"So would not I," saith the squire, "for never shall I see him in this
place but I shall run upon him as my mortal enemy!"
"Fair sweet friend," saith Messire Gawain, "you may say your pleasure,
but tell me is there no hold in this forest wherein I may harbour me
the night?"
"Sir," saith the squire, "No hold know I within twenty league of your
way in any quarter. Wherefore no leisure have you to tarry, for it is
high noon already."
So Messire Gawain saluteth the squire and goeth a great pace as he that
knoweth neither highway nor byway save only as adventure may lead him.
And the forest pleaseth him well for that it is so fair and that he
seeth the deer pass by before him in great herds. He rode on until it
drew toward evensong at a corner of the forest. The evening was fair
and calm and the sun was about to set. And a score league Welsh had he
ridden sithence that he parted from the squire, and sore he misdoubted
him that he should find no hold. He found the fairest meadow-land in
the world, and looked before him when he had ridden a couple of
bow-shot lengths and saw a castle appear nigh the forest on a mountain.
And it was enclosed of high walls with battlements, and within were
fair halls whereof the windows showed in the outer walls, and in the
midst was an ancient tower that was compassed round of great waters and
broad meadow-lands. Thitherward Messire Gawain draweth him and looketh
toward the gateway of the castle and seeth a squire issue forth a great
pace upon a hackney, and he came the way that Messire Gawain was
coming. And when the squire seeth him, and hath drawn somewhat anigh,
he saluteth him right nobly.