第21章

Therewasapolicyinit，’’repliedtheItalian；hischaracterofnativeofBritainwassufficienttomeetwhatSaladinrequired，whoknewhimtobelongtothebandofRichard，whilehischaracterofScot，andcertainotherpersonalgrudgeswhichIwotof，rendereditmostunlikelythatourenvoyshould，onhisreturn，holdanycommunicationwiththesick-bedofRichard，towhomhispresencewaseverunacceptable。’’

Oh，toofine-spunpolicy，’’saidtheGrandMaster；trustme，thatItalianspiders’webswillneverbindthisunshornSamsonoftheIsle-wellifyoucandoitwithnewcords，andthoseofthetoughest。Seeyounotthattheenvoywhomyouhaveselectedsocarefully，hathbroughtus，inthisphysician，themeansofrestoringthelion-hearted，bull-neckedEnglishman，toprosecutehisCrusadingenterprise；andsosoonasheisableoncemoretorushon，whichoftheprincesdareholdback？-

Theymustfollowhimforveryshame，althoughtheywouldmarchunderthebannerofSatanassoon。’’

Becontent，’’saidConradeofMontserrat；erethisphysician，ifheworkbyanythingshortofmiraculousagency，canaccomplishRichard’scure，itmaybepossibletoputsomeopenrupturebetwixttheFrenchman，atleasttheAustrian，andhisalliesofEngland，sothatthebreachshallbeirreconcilableandRichardmayarisefromhisbed，perhapstocommandhisownnativetroops，butneveragain，byhissoleenergy，towieldtheforceofthewholeCrusade。’’

Thouartawillingarcher，’’saidtheTemplar；but，ConradeofMontserrat，thybowisoverslacktocarryanarrowtothemark。’’

Hethenstoptshort，castasuspiciousglancetoseethatnooneoverheardhim，andtakingConradebythehand，pressediteagerlyashelookedtheItalianintheface，andrepeatedslowly，-Richardarisefromhisbed，say’stthou？-Conrade，hemustneverarise！’’

TheMarquisofMontserratstarted-What！-spokeyouofRichardofEngland-ofCurdeLion-thechampionofChristendom？’’

Hischeekturnedpale，andhiskneestrembledashespoke。

TheTemplarlookedathim，withhisironvisagecontortedintoasmileofcontempt。

Know’stthouwhatthoulook’stlike，SirConrade，atthismoment？NotlikethepoliticandvaliantMarquisofMontserrat-

notlikehimwhowoulddirecttheCouncilofPrinces，anddeterminethefateofempires-butlikeanovice，who，stumblinguponaconjurationinhismaster’sbookofgramarye，hasraisedthedevilwhenheleastthoughtofit，andnowstandsterrifiedatthespiritwhichappearsbeforehim。’’

Igrantyou，’’saidConrade，recoveringhimself，that-

unlesssomeothersureroadcouldbediscovered-thouhasthintedatthatwhichleadsmostdirecttoourpurpose。But，blessedMary！weshallbecomethecurseofallEurope，themaledictionofeveryone，fromthePopeonhisthronetotheverybeggaratthechurch-gate，who，raggedandleprous，inthelastextremityofhumanwretchedness，shallblesshimselfthatheisneitherGilesAmaury，norConradeofMontserrat。’’

Ifthoutakestitthus，’’saidtheGrandMaster，withthesamecomposurewhichcharacterisedhimallthroughthisremarkabledialogue，letusholdtherehasnothingpassedbetweenus-thatwehavespokeninoursleep-haveawakened，andthevisionisgone。’’

Itnevercandepart，’’answeredConrade。

Visionsofducalcrownsandkinglydiademsare，indeed，somewhattenaciousoftheirplaceintheimagination，’’repliedtheGrandMaster。

Well，’’answeredConrade，letmebutfirsttrytobreakpeacebetweenAustriaandEngland。’’

Theyparted-Conraderemainedstandingstilluponthespot，andwatchingtheflowingwhitecloakoftheTemplar，ashestalkedslowlyaway，andgraduallydisappearedamidthefast-sinkingdarknessoftheOrientalnight。Proud，ambitious，unscrupulous，andpolitic，theMarquisofMontserratwasyetnotcruelbynature。Hewasavoluptuaryandanepicurean，and，likemanywhoprofessthischaracter，wasaverse，evenuponselfishmotives，frominflictingpain，orwitnessingactsofcruelty；andheretainedalsoageneralsenseofrespectforhisownreputation，whichsometimessuppliesthewantofthebetterprinciplesbywhichreputationistobemaintained。

Ihave，’’hesaid，ashiseyesstillwatchedthepointatwhichhehadseenthelastslightwaveoftheTemplar’smantle，-Ihave，intruth，raised

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