es to die, who hitherto has been
spared," answered the tall man quietly. Then he said to his
followers, "Cut them down, all save the women"--for the
Frenchwoman, Marie, was now clinging to the arm of Rosamund--"and
emir Hassan, whom I am commanded to bring living to Masyaf."

"Back to your cabin, lady," said Hassan, "and remember that
whate'er befalls, we have done our best to save you. Ay, and
tell it to my lord, that my honour may be clean in his eyes. Now,
soldiers of Salah-ed-din, fight and die as he has taught you how.
The gates of Paradise stand open, and no coward will enter
there."

They answered with a fierce, guttural cry. Then, as Rosamund fled
to the cabin, the fray began, a hideous fray. On came the
Assassins with sword and dagger, striving to storm the deck.
Again and again they were beaten back, till the waist seemed full
of their corpses, as man by man they fell beneath the curved
scimitars, and again and again they charged these men who, when
their master ordered, knew neither fear nor pity. But more
boatloads came from the shore, and the Saracens were but few,
worn also with storm and sickness, so at last Rosamund, peeping
beneath her hand, saw that the poop was gained.

Here and there a man fought on until he fell beneath the cruel
knives in the midst of the circle of the dead, among them the
warrior-prince Hassan. Watching him with fascinated eyes as he
strove alone against a host, Rosamund was put in mind of another
scene, when her father, also alone, had striven thus against that
emir and his soldiers, and even then she bethought her of the
justice of God.

See! his foot slipped on the blood-stained deck. He was down, and
ere he could rise again they had thrown cloaks over him, these
fierce, silent men, who even with their lives at stake,
remembered the command of their captain, to take him living. So
living they took him, with not a wound upon his skin, who when he
struck them down, had never struck back at him lest the command
of Sinan should be broken.

Rosamund noted it, and remembering that his command was also that
she should be brought to him unharmed, knew that she had no
violence to fear at the hands of these cruel murderers. From this
thought, and because Hassan still lived, she took such comfort as
she might.

"It is finished," said the tall man, in his cold voice. "Cast
these dogs into the sea who have dared to disobey the command of
Al-je-bal."

So they took them up, dead