Chương Chương 141 · How at night came an armed knight, and fought with Sir

. How at night came an armed knight, and fought with Sir

Gareth, and he, sore hurt in the thigh, smote off the knight’s head.

For this cause, to know the certainty what was your name, and of what

kin ye were come.

And then she let fetch to-fore him Linet, the damosel that had ridden

with him many wildsome ways. Then was Sir Gareth more gladder than he

was to-fore. And then they troth-plight each other to love, and never

to fail whiles their life lasteth. And so they burnt both in love, that

they were accorded to abate their lusts secretly. And there Dame

Lionesse counselled Sir Gareth to sleep in none other place but in the

hall. And there she promised him to come to his bed a little afore

midnight.

This counsel was not so privily kept but it was understood; for they

were but young both, and tender of age, and had not used none such

crafts to-fore. Wherefore the damosel Linet was a little displeased,

and she thought her sister Dame Lionesse was a little over-hasty, that

she might not abide the time of her marriage; and for saving their

worship, she thought to abate their hot lusts. And so she let ordain by

her subtle crafts that they had not their intents neither with other,

as in their delights, until they were married. And so it passed on.

At-after supper was made clean avoidance, that every lord and lady

should go unto his rest. But Sir Gareth said plainly he would go no

farther than the hall, for in such places, he said, was convenient for

an errant-knight to take his rest in; and so there were ordained great

couches, and thereon feather beds, and there laid him down to sleep;

and within a while came Dame Lionesse, wrapped in a mantle furred with

ermine, and laid her down beside Sir Gareth. And therewithal he began

to kiss her. And then he looked afore him, and there he apperceived and

saw come an armed knight, with many lights about him; and this knight

had a long gisarm in his hand, and made grim countenance to smite him.

When Sir Gareth saw him come in that wise, he leapt out of his bed, and

gat in his hand his sword, and leapt straight toward that knight. And

when the knight saw Sir Gareth come so fiercely upon him, he smote him

with a foin through the thick of the thigh that the wound was a

shaftmon broad and had cut a-two many veins and sinews. And therewithal

Sir Gareth smote him upon the helm such a buffet that he fell

grovelling; and then he leapt over him and unlaced his helm, and smote

off his head from the body. And then he bled so fast that he might not

stand, but so he laid him down upon his bed, and there he swooned and

lay as he had been dead.

Then Dame Lionesse cried aloud, that her brother Sir Gringamore heard,

and came down. And when he saw Sir Gareth so shamefully wounded he was

sore displeased, and said: I am shamed that this noble knight is thus

honoured. Sir, said Sir Gringamore, how may this be, that ye be here,

and this noble knight wounded? Brother, she said, I can not tell you,

for it was not done by me, nor by mine assent. For he is my lord and I

am his, and he must be mine husband; therefore, my brother, I will that

ye wit I shame me not to be with him, nor to do him all the pleasure

that I can. Sister, said Sir Gringamore, and I will that ye wit it, and

Sir Gareth both, that it was never done by me, nor by my assent that

this unhappy deed was done. And there they staunched his bleeding as

well as they might, and great sorrow made Sir Gringamore and Dame

Lionesse.

And forthwithal came Dame Linet, and took up the head in the sight of

them all, and anointed it with an ointment thereas it was smitten off;

and in the same wise she did to the other part thereas the head stuck,

and then she set it together, and it stuck as fast as ever it did. And

the knight arose lightly up, and the damosel Linet put him in her

chamber. All this saw Sir Gringamore and Dame Lionesse, and so did Sir

Gareth; and well he espied that it was the damosel Linet, that rode

with him through the perilous passages. Ah well, damosel, said Sir

Gareth, I weened ye would not have done as ye have done. My lord

Gareth, said Linet, all that I have done I will avow, and all that I

have done shall be for your honour and worship, and to us all. And so

within a while Sir Gareth was nigh whole, and waxed light and jocund,

and sang, danced, and gamed; and he and Dame Lionesse were so hot in

burning love that they made their covenant at the tenth night after,

that she should come to his bed. And because he was wounded afore, he

laid his armour and his sword nigh his bed’s side.