The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05
CHAPTER xxIIL
Saint Rosamund.


and as his health came back. SO he
fell to thinking. Rosamund was lost
to him and Masouda was dead, and at
times he wished that he were dead
also. What more had he to do with
his life, which had been so full of sor-
row, struggle and bloodshed? Go
back to England to live there upon his
lands and wait until old age and
death overlook him? The prospect
would have pleased many. but it did
not please Goodwin. who felt that his
days were not given to him for this
purpose and that while he lived he
must also labor.
AS he sat thinking thus, and was
very unhappy, the aged Bishop Egbert,
who had nursed him so well, entered
his tent and. noting his face, asked:
What ails you, my son?''
Would you wish to hear?" said
Goodwin.
Am L not your confessor, with
right to hear?' answered the gentle old
man. Show me your trouble"
So Goodwin began at the beginning
and told it all-how as lad he had
secretly desired to enter the church;
how the old prior of the abbey at Stan
gate counseled him that he was too
young to Judge; how then the love of
Rosamund had entered into his life
with his mandood, and he had thought
no more of religion. He told him also
of the dream that he had dreamed
when he lay wounded after the fight on
Death Creek; Of the vows that he and
Wulf had vowed at the time of their
knighting, and of how by degrees he
had learned that Rosamund's love was
not for him. Lastly he told him OF
Masouda.
The Bishop listened in silence till he
had finished. Then he looked up say
ing:
'And now?"
Now" answered Goodwin, ''I know
not. Yet it seems to me that / hear
the sound of my own feet walking
upon cloisters stones. and of my own
voice lifted UP in prayer before the
altar"
You are still young to talk thus.
and there are other women in the
world" said Egbert.
Goodwin shook his head.
Not for me, my father.
Then there are the knightly orders,
among whom you might rise high"
Again he shook his head.
THE Templars and the Hospitalers
are crushed. Moreover, 1 watched them
in Jerusalem and the field. and love
them not. Should they change their
ways, or should I be needed to fight
against the Infidei. / can join them
by dispensation in days to come. But
counsel me-what shall do now?"
"Oh. my son. the old Bishop said,
his face lighting up. -Ir God calls
you, come to God. 1 will show you
the road"
Yes, I will come" Goodwin an
swered quietly. Il will come, and.
unless the cross should once more
call me to follow it in war. 1 will
strive to spend the time that is left
to me in his service. and that of men.
For think. my father, that to this end
1 was born"
Three days later Goodwin was or
dained a priest, there in the camp of
Saladin, by the hand of the Bishop
Egbert, while around his tent the
servants of Mahomet. triumphant at
the approaching downfall of the cross.
shouted that God is great and Maho-
met was hl5 only prophet.
Saladin lifted his head and looked
at Balian.
Tell me- he said. what of the
Princess of. Baalbec, whom you know
as the lady Rosamund darcy? / told
you that would speak no more with
you of the safety of Jerusalem until
she was delivered to me for judgment.
yet I see her not
Sultan" answered Balian, Eve
found this lady in the convent of the
Holy Cross. wearing the robe OF
novice of that order. She had taken
the sanctuary there by the altar,
which we deem so sacred and inviola-
BILE, and refused to come"
Saladin laughed.
Cannot all your men-at-arms drag
one maiden from an altar stone ?-un-
less, indeed, the great knight Wulf
stood before it with sword aloft" he
added.
so he stood" answered Balian,
"but it was not of him that we thought,
though assuredly he would have slain
some of us. To do this thing would
have been an awful crime, which we
were sure must bring down the venge-
ance of our God upon us and upon
the city"
What of the vengeance of Salah-
ed-din?"
Sore as is our case, Sultan, we still
fear God more than Saladin."
Within an hour Balian rode to the
city under safe conduct, taking with
him the ENJOYS of Saladin and the let
ter, which they were charged to deliver
to Rosamund.
1t was night and in their lamp-lit
chapel the Virgins of the Holy Cross
upon bended knees chanted the slow
and solemn Mserere. From their
hearts they sang, to whom death and
dishonor were so near, praying their
LORD ana the merclIul MOtner or COO
to have pity, and to spare them and
the inhabitants of the hallowed town
where he had dwelt and suffered, and
to lead them safe through the shadow
of a fate as awful as his own. They
knew that the end was near. that the
walls were tottering to their fall, that
the defenders were exhausted. and
that soon the wild soldiers of Saladin
would be surging through the narrow
streets.
Then would come the sack and the
slaughter, either by the sword of the
Saracens or perchance, if these found
time and they were not forgotten,
more mercifully at the hands of
Christian men. who would thus save
them from the worst.
Their dirge ended, the abbess rose
and addressed them. Her bearing was
still proud, but her voice quavered.
My daughters in the Lord" she
said. 1.-THE doom is almost at our door
and we must brace our hearts to meet
it. If the commanders of the city do
what they have promised, they will
send some one here to hehead us at
the last and we shall pass happily to
glory and be ever with the Lord. But