emies; in the capture
of Saragossa and the death of Marsile, who, already mortally wounded,
turned his face to the wall and died when he heard of the defeat of
the emir; but when vengeance was taken on the open enemy Charlemagne
thought of mourning, and returned to Roncesvalles to seek the body of
his beloved nephew.

The emperor knew well that Roland would be found before his men, with
his face to the foe. Thus he advanced a bowshot from his companions
and climbed a little hill, there found the little flowery meadow
stained red with the blood of his barons, and there at the summit,
under the trees, lay the body of Roland on the green grass. The broken
blocks of marble bore traces of the hero's dying efforts, and
Charlemagne raised Roland, and, clasping the hero in his arms,
lamented over him.

His Lament

"'The Lord have mercy, Roland, on thy soul!
Never again shall our fair France behold
A knight so worthy, till France be no more!

"'The Lord have mercy, Roland, on thy soul!
That thou mayest rest in flowers of Paradise
With all His glorious Saints for evermore!
My honour now will lessen and decay,
My days be spent in grief for lack of thee,
My joy and power will vanish. There is none,
Comrade or kinsman, to maintain my cause.

"'The Lord have mercy, Roland, on thy soul!
And grant thee place in Paradise the blest,
Thou valiant youth, thou mighty conqueror!
How widowed lies our fair France and how lone
How will the realms that I have swayed rebel
Now thou art taken from my weary age!
So deep my woe that fain would I die too
And join my valiant Peers in Paradise
While men inter my weary limbs with thine!'"[14]

The Dead Buried

The French army buried the dead with all honour, where they had
fallen, except the bodies of Roland, Oliver, and Turpin, which were
carried to Blaye, and interred in the great cathedral there; and then
Charlemagne returned to Aix.

Aude the Fair

As Charles the Great entered his palace a beauteous maiden met him,
Aude the Fair, the sister of Oliver and betrothed bride of Roland. She
asked eagerly:

"Where is Roland the mighty captain, who swore to take me for his
bride?"

[Illustration: Aude the Fair

Evelyn Paul]

"Alas! dear sister and friend," said Charlemagne, weeping and tearing
his long white beard, "thou askest tidings of the dead. But I will
replace him: thou shalt have Louis, my son,