d the Marquis.

"You it may advantage," replied the Grand Master. "Conrade of Montserrat
might become Conrade King of Jerusalem."

"That sounds like something," said the Marquis, "and yet it rings but
hollow. Godfrey of Bouillon might well choose the crown of thorns for
his emblem. Grand Master, I will confess to you I have caught some
attachment to the Eastern form of government--a pure and simple
monarchy should consist but of king and subjects. Such is the simple and
primitive structure--a shepherd and his flock. All this internal chain
of feudal dependance is artificial and sophisticated; and I would rather
hold the baton of my poor marquisate with a firm gripe, and wield
it after my pleasure, than the sceptre of a monarch, to be in effect
restrained and curbed by the will of as many proud feudal barons as hold
land under the Assizes of Jerusalem. [The Assises de Jerusalem were
the digest of feudal law, composed by Godfrey of Boulogne, for the
government of the Latin kingdom of Palestine, when reconquered from the
Saracens. "It was composed with advice of the patriarch and barons,
the clergy and laity, and is," says the historian Gibbon, "a precious
monument of feudatory jurisprudence, founded upon those principles
of freedom which were essential to the system."] A king should tread
freely, Grand Master, and should not be controlled by here a ditch, and
there a fence-here a feudal privilege, and there a mail-clad baron with
his sword in his hand to maintain it. To sum the whole, I am aware that
Guy de Lusignan's claims to the throne would be preferred to mine, if
Richard recovers, and has aught to say in the choice."

"Enough," said the Grand Master; "thou hast indeed convinced me of thy
sincerity. Others may hold the same opinions, but few, save Conrade of
Montserrat, dared frankly avow that he desires not the restitution of
the kingdom of Jerusalem, but rather prefers being master of a portion
of its fragments--like the barbarous islanders, who labour not for the
deliverance of a goodly vessel from the billows, expecting rather to
enrich themselves at the expense of the wreck."

"Thou wilt not betray my counsel?" said Conrade, looking sharply and
suspiciously. "Know, for certain, that my tongue shall never wrong my
head, nor my hand forsake the defence of either. Impeach me if thou
wilt--I am prepared to defend myself in the lists against the best
Templar who ever laid lance in rest."

"Yet thou start'st some