“The ring is an inheritance derived from my stepfather, a renowned and valiant hero, by name Sir Huguenin, and who was held in high honour at our king’s court. Although he had come as a stranger into the land, some said from the East, and others from the North, yet he had obtained, as a reward for his brave exploits, great feudal territories; over which his right of disposal was so unlimited, that he could leave them to whomsoever he pleased, whether lady or knight. Appearing with great splendour at all the court-festivals, he had fallen in love with a beautiful damsel, descended from one of the first houses in France; they were regularly betrothed, and, among other gifts, he had promised her a wonderful ring, possessed of many magical virtues, which it was said that he had brought with him from distant realms of the North. This ring was also to serve his bride for a pledge, that the feudal tenures in France were to be hers; and it was affirmed, that the lady had even appeared with it on her finger at grand festivals; yet it always returned again into the possession of Sir Huguenin. “About that time he travelled into Normandy, in order to survey his beautiful estates, some of which lay close to our family mansion, where my mother was living in seclusion, zealously occupied in the education of her son, so that he might become a brave knight, not unworthy of the name of Montfaucon. In her retirement, however, she was often disturbed, on account of her extraordinary and all-surpassing beauty, by the visits of numberless admirers, whose presence was in her estimation always troublesome and unwelcome. I can yet well recollect, how the brilliant Sir Huguenin came for the first time on horseback to our castle,--how my whole heart was won, by his fine figure and courteous demeanour, as he spoke with my mother; for I was then a boy ten years of age, and could well distinguish the difference between him and our other neighbours. If since then I have been fortunate enough to win the smiles of many noble ladies, I must say that I owe that distinction to the lessons and example which I received from Sir Huguenin, though I have never equalled that model of all noble and warlike accomplishments which was then set before me. On my mother too his appearance and conduct made a deep impression; while he, on the other hand, was so struck with her unrivalled beauty, that the thoughts of a marriage with any one else became insupportable. Henceforth his first care was to make himself free from his former engagements, and though the relations of the damsel to whom he had been betrothed were vehemently enraged, yet such was the terror they entertained of the renowned Sir Huguenin, more especially because he was the king’s chosen favourite, that the transaction was carried through without a murmur. The knight retained possession of his ring, and it was not till long after her marriage that my mother knew of the vows that for her sake had thus been broken.