InthemidstwasseenAladyofamoremajesticmien，Bystatureandbybeautymark’dtheirsovereignQueen。
Andasinbeautyshesurpass’dthechoir，Sonoblerthantherestwasherattire；
Acrownofruddygoldenclosedherbrow，Plainwithoutpomp，andrichwithoutashow；
AbranchofAgnusCastusinherhand，Sheborealofthersymbolofcommand。
_TheFlowerandtheLeaf_。
WilliamdeWyvilandStephendeMartival，themarshalsofthefield，werethefirsttooffertheircongratulationstothevictor，prayinghim，atthesametime，tosufferhishelmettobeunlaced，or，atleast，thathewouldraisehisvisoreretheyconductedhimtoreceivetheprizeoftheday’stourneyfromthehandsofPrinceJohn。TheDisinheritedKnight，withallknightlycourtesy，declinedtheirrequest，alleging，thathecouldnotatthistimesufferhisfacetobeseen，forreasonswhichhehadassignedtotheheraldswhenheenteredthelists。Themarshalswereperfectlysatisfiedbythisreply；foramidstthefrequentandcapriciousvowsbywhichknightswereaccustomedtobindthemselvesinthedaysofchivalry，therewerenonemorecommonthanthosebywhichtheyengagedtoremainincognitoforacertainspace，oruntilsomeparticularadventurewasachieved。
Themarshals，therefore，pressednofartherintothemysteryoftheDisinheritedKnight，but，announcingtoPrinceJohntheconqueror’sdesiretoremainunknown，theyrequestedpermissiontobringhimbeforehisGrace，inorderthathemightreceivetherewardofhisvalour。
John’scuriositywasexcitedbythemysteryobservedbythestranger；and，beingalreadydispleasedwiththeissueofthetournament，inwhichthechallengerswhomhefavouredhadbeensuccessivelydefeatedbyoneknight，heansweredhaughtilytothemarshals，``BythelightofOurLady’sbrow，thissameknighthathbeendisinheritedaswellofhiscourtesyasofhislands，sincehedesirestoappearbeforeuswithoutuncoveringhisface——Wotye，mylords，’’besaid，turningroundtohistrain，``whothisgallantcanbe，thatbearshimselfthusproudly?’’
``Icannotguess，’’answeredDeBracy，``nordidIthinktherehadbeenwithinthefourseasthatgirthBritainachampionthatcouldbeardownthesefiveknightsinoneday’sjousting。Bymyfaith，IshallneverforgettheforcewithwhichheshockedDeVipont。ThepoorHospitallerwashurledfromhissaddlelikeastonefromasling。’’
``Boastnotofthat，’’saidaKnightofStJohn，whowaspresent；``yourTemplechampionhadnobetterluck。Isawyourbravelance，Bois-Guilbert，rollthriceover，graspinghishandsfullofsandateveryturn。
DeBracy，beingattachedtotheTemplars，wouldhavereplied，butwaspreventedbyPrinceJohn。
``Silence，sirs！’’hesaid；``whatunprofitabledebatehavewehere?’’
``Thevictor，’’saidDeWyvil，``stillwaitsthepleasureofyourhighness。’’
``Itisourpleasure，’’answeredJohn，``thathedosowaituntilwelearnwhetherthereisnotsomeonewhocanatleastguessathisnameandquality。
Shouldheremaintheretillnight-fall，hehashadworkenoughtokeephimwarm。’’
``YourGrace，’’saidWaldemarFitzurse，``willdolessthanduehonourtothevictor，ifyoucompelhimtowaittillwetellyourhighnessthatwhichwecannotknow；atleastIcanformnoguess——
unlesshebeoneofthegoodlanceswhoaccompaniedKingRichardtoPalestine，andwhoarenowstragglinghomewardfromtheHolyLand。’’
``ItmaybetheEarlofSalisbury，’’saidDeBracy；
``heisaboutthesamepitch。’’
``SirThomasdeMulton，theKnightofGilsland，rather，’’saidFitzurse；``Salisburyisbiggerinthebones。’’Awhisperaroseamongthetrain，butbywhomfirstsuggestedcouldnotbeascertained。
``ItmightbetheKing——itmightbeRichardCur-de-Lionhimself！’’
``OverGod’sforbode！’’saidPrinceJohn，involuntarilyturningatthesametimeaspaleasdeath，andshrinkingasifblightedbyaflashoflightning；
``Waldemar！——DeBracy！braveknightsandgentlemen，rememberyourpromises，andstandtrulybyme！’’
``Hereisnodangerimpending，’’saidWaldemarFitzurse；``areyousolittleacquaintedwiththegiganticlimbsofyourfather’sson，astothinktheycanbeheldwithinthecircumferenceofyondersuitofarmour?——DeWyvilandMartival，youwillbestservethePrincebybringingforwardthevictortothethrone，andendinganerrorthathasconjuredallthebloodfromhischeeks——Lookathimmoreclosely，’’hecontinued，``yourhighnesswillseethathewantsthreeinchesofKingRichard’sheight，andtwiceasmuchofhisshoulder-breadth。Theveryhorsehebacks，couldnothavecarriedtheponderousweightofKingRichardthroughasinglecourse。’’
Whilehewasyetspeaking，themarshalsbroughtforwardtheDisinheritedKnighttothefootofawoodenflightofsteps，whichformedtheascentfromtheliststoPrinceJohn’sthrone。Stilldiscomposedwiththeideathathisbrother，somuchinjured，andtowhomhewassomuchindebted，hadsuddenlyarrivedinhisnativekingdom，eventhedistinctionspointedoutbyFitzursedidnotaltogetherremovethePrince’sapprehensions；andwhile，withashortandembarrassedeulogyuponhisvalour，hecausedtobedeliveredtohimthewar-horseassignedastheprize，hetrembledlestfromthebarredvisorofthemailedformbeforehim，ananswermightbereturned，inthedeepandawfulaccentsofRichardtheLion-hearted。
ButtheDisinheritedKnightspokenotawordinreplytothecomplimentofthePrince，whichheonlyacknowledgedwithaprofoundobeisance。
Thehorsewasledintothelistsbytwogroomsrichlydressed，theanimalitselfbeingfullyaccoutredwiththerichestwar-furniture；which，however，scarcelyaddedtothevalueofthenoblecreatureintheeyesofthosewhowerejudges。Layingonehanduponthepommelofthesaddle，theDisinheritedKnightvaultedatonceuponthebackofthesteedwithoutmakinguseofthestirrup，and，brandishingalofthislance，rodetwicearoundthelists，exhibitingthepointsandpacesofthehorsewiththeskillofaperfecthorsemanTheappearanceofvanity，whichmightotherwisehavebeenattributedtothisdisplay，wasremovedbytheproprietyshowninexhibitingtothebestadvantagetheprincelyrewardwithwhichhehadbeenjusthonoured，andtheKnightwasagaingreetedbytheacclamationsofallpresent。
Inthemeanwhile，thebustlingPriorofJorvaulxhadremindedPrinceJohn，inawhisper，thatthevictormustnowdisplayhisgoodjudgment，insteadofhisvalour，byselectingfromamongthebeautieswhogracedthegalleriesalady，whoshouldfillthethroneoftheQueenofBeautyandofLove，anddelivertheprizeofthetourneyupontheensuingday。ThePrinceaccordinglymadeasignwithhistruncheon，astheKnightpassedhiminhissecondcareeraroundthelists。TheKnightturnedtowardsthethrone，and，sinkinghislance，untilthepointwaswithinafootoftheground，remainedmotionless，asifexpectingJohn’scommands；whilealladmiredthesuddendexteritywithwhichheinstantlyreducedhisfierysteedfromastateofviolentemotionandhighexcitationtothestillnessofanequestrianstatue，``SirDisinheritedKnight，’’saidPrinceJohn，``sincethatistheonlytitlebywhichwecanaddressyou，itisnowyourduty，aswellasprivilege，tonamethefairlady，who，asQueenofHonourandofLove，istopresideovernextday’sfestival。
If，asastrangerinourland，youshouldrequiretheaidofotherjudgmenttoguideyourown，wecanonlysaythatAlicia，thedaughterofourgallantknightWaldemarFitzurse，hasatourcourtbeenlongheldthefirstinbeautyasinplace。Nevertheless，itisyourundoubtedprerogativetoconferonwhomyoupleasethiscrown，bythedeliveryofwhichtotheladyofyourchoice，theelectionofto-morrow’sQueenwillbeformalandcomplete——
Raiseyourlance。’’
TheKnightobeyed；andPrinceJohnplaceduponitspointacoronetofgreensatin，havingarounditsedgeacircletofgold，theupperedgeofwhichwasrelievedbyarrow-pointsandheartsplacedinterchangeably，likethestrawberryleavesandballsuponaducalcrown。
InthebroadhintwhichhedroppedrespectingthedaughterofWaldemarFitzurse，Johnhadmorethanonemotive，eachtheoffspringofamind，whichwasastrangemixtureofcarelessnessandpresumptionwithlowartificeandcunning。HewishedtobanishfromthemindsofthechivalryaroundhimhisownindecentandunacceptablejestrespectingtheJewessRebecca；hewasdesirousofconciliatingAlicia’sfatherWaldemar，ofwhomhestoodinawe，andwhohadmorethanonceshownhimselfdissatisfiedduringthecourseoftheday’sproceedings。Hehadalsoawishtoestablishhimselfinthegoodgracesofthelady；forJohnwasatleastaslicentiousinhispleasuresasprofligateinhisambition。Butbesidesallthesereasons，hewasdesiroustoraiseupagainsttheDisinheritedKnighttowardswhomhealreadyentertainedastrongdislikeapowerfulenemyinthepersonofWaldemarFitzurse，whowaslikely，hethought，highlytoresenttheinjurydonetohisdaughter，incase，aswasnotunlikely，thevictorshouldmakeanotherchoice。
Andsoindeeditproved。FortheDisinheritedKnightpassedthegalleryclosetothatofthePrince，inwhichtheLadyAliciawasseatedinthefullprideoftriumphantbeauty，and，pacingforwardsasslowlyashehadhithertorodeswiftlyaroundthelists，heseemedtoexercisehisrightofexaminingthenumerousfairfaceswhichadornedthatsplendidcircle。
Itwasworthwhiletoseethedifferentconductofthebeautieswhounderwentthisexamination，duringthetimeitwasproceeding。Someblushed，someassumedanairofprideanddignity，somelookedstraightforward，andessayedtoseemutterlyunconsciousofwhatwasgoingon，somedrewbackinalarm，whichwasperhapsaffected，someendeavouredtoforbearsmiling，andthereweretwoorthreewholaughedoutright。Therewerealsosomewhodroppedtheirveilsovertheircharms；
but，astheWardourManuscriptsaysthesewerefaironesoftenyearsstanding，itmaybesupposedthat，havinghadtheirfullshareofsuchvanities，theywerewillingtowithdrawtheirclaim，inordertogiveafairchancetotherisingbeautiesoftheage。
AtlengththechampionpausedbeneaththebalconyinwhichtheLadyRowenawasplaced，andtheexpectationofthespectatorswasexcitedtotheutmost。
Itmustbeowned，thatifaninterestdisplayedinhissuccesscouldhavebribedtheDisinheritedKnight，thepartofthelistsbeforewhichhepausedhadmeritedhispredilection。CedrictheSaxon，overjoyedatthediscomfitureoftheTemplar，andstillmoresoatthe，miscarriageofhistwomalevolentneighbours，Front-de-BufandMalvoisin，had，withhisbodyhalfstretchedoverthebalcony，accompaniedthevictorineachcourse，notwithhiseyesonly，butwithhiswholeheartandsoul。TheLadyRowenahadwatchedtheprogressofthedaywithequalattention，thoughwithoutopenlybetrayingthesameintenseinterest。EventheunmovedAthelstanehadshownsymptomsofshakingoffhisapathy，when，callingforahugegobletofmuscadine，hequaffedittothehealthoftheDisinheritedKnight。
Anothergroup，stationedunderthegalleryoccupiedbytheSaxons，hadshownnolessinterestinthefateoftheday。
``FatherAbraham！’’saidIsaacofYork，whenthefirstcoursewasrunbetwixttheTemplarandtheDisinheritedKnight，``howfiercelythatGentilerides！Ah，thegoodhorsethatwasbroughtallthelongwayfromBarbary，hetakesnomorecareofhimthanifhewereawildass’scolt——andthenoblearmour，thatwasworthsomanyzecchinstoJosephPareira，thearmourerofMilan，besidesseventyinthehundredofprofits，hecaresforitaslittleasifhehadfounditinthehighways！’’
``Ifheriskshisownpersonandlimbs，father，’’
saidRebecca，``indoingsuchadreadfulbattle，hecanscarcebeexpectedtosparehishorseandarmour。’’
``Child！’’repliedIsaac，somewhatheated，``thouknowestnotwhatthouspeakest——Hisneckandlimbsarehisown，buthishorseandarmourbelongto——HolyJacob！whatwasIabouttosay！——
Nevertheless，itisagoodyouth——See，Rebecca！