having spurs formed of a single point of iron, long and obtuse, and
these being gilt would have announced the wearer's rank in chivalry,
even if his whole equipment and bearing had not proclaimed his right
to the deference with which he was received. As he dismounted from his
horse, he threw off the large mantle, not unlike the military cloaks
of our days, and discovered the knightly armour, which showed to
peculiar advantage his powerful limbs. A straight black tunic without
sleeves descended to his knees. It was fastened by a silver girdle,
from which depended on one side a strong sword, and on the other a
dagger, the richly wrought handle of which seemed to declare it of
Turkish make. His arms and hands were covered with a steel tissue,
sitting close and so flexible that it yielded lightly to every motion.
The squire who followed him was old, and a certain familiarity was
mingled with the respect of his manner, and seemed to declare that he
had been long accustomed to his master. In truth he had served
the father of our knight, and the latter had grown up beneath his
attendance, which had not unfrequently become his protection. His
armour, far from adorning his person, scarcely left a human figure
visible beneath its heavy plates of iron, fastened by nails whose
monstrous heads seemed cast in the same mould with those which
strengthened the heavy oak doors of the palace. His helmet seemed the
section of a water-pipe of cast iron. Visor it had none; but in its
place was a plate or bar of iron descending from the forehead to the
chin, almost touching the nose and mouth, and he had a group of arms
suspended from his saddle. It was Sir Guy de Dampierre and his squire.

The seneschal conducted them with much ceremony to the knight's
apartments in the castle, where a small table placed by the side of an
enormous log-fire in the middle of the room, and plentifully furnished
with cold salted and dried meats, together with the thin wines of