Scudamore donned his discarded armor and volunteered to guide
Britomart to the magician's castle, explaining on the way that it was
surrounded by a wall of fire through which none had been able to pass.

Undaunted by this information, Britomart pressed onward, and on
reaching the castle declared her intention to charge through the
flames. Although Sir Scudamore bravely tried to accompany her, he was
driven back by the fierce heat, but Britomart passed through
scatheless, and, entering the castle, found herself in a large room,
whence led a door with the inscription "Be bold." After studying these
words for a few moments, Britomart opened this door and passed through
it into a second chamber, whose walls were lined with silver and gold,
where she saw another door above which the same words were written
twice. Opening this door also, Britomart entered into a third
apartment, sparkling with precious stones, in the centre of which she
saw an altar surmounted by a statue of Love. Further investigation
revealed also the fact that it boasted another door above which was
the inscription "Be bold, but not too bold."

Pondering on the meaning of this warning, Britomart decided not to
open it, but to take up her vigil fully armed beside the altar. As the
clock struck midnight, the mysterious door flew open, and through its
portals came a strange procession of beasts and queer mortals, leading
the doleful Amoret, who had a dagger thrust into her heart and
stumbled along in mortal pain. Although Britomart would fain have gone
to Amoret's rescue, she was rooted to the soil by a spell too powerful
to break, and, therefore, remained inactive while the procession
circled around the altar, and again vanished behind the door, which
closed with an ominous clang. Then only the spell lost its power, and
Britomart, springing toward the door, vainly tried to open it. Not