The
ladies' train had become a company of complainers, murmuring against
everything, longing for the good things of France, and often crying out
bitterly, even with tears, that they had been brought out to waste
their youth and freshness, or even their lives, in a wilderness.
Therefore Eleanor consented at last to the King's desire, which was to
take ship from Attalia to Saint Simeon's Harbour, which is close to
Antioch. In Antioch also reigned her uncle, Count Raymond, a man of her
own blood, and thinking as she thought; him she now desired to see and
consult with, because he knew the world, and was an honourable man, and
of good counsel. Yet there was danger there, too, for the King had once
believed that this Count Raymond loved her, when he had been at the
court, and the King was ever very jealous and sour.
He would have brought the whole army to Antioch with him, but a great
outcry arose; for, whereas all the great barons and knights were for
the safer journey, the poorer sort of pilgrims feared the sea more than
they feared the Seljuks, and they would not take ship. So at last the
King let them go, and they, not knowing whither they went, boasted that
they should reach Antioch first. He gave them money and certain guides
whom he trusted.
Then Gilbert, seeing that there was a choice of two ways, sat down at
night and debated what he should do. He desired to follow Beatrix with
the ships, for he had not seen Sir Arnold de Curboil since Christmas
Eve, and he believed that he had gone back to Ephesus to sail for
Syria, so that at the present time he could not suddenly surprise his
daughter and carry her away, to force her to a marriage of which heirs
might be born to his great possessions in England.
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