Король Артур и рыцари Круглого стола
Chapter XII
Andwhentheholyvesselhadbeenthusbornethroughthehall,itsuddenlydeparted,nomansawwhither.
Whentheyrecoveredbreathtospeak,KingArthurfirstroseup,andyieldedthankstoGodandtoourLord.
ThenSirGawainsprangupandsaid,“Nowhaveweallbeenfedbymiraclewithwhatsoeverfoodwethoughtofordesired;butwithoureyeswehavenotseentheblessedvesselwhenceitcame,socarefullyandpreciouslyitwasconcealed.Therefore,Imakeavow,thatfromto-morrowIshalllabourtwelvemonthsandadayinquestoftheSangreal,andlongerifneedbe;norwillIcomeagainintothiscourtuntilmineeyeshaveseenitevidently.”
Whenhehadspokenthus,knightafterknightroseupandvowedhimselftothesamequest,tillthemostpartoftheRoundTablehadthussworn.
ButwhenKingArthurheardthemall,hecouldnotrefrainhiseyesfromtears,andsaid,“SirGawain,SirGawain,thouhastsetmeingreatsorrow,forIfearmemytruefellowshipshallnevermeettogetherhereagain;andsurelyneverChristiankinghadsuchacompanyofworthyknightsaroundhistableatonetime.”
Andwhenthequeenandherladiesandgentlewomenheardthevows,theyhadsuchgriefandsorrowasnotonguecouldtell;andQueenGuineverecriedout,“Imarvelthatmylordwillsufferthemtodepartfromhim.
