hs in hand,
To seek the lord of the Frankish land."

Near the pass of Roncesvalles, one of the Pyrenean "gates" of Spain,
sits the emperor upon a throne of beaten gold. His form is tall and
majestic, and his long white beard flows over his coat of mail. 'Tis
whispered, too, that he is already two hundred years old, and yet, there
he is in all his pride. Beside him stand his nephew Roland, the Lord
Marquis of the marches of Bretagne; Sir Olivier; Geoffrey of Anjou, the
progenitor of the Plantagenets; "and more than a thousand Franks of
France." The Moslem knights are introduced to this council of war, King
Marsil's offer is accepted, and Sir Ganelon is sent to Saragossa to
represent the emperor. Jealous of Roland's military glory, and envious
of the stores of pagan gold, the false Ganelon conspires with King
Marsil to put the all-powerful Roland to death. King Marsil is assured
that on receipt of the golden tribute, Charlemagne will be persuaded to
leave Spain, while by the traitor's advice Roland will be appointed to
remain behind and guard the rear of the retiring hosts. The scheme
succeeded. Ganelon returned to the Frankish camp with the tribute-money
for the emperor, and the traitor's gold for himself. The Franks begin
their homeward march. They are now descending the mountains into their
own fertile Gascon plains, and their hearts beat lightly, for

"They think of their homes and their manors there,
Their gentle spouses and damsels fair."

But their great chief is silent and gloomy. Roland, the bravest of the
brave, has been left behind with all the paladins, save Ganelon, beyond
the gates of Spain. Last night the emperor dreamed he seemed to stand by
Cizra's pass in Roncesvalles, when Ganelon appeared before him, wrenched
the emperor's spear from out his hand, waved it on high, then dashed it
in pieces. What did it mean? He remembered the ominous words of his
peers, "Evil will come of this quest, we fear," and Ganelon's strange
reply, "Ye shall hear."

Meanwhile Sir Roland was far behind in Roncesvalles. He rode his gallant
steed Veillantif; his white pennon, fringed with gold and set with
diamonds, sparkled in the sunshine; and by his side he wore his famous
sword Durindana, with its hilt of gold shaped like a cross, on which was
graven the name of "Jesus." What a glorious picture of the Christian
hero of mediaeval times! With him were Olivier, the good Archbishop
Turpin, and the remaining knights who