第27章
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  ButalthoughEdithfelthersituationwithallthatdelicacywhichishersex’sgreatestcharm,itdidnotseemthatforamomentsheplacedherownbashfulnessincomparisonwiththeduty,which,asshethought,sheowedtohim,whohadbeenledintoerroranddangeronheraccount。Shedrew,indeed,herscarfmorecloselyoverherneckandbosom,andshehastilylaidfromherhandalamp,whichshedtoomuchlustreoverherfigure;but,whileSirKennethstoodmotionlessonthesamespotinwhichhewasfirstdiscovered,sherathersteppedtowardsthanretiredfromhim,assheexclaimed,Hastentoyourpost,valiantknight!-youaredeceivedinbeingtrainedhither-asknoquestions。’’

  Ineedasknone,’’saidtheknight,sinkingupononeknee,withthereverentialdevotionofasaintatthealtar,andbendinghiseyesontheground,lesthislooksshouldincreasethelady’sembarrassment。

  Haveyouheardall?’’saidEdith,impatiently-Gracioussaints!thenwhereforewaityouhere,wheneachminutethatpassesisloadedwithdishonour?’’

  IhaveheardthatIamdishonoured,lady,andIhavehearditfromyou,’’answeredKenneth。WhatreckIhowsoonpunishmentfollows?Ihavebutonepetitiontoyou,andthenIseek,amongthesabresoftheinfidels,whetherdishonourmaynotbewashedoutwithblood。’’

  Donotso,neither,’’saidthelady。Bewise-dallynothere-allmayyetbewell,ifyouwillbutusedespatch。’’

  Iwaitbutforyourforgiveness,’’saidtheknight,stillkneeling,formypresumptioninbelievingmypoorservicescouldhavebeenrequiredorvaluedbyyou。’’

  Idoforgiveyou-Oh,Ihavenothingtoforgive!-Ihavebeenthemeansofinjuringyou-Butoh,begone!-Iwillforgive-Iwillvalueyou-thatis,asIvalueeverybraveCrusader-ifyouwillbutbegone!’’

  Receivefirstthispreciousyetfatalpledge,’’saidtheknight,tenderingtheringtoEdith,whonowshowedgesturesofimpatience。

  Oh,no,no,’’shesaid,decliningtoreceiveit。Keepit-

  keepitasamarkofmyregard-myregret,Iwouldsay。Oh,begone,ifnotforyourownsake,formine!’’

  Almostrecompensedforthelossevenofhonour,whichhervoicehaddenouncedtohim,bytheinterestwhichsheseemedtotestifyinhissafety,SirKennethrosefromhisknee,and,castingamomentaryglanceonEdith,bowedlowandseemedabouttowithdraw。Atthesameinstant,thatmaidenlybashfulness,whichtheenergyofEdith’sfeelingshadtillthentriumphedover,becameconquerorinitsturn,andshehastenedfromtheapartment,extinguishingherlampasshewent,andleaving,inSirKenneth’sthoughts,bothmentalandnaturalgloombehindher。

  Shemustbeobeyed,wasthefirstdistinctideawhichwakedhimfromhisreverie,andhehastenedtotheplacebywhichhehadenteredthepavilion。Topassunderthecanvasinthemannerhehadenteredrequiredtimeandattention,andhemadeareadieraperturebyslittingthecanvaswallwithhisponiard。

  Wheninthefreeair,hefeltratherstupifiedandoverpoweredbyaconflictofsensations,thanabletoascertainwhatwastherealimportofthewhole。Hewasobligedtospurhimselftoaction,byrecollectingthatthecommandsoftheLadyEdithhadrequiredhaste。Eventhen,engagedashewasamongsttent-ropesandtents,hewascompelledtomovewithcautionuntilheshouldregainthepathoravenue,asidefromwhichthedwarfhadledhim,inordertoescapetheobservationoftheguards;

  beforetheQueen’spavilion;andhewasobligedalsotomoveslowly,andwithprecaution,toavoidgivinganalarm,eitherbyfalling,orbytheclashingofhisarmour。Athincloudhadobscuredthemoon,too,attheveryinstantofhisleavingthetent,andSirKennethhadtostrugglewiththisinconvenienceatamomentwhenthedizzinessofhishead,andthefulnessofhisheart,scarcelefthimpowersofintelligencesufficienttodirecthismotions。

  Butatoncesoundscameuponhisearwhichinstantlyrecalledhimtothefullenergyofhisfaculties。TheseproceededfromtheMountofSaintGeorge。Heheardfirstasinglefierce,angry,andsavagebark,whichwasimmediatelyfollowedbyayellofagony。NodeereverboundedwithawilderstartatthevoiceofRoswal,thandidSirKennethatwhathefearedwasthedeath-cryofthatnoblehound,fromwhomnoordinaryinjurycouldhaveextractedeventheslightestacknowledgmentofpain。

  Hesurmountedthespacewhichdividedhimfromtheavenue,andhavingattainedit,begantoruntowardsthemount,althoughloadedwithhismail,fasterthanmostmencouldhaveaccompaniedhimevenifunarmed,relaxednothispaceforthesteepsidesoftheartificialmound,andinafewminutesstoodontheplatformuponitssummit。

  Themoonbrokethroughthecloudatthismoment,andshowedhimthatthestandardofEnglandwasvanished,thatthespearonwhichitfloatedlaybrokenontheground,andbesideitwashisfaithfulhound,apparentlyintheagoniesofdeath-

  Allmylongarrearofhonourlost,Reap’dupinyouth,andhoardedupforage,HathHonour’sfountainthensuck’dupthestream?

  Hehath-andhootingboysmaybarefootpass,Andgatherpebblesfromthenakedford。

  DonSebastian。

  Afteratorrentofafflictingsensations,bywhichhewasatfirstalmoststunnedandconfounded,SirKenneth’sfirstthoughtwastolookfortheauthorsofthisviolationoftheEnglishbanner;

  butinnodirectioncouldheseetracesofthem。Hisnext,whichtosomepersons,butscarcetoanywhohavemadeintimateacquaintancesamongthecaninerace,mayappearstrange,wastoexaminetheconditionofhisfaithfulRoswal,mortallywounded,asitseemed,indischargingthedutywhichhismasterhadbeenseducedtoabandon。Hecaressedthedyinganimal,who,faithfultothelast,seemedtoforgethisownpaininthesatisfactionhereceivedfromhismaster’spresence,andcontinuedwagginghistailandlickinghishand,evenwhilebylowmoaningsheexpressedthathisagonywasincreasedbytheattemptswhichSirKennethmadetowithdrawfromthewoundthefragmentofthelance,orjavelin,withwhichithadbeeninflicted;thenredoubledhisfeebleendearments,asiffearinghehadoffendedhismasterbyshowingasenseofthepaintowhichhisinterferencehadsubjectedhim。Therewassomethinginthedisplayofthedyingcreature’sattachment,whichmixedasabitteringredientwiththesenseofdisgraceanddesolationbywhichSirKennethwasoppressed。Hisonlyfriendseemedremovedfromhim,justwhenhehadincurredthecontemptandhatredofallbesides。

  Theknight’sstrengthofmindgavewaytoaburstofagoniseddistress,andhegroanedandweptaloud。

  Whilehethusindulgedhisgrief,aclearandsolemnvoice,closebesidehim,pronouncedthesewordsinthesonoroustoneofthereadersofthemosque,andintheLinguaFranca,mutuallyunderstoodbyChristiansandSaracens:-

  Adversityisliketheperiodoftheformerandofthelatterrain-cold,comfortless,unfriendlytomanandtoanimal;yetfromthatseasonhavetheirbirththeflowerandthefruit,thedate,therose,andthepomegranate。’’

  SirKennethoftheLeopardturnedtowardsthespeaker,andbeheldtheArabianphysician,who,approachingunheard,hadseatedhimselfalittlebehindhimcross-legged,andutteredwithgravity,yetnotwithoutatoneofsympathy,themoralsentencesofconsolationwithwhichtheKorananditscommentatorssuppliedhim;for,intheEast,wisdomisheldtoconsist,lessinadisplayofthesage’sowninventivetalents,thaninhisreadymemory,andhappyapplicationof,andreferenceto,thatwhichiswritten。’’

  Ashamedatbeingsurprisedinawoman-likeexpressionofsorrow,SirKennethdashedhistearsindignantlyaside,andagainbusiedhimselfwithhisdyingfavourite。

  Thepoethathsaid,’’continuedtheArab,withoutnoticingtheknight’savertedlooksandsullendeportment-`theoxforthefield,andthecamelforthedesert。’Werenotthehandoftheleechfitterthanthatofthesoldiertocurewounds,thoughlessabletoinflictthem?’’

  Thispatient,Hakim,isbeyondthyhelp,’’saidSirKenneth;

  and,besides,heis,bythylaw,anuncleananimal。’’

  WhereAllahhathdeignedtobestowlife,andasenseofpainandpleasure,’’saidthephysician,itweresinfulprideshouldthesage,whomhehasenlightened,refusetoprolongexistence,orassuageagony。Tothesage,thecureofamiserablegroom,ofapoordog,andofaconqueringmonarch,areeventsoflittledistinction。Letmeexaminethiswoundedanimal。’’

  SirKennethaccededinsilence,andthephysicianinspectedandhandledRoswal’swoundwithasmuchcareandattentionasifhehadbeenahumanbeing。Hethentookforthacaseofinstruments,and,bythejudiciousandskilfulapplicationofpincers,withdrewfromthewoundedshoulderthefragmentoftheweapon,andstoppedwithstypticsandbandagestheeffusionofbloodwhichfollowed;thecreatureallthewhilesufferinghimpatientlytoperformthesekindoffices,asifhehadbeenawareofhiskindintentions。

  Theanimalmaybecured,’’saidElHakim,addressinghimselftoSirKenneth,ifyouwillpermitmetocarryhimtomytent,andtreathimwiththecarewhichthenoblenessofhisnaturedeserves。Forknow,thatthyservantAdonbecisnolessskilfulintheraceandpedigree,anddistinctionsofgooddogsandofnoblesteeds,thaninthediseaseswhichaffectthehumanrace。’’

  Takehimwithyou,’’saidtheknight。Ibestowhimonyoufreelyifherecovers。Iowetheearewardforattendanceonmysquire,andhavenothingelsetopayitwith。Formyself,-Iwillneveragainwindbugle,orhallootohound!’’

  TheArabianmadenoreply,butgaveasignalwithaclappingofhishands,whichwasinstantlyansweredbytheappearanceoftwoblackslaves。HegavethemhisordersinArabic,receivedtheanswer,thattohearwastoobey,’’when,takingtheanimalintheirarms,theyremovedhim,withoutmuchresistanceonhispart;forthoughhiseyesturnedtohismaster,hewastooweaktostruggle。

  Faretheewell,Roswal,then,’’saidSirKenneth,-faretheewell,mylastandonlyfriend-thouarttoonobleapossessiontoberetainedbyonesuchasImustinfuturecallmyself-

  Iwould,’’hesaid,astheslavesretired,that,dyingasheis,Icouldexchangeconditionswiththatnobleanimal。’’

  Itiswritten,’’answeredtheArabian,althoughtheexclamationhadnotbeenaddressedtohim,thatallcreaturesarefashionedfortheserviceofman;andthemasteroftheearthspeakethfollywhenhewouldexchange,inhisimpatience,hishopeshereandtocome,fortheservileconditionofaninferiorbeing。’’

  Adogwhodiesindischarginghisduty,’’saidtheknight,sternly,isbetterthanamanwhosurvivesthedesertionofit。

  Leaveme,Hakim;thouhast,onthissideofmiracle,themostwonderfulsciencewhichmaneverpossessed,butthewoundsofthespiritarebeyondthypower。’’

  Notifthepatientwillexplainhiscalamity,andbeguidedbythephysician,’’saidAdonbecelHakim。

  Know,then,’’saidSirKenneth,sincethouartsoimportunate,thatlastnightthebannerofEnglandwasdisplayedfromthismound-Iwasitsappointedguardian-morningisnowbreaking-thereliesthebrokenbanner-spear,thestandarditselfislost-andheresitIalivingman!’’

  How!’’saidElHakim,examininghim;thyarmouriswhole-thereisnobloodonthyweapons,andreportspeakstheeoneunlikelytoreturnthusfromfight-Thouhastbeentrainedfromthypost-ay,trainedbytherosycheekandblackeyeofoneofthosehouris,towhomyouNazarenesvowrathersuchserviceasisduetoAllah,thansuchloveasmaylawfullyberenderedtoformsofclaylikeourown。Ithasbeenthusassuredly;forsohathmaneverfallen,evensincethedaysofSultanAdam。’’

  Andifitwereso,physician,’’saidSirKenneth,sullenly,whatremedy?’’

  Knowledgeistheparentofpower,’’saidElHakim,asvaloursuppliesstrength-Listentome。Manisnotasatree,boundtoonespotofearth-norisheframedtoclingtoonebarerock,likethescarceanimatedshell-fish。ThineownChristianwritingscommandthee,whenpersecutedinonecity,tofleetoanother;andweMoslemalsoknowthatMohammed,theProphetofAllah,drivenforthfromtheholycityofMecca,foundhisrefugeandhishelpmatesatMedina。’’

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