He had been shot through the middle with an arrow, but had lived to
tell of victory. In an instant the Queen knelt beside him, trying to
raise his head; and he smiled when he knew her, and died. But there
were gentle tears in her eyes as she rose to her feet and bade them
bury the Gascon deep, while she herself laid his shield upon his knees,
and crossed his hands upon his breast.
Many others died there, and were buried quickly; but the bodies of the
Seljuks were dragged aside, out of the line of the march; and it was
high noon, for all that had happened had taken place in about two
hours. Yet as the way was long to the summit of the pass, those of
Gilbert's men who had not been killed urged the Queen to march on at
once, in order that the camp might be pitched by daylight where Gilbert
was waiting. So Eleanor commanded that all her people should follow her
in the best order they could keep, and she began to ride up the steep
way. But in the valley the King's army was pressing on and up toward
the place where Gilbert had fought yesterday, where the bones of the
slain Seljuks were already white, and the gorged vultures perched
sleeping in the noonday sun.
Two hours passed, and because the guides knew the way well, it being
now the third time of their passing there, and because the Queen and
her vanguard were on sure-footed horses, they reached the top in that
time, and saw Gilbert and the eighty men he still had with him sitting
on the rocks in their armour, waiting, and their horses tethered near
by, but saddled and bridled.
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