words it said
were: "I bring not peace, but a sword."

To-morrow they were to advance, so rumour said, across yonder
desert plain and give battle to Saladin, who lay with all his
power by Hattin, above Tiberias.

Godwin and his brother thought that it was a madness; for they
had seen the might of the Saracens and ridden across that thirsty
plain beneath the summer sun. But who were they, two wandering,
unattended knights, that they should dare to lift up their voices
against those of the lords of the land, skilled from their birth
in desert warfare? Yet Godwin's heart was troubled and fear took
hold of him, not for himself, but for all the countless army that
lay asleep yonder, and for the cause of Christendom, which staked
its last throw upon this battle.

"I go to watch yonder; bide you here," he said to Wulf, and,
turning the head of Flame, rode some sixty yards over a shoulder
of the rock to the further edge of the mountain which looked
towards the north. Here he could see neither the camp, nor Wulf,
nor any living thing, but indeed was utterly alone. Dismounting,
and bidding the horse stand, which it would do like a dog, he
walked forward a few steps to where there was a rock, and,
kneeling down, began to pray with all the strength of his pure,
warrior heart.

"O Lord," he prayed, "Who once wast man and a dweller in these
mountains, and knowest what is in man, hear me. I am afraid for
all the thousands who sleep round Nazareth; not for myself, who
care nothing for my life, but for all those, Thy servants and my
brethren. Yes, and for the Cross upon which Thou didst hang, and
for the faith itself throughout the East. Oh! give me light! Oh!
let me hear and see, that I may warn them, unless my fears are
vain!"

So he murmured to Heaven above and beat his hands against his
brow, praying, ever praying, as he had never prayed before, that
wisdom and vision might be given to his soul.

It seemed to Godwin that a sleep fell on him--at least, his mind
grew clouded and confused. Then it cleared again, slowly, as
stirred water clears, till it was bright and still; yet another
mind to that which was his servant day by day which never could
see or hear those things he saw and heard in that strange hour.
Lo! he heard the spirits pass, whispering as they went;
whispering, and, as it seemed to him, weeping also for some great
woe which was to be; weeping yonder over Nazareth. Then like
curtains the veils were lifted fr