Book XIII · KLINGSOR, part 6 of 10

¶Now the squire might betake him homewards, since his errand so well had sped, He gat forth at the early dawning, ere the sun should be high o'erhead, And the queen's chamberlain he gave him a charger, and robes beside, And gold lest his pledge be forfeit, and glad on his way he hied, For had he not won from King Arthur what should end his lord's sorrow sore? 405 And I know not the days of his journey, but in safety he came once more To Château Merveil; then joyful was Arnivé, for as she bade The porter bare news of his coming, how his steed he no whit had stayed, But swiftly had done his errand. Then in secret she made her way To where by the castle drawbridge the squire did his charger stay, 410 And she asked him much of his journey, and why he in haste must ride? Quoth the squire, ''Tis forbidden, Lady! my errand I needs must hide, An oath have I sworn of silence, and my lord he might well be wroth If to thee I should tell the tidings, for so should I break mine oath, And a fool would he surely hold me! Ask himself what thou fain wouldst learn!' 415 Yet she strove still with many a question from his purpose the squire to turn, Then weary was he of her pleading, and in anger this word he spake, 'Without cause dost thou here delay me, for I think not mine oath to break!'

¶So he went where he found his master, and the Turkowit brave Florand, And Lischois, and the lady of Logrois, many ladies did with them stand, 420 And the squire made his way to his master, and up stood the knight Gawain, And he took him aside, and welcome he bade him in joyful strain, 'Now tell unto me, my comrade, the tidings thou here hast brought, If thy news be for joy or for sorrow, what speak they of me at court?'

¶'And say, didst thou find King Arthur?' quoth the squire, 'My master, yea, 425 The king, and the queen, and with them many brave knights I saw alway, And they offer to thee their service, and they will at thy bidding come, And they heard in such sort thy message, with such gladness, that every one, Rich and poor, as one man were joyful when I spake, thou wert safe and well. And the folk there were sure a marvel! Their number I may not tell! 430 And the Table Round, by thy message, was spread for the feast I ween; And if knight e'er won fame by his valour, then I wot that thy fame hath been Far greater than all who hearkened to the words that I spake of thee, And it beareth the crown o'er all others, tho' mighty their fame shall be!'

¶Then he told him all that befell there, how he spake with the gracious queen, 435 And the counsel she gave unto him; and how he the folk had seen, Those brave knights and gentle ladies; how Gawain should behold their face At Ioflanz, before the combat, and the end of his day of grace. And the sorrow of Gawain vanished, yet his joy in his heart he'ld hide, Tho' from grief did he pass to gladness; yet the squire must his oath abide 440 And yet for a space keep silence--Forgotten was all his care, And thither he went, and he sat him again by his lady fair, And with joy he abode in the castle till King Arthur to his relief Might come with his host--Now hearken to a story of love and grief:

¶Gawain he was ever joyful; one morn did it so befall 445 That many a knight and lady were seen in that stately hall, And Gawain sat apart in a window, and looked o'er the stream so wide, And with many a tale of wonder sat Arnivé the knight beside.

¶To the queen spake the gallant hero, 'Ah! hearken, my Lady dear, If my questions they shall not vex thee, do thou to my words give ear 450 And tell me the wondrous story, which as yet shall be hid from me-- That I live, and my life is joyful, I owe it to none but thee; Tho' my heart had the wit of manhood, yet the Duchess she held it fast, But thou in such wise hast helped me that my sorrow is overpast; Of my love, and my wounds had I died here, but with wisdom thy helpful hand 455 Thou didst stretch to my aid, and hast loosed me for aye from my sorrow's band. I owe thee my life! My Lady of healing, now tell to me The wonder that was, and the marvel that yet in this place shall be. Say, wherefore by mighty magic hath Klingsor this palace made? For surely my life had I lost here had thy wisdom not been mine aid!' 460

¶Then out quoth the wise Arnivé, (and ne'er with such goodly fame Of womanly faith and wisdom fair youth unto old age came,) 'Sir Knight, these are but small marvels to the marvels his cunning hand, And his skill in hidden magic, have wrought in full many a land. He who counteth it shame unto us that into his power we fell, 465 He sinneth for sure! His doings, Sir Knight, I to thee will tell. Many folk, I ween, hath he troubled, his land is Terre de Labûr: From a wondrous race he springeth, whose marvels they aye endure, For Virgil was his forefather, in Naples his spells he wrought: And in this wise his nephew Klingsor was to shame and to sorrow brought;' 470

¶'And the chief of his towns was Capua--such high fame was his, I ween, That never in praise or in honour methinks had he shamèd been, And all folk they spake of Duke Klingsor, and praised him, both man and maid, Till in this wise he won dishonour, and his glory to earth was laid. In Sicily reigned a monarch, King Ibert, his life was blest 475 With a fair wife, Iblis, none fairer e'er hung on a mother's breast, And Klingsor would do her service, till her love should be his reward, And in shame did he win his guerdon from the hand of her rightful lord.'

¶'If here I must tell his secret, forgiveness I first must pray, For methinks it shall be a story that scarce fitteth my lips to say; 480 With a stroke was he made magician, with the self-same stroke unmanned'-- Then loudly he laughed, Sir Gawain, as the tale he must understand.