testimony even of inanimate substances, not to mention animals far inferior in instinctive sagacity to the dog who is the friend and companion of our race."ⅢIt was finally resolved that the matter should be decided, according to the custom of the time, by the trial of battle, Conrade on the one side and the champion of King Richard on the other. The king, who by this time had recognized in the Nubian slave the person of Sir Kenneth, relented toward him and commissioned him to find a champion in the Saracen camp, thus giving the disgraced knight an opportunity to vindicate himself.
The station called the Diamond of the Desert was assigned by Saladin for the place of conflict, as being nearly at an equal distance betwixt the Christian and Saracen camps. It was agreed that Conrade of Montserrat, the defendant1, should appear there on the day fixed for the combat, with an hundred armed followers and no more; that Richard of England should attend with the same number, to protect his champion; and that the sultan should bring with him a guard of five hundred chosen followers, a band considered as not more than equal to the two hundred Christian lances.
The Diamond of the Desert, so lately a solitary fountain distinguished only amid the waste by solitary groups of palm trees, was now the center of an encampment, the embroidered flags and gilded ornaments of which glittered far and wide and reflected a thousand rich tints against the setting sun. The coverings of the large pavilions were of the gayest colors,1 Defendant: a person required to make answer in a law case.
scarlet, bright yellow, pale blue, and other gaudy and gleaming hues, and the tops of their pillars, or tent-poles, were decorated with golden pomegranates and small silken flags.
It had been agreed on account of the heat of the climate that the combat should take place at one hour after sunrise. The wide lists inclosed a space of hard sand, which was one hundred and twenty yards long by forty in width. They extended in length from north to south, so as to give both parties the equal advantage of the rising sun. Saladin"s royal seat was erected on the western side of the inclosure, just in the center where the combatants were expected to meet. Opposite this was a gallery for the queen of England and her ladies.
The knights rode into the lists armed at all points and mounted like men who were to do battle for a kingdom"s honor. They wore their visors1 up, and, riding around the lists three times, showed themselves to the spectators.
Both were goodly persons and both had noble countenances. But there was an air of manly confidence on the brow of the Scot, a radiancy of hope, which amounted to cheerfulness; while, although pride and effort had recalled much of Conrade"s natural courage, there lowered still on his brow a cloud of gloom. Even his steed seemed to tread less lightly and blithely to the trumpet sound than the noble Arab which was bestrode by Sir Kenneth.
An altar was erected just beneath the gallery occupied by the queen. To this altar the challenger and defender were brought forward one after the other. Dismounting before it, each knight1 Visors: movable front pieces of helmets.
asserted the justice of his cause, and prayed that his success might be according to his truth or falsehood. They also made oath that they came to do battle in knightly way and with the usual weapons, disclaiming the use of spells, charms, or magical devices.
The Scottish knight pronounced his vow with a firm and manly voice, and a bold and cheerful countenance. Then, loaded with armor as he was, he sprang to the saddle without the use of the stirrup.
Conrade also presented himself before the altar with boldness enough; but his voice as he took the oath sounded hollow, as if drowned in his helmet. The lips with which he appealed to Heaven to give victory to the just quarrel, grew white as he uttered the words.
The silence of suspense was now general; men breathed thicker, and their very souls seemed seated in their eyes, while not a sound was to be heard save the snorting and pawing of the good steeds, who, sensible of what was about to happen, were impatient to dash into career. They stood thus for perhaps three minutes, when, at a signal given by the sultan, 0 an hundred instruments rent the air with their brazen clamors, and each champion striking his horse with the spurs and slacking the rein, the horses started into full gallop, and the knights met in mid space with a shock like a thunderbolt. The victory was not in doubt- no, not one moment. Conrade, indeed, showed himself a practiced warrior; for he struck his antagonist knightly in the midst of his shield, bearing his lance so straight and true that it shivered into splinters from the steelspear-head up to the very gauntlet. The horse of Sir Kenneth recoiled two or three yards and fell on his haunches, but the rider easily raised him with hand and rein. But for Conrade there was no recovery. Sir Kenneth"s lance had pierced through the shield, through a plated corselet1 of Milan steel, through a secret, or coat of linked mail, worn beneath the corselet, had wounded him deep in the bosom, and borne him from his saddle, leaving the truncheon2 of the lance fixed in his wound. The sponsors, heralds, and Saladin himself descending from his throne, crowded around the wounded man; while Sir Kenneth, who had drawn his sword ere yet he discovered that his antagonist was totally helpless, now commanded him to avow5 his guilt. The helmet was hastily unclosed, and the wounded man, gazing wildly on the skies, replied: "What would you more?- God hath decided justly-I am guilty!"1 Corselet: armor for the whole body. 2 Truncheon: handle.