Mocknot，lestyourbondsbemadestrong，’’saidtheHermit，steppingforward。Theheavenlyhostwritenothingbuttruthintheirbrilliantrecords-itisman’seyeswhicharetooweaktoreadtheircharactersaright。KnowthatwhenSaladinandKennethofScotlandsleptinmygrotto，Ireadinthestars，thatthererestedundermyroofaprince，thenaturalfoeofRichard，withwhomthefateofEdithPlantagenetwastobeunited。
CouldIdoubtthatthismustbetheSoldan，whoserankwaswellknowntome，asheoftenvisitedmycelltoconverseontherevolutionsoftheheavenlybodies？-AgainthelightsofthefirmamentproclaimedthatthisPrince，thehusbandofEdithPlantagenet，shouldbeaChristian；andI-weakandwildinterpreter！-arguedthencetheconversionofthenobleSaladin，whosegoodqualitiesseemedoftentoinclinehimtowardsthebetterfaith。Thesenseofmyweaknesshathhumbledmetothedust，butinthedustIhavefoundcomfort！Ihavenotreadarightthefateofothers-whocanassuremebutthatI
mayhavemiscalculatedmineown？Godwillnothaveusbreakintohiscouncil-houseorspyouthishiddenmysteries。Wemustwaithistimewithwatchingandprayer-withfearandwithhope。Icamehitherthesternseer-theproudprophet-skilled，asIthought，toinstructprinces，andgiftedevenwithsupernaturalpowers，butburdenedwithaweightwhichIdeemednoshouldersbutminecouldhaveborne。Butmybandshavebeenbroken！Igohencehumbleinmineignorance，penitent-andnothopeless。’’
Withthesewordshewithdrewfromtheassembly；anditisrecorded，that，fromthatperiod，hisfrenzyfitsseldomoccurred，andhispenanceswereofamildercharacter，andaccompaniedwithbetterhopesofthefuture。Somuchisthereofself-opinion，evenininsanity，thattheconvictionofhishavingentertainedandexpressedanunfoundedpredictionwithsomuchvehemence，seemedtooperatelikelossofbloodonthehumanframe，tomodifyandlowerthefeverofthebrain。
Itisneedlesstofollowintofartherparticularstheconferencesattheroyaltent，ortoinquirewhetherDavid，EarlofHuntingdon，wasasmuteinthepresenceofEdithPlantagenet，aswhenhewasboundtoactunderthecharacterofanobscure。
andnamelessadventurer。Itmaybewellbelievedthathethereexpressed，withsuitableearnestness，thepassiontowhichhehadsooftenbeforefounditdifficulttogivewords。
Thehourofnoonnowapproached，andSaladinwaitedtoreceivethePrincesofChristendominatent，which，butforitslargesize，differedlittlefromthatoftheordinaryshelterofthecommonCurdman，orArab；yet，beneathitsampleandsablecovering，waspreparedabanquetafterthemostgorgeousfashionoftheEast，extendeduponcarpetsofthericheststuffs，withcushionslaidfortheguests。Butwecannotstoptodescribetheclothofgoldandsilver-thesuperbembroideryinArabesque-theshawlsofCashmere-andthemuslinsofIndia，whichwerehereunfoldedinalltheirsplendour；farlesstotellthedifferentsweetmeats，ragoutsedgedwithricecolouredinvariousmanners，withalltheothernicetiesofEasterncookery。
Lambsroastedwhole，andgameandpoultrydressedinpilaus，werepiledinvesselsofgold，andsilver，andporcelain，andintermixedwithlargemazersofsherbetcooledinsnowandicefromthecavernsofMountLebanon。Amagnificentpileofcushionsattheheadofthebanquet，seemedpreparedforthemasterofthefeast，andsuchdignitariesashemightcalltosharethatplaceofdistinction，whilefromtheroofofthetentinallquarters，butoverthisscatofeminenceinparticular，wavedmanyabannerandpennon，thetrophiesofbattleswon，andkingdomsoverthrown。Butamongstandabovethemall，alonglancedisplayedashroud，thebannerofDeath，withthisimpressiveinscription-=Saladin，KingofKings-Saladin，VictorofVictors-Saladinmustdie。=’’Amidthesepreparations，thelaveswhohadarrangedtherefreshmentsstoodwithdroopedheadsandfoldedarms，muteandmotionlessasmonumentalstatuary，orasautomata，whichwaitedthetouchoftheartisttoputtheminmotion。
Expectingtheapproachofhisprincelyguests，theSoldan，imbued，asmostwere，withthesuperstitionsofhistime，pausedoverahoroscopeandcorrespondingscroll，whichhadbeensenttohimbytheHermitofEngaddiwhenhedepartedfromthecamp。
Strangeandmysteriousscience，’’hemutteredtohimself，which，pretendingtodrawthecurtainoffuturity，misleadsthosewhomitseemstoguide，anddarkensthescenewhichitpretendstoilluminate！WhowouldnothavesaidthatIwasthatenemymostdangeroustoRichard，whoseenmitywastobeendedbymarriagewithhiskinswoman？YetitnowappearsthataunionbetwixtthisgallantEarlandtheladywillbringaboutfriendshipbetwixtRichardandScotland，anenemymoredangerousthanI，asawildcatinachamberismoretobedreadedthanalioninadistantdesert-Butthen，’’hecontinuedtomuttertohimself，thecombinationintimatesthatthishusbandwastobeChristian-Christian？’’herepeated，afterapause，-ThatgavetheinsanefanaticstargazerhopesthatImightrenouncemyfaith！butme，thefaithfulfollowerofourProphet-meitshouldhaveundeceived。Liethere，mysteriousscroll，’’headded，thrustingitunderthepileofcushions；strangearethybodementsandfatal，since，evenwhentrueinthemselves，theyworkuponthosewhoattempttodeciphertheirmeaningalltheeffectsoffalsehood-Hownow，whatmeansthisintrusion？’’
HespoketothedwarfNectabanus，whorushedintothetentfearfullyagitated，witheachstrangeanddisproportionedfeaturewrenchedbyhorrorintostillmoreextravagantugliness，-hismouthopen，hiseyesstaring，hishands，withtheirshrivelledanddeformedfingers，widelyexpanded。
Whatnow？’’saidtheSoldan，sternly。
_Accipehoc！_’’groanedoutthedwarf。
Ha！say’stthou？’’answeredSaladin。
_Accipehoc！_’’repliedthepanic-struckcreature，unconscious，perhaps，thatherepeatedthesamewordsasbefore。
Hence！Iaminnoveinforfoolery，’’saidtheEmperor。
NoramIfartherfool，’’saidthedwarf，thantomakemyfollyhelpoutmywitstoearnmybread，poorhelplesswretch！-
Hear，hearme，greatSoldan！’’
Nay，ifthouhastactualwrongtocomplainof，’’saidSaladin，foolorwise，thouartentitledtotheearofaKing-Retirehitherwithme；’’andheledhimintotheinnertent。
Whatevertheirconferencerelatedto，itwassoonbrokenoffvariousChristianprinces，whomSaladinwelcomedtohistentwitharoyalcourtesywellbecomingtheirrankandhisown；
butchieflyhesalutedtheyoungEarlofHuntingdon，andgenerouslycongratulatedhimuponprospects，whichseemedtohaveinterferedwithandovercloudedthosewhichhehadhimselfentertained。
Butthinknot，’’saidtheSoldan，thounobleyouth，thatthePrinceofScotlandismorewelcometoSaladin，thanwasKennethtothesolitaryIlderimwhentheymetinthedesert，orthedistressedEthioptotheHakimAdonbec。Abraveandgenerousdispositionlikethinehathavalueindependentofconditionandbirth，asthecooldraughtwhichIhereprofferthee，isasdeliciousfromanearthenvesselasfromagobletofgold。’’
TheEarlofHuntingdonmadeasuitablereply，gratefullyacknowledgingthevariousimportantserviceshehadreceivedfromthegenerousSoldan；butwhenhehadpledgedSaladininthebowlofsherbet，whichtheSoldanhadprofferedtohim，hecouldnothelpremarkingwithasmile，Thebravecavalier，Ilderim，knewnotoftheformationofice，butthemunificentSoldancoolshissherbetwithsnow。’’
WouldstthouhaveanAraboraCurdmanaswiseasaHakim？’’saidtheSoldan。Hewhodoesonadisguisemustmakethesentimentsofhisheartandthelearningofhisheadaccordwiththedresswhichheassumes。Idesiredtoseehowabraveandsingle-heartedcavalierofFrangistanwouldconducthimselfindebatewithsuchachiefasIthenseemed；andI
questionedthetruthofawell-knownfact，toknowbywhatargumentsthouwouldstsupportthyassertion。’’
Whiletheywerespeaking，theArchdukeofAustria，whostoodalittleapart，wasstruckwiththementionoficedsherbet，andtookwithpleasureandsomebluntnessthedeepgoblet，astheEarlofHuntingdonwasabouttoreplaceit。
Mostdelicious！’’heexclaimed，afteradeepdraught，whichtheheatoftheweather，andthefeverishnessfollowingthedebauchoftheprecedingday，hadrendereddoublyacceptable。
HesighedashehandedthecuptotheGrandMasteroftheTemplars。Saladinmadeasigntothedwarf，whoadvancedandpronounced，withaharshvoice，thewords，_Accipehoc！_
TheTemplarstarted，likeasteedwhoseesalionunderabush，besidethepathway；yetinstantlyrecovered，andtohide，perhaps，hisconfusion，raisedthegoblettohislips-butthoselipsnevertouchedthatgoblet’srim。ThesabreofSaladinleftitssheathaslightningleavesthecloud。Itwaswavedintheair，-andtheheadoftheGrandMasterrolledtotheextremityofthetent，whilethetrunkremainedforasecondstanding，withthegobletstillclenchedinitsgrasp，thenfell，theliquorminglingwiththebloodthatspurtedfromtheveins。
NoteB。DeathoftheGrandMaster。
Therewasageneralexclamationoftreason，andAustria，nearesttowhomSaladinstoodwiththebloodysabreinhishand，startedbackasifapprehensivethathisturnwastocomenext。
Richardandotherslaidhandontheirswords。
Fearnothing，nobleAustria，’’saidSaladin，ascomposedlyasifnothinghadhappened，noryou，royalEngland，bewrothatwhatyouhaveseen。Notforhismanifoldtreasons；-notfortheattemptwhich，asmaybevouchedbyhisownsquire，heinstigatedagainstKingRichard’slife；-notthathepursuedthePrinceofScotlandandmyselfinthedesert，reducingustosaveourlivesbythespeedofourhorses；-notthathehadstirreduptheMaronitestoattackusuponthisveryoccasion，hadI
notbroughtupunexpectedlysomanyArabsasrenderedtheschemeabortive；-notforanyorallofthesecrimesdoeshenowliethere，althougheachweredeservingsuchadoom；-butbecause，scarcehalf-an-hourerehepollutedourpresence，asthesimoomempoisonstheatmosphere，heponiardedhiscomradeandaccomplice，ConradeofMontserrat，lestheshouldconfesstheinfamousplotsinwhichtheyhadbothbeenengaged。’’
How！Conrademurdered？-AndbytheGrandMaster，hissponsorandmostintimatefriend！’’exclaimedRichard。NobleSoldan，Iwouldnotdoubtthee-yetthismustbeproved-
otherwise’’-
Therestandstheevidence，’’saidSaladin，pointingtotheterrifieddwarf。Allah，whosendsthefire-flytoilluminatethenight-season，candiscoversecretcrimesbythemostcontemptiblemeans。’’
TheSoldanproceededtotellthedwarf’sstory，whichamountedtothis-Inhisfoolishcuriosity，orashepartlyconfessed，withsomethoughtsofpilfering，NectabanushadstrayedintothetentofConrade，whichhadbeendesertedbyhisattendants，someofwhomhadlefttheencampmenttocarrythenewsofhisdefeattohisbrother，andotherswereavailingthemselvesofthemeanswhichSaladinhadsuppliedforrevelling。ThewoundedmansleptundertheinfluenceofSaladin’swonderfultalisman，sothatthedwarfhadopportunitytopryaboutatpleasure，untilhewasfrightenedintoconcealmentbythesoundofaheavystep。
Heskulkedbehindacurtain，yetcouldseethemotions，andhearthewordsoftheGrandMaster，whoentered，andcarefullysecuredthecoveringofthepavilionbehindhim。Hisvictimstartedfromsleep，anditwouldappearthatheinstantlysuspectedthepurposeofhisoldassociate，foritwasinatoneofalarmthathedemandedwhereforehedisturbedhim。
Icometoconfessandabsolvethee，’’answeredtheGrandMaster。
Oftheirfartherspeechtheterrifieddwarfrememberedlittle，savethatConradeimploredtheGrandMasternottobreakawoundedreed，andthattheTemplarstruckhimtotheheartwithaTurkishdagger，withthewords_Accipehoc_-wordswhichlongafterwardshauntedtheterrifiedimaginationoftheconcealedwitness。
Iverifiedthetale，’’saidSaladin，bycausingthebodytobeexamined；andImadethisunhappybeing，whomAllahhathmadethediscovererofthecrime，repeatinyourownpresencethewordswhichthemurdererspoke，andyouyourselvessawtheeffectwhichtheyproduceduponhisconscience！’’
TheSoldanpaused，andtheKingofEnglandbrokesilence:-
Ifthisbetrue，asIdoubtnot，wehavewitnessedagreatactofjustice，thoughitboreadifferentaspect。Butwhereforeinthispresence？whereforewiththineownhand？’’