until the afternoon, when he sent for a number of his principal nobles.

When these arrived, they found him standing on a da‹s in the principal
hall of the palace, and he there formally introduced to them the Princess
Berengaria as his affianced wife. The ceremony of the marriage, he told
them, would shortly take place.

This announcement caused a tremendous stir in both armies. The English,
who had never been favourable to the alliance with the French princess,
were glad to hear that this was broken off, and were well content that
the Princess Berengaria should be their future queen, for her beauty,
high spirit, and kindness had won all hearts.

On the part of the French, on the other hand, there was great
indignation, and for some time it was feared that the armies would come
to open blows.

King Phillip, however, although much angered, was politic enough to
deprecate any open outbreak. He knew that a dispute now began, would not
only at once put a stop to the Crusade, but that it might lead to more
serious consequences at home. The fiery bravery of the English king,
backed as it would be by the whole strength of his subjects, might render
him a very formidable opponent; and the king felt that private grievances
must be laid aside where the good of France was concerned.

Still the coldness between the armies increased, their camps were moved
further apart, and during the time that they remained in Sicily, there
was but little commerce between the two forces.

As soon as the winter had broken, the French monarch broke up his camp,