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The watchman, unable to keep his eyes off the cup, so greatly did he admire it, offered, if his guest would play him for it, to stake a thousand byzants on his side. 'Sell or game away the cup I may not, replied Fleur; 'but for help in the time of need I will freely give it.
His legerdemain can transform zechins and byzants into doits and maravedis; but can his art convert a Christian knight, ever esteemed among the bravest of the Holy Crusade, into the dust-kissing slave of a heathen Soldan the bearer of a paynim's insolent proposals to a Christian maiden nay, forgetting the laws of honourable chivalry, as well as of religion?
You are the leader of our expedition the sword and buckler of Christendom." "I protest against such a combat," said the Venetian proveditore, "until the King of England shall have repaid the fifty thousand byzants which he is indebted to the republic.
"You see," said the Queen, appealing to Edith, as if she had exhausted all means of intercession in her power; "I knew it the King will not receive us." At the same time, they heard Richard speak to some one within: "Go, speed thine office quickly, sirrah, for in that consists thy mercy ten byzants if thou dealest on him at one blow.
"Ay!" added Prince John, without heeding him, "and there is my Mammon of unrighteousness too the Marquis of Marks, the Baron of Byzants, contesting for place with penniless dogs, whose threadbare cloaks have not a single cross in their pouches to keep the devil from dancing there. By the body of St Mark, my prince of supplies, with his lovely Jewess, shall have a place in the gallery!
'A hundred byzants a side, said Fleur. 'Done with you! cried the host; and when, at his call, a chess-board of ebony and ivory was brought, the two sate down to play.
When this intended expedition came to the knowledge of the inhabitants of Sidon, and they understood that a powerful army of pilgrims lay in readiness at Joppa, to assist the king of Jerusalem, they were afraid of being subdued and destroyed by the Christians, as Caesaria, Assur, Acre, Cayphas, and Tabaria had already been; and they sent secret emissaries to the king, offering a large sum of money in gold byzants, and a considerable yearly tribute, on condition that he would spare their lives and refrain from the intended siege.
"Nay," said Isaac, releasing his hold, "it grieveth me as much to see the drops of his blood, as if they were so many golden byzants from mine own purse; and I well know, that the lessons of Miriam, daughter of the Rabbi Manasses of Byzantium whose soul is in Paradise, have made thee skilful in the art of healing, and that thou knowest the craft of herbs, and the force of elixirs.
Next day the stakes rose to four hundred byzants on either side, and were won by Fleur, who promptly relieved the horror of his host at such heavy loss by handing over to him the entire eight hundred.
"Why," said Wamba, "an your valour be so dull, you will please to learn that those honest fellows balance a good deed with one not quite so laudable; as a crown given to a begging friar with an hundred byzants taken from a fat abbot, or a wench kissed in the greenwood with the relief of a poor widow." "Which of these was the good deed, which was the felony?" interrupted the Knight.
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