INCURSIONS.
AND what were the sultan and the Saracens saying and doing while the
Crusaders were establishing themselves at Damietta, and delighting their
souls with visions of the conquest of Egypt?
In order to ascertain we must, in imagination, pass from the camp at
Damietta to the palace of Cairo.
Melikul Salih was under the influence of a malady which his physicians
pronounced to be incurable. On that point there was no mistake.
Nevertheless, when pigeons carried to Cairo intelligence of the French
king's victory and Fakreddin's defeat, the sultan roused himself to
energy, and, after having sentenced fifty of the principal fugitives to
execution, and taken Fakreddin severely to task for allowing his men to
be vanquished, he caused himself to be removed to Mansourah. On reaching
that city, Melikul Salih expended his remaining strength in rallying his
army and strengthening the fortifications, and at the same time sent men
to attack the Crusaders in their camp, to kill the Franks and cut off
their heads,--promising a golden besant for every head brought to him.
The Arab cavalry of the Desert, and bands of horsemen belonging to that
wild nation known as the Karismians, were employed on this service; and
the Crusaders found themselves exposed to dangers against which it
seemed impossible to guard. As wild animals prowl around the habitations
of men on the watch for prey, so around the Christian camp prowled the
Arabs and Karismians by day and by night. If even at noon a soldier
wandered from the camp he was lost; and, in hours of darkness, sentinel
after sentinel disappeared, and knight after knight was struck dead, as
if by invisible hands. Every morning the Crusaders had to listen to some
new tale of horror which made their blood run cold.
Ere the Arabs and Karismians had carried alarm into the camp of the
Crusaders, many of the warriors of the West had begun to suffer from the
climate of Egypt; and among others who were prostrated, was the old Earl
of March. For a time he seemed likely to fall a victim to the malady;
but the natural vigour of his constitution at length prevailed; and he
had almost recovered, when a sudden inroad of the enemy exposed him to a
new peril.
It was the afternoon of an August day; and Earl Patrick was arraying
himself to ride into Damietta to attend a council of war. His white
charger stood at the entrance of his pavilion, and there sat Walter
Espec, looking somewhat gloomy, as many of the armed pilgrims were
already doing, when Guy Muschamp approached with a countenance from
which much of the habitual gaiety had vanished.
'What tidings?' asked Walter, eagerly.
'On my faith, good Walter,' answered Guy, shaking his head, 'I now know
of a truth that this Damietta is not quite such a paradise as we fancied
when gazing at it from the sea.'
'Serpents often lurk where flowers grow,' said Walter; 'but what new
tidings of mishap have clouded your brow?'
'Nothing less,' replied Guy, 'than that these foul Saracens have been
marvellously near us. No later than last night they entered the camp,
surprised the watch of Lord Courtenay, and this morning his body was
found on the table; his head was gone.'
'By the saints!' exclaimed Walter, 'such warfare, waged by invisible
foes, may well daunt the bravest; and albeit I trust much from the
protection of the Holy Katherine, yet I at times feel a vague dread of
being the next victim.'
At that moment, and almost ere Walter had spoken, there arose loud and
shrill cries, and then loud shouts of alarm.
'By good St. George!' shouted Hugh Bisset, rushing in, 'the Saracens are
upon us; they are carrying off the Lord Perron, and his brother the Lord
Duval. Arm, arm, brave squires. To the rescue! to the rescue!'
As Bisset gave the alarm, the Earl of March came forth. He was arrayed
in chain-mail, and his helmet was on his brow.
'What, ho!' cried the earl, with lofty indignation; 'do the sons of
darkness, who worship Mahound and Termagaunt, venture where my white
lion ramps in his field of red? Out upon them! My axe and shield.'
Mounting his white steed, the earl caused one of the sides of his
pavilion to be raised, and issuing forth, spurred against the foe with
shouts of 'Let him who loves me follow me! Holy Cross! Holy Cross!' Nor
did the aged warrior confine his hostility to words. Encountering the
leader of the Saracens face to face, he bravely commenced the attack,
and, after a brief conflict, with his heavy axe cleft the infidel from
the crown almost to the chest.
'Pagan dog!' exclaimed the earl, as the Saracen fell lifeless to the
ground; 'I devote thine impure soul to the powers of hell.'
But this achievement was the last which Earl Patrick was destined to
perform. As he spurred forward to pursue his success, his steed became
refractory, and he was flung violently to the ground. Ere his friends
could come to his aid, the Saracens gave him several blows with their
clubs, and he would have been killed on the spot but for the arrival of
Bisset, with Guy Muschamp and Walter Espec, who, having mounted, now
came with a rush to the rescue. A sharp conflict then took place. Guy,
advancing as gaily as if he had been in the tiltyard at Wark, gallantly
unhorsed one Saracen with the point of his lance. Walter, going more
gravely into the combat, killed another with his falchion, at the use of
which he was expert. After much trouble the French lords were rescued;
and such of the Saracens as had not fallen, fled, and galloped along the
banks of the Nile.
Meanwhile the squires and grooms of the Earl of March raised him from
the ground; and, supported by them, he contrived to reach his tent; but
he was much bruised, and so exhausted that he could not muster voice to
speak. When, however, surgeons and physicians were called, they
expressed themselves hopefully, and, not comprehending his dangerous
state, bled him freely in the arm, and then administering a composing
draught, left him under the charge of the squires.
As evening was falling, the Earl of Salisbury, after a long conference
with King Louis, during which the unfortunate quarrel of the English and
French Crusaders were discussed with a view of averting fatal
consequences, left the royal quarters, in company with the Lord of
Joinville.
'Seneschal,' said Salisbury, 'I would fain visit the Earl of March; and
I pray you to bear me company.'
'Right willingly,' replied Joinville; 'for he is a man of great valour
and renown, and wise in council; and it were ill for our expedition if
his wounds should prove fatal.'
'And how fares the earl?' asked Salisbury, as they reached the tent over
which ramped that ancient lion argent, so terrible on many a foughten
field.
'My lord,' said Walter Espec, in a hushed voice, as they came to the
entrance, 'the earl sleeps; so pray tread softly, lest you should
disturb his repose.'
They did so, and entering, found the earl lying on his mantle of
minever, which covered him.
'He sleeps soundly,' whispered Walter, looking up.
'Boy,' said Salisbury, solemnly, 'he sleeps the sleep that knows no
waking.'
Walter stooped down, and perceived that Salisbury was right. The earl
was dead.
'May paradise be open to him,' said Salisbury, crossing himself with
pious fervour.
'Amen,' said Joinville. 'May his soul repose in holy flowers.'