ournament. That should have been Lord
Montfort himself; but he had deputed the office to his cousin and
presumptive heir. Lord Montfort was well represented, and the people
cheered his cousin Odo heartily, as in his suit of golden armour richly
chased, and bending on his steed, caparisoned in blue and gold, he
acknowledged their fealty with a proud reverence.

The other knights followed in order, all attended by their esquires and
their grooms. Each knight was greatly applauded, and it was really a
grand sight to see them on their barded chargers and in their panoply;
some in suits of engraved Milanese armour, some in German suits of
fluted polished steel; some in steel armour engraved and inlaid with
gold. The Black Knight was much cheered, but no one commanded more
admiration than Prince Florestan, in a suit of blue damascened armour,
and inlaid with silver roses.

Every procession must end. It is a pity, for there is nothing so popular
with mankind. The splendid part of the pageant had passed, but still
the people gazed and looked as if they would have gazed for ever. The
visitors at the castle, all in ancient costume, attracted much notice.
Companies of swordsmen and bowmen followed, till at last the seneschal
of the castle, with his chamberlains and servitors, closed the
spell-bound scene.

CHAPTER LX

The jousting was very successful; though some were necessarily
discomfited, almost every one contrived to obtain some distinction. But
the two knights who excelled and vanquished every one except themselves
were the Black Knight and the Knight of the White Rose. Their exploits
were equal at the close of the first day, and on the second they were to
contend for the principal prize of the tournament, for which none else
were entitled to be competitors. This was a golden helm, to be placed
upon the victor's brow by the Queen of Beauty.

There was both a banquet and a ball on this day, and the excitement
between the adventures of the morning and the prospects of the morrow
was great. The knights, freed from their armour, appeared in fanciful
dresses of many-coloured velvets. All who had taken part in the pageant
retained their costumes, and the ordinary guests, if they yielded to
mediaeval splendour, successfully asserted the taste of Paris and its
sparkling grace, in their exquisite robes, and wreaths and garlands of
fantastic loveliness.

Berengaria, full of the inspiration of success, received the smiling