Part 22 (1/2)
”Nevertheless,” said Richard, ”I pray you do for him what you may, that he may at least have time for confession Slay not soul and body! To him one half-hour of time may be worth more, by ten thousand fold, than the life of the oldest patriarch”
”My royal brother's wish shall be obeyed,” said Saladin--”Slaves, bear this wounded man to our tent”
”Do not so,” said the Te on in silence ”The royal Duke of Austria and myself will not permit this unhappy Christian prince to be delivered over to the Saracens, that they may try their spells upon hined to our care”
”That is, you refuse the certain means offered to recover him?” said Richard
”Not so,” said the Grand Master, recollecting himself ”If the Soldan useth lawful medicines, he may attend the patient in ood brother,” said Richard to Saladin, ”though the perlorious work
Sound, truland's cha forth at once, and the deep and regular shout, which for ages has been the English acclaular yells of the Arabs, like the diapason of the organ ath
”Brave Knight of the Leopard,” resumed Coeur de Lion, ”thou hast shown that the Ethiopian _h clerks quote Scripture for the impossibility Yet I have more to say to you when I have conducted you to the presence of the ladies, the best judges, and best rewarders, of deeds of chivalry”
The Knight of the Leopard bowed assent
”And thou, princely Saladin, wilt also attend them I promise thee our Queen will not think herself welcome, if she lacks the opportunity to thank her royal host for her racefully, but declined the invitation
”I must attend the wounded man,” he said ”The leech leaves not his patient more than the champion the lists, even if he be summoned to a bower like those of Paradise At noon,” said the Soldan, as he departed, ”I trust ye will all accept a collation under the black camel-skin tent of a chief of Curdistan”
The sa the Christians, co all those of sufficient importance to be admitted to sit at a feast made for princes
”Hark!” said Richard, ”the ti their gallery; and see, the turbans sink on the ground, as if struck down by a destroying angel All lie prostrate, as if the glance of an Arab's eye could sully the lustre of a lady's cheek!
Come, ill to the pavillion, and lead our conqueror thither in triumph How I pity that noble Soldan, who knows but of love as it is known to those of inferior nature!”
Blondel tuned his harp to its boldest measure, to welcome the introduction of the victor into the pavilion of Queen Berengaria
He entered, supported on either side by his sponsors, Richard and Williah e was silently rendered to Edith, who sat on her right hand
”Unarht was in the execution of such chivalrous usages; ”let Beauty honor Chivalry! Undo his spurs, Berengaria; Queen though thou be, thou owest hiive--Unlace his helmet, Edith; by this hand, thou shalt, wert thou the proudest Plantagenet of the line, and he the poorest knight on earth!”
Both ladies obeyed the royal coratify her husband's hu pale alternately, as slowly and aardly she undid, with Longsword's assistance, the fastenings which secured the helet
”And what expect you from beneath this iron shell?” said Richard, as the reave to view the noble countenance of Sir Kenneth, his face gloith recent exertion, and not less so with present eallants and beauties?” said Richard
”Doth he resemble an Ethiopian slave, or doth he present the face of an obscure and naood sword! Here teruises He hath knelt down before you, unknown save by his worth; he arises, equally distinguished by birth and by fortune The adventurous knight, Kenneth, arises David, Earl of Huntingdon, Prince Royal of Scotland!”
There was a general exclamation of surprise, and Edith dropped from her hand the helmet which she had just received
”May we know of your grace by what strange and happy chance this riddle has been read?” said the Queen Berengaria
”Letters were brought to us fro other unpleasant news, that the King of Scotland had seized upon three of our nobles, when on a pilgried as a cause, that his heir being supposed to be fighting in the ranks of the Teutonic Knights, against the heathen of Borussia, was, in fact, in our camp and in our power; and, therefore, Williaes for his safety This gave ht of the Leopard, and my suspicions were confirht back with hidon's sole attendant, a thick-skulled slave, who had gone thirty miles to unfold to De Vaux a secret he should have told to me”
”Old Strauchan must be excused,” said the Lord of Gilsland ”He knew from experience that enet”