needed in this battle, but well-tempered
steel! Where is your sword Hauteclair, with its guard of gold and its
handle of crystal?'

'I have no time to draw it,' said Oliver. 'There are too many blows to
strike.'

Fiercer and fiercer grew the combat; thicker and thicker the corpses
lay on the ground. Who could count the Franks who were stretched
there, never more to see their wives or their mothers, or the comrades
that awaited them in the defiles? But the number of the dead Saracens
was greater even than theirs. And while they fought on Spanish soil, a
strange tempest arose in France, thunder and wild winds, and a
trembling of the earth; walls fell down, and at mid-day there was
darkness. Men whispered to each other: 'It is the end of the world.'
No, no; the end of all things was not yet, it was nature mourning for
the death of Roland. At length the Saracens turned and fled, and the
Franks pursued them, and Margaris the Valiant was left alone. His
lance was broken, his shield pierced with holes, his sword-blade
bloody, while he himself was sorely wounded. Heavens! what a warrior
he would have made if he had only been a Christian. He rode fast to
Marsile the King, and cried to him to mount his horse, and rally his
men, and bring up fresh soldiers to deal the Franks a last blow, while
they were exhausted from the long fight. 'It will be easy to revenge
the thousands that they have slain,' said he; 'but if you let them
slip now the tide of battle may turn against us.'

The King Marsile sent for fresh forces, and at sight of them the
Franks embraced each other for the last time, while the Archbishop
promised them a speedy entrance into Paradise. 'The Emperor will
avenge the treachery of Ganelon,' cried Roland, 'whether we live or
die, but the worst part of the fight is before us, and we shall need
all our strength to beat back the Unbelievers. They must not tell
tales of cowardice in the fair land of France.' Then they spurred
their horses and advanced in line, crying 'Montjoie! Montjoie!'

'Count Roland is not as other men,' said King Marsile, 'and as he is
not content with two battles, we will give him a third. To-day Charles
will cease to have power over Spain, and France will bow her head with
shame.' And he gave his orders to the vanguard to go forward, while he
himself waited on a little hill till the moment came to charge. Fierce
was the shock as the two armies met, and bravely did their leaders
fight, hand to h