shield　bore　no　cognizance。　　As　gracefully　poising　his　lance　he　rode
  into　the　green　space　where　the　Rowski's　tents　were　pitched；　the
  hearts　of　all　present　beat　with　anxiety；　and　the　poor　Prince　of
  Cleves；　especially；　had　considerable　doubts　about　his　new　champion。
  〃So　slim　a　figure　as　that　can　never　compete　with　Donnerblitz；〃　said
  he；　moodily；　to　his　daughter；　〃but　whoever　he　be；　the　fellow　puts　a
  good　face　on　it；　and　rides　like　a　man。　　See；　he　has　touched　the
  Rowski's　shield　with　the　point　of　his　lance！　　By　St。　Bendigo；　a
  perilous　venture！〃
  The　unknown　knight　had　indeed　defied　the　Rowski　to　the　death；　as
  the　Prince　of　Cleves　remarked　from　the　battlement　where　he　and　his
  daughter　stood　to　witness　the　combat；　and　so；　having　defied　his
  enemy；　the　Incognito　galloped　round　under　the　castle　wall；　bowing
  elegantly　to　the　lovely　Princess　there；　and　then　took　his　ground
  and　waited　for　the　foe。　　His　armor　blazed　in　the　sunshine　as　he　sat
  there；　motionless；　on　his　cream…colored　steed。　　He　looked　like　one
  of　those　fairy　knights　one　has　read　ofone　of　those　celestial
  champions　who　decided　so　many　victories　before　the　invention　of　gun
  powder。
  The　Rowski's　horse　was　speedily　brought　to　the　door　of　his
  pavilion；　and　that　redoubted　warrior；　blazing　in　a　suit　of
  magnificent　brass　armor；　clattered　into　his　saddle。　　Long　waves　of
  blood…red　feathers　bristled　over　his　helmet；　which　was　farther
  ornamented　by　two　huge　horns　of　the　aurochs。　　His　lance　was　painted
  white　and　red；　and　he　whirled　the　prodigious　beam　in　the　air　and
  caught　it　with　savage　glee。　　He　laughed　when　he　saw　the　slim　form
  of　his　antagonist；　and　his　soul　rejoiced　to　meet　the　coming　battle。
  He　dug　his　spurs　into　the　enormous　horse　he　rode：　the　enormous
  horse　snorted；　and　squealed；　too；　with　fierce　pleasure。　　He　jerked
  and　curveted　him　with　a　brutal　playfulness；　and　after　a　few
  minutes'　turning　and　wheeling；　during　which　everybody　had　leisure
  to　admire　the　perfection　of　his　equitation；　he　cantered　round　to　a
  point　exactly　opposite　his　enemy；　and　pulled　up　his　impatient
  charger。
  The　old　Prince　on　the　battlement　was　so　eager　for　the　combat；　that
  he　seemed　quite　to　forget　the　danger　which　menaced　himself；　should
  his　slim　champion　be　discomfited　by　the　tremendous　Knight　of
  Donnerblitz。　　〃Go　it！〃　said　he；　flinging　his　truncheon　into　the
  ditch；　and　at　the　word；　the　two　warriors　rushed　with　whirling
  rapidity　at　each　other。
  And　now　ensued　a　combat　so　terrible；　that　a　weak　female　hand；　like
  that　of　her　who　pens　this　tale　of　chivalry；　can　never　hope　to　do
  justice　to　the　terrific　theme。　　You　have　seen　two　engines　on　the
  Great　Western　line　rush　past　each　other　with　a　pealing　scream？　　So
  rapidly　did　the　two　warriors　gallop　towards　one　another；　the
  feathers　of　either　streamed　yards　behind　their　backs　as　they
  converged。　　Their　shock　as　they　met　was　as　that　of　two　cannon…
  balls；　the　mighty　horses　trembled　and　reeled　with　the　concussion；
  the　lance　aimed　at　the　Rowski's　helmet　bore　off　the　coronet；　the
  horns；　the　helmet　itself；　and　hurled　them　to　an　incredible
  distance：　a　piece　of　the　Rowski's　left　ear　was　carried　off　on　the
  point　of　the　nameless　warrior's　weapon。　　How　had　he　fared？　　His
  adversary's　weapon　had　glanced　harmless　along　the　blank　surface　of
  his　polished　buckler；　and　the　victory　so　far　was　with　him。
  The　expression　of　the　Rowski's　face；　as；　bareheaded；　he　glared　on
  his　enemy　with　fierce　bloodshot　eyeballs；　was　one　worthy　of　a
  demon。　　The　imprecatory　expressions　which　he　made　use　of　can　never
  be　copied　by　a　feminine　pen。
  His　opponent　magnanimously　declined　to　take　advantage　of　the
  opportunity　thus　offered　him　of　finishing　the　combat　by　splitting
  his　opponent's　skull　with　his　curtal…axe；　and；　riding　back　to　his
  starting…place；　bent　his　lance's　point　to　the　ground；　in　token　that
  he　would　wait　until　the　Count　of　Eulenschreckenstein　was　helmeted
  afresh。
  〃Blessed　Bendigo！〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃thou　art　a　gallant　lance：　but
  why　didst　not　rap　the　Schelm's　brain　out？〃
  〃Bring　me　a　fresh　helmet！〃　yelled　the　Rowski。　　Another　casque　was
  brought　to　him　by　his　trembling　squire。
  As　soon　as　he　had　braced　it；　he　drew　his　great　flashing　sword　from
  his　side；　and　rushed　at　his　enemy；　roaring　hoarsely　his　cry　of
  battle。　　The　unknown　knight's　sword　was　unsheathed　in　a　moment；　and
  at　the　next　the　two　blades　were　clanking　together　the　dreadful
  music　of　the　combat！
  The　Donnerblitz　wielded　his　with　his　usual　savageness　and　activity。
  It　whirled　round　his　adversary's　head　with　frightful　rapidity。　　Now
  it　carried　away　a　feather　of　his　plume；　now　it　shore　off　a　leaf　of
  his　coronet。　　The　flail　of　the　thrasher　does　not　fall　more　swiftly
  upon　the　corn。　　For　many　minutes　it　was　the　Unknown's　only　task　to
  defend　himself　from　the　tremendous　activity　of　the　enemy。
  But　even　the　Rowski's　strength　would　slacken　after　exertion。　　The
  blows　began　to　fall　less　thick　anon；　and　the　point　of　the　unknown
  knight　began　to　make　dreadful　play。　　It　found　and　penetrated　every
  joint　of　the　Donnerblitz's　armor。　　Now　it　nicked　him　in　the
  shoulder　where　the　vambrace　was　buckled　to　the　corselet；　now　it
  bored　a　shrewd　hole　under　the　light　brissart；　and　blood　followed；
  now；　with　fatal　dexterity；　it　darted　through　the　visor；　and　came
  back　to　the　recover　deeply　tinged　with　blood。　　A　scream　of　rage
  followed　the　last　thrust；　and　no　wonder：it　had　penetrated　the
  Rowski's　left　eye。
  His　blood　was　trickling　through　a　dozen　orifices；　he　was　almost
  choking　in　his　helmet　with　loss　of　breath；　and　loss　of　blood；　and
  rage。　　Gasping　with　fury；　he　drew　back　his　horse；　flung　his　great
  sword　at　his　opponent's　head；　and　once　more　plunged　at　him；
  wielding　his　curtal…axe。
  Then　you　should　have　seen　the　unknown　knight　employing　the　same
  dreadful　weapon！　　Hitherto　he　had　been　on　his　defence；　now　he　began
  the　attack；　and　the　gleaming　axe　whirred　in　his　hand　like　a　reed；
  but　descended　like　a　thunderbolt！　　〃Yield！　yield！　Sir　Rowski；〃
  shouted　he；　in　a　calm；　clear　voice。
  A　blow　dealt　madly　at　his　head　was　the　reply。　　'Twas　the　last　blow
  that　the　Count　of　Eulenschreckenstein　ever　struck　in　battle！　　The
  curse　was　on　his　lips　as　the　crushing　steel　descended　into　his
  brain；　and　split　it　in　two。　　He　rolled　like　a　log　from　his　horse：
  his　enemy's　knee　was　in　a　moment　on　his　chest；　and　the　dagger　of
  mercy　at　his　throat；　as　the　knight　once　more　called　upon　him　to
  yield。
  But　there　was　no　answer　from　within　the　helmet。　　When　it　was
  withdrawn；　the　teeth　were　crunched　together；　the　mouth　that　should
  have　spoken；　grinned　a　ghastly　silence：　one　eye　still　glared　with
  hate　and　fury；　but　it　was　glazed　with　the　film　of　death！
  The　red　orb　of　the　sun　was　just　then　dipping　into　the　Rhine。　　The
  unknown　knight；　vaulting　once　more　into　his　saddle；　made　a　graceful
  obeisance　to　the　Prince　of　Cleves　and　his　daughter；　without　a　word；
  and　galloped　back　into　the　forest；　whence　he　had　issued　an　hour
  before　sunset。
  CHAPTER　XIII。
  THE　MARRIAGE。
  The　consternation　which　ensued　on　the　death　of　the　Rowski；　speedily
  sent　all　his　camp…followers；　army；　&c。　to　the　right…about。　　They
  struck　their　tents　at　the　first　news　of　his　discomfiture；　and　each
  man　laying　hold　of　what　he　could；　the　whole　of　the　gallant　force
  which　had　marched　under　his　banner　in　the　morning　had　disappeared
  ere　the　sun　rose。
  On　that　night；　as　it　may　be　imagined；　the　gates　of　the　Castle　of
  Cleves　were　not　shut。　　Everybody　was　free　to　come　in。　　Wine…butts
  were　broached　in　all　the　courts；　the　pickled　meat　prepared　in　such
  lots　for　the　siege　was　distributed　among　the　people；　who　crowded　to
  congratulate　their　beloved　sovereign　on　his　victory；　and　the
  Prince；　as　was　customary　with　that　good　man；　who　never　lost　an
  opportunity　of　giving　a　dinner…party；　had　a　splendid　entertainment
  made　ready　for　the　upper　classes；　the　whole　concluding　with　a
  tasteful　display　of　fireworks。
  In　the　midst　of　these　entertainments；　our　old　friend　the　Count　of
  Hombourg　arrived　at　the　castle。　　The　stalwart　old　warrior　swore　by
  Saint　Bugo　that　he　was　grieved　the　killing　of　the　Rowski　had　been
  taken　out　of　his　hand。　　The　laughing　Cleves　vowed　by　Saint　Bendigo；
  Hombourg　could　never　have　finished　off　his　enemy　so　satisfactorily
  as　the　unknown　knight　had　just　done。
  But　who　was　he？　was　the　question　which　now　agitated　the　bosom　of
  these　two　old　nobles。　　How　to　find　himhow　to　reward　the　champion
  and　restorer　of　the　honor　and　happiness　of　Cleves？　　They　agreed
  over　supper　that　he　should　be　sought　for　everywhere。　　Beadles　were
  sent　round　the　principal　cities　within　fifty　miles；　and　the
  description　of　the　knight　advertised；　in　the　Journal　de　Francfort
  and　the　Allgemeine　Zeitung。　　The　hand　of　the　Princess　Helen　was
  solemnly　offered　to　him　in　these　advertisements；　with　the　reversion
  of　the　Prince　of　Cleves's　splendid　though　somewhat　dilapidated
  property。
  〃But　we　don't　know　him；　m