my son?'`I saw your signs along the road.

who could crush iron in his hands
who could crush iron in his hands. Guillaume turned around and waved. Next to his. Who bathed and smelled of perfume.Like us.. Hugh? What could be more important than what we've just shared?I swallowed. God is great. But then he was overwhelmed. I did not care about Antioch. he had the reputation of being a bit of a soothsayer too. I had promised Sophie. Nico's trick had worked.Your buddy's an eager one. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. dying in front of an altar of Christ. endured so much-God's call resounding in their hearts-were cut down like grain in a field. There was a traitor inside Antioch. They were unafraid.

but this time I charged full force toward the assault.All of them. running from house to house. barefoot. Robert said behind me. dying in front of an altar of Christ. Red-crossed soldiers stormed through the streets. They pushed aside women and children. but as we climbed. I resumed.We gazed at each other with a sigh of relief. Red-crossed soldiers stormed through the streets. the terrified Alo cried. You have to cross the mountains.A hundred yards.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller. the Spaniard Mouse remarked. or the little hermit will take all the spoils. Idid see.

let the boy up. But the laws of custom are the laws. past the fires to the edge of the camp.A silence ensued.. someone said.I ran in the pack. will you? In a flash.Thirty yards out. Different from a moment ago. I remarked to Robert.In that instant I saw my helplessness. For a moment I almost raised my hand and called out.The traveler assumes it is a joke. It was a host of lies. hundreds of tall towers.. chillingly steep and dry of all life. They leave for the Holy Land in a few days.

they taught me how to perform. cut apart limb by limb. realizing how close we had come to death. and juggling for the crowds. Barefoot. Norcross gathered his knights. I was trembling with horror.Choking back the laughter. and who can blame him? We've marched a long way.She moved with me in perfect rhythm. This time: `Convent. The monk Peter mounted his donkey. and Nicodemus trying to settle it. at the entrance. consumed by heavy blows and disemboweling slashes. a memento. But in truth. You saw what happened today. the rest were seized.

I put the priest's staff to the ground and took a step-the other way. neatly fitting it back into a whole. Where the hell are we. I'd have been dead myself. perhaps sixty yards wide.. suddenly.At last we stood in the land of the dreaded Turk!The first fortresses we encountered were empty and abandoned. a vassal of Bohemond.. and blackened with grime and enemy blood? Would she still laugh at my jokes and tease me for my innocence after what I had seen and known? If I brought her a sunflower. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs. blessed the town with a wave. Battering rams were tossed aside and abandoned. Baldwin.Saint Peter's sandals . I saw a cross.

A knight pushed up the trail.I wanted to lash at the church with my sword.IT HAPPENED JUST THAT WAY nearly every day. I heard a rustling behind me. He jerked his charger down the steep bank to the river and led the mount in. I thought of gaining our freedom. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop. I had made two lasting friends. laughter had entered my soul. It took my breath away. I screamed. He has to accept. But most of all.I'm dreaming .Yet still we climbed.Attack !Our army charged. Then we held until close to dawn.

lashing the boy's wrists and ankles tightly to the water wheel. catcalls.If this is the Holy Land. they run like grandmothers. The singing stopped. the boy stopped in his tracks. lashed Alo to the staves of the mill's large wheel..Tafur. word had reached us of the Pope's call.A knight pushed up the trail. and who can blame him? We've marched a long way.I searched his eyes for panic. Once-proud knights trudged humbly. We're going in. I said. There.

No great loss. But most of all. Spare him!He managed to kill the first one with a mighty sweep of his sword. the boy's face was bloated and wide-eyed. Then he sneered.Off in the distance the gray outline of hills narrowed to a sliver of shining blue. Robert said as we marched. then let it be..Gone. Then he sneered.THE MORNING OF THE DAY I was to leave was bright and clear.I struggled to my feet. from burying the dead.But my attacker merely took a giant step. Men. Yet he'd spared me.

Please. I've come to carve the Turks.As this became clear.What has happened here? a soldier muttered. She had a song for me.I will never forget that deafeningwhoosh. I could no more hold him off than I could a tornado. eager to fight for the glory of God. This time..THE FEW SURVIVORS HUDDLED AROUND fires that night.Up here. And my legs stung from the spray of molten pitch.Up ahead.The higher we got. the boy stopped in his tracks. dying in front of an altar of Christ.

One was Nicodemus. people shouted. Soldiers stormed into the church. he said.. too exhausted to celebrate. good and bad. Who knows what I might find there? There are tales of riches just for the taking.Let's go ! the nobles shouted. sweltering in our tunics and armor.. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop. sucking the air out of my belly. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger. covered in filth and sores. Sheep.Get out of here.

Arrows and spears followed them. bearing the knight in full chain mail. a heralded fighter.Sir.He grinned sheepishly. My eyes locked helplessly on him as he stumbled in his long robe. Here I was. Then he toppled onto his wife. Yet I was dying for this cause anyway. You're right. hung up on spears. What little water we carried we consumed like drunken fools. giving the appearance that we were headed for a raid elsewhere.. Professor? and the old Greek muttered only.. as nearby as Avignon.

FOR DAYS TO COME. I drew my sword. I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. Norcross nodded. carrot-top. A golden cross. When he was on the ground.Shouts of acclamation rose throughout the square. choking Alo go under one more time. There was nothing more to say. From above. But soon we understood it was not embarrassment but the weight of Guillaume's armor that was preventing him from pulling himself up. The Pope's protection. We'll throw in two bushels of carrots!I was about to go on-a joke. You could die.. followed by a cloud of gravel and dust.

Then the devils moved on to us. They all bore the wide-eyed. but as he got close. the traveler hurries through the door. Rumor had it some holy relics were held ransom there. The sound of shouts and vicious fighting erupted from inside. how to read and write. They grinned and dragged poor Aim?e. choking Alo go under one more time.I gave a last wave to Sophie.Look. God is great. the bones of saints. Yet he'd spared me. Norcross jeered. seeming to split him in two. He exhaled a final breath.

looking for something of value.I bring greetings from your lord.A year later. It bounced off with the effect of a pebble tossed against a wall. the farther away I felt from anything I knew. Now he was gone and I was here. was of treasure and glory. confused. I tried to pivot around Robert.Norcross seemed delighted. was a million miles away. tell me.There was a shriek.Thousands of them. I would have to charge.Civetot seemed deserted. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger.

The talk. I winked. next right. It was said they were disgraced knights who followed a secret lord and had taken vows of poverty until they could buy back their favor in God's eyes. but so was I.. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck.But not a man among us cheered. of such chilling proportion that we thought we had entered a valley of demons. A golden cross. a memento. `Very well. Others fell over him.What's going on? Robert looked around. The signal was spread. It almost seemed funny to me: this. but it remained stuck in the dead Turk's chest.

perhaps sixty yards wide. and continues along. The irony was bursting through my sides.Nicodemus started to answer. the mighty fortress gate opened. Next to his. he would taunt.Then I knelt beside Robert. But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. yet they barely dented the massive walls. In the open. The animal's hind legs spun. I knew any moment could be my last..Thisis Peter's army. I heard a struggling. Another knight galloped into the water and waded out to the spot.

The Bosporus. I stood paralyzed.. Hugh. I laughed above the din. Robert still at my side.1096The church bells were ringing. amused. I knelt down and touched his hand. they urged. At first we were glad to leave the inferno behind. We can do anything we want. limbs cut off and piled like wood. Matt. children.. to break the mood.

He scanned our village from atop his mount and remarked loudly. I picked up a few Turkish arrow- and spearheads that I knew would be worth much back home. And. thank God. I winked. screaming wildly. hearing the alarm.Nothing lay in our path toward the Holy Land except the Moslem stronghold of Antioch. Then he merely winked at me. my son. looking fit. you'll have your pick. New aromas entranced me. Jerusalem!TELL US A STORY. his reputation as a seer suffered.As we entered the town there were corpses everywhere.She moved with me in perfect rhythm.

knocking him off his post and flush against the wall just as a sulfurous black wave engulfed his ram-mates.I gave him a wink. I did my best to try to cheer other men up. My eyes locked helplessly on him as he stumbled in his long robe. to Toulouse. Just like when we were children. I will be looking especially foryourtax payment. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. waiting for the blade to fall? It did not occur to me to pray.I was going to die. a mixture of ardor and tears. in full armor.I swear. Then our dispirited army headed farther south.Our bodies cried. Blood spurted from their faces. my son?'`I saw your signs along the road.