I affirm, however, that you two have done more for each other: and therefore I declare your affair of honor to be settled, and at an end.

Sheathe your swords, and embrace each other in my presence." Obedient to the command of their general, the young knights for the present sheathed their weapons; but anxious lest the slightest possible shadow should fall on their honor they yet delayed the reconciling embrace.
The great Alba looked at them with somewhat of an indignant air, and said, "Do you then suppose, young knights, that I could wish to save the lives of two heroes at the expense of their honor?
I would rather at once have struck you dead, both of you at once.

But I see plainly that with such obstinate minds one must have recourse to other measures." And, dismounting from his horse, he fastened it to a tree, and then stepped forward between the two captains with a drawn sword in his right hand, crying out, "Whoever will deny in any wise that the quarrel between Sir Heimbert of Waldhausen and Don Fadrique Mendez is honorably and gloriously settled must settle the matter at the peril of his life with the Duke of Alba; and should the present knights have any objection to raise to this, let them declare it.

I stand here as champion for my own conviction." The youths bowed submissively before the great umpire, and fell into each other's arms.

The duke, however, embraced them both with hearty affection, which appeared all the more charming and refreshing as it rarely burst forth from this stern character.