address you, it is now your duty, as well as privilege, to name
the fair lady, who, as Queen of Honour and of Love, is to preside over next
day's festival. If, as a stranger in our land, you should require the aid of
other judgment to guide your own, we can only say that Alicia, the daughter of
our gallant knight Waldemar Fitzurse, has at our court been long held the first
in beauty as in place. Nevertheless, it is your undoubted prerogative to confer
on whom you please this crown, by the delivery of which to the lady of your
choice, the election of to-morrow's Queen will be formal and complete. - Raise
your lance.«
    The Knight obeyed; and Prince John placed upon its point a coronet of green
satin, having around its edge a circlet of gold, the upper edge of which was
relieved by arrow-points and hearts placed interchangeably, like the strawberry
leaves and balls upon a ducal crown.
    In the broad hint which he dropped respecting the daughter of Waldemar
Fitzurse, John had more than one motive, each the offspring of a mind which was
a strange mixture of carelessness and presumption with low artifice and cunning.
He wished to banish from the minds of the chivalry around him his own indecent
and unacceptable jest respecting the Jewess Rebecca; he was desirous of
conciliating Alicia's father Waldemar, of whom he stood in awe, and who had more
than once shown himself dissatisfied during the course of the day's proceedings.
He had also a wish to establish himself in the good graces of the lady; for John
was at least as licentious in his pleasures as profligate in his ambition. But
besides all these reasons, he was desirous to raise up against the Disinherited
Knight (towards whom he already entertained a strong dislike) a powerful enemy
in the person of Waldemar Fitzurse, who was likely, he thought, highly to resent
the injury done to his daughter, in case, as was not unlikely, the victor should
make another choice.
    And so indeed it proved. For the Disinherited Knight passed the gallery
close to that of the Prince, in which the Lady Alicia was seated in the full
pride of triumphant beauty, and, pacing forwards as slowly as he had hitherto
rode swiftly around the lists, he seemed to exercise his right of examining the
numerous fair faces which adorned that splendid circle.
    It was worth while to see the different conduct of the beauties who
underwent this examination, during the time it was proceeding. Some blushed,
some assumed an air of pride and