I am Morgane le Fay.'

[Illustration: OGIER THE DANE MEETS MORGANE LE FAY AT LAST]

She held out her hand, and Ogier placed his within it, and thus they
entered the castle. Then she went to her closet and drew a casket from
it, and from the casket she took a ring, which she slipped on Ogier's
finger. Afterwards she placed on his head a wreath of golden laurels
intertwined with bays, and his white hair became once more like
sunshine, and the wrinkles faded from his brow. And with the wrinkles
faded also the recollection of the battles he had fought, and of
Charlemagne himself, and even of Belissande, whom he had loved so well.
Soft sounds of singing floated through the palace, and fairies trailing
flowers glided in and out in the dance. While Ogier stood entranced and
dumb, there entered King Arthur, to whom spoke Morgane le Fay:

'Draw near, Arthur, my lord and brother, come and salute the flower of
chivalry, the boast of the court of France, he in whom courtesy,
loyalty, and all virtue are united.'

And Arthur drew near, and they embraced each other.

* * * * *

Two hundred years passed as a single day, till one morning when Ogier
was lying on a bank listening to the birds which sang like no birds
which mortal ears have ever heard, he took for an instant the crown from
off his head. In a moment the memories of his old life flashed across
him, and, starting up, he sought Morgane le Fay, and bade her give him
his sword, for he was going to fight for fair France again. In vain the
fairy besought him not to forsake her, but he would hear nothing, and
she was fain to do as he wished. So by her magic she conjured up a
little boat which bore Ogier to Marseilles, whence he hastened to the
war, which was being carried on in Normandy.

* * * * *

Great was the surprise of the warriors and ladies of the court at the
sight of the new-comer, whose face was as young and fresh as their own,
but whose arms and whose speech were of a time long gone by. At first
some were inclined to try him with jests, but they speedily found that,
strange though his manners might seem, it were wiser to accept them.
Indeed, it was not long before Ogier's presence had caused itself to be
so felt throughout the camp that he was given command of an army that
was about to march against the enemy who were invading France and
utterly routed them. In gratitude the king begged him to counse