Very often they thought him almost crazy.

Instead of passing his time in wailing and cursing he made plans for the future, about which he was glad to talk to any one who came along.

To his fancy life was what the songs of the troubadours had painted it; he dreamed of glorious adventures, and always ended by saying: "You will see that one day I shall be adored by the whole world."[33] During these long months Francis must have been pretty rudely undeceived with respect to those nobles whom from afar he had so heartily admired.
However that may be, he retained with them not only his frankness of speech, but also his full freedom of action.

One of them, a knight, had always held aloof from the others, out of vanity and bad temper.
Francis, far from leaving him to himself, always showed him affection, and finally had the joy of reconciling him with his fellow-captives.
A compromise was finally arrived at between the counts and the people of Assisi.

In November, 1203, the arbitrators designated by the two parties announced their decision.