quire, Struchan. I have, therefore, heard to an end a matter which being propounded by another Moslem than thyself, I would have cut short with a blow of my dagger. Hakim, in return for thy kindness, I advise thee to see that the Saracen, who shall propose to Richard an union betwixt the blood of Plantagenet and that of his accursed race, do put on a helmet which is capable to endure such a blow of a battle-axe as that which struck down the gate of Acre. Certes, he will be otherwise placed beyond the reach even of thy skill."

"Thou art, then, wilfully determined not to fly to the Saracen host?-Yet remember, thou stayest to certain destruction; and the writings of thy law, as well as ours, prohibit man from breaking into the tabernacle of his own life."

"God forbid!" replied the Scot, crossing himself; "but we are also forbidden to avoid the punishment which our crimes have deserved; and since so poor are thy thoughts of fidelity, Hakim, it grudges me that I have bestowed my good hound on thee, for should he live, he will have a master ignorant of his value."

"A gift that is begrudged is already recalled," said El Hakim, "only we physicians are sworn not to send away a patient uncured. If the dog recover, he is once more yours:"

"Go to, Hakim," answered Sir Kennneth; 66 men speak not of hawk and hound when there is but an hour of day-breaking betwixt them and death. Leave me to recollect my sins, and reconcile myself to Heaven."

"I leave thee in thine obstinacy," said the physician; "the mist hides the precipice from those who are doomed to fall over it."

He withdrew slowly, turning from time to time his head, as if to observe whether the devoted knight might not recall him either by word or signal. At last his turbaned figure was lost among the labyrinth of tents which lay extended beneath, whitening in the pale light of the dawning, before which the moonbeam had faded now away.

But although the physician Adonbec's words had

not made that impression upon Kenneth which the sage desired, they had inspired the Scot with a motive for desiring life, which, dishonoured as he conceived himself to be, he was willing to part from as from a sullied vestment no longer becoming his wear. A number of circumstances, which passed both betwixt himself and the hermit, and which he had observed to take place betwixt the anchorite and Sheerkhoff, (or Ilderim,) and which he now recalled to recollection, went to confirm what the Hakim had told him of the secret article of the treaty.

“The reverend impostor!" he exclaimed to himself; "the hoary hypocrite! He spoke of the unbelieving husband converted by the believing wife-and what do I know but that the traitor exhibited to the Saracen, accursed of God, the beauties of Edith Plantagenet, that the hound might judge if she were fit to be admitted into the haram of a misbeliever? If I had yonder infidel once more in the gripe, with which I once held him fast as ever hound held hare, never again should he at least come on errand disgraceful to the honour of christian king, or noble and virtuous maiden. But I my hours are fast dwindling into minutes -yet while I have life and breath, something must be done, and speedily."

He paused for a few minutes, threw from him his helmet, then strode down the hill, and took the road to king Richard's pavilion.

CHAPTER VII.

The feather'd songster, Chanticleer,
Had wound his bugle-horn,
And told the early villager

The coming of the morn.
King Edward saw the ruddy streaks
Of light eclipse the gray,

And heard the raven's croaking throat
Proclaim the fated day.

"Thou'rt right," he said, "for by the God,

That sits enthroned on high,

Charles Bawdwin, and his fellows twain,
This day shall surely die."

CHATTERTON,

On the evening on which Sir Kenneth assumed his post, Richard after the stormy event which disturbed its tranquillity, had retired to rest in the plenitude of confidence inspired by his unbounded courage, and the superiority which he had displayed in carrying the point he aimed at in presence of the whole christian host, and its leaders, many of whom, he was aware, regarded in their secret souls the disgrace of the Austrian duke as a triumph over themselves; so that his pride felt gratified, that in prostrating one enemy he had mortified an hundred.

Another monarch would have doubled his guards on the evening after such a scene, and kept at least a part of his troops under arms. But Cœur de Lion dismissed upon the occasion, even his ordinary watch, and assigned to his soldiers a donative of wine to celebrate his recovery, and to drink to the banner of Saint George; and his quarter of the camp would have assumed a character totally devoid of vigilance and military preparation, but that Sir Thomas De Vaux, the earl of Salisbury, and other nobles, took precautions to preserve order and discipline among the revellers.

The physician attended the king from his retiring to bed till midnight was past, and twice administered

medicine to him during that period, always previously observing the quarter of heaven occupied by the full moon, whose influences he declared to be most sovereign, or most baleful to the effect of his drugs. It was three hours after midnight ere El Hakim withdrew from the royal tent, to one which had been pitched for himself and his retinue. In his way thither, he visited the tent of Sir Kenneth of the Leopard, in order to see the condition of his first patient in the christian camp, old Strauchan, as the knight's esquire was named. Inquiring there for Sir Kenneth himself, El Hakim learned on what duty he was employed, and probably this information led him to Saint George's mount, where he found him whom he sought in the disastrous circumstances alluded to in the last chapter.

It was about the hour of sun-rise, when a slow, armed tread was heard approaching the King's pavilion; and ere De Vaux, who slumbered beside his master's bed as lightly as ever sleep sat upon the eyes of a watchdog, had time to do more than arise and say, "Who comes?" the Knight of the Leopard entered the tent, with a deep and devoted gloom seated upon his manly features.

"Whence this bold intrusion, Sir Knight?" said De Vaux, sternly, yet in a tone which respected his master's slumbers.

"Hold! De Vaux," said Richard, awaking on the instant;"Sir Kenneth cometh like a good soldier to render an account of his guard-to such the General's tent is ever accessible.-Then rising from his slumbering posture, and leaning on his elbow, he fixed his large bright eye upon the warrior" Speak, Sir Scot, thou comest to tell me of a vigilant, safe and honourable watch, dost thou not? The rustling of the folds of the Banner of England were enough to guard it, even without the body of such a knight as men hold thee."

"As men will hold me no more," said Sir Kenneth, "my watch hath neither been vigilant, safe, nor honourable: The Banner of England has been carried off."

"And thou alive to tell it?" said Richard, in a tone

of derisive incredulity,-" Away, it can not be. There is not even a scratch on thy face. Why dost thou stand thus mute? Speak the truth-it is ill jesting with a king-yet I will forgive thee if thou has lied."

"Lied! Sir King!" returned the unfortunate knight, with fierce emphasis, and one glance of fire from his eye, bright and transient as the flash from the cold and stony flint. "But this also must be endured.-I

have spoken the truth."

By God, and by Saint George!" said the King, bursting into fury, which, however, he instantly checked" De Vaux, go view the spot-This fever has disturbed my brain-This can not be-The man's courage is proof-It can not be! Go speedily-or send, if thou wilt not go."

The King was interrupted by Sir Henry Neville, who came, breathless, to say that the banner was gone, and the knight who guarded it overpowered, and most probably murdered, as there was a pool of blood where the banner-spear lay shivered.

"But whom do I see here?" said Neville, his eye suddenly resting upon Sir Kenneth.

"A traitor," said the King, starting to his feet, and seizing the curtal-axe, which was ever near his bed"a traitor! whom thou shalt see die a traitor's death." And he drew back the weapon as in act to strike.

Colourless, but firm as a marble statue, the Scot stood before him, with his bare head uncovered by any protection, his eyes cast down to the earth, his lips scarcely moving, yet muttering probably in prayer. Opposite to him, and within the due reach for a blow, stood King Richard, his large person wrapt in the folds of his camescia, or ample gown of linen, except where the violence of his action had flung the covering from his right arm, shoulder, and a part of his breast, leaving to view a specimen of a frame which might have merited his Saxon predecessor's epithet of Ironside. He stood for an instant, prompt to strike—then sinking the head of the weapon towards the ground, he exclaimed, "But there was blood, Neville-there was blood upon the place. Hark thee, Sir Scot-brave thou wert once, for I have seen thee fight-Say thou