12
CHAP. V.
Pacolet comforts the two ladies, and by his art delivers Valentine and Orson out of prison.
When they were come to Portugal, he caused Valentine and Orson to be put into a dungeon, and fed with bread and water only: but his sister he only sharply rebuked, giving her the liberty of the castle, where she met, as she was sorrowing, with the empress Bellifaut, who had lived twenty years in the castle of Ferragus; she seeing her so full of grief, came to comfort her, enquiring the reason; all which Clerimond told her, and that they were her two sons, Valentine and Orson, which she had learned from the brazen head, for which she made such lamentatious. The empress hearing this, was almost struck dead with sorrow; but Pacolet at that instant entering, gave them both much comfort, by promissing to relieve Valentine and Orson that night, and to set them safe and out of danger of being any more disturbed by the wicked Pagan Ferragus, which he accordingly effected in this manner: in the dead of the night, when all the castle was asleep, he went to the dungeon where Valentine and Orson lay bound, and touching the doors with his magical wand, they flew open, and discovered the poor Knights in a very forlorn condition; but he coming to them, unloosed their chains, and taking them by the hand, he led them to the apartment where Bellisant and Clerimond were; who, when they saw them, were exceedingly rejoiced: but Pacolet hindered them from discoursing long, by telling them they must depart ere the guards of Ferragus should awake, which would put a stop to his proceedings.
