Hewasawake，longafterhisArabhosthadperformedhisusualdevotions，andbetakenhimselftohisrepose，norhadsleepvisitedhimatthehourofmidnight，whenamovementtookplaceamongthedomestics，which，thoughattendedwithnospeech，andverylittlenoise，madehimawaretheywereloadingthecamelsandpreparingfordeparture。Inthecourseofthesepreparations，thelastpersonwhowasdisturbed，exceptingthephysicianhimself，wastheKnightofScotland，whom，aboutthreeinthemorning，asortofmajordomo，ormasterofthehousehold，acquaintedthathemustarise。Hedidso，withoutfartheranswer，andfollowedhimintothemoonlight，wherestoodthecamels，mostofwhichwerealreadyloaded，andoneonlyremainedkneelinguntilitsburdenshouldbecompleted。
　　Alittleapartfromthecamelsstoodanumberofhorsesreadybridledandsaddled，andtheHakimhimself，comingforth，mountedononeofthemwithasmuchagilityasthegravedecorumofhischaracterpermitted，anddirectedanother，whichhepointedout，tobeledtowardsSirKenneth。AnEnglishofficerwasinattendance，toescortthemthroughthecampoftheCrusaders，andtoensuretheirleavingitinsafety，andallwasreadyfortheirdeparture。Thepavilionwhichtheyhadleft，was，inthemeanwhile，struckwithsingulardespatch，andthetent-polesandcoveringscomposedtheburdenofthelastcamel-whenthephysician，pronouncingsolemnlytheverseoftheKoran，Godbeourguide，andMohammedourprotector，inthedesertasinthewateredfield，’’thewholecavalcadewasinstantlyinmotion。
　　Intraversingthecamp，theywerechallengedbythevarioussentinelswhomaintainedguardthere，andsufferedtoproceedinsilence，orwithamutteredcurseupontheirprophet，astheypassedthepostofsomemorezealousCrusader。Atlengththelastbarrierswereleftbehindthem，andthepartyformedthemselvesforthemarchwithmilitaryprecaution。Twoorthreehorsemenadvancedinfrontasavanguard；oneortworemainedabowshotintherear；and，whereverthegroundadmitted，othersweredetachedtokeepanoutlookontheflanks。Inthismannertheyproceededonward，whileSirKenneth，lookingbackonthemoonlightcamp，mightnowindeedseembanished，deprivedatonceofhonourandliberty，fromtheglimmeringbannersunderwhichhehadhopedtogainadditionalrenown，andthetenteddwellingsofchivalry，ofChristianity，and-ofEdithPlantagenet。
　　TheHakim，whorodebyhisside，observed，inhisusualtoneofsententiousconsolation-Itisunwisetolookbackwhenthejourneyliethforward；’’andashespoke，thehorseoftheknightmadesuchaperilousstumble，asthreatenedtoaddapracticalmoraltothetale。
　　Theknightwascompelledbythishinttogivemoreattentiontothemanagementofhissteed，whichmorethanoncerequiredtheassistanceandsupportofthecheck-bridle，although，inotherrespects，nothingcouldbemoreeasyatonce，andactive，thantheamblingpaceatwhichtheanimalwhichwasamareproceeded。
　　Theconditionsofthathorse，’’observedthesententiousphysician，arelikethoseofhumanfortune；seeingthatamidsthismostswiftandeasypace，theridermustguardhimselfagainstafall，andthatitiswhenprosperityisatthehighest，thatourprudenceshouldbeawakeandvigilanttopreventmisfortune。’’
　　Theoverloadedappetiteloatheseventhehoneycomb，anditisscarceawonderthattheknight，mortifiedandharassedwithmisfortunesandabasement，becamesomethingimpatientofhearinghismiserymade，ateveryturn，thegroundofproverbsandapothegms，howeverjustandapposite。
　　Methinks，’’hesaid，ratherpeevishly，Iwantednoadditionalillustrationoftheinstabilityoffortune-thoughIwouldthankthee，SirHakim，forthychoiceofasteedforme，wouldthejadebutstumblesoeffectuallyasatoncetobreakmyneckandherown。’’
　　Mybrother，’’answeredtheArabsage，withimperturbablegravity，thouspeakestasoneofthefoolish。Thousay’stinthyheart，thatthesageshouldhavegivenyou，ashisguest，theyoungerandbetterhorse，andreservedtheoldoneforhimself；
　　butknowthatthedefectsoftheoldersteedmaybecompensatedbytheenergiesoftheyoungrider，whereastheviolenceoftheyounghorserequirestobemoderatedbythecoldtemperoftheolder。’’
　　Sospokethesage；butneithertothisobservationdidSirKennethreturnanyanswerwhichcouldleadtoacontinuanceoftheirconversation，andthephysician，wearied，perhaps，ofadministeringcomforttoonewhowouldnotbecomforted，signedtooneofhisretinue。
　　Hassan，’’hesaid，hastthounothingwherewithtobeguiletheway？’’
　　Hassan，story-tellerandpoetbyprofession，spurredup，uponthissummons，toexercisehiscalling-Lordofthepalaceoflife，’’hesaid，addressingthephysician，thou，beforewhomtheangelAzraelspreadethhiswingsforflight-thou，wiserthanSolimaunBenDaoud，uponwhosesignetwasinscribedthe=realname=whichcontrolsthespiritsoftheelements-
　　forbidit，Heaven，thatwhilethoutravellestuponthetrackofbenevolence，bearinghealingandhopewhereverthoucomest，thineowncourseshouldbesaddenedforlackofthetaleandofthesong。Behold，whilethyservantisatthyside，hewillpourforththetreasuresofhismemory，asthefountainsendethherstreambesidethepathway，fortherefreshmentofhimthatwalkeththereon。’’
　　Afterthisexordium，Hassanupliftedhisvoice，andbeganataleofloveandmagic，intermixedwithfeatsofwarlikeachievement，andornamentedwithabundantquotationsfromthePersianpoets，withwhosecompositionstheoratorseemedfamiliar。
　　Theretinueofthephysician，suchexceptedaswerenecessarilydetainedinattendanceonthecamels，throngeduptothenarrator，andpressedascloseasdeferencefortheirmasterpermitted，toenjoythedelightwhichtheinhabitantsoftheEasthaveeverderivedfromthisspeciesofexhibition。
　　Atanothertime，notwithstandinghisimperfectknowledgeofthelanguage，SirKennethmighthavebeeninterestedintherecitation，which，thoughdictatedbyamoreextravagantimagination，andexpressedinmoreinflatedandmetaphoricallanguage，boreyetastrongresemblancetotheromancesofchivalry，thensofashionableinEurope。Butasmattersstoodwithhim，hewasscarcelyevensensiblethatamaninthecentreofthecavalcaderecitedandsung，inalowtone，fornearlytwohours，modulatinghisvoicetothevariousmoodsofpassionintroducedintothetale，andreceiving，inreturn，nowlowmurmursofapplause，nowmutteredexpressionsofwonder，nowsighsandtears，andsometimes，whatitwasfarmoredifficulttoextractfromsuchanaudience，atributeofsmiles，andevenlaughter。
　　Duringtherecitation，theattentionoftheexile，howeverabstractedbyhisowndeepsorrow，wasoccasionallyawakenedbythelowwailofadog，securedinawickerenclosuresuspendedononeofthecamels，which，asanexperiencedwoodsman，hehadnohesitationinrecognisingtobethatofhisownfaithfulhound；andfromtheplaintivetoneoftheanimal，hehadnodoubtthathewassensibleofhismaster’svicinity，and，inhisway，invokinghisassistanceforlibertyandrescue。
　　Alas！poorRoswal，’’hesaid，thoucallestforaidandsympathyupononeinstricterbondagethanthouthyselfart。Iwillnotseemtoheedthee，orreturnthyaffection，sinceitwouldservebuttoloadourpartingwithyetmorebitterness。’’
　　Thuspassedthehoursofnight，andthespaceofdimhazydawn，whichformsthetwilightofaSyrianmorning。Butwhentheveryfirstlineofthesun’sdiskbegantoriseabovethelevelhorizon，andwhentheveryfirstlevelrayshotglimmeringindewalongthesurfaceofthedesert，whichthetravellershadnowattained，thesonorousvoiceofElHakimhimselfoverpoweredandcutshortthenarrativeofthetale-teller，whilehecausedtoresoundalongthesandsthesolemnsummons，whichthemuezzinsthunderatmorningfromtheminaretofeverymosque。
　　Toprayer！-toprayer！GodistheoneGod-Toprayer-
　　toprayer！MohammedistheprophetofGod-Toprayer-
　　toprayer！Timeisflyingfromyou-Toprayer-toprayer！
　　Judgmentisdrawingnightoyou。’’
　　InaninstanteachMoslemcasthimselffromhishorse，turnedhisfacetowardsMecca，andperformedwithsandanimitationofthoseablutions，whichwereelsewhererequiredtobemadewithwater，whileeachindividual，inbriefbutferventejaculations，recommendedhimselftothecare，andhissinstotheforgiveness，ofGodandtheProphet。EvenSirKenneth，whosereasonatonceandprejudiceswereoffendedbyseeinghiscompanionsinthatwhichheconsideredasanactofidolatry，couldnothelprespectingthesincerityoftheirmisguidedzeal，andbeingstimulatedbytheirfervourtoapplysupplicationstoHeaveninapurerform，wondering，meanwhile，whatnew-bornfeelingscouldteachhimtoaccompanyinprayer，thoughwithvariedinvocation，thoseverySaracens，whoseheathenishworshiphehadconceivedacrimedishonourabletothelandinwhichhighmiracleshadbeenwrought，andwheretheday-starofredemptionhadarisen。
　　Theactofdevotion，however，thoughrenderedinsuchstrangesociety，burstpurelyfromhisnaturalfeelingsofreligiousduty，andhaditsusualeffectincomposingthespirits，whichhadbeenlongharassedbysorapidasuccessionofcalamities。ThesincereandearnestapproachoftheChristiantothethroneoftheAlmightyteachesthebestlessonofpatienceunderaffliction；sincewhereforeshouldwemocktheDeitywithsupplications，whenweinsulthimbymurmuringunderhisdecrees？orhow，whileourprayershaveineverywordadmittedthevanityandnothingnessofthethingsoftimeincomparisontothoseofeternity，shouldwehopetodeceivetheSearcherofHearts，bypermittingtheworldandworldlypassionstoreassumethereinsevenimmediatelyafterasolemnaddresstoHeaven？ButSirKennethwasnotofthese。Hefelthimselfcomfortedandstrengthened，andbetterpreparedtoexecuteorsubmittowhateverhisdestinymightcalluponhimtodoortosuffer。
　　Meanwhile，thepartyofSaracensregainedtheirsaddles，andcontinuedtheirroute，andthetale-teller，Hassan，resumedthethreadofhisnarrative；butitwasnolongertothesameattentiveaudience。Ahorseman，whohadascendedsomehighgroundontherighthandofthelittlecolumn，hadreturnedonaspeedygalloptoElHakim，andcommunicatedwithhim。
　　Fourorfivemorecavaliershadthenbeendespatched，andthelittleband，whichmightconsistofabouttwentyorthirtypersons，begantofollowthemwiththeireyes，asmenfromwhosegestures，andadvanceorretreat，theyweretoaugurgoodorevil。Hassan，findinghisaudienceinattentive，orbeinghimselfattractedbythedubiousappearancesontheflank，stintedinhissong；andthemarchbecamesilent，savewhenacamel-drivercalledouttohispatientcharge，orsomeanxiousfolloweroftheHakimcommunicatedwithhisnextneighbour，inahurriedandlowwhisper。
　　Thissuspensecontinueduntiltheyhadroundedaridge，composedofhillocksofsand，whichconcealedfromtheirmainbodytheobjectthathadcreatedthisalarmamongtheirscouts。SirKennethcouldnowsee，atthedistanceofamileormore，adarkobjectmovingrapidlyonthebosomofthedesert，whichhisexperiencedeyerecognisedforapartyofcavalry，muchsuperiortotheirowninnumbers，and，fromthethickandfrequentflasheswhichflungbackthelevelbeamsoftherisingsun，itwasplainthatthesewereEuropeansintheircompletepanoply。
　　TheanxiouslookswhichthehorsemenofElHakimnowcastupontheirleader，seemedtoindicatedeepapprehension；
　　whilehe，withgravityasundisturbedaswhenhecalledhisfollowerstoprayer，detachedtwoofhisbestmountedcavaliers，withinstructionstoapproachascloselyasprudencepermittedtothesetravellersofthedesert，andobservemoreminutelytheirnumbers，theircharacter，and，ifpossible，theirpurpose。
　　Theapproachofdanger，orwhatwasfearedassuch，waslikeastimulatingdraughttooneinapathy，andrecalledSirKennethtohimselfandhissituation。
　　WhatfearyoufromtheseChristianhorsemen，forsuchtheyseem？’’hesaidtotheHakim。
　　Fear！’’saidElHakim，repeatingtheworddisdainfully-
　　ThesagefearsnothingbutHeaven-buteverexpectsfromwickedmentheworstwhichtheycando。’’
　　TheyareChristians，’’saidSirKenneth，anditisthetimeoftruce-whyshouldyoufearabreachoffaith？’’