men, it is said, that they never must exercise them. Mark you, sirs, it is _said_ so; but it follows not that the rules you have laid down will always be observed. That independence which Milan has maintained as a free town, every Milanese will also support in his own proper person, in despite of king or emperor, count or duke. In proof of these words, I shall now shoot a few more birds.” And, with these words, he again stretched his cross-bow. “You have, in truth, chosen a strange-minded squire for your attendant, Sir Knight,” observed the stranger. But thereupon Sir Otto, vehemently incensed, and feeling the spirit of knighthood insulted and outraged within him, suddenly tore the cross-bow out of Theobaldo’s hands, broke it into pieces in a moment, stampt on it with his feet, and then scattered the fragments about the meadow. “This conduct translated into audible words,” said Theobaldo, “means no doubt a last adieu!” And as the knight turned from him with disdainful glances, he went gloomily to his Polish steed, and began to adjust the saddle and bridle. Otto’s war-horse perceiving this, came also trotting up, with kind and joyous looks; but Theobaldo repulsed him peevishly, saying, “Ay, ay, thou would’st yet bear me company, but thy master wills it not, and, therefore, thou too may go thine own way.” Otto, hearing this new insult, called to his charger, drew the saddle-girths closer, and mounted; after which he readily accepted the stranger’s invitation, that he should accompany him to a neighbouring castle, in order that, amid a numerous party of brother knights, he might forget all vexation at the strange event which had brought about their meeting. Theobaldo was also mounted, and rode slowly away, while Sir Otto and the stranger took an opposite direction. The two horses neighed aloud, and wished to rejoin each other; but their riders still spurred them on, although they could not help turning round with looks of regret and melancholy. Sir Otto had proceeded a considerable distance, following the stranger, when they heard the sound of a horse in rapid trot behind them, and on looking back they saw that it was Theobaldo, who pulled up the reins immediately, as soon as he was observed, and with a degree of humility which was to him unwonted, said, in the German language, and in a low tone, “Sir Knight, methinks I have here been in the wrong, and gladly would I still atone for my error, if it please you that I should again join you on your journey.” Sir Otto immediately stretched out his arms towards him; whereupon Theobaldo galloped up, and as the two friends shook hands together, the Polish steed and the light-brown war-horse neighed merrily to each other, as if they fully understood what was now going forward.