pearance of the knights who
attended, either as residing in the Preceptory, or as come thither to
attend upon their Grand Master. The Preceptors, of whom there were four
present, occupied seats lower in height, and somewhat drawn back behind
that of their superior; and the knights, who enjoyed no such rank in
the Order, were placed on benches still lower, and preserving the same
distance from the Preceptors as these from the Grand Master. Behind
them, but still upon the dais or elevated portion of the hall, stood the
esquires of the Order, in white dresses of an inferior quality.

The whole assembly wore an aspect of the most profound gravity; and in
the faces of the knights might be perceived traces of military daring,
united with the solemn carriage becoming men of a religious profession,
and which, in the presence of their Grand Master, failed not to sit upon
every brow.

The remaining and lower part of the hall was filled with guards, holding
partisans, and with other attendants whom curiosity had drawn thither,
to see at once a Grand Master and a Jewish sorceress. By far the greater
part of those inferior persons were, in one rank or other, connected
with the Order, and were accordingly distinguished by their black
dresses. But peasants from the neighbouring country were not refused
admittance; for it was the pride of Beaumanoir to render the edifying
spectacle of the justice which he administered as public as possible.
His large blue eyes seemed to expand as he gazed around the assembly,
and his countenance appeared elated by the conscious dignity, and
imaginary merit, of the part which he was about to perform. A psalm,
which he himself accompanied with a deep mellow voice, which age had not
deprived of its powers, commenced the proceedings of the day; and the
solemn sounds, "Venite exultemus Domino", so often sung by the Templars
before engaging with earthly adversaries, was judged by Lucas most
appropriate to introduce the approaching triumph, for such he deemed
it, over the powers of darkness. The deep prolonged notes, raised by
a hundred masculine voices accustomed to combine in the choral chant,
arose to the vaulted roof of the hall, and rolled on amongst its arches
with the pleasing yet solemn sound of the rushing of mighty waters.

When the sounds ceased, the Grand Master glanced his eye slowly around
the circle, and observed that the seat of one of the Preceptors was
vacant. Brian de Bois-Guilbert, by wh