had been struck with
her marvellous beauty, and wondered greatly what mischief so fair a
being could do.

"By the way in which our good lord, the king, gazes upon her, methinks
that it were like enough that he broke off his engagement with the
Princess of France, for the sake of the fair eyes of this damsel."

"That were indeed a misfortune," Cuthbert said gravely, for he saw at
once the anger which such a course would excite in the minds of the
French king and his knights, who would naturally be indignant in the
extreme at the slight put upon their princess. As day after day passed,
it became evident to all that the King of England was infatuated by the
princess. Again he entered the lists himself, and as some fresh Italian
knights and others had arrived, he found fresh opponents, and
conspicuously laid the spoils of victory at the feet of the princess,
whom he selected as the Queen of Beauty.

All sorts of rumours now became current in camp; violent quarrels between
the kings, and bad feeling between the French and English knights, broke
out again in consequence, and this more violently than before.

CHAPTER IX.

THE PRINCESS BERENGARIA.

One night it chanced that Cuthbert was late in his return to camp, and
his road took him through a portion of the French encampment; the night
was dark, and Cuthbert presently completely lost all idea as to his
bearings. Presently he nearly ran against a tent; he made his way to the
entrance in order to crave directions as to his way--for it was a wet
night; the rain was pouring in torrents, and few were about of whom he
could demand the way--and, as he was about to draw aside the hangings, he
heard words said in a passionate voice which caused him to withdraw his
hand suddenly.

"I tell you," said a voice, "I would rather drive a dagger myself into
her heart, than allow our own princess to be insulted by this hot-headed
island dog."

"It is sad indeed," said another, but in a calmer and smoother tone,
"that the success of a great expedition like this, which has for its
object the recovery of the holy sepulchre from the infidels, should be
wrecked by the headstrong fancies of one man. It is even, as is told by
the old Grecian poet, as when Helen caused a great war between peoples of
that nation."

"I know nothing," another voice said, "either of Helen or the Greeks, or
of their poets. They are a shifty race, and I can believe aught that is
bad of them. But touchin