pressed and sleepy; and aware, too, that his undress was not fit for
appearing abroad, he reclined upon the couch, and was again locked in
the arms of slumber.

But this time his rest was not unbroken, for he was awakened by the
voice of the physician at the door of the tent, inquiring after his
health, and whether he had rested sufficiently. "May I enter your tent?"
he concluded, "for the curtain is drawn before the entrance."

"The master," replied Sir Kenneth, determined to show that he was not
surprised into forgetfulness of his own condition, "need demand no
permission to enter the tent of the slave."

"But if I come not as a master?" said El Hakim, still without entering.

"The physician," answered the knight, "hath free access to the bedside
of his patient."

"Neither come I now as a physician," replied El Hakim; "and therefore I
still request permission, ere I come under the covering of thy tent."

"Whoever comes as a friend," said Sir Kenneth, "and such thou hast
hitherto shown thyself to me, the habitation of the friend is ever open
to him."

"Yet once again," said the Eastern sage, after the periphrastical manner
of his countrymen, "supposing that I come not as a friend?"

"Come as thou wilt," said the Scottish knight, somewhat impatient of
this circumlocution; "be what thou wilt--thou knowest well it is neither
in my power nor my inclination to refuse thee entrance."

"I come, then," said El Hakim, "as your ancient foe, but a fair and a
generous one."

He entered as he spoke; and when he stood before the bedside of
Sir Kenneth, the voice continued to be that of Adonbec, the Arabian
physician, but the form, dress, and features were those of Ilderim
of Kurdistan, called Sheerkohf. Sir Kenneth gazed upon him as if
he expected the vision to depart, like something created by his
imagination.

"Doth it so surprise thee," said Ilderim, "and thou an approved warrior,
to see that a soldier knows somewhat of the art of healing? I say to
thee, Nazarene, that an accomplished cavalier should know how to dress
his steed, as well as how to ride him; how to forge his sword upon the
stithy, as well as how to use it in battle; how to burnish his arms, as
well as how to wear them; and, above all, how to cure wounds, as well as
how to inflict them."

As he spoke, the Christian knight repeatedly shut his eyes, and while
they remained closed, the idea of the Hakim, with his long, flowing
dark robes, high Tartar cap