'Night-black the charger, black the rider's plume.'

Grayscale illustration of an armored rider on a black horse. He travels down an evening-time stone street with high buildings on either side.

This scene at the beginning of the poem depicts Don Silva's entrance into the town of Bedmar as a knight in the service of Queen Isabel. On his beautiful black horse he looks noble and authoritative and is followed by Castilian soldiers. On his surcoat is a red cross. (Book 1)

Unknown

Woodward, John Douglas (1846-1924), border designer

George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org

1888

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Unknown, 'Night-black the charger, black the rider's plume.', George Eliot Illustrations Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/83476