As Sir Artegall rode forth on his way, accompanied only by Talus, he saw
far off a damsel on a palfrey flying fast in terror before two knights,
who pursued her. These in turn were themselves pursued by another
knight, who pricked after them with all his might, his spear ready
levelled. At length the latter overtook the hindmost of the two knights,
and compelled him to turn and face him; but the other still pursued the
maid, who flew as fast in front of him, and never stopped till she saw
Sir Artegall. To him she ran at once, in glad haste, hoping to get help
against her enemy; and Artegall, seeing her approach, went forward to
relieve her fear, and to prevent her foe from hurting her.
But the pursuing knight, greedy as a hound after his prey, still
continued his course, thinking to overthrow Sir Artegall with his spear.
Thus alike sternly resolved they met fiercely. But Artegall was the
stronger, and better skilled in tilt and tournament, and he hurled the
other out of his saddle quite two spears’ lengths. The Pagan knight,
unluckily for himself, pitched on his head, broke his neck, and was
killed on the spot.
Meanwhile the third Knight had defeated and slain the second of the
villains, and leaving him there dead, he ran on to overtake his
companion. Instead of him he found Sir Artegall, and not knowing he was
also on the side of the damsel, he ran at him without thinking; and the
latter, seeing him approach so fiercely, made against him again. So they
met, and struck strongly, and broke their spears; yet neither was
dismounted, though they both shook to and fro, and tottered like two
towers quaking in a tempest.
But when they had recovered their senses they drew their swords, meaning
to make amends with them where their spears had failed. When the damsel,
who had seen the end of both her foes, now beheld her friends beginning
for her sake a more fearful fray, she ran to them in haste, crying to
them to stay their cruel hands until they both heard what she had to say
to them.
“Ah, gentle Knights,” she cried, “why do you thus unwisely wreak on
yourselves another’s wrong? I am the injured one whom both of you have
aided. Witness the two Pagan knights whom ye may see dead on the ground!
What more revenge, therefore, do you desire? If more, then I am she who
was the root of all. End your revenge on me.”
When they heard her speak thus, and saw that their foes were indeed
dead, they immediately stayed their hands, and lifted up their visors to
look at each other; and then Sir Artegall saw that his adversary was
none other than Prince Arthur himself.
Filled with admiration for his gallant and noble bearing, and touched
with the deepest affection, he drew near, and prayed pardon for having
unknowingly wronged him, offering to yield himself to the Prince for
ever, or to any penance he chose to inflict.