At the root of the great
difference between the two there was on the one side the Norman's
centralization of the world in himself, as being for himself, and on
the other the Latin's power and readiness to forget himself in the
imaginations of an ideal state.
"Men are talking of a second Crusade," said Arnold, one day, when he
and Gilbert had chanced to meet in the garden court of Saint Peter's.
Gilbert was standing with his back against one of the cypress trees,
watching the fiery monk with thoughtful eyes.
"They talk of Crusades," said Arnold, stopping to face the young man.
"They talk of sending hundreds of thousands of Christian men to die
every death under God's sun in Palestine--for what? To save men? To
lift up a race? To plant good, that good may grow? They go for none of
those things. The sign on their breasts is the cross; the word on their
lips is Christ; the thought in their hearts is the thought of all your
ruthless race--to take from others and add to your own stores; to take
land, wealth, humanity, life, everything that can be taken from
conquered man before he is left naked to die."
Gilbert did not smile, for he was wondering whether there were not some
truth in the monk's accusation.
"Do you say this because Norman men hold half of your Italy?" he asked
gravely. "Have they held it well or ill?"
"Ill," answered Arnold, fixing his eyes sharply on Gilbert's face. "But
that is not the matter; some of them have helped me, too. There are
good men and bad among Normans, as among Saracens.
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