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Page 419
train went down to the coast with a small detachment of footmen to guard it. Forward of this anchor line, the heavy-armed, mounted knights took their stand. The foremost line were the archers behind a wall of shields. They were to stand and receive, Richard ordered, fighting only to defend themselves. Let the infidels break themselves and reduce their numbers on the wall of men.
It was a wise plan, but very hard to sustain, Simon thought. One wave of attackers had been beaten back, but it was no source of joy. They came down the hillside like ants, thousands, tens of thousands, apparently inexhaustible. Twice the line of footmen had been breached in many places and the knights rode forth to beat back the attackers so that the wall could be closed again, but they were forbidden to pursue. A few raw men had fled screaming before a blow had been struck, panicked by the sight of so multitudinous an enemy. Simon killed two of those himself in full sight of the men who held the shield wall. They were only boys and Simon was sorry for them, but it must be clear that the only chance for life any man had was to stand and fight.
Then came the mounted Turks. It was bitter to see them charge and swirl away, laughing at the men who held their ground at their master's order. They came again, and again, and were beaten off each time, but the dead they left behind were not all their own. The Hospitalers on the flanks were most heavily engaged. They sent to beg Richard to give them freedom to ride out after their tormentors. He forbade it. Simon cursed under his breath. Again they were attacked and again defended themselves and again begged the King to free their bonds.
Pride is a sin. Very nearly, had Richard not been a genius in tactics, it would have been physically as well as morally a deadly sin and would have killed the Crusade that day. The Marshal of the Hospitalers and

 
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