td cm Ce CHAPTER XLII. HOMEWARD BOUND. N the vigil of St. Mark, after Easter, the Cru- saders having mustered at Acre, flocked on board their ships and prepared to set sail for Europe. On that day also the King of France, leaving Geoffrey de Segrines with a hundred knights to aid in the defence of what remained of the once grand kingdom of Godfrey and the Baldwins, left the palace which he had occupied, and, attended by the papal legate, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Christian nobles and knights of Palestine, walked on foot to the port, amid an immense crowd assembled to witness his departure, who all, while lamenting his departure, applauded him as the Father of the Christians, and implored Heaven to shower blessings on his head. * ‘This is the day of St. Mark, seneschal,’ said Louis to Joinville, as they went on board; ‘and on St. Mark’s-day was I born at Poissy.’ ‘Sire,’ replied Joinville, ‘you may well say that you have been born again on St. Mark’s-day; for you are escaping from a pestilent land, where you have remained so lone.’