was
seized with terror. However, the instinct of self-preservation did not
desert him. With a spring he bounded between the motionless guards,
escaped into the lawn, took refuge in the tower, and looking from a
window demanded of the conspirators what they really wanted; but they
were not in a humour to spend time in talk.

'Come down,' cried they; 'you cannot escape us.'

'Assure me of safety, and I will willingly descend,' said the sultan.

At this stage the envoy of the caliph, having mounted his horse, came
forward as if to interfere; but the conspirators menaced him with
instant death if he did not return to his tent, and, still keenly bent
on completing their work of murder, ordered the sultan to come down.

Touran Chah shook his head, as if declining the invitation.

'Fool,' cried the conspirators, scornfully, 'we have the means of
compelling you to descend, or to meet a worse fate;' and without further
parley they commenced assailing the tower with Greek fire.

The Greek fire caught the cloth and timber, and immediately the whole
was in a blaze. Touran Chah could no longer hesitate. One hope remained
to him, namely to rush towards the Nile, to throw himself into the
water, and to take refuge on board one of the vessels that he saw
anchored near the shore. Accordingly he leaped from the blazing tower,
with the intention of rushing across the lawn. But the toils were upon
him. A nail having caught his mantle, he, after remaining for a moment
suspended, fell to the ground. Instantly sabres and swords waved over
him; and he clung in a supplicating posture to Octai, one of the
captains of his guard; but Octai repulsed him with contempt.
Nevertheless, the conspirators hesitated; and they were still
hesitating, when Bibars Bendocdar, who was never troubled either with
fears or scruples, and who, indeed, had struck the first blow, made a
thrust so stern that the sword remained sticking fast between the ribs
of the victim. Still resisting, however, the sultan contrived to drag
himself to the Nile, with a hope of reaching the galleys from which the
captive Crusaders witnessed the outrage; but some of the Mamelukes
followed him into the water; and close to the galley in which the Lord
of Joinville was, the heir of Saladin--the last of the Eioubites--died
miserably.

It was now that the Mamelukes rushed into the tent where Louis and his
brothers were.

'King,' cried Octai, pointing to his bloody sword, 'Touran Cha