At this moment the Duke de Naimes and several other lords approached, whom Griffon de Hautfeuille had artfully succeeded in winning over to their cause, and supplicated Charlemagne for their pardon. At last the emperor acceded, perhaps influenced by the secret fear of offending so many powerful nobles by refusing, and the affair was suffered to rest there. When the news of the pardon came to the Château d’Aigremont it had the effect of increasing the grief and rage of his son Renaud, who hastened to see his people and asked them to swear to enter into a war against the emperor at the first favorable moment. They consented with loyalty. Maugis, the eldest of the four sons of Aymon and nephew of the murdered duke, was most ardent in his desire to punish such an act of treachery, and it is from this point the real history of Maugis begins. CHAPTER IV. Charlemagne had no sooner been apprised by Ganelon of the misfortune to the Duke de Beuves d’Aigremont, then he expedited a courier to the duchess to assure her of his profound regret, and above all to give her to understand that, although for sufficient reasons he had granted grace to the murderers, it was not by his means, either directly or indirectly, that the infamy was consummated. The duchess, however, while appreciating the step of the emperor, said to the messenger: “Go tell thy master that to avenge my husband is now my sole desire; that to accomplish this end I should sacrifice my family, my fortune and my life. I shall from this day henceforth regard the carrying out of this project a solemn duty.” In the meantime the Duke d’Aymon and his sons, appreciating the fatal consequences of a war to both parties, besought the Duchess d’Aigremont to allow them to go to Charlemagne and make an appeal to him for satisfaction for the injury done the family. Charlemagne received the duke and his sons graciously. He understood the motive that had led them to preserve neutrality during the late war and he now entertained no resentment to them for it. On that account he gave the duke and his sons to understand that they occupied a high place in his favor. Notwithstanding the fair words of the emperor, the five ambassadors feared he would evade the question. Ganelon had not been summoned. Aymon represented to the emperor the enormity of the crime and the disloyalty of Ganelon, as well as the bad effect it would have on the army to pardon such a traitor. The emperor said in reply: “I well know, my noble duke, that what thou sayest is just and reasonable. I also assure thee that I have already pardoned Ganelon,” and, he added sternly: “Having given our royal word, we shall maintain it, it being our good pleasure to do so.” The Duke d’Aymon made no reply to these plain words and with flushed face retired. Maugis, however, could not restrain himself and said boldly to the emperor: