dust in the direction of our ranks. I had simply made him smile. A sea of body parts.

I finally prayed
. I finally prayed. more Tafurs hunting for spoils. a solid wooden barrier the height of three men.It was a slaughter. but where I'm headed a woman's comb may be looked at strangely. Our once fledgling troop was now an army forty thousand strong. but for him it was never far. It's me. a Moslem warrior would hurl some urn down from the towers and it would shatter on the ground.I ran in the pack.let the boy up.Now I was free. Everyone pointed at a walled city nestled into the isthmus's edge. bunching his lips.. bread to eat.

the Turk lowered his sword. I raised my sword.But my attacker merely took a giant step. God did protect us after all. A traveler is walking down a quiet road when he notices a sign scratched onto a tree: `Sisters of St. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead. a vassal of Bohemond. Marie begged on her knees. for Robert's sake. I would return both sweet smellingand free!Then the knights and nobles rallied us. carrot-top.Then all at once a chilling roar rose up from behind the city walls.Then I'll scare the infidels off with my bright red hair.Fight with honor.. House of Prostitution. I resumed.

somewhere in MacedoniaThe heavy-bearded knight reared his mount over us on the steep ridge.I looked at Robert. of relics and glory; the innocent of finally proving their worth. my companion.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel.I gave him a wink. or where. His mouth curved into a sheepish grin. will you? In a flash..Just then. heads charred and roasted. They swept toward us like hunters chasing a hare. I noticed her peeking at a rehearsal.. just sixteen. Hugh.

He would give up the city. It was as if the boy had seen that he was powerless to stop his own death and. Idid see. Riches and spoils picked up along the way. a grim odor pressed at my nostrils. I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. Men lined the shore.Suddenly I heard shouting from up ahead.I drew Sophie close and kissed her. I think the duke's point is adequately driven home. slapping one another on the back. With a hideous bray. every ridge ripe with ambush. He blinked at me.I counted to thirty. either cheering or laughing at his attempt to show off in front of royalty. Above me.

Too late.'She leads him through a series of dark.somewhere in MacedoniaThe heavy-bearded knight reared his mount over us on the steep ridge. the most hostile I had ever felt in my life. towns scorched and plundered dry.Nicodemus started to answer.FOR DAYS TO COME. sweltering in our tunics and armor. If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. we were told. some of them just boys. A ways ahead. which Nicodemus had taught me. For a moment I almost raised my hand and called out.. I will carry his expression with me for the rest of my life. It was never known what became of her.

. they were setting me free!If the Turk had not hesitated just a moment ago. my son?'`I saw your signs along the road.I stared in horror at her bloody shape. Everyone pointed at a walled city nestled into the isthmus's edge.. You saw what happened today. from the same building. At first in tight formation. Hugh? he asked with an eager smile. Isn't that right. And holy relics desecrated.Sir. Nico warned. Are you taking notes?The raucous laughter continued for a time as we waited for the knight to emerge. One year. It was a slaughter.

Several other people. I snuggled into the smooth curve of her back. And agile. Hugh.Sophie. The blade of my sword penetrated his side. You saw what happened today.THAT TERRIBLE AFTERNOON changed my life. Then the devils moved on to us.. we advanced toward the massive walls. It would have beenme in that pool of blood that was leaking across the stones. God. The holiest treasures of our faith.Constantinople. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. Nobles on horseback whipped their tired mounts and rushed toward the front.

and said. All I saw was the glimmer of his studded glove as the hilt of a sword crashed across my skull. their skin blistered from the touch of the metal. I was sure.There was a ground-shaking rumble from the west. no longer hatred or even amusement. The signal was spread. Nothing ever happened here!I was struck with a kind of wonderment. God is great.Suddenly the assault turned into a rout. All I wanted was to get off this ridge. Hugh.. I was sure. Do we finally get to pay them back?Sharpen that knife. cheered in every town we passed. but as we climbed.

Robert claimed to be sixteen. or the lice crawling in my beard. She and I had always shared everything. I lunged toward him.And beyond that. Reach up your other hand.I never thought I would ever say good-bye to you. To study the metal trade. Tafurs. but so was I.Antioch. knight. When we hit the mountains. Jeers. run dry of provision by the Turks themselves.now . A ways back on that last ridge.

lashed Alo to the staves of the mill's large wheel. watching me go off. If it's a fight you want. there was thishowl from the surrounding hills. Sophie. he had the reputation of being a bit of a soothsayer too. Now he was gone and I was here.There is the one about the convent and the whorehouse.On the outskirts.. I leaped on him before he had a chance to recover. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs. not a noble anywhere. to pick sunflowers for you. I had fought bravely. the loss of my friend weighed greatly upon me. That brave smile.

poured into heaps of dung like spoiled wine.I WAS FREE. But soon we understood it was not embarrassment but the weight of Guillaume's armor that was preventing him from pulling himself up. I put the priest's staff to the ground and took a step-the other way.A maiden met a wandering man.. The Turks fled like rabbits.In front of us a young woman ran out of a burning house. You'd better go.Finally. there is a third sign. literally roasting in their armor. but each step.There's one more thing. I laughed above the din. gnarled Stick of wood.Nicodemus started to answer.

I prayed as I ran that my back would not be ripped apart by a Saracen arrow. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop..I grabbed Robert by the tunic and dragged him farther away. our commander. I knew he would be able to interpret it.I struggled to my feet. his rush was intercepted by Robert. leaving eight dead and burning almost every house to the ground. And I.Brigit. Seeing his comrades slain. these Tafurs fought like possessed devils. It would have beenme in that pool of blood that was leaking across the stones.OUR POWERLESSNESS WAS SO OBVIOUS it was shameful to me. their chargers snorting heavily. then he nodded.

quickening peals-echoing through town in the middle of the day. Though I wanted to weep for my fallen friends. for those who put aside their earthly possessions and join our Crusade.Sophie turned in my arms and faced me with a blank.1096The church bells were ringing. which attested not so much to their religious fervor as to their urge to inflict pain. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. But the laws of custom are the laws. and told of the fate of Peter the Hermit's army. A crowd of others. Yet I was dying for this cause anyway.At last the abbess stops at a door. Hugh? Robert moaned. every ridge ripe with ambush.As this became clear. choking Alo go under one more time. and much worse.

Professor? and the old Greek muttered only. And when our troops finally opened the gates in desperation.Freedom . children. And agile. Though I wanted to weep for my fallen friends. consumed with grief and rage.The trail we walked was flat and manageable. a buttress of gray rock thirty feet tall. spilling blood.Until we were free. wagons. running from house to house. Let me get your skin. a vain smile visible under his mustache.It was the image I carried for the next two years. facing another sign.

The sound of shouts and vicious fighting erupted from inside.Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet. Then our dispirited army headed farther south. Here I was.And beyond that.My Sophie.It was love at first sight for us. winding passages where he sees many beautiful young nuns who smile at him. glinting through the haze. At any second he would strike the final blow. I yelled. he shouted to Raymond. threadbare. or even amid the grease and smoke of the kitchen. I lost my tongue..Peter's army has crushed the infidels.

pagan towns now consecrated in the name of God.. Yet he'd spared me.. Once-proud knights trudged humbly. It's me. I took a breath and smiled. I fell to the ground happy just to be alive. and gruesome gasps escaped from their wretched mouths. He blinked at me. It was a rough.Suddenly the assault turned into a rout.. A crowd of others. Hugh.. his head rolling away from him.

shit. the Holy Land. shaking my head. it's the worst equipped. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille. For the first time. the mighty fortress gate opened.It was a slaughter.. Jerusalem is near. to Toulouse. But a little man in a homespun monk's robe. I gently stroked her long blond hair. his head rolling away from him.I pushed Robert through the smoke and dust in the direction of our ranks. I had simply made him smile. A sea of body parts.