Chapter 19

CHAPTER XIX.
RINALDO AND BAYARD. CHARLEMAGNE was overwhelmed with grief at the loss of so many of his
bravest warriors at the disaster of Roncesvalles, and bitterly
reproached himself for his credulity in resigning himself so
completely to the counsels of the treacherous Count Gan. Yet he soon
fell into a similar snare when he suffered his unworthy son Charlot to
acquire such an influence over him, that he constantly led him into
acts of cruelty and injustice that in his right mind he would have
scorned to commit. Rinaldo and his brothers, for some slight offence
to the imperious young prince, were forced to fly from Paris, and to
take shelter in their castle of Montalban; for Charles had publicly
said, if he could take them, he would hang them all. He sent numbers
of his bravest knights to arrest them, but all without success. Either
Rinaldo foiled their efforts and sent them back, stripped of their
armor and of their glory, or, after meeting and conferring with him,
they came back and told the king they could not be his instruments for
such a work.
At last Charles himself raised a great army, and went in person to
compel the paladin to submit. He ravaged all the country round about
Montalban, so that supplies of food should be cut off, and he
threatened death to any who should attempt to issue forth, hoping to
compel the garrison to submit for want of food.
Rinaldo's resources had been brought so low that it seemed useless
to contend any longer. His brothers had been taken prisoners in a
skirmish, and his only hope of saving their lives was in making
terms with the king.
So he sent a messenger, offering to yield himself and his castle
if the king would spare his and his brothers' lives. While the
messenger was gone, Rinaldo, impatient to learn what tidings he
might bring, rode out to meet him. When he had ridden as far as he
thought prudent he stopped in a wood, and, alighting, tied Bayard to a
tree. Then he sat down, and, as he waited, he fell asleep. Bayard
meanwhile got loose, and strayed away where the grass tempted him.
Just then came along some country people, who said to one another,
"Look, is not that the great horse Bayard that Rinaldo rides? Let us
take him, and carry him to King Charles, who will pay us well for
our trouble." They did so, and the king was delighted with his
prize, and gave them a present that made them rich to their dying day.
When Rinaldo woke he looked round for his horse, and, finding him
not, he groaned, and said, "O unlucky hour that I was born! how
fortune persecutes me!" So desperate was he, that he took off his
armor and his spurs, saying, "What need have I of these, since
Bayard is lost?" While he stood thus lamenting, a man came from the
thicket,