unreplied to;
and it came to that pass that he was regarded as the determined and
active enemy of a nation, whom, after all, he only disliked, and in some
sort despised. Nay, it was remarked by close observers that, if he had
not towards them the charity of Scripture, which suffereth long, and
judges kindly, he was by no means deficient in the subordinate and
limited virtue, which alleviates and relieves the wants of others.
The wealth of Thomas of Gilsland procured supplies of provisions and
medicines, and some of these usually flowed by secret channels into
the quarters of the Scottish--his surly benevolence proceeding on the
principle that, next to a man's friend, his foe was of most importance
to him, passing over all the intermediate relations as too indifferent
to merit even a thought. This explanation is necessary, in order that
the reader may fully understand what we are now to detail.

Thomas de Vaux had not made many steps beyond the entrance of the royal
pavilion when he was aware of what the far more acute ear of the English
monarch--no mean proficient in the art of minstrelsy--had instantly
discovered, that the musical strains, namely, which had reached their
ears, were produced by the pipes, shalms, and kettle-drums of the
Saracens; and at the bottom of an avenue of tents, which formed a broad
access to the pavilion of Richard, he could see a crowd of idle soldiers
assembled around the spot from which the music was heard, almost in the
centre of the camp; and he saw, with great surprise, mingled amid the
helmets of various forms worn by the Crusaders of different nations,
white turbans and long pikes, announcing the presence of armed
Saracens, and the huge deformed heads of several camels or dromedaries,
overlooking the multitude by aid of their long, disproportioned necks.

Wondering, and displeased at a sight so unexpected and singular--for it
was customary to leave all flags of truce and other communications from
the enemy at an appointed place without the barriers--the baron looked
eagerly round for some one of whom he might inquire the cause of this
alarming novelty.

The first person whom he met advancing to him he set down at once, by
his grave and haughty step, as a Spaniard or a Scot; and presently after
muttered to himself, "And a Scot it is--he of the Leopard. I have seen
him fight indifferently well, for one of his country."

Loath to ask even a passing question, he was about to pass Sir Ke