The moment of his approach, Maugis, giving him no time for preparation for defense, ran him through with his sword. A second knight in the meantime had come up only to be laid low with a stroke of his sword. The main body was fast approaching, and finally a third knight, outstripping the rest, approached, and becoming enraged at the sight of the fate that had befallen his companions, hurled insulting epithets at Maugis, who in turn, enraged, cast his lance at his enemy from the distance of twenty paces with such unerring force and accuracy as to lay him on the ground transfixed. This is how the third brother secured a horse in that memorable fight. Perceiving it would be useless to engage the numbers now coming upon them, Maugis mounted upon the crupper of his horse, Bayard, behind Renaud, and then they fled before their enemies, who were astounded at their courage and activity. They, however, continued the pursuit, but without result, and the falling of night favored the fugitives in their escape from the soldiers of Charlemagne. Thus, happily escaping, they proceeded on their homeward journey with all the haste their horses could bear them. The duchess received them and listened with sorrow to an account of the danger which had encompassed them, and after allowing time for a sufficient rest, she gave them some gold, advising them to leave as soon as possible, for the good reason that their father, bound by his oath of fidelity to Charlemagne, would be obliged to give them up, if it should be demanded by the emperor. Maugis accepted the advice of his mother. During the night he, followed by his brothers, quietly left the château and disappeared in the forests of the Ardennes, arriving after a time at the banks of the river Meuse. They on the following day carefully examined the country round about in order to find a favorable place in which to establish works of defense, for they knew that Charlemagne would not rest content until he had wreaked dire vengeance upon them, and that it would not be long before their location would become known to him. They therefore sought some inaccessible place of defense, and having made a selection they proceeded to fortify it with all possible activity. They builded a château fortress in a high and impregnable position, upon the summit of a rock, and when complete, called it the “Château de Montfort.” The river Meuse ran around the foot of the rock, forming a natural moat, and rendering the place unassailable.