, on his knees in an
oratory, heard it, crossed himself, and repeated the words. Queen
Berengere moaned in her sleep; the Duke of Burgundy snored; and the
Arabian spat into the lagoon.

CHAPTER V

THE CHAPTER OF FORBIDDING: HOW DE GURDUN LOOKED, AND KING RICHARD HID
HIS FACE

Since the Soldan broke his pledges, King Richard swore that he would
keep his. So he had all the two thousand hostages killed, except the
Sheik Moffadin, whom the Marquess had enlarged. He has been blamed for
this, and I (if it were my business) should blame him too. He asked no
counsel, and allowed no comment: by this time he was absolute over the
armies in Acre. If I am to say anything upon the red business it shall
be this, that he knew very well where his danger lay. It was his
friends, not his enemies, he had reason to fear; and upon these the
effect of what he did was instantaneous, and perhaps well-timed. The
Count of Flanders had died of the camp-sickness; King Philip was
stricken to the bones with the same crawling disease. Nothing now could
keep Philip away from France. Acre was full of rumours, meetings of
kings and princes, spies, racing messengers. Who should stay and who go
was the matter of debate. Philip meant to go: his friend, Prince John of
England, had been writing to him. Flanders must be occupied, and
Flanders, near England, was nearer yet to Normandy. The Marquess also
meant to go--to Sidon for Lebanon. He had things to do up there on
Richard's and his own account, as you shall hear. But the Archduke chose
to stay in Acre--and so on.

King Richard heard of each of these hasty discussions with a shrug, and
only put his hand down when they were all concluded. He said that unless
French hostages were left in his keeping for the fulfilment of
covenants, he should know what to do.

'And what is that, King of England?' asked Philip.

'What becomes me,' was the short answer, given in full hail before the
magnates. They looked at each other and askance at the sanguine-hued
King, who drove them all huddling before him by mere magnanimity. What
could they do but leave hostages? They left Burgundy, Beauvais, and
Henry of Champagne--one friend, one enemy, and one blockhead. Now you
see a reason for drawing the sword upon the wretched Turks. If Richard
had planted, they, poor devils, had to water.

So King Philip went home, and the Marquess to Sidon for Lebanon; and
Richard, knowing full well that they meant him ill here