ADELA. 61 • nryself to listen with interest to his story. Stung with re-morse for Iiis agency in the death of the noble Saxons, Edwin and Waltheof, he had determined, as soon as his pilgrimage was accomplished, to join the Yarangians of Constantinople, and make perpetual war upon the conquer-ors of England. On his route through Syria, he fell in with a band of Arabs, wild and reckless like himself, who, scorning allegiance to any leader, had established them-selves among the ruined towers and rocky fortresses of Mount Lebanon, and thence carried on predatory warfare upon all who ventured to travel that way. They wore the Mohammedan garb, and observed some of the institutions of the Koran, but were followers of Ali, uncle of the prophet. The superior abilities and learning of Hardrager, enabled him soon to master their language and their tenets, and by the fortunate solution of some timely mysteries, he im-pressed them with the belief that he was the prophet of Allah^and soon brought them to take oath to obey all his requirements. But though he had thus apostatized from the faith of his fathers, he retained a copy of the New Tes-tament; and religiously fulfilled his vows at the holy sepul-chre, and with honesty worthy a better man continued Iiis nightly flagellations. He had instilled into his wild fol-lowers his own hatred of the Norman race, and it was be-cause of this that they fell upon us with such violence at the Jordan. I should have perished with my companions, for the Assassins were proceeding to rip open the bodies of the slain and wounded in search of coin, had not Hardrager recognized my Saxon conntenance and interposed for my rescue. With the greatest care and tenderness, he had me conveyed in a litter to their nearest haunt, where, after pro-tracted insensibility, I found myself stretched upon the couch of skins in the cavern. As soon as I was sufficiently restored, he mounted me upon the good steed of the Mag-yar, which, being unable to walk, I was fain to ride, and accompanied me till we came in sight of the pilgtims en-camped upon the Mount of Olives, for by his messengers,