“But then,” said John sadly, “even while he called it nothing, there came a dizziness over him. And even then the Princess had heard the outcry, and came in haste with Dame Idonea. And so soon as the Dame had picked up the dagger and looked well at it, and smelt it, she said there was poison on it. No sooner did the Princess hear that, than, without one word, she put her lips to his arm to suck forth the venom. He was for withholding her, but the Dame said that was the only safeguard for his life; and she looked—oh, so imploring!” “Blessings on the sweet Princess and true wife!” cried the men-at-arms, great numbers of whom had gathered round the little eye-witness to hear his account. “And so is he saved?” said Richard, with a long breath. “Ah! but,” said John, his eyes beginning to fill with tears, “there is the Grand Master of the Templars come now, and he says that to suck the poison is of no avail; and that nothing will save him but cutting away the living flesh as I would carve the wing of a bustard; and Dame Idonea says that is just the way King Cœur de Lion died, and the Princess is weeping, and the wound will not stop bleeding; and Hamlyn is gone to Acre for a surgeon, and they are all wrangling, and Dame Idonea boxed my ears at last, and said I was gaping there.” The boy absolutely burst into sobs and tears, and at the same moment a growl arose among the archers, of “Curses on the Moslem hounds! Not one shall escape! Death to every captive in our hands!” “Nay, nay,” exclaimed Richard, looking up in horror; “the poor captives are utterly guiltless! Far more justly make me suffer,” murmured he sadly. “All tarred with the same stick,” said the nearest; “serve them as they deserve.” “Think,” added Richard, “if the Prince would see no dishonour done to the dead carcase of the murderer himself, would he be willing to have ill worked on living men, sackless of the wrong? English turning butchers—that were fit work for Paynims.” “No, no, not one shall live to laugh at our Edward’s fall,” burst out the men; and a voice among them added, “Sure the young squire seems to know a vast deal about the guilty and the guiltless—the Montfort! Ay! Away with all foes to our Edward—” “Best withdraw yourself, Sir,” said Hob Longbow; “their blood is up. Baulk them of their prey, and they will set on you next.” Richard just then beheld a person from whose interposition he had much greater hopes, namely the Earl of Gloucester, who, though still a young man, was the chief English noble in the camp, and whose special charge the Saracen captives were. He hurried towards him, and asked tidings of the Prince.