s the aforesaid knight doth desire."

For the space of whilst one might tell an hundred no one appeared. At
the end of this time, however, a knight, as though in haste, dashed
into the lists and, riding with the ease of an accomplished horseman,
advanced rapidly to where I waited. He gently touched my shield with
the butt of his lance.

On his shield was no device; but his rich inlaid armour, and the
courtly bearing of its wearer, seemed to mine eyes as though this were
not the first time they had beheld this unknown champion.

As we passed each other in turning, the stranger, in a hurried voice,
whose accent told me he was no Englishman, said:--

"I have a message for thee, Sir Walter. May I see thee in thy tent?"
There was no time for more.

"Yes," I answered, in the same low tone.

As I rode back to take up my position for the tilt my mind kept
tormenting me in its desire to recall where and when I had before heard
that voice. The attempt was useless; so placing my lance in rest I
made ready for the trumpet's signal.

Loud did they blow.

A rushing rattle, followed by a clattering, tearing sound, and both
spears burst into a thousand slivers, as though some foul fiend had
been confined within the shaft of each, and at the instant of encounter
they spread apart their arms and threw their frail wooden prisons from
them with the contempt that Sampson had for cords.

Neither had an advantage. Both his horse and mine own were forced back
on their haunches; but we both kept our seats full firm.

And thus in succession did we break three pairs of lances' without
either being able to unhorse, or gain any perceptible advantage over
the other. Therefore our contest was declared to be a fair and equal
one, without a victor.

After this the heralds again rode into the lists and announced that no
more single contests should be permitted; but that the contest of the
six and twenty knights should be the next feature of that day's list of
exhibitions of knightly feats of arms.

However, preceding this there was now to be an exhibition of skilful
archery and sword play, by the yeomanry of England, and the men-at-arms.

When this announcement was made the majority of the knights withdrew
them to their tents, as they had no interest in these contests.

Soon after my friend and I had dismounted and entered our tent the
knight with whom I had last contended, and which had so strangely
spoken with me in the lists, c