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Abendofthebody，andagenuflection，weretheappropriateansweroftheEthiopiantotheseobservations。
Andnowtoanotherpoint，’’saidtheKing，andspeakingsuddenlyandrapidly-HaveyouyetseenEdithPlantagenet？’’
Themutelookedupasintheactofbeingabouttospeak，-nay，hislipshadbeguntoutteradistinctnegative，whentheabortiveattemptdiedawayintheimperfectmurmursofthedumb。
Why，loyouthere！’’saidtheKing。Theverysoundofthenameofaroyalmaiden，ofbeautysosurpassingasthatofourlovelycousin，seemstohavepowerenoughwell-nightomakethedumbspeak。Whatmiraclesthenmighthereyeworkuponsuchasubject！Iwillmaketheexperiment，friendslave。Thoushaltseethischoicebeautyofourcourt，anddotheerrandoftheprincelySoldan。’’
Againajoyfulglance-againagenuflection-but，ashearose，theKinglaidhishandheavilyonhisshoulder，andproceededwithsterngravitythus-Letmeinonethingwarnyou，mysableenvoy。Evenifthoushouldstfeelthatthekindlyinfluenceofher，whomthouartsoontobehold，shouldloosenthebondsofthytongue，presentlyimprisoned，asthegoodSoldanexpressesit，withintheivorywallsofitscastle，bewarehowthouchangestthytaciturncharacter，orspeakestawordinherpresence，evenifthypowersofutteranceweretobemiraculouslyrestored。
Believeme，thatIshouldhavethytongueextractedbytheroots，anditsivorypalace，thatis，Ipresume，itsrangeofteeth，drawnoutonebyone。Wherefore，bewiseandsilentstill。’’
TheNubian，sosoonastheKinghadremovedhisheavygraspfromhisshoulder，benthishead，andlaidhishandonhislips；
intokenofsilentobedience。
ButRichardagainlaidhishandonhimmoregently，andadded，Thisbehestwelayontheeasonaslave。Wertthouknightandgentleman，wewouldrequirethinehonourinpledgeofthysilence，whichisoneespecialconditionofourpresenttrust。’’
TheEthiopianraisedhisbodyproudly，lookedfullattheKing，andlaidhisrighthandonhisheart。
Richardthensummonedhischamberlain。
Go，Neville，’’hesaid，withthisslave，tothetentofourroyalconsort，andsayitisourpleasurethathehaveanaudience-aprivateaudience-ofourcousinEdith。Heischargedwithacommissiontoher。Thoucanstshowhimthewayalso，incaseherequiresthyguidance，thoughthouway’sthaveobserveditiswonderfulhowfamiliarhealreadyseemstobewiththepurlieusofourcamp-Andthou，too，friendEthiop，’’theKingcontinued，whatthoudost，doquickly，andreturnhitherwithinthehalf-hour。’’
Istanddiscovered，’’thoughttheseemingNubian，as，withdowncastlooksandfoldedarms，hefollowedthehastystrideofNevilletowardsthetentofQueenBerengaria-IstandundoubtedlydiscoveredandunfoldedtoKingRichard；yetI
cannotperceivethathisresentmentishotagainstme。IfI
understoodhiswords，andsurelyitisimpossibletomisinterpretthem，hegivesmeanoblechanceofredeemingmyhonouruponthecrestofthisfalseMarquis，whoseguiltIreadinhiscraveneyeandquiveringlip，whenthechargewasmadeagainsthim-
Roswal，faithfullyhastthouservedthymaster，andmostdearlyshallthywrongbeavenged！-Butwhatisthemeaningofmypresentpermissiontolookuponher，whomIhaddespairedevertoseeagain？-Andwhy，orhow，cantheroyalPlantagenetconsentthatIshouldseehisdivinekinswoman，eitherasthemessengeroftheheathenSaladin，orastheguiltyexilewhomhesolatelyexpelledfromhiscamp-hisaudaciousavowaloftheaffectionwhichishispride，beingthegreatestenhancementofhisguilt？ThatRichardshouldconsenttoherreceivingaletterfromaninfidellover，bythehandsofoneofsuchdisproportionedrank，areeitherofthemcircumstancesequallyincredible，and，atthesametime，inconsistentwitheachother。ButRichard，whenunmovedbyhisheadypassions，isliberal，generous，andtrulynoble，andassuchIwilldealwithhim，andactaccordingtohisinstructions，directorimplied，seekingtoknownomorethanmaygraduallyunfolditselfwithoutmyofficiousinquiry。
Tohimwhohasgivenmesobraveanopportunitytovindicatemytarnishedhonour，Ioweacquiescenceandobedience，and，painfulasitmaybe，thedebtshallbepaid。Andyet，’’thustheproudswellingofhisheartfarthersuggested，-CurdeLion，asheiscalled，mighthavemeasuredthefeelingsofothersbyhisown。_I_urgeanaddresstohiskinswoman！_I，_whoneverspokewordtoherwhenItookaroyalprizefromherhand-whenIwasaccountednotthelowestinfeatsofchivalryamongthedefendersoftheCross！_I_approachherwheninabasedisguise，an
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