But, observes the historian, when Vision and Glance had enticed Heart and Wisdom into the wilderness by enchantment, in the course of a few days they reached the suburbs of the city of Sight, and went to inform Beauty of the manner in which they had brought Heart.
When Beauty understood that Heart’s army was near, and had heard all that was said respecting its coming, and judging it prudent to acquaint her father of the case, that he might devise means of repulsing it; she sent him a letter to this purport.
I HAVE A SERVANT WHO IN THE ART OF DRAWING HAS NO EQUAL; HIS NAME IS FANCY. HE LEFT ME SOME TIME AGO, AND HAVING STOPPED AT BODY, THE KING OF THAT COUNTRY DETAINED HIM AND WOULD NOT SUFFER HIM TO RETURN TO THE CITY OF SIGHT. I SENT TO DEMAND HIS RELEASE, AND THE CITY OF BODY, IN A FRENZY, HAS SENT A NUMEROUS ARMY AGAINST THE CITY OF SIGHT, WITH A VIEW OF TAKING THE COUNTRY.
When Love understood this, the fire of his wrath was enkindled; he commanded SEAL, his general, to muster the army, saying, “Take the army of the East to the city of Sight, assemble Beauty’s army; then attack the forces of Wisdom and Heart, and block up the field of the world upon them.”
Seal, conformably to Love’s command, assembled the army and marched against Wisdom. When Wisdom perceived he had stepped into an ambuscade, he had no choice but that of giving battle. The first day Glance fought. The second day Shape engaged in the field of combat. The third night Ringlet surprised Wisdom’s army, and Zephyr who animated Heart, scattered his troops. Next day Beauty finding she had gained no victory, became pensive, and calling OPINION she consulted him.
Opinion said, “Know that there is a fairy, a twin-sister of your own, who is possessed of mighty power and is invisible to the sons of Adam; nobody being able to trace her, she is called BEAUTY’S-DISPLAY; if any one can conquer Heart, she is the person, no other on earth being capable of the undertaking: be the armies of Wisdom and Heart ever so intrepid, she can defeat the whole.”
Beauty replied, “We are now in front of the enemy in the field, how can she assist us? She is upon the Magic-mountain!” Opinion answered, “Be not uneasy about that, for I have a roll of dust which when thrown upon fire will make her appear to you in splendour.”
Beauty’s countenance beamed with gladness at this (reply), and Opinion having consumed the roll upon fire, she was instantly present, according to Beauty’s wish: Beauty related to her the particulars concerning Heart’s army, and she engaged to settle the affair.
Beauty desired Seal to put the army in order that day, and he immediately rose with gallantry; she had a porter a perfect archer, his name was EYE-BROW curved like the new moon; holding a bow and placing in it an arrow of the eye-lid, he discharged it at Heart’s army: the arrow chanced to hit Heart in the breast, and as he was falling off his steed, the valiant fairy wafted him through the air into Beauty’s presence. When Heart was captivated, his army retrograded with Wisdom’s forces, and Beauty dispatched Ringlet in pursuit of them that he might bring Wisdom and the other Commanders to battle.