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205 ST. RUSINA 205 to arms. He arranged that five of his wisest barons should go with Elemento to help him with jndioioas connsol ; at the same time, he loaded the French knights with money and gifts and gaye them a great entertainment. The next day they all set sail and soon reached Riva Doria, a sea-port about a hundred miles from Babylon. Here it was agreed that four of the barons should trayel to Babylon with Elemento, in the disguise of merchants, the others remaining quietly in the ships at Biva Doria. When they had been a few days in the inn at Babylon, they saw that the host and his wife were honest people, and Elemento confided to them the reason of his presence there. The innkeeper told him that Rusina had stayed in his house and had excited his compassion. It was arranged that the wife of the inn- keeper should try to gain admittance to the Seraglio, and by some means, tell Rusina that Elemento had come to try and saye her. Taking a piece of em- broidery to show to some of the ladies, the woman was soon in the Seraglio. She then asked to see Rusina, as she had heard she was so beautiful. She was conducted to a room, where Rusina sat reading the office of the Virgin Mary. So overjoyed was she to hear of her lover's arrival that she fainted; on her recovery she sent many messages to him, charging him to be prudent. The woman, on her return to tiie inn, was liberally rewarded by the prince. Then her hus- band bethought him of the sultan's I)ortGr, who was a friend of his and loved a good dinner and pleasant company. Ho was invited to the inn and there saw Elemento, who exerted himself to be agreeable, and soon the porter thought no day well spent when he did not see the young merchant. At last, Elemento told him who he was and asked his aid. This the porter promised, but stipulated that he should be taken away also, as otherwise the sultan would put him to death. Elemento agreed to this, and promised to make the porter a baron and give him a town and a castle. Every- thing was then settled; the landlord was paid liberally, the barons were sent to the harbour, there to wait in a boat with all their goods. At midnight, Elemento went alone to the gate of the palace, where the porter was waiting for him. They went softly to Rusina's room, who at the sight of her beloved Elemento lost consciousness; so he and the porter took her between them and carried her to the boat ; their friends at once rowed rapidly down the river to Riva Doria, where the rest of the party were still waiting with the ships. They all rejoiced greatly when they saw Rusina, and heard that she had been rescued without drawing a sword. The next day they set sail for Cfesarea. The sultan, meanwhile^ hearing that Rusina had escaped by the connivance of the porter, ordered ten galleys to bo manned and put to sea, to overtake and bring them back. However, after a severe engagement, Elemento and his knights were victorious and seven of the enemy's galleys were sunk. On hearing of this loss, the sultan was in despair and said, "I made a very bad bargain when I bought Rusina. She never was of any use to me, and now I have lost all these good men and ships through her. Alas, it was an evil day for me when she came to Babylon ! " After a voyage of sixty days, Elemento and Rusina arrived at Cadsarea, where they were received with joy by the people and the king. The queen also, through the mediation of the porter, was once more reconciled to her son and Rusina, and great rejoicings were held. The knights of France were handsomely rewarded for all they had done. When they left for their own country, many messages were sent to the king by Elemento, assuring him of his readi- ness to help and serve him in case of need. In course of time, in answer to the many fervent prayers of Rusina and Elemento, the king and queen became Christians. The National Assembly was convened, and Elemento and Rusina told the barons and people so much of the teaching of Christ that they all with one accord accepted the Christian fedth. The king then ordered all the idols to be destroyed, and built many churches and hermitages throughout the kingdom. So