“Silence!” roared Oger, “the first man who stirs one step I will strike down with my sword.” This stern threat had the effect to keep them quiet. A little more than half an hour had passed when Alard and Richard wished to recommence the battle. “My good brother,” said Richard, “the troop of Renaud, now coming, is superior to that of Oger by over one thousand men; it is in our power to take a terrible vengeance, and this is how we can do it: let us advance upon them now, and get them so busily occupied that they will not perceive what is passing behind them; in this way we will enable Renaud to approach them in the rear and cut them to pieces; if, on the contrary, we let them become aware of the approach of our friends, the enemy may escape combat by flight and we will miss our revenge.” This plan received the approval of the three brothers, and they accordingly descended from the rock, Maugis and Guichard leading the way, followed by Alard and Richard. The enemy upon witnessing this movement thought at once that the sons of Aymon, appalled by their numbers, and discouraged by their wounds, had decided to give up the contest, and were about to surrender. The veteran, Oger, could not bear the idea of their thus tamely giving themselves up. It was against that old fighter’s nature; accordingly he rode out toward the rock, and shouted to them: “Be warned, young men, thou hast thy right to leave thy refuge, but know thou, I am ordered to take thee alive, conduct thee to Charlemagne, when he will put thee to an ignominious death. I would prefer much that as brave men thou shouldst die in battle rather than surrender thus tamely like men of no courage.” This kindly advice caused a hot flush to suffuse the face of Maugis, and drawing up his tall form he fiercely replied: “We will never surrender, we will die with our arms in our hands rather than that. Our cause is just, and we only hope you will not escape our vengeance, because you have basely betrayed us.” Oger withdrew sadly upon this, his eyes filled with tears of pity, and rejoining his troops he ordered them to attack the four brothers; but his punishment was near at hand, for at that moment Renaud, who had successfully traversed the forest in their rear, came upon them, and before they could recover from their surprise, had completely surrounded them. Renaud rode ferociously at Oger, and aimed at him a terrible stroke of his sword, but he was carried away from the object of his attack by Bayard, who recognized his master. Without delay the soldiers of Renaud, taking advantage of their surprise and stupor, fell upon the enemy and slew them with a most terrible carnage.