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CHAPTER XXIII.
NOW JOINVILLE KEPT THE BRIDGE.

HEN the Constable of France informed King
Louis that the Count of Artois was in extreme
peril, and when Louis made an effort to go to the
rescue of his brother—the Lord of Joinville, having
previously left the ruined house, and joined the king,
endeavoured to keep in the royal warrior’s company.
But all efforts with this object proved vain. The
Saracens, raising clouds of dust and uttering fero-
cious yells as they advanced, came down upon the
Crusaders with a force that was irresistible. The
French were scattered in all directions; and Joinville
was separated from Louis some minutes before the
person of the saintly monarch was in such imminent
danger. But in the meantime the seneschal’s band
had been reduced to six persons, including Guy
Muschamp, who adhered with determination to
Joinville’s side; and between them and the king,
then struggling to save his liberty, intervened
thousands of Saracens.
‘Impossible for us to make our way through such —
a crowd,’ said Joinville; ‘much better, therefore, will
it be to wheel round and get on the other side of them.’