se and foot, and brings with him letters
of credence from Saladin."

"Have they been examined by Giacomo Loredani?"

"I showed them to the interpreter ere bringing them hither, and behold
their contents in English."

Richard took a scroll, in which were inscribed these words: The blessing
of Allah and his Prophet Mohammed ["Out upon the hound!" said Richard,
spitting in contempt, by way of interjection], Saladin, king of kings,
Saldan of Egypt and of Syria, the light and refuge of the earth, to the
great Melech Ric, Richard of England, greeting. Whereas, we have been
informed that the hand of sickness hath been heavy upon thee, our royal
brother, and that thou hast with thee only such Nazarene and Jewish
mediciners as work without the blessing of Allah and our holy Prophet
["Confusion on his head!" again muttered the English monarch], we have
therefore sent to tend and wait upon thee at this time the physician
to our own person, Adonbec el Hakim, before whose face the angel Azrael
[The Angel of Death.] spreads his wings and departs from the sick
chamber; who knows the virtues of herbs and stones, the path of the sun,
moon, and stars, and can save man from all that is not written on his
forehead. And this we do, praying you heartily to honour and make use
of his skill; not only that we may do service to thy worth and valour,
which is the glory of all the nations of Frangistan, but that we may
bring the controversy which is at present between us to an end, either
by honourable agreement, or by open trial thereof with our weapons, in a
fair field--seeing that it neither becomes thy place and courage to die
the death of a slave who hath been overwrought by his taskmaster, nor
befits it our fame that a brave adversary be snatched from our weapon by
such a disease. And, therefore, may the holy--"

"Hold, hold," said Richard, "I will have no more of his dog of a
prophet! It makes me sick to think the valiant and worthy Soldan should
believe in a dead dog. Yes, I will see his physician. I will put
myself into the charge of this Hakim--I will repay the noble Soldan
his generosity--I will meet Saladin in the field, as he so worthily
proposes, and he shall have no cause to term Richard of England
ungrateful. I will strike him to the earth with my battle-axe--I will
convert him to Holy Church with such blows as he has rarely endured. He
shall recant his errors before my good cross-handled sword, and I will
have him baptized on