but as it drew near him， he put out his hand and caught it in full flight， to the amazement of the beholders. Then he shook it，till it was well-nigh broken， and hurled it up into the air， till it disappeared from sight. As it descended， he caught it again，in less than the twinkling of an eye， and cried out from the bottom of his heart， saying， "By the virtue of Him who created the seven heavens， I will make this accursed fellow the byword of the world！" Then he hurled the javelin at Luca ben Shemlout， who thought to do as Sherkan had done and catch it in mid-flight； but Sherkan made haste and sped another dart at him， which smote him on the forehead amiddleward the sign of the cross， and God hurried his soul to the Fire and the Ill Stead.[FN#96] When the infidels saw Luca fall dead， they buffeted their faces， crying，"Alas！" and "Woe worth the day！" and called for aid upon the priests of the monasteries， saying， "Where are the crosses？" So the monks offered up prayers and the Christians all drew together against Sherkan and brandishing their swords and lances， rushed forward to the attack. Army met army and men"s breasts fell under the hoofs of the horses， whilst the sword and the spear ruled and arms and wrists grew weak and it was as if the horses had been made without legs； nor did the herald of war cease to call to battle， till all arms were weary and the day departed and the night came with the darkness. So the two hosts drew apart whilst every warrior staggered like a drunken man， for stress of war and much thrusting and smiting， and the ground was hidden with the slain； sore were the wounds and the hurt knew not by whom he died. Then Sherkan joined his brother and the Chamberlain and the Vizier Dendan and said to them， "Verily God hath opened a door for the destruction of the infidels， praised be the Lord of the Two Worlds！" "Let us never cease to praise God，" replied Zoulmekan， "for that He hath dispelled trouble from the Arabs and the Persians. Indeed the folk， generation after generation， shall tell of thy prowess against the accursed Luca， the falsifier of the Evangel，[FN#97] of thy catching the javelin in mid-flight and smiting the enemy of God among men； and thy report shall endure until the end of time." Then said Sherkan， "Harkye， O grand Chamberlain and doughty captain！" "At thy service，" answered he.
Quoth Sherkan， "Take the Vizier Dendan and twenty thousand men and lead them， by a forced march， seven parasangs towards the sea， till ye come near the shore， at two parasangs" distance from the foe. Then hide in the hollows of the ground， till ye hear the tumult of the infidels disembarking from the ships； and when the swords have begun to play between us and them and ye see our troops falling back， as if defeated， and all the infidels following them， as well those in front as those from the sea-ward and the tents， do ye lie in wait for them： and as soon as ye see the standard with the words， "There is no god but God， and Mohammed is His Apostle！" up with the green banner and fall on their rear， shouting， "God is most great！" and do your endeavour，that they may not interpose between the retreating army and the sea." The Chamberlain agreed to this， and he and the Vizier Dendan took twenty thousand men and set out at once， even as Sherkan had commanded. As soon as it was morning the troops donned their armour and drawing their swords， set their spears in rest and sprang to horse. Then the Christians drew out in battle array upon the hills and plains and the priests cried out and all heads were uncovered. Moreover， those who were in the ships hoisted the cross at their mast-heads and ****** from all sides towards the shore， landed their horses and addressed them to the fray， whilst the swords glittered and the javelins glanced like levies against the cuirasses. So they all joined battle and the mill-wheels of death rushed round over footmen and horsemen：
heads flew from bodies and tongues grew mute and eyes dim；
gall-bladders burst and skulls were cloven in sunder and wrists shorn in twain； whilst the horses plashed in pools of blood and men gripped each other by the beards. The host of Islam called out， "Peace and blessing on the Prince of Mankind and glory and praise in the highest to the Compassionate One！" whilst the infidels shouted， "Glory to the Cross and the Girdle and the Vine-juice and the Presser and the Priests and the Monks and the Festival of Palms and the Metropolitan！" Presently， Zoulmekan and Sherkan held back and their troops gave way and feigned to retreat before the infidels， who pursued them， deeming them routed， and made ready to cut and thrust. Then the host of the Muslims began to chant the first verses of the Chapter of the Cow，[FN#98] whilst the slain were trampled under the hoofs of the horses and the heralds of the Greeks cried out， "Ho， servants of the Messiah！ Ho， people of the True Faith！ Ho， followers of the Pope！ Verily the divine grace shines upon you， for see， the hosts of Islam incline to tree！ So turn ye not your backs to them， but let your swords bite on their necks and hold not your hands from them， else are ye outcasts from the Messiah， son of Mary， who spoke even in the cradle！" Thereupon Afridoun thought that the infidels were victorious， knowing not that this was but a stratagem of the Muslims， and sent to King Herdoub， to give him the glad tidings of success， adding， "It was nought but the excrement of the Arch-Patriarch that availed us， in that the fragrance of it exhaled from the beards and moustaches of the servants of the Cross near and far； and I swear， by the Miracles of the Messiah and by the Waters of Baptism， that I will not leave upon the earth a single defender of Islam！"[FN#99] So the messenger betook himself to King Herdoub whilst the infidels called to each other saying， "Let us take our wreak for Luca！"
