"You came with levelled spear," said the Knight. "Had a troop of
Saracens so assailed me, it might have stood with my honour to
have shown the Soldan's pass, but never to one man."

"And yet one man," said the Saracen haughtily, "was enough to
interrupt your journey."

"True, brave Moslem," replied the Christian; "but there are few
such as thou art. Such falcons fly not in flocks; or, if they
do, they pounce not in numbers upon one."

"Thou dost us but justice," said the Saracen, evidently gratified
by the compliment, as he had been touched by the implied scorn of
the European's previous boast; "from us thou shouldst have had no
wrong. But well was it for me that I failed to slay thee, with
the safeguard of the king of kings upon thy person. Certain it
were, that the cord or the sabre had justly avenged such guilt."

"I am glad to hear that its influence shall be availing to me,"
said the Knight; "for I have heard that the road is infested with
robber-tribes, who regard nothing in comparison of an opportunity
of plunder."

"The truth has been told to thee, brave Christian," said the
Saracen; "but I swear to thee, by the turban of the Prophet, that
shouldst thou miscarry in any haunt of such villains, I will
myself undertake thy revenge with five thousand horse. I will
slay every male of them, and send their women into such distant
captivity that the name of their tribe shall never again be heard