The beauty of the Greek, the wealth of
Otho, the fame of the Templar, attracted all the chivalry from far and
near. Never had the banks of the Rhine known so hospitable a lord as
the knight of Sternfels. Yet gloom seized him in the midst of
gladness, and the revel was welcome only as the escape from remorse.
The voice of scandal, however, soon began to mingle with that of envy
at the pomp of Otho. The fair Greek, it was said, weary of her lord,
lavished her smiles on others: the young and the fair were always most
acceptable at the castle; and, above all, her guilty love for the
Templar scarcely affected disguise. Otho alone appeared unconscious of
the rumour, and though he had begun to neglect his bride, he relaxed
not in his intimacy with the Templar.

It was noon, and the Greek was sitting in her bower alone with her
suspected lover; the rich perfumes of the East mingled with the
fragrance of flowers, and various luxuries, unknown till then in those
northern shores, gave a soft and effeminate character to the room.

"I tell thee," said the Greek, petulantly, "that he begins to suspect;
that I have seen him watch thee, and mutter as he watched, and play
with the hilt of his dagger. Better let us fly ere it is too late, for
his vengeance would be terrible were it once aroused against us. Ah,
why did I ever forsake my own sweet land for these barbarous shores!
There, love is not considered eternal, nor inconstancy a crime worthy
death."

"Peace, pretty one!" said the Templar, carelessly; "thou knowest not
the laws of our foolish chivalry. Thinkest thou I could fly from a
knight's halls like a thief in the night? Why, verily, even the red
cross would not cover such dishonour. If thou fearest that thy dull
lord suspects, let us part. The emperor hath sent to me from
Frankfort. Ere evening I might be on my way thither."

"And I left to brave the barbarian's revenge alone? Is this thy
chivalry?"

"Nay, prate not so wildly," answered the Templar. "Surely, when the
object of his suspicion is gone, thy woman's art and thy Greek wiles
can easily allay the jealous fiend. Do I not know thee, Glycera? Why,
thou wouldst fool all men--save a Templar."

"And thou, cruel, wouldst thou leave me?" said the Greek, weeping.
"How shall I live without thee?"

The Templar laughed slightly. "Can such eyes ever weep without a
comforter? But farewell; I must not be found with thee. To-morrow I
depart for Frankfort; we