The Harvard Classics-Epic and Saga Part 21

Within a cloister was she borne; They watched beside her until morn; Beneath a shrine her limbs were laid;-- Such honor Karl to Alda paid.

CCXXVII

The Emperor sitteth in Aix again, With Gan, the felon, in iron chain, The very palace walls beside, By serfs unto a stake was tied.

They bound his hands with leathern thong, Beat him with staves and cordage strong; Nor hath he earned a better fee.

And there in pain awaits his plea.

CCXXVIII

'Tis written in the ancient geste, How Karl hath summoned east and west.

At La Chapelle a.s.sembled they; High was the feast and great the day-- Saint Sylvester's, the legend ran.

The plea and judgment then began Of Ganelon, who the treason wrought, Now face to face with his Emperor brought.

CCXXIX

"Lords, my barons," said Karl the king, "On Gan be righteous reckoning: He followed in my host to Spain; Through him ten thousand Franks lie slain And slain was he, my sister's son, Whom never more ye look upon, With Olivier the sage and bold, And all my peers, betrayed for gold."

"Shame befall me," said Gan, "if I Now or ever the deed deny; Foully he wronged me in wealth and land, And I his death and ruin planned: Therein, I say, was treason none."

They said, "We will advise thereon."

CCx.x.x

Count Gan to the Emperor's presence came, Fresh of hue and lithe of frame, With a baron's mien, were his heart but true.

On his judges round his glance he threw, And on thirty kinsmen by his side, And thus, with mighty voice, he cried: "Hear me, barons, for love of G.o.d.

In the Emperor's host was I abroad-- Well I served him, and loyally, But his nephew, Roland, hated me: He doomed my doom of death and woe, That I to Marsil's court should go.

My craft, the danger put aside, But Roland loudly I defied, With Olivier, and all their crew, As Karl, and these his barons, knew.

Vengeance, not treason, have I wrought."

"Thereon," they answered, "take we thought."

CCx.x.xI

When Ganelon saw the plea begin, He mustered thirty of his kin, With one revered by all the rest-- Pinabel of Sorrence's crest.

Well can his tongue his cause unfold, And a va.s.sal brave his arms to hold.

"Thine aid," said Ganelon, "I claim; To rescue me from death and shame."

Said Pinabel, "Rescued shalt thou be.

Let any Frank thy death decree, And, wheresoe'er the king deems meet, I will him body to body greet, Give him the lie with my brand of steel."

Ganelon sank at his feet to kneel.

CCx.x.xII

Come Frank and Norman to council in, Bavarian, Saxon, and Poitevin, With all the barons of Teuton blood; But the men of Auvergne are mild of mood-- Their hearts are swayed unto Pinabel.

Saith each to other, "Pause we well.

Let us leave this plea, and the king implore To set Count Ganelon free once more.

Henceforth to serve him in love and faith: Count Roland lieth cold in death: Not all the gold beneath the sky Can give him back to mortal eye; Such battle would but madness be."

They all applauded his decree, Save Thierry--Geoffrey's brother he.

CCx.x.xIII

The barons came the king before.

"Fair Sire, we all thy grace implore, That Gan be suffered free to go, His faith and love henceforth to show.

Oh, let him live--a n.o.ble he.

Your Roland you shall never see: No wealth of gold may him recall."

Karl answered, "Ye are felons all."

CCx.x.xIV

When Karl saw all forsake him now, Dark grew his face and drooped his brow.

He said, "Of men most wretched I!"

Stepped forth Thierry speedily, Duke Geoffrey's brother, a n.o.ble knight, Spare of body, and lithe and light, Dark his hair and his hue withal, Nor low of stature, nor over tall: To Karl, in courteous wise, he said, "Fair Sire, be not disheartened.

I have served you truly, and, in the name Of my lineage, I this quarrel claim.

If Roland wronged Sir Gan in aught, Your service had his safeguard wrought.

Ganelon bore him like caitiff base, A perjured traitor before your face.

I adjudge him to die on the gallows tree; Flung to the hounds let his carcase be, The doom of treason and felony.

Let kin of his but say I lie, And with this girded sword will I My plighted word in fight maintain."

"Well spoken," cry the Franks amain.

CCx.x.xV

Sir Pinabel stood before Karl in place, Vast of body and swift of pace,-- Small hope hath he whom his sword may smite.

"Sire, it is yours to decide the right, Bid this clamor around to pause.

Thierry hath dared to adjudge the cause; He lieth. Battle thereon I do."

And forth his right-hand glove he drew.

But the Emperor said, "In bail to me Shall thirty of his kinsmen be; I yield him pledges on my side: Be they guarded well till the right be tried."

When Thierry saw the fight shall be, To Karl his right glove reacheth he; The Emperor gave his pledges o'er.

And set in place were benches four-- Thereon the champions take their seat, And all is ranged in order meet,-- The preparations Ogier speeds,-- And both demand their arms and steeds.

CCx.x.xVI

But yet, ere lay they lance in rest, They make their shrift, are sained and blessed; They hear the Ma.s.s, the Host receive, Great gifts to church and cloister leave.

They stand before the Emperor's face; The spurs upon their feet they lace; Gird on their corselets, strong and light; Close on their heads the helmets bright.

The golden hilts at belt are hung; Their quartered shields from shoulder swung.

In hand the mighty spears they lift, Then spring they on their chargers swift.

A hundred thousand cavaliers The while for Thierry drop their tears; They pity him for Roland's sake.

G.o.d knows what end the strife will take.

CCx.x.xVII

At Aix is a wide and gra.s.sy plain, Where met in battle the barons twain.

Both of valorous knighthood are, Their chargers swift and apt for war.