turn from Ascalon, brought back
with him the Earl of Huntingdon's sole attendant, a thick-skulled slave,
who had gone thirty miles to unfold to De Vaux a secret he should have
told to me."

"Old Strauchan must be excused," said the Lord of Gilsland. "He knew
from experience that my heart is somewhat softer than if I wrote myself
Plantagenet."

"Thy heart soft? thou commodity of old iron, and Cumberland flint that
thou art!" exclaimed the King. "It is we Plantagenets who boast soft and
feeling hearts, Edith," he continued, turning to his cousin, with an
expression which called the blood into her cheek.--"Give me thy hand, my
fair cousin, and, Prince of Scotland, thine."...

It is needless to follow into further particulars the conferences at the
royal tent, or to enquire whether David, Earl of Huntingdon, was as mute
in the presence of Edith Plantagenet, as when he was bound to act under
the character of an obscure and nameless adventurer. It may be well
believed that he there expressed, with suitable earnestness, the passion
to which he had so often before found it difficult to give words.

The hour of noon now approached, and Saladin waited to receive the
Princes of Christendom in a tent, which, but for its large size,
differed little from that of the ordinary shelter of the common Curdman,
or Arab; yet, beneath its ample and sable covering, was prepared a
banquet after the most gorgeous fashion of the East, extended upon
carpets of the richest stuffs, with cushions laid for the guests. But we
cannot stop to describe the cloth of gold and silver, the superb
embroidery in Arabesque, the shawls of Cashmere, and the muslins of
India, which were here unfolded in all their splendor; far less to tell
the different sweetmeats, ragouts edged with rice colored in various
manners, with all the other niceties of Eastern cookery. Lambs roasted
whole, and game and poultry dressed in pilaus, were piled in vessels of
gold, and silver, and porcelain, and intermixed with large mazers of
sherbet, cooled in snow and ice from the caverns of Mount Lebanon. A
magnificent pile of cushions at the head of the banquet, seemed prepared
for the master of the feast, and such dignitaries as he might call to
share that place of distinction, while from the roof of the tent in all
quarters, but over this seat of eminence in particular, waved many a
banner and pennon, the trophies of battles won, and kingdoms overthrown.
But amongst and above them