首页 >出版文学> Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions>第53章
  ThenewsofthisdefectionincreasedthediscouragementatAntioch。Alltheuselesshorsesofthearmyhadbeenslainandeaten,anddogs,cats,andratsweresoldatenormousprices。Evenverminwerebecomingscarce。Withincreasingfaminecameapestilence,sothatinashorttimebutsixtythousandremainedofthethreehundredthousandthathadoriginallyinvestedAntioch。Butthisbitterextremity,whileitannihilatedtheenergyofthehost,onlyservedtoknittheleadersmorefirmlytogether;andBohemund,Godfrey,andTancredsworenevertodesertthecauseaslongaslifelasted。Theformerstroveinvaintoreanimatethecourageofhisfollowers。Theywerewearyandsickatheart,andhismenacesandpromiseswerealikethrownaway。Someofthemhadshutthemselvesupinthehouses,andrefusedtocomeforth。Bohemund,todrivethemtotheirduty,setfiretothewholequarter,andmanyofthemperishedintheflames,whiletherestofthearmylookedonwiththeutmostindifference。Bohemund,animatedhimselfbyaworldlyspirit,didnotknowthetruecharacterofthecrusaders,norunderstandthereligiousmadnesswhichhadbroughttheminsuchshoalsfromEurope。Apriest,moreclear-sighted,devisedaschemewhichrestoredalltheirconfidence,andinspiredthemwithacouragesowonderfulastomakethepoorsixtythousandemaciated,sick,andstarvingzealots,puttoflightthewell-fedandsixtimesasnumerouslegionsoftheSultanofPersia。
  Thispriest,anativeofProvence,wasnamedPeterBarthelemy,andwhetherhewereaknaveoranenthusiast,orboth;aprincipal,oratoolinthehandsofothers,willeverremainamatterofdoubt。
  Certainitis,however,thathewasthemeansofraisingthesiegeofAntioch,andcausingtheeventualtriumphofthearmiesoftheCross。
  Whenthestrengthofthecrusaderswascompletelybrokenbytheirsufferings,andhopehadfledfromeverybosom,PetercametoCountRaymondofToulouse,anddemandedaninterviewonmattersofseriousmoment。Hewasimmediatelyadmitted。Hesaidthat,someweekspreviously,atthetimetheChristianswerebesiegingAntioch,hewasreposingaloneinhistent,whenhewasstartledbytheshockoftheearthquake,whichhadsoalarmedthewholehost。Throughviolentterroroftheshockhecouldonlyejaculate,Godhelpme!whenturningroundhesawtwomenstandingbeforehim,whomheatoncerecognizedbythehaloofgloryaroundthemasbeingsofanotherworld。Oneofthemappearedtobeanagedman,withreddishhairsprinkledwithgrey,blackeyes,andalongflowinggreybeard。Theotherwasyounger,larger,andhandsomer,andhadsomethingmoredivineinhisaspect。Theelderlymanalonespoke,andinformedhimthathewastheHolyApostleSt。Andrew,anddesiredhimtoseekouttheCountRaymond,theBishopofPuy,andRaymondofAltopulto,andaskthemwhytheBishopdidnotexhortthepeople,andsignthemwiththecrosswhichhebore。TheApostlethentookhim,nakedinhisshirtashewas,andtransportedhimthroughtheairintotheheartofthecityofAntioch,whereheledhimintothechurchofSt。Peter,atthattimeaSaracenmosque。TheApostlemadehimstopbythepillarclosetothestepsbywhichtheyascendonthesouthsidetothealtar,wherehungtwolamps,whichgaveoutalightbrighterthanthatofthenoondaysun;theyoungerman,whomhedidnotatthattimeknow,standingafaroff,nearthestepsofthealtar。TheApostlethendescendedintothegroundandbroughtupalance,whichhegaveintohishand,tellinghimthatitwastheverylancethathadopenedthesidewhencehadflowedthesalvationoftheworld。Withtearsofjoyheheldtheholylance,andimploredtheApostletoallowhimtotakeitawayanddeliveritintothehandsofCountRaymond。TheApostlerefused,andburiedthelanceagainintheground,commandinghim,whenthecitywaswonfromtheinfidels,togowithtwelvechosenmen,anddigitupagaininthesameplace。TheApostlethentransportedhimbacktohistent,andthetwovanishedfromhissight。Hehadneglected,hesaid,todeliverthismessage,afraidthathiswonderfultalewouldnotobtaincredencefrommenofsuchhighrank。Aftersomedaysheagainsawtheholyvision,ashewasgoneoutofthecamptolookforfood。
  Thistimethedivineeyesoftheyoungerlookedreproachfullyuponhim。HeimploredtheApostletochoosesomeoneelsemorefittedforthemission,buttheApostlerefused,andsmotehimwithadisorderoftheeyes,asapunishmentforhisdisobedience。Withanobstinacyunaccountableeventohimself,hehadstilldelayed。AthirdtimetheApostleandhiscompanionhadappearedtohim,ashewasinatentwithhismasterWilliamatSt。Simeon。OnthatoccasionSt。AndrewtoldhimtobearhiscommandtotheCountofToulousenottobatheinthewatersoftheJordanwhenhecametoit,buttocrossoverinaboat,cladinashirtandbreechesoflinen,whichheshouldsprinklewiththesacredwatersoftheriver。Theseclotheshewasafterwardstopreservealongwiththeholylance。HismasterWilliam,althoughhecouldnotseethesaint,distinctlyheardthevoicegivingorderstothateffect。Againheneglectedtoexecutethecommission,andagainthesaintsappearedtohim,whenhewasattheportofMamistra,abouttosailforCyprus,andSt。Andrewthreatenedhimwitheternalperditionifherefusedlonger。Uponthishemadeuphismindtodivulgeallthathadbeenrevealedtohim。
  TheCountofToulouse,who,inallprobability,concoctedthisprecioustalewiththepriest,appearedstruckwiththerecital,andsentimmediatelyfortheBishopofPuyandRaymondofAltapulto。TheBishopatonceexpressedhisdisbeliefofthewholestory,andrefusedtohaveanythingtodointhematter。TheCountofToulouse,onthecontrary,sawabundantmotives,ifnotforbelieving,forpretendingtobelieve;and,intheend,hesoimpresseduponthemindoftheBishoptheadvantagethatmightbederivedfromit,inworkingupthepopularmindtoitsformerexcitement,thatthelatterreluctantlyagreedtomakesearchindueformfortheholyweapon。Thedayafterthemorrowwasfixeduponfortheceremony,and,inthemeantime,PeterwasconsignedtothecareofRaymond,theCount’schaplain,inorderthatnoprofanecuriositymighthaveanopportunityofcross-examininghim,andputtinghimtoanonplus。
  Twelvedevoutmenwereforthwithchosenfortheundertaking,amongwhomweretheCountofToulouseandhischaplain。Theybegandiggingatsunrise,andcontinuedunweariedtillnearsunset,withoutfindingthelance;——theymighthavedugtillthisdaywithnobettersuccess,hadnotPeterhimselfsprungintothepit,prayingtoGodtobringthelancetolight,forthestrengtheningandvictoryofhispeople。Thosewhohideknowwheretofind;andsoitwaswithPeter,forbothheandthelancefoundtheirwayintotheholeatthesametime。Onasudden,heandRaymond,thechaplain,behelditspointintheearth,andRaymond,drawingitforth,kisseditwithtearsofjoy,insightofthemultitudewhichhadassembledinthechurch。Itwasimmediatelyenvelopedinarichpurplecloth,alreadypreparedtoreceiveit,andexhibitedinthisstatetothefaithful,whomadethebuildingresoundwiththeirshoutsofgladness。
  Peterhadanothervisionthesamenight,andbecamefromthatdayforth“dreamerofdreams,“ingeneral,tothearmy。Hestatedonthefollowingday,thattheApostleAndrewand“theyouthwiththedivineaspect“appearedtohimagain,anddirectedthattheCountofToulouse,asarewardforhisperseveringpiety,shouldcarrytheHolyLanceattheheadofthearmy,andthatthedayonwhichitwasfoundshouldbeobservedasasolemnfestivalthroughoutChristendom。St。
  Andrewshowedhim,atthesametime,theholesinthefeetandhandsofhisbenigncompanion;andhebecameconvincedthathestoodintheawfulpresenceofTHEREDEEMER。
  Petergainedsomuchcreditbyhisvisionsthatdreamingbecamecontagious。Othermonksbesidehimselfwerevisitedbythesaints,whopromisedvictorytothehostifitwouldvaliantlyholdouttothelast,andcrownsofeternalglorytothosewhofellinthefight。Twodeserters,weariedofthefatiguesandprivationsofthewar,whohadstealthilyleftthecamp,suddenlyreturned,andseekingBohemund,toldhimthattheyhadbeenmetbytwoapparitions,who,withgreatanger,hadcommandedthemtoreturn。Theoneofthemsaid,thatherecognizedhisbrother,whohadbeenkilledinbattlesomemonthsbefore,andthathehadahaloofgloryaroundhishead。Theother,stillmorehardy,assertedthattheapparitionwhichhadspokentohimwastheSaviourhimself,whohadpromisedeternalhappinessashisrewardifhereturnedtohisduty,butthepainsofeternalfireifherejectedthecross。Noonethoughtofdisbelievingthesemen。Thecourageofthearmyimmediatelyrevived;despondencygavewaytohope;
  everyarmgrewstrongagain,andthepangsofhungerwereforatimedisregarded。TheenthusiasmwhichhadledthemfromEuropeburnedforthoncemoreasbrightlyasever,andtheydemanded,withloudcries,tobeledagainsttheenemy。Theleaderswerenotunwilling。Inabattlelaytheironlychanceofsalvation;andalthoughGodfrey,Bohemund,andTancredreceivedthestoryofthelancewithmuchsuspicion,theyweretoowisetothrowdiscredituponanimposturewhichbadefairtoopenthegatesofvictory。
  PetertheHermitwaspreviouslysenttothecampofKerboghatoproposethatthequarrelbetweenthetworeligionsshouldbedecidedbyachosennumberofthebravestsoldiersofeacharmy。Kerboghaturnedfromhimwithalookofcontempt,andsaidhecouldagreetonoproposalsfromasetofsuchmiserablebeggarsandrobbers。WiththisuncourteousanswerPeterreturnedtoAntioch。Preparationswereimmediatelycommencedforanattackupontheenemy:thelattercontinuedtobeperfectlywellinformedofalltheproceedingsoftheChristiancamp。ThecitadelofAntioch,whichremainedintheirpossession,overlookedthetown,andthecommanderofthefortresscoulddistinctlyseeallthatwaspassingwithin。Onthemorningofthe28thofJune1098ablackflag,hoistedfromitshighesttower,announcedtothebesiegingarmythattheChristianswereabouttosallyforth。
  TheMoslemleadersknewthesadinroadsthatfamineanddiseasehadmadeuponthenumbersofthefoe:theyknewthatnotabovetwohundredoftheknightshadhorsestorideupon,andthatthefootsoldiersweresickandemaciated;buttheydidnotknowthealmostincrediblevalourwhichsuperstitionhadinfusedintotheirhearts。
  Thestoryofthelancetheytreatedwiththemostsupremecontempt,and,secureofaneasyvictory,theygavethemselvesnotroubleinpreparingfortheonslaught。ItisrelatedthatKerboghawasplayingagameatchess,whentheblackflagonthecitadelgavewarningoftheenemy’sapproach,andthat,withtrueorientalcoolness,heinsisteduponfinishingthegameerehebestowedanyofhisattentionuponafoesounworthy。Thedefeatofhisadvancedpostoftwothousandmenarousedhimfromhisapathy。
  Thecrusaders,afterthisfirstvictory,advancedjoyfullytowardsthemountains,hopingtodrawtheTurkstoaplacewheretheircavalrywouldbeunabletomanoeuvre。Theirspiritswerelightandtheircouragehigh,asledonbytheDukeofNormandy,CountRobertofFlanders,andHughofVermandois,theycamewithinsightofthesplendidcampoftheenemy。GodfreyofBouillonandAdhemar,BishopofPuy,followedimmediatelyaftertheseleaders,thelattercladincompletearmour,andbearingtheHolyLancewithinsightofthewholearmy:BohemundandTancredbroughtuptherear。
  Kerbogha,awareatlastthathisenemywasnotsodespicable,tookvigorousmeasurestoremedyhismistake,and,preparinghimselftomeettheChristiansinfront,hedespatchedtheSultanSoliman,ofRoum,toattackthemintherear。Toconcealthismovement,hesetfiretothedriedweedsandgrasswithwhichthegroundwascovered,andSoliman,takingawidecircuitwithhiscavalry,succeeded,undercoverofthesmoke,inmakinggoodhispositionintherear。Thebattleragedfuriouslyinfront;thearrowsoftheTurksfellthickashail,andtheirwell-trainedsquadronstrodthecrusadersundertheirhoofslikestubble。Stilltheaffraywasdoubtful;fortheChristianshadtheadvantageoftheground,andwererapidlygainingupontheenemy,whentheoverwhelmingforcesofSolimanarrivedintherear。
  GodfreyandTancredflewtotherescueofBohemund,spreadingdismayintheTurkishranksbytheirfierceimpetuosity。TheBishopofPuywasleftalmostalonewiththeProvencalstoopposethelegionscommandedbyKerboghainperson;butthepresenceoftheHolyLancemadeaheroofthemeanestsoldierinhistrain。Still,however,thenumbersoftheenemyseemedinterminable。TheChristians,attackedoneveryside,beganatlasttogiveway,andtheTurksmadesureofvictory。