So the lord roamed the woods, and Gawain, that good knight, lay ever
a-bed, curtained about, under the costly coverlet, while the daylight
gleamed on the walls. And as he lay half slumbering, he heard a little
sound at the door, and he raised his head, and caught back a corner of
the curtain, and waited to see what it might be. It was the lovely lady,
the lord’s wife; she shut the door softly behind her, and turned towards
the bed; and Gawain laid him down softly and made as if he slept. And
she came lightly to the bedside, within the curtain, and sat herself
down beside him, to wait till he wakened. The knight lay there awhile,
and marvelled within himself what her coming might betoken; and he said
to himself, “’Twere more seemly if I asked her what hath brought her
hither.” Then he made feint to waken, and turned towards her, and opened
his eyes as one astonished, and crossed himself; and she looked on him
laughing, with her cheeks red and white, lovely to behold.
“Good morrow, Sir Gawain,” said that fair lady; “ye are but a careless
sleeper, since one can enter thus. Now are ye taken unawares, and lest
ye escape me I shall bind you in your bed; of that be ye assured!”
Laughing, she spake these words.
“Good morrow, fair lady,” quoth Gawain blithely. “I will do your will,
as it likes me well. For I yield me readily, and pray your grace, and
that is best, by my faith, since I needs must do so.” Thus he jested
again, laughing. “But an ye would, fair lady, grant me this grace that
ye pray your prisoner to rise. I would get me from bed, and array me
better, then could I talk with ye in more comfort.”
“Nay, forsooth, fair sir,” quoth the lady, “ye shall not rise, I will
rede ye better. I shall keep ye here, since ye can do no other, and talk
with my knight whom I have captured. For I know well that ye are Sir
Gawain, whom all the world worships, wheresoever ye may ride. Your
honour and your courtesy are praised by lords and ladies, by all who
live. Now ye are here and we are alone, my lord and his men are afield;
the serving men in their beds, and my maidens also, and the door shut
upon us. And since in this hour I have him that all men love, I shall
use my time well with speech, while it lasts. Ye are welcome to my
company, for it behoves me in sooth to be your servant.”
“In good faith,” quoth Gawain, “I think me that I am not he of whom ye
speak, for unworthy am I of such service as ye here proffer. In sooth, I
were glad if I might set myself by word or service to your pleasure; a
pure joy would it be to me!”
“In good faith, Sir Gawain,” quoth the gay lady, “the praise and the
prowess that pleases all ladies I lack them not, nor hold them light;
yet are there ladies enough who would liever now have the knight in
their hold, as I have ye here, to dally with your courteous words, to
bring them comfort and to ease their cares, than much of the treasure
and the gold that are theirs. And now, through the grace of Him who
upholds the heavens, I have wholly in my power that which they all
desire!”
Thus the lady, fair to look upon, made him great cheer, and Sir Gawain,
with modest words, answered her again: “Madam,” he quoth, “may Mary
requite ye, for in good faith I have found in ye a noble frankness. Much
courtesy have other folk shown me, but the honour they have done me is
naught to the worship of yourself, who knoweth but good.”
“By Mary,” quoth the lady, “I think otherwise; for were I worth all the
women alive, and had I the wealth of the world in my hand, and might
choose me a lord to my liking, then, for all that I have seen in ye, Sir
Knight, of beauty and courtesy and blithe semblance, and for all that I
have hearkened and hold for true, there should be no knight on earth to
be chosen before ye!”
“Well I wot,” quoth Sir Gawain, “that ye have chosen a better; but I am
proud that ye should so prize me, and as your servant do I hold ye my
sovereign, and your knight am I, and may Christ reward ye.”
So they talked of many matters till mid-morn was past, and ever the lady
shewed her love to him, and the knight turned her speech aside. For
though she were the brightest of maidens, yet had he forborne to shew
her love for the danger that awaited him, and the blow that must be
given without delay.
Then the lady prayed her leave from him, and he granted it readily. And
she gave him good-day, with laughing glance, but he must needs marvel at
her words:
“Now He that speeds fair speech reward ye this disport; but that ye be
Gawain my mind misdoubts me greatly.”
“Wherefore?” quoth the knight quickly, fearing lest he had lacked in
some courtesy.
And the lady spake: “So true a knight as Gawain is holden, and one so
perfect in courtesy, would never have tarried so long with a lady but he
would of his courtesy have craved a kiss at parting.”