That evening, when there was a feast in Baldwin's palace, the Lady Anne
was not there; and when the King of France called for the Guide of
Aquitaine to present him to the King of Jerusalem, he was not in the
hall nor within the walls; and by and by the Queen herself rose and
went out, leaving the two Kings at table.
For Gilbert had gone fasting to the Holy Sepulchre, with Dunstan
bearing his shield, and with a man to lead them. Then he went into the
vast church which the crusaders had built to enclose all the sacred
ground, and little lights broke the darkness here and there, without
dispelling it, but the poor Christian who led Gilbert had a taper in
his hand. The knight came first to the deep-red stone whereon Nicodemus
and Joseph of Arimathea anointed the body of the Lord for burial, and
there kneeling down, he set his shield and sword before him and prayed
that he might yet use them well. Then the man took him to the Golgotha,
and he laid down his arms before him and stood trembling, as if he were
afraid, and the drops of sweat stood out upon his forehead, and his low
voice shook like a little child's when he prayed in the place where God
died for man. Afterwards he knelt and touched the stones with his face,
and spread out his arms crosswise, not knowing what he did. But when he
had lain thus some time he rose and took up his shield and sword, and
the man led him farther through the darkness to other places. So at
last they brought him to the Tomb, and he sent away the man who had
guided him, and bade Dunstan go back also; but he would not.
Pages:
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358