“Sayest thou so,” said Maugis defiantly in reply; “thy further lies are useless, except to insult brave knights after having betrayed them; liar and coward, defend thyself; I challenge thee to single combat.” Foulques made no reply to this, but charged upon Maugis, lance at rest, and wounded him in the thigh. At this unexpected charge Maugis and his mule rolled together in the dust. Alard, seeing Maugis down, and fearing he had been killed, cried to his brothers: “Let us yield, further struggle is useless.” To their great surprise, however, Maugis arose, quickly disengaging himself from his mount, and threw himself in front of Foulques, who charged upon him again, endeavoring to run him down; quick as lightning Maugis evaded the charge by springing to one side, and then coming up behind the horse of his enemy he leaped upon the crupper in his rear, at the same time running him through with his sword, and throwing him to the earth. Maugis possessed now a horse and had also secured the lance and shield of De Morillon. “Do not separate!” he shouted to his brothers, as he charged head down into the midst of the French forces. The first to meet his infuriated sword was the Duke of Cory, who fell lifeless. He then with one blow of his gigantic arm cleft Engenrrand to the saddle, and like a flash, without seeming to take breath, he fought fast and furious, until he had in all, one after the other, made eleven knights bite the dust. His indomitable courage and spirit would have carried him further onward, but glancing behind, he saw Alard who, though wounded, was hastening to join him. Alard bestrode the horse and had taken the arms of one of the knights killed by his brother. Together the two now continued what was no less than a butchery; their enemies seemed stunned, they slew them one after another until in a few moments they were surrounded with a small mountain of the dead. Not far behind were Richard and Guichard, dismounted, fighting step by step to join them. The French, confident in their superior numbers, instead of seeking to kill the four brothers, endeavored to surround them and take them alive. They did succeed in separating them from Maugis, and were making a desperate attempt to capture Guichard, who, however, made such a vigorous resistance that he laid low in succession the first four who approached him. Richard had regained the rock, resolved to die rather than submit to capture. Maugis, completely carried away by the excitement of battle, followed by Alard, resolved to die rather than any of them be delivered into the hands of Charlemagne. With incredible fury they fought, cut, hacked, beat down and killed all before them, until they reached Guichard, who had been meanwhile overcome. Alard quickly cut the cords that bound him, put him on the horse of a dead enemy, giving him his arms. Guichard then paid back with interest his few moments of captivity.