"Damsel," saith Meliot, "Foul shame would it be and I left here these
knights in such wise for the reproach of other knights."
Meliot made them graves with his sword, and so buried them the best he
might.
"Sir," saith the damsel, "And you take not thought to protect me, the
knight will slay me. To-morrow, when he findeth not the knights, he
will search all the forest to look for me."
Meliot and the damsel together go their way through the forest until
they come to a chapel where was wont to be a hermit that the Knight of
the Galley had destroyed. He helpeth down the damsel of his horse, and
afterward they entered into the chapel, where was a great brightness of
light, and a damsel was there that kept watch over a dead knight.
Meliot marvelleth him much.
"Damsel," said Meliot, "When was this knight killed?"
"Sir, yesterday the Knight of the Galley slew him on the seashore,
wherefore behoveth me thus keep watch, and in the morning will he come
hither or ever he go to the castle where Messire Gawain hath to-morrow
to fight with a lion, all unarmed, and my Lady, that is mistress both
of me and of this damsel you have brought hither, will likewise be
brought to-morrow to the place where the lion is to slay Messire
Gawain, and she in like sort will be afterward delivered to the lion
and she renounce not the New Law wherein the knight that came from
Raving Castle, whereof she is lady, hath made her believe; and we
ourselves shall be in like manner devoured along with her. But this
damsel would still have taken respite of my death and she had still
kept guard over the knights that were so foully hanged above her.
Natheless, sith that you have taken them down from where they were
hanging, you have done a right good deed, whatsoever betide, for the
Lord of the Red Tower will give his castle to the knight for this."
Meliot is right joyous of the tidings that he hath heard of Messire
Gawain that he is still on live, for well knoweth he, sith that the
Knight of the Galley will come by the chapel there, that he will come
thither or ever Messire Gawain doth battle with the lion.
"Sir," saith the damsel of the chapel, "For God's sake, take this
damsel to a place of safety, for the knight will be so wood mad of
wrath and despite so soon as he cometh hither, that he will be fain to
smite off her head forthwith, and of yourself also have I great fear."