Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/362

 344 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. ing of such undreamed-of wealth as they had already seen. The disaffected in the army, who were uninfluenced by the bait of plunder, could be brought over under the plea that the dearest object of Innocent, after the defeat of the miscreants, was the union of the two churches, and that in attacking the Greeks they were punishing them generally for their schism, and specially for their share in the deposition of their lawful ruler. The temptation of plunder, added to the excuse that they were in the path of duty and of obedience, would overcome the most scrupulous. And then, the greatest inducement of all to Boniface presented itself. If the city were captured a new emperor would have to be chosen. Who so certain of success as he? He was the chosen leader of the crusading army. Baldwin of Flanders and the other princes of the army had never pretended to dispute his supremacy. lie had hitherto carried everything before him. The malcontents at Yenice, at Zara, at Corfu, and before the city had been power- less. He had but to triumph once more, and he would be em- peror of the New Eome. He had done his best, as even Philip must admit, for young Alexis. The Swabian king could not blame him if, after all his loyal efforts, he should now fight for himself. The prospect was too dazzling to admit of indecision. He threw in his lot heartily with Dandolo, and declared for the siege. In conformity with the practice followed throughout the An attack is expedition it became necessary to assemble a par- decidedou. liament to decide on the next step. This met prob- ably in the early days of March. We have no information as to what went on in reference to the proposal to attack the city. What is certain is that the parliament agreed to it. We know also that the meeting was long and stormy. " On y parla assez, en avant et en arriere," saj's the marshal. The result arrived at confirms the natural presumption that there were two, and probably even three, parties. The interest of the Crusaders was opposed to that of the Venetians. But the Crusaders were still, as they had always been, divided. The malcontents who had been opj5oscd to the expedition to Con- stantinople distrusted and were disgusted with Boniface, and,