e me over to them. They did so,
and the soldiers took me to Damascus. There I was imprisoned,
but not close, and then it was that I saw Lozelle, or, at least,
a Christian man who had some such name, and, as he seemed to be
in favour with the Saracens, I begged him to intercede for me.
Afterwards I was brought before the court of Saladin, and having
questioned me, the Sultan himself told me that I must either
worship the false prophet or die, to which you can guess my
answer. So they led me away, as I thought, to death, but none
offered to do me hurt.

"Three days later Saladin sent for me again, and offered to spare
my life if I would swear an oath, which oath was that I should
take a certain package and deliver it to you, or to your daughter
named the Lady Rosamund here at your hall of Steeple, in Essex,
and bring back the answer to Damascus. Not wishing to die, I said
that I would do this, if the Sultan passed his word, which he
never breaks, that I should be set free afterwards."

"And now you are safe in England, do you purpose to return to
Damascus with the answer, and, if so, why?"

"For two reasons, Sir Andrew. First, because I have sworn to do
so, and I do not break my word any more than does Saladin.
Secondly, because I continue to wish to live, and the Sultan
promised me that if I failed in my mission, he would bring about
my death wherever I might be, which I am sure he has the power to
do by magic or otherwise. Well, the rest of the tale is short.
The chest was handed over to me as you see it, and with it money
sufficient for my faring to and fro and something to spare. Then
I was escorted to Joppa, where I took passage on a ship bound to
Italy, where I found another ship named the Holy Mary sailing for
Calais, which we reached after being nearly cast away. Thence I
came to Dover in a fishing boat, landing there eight days ago,
and having bought a mule, joined some travellers to London, and
so on here."

"And how will you return?"

The palmer shrugged his shoulders.

"As best I may, and as quickly. Is your answer ready, Sir
Andrew?"

"Yes; it is here," and he handed him the roll, which Nicholas hid
away in the folds of his great cloak. Then Sir Andrew added, "You
say you know nothing of all the business in which you play this
part?"

"Nothing; or, rather, only this--the officer who escorted me to
Jaffa told me that there was a stir among the learned doctors and
diviners at the court because of