The brethren and Rosamund looked at each other, for having so much to say it seemed that they could not speak at all.Then with a low cry Rosamund said:
"Oh! let us thank God, Who, after all these black months of travel and of danger, has thus brought us together again," and, kneeling down there together in the guest-hall of the lord of Death, they gave thanks earnestly.Then, moving to the centre of the chamber where they thought that none would hear them, they began to speak in low voices and in English.
"Tell you your tale first, Rosamund," said Godwin.
She told it as shortly as she could, they listening without a word.
Then Godwin spoke and told her theirs.Rosamund heard it, and asked a question almost in a whisper.
"Why does that beautiful dark-eyed woman befriend you?""I do not know," answered Godwin, "unless it is because of the accident of my having saved her from the lion."Rosamund looked at him and smiled a little, and Wulf smiled also.
Then she said:
"Blessings be on that lion and all its tribe! I pray that she may not soon forget the deed, for it seems that our lives hang upon her favour.How strange is this story, and how desperate our case! How strange also that you should have come on hither against her counsel, which, seeing what we have, I think was honest?""We were led," answered Godwin."Your father had wisdom at his death, and saw what we could not see.""Ay," added Wulf, "but I would that it had been into some other place, for I fear this lord Al-je-bal at whose nod men hurl themselves to death.""He is hateful," answered Rosamund, with a shudder; "worse even than the knight Lozelle; and when he fixes his eyes on me, my heart grows sick.Oh! that we could escape this place!""An eel in an osier trap has more chance of freedom," said Wulf gloomily." Let us at least be thankful that we are caged together--for how long, I wonder?"As he spoke Masouda appeared, attended by waiting women, and, bowing to Rosamund, said:
"It is the will of the Master, lady, that I lead you to the chambers that have been made ready for you, there to rest until the hour of the feast.Fear not; you shall meet your brethren then.You knights have leave, if it so pleases you, to exercise your horses In the gardens.They stand saddled in the courtyard, to which this woman will bring you," and she pointed to one of those two maids who had cleaned the armour, "and with them are guides and an escort.""She means that we must go," muttered Godwin, adding aloud, "farewell, sister, until tonight."So they parted, unwillingly enough.In the courtyard they found the horses, Flame and Smoke, as they had been told, also a mounted escort of four fierce-looking fedais and an officer.When they were in the saddle, this man, motioning to them to follow him, passed by an archway out of the courtyard into the gardens.
Hence ran a broad road strewn with sand, along which he began to gallop.This road followed the gulf which encircled the citadel and inner town of Masyaf, that was, as it were, an island on a mountain top with a circumference of over three miles.
As they went, the gulf always on their right hand, holding in their horses to prevent their passing that of their guide, swift as it was, they saw another troop approaching them.This was also preceded by an officer of the Assassins, as these servants of Al-je-bal were called by the Franks, and behind him, mounted on a splendid coalblack steed and followed by guards, rode a mail-clad Frankish knight.
"It is Lozelle," said Wulf, "upon the horse that Sinan promised him."At the sight of the man a fury took hold of Godwin.With a shout of warning he drew his sword.Lozelle saw, and out leapt his blade in answer.Then sweeping past the officers who were with them and reining up their steeds, in a second they were face to face.Lozelle struck first and Godwin caught the stroke upon his buckler, but before he could return it the fedais of either party rushed between them and thrust them asunder.
"A pity," said Godwin, as they dragged his horse away."Had they left us alone I think, brother, I might have saved you a moonlight duel.""That I do not want to miss, but the chance at his head was good if those fellows would have let you take it," answered Wulf reflectively.
Then the horses began to gallop again, and they saw no more of Lozelle.Now, skirting the edge of the town, they came to the narrow, wall-less bridge that spanned the gulf between it and the outer gate and city.Here the officer wheeled his horse, and, beckoning to them to follow, charged it at full gallop.After him went the brethren--Godwin first, then Wulf.In the deep gateway on the further side they reined up.The captain turned, and began to gallop back faster than he had come--as fast, indeed, as his good beast would travel.
"Pass him!" cried Godwin, and shaking the reins loose upon the neck of Flame he called to it aloud.
Forward it sprang, with Smoke at its heels.Now they had overtaken the captain, and now even on that narrow way they had swept past him.Not an inch was there to spare between them and the abyss, and the man, brave as he was, expecting to be thrust to death, clung to his horse's mane with terror in his eyes.On the city side the brethren pulled up laughing among the astonished fedais who had waited for them there.
"By the Signet," cried the officer, thinking that the knights could not understand, "these are not men; they are devils, and their horses are goats of the mountains.I thought to frighten them, but it is I who was frightened, for they swept past me like eagles of the air.""Gallant riders and swift, well-trained steeds," answered one of the fedais, with admiration in his voice."The fight at the full moon will be worth our seeing."Then once more they took the sand-strewn road and galloped on.
Thrice they passed round the city thus, the last time by themselves, for the captain and the fedais were far outstripped.
Indeed it was not until they had unsaddled Flame and Smoke in their stalls that these appeared, spurring their foaming horses.
