be victorious."

"I do promise," said Bertha; "I hope you may be as successful as you
hope to be, Arthur; but suppose fortune should declare against you;
suppose an accident of any kind were to happen, what could be done
then?"--"I must be content to hide myself for ever afterwards, as a
defeated knight; how can I appear before your friends as the claimant of
your hand?"

"I will never have any other."--"But you will be forced to accept this
Guthrie de Beaumont, your father's chosen son-in-law."

"I will seek refuge in a cloister."--"Will you fly with me, Bertha, to
some sequestered spot, where we can live in each others society?"

"Yes," said Bertha, "anything, save marriage with Guthrie de
Beaumont."--"Then await the tournament of to-morrow," said Sir Arthur,
"and then this may be avoided; in the meantime, keep up a good heart and
remember I am at hand."

* * * * *

These two lovers parted for the present, after a protracted interview,
Bertha to her chamber, and the Knight of the Green Shield to his tent.

The following morning was one of great preparation; the lists had been
enlarged, and the seats made more commodious, for the influx of visitors
appeared to be much greater than had been anticipated.

Moreover, there were many old warriors of distinction to be present,
which made the bridegroom look pale and feel uncomfortable as to the
results of the tournament. The tilting was to begin at an early hour,
and then the feasting and revelry would begin early in the evening,
after the tilting had all passed off.

In that day's work there were many thrown from their saddles, and many
broke their lances. The bridegroom tilted with several knights, and came
off victorious, or without disadvantage to either.

The green knight, on the contrary, tilted with but few, and always
victorious, and such matches were with men who had been men of some name
in the wars, or at least in the tilt yard.

The sports drew to a close, and when the bridegroom became the
challenger, the Knight of the Green Shield at once rode out quietly to
meet him. The encounter could not well be avoided, and the bridegroom
would willingly have declined the joust with a knight who had disposed
of his enemies so easily, and so unceremoniously as he had.

The first encounter was enough; the bridegroom was thrown to a great
distance, and lay insensible on the ground, and was carried out of the
field. There was an im