Chương Chương 382 · How Sir Percivale promised her help, and how he required

. How Sir Percivale promised her help, and how he required

her of love, and how he was saved from the fiend.

Then Sir Percivale promised her all the help that he might; and then

she thanked him. And at that time the weather was hot. Then she called

unto her a gentlewoman and bade her bring forth a pavilion; and so she

did, and pight it upon the gravel. Sir, said she, now may ye rest you

in this heat of the day. Then he thanked her, and she put off his helm

and his shield, and there he slept a great while. And then he awoke and

asked her if she had any meat, and she said: Yea, also ye shall have

enough. And so there was set enough upon the table, and thereon so much

that he had marvel, for there was all manner of meats that he could

think on. Also he drank there the strongest wine that ever he drank,

him thought, and therewith he was a little chafed more than he ought to

be; with that he beheld the gentlewoman, and him thought she was the

fairest creature that ever he saw. And then Sir Percivale proffered her

love, and prayed her that she would be his. Then she refused him, in a

manner, when he required her, for the cause he should be the more

ardent on her, and ever he ceased not to pray her of love. And when she

saw him well enchafed, then she said: Sir Percivale, wit you well I

shall not fulfil your will but if ye swear from henceforth ye shall be

my true servant, and to do nothing but that I shall command you. Will

ye ensure me this as ye be a true knight? Yea, said he, fair lady, by

the faith of my body. Well, said she, now shall ye do with me whatso it

please you; and now wit ye well ye are the knight in the world that I

have most desire to.

And then two squires were commanded to make a bed in midst of the

pavilion. And anon she was unclothed and laid therein. And then Sir

Percivale laid him down by her naked; and by adventure and grace he saw

his sword lie on the ground naked, in whose pommel was a red cross and

the sign of the crucifix therein, and bethought him on his knighthood

and his promise made to-forehand unto the good man; then he made a sign

of the cross in his forehead, and therewith the pavilion turned

up-so-down, and then it changed unto a smoke, and a black cloud, and

then he was adread and cried aloud: