THE NEW SULTAN, 151

At the same time, an arrival of great importance
took place at Mansourah. While the battle was
raging on the plain, Touran Chah, the new sultan,
reached the city, and was received with acclamations
by the populace. The emirs, however, regarded the
sultan with some suspicion. Unfortunately, Touran
Chah did not come alone; and the jealousy of the
emirs was aroused by the presence of the favourites
who accompained him from Mesopotamia. If the
heir of Saladin could have foreseen what a price he
was to pay for the happiness of having his favourites
with him, he would doubtless have been discreet
enough to leave them behind.

But, mm the meantime, it was necessary for the
satety and interests both of the sultan and the emirs,
that the Crusaders should be destroyed; and Bibars
Bendocdar was bent on pursuing his success. In
the first place, he made several attempts to recapture
the engines of war, and the French were repeatedly
roused to defend them at the point of the sword.
But these attacks led to a feeling of insecurity, and
King Louis deemed it prudent to construct a bridge
of wood over the Achmoun, so as to have the means
of communicating readily with the Duke of Bur-
gundy’ss camp. Who at that time could have
imagined the mischief of which this bridge was
subsequently to be the cause ?

Meanwhile Bibars Bendocdar was doing his best
to inflame the enthusiasm of the Mamelukes and
soldiers. Nor, with that object, was he above prac-
tising a little deception. A cuirass covered with
fleur-de-lis was publicly exhibited, and declared to