ladies. Hie thee quick!"

"Walter, Walter," began Adeline, who had that keen and delicate
sensitiveness to her situation, which her reckless lord often wantonly
forgot; "Walter, dear Walter, canst thou think it honour to--"

"Hush thee, sweet Fleur de lis! Thou hast not seen pastime this many
a day; I long to convince thee that thou art still the fairest lady in
Italy--ay, and of Christendom. But these Italians are craven knights,
and thou needst not fear that my proffer will be accepted. But in truth,
lady mine, I rejoice for graver objects, that chance throws a Roman
noble, perhaps a Colonna, in my way;--women understand not these
matters; and aught concerning Rome touches us home at this moment."

With that the Knight frowned, as was his wont in thought, and Adeline
ventured to say no more, but retired to the interior division of the
pavilion.

Meanwhile the squire approached the procession that had now reached the
middle of the pass. And a stately and gallant company it was:--if the
complete harness of the soldiery seemed to attest a warlike purpose,
it was contradicted on the other hand by a numerous train of unarmed
squires and pages gorgeously attired, while the splendid blazon of
two heralds preceding the standard-bearers, proclaimed their object
as peaceful, and their path as sacred. It required but a glance at the
company to tell the leader. Arrayed in a breast-plate of steel, wrought
profusely with gold arabesques, over which was a mantle of dark green
velvet, bordered with pearls, while above his long dark locks waved a
black ostrich plume in a high Macedonian cap, such as, I believe, is now
worn by the Grand Master of the order of St. Constantine, rode in the