When the lovely Alda arrived she was warmly received by Karl and all his warriors. "Blessed emperor, guardian of widows and orphans," she said, "where did you leave Roland? Give me back the man to whom you promised me as wife. How happy I would be to see him!"
"Dear, dear Alda," Karl replied, "I won't lie to you. You can't have him or ever see him again for, sad to say, he is dead and buried. But I'll gladly make amends, so don't be too distressed. I'll marry you to the noble Ludwig and make you queen of all France."
"What is to become of poor me!" she exclaimed. "Don't speak to me of Ludwig or any other man. If I can't have Roland, I want to die! Creator of all things," she cried, falling to the ground in despair, "having given me to him for a wife, why did You take him away? What am I to do now? I pray, Child of a virgin, that I may go as a pure maiden where all maidens are welcome. I commend my soul to your keeping, Queen of all angels, because I don't want to leave here alive." She became very pale. The emperor wanted to help her but, when he lifted her, he found that she was dead. Therein God revealed His wondrous power. She was buried with other holy women.
