At five o'clock the old Prince called his daughter and blessed her.

"I go to meet this Rowski," said he.

"It may be we shall meet no more, my Helen--my child--the innocent cause of all this grief.

If I shall fall to-night the Rowski's victim, 'twill be that life is nothing without honor." And so saying, he put into her hands a dagger, and bade her sheathe it in her own breast so soon as the terrible champion had carried the castle by storm.
This Helen most faithfully promised to do; and her aged father retired to his armory, and donned his ancient war-worn corselet.

It had borne the shock of a thousand lances ere this, but it was now so tight as almost to choke the knightly wearer.
The last trumpet sounded--tantara! tantara!--its shrill call rang over the wide plains, and the wide plains gave back no answer.