Villehardouin stood forth next and a deep cheer greeted him, for the Marshal was liked by all by reason of his justice and tact. "If it were not for this chance which hath come to us," he said, "I know not what the Crusade might do. A full third of those who bargained to accompany us have gone otherwhere, and our ranks have been filled by the kindness of the Venetians. We would be as a drop in the ocean in the wastes of Outremer. We might struggle a while and die, but what good would come of it? Our families would mourn us, and Holy Church would preach another Crusade--and mayhap hold back her stipend of the funds, as hath happened in this venture." A howl of anger from the Abbot of Vaux and his followers answered this bold charge. But Villehardouin refused to be daunted. "I do not speak idly," he declared. "The Holy Apostle himself and his Cardinals are as much to blame as any for that the Crusade failed to sail this summer according to plan. Had they seen to it that the funds were put to the right purposes all would have been well. But enough of that. What we have to do is not to revile those who disagree with us, but to make the best use of what means we have. And for this reason I say to you, Messers, that you can do no better than accept the offer of Prince Alexius. With Byzantium as a base for our efforts and the treasure with which he promises to aid us, we can achieve much more against the Saracens than if we land in any part of Paynimry, with only ourselves to reckon upon. In this all warriors of experience will agree." "He says no more than the truth," muttered Matteo in Hugh's ear. "I say naught of the honesty of the plan, for I know naught about it, but by Our Lady, the one way to crush the Saracens is to come at them steadily and without let-up, so that they may not recover from year to year." Others seemed to have the same point-of-view, and the applause for the Marshal's speech drowned out any dissenting cries. "What other churchmen wish to be heard?" asked Dandolo, when the shouting had died down. Another white monk, the Abbot of Loos, was shoved to the front. "My lords and people," he said, "I cannot agree with my holy brother of Vaux. He is led astray by excess of zeal. The one object we have is to regain the Holy Land, and if we can regain it best by fighting elsewhere first--and best of all, if in doing so we can redeem from schism a nation of our fellow-Christians--then I say that we should do so without fear. Let him hesitate who would sow dissension in the host, for by such means is Anti-Christ served." There was more applause at this, for it convinced many who had been swayed by fear of the Pope's anathema. "Who will take the oath to covenant with the Prince Alexius?" questioned Dandolo. "I," said the Marquis Boniface. "I," said Count Baldwin. "I," said Count Louis of Blois. "I," said the Count of St. Paul. "I," said Count Bertrand von Katzenellenbogen.