Asthousayest，’’saidtheScot，forsuchwasSirKennethbybirth，-Itisevenso；andyet，althoughtheinhabitantsofthetwoextremitiesofthatislandareengagedinfrequentwar，thecountrycan，asthouseest，furnishforthsuchabodyofmen-at-arms，asmaygofartoshaketheunholyholdwhichyourmasterhathlaidonthecitiesofZion。’’
BythebeardofSaladin，Nazarene，butthatitisathoughtlessandboyishfolly，IcouldlaughatthesimplicityofyourgreatSultan，whocomeshithertomakeconquestsofdesertsandrocks，anddisputethepossessionofthemwiththosewhohavetenfoldnumbersatcommand，whileheleavesapartofhisnarrowislet，inwhichhewasbornasovereign，tothedominionofanothersceptrethanhis。Surely，SirKenneth，youandtheothergoodmenofyourcountryshouldhavesubmittedyourselftothedominionofthisKingRichard，ereyouleftyournativeland，dividedagainstitself，tosetforthonthisexpedition？’’
HastyandfiercewasKenneth’sanswer。No，bythebrightlightofHeaven！IftheKingofEnglandhadnotsetforthtotheCrusadetillhewassovereignofScotland，thecrescentmight，formeandalltrue-heartedScots，glimmerforeveronthewallsofZion。’’
Thusfarhehadproceeded，when，suddenlyrecollectinghimself，hemuttered，_Meaculpa！meaculpa！_whathaveI，asoldieroftheCross，todowithrecollectionofwarbetwixtChristiannations？’’
Therapidexpressionoffeeling，correctedbythedictatesofduty，didnotescapetheMoslem，who，ifhedidnotentirelyunderstandallwhichitconveyed，sawenoughtoconvincehimwiththeassurance，thatChristians，aswellasMoslemah，hadprivatefeelingsofpersonalpique，andnationalquarrels，whichwerenotentirelyreconcilable。ButtheSaracenswerearace，polished，perhaps，totheutmostextentwhichtheirreligionpermitted，andparticularlycapableofentertaininghighideasofcourtesyandpoliteness；andsuchsentimentspreventedhistakinganynoticeoftheinconsistencyofSirKenneth’sfeelings，intheoppositecharactersofaScotandaCrusader。