IN THE HOLD. 205

the power of bestowing. But of all the things he
had said to me, when I rose up I could not remem-
ber one of them.’

‘We were confined in the hold of the galleys,’
continues the chronicler, ‘and laid heads and heels
together. We thought it had been so ordered be-
cause they were afraid of attacking us in a body, and
that they would destroy us one at a time. This
danger lasted the whole night. I had my feet right
on the face of the Count of Brittany, whose feet, in
return, were beside my face. On the morrow we
were taken out of the hold, and the emirs sent to
inform us that we might renew the treaties we had
made with the sultan.’

‘So far, all seemed well. But the danger was not
yet over, as the Crusaders were destined to feel. At
first the form of the oaths to be taken by the king
and the emirs presented much difficulty; and, even
when it was settled, the emirs in council gravely dis-
cussed the propriety of putting the French king and
his barons to death. Only one of them pleaded for
keeping faith ; and his voice would have been drowned
in the clamour, but fortunately he used an argu-
ment which appealed irresistibly to their cupidity.’

‘You may put these Franks to death if you will,’
said he; * but reflect ere doing so that dead men pay
no ransom.’

Nevertheless, it really seemed that after all the
Crusaders were doomed; and while they were on
board the galleys, and this discussion was proceeding,
an incident occurred which caused them to give
themselves up for lost.