;
and in that dream I saw her face. Therefore I stretched out my
arm and took her from far away. And now, through you--yes,
through you--she has been snatched from the power of the great
Assassin, and is safe in my court, and therefore henceforth I am
your friend."

"Sire, have you seen her?" asked Godwin.

"Knights, I have seen her, and the face is the face of my dreams,
and therefore I know full surely that in those dreams God spoke.
Listen, Sir Godwin and Sir Wulf," Saladin went on in a changed
voice, a stern, commanding voice. "Ask of me what you will, and,
Franks though you are, it shall be given you for your service's
sake--wealth, lands, titles, all that men desire and I can
grant--but ask not of me my niece, Rose of the World, princess of
Baalbec, whom Allah has brought to me for His own purposes. Know,
moreover, that if you strive to steal her away you shall
certainly die; and that if she escapes from me and I recapture
her, then she shall die. These things I have told her already,
and I swear them in the name of Allah. Here she is, and in my
house she must abide until the vision be fulfilled."

Now in their dismay the brethren looked at each other, for they
seemed further from their desire than they had been even in the
castle of Sinan. Then a light broke upon the face of Godwin, and
he stood up and answered:

"Dread lord of all the East, we hear you and we know our risk.
You have given us your friendship; we accept it, and are
thankful, and seek no more. God, you say, has brought our lady
Rosamund to you for His own purposes, of which you have no doubt
since her face is the very face of your dreams. Then let His
purposes be accomplished according to His will, which may be in
some way that we little guess. We abide His judgment Who has
guided us in the past, and will guide us in the future."

"Well spoken," replied Saladin. "I have warned you, my guests,
therefore blame me not if I keep my word; but I ask no promise
from you who would not tempt noble knights to lie. Yes, Allah has
set this strange riddle; by Allah let it be answered in His
season."

Then he waved his hand to show that the audience was ended.

Chapter Seventeen: The Brethren Depart from Damascus

At the court of Saladin Godwin and Wulf were treated with much
honour. A house was given them to dwell in, and a company of
servants to minister to their comfort and to guard them. Mounted
on their swift horses, Flame and Smoke, they w