Chapter Ten: On Board the Galley
Rosamund was led from the Hall of Steeple across the meadow downto the quay at Steeple Creek, where a great boat waited--that ofwhich the brethren had found the impress in the mud. In this theband embarked, placing their dead and wounded, with one or twoto tend them, in the fishing skiff that had belonged to herfather. This skiff having been made fast to the stern of theboat, they pushed off, and in utter silence rowed down the creektill they reached the tidal stream of the Blackwater, where theyturned their bow seawards. Through the thick night and thefalling snow slowly they felt their way along, sometimes rowing,sometimes drifting, while the false palmer Nicholas steered them.The journey proved dangerous, for they could scarcely see theshore, although they kept as close to it as they dared.
The end of it was that they grounded on a mud bank, and, do whatthey would, could not thrust themselves free. Now hope rose inthe heart of Rosamund, who sat still as a statue in the middle ofthe boat, the prince Hassan at her side and the armed men--twentyor thirty of them--all about her. Perhaps, she thought, theywould remain fast there till daybreak, and be seen and rescuedwhen the brethren woke from their drugged sleep. But Hassan readher mind, and said to her gently enough:
"Be not deceived, lady, for I must tell you that if the worstcomes to the worst, we shall place you in the little skiff and goon, leaving the rest to take their chance."
As it happened, at the full tide they floated off the bank anddrifted with the ebb down towards the sea. At the first break ofdawn she looked up, and there, looming large in the mist, lay agalley, anchored in the mouth of the river. Giving thanks toAllah for their safe arrival, the band brought her aboard and ledher towards the cabin. On the poop stood a tall man, who wascommanding the sailors that they should get up the anchor. As shecame he advanced to her, bowing and saying:
"Lady Rosamund, thus you find me once more, who doubtless younever thought to see again."
She looked at him in the faint light and her blood went cold. Itwas the knight Lozelle.
"You here, Sir Hugh?" she gasped.
"Where you are, there I am," he answered, with a sneer upon hiscoarse, handsome face. "Did I not swear that it should be so,beauteous Rosamund, after your saintly cousin worsted me in thefray?"
"You here?" she repeated, "you, a Christian knight, and in thepay of Saladin!"
"In the pay of anyone who leads me to you, Rosamund." Then,seeing the emir Hassan approach, he turned to give some orders tothe sailors, and she passed on to the cabin and in her agony fellupon her knees.
When Rosamund rose from them she felt that the ship was moving,and, desiring to look her last on Essex land, went out again uponthe poop, where Hassan and Sir Hugh placed themselves, one uponeither side of her. Then it was that she saw the tower of St.Peter's-on-the-Wall and her cousins seated on horseback in frontof it, the light of the risen sun shining upon their mail. Alsoshe saw Wulf spur his horse into the sea, and faintly heard hisgreat cry of "Fear not! We follow, we follow!"
A thought came to her, and she sprang towards the bulwark; butthey were watching and held her, so that all that she could dowas to throw up her arms in token.
Now the wind caught the sail and the ship went forward swiftly,so that soon she lost sight of them. Then in her grief and rageRosamund turned upon Sir Hugh Lozelle and beat him with bitterwords till he shrank before her.
"Coward and traitor!" she said. "So it was you who planned this,knowing every secret of our home, where often you were a guest!You who for Paynim gold have murdered my father, not daring toshow your face before his sword, but hanging like a thief uponthe coast, ready to receive what braver men had stolen. Oh! mayGod avenge his blood and me on you, false knight--false to Himand me and faith and honour--as avenge He will! Heard you notwhat my kinsman called to me? 'We follow. We follow!' Yes, theyfollow, and their swords--those swords you feared to lookon--shall yet pierce your heart and give up your soul to yourmaster Satan," and she paused, trembling with her righteouswrath, while Hassan stared at her and muttered:
"By Allah, a princess indeed! So have I seen Salah-ed-din look inhis rage. Yes, and she has his very eyes."
But Sir Hugh answered in a thick voice.
"Let them follow--one or both. I fear them not and out there myfoot will not slip in the snow."
"Then I say that it shall slip in the sand or on a rock," sheanswered, and turning, fled to the cabin and cast herself downand wept till she thought that her heart would break.
Well might Rosamund weep whose beloved sire was slain, who wastorn from her home to find herself in the power of a man shehated. Yet there was hope for her. Hassan, Eastern trickster ashe might be, was her friend; and her uncle, Saladin, at least,would never wish that she should be shamed. Most like he knewnothing of this man Lozelle, except as one of those Christiantraitors who were ever ready to betray the Cross for gold. ButSaladin was far away and her home lay behind her, and her cousinsand lovers were eating out their hearts upon that fading shore.And she--one woman alone--was on this ship with the evil manLozelle, who thus had kept his promise, and there were none saveEasterns to protect her, none save them--and God, Who hadpermitted that such things should be.
The ship swayed, she grew sick and faint. Hassan brought herfood with his own hands, but she loathed it who only desired todie. The day turned to night, the night turned to day again, andalways Hassan brought her food and strove to comfort her, till atlength she remembered no more.
Then came a long, long sleep, and in the sleep dreams of herfather standing with his face to the foe and sweeping them downwith his long sword as a sickle sweeps corn--of her father felledby the pilgrim knave, dying upon the floor of his own house, andsaying "God will guard you. His will be done." Dreams of Godwinand Wulf also fighting to save her, plighting their troths andswearing their oaths, and between the dreams blackness.
Rosamund awoke to feel the sun streaming warmly through theshutter of her cabin, and to see a woman who held a cup in herhand, watching her--a stout woman of middle age with a notunkindly face. She looked about her and remembered all. So shewas still in the ship.
"Whence come you?" she asked the woman.
"From France, lady. This ship put in at Marseilles, and there Iwas hired to nurse one who lay sick, which suited me very well,as I wished to go to Jerusalem to seek my husband, and good moneywas offered me. Still, had I known that they were all Saracens onthis ship, I am not sure that I should have come--that is, exceptthe captain, Sir Hugh, and the palmer Nicholas; though what they,or you either, are doing in such company I cannot guess."
"What is your name?" asked Rosamund idly.
"Marie--Marie Bouchet. My husband is a fishmonger, or was, untilone of those crusading priests got hold of him and took him offto kill Paynims and save his soul, much against my will. Well, Ipromised him that if he did not return in five years I would cometo look for him. So here I am, but where he may be is anothermatter."
"It is brave of you to go," said Rosamund, then added by anafterthought, "How long is it since we left Marseilles?"
Marie counted on her fat fingers, and answered:
"Five--nearly six weeks. You have been wandering in your mind allthat time, talking of many strange things, and we have called atthree ports. I forget their names, but the last one was an islandwith a beautiful harbour. Now, in about twenty days, if all goeswell, we should reach another island called Cyprus. But you mustnot talk so much, you must sleep. The Saracen called Hassan, whois a clever doctor, told me so."
So Rosamund slept, and from that time forward, floating on thecalm Mediterranean sea, her strength began to come back againrapidly, who was young and strong in body and constitution.Three days later she was helped to the deck, where the first manshe saw was Hassan, who came forward to greet her with manyEastern salutations and joy written on his dark, wrinkled face.
"I give thanks to Allah for your sake and my own," he said. "Foryours that you still live whom I thought would die, and formyself that had you died yo
ur life would have been required at myhands by Salah-ed-din, my master."
"If so, he should have blamed Azrael, not you," answeredRosamund, smiling; then suddenly turned cold, for before her wasSir Hugh Lozelle, who also thanked Heaven that she had recovered.She listened to him coldly, and presently he went away, but soonwas at her side again. Indeed, she could never be free of him,for whenever she appeared on deck he was there, nor could he berepelled, since neither silence nor rebuff would stir him. Alwayshe sat near, talking in his false, hateful voice, and devouringher with the greedy eyes which she could feel fixed upon herface. With him often was his jackal, the false palmer Nicholas,who crawled about her like a snake and strove to flatter her,but to this man she would never speak a word.
At last she could bear it no longer, and when her health hadreturned to her, summoned Hassan to her cabin.
"Tell me, prince," she said, "who rules upon this vessel?"
"Three people," he answered, bowing. "The knight, Sir HughLozelle, who, as a skilled navigator, is the captain and rulesthe sailors; I, who rule the fighting men; and you, Princess, whorule us all."
"Then I command that the rogue named Nicholas shall not beallowed to approach me. Is it to be borne that I must associatewith my father's murderer?"
"I fear that in that business we all had a hand, neverthelessyour order shall be obeyed. To tell you the truth, lady, I hatethe fellow, who is but a common spy."
"I desire also," went on Rosamund, "to speak no more with SirHugh Lozelle."
"That is more difficult," said Hassan, "since he is the captainwhom my master ordered me to obey in all things that have to dowith the ship."
"I have nothing to do with the ship," answered Rosamund; "andsurely the princess of Baalbec, if so I am, may choose her owncompanions. I wish to see more of you and less of Sir HughLozelle."
"I am honoured," replied Hassan, "and will do my best."
For some days after this, although he was always watching her,Lozelle approached Rosamund but seldom, and whenever he did so hefound Hassan at her side, or rather standing behind her like aguard.
At length, as it chanced, the prince was taken with a sicknessfrom drinking bad water which held him to his bed for some days,and then Lozelle found his opportunity. Rosamund strove to keepher cabin to avoid him, but the heat of the summer sun in theMediterranean drove her out of it to a place beneath an awning onthe poop, where she sat with the woman Marie. Here Lozelleapproached her, pretending to bring her food or to inquire afterher comfort, but she would answer him nothing. At length, sinceMarie could understand what he said in French, he addressed herin Arabic, which he spoke well, but she feigned not to understandhim. Then he used the English tongue as it was talked among thecommon people in Essex, and said:
"Lady, how sorely you misjudge me. What is my crime against you?I am an Essex man of good lineage, who met you in Essex andlearnt to love you there. Is that a crime, in one who is notpoor, who, moreover, was knighted for his deeds by no mean hand?Your father said me nay, and you said me nay, and, stung by mydisappointment and his words--for he called me sea-thief andraked up old tales that are not true against me--I talked as Ishould not have done, swearing that I would wed you yet in spiteof all. For this I was called to account with justice, and yourcousin, the young knight Godwin, who was then a squire, struck mein the face. Well, he worsted and wounded me, fortune favouringhim, and I departed with my vessel to the East, for that is mybusiness, to trade between Syria and England.
"Now, as it chanced, there being peace at the time between theSultan and the Christians, I visited Damascus to buy merchandise.Whilst I was there Saladin sent for me and asked if it were truethat I belonged to a part of England called Essex. When Ianswered yes, he asked if I knew Sir Andrew D'Arcy and hisdaughter. Again I said yes, whereon he told me that strange taleof your kinship to him, of which I had heard already; also astill stranger tale of some dream that he had dreamed concerningyou, which made it necessary that you should be brought to hiscourt, where he was minded to raise you to great honour. In theend, he offered to hire my finest ship for a large sum, if Iwould sail it to England to fetch you; but he did not tell methat any force was to be used, and I, on my part, said that Iwould lift no hand against you or your father, nor indeed have Idone so."
"Who remembered the swords of Godwin and Wulf," broke in Rosamundscornfully, "and preferred that braver men should face them."
"Lady," answered Lozelle, colouring, "hitherto none have accusedme of a lack of courage. Of your courtesy, listen, I pray you. Idid wrong to enter on this business; but lady, it was love foryou that drove me to it, for the thought of this long voyage inyour company was a bait I could not withstand."
"Paynim gold was the bait you could not withstand--that is whatyou mean. Be brief, I pray you. I weary.
"Lady, you are harsh and misjudge me, as I will show," and helooked about him cautiously. "Within a week from now, if all goeswell, we cast anchor at Limazol in Cyprus, to take in food andwater before we run to a secret port near Antioch, whence you areto be taken overland to Damascus, avoiding all cities of theFranks. Now, the Emperor Isaac of Cyprus is my friend, and overhim Saladin has no power. Once in his court, you would be safeuntil such time as you found opportunity to return to England.This, then, is my plan--that you should escape from the ship atnight as I can arrange."
"And what is your payment," she asked, "who are a merchantknight?"
"My payment, lady, is--yourself. In Cyprus we will be wed--oh!think before you answer. At Damascus many dangers await you; withme you will find safety and a Christian husband who loves youwell--so well that for your sake he is willing to lose his shipand, what is more, to break faith with Saladin, whose arm islong."
"Have done," she said coldly. "Sooner will I trust myself to anhonest Saracen than to you, Sir Hugh, whose spurs, if you metyour desert, should be hacked from your heels by scullions. Yes,sooner would I take death for my lord than you, who for your ownbase ends devised the plot that brought my father to his murderand me to slavery. Have done, I say, and never dare again tospeak of love to me," and rising, she walked past him to hercabin.
But Lozelle looking after her muttered to himself, "Nay, fairlady, I have but begun; nor will I forget your bitter words, forwhich you shall pay the merchant knight in kisses."
From her cabin Rosamund sent a message to Hassan, saying thatshe would speak with him.
He came, still pale with illness, and asked her will, whereon shetold him what had passed between Lozelle and herself, demandinghis protection against this man.
Hassan's eyes flashed.
"Yonder he stands," he said, "alone. Will you come with me andspeak to him?"
She bowed her head, and giving her his hand, he led her to thepoop.
"Sir captain," he began, addressing Lozelle, "the Princess heretells me a strange story--that you have dared to offer your loveto her, by Allah! to her, a niece of Salah-ed-din."
"What of it, Sir Saracen?" answered Lozelle, insolently. "Is nota Christian knight fit mate for the blood of an Eastern chief?Had I offered her less than marriage, you might have spoken."
"You!" answered Hassan, with rage in his low voice, "you,huckstering thief and renegade, who swear by Mahomet in Damascusand by your prophet Jesus in England--ay, deny it not, I haveheard you, as I have heard that rogue, Nicholas, your servant.You, her fit mate? Why, were it not that you must guide thisship, and that my master bade me not to quarrel with you tillyour task was done, I would behead you now and cut from yourthroat the tongue that dared to speak such words," and as hespoke he gripped the handle of his scimitar.
Lozelle quailed before his fierce eyes, for well he knew Hassan,and knew also that if it came to fighting his sailors were nomatch for the emir and his picked Saracens.
"When our duty is done you shall answer for those words," hesaid, trying to look brave.
"By Allah! I hold you to the promise," replied Hassan. "BeforeSalah-ed-din I will answer for them when and where you will, asyou shall answer t
o him for your treachery."
"Of what, then, am I accused?" asked Lozelle. "Of loving the ladyRosamund, as do all men--perhaps yourself, old and withered asyou are, among them?"
"Ay, and for that crime I will repay you, old and withered as Iam, Sir Renegade. But with Salah-ed-din you have another score tosettle--that by promising her escape you tried to seduce her fromthis ship, where you were sworn to guard her, saying that youwould find her refuge among the Greeks of Cyprus."
"Were this true," replied Lozelle, "the Sultan might have causeof complaint against me. But it is not true. Hearken, since speakI must. The lady Rosamund prayed me to do this deed, and I toldher that for my honour's sake it is not possible, although it wastrue that I loved her now as always, and would dare much for her.Then she said that if I did but save her from you Saracens, Ishould not go without my reward, since she would wed me. Again,although it cost me sore, I answered that it might not be, butwhen once I had brought my ship to land, I was her true knight,and being freed of my oath, would do my best to save her."
"Princess, you hear," said Hassan, turning to Rosamund. "What sayyou?"
"I say," she answered coldly, "that this man lies to savehimself. I say, moreover, that I answered to him, that soonerwould I die than that he should lay a finger on me."
"I hold also that he lies," said Hassan. "Nay; unclasp thatdagger if you would live to see another sun. Here, I will notfight with you, but Salah-ed-din shall learn all this case whenwe reach his court, and judge between the word of the princess ofBaalbec and of his hired servant, the false Frank and pirate, SirHugh Lozelle."
"Let him learn it--when we reach his court," answered Lozelle,with meaning; then added, "Have you aught else to say to me,prince Hassan? Because if not, I must be attending to thebusiness of my ship, which you suppose that I was about toabandon to win a lady's smile."
"Only this, that the ship is the Sultan's and not yours, for hebought it from you, and that henceforth this lady will be guardedday and night, and doubly guarded when we come to the shores ofCyprus, where it seems that you have friends. Understand andremember."
"I understand, and certainly I will remember," replied Lozelle,and so they parted.
"I think," said Rosamund, when he had gone, "that we shall befortunate if we land safe in Syria."
"That was in my mind, also, lady. I think, too, that I haveforgot my wisdom, but my heart rose against this man, and beingstill weak from sickness, I lost my judgment and spoke what wasin my heart, who would have done better to wait. Now, perhaps, itwill be best to kill him, if it were not that he alone has theskill to navigate the ship, which is a trade that he has followedfrom his youth. Nay, let it go as Allah wills. He is just, andwill bring the matter to judgment in due time."
"Yes, but to what judgment?" asked Rosamund.
"I hope to that of the sword," answered Hassan, as he bowed andleft her.
From that time forward armed men watched all the night throughbefore Rosamund's cabin, and when she walked the deck armed menwalked after her. Nor was she troubled by Lozelle, who sought tospeak with her no more, or to Hassan either. Only with the manNicholas he spoke much.
At length upon one golden evening--for Lozelle was a skilfulpilot, one of the best, indeed, who sailed those seas--they cameto the shores of Cyprus, and cast anchor. Before them, stretchedalong the beach, lay the white town of Limazol, with palm treesstanding up amidst its gardens, while beyond the fertile plainrose the mighty mountain range of Trooidos. Sick and weary of theendless ocean, Rosamund gazed with rapture at this green andbeauteous shore, the home of so much history, and sighed to thinkthat on it she might set no foot. Lozelle saw her look and heardher sigh, and as he climbed into the boat which had come out torow him into the harbour, mocked her, saying:
"Will you not change your mind, lady, and come with me to visitmy friend, the Emperor Isaac? I swear that his court is gay, notpacked full of sour Saracens or pilgrims thinking of their souls.In Cyprus they only make pilgrimages to Paphos yonder, whereVenus was born from out the foam, and has reigned since thebeginning of the world--ay, and will reign until its end."
Rosamund made no answer, and Lozelle, descending into the boat,was rowed shorewards through the breakers by the dark-skinned,Cyprian oarsmen, who wore flowers in their hair and sang as theylaboured at the oars.
For ten whole days they rolled off Limazol, although the weatherwas fair and the wind blew straight for Syria. When Rosamundasked why they bided there so long, Hassan stamped his foot andsaid it was because the Emperor refused to supply them with morefood or water than was sufficient for their daily need, unlesshe, Hassan, would land and travel to an inland town calledNicosia, where his court lay, and there do homage to him. This,scenting a trap, he feared to do, nor could they put out to seawithout provisions.
"Cannot Sir Hugh Lozelle see to it?" asked Rosamund.
"Doubtless, if he will," answered Hassan, grinding his teeth;"but he swears that he is powerless."
So there they bode day after day, baked by the sweltering summersun and rocked to and fro on the long ocean rollers till theirhearts grew sick within them, and their bodies also, for some ofthem were seized with a fever common to the shores of Cyprus, ofwhich two died. Now and again some officer would come off fromthe shore with Lozelle and a little food and water, and bargainwith them, saying that before their wants were supplied theprince Hassan must visit the Emperor and bring with him the fairlady who was his passenger, whom he desired to see.
Hassan would answer no, and double the guard about Rosamund, forat nights boats appeared that cruised round them. In the daytimealso bands of men, fantastically dressed in silks, and with themwomen, could be seen riding to and fro upon the shore and staringat them, as though they were striving to make up their minds toattack the ship.
Then Hassan armed his grim Saracens and bade them stand in lineupon the bulwarks, drawn scimitar in hand, a sight that seemed tofrighten the Cypriotes--at least they always rode away towardsthe great square tower of Colossi.
At length Hassan would bear it no more. One morning Lozelle cameoff from Limazol, where he slept at night, bringing with himthree Cyprian lords, who visited the ship--not to bargain as theypretended, but to obtain sight of the beauteous princessRosamund. Thereon the common talk began of homage that must bepaid before food was granted, failing which the Emperor would bidhis seamen capture the ship. Hassan listened a while, thensuddenly issued an order that the lords should be seized.
"Now," he said to Lozelle, "bid your sailors haul up the anchor,and let us begone for Syria."
"But," answered the knight, "we have neither food nor water formore than one day."
"I care not," answered Hassan, "as well die of thirst andstarvation on the sea as rot here with fever. What we can bearthese Cyprian gallants can bear also. Bid the sailors lift theanchor and hoist the sail, or I loose my scimitars among them."
Now Lozelle stamped and foamed, but without avail, so he turnedto the three lords, who were pale with fear, and said:
"Which will you do: find food and water for this ship, or put tosea without them, which is but to die?"
They answered that they would go ashore and supply all that wasneedful.
"Nay," said Hassan, "you bide here until it comes."
In the end, then, this happened, for one of the lords chanced tobe a nephew of the Emperor, who, when he learned that he wascaptive, sent supplies in plenty. Thus it came about that theCyprian lords having been sent back with the last empty boat,within two days they were at sea again.
Now Rosamund missed the hated face of the spy, Nicholas, and toldHassan, who made inquiry, to find--or so said Lozelle--that hewent ashore and vanished there on the first day of their landingin Cyprus, though whether he had been killed in some brawl, orfallen sick, or hidden himself away, he did not know. Hassanshrugged his shoulders, and Rosamund was glad enough to be rid ofhim, but in her heart she wondered for what evil purpose Nicholashad left the ship.
When the galley was one day out from
Cyprus steering for thecoast of Syria, they fell into a calm such as is common in thoseseas in summer. This calm lasted eight whole days, during whichthey made but little progress. At length, when all were weary ofstaring at the oil-like sea, a wind sprang up that grew graduallyto a gale blowing towards Syria, and before it they fled alongswiftly. Worse and stronger grew that gale, till on the eveningof the second day, when they seemed in no little danger of beingpooped, they saw a great mountain far away, at the sight of whichLozelle thanked God aloud.
"Are those the mountains near Antioch?" asked Hassan.
"Nay," he answered, "they are more than fifty miles south ofthem, between Ladikiya and Jebela. There, by the mercy of Heaven,is a good haven, for I have visited it, where we can lie tillthis storm is past."
"But we are steering for Darbesak, not for a haven near Jebela,which is a Frankish port," answered Hassan, angrily.
"Then put the ship about and steer there yourself," said Lozelle,"and I promise you this, that within two hours every one of youwill be dead at the bottom of the sea."
Hassan considered. It was true, for then the waves would strikethem broadside on, and they must fill and sink.
"On your head be it," he answered shortly.
The dark fell, and by the light of the great lantern at theirprow they saw the white seas hiss past as they drove shorewardsbeneath bare masts. For they dared hoist no sail.
All that night they pitched and rolled, till the stoutest of themfell sick, praying God and Allah that they might have light bywhich to enter the harbour. At length they saw the top of theloftiest mountain grow luminous with the coming dawn, althoughthe land itself was still lost in shadow, and saw also that itseemed to be towering almost over them.
"Take courage," cried Lozelle, "I think that we are saved," andhe hoisted a second lantern at his masthead--why, they did notknow.
After this the sea began to fall, only to grow rough again for awhile as they crossed some bar, to find themselves in calm water,and on either side of them what appeared in the dim, uncertainlight to be the bush-clad banks of a river. For a while they ranon, till Lozelle called in a loud voice to the sailors to let theanchor go, and sent a messenger to say that all might rest now,as they were safe. So they laid them down and tried to sleep.
But Rosamund could not sleep. Presently she rose, and throwing onher cloak went to the door of the cabin and looked at the beautyof the mountains, rosy with the new-born light, and at the mistysurface of the harbour. It was a lonely place--at least, shecould see no town or house, although they were lying not fiftyyards from the tree-hidden shore. As she stood thus, she heardthe sound of boats being rowed through the mist, and perceivedthree or four of these approaching the ship in silence, perceivedalso that Lozelle, who stood alone upon the deck, was watchingtheir approach. Now the first boat made fast and a man in theprow rose up and began to speak to Lozelle in a low voice. As hedid so the hood fell back from his head, and Rosamund saw theface. It was that of the spy Nicholas! For a moment she stoodamazed, for they had left this man in Cyprus; then understandingcame to her and she cried aloud:
"Treachery! Prince Hassan, there is treachery."
As the words left her lips fierce, wild-looking men began toscramble aboard at the low waist of the galley, to which boatafter boat made fast. The Saracens also tumbled from the bencheswhere they slept and ran aft to the deck where Rosamund was, allexcept one of them who was cut off in the prow of the ship.Prince Hassan appeared, too, scimitar in hand, clad in hisjewelled turban and coat of mail, but without his cloak, shoutingorders as he came, while the hired crew of the ship flungthemselves upon their knees and begged for mercy. To him Rosamundcried out that they were betrayed and by Nicholas, whom she hadseen. Then a great man, wearing a white burnous and holding anaked sword in his hand, stepped forward and said in Arabic:
"Yield you now, for you are outnumbered and your captain iscaptured," and he pointed to Lozelle, who was being held by twomen while his arms were bound behind him.
"In whose name do you bid me yield?" asked the prince, glaringabout him like a lion in a trap.
"In the dread name of Sinan, in the name of the lord Al-je-bal, Oservant of Salah-ed-din."
At these words a groan of fear went up even from the braveSaracens, for now they learned that they had to do with theterrible chief of the Assassins.
"Is there then war between the Sultan and Sinan?" asked Hassan.
"Ay, there is always war. Moreover, you have one with you," andhe pointed to Rosamund, "who is dear to Salah-ed-din, whom,therefore, my master desires as a hostage."
"How knew you that?" said Hassan, to gain time while his menformed up.
"How does the lord Sinan know all things?" was the answer; "Come,yield, and perhaps he will show you mercy."
"Through spies," hissed Hassan, "such spies as Nicholas, who hascome from Cyprus before us, and that Frankish dog who is called aknight," and he pointed to Lozelle. "Nay, we yield not, and here,Assassins, you have to do not with poisons and the knife, butwith bare swords and brave men. Ay, and I warn you--and yourlord--that Salah-ed-din will take vengeance for this deed."
"Let him try it if he wishes to die, who hitherto has beenspared," answered the tall man quietly. Then he said to hisfollowers, "Cut them down, all save the women"--for theFrenchwoman, Marie, was now clinging to the arm of Rosamund--"andemir Hassan, whom I am commanded to bring living to Masyaf."
"Back to your cabin, lady," said Hassan, "and remember thatwhate'er befalls, we have done our best to save you. Ay, andtell it to my lord, that my honour may be clean in his eyes. Now,soldiers of Salah-ed-din, fight and die as he has taught you how.The gates of Paradise stand open, and no coward will enterthere."
They answered with a fierce, guttural cry. Then, as Rosamund fledto the cabin, the fray began, a hideous fray. On came theAssassins with sword and dagger, striving to storm the deck.Again and again they were beaten back, till the waist seemed fullof their corpses, as man by man they fell beneath the curvedscimitars, and again and again they charged these men who, whentheir master ordered, knew neither fear nor pity. But moreboatloads came from the shore, and the Saracens were but few,worn also with storm and sickness, so at last Rosamund, peepingbeneath her hand, saw that the poop was gained.
Here and there a man fought on until he fell beneath the cruelknives in the midst of the circle of the dead, among them thewarrior-prince Hassan. Watching him with fascinated eyes as hestrove alone against a host, Rosamund was put in mind of anotherscene, when her father, also alone, had striven thus against thatemir and his soldiers, and even then she bethought her of thejustice of God.
See! his foot slipped on the blood-stained deck. He was down, andere he could rise again they had thrown cloaks over him, thesefierce, silent men, who even with their lives at stake,remembered the command of their captain, to take him living. Soliving they took him, with not a wound upon his skin, who when hestruck them down, had never struck back at him lest the commandof Sinan should be broken.
Rosamund noted it, and remembering that his command was also thatshe should be brought to him unharmed, knew that she had noviolence to fear at the hands of these cruel murderers. From thisthought, and because Hassan still lived, she took such comfort asshe might.
"It is finished," said the tall man, in his cold voice. "Castthese dogs into the sea who have dared to disobey the command ofAl-je-bal."
So they took them up, dead and living together, and threw theminto the water, where they sank, nor did one of the woundedSaracens pray them for mercy. Then they served their own deadlikewise, but those that were only wounded they took ashore. Thisdone, the tall man advanced to the cabin and said:
"Lady, come, we are ready to start upon our journey."
Having no choice, Rosamund obeyed him, remembering as she wenthow from a scene of battle and bloodshed she had been broughtaboard that ship to be carried she knew not whither, which nowshe left in a scene of battle and bloodshed to be carried sheknew not whither.
"Oh!" sh
e cried aloud, pointing to the corpses they hurled intothe deep, "ill has it gone with these who stole me, and ill mayit go with you also, servant of Al-je-bal."
But the tall man answered nothing, as followed by the weepingMarie and the prince Hassan, he led her to the boat.
Soon they reached the shore, and here they tore Marie from her,nor did Rosamund ever learn what became of her, or whether or nothis poor woman found her husband whom she had dared so much toseek.
The Brethren Page 12