_Of the good counsel that the hermit gave to him._
Certes, said Gawaine, soothly have ye said, that I see it openly. Now I
pray you, good man and holy father, tell me why we met not with so many
adventures as we were wont to do, and commonly have the better. I shall
tell you gladly, said the good man: The adventure of the Sancgreal,
which ye and many other have undertaken the quest of it, and find it
not, the cause is, for it appeareth not to sinners. Wherefore marvel
not though ye fail thereof, and many other. For ye be an untrue knight,
and a great murderer, and to good men signifieth other things than
murder. For I dare say, as sinful as Sir Launcelot hath been, sith that
he went into the quest of the Sancgreal he slew never man, nor nought
shall till that he come unto Camelot again. For he hath taken upon him
for to forsake sin. And were not that he is not stable, but by his
thought he is likely to turn again, he should be next to achieve it,
save Galahad his son. But God knoweth his thought, and his
unstableness, and yet shall he die right an holy man; and no doubt he
hath no fellow of no earthly sinful man. Sir, said Gawaine, it seemeth
me by your words, that for our sins it will not avail us to travail in
this quest. Truly, said the good man, there be an hundred such as ye
be, that never shall prevail but to have shame. And when they had heard
these voices, they commanded him unto God.
Then the good man called Gawaine, and said, It is long time passed sith
that ye were made knight, and never since thou servedst thy Maker, and
now thou art so old a tree, that in thee there is neither life nor
fruit; wherefore bethink thee that thou yield unto our Lord the bare
rind, sith the fiend hath the leaves and the fruit. Sir, said Gawaine,
and I had leisure I would speak with you, but my fellow here, Sir
Ector, is gone, and abideth me yonder beneath the hill. Well, said the
good man, thou were better to be counselled. Then departed Gawaine, and
came to Ector, and so took their horses, and rode till they came to a
foster’s house which harboured them right well. And on the morn they
departed from their host, and rode long or they could find any
adventure.