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The Sultan, Salah-ed-din, having been informed of this matter by his servant, the prince Hassan, who escaped from your soldiers, demands that this lady, his niece, be delivered to him forthwith, and with her the head of the Frank Lozelle." "The head of the Frank Lozelle he may have if he will after to-morrow night. The lady I keep," snarled Sinan. "What then?"
"Before Salah-ed-din I will answer for them when and where you will, as you shall answer to him for your treachery." "Of what, then, am I accused?" asked Lozelle. "Of loving the lady Rosamund, as do all men perhaps yourself, old and withered as you are, among them?" "Ay, and for that crime I will repay you, old and withered as I am, Sir Renegade.
Then in her grief and rage Rosamund turned upon Sir Hugh Lozelle and beat him with bitter words 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!
"Then, dog, why did you try to run away when you saw our faces?" asked Wulf. Masouda held up her hand and began to interpret, addressing Lozelle, and speaking in the first person as the "mouth" of Sinan. "I thank you for your service who have served me before. Your messenger came, a Frank whom I knew in old days.
"So I trust, but all the tale is very strange. How came they to know that you and Rosamund were riding that day to St. Peter's-on-the-Wall, and so were able to waylay you? Surely some spy must have warned them, since that they were no common pirates is evident, for they spoke of Lozelle, and bade you two begone unharmed, as it was Rosamund whom they needed.
"For yours that you still live whom I thought would die, and for myself that had you died your life would have been required at my hands by Salah-ed-din, my master." "If so, he should have blamed Azrael, not you," answered Rosamund, smiling; then suddenly turned cold, for before her was Sir Hugh Lozelle, who also thanked Heaven that she had recovered.
"Lady," answered Lozelle, colouring, "hitherto none have accused me of a lack of courage. Of your courtesy, listen, I pray you. I did wrong to enter on this business; but lady, it was love for you that drove me to it, for the thought of this long voyage in your company was a bait I could not withstand." "Paynim gold was the bait you could not withstand that is what you mean. Be brief, I pray you.
"Nay," answered Sinan; "yonder knight has lost his shield. New lances that is all." So they gave him a fresh lance, and, presently, at the blast of the trumpets again the horses were seen speeding together over the narrow way. They met, and lo! Lozelle, torn from his saddle, but still clinging to the reins, was flung backwards, far backwards, to fall on the stonework of the bridge.
"The knight Lozelle was a Cross-worshipper," he said, "but you two are very different from the knight Lozelle, who accepted the Faith when it was offered to him " "To win your trade," said Godwin, bitterly. "I know not," answered Saladin, "though it is true the man seems to have been a Christian among the Franks, who here was a follower of the Prophet.
Speak, and your wishes are fulfilled." "I desire," said Rosamund in a low, steady voice, "protection against Sir Hugh Lozelle and all men." "It is yours. The Lord of the Mountain covers you with his own mantle." "I desire," she went on, "that my brothers here may lodge with me, that I may not feel alone among strange people."
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