whose long, heavy folds gave promise of another and possibly the most grandiose spectacle of all. Shawer, who was himself conducting the emissaries of the Christian king—much against his will — humbled himself before this curtain, whereupon it parted, displaying the Caliph upon his throne of gold. It was admittedly a sacrilege for these unbelieving knights to be in the presence of the holy Imam, but it was a case of necessity. Amalric, profiting by the experience of Nur ed-din, had refused to come to Shawer's aid unless his promises were sealed by the Caliph in person. Undoubtedly many an adherent of El Adid fingered the hilt of his dagger in the presence of this unheard-of presumption, but the Caliph himself had consented and there could be no appeal. As for the fearless knights, overcome though they were by the marvels they had witnessed, they never for a moment lost sight of the object of their intrusion, and when the Caliph offered his gloved hand in confirmation of his vizier's promises, Hugh declared stoutly that " troth has no need of covering," and that princes could make no secret reservations when they gave a pledge. Brutality following insult, and every Moslem ear tingled at the infidel's rudeness, but Hugh held the winning cards and, after a moment's wincing hesitation, the Caliph withdrew his glove with a forced smile and proffered his naked hand. There must have been endless gold in the treasury, for the alliance thus sanctioned called for the immediate payment of two hundred thousand golden