第36章

Theassembledprincesresumedtheirseats，andtherewasaprofoundsilence。

Thisday，’’continuedtheKingofEngland，isahighfestivaloftheChurch；andwellbecomesitChristianmen，atsuchatide，toreconcilethemselveswiththeirbrethren，andconfesstheirfaultstoeachother。Nobleprinces，andfathersofthisholyexpedition，Richardisasoldier-hishandiseverreadierthanhistongue-andhistongueisbuttoomuchusedtotheroughlanguageofhistrade。Butdonot，forPlantagenet’shastyspeechesandill-consideredactions，forsakethenoblecauseoftheredemptionofPalestine-donotthrowawayearthlyrenownandeternalsalvation，tobewonhereifevertheycanbewonbyman，becausetheactofasoldiermayhavebeenhasty，andhisspeechashardastheironwhichhehaswornfromchildhood。IsRichardindefaulttoanyofyou，Richardwillmakecompensationbothbywordandaction-NoblebrotherofFrance，haveIbeensounluckyastooffendyou？’’

TheMajestyofFrancehasnoatonementtoseekfromthatofEngland，’’answeredPhilipwithkinglydignity，accepting，atthesametime，theofferedhandofRichard；andwhateveropinionImayadoptconcerningtheprosecutionofthisenterprise，willdependonreasonsarisingoutofthestateofmyownkingdom，certainlyonnojealousyordisgustatmyroyalandvalorousbrother。’’

Austria，’’saidRichard，walkinguptotheArchduke，withamixtureoffranknessanddignity，whileLeopoldarosefromhisseat，asifinvoluntarily，andwiththeactionofanautomaton，whosemotionsdependeduponsomeexternalimpulse，-

AustriathinkshehathreasontobeoffendedwithEngland；

England，thathehathcausetocomplainofAustria。Letthemexchangeforgiveness，thatthepeaceofEurope，andtheconcordofthishostmayremainunbroken。Wearenowjointsupportersofamoregloriousbannerthaneverblazedbeforeanearthlyprince，-eventheBannerofSalvation:letnot，therefore，strifebebetwixtus，forthesymbolofourmoreworldlydignities；butletLeopoldrestorethepennonofEngland，ifhehasitinhispower，andRichardwillsay，thoughfromnomotivesavehisloveforHolyChurch，thatherepentshimofthehastymoodinwhichhedidinsultthestandardofAustria。’’

TheArchdukestoodstill，sullenanddiscontented，withhiseyesfixedonthefloor，andhiscountenanceloweringwithsmothereddispleasure，whichawe，mingledwithawkwardness，preventedhisgivingventtoinwords。

ThePatriarchofJerusalemhastenedtobreaktheembarrassingsilence，andtobearwitnessfortheArchdukeofAustria，thathehadexculpatedhimself，byasolemnoath，fromallknowledge，directorindirect，oftheaggressiondonetotheBannerofEngland。

ThenwehavedonethenobleArchdukethegreaterwrong，’’

saidRichard；andcravinghispardonforimputingtohimanoutragesocowardly，weextendourhandtohimintokenofrenewedpeaceandamity-Buthowisthis？Austriarefusesouruncoveredhand，asheformerlyrefusedourmailedglove！

What！areweneithertobehismateinpeace，norhisantagonistinwar？Well，letitbeso。Wewilltaketheslightesteeminwhichheholdsus，asapenanceforaughtwhichwemayhavedoneagainsthiminheatofblood，andwillthereforeholdtheaccountbetweenuscleared。’’

Sosaying，heturnedfromtheArchdukewithanairratherofdignitythanscorn，leavingtheAustrianapparentlyasmuchrelievedbytheremovalofhiseye，asisasullenandtruantschoolboywhentheglanceofhisseverepedagogueiswithdrawn。

NobleEarlofChampagne-PrincelyMarquisofMontserrat-

ValiantGrandMasteroftheTemplars-Iamhereapenitentintheconfessional-Doanyofyoubringacharge，orclaimamendsfromme？’’

Iknownotonwhatwecouldgroundany，’’saidthesmooth-tonguedConrade，unlessitwerethattheKingofEnglandcarriesofffromhispoorbrothersofthewarallthefamewhichtheymighthavehopedtogainintheexpedition。’’

Mycharge，ifIamcalledtomakeone，’’saidtheMasteroftheTemplars，isgraveranddeeperthanthatoftheMarquisofMontserrat。ItmaybethoughtilltobeseemamilitarymonksuchasItoraisehisvoicewheresomanynobleprincesremainsilent；butitconcernsourwholehost，andnotleastthisnobleKingofEngland，thatheshouldhearfromsomeonetohisfacethosecharges，whichthereareenowtobringagainsthiminhisabsence。WelaudandhonourthecourageandhighachievementsoftheKingofEngland，butwefe

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