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The Tapestried Chamber
投诉 阅读记录

第19章

AndIalsomayguess,’’saidtheKing,frowningsternly;

butitisenough。Leopardasyouare,SirKnight,bewaretemptingthelion’spaw。Harkye-tobecomeenamouredofthemoonwouldbebutanactoffolly;buttoleapfromthebattlementsofaloftytower,inthewildhopeofcomingwithinhersphere,wereself-destructivemadness。’’

Atthismomentsomebustlingwasheardintheouterapartment,andtheKing,hastilychangingtohismorenaturalmanner,said,Enough-begone-speedtoDeVaux,andsendhimhitherwiththeArabianphysician。MylifeforthefaithoftheSoldan!

Wouldhebutabjurehisfalselaw,IwouldaidhimwithmyswordtodrivethisscumofFrenchandAustriansfromhisdominions,andthinkPalestineaswellruledbyhimaswhenherkingswereanointedbythedecreeofHeavenitself。’’

TheKnightoftheLeopardretired,andpresentlyafterwardsthechamberlainannouncedadeputationfromtheCouncil,whohadcometowaitontheMajestyofEngland。

ItiswelltheyallowthatIamlivingyet,’’washisreply。

Whoarethereverendambassadors?’’

TheGrandMasteroftheTemplars,andtheMarquisofMontserrat。’’

OurbrotherofFrancelovesnotsick-beds,’’saidRichard;

yet,hadPhilipbeenill,Ihadstoodbyhiscouchlongsince-

Jocelyn,laymethecouchmorefairly,itistumbledlikeastormysea-reachmeyondersteelmirror-passacombthroughmyhairandbeard。Theylook,indeed,likeralion’smanethanaChristianman’slocks-bringwater。’’

Mylord,’’saidthetremblingchamberlain,theleechessaythatcoldwatermaybefatal。’’

Tothefoulfiendwiththeleeches!’’repliedthemonarch;

iftheycannotcureme,thinkyouIwillallowthemtotormentme?-There,then’’-hesaid,afterhavingmadehisablutions,admittheworshipfulenvoys;theywillnow,Ithink,scarcelyseethatdiseasehasmadeRichardnegligentofhisperson。’’

ThecelebratedMasteroftheTemplarswasatall,thin,war-wornman,withaslowyetpenetratingeye,andabrowonwhichathousanddarkintrigueshadstampedaportionoftheirobscurity。

Attheheadofthatsingularbody,towhomtheirorderwaseverything,andtheirindividualitynothing-seekingtheadvancementofitspower,evenatthehazardofthatveryreligionwhichthefraternitywereoriginallyassociatedtoprotect-accusedofheresyandwitchcraft,althoughbytheircharacterChristianpriests-suspectedofsecretleaguewiththeSoldan,thoughbyoathdevotedtotheprotectionoftheHolyTemple,oritsrecovery-thewholeorder,andthewholepersonalcharacterofitscommander,orGrandMaster,wasariddle,attheexpositionofwhichmostmenshuddered。TheGrandMasterwasdressedinhiswhiterobesofsolemnity,andhebarethe_abacus,_amysticstaffofoffice,thepeculiarformofwhichhasgivenrisetosuchsingularconjecturesandcommentaries,leadingtosuspicionsthatthiscelebratedfraternityofChristianknightswereembodiedunderthefoulestsymbolsofPaganism。

ConradeofMontserrathadamuchmorepleasingexteriorthanthedarkandmysteriouspriest-soldierbywhomhewasaccompanied。

Hewasahandsomeman,ofmiddleage,orsomethingpastthatterm,boldinthefield,sagaciousincouncil,gayandgallantintimesoffestivity;but,ontheotherhand,hewasgenerallyaccusedofversatility,ofanarrowandselfishambition,ofadesiretoextendhisownprincipality,withoutregardtothewealoftheLatinKingdomofPalestine,andofseekinghisowninterest,byprivatenegotiationswithSaladin,totheprejudiceoftheChristianleaguers。

Whentheusualsalutationshadbeenmadebythesedignitaries,andcourteouslyreturnedbyKingRichard,theMarquisofMontserratcommencedanexplanationofthemotivesoftheirvisit,sent,ashesaidtheywere,bytheanxiousKingsandPrinceswhocomposedtheCounciloftheCrusaders,toinquireintothehealthoftheirmagnanimousally,thevaliantKingofEngland。’’

WeknowtheimportanceinwhichthePrincesoftheCouncilholdourhealth,’’repliedtheEnglishKing;andarewellawarehowmuchtheymusthavesufferedbysuppressingallcuriosityconcerningitforfourteendays,forfear,doubtless,ofaggravatingourdisorder,byshowingtheiranxietyregardingtheevent。’’

TheflowoftheMarquis’seloquencebeingchecked,andhehimselfthrownintosomeconfusionbythisreply,hismoreausterecompaniontookupthethreadoftheconversation,and,withasmuchdryandbriefgravityaswasconsistentwiththepresencewhichheaddressed,informedtheKingthattheycamefromtheCounciltopray,inthenameofChristendom,thathewouldnotsufferhishealthtobetamperedwithbyaninfidelphysician,saidtobedespatchedbySaladin,untiltheCouncilhadtakenmeasurestoremoveorconfirmthesuspicionwhichtheyatpresentconceiveddidattachitselftothemissionofsuchaperson。’’

GrandMasteroftheHolyandValiantOrderofKnightsTemplars,andyou,MostNobleMarquisofMontserrat,’’repliedRichard,ifitpleaseyoutoretireintotheadjoiningpavilion,youshallpresentlyseewhataccountwemakeofthetenderremonstrancesofourroyalandprincelycolleaguesinthismostreligiouswarfare。’’

TheMarquisandGrandMasterretiredaccordingly;norhadtheybeenmanyminutesintheoutwardpavilionwhentheEasternphysicianarrived,accompaniedbytheBaronofGilslandandKennethofScotland。Thebaron,however,wasalittlelaterofenteringthetentthantheothertwo,stopping,perchance,toissuesomeorderstothewarderswithout。

AstheArabianphysicianentered,hemadehisobeisance,aftertheOrientalfashion,totheMarquisandGrandMaster,whosedignitywasapparent,bothfromtheirappearanceandtheirbearing。TheGrandMasterreturnedthesalutationwithanexpressionofdisdainfulcoldness,theMarquis,withthepopularcourtesywhichhehabituallypractisedtomenofeveryrankandnation。Therewasapause;fortheScottishknight,waitingforthearrivalofDeVaux,presumednot,ofhisownauthority,toenterthetentoftheKingofEngland,and,duringthisinterval,theGrandMastersternlydemandedoftheMoslem,-Infidel,hastthouthecouragetopractisethineartuponthepersonofananointedsovereignoftheChristianhost?’’

ThesunofAllah,’’answeredthesage,shinesontheNazareneaswellasonthetruebeliever,andhisservantdaremakenodistinctionbetwixtthemwhencalledontoexercisehisartofhealing。’’

MisbelievingHakim,’’saidtheGrandMaster,orwhatsoevertheycalltheeforanunbaptizedslaveofdarkness,dostthouwellknow,thatthoushaltbetornasunderbywildhorsesshouldKingRicharddieunderthycharge?’’

Thatwerehardjustice,’’answeredthephysician;seeingthatIcanbutusehumanmeans,andthattheissueiswritteninthebookoflight。’’

Nay,reverendandvaliantGrandMaster,’’saidtheMarquisofMontserrat,considerthatthislearnedmanisnotacquaintedwithourChristianorder,adoptedinthefearofGod,andforthesafetyofhisanointed-Beitknownuntothee,gravephysician,whoseskillwedoubtnot,thatyourwisestcourseistorepairtothepresenceoftheillustriousCouncilofourHolyLeague,andtheretogiveaccountandreckoningtosuchwiseandlearnedleechesastheyshallnominate,concerningyourmeansofprocessandcureofthisillustriouspatient;soshallyouescapeallthedanger,which,rashlytakingsuchahighmatteruponyoursoleanswer,youmayelsemostlikelyincur。’’

Mylords,’’saidElHakim,Iunderstandyouwell。Butknowledgehathitschampionsaswellasyourmilitaryart,nay,hathsometimeshaditsmartyrsaswellasreligion。Ihavethecommandofmysovereign,theSoldanSaladin,tohealthisNazareneKing,and,withtheblessingoftheProphet,Iwillobeyhiscommands。IfIfail,yewearswordsthirstingforthebloodofthefaithful,andIproffermybodytoyourweapons。

ButIwillnotreasonwithoneuncircumciseduponthevirtueofthemedicinesofwhichIhaveobtainedknowledge,throughthegraceoftheProphet,andIprayyouinterposenodelaybetweenmeandmyoffice。’’

Whotalksofdelay?’’saidtheBarondeVaux,hastilyenteringthetent;wehavehadbuttoomuchalready-Isaluteyou,myLordofMontserrat,andyou,valiantGrandMaster。ButImustpresentlypasswiththislearnedphysiciantothebedsideofmymaster。’’

Mylord,’’saidtheMarquis,inNormanFrench,orthelanguageofOuie,asitwasthencalled,areyouwelladvisedthatwecametoexpostulateonthepartoftheCounciloftheMonarchsandPrincesoftheCrusade,againsttheriskofpermittinganinfidelandEasternphysiciantotamperwithahealthsovaluableasthatofyourmasterKingRichard?’’

NobleLordMarquis,’’repliedtheEnglishman,bluntly,Icanneitherusemanywords,nordoIdelightinlisteningtothem-moreover,Iammuchmorereadytobelievewhatmyeyeshaveseen,thanwhatmyearshaveheard。IamsatisfiedthatthisheathencancurethesicknessofKingRichard,andI

believeandtrusthewilllabourtodoso。Timeisprecious。

IfMahommed-mayGod’scursebeonhim!-stoodatthedoorofthetent,withsuchfairpurposeasthisAdonbecelHakimentertains,Iwouldholditsintodelayhimforaminute-

So,giveyeGod’en,mylords。’’

Nay,but,’’saidConradeofMontserrat,theKinghimselfsaidweshouldbepresentwhenthissamephysiciandealtuponhim。’’

Thebaronwhisperedthechamberlain,probablytoknowwhethertheMarquisspoketruly,andthenreplied,Mylords,ifyouwillholdyourpatience,youarewelcometoenterwithus;butifyouinterrupt,byactionorthreat,thisaccomplishedphysicianinhisduty,beitknown,that,withoutrespecttoyourhighquality,IwillenforceyourabsencefromRichard’stent;forknow,Iamsowellsatisfiedwiththevirtue,ofthisman’smedicines,thatwereRichardhimselftorefusethem,byOurLadyofLanercost,IthinkIcouldfindinmyhearttoforcehimtotakethemeansofhiscurewhetherhewouldorno-

Moveonward,ElHakim。’’

ThelastwordwasspokenintheLinguaFranca,andinstantlyobeyedbythephysician。TheGrandMasterlookedgrimlyontheunceremoniousoldsoldier,but,onexchangingaglancewiththeMarquis,smoothedhisfrowningbrowaswellashecould,andbothfollowedDeVauxandtheArabianintotheinnertent,whereRichardlayexpectingthem,withthatimpatiencewithwhichthesickpatientwatchesthestepofhisphysician。SirKenneth,whoseattendanceseemedneitheraskednorprohibited,felthimself,bythecircumstancesinwhichhestood,entitledtofollowthesehighdignitaries,but,consciousofhisinferiorpowerandrank,remainedaloofduringthescenewhichtookplace。

Richard,whentheyenteredhisapartment,immediatelyexclaimed,Soho!agoodlyfellowshipcometoseeRichardtakehisleapinthedark-Mynobleallies,Igreetyouastherepresentativesofourassembledleague;Richardwillagainbeamongstyouinhisformerfashion,oryeshallbeartothegravewhatisleftofhim-DeVaux,livesheordieshe,thouhastthethanksofthyprince-Thereisyetanother-butthisfeverhathwastedmyeyesight-what,theboldScot,whowouldclimbHeavenwithoutaladder?-heiswelcometoo-Come,SirHakim,tothework,tothework。’’

Thephysician,whohadalreadyinformedhimselfofthevarioussymptomsoftheKing’sillness,nowfelthispulseforalongtime,andwithdeepattention,whileallaroundstoodsilent,andinbreathlessexpectation。Thesagenextfilledacupwithspringwater,anddiptintoitthesmallredpurse,Which,asformerly,hetookfromhisbosom。Whenheseemedtothinkitsufficientlymedicated,hewasabouttoofferittothesovereign,whopreventedhim,bysaying,Holdaninstant-Thouhastfeltmypulse-letmelaymyfingeronthine-Itoo,asbecomesagoodknight,knowsomethingofthineart。’’

TheArabianyieldedhishandwithouthesitation,andhislongslenderdarkfingerswere,foraninstant,enclosed,andalmostburied,inthelargeenfoldmentofKingRichard’shand。

Hisbloodbeatscalmasaninfant’s,’’saidtheKing;sothrobnottheirswhopoisonprinces。DeVaux,whetherweliveordie,dismissthisHakimwithhonourandsafety-Commendus,friend,tothenobleSaladin。ShouldIdie,itiswithoutdoubtofhisfaith-shouldIlive,itwillbetothankhimasawarriorwoulddesiretobethanked。’’

Hethenraisedhimselfinbed,tookthecupinhishand,and,turningtotheMarquisandtheGrandMaster,-MarkwhatIsay,andletmyroyalbrethrenpledgemeinCypruswine,-

`TotheimmortalhonourofthefirstCrusader,whoshallstrikelanceorswordonthegateofJerusalem;andtotheshameandeternalinfamyofwhomsoevershallturnbackfromtheploughonwhichhehathlaidhishand!’’’

Hedrainedthecuptothebottom,resignedittotheArabian,andsunkback,asifexhausted,uponthecushionswhichwerearrangedtoreceivehim。Thephysician,then,withsilentbutexpressivesigns,directedthatallshouldleavethetent,exceptinghimselfandDeVaux,whomnoremonstrancecouldinducetowithdraw。Theapartmentwasclearedaccordingly。

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