Arab countries -- Fiction; Crusades -- Fiction; Great Britain -- History -- Medieval period, 1066-1485 -- Fiction
“I obey and promise,” said Rosamund. “It is your hour, my lord Hassan.”
He bowed deeply and answered:
“I am satisfied, and henceforth we are your servants. Princess, the
night air is bitter; you cannot travel thus. In which chamber are your
garments?”
She pointed with her finger. A man took a taper, and, accompanied by
two others, entered the place, to return presently with their arms full
of all the apparel they could find. Indeed, they even brought her
missal and the silver crucifix which hung above her bed and with it her
leathern case of trinkets.
“Keep out the warmest cloak,” said Hassan, “and tie the rest up in
those carpets.”
So the rugs that Sir Andrew had bought that day from the merchant
Georgios were made to serve as travelling bags to hold his daughter’s
gear. Thus even in this hour of haste and danger thought was taken for
her comfort.
“Princess,” said Hassan, bowing, “my master, your uncle, sent you
certain jewels of no mean value. Is it your wish that they should
accompany you?”
Without lifting her eyes from her dying father’s face, Rosamund
answered heavily:
“Where they are, there let them bide. What have I to do with jewels?”
“Your will is my law,” he said, “and others will be found for you.
Princess, all is ready; we wait your pleasure.”
“My pleasure? Oh, God, my pleasure?” exclaimed Rosamund in the same
drear voice, still staring at her father, who lay before her on the
ground.
“I cannot help it,” said Hassan, answering the question in her eyes,
and there was grief in his tone. “He would not come, he brought it on
himself; though in truth I wish that accursed Frank had not struck so
shrewdly. If you ask it, we will bear him with you; but, lady, it is
idle to hide the truth—he is sped. I have studied medicine, and I
know.”
“Nay,” said Sir Andrew from the floor, “leave me here. Daughter, we
must part awhile. As I stole his child from Ayoub, so Ayoub’s son
steals my child from me. Daughter, cling to the faith—that we may meet
again.”
“To the death,” she answered.
“Be comforted,” said Hassan. “Has not Salah-ed-din passed his word that
except her own will or that of Allah should change her heart, a
Cross-worshipper she may live and die? Lady, for your own sake as well
as ours, let this sad farewell be brief. Begone, my servants, taking
these dead and wounded with you. There are things it is not fitting
that common eyes should see.”
They obeyed, and the three of them remained alone together. Then
Rosamund knelt down beside her father, and they whispered into each
other’s ears. Hassan turned his back upon them, and threw the corner of
his cloak over his head and eyes that he might neither see nor hear
their voices in this dread and holy hour of parting.
It would seem that they found some kind of hope and consolation in
it—at least when Rosamund kissed him for the last time, Sir Andrew
smiled and said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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