] 10 THE HISTORY OF TIIE ORDER OF [book H.

most your own kindred, of whom you were the de-fence and glory! Rejoice then, 0 my son, that twoof the most illustrious of Islam, at the present day,were your near relatives! See then, Giaour, ifyou could have chosen a worse ambassador foryour most infamous project? Not softness towardsthe infidel is what we want, but pitiless hate.Ay, by the verdant angels, and the Valley ofMecca, 1 hate! Like my fathers both Norman andMahometan, my first shall be my last, my onlylove. The warm heart and true; not cold law!Plurality of wives proves the freedom of our doc-trine ; but many are the Moslems who have butone wife. This heart beats for only one, who re-sponds as faithfully. What cares she for fidelityby statute? She has it more effectually by choice.Far better does the Norman war-cry, God's aid,suit us than you; for you believe in three Gods,we in one alone. You are the Paynims andidolators, not we. Was not my Mahometanbrother, Malek-Kammel, knighted by Cceur de Lion ?Did King Richard not come on purpose hither, andperform the proper ceremonies? Were I to acceptyour errand, I hope it would be useless; but atall events, I’ll not submit to the opprobrium ofhaving given such bad advice. Christians may.

1 Arab. Chxon., 425.