losed and guarded by their sable attendants, she was
under the necessity of contenting herself with seeing, and laying aside
for the present the still more exquisite pleasure of being seen.

Meantime the sponsors of both champions went, as was their duty, to
see that they were duly armed and prepared for combat. The Archduke of
Austria was in no hurry to perform this part of the ceremony, having
had rather an unusually severe debauch upon wine of Shiraz the preceding
evening. But the Grand Master of the Temple, more deeply concerned
in the event of the combat, was early before the tent of Conrade
of Montserrat. To his great surprise, the attendants refused him
admittance.

"Do you not know me, ye knaves?" said the Grand Master, in great anger.

"We do, most valiant and reverend," answered Conrade's squire; "but even
you may not at present enter--the Marquis is about to confess himself."

"Confess himself!" exclaimed the Templar, in a tone where alarm mingled
with surprise and scorn--"and to whom, I pray thee?"

"My master bid me be secret," said the squire; on which the Grand Master
pushed past him, and entered the tent almost by force.

The Marquis of Montserrat was kneeling at the feet of the hermit of
Engaddi, and in the act of beginning his confession.

"What means this, Marquis?" said the Grand Master; "up, for shame--or,
if you must needs confess, am not I here?"

"I have confessed to you too often already," replied Conrade, with a
pale cheek and a faltering voice. "For God's sake, Grand Master, begone,
and let me unfold my conscience to this holy man."

"In what is he holier than I am?" said the Grand Master.--"Hermit,
prophet, madman--say, if thou darest, in what thou excellest me?"

"Bold and bad man," replied the hermit, "know that I am like the
latticed window, and the divine light passes through to avail others,
though, alas! it helpeth not me. Thou art like the iron stanchions,
which neither receive light themselves, nor communicate it to any one."

"Prate not to me, but depart from this tent," said the Grand Master;
"the Marquis shall not confess this morning, unless it be to me, for I
part not from his side."

"Is this YOUR pleasure?" said the hermit to Conrade; "for think not I
will obey that proud man, if you continue to desire my assistance."

"Alas," said Conrade irresolutely, "what would you have me say? Farewell
for a while---we will speak anon."

"O procrastination!" exclaimed the he