第12章

Tothesediscouragingcausesoflosswastobeaddedtheswordoftheenemy。Saladin，thanwhomnogreaternameisrecordedinEasternhistory，hadlearnt，tohisfatalexperience，thathislight-armedfollowerswerelittleabletomeetincloseencounterwiththeiron-cladFranks，andhadbeentaught，atthesametime，toapprehendanddreadtheadventurouscharacterofhisantagonistRichard。Butifhisarmiesweremorethanonceroutedwithgreatslaughter，hisnumbersgavetheSaracentheadvantageinthoselighterskirmishes，ofwhichmanywereinevitable。

Asthearmyofhisassailantsdecreased，theenterprisesoftheSultanbecamemorenumerousandmoreboldinthisspeciesofpettywarfare。ThecampoftheCrusaderswassurrounded，andalmostbesieged，bycloudsoflightcavalry，resemblingswarmsofwasps，easilycrushedwhentheyareoncegrasped，butfurnishedwithwingstoeludesuperiorstrength，andstingstoinflictharmandmischief。Therewasperpetualwarfareofpostsandforagers，inwhichmanyvaluableliveswerelost，withoutanycorrespondingobjectbeinggained；convoyswereintercepted，andcommunicationswerecutoff。TheCrusadershadtopurchasethemeansofsustaininglifebylifeitself；andwater，likethatofthewellofBethlehem，longedforbyKingDavid，oneofitsancientmonarchs，wasthen，asbefore，onlyobtainedbytheexpenditureofblood。

Theseevilswere，inagreatmeasure，counterbalancedbythesternresolutionandrestlessactivityofKingRichard，who，withsomeofhisbestknights，waseveronhorseback，readytorepairtoanypointwheredangeroccurred，andoftennotonlybringingunexpectedsuccourtotheChristians，butdiscomfitingtheinfidelswhentheyseemedmostsecureofvictory。ButeventheironframeofCurdeLioncouldnotsupport，withoutinjury，thealternationsoftheunwholesomeclimate，joinedtoceaselessexertionsofbodyandmind。HebecameafflictedwithoneofthoseslowandwastingfeverspeculiartoAsia，and，indespiteofhisgreatstrength，andstillgreatercourage，grewfirstunfittomountonhorseback，andthenunabletoattendthecouncilsofwarwhichwere，fromtimetotime，heldbytheCrusaders。

ItwasdifficulttosaywhetherthisstateofpersonalinactivitywasrenderedmoregallingormoreendurabletotheEnglishmonarch，bytheresolutionofthecounciltoengageinatruceofthirtydayswiththeSultanSaladin；for，ontheonehand，ifhewasincensedatthedelaywhichthisinterposedtotheprogressofthegreatenterprise，hewas，ontheother，somewhatconsoledbyknowingthatotherswerenotacquiringlaurelswhileheremainedinactiveuponasick-bed。

That，however，whichCurdeLioncouldleastexcuse，wasthegeneralinactivitywhichprevailedinthecampoftheCrusaders，sosoonashisillnessassumedaseriousaspect；andthereportswhichheextractedfromhisunwillingattendantsgavehimtounderstand，thatthehopesofthehosthadabatedinproportiontohisillness，andthattheintervaloftrucewasemployed，notinrecruitingtheirnumbers，reanimatingtheircourage，fosteringtheirspiritofconquest，andpreparingforaspeedyanddeterminedadvanceupontheHolyCity，whichwastheobjectoftheirexpedition，butinsecuringthecampoccupiedbytheirdiminishedfollowers，withtrenches，palisades，andotherfortifications，asifpreparingrathertorepelanattackfromapowerfulenemysosoonashostilitiesshouldrecommence，thantoassumetheproudcharacterofconquerorsandassailants。

TheEnglishkingchafedunderthesereports，liketheimprisonedlionviewinghispreyfromtheironbarriersofhiscage。Naturallyrashandimpetuous，theirritabilityofhistemperpreyedonitself。Hewasdreadedbyhisattendants，andeventhemedicalassistantsfearedtoassumethenecessaryauthority，whichaphysician，todojusticetohispatient，mustneedsexerciseoverhim。Onefaithfulbaron，who，perhaps，fromthecongenialnatureofhisdisposition，wasdevoutlyattachedtotheKing’sperson，daredalonetocomebetweenthedragonandhiswrath，andquietly，butfirmly，maintainedacontrolwhichnootherdaredassumeoverthedangerousinvalid，andwhichThomasdeMultononlyexercised，becauseheesteemedhissovereign’slifeandhonourmorethanhedidthedegreeoffavourwhichhemightlose，oreventheriskwhichhemightincur，innursingapatientsointractable，andwhosedispleasurewassoperilous。

SirThomaswastheLordofGilsland，inCumberland，and，inanagewhensurnamesandtitleswerenotdistinctlyattached，asnow，totheindividualswhoborethem，hewascalledbytheNormanstheLorddeVaux，andinEnglish，bytheSaxons，whoclungtotheirnativelanguage，andwereproudoftheshareofSaxonbloodinthisrenownedwarrior’sveins，hewastermedThomas，ormorefamiliarly，TomoftheGills，orNarrowValleys，fromwhichhisextensivedomainsderivedtheirwell-knownappellation。

Thischiefhadbeenexercisedinalmostallthewars，whetherwagedbetwixtEnglandandScotland，oramongstthevariousdomesticfactionswhichthentoretheformercountryasunder，andinallhadbeendistinguished，aswellfromhismilitaryconductashispersonalprowess。Hewas，inotherrespects，arudesoldier，bluntandcarelessinhisbearing，andtaciturn，nay，almostsulleninhishabitsofsociety，andseeming，atleast，todisclaimallknowledgeofpolicyandofcourtlyart。Thereweremen，however，whopretendedtolookdeeplyintocharacter，whoassertedthattheLorddeVauxwasnotlessshrewdandaspiring，thanhewasbluntandbold，andwhothoughtthat，whileheassimilatedhimselftotheking’sowncharacterofblunthardihood，itwas，insomedegreeatleast，withaneyetoestablishhisfavourandtogratifyhisownhopesofdeep-laidambition。

Butnoonecaredtothwarthisschemes，ifsuchhehad，byrivallinghiminthedangerousoccupationofdailyattendanceonthesick-bedofapatientwhosediseasewaspronouncedinfectious，andmoreespeciallywhenitwasrememberedthatthepatientwasCurdeLion，sufferingunderallthefuriousimpatienceofasoldierwithheldfrombattle，andasovereignsequesteredfromauthority；andthecommonsoldiers，atleastintheEnglisharmy，weregenerallyofopinionthatDeVauxattendedontheKing，likecomradeuponcomrade，inthehonestanddisinterestedfranknessofmilitaryfriendship，contractedbetweenthepartakersofdailydangers。

ItwasonthedeclineofaSyriandaythatRichardlayonhiscouchofsickness，loathingitasmuchinhismindashisillnessmadeitirksometohisbody。Hisbrightblueeye，whichatalltimesshonewithuncommonkeennessandsplendour，haditsvivacityaugmentedbyfeverandmentalimpatience，andglancedfromamonghiscurledandunshornlocksofyellowhair，asfitfullyandasvividlyasthelastgleamsofthesunshootthroughthecloudsofanapproachingthunderstorm，whichstill，however，aregildedbyitsbeams。Hismanlyfeaturesshowedtheprogressofwastingillness，andhisbeard，neglectedanduntrimmed，hadovergrownbothlipsandchin。Castinghimselffromsidetoside，nowclutchingtowardshimthecoverings，whichatthenextmomentheflungasimpatientlyfromhim，histossedcouchandimpatientgesturesshowedatoncetheenergyandtherecklessimpatienceofadisposition，whosenaturalspherewasthatofthemostactiveexertion。

BesidehiscouchstoodThomasdeVaux，inface，attitude，andmanner，thestrongestpossiblecontrasttothesufferingmonarch。

Hisstatureapproachedthegigantic，andhishairinthicknessmighthaveresembledthatofSamson，thoughonlyaftertheIsraelitishchampion’slockshadpassedundertheshearsofthePhilistines，forthoseofDeVauxwerecutshort，thattheymightbeenclosedunderhishelmet。Thelightofhisbroad，largehazeleye，resembledthatoftheautumnmorn，anditwasonlyperturbedforamoment，whenfromtimetotimeitwasattractedbyRichard’svehementmarksofagitationandrestlessness。Hisfeatures，thoughmassivelikehisperson，mighthavebeenhandsomebeforetheyweredefacedwithsears；hisupperlip，afterthefashionoftheNormans，wascoveredwiththickmustaches，whichgrewsolongandluxuriantlyastominglewithhishair，and，likehishair，weredarkbrown，slightlybrindledwithgrey。Hisframeseemedofthatkindwhichmostreadilydefiesbothtoilandclimate，forhewasthinflanked，broadchested，longarmed，deepbreathed，andstronglimbed。Hehadnotlaidasidehisbuff-coat，whichdisplayedthecross-cutontheshoulder，formorethanthreenights，enjoyingbutsuchmomentaryreposeasthewarderofasickmonarch’scouchmightbysnatchesindulge。

ThisBaronrarelychangedhisposture，excepttoadministertoRichardthemedicineorrefreshments，whichnoneofhislessfavouredattendantscouldpersuadetheimpatientmonarchtotake；andtherewassomethingaffectinginthekindly，yetawkwardmannerinwhichhedischargedofficessostrangelycontrastedwithhisbluntandsoldierlyhabitsandmanners。

Thepavilioninwhichthesepersonageswere，had，asbecamethetime，aswellasthepersonalcharacterofRichard，moreofawarlikethanasumptuousorroyalcharacter。Weaponsoffensiveanddefensive，severalofthemofstrangeandnewly-inventedconstruction，werescatteredaboutthetentedapartment，ordisposeduponthepillowswhichsupportedit。Skinsofanimalsslaininthechasewerestretchedontheground，orextendedalongthesidesofthepavilion，and，uponaheapofthesesilvanspoils，laythree_alans，_astheywerethencalled(wolf-greyhounds，thatis)，ofthelargestsize，andaswhiteassnow。

Theirfaces，markedwithmanyascarfromclutchandfang，showedtheirshareincollectingthetrophiesuponwhichtheyreposed，andtheireyes，fixedfromtimetotimewithanexpressivestretchandyawnuponthebedofRichard，evincedhowmuchtheymarvelledatandregrettedtheunwontedinactivitywhichtheywerecompelledtoshare。Thesewerebuttheaccompanimentsofthesoldierandhuntsman；but，onasmalltableclosebythebedwasplacedashieldofwroughtsteel，oftriangularform，bearingthethreelionspassant，firstassumedbythechivalrousmonarch，andbeforeitthegoldencirclet，resemblingmuchaducalcoronet，onlythatitwashigherinfrontthanbehind，which，withthepurplevelvetandembroideredtiarathatlinedit，formedthentheemblemofEngland’ssovereignty。

Besideit，asifpromptfordefendingtheregalsymbol，layamightycurtalaxe，whichwouldhaveweariedthearmofanyotherthanCurdeLion。

Inanouterpartitionofthepavilionwaitedtwoorthreeofficersoftheroyalhousehold，depressed，anxiousfortheirmaster’shealth，andnotlesssofortheirownsafety，incaseofhisdecease。Theirgloomyapprehensionsspreadthemselvestothewarderswithout，whopacedaboutindowncastandsilentcontemplation，or，restingontheirhalberds，stoodmotionlessontheirpost，ratherlikearmedtrophiesthanlivingwarriors。

Sothouhastnobetternewstobringmefromwithout，SirThomas？’’saidtheKing，afteralongandperturbedsilence，spentinthefeverishagitationwhichwehaveendeavouredtodescribe。

Allourknightsturnedwomen，andourladiesbecomedevotees，andneitherasparkofvalournorofgallantrytoenlightenacampwhichcontainsthechoicestofEurope’schivalry-Ha！’’

Thetruce，mylord，’’saidDeVaux，withthesamepatiencewithwhichhehadtwentytimesrepeatedtheexplanation-thetrucepreventsusbearingourselvesasmenofaction；and，fortheladies，Iamnogreatreveller，asiswellknowntoyourMajesty，andseldomexchangesteelandbuffforvelvetandgold-butthusfarIknow，thatourchoicestbeautiesarewaitingupontheQueen’sMajestyandthePrincess，toapilgrimagetotheconventofEngaddi，toaccomplishtheirvowsforyourHighness’sdeliverancefromthistrouble。’’

Andisitthus，’’saidRichard，withtheimpatienceofindisposition，thatroyalmatronsandmaidensshouldriskthemselves，wherethedogswhodefilethelandhaveaslittletruthtoman，astheyhavefaithtowardsGod？’’

Nay，mylord，’’saidDeVaux，theyhaveSaladin’swordfortheirsafety。’’

True，true！’’repliedRichard，andIdidtheheathenSoldaninjustice-Iowehimreparationforit-WouldGodI

werebutfittoofferithimuponmybodybetweenthetwohosts-ChristendomandHeathenessebothlookingon！’’

AsRichardspoke，hethrusthisrightarmoutofbed，nakedtotheshoulder，and，painfullyraisinghimselfinhiscouch，shookhisclenchedhand，asifitgraspedswordorbattle-axe，andwasthenbrandishedoverthejewelledturbanoftheSoldan。

Itwasnotwithoutagentledegreeofviolence，whichtheKingwouldscarcehaveenduredfromanother，thatDeVaux，inhischaracterofsick-nurse，compelledhisroyalmastertoreplacehimselfinthecouch，andcoveredhissinewyarm，neck，andshoulders，withthecarewhichamotherbestowsuponanimpatientchild。

Thouartaroughnurse，thoughawillingone，DeVaux，’’