Artthouaphysician，infidel？’’saidthebishop，somewhatmortifiedatthiscoldreception。Iwouldspeakwiththeeonthatart。’’
Ifthouknewestaughtofmedicine，’’answeredElHakim，thouwouldstbeawarethatphysiciansholdnocounselordebateinthesickchamberoftheirpatient。Hear，’’headded，asthelowgrowlingofthestag-houndwasheardfromtheinnerhut，eventhedogmightteachtheereason，Ulemat。
Hisinstinctteacheshimtosuppresshisbarkinginthesickman’shearing-Comewithoutthetent，’’saidhe，risingandleadingtheway，ifthouhastaughttosaywithme。’’
NotwithstandingtheplainnessoftheSaracenleech’sdress，andhisinferiorityofsize，whencontrastedwiththetallprelateandgiganticEnglishbaron，therewassomethingstrikinginhismannerandcountenance，whichpreventedtheBishopofTyrefromexpressingstronglythedispleasurehefeltatthisunceremoniousrebuke。Whenwithoutthehut，hegazeduponAdonbecinsilence，forseveralminutes，beforehecouldfixonthebestmannertorenewtheconversation。NolockswereseenunderthehighbonnetoftheArabian，whichhidalsopartofabrowthatseemedloftyandexpanded，smooth，andfreefromwrinkles，aswerehischeeks，wheretheywereseenundertheshadeofhislongbeard。Wehaveelsewherenoticedthepiercingqualityofhisdarkeyes。
Theprelate，struckwithhisapparentyouth，atlengthbrokeapause，whichtheotherseemedinnohastetointerrupt，bydemandingoftheArabianhowoldhewas。
Theyearsofordinarymen，’’saidtheSaracen，arecountedbytheirwrinkles；thoseofsagesbytheirstudies。I
darenotcallmyselfolderthanahundredrevolutionsoftheHegira。’’
*Meaning，thathisattainmentswerethosewhichmighthavebeenmade*inahundredyears。
TheBaronofGilsland，whotookthisforaliteralassertionthathewasacenturyold，lookeddoubtfullyupontheprelate，who，thoughhebetterunderstoodthemeaningofElHakim，answeredhisglancebymysteriouslyshakinghishead。Heresumedanairofimportance，whenheagainauthoritativelydemanded，whatevidenceAdonbeccouldproduceofhismedicalproficiency。
YehavethewordofthemightySaladin，’’saidthesage，touchinghiscapinsignofreverence；awordwhichwasneverbrokentowardsfriendorfoe-what，Nazarene，wouldstthoudemandmore？’’
Iwouldhaveocularproofofthyskill，’’saidthebaron，andwithoutitthouapproachestnottothecouchofKingRichard。’’
Thepraiseofthephysician，’’saidtheArabian，isintherecoveryofhispatient。Beholdthissergeant，whosebloodhasbeendriedupbythefeverwhichhaswhitenedyourcampwithskeletons，andagainstwhichtheartofyourNazareneleecheshathbeenlikeasilkendoubletagainstalanceofsteel。Lookathisfingersandarms，wastedliketheclawsandshanksofthecrane。Deathhadthismorninghisclutchonhim；buthadAzraelbeenononesideofthecouch，Ibeingontheother，hissoulshouldnothavebeenreftfromhisbody。Disturbmenotwithfurtherquestions，butawaitthecriticalminute，andbeholdinsilentwonderthemarvellousevent。’’
Thephysicianhadthenrecoursetohisastrolabe，theoracleofEasternscience，and，watchingwithgraveprecisionuntiltheprecisetimeoftheeveningprayerhadarrived，hesunkonhisknees，withhisfaceturnedtoMecca，andrecitedthepetitionswhichclosetheMoslemah’sdayoftoil。ThebishopandtheEnglishbaronlookedoneachother，meanwhile，withsymptomsofcontemptandindignation，butneitherjudgeditfittointerruptElHakiminhisdevotions，unholyastheyconsideredthemtobe。
TheArabarosefromtheearth，onwhichhehadprostratedhimself，and，walkingintothehutwherethepatientlayextended，hedrewaspongefromasmallsilverbox，diptperhapsinsomearomaticdistillation；forwhenheputittothesleeper’snose，hesneezed，awoke，andlookedwildlyaround。Hewasaghastlyspectacle，ashesatupalmostnakedonhiscouch，thebonesandcartilagesasvisiblethroughthesurfaceofhisskinasiftheyhadneverbeenclothedwithflesh；hisfacewaslongandfurrowedwithwrinkles，buthiseye，thoughitwanderedatfirst，becamegraduallymoresettled。Heseemedtobeawareofthepresenceofhisdignifiedvisitors，forheattemptedfeeblytopullthecoveringfromhishead，intokenofreverence，asheinquired，inasubduedandsubmissivevoice，forhismaster。
Doyouknowus，vassal？’’saidtheLordofGilsland。
Notperfectly，mylord，’’repliedtheSquire，faintly。Mysleephasbeenlongandfullofdreams。YetIknowthatyouareagreatEnglishlord，asseemethbytheredcross，andthisaholyprelate，whoseblessingIcraveonmeapoorsinner。’’
Thouhastit-_BenedictioDominisitvobiscum，_’’saidtheprelate，makingthesignofthecross，butwithoutapproachingnearertothepatient’sbed。
Youreyeswitness，’’saidtheArabian，thefeverhathbeensubdued-hespeakswithcalmnessandrecollection-hispulsebeatscomposedlyasyours-tryitspulsationsyourself。’’
Theprelatedeclinedtheexperiment；butThomasofGilsland，moredeterminedonmakingthetrial，didso，andsatisfiedhimselfthatthefeverwasindeedgone。
Thisismostwonderful，’’saidtheknight，lookingtothebishop；themanisassuredlycured。ImustconductthismedicinerpresentlytoKingRichard’stent-Whatthinksyourreverence？’’
Stay，letmefinishonecureereIcommenceanother，’’saidtheArab；IwillpasswithyouwhenIhavegivenmypatientthesecondcupofthismostholyelixir。’’
Sosayinghepulledoutasilvercup，andfillingitwithwaterfromagourdwhichstoodbythebedside，henextdrewforthasmallsilkenbagmadeofnetwork，twistedwithsilver，thecontentsofwhichthebystanderscouldnotdiscover，andimmersingitinthecup，continuedtowatchitinsilenceduringthespaceoffiveminutes。Itseemedtothespectatorsasifsomeeffervescencetookplaceduringtheoperation，butifso，itinstantlysubsided。
Drink，’’saidthephysiciantothesickman-sleep，andawakenfreefrommalady。’’
Andwiththissimple-seemingdraught，thouwiltundertaketocureamonarch？’’saidtheBishopofTyre。
Ihavecuredabeggar，asyoumaybehold，’’repliedthesage。ArethekingsofFrangistanmadeofotherclaythanthemeanestoftheirsubjects？’’
LetushavehimpresentlytotheKing，’’saidtheBaronofGilsland。Hehathshownthathepossessesthesecretwhichmayrestorehishealth。Ifhefailstoexerciseit，Iwillputhimselfpastthepowerofmedicine。’’
Astheywereabouttoleavethehut，thesickman，raisinghisvoiceasmuchashisweaknesspermitted，exclaimed，Reverendfather，nobleknight，andyou，kindleech，ifyouwouldhavemesleepandrecover，tellmeincharitywhathasbecomeofmydearmaster？’’
Heisuponadistantexpedition，friend，’’repliedtheprelate；
onanhonourableembassy，whichmaydetainhimforsomedays。’’
Nay，’’saidtheBaronofGilsland，whydeceivethepoorfellow？-Friend，theymasterhasreturnedtothecamp，andyouwillpresentlyseehim。’’
Theinvalidheldup，asifinthankfulness，hiswastedhandstoHeaven，and，resistingnolongerthesoporiferousoperationoftheelixir，sunkdowninagentlesleep。
YouareabetterphysicianthanI，SirThomas，’’saidtheprelate；asoothingfalsehoodisfitterforasickroomthananunpleasingtruth。’’
Howmeanyou，myreverendlord？’’saidDeVaux，hastily。
ThinkyouIwouldtellafalsehoodtosavethelivesofadozensuchashe？’’
Yousaid，’’repliedthebishop，withmanifestsymptomsofalarm-yousaid，theesquire’smasterwasreturned-he，I
mean，oftheCouchantLeopard。’’
Andhe_is_returned，’’saidDeVaux。Ispokewithhimbutafewhourssince。Thislearnedleechcameinhiscompany。’’
HolyVirgin！whytoldyounotofhisreturntome？’’saidthebishop，inevidentperturbation。
DidInotsaythatthissameKnightoftheLeopardhadreturnedincompanywiththephysician？-IthoughtIhad，’’
repliedDeVaux，carelessly；butwhatsignifiedhisreturntotheskillofthephysician，orthecureofhisMajesty？’’
Much，SirThomas-itsignifiedmuch，’’saidthebishop，clenchinghishands，pressinghisfootagainsttheearth，andgivingsignsofimpatience，asifinaninvoluntarymanner。
But，wherecanhebegonenow，thissameknight？-Godbewithus-heremaybesomefatalerrors！’’
Yonderserfintheouterspace，’’saidDeVaux，notwithoutwonderatthebishop’semotion，canprobablytelluswhitherhismasterhasgone。’’
Theladwassummoned，and，inalanguagenearlyincomprehensibletothem，gavethematlengthtounderstand，thatanofficerhadsummonedhismastertotheroyaltent，sometimebeforetheirarrivalatthatofhismaster。Theanxietyofthebishopappearedtorisetothehighest，andbecameevidenttoDeVaux，thoughneitheranacuteobserver，norofasuspicioustemper。Butwithhisanxietyseemedtoincreasehiswishtokeepitsubduedandunobserved。HetookahastyleaveofDeVaux，wholookedafterhimwithastonishment；and，aftershrugginguphisshouldersinsilentwonder，proceededtoconductheArabianphysiciantothetentofKingRichard。
Thisistheprinceofleeches；fever，plague，Coldrheum，andhotpodagra，dobutlookonhim，Andquittheirgraspuponthetorturedsinews。
Anonymous。
TheBaronofGilslandwalkedwithslowstepandananxiouscountenancetowardstheroyalpavilion。Hehadmuchdiffidenceofhisowncapacity，exceptinafieldofbattle，and，consciousofnoveryacuteintellect，wasusuallycontentedtowonderatcircumstances，whichamanoflivelierimaginationwouldhaveendeavouredtoinvestigateandunderstand，oratleastwouldhavemadethesubjectofspeculation。Butitseemedveryextraordinary，eventohim，thattheattentionofthebishopshouldhavebeenatonceabstractedfromallreflectiononthemarvellouscurewhichtheyhadwitnessed，andupontheprobabilityitaffordedofRichardbeingrestoredtohealth，bywhatseemedaverytrivialpieceofinformation，announcingthemotionsofabeggarlyScottishknight，thanwhomThomasofGilslandknewnothingwithinthecircleofgentlebloodmoreunimportantorcontemptible；and，despitehisusualhabitofpassivelybeholdingpassingevents，thebaron’sspirittoiledwithunwontedattemptstoformconjecturesonthecause。
Atlengththeideaoccurredatoncetohim，thatthewholemightbeaconspiracyagainstKingRichard，formedwithinthecampoftheallies，andtowhichthebishop，whowasbysomerepresentedasapoliticandunscrupulousperson，wasnotunlikelytohavebeenaccessory。Itwastrue，thatinhisownopinion，thereexistednocharactersoperfectasthatofhismaster；forRichardbeingtheflowerofchivalry，andthechiefofChristianleaders，andobeyinginallpointsthecommandsofHolyChurch，DeVaux’sideasofperfectionwentnofarther。Stillheknewthat，howeverunworthily，ithadbeenalwayshismaster’sfate，todrawasmuchreproachanddislike，ashonourandattachment，fromthedisplayofhisgreatqualities；andthatintheverycamp，andamongstthoseprincesboundbyoathtotheCrusade，weremanywhowouldhavesacrificedallhopeofvictoryovertheSaracens，tothepleasureofruining，oratleastofhumbling，RichardofEngland。
Wherefore，’’saidthebarontohimself，itisinnosenseimpossiblethatthisElHakim，withthishiscure，orseemingcure，wroughtonthebodyoftheScottishsquire，maymeannothingbutatrick，towhichheoftheLeopardmaybeaccessary，andwhereintheBishopofTyre，prelateasheis，mayhavesomeshare。’’
Thishypothesis，indeed，couldnotbesoeasilyreconciledwiththealarmmanifestedbythebishop，onlearningthat，contrarytohisexpectation，theScottishknighthadsuddenlyreturnedtotheCrusaders’camp。ButDeVauxwasinfluencedonlybyhisgeneralprejudices，whichdictatedtohimtheassuredbelief，thatawilyItalianpriest，afalse-heartedScot，andaninfidelphysician，formedasetofingredientsfromwhichallevil，andnogood，waslikelytobeextracted。Heresolved，however，tolayhisscruplesbluntlybeforetheKing，ofwhosejudgmenthehadnearlyashighanopinionasofhisvalour。