Go tell him that I will give him one hundred thousand livres to help towards paying the ransom." The negotiation was concluded on this basis; and victors and vanquished quitted Mansourah, and arrived, partly by land and partly by the Nile, within a few leagues of Damietta, the surrender of which was fixed for the 7th of May.

But five days previously a tragic event took place.

Several emirs of the Mamelukes suddenly entered Louis's tent.

They had just slain the Sultan Malek-Moaddam, against whom they had for some time been conspiring.

"Fear nought, sir," said they to the king; "this was to be.