The weather began to grow stormy, and a sudden shower of rain with thunder and lightning and thunder-bolts, and it seemed that a hail fell like balls of steel. The knights fled through the halls, one going in one direction, one in another.
The weather cleared up again. The necromancers[4] took their leave and asked for a recompense.
The Emperor said: ask me then. And they made their request. The Count of San Bonifazio was then near the Emperor. So they said: Sire, bid this lord come and succour us against our enemies.
The Emperor laid this command upon him with affectionate insistence. The Count set out on his way with the masters.
They took him to a noble city, showed him knights of high lineage, and prepared for him a handsome horse and fine arms, and said: these are at your command. [[79]]
The enemy came up for battle. The Count defeated them, and delivered the city. He won back the country. They gave him a wife. He had children.
After some time, he ruled the land.
The necromancers left him alone for a very long period.
Then they returned. The Count’s son was already full forty years old. The Count was old. The necromancers came back and said that they wished to go and see the Emperor and the court. The Count answered: the Empire will by this time more than once have changed hands; the people will all be new: where should I return? The necromancers answered: no matter, we will take you with us all the same.
They set forth; they walked for a long time; they reached the court.