Maugis, to observe for himself the operations, mounted the walls, and his trained eye saw at once it was only a small part of the main army of the enemy who were making the attack. He then advised his brothers and his cousin Renaud to arm and place themselves in readiness at the head of their men. Arming himself also he hastened to the king. He gave King Yon the assurance that the advance guard of the enemy would be destroyed, and having accomplished that he would attack the main army, he and his brothers, and that they would drive him from the field. He recommended the king to hold himself in readiness to come to their succor if it should be required. As he left the royal presence he cast one look at Yolande, who stood there pale and proud, but who only gazed upon him coldly. He little knew that within, and beneath that forbidding exterior, her gentle heart was surging with love and pity for him. A sad heart makes some men more determined, and it was this feeling that possessed Maugis as he hastened to place himself at the head of the attacking party. When he saw the forces of Maugis emerge from the gate of Bordeaux, Boulag Akasir advanced promptly to meet him. His unvarying successes had made him arrogant and over-confident, and when he perceived this small army of King Yon he hoped to capture it. But he counted without Maugis, who, cool and calm, disposed his troops skillfully and quietly encouraged his men both by voice and gesture. At a given signal the troops of Maugis charged upon the enemy with great vigor, and they being accustomed to conduct just the reverse from their opponents, stopped, struck with stupor. Boulag Akasir, who saw at once that it was their chief who had infused that small army with so much ardor, rushed upon Maugis to fell him, but the latter skillfully parried the awful blow, which instead laid low a knight of Bordeaux. Alard, in his turn, attacked the Saracen, but that celebrated warrior seemed to bear a charmed life and evaded with amazing dexterity the furious blows aimed at him. The battle then became general all along the line. The brothers Aymon were everywhere, and each performed prodigious deeds of valor. Yolande, breathless with anxiety and almost fainting, witnessed the bravery of Maugis from the walls, and in her inmost heart could not believe that such great actions could be inspired by the evil one. It was now King Yon, who, until this time had remained a spectator, could no longer resist action, and giving his war-cry, rushed at the head of his troops to the side of Maugis, and hurled himself upon the Saracens, taking them completely by surprise. But they resisted desperately, as Saracens always do, because their religion would never permit them to fly, and who would stand and even submit to have their throats cut rather than retreat.