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Now, you are the officers of the bodyguard who watch in the ante-chamber to-night, are you not? Well, when the guard is changed at midnight, the eight men who should replace them at the doors of the room of Salah-ed-din will not arrive; they will be decoyed away by a false order. In their stead will come eight murderers, disguised in the robes and arms of Mameluks.
Why, then, I must give a toast that will rouse them all," and seizing a horn mug, he waved it and shouted: "Arouse you, ye drunkards, and drink to the lady Rose of the World, princess of Baalbec, and niece to my royal master, Yusuf Salah-ed-din, who sends me to lead her to him!" "Oh, father," shrieked Rosamund, "the wine was drugged and we are betrayed!"
"Sufficiently to speak it, lord," answered Godwin, "who have learned it since childhood, yet ill enough." "Good. Then tell me, as soldiers to a soldier, what do you seek from Salah-ed-din?" "Our cousin, the lady Rosamund, who, by your command, lord, was stolen from our home in England." "Knights, she is your cousin, that I know, as surely as I know that she is my niece.
We charge you, therefore, draw this lady to your court, and keep her ever by your side, since if she escape you, her peace goes with her." Salah-ed-din said that this interpretation was wise and true, for thus also he had read his dream.
Now Salah-ed-din turned pale, for he who feared nothing else was all his life afraid of the Assassins and their lord, who thrice had striven to murder him. "Strip the armour from those men," went on Godwin, "and I think that you will find truth in my words, or, if not, question such of them as still live."
Now she whom they wished to rescue from Salah-ed-din, these tall brethren of yours might wish to rescue from Al-je-bal. Understand then, all of you, that from the Lord of Death there is but one escape. Yonder runs its path," and he pointed to the dizzy place whence his three servants had leapt to their doom. "Knights," he went on, addressing Godwin and Wulf, "lead your sister hence.
We follow! Yes, they follow, and their swords those swords you feared to look on shall yet pierce your heart and give up your soul to your master Satan," and she paused, trembling with her righteous wrath, while Hassan stared at her and muttered: "By Allah, a princess indeed! So have I seen Salah-ed-din look in his rage. Yes, and she has his very eyes." But Sir Hugh answered in a thick voice.
To do this thing would have been an awful crime, which we were sure must bring down the vengeance of our God upon us and upon the city." "What of the vengeance of Salah-ed-din?" "Sore as is our case, Sultan, we still fear God more than Saladin." "Ay, Sir Balian, but Salah-ed-din may be a sword in the hand of God." "Which sword, Sultan, would have fallen swiftly had we done this deed."
"Tell me, then, do you come of your own free will, unforced by any, and why does the knight Sir Wulf, whose life I spared and do not seek, kneel at your side?" "I come of my own free will, Salah-ed-din, as your emirs can tell you; ask them. For the rest, my kinsman must answer for himself."
Then Rosamund sheathed the dagger that all this while she had held in her hand, and, lifting the letter from the floor, touched her brow with it in signal of obedience, saying in Arabic to the envoys: "I am the slave of Salah-ed-din, Commander of the Faithful. I am the small dust beneath his feet.
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