then took the Cid by the hand and led him apart, and said unto him,
Thou well knowest my Cid, that when the King my father commended thee
unto me, he charged me upon pain of his curse that I should take you
for my adviser, and whatever I did that I should do it with your
counsel, and I have done so even until this day; and thou hast alway
counselled me for the best, and for this I have given thee a county in
my kingdom, holding it well bestowed. Now then I beseech you advise me
how best to recover these kingdoms, for if I have not counsel from you
I do not expect to have it from any man in the world.

V. Greatly troubled at this was the Cid, and he answered and said, Ill,
Sir, would it behove me to counsel you that you should go against the
will of your father. You well know that when I went to Cabezon unto
him, after he had divided his kingdoms, how he made me swear to him
that I would alway counsel his sons the best I could, and never give
them ill counsel; and while I can, thus must I continue to do. But the
King answered, My Cid, I do not hold that in this I am breaking the
oath made to my father, for I ever said that the partition should not
be, and the oath which I made was forced upon me. Now King Don Garcia
my brother hath broken the oath, and all these kingdoms by right are
mine: and therefore I will that you counsel me how I may unite them,
for from so doing there is nothing in this world which shall prevent
me, except it be death. Then when the Cid saw that he could by no means
turn him from that course, he advised him to obtain the love of his
brother King Don Alfonso, that he might grant him passage through his
kingdom to go against Don Garcia: and if this should be refused he
counselled him not to make the attempt. And the King saw that his
counsel was good, and sent his letters to King Don Alfonso beseeching
him to meet him at Sahagun. When King Don Alfonso received the letters
he marvelled to what end this might be: howbeit he sent to say that he