\"Gramercy，fairladies，\"saidElizabeth，smiling，\"yourboonisgranted，andthegentlesquireLack—CloakshallbecomethegoodknightLack—Cloak，atyourdesire。Letthetwoaspirantsforthehonourofchivalrystepforward。\"
BlountwasnotasyetreturnedfromseeingTressilian，asheconceived，safelydisposedof;butRaleighcameforth，andkneelingdown，receivedatthehandoftheVirginQueenthattitleofhonour，whichwasneverconferredonamoredistinguishedormoreillustriousobject。
ShortlyafterwardsNicholasBlountentered，andhastilyapprisedbySussex，whomethimatthedoorofthehall，oftheQueen\'sgraciouspurposeregardinghim，hewasdesiredtoadvancetowardsthethrone。Itisasightsometimesseen，anditisbothludicrousandpitiable;whenanhonestmanofplaincommonsenseissurprised，bythecoquetryofaprettywoman，oranyothercause，intothosefrivolousfopperieswhichonlysitwellupontheyouthful，thegay，andthosetowhomlongpracticehasrenderedthemasecondnature。PoorBlountwasinthissituation。Hisheadwasalreadygiddyfromaconsciousnessofunusualfinery，andthesupposednecessityofsuitinghismannerstothegaietyofhisdress;andnowthissuddenviewofpromotionaltogethercompletedtheconquestofthenewlyinhaledspiritoffopperyoverhisnaturaldisposition，andconvertedaplain，honest，awkwardmanintoacoxcombofanewandmostridiculouskind。
Theknight—expectantadvancedupthehall，thewholelengthofwhichhehadunfortunatelytotraverse，turningouthistoeswithsomuchzealthathepresentedhislegateverystepwithitsbroadsideforemost，sothatitgreatlyresembledanold—fashionedtable—knifewithacurvedpoint，whenseensideways。Therestofhisgaitwasinproportiontothisunhappyamble;andtheimpliedmixtureofbashfulrearandself—satisfactionwassounutterablyridiculousthatLeicester\'sfriendsdidnotsuppressatitter，inwhichmanyofSussex\'spartisanswereunabletoresistjoining，thoughreadytoeattheirnailswithmortification。Sussexhimselflostallpatience，andcouldnotforbearwhisperingintotheearofhisfriend，\"Cursethee！canstthounotwalklikeamanandasoldier？\"aninterjectionwhichonlymadehonestBlountstartandstop，untilaglanceathisyellowrosesandcrimsonstockingsrestoredhisself—confidence，whenonhewentatthesamepaceasbefore。
TheQueenconferredonpoorBlountthehonourofknighthoodwithamarkedsenseofreluctance。ThatwisePrincesswasfullyawareoftheproprietyofusinggreatcircumspectionandeconomyinbestowingthosetitlesofhonour，whichtheStewarts，whosucceededtoherthrone，distributedwithanimprudentliberalitywhichgreatlydiminishedtheirvalue。BlounthadnosoonerarisenandretiredthansheturnedtotheDuchessofRutland。