Messire Gawain lay in the hall that was ware of nought of this. He
seeth that day hath broken fair and clear, and ariseth up. The lady
cometh to the door of the hall and seeth not the dwarf, whereby well
she understandeth his treachery. She saith to Messire Gawain, "Sir,
for God's sake have pity upon me, for the dwarf hath betrayed me! And
you withdraw yourself forth of our forest and help not to rescue me
from the smart that my lord will make me suffer, great sin will you
have thereof. For well know you, that of right ought I not to be held
guilty toward my lord nor toward any other, for aught that you have
done toward me or I toward you."
"You say true," saith Messire Gawain. Thereupon is he armed, and
taketh leave of the lady and issueth forth of the fair hold and setteth
him in an ambush in the forest nigh thereby. Straightway behold the
jealous knight where he cometh, he and his dwarf. He entereth into the
hall. The lady cometh to meet him.
"Sir," saith she, "Welcome may you be!"
"And you," saith he, "Shame and evil adventure may you have, as the
most disloyal dame on live, for that this night have you harboured in
my hostel and in my bed him that most have I warned you against!"
"Sir," saith she, "In your hostel did I harbour him, but never hath
your bed been shamed by me, nor never shall be!"
"You lie!" saith he, "like a false woman!"
He armeth himself all incontinent and maketh his horse be armed, then
maketh the lady go down and despoil her to her shirt, that crieth him
mercy right sweetly and weepeth. He mounteth his horse and taketh his
shield and his spear, and maketh the lady be taken of the dwarf by her
tresses and maketh her be led before him into the forest. And he
bideth above a pool where was a spring, and maketh her enter into the
water that flowed forth full cold, and gathereth saplings in the forest
for rods and beginneth to smite and beat her across upon her back and
her breast in such sort that the stream from the spring was all bloody
therewithal. And she began to cry out right loud, until at last
Messire Gawain heareth her and draweth forth of the ambush wherein he
was, and cometh thitherward a great gallop.
"By my faith," saith the dwarf, "Look you here where Messire Gawain
cometh!"
"By my faith," saith the knight, "Now know I well that nought is there
here but treachery, and that the matter is well proven!"
By this time, Messire Gawain is come, and saith: "Avoid, Sir knight!
Wherefore slay you the best lady and most loyal that ever have I seen?
Never tofore have I found lady that hath done me so much honour, and
this ought you to be well pleased to know, for neither in her bearing,
nor in her speech, nor in herself found I nought save all goodness
only. Wherefore I pray you of franchise and of love that you forbear
your wrath and that you set her forth of the water. And so will I
swear on all the sacred hallows in this chapel that never did I beseech
her of evil nor wantonness nor never had I no desire thereof."
The knight was full of great wrath when he saw that Messire Gawain had
not gone his way thence, and an anguish of jealousy burneth him heart
and body and overburdeneth him of folly and outrage, and Messire Gawain
that is still before him moveth him to yet further transgression.
Natheless, for the fear that he hath of him he speaketh to him:
"Messire Gawain," saith he, "I will set her forth thence on one
condition, that you joust at me and I at you, and, so you conquer me,
quit shall she be of misdoing and of blame, but and if I shall conquer
you, she shall be held guilty herein. Such shall be the judgment in
this matter."
"I ask no better," saith Messire Gawain.