voyage and of the glorious perils to be shared, as well as the
refreshing feeling which the soft southern evening poured over soul
and sense, united the band of comrades in perfect and undisturbed
harmony. The Germans tried to speak Castilian, and the Spaniards to
speak German, without its occurring to any one to make a fuss about
the mistakes and confusions that happened. They mutually helped each
other, thinking of nothing else but the good-will of their
companions, each drawing near to his fellow by means of his own
language.

Somewhat apart from the merry tumult, a young German captain, Sir
Heimbert of Waldhausen, was reclining under a cork-tree, gazing
earnestly up at the stars, apparently in a very different mood to the
fresh, merry sociability which his comrades knew and loved in him.
Presently the Spanish captain, Don Fadrique Mendez, approached him;
he was a youth like the other, and was equally skilled in martial
exercises, but he was generally as austere and thoughtful as Heimbert
was cheerful and gentle. "Pardon, Senor," began the solemn Spaniard,
"if I disturb you in your meditations. But as I have had the honor
of often seeing you as a courageous warrior and faithful brother in
amrs in many a hot encounter, I would gladly solicit you above all
others to do me a knightly service, if it does not interfere with
your own plans and projects for this night." "Dear sir," returned
Heimbert courteously, "I have certainly an affair of importance to
attend to before sunrise, but till midnight I am perfectly free, and
ready to render you any assistance as a brother in aims." "Enough,"
said Fadrique, "for at midnight the tones must long have ceased with
which I shall have taken farewell of the dearest being I have ever
known in this my native city. But that you may be as fully
acquainted with the whole affair as behoves a noble companion, listen