Allthiswhile，andinthemidstofaclamourandconfusion，whichwouldbetterhavebecomeaGermantavernduringafair，thanthetentofasovereignprince，theArchdukewaswaiteduponwithaminutenessofformandobservance，whichshowedhowanxioushewastomaintainrigidlythestateandcharactertowhichhiselevationhadentitledhim。Hewasservedontheknee，andonlybypagesofnobleblood，feduponplateofsilver，anddrankhisTokayandRhenishwinesfromacupofgold。Hisducalmantlewassplendidlyadornedwithermine，hiscoronetmighthaveequalledinvaluearoyalcrown，andhisfeet，easedinvelvetshoesthelengthofwhich，peaksincluded，mightbetwofeet，resteduponafootstoolofsolidsilver。Butitservedpartlytointimatethecharacteroftheman，that，althoughdesiroustoshowattentiontotheMarquisofMontserrat，whomhehadcourteouslyplacedathisrighthand，hegavemuchmoreofhisattentiontohis_spruch-sprecher，_thatis，hismanofconversation，or_sayerofsayings，_whostoodbehindtheDuke’srightshoulder。
Thispersonagewaswellattired，inacoatanddoubletofblackvelvet，thelastofwhichwasdecoratedwithvarioussilverandgoldcoins，stitcheduponit，inmemoryofthemunificentprinceswhohadconferredthem，andbearingashortstaff，towhichalsobunchesofsilvercoinswereattachedbyrings，whichhejingledbywayofattractingattention，whenhewasabouttosayanythingwhichhejudgedworthyofit。Thisperson’scapacityinthehouseholdoftheArchduke，wassomewhatbetwixtthatofaminstrelandacounsellor；hewasbyturnsaflatterer，apoet，andanorator；andthosewhodesiredtobewellwiththeDuke，generallystudiedtogainthegood-willofthe_spruch-sprecher。_
Lesttoomuchofthisofficer’swisdomshouldbecometiresome，theDuke’sothershoulderwasoccupiedbyhis_hoff-narr，_
orcourtjester，calledJonasSchwanker，whomadealmostasmuchnoisewithhisfool’s-cap，bells，andbauble，asdidtheorator，ormanoftalk，withhisjinglingbaton。
Thesetwopersonagesthrewoutgraveandcomicnonsensealternately，whiletheirmaster，laughingorapplaudingthemhimself，yetcarefullywatchedthecountenanceofhisnobleguest，todiscernwhatimpressionssoaccomplishedacavalierreceivedfromthisdisplayofAustrianeloquenceandwit。Itishardtosaywhetherthemanofwisdomorthemanoffollycontributedmosttotheamusementoftheparty，orstoodhighestintheestimationoftheirprincelymaster；butthesalliesofbothseemedexcellentlywellreceived。Sometimestheybecamerivalsfortheconversation，andclangedtheirflappersinemulationofeachother，withamostalarmingcontention；but，ingeneral，theyseemedonsuchgoodterms，andsoaccustomedtosupporteachother’splay，thatthe_spruch-sprecher_oftencondescendedtofollowupthejester’switticismswithanexplanation，torenderthemmoreobvioustothecapacityoftheaudience；
sothathiswisdombecameasortofcommentaryonthebuffoon’sfolly。Andsometimes，inrequital，the_hoff-narr，_withapithyjest，wounduptheconclusionoftheorator’stediousharangue。
Whateverhisrealsentimentsmightbe，Conradetookespecialcarethathiscountenanceshouldexpressnothingbutsatisfactionwithwhatheheard，andsmiledorapplaudedaszealously，toallappearance，astheArchdukehimself，atthesolemnfollyofthe_spruch-sprecher，_andthegibberingwitofthefool。Infact，hewatchedcarefullyuntiltheoneorothershouldintroducesometopic，favourabletothepurposewhichwasuppermostinhismind。
ItwasnotlongeretheKingofEnglandwasbroughtonthecarpetbythejester，whohadbeenaccustomedtoconsiderDickonoftheBroomwhichirreverentepithethesubstitutedforRichardPlantagenetasasubjectofmirth，acceptableandinexhaustible。Theorator，indeed，wassilent，anditwasonlywhenappliedtobyConrade，thatheobserved，The_genista，_orbroom-plant，wasanemblemofhumility；anditwouldbewellwhenthosewhoworeitwouldrememberthewarning。’’
TheallusiontotheillustriousbadgeofPlantagenetwasthusrenderedsufficientlymanifest，andJonasSchwankerobserved，thattheywhohumbledthemselveshadbeenexaltedwithavengeance。
Honouruntowhomhonourisdue，’’answeredtheMarquisofMontserrat；wehaveallhadsomepartinthesemarchesandbattles，andmethinksotherprincesmightsharealittleintherenownwhichRichardofEnglandengrossesamongstminstrelsand_minne-singers。_HasnooneoftheJoyeusescienceherepresentasonginpraiseoftheroyalArchdukeofAustria，ourprincelyentertainer？’’
Threeminstrelsemulouslysteppedforwardwithvoiceandharp。Twoweresilencedwithdifficultybythe_spruch-sprecher，_
whoseemedtoactasmasteroftherevels，andahearingwasatlengthprocuredforthepoetpreferred，whosung，inhighGerman，stanzaswhichmaybethustranslated:-
Whatbravechiefshallheadtheforces，Wherethered-crosslegionsgather？
Bestofhorsemen，bestofhorses，Highestheadandfairestfeather。
Heretheorator，jinglinghisstag，interruptedthebardtointimatetotheparty，whattheymightnothaveinferredfromthedescription，thattheirroyalhostwasthepartyindicated，andafull-crownedgobletwentroundtotheacclamation-_HochlebederHerzogLeopold！_Anotherstanzafollowed。
AsknotAustriawhy，’midstprinces，Stillherbannerriseshighest；
Askaswellthestrong-wing’deagle，WhytoHeavenhesoarsthenighest。
Theeagle，’’saidtheexpounderofdarksayings，isthecognisanceofournoblelordtheArchduke-ofhisroyalGrace，I
wouldsay-andtheeaglefliesthehighestandnearesttothesunofallthefeatheredcreation。’’
Thelionhathtakenaspringabovetheeagle，’’saidConrade，carelessly。
TheArchdukereddened，andfixedhiseyesonthespeaker，whilethe_spruch-sprecher_answered，afteraminute’sconsideration，TheLordMarquiswillpardonme-alioncannotflyaboveaneagle，becausenolionhathgotwings。’’
ExcepttheLionofSaintMark，’’respondedthejester。
ThatistheVenetian’sbanner，’’saidtheDuke；butassuredly，thatamphibiousrace，halfnobles，halfmerchants，willnotdaretoplacetheirrankincomparisonwithours？’’
Nay，itwasnotoftheVenetianlionthatIspoke，’’saidtheMarquisofMontserrat；butofthethreelionspassantofEngland-formerly，itissaid，theywereleopards，butnowtheyarebecomelionsatallpoints，andmusttakeprecedenceofbeast，fish，orfowl，orwoeworththegainstander。’’
Meanyouseriously，mylord？’’saidtheAustrian，nowconsiderablyflushedwithwine；thinkyouthatRichardofEnglandassertsanypre-eminenceoverthefreesovereignswhohavebeenhisvoluntaryalliesinthisCrusade？’’
Iknownotbutfromcircumstances，’’answeredConrade；
yonderhangshisbanneraloneinthemidstofourcamp，asifhewerekingandgeneralissimoofourwholeChristianarmy。’’
Anddoyouendurethissopatiently，andspeakofitsocoldly？’’saidtheArchduke。
Nay，mylord，’’answeredConrade，itcannotconcernthepoorMarquisofMontserrattocontendagainstaninjury，patientlysubmittedtobysuchpotentprincesasPhilipofFranceandLeopoldofAustria。Whatdishonouryouarepleasedtosubmittocannotbeadisgracetome。’’
Leopoldclosedhisfist，andstruckonthetablewithviolence。
IhavetoldPhilipofthis，’’hesaid；Ihaveoftentoldhimthatitwasourdutytoprotecttheinferiorprincesagainsttheusurpationofthisislander-butheanswersmeeverwithcoldrespectsoftheirrelationstogetherassuzerainandvassal，andthatitwereimpoliticinhimtomakeanopenbreachatthistimeandperiod。’’
TheworldknowsthatPhilipiswise，’’saidConrade，andwilljudgehissubmissiontobepolicy-Yours，mylord，youcanyourselfaloneaccountfor；butIdoubtnotyouhavedeepreasonsforsubmittingtoEnglishdomination。’’
_I_submit！’’saidLeopold，indignantly-_I，_theArchdukeofAustria，soimportantandvitalalimboftheHolyRomanempire-_I_submitmyselftothisKingofhalfanisland-thisgrandsonofaNormanbastard！-No，byHeaven！Thecamp，andallChristendom，shallseethatIknowhowtorightmyself，andwhetherIyieldgroundoneinchtotheEnglishbandog-
Up，myliegesandmerry-men，upandfollowme！Wewill-
andthatwithoutlosingoneinstant-placetheeagleofAustria，wheresheshallfloatashighaseverfloatedthecognisanceofkingorkaisar。’’
Withthathestartedfromhisseat，and，amidstthetumultuouscheeringofhisguestsandfollowers，madeforthedoorofthepavilion，andseizedhisownbanner，whichstoodpitchedbeforeit。
Nay，mylord，’’saidConrade，affectingtointerfere，itwillblemishyourwisdomtomakeanaffrayinthecampatthishour，andperhapsitisbettertosubmittotheusurpationofEnglandalittlelongerthanto’’-
Notanhour-notamomentlonger，’’vociferatedtheDukeand，withthebannerinhishand，andfollowedbyhisshoutingguestsandattendants，marchedhastilytothecentralmount，fromwhichthebannerofEnglandfloated，andlaidhishandonthestandard-spear，asiftopluckitfromtheground。
Mymaster，mydearmaster！’’saidJonasSchwanker，throwinghisarmsabouttheDuke-takeheed-lionshaveteeth’’-
Andeagleshaveclaws，’’saidtheDuke，notrelinquishinghisholdonthebanner-staff，yethesitatingtopullitfromtheground。
Thespeakerofsentences，notwithstandingsuchwashisoccupation，hadneverthelesssomeintervalsofsoundsense。Heclashedhisstaffloudly，andLeopold，asifbyhabit，turnedhisheadtowardshismanofcounsel。
Theeagleiskingamongthefowlsoftheair，’’saidthe_spruch-sprecher，_asisthelionamongthebeastsofthefield-
eachhashisdominion，separatedaswideasEnglandandGermany-
dothou，nobleeagle，nodishonourtotheprincelylion，but，letyourbannersremainfloatinginpeacesidebyside。’’
Leopoldwithdrewhishandfromthebanner-spear，andlookedroundforConradeofMontserrat，buthesawhimnot；forthe，Marquis，sosoonashesawthemischiefafoot，hadwithdrawnhimselffromthecrowd，takingcare，inthefirstplace，toexpressbeforeseveralneutralpersonshisregret，thattheArchdukeshouldhavechosenthehoursafterdinnertoavengeanywrongofwhichhemightthinkhehadarighttocomplain。Notseeinghisguest，towhomhewishedmoreparticularlytohaveaddressedhimself，theArchdukesaidaloud，that，havingnowishtobreeddissensioninthearmyoftheCross，hedidbutvindicatehisownprivilegesandrighttostanduponanequalitywiththeKingofEngland，withoutdesiring，ashemighthavedone，toadvancehisbanner，whichhederivedfromEmperors，hisprogenitors，abovethatofameredescendantoftheCountsofAnjou；
and，inthemeantime，hecommandedacaskofwinetobebroughthitherandpierced，forregalingthebystanders，whopwithtuckofdrumandsoundofmusic，quaffedmanyacarouseroundtheAustrianstandard。
Thisdisorderlyscenewasnotactedwithoutadegreeofnoise，whichalarmedthewholecamp。
Thecriticalhourhadarrived，atwhichthephysician，accordingtotherulesofhisart，hadpredictedthathisroyalpatientmightbeawakenedwithsafety，andthespongehadbeenappliedforthatpurpose；andtheleechhadnotmademanyobservationsereheassuredtheBaronofGilslandthatthefeverhadentirelylefthissovereign，andthatsuchwasthehappystrengthofhisconstitution，itwouldnotbeevennecessary，asinmostewes，togiveaseconddoseofthepowerfulmedicine。Richardhimselfseemedtobeofthesameopinion，for，sittingupandrubbinghiseyes，hedemandedofDeVauxwhatpresentsumofmoneywasintheroyalcoffers。
Thebaroncouldnotexactlyinformhimoftheamount。
Itmattersnot，’’saidRichard；beitgreaterorsmaller，bestowitallonthislearnedleech，whohath，Itrust，givenmebackagaintotheserviceoftheCrusade。Ifitbelessthanathousandbyzants，lethimhavejewelstomakeitup。’’
IsellnotthewisdomwithwhichAllahhasendowedme，’’
answeredtheArabianphysician；andbeitknowntoyou，greatPrince，thatthedivinemedicine，ofwhichyouhavepartaken，wouldloseitseffectsinmyunworthyhands，didIexchangeitsvirtueseitherforgoldordiamonds。’’
Thephysicianrefusethagratuity！’’saidDeVauxtohimself。
Thisismoreextraordinarythanhisbeinganhundredyearsold。’’
ThomasdeVaux，’’saidRichard，thouknowestnocouragebutwhatbelongstothesword，nobountyandvirtuebutwhatareusedinchivalry-ItelltheethatthisMoor，inhisindependence，mightsetanexampletothemwhoaccountthemselvestheflowerofknighthood。’’
Itisrewardenoughforme，’’saidtheMoor，foldinghisarmsonhisbosom，andmaintaininganattitudeatoncerespectfulanddignified，thatsogreataKingastheMelechRic