g Egypt, Babylon, and the Earthly Paradise. Well, I will
turn it from its bed and make it flood the Great Square of the City."

Gerard de Viane said:

"Put a dozen knights in line of array. And I will tumble all the twelve
on their noses, only by the wind of my sword."

It was the Count Roland laid the twelfth wager, in the fashion
following:

"I will take my horn, I will go forth of the city and I will blow such a
blast all the gates of the town will drop from their hinges."

Olivier alone had said no word yet. He was young and courteous, and the
Emperor loved him dearly.

"Olivier, my son," he asked, "will you not make your brag like the rest
of us?"

"Right willingly, sire," Olivier replied.

"Do you know the name of Hercules of Greece?"

"Yea, I have heard some discourse of him," said Charlemagne. "He was an
idol of the misbelievers, like the false god Mahound."

"Not so, sire," said Olivier. "Hercules of Greece was a knight among
the Pagans and King of a Pagan kingdom. He was a gallant champion and
stoutly framed in all his limbs. Visiting the Court of a certain Emperor
who had fifty daughters, virgins, he wedded them all on one and the same
night, and that so well and throughly that next morning they all avowed
themselves well-contented women and with naught left to learn. He had
not slighted ever a one of them. Well, sire, an you will, I will lay my
wager to do after the fashion of Hercules of Greece."

"Nay, beware, Olivier, my son," cried the Emperor, "beware what you do;
the thing would be a sin. I felt sure this King Hercules was a Saracen!"

"Sire," returned Olivier, "know this--I warrant me to show in the same
space of time the selfsame prowess with one virgin that Herailes of
Greece did with fifty. And the maid shall be none other but the Princess
Helen, King Hugo's daughter."

"Good and well," agreed Charlemagne; "that will be to deal honestly and
as a good Christian should. But you were in the wrong, my son, to drag
the fifty virgins of King Hercules into your business, wherein, the
Devil fly away with me else, I can see but one to be concerned."

"Sire," answered Olivier mildly, "there is but one of a truth. But she
shall win such satisfaction of me that, an I number the tokens of my
love, you will to-morrow see fifty crosses scored on the wall, and that
is _my_ brag."

The Count Olivier was yet speaking when lo! the column which bare the
vault opened. The pillar was hollow and contriv