THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
many nobles, all begging pardon. They said that Answig had told them that Charles, and Roland and
Oliver, and the Twelve Peers of France, had all been killed.
The news reached the queen, who was keeping her chamber, much grieved by the thought that
Charles and Roland were dead. Now the queen came before Charles. She rushed through the midst
of the hall and cried: “Welcome, my lord.” Charles berated her harshly for sending him no
provisions for seven years. (Answig, when he learned of Charles’ arrival, had fled the palace.)
Charles said to Algiron: “I will leave my kingdom and queen under your protection.” Algiron said to
Charles: “I will do whatever you command.” He asked him how King Solomon of Brittany was
faring, and about the Twelve Peers of France. Charles told him the news regarding Roland, how he
had visited the Saracen lands and returned to Pamplona.
Then he said to him: “I can make no longer stay, for I must return to my army.” He told him how
the genie had carried him to Paris, then he took his leave from all, made his way to a chamber near
which the genie had left him, and mounted the genie’s back. The genie rose into the air and carried
Charles to his army before midnight, so that none in the camp, except Roland, knew of it. Charles
went to bed and slept until the third hour the next morning, for the night had tired him. In the
morning, after the third hour had struck, Charles rose, looking very worn. This made his nobles
wonder and they said: “Has our lord Charles been in some kind of battle of which he does not
speak?”
Roland soon arrived at Charles tent. Charles told Roland to approach and confided all that had
happened. He said that he knew all too well (and Roland vowed it to God) that the Maganzas must
be punished for their treason, if ever he returned to France. Let us now leave off Charles and speak
of other matters.