was of camlet, without any fur trimmings. On his thick auburn hair he wore a cap ornamented with peacocks' feathers. His expression was the most gentle, but, at the same time, the most proud and valiant which it is possible to conceive. The knights who surrounded him were not armed, but richly clad in crimson cloth lined with sable and ermine.

I first of all delivered my presents, amongst which was a bow which had been used by Batou Khan himself. The king's first question was to ask me if it were true that we were Christians. I replied that there were Christians amongst us, but that there were also Mussulmans and pagans. On hearing this he sighed deeply. He then asked me if it were true, as he had been told, that, after we had beaten Djelal-ed-Din, our emperor had invited priests to the army, who had converted three hundred men-atarms; that he had afterwards made these three hundred men attend confession, and that it was they who had defeated and pursued the Emperor of Persia. I smiled, and replied that I knew nothing at all about any such thing.

Then, in order to fulfil my instructions and discharge the duties of my mission, I informed the king that the Great Khan, having heard his name mentioned, offered him his assistance in conquering Jerusalem, provided that he, the King of France, would accept Syria and Egypt as a fief from his hand, and acknowledge him as his suzerain.

The knights round the king appeared very surprised and

angry.

The king did not answer a single word. He gave me his hand to kiss, on which I saw that he wore a very beautiful engraved emerald, and then he rose, as a sign that the audience was over. My old friends the nobles, Baldwin and Guy d'Ybelin, who had introduced me into the royal presence, conducted me from the hall of audience. Guy d'Ybelin told me that the king was extremely angry, and that he greatly regretted having sent an embassy and presents to the Khaghan.

The same day I returned to Acre, for I longed impatiently to see Mongolia once more. This time Raymonde did not let me start alone. When she heard that King Louis had despatched predicant brethren (Black Friars) to Karakorum, she said to me,—

If they can go and preach to the men, there is no reason why I should not preach to the women. Now that I have but a short time left to live, I will remain with you till death. Besides, the dowager-empress is a Christian, she is the sister of the great Sengoun; so I shall go and live near her."

I consequently started for Layas with Raymonde, with my heart full of joy, and thence we set out on our long journey to Karakorum, which, alas! proved more fatiguing than her strength could stand. At Samarcand she became ill, and asked to see a confessor. Fortunately a French monk, Brother Rubruk, whom the Pope had sent on an embassy to Karakorum to the Great Khan, happened to be passing through the city. Brother Rubruk came to see Raymonde in a tent which I had pitched for her after the

Mongol fashion. After having received her confession, this monk told me that she was certain to enter into Paradise, for he had never come across a soul as pious and pure as hers. About sunset Raymonde rose into a sitting posture.

"Now," said she, "I feel quite ready to die. Brother Rubruk, I have one request to make, namely, that you will marry me to this baron here present, Djani, the Black Knight. I have always loved him very dearly, from the day when I first knew him, and I have always prayed for him; therefore, now that I am dying, I should like us to be united together by the holy rite of marriage.”

"What is that you say, gentle lady?" said Brother Rubruk. "I cannot consent to do what you ask. This baron is a miscreant Saracen! I cannot do it!"

Every

"Very well; I can," exclaimed an earnest voice. body thereupon turned in the direction of a venerable old man who had just entered the tent. He was so old and hoary-headed that no one could have told his age, but he must have been fully a hundred and more. A large crowd had followed him to the tent, and there prostrated themselves before him; for everybody, Mussulmans and pagans, as well as Christians, said that he could work miracles. It was the old priest whom I had seen so many years before at the door of the church of St. John the Baptist at Samarcand, and who had informed me of Marghouz's captivity.

"Raymonde and Djani," said he, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I pronounce you united!"