"A nobleman as good as any in the empire," answered the fifer; "the friend and favourite of the Duke." Upon hearing this they all stood up, for, though they fancied themselves men of importance and rank, they were aware of their being only lansquenets, and bound to pay proper respect to their superiors. The general seated himself again, with an air of gravity, at the foot of the oak--stroked his beard to make it shine--arranged his hat with the cock's feathers properly--supported his hand on his enormous sword--and in this manner awaited the arrival of the stranger. END OF VOL. II. J. B. Nichols and Son, 25, Parliament-street. THE BANISHED. VOL. III. LONDON: PRINTED BY J. B. NICHOLS AND SON, 25, PARLIAMENT STREET. THE BANISHED: A SWABIAN HISTORICAL TALE. EDITED BY JAMES MORIER, ESQ. AUTHOR OF HAJJI BABA, &c. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1839. THE BANISHED. * * * * * CHAPTER XXVI. The Duke at length is coming, The battle field's not far; For vanquish'd is the foeman, And he brings the spoils of war. G. SCHWAB. A knight in armour, his horse being led between two of the lansquenet from the outpost, now approached the place where Long Peter, their general, and the other men, were assembled. Though he had drawn the vizor of his shining helmet over his face, the fifer of Hardt thought he recognised him as the man he expected, by the plates and cuish of steel which encased his muscular limbs, the plumes which waved high in the breeze, and the well known scarf which crossed over his coat of mail. And he was not mistaken, for one of the men who led his horse advanced to the General, and acquainted him that the noble "Knight of Sturmfeder" wished to speak to the leaders of the lansquenet. Long Peter answered in the name of the rest, "tell him he is welcome, and that Peter Hunzinger the General, Staberl of Vienna, Conrad the Magdeburger, Balthaser Löffler, and the brave Muckerle, all well appointed Captains, are ready to receive and hear him. May my soul be punished, but he has a beautiful suit of armour, and an helmet fit for King Francis; and as to his steed, I have never seen a finer--_Morbleu_, how well he stands on his four legs!"