TheyarethepriestlysoldiersoftheTemple，’’answeredElHakim，whosevowlimitsthemtoknowneithertrucenorfaithwiththeworshippersofIslam。MaytheProphetblightthem，bothroot，branch，andtwig！-Theirpeaceiswar，andtheirfaithisfalsehood。OtherinvadersofPalestinehavetheirtimesandmoodsofcourtesy。TheLionRichardwillsparewhenhehasconquered-theeaglePhilipwillclosehiswingwhenhehasstrickenaprey-eventheAustrianbearwillsleepwhenheisgorged；butthishordeofever-hungrywolvesknowneitherpausenorsatietyintheirrapine-Seestthounotthattheyaredetachingapartyfromtheirmainbody，andthattheytakeaneasterndirection？Yonaretheirpagesandsquires，whomtheytrainupintheiraccursedmysteries，andwhom，aslightermounted，theysendtocutusofffromourwatering-place。
Buttheywillbedisappointed；Iknowthewarofthedesertyetbetterthanthey。’’
Hespokeafewwordstohisprincipalofficer，andhiswholedemeanourandcountenancewasatoncechangedfromthesolemnreposeofaneasternsage，accustomedmoretocontemplationthantoaction，intothepromptandproudexpressionofagallantsoldier，whoseenergiesarerousedbythenearapproachofadanger，whichheatonceforeseesanddespises。
ToSirKenneth’seyestheapproachingcrisishadadifferentaspect，andwhenAdonbecsaidtohim，Thoumusttarryclosebymyside，’’heansweredsolemnlyinthenegative。
Yonder，’’hesaid，aremycomradesinarms-themeninwhosesocietyIhavevowedtofightorfall-ontheirbannergleamsthesignofourmostblessedredemption-IcannotflyfromtheCrossincompanywiththeCrescent。’’
Fool！’’saidtheHakim；theirfirstactionwouldbetodotheetodeath，wereitonlytoconcealtheirbreachofthetruce。’’
OfthatImusttakemychance，’’repliedSirKenneth；
butIwearnotthebondsoftheinfidelsaninstantlongerthanIcancutthemfromme。’’
ThenwillIcompeltheetofollowme，’’saidElHakim。
Compel！’’answeredSirKenneth，angrily。Wertthounotmybenefactor，oronewhohasshowedwilltobesuch，andwereitnotthatitistothyconfidenceIowethefreedomofthesehands，whichthoumightesthaveloadedwithfetters，I
wouldshowtheethat，unarmedasIam，compulsionwouldbenoeasytask。’’
Enough，enough，’’repliedtheArabianphysician；welosetimeevenwhenitisbecomingprecious。’’
Sosaying，hethrewhisarmaloft，andutteredaloudandshrillcry，asasignaltothoseofhisretinue，whoinstantlydispersedthemselvesonthefaceofthedesert，inasmanydifferentdirectionsasachapletofbeadswhenthestringisbroken。SirKennethhadnotimetonotewhatensued；for，atthesameinstant，theHakimseizedthereinofhissteed，andputtinghisowntoitsmettle，bothsprungforthatoncewiththesuddennessoflight，andatapitchofvelocitywhichalmostdeprivedtheScottishknightofthepowerofrespiration，andlefthimabsolutelyincapable，hadhebeendesirous，tohavecheckedthecareerofhisguide。PractisedasSirKennethwasinhorsemanshipfromhisearliestyouth，thespeediesthorsehehadevermountedwasatortoiseincomparisontothoseoftheArabiansage。Theyspurnedthesandfrombehindthem-theyseemedtodevourthedesertbeforethem-milesflewawaywithminutes，andyettheirstrengthseemedunabated，andtheirrespirationasfreeaswhentheyfirststarteduponthewonderfulrace。
Themotion，too，aseasyasitwasswift，seemedmorelikeflyingthroughtheairthanridingontheearth，andwasattendedwithnounpleasantsensation，savetheawenaturallyfeltbyonewhoismovingatsuchastonishingspeed，andthedifficultyofbreathingoccasionedbytheirpassingthroughtheairsorapidly。
Itwasnotuntilafteranhourofthisportentousmotion，andwhenallhumanpursuitwasfar，farbehind，thattheHakimatlengthrelaxedhisspeed，andslackeningthepaceofthehorsesintoahandgallop，began，inavoiceascomposedandevenasifhehadbeenwalkingforthelasthour，adescantupontheexcellenceofhiscourserstotheScot，who，breathless，halfblind，halfdeaf，andaltogethergiddy，fromtherapidityofthissingularride，hardlycomprehendedthewordswhichflowedsofreelyfromhiscompanion。
Thesehorses，’’hesaid，areofthebreedcalledtheWinged，equalinspeedtoaughtexceptingtheBorakoftheProphet。
TheyarefedonthegoldenbarleyofYemen，mixedwithspices，andwithasmallportionofdriedsheep’sflesh。Kingshavegivenprovincestopossessthem，andtheirageisactiveastheiryouth。Thou，Nazarene，artthefirst，saveatruebeliever，thateverhadbeneathhisloinsoneofthisnoblerace，agiftoftheProphethimselftotheblessedAli，hiskinsmanandlieutenant，wellcalledtheLionofGod。Timelayshistouchsolightlyonthesegeneroussteeds，thatthemareonwhichthousittesthasseenfivetimesfiveyearspassoverher，yetretainsherpristinespeedandvigour，onlythatinthecareerthesupportofabridle，managedbyahandmoreexperiencedthanthine，hathnowbecomenecessary。MaytheProphetbeblessed，whohathbestowedonthetruebelieversthemeansofadvanceandretreat，whichcauseththeiriron-clothedenemiestobewornoutwiththeirownponderousweight！HowthehorsesofyonderdogTemplarsmusthavesnortedandblown，whentheyhadtoiledfetlock-deepinthedesertforone-twentiethpartofthespacewhichthesebravesteedshaveleftbehindthem，withoutonethickpant，oradropofmoistureupontheirsleekandvelvetcoats！’’
TheScottishknight，whohadnowbeguntorecoverhisbreathandpowersofattention，couldnothelpacknowledginginhishearttheadvantagepossessedbytheseEasternwarriorsinaraceofanimals，alikeproperforadvanceorretreat，andsoadmirablyadaptedtothelevelandsandydesertsofArabiaandSyria。ButhedidnotchoosetoaugmenttheprideoftheMoslembyacquiescinginhisproudclaimofsuperiority，andthereforesufferedtheconversationtodrop，andlookingaroundhimcouldnow，atthemoremoderatepaceatwhichtheymoved，distinguishthathewasinacountrynotunknowntohim。
TheblightedbordersandsullenwatersoftheDeadSea，theraggedandprecipitouschainofmountainsarisingontheleft，thetwoorthreepalmsclusteredtogether，formingthesinglegreenspeckonthebosomofthewastewilderness，-objectswhich，onceseen，werescarcelytobeforgotten，-showedtoSirKenneththattheywereapproachingthefountaincalledtheDiamondoftheDesert，whichhadbeenthesceneofhisinterview，onaformeroccasion，withtheSaracenEmir，Sheerkohf，orIlderim。Inafewminutestheycheckedtheirhorsesbesidethespring，andtheHakiminvitedSirKennethtodescendfromhorseback，andreposehimselfasinaplaceofsafety。Theyunbridledtheirsteeds，ElHakimobservingthatfarthercareofthemwasunnecessary，sincetheywouldbespeedilyjoinedbysomeofthebestmountedamonghisslaves，whowoulddowhatfartherwasneedful。
Meantime，’’hesaid，spreadingsomefoodonthegrass，eatanddrink，andbenotdiscouraged。Fortunemayraiseuporabasetheordinarymortal，butthesageandthesoldiershouldhavemindsbeyondhercontrol。’’
TheScottishknightendeavouredtotestifyhisthanksbyshowinghimselfdocile；butthoughhestrovetoeatoutofcomplaisance，thesingularcontrastbetweenhispresentsituation，andthatwhichhehadoccupiedonthesamespot，whentheenvoyofprinces，andthevictorincombat，camelikeacloudoverhismind，andfasting，lassitude，andfatigue，oppressedhisbodilypowers。ElHakimexaminedhishurriedpulse，hisredandinflamedeye，hisheatedhand，andhisshortenedrespiration。
Themind，’’hesaid，growswisebywatching，buthersister，thebody，ofcoarsermaterials，needsthesupportofrepose。Thoumustsleep；andthatthoumayestdosotorefreshment，thoumusttakeadraughtmingledwiththiselixir。’’
Hedrewfromhisbosomasmallcrystalvial，cuedinsilverfiligree-work，anddroppedintoalittlegoldendrinkingcupasmallportionofadark-colouredfluid。
This，’’hesaid，isoneofthoseproductionswhichAllahhathsentonearthforablessing，thoughman’sweaknessandwickednesshavesometimesconverteditintoacurse。Itispowerfulasthewine-cupoftheNazarenetodropthecurtainonthesleeplesseye，andtorelievetheburdenoftheoverloadedbosom；butwhenappliedtothepurposesofindulgenceanddebauchery，itrendsthenerves，destroysthestrength，weakenstheintellect，andundermineslife。Butfearnotthoutouseitsvirtuesinthetimeofneed，forthewisemanwarmshimbythesamefirebrandwithwhichthemadmanburneththetent。’’
*Somepreparationofopiumseemstobeintimated。
Ihaveseentoomuchofthyskill，sageHakim，’’saidSirKenneth，todebatethinehest；’’andswallowedthenarcotic，mingledasitwaswithsomewaterfromthespring，thenwrappedhiminthehaik，orArabcloak，whichhadbeenfastenedtohissaddle-pommel，and，accordingtothedirectionsofthephysician，stretchedhimselfateaseintheshadetoawaitthepromisedrepose。Sleepcamenotatfirst，butinhersteadatrainofpleasingyetnotrousingorawakeningsensations。A
stateensued，inwhich，stillconsciousofhisownidentityandhisowncondition，theknightfeltenabledtoconsiderthemnotonlywithoutalarmandsorrow，butascomposedlyashemighthaveviewedthestoryofhismisfortunesacteduponastage，orratherasadisembodiedspiritmightregardthetransactionsofitspastexistence。Fromthisstateofrepose，amountingalmosttoapathyrespectingthepast，histhoughtswerecarriedforwardtothefuture，which，inspiteofallthatexistedtoovercloudtheprospect，glitteredwithsuchhues，asundermuchhappierauspiceshisunstimulatedimaginationhadnotbeenabletoproduceeveninitsmostexaltedstate。Liberty，fame，successfullove，appearedtobethecertainandnotverydistantprospectoftheenslavedexile，thedishonouredknight，evenofthedespairinglover，whohadplacedhishopesofhappinesssofarbeyondtheprospectofchance，inherwildestpossibilities，servingtocountenancehiswishes。Graduallyastheintellectualsightbecameoverclouded，thesegayvisionsbecameobscure，likethedyinghuesofsunset，untiltheywereatlastlostintotaloblivion；
andSirKennethlayextendedatthefeetofElHakim，toallappearance，butforhisdeeprespiration，asinanimateacorpseasiflifehadactuallydeparted。
MidthesewildscenesEnchantmentwavesherhand，Tochangethefaceofthemysteriousland:
TillthebewilderingscenesaroundusseemThevainproductionsofafeverishdream。
Astolpho，aRomance。
WhentheKnightoftheLeopardawokefromhislongandprofoundrepose，hefoundhimselfincircumstancessodifferentfromthoseinwhichhehadlaindowntosleep，thathedoubtedwhetherhewasnotstilldreaming，orwhetherthescenehadnotbeenchangedbymagic。Insteadofthedampgrass，helayonacouchofmorethanOrientalluxury，andsomekindhandshad，duringhisrepose，strippedhimofthecassockofchamoiswhichheworeunderhisarmour，andsubstitutedanightdressofthefinestlinen，andaloosegownofsilk。Hehadbeencanopiedonlybythepalm-treesofthedesert，butnowhelaybeneathasilkenpavilion，whichblazedwiththerichestcoloursoftheChineseloom，whileaslightcurtainofgauze，displayedaroundhiscouch，wascalculatedtoprotecthisreposefromtheinsects，towhichhehad，eversincehisarrivalintheseclimates，beenaconstantandpassiveprey。Helookedaround，asiftoconvincehimselfthathewasactuallyawake，andallthatfellbeneathhiseyepartookofthesplendourofhisdormitory。A
portablebathofcedar，linedwithsilver，wasreadyforuse，andsteamedwiththeodourswhichhadbeenusedinpreparingit。
Onasmallstandofebonybesidethecouch，stoodasilvervase，containingsherbetofthemostexquisitequality，coldassnow，andwhichthethirstthatfollowedtheuseofthestrongnarcoticrenderedpeculiarlydelicious。Stillfarthertodispelthedregsofintoxicationwhichithadleftbehind，theknightresolvedtousethebath，andexperiencedindoingsoadelightfulrefreshment。HavingdriedhimselfwithnapkinsoftheIndianwool，hewouldwillinglyhaveresumedhisowncoarsegarments，thathemightgoforthtoseewhethertheworldwasasmuchchangedwithoutaswithintheplaceofhisrepose。
These，however，werenowheretobeseen，butintheirplacehefoundaSaracendressofrichmaterials，withsabreandponiard，andallbefittinganemirofdistinction。Hewasabletosuggestnomotivetohimselfforthisexuberanceofcare，exceptingasuspicionthattheseattentionswereintendedtoshakehiminhisreligiousprofession；asindeeditwaswellknownthatthehighesteemoftheEuropeanknowledgeandcouragemadetheSoldanunboundedinhisgiftstothosewho，havingbecomehisprisoners，hadbeeninducedtotaketheturban。SirKenneth，therefore，crossinghimselfdevoutly，resolvedtosetallsuchsnaresatdefiance；andthathemightdosothemorefirmly，conscientiouslydeterminedtoavailhimselfasmoderatelyaspossibleoftheattentionsandluxuriesthusliberallyheapeduponhim。Still，however，hefelthisheadoppressedandsleepy，andaware，too，thathisundresswasnotfitforappearingabroad，hereclineduponthecouch，andwasagainlockedinthearmsofslumber。