{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_76929/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_76929","id":"gutenberg_76929","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76929","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Adventure","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Novels","Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy","Fantasy fiction"],"text":"[Illustration: THE MYSTERIOUS DOOR.]\n\n\n\n\n                         +Maugis, Ye Sorcerer.+\n\n                       +FROM Ye ANCIENT FRENCH.+\n\n               A Wonderful Tale from ye Writings of ye Mad\n                  Savant of ye Maison Maugis in ye Olde\n                        Citie of Mouzon, France.\n\n                        By LORD GILHOOLEY, D.C.,\n                          _Author of \u201cYutzo.\u201d_\n\n                             [Illustration]\n\n                           F. TENNYSON NEELY,\n                               PUBLISHER,\n                        LONDON.        NEW YORK.\n\n\n\n\n                            Copyright, 1898,\n                                   by\n                          +F. Tennyson Neely+,\n                                   in\n                              United States\n                                   and\n                             Great Britain.\n\n                          All Rights Reserved.\n\n\n\n              +-----------------------------------------+\n              |               DEDICATION.               |\n              |  TO THE FOOLS WHO COMPOSE THE \u201cSOCIETE  |\n              |    D\u2019ETHNOGRAPHIE\u201d OF NANCY, FRANCE,    |\n              |     THIS WORK IS HEREBY DEDICATED.      |\n              +-----------------------------------------+\n\n\n                                APOLOGY.\n\n  _To the Honorable Gentlemen composing the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019Ethnographie,\n        Nancy, France._\n\n+Gentlemen+: In the above dedication I have the sincerest regret in\ncommitting, what under other circumstances would be an unpardonable\ninsult upon the gentlemen of a learned body, none of whom I have ever\nhad the honor of meeting, but whose position in the world of science\nand letters I know to be perfectly unassailable. Let me explain.\n\nAn oath, made to the late Charles Voudran, a former member of your\nHonorable Society, has compelled this regrettable action, which,\notherwise, would have resulted in the loss of a vast amount of rare\nhistorical information to the world, as, I trust, a perusal of the\nfollowing pages, will satisfactorily explain.\n\nWith the most profound respect,\n\n                                                 +Frederick O\u2019Hoolihan.+\n                                                    (LORD GILHOOLEY.)\n\n\n\n\n                         LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.\n\n\n                                                                   PAGE.\n\n  The Mysterious Door,                                    _Frontispiece_\n\n  Interior Cathedral, Mouzon,                                         12\n\n  The Haunted Battlefield,                                            32\n\n  Ancient Gate of Mouzon,                                             52\n\n  Ch\u00e2teau Montfort,                                                   70\n\n  Surprise of the Castle,                                             76\n\n  Old Spanish Houses,                                                100\n\n  Maugis,                                                            120\n\n  Charlemagne at the head of his Army,                               124\n\n  Ye Olde City of Mouzon,                                            164\n\n  Cathedral of Mouzon,                                               216\n\n  Cathedral Door, Mouzon,                                            244\n\n\n\n\n                          MAUGIS, YE SORCERER.\n\n\n                               CHAPTER I.\n\n\n                             (A CABLEGRAM.)\n\n                                                         SEDAN,\n                                                  PROVINCE D\u2019ARDENNES,\n                                                         FRANCE.\n\n  \u201c_To Lord Gilhooley,_\n          \u201c_Albemarle Hotel,_\n              \u201c_New York. U. S. A._\n\n  \u201cThe hermit of the Maison Maugis, Monzon, committed suicide to-day.\n\n                                                            +Albert.+\u201d\n\nApropos of the above, about ten days later I received a letter from\nwhich the following is an extract:\n\n  \u201cHe was found lying, entirely stripped, upon the floor. He had\n  strangled himself with a cord, having previously broken up every\n  article of furniture, gathered and burned in the huge fireplace\n  every object of wearing apparel, all papers and everything\n  movable, until the house was made absolutely bare. His death\n  created a profound sensation, as it was rumored that he had in his\n  possession some very old and curious manuscripts relating to the\n  time of Charlemagne. An elaborate search of the premises failed\n  to disclose anything, except some burned fragments of parchment in\n  the ashes of the fireplace. He had jealously guarded his discovery\n  during his life and was supposed to be somewhat demented, which may\n  account for the lamentable destruction of these precious records.\n  Now you are freed from your oath, give the world what you have.\u201d\n\nThe past then came back to me, as plainly as if it had only occurred\nyesterday.\n\nI could see in my mind that merry breakfast party, three months agone,\nin the great dining hall of the Ch\u00e2teau Baudelot at Haraucourt, in the\nvalley of the Emmene, Ardennes, France. I could remember, as if it\nhappened only this morning, when Albert said:\n\n\u201cIt is very strange how things happen in this world. Life presents some\nthreads so fearfully tangled that it often seems as if matters were\nhopeless; when lo, some little eddy in the tide of fortune swirls the\nknotted kinks apart and all is well once more.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery good, Albert,\u201d said I, \u201cand this is apropos of what?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, nothing,\u201d answered he, \u201conly the thought just came into my mind.\u201d\n\n\u201cPerhaps,\u201d said his sister Mathilde, \u201chis omelette is not agreeing with\nhim.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d exclaimed Louise, \u201cthat is not it\u2014he is going to take cousin\nFrederick to Mouzon to-day, and it is there that some episode is to\noccur to put some new wrinkles in his existence.\u201d\n\nSaid with smiles and laughter, these words were pathetic.\n\nI shall never forget that day in Mouzon.\n\nI recall how, just two hours later, we crossed the bridge over the\nriver Meuse, and rolled through the old gateway into the ancient\ncity, and how, shortly after, we were chatting with Professor Victor\nd\u2019Alembert, the head schoolmaster.\n\n\u201cI have brought my cousin to see the city,\u201d said Albert.\n\n\u201cAh! Mouzon is a quaint place,\u201d responded the professor, his face\nlighting up with interest. \u201cIt is a small city, but a very old one, and\nso very romantic. Come with me. I will show it to you.\u201d\n\nThen he took us up and down crooked streets, lined with medi\u00e6val\nbuildings, heavily walled, with projecting stories, possessing all the\nquaintness of former ages, and it was while passing through a narrow\nstreet to a square in the heart of the city, where the houses seemed\nthe oldest, the oddest and the grayest, that he pointed to a heavy\noaken door set in a wall of unusual thickness.\n\n\u201cLook!\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cAt what?\u201d inquired Albert.\n\n\u201cThat is said to have been the home of Maugis, the famous warrior\nsorcerer.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery interesting,\u201d exclaimed I, \u201ccannot we see the interior?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no!\u201d replied the professor somewhat emphatically, \u201cthat would\nnever do, its occupant resents intrusion bitterly.\u201d\n\nI can remember now, how a strange and unaccountable desire possessed\nme to see behind that door, but it was almost forgotten, when, a few\nminutes later, we were seated in the dim interior of the ancient\ncathedral with its lofty gothic arches floating over us in the\nobscurity, while the schoolmaster eloquently unrolled a story of\nvicissitude and romance rarely equaled, for he was a master of his\nsubject.\n\nSaid he: \u201cBegun by barbarians, built, beset, beleaguered, burned,\nbuilt, beset, burned, and rebuilt, again and again; such is the\nalliterative history of this old city of Mouzon; the theater of wars\nbarbarous, of wars religious, of wars civil, and wars international;\nbesides of plague, pest, and famine.\n\n\u201cMouzon has a history commencing far back into the shadows of the past\nand terminating the day before the battle of Sedan, when Colonel de\nContrenson, at the head of the Fifth Regiment of French Cuirassiers,\ncharged the entire German army on these heights nearby; charged time\nand again in the very teeth of their cannon, in the vain attempt to\nstop their resistless onward course to Sedan, five miles away, and only\ndesisted when the gallant Fifth were literally reduced to a few shreds\nof shattered humanity; but that was only thirty years ago.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! rare, old Mouzon!\u201d exclaimed he, \u201cdo you not claim the highest\nregard of the lover of romance? the home of Maugis, the great warrior\nsorcerer, and the scene of the rebellious warfares of those gallant\nsons d\u2019Aymon, those immortal knights Renaud, Alard, Guichard and\nRichard, and of their redoubtable enemy, the princely Roland, all of\nthem men whose names are now a byword in history!\u201d\n\n\u201cMouzon,\u201d continued the professor, apostrophizing, \u201cthe resort for\ncenturies of the high and mighty of the earth, your ancient streets\nhave witnessed the pageants of popes and kings, cardinals and princes,\nhave echoed with merry shout at carnival time, with solemn chant of\ncowled monk, with cry of battle and shriek of the dying. They have\nresounded with the tread of the barbarian, have known plague and\nfamine, and have often been illumined by the ruddy glare of fire. All\nthis, as time passed, has been added to the panorama of which you have\nbeen the stage. A city situated in a battlefield, or in a spot that has\nbeen a battlefield of Europe, through all the centuries from the time\nof the Romans to the battle of Sedan.\u201d\n\nI can now remember, as we sat there, listening, that the voice of\nthe professor grew dramatic and echoed in the vast interior of the\ncathedral with a solemn effect.\n\n\u201cMouzon,\u201d continued he, \u201cthe historic, the romantic has no mention\nin guide books, it has no visitors or tourists, because it is out of\nthe traveled route. Even children in the streets gaze with curiosity\non the stranger. It has neither gained nor lost in population, as the\ncenturies rolled on and the events of history have thundered over it,\neven from the time when this magnificent cathedral was commenced,\nwhich, though often ruined in the wars, is, as now restored, one of the\nfinest specimens of Norman architecture in the world.\n\n\u201cMouzon was a fortress in 247 B.C., then on the borders of France, and\nwas the scene of many a battle of the Visigoths and other barbarians\nwith the French kings. In 486 A.D. the great King Clovis wrested it\nfrom the Visigoths and gave it, and the beautiful surrounding country,\nwhich included the historic battlefield of Sedan, into the possession\nof the good monk, St. Remy, who built and maintained a great abbey\nhere. For centuries thereafter it was controlled by the Catholic\nChurch and became a great ecclesiastical center. Prior to this time\nthe Romans had penetrated throughout this region, bringing their rare\ncivilization, building magnificent roads, fortresses and temples,\nremains of which exist to-day.\n\n\u201cThis beautiful province in northern France has been the theater of\nthe most tremendous events in the history of France and the history of\nEurope.\n\n\u201cAh! Those were terrible centuries, when the good monks lived with the\nprayer book in one hand and the sword in the other.\n\n\u201cThen there were the great lords, or seigneurs, who divided the country\naround among themselves and were always quarreling and fighting. It\nwas hereabouts that Charlemagne waged war against the great sorcerer,\nMaugis, and his brave companions, about whom so much has come down to\nus in romance and song. Nearby is the plain of Marcel, where three\nyoung noblemen, brothers, and their retainers, fought a fratricidal\nduel with each other to the death, until the ground was red with blood,\nso that to this day no living thing will grow upon it, and even now, at\nmidnight, by putting the ear to the ground, the peasantry believe that\nthe sounds of battle, the crash of arms, and the shrieks of the wounded\nand dying may be heard.\n\n\u201cIt was in the immense forests, part of which now remain, that\nCharlemagne had his hunting lodge, for he was a lover of the chase. It\nwas nearby that Maugis, the oldest son of Aymon, built the Ch\u00e2teau de\nMontfort, and in it, with his doughty brothers, stubbornly resisted\nthe king, until finally driven out by treachery. The fortress was then\nrazed to the ground, so that not a trace of it remains to-day.\n\n\u201cThus the history of Mouzon has been that of war and vicissitude.\nIt was held by the Spanish in the middle ages for a long time, and\nspecimens of their peculiar architecture may yet be seen in these\nancient streets.\n\n\u201cIn 1672 the great abbey was pillaged by the iconoclasts and its vast\nstore of precious manuscripts was destroyed and scattered. I am still\nunearthing them from all sorts of queer hiding places.\u201d\n\nThe voice of the schoolmaster now ceased. Its echoes died away in\nthe dim interior. Albert and he arose to visit the organ loft, but\nI remained seated, musing. The western sun shone softly through the\nlofty, stained glass windows, shooting subdued colored pencils of light\nacross the worn pavement that finally rested upon and glorified the\nrecumbent figure of a warrior on a tomb near at hand, and then falling\nat my feet, illumined a half-effaced epitaph:\n\n\u201c_Fortiter et recta haec olim_\u2014\u2014\u201d\n\nThe organ commenced a solemn chant and the vast interior, with an\nindescribably beautiful effect, palpitated with soft harmony. As I sat\nthere, looking upward into the dim obscurity of the beautifully arched\nroof, the ghosts of centuries seemed to float before me and a feeling\nof awe possessed all my being.\n\nBelow my feet rested the ashes of generations of warriors and of\nsaintly men of peace who had stood before that altar and administered\nthe beautiful offices of the church. That floor had been trodden by\nkings and princes and potentates of high degree, and more than all, by\nan immeasurable mass of common humanity, that through the centuries had\nprayed, wept and rejoiced within those silent walls.\n\n[Illustration: INTERIOR CATHEDRAL, MOUZON.]\n\nAh! if they could only speak!\n\nMy reverie was interrupted by the return of my companions; then the\nprofessor bade us adieu.\n\nAlbert and I once more were out into the sunlight, when the thought of\nthat mysterious door in that narrow street came back to me with sudden\nforce.\n\n\u201cAlbert,\u201d said I, \u201cI have an irresistible desire to see the interior of\nthat queer old house, the professor told us was the home of Maugis, the\nsorcerer.\u201d\n\n\u201cI wouldn\u2019t do it,\u201d replied he.\n\n\u201cWhy not?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause the professor told me, while we were visiting the organ, that\nthe occupant of that house was a strange-acting old man, who becomes\nvery violent when intruded upon. Some regard him as partly insane,\nand though he is said to be a very learned man, no one knows anything\nof his early history, except that he has occupied the house for many\nyears. Tradition has it that the house was the home of Maugis, and it\nis believed to be haunted. It certainly is the most ancient house in\nMouzon and has a remarkable fireplace, with a huge carved mantelpiece.\u201d\n\n\u201cWill you come with me, Albert?\u201d I insisted.\n\n\u201cCertainly,\u201d replied he; \u201cif you care to risk it.\u201d\n\nWe rapped a long time upon the heavy oak door with no result, and were\nabout to give up in despair when we heard a creaking of bolts and\nchains, and it swung partly open on its rusty hinges. A shock head of\niron-gray hair and two wild gray eyes appeared in the opening.\n\n\u201cMonsieur!\u201d said Albert, \u201cthis gentleman, who is my guest, is a\nforeigner and is much interested in antiquarian research. I have\nventured to intrude upon you in the hopes that you would permit us to\nsee the interior of this ancient house.\u201d\n\nNo answer.\n\n\u201cOur object in coming here is not mere curiosity,\u201d continued Albert;\n\u201cwe shall feel much concerned to know that we disturb you, or that you\nconsider our visit an intrusion.\u201d\n\nAlbert was certainly a born diplomatist.\n\n\u201cDid that sneaking schoolmaster send you here?\u201d asked the old man.\n\n\u201cOn the contrary, we came here without his knowledge and I may say\nagainst his advice.\u201d\n\nA bony, inkstained hand unfastened a chain; the door creaked open.\n\n\u201cCome in,\u201d he said.\n\nWe were ushered into a small apartment, with a low, heavy-beamed\nceiling, black with age. One side of the room was entirely taken up\nwith an enormous fireplace of a size sufficient to roast an ox. Huge\ngrotesque figures carved from stone, one on either side, supported\na high mantel, and a great, cast-iron plate, bearing an almost\nobliterated coat-of-arms, formed its back. The uneven stone floor,\nworn into hollows by the feet of generations, was cluttered up by a\nbench and other _d\u00e9bris_, and a huge table, on which bundles of papers\nwere piled in the utmost confusion; a small dust-begrimed window\nhalf-lighted the gloom.\n\nThe old man said not a word, while Albert and I examined the fireplace;\nbut he regarded us with a keenness that we could almost feel.\n\n\u201cThis small house,\u201d said Albert to me, \u201cwas evidently the porter\u2019s\nlodge or guard room of the great citadel, which centuries ago occupied\nthis site. It has but two rooms, you will observe, this one and the one\nabove.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are right,\u201d interrupted the old man; then going to the door he\nopened it wide and commanded, \u201cnow go!\u201d\n\nWe silently bowed, and were about to pass out when he laid his hand on\nmy arm and said:\n\n\u201cYou will remain!\u201d\n\nThere was an earnest look in his eyes, and I hesitated a moment; but an\nimperious gesture sent Albert without; the door closed, and I was alone\nwith the hermit, half-madman, for such he seemed to be.\n\n\u201cWhat are you?\u201d he demanded, turning to me.\n\n\u201cAn Irishman.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen do you leave the country?\u201d\n\n\u201cNext week.\u201d\n\n\u201cWould you do a service for a man whose days on earth are numbered?\u201d\nasked the old man in a tone almost of entreaty.\n\n\u201cSurely, if I can,\u201d I answered; \u201cin what way could I serve you?\u201d\n\n\u201cIn a thousand ways,\u201d he almost shouted, jumping to his feet, his tall\nform erect, and his eyes gleaming.\n\n\u201cListen,\u201d continued he, \u201cfor thirty years I have not known a moment\u2019s\npeace. Though this place is haunted, I cannot, dare not leave\u2014I had so\nmuch to do. I had so much to do,\u201d he moaned, passing his bony hand over\nhis forehead, and after a few moments\u2019 pause, he continued:\n\n\u201cIt was thirty odd years ago the curse fell upon me. I was a\nschoolmaster at Pau, in southern France, and I was a passionate\nantiquarian. One day I read a paper before the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019Ethnographie\nof Nancy, of which I was then a member, on an ancient document I had\nunearthed, concerning the warrior sorcerer Maugis. This manuscript I\nhad discovered in the ruins of an old castle. It was a short document,\nbut to decipher its cryptogramic characters cost me infinite labor.\nIt merely told the hiding place, in the north of France, of sundry\nwritings concerning the history of Maugis and the four sons of the\nDuc d\u2019Aymon, historic characters of the reign of Charlemagne. What\nthink you was my reception from them? They laughed me to scorn, those\nsavants. They said Maugis was apochryphal, was a myth. Then in the\nintensity of my mortification and rage I defied them to their teeth and\ntold them I would find the papers; but France never should see them, I\nwould burn them first.\n\n\u201cThey only laughed the more, and when I cursed them they expelled\nme in disgrace. That did not end my persecution,\u201d explained the old\nman excitedly. \u201cVery soon afterward they took from me my position. I\nwas said to be insane, and I left the south broken-hearted and came\nhere; that was many years ago. Aided by the directions given me in the\nancient writing, I found a vast number of documents of the greatest\nhistorical value. Their hiding place was right here in this ancient\nhome of Maugis. I found them stored in a recess back of yonder iron\nplate of the fireplace. Since then I have read what I could and I\nhave deciphered what I could, for many were written in mysterious and\nmagical characters, and burned them.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou burned them?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, I burned them, every one.\u201d\n\n\u201cMan, you are surely mad!\u201d\n\n\u201cNo! no!\u201d cried he, \u201cI am not mad, I only have my revenge, but\nthen\u201d\u2014and here his voice sank to a whisper\u2014\u201c_it_ told me to do it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho?\u201d\n\n\u201cThe vision\u2014the vision that visits this room every night\u2014I but do its\nbidding,\u201d he replied, shuddering.\n\nI then saw that I was dealing with a paranoiac, yet I could not resist\nthe impression that there was a certain reason in his madness.\n\n\u201cHave you many of those papers left?\u201d I asked.\n\n\u201cThey are nearly finished, and when they are done I must die.\u201d\n\n\u201cListen!\u201d he continued, his voice sinking to a whisper. \u201cEvery night\na ghostly company sits about that table, and what they say I know\nnot; but most awful! a decapitated head stands on its dripping neck\non the corner of that mantel up there and presides. It is the head of\nLothaire. Its dreadful eyes search my very soul. Its very bidding I\nfeel I must obey. It hurries me on to read! burn! read! burn! and yet\nI now know very well that every paper I give to the flames in that\nfireplace is a step toward death. _It_ commands, I obey, and after all\nit is better so; I am content.\n\n\u201cWorse than all,\u201d continued he after a moment\u2019s pause, \u201cthat society\nat Nancy learned in some way that I was right. They searched France\nfor me, and they finally found me here. They have written me time and\ntime again, but I took no notice. Then they put spies upon me\u2014they\nhave even tried to poison me, and failing in that they have tried to\nsteal in upon me. That schoolmaster is one of them. So far they have\nfailed, but they are now waiting for my death, thinking then to gain\nthe precious writings.\n\n\u201c_It_ told me that a stranger would come from a far-off land, and that\nI should give the result of my labor to him.\n\n\u201cYou are the man,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cI will trust you!\n\n\u201cListen! while I have read and deciphered and destroyed, I have\nwritten. See,\u201d said he, producing a roll of closely written manuscript,\n\u201cthis is a synopsis of it all, it is a history of the life of Maugis,\nthe sorcerer, who was not in league with the devil, as supposed, but\nacted under the commands of God.\n\n\u201cThis must never be shown to France,\u201d cried the old man earnestly.\n\u201cWill you accept the trust and take oath to do my behest regarding it?\u201d\n\n\u201cI will, providing I can,\u201d I replied.\n\n\u201cThen swear it!\u201d with a sudden force that startled me, thrusting an\nancient breviary in my face for me to kiss. \u201cRepeat after me! swear,\u201d\nhe shouted.\n\n                                \u201c+OATH.+\n\n  \u201cI, Frederick, Lord Gilhooley, do now swear, on my hope of eternal\n  salvation that I accept the manuscript, notes of Maugis, from\n  Charles Voudran as a solemn trust. I will never show it in France.\n  I will keep its contents from the world until the knowledge of the\n  death of Voudran releases me from this, my oath; that I will then\n  publish it with a dedication as follows: \u2018To the fools who compose\n  the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019Ethnographie of Nancy!\u2019 So help me, God, and all the\n  saints.\u201d\n\nAlmost bewildered by the strange scene and surroundings, I mechanically\nrepeated the oath after him, and when I had finished the strange being\nlooked fixedly at the corner of the mantel, where he had said the\nhorrid head appeared, and said:\n\n\u201cDoes it please you, master?\u201d\n\nMy eyes followed his, but I saw nothing.\n\nPlacing both his hands to his head, Voudran staggered to a chair,\nsaying to me:\n\n\u201cIt is well! you may go, farewell!\u201d\n\nHiding the precious roll under my cloak I hurried out into the pure\nair and rejoined Albert, who was sauntering leisurely down the street,\nenjoying a cigarette.\n\nWe directed our steps onward across the small square in front of the\ncathedral; passed down the ancient main street and stood upon the old\nbridge. It was sunset; a parting ray of sunshine escaping through the\nclouds shot across the top of the hills over field and valley and\ntenderly caressed the dingy front of the grand old church towering far\nabove its surroundings, glorifying it for a moment and then fading,\nleaving it and the hoary-roofed houses nestling at its feet, as if for\nprotection, almost ghostlike in the coming twilight.\n\nI leaned over the parapet of the bridge and looking down listened to\nthe gurgling of the river through its ancient arches. The charm of the\nhour was upon me and it seemed to me as if I could hear voices calling\nto me out of the past. I stood there, dreaming and musing upon the\nstrange events of the day, until aroused by my companion, who put his\nhand on my shoulder and said:\n\n\u201cCome! we must go!\u201d\n\nThe twilight had fallen into dusk and as I looked backward, while\nturning away, at rare old Mouzon, poor old Mouzon\u2014grand old Mouzon\u2014it\nstood out to my view with its great old cathedral looming up more\nghostlike than ever.\n\nSo, gentle reader, poor Charles Voudran is dead, and here I present\nyou, according to my promise, the story of Maugis, the warrior\nsorcerer, and the four knightly sons of Aymon, and I pray that it may\nplease you well.\n\nIn presenting the exciting episodes of this story which poor Voudran,\nthrough me, now presents to your favor, it is perhaps proper for\nme to call your attention to the curious revelations it makes of\nthe civilization of those ancient times, where a strange mixture of\nreligious fervor, high chivalry, magnanimity, and keen sense of\nhonor, are intermingled with superstition, barbaric splendor, cruelty,\ntreachery, and disregard of life, altogether affording a remarkable\ninsight into the human nature and the manners and customs of the eighth\ncentury.\n\nThis story deals of a period when Christianity had become widespread\nthroughout the then civilized world, and the prevailing conception of\nGod was that of an austere and awful nemesis, a deity enraged against\nhumanity. The element of mercy seemed to be entirely left out of God\u2019s\ndealings with mankind. The most trivial offense met an eternity of\ntorture in hell, the violation of an oath was eternal damnation, and\nonly the most ascetic means could in any event secure salvation. To\nretire from the world into monasteries or solitudes was thought to be\nthe most successful atonement possible.\n\nIt is history how the shadow of this awful fear hung over the world\nlike a pall for centuries, and how in the middle ages man became fairly\nmad with fright.\n\nIn relation to this story, I have made the attempt to preserve the\nstyle of the unfortunate scholar who intrusted it to me, preserving its\nsimplicity, which is that as a minstrel of old going about singing of\nthe deeds of men.\n\nI have carefully omitted, in the interest of the reader, the learned\ndisquisitions of poor Voudran on psychic phenomena as related to the\nhistory of Maugis, which would attract those only who are studying the\nsubject, and which, doubtless, involved on the part of the unfortunate\nscholar a vast amount of labor. Perhaps the result of his labors is\nbest summed up in his own words in the concluding sentences of his\nmanuscript now before me:\n\n\u201cThis concludes the story of Maugis which I have laboriously gleaned\nfrom ancient documents found in his house; I trust I have proved from\nthe study of the ancient Sanskrit writings among these papers that\nthe manifestations of Maugis were due to nothing more or less than a\nknowledge of psychic phenomena that would be remarkable even in this\nenlightened age, and the fear and consternation their exercise must\nhave produced in the age of superstition of the time of Charlemagne can\nhardly be conceived.\n\n\u201cThe secret of the whole matter I have unearthed. It seems that the\nDuke d\u2019Aymon, the father of Maugis, did heroic service in the holy\nwars. He happened one time to make a prisoner of a very venerable man\nwho was held in captivity by the Saracens. The Duke d\u2019Aymon, attracted\nby his profound learning and great gentleness of demeanor, treated him\nwith the utmost consideration. His new-found friend was none other than\na renowned Hindu, a man who was not only a pundit and Mahatma, but was\nalso a Bodhisatva.\n\n\u201cThis noted scholar was named Sahadeva Vyasa Pandu, who afterward\nreturned to France with the Duke d\u2019Aymon and remained with him until\nhis death. It was under his tuition that Maugis, the eldest son of\nthe Duke d\u2019Aymon, became accomplished in occult things and learned to\ndevelop and control psychic forces; who became the possessor of the\nwonderful powers of telepathy and hypnosis, and it was due to this\noccult knowledge that Maugis was enabled to accomplish the marvelous\nthings which in that age must have appeared truly awful.\u201d\n\nThese final words of the manuscript of poor Voudran are almost pathetic:\n\n\u201cI know not while I write this by whom it may be read, and I care not\nso long as it is kept from that Society of Fools at Nancy, who scorned\nme, who ostracised me, and who wrecked my life. I know only that my\neyes will be closed and my lips will be dumb when this protest goes out\nto the great and unfeeling and cruel world.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER II.\n\n\nAfar down the centuries in the good year 779 A.D., on a certain\nafternoon in the golden month of August, the greatest excitement was\nvisible about the palace of the great Emperor Charlemagne at Paris. The\nroyal armies, headed by that great warrior, had been victorious over\nthe Saracens, in which battle \u201cGuesdelin, the Sluggard,\u201d their general,\nhad been killed, and he, surrounded by his victorious legions, had\nreturned to Paris in triumph to celebrate the _f\u00eates_ of the Pentecost\nin company of his brilliant court. Although in that sanguinary battle\nhe had met with the deplorable loss of several of his bravest knights,\nNoel, Count of Mans, Arnoue de Froulon, Albert de Bouillon, Solomon de\nBretagne and a number of others; nevertheless the _f\u00eates_ were not made\nless brilliant by the absence of these brave men. There had assembled\nat Paris for his great occasion, all the dukes and peers of France with\ntheir glittering retinues, and with them also came many princes and\nnoblemen from other courts of Europe to assist in the festivities.\n\nAmong all that brilliant assemblage the most remarked were the brave\nDuke d\u2019Aymon, Lord of Dordogne, and his four gigantic sons, Maugis,\nAllard, Guichard and Richard, all handsome and courageous young men.\n\nMaugis, above the others, commanded the admiration of the entire\ncourt, his height, for he was seven feet tall, his valor and his great\nlearning, for he was the pupil of a pundit whose life had been saved by\nhis father during the Saracenic wars, and who had enriched his young\ncharge from his vast store of occult knowledge, had made him renowned\nalready, and it was generally conceded that he was destined for a great\ncareer.\n\nThe great audience chamber was packed with this brilliant assemblage\non that August afternoon, and the babble of voices that filled the air\nfell into a profound hush upon the entry of the emperor.\n\nUnbefitting the joy of the occasion, his brow was clouded by a deep\nfrown, and gazing upon the sea of upturned faces before him for awhile,\nhe arose from his throne and amid a great silence addressed them in\nthese words:\n\n\u201cBrave knights, your valor has aided me in the highest degree to\novercome the enemy, to conquer many cities, and obtain the submission\nof their people. But alas! to secure these grand results we have the\nsorrow to lose many of our noblest born. Bad enough as this is there\nis yet another matter that deeply incenses me and of this I now speak.\nBecause Gerard de Roussillon, the Duke of Nantueil, and the Duke de\nBeuves d\u2019Aigremont, all three of them our brothers and our subjects,\nrefused me their aid, I now make complaint against them. Believing in\ntheir oaths of allegiance to me I surely counted upon their aid, and\nwithout their force or aid was compelled to engage superior numbers.\nIt is to Solomon, who came to our succor with thirty thousand troops,\nand Lambert, and Galeron de Bordeille, and Berruger, to whom is due our\nvictories.\u201d\n\nAt this point the emperor rose to his full height, and with eyes\nflashing, continued: \u201cI now declare to you that I shall once more\nappeal to the Duke Beuves d\u2019Aigremont to fulfill his allegiance and\nif he still resists I shall lay siege to his dominions; if I become\naroused I will not stop at taking life. I will flay him alive, send\nhis wife and his son Renaud to the stake, and give their country up to\npillage.\u201d\n\nAt these savage words, uttered with the utmost anger, the Duke de\nNaimes, who was considered to be the wisest man of the court, arose and\nresponded to the king:\n\n\u201cSire, employ all possible means to avoid war, which is always cruel\nto the people whom you govern. Therefore send to the Duke d\u2019Aigremont\na man who is capable, sure and faithful and one in whom you can place\nyour entire confidence, one who combines all the qualities of _finesse_\nand prudence required by the importance of this mission. Let him go to\nthe duke and present to him his forgetfulness of his oath to you in\nsuch terms of consideration and without pride of manner as will have\nthe most effect and then let the answer your majesty receives govern\nthe determination as to what course your majesty will take.\u201d\n\nThe king, strongly impressed by this sensible advice, adopted it, but\nwas much embarrassed to make a selection of a man sufficiently discreet\nand courageous to fulfill such a perilous mission\u2014one who had neither\nfear of the menaces of the famous duke, or the tried warriors of his\nfamily. He finally chose his own son Lothaire, who accepted with all\nthe submission of a son and loyal subject, not without having demanded\nthe benediction of his royal father, the blessing of heaven, and at the\nsame time prayed God to care for his family.\n\nCharlemagne had no sooner made this decision when he was assailed with\nthe most dire presentiments, and his depression was only increased when\nthe following morning he saw the departure of his son and his suite,\ncomposed of one hundred brave knights, well armed and equipped. It\nseemed to the unhappy king as if he was gazing for the last time on\nthe face of his well-beloved son, and the while regretted keenly that\netiquette would not allow a monarch to go himself as ambassador and\ndemand an account of a disloyal subject of his rebellion.\n\nNews traveled very quickly even in those olden days, and it was not\nlong before the Duke d\u2019Aigremont was informed of the departure of the\ncavalcade at the head of which gayly rode the young prince, and thanks\nto the activity of his spies, the news came to D\u2019Aigremont the moment\nof the reunion of his barons at his castle to celebrate the _f\u00eates_ of\nPentecost and to participate in the tournaments and games which were\ncustomary at that epoch. Enraged at the fact of an embassy approaching\nhim on such a mission, and desiring to hasten his expression of\ninsubordination, he at once announced to his barons his intention of\ngiving offense to the king, and addressed them in these words:\n\n\u201cWhat now, sirs! the king not only makes the mistake of pretending to\nmake me and my people serve him, but he sends his oldest son to me to\nmake me menaces. What would you do under such circumstances were you in\nmy place?\u201d\n\nHe had among his knights some men who were very true and sincere in\ntheir counsel and who did not hesitate to speak plainly. One Sir Simon\nwas called upon and expressed himself thus:\n\n\u201cMonseigneur, a man who resists his king, who, after his God, is his\nlord and master, makes an offense against heaven and justice. What do\nyou propose to do? Sustain your disobedience by force of arms? We are\nall ready to shed our blood to the last drop, if may be, in the cause\nof justice, and our valor will never allow us to yield to numbers,\nbut what will be our fate if we are defeated? How can you expect the\nclemency of the king if you refuse to receive his son? Have you no fear\nof the fate of a rebellious subject?\u201d\n\nThe Duke d\u2019Aigremont would not allow him to finish. Sparks of fire shot\nfrom his eyes, their pupils dilated and he menaced his loyal servitor\nfor having ventured to speak so freely.\n\nThe duchess, on her part, fearful of the result, conjured the\ninflexible man to listen to the counsels of his true friends and to\nagain seek to enter into the good graces of the king; when, however,\nthe matter was submitted to the assemblage, there was a great division\nof opinion. This is why the advice of the good duchess was opposed by\nsome and satisfied others.\n\nThe Duke d\u2019Aigremont insisted on his intention of declining to serve\nthe king and refused to listen while, said he, he had three brothers\nfrom whom he had a right to expect support, without counting his four\nnephews, the sons of the Duke d\u2019Aymon, without doubt the most valiant\nwarriors of the kingdom.\n\nMeanwhile, during the occurrence of these scenes, the cavalcade of\nLothaire came into view of the castle. He had never seen a fortress in\na more formidable position, situated as it was on a high and almost\ninaccessible rock at the foot of which a deep river ran.\n\n\u201cIndeed, your highness,\u201d said the commander of the escort to the young\nprince, \u201cyon is a formidable place truly.\u201d The castle had now come more\nfully into view and as its tall battlements flanked by two high towers\narose on high, outlined against the blue sky, the prince only smiled\nand replied:\n\n\u201cTut! Gaston, the sight of such an obstacle only incites me the more to\nfulfill the mission intrusted me, and nothing shall retard me.\u201d\n\nIn due time, to the sound of a lively fanfare by his heralds, Prince\nLothaire stood before the gates of the castle and was admitted to the\ngreat court that was ominously guarded by grim soldiery.\n\nThe Duke d\u2019Aigremont received him in the great audience-chamber seated\nupon his throne. Beside him were his wife and son Renaud. Lothaire\nadvanced to the duke to acquaint him with his mission, but instead of\ntalking with moderation and following the counsels of the principal\nknights of his suite, he forgot all reserve and with a haughty mien\nspoke as follows:\n\n\u201cWoe to the servant who disobeys his master! Monseigneur! Charlemagne\nis irritated against you because you have not obeyed his commands. He\ndemands to know your reasons. Also am I come by his commands to promise\nyou his pardon, provided you will at once place yourself at his mercy\nand make oath to send him five hundred knights. If you persist in your\nrefusal you shall receive no pity. Punishments most cruel will be\nvisited upon thee and thine, and the loss of all thy domains and all\nthy subjects will be the consequence of thy obstinacy. I require an\nimmediate answer. Decide quickly, for Charlemagne awaits my return with\nimpatience.\u201d\n\nAt these bold and indiscreet words the Duke d\u2019Aigremont bounded to his\nfeet enraged.\n\n\u201cBy Saint Gris!\u201d he cried, \u201ctell thy father, Charlemagne, that not only\ndo I refuse his appeal to assist him in war, but that I will myself\nmake war upon him. I will come with my own army and destroy the kingdom\nof France.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou traitor!\u201d shouted Lothaire in reply, forgetting all restraint and\nrefusing the warnings of his suite to conduct himself moderately.\n\nThose old days were grim times\u2014there was very little between a word and\na blow.\n\n\u201cHave a care, young man,\u201d hissed D\u2019Aigremont, his eyes blazing. \u201cYou\nwill never return to thy father.\u201d\n\n\u201cTraitor and coward!\u201d hotly responded the prince, drawing his sword.\n\nThe duke, upon this, unsheathed his own sword and sprang upon Lothaire,\nhis knights threw themselves upon the suite of the prince, and the\n_m\u00eal\u00e9e_ became general.\n\nThe great audience-chamber rang with sounds of blows, oaths, shouts,\nand the cries of the wounded and dying.\n\n[Illustration: THE HAUNTED BATTLEFIELD.]\n\nPrince Lothaire was everywhere, his sword seemed invincible, a man fell\nat every stroke. Even when the Duke d\u2019Aigremont appeared before him\nhe barely resisted the furious onward rush of Lothaire and fell back\nstaggering and wounded from a terrible stroke of his sword. But quickly\nrecovering, in his turn he struck down the prince with all his force,\nand such was his fury he did not leave the mangled remains until he had\ncut off the head of his opponent.\n\nMeantime in battle around them the men of the prince had fought\nbravely, although greatly outnumbered. Of the one hundred men composing\nthe suite, only twenty remained alive, and these, seeing the fall of\ntheir chief commander, surrendered. The infuriated duke ordered all but\nten of them to be killed, and these he made swear solemnly that they\nwould carry the remains of the prince back to Paris.\n\n\u201cTell him, thy master,\u201d said he, \u201cthat here is the body of thy son. Be\nassured I shall not wait idly for thee to come and succor it.\u201d\n\nThe ten knights having given their word to report these words\nfaithfully, put the remains of Lothaire in a chariot and departed\nsorrowfully homeward.\n\nIn the meantime, Charlemagne, much disquieted at not receiving news of\nhis son, openly manifested his fears. The sinister presentiments he had\nhad made him think his son was dead, then in an access of rage he made\nthe most terrible threats against the Duke d\u2019Aigremont.\n\n\u201cI will go,\u201d said he, \u201cat the head of an army and reduce him to the\nmost cruel extremities.\u201d\n\nThose surrounding him endeavored to calm him and convince him that\nit would be impossible for the Duke d\u2019Aigremont to be capable of so\ninfamous an action.\n\n\u201cIf ever,\u201d cried the Duke d\u2019Aymon, \u201cthe Duke d\u2019Aigremont has committed\nsuch a crime, he should be served with a startling vengeance. Who among\nus would refuse you support? For me, sire! and my four sons, count on\nour loyalty and courage.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am deeply moved by thy fidelity, my good Aymon,\u201d replied the king.\n\u201cMany affairs have so occupied me that I have not yet seen thy four\nbrave sons. Do thou present them to me on the morrow that I may arm\nthem in a style befitting their high rank.\u201d\n\nFollowing upon this, the next day, in the presence of the whole\ncourt, Charlemagne formally knighted Maugis and presented him with a\nmagnificent suit of armor that he had himself taken from the King of\nCyprus, who had fallen under his own hand at Paraplumex. Then the king\nembraced him. Maugis had then placed upon his feet the golden spurs of\nOger, the Dane, after which he sprang upon the back of his favorite\nhorse, Bayard, whose name has come down to us in poetry and song as\none of the most perfect animals that ever existed.\n\nThe three brothers of Maugis were equally well armed and knighted.\nFollowing these ceremonies, Charlemagne gave a tournament in their\nhonor, at which the young men so acquitted themselves as to win the\nadmiration of everyone.\n\nMaugis, having defeated one of the most skillful knights of\nCharlemagne\u2019s court, while riding around the lists toward the station\nof the king, amid the tumultuous plaudits of the onlookers, was stopped\nin his course by seeing a tiny glove tied with a knot of blue ribbon\nfall at his feet. Hastily dismounting and recovering it he looked up\namong the sea of faces regarding him and his eye was arrested by a\nbeautiful figure seated beside a stalwart warrior, one of the guests of\nthe court.\n\nWhen two beautiful blue eyes met his own, their glance sought his heart\ndirect; even as a moonbeam will kiss a placid pool and glorify it, so\nwas the heart of Maugis gladdened. He failed not during the few seconds\nof the episode to note the tall willowy figure and the shapely head\nwhich was soon hidden blushing behind the shoulder of her brother,\nshrinking from the too ardent gaze of the young knight. Neither failed\nhe to note that her slender waist was encircled by a sash of the same\nhue as the ribbon on the glove he held in his hand.\n\nLittle did he know the vicissitudes that would afterward divide their\nlives and pursue them when united\u2014he only loved and was happy.\n\nReverently kissing the glove, Maugis placed it on his helmet and\nthereafter performed such deeds of valor and prowess that everyone\nwas amazed. Charlemagne hastened to swear the four brothers into his\nservice, and insisted that Maugis should never quit him. Still no news\nof Lothaire. The entire court was depressed. The king, accompanied by\nthe Duke of Naimes, took long walks on the banks of the Seine, their\nfavorite promenade, and there alone with his most intimate friend, the\nking poured out to him all his hopes and fears. One day while taking\ntheir accustomed walk, they saw at a great distance a cavalier covered\nwith dust approach them at a gallop. They both at the same instant\nrecognized him as one of the suite of Lothaire. Charlemagne, turning\npale, threw himself into the arms of the Duke of Naimes.\n\n\u201cMy son is dead,\u201d he cried, \u201cand it is I who am his murderer. How much\nbetter it would have been if, instead of showing clemency to the Duke\nof Aigremont, I had marched upon him at the head of an army. I would\nnot have been to-day mourning the death of my son.\u201d\n\nAt this moment the messenger knight, who had ridden night and day to\nbring the tidings, presented himself before them and announced the\nbloody death of Lothaire, which having done, overcome with fatigue, he\nfell at the feet of Charlemagne and expired.\n\nA most touching scene then occurred between the emperor and his\nconfidant. Both wept and amid their tears sought to console each other.\n\n\u201cWhy shed tears?\u201d said the Duke de Naimes, \u201cour regrets will not bring\nback the prince to life. It is vengeance we must have now. To punish\nthe murderer is, above all, our sole aim. God, who never abandons those\nwho battle for the right, will sustain us. Here, it is not only the\nfather who fights the assassin of his son, it is the sovereign who\ndemands account of the blood of his ambassador.\u201d\n\nThis energetic discourse had the effect intended by the duke.\nCharlemagne, with his face resolute, laid aside his sorrowings and gave\norders to his knights, courtiers and soldiers for the disposition of\nthe remains of his son. An immense _cort\u00e9ge_ accompanied the body to\nthe church of St. Germain des Pres, where the final obsequies occurred.\n\nAfter the ceremony terminated, when Charlemagne was returning\nsorrowfully to Paris with his suite, revolving in his mind projects\nof vengeance, a messenger brought to him the startling intelligence\nthat the Duke d\u2019Aymon and his four sons had suddenly left the court\nand had quitted Paris. At this the king became so enraged and swore so\nviolently that it was all in vain the courtiers sought to calm him by\ncalling his attention to the fact that the Duke d\u2019Aymon was the own\nbrother of the Duke d\u2019Aigremont, who had murdered his son, and when he\nleft his sons were in duty bound to accompany him. Charlemagne could\nlisten to nothing, but finally becoming more calm, demanded to know the\nreal reason for the departure of the five knights.\n\nIt was reported to him that the Duke d\u2019Aymon de Dordogne, being made\naware of the death of Lothaire and of the felony of his brother\nd\u2019Aigremont, called his sons together in council. He felt that they\nwere in a false position owing to the shameful defection of their\nrelative, and he realized that Charlemagne, in his just anger, would\ntake a terrible revenge. What should they do? What course should they\ntake? Support Charlemagne and thus aid in the destruction of their\nrelative, or embrace the cause of Aigremont and violate their oath to\nthe emperor?\n\nSaid Maugis: \u201cI propose that we leave the court, retire to the\nArdennes, and remain there to witness the result. By doing this neither\nparty could accuse us of treason, for until we have taken a final\ndecision we would have neither violated the ties of relationship nor\nthe laws of friendship.\u201d\n\nThis proposition was agreed to by all, and they immediately left the\ncourt and set out upon their journey home.\n\nThough the motive of their sudden departure was honorable,\nCharlemagne, irritated not to have the help of five men of renowned\nvalor, would consider no excuse and swore against them a war of\nextermination.\n\nWhile the court of Charlemagne was engaged in active preparations,\nAymon and his four sons gained in all haste their domains in the\nArdennes, where Edwige, the wife of the duke, received them with joy.\nAfter the first moments consecrated to greeting, Edwige would know the\nnews from Paris.\n\nAlas! the joy of the poor mother was short-lived when she was apprised\nof the cause of their return.\n\nEdwige was at the same time allied by marriage to the house of\nCharlemagne and to that of Aigremont. Her course was very difficult to\nchoose; but having carefully reflected, she said to her husband and\nsons:\n\n\u201cWhy do you hesitate to march with Charlemagne? He is your lord and\nhas armed our sons; this thought should carry you to that side. The\ncrime of our relative is infamous and inexcusable, and think you that\nthe emperor, after having chastised the criminal, will not follow it\nup by attacking the traitors who have aided his enemies by a passive\nassistance, and who have, by so doing, diminished the forces of the\nroyal army?\n\n\u201cThe crime of D\u2019Aigremont is unpardonable. An ambassador is sacred in\nall cases and it is violating those usages and those laws, recognized\nby all mankind, and more, his act has plunged the king into the\ndeepest sorrow by cutting the throat of his son, who came in the name\nof his father to claim those sacred rights a sovereign has over his\nprinces. If Aigremont conquers, how much will your conscience reproach\nyou for not having aided in the punishment of the culpable. If on the\nother hand, he is vanquished, have you not good reason to fear the\nconqueror, who has insults and infidelity to avenge? The best thing to\ndo is to take my advice, return to the emperor at once and serve him\nfaithfully.\u201d\n\nThe truth and justice of these words made a profound impression on the\nfather and his sons, but the young knights did not relish the idea of\nreturning to Paris, so they formed their plans to pass some time at the\nch\u00e2teau of their father. Meanwhile, Charlemagne was actively occupied\nin raising his army. In response to his call, all the peers and knights\nwere assembling their vassals on their estates.\n\nMay 18th was the time fixed for the assemblage of the army on the\nChamps-de-Mars at Paris.\n\nThe subjects of the emperor were not a single instant behind the day\nset.\n\nOn the part of the Duke d\u2019Aigremont, he, knowing full well that the\nking would never pardon his crime, gave every attention to putting\nhimself in defense, and made the rounds of his entire domain.\n\nAfter a time he had raised a considerable army. His brothers, Gerard\nde Roussillon and the Duke de Nanteuil, also joined him with a number\nof soldiers.\n\nWhen his army was complete, D\u2019Aigremont deemed it wise to go out and\nmeet the king, before he could besiege him in his own country, having\nrespect for an enemy so bitter and active as Charlemagne. In fact the\nking, anxious to secure his revenge, would permit no one to place\nhis troops. He would do that himself. He confined his advance guard\nto Gallerand de Bouillon, Nemours, Gui de Baviere, Oger, Richard and\nEatonville. The rearguard was commanded by the Duke of Naimes.\n\nThe center he reserved for himself, and having made this disposition of\nhis forces his army set out.\n\nHardly had the march commenced when he was informed by a deserter of\nthe advance of the army of the Duke d\u2019Aigremont to meet him, and that\nhe had already invaded Champagne and was laying siege to Troyes with\ngreat activity, which news caused him to throw forward the detachments\nof the Duke de Naimes, the Duke de Bouillon and Godefroy de Frise, with\norders to await the arrival of the main army, a short distance from the\nbesieged city.\n\nDe Roussillon, who commanded the advance guard of D\u2019Aigremont, soon\nperceived the advance guard of the king\u2019s army and giving his war-cry,\nat once charged upon them, to which the army of Charlemagne responded,\nand the two armies met with a terrible shock, and so fierce was the\nonset that the ground was soon strewn with the wounded and dying and\nthe _d\u00e9bris_ of arms.\n\nThe Duke d\u2019Aigremont charged upon Oger and stretched him senseless\nat his feet. Gerard and Nanteuil came quickly to join their brother,\nfollowed by the best of their troops, and hurled themselves on the\nenemy with renewed fury. Then were performed acts of the greatest\nvalor. Richard de Normandy, who commanded the allies, made a heroic\nresistance. Spearmen from Lombardy, bowmen from Germany and Portevin,\nin serried ranks offered an indestructible line of battle. One knight,\nwith more hardihood than the others, hurled himself against them in the\nendeavor to break it, and received his death by a lance-thrust from\nGerard.\n\nThe three brothers, seeing that they could obtain no chance for success\nfrom that side, renewed their efforts by hurling themselves on the army\nof Charlemagne.\n\nAt the first shock the forces of Gallerand de Bouillon were nearly\nthrown from their feet. It was a moment requiring all their tenacity.\nMany were killed on both sides, but Charlemagne, with a prudence\nthat never deserted him, even in the most perilous moments, allowed\nD\u2019Aigremont and his brother to become engaged more and more until he\nfound a favorite moment, and then moved his troops quickly around the\nflank of their forces and caught them in the rear.\n\nThe duke had been wounded by Richard de Normandy, and his life was only\nsaved by the fall of his horse, which tumbled under a stroke of the\nsword intended for him.\n\nRetreat now became the last resource of the army of the Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont and the order was given and the battalions that had started\nout so brilliantly in the morning commenced to retire in good order.\n\nCharlemagne at once saw the movement, and calling to him the Duke de\nNaimes, Godefroy de Frise, Gallerand and many others, he ordered them\nto pursue the Duke d\u2019Aigremont and his brothers without relaxation, and\nif possible take them alive that he might visit upon them the direst\nvengeance.\n\nThese brave knights immediately started in pursuit of the enemy,\nbut the falling of night prevented their carrying out the orders of\nCharlemagne.\n\nAfter the terrible exertions of the day both armies needed rest. The\nDuke d\u2019Aigremont was much chagrined at his defeat. His brother Gerard,\nin particular, who had been annoyed at the death of Lothaire, could\nnot conceal his discontent; he could not resist making the complaint\nthat he had made his promise to assist D\u2019Aigremont in all things, but\nnevertheless, he desired to resume the attack upon the king the next\nday with all the force they could command and avenge their defeat and\nNanteuil dissuaded them.\n\n\u201cI think,\u201d said he, \u201cthat we are not defending a just cause, and that\nit would be better to send a deputation of our knights to Charlemagne\nand ask for peace. Are we not his subjects? Besides to prevail, we must\nattack him unaware. And suppose we do succeed in destroying his army,\nit will only follow that we shall again be opposed by a force more\nconsiderable than any we can assemble? No! I think the wisest course\nfor us to pursue is to submit.\u201d\n\nThe advice of Nanteuil prevailed. It was agreed that the following\nmorning ambassadors were to be sent to Charlemagne to make terms of\npeace.\n\nAccordingly, at sunrise the next day, thirty knights, chosen from the\nmost experienced and from those of the highest rank, after having\nreceived the instructions of D\u2019Aigremont, mounted their horses and\nproceeded to the camp of Charlemagne.\n\nThe king being informed of their approach assembled his army in battle\narray and received them at the door of his tent. The messengers of\nD\u2019Aigremont came forward, bearing an olive branch as a sign of peace,\nand kneeling before him bowed down to the earth.\n\n\u201cRise!\u201d commanded Charlemagne.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Henri de Brienne, \u201cwe have come in the name of the Duke de\nBeuves d\u2019Aigremont to implore your clemency. We recognize the enormity\nof our crime, and here before your majesty we would place ourselves\ninto your hands. We supplicate you, above all, to spare the poor people\nwe compelled to obey us and who were forced into complicity in our\ncrime. If your majesty will but say the word, the Duke d\u2019Aigremont and\nhis brothers will come and submit themselves to any punishment you may\nsee fit to impose upon them.\u201d\n\nThe king, trembling at the thought of being brought face to face once\nmore with the murderer of his son, ordered the knights to return\nto their master and to have him present himself at once to receive\npunishment for his crimes, accompanied by his three brothers; that\nhis army must surrender at discretion; that the ambassador might\nhave no illusions as to his formal intention not to submit to any\nsupplications, and that the truth of these words might be forced upon\nthem, he ordered, in their presence, the erection of three gibbets upon\nwhich the three brothers were to swing.\n\nThese grim preparations completed, Charlemagne sent them back, giving\nthem until noon to execute his commands, under penalty of immediately\ncommencing hostilities.\n\nThe thirty knights returned to their camp and faithfully reported\nto the Duke d\u2019Aigremont the words of Charlemagne. There was nothing\nleft to do but bravely accept their fate. The order was immediately\ngiven for the disarmament of the troops. The Duke d\u2019Aigremont had a\ndifficult task in overcoming the repugnance of Gerard de Bouillon and\nDe Nanteuil to submitting, but they finally consented to accompany him.\n\nIt was a sad and curious spectacle to see the Duke d\u2019Aigremont and his\ntwo brothers on that bright and beautiful May morning, stripped to\ntheir shirts, with heads bare, with a cord attached to their necks,\nmarch at the head of several hundred knights, stripped to their shirts\nlikewise, and followed by their soldiers with heads bare, all marching\non foot along the road which separated their camp from the camp of\nCharlemagne. Upon their arrival at the tent of the emperor the three\nbrothers with their suite and all their army kneeled to the earth, amid\na great hush from the assembled hosts.\n\nWith constrained voice the emperor bid the three brothers arise, and\nsternly but silently pointed to them the way to the scaffold.\n\nThe three brothers without a single supplication obeyed in silence.\nOn arriving at the foot of the gibbet, the emperor, who had followed,\ncould no longer conceal his emotion, and for the moment the heart of\nthe soldier overcame the sorrows of the father. He paused and with\nbitter tears filling his eyes:\n\n\u201cBarbarians!\u201d cried he, \u201cwhy should you have punished me so cruelly by\ndestroying my beloved son, a young prince who complied loyally with the\norders of his sovereign?\u201d\n\nD\u2019Aigremont was deeply affected by the grief of the emperor. \u201cSire!\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cI beg to die without delay; I realize the enormity of my\ncrime and that death alone can remove my disgrace.\u201d\n\nThe executioners then approached to perform their sinister offices. The\nassembled armies awaited, breathless and concerned, the end of this\npowerful drama.\n\nThe emperor seemed to be entirely absorbed in his grief, but suddenly\nrecovering command of himself and with a noble generosity, so\ncharacteristic of him, he forgot the death of his son, and, sacrificing\nhis grief and revenge, these words fell from his lips:\n\n\u201cI pardon you,\u201d said he to the condemned. \u201cCan you appreciate the\nsentiments that dictate my conduct to you? Resume your titles and\nyour dignities, everything shall be forgotten and the past shall be\neffaced\u2014this time do not forget your oaths of fidelity, or else you\ncannot hope for my forgiveness.\u201d\n\nA thrill of admiration ran through all the spectators. Mute with\nsurprise at first, there finally arose an explosion of joy from the\nhearts of those who, an instant previous, had been torn with fear and\nsorrow. Loud acclaims arose on every hand and the soldiers of the two\narmies embraced each other in a transport of joy.\n\nD\u2019Aigremont and his brothers were stricken dumb with surprise. They\ncould hardly comprehend the greatness of soul and generosity of the\nemperor and stood silent. They then solemnly promised never to do\nanything again contrary to the wishes of their master, and renewed\ntheir oaths of fidelity.\n\nThe Duke de Naimes, the most devoted friend of the emperor, could not\ncontain his satisfaction.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d exclaimed he, \u201cyou are the greatest king the world has ever\nknown. This act of generosity, which does you honor, will be an\nimperishable monument to you. You have commended your friends and your\npeople to God and you will never have cause to regret your action.\u201d\n\nAfter some moments, when the enthusiasm had become calmed, Charlemagne\ncaused all the arms and equipments of the three brothers, their knights\nand soldiers, to be returned to them, and when they had received them\nthey cried to be led against the foes of the emperor and promised\nto use all efforts to aid him. The princes and their men that night\nencamped with the royal army.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER III.\n\n\nAll being restored to order and the war between himself and subjects\nhaving been terminated, Charlemagne returned to Paris, after having\nmade an appointment with the Duke d\u2019Aigremont to meet him at the\ncapital.\n\nThe duke was pledged to come immediately with two hundred men, also\nto raise six thousand men additional, and the same were to report at\nParis in good order as soon as possible to join the king\u2019s army. Gerard\nand Nanteuil, the brothers of d\u2019Aigremont, the emperor commanded, were\nto proceed with him as an escort, and were to march in advance with\nhimself.\n\nAgreeable to this arrangement, some time afterward, when the Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont had proceeded toward Paris, until he was nearly at\nSoissons, he perceived an army of about four thousand men advancing to\nmeet him. He was much puzzled to account for this movement and deemed\nit prudent to stop.\n\nThe forgiveness that Charlemagne had solemnly accorded the duke had,\nit seems, created a profound jealousy in the hearts of many of the\ncourtiers, one of whom in particular regarded his noble action simply\nas an act of cowardice. He was jealous of the emperor and jealous of\nthe duke. His cowardly mind prompted him to dishonor the former and\nget rid of the latter, if he could only contrive some means to attack\nhim, for he was possessed of considerable force and had great courage\nbesides. He decided that to disgrace him would be the better plan. This\nis why he then proceeded to represent insinuatingly to the emperor\nthat he had been hasty and inconsiderate in his pardon of the princes,\neven though they had taken a new oath of fidelity. There could be no\ndoubt that it was their plan to surround the king when a favorable\nopportunity came with a force he could not resist. This traitor further\nrepresented to the king that allowing himself to be so encompassed by\nthese princes was an inconsistent act amounting to temerity and that\nit would have been infinitely better to have immediately gotten rid of\nthem in some indirect manner than to allow them an opportunity to form\nnew relations in the royal army.\n\nThis tempter also worked on the royal mind by bringing up past\ninjuries, and he cunningly brought up the cruel death of Lothaire,\nuntil he felt certain of obtaining, if not an order, at least a tacit\nconsent to the carrying out of his evil designs. That was what came\nabout.\n\nThis villainous plotter was Ganelon, who, after this preliminary\npoisoning of the emperor\u2019s mind, completed his work by going to him\naccompanied by three other knights, when all three represented to the\nemperor that if the Duke d\u2019Aigremont was allowed to come to Paris with\nan army he might do so with one double the strength he had promised,\nwhich would surely compromise his security; it being the intention of\nthe duke, they were sure, to raise the standard of revolt at the first\nopportunity.\n\n\u201cIn effect, sire!\u201d said Ganelon, \u201cit would be quite easy to sow\ndiscord in an army composed of different peoples. Prejudices could be\ncreated by exciting one against the other until a conflict would be\nprecipitated that would endanger the crown itself.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said another knight, \u201cto prevent such a dire disaster, there is\nonly one way.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd that is,\u201d queried the now thoroughly enraged emperor.\n\n\u201cTo stop his coming and to take him dead or alive and punish him for\nhaving violated his new oath,\u201d cried Ganelon.\n\n\u201cS\u2019 death! I find it ill favors me to believe this,\u201d exclaimed\nCharlemagne with darkened brow, \u201cD\u2019Aigremont swore to me his fidelity\nand that he should violate it a second time is impossible.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut sire!\u201d urged Ganelon, \u201cconsider the safety of your majesty and\nthat of the state.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnough!\u201d thundered the emperor. \u201cI will not believe it. However,\nrather than have myself to reproach for a deplorable conflict, such\nas would occur by these reports, take four thousand soldiers and go\nyourself to meet D\u2019Aigremont and assure yourself of his faithfulness.\u201d\n\nA gleam of triumph lighted the eyes of the perfidious plotter, though\nhis impassiveness did not betray the feelings of triumph which surged\nin his breast, as he, with his three fellow conspirators, left the\nroyal presence. He had obtained part of what he desired, knowing that\nat the same time he had also been able to show every indication of zeal\nand profound attachment to the emperor. He hastened to put himself at\nthe head of his troops and set out on his mission.\n\nIt was this body of troops, headed by Ganelon, that barred the progress\nof the Duke d\u2019Aigremont toward Paris.\n\nThe duke paused in his march with a sinking heart. \u201cWhy,\u201d he asked\nhimself, as the royal banners came into view and apprised him that it\nwas the king\u2019s forces that faced him, \u201cshould the emperor send these\ntroops to resist me?\u201d\n\nHe, however, determined to face the situation boldly and advanced with\nhis escort toward the royal army.\n\nThe duke approached within speaking distance, paused and respectfully\nsaluted the royal colors.\n\n[Illustration: ANCIENT GATE OF MOUZON.]\n\n\u201cMay I inquire,\u201d he demanded in a respectful tone, \u201cwhy this army is\nagainst me?\u201d\n\n\u201cIn good sooth, may\u2019st thou!\u201d replied Count Morillon, the lieutenant of\nGanelon, \u201cthere can be but one way to meet traitors, but with force,\nneither can there be but one way to treat assassins.\u201d\n\nAt these insulting words the face of the duke flushed hotly, but with\nan effort of will he controlled himself and said with great deference:\n\u201cThis must be an error, peace has been made and there can be no excuse\nfor recommencing a conflict that will perhaps prove fatal to each of\nus.\u201d\n\n\u201cTraitor!\u201d shouted Morillon in reply. \u201cIt may be the emperor has\npardoned thee, but the people have neither forgiven thee nor thy\ncrimes.\u201d\n\nAt these words Ganelon shouted: \u201c_A bas le assassin!_\u201d and at the head\nof his troops bore down upon the duke and his small escort. But the\nlatter was too brave a man to retreat before this threatening movement.\n\nGanelon thought for a moment that the duke would seek safety in flight\nand ordered Morillon to get in his rear. But the brave duke resisted\nthis movement, for it was his last thought to fly. Even had he so\nthought, it was now too late, such were the superior numbers against\nhim. Morillon succeeded in getting in his rear and he was completely\nsurrounded.\n\nThen commenced a most desperate battle and in a very short time\nthe duke had lost half of his people, but the remainder fought with\na determination to die rather than surrender. It was a conflict of\ngiants. Each sword-stroke claimed its victim and even the horses joined\nthe men in that frenzied struggle.\n\nThe duke slew with one blow of his mighty sword, both Helic and\nGodefroy. Morillon would have encountered the same fate but for the\nquickness of Griffon de Hautfeuille, who cut down the horse of the Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont, who, entangled in the fall, could not recover himself,\nand Ganelon ran him through with his sword, while at the same moment\nGriffon pierced him to the heart.\n\nOnly ten knights now remained of the duke\u2019s escort and they were\nspeedily disarmed and supplicated for their lives, which Ganelon\ngranted them on the condition that they bear the body of their master\nback to his ch\u00e2teau.\n\nThus was a most cruel retaliation visited upon the poor Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont. The conquered knights accepted these conditions to save\ntheir lives, but with the secret thought in their hearts to avenge the\ndeath of their master. Covering up the remains, they then left for the\nland of D\u2019Aigremont, where they soon arrived.\n\nThe poor duchess swooned on seeing the body of her husband, but\ncollecting herself, she approached the blood-stained bier with her son\nRenaud and made him swear upon it to employ all means possible to\navenge the murder of his father, which oath it will be seen he kept\nfully.\n\nGanelon and Griffon, proud of their achievement, in due time arrived in\nParis, and went to the court. But instead of meeting with a favorable\nreception, received only words and looks of disapprobation. A man like\nGanelon, however, was not to be rebuked so easily. He appeared before\nthe emperor and presented, on his knees, the sword with which the Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont had killed his son.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Ganelon humbly, \u201cI know that every one disapproves of me\nhere. Sire, am I then blamable for having killed the assassin of your\nson? Such is my disposition and I cannot help it. I may have disobeyed\nmy prince in my zeal, but I have obeyed my conscience which would\nnever permit me to allow such an awful crime to go unpunished. If you\ndisfavor me, sire, order my death, for I am a man who would willingly\ngo to death for you, but you would lose one of your most devoted\nknights merely because he killed the murderer of your son.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne found himself in a position of strange perplexity. The\ncourt was silent, while with troubled face and bowed head the emperor\nanswered not the supplicant before him.\n\n\u201cThou art deserving of severe chastisement,\u201d he thundered. \u201cI like not\nthe idea of having failed when we have given our royal word. The Duke\nd\u2019Aigremont had obtained of me full pardon and I therefore should not\ntolerate his assassination.\u201d\n\nThe face of Ganelon paled\u2014had he then gone too far?\u2014matters boded ill\nfor him and a faint murmur of approval rose from the courtiers round\nabout the vast audience-chamber at the words of the king.\n\nAt this moment the Duke de Naimes and several other lords approached,\nwhom Griffon de Hautfeuille had artfully succeeded in winning over to\ntheir cause, and supplicated Charlemagne for their pardon. At last the\nemperor acceded, perhaps influenced by the secret fear of offending so\nmany powerful nobles by refusing, and the affair was suffered to rest\nthere.\n\nWhen the news of the pardon came to the Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Aigremont it had the\neffect of increasing the grief and rage of his son Renaud, who hastened\nto see his people and asked them to swear to enter into a war against\nthe emperor at the first favorable moment. They consented with loyalty.\nMaugis, the eldest of the four sons of Aymon and nephew of the murdered\nduke, was most ardent in his desire to punish such an act of treachery,\nand it is from this point the real history of Maugis begins.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER IV.\n\n\nCharlemagne had no sooner been apprised by Ganelon of the misfortune\nto the Duke de Beuves d\u2019Aigremont, then he expedited a courier to the\nduchess to assure her of his profound regret, and above all to give\nher to understand that, although for sufficient reasons he had granted\ngrace to the murderers, it was not by his means, either directly or\nindirectly, that the infamy was consummated.\n\nThe duchess, however, while appreciating the step of the emperor, said\nto the messenger:\n\n\u201cGo tell thy master that to avenge my husband is now my sole desire;\nthat to accomplish this end I should sacrifice my family, my fortune\nand my life. I shall from this day henceforth regard the carrying out\nof this project a solemn duty.\u201d\n\nIn the meantime the Duke d\u2019Aymon and his sons, appreciating the fatal\nconsequences of a war to both parties, besought the Duchess d\u2019Aigremont\nto allow them to go to Charlemagne and make an appeal to him for\nsatisfaction for the injury done the family.\n\nCharlemagne received the duke and his sons graciously. He understood\nthe motive that had led them to preserve neutrality during the late\nwar and he now entertained no resentment to them for it. On that\naccount he gave the duke and his sons to understand that they occupied\na high place in his favor.\n\nNotwithstanding the fair words of the emperor, the five ambassadors\nfeared he would evade the question. Ganelon had not been summoned.\nAymon represented to the emperor the enormity of the crime and the\ndisloyalty of Ganelon, as well as the bad effect it would have on the\narmy to pardon such a traitor.\n\nThe emperor said in reply: \u201cI well know, my noble duke, that what thou\nsayest is just and reasonable. I also assure thee that I have already\npardoned Ganelon,\u201d and, he added sternly: \u201cHaving given our royal word,\nwe shall maintain it, it being our good pleasure to do so.\u201d\n\nThe Duke d\u2019Aymon made no reply to these plain words and with flushed\nface retired.\n\nMaugis, however, could not restrain himself and said boldly to the\nemperor:\n\n\u201cSire! if thou wilt not render justice to this traitor Ganelon, then\nthere be nothing left for us to do but to take up arms and secure\njustice for ourselves.\u201d\n\nAt these defiant words, spoken in a firm tone, a great hush fell on the\ncourtiers there assembled.\n\nGriffon, who stood near the door, said in an undertone to a grizzled\ncaptain of the guard:\n\n\u201cOho! that\u2019s a brave young cock\u2014but watch and see his comb cut.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne\u2019s brow darkened and his eyes flashed; he half rose and\nthundered: \u201cWhat!\u201d cried he, \u201chave you forgotten the obligations thou\nart under to me? If it were not for thy father I should order for thee\nthe punishment you deserve. If I ever hear that another word from you\non this subject has escaped your lips you will have good cause to\nregret the business.\u201d\n\nMaugis then saw that he had gone too far and hastened to offer his\nexcuses to the emperor, and Charlemagne finally, his anger passing,\ninvited them to dinner.\n\nIt was a trying moment and it was no ordinary man who could calmly face\nthe anger of the great emperor.\n\nGriffon nudged his companion and whispered: \u201cSeest thou that?\u201d\n\nThe young knight was turning away somewhat abashed when casually\nglancing at the ladies-in-waiting, a soft pair of blue eyes caught his\nown, and forgetting instantly the exciting incident in which he had\njust had a part, with a sudden thrill he recognized the lady of the\ntournament, whose ribbon knot he even then wore next his heart and\nwhose face had never left him, either in his wakeful moments or in his\ndreams.\n\nMomentary as the glance was, he read in those beautiful orbs the\ndeepest sympathy, and the happy light that sprang into his own eyes\ntold the fair maiden more than even words could have done.\n\nMomentary as the eye interview was before the modest gaze of the\nbeautiful girl fell before the ardent look of Maugis, there was one\nwho had seen it and understood. It had caused the bitterest feelings\nof hatred and jealousy to surge in his black heart. That man was the\ntreacherous Ganelon, who lurked in the rear of a group of courtiers\nwhile the exciting events just chronicled, that so nearly concerned\nhimself, were occurring.\n\nHe had in vain pressed his love upon the Princess Yolande, who\nhad not long before arrived from her home in the south to act as\nlady-in-waiting on the empress. She had repulsed his unwelcome\nattentions in every way her gentle nature would allow, but the coarse\nand persistent villain would brook no rebuff.\n\nMeanwhile the court had adjourned to the banquet hall, where these\nunpleasant happenings were soon forgotten by all but a few of the\nmost concerned. After the emperor had arisen from the table and had\nwithdrawn at the conclusion of the banquet, Prince Berthelot, the\nnephew of Charlemagne, wishing to show some courtesy to the Aymon\nfamily, invited Maugis to a game of chess, a game much in vogue in\nthose days.\n\nMaugis courteously accepted, and they assumed their seats at the\nboard while the courtiers gathered around to witness the game. Maugis,\nhowever, had only accepted through politeness, because the affair of\nthe day had sadly depressed him.\n\nAfter the game had progressed for a time, Maugis had made some wretched\nmismoves that attracted the attention of those about.\n\nGanelon, who stood behind the prince, leaned forward and whispered in\nhis ear: \u201cIn good faith, my prince, thy guest doth seem to ill requite\nthy courtesy, for while his hand is on the board his mind seems to be\nelsewhere, and for him evidently thou dost not exist.\u201d\n\nA frown covered the brow of the prince, but he made no reply. At this\nvery moment Maugis made a woefully unpardonable and foolish move, and a\nsubdued titter ran around among the courtiers who stood about. That was\ntoo much for the prince.\n\n\u201cHow now, sir!\u201d he exclaimed hotly, \u201cthou art either an idiot or thou\ndoth seek to insult me.\u201d\n\n\u201cI crave thy pardon,\u201d replied Maugis, \u201cI made the move while my\nthoughts did wander and I assure thee I intended thee no discourtesy.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeest thou not his mood?\u201d hissed Ganelon in the ear of Berthelot. \u201cHe\nis angered by the reproach of the emperor. Gads! he is in a temper to\ninsult the saints.\u201d This had its effect.\n\n\u201cSir Maugis!\u201d cried Berthelot in anger, \u201cthou tellest me in one breath\nthou intendest no discourtesy and in the next breath thou dost insult\nme by saying thy thoughts wandered, to suffer which is enough an\ninsult.\u201d\n\n\u201cI pray thee pause in thy condemnation, my prince, and accept my\nassurances,\u201d said Maugis with great patience.\n\n\u201cAccept thy assurances forsooth!\u201d exclaimed the now thoroughly angry\nprince. \u201cGet thee back to thy northern provinces and teach thyself good\nmanners before thou comest to court again.\u201d\n\nAt this direct insult, Maugis, who had been able to contain himself\nthe entire day with some success, arose from the table, sweeping the\nchessmen to the floor.\n\nThe now infuriated Berthelot then reached out and gave Maugis a\nresounding slap in the face.\n\nThis was enough. Maugis seized the heavy chessboard, which was of gold,\nand hurled it at the head of the prince with such force that the nephew\nof Charlemagne sank expiring to the floor.\n\nIn an instant, repenting of what he had done, Maugis sprang forward and\ntenderly supported the dying man, who said: \u201cThou hast done for me,\nMaugis. I was the one on whom blame should rest\u2014let it be known,\u201d and\nwith these words he fell back dead.\n\nThese events were followed by the entry of Charlemagne, who, hearing\nthe loud voices and the noise, had hastened to learn the cause. He\nunderstood instantly.\n\n\u201cWhat, ho! the guard!\u201d he thundered, and then gave orders to prevent\nthe escape of the four sons of Aymon that he might wreak the most\nbitter vengeance upon them.\n\nThe three brothers of Maugis, aided by Gerard and Nanteuil, who also\nwished to escape, had meanwhile fought their way to the main door,\nbut Maugis, who had lingered too long over the body of Berthelot,\nfound himself faced by a line of gleaming swords in the hands of the\ncourtiers. His escape by that means was impossible, besides he was\nunarmed.\n\nQuickly seizing a heavy stool he smote down two courtiers who would\noppose him, ran to the exit leading to the empress\u2019 apartments, laying\nlow the soldier who guarded that entrance, and fled down the corridor.\nWithout, as he fled, he could hear the beating of drums arousing the\nguard and the hoarse commands of the officers. Ahead he could hear the\nclang of mailed feet in the corridor approaching him, and behind came\nhis pursuers from the audience-chamber. He was in a desperate situation.\n\nSuddenly a door opened in the corridor beside him, a white arm\nprotruded and seized his doublet, and almost before he knew he stood\nbehind the locked door of a chamber in the presence of the Princess\nYolande, who, pale as a lily, was leaning half-fainting against the\nhangings nearby, while outside the pursuers, not perceiving him,\nthundered past down the corridor.\n\n\u201cPrincess,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cyou have saved me, and my life is yours.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo! no!\u201d she gasped, pointing to the window. \u201cThey will soon return.\nGo! go! spring through, that leads to the moat, swim that and you are\nsafe.\u201d\n\nReverently kissing her hand, Maugis jumped to the window and leaped\nout into the water below, just as heavy knocks shook the chamber\ndoor\u2014the palace was being searched for him. As he gained the other side\nin safety he turned, and throwing a kiss to her as she stood in the\nwindow, he disappeared down a narrow street nearby.\n\nIn the meantime his three brothers, with Gerard and Nanteuil, had\nfought their way, sword in hand, from the palace, where they were\njoined by Maugis, and the little company, well-nigh exhausted, lost no\ntime in taking the route for the Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Aymon, in the province of\nArdennes, northern France.\n\nCharlemagne, furious at their escape, ordered every knight he could\nfind to mount and go in pursuit, sword in hand.\n\nMeanwhile, the fugitives, of whom Maugis was the only one who had no\nhorse, soon perceived there was no possible chance to escape their\npursuers. The only thing to be done was to await their coming and face\nthem with firmness.\n\nFired by the ambition to be the first to capture Maugis and his\ncompanions, each knight of that imperial company pressed his horse to\nthe utmost. A single knight, the most prompt, at last presented himself\nbefore Maugis, who stood defiantly in the center of the road facing the\noncomers.\n\nThe moment of his approach, Maugis, giving him no time for preparation\nfor defense, ran him through with his sword. A second knight in the\nmeantime had come up only to be laid low with a stroke of his sword.\nThe main body was fast approaching, and finally a third knight,\noutstripping the rest, approached, and becoming enraged at the sight of\nthe fate that had befallen his companions, hurled insulting epithets\nat Maugis, who in turn, enraged, cast his lance at his enemy from the\ndistance of twenty paces with such unerring force and accuracy as to\nlay him on the ground transfixed. This is how the third brother secured\na horse in that memorable fight.\n\nPerceiving it would be useless to engage the numbers now coming upon\nthem, Maugis mounted upon the crupper of his horse, Bayard, behind\nRenaud, and then they fled before their enemies, who were astounded at\ntheir courage and activity.\n\nThey, however, continued the pursuit, but without result, and the\nfalling of night favored the fugitives in their escape from the\nsoldiers of Charlemagne. Thus, happily escaping, they proceeded on\ntheir homeward journey with all the haste their horses could bear them.\n\nThe duchess received them and listened with sorrow to an account of\nthe danger which had encompassed them, and after allowing time for a\nsufficient rest, she gave them some gold, advising them to leave as\nsoon as possible, for the good reason that their father, bound by his\noath of fidelity to Charlemagne, would be obliged to give them up, if\nit should be demanded by the emperor.\n\nMaugis accepted the advice of his mother. During the night he, followed\nby his brothers, quietly left the ch\u00e2teau and disappeared in the\nforests of the Ardennes, arriving after a time at the banks of the\nriver Meuse. They on the following day carefully examined the country\nround about in order to find a favorable place in which to establish\nworks of defense, for they knew that Charlemagne would not rest content\nuntil he had wreaked dire vengeance upon them, and that it would not be\nlong before their location would become known to him. They therefore\nsought some inaccessible place of defense, and having made a selection\nthey proceeded to fortify it with all possible activity. They builded\na ch\u00e2teau fortress in a high and impregnable position, upon the summit\nof a rock, and when complete, called it the \u201cCh\u00e2teau de Montfort.\u201d The\nriver Meuse ran around the foot of the rock, forming a natural moat,\nand rendering the place unassailable.\n\nDuring this time, while the four sons of Aymon were thus preparing\nthemselves to escape the rage of Charlemagne, he, without caring for\nthe sorrow of their father, the Duke d\u2019Aymon, for the crime his son\nhad committed, ordered the duke arrested; but when the duke condemned\nhis sons and expressed a willingness to make a new oath of fidelity,\nagreeing to preserve a strict neutrality in the conflict between the\nking and his sons, Charlemagne, who recognized he could get nothing\nfrom him, sent him to his home, when upon his arrival the duchess\ninformed him that his sons were safe.\n\nHe also learned with pleasure of the strong position they had secured\nto escape the rage of the emperor, but to baffle the suspicions of\nCharlemagne, and to prevent himself from knowing what was passing, he\nreturned to the court under pretense that he wished to be near the\nemperor that he might not be held responsible for the action of his\nsons.\n\n\n\n\n                               CHAPTER V.\n\n\nThe news of the construction of a redoubtable fortress was not long\nin reaching the ears of the emperor. He was also advised that there\nwere others concerned in the construction besides Maugis and his four\nbrothers. This made Charlemagne all the more angry and vindictive. He\nresolved to attack him on his own ground. He would combine the forces\nof all the lords there were there present, besides all the knights\nhe could find, directing them in all haste to secure vengeance. He\npromised to subdue Maugis, raze his fortress, and give up all the\nsurrounding country to fire and pillage.\n\nNot all the lords present at the time were agreeable to this plan, but\nhaving given their oaths of fidelity, had to submit to the consequences\nof their promises. Ganelon finally proposed to pursue a middle course\nin order to terminate the war without striking a blow, for Ganelon\nliked not to fight. He proposed to negotiate an offer to Maugis to\nyield up his three brothers and his cousin Renaud to the emperor,\nhoping in his secret heart that would pave the way to the destruction\nof Maugis afterward. This strange proposition seemed agreeable to\nCharlemagne and he consented it should be made, charging the matter to\nthe Duke de Naimes, his confidant, and Oger.\n\nThese two knights, in due time, presented themselves to Maugis and\nrendered their duty, though certain beforehand he would not consider\nthe subject a moment. They were not deceived.\n\nMaugis received the message, but could not restrain his indignation at\nthe infamy of the proposal.\n\n\u201cWhat, my noble lords!\u201d he cried, \u201cwouldst have me deliver my brothers\nand my cousin Renaud, because, however unwillingly, they have aided me.\nNo, a thousand times no,\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cIt were far better to die,\nsword in hand, than to purchase peace by such an act of cowardice.\u201d\nMaugis was furious, but later becoming calm, he invited the two to\nvisit his arsenal and view his means of defense. Said he to them\nearnestly: \u201cThere is not a knight among my followers, nor an inhabitant\nof this citadel, but who would prefer the most bloody death and to find\na grave under its ruins, rather than surrender Montfort to Charlemagne.\u201d\n\nDe Naimes and Oger returned to Paris and repeated the words of Maugis\nto the king, making no attempt to conceal their admiration for the\nbrave young man.\n\nCharlemagne, on the contrary, flew into a violent rage and gave\norders to his army to prepare immediately for an assault on the\nCh\u00e2teau Montfort. And thus was commenced a lifetime of the most bitter\nstruggles, for the brave Maugis and his intrepid brothers. A doubly\nbitter struggle for Maugis, from the importunity of his friends to\nuse his occult powers to relieve them when sore beset, but which he\nconscientiously resisted because he feared it was an offense to God.\nAnd bitterest of all was his love and longing for Yolande, from whom\nsuch cruel fate separated him.\n\nIt was only a short time after this when the scouts of Maugis reported\nthe advance of the army, led by the emperor in person, and so he was\nnot taken off his guard when early one morning he watched from his high\nposition on the battlements of his fortress the glint of the sun on the\naccouterments and arms of the besieging army surrounding his position\non the plain below.\n\nHe observed with interest, that to invest his ch\u00e2teau, Charlemagne\nwas obliged to very much spread out his forces, and resolved to take\nadvantage of it. Accordingly, when the time was most favorable, he\nmade a sortie with his soldiers from a gate invisible to the enemy and\nthrew himself on them with such great impetuosity that before they had\neven time to resist the ground was strewn with the dead. He had become\nmaster of the king\u2019s camp and forthwith fired the tents, burning alike,\nin the general conflagration, men and horses and all the supplies of\nthe king\u2019s army.\n\n[Illustration: CH\u00c2TEAU MONTFORT.]\n\nAfter this great success, Maugis rallied his troops and was about to\nattack the army of the king, when at that very moment he came face to\nface with a detachment headed by his father, the old Duke d\u2019Aymon. To\nfight his own father was impossible, therefore Maugis arrested his\nmovements.\n\nOn his part the duke prudently retired before the forces of his son,\nbut if his own life was safe, not so his soldiers. Maugis threw his\ntroops upon those of his father and those of the king accompanying him,\nattacking them on all sides, successfully blocking all means of their\nescape.\n\nAt this juncture Foulques de Morillon appeared. His presence in the\nmiddle of the royal army reanimated the troops and they attacked\nMaugis in their turn. Surprised at this sudden movement, Maugis rested\na moment in indecision. His soldiers had become massed together in\nconfusion. To retire was impossible. Alard, his brother, seeing the\ndangerous position of Maugis from the ch\u00e2teau, took all the men that\ncould be spared and went to his assistance, rallied the fugitives and\njoined the battalions of Maugis. These two then, at the head of their\narmy, attacked shoulder to shoulder, striking down all who resisted,\nkilling and wounding. Even before this unexpected succor came, Maugis\nhad charged into the _m\u00eal\u00e9e_ uttering his cry of war, which resounded\nover the battlefield. Every stroke of his gigantic arm told. It was\ndeath to be before him. Nothing could withstand the mad onward rush of\nhis great form.\n\nIt was but a few moments before Maugis stood behind a rampart of men\nwhom he had slain. In their endeavors to capture him alive the enemy\nvainly tried to crush Maugis down with sheer force of numbers, but with\na rare courage and prudence he at last cut through them and rejoined\nhis brother, and then the two, supported by their soldiers, turned upon\nthe forces of the king with a renewed frenzy and wrought upon them a\nfearful carnage.\n\nThe royal army becoming panic-stricken, fled through their burning\ncamp, and Richard, who pursued them, took a number of prisoners\u2014the\nrout was complete.\n\nIf the victory was a glorious one the pursuit must not be carried too\nfar, or in forgetting discretion, a few moments might lose all that had\nbeen so dearly gained. This is why Maugis deemed it wise to stop and\nrally his troops. He re-entered the ch\u00e2teau, his rear being guarded by\nhis three brothers.\n\nThe battle did not, however, pass without an extraordinary episode.\nOf the army of the king only the old Duke d\u2019Aymon was followed and\ndisturbed in his retreat. The four brothers, respecting his oath\nof fidelity, followed him and sought to take him prisoner. Maugis,\nfinally becoming impatient at the barren result of the pursuit, placed\nhimself and his brother in front of the duke and sought to arrest his\nprogress by striking his horse over the head. But this did not stop the\nescort, which came up and attacked the four brothers. They in their\nturn returned the attack, and they would have been inevitably cut to\npieces had not Charlemagne, who had in the meantime come up and saw the\nsituation and lost in admiration of the bravery of Maugis, and with\nthat rare chivalry so characteristic of that great monarch, he raised\nhis voice and ordered the conflict to cease. Maugis stopped immediately\nat the command of the king, and followed by his men and the prisoners\nthey had taken, retired into the fortress.\n\nThis notable victory made Maugis the master of an immense territory\nover which he could roam at will and follow the chase. But Charlemagne,\ninfuriated by his defeat at the hands of this brave young warrior,\nwould not quit the place he had chosen for his camp. Maugis, who had\nfrom time to time only a few skirmishes during the ensuing thirteen\nmonths, spent a period, not altogether devoid of pleasure, except for\nthe haunting thought of the lovely face and sweet eyes of Yolande, and\nchafed bitterly at the fate that kept him from her side. And what of\nher? Did she ever think of him?\n\nIn the privacy of her chamber in the great palace at Paris, she shed\nmany bitter tears when she witnessed the departure of the army that was\ngoing to destroy the man whom she loved above all else on earth. The\nonly comfort she knew was the absence of Ganelon, whose suit to her had\nbecome persecution.\n\nSince the day of the escape of Maugis by her aid, his attitude had\nchanged from odious fawning to sternness and threats. He alone knew of\nthe part she had played on that memorable day. He had read her secret\naright and had taunted her with it, and when goaded by his ceaseless\nimportunity, she had said, standing with flashing eyes, her glorious\nfigure drawn up: \u201cGo, sirrah! Never darken my gaze again. I detest\nthee as much as I love the man thou hatest, and I care not that thou\nshouldst know it.\u201d\n\n\u201cFoolish maiden! That sorcerer hath bewitched thee,\u201d hissed Ganelon,\n\u201cbut did all hell assemble to aid him, his fate is sealed. His doom is\nsure. Then, obdurate maid, perchance thou wilt look upon me, who truly\nloves thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cNever!\u201d cried Yolande as the villain\u2019s form disappeared through the\ndoor. She was yet to feel the evil that an evil man evilly disposed can\ndo.\n\nAs the days passed and no news came from the camp of the emperor, her\nheart sank, and finally when the messenger came and the victory of\nMaugis became known, her heart was lightened. Then a few days later a\ntravel-worn monk delivered into her hands a small packet. It contained\na ring and a slip of parchment on which was written:\n\n  \u201cI have love for thee that will never die. Sleeping or waking\n  I think of thee only. Take this ring, shouldst thou ever be in\n  peril or need me, send it. It shall be a token for me to come that\n  nothing shall prevent. Pray thou to God that our separation may be\n  short.\n\n                                                            +Maugis.+\u201d\n\nThe maiden covered the token with kisses and hid it in her bosom.\n\nMeanwhile, Charlemagne would have made another attack, but Naimes, more\nprudent, advised him to await a more favorable opportunity. Then there\ncame to the emperor, sent by the crafty Ganelon, one who proposed that\nhe would agree to take the castle and the lords and soldiers therein,\nprovided he should be given the ch\u00e2teau and its territories as his\nreward.\n\nCharlemagne accepted the proposition and Hernier de la Seine, for that\nwas the man\u2019s name, accompanied by Guyon de Bretagne, left the camp,\nfollowed by some good soldiers. Hernier de la Seine hid Guyon and his\nsoldiers nearby and advanced alone to the ch\u00e2teau.\n\nUnder pretext of having quarreled with Charlemagne, whom he said had\ndriven him from camp, he had come to offer his sword to Maugis. This\nlie, delivered with an air of candor, completely deceived Maugis, and\nhe freely promised him a place in the castle and that all his wants\nshould be satisfied.\n\nWhen night came, Hernier, to reward Maugis for his good action, quietly\nstole up on the sentinel guarding one of the gates and slew him, then\nopened it for the entrance of Guyon and his soldiers. Quietly dividing\ntheir forces into small detachments they advanced in good order to the\nprincipal places. It seemed as if Maugis and his brave brothers were\nlost, but the neighing of their horses in the stables awakened them and\na loud noise struck their ears without their being able to imagine the\ntrue cause. In times of war, however, caution is paramount, and acting\non this thought all four arose and went out.\n\nWhat they saw did not leave them deceived as to the gravity of their\nsituation. Guyon, now master of the place, guarded all the means of\nexit. Other soldiers were engaged in setting fire to various places in\nthe fortress.\n\nIn such a lamentable position there was but one thing to do, that was\nto seek to dominate events with courage and coolness.\n\nThe four brothers separated after a hasty consultation with some of\ntheir men and each attacked the men guarding the points of issue. They\nsoon overcame the enemy, who were deprived of assistance from without.\nIn vain the traitors tried to escape. The four redoubtable brothers\nopposed them irresistibly, until the gateways were encumbered with the\ndead. Hernier and twelve others were all who escaped the carnage, and\nwere taken prisoners, and the men were hurled without pity from the\nwalls of the castle into the moat.\n\n[Illustration: SURPRISE OF THE CASTLE.]\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER VI.\n\n\nMaugis now perceived that their position was no longer tenable, as the\nflames by this time had made great headway and everything around them\nwas doomed to destruction. He at once advised his brothers that it\nwould be best to gather the remainder of their garrison together and\nthat very night quietly vacate the fortress. When all had assembled,\nHernier de la Seine was brought out, and despite all his excuses and\nabject protestations of devotion in the future, he was hurled from the\nramparts to accompany his twelve acolytes.\n\nHaving accomplished this act of justice the little band mounted their\nhorses and quietly rode away without trusting themselves one look\nbehind at the ruins of their poor castle. Maugis, above all, was\ninconsolable, and but for the restraining words of his brother Alard,\nwould have at one time retraced his steps.\n\nIn the meantime the emperor awaited the result of the enterprise of\nHernier de la Seine with impatience, until two wounded soldiers, who\nhad escaped the massacre, arrived in camp and announced the disaster to\nthe royal troops.\n\nThe emperor, always very violent, could not receive such news without\nflying into a fury. He could not regard such a check otherwise than as\na disgrace. He was even more disturbed at the escape of the fugitives,\nbut hoping to capture them he sent a corps of his army in pursuit.\n\nGuichard was the first to receive the news of this movement from a\nfriendly peasant, and Maugis promptly combined the forces of the four,\nand placing them in a favorable position, turned and suddenly fell\nupon the pursuing army, having first placed their impedimenta and\nnon-combatants in charge of a few trusted men.\n\nThe suddenness of this unexpected attack completely demoralized the\nenemy, who not being able to withstand the charge retreated. In spite\nof the bravery of Charlemagne, who had arrived on the scene, his\nsoldiers fled for safety.\n\nThe king, wild with rage, rushed at Maugis and aimed a furious blow\nat him, with all the force of his mighty arm, which Maugis skillfully\nparried. Quick as lightning, Hughes, who saw the peril of the emperor,\nthrew himself between the combatants and fell mortally wounded under\nthe blow of Maugis that was intended for his chief.\n\n\u201cForward!\u201d shouted Charlemagne, and the pursuit of the four brothers\ncommenced anew, without the loss of any time.\n\nThe four young men, however, had profited by the stupor caused by the\nperil to the emperor, and quickly assembling their men, fled once more,\npursued closely for twelve leagues. During this time Maugis performed\nprodigies of valor by hovering in the rear of his command. Man after\nman fell under his irresistible sword and he did not lose a soldier\nduring the entire running fight.\n\nA swollen river was finally reached, and the emperor, exultant, now\nthought the end had come. But even this did not stop the intrepid\nbrothers, for boldly plunging in they gained the other side in safety,\nleaving their astonished enemy on the banks of the flood, convinced\nthis time that it was impossible to vanquish Maugis.\n\nIn face of this result in which he had met his match, and which\nCharlemagne received with consternation, he abandoned the pursuit and\nretraced his steps. Then, disbanding his army, he put off until some\nother time the taking of his vengeance.\n\nIn passing the ruins of the Ch\u00e2teau de Montfort, he caused it to be\nrazed to the ground, tumbling the remaining walls into the moat and\nplacing it beyond all possibility of repair.\n\nMaugis and his followers now traveled more tranquilly, when, at the\nmoment, supposing they were beyond all danger, they stumbled on the\ntroops of their father, the Duke d\u2019Aymon, who, with other lords and\npeers of the court, were proceeding to their homes. The duke, holding\nhis duty to his emperor above all others, summoned his sons to\nsurrender or to fight.\n\nThis the young men refused to do and begged their father to have a\nregard for their position and not reduce them to the last extremities.\n\nThe duke, however, turned a deaf ear to the prayer of his sons and\nordered his troops to charge, himself riding at their head. The young\nmen, fearing to wound or kill their parent, were in a most desperate\nplace. Their men were falling all around them\u2014so rapidly was their\nforce diminishing, that of five hundred troops they had at beginning of\nthe conflict only fifty now remained who were capable of fighting.\n\nThey must do something to relieve them of their terrible position.\n\nThen it was that Maugis dismounted, and giving his horse, Bayard,\nto Alard, who followed him closely, suddenly ran to his father, and\ntaking him by surprise, threw his muscular arms around him and held him\nfirmly, Alard having meanwhile struck down Hermanfroi, who would have\nprevented them. During the delay this astonishing scene caused they had\ntraversed with their men a small river that was their last chance of\nsafety.\n\nWhen he saw this movement was completed Maugis released his father,\nafter having begged his pardon, and throwing himself on his horse\nbehind the waiting Alard, gained the banks of the river in safety, and\nwas soon on the other side, despite all efforts to bar his passage.\n\nThe old duke at once returned to the emperor to acquaint him of his\ndefeat, but well pleased in his own heart that his sons should have\nescaped.\n\nThe great Charlemagne well illustrated the contradictory aspects of his\ncharacter by his reception of the old duke as he himself possessed a\nstrong paternal feeling. Said he:\n\n\u201cBy the beard of St. Anthony! an unnatural father art thou, who would\ndestroy his own children. Out of my presence! Come here no more with\nfalsehoods on thy lips hoping to obtain new favors.\u201d\n\nHonest, and the reverse of all this, the poor old duke bowed his head,\nsighed, and departed for his ch\u00e2teau. There he recounted to his wife\nwhat had occurred and the humiliation he had received. But Edwige,\ninstead of consoling him, reproached him bitterly for his actions.\n\n\u201cThou need not,\u201d she cried, \u201ccarry thy fidelity to the king to such a\npoint as to destroy thine own children.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know, I see now!\u201d sighed the poor old duke, holding out his arms to\nthe sorrowing mother as a sign of reconciliation.\n\n\u201cI promise thee faithfully never again will I do anything against the\ninterest of my sons,\u201d he cried with tears in his eyes.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER VII.\n\n\nThe four sons of Aymon, reduced to the last extremities, without\nsoldiers, or without any resources whatever, wandered in the forests of\nthe Ardennes, shelterless and hungry.\n\nMaugis, finally, when their position became unsupportable, suggested\nthat the only thing left for them to do was to return to the ch\u00e2teau of\ntheir father. Said he:\n\n\u201cWhether the sentiments of our father are just or not, what right have\nwe to doubt the devotion of our mother? Has she not always given to us\nher love? Do not our own people love us? What is there then to fear?\nNothing! besides, the life we have been living for some time past has\nso changed us I doubt if any one will know us.\u201d\n\nBesides the starvation and ruin that stared him in the face, the noble\nsoul of Maugis was sadly torn by concern for the position of Yolande,\nhis beloved one, in the court of Charlemagne. He had learned that she\nwas practically a hostage for the loyalty of her brother, King of Yon,\nthe ruler of a small principality in the south, though her position at\nthe court was as lady-in-waiting to the empress.\n\nHe knew the persecutions of Ganelon were well-nigh unbearable and that\nshe could not escape them by leaving the court.\n\nHe chafed at the fate that held him bound hand and foot, and longed\nfor the chance to rescue Yolande\u2014how, he knew not. The case seemed\nhopeless. Charlemagne, now thoroughly embittered, would pursue them to\nthe end, and what would that be?\n\nWhile these sad reflections were passing through his mind, his brothers\nhad consulted among themselves and decided to follow his advice, and\nthe four waited patiently for night to fall, that they might take up\ntheir route home.\n\nThey finally arrived in their own province the next day, after a long\nand exhausting march, and at a moment when it was most favorable for\nthem to enter the ch\u00e2teau.\n\nTheir father was away hunting. Nobody recognized them. Their horses\nhaving every appearance of hard usage, every one thought they had\nreturned from the wars in the holy land, and when they appeared at the\ngates of the ch\u00e2teau they were opened to them willingly, for great\nsanctity was attached to those who had been to the holy sepulcher, and\nthe blessing of God was supposed to rest upon all such.\n\nThey demanded to see the duchess.\n\nOn hearing of the arrival of the four knights she hastened to them, and\non beholding them so pale, worn and wasted, she could hardly control\nher feelings.\n\n\u201cWelcome, sir knights!\u201d cried she to them, not recognizing her sons;\n\u201caccept the hospitality I offer you with all my heart, and be assured I\nshall do everything in my power to assist you.\u201d\n\nMaugis was choking with sobs, and tears were running from his eyes.\n\n\u201cAh, my mother!\u201d cried he, \u201cwhy is it our father does not feel toward\nus the way you do, and why is it that because we embraced a cause we\nthought was right we have incurred disgrace?\u201d\n\nAt these words the duchess recognized her son, thin and wasted as he\nwas, and his face concealed by a beard. She tottered toward him to\nthrow herself in his arms, but fell to the floor in a faint. The strain\nhad been too great.\n\nComing to herself soon, she embraced her sons and asked them how they\nhad escaped death.\n\nSuddenly a great noise was heard outside. It was the Duke d\u2019Aymon, who\nhad returned from the chase, and the duchess, having first hidden her\nsons in an adjoining chamber, hastened to meet him.\n\nWhen she met him she could not restrain her tears and he knew that she\nhad received news of her sons.\n\nShe recounted to him their terrible sufferings and the awful dangers to\nwhich they had been exposed and how anxious they were to receive his\npardon.\n\nThe stern old duke was a prey to all sorts of emotions. On the one\nhand his father\u2019s heart would accord to his sons the pardon they asked\nof him. On the other he feared the irritation the emperor would feel.\nThe burning of Montfort had made him fearful of the safety of his own\nestates.\n\nIt was at this point of incertitude that the duchess, anxious to bring\nthe matter to a finish, startled him by bringing his sons before him,\nwho threw themselves at his feet and supplicated him for grace.\n\n\u201cMy father!\u201d cried Maugis, \u201cif you only knew what misery your anger has\ncaused your children you would forgive them. What greater sorrow could\nyou cause them? Whom have we to trust in all this wide world but you?\nWe would never have willingly fought against Charlemagne if we could\nhave hoped for peace any other way.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d replied the duke, \u201cdo you think the emperor would ever consent\nto accord peace to rebels? Never! The wrong you have already done has\ncaused me to rest under the suspicion of complicity with you which will\nprevent me from affording you shelter.\u201d\n\nOn hearing those stern words the duchess burst into tears. \u201cFear not,\ndear children,\u201d she cried, \u201cyour father loves you and his indecision\nneed cause you no uneasiness.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe would be very unwilling to cause our father any trouble,\u201d said\nAlard. \u201cWe will go away, perhaps we can find some stranger who will\nnot refuse us the assistance we cannot get from him.\u201d\n\nAt this stinging reproach the duke could not restrain his tears.\n\n\u201cNo, my children!\u201d said he with a broken voice, \u201cit is I who will go,\nand you shall be left here with your mother. She will give you all the\nattention you require and provide you with necessary means. I shall\nignore all these kindnesses to you, and you must guard it as a secret,\nmy meeting you at this time.\u201d\n\nHe then descended to the courtyard, remounted his horse, and followed\nby his suite, started out.\n\nAfter the duke had gone the duchess embraced her sons, and assured\nthem of the good feelings of their father, that his only fear was the\ndispleasure of Charlemagne, who perhaps might compel him to remain near\nhim at Paris.\n\nThey also feared that the secret of their presence would be exposed at\nany moment. The duchess conducted her sons to the chamber where the\narms of the duke were kept, and each of the brothers chose what he\nneeded. They took, at the same time, complete outfits of clothing and\narmor, and made preparations to depart the following night.\n\nMainfroi, the son of the esquire of the duke, on whose devotion the\nfamily could fully rely, was charged with all the arrangements. Maugis,\npleased with the ardor with which Mainfroi acquitted himself of these\nduties, proposed to him to become his own esquire, which Mainfroi\naccepted with joy. He undertook also to obtain three other esquires and\nhave them ready for the moment of departure, praying that the brothers\nwould confide all to him completely.\n\nThe next day Mainfroi, in the name of the duke, made a levy of one\nhundred men and ordered them to report at Sedan within three days.\n\nEach brother then received a large sum of money from the treasury of\nthe duke, their father.\n\nIn the dead of night the four brothers took tearful leave of their\nsorrowing mother, mounted their horses, and silently departed out into\nthe world.\n\nOnce outside they met Mainfroi and the three esquires, and directing\ntheir course to Sedan, were joined by the one hundred men-at-arms\narranged for them.\n\nThinking it prudent to go southward, they set out and had proceeded\nas far as the village of Haraucourt, in the valley of the Emmenee, a\nromantic place where the hills towered above on either side and shut in\nthe nestling village. They suddenly encountered their father returning\nto the ch\u00e2teau, followed by three hundred men. The duke rode up to them\nand said in low tones that he would not fight them, but that he must do\nsomething to deceive the emperor, and that he designed to allow them\nthe three hundred men then with him as an addition to their force, De\nBaudelot, the chief of the troops, being in the secret.\n\nThis preparatory interview having terminated, the duke feigned to\nbecome very angry at his sons. He swore that he would exterminate them,\nand ordered his soldiers to charge upon them. Commandant de Baudelot,\nagreeable to the understanding between them, roared out: \u201cLet not a man\nmove, or by Saint Gris I will cut him down to the saddle!\u201d\n\nThe duke gazed frowningly upon the bronzed faces of his men, but not\none of them made motion to obey him\u2014and then turning, apparently\nfurious, upon the immovable De Baudelot, he berated him roundly and\nthereupon left, followed only by a few servitors, promising the\nrebellious De Baudelot and his sons the most dire vengeance.\n\nThis stratagem was so well carried out that it deceived everybody,\nand the duke, to make it more sure, when he returned to his palace,\nspread the story, how his wayward sons, having secured entrance to the\nch\u00e2teau, hoping to gain his pity, had in a cowardly manner taken his\ntreasure and corrupted his soldiers.\n\nTo render the matter yet more plausible he even dispatched a messenger\nto Charlemagne.\n\nThe emperor, however, who had several times condemned the conduct of\nthe duke to his sons, tacitly approved their conduct in this case.\n\nIn the meantime, the brothers continued their march onward, not having\nquite decided upon their course. It was Maugis\u2019 wish to get to Paris\nand rescue Yolande, if possible; but unless strategy could be used,\nit could not be accomplished with any means short of a large army.\nStill the disquietude and anxiety of Maugis was so great as to nearly\novercome his prudence, and he was almost ready to march on Paris with\nhis small force.\n\nSo they continued onward; one day De Baudelot, having ridden ahead\nto reconnoiter the road, was joined by the brothers. All at once the\nquick eye of Maugis discerned the glint of arms on the road over a\nneighboring hilltop in the morning sunshine, indicating that a large\nforce was approaching. Scouts were at once sent out, and soon the\njoyful news was brought to them that Renaud, their cousin, son of the\nunfortunate Duke d\u2019Aigremont, was at the head of the approaching army.\n\nWhen they met they were all much affected. After the first moments of\njoy, Renaud explained to them that he had learned that Charlemagne had\nraised a large army. For what purpose he knew not, but he, supposing\nthat a breach between the Duke d\u2019Aymon and Charlemagne had been\nfollowed by a reconciliation between the duke and his sons, and that\nthe consequences would be an attack from Charlemagne, had, on his part,\ntaken his father\u2019s army and was on his way to offer his services to the\nduke.\n\nMaugis soon apprised Renaud of the real state of affairs, and Renaud\nthen swore he would accompany him wherever he might go, and that his\narmy and his sword would be at the disposal of his cousins.\n\nRenaud then told Maugis that there was accompanying him a messenger\nfrom the kingdom of Yon, whom he had overtaken, footsore and weary,\njourneying on his way to the Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Aymon, bearing a message for\nMaugis.\n\nThe traveler, immediately summoned, placed in the hands of Maugis a\nsilken-bound packet, which he opened with trembling hand, knowing well\nit was news from Yolande.\n\nThe packet contained the ring and these words:\n\n  \u201cKnow thou by this token, which the saints grant may truly find\n  thy hand, that it is Yolande who doth send thee greeting. The foul\n  Ganelon did persecute and vex me sorely, and angered by my scorn\n  of him, did finally gain the ear of the king, and did me such ill\n  service with his majesty by telling him of the part I took in\n  thy escape from the palace, made more heinous by many and divers\n  deceits, prompted by his ungodly heart, until the king became\n  enraged with me, and the empress also did much disfavor and condemn\n  me, so that forthwith I was sent back to my brother\u2019s kingdom in\n  disgrace. The emperor, because of my ill doing, hath frowned on\n  my brother, King Yon, and hath denied him support. And thou canst\n  haste thee to our succor, and if thou canst not and needst succor\n  thyself, come hither and we can at least die together. My prayers\n  do ever attend thee. The Saracens, from over the border in Spain,\n  do now lay siege to our capital and we are sore beset. May the\n  saints defend us.\n\n                                                         +Yolande.+\u201d\n\nThese simple words gave Maugis sore distress. He called his friends\ntogether, and it was then and there decided to march forthwith to the\nsouth of France and give succor to the kingdom of Yon.\n\nAt Sedan they organized their army by uniting their troops and marched\nto Rheims. There they were stopped by meeting a force of three hundred\nmen, whom they prepared to fight. Maugis arrested the charge and went\nforward to reconnoiter. Then he recognized them as some new troops\nwhich had come to serve him.\n\nAfter having marched some days they reached Poitiers, where they rested\nfor a time, drilling and equipping their troops, laying contributions\non the subjects of Charlemagne.\n\nFrom here they marched in all haste to the frontiers of Spain, where\nthey learned more particularly that Yon, King of Acquitaine, had been\ndethroned by Boulag Akasir, the renowned chief of the Saracens, had\nfled to Bordeaux, and that now the infidel forces were about to besiege\nthat city, the last resort of King Yon and his court.\n\nTom with conflicting emotions at the danger which threatened Yolande,\nMaugis ordered all haste to be made to the rescue of the unfortunate\nprince, sending in advance four knights, hastening them forward to\noffer the services of the oncoming forces. On their arrival they found\na great many other knights who had already come to offer their services.\n\nThe arrival of Maugis created a great sensation. His gigantic stature,\nhis noble air, won the attention and admiration of everybody. Tall\nand stately, Yolande stood beside her brother, the king, amid that\nbrilliant assemblage, but her glance was freezing when it fell upon the\nexpectant Maugis. Her greeting was formal and cold and she averted her\nface from him with a certain disdain.\n\nShocked, humbled and heart-stricken by this cruel treatment, the\nmighty Maugis nearly lost self-control. As it was he stumbled back\nto the little group of his friends, powerless to utter a word, and\nbade Renaud, his cousin, to be spokesman to the king, which he did as\nfollows:\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Renaud, \u201cwe are five knights of high birth and we seek to\nplace our courage and our swords at the service of your majesty. That\nour position may justify our words, we have come with seven hundred men\nand we demand no other recompense for our devotion than to receive at\nall times the protection of your majesty.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt pleases me much,\u201d replied the king, \u201cto receive thy service, brave\nknights, and right gladly will I accept thy offer. Grant me thy names\nthat I may know to whom I am so deeply indebted.\u201d\n\nAt the mention of the name of Maugis, he was startled. He had heard of\nthe brilliant exploits of that brave young man, which by that time had\nbecome known throughout France.\n\nHe expressed his satisfaction at having him near him, and assured the\nfour brothers and their cousin of his protection. Said he: \u201cIf you\nare miserable, I myself am nearly dethroned. I am likewise miserable,\ntherefore we will unite our fortunes. I will count on your courage and\nyou may count on my protection and friendship.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n                             CHAPTER VIII.\n\n\nBoulag Akasir had by this time come to the environs of Bordeaux and was\nthreatening that city. He established his camp a short distance away,\nhis army consisting of twenty thousand troops, and feeling sure of\nvictory, commenced at once to devastate the suburbs.\n\nThese exciting events, while they in a measure diverted Maugis from\nhis perplexity and gloom by appealing to his warlike spirit, by no\nmeans lightened the intense depression. The coldness of Yolande and\nher inexplicable aversion and avoidance of him were maddening. Do what\nhe would, she would not meet him and a note that he addressed to her\ndemanding the reason of her strange conduct was returned to him with\nthe seal unbroken.\n\nHad Maugis been less absorbed by the prospect of being united to\nYolande when he first entered the court of King Yon, he would have seen\namong the entourage of the king an evil face that glanced at him in no\nfriendly way. It was that of a monk, who had but recently arrived from\nthe north, and whose great learning and piety had gained him almost\ninstant favor and an influential position in court. This friar, Anselm\nGorieux, was the uncle of the perfidious Ganelon, who was inspired by\nbitter hatred and jealousy of Maugis. This monk hated Maugis, as well\non his own account, because in a conflict at wit with Maugis, at a\nbanquet, the latter had turned the laugh against him and caused his\nproud soul to chafe under the humiliation, and to resolve upon the\ndirest revenge. He had purposely come to the court of King Yon, in the\ninterest of his nephew, urged by him to seek the ear of Yolande and\nprejudice Maugis, persistently hoping that with his rival dethroned\nfrom her favor his own chances might improve, and that he yet might be\nable to win her.\n\nThe crafty monk found little difficulty in gaining the confidence of\nYolande, to whose fervent religious nature his great piety, humility\nand learning at once appealed.\n\nCautiously, so as not to alarm his timid prey, he held much discourse\nwith her upon the awful power of the evil one; how he possessed himself\nof the souls of those who were willing to barter them for worldly gain.\nThen he held up to her, casually, Maugis as such a one; told her that\neven an emissary of Satan had abode under his father\u2019s roof, and under\nthe guise of a learned man of the east had taught the young man the\nworst of black arts and sorceries.\n\nThe monk told her Maugis had been won over to Satan, had become a\nsorcerer, and a practicer of all the foul arts. He showed her how\nthe great exploits that had made him the hero of the day were simply\nmanifestations of the evil one to whom he had sold his soul; that his\ntime of glory was brief, and he, and all who loved him, would finally\nrest under the curse of God.\n\nYolande, as she slowly comprehended these dreadful revelations, was\ngrief-stricken and dismayed. Her idol was shattered, and although she\nconcealed the anguish that consumed her heart, she nearly sobbed her\nreason away in the quiet of her chamber.\n\nThe surprise of Friar Anselm was indeed great at the unexpected\npresence of Maugis at the court. He had not looked for this and would\nhave certainly devoted himself to prejudicing the king also, only the\nexciting events then occurring gave him no opportunity.\n\nMeanwhile a force of the Saracens was devastating the suburbs of\nBordeaux, and the alarm caused by this movement spread quickly.\n\nMaugis, to observe for himself the operations, mounted the walls, and\nhis trained eye saw at once it was only a small part of the main army\nof the enemy who were making the attack. He then advised his brothers\nand his cousin Renaud to arm and place themselves in readiness at the\nhead of their men. Arming himself also he hastened to the king.\n\nHe gave King Yon the assurance that the advance guard of the enemy\nwould be destroyed, and having accomplished that he would attack the\nmain army, he and his brothers, and that they would drive him from the\nfield. He recommended the king to hold himself in readiness to come to\ntheir succor if it should be required. As he left the royal presence he\ncast one look at Yolande, who stood there pale and proud, but who only\ngazed upon him coldly. He little knew that within, and beneath that\nforbidding exterior, her gentle heart was surging with love and pity\nfor him.\n\nA sad heart makes some men more determined, and it was this feeling\nthat possessed Maugis as he hastened to place himself at the head of\nthe attacking party.\n\nWhen he saw the forces of Maugis emerge from the gate of Bordeaux,\nBoulag Akasir advanced promptly to meet him. His unvarying successes\nhad made him arrogant and over-confident, and when he perceived this\nsmall army of King Yon he hoped to capture it. But he counted without\nMaugis, who, cool and calm, disposed his troops skillfully and quietly\nencouraged his men both by voice and gesture.\n\nAt a given signal the troops of Maugis charged upon the enemy with\ngreat vigor, and they being accustomed to conduct just the reverse\nfrom their opponents, stopped, struck with stupor. Boulag Akasir, who\nsaw at once that it was their chief who had infused that small army\nwith so much ardor, rushed upon Maugis to fell him, but the latter\nskillfully parried the awful blow, which instead laid low a knight of\nBordeaux. Alard, in his turn, attacked the Saracen, but that celebrated\nwarrior seemed to bear a charmed life and evaded with amazing dexterity\nthe furious blows aimed at him.\n\nThe battle then became general all along the line. The brothers Aymon\nwere everywhere, and each performed prodigious deeds of valor.\n\nYolande, breathless with anxiety and almost fainting, witnessed the\nbravery of Maugis from the walls, and in her inmost heart could not\nbelieve that such great actions could be inspired by the evil one.\n\nIt was now King Yon, who, until this time had remained a spectator,\ncould no longer resist action, and giving his war-cry, rushed at the\nhead of his troops to the side of Maugis, and hurled himself upon\nthe Saracens, taking them completely by surprise. But they resisted\ndesperately, as Saracens always do, because their religion would never\npermit them to fly, and who would stand and even submit to have their\nthroats cut rather than retreat.\n\nBoulag, seeing his army diminishing every minute, and wishing to\npreserve his soldiers for another battle under more favorable auspices,\ngave the signal to retreat. But that order was contrary to the law of\nMohammed and his troops executed it very unwillingly.\n\nDuring this period of hesitation, Maugis, supported by his Cousin\nRenaud and his brothers, were creating havoc in the ranks of the\nconfused enemy, until, finally, becoming panic-stricken, the Saracens\ntook to flight.\n\nBoulag himself turned his back and fled, with Maugis in pursuit.\n\nThe chief of the Saracens was mounted on an Arab horse of great speed,\nand Bayard, the magnificent horse of Maugis, had great difficulty in\nkeeping up with him. But he persistently followed until the chase had\nkept up for three hours, and fully thirty miles had been covered at\nthis terrific pace. The blood of Maugis was up and it was a pursuit of\nlife and death.\n\nIn the meantime every one thought that Maugis was lost. They searched\nfor him everywhere, but he could not be found. They gave him up for\ndead and the whole army uttered cries of sorrow and despair. The three\nbrothers of Maugis were inconsolable. Supported by her maidens, Yolande\nwas removed, half-fainting to her chamber. It was in vain King Yon\ntried to reassure the brothers.\n\nRenaud, however, who never despaired, assembled two hundred soldiers,\nand accompanied by the king and the three brothers, followed in the\ntracks of the pursuer and pursued.\n\n[Illustration: OLD SPANISH HOUSES.]\n\nMeanwhile, Maugis had caught up with Boulag Akasir, who, trembling at\nthe persistence of the pursuit, and infuriated withal, saw that he\ncould not escape defending himself, and suddenly turned and struck at\nMaugis with his lance. Quick as the movement was, Maugis luckily saw\nit and with consummate skill parried the blow with such force that the\nweapon of Boulag was shivered in pieces over his shield. Profiting\nby the momentary stupefaction of his enemy, Maugis felled the horse\nof the Saracen to the ground, stunned by a blow of his sword. Boulag\nwas himself stunned, but quickly arose to his feet and faced Maugis.\nHe, however, with true chivalry, would not take advantage of his\nposition, but descended from his own horse to do battle with him on\nequal footing, even courteously waiting for his opponent to recover his\nbreath.\n\nThen there commenced a terrible conflict, a duel to the death, in which\nthe furious strokes and parryings followed each other with lightning\nrapidity. But the brave Boulag finally fell to the earth sore wounded.\nIn an instant Maugis was upon him and was about to give him a finishing\nstroke, when Boulag cried: \u201cGrace! I pray thee!\u201d\n\n\u201cDog of an infidel,\u201d replied Maugis, \u201cthou doest well to crave mercy,\nthou who hast never given!\u201d\n\n\u201cSir knight,\u201d pleaded Boulag, \u201cI will give thee anything thou mayst ask\nof me, so long as my life be spared.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo!\u201d answered Maugis, \u201cI will take nothing from thee, but thou art\nbrave and I will accord thee life only on one condition. That is that\nyou abjure thy religion of Mohammed and become converted to mine.\u201d\n\n\u201cI accept thy terms,\u201d cried Boulag, \u201cthe more willing because I never\nhave been a firm believer in Mohammed.\u201d\n\nThen regaining his feet he tendered his sword to Maugis, but Maugis\ngenerously refused to take it from him.\n\nThey then mounted horse and set out for Bordeaux. Maugis, with his\nprisoner, giving thanks that he had been able to exterminate the army\nof the Saracens.\n\nThus the conqueror and the conquered were quietly pursuing their way\nto the city, whiling the time in conversation on religion and other\ntopics, when they were met unexpectedly by King Yon and his suite.\nThereupon there was a most happy meeting between Maugis, his three\nbrothers and his Cousin Renaud.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d then said Maugis, \u201cI deliver up to thee Boulag Akasir, who\nhas delivered himself into my hands and hath abjured his religion to\nbe henceforth a Christian. I pray thee grant him all the regard due a\nbrave knight.\u201d\n\n\u201cBrave knight!\u201d exclaimed the king to Maugis, \u201cI should ill, indeed,\nrequite thee, savior of my kingdom, did I other than thou desirest\nwith this mighty warrior. So be it. He shall be presented to our court\nwith a dignity becoming his rank, and the past shall be forgotten.\u201d\n\nIn the excess of his gratitude. King Yon further insisted on dividing\nhis kingdom into three parts. One to be given Maugis, one to the three\nbrothers and Renaud, and the remaining portion to the army.\n\nMaugis would not hear of this and was inflexible in his refusal to\naccept.\n\nKing Yon was much disconcerted by the declination of Maugis to accept\nany reward, and casting about in his mind for some delicate way to\nreward him for his inestimable services, the thought came of offering\nhim the hand of his beautiful sister. He could think of no greater\nway of showing his regard, but at the time he remained silent on the\nsubject.\n\nBoulag, having in due form been made a Christian, was longing ardently\nto return to his native land. He appealed to the tender-hearted Yolande\nto secure him this boon. She willingly undertook to do so, and pleaded\nhis cause so earnestly with the king that the request was granted,\nprovided he paid to Maugis a ransom; the king courteously pretending to\nconduct the negotiations in the name of Maugis. The king, agreeable to\nthe proposition of Boulag himself, fixed the ransom at six mule-loads\nof gold and that he also abandon Toulouse, and the country thereabouts.\n\nHaving thus been freed, Boulag, accompanied by some faithful servitors,\ndeparted for his own land.\n\nYon, who had now become richer and more powerful than ever, tried to\ninduce Maugis to accept entire the ransom of Boulag, but he again\nrefused, praying the king to reserve his bounty until the day came when\nhe should demand his services.\n\nThat day was very soon in presenting itself.\n\nThe war being concluded, and Boulag having departed with his followers\nfrom the territories of King Yon, there remained little for Maugis, his\nthree brothers and Renaud to do, but ride about the country and pursue\nthe chase.\n\nOne day Maugis, followed by his companions, were riding out when a view\nburst upon their eyes that caused them, as if moved by one impulse,\nto stop. They were riding on the banks of the Dordogne. The eyes of\nMaugis were fixed upon a mountain on the other side of the river which,\nsurrounded by beautiful plains, rose high into the blue sky. Easy of\naccess, while perfect for defense, its top presented a fine level\nsurface upon which to build.\n\nThis site suggested to Maugis an idea he had long entertained. Said he:\n\u201cMontfort no longer exists, but we can easily replace it if we choose.\nHere is a situation which combines all the necessary conditions of\nimpregnability, and here we could brave the anger of Charlemagne.\u201d\n\nHis companions being equally impressed in favor of this idea, the five\ngave the place a most careful examination, and on their return to the\ncourt they sought the royal presence, and Maugis said: \u201cSire, we are\nhomeless and would make for ourselves an abiding place. We have found\na certain mountain near the river Dordogne, on which we could build a\nch\u00e2teau, if we have thy royal favor.\u201d\n\nKing Yon, anxious to reward the great services of the brave knights,\nwas about to give his consent when the crafty monk, Gorieux, stepped to\nhis side and whispered in his ear:\n\n\u201cSire! I pray thee have a care. Dost want the wrath of Charlemagne to\ndescend on thee, then harbor these outlaws, for such they be, and no\nsooner shall the emperor learn that thou hast housed them and enriched\nthem than thy peace, and perhaps thy life, will be jeopardized.\u201d\n\nAt these words the king only frowned and replied: \u201cDost suppose the\nfear of any such consequences will deter me from rewarding these brave\nmen who have saved me my kingdom and my very life?\u201d and turning to\nthe five knights he not only gave them the mountain, but besides,\nauthorized them to construct a ch\u00e2teau upon it, and gave them likewise\nall the land that surrounded it.\n\nSuch a great favor as this did not fail to create jealousy among\ncertain of his courtiers. One of his peers, who was in love with the\nbeautiful Yolande, and who had been jealous of Maugis ever since\nhis arrival, could not support the idea of this being carried out\nwithout an attempt to discourage the king from making a false move. He\ntherefore remarked:\n\n\u201cSire! without doubt these brave knights are masters of the situation,\nbut is it wise or for thy well being to support and nourish a foreign\nforce at thy door, whom chance might make thy master, or is it wise to\nsupport these men in all their exigencies? Reward them well and suffer\nthem to depart.\u201d\n\nThe king, however, was not to be moved, and appealing to Maugis, said:\n\n\u201cSir knight! if I grant thee this favor it would be well we should know\nwhat to expect from thee on thy part, for in so doing I put myself at\nthy mercy in a certain sense, but,\u201d continued the king, \u201cI have every\nconfidence and I believe you will never abuse it.\u201d\n\nIn reply the five knights kneeled before the king, kissed his hand and\nthen swore eternal fidelity.\n\nThe brothers and Maugis were not long in commencing the work and the\nfortress was rapidly constructed. The fortifications were made truly\nformidable, and the mountain bestrewn with heavy walls and towers to\nprotect the principal works, which in due time were finished.\n\nMaugis and Renaud prayed that King Yon would come and baptize the\nnew fortress, an invitation which he courteously accepted, and the\nimposing ceremonies were attended by all the court. Maugis, however,\nobserved with a sad heart the absence of Yolande. His mind was torn\nwith various doubts and conjectures to account for the strange conduct\nof the princess, and he resolved at the first opportunity to seek an\ninterview and demand an explanation.\n\nThe fortress was named Montaubon, and Maugis then sent to all the\nsurrounding country and caused to be published an edict of the king,\nthat whosoever would take service under Maugis in the new city would be\ngranted six years freedom.[1]\n\n[Footnote 1: In those feudal days the common people were in a condition\nof serfdom, little better than slavery.]\n\nThis had the effect of rapidly filling the new city with inhabitants,\nand soon Maugis, Renaud and the three brothers took possession of their\nnew domain.\n\nMeanwhile the complaints of the discontented courtiers grew louder\nand deeper, and rumors of the alliance of Maugis with the evil one,\ncautiously spread by the crafty monk, flew from lip to lip, until\nreaching the ears of Maugis, caused him to become aware of the\nseriousness of the position and the impending liability of his falling\nunder the displeasure of the king. Active steps must at once be taken,\nand he, who had never a thought of breaking his oath, at once renewed\nhis oath of fidelity.\n\nThe council of state was convened when he presented himself, and he\ntook the occasion to face his accusers and demand of the discontented\nto formulate their complaints to his face, and that he would\nsatisfactorily explain anything that could be offered.\n\nThen spoke Adelbert Leon de Bayonne: \u201cSire!\u201d said he, \u201cit doubtless be\ntrue this knight hast rendered thee great service and it is fitting\nthou should reward him, but thou art not called upon to abandon all\ncaution and deliver thyself into his power. He is now installed in a\nstrong fortress, and with a powerful army in the midst of thy kingdom\nthou hast placed him in a position of power over thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd what else be there to my disfavor?\u201d demanded Maugis.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d said Gorieux, the monk, \u201cthere is much reason for believing\nthis knight hath given himself into the service of the evil one. It\nis well known that he, in his tender youth, hath been in the power of\na learned magician of the East, a worker of evil, a follower of the\nevil arts, a minion of Satan, who hath instilled into him much magical\nknowledge, and hath persuaded him to give his soul up to Satan.\u201d\n\nA dark frown overspread the face of Maugis at these words, but he\ncontrolled himself.\n\n\u201cAre there others who would accuse me?\u201d he demanded, fixing his stern\ngaze on the assembled courtiers.\n\nSilence was the only reply, and stepping forward, Maugis said\nimpressively: \u201cSire! if it be true that I am in the service of Satan,\nhow ill hath he requited me? I am persecuted by the emperor, attacked,\npursued, hunted and banished from my home. It is true, a learned pundit\nfrom the East, a good and holy man, though his beliefs were not our\nbeliefs, was my tutor. It is true he taught me much of occult things,\nbut only relating to the laws of nature, which are as an open book to\nthe wise of the Orient. It is true that this knowledge of the mysteries\nof nature, when I seek to direct them to my use, would give me certain\npowers over men, and it is true that this noble, wise man died blessing\nthose who had saved him from death and counseling me ever to be true to\nmy faith and my honor. Callest thou this noble philosopher a minion of\nevil? Can any man say here aught but that in battle I have relied on\nany occult aid other than this good sword and my strong arm? Or, if I\nbe a follower of the evil one, why should I seek to make Boulag Akasir\na Christian?\u201d\n\nThese brave and candid words made a deep impression on the council.\n\n\u201cMore, sire!\u201d continued Maugis, \u201cI stand now ready to swear my fealty\nto my God and his saints and to never henceforth on any occasion seek\nto use my occult powers; to utterly abandon and to never recall them.\nAs to my fidelity to your majesty, my brothers and myself have given\nour word, and you all know we are incapable of breaking it. If thou\nknowest of any other means whereby we can reassure you, be pleased to\nindicate them and we will accept them.\u201d\n\nThe fairness, the candor, and the noble bearing of Maugis convinced the\nking of his sincerity, and even those who hated the brave knight were\nconquered though not changed.\n\nThe council then broke up, the king retiring with Godefroy de Moulin,\nhis counselor, promising to consider the matter and soon give his\ndecision.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER IX.\n\n\nThe scheming Abb\u00e9 Gorieux, thinking to complete the alienation which he\nhad successfully commenced between Maugis and Yolande, conceived the\nidea that if Yolande could witness the proceedings of the council she\nwould herself be convinced of the perfidy of Maugis, and seeing his\ndiscomfiture and downfall would wholly dismiss him from her heart, and\nthus pave the way anew for the suit of his nephew, Ganelon. The crafty\npriest knew that the princess possessed great riches. It was a stake\nwell worth striving for.\n\nHe easily obtained the consent of the princess to this plan, for much\nas she had doubted him, and much as she had heard to his prejudice,\ndown in her heart she still loved Maugis and still believed him\ninnocent of the charges.\n\nAccordingly, from behind the hangings of the council chamber, unseen\nby any one, Yolande had witnessed the events related in the preceding\nchapter, and when the meeting broke up she fled along the corridors to\nher chamber with light foot and light heart.\n\n\u201cHe is true to his God,\u201d she said to herself. \u201cI knew it and I love\nhim.\u201d Then the thought of her cold and unkind treatment and avoidance\nof him presented itself to her mind, and, seized with doubt as to\nwhether he would longer love her, she, in a revulsion of feeling,\nthrew herself on a couch and wept bitterly. At last the work of the\ntreacherous priest had been overthrown and defeated.\n\nIn the meantime the king had counseled with his advisers and Maugis\nhad been summoned to again appear before him. The king was visibly\nembarrassed when he thus addressed him:\n\n\u201cBrave knight!\u201d said he, \u201cinasmuch as you have expressed your\nwillingness to take any means to reassure those of my court who seem to\nprofess doubt, I have two conditions to impose\u2014take note of my desire\nthat you will gladly accept them. One is that thou shalt make oath of\nthy fealty to God and the saints and forever promise to abandon occult\nthings; the other: you well know that my sister Yolande is beautiful\nand that she will bring great dower to him whom she weds. You know well\nhow gladly each one here would possess her. Accept her then as your\nwife. I am already under deep obligations to you, and to make sure our\nfriendship I seek thus to ally thee to our family. Become my brother,\nand I suppose then those of my subjects who have manifested fears will\nbe not only completely reassured, but more so than ever, in that thou\nwilt possess such a precious gage of happiness and security.\u201d\n\nThis decision fell like a thunderbolt on the conspirators, who had\nhoped the downfall of Maugis. The priest Gorieux paled and clinched\nhis hands until the nails penetrated the flesh. Why had he permitted\nYolande to witness the scene, he asked himself; but for that there\nmight yet be hope. It was a fatal error.\n\nAs for Maugis, the words of the king fairly stunned him. He had come\nthere solely to vindicate himself, and little thought the turn of\nevents would bring him his heart\u2019s desire. At first his heart leaped\nfor joy when he fairly understood his happiness, but alas! only to be\nshadowed by sadness when the aversion that Yolande had suddenly shown\nfor him came to his mind.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d said he sadly, when he had recovered his self-possession,\n\u201cright gladly will I fulfill the first condition and thy second one\nconfers upon me such honor, confidence and happiness that a lifetime of\ndevotion from me could not repay. But, your majesty, I cannot consent\nunless thy sister doth approve of thy suggestion,\u201d said he earnestly\nand proudly. \u201cI never would be willing to impose myself upon a woman in\nthis fashion simply because reasons of state forced her to accept me as\nher husband.\u201d\n\nAt these words the king arose, terminating the audience, requesting\nMaugis to come at the same time the next day.\n\nThen the king hastened to the apartments of his sister, feeling some\nuneasiness.\n\n\u201cYolande,\u201d said he, \u201cthou knowest well thou hast been sought in\nmarriage by all the best men of my kingdom, and by many foreign\nprinces. Thou hast ever held thy heart free and have had thy will in\nrefusing all who have wooed thee, but the time has come for thee to\nchoose thy mate in life, and having thy welfare in our mind, we have\npicked for thee a right gallant and comely man whose valor will do thee\nhonor and protect thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow now, good brother!\u201d exclaimed Yolande, alarmed at the solemnity of\nthe king. \u201cTo whom dost thou propose to sell me?\u201d\n\n\u201cI desire thou shalt wed Maugis,\u201d replied the king.\n\n\u201cAnd did Maugis send thee hither to plead his suit?\u201d haughtily replied\nYolande, all her pride aroused.\n\n\u201cNay, but\u2014\u201d replied the king.\n\n\u201cThen get thee hence, sire, with thy Maugis!\u201d interrupted the princess,\nflying into a passion. \u201cThinkest thou that I am merchandise to be\nbartered for strength to thy kingdom, or a slave to be sold to pay thy\nobligations? Not so, royal brother. I tell thee now, once for all, the\nair of a nunnery will please my health far better than a husband who\nbinds me to him as a hostage. I would be alone, go!\u201d she cried.\n\nThe perplexed monarch was leaving the apartments of his sister when he\nencountered the Duchess de Bearne, a worldly-wise, shrewd, and good\nwoman, who had been as a mother to the orphaned princess.\n\nHe confided to her his perplexity between the pride of the two lovers.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d laughed the duchess, \u201clittle doth thou understand a woman\u2019s\nheart. Why didst thou not suffer Maugis to plead his own cause? But\nrest thee. Leave them to me, I will see they meet on the morrow.\u201d\n\nAccordingly, the next day Maugis was summoned to the palace and the\nservitor who admitted him at the great gate pointed him to the private\ngarden of the royal household, indicating that he was to go in there.\nMaugis, little suspecting what was in store for him, strolled down the\nshady pathway, expecting every moment to meet the king.\n\nMeanwhile, the envy, hatred and malice of the treacherous Abb\u00e9 Gorieux\nand some of the courtiers had only been intensified by the turn events\nhad taken in favor of Maugis. They all agreed that he had become so\ndangerous that desperate measures must be taken to remove him, and they\nsecretly plotted to take his life.\n\nThe opportunity was soon to come. It happened that one of them heard\nthe Duchess de Bearne give orders to show Maugis into the royal garden\nwhen he came the next day and, acting on this hint, the conspirators\nresolved to execute their foul deed. Six of them would waylay Maugis,\nslay him, and escape amid the shrubbery.\n\nThe unsuspecting Maugis penetrated deeper into the shady depths of the\ngarden, and as he passed a clump of bushes a strong arm holding aloft\na sword hung over his head and then descended with crushing force upon\nhim.\n\nLuckily, the slight noise made by the action caught his quick ear and\nin turning his head to one side he escaped the full force of the blow,\nwhich, however, caused him to fall to the earth stunned and bleeding.\nIn an instant they were upon him, but as quickly recovering himself, he\nscrambled to his feet and drawing his trusty blade soon laid two of his\nassailants low, but half-fainting from the loss of blood he was being\nsore pressed and would have succumbed to the odds against him, when the\nshouts of the approaching royal guards, who had been aroused by the\nnoise, caused the assassins to become panic-stricken and fly, while\nMaugis sank fainting to the earth.\n\nWhen he next opened his eyes he was gazing into the blue depths of\nYolande\u2019s and felt her hot tears on his face. His head was pillowed on\nher breast.\n\n\u201cOh, loved one,\u201d he murmured as he drew her face down to his and a\nlong silent kiss sealed their reconciliation.\n\nThe good duchess discreetly withdrew and they were left alone in the\ndeep shadows of the foliage.\n\nThe next day the council was reconvened and the king announced the\ncoming marriage of his sister to Maugis and everybody felicitated\nthe _fianc\u00e9es_; a few days after the wedding was celebrated with\ngreat splendor, with _f\u00eates_ and tournaments at which Maugis, who had\nquickly recovered from his wounds, and his brothers D\u2019Aymon, greatly\ndistinguished themselves by their feats at arms.\n\nIt was not long before Charlemagne was apprised of the exploits of\nMaugis and his brothers, through the Abb\u00e9 Gorieux and Ganelon, and the\nemperor emphatically testified his displeasure to his courtiers at the\nway the young men were braving him.\n\nHe had never, for one moment, abandoned his idea of vengeance, and\nforthwith resolved to send Oger and Naimes, his two confidants, to the\nKing of Acquitaine to signify to him that he must deliver the sons\nD\u2019Aymon into his hands with their cousin Renaud, or suffer the effects\nof his anger.\n\nArriving at the court of Yon, Oger and Naimes, being duly presented,\nspoke in these terms:\n\n\u201cSire! Charlemagne knows well that you have given hospitality to the\nfour sons D\u2019Aymon and their cousin, and more, you have permitted the\nerection by them of a fortress in the middle of your kingdom, though\nby so doing you have perhaps not intended a blow to the interests of\nyour master.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is true,\u201d replied King Yon.\n\n\u201cCharlemagne will overlook it,\u201d continued the Duke de Naimes, \u201cbut you\nmust not afford shelter and support against his anger to men of whose\ncrimes you probably are not familiar. Not only have they revolted\nagainst their king, but Maugis is the nephew of the Duke d\u2019Aigremont,\nwho murdered the son of Charlemagne, and is also the assassin of\nBerthelot, the nephew of the emperor.\u201d\n\n\u201cNoble knights!\u201d replied King Yon, \u201cI am exceedingly anxious to\nmaintain friendly relations with the emperor, but I cannot buy peace by\nan act of perfidy. I would use all possible means to secure a sincere\nreconciliation between the sons D\u2019Aymon and the emperor. I would feel\nsatisfied could I arrive at that result.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis then is thy answer?\u201d demanded Oger.\n\n\u201cIt is,\u201d responded King Yon.\n\n\u201cThen be warned,\u201d thundered Naimes, \u201cthy conditions are refused, and\nunless thou wilt comply with the demands of thy emperor, bitter war\nwill cause thee to feel the wrath of Charlemagne.\u201d\n\nOger and Naimes at once left the court, and returning to Charlemagne,\nrendered him an account of their mission.\n\nThe emperor, as usual, flew into a violent rage and would have had his\narmy on the march within twenty-four hours, but his counsellors called\nhis attention to the fact that Maugis had now gained great prestige,\nwhich would have a marked effect on the soldiers sent to fight him,\nand that to attack Montaubon would be futile, when they had already\nbeen unable to subdue Montfort. But Ganelon and his friends sided with\nthe emperor and encouraged his determination by all the means in their\npower.\n\nCharlemagne was inflexible and insisted upon war with the King of\nAcquitaine and his allies.\n\nIt was at this point the audience of the king was interrupted by a\ngreat noise and commotion outside, caused by the arrival of a stranger\nand his suite. He was a young man of great personal beauty, and the\nrich raiment he wore could not conceal the manhood of a true knight.\nHis suite were numerous and were dressed with equal richness, all\nindicating that he was of princely birth. Everybody made way for him\nwhen he appeared to present himself before the emperor.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d said he, \u201cI am Roland, the son of Milon and of your sister. I\nhave come to place myself at your service. Therefore deign to accept me\nand your majesty will ever find me a faithful and loyal servitor.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne could hardly conceal his joy, because he thought at last he\nhad secured a knight who could equal the prowess of Maugis.\n\nSome days later Charlemagne armed his nephew and knighted him\nwith great pomp and ceremony, giving _f\u00eates_ and tournaments more\nextraordinary than usual in honor of the event. It was at tournaments\nin those days that the knights exhibited their power and skill, and\nthis occasion gave Roland the opportunity to display a force and\naddress that seemed irresistible, and gave color to the hope of the\nemperor that he had finally discovered a knight who could match Maugis,\nwho now bore the reputation of being the foremost warrior in France, a\nhope which subsequent events, as we shall see, fully justified.\n\nThat tried, skilled and experienced knight, Oger, to satisfy himself\nof the courage and endurance of the young knight, entered the tourney\nagainst him, and for a time he was able to make a gallant fight; but he\nwas finally forced to declare himself conquered by his young adversary,\nand thereupon Roland was, amid great acclaim, crowned the first knight\nof the court.[2]\n\n[Footnote 2: History tells us that not only was Roland renowned for\nhis prowess as a warrior, but his beauty of person and grace of manner\ncharmed the emperor and the entire court, and further, not only was he\na favorite with the ladies, but later became the idol of the people as\nwell.\u2014G.]\n\nSo the days devoted to pleasure succeeded each other without\ninterruption, when all at once the startling news came of an invasion\nof the Saracens from the north. They were advancing along theRhine,\nkilling, burning and destroying all in their path. Charlemagne\ndetermined to send Roland to meet the infidels, giving him twenty\nthousand men, ordering him to go at once, and sternly adding not to\nreturn unless victorious.\n\n[Illustration: MAUGIS.]\n\nBy means of forced marches Roland came upon the Saracens so suddenly as\nto take them completely by surprise. They, on seeing the royal troops,\nflew to arms, but Roland, not giving them time to recover from the\nsurprise, threw his army upon them with great impetuosity and cut them\nto pieces.\n\nOger and Roland then followed the flying enemy in close pursuit, they\nhaving divided, one part crossing the Rhine, was followed by Roland,\nwho caught up with them. Almonasar, king of the infidels, was made\nprisoner, and begged Roland to spare him and those with him.\n\nThe nephew of Charlemagne, granting them quarter, they laid down their\narms and he marched them in return to the point where Roland had parted\nfrom Oger, whom he met, followed by a large number of prisoners he had\nalso captured, all of whom were bound and placed in charge of the Duke\nde Naimes. To save his life, Almonasar abjured the Mohammed faith.\n\nRoland next proceeded to Cologne, where he reestablished order and\nrepaired the damage done by the Saracens, and later sojourned to the\ncourt of Paris with his prisoner. There his glory and renown was much\nenhanced by the mercy he showed Almonasar, for Roland, generous as the\nbrave always are, accorded him his liberty with the approval of the\nemperor and sent him to his own country, he first having made oath of\nfidelity.\n\n\n\n\n                               CHAPTER X.\n\n\nWhen Charlemagne had a project in his mind, and particularly a project\nof vengeance, he never abandoned it. And now being disembarrassed of\nthe Saracens, he lent a willing ear to the urgings of Ganelon and his\nfriends, to go to the punishment of the King of Acquitaine, for his\nrefusal to yield up the brave Maugis and the sons D\u2019Aymon.\n\nGanelon, in his infatuation, still harbored the idea of destroying\nMaugis and gaining possession of the lovely Yolande. In those old days\nmight was right and the perfidious courtier easily found those who,\nthrough envy, malice or hatred, would aid him in his infamous schemes.\n\nThe emperor summoned his counsellors and laid his plans before them.\nRoland, elated by his first victory, proposed to invest Montaubon and\npunish the rebellious young knights. Therefore orders were issued for\nthe assemblage of all the soldiers the kingdom contained at Paris, the\nfollowing April.\n\nAt the designated time there duly arrived the principal lords of the\nrealm, followed by numerous troops. Solomon de Bretagne with all the\nnobility of his domain, Dizier d\u2019Espagne with six thousand soldiers,\nBertrand d\u2019Allemagne with two thousand men, Richard de Normandie with a\ncrowd of knights assembled from all parts to take part in the war. And\nthen, the Archbishop Turpin arrived at the head of a choice troop. All\nthese small armies united gave a total of one hundred thousand men, who\nwere placed under the immediate command of Roland.\n\nCharlemagne, to show the great confidence he felt in him, himself\ncontributed thirty thousand men, raised by an extraordinary levy, and\non the day of departure, at the very moment that Roland mounted his\nhorse, Charlemagne confided to his hands the keeping of his royal\nbanner.\n\nIt truly seemed as if these formidable preparations insured the doom\nof the gallant Maugis, who now was enjoying every moment of his\nblissful honeymoon with his beautiful bride, all unconscious in his\ngreat happiness of the awful cloud that hung so threateningly over his\nfuture; he little dreaming of the dreadful tribulations cruel fate had\nyet in store for him.\n\nIt was not long before his dream of love had a rude awakening. The\napproach of the great army was duly heralded, and a few days after had\narrived before the fortress of Montaubon. Roland would have made an\nimmediate assault, but Charlemagne in his wider experience deemed it\nbetter to give the troops needed rest and at the same time employ the\ntime in an endeavor to effect some arrangement.\n\n[Illustration: CHARLEMAGNE AT THE HEAD OF HIS ARMY.]\n\nHe sent to Maugis a knight with a flag of truce indicating a desire\nfor a parley, who, shortly after he appeared before the gates of the\ncastle, was admitted to the presence of Maugis.\n\n\u201cSir knight!\u201d said the envoy, \u201cI appear at the instance of the Emperor\nCharlemagne to bid thee lay down thy arms and surrender at discretion.\nThy life shall be spared, but the condition is thou shalt deliver up\nthy brother Richard to the anger of the king as an expiation of thy\nfaults and those of thy brothers. What sayest thou?\u201d\n\nThe brow of Maugis darkened at these ominous words.\n\n\u201cIf thou refusest,\u201d continued the envoy of the emperor in a threatening\ntone, \u201cneither grace nor pity shall be accorded thee or thine. All,\nevery one, shall be given over to the most hideous punishments, and thy\nfortress shall be razed to the ground.\u201d\n\nMaugis laughed scornfully and replied with great indignation:\n\n\u201cCharlemagne, thy master, should know me well enough not to make\na proposition to me which is little better than an insult. As to\ndelivering to him my brother Richard, I would not commit such an act of\ncowardice even to a stranger who had put himself under my protection.\u201d\n\nA low murmur of applause sounded throughout the audience-chamber at\nthese brave words.\n\n\u201cThou canst, however, tell the emperor,\u201d continued Maugis sorrowfully,\n\u201cthat if instead of pursuing and fighting us he will grant us all his\npardon and take us into his service once more, as we are perfectly\ndisposed to do, we will surrender to him and will deliver up our\ncastle.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd this is all thy answer?\u201d demanded the envoy.\n\n\u201cIt is all,\u201d replied Maugis.\n\nThe proposition of Maugis was so fair that most of the counsellors\nof Charlemagne were of the opinion that he should accept it, but\nGanelon and his allies worked so successfully upon the self-pride of\nCharlemagne as to lead him to refuse to consider these wise counsels\nand to declare that he should not stop until he had completely\nvanquished the five young men who had so persistently balked and\nhumiliated him.\n\nHe forthwith ordered the camp pitched around Montaubon, so as to\ncompletely invest it, placing his own tent before the oriental gate,\nwhile Roland placed his tent at the side opposite. Besides all these\npreparations Roland studied the fortress with the closest attention,\nreplying to all observations that it seemed truly impregnable.\n\nThus a regular siege was commenced, it being the intention to reduce\nthe place by famine; so, as the days passed, the life of the soldiers\nbecame very tranquil, some trifling skirmishes and keeping a close\nwatch being about all that occupied them.\n\nThis state of quiet gave their chiefs an abundant opportunity to make\nexcursions into the surrounding country, and it chanced one day, when\nRoland and Olivier and his suite made such an expedition, that Maugis,\nwho kept well posted as to the movements of the enemy, resolved to\nhumiliate him.\n\nHe commanded his brothers to take a thousand men each, and sortie\nquietly into the forest. He then, himself alone, secretly penetrated\ninto the camp of the allies, and stealing to the tent of Roland,\nsucceeded in reversing the royal dragon flag that waved over it.\n\nA short time afterward the wary Archbishop Turpin, seeing a number of\nbirds fly out of the forest over his camp, shrewdly divined that troops\nwere ambuscaded there, and he soon ascertained that his suspicions were\ncorrect. To summon Oger and tell him to put his soldiers under arms\nwas but the work of an instant. Meanwhile, Maugis, seeing they were\ndiscovered, ordered his cousin Renaud with his one thousand men to\ncontinue in the woods concealed, while he, with his three brothers with\ntheir troops, boldly attacked the camp. They overturned and destroyed\nthe tents, and slew all whom they encountered, throwing them into\nthe utmost confusion, while cries arose on every hand for Roland and\nOlivier, who of course did not respond, being absent.\n\nThe warlike Archbishop Turpin, furious to see everything upset in that\nmanner, threw himself upon Maugis, and so fierce was the combat that\nensued between them that their swords were broken in their hands, but\neach still stood firm. Finally, Maugis gave a terrible stroke on the\nfragment of the sword which the archbishop still fought with, which\ncaused the warrior priest to stagger.\n\n\u201cGood father!\u201d exclaimed Maugis mockingly, \u201cthou art greater in the\nchurch than in the field.\u201d\n\n\u201cS\u2019death!\u201d shouted the infuriated archbishop in reply, attacking Maugis\nyet more furiously.\n\nAll the forces were now engaged, but they could not resist the\nimpetuous onslaught of the soldiers of the sons of Aymon, and to add to\ntheir discomfiture Renaud came out of the forest with his detachment,\nsurprising the enemy in the rear, who, already nearly defeated, were\nby this movement entirely put to rout. Conquered and exhausted, they\nflew in all directions to gain the main body of the royal troops on the\nother side of the castle.\n\nThe spoils gained by the victors were considerable, and were all safely\ncarried into Montaubon. Maugis, who had captured the dragon flag from\nthe tent of Roland, caused it to be placed on the highest tower in\ndefiance of his enemies.\n\nThe emperor, on the other side of the mountain on which the castle\nwas perched, knowing nothing of what was occurring, chanced to see\nthe dragon flying from the battlements of Montaubon, and thought that\nRoland had become master of the fortress, and he gave way for a moment\nto immoderate joy.\n\n\u201cI have lost many men,\u201d cried he, \u201cbut the Aymons are now in my power.\u201d\n\nHis illusion, however, was short lived.\n\nIt was nightfall when Roland and Olivier returned from their excursion,\nnot knowing anything had happened, and, when near the camp, they were\nmet by an officer, who quickly apprised them of what had occurred.\n\nRoland thereupon hurried to the archbishop to learn full particulars of\nthe disaster, and together they sought the emperor, who was prepared to\ngive them a stern reprimand, but who was seized with such consternation\non hearing their story that he contented himself with giving them\ninstructions to be more vigilant in future while they were before an\nenemy so active as Maugis.\n\nThis exciting episode, as well as the fact that he had not been able to\ndefeat his enemies, caused the emperor to become so exasperated that he\nresolved he never would quit his camp until the ch\u00e2teau fortress was\ntaken. Ganelon advised him to attack Maugis by securing the perfidy\nand abandonment of his allies, which counsel Charlemagne finally\nreluctantly followed.\n\nAn envoy was sent to the King of Acquitaine, that he had entered the\nkingdom with one hundred thousand men, and that it was his intention to\nput everything to fire and the sword.\n\nKing Yon was very much disturbed by these menaces, and his courtiers\nwere at once divided into two parties. The one headed by the\ntreacherous abb\u00e9, who pointed out to the worried monarch that what was\noccurring was what was predicted to him as the result of harboring\nMaugis and his brothers, and that now was the time to yield them up and\nsave the kingdom and its people from certain destruction.\n\nThe other side, however, the true soldiers and brave men, urged upon\nthe king that they respect their word once given.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d exclaimed a brave old knight, \u201cthese five intrepid knights,\nwhen they found you in distress and your kingdom all but destroyed,\nspared neither themselves nor their soldiers in thy succor. It would\nsurely be an offense to heaven to now retract all thy pledges to\nthem and to desert them in their necessity. It would be the basest\ningratitude.\u201d\n\nThese brave words met with a murmur of approval from the assembled\ncourtiers, and emboldened several other knights to speak out in support\nof the fair treatment of the brave brothers.\n\nThe king was sore perplexed, beset on one side by the influence of the\nfoul conspirators who had gained his confidence, and more than all by a\ndesire to save his kingdom from devastation and the possible overthrow\nof his dynasty.\n\nHis countenance plainly evidenced the confusion which these varying\ndemands had brought upon him.\n\nIt is an old proverb that \u201cHe who hesitates is lost.\u201d And the active\nand ever ready abb\u00e9, seizing this moment as a favorable opportunity,\nleaned forward and whispered in the ear of the hesitating king: \u201cSire,\nthis is truly a matter too important to decide with undue haste.\nSleep upon its consideration until the morrow, that a proper issue of\nthis most unhappy matter may be conceived.\u201d This suggestion for delay\ndid not meet with the approval of many of the knights present, who,\nadmiring the bravery of the sons of Aymon, were unfavorable to any\nhesitancy in according them just treatment.\n\nThey signalized their disfavor by loud murmurs, but King Yon weakly\ngave way to the perfidious counsel for delay. Saying with a show of\ndecision: \u201cWe will allow the subject to rest until the morrow,\u201d and\nthereupon arose from his throne terminating the sitting.\n\nThe old knight, who had been so outspoken in favor of the brothers,\nsmote the hilt of his sword with anger until it rang. This was the\nsignal for a chorus of dissent from the assembled soldiers, which\nominous sound greeted the ears of the departing monarch without avail\nthough the test of his will was to be strained to very near to the\nbreaking; he was about to commit an act utterly at variance with the\nnobility of character he had heretofore shown; and in the moral ruin\nnot only were those whom he loved about to be involved, but he himself\nwas to perish in the disaster.\n\nThe delay the perplexed monarch granted gave the Abb\u00e9 Gorieux, Godefroy\nand other malcontents of the court an opportunity they were not slow\nto avail themselves of. That night a secret conference was held in the\nprivate library of the king, at which the abb\u00e9 was the spokesman. Said\nhe:\n\n\u201cYour majesty, the hesitancy you show in deciding this matter does\ncredit to your noble impulses; it is without doubt true that these\nyoung men have rendered you great service, they came boldly and\nskillfully to your rescue, when you were in need of succor, and you\nhave the right to be grateful to them; but, sire, you owe a duty\nto your people and to your country far paramount to all personal\nconsiderations. In your gratitude you have rewarded these knights in\na princely manner, you have generously fulfilled your obligations\nto them, but in so doing you have caused a danger to threaten your\nkingdom, your people, and your royal person, which there is but one way\nto avert. Where now lies your duty? Is it in the suicidal policy of\nresistance against the overmastering strength of Charlemagne? in which\nthere is nothing but certain ruin to all concerned; the overthrow of\nyour kingdom, pillage, flames and death for your unfortunate subjects.\nThen, sire, how can you hesitate? Resist, and all these misfortunes\ncome upon you and your people; accede to Charlemagne\u2019s demand and you\nsacrifice the few to save the many.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow can I do this?\u201d questioned the hesitating monarch; \u201cyou forget my\noath.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do not forget thine oath, sire,\u201d sternly continued the abb\u00e9; \u201cI\ncan assure thee, in virtue of my holy office, that God will hold thee\nabsolved from an oath that will cost such dire misfortune to thy\ncountry. Thy oath to thy people and thy kingly duty hath by far the\ngreater demand upon thee.\u201d\n\nThe poor king bowed his head in the deepest dejection, the act he\nwas asked to commit revolted him, and there was going on within him\na bitter struggle between his self-interest and his duty to the sons\nD\u2019Aymon; then, too, he thought of the suffering of his sister. For a\nmoment the better nature was in the ascendancy. The wily abb\u00e9 studied\nhis face and read there the struggle going on within; too crafty to\ndescend to lying, it only remained for the base Godefroy to complete\nthe work. Said he:\n\n\u201cIn good sooth, sire; thou wouldst not hold thy oath to this sorcerer\nand his brothers so heavy a burden on thy conscience didst thou but\nknow that they now conspire to rob thee of thy throne. This, I can\nassure thee, I have from one who is in their counsel.\u201d\n\n\u201cArt sure?\u201d queried the king, arousing.\n\n\u201cI can prove this beyond a doubt,\u201d replied the lying Godefroy.\n\n\u201cEnough!\u201d cried King Yon, \u201clet it be so, I will contend against thee no\nlonger.\u201d\n\nThen it was, the dishonored king, at the dead of night, conspired with\nthe enemies of Maugis to deliver him into the hands of Charlemagne,\nwhich being complete, the king retired, at last easy in mind over the\nprospect that he would be allowed undisturbed possession of his kingdom.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER XI.\n\n\nOn the next day King Yon went to Montaubon, and said to Maugis:\n\n\u201cAt last, dear brother, am I able to apprise thee that it will be\npossible for thee and thy brothers to conclude peace with Charlemagne.\nThis has come about through my good offices, and I have come to\nfelicitate thee that thy struggles are over.\u201d\n\nYon then made up a tissue of lies, cunningly devised for him by the\nabb\u00e9, giving color to the statement that he came to Maugis in behalf\nof the emperor to offer to the brothers D\u2019Aymon terms of peace. He\nstipulated they should go the next day, all four, armed only with their\nswords, to meet Charlemagne on the plain of Vancoleurs.\n\n\u201cI will give you,\u201d said the hypocritical king, \u201ca few knights of my\ncourt to accompany you. To show your humility you will go mounted upon\nmules, and you will carry in your hands branches of roses and olives\nas a sign of reconciliation. The emperor will await you there with the\nDuke de Naimes, Oger, and twelve peers. You will throw yourselves on\nyour knees at his feet and he will then pardon you and allow you to\nretain full possession of all your rights.\u201d\n\nAt this happy news the face of Maugis lighted with joy, but it was\nsoon clouded with doubt; although he feared no treachery from his\nbrother-in-law, he had no confidence in Charlemagne.\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis indeed good news,\u201d said he, \u201cthat thou dost bring me, good\nbrother, but canst thou assure me there is no treachery behind all\nthese fair promises?\u201d\n\n\u201cDo not fail to heed me, but go,\u201d replied the base king. \u201cThou knowest\nwell, brother, that I have thy interests truly at heart, and would not\nadvise thee did I not know that it will be absolutely safe for thee to\ngo. It were madness for thee now to scorn this chance to make thy peace\nwith the emperor; it is thy last chance, avail thyself of it without\nfail.\u201d\n\nA little later, after the departure of King Yon, Maugis summoned\nhis brothers in council, and acquainted them with the offers of the\nemperor. They were each and all seized with the same dire presentiments.\n\n\u201cIf the King Yon tells the truth,\u201d cried Alard, \u201cthat Charlemagne will\nreally accord us his friendship, why does he exact we shall appear as\nif dishonored, why are we to go without arms to the middle of a plain,\nwhere if attacked we could all be easily killed without being able\nto resist. I distrust, brother, I distrust much that we are to be\nbetrayed.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is impossible!\u201d declared Maugis, \u201cthat there can be any treason\nin an affair in which my brother-in-law, King Yon, is acting as a\nnegotiator. He is above all baseness, and besides, you all know he made\noath to us that we could count upon his loyalty.\u201d\n\nThe council then broke up, the brothers by no means sharing the\nconfidence of Maugis in the outcome, yet, deferring to his opinion,\nthey hurried away to make preparations for the next day.\n\nMaugis hastened to his own apartments, where he informed Yolande of his\ncontemplated expedition the following day. She paled upon hearing of\nit, not being able to resist a feeling of fear that was insurmountable.\n\n\u201cGo not, my husband, I beseech thee,\u201d she cried.\n\n\u201cThere can be no danger,\u201d explained Maugis; \u201cthy brother Yon, he is\nincapable of deception, and it is he who is acting as intermediary\nbetween the emperor and us; surely I can rely upon his advice and\nassurances.\u201d\n\n\u201cI care not, I care not,\u201d responded Yolande. \u201cYon would not deceive\nyou, perhaps, more quickly than another; but you must remember he is\nonly human, and, like the rest of the world, would sacrifice any one\nelse for his own interest. Mistrust then, Maugis, as I mistrust; if you\ngo to the meeting, I feel you are all lost.\u201d\n\n\u201cDear one, thy fears are but phantoms,\u201d tenderly replied Maugis,\nunconvinced and trying to reassure her.\n\n\u201cNo! no!\u201d responded Yolande; \u201cmy fears are real, why should you go like\nthe vanquished without arms? Is that your place? no! go with arms in\nhand, if you must go, followed by your faithful knights, and meet them\nas equals, then I shall fear nothing.\u201d\n\nAgainst all this advice, the next day Maugis set out with his four\nbrothers, followed by the ten lords of King Yon, to meet the Emperor\nCharlemagne. By this time King Yon, who had never before lost his\nhonor, was half-tempted to regret the villainous action he was about\nto commit, but the abb\u00e9 and Godefroy, ever at his side, confirmed his\npurpose by representing to him the enormous benefits to him of the\naction, and his heart was hardened and he remained silent.\n\nAt the head of the little troop, marching slowly onward, Maugis was\nconfronted by a presentiment which caused him to fear there might\nbe reason in the doubts expressed by his brothers and his wife. He,\nhowever, by an effort of will cast it aside, they, meanwhile, having\narrived at the plain of Vancouleurs. It was a forbidding spot, being\nsurrounded by dense forests, and had no possible issue for them in case\nof flight; besides, the river Gironde, which traversed it, four roads\nled from it; the road to France, the road to Portugal, the road to\nSpain, and road to the kingdom of Acquitaine; but these roads were now\nall guarded by ambuscades of five hundred men belonging to Charlemagne.\n\nSurprised at not finding any one on the plain, Maugis and his little\ncompany proceeded across it and placed themselves at the foot of a\nsteep rock, which was pierced by a narrow opening. Alard had by this\ntime persuaded Maugis that they were betrayed, and that they were wise\nif they immediately retraced their steps; when, however, they attempted\nto do this, they suddenly encountered Foulques de Morillon at the head\nof three hundred men.\n\n\u201cWe are betrayed!\u201d shouted Maugis, then turning quickly to the knights\nof his escort, he cried: \u201cAh, gentlemen, you whom King Yon has sent to\naccompany us, you will give us your aid now?\u201d\n\nThen Godefroy, who was of the escort and who had hated Maugis from the\ntime of his arrival at the court of Yon, responded, saying:\n\n\u201cNot we, we have been forced to accompany you against our will and\nneither myself nor any of these other lords are willing to give thee\nany assistance.\u201d These half-defiant and half-sneering words had hardly\ndied upon his lips when Maugis, seeing at last the trap into which they\nhad been lured, turned upon him and with incredible quickness, with one\nstroke of his sword, cleft his head to the chin. The other knights\nthen fled for safety and joined the side of the enemy.\n\n\u201cCome on, dear friends!\u201d cried Maugis, \u201cuntil we are taken we will\ndefend ourselves like men of heart; we will fight here back to back,\nand will never submit to be taken alive.\u201d\n\nAll four brothers embraced as if for a final adieu, and rolling their\ncloaks around their left arms to parry the blows, they grimly awaited\nthe enemy, firm of foot and sword in hand.\n\nStruck by their courage and coolness, Foulques de Morillon cried out to\nthem:\n\n\u201cYield thee; resistance is useless, King Yon hath given thee up, thou\nart surrounded on every hand, therefore surrender, for assistance is\nimpossible.\u201d\n\n\u201cSayest thou so,\u201d said Maugis defiantly in reply; \u201cthy further lies are\nuseless, except to insult brave knights after having betrayed them;\nliar and coward, defend thyself; I challenge thee to single combat.\u201d\n\nFoulques made no reply to this, but charged upon Maugis, lance at rest,\nand wounded him in the thigh. At this unexpected charge Maugis and\nhis mule rolled together in the dust. Alard, seeing Maugis down, and\nfearing he had been killed, cried to his brothers:\n\n\u201cLet us yield, further struggle is useless.\u201d\n\nTo their great surprise, however, Maugis arose, quickly disengaging\nhimself from his mount, and threw himself in front of Foulques, who\ncharged upon him again, endeavoring to run him down; quick as lightning\nMaugis evaded the charge by springing to one side, and then coming up\nbehind the horse of his enemy he leaped upon the crupper in his rear,\nat the same time running him through with his sword, and throwing him\nto the earth. Maugis possessed now a horse and had also secured the\nlance and shield of De Morillon.\n\n\u201cDo not separate!\u201d he shouted to his brothers, as he charged head down\ninto the midst of the French forces. The first to meet his infuriated\nsword was the Duke of Cory, who fell lifeless. He then with one blow\nof his gigantic arm cleft Engenrrand to the saddle, and like a flash,\nwithout seeming to take breath, he fought fast and furious, until he\nhad in all, one after the other, made eleven knights bite the dust.\n\nHis indomitable courage and spirit would have carried him further\nonward, but glancing behind, he saw Alard who, though wounded, was\nhastening to join him. Alard bestrode the horse and had taken the\narms of one of the knights killed by his brother. Together the two\nnow continued what was no less than a butchery; their enemies seemed\nstunned, they slew them one after another until in a few moments they\nwere surrounded with a small mountain of the dead.\n\nNot far behind were Richard and Guichard, dismounted, fighting step by\nstep to join them.\n\nThe French, confident in their superior numbers, instead of seeking\nto kill the four brothers, endeavored to surround them and take them\nalive. They did succeed in separating them from Maugis, and were making\na desperate attempt to capture Guichard, who, however, made such a\nvigorous resistance that he laid low in succession the first four\nwho approached him. Richard had regained the rock, resolved to die\nrather than submit to capture. Maugis, completely carried away by the\nexcitement of battle, followed by Alard, resolved to die rather than\nany of them be delivered into the hands of Charlemagne. With incredible\nfury they fought, cut, hacked, beat down and killed all before them,\nuntil they reached Guichard, who had been meanwhile overcome. Alard\nquickly cut the cords that bound him, put him on the horse of a dead\nenemy, giving him his arms. Guichard then paid back with interest his\nfew moments of captivity.\n\nDuring this time, Richard, who, next to Maugis, was the strongest\nof the brothers, had become separated from the rest. He tried at\nany sacrifice to rejoin them and they on their side sought for him.\nRichard, covered with wounds and spent with fatigue, was fast sinking\ndown by the rock, without sufficient force to climb upon it. He was\nsurrounded by a circle of knights whom he had killed. At this supreme\nmoment, Gerard de Vanvier, cousin of Foulques de Morillon, seeing that\nhe was nearly dead, charged upon him with his horse, lance abreast,\nand wounded him in the shoulder, but Richard, who had become somewhat\nrested, summoned all his strength and stopped his assassin with a\nterrible stroke of the sword, hurling him from his horse, then the\nconqueror and the conquered fell down together, the one nearly dead,\nand the other beyond recall.\n\nThe three brothers, who had been all this time fighting, were searching\nfor Richard, without perceiving him, now gained the rock, and only then\nsaw his figure lying in the midst of the bodies of his enemies. Maugis\nquickly ordered his two brothers to dismount and carry their wounded\nbrother within the opening of the rock for shelter, he meanwhile would\nfight the enemy off.\n\n\u201cMy poor brother!\u201d cried Maugis, \u201cyou are the victim of the treachery\nof King Yon. May God preserve me until I have taken vengeance, for it\nshall be terrible.\u201d\n\nAlard and Guichard had tenderly raised the body of Richard and in the\nmidst of a storm of projectiles of all sorts had borne him within the\nrock. During the journey he made a slight movement, opened his eyes and\nsaid to them:\n\n\u201cMy dear brothers, go to the assistance of Maugis. I am yet strong\nenough to defend myself. I shall see you all again, for I am sure we\nwill be able to extricate ourselves.\u201d\n\nTaking his advice, Alard and Guichard hastened to rejoin Maugis, whom\nthey found surrounded by the bodies of dead enemies. Their own horses\nhad disappeared, and making a sortie they easily captured more, and\nthen continued the furious combat, being enabled finally to regain the\nopening of the rock, which they contented themselves in defending.\n\nThe four intrepid brothers, reunited, and for a time safe, were hoping\nthat their enemy would withdraw, which was suddenly dashed to the\nearth, when Oger, at the head of three thousand men, appeared and\ncompletely surrounded them.\n\nThe situation now seemed indeed hopeless. Amid an impressive silence\nthe grizzled old soldier, Oger, rode forward from the serried ranks and\ncried out in a stern tone:\n\n\u201cWretched men, give thyselves up, resistance is useless; or,\u201d he added\nmenacingly, \u201ctake care of yourselves, for I shall not regard the family\nties that exist between us, and I shall use every means to force you to\nobey me. The only thing for you to do is to cease your resistance.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou give yourself useless trouble,\u201d replied Maugis defiantly, \u201cwe fear\nyou not.\u201d\n\nDuring the time occupied by this parley, Richard had recovered himself,\nand had bound up his wounds from strips from his cloak. Alard likewise\nhad bound up the wound in his thigh, stopping the flow of blood,\nand to the astonishment of the assembled host they all grimly ranged\nthemselves side by side and awaited the onslaught of their astonished\nenemies, who marvelled at their courage; then, touched by compassion,\nOger halted his soldiers, saying to them he would endeavor to persuade\nthem to surrender.\n\nHe then approached near to the rock, and thus addressed them in kindly\ntones:\n\n\u201cMy dear cousin, I pray you to surrender; it will be impossible for\nyou to resist long; you will surely be slain, because nothing can\nprevent my soldiers from successfully assaulting the rock that shelters\nyou. You have not sufficient means of defense in your swords and your\nlances. You have not even the resource of a pile of heavy stones with\nwhich to beat down your assailants when they seek to climb up the rock,\nand though you may see how much I admire your bravery, I shall stay\nhere until you are completely subdued for want of food.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thank you, my cousin,\u201d replied Maugis in the same spirit, \u201cand I\nshould profit by thy advice, but that we never can forget the baseness\nof the plot which brought us to this dire extremity.\u201d\n\nAt these words Oger shook his head sadly, and returned to his command,\nand Maugis climbed to the top of the rock to see in what way he\ncould provide some means of defense. From the height thus gained he\ncontemplated with pride the number of enemies they had slain, and\nthen chancing to raise his eyes to the horizon he beheld a sight which\ncaused the blood to leap quickening to his heart; a body of troops\nwere advancing in all haste. He could hardly conceal his joy when he\nrecognized at their head his cousin Renaud, mounted on Bayard, his own\nfamous horse. He whispered joyfully in the ear of Guichard the welcome\nnews, warning him to quietly acquaint the other brothers, in a manner\nthat would not arouse the suspicion of their waiting and watching enemy.\n\nMaugis now descended from the rock and sought to occupy in some manner\nthe attention of Oger, in order to gain delay.\n\nThough entirely deceived by Maugis, Oger could hear the murmurings\nof his soldiers, who demanded an assault on the rock should be made.\nHe was about to return to them, when he was arrested by the voice of\nMaugis, saying:\n\n\u201cMy good cousin, if thou hast kindly feeling to us, grant us an hour\u2019s\ntruce; you cannot refuse this request with a good conscience; you have\nthree thousand men against four miserable knights; thou art assured of\nvictory; never fear that Charlemagne will address you one reproach in\nthat regard.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will grant it thee willingly,\u201d replied Oger, so he withdrew to his\ntroops, and gave them the order to wait. At this their murmurings were\nloud and deep.\n\n\u201cSilence!\u201d roared Oger, \u201cthe first man who stirs one step I will strike\ndown with my sword.\u201d This stern threat had the effect to keep them\nquiet.\n\nA little more than half an hour had passed when Alard and Richard\nwished to recommence the battle.\n\n\u201cMy good brother,\u201d said Richard, \u201cthe troop of Renaud, now coming, is\nsuperior to that of Oger by over one thousand men; it is in our power\nto take a terrible vengeance, and this is how we can do it: let us\nadvance upon them now, and get them so busily occupied that they will\nnot perceive what is passing behind them; in this way we will enable\nRenaud to approach them in the rear and cut them to pieces; if, on the\ncontrary, we let them become aware of the approach of our friends, the\nenemy may escape combat by flight and we will miss our revenge.\u201d\n\nThis plan received the approval of the three brothers, and they\naccordingly descended from the rock, Maugis and Guichard leading the\nway, followed by Alard and Richard. The enemy upon witnessing this\nmovement thought at once that the sons of Aymon, appalled by their\nnumbers, and discouraged by their wounds, had decided to give up the\ncontest, and were about to surrender. The veteran, Oger, could not bear\nthe idea of their thus tamely giving themselves up. It was against that\nold fighter\u2019s nature; accordingly he rode out toward the rock, and\nshouted to them:\n\n\u201cBe warned, young men, thou hast thy right to leave thy refuge,\nbut know thou, I am ordered to take thee alive, conduct thee to\nCharlemagne, when he will put thee to an ignominious death. I would\nprefer much that as brave men thou shouldst die in battle rather than\nsurrender thus tamely like men of no courage.\u201d\n\nThis kindly advice caused a hot flush to suffuse the face of Maugis,\nand drawing up his tall form he fiercely replied:\n\n\u201cWe will never surrender, we will die with our arms in our hands rather\nthan that. Our cause is just, and we only hope you will not escape our\nvengeance, because you have basely betrayed us.\u201d\n\nOger withdrew sadly upon this, his eyes filled with tears of pity,\nand rejoining his troops he ordered them to attack the four brothers;\nbut his punishment was near at hand, for at that moment Renaud, who\nhad successfully traversed the forest in their rear, came upon them,\nand before they could recover from their surprise, had completely\nsurrounded them. Renaud rode ferociously at Oger, and aimed at him a\nterrible stroke of his sword, but he was carried away from the object\nof his attack by Bayard, who recognized his master.\n\nWithout delay the soldiers of Renaud, taking advantage of their\nsurprise and stupor, fell upon the enemy and slew them with a most\nterrible carnage.\n\nFighting with the greatest ardor, the soldiers of Renaud had completely\nrouted the command of Oger, but were temporarily arrested by the royal\nambuscaders, who though in full retreat, stopped them so suddenly that\nthe pursuers fell over each other. During the fight, Maugis, who had\nmounted his horse Bayard, had charged upon Oger and dismounted him; he\nthen descended, and courteously assisting the veteran to remount, said\nto him:\n\n\u201cThou hast not succeeded in bathing your hands in our blood, but you\nhave participated in a treachery; you have acted the part of a coward.\nGo! you are despicable. Never come before me again or I will not be so\nforgiving.\u201d\n\nThis taunt made Oger furious, and he charged upon Maugis, giving him\na terrible stroke upon the head, which for an instant caused him to\ntotter on his horse. Oger was about to renew the attack, when Alard\nand Guichard came up with some soldiers, and attacked the escort of\nOger with great fury, putting them to flight, and massacring all who\nresisted; afterward they sought the wounded Richard and bore him to a\nplace of safety.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER XII.\n\n\nFor a time Richard was thought to be dying; they tenderly put him upon\na hastily constructed litter, enveloped in the remains of their cloaks,\nand then returned to Montaubon, where they were received with the\nrejoicings of the people. The meeting between Maugis and Yolande was\nmost affecting; she shed tears of happiness upon his breast, overjoyed\nto see again him whom she thought was lost forever.\n\nAfter a few days of rest, Maugis resolved to punish King Yon, and was\nactively making his preparations to do so when a messenger arrived at\nthe court from his brother-in-law. He was immediately shown into the\npresence of Maugis.\n\n\u201cHow now!\u201d sternly demanded Maugis of the envoy; \u201cwhat wouldst thou?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d replied the messenger, \u201cI come to thee from thy sorrowing\nand repentant brother-in-law, King Yon. He doth most humbly crave thy\nforgiveness and pardon and doth relate to thee his most sorrowful and\nunhappy condition. Roland doth hold him captive, and he craves thee to\nlay aside thy just resentment and to deliver him from his hands.\u201d\n\nMaugis was silent for a moment and could not resist a sigh at thus\nperceiving how the treachery of the King of Acquitaine had served to\npunish and degrade him.\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis well,\u201d said Maugis, \u201cthe baseness of thy master hath brought to\nhim its own reward, yet great as my resentment is, I do not recognize\nthe right of Roland to hold King Yon his prisoner, even though he be my\nworthless relative, I shall wrest him from his bonds. Get thee gone!\u201d\n\nMaugis then called a council of his brothers and acquainted them with\nhis plans. The troops were ordered under arms, and all preparations\nwere made to go out and attack the enemy at once.\n\nThe expedition, headed by Maugis, had proceeded but a short distance\nwhen they came upon Roland, face to face, at the head of a considerable\nnumber of troops. A halt was ordered and Maugis rode forward, lowered\nhis lance, and said to Roland:\n\n\u201cBrave knight, we have been shedding each other\u2019s blood in a bitter\nquarrel, which it is now time to terminate, once for all. Thou art a\nrelative of Charlemagne, and of mine; I pray thee use thy influence to\npacify the emperor, and on my part I will do all in my power to second\nyour efforts. We are willing to undertake, as a penance, war against\nthe infidels, in the name of the Emperor of France, my brothers and I;\nI pray thee, then, in behalf of all, to accept my offer.\u201d\n\nRoland, much affected by the frank and manly words of Maugis, replied:\n\n\u201cBrave knight, for myself, I gladly tell thee I would only be too\nwilling to accede to these requests, but alas! Charlemagne refuses to\nhear of peace under any conditions, except that thee and thy brothers\nare delivered into his hands.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen it is useless,\u201d responded Maugis; \u201cwe will fight until death\nbefore we will ever lower ourselves to commit such a great act of\ncowardice.\u201d\n\nSaying this, Maugis lowered his visor, set his lance at rest, and\nspurring his horse quickly forward, charged upon Roland. Roland in turn\ndrew his famous sword and aimed a terrible blow at Maugis, which the\nlatter received upon his shield, but such was its force the shield flew\nto pieces, and Roland stopping, said, smiling at his adversary:\n\n\u201cGood, my cousin, I have taken my revenge on thee for thy rashness; thy\nshield is gone, we will now quit.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d replied Maugis, \u201cif thou hast destroyed my shield for vengeance,\nI will punish thee for thy pride.\u201d\n\nThis singular combat would have been continued, and with their\nfollowers included, all would have become engaged in a duel to\nextermination, if Renaud had not restrained his cousin. On his side\nOlivier, the friend of Roland, likewise detained the nephew of\nCharlemagne, who, however, had become enraged at the taunt of Maugis\nand would listen to nothing, but would throw himself with all his force\nupon him.\n\nThings were at this delicate point when in the distance a body of\ntroops were seen approaching with a slow and measured tread. They\nsurrounded a man habited in the garb of a monk; the doleful strains of\nthe _Miserere_ came floating to them borne on the breeze. The nearer\napproach of this melancholy procession revealed the fact that the man\nin the garb of a monk was no other than King Yon; they were conducting\nhim to execution. This sight caused Maugis to forget all his resentment\nagainst his brother-in-law. He drew his troops across the road, barring\nthe progress of the guard, and thundered out the order to them:\n\n\u201cHalt!\u201d\n\n\u201cStand aside!\u201d responded the commandant of the guard.\n\n\u201cAgain I command thee to halt,\u201d cried Maugis; \u201cyield thy prisoner!\u201d\n\nAt these words Maugis commanded his troops to charge, and they\nthrew themselves upon the guard with such fury that they were all\neither killed or dispersed, and finally the unfortunate King Yon was\ndelivered from their hands. He then threw himself at the feet of his\nbrother-in-law, saying:\n\n\u201cI am not worthy to live in thy presence; the sole grace I can implore\nof thee is that I may meet death at thy hands.\u201d\n\nAt the sight of Maugis fighting the guardians of King Yon, the troops\non each side all along the line became engaged in a murderous conflict,\nand intermingling formed a vast struggling mass, in the midst of which\ncould be seen the swords rising and falling, at each stroke meeting a\nvictim. Roland, in the meantime, was not inactive; he wrought upon his\nenemy injury equal to that of Maugis.\n\nRichard, who was still weak from his wounds, and fought but little,\nbecame surrounded, and Roland perceiving it, rode toward him, and not\ndeeming it chivalrous to accept his defiance, ordered him to be taken\nalive. Richard defended himself like a lion at bay, but was very soon\nburied under a mass of the enemy, hurled from his horse and compelled\nto yield. He refused to give his sword to any one but Roland, whom he\nconsidered only worthy to receive it.\n\nIt was in the midst of the fight that the sorrowful news of the capture\nof Richard was borne to Maugis; it made him furious; he declared he\nwould at any price secure the liberty of Richard, and he was about to\nappoint Alard and Guichard to act in his place, while he proceeded\nagainst the camp of Charlemagne to deliver his brother, but his cousin\nRenaud arrested him.\n\n\u201cThy project is foolish,\u201d said he; \u201cif you take such a step you will\ncertainly be yourself captured, then what can you do? Listen, I have\nmyself an account to settle with the emperor, and if Richard has\nnot already been executed, I will enter the camp of Charlemagne in\ndisguise, will learn what they intend doing with him, and we can then\nknow better what steps to take for his rescue.\u201d\n\n\u201cThy plan is wise,\u201d said Maugis, \u201cand knowing thy discretion, am\nassured thou wilt return from thy perilous mission in safety.\u201d\n\nAccordingly, Renaud at once retired, and hastily disguising himself\nas a pilgrim, leaning wearily upon a stick, proceeded to the camp\nof Charlemagne, whither Richard had been borne. On nearing the camp\nhe walked very feebly, and assumed such a miserable aspect that all\ngates were opened before him; such was the reverence for holiness and\nsanctity, that pilgrims from the holy land were held in those days, and\nwhen, at last, he had arrived before the tent of the emperor, and was\nushered into his presence, he said to Charlemagne:\n\n\u201cPax Vobiscum, great ruler, I have just returned from Jerusalem,\nwhere I prostrated myself before the tomb of our Divine Master,\u201d and\nreverently crossing himself he bowed his hooded head upon his breast\nand stood silent.\n\n\u201cMost holy man, I give thee greeting,\u201d replied the emperor; \u201cwhat\ncommands hast thou for me? Speak, and they are granted thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d continued the false monk, \u201cwhile on my way yesterday by\nBalancon, with other pilgrims, traveling the same road, we were set\nupon by brigands; all my companions were slain, and I alone, by the\nmercy of God, escaped death, and that only because they thought I was\nso near death already. At the nearest village I could gain I learned\nthat the country was being ravaged by the four sons of Aymon, aided\nby a certain Renaud, and, from a picture, I am sure it was the latter\nwho was our assailant, and it was he who brought me to this miserable\nstate.\u201d Here the pilgrim made another sign of the cross, saluted the\nemperor with humility, and begged him for food, as it had been a long\ntime since he had had what he required.\n\nRenaud acted his part so well that Charlemagne was taken completely off\nhis guard, and suspicious of nothing, gave orders that the holy father\nbe well treated as one deserved who possessed such precious information.\n\nRenaud added to the good impression he had produced by a liberal\nquantity of prayers and blessings. At this point the camp was aroused\nby a blare of trumpets from without; it was Roland who had arrived with\nRichard surrounded by a strong guard.\n\nCharlemagne, who had already been warned by Ganelon of the result of\nhis nephew\u2019s expedition, received him joyfully, and, upon hearing his\nstory, embraced him. Said he:\n\n\u201cThou hast done well; let the rebel be delivered to punishment at once.\u201d\n\nAt the first sight of the pilgrim, Richard recognized his cousin\nRenaud, which had the effect of reassuring him as to his safety.\nRenaud, on his part, succeeded in learning the plans of the execution,\nand where it was to take place, then he quietly withdrew, hastened\nto Montaubon and gave the order summoning all to arms as quickly as\npossible. This being accomplished, he prepared to lead them to the\nplace of execution, and took the troops around by a circuitous route\nto the appointed place, hiding them in the woods nearby, and enjoining\nevery one to preserve the utmost silence.\n\nOn the arrival of Richard at the camp, Charlemagne immediately\nassembled his council. Said he:\n\n\u201cAt last one of the rebellious sons of Aymon has been delivered into my\nhands; it has been at a fearful cost of blood and treasure. They have\ndefied and insulted me. I should be illy fitted to be a ruler did I not\nmake a most forcible example of this rebellious subject, therefore do\nI decide to hang him as near the ch\u00e2teau on the mountain as possible,\nthat it may give the execution an imposing effect. Let the affair\nproceed at once.\u201d\n\nNow arose a difficulty to find an executioner. There was a secret\nadmiration for the brave sons of Aymon throughout the camp. This was\nrevealed when no one would volunteer to fill the office. At last a\nperson of the court of bad reputation, one Des Rives by name, who\nhad already made himself conspicuous by his questionable exploits,\npresented himself for the task, hoping by means of this low action to\ngain favor in the eyes of the emperor, and Charlemagne at once accepted\nhim.\n\nFaithful to his past, and at the cost of his honor, Des Rives then\napproached Richard and read him the sentence of death. Then he mounted\nRichard upon a mule, and brought him before the tent of Charlemagne,\nfurther humiliating him by taunts and jeers.\n\nAt all times in France men have fought solely for the desire to\nconquer, and rarely for the hate of their enemies, therefore the\nconduct of the cowardly and villainous Des Rives so much affected the\nassembled knights and soldiers that many a stern eye shed tears to\nsee the treatment suffered by a man so renowned for his bravery and\nnobility of character.\n\nThe troops of the escort now surrounded him and conducted him away to\nthe place of execution. All along the road Richard watched anxiously\nto see if he could see some friendly face that would give to him the\npromise of a rescue, but seeing none, he commenced to despair, and\nmade the resolve to accept his fate, asking for a priest to assist\nhim in his last moments. This Des Rives refused, but Oger, who formed\npart of the escort, became indignant and roundly denounced the\ndastardly nephew of Foulques de Morillon, for he, himself, was honest\nand upright, and would have granted the request; he was even about to\nsee that it was done, when at this instant they were set upon by the\nsoldiers of Maugis and taken completely by surprise.\n\nThe cowardly Des Rives then threw himself at the feet of his prisoner\nand abjectly protested that he had only acted in the manner he had done\nat the command of his superiors, that he was even forced into doing so\nupon the penalty of his life. Strange drift of circumstances it was,\nthat he, the executioner, should thus supplicate to Richard as if he\nhimself were the condemned.\n\nMeanwhile, Alard and Guichard had hemmed in the imperial troops, but\nnot before Oger, Turpin and Olivier had made their escape, leaving\nGanelon and Pinabel, the low companions of Des Rives, to extricate\nthemselves the best they could.\n\nRenaud, who had captured Des Rives, would have then and there slain\nhim, but Maugis dissuaded him. Then being made aware how Des Rives had\nvolunteered to perform a cowardly action so unworthy of knighthood,\nhe ordered him to prepare himself for his final punishment. In vain\nthe coward threw himself at his feet and begged for mercy. Maugis\nwas unpitying, and Des Rives was forthwith strung from the very\ngibbet that was destined for Richard. Before re-entering the fortress\nMaugis wished to see his Cousin Oger, but found he had returned to\nthe imperial camp. Then Richard, so recently freed, smarting from\nthe indignities offered him, volunteered to make a sortie into the\ncamp of his unsuspecting enemies, and penetrate even to the tent of\nCharlemagne. Maugis, thinking this possible, consented, and gave him an\nescort of five hundred men, and he also hung about his brother\u2019s neck\nhis own horn, at a signal from which he promised to come to his rescue,\nif necessary, with the main body of his troops.\n\nBy means of a more direct route, Richard and his company were enabled\nto arrive at the camp of the emperor before the fugitives of Des Rives\u2019\nescort could arrive. Stationing his troops at some little distance\naway, mounted on the horse of Des Rives, disguised by his armor, and\nholding in his hand the banner of the traitor, Richard penetrated\nboldly into the camp as far as the tent of the emperor, who, mistaking\nhim for the villain, had no doubt but that the execution had been\naccomplished. Naimes, who had remained at the camp, did not doubt that\nit was really Des Rives. Oger, Turpin, and Olivier, who had retreated\nwhen Maugis surrounded the imperial escort, thought it might be\nPinabel, who, having escaped, was returning. A perfect storm of insult\nwas then hurled at the head of the supposed Des Rives. In a paroxysm of\nrage, Oger rushed forward, grasped the bridle of his horse, drew his\nsword and threatened him with death. It was in vain Charlemagne tried\nto calm him, and Richard was finally forced to speak, saying, as he\nraised the visor of his helmet:\n\n\u201cAll is well, my dear cousin; it is not the coward Des Rives whom you\naddress; it is your cousin, who once more exposes his life to render to\nyou his thanks for the great service you would have rendered him.\u201d\n\nTransported with joy, Oger was hastening to embrace him, when\nCharlemagne interposed himself between them; flying into violent rage,\nhe pushed his horse against that of Richard, and he aimed at Richard a\nviolent blow with his sword, which the latter succeeded in parrying,\nthen put himself on the defensive. Now, thoroughly furious, the emperor\ncried:\n\n\u201cMontjoie!\u201d in stentorian tone.\n\nAt the sound of this famous war-cry, the camp was aroused, and the\nimperial soldiers came rushing toward the tent, but Richard had by this\ntime given the signal from his horn and his nine hundred men came upon\nthe scene, precipitately to the rescue.\n\nThe _m\u00eal\u00e9e_ then became general; all the pent-up hatreds and passions\nand prejudices came uppermost. By chance, Charlemagne and Maugis met\nand charged upon each other with fury, and with such force that they\nunhorsed each other; then, sword in hand, they renewed the action on\nfoot, without either gaining any advantage; the great warrior emperor,\nwhose arms were celebrated as being invincible, little accustomed to\nmeeting such sturdy resistance, manifested his astonishment aloud. At\nthe sound of his well-known voice, Maugis, who had not recognized the\nemperor, his face being concealed by his visor, immediately lowered his\nsword, approached and kneeled before him to the earth.\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d said he humbly, \u201caccord me a truce and I will engage my\nknightly word you will never again have cause of complaint against me,\nonly I ask not to have any of my privileges taken from me, except by\ndue legal process.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho art thou?\u201d demanded the astonished emperor; \u201cto whom am I asked to\ngive my word?\u201d\n\n\u201cI am Maugis,\u201d responded the knight, \u201cand I ask you for pardon for\nme and mine, assuring you it is not the fear of being conquered that\ncauses me to make this supplication; it is because I desire to enter\ninto good relations with you and to once more put to your service my\ncourage and my sword.\u201d\n\nIt was not without a certain reluctance that the emperor consented to\ntalk with a man whom he detested, but at the same time admired.\n\n\u201cI will grant thee peace, only on one condition,\u201d he sternly replied.\n\n\u201cSire, if thou wouldst but name it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat condition is,\u201d responded the emperor; \u201cthou shalt deliver up to\nme thy cousin Renaud.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, sire,\u201d said Maugis pleadingly, \u201ceven did I not love my cousin I\ncould not be so lost to honor as to deliver him up, even if it were to\nredeem my own brother from death.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen I will promise nothing,\u201d thundered the emperor, \u201cbut war, and war\nall the time. Defend thyself,\u201d he shouted, \u201cI will, at least, permit\nthee to fight with me.\u201d\n\nSaying this, Charlemagne rushed upon Maugis and struck him such a\nterrible blow with his sword that the shield of Maugis was shivered.\nTransported with rage, Maugis, in his turn, threw himself upon the\nemperor, and dragging him from his horse, held him in a herculean\ngrasp, in his left hand, while with his right he fought all who came to\nthe rescue of his prey. At this juncture Roland came up and attacked\nMaugis so fiercely that to defend himself he was obliged to set loose\nhis royal prisoner. Then, freeing himself to fight, he turned upon\nRoland and, seconded by his brothers, forced him to take flight to save\nhimself from being captured. Furious to have been compelled to yield to\nthe emperor, Maugis sounded the retreat, and with his troops returned\nto the ch\u00e2teau in good order.\n\nHis blood now thoroughly aroused, on the morning of the next day Maugis\ntook three thousand men with him and again directed a movement against\nthe camp of Charlemagne, resolved this time to penetrate to his very\ntent and master him.\n\nSo sudden was their movement, and so unanticipated, that by a furious\ncharge he was able to penetrate to the very portal of the royal\npavilion. Maugis surmounted it and with one stroke of the sword severed\nthe golden eagle at its apex, and descended to the earth safely, where\nhe was met by his cousin Renaud, and together they secured their prize.\nThe four sons of Aymon were, in the meantime, surrounded by a multitude\nof confused imperial soldiers, whom they threw down and slew without\npity.\n\nThinking this a favorable moment, Renaud alone retired from the fight\nto secure a hiding place for the golden eagle, and returned hastily,\nonly to find that the brothers had gone. He next encountered Olivier\nand Roland, but turning his horse and evading their strokes, he took\nflight, not realizing how close a pursuit was following him. Near\nBelancon, he thought to rest, when suddenly he found himself in the\nmidst of a troop who were pursuing him with desperation. Impatient with\na pursuit so incessant, Renaud turned and made a terrible charge upon\nthe leader of his enemies, who, however, did not await his onslaught,\nbut met him halfway, and with a stroke of his lance wounded the\nintrepid Renaud, throwing him from his horse. Renaud, half-stunned,\narose and vigorously defended himself, and with such great energy that\nOlivier cried out to him:\n\n\u201cYield, brave knight, you court inevitable death; it were a pity to\nhide such courage and such valor in the obscurity of death.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: YE OLDE CITIE OF MOUZON.]\n\n\u201cWho art thou,\u201d exclaimed Renaud, \u201cwho summons me to surrender, and who\nfights so fiercely?\u201d\n\n\u201cI am Olivier, and to place yourself in my power is no disgrace;\ntherefore yield, I pray you.\u201d\n\n\u201cI accept,\u201d replied Renaud; \u201cbut on one condition, and that is, that,\nif I give myself up, it be agreed I am your prisoner and your prisoner\nonly; it being well understood that no matter what order you may\nreceive, or what importance the person is who gives it, you are not to\ndeliver me up; this is the sole condition I impose.\u201d\n\n\u201cI give thee my knightly word,\u201d said Olivier.\n\n\u201cI know you well, Olivier,\u201d continued Renaud, \u201cand I was certain in\nadvance what your reply would be. Know me now, I am Renaud, and you may\nunderstand why I make these conditions, as Charlemagne is my bitter\nenemy.\u201d\n\nOlivier took Renaud to his camp, helped him off with his armor, bathed\nhis wounds, and placed him in his own bed.\n\nWhen the news of the capture of Renaud reached the ears of the emperor,\nhe sent an officer to Olivier, commanding him to deliver his prisoner.\nOlivier, though loyally anxious to obey the orders of his sovereign,\nwas restrained by the conditions Renaud had made when he surrendered\nhimself; he therefore hastened to the emperor to explain.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Olivier, \u201cI have given my word not to yield my prisoner,\nand thou knowest I am a man who never violates his promise.\u201d\n\n\u201cS\u2019death!\u201d cried Charlemagne in a rage; \u201cknowest thou, sir, that the\nfirst duty of a knight is to submit without restrictions to the orders\nof his king, and that all other oaths are as nothing before the oath of\nfidelity to his master.\u201d\n\nAfter Olivier had retired, the emperor bethought him that he had a\nmeans whereby the scruples of Olivier might be overcome. He accordingly\nordered Roland, the Archbishop Turpin, and the Duke de Naimes, to take\nRenaud from Olivier by force, thinking Olivier would accept this as\nreleasing him from his word, inasmuch as Renaud would be taken from\nhim by compulsion. Olivier, however, thought otherwise when the three\nenvoys appeared at his tent, demanding Renaud; he drew his sword, and\nswore he would kill any man who endeavored to execute that order, even\nif he were the bravest in the army.\n\nRenaud, who had overheard all this contention, not being willing that\nOlivier should meet with disgrace on his account, then came forward and\nsaid:\n\n\u201cSir knights, I place myself in your hands, and hereby disengage\nOlivier of his word.\u201d\n\n\u201cI also disengage thee of thine,\u201d cried Olivier, not to be outdone in\ngenerosity; \u201cyou may take your liberty,\u201d continued he, \u201cbecause you are\nmy prisoner and mine only, and no person here has any right to you.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne was furious; he ordered the rearrest of Renaud at once, and\nordered him to be brought into his presence. Said he:\n\n\u201cI shall recognize no pledges made to thee, prepare to die; nothing\nshall save you, now that you are in my power. I vow to you a death of\nthe most frightful and degrading kind.\u201d\n\nHaving said this, the emperor gave an order for his heralds to go\nforward under the walls of Montaubon and announce to Maugis the\npunishment of his cousin.\n\n\n\n\n                             CHAPTER XIII.\n\n\nCharlemagne sought to establish his right for having taken Renaud in\nhis power. The emperor called an assemblage of the highest peers of his\ncourt. Said he to them:\n\n\u201cMy lords, you are well aware of the causes of the hatred I bear\ntoward Renaud; you know the last outrage he has committed was to tear\nthe golden eagle from the top of my tent; he hath even attacked our\nroyal person, and had it not been for the aid of Olivier and divine\nProvidence, which always protects the cause of the just, I should at\nleast have been wounded. It was his intention to kill me none the less.\nHe is therefore culpable. Even if I did not occupy the elevated rank\nwhich places me at your head, I would not pardon him. Settling the\nmatter between us by personal combat is out of the question. I am an\nemperor, and I must see that justice is rendered, and I must set the\nexample. I will not accuse him of having attempted my life. I will not\nseek to punish him for his crime of lese-majesty, but he shall suffer\nthe direst punishment like a traitor to his oath for having supported\nthe four sons of Aymon, and above all, for having taken up arms\nagainst me.\u201d\n\n\u201cI now order that he be immediately given to the flames.\u201d\n\nThen arose Leon de Hautfeuille, a wise courtier.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said he, \u201cthere can be no exception taken to thy just\nresentment, but if thou dost carry thy sentence out immediately, will\nit not encourage Maugis and his brothers in the belief that thou\nfearest a rescue from them so much thou decidest to be rid of Renaud at\nonce?\u201d\n\nIf there was one point upon which Charlemagne was sensitive it was\nself-pride; a mere suggestion of this kind would arouse him, and it was\nthrough this weakness in his noble character that Ganelon and others\naccomplished their designs; although Leon was honest, the suggestion\nwas sufficient to cause the emperor to postpone the execution until\nthe morrow, and he further ordered that this time, that there might be\nno possibility of a rescue, that Renaud be placed under a strong guard\ncomposed of twelve peers, Charlemagne telling them that he would hold\nthem responsible for his person.\n\nRenaud gave his word, to the twelve peers who guarded him, laughingly,\nthat he would not stir during the night without their permission, and\ndid he do so he would not go without first seeing the emperor. His\nwords were prophetic.\n\nMeanwhile, the news of the terrible position of Renaud reached\nMontaubon. It caused the utmost concern to all, for Renaud was dearly\nbeloved. The enemy being now thoroughly prepared for surprise, a rescue\nby means of a sortie was out of the question. Now for the first time in\nall their trials was an appeal made to Maugis to exercise his occult\npowers. There was no hope for Renaud otherwise. To these pleadings\nMaugis replied:\n\n\u201cMy brothers, it is useless; I cannot, though it is possible I might\nrelease Renaud by my secret powers. Thou shouldst remember that I have\nmade a solemn oath before God and man to utterly abandon and forever\ngive them up; not only have I made this sacred oath before man, but I\ndid solemnly pledge my knightly word and honor to my wife, Yolande,\nthat I would forget, disuse, and put by those early teachings of the\nsecret art forever and forever. To break my oath to God would be a\nsacrilege condemning me to eternal punishment, and to break my oath to\nYolande would so dishonor me that I could never face my kind again.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat if Yolande would absolve thee of thine oath?\u201d asked Alard.\n\n\u201cThen should I be left to face my oath to God.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen Renaud must perish,\u201d cried Richard.\n\n\u201cEven so,\u201d responded Maugis sadly.\n\nRealizing that further pleadings were in vain, the brothers sought the\ntender Yolande, and told her of the terrible position of their cousin.\nMuch as she feared occult things, as did every one at that period, the\nfate of Renaud appealed strongly to her sympathies; to feel that any\nmeans of rescue should be used to preserve him from a horrible death at\nthe stake caused her to throw aside her scruples and fears; and flying\nto the side of Maugis, she added her pleadings to those of the others,\nand so, overcome by them all, he finally yielded his consent, sadly\ndepressed, though confident he could save his cousin.\n\nIt was midnight in the camp of Charlemagne; the tent where Renaud slept\ncalmly was silent; two knights remained on watch at the door; the rest\nwere reposing in sleep on their arms, ready to spring up from the\nslightest alarm. A shadowy figure now appeared on the scene, gliding\nnoiselessly toward the door; though they looked directly at it the\nguard saw it not, and when the shape glided toward them and lifted its\nshadowy hand in front of their faces, they, too, joined their comrades\nin slumber, sinking under a deep hypnotic spell. It was the work of a\nmoment for the shadow to glide within the tent and set Renaud free,\nand a few moments later, unharmed and undiscovered, he was on his way\ntoward the castle of Montaubon.\n\nMaugis, however, felt that he had not completed his work. Charlemagne\nhad that night visited his prisoner to assure himself that he was\nwell guarded, and had then retired; determined, however, to remain\nawake, he resisted his desire to sleep until near midnight, and then\nso anxious was he for revenge that he arose and gave orders that\npreparations should be made for the execution at daybreak.\n\nIt was at this moment that Renaud stood erect among his sleeping\nguards, stripped of his chains, and a few moments later the shadowy\nfigure of Maugis entered the tent of the emperor, who had meanwhile\nfallen into a deep sleep. As Maugis appeared on the scene he came upon\nRoland, who was endeavoring to awaken the emperor; it required but a\nfew passes of that shadowy hand to cause the eyes of Roland to also\nclose into a helpless state of somnambulance. The emperor was sleeping;\nRoland slept; the guards slept; and Maugis was alone with the emperor\nfree to work his will. One stroke of the poignard would relieve him\nat once of his persecution and his persecutor, but no thought of\ncommitting this cowardly act possessed his noble soul. It was with the\ngreatest reluctance he had used his occult powers in the rescue of his\ncousin. He was, however, content to humiliate the emperor and Roland,\nso he took from the side of Charlemagne his sword, the sword of Roland,\nfamous by the name of \u201cDurandel,\u201d and the but little less noted sword\nof Olivier, called \u201cHaute Clair.\u201d He also took the swords of the twelve\npeers who had guarded Renaud; he hesitated not to visit the treasure of\nthe emperor, taking therefrom his crown, his jewels and his precious\nstones; all this he bore away and placed in the hands of a faithful\nshepherd nearby, promising to reward him well for his fidelity and\ndiscretion. Once more returning to the tent of the emperor he bound him\nby one leg to the bed by one of the chains which had held Renaud, and\ndeparted noiselessly and undiscovered.\n\nAs the shadowy figure was just passing through the opening of the\ntent, Charlemagne awoke, and seeing the gliding form, he recognized\nthe gigantic proportions of Maugis. He could hardly believe his eyes;\nhe sprang up and would have followed him, but it was useless; he was\nretained by the chain with which Maugis had attached him to the bed.\n\n\u201cWhat ho!\u201d he shouted.\n\nThen he called for his attendants by name, but of Roland and all the\nlords in waiting nobody responded; every one was in a profound sleep.\n\nWhat had happened? then suddenly he realized that his suite had all\nsuccumbed to the magic art of Maugis, and that all his efforts to\narouse them would be in vain, and he fell back dejected on his bed.\n\nMaugis, having taken his departure, hastened to join the shepherd\nwith whom he had left the treasure, and having recommended him to\ncontinue guarding it with care, he took once more the road to the camp\nof Charlemagne; but this time, thoroughly disguised, with body bent,\nand face drawn, assuming the appearance of a travel-worn pilgrim. Thus\nchanged he presented himself again to the emperor, who lay depressed\nand consumed with rage, still bound to his bed.\n\n\u201cHoly father, enter thou quickly,\u201d cried Charlemagne to the supposed\npilgrim.\n\n\u201cWhat has happened?\u201d exclaimed the holy father; \u201cwhen I was coming\nhither I passed freely in and no one stopped me; all thy lords and\nknights were sleeping, and there was no guard before thy tent.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is the work of that sorcerer Maugis. Come hither and break the\nchains which hold me prisoner.\u201d\n\nThe pretended pilgrim approached, and after some efforts succeeded in\nfreeing the discomfited emperor, who, being grateful, gave him gold;\nthis the pilgrim did not hesitate to quickly put in his pockets.\nThen the emperor discovered a small bottle containing a very clear\nliquid lying upon his couch. The pilgrim would have picked it up, when\nCharlemagne shouted:\n\n\u201cHave a care, holy father! that bottle belongs to Maugis, and without\ndoubt contains some death-dealing liquid, with which he intended my\ndestruction.\u201d\n\nFollowing these words, he dashed the vial into pieces upon the ground.\nIt then happened the liquid gave forth a subtle odor, which penetrated\neverywhere and everyone was awakened; barons and knights, chiefs and\nsoldiers, all awoke and rubbed their eyes with astonishment to see the\npilgrim with the emperor, the entry of whom had aroused no one.\n\nThe emperor then recounted to his peers and courtiers what had\nhappened, and gave hasty orders for the immediate pursuit of the\nfugitive. It chanced at this time that when the peers put their hands\ndown to their sides they perceived that their swords were missing,\nand at this moment the guardian of the treasury rushed in, almost\nbreathless with excitement, and told the emperor that crown, jewels,\nprecious stones, and money, all had disappeared.\n\nThe emperor and the entire court were astounded, and gazed upon each\nother in dismay. They were appalled by the awful power that had been\nwielded against them. The emperor was the first to recover his senses.\n\n\u201cI will go myself in pursuit,\u201d he shouted. \u201cIt will not be long before\nwe capture him; has any one seen him leave the camp, and what road hath\nhe taken?\u201d\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d said the supposed pilgrim, \u201cI can be thy guide. Coming hither,\na figure hurried by me, bearing swords and other objects in his arms,\nand I know the road by which he left the camp, but thou must give me a\nhorse to lead thee with. I am too feeble to walk.\u201d\n\nA horse was secured immediately, and escorted by Charlemagne and\nseveral knights, he started forth upon the road in pursuit of Maugis.\n\nIn the meantime, the soldiers had been aroused, and taking up their\narms followed in the rear. The pilgrim being once more on horseback\nfelt at his ease.\n\n\u201cI am not now very skillful,\u201d said he. \u201cI am not strong, but if you\nwill give me a sword, I feel I could use it once more, possibly well if\nrequired, because in other days I used to manage a sword like a master.\u201d\n\nHe was given a sword as he requested, and they continued upon the road.\n\nOur pilgrim, followed by the imperial troops, now entered into a deep\ngorge, a narrow passage formed on either side by inaccessible rocks.\n\n\u201cIf thou wilt permit me, sire,\u201d said the pilgrim, \u201cI think we have\nnearly overtaken him, and I will now march alone in advance, because if\nMaugis sees me mounted upon a good horse, he will seek to capture it,\nthen I can summon you to my assistance, and by coming up quickly make\nyourself master of this wicked sorcerer.\u201d\n\nThis stratagem was thought to be good and the emperor approved of it.\nAccordingly Maugis left them, and going some distance forward out of\ntheir sight, hurriedly dismounted, and ascended, by means of a secret\npath known only to himself, the high rock on one side of the gorge,\nand appeared at the top overlooking the imperial cavalcade; then\nthrowing off his disguise, assumed his own form and stood erect in full\nview of the astonished emperor and his knights.\n\n\u201cI am Maugis!\u201d he shouted, \u201cwhom you would unjustly send to death, and\nto-day I defy you once more, Charlemagne the proud! Do you recognize\nhere your crown and your treasures? and you, sir knights, the haughty\ncompanions of your master, here are your swords, all in my power.\nHowever, thou canst have them once more\u2014if the emperor will grant peace\nto the four sons of Aymon, all will be given back to you.\u201d\n\nAmid the furious cries of rage caused by this audacious defiance,\nMaugis disappeared before their eyes.\n\nWhile the pride of Charlemagne and his peers was deeply wounded,\nnot all the knights could restrain from laughing, secretly among\nthemselves, at their misadventures, for the bravery and audacity of\nMaugis and his brothers had raised them highly in their estimation.\n\nBeing at last free from Charlemagne and his troops, Maugis returned\nquietly to Montaubon with the treasures. He was received there with\nthe greatest joy, and when he showed his booty every one hastened to\ncongratulate him on the success of his enterprise. The wealth was taken\ncare of, and to the rage and mortification of Charlemagne, his golden\neagle adorned the most elevated position on the ch\u00e2teau of Montaubon,\nfor on the following morning when Charlemagne saw his golden eagle\nresplendent in the rays of the sun, he was astounded. He called his\npeers and said to them:\n\n\u201cWe are dishonored, and we must secure ourselves at any price.\u201d\n\nHe thereupon called the Duke de Naimes and Oger, who were relatives of\nMaugis, and ordered them to go to him, and say that if he would return\nwhat had been taken he would be granted a truce of two years.\n\nIt was an imposing procession that set out for the ch\u00e2teau Montaubon,\nheaded by the two knights and followed by the flower of the court, and\nwhen they appeared before Maugis and his brothers, they were given a\ncordial and gracious reception.\n\n\u201cBrave knights,\u201d said Oger, \u201cthou canst not ignore the fact that the\nDuke de Naimes and myself have personally done all we could to stop\nthis war, and that it would have terminated long since if the emperor\nhad listened to our advice; this being so, we have some cause to ask\nthee to return our swords into our hands, and that if thou wilt also\nrender all that thou hast taken from Charlemagne into our hands, he\nwill grant thee a truce of two years.\u201d\n\n\u201cNoble lords, and sir knights,\u201d responded Maugis, \u201cgladly will I grant\nthy request, and willingly will I return unto Charlemagne all that\nhas been taken from him, on the condition of two years\u2019 truce, and I\ncan only hope and pray that during this time a final peace will be\nconcluded.\u201d\n\nThen Maugis gave to each knight his own sword, and put into the\npossession of the Duke de Naimes all the treasure of the emperor that\nhad been taken from him.\n\nThe generosity and nobility of character Maugis had shown in this\nmatter awoke the friendly feeling and admiration of every peer of\nCharlemagne\u2019s court. Even the emperor was affected almost to tears, and\na general demand arose that the war be ended and peace be granted the\nbrave young men. A certain number of the courtiers went to Montaubon\nand endeavored to persuade Maugis to appear again before the emperor,\nnow that his heart had been somewhat softened, and endeavor to secure\npeace, and when Maugis, though strongly persuaded, hesitated, the Baron\nde Estouville even offered to remain at Montaubon as a hostage, and the\nDuke de Naimes, in behalf of all the knights present, guaranteed Maugis\nshould return uninjured, then Maugis, finally, decided to go, though\nmuch against the advice of Yolande, who would have him absolutely\nrefuse. When the party at last set out and had covered half the\ndistance to the camp of Charlemagne, Oger and the Duke de Naimes, after\nconsulting Maugis, rode forward to see Charlemagne, in order to prepare\nhim for the coming interview.\n\nUnhappily, fate seemed to pursue the dove of peace all through the\ncareer of Maugis and his brave brothers; no sooner did the horizon\nbrighten for them than dark clouds would again gather and the storm\nbeset them more furiously than ever. In this case it was Pinabel, an\nintimate of Ganelon, who, seeing what was going on, mounted his horse\nand hastened to the emperor, that he might arrive there first and\nprejudice him against the project of the two knights.\n\nBy making false reports, all kinds of calumnies, and above all, by\nappealing to the well-known weakness in the character of Charlemagne,\nhis self-pride, appeals to which he was always susceptible, it hardly\nneeded the lies and misrepresentations in addition to persuade him that\nthe coming of Maugis was an insult if not a treachery.\n\nSo furious was the emperor made by the crafty deceits of Pinabel, that\nhe summoned Olivier, saying:\n\n\u201cHarken me well, and obey me. I command thee to take four hundred men\nand go forward on the road to Montaubon, where thou wilt encounter the\ntraitor Maugis and his brother Alard, who have the supreme assurance to\ninsult me by coming hither. I command thee, thou shalt make them thy\nprisoners, even if thou dost lose thy entire force, and fail not,\u201d he\nadded sternly, \u201cunder pain of my displeasure.\u201d\n\n\u201cI go, sire,\u201d replied Olivier, who forthwith departed.\n\nOlivier, who had no knowledge of the pledge given by Oger and the Duke\nde Naimes, assembled his troops quickly and departed on his mission.\n\nIt was at the very moment he left that Oger and his noble companion\narrived to announce to the emperor the result of their embassy.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said Oger, \u201cwe have come to announce to thee that Maugis and\nhis brother Alard are on their way hither to sue thee for peace; almost\nwithout exception the peers of thy court are lost in admiration of the\nnobility of character and the bravery of these young men. Sire, it is\nour devotion to thee, as well, that leads us to wish a reconciliation,\nthat this cruel war may be ended with honor to both parties; we beseech\nthee, then, sire, to listen to their penitencies and grant them again\nthy favor, and be assured, sire, it will be an act to add to thy\nrenown, and will be another instance of thy greatness of character.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou hast gone too far,\u201d said the emperor coldly.\n\nAt these words the brave old soldier hesitated not to face the emperor\nand declared flatly:\n\n\u201cSire! though our act may give thee displeasure, it was committed in\nthe interest of justice and through devotion to thine own interests.\nIt was the Duke de Naimes who has caused them to visit thee on the\nguarantee of our word of honor that they should be protected; rather\nthan that be violated, I will, myself, if necessary, at the head of my\nown men, protect him from any one who shall put the least insult upon a\nman I now regard as a common friend.\u201d\n\nDuring this time Olivier had proceeded along the road until he\nencountered Maugis, who was marching alone, without arms, leading\nBayard peacefully at the head of his escort. On seeing Olivier and\nhis troops, Maugis turned quickly to the Archbishop Turpin and De\nEstonville, saying:\n\n\u201cYou have betrayed me, behold the troops that come to make me prisoner.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have not betrayed you,\u201d replied the knights, and De Estonville\nadded:\n\n\u201cGod forfend us from committing such a vile infamy, and to prove it we\nwill join in your defense, and will fight for you to the death.\u201d\n\nWhile they were having this discussion, Roland dashed up to sustain\nOlivier. The three knights, however, were determined to treat the\naffair with resolution, advancing to within a hundred paces of the\nopposing force, and shouting:\n\n\u201cRoland! stop, I pray you, in the name of honor, in the name of our\nword pledged, that not any injury shall befall Maugis and Alard, if\nthey would visit the emperor and sue for peace.\u201d\n\nOlivier, who had left at the head of his troops against the dictates\nof his own heart to fulfill the mission for the emperor, was the first\nto accept this explanation joyfully, in which he was quickly joined by\nRoland, who said:\n\n\u201cWe join you, with our brave companions; not only will we not arrest\nyou, but if Maugis wishes we will all accompany you direct to the tent\nof Charlemagne. We could not do otherwise; we are all united in the\nsame thought that Maugis should be accorded peace, plain and entire,\nand now is the time to have this miserable war terminated.\u201d\n\nIn saying this, Roland uttered the sincere sentiments of his heart\ntoward Maugis, having always found him so brave, so loyal, and so\ntrue, and he could not restrain from testifying to his feelings on\nthis occasion. Entirely reassured by this friendliness, Maugis yielded\nhimself into their hands, and they all, once more, took up their march\nfor the camp.\n\nOn their arrival the emperor greeted them with a stern brow, and his\nface flushed with anger; a great hush fell upon the assembled company\nand an embarrassing silence ensued that was of ominous portent. Oger\nwould have spoken, but Charlemagne, with an imperious gesture, stopped\nhim, saying in a voice hoarse with passion:\n\n\u201cSilence! I am your master, let it suffice, once for all that I have\ndecided that this traitor Maugis shall be punished like a rebel, as he\nis, and this time he shall not escape me.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire, that we shall not willingly permit,\u201d responded the veteran Oger,\nfearlessly gazing into the face of Charlemagne. \u201cNo! it shall not be\nsaid we have given our word in vain; our honor is above all and unto\nthe gravest consequences, understand, we shall defend him against you.\u201d\n\nAt these defiant words a great hush fell upon the assembled courtiers,\nand so intense was the moment that not a word was said, while\nCharlemagne sat with eyes blazing, clutching his robe in his hands too\namazed for utterance.\n\nIt was at this moment that Maugis, perceiving a situation so tense\nwould evidently lead to a conflict, advanced and modestly addressing\nthe emperor, said:\n\n\u201cSire! I have complied with all the conditions you have imposed\nupon me. I have not swerved from a single point. I came here alone,\nwithout arms, on the faith of these brave knights to ratify with you\nthe basis of a peace. What reproaches can I merit for this? If I have\nfought against thee, it is because thou hast incessantly pursued me;\nbecause thou hast tracked me like a wild beast, and all because at the\nbeginning I refused to sustain thee in a war where my honor commanded\nme to remain neutral. Ah, sire!\u201d earnestly pleaded Maugis, \u201creflect,\nexamine my actions well; judge my conduct with impartiality, and thou\nwilt end in rendering me the justice which is my due.\u201d\n\nIt needed but these firm and modest words to add to the evident signs\nof disapproval on the part of his courtiers to convince Charlemagne\nthat he had gone too far; that with but few exceptions his entire court\nwas against him, and that if he continued his policy there would be\nno other outcome than his own humiliation, if not defeat. Quick of\nresource, however, he pondered but a moment before he made reply, and\nturning to Maugis, said:\n\n\u201cArt thou prepared to make thy cause good, in single combat arms in\nhand?\u201d\n\nThis change in the aspect of the subject by an appeal to a single\ncombat was a happy thought; it restored the emperor in the opinion of\nhis knights and offered a solution of the differences customary and\nhonorable in those warlike times. Maugis, on his part, hailing any\nprospects to secure peace with joy, promptly answered:\n\n\u201cRight willingly, sire, will I accept thy challenge; and all I ask is,\nthat the Archbishop Turpin, Oger, the Duke de Naimes and Olivier will\nbe my seconds.\u201d\n\nThe knights mentioned immediately gave their consent. Maugis was at\nonce liberated. Here Roland came forward, saying:\n\n\u201cSire! I beg thee that I may be allowed to take thy place in the coming\nduel.\u201d\n\n\u201cI cannot consent,\u201d responded Charlemagne.\n\n\u201cAnd it please thy majesty,\u201d cried Maugis, \u201cright willingly will I\naccept him as thy substitute.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen be it so,\u201d replied Charlemagne.\n\nMaugis then quickly mounted his horse, saluted all present, departed,\nhaving previously taken leave of his new friends, all promising to meet\nat the rendezvous fixed for the duel on the following day.\n\nUpon the return of Maugis to Montaubon, his people, thinking peace\nhad been concluded, greeted him with congratulations and rejoicings;\nhe only pausing long enough on it to thank them warmly, hastened to\nYolande, who from the time of his departure had suffered a constant\ninquietude; after reassuring her, he turned to his brothers, saying:\n\n\u201cMy friends, on the morrow I go to engage in a most terrible combat\nwith one of the bravest of knights. Shall I conquer? I know not! If I\nsuccumb, in the name of the love which you have always had for me, I\ncommend to your care my wife and my children; save them from the rage\nof Charlemagne. I have right on my side. My courage is equal to that of\nRoland. I have confidence in divine justice, but against all that I may\nfall.\u201d\n\nAt these words everyone had tears in their eyes though they tried to\nconceal them, and the three brothers of Maugis insisted that Renaud\nshould be left in command of Montaubon while they accompanied him to\nthe field of the combat.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER XIV.\n\n\nWhen the next day had come, Roland early sought the emperor to take\nleave of him. He was armed and ready to depart, but before quitting he\nbesought Charlemagne to have the grace to accord to Maugis and the four\nsons of Aymon the peace they had so long asked for, no matter what the\nissue of the coming combat might be, but Charlemagne, though depressed\nby sad reflections and by the thought of the evil consequences that had\ncome from the bad advice he had received, made no reply.\n\nA little later, when Maugis arrived on the field, he found Roland\nalready there. It was a superb day; the renown of the two knights,\ntheir bravery, and their skill with arms, made the outcome of the\nduel uncertain. A vast concourse of knights had assembled to witness\nthe contest, and a deep hush of expectancy fell upon all when the two\nknights advanced toward each other on the field to begin the duel.\n\n\u201cI am now here,\u201d said Roland, addressing Maugis, \u201cto lay you in the\ndust; you have thought yourself invincible long enough; but to-day you\nwill find that I am your master.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe moderate, Roland,\u201d replied Maugis; \u201cone is never sure, even the\nbravest knight may be overcome by one weaker than himself.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will maintain my word, I think, Maugis,\u201d shouted Roland; \u201cdefend\nyourself, for your last hour is come.\u201d\n\nAt these words they charged each other, lance at rest, with great\nfury. At the very first shock the lances were shattered, and their\nshields were broken. Roland wavered in his saddle, and with difficulty\nmaintained himself erect, while Maugis, unhorsed, fell twenty steps\nbehind Bayard; but he was on his feet like a flash, and he mounted his\nhorse with incredible agility, and sweeping down upon Roland, gave\nhim a terrible blow with his sword, which, landing on his helmet,\ncompletely stunned him. Maugis, however, withdrew, giving him time to\nrecover, and then they rushed anew at each other. Now ensued a battle\nof giants, which no words can adequately describe; the spectators\nwere appalled by its ferocity; the dreadful blows they dealt each\nother were slowly denuding them of their armor piece by piece; sparks\nflew like lightning from the terrible flashing of their swords; but\nfurious as the combat was, so skillful were they each, that neither\none could deal the other a fatal blow. It was a magnificent contest,\nevoking cries of admiration from all sides; there could be but one\nend to their terrible exertion; becoming fatigued, they seized each\nother body to body and tried to throw each the other from his horse.\nIt was impossible; breathless and almost helpless with fatigue,\nmutually astonished that neither could conquer the other, they waited\na few moments to regain breath, each so battered as to be almost\nunrecognizable, they having left only fragments of their arms and but a\nfew pieces of their clothing.\n\nThe onlookers to this heroic duel felt they would like to have the\nfight ended then and there, and were so evenly divided by admiration\nfor each of the combatants that they could not say whom they would have\nthe victor. The emperor himself, all his sympathies aroused, felt that\nhe would even give his crown to have the fight ended here, and was\nabout to shout an order to have the duel stopped as the two combatants\napproached each other to recommence the battle.\n\nBefore he could utter a sound, however, an astonishing sight greeted\nhis eyes. Instead of beginning hostilities as they neared each other,\nthe two knights, as if with one common impulse and actuated by the same\nsentiment, let their arms fall and then and there embraced each other.\nMaugis said to Roland:\n\n\u201cBrave cousin! you have shown the greatest courage; neither one of us\ncan conquer the other; we each seem to have the same strength, the\nsame skill, and the same courage. God never made us to be enemies, but\nto be friends; let it be so. Come to Montaubon and be my guest; you\nwill receive there all the consideration, honor and respect that are\ndue you.\u201d\n\nThe spectators had lost nothing of this scene; a great demonstration\nof applause ensued, and cheer after cheer rent the air when the two\nknights were seen to embrace. Two men only did not participate in the\npublic joy; they were Pinabel, the scheming nephew of Charlemagne, and\nGanelon, his traitorous associate.\n\n\u201cWhat means this?\u201d said the astonished emperor.\n\n\u201cSimply this,\u201d replied Pinabel: \u201cby some vile sorcery Maugis hath\nensnared Roland and is bearing him to Montaubon.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy St. Gris!\u201d roared the emperor, furious. \u201cI will never brook such\ninsult, on to Montaubon! on to Montaubon!\u201d he shouted to his knights.\n\u201cI will take Roland by force from the hands of this rebel Maugis.\u201d\nBut the confusion in which the spectators and knights were mingled\nmade it impossible to execute immediately any hostile movement of this\nkind, and Charlemagne, fuming and almost blind with rage, was forced\nto see Roland depart with Maugis, and he returned to his camp with\nthe determination to draw a cordon around the walls of Montaubon and\ncommence an immediate siege.\n\nMeanwhile, Maugis, accompanied by Roland, and escorted by his brothers,\nhad quietly entered the citadel, where Roland was received with all\nhonors, and was greeted on all hands as the first knight of the world.\n\nIt was a singular situation the enraged Charlemagne had to meet;\ncontinually stirred with rage by the evil advisers who had his ear on\none hand, and on the other hand urged by the influential men of his\ncourt, who, lost in admiration of the brave struggle of the four sons\nof Aymon, regarded an honorable peace to them to be the proper course\nfor the emperor to pursue. The next day, a delegation of knights waited\nupon him and stated that it was the general demand that such should\nbe granted; they so appealed to the good sense of Charlemagne that he\nwould have undoubtedly, then and there, yielded and acquiesced to the\ngeneral demand.\n\nNever had the position of the conspirators who had heretofore been\nsuccessful in preventing the good understanding between Charlemagne and\nthe four sons of Aymon been so perilous. The Abb\u00e9 Gorieux, Ganelon and\nPinabel held a hasty consultation.\n\n\u201cNow what shall be done,\u201d said Ganelon, biting his lips.\n\n\u201cIt is hopeless! I cannot see that anything can be done,\u201d said Pinabel,\ngrinding his teeth and clinching his hands, for he had a consuming\nhatred of Maugis, that one of his vile character could only have of\na nature more noble. Within him hate had fed upon hate, until his one\nthought was how to wreak vengeance upon its object.\n\n\u201cDelay, my friend; our hope is in delay,\u201d the smooth voice of the\ncrafty abb\u00e9 interposed. \u201cDo thou now, Pinabel, influence the emperor to\npostpone his decision in this matter; it will give us chance to work\nour ends; indeed, it is our only hope,\u201d he added despairingly.\n\nPinabel at once hurried to the emperor, saying:\n\n\u201cSire, grant this peace, which is no doubt the proper course to pursue,\nfor such a great war is surely impious,\u201d he added hypocritically;\n\u201ctherefore, it indeed were well to grant the peace we all desire, only\ndecide not hastily; take all means to assure thyself that this course\nwill be appreciated by the rebellious sons of Aymon, that they will\nfaithfully fulfill all conditions you may impose, and properly carry\nout the penances it is right they should suffer; what these conditions\nshould be, what penances proper, it would be foolish to hastily decide;\nlet us therefore use deliberation, that the realization of all our\nhopes, the peace that is so dear to us all, may be secured upon a firm\nand unchangeable basis.\u201d\n\nThis apparently candid, disinterested advice deceived the emperor, and\nhe put off making a decision that day. Then the old scheme, which had\nsucceeded so often before, was brought into use. The emperor, however,\nwas not so easily worked upon as he had formerly been; he, himself, had\nbecome tired with the war and strife, and although excessively enraged\nby his inability to conquer the redoubtable knights D\u2019Aymon, and by\ntheir continued humiliation of him, he was too wise a monarch not to\nsee the advantage of an honorable peace. Consequently the task of the\nconspirators was no light one.\n\nAll day long one or another of the conspirators sought him, each\ndropping some poisoned suggestion in his ear, calculated to arouse his\nanger and cast doubt upon the honorable intentions of Maugis and his\nbrothers. There was not wanting insinuations that Maugis was a minion\nof Satan, and that the very existence of so powerful a sorcerer was not\nonly a threat to the life and well-being of the emperor, but to the\nvery kingdom itself.\n\n\u201cHe should be promptly and utterly destroyed,\u201d declared Ganelon.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d added Pinabel persuasively, \u201cadmitting the truth, is, that\nthese fears are due to our personal devotion to you, which lead us to\nsuggest them, and supposing even that our anticipations are due to an\nardent zeal, surely the pardon you propose to grant the sons of Aymon\nwould establish a bad precedent. Who knows?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey have not feared to be false to their oath to their prince; they\nhave revolted and openly made war on you; can any one sustain the\nexample of the sons of Aymon? Each one invites your pardon only to\nserve his own ends. You will, of course, sire, do what seemeth best in\nyour great wisdom; but even if thou dost pardon the four sons of Aymon,\none of them should be given up to thee for punishment.\u201d\n\nIf Charlemagne, thus persuaded by the conspirators, had discussed this\nadvice in the presence of all, there can be no doubt the result of\nthese negotiations for peace would have been far different from that\nwhich followed.\n\nThe next day the emperor, when everybody was assembled, the peers and\nall the courtiers and the four brothers, declared to the sons of Aymon\nthat he had decided to pardon them.\n\n\u201cI have one proviso,\u201d said the emperor firmly, \u201cthat is, after thou\nhast fulfilled thy promises, thou shall deliver thy Cousin Renaud into\nmy hands to be punished as an example. This is my final decision, and\nnought shall change it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, well, sire,\u201d cried Maugis sadly; \u201cif this is all that thou wilt\nyield there can be no more said. I regret only that our humble prayers\nfor thy pardon have not prevailed. We never would deliver Renaud to\nyou, because our honor is opposed to it, and because there never was\nyet an Aymon who would purchase peace at the price of infamy and\ncowardice.\u201d\n\nMaugis and his brothers, then saluting the emperor with the most\nprofound respect, withdrew.\n\nCharlemagne, now giving himself up entirely to his vindictive feelings,\nhis rage for vengeance now paramount, summoned his council of state and\noutlined the course he had decided to follow; he ordered preparations\nto be made immediately for a general assault. The troops were to be\nassembled completely armed, under the walls of Montaubon, and the\nmachines of war for hurling stones, catapaults and battering rams, were\nto be at once transported thither.\n\nMaugis, on his part, knowing what was coming, was not inactive; he\nplaced his soldiers behind the ramparts to the best advantage to resist\nattack.\n\nThe next day at sunrise the assault occurred, made with great vigor.\nMaugis allowed them to approach, place their scaling ladders, and\neven to commence to mount them, then at a given signal they by united\neffort created great havoc and carnage among them by pouring upon them\nboiling oil, and by burying them beneath a quantity of enormous stones;\nstill the enemy persisted and the assault continued fiercely; but such\nwas the awful slaughter of his troops, that at the end of an hour,\nthe emperor, dismayed by his losses, ordered a retreat and re-entered\nthe camp, followed by his depleted legions. He had suffered not only\ndefeat, but disaster.\n\nThis experience taught the emperor that Montaubon could never be\ntaken by assault, and he thereupon determined to blockade the ch\u00e2teau\nso vigorously, and by famine reducing its inhabitants to the last\nextremity, force them to capitulate. In fact, hunger had already\ncommenced to worry them, and only a short time after this siege began\nthe awful specter of starvation stared them in the face, and soon\nthereafter, men, women, and children were lying around exhausted with\nhunger, and striving to prolong their existence by eating the buds and\nroots of the trees.\n\nFamine, with all its horrors, was upon them, but still the impenetrable\ncordon remained encircling them, and the conspirators heard with\nvindictive glee of the terrible straits of the inhabitants of the\ncastle.\n\nThe situation of the people behind the ramparts of Montaubon was truly\ndesperate. They were forced to devour all kinds of living animals and\neven insects, and at a point where everything seemed exhausted, to add\nto the horror, a pest followed, which threatened to decimate completely\nthe miserable population.\n\nSome appealed to Maugis once more to exercise his magic power to\ndeliver them, but he firmly refused, saying:\n\n\u201cI have already incurred the wrath of God by such efforts; not only did\nI violate solemn oaths that I made, by practices condemned by the wise\nand the good, but instead of relief, it brought only new misfortunes. I\nwill have no more of it; rather than that I would prefer death, but I\nwill never yield.\u201d\n\nThe majority of his captains supported Maugis in his determination not\nto surrender. They were undismayed by the horrors surrounding them.\nSaid Maugis:\n\n\u201cIf I were the only victim demanded by the emperor, to save you I would\ngladly surrender; but you know that if we yield we shall all be put\nto the sword. We have no quarter to expect from Charlemagne; we must\ncontinue to resist.\u201d\n\nThese words encouraged his men and caused them to be resigned to\nfurther suffering.\n\nThe awful suffering and carnage occurring within the ch\u00e2teau of\nMontaubon moved the hearts of all of Charlemagne\u2019s court. All the\nlords, with the aged Duke d\u2019Aymon at their head, went to demand grace\nfor the besieged from Charlemagne, but he peremptorily refused, and\nwhen they supplicated him he answered by ordering an assault.\n\nThus to the horrors of siege and famine was added the horrors of war.\nGreat masses of rock, hurled into the ch\u00e2teau by the catapaults and\nbesieging machines, crushed out the lives of many of its inhabitants.\n\nIn the midst of these adversities Maugis was ever sustained by his\nnoble wife, who always preserved her serenity and courage.\n\nRichard, who realized that each day rendered their power of resistance\nless possible, urged that they surrender.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d replied Maugis, \u201clet us continue to resist. Something within me\ntells me that we yet shall be saved.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne, now seeing the weakened condition of his enemy, resolved\nto end it all by a single blow. Taking some of his choicest troops, a\ndetermined assault was made upon the fortress, but once more he met\ndefeat. The feeble garrison, gathering all the force that remained in\nthem, repulsed the besiegers victoriously; and hurled them into the\ncastle moat.\n\nMeantime the situation had become so desperate that Maugis, usually\nso resigned and patient, even commenced to despair; but he would not\nthink of surrendering, death rather than that, and he made the resolve\nto retreat to the citadel of the fortress with his brothers and those\nbelonging to him; then set it on fire and perish in the flames, first\ngiving the inhabitants their liberty to surrender, or do otherwise, as\nit might seem best to them.\n\n\u201cLoved one,\u201d said Yolande, \u201cwhat thou deemest best is best. I have\nfollowed thee in life. I will follow thee in death, for life without\nthee would be death; and here, embracing her two sons, her mother\u2019s\nheart nearly succumbed; that they should perish was indeed a cruel\nblow, but choking back her tears she said, in firm tones:\n\n\u201cLet it be so!\u201d\n\nThe three brothers of Maugis, and Renaud likewise, agreed that to\nperish was the only thing left for them.\n\nAt this juncture an aged man was ushered to their presence. Said he:\n\n\u201cMost noble lord! many years ago, \u2019tis said, there stood a fortress\nupon this mountain, even where Montaubon now stands, and methinks I\nhave heard my father\u2019s father tell how in the old days there did a\nsubterranean passage exist which led from hither and opened into the\nforest of the Serpante yonder, beyond the lines of Charlemagne. Find\nthis and we are saved.\u201d\n\n\u201cKnowest thou where the opening is?\u201d demanded Maugis.\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d responded the old man sadly, \u201cI know not; it be only one of the\nforgotten memories of the tales of my youth, renewed in my mind by much\nsuffering.\u201d\n\nAt these words the hopes that were raised in the hearts of all who\nheard were dashed to the earth.\n\n\u201cDid such a passage exist, where could it be found?\u201d It was more than\nprobable that, choked by _d\u00e9bris_, it had been built over by the solid\nwalls of the new ch\u00e2teau, and even if it had ever existed was now\nthoroughly hidden.\n\n\u201cUse thine occult powers!\u201d whispered Yolande.\n\nThen Maugis and the little company proceeded to make a thorough\nexploration of the castle, visiting in succession all of its towers and\nsubterranean parts.\n\nIn every underground passage and room Maugis would pause, and standing\nerect, with arm outstretched, slowly sweep a circle about him, when it\nwas complete only to drop his hand and bow his head, saying:\n\n\u201cI find nothing.\u201d\n\nHope seemed to have left them, there was only one more place to visit,\none of the towers at the northeast part of the ramparts, known as \u201cTour\nde la Bellevue.\u201d Here, in its subterranean depths, the little company\nassembled for the last trial, pausing breathless with expectancy, while\nMaugis closed his eyes and slowly made the mystic circle around the\ntorch-lighted room. When half-complete, he paused and a look of hope\nstole over his face; once more he swept the circle and again paused at\nthe same point; a third time did he repeat this motion, then opening\nhis eyes, with joy lighting his face, he said:\n\n\u201cIt is here.\u201d\n\nTools were hurriedly brought, digging commenced, and at the end of\nan hour the passage opening stood revealed. Richard went forward to\nexplore it, while the rest hastened upward to make preparations there\nfor immediate departure. Nearly overcome with joy, to think not only\nwould they succeed in escaping from Charlemagne, but in mystifying him\nas well.\n\nIn the meantime, Richard having returned with the joyful news that the\npassage was all clear, Maugis summoned his people, and distributed\ntorches among them, and giving the stronger the more precious objects\nto carry, started them under the leadership of Richard on their journey\nthough the passage.\n\nMaugis hastened to his tower, where in the hurry and excitement of his\ndeparture, Yon, his brother-in-law, was lying forgotten, confined to\nhis bed by a sickness which had affected him ever since his treason.\n\nMaugis was about to lift him in his arms to bear him away, when Alard\nsaid:\n\n\u201cLet him lie. He is the cause of all our misfortunes.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe is culpable, that is true,\u201d replied Maugis, \u201cbut he is miserable,\nand that is claim enough upon us not to abandon him;\u201d and with these\nwords he took the suffering king and bore him away among the others.\n\nAt sunset they had made the passage of the tunnel safely and came out\ninto the forest. A little later they entered another forest called\n\u201cD\u2019Arsene,\u201d under the leadership of the old man, who conducted them to\nthe abiding place of an old hermit, whose store of food illy sufficed\nfor the wants of the famished people, and who, exhausted, here stopped\nall further progress and ate whatever they could find. The soldiers\nthrew themselves upon the surrounding foliage and devoured it. By great\ngood fortune they then encountered some shepherds with their flocks,\nand Maugis having bought sheep to feed the famished people, and having\nfully satisfied their voracious hunger, they rested during the whole of\nthe succeeding day and the day following.\n\nMaugis, with an escort, then rode on in advance to the city of\nDordogne, where, when they learned of his arrival, the inhabitants\ncame out to meet him, with cheers and cries of joy. The enthusiasm\nsoon penetrated throughout the city and its environs, and that day, at\nleast, everybody was rejoicing. The next day Maugis received the oaths\nof fealty of the lords from all the surrounding country.\n\nFor eight days nobody had appeared on the ramparts of Montaubon,\nvisible to the camp of Charlemagne. The emperor decided that everyone\nmust have succumbed, that the fortress could be entered without\ndanger, and when a short time afterward Roland, Olivier, and the\nDuke de Naimes rode in, having battered down the great gate, they\nwere greeted everywhere with silence. Everywhere in the city and the\nfortress decaying bodies were lying about, unburied, emitting the most\npestilential odors, which finally became so great they were forced to\nretreat. In vain they searched for Maugis and his brothers. It was\nimpossible to find them.\n\nMaugis was very soon apprised that Charlemagne had occupied Montaubon\nand was sorely tempted to besiege him in retaliation and submit him to\nthe same tortures he had suffered. But in this he was deterred by the\nconscientious Yolande, who said:\n\n\u201cWhile thine oath of fealty might permit thee to defend thyself, if\nattacked by him, it will surely be a violation of it if thou dost\nattack him.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile, the principal lords of the court could not conceal their joy\nat the escape of the sons of Aymon, and later, when the scouts sent in\nall directions to discover their whereabouts reported to the emperor\nthat they had retired to Dordogne, where they had raised a formidable\narmy, the emperor at once gave orders to raise the camp.\n\nHe directed the march of his army to Montorgueil, a few leagues from\nDordogne, persisting in his vindictiveness in attacking the sons of\nAymon anew.\n\nLearning of this movement, Maugis would not this time suffer himself\nto be besieged the way he was at Montaubon. He mounted his horse\nand set out to meet the enemy, having first said to his soldiers in\na proclamation that personally he would not enter a fight against\nCharlemagne, but for the fact he desired to give them an opportunity to\navenge those dear ones they had lost.\n\nArriving at a short distance from the imperial army, Maugis stopped and\nsent forward his esquire, bearing a piece of olive branch to demand\npeace of the emperor.\n\nThis envoy was badly received by the emperor, who greeted him with\nharsh words and insults, and gave orders to commence the attack.\n\nMaugis, then feeling he had exhausted every resource, made a fierce\ncharge upon the first knights, who had come forward to obey the order\nof Charlemagne, hurling them lifeless at the feet of the emperor. Then\nretiring he headed his soldiers, and uttering the war-cry of Dordogne,\nmade an irresistible charge on the troops of Charlemagne, who wavered\nand broke and were thrown into confusion. The Duke de Naimes, seeing\nthis, seized the golden banner, and placing himself at the head of the\nroyal army, tried to rally them; but it was hopeless, they were fast\ndisappearing under the fierce assaults of the soldiers of Maugis. They\nhad nearly succeeded in surrounding the emperor, who was only saved by\nthe quickness of Roland, when the signal for retreat was given.\n\nThis signal everyone obeyed, except the brave Richard de Normandie,\nwho, oblivious to all else, could not endure the thought of defeat,\nand tried to cut off the troops of Maugis just before the gates of\nDordogne, an attempt in which he did not succeed.\n\nProfiting by the ardor of the duke, Maugis hurried the retreat of his\ntroops, causing them to rush pellmell into the city, tempting Richard,\nobstinate in his pursuit, to follow, thinking his enemies to be\ndemoralized. This strategic move was successful. Getting Richard once\ninside of the gates, Maugis caused them to be closed and guarded behind\nthem, making him a prisoner, and seeing that resistance was useless,\nRichard de Normandie and his men were forced to surrender.\n\nThe loss of this new battle added more to the grief and rage of\nCharlemagne and stimulated him still further in his relentless pursuit\nof the sons of Aymon.\n\nAs both sides required some little time to recuperate from the battle,\nseveral days passed without an engagement. It was during this period of\nquiet that King Yon died, in great suffering. Consumed with regrets,\nhe begged Maugis and his brothers to forgive him for all the evil they\nhad endured through his fault. He confirmed to Maugis the donations of\nMontaubon and its dependencies, and drew his last breath in the arms\nof his brother-in-law, who mourned him as sincerely as if he had never\nbeen guilty of a vile treachery.\n\nAfter the obsequies, in which the entire army took part, Maugis\nproceeded actively to strengthen the defenses of the city in case of\nan attack from the waiting enemy. It was during this period of the\ncessation of hostilities that an extraordinary incident occurred.\nMaugis was an adept at assuming disguises, and one day he determined to\nvisit the camp of Charlemagne; perfectly fearless as to the possible\nresult of his perilous mission, he set out, having taken the shape\nof an old knight, infirm and miserable, and entered the camp of the\nemperor, leaning heavily on his staff. So sorry was his aspect that the\nsentinels made fun of him.\n\n\u201cHo! ho!\u201d shouted one of them after him. \u201cHast thou come to take the\ncity?\u201d\n\nThis jibe was greeted with roars of laughter. Passing onward quietly,\nthe old knight made no reply. As he proceeded, Pinabel, seated in front\nof his tent, laughed at him and sneeringly inquired:\n\n\u201cHo! brave knight, hast thou come to fight Roland?\u201d\n\nMaugis, nettled by the insolence of the knight, replied:\n\n\u201cRoland has done nothing to me, therefore I have no reason to fight\nhim, but if you will try it with me, I will punish you for your insult\nand your cowardice, for all the world knows you are bravest only when\nyou are dealing with some one whom you think is incapable of defending\nhimself. Only for that, you never would have dared to insult me and my\nwhite hairs.\u201d\n\nPinabel, furious, seized a picket and would have struck the old knight,\nwhen Oger, who arrived on the scene, separated them.\n\n\u201cHe insulted me,\u201d said the supposed old man.\n\n\u201cHe had the audacity to doubt my courage,\u201d cried Pinabel.\n\n\u201cThou art wrong, Pinabel,\u201d responded Oger, \u201cand this man may demand of\nyou any reparation he may require.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know of no other reparation than to fight me,\u201d answered Maugis, \u201cor\nelse I will publish him to all the world as a coward.\u201d\n\nBy this time a crowd of soldiers and knights had gathered around the\ncontending parties, and the noise of the altercation had reached the\nears of Charlemagne, who caused them to be summoned before him.\n\n\u201cWho art thou?\u201d demanded he of Maugis.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d replied he. \u201cI am Sieur de la Perron of Ch\u00e2teau Raucourt, who\nhaving been to the holy land, where I did battle with the Saracens, do\nnow wend my weary way homeward, that I may pass my remaining days in\npeace. The knight here present has insulted me,\u201d he continued, \u201cwithout\ncause, and when I gave him the provocation in return, he, instead of\naccepting battle, threw himself upon me with a stick, and but for the\ntimely appearance of this noble lord,\u201d indicating Oger, \u201cI should have\nbeen struck by the scoundrel.\u201d\n\n\u201cPinabel is undoubtedly wrong,\u201d said Charlemagne. \u201cBut if you persist\nin fighting how will you defend yourself? He is young and vigorous, and\nyou are on the borders of the grave.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is true, sire, I am paralyzed on my right side, but I can rely upon\nmy left arm. Do you think I shall allow that to stand in the way if my\nadversary is willing to fight?\u201d\n\nThis strange statement put Pinabel in a very false position; to accept\nwas an act of cowardice, and to refuse would make him a laughing stock.\nHe was at a loss what to do.\n\nThe old knight grew impatient, and insisted the fight take place,\napproaching and menacing Pinabel with his cudgel, and seeing this,\nCharlemagne was forced to order the combat.\n\nPinabel, now exasperated, drew his sword and rushed at the defenseless\nold knight, but he stepped aside with great dexterity, avoiding the\nshock, and then turned with incredible quickness and gave his adversary\nsuch a heavy blow on the wrist with his staff that he dropped his\nsword. A second blow in the stomach sent him tumbling to the feet of\nCharlemagne. Then placing his foot on Pinabel\u2019s throat, the old knight\nmenaced him with his staff, held aloft in his left hand. The now\nthoroughly frightened Pinabel, trembling for his life, implored the\ngrace of his conqueror, who permitted him to arise while he regarded\nhim with contempt.\n\nThe emperor and all the knights greatly marveled. Maugis was then\npermitted to visit the camp, of which privilege he was not slow to\navail himself, making a thorough inspection throughout.\n\nIn passing again the tent of Pinabel, upon leaving, reassured by the\nfact that his disguise had not been penetrated thus far, he determined\nto play him a trick. It can be readily conceived that Pinabel was not\ncharmed by his visit, and he forthwith ordered his esquires to seize\nthe old man and bind him solidly. But when they attempted to do so\nMaugis hypnotized them, and so benumbed them they appeared to be almost\nasleep, and when he approached Pinabel, the coward was so appalled at\nthe manifestations of a power so little known at that remote age, and\ndoubly terrified at being alone with the old knight, that he fell to\nhis knees and supplicated him for pardon.\n\n\u201cI will spare thy life,\u201d said the old knight in a terrible voice. \u201cIt\nhath no value in my eyes; heaven hath condemned thee.\u201d\n\nPinabel at these words raised his eyes, and there recognized that\nMaugis, the terrible warrior sorcerer, stood before him. The coward\nwould have cried out, but his tongue was paralyzed and the sounds died\nupon his lips, his limbs seemed stricken, and with a look of anguish on\nhis face he fell in a heap.\n\nMaugis, much pleased to have given the coward this fright, left the\ncamp and arrived safely at the city of Dordogne.\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER XV.\n\n\nThe captivity of the Duke de Normandie was insupportable to\nCharlemagne, for he was one of his bravest and most redoubtable\nknights. The emperor complained bitterly to his peers and raved like a\nman out of his senses at the infamy of Maugis in retaining his prisoner.\n\n\u201cConsider, sire,\u201d responded Roland to him, \u201cit seems to me that Maugis\nis perfectly right, and I am astonished that you fail to recognize\nit. He would be pushing his generosity to blindness if he allowed\nRichard to go. Do you not remember how grandly Maugis has acted in the\npast, and with what admiration he has inspired us all? How he gave\nyou back your crown and your treasures; how he returned to each of us\nour swords, which he had a perfect right to keep? Can you not see in\nthese actions not only generosity, but grandeur of soul of the highest\ndegree? Alas! how have you returned these acts of greatness? You\ntightened the cordon around Montaubon and besieged him anew with such\nvigor that only a few soldiers and their families escaped. The rest of\nthe inhabitants died of famine or of pest. You have pursued him with\nbitterness and sought to take him alive that you might make him suffer\nthe most rigorous punishment. If he captured the Duke Richard, was the\nduke not pursuing him to the very entrance of the city, in order to\ncapture him and deliver him to you? Again, do you not remember what you\nwould have done to his brother Richard, when you had him in your power?\nThat he escaped death was certainly not due to your pardon, but because\nMaugis wrested him from the hands of his executioners.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf what avail to thus recount the past?\u201d demanded Charlemagne uneasily.\n\n\u201cSimply this, sire!\u201d continued Roland boldly. \u201cIf Maugis should release\nthe Duke de Normandie, I should tax him of folly. I am surprised he has\nbeen so lenient as not to execute him at once, and if you would save\nhim from that fate, it would be best for you to take immediate steps by\ngranting Maugis those conditions of peace he has so long desired.\n\n\u201cNever!\u201d cried Charlemagne obstinately.\n\n\u201cSire, I beseech thee, reflect,\u201d persuaded Roland. \u201cReverse your\ndecision and do not seek to further abuse the magnanimity of a man so\nbrave as Maugis. Grant him, therefore, sire, peace. I ask it of you in\nthe name of all your most noble knights.\u201d\n\nThese sincere words at last produced on Charlemagne the most profound\nimpression. He thereupon charged Oger and the Duke de Naimes to go\nto Maugis and offer him peace on condition of the surrender of the\nDuke Richard de Normandie, only he clung tenaciously to his first idea\nconcerning Renaud. He still insisted that Renaud should be delivered to\nhim. It was in vain his peers represented to him that this condition\nwould be refused as it had been in the past; but he turned a deaf ear\nto them, and still persisted in his resolutions.\n\nAt this moment Pinabel, who had recovered from his fright, came running\nup.\n\n\u201cBeware,\u201d cried he. \u201cKnow thou that the old knight, who yesterday\nenchanted me by his magical powers; the pilgrim whom you have fed, the\ninfirm and paralyzed knight whom you congratulated yesterday on the\nresult of the combat, are one and the same man, and that man is Maugis.\u201d\n\nAt first they were all incredulous, but Charlemagne finally divined the\ntruth; but beyond creating astonishment it made no impression upon him.\nHe turned to Oger and De Naimes, and bade them go at once to Maugis and\nlay before him his proposition.\n\nThe ambassadors at once proceeded to Dordogne, and in due time were\npresented to Maugis, who gave them a cordial reception.\n\nThe Duke de Naimes laid before him the proposals of the emperor.\n\n\u201cCharlemagne has not departed at all from his original conditions,\u201d\nsaid Maugis in reply. \u201cIt is always the same. I would never deliver up\nmy cousin Renaud. An Aymon is incapable of such cowardice. He asks for\nthe Duke de Normandie\u2014does he suppose I have lost all my bitterness?\nNo, the oppression of the emperor has hardened my heart. I am unpitying\nnow. The Duke Richard shall suffer execution, and you, sir knights,\u201d\nhe added sternly, \u201cif you ever come before me again and insult me with\nsuch infamous propositions I will treat you as traitors and spies.\u201d\n\nThe three envoys upon hearing this firm response turned away without a\nword, provoked that the emperor would not recognize the noble character\nof this man. They remounted their horses and returned to the camp,\nwhere they repeated to him the words of Maugis, and swore to him that\nhe was now thoroughly angered, but Charlemagne seemed to be blind to\nthe qualities of such a brave man.\n\n\u201cTake care, sire!\u201d cried Oger, \u201cMaugis has been brave and generous up\nto this day, but if he has lost his patience he will likely be severe\nto the other extreme. Richard de Normandie is now in his hands, who can\nguarantee he will be the only victim?\u201d\n\nCharlemagne reflected at this in silence, and was about to order Oger\nand Roland to return to Maugis, when Pinabel once again intervened and\nprevented the utterance of this good thought.\n\n\u201cIt is difficult for me to see, sir knights,\u201d said he, \u201cwhy you all\nseem to be in such fear of Maugis. That he is a brave man is true, but\nwhy should the emperor retrace his steps? Do you not remember that\nMaugis has demanded peace several times? Well! do you think that he\nwould dare to touch a hair of the Duke de Normandie? He knows too well\nit would be the departure for him of the last chance of either pardon\nor mercy.\u201d\n\nThis subtle advice, so harmonious to the prejudices of the emperor, had\nthe effect intended by Pinabel and the coterie of cowardly courtiers\nwho sympathized with him and who applauded the emperor when he uttered\nthese words:\n\n\u201cEnough! I do not know why I have been so weak as to bother with these\nrebels. I can clearly see that if I commence to cede anything I can\ncontinue to do so. Go,\u201d said he, turning to the Duke de Naimes, \u201cand\nsignify my will to Maugis, and say to him that the end of this day ends\nevery chance for him to secure any conditions of grace from me if he\ndoes not submit to my conditions.\u201d\n\nUnderstanding at the outset that his mission would be a failure, and\nthoroughly disgusted by the weakness of the emperor, the Duke de Naimes\ndeclared shortly:\n\n\u201cYour majesty, I refuse to accept the mission,\u201d and then withdrew from\nthe audience.\n\nWhile this discussion was occurring at the imperial camp, Maugis was\ndeliberating with his three brothers as to the fate of the Duke de\nNormandie. His associates would have him suffer the same fate as\nthat to which Charlemagne had condemned one or the other of them.\nAccordingly, Maugis gave orders that preparations should be made for\nthe execution, and to give it proper effect, that it should take\nplace from the highest tower of Dordogne, in full view of the camp of\nCharlemagne.\n\nThese preparations were no sooner commenced than they were perceived\nby Roland, who guarded that side, and he hurried immediately to the\nemperor, filled with indignation.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d said he, \u201cis this the way you recompense the Duke Richard\nfor his devotion to you? If this be the way you recognize faithful\nservices, it will be but little encouragement to those who remain with\nyou. I swear for myself that I thought to see more generosity on your\npart.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave no fears, Roland,\u201d replied the emperor lightly; \u201cthese\npreparations, which cause thee so much uneasiness, are merely a threat;\nthey are simply a means employed by Maugis to force us to come to terms\nof peace. As for the Duke Richard, rest assured, I have no fears for\nhis life.\u201d\n\nThe next day, when everything was complete, the brave and fearless\nRichard de Normandie sat in a strong room over the citadel of Dordogne,\nengaged in a game of chess with Yon, the eldest son of Maugis, when two\nofficers with a guard appeared and announced they had come to bring\nhim to execution. He paid no attention to them, but calmly continued\nhis game.\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d said the officer respectfully, \u201cit is very painful to me to\ninterrupt thy game with this summons, but I have my orders, and must\nexecute them.\u201d\n\nSuddenly, and without warning, Richard leaped to his feet, and seizing\nthe heavy chessboard and using it as a weapon, he fell upon the guard\nwith such suddenness and fury that four of them were stretched lifeless\non the floor and the rest were driven from the room. Then he seated\nhimself and ranging the men upon the chessboard, continued the game\nas calmly as if he had not been interrupted, calling his servants\nand ordering them to remove the bodies of the soldiers with all the\ncoolness that he would command some small service.\n\nThe young son of Maugis was trembling so much at this violence that he\ncould not play, and Alard, who was waiting in the courtyard below for\nthe coming of Richard, being apprised of what had occurred, hurried to\nMaugis, reporting that Richard was making a strong resistance, and had\ntaken the lives of the men sent to seize him.\n\nMaugis went at once to the chamber of Richard, and demanded of him:\n\n\u201cSir knight, why hast thou killed my people?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey came here,\u201d responded Richard; \u201cseveral men who interrupted\nthe game of chess I was playing with your son. They put their hands\non me, and I killed some of them, and put the rest to flight, that is\nall. It is no reason because I am your prisoner why your people should\ninsult me.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: CATHEDRAL OF MOUZON.]\n\n\u201cWe do not omit politeness here,\u201d said Maugis, \u201cand I know perfectly\nwell all the laws of chivalry. It is for that reason I am acting\nthis way. Charlemagne has abused me and has dishonored me. I simply\nretaliate. You are my prisoner. I shall give you up to execution, that\nis my right. Have I treated you the way my brother Richard was treated,\nwhen he was condemned to the gibbet, and from which he escaped only\nthrough the courage of his brothers? No, he was covered with chains\nlike a criminal. I would not subject you to that. I would employ no\nviolence with you, but you must realize that my soldiers came here to\nfulfill orders they had received. There is only one way for you to\nescape death, that is to join my service and become my friend.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is impossible,\u201d replied Richard. \u201cI have sworn an oath of\nfidelity to the emperor, and I never violate my oath.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen you must be resigned to die. It is useless to lose any more time\nin discussion that amounts to nothing.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, well! let us go,\u201d said Richard. \u201cI know well the greatness of your\nheart, and I deliver myself to you, believing you incapable of a mean\naction.\u201d\n\nThe Duke de Normandie forthwith surrendered, and was escorted to the\nplace of execution. Maugis had made preparations for that sorrowful\nceremony, so as to give it all the formidable display possible. All the\ntroops were under arms. At the last moment Maugis again appealed to\nRichard:\n\n\u201cBrave knight,\u201d said he, \u201cit is most painful for me to send to\nexecution a man of such courage and honor\u2014renounce then the emperor, I\npray thee, and join us in seeking to attain peace.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d replied Richard, \u201cI have sworn homage to Charlemagne, and though\nI die because of his fault, I will not break my oath. If it depended\nupon me to grant thee peace, I could ask for nothing better; therefore\ngrant thou me delay that I may send word to the emperor.\u201d\n\nMaugis at once called a herald, bidding him to take the instructions of\nRichard and go with them to Charlemagne.\n\n\u201cTell him,\u201d said Richard, \u201cthat I am at the foot of the gibbet,\nto which I am attached ready for the signal of death, and that I\nsupplicate him to grant my demand for peace. You will also beg of\nRoland and all the peers to seek to obtain the peace on which my life\ndepends.\u201d\n\nThe herald hastened away and in due time appeared before Charlemagne\nand acquitted him of his errand. Strange to say, the eccentric emperor\nwas inflexible, while he knew he was acting, with a few exceptions,\nwithout the sympathy of his entire court, and even when all the peers,\nwithout exception, fell on their knees to him, and supplicated him to\nsave Richard by granting peace to Maugis, Charlemagne was obdurate\nand stern in his refusal to interfere, and as the herald was about to\nwithdraw, Roland stopped him.\n\n\u201cSay to Duke Richard de Normandie,\u201d cried he, \u201cthat though the emperor\nwill blindly let him die, we, his courtiers, do protest and disapprove.\nTell him that we will abandon Charlemagne and his service, that we none\nof us consent to devote ourselves to a prince who would be willing to\nsee a man sacrificed like him, merely to support his wounded vanity.\u201d\n\nIt was an exciting moment. Then with one accord the peers acclaimed the\nwords of Roland.\n\nThe suspense was intense.\n\nIn the midst of it all Charlemagne sat stern and unchanged.\n\nThen the Archbishop Turpin came forward and said: \u201cSire, I leave thee\nwith regret, but thou art committing a grave wrong. I must therefore\nleave thee. I prefer to sustain my honor rather than abandon it in a\ncowardly way.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne still sat with pallid face and stern brow, and said not a\nword.\n\nThe peers, one after another, all then left his presence, each going\nto their own quarters, forthwith gathering their belongings, striking\ntheir tents and assembling their own soldiers, conducted them without\nthe imperial camp.\n\nThe remaining soldiers of the emperor gazed aghast, astonished and\nfearful to see the army of Charlemagne reduced more than one-half by\nthe departure of the peers and their men.\n\nTwo men only viewed this movement with satisfaction. They thought that\nnow they had become indispensable to the emperor, and that they could\nsecure his confidence to their own profit. It is needless to say these\ntwo were the traitorous Ganelon and the cowardly Pinabel.\n\nIn the meantime the herald had returned to Dordogne, and repeated\nfaithfully all that had occurred. The Duke de Normandie perceived\nthat it was useless to count on the support of any one who would thus\nabandon him when he had shown the devotion of refusing to escape death\nat the price of dishonor.\n\n\u201cIt is well,\u201d said he, turning to Maugis with a smile; \u201cI am at thy\nservice. I am ready to die.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is too much,\u201d cried Maugis, hastening to Richard and embracing\nhim. \u201cPardon me,\u201d said he, \u201cfor the cruel hours I have caused you to\npass. I was certain in advance that you would prefer death to being\nfalse to your oath, and I only employed the stratagem to obtain by\nforce from the emperor what it seems impossible for me to obtain by\nmy prayers. There was no reason why Charlemagne should be wanting in\ngenerosity to me in face of the support of such consequences. Thou\nshalt not die.\u201d\n\nMaugis then sent his herald to the twelve deserting peers, bidding\nhim to tell them that in consideration of their grand action he had\npardoned Richard de Normandie.\n\nIn reply to this message the peers gave Maugis to understand that they\nshould refuse reconciliation with the emperor until he had granted him\npeace.\n\nThe twelve peers then made preparations for their departure homeward,\nbut before leaving ranged themselves under the walls of Dordogne, and\nexchanged signals of adieu with its brave defenders.\n\nThe Emperor Charlemagne, though a man of violent passions, obstinate\nand eccentric, was withal a wise man. The view of these preparations\nfor departure of these noblemen, who had been his best friends, caused\nhim to seriously reflect. He was seized with grave doubts as to the\nwisdom of his course, and he called Pinabel and told him of his fears.\n\nHere it was the cowardly adviser failed to grasp the situation, which\ncalled for the utmost diplomacy. Assuming upon his position now as the\nsole adviser of the emperor, he uttered these bold words:\n\n\u201cSire! I comprehend neither your fears nor your regrets,\u201d said he. \u201cCan\nyou not do for yourself as well as you could before the departure of\nthese rebellious knights? Have you not enough soldiers to reduce whom\nyou would, and then you may battle with your own subjects, who owe you\nobeisance? Therefore force these contumacious peers to remain. You have\nbeen made their commander and they must obey you.\u201d\n\nCharlemagne revolted at such advice against noblemen whom he loved,\nespecially coming from the mouth of a man who compared with them\nneither in character nor ability, and one whom he distrusted more and\nmore. His eyes commenced their well-known ominous sparkling; like a\nflash it all came to him, that this man, to whose insidious advice he\nhad listened so long, was guided by an ignoble ambition, that he had\nnot scrupled to compromise the dignity of his sovereign. Like a flash\nit came to Charlemagne how he had been misled by the deceitful Abb\u00e9\nGorieux, who, however, by this time, had craftily absented himself,\nno one knew whither, to escape what he saw was the inevitable end of\nthe conspirators. Like a flash it came to the now thoroughly aroused\nCharlemagne how he had been misled by deceits and flatteries and\nappeals to his self-pride to do injustice and compromise his dignity.\n\n\u201cEnough!\u201d he thundered to the shrinking Pinabel. \u201cThou hast abused\nmy confidence; thou hast thought by appealing cunningly to my vanity\nto prevent me from exercising my first and best thoughts; thou hast\nworked on my pride to a point where I would lose my army rather than\nsee justice. It shall be so no longer. What, ho there! a guard,\u201d he\nshouted, and when the officers appeared, he ordered:\n\n\u201cBind this villain hand and foot and bear him to the camp of the twelve\npeers. Tell them,\u201d he commanded, \u201cthat I deliver into their hands the\ntraitorous coward who has, by his perfidious councils, tried to sow\ndiscord between us, and who, actuated by a mean jealousy of the brave\nMaugis, has kept me always excited against the sons of Aymon. Tell them\nto do with him what they will, I abandon him to their resentment. Tell\nthem that I hope they will take into account this tardy act of loyalty\non my part, and that they will return to my camp and continue to aid me\nby their good counsels.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n                              CHAPTER XVI.\n\n\nThe twelve peers, who really loved and admired the emperor, could not\nbut accept his overtures. After a consultation they decided to return\nto the camp. Before doing so, however, they sent to Dordogne, under a\nstrong escort, the cowardly Pinabel, with a message to Maugis that it\nwas this man, with Ganelon, the latter having unfortunately escaped\nwith the Abb\u00e9 Gorieux, who had been the cause of all the trouble that\nhad occurred, even to that very day, and they desired that Maugis\nshould deal with him as he deemed best.\n\nIn due time, Pinabel, with his escort, arrived at Dordogne, and the\ntraitor was cast into a dungeon until further orders.\n\nWhen the twelve peers had arrived at the camp Charlemagne assembled\nthem, and said:\n\n\u201cNoble lords! it is true I am too severe, nevertheless the sons of\nAymon have been guilty of revolt against me, with their cousin Renaud.\nThey certainly merit punishment. I have felt that I must have the\nsatisfaction to have one at least expiate the fault of all. I feel that\nmy position is just and right, therefore go thou,\u201d said he to the Duke\nde Naimes and say to them, \u201cthat if one of them will yield his life in\nexpiation of the faults of all, the rest shall receive full pardon and\nsafety from dishonor, and be allowed to retain full possession of all\ntheir rights.\u201d\n\nThe Duke de Naimes duly arrived at Dordogne and acquitted him of his\nmessage. The family were plunged into a stupor of consternation. Maugis\nalone retained his coolness.\n\n\u201cThe demand of the emperor is just,\u201d said he, \u201cand for the sake of all\nmust be acceded to.\u201d Then turning calmly to the Duke de Naimes, he said:\n\n\u201cGo to Charlemagne and say to him that I will offer myself as a\nsacrifice for the good of mine. Tell him that to-morrow I will deliver\nmyself up, and that I will release Richard de Normandie safe and sound.\u201d\n\nYolande, grief-stricken, threw herself upon her husband\u2019s neck, crying:\n\n\u201cCanst thou be so cruel, dear one? think, thy sons will be fatherless\nand my life a living death without thee.\u201d\n\nMaugis disengaged her arms and putting her aside, said gently:\n\n\u201cIt is duty that calls me, I must obey.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou shalt not go, Maugis. I am the one to be sacrificed. Thou hast a\nwife and sons. I am alone!\u201d cried Richard.\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d here interposed Alard. \u201cIt is I who will go.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo! no!\u201d interposed Guichard. \u201cI am the least of thee, my brothers,\nsurely it is just that I should be the one to suffer.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis must not be so. No one shall go but me,\u201d expostulated Renaud.\n\u201cAll these troubles came through my father\u2019s fault; surely it is but\njustice that I should go.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnough, dear friends; let this contention cease. It is decided. I will\ngo. Let there be no more said.\u201d\n\nThen all the prayers of his wife and his sons were vain. Maugis would\nnot renounce his intention, nothing could shake his resolution; but\nfinally, becoming wearied of their tears and entreaties, he feigned to\nsurrender to them, and proposed a plan for selecting the one who should\nbe sacrificed in fulfillment of the conditions of the emperor.\n\n\u201cTo-morrow,\u201d said he, \u201cat sunrise, we will all assemble in the grand\nsquare of the city, and putting our names on slips of paper, one shall\nbe drawn in the presence of all the people, and in this way we shall\ndesignate who shall be delivered to Charlemagne.\u201d\n\nThe following morning Maugis was nowhere to be found. He had\ndisappeared, though diligent search was made for him. Yolande,\ndistracted, went about asking all whom she met if they had seen her\nhusband, but getting no news of him she thought then he must have gone\nto the imperial camp with the Duke de Normandie. Her fears making her\ndesperate, she returned to the palace, and taking her two sons hastened\nalong the road thither without an escort. She could not entertain the\nidea that Maugis should suffer alone. She had determined to die with\nhim.\n\nMore prudent than Yolande, the brothers of Maugis assembled the troops,\nand followed by the people, started to the succor of Maugis, whom they\nthought to be in danger.\n\nMeanwhile Maugis, Naimes, and the Duke Richard had arrived and\npresented themselves before the emperor, who could hardly restrain his\nagitation when he saw them. He greeted them warmly, and in his pleasure\nextended both hands to them. Then remembering that he was an emperor,\nhe collected himself, and assuming a sternness that did not accord with\nhis real feelings, he said to Maugis:\n\n\u201cYou have fought against your emperor. You have merited death. You well\nknow what is the punishment for such a great crime. It is the scaffold!\u201d\n\n\u201cWe know and we have come to plead with you for him!\u201d cried Yolande at\nthis moment, who had just arrived, and hastening forward with her two\nsons, threw herself at the feet of the emperor: \u201cWe ask your grace,\nsire, and if thou dost refuse we beseech thee to let us be punished\nwith him.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I!\u201d cried the emperor, who could no longer conceal his emotion, \u201cI\nlove you all, because I am your second father. Maugis, I pardon thee,\nbe relieved, but thou must expiate thy fault, for it is great. I decree\nthat thou shalt sojourn in the holy land, for I know not how long;\nperhaps a year; but if thou art always as loyal and as brave as thou\nhast been, thou wilt return covered with glory and new laurels. Thou\nwilt abandon thy magic and the black arts, for the safety of thy soul,\nand glorify God by this expiation. As to thy wife and children, they\nshall be as my own. They shall never leave me, and I will this very day\nrestore to them their rights and property. Bid thee farewell to thy\nfamily and thy brothers; go and God be with thee.\u201d\n\nMaugis, overcome with emotion, made his adieus to the emperor, and\naffectionately embraced Yolande, who swooned from her awful grief, and\ncaressed his children. There was not a dry eye among the courtiers\nthere assembled as he departed for Dordogne, accompanied by Richard de\nNormandie, who swore he would not leave him until he reached the port\nfrom which he sailed for Jerusalem.\n\nHalfway to Dordogne he encountered his brothers, who were coming to his\nrescue with their troops, followed by the people, to whom he gave an\naccount of what had happened, and they then retraced their steps with\nhim to the city. He caused a flag of peace to be hoisted on the highest\ntower, and sent to the emperor his famous horse Bayard, as a gage of\nreconciliation. The brave demeanor, the resignation, and the lofty\ncharacter displayed by Maugis appealed so strongly to all the peers and\nknights that everywhere they proclaimed their high admiration for him.\nMaugis asked the emperor what he should do with Pinabel, and he replied\nthat he abandoned him entirely to Maugis to do with as he chose. And\nhere the noble character of Maugis was again exhibited. Instead of\ndestroying his perfidious enemy, all the vengeance he took was to\nprovide him with a broken-down white horse and set him free, warning\nhim on pain of death to leave the states of Charlemagne.\n\nThe next day Maugis embraced his brothers, commending his wife and\nchildren to them, took off his armor, and assuming the habit of a\npilgrim did not even retain his sword, and set out on his journey; but\nthey would not leave him, and with Richard de Normandie, accompanied\nhim to the coast and saw him set sail for the holy land.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\n\nSome days after the departure of Maugis, Duke Richard de Normandie\npresented to Charlemagne the three brothers of Maugis, who remained\nin France. The emperor received them kindly and restored to their\npossession all their rights and property. During the same month the\ncamp was broken up, and the imperial army marched to the city of Liege,\nwhich became for the time the capital for the empire.\n\nMeanwhile, Maugis, habited as a pilgrim, convinced himself that the\noccult knowledge he possessed and had reluctantly used when pursued to\nthe last extremity by Charlemagne, was the gift of Satan, rather than\nthe strange manifestations of natural laws, whose workings were unknown\nat this period, except to the occult wisdom of the East, had determined\nto abandon all warlike actions, and by devoting himself to prayer and\nmeditation, seek atonement in them for the terrible faults against God\nhe had committed; but this was not to be, as events subsequently proved.\n\nHaving at last arrived in view of the holy city, Jerusalem, then in\npossession of the infidels, and before which the Christian army was\nencamped, laying siege thereto\u2014an army composed of noble knights,\nassembled from all parts of Europe, who thought that they had been\ncalled to redeem the sacred city from the sacrilegious possession of\nthe Saracens, to the glory of God, and the insurance of their own souls\nto an eternity in Paradise.\n\nThe first occupation of Maugis was to prepare himself an humble abode\nin a secluded spot within view of the holy city, where he could give\nhimself up to prayer and meditation undisturbed.\n\nIt chanced one day, that on going to a spring nearby to procure water,\nhe encountered a Christian knight, who studied his face with interest\nfor a long time and then said to him:\n\n\u201cPermit me, holy father, if I be not committing an indiscretion, to ask\nwho you are; something tells me that beneath that sacred habit you are\nhiding a brave warrior; as for myself, I am the Comte de Rance.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d responded Maugis, \u201cwhile I have no motive for hiding my\nname, I must have your word that the disclosure I make shall be in\nconfidence. I am Maugis of Montaubon, eldest son of the Duke d\u2019Aymon. I\nhad incurred the anger of Charlemagne in keeping a neutrality in a war\nbetween him and my relative. For that reason he pursued me from that\nday, without ceasing, until recently we made peace, when he pardoned my\nbrothers and all my relatives, on the condition that I should leave\nfor the holy land, making the pilgrimage to expiate my faults and the\npromise that I would stay until he recalled me.\u201d\n\nAt these words Count de Rance sprang from his horse, and falling on his\nknee before him, said:\n\n\u201cBy thy deeds, sir knight, thou hast proved thyself to be one of the\nmost noble men the world hath known. Surely thy duty to God at this\nmost critical juncture in our affairs, when our arms against the\nSaracens seem to prevail not, lies not in prayer, but in warlike deeds,\nwhich thou hast proved thyself so fitted to perform. I tender thee my\nhomage and faith and supplicate thee to command me and mine. There be\nother noble knights who will gladly accept thy leadership.\u201d\n\nTo this Maugis agreed, and accompanied the count to the camp of the\nChristian army, where being made known, the noble knights on all sides\nhastened to greet him, and followed the example of the Count de Rance\nin paying him homage and tendering him unanimously command of all their\nforces, and offered him the privilege of sharing in the booty already\ncaptured from the enemy. This latter proposition, however, Maugis\ndeclined to accept, taking only a horse and arms and armor.\n\nThe next day grand _f\u00eates_ were celebrated in honor of the advent of\nthe new commander, and these being concluded, they proceeded to dispose\ntheir forces for a new activity against the infidels.\n\nAt a council of war then held, Maugis arranged a plan to lure their\nfoes out of the city by causing them to think the Crusaders had\nraised the siege and were abandoning their camp. All these strategic\npreparations were made with the greatest silence and secrecy.\n\nAt daybreak the following day the Saracens beheld the retreat, and\nthinking the camp abandoned, duly commenced to march out. They were\nonly allowed to advance to a point where their retreat could be readily\ncut off. Maugis had secretly sent a number of troops, in command of the\nCount de Rance, under the walls of the city, with instructions to cut\nthe enemy to pieces when they attempted to re-enter.\n\nWhen the proper moment arrived, Maugis turned and hurled the main body\nof troops upon the enemy so unexpectedly as to carry terror and dismay\ninto their ranks. They would have retreated, but it was in vain; the\nCount de Rance appeared in their rear and prevented their entering the\ncity. The battle then waxed furious on both sides. The chief of the\nSaracens at the head of his soldiers, fighting desperately, showed\nthe greatest valor, but Maugis was everywhere, and pushed his troops\nforward in a manner that rendered useless all efforts of the enemy to\nescape.\n\nThe Count de Rance then unmasked the gate, and falling upon their rear,\ncut them to pieces, profiting at the moment when the Saracens were\nflying in retreat.\n\nTheir chief had been taken prisoner, when the inhabitants of Jerusalem\ncame to the rescue of the infidels by opening a gate which had escaped\nthe observations of the Crusaders. The pursuers would have followed the\nfugitives into the city, but it was too late. The gates were closed\nupon them, and it was in vain that they endeavored to force them. By\nthis time the walls swarmed with the soldiers of the infidel. Maugis,\nhowever, would not give up, now that his troops were enthused by the\nvictory, and caused a heavy timber to be brought, which was hurled\nwith all the force that twenty men could bring to bear against the\ngate, regardless of the destruction wrought upon them by the enemy on\nthe walls above. When men were stricken down at the battering ram, new\nones came forward to take their places, and at last the gates having\nyielded, the knights and soldiers victoriously penetrated the city,\nslaying all whom they encountered on the way.\n\nAll resistance now being hopeless, the principal citizens, reduced\nto the last extremity, appeared before Maugis, and yielded up to him\neverything and supplicated him for an armistice, and he accorded them\na two days\u2019 truce, pending the ratification of a definitive treaty of\npeace.\n\nWhen this news went abroad among the people they with one accord gave\nthanks to Maugis. The ancient city, which had been in a state of\nfear and consternation, now resounded with cries of joy. They would\nhave Maugis occupy the palace and become ruler of the city, but he\nrefused to do so, preferring his humble abode for all the luxury of the\ninfidels.\n\nMaugis remained in Jerusalem only sufficient time to establish order\nand provide for the safeguard of the people from the infidels, and then\nconcluded a definite treaty of peace with the latter. Laying aside his\narms, and assuming once more the habit of a pilgrim, he retired to his\nhermitage.\n\nThe story of the exploits of Maugis was not slow in reaching France,\nand caused the emperor to marvel greatly at the deeds of the brave man,\nand resolving that he had lived long enough away from his family, he\nsent at once a messenger to him, bidding him to return to Montaubon,\nthat he had completely pardoned him, and was anxious to see him once\nmore.\n\nMaugis, on receiving this message, would not remain a day longer than\npossible on that strange soil. He embarked on a magnificent vessel,\npresented by the King of Jerusalem, having been given many valuable\npresents, and set sail homeward. Alas! fate had in store for him many\nmore vicissitudes; his fond hopes to be again in the midst of his\nfamily were to be denied.\n\nAt first the voyage was prosperous, but at last they were attacked by\npirates in great force, and after being delayed by adverse winds they\nfinally encountered a tempest and nearly wrecked. They at last landed\nat Palermo, on the Island of Sicily. There the king received them with\nhonors and gave Maugis a brilliant reception, and would have him remain\nwith him for some time, but Maugis declined.\n\nIt was while he was waiting at Palermo, repairing the damage done to\nhis ship by the tempest, and recruiting himself after the rigors of\nhis voyage, that an extraordinary event occurred. A war was declared\nagainst the King of Sicily by the Saracens, and before any precaution\ncould be taken a large army landed on his coast. The King of Sicily,\nnot being prepared to meet this great force, was in great fear, but\nMaugis reassured him that he would disembarrass Sicily of the Saracens,\nwhom he had already defeated in Palestine. The Sicilian army was\nhastily assembled before Palermo, and Maugis placed himself at its head.\n\nEverything being gotten quickly in readiness, Maugis marched out to\nmeet the Saracens without delay, who, thinking they were marching\nto surprise their enemy unprepared for the unexpected change in the\nposition, caused by the sudden appearance of the Sicilian army,\nhesitated, while the Sicilians advanced upon them firmly.\n\nEmiraza, the chief of the infidels, whom Maugis had already defeated\nat Jerusalem, little thought who he had opposing him once more. He\ngalloped forward to see if he could discover what caused this bold\ninterference with his designs, and when he animated his troops and\nbrought them forward to battle he soon perceived he was to meet with a\nvery stubborn resistance. Seeing a group of knights at the head of the\nSicilian army, he charged upon them with his escort. At that instant\nthe cry of \u201cMontaubon!\u201d rang in his ears. He stopped still, trembling,\nand asked how it was possible that Maugis could be found in Sicily,\nwhen it was over five months since he had departed from Palestine to\nreturn to France.\n\nMeanwhile, regaining his courage, he continued his charge upon the\ninvincible group of knights, and was repulsed, and Maugis, taking\nadvantage of the confusion this repulse occasioned, threw his forces\nupon the Saracens and completely routed them. In vain it was the\ninfidels offered a heroic resistance, they were forced to the seashore.\n\nEmiraza, relying upon the swiftness of his horse, reached the shore,\nplunged into the waves, and sought to gain his galley. When his\nsoldiers, later, were stopped by the sea, they were pressed upon by the\nvictorious Sicilians, until finally they were either killed or made\nprisoners to the last man.\n\nThis victory covered Maugis with more glory than ever. He was\ncomplimented by magnificent _f\u00eates_ and given great honors. The king\nhimself would have him share his crown, but Maugis refused. He had but\none thought and that was to go home to his own country; to be reunited\nwith his family was his sole ambition.\n\nAfter a few days spent in _f\u00eates_ and rejoicing, Maugis embarked, and\nafter a short and uneventful voyage in due time reached Dordogne,\nwhereupon, being apprised of their arrival, Richard, Alard, and\nGuichard went forward to meet him.\n\nThey were followed by all the nobility of the vicinity. The people\nformed themselves in a line along the road, and their progress was\nmarked by cheers and acclamations, and with his name in every one\u2019s\nmouth, Maugis finally arrived at the palace.\n\nHis first thought was for his well-beloved wife. He was astonished not\nto see her among the others. He interrogated his brothers, and they\nonly responded by silence.\n\n\u201cWhat signifies this silence?\u201d he demanded of them. \u201cHave you yet\nanother misfortune to announce to me? Has Providence again stricken me?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou must have courage, my dear Maugis,\u201d responded Alard. \u201cYour noble\nwife is dead, and died with your name upon her lips. During your\nabsence, and in the failure to receive news of you, everyone thought\nyou dead. Yolande refused to be consoled. Certain noblemen dared to\nraise their eyes to her, and when they sought to convince her you\nwere no more, she would not hear, and finally one of them took to her\na piece of your armor, pretending it to be a relic of your decease.\nYolande was deceived by this, and from that day commenced to despair.\nIt was in vain that Charlemagne assured her of your safety, and even a\ncourier was sent to Jerusalem to determine it. Everybody assured her\nthat you were living, but she was death-stricken. She faded in our\narms and passed away, dying in the sweet satisfaction that you had not\nceased to love her.\u201d\n\nThis sorrowful news caused Maugis the most intense anguish. The\nstrongman bowed his head and wept bitterly. He would not be consoled,\nand calling together his brothers and his sons, he told them he had\nformed a resolution that he should lose no time in carrying out. Said\nhe:\n\n\u201cI have been blessed with all the triumphs that a man could desire. I\nhave acquired a universal renown. Nothing is wanting for me in honors\nor glory. Alas! what use is it all to me now, when I have not Yolande\nto participate in it with me? I was so anxious to be with my family\nagain. I thought that I could spend the rest of my days among you, but\nshe is no more. It is a loss I never can forget; therefore have I taken\nthis resolution: I will quit the world, and retiring to some solitude I\nwill await the day when I can rejoin her.\u201d\n\nIt happened that Renaud, the cousin of Maugis, had made a similar\nresolve previously, to the same effect, and was now in some solitary\nretreat, having bid adieu to his relatives.\n\nAll attempts to change the resolution of Maugis to carry out this plan\nfailed, and he only hesitated when told that he should remain and watch\nover his children until they had passed the tender age.\n\nIt was about this time that the sons of Aymon were apprised of the\ndeath of their aged father. The brothers desired Maugis to partition\nthe property equally among them, but he nobly abandoned all to them,\nnot even reserving Montaubon. Then for a long time he devoted his days\nto the education of his sons. He instructed them himself in all the\nforms and exercises of knighthood, placing continually before them a\nnoble example to follow. He saw with pleasure that one day his children\nwould fulfill all his hopes in force, in courage, and in honor.\n\nWhen this noble father felt certain his sons would equal him he took\nthem apart one day and said to them:\n\n\u201cYou are no longer children. The time has come when you should be\noccupied with serious things. Your rank and your duty compels you to\nconsecrate yourselves to your country. Go now to the court, find the\nEmperor Charlemagne, and pray him to accept you as his knights.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n                             CHAPTER XVIII.\n\n\nWhen the sons of Maugis quitted their father the young men took the\nroad for the court, where they duly arrived, and demanded to be\npresented to the emperor, as was usual at that period, for aspirants to\nthe order of knighthood. The lord in waiting, who did not know them,\nwas struck with their grace and air of nobility, and when they were\nushered into the audience-chamber, where Charlemagne was seated on his\nthrone among all his courtiers, the two young men fell on their knees,\nand kissed with emotion the hand he extended to them.\n\n\u201cWho are you, my children?\u201d said the emperor to them in a kind voice,\n\u201cand why is it you show so much affection for me?\u201d\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d replied young Aymon, \u201cwe wish to be made knights for your sole\nservice, and for your service only. We are deeply indebted to you for\nkindness in our youth, and if you will confer upon us the honor, we\nwould, my brother and myself, consecrate to you our entire life.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut who art thou?\u201d asked the emperor, who did not recognize them.\n\u201cNo lord has conducted you to the palace. No peer has presented you.\nNobody seems to know you.\u201d\n\n\u201cSire!\u201d replied Aymon, \u201cwe are the sons of a knight whom you have\nhonored with your esteem and for whom you have never hidden your\nadmiration, even when you were enraged with him. Our father had the\nmisfortune to incur your displeasure for not being willing to submit,\nwhen his honor opposed, and you forced him to defend himself against\nyou and against the deceitful counsels of perfidious and jealous\ncourtiers. Ah, sire, in spite of all these trials you placed upon him,\nour father never ceased to love you and to bless you. He has also\ntaught us to venerate and cherish you. Our father is the brave Maugis,\nwho during three years passed his time in exile to repair the wrongs\nhe incurred by activity and courage so astonishing as to give his name\nuniversal renown.\u201d\n\nAt these words the emperor arose, descended from his throne and\nembraced the two handsome young men, who had come to place their young\nlives under his high protecting care. Said he:\n\n\u201cYour father is one of the noblest and most honorable knights I ever\nknew. Strive, both of you, to equal him. I could not offer a better\nwish for your welfare.\u201d\n\nThe emperor then took pride in presenting the young men to the court.\nThe etiquette compelled by ceremony being cast aside, the emperor\ninquired with great solicitude concerning their father.\n\n\u201cOur father,\u201d replied Yon, \u201cis now old and infirm, and bodily exercise\nhas become too fatiguing for him. Now, instead of following campaigns,\nhe lives amid his vassals, to whom he renders justice, gives counsel,\nand encourages in their labor; in a word, sire, with him rank is but a\ndistinction. It is as nothing before intelligence, even if those who\npossess it are inferior in position. Unfortunately, our father is very\nfeeble, and we have feared that he is breaking down.\u201d\n\n\u201cA man like your father should live always,\u201d cried Charlemagne.\n\u201cSeigneurs!\u201d continued he, turning to his courtiers, \u201cthese sons of\nMaugis are my sons; you will so consider them.\u201d Then addressing the\nyoung men, he promised that he would himself arm them as knights; also\nwould give them additional lands, and as a token of love for their\nfather and themselves, he accorded benefits to the one hundred other\nyoung men who constituted their suite.\n\nMaugis, after the departure of his sons, employed himself in putting\nhis affairs in order. He bequeathed Dordogne to Yon, his younger son,\nand to Aymon, the eldest, he left Montaubon. Then having assembled his\nbrothers, he said to them:\n\n\u201cI have suffered many trials in the course of my existence. I have\nalways been first in advancing our general interests. I will to-day\nmake my farewell. I have vowed to consecrate to God the few years that\nremain to me, and to expiate for my sins by passing my remaining days\nin an absolute retreat far from the world.\u201d\n\nHis brothers tried to dissuade him, but it was useless. That same day\nMaugis took his staff and stole away, making his escape undiscovered\nfrom Montaubon, by means of the same subterranean passage he had used\nto escape the wrath of Charlemagne when Montaubon was besieged.\n\nAlone, by himself, with no more cares of state, disembarrassed of the\nburden of his renown, Maugis plodded through the country northward,\nnourishing himself with herbs and roots and drinking the pure water\nfrom the springs he passed on his way, finding life more pleasant\na hundred times than in the midst of his court. His footsteps were\ndirected toward the ancient city of Mouzon, in the Ardennes, where he\nintended to abide for a time in the old house where he had spent some\nof his boyhood days under the tutorship of that wise man of the East,\nthat learned pundit whom his father had rescued from death in the wars\nof the Saracens, and from whom Maugis had drawn the occult powers he\nhad used when driven to the last resource by the emperor. He hoped here\nto rest awhile in the society of the good monks of the great Abbey. He\nwould search for his cousin Renaud, who, likewise, had retired from\nthe world, to end his days in solitary meditation and prayer.\n\n[Illustration: CATHEDRAL DOOR, MOUZON.]\n\nMaugis spent two years in Mouzon, in the ancient house that had been\nhis boyhood home. He made diligent inquiry for his cousin Renaud, but\nneither the monks nor any one else could tell him anything, except\nthat some time agone he had been seen passing through the city by the\nold Roman road, which led into and through the vast forests of the\nArdennes. So one day Maugis once more took up his staff, and deserting\nhis home in the ancient city, he too walked far out on the old Roman\nroad until the forests swallowed him up.\n\nAs he made his weary way through the vast solitudes, one day he\napproached a hermitage; a strange hope animated him. Had God directed\nhis steps to the resting place of his cousin Renaud? He searched about\nthoroughly, and at last discovered his cousin some distance away in\na solitary place, lying on the moss and absorbed in a book. He came\nupon his cousin so quietly that he did not hear him, and he stood and\ncontemplated him for some time in silence, but suddenly raising his\neyes Renaud became aware of the presence of a stranger. \u201cCan this be\nMaugis?\u201d he said to himself, \u201conce so strong and so straight, and now\nso bent and so feeble, but a shadow of his former self?\u201d But he soon\novercame his incertitude and sprang up and clasped Maugis in his arms,\nwho said:\n\n\u201cMy dear Renaud! what pleasure I have to see you, you little know. We\nwill never be separated again.\u201d\n\nIt was a long time before Renaud recovered from his joy, and though\neach was very desirous to live solitary in pursuance of their vows to\nGod, they finally decided, however, that they would situate themselves\nso as to see each other every day.\n\nMaugis then installed himself a short distance away, in a cave under\na rock which he made habitable. From that time no day passed without\ntheir seeing each other. It was the delight of these two brave old\nwarriors, whose days were numbered, to recall together their deeds in\nthe past, and the many things they had accomplished in company. Thus,\nafter a life of activity and turmoil, their isolation seemed peaceful\nand blessed to them, and they found that peace which passeth all\nunderstanding in their old age, which made them never regret having\nquitted the world.\n\nIt happened that one day, when Maugis went as usual to the old oak\nwhich served as their rendezvous, Renaud was not there, and after\nwaiting vainly for a long time, he hurried to his hermitage and there\nfound him feeble and depressed.\n\n\u201cMy dear Maugis,\u201d said Renaud to him, \u201cI am now approaching the end\nof my existence. I will soon enjoy eternal repose. I die with only\none regret, and that is, I cannot have you with me in death. That we\nmust at last leave each other. God is not willing that we should go\ntogether, but we do not die, except from the vengeance of God, until we\nare no longer useful to humanity.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are you saying, my dear cousin,\u201d replied Maugis. \u201cAm I not also\nuseless; am I not old and infirm, and my forces completely disappeared?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is true,\u201d responded Renaud, \u201cbut you must remain on earth to\nobey the destiny of your Lord. He is always ready to execute His will.\nAdieu! my dear Maugis, we shall shortly meet again. I die happy because\nI am dying in your arms.\u201d\n\nRenaud hardly spoke these last words when he yielded up his soul.\nMaugis then tenderly disposed of his remains in the grave Renaud\nhad himself prepared, accomplishing this sad ceremony with complete\nserenity. After having rendered these last duties to his cousin, Maugis\nretired to his hermitage and remained there.\n\nHis end was near. It was decreed by God that he should soon follow his\ncousin. One day as he was walking on the banks of the river Meuse, near\nhis hermitage, he heard cries of distress. It was the voices of young\nwomen calling for assistance. Without regarding the infirmities of age,\nMaugis hastened in the direction of the cries, and when he arrived at\nthe banks of the river he was astonished to find a young woman lying\nthere half-fainting, bound hand and foot; collecting all her resources\nthe swooning girl indicated the water, and upon turning his eyes in\nthat direction Maugis perceived a man, who was dragging another young\nwoman by the hair of her head and was about to cast her into the\nwater. Maugis, at the sight of this outrage, felt his old-time vigor\nreturning, and hastening to her assistance, he took his staff in both\nhands and smote the villain on the head.\n\nThe man dodged the blow and escaped a second one by leaping into\nthe stream, dragging the young woman with him. Maugis hesitated not\na moment, and plunging after him and seizing him by the throat,\nendeavored to pull him out of the water, but the man shook himself\nfree, and turned upon Maugis.\n\nAt that moment, such are the strange decrees of fate, the noble Maugis\nrecognized in the face of that man the features of Pinabel.\n\n\u201cInfamous scoundrel!\u201d said he to him, \u201cnot content to have committed\nacts of cowardice with men, you must complete your villainy by\nattacking women. You shall die this time and you need not count on my\nclemency.\u201d\n\nSaying this, Maugis seized him firmly and succeeded in forcing him\nunder the surface of the river, but the fear of death doubled the\nstrength of Pinabel. Maugis could not disembarrass himself from his\nenemy, who, in his desperation, wound himself around Maugis with his\narms and legs. It was in vain that Maugis struck him and tried to\nforce him loose. The drowning wretch clung to him with the energy of\ndespair. Maugis could not free himself from his deathlike grip, and\nthe nearer death approached the firmer became his hold. For a long\ntime the nearly exhausted Maugis struggled to rid himself of the body\nof the now drowned man, his movements impeded by the clinging corpse,\nwhich, with the swiftness of the current, contributed to destroy him.\nWith a supreme effort he raised his voice to call for help, but he was\nanswered only by the frantic cries of the two young women.\n\nLittle by little his strength diminished, his eyesight failing, and\nwith eyes closed he heard faintly the prayers of the two frightened\ngirls for the safety of the man who had so bravely come to their\nrescue. Then he sank slowly down to the bottom. He appeared once more\nat the surface of the water, as if to protest against meeting the same\ndeath as a villain who had committed so many crimes during his life,\nand then he once more disappeared, never again to return to life.\n\n                   *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe death of Maugis would have never become known if the two young\ngirls had not recounted their adventure to some fishermen. They told\nhow Pinabel, in love with one of them, had surprised them bathing, and\nhad seized and bound the one to whom he was indifferent in order that\nhe might more readily accomplish his purpose with the other. They told\nthem, moreover, that Pinabel, having become an outcast, had placed\nhimself at the head of a band of malefactors, who recently had captured\na ch\u00e2teau in the vicinity, killing all the people who inhabited it.\n\nThe fishermen searched a long time for the body of Maugis, and finally\nrecovered it, with the corpse of Pinabel still attached; then they\nrecognized him as the hermit they had seen in the neighborhood. They\nlaid his remains out tenderly, and carried them to his hermitage, from\nwhich he was finally interred in the same grave as Renaud.\n\nNever would it have become known just who the religious men were who\nlived in the forest had they not found the following inscription upon\nthe tomb of Renaud, written by Maugis himself:\n\n                +-------------------------------------+\n                |        MAUGIS DE MONTAUBON,         |\n                |           +Duc de Aymon+.           |\n                |  AUX NAMES REVERSES DE SON COUSIN,  |\n                |       RENAUD, DUC DE BEUVES.        |\n                |    _En Memoire de Leur Amitie._     |\n                +-------------------------------------+\n\nThey also found in the grotto of Maugis the portrait of Yolande. He had\nwritten underneath her name and his own. It was incontestable proof of\nhis identity.\n\nThe news of the combat and its sad ending reached Cologne. Seigneur de\nBurie, who had formerly known Maugis and Renaud, visited the hermitage\nto assure himself that the tomb contained all that remained of the\nheroic Maugis and Renaud, which having done, he fell on his knees and\nprayed with fervor. Immediately upon his return he sent the clergy of\nCologne to exhume the precious remains and bring them to Cologne, where\nthey were deposited in the cathedral with great pomp and ceremony,\ntheir bier being watched by knights continuously while they laid in\nstate.\n\nIn the meantime the tidings were sent to Paris. The emperor, on hearing\nthe sad news, ordered the entire court in mourning, and indeed the\nmourning was not a mere outward seeming, for there was sorrow in every\nheart.\n\nThe sons of Maugis and his brothers were plunged into the most profound\ngrief. Some days afterward an imposing retinue proceeded to Cologne and\nbrought with them the remains of the two heroes. When they had reached\nthe suburbs of Paris they were met by Charlemagne himself, and escorted\ninto the city. There the most magnificent funeral ceremonies were held,\nafter the completion of which the Aymon family proceeded with the two\nbodies onward to Montaubon, their final resting place, where they were\nplaced under a magnificent tomb.\n\nTo give testimony to his grief and friendship, after the emperor had\naccompanied them as far as Orleans, he returned to Paris, and ordered\nthat the arms and escutcheons of Pinabel be destroyed, and that\neverything should be obliterated that was connected with a name which\ncalled forth so much execration.\n\n\n                                THE END.\n\n\n                          Transcriber\u2019s Notes:\n\n  \u2022 Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).\n  \u2022 Text enclosed by pluses is in small caps (+small caps+).\n  \u2022 Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.\n  \u2022 Redundant title page removed.","title":"Maugis, ye sorcerer : $b from ye ancient French : a wonderful tale from ye writings of ye mad savant of ye Maison Maugis in ye olde citie of Mouzon, France","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":56001}