the path of the king-第12节

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　steeples　and　carven　houses　of　　the　fair　city。　From　the　quay　he　rode　to　the　palace　of　the　Templars　and　was　　admitted　straightway　to　an　audience　with　the　Grand　Master。　For　he　had　come　　in　a　business　of　some　moment。　

The　taste　of　Cyprus　was　still　in　his　mouth；　the　sweet　sticky　air　of　the　　coastlands；　the　smell　of　endless　camps　of　packed　humanity；　set　among　　mountains　of　barrels　and　malodorous　sprouting　forage…stuffs；　the　narrow　　streets　lit　at　night　by　flares　of　tarry　staves；　and　over　all　that　rotting　　yet　acrid　flavour　which　is　the　token　of　the　East。　The　young　damoiseau　of　　Beaumanoir　had　grown　very　sick　of　it　all　since　the　royal　dromonds　first　　swung　into　Limasol　Bay。　He　had　seen　his　friends　die　like　flies　of　strange　　maladies；　while　the　host　waited　on　Hugh　of　Burgundy。　Egypt　was　but　four　　days　off　across　the　waters；　and　on　its　sands　Louis　had　ordained　that　the　　War　of　the　Cross　should　begin。　

。　。　。　But　the　King　seemed　strangely　supine。　Each　day　the　enemy　was　the　　better　forewarned；　and　each　day　the　quarrels　of　Templar　and　Hospitaller　　grew　more　envenomed；　and　yet　he　sat　patiently　twiddling　his　thumbs；　as　if　　all　time　lay　before　him　and　not　a　man's　brief　life。　And　now　when　at　long　　last　the　laggards　of　Burgundy　and　the　Morea　were　reported　on　their　way；　　Sir　Aimery　had　to　turn　his　thoughts　from　the　honest　field　of　war。　Not　for　　him　to　cry　Montjole　St。　Denis　by　the　Nile。　For　behold　he　was　now　　speeding　on　a　crazy　errand　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。　

There　had　been　strange　councils　in　the　bare　little　chamber　of　the　Most　　Christian　King。　Those　locusts　of　the　dawn　whom　men　called　Tartars；　the　　evil　seed　of　the　Three　Kings　who　had　once　travelled　to　Bethlehem；　had；　it　　seemed；　been　vouchsafed　a　glimpse　of　grace。　True；　they　had　plundered　and　　eaten　the　faithful　and　shed　innocent　blood　in　oceans；　but　they　hated　the　　children　of　Mahound　worse　than　the　children　of　Christ。　On　the　eve　of　　Christmas…tide　four　envoys　had　come　from　their　Khakan；　monstrous　men　with　　big　heads　that　sprang　straight　from　the　shoulder；　and　arms　that　hung　below　　the　knee；　and　short　thin　legs　like　gnomes。　For　forty　weeks　they　had　been　　on　the　road；　and　they　brought　gifts　such　as　no　eye　had　seen　beforesilks　　like　gossamer　woven　with　wild　alphabets；　sheeny　jars　of　jade；　and　pearls　　like　moons。　Their　Khakan；　they　said；　had　espoused　the　grandchild　of　　Prester　John；　and　had　been　baptized　into　the　Faith。　He　marched　against　　Bagdad；　and　had　sworn　to　root　the　heresy　of　Mahound　from　the　earth。　Let　　the　King　of　France　make　a　league　with　him；　and　between　them；　pressing　from　　east　and　west；　they　would　accomplish　the　holy　task。　Let　him　send　teachers　　to　expound　the　mysteries　of　Cod；　and　let　him　send　knights　who　would　treat　　on　mundane　things。　The　letter；　written　in　halting　Latin　and　sealed　with　a　　device　like　a　spider's　web；　urged　instant　warfare　with　Egypt。　〃For　the　　present　we　dwell　far　apart；〃　wrote　the　Khakan；　〃therefore　let　us　both　get　　to　business。　〃　

So　Aimery　had　been　summoned　to　the　King's　chamber；　where　he　found　his　good　　master；　the　Count　of　St。　Pol；　in　attendance　with　others。　After　prayer；　　Louis　opened　to　them　his　mind。　Pale　from　much　fasting　and　nightly　　communing　with　God；　his　face　was　lit　again　with　that　light　which　had　shone　　in　it　when　on　the　Friday　after　Pentecost　the　year　before　he　had　received　　at　St。　Denis　the　pilgrim's　scarf　and　the　oriflamme　of　France。　

〃God's　hand　is　in　this；　my　masters；〃　he　said。　〃Is　it　not　written　that　many　　shall　come　from　the　east　and　from　the　west　to　sit　down　with　Abraham　in　his　　kingdom？　I　have　a　duty　towards　those　poor　folk；　and　I　dare　not　fail。〃　

There　was　no　man　present　bold　enough　to　argue　with　the　white　fire　in　the　　King's　eyes。　One　alone　cavilled。　He　was　a　Scot；　Sir　Patrick；　the　Count　of　　Dunbar；　who　already　shook　with　the　fever　which　was　to　be　his　death。　

〃This　Khakan　is　far　away；　sire；〃　he　said。　〃If　it　took　his　envoys　forty　　weeks　to　reach　us；　it　will　be　a　good　year　before　his　armies　are　on　the　　skirts　of　Egypt。　As　well　make　alliance　with　a　star。〃　

But　Louis　was　in　missionary　mood。　〃God's　ways　are　not　as　our　ways。　To　Him　　a　thousand　years　are　a　day；　and　He　can　make　the　weakest　confound　a　　multitude。　This　far…away　King　asks　for　instruction；　and　I　will　send　him　　holy　men　to　fortify　his　young　faith。　And　this　knight；　of　whom　you；　my　lord　　of　St。　Pol；　speak　well；　shall　bear　the　greetings　of　a　soldier。〃　

Louis'　face；　which　for　usual　was　grave　like　a　wise　child's；　broke　into　a　　smile　which　melted　Aimery's　heart。　He　scarcely　heard　the　Count　of　St。　Pol　　as　that　stout　friend　enlarged　on　his　merits。　〃The　knight　of　Beaumanoir；〃　　so　ran　the　testimony；　〃has　more　learning　than　any　clerk。　In　Spain　he　　learned　the　tongues　of　the　heathen；　and　in　Paris　he　read　deep　in　their　　philosophy。　Withal　he　is　a　devout　son　of　Holy　Chutch。〃　

The　boy　blushed　at　the　praise　and　the　King's　kindly　regard。　But　St。　Pol　　spoke　truth；　for　Aimery；　young　as　he　was；　had　travelled　far　both　on　the　　material　globe　and　in　the　kingdom　of　the　spirit。　As　a　stripling　he　had　　made　one　of　the　Picardy　Nation　in　the　schools　of　Paris。　He　had　studied　the　　metaphysics　of　Aristotle　under　Aquinas；　and　voyaged　strange　seas　of　　thought　piloted　by　Roger；　the　white…bearded　Englishman。　Thence；　by　the　　favour　of　the　Queen…mother；　he　had　gone　as　squire　to　Alphonso's　court　of　　Castile；　where　the　Spanish　doctors　had　opened　windows　for　him　into　the　　clear　dry　wisdom　of　the　Saracens。　He　had　travelled　with　an　embassy　to　the　　Emperor；　and　in　Sicily　had　talked　with　the　learned　Arabs　who　clustered　　around　the　fantastic　Frederick。　In　Italy　he　had　met　adventurers　of　Genoa　　and　Venice　who　had　shown　him　charts　of　unknown　oceans　and　maps　of　Prester　　John's　country　and　the　desert　roads　that　led　to　Cambaluc；　that　city　　farther　than　the　moon；　and　told　him　tales　of　awful　and　delectable　things　　hidden　beyond　the　dawn。　He　had　returned　to　his　tower　by　the　springs　of　　Canche；　a　young　man　with　a　name　for　uncanny　knowledge；　a　searcher　after　　concealed　matters；　negligent　of　religion　and　ill　at　ease　in　his　world。　

Then　Louis　cast　his　spell　over　him。　He　saw　the　King　first　at　a　great　　hunting　in　Avesnes　and　worshipped　from　afar　the　slight　body；　royal　in　　every　line　of　it；　and　the　blue　eyes　which　charmed　and　compelled；　for　he　　divined　there　a　spirit　which　had　the　secret　of　both　earth　and　heaven。　　While　still　under　the　glamour　he　was　given　knighthood　at　the　royal　hands；　　and　presently　was　weaned　from　unwholesome　fancies　by　falling　in　love。　The　　girl；　Alix　of　Valery；　was　slim　like　a　poplar　and　her　eyes　were　grey　and　　deep　as　her　northern　waters。　She　had　been　a　maid　of　Blanche　the　Queen；　and　　had　a　nun's　devoutness　joined　to　a　merry　soul。　Under　her　guiding　Aimery　　made　his　peace　with　the　Church；　and　became　notable　for　his　gifts　to　God；　　for　he　derived　great　wealth　from　his　Flemish　forbears。　Yet　the　yeast　of　　youth　still　wrought　in　him；　and　by　Alix's　side　at　night　he　dreamed　of　　other　lands　than　his　grey…green　Picardy。　So；　when　the　King　took　the　croix　　d'outre　mer　and　summoned　his　knights　to　the　freeing　of　Jerusalem；　Sir　　Aimery　of　Beaumanoir　was　the　first　to　follow。　For　to　him；　as　to　others　　like　him；　the　goal　was　no　perishable　city　made　by　mortal　hands；　but　that　　beata　urbs　without　foundations　which　youth　builds　of　its　dreams。

He　heard　mass　by　the　King's　side　and；　trembling　with　pride；　kissed　the　　royal　hands　and　set　out　on　his　journey。　His　last　memory　of　Louis　was　of　a　　boyish　figure　in　a　surcoat　of　blue　samite；　gazing　tenderly　on　him　as　of　　bidding　farewell　to　a　brother。　

The　Grand　Master　of　the　Templars；　sitting　in　a　furred　robe　in　a　warm　upper　　chamber；　for　he　had　an　ague　on　him；　spoke　gloomily　of　the　mission。　He　　would　have　preferred　to　make　alliance　with　the　Soldan　of　Egypt；　and　by　his　　aid　recover　the　Holy　Cities。　〃What　Khakan　is　this？〃　he　cried；　〃to　whom　it　　is　a　journey　of　a　lifetime　to　come　nigh？　What　kind　of　Christian　will　you　　make　of　men　that　have　blood　for　drink　and　the　flesh　of　babes　for　food；　and　　blow　hither　and　thither　on　horses　like　sandstorms？　Yours　is　a　mad　venture；　　young　sir；　and　I　see　no　good　that　can　come　of　it。〃　Nevertheless　he　wrote　　letters　of　commendation　to　the　Prince　of　Antioch　and　the　Constable　of　　Armenia；　and　he　brought　together　all　those　about　the　place　who　had　　travelled　far　inland　to　make　a　chart　of　the　journey。

Aimery　heeded　little　the　Templar's　forebodings；　for　his　heart　had　grown　　high　again　and　romance　was　kindling　his　fancy。　There　was　a　knuckle　of　　caution　in　him；　for　he　had　the　blood　of　Flemish　traders　in　his　veins；　　though　enriched　by　many　nobler　streams。　〃The　profit　is　certain；〃　a　cynic　　had　whispered　to　him　ere　they　left　Aigues　Mortes。　〃Should　we　conquer　we　　shall　grow　rich；　and　if　we　fail　we　shall　go　to　heaven。〃　The　phrase　had　　fitted　some　of　his　moods；　notably　the　black　ones　at　Limasol；　but　now　he　　was　all　aflame　with　the　quixotry　of　the　Crusader。　He　neither　needed　nor　　sought　wealth；　nor　was　he　concerned　about　death。　His　feet　trod　the　sacred　　soil　of　his　faith；　and　up　in　the　hills　which　rimmed　the　seaward　plain　lay　　all　the　holiness　of　Galilee　and　Nazareth；　the　three　tabernacles　built　by　　St。　Peter　on　the　Mount　of　Transfiguration；　the　stone　whence　Christ　　ascended　into　heaven；　the　hut　at　Bethlehem　which　had　been　the　Most　High's　　cradle；　the　san