auspicious day will I
dissolve thee from the wardenship, and give thee freedom to thy
knighthood. I will, with my own hands, buckle on thy armour, with my
right hand place a spear in thy grasp, and with my left salute thee.'

'And for me,' said Mrs. Mumbles, 'I will choose thee for my own dear
knight, and thou shalt fight under my banner, and be victorious; and
then, when thou resist from the field of glory, will I embrace thee, and
thou shalt be the envy of all beholders.'

'We'll _stow_ that,' said Mr. Mumbles, who did not appear to like the
embracing part of the ceremony. 'But let us now form a committee of ways
and means--that is to say, let us concoct the thing in a regular
manner.'

And so the three concoctors sat down to arrange the order of the
proceedings.

'And, first and foremost,' said Mr. Mumbles, 'we must have seats raised
round the tilting coast, and a platform built at one end. Then at the
other end must be a barrier for the knights to come in at; and then we
must have a long pole _straight across_ the ground, to prevent the
horses _falling foul_ of each other; and then we must have flags at
different stations, charged with the armorial bearings of the knights,
with their crests on the top of them.'

'And then,' said Mrs. Mumbles, taking up the same strain, 'we must begin
to think of dresses. For my part, I shall wear a white satin robe,
trimmed with silver lilies, and a scarf of azure blue, richly
embroidered with gold. Seven ostrich plumes shall wave from my brow; a
lion's skin shall be spread for my feet; all my jewels shall be
displayed to the best advantage; and I think I shall, upon the whole, be
pretty considerably imposing. As to Mr. Mumbles, I intend to have him
dressed in a manner which shall be unique, imposing, and captivating.'

'We will first draw out a programme of the proceedings,' said Quiddity,
'and then we can select the various personages who are to be honoured
with having a part in the ceremony.'

'Good,' said Mr. Mumbles.

'And I shall head it the "Mumblonian Tournament," and publish a
challenge to all the world to deny the peerless beauty of Mrs. Mumbles.'

'But won't that be coming it rather strong? I should like you to draw it
pretty mild,' ejaculated Mr. Mumbles.

'Not a bit too strong,' said Mrs. Mumbles, with a toss of her head. 'Go
on, pray, Mr. Quiddity.'

So Mr. Quiddity went on:

'And then, of course, we should find persons sending in their defiance,
and ex