little after. Meanwhile the inhabitants caused the bells to sound, in
such measure that the heavens were shattered with the mixed uproar of
their noise.

'When we had arrived at the outer gate of the palace, we there found
about a hundred men, accompanied by their chief, who was stationed on a
platform. I heard them saying, "The Saracens, the Saracens"--a term by
which they designate the Mussulmans,--and they prevented us from
entering. The companions of the princess said to them. "These people
belong to our suite;" but they answered, "They shall not enter here
without permission." We therefore waited at the gate, and one of the
officers sent some one to inform her of this incident. She was then with
her father, to whom she spoke concerning us. The emperor ordered us to
be admitted, and assigned us a house near that of the princess.
Furthermore, he wrote, in our favor, an order prohibiting any one from
interrupting us in whatever part of the city we might go, and this was
proclaimed in the markets. We remained three days in our residence,
whither they sent us provisions, namely, flour, bread, sheep, fowls,
butter, fish and fruits, also money and carpets.

'On the fourth day after our arrival at Constantinople the princess sent
to me the eunuch Sunbul, the Indian, who took me by the hand and
conducted me into the palace. We passed four gates, near each one of
which were benches, with armed men, the captain occupying a raised
platform covered with carpets. When we had reached the fifth gate, the
eunuch Sunbul left me and entered; then he returned, accompanied by four
Greek eunuchs. These latter searched me, for fear lest I might have a
knife about me. The chief said to me, "Such is their custom; we can not
dispense with a minute examination of whoever approaches the emperor,
whether a high personage or one of the people, a stranger or a native."