generous enterprise. I value not life
compared with honor, and if I did, do you suppose, dear friend, that I
could live without you? I would rather fall by the arms of our enemies
than die of grief for the loss of you."

When the two friends were relieved from their guard duty they went
without any followers into the camp of the Christians. All there was
still; the fires were dying out; there was no fear of any attempt on
the part of the Saracens, and the soldiers, overcome by fatigue or
wine, slept secure, lying upon the ground in the midst of their arms
and equipage. Cloridan stopped, and said, "Medoro, I am not going to
quit this camp without taking vengeance for the death of our prince.
Keep watch, be on your guard that no one shall surprise us; I mean to
mark a road with my sword through the ranks of our enemies." So saying,
he entered the tent where Alpheus slept, who a year before had joined
the camp of Charles, and pretended to be a great physician and
astrologer. But his science had deceived him, if it gave him hope of
dying peacefully in his bed at a good old age; his lot was to die with
little warning. Cloridan ran his sword through his heart. A Greek and a
German followed, who had been playing late at dice: fortunate if they
had continued their game a little longer; but they never reckoned a
throw like this among their chances. Cloridan next came to the unlucky
Grillon, whose head lay softly on his pillow. He dreamed probably of
the feast from which he had but just retired; for when Cloridan cut off
his head wine flowed forth with the blood.

The two young Moors might have penetrated even to the tent of
Charlemagne; but knowing that the paladins encamped around him kept
watch by turns, and judging that it was impossible they should all be
asleep, they were afraid to go too near. They might also have obtained
rich booty; but, intent only on their object, they crossed the camp,
and arrived at length at the bloody field, where bucklers, lances, and
swords lay scattered in the midst of corpses of poor and rich, common
soldier and prince, horses and pools of blood. This terrible scene of
carnage would have destroyed all hope of finding what they were in
search of until dawn of day, were it not that the moon lent the aid of
her uncertain rays.

Medoro raised his eyes to the planet, and exclaimed, "O holy goddess,
whom our fathers have adored under three different forms,--thou who
displayest thy power in heaven,