the tent, while the trunk remained,
for a second, standing, with the goblet still clenched in its grasp,
then fell, the liquor mingling with the blood that spurted from the
veins.

There was a general exclamation of treason, and Austria, nearest to whom
Saladin stood with the bloody sabre in his hand, started back as if
apprehensive that his turn was to come next. Richard and others laid
hand on their swords.

"Fear nothing, noble Austria," said Saladin, as composedly as if nothing
had happened, "nor you, royal England, be wroth at what you have seen.
Not for his manifold treasons;--not for the attempt which, as may be
vouched by his own squire, he instigated against King Richard's
life;--not that he pursued the Prince of Scotland and myself in the
desert, reducing us to save our lives by the speed of our horses;--not
that he had stirred up the Maronites to attack us upon this very
occasion, had I not brought up unexpectedly so many Arabs as rendered
the scheme abortive;--not for any or all of these crimes does he now
lie there, although each were deserving such a doom;--but because,
scarce half-an-hour ere he polluted our presence, as the simoom
empoisons the atmosphere, he poniarded his comrade and accomplice,
Conrade of Montserrat, lest he should confess the infamous plots in
which they had both been engaged."

"How! Conrade murdered?--And by the Grand Master, his sponsor and most
intimate friend!" exclaimed Richard. "Noble Soldan, I would not doubt
thee; yet this must be proved; otherwise"----

"There stands the evidence," said Saladin, pointing to the terrified
dwarf. "Allah, who sends the fire-fly to illuminate the night-season,
can discover secret crimes by the most contemptible means."

The Soldan proceeded to tell the dwarf's story, which amounted to
this.--In his foolish curiosity, or as he partly confessed, with some
thoughts of pilfering, Nectabanus had strayed into the tent of Conrade,
which had been deserted by his attendants, some of whom had left the
encampment to carry the news of his defeat to his brother, and others
were availing themselves of the means which Saladin had supplied for
revelling. The wounded man slept under the influence of Saladin's
wonderful talisman, so that the dwarf had opportunity to pry about at
pleasure, until he was frightened into concealment by the sound of a
heavy step. He skulked behind a curtain, yet could see the motions, and
hear the words of the Grand Master, who