But my will is
that thou shalt not have thine armour and weapons; and there
is a cause for this, which mayhappen I will tell thee hereafter.
But now I bid thee drink of this water, and then do off
thine helm and hauberk and give me thy sword and dagger,
and go with us peaceably; and be not overmuch ashamed, for I
have overcome men who boasted themselves to be great warriors.
So Ralph drank of the water, and did off his helm, and cast water on his face,
and arose, and said smiling: "Nay, my master, I am nought ashamed
of my mishaps: and as to my going with thee and the Lady, thou hast
heard me say under thy dagger that I would not forbear to follow her;
so I scarce need thy command thereto." The knight scowled on him and said:
"Hold thy peace, fool! Thou wert best not stir my wrath again."
"Nay," said Ralph, "thou hast my sword, and mayst slay me if thou wilt;
therefore be not word-valiant with me."
Said the Knight of the Sun: "Well, well, thou hast the right of it there.
Only beware lest thou try me overmuch. But now must we set forth on our road;
and here is work for thee to do: a hundred yards within the thick
wood in a straight line from the oak-tree thou shalt find two horses,
mine and the knight's who fell before me; go thou and bring them hither;
for I will not leave thee with my lady, lest I have to slay thee in the end,
and maybe her also."
Ralph nodded cheerfully, and set off on his task, and was the readier therein
because the Lady looked on him kindly and compassionately as he went by her.
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