pon, it would have to be.

Huon had heard talk of these things between his guards when they were
marching through the gardens that were almost as big as a town, and up
the long flight of marble steps that led to the palace. He said nothing;
perhaps by this time he had learnt a little wisdom, but he knew who the
man was whose dress was so rich and his air so proud, and before anyone
even saw him lift his arm the king's head was rolling in the dust.

For a moment all remained still, too astonished to speak. Then the emir
recovered his wits, and ordered Huon to be carried off to a dungeon, and
not to be let go or the guards lives would be forfeit. But quick as
thought Huon held out his hand with the ring on it.

'Do you know this?' he said, and the king started back at the sight of
it, and cried to the soldiers to let the prisoner go, for in that place
he might do whatsoever he would. At this permission Huon turned to where
the princess Esclaramonde was sitting by her father, and kissed her
thrice.

The emir was not altogether pleased at this fashion of Huon's, but he
said nothing, and in a moment the knight told him how the emperor had
sent him to pray the emir to become a Christian, otherwise he should
proceed against him with a mighty host.

The emir laughed in scorn as he listened to Huon's vain boast.

'Fifteen envoys has he despatched on a like errand,' answered he, 'and
all fifteen have I hanged. Right willingly should you make the sixteenth
but for the ring which you wear. Tell me, I pray you, whence you got
it?'

But when Huon confessed that it had been given him by the giant, the
emir waxed more wroth than before, and ordered his guards to seize him
and cast him into prison, which in the end they did, though he resisted
them well by reason of the harness that was on him.

For a long space Huon lingered in that dark prison, and sad indeed would
have been his lot had it not been for the secret visits of the princess
Esclaramonde, who, the better to preserve his life, assured her father
of his death.

At length, when the emir was sore beset by the army of the giant
Agrapart, she deemed it a favourable time to betray to her father that
Huon was still alive in his prison, and was ready to do battle with the
giant if, as was usual in that country, the princess's hand should be
given to the victor. Both the emir and the giant agreed that their
quarrel should stand or fall by single combat, and so the fight beg