Therewasapolicyinit，’’repliedtheItalian；hischaracterofnativeofBritainwassufficienttomeetwhatSaladinrequired，whoknewhimtobelongtothebandofRichard，whilehischaracterofScot，andcertainotherpersonalgrudgeswhichIwotof，rendereditmostunlikelythatourenvoyshould，onhisreturn，holdanycommunicationwiththesick-bedofRichard，towhomhispresencewaseverunacceptable。’’
Oh，toofine-spunpolicy，’’saidtheGrandMaster；trustme，thatItalianspiders’webswillneverbindthisunshornSamsonoftheIsle-wellifyoucandoitwithnewcords，andthoseofthetoughest。Seeyounotthattheenvoywhomyouhaveselectedsocarefully，hathbroughtus，inthisphysician，themeansofrestoringthelion-hearted，bull-neckedEnglishman，toprosecutehisCrusadingenterprise；andsosoonasheisableoncemoretorushon，whichoftheprincesdareholdback？-
Theymustfollowhimforveryshame，althoughtheywouldmarchunderthebannerofSatanassoon。’’
Becontent，’’saidConradeofMontserrat；erethisphysician，ifheworkbyanythingshortofmiraculousagency，canaccomplishRichard’scure，itmaybepossibletoputsomeopenrupturebetwixttheFrenchman，atleasttheAustrian，andhisalliesofEngland，sothatthebreachshallbeirreconcilableandRichardmayarisefromhisbed，perhapstocommandhisownnativetroops，butneveragain，byhissoleenergy，towieldtheforceofthewholeCrusade。’’
Thouartawillingarcher，’’saidtheTemplar；but，ConradeofMontserrat，thybowisoverslacktocarryanarrowtothemark。’’