CHAPTER XXXIX.
IN THE LION'S MOUTH.
IT must be admitted that the position of the ambassadors was notenviable; and, when the Templar hastily stated that the Tartars werestorming Bagdad, even Bisset's bold countenance fell, and his tonguefaltered.
'I will not hide,' said he, recovering himself, 'that our doom looksdark; our heads are in the lion's mouth. But, as Christian warriors, wemust trust in God and the saints; and, as brave men, we must do what wecan to extricate ourselves.'
Without wasting more time in words, Bisset proceeded to buckle on hischain mail, while Walter Espec also arrayed himself; and, while theknight armed himself with his ponderous battle-axe, the squireunsheathed his falchion; and both, resuming their wonted air ofdauntless courage, prepared, in case of the worst, to sell their livesdearly. Meanwhile, the attendants of the ambassadors filled the chamber,with alarm on their faces; and thither also Guy Muschamp and his fellowcaptives found their way, closely followed by the aged Saracen, whobowed himself before Bisset and exclaimed--
'In the name of God, save me!'
'Save you, Saracen!' said Bisset. 'On my faith, I cannot but think thatthe man will do well this day who saves himself.'
'But,' asked the Saracen, 'do you not believe in a God, born of a woman,who was crucified for the salvation of the human race, and rose againthe third day?'
'Assuredly, Saracen,' replied Bisset, regarding his questioner with acurious eye: 'as certainly as I believe that I am now in the palace ofthe caliph, and in greater danger than I pretend to relish.'
'In that case,' said the Saracen, 'place your hopes in your God; for, ifhe was able to recall himself to life, he will not want the power todeliver you from the evils that now threaten you.'
'On my faith,' replied Bisset, a little surprised, 'I must say that youspeak the words of wisdom were you twenty times an infidel; and, for myown part, I would fain hope that God and the saints, especially good St.George, will befriend us in our jeopardy.'
Meanwhile the noise and tumult caused by the Tartars, as they forcedtheir way into Bagdad, drew nearer, and shouts and shrieks were heard,which left no doubt that they had entered the palace. Bisset thereupon,grasping his battle-axe, took his post on one side of the door: theTemplar, sword in hand, stationed himself on the other. Neither spoke,and such was the silence of those who were likely to share their fate,that a pin might have been heard to drop. But though the carnage wasgoing on around them, they were left undisturbed; and they passed afull hour in breathless suspense.
At length a loud shout intimated that the Tartars had penetrated to thegarden; and Bisset, wishing to tiring matters to a crisis, steppedforward so as to make himself visible, and then retreated to his post.Immediately twenty of the fierce Mogul warriors rushed towards theplace, and with loud shouts prepared for fresh carnage. But, when theyperceived the Templar and the English knight guarding the door with theair of men who could not fail to prove terrible antagonists, theyhesitated, paused, and seemed to think that it was necessary to exercisecaution.
Now, this delay was not without an important result. In the leader ofthe Tartars, Bisset to his astonishment saw a man whom he had met underother circumstances, and instantly turned his discovery to account.
'Hold, hold, brave warrior!' cried he, in a conciliating tone. 'With usyou have no quarrel. We are ambassadors who were sent hither by the Kingof France to obtain the release of some captives, and in you I recogniseone of the barons of Tartary who came to the court of the island ofCyprus, and to whom I myself, as a knight in the Christian king'sservice, rendered what service I could. With us, therefore, I repeat,you have no quarrel. Wherefore should we dye our weapons in each other'sblood?'
The Tartar remained motionless, and eyed the knight keenly, and notwithout suspicion.
'It may be as you say,' replied he after some consideration; 'and yet Iknow not how I am to credit your words. Knowest thou that the Moslemshave a proverb which says, "Hearken to a Frank, and hear a fable?"'
'You do me wrong by your suspicions,' exclaimed Bisset. 'On my honour asa Christian knight, I tell you naught but the truth.'
'Give me a token by which I may prove the truth of what you say,'suggested the Tartar. And Bisset forthwith related several incidentsthat had occurred during the residence of the Tartars at Nicosia.
'Enough,' said the Tartar. 'I now give credit to the words you havespoken; therefore let there be peace between thee and me, and betweenthy people and my people. For the present I leave to take measures foryour security; and I will conduct you to the presence of Oulagon thebrave, brother of the great khan, and grandson of him who received thetitle of "King of Kings" from a prophet who came down from heaven on awhite horse.'
The ambassadors now breathed freely; and the attendants looked uponBisset as almost more than mortal; and the knight congratulated himselfon the prospect of getting his head out of the lion's den. It was not,however, till the morrow that the Templar and the English knight wereled to the presence of Oulagon; a semi-savage warrior, with those Tartarfeatures which naturally looked harsh to the eyes of men accustomed tothe features of Norman and Saxon, and short of stature, but thickset,compact of body, and of prodigious strength. Bisset was at first by nomeans satisfied with Oulagon's look, but the Tartar manifested everydisposition to treat the ambassadors as friends.
'The wrath of the King of Kings,' said he, 'is like the fire of aconflagration, which the slightest wind may light up, but which nothingbut blood can quench. But between the King of Kings and the King ofFrance there is peace and amity and goodwill. Wherefore, friend, saywhat you desire of me, and your will shall be granted.'
'Simply,' replied Bisset, 'permission to depart with my comrade and ourtrain, and six Christian captives who have thrown themselves on ourprotection.'
'Be it as you will, Frank,' said Oulagon. 'But not till you have hadfitting gifts; for this is the storehouse of the treasure of the world,and I would fain send gifts to the King of France; nor would I like hisambassadors to depart empty-handed.'
The knight and the Templar bowed.
'But,' said Oulagon with a cunning leer, 'ere departing you must visitthe caliph in my company, that you may relate to the King of the Frankshow the King of Kings punishes men who are the enemies of both.'
And without delay the Tartar led the ambassadors to the prison where hehad on the previous day shut up Musteazem in an iron cage, and where hehad since kept his captive without food.
'Caliph,' asked Oulagon approaching, 'dost thou hunger?'
'Yes,' answered Musteazem indignantly. 'I do hunger, and not withoutcause.'
"Ah, Caliph," said Oulagon with bitter scorn, "thou maystnow see thy great fault; for if thou hadst given part of thy treasures,which thou lovest so dearly, thou mightest have held out againstme."--p. 251.]
'Then,' said Oulagon, 'thou shalt have that to eat which above allthings thy heart loveth.' And the Tartar ordered a large golden platter,filled with jewels and precious stones, to be brought and set before thecaptive.
'Knowest thou these treasures, caliph?' asked he with an affectation ofcarelessness.
'Yes,' answered Musteazem sharply, 'I know them, for they are mine own.'
'And dost thou dearly love thy treasures?' asked Oulagon.
'Yes,' replied Musteazem, simply and frankly.
'Well, then,' said Oulagon, 'since thou lovest thy treasures so well,take of these jewels as many as thou wilt, and appease thy hunger.'
'They are not food to eat,' replied Musteazem, shaking his head with anair of great dejection.
'Ah, caliph,' said Oulagon with bitter scorn, 'thou mayest now see thygreat fault; for if thou hadst given part of thy treasures, which thoulovest so dearly, to subsidise soldiers for thy defence, thou mightesthave held out against me. But that which thou didst prize most highlyhas failed thee in the hour of need.'
And Oulagon withdrew with the Templar and the English knight; and soonafter this interview Musteazem drew his last breath. But whether heperi
shed of hunger, or of indignant despair, or by the violence of hisconquerors, is not clearly ascertained. In the midst of the tumult anddisorder which followed the sack of Bagdad, and the extinction of thecaliphate, chroniclers neglected to record under what circumstances,and how, died the last of the caliphs.
But, however that may have been, the ambassadors next morning took theirdeparture from Bagdad.
'Now God and all the saints be praised!' exclaimed Bisset: 'our headsare out of the lion's mouth.'