he was on the point of
being taken prisoner by six Saracens who had already seized the reins of
his horse. He was defending himself vigorously with his sword, when
several of his knights came up with him, and set him free. He asked one
of them if he had any news of his brother; and the other answered,
"Certainly I have news of him: for I am sure that he is now in Paradise."
"Praised be God!" answered the king, with a tear or two, and went on with
his fighting. The battle-field was left that day to the crusaders; but
they were not allowed to occupy it as conquerors, for, three days
afterwards, on the 11th of February, 1250, the camp of St. Louis was
assailed by clouds of Saracens, horse and foot, Mamelukes and Bedouins.
All surprise had vanished, the Mussulmans measured at a glance the
numbers of the Christians, and attacked them in full assurance of
success, whatever heroism they might display; and the crusaders
themselves indulged in no more self-illusion, and thought only of
defending themselves. Lack of provisions and sickness soon rendered
defence almost as impossible as attack; every day saw the Christian camp
more and more encumbered with the famine-stricken, the dying, and the
dead; and the necessity for retreating became evident. Louis made to the
Sultan Malek-Moaddam an offer to evacuate Egypt, and give up Damietta,
provided that the kingdom of Jerusalem were restored to the Christians,
and the army permitted to accomplish its retreat without obstruction.
The sultan, without accepting or rejecting the proposition, asked what
guarantees would be given him for the surrender of Damietta. Louis
offered as hostage one of his brothers, the Count of Anjou, or the Count
of Poitiers. "We must have the king himself," said the Mussulmans. A
unanimous cry of indignation arose amongst the crusaders. "We would
rather," said Geoffrey de Sargines, "that we had been all slain, or taken
prisoners by the Saracens, than be reproached with having left our king
in pawn." All negotiation was broken off; and on the 5th of April, 1250,
the crusaders decided upon retreating.

This was the most deplorable scene of a deplorable drama; and at the same
time it was, for the king, an occasion for displaying, in their most
sublime and most attractive traits, all the virtues of the Christian.
Whilst sickness and famine were devastating the camp, Louis made himself
visitor, physician, and comforter; and his presence and his words
exer