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Her minion…knights； by those he overthrew
Be bounden straight； and so they brought him in。
Then when he came before Ettarre； the sight
Of her rich beauty made him at one glance
More bondsman in his heart than in his bonds。
Yet with good cheer he spake； 'Behold me； Lady；
A prisoner； and the vassal of thy will；
And if thou keep me in thy donjon here；
Content am I so that I see thy face
But once a day： for I have sworn my vows；
And thou hast given thy promise； and I know
That all these pains are trials of my faith；
And that thyself； when thou hast seen me strained
And sifted to the utmost； wilt at length
Yield me thy love and know me for thy knight。'
Then she began to rail so bitterly；
With all her damsels； he was stricken mute；
But when she mocked his vows and the great King；
Lighted on words： 'For pity of thine own self；
Peace； Lady； peace： is he not thine and mine？'
'Thou fool；' she said； 'I never heard his voice
But longed to break away。 Unbind him now；
And thrust him out of doors； for save he be
Fool to the midmost marrow of his bones；
He will return no more。' And those； her three；
Laughed； and unbound； and thrust him from the gate。
And after this； a week beyond； again
She called them； saying； 'There he watches yet；
There like a dog before his master's door！
Kicked； he returns： do ye not hate him； ye？
Ye know yourselves： how can ye bide at peace；
Affronted with his fulsome innocence？
Are ye but creatures of the board and bed；
No men to strike？ Fall on him all at once；
And if ye slay him I reck not： if ye fail；
Give ye the slave mine order to be bound；
Bind him as heretofore； and bring him in：
It may be ye shall slay him in his bonds。'
She spake； and at her will they couched their spears；
Three against one： and Gawain passing by；
Bound upon solitary adventure； saw
Low down beneath the shadow of those towers
A villainy； three to one： and through his heart
The fire of honour and all noble deeds
Flashed； and he called； 'I strike upon thy side
The caitiffs！' 'Nay；' said Pelleas； 'but forbear；
He needs no aid who doth his lady's will。'
So Gawain； looking at the villainy done；
Forbore； but in his heat and eagerness
Trembled and quivered； as the dog； withheld
A moment from the vermin that he sees
Before him； shivers； ere he springs and kills。
And Pelleas overthrew them； one to three；
And they rose up； and bound； and brought him in。
Then first her anger； leaving Pelleas； burned
Full on her knights in many an evil name
Of craven； weakling； and thrice…beaten hound：
'Yet； take him； ye that scarce are fit to touch；
Far less to bind； your victor； and thrust him out；
And let who will release him from his bonds。
And if he comes again'there she brake short；
And Pelleas answered； 'Lady； for indeed
I loved you and I deemed you beautiful；
I cannot brook to see your beauty marred
Through evil spite： and if ye love me not；
I cannot bear to dream you so forsworn：
I had liefer ye were worthy of my love；
Than to be loved again of youfarewell；
And though ye kill my hope； not yet my love；
Vex not yourself： ye will not see me more。'
While thus he spake； she gazed upon the man
Of princely bearing； though in bonds； and thought；
'Why have I pushed him from me？ this man loves；
If love there be： yet him I loved not。 Why？
I deemed him fool？ yea； so？ or that in him
A somethingwas it nobler than myself？
Seemed my reproach？ He is not of my kind。
He could not love me； did he know me well。
Nay； let him goand quickly。' And her knights
Laughed not； but thrust him bounden out of door。
Forth sprang Gawain； and loosed him from his bonds；
And flung them o'er the walls； and afterward；
Shaking his hands； as from a lazar's rag；
'Faith of my body；' he said； 'and art thou not
Yea thou art he； whom late our Arthur made
Knight of his table； yea and he that won
The circlet？ wherefore hast thou so defamed
Thy brotherhood in me and all the rest；
As let these caitiffs on thee work their will？'
And Pelleas answered； 'O； their wills are hers
For whom I won the circlet； and mine； hers；
Thus to be bounden； so to see her face；
Marred though it be with spite and mockery now；
Other than when I found her in the woods；
And though she hath me bounden but in spite；
And all to flout me； when they bring me in；
Let me be bounden； I shall see her face；
Else must I die through mine unhappiness。'
And Gawain answered kindly though in scorn；
'Why； let my lady bind me if she will；
And let my lady beat me if she will：
But an she send her delegate to thrall
These fighting hands of mineChrist kill me then
But I will slice him handless by the wrist；
And let my lady sear the stump for him；
Howl as he may。 But hold me for your friend：
Come； ye know nothing： here I pledge my troth；
Yea； by the honour of the Table Round；
I will be leal to thee and work thy work；
And tame thy jailing princess to thine hand。
Lend me thine horse and arms； and I will say
That I have slain thee。 She will let me in
To hear the manner of thy fight and fall；
Then； when I come within her counsels； then
From prime to vespers will I chant thy praise
As prowest knight and truest lover； more
Than any have sung thee living； till she long
To have thee back in lusty life again；
Not to be bound； save by white bonds and warm；
Dearer than freedom。 Wherefore now thy horse
And armour： let me go： be comforted：
Give me three days to melt her fancy； and hope
The third night hence will bring thee news of gold。'
Then Pelleas lent his horse and all his arms；
Saving the goodly sword； his prize； and took
Gawain's； and said； 'Betray me not； but help
Art thou not he whom men call light…of…love？'
'Ay；' said Gawain； 'for women be so light。'
Then bounded forward to the castle walls；
And raised a bugle hanging from his neck；
And winded it； and that so musically
That all the old echoes hidden in the wall
Rang out like hollow woods at hunting…tide。
Up ran a score of damsels to the tower；
'Avaunt；' they cried； 'our lady loves thee not。'
But Gawain lifting up his vizor said；
'Gawain am I； Gawain of Arthur's court；
And I have slain this Pelleas whom ye hate：
Behold his horse and armour。 Open gates；
And I will make you merry。'
And down they ran；
Her damsels； crying to their lady； 'Lo！
Pelleas is deadhe told ushe that hath
His horse and armour： will ye let him in？
He slew him！ Gawain； Gawain of the court；
Sir Gawainthere he waits below the wall；
Blowing his bugle as who should say him nay。'
And so； leave given； straight on through open door
Rode Gawain； whom she greeted courteously。
'Dead； is it so？' she asked。 'Ay； ay；' said he；
'And oft in dying cried upon your name。'
'Pity on him；' she answered； 'a good knight；
But never let me bide one hour at peace。'
'Ay；' thought Gawain； 'and you be fair enow：
But I to your dead man have given my troth；
That whom ye loathe； him will I make you love。'
So those three days； aimless about the land；
Lost in a doubt； Pelleas wandering
Waited； until the third night brought a moon
With promise of large light on woods and ways。
Hot was the night and silent； but a sound
Of Gawain ever coming； and this lay
Which Pelleas had heard sung before the Queen；
And seen her sadden listeningvext his heart；
And marred his rest'A worm within the rose。'
'A rose； but one； none other rose had I；
A rose； one rose； and this was wondrous fair；
One rose； a rose that gladdened earth and sky；
One rose； my rose； that sweetened all mine air
I cared not for the thorns； the thorns were there。
'One rose； a rose to gather by and by；
One rose； a rose； to gather and to wear；
No rose but onewhat other rose had I？
One rose； my rose； a rose that will not die；
He dies who loves it；if the worm be there。'
This tender rhyme； and evermore the doubt；
'Why lingers Gawain with his golden news？'
So shook him that he could not rest； but rode
Ere midnight to her walls； and bound his horse
Hard by the gates。 Wide open were the gates；
And no watch kept； and in through these he past；
And heard but his own steps； and his own heart
Beating； for nothing moved but his own self；
And his own shadow。 Then he crost the court；
And spied not any light in hall or bower；
But saw the postern portal also wide
Yawning； and up a slope of garden； all
Of roses white and red； and brambles mixt
And overgrowing them； went on； and found；
Here too； all hushed below the mellow moon；
Save that one rivulet from a tiny cave
Came lightening downward； and so spilt itself
Among the roses； and was lost again。
Then was he ware of three pavilions reared
Above the bushes； gilden…peakt： in one；
Red after revel； droned her lurdane knights
Slumbering； and their three squires across their feet：
In one； their malice on the placid lip
Frozen by sweet sleep； four of her damsels lay：
And in the third； the circlet of the jousts
Bound on her brow； were Gawain and Ettarre。
Back； as a hand that pushes through the leaf
To find a nest and feels a snake； he drew：
Back； as a coward slinks from what he fears
To cope with； or a traitor proven； or hound
Beaten； did Pelleas in an utt