Methinks，’’saidtheSaracen，ifallthoulackestweresomesuchdistantmeteoricglimpseofhappinessasthouhadstformerly，thybeacon-lightmightberekindled，thyhopefishedupfromtheoceaninwhichithassunk，andthouthyself，goodknight，restoredtotheexerciseandamusementofnourishingthyfantasticpassionuponadietasunsubstantialasmoonlight；
for，ifthoustoodstto-morrowfairinreputationaseverthouwert，shewhomthoulovestwillnotbelessthedaughterofprinces，andtheelectedbrideofSaladin。’’
Iwoulditsostood，’’saidtheScot，andifIdidnot’’-
Hestoptshort，likeamanwhoisafraidofboasting，undercircumstanceswhichdidnotpermithisbeingputtothetest。
TheSaracensmiledasheconcludedthesentence。
ThouwouldstchallengetheSoldantosinglecombat？’’saidhe。
AndifIdid，’’saidSirKenneth，haughtily，Saladin’swouldneitherbethefirstnorthebestturbanthatIhavecouchedlanceat。’’
Ay，butmethinkstheSoldanmightregarditastoounequalamodeofperilingthechanceofaroyalbride，andtheeventofagreatwar，’’saidtheEmir。
Hemaybemetwithinthefrontofbattle，’’saidtheknight，hiseyesgleamingwiththeideaswhichsuchathoughtinspired。
Hehasbeeneverfoundthere，’’saidIlderim；norisithiswonttoturnhishorse’sheadfromanybraveencounter-ButitwasnotoftheSoldanthatImeanttospeak。Inaword，ifitwillcontenttheetobeplacedinsuchreputationasmaybeattainedbydetectionofthethiefwhostoletheBannerofEngland，Icanputtheeinafairwayofachievingthistask-thatis，ifthouwiltbegoverned；forwhatsaysLokman，`Ifthechildwouldwalk，thenursemustleadhim-iftheignorantwouldunderstand，thewisemustinstruct。’’’
Andthouartwise，Ilderim，’’saidtheScot，wisethoughaSaracen，andgenerousthoughaninfidel。Ihavewitnessedthatthouartboth。Take，then，theguidanceofthismatter；andsothouasknothingofmecontrarytomyloyaltyandmyChristianfaith，Iwillobeytheepunctually。Dowhatthouhastsaid，andtakemylifewhenitisaccomplished。’’
Listenthoutome，then，’’saidtheSaracen。Thynoblehoundisnowrecovered，bytheblessingofthatdivinemedicinewhichhealethmanandbeast，andbyhissagacityshallthosewhoassailedhimbediscovered。’’
Ha！’’saidtheknight，-methinksIcomprehendthee-I
wasdullnottothinkofthis！’’
Buttellme，’’addedtheEmir，hastthouanyfollowersorretainersinthecamp，bywhomtheanimalmaybeknown？’’
Idismissed，’’saidSirKenneth，myoldattendant，thypatient，withavarletthatwaitedonhim，atthetimewhenI
expectedtosufferdeath，givinghimlettersformyfriendsinScotland-therearenoneothertowhomthedogisfamiliar。
Butthenmyownpersoniswellknown-myveryspeechwillbetrayme，inacampwhereIhaveplayednomeanpartformanymonths。’’
Bothheandthoushaltbedisguised，soastoescapeevencloseexamination-Itellthee，’’saidtheSaracen，thatnotthybrotherinarms-notthybrotherinblood-shalldiscoverthee，ifthoubeguidedbymycounsels。Thouhastseenmedomattersmoredifficult-hethatcancallthedyingfromthedarknessoftheshadowofdeath，caneasilycastamistbeforetheeyesoftheliving。Butmarkme-thereisstilltheconditionannexedtothisservice，thatthoudeliveraletterofSaladintothenieceoftheMelechRic，whosenameisasdifficulttoourEasterntongueandlips，asherbeautyisdelightfultooureyes。’’
SirKennethpausedbeforeheanswered，andtheSaracen，observinghishesitation，demandedofhim，ifhefearedtoundertakethismessage？’’
Notifthereweredeathintheexecution，’’saidSirKenneth；
IdobutpausetoconsiderwhetheritconsistswithmyhonourtobeartheletteroftheSoldan，orwiththatoftheLadyEdithtoreceiveitfromaheathenprince。’’
BytheheadofMohammed，andbythehonourofasoldier-bythetombatMecca，andbythesoulofmyfather，’’saidtheEmir，Isweartotheethattheletteriswritteninallhonourandrespect。Thesongofthenightingalewillsoonerblighttherose-bowersheloves，thanwillthewordsoftheSoldanoffendtheearsofthelovelykinswomanofEngland。’’
Then，’’saidtheknight，IwillbeartheSoldan’sletterfaithfully，asifIwerehisbornvassal，-understanding，thatbeyondthissimpleactofservice，whichIwillrenderwithfidelity，frommeofallmenhecanleastexpectmediationoradviceinthishisstrangelove-suit。’’
Saladinisnoble，’’answeredtheEmir，andwillnotspurageneroushorsetoaleapwhichhecannotachieve-Comewithmetomytent，’’headded，andthoushaltbepresentlyequippedwithadisguiseasunsearchablemmidnight；sothoumay’stwalkthecampoftheNazarenesasifthouhadstonthyfingerthesignetoftheGiaougi。’’<*>
*PerhapsthesamewithGyges-
AgrainofdustSoilingourcup，willmakeoursenserejectFastidiouslythedraughtwhichwedidthirstfor；
Arustednail，placednearthefaithfulcompass，Willswayitfromthetruth，andwrecktheargosy。
EventhissmallcauseofangeranddisgustWillbreakthebondsofamity’mongstprinces，Andwrecktheirnoblestpurposes。
TheCrusade。
ThereadercannowhavelittledoubtwhotheEthiopianslavereallywas，withwhatpurposehehadsoughtRichard’scamp，andwhereforeandwithwhathopehenowstoodclosetothepersonofthatmonarch，as，surroundedbyhisvaliantpeersofEnglandandNormandy，CurdeLionstoodonthesummitofSaintGeorge’sMount，withtheBannerofEnglandbyhisside，bornebythemostgoodlypersoninthearmy，beinghisownnaturalbrother，WilliamwiththeLongSword，EarlofSalisbury，theoffspringofHenrytheSecond’samourwiththecelebratedRosamondofWoodstock。
FromseveralexpressionsintheKing’sconversationwithNevilleontheprecedingday，theNubianwasleftinanxiousdoubtwhetherhisdisguisehadnotbeenpenetrated，especiallyasthattheKingseemedtobeawareinwhatmannertheagencyofthedogwasexpectedtodiscoverthethiefwhostolethebanner，althoughthecircumstanceofsuchananimal’shavingbeenwoundedontheoccasionhadbeenscarcementionedinRichard’spresence。Nevertheless，astheKingcontinuedtotreathiminnoothermannerthanhisexteriorrequired，theNubianremaineduncertainwhetherhewasorwasnotdiscovered，anddeterminednottothrowhisdisguiseasidevoluntarily。
Meanwhile，thepowersofthevariousCrusadingprinces，arrayedundertheirroyalandprincelyleaders，sweptinlongorderaroundthebaseofthelittlemound；andasthoseofeachdifferentcountrypassedby，theircommandersadvancedasteportwoupthehill，andmadeasignalofcourtesytoRichardandtotheStandardofEngland，insignofregardandamity，’’
astheprotocoloftheceremonyheedfullyexpressedit，notofsubjectionorvassalage。’’Thespiritualdignitaries，whointhosedaysveilednottheirbonnetstocreatedbeing，bestowedontheKingandhissymbolofcommandtheirblessinginsteadofrenderingobeisance。
Thusthelongfilesmarchedon，and，diminishedastheywerebysomanycauses，appearedstillanironhost，towhomtheconquestofPalestinemightseemaneasytask。Thesoldiers，inspiredbytheconsciousnessofunitedstrength，saterectintheirsteelsaddles，whileitseemedthatthetrumpetssoundedmorecheerfullyshrill，andthesteeds，refreshedbyrestandprovender，chafedonthebit，andtrodthegroundmoreproudly。
Ontheypassed，troopaftertroop，bannerswaving，spearsglancing，plumesdancing，inlongperspectiveahostcomposedofdifferentnations，complexions，languages，arms，andappearances，butallfired，forthetime，withtheholyyetromanticpurposeofrescuingthedistresseddaughterofZionfromherthraldom，andredeemingthesacredearth，whichmorethanmortalhadtrodden，fromtheyokeoftheunbelievingPagan。Anditmustbeowned，thatif，inothercircumstances，thespeciesofcourtesyrenderedtotheKingofEnglandbysomanywarriors，fromwhomheclaimednonaturalallegiance，hadinitsomethingthatmighthavebeenthoughthumiliating，yetthenatureandcauseofthewarwassofittedtohispre-eminentlychivalrouscharacterandrenownedfeatsinarms，thatclaims，whichmightelsewherehavebeenurged，werethereforgotten；andthebravedidwillinghomagetothebravest，inanexpeditionwherethemostundauntedandenergeticcouragewasnecessarytosuccess。
ThegoodKingwasseatedonhorsebackabouthalf-wayuptheMount，amoriononhishead，surmounted，byacrown，whichlefthismanlyfeaturesexposedtopublicview，as，withcoolandconsiderateeye，heperusedeachrankasitpassedhim，andreturnedthesalutationoftheleaders。Histunicwasofsky-colouredvelvet，coveredwithplatesofsilver，andhishoseofcrimsonsilk，slashedwithclothofgold。ByhissidestoodtheseemingEthiopianslave，holdingthenobledoginaleash，suchaswasusedinwoodcraft。Itwasacircumstancewhichattractednonotice，formanyoftheprincesoftheCrusadehadintroducedblackslavesintotheirhousehold，inimitationofthebarbaroussplendouroftheSaracens。OvertheKing’sheadstreamedthelargefoldsofthebanner，and，ashelookedtoitfromtimetotime，heseemedtoregardaceremony，indifferenttohimselfpersonally，asimportant，whenconsideredasatoninganindignityofferedtothekingdomwhichheruled。Inthebackground，andontheverysummitoftheMount，awoodenturret，erectedfortheoccasion，heldtheQueenBerengariaandtheprincipalladiesofthecourt。TothistheKinglookedfromtimetotime，andtheneverandanonhiseyeswereturnedontheNubianandthedog，butonlywhensuchleadersapproached，as，fromcircumstancesofpreviousill-will，hesuspectedofbeingaccessorytothetheftofthestandard，orwhomhejudgedcapableofacrimesomean。
Thus，hedidnotlookinthatdirectionwhenPhilipAugustusofFranceapproachedattheheadofhissplendidtroopsofGallicchivalry-nay，heanticipatedthemotionsoftheFrenchKing，bydescendingtheMountasthelattercameuptheascent，sothattheymetinthemiddlespace，andblendedtheirgreetingsogracefully，thatitappearedtheymetinfraternalequality。
ThesightofthetwogreatestprincesinEurope，inrankatonceandpower，thuspubliclyavowingtheirconcord，calledforthburstsofthunderingacclaimfromtheCrusadinghostatmanymiles’distance，andmadetherovingArabscoutsofthedesertalarmthecampofSaladinwithintelligencethatthearmyoftheChristianswasinmotion。YetwhobuttheKingofkingscanreadtheheartsofmonarchs？Underthissmoothshowofcourtesy，RichardnourisheddispleasureandsuspicionagainstPhilip，andPhilipmeditatedwithdrawinghimselfandhishostfromthearmyoftheCross，andleavingRichardtoaccomplishorfailintheenterprisewithhisownunassistedforces。
Richard’sdemeanourwasdifferentwhenthedark-armedknightsandsquiresoftheTemplechivalryapproached-menwithcountenancesbronzedtoAsiaticblacknessbythesunsofPalestine，andtheadmirablestateofwhosehorsesandappointmentsfarsurpassedeventhatofthechoicesttroopsofFranceandEngland。TheKingcastahastyglanceaside，buttheNubianstoodquiet，andhistrustydogsatathisfeet，watching，withasagaciousyetpleasedlook，therankswhichnowpassedbeforethem。TheKing’slookturnedagainonthechivalrousTemplars，astheGrandMaster，availinghimselfofhismingledcharacter，bestowedhisbenedictiononRichardasapriest，insteadofdoinghimreverenceasamilitaryleader。
