"And justly, Thomas," said the king. "Yes, I have indeed marked the manner in which this knight does his devoir, and he had ere now tasted your bounty but that I have also marked his audacious presumption."
"My liege," said the Baron of Gilsland, "your majesty will pardon me to remind you that I have by mine office right to grant liberty to men of gentle blood, to keep a hound or two within the camp, and besides, it were a sin to harm a thing so noble as this gentleman's dog, the most perfect creature of heaven, of the noblest northern breed."
The king laughed.
"Well, thou hast given him leave to keep the hound, so there is an end of it. But to this piece of learned heathenness--say'st thou the Scot met him in the desert?"
"No, my liege, the Scot's tale runs thus: He was dispatched to the old hermit of Engaddi--"
"'Sdeath and hell!" said Richard, starting up, "by whom dispatched, and for what? Who would send anyone thither when our queen was in the convent of Engaddi?"
"The Council of the Crusade sent him, my lord," the baron answered, "but for what purpose he declined to account to me."
"Well, it shall be looked into," said Richard. "So this envoy met with a wandering physician at Engaddi, ha!"
"Not so, my liege, but he met a Saracen Emir, who understood that Saladin should send his own leech to you. He is attended as if he were a prince, and brings with him letters of credence from Saladin."
Richard took the scroll and read.