AmidthesecarelesswardersglidedthepunyformofalittleoldTurk，poorlydressedlikeamaraboutorsantonofthedesert，asortofenthusiasts，whosometimesventuredintothecampoftheCrusaders，thoughtreatedalwayswithcontumely，andoftenwithviolence。Indeed，theluxuryandprofligateindulgenceoftheChristianleadershadoccasionedamotleyconcourseintheirtents，ofmusicians，courtezans，Jewishmerchants，Copts，Turks，andallthevariedrefuseoftheEasternnations；
sothatthecaftanandturban，thoughtodrivebothfromtheHolyLandwastheprofessedobjectoftheexpedition，wereneverthelessneitheranuncommonnoranalarmingsightinthecampoftheCrusaders。When，however，thelittleinsignificantfigurewehavedescribedapproachedsonighastoreceivesomeinterruptionfromthewarders，hedashedhisduskygreenturbanfromhishead，showedthathisbeardandeyebrowswereshavedlikethoseofaprofessedbuffoon，andthattheexpressionofhisfantasticandwrithenfeatures，aswellasofhislittleblackeyes，whichglitteredlikejet，wasthatofacrazedimagination。
Dance，marabout，’’criedthesoldiers，acquaintedwiththemannersofthesewanderingenthusiasts-dance，orwewillscourgetheewithourbowstrings，tillthouspinasnevertopdidunderschoolboy’slash。’’-Thusshoutedtherecklesswarders，asmuchdelightedathavingasubjecttotease，asachildwhenhecatchesabutterfly，oraschoolboyupondiscoveringabird’snest。
Themarabout，asifhappytodotheirbehests，boundedfromtheearth，andspunhisgiddyroundbeforethemwithsingularagility，which，whencontrastedwithhisslightandwastedfigure，anddiminutiveappearance，madehimresembleawitheredleaftwirledroundandaroundatthepleasureofthewinter’sbreeze。
Hissinglelockofhairstreamedupwardsfromhisbaldandshavenhead，asifsomegenieupheldhimbyit；andindeeditseemedasifsupernaturalartwerenecessarytotheexecutionofthewildwhirlingdance，inwhichscarcethetiptoeoftheperformerwasseentotouchtheground。Amidthevagariesofhisperformance，heflewhereandthere，fromonespottoanother，stillapproaching，however，thoughalmostimperceptibly，totheentranceoftheroyaltent；sothat，whenatlengthhesunkexhaustedontheearth，aftertwoorthreeboundsstillhigherthanthosewhichhehadyetexecuted，hewasnotabovethirtyyardsfromtheKing’sperson。
Givehimwater，’’saidoneyeoman；theyalwayscraveadrinkaftertheirmerry-go-round。’’
Aha，water，say’stthou，LongAllen？’’-exclaimedanotherarcher，withamostscornfulemphasisonthedespisedelement；
howwouldstlikesuchbeveragethyself，aftersuchamorricedancing？’’
Thedevilawater-drophegetshere，’’saidathird。Wewillteachthelight-footedoldinfideltobeagoodChristian，anddrinkwineofCyprus。’’
Ay，ay，’’saidafourth；andincaseheberestive，fetchthouDickHunter’shorn，thathedrencheshismarewithal。’’
Acirclewasinstantlyformedaroundtheprostrateandexhausteddervise，andwhileonetallyeomanraisedhisfeebleformfromtheground，anotherpresentedtohimahugeflagonofwine。Incapableofspeech，theoldmanshookhishead，andwavedawayfromhimwithhishandtheliquorforbiddenbytheProphet；buthistormentorswerenotthustobeappeased。
Thehorn，thehorn！’’exclaimedone。LittledifferencebetweenaTurkandaTurkishhorse，andwewillusehimconforming。’’
BySaintGeorgeyouwillchokehim！’’saidLongAllenand，besides，itisasintothrowawayuponaheathendogasmuchwineaswouldserveagoodChristianforatreblenight-cap。’’
Thouknow’stnotthenatureoftheseTurksandpagans，LongAllen，’’repliedHenryWoodstall；Itellthee，man，thatthisflagonofCypruswillsethisbrainsa-spinning，justintheoppositedirectionthattheywentwhirlinginthedancing，andsobringhim，asitwere，tohimselfagain-Choke？hewillnomorechokeonitthanBen’sblackbitchonthepoundofbutter。’’
Andforgrudgingit，’’saidTomalinBlacklees，whyshould’stthougrudgethepoorpaynimdeviladropofdrinkonearth，sincethouknow’stheisnottohaveadroptocoolthetipofhistonguethroughalongeternity？’’
Thatwerehardlaws，lookye，’’saidLongAllen，onlyforbeingaTurk，ashisfatherwasbeforehim。HadhebeenChristianturnedheathen，Igrantyouthehottestcornerhadbeengoodwinterquartersforhim。’’
Holdthypeace，LongAllen，’’saidHenryWoodstall；I
telltheethattongueofthineisnottheshortestlimbaboutthee，andIprophesythatitwillbringtheeintodisgracewithFatherFrancis，asonceabouttheblack-eyedSyrianwench-Butherecomesthehorn-Beactiveabit，man，wiltthou，andjustforceopenhisteethwiththehaftofthydudgeon-dagger。’’
Hold，hold-heisconformable，’’saidTomalin；see，see，hesignsforthegoblet-givehimroom，boys。_Oopseyes，_quoththeDutchman-downitgoeslikelamb’s-wool！Nay，theyaretruetoperswhenoncetheybegin-yourTurknevercoughsinhiscup，orstintsinhisliquoring。’’
Infact，thedervise，orwhateverhewas，drank，oratleastseemedtodrink，thelargeflagontotheverybottomatasinglepull；andwhenhetookitfromhislips，afterthewholecontentswereexhausted，onlyuttered，withadeepsigh，thewordsAllahkerim，orGodismerciful。Therewasalaughamongtheyeomenwhowitnessedthispottle-deeppotation，soobstreperous，astorouseanddisturbtheKing，who，raisinghisfinger，saidangrily，How，knaves，norespect，noobservance？’’
Allwereatoncehushedintosilence，wellacquaintedwiththetemperofRichard，whichatsometimesadmittedofmuchmilitaryfamiliarity，andatothersexactedthemostpreciserespect，althoughthelatterhumourwasofmuchmorerareoccurrence。
Hasteningtoamorereverentdistancefromtheroyalperson，theyattemptedtodragalongwiththemthemarabout，who，exhaustedapparentlybypreviousfatigue，oroverpoweredbythepotentdraughthehadjustswallowed，resistedbeingmovedfromthespot，bothwithstrugglesandgroans。
Leavehimstill，yefools，’’whisperedLongAllentohismates；bySaintChristopher，youwillmakeourDickongobesidehimself，andweshallhavehisdaggerpresentlyflyatourcostards。Leavehimalone，inlessthanaminutehewillsleeplikeadormouse。’’
Atthesamemoment，theMonarchdartedanotherimpatientglancetothespot，andallretreatedinhaste，leavingthederviseontheground，unable，asitseemed，tostirasinglelimborjointofhisbody。Inamomentafterward，allwasasstillandquietasithadbeenbeforetheintrusion-
andwither’dMurder，Alarum’dbyhissentinel，thewolf，Whosehowl’shiswatch，thuswithhisstealthypace，WithTarquin’sravishingstrides，towardshisdesignMoveslikeaghost。
MacbethForthespaceofaquarterofanhour，orlonger，aftertheincidentrelated，allremainedperfectlyquietinthefrontoftheroyalhabitation。TheKingread，andmusedintheentranceofhispavilion-behind，andwithhisbackturnedtothesameentrance，theNubianslavestillburnishedtheamplepavesse-
infrontofall，atahundredpacesdistant，theyeomenoftheguardstood，sat，orlayextendedonthegrass，attentivetotheirownsports，butpursuingtheminsilence，whileontheesplanadebetwixtthemandthefrontofthetent，lay，scarcelytobedistinguishedfromabundleofrags，thesenselessformofthemarabout。
ButtheNubianhadtheadvantageofamirror，fromthebrilliantreflectionwhichthesurfaceofthehighlypolishedshieldnowafforded，bymeansofwhichhebeheld，tohisalarmandsurprise，thatthemaraboutraisedhisheadgentlyfromtheground，soastosurveyallaroundhim，movingwithawell-adjustedprecaution，whichseemedentirelyinconsistentwithastateofebriety。Hecouchedhisheadinstantly，asifsatisfiedhewasunobserved，andbegan，withtheslightestpossibleappearanceofvoluntaryeffort，todraghimself，asifbychance，evernearerandnearertotheKing，butstopping，andremainingfixedatintervals，likethespider，which，movingtowardsherobject，collapsesintoapparentlifelessnesswhenshethinkssheisthesubjectofobservation。ThisspeciesofmovementappearedsuspicioustotheEthiopian，who，onhispart，preparedhimself，asquietlyaspossible，tointerfere，theinstantthatinterferenceshouldseemtobenecessary。
Themaraboutmeanwhileglidedongraduallyandimperceptibly，serpent-like，orrathersnail-like，tillhewasabouttenyards’
distancefromRichard’sperson，when，startingonhisfeet，hesprungforwardwiththeboundofatiger，stoodattheKing’sbackinlessthananinstant，andbrandishedaloftthecangiar，orponiard，whichhehadhiddeninhissleeve。NotthepresenceofhiswholearmycouldhavesavedtheirheroicMonarch-butthemotionsoftheNubianhadbeenaswellcalculatedasthoseoftheenthusiast，anderethelattercouldstrike，theformercaughthisupliftedarm。Turninghisfanaticalwrathuponwhatthusunexpectedlyinterposedbetwixthimandhisobject，theCharegite，forsuchwastheseemingmarabout，dealttheNubianablowwiththedagger，which，however，onlygrazedhisarm，whilethefarsuperiorstrengthoftheEthiopianeasilydashedhimtotheground。Awareofwhathadpassed，Richardhadnowarisen，andwithlittlemoreofsurprise，anger，orinterestofanykindinhiscountenance，thananordinarymanwouldshowinbrushingoffandcrushinganintrusivewasp，caughtupthestoolonwhichhehadbeensitting，andexclaimingonly，Hadog！’’dashedalmosttopiecestheskulloftheassassin，whoutteredtwice，onceinaloud，andonceinabrokentone，thewords，Allahackbar！’’-Godisvictorious-andexpiredattheKing’sfeet。
Yearecarefulwarders，’’saidRichardtohisarchers，inatoneofscornfulreproach，as，arousedbythebustleofwhathadpassed，interrorandtumulttheynowrushedintohistent；-
watchfulsentinelsyeare，toleavemetodosuchhangman’sworkwithmyownhand-Besilentallofyou，andceaseyoursenselessclamour！sawyeneveradeadTurkbefore？-Here-castthatcarrionoutofthecamp，striketheheadfromthetrunk，andstickitonalance，takingcaretoturnthefacetoMecca，thathemaytheeasiertellthefoulimpostor，onwhoseinspirationhecamehither，howhehasspedonhiserrand-
Forthee，myswartandsilentfriend，’’headded，turningtotheEthiopian-Buthow’sthis？-thouartwounded-andwithapoisonedweapon，Iwarrantme，forbyforceofstabsoweakananimalasthatcouldscarcehopetodomorethanrazethelion’shide-Suckthepoisonfromhiswound，oneofyou-thevenomisharmlessonthelips，thoughfatalwhenitmingleswiththeblood。’’
Theyeomenlookedoneachotherconfusedlyandwithhesitation，theapprehensionofsostrangeadangerprevailingwiththosewhofearednoother。
Hownow，sirrahs，’’continuedtheKing，areyoudainty-lipped，ordoyoufeardeath，thatyoudallythus？’’
Notthedeathofaman，’’saidLongAllen，towhomtheKinglookedashespoke，butmethinksIwouldnotdielikeapoisonedratforthesakeofablackchattelthere，thatisboughtandsoldinamarketlikeaMartlemasox。’’
HisGracespeakstomenofsuckingpoison，’’mutteredanotheryeoman，asifhesaid，Goto，swallowagooseberry！’’
Nay，’’saidRichard，IneverbademandothatwhichI
wouldnotdomyself。’’
Andwithoutfartherceremony，andinspiteofthegeneralexpostulationsofthosearound，andtherespectfuloppositionoftheNubianhimself，theKingofEnglandappliedhislipstothewoundoftheblackslave，treatingwithridiculeallremonstrances，andoverpoweringallresistance。Hehadnosoonerintermittedhissingularoccupation，thantheNubianstartedfromhim，and，castingascarfoverhisarm，intimatedbygestures，asfirminpurposeastheywererespectfulinmanner，hisdeterminationnottopermittheMonarchtorenewsodegradinganemployment。LongAllenalsointerposed，saying，thatifitwerenecessarytopreventtheKingengagingagaininatreatmentofthiskind，hisownlips，tongue，andteethwereattheserviceofthenegroashecalledtheEthiopian，andthathewouldeathimupbodily，ratherthanKingRichard’smouthshouldagainapproachhim。
Neville，whoenteredwithotherofficers，addedhisremonstrances。
Nay，nay，makenotaneedlesshallooaboutahartthatthehoundshavelost，oradangerwhenitisover，’’saidtheKing-
thewoundwillbeatrifle，forthebloodisscarcedrawn-anangrycathaddealtadeeperscratch-andforme，Ihavebuttotakeadrachmoforvietanbywayofprecaution，thoughitisneedless。’’
ThusspokeRichard，alittleashamed，perhaps，ofhisowncondescension，thoughsanctionedbothbyhumanityandgratitude。
ButwhenNevillecontinuedtomakeremonstrancesontheperiltohisroyalperson，theKingimposedsilenceonhim。