Book VII · OBILOT, part 3 of 11

¶'And one who in strife is skilful and bold doth the vanguard lead, Poidikonjonz of Gros, and with him hath he many an armed steed. And Meljanz is son to his brother; and haughty of heart the twain, 175 The young as the old, I think me discourtesy here doth reign!'

¶'Thus these two kings, moved by anger, will forth unto Beaurosch ride, Where with toil he would win the favour that the maid to his love denied. And there with thrust and onslaught shall be broken many a spear; Yet so well is Beaurosch guarded that, tho' twenty hosts were here, 180 Each one than our army greater, it ne'er to our force would yield! The rear-guard knoweth naught of my journey, from the others I stole this shield, Lest perchance my lord should find here a joust, and with onslaught fierce And clash of the meeting chargers the spear thro' his shield might pierce.'

¶Then the squire he looked behind him, and his lord on his track did ride, 185 Three steeds and twelve spears unsplintered sped onward his rein beside. And I ween that his haste betrayed him, he would fain in the foremost flight The first joust for his own have challenged, so read I the tale aright.

¶Then the squire he spake unto Gawain, 'Thy leave I, Sir Knight, would pray,' And he turned him again to his master--What should Gawain do alway 190 Save see how this venture ended? Yet awhile he doubted sore, And he thought, 'If I look on conflict, and fight not as aye of yore, Then methinks shall my fame be tarnished; and yet if I here delay, E'en tho' it may be for battle, then in sooth is it reft away, My meed of worldly honour--To fight not, methinks, were best, 195 First must I fulfil my challenge.' But afresh doubt vexed his breast, For he deemed that his warlike errand but little might brook delay, Yet how could he take his journey thro' this army that barred his way? And he quoth, 'Now God give me counsel, and strengthen my manhood's might,' And on to the town of Beaurosch rode Gawain as gallant knight. 200

¶So before him lay Burg and city; fairer dwelling no man might know; Already it shone before him with its turrets in goodly row, The crown of all other castles--Before it the army lay On the plain 'neath the walls of the city; thro' the lines must he take his way, And right well he marked, Sir Gawain, many tents in a goodly ring, 205 And strange banners waved beside them, which strange folk to the fight would bring; And doubt in his heart found dwelling, by eagerness cleft in twain-- Then straight thro' the host encamped there rode the gallant knight Gawain.

¶One tent-rope it touched the other, tho' the camp it was long and wide, And he saw how they lay, and he noted the task which each one there plied. 210 Quoth they, 'Soit bien venu' then 'Gramercy' the knight for an answer gave-- And troops from Semblidag lay there, hired soldiers both strong and brave; And closely they camped beside them, the archers from Kahetei-- And strangers are oft unfriendly; As King Lot's son he passed them by No man of them all bade him tarry, so he rode o'er the grassy plain, 215 And toward the beleaguered city Sir Gawain he turned his rein.

¶Then he thought,'Must I e'en as a smuggler, in hiding-place bestow My goods, then the town is safer, methinks, than the plain below, Nor on gain shall my thoughts be turnèd, for this be my care alone, An Fate will so far befriend me, to guard that which is mine own!' 220 To the city gate he rode thus, and he found that which worked him woe, None too costly the Burgers deemed it, but their portals against the foe Had they walled up; well armed the watch-towers, and he saw on each rampart high Archers, with cross-bow bended that their bolts 'gainst the foe might fly. For defence and defiance ready on the battlements they stood. 225 Up the hillside toward the castle he turned him, that hero good.

¶Tho' little he knew the pathway to the Burg came the gallant knight, And straightway his eyes beheld them, full many a lady bright, For the prince's wife had come there, from the hall abroad to gaze, And daughters twain stood by her, bright as the sunlight's rays. 230

¶Then they spake in such wise as Gawain right well their words might hear-- 'Now, who is this,' quoth the mother, 'who doth to our aid draw near? Where goes he with pack-horse laden?' Spake the elder daughter fair, 'Nay, mother, 'tis but a merchant!' 'Yet he many a shield doth bear.' 'Such shall oft be the wont of merchants!' Then the younger sister spake, 235 'Thou sayest the thing that is not, and shame to thyself shouldst take, For surely he is no merchant! My knight shall he be straightway, If his service here craveth guerdon, such debt I were fain to pay!'

¶Now the squires they saw how a linden and olive-trees stood fair Beneath the walls, and they thought them how a welcome shade were there. 240 What would ye more? Then King Lot's son he straight to the ground did spring Where the shade was best, and his servants, they swift to their lord would bring A cushion fair and a mattress, and the proud knight he sat thereon; From on high gazed a crowd of ladies--Then, as he his rest had won, They lift adown from the pack-steeds the chests, and the harness bright, 245 And beneath the trees they laid them who rode here with the gallant knight.

¶Spake the elder duchess, 'Daughter, what merchant think thou would fare In such royal guise? Thou wrongest his rank who now sitteth there!' Then out quoth the younger sister, 'Discourteous she aye shall be, With pride and scorn did she treat him, our king, Meljanz of Lys, 250 When her love he besought--unseemly such words and ways I trow!' Then spake Obie, for anger moved her, 'I see naught in that man below! There sitteth, methinks, a merchant, and he driveth a goodly trade; He would that they well were guarded, the chests that his steeds do lade, And like to a brooding dragon, O foolish sister mine, 255 O'er his treasure-chest he watcheth, this gallant knight of thine!'

¶And each word that they spake, the maidens, fell clear on Gawain's ear-- Leave we their speech, of the city and its peril ye now must hear.