“No! no!” interposed Guichard. “I am the least of thee, my brothers, surely it is just that I should be the one to suffer.” “This must not be so. No one shall go but me,” expostulated Renaud. “All these troubles came through my father’s fault; surely it is but justice that I should go.” “Enough, dear friends; let this contention cease. It is decided. I will go. Let there be no more said.” Then all the prayers of his wife and his sons were vain. Maugis would not renounce his intention, nothing could shake his resolution; but finally, becoming wearied of their tears and entreaties, he feigned to surrender to them, and proposed a plan for selecting the one who should be sacrificed in fulfillment of the conditions of the emperor. “To-morrow,” said he, “at sunrise, we will all assemble in the grand square of the city, and putting our names on slips of paper, one shall be drawn in the presence of all the people, and in this way we shall designate who shall be delivered to Charlemagne.” The following morning Maugis was nowhere to be found. He had disappeared, though diligent search was made for him. Yolande, distracted, went about asking all whom she met if they had seen her husband, but getting no news of him she thought then he must have gone to the imperial camp with the Duke de Normandie. Her fears making her desperate, she returned to the palace, and taking her two sons hastened along the road thither without an escort. She could not entertain the idea that Maugis should suffer alone. She had determined to die with him. More prudent than Yolande, the brothers of Maugis assembled the troops, and followed by the people, started to the succor of Maugis, whom they thought to be in danger. Meanwhile Maugis, Naimes, and the Duke Richard had arrived and presented themselves before the emperor, who could hardly restrain his agitation when he saw them. He greeted them warmly, and in his pleasure extended both hands to them. Then remembering that he was an emperor, he collected himself, and assuming a sternness that did not accord with his real feelings, he said to Maugis: “You have fought against your emperor. You have merited death. You well know what is the punishment for such a great crime. It is the scaffold!” “We know and we have come to plead with you for him!” cried Yolande at this moment, who had just arrived, and hastening forward with her two sons, threw herself at the feet of the emperor: “We ask your grace, sire, and if thou dost refuse we beseech thee to let us be punished with him.”