Lebanon. Bid him remember the vow he made to Andrew D'Arcy, the
English knight. If any can aid you, it will be Jebal, who hates
the Houses of Nur-ed-din and of Ayoub. So, I charge you, let
nothing--I say nothing--turn you aside from seeking him.
"Afterwards act as God shall guide you. If they still live, kill
that traitor Nicholas and Hugh Lozelle, but, save in open war,
spare the Emir Hassan, who did but do his duty as an Eastern
reads it, and shown some mercy, for he could have slain or burnt
us all. This riddle has been hard for me; yet now, in my dying
hour, I seem to see its answer. I think that Saladin did not
dream in vain. Keep brave hearts, for I think also that at Masyaf
you will find friends, and that things will yet go well, and our
sorrows bear good fruit.
"What is that you said? She left you my father's sword, Wulf?
Then wield it bravely, winning honour for our name. She left you
the cross, Godwin? Wear it worthily, winning glory for the Lord,
and salvation to your soul. Remember what you have sworn.
Whate'er befall, bear no bitterness to one another. Be true to
one another, and to her, your lady, so that when at the last you
make your report to me before high Heaven, I may have no cause to
be ashamed of you, my nephews, Godwin and Wulf."
For a moment the dying man was silent, until his face lit up as
with a great gladness, and he cried in a loud, clear
voice, "Beloved wife, I hear you! O, God, I come!"
Then though his eyes stayed open, and the smile still rested on
his face, his jaw fell.
Thus died Sir Andrew D'Arcy.
Still kneeling on either side of him, the brethren watched the
end, and, as his spirit passed, bowed their heads in prayer.
"We have seen a great death," said Godwin presently. "Let us
learn a lesson from it, that when our time comes we may die like
him."
"Ay," answered Wulf, springing to his feet, "but first let us take
vengeance for it. Why, what is this? Rosamund's writing! Read it,
Godwin."
Godwin took the parchment and read:
"Follow me to Saladin. In that hope I live on."
"Surely we will follow you, Rosamund," he cried aloud. "Follow
you through life to death or victory."
Then he threw down the paper, and calling for the chaplain to
come to watch the body, they ran into the hall. By this time
about half of the folk were awake from their drugged sleep,
whilst others who had been doctored by the man Ali in the barn
staggered into the hall--wild-eyed, white-fa
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