22 THE BOY CRUSADERS.

of Egypt and Syria, began to govern with despotic
power.

Meanwhile, Louis was anxious to redeem from
captivity the Crusaders who had been left in Egypt,

and sent ambassadors to Cairo with the money that ~

had been agreed on as their ransom. But the am-
bassadors could hardly get a hearing. At length
they did obtain the release of four hundred of the
Christian prisoners, most of whom had paid their own
ransom; but when they pressed for the liberation of
the others, they were plainly told that the King of
France might deem himself fortunate that he had
regained his own liberty; and that if he gave more
trouble, he might expect the Mamelukes to besiege
him at Acre. On hearing this Louis was much per-
plexed, and consulted his nobles, especially the Lord
of Joinville. |
‘Sire,’ said Joinville, after some consideration, ‘ this
iS a serious question, and one not to be hastily dis-
posed of; for I remember that when I was on the
eve of leaving home, my cousin, the Seigneur de
Bollaincourt, said to me, “Now you are going be-
yond the seas, but take care how you return; no
knight, either rich or poor, can come back without
pani: it he leaves behind him, in the hands of the
Saracens, any of the common people who leave home
in his company.” Now,’ added the geneschal, «these
unhappy captives were in the service of the king, as
well as the service of God, and never can they escape
irom captivity if the king should abandon them.’
On hearing this Tepes was more perplexed than
ever. iy ee anxiety, however, he bethought him of