Artthouaphysician，infidel？’’saidthebishop，somewhatmortifiedatthiscoldreception。Iwouldspeakwiththeeonthatart。’’
　　Ifthouknewestaughtofmedicine，’’answeredElHakim，thouwouldstbeawarethatphysiciansholdnocounselordebateinthesickchamberoftheirpatient。Hear，’’headded，asthelowgrowlingofthestag-houndwasheardfromtheinnerhut，eventhedogmightteachtheereason，Ulemat。
　　Hisinstinctteacheshimtosuppresshisbarkinginthesickman’shearing-Comewithoutthetent，’’saidhe，risingandleadingtheway，ifthouhastaughttosaywithme。’’
　　NotwithstandingtheplainnessoftheSaracenleech’sdress，andhisinferiorityofsize，whencontrastedwiththetallprelateandgiganticEnglishbaron，therewassomethingstrikinginhismannerandcountenance，whichpreventedtheBishopofTyrefromexpressingstronglythedispleasurehefeltatthisunceremoniousrebuke。Whenwithoutthehut，hegazeduponAdonbecinsilence，forseveralminutes，beforehecouldfixonthebestmannertorenewtheconversation。NolockswereseenunderthehighbonnetoftheArabian，whichhidalsopartofabrowthatseemedloftyandexpanded，smooth，andfreefromwrinkles，aswerehischeeks，wheretheywereseenundertheshadeofhislongbeard。Wehaveelsewherenoticedthepiercingqualityofhisdarkeyes。
　　Theprelate，struckwithhisapparentyouth，atlengthbrokeapause，whichtheotherseemedinnohastetointerrupt，bydemandingoftheArabianhowoldhewas。
　　Theyearsofordinarymen，’’saidtheSaracen，arecountedbytheirwrinkles；thoseofsagesbytheirstudies。I
　　darenotcallmyselfolderthanahundredrevolutionsoftheHegira。’’
　　*Meaning，thathisattainmentswerethosewhichmighthavebeenmade*inahundredyears。
　　TheBaronofGilsland，whotookthisforaliteralassertionthathewasacenturyold，lookeddoubtfullyupontheprelate，who，thoughhebetterunderstoodthemeaningofElHakim，answeredhisglancebymysteriouslyshakinghishead。Heresumedanairofimportance，whenheagainauthoritativelydemanded，whatevidenceAdonbeccouldproduceofhismedicalproficiency。
　　YehavethewordofthemightySaladin，’’saidthesage，touchinghiscapinsignofreverence；awordwhichwasneverbrokentowardsfriendorfoe-what，Nazarene，wouldstthoudemandmore？’’
　　Iwouldhaveocularproofofthyskill，’’saidthebaron，andwithoutitthouapproachestnottothecouchofKingRichard。’’
　　Thepraiseofthephysician，’’saidtheArabian，isintherecoveryofhispatient。Beholdthissergeant，whosebloodhasbeendriedupbythefeverwhichhaswhitenedyourcampwithskeletons，andagainstwhichtheartofyourNazareneleecheshathbeenlikeasilkendoubletagainstalanceofsteel。Lookathisfingersandarms，wastedliketheclawsandshanksofthecrane。Deathhadthismorninghisclutchonhim；buthadAzraelbeenononesideofthecouch，Ibeingontheother，hissoulshouldnothavebeenreftfromhisbody。Disturbmenotwithfurtherquestions，butawaitthecriticalminute，andbeholdinsilentwonderthemarvellousevent。’’
　　Thephysicianhadthenrecoursetohisastrolabe，theoracleofEasternscience，and，watchingwithgraveprecisionuntiltheprecisetimeoftheeveningprayerhadarrived，hesunkonhisknees，withhisfaceturnedtoMecca，andrecitedthepetitionswhichclosetheMoslemah’sdayoftoil。ThebishopandtheEnglishbaronlookedoneachother，meanwhile，withsymptomsofcontemptandindignation，butneitherjudgeditfittointerruptElHakiminhisdevotions，unholyastheyconsideredthemtobe。
　　TheArabarosefromtheearth，onwhichhehadprostratedhimself，and，walkingintothehutwherethepatientlayextended，hedrewaspongefromasmallsilverbox，diptperhapsinsomearomaticdistillation；forwhenheputittothesleeper’snose，hesneezed，awoke，andlookedwildlyaround。Hewasaghastlyspectacle，ashesatupalmostnakedonhiscouch，thebonesandcartilagesasvisiblethroughthesurfaceofhisskinasiftheyhadneverbeenclothedwithflesh；hisfacewaslongandfurrowedwithwrinkles，buthiseye，thoughitwanderedatfirst，becamegraduallymoresettled。Heseemedtobeawareofthepresenceofhisdignifiedvisitors，forheattemptedfeeblytopullthecoveringfromhishead，intokenofreverence，asheinquired，inasubduedandsubmissivevoice，forhismaster。
　　Doyouknowus，vassal？’’saidtheLordofGilsland。
　　Notperfectly，mylord，’’repliedtheSquire，faintly。Mysleephasbeenlongandfullofdreams。YetIknowthatyouareagreatEnglishlord，asseemethbytheredcross，andthisaholyprelate，whoseblessingIcraveonmeapoorsinner。’’
　　Thouhastit-_BenedictioDominisitvobiscum，_’’saidtheprelate，makingthesignofthecross，butwithoutapproachingnearertothepatient’sbed。
　　Youreyeswitness，’’saidtheArabian，thefeverhathbeensubdued-hespeakswithcalmnessandrecollection-hispulsebeatscomposedlyasyours-tryitspulsationsyourself。’’
　　Theprelatedeclinedtheexperiment；butThomasofGilsland，moredeterminedonmakingthetrial，didso，andsatisfiedhimselfthatthefeverwasindeedgone。
　　Thisismostwonderful，’’saidtheknight，lookingtothebishop；themanisassuredlycured。ImustconductthismedicinerpresentlytoKingRichard’stent-Whatthinksyourreverence？’’
　　Stay，letmefinishonecureereIcommenceanother，’’saidtheArab；IwillpasswithyouwhenIhavegivenmypatientthesecondcupofthismostholyelixir。’’
　　Sosayinghepulledoutasilvercup，andfillingitwithwaterfromagourdwhichstoodbythebedside，henextdrewforthasmallsilkenbagmadeofnetwork，twistedwithsilver，thecontentsofwhichthebystanderscouldnotdiscover，andimmersingitinthecup，continuedtowatchitinsilenceduringthespaceoffiveminutes。Itseemedtothespectatorsasifsomeeffervescencetookplaceduringtheoperation，butifso，itinstantlysubsided。
　　Drink，’’saidthephysiciantothesickman-sleep，andawakenfreefrommalady。’’
　　Andwiththissimple-seemingdraught，thouwiltundertaketocureamonarch？’’saidtheBishopofTyre。
　　Ihavecuredabeggar，asyoumaybehold，’’repliedthesage。ArethekingsofFrangistanmadeofotherclaythanthemeanestoftheirsubjects？’’
　　LetushavehimpresentlytotheKing，’’saidtheBaronofGilsland。Hehathshownthathepossessesthesecretwhichmayrestorehishealth。Ifhefailstoexerciseit，Iwillputhimselfpastthepowerofmedicine。’’
　　Astheywereabouttoleavethehut，thesickman，raisinghisvoiceasmuchashisweaknesspermitted，exclaimed，Reverendfather，nobleknight，andyou，kindleech，ifyouwouldhavemesleepandrecover，tellmeincharitywhathasbecomeofmydearmaster？’’
　　Heisuponadistantexpedition，friend，’’repliedtheprelate；
　　onanhonourableembassy，whichmaydetainhimforsomedays。’’
　　Nay，’’saidtheBaronofGilsland，whydeceivethepoorfellow？-Friend，theymasterhasreturnedtothecamp，andyouwillpresentlyseehim。’’
　　Theinvalidheldup，asifinthankfulness，hiswastedhandstoHeaven，and，resistingnolongerthesoporiferousoperationoftheelixir，sunkdowninagentlesleep。
　　YouareabetterphysicianthanI，SirThomas，’’saidtheprelate；asoothingfalsehoodisfitterforasickroomthananunpleasingtruth。’’
　　Howmeanyou，myreverendlord？’’saidDeVaux，hastily。
　　ThinkyouIwouldtellafalsehoodtosavethelivesofadozensuchashe？’’
　　Yousaid，’’repliedthebishop，withmanifestsymptomsofalarm-yousaid，theesquire’smasterwasreturned-he，I
　　mean，oftheCouchantLeopard。’’
　　Andhe_is_returned，’’saidDeVaux。Ispokewithhimbutafewhourssince。Thislearnedleechcameinhiscompany。’’
　　HolyVirgin！whytoldyounotofhisreturntome？’’saidthebishop，inevidentperturbation。
　　DidInotsaythatthissameKnightoftheLeopardhadreturnedincompanywiththephysician？-IthoughtIhad，’’
　　repliedDeVaux，carelessly；butwhatsignifiedhisreturntotheskillofthephysician，orthecureofhisMajesty？’’
　　Much，SirThomas-itsignifiedmuch，’’saidthebishop，clenchinghishands，pressinghisfootagainsttheearth，andgivingsignsofimpatience，asifinaninvoluntarymanner。
　　But，wherecanhebegonenow，thissameknight？-Godbewithus-heremaybesomefatalerrors！’’
　　Yonderserfintheouterspace，’’saidDeVaux，notwithoutwonderatthebishop’semotion，canprobablytelluswhitherhismasterhasgone。’’
　　Theladwassummoned，and，inalanguagenearlyincomprehensibletothem，gavethematlengthtounderstand，thatanofficerhadsummonedhismastertotheroyaltent，sometimebeforetheirarrivalatthatofhismaster。Theanxietyofthebishopappearedtorisetothehighest，andbecameevidenttoDeVaux，thoughneitheranacuteobserver，norofasuspicioustemper。Butwithhisanxietyseemedtoincreasehiswishtokeepitsubduedandunobserved。HetookahastyleaveofDeVaux，wholookedafterhimwithastonishment；and，aftershrugginguphisshouldersinsilentwonder，proceededtoconductheArabianphysiciantothetentofKingRichard。
　　Thisistheprinceofleeches；fever，plague，Coldrheum，andhotpodagra，dobutlookonhim，Andquittheirgraspuponthetorturedsinews。
　　Anonymous。
　　TheBaronofGilslandwalkedwithslowstepandananxiouscountenancetowardstheroyalpavilion。Hehadmuchdiffidenceofhisowncapacity，exceptinafieldofbattle，and，consciousofnoveryacuteintellect，wasusuallycontentedtowonderatcircumstances，whichamanoflivelierimaginationwouldhaveendeavouredtoinvestigateandunderstand，oratleastwouldhavemadethesubjectofspeculation。Butitseemedveryextraordinary，eventohim，thattheattentionofthebishopshouldhavebeenatonceabstractedfromallreflectiononthemarvellouscurewhichtheyhadwitnessed，andupontheprobabilityitaffordedofRichardbeingrestoredtohealth，bywhatseemedaverytrivialpieceofinformation，announcingthemotionsofabeggarlyScottishknight，thanwhomThomasofGilslandknewnothingwithinthecircleofgentlebloodmoreunimportantorcontemptible；and，despitehisusualhabitofpassivelybeholdingpassingevents，thebaron’sspirittoiledwithunwontedattemptstoformconjecturesonthecause。
　　Atlengththeideaoccurredatoncetohim，thatthewholemightbeaconspiracyagainstKingRichard，formedwithinthecampoftheallies，andtowhichthebishop，whowasbysomerepresentedasapoliticandunscrupulousperson，wasnotunlikelytohavebeenaccessory。Itwastrue，thatinhisownopinion，thereexistednocharactersoperfectasthatofhismaster；forRichardbeingtheflowerofchivalry，andthechiefofChristianleaders，andobeyinginallpointsthecommandsofHolyChurch，DeVaux’sideasofperfectionwentnofarther。Stillheknewthat，howeverunworthily，ithadbeenalwayshismaster’sfate，todrawasmuchreproachanddislike，ashonourandattachment，fromthedisplayofhisgreatqualities；andthatintheverycamp，andamongstthoseprincesboundbyoathtotheCrusade，weremanywhowouldhavesacrificedallhopeofvictoryovertheSaracens，tothepleasureofruining，oratleastofhumbling，RichardofEngland。
　　Wherefore，’’saidthebarontohimself，itisinnosenseimpossiblethatthisElHakim，withthishiscure，orseemingcure，wroughtonthebodyoftheScottishsquire，maymeannothingbutatrick，towhichheoftheLeopardmaybeaccessary，andwhereintheBishopofTyre，prelateasheis，mayhavesomeshare。’’
　　Thishypothesis，indeed，couldnotbesoeasilyreconciledwiththealarmmanifestedbythebishop，onlearningthat，contrarytohisexpectation，theScottishknighthadsuddenlyreturnedtotheCrusaders’camp。ButDeVauxwasinfluencedonlybyhisgeneralprejudices，whichdictatedtohimtheassuredbelief，thatawilyItalianpriest，afalse-heartedScot，andaninfidelphysician，formedasetofingredientsfromwhichallevil，andnogood，waslikelytobeextracted。Heresolved，however，tolayhisscruplesbluntlybeforetheKing，ofwhosejudgmenthehadnearlyashighanopinionasofhisvalour。