbe coi piè fatto una ragna; Accorto, destro, nobile ed audace, Morì qual forte, e con fronte superba; O tu, che passi, gettagli un pò d'erba._[1] He was as sagacious a horse and as gentle as Frontalatte, who in the heroic age of horses was _Sopra ogni altro caval savio ed umano._[2] [Footnote 1: RICCIARDETTO.] [Footnote 2: ORLANDO INAMORATO.] When the good Magician Atlante against his will sent his pupil Ruggiero forth, and provided him with arms and horse, he gave him this courser which Sacripante had lost, saying to him _certamente so che potrai dire Che'l principe Rinaldo e'l conte Orlando Non ha miglior caval._[3] _Avendo altro signore, ebbe altro nome;_ His new master called him Frontino _Il mondo non avea più bel destriero,_ * * * * *