Crusdae, p.23
Crusdae, page 23
"But you returned again at a later time?” asked the Grand Master.
“Assuredly! Even though my friends attempted to dissuade me, and they were not entirely wrong because, during the month that followed, I suffered from a kind of consumption against which all remedies were ineffective. ...”
"And that was when you found the casket!” Brother Joubert interrupted with impatience.
"No. That was not until my fourth visit when the debris had been cleared. It was the only mechanism left intact. It had been stowed inside a coffer welded to the floor itself and a white elastic substance had been placed around it for better protection. I put it aside, for its use was in no way evident to me at the time. For an entire week I continued the excavations, making sketches of the least damaged parts found___.”
“You still have them?” put in the Grand Master. “Certainly, at my house. I have copied them carefully on parchment but it has not been possible for me to make sense of them....”
“Tell me more about the casket"
“Well, when my work around and inside the ship was finished, I waited to examine it until I could do so with a clearer head. By then, I was convinced that I was dealing with a craft from out there, from across the immense. distances of space, from where the stars burn. Unfortunately, the bodies of the crew began to decompose so rapidly that I was unable to study them. Therefore I abandoned the wreckage, there being nothing more I could learn from it. It was covered over with sand and the Emir pronounced the place anathema. That precaution was hardly necessary, since no one had any desire to go near it. It took many long hours of meditation for me to determine the use of the device inside the casket Sibylline designs engraved on a metal plate enabled me to do so. The engine was composed of two parts, of a size somewhat larger than a human skull. My first experiment was simply the placing of a piece of amber in the right-hand oven, and then pushing a red button. There was a sort of humming. Soon after, both doors opened by themselves and I was surprised to see a block of amber exactly like the first. My analyses, the evaluation of its weight, everything confirmed it: the machine had produced a most exact duplicate of the original.”
“Astonishing! Almost unbelievable,” the Grand Master mused. “Can you prove what you are saying?”
“Certainly! After that I performed many operations of the same kind with various substances, natural and manufactured. Sand or diamond, I always obtained the same results which I could repeat as many times as I wished. These products, the fruit of alchemy, are still in my laboratory.”
“We shall see them later,” said Brother Joubert thoughtfully. “It appears, then, that the action of this engine is not at all like that of the philosopher’s stone which transmutes base metals into gold. Its achievement seems more complete, because it contains in its core the true sperm, quintessence of all matter.”
“And even living substances, my learned friend! I was able to duplicate a rat....”
“But that is stupendous!” exclaimed the chaplain. “I bitterly regret that I was unable to study it with you. Alas, when I made my secret visit to you, the Mamelukes were looking for me. I had to make my escape and, I must confess, I did not quite believe what you told me. For that I now apologize.”
“Is this everything you can tell me?” the Grand Master asked.
“Very nearly all, noble Sire. After that I made use of the machine to manufacture gold coins. That was the best way of hiding my secret, since I never spoke of it to anyone, except my esteemed colleague here. Unfortunately, after a month or so, my magic casket lost all its power. .. . Impossible to make it work again. However, it had enabled me to stack up enough gold coins to buy my house and be free of want for the rest of my life.”
“Good!” declared William of Beaujeu. “I thank you for being so open. You shall be rewarded for it: my treasurer will give you a weight of gold equivalent to that of your casket."
“May Allah and the Christian God bestow their blessings on you, most generous Sire!"
“It goes without saying that you will not utter a word of all this to anyone else. If, by misfortune, you should betray my trust, I will have your tongue pulled out.” “Never fear: I know where my interest lies and I shall be as silent as the tomb.”
“Perfect! My servants will fetch all the duplicates of which you told me. Do not try to hide any. Go now: Brother Garin will accompany you.”
Djaffar took his leave, walking backward and bowing deeply.
When they were alone, the Grand Master turned to Brother Joubert. “Well, what do you think of this, learned chaplain?”
“I am convinced that what he speaks is the truth, Master. If you agree, I shall begin at once attempting to repair this miraculous transmuter. Even so, it may take quite some time before I succeed.”
“For the moment, it is no pressing matter. You shall have everything you require. Give the list to Brother Garin when he returns. Tell him not to say a word to anyone—him, and his two brothers. You shall have wagons fitted to house your instruments.”
“Wherefore? Can I not work here?”
“Certainly not; I want you near me, you and this object with its miraculous hermetic powers. Tomorrow we leave to conquer the Khanate of Abaka and very soon we shall be a great distance from the coast. The liaison with those left behind will be uncertain. There is no need for you to run useless risks.”
“True.... Such a marvel must not fall into enemy hands. By Jesus Christ, our Lord, I swear that I would destroy it, should we have the misfortune of being vanquished]” “You understand my wishes perfectly, Brother. In turn, I promise you a reward worthy of your merit if you are successful in your endeavor. Leave me now, and bid my Seneschal and my Marshal to come to me. We must plan the disposition of our forces during the long march ahead.”
At dawn, the Grand Master and his escort left Alexandretta to join the main body of the army. Immediately the troops got under way, marching upstream along the Oron-tes, which they soon left, heading eastward toward the Euphrates and the city of Edessa, capital of the former country of the same name.
Antioch was occupied without a battle and supplies reached the Templars regularly. The power of their weapons was known and none cared to face them.
The Hospitalers’. observers noted the interest that the Grand Master had shown in a Saracen of Alexandretta. They also remarked that Brother Joubert now had at his disposal a veritable laboratory on wheels which was guarded day and night, and in which he worked like a slave. All these significant facts were duly transmitted to those most concerned.
For his part, John of Villiers sent messages by sea. They announced that Jerusalem was occupied and that the Holy Land was again in the hands of the Crusaders. The news reached William of Beaujeu just as he reached the banks of the Euphrates, after having covered more than two hundred kilometers in twelve days. The weather had been favorable for forced marches: several thunderstorms cooled the air and there was no lack of water.
For this reason he decided to devote a day to thanksgiving, which would enable the foot soldiers to catch their breath.
The army was now at the frontier of the Khanate of Abaka and the Kh&n would surely attempt to thwart this irresistible advance whose aim could no longer be in doubt: after having recaptured the Holy Land, the Templars wanted to take possession of the Mongol empire.
The Grand Master called his Council into session to determine what route to follow to reach Baghdad, the capital of the Khanate. His Marshal, his Seneschal and several high-ranking officers were present. As for Brother Joubert, he stayed in his wagon, pursuing the work which was proving more exacting than he had anticipated.
“My noble Brothers,” William began, “I sent for you to discuss our plan of action. We have just crossed a mountainous region where our adversary, the Abaka Khan, could have attempted to halt our advance. He did nothing, and for good reason: his armies are massed far from here, in the vicinity of Baghdad. In view of that fact and since we have been joined by reinforcements, I suggest that we send a contingent to occupy the city of Edessa, which will ensure protection of our rear guard. Meanwhile, the main body of our forces will follow the Euphrates, thus being assured of water and provisions. This valley is known to be richly productive and our march should be easy. We shall stop in the city of Sifun, then in Anbara, before reaching the fertile Mesopotamian plain where, in all probability, the Mongol Khan will do battle. What are your thoughts on this matter? Speak, for I shall give them all consideration.”
The Marshal, Peter of Sevry, was the first to answer him.
“Venerable Master, my Brothers, in broad outline I approve the plan of battle just stated. The occupation of Edessa will protect our supply lines from Alexandretta, and our right flank will be covered by the arid Syrian desert. However, one objection comes to mind: on our left will be the wealthy city of Mosul which is protected by a strong Mongol garrison. Should we not fear that these troops will join forces with those around Baghdad and engage us in battle as we enter the Mesopotamian plain? I have heard tell of some Venetian travelers named Polo who crossed this region. They reported that there are, not far from Mosul, springs from which flows a black oil used in the manufacture of Greek Fire. Is it not likely that the Mongol Khan, knowing that we have a powerful weapon, will attack us by throwing that fire on our columns before we descend onto the plain? The A1 Jazirah Mountains afford many rocky gorges where it would be easy to loose catapults and mangonels. What would happen if our horses panicked and bolted in every direction? That would certainly be the moment for a massive Mongol attack....”
“I, too, have heard of this inflammable oil,” the Grand Master agreed. “Assuredly it constitutes an important trick for Abaka but, to ambush our troops, he would have to command the heights that overlook the Euphrates valley. You were right to call this possibility to my attention: we have auxiliary Turcopoles who, on their fast, high-mettled steeds, can precede our advance. These horsemen will carefully scout the bills and report any enemy concentration.”
“That seems a wise course of action,” the Seneschal said thoughtfully. “Personally, I am much more afraid of Mongol attack on our rear guard once we leave the Euphrates valley. There is little doubt that we shall have water available in sufficient quantity, but nothing should be taken for granted. Quite often in June the temperature in this region is torrid. We shall be completely unable to turn back and regain the coast by way of the Syrian desert and our situation could become critical.”
“I have considered such a possibility,” asserted William of Beaujeu, “and I—likewise—decided to follow this fertile valley rather than crossing the mountains to the north to reach the Caspian Sea. Now we must take Baghdad and, if the enemy puts the torch to it, lay siege to other cities: Selencis, Kashgar. If worse comes to worst and Abaka destroys all the cities of Mesopotamia, it will still be possible for us to reach Basra. It is a port of call for many merchant ships and we will find abundant provisions available that will allow us to continue our campaign.” “That is indeed well thought out!” exclaimed the Commander, Thibaut Gaudin. “There is no doubt that we shall make a clean sweep of the infidel armies. I am impatient to see the city of Baghdad; they say that its former caliph possessed a fabulous treasure which the Mongols seized. It is almost certain that we shall find vast riches still there!” An ascetic and modest-appearing monk came to his feet: the Templar of Tyre and the Grand Master’s historian. “I am ashamed to raise my voice in such a learned assembly,” he said in a low tone. “In days of yore, a pagan named Alexander—the Great, so-called—
conquered these lands at the head of a powerful army. It is said that he reached the faraway banks of the Indus, and then returned to die in Babylon. His empire was then divided among his generals. However, he had vanquished all those who opposed him. Alas! The Macedonians were frightened by such daring and refused to pursue his conquests further. What will our brothers say, once Mesopotamia is ours, if we ask them to push on into the Khanate of Kaidu, then into that of the powerful Kubla Khan, who reigns over Cathay? They all have a family, Brothers, in the realm of France. ... Is it not possible that they, also, will refuse to go any further?”
“Your fears are ill-founded, Brother of Tyre!” the Grand Master exclaimed. “Alexander was only a pagan and his soldiers were not sustained by our faith and the desire to bring back into the fold of the Church those Nestorian Christians who form numerous communities in places as far removed as the cities of Cathay. Christ must be known and adored from the Syrian shores to Cambaluc, where Kubla reigns! You are forgetting the heaven* sent lightning: it will dispatch to hell all infidels who dare oppose us!”
This speech more than achieved its point, and the shouts of all those present more than silenced the fainthearted Brother from Tyre. The die was cast: the Templars had committed their forces to the conquest of an empire surpassing that of Alexander the Great....
Everything developed as the Grand Master had predicted. Edessa was occupied without a skirmish: the garrison— weak in numbers—fled as the implacable, steel-clad warriors approached the city.
The army then moved down the Euphrates valley. However, the extreme heat made the journey an ordeal. The shrunken stream that flowed along the riverbed barely sufficed to quench the thirst of men and horses. On the other hand, they were able to seize abundant provisions: the harvest had been good and the granaries of the peasants were filled to overflowing.
Almost all the knights were forced to remove their armor and wrap themselves in the white mantle with its crimson cross which dampened the heat of the sun somewhat Then the trouble began: there were flash raids on the rear guard of the long column by Mongol horsemen. The laggards, the sick and the crippled were put to the sword.
Liaison with Alexandretta was no longer certain and the forces could rely only on themselves.
The Templars cursed “those infidel bastards” but could do nothing other than continue the southward march. The progress of the column slowed a little each day, but the Mongol army failed to attack.
Anbara was taken, but it was in flames and the Templars were unable to rest there as they had hoped. A dense, black smoke from the barrels of naphtha that had been dumped on the town choked them and filled their eyes with tears. There was not one house still standing to offer shelter from the relentless sun.
Dysentery and sunstrokes slowly thinned the ranks of the army to about two-thirds its original size. In his wagon, which was as hot as an oven, Brother Joubert had long since given up his research.
William of Beaujeu and his companions rode silently, their tongues dry, their eyes burned by the glaring light The Grand Master had begun to fear that the Brother from Tyre had spoken only the truth: among the foot soldiers especially there was much grumbling and mount* ing protests against this mad journey.
“Never,” they declared, “will Abaka face us in battle. He will wait until we are completely exhausted and then massacre us. Of what use will the magic fire be, if we are unable to operate the mangonels, or even to use slings?”
The anger of these unfortunate soldiers was vented freely on the cumbersome machines which they had to drag along with them. They swore at the engines, inventing the vilest names for them but still not daring to abandon them, for they alone prevented the Mongols from rushing to the attack.
This Calvary lasted two whole months.
There was no news from the Holy Land. The Crusaders felt desperately alone, forsaken, far from any possible assistance.
Then they reached the vicinity of Baghdad and, on August fifteenth, they saw in the distance the minarets towering over file wondrous city, its palace roofs, the towers of its ramparts. Still intact, the city appeared a veritable paradise: each man dreamed of its treasures, the cool shade of its courtyards, the countless delights it would offer....
Alas! Between the Crusaders and Baghdad shone a forest of sabers, reflecting the sunlight: Mongol horsemen and archers, assembled in small groups, completely surrounded the Templar forces....
Chapter V
☆
There was no need for a battle call: as if this were no more than parade exercise, William of Beaujeu’s troops quickly carried out the well-planned maneuvers.
The supply wagons were drawn up in a circle at the center of their stand, while squires pulled the mangonels into place behind this improvised wall.
At the same time, foot soldiers knelt on one knee outside the circle, their spears pointed forward, ready to resist any possible charge by the Mongol cavalry.
Simultaneously, the knights donned armor which they had removed in order to withstand the oppressive midday heat.
The Grand Master had himself hoisted aloft in the basket of a ballista to survey the disposition of the enemy forces. Unfortunately, this time the Templars were unable to reach high ground, the most favorable position for defense, and William saw immediately that the Mongols most certainly had accurate information concerning the deadly lightning. They had taken care not to form any concentration of troops: archers and horsemen were drawn up in small, widely spaced formations.
In the distance, beyond reach of the projectiles, were Chinese war chariots. For the Crusaders, these were new war machines. Each was drawn by three horses and the cars held a complement of archers, their arrows ranged like ribs of a fan, while the wheel hubs were equipped with long scythe-blades. There was little defense against a massive charge of these murderous devices.
