第52章

OfMahound’sworking，doubtless，’’saidThomasdeVaux。

ThatIshouldlosemylearnedHakim，’’saidRichard，merelybyabsenceofhiscapandrobe，andthatIshouldfindhimagaininmyroyalbrotherSaladin！’’

Suchisoftthefashionoftheworld，’’answeredtheSoldan；

thetatteredrobemakesnotalwaysthedervish。’’

Anditwasthroughthyintercession，’’saidRichard，thatyonderKnightoftheLeopardwassavedfromdeath-andbythyartificethatherevisitedmycampindisguise？’’

Evenso，’’repliedSaladin；Iwasphysicianenoughtoknow，thatunlessthewoundsofhisbleedinghonourwerestanched，thedaysofhislifemustbefew。HisdisguisewasmoreeasilypenetratedthanIhadexpectedfromthesuccessofmyown。’’

Anaccident，’’saidKingRichard(probablyalludingtothecircumstanceofhisapplyinghislipstothewoundofthesupposedNubian)，letmefirstknowthathisskinwasartificiallydiscoloured；andthathintoncetaken，detectionbecameeasy，forhisformandpersonarenottobeforgotten。Iconfidentlyexpectthathewilldobattleonthemorrow。’’

Heisfullinpreparation，andhighinhope，’’saidtheSoldan。Ihavefurnishedhimwithweaponsandhorse，thinkingnoblyofhimfromwhatIhaveseenundervariousdisguises。’’

Knowshenow，’’saidRichard，towhomheliesunderobligation？’’

Hedoth，’’repliedtheSaracen-IwasobligedtoconfessmypersonwhenIunfoldedmypurpose。’’

Andconfessedheaughttoyou？’’saidtheKingofEngland。

Nothingexplicit，’’repliedtheSoldan；butfrommuchthatpassedbetweenus，Iconceivehisloveistohighlyplacedtobehappyinitsissue。’’

Andthouknowest，thathisdaringandinsolentpassioncrossedthineownwishes？’’saidRichard。

Imightguesssomuch，’’saidSaladin；buthispassionhadexistederemywisheshadbeenformed-and，Imustnowadd，islikelytosurvivethem。Icannot，inhonour，revengemeformydisappointmentonhimwhohadnohandinit。Or，ifthishigh-borndamelovedhimbetterthanmyself，whocansaythatshedidnotjusticetoaknightofherownreligion，whoisfullofnobleness？’’

YetoftoomeanlineagetomixwiththebloodofPlantagenet，’’

saidRichard，haughtily。

SuchmaybeyourmaximsinFrangistan，’’repliedtheSoldan。OurpoetsoftheEasterncountriessay，thatavaliantcamel-driverisworthytokissthelipofafairQueen，whenacowardlyprinceisnotworthytosalutethehemofhergarment-Butwithyourpermission，noblebrother，Imusttakeleaveoftheeforthepresent，toreceivetheDukeofAustriaandyonderNazareneknight，muchlessworthyofhospitality，butwhomustyetbesuitablyentreated，notfortheirsakes，butformineownhonour-forwhatsaiththesageLokman？

`Saynotthatthefoodislostuntotheewhichisgiventothestranger-forifhisbodybestrengthenedandfattenedtherewithal，notlessisthineownworshipandgoodnamecherishedandaugmented。’’’

TheSaracenMonarchdepartedfromKingRichard’stent，andhavingindicatedtohim，ratherwithsignsthanwithspeech，wherethepavilionoftheQueenandherattendantswaspitched，hewenttoreceivetheMarquisofMontserratandhisattendants，forwhom，withlessgood-will，butwithequalsplendour，themagnificentSoldanhadprovidedaccommodations。

Themostamplerefreshments，bothintheOrientalandaftertheEuropeanfashion，werespreadbeforetheroyalandprincelyguestsofSaladin，eachintheirownseparatepavilion；

andsoattentivewastheSoldantothehabitsandtasteofhisvisitors，thatGrecianslaveswerestationedtopresentthemwiththegoblet，whichistheabominationofthesectofMohammed。

EreRichardhadfinishedhismeal，theancientOmrah，whohadbroughttheSoldan’slettertotheChristiancamp，enteredwithaplanoftheceremonialtobeobservedonthesucceedingdayofcombat。Richard，whoknewthetasteofhisoldacquaintance，invitedhimtopledgehiminaflagonofwineofSchiraz；butAbdallahgavehimtounderstand，witharuefulaspect

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