spaceofgroundlargeenoughtoaccommodateperhapsthirtytentsaccordingtotheCrusaders’rulesofcastrametation,waspartlyvacant-because,inostentation,theknighthaddemandedgroundtotheextentofhisoriginalretinue-partlyoccupiedbyafewmiserablehuts,hastilyconstructedofboughs,andcoveredwithpalm-leaves。Thesehabitationsseemedentirelydeserted,andseveralofthemwereruinous。Thecentralhut,whichrepresentedthepavilionoftheleader,wasdistinguishedbytheswallow-tailedpennon,placedonthepointofaspear;fromwhichitslongfoldsdroptmotionlesstotheground,asifsickeningunderthescorchingraysoftheAsiaticsun。Butnopagesorsquires,notevenasolitarywarder,wasplacedbytheemblemoffeudalpowerandknightlydegrees。Ifitsreputationdefendeditnotfrominsult,ithadnootherguard。
SirKennethcastamelancholylookaroundhim,but,suppressinghisfeelings,enteredthehut,makingasigntotheBaronofGilslandtofollow。Healsocastaroundaglanceofexamination,whichimpliedpitynotaltogetherunmingledwithcontempt,towhich,perhaps,itisasnearlyakinasitissaidtobetolove。
Hethenstoopedhisloftycrest,andenteredalowlyhut,whichhisbulkyformseemedalmostentirelytofill。
Theinteriorofthehutwaschieflyoccupiedbytwobeds。
Onewasempty,butcomposedofcollectedleaves,andspreadwithanantelope’shide。Itseemed,fromthearticlesofarmourlaidbesideit,andfromacrucifixofsilver,carefullyandreverentiallydisposedatthehead,tobethecouchoftheknighthimself。Theothercontainedtheinvalid,ofwhomSirKennethhadspoken,strong-builtandharsh-featuredman,past,ashislooksbetokened,themiddleageoflife。Hiscouchwastrimmedmoresoftlythanhismaster’s,anditwasplainthatthemorecourtlygarmentsofthelatter,thelooserobe,inwhichtheknightsshowedthemselvesonpacificoccasions,andtheotherlittlesparearticlesofdressandadornment,hadbeenappliedbySirKennethtotheaccommodationofhissickdomestic。Inanoutwardpartofthehut,whichyetwaswithintherangeoftheEnglishbaron’seye,aboyrudelyattiredwithbuskinsofdeer’shide,abluecaporbonnet,andadoublet,whoseoriginalfinerywasmuchtarnished,satonhiskneesbyachafing-dishfilledwithcharcoal,cookinguponaplateofironthecakesofbarley-bread,whichwerethen,andstillare,afavouritefoodwiththeScottishpeople。Partofanantelopewassuspendedagainstoneofthemainpropsofthehut,norwasitdifficulttoknowhowithadbeenprocured;foralargestaggreyhound,noblerinsizeandappearancethanthoseevenwhichguardedKingRichard’ssick-bed,layeyeingtheprocessofbakingthecake。Thesagaciousanimal,ontheirfirstentrance,utteredastifledgrowl,whichsoundedfromhisdeepchestlikedistantthunder。Buthesawhismaster,andacknowledgedhispresencebywagginghistailandcouchinghishead,abstainingfrommoretumultuousornoisygreeting,asifhisnobleinstincthadtaughthimtheproprietyofsilenceinasickman’schamber。
Besidethecouch,satonacushion,alsocomposedofskins,theMoorishphysicianofwhomSirKennethhadspoken,cross-legged,aftertheEasternfashion。Theimperfectlightshowedlittleofhim,savethatthelowerpartofhisfacewascoveredwithalongblackbeard,whichdescendedoverhisbreast-thatheworeahigh_tolpach,_aTartarcapofthelamb’swoolmanufacturedatAstracan,bearingthesameduskycolour,andthathisamplecaftan,orTurkishrobe,wasalsoofadarkhue。Twopiercingeyes,whichgleamedwithunusuallustre,weretheonlylineamentsofhisvisagethatcouldbediscernedamidthedarknessinwhichhewasenveloped。TheEnglishlordstoodsilentwithasortofreverentialawe;for,notwithstandingtheroughnessofhisgeneralbearing,asceneofdistressandpoverty,firmlyenduredwithoutcomplaintormurmur,wouldatanytimehaveclaimedmorereverencefromThomasdeVauxthanwouldallthesplendidformalitiesofaroyalpresence-chamber,unlessthatpresence-chamberwereKingRichard’sown。Nothingwas,foratime,heard,buttheheavyandregularbreathingsoftheinvalid,whoseemedinprofoundrepose。
Hehathnotsleptforsixnightsbefore,’’saidSirKenneth,asIamassuredbytheyouthhisattendant。’’
NobleScot,’’saidThomasdeVaux,graspingtheScottishknight’shand,withapressurewhichhadmoreofcordialitythanhepermittedhiswordstoutter,thisgearmustbeamended-
Youresquireisbuttooevilfedandlookedto。’’
Inthelatterpartofthisspeech,henaturallyraisedhisvoicetoitsusualdecidedtone。Thesickmanwasdisturbedinhisslumbers。
Mymaster,’’hesaid,murmuringasinadream,nobleSirKenneth-tastenot,toyouastome,thewatersoftheClydecoldandrefreshing,afterthebrackishspringsofPalestine?’’
Hedreamsofhisnativeland,andishappyinhisslumbers,’’
whisperedSirKennethtoDeVaux;buthadscarceutteredthewords,whenthephysician,arisingfromtheplacewhichhehadtakennearthecouchofthesick,andlayingthehandofthepatient,whosepulsehehadbeencarefullywatching,quietlyuponthecouch,cametothetwoknights,andtakingthemeachbythearm,whileheintimatedtothemtoremainsilent,ledthemtothefrontofthehut。
InthenameofIssaBenMiriam,’’hesaid,whomwehonourasyou,thoughnotwiththesameblindedsuperstition,disturbnottheeffectoftheblessedmedicineofwhichhehathpartaken。Toawakenhimnowisdeathordeprivationofreason;butreturnatthehourwhentheMuezzincallsfromtheminarettoeveningprayerinthemosque,and,ifleftundisturbeduntilthen,Ipromiseyou,thissameFrankishsoldiershallbeable,withoutprejudicetohishealth,toholdsomebriefconversewithyou,onanymattersonwhicheither,andespeciallyhismaster,mayhavetoquestionhim。’’
Theknightsretreatedbeforetheauthoritativecommandsoftheleech,whoseemedfullytocomprehendtheimportanceoftheEasternproverb,thatthesickchamberofthepatientisthekingdomofthephysician。
Theypaused,andremainedstandingtogetheratthedoorofthehut,SirKenneth,withtheairofonewhoexpectedhisvisitortosayfarewell-andDeVaux,asifhehadsomethingonhismindwhichpreventedhimfromdoingso。Thehound,however,hadpressedoutofthetentafterthem,andnowthrusthislongroughcountenanceintothehandofhismaster,asifmodestlysolicitingsomemarkofhiskindness。Hehadnosoonerreceivedthenoticewhichhedesired,intheshapeofakindwordandslightcaress,than,eagertoacknowledgehisgratitudeandjoyforhismaster’sreturn,heflewoffatfullspeed,gallopinginfullcareer,andwithoutstretchedtail,hereandthere,aboutandaround,crosswaysandendlong,throughthedecayedhuts,andtheesplanadewehavedescribed,butnevertransgressingthoseprecinctswhichhissagacityknewwereprotectedbyhismaster’spennon。Afterafewgambolsofthiskind,thedog,comingcloseuptohismaster,laidatonceasidehisfrolicsomemood,relapsedintohisusualgravityandslownessofgestureanddeportment,andlookedasifhewereashamedthatanythingshouldhavemovedhimtodepartsofaroutofhissoberself-control。
Bothknightslookedonwithpleasure;forSirKennethwasjustlyproudofhisnoblehound,andthenorthernEnglishbaronwasofcourseanadmirerofthechase,andajudgeoftheanimal’smerits。
Arightabledog,’’hesaid;Ithink,fairsir,KingRichardhathnotan_alan_whichmaymatchhim,ifhebeasstanchasheisswift。Butletmeprayyou-speakinginallhonourandkindness-haveyounotheardtheproclamation,thatnooneundertherankofearlshallkeephuntingdogswithinKingRichard’scampwithouttheroyallicense,which,Ithink,SirKenneth,hathnotbeenissuedtoyou?-IspeakasMasteroftheHorse。’’
AndIanswerasafreeScottishknight,’’saidKenneth,sternly。ForthepresentIfollowthebannerofEngland,butIcannotrememberthatIhaveeversubjectedmyselftotheforest-lawsofthatkingdom,norhaveIsuchrespectforthemaswouldinclinemetodoso。Whenthetrumpetsoundstoarms,myfootisinthestirrupassoonasany-whenitclangsforthecharge,mylancehasnotyetbeenthelastlaidintherest。Butformyhoursoflibertyorofidleness,KingRichardhasnotitletobarmyrecreation。’’
Nevertheless,’’saidDeVaux,itisafollytodisobeytheKing’sordinance-so,withyourgoodleave,I,ashavingauthorityinthatmatter,willsendyouaprotectionformyfriendhere。’’
Ithankyou,’’saidtheScot,coldly;butheknowsmyallottedquarters,andwithintheseIcanprotecthimmyself-
Andyet,’’hesaid,suddenlychanginghismanner,thisisbutacoldreturnforawell-meantkindness。Ithankyou,mylord,mostheartily。TheKing’sequerries,orprickers,mightfindRoswalatdisadvantage,anddohimsomeinjury,whichIshouldnot,perhaps,beslowinreturning,andsoillmightcomeofit。
Youhaveseensomuchofmyhousekeeping,mylord,’’headded,withasmile,thatIneednotshametosaythatRoswalisourprincipalpurveyor;andwellIhopeourLionRichardwillnotbelikethelionintheminstrelfable,thatwenta-hunting,andkeptthewholebootytohimself。Icannotthinkhewouldgrudgeapoorgentleman,whofollowshimfaithfully,hishourofsport,andhismorselofgame,moreespeciallywhenotherfoodishardenoughtocomeby。’’
Bymyfaith,youdotheKingnomorethanjustice-andyet,’’saidthebaron,thereissomethinginthesewords,vertandvenison,thatturnstheverybrainsofourNormanprinces。’’
Wehaveheardoflate,’’saidtheScot,byminstrelsandpilgrims,thatyouroutlawedyeomenhaveformedgreatbandsintheshiresofYorkandNottingham,havingattheirheadamoststoutarcher,calledRobinHood,withhislieutenant,LittleJohn。MethinksitwerebetterthatRichardrelaxedhisforest-codeinEngland,thanendeavouredtoenforceitintheHolyLand。’’
Wildwork,SirKenneth,’’repliedDeVaux,shrugginghisshoulders,asonewhowouldavoidaperilousorunpleasingtopic-amadworld,sir-Imustnowbidyouadieu,havingpresentlytoreturntotheKing’spavilion。AtvespersIwillagain,withyourleave,visityourquarters,andspeakwiththissameinfidelphysician。Iwould,inthemeantime,wereitnooffence,willinglysendyouwhatwouldsomewhatmendyourcheer。’’
Ithankyou,sir,’’saidSirKenneth,butitneedsnot;
Roswalhathalreadystockedmylarderfortwoweeks,sincethesunofPalestine,ifitbringsdiseases,servesalsotodryvenison。’’
Thetwowarriorspartedmuchbetterfriendsthantheyhadmet;buteretheyseparated,ThomasdeVauxinformedhimselfatmorelengthofthecircumstancesattendingthemissionoftheEasternphysician,andreceivedfromtheScottishknightthecredentialswhichhehadbroughttoKingRichardonthepartofSaladin。
Awisephysician,skill’dourwoundstoheal,Ismorethanarmiestothecommonweal。
Pope’sIliad。
Thisisastrangetale,SirThomas,’’saidthesickmonarch,whenhehadheardthereportofthetrustyBaronofGilsland;
artthousurethisScotchmanisatallmanandtrue?’’
Icannotsay,mylord,’’repliedthejealousBorderer;I
livealittletooneartheScotstogathermuchtruthamongthem,havingfoundthemeverfairandfalse。Butthisman’sbearingisthatofatrueman,wereheadevilaswellasaScot-thatImustneedssayforhiminconscience。’’
Andforhiscarriageasaknight,howsay’stthou,DeVaux?’’
demandedtheKing。
ItisyourMajesty’sbusinessmorethanminetonotemen’sbearings;andIwarrantyouhavenotedthemannerinwhichthismanoftheLeopardhathbornehimself。Hehathbeenwellspokenof。’’
Andjustly,Thomas,’’saidtheKing。Wehaveourselveswitnessedhim。Itisindeedourpurpose,inplacingourselveseverinthefrontofbattle,toseehowourliegemenandfollowersacquitthemselves,andnotfromadesiretoaccumulatevainglorytoourselves,assomehavesupposed。Weknowthevanityofthepraiseofman,whichisbutavapour,andbuckleonourarmourforotherpurposesthantowinit。’’
DeVauxwasalarmedwhenheheardtheKingmakeadeclarationsoinconsistentwithhisnature,andbelievedatfirstthatnothingshortoftheapproachofdeathcouldhavebroughthimtospeakindepreciatingtermsofmilitaryrenown,whichwastheverybreathofhisnostrils。Butrecollectinghehadmettheroyalconfessorintheouterpavilion,hewasshrewdenoughtoplacethistemporaryself-abasementtotheeffectofthereverendman’slesson,andsufferedtheKingtoproceedwithoutreply。
Yes,’’continuedRichard,Ihaveindeedmarkedthemannerinwhichthisknightdoeshisdevoir。Myleading-staffwerenotworthafool’sbauble,hadheescapedmynotice-andhehaderenowtastedofourbounty,butthatIhavealsomarkedhisoverweeningandaudaciouspresumption。’’
Myliege,’’saidtheBaronofGilsland,observingtheKing’scountenancechange,IfearIhavetransgressedyourpleasureinlendingsomecountenancetohistransgression。’’