_The Last Blessing of the Archbishop._ While the pagans are spurring
towards Saragossa, Roland remains on the battle-field, for, having
lost his steed and being mortally wounded, he cannot attempt to pursue
them. After tenderly removing the archbishop's armor, binding up his
wounds, and placing him comfortably on the ground, Roland brings him
the twelve peers, so he can bless them for the last time. Although
Archbishop Turpin admonishes him to hasten, Roland is so weak, that he
slowly and painfully collects the corpses from mountain and valley,
laying them one by one at the feet of the archbishop, who, with right
hand raised, bestows his blessing. While laying Oliver at Turpin's
feet, Roland faints from grief, so the prelate painfully raises
himself, and, seizing the hero's horn, tries to get down to the brook
to bring him some water. Such is his weakness, however, that he
stumbles and falls dead, face to the ground, before he can fulfil his
kindly intention.

On recovering consciousness and seeing nothing save corpses around
him, Roland exults to think that Charlemagne will find forty dead
Saracens for every slain Frenchman! Then, feeling his brain slowly
ooze out through his ears, Roland--after reciting a prayer for his
dead companions--grasps his sword in one hand and his horn in the
other, and begins to climb a neighboring hill. He tries to reach its
summit because he has always boasted he would die face toward the
enemy, and he longs to look defiance toward Spain until the end.

Painfully reaching the top of this eminence, Roland stumbles and falls
across a Saracen, who has been feigning death to escape capture.
Seeing the dreaded warrior unconscious, this coward seizes his sword,
loudly proclaiming he has triumphed; but, at his first touch,