-je-bal, in the name of Salah-ed-din, we declare war on
you--war till this high place of yours is pulled stone from
stone; war till your tribe be dead, till the last man, woman, and
child be slain, until your carcass is tossed to the crows to feed
on."

Now Sinan rose in fury and rent at his beard.

"Go back," he said, "and tell that dog you name a sultan, that
low as he is, the humble-born son of Ayoub, I, Al-je-bal, do him
an honour that he does not observe. My queen is dead, and two
days from now, when my month of mourning is expired, I shall take
to wife his niece, the princess of Baalbec, who sits here beside
me, my bride-elect."

At these words Rosamund, who had been listening intently, started
like one who has been stung by a snake, put her hands before her
face and groaned.

"Princess," said the ambassador, who was watching her, "you seem
to understand our language; is this your will, to mate your noble
blood with that of the heretic chief of the Assassins ?"

"Nay, nay!" she cried. "It is no will of mine, who am a helpless
prisoner and by faith a Christian. If my uncle Salah-ed-din is
indeed as great as I have heard, then let him show his power and
deliver me, and with me these my brethren, the knights Sir Godwin
and Sir Wulf."

"So you speak Arabic," said Sinan. "Good; our loving converse
will be easier, and for the rest--well, the whims of women
change. Now, you messengers of Salah-ed-din, begone, lest I send
you on a longer journey, and tell your master that if he dares to
lift his standards against my walls my fedais shall speak with
him. By day and by night, not for one moment shall he be safe.
Poison shall lurk in his cup and a dagger in his bed. Let him
kill a hundred of them, and another hundred shall appear. His
most trusted guards shall be his executioners. The women in his
harem shall bring him to his doom--ay, death shall be in the very
air he breathes. If he would escape it, therefore, let him hide
himself within the walls of his city of Damascus, or amuse
himself with wars against the mad Cross-worshippers, and leave me
to live in peace with this lady whom I have chosen."

"Great words, worthy of the Great Assassin," said the ambassador.

"Great words in truth, which shall be followed by great deeds.
What chance has this lord of yours against a nation sworn to obey
to the death? You smile? Then come hither you--and you." And he
summoned two of his dais by name.

They rose and bowed b