Carahue began by passing the warmest eulogium upon the knight who bore the Oriflamme on the day of the battle, and concluded by saying that Carahue, King of Mauritania, respected that knight so much that he challenged him to the combat.

Ogier had risen to reply, when he was interrupted by Charlot, who said that the gage of the King of Mauritania could not fitly be received by a vassal, living in captivity; by which he meant Ogier, who was at that time serving as hostage for his father.  Fire flashed from the eyes of Ogier, but the presence of the Emperor restrained his speech, and he was calmed by the kind looks of Charlemagne, who said, with an angry voice, “Silence, Charlot!  By the life of Bertha, my queen, he who has saved my life is as dear to me as yourself.  Ogier,” he continued, “you are no longer a hostage.  Herald! report my answer to your master, that never does knight of my court refuse a challenge on equal terms.  Ogier, the Dane, accepts of his, and I myself am his security.”

Carahue, profoundly bowing, replied, “My lord, I was sure that the sentiments of so great a sovereign as yourself would be worthy of your high and brilliant fame; I shall report your answer to my master, who I know admires you, and unwillingly takes arms against you.”  Then, turning to Charlot, whom he did not know as the son of the Emperor, he continued, “As for you, Sir Knight, if the desire of battle inflames you, I have it in charge from Sadon, cousin of the King of Mauritania, to give the like defiance to any French knights who will grant him the honor of the combat.”

Charlot, inflamed with rage and vexation at the public reproof which he had just received, hesitated not to deliver his gage.  Carahue received it with Ogier’s, and it was agreed that the combat should be on the next day in a meadow environed by woods and equally distant from both armies.

The perfidious Charlot meditated the blackest treason.  During the night he collected some knights unworthy of the name, and like himself in their ferocious manners; he made them swear to avenge his injuries, armed them in black armor, and sent them to lie in ambush in the wood, with orders to make a pretended attack upon the whole party, but in fact, to lay heavy hands upon Ogier and the two Saracens.

At the dawn of day Sadon and Carahue, attended tonly by two pages to carry their spears, took their way to the appointed meadow; and Charlot and Ogier repaired thither also, but by different paths.  Ogier advanced with a calm air, saluted courteously the two Saracen knights, and joined them in arranging the terms of combat.