| | CUBLAI'S ANGER AFTER THE DEATH OF ACMAT ."MARCO POLO in the entry of the palace said, Here is treason; and immediately shooting an arrow at Vanchu, who was sitting on the seat, killed him, and calling his people arrested Cenchu, and sent an order through the city that if anyone were found out of his house he would be killed on the spct. The Cataians seeing that the Tartars had discovered the thing and that they had no head, these two being the one dead the other captive, hid themselves at home, nor were they able to make any signal to the other cities that they should rebel as had been arranged. And Cogatai immediately sent his messengers to the great Kann declaring to him in order all the things that had happened; who sent word back to hint that he should examine them diligently and should punish them for their misdeeds according as they should deserve. When the morning was come Cogatai examined all the Cataians and destroyed and killed many of them whom he found to be among the leaders in the conspiracy; and so it was done in the other cities when it was known that they were sharers in such a crime. When the great Kaan was come back to Cambaluc he wished to know the reason why this had taken place, and found how this accursed Acmat, as well himself as his sons, had comntítted so many evils and of such enormity as is said above. And it was found that between hint and seven of his sons (for all were not bad) they had taken numberless ladies to wife, besides those whom they had taken by force. Then the great Kaan made them carry into the new city all the treasure which Acmat had gathered in the old city, and put it away with his own treasure, and it was found that it was infinite. And he wished that the corpse of Acmat should be dug up from the grave and put in the street that it might be torn by dogs. And the sons of that man, who had followed the father in the evil works, he made them flay alive. And when it came to his memory about the cursed sect of Saracens, by which every sin has been made lawful to them and that they can kill whoever is not of their law, and that the cursed Acmat with his sons had not for this reason reckoned that they committed any sin, he despised it much and held it in abomination. Having called the Saracens to him he forbad them many things which their law commanded them; for he gave them an order that they must take wives according to the law of the Tartars, and that they must not cut the throats of animals, as they did, to eat the flesh, but must cut them in the belly. And at the time that this thing happened Master Marc found himself in that place. V Now I have told you of the town. Of the suburbs of the city & of his other grandeurs FB we shall tell you in another part of this book. After this we shall tell you of the men, FB how he holds court and of his other doings, that is of the great lord, as you will be able to hear. OW THE GREAT KAAN HAS HIMSELF GUARDED BY TWELVE THOUSAND MEN R ON HORSEBACK. Now you may know that the great Kaan, as is clear to LT VA everyone, for his grandeur and honour has himself guarded day and night with P V twelve thousand paid horsemen, and they are called in their tongue quesitan which | • |
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