第93章 Wulf Pays for the Drugged Wine(2)

About that field--yes, and in the camp of Saladin, where lay more dead--his body seemed to wander searching for something, he knew not what, till it came to him that it was the corpse of Wulf for which he sought and found it not-- nay, nor his own either.Then once more he heard the spirits pass--a very great company, for to them were gathered all those dead--heard them pass away, wailing, ever more faintly wailing for the lost cause of Christ, wailing over Nazareth.

Godwin awoke from his dream trembling, mounted his horse, and rode back to Wulf.Beneath, as before, lay the sleeping camp, yonder stretched the brown desert, and there sat Wulf watching both.

"Tell me," asked Godwin, "how long is it since I left you?""Some few minutes--ten perhaps," answered his brother.

"A short while to have seen so much," replied Godwin.Then Wulf looked at him curiously and asked:

"What have you seen?"

"If I told you, Wulf, you would not believe.""Tell me, and I will say."

So Godwin told him all, and at the end asked him, "What think you?"Wulf considered awhile, and answered:

"Well, brother, you have touched no wine to-day, so you are not drunk, and you have done nothing foolish, so you are not mad.

Therefore it would seem that the saints have been talking to you, or, at least, so I should think of any other man whom I knew to be as good as you are.Yet it is folk like you that see visions, and those visions are not always true, for sometimes, I believe, the devil is their showman.Our watch is ended, for I hear the horses of the knights who come to relieve us.Listen; this is my counsel.In the camp yonder is our friend with whom we travelled from Jerusalem, Egbert, the bishop of Nazareth, who marches with the host.Let us go to him and lay this matter before him, for he is a holy man and learned; no false, self-seeking priest."Godwin nodded in assent, and presently, when the other knights were come and they had made their report to them, they rode off together to the tent of Egbert, and, leaving their horses in charge of a servant, entered.

Egbert was an Englishman who had spent more than thirty years of his life in the East, whereof the suns had tanned his wrinkled face to the hue of bronze, that seemed the darker in contrast with his blue eyes and snow-white hair and beard.Entering the tent, they found him at his prayers before a little image of the Virgin, and stood with bowed heads until he had finished.

Presently he rose, and greeting them with a blessing, asked them what they needed.

"Your counsel, holy father," answered Wulf."Godwin, set out your tale."So, having seen that the tent flap was closed and that none lingered near, Godwin told him his dream.

The old man listened patiently, nor did he seem surprised at this strange story, since in those days men saw--or thought they saw--many such visions, which were accepted by the Church as true.

When he had finished Godwin asked of him as he had asked of Wulf:

"What think you, holy father? Is this a dream, or is it a message? And if so, from whom comes the message?""Godwin D'Arcy," he answered, "in my youth I knew your father.It was I who shrove him when he lay dying of his wounds, and a nobler soul never passed from earth to heaven.After you had left Damascus, when you were the guest of Saladin, we dwelt together in the same lodging in Jerusalem, and together we travelled here, during all which time I learned to know you also as the worthy son of a worthy sire--no dissolute knight, but a true servant of the Church.It well may be that to such a one as you foresight has been given, that through you those who rule us may be warned, and all Christendom saved from great sorrow and disgrace.Come;let us go to the king, and tell this story, for he still sits in council yonder."So they went out together and rode to the royal tent.Here the bishop was admitted, leaving them without.

Presently he returned and beckoned to them, and as they passed, the guards whispered to them:

"A strange council, sirs, and a fateful!"Already it was near midnight, but still the great pavilion was crowded with barons and chief captains who sat in groups, or sat round a narrow table made of boards placed upon trestles.At the head of that table sat the king, Guy of Lusignan, a weak-faced man, clad in splendid armour.On his right was the white-haired Count Raymond of Tripoli, and on his left the black-bearded, frowning Master of the Templars, clad in his white mantle on the left breast of which the red cross was blazoned.

Words had been running high, their faces showed it, but just then a silence reigned as though the disputants were weary, and the king leaned back in his chair, passing his hand to and fro across his forehead.He looked up, and seeing the bishop, asked peevishly:

"What is it now? Oh! I remember, some tale from those tall twin knights.Well, bring them forward and speak it out, for we have no time to lose."So the three of them came forward and at Godwin's prayer the bishop Egbert told of the vision that had come to him not more than an hour ago while he kept watch upon the mountain top.At first one or two of the barons seemed disposed to laugh, but when they looked at Godwin's high and spiritual face, their laughter died away, for it did not seem wonderful to them that such a man should see visions.Indeed, as the tale of the rocky hill and the dead who were stretched upon it went on, they grew white with fear, and whitest of them all was the king, Guy of Lusignan.

"Is all this true, Sir Godwin?" he asked, when the bishop had finished.

"It is true, my lord king," answered Godwin.

"His word is not enough," broke in the Master of the Templars.

"Let him swear to it on the Holy Rood, knowing that if he lies it will blast his soul to all eternity." And the council muttered, "Ay, let him swear."Now there was an annexe to the tent, rudely furnished as a chapel, and at the end of this annexe a tall, veiled object.