"Saladin will come," said Wulf the hopeful, and from the high place where they stood he pointed to the plain beneath, across which a band of horsemen moved at full gallop."Look; yonder goes his embassy.""Ay," answered Godwin, "he will come, but, I fear me, too late.""Yes, brother, unless we go to meet him.Masouda has promised.""Masouda," sighed Godwin."Ah! to think that so much should hang upon the faithfulness of one woman.""It does not hang on her," said Wulf; "it hangs on Fate, who writes with her finger.Come, let us ride."So, followed by their escort, they rode in the gardens, taking note, without seeming to do so, of the position of the tall rock, and of how it could be approached from every side.Then they went in again and waited for some sign or word of Rosamund, but in vain.That night there was no feast, and their meal was brought to them in the guest-house.While they sat at it Masouda appeared for a moment to tell them that they had leave to ride the bridge in the moonlight, and that their escort would await them at a certain hour.
The brethren asked if their sister Rosamund was not coming to dine with them.Masouda answered that as the queen-elect of the Al-je-bal it was not lawful that she should eat with any other men, even her brothers.Then as she passed out, stumbling as though by accident, she brushed against Godwin, and muttered:
"Remember, to-night," and was gone.
When the moon had been up an hour the officer of their escort appeared, and led them to their horses, which were waiting, and they rode away to the castle bridge.As they approached it they saw Lozelle departing on his great black stallion, which was in a lather of foam.It seemed that he also had made trial of that perilous path, for the people, of whom there were many gathered there, clapped their hands and shouted, "Well ridden, Frank! well ridden!"Now, Godwin leading on Flame, they faced the bridge and walked their horses over it.Nor did these hang back, although they snorted a little at the black gulf on either side.Next they returned at a trot, then over again, and yet again at a canter and a gallop, sometimes together and sometimes singly.Lastly, Wulf made Godwin halt in the middle of the bridge and galloped down upon him at speed, till within a lance's length.Then suddenly he checked his horse, and while his audience shouted, wheeled it around on its hind legs, its forehoofs beating the air, and galloped back again, followed by Godwin.
"All went well," Wulf said as they rode to the castle, "and nobler or more gentle horses were never crossed by men.I have good hopes for to-morrow night.""Ay, brother, but I had no sword in my hand.Be not over confident, for Lozelle is desperate and a skilled fighter, as Iknow who have stood face to face with him.More over, his black stallion is well trained, and has more weight than ours.Also, yonder is a fearsome place on which to ride a course, and one of which none but that devil Sinan would have thought.""I shall do my best," answered Wulf, "and if I fall, why, then, act upon your own counsel.At least, let him not kill both of us."Having stabled their horses the brethren wandered into the garden, and, avoiding the cup-bearing women and the men they plied with their drugged drink, drew by a roundabout road to the tall rock.Then, finding themselves alone, they unlocked the door, and slipping through it, locked it again on the further side and groped their way to the moonlit mouth of the cave.Here they stood awhile studying the descent of the gulf as best they could in that light, till suddenly Godwin, feeling a hand upon his shoulder, started round to find himself face to face with Masouda.
"How did you come?" he asked.
"By a road in which is your only hope," she answered."Now, Sir Godwin, waste no words, for my time is short, but if you think that you can trust me-- and this is for you to judge--give me the Signet which hangs about your neck.If not, go back to the castle and do your best to save the lady Rosamund and yourselves."Thrusting down his hand between his mail shirt and his breast, Godwin drew out the ancient ring, carved with the mysterious signs and veined with the emblem of the dagger, and handed it to Masouda.
"You trust indeed," she said with a little laugh, as, after scanning it closely by the light of the moon and touching her forehead with it, she hid it in her bosom.
"Yes, lady," he answered, "I trust you, though why you should risk so much for us I do not know.""Why? Well, perhaps for hate's sake, for Sinan does not rule by love; perhaps because, being of a wild blood, I am willing to set my life at hazard, who care not if I win or die; perhaps because you saved me from the lioness.What is it to you, Sir Godwin, why a certain woman-spy of the Assassins, whom in your own land you would spit on, chooses to do this or that?"She ceased and stood before him with heaving breast and flashing eyes, a mysterious white figure in the moonlight, most beautiful to see.
Godwin felt his heart stir and the blood flow to his brow, but before he could speak Wulf broke in, saying:
"You bade us spare words, lady Masouda, so tell us what we must do.""This," she answered, becoming calm again."Tomorrow night about this hour you fight Lozelle upon the narrow way.That is certain, for all the city talks of it, and, whatever chances, Al-je-bal will not deprive them of the spectacle of this fray to the death.
Well, you may fall, though that man at heart is a coward, which you are not, for here courage alone will avail nothing, but rather skill and horsemanship and trick of war.If so, then Sir Godwin fights him, and of this business none can tell the end.
Should both of you go down, then I will do my best to save your lady and take her to Salah-ed-din, with whom she will be safe, or if I cannot save her I will find her a means to save herself by death.""You swear that?" said Wulf.
"I have said it; it is enough," she answered impatiently.
"Then I face the bridge and the knave Lozelle with a light heart," said Wulf again, and Masouda went on.
