Ivanhoe

The Knight obeyed; and Prince John placed upon its point a coronet of

green satin, having around its edge a circlet of gold, the upper edge

of which was relieved by arrow-points and hearts placed interchangeably,

like the strawberry leaves and balls upon a ducal crown.

In the broad hint which he dropped respecting the daughter of Waldemar

Fitzurse, John had more than one motive, each the offspring of a mind,

which was a strange mixture of carelessness and presumption with low

artifice and cunning. He wished to banish from the minds of the chivalry

around him his own indecent and unacceptable jest respecting the Jewess

Rebecca; he was desirous of conciliating Alicia's father Waldemar,

of whom he stood in awe, and who had more than once shown himself

dissatisfied during the course of the day's proceedings. He had also a

wish to establish himself in the good graces of the lady; for John was

at least as licentious in his pleasures as profligate in his ambition.

But besides all these reasons, he was desirous to raise up against

the Disinherited Knight (towards whom he already entertained a strong

dislike) a powerful enemy in the person of Waldemar Fitzurse, who was

likely, he thought, highly to resent the injury done to his daughter, in

case, as was not unlikely, the victor should make another choice.

And so indeed it proved. For the Disinherited Knight passed the gallery

close to that of the Prince, in which the Lady Alicia was seated in the

full pride of triumphant beauty, and, pacing forwards as slowly as he

had hitherto rode swiftly around the lists, he seemed to exercise his

right of examining the numerous fair faces which adorned that splendid

circle.

It was worth while to see the different conduct of the beauties who

underwent this examination, during the time it was proceeding. Some

blushed, some assumed an air of pride and dignity, some looked straight

forward, and essayed to seem utterly unconscious of what was going on,

some drew back in alarm, which was perhaps affected, some endeavoured to

forbear smiling, and there were two or three who laughed outright. There

were also some who dropped their veils over their charms; but, as the

Wardour Manuscript says these were fair ones of ten years standing, it

may be supposed that, having had their full share of such vanities, they

were willing to withdraw their claim, in order to give a fair chance to

the rising beauties of the age.

At length the champion paused beneath the balcony in which the Lady

Rowena was placed, and the expectation of the spectators was excited to

the utmost.