Thetwochampionsbeingalikearmedwithquarter-staves，steppedforwardintothecentreoftheopenspace，inordertohavethefullbenefitofthemoonlight；thethievesinthemeantimelaughing，andcryingtotheircomrade，``Miller！bewarethytoll-dish。’’TheMiller，ontheotherhand，holdinghisquarter-staffbythemiddle，andmakingitflourishroundhisheadafterthefashionwhichtheFrenchcall_fairelemoulinet_，exclaimedboastfully，``Comeon，churl，anthoudarest：thoushaltfeelthestrengthofamiller’sthumb！’’
　　``Ifthoubestamiller，’’answeredGurth，undauntedly，makinghisweaponplayaroundhisheadwithequaldexterity，``thouartdoublyathief，andI，asatrueman，bidtheedefiance。’’
　　Sosaying，thetwochampionsclosedtogether，andforafewminutestheydisplayedgreatequalityinstrength，courage，andskill，interceptingandreturningtheblowsoftheiradversarywiththemostrapiddexterity，while，fromthecontinuedclatteroftheirweapons，apersonatadistancemighthavesupposedthattherewereatleastsixpersonsengagedoneachside。Lessobstinate，andevenlessdangerouscombats，havebeendescribedingoodheroicverse；butthatofGurthandtheMillermustremainunsung，forwantofasacredpoettodojusticetoitseventfulprogress。Yet，thoughquarter-staffplaybeoutofdate，whatwecaninprosewewilldofortheseboldchampions。
　　Longtheyfoughtequally，untiltheMillerbegantolosetemperatfindinghimselfsostoutlyopposed，andathearingthelaughterofhiscompanions，who，asusualinsuchcases，enjoyedhisvexation。
　　Thiswasnotastateofmindfavourabletothenoblegameofquarter-staff，inwhich，asinordinarycudgel-playing，theutmostcoolnessisrequisite；
　　anditgaveGurth，whosetemperwassteady，thoughsurly，theopportunityofacquiringadecidedadvantage，inavailinghimselfofwhichhedisplayedgreatmastery。
　　TheMillerpressedfuriouslyforward，dealingblowswitheitherendofhisweaponalternately，andstrivingtocometohalf-staffdistance，whileGurthdefendedhimselfagainsttheattack，keepinghishandsaboutayardasunder，andcoveringhimselfbyshiftinghisweaponwithgreatcelerity，soastoprotecthisheadandbody。Thusdidhemaintainthedefensive，makinghiseye，foot，andhandkeeptruetime，until，observinghisantagonisttolosewind，hedartedthestaffathisfacewithhislefthand；and，astheMillerendeavouredtoparrythethrust，heslidhisrighthanddowntohisleft，andwiththefullswingoftheweaponstruckhisopponentontheleftsideofthehead，whoinstantlymeasuredhislengthuponthegreensward。
　　``Wellandyeomanlydone！’’shoutedtherobbers；
　　``fairplayandOldEnglandforever！TheSaxonhathsavedbothhispurseandhishide，andtheMillerhasmethismatch。’’
　　``Thoumaystgothyways，myfriend，’’saidtheCaptain，addressingGurth，inspecialconfirmationofthegeneralvoice，``andIwillcausetwoofmycomradestoguidetheebythebestwaytothymaster’spavilion，andtoguardtheefromnight-walkersthatmighthavelesstenderconsciencesthanours；forthereismanyoneofthemupontheambleinsuchanightasthis。Takeheed，however，’’
　　headdedsternly；``rememberthouhastrefusedtotellthyname——asknotafterours，norendeavourtodiscoverwhoorwhatweare；for，ifthoumakestsuchanattempt，thouwiltcomebyworsefortunethanhasyetbefallenthee。’’
　　GurththankedtheCaptainforhiscourtesy，andpromisedtoattendtohisrecommendation。Twooftheoutlaws，takinguptheirquarter-staves，anddesiringGurthtofollowcloseintherear，walkedroundlyforwardalongaby-path，whichtraversedthethicketandthebrokengroundadjacenttoit。
　　Ontheveryvergeofthethickettwomenspoketohisconductors，andreceivingananswerinawhisper，withdrewintothewood，andsufferedthemtopassunmolested。ThiscircumstanceinducedGurthtobelieveboththatthegangwasstronginnumbers，andthattheykeptregularguardsaroundtheirplaceofrendezvous。
　　Whentheyarrivedontheopenheath，whereGurthmighthavehadsometroubleinfindinghisroad，thethievesguidedhimstraightforwardtothetopofalittleeminence，whencehecouldsee，spreadbeneathhiminthemoonlight，thepalisadesofthelists，theglimmeringpavilionspitchedateitherend，withthepennonswhichadornedthemflutteringinthemoonbeams，andfromwhichcouldbeheardthehumofthesongwithwhichthesentinelswerebeguilingtheirnight-watch。
　　Herethethievesstopt。
　　``Wegowithyounofarther，’’saidthey；``itwerenotsafethatweshoulddoso——Rememberthewarningyouhavereceived——keepsecretwhathasthisnightbefallenyou，andyouwillhavenoroomtorepentit——neglectwhatisnowtoldyou，andtheTowerofLondonshallnotprotectyouagainstourrevenge。’’
　　``Goodnighttoyou，kindsirs，’’saidGurth；``I
　　shallrememberyourorders，andtrustthatthereisnooffenceinwishingyouasaferandanhonestertrade。’’
　　Thustheyparted，theoutlawsreturninginthedirectionfromwhencetheyhadcome，andGurthproceedingtothetentofhismaster，towhom，notwithstandingtheinjunctionhehadreceived，hecommunicatedthewholeadventuresoftheevening。
　　TheDisinheritedKnightwasfilledwithastonishment，nolessatthegenerosityofRebecca，bywhich，however，heresolvedhewouldnotprofit，thanthatoftherobbers，towhoseprofessionsuchaqualityseemedtotallyforeign。Hiscourseofreflectionsuponthesesingularcircumstanceswas，however，interruptedbythenecessityfortakingrepose，whichthefatigueoftheprecedingday，andtheproprietyofrefreshinghimselfforthemorrow’sencounter，renderedalikeindispensable。
　　Theknight，therefore，stretchedhimselfforreposeuponarichcouchwithwhichthetentwasprovided；andthefaithfulGurth，extendinghishardylimbsuponabear-skinwhichformedasortofcarpettothepavilion，laidhimselfacrosstheopeningofthetent，sothatnoonecouldenterwithoutawakeninghim。
　　CHAPTERXII
　　Theheraldslefttheirprickingupanddown，Nowringentrumpetsloudandclarion。
　　Thereisnomoretosay，buteastandwest，Ingothespearessadlyintherest，Ingoththesharpspurintotheside，Thereseemenwhocanjustandwhocanride；
　　Thereshivershaftesuponshieldesthick，Hefeeleththroughtheheart-sponetheprick；
　　Upspringenspeares，twentyfeetinheight，Outgotheswordestothesilverbright；
　　Thehelmstheyto-hewnandto-shred；
　　Outburstthebloodwithsternstreamesred。
　　Chaucer。
　　Morningaroseinuncloudedsplendour，anderethesunwasmuchabovethehorizon，theidlestorthemosteagerofthespectatorsappearedonthecommon，movingtothelistsastoageneralcentre，inordertosecureafavourablesituationforviewingthecontinuationoftheexpectedgames。
　　Themarshalsandtheirattendantsappearednextonthefield，togetherwiththeheralds，forthepurposeofreceivingthenamesoftheknightswhointendedtojoust，withthesidewhicheachchosetoespouse。Thiswasanecessaryprecaution，inordertosecureequalitybetwixtthetwobodieswhoshouldbeopposedtoeachother。
　　Accordingtodueformality，theDisinheritedKnightwastobeconsideredasleaderoftheonebody，whileBriandeBois-Guilbert，whohadbeenratedashavingdonesecond-bestintheprecedingday，wasnamedfirstchampionoftheotherband。
　　Thosewhohadconcurredinthechallengeadheredtohispartyofcourse，exceptingonlyRalphdeVipont，whomhisfallhadrenderedunfitsosoontoputonhisarmour。Therewasnowantofdistinguishedandnoblecandidatestofilluptheranksoneitherside。
　　Infact，althoughthegeneraltournament，inwhichallknightsfoughtatonce，wasmoredangerousthansingleencounters，theywere，nevertheless，morefrequentedandpractisedbythechivalryoftheage。Manyknights，whohadnotsufficientconfidenceintheirownskilltodefyasingleadversaryofhighreputation，were，nevertheless，desirousofdisplayingtheirvalourinthegeneralcombat，wheretheymightmeetotherswithwhomtheyweremoreuponanequality。Onthepresentoccasion，aboutfiftyknightswereinscribedasdesirousofcombatinguponeachside，whenthemarshalsdeclaredthatnomorecouldbeadmitted，tothedisappointmentofseveralwhoweretoolateinpreferringtheirclaimtobeincluded。
　　Aboutthehourofteno’clock，thewholeplainwascrowdedwithhorsemen，horsewomen，andfoot-passengers，hasteningtothetournament；andshortlyafter，agrandflourishoftrumpetsannouncedPrinceJohnandhisretinue，attendedbymanyofthoseknightswhomeanttotakeshareinthegame，aswellasotherswhohadnosuchintention。
　　AboutthesametimearrivedCedrictheSaxon，withtheLadyRowena，unattended，however，byAthelstane。ThisSaxonlordhadarrayedhistallandstrongpersoninarmour，inordertotakehisplaceamongthecombatants；and，considerablytothesurpriseofCedric，hadchosentoenlisthimselfonthepartoftheKnightTemplar。TheSaxon，indeed，hadremonstratedstronglywithhisfriendupontheinjudiciouschoicehehadmadeofhisparty；buthehadonlyreceivedthatsortofanswerusuallygivenbythosewhoaremoreobstinateinfollowingtheirowncourse，thanstronginjustifyingit。
　　Hisbest，ifnothisonlyreason，foradheringtothepartyofBriandeBois-Guilbert，Athelstanehadtheprudencetokeeptohimself。ThoughhisapathyofdispositionpreventedhistakinganymeanstorecommendhimselftotheLadyRowena，hewas，nevertheless，bynomeansinsensibletohercharms，andconsideredhisunionwithherasamatteralreadyfixedbeyonddoubt，bytheassentofCedricandherotherfriends。IthadthereforebeenwithsmothereddispleasurethattheproudthoughindolentLordofConingsburghbeheldthevictoroftheprecedingdayselectRowenaastheobjectofthathonourwhichitbecamehisprivilegetoconfer。Inordertopunishhimforapreferencewhichseemedtointerferewithhisownsuit，Athelstane，confidentofhisstrength，andtowhomhisflatterers，atleast，ascribedgreatskillinarms，haddeterminednotonlytodeprivetheDisinheritedKnightofhispowerfulsuccour，but，ifanopportunityshouldoccur，tomakehimfeeltheweightofhisbattle-axe。