The Patriarch of Jerusalem hastened to break the embarrassing
silence, and to bear witness for the Archduke of Austria that he
had exculpated himself, by a solemn oath, from all knowledge,
direct or indirect, of the aggression done to the Banner of
England.
"Then we have done the noble Archduke the greater wrong," said
Richard; "and craving his pardon for imputing to him an outrage
so cowardly, we extend our hand to him in token of renewed peace
and amity. But how is this? Austria refuses our uncovered hand,
as he formerly refused our mailed glove? What! are we neither
to be his mate in peace nor his antagonist in war? Well, let it
be so. We will take the slight esteem in which he holds us as a
penance for aught which we may have done against him in heat of
blood, and will therefore hold the account between us cleared."
So saying, he turned from the Archduke with an air rather of
dignity than scorn, leaving the Austrian apparently as much
relieved by the removal of his eye as is a sullen and truant
schoolboy when the glance of his severe pedagogue is withdrawn.
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