--Stand forward for
a false traitor, thou Conrade, Marquis of Montserrat! I impeach
thee of treason."
Several of the Syrian leaders had now come up, and Conrade
--vexation, and shame, and confusion struggling with passion in
his manner and voice--exclaimed, "What means this? With what am
I charged? Why this base usage and these reproachful terms? Is
this the league of concord which England renewed but so lately?"
"Are the Princes of the Crusade turned hares or deers in the eyes
of King Richard that he should slip hounds on them?" said the
sepulchral voice of the Grand Master of the Templars.
"It must be some singular accident--some fatal mistake," said
Philip of France, who rode up at the same moment.
"Some deceit of the Enemy," said the Archbishop of Tyre.
"A stratagem of the Saracens," cried Henry of Champagne. "It
were well to hang up the dog, and put the slave to the torture."
"Let no man lay hand upon them," said Richard, "as he loves his
own life! Conrade, stand forth, if thou darest, and deny the
accusation which this mute animal hath in his noble instinct
brought against thee, of injury done to him, and foul scorn to
England!"
"I never touched the banner," said Conrade hastily.
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