Accordingly, the next day Maugis was summoned to the palace and the servitor who admitted him at the great gate pointed him to the private garden of the royal household, indicating that he was to go in there. Maugis, little suspecting what was in store for him, strolled down the shady pathway, expecting every moment to meet the king. Meanwhile, the envy, hatred and malice of the treacherous Abbé Gorieux and some of the courtiers had only been intensified by the turn events had taken in favor of Maugis. They all agreed that he had become so dangerous that desperate measures must be taken to remove him, and they secretly plotted to take his life. The opportunity was soon to come. It happened that one of them heard the Duchess de Bearne give orders to show Maugis into the royal garden when he came the next day and, acting on this hint, the conspirators resolved to execute their foul deed. Six of them would waylay Maugis, slay him, and escape amid the shrubbery. The unsuspecting Maugis penetrated deeper into the shady depths of the garden, and as he passed a clump of bushes a strong arm holding aloft a sword hung over his head and then descended with crushing force upon him. Luckily, the slight noise made by the action caught his quick ear and in turning his head to one side he escaped the full force of the blow, which, however, caused him to fall to the earth stunned and bleeding. In an instant they were upon him, but as quickly recovering himself, he scrambled to his feet and drawing his trusty blade soon laid two of his assailants low, but half-fainting from the loss of blood he was being sore pressed and would have succumbed to the odds against him, when the shouts of the approaching royal guards, who had been aroused by the noise, caused the assassins to become panic-stricken and fly, while Maugis sank fainting to the earth. When he next opened his eyes he was gazing into the blue depths of Yolande’s and felt her hot tears on his face. His head was pillowed on her breast. “Oh, loved one,” he murmured as he drew her face down to his and a long silent kiss sealed their reconciliation. The good duchess discreetly withdrew and they were left alone in the deep shadows of the foliage. The next day the council was reconvened and the king announced the coming marriage of his sister to Maugis and everybody felicitated the _fiancées_; a few days after the wedding was celebrated with great splendor, with _fêtes_ and tournaments at which Maugis, who had quickly recovered from his wounds, and his brothers D’Aymon, greatly distinguished themselves by their feats at arms. It was not long before Charlemagne was apprised of the exploits of Maugis and his brothers, through the Abbé Gorieux and Ganelon, and the emperor emphatically testified his displeasure to his courtiers at the way the young men were braving him.