. Frithjof, the viking of Norway : and Roland, the paladin of France. rfriendship must end,—this is the day ofour most sorrowful parting. Never moreshall our Emperor see either of us; nevershall there have been such mourning inthe sweet land of France. Not a French-man but will pray for us, not an abbey ormonastery but there will be masses saidfor our souls, which will then already bein Paradise. Oliver heard his comrades words, andpushed on to his side, forcing his waythrough the fighting multitude. Let us keep together! they said.* If so it please God, we will not dieapart. From this moment
. Frithjof, the viking of Norway : and Roland, the paladin of France. rfriendship must end,—this is the day ofour most sorrowful parting. Never moreshall our Emperor see either of us; nevershall there have been such mourning inthe sweet land of France. Not a French-man but will pray for us, not an abbey ormonastery but there will be masses saidfor our souls, which will then already bein Paradise. Oliver heard his comrades words, andpushed on to his side, forcing his waythrough the fighting multitude. Let us keep together! they said.* If so it please God, we will not dieapart. From this moment these two and theArchbishop managed not to let them-selves be separated by any accident ofthe battle. The number of those theykilled is recorded in charters and in song—they are said to have been over fourthousand. The first four onslaughts werefavourable to the French, but the fifthwas fatal : all the knights perished then, 50§ Roland save only sixty. God spared no these sixty were to sell their lives ata price which the Paynims were very lothto Ill THE OLIFANT ROLAND, seeing the great number oftheir slain friends, said to OHver : ** Dear comrade, is it not a pitiful sight—these many loyal vassals stretched life-less on the ground ? Ah, surely we maymourn for our fair France, widowed of somany doughty barons. Oh, why is notour friend the King here with us, to aidand save us ! Oliver, my brother, whatcan we do to convey to him the eviltidinofs? Nay, I see no way, quoth Oliver.** But one thing I know: better deaththan dishonour. I will blow my horn, said Roland, my Olifant. Charles will hear it, for he* 209 2IO Roland has only just passed out of the defile, andhe will return in haste, I will be sworn. ** That were great shame, retortedOliver; all your kin would blush foryou, and the dishonour would cling tothem through life. When I advised it,you would not. Had you taken my ad-vice then, the Emperor would be herenow, and we should not be in such sorryplight
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