Book XIII · KLINGSOR, part 2 of 10

¶Gawain sat him by the maiden, (as I heard so the tale I tell,) And soft was his speech and gentle, and his words they beseemed him well. And tho' few were the years of Itonjé yet great was her courtesy, 75 And well did she know how to bear her as a maiden of high degree. And this question he asked the maiden, if a lover she aye had known? And with wisdom she made him answer, 'To whom might my love be shown, For ne'er to a man have I spoken, since the day I first saw the light, Save the words which thou now dost hearken as I speak unto thee, Sir Knight!' 80

¶'Yet mayst thou have heard the rumour of one who hath bravely fought, And striven for prize of knighthood, and with dauntless heart hath sought Fair service for fair rewarding?' In such wise spake the knight Gawain; But the maiden she quoth, 'Nay, no hero hath striven my love to gain; Yon lady, the Duchess of Logrois, hath many a gallant knight 85 Who serve her for love, or for payment, and hither they come to fight, And we of their jousts are witness, yet none shall have come so nigh As thou hast, Sir Knight, and this conflict thy glory hath raised on high!'

¶Then he quoth to the lovely maiden, 'Whose pathway shall she have crossed With many a chosen hero? Say, who hath her favour lost?' 90 'That, Sir Knight, hath the valiant monarch, King Gramoflanz, he who bore From aforetime the crown of honour; so men say, and I know no more!'

¶Quoth Gawain, 'Thou shalt know more of him, since he draweth the prize anear, And with steadfast heart doth he seek it; from his lips I this tale did hear-- Of true heart would he do thee service, if such service shall be thy will, 95 And help at thine hand he seeketh that thy love may his torment still. It is well that a king face peril, if his lady shall be a queen, And thou art the maid whom he loveth, if King Lot hath thy father been; Thou art she for whom his heart weepeth, if thy name shall Itonjé be, And sorrow of heart dost thou give him--By my mouth would he plead with thee.' 100

¶'Now if thou be true and faithful of his woe wilt thou make an end, And both would I serve right gladly--This ring he to thee doth send, I prithee to take it, Lady! In sooth do I mean thee well, And if thou wilt trust unto me no word of the tale I'll tell!' Then crimson she blushed, the maiden, and e'en as her lips were red 105 So red grew her cheek, yet the blushes as they came so they swiftly sped. And she stretched forth her hand so shyly toward the little ring of gold, For e'en at a glance she knew it, and her hand did the token hold.

¶Then she spake, 'Now, Sir Knight, I see well, if I freely to thee may speak, That thou comest from him, whom, desiring, my heart doth for ever seek. 110 My words shalt thou still hold secret, as courtesy biddeth thee, This ring have I seen aforetime, for it oft hath been sent to me; From the hand of the king it cometh, and I know it for token true, From my hand did he first receive it. What sorrow so e'er he knew, Of that do I hold me guiltless; what he asked, that in thought I gave, 115 Had we met I had ne'er withholden the boon he from me did crave.'

¶'This day have I kissed Orgelusé, who thinketh his death to win, I ween 'twas the kiss of Judas which all men count to him for sin! And honour and faith forsook me, when the Turkowit, brave Florand, And Gowerzein's Duke, fair Lischois, I kissed here at thy command. 120 From my heart I might not forgive them, for my true love they hate alway-- But speak thou no word to my mother.' Thus the maiden Gawain did pray.

¶'Sir Knight, it was thou didst pray me to take from their lips this kiss, Tho' no will for forgiveness had I, and my heart sickeneth sore for this! If joy shall be e'er our portion, our help in thine hand shall be, 125 And I know well, above all women, the king he desireth me; And his will shall he have, for I love him o'er all men on earth that live-- God send thee good help and good counsel, that joy thou to us mayst give!'

¶Quoth Gawain, 'How may that be, Lady? He beareth thee in his heart, And in thine dost thou ever hold him, and yet are ye twain apart. 130 If I knew how to give thee counsel that ye twain might in gladness dwell, Of a sooth no pains would I spare me such rede unto thee to tell.' Then she quoth, 'Yet in truth shalt thou rule us, myself, and my gallant king, And naught but thy help and God's blessing our love to its goal may bring, So that I, poor homeless maiden, his sorrow may put away, 135 For his joy shall be set upon me! If so be I from truth ne'er stray, What other can I desire here, or for what shall my true heart yearn, Save to give him the love he asketh, and his grief unto gladness turn?'

¶Gawain, he saw well that the maiden would fain to her love belong, Yet her hatred towards the Duchess as aforetime was fierce and strong; 140 Thus hatred and love did she bear here, and wrong had he done the maid Who thus, of a true heart simply, her plaint had before him laid. Since never a word had he told her how one mother had borne them both, And King Lot he had been their father--Then he answered her, little loth, He would do what he might to aid her, and in secret with gracious word 145 She thanked him who brought her comfort, and her sorrow with kindness heard.

¶Now the hour it was come, and they brought there for the tables fair linen white, And bread did they bear to the palace unto many a lady bright, And there might ye see a severance, for the knights they sat by one wall, Apart from the maids; and their places Gawain gave to each and all. 150 And the Turkowit sat beside him, and Lischois ate with Sangivé, (And that fair queen was Gawain's mother,) and Orgelusé by Arnivé. And Gawain set his lovely sister by his side at that festal board, And all did as he bade them gladly, for he was that castle's lord.