"Yet," he added, as he ended his words, "I know not what may lie in his heart."

Scarcely had he finished when Count Roland came forward and faced his uncle. His eye flashed with anger.

"Believe not this Marsilius," he cried. "Full seven long years we have warred in Spain, and he hath ever been a traitor. Dost thou not remember the time when he sent unto thee fifteen of his heathen, bearing olive boughs and speaking the selfsame words as now? Dost thou not remember how thou didst hearken to his words and send two of thy chiefest knights to him, and how he had their heads struck off? War, I say! End as you began. Besiege him in Saragossa. War, I say!"

The Franks were silent when Roland had finished speaking, and the emperor answered him not a word, but bent his head and mused.

Suddenly Count Ganelon leaped to his feet.

"Be not misled, my lord, but look to your own good ends," he cried. "King Marsilius assures us of his good faith, and vows to be your vassal and abide by the Christian law. Who would reject a treaty like this, cares not by what death we die. Good does not come from counsel of pride; listen to the wise, and let the madmen be!"

Then the white-haired Duke Namo arose; there was no better vassal in all the emperor's court than he.

"You have hearkened unto Ganelon, and he speaketh well. King Marsilius is broken and beaten in war. You have captured his castles afar and near; you have broken down his walls, burned his cities, and slain his soldiers. It were a sin to molest him further. Receive his hostages and send him in return one of your Christian knights. We have been too long away from fair France. 'Tis time this war ended and we returned to our homes."

"The duke speaketh well," the Franks exclaimed.

"Who then were the best to undertake this mission?" said Charlemagne.

"I pray you send me," said the duke.

"Nay," answered the king, "thou art my wisest counselor. Thou shalt never depart so far from me."

"I," said Roland, "will go right gladly."

"Nay," said Oliver, "not so. Thou art too fiery of temper for so perilous a mission. I will go, if the king but will."

"Be silent, both of you," spoke Charlemagne sternly. "Neither of you shall go, nor any of my twelve peers. My lords," he continued, turning to the men of the council, "choose me a baron who shall do my behest."

"Be it," said Roland, "my stepsire Ganelon. In vain will ye seek for a meeter man."

"Well spoken!" cried the Franks.

And the emperor said: "It is well. Count Ganelon, thou hearest. The Franks have chosen."

"This is Roland's work," said Ganelon, and he trembled with angry passion as he stood there. "For this, I vow I will love him no more. Nor will I love Oliver, for he is his sworn comrade. Nor will I love the peers who so cherish and honor him. I fling defiance at them all."

"Ganelon," said the emperor, "there is too much anger in thy words. Since I command it, thou must go."

"I go, my lord," said Ganelon, but as he bent forward to take the glove which was the token of his being chosen, his anger made him careless, and it fell to the ground before he took it.

"God! what is this?" said the startled Franks as they saw it fall.

"Evil will come of this quest."

"My lords, ye shall hear of that anon," said Ganelon in a storm of angry passion. Then, turning to the emperor, "Sire, let me go; since go I must, why should I delay?"

"Go, then, in Christ's name and mine," said Charlemagne.

So Ganelon left the peers and knights of France and went on his journey; but he carried with him an evil heart that boded ill for France.

To tell the tale of Ganelon's journey to Saragossa and of the plot that he plotted by the way,—that were too long a tale. The anger in his heart against Roland for sending him on so dangerous a mission, from which, in spite of his words of counsel to Charlemagne, he scarce believed he should return

alive, did so rule him that he forgot his knightliness and his truth and even his honor, and did make with the Saracens a bargain of treachery so base that no man can think of it without a shudder. The heathen were eager to know how long the aged Charlemagne could live and what would become of his kingdom when he died, for Roland was right and there was no good faith behind the fair promises of Marsilius. And Ganelon told them that they could do naught while Charlemagne lived, but that Roland was the real ruler of that land. He it was, he said, who urged the emperor on to his mighty deeds, and he it was to whom the people looked to carry on Charlemagne's mighty empire.

"Whoso bringeth Roland to death," he said, "will take from Charlemagne his greatest strength. His marvelous host will melt away and leave this mighty land in peace."

So he plotted a wicked plot with the heathen, that when Charlemagne should withdraw his troops from Spain Roland should have charge of the rear guard of the army. Then the Saracens could fall upon him and his men when the rest of the army were past, and kill them. Marsilius fell upon Ganelon's neck and kissed him when he heard this plan of revenge.

So Ganelon returned with fair words on his lips and treason in his heart. Charlemagne was glad when he heard the message of peace, and he said, "Now are my wars done, and we may ride home to fair France."

When the army came to the pass of Ronceval, the emperor said to his knights: "These passes are steep and straight and full of peril if an enemy were in this country. To whom shall I trust the keeping of the rear?"

"To my stepson Roland," answered Ganelon. "You have no other knight like him."

"Thou art a very demon," said Charlemagne. "It seemeth as if rage had possessed thy soul. If I give the rear to Roland to command, who then shall lead my vanguard?"

"Ogier," he replied, "the gallant Dane."

The emperor would not that Roland should hear those words, but Roland heard them, and he stepped forward and said:

"Sir Stepsire, I ought to love thee well that thou hast named me for this honor. I will take good heed that the emperor lose not a charger, nor palfrey, nor mule, nor steed, that is not paid for by stroke of sword."

So it was settled as Ganelon had plotted, that Roland, the first of all the peers and the favorite of Charlemagne's heart, should remain with twenty thousand men and guard the rear of the marching host.