The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-08-22

sounded hollow. as if drowned IN his
helmet. The lips, with which he
appealed To heaven In adiudgo yicto-
~ to the JUST quarrel, grew white.
rs they uttered the impious mockcry.
As he turned tn remount his horse,
the Grand Master approached him
closer rs if IN rcrtify something A
bout the sitting of his gorgrt, aud
whispcrcd.-- Coward fool recall
thy sensrs. and do this battle
braycly, else, by Heaven, should'st
thou escape him, thou eseapest not
me- :"
The savage tone in which this was
whispered perhaps completed the
confusion of the Mlrquis's nerves,
for he stumbled as he made 10 horse
and though he recovered his feet,
sprung To his saddle with his usual
agility, and displayed his address in
horscmanship as he assumed his po-
-ition opposite the challenger's. yet
the accident did not escape those
! who were on the watch for Omens,
which might predict thr fate of the
day. The priests, after solemn
prayer, that God would show the
rightlul quarrel. departed from the
lists. The trgmpets Of the Challen-
ger then rung n flourish, and n he
lald-at.arms proclaimed mt the cas-
tern ends of the lists, " Here stands
good knight, Sir Kenneth of Scot
land. champion for the Royal King
Richard of England, who accuseth
Conrade, Marquis Of Moniserrat. of
foul treason and dishOnour done TO
the said King"
When the words Kenneth Of Scot
land announced the name Ncharactcr
Of the champion, hitherto scarce gc-
neral knowu,a Loudly cheerful acclaim
burst from the followers of King Ri
chnrd, aud hardly, notwithstanding
repeated commands of silence, snf-
fercd the reply of the defendant In be
beard. He. Of course, aVonchcd his
innocence, aud offered biz body for
battle. The esquircs Of the Comba-
tanta now approached and delivered
10 each his shield aud lance, assist
| ing to hang the former around his
neck. that hiq two hands might re
main free TINE for the management
of the bride, the other To direct the
lance.
The shield Of the Scot displayed
his old bearing. the leopard, but with
the addition Of a collar and broken
chain. in aIusion to his late captlyi-
Ity. Tie shield of the Marquis bore
in reference to his title, serrated
aud rocky mountain. Each shook
his lance aloft. "a If In ascertain the
weight aud tonghnrss 0f tin unNlel-
dy weapon, ana then laid il III the
rest. Ihc Sponsors. hcraIds, and
sagifrq now retired ~ the barriers,
aud the rombalauts sat opposite 10
each other, fac 10 face, with couch
ed lauces and closed vIZor, the hu-
man form SO completely itClosed,
that they looked more like statues If
moultcd iron, than beings of flesh
and blood. The silence OF suspense
was now general---mcn brcathcd
thicker. and tlcIr very souls seemed
seated in their eyes, while not
sound was to BIC heard save
the snorting and paving Of the
good steeds, who sensible of what
was about 10 happen, were inpa
tient to dash into the career. They
stood thus for perhaps three minutes,
When, at signal given by the sol
dan, an hundred Instruments rent
the air with their brazcn clamours,
and each champion striking his
horse with the spurs, and Stacking
the rein, the horses started In full
gallop, and the knights met III mid
space with shock like II thunder
bolt. The victory was not III doubt
no, not one moment. Conrade.
indeed, showed himself n practscd
warrior for he struck his antago-
mist knightly in the midst of his
shield, bearing his lance so straight
and true, that it shieered into splin-
tiers up to the very gauntlet. The
horse of Sir Kenneth rec0iled
two or three yards aud fell on his
launches, bat tho rider easily rails
cd him with hand and rein. But for
Conrade. there was no recovery
Sir kenBeth's lance had pierced
through the shield, through a pla-
ted carslet of Milan steel, through a
secret, or coat Of linked mail, worn
beneath the cofslct, had wounded
him deep in the bosom, ard borne
II -. -. L.. nnhLln Lon rinn liz,