Spake the elder duchess, 'Daughter, what merchant think thou would fare In such royal guise? Thou wrongest his rank who now sitteth there!' Then out quoth the younger sister, 'Discourteous she aye shall be, With pride and scorn did she treat him, our king, Meljanz of Lys, 250 When her love he besought--unseemly such words and ways I trow!' Then spake Obie, for anger moved her, 'I see naught in that man below! There sitteth, methinks, a merchant, and he driveth a goodly trade; He would that they well were guarded, the chests that his steeds do lade, And like to a brooding dragon, O foolish sister mine, 255 O'er his treasure-chest he watcheth, this gallant _knight_ of thine!' And each word that they spake, the maidens, fell clear on Gawain's ear-- Leave we their speech, of the city and its peril ye now must hear. A water that ships had sailed on 'neath a bridge of stone flowed past, And the land here was clear of foemen, nor its flood held their armies fast. 260 A marshal came swiftly riding 'fore the bridge on the plain so wide, And a goodly camp had he marked out ere his lord to the field should ride. And he came e'en as they were ready, and with him came many more-- I will tell ye their names who, for truth's sake, and the love they to Lippaut bore, Here rode to his aid--His brother, men called him Duke Marangliess, 265 And two swift knights came with him from the land of Brevigariez; King Schirniel, the gallant monarch who ware crown in Lirivoin, And with him there rode his brother, the monarch of Avendroin.