CHAPTER VI. SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, FACE TO FACE!
CHARLEMAGNE was playing at chess with Naymes, Duke of Bavaria, for acouple of hours, when he was informed that Allegrignac had returned. TheEmperor, who had lost five games out of seven, was in anything but anagreeable mood. The news of the count's arrival completely cured him.
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"At last we shall learn the truth about the Fortress of Fear. I feelsure Allegrignac will have acted vigorously and wisely. Fetch him astoup of wine while I go to assemble my peers, barons, bishops, andclerks. I will hear what he has to say before them."
When these orders had been carried out, Charlemagne caused the Count ofSalencon to be summoned into his presence.
"Approach, Allegrignac. You have proved yourself, I doubt not, possessedof endurance and bravery. I shall be glad to have to award the prize toyou. Tell us what happened to you."
"I am, sire, overcome at the thought of my great good fortune, and seekin vain for any past good deed of mine which has won for me thefavour which Heaven lavishes on me. I will take care not to abuse yourkindness, or the patience of so many learned and gallant listeners. Iwill begin my story from the moment when I left Alagon for the Fortressof Fear. Dawn was breaking when I started. The darkness which was stillspread over the earth was beginning to vanish at the approach of thesun, whose welcome was being chanted by the lark. I was asking myselfhow so lovely a country could bring one to so dire a fortress, whenmy horse gave a start, stopped, and, lowering its head, began to snortloudly. I then saw, a short distance from me, a little dwarf, notill-looking, who sat weeping by the road-side. 'While there is yettime,' said he, 'abandon this insane adventure, and do not disturbthe great master of Fear. Seeing you so young and so lovely, I cannotrestrain my tears. Did you but know what obstacles you will findopposing you, you would certainly not encounter them.' 'I am the envoyof Charlemagne,' said I, quietly.
"'Ask yourself, then, if I am a man likely to draw back.' I had hardlymentioned your name, sire, when I beheld the dwarf flying in alarm. Iwent on. A little farther on my horse made a second start, and I foundmyself face to face with a giant, who was in command of a body of twelvearmed men. He had a foot placed on either side of the road, like the oldColossus of Rhodes, and his men were drawn up, lance in rest, betweenhis legs, seeking to bar my passage."
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"'Whose servant are you, miscreant?' cried I. 'Mahomet has my faith--theLord of Fear my allegiance.' 'And I will have your life. Hurrah forCharlemagne!' I flung my lance at the monster with such force and skillthat it pierced his body, and lodged in the ground, point downward,fifty paces off. I drew my sword, and rode at his twelve followers, whomI routed. Although charging at full gallop, I had the forethoughtto recover my lance on the way. By the time these enemies recoveredthemselves I was already in the midst of other perils. What more needI say? In vain did the elements assist the efforts of men and demons;strong in my loyalty to my king, I overcame all obstacles!"
Charlemagne liked people to talk modestly, and the praises whichAllegrignac did not cease to lavish on himself made him frown. "Actionis for men, and words for women," said he to himself. "This young mantalks a little too much."
"Human strength has its limits," continued Allegrignac; "even mine isexhaustible, and, taking advantage of an interval of quiet, I dismountedto take a rest. I was a short way from the top of a high mountain,on which the Fortress of Fear is built. I had a long time left thetemperate zone, and was surrounded by snow. All of a sudden----"
"I'll wager his next words are a falsehood!" whispered Roland to Turpin.
"Nonsense! You're betting on a certainty," said the bishop.
"All of a sudden my horse gave a terrified neigh. I turned round as Isprang to my feet, and beheld an avalanche leaping from rock to rock,and coming to swallow us up. I did not waste a moment. I waited it withfeet firmly planted, and arms outstretched. I caught it and held it backfor some seconds. 'Quick, Serenade!' I cried to my horse. 'Go along,make haste, poor beast!' The animal understood my meaning, and escaped.It was time, for my strength was just exhausted. I made one final andsupreme effort, flung the Titanic projectile on one side, and sank--Iconfess it--exhausted on the ground. The brave men who hear me will notridicule my weakness."
Every one looked at his neighbour. They were more surprised at theimpudence of the speaker than the strangeness of his story.
"Enough of this sort of prattle," said Charlemagne. "Here be plenty ofgreat deeds--I'll ask for the rest of the story another time. Meanwhile,tell me--and as briefly as possible--have you seen the castle and itsowner?"
"I have seen them, and I bring you, sire, the head of the monster as anevidence of my victory."
Allegrignac stooped down to take the bag, which he had placed beside himat the beginning of his story, when Mitaine entered and announced thatthe Baron of Mont-Rognon desired an audience.
"By my beard! I am curious to see and hear him. Allegrignac, withdraw,and let the Knight of Bourglastic speak. Bid the baron enter."
Mont-Rognon stepped in proudly; he paused at a few paces fromCharlemagne, bowed, placed beside him the bag about which we know, andwaited to be interrogated.
"I have often reproached myself for having sent you on so formidable anadventure, my brave baron; only the remembrance of your past feats ofvalour could make my mind easy about you. However, you have returned."
"I know not how to express to my Sovereign all my gratitude for thehonour he does me. I always believed that the joy of victory is thegreatest in the world, and the beating of my heart assures me that I wasnot mistaken."
"The joy of victory, do you say? Of what victory do you speak?"
"Of that which I have just won over the Knight of Fear."
A murmur of surprise was heard on all sides.
"Come forward, Allegrignac," said the Emperor, in a severe voice. "Whatdoes this mean, and which of you is the impostor?"
The consciences of the two pretended victors were not so clear that theycould listen without alarm to the infuriated voice of Charlemagne. Theyfelt that impudence alone could assist them; and Allegrignac comingforward, pointed to the Knight of Bourglastic, and said--
"If, sire, this man pretends that he has vanquished the Knight of Fear,I declare that he lies."
"Lies!" cried Mont-Rognon, blinded with rage. "Who dares utter theword?"
"I, Allegrignac, Count of Salencon."
"Traitor and perjurer! you shall not quit this place alive. Adisgraceful death shall be your fate, and the fate of all belonging toyou." And he drew his sword. "Yes, you have lied, baron of the realmthough you be, and I will teach you to change your note, perjuredcoward! I shall slay you and yours before the humblest lacquey in myservice is the worse by a hair, for all your bravery."
"These two cocks," said Oliver, "seem to me to crow too long before theybegin fighting. It would be mockery to separate them."
Charlemagne raised his voice, and silence was at once restored.
"I find you daring enough," said he, "to deafen me with your clamour.This insolence is insufferable. The first who speaks without beingquestioned shall be punished; understand that, one and all!" and then headded, after a moment, "What proof have you of the victory you say youhave won? Speak, Allegrignac."
"I have the head of the monster in this bag."
"And you, Mont-Rognon, what have you to say?"
"This man is an impostor. I have here what will prove him so." TheKnight of Bourglastic seized his bag, and opened it; the Countof Salencon did the same, and then each held up a gory head forCharlemagne's inspection.
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At this sight the Emperor turned pale.
He rose, and seemed anxious to speak, but could only utter the one word,"Murderers!"
The whole assembly gave a cry of horror on recognising the heads ofPorc-en-Truie and Maragougnia; but the most frightened of all wereassuredly Mont-Rognon and Allegrignac, who, letting fall the twoaccusing heads, flung themselves at the Emperor's feet.
/> "Sire, do not hold us guilty. We have been the victims of some treason.Yes, we confess it; we were unable to carry out your instructions.Terrified and at our wits' end, we lost our heads--"
"Then no one will be surprised this evening to see they are no longer onyour shoulders," interposed the Emperor, who thus set a-going a horriblejoke, which has done service so often since that it has well earned aretiring pension.
The next day, after mass, the Lord of Bourglastic and the Count ofSalencon underwent a final examination. By vespers Charlemagne hadsentenced them to death. When the bugles sounded they had been beheaded,and flung out to feed the wolves.
Eight days after Ali Pepe was hanged.
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