avarice of the Venetians."

"I would to God your Grace would be more cautious," said the anxious
De Vaux. "Here are we deserted by all our allies, for points of offence
given to one or another; we cannot hope to prosper upon the land; and we
have only to quarrel with the amphibious republic, to lose the means of
retreat by sea!"

"I will take care," said Richard impatiently; "but school me no more.
Tell me rather, for it is of interest, hath the knight a confessor?"

"He hath," answered De Vaux; "the hermit of Engaddi, who erst did
him that office when preparing for death, attends him on the present
occasion, the fame of the duel having brought him hither."

"'Tis well," said Richard; "and now for the knight's request. Say to
him, Richard will receive him when the discharge of his devoir beside
the Diamond of the Desert shall have atoned for his fault beside the
Mount of Saint George; and as thou passest through the camp, let the
Queen know I will visit her pavilion--and tell Blondel to meet me
there."

De Vaux departed, and in about an hour afterwards, Richard, wrapping his
mantle around him, and taking his ghittern in his hand, walked in the
direction of the Queen's pavilion. Several Arabs passed him, but always
with averted heads and looks fixed upon the earth, though he could
observe that all gazed earnestly after him when he was past. This led
him justly to conjecture that his person was known to them; but that
either the Soldan's commands, or their own Oriental politeness, forbade
them to seem to notice a sovereign who desired to remain incognito.

When the King reached the pavilion of his Queen he found it guarded by
those unhappy officials whom Eastern jealousy places around the zenana.
Blondel was walking before the door, and touched his rote from time to
time in a manner which made the Africans show their ivory teeth, and
bear burden with their strange gestures and shrill, unnatural voices.

"What art thou after with this herd of black cattle, Blondel?" said the
King; "wherefore goest thou not into the tent?"

"Because my trade can neither spare the head nor the fingers," said
Blondel, "and these honest blackamoors threatened to cut me joint from
joint if I pressed forward."

"Well, enter with me," said the King, "and I will be thy safeguard."

The blacks accordingly lowered pikes and swords to King Richard, and
bent their eyes on the ground, as if unworthy to look upon him. In the
interior of the