“Do not fail to heed me, but go,” replied the base king. “Thou knowest well, brother, that I have thy interests truly at heart, and would not advise thee did I not know that it will be absolutely safe for thee to go. It were madness for thee now to scorn this chance to make thy peace with the emperor; it is thy last chance, avail thyself of it without fail.” A little later, after the departure of King Yon, Maugis summoned his brothers in council, and acquainted them with the offers of the emperor. They were each and all seized with the same dire presentiments. “If the King Yon tells the truth,” cried Alard, “that Charlemagne will really accord us his friendship, why does he exact we shall appear as if dishonored, why are we to go without arms to the middle of a plain, where if attacked we could all be easily killed without being able to resist. I distrust, brother, I distrust much that we are to be betrayed.” “It is impossible!” declared Maugis, “that there can be any treason in an affair in which my brother-in-law, King Yon, is acting as a negotiator. He is above all baseness, and besides, you all know he made oath to us that we could count upon his loyalty.” The council then broke up, the brothers by no means sharing the confidence of Maugis in the outcome, yet, deferring to his opinion, they hurried away to make preparations for the next day. Maugis hastened to his own apartments, where he informed Yolande of his contemplated expedition the following day. She paled upon hearing of it, not being able to resist a feeling of fear that was insurmountable. “Go not, my husband, I beseech thee,” she cried. “There can be no danger,” explained Maugis; “thy brother Yon, he is incapable of deception, and it is he who is acting as intermediary between the emperor and us; surely I can rely upon his advice and assurances.” “I care not, I care not,” responded Yolande. “Yon would not deceive you, perhaps, more quickly than another; but you must remember he is only human, and, like the rest of the world, would sacrifice any one else for his own interest. Mistrust then, Maugis, as I mistrust; if you go to the meeting, I feel you are all lost.” “Dear one, thy fears are but phantoms,” tenderly replied Maugis, unconvinced and trying to reassure her. “No! no!” responded Yolande; “my fears are real, why should you go like the vanquished without arms? Is that your place? no! go with arms in hand, if you must go, followed by your faithful knights, and meet them as equals, then I shall fear nothing.”