Then Gawain gave her courteous greeting, and stirrup and foot she kissed, And she turned her to Orgelusé, nor the lady her welcome missed. And she prayed him to 'light from his charger the while that she held the rein, And then to the ship she led them, the lady and knight Gawain; And there, in the place of honour, a carpet and cushions lay, 595 And the Duchess by Gawain sat her, as the maiden the twain did pray. And her office the maid forgat not, she disarmèd the hero there, And in sooth it is said that the mantle she did for his robing bear Which had served him that night for cover, when he did 'neath her rooftree lie, And now was the hour for its wearing and it wrapped him right royally. 600 So clad was Gawain in her mantle, and his own robe beneath he wore, And the harness he laid from off him on one side the maiden bore. And now as they sat together for the first time the lady fair Might look on his face and know him--Then unto the twain they bare Two game-birds that well were roasted, and with them a flask of wine, 605 And two cakes did the maiden bring them on a cloth that was white and fine-- The birds were the prey of the falcon--but Gawain and his lady bright Must seek water themselves, if to wash them ere they ate here should seem them right, And this did the twain; and joyful was the knight that he now might eat With her, for whose sake he would suffer joy, or sorrow, as seemed her meet. 610 And oft as the cup she gave him that her sweet lips had touched, anew Sprang his joy that he thus drank with her, and his sorrow behind him drew, And it halted nor might o'ertake him, and his gladness on swift foot sped, So fair was her mouth and so rosy her lips that from grief he fled. And no longer his wounds they pained him--Then the ladies from out the tower 615 They looked on the feast, and below them there rode in the self-same hour, On the further side of the river, brave knights who would show their skill. And the boatman alike and his daughter Gawain thanked with right goodwill, Ere yet he might ferry them over, and the lady spake with him there, For the food and the drink they had brought them--Then out quoth the lady fair, 620 'Now what hath that knight befallen, who yestreen, ere I rode away, Was o'erthrown in a joust by another? Was he slain, or doth live alway?'