第42章

TheyarethepriestlysoldiersoftheTemple，’’answeredElHakim，whosevowlimitsthemtoknowneithertrucenorfaithwiththeworshippersofIslam。MaytheProphetblightthem，bothroot，branch，andtwig！-Theirpeaceiswar，andtheirfaithisfalsehood。OtherinvadersofPalestinehavetheirtimesandmoodsofcourtesy。TheLionRichardwillsparewhenhehasconquered-theeaglePhilipwillclosehiswingwhenhehasstrickenaprey-eventheAustrianbearwillsleepwhenheisgorged；butthishordeofever-hungrywolvesknowneitherpausenorsatietyintheirrapine-Seestthounotthattheyaredetachingapartyfromtheirmainbody，andthattheytakeaneasterndirection？Yonaretheirpagesandsquires，whomtheytrainupintheiraccursedmysteries，andwhom，aslightermounted，theysendtocutusofffromourwatering-place。

Buttheywillbedisappointed；Iknowthewarofthedesertyetbetterthanthey。’’

Hespokeafewwordstohisprincipalofficer，andhiswholedemeanourandcountenancewasatoncechangedfromthesolemnreposeofaneasternsage，accustomedmoretocontemplationthantoaction，intothepromptandproudexpressionofagallantsoldier，whoseenergiesarerousedbythenearapproachofadanger，whichheatonceforeseesanddespises。

ToSirKenneth’seyestheapproachingcrisishadadifferentaspect，andwhenAdonbecsaidtohim，Thoumusttarryclosebymyside，’’heansweredsolemnlyinthenegative。

Yonder，’’hesaid，aremycomradesinarms-themeninwhosesocietyIhavevowedtofightorfall-ontheirbannergleamsthesignofourmostblessedredemption-IcannotflyfromtheCrossincompanywiththeCrescent。’’

Fool！’’saidtheHakim；theirfirstactionwouldbetodotheetodeath，wereitonlytoconcealtheirbreachofthetruce。’’

OfthatImusttakemychance，’’repliedSirKenneth；

butIwearnotthebondsoftheinfidelsaninstantlongerthanIcancutthemfromme。’’

ThenwillIcompeltheetofollowme，’’saidElHakim。

Compel！’’answeredSirKenneth，angrily。Wertthounotmybenefactor，oronewhohasshowedwilltobesuch，andwereitnotthatitistothyconfidenceIowethefreedomofthesehands，whichthoumightesthaveloadedwithfetters，I

wouldshowtheethat，unarmedasIam，compulsionwouldbenoeasytask。’’

Enough，enough，’’repliedtheArabianphysician；welosetimeevenwhenitisbecomingprecious。’’

Sosaying，hethrewhisarmaloft，andutteredaloudandshrillcry，asasignaltothoseofhisretinue，whoinstantlydispersedthemselvesonthefaceofthedesert，inasmanydifferentdirectionsasachapletofbeadswhenthestringisbroken。SirKennethhadnotimetonotewhatensued；for，atthesameinstant，theHakimseizedthereinofhissteed，andputtinghisowntoitsmettle，bothsprungforthatoncewiththesuddennessoflight，andatapitchofvelocitywhichalmostdeprivedtheScottishknightofthepowerofrespiration，andlefthimabsolutelyincapable，hadhebeendesirous，tohavecheckedthecareerofhisguide。PractisedasSirKennethwasinhorsemanshipfromhisearliestyouth，thespeediesthorsehehadevermountedwasatortoiseincomparisontothoseoftheArabiansage。Theyspurnedthesandfrombehindthem-theyseemedtodevourthedesertbeforethem-milesflewawaywithminutes，andyettheirstrengthseemedunabated，andtheirrespirationasfreeaswhentheyfirststarteduponthewonderfulrace。

Themotion，too，aseasyasitwasswift，seemedmorelikeflyingthroughtheairthanridingontheearth，andwasattendedwithnounpleasantsensation，savetheawenaturallyfeltbyonewhoismovingatsuchastonishingspeed，andthedifficultyofbreathingoccasionedbytheirpassingthroughtheairsorapidly。

Itwasnotuntilafteranhourofthisportentousmotion，andwhenallhumanpursuitwasfar，farbehind，thattheHakimatlengthrelaxedhisspeed，andslackeningthepaceofthehorsesintoahandgallop，began，inavoiceascomposedandevenasifhehadbeenwalkingforthelasthour，adescantupontheexcellenceofhiscourserstotheScot，who，breathless，halfblind，halfdeaf，andaltogethergiddy，fromtherapidityofthissingularride，hardlycomprehendedthewordswhichflowedsofreelyfromhiscompanion。

Thesehorses，’’hesaid，areofthebreedcalledtheWinged，equalinspeedtoaughtexceptingtheBorakoftheProphet。

TheyarefedonthegoldenbarleyofYemen，mixedwithspices，andwithasmallportionofdriedsheep’sflesh。Kingshavegiven

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节