Mussulman army. To him the
missionaries repaired. By this time their personal appearance was
anything but improved. Suffering and imprisonment had done their work,
their faces were wan and thin, and their garments were all but in rags.
Nevertheless, Don Pedro received them kindly, and promised to befriend
them. He warned them against being too extreme, cautioned them to
moderation, and begged that they would not expose themselves to danger.

But Don Pedro knew nothing about that love, which is as fire in the
bones, and is strong as death; so strong that no barriers can keep it
within bounds. The next morning found the missionaries hard at work.
They had learned that there was going to be some kind of a public
procession through the town as the King was going to visit the tomb of
his ancestors.

[Sidenote: _Prison and Torture._]

A procession to the five meant people, a concourse of sinners and
infidels, a glorious opportunity, and if they did not make the best of
it, they would be unworthy the name they bore. Just as the King was
passing, Berard, who could speak Arabic, mounted a cart and began to
preach. Instead of stopping when the royal train passed, as a
Mussulman would have done, he waxed more vehement. To the King this
seemed either insolence or madness, and having charitably decided on
madness, he ordered the missionaries to be banished. Don Pedro, who by
this time had had enough of his troublesome guests, gave them an
escort to the nearest seaport, and hurried their departure. Again he
reckoned without his host. It was to the Moors the five were sent to
preach, and to the Moors they were bound to go, so they escaped from
their escort, returned to Morocco, and began to preach again in the
streets.

This was too much for the King, and he had them thrown into the vilest
of dungeons, where for several weeks they languished in great misery,
with barely enough to eat. One of the nobles of the Court who was
secretly inclined to the Friars, advised the King to let them out, but
place them under proper care. This was done, and they were handed over
to the unfortunate Don Pedro, who was far from cheerful at seeing them
back again. He was about to start off on a military expedition into
the interior, and not daring to leave his awkward charge behind, he
took them with him. Nothing much is known of their doings till they
got back again to Morocco, whereupon they began their preaching again
without any more delay. Yet