Король Артур та лицарі Круглого столу
Chapter XII
Butwhenhetoldhisname,thehermitmarvelledtoseehiminsosoreacase,andsaid,“Sir,yeoughttothankGodmorethananyknightliving,forHehathgiventheemorehonourthanany;yetforthypresumption,whileindeadlysintocomeintothepresenceofHisfleshandblood,Hesufferedtheeneithertoseenorfollowit.Wherefore,believethatallthystrengthandmanhoodwillavailtheelittle,whenGodisagainstthee.”
ThenSirLancelotweptandsaid,“NowknowIwellyetellmetruth.”
Thenheconfessedtohim,andtoldhimallhissins,andhowhehadforfourteenyearsservedbutQueenGuinevereonly,andforgottenGod,anddonegreatdeedsofarmsforher,andnotforHeaven,andhadlittleornothingthankedGodforthehonourthathewon.AndthenSirLancelotsaid,“Iprayyoucounselme.”
“Iwillcounselthee,”saidhe:“nevermoreenterintothatqueen’scompanywhenyecanavoidit.”
SoSirLancelotpromisedhim.
“Lookthatyourheartandyourmouthaccord,”saidthegoodman,“andyeshallhavemorehonourandmorenoblenessthaneveryehavehad.”
Thenwerehisarmsandhorserestoredtohim,andsohetookhisleave,androdeforth,repentinggreatly.
NowSirPercivalhadriddenbacktotherecluse,tolearnwhothatknightwaswhomshehadcalledthebestintheworld.AndwhenhehadtoldherthathewasSirPercival,shemadepassinggreatjoyofhim,forshewashismother’ssister,whereforesheopenedherdoortohim,andmadehimgoodcheer.Andonthemorrowshetoldhimofherkindredtohim,andtheybothmadegreatrejoicing.
