NOT TOO YOUNG TO DIRE. 151

‘Nay, my good lord,’ replied Walter, calmly. «A
man, whether young or old, can die but once: [
would rather fall fighting in the cause of our
Redeemer, and under your banner, than in a less
holy cause and in meaner company.’

As you will,’ said the earl. ‘It shall never be told
that I prevented knight or squire from dying the
death of a martyr.’

‘By the might of Mary! Master Espec,’ whispered
Bisset, the English knight, ‘were I your age, and
had my choice, certes, I should think twice ere
hazarding life against such odds. Wherefore should
you fall a victim to the madness of my Lord of
Artois, or the pride of my Lord of Salisbury ?’

‘On my faith, I know not,’ answered Walter,
smiling. ‘But this I do know, that a man can die
but once, and that a Christian warrior who falls with
the Cross on his shoulder is understood to win the
crown of martyrdom.’

‘Nevertheless, were I you, and of your years,’
argued Bisset, ‘I should little relish the notion of
being killed; for, as the Saracens say, when man
dies there is no hope of his living again; because, as
they add truly, man is not a water-melon when
once in the ground he cannot grow again.’

By this time French and Templars and Hospi-
tallers and English were mounted; and, without
further argument, they dashed towards Mansourah.
At first they enccuntered no obstacle; and, while
the inhabitants fled in terror along the road to
Cairo, the Count of Artois and his companions, after
destroying one of the gates, so as to secure eOTESS