The Talisman

  CHAPTER XII.

  'Tis woman that seduces all mankind. GAY.

  In the days of chivalry, a dangerous post or a perilous adventure was areward frequently assigned to military bravery as a compensation for itsformer trials; just as, in ascending a precipice, the surmounting onecrag only lifts the climber to points yet more dangerous.

  It was midnight, and the moon rode clear and high in heaven, whenKenneth of Scotland stood upon his watch on Saint George's Mount, besidethe banner of England, a solitary sentinel, to protect the emblem ofthat nation against the insults which might be meditated among thethousands whom Richard's pride had made his enemies. High thoughtsrolled, one after each other, upon the mind of the warrior. It seemedto him as if he had gained some favour in the eyes of the chivalrousmonarch, who till now had not seemed to distinguish him among the crowdsof brave men whom his renown had assembled under his banner, and SirKenneth little recked that the display of royal regard consisted inplacing him upon a post so perilous. The devotion of his ambitious andhigh-placed affection inflamed his military enthusiasm. Hopeless as thatattachment was in almost any conceivable circumstances, those which hadlately occurred had, in some degree, diminished the distance betweenEdith and himself. He upon whom Richard had conferred the distinctionof guarding his banner was no longer an adventurer of slight note, butplaced within the regard of a princess, although he was as far as everfrom her level. An unknown and obscure fate could not now be his. Ifhe was surprised and slain on the post which had been assigned him, hisdeath--and he resolved it should be glorious--must deserve the praisesas well as call down the vengeance of Coeur de Lion, and be followedby the regrets, and even the tears, of the high-born beauties of theEnglish Court. He had now no longer reason to fear that he should die asa fool dieth.

  Sir Kenneth had full leisure to enjoy these and similar high-souledthoughts, fostered by that wild spirit of chivalry, which, amid itsmost extravagant and fantastic flights, was still pure from all selfishalloy--generous, devoted, and perhaps only thus far censurable, that itproposed objects and courses of action inconsistent with the frailtiesand imperfections of man. All nature around him slept in calm moon-shineor in deep shadow. The long rows of tents and pavilions, glimmering ordarkening as they lay in the moonlight or in the shade, were still andsilent as the streets of a deserted city. Beside the banner-staff laythe large staghound already mentioned, the sole companion of Kenneth'swatch, on whose vigilance he trusted for early warning of the approachof any hostile footstep. The noble animal seemed to understand thepurpose of their watch; for he looked from time to time at the richfolds of the heavy pennon, and, when the cry of the sentinels came fromthe distant lines and defences of the camp, he answered them with onedeep and reiterated bark, as if to affirm that he too was vigilant inhis duty. From time to time, also, he lowered his lofty head, and waggedhis tail, as his master passed and repassed him in the short turns whichhe took upon his post; or, when the knight stood silent and abstractedleaning on his lance, and looking up towards heaven, his faithfulattendant ventured sometimes, in the phrase of romance, "to disturb histhoughts," and awaken him from his reverie, by thrusting his large roughsnout into the knight's gauntleted hand, to solicit a transitory caress.

  Thus passed two hours of the knight's watch without anything remarkableoccurring. At length, and upon a sudden, the gallant staghound bayedfuriously, and seemed about to dash forward where the shadow laythe darkest, yet waited, as if in the slips, till he should know thepleasure of his master.

  "Who goes there?" said Sir Kenneth, aware that there was somethingcreeping forward on the shadowy side of the mount.

  "In the name of Merlin and Maugis," answered a hoarse, disagreeablevoice, "tie up your fourfooted demon there, or I come not at you."

  "And who art thou that would approach my post?" said Sir Kenneth,bending his eyes as keenly as he could on some object, which hecould just observe at the bottom of the ascent, without being able todistinguish its form. "Beware--I am here for death and life."

  "Take up thy long-fanged Sathanas," said the voice, "or I will conjurehim with a bolt from my arblast."

  At the same time was heard the sound of a spring or check, as when acrossbow is bent.

  "Unbend thy arblast, and come into the moonlight," said the Scot, "or,by Saint Andrew, I will pin thee to the earth, be what or whom thouwilt!"

  As he spoke he poised his long lance by the middle, and, fixing his eyeupon the object, which seemed to move, he brandished the weapon, asif meditating to cast it from his hand--a use of the weapon sometimes,though rarely, resorted to when a missile was necessary. But Sir Kennethwas ashamed of his purpose, and grounded his weapon, when there steppedfrom the shadow into the moonlight, like an actor entering upon thestage, a stunted, decrepit creature, whom, by his fantastic dress anddeformity, he recognized, even at some distance, for the male of the twodwarfs whom he had seen in the chapel at Engaddi. Recollecting, at thesame moment, the other and far different visions of that extraordinarynight, he gave his dog a signal, which he instantly understood, and,returning to the standard, laid himself down beside it with a stifledgrowl.

  The little, distorted miniature of humanity, assured of his safety froman enemy so formidable, came panting up the ascent, which the shortnessof his legs rendered laborious, and, when he arrived on the platform atthe top, shifted to his left hand the little crossbow, which was justsuch a toy as children at that period were permitted to shoot smallbirds with, and, assuming an attitude of great dignity, gracefullyextended his right hand to Sir Kenneth, in an attitude as if he expectedhe would salute it. But such a result not following, he demanded, in asharp and angry tone of voice, "Soldier, wherefore renderest thou notto Nectabanus the homage due to his dignity? Or is it possible that thoucanst have forgotten him?"

  "Great Nectabanus," answered the knight, willing to soothe thecreature's humour, "that were difficult for any one who has ever lookedupon thee. Pardon me, however, that, being a soldier upon my post,with my lance in my hand, I may not give to one of thy puissance theadvantage of coming within my guard, or of mastering my weapon. Sufficeit that I reverence thy dignity, and submit myself to thee as humbly asa man-at-arms in my place may."

  "It shall suffice," said Nectabanus, "so that you presently attend me tothe presence of those who have sent me hither to summon you."

  "Great sir," replied the knight, "neither in this can I gratify thee,for my orders are to abide by this banner till daybreak--so I pray youto hold me excused in that matter also."

  So saying, he resumed his walk upon the platform; but the dwarf did notsuffer him so easily to escape from his importunity.

  "Look you," he said, placing himself before Sir Kenneth, so as tointerrupt his way, "either obey me, Sir Knight, as in duty bound, or Iwill lay the command upon thee, in the name of one whose beauty couldcall down the genii from their sphere, and whose grandeur could commandthe immortal race when they had descended."

  A wild and improbable conjecture arose in the knight's mind, but herepelled it. It was impossible, he thought, that the lady of his loveshould have sent him such a message by such a messenger; yet his voicetrembled as he said, "Go to, Nectabanus. Tell me at once, and as a trueman, whether this sublime lady of whom thou speakest be other thanthe houri with whose assistance I beheld thee sweeping the chapel atEngaddi?"

  "How! presumptuous Knight," replied the dwarf, "think'st thou themistress of our own royal affections, the sharer of our greatness, andthe partner of our comeliness, would demean herself by laying charge onsuch a vassal as thou? No; highly as thou art honoured, thou hast notyet deserved the notice of Queen Guenevra, the lovely bride of Arthur,from whose high seat even princes seem but pigmies. But look thou here,and as thou knowest or disownest this token, so obey or refuse hercommands who hath deigned to impose them on thee."

  So saying, he placed in the knight's hand a ruby ring, which, even inthe moonlight, he had no difficulty to recognize as that which usuallygraced the finger of the high-born lady
to whose service he had devotedhimself. Could he have doubted the truth of the token, he would havebeen convinced by the small knot of carnation-coloured ribbon which wasfastened to the ring. This was his lady's favourite colour, and morethan once had he himself, assuming it for that of his own liveries,caused the carnation to triumph over all other hues in the lists and inthe battle.

  Sir Kenneth was struck nearly mute by seeing such a token in such hands.

  "In the name of all that is sacred, from whom didst thou receivethis witness?" said the knight. "Bring, if thou canst, thy waveringunderstanding to a right settlement for a minute or two, and tell me theperson by whom thou art sent, and the real purpose of thy message, andtake heed what thou sayest, for this is no subject for buffoonery."

  "Fond and foolish Knight," said the dwarf, "wouldst thou know more ofthis matter than that thou art honoured with commands from a princess,delivered to thee by a king? We list not to parley with thee furtherthan to command thee, in the name and by the power of that ring, tofollow us to her who is the owner of the ring. Every minute that thoutarriest is a crime against thy allegiance."

  "Good Nectabanus, bethink thyself," said the knight. "Can my lady knowwhere and upon what duty I am this night engaged? Is she aware that mylife--pshaw, why should I speak of life--but that my honour depends onmy guarding this banner till daybreak; and can it be her wish thatI should leave it even to pay homage to her? It is impossible--theprincess is pleased to be merry with her servant in sending him sucha message; and I must think so the rather that she hath chosen such amessenger."

  "Oh, keep your belief," said Nectabanus, turning round as if to leavethe platform; "it is little to me whether you be traitor or true man tothis royal lady--so fare thee well."

  "Stay, stay--I entreat you stay," said Sir Kenneth. "Answer me but onequestion: is the lady who sent thee near to this place?"

  "What signifies it?" said the dwarf. "Ought fidelity to reckon furlongs,or miles, or leagues--like the poor courier, who is paid for hislabour by the distance which he traverses? Nevertheless, thou soulof suspicion, I tell thee, the fair owner of the ring now sent to sounworthy a vassal, in whom there is neither truth nor courage, is notmore distant from this place than this arblast can send a bolt."

  The knight gazed again on that ring, as if to ascertain that there wasno possible falsehood in the token. "Tell me," he said to the dwarf, "ismy presence required for any length of time?"

  "Time!" answered Nectabanus, in his flighty manner; "what call you time?I see it not--I feel it not--it is but a shadowy name--a succession ofbreathings measured forth by night by the clank of a bell, by day bya shadow crossing along a dial-stone. Knowest thou not a true knight'stime should only be reckoned by the deeds that he performs in behalf ofGod and his lady?"

  "The words of truth, though in the mouth of folly," said the knight."And doth my lady really summon me to some deed of action, in her nameand for her sake?--and may it not be postponed for even the few hourstill daybreak?"

  "She requires thy presence instantly," said the dwarf, "and without theloss of so much time as would be told by ten grains of the sandglass.Hearken, thou cold-blooded and suspicious knight, these are her verywords--Tell him that the hand which dropped roses can bestow laurels."

  This allusion to their meeting in the chapel of Engaddi sent a thousandrecollections through Sir Kenneth's brain, and convinced him that themessage delivered by the dwarf was genuine. The rosebuds, withered asthey were, were still treasured under his cuirass, and nearest to hisheart. He paused, and could not resolve to forego an opportunity, theonly one which might ever offer, to gain grace in her eyes whom he hadinstalled as sovereign of his affections. The dwarf, in the meantime,augmented his confusion by insisting either that he must return the ringor instantly attend him.

  "Hold, hold, yet a moment hold," said the knight, and proceeded tomutter to himself, "Am I either the subject or slave of King Richard,more than as a free knight sworn to the service of the Crusade? And whomhave I come hither to honour with lance and sword? Our holy cause and mytranscendent lady!"

  "The ring! the ring!" exclaimed the dwarf impatiently; "false andslothful knight, return the ring, which thou art unworthy to touch or tolook upon."

  "A moment, a moment, good Nectabanus," said Sir Kenneth; "disturb notmy thoughts.--What if the Saracens were just now to attack our lines?Should I stay here like a sworn vassal of England, watching that herking's pride suffered no humiliation; or should I speed to the breach,and fight for the Cross? To the breach, assuredly; and next to the causeof God come the commands of my liege lady. And yet, Coeur de Lion'sbehest--my own promise! Nectabanus, I conjure thee once more to say, areyou to conduct me far from hence?"

  "But to yonder pavilion; and, since you must needs know," repliedNectabanus, "the moon is glimmering on the gilded ball which crowns itsroof, and which is worth a king's ransom."

  "I can return in an instant," said the knight, shutting his eyesdesperately to all further consequences, "I can hear from thence the bayof my dog if any one approaches the standard. I will throw myself at mylady's feet, and pray her leave to return to conclude my watch.--Here,Roswal" (calling his hound, and throwing down his mantle by the side ofthe standard-spear), "watch thou here, and let no one approach."

  The majestic dog looked in his master's face, as if to be sure that heunderstood his charge, then sat down beside the mantle, with ears erectand head raised, like a sentinel, understanding perfectly the purposefor which he was stationed there.

  "Come now, good Nectabanus," said the knight, "let us hasten to obey thecommands thou hast brought."

  "Haste he that will," said the dwarf sullenly; "thou hast not been inhaste to obey my summons, nor can I walk fast enough to follow your longstrides--you do not walk like a man, but bound like an ostrich in thedesert."

  There were but two ways of conquering the obstinacy of Nectabanus, who,as he spoke, diminished his walk into a snail's pace. For bribes SirKenneth had no means--for soothing no time; so in his impatiencehe snatched the dwarf up from the ground, and bearing him along,notwithstanding his entreaties and his fear, reached nearly to thepavilion pointed out as that of the Queen. In approaching it, however,the Scot observed there was a small guard of soldiers sitting on theground, who had been concealed from him by the intervening tents.Wondering that the clash of his own armour had not yet attractedtheir attention, and supposing that his motions might, on the presentoccasion, require to be conducted with secrecy, he placed the littlepanting guide upon the ground to recover his breath, and point out whatwas next to be done. Nectabanus was both frightened and angry; but hehad felt himself as completely in the power of the robust knight as anowl in the claws of an eagle, and therefore cared not to provoke him toany further display of his strength.

  He made no complaints, therefore, of the usage he had received; but,turning amongst the labyrinth of tents, he led the knight in silenceto the opposite side of the pavilion, which thus screened them fromthe observation of the warders, who seemed either too negligent or toosleepy to discharge their duty with much accuracy. Arrived there, thedwarf raised the under part of the canvas from the ground, and madesigns to Sir Kenneth that he should introduce himself to the inside ofthe tent, by creeping under it. The knight hesitated. There seemed anindecorum in thus privately introducing himself into a pavilion pitched,doubtless, for the accommodation of noble ladies; but he recalledto remembrance the assured tokens which the dwarf had exhibited, andconcluded that it was not for him to dispute his lady's pleasure.

  He stooped accordingly, crept beneath the canvas enclosure of the tent,and heard the dwarf whisper from without, "Remain here until I callthee."