Enough，thatsuchaffectiondidsubsistbetweenpartieswhohadneverevenspokentooneanother，though，onthesideofEdith，itwascheckedbyadeepsenseofthedifficultiesanddangerswhichmustnecessarilyattendthefartherprogressoftheirattachment，anduponthatoftheknightbyathousanddoubtsandfears，lesthehadover-estimatedtheslighttokensofthelady’snotice，varied，astheynecessarilywere，bylongintervalsofapparentcoldness，duringwhich，eitherthefearofexcitingtheobservationofothers，andthusdrawingdangeruponherlover，orthatofsinkinginhisesteembyseemingtoowillingtobewon，madeherbehavewithindifference，asifunobservantofhispresence。
Thisnarrative，tediousperhaps，butwhichthestoryrendersnecessary，mayservetoexplainthestateofintelligence，ifitdeservessostronganame，betwixtthelovers，whenEdith’sunexpectedappearanceinthechapelproducedsopowerfulaneffectonthefeelingsofherknight。
TheirnecromanticformsinvainHauntusonthetentedplain；
Webidthesespectreshapesavaunt，AshtarothandTermagaunt。
Warton。
Themostprofoundsilence，thedeepestdarkness，continuedtobroodformorethananhouroverthechapelinwhichwelefttheKnightoftheLeopardstillkneeling，alternatelyexpressingthankstoHeaven，andgratitudetohislady，fortheboonwhichhadbeenvouchsafedtohim。Hisownsafety，hisowndestiny，forwhichhewasatalltimeslittleanxious，hadnotnowtheweightofagrainofdustinhisreflections。HewasintheneighbourhoodofLadyEdith，hehadreceivedtokensofhergrace，hewasinaplacehallowedbyrelicsofthemostawfulsanctity。AChristiansoldier，adevotedlover，couldfearnothing，thinkofnothing，buthisdutytoHeaven，andhisdevoirtohislady。
Atthelapseofthespaceoftimewhichwehavenoticed，ashrillwhistle，likethatwithwhichafalconercallshishawk，washeardtoringsharplythroughthevaultedchapel。Itwasasoundillsuitedtotheplace，andremindedSirKennethhownecessaryitwasheshouldbeuponhisguard。Hestartedfromhisknee，andlaidhishanduponhisponiard。Acreakingsound，asofascreworpulleys，succeeded，andalightstreamingupwards，asfromanopeninginthefloor，showedthatatrap-doorhadbeenraisedordepressed。Inlessthanaminute，alongskinnyarm，partlynaked，partlyclothedinasleeveofredsamite，aroseoutoftheaperture，holdingalampashighasitcouldstretchupwards，andthefiguretowhichthearmbelongedascendedstepbysteptothelevelofthechapelfloor。Theformandfaceofthebeingwhothuspresentedhimself，werethoseofafrightfuldwarf，withalargehead，acapfantasticallyadornedwiththreepeacock-feathers，adressofredsamite，therichnessofwhichrenderedhisuglinessmoreconspicuous，distinguishedbygoldbraceletsandarmlets，andawhitesilksash，inwhichheworeagold-hilteddagger。Thissingularfigurehadinhislefthandakindofbroom。Sosoonashehadsteppedfromtheaperturethroughwhichhearose，hestoodstill，and，asiftoshowhimselfmoredistinctly，movedthelampwhichheheldslowlyoverhisfaceandperson，successivelyilluminatinghiswildandfantasticfeatures，andhismisshapen，butnervouslimbs。Thoughdisproportionedinperson，thedwarfwasnotsodistortedastoargueanywantofstrengthoractivity。WhileSirKennethgazedonthisdisagreeableobject，thepopularcreedoccurredtohisremembrance，concerninggnomes，orearthlyspirits，whichmaketheirabodeinthecavernsoftheearth；andsomuchdidthisfigurecorrespondwithideashehadformedoftheirappearance，thathelookedonitwithdisgust，minglednotindeedwithfear，butthatsortofawewhichthepresenceofasupernaturalcreaturemayinfuseintothemoststeadybosom。
Thedwarfagainwhistled，andsummonedfrombeneathacompanion。Thissecondfigureascendedinthesamemannerasthefirst；butitwasafemalearm，inthissecondinstance，whichupheldthelampfromthesubterraneanvaultoutofwhichthesepresentmentsarose，anditwasafemaleform，muchresemblingthefirstinshapeandproportions，whichslowlyemergedfromthefloor。Herdresswasalsoofredsamite，fantasticallycutandflounced，asifshehadbeendressedforsomeexhibitionofmimesorjugglers；andwiththesameminutenesswhichherpredecessorhadexhibited，shepassedthelampoverherfaceandperson，whichseemedtorivalthemaleinugliness。Butwithallthismostunfavourableexterior，therewasonetraitinthefeaturesofbothwhicharguedalertnessandintelligenceinthemostuncommondegree。Thisarosefromthebrilliancyoftheireyes，which，deepsetbeneathblackandshaggybrows，gleamedwithalustrewhich，likethatintheeyeofthetoad，seemedtomakesomeamendsfortheextremeuglinessofcountenanceandperson。
SirKennethremainedasifspell-bound，whilethisunlovelypair，movingroundthechapelclosetoeachother，appearedtoperformthedutyofsweepingit，likemenials；but，astheyusedonlyonehand，thefloorwasnotmuchbenefitedbytheexercise，whichtheypliedwithsuchoddityofgesturesandmanner，asbefittedtheirbizarreandfantasticappearance。Whentheyapproachedneartotheknight，inthecourseoftheiroccupation，theyceasedtousetheirbrooms，andplacingthemselvessidebyside，directlyoppositetoSirKenneth，theyagainslowlyshiftedthelightswhichtheyheld，soastoallowhimdistinctlytosurveyfeatureswhichwerenotrenderedmoreagreeablebybeingbroughtnearer，andtoobservetheextremequicknessandkeennesswithwhichtheirblackandglitteringeyesflashedbackthelightofthelamps。Theythenturnedthegleamofbothlightsupontheknight，andhavingaccuratelysurveyedhim，turnedtheirfacestoeachother，andsetupaloudyellinglaugh，whichresoundedinhisears。Thesoundwassoghastly，thatSirKennethstartedathearingit，andhastilydemanded，inthenameofGod，whotheywerewhoprofanedthatholyplacewithsuchanticgesturesandelritchexclamations。
IamthedwarfNectabanus，’’saidtheabortion-seemingmale，inavoicecorrespondingtohisfigure，andresemblingthatofthenight-crowmorethananysoundwhichisheardbydaylight。
AndIamGuenevra，hisladyandhislove，’’repliedthefemale，intoneswhich，beingshriller，wereyetwilderthanthoseofhercompanion。
Whereforeareyouhere？’’againdemandedtheknight，scarcelyyetassuredthatitwashumanbeingswhichhesawbeforehim。
Iam，’’repliedthemaledwarf，withmuchassumedgravityanddignity，thetwelfthImaum-IamMahommedMohadi，theguideandtheconductorofthefaithful。AnhundredhorsesstandreadysaddledformeandmytrainattheHolyCity，andasmanyattheCityofRefuge。Iamhewhoshallbearwitness，andthisisoneofmyhouris。’’
Thouliest！’’answeredthefemale，interruptinghercompanion，intonesyetshrillerthanhisown；Iamnoneofthyhouris，andthouartnosuchinfideltrashastheMahommedofwhomthouspeakest。Maymycurserestuponhiscoffin！-I
tellthee，thouassofIssachar，thouartKingArthurofBritain，whomthefairiesstoleawayfromthefieldofAvalon；andIamDameGuenevra，famedforherbeauty。’’
Butintruth，noblesir，’’saidthemale，wearedistressedprinces，dwellingunderthewingofKingGuyofJerusalem，untilhewasdrivenoutfromhisownnestbythefoulinfidels-
Heaven’sboltsconsumethem！’’
Hush，’’saidavoicefromthesideuponwhichtheknighthadentered-Hush，fools，andbegone；yourministryisended。’’
Thedwarfshadnosoonerheardthecommand，than，gibberingindiscordantwhisperstoeachother，theyblewouttheirlightsatonce，andlefttheknightinutterdarkness，which，whenthepatteringoftheirretiringfeethaddiedaway，wassoonaccompaniedbyitsfittestcompanion，totalsilence。
Theknightfeltthedepartureoftheseunfortunatecreaturesarelief。Hecouldnot，fromtheirlanguage，manners，andappearance，doubtthattheybelongedtothedegradedclassofbeings，whomdeformityofpersonandweaknessofintellectrecommendedtothepainfulsituationofappendagestogreatfamilies，wheretheirpersonalappearanceandimbecilitywerefoodformerrimenttothehousehold。Superiorinnorespecttotheideasandmannersofhistime，theScottishknightmight，atanotherperiod，havebeenmuchamusedbythemummeryofthesepooreffigiesofhumanity；butnow，theirappearance，gesticulations，andlanguage，brokethetrainofdeepandsolemnfeelingwithwhichhewasimpressed，andherejoicedinthedisappearanceoftheunhappyobjects。
Afewminutesaftertheyhadretired，thedooratwhichhehadenteredopenedslowly，and，remainingajar，discoveredafaintlightarisingfromalanternplaceduponthethreshold。
Itsdoubtfulandwaveringgleamshowedadarkformreclinedbesidetheentrance，butwithoutitsprecincts，which，onapproachingitmorenearly，herecognisedtobethehermit，couchinginthesamehumblepostureinwhichhehadatfirstlaidhimselfdown，andwhich，doubtless，hehadretainedduringthewholetimeofhisguest’scontinuinginthechapel。
Allisover，’’saidthehermit，asheheardtheknightapproaching-
andthemostwretchedofearthlysinners，withhim，whoshouldthinkhimselfmosthonouredandmosthappyamongtheraceofhumanity，mustretirefromthisplace。Takethelight，andguidemedownthedescent，forImaynotuncovermyeyesuntilIamfarfromthishallowedspot。’’
TheScottishknightobeyedinsilence，forasolemnandyetecstaticsenseofwhathehadseenhadsilencedeventheeagerworkingsofcuriosity。Heledthewaywithconsiderableaccuracythroughthevarioussecretpassagesandstairsbywhichtheyhadascended，untilatlengththeyfoundthemselvesintheoutwardcellofthehermit’scavern。
Thecondemnedcriminalisrestoredtohisdungeon，reprievedfromonemiserabledaytoanother，untilhisawfuljudgeshallatlengthappointthewell-deservedsentencetobecarriedintoexecution。’’
Asthehermitspokethesewords，helaidasidetheveilwithwhichhiseyeshadbeenbound，andlookedatitwithasuppressedandhollowsigh。NosoonerhadherestoredittothecryptfromwhichhehadcausedtheScottobringit，thanhesaidhastilyandsternlytohiscompanion-Begone，begone，-torest，torest。Youmaysleep-youcansleep-Ineithercannormay。’’
Respectingtheprofoundagitationwithwhichthiswasspoken，theknightretiredintotheinnercell；but，castingbackhiseyeashelefttheexteriorgrotto，hebeheldtheanchoritestrippinghisshoulderswithfrantichasteoftheirshaggymantle，anderehecouldshutthefraildoorwhichseparatedthetwocompartmentsofthecavern，heheardtheclangofthescourge，andthegroansofthepenitentunderhisself-inflictedpenance。Acoldshuddercameovertheknightashereflectedwhatcouldbethefoulnessofthesinwhatthedepthoftheremorse，which，apparently，suchseverepenancecouldneithercleansenorassuage。Hetoldhisbeadsdevoutly，andflunghimselfonhisrudecouch，afteraglanceatthestillsleepingMoslem，and，weariedbythevariousscenesofthedayandthenight，soonsleptassoundasinfancy。
Uponhisawakinginthemorning，heheldcertainconferenceswiththehermituponmattersofimportance，andtheresultoftheirintercourseinducedhimtoremainfortwodayslongerinthegrotto。Hewasregular，asbecameapilgrim，inhisdevotionalexercises，butwasnotagainadmittedtothechapelinwhichhehadseensuchwonders。
Nowchangethescene-andletthetrumpetssound，Forwemustrousethelionfromhislair。
OldPlay。
Thescenemustchange，asourprogrammehasannounced，fromthemountainwildernessofJordantothecampofKingRichardofEngland，thenstationedbetwixtJeand’AcreandAscalon；andcontainingthatarmywithwhichheoftheLionHearthadpromisedhimselfatriumphantmarchtoJerusalem，andinwhichhewouldprobablyhavesucceeded，ifnothinderedbythejealousiesoftheChristianprincesengagedinthesameenterprise，andtheoffencetakenbythemattheuncurbedhaughtinessoftheEnglishmonarch，andRichard’sunveiledcontemptforhisbrothersovereigns，who，hisequalsinrank，wereyetfarhisinferiorsincourage，hardihood，andmilitarytalents。Suchdiscords，andparticularlythosebetwixtRichardandPhilipofFrance，createddisputesandobstacleswhichimpededeveryactivemeasureproposedbytheheroicthoughimpetuousRichard，whiletheranksoftheCrusadersweredailythinned，notonlybythe，desertionofindividuals，butofentirebands，headedbytheirrespectivefeudalleaders，whowithdrewfromacontestinwhichtheyhadceasedtohopeforsuccess。
Theeffectsoftheclimatebecame，asusual，fataltosoldiersfromthenorth，andthemoresothatthedissolutelicenseoftheCrusaders，formingasingularcontrasttotheprinciplesandpurposeoftheirtakinguparms，renderedthemmoreeasyvictimstotheinsalubriousinfluenceofburningheatandchillingdews。