The duke
saw no joke in this affair; and, swearing by God and all His
saints that he will take no joy or pride in life so long as the
slayer of his nephew remains alive, he adds that whoever will
bring him his head will be his friend and will serve him well.
Then a knight made boast that if he can find the guilty man, he
will present him with Cliges' head. Cliges follows the young men
until he falls among the Saxons, when he is seen by him who had
undertaken to carry off his head, and who starts after him
without delay. But Cliges haste had turned back to escape from
his enemies and came in to where he had left his companions; he
found none there, for they had returned to camp to relate their
adventure. And the emperor ordered to horse the Greeks and
Germans in one band. Soon all through the camp the knights are
arming and mounting. Meanwhile Cliges is hotly pursued by his
enemy, all armed and with helmet closed. Cliges, who never
wished to be numbered among the coward and craven-hearted,
notices that he comes alone. First, the knight challenged him,
calling him "fellow," unable to conceal his rage: "Young fellow,"
he cried, "thou shalt leave me here a pledge for my lord whom
thou hast killed. If I do not carry away thy head with me, I am
not worth a counterfeit besant.
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