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Updated: May 22, 2025
Then they went, and, creeping through the bushes to the path, wandered about awhile among the revellers and came to the guest-house safely. Once more it was night, and high above the mountain fortress of Masyaf shone the full summer moon, lighting crag and tower as with some vast silver lamp.
"How is that lord named?" asked Godwin. "Sinan," she answered, and they noted that she looked round quickly as she spoke the word. "Oh," he said, "we thought the name was Jebal." Now she stared at him with wide, wondering eyes, and replied: "He is so called also; but, Sir Pilgrims, what know you of the dread lord Al-je-bal?" "Only that he lives at a place called Masyaf, which we wish to visit."
"Now, as it chanced, I had a friend, a dark and secret man named Jebal, the young sheik of a terrible people, whose cruel rites no Christian understands. They are the subjects of one Mahomet, in Persia, and live in castles at Masyaf, on Lebanon.
Then he would touch his forehead with his hand and bow his head and they rode on unmolested. "See," she said, when they had thus been stopped for the fourth time, "what chance you had of winning through to Masyaf unguarded. Why, I tell you, brethren, that you would have been dead before ever you passed the gates of the first castle."
The brethren they praised also, although these were unbelievers, and the tale of how Wulf had fought the traitor knight upon the Narrow Way, and of how they had led their kinswoman from the haunted fortress of Masyaf, was passed from mouth to mouth. At dawn the next day, on orders received from the Sultan, they left Baalbec, escorted by the army and many of the notables of the town.
"Let him try it if he wishes to die, who hitherto has been spared," answered the tall man quietly. Then he said to his followers, "Cut them down, all save the women" for the Frenchwoman, Marie, was now clinging to the arm of Rosamund "and emir Hassan, whom I am commanded to bring living to Masyaf."
Their horses were outworn and could not fly at speed. Some of the fedai were cut down upon them. Some dismounted, and gathering themselves in little groups, fought bravely till they were slain, while a few were taken prisoners. Of all that great troup of men not a score won back alive to Masyaf to make report to their master of how the chase of his lost bride had ended.
"Only, knights, you must give me a promise, for even in the midst of my army such is needful from men who can fly like birds out of the fortress of Masyaf and from the knives of the Assassins who are mounted, moreover, on the swiftest horses in Syria that have been trained to carry a double burden," and he looked at them meaningly.
Then he arose, and with the help of Godwin, dressed himself, but not in his armour. Here, with the yellow-coated soldiers of Saladin, grave-faced and watchful, pacing before their door for night and day they were trebly guarded lest Assassins should creep in there was no need for mail. In the fortress of Masyaf, indeed, where they were also guarded, it had been otherwise.
Then doubtless, even if she sleeps, she, who has dwelt at Masyaf will not take your visit ill, who have ridden so far to find her," said the imaum with a sneering laugh. "Enter, I say." So Godwin took the lamp and went in, and the door was shut behind him. Surely the place was familiar to him? He knew that arched roof and these rough, stone walls.
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