'Yea, Lady,' then quoth Sir Gawain, 'an I might thy favor hold, The whole earth hath nothing fairer were the tale of its riches told; 330 And of crownèd heads, and uncrownèd, of all who may joyful win The highest meed of glory, did they bid me to share therein, Yet still my heart would rede me to count all such gain as naught If thy love were but weighed against it, such bliss had thy favour brought! If thy love may not be my guerdon then a swift sad death I'll die, 335 'Tis thine own this thing that thou scornest when thou dealest thus mockingly. Tho' a free man born thou shalt hold me thy vassal, if such thy will, Call me knight, or slave, or servant, the _name_ it shall please me still! Yet, I think me, thou doest not rightly--When my service thou thus wilt shame Thou drawest down sin upon thee, and thou shamest thine own fair fame. 340 If my service doth bring me honour thou hast naught withal to scorn, And such words shall but ill beseem thee tho' they lightly by me be borne!' Then back rode the knight, sore wounded, and he quoth, 'Is it thou, Gawain? For that which erewhile I owed thee here dost thou full payment gain, Since thine hand in bitter conflict, me, thy foeman, did prisoner make 345 And unto thine uncle Arthur thou didst me thy captive take, And four weeks long must I dwell there, and four weeks long I fed With the dogs--I shall ne'er forget it till the days of my life be sped!' Then he quoth, 'Is it thou, O Urian? If now thou art wroth with me, Yet guiltless am I, the king's favour at that time I won for thee, 350 For thy folly so far betrayed thee that men spake thee an outcast knight, And thy shield it was taken from thee, and forfeit thy name and right; Since thou ill didst entreat a maiden, and the peace of the land didst break, With a rope had the king repaid thee, but to him for thy life I spake!'