“It may be the Fiend,” said Charlemagne to himself, spurring his steed.

But though he rode faster and faster, his strange companion kept pace with him.  At length the Emperor reined in his steed, and demanded to know who the stranger might be.  The black knight refused to answer his questions, and the two thereupon engaged in furious combat.  Again and again the onslaught was renewed, till at last Charlemagne succeeded in cleaving his opponent’s blade.

“My life is yours,” said the black knight.

“Nay,” replied the monarch, “what would I with your life?  Tell me who you are, for you have fought gallantly this night.”

The stranger drew himself up and replied with simple dignity, “I am Elbegast.”

Charlemagne was delighted at thus having his wish fulfilled.  He refused to divulge his name, but intimated that he, too, was a robber, and proposed that they should join forces for the night.

“I have it,” said he.  “We will rob the Emperor’s treasury.  I think I could show you the way.”

The black knight paused.  “Never yet,” he said, “have I wronged the Emperor, and I shall not do so now.  But at no great distance stands the castle of Eggerich von Eggermond, brother-in-law to the Emperor.  He has persecuted the poor and betrayed the innocent to death.  If he could, he would take the life of the Emperor himself, to whom he owes all.  Let us repair thither.”

Near their destination they tied their horses to a tree and strode across the fields.  On the way Charlemagne wrenched off the iron share from a plough, remarking that it would be an excellent tool wherewith to bore a hole in the castle wall—­a remark which his comrade received in silence, though not without surprise.  When they arrived at the castle Elbegast seemed anxious to see the ploughshare at work, for he begged Charlemagne to begin operations.

“I know not how to find entrance,” said the latter.

“Let us make a hole in the wall,” the robber-knight suggested, producing a boring instrument of great strength.  The Emperor gallantly set to work with his ploughshare, though, as the wall was ten feet thick, it is hardly surprising that he was not successful.  The robber, laughing at his comrade’s inexperience, showed him a wide chasm which his boring instrument had made, and bade him remain there while he fetched the spoil.  In a very short time he returned with as much plunder as he could carry.

“Let us get away,” said the Emperor.  “We can carry no more.”

“Nay,” said Elbegast, “but I would return, with your permission.  In the chamber occupied by Eggerich and his wife there is a wonderful caparison, made of gold and covered with little bells.  I want to prove my skill by carrying it off.”

“As you will,” was Charlemagne’s laughing response.

Without a sound Elbegast reached the bedchamber of his victim, and was about to raise the caparison when he suddenly stumbled and all the bells rang out clearly.