"I am called Matteo of Antioch, a jongleur." The Doge leaned forward and studied his face. "And you?" He turned to Hugh. "Hugh de Chesby, lord of Chesby in England." "Chesby? That is a name passing well-known in Outremer." "Sir James de Chesby is my father," answered Hugh steadily. The Doge's dim old eyes examined his features at close range. "Both honest faces," was the verdict. "I give frequent thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ that my sight still serves me on occasion. Well, and what say you, Messer Matteo? These Saracens asked the man Mocenigo of the Crusade?" "Ay, your Highness. And he told them it would not sail for Babylon or any port in Paynimry." "This year?" amended the Doge. "Nay, any year," he said. "Said he so?" Dandolo murmured. "And then?" "He said it would sail against Constantinople." The Doge's gaunt frame snapped upright in his chair, and a light seemed to flash from his face. "Why did you conceive it necessary to tell me this?" "Because it seemed to me, your Highness, that it touched the honour of the Republic--ay, of all Christendom." "You have repeated it to no one else?" "No." "You have said nothing of your suspicions to the leaders of the host?" "Fair sir, we had no suspicions before to-night." Dandolo drummed on the arm of his chair and stared over the comrades' heads. "Look you, Messers," he said suddenly. "You have been taken by the officers of the Republic in the violation of her laws. You are strangers here, and none will take interest in your fate--nay, none will know of it. A word from me, and you will disappear." Hugh frowned in anger at this speech, but Matteo motioned to him to hold his temper. "What you have said is sufficiently clear, Lord Doge," replied the jongleur placidly. "But I have yet to hear that justice is departed from Venice." "And I propose to give you justice," retorted Dandolo. "'Tis because you are both plainly honourable and well-intentioned in your blunderings." "Blunderings, sire? Where have we blundered?" "You have blundered into that which doth not concern you, into matters of great import. But you gained the knowledge through no fault of your own, and so I would help you to escape the consequences." "You speak to us in riddles, your Highness," said Hugh impatiently. "In God's name, tell us what you mean! We fear naught! We have no sin upon our souls!" Not a line quivered in Dandolo's imperturbable face. "Right knightly spoken!" he approved. "I see that you are men of spirit as well as honour. That is well, for we need such. Messers, all unwittingly you have stumbled upon the most valuable secret in the world. Your possession of it is dangerous to myself and to other people. Therefore I give you the choice of pledging me your word by the Body of Christ that you will speak naught of it to others and that you will agree to accompany the Crusade until I release you from your promise, or--the dungeons of St. Mark. Choose!"