you know that the wise man says,
"Whatever grief the valiant man may suffer in his mind, he ought not to
show it on his countenance; for he that does so causes pain to his
friends and pleasure to his enemies."'

'However, seneschal,' said the legate, 'the king is much satisfied with
the good and agreeable services you have rendered him, and earnestly
wishes for your honour and advancement. He commands me to tell you, as
he knows it will give you pleasure at heart, that he intends to embark
for France on this side of Easter.'

'In truth, it does give me pleasure,' said Joinville. 'And I pray that
the Lord may ever induce the king to act in accordance with his will.'

And soon after Louis, with his queen and his knights and nobles,
returned to Acre, and made preparations for his departure.

It happened that when John de Valence and his associates went to Cairo,
to treat for the release of the French captives, and also for the
remains of some of the French warriors who fell at Mansourah, the
Saracens suddenly reminded him of the Earl of Salisbury.

'I wonder,' said an emir, 'that you Christians, who venerate the ashes
of the dead, make no inquiry for the bones of that most illustrious and
noble-born William, to whom you give the name of Longsword; whereas we,
seeing that he was slain in battle and on account of his illustrious
qualities, have treated his remains with all respect.'

On hearing this, the ambassadors were somewhat confused.

'How,' asked they, one of another, 'can we disparage this man, because
he was an Englishman, when even the Saracens accord the honour due to
his nobility of soul?'

Accordingly, the Crusaders requested that Salisbury's bones might be
given to them; they carried them to Acre, where they were laid, with
much respect, in the church of the Holy Cross.

It was on the afternoon of the day when the burial took place that
Bisset, who had been maturing his project of repairing to
Constantinople, entered his lodgings, and took Walter Espec by one hand
and Guy Muschamp by the other.

'Boys,' said he, 'this crusade, as I foresaw, has resulted in naught
save disaster, and, as fighting men, it behoves us to consider whither
we are now to carry our swords. For my part, I am resolved to turn the
gifts of the Tartar warrior into money, and make without delay for
Constantinople, and fight for the Latin Emperor. Are you willing to
accompany me and share my fortunes, or must we part?'

'In trut