A History of the French Novel, Vol. 1: From the Beginning to 1800Saintsbury, George
History
A History of the French Novel, Vol. 1: From the Beginning to 1800
Saintsbury, George
French fiction -- History and criticism
Then bid he [the King] Monseigneur[47] Ywain that he should
go and look for Lancelot. "And let him be equipped as
handsomely as you know is proper: for well know I that he
has plenty." Then the King himself told the Queen how the
Lady of the Lake had requested that he would not make
Lancelot knight save in his own arms and dress. And the
Queen marvelled much at this, and thought long till she saw
him. So Messire Ywain went to the Childe [_vallet_] and had
him clothed and equipped in the best way he could: and when
he saw that nothing could be bettered, he led him to Court
on his own horse, which was right fair. But he brought him
not quietly. For there was so much people about that the
whole street was full: and the news was spread through all
the town that the fair Childe who came yester eve should be
a knight to-morrow, and was now coming to Court in knightly
garb. Then sprang to the windows they of the town, both men
and women. And when they saw him pass they said that never
had they seen so fair a Childe-knight. So he came to the
Court and alighted from his horse: and the news of him
spread through hall and chamber; and knights and dames and
damsels hurried forth. And even the King and the Queen went
to the windows. So when the Childe had dismounted, Messire
Ywain took him by the hand, and led him by it up to the
Hall.
The King and the Queen came to meet him: and both took him
by his two hands and went to seat themselves on a couch:
while the Childe seated himself before them on the fresh
green grass with which the Hall was spread. And the King
gazed on him right willingly: for if he had seemed fair at
his first coming, it was nothing to the beauty that he now
had. And the King thought he had mightily grown in stature
and thews.[48] So the Queen prayed that God might make him a
man of worth, "for right plenty of beauty has He given him,"
and she looked at the Childe very sweetly: and so did he at
her as often as he could covertly direct his eyes towards
her. Also marvelled he much how such great beauty as he saw
appear in her could come: for neither that of his lady, the
Lady of the Lake, nor of any woman that he had ever seen,
did he prize aught as compared with hers. And no wrong had
he if he valued no other lady against the Queen: for she was
the Lady of Ladies and the Fountain of Beauty. But if he had
known the great worthiness that was in her he would have
been still more fain to gaze on her. For none, neither poor
nor rich, was her equal.
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