"I grant your wish," said the king. "All shall be done as you desire."
"Fie on you all!" cried the damsel. "I came here for a knight, and you offer me a kitchen scullion. Is this King Arthur"s way of rescuing a lady in distress? If so, I want none of it, and will seek my knight elsewhere."
She left the court, red with anger, mounted her horse, and rode away.
She had hardly gone when a page of the court came to Beaumains and told him that his dwarf was without, with a n.o.ble horse and a rich suit of armor, and all other necessaries of the best.
At this all the court marvelled, for they could not imagine who had sent all this rich gear to a kitchen menial. But when Beaumains was armed, there were none in the court who presented a more manly aspect than he.
He took courteous leave of the king, and of Gawaine and Lancelot, praying the latter that he would soon ride after him. This done, he mounted his horse and pursued the damsel.
But those who observed him noticed that, while he was well horsed and had trappings of cloth of gold, he bore neither shield nor spear. Among those who watched him was Kay, who said,--
"Yonder goes my kitchen drudge, as fine a knight as the best of us, if a brave show were all that a knight needed. I have a mind to ride after him, to let him know that I am still his superior."
"You had better let him alone," said Gawaine. "You may find more than you bargain for."
But Kay armed himself and rode after Beaumains, whom he overtook just as he came up with the damsel.
"Hold there, Beaumains," he cried, in mockery. "Do you not know me?"
"Yes," answered the young man. "I know you for an ungentle knight of the court, who has put much despite upon me. It is my turn to repay you for your insults; so, sirrah, defend yourself."
Kay thereupon put his spear in rest and rode upon Beaumains, who awaited him sword in hand. When they came together, Beaumains, with a skilful parry, turned aside the spear, and then with a vigorous thrust wounded Kay in the side, so that he fell from his horse like a dead man. This done, he dismounted and took Kay"s shield and spear, and bade his dwarf take his horse.
All this was observed by the damsel, and also by Lancelot, who had followed closely upon the track of the seneschal.
"Now, Sir Lancelot, I am ready to accept your offer to knight me," said Beaumains, "but, first, I would prove myself worthy of the honor, and so will joust with you, if you consent."
"That I shall certainly not decline," said Lancelot, counting upon an easy victory.
But when the knight and the youth rode against each other both were hurled from their horses to the earth, and sorely bruised. But Beaumains was entangled in his harness, and Lancelot helped him from his horse.
Then Beaumains flung aside his shield and proffered to fight Lancelot on foot, to which the latter consented. For an hour they fought, Beaumains showing such strength that Lancelot marvelled at it, and esteemed him more a giant than a knight. He began, indeed, to fear that he might be vanquished in the end, and at length cried out,--
"Beaumains, you fight too hard, considering that there is no quarrel between us. I fancy you need no further proof."
"That is true enough, my lord," said Beaumains. "But it did me good to feel your might. As for my own strength, I hardly know it yet."
"It is as much as I want to deal with," said Lancelot. "I had to do my best to save my honor."
"Then you think I may prove myself a worthy knight?"
"I warrant you that, if you do as well as you have done to-day."
"I pray you, then, to invest me with the order of knighthood."
"That shall I willingly do. But you must first tell me your name, and that of your father."
"You will keep my secret?"
"I promise you that on my faith, until you are ready to reveal it yourself."
"Then, sir, my name is Gareth, and I am Gawaine"s brother, though he knows it not. I was but a child when he became a knight, but King Lot was my father."
"I am very glad to hear that," said Lancelot. "I knew you were of gentle blood, and came to court for something else than meat and drink."
Then Gareth kneeled before Lancelot, who made him a knight, and bade him be a good and worthy one, and to honor his birth by his deeds.
Lancelot then left him and returned to Kay, who lay half dead in the road. He had him borne back to the court, but his wound proved long in healing, and he found himself the scorn of the court for his discourteous treatment of the youth who had been put in his care.
CHAPTER II.
THE BLACK, THE GREEN, AND THE RED KNIGHTS.
When Beaumains overtook the damsel, he received from her but a sorry greeting.
"How dare you follow me?" she said. "You smell too much of the kitchen for my liking. Your clothes are foul with grease and tallow, and I marvel much that King Arthur made a knight of such a sorry rogue. As for yonder knight whom you wounded, there is no credit in that, for it was done by treachery and cowardice, not by skill and valor. I know well why Kay named you Beaumains, for you are but a lubber and turner of spits, and a washer of soiled dishes."
"Say what you will, damsel," answered Beaumains, "you shall not drive me away. King Arthur chose me to achieve your adventure, and I shall perform it or die."
"Fie on you, kitchen knave! you would not dare, for all the broth you ever supped, to look the red knight in the face."
"Would I not? That is to be seen."
As they thus angrily debated, there came to them a man flying at full speed.
"Help me, sir knight!" he cried. "Six thieves have taken my lord and bound him, and I fear they will slay him if he be not rescued."
"Lead me to him," said Beaumains.
He followed the man to a neighboring glade, where he saw a knight bound and prostrate, surrounded by six sorry-looking villains. At sight of this the heart of Beaumains leaped with anger. With a ringing battle-cry he rushed upon the knaves, and with three vigorous strokes laid three of them dead upon the earth. The others fled, but he followed at full speed, and quickly overtook them. Then they turned and a.s.sailed him fiercely, but after a short fight he slew them all. He then rode back to the knight, whom his man had unbound.
The rescued knight thanked him warmly, and begged him to ride with him to his castle, where he would reward him for his great service. But Beaumains answered that he was upon a quest which could not be left, and as for reward he would leave that to G.o.d.
Then he turned and rode back to the damsel, who greeted him with the same contempt as before, bidding him ride farther from her, as she could not bear the smell of the kitchen.
"Do you fancy that I esteem you any the n.o.bler for having killed a few churls? You shall see a sight yet, sir knave, that will make you turn your back, and that quickly."
Not much farther had they ridden when they were overtaken by the rescued knight, who begged them, as it was near night, and his castle close at hand, to spend the night there. The damsel agreed to this, and they rode together to the castle, where they were well entertained.
But at supper the knight set Beaumains before the damsel.
"Fie, fie! sir knight," she exclaimed. "This is discourteous, to seat a kitchen page before a lady of high birth. This fellow is more used to carve swine than to sit at lords" tables."
To this Beaumains made no answer, but the knight was ashamed, and withdrew with his guest to a side table, leaving her to the honor of the high table alone. When morning came they thanked the knight for their entertainment, and rode refreshed away.