第17章

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。