for his honour was too nearly concerned, to permit his neglecting
any means which might ensure victory over his presumptuous
opponent. He changed his horse for a proved and fresh one of
great strength and spirit. He chose a new and a tough spear,
lest the wood of the former might have been strained in the
previous encounters he had sustained. Lastly, he laid aside his
shield, which had received some little damage, and received
another from his squires. His first had only borne the general
device of his rider, representing two knights riding upon one
horse, an emblem expressive of the original humility and poverty
of the Templars, qualities which they had since exchanged for the
arrogance and wealth that finally occasioned their suppression.
Bois-Guilbert's new shield bore a raven in full flight, holding
in its claws a skull, and bearing the motto, "Gare le Corbeau".

When the two champions stood opposed to each other at the two
extremities of the lists, the public expectation was strained to
the highest pitch. Few augured the possibility that the
encounter could terminate well for the Disinherited Knight, yet
his courage and gallantry secured the general good wishes of the
spectators.

The trumpets had no sooner given the signal, than the champions
vanished from their posts with the speed of lightning, and closed
in the centre of the lists with the shock of a thunderbolt. The
lances burst into shivers up to the very grasp, and it seemed at
the moment that both knights had fallen, for the shock had made
each horse recoil backwards upon its haunches. The address of
the riders recovered their steeds by use of the bridle and spur;
and having glared on each other for an instant with eyes which