Aimeri saw their son standing before them great
joy filled their souls. They left their seats and flung themselves on
his neck, and William's brother also ran to greet him. The Count told
them how he had been vanquished at the Aliscans, how Vivian had been
killed, and he himself had fled to Orange, and of the distress in
which he had left Gibourc. 'It was at her bidding I came here to ask
aid from Louis, the base King, but from the way he has treated me I
see plainly that he has no heart. By St. Peter! he shall repent before
I go, and my sister also.'

The King heard and again waxed cold with fear; the nobles heard and
whispered low, 'Who is strong enough to compass this matter? No man,
be he the bravest in France, ever went to his help and came back to
tell the tale. Let him abandon Orange, and let the King give him
instead the Vermandois.'

It was the Lady Ermengarde who broke the silence. 'O God,' she cried,
'to think that the Franks should be such cowards! And you, Sir Aimeri,
has your courage failed you also? Have no fear, fair son William, I
have still left gold that would fill thirty chariots, and I will give
it to those who enrol themselves under your banner. I myself will don
breastplate and shield, and will fight in the front rank of your
army.'

Aimeri smiled and sighed as he listened to her words, and his sons
shed tears.

William answered nothing, but remained standing in the middle of the
hall, his eyes fixed on his sister sitting on her throne, with a small
golden crown upon her head, and on her husband King Louis.

'This, then, O King, is the reward of all I have done! When
Charlemagne your father died, and all the Barons of the Empire met at
Paris, you would have lost your crown if I had not forced them to
place it upon your head.'

'That is true,' answered the King, 'and in remembrance of your
services I will to-day bestow on you a fief.'

'Yes,' cried Blanchefleur, 'and no doubt will deprive me of one. A
nice agreement, truly! Woe to him who dares carry it out.'

'Be silent, woman without shame!' said William. 'Every word you speak
proclaims the depth of your baseness! You pass your days wrapped in
rich clothing, eating costly food, and drinking rare wines, and little
you care that we endure heat and cold, hunger and thirst, and suffer
wounds and death so that your life may be easy.' Then he bounded
forwards and tore off the crown, and, drawing his sword, would have
cut off her head had not