第18章

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，hewasdesiroustoraiseupagainsttheDisinheritedKnight(towardswhomhealreadyentertainedastrongdislike)apowerfulenemyinthepersonofWaldemarFitzurse，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！