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danger to Richard, others laughed because they did not believe anyone could think of any way to inspire daring enough for such a deed in Comnenus or his followers. That comment bore fruit in Simon's mind. He recalled to the council Richard's irreconcilable rage against a gentleman who had absconded after giving his parole. If Comnenus could be induced to fleeand that, considering his proven cowardice, should not be difficult to arrangethe King would undoubtedly accept such behavior as sufficient cause to abrogate the treaty. |
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At the feast of reconciliation later that day, a remarkable number of stories of Richard's severity were told, some jokingly, others with sidelong glances as of fear. A paid informer went further; he whispered that Richard intended to seize Comnenus that night and throw him into iron chains. The next morning it was seen that the seed thus planted had borne fruit. During the night the Emperor had taken to horse and flown away. The sentries having obligingly become deaf, dumb, and blind, there was not the slightest impediment to his escape. Richard accepted this news with philosophical detachment, merely remarking in private with a quirk to his eyebrow that he hoped it would not be necessary to blacken his character again even in a good cause. |
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In fifteen days Cyprus was taken. Simon was pretty well satisfied with the situation. There had been considerable fighting, but he had been wounded only twice, not severely enough to incapacitate him, and he was a great deal richer. Just as important, Richard had been in the best of good tempers all through the campaign, except when some envoys of Philip of France had appeared to tell him that he must abandon the persecution of innocent Christians on Cyprus and come to the Holy Land to assist at the siege of Acre at once. ''To this message," Geoffrey de Vinsauf the chronicler had reported, "the King replied in angry terms, by no |
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