Thereupon come they into the hall. The knight maketh one of his own
squires stable the horses and the two damsels help disarm Lancelot and
Messire Gawain.
"Lords," saith the knight, "So God help me, nought have I to lend you
wherewith to clothe you, for robe have I none save mine own jerkin."
Lancelot hath great pity thereof and Messire Gawain, and the two
damsels take off their kirtles that were made like surcoats of cloth
that covered their poor shirts, and their jackets that, were all
to-torn and ragged and worn, and present them to the knights to clothe
them. They were fain not to refuse, lest the damsels should think they
held them not in honour, and did on the two kirtles right poor as they
were. The damsels had great joy thereof that so good knights should
deign wear garments so poor.
"Lords," saith the Poor Knight, "The knight that brought the tidings
hither, and was stricken through of a lance-shaft, is dead and lieth on
a bier in a chapel within the castle, and he confessed himself right
well to a hermit and bade salute you both, and was right fain you
should see him after that he were dead, and he prayed me instantly that
I would ask you to be to-morrow at his burial, for better knights than
be ye might not be thereat, so he told me."
"Certes," saith Lancelot, "A good knight was he, and much mischief is
it of his death; and sore grieveth me that I know not his name nor of
what country he was."
"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "He said that you should yet know it well."
The two good knights lay the night at the castle, and the Poor Knight
lodged them as well as he might. When it cometh to morning, they go to
the chapel to hear mass and to be at the burial of the body. After
that they take leave of the Poor Knight and the two damsels and depart
from the castle all armed.
"Messire Gawain," saith Lancelot, "They know not at court what hath
become of you, and they hold you for dead as they suppose."
"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "thitherward will I go, for I have
had sore travail, and there will I abide until some will shall come to
me to go seek adventure."
He recounteth to Lancelot how the Graal hath appeared to him at the
court of King Fisherman: "And even as it was there before me, I forgat
to ask how it served and of what?"
"Ha, Sir," saith Lancelot, "Have you then been there?"
"Yea," saith he, "And thereof am I right sorry and glad: glad for the
great holiness I have seen, sorry for that I asked not that whereof
King Fisherman prayed me right sweetly."
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "Right sorely ill have you wrought, nor is there
not whereof I have so great desire as I have to go to his castle."
"By my faith," saith Messire Gawain, "Much shamed was I there, but this
doth somewhat recomfort me, that the Best Knight was there before me
that gat blame thereof in like manner as I."
Lancelot departeth from Messire Gawain, and they take leave either of
other. They issue forth of a forest, and each taketh his own way
without saying a word.