第14章
theywerehisnearneighbours，withwhomhehadbeenengagedduringhiswholelifeinprivateorpublicwarfare，andonwhomhehadinflictedmanycalamities，whilehehadsustainedattheirhandsnotafew。HisloveanddevotiontotheKingwaslikethevividaffectionoftheoldEnglishmastifftohismaster，leavinghimchurlishandinaccessibletoallothers，eventowardsthosetowhomhewasindifferent，androughanddangeroustoanyagainstwhomheentertainedaprejudice。DeVauxhadneverobserved，withoutjealousyanddispleasure，hisKingexhibitanymarkofcourtesyorfavourtothewicked，deceitful，andferociousrace，bornontheothersideofariver，oranimaginarylinedrawnthroughwasteandwilderness，andheevendoubtedthesuccessofaCrusadeinwhichtheyweresufferedtobeararms，holdingtheminhissecretsoullittlebetterthantheSaracenswhomhecametocombat。Itmaybeadded，that，asbeinghimselfabluntanddownrightEnglishman，unaccustomedtoconcealtheslightestmovementeitherofloveorofdislike，heaccountedthefair-spokencourtesy，whichtheScotshadlearned，eitherfromimitationoftheirfrequentallies，theFrench，orwhichmighthavearisenfromtheirownproudandreservedcharacter，asafalseandastuciousmarkofthemostdangerousdesignsagainsttheirneighbours，overwhomhebelieved，withgenuineEnglishconfidence，theycould，byfairmanhood，neverobtainanyadvantage。
Yet，thoughDeVauxentertainedthesesentimentsconcerninghisnorthernneighbours，andextendedthem，withlittlemitigation，eventosuchashadassumedtheCross，hisrespectfortheKing，andasenseofthedutyimposedbyhisvowasaCrusader，preventedhimfromdisplayingthemotherwisethanbyregularlyshunningallintercoursewithhisScottishbrethren-at-arms，asfaraspossible，-byobservingasullentaciturnity，whencompelledtomeetthemoccasionally，-andbylookingscornfullyuponthemwhentheyencounteredonthemarchandincamp。TheScottishbaronsandknightswerenotmentobearhisscornunobservedorunrepliedto；anditcametothatpass，thathewasregardedasthedeterminedandactiveenemyofanation，whom，afterall，heonlydisliked，andinsomesortdespised。Nay，itwasremarkedbycloseobservers，that，ifhehadnottowardsthemthecharityofScripture，whichsufferethlong，andjudgeskindly，hewasbynomeansdeficientinthesubordinateandlimitedvirtue，whichalleviatesandrelievesthewantsofothers。ThewealthofThomasofGilslandprocuredsuppliesofprovisionsandmedicines，andsomeoftheseusuallyflowedbysecretchannelsintothequartersoftheScottish；hissurlybenevolenceproceedingontheprinciple，that，nexttoaman’sfriend，hisfoewasofmostimportancetohim，passingoveralltheintermediaterelations，astooindifferenttomeritevenathought。Thisexplanationisnecessary，inorderthatthereadermayfullyunderstandwhatwearenowtodetail。
ThomasdeVauxhadnotmademanystepsbeyondtheentranceoftheroyalpavilion，whenhewasawareofwhatthefarmoreacuteearoftheEnglishmonarch，nomeanproficientintheartofminstrelsy，hadinstantlydiscovered，thatthemusicalstrains，namely，whichhadreachedtheirears，wereproducedbythepipes，shalms，andkettle-drumsoftheSaracens；and，atthebottomofanavenueoftents，whichformedabroadaccesstothepavilionofRichard，hecouldseeacrowdofidlesoldiersassembledaroundthespotfromwhichthemusicwasheard，almostinthecentreofthecamp；andhesaw，withgreatsurprise，mingledamidthehelmetsofvariousformswornbytheCrusadersofdifferentnations，whiteturbansandlongpikes，announcingthepresenceofarmedSaracens，andthehugedeformedheadsofseveralcamelsordromedariesoverlookingthemultitudebyaidoftheirlongdisproportionednecks。
Wonderinganddispleasedatasightsounexpectedandsingular，-foritwascustomarytoleaveallflagsoftruceandothercommunicationsfromtheenemyatanappointedplacewithoutthebarriers，-thebaronlookedeagerlyroundforsomeoneofwhomhemightinquirethecauseofthisalarmingnovelty。
Thefirstpersonwhomhemetadvancingtohim，hesetdownatonce，byhisgraveandhaughtystep，asaSpaniardoraScot；
andpresentlyaftermutteredtohimself-AndaScotitis-heoftheLeopard-Ihaveseenhimfightindifferentlywellforoneofhiscountry。’’
Loathtoaskevenapassingquestion，hewasabouttopassSirKenneth，withthatsullenandloweringportwhichseemstosay，Iknowthee，butIwillholdnocommunicationwiththee；’’
buthispurposewasdefeatedbytheNorthernKnight，whomovedforwarddirectlytohim，andaccostinghimwithformalcourtesy，said，MyLorddeVauxofGilsland，Ihaveinchargetospeakwithyou。’’
Ha！’’returnedtheEnglishbaron，withme？But，sayyourpleasure，soitbeshortlyspoken-IamontheKing’serrand。’’
MinetouchesKingRichardyetmorenearly，’’answeredSirKenneth；Ibringhim，Itrust，health。’’
TheLordofGilslandmeasuredtheScotwithincredulouseyes，andreplied，Thouartnoleech，Ithink，SirScot-IhadassoonthoughtofyourbringingtheKingofEnglandwealth。’’
SirKenneth，thoughdispleasedwiththemannerofthebaron’sreply，answeredcalmly，HealthtoRichardisgloryandwealthtoChristendom-Butmytimepresses；Iprayyou，mayIseetheKing？’’
Surelynot，fairsir，’’saidthebaron，untilyourerrandbetoldmoredistinctly。Thesickchambersofprincesopennottoallwhoinquire，likeanorthernhostelry。’’
Mylord，’’saidKenneth，thecrosswhichIwearincommonwithyourself，andtheimportanceofwhatIhavetotell，must，forthepresent，causemetopassoverabearing，whichelseI
wereunapttoendure。Inplainlanguage，then，IbringwithmeaMoorishphysician，whoundertakestoworkacureonKingRichard。’’
AMoorishphysician；’’saidDeVaux；andwhowillwarrantthathebringsnotpoisonsinsteadofremedies？’’
Hisownlife，mylord-hishead，whichheoffersasaguarantee。’’
Ihaveknownmanyaresoluteruffian，’’saidDeVaux，whovaluedhisownlifeaslittleasitdeserved，andwouldtrooptothegallowsasmerrilyasifthehangmanwerehispartnerinadance。’’
Butthusitis，mylord，’’repliedtheScot；Saladin，towhomnonewilldenythecreditofagenerousandvaliantenemy，hathsentthisleechhitherwithanhonourableretinueandguard，befittingthehighestimationinwhichElHakim<*>isheldby*Thephysician。
theSoldan，andwithfruitsandrefreshmentsfortheKing’s。
privatechamber，andsuchmessageasmaypassbetwixthonourableenemies，prayinghimtoberecoveredofhisfever，thathemaybethefittertoreceiveavisitfromtheSoldan，withhisnakedscimitarinhishand，andanhundredthousandcavaliersathisback。Willitpleaseyou，whoareoftheKing’ssecretcouncil，tocausethesecamelstobedischargedoftheirburdens，andsomeordertakenastothereceptionofthelearnedphysician？’’
Wonderful！’’saiddeVaux，asspeakingtohimself-AndwhowillvouchforthehonourofSaladin，inacasewhenbadfaithwouldridhimatonceofhismostpowerfuladversary？’’
Imyself，’’repliedSirKenneth，willbehisguarantee，withhonour，life，andfortune。’’
Strange！’’againejaculatedDeVaux；theNorthvouchesfortheSouth-theScotfortheTurk！-MayIcraveofyou，SirKnight，howyoubecameconcernedinthisaffair？’’
Ihavebeenabsentonapilgrimage，inthecourseofwhich，’’
repliedSirKenneth，IhadamessagetodischargetowardstheholyhermitofEngaddi。’’
MayInotbeintrustedwithit，SirKenneth，andwiththeansweroftheholyman？’’
Itmaynotbe，mylord，’’answeredtheScot。
IamofthesecretcouncilofEngland，’’saidtheEnglishman，haughtily。
TowhichlandIowenoallegiance，’’saidKenneth。
ThoughIhavevoluntarilyfollowedinthiswarthepersonalfortunesofEngland’ssovereign，IwasdespatchedbytheGeneralCouncilofthekings，princes，andsupremeleadersofthearmyoftheBlessedCross，andtothemonlyIrendermyerrand。’’
Ha！say’stthou？’’saidtheproudBarondeVaux。Butknow，messengerofthekingsandprincesasthoumay’stbe，noleechshallapproachthesick-bedofRichardofEngland，withouttheconsentofhimofGilsland；andtheywillcomeonevilerrandwhodaretointrudethemselvesagainstit。’’
Hewasturningloftilyaway，whentheScot，placinghimselfcloser，andmoreoppositetohim，asked，inacalmvoice，yetnotwithoutexpressinghisshareofpride，whethertheLordofGilslandesteemedhimagentlemanandagoodknight。
AllScotsareennobledbytheirbirthright，’’answeredThomasdeVaux，somethingironically；but，sensibleofhisowninjustice，andperceivingthatKenneth’scolourrose，headded，Foragoodknightitweresintodoubtyou，inoneatleastwhohasseenyouwellandbravelydischargeyourdevoir。’’
Well，then，’’saidtheScottishknight，satisfiedwiththefranknessofthelastadmission，andletmesweartoyou，ThomasofGilsland，thatasIamtrueScottishman，whichI
holdaprivilegeequaltomyancientgentry，andassureasIamabeltedknight，andcomehithertoacquire_los_<*>andfamein*_Los-laus，_praise，orrenown。
thismortallife，andforgivenessofmysinsinthatwhichistocome-sotruly，andbytheblessedCrosswhichIwear，doIprotestuntoyou，thatIdesirebutthesafetyofRichardC
TheEnglishmanwasstruckwiththesolemnityoftheobtestation，andansweredwithmorecordialitythanhehadyetexhibited，Tellme，SirKnightoftheLeopard，granting(whichI
donotdoubt)thatthouartthyselfsatisfiedinthismatter，shallIdowell，inalandwheretheartofpoisoningisasgeneralasthatofcooking，tobringthisunknownphysiciantopractisewithhisdrugsonahealthsovaluabletoChristendom？’’
Mylord，’’repliedtheScot，thusonlycanIreply；thatmysquire，theonlyoneofmyretinuewhomwaranddiseasehadleftinattendanceonme，hasbeenoflatesufferingdangerouslyunderthissamefever，which，invaliantKingRichard，hasdisabledtheprincipallimbofourholyenterprise。Thisleech，thisElHakim，hathministeredremediestohimnottwohourssince，andalreadyhehathfallenintoarefreshingsleep。
Thathecancurethedisorder，whichhasprovedsofatal，I
nothingdoubt；thathehaththepurposetodoit，is，Ithink，warrantedbyhismissionfromtheroyalSoldan，whoistrue-heartedandloyal，sofarasablindedinfidelmaybecalledso；
and，forhiseventualsuccess，thecertaintyofrewardincaseofsucceeding，andpunishmentincaseofvoluntaryfailure，maybeasufficientguarantee。’’
TheEnglishmanlistenedwithdowncastlooks，asonewhodoubted，yetwasnotunwillingtoreceiveconviction。Atlengthhelookedupandsaid，MayIseeyoursicksquire，fairsir？’’
TheScottishknighthesitatedandcoloured，yetansweredatlast，Willingly，myLordofGilsland；butyoumustremember，whenyouseemypoorquarter，thatthenoblesandknightsofScotlandfeednotsohigh，sleepnotsosoft，andcarenotforthemagnificenceoflodgment，whichispropertotheirsouthernneighbours。Iampoorlylodged，myLordofGilsland，’’headded，withahaughtyemphasisontheword，while，withsomeunwillingness，heledthewaytohistemporaryplaceofabode。
WhateverweretheprejudicesofDeVauxagainstthenationofhisnewacquaintance，andthoughweundertakenottodenythatsomeofthesewereexcitedbyitsproverbialpoverty，hehadtoomuchnoblenessofdispositiontoenjoythemortificationofabraveindividual，thuscompelledtomakeknownwantswhichhispridewouldgladlyhaveconcealed。
ShametothesoldieroftheCross，’’hesaid，whothinksofworldlysplendour，orofluxuriousaccommodation，whenpressingforwardtotheconquestoftheHolyCity。Fareashardaswemay，weshallyetbebetterthanthehostofmartyrsandofsaints，who，havingtrodthesescenesbeforeus，nowholdgoldenlampsandevergreenpalms。’’
ThiswasthemostmetaphoricalspeechwhichThomasofGilslandwaseverknowntoutter，therather，perhaps(aswillsometimeshappen)，thatitdidnotentirelyexpresshisownsentiments，beingsomewhataloverofgoodcheerandsplendidaccommodation。Bythistimetheyreachedtheplaceofthecamp，wheretheKnightoftheLeopardhadassumedhisabode。
Appearancesheredidindeedpromisenobreachofthelawsofmortification，towhichtheCrusaders，accordingtotheopinionexpressedbyhimofGilsland，oughttosubjectthemselves。A