volume one

niSTORY or THE CUUSABES. 119
The effect that such reproaches must have had upon a spirit
like that of Taucred, may be easily imagined. The moment
they suspected his coui^age, he no longer made an ettort to
restrain his anger, and swore to avenge his wrongs in the
blood of his rival. He himself led the soldiers, and rushed
out of the town at their head to encounter the troops of
Baldwin. They at once came to blows. On both sides
courage was equal; but the fury of revenge doubled the
efforts of the Italians. The soldiers of Baldwin had the
advantage in numbers. They fought with the animosity
peculiar to ci\al wars ; but at length the troops of Tancred
were forced to give way ; they left many of their companions
in the hands of their adversaries and upon the field of battle,
and re-entered the town deploring their defeat in silence.
jN'ight restored calm to their excited spirits. The soldiers
of Tancred had acknowledged the superiority of the Flemings,
and believed, as blood had flowed, they had no longer any
outrage to avenfre, whilst the followers of Baldwin remembered
that the men whom they had conquered were Christians.
On the morrow nothing was heard on either side but
the voice of humanity and religion. The two chiefs at the
same time sent deputies, and in order to avoid an appearance
of asking for peace, both attributed their overtiuTs to the
inspiration of Heaven. They swore to forget their quarrels,
and embraced in sight of the soldiers, who reproached themselves
with the sad effects of their animosity, and longed to
expiate the blood of their brothers by new exploits against
the Turks.
Tancred with his troop departing from Malmistra, passed
in triumph along the coasts of Cilicia, and penetrated as far
as Alexandretta, of which he easily took possession. In
proportion as he made himself dreaded by his enemies, he
made himself the more beloved by his companions. When
he rejoined the Christian army covered with glory and loaded
with booty, he heard all around him nothing but praises of
his moderation and valour, The presence of Baldwin, who
had preceded him, on the contrary, oidy excited murmurs,
as they attributed to him the death of so many Christian
soldiers. Grodfrey loudly blamed the ambition and avarice
of his brother. But caring little for these reproaches, Baldwin
yielded to his rival, without pain, the suflrages of the