cold, hunger, thirst and fatigue; and I was scarcely Erard's age when I
seized by the throat and strangled a furious dog that was springing upon
one of my sisters.

"War has always been my life. This has now lasted nearly four years, and
my sword has not been idle. The Hussites and the Calixtans[2] have felt
it."

At these words Erard, who was sitting beside the bed of the chevalier,
rose and went to a window, at the farther end of the room.

"I had spent some weeks with my family, when I learned that the enemy
was approaching, and that one of their principal chiefs had just joined
them. This chief was the Lion."

_Erard, rising_. Grandpapa, perhaps it was----.

"Be silent, my son," said Gottfried.

"Our camps had been in sight of each other two days," continued
Theobald, "when we decided at last to attack them; and last evening the
combat took place.

"It had lasted more than three hours, when I caused a retreat to be
sounded, in order to suspend, if possible, the conflict, and myself to
terminate the day by a single combat with the most valiant of the
enemy's chieftains.

"Our troops stopped, retired, and I challenged the Lion, who, without
delay, left the ranks and advanced alone to meet me." (_Gottfried leans