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nevertheless；　when　he　is　alone　he　kisses　it　more　than　a　hundred
thousand　times　when　he　has　left　the　queen。　Now　it　seems　to　him
that　he　was　born　in　a　lucky　hour。　Very　great　joy　does　he　have　of
it　all　night；　but　he　takes　good　care　that　no　one　sees　him。　When
he　has　lain　down　in　his　bed；　he　delights　and　consoles　him　self
fruitlessly　with　that　in　which　there　is　no　delight；　all　night　he
embraces　the　shirt；　and　when　he　beholds　the　hair　he　thinks　he　is
lord　of　all　the　world。　Truly　Love　makes　a　wise　man　a　fool：　since
he　has　joy；　he　will　change　his　pastime　before　the　bright　dawn　and
the　sunlight。　The　traitors　are　holding　counsel　as　to　what　they
will　be　able　to　do　and　what　will　become　of　them。　Long　time　they
will　be　able　to　defend　the　castle；　that　is　a　certainty　if　they
apply　themselves　to　the　defence；　but　they　know　that　the　king　is
of　so　fierce　a　courage　that　in　all　his　life　he　will　never　turn
away　until　he　has　taken　it；　then　they　must　needs　die。　And　if　they
surrender　the　castle　they　expect　no　grace　for　that。　Thus　the　one
lot　or　the　other；　it　has　fallen　out　ill　for　them；　for　they　have
no　reinforcement；　and　they　see　death　on　all　sides。　But　the　end　of
their　deliberation　is　that　to…morrow；　before　day　appears；　they
resolve　to　issue　forth　secretly　from　the　castle；　and　to　fall　on
the　host　unarmed；　and　the　knights　asleep；　since　they　will　still
be　lying　in　their　beds。　Before　these　have　awakened；　apparelled
and　equipped；　themselves；　they　will　have　made　such　slaughter　that
ever　hereafter　shall　be　related　the　battle　of　that　night。　To　this
plan　all　the　traitors　cling　from　desperation；　for　they　have　no
confidence　as　to　their　lives。　Lack　of　hope　as　to　the　outcome
emboldens　them　to　the　battle；　for　they　see　no　issue　for
themselves　except　through　death　or　prison。　Such　an　issue　is　no
wholesome　one；　nor　need　they　trouble　to　flee；　nor　do　they　see
where　they　could　find　refuge　if　they　should　have　fled；　for　the
sea　and　their　enemies　are　around　them；　and　they　in　the　midst。　No
longer　do　they　tarry　at　their　council：　now　they　apparel　and　arm
themselves；　and　issue　forth　towards　the　north…west　by　an　ancient
postern　towards　that　side　whence　they　thought　that　those　of　the
host　would　least　expect　to　see　them　come。　In　serried　ranks　they
sallied　forth：　of　their　men　they　made　five　battalions；　and　there
were　no　less　than　two　thousand　foot…soldiers　well　equipped　for
battle　and　a　thousand　knights　in　each。　This　night　neither　star
nor　moon　had　shown　its　rays　in　the　sky；　but　before　they　had
reached　the　tents　the　moon　began　to　rise；　and；　I　believe　that
just　to　vex　them；　it　rose　earlier　than　it　was　wont；　and　God　who
wished　to　injure　them　lit　up　the　dark　night；　for　He　had　no　care
of　their　army；　rather　He　hated　them　for　their　sin　with　which　they
were　tainted　for　traitors　and　treason　which　God　hates　more　than
any　other　crime；　so　the　moon　began　to　shine　because　it　was　doomed
to　injure　them。

The　moon　was　veritably　hostile　to　them；　for　it　shone　on　their
glittering　shields；　and　the　helmets　likewise　greatly　embarrass
them；　for　they　reflect　the　light　of　the　moon　for　the　sentries　who
were　set　to　guard　the　host　see　them；　and　they　cry　throughout　all
the　host：　〃Up；　knights！　Up；　rise　quickly！　Take　your　arms；　arm
yourselves！　Behold　the　traitors　upon　us！〃　Through　all　the　host
they　spring　to　arms；　they　rouse　themselves　and　don　with　haste
their　harness；　as　men　must　do　in　case　of　stress。　Never　did　a
single　one　of　them　stir　forth　till　they　were　fully　equipped；　and
all　mounted　on　their　steeds。　While　they　are　arming；　the　enemy；　on
the　other　hand；　who　greatly　desire　the　battle；　are　bestirring
themselves；　so　that　they　may　take　them　unawares　and　likewise　find
them　unarmed；　and　they　send　forth　their　men　whom　they　had　divided
into　five　bands。　Some　kept　beside　the　wood；　others　came　along　the
river；　the　third　placed　themselves　in　the　plain；　and　the　fourth
were　in　a　valley；　and　the　fifth　battalion　spurs　along　the　moat
that　surrounded　a　rock；　for　they　thought　to　swoop　down
impetuously　among　the　tents。　But　they　have　not　found　a　road　that
they　could　follow；　or　a　way　that　was　not　barred；　for　the　king's
men　block　their　way　as　they　very　proudly　defy　them　and　reproach
them　with　treason。　They　engage　with　the　iron　heads　of　their
lances；　so　that　they　splinter　and　break　them；　they　come　to　close
quarters　with　swords；　and　champion　strikes　champion　to　the　ground
and　makes　him　bite　the　dust；　each　side　strikes　down　its　foes；　and
as　fiercely　as　lions　devouring　whatsoever　they　can　seize　rush　on
their　prey；　so　fiercely　do　they　rush　on　their　foeaye；　and　more
fiercely。　On　both　sides；　of　a　truth；　there　was　very　great　loss　of
life　at　that　first　attack；　but　reinforcements　come　for　the
traitors；　who　defend　themselves　very　fiercely；　and　sell　their
lives　dear　when　they　can　keep　them　no　longer。　On　four　sides　they
see　their　battalions　coming　to　succour　them；　and　the　king's　men
gallop　upon　them　as　fast　as　they　can　spur。　They　rush　to　deal　them
such　blows　on　the　shields；　that　together　with　the　wounded　they
have　overthrown　more　than　five　hundred　of　them。　The　Greeks　spare
them　not　at　all。　Alexander　is　not　idle；　for　he　exerts　himself　to
act　bravely。　In　the　thickest　of　the　fray　he　rushes　so　impetuously
to　smite　a　traitor；　that　neither　shield　nor　hauberk　availed　one
whit　to　save　that　traitor　from　being　thrown　to　the　ground。　When
Alexander　has　made　a　truce　with　him　forsooth；　he　pays　his
attentions　to　anotherattentions　in　which　he　does　not　waste　or
lose　his　pains。　He　serves　him　in　such　valiant　sort　that　he　rends
his　soul　from　his　body；　and　the　house　remains　without　a　tenant。
After　these　two　Alexander　picks　a　quarrel　with　a　third：　he
strikes　a　right　noble　court　knight　through　both　flanks　in　such
wise　that　the　blood　gushes　out　of　the　wound　on　the　opposite　side；
and　the　soul　takes　leave　of　the　body；　for　the　foe　man　has
breathed　it　forth。　Many　a　one　he　kills；　many　a　one　he　maims；　for
like　the　forked　lightning　he　attacks　all　those　that　he　seeks　out。
Him　whom　he　strikes　with　lance　or　sword；　neither　corselet　nor
shield　protects。　His　comrades　also　are　very　lavish　in　spilling
blood　and　brains；　well　do　they　know　how　to　deal　their　blows。　And
the　king's　men　cut　down　so　many　that　they　break　and　scatter　them
like　common　folk　distraught。　So　many　dead　lie　o'er　the　fields　and
so　long　has　the　scour　lasted；　that　the　battle…array　was　broken　up
a　long　while　before　it　was　day；　and　the　line　of　dead　down　along
the　river　extended　five　leagues。　Count　Engres　leaves　his　standard
in　the　battle　and　steals　away；　and　he　has　taken　seven　of　his
companions　together　with　him。　He　has　returned　towards　his　castle
by　so　hidden　a　way　that　he　thinks　that　no　one　sees；　but　Alexander
marks　him；　for　he　sees　them　flee　from　the　host；　and　thinks　to
steal　away　and　meet　them；　so　that　no　one　will　know　where　he　has
gone。　But　before　he　was　in　the　valley　he　saw　as　many　as　thirty
knights　coming　after　him　along　a　path；　six　of　whom　were　Greeks；
and　the　other　four…and…twenty　Welsh；　for　they　thought　that　they
would　follow　him　at　a　distance　until　it　should　come　to　the　pinch。
When　Alexander　perceived　them　he　stopped　to　wait；　and　marks　which
way　those　who　are　returning　to　the　castle　take　until　he　sees　them
enter。　Then　he　begins　to　meditate　on　a　very　hazardous　venture　and
on　a　very　wondrous　stratagem。　And　when　he　had　finished　all　his
thinking；　he　turns　towards　his　comrades；　and　thus　has　related　and
said　to　them：　〃Lords；〃　quoth　he；　〃without　gainsaying　me；　if　ye
wish　to　have　my　love；　whether　it　be　prompted　by　folly　or　wisdom；
grant　me　my　wish。〃　And　they　have　granted　it；　for　never　will　they
refuse　him　anything　that　he　may　choose　to　do。　〃Let　us　change　our
insignia；〃　quoth　he；　〃let　us　take　shields　and　lances　from　the
traitors　that　we　have　slain。　Thus　we　shall　go　towards　the　castle；
and　the　traitors　within　will　think　that　we　are　of　their　party；
and　whatever　the　requital　may　be　the　doors　will　be　opened　to　us。
Know　ye　in　what　wise　we　shall　requite　them？　We　shall　take　them
all　or　dead　or　living　if　God　grant　it　us；　and　　if　any　of　you
repent　you　know　that　as　long　as　I　live；　I　shall　never　love　him
with　a　good　heart。〃

All　grant　him　his　will：　they　go　and　seize　the　shields　from　the
Dead；　and　they　arrive　with　this　equipment。　And　the　folk　of　the
castle　had　mounted　to　the　battlements　of　the　tower；　for　they
recognised　the　shields　full　well　and　think　that　they　belong　to
their　own　men；　for　they　were　unsuspicious　of　the　ambush　which
lurks　beneath　the　shields。　The　porter　opens　the　door　to　them　and
has　received　them　within。　He　is　so　beguiled　and　deceived　that　he
does　not　address　them　at　all；　and　not　one　of　them　breathes　a
word；　but　they　pass　on　mute　and　silent；　feigning　such　grief　that
they　drag　their　lances　behind　them　and　bend　beneath　their
shields；　so　that　it　seems　that　they　are　sorrowing　greatly；　and
they　go　in　whatever　direction　they　wish　until　they　have　passed
the　three　walls。　Up　yonder　they　find　so　many　foot…soldiers　and
knights　with　the　count；　I　cannot　tell　you　the　number　of　them；　but
they　were　all　unarmed　except　the　eight　alone；　who　had　returned
from　the　army；　and　these　even　were　preparing　to　take　off　their
armour。　But　they　might　well　prove　over…hasty；　for　those　who　have
come　upon　them　up　yonder　no　longer　hid　themselves；　but　put　their
steeds　to　the　gallop。　All　press　on　their　stirrups　and　fall　upon
them　and　attack　them；　so　that　they　strike　dead　thirty…and…one
before　they　have　given　the　challenge。　The　traitors　are　much
dismayed　thereat　and　cry；　〃Betrayed！　Betrayed！〃　But　Alexander　and
his　friends　are　not　confused；　for　as　soon　as　they　find　them　all
unarmed　they　test　their　swords　well　there。　Even　three　of　those
whom　they　found　armed　have　they　so　served　that　they　have　only
left　five。　Count　Engres　has　rushed　forward；　and　before　the　eyes
of　all　goes　to　strike　Calcedor　on　his　golden　shield；　so　that　he
throws　him　to　the　ground　dead。　Alexander　is　much　grieved　when　he
sees　his　comrade　slain；　he　well…nigh　goes　mad　with　the　fury　that
comes　upon　him。　His　reason　is　dimmed　with　anger；　but　his　strength
and　courage　are　doubled；　and　he　goes　to　strike　the　count　with
such　a　mighty　force　that　his　lance　breaks；　for　willingly；　if　he
could；　would　he　avenge　the　death　of　his　friend。　But　the　count　was
of　g