Part 58 (1/2)

”Now I return to pay that price, and behold! your vision is fulfilled--or, at the least, you can fulfil it if G.o.d should touch your heart with grace, seeing that of my own will I am come to pray you, Salah-ed-din, to spare the city, and for its blood to accept mine as a token and an offering.

”Oh, my lord! as you are great, be merciful. What will it avail you in the day of your own judgment that you have added another eighty thousand to the tally of your slain, and with them many more thousands of your own folk, since the warriors of Jerusalem will not die unavenged? Give them their lives and let them go free, and win thereby the grat.i.tude of mankind and the forgiveness of G.o.d above.”

So Rosamund spoke, and stretching out her arms towards him, was silent.

”These things I offered to them, and they were refused,” answered Saladin. ”Why should I grant them now that they are conquered?”

”My lord, Strong-to-Aid,” said Rosamund, ”do you, who are so brave, blame yonder knights and soldiers because they fought on against desperate odds? Would you not have called them cowards if they had yielded up the city where their Saviour died and struck no blow to save it? Oh! I am outworn! I can say no more; but once again, most humbly and on my knees, I beseech you speak the word of mercy, and let not your triumph be dyed red with the blood of women and of little children.”

Then casting herself upon her face, Rosamund clasped the hem of his royal robe with her hands, and pressed it to her forehead.

So for a while she lay there in the s.h.i.+mmering moonlight, while utter silence fell upon all that vast mult.i.tude of armed men as they waited for the decree of fate to be uttered by the conqueror's lips. But Saladin sat still as a statue, gazing at the domes and towers of Jerusalem outlined against the deep blue sky.

”Rise,” he said at length, ”and know, niece, that you have played your part in a fas.h.i.+on worthy of my race, and that I, Salah-ed-din, am proud of you. Know also that I will weigh your prayer as I have weighed that of none other who breathes upon the earth. Now I must take counsel with my own heart, and to-morrow it shall be granted--or refused. To you, who are doomed to die, and to the knight who chooses to die with you, according to the ancient law and custom, I offer the choice of Islam, and with it life and honour.”

”We refuse,” answered Rosamund and Wulf with one voice. The Sultan bowed his head as though he expected no other answer, and glanced round, as all thought to order the executioners to do their office. But he said only to a captain of his Mameluks:

”Take them; keep them under guard and separate them, till my word of death comes to you. Your life shall answer for their safety.

Give them food and drink, and let no harm touch them until I bid you.”

The Mameluk bowed and advanced with his company of soldiers. As they prepared to go with them, Rosamund asked:

”Tell me of your grace, what of Masouda, my friend?”

”She died for you; seek her beyond the grave,” answered Saladin, whereat Rosamund hid her face with her hands and sighed.

”And what of G.o.dwin, my brother?” cried Wulf; but no answer was given him.

Now Rosamund turned; stretching out her arms towards Wulf, she fell upon his breast. There, then, in the presence of that countless army, they kissed their kiss of betrothal and farewell.

They spoke no word, only ere she went Rosamund lifted her hand and pointed upwards to the sky.

Then a murmur rose from the mult.i.tude, and the sound of it seemed to shape itself into one word: ”Mercy!”

Still Saladin made no sign, and they were led away to their prisons.

Among the thousands who watched this strange and most thrilling scene were two men wrapped in long cloaks, G.o.dwin and the bishop Egbert. Thrice did G.o.dwin strive to approach the throne. But it seemed that the soldiers about him had their commands, for they would not suffer him to stir or speak; and when, as Rosamund pa.s.sed, he strove to break a way to her, they seized and held him. Yet as she went by he cried:

”The blessing of Heaven be upon you, pure saint of G.o.d--on you and your true knight.”

Catching the tones of that voice above the tumult, Rosamund stopped and looked around her, but saw no one, for the guard hemmed her in. So she went on, wondering if perchance it was G.o.dwin's voice which she had heard, or whether an angel, or only some Frankish prisoner had spoken.

G.o.dwin stood wringing his hands while the bishop strove to comfort him, saying that he should not grieve, since such deaths as those of Rosamund and Wulf were most glorious, and more to be desired than a hundred lives.

”Ay, ay,” answered G.o.dwin, ”would that I could go with them!”

”Their work is done, but not yours,” said the bishop gently.

”Come to our tent and let us to our knees. G.o.d is more powerful than the Sultan, and mayhap He will yet find a way to save them.

If they are still alive tomorrow at the dawn we will seek audience of Saladin to plead with him.”