Page:Le Morte d'Arthur - Volume 1.djvu/153

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King Arthur
123

him that I have most hated of any man alive? That is the righteous judgment of God, said the damosel. And then anon Sir Pelleas awaked and looked upon Ettard; and when he saw her he knew her, and then he hated her more than any woman alive, and said: Away, traitress, come never in my sight. And when she heard him say so, she wept and made great sorrow out of measure.


CHAPTER XXIII

HOW SIR PELLEAS LOVED NO MORE ETTARD BY MEANS OF THE DAMOSEL OF THE LAKE, WHOM HE LOVED EVER AFTER

Sir knight Pelleas, said the damosel of the lake, take your horse and come forth with me out of this country, and ye shall love a lady that shall love you. I will well, said Sir Pelleas, for this Lady Ettard hath done me great despite and shame, and there he told her the beginning and ending, and how he had purposed never to have arisen till that he had been dead.—And now such grace God hath sent me, that I hate her as much as ever I loved her, thanked be our Lord Jesus! Thank me, said the damosel of the lake. Anon Sir Pelleas armed him, and took his horse, and commanded his men to bring after his pavilions and his stuff where the Damosel of the Lake would assign. So the Lady Ettard died for sorrow, and the damosel of the lake rejoiced Sir Pelleas, and loved together during their life days.


CHAPTER XXIV

HOW SIR MARHAUS RODE WITH THE DAMOSEL, AND HOW HE CAME TO THE DUKE OF THE SOUTH MARCHES

Now turn we unto Sir Marhaus, that rode with the damosel of thirty winter of age, southward. And so they came into a deep forest, and by fortune they were nighted, and rode long in a deep way, and at the last they came unto a courtelage, and there they asked harbour. But the man of the courtelage would not lodge them for no treaty that they could treat, but thus much the good man said, An ye will take the adventure of your lodging, I shall bring you