hful De Fistycuff reminded him that he was sadly
wasting it, if he wished to gain a name to be handed down to posterity.
"You are right, my faithful monitor," he answered, "I'll bid farewell to
the Princess, and be gone."

The Knight found out Sabra seated in a bower of jessamine. He told her
his errand. "Refuse not," she replied, "my dear, loved lord of England,
her who, for thy sake, would leave parents, country, and the inheritance
of the crown of Bagabornabou, and would follow thee as a pilgrim through
the wide world. The sun shall sooner lose his splendour, the pale moon
drop from her orb, the sea forget to ebb and flow, and all things change
their course, than Sabra prove inconstant to Saint George of England.
Let, then, the priest of Hymen knit that gordian knot, the knot of
wedlock, which death alone has power to untie."

The Champion, suddenly recollecting that it was leap year, and delighted
with the maiden who had so ably put in a word in her own favour, allowed
his heart, which had never before beat with any other passion but that
of arms, to yield to the tender one of love. Yet, willing to try her
longer, he replied--"Sweet Princess, not content that I have risked my
life to preserve yours, would you have me sacrifice my honour, give over
the chase of dazzling glory, lay all my warlike trophies in a woman's
lap, and change my truncheon for a distaff? No, Sabra, George of
England was born in a country where true chivalry is nourished, and hath
sworn to see the world, as far as the lamp of heaven can lend him light,
before he is fettered in the golden chains of wedlock. Why decline the
suit of King Almidor, fit consort for one of your high rank?"

"Because," she replied, with a curl of her lip, "the fell King of
Morocco is more bloody-minded than a crocodile, but thou gentle as a
lamb; his tongue more ominous of ill than that of a screeching
night-owl, but thine sweeter than the morning lark; his touch more
odious than that of a venomous serpent, but thine more pleasant than
that of the curling vine."

"But stay, Princess," put in Saint George; "I am a Christian--you a
Pagan."

"I've thought of that," she replied. "I will forsake my country's gods,
and, like you, become a Christian." Saying this she broke a golden
ring, giving, as a pledge of her love, one-half to the Knight, and
keeping the other herself.

Thereon Saint George, resisting no longer, owned his love, and promised,
on his knightly