t they may try their spells upon him. We are his sponsors, and demand
that he be assigned to our care."

"That is, you refuse the certain means offered to recover him?" said
Richard.

"Not so," said the Grand Master, recollecting himself. "If the Soldan
useth lawful medicines, he may attend the patient in my tent."

"Do so, I pray thee, good brother," said Richard to Saladin, "though the
permission be ungraciously yielded.--But now to a more glorious work.
Sound, trumpets--shout, England, in honor of England's champion!"

Drum, clarion, trumpet, and cymbal, rung forth at once, and the deep and
regular shout, which for ages has been the English acclamation, sounded
amidst the shrill and irregular yells of the Arabs, like the diapason of
the organ amid the howling of a storm. There was silence at length.

"Brave Knight of the Leopard," resumed Coeur de Lion, "thou hast shown
that the Ethiopian _may_ change his skin and the Leopard his spots,
though clerks quote Scripture for the impossibility. Yet I have more to
say to you when I have conducted you to the presence of the ladies, the
best judges, and best rewarders, of deeds of chivalry."

The Knight of the Leopard bowed assent.

"And thou, princely Saladin, wilt also attend them. I promise thee our
Queen will not think herself welcome, if she lacks the opportunity to
thank her royal host for her most princely reception."

Saladin bent his head gracefully, but declined the invitation.

"I must attend the wounded man," he said. "The leech leaves not his
patient more than the champion the lists, even if he be summoned to a
bower like those of Paradise.... At noon," said the Soldan, as he
departed, "I trust ye will all accept a collation under the black
camel-skin tent of a chief of Curdistan."

The same invitation was circulated among the Christians, comprehending
all those of sufficient importance to be admitted to sit at a feast made
for princes.

"Hark!" said Richard, "the timbrels announce that our Queen and her
attendants are leaving their gallery; and see, the turbans sink on the
ground, as if struck down by a destroying angel. All lie prostrate, as
if the glance of an Arab's eye could sully the lustre of a lady's cheek!
Come, we will to the pavillion, and lead our conqueror thither in
triumph. How I pity that noble Soldan, who knows but of love as it is
known to those of inferior nature!"

Blondel tuned his harp to its boldest measure, to welcome the
int