NO longer could the armed pilgrims, so recently buoyed up with the hope
of making themselves famous as the conquerors of Egypt, delude their
imaginations with the project of advancing to Cairo.

'It is necessary to retreat to Damietta,' said the wise and prudent.

'A retreat to Damietta in the face of the foe is more than our pride can
brook,' exclaimed the haughty and obstinate.

'Let us remain at Djedile, and trust to the course of events,' suggested
the reckless and the irresolute.

At Djedile, accordingly, the Crusaders remained; and ere long, their
calamities began in earnest, and daily increased in magnitude. First
came disease; then came famine; and death and despair soon did more than
the Saracens could with the utmost efforts have hoped to accomplish.

It appears that, after the two battles fought on the plains of
Mansourah, the Crusaders had neglected to bury the slain; and the bodies
thrown confusedly into the Achmoun, and floating on the water, stopped
before the wooden bridge, and infected the atmosphere. A contagious
disease was the consequence; and this, being increased by the abstinence
during Lent, wrought such havoc, that nothing was heard in the camp but
mourning and lamentation. Louis, sad, but still not in despair, exerted
himself to mitigate the sufferings of his army. At length he also fell
sick, and, every day, affairs wore a gloomier aspect.

'It seems,' said Guy Muschamp, who lay prostrate with sickness in the
tent of the Lord of Joinville, 'it seems that Heaven has abandoned the
soldiers of the Cross.'

'Hem,' replied Bisset, to whom this was addressed, 'I see not why Heaven
should be blamed for the evils which men bring on themselves by their
own folly. I warned you at Damietta what would be the end of all the
boastings which were uttered hourly. A haughty spirit goes before a
fall. Trust me, we have not yet seen the worst. By the might of Mary, we
armed pilgrims may yet find ourselves under a necessity similar to that
which made cannibals of the soldiers of King Cambyses when he made war
in Egypt!'

'King Cambyses?' repeated Guy, enquiringly.

'Ay,' replied Bisset, 'he was King of Persia, and almost as great a
monarch as King Louis; and when he was in this country his provisions
ran short. At first his soldiers lived on herbs, roots, and leaves; when
they could not get even these, they ate their horses and beasts of
burden; and, when the horses and beasts of burden were finished, th