On a silken couch reclined Saladin, the light from the lamp falling on his bronzed and thoughtful face.
"I have sent for you two Franks," he said, "that you may bear a message from me to Sir Balian of Ibelin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

This is the message:--Let the holy city surrender to-morrow and all its population acknowledge themselves my prisoners.

Then for forty days I will hold them to ransom, during which time none shall be harmed.

Every man who pays ten pieces of gold shall go free, and two women or ten children shall be counted as one man at a like price.

Of the poor, seven thousand shall be set free also, on payment of thirty thousand bezants.
Such who remain or have no money for their ransom--and there is still much gold in Jerusalem--shall become my slaves.