So when the King had lain softly therein for a little space, Sir Hugh caused him to stand upon his feet, and having clothed him in a fair white vesture of linen and of silk, said-- "Sire, this spotless stole you first put on is but the symbol of a body held and guarded clean." Afterwards he set upon the King a gown of scarlet silk, and said-- "Sire, this vermeil robe keeps ever in your mind the blood a knight must shed in the service of his God and the defence of Holy Church." Then taking the King's feet in his hands, he drew thereon shoes of brown leather, saying-- "Sire, these brown shoes with which you are shod, signify the colour of that earth from which you came, and to which you must return; for whatever degree God permits you to attain, remember, O mortal man, that you are but dust." Then Sir Hugh raised the Sultan to his feet, and girt him with a white baldrick, saying-- "Sire, this white cincture I belt about your loins is the type of that chastity with which you must be girded withal. For he who would be worthy of such dignity as this must ever keep his body pure as any maid." After this was brought to Sir Hugh a pair of golden spurs, and these he did upon the shoes with which the Sultan was shod, saying-- "Sire, so swiftly as the destrier plunges in the fray at the prick of these spurs, so swiftly, so joyously, should you fight as a soldier of God for the defence of Holy Church." Then at the last Hugh took a sword, and holding it before the King, said-- "Sire, know you the three lessons of this glaive?" "What lessons are these?" "Courage, justice and loyalty. The cross at the hilt of his sword gives courage to the bearer, for when the brave knight girds his sword upon him he neither can, nor should, fear the strong Adversary himself. Again, sire, the two sharp edges of the blade teach loyalty and justice, for the office of chivalry is this, to sustain the weak against the strong, the poor before the rich, uprightly and loyally." The King listened to all these words very heedfully, and at the end inquired if there was nothing more that went to the making of a knight. "Sire, there is one thing else, but that I dare not do." "What thing is this?" "It is the accolade." "Grant me now this accolade, and tell me the meaning thereof." "Sire, the accolade is a blow upon the neck given with a sword, and the significance thereof is that the newly made knight may always bear in mind the lord who did him that great courtesy. But such a stroke will I not deal to you, for it is not seemly, since I am here your prisoner." That night Saladin, the mighty Sultan, feasted in his chamber, with the fifty greatest lords of his realm, emirs, governors and admirals, and Sir Hugh of Tabarie sat on a cushion at his feet. At the close of the banquet Sir Hugh rose up before the King and said--