Meantime，eventshadtakenplaceverycontrarytothesuppositionswhichThomasdeVauxhadentertained。Scarcehadhelefttheroyalpavilion，when，betwixttheimpatienceofthefever，andthatwhichwasnaturaltohisdisposition，Richardbegantomurmurathisdelay，andexpressanearnestdesireforhisreturn。Hehadseenenoughtotrytoreasonhimselfoutofthisirritation，whichgreatlyincreasedhisbodilymalady。Heweariedhisattendantsbydemandingfromthemamusements，andthebreviaryofthepriest，theromanceoftheclerk，eventheharpofhisfavouriteminstrel，werehadrecoursetoinvain。Atlength，sometwohoursbeforesundown，andlong，therefore，erehecouldexpectasatisfactoryaccountoftheprocessofthecurewhichtheMoororArabianhadundertaken，hesent，aswehavealreadyheard，amessenger，commandingtheattendanceoftheKnightoftheLeopard，determinedtosoothehisimpatiencebyobtainingfromSirKennethamoreparticularaccountofthecauseofhisabsencefromthecamp，andthecircumstancesofhismeetingwiththiscelebratedphysician。
TheScottishknight，thussummoned，enteredtheroyalpresence，asonewhowasnostrangertosuchscenes。HewasscarcelyknowntotheKingofEngland，evenbysight，although，tenaciousofhisrank，asdevoutintheadorationoftheladyofhissecretheart，hehadneverbeenabsentonthoseoccasionswhenthemunificenceandhospitalityofEnglandopenedtheCourtofitsmonarchtoallwhoheldacertainrankinchivalryTheKinggazedfixedlyonSirKennethapproachinghisbedside，whiletheknightbenthiskneeforamoment，thenarose，andstoodbeforehiminapostureofdeference，butnotofsubservienceorhumility，asbecameanofficerinthepresenceofhissovereign。
Thyname，’’saidtheKing，isKennethoftheLeopard-
Fromwhomhadstthoudegreeofknighthood？’’
ItookitfromtheswordofWilliamtheLion，KingofScotland，’’repliedtheScot。