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！