to attain their end. At length, after a great show of
resistance, he fell heavily to the ground. And as he fell he
knew that it was not alone the glory that was his rightfully
which he gave up, but the hand of the queen that was more
precious still.

But Geirald did not even wait to see if he was wounded; he went
straight to the wall where the royal banner waved and claimed the
reward which was now his.

The crowd of watchers turned towards the queen, expecting to see
her stoop and give some token to the victor. Instead, to the
surprise of everyone, she merely smiled gracefully, and said that
before she bestowed her hand one more test must be imposed, but
this should be the last. The final tourney should be fought;
Geirald and Rosald should meet singly two knights of the king's
court, and he who could unhorse his foe should be master of
herself and of her kingdom. The combat was fixed to take place
at ten o'clock the following day.

All night long Geirald walked about his room, not daring to face
the fight that lay in front of him, and trying with all his might
to discover some means of escaping it. All night long he moved
restlessly from door to window; and when the trumpets sounded,
and the combatants rode into the field, he alone was missing.
The king sent messengers to see what had become of him, and he
was found, trembling with fear, hiding under his bed. After that
there was no need of any further proof. The combat was declared
unnecessary, and the queen pronounced herself quite satisfied,
and ready to accept Rosald as her husband.