Part 23 (1/2)

”I come to confess and absolve thee,” answered the Grand Master

Of their further speech the terrified dwarf remembered little, save that Conrade implored the Grand Master not to break a wounded reed, and that the Teer, with the words _Accipe hoc_,--words which long afterward haunted the terrified iination of the concealed witness

”I verified the tale,” said Saladin, ”by causing the body to be exa, whom Allah hath made the discoverer of the crime, repeat in your own presence the words which the murderer spoke, and you yourselves saw the effect which they produced upon his conscience”

The Soldan paused, and the King of England broke silence:--

”If this be true, as I doubt not, we have witnessed a great act of justice, though it bore a different aspect But wherefore in this presence? wherefore with thine own hand?”

”I had designed otherwise,” said Saladin, ”but had I not hastened his dooether averted, since, if I had permitted him to taste ofthe brand of inhospitality, have done him to death as he deserved? Had he murdered my father, and afterward partaken of my food and my bowl, not a hair of his head could have been injured by h of hist us”

The body was carried away, and the hter obliterated or concealed with such ready dexterity, as showed that the case was not altogether so uncommon, as to paralyze the assistants and officers of Saladin's household

But the Christian princes felt that the scene which they had beheld weighed heavily on their spirits, and although, at the courteous invitation of the Soldan, they assumed their seats at the banquet, yet it ith the silence of doubt and amazement The spirits of Richard alone surmounted all cause for suspicion or embarrassment Yet he, too, seemed to ru it in theand acceptable e bowl of wine, and addressing the Soldan, desired to knohether it was not true that he had honored the Earl of Huntingdon with a personal encounter

Saladin answered with a smile, that he had proved his horse and his weapons with the heir of Scotland, as cavaliers are wont to do with each other when they h the combat was not entirely decisive, he had not, on his part, much reason to pride himself on the event The Scot, on the other hand, disclain it to the Soldan

”Enough of honor thou hast had in the encounter,” said Richard, ”and I envy thee h one of theht reward a bloody day's work--But what say you, noble princes; is it fitting that such a royal ring of chivalry should break up without so done for future times to speak of? What is the overthrow and death of a traitor, to such a fair garland of honor as is here asse soard? How say you, princely Soldan; what if o should now, and before this fair co-contended question for this land of Palestine, and end at once these tedious wars? Yonder are the lists ready, nor can Paynimrie ever hope a better chaauntlet in behalf of Christendom, and, in all love and honor, ill do mortal battle for the possession of Jerusalem”

There was a deep pause for the Soldan's answer His cheek and brow colored highly, and it was the opinion of many present that he hesitated whether he should accept the challenge At length he said: ”Fighting for the Holy City against those e regard as idolaters, and worshi+ppers of stocks and stones, and graven ithen my arm; or if I fell beneath the sword of the Melech Ric, I could not pass to Paradise by a iven Jerusale the God of the Prophet to peril, upon th and skill, that which I hold securely by the superiority of my forces”

”If not for Jerusalem, then,” said Richard, in the tone of one ould entreat a favor of an intimate friend, ”yet, for the love of honor, let us run at least three courses with grinded lances”

”Even this,” said Saladin, half s at Coeur de Lion's affectionate earnestness for the combat, ”even this I may not lawfully do The Master places the shepherd over the flock, not for the shepherd's own sake, but for the sake of the sheep Had I a son to hold the sceptre when I fell, I ht have had the liberty, as I have the will, to brave this bold encounter; but your own Scripture sayeth, that when the herdsman is smitten, the sheep are scattered”

”Thou hast had all the fortune,” said Richard, turning to the Earl of Huntingdon with a sigh ”I would have given the best year of my life for that one half-hour beside the Diaance of Richard awakened the spirits of the asseth they arose to depart, Saladin advanced and took Coeur de Lion by the hand

”noble King of England,” he said, ” part, never to ue is dissolved, no more to be reunited, and that your native forces are far too few to enable you to prosecute your enterprise, is as well known to me as to yourself I may not yield you up that Jerusalem which you so much desire to hold It is to us, as to you, a Holy City But whatever other terly yielded as yonder fountain yields its waters Ay, and the same should be as frankly afforded by Saladin, if Richard stood in the desert with but two archers in his train!”

FOOTNOTES:

[I] While the ar been agreed to between the Saracens and their assailants, the Grand Master of the Templars, Conrade Marquis of Montserrat, and others of the Christian Princes, were plotting to effect its dis spirit of the crusade, and the plotters wished either to get rid of hiues with jealousy of his leadershi+p The Grand Master sought to have the King assassinated Conrade tried to break up the league by milder lish banner; and then thinking rightly that the suspicion and wrath of Richard would fall upon Austria, he secretly stole the banner fro, after Austria's insult, had been entrusted by the King to Sir Kenneth, known as the Knight of the Leopard, in reality David Prince of Scotland, who in the disguise of an obscure gentle Sir Kenneth was innocently decoyed from his watch, and in his absence, the banner, left with but his dog to guard it, was stolen by Conrade For his failure of duty Sir Kenneth was condeuise of an Arab physician was in the English caently interceding, his life was spared

Saladin took Sir Kenneth to the ca previously had knightly encounter with hiuised him as a Nubian slave, and sent hiht in so Richard as a slave Sir Kenneth saved the king froated, and aided by the instinct of his dog, also disguised, he detected the thief in Conrade Richard thereupon, at once charged Conrade with the theft, and challenged hi was prevented by the Council of the Princes fro divined in the Nubian slave the forht in his stead, that the knightfaithless in his watch

Conrade's cause was espoused by the Grand Master, who had been his confidant, and by the Duke of Austria The encounter was appointed to take place at the Diamond of the Desert, in the territory of Saladin, as asked to act as umpire It had been stipulated that but five hundred Saracens should be present at the trial; Saladin, however, having been apprised of further plotting on the part of the Grand Master, for safety's sake caused a larger attendance of his followers Sir Kenneth had long loved Edith Plantagenet, but being known to her only as a poor and nameless adventurer, he had not yet openly avowed his love

xxxI TO A HIGHLAND GIRL

(AT INVERSNEYDE, UPON LOCH LOMOND)

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH--1770-1850

Sweet Highland girl, a very shower Of beauty is thy earthly dower!

Twice seven consenting years have shed Their utray rocks; this household lawn; These trees, a veil just half withdrawn; This fall of water, that doth make A murmur near the silent lake; This little bay, a quiet road That holds in shelter thy abode; In truth, together do ye see fashi+on'd in a dream; Such forms as from their covert peep When earthly cares are laid asleep!

Yet, dream and vision as thou art, I bless thee with a human heart: God shi+eld thee to thy latest years!

Thee neither know I nor thy peers; And yetI shall pray For thee when I am far away: For never saw I nity and ho in perfect innocence

Here scatter'd like a random seed, Remote from men, thou dost not need The embarrass'd look of shy distress, And maidenly shamefacedness: Thou wear'st upon thy forehead clear The freedoladness overspread!