he who
heard the last blast of Roland's horn instead of Theodoricus, and came to
close his eyes before he too expired.

The most celebrated of all the poems, however, the French epic "Chanson de
Roland," gives a different version and relates that, in stumbling over the
battlefield, Roland came across the body of his friend Oliver, over which
he uttered a touching lament.

"'Alas for all thy valor, comrade dear!
Year after year, day after day, a life
Of love we led; ne'er didst thou wrong to me,
Nor I to thee. If death takes thee away,
My life is but a pain.'"
_Chanson de Roland_ (Rabillon's tr.).

[Sidenote: Death of Roland.] Slowly and painfully now--for his death was
near--Roland climbed up a slope, laid himself down under a pine tree, and
placed his sword and horn beneath him. Then, when he had breathed a last
prayer, to commit his soul to God, he held up his glove in token of his
surrender.

"His right hand glove he offered up to God;
Saint Gabriel took the glove.--With head reclined
Upon his arm, with hands devoutly joined,
He breathed his last. God sent his Cherubim,
Saint Raphael, _Saint Michiel del Peril._
The soul of Count Rolland to Paradise.
Aoi."
_Chanson de Roland_ (Rabillon's tr.).

It was here, under the pine, that Charlemagne found his nephew ere he
started out to punish the Saracens, as already related. Not far off lay the
bodies of Ogier, Oliver, and Renaud, who, according to this version, were
all among the slain.

"Here endeth Otuel, Roland, and Olyvere,
And of the twelve dussypere,
That dieden in the batayle of Runcyvale:
Jesu lord, heaven king,
To his bliss hem and us both bring,
To liven withouten bale!"
_Sir Otuel_.

On his return to France Charlemagne suspected Ganelon of treachery, and had
him tried by twelve peers, who, unable to decide the question, bade him
prove his innocence in single combat with Roland's squire, Thiedric.
Ganelon, taking advantage of the usual privilege to have his cause defended
by a champion, selected Pinabel, the most famous swordsman of the time. In
spite of all his valor, however, this champion was defeated, and the
"judgment of God"--the term generally applied to those judicial
combats--was in favor of Thiedric. Ganelon, thus convicted of treason, was
sentenc