to the faith of Christ. You have perverted the princes
from my allegiance, and slain the Christians with the edge of the sword.
Availing yourself of my return to Gaul, you have destroyed my towns and
castles, and laid waste the territory with fire and sword. At present,
therefore, you have the advantage of me."

Now when Argolander heard the King speak in the Arabic tongue, he was
greatly pleased and astonished, for Charles had learnt it in his youth
in the city of Thoulouse, where he had spent some time. Argolander then
answered in these terms: "I wonder you should reason thus, for the
territory did not belong to you; neither was it your father's,
grandfather's, or great-grandfather's. Why then did you take possession
of it?" "Because," replied Charles, "our Lord Jesus Christ, the creator
of heaven and earth, elected us in preference to others, and gave us
dominion over all the earth: therefore I endeavoured to convert the
Saracens to the Christian faith."--"It would be unworthy of us to submit
to you," rejoined Argolander, "when our own faith is best. We have
Mahomet, a prophet of God, whose precepts we obey. Therefore we have a
powerful God, who through his prophet has declared his will, and by him
we live and reign." "O Argolander," said the King, "how widely do you
err! You follow the vain precepts of a man; we believe and worship
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: you worship mortal man. After death our
souls are received into Paradise, and enjoy everlasting life, but yours
descend to the abyss of hell. Wherefore our faith is evidently best.
Accept then baptism, or fight and perish."

"Far be it from me," said Argolander, "to accept baptism, and deny
Mahomet and my God! But I will fight you on these terms: if your faith
is best, you shall gain the victory, otherwise heaven shall give it to
me; and let shame be the portion of the conquered, but eternal glory
reward the conqueror. Furthermore, if my people are subdued, and I
survive the contest, I will receive baptism."

These terms being mutually agreed, twenty Christians were sent against
twenty Saracens, and the battle commenced. What further? Nearly all the
Saracens fell. Forty were then sent against forty, and they were
defeated also. A hundred then fought together; but the Saracens turned
their backs from the face of the Christians, and were all slain. Are not
these Christians then types for us? Does it not argue that we likewise
should fight manfully against our