Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/362

morrow will go to his mansion." Happening to look toward a burial-ground, he observed the gates of a church thrown open, and here he determined to remain for the night. But while he was endeavouring to compose himself to sleep in a court of that place, there entered two men who engaged in battle; and one was slain. The murderer instantly fled to the burial-ground, and escaped on the other side. By and by an extraordinary clamour penetrated through the whole city, "Where is the murderer? Where is the traitor?" was the general cry. "I am he," said our knight, "take me to crucifixion." They laid hands on him and led him away to prison. Early the next morning the city bell rang, and the judge sentenced him to be crucified. Amongst those who followed to witness his execution, was the knight whom he had befriended; and the former, seeing him led toward the cross, was struck with the resemblance to his old acquaintance, "What," cried he, "shall he be crucified, and I alive?" Shouting, therefore, with a loud voice, he said, "My friends! destroy not an innocent man. I am the mur-