help the poor penitent! What wounded man inquires whether the surgeon
that tents his gashes have clean hands or not?--Come, shall we to this
toy?"

"No," said Conrade, "I will rather die unconfessed than mock the
sacrament."

"Come, noble Marquis," said the Templar, "rouse up your courage, and
speak not thus. In an hour's time thou shalt stand victorious in the
lists, or confess thee in thy helmet, like a valiant knight."

"Alas, Grand Master!" answered Conrade, "all augurs ill for this affair.
The strange discovery by the instinct of a dog, the revival of this
Scottish knight, who comes into the lists like a spectre,--all betokens
evil."

"Pshaw!" said the Templar, "I have seen thee bend thy lance boldly
against him in sport, and with equal chance of success. Think thou art
but in a tournament, and who bears him better in the tilt-yard than
thou?--Come, squires and armorers, your master must be accoutred for the
field."

The attendants entered accordingly, and began to arm the Marquis.

"What morning is without?" said Conrade.

"The sun rises dimly," answered a squire.

"Thou seest, Grand Master," said Conrade, "naught smiles on us."

"Thou wilt fight the more coolly, my son," answered the Templar. "Thank
Heaven that hath tempered the sun of Palestine to suit thine occasion."

Thus jested the Grand Master; but his jests had lost their influence on
the harassed mind of the Marquis, and, notwithstanding his attempts to
seem gay, his gloom communicated itself to the Templar.

"This craven," he thought, "will lose the day in pure faintness and
cowardice of heart, which he calls tender conscience. I, whom visions
and auguries shake not--who am firm in my purpose as the living rock--I
should have fought the combat myself.--Would to God the Scot may strike
him dead on the spot; it were next best to his winning the victory. But,
come what will, he must have no other confessor than myself. Our sins
are too much in common, and he might confess my share with his own."

While these thoughts passed through his mind, he continued to assist the
Marquis in arming, but it was in silence.

The hour at length arrived, the trumpets sounded, the knights rode into
the lists armed at all points, and mounted like men who were to do
battle for a kingdom's honor. They wore their visors up, and, riding
around the lists three times, showed themselves to the spectators. Both
were goodly persons, and both had noble countenances. But