Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/270

 252 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. the Lido, were to go over the sea to fight the infidel and to fulfil their vow. On the announcement of the proposal their camp was illuminated, and there were other manifestations of joy-' ^ It is diflicnlt to determine precisely when this proposition was made. Probably it was in the last week of July, 1202. The 24th of June was the latest time appointed for the arrival of the pilgrims. The second attempt to collect tho balance due had been made probably in the middle of July. Shortly afterwards came this proposal, which was joyfully accepted. Yillehardouin speaks only of one proposal, namely, that to help the Venetians to capture Zara. If his accoimt is to be reconciled with that of the non-official writers, the explanation is that the attack upon the Christian city was at the time carefully concealed from the mass of the Crusaders, a policy which was continually pursued throughout the expe- dition. Eobert de Clari, as we have seen, represents the proposal quite otherwise, and the fact that it was joyfully welcomed shows that the Crusaders were told nothins^ of an attack upon a Christian city as part of it. Another writer^ states that the Venetians kept the Crusaders prisoners for three months, and would not allow them to return home, and when, after that time, their substance was nearly consumed, then they were compelled to go to Zara. We learn from a German writer^ that after much complaint, both on the side of the Venetians and on that of the Crusaders, it was at length agreed that the Venetians should go with the pilgrims, and that whatever was gained should be equally divided, but that from the part going to the pilgrims the balance due for freight should be deducted for the Venetians. We may rest assured that the pilgrims did not accept joy- fully the promise to go to Zara, because, as we shall see, the crusading spirit was far too strong in the army for them yet to tolerate the idea of an attack npon a Christian city. The conclusion at which I arrive after a comparison of the authorities is cither that there were two distinct proposals, ' Robert de Clari. ^ Anon. Suessionensis. ^ Anon. Ilalberstadt.