nt friends, where former kings of England
attempted only to compel unwilling and rebellious vassals."

"All this you have done, my Lord King," said Sir Kenneth, bowing--"all
this you have done, by your royal treaty with our sovereign at
Canterbury. Therefore have you me, and many better Scottish men, making
war against the infidels, under your banners, who would else have been
ravaging your frontiers in England. If their numbers are now few, it is
because their lives have been freely waged and wasted."

"I grant it true," said the King; "and for the good offices I have done
your land I require you to remember that, as a principal member of
the Christian league, I have a right to know the negotiations of my
confederates. Do me, therefore, the justice to tell me what I have a
title to be acquainted with, and which I am certain to know more truly
from you than from others."

"My lord," said the Scot, "thus conjured, I will speak the truth; for
I well believe that your purposes towards the principal object of our
expedition are single-hearted and honest, and it is more than I dare
warrant for others of the Holy League. Be pleased, therefore, to know
my charge was to propose, through the medium of the hermit of Engaddi--a
holy man, respected and protected by Saladin himself--"

"A continuation of the truce, I doubt not," said Richard, hastily
interrupting him.

"No, by Saint Andrew, my liege," said the Scottish knight; "but the
establishment of a lasting peace, and the withdrawing our armies from
Palestine."

"Saint George!" said Richard, in astonishment. "Ill as I have justly
thought of them, I could not have dreamed they would have humbled
themselves to such dishonour. Speak, Sir Kenneth, with what will did you
carry such a message?"

"With right good will, my lord," said Kenneth; "because, when we had
lost our noble leader, under whose guidance alone I hoped for victory,
I saw none who could succeed him likely to lead us to conquest, and I
accounted it well in such circumstances to avoid defeat."

"And on what conditions was this hopeful peace to be contracted?" said
King Richard, painfully suppressing the passion with which his heart was
almost bursting.

"These were not entrusted to me, my lord," answered the Knight of the
Couchant Leopard. "I delivered them sealed to the hermit."

"And for what hold you this reverend hermit--for fool, madman, traitor,
or saint?" said Richard.

"His folly, sire," replied t