The damsel well understandeth that Messire Gawain speaketh reason.
"Ha, Sir," saith she, "He hath already departed hence and gone into the
forest, and the most divers-seeming knight is he and the best that
liveth, and great pains shall I have or ever I find him again."
"The best?" saith Messire Gawain; "How know you that?"
"I know it well," saith she, "for that in the house of King Fisherman
did the Graal appear unto him for the goodness of his knighthood and
the goodness of his heart and for the chastity of his body. But he
forgat to ask that one should serve thereof, whence hath sore harm
befallen the land. He came to the court of King Arthur, where he took
a shield that none ought to bear save he alone. Up to this time have I
well known his coming and going, but nought shall I know thereof
hereafter for that he hath changed the cognisance of his shield and
arms. And now am I entered into sore pain and travail to seek him, for
I shall not have found him of a long space, and I came not to this
assembly save for him alone."
"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "You have told me tidings such as no
gladness have I thereof, for I also am seeking him, but I know not how
I may ever recognise him, for he willeth not to tell me his name, and
too often changeth he his shield, and well I know that so I shall ever
come in place where he hath changed his cognisance, and he shall come
against me and I against him, I shall only know him by the buffets that
he knoweth how to deal, for never in arms have I made acquaintance with
so cruel a knight. But again would I suffer sorer blows than I have
suffered yet, so only I might be where he is."
"Sir," saith the damsel, "What is your name?"
"Damsel," saith he, "I am called Gawain."
With that he commendeth the damsel to God, and goeth his way in one
direction and the damsel in another, and saith to herself that Perceval
is the most marvellous knight of the world, that so often he
discogniseth himself. For when one seeth him one may recognise him
not. Messire Gawain rideth amidst the forest, and prayeth the Saviour
lead him into such place as that he may find Perceval openly, in such
sort that he may have his acquaintance and his love that so greatly he
desireth.