No sooner were the words spoken than Marsilius seized a javelin and aimed it at the messenger's head, but Ganelon, standing his ground manfully, said, "What shall it bring thee to slay the messenger because the message was evil? I act but as the mouthpiece of my master. Under penalty of death have I come, or I should not have left the Christian camp. Behold, here is a letter which the great Charles has sent for thy perusal." So saying, he handed King Marsilius a letter signed and sealed with the signet of the great king. His hands trembling with anger, Marsilius opened the letter and read, "I, King Charles, remembering well what thou didst to my servants, Basant and Basil, summon thee to send to me thy caliph who sitteth next thy throne on the right for me to do with him as I list." The anger of Marsilius burned more strongly, and seizing a spear from one of his attendants he rushed at Ganelon and would have slain him on the spot had not Blancandrin interfered. "Stay thy hand, O my master," he said, "for this man, Ganelon, hath promised to be our spy and work in our behalf." Pleased with this show of Christian treachery, the Moslem king said, "Verily, Ganelon, thou wast near Death's door, but I will pardon thee and reward thee with one hundred pieces of gold. Take them and be faithful to us." Ganelon accepted the price of his treason, saying, "That man is a fool who taketh not the goods which the gods place before him. "Now truly, the old king, the aged Charles, is indeed weary of war, has glutted his passion for wealth and would indeed grant thee peace and withdraw his army from Spain were it not that his captain, Roland, and Oliver, his friend, both men of war, are continually inciting the weary monarch to further warfare. They with the other peers of France do lead the king as they wish, for he is old and feeble. If only these and their twenty thousand picked men could be slain, then all the world would be at peace. "Now listen to my counsel. Give the hostages to Charles as you had planned, and grant his every request. Then will he take his armies out of Spain, leaving only the rear guard to follow in his wake. This guard, the pride and strength of his army, is commanded by the captain Roland. As they leave Spain they will go through the narrow pass of Roncesvalles. Surround the valley with thy hosts and lie in wait for them. When they come fall upon them and slaughter them to the last man. The fight will be a bitter one, but thou shalt win." Having made Ganelon swear to the truth of what he had said and that things should come to pass as he predicted, Marsilius gave the traitor many jewels and rich garments and despatched him back to King Charles with the message they had framed.