In the courtyard he turned aside and sat down upon a
great stone seat.
"Fetch me Sir Gilbert Warde," he said, "and let him come quickly."
He waited silently till the knight came and stood before him in his
surcoat and mantle, with only his dagger in his belt; and the King bade
all his attendants go away to a distance, leaving a torch stuck in the
ring in the wall.
He desired of Gilbert that he should take a force of trusted men who
would obey him, and go up the west tower to bring the Queen out a
prisoner; for he would not stay in Antioch another night, nor leave her
behind, and he meant to ride down to the harbour and take ship for
Ptolemais, leaving the army to follow him on the morrow. But for a
space Gilbert answered nothing.
At first it seemed to him impossible to do such a deed, and but for
courtesy he would have turned on his heel and left the King sitting
there. But as he stood thinking, it seemed to him that he had better
seem to obey, and go and warn the Queen of her danger.
[Illustration: "FOR A SPACE GILBERT ANSWERED NOTHING"]
"My lord," he answered at last, "I will go."
Though he said not what he would do, the King was satisfied, and rose
and went toward his own apartments, to order his departure.
Then Gilbert went and sought out ten knights whom he knew, and each of
them called ten of their men-at-arms, and they took their swords with
them, and torches; but Gilbert had only his dagger, for those he had
chosen were all of them Queen's men and would have died for her.
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