of the Greek. He
is a cogger of dice, I tell thee--a chanter of horseflesh. He won
five thousand marks from bluff Richard of England the night before the
storming of Ascalon, and I caught him with false trumps in his pocket.
He warranted a bay mare to Conrad of Mont Serrat, and the rogue had
fired her."

"Ha! mean ye that Sir Gottfried is a LEG?" cried Sir Karl, knitting his
brows. "Now, by my blessed patron, Saint Buffo of Bonn, had any other
but Ludwig of Hombourg so said, I would have cloven him from skull to
chine."

"By Saint Bugo of Katzenellenbogen, I will prove my words on Sir
Gottfried's body--not on thine, old brother-in-arms. And to do the knave
justice, he is a good lance. Holy Bugo! but he did good service at Acre!
But his character was such that, spite of his bravery, he was dismissed
the army; nor even allowed to sell his captain's commission."

"I have heard of it," said the Margrave; "Gottfried hath told me of it.
'Twas about some silly quarrel over the wine-cup--a mere silly jape,
believe me. Hugo de Brodenel would have no black bottle on the board.
Gottfried was wroth, and to say sooth, flung the black bottle at the
county's head. Hence his dismission and abrupt return. But you know
not," continued the Margrave, with a heavy sigh, "of what use that
worthy Gottfried has been to me. He has uncloaked a traitor to me."

"Not YET," answered Hombourg, satirically.

"By Saint Buffo! a deep-dyed dastard! a dangerous, damnable traitor!--a
nest of traitors. Hildebranndt is a traitor--Otto is a traitor--and
Theodora (O heaven!) she--she is ANOTHER." The old Prince burst into
tears at the word, and was almost choked with emotion.

"What means this passion, dear friend?" cried Sir Ludwig, seriously
alarmed.

"Mark, Ludwig! mark Hildebrandt and Theodora together: mark Hildebrandt
and OTTO together. Like, like I tell thee as two peas. O holy saints,
that I should be born to suffer this!--to have all my affections
wrenched out of my bosom, and to be left alone in my old age! But, hark!
the guests are arriving. An ye will not empty another flask of claret,
let us join the ladyes i' the withdrawing chamber. When there, mark
HILDEBRANDT AND OTTO!"

CHAPTER III.

THE FESTIVAL.

The festival was indeed begun. Coming on horseback, or in their
caroches, knights and ladies of the highest rank were assembled in the
grand saloon of Godesberg, which was splendidly illuminated to receive
them. Servitors, in ric