be discharged of
their burdens, and some order taken as to the reception of the learned
physician?"

"Wonderful!" said De Vaux, as speaking to himself.--"And who will vouch
for the honour of Saladin, in a case when bad faith would rid him at
once of his most powerful adversary?"

"I myself," replied Sir Kenneth, "will be his guarantee, with honour,
life, and fortune."

"Strange!" again ejaculated De Vaux; "the North vouches for the
South--the Scot for the Turk! May I crave of you, Sir Knight, how you
became concerned in this affair?"

"I have been absent on a pilgrimage, in the course of which," replied
Sir Kenneth "I had a message to discharge towards the holy hermit of
Engaddi."

"May I not be entrusted with it, Sir Kenneth, and with the answer of the
holy man?"

"It may not be, my lord," answered the Scot.

"I am of the secret council of England," said the Englishman haughtily.

"To which land I owe no allegiance," said Kenneth. "Though I have
voluntarily followed in this war the personal fortunes of England's
sovereign, I was dispatched by the General Council of the kings,
princes, and supreme leaders of the army of the Blessed Cross, and to
them only I render my errand."

"Ha! sayest thou?" said the proud Baron de Vaux. "But know, messenger
of the kings and princes as thou mayest be, no leech shall approach the
sick-bed of Richard of England without the consent of him of Gilsland;
and they will come on evil errand who dare to intrude themselves against
it."

He was turning loftily away, when the Scot, placing himself closer, and
more opposite to him, asked, in a calm voice, yet not without expressing
his share of pride, whether the Lord of Gilsland esteemed him a
gentleman and a good knight.

"All Scots are ennobled by their birthright," answered Thomas de Vaux,
something ironically; but sensible of his own injustice, and perceiving
that Kenneth's colour rose, he added, "For a good knight it were sin to
doubt you, in one at least who has seen you well and bravely discharge
your devoir."

"Well, then," said the Scottish knight, satisfied with the frankness of
the last admission, "and let me swear to you, Thomas of Gilsland, that,
as I am true Scottish man, which I hold a privilege equal to my ancient
gentry, and as sure as I am a belted knight, and come hither to acquire
LOS [Los--laus, praise, or renown] and fame in this mortal life, and
forgiveness of my sins in that which is to come--so truly, a