“‘Ask yourself, then, if I am a man likely to draw back.’ I had hardly mentioned your name, sire, when I beheld the dwarf flying in alarm. I went on. A little farther on my horse made a second start, and I found myself face to face with a giant, who was in command of a body of twelve armed men. He had a foot placed on either side of the road, like the old Colossus of Rhodes, and his men were drawn up, lance in rest, between his legs, seeking to bar my passage.”
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“‘Whose servant are you, miscreant?’ cried I. ‘Mahomet has my faith—the Lord of Fear my allegiance.’ ‘And I will have your life. Hurrah for Charlemagne!’ I flung my lance at the monster with such force and skill that it pierced his body, and lodged in the ground, point downward, fifty paces off. I drew my sword, and rode at his twelve followers, whom I routed. Although charging at full gallop, I had the forethought to recover my lance on the way. By the time these enemies recovered themselves I was already in the midst of other perils. What more need I 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 which Allegrignac did not cease to lavish on himself made him frown. “Action is for men, and words for women,” said he to himself. “This young man talks a little too much.”
“Human strength has its limits,” continued Allegrignac; “even mine is exhaustible, and, taking advantage of an interval of quiet, I dismounted to 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 the temperate 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.