tation, or
at least that the Saracen would seem struck with the dignity of his
appearance. But Adonbec el Hakim took no notice of him beyond a passing
glance, and when the prelate at length saluted him in the lingua
franca current in the country, he only replied by the ordinary Oriental
greeting, "SALAM ALICUM--Peace be with you."

"Art thou a physician, infidel?" said the bishop, somewhat mortified at
this cold reception. "I would speak with thee on that art."

"If thou knewest aught of medicine," answered El Hakim, "thou wouldst be
aware that physicians hold no counsel or debate in the sick chamber of
their patient. Hear," he added, as the low growling of the staghound was
heard from the inner hut, "even the dog might teach thee reason, Ulemat.
His instinct teaches him to suppress his barking in the sick man's
hearing. Come without the tent," said he, rising and leading the way,
"if thou hast ought to say with me."

Notwithstanding the plainness of the Saracen leech's dress, and his
inferiority of size when contrasted with the tall prelate and
gigantic English baron, there was something striking in his manner and
countenance, which prevented the Bishop of Tyre from expressing strongly
the displeasure he felt at this unceremonious rebuke. When without the
hut, he gazed upon Adonbec in silence for several minutes before he
could fix on the best manner to renew the conversation. No locks were
seen under the high bonnet of the Arabian, which hid also part of a brow
that seemed lofty and expanded, smooth, and free from wrinkles, as were
his cheeks, where they were seen under the shade of his long beard. We
have elsewhere noticed the piercing quality of his dark eyes.

The prelate, struck with his apparent youth, at length broke a pause,
which the other seemed in no haste to interrupt, by demanding of the
Arabian how old he was?

"The years of ordinary men," said the Saracen, "are counted by their
wrinkles; those of sages by their studies. I dare not call myself older
than a hundred revolutions of the Hegira." [Meaning that his attainments
were those which might have been made in a hundred years.]

The Baron of Gilsland, who took this for a literal assertion that he was
a century old, looked doubtfully upon the prelate, who, though he better
understood the meaning of El Hakim, answered his glance by mysteriously
shaking his head. He resumed an air of importance when he again
authoritatively demanded what evidence Adon