〃You　shall　know　all　soon；　dear　Ludwig；〃　said　the　Margrave；　with　a
  heart…rending　look。　　〃You　marked　Gottfried；　who　left　the　room
  anon？〃
  〃I　did。〃
  〃You　look　incredulous　concerning　his　worth；　but　I　tell　thee；
  Ludwig；　that　yonder　Gottfried　is　a　good　fellow；　and　my　fast　friend。
  Why　should　he　not　be！　　He　is　my　near　relation；　heir　to　my　property：
  should　I〃　（here　the　Margrave's　countenance　assumed　its　former
  expression　of　excruciating　agony）；〃SHOULD　I　HAVE　NO　SON。〃
  〃But　I　never　saw　the　boy　in　better　health；〃　replied　Sir　Ludwig。
  〃Nevertheless；ha！　ha！it　may　chance　that　I　shall　soon　have　no
  son。〃
  The　Margrave　had　crushed　many　a　cup　of　wine　during　dinner；　and　Sir
  Ludwig　thought　naturally　that　his　gallant　friend　had　drunken　rather
  deeply。　　He　proceeded　in　this　respect　to　imitate　him；　for　the　stern
  soldier　of　those　days　neither　shrunk　before　the　Paynim　nor　the
  punch…bowl：　and　many　a　rousing　night　had　our　crusader　enjoyed　in
  Syria　with　lion…hearted　Richard；　with　his　coadjutor；　Godfrey　of
  Bouillon；　nay；　with　the　dauntless　Saladin　himself。
  〃You　knew　Gottfried　in　Palestine？〃　asked　the　Margrave。
  〃I　did。〃
  〃Why　did　ye　not　greet　him　then；　as　ancient　comrades　should；　with
  the　warm　grasp　of　friendship？　　It　is　not　because　Sir　Gottfried　is
  poor？　　You　know　well　that　he　is　of　race　as　noble　as　thine　own；　my
  early　friend！〃
  〃I　care　not　for　his　race　nor　for　his　poverty；〃　replied　the　blunt
  crusader。　　〃What　says　the　Minnesinger？　　'Marry；　that　the　rank　is
  but　the　stamp　of　the　guinea；　the　man　is　the　gold。'　　And　I　tell
  thee；　Karl　of　Godesberg；　that　yonder　Gottfried　is　base　metal。〃
  〃By　Saint　Buffo；　thou　beliest　him；　dear　Ludwig。〃
  〃By　Saint　Bugo；　dear　Karl；　I　say　sooth。　　The　fellow　was　known　i'
  the　camp　of　the　crusadersdisreputably　known。　　Ere　he　joined　us　in
  Palestine；　he　had　sojourned　in　Constantinople；　and　learned　the　arts
  of　the　Greek。　　He　is　a　cogger　of　dice；　I　tell　theea　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　bodynot　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…cupa　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　traitorOtto　is　a
  traitorand　Theodora　（O　heaven！）　sheshe　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　rich　liveries；　（they　were　attired　in
  doublets　of　the　sky…blue　broadcloth　of　Ypres；　and　hose　of　the
  richest　yellow　sammitthe　colors　of　the　house　of　Godesberg；）　bore
  about　various　refreshments　on　trays　of　silvercakes；　baked　in　the
  oven；　and　swimming　in　melted　butter；　manchets　of　bread；　smeared
  with　the　same　delicious　condiment；　and　carved　so　thin　that　you
  might　have　expected　them　to　take　wing　and　fly　to　the　ceiling；
  coffee；　introduced　by　Peter　the　Hermit；　after　his　excursion　into
  Arabia；　and　tea　such　as　only　Bohemia　could　produce；　circulated
  amidst　the　festive　throng；　and　were　eagerly　devoured　by　the　guests。
  The　Margrave's　gloom　was　unheeded　by　themhow　little　indeed　is　the
  smiling　crowd　aware　of　the　pangs　that　are　lurking　in　the　breasts　of
  those　who　bid　them　to　the　feast！　　The　Margravine　was　pale；　but
  woman　knows　how　to　deceive；　she　was　more　than　ordinarily　courteous
  to　her　friends；　and　laughed；　though　the　laugh　was　hollow；　and
  talked；　though　the　talk　was　loathsome　to　her。
  〃The　two　are　together；〃　said　the　Margrave；　clutching　his　friend's
  shoulder。　　〃NOW　LOOK！〃
  Sir　Ludwig　turned　towards　a　quadrille；　and　there；　sure　enough；　were
  Sir　Hildebrandt　and　young　Otto　standing　side　by　side　in　the　dance。
  Two　eggs　were　not　more　like！　　The　reason　of　the　Margrave's　horrid
  suspicion　at　once　flashed　across　his　friend's　mind。
  〃'Tis　clear　as　the　staff　of　a　pike；〃　said　the　poor　Margrave；
  mournfully。　　〃Come；　brother；　away　from　the　scene；　let　us　go　play　a
  game　at　cribbage！〃　and　retiring　to　the　Margravine's　boudoir；　the
  two　warriors　sat　down　to　the　game。
  But　though　'tis　an　interesting　one；　and　though　the　Margrave　won；
  yet　he　could　not　keep　his　attention　on　the　cards：　so　agitated　was
  his　mind　by　the　dreadful　secret　which　weighed　upon　it。　　In　the
  midst　of　their　play；　the　obsequious　Gottfried　came　to　whisper　a
  word　in　his　patron's　ear；　which　threw　the　latter　into　such　a　fury；
  that　apoplexy　was　apprehended　by　the　two　lookers…on。　　But　the
  Margrave　mastered　his　emotion。　　〃AT　WHAT　TIME；　did　you　say？〃　said
  he　to　Gottfried。
  〃At　daybreak；　at　the　outer　gate。〃
  〃I　will　be　there。〃
  〃AND　SO　WILL　I　TOO；〃　thought　Count　Ludwig；　the　good　Knight　of
  Hombourg。
  CHAPTER　IV。
  THE　FLIGHT。
  How　often　does　man；　proud　man；　make　calculations　for　the　future；
  and　think　he　can　bend　stern　fate　to　his　will！　　Alas；　we　are　but
  creatures　in　its　hands！　　How　many　a　slip　between　the　lip　and　the
  lifted　wine…cup！　　How　often；　though　seemingly　with　a　choice　of
  couches　to　repose　upon；　do　we　find　ourselves　dashed　to　earth；　and
  then　we　are　fain　to　say　the　grapes　are　sour；　because　we　cannot
  attain　them；　or　worse；　to　yield　to　anger　in　consequence　of　our　own
  fault。　　Sir　Ludwig；　the　Hombourger；　was　NOT　AT　THE　OUTER　GATE　at
  daybreak。
  He　slept　until　ten　of　the　clock。　　The　previous　night's　potations
  had　been　heavy；　the　day's　journey　had　been　long　and　rough。　　The
  knight　slept　as　a　soldier　would；　to　whom　a　featherbed　is　a　rarity；
  and　who　wakes　not　till　he　hears　the　blast　of　the　reveille。
  He　looked　up　as　he　woke。　　At　his　bedside　sat　the　Margrave。　　He　had
  been　there　for　hours　watching　his　slumbering　comrade。　　Watching？
  no；　not　watching；　but　awake　by　his　side；　brooding　over　thoughts
  unutterably　bitterover　feelings　inexpressibly　wretched。
  〃What's　o'clock？〃　was　the　first　natural　exclamation　of　the
  Hombourger。
  〃I　believe　it　is　five　o'clock；〃　said　his　friend。　　It　was　ten。　　It
  might　have　been　twelve；　two；　half…past　four；　twenty　minutes　to　six；
  the　Margrave　would　still　have　said；　〃I　BELIEVE　IT　IS　FIVE　O'CLOCK。〃
  The　wretched　take　no　count　of　time：　it　flies　with　unequal　pinions；
  indeed；　for　THEM。
  〃Is　breakfast　over？〃　inquired　the　crusader。
  〃Ask　the　butler；〃　said　the　Margrave；　nodding　his　head　wildly；
  rolling　his　eyes　wildly；　smiling　wildly。
  〃Gracious　Bugo！〃　said　the　Knight　of　Hombourg；　〃what　has　ailed　thee；
  my　friend？　　It　is　ten　o'clock　by　my　horologe。　　Your　regular　hour　is
  nine。　　You　are　notno；　by　heavens！　you　are　not　shaved！　　You　wear
  the　tights　and　silken　hose　of　last　evening's　banquet。　　Your　collar
  is　all　rumpled'tis　that　of　yesterday。　　YOU　HAVE　NOT　BEEN　TO　BED！
  What　has　chanced；　brother　of　mine：　what　has　chanced？〃
  〃A　common　chance；　Louis　of　Hombourg；〃　said　the　Margrave：　〃one　that
  chances　every　day。　　A　false　woman；　a　false　friend；　a　broken　heart。
  THIS　has　chanced。　　I　have　not　been　to　bed。〃
  〃What　mean　ye？〃　cried　Count　Ludwig；　deeply　affected。　　〃A　false
  friend？　　I　am　not　a　false　friend。　　A　false　woman？　　Surely　the
  lovely　Theodo