that she kissed him,
and bade him go.

At Orleans William took leave of his father Count Aimeri and his
mother Ermengarde, the noble Countess, who returned to their home at
Narbonne, and also of his brothers, who promised to return to meet
William under the walls of Orange, which they did faithfully. He
himself led his army by a different road, and pressed on quickly till
he came in sight of his native city. But little of it could he see,
for a great smoke covered all the land, rising up from the burning
towers which the Saracens had that morning set on fire. Enter the city
they could not, for Gibourc and her ladies held it firm, and, armed
with helmets and breastplates, flung stones upon the head of any
Saracen who appeared on the walls. So the Unbelievers fell back and
took the way to the Aliscans, there to build as quickly as they might
an engine to bring up against the tower and overthrow it.

When William beheld the smoke, and whence it came, he cried 'Orange is
burning! Holy Saint Mary, Gibourc is carried captive! To arms! To
arms!' And he spurred his horse to Orange, Rainouart running by his
side. From her tower Gibourc saw through the smoke a thousand banners
waving and the sparkle of armour, and heard the sound of the horses'
hoofs, and it seemed to her that the Infidels were drawing near anew.
'Oh, William!' cried she, 'have you really forgotten me? Noble Count,
you linger overlong! Never more shall I look upon your face.' And so
saying she fell fainting on the floor.

But something stirred the pulses of Gibourc, and she soon sat up
again, and there at the gate was William the Count, with Rainouart
behind him. 'Fear nothing, noble lady,' said he, 'it is the army of
France that I have brought with me. Open, and welcome to us!' The news
seemed so good to Gibourc that she could not believe it, and she bade
the Count unlace his helmet, so that she might indeed be sure that it
was he. William did her bidding, then like an arrow she ran to the
gate and let down the drawbridge, and William stepped across it and
embraced her tenderly. Then he ordered his army to take up its
quarters in the city.

Gibourc's eyes had fallen upon Rainouart, who had passed her on his
way to the kitchen, where he meant to leave his stout wooden staff.
'Tell me,' said she to the Count, 'who is that young man who bears
lightly on his shoulder that huge piece of wood which would weigh down
a horse? He is handsome and well made. Where did