第23章

RichardwasthuscalledbytheEasternnations。

shouldthusspeakofhisservant-Butnow，letmeprayyouagaintocomposeyourselfonyourcouch；forthoughIthinkthereneedsnofartherrepetitionofthedivinedraught，yetinjurymightensuefromanytooearlyexertion，ereyourstrengthbeentirelyrestored。’’

Imustobeythee，Hakim，’’saidtheKing；yet，believeme，mybosomfeelssofreefromthewastingfire，whichforsomanydayshathscorchedit，thatIcarenothowsoonIexposeittoabraveman’slance-Buthark！whatmeantheseshouts，andthatdistantmusic，inthecamp？Go，ThomasdeVaux，andmakeinquiry。’’

ItistheArchdukeLeopold，’’saidDeVaux，returningafteraminute’sabsence，whomakeswithhispotcompanionssomeprocessionthroughthecamp。’’

Thedrunkenfool！’’exclaimedKingRichard，canhenotkeephisbrutalinebrietywithintheveilofhispavilion，thathemustneedsshowhisshametoallChristendom？-Whatsayyou，SirMarquis？’’headded，addressinghimselftoConradeofMontserrat，whoatthatmomententeredthetent。

Thusmuch，honouredPrince，’’answeredtheMarquis，thatIdelighttoseeyourMajestysowell，andsofarrecovered；andthatisalongspeechforanyonetomakewhohaspartakenoftheDukeofAustria’shospitality’’

What！youhavebeendiningwiththeTeutonicwineskin，’’

saidthemonarch；andwhatfrolichashefoundouttocauseallthisdisturbance？Truly，SirConrade，Ihavestillheldyousogoodareveller，thatIwonderatyourquittingthegame。’’

DeVaux，whohadgotalittlebehindtheKing，nowexertedhimself，bylookandsign，tomaketheMarquisunderstandthatheshouldsaynothingtoRichardofwhatwaspassingwithout。

ButConradeunderstoodnot，orheedednot，theprohibition。

WhattheArchdukedoes，’’hesaid，isoflittleconsequencetoanyone，leastofalltohimself，sinceheprobablyknowsnotwhatheisacting-yet，tosaytruth，itisagambolIshouldnotliketosharein，sinceheispullingdownthebannerofEnglandfromSaintGeorge’sMountinthecentreofthecampyonder，anddisplayinghisowninitsstead。’’

=What=say’stthou？’’saidtheKing，inatonewhichmighthavewakedthedead。

Nay，’’saidtheMarquis，letitnotchafeyourHighness，thatafoolshouldactaccordingtohisfolly’’-

Speaknottome，’’saidRichard，springingfromhiscouch，andcastingonhisclotheswithadespatchwhichseemedmarvellous-

speaknottome，LordMarquis！-DeMulton，I

commandtheespeaknotawordtome-hethatbreathesbutasyllableisnofriendtoRichardPlantagenet-Hakim，besilent，Ichargethee！’’

AllthiswhiletheKingwashastilyclothinghimself，and，withthelastword，snatchedhisswordfromthepillarofthetent，andwithoutanyotherweapon，orcallinganyattendance，herushedoutofthetent。Conrade，holdinguphishands，asifinastonishment，seemedwillingtoenterintoconversationwithDeVaux，butSirThomaspushedrudelypasthim，andcallingtooneoftheroyalequerries，saidhastily，-FlytoLordSalisbury’squarters，andlethimgethismentogether，andfollowmeinstantlytoSaintGeorge’sMount。TellhimtheKing’sfeverhaslefthisblood，andsettledinhisbrain。’’

Imperfectlyheard，andstillmoreimperfectlycomprehended，bythestartledattendantwhomDeVauxaddressedthushastily，theequerryandhisfellow-servantsoftheroyalchamberrushedhastilyintothetentsoftheneighbouringnobility，andquicklyspreadanalarm，asgeneralasthecauseseemedvague，throughthewholeBritishforces。TheEnglishsoldiers，wakedinalarmfromthatnoon-dayrestwhichtheheatoftheclimatehadtaughtthemtoenjoyasaluxury，hastilyaskedeachotherthecauseofthetumult，and，withoutwaitingananswer，supplied，bytheforceoftheirownfancy，thewantofinformation。SomesaidtheSaracenswereinthecamp，somethattheKing’slifewasattempted，somethathehaddiedofthefevertheprecedingnight，manythathewasassassinatedbytheDukeofAustria。

Thenoblesandofficers，atanequallosswiththecommonmentoascertaintherealcauseofthedisorder，labouredonlytogettheirfollowersunderarmsandunderauthority，lesttheirrashnessshouldoccasionsomegreatmisfortunetotheCrusadingarmy。TheEnglishtrumpetssoundedloud，shrill，andcontinuously。

Thealarm-cryofBowsandbills-bowsandbills！’’

washeardfromquartertoquarter，againandagainshouted，andagainandagainansweredbythepresenceofthereadywarriors，andtheirnationalinvocation，SaintGeorgeforMerryEngland！’’

Thealarmwentthroughthenearestquarterofthecamp，andmenofal

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节