dge me your knightly word for it," continued Wamba, as he
approached with great caution.

"My knightly word I pledge; only come on with thy foolish self."

"Nay, then, Valour and Folly are once more boon companions," said the
Jester, coming up frankly to the Knight's side; "but, in truth, I love
not such buffets as that you bestowed on the burly Friar, when his
holiness rolled on the green like a king of the nine-pins. And now that
Folly wears the horn, let Valour rouse himself, and shake his mane;
for, if I mistake not, there are company in yonder brake that are on the
look-out for us."

"What makes thee judge so?" said the Knight.

"Because I have twice or thrice noticed the glance of a motion from
amongst the green leaves. Had they been honest men, they had kept the
path. But yonder thicket is a choice chapel for the Clerks of Saint
Nicholas."

"By my faith," said the Knight, closing his visor, "I think thou be'st
in the right on't."

And in good time did he close it, for three arrows, flew at the same
instant from the suspected spot against his head and breast, one of
which would have penetrated to the brain, had it not been turned aside
by the steel visor. The other two were averted by the gorget, and by the
shield which hung around his neck.

"Thanks, trusty armourers," said the Knight.--"Wamba, let us close with
them,"--and he rode straight to the thicket. He was met by six or seven
men-at-arms, who ran against him with their lances at full career. Three
of the weapons struck against him, and splintered with as little effect
as if they had been driven against a tower of steel. The Black Knight's
eyes seemed to flash fire even through the aperture of his visor. He
raised himself in his stirrups with an air of inexpressible dignity, and
exclaimed, "What means this, my masters!"--The men made no other reply
than by drawing their swords and attacking him on every side, crying,
"Die, tyrant!"

"Ha! Saint Edward! Ha! Saint George!" said the Black Knight, striking
down a man at every invocation; "have we traitors here?"

His opponents, desperate as they were, bore back from an arm which
carried death in every blow, and it seemed as if the terror of his
single strength was about to gain the battle against such odds, when a
knight, in blue armour, who had hitherto kept himself behind the other
assailants, spurred forward with his lance, and taking aim, not at the
rider but at the steed, wounded the noble animal