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Chapter XI
SoonhesawbeforehiminavalleySirBleoberiswithSirSegwarides’wiferidingbehindhissquireuponapalfrey.Atthathecriedoutaloud,“Abide,SirknightofKingArthur’scourt,bringbackagainthatladyordeliverhertome.”
“Iwillnot,”saidBleoberis,“forIdreadnoCornishknight.”
“Why,”saidSirTristram,“maynotaCornishknightdowellasanyother?Thisday,butthreemilesback,twoknightsofthyowncourtmetme,andfoundoneCornishknightenoughforbothbeforeweparted.”
“Whatweretheirnames?”saidSirBleoberis.
“SirSagramourleDesirousandSirDodinasleSavage,”saidSirTristram.
“Ah,”saidSirBleoberis,amazed;“hastthouthenmetwiththem?Bymyfaith,theyweretwogoodknightsandmenofworship,andifthouhastbeatboththoumustneedsbeagoodknight;butforallthatthoushaltbeatmealsoerethouhastthislady.”
“Defendthee,then,”criedoutSirTristram,andcameuponhimswiftlywithhisspearinrest.ButSirBleoberiswasasswiftashe,andeachboredowntheother,horseandall,ontotheearth.
Thentheysprangclearoftheirhorses,andlashedtogetherfulleagerlyandmightilywiththeirswords,tracingandtraversingontherighthandandontheleftmorethantwohours,andsometimesrushingtogetherwithsuchfurythattheybothlaygrovellingontheground.AtlastSirBleoberisstartedbackandsaid,“Now,gentleknight,holdhardawhile,andletusspeaktogether.”
“Sayon,”saidSirTristram,“andIwillanswerthee.
