Through this disorderly troop Richard burst his way, like a goodly ship under full sail, which cleaves her forcible passage through the rolling billows, and heeds not that they unite after her passage and roar upon her stern.
The summit of the eminence was a small level space, on which were pitched the rival banners, surrounded still by the Archduke's friends and retinue.

In the midst of the circle was Leopold himself, still contemplating with self-satisfaction the deed he had done, and still listening to the shouts of applause which his partisans bestowed with no sparing breath.

While he was in this state of self-gratulation, Richard burst into the circle, attended, indeed, only by two men, but in his own headlong energies an irresistible host.
"Who has dared," he said, laying his hands upon the Austrian standard, and speaking in a voice like the sound which precedes an earthquake--"Who has dared to place this paltry rag beside the banner of England ?" The Archduke wanted not personal courage, and it was impossible he could hear this question without reply.

Yet so much was he troubled and surprised by the unexpected arrival of Richard, and affected by the general awe inspired by his ardent and unyielding character, that the demand was twice repeated, in a tone which seemed to challenge heaven and earth, ere the Archduke replied, with such firmness as he could command, "It was I, Leopold of Austria." "Then shall Leopold of Austria," replied Richard, "presentry see the rate at which his banner and his pretensions are held by Richard of England." So saying, he pulled up the standard-spear, splintered it to pieces, threw the banner itself on the ground, and placed his foot upon it.
"Thus," said he, "I trample on the banner of Austria.

Is there a knight among your Teutonic chivalry dare impeach my deed ?" There was a momentary silence; but there are no braver men than the Germans.
"I," and "I," and "I," was heard from several knights of the Duke"s followers; and he himself added his voice to those which accepted the King of England's defiance.
"Why do we dally thus ?" said the Earl Wallenrode, a gigantic warrior from the frontiers of Hungary.