Then said Sir Dinadan privily unto Sir Tristram: Sir, that is Sir
Launcelot du Lake that spake unto you first, and the other is my lord
King Arthur. Then, said Sir Tristram unto La Beale Isoud, Madam arise,
for here is my lord, King Arthur. Then the king and the queen kissed,
and Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram braced either other in arms, and
then there was joy without measure; and at the request of La Beale
Isoud, King Arthur and Launcelot were unarmed, and then there was merry
talking. Madam, said Sir Arthur, it is many a day sithen that I have
desired to see you, for ye have been praised so far; and now I dare say
ye are the fairest that ever I saw, and Sir Tristram is as fair and as
good a knight as any that I know; therefore me beseemeth ye are well
beset together. Sir, God thank you, said the noble knight, Sir
Tristram, and Isoud; of your great goodness and largess ye are
peerless. Thus they talked of many things and of all the whole jousts.
But for what cause, said King Arthur, were ye, Sir Tristram, against
us? Ye are a knight of the Table Round; of right ye should have been
with us. Sir, said Sir Tristram, here is Dinadan, and Sir Gareth your
own nephew, caused me to be against you. My lord Arthur, said Gareth, I
may well bear the blame, but it were Sir Tristram’s own deeds. That may
I repent, said Dinadan, for this unhappy Sir Tristram brought us to
this tournament, and many great buffets he caused us to have. Then the
king and Launcelot laughed that they might not sit.
What knight was that, said Arthur, that held you so short, this with
the shield of silver? Sir, said Sir Tristram, here he sitteth at this
board. What, said Arthur, was it Sir Palomides? Wit ye well it was he,
said La Beale Isoud. So God me help, said Arthur, that was unknightly
done of you of so good a knight, for I have heard many people call you
a courteous knight. Sir, said Palomides, I knew not Sir Tristram, for
he was so disguised. So God me help, said Launcelot, it may well be,
for I knew not Sir Tristram; but I marvel why ye turned on our party.
That was done for the same cause, said Launcelot. As for that, said Sir
Tristram, I have pardoned him, and I would be right loath to leave his
fellowship, for I love right well his company: so they left off and
talked of other things.
And in the evening King Arthur and Sir Launcelot departed unto their
lodging; but wit ye well Sir Palomides had envy heartily, for all that
night he had never rest in his bed, but wailed and wept out of measure.
So on the morn Sir Tristram, Gareth, and Dinadan arose early, and then
they went unto Sir Palomides’ chamber, and there they found him fast
asleep, for he had all night watched, and it was seen upon his cheeks
that he had wept full sore. Say nothing, said Sir Tristram, for I am
sure he hath taken anger and sorrow for the rebuke that I gave to him,
and La Beale Isoud.
CHAPTER LXXIX. How Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides did the next day, and
how King Arthur was unhorsed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account