All the merchants who came thither to buy and sell goods, carried away to other countries accounts of Constance, her beauty, and her holiness.  One day there came to Rome some merchants from Syria, with shiploads of cloths of gold, and satins rich in hue, and all kinds of spicery, which they would sell in the Roman markets.  While they abode here, the fame of Constance came to their ears, and they sometimes saw her lovely face as she went about the city among the poor and suffering, and were so pleased with the sight that they could talk of nothing else when they returned home; so that, after a while, their reports came to the ear of the Soldan of Syria, their ruler, and he sent to the merchants to hear from their lips all about the fair Roman maiden.

As soon as he heard this story, this Soldan began secretly to love the fair picture which his fancy painted of the good Constance, and he shut himself up to think off her, and to study how he could gain her for his own.

At length he sent to all his wise men, and called them together in council.

“You have heard,” he said to them, “of the beauty and goodness of the Roman princess.  I desire her for my wife.  So cast about quickly for some way by which I may win her.”

Then all the wise men were horrified; because Constance was a Christian, while the Syrians believed in Mohammed as their sacred prophet.  One wise man thought the Soldan had been bewitched by some fatal love-charm brought from Rome.  Another explained that some of the stars in the heavens were out of place, and had been making great mischief among the planets which governed the life of the Soldan.  One had one explanation and one another, but to all the Soldan only answered,—­“All these words avail nothing.  I shall die if I may not have Constance for my wife.”

One of the wise men then said plainly,—­“But the Emperor of Rome will not give his daughter to any but a Christian.”

When the Soldan heard that he cried joyfully:  “O, if that is all, I will straight-way turn Christian, and all my kingdom with me.”

So they sent an ambassador to the Emperor to know if he would give his daughter to the Soldan of Syria, if he and all his people would turn Christian.  And the Emperor, who was very devout, and thought he ought to use all means to spread his religion, answered that he would.

So poor little Constance, like a white lamb chosen for a sacrifice, was made ready to go to Syria.  A fine ship was prepared, and with a treasure for her dowry, beautiful clothes, and hosts of attendants, she was put on board.

She herself was pale with grief and weeping at parting from her home and her own dear mother.  But she was so pious and devoted that she was willing to go if it would make Syria a good Christian land.  So, as cheerfully as she could, she set sail.

Now the Soldan had a very wicked mother, who was all the time angry in her heart that the Soldan had become a Christian.  Before Constance arrived in Syria she called together all the lords in the kingdom whom she knew to be friendly to him.  She told them of a plot she had made to kill the Soldan and all those who changed their religion with him, as soon as the bride bad come.  They all agreed to this dreadful plot, and then the old Soldaness went smiling and bland, to the Soldan’s palace.