The Heart of the Lion - Plaidy Jean (читать книги бесплатно полностью без регистрации сокращений txt) 📗

‘You seek to comfort yourself,’ said Richard scornfully. ‘I tell you I shall not return until the Christian flag flies over the Holy City.’

‘Do not boast of that to any who do not love you as I do,’ said Philip.

‘You love me! Yet you leave me!’

‘Forget not that I have entreated you to come with me.’

‘I have let you see that I do not want you to go.’

‘Is it for myself you wish me to stay or because you fear that my departure may please the enemy? Or do you fear that I shall be in France while you are in Palestine?’

‘Before you go you must give me your solemn word that you will do nothing to harass my dominions while I am away.’

‘I will give you that word.’

‘You must keep it, Philip. You must remember our friendship, the oaths we have sworn to each other.’

‘Did you always remain true to yours, Richard?’

‘What mean you?’

‘I have heard that you have made friends with strange people, that gifts have passed between you.’

Richard flushed slightly. ‘You refer to the Sultan Saladin.’

‘Our enemy I thought . . . but perhaps your friend.’

‘He sent gifts as you know. It is an Arab custom.’

‘To sustain an enemy?’

‘It seems so.’

‘Can it possibly be that you have become his friend?’

‘How could that be so?’

‘I remember Tancred. You were very friendly with him, were you not?’

‘I made terms with him.’

‘As you now make them with the Sultan Saladin?’

‘I have made only the terms which we made regarding the ransom to be paid to us.’

‘Richard, is that all?’

‘I have made no other terms. You are of a jealous nature, Philip.’

‘You and I were once good friends.’

‘Let us vow always to be so.’

‘That would be a comfort to you would it not?’

‘Of great comfort.’

‘Only because you fear for the dominions you have deserted.’

‘I like not the term but I will say that in view of our vows to love each other which we once made I would be happier that these vows were kept rather than broken. Friendship is a good thing particularly so between those whom the world would call natural enemies.’

They embraced.

‘It grieves me deeply to leave you, Richard,’ said Philip.

‘Then stay.’

‘I have my duty to my son and my country. I cannot afford to die yet. My son is not ready. I must remember my duty to France.’

Richard could see that Philip had made up his mind. There was one matter which must be settled and this was who, when Jerusalem was captured, should reign there as King. This had been a matter of dissension between the two kings, Richard supporting Guy de Lusignan’s claim and Philip that of Conrad de Montferrat.

Philip was so eager to be gone that he was ready to give way and it was finally agreed that Guy should be King in his lifetime and then the crown should pass to Montferrat.

On the last day of July Philip sailed away from Acre.

JOANNA AND MALEK ADEL

Richard missed Philip. His temper was more easily aroused. He was still feeling the after-effects of his illness and he suffered from the climate as Philip had. He chafed against the delay which kept him in Acre. Until the ransom was paid he could not leave. He worried a great deal about Philip and wondered what his action would be when he returned to France. He believed that when Philip was with him he cared for him; but when he was away from him he might well forget his affection and see only what was to be gained by Richard’s absence. Always kings of France had taken advantage of the difficulties of dukes of Normandy. Ever since they had lost that stretch of land it had been the unspoken law that no king should fail to take an opportunity to regain it.

He must move on. As soon as the ransom was paid and the prisoners exchanged he would do so.

Saladin’s army was drawn up on the heights not far from the city in which the Christians were now living in comfort. It was not good for them to remain thus. Many of the soldiers, starved for so long from what they considered to be the good things of life, had decided to make the most of them while they could. There was drunkenness and sexual orgies – neither of which was good for an army – yet Richard knew that to stop this could result in revolt against him. He was a strong ruler and he was stern and quick to punish those who broke his laws; but he understood soldiers. He himself at one time had indulged in such activities as were now taking place within the city of Acre. To expect men to endure heat, hunger and sickness and give them no rewards was unwise. Let them feel now that war was worthwhile and they would fight the better for it later. At this time they had forgotten that they were supposed to be engaged in a holy war. They were ordinary soldiers with the lust of conquest upon them. Very soon must begin the march to Jaffa and Richard knew that this was going to tax their strength, endurance and fidelity to the cause to the utmost of their strength. Therefore give them this relaxation now. Let them satisfy their lusts and dream of the next conquest as they marched.

But not for long . . . only until that ransom was paid.

The day arrived when it should have been paid. Richard waited eagerly for the coming of Saladin’s emissaries, but all through that day and all through that night he looked in vain.

Where were they? It had been their solemn agreement that the ransom should be paid. But where was it? Through the next day he waited.

At last came Saladin’s messengers. They brought gifts – more grapes, dates and young chickens.

Richard said: ‘We thank the Sultan for these gifts but we need the ransom.’

‘It will come,’ was the answer.

Then the messengers came again with more gifts but still no ransom.

‘What means this?’ cried Richard. ‘It seems that Saladin would deceive me.’

The messengers assured him that this was not so. The Sultan was merely asking for more time to raise the ransom.

And so it went on. Three weeks passed. The Sultan is deceiving me, thought Richard. And he remembered that night when Saladin had come to his tent – if it had not been a dream – and touched him with his magic talisman. He had believed it was Saladin and that there was a special bond between them. Was Saladin laughing at him now? Was he mocking him? Was he saying to his friends: See how easily the King of England can be deceived? This is the great leader! He so believed in my magic talisman that he rose from his sickbed. Now when I promise him to fulfil the terms of our agreement he believes me.

That Saladin should play him false, wounded him deeply – his pride and something more. He could not bear to think that he had been mistaken; and because he was uncertain his temper flared against the Sultan and all his Saracens.

He cried out in his wrath: ‘I will wait no longer.’

He was glad that Philip had gone. Philip would have tried to restrain him. But he was not going to be restrained. He was going to show Sultan Saladin what it meant to attempt to delude Richard of England.

It was the morning of the 20th August – three weeks after the departure of Philip. Through the gates of the city of Acre Richard rode on his favourite horse Fauvel which he had taken from Isaac Comnenus. He looked magnificent with the sun glinting on his armour. Behind came the army of crusaders. Richard led the way to the top of a hill, his men following him to the summit. He was immediately opposite Ayyadieh where the armies of Saladin were stationed. At the sight of the Christian army the Mohammedans were watchful.