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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.
