第35章 BOOK III(5)

THEREWITH Sir Tor alighted and took the dwarf his glaive,and so he came to the white pavilion,and saw three damosels lie in it,on one pallet,sleeping,and so he went to the other pavilion,and found a lady lying sleeping therein,but there was the white brachet that bayed at her fast,and therewith the lady yede out of the pavilion and all her damosels.But anon as Sir Tor espied the white brachet,he took her by force and took her to the dwarf.What,will ye so,said the lady,take my brachet from me?

Yea,said Sir Tor,this brachet have I sought from King Arthur's court hither.Well,said the lady,knight,ye shall not go far with her,but that ye shall be met and grieved.I shall abide what adventure that cometh by the grace of God,and so mounted upon his horse,and passed on his way toward Camelot;but it was so near night he might not pass but little further.Know ye any lodging?said Tor.I know none,said the dwarf,but here beside is an hermitage,and there ye must take lodging as ye find.And within a while they came to the hermitage and took lodging;and was there grass,oats and bread for their horses;soon it was sped,and full hard was their supper;but there they rested them all night till on the morn,and heard a mass devoutly,and took their leave of the hermit,and Sir Tor prayed the hermit to pray for him.He said he would,and betook him to God.And so mounted upon horseback and rode towards Camelot a long while.

With that they heard a knight call loud that came after them,and he said,Knight,abide and yield my brachet that thou took from my lady.Sir Tor returned again,and beheld him how he was a seemly knight and well horsed,and well armed at all points;then Sir Tor dressed his shield,and took his spear in his hands,and the other came fiercely upon him,and smote both horse and man to the earth.Anon they arose lightly and drew their swords as eagerly as lions,and put their shields afore them,and smote through the shields,that the cantels fell off both parties.

Also they tamed their helms that the hot blood ran out,and the thick mails of their hauberks they carved and rove in sunder that the hot blood ran to the earth,and both they had many wounds and were passing weary.But Sir Tor espied that the other knight fainted,and then he sued fast upon him,and doubled his strokes,and gart him go to the earth on the one side.Then Sir Tor bade him yield him.That will I not,said Abelleus,while my life lasteth and the soul is within my body,unless that thou wilt give me the brachet.That will I not do,said Sir Tor,for it was my quest to bring again thy brachet,thee,or both.

CHAPTER XI

How Sir Tor overcame the knight,and how he lost his head at the request of a lady.

WITH that came a damosel riding on a palfrey as fast as she might drive,and cried with a loud voice unto Sir Tor.What will ye with me?said Sir Tor.I beseech thee,said the damosel,for King Arthur's love,give me a gift;I require thee,gentle knight,as thou art a gentleman.Now,said Tor,ask a gift and Iwill give it you.Gramercy,said the damosel;now I ask the head of the false knight Abelleus,for he is the most outrageous knight that liveth,and the greatest murderer.I am loath,said Sir Tor,of that gift I have given you;let him make amends in that he hath trespassed unto you.Now,said the damosel,he may not,for he slew mine own brother before mine own eyes,that was a better knight than he,an he had had grace;and I kneeled half an hour afore him in the mire for to save my brother's life,that had done him no damage,but fought with him by adventure of arms,and so for all that I could do he struck off his head;wherefore I require thee,as thou art a true knight,to give me my gift,or else I shall shame thee in all the court of King Arthur;for he is the falsest knight living,and a great destroyer of good knights.Then when Abelleus heard this,he was more afeard,and yielded him and asked mercy.I may not now,said Sir Tor,but if I should be found false of my promise;for while I would have taken you to mercy ye would none ask,but if ye had the brachet again,that was my quest.And therewith he took off his helm,and he arose and fled,and Sir Tor after him,and smote off his head quite.

Now sir,said the damosel,it is near night;I pray you come and lodge with me here at my place,it is here fast by.I will well,said Sir Tor,for his horse and he had fared evil since they departed from Camelot,and so he rode with her,and had passing good cheer with her;and she had a passing fair old knight to her husband that made him passing good cheer,and well eased both his horse and him.And on the morn he heard his mass,and brake his fast,and took his leave of the knight and of the lady,that besought him to tell them his name.Truly,he said,my name is Sir Tor that was late made knight,and this was the first quest of arms that ever I did,to bring again that this knight Abelleus took away from King Arthur's court.O fair knight,said the lady and her husband,an ye come here in our marches,come and see our poor lodging,and it shall be always at your commandment.So Sir Tor departed and came to Camelot on the third day by noon,and the king and the queen and all the court was passing fain of his coming,and made great joy that he was come again;for he went from the court with little succour,but as King Pellinore his father gave him an old courser,and King Arthur gave him armour and a sword,and else had he none other succour,but rode so forth himself alone.And then the king and the queen by Merlin's advice made him to swear to tell of his adventures,and so he told and made proofs of his deeds as it is afore rehearsed,wherefore the king and the queen made great joy.Nay,nay,said Merlin,these be but japes to that he shall do;for he shall prove a noble knight of prowess,as good as any is living,and gentle and courteous,and of good tatches,and passing true of his promise,and never shall outrage.Wherethrough Merlin's words King Arthur gave him an earldom of lands that fell unto him.And here endeth the quest of Sir Tor,King Pellinore's son.

CHAPTER XII