Scarcely had the thought been born in my mind, when,
approaching me from the left, through the trees, I espied a resplendent
knight, of mighty size, whose armour seemed to shine of itself, without
the sun. When he drew near, I was astonished to see that this armour was
like my own; nay, I could trace, line for line, the correspondence of
the inlaid silver to the device on my own. His horse, too, was like mine
in colour, form, and motion; save that, like his rider, he was greater
and fiercer than his counterpart. The knight rode with beaver up. As he
halted right opposite to me in the narrow path, barring my way, I saw
the reflection of my countenance in the centre plate of shining steel on
his breastplate. Above it rose the same face--his face--only, as I have
said, larger and fiercer. I was bewildered. I could not help feeling
some admiration of him, but it was mingled with a dim conviction that he
was evil, and that I ought to fight with him.

"Let me pass," I said.

"When I will," he replied.

Something within me said: "Spear in rest, and ride at him! else thou art
for ever a slave."

I tried, but my arm trembled so much, that I could not couch my lance.
To tell the truth, I, who had overcome the giant, shook like a coward
before this knight. He gave a scornful laugh, that echoed through the
wood, turned his horse, and said, without looking round, "Follow me."