WhatmeansthisunseemlybroilbetwixttheswornbrethrenoftheCross-theroyalMajestyofEnglandandtheprincelyDukeLeopold？Howisitpossiblethatthosewhoarethechiefsandpillarsofthisholyexpedition’’-
　　Atrucewiththyremonstrance，France，’’saidRichard，enragedinwardlyatfindinghimselfplacedonasortofequalitywithLeopold，yetnotknowinghowtoresentit-thisduke，orprince，orpillar，ifyouwill，hathbeeninsolent，andIhavechastisedhim-thatisall。Hereisacoil，forsooth，becauseofspurningahound！’’
　　MajestyofFrance，’’saidtheDuke，IappealtoyouandeverysovereignprinceagainstthefoulindignitywhichIhavesustained。ThisKingofEnglandhathpulleddownmybanner-tornandtrampledonit。’’
　　Becausehehadtheaudacitytoplantitbesidemine，’’saidRichard。
　　Myrankasthineequalentitledme，’’repliedtheDuke，emboldenedbythepresenceofPhilip。
　　Assertsuchequalityforthyperson，’’saidKingRichard，and，bySaintGeorge，IwilltreatthypersonasIdidthybroideredkerchiefthere，fitbutforthemeanestusetowhichkerchiefmaybeput。’’
　　Nay，butpatience，brotherofEngland，’’saidPhilip，andIwillpresentlyshowAustriathatheiswronginthismatter-
　　Donotthink，nobleDuke，’’hecontinued，that，inpermittingthestandardofEnglandtooccupythehighestpointinourcamp，we，theindependentsovereignsoftheCrusade，acknowledgeanyinferioritytotheroyalRichard。Itwereinconsistenttothinkso；sinceeventheoriflammeitself-thegreatbannerofFrance，towhichtheroyalRichardhimself，inrespectofhisFrenchpossessions，isbutavassal-holdsforthepresentaninferiorplacetotheLionsofEngland。ButasswornbrethrenoftheCross，militarypilgrims，who，layingasidethepompandprideofthisworld，arehewingwithourswordsthewaytotheHolySepulchre，Imyself，andtheotherprinces，haverenouncedtoKingRichard，fromrespecttohishighrenownandgreatfeatsofarms，thatprecedence，whichelsewhere，anduponothermotives，wouldnothavebeenyielded。Iamsatisfied，thatwhenyourroyalgraceofAustriashallhaveconsideredthis，youwillexpresssorrowforhavingplacedyourbanneronthisspot，andthattheroyalMajestyofEnglandwillthengivesatisfactionfortheinsulthehasoffered。’’
　　The_spruch-sprecher_andthejesterhadbothretiredtoasafedistancewhenmattersseemedcomingtoblows，butreturnedwhenwords，theirowncommodity，seemedagainabouttobecometheorderoftheday。
　　ThemanofproverbswassodelightedwithPhilip’spoliticspeech，thatheclashedhisbatonattheconclusionbywayofemphasis，andforgotthepresenceinwhichhewas，sofarastosayaloud，thathehimselfhadneversaidawiserthinginhislife。
　　Itmaybeso，’’whisperedJonasSchwanker，butweshallbewhippedifyouspeaksoloud。’’
　　TheDukeansweredsullenly，thathewouldreferhisquarreltotheGeneralCounciloftheCrusade-amotionwhichPhiliphighlyapplauded，asqualifiedtotakeawayascandalmostharmfultoChristendom。
　　Richard，retainingthesamecarelessattitude，listenedtoPhilipuntilhisoratoryseemedexhausted，andthensaidaloud，Iamdrowsy-thisfeverhangsaboutmestill。BrotherofFrance，thouartacquaintedwithmyhumour，andthatIhaveatalltimesbutfewwordstospare-know，therefore，atonce，IwillsubmitamattertouchingthehonourofEnglandneithertoPrince，Pope，norCouncil。Herestandsmybanner-whatsoeverpennonshallberearedwithinthreebutts’lengthofit-ay，wereittheoriflamme，ofwhichyouwere，Ithink，butnowspeaking，shallbetreatedasthatdishonouredrag；norwillIyieldothersatisfactionthanthatwhichthesepoorlimbscanrenderintheliststoanyboldchallenge-ay，wereitagainstfivechampionsinsteadofone。’’
　　Now，’’saidthejester，whisperinghiscompanion，thatisascompleteapieceoffolly，asifImyselfhadsaidit-butyet，Ithink，theremaybeinthismatteragreaterfoolthanRichardyet。’’
　　Andwhomaythatbe？’’askedthemanofwisdom。
　　Philip，’’saidthejester，orourownRoyalDuke，shouldeitheracceptthechallenge-Butoh，mostsage_spruch-sprecher，_
　　whatexcellentkingswouldthouandIhavemade，sincethoseonwhoseheadsthesecrownshavefallen，canplaytheproverb-mongerandthefoolascompletelyasourselves！’’
　　Whiletheseworthiespliedtheirofficesapart，PhilipansweredcalmlytothealmostinjuriousdefianceofRichard，-Icamenothithertoawakenfreshquarrels，contrarytotheoathwehavesworn，andtheholycauseinwhichwehaveengaged。I
　　partfrommybrotherofEnglandasbrothersshouldpart，andtheonlystrifebetweentheLionsofEnglandandtheLiliesofFranceshallbe，whichshallbecarrieddeepestintotheranksoftheinfidels。’’
　　Itisabargain，myroyalbrother，’’saidRichard，stretchingouthishandwithallthefranknesswhichbelongedtohisrashbutgenerousdisposition；andsoonmaywehavetheopportunitytotrythisgallantandfraternalwager！’’
　　LetthisnobleDukealsopartakeinthefriendshipofthishappymoment，’’saidPhilip；andtheDukeapproachedhalf-sullenly，half-willingtoenterintosomeaccommodation。
　　Ithinknotoffools，noroftheirfolly，’’saidRichard，carelessly；
　　andtheArchduke，turninghisbackonhim，withdrewfromtheground。
　　Richardlookedafterhimasheretired。
　　Thereisasortofglow-wormcourage，’’hesaid，thatshowsonlybynight。Imustnotleavethisbannerunguardedindarkness-bydaylightthelookoftheLionswillalonedefendit。Here，ThomasofGilsland，Igivetheethechargeofthestandard-watchoverthehonourofEngland。’’
　　Hersafetyisyetmoredeartome，’’saidDeVaux，andthelifeofRichardisthesafetyofEngland-ImusthaveyourHighnessbacktoyourtent，andthatwithoutfurthertarriance。’’
　　Thouartaroughandperemptorynurse，DeVaux，’’saidtheKing，smiling；andthenadded，addressingSirKenneth，ValiantScot，Iowetheeaboon，andIwillpayitrichly。
　　TherestandsthebannerofEngland！Watchitasanovicedoeshisarmouronthenightbeforeheisdubbed-Stirnotfromitthreespears’length，anddefenditwiththybodyagainstinjuryorinsult-Soundthybugle，ifthouartassailedbymorethanthreeatonce。Dostthouundertakethecharge？’’
　　Willingly，’’saidKenneth；andwilldischargeituponpenaltyofmyhead。Iwillbutarmme，andreturnhitherinstantly。’’
　　TheKingsofFranceandEnglandthentookformalleaveofeachother，hiding，underanappearanceofcourtesy，thegroundsofcomplaintwhicheitherhadagainsttheother，-
　　RichardagainstPhilip，forwhathedeemedanofficiousinterferencebetwixthimandAustria，andPhilipagainstCurdeLion，forthedisrespectfulmannerinwhichhismediationhadbeenreceived。Thosewhomthisdisturbancehadassembled，nowdrewoffindifferentdirections，leavingthecontestedmountinthesamesolitudewhichhadsubsistedtillinterruptedbytheAustrianbravado。Menjudgedoftheeventsofthedayaccordingtotheirpartialities；andwhiletheEnglishchargedtheAustrianwithhavingaffordedthefirstgroundofquarrel，thoseofothernationsconcurredincastingthegreaterblameupontheinsularhaughtinessandassumingcharacterofRichard。
　　Thouseest，’’saidtheMarquisofMontserrattotheGrandMasteroftheTemplars，thatsubtlecoursesaremoreeffectivethanviolence。Ihaveunloosedthebondswhichheldtogetherthisbunchofsceptresandlances-thouwiltseethemshortlyfallasunder。’’
　　Iwouldhavecalledthyplanagoodone，’’saidtheTemplar，hadtherebeenbutonemanofcourageamongyondercold-bloodedAustrians，toseverthebondsofwhichyouspeak，withhissword。Aknotthatisunloosedmayagainbefastened，butnotsothecordwhichhasbeencuttopieces。’’
　　’Tiswomanthatseducesallmankind。
　　Inthedaysofchivalry，adangerouspost，oraperilousadventure，wasarewardfrequentlyassignedtomilitarybraveryasacompensationforitsformertrials-justas，inascendingaprecipicethesurmountingonecragonlyliftstheclimbertopointsyetmoredangerous。
　　Itwasmidnight，andthemoonrodeclearandhighinheaven，whenKennethofScotlandstooduponhiswatchonSaintGeorge’sMount，besidethebannerofEngland，asolitarysentinel，toprotecttheemblemofthatnationagainsttheinsultswhichmightbemeditatedamongthethousandswhomRichard’spridehadmadehisenemies。Highthoughtsrolled，oneafteranother，uponthemindofthewarrior。Itseemedtohimasifhehadgainedsomefavourintheeyesofthechivalrousmonarch，whotillnowhadnotseemedtodistinguishhimamongthecrowdsofbravemenwhomhisrenownhadassembledunderhisbanner，andSirKennethlittlereckedthatthedisplayofroyalregardconsistedinplacinghimuponapostsoperilous。Thedevotionofhisambitiousandhigh-placedaffectioninflamedhismilitaryenthusiasm。
　　Hopelessasthatattachmentwas，inalmostanyconceivablecircumstances，thosewhichhadlatelyoccurredhad，insomedegree，diminishedthedistancebetweenEdithandhimself。
　　HeuponwhomRichardhadconferredthedistinctionofguardinghisbanner，wasnolongeranadventurerofslightnote，butplacedwithintheregardofaprincess，althoughhewasasfaraseverfromherlevel。Anunknownandobscurefatecouldnotnowbehis。Ifhewassurprisedandslainonthepostwhichhadbeenassignedhim，hisdeath-andheresolveditshouldbeglorious-mustdeservethepraises，aswellascalldownthevengeance，ofCurdeLion，andbefollowedbytheregrets，andeventhetears，ofthehigh-bornbeautiesoftheEnglishCourt。Hehadnownolongerreasontofearthatheshoulddieasafooldieth。
　　SirKennethhadfullleisuretoenjoytheseandsimilarhigh-souledthoughts，fosteredbythatwildspiritofchivalry，which，amiditsmostextravagantandfantasticflights，wasstillpurefromallselfishalloy-generous，devoted，andperhapsonlythusfarcensurable，thatitproposedobjectsandcoursesofactioninconsistentwiththefrailtiesandimperfectionsofman。Allnaturearoundhimsleptincalmmoonshine，orindeepshadow。
　　Thelongrowsoftentsandpavilions，glimmeringordarkeningastheylayinthemoonlightorintheshade，werestillandsilentasthestreetsofadesertedcity。Besidethebanner-stafflaythelargestag-houndalreadymentioned，thesolecompanionofKenneth’swatch，onwhosevigilancehetrustedforearlywarningoftheapproachofanyhostilefootstep。Thenobleanimalseemedtounderstandthepurposeoftheirwatch，forhelookedfromtimetotimeattherichfoldsoftheheavypennon，and，whenthecryofthesentinelscamefromthedistantlinesanddefencesofthecamp，heansweredthemwithonedeepandreiteratedbark，asiftoaffirmthathetoowasvigilantinhisduty。Fromtimetotime，also，heloweredhisloftyhead，andwaggedhistail，ashismasterpassedandrepassedhimintheshortturnswhichhetookuponhispost；
　　or，whentheknightstoodsilentandabstracted，leaningonhislance，andlookinguptowardsHeaven，hisfaithfulattendantventuredsometimes，inthephraseofromance，todisturbhisthoughts，’’andawakenhimfromhisreverie，bythrustinghislargeroughsnoutintotheknight’sgauntletedhand，tosolicitatransitorycaress。
　　Thuspassedtwohoursoftheknight’swatchwithoutanythingremarkableoccurring。Atlength，anduponasudden，thegallantstag-houndbayedfuriously，andseemedabouttoclashforwardwheretheshadowlaythedarkest，yetwaited，asifintheslips，tillheshouldknowthepleasureofhismaster。
　　Whogoesthere？’’saidSirKenneth，awarethattherewassomethingcreepingforwardontheshadowysideofthemount。
　　InthenameofMerlinandMaugis，’’answeredahoarsedisagreeablevoice，tieupyourfour-footeddemonthere，orI
　　comenotatyou。’’
　　Andwhoartthou，thatwouldapproachmypost？’’saidSirKenneth，bendinghiseyesaskeenlyashecouldonsomeobjectwhichhecouldjustobserveatthebottomoftheascent，withoutbeingabletodistinguishitsform。Beware-Iamherefordeathandlife。’’
　　Takeupthylong-fangedSathanas，’’saidthevoice，orI
　　willconjurehimwithaboltfrommyarblast。’’
　　Atthesametimewasheardthesoundofaspringorcheek，aswhenacrossbowisbent。