“Consider, sire,” responded Roland to him, “it seems to me that Maugis is perfectly right, and I am astonished that you fail to recognize it. He would be pushing his generosity to blindness if he allowed Richard to go. Do you not remember how grandly Maugis has acted in the past, and with what admiration he has inspired us all? How he gave you back your crown and your treasures; how he returned to each of us our swords, which he had a perfect right to keep? Can you not see in these actions not only generosity, but grandeur of soul of the highest degree? Alas! how have you returned these acts of greatness? You tightened the cordon around Montaubon and besieged him anew with such vigor that only a few soldiers and their families escaped. The rest of the inhabitants died of famine or of pest. You have pursued him with bitterness and sought to take him alive that you might make him suffer the most rigorous punishment. If he captured the Duke Richard, was the duke not pursuing him to the very entrance of the city, in order to capture him and deliver him to you? Again, do you not remember what you would have done to his brother Richard, when you had him in your power? That he escaped death was certainly not due to your pardon, but because Maugis wrested him from the hands of his executioners.” “Of what avail to thus recount the past?” demanded Charlemagne uneasily. “Simply this, sire!” continued Roland boldly. “If Maugis should release the Duke de Normandie, I should tax him of folly. I am surprised he has been so lenient as not to execute him at once, and if you would save him from that fate, it would be best for you to take immediate steps by granting Maugis those conditions of peace he has so long desired. “Never!” cried Charlemagne obstinately. “Sire, I beseech thee, reflect,” persuaded Roland. “Reverse your decision and do not seek to further abuse the magnanimity of a man so brave as Maugis. Grant him, therefore, sire, peace. I ask it of you in the name of all your most noble knights.” These sincere words at last produced on Charlemagne the most profound impression. He thereupon charged Oger and the Duke de Naimes to go to Maugis and offer him peace on condition of the surrender of the Duke Richard de Normandie, only he clung tenaciously to his first idea concerning Renaud. He still insisted that Renaud should be delivered to him. It was in vain his peers represented to him that this condition would be refused as it had been in the past; but he turned a deaf ear to them, and still persisted in his resolutions. At this moment Pinabel, who had recovered from his fright, came running up. “Beware,” cried he. “Know thou that the old knight, who yesterday enchanted me by his magical powers; the pilgrim whom you have fed, the infirm and paralyzed knight whom you congratulated yesterday on the result of the combat, are one and the same man, and that man is Maugis.”