not my sword."

"Take no heed of him," said one; and Heraclius, standing back in
the aisle, addressed Rosamund:

"Daughter," he cried, "with bitter grief we are come to ask of
you a sacrifice, that you should give yourself for the people, as
our Master gave Himself for the people. Saladin demands you as a
fugitive of his blood, and until you are delivered to him he will
not treat with us for the saving of the city. Come forth, then,
we pray you."

Now Rosamund rose and faced them, with her hand resting upon the
altar.

"I risked my life and I believe another gave her life," she said,
"that I might escape from the power of the Moslems. I will not
come forth to return to them."

"Then, our need being sore, we must take you," answered Heraclius
sullenly.

"What!" she cried. "You, the patriarch of this sacred city, would
tear me from the sanctuary of its holiest altar? Oh! then, indeed
shall the curse fall upon it and you. Hence, they say, our sweet
Lord was haled to sacrifice by the command of an unjust judge,
and thereafter Jerusalem was taken by the sword. Must I too be
dragged from the spot that His feet have hallowed, and even in
these weeds"--and she pointed to her white robe--"thrown as an
offering to your foes, who mayhap will bid me choose between
death and the Koran? If so, I say assuredly that offering will be
made in vain, and assuredly your streets shall run red with the
blood of those who tore me from my sanctuary."

Now they consulted together, some taking one side and some the
other, but the most of them declared that she must be given up to
Saladin.

"Come of your own will, I pray you," said the patriarch, "since
we would not take you by force."

"By force only will you take me," answered Rosamund.

Then the abbess spoke.

"Sirs, will you commit so great a crime? Then I tell you that it
cannot go without its punishment. With this lady I say"--and she
drew up her tall shape--"that it shall be paid for in your blood,
and mayhap in the blood of all of us. Remember my words when the
Saracens have won the city, and are putting its children to the
sword."

"I absolve you from the sin," shouted the patriarch, "if sin it
is."

"Absolve yourself," broke in Wulf sternly, "and know this. I am
but one man, but I have some strength and skill. If you seek but
to lay a hand upon the novice Rosamund to hale her away to be
slain by Saladin, as he has sworn that he would do should she
dare to fly from