n, 'and our Franks are but
few. Roland, blow your horn; Charles will hear it and come to our
help.'

'You are mad to say that,' replied Roland, 'for in France I should
lose all my glory. No; but my sword Durendal knows how to strike, and
our Franks will fight hard, and with what joy! It was an ill day for
the Unbelievers when they came here, for none, I tell you, none will
escape.'

'The Unbelievers are many,' said Oliver again, 'and we are very few.
Roland, my friend, sound your horn; Charles will hear it, and come to
our help.'

'I should be mad if I did so,' answered Roland. 'In France, when they
knew it, I should lose all my glory! No; but my sword Durendal knows
how to strike, and our Franks will fight hard, and with what joy! It
was an ill day for the Unbelievers when they came here, for none, I
tell you, none will escape death.'

'O Roland, I pray you sound your horn, and Charles will hear it as he
passes the defiles, and the Franks, I will swear it, will come to our
help.'

'Now God forbid,' said Roland, 'that through me my parents should be
shamed, or that I should bring dishonour on the fair land of France.
No; but my sword Durendal knows how to strike. The Unbelievers have
come to their death, and they will find it.'

'I see no dishonour,' said Oliver. 'With my own eyes have I beheld the
Saracens of Spain; the mountains and the valleys alike are full of
them. And how few are we!'

'Then we shall have the more fighting,' answered Roland. 'God forbid
that I should turn my Franks into cowards! Rather death than
dishonour. The more we kill, the better the Emperor will love us.'

Roland was brave, but Oliver was wise also, and the souls of both were
as high as their words. 'Look round you, and think for a moment,' said
Oliver; 'they are close to us, and Charles is far. Ah! if you would
only have sounded your horn, the King would have been here, and our
troops would not have been in danger. The poor rear-guard will never
more be again such as it is to-day.'

'You speak foolishly,' answered Roland. 'Cursed be he whose heart is
afraid. We will be strong to hold our ground. From us will come the
blows, from us the battle.'

When Roland saw that he must give battle to the Infidels, he called
his Franks and bade Oliver stand beside him. 'Do not say these things,
my friend and comrade,' said he. 'The Emperor has left us twenty
thousand picked men, with not one craven heart amongst them. For our
liege lord,