Butalthoughthelistsrangwiththeapplausesofhisdexterity，itwasevidentthathemustatlastbeoverpowered；andthenoblesaroundPrinceJohnimploredhimwithonevoicetothrowdownhiswarder，andtosavesobraveaknightfromthedisgraceofbeingovercomebyodds。
　　``NotI，bythelightofHeaven！’’answeredPrinceJohn；``thissamespringal，whoconcealshisname，anddespisesourprofferedhospitality，hathalreadygainedoneprize，andmaynowaffordtoletothershavetheirturn。’’Ashespokethus，anunexpectedincidentchangedthefortuneoftheday。
　　TherewasamongtheranksoftheDisinheritedKnightachampioninblackarmour，mountedonablackhorse，largeofsize，tall，andtoallappearancepowerfulandstrong，liketheriderbywhomhewasmounted，Thisknight，whoboreonhisshieldnodeviceofanykind，hadhithertoevincedverylittleinterestintheeventofthefight，beatingoffwithseemingcasethosecombatantswhoattackedhim，butneitherpursuinghisadvantages，norhimselfassailinganyone。Inshort，hehadhithertoactedthepartratherofaspectatorthanofapartyinthetournament，acircumstancewhichprocuredhimamongthespectatorsthenameof_LeNoirFaineant_，ortheBlackSluggard。
　　Atoncethisknightseemedtothrowasidehisapathy，whenhediscoveredtheleaderofhispartysohardbestead；for，settingspurstohishorse，whichwasquitefresh，hecametohisassistancelikeathunderbolt，exclaiming，inavoicelikeatrumpet-call，``_Desdichado_，totherescue！’’Itwashightime；for，whiletheDisinheritedKnightwaspressingupontheTemplar，Front-de-Bufhadgotnightohimwithhisupliftedsword；buteretheblowcoulddescend，theSableKnightdealtastrokeonhishead，which，glancingfromthepolishedhelmet，lightedwithviolencescarcelyabatedonthe_chamfron_ofthesteed，andFront-de-Bufrolledontheground，bothhorseandmanequallystunnedbythefuryoftheblow。_LeNoirFaineant_thenturnedhishorseuponAthelstaneofConingsburgh；
　　andhisownswordhavingbeenbrokeninhisencounterwithFront-de-Buf，hewrenchedfromthehandofthebulkySaxonthebattle-axewhichhewielded，and，likeonefamiliarwiththeuseoftheweapon，bestowedhimsuchablowuponthecrest，thatAthelstanealsolaysenselessonthefield。Havingachievedthisdoublefeat，forwhichhewasthemorehighlyapplaudedthatitwastotallyunexpectedfromhim，theknightseemedtoresumethesluggishnessofhischaracter，returningcalmlytothenorthernextremityofthelists，leavinghisleadertocopeashebestcouldwithBriandeBois-Guilbert。
　　Thiswasnolongermatterofsomuchdifficultyasformerly。TheTemplarshorsehadbledmuch，andgavewayundertheshockoftheDisinheritedKnight’scharge。BriandeBois-Guilbertrolledonthefield，encumberedwiththestirrup，fromwhichhewasunabletodrawhisfoot。Hisantagonistsprungfromhorseback，wavedhisfatalswordovertheheadofhisadversary，andcommandedhimtoyieldhimself；whenPrinceJohn，moremovedbytheTemplarsdangeroussituationthanhehadbeenbythatofhisrival，savedhimthemortificationofconfessinghimselfvanquished，bycastingdownhiswarder，andputtinganendtotheconflict。
　　Itwas，indeed，onlytherelicsandembersofthefightwhichcontinuedtoburn；forofthefewknightswhostillcontinuedinthelists，thegreaterparthad，bytacitconsent，forbornetheconflictforsometime，leavingittobedeterminedbythestrifeoftheleaders。
　　Thesquires，whohadfounditamatterofdangeranddifficultytoattendtheirmastersduringtheengagement，nowthrongedintotheliststopaytheirdutifulattendancetothewounded，whowereremovedwiththeutmostcareandattentiontotheneighbouringpavilions，ortothequarterspreparedforthemintheadjoiningvillage。
　　ThusendedthememorablefieldofAshby-de-la-Zouche，oneofthemostgallantlycontestedtournamentsofthatage；foralthoughonlyfourknights，includingonewhowassmotheredbytheheatofhisarmour，haddieduponthefield，yetupwardsofthirtyweredesperatelywounded，fourorfiveofwhomneverrecovered。Severalmoreweredisabledforlife；andthosewhoescapedbestcarriedthemarksoftheconflicttothegravewiththem。
　　Henceitisalwaysmentionedintheoldrecords，astheGentleandJoyousPassageofArmsofAshby。
　　ItbeingnowthedutyofPrinceJohntonametheknightwhohaddonebest，hedeterminedthatthehonourofthedayremainedwiththeknightwhomthepopularvoicehadtermed_LeNoirFaineant_。
　　ItwaspointedouttothePrince，inimpeachmentofthisdecree，thatthevictoryhadbeeninfactwonbytheDisinheritedKnight，who，inthecourseoftheday，hadovercomesixchampionswithhisownhand，andwhohadfinallyunhorsedandstruckdowntheleaderoftheoppositeparty。
　　ButPrinceJohnadheredtohisownopinion，onthegroundthattheDisinheritedKnightandhispartyhadlosttheday，butforthepowerfulassistanceoftheKnightoftheBlackArmour，towhom，therefore，hepersistedinawardingtheprize。
　　Tothesurpriseofallpresent，however，theknightthuspreferredwasnowheretobefound。
　　Hehadleftthelistsimmediatelywhentheconflictceased，andhadbeenobservedbysomespectatorstomovedownoneoftheforestgladeswiththesameslowpaceandlistlessandindifferentmannerwhichhadprocuredhimtheepithetoftheBlackSluggard。Afterhehadbeensummonedtwicebysoundoftrumpet，andproclamationoftheheralds，itbecamenecessarytonameanothertoreceivethehonourswhichhadbeenassignedtohim。PrinceJohnhadnownofurtherexcuseforresistingtheclaimoftheDisinheritedKnight，whom，therefore，henamedthechampionoftheday。
　　Throughafieldslipperywithblood，andencumberedwithbrokenarmourandthebodiesofslainandwoundedhorses，themarshalsofthelistsagainconductedthevictortothefootofPrinceJohn’sthrone。
　　``DisinheritedKnight，’’saidPrinceJohn，``sincebythattitleonlyyouwillconsenttobeknowntous，weasecondtimeawardtoyouthehonoursofthistournament，andannouncetoyouyourrighttoclaimandreceivefromthehandsoftheQueenofLoveandBeauty，theChapletofHonourwhichyourvalourhasjustlydeserved。’’TheKnightbowedlowandgracefully，butreturnednoanswer。
　　Whilethetrumpetssounded，whiletheheraldsstrainedtheirvoicesinproclaiminghonourtothebraveandglorytothevictor——whileladieswavedtheirsilkenkerchiefsandembroideredveils，andwhileallranksjoinedinaclamorousshoutofexultation，themarshalsconductedtheDisinheritedKnightacrosstheliststothefootofthatthroneofhonourwhichwasoccupiedbytheLadyRowena。
　　Onthelowerstepofthisthronethechampionwasmadetokneeldown。Indeedhiswholeactionsincethefighthadended，seemedrathertohavebeenupontheimpulseofthosearoundhimthanfromhisownfreewill；anditwasobservedthathetotteredastheyguidedhimthesecondtimeacrossthelists。Rowena，descendingfromherstationwithagracefulanddignifiedstep，wasabouttoplacethechapletwhichsheheldinherhanduponthehelmetofthechampion，whenthemarshalsexclaimedwithonevoice，``Itmustnotbethus——hisheadmustbebare。’’Theknightmutteredfaintlyafewwords，whichwerelostinthehollowofhishelmet，buttheirpurportseemedtobeadesirethathiscasquemightnotberemoved。
　　Whetherfromloveofform，orfromcuriosity，themarshalspaidnoattentiontohisexpressionsofreluctance，butunhelmedhimbycuttingthelacesofhiscasque，andundoingthefasteningofhisgorget。
　　Whenthehelmetwasremoved，thewell-formed，yetsun-burntfeaturesofayoungmanoftwenty-fivewereseen，amidstaprofusionofshortfairhair。Hiscountenancewasaspaleasdeath，andmarkedinoneortwoplaceswithstreaksofblood。
　　Rowenahadnosoonerbeheldhimthansheutteredafaintshriek；butatoncesummoninguptheenergyofherdisposition，andcompellingherself，asitwere，toproceed，whileherframeyettrembledwiththeviolenceofsuddenemotion，sheplaceduponthedroopingheadofthevictorthesplendidchapletwhichwasthedestinedrewardoftheday，andpronounced，inaclearanddistincttone，thesewords：``Ibestowontheethischaplet，SirKnight，asthemeedofvalourassignedtothisday’svictor：’’
　　Hereshepausedamoment，andthenfirmlyadded，``Anduponbrowsmoreworthycouldawreathofchivalryneverbeplaced！’’
　　Theknightstoopedhishead，andkissedthehandofthelovelySovereignbywhomhisvalourhadbeenrewarded；andthen，sinkingyetfartherforward，layprostrateatherfeet。
　　Therewasageneralconsternation。Cedric，whohadbeenstruckmutebythesuddenappearanceofhisbanishedson，nowrushedforward，asiftoseparatehimfromRowena。Butthishadbeenalreadyaccomplishedbythemarshalsofthefield，who，guessingthecauseofIvanhoe’sswoon，hadhastenedtoundohisarmour，andfoundthattheheadofalancehadpenetratedhisbreastplate，andinflictedawoundinhisside。
　　CHAPTERXIII
　　``Heroes，approach！’’Atridesthusaloud，``Standforthdistinguish’dfromthecirclingcrowd，Yewhobyskillormanlyforcemayclaim，Yourrivalstosurpassandmeritfame。
　　Thiscow，worthtwentyoxen，isdecreed，Forhimwhofarthestsendsthewingedreed。’’
　　_Iliad_。
　　ThenameofIvanhoewasnosoonerpronouncedthanitflewfrommouthtomouth，withalltheceleritywithwhicheagernesscouldconveyandcuriosityreceiveit。ItwasnotlongereitreachedthecircleofthePrince，whosebrowdarkenedasheheardthenews。Lookingaroundhim，however，withanairofscorn，``MyLords，’’saidhe，``andespeciallyyou，SirPrior，whatthinkyeofthedoctrinethelearnedtellus，concerninginnateattractionsandantipathies?MethinksthatIfeltthepresenceofmybrother’sminion，evenwhenI
　　leastguessedwhomyondersuitofarmourenclosed。’’