here are enough of Western
warriors who would gratify your longing."

"By the beard of my father, sir," said the Saracen, with an approach to
laughter, "the game is too rough for mere sport. I will never shun them
in battle, but my head" (pressing his hand to his brow) "will not, for a
while, permit me to seek them in sport."

"I would you saw the axe of King Richard," answered the Western warrior,
"to which that which hangs at my saddle-bow weighs but as a feather."

"We hear much of that island sovereign," said the Saracen. "Art thou one
of his subjects?"

"One of his followers I am, for this expedition," answered the Knight,
"and honoured in the service; but not born his subject, although a
native of the island in which he reigns."

"How mean you? " said the Eastern soldier; "have you then two kings in
one poor island?"

"As thou sayest," said the Scot, for such was Sir Kenneth by birth. "It
is even so; and yet, although the inhabitants of the two extremities of
that island are engaged in frequent war, the country can, as thou seest,
furnish forth such a body of men-at-arms as may go far to shake the
unholy hold which your master hath laid on the cities of Zion."

"By the beard of Saladin, Nazarene, but that it is a thoughtless and
boyish folly, I could laugh at the simplicity of your great Sultan, who
comes hither to make conquests of deserts and rocks, and dispute the
possession of them with those who have tenfold numbers at command, while
he leaves a part of his narrow islet, in which he was born a sovereign,
to the dominion of another sceptre than his. Surely, Sir Kenneth, you
and the other good men of your country should have submitted yourselves
to the dominion of this King Richard ere you left your native land,
divided against itself, to set forth on this expedition?"

Hasty and fierce was Kenneth's answer. "No, by the bright light of
Heaven! If the King of England had not set forth to the Crusade till
he was sovereign of Scotland, the Crescent might, for me, and all
true-hearted Scots, glimmer for ever on the walls of Zion."

Thus far he had proceeded, when, suddenly recollecting himself, he
muttered, "MEA CULPA! MEA CULPA! what have I, a soldier of the Cross, to
do with recollection of war betwixt Christian nations!"

The rapid expression of feeling corrected by the dictates of duty did
not escape the Moslem, who, if he did not entirely understand all
which it conveyed, saw enough to convince him