第24章

WhatmeansthisunseemlybroilbetwixttheswornbrethrenoftheCross-theroyalMajestyofEnglandandtheprincelyDukeLeopold？Howisitpossiblethatthosewhoarethechiefsandpillarsofthisholyexpedition’’- Atrucewiththyremonstrance，France，’’saidRichard，enragedinwardlyatfindinghimselfplacedonasortofequalitywithLeopold，yetnotknowinghowtoresentit-thisduke，orprince，orpillar，ifyouwill，hathbeeninsolent，andIhavechastisedhim-thatisall。Hereisacoil，forsooth，becauseofspurningahound！’’ MajestyofFrance，’’saidtheDuke，IappealtoyouandeverysovereignprinceagainstthefoulindignitywhichIhavesustained。ThisKingofEnglandhathpulleddownmybanner-tornandtrampledonit。’’ Becausehehadtheaudacitytoplantitbesidemine，’’saidRichard。 Myrankasthineequalentitledme，’’repliedtheDuke，emboldenedbythepresenceofPhilip。 Assertsuchequalityforthyperson，’’saidKingRichard，and，bySaintGeorge，IwilltreatthypersonasIdidthybroideredkerchiefthere，fitbutforthemeanestusetowhichkerchiefmaybeput。’’ Nay，butpatience，brotherofEngland，’’saidPhilip，andIwillpresentlyshowAustriathatheiswronginthismatter- Donotthink，nobleDuke，’’hecontinued，that，inpermittingthestandardofEnglandtooccupythehighestpointinourcamp，we，theindependentsovereignsoftheCrusade，acknowledgeanyinferioritytotheroyalRichard。Itwereinconsistenttothinkso；sinceeventheoriflammeitself-thegreatbannerofFrance，towhichtheroyalRichardhimself，inrespectofhisFrenchpossessions，isbutavassal-holdsforthepresentaninferiorplacetotheLionsofEngland。ButasswornbrethrenoftheCross，militarypilgrims，who，layingasidethepompandprideofthisworld，arehewingwithourswordsthewaytotheHolySepulchre，Imyself，andtheotherprinces，haverenouncedtoKingRichard，fromrespecttohishighrenownandgreatfeatsofarms，thatprecedence，whichelsewhere，anduponothermotives，wouldnothavebeenyielded。Iamsatisfied，thatwhenyourroyalgraceofAustriashallhaveconsideredthis，youwillexpresssorrowforhavingplacedyourbanneronthisspot，andthattheroyalMajestyofEnglandwillthengivesatisfactionfortheinsulthehasoffered。’’ The_spruch-sprecher_andthejesterhadbothretiredtoasafedistancewhenmattersseemedcomingtoblows，butreturnedwhenwords，theirowncommodity，seemedagainabouttobecometheorderoftheday。 ThemanofproverbswassodelightedwithPhilip’spoliticspeech，thatheclashedhisbatonattheconclusionbywayofemphasis，andforgotthepresenceinwhichhewas，sofarastosayaloud，thathehimselfhadneversaidawiserthinginhislife。 Itmaybeso，’’whisperedJonasSchwanker，butweshallbewhippedifyouspeaksoloud。’’ TheDukeansweredsullenly，thathewouldreferhisquarreltotheGeneralCounciloftheCrusade-amotionwhichPhiliphighlyapplauded，asqualifiedtotakeawayascandalmostharmfultoChristendom。 Richard，retainingthesamecarelessattitude，listenedtoPhilipuntilhisoratoryseemedexhausted，andthensaidaloud，Iamdrowsy-thisfeverhangsaboutmestill。BrotherofFrance，thouartacquaintedwithmyhumour，andthatIhaveatalltimesbutfewwordstospare-know，therefore，atonce，IwillsubmitamattertouchingthehonourofEnglandneithertoPrince，Pope，norCouncil。Herestandsmybanner-whatsoeverpennonshallberearedwithinthreebutts’lengthofit-ay，wereittheoriflamme，ofwhichyouwere，Ithink，butnowspeaking，shallbetreatedasthatdishonouredrag；norwillIyieldothersatisfactionthanthatwhichthesepoorlimbscanrenderintheliststoanyboldchallenge-ay，wereitagainstfivechampionsinsteadofone。’’ Now，’’saidthejester，whisperinghiscompanion，thatisascompleteapieceoffolly，asifImyselfhadsaidit-butyet，Ithink，theremaybeinthismatteragreaterfoolthanRichardyet。’’ Andwhomaythatbe？’’askedthemanofwisdom。 Philip，’’saidthejester，orourownRoyalDuke，shouldeitheracceptthechallenge-Butoh，mostsage_spruch-sprecher，_ whatexcellentkingswouldthouandIhavemade，sincethoseonwhoseheadsthesecrownshavefallen，canplaytheproverb-mongerandthefoolascompletelyasourselves！’’ Whiletheseworthiespliedtheirofficesapart，PhilipansweredcalmlytothealmostinjuriousdefianceofRichard，-Icamenothithertoawakenfreshquarrels，contrarytotheoathwehavesworn，andtheholycauseinwhichwehaveengaged。I partfrommybrotherofEnglandasbrothersshouldpart，andtheonlystrifebetweentheLionsofEnglandandtheLiliesofFranceshallbe，whichshallbecarrieddeepestintotheranksoftheinfidels。’’ Itisabargain，myroyalbrother，’’saidRichard，stretchingouthishandwithallthefranknesswhichbelongedtohisrashbutgenerousdisposition；andsoonmaywehavetheopportunitytotrythisgallantandfraternalwager！’’ LetthisnobleDukealsopartakeinthefriendshipofthishappymoment，’’saidPhilip；andtheDukeapproachedhalf-sullenly，half-willingtoenterintosomeaccommodation。 Ithinknotoffools，noroftheirfolly，’’saidRichard，carelessly； andtheArchduke，turninghisbackonhim，withdrewfromtheground。 Richardlookedafterhimasheretired。 Thereisasortofglow-wormcourage，’’hesaid，thatshowsonlybynight。Imustnotleavethisbannerunguardedindarkness-bydaylightthelookoftheLionswillalonedefendit。Here，ThomasofGilsland，Igivetheethechargeofthestandard-watchoverthehonourofEngland。’’ Hersafetyisyetmoredeartome，’’saidDeVaux，andthelifeofRichardisthesafetyofEngland-ImusthaveyourHighnessbacktoyourtent，andthatwithoutfurthertarriance。’’ Thouartaroughandperemptorynurse，DeVaux，’’saidtheKing，smiling；andthenadded，addressingSirKenneth，ValiantScot，Iowetheeaboon，andIwillpayitrichly。 TherestandsthebannerofEngland！Watchitasanovicedoeshisarmouronthenightbeforeheisdubbed-Stirnotfromitthreespears’length，anddefenditwiththybodyagainstinjuryorinsult-Soundthybugle，ifthouartassailedbymorethanthreeatonce。Dostthouundertakethecharge？’’ Willingly，’’saidKenneth；andwilldischargeituponpenaltyofmyhead。Iwillbutarmme，andreturnhitherinstantly。’’ TheKingsofFranceandEnglandthentookformalleaveofeachother，hiding，underanappearanceofcourtesy，thegroundsofcomplaintwhicheitherhadagainsttheother，- RichardagainstPhilip，forwhathedeemedanofficiousinterferencebetwixthimandAustria，andPhilipagainstCurdeLion，forthedisrespectfulmannerinwhichhismediationhadbeenreceived。Thosewhomthisdisturbancehadassembled，nowdrewoffindifferentdirections，leavingthecontestedmountinthesamesolitudewhichhadsubsistedtillinterruptedbytheAustrianbravado。Menjudgedoftheeventsofthedayaccordingtotheirpartialities；andwhiletheEnglishchargedtheAustrianwithhavingaffordedthefirstgroundofquarrel，thoseofothernationsconcurredincastingthegreaterblameupontheinsularhaughtinessandassumingcharacterofRichard。 Thouseest，’’saidtheMarquisofMontserrattotheGrandMasteroftheTemplars，thatsubtlecoursesaremoreeffectivethanviolence。Ihaveunloosedthebondswhichheldtogetherthisbunchofsceptresandlances-thouwiltseethemshortlyfallasunder。’’ Iwouldhavecalledthyplanagoodone，’’saidtheTemplar，hadtherebeenbutonemanofcourageamongyondercold-bloodedAustrians，toseverthebondsofwhichyouspeak，withhissword。Aknotthatisunloosedmayagainbefastened，butnotsothecordwhichhasbeencuttopieces。’’ ’Tiswomanthatseducesallmankind。 Inthedaysofchivalry，adangerouspost，oraperilousadventure，wasarewardfrequentlyassignedtomilitarybraveryasacompensationforitsformertrials-justas，inascendingaprecipicethesurmountingonecragonlyliftstheclimbertopointsyetmoredangerous。 Itwasmidnight，andthemoonrodeclearandhighinheaven，whenKennethofScotlandstooduponhiswatchonSaintGeorge’sMount，besidethebannerofEngland，asolitarysentinel，toprotecttheemblemofthatnationagainsttheinsultswhichmightbemeditatedamongthethousandswhomRichard’spridehadmadehisenemies。Highthoughtsrolled，oneafteranother，uponthemindofthewarrior。Itseemedtohimasifhehadgainedsomefavourintheeyesofthechivalrousmonarch，whotillnowhadnotseemedtodistinguishhimamongthecrowdsofbravemenwhomhisrenownhadassembledunderhisbanner，andSirKennethlittlereckedthatthedisplayofroyalregardconsistedinplacinghimuponapostsoperilous。Thedevotionofhisambitiousandhigh-placedaffectioninflamedhismilitaryenthusiasm。 Hopelessasthatattachmentwas，inalmostanyconceivablecircumstances，thosewhichhadlatelyoccurredhad，insomedegree，diminishedthedistancebetweenEdithandhimself。 HeuponwhomRichardhadconferredthedistinctionofguardinghisbanner，wasnolongeranadventurerofslightnote，butplacedwithintheregardofaprincess，althoughhewasasfaraseverfromherlevel。Anunknownandobscurefatecouldnotnowbehis。Ifhewassurprisedandslainonthepostwhichhadbeenassignedhim，hisdeath-andheresolveditshouldbeglorious-mustdeservethepraises，aswellascalldownthevengeance，ofCurdeLion，andbefollowedbytheregrets，andeventhetears，ofthehigh-bornbeautiesoftheEnglishCourt。Hehadnownolongerreasontofearthatheshoulddieasafooldieth。 SirKennethhadfullleisuretoenjoytheseandsimilarhigh-souledthoughts，fosteredbythatwildspiritofchivalry，which，amiditsmostextravagantandfantasticflights，wasstillpurefromallselfishalloy-generous，devoted，andperhapsonlythusfarcensurable，thatitproposedobjectsandcoursesofactioninconsistentwiththefrailtiesandimperfectionsofman。Allnaturearoundhimsleptincalmmoonshine，orindeepshadow。 Thelongrowsoftentsandpavilions，glimmeringordarkeningastheylayinthemoonlightorintheshade，werestillandsilentasthestreetsofadesertedcity。Besidethebanner-stafflaythelargestag-houndalreadymentioned，thesolecompanionofKenneth’swatch，onwhosevigilancehetrustedforearlywarningoftheapproachofanyhostilefootstep。Thenobleanimalseemedtounderstandthepurposeoftheirwatch，forhelookedfromtimetotimeattherichfoldsoftheheavypennon，and，whenthecryofthesentinelscamefromthedistantlinesanddefencesofthecamp，heansweredthemwithonedeepandreiteratedbark，asiftoaffirmthathetoowasvigilantinhisduty。Fromtimetotime，also，heloweredhisloftyhead，andwaggedhistail，ashismasterpassedandrepassedhimintheshortturnswhichhetookuponhispost； or，whentheknightstoodsilentandabstracted，leaningonhislance，andlookinguptowardsHeaven，hisfaithfulattendantventuredsometimes，inthephraseofromance，todisturbhisthoughts，’’andawakenhimfromhisreverie，bythrustinghislargeroughsnoutintotheknight’sgauntletedhand，tosolicitatransitorycaress。 Thuspassedtwohoursoftheknight’swatchwithoutanythingremarkableoccurring。Atlength，anduponasudden，thegallantstag-houndbayedfuriously，andseemedabouttoclashforwardwheretheshadowlaythedarkest，yetwaited，asifintheslips，tillheshouldknowthepleasureofhismaster。 Whogoesthere？’’saidSirKenneth，awarethattherewassomethingcreepingforwardontheshadowysideofthemount。 InthenameofMerlinandMaugis，’’answeredahoarsedisagreeablevoice，tieupyourfour-footeddemonthere，orI comenotatyou。’’ Andwhoartthou，thatwouldapproachmypost？’’saidSirKenneth，bendinghiseyesaskeenlyashecouldonsomeobjectwhichhecouldjustobserveatthebottomoftheascent，withoutbeingabletodistinguishitsform。Beware-Iamherefordeathandlife。’’ Takeupthylong-fangedSathanas，’’saidthevoice，orI willconjurehimwithaboltfrommyarblast。’’ Atthesametimewasheardthesoundofaspringorcheek，aswhenacrossbowisbent。