Gilbert often went to pray in a small secluded chamber which the Emir had given him for that purpose; because he had become interested in the Christian religion through their discussions, he had no desire to put any impediment in the way of Gilbert’s continuing to worship as he did at home.
Thus Gilbert was allowed an hour’s seclusion where he might commune with God.
To his surprise when he entered one day he saw that the rich arras which hung from the wall moved slightly and from behind it emerged the Emir’s daughter.
Gilbert was amazed.
‘I did not know any was here,’ said Gilbert. ‘I will go at once.’
She shook her head. ‘Stay,’ she begged.
‘It would not be permitted,’ said Gilbert preparing to depart.
Then she answered: ‘I would learn more of the Christian faith.’
Gilbert looked at this beautiful girl and wanted to save her soul for Christianity.
‘What would you know of my faith?’ he asked.
‘I would know why your face shines when you speak of your God. I would know why you have no fear of my father, why you talk with him and disagree with him as any other of his servants would not dare.’
‘I trust in my God,’ he answered. ‘If it is His will He will protect me. If my time has come I shall go to eternal salvation. That is why I have no fear.’
‘Tell me of eternal salvation.’
He told her as it had been taught to him as a child.
‘Could I become a Christian?’ she asked.
‘You could by believing.’
‘I could believe,’ she said.
‘You will need instruction.’
‘You will instruct me?’
He looked round the apartment. ‘Your father would kill me if he found you here with me.’
‘But you are afraid.’
‘No, I am not afraid. Something tells me that it is God’s will that I shall save your soul for him.’
‘When you come to pray I shall be here,’ she said. ‘You will instruct me.’
‘Then so be it.’
They knelt together and he taught her to pray.
And that was a beginning.
Each day when he came to the chamber she was there; she was progressing with her study of his religion. He told her that she must have a Christian name and she was delighted. He called her Mahault, a version of Matilda.
‘That was the name of the wife of the greatest Norman who conquered England and brought a prosperity to both that land and to the Normans like myself who now inhabit it,’ he told her.
She was delighted with her new name. She lived for her meetings with Gilbert. She was a fervent Christian. She took wholeheartedly to the doctrine of loving one’s neighbour. Love was better than war. She could see that. People suffered continually for war and as a woman whose great joy in life would be her husband and children, how could she wish to lose them or see them suffer in that senseless preoccupation.
Indeed she was a fervent Christian.
Often Gilbert wondered what his fate would be if the Emir discovered that he had made his daughter into a Christian.
She would ply him with questions. ‘Christ died on the cross for you, would you die on the cross for him?’
He answered clearly: ‘I am ready to die for God.’
‘It is true,’ she said wonderingly, ‘for if my father knew that we had been together thus, he might devise a horrible death for you which is even more terrible than the crucifixion. Yet you have instructed me. You have made a Christian of me.’
‘I have brought you to the light, Mahault,’ he answered. ‘And if God wills that the fate which befell His only begotten Son should overtake me, then I trust I shall meet it with fortitude.’
In worshipping Gilbert’s God the Emir’s daughter had come to worship Gilbert also.
She said one day: ‘The Christian slaves plan to escape. I know it.’
‘You cannot understand their tongue,’ replied Gilbert.
‘No. But I see it in their eyes. They make their plans. They will attempt to go.’
‘Do you think they will succeed?’
‘If they do not, I tremble for them. Nevertheless they will attempt it.’ She was fearful suddenly. ‘Gilbert, what of you? If they should try, would you go with them?’
‘They are my people,’ he answered.
‘If you should go, I would wish to go with you,’ she said.
‘How could you do that, Mahault?’
‘If the slaves could escape, so could I.’
‘Nay. You are your father’s daughter. This is your home.’
‘I am a Christian now. My home is across the seas in your London.’
‘Nay,’ he said. ‘Nay, that would never do.’
‘You could take me with you when you go away.’
‘How so?’
‘You could marry me. I could be a good Christian and mother to your sons.’
‘That is not possible. You must not think of such matters.’
‘I cannot help my thoughts. The slaves are planning to escape. You will go with them and, Gilbert, I want to come too.’
‘You could never do it.’
‘Then when you go … must we say goodbye?’
‘If I were to go, we must indeed.’
‘I never would,’ she said firmly. ‘I will come with you. When the slaves band together and go away from here … or try to…. you will go with them, for you think much of your native land and your home is in London. Gilbert, you cannot leave me here because if you did I should die. I could not live without you. You have saved my soul and you must take me with you.’
He shook his head but she would not listen to his protests and he said no more of the matter.
There came a time when the long-formed plans were to be put into effect. Gilbert could arrange for horses to be waiting for them in the stables for several of the Christians were working there. They could cut their chains, and together discard their halters and get away … with Gilbert’s help.
It was dangerous and Gilbert knew that if the attempt failed this would be an end of his pleasant relationship with the Emir. Dire and terrible torments would await them all. But so great was their longing for their native land that there was not a man among them who did not wish to make the attempt.
When he was with Mahault in his sanctuary, Gilbert was tempted to tell her of the plan for she could be of great use to them, but he hesitated. For himself he would have trusted her, but he had the lives of others to consider. He said nothing.
The appointed night came. In the stables the horses were saddled and ready. Gilbert had secreted implements there by which fetters could be cut. None was suspicious, and everything worked so smoothly and according to their plan that Gilbert was certain that God was with them.
Before their escape had been discovered they were miles from the Emir’s palace and had reached a part of the country which was occupied by Christians. They joined with them and were able to proceed on the journey back to England.
When she heard that Gilbert had escaped with the other prisoners, Mahault was overcome with grief. True he had never promised to take her with him, but he had certainly cared for her. Had he not risked death and even more than death to save her soul? Had her father given his permission they would have married. But her father would never have consented to his daughter’s marrying a Christian. How could he?
But she was a Christian, a fervent Christian, and she vowed she would never be anything else. But now she had lost Gilbert and there was nothing in life she wanted but him.
She longed for death, for that paradise which Gilbert had promised her. It was all that she could hope for.
So ill did she become that the Emir could not understand what ailed her. He was angry with the Christians who had escaped. He missed his discussions with Gilbert. Life had become dull without that man. He plunged into an orgy of pleasure, living the sort of life he had lived before the coming of Gilbert, but he found nothing could give him the same pleasure as he had enjoyed in his discussions with the Christian.