t Answer_]

Peter cooled down enough to send messengers to the city and ask, on the
ground of a common Christianity, for the restoration of the prisoners
and spoil taken from the Crusaders. The governor of the city tartly
reminded the messengers that Christian conduct alone proved men to be
Christians, and that the Crusaders having made the first attack, he
could only count them as enemies.

This answer fired the Crusaders to fight. Peter, apparently growing in
wisdom by experience, tried to hold the warriors back and begged them to
negotiate. To wrath opposition is always treason, and Peter found
himself regarded as a coward and placarded as a traitor.

[Sidenote: _Fighting and Negotiations_]

While Peter was parleying with the Governor of Nissa, two thousand
Crusaders tried to scale the city walls and carry the city by assault.
The Bulgarians drove them back. A general fight began even while the two
chiefs were negotiating. Peter proved his courage by waving his crucifix
between the combatants and demanding that the fighting should cease. The
uproar of battle gave no heed to his voice. His army was utterly routed
and cut to pieces. They had fought without command, and were beaten into
death and disorder. The Bulgarians captured horses, equipages, the chest
which held the offerings of the faithful, and the women and children.
The greater skill and strength of the Bulgars won the fight which the
unreasoning fury of Peter's followers had provoked.

[Sidenote: _Peter's Five Hundred_]

On the top of a hill near by Peter bemoaned his losses and, it is said,
his foolhardiness. At that moment but five hundred men answered his
call. The next day seven thousand who had been put to flight rejoined
him at the call of his trumpet. They came in day by day until thirty
thousand were mustered. The rest had perished.

[Sidenote: _Penitent Rebels_]

The survivors had small stomach or ability for fighting. They made their
way toward Thrace in a humble and peaceable frame, and seemed to feel
the mistake of rebellion against authority. Pity came to their relief.
Their thin bodies, their staggering gait, their rags, and their tears
brought them the aid denied to their arms. None seemed to have turned
back. The combatants who were not killed still kept their faces toward
the Holy City.

[Sidenote: _A Greek Welcome_]

There seems good evidence that the Greeks would have met them
differently had they been less helpless. The aversi