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wearing a heavy chainmail jesseraunt, with coif and vizored helm, and his
horse was also clothed in harness of chain mail.
Following him was a lady upon a beautiful white horse, which went with stately
and proud steps along the forest way. The lady was clothed in a great robe of
gold brocade, and her headcloth, of fine cambric, was turned so that her face
was hidden. Behind them rode a little dark man, hairy and fierce of face,
dressed as a page; and he sat on a great horse, strong and spirited, yet the
dwarf held it well in hand. Hung to his saddlebow was the knight's shield, but
the device was hidden by a cloth, and two lances were fixed to the girdle of
the dwarf. In his right fist the page carried a whip, long and heavy and
knotted.
"Sir Geraint," said Gwenevere, "knowest thou the name of that tall knight?"
"I know him not, lady," said Geraint, "and his helm conceals his face, and his
shield is also hidden. But I will go and ask the page, that you may learn his
name."
And Sir Geraint rode up to the dwarfish page. "Who is yonder knight?" said Sir
Geraint.
"I will not tell thee," replied the dwarf, and scowled.
"Then I will ask him himself," said Sir Geraint.
"That thou wilt not, by my head," said the dwarf angrily, "for thou art not of
honour enough to speak to my lord."
Geraint turned his horse's head to go towards the knight, whereupon the dwarf
spurred forward and overtook him, and lashed towards him with the long and
knotted whip. The lash struck the mouth of Sir
Geraint, and blood flowed, and dropped upon the silken scarf that he wore.
Instantly Sir Geraint turned, with sword half drawn, and the dwarf cowed and
pulled back. But Sir Geraint thought it would be no vengeance to carve the
dwarf's head from his shoulders, and to be attacked unarmed by the mailclad
knight.
He thrust his sword back with a clang into its scabbard, and rode towards the
queen.
"Thou hast acted wisely and nobly, Sir Geraint," said the queen, "and I sorrow
for the insult the craven knave hath placed upon thee."
"Lady, I fear he was but copying his master," said Geraint, whose eyes flashed
with anger. "But if your ladyship will permit me, I will follow this knight,
and at last he will come to some town where I may get arms either as a loan or
from a friend, and then will I avenge the insult which this stranger knight
hath given to you, my queen and lady."
"Go," said Gwenevere; "but I beg of thee, do not encounter with the knight
until thou hast good arms, for he is a man almost as big as Sir Lancelot du
Lake. And I shall be anxious concerning thee until thou dost return, or send
tidings."
"If I be alive," said Sir Geraint, "you shall hear tidings of me by tomorrow
at evensong."
Thus he departed. All that day SirGerairit followed the knight and the lady
and the page, keeping them in sight, though at a distance. Through the forest
they went first, and thereafter the road ran along a ridge of high
KING ARTHUR'S KNIGHTS. THE TALES RETOLD FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
V. THE DEEDS OF SIR GERAINT
58
ground, with the great downs and combes falling and heaving below their feet,
the sun flashing back from lakes and streams, the bees humming at the flowers
in the grass, and the larks rising with thrilling song in the warm sweet air
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of the spring.
Sir Geraint loved it all, but he kept his eyes ever on the knight, who flashed
as he moved far before him. At length he saw the towers of a high castle, and
beneath it the red roofs of a little town nestling at the foot of the grey
walls. They rode into the town, and as the hauighty knight passed through it
the people in the booths and cabins and those beside the way saluted him. He
did not acknowledge any of their greetings, but looked before him proudly, as
he had done when he rode through the solitary paths of the wilderness.
Sir Geraint looked about him as he rode behind, to see if there was any
armourer or knightly person whom he knew, but there was none. When he saw the
knight and the lady and the dwarf enter the castle, and was sure that they
would sojourn there, he rode about the little town, and found it full of
knights and squires, with armourers and others cleaning arms, sharpening
swords, and repairing harness. But no one did he know of whom to beg a suit of
armour and a lance.
Then he took his way to a little stream beneath the wall of the town, and on
the other side he saw a manorhouse, old and ruinous, standing amidst the
weeds.
And thinking he might get lodging there for that night, he forded the river
and went towards the manor. He saw that the halldoor yawned open, and that a
marble bridge led up to it, over a wide ditch full of stagnant water and thick
with green weeds and rushes.
On the bridge sat an old and reverend man in clothes that once had been rich,
but now were thin and tattered.
And Geraint thought it was not possible that so poor a place could help him in
what he desired. He looked steadfastly at the old man.
"Young sir," said the latter, "why art thou so thoughtful?"
"I was thinking, fair sir," said Geraint, "whether thou couldst give me
lodging here for this night."
"Of a surety," said the old man, rising. "It is poor we are, but such as can
be given shall be of our best."
He led Sir Geraint into the hall, which was bleak and desolate, and the
hearthstone in the centre was thick with last year's leaves, as if it had been
long since fire had flickered upon it. On the wall there hung rusty weapons
and helms, and through the cracks there crept the ivy from the outer wall. The
horse was tethered in the hall by the old man.
Then he led Sir Geraint to a door upon the dais, and ushered him into the
bower, and there he saw an old decrepit woman, sweet of look though thin and
peaked. She rose from the cushion on which she sat, greeting him kindly, and
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