XXI

Said Charlemagne:
" Count Ganelon, now forth before us stand.
The staff of place and the gauntlet, now take them in the hand.
Thou art chosen. By the common choice on thee the lot doth fall. "
Said Ganelon:
" This matter Count Roland wrought it all.
In no wise do I love him, nor Olivier beside,
(For he is Roland's comrade) nor the twelve peers of thy pride
That love Count Roland. In thy sight do I defy them now. "
Said the King:
" Too much of evil within thy heart hast thou.
But thou must go most certainly because of my command. "
" I go! but lo, I have thereto no warrant to my hand.
Basil and Basan the brothers no warranty had they.

XXII

" And I know that to Saragossa I needs must take my way.
And he who goeth thither returneth never here.
Ah King, am I not wedded unto thy sister dear,
By whom I have a man-child, and fairer is none than he.
If the lad Baldwin liveth, a hero will he be.
To him I leave my honors and all my fiefs likewise.
Look to the lad, for never shall I see him with these eyes. "
Said Charlemagne the Emperor:
" Too tender is thy heart.
But since I have commanded it, behoves thee to depart. "

XXIII

And thereupon was Ganelon troubled exceeding sore.
From his neck he snatched the mantle of marten-fur he wore.
And stood there in his silk attire. His eyes went to and fro
Proudly. Most splendid was his port, and his flanks were stark enow.
And all the peers looked on him, so fair he was to see.
And he said to Roland:
" Wherefore, fool, is this folly come on thee?
For that I am thy step-sire lightly may all men know.
Yet hast thou given counsel that to Marsile I should go.
If but God grant it to me that I come back again,
I shall attempt against thee what shall bring thee grief and pain
And shall endure moreover, unto thy life's last tide. "
And the Count Roland answered:
" I have heard folly and pride.
Men know that for this menace I do not care a whit;
But the bearer of this message should be a man of wit.
In thy place, at the King's pleasure, I will go to compass it. "

XXIV

But Ganelon gave answer:
" Thou shalt not go for me,
For I am not thy henchman; nor am I lord of thee.
The Emperor in his service has given me command.
I will go to Saragossa before the King to stand.
Leisure I need, for mine anger is risen high and proud. "
And when Count Roland heard it, he began to laugh aloud.

XXV

When Ganelon saw Roland how loud he laughed and long,
It irked him. He was like to burst, his anger was so strong.
He had lost his wit in a little. Unto the Count he said:
" I love thee not. This judgment through thee is on my head.
Just Emperor, thou seist here have I come to thee.
To accomplish thy commandment whatsoever it may be. "

XXVI

The Emperor to Ganelon gave o'er his right-hand glove,
But for the pass in which he was the Count had little love,
And when he should have grasped the glove, he let it fall to ground.
" Christ God! What evil meaning in the matter may be found?
We shall have loss of this embassy, " said all the Franks around.
" My lords, " said Ganelon the Count, " Of this matter ye shall know. "

XXVII

And " Sire, " he said to the Emperor, " now give me leave to go.
Since go I must it were not just here in delay to pine. "
Then said King Charlemagne: " Go forth for Christ his sake and mine. "
He absolved the Count with his right hand, and crossed him straight thereon
Letter and stave forthwith he gave to the Count Ganelon.

XXVIII

Unto his hall went Ganelon. In coat of mail complete
He armed him, and the golden spurs he put upon his feet,
And Murglas, the great warsword, he belted at his side.
On Tachebrun the charger he mounted him to ride.
And Guinemer his uncle forth to hold the stirrup stepped.
There might you see good store of knights, despairingly that wept
And they said:
" How evil, Baron, is the lot fallen on thee!
At the King's court well wast thou known a nobleman to be.
And he who wrought that thou shouldst go unto the King of Spain
Shall not be guarded well enough by the hands of Charlemagne
Naught it behoved Count Roland such a matter to begin,
For thou dost trace thy lineage unto a mighty kin. "
After they said: " Now into Spain we pray thee lead us on. "
" It were not pleasing in God's sight, " gave answer Ganelon
" 'Twere better I should perish than in the overthrow
My lads should fall. My barons, to sweet France shall ye go.
Give ye my salutation unto my lady dear,
And likewise unto Pinabel who is my friend and peer,
And unto my son Baldwin. Give him your service strong.
Take him for lord. "
Forth on his way Ganelon rode along.

XXIX

Count Ganelon hath galloped under an olive tall.
The Saracen embassadors were come there one and all.
For to await him, Blanchandrin had tarried there the while.
They spoke unto each other in wisdom and in guile.
Said Blanchandrin:
" Most marvellous is this man Charlemagne
He hath conquered all Apulia and the Calabrian Plain.
He hath passed into England over the fair salt sea.
To the pront of Saint Peter he hath ta'en their tribute fee.
What seeks this man among us within the march of Spain? "
Said the Count:
" His lust! Is no man but will fight with him in vain. "

XXX

Said the Paynim:
" Gentle are the Franks; but the counts and dukes do ill
Unto their lord, who give him so bad a counsel still,
For he and many others will perish in the war. "
Said the Count:
" Nay, none but Roland; and he shall smart therefor.
The King sat yestermorning in the shadow of a tree,
And thither came his nephew. In his hauberk clad was he,
For he had been a-raiding by Carcassone in the land.
And a vermilion apple he carried in his hand.
" Take it, fair Sire," said Roland unto his uncle then,
" I will give to thee the coronets of all the kings of men."
His own pride will destroy him. He is given to death each day.
We would have peace, if any should hap the man to slay. "

XXXI

Said Blanchandrin:
" This Roland is an evil man withal,
That of so many nations would make cowards of them all,
And their governance, moreover, put to hazard in the fight.
How shall he win this glory and by what nation's might? "
And Ganelon made answer:
" The Franks shall compass it.
They love him so that never will they fail the man a whit.
Overmuch gold and silver hath Roland given the host.
And mules and horses and precious cloths and robes of mighty cost.
And by Count Roland's valor, King Charles his realm hath won.
And Roland will win the world for him from here to the rising sun. "

XXXII

Count Ganelon and the Paynim rode so far along the way
That they struck their faith together that Roland they might slay.
So hard they rode together the roads and highways through
That at last in Saragossa they lighted under a yew.
There was fashioned a high-seat in the shadow of a pine,
Draped in an Alexandrian cloth, most fair that was and fine.
There sat the King that held all Spain, the whole realm far and wide,
By twenty thousand Saracens girt round on every side.
Not a sound was there. So eager were those about the King
For the tidings that Count Ganelon and Blanchandrin should bring.

XXXIII

Then Blanchandrin stepped forward before the King to stand,
And Ganelon beside him, he led him by the hand.
And he said to the King:
" May now our gods keep thee both safe and sound
Whose holy laws we keep alway — Apollo and Mahound.
We gave thy charge to Charlemagne that raised his hands in air,
Praising his God, but answer beside he gave none there.
But to thee a noble baron of his henchmen doth he send,
A man of France. Moreover he hath honors without end.
To him now shalt thou hearken if we have peace or none. "
Marsile the King gave answer: " We hear. Let him speak on. "

XXXIV

Now Ganelon had thought thereof and his tale began to tell
Wisely, as a man who knoweth how to shape his dealings well.
He said to the King:
" Now swiftly may God's blessing light on thee,
The Glorious, whose servants we evermore should be.
For this is the commandment of the Lord Charlemagne:
That thou become a Christian. Of half the land of Spain
Will he seize thee. The Count Roland of the remnant will he seize.
Thou wilt have a partner arrogant to share thy provinces.
If thou canst not accord thee with the good terms of my King,
His leaguer round Saragossa he certainly will bring.
Thou shalt be bound and captive in the triumph of his power.
To Aix, unto the high-seat will they lead thee in that hour.
Then shall his condemnation end the glory of thy name.
There shalt thou die assuredly in villainy and shame. "
Then was King Marsile mastered with terror manifold.
Forthwith he seized the javelin that was worked with yellow gold,
And would have cast but that his men upon him laid their hold.

XXXV

Changed Marsile's color. In his hand the spear trembled and swayed.
When Ganelon had seen it he laid hold upon his blade.
To the length of his two fingers he laid the weapon bare.
And he said unto the sword-blade:
" How clear thou art and fair
What though I might have worn thee at the court before this King,
Ne'er shall the Emperor of France of me say such a thing,
That alone I was defeated within the strange countrie.
Ere that the best of them shall buy their dearest blood of thee. "

XXXVI

So hard the greatest Paynims besought the King of Spain
That Marsile in the high-seat seated himself again.
Forthwith spake out the Algalif:
" Thou hast done us all much ill
Who would have smitten the Frenchman. Thou shouldst hearken and be still. "
Said Ganelon:
" Lord, with my place to suffer well may stand
Yet not for all the gold that God hath fashioned by his hand
To say would I give over, if my leisure be so long,
What command to me was given by King Charlemagne the strong.
That it I might deliver to his mortal enemy. "
Ganelon on his shoulders a sable cloak had he.
And a cloth of Alexandria about the cloak was wound.
He cast it off, and Blanchandrin lifted it from the ground.
But to give up the great warsword he would not give accord.
He set his right hand forthwith on the gold hilt of the sword.
Thereupon said the heathen: " This is a gallant lord. "

XXXVII

Then unto the King Marsile Count Ganelon drew near
And he said to the King:
" 'Tis ill beseen that thus thou ragest here,
For this is the word of Charles the King that over France doth reign,
That thou become a Christian. Of half the land of Spain
Will he seize thee. Roland his nephew of the remnant will he seize.
Thou wilt have a partner arrogant to share thy provinces.
If thou canst not accord thee with the good terms of my King,
His leaguer round Saragossa he certainly will bring.
Thou shalt be bound and captive in the triumph of his power.
Forthwith to Aix his city will they lead thee in that hour.
Palfrey or battle-charger thou shalt not ride that day.
Mule or she-mule thou shalt not have to gallop on the way.
Upon some evil sumpter-beast thou shalt be thrown instead.
When forth is gone the judgment, then shalt thou lose thine head.
In the letter that he sendeth our Emperor greets thee fair. "
In his right hand he reached it unto the heathen there.

XXXVIII

The face of Marsile reddened as flashed his anger out.
He broke the seal in pieces and hurled the wax about.
He looked upon the letter and read it through amain:
" Lo, what King Charles commands me, that over France doth reign,
That I should now remember his anger and his pain.
Of Basil and of Basan, he taketh now account
Whereof the heads I severed under Haltilie the mount.
If the life of my dear body I desire to redeem,
Then must I send unto him the Algalif mine eme.
Otherwise in no manner peace with me can he make. "
Thereafter to his father the son of Marsile spake,
And said to the King:
" Great folly saith Ganelon thee before,
Such folly it were right and meet that he should live no more.
Let me have him to avenge thee. "
When the Count heard, in air
He brandished blade, and set his back against a pine-trunk there.

XXXIX

The King into the orchard departed there and then
And forthwith gathered to him the best of all his men.
And Blanchandrin, moreover, with the white beard came there
And also the Prince Jorfaleu, King Marsile's son and heir,
And the King's eme, the Algalif, his faithful man and leal.
Said Blanchandrin: " Call here the Frank. He hath sworn to work our weal. "
Said the King: " Do thou then bring him. " By the fingers of his hand
Through the orchard Blanchandrin led him to where the King did stand
And there that wicked treason the three contrived and planned.

XL

" Lo, now, thou good Lord Ganelon, " said Marsilies the King
" Hereof there is no question; I have wronged thee in this thing;
When in wrath I strove to strike thee, grievously did I err.
Take thou for mine atonement this cloak of marten fur. "
More than an hundred golden pounds is worth that minever.
And Ganelon gave answer:
" To this I yield accord.
May God, if it be his pleasure, give thee a great reward. "