Eye caught fire from
eye, voice lent courage to voice. They resumed, as with one
accord, the war-cry with which the sermon of Peter the Hermit was
echoed back, and shouted aloud, "Lead us on, gallant Lion's-heart; none so worthy to lead where brave men
follow. Lead us
on--to Jerusalem--to Jerusalem! It is the will of God--it is the
will of God! Blessed is he who shall lend an arm to its
fulfilment!"
The shout, so suddenly and generally raised, was heard beyond the
ring of sentinels who guarded the pavilion of Council, and spread
among the soldiers of the host, who, inactive and dispirited by
disease and climate, had begun, like their leaders, to droop in
resolution; but the reappearance of Richard in renewed vigour,
and the well-known shout which echoed from the assembly of the
princes, at once rekindled their enthusiasm, and thousands and
tens of thousands answered with the same shout of "Zion, Zion!
War, war! Instant battle with the infidels! It is the will of
God--it is the will of God!"
The acclamations from without increased in their turn the
enthusiasm which prevailed within the pavilion.
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