Sufferingatthesametimeforwantofprovisions，theyfellaneasypreytotheirpursuers。CountBernhard，oneofthebravestleadersoftheGermanexpedition，wassurrounded，withhiswholedivision，notoneofwhomescapedtheTurkisharrows。TheEmperorhimselfhadnearlyfallenavictim，andwastwiceseverelywounded。Soperseveringwastheenemy，andsolittleableweretheGermanstomakeevenashowofresistance，thatwhenConradatlastreachedthecityofNice，hefoundthat，insteadofbeingattheheadofanimposingforceofonehundredthousandfootandseventythousandhorse，hehadbutfiftyorsixtythousandmen，andtheseinthemostwornandweariedcondition。
TotallyignorantofthetreacheryoftheGreekEmperor，althoughhehadbeenwarnedtobewareofit，LouisVII。proceeded，attheheadofhisarmy，throughWormsandRatisbon，towardsConstantinople。AtRatisbonhewasmetbyadeputationfromManuel，bearingletterssofullofhyperboleandflattery，thatLouisisreportedtohaveblushedwhentheywerereadtohimbytheBishopofLangres。TheobjectofthedeputationwastoobtainfromtheFrenchKingapromisetopassthroughtheGrecianterritoriesinapeaceableandfriendlymanner，andtoyieldtotheGreekEmperoranyconquesthemightmakeinAsiaMinor。Thefirstpartofthepropositionwasimmediatelyaccededto，butnonoticewastakenofthesecondandmoreunreasonable。Louismarchedon，and，passingthroughHungary，pitchedhistentsintheoutskirtsofConstantinople。
Onhisarrival，Manuelsenthimafriendlyinvitationtoenterthecity，attheheadofasmalltrain。Louisatonceacceptedit，andwasmetbytheEmperorattheporchofhispalace。Thefairestpromisesweremade；everyartthatflatterycouldsuggestwasresortedto，andeveryargumentemployed，toinducehimtoyieldhisfutureconqueststotheGreek。Louisobstinatelyrefusedtopledgehimself，andreturnedtohisarmy，convincedthattheEmperorwasamannottobetrusted。Negotiationswere，however，continuedforseveraldays，tothegreatdissatisfactionoftheFrencharmy。ThenewsthatarrivedofatreatyenteredintobetweenManuelandtheTurkishSultanchangedtheirdissatisfactionintofury，andtheleadersdemandedtobeledagainstConstantinople，swearingthattheywouldrazethetreacherouscitytotheground。Louisdidnotfeelinclinedtoaccedetothisproposal，and，breakinguphiscamp，hecrossedoverintoAsia。
Hereheheard，forthefirsttime，ofthemishapsoftheGermanEmperor，whomhefoundinawoefulplightunderthewallsofNice。Thetwomonarchsunitedtheirforces，andmarchedtogetheralongthesea-coasttoEphesus；butConrad，jealous，itwouldappear，ofthesuperiornumbersoftheFrench，andnotlikingtosinkintoavassal，forthetimebeing，ofhisrival，withdrewabruptlywiththeremnantofhislegions，andreturnedtoConstantinople。Manuelwasallsmilesandcourtesy。HecondoledwiththeGermansofeelinglyuponhislosses，andcursedthestupidityortreacheryoftheguideswithsuchapparentheartiness，thatConradwashalfinclinedtobelieveinhissincerity。
Louis，marchingonwardinthedirectionofJerusalem，cameupwiththeenemyonthebanksoftheMeander。TheTurkscontestedthepassageoftheriver，buttheFrenchbribedapeasanttopointoutafordlowerdown:crossingtheriverwithoutdifficulty，theyattackedtheTurkswithmuchvigour，andputthemtoflight。WhethertheTurkswerereallydefeated，ormerelypretendedtobeso，isdoubtful；butthelattersuppositionseemstobethetrueone。Itisprobablethatitwaspartofaconcertedplantodrawtheinvadersonwardstomoreunfavourableground，wheretheirdestructionmightbemorecertain。Ifsuchwerethescheme，itsucceededtotheheart’swishofitsprojectors。Thecrusaders，onthethirddayaftertheirvictory，arrivedatasteepmountain-pass，onthesummitofwhichtheTurkishhostlayconcealedsoartfully，thatnottheslightestvestigeoftheirpresencecouldbeperceived。“Withlabouringstepsandslow，“