his voice
trembled as he said, "Go to, Nectabanus. Tell me at once, and as a true
man, whether this sublime lady of whom thou speakest be other than
the houri with whose assistance I beheld thee sweeping the chapel at
Engaddi?"

"How! presumptuous Knight," replied the dwarf, "think'st thou the
mistress of our own royal affections, the sharer of our greatness, and
the partner of our comeliness, would demean herself by laying charge on
such a vassal as thou? No; highly as thou art honoured, thou hast not
yet deserved the notice of Queen Guenevra, the lovely bride of Arthur,
from whose high seat even princes seem but pigmies. But look thou here,
and as thou knowest or disownest this token, so obey or refuse her
commands who hath deigned to impose them on thee."

So saying, he placed in the knight's hand a ruby ring, which, even in
the moonlight, he had no difficulty to recognize as that which usually
graced the finger of the high-born lady to whose service he had devoted
himself. Could he have doubted the truth of the token, he would have
been convinced by the small knot of carnation-coloured ribbon which was
fastened to the ring. This was his lady's favourite colour, and more
than once had he himself, assuming it for that of his own liveries,
caused the carnation to triumph over all other hues in the lists and in
the battle.

Sir Kenneth was struck nearly mute by seeing such a token in such hands.

"In the name of all that is sacred, from whom didst thou receive
this witness?" said the knight. "Bring, if thou canst, thy wavering
understanding to a right settlement for a minute or two, and tell me the
person by whom thou art sent, and the real purpose of thy message, and
take heed what thou sayest, for this is no subject for buffoonery."

"Fond and foolish Knight," said the dwarf, "wouldst thou know more of
this matter than that thou art honoured with commands from a princess,
delivered to thee by a king? We list not to parley with thee further
than to command thee, in the name and by the power of that ring, to
follow us to her who is the owner of the ring. Every minute that thou
tarriest is a crime against thy allegiance."

"Good Nectabanus, bethink thyself," said the knight. "Can my lady know
where and upon what duty I am this night engaged? Is she aware that my
life--pshaw, why should I speak of life--but that my honour depends on
my guarding this banner till daybreak; and can it be her wish that
I should leave