a little space for me, fair lady. The history which
that knight is reading to you relates to me; and I hear it gladly."

Before the eyes of Froda, as he raised them from his book, sat Aslauga
in all the glory of her flowing golden locks beside Hildegardis, on
the seat. With tears of affright in her eyes, the maiden sank back and
fainted. Solemnly, yet graciously, Aslauga warned her knight with a
motion of her fair right hand, and vanished.

"What have I done to you?" said Hildegardis when recovered from her
swoon by his care, "what have I done to you, evil-minded knight, that
you call up your northern spectres before me, and well-nigh destroy me
through terror of your magic arts?" "Lady," answered Froda, "may God help
me, as I have not called hither the wondrous lady who but now appeared
to us. But now her will is known to me, and I commend you to God's
keeping."

With that he walked thoughtfully out of the bower. Hildegardis fled in
terror from the gloomy shade, and, rushing out on the opposite side,
reached a fair open grass-plot, where Edwald, in the soft glow of
twilight, was gathering flowers, and, meeting her with a courteous
smile, offered her a nosegay of narcissus and pansies.

CHAPTER IV.

At length the day fixed for the tournament arrived, and a distinguished
noble, appointed by the German emperor, arranged all things in the most
magnificent and sumptuous guise for the solemn festival. The field of
combat opened wide, and fair, and level, thickly strewn with the finest
sand, so that, both man and horse might find sure footing; and, like a
pure field of snow, it shone forth from the midst of the flowery plain.
Rich hangings of silk from Arabia, curiously embroidered with Indian
gold, adorned with their various colours the lists enclosing the space,
and hung from the lofty galleries which had been erected for the ladies
and the nobles who were to behold the combat. At the upper end, under a
canopy of majestic arches richly wrought in gold, was the place of the
Lady Hildegardis. Green wreaths and garlands waved gracefully between
the glittering pillars in the soft breezes of July. And with impatient
eyes the multitude, who crowded beyond the lists, gazed upwards,
expecting the appearance of the fairest maiden of Germany, and were
only at times drawn to another part by the stately approach of the
combatants. Oh, how many a bright suit of armour, many a silken
richly-embroidered mantle, how many a l