While this was going on the perfidious Charlot remained behind and gave his men the signal to advance.  That cowardly troop issued from the wood and encompassed the three knights.  All three were equally surprised at the attack, but neither of them suspected the other to have any hand in the treason.  Seeing the attack made equally upon them all, they united their efforts to resist it, and made the most forward of the assailants bite the dust.  Cortana fell on no one without inflicting a mortal wound, but the sword of Carahue was not of equal temper and broke in his hands.  At the same instant his horse was slain, and Carahue fell, without a weapon, and entangled with his prostrate horse.  Ogier, who saw it, ran to his defence, and leaping to the ground covered the prince with his shield, supplied him with the sword of one of the fallen ruffians, and would have him mount his own horse.  At that moment Charlot, inflamed with rage, pushed his horse upon Ogier, knocked him down, and would have run him through with his lance if Sadon, who saw the treason, had not sprung upon him and thrust him back.  Carahue leapt lightly upon the horse which Ogier presented him, and had time only to exclaim, “Brave Ogier, I am no longer your enemy, I pledge to you an eternal friendship,” when numerous Saracen knights were seen approaching, having discovered the treachery, and Charlot with his followers took refuge in the wood.

The troop which advanced was commanded by Dannemont, the exiled king of Denmark, whom Geoffroy, Ogier’s father, had driven from his throne and compelled to take refuge with the Saracens.  Learning who Ogier was, he instantly declared him his prisoner, in spite of the urgent remonstrances and even threats of Carahue and Sadon, and carried him under a strong guard to the Saracen camp.  Here he was at first subjected to the most rigorous captivity, but Carahue and Sadon insisted so vehemently on his release, threatening to turn their arms against their own party if it was not granted, while Dannemont as eagerly opposed the measure, that Corsuble, the Saracen commander, consented to a middle course, and allowed Ogier the freedom of his camp, upon his promise not to leave it without permission.

Carahue was not satisfied with this partial concession.  He left the city next morning, proceeded to the camp of Charlemagne, and demanded to be led to the Emperor.  When he reached his presence he dismounted from his horse, took off his helmet, drew his sword, and holding it by the blade presented it to Charlemagne as he knelt before him.

“Illustrious prince,” he said, “behold before you the herald who brought the challenge to your knights from the King of Mauritania.  The cowardly old King Dannemont has made the brave Ogier prisoner, and has prevailed on our general to refuse to give him up.  I come to make amends for this ungenerous conduct by yielding myself, Carahue, King of Mauritania, your prisoner.”