第5章

Nazarene，’’saidtheMoslem，inthistheGreeksandSyrianshavemuchbeliedus，seeingwedobutafterthewordofAbu-BekrEl-sideek，thesuccessoroftheProphet，and，afterhim，thefirstcommanderoftruebelievers。`Goforth，’hesaid，`YezedBenAbiSophyan，’whenhesentthatrenownedgeneraltotakeSyriafromtheinfidels，`quityourselveslikemeninbattle，butslayneithertheaged，theinfirm，thewomen，northechildren。Wastenottheland，neitherdestroycornandfruit-trees，theyarethegiftsofAllah。Keepfaithwhenyouhavemadeanycovenant，evenifitbetoyourownharm。Ifyefindholymenlabouringwiththeirhands，andservingGodinthedesert，hurtthemnot，neitherdestroytheirdwellings。Butwhenyoufindthemwithshavencrowns，theyareofthesynagogueofSatan！smitewiththesabre，slay，ceasenottilltheybecomebelieversortributaries。’AstheCaliph，companionoftheProphet，hathtoldus，sohavewedone，andthosewhomourjusticehassmittenarebutthepriestsofSatan。Butuntothegoodmenwho，withoutstirringupnationagainstnation，worshipsincerelyinthefaithofIssaBenMiriam，<*>weareashadowand*[_Arabic_-Jesus，sonofMary。]

ashield；andsuchbeinghewhomyouseek，eventhoughthelightoftheProphethathnotreachedhim，frommehewillonlyhavelove，favour，andregard。’’

Theanchorite，whomIwouldnowvisit，’’saidthewarlikepilgrim，is，Ihaveheard，nopriest；butwereheofthatanointedandsacredorder，Iwouldprovewithmygoodlance，againstpaynimandinfidel’’-

Letusnotdefyeachother，brother，’’interruptedtheSaracen；weshallfind，eitherofus，enoughofFranksorofMoslemahonwhomtoexercisebothswordandlance。ThisTheodorickisprotectedbothbyTurkandArab；andthoughoneofstrangeconditionsatintervals，yet，onthewhole，hebearshimselfsowellasthefollowerofhisownprophet，thathemeritstheprotectionofhimwhowassent’’-

Now，byOurLady，Saracen，’’exclaimedtheChristian，ifthoudarestnameinthesamebreath，thecamel-driverofMeccawith’’-

AnelectricalshockofpassionthrilledthroughtheformoftheEmir；butitwasonlymomentary，andthecalmnessofhisreplyhadbothdignityandreasoninit，whenhesaid，Slandernothimwhomthouknowestnot；theratherthatweveneratethefounderofthyreligion，whilewecondemnthedoctrinewhichpriestshavespunfromit。Iwillmyselfguidetheetothecavernofthehermit，which，methinks，withoutmyhelp，thouwouldstfinditahardmattertoreach。And，ontheway，letusleavetomollahsandtomonks，todisputeaboutthedivinityofourfaith，andspeakonthemeswhichbelongtoyouthfulwarriors，-uponbattles，uponbeautifulwomen，uponsharpswords，anduponbrightarmour。’’

Thewarriorsarosefromtheirplaceofbriefrestandsimplerefreshment，andcourteouslyaidedeachotherwhiletheycarefullyreplacedandadjustedtheharness，fromwhichtheyhadrelievedforthetimetheirtrustysteeds。Eachseemedfamiliarwithanemployment，which，atthattime，wasapartofnecessary，and，indeed，ofindispensableduty。Eachalsoseemedtopossess，asfarasthedifferencebetweentheanimalandrationalspeciesadmitted，theconfidenceandaffectionofthehorse，whichwastheconstantcompanionofhistravelsandhiswarfare。

WiththeSaracen，thisfamiliarintimacywasapartofhisearlyhabits；for，inthetentsoftheEasternmilitarytribes，thehorseofthesoldierranksnextto，andalmostequalinimportancewith，hiswifeandhisfamily；and，withtheEuropeanwarrior，circumstances，andindeednecessity，renderedhiswar-horsescarcelylessthanhisbrother-in-arms。Thesteeds，therefore，sufferedthemselvesquietlytobetakenfromtheirfoodandliberty，andneighedandsnuffledfondlyaroundtheirmasters，whiletheywereadjustingtheiraccoutrementsforfarthertravelandadditionaltoil。Andeachwarrior，asheprosecutedhisowntask，orassistedwithcourtesyhiscompanion，lookedwithobservantcuriosityattheequipmentsofhisfellow-traveller，andnotedparticularlywhatstruckhimaspeculiarinthefashioninwhichhearrangedhisridingaccoutrements。

Eretheyremountedtoresumetheirjourney，theChristianknightagainmoistenedhislips，anddipthishandsinthelivingfountain，andsaidtohisPaganassociateofthejourney-I

wouldIknewthenameofthisdeliciousfountain，thatImightholditinmygratefulremembrance；forneverdidwaterslakemoredeliciouslyamoreoppressivethirstthanIhavethisdayexperienced。’’

ItiscalledintheArabiclanguage，’’answeredtheSaracen，byanamewhichsignifiestheDiamondoftheDesert。’’

Andwellisitsonamed，’’repliedtheChristian。Mynativevalleyhathathousandsprings，butnottooneofthemshallI

attachhereaftersuchpreciousrecollectionastothissolitaryfount，whichbestowsitsliquidtreasureswheretheyarenotonlydelightful，butnearlyindispensable。’’

Yousaytruth，’’saidtheSaracen；forthecurseisstillonyonderseaofdeath，andneithermannorbeastdrinksofitswaves，noroftheriverwhichfeedswithoutfillingit，untilthisinhospitabledesertbepassed。’’

Theymounted，andpursuedtheirjourneyacrossthesandywaste。Theardourofnoonwasnowpast，andalightbreezesomewhatalleviatedtheterrorsofthedesert，thoughnotwithoutbearingonitswingsanimpalpabledust，whichtheSaracenlittleheeded，thoughhisheavily-armedcompanionfeltitassuchanannoyance，thathehunghisironcasqueathissaddle-bow，andsubstitutedthelightriding-cap，termedinthelanguageofthetimea_mortier，_fromitsresemblanceinshapetoanordinarymortar。Theyrodetogetherforsometimeinsilence，theSaracenperformingthepartofdirectorandguideofthejourney，whichhedidbyobservingminutemarksandbearingsofthedistantrocks，toaridgeofwhichtheyweregraduallyapproaching。Foralittletimeheseemedabsorbedinthetask，asapilotwhennavigatingavesselthroughadifficultchannel；

buttheyhadnotproceededhalf-a-league，whenheseemedsecureofhisroute，anddisposed，withmorefranknessthanwasusualtohisnation，toenterintoconversation。

Youhaveaskedthename，’’hesaid，ofamutefountain，whichhaththesemblance，butnotthereality，ofalivingthing。

LetmebepardonedtoaskthenameofthecompanionwithwhomIhavethisdayencountered，bothindangerandinrepose，andwhichIcannotfancyunknown，evenhereamongthedesertsofPalestine？’’

Itisnotyetworthpublishing，’’saidtheChristian。Know，however，thatamongthesoldiersoftheCrossIamcalledKenneth-KennethoftheCouchingLeopard；athomeIhaveothertitles，buttheywouldsoundharshinanEasternear。BraveSaracen，letmeaskwhichofthetribesofArabiaclaimsyourdescent，andbywhatnameyouareknown？’’

SirKenneth，’’saidtheMoslem，Ijoythatyournameissuchasmylipscaneasilyutter。Forme，IamnoArab，yetderivemydescentfromalineneitherlesswildnorlesswarlike。

Know，SirKnightoftheLeopard，thatIamSheerkohf，theLionoftheMountain，andthatKurdistan，fromwhichI

derivemydescent，holdsnofamilymorenoblethanthatofSeljook。’’

Ihaveheard，’’answeredtheChristian，thatyourgreatSoldanclaimshisbloodfromthesamesource？’’

ThankstotheProphetthathathsofarhonouredourmountains，astosendfromtheirbosomhimwhosewordisvictory，’’answeredthePaynim。IambutasawormbeforetheKingofEgyptandSyria，andyetinmyownlandsomethingmynamemayavail-Stranger，withhowmanymendidstthoucomeonthiswarfare？’’

Bymyfaith，’’saidSirKenneth，withaidoffriendsandkinsmen，Iwashardlypinchedtofurnishforthtenwell-appointedlances，withmaybesomefiftymoremen，archersandvarletsincluded。Somehavedesertedmyunluckypennon-

somehavefalleninbattle-severalhavediedofdisease-

andonetrustyarmour-bearer，forwhoselifeIamnowdoingmypilgrimage，liesonthebedofsickness。’’

Christian，’’saidSheerkohf，hereIhavefivearrowsinmyquiver，eachfeatheredfromthewingofaneagle。WhenI

sendoneofthemtomytents，athousandwarriorsmountonhorseback-whenIsendanother，anequalforcewillarise-forthefiveIcancommandfivethousandmen；andifIsendmybow，tenthousandmountedriderswillshakethedesert。AndwiththyfiftyfollowersthouhastcometoinvadealandinwhichIamoneofthemeanest！’’

Now，bytherood，Saracen，’’retortedthewesternwarrior，thoushouldstknow，erethouvauntestthyself，thatonesteelglovecancrushawholehandfulofhornets。’’

Ay，butitmustfirstenclosethemwithinitsgrasp，’’saidtheSaracen，withasmilewhichmighthaveendangeredtheirnewalliance，hadhenotchangedthesubjectbyadding，AndisbraverysomuchesteemedamongsttheChristianprinces，thatthou，thusvoidofmeansandofmen，canstoffer，asthoudidstoflate，tobemyprotectorandsecurityinthecampofthybrethren？’’

Know，Saracen，’’saidtheChristian，sincesuchisthystyle，thatthenameofaknight，andthebloodofagentleman，entitlehimtoplacehimselfonthesamerankwithsovereignsevenofthefirstdegree，insofarasregardsallbutregalauthorityanddominion。WereRichardofEnglandhimselftowoundthehonourofaknightaspoorasIam，hecouldnot，bythelawofchivalry，denyhimthecombat。’’

MethinksIshouldliketolookuponsostrangeascene，’’

saidtheEmir，inwhichaleathernbeltandapairofspursputthepoorestonalevelwiththemostpowerful。’’

Youmustaddfreebloodandafearlessheart，’’saidtheChristian；then，perhaps，youwillnothavespokenuntrulyofthedignityofknighthood。’’

Andmixyouasboldlyamongstthefemalesofyourchiefsandleaders？’’askedtheSaracen。

Godforbid，’’saidtheKnightoftheLeopard，thatthepoorestKnightinChristendomshouldnotbefree，inallhonourableservice，todevotehishandandsword，thefameofhisactions，andthefixeddevotionofhisheart，tothefairestprincesswhoeverworecoronetonherbrow！’’

Butalittlewhilesince，’’saidtheSaracen，andyoudescribedloveasthehighesttreasureoftheheart-thinehathundoubtedlybeenhighlyandnoblybestowed？’’

Stranger，’’answeredtheChristian，blushingdeeplyashespoke，wetellnotrashlywhereitiswehavebestowedourchoicesttreasures-itisenoughfortheetoknow，that，asthousayest，myloveishighlyandnoblybestowed-mosthighly-

mostnobly；butifthouwouldsthearofloveandbrokenlances，venturethyself，asthousayest，totheCampoftheCrusaders，andthouwiltfindexerciseforthineears，and，ifthouwilt，forthyhandstoo。’’

TheEasternwarrior，raisinghimselfinhisstirrups，andshakingalofthislance，replied，Hardly，Ifear，shallIfindonewithacrossedshoulder，whowillexchangewithmethecastofthejerrid。’’

Iwillnotpromiseforthat，’’repliedtheKnight，thoughtherebeinthecampcertainSpaniards，whohaverightgoodskillinyourEasterngameofhurlingthejavelin。’’

Dogsandsonsofdogs！’’ejaculatedtheSaracen；whathavetheseSpaniardstodotocomehithertocombatthetruebelievers，who，intheirownland，aretheirlordsandtask-masters？

withthemIwouldmixinnowarlikepastime。’’

LetnottheknightsofLeonorAsturiashearyouspeakthusofthem，’’saidtheKnightoftheLeopard；but，’’addedhe，smilingattherecollectionofthemorning’scombat，if，insteadofareed，youwereinclinedtostandthecutofabattle-axe，thereareenoughofwesternwarriorswhowouldgratifyyourlonging。’’

Bythebeardofmyfather，sir，’’saidtheSaracen，withanapproachtolaughter，thegameistooroughformeresport-

Iwillnevershuntheminbattle，butmyhead’’(pressinghishandtohisbrow)willnot，forawhile，permitmetoseektheminsport。’’

IwouldyousawtheaxeofKingRichard，’’answeredthewesternwarrior，towhichthatwhichhangsatmysaddlebowweighsbutasafeather。’’

Wehearmuchofthatislandsovereign，’’saidtheSaracen，artthouoneofhissubjects？’’

OneofhisfollowersIam，forthisexpedition，’’answeredtheKnight，andhonouredintheservice；butnotbornhissubject，althoughanativeoftheislandinwhichhereigns。’’

Howmeanyou？’’saidtheEasternsoldier；haveyouthentwokingsinonepoorisland？’’