She came to the bedside and looked on the knight, and Gawain gave her
fit greeting, and she greeted him again with ready words, and sat her by
his side and laughed, and with a sweet look she spoke to him:
“Sir, if ye be Gawain, I think it a wonder that ye be so stern and cold,
and care not for the courtesies of friendship, but if one teach ye to
know them ye cast the lesson out of your mind. Ye have soon forgotten
what I taught ye yesterday, by all the truest tokens that I knew!”
“What is that?” quoth the knight. “I trow I know not. If it be sooth
that ye say, then is the blame mine own.”
“But I taught ye of kissing,” quoth the fair lady. “Wherever a fair
countenance is shown him, it behoves a courteous knight quickly to claim
a kiss.”
“Nay, my dear,” said Sir Gawain, “cease that speech; that durst I not do
lest I were denied, for if I were forbidden I wot I were wrong did I
further entreat.”
“I’ faith,” quoth the lady merrily, “ye may not be forbid, ye are strong
enough to constrain by strength an ye will, were any so discourteous as
to give ye denial.”
“Yea, by Heaven,” said Gawain, “ye speak well; but threats profit little
in the land where I dwell, and so with a gift that is given not of good
will! I am at your commandment to kiss when ye like, to take or to leave
as ye list.”
Then the lady bent her down and kissed him courteously.