The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-19


abbess and her nuns rose and bowed
to her, while one offered her the chair
of state that! was set apart to be used
by the bishop in his visitations.
"Nay," said the queen. Knock. me
with no honorable seat who COM here
as a humble suppliant"
$50 down che went upon the marble
aoor with all her ladies and the follow
; ing women, while the solemn Saracens
looked at her wondering and the
knights and mobiles massed themselves
behind.
"What can we give you. o queen, .
asked the ebbess, "who have nothing
left save our treasure. to which you are
most welcome, our honor and our
livesY
'"Alasv' answered the royal lady
"Alas that must say 1t! come to
ask the life Of one of YOU"
''Of whom, o queenT'
Sybilla lifted her head, and with her
outstretched arm pointed to Rosamund,
who stood above them all by the high
altar.
For a moment Rosamund turned
pale, then spoke in a steady voice:
Say what service can my poor life
be to you. o queen, and by whom is 1t
sought?'
Thrice sybilia strove to answer, and
at last murmured: ...
81 cannot. Let the ENJOYS give her
the letter, IL she is able to read their
tongue"
II am able" answered Rosamund
and a Saracen emir drew forth n roll
and laid 1t against his forehead, then
gave 1t to the abbess, who brought it
20 Rosamund. With her dagger blade
she cut its silk, opened 1t and read
aloud, always in the same quiet voice,
translating as she read:
In the name of Allah the one, the all
merciful, to my niece. aforetme the Prin-
cess OF Baalbec. Rosamund Darcy by
name. now o. fugitive hidden in n convent
of the Franks in the city el-Kuds Esh-
sheriff. the holy city of Jerusalem:
Niece-All my promises to you 1 have
performed. and more. since for your sake
i spared the lives OF your cousins, the
twin knights. But you have repaid me
with ingratitude and trickery. after the
manner OF those of your false and accurs-
ed faith. and have fed from me. prom
fsed you also, again and yet again, that
II you attempted this thing death should
be your portion, No longer therefore, are
you the Princess of Baalbec. but only an
escaped Christian slave and as such doom
ed to die whenever my sword reaches
you.
or my vision concerning you. which
caused me TO bring you 10 the east from
England. you know well. Repeat II In
your heart before you answer. That
vision told me that by your nobleness ana
sacrifice you should save the lives of
many. / demanded that you should be
brought back to me, and the request was
refused-why, it matters not Now / I'M
derstand the reason-that this was so
ordained. / demand no more that force
should be used to you. demand that you
shall come of your own free will to suf-
fer the bitter and shameful reward of
your sin, or. IL you so desire, bide where
you are of your own free will and be
dealt with as God shall decree
This hangs upon your Judgment: II YOU
come and ask Ii of me. will consider
the question OF the sparing of Jerusalem
and It's Inhabitants. II you refuse to
come. / will certainly put every one of
them to the sword, save such of the
women and children as may be kept for
slaves. Decide. then, niece, and quickly,
whether you will return with my ENJOYS
or bide where they find you.
YUSUF SALAH-ED-DIN.