LVII

And after this another vision saw,

In France, at Aix, in his Chapelle once more,

That his right arm an evil bear did gnaw;

Out of Ardennes he saw a leopard stalk,

His body dear did savagely assault;

But then there dashed a harrier from the hall,

Leaping in the air he sped to Charle’s call,

First the right ear of that grim bear he caught,

And furiously the leopard next he fought.

Of battle great the Franks then seemed to talk,

Yet which might win they knew not, in his thought.

Charles sleeps on, nor wakens he for aught.