The frank, manly young knight stepped forth,
and declared proudly that he dared do all that might become a man.
But he had some awful experience in the course of the quest that
changed him from the soul of honor to a whimpering coward. His own
companions spat upon him and cursed him.
Roland alone is left. And he has experienced so many disappointments
that now all hope of finding the Tower is dead in his breast. Just
one spark of manhood remains. He can not succeed, but God grant that
he may be fit to fail.
... just to fail as they, seemed best,
And all the doubt was now--should I be fit?
As he advances, the country becomes an abomination of desolation;
then appear evidences of struggle, the marks of monsters: then the
awful, boiling river, with the nerve-shattering shriek from its
depths as he thrust in his spear. On the other bank, fresh evidences
of fearful combats, followed farther along by the appearance of
engines of torture. Those of his companions who had survived the
beasts had there perished in this frightful manner.
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