"It is," exclaimed the knight, pulling up his visor, and dropping on one
knee he encircled his arm round the waist of the lady, and at the same
moment he pressed her lips to his own. The first emotion of joy and surprise over, Bertha checked her
transports, and chid the knight for his boldness. "Nay, chide me not, dear Bertha; I am what I was when I left you, and
hope to find you the same." "Am I not?" said Bertha.--"Truly I know not, for you seem more beautiful
than you were then; I hope that is the only change." "If there be a change, it is only such as you see. Sorrow and regret
form the principal causes." --"I understand you." "My intended nuptials ----" "Yes, I have heard all. I came here but
late in the morning; and my horse was jaded and tired, and my impatience
to attend the tournament caused me a disaster which it is well it came not
on the second day." "It is, dear Arthur. How is it I never heard your name mentioned, or
that I received no news from any one about you during the wars that have
ended?" --"I had more than one personal enemy, Bertha; men who would have
been glad to see me fall, and who, in default of that, would not have
minded bribing an assassin to secure my death for them at any risk
whatever." "Heavens! and how did you escape such a death from such people,
Arthur?" --"By adopting such a device as that I wear. The Knight of the
Green Shield I'm called." "I saw you to-day in the tournament." --"And there my tired and jaded
horse gave way; but to-morrow I shall have, I hope, a different
fortune." "I hope so too." --"I will try; my arm has been good in battle, and I
see not why it should be deficient in peaceful jousts." "Certainly not. What fortune have you met with since you left
England?" --"I was of course known but to a few; among those few were the
general under whom I served and my more immediate officers, who I knew
would not divulge my secret." "And they did not?" --"No; kept it nobly, and kept their eyes upon me in
battle; and I have reaped a rich harvest in force, honour, and riches, I
assure you." "Thank Heaven!" said Bertha.--"Bertha, if I be conqueror, may I claim
you in the court-yard before all the spectators?" "You may," said Bertha, and she hung her head.--"Moreover," said Sir
Arthur, "you will not make a half promise, but when I demand you, you
will at once come down to me and accept me as your husband; if I be the
victor then he cannot object to the match." "But he will have many friends, and his intended bride will have many
more, so that you may run some danger among so many enemies." --"Never
fear for me, Bertha, because I shall have many friends of distinction
there too--many old friends who are tried men in battle, and whose deeds
are a glory and honour to them; besides, I shall have my commander and
several gentlemen who would at once interfere in case any unfair
advantage was attempted to be taken of my supposed weakness." "Have you a fresh horse?" inquired Bertha.--"I have, or shall have by
the morning; but promise me you will do what I ask you, and then my arm
will be nerved to its utmost, and I am sure to be victorious." "I do promise," said Bertha; "I hope you may be as successful as you
hope to be, Arthur; but suppose fortune should declare against you;
suppose an accident of any kind were to happen, what could be done
then?" --"I must be content to hide myself for ever afterwards, as a
defeated knight; how can I appear before your friends as the claimant of
your hand?" "I will never have any other." --"But you will be forced to accept this
Guthrie de Beaumont, your father's chosen son-in-law." "I will seek refuge in a cloister." --"Will you fly with me, Bertha, to
some sequestered spot, where we can live in each others society?" "Yes," said Bertha, "anything, save marriage with Guthrie de
Beaumont." --"Then await the tournament of to-morrow," said Sir Arthur,
"and then this may be avoided; in the meantime, keep up a good heart and
remember I am at hand." *       *       *       *       *

These two lovers parted for the present, after a protracted interview,
Bertha to her chamber, and the Knight of the Green Shield to his tent. The following morning was one of great preparation; the lists had been
enlarged, and the seats made more commodious, for the influx of visitors
appeared to be much greater than had been anticipated. Moreover, there were many old warriors of distinction to be present,
which made the bridegroom look pale and feel uncomfortable as to the
results of the tournament. The tilting was to begin at an early hour,
and then the feasting and revelry would begin early in the evening,
after the tilting had all passed off. In that day's work there were many thrown from their saddles, and many
broke their lances. The bridegroom tilted with several knights, and came
off victorious, or without disadvantage to either. The green knight, on the contrary, tilted with but few, and always
victorious, and such matches were with men who had been men of some name
in the wars, or at least in the tilt yard. The sports drew to a close, and when the bridegroom became the
challenger, the Knight of the Green Shield at once rode out quietly to
meet him. The encounter could not well be avoided, and the bridegroom
would willingly have declined the joust with a knight who had disposed
of his enemies so easily, and so unceremoniously as he had. The first encounter was enough; the bridegroom was thrown to a great
distance, and lay insensible on the ground, and was carried out of the
field. There was an immediate sensation among the friends of the
bridegroom, several of whom rode out to challenge the stranger knight
for his presumption. In this, however, they had misreckoned the chances, for the challenged
accepted their challenges with alacrity and disposed of them one by one
with credit to himself until the day was concluded. The stranger was
then asked to declare who he was, upon which he lifted his visor, and
said,

"I am Sir Arthur Home, and claim the Lady Bertha as my bride, by the
laws of arms, and by those of love." *       *       *       *       *

Again the tent was felled, and again the hostelry was tenanted by the
soldier, who declared for one side and then for the other, as the cups
clanged and jingled together. "Said I not," exclaimed one of the troopers, "that the knight with a
green shield was a good knight?" --"You did," replied the other. "And you knew who he was?" said another of the troopers.--"Not I,
comrades; I had seen him fight in battle, and, therefore, partly guessed
how it would be if he had any chance with the bridegroom. I'm glad he
has won the lady." It was true, the Lady Bertha was won, and Sir Arthur Home claimed his
bride, and then they attempted to defeat his claim; yet Bertha at once
expressed herself in his favour, to strongly that they were, however
reluctantly compelled, to consent at last.