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342 was spent. They were, to some extent, as one writer says, "between the hammer and the anvil," and were compelled to follow as Dandolo led. The next negotiation was therefore one in which there is no evidence that Boniface took any part, just as in the one already mentioned there is nothing to show that Dandolo had any share. Each leader was playing for his own hand. The common bond of union had not yet been found.

A meeting took place between the Emperor Mourtzouphlos and Dandolo in order, professedly, to discuss conditions of peace. The meeting was held at the monastery of St. Cosma, which was about half a mile without the walls of Blachern. The doge asked for immediate payment of fifty centenaria of gold, and imposed other conditions which were exceedingly hard, among which, probably, was obedience to the Romish Church. Dandolo must have known that his conditions were certain to be refused. While the two leaders were together, a detachment of the Crusaders' cavalry made a descent from an adjoining hill with the object of capturing the emperor, and would have succeeded if he had not fled. Some of his body-guard were, indeed, captured.

No further attempt at negotiation appears to have been made either by the Venetians or the Crusaders. {{lsn|Difficulties of Boniface had Boniface. failed, and had probably no wish to come to an arrangement when he learned that Alexis was really dead. He could no longer carry out the design of Philip to unite the two empires. Two courses were open to him : to go with the Crusaders to Egypt or to Palestine, or to throw {{rule}}{{smallrefs}}