A second time, like a hawk attacking a heron, the Heathen renewed the
charge, and a second time was fain to retreat without coming to a close
struggle. A third time he approached in the same manner, when the
Christian knight, desirous to terminate this illusory warfare, in which
he might at length have been worn out by the activity of his foeman,
suddenly seized the mace which hung at his saddle-bow, and, with a
strong hand and unerring aim, hurled it against the head of the Emir,
for such and not less his enemy appeared. The Saracen was just aware of
the formidable missile in time to interpose his light buckler betwixt
the mace and his head; but the violence of the blow forced the buckler
down on his turban, and though that defence also contributed to deaden
its violence, the Saracen was beaten from his horse. Ere the Christian
could avail himself of this mishap, his nimble foeman sprang from the
ground, and, calling on his steed, which instantly returned to his side,
he leaped into his seat without touching the stirrup, and regained all
the advantage of which the Knight of the Leopard hoped to deprive him.
But the latter had in the meanwhile recovered his mace, and the Eastern
cavalier, who remembered the strength and dexterity with which his
antagonist had aimed it, seemed to keep cautiously out of the reach of
that weapon, of which he had so lately felt the force, while he showed
his purpose of waging a distant warfare with missile weapons of his
own. Planting his long spear in the sand at a distance from the scene of
combat, he strung, with great address, a short bow, which he carried at
his back, and, putting his horse to the gallop, once more described two
or three circles of a wider extent than formerly, in the course of which
he discharged six arrows at the Christian with such unerring skill that
the goodness of his harness alone saved him from being wounded in as
many places. The seventh shaft apparently found a less perfect part of
the armour, and the Christian dropped heavily from his horse. But what
was the surprise of the Saracen, when, dismounting to examine the