ur terms of honorable peace._" The Emperor's acceptance of
the terms from fear or wile, or because of new wars pressing in his own
lands: his promise to leave the customs of the realm to Cyprus: and
then, as Suzerain, his swift summons to the Lord of Iblin to join him in
Crusade with men and arms. But the friends of the faithful guardian
close round him and the chant of Margherita grows fierce and ominous:

"_Beware! He meaneth treachery. It is no summons--save to entrap thee._"

But the answer rings out loyally in the knightly faith of those early
days, while the deep, contralto tones electrify her audience: "_Shall we
show fear of our Emperor, or fail to bring him aid in holy warfare of
Crusade--we, who are Christian knights? Faith begetteth Faith!_"

Then the Cypriotes fare them forth to do the bidding of their dauntless
leader,--all the knights and nobles of Cyprus and Jerusalem, the
youthful King and the sons of the Lord of Iblin--with interchange of
gifts and feasting and homage as of leal men to their Suzerain: with
much pledging of faith, from each to each, after the manner of those
days--against the background of that noble chorus following from afar in
massive, chanted solemn tones--

"_Faith begetteth Faith._"

But now, to the cities of Cyprus, left destitute of defense while their
nobles were gone to honor the Emperor's command, came a band of
mercenaries of the Emperor's sending, who stole the customs and by
their lawless acts frightened the people who fled for safety to the
convents, denouncing Frederick as false and craven; while the governors
sent by him, in despite of his solemn treaty, made havoc in the land,
proclaiming in every city:

"_Let not the Lord of Iblin set foot in this land of Cyprus--by order of
the Emperor!_"

Suddenly the indignant cries of the whole listening company mingled in
confusion with the inspired voice of the improvisatrice and the
descriptive music of the lutes.

Caterina sprang to her feet, not knowing what she did: "Bring back the
Lord of Iblin!" she cried. "Bring the noble Joan back! Save this people
of Cyprus!"

At the sound of her voice the lords and ladies of her court came
crowding up the steps of the loggia from the terrace, clinging around
her, kissing her hands with fervent words of loyalty and pleasure,
before she realized that she was in the _Now_, or that she had cried out
in her excitement. But this was the Cypriotes' story of stories, and her
unc