At a signal from the king a single clarion blew, whereon the pursuivants loosed their hold of the bridles and sprang back.

Another clarion blew, and the knights gathered up their reins, settled their shields, and set their lances in rest, bending forward over their horses' necks.
An intense silence fell upon all the watching multitude as that of night upon the sea, and in the midst of it the third clarion blew--to Margaret it sounded like the trump of doom.

From twelve thousand throats one great sigh went up, like the sigh of wind upon the sea, and ere it died away, from either end of the arena, like arrows from the bow, like levens from a cloud, the champions started forth, their stallions gathering speed at every stride.

Look, they met! Fair on each shield struck a lance, and backward reeled their holders.

The keen points glanced aside or up, and the knights, recovering themselves, rushed past each other, shaken but unhurt.