CHAPTER VIII. WHEREIN THE GOVERNOR OF JERUSALEM BEGINS TO SHOW HISTEETH.
ANGOULAFFRE, who up to this had remained unmoved, now began to chokewith rage. He rushed at the lion, who had again laid himself at the feetof the mistress of his choice, and, catching it up by the ear, as onewould serve a rabbit, began to twist its neck. On this Oliver steppedforward.
"What ransom do you set on the lion? It is a pet that my sister hastaken a fancy to, and I should like to present it to her. Will you takea ransom in gold or precious stones?"
"In the land I govern, on the shores of the Red Sea, I have a palace ofturquoise, built upon pillars of crystal. It is so vast that the bestwalker cannot make the circuit of it between sunrise and sunset. There ahundred silver towers rise into the air; on each is a choir of singers,or a band of musicians. In the centre is a gigantic dome of embossedgold, surmounted by a diamond so huge and so bright, that even at nightit can be seen thirty leagues off at sea. It is called 'The DiamondBeacon of Safety,' because it guides our sailors as surely as the northstar."
"I have," said Oliver, "a sword called Glorious. Galas, Munifican, andAnsias laboured at its forging two years each. You are aware that theymade nine other swords--three each. Ansias made Baptism, Florence, andGraban for Strong-i'-th'-Arm; Munifican made Durandal for Roland, andSauvagine and Courtain for Ogier the Dane; and Galas made Flamberge andJoyeuse for Charlemagne, and Hauteclair, the third, for Closamont. Whenthe ten swords were made, the three brothers summoned a giant, and badehim smite with Glorious against the edges of the nine others.Glorious came out of the trial triumphant, and hacked each of the otherblades about a foot from the pommel. Give me the lion, and Glorious isyours!"
Angoulaffre smiled, showing his double row of teeth, yellow as brass,and sharp as pikes.
"What could I do with your arms? Look at me, and tell me if I need them.See these nails!--they pierce deeper into wrought steel than your weaponcan into flesh. Behold these teeth! what engine of war is so powerful?With them I can with one gnash divide a knight in half at the waist.Look at these hands!--they can snap off an oak as you would pick aviolet. Regard these arms, and tremble! With these, one day, while outhunting with the King of Persia, I strangled an elephant. Observe thesefeet, and dread to come near them! In Nubia a mad rhinoceros dared toattack me; he struck me in the calf; the horn broke off, and remained inthe wound, while I trampled the huge beast to death under my feet. Whatuse would your weapon be to me?"
"Nevertheless, I must have that lion; and, since you will not accept anyransom for it, let it be the prize of our combat."
"And do you suppose you can encounter me alone?" asked Angoulaffre,grinning so horribly that the lion thought his last hour was come.
"Does it want more than one to kill a dog?"
The giant, furious, let go the lion, which hurried off, crouching behindAude for shelter, like a chastised cur.
"Well! I am in good humour to-day," said Angoulaffre. "You see I amdisposed to smile. Be thankful for it. I shall be happy to show you howthe dogs of my country bite."
During this discussion the spectators, whose curiosity overcame theirfears, had resumed their places. The knights, by the aid of theirsquires, had remounted their horses, and the mangled remains of Muradhad disappeared. Charlemagne, reaching the royal seats, gave the signalfor the commencement of the tourney.
The trumpets again resounded, mingling their music with the discordantnotes of the Saracen instruments. The heralds scoured the lists,arranging all in their places. Then Angoulaffre approached Charlemagne.
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"Are you, then, he whom they call the king? What sort of people arethese French, who are satisfied with such a sovereign? Is it an emperorI see before me, dressed in silk like a woman? You call us dogs,accursed Christians, and you dwell in burrows, as if you knew you shamedthe sun, that deigns to touch you with a few unimportant beams. In myland the king is king not only by birth. If he were disguised amida multitude, you would say, on beholding him, "This is the king!" Heclothes his limbs in steel, and would blush to be seen in soft attirewhen his faithful knights are going to do battle. Coward and effeminate!You have allowed a hero, the son of a king, to be slain before your eyeswithout attempting to rescue him. You have had more regard for yourselfand your knights than for your guest; and indeed you, all of you, havereason to rejoice at his fall. Mahomet has summoned him to his presence,ashamed to see that there were two of us to defend his name againstsuch wretched adversaries. I alone am sufficient for such a task.Send, therefore, your peers and knights against me, either in a body orsingly; and if they dare undertake the adventure, believe me, you hadbetter give each a farewell embrace before you part." Then pointing toOliver, Angoulaffre continued--"This pigmy here has dared to challengeme. Give him a guard worthy, if possible, of my attention, and I consentto waste a few seconds upon him!"
Charlemagne was not accustomed to hear such language. His blood boiledwith rage, and, coursing wildly through his veins, made him at onemoment red as fire and the next pale as death. It must be held a finalproof that a man cannot expire of rage that Charlemagne continued tolive. His nobles were not a whit less moved than he. As for Angoulaffre,he continued to smile savagely.
"It is by sword-stroke and lance-thrust that such words are answered,"said Charles, "and you will receive a hundred blows for every syllableyou have dared utter."
"Ill-said, paltry kingling!" replied the giant. "_Our_ warriors neverneed two blows at a foeman."
"Enough of parley, sir," said Roland. "Do you not see how you aredelaying us?" and then he added, aside, to Oliver, "My brother and dearfriend, you admire, I know, my castle on the banks of the Seine. Takeit, and let _me_ fight him first."
"No," said Oliver, "not for the crown would I resign this chance ofearning my passport to heaven."
"Take my horse, and give me up your place," said Ogirr the Dane. "Youknow that Tachebrune is a horse without peer."
"You are mad to persist in asking me. You do me a wrong. Neither of youwould do what you ask of me."
And saying this, Oliver, having kissed the king's hand, assumed hisarms, and ran to take his post at the extremity of the lists, oppositeto Angoulaffre, who continued to grin horribly.
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