"Art weary of thy life?"
"Strike!" said El Hakim; "thine own deed shall then paint thee
more worthless than could my words, though each had a hornet's
sting."
Richard turned fiercely from him, folded his arms, traversed the
tent as before, and then exclaimed, "Thankless and ungenerous!
--as well be termed coward and infidel! Hakim, thou hast chosen
thy boon; and though I had rather thou hadst asked my crown
jewels, yet I may not, kinglike, refuse thee. Take this Scot,
therefore, to thy keeping; the provost will deliver him to thee
on this warrant."
He hastily traced one or two lines, and gave them to the
physician. "Use him as thy bond-slave, to be disposed of as thou
wilt--only, let him beware how he comes before the eyes of
Richard. Hark thee--thou art wise--he hath been over-bold among
those in whose fair looks and weak judgments we trust our honour,
as you of the East lodge your treasures in caskets of silver
wire, as fine and as frail as the web of a gossamer."
"Thy servant understands the words of the King," said the sage,
at once resuming the reverent style of address in which he had
commenced.
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