Quoth Gawain, 'How may that be, Lady? He beareth thee in his heart, And in thine dost thou ever hold him, and yet are ye twain apart. 130 If I knew how to give thee counsel that ye twain might in gladness dwell, Of a sooth no pains would I spare me such rede unto thee to tell.' Then she quoth, 'Yet in truth shalt thou rule us, myself, and my gallant king, And naught but thy help and God's blessing our love to its goal may bring, So that I, poor homeless maiden, his sorrow may put away, 135 For his joy shall be set upon me! If so be I from truth ne'er stray, What other can I desire here, or for what shall my true heart yearn, Save to give him the love he asketh, and his grief unto gladness turn?' Gawain, he saw well that the maiden would fain to her love belong, Yet her hatred towards the Duchess as aforetime was fierce and strong; 140 Thus hatred and love did she bear here, and wrong had he done the maid Who thus, of a true heart simply, her plaint had before him laid. Since never a word had he told her how one mother had borne them both, And King Lot he had been their father--Then he answered her, little loth, He would do what he might to aid her, and in secret with gracious word 145 She thanked him who brought her comfort, and her sorrow with kindness heard. Now the hour it was come, and they brought there for the tables fair linen white, And bread did they bear to the palace unto many a lady bright, And there might ye see a severance, for the knights they sat by one wall, Apart from the maids; and their places Gawain gave to each and all. 150 And the Turkowit sat beside him, and Lischois ate with Sangivé, (And that fair queen was Gawain's mother,) and Orgelusé by Arnivé. And Gawain set his lovely sister by his side at that festal board, And all did as he bade them gladly, for he was that castle's lord. My skill not the half doth tell me, no such master-cook am I, 155 That I know the name of the viands they offered them courteously; The host, and each one of the ladies, their servers were maidens fair, To the knights who sat over against them many squires did their portion bear. For this was the seemly custom, that no squire, in his serving haste, Brushed roughly against a maiden, but ever apart they paced-- 160 And whether 'twas wine, or 'twas viands, they offered unto the guests, In naught was their courtesy harmèd, for so did men deem it best.