"Sir," saith she, "I have made vow thereof, and moreover a holy hermit
hath told me that the knight that warreth upon us may not be overcome
of no knight, save I bring him not some of the cloth wherewith the
altar in the chapel of the Grave-yard Perilous is covered. The cloth
is of the most holiest, for our Lord God was covered therewith in the
Holy Sepulchre, on the third day when He came back from death to life.
Nor none may enter the holy grave-yard that bringeth another with him,
wherefore behoveth me go by myself, and may God save my life this
night, for the place is sore perilous, and so ought I greatly to hate
him that hath procured me this dolour and travail. Sir," saith she,
"You will go your way toward the castle of Camelot: there is the Widow
Lady my mother, that awaiteth the return and the succour of the Good
Knight, and may you remember to succour and aid us when you shall see
how sore is our need of succour.
XIII.
"Damsel," saith Perceval, "So God allow me I will aid you to the utmost
of my power."
"Sir," saith she, "See, this is my way, that is but little frequented,
for I tell you that no knight durst tread therein without great peril
and great dread. And our Lord God have your body in keeping, for mine
own this night shall be in sore jeopardy and hazard."
Perceval departeth from the damsel, his sister, and hath right great
pity for that she goeth in so perilous place all alone. Natheless would
he nor forbid her, for he knew well that she might not go thither with
him nor with other, sith that such was the custom of the grave-yard
that twain might not pass the entrance, wherefore needs must one remain
without. Perceval was not willing that his sister should break her
vow, for never none of his lineage did at any time disloyalty nor base
deed knowingly, nor failed of nought that they had in covenant, save
only the King of Castle Mortal, from whom he had as much evil as he had
good of the others.
XIV.
The damsel goeth her way all alone and all forlorn toward the
grave-yard and the deep of the forest, all dark and shadowy. She hath
ridden until the sun was set and the night draweth nigh. She looketh
before her and seeth a cross, high and wide and thick. And on this
cross was the figure of Our Lord graven, whereof is she greatly
comforted. She draweth nigh the cross, and so kisseth and adoreth it,
and prayeth the Saviour of the world that was nailed on Holy Rood that
He would bring her forth of the burial-ground with honour. The cross
was at the entrance of the grave-yard, that was right spacious, for,
from such time as the land was first peopled of folk, and that knights
began to seek adventure by the forest, not a knight had died in the
forest, that was full great of breadth and length, but his body was
borne thither, nor might never knight there be buried that had not
received baptism and had repented him not of his sins at his death.
XV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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