As to his followers, there was no fear of the people among whom they mixed detecting that they were English.

To the Bavarian inhabitants, all languages, save their native German, were alike unintelligible; and even had French been commonly spoken, the dialects of that tongue, such as would naturally be spoken by archers and men-at-arms, would have been as Greek to those accustomed only to Norman French.
Upon the third day, however, an incident occurred which upset Cuthbert's calculations, and nearly involved the whole party in ruin.

The town was, as the young baron had said, governed by a noble who was a near relation of Conrad of Montferat, and who was the bitter enemy of the English.

A great fete had been given in honour of the marriage of his daughter, and upon this day the young pair were to ride in triumph through the city.
Great preparations had been made; masques and pageants of various kinds manufactured; and the whole townspeople, dressed in their holiday attire, were gathered in the streets.

Cuthbert had gone out, followed by his little band of retainers, and taken their station to see the passing show.