Maugis, then feeling he had exhausted every resource, made a fierce charge upon the first knights, who had come forward to obey the order of Charlemagne, hurling them lifeless at the feet of the emperor. Then retiring he headed his soldiers, and uttering the war-cry of Dordogne, made an irresistible charge on the troops of Charlemagne, who wavered and broke and were thrown into confusion. The Duke de Naimes, seeing this, seized the golden banner, and placing himself at the head of the royal army, tried to rally them; but it was hopeless, they were fast disappearing under the fierce assaults of the soldiers of Maugis. They had nearly succeeded in surrounding the emperor, who was only saved by the quickness of Roland, when the signal for retreat was given. This signal everyone obeyed, except the brave Richard de Normandie, who, oblivious to all else, could not endure the thought of defeat, and tried to cut off the troops of Maugis just before the gates of Dordogne, an attempt in which he did not succeed. Profiting by the ardor of the duke, Maugis hurried the retreat of his troops, causing them to rush pellmell into the city, tempting Richard, obstinate in his pursuit, to follow, thinking his enemies to be demoralized. This strategic move was successful. Getting Richard once inside of the gates, Maugis caused them to be closed and guarded behind them, making him a prisoner, and seeing that resistance was useless, Richard de Normandie and his men were forced to surrender. The loss of this new battle added more to the grief and rage of Charlemagne and stimulated him still further in his relentless pursuit of the sons of Aymon. As both sides required some little time to recuperate from the battle, several days passed without an engagement. It was during this period of quiet that King Yon died, in great suffering. Consumed with regrets, he begged Maugis and his brothers to forgive him for all the evil they had endured through his fault. He confirmed to Maugis the donations of Montaubon and its dependencies, and drew his last breath in the arms of his brother-in-law, who mourned him as sincerely as if he had never been guilty of a vile treachery. After the obsequies, in which the entire army took part, Maugis proceeded actively to strengthen the defenses of the city in case of an attack from the waiting enemy. It was during this period of the cessation of hostilities that an extraordinary incident occurred. Maugis was an adept at assuming disguises, and one day he determined to visit the camp of Charlemagne; perfectly fearless as to the possible result of his perilous mission, he set out, having taken the shape of an old knight, infirm and miserable, and entered the camp of the emperor, leaning heavily on his staff. So sorry was his aspect that the sentinels made fun of him. “Ho! ho!” shouted one of them after him. “Hast thou come to take the city?”