ThecountenanceoftheSaracennaturallyboreageneralnationalresemblancetotheEasterntribefromwhomhedescended，andwasasunlikeaspossibletotheexaggeratedtermsinwhichtheminstrelsofthedaywerewonttorepresenttheinfidelchampions，andthefabulousdescriptionwhichasisterartstillpresentsastheSaracen’sheaduponsignposts。Hisfeaturesweresmall，wellformed，anddelicate，thoughdeeplyembrownedbytheEasternsun，andterminatedbyaflowingandcurledblackbeard，whichseemedtrimmedwithpeculiarcare。Thenosewasstraightandregular，theeyeskeen，deep-set，black，andglowing，andhisteethequalledinbeautytheivoryofhisdeserts。ThepersonandproportionsoftheSaracen，inshort，stretchedontheturfneartohispowerfulantagonist，mighthavebeencomparedtohissheenyandcrescent-formedsabre，withitsnarrowandlight，butbrightandkeenDamascusblade，contrastedwiththelongandponderousGothicwar-swordwhichwasflungunbuckledonthesamesod。TheEmirwasintheveryflowerofhisage，andmightperhapshavebeentermedeminentlybeautiful，butforthenarrownessofhisforehead，andsomethingoftoomuchthinnessandsharpnessoffeature，oratleastwhatmighthaveseemedsuchinaEuropeanestimateofbeauty。
ThemannersoftheEasternwarriorweregrave，graceful，anddecorous；indicating，however，insomeparticulars，thehabitualrestraintwhichmenofwarmandcholerictempersoftensetasaguardupontheirnativeimpetuosityofdisposition，andatthesametimeasenseofhisowndignity，whichseemedtoimposeacertainformalityofbehaviourinhimwhoentertainedit。
ThishaughtyfeelingofsuperioritywasperhapsequallyentertainedbyhisnewEuropeanacquaintance，buttheeffectwasdifferent；andthesamefeeling，whichdictatedtotheChristianknightabold，blunt，andsomewhatcarelessbearing，asonetooconsciousofhisownimportancetobeanxiousabouttheopinionsofothers，appearedtoprescribetotheSaracenastyleofcourtesymorestudiouslyandformallyobservantofceremony。Bothwerecourteous；butthecourtesyoftheChristianseemedtoflowratherfromagood-humouredsenseofwhatwasduetoothers；
thatoftheMoslem，fromahighfeelingofwhatwastobeexpectedfromhimself。
Theprovisionwhicheachhadmadeforhisrefreshmentwassimple，butthemealoftheSaracenwasabstemious。Ahandfulofdates，andamorselofcoarsebarley-bread，sufficedtorelievethehungerofthelatter，whoseeducationhadhabituatedhimtothefareofthedesert，although，sincetheirSyrianconquests，theArabiansimplicityoflifefrequentlygaveplacetothemostunboundedprofusionofluxury。Afewdraughtsfromthelovelyfountainbywhichtheyreposedcompletedhismeal。