Here the story is silent of Messire Gawain and beginneth to speak of
Lancelot, that entereth into a forest and rideth with right great ado
and meeteth a knight in the midst of the forest that was coming full
speed and was armed of all arms.
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "Whence come you?"
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "I come from the neighbourhood of King Arthur's
Court."
"Ha, Sir, can you tell me tidings of a knight that beareth a green
shield such as I bear? If so, he is my brother."
"What name hath he?" saith Lancelot.
"Sir," saith he, "His name is Gladoens, and he is a good knight and a
hardy, and he hath a white horse right strong and swift."
"Be there other knights in your country that bear such arms as your
shield and his besides you and he?"
"Certes, Sir, none."
"And wherefore do you ask?" saith Lancelot.
"For this, that a certain man hath reft him of one of his castles for
that he was not there. Howbeit, I know well that he will have it again
through his good knighthood."
"Is he so good knight?" saith Lancelot.
"Certes, Sir, yea! He is the best of the Isles of the Moors."
"Sir, of your mercy, lower your coif."
He quickly thereon lowereth his coif, and Lancelot looketh at him in
the face. "Certes, Sir Knight," saith he, "you very much resemble him."
"Ha, Sir," saith the knight, "Know you then any tidings of him?"
"Certes, Sir," saith he, "Yea! and true tidings may I well say, for he
rode at my side five leagues Welsh, nor never saw I one man so like
another as are you to him."
"Good right hath he to resemble me," saith the knight, "for we are
twins, but he was born first and hath more sense and knighthood than I;
nor in all the Isles of the Moors is there damsel that hath so much
worth and beauty as she of whom he is loved of right true love, and
more she desireth to see him than aught else that liveth, for she hath
not seen him of more than a year, wherefore hath she gone seek her
prize, my brother, by all the forests of the world. Sir," saith the
knight, "Let me go seek my brother, and tell me where I may find him."
"Certes," saith Lancelot, "I will tell you though it grieve me sore."
"Wherefore?" saith the knight, "Hath he done you any mis-deed?"
"In no wise," saith Lancelot, "Rather hath he done so much for me that
I love you thereof and offer you my service."
"Sir," saith the knight, "I am going my way, but for God's sake tell me
where I shall find my brother."
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "I will tell you. This morning did I bid his
body farewell and help to bury him."
"Ha, Sir," saith the knight, "Do you tell me true?"
"Certes," saith Lancelot, "True it is that I tell you."
"Is he slain then, my brother?" saith the knight.
"Yea, and of succouring me," saith Lancelot.
"Ha, sir," saith the knight, "For God's sake tell me nought that is not
right."
"By God, Sir," saith he, "Sore grieved am I to tell it you, for never
loved I knight so much in so brief a time as I loved him. He helped to
save me from death, and therefore will I do for you according to that
he did for me."
"Sir," saith the knight, "If he be dead, a great grief is it to myself,
for I have lost my comfort and my life and my land without recovery."
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "He helped me to save my life, and yours will I
help to save henceforth for ever and so be that I shall know of your
jeopardy."
The knight heareth that his brother is dead and well believeth
Lancelot, and beginneth to make dole thereof the greatest that was ever
heard. And Lancelot saith to him, "Sir Knight, let be this dole, for
none recovery is there; but my body do I offer you and my knighthood in
any place you please, where I may save your honour."
"Sir," saith the knight, "With good will receive I your help and your
love, sith that you deign to offer me the same, and now have I sorer
need of them than ever. Sir," saith the knight, "Sith that my brother
is dead, I will return back and bear with my wrong, though well would
he have amended it had he been on live."
"By my head," saith Lancelot, "I will go with you, that so may I reward
you of that he hath done for me. He delivered his body to the death
for me, and in like manner freely would I fain set mine own in jeopardy
for love of you and of him."