The Talisman
CHAPTER XXIV
A grain of dust Soiling our cup, will make our sense reject Fastidiously the draught which we did thirst for; A rusted nail, placed near the faithful compass, Will sway it from the truth, and wreck the argosy. Even this small cause of anger and disgust Will break the bonds of amity 'mongst princes, And wreck their noblest purposes. THE CRUSADE.
The reader can now have little doubt who the Ethiopian slave really was,with what purpose he had sought Richard's camp, and wherefore andwith what hope he now stood close to the person of that Monarch, as,surrounded by his valiant peers of England and Normandy, Coeur de Lionstood on the summit of Saint George's Mount, with the Banner of Englandby his side, borne by the most goodly person in the army, being his ownnatural brother, William with the Long Sword, Earl of Salisbury, theoffspring of Henry the Second's amour with the celebrated Rosamond ofWoodstock.
From several expressions in the King's conversation with Neville on thepreceding day, the Nubian was left in anxious doubt whether his disguisehad not been penetrated, especially as that the King seemed to be awarein what manner the agency of the dog was expected to discover the thiefwho stole the banner, although the circumstance of such an animal'shaving been wounded on the occasion had been scarce mentioned inRichard's presence. Nevertheless, as the King continued to treat himin no other manner than his exterior required, the Nubian remaineduncertain whether he was or was not discovered, and determined not tothrow his disguise aside voluntarily.
Meanwhile, the powers of the various Crusading princes, arrayed undertheir royal and princely leaders, swept in long order around the baseof the little mound; and as those of each different country passed by,their commanders advanced a step or two up the hill, and made a signalof courtesy to Richard and to the Standard of England, "in sign ofregard and amity," as the protocol of the ceremony heedfully expressedit, "not of subjection or vassalage." The spiritual dignitaries, who inthose days veiled not their bonnets to created being, bestowed on theKing and his symbol of command their blessing instead of renderingobeisance.
Thus the long files marched on, and, diminished as they were by so manycauses, appeared still an iron host, to whom the conquest of Palestinemight seem an easy task. The soldiers, inspired by the consciousness ofunited strength, sat erect in their steel saddles; while it seemed thatthe trumpets sounded more cheerfully shrill, and the steeds, refreshedby rest and provender, chafed on the bit, and trod the ground moreproudly. On they passed, troop after troop, banners waving, spearsglancing, plumes dancing, in long perspective--a host composed ofdifferent nations, complexions, languages, arms, and appearances, butall fired, for the time, with the holy yet romantic purpose of rescuingthe distressed daughter of Zion from her thraldom, and redeeming thesacred earth, which more than mortal had trodden, from the yoke of theunbelieving pagan. And it must be owned that if, in other circumstances,the species of courtesy rendered to the King of England by so manywarriors, from whom he claimed no natural allegiance, had in itsomething that might have been thought humiliating, yet the nature andcause of the war was so fitted to his pre-eminently chivalrous characterand renowned feats in arms, that claims which might elsewhere have beenurged were there forgotten, and the brave did willing homage to thebravest, in an expedition where the most undaunted and energetic couragewas necessary to success.
The good King was seated on horseback about half way up the mount, amorion on his head, surmounted by a crown, which left his manly featuresexposed to public view, as, with cool and considerate eye, he perusedeach rank as it passed him, and returned the salutation of the leaders.His tunic was of sky-coloured velvet, covered with plates of silver, andhis hose of crimson silk, slashed with cloth of gold. By his side stoodthe seeming Ethiopian slave, holding the noble dog in a leash, such aswas used in woodcraft. It was a circumstance which attracted no notice,for many of the princes of the Crusade had introduced black slavesinto their household, in imitation of the barbarous splendour of theSaracens. Over the King's head streamed the large folds of the banner,and, as he looked to it from time to time, he seemed to regard aceremony, indifferent to himself personally, as important, whenconsidered as atoning an indignity offered to the kingdom which heruled. In the background, and on the very summit of the Mount, a woodenturret, erected for the occasion, held the Queen Berengaria and theprincipal ladies of the Court. To this the King looked from time totime; and then ever and anon his eyes were turned on the Nubian and thedog, but only when such leaders approached, as, from circumstances ofprevious ill-will, he suspected of being accessory to the theft of thestandard, or whom he judged capable of a crime so mean.
Thus, he did not look in that direction when Philip Augustus of Franceapproached at the head of his splendid troops of Gallic chivalry---nay,he anticipated the motions of the French King, by descending the Mountas the latter came up the ascent, so that they met in the middle space,and blended their greetings so gracefully that it appeared they met infraternal equality. The sight of the two greatest princes in Europe,in rank at once and power, thus publicly avowing their concord, calledforth bursts of thundering acclaim from the Crusading host at many milesdistance, and made the roving Arab scouts of the desert alarm the campof Saladin with intelligence that the army of the Christians was inmotion. Yet who but the King of kings can read the hearts of monarchs?Under this smooth show of courtesy, Richard nourished displeasure andsuspicion against Philip, and Philip meditated withdrawing himself andhis host from the army of the Cross, and leaving Richard to accomplishor fail in the enterprise with his own unassisted forces.
Richard's demeanour was different when the dark-armed knights andsquires of the Temple chivalry approached--men with countenances bronzedto Asiatic blackness by the suns of Palestine, and the admirable stateof whose horses and appointments far surpassed even that of the choicesttroops of France and England. The King cast a hasty glance aside; butthe Nubian stood quiet, and his trusty dog sat at his feet, watching,with a sagacious yet pleased look, the ranks which now passed beforethem. The King's look turned again on the chivalrous Templars, as theGrand Master, availing himself of his mingled character, bestowed hisbenediction on Richard as a priest, instead of doing him reverence as amilitary leader.
"The misproud and amphibious caitiff puts the monk upon me," saidRichard to the Earl of Salisbury. "But, Longsword, we will let it pass.A punctilio must not lose Christendom the services of these experiencedlances, because their victories have rendered them overweening. Lo you,here comes our valiant adversary, the Duke of Austria. Mark his mannerand bearing, Longsword--and thou, Nubian, let the hound have full viewof him. By Heaven, he brings his buffoons along with him!"
In fact, whether from habit, or, which is more likely, to intimatecontempt of the ceremonial he was about to comply with, Leopold wasattended by his SPRUCH-SPRECHER and his jester; and as he advancedtowards Richard, he whistled in what he wished to be considered as anindifferent manner, though his heavy features evinced the sullenness,mixed with the fear, with which a truant schoolboy may be seen toapproach his master. As the reluctant dignitary made, with discomposedand sulky look, the obeisance required, the SPRUCH-SPRECHER shook hisbaton, and proclaimed, like a herald, that, in what he was now doing,the Archduke of Austria was not to be held derogating from the rank andprivileges of a sovereign prince; to which the jester answered with asonorous AMEN, which provoked much laughter among the bystanders.
King Richard looked more than once at the Nubian and his dog; butthe former moved not, nor did the latter strain at the leash, sothat Richard said to the slave with some scorn, "Thy success in thisenterprise, my sable friend, even though thou hast brought thy hound'ssagacity to back thine own, will not, I fear, place thee high in therank of wizards, or much augment thy merits towards our person."
The Nubian answered, as usual, only by a lowly obeisance.
Meantime the troops of the Marquis of Montserrat next passed in orderbefore the King of England. That powerful and wily baron, to mak
e thegreater display of his forces, had divided them into two bodies. At thehead of the first, consisting of his vassals and followers, and leviedfrom his Syrian possessions, came his brother Enguerrand; and he himselffollowed, leading on a gallant band of twelve hundred Stradiots, a kindof light cavalry raised by the Venetians in their Dalmatian possessions,and of which they had entrusted the command to the Marquis, with whomthe republic had many bonds of connection. These Stradiots were clothedin a fashion partly European, but partaking chiefly of the Easternfashion. They wore, indeed, short hauberks, but had over themparty-coloured tunics of rich stuffs, with large wide pantaloons andhalf-boots. On their heads were straight upright caps, similar to thoseof the Greeks; and they carried small round targets, bows and arrows,scimitars, and poniards. They were mounted on horses carefully selected,and well maintained at the expense of the State of Venice; their saddlesand appointments resembled those of the Turks, and they rode in the samemanner, with short stirrups and upon a high seat. These troops wereof great use in skirmishing with the Arabs, though unable to engage inclose combat, like the iron-sheathed men-at-arms of Western and NorthernEurope.
Before this goodly band came Conrade, in the same garb with theStradiots, but of such rich stuff that he seemed to blaze with goldand silver, and the milk-white plume fastened in his cap by a clasp ofdiamonds seemed tall enough to sweep the clouds. The noble steed whichhe reined bounded and caracoled, and displayed his spirit and agilityin a manner which might have troubled a less admirable horseman thanthe Marquis, who gracefully ruled him with the one hand, while the otherdisplayed the baton, whose predominancy over the ranks which he ledseemed equally absolute. Yet his authority over the Stradiots was morein show than in substance; for there paced beside him, on an amblingpalfrey of soberest mood, a little old man, dressed entirely in black,without beard or moustaches, and having an appearance altogether meanand insignificant when compared with the blaze of splendour aroundhim. But this mean-looking old man was one of those deputies whom theVenetian government sent into camps to overlook the conduct of thegenerals to whom the leading was consigned, and to maintain that jealoussystem of espial and control which had long distinguished the policy ofthe republic.
Conrade, who, by cultivating Richard's humour, had attained a certaindegree of favour with him, no sooner was come within his ken than theKing of England descended a step or two to meet him, exclaiming, at thesame time, "Ha, Lord Marquis, thou at the head of the fleet Stradiots,and thy black shadow attending thee as usual, whether the sun shines ornot! May not one ask thee whether the rule of the troops remains withthe shadow or the substance?"
Conrade was commencing his reply with a smile, when Roswal, the noblehound, uttering a furious and savage yell, sprung forward. The Nubian,at the same time, slipped the leash, and the hound, rushing on, leaptupon Conrade's noble charger, and, seizing the Marquis by the throat,pulled him down from the saddle. The plumed rider lay rolling on thesand, and the frightened horse fled in wild career through the camp.
"Thy hound hath pulled down the right quarry, I warrant him," saidthe King to the Nubian, "and I vow to Saint George he is a stag of tentynes! Pluck the dog off; lest he throttle him."
The Ethiopian, accordingly, though not without difficulty, disengagedthe dog from Conrade, and fastened him up, still highly excited, andstruggling in the leash. Meanwhile many crowded to the spot, especiallyfollowers of Conrade and officers of the Stradiots, who, as theysaw their leader lie gazing wildly on the sky, raised him up amid atumultuary cry of "Cut the slave and his hound to pieces!"
But the voice of Richard, loud and sonorous, was heard clear above allother exclamations. "He dies the death who injures the hound! He hathbut done his duty, after the sagacity with which God and nature haveendowed the brave animal.--Stand forward for a false traitor, thouConrade, Marquis of Montserrat! I impeach thee of treason."
Several of the Syrian leaders had now come up, and Conrade--vexation,and shame, and confusion struggling with passion in his manner andvoice--exclaimed, "What means this? With what am I charged? Why thisbase usage and these reproachful terms? Is this the league of concordwhich England renewed but so lately?"
"Are the Princes of the Crusade turned hares or deers in the eyes ofKing Richard that he should slip hounds on them?" said the sepulchralvoice of the Grand Master of the Templars.
"It must be some singular accident--some fatal mistake," said Philip ofFrance, who rode up at the same moment.
"Some deceit of the Enemy," said the Archbishop of Tyre.
"A stratagem of the Saracens," cried Henry of Champagne. "It were wellto hang up the dog, and put the slave to the torture."
"Let no man lay hand upon them," said Richard, "as he loves his ownlife! Conrade, stand forth, if thou darest, and deny the accusationwhich this mute animal hath in his noble instinct brought against thee,of injury done to him, and foul scorn to England!"
"I never touched the banner," said Conrade hastily.
"Thy words betray thee, Conrade!" said Richard, "for how didst thouknow, save from conscious guilt, that the question is concerning thebanner?"
"Hast thou then not kept the camp in turmoil on that and no otherscore?" answered Conrade; "and dost thou impute to a prince and an allya crime which, after all, was probably committed by some paltryfelon for the sake of the gold thread? Or wouldst thou now impeach aconfederate on the credit of a dog?"
By this time the alarm was becoming general, so that Philip of Franceinterposed.
"Princes and nobles," he said, "you speak in presence of those whoseswords will soon be at the throats of each other if they hear theirleaders at such terms together. In the name of Heaven, let us draw offeach his own troops into their separate quarters, and ourselves meetan hour hence in the Pavilion of Council to take some order in this newstate of confusion."
"Content," said King Richard, "though I should have liked to haveinterrogated that caitiff while his gay doublet was yet besmirched withsand. But the pleasure of France shall be ours in this matter."
The leaders separated as was proposed, each prince placing himself atthe head of his own forces; and then was heard on all sides the cryingof war-cries and the sounding of gathering-notes upon bugles andtrumpets, by which the different stragglers were summoned to theirprince's banner, and the troops were shortly seen in motion, each takingdifferent routes through the camp to their own quarters. But althoughany immediate act of violence was thus prevented, yet the accident whichhad taken place dwelt on every mind; and those foreigners who had thatmorning hailed Richard as the worthiest to lead their army, now resumedtheir prejudices against his pride and intolerance, while the English,conceiving the honour of their country connected with the quarrel, ofwhich various reports had gone about, considered the natives of othercountries jealous of the fame of England and her King, and disposed toundermine it by the meanest arts of intrigue. Many and various were therumours spread upon the occasion, and there was one which averred thatthe Queen and her ladies had been much alarmed by the tumult, and thatone of them had swooned.
The Council assembled at the appointed hour. Conrade had in themeanwhile laid aside his dishonoured dress, and with it the shame andconfusion which, in spite of his talents and promptitude, had at firstoverwhelmed him, owing to the strangeness of the accident and suddennessof the accusation. He was now robed like a prince; and entered thecouncil-chamber attended by the Archduke of Austria, the Grand Mastersboth of the Temple and of the Order of Saint John, and several otherpotentates, who made a show of supporting him and defending his cause,chiefly perhaps from political motives, or because they themselvesnourished a personal enmity against Richard.
This appearance of union in favour of Conrade was far from influencingthe King of England. He entered the Council with his usual indifferenceof manner, and in the same dress in which he had just alighted fromhorseback. He cast a careless and somewhat scornful glance on theleaders, who had with studied affectation arranged themselves aroundConrade as if owning his cause, and in the most di
rect terms chargedConrade of Montserrat with having stolen the Banner of England, andwounded the faithful animal who stood in its defence.
Conrade arose boldly to answer, and in despite, as he expressed himself,of man and brute, king or dog, avouched his innocence of the crimecharged.
"Brother of England," said Philip, who willingly assumed the characterof moderator of the assembly, "this is an unusual impeachment. We donot hear you avouch your own knowledge of this matter, further than yourbelief resting upon the demeanour of this hound towards the Marquis ofMontserrat. Surely the word of a knight and a prince should bear him outagainst the barking of a cur?"
"Royal brother," returned Richard, "recollect that the Almighty, whogave the dog to be companion of our pleasures and our toils, hathinvested him with a nature noble and incapable of deceit. He forgetsneither friend nor foe--remembers, and with accuracy, both benefit andinjury. He hath a share of man's intelligence, but no share of man'sfalsehood. You may bribe a soldier to slay a man with his sword, or awitness to take life by false accusation; but you cannot make a houndtear his benefactor. He is the friend of man, save when man justlyincurs his enmity. Dress yonder marquis in what peacock-robes you will,disguise his appearance, alter his complexion with drugs and washes,hide him amidst a hundred men,--I will yet pawn my sceptre that thehound detects him, and expresses his resentment, as you have this daybeheld. This is no new incident, although a strange one. Murderersand robbers have been ere now convicted, and suffered death under suchevidence, and men have said that the finger of God was in it. In thineown land, royal brother, and upon such an occasion, the matter was triedby a solemn duel betwixt the man and the dog, as appellant and defendantin a challenge of murder. The dog was victorious, the man was punished,and the crime was confessed. Credit me, royal brother, that hiddencrimes have often been brought to light by the testimony even ofinanimate substances, not to mention animals far inferior in instinctivesagacity to the dog, who is the friend and companion of our race."
"Such a duel there hath indeed been, royal brother," answered Philip,"and that in the reign of one of our predecessors, to whom God begracious. But it was in the olden time, nor can we hold it a precedentfitting for this occasion. The defendant in that case was a privategentleman of small rank or respect; his offensive weapons were only aclub, his defensive a leathern jerkin. But we cannot degrade a princeto the disgrace of using such rude arms, or to the ignominy of such acombat."
"I never meant that you should," said King Richard; "it were foul playto hazard the good hound's life against that of such a double-facedtraitor as this Conrade hath proved himself. But there lies our ownglove; we appeal him to the combat in respect of the evidence webrought forth against him. A king, at least, is more than the mate of amarquis."
Conrade made no hasty effort to seize on the pledge which Richard castinto the middle of the assembly, and King Philip had time to reply erethe marquis made a motion to lift the glove.
"A king," said he of France, "is as much more than a match for theMarquis Conrade as a dog would be less. Royal Richard, this cannot bepermitted. You are the leader of our expedition--the sword and bucklerof Christendom."
"I protest against such a combat," said the Venetian proveditore, "untilthe King of England shall have repaid the fifty thousand byzants whichhe is indebted to the republic. It is enough to be threatened with lossof our debt, should our debtor fall by the hands of the pagans, withoutthe additional risk of his being slain in brawls amongst Christiansconcerning dogs and banners."
"And I," said William with the Long Sword, Earl of Salisbury, "protestin my turn against my royal brother perilling his life, which is theproperty of the people of England, in such a cause. Here, noble brother,receive back your glove, and think only as if the wind had blown it fromyour hand. Mine shall lie in its stead. A king's son, though with thebar sinister on his shield, is at least a match for this marmoset of amarquis."
"Princes and nobles," said Conrade, "I will not accept of King Richard'sdefiance. He hath been chosen our leader against the Saracens, and ifhis conscience can answer the accusation of provoking an ally to thefield on a quarrel so frivolous, mine, at least, cannot endure thereproach of accepting it. But touching his bastard brother, William ofWoodstock, or against any other who shall adopt or shall dare to standgodfather to this most false charge, I will defend my honour in thelists, and prove whosoever impeaches it a false liar."
"The Marquis of Montserrat," said the Archbishop of Tyre, "hath spokenlike a wise and moderate gentleman; and methinks this controversy might,without dishonour to any party, end at this point."
"Methinks it might so terminate," said the King of France, "providedKing Richard will recall his accusation as made upon over-slightgrounds."
"Philip of France," answered Coeur de Lion, "my words shall never do mythoughts so much injury. I have charged yonder Conrade as a thief,who, under cloud of night, stole from its place the emblem of England'sdignity. I still believe and charge him to be such; and when a day isappointed for the combat, doubt not that, since Conrade declines tomeet us in person, I will find a champion to appear in support of mychallenge--for thou, William, must not thrust thy long sword into thisquarrel without our special license."
"Since my rank makes me arbiter in this most unhappy matter," saidPhilip of France, "I appoint the fifth day from hence for the decisionthereof, by way of combat, according to knightly usage--Richard, King ofEngland, to appear by his champion as appellant, and Conrade, Marquis ofMontserrat, in his own person, as defendant. Yet I own I know not whereto find neutral ground where such a quarrel may be fought out; for itmust not be in the neighbourhood of this camp, where the soldiers wouldmake faction on the different sides."
"It were well," said Richard, "to apply to the generosity of theroyal Saladin, since, heathen as he is, I have never known knight morefulfilled of nobleness, or to whose good faith we may so peremptorilyentrust ourselves. I speak thus for those who may be doubtful of mishap;for myself, wherever I see my foe, I make that spot my battle-ground."
"Be it so," said Philip; "we will make this matter known to Saladin,although it be showing to an enemy the unhappy spirit of discordwhich we would willingly hide from even ourselves, were it possible.Meanwhile, I dismiss this assembly, and charge you all, as Christianmen and noble knights, that ye let this unhappy feud breed no furtherbrawling in the camp, but regard it as a thing solemnly referred to thejudgment of God, to whom each of you should pray that He will disposeof victory in the combat according to the truth of the quarrel; andtherewith may His will be done!"
"Amen, amen!" was answered on all sides; while the Templar whispered theMarquis, "Conrade, wilt thou not add a petition to be delivered from thepower of the dog, as the Psalmist hath it?"
"Peace, thou--!" replied the Marquis; "there is a revealing demon abroadwhich may report, amongst other tidings, how far thou dost carry themotto of thy order--'FERIATUR LEO'."
"Thou wilt stand the brunt of challenge?" said the Templar.
"Doubt me not," said Conrade. "I would not, indeed, have willinglymet the iron arm of Richard himself, and I shame not to confess thatI rejoice to be free of his encounter; but, from his bastard brotherdownward, the man breathes not in his ranks whom I fear to meet."
"It is well you are so confident," continued the Templar; "and, in thatcase, the fangs of yonder hound have done more to dissolve this leagueof princes than either thy devices or the dagger of the Charegite. Seestthou how, under a brow studiously overclouded, Philip cannot conceal thesatisfaction which he feels at the prospect of release from the alliancewhich sat so heavy on him? Mark how Henry of Champagne smiles tohimself, like a sparkling goblet of his own wine; and see the chucklingdelight of Austria, who thinks his quarrel is about to be avengedwithout risk or trouble of his own. Hush! he approaches.--A mostgrievous chance, most royal Austria, that these breaches in the walls ofour Zion--"
"If thou meanest this Crusade," replied the Duke, "I would it werecrumbled to pieces, and each were safe at
home! I speak this inconfidence."
"But," said the Marquis of Montserrat, "to think this disunion shouldbe made by the hands of King Richard, for whose pleasure we have beencontented to endure so much, and to whom we have been as submissive asslaves to a master, in hopes that he would use his valour against ourenemies, instead of exercising it upon our friends!"
"I see not that he is so much more valorous than others," said theArchduke. "I believe, had the noble Marquis met him in the lists, hewould have had the better; for though the islander deals heavy blowswith the pole-axe, he is not so very dexterous with the lance. I shouldhave cared little to have met him myself on our old quarrel, had theweal of Christendom permitted to sovereign princes to breathe themselvesin the lists; and if thou desirest it, noble Marquis, I will myself beyour godfather in this combat."
"And I also," said the Grand Master.
"Come, then, and take your nooning in our tent, noble sirs," said theDuke, "and we'll speak of this business over some right NIERENSTEIN."
They entered together accordingly.
"What said our patron and these great folks together?" said JonasSchwanker to his companion, the SPRUCH-SPRECHER, who had used thefreedom to press nigh to his master when the Council was dismissed,while the jester waited at a more respectful distance.
"Servant of Folly," said the SPRUCH-SPRECHER, "moderate thy curiosity;it beseems not that I should tell to thee the counsels of our master."
"Man of wisdom, you mistake," answered Jonas. "We are both the constantattendants on our patron, and it concerns us alike to know whether thouor I--Wisdom or Folly--have the deeper interest in him."
"He told to the Marquis," answered the SPRUCH-SPRECHER, "and to theGrand Master, that he was aweary of these wars, and would be glad he wassafe at home."
"That is a drawn cast, and counts for nothing in the game," said thejester; "it was most wise to think thus, but great folly to tell it toothers--proceed."
"Ha, hem!" said the SPRUCH-SPRECHER; "he next said to them that Richardwas not more valorous than others, or over-dexterous in the tilt-yard."
"Woodcock of my side," said Schwanker, "this was egregious folly. Whatnext?"
"Nay, I am something oblivious," replied the man of wisdom--"he invitedthem to a goblet of NIERENSTEIN."
"That hath a show of wisdom in it," said Jonas. "Thou mayest mark it tothy credit in the meantime; but an he drink too much, as is most likely,I will have it pass to mine. Anything more?"
"Nothing worth memory," answered the orator; "only he wished he hadtaken the occasion to meet Richard in the lists."
"Out upon it--out upon it!" said Jonas; "this is such dotage of follythat I am well-nigh ashamed of winning the game by it. Ne'ertheless,fool as he is, we will follow him, most sage SPRUCH-SPRECHER, and haveour share of the wine of NIERENSTEIN."